Socialist Press no. 114

DEFEND THE S.U.

TOOLMAKERS!

Leyland toolmukers at their mass meeting in February 1977 when the! howled down Seanlon's attempts to force them Birmingham The District Committee of recommended

AUEW

has the expulsion trom of the union toolmakers on strike at SU Carburettors demanding £7 wage increase. terry Dutiy, the rant wine President Elect of the union has that the endorsement salu mis decision Ine Committee is a formality.

can regard expelled if they themselves retuse return to work, ana the AUEW will support Leyland scab labour to fill bringing in Iner loos union openly and ruthlessly on behalt of the employers against their members struggling amorove ineir standara or tving -create a new situation in the trade unions. Scanion But it is a situation firmly rooted in Scanions three years of defence of the social contract ana wage ConTors Durina that period. the trade union leaders have been drawn increasingly close to the govern- ment Now thev are no longel content simply to refuse to sup- or las in the case or ine nremen, deliberately hold back other with pay claims from workers they. aioneside men TOnTInO now move to and sack those workers who strike.

They do it now because pay striKes InIS time unreaten Phase 4 of wage contrul and the going to the poon a policy is which permanent wage control In reality the TUC leaders support Phase 4 as much as they supported phases 1 2 and 3 This why the current struggle is no longer a matter of skilleo workers. semi-skinea or unskilled workers. these expulsions are SUCCeSSTUl an v sectIoni workers who strike to improve will and conditions wages rece ve une same vicious ureal- ment. Right to strike The expulsion threats there- fore must become the immed- every trade concern unionist seekina to detena une interests of the working class Omes fee dof the 307 now becomes ine aeTence Fune to strike. Scanion and Duffy know that once the right to strike is taken away workers are left defenceless against the attacks of the employers and the covernment Scanlon's role in Leyland has ground for this the prepartu Two vears ago. as the participation set launched, Scanlon and Jones called on the front page of Leyland Mirror for workers

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 114 to strike! back to work. working"-whatever "keep nappened These officials have long put the "viability" of Leyland and British capitalism as a whole far in tront of ine interests or teH own members. the AUEW The moves by to implement expulsions flows from this long period of class collabor alon And in this way it links up With the bureaucratic more bee officials victimise

Г GWU

shop re-elected nine newly stewards, includino the and three deputy convenor convenors, at Leyland's Cowley Assemblv rant Elected deputy convenor refused Thornett, Alan recog- nition ov manacement tor nis record in fighting to defend and in conditions opposition ine social threatened with contract, expulsion -and others with a life ban on holding union ottice.

All sections The issues raised by the SU toolmakers struggle ineretore affect all sections of workers and all unions. It is not a matter of the rights or wrongs of their particular claim. August 30, 1978 * 15p Defend the right

WSL EXECUTIVE

COMMITTEE

STATEMENT

strike itself over The their living standards with Rover The SU strike this parity IS In the fight by respect similar more The company has agreed get t/ a Week more. semi-skilled AUEW members at to pay the extra money. Bathgate Scotland, where 1500 strikers voted 2-1 to reject Duffy the that aruues company will pay the money in the pleading OTTem Del 1979, and that there should be Gavin Laird for them to return a return to work. But the reality to work, even though the com pany was threatening closure.

is that the agreement to pay up 1979 tied to increased The Workers Socialist League has definite criticisms of productivity the too makers vve conside Pay policy that they should come out in a clear and open fight against the any case SU toolroom In this basis social contract ana on leader Regan savs We are not unite struggle, . In with othe Prepared a that n sections of workers. Such statements We have opposed the way in not reflect war cularly which The Leviana committee has accepted the orincibied eacershio trom Regan other toolroom principle but not the form leaders, but the fact that these company-wide wage barcamning skilled workers see this claim as a way of defending their living and union bureau- standards without cracy contronuine na be to destrov the policy. Regan even power of shop floor organisa- the pay claims (wrongly) that:

LION

"Government pay policy is flexible enough now for them to Mistake pay the t/ But when the SU men argue Ano the concy or retusine te speak for all skilled serious mistake seriony helps union subscriptions that they pay workers thev are riaht. Skilled as part of the whole ine union oureaucracy It is obviously difficult to organised working

AUEW

lapsed seeking a means of defending persudat

LOBBY THE TUC

Wednesday September 6 Brighton *Defend the right to strike!

*Action now to defeat Phase 4!

*Kick out the Callaghan-Healey leadership. Fight for socialist policies!

Anti-strike squad IF AP. ONE doubts that the attacks on the su men are part ot a trend towards disciplining strikers thev should look at the moves against the strike at Ley- land's Lianelli plant. of convenors asiegation from the company-wide Nation- al Joint Negotiating Committee Was

•LOO

Lianelli to get the workers back to work since their strike went against national union poly.

ine delegation included not only right wingers but also Derek Robinson, toolroom steward, convenor of the Long plant, bridge leading member Communist Party

TGWU

Moss evans. General Secretary, has written to Leyland management seeking a meeting to discuss unorticia strikes. workers. Spontaneous of ments supportIng StrIKE action swept through the AUEW all over the country. Rov erasel has now situation reachee une crucial oint which last year toolroom leader Roy Fraser and his committee backee down 508 We now call them learn the lessons last year's struggle. if thev not move now defend right to the they will deal a blow strike acainst all workers Prevarication only gives time

AUE

the bureaucracy. rrasers culooles on ine distinc tion between expulsion by the District Committee and expul- sion oy ine cxecutive must ena The decision is that the s would be on Monday if they not turn WOrK SAIl •TOOIrOOm workers must be called at once to mass meetings and called out on strike And the Leyland toolroom committee must make an appeal to all oner workers to come out their support. Lobby the TUC in defence of the right to Assist -Despite our oooosition some of the toolmakers' they demands, Tanage deteat the Auw leaders In This members many toolmakers are struggle they will assist every now 12-13 weeks in arrears) to worker in the struggle to defend strike against of the expulsion fellow the loos. conditions ano livine stan crartsmen ТГОМ dards against speed up, partici- union pation and corporate bargaining.

policy of non-payment сетеат STaTE should be enaed immealater control of wages! Put in catch- and back-subs must be paid up.

ing-up pay claims with cost of The refusal to pay union vind causes to orovide rises to dues levies keep pace with the cost of living sustain the 32 SU men were calculated elected com- attempts to pressurise union mittees or trade unionists ane oTTicials ano Leviana manade housewives! ment without an all-out con- frontation. Cnallenge threats or cosure -from Duffy, Leyland manage or Chrysler-by Inevitable clash ment dem and the opening Ing Com pany's books and those of their is that for But the reality suppliers to elected trade union any workers who do want to defend living standards a con- committees Tor the nationalisa Trontation win une callaghan- of the whole motor and tion Healey government is inevitable.

This emerged unmistakeably in component maustry WItnoUT compensation and under ine last Levlane toolroom sinke workers management, as part of in March 1977. The Labour leaders at that a planned. socialist economy!

*Force the dropping of the Doint tormea a coalition aeal expulsion threats against the SU with the Liberals sooner than relinquish Phase of wag men. ana me love disciplin ary charges against the Cowley while their

TUC

they nangers-on showed that *Build revolutionary would to the lengths of expelling strikers. readershio in the trade unions capable of fighting the treachery but wnat also emerdeo was and collaboration of the bureau- the tremendous support that there was other cracy, rignt and tert wing alike!

Chinese Stalinists back

VORSTER PLANES HIT ZAMBIA

Page 3

- INTERNATIONAL•

tottering Shah A novice in the skills of counter-revolution might feel a shade embarrassed in of the embraces retarning the Shah of Iran. This is, after all, the tyrant proclaimed who the white Revolution' Back and Red Reveron ot defeat reaction and teuda communism. Even the present trying conditions of popular uprising Chairman Hua is unlikely to be troubled the a less experienceo traito Like earlier Bucharest and Bergrade, the visit to Tehran has one supreme pur.

•ose TOr reking oureau. cracy The foreign policy ot tne rumino uninese ordinisis centres on forming alliances against the main enemy' of Soviet 'imper- Reactionary To this endi iney their rival brothers from even The Kremlin in giving support imperialist and regimes- -Pinochet's "cantrollar y mellary Mobutu's corrupt tyranny Zaire among them. But Iran's central position in Asia gives the shan a promineni place on the Chinese list friends to be cultivated Ene continent from the central Asian states of Soviet Union the Gulf 'security' with the feudal lords with

ITS

TICI

olitieros. Iran ment has now orovent them figures crucially in global into alliance with the Shah Arabia and the pro ally military strategy. Ba'athist leaders aspirations of the against fanatically anti-Soviet Iraq. Prince Iraqi regime today stanc

COT

the shan once A Doul

AZIZ

endears him the Chinese Saudi Defence Minister-has refuses broadcast to called upon Arab states with fears Ayatollah's inflammatory state- to sup 'hege- encirciement ov soviet port me onan to preserve stab- ments- ou an v mony' over Asia. principled objection to their lity in iran' But reactionary religious form.

Iragi had Far from Afghanistan and the slight cool- already taken practical steps to receiving encour unusual InO OT canese relations ensure that this piea doement assistance TrOM military the rulers of Pakistan from their reactionary these 'progressive' petty bour- neton have both injected new warmth bours was answered the struggles of the Iranian masses have beer

INTO

Ine To ma friendship already existing.

scarcely reported in the govern- Exile in Iraq ment-controlled press. Threat Ayatollah Ruholiah see Newsline abandons its It previous opposition to the Shah At the same time, ine peking Anom ani-a prominent Iranian Stalinists have every interest in religious leader involved in agi acterence tation for the shah's overthrow arrestle any allies elooments iniran exie in sournern The overthrow of the Shah's Iraq since 1963. He has outlived Mobilisations mobilisa- his dictatorship and usefulness to his Ba'athist hosts

LIONS

OPOSITIOn would be a grave threat to them, Newsline But the Shah can have little leadership this signed an agreement time to be properly grateful for might Shah to the Kurdish rebel these attention: only could Soviet influ Huge mobilisations have con-

NOT

lon in march 19/ ence gain some hold. Far more Beyond the efforts contemptible despite important, such a political. betrayal of the Kurd's right to trustrate by Ther would displays of military strength.

ever social - revolution set-determination inis arrande massively strengthen the of and struggles workers the Middle East. peasants south Asia and even in China itself. The dangers of such Aartoduake to the unstane rule of the Peking bureaucracy are never far from its mind. Share fears South African These be opposed to an escalation of agents ot _counter- lanes their fears with with the South attacked civilian and Africans every secon or me internation- military targets in a reprisal al bourgeoisie. Ine lesson of these raids by raid into Zambia last Wed- the Vorster is that nesday. amount necotiations This raid followed one internal "settlements" can pro by

SWAPO

tect the interests of the masses guerrillas Capriv in Southern Africa which ink. Namibia with Zimbabwe and is by Plea bordered Zambia and Bots. walld Since this outbreak of fight.

The position ing, violence has continued over Vorster and Smith in the face of armed several days includine raas into South African LamDia was typited yet again last weer Smith's desperate plea

LOUNS

Despite the fact that finance whites Zimbabwe to stay Siteke minister nas wire Turtner threatened the South Afircans attempts are made to establish with possible a stable internal "settlement" calls for outside The masses in Zimbabwe anc news. une camoan covernment is up to its neck in collaboration Namibia must resist to the ut with the Vorster regime. attempts by their sell out the military feduers (u Instrumental struggle for negotiated deals and accomodations with imperialism It has been just as the years of struggle and instrumental r forcing SWAPO into the "inter heavy guerrilla deaths Mohutt nal settlement" on the future of beg: inning to bear fruit Namibla some weeks 03. 3=35 ago by leaders of the liberation the armed struggle for forces. СПІРТ policeman imperialism in the Gulf area, the this Zambian studlion Shah holds meetings to discuss President Kenneth Kaunda will Yugoslavia's Stalinist leader Tito rides in triumph alongside the Shah Mosques stay locked up by order parts Tehran, although troops have now beer witnown TrON the strepts Isfahan remains martial law, and three days of Holic orowed one cinema tire at Abadan. Defiance Above all, the widespread repressive deTiance measures has alarmed the Shah.

it has become clear to him the Ine one nand inal systematic and bloody repres required to crush the ODOSITIOn Toree would provoke a civil war On the other hand he has inate determin ation and tenacity of the masses make doubtful who would emerge victorious The problems onan s complicated by the knowledge that any holding back on his dit wi born increase the con fidence of the mass opposition, and in turn bring the possibility

ANGULA

NE AFFLA

SUCIALISI PRESS.

of the army deciding to secure stability for imperialism by seizing power itself FOl massive machinery repression, Shah Is in a highly vulnerable

DOSITIOI

This underiying weakness has partly dictated the tyrant's calling an enquirv into the Abadan cinema fire with the associated dismissals and sus pensions or OTTiCials But this policy of 'appease ment' »summed up in the 'resig nation Prime Ministe Amouzegar-has also been cal.

culated to divide the mass move ment or oppositIon 'Moderation' at this stage could bring about negotiations with the Shite Muslim leaders and it is precisely for this result that these reactionary elements have encouraged the opposition movernent • If these apparently implac able enemies can pull together a mutually convenient deal, ther their first united move wili be a ferocious attack on the workers and peasants of Iran

ZAMBIA

SARCA

STRIKE BY

POPULAR

FRONT

FOLLOWS

RAID

A general strike has been called in Nicaragua, after the spectacularly successful raid on the parliament buildings by guerrillas of the Sandinist National Libera- tion Front. But like the similar strike in Janudry. Inis initiative has been organised by the Broad Oppos- Front-ar all-inclusive popular auditis aictator somoza which includes major and church dignitaries alongside trade union cauers imperialism WOlf struggles to negotiate the peace.

removal Cand 'democratisation' of Nicaragua. the country's economy is reeling toreigr investor. their capital from such perilous regions The ending of the Somoza Tamnly dictatorship can be only gain for the workers and peasants of Nicaragua. advance

DU C

llid: Hmed developed to fulfil cannot be their economic and political demands by a leadership which sees its task as simply guerrilla warfare and terrorism or the tormation of democratic bloc with sections of the bourgeoisie and imperialism.

PERU

STATE OF

EMERGENCY

In a desperate attempt to smash the Peruvian miners' strike General Bermudez and his military dictator- ship have declared a state of tive mining areas and suspended all civil liberties there the wide ranging powers'ol designed the decree are guarantee mining and eliminate subversive action designed to edgaraise ation of the national economy Troops already being moved in take Conto o the mines. some 10,000 miner: la fifth of the total strikers) are refusing to leave Lima were gathered and tne nave holding protest demonstrations.

- SWAZILAND

- LESOTHO

JANATA COALITION LURCHES

FROM CRISIS TO CRISIS

SOCIALIST PRESS. I :dresday 30 August, 1978 the ruling Janata coalition.

Starving, oppressed and Janata rebellious, the masses Ene!

LOUI

forced India are strite ree str outine for a melodramatic between their dearly minister production of bourgeois vaged DOSITIOn politics on a scale that rivals only the glories of Indian cinema.

conditions for future conflict.

The themes or corrustion Main force and nepotism may be stale-the intricacies of the plot are tedious-but ham acting and crudely-painted face-masks coalition together is at the same time working to shatter it for cannot conceal the real crisis of the An ena lo of internecine spate within the Pales- struggles tinian Liberation Organis- ation was apparently indica- ted by the announcement in brought to an end the series of deaths which began last January Beirut on 24 August of a wilt me shoote or toerLos between the

PLO

truce London leadership and the break- Hammami. away group of Abu Nidal, Unity close collaborators with the Iraqi regime. This truce was arranged week about 'unity' within the Pales Trouen the coo omices or te Algerian government and Its tinian movement. Lebanon, ambassador the isation has been vunamao yazia. It is to be hoped that it has closer links with the telectionist

OUT SOON!

WRP JUNKS

THE OLD

TROTSKYISM

This pamphlet brings together two articles recently published in Socialist Press, dealing with the of the self-styled Trotskyists' of the policies Middle East. The second article in particular exposes the way in which almost every aspect of the WRPs current international orientation represents the pordr defended by the WRP and its forerunner consists of documentary material to demonstrate the full extent of this volte face.

Price 45p plus 10p p&p from WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR good and all. Desai argue plausibly that, without his leadership, the Gandhi free re-assert her publicly With the coalition divided on how to deal with the charges corruption against Gandhi Losal S sUll majority in the As une Rajya Sabha (the upper house of parliament), her Congress demanded an (Indira) party enquiry. Seeds of defeat the lower house (Lok Sabha), it was clear that une Janata would not split, for all the resionations and turore thai had gone before. The 'victory' of the Janata contained all the seeds ot Tuture deear. Charan Singh-Desai's main royalty with the presid for his presidency luyally The party doubtedly provoke further desertions from the Janata, as small time for safety. Singh is well to the right in the coaltion. ane dealcated preserving the privileges of the This means Hindu caste system. ruthiess suboress on masses-in particular the "un- touchables". Contradiction Janata leader Desai The aross contradiction of the coalition is seen in the latest 'resolved' George measure put torward by and Minister for Industries.

factions. banned

BUT

Desai capacity tne 4xudisiull and fragile ot the cotton mous a power be creating looms. At the same time, subsi- tertile dies are to be given to • nanoloom weavin, dna lie cloth market is to be regulated by state controls. The main force holding the that rernandes Claims these measures will 'create em- and provide cheap ployment, Palestinian leaders call a truce forces outside the PLO for some years now, particularly with the largest them George Habash's Popular Front for the representative, Said Liberation or ralestina. The issue of a joint declara.

two bodies between these tion discussions nas about the reoroanisation o te Palestinian movement give The truce also comes during discussions to Fatah less weight council which runs cantidi the parnament nestiniar Yasser Arafatis Fatah organ- exile"-the Palestine National about talking Council. Speaking in Damascus on 18 WRP leaders! junk the old Trotskyism Workers Revolutionary rar in aaron to me opposite of the principles historically the socialist Labour . ine remande ou te material needed for basic cloth- ers, of the Indian ployed millions millions ing by swept the Janara to power two masses. an really tney WIll sharpen the crisis of the textile years ago United only by their opposi- of thousands housty tion to Indira Gandhi, even divi- mill workers InTO unemolov ment, trap sections of the peas- ce• ovel now further in debt, raise the capitalism in India, are price of cloth. create shortages.

alliance to see and hurl the cotton-growing industry into chaos. pushing. Gandhi nearer power. ot the

DUT

UnIs Janata's Violent crowds •rooressive measures It has also been active in em. and sanctioning Or encouraging volence ted her populism to left dema- strikers, and against 'untouch- and landless labourers ables' gogy. cultivation voient crowas nave The in recent months to Janata's support hangs strate around aspects of Janata ov te tores ot me memory the masses of the even more vicious repression by the Gandhi position on Gandhi. Desai has of dictatorship. Singh's new authority will DOliCE undoubtedly bring about them. Some alienation of the work Furtner August, PLO leader Arafat also the regime who are Syrian Lebanon to prevent his support.

TION

contront! Zionists. described Damascus inappropriately somewildl "the The ralestiniar book of the miners, whose revolution'. These moves show clearly 110 day strike forced back a bourgeois Pales- determined tinian leadership has completely accepted the on opensive, American the fight against role in Israel. Union have voted 98,000 to Now they are consolidating 78,000 to 'dialogue

TO COS

shoddy sell-out which will be aimed at prevent- ing mass mobilisation on social.

recommended union leaders. police. political defeat of the Zionists.

Both Comrade Brown, in his letter the

APWU

and Association of in the last issue of Socialist Press was quite right to draw readers' nave now for attention which offers only a 10% pay rise leadership within the Palestinian and a restricted movement. Clause lu It is also right for us to point years. out the political inadequacies of relectionist 1K8 habast well as those the utterly bank. who use only double figures, individual

TUOT

metnoos terrorism to deal with problems which only be resolved by the postal can mood passively and the mobil. socialist policies isation of the Palestinian and Arab masses. strike action head ott such a move ine cartel administration courts, threats of military inter vention Cano staged walkouts. Page 1( bv Singh sunporters: most bi forces concerned to restore the former dictator Already anoiner scandal na: risen to prominence with the poor peasants and unem of alleged kidnapping Suresh whose votes Kumar. Opportunist to defend best Kumar to Jagjivan son Ram, perhaps the most blatant The Jandla doomed by their opportunist of the whole Janata their every crew Now Defence Minister and immensely powerful within the coalition. Ram was apparenti most Ganont s Geolcated supporter until the 11th hour But Gandhi has not restric- before the 1977 election which sweet ner out oT oTTICe In towns throughout India "untouchables" and assembled orines nim into constant lacuca demon- conflict with Charan Singh.

Now his son claims to have firm been kidnapped by elements in declare the Janata very cose young up with Singh's political course used disperse interests. arrests have been organised begun. Among those celebrating the election of the new Pope will no doubt be Italian Stalinist leader Enrico Berlinguer.

As can be seen from this recent photo, Berlinguer has got on famously with the reactionary new figurehead, as part İtaliane Citamum and all its most anti coming class instit the Communist Party's 'historic compromise" Postal workers fight Carter Taking a leaf out of the In New Jersey and California 92 unofficial strikers have beer 60 sacked Cans two sacked strikers Jersey City employers the for hauled betore members of the contempt. This followed a ruling by Postal Workers Federal Judge Frederick Lacey ordei to the Jer a declarers throw out the back declaring work contract illegal a strike ballot schedulec for New York by their Pressure malor dosta unions the National open doubt It is now whether union bureaucrats will, Letter Carriers- would preter the reeceo me contract. this ruling Cand ine threat of living from Carter and call off all action, , or whether the pressure next caret from the membership will forci an all-out strike Inflation Plans have already been laid ТОГ army personne to scao or As US inflation reaches into the , in a move to up. and in the wake hold Carter's attempts at wage the miners 30% settlement control, wnich suttered a majo workers are inno blow at the hands of the miners.

this accept As the Democratic adminis tration once again enters battle mandated to call illegal national against the organised

IODOU

and defence movement 01 vo capitalismn Ina political fight within the unions has used the for a Labour Party to represent the independent interests of the attacks sharper than working class ficial strikers who have already

charge a "deterrent" Page 4

IRELAND

TROOPS OUT

NOW!

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard. Report Labour chiefs of Irish repression: Merlyn Rees' (left)' and Roy Mason. Work will be "resumed as • ne possible" declared likely soon as seems tion the Ministry of Defence last

ATOMIC

week as reluctantly bowed to public the plu- closed down industrial tonium-handling of dreas lauloaklive waste the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at must call Aldermaston. This "Work" consists hitting the saroud of the UTTIcIa manutacturind ano returoishine British imperialism's weapons stock, well new, more lethal researen into bombs and shells. The fear that most haunts to• mitary cuiets s mat tne closedown could hamper the ability of the British capitalist Class as part of NAlu to play Its role Tuls workers and peasants the world and treaterine property relations nationa seen workers' Europe and Asia. Lethal Indeed the revelation 12 Aldermaston's thousands-strong workforce have been subjected to danger- ous levels of plutonium merely highlights the fact that the plant provide aesignea to British capitalism with the deadly means tor deliberatelv exoosine mousaros or millionc of workers to lethal amounts of radioactive fall-out and contam- Rather than arguing for the Aldermaston plant new "safety" opened WIth checks, the trade unions con- PHOTO: Mark Rusher. IFI cerned--the

TGWU

ana Ine fighting for the complete closure of the weapons research unit, with Ine entire statt being kept on pay until such time as a planned programme of research into the uses or nuclear enerov. «under elected trade The control union committees, can launched. must vleanwhile attention also be directed towards safety standards force other huticar estabisnanents. The so-called "Preven- railroaded ment in 1974 in the wake of the Birmingham pub bomb- ings, has received another clean bill of health from Labour leaders. Lord Shackleton, who as a former Labour leader OT Lords nas also man aged secure the deputy chairmanship of Rio Tinto Zind has completed the • review commissioned last The December by Home Secretary Merlyn Rees alloy brushing aside the welter of evidence that shows the wanton intimidation meter out to Irish people under conferred by the Act, powers Lord Shackletor accuses opponents of holding "precon- ceived views". What matter that hardly any- one out of the 3,259 victims of the Act's powers of detention has been charged with a criminal People who point this out, according to Lord Shackleton, "ignore the point that its our pose is the prevention of terror-

SHUT DOWN THIS

BOMB FACTORY

Secrets Act from the activities Aldermaston scandal cause disrup- carried out in these establish- ments, and energy Autn Trao ority projects which are at least over the appli- union control cation of nuclear energy.

nominally peaceful in content- To into such a fiaht researc fuels and one sisposal of reprocessing Labour cabinet ine reactionary leaders who have shamelessly conspired finance Wal The trade unions concerned and prepar monocrime actions the labour move- ations British imperialism must be removed. ment as a whole to play a role in c11

THE

NUCLEAR

INDUSTRY

NEEDS.

YOU

BUT WHAT FOR?

Anti-Windscale demonstrators Detention without ism". The detention powers extensively have great value as a deterrent, Ladoll he claims. defend pro- he does on scription of the IRA, which he tunate victims of police claims helped 'high tioning" to be improved. feelings" against the Irish com Munity in britain Also defended is the use exclusion orders, used by police short, to remove selected victims from harassment and whether or they britain. could prove them guilty of any offence. Its repression people are to Hint living indictmen Lord Shackleton does add a leaders' marginal nint of liberalisatior capitalist masters. suggesting the lapsing struggle I ne ot the Act, and living standards currently makes It an ottence to withold information about acts dudl of terrorism. But here there is a roviso that section 17 has hear conscioush useful in Northern Ireland-the reactionary policy only place where it has actually The fight for been used! the Prevention The true spirit of reformism Act, lne emerges in Lord Shackleton's appeal for the detention cells so Ireland New attack on direct works Direct building depart. of ments local councils should make a profit or be axed-that is the conclusion

DEFEND

of a report welcomed by Reg Freeson, Minister Housing.

LECT WORKS

A Department of Environ ment report has recommended that councils should demand a 5% return on capital from thair punto. John direct labour force or be shut down the work going to private tender. Competition To underpin the Movi bring a new spirit of capitalism the council workforce Into Department last year. Employment competes dudinst all building tenders in the lead to the sacking of thousands TOr of building Council workforces the way for further 'ump' and certain advantages for the work- non-union employers to increase um plane and are to build d, class-they unionised. ael noires standards •than private councils with a golden oppor.

contractors. They be and impose speed-up on council detenced Socialist Youth League Red

NUSS: WHY THE YCL CAR

OFFER NO PERSPECTIVI

Youth Monini rate sae sear

YES! WE SAY

VOTE LABOUR

Red Youth No. 3 now available price 5p plus 7p p&p from

SYL,

Dartmouth park hill, London Nw5 1HR SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 30 August, 1978 determination under this USe the Irish TOr legislation to be made people is an inseparable part of and depressina" the struggle for the independent and for the food for the untor interests of the British working "ques. On Octobel United Troop: Out Movement has Treachery called a dem onstration through the streets of Barnsley-constit wency of butcher Roy Mason- the of these demands and intimidation demanding Prisoner the hands of British imperialist of yva status for Republican prisoners.

the Irish • remain intact as a Day of solidarity treachery of the British Labour subservience their November commemorating the 25,000 British strong torchlit demonstration workers for the defence of jobs • London organised by Karl Marx to protest the hang acall ane brings them into conflict of the Manchester Martyrs, with these same Labour traitors the Prisoners Committee is And henscion astor planning a Day of Solidarity every with Irish assiste prisoners of war The labour and trade unior the Terrorism movement must be mobilised te Terrorisn support these important initia tives witnerawa imperialist troops from and the right of self-

MILLION

GING TON

Builders protest at closure of Birmingham Direct Works would move which workers. the building NaTIOnase industry without compensation workers and oper under workers' control! Extend direct works! *An end to lump labour. It would also provide Tory A socialist planned economy of usefu to slash public spending unemployment, control of the working class 20p The Way Forward for Youth New on the policies the •and one Socialist Youth League, , price 20p plus 10p p&p from SYL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill London No THR

Campbell reveals SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 30 August, 1978

LABOUR

Only days before he him- self is due to on trial go under the Official Secrets freelance journalist Act, Duncan Campbell has pointed out the growing

PARTY

surveillance police OT working men and women by revealing that the majority of the 1.5 million people to be catalogued on a new police have computer criminal record. Mikardo backs 1.23 million of the files are to be Special Branch пта новнеє work. amocell reveals New Statesman article. Colonel B gag 29,000 files will come from the National Immi- gration Intelligence Unit 160.000 TrOM National Drugs Unit. House The Commons despite the naming the A mere 130 files from the Committee-which Privileges of the Serious Crimes Squad will deal volonel House with known criminals. Incudes arco Paramentarian. •i commons mat the Michel Foot, and fake left publication of his name would The extent of police surveil- lan Mikardo, has approved not be a contempt of court even civilians is tance InnocenT the Press by the proved by Campbell's own case, proceedings in the House".

which is to be heard at the Old DIreCTOr oT rubie Prosecutions and increased state control over Bailey on September 5. Parliament. Improbable Committee' upheld the I ne Director's right to threaten The Privilegas Committee with newspaper radio ruled that it was improbable' April it thev •rOSECuton fast that reports should aMen continued to publicise the name protected by privilege-hitherto of Colonel B-a prosecution nola Have the Official Secrets reports of Parliament. They also Trial Aubrey, Berry and ruled that the Director Campbell. entitled Prosecuted position". The Committee may yet go further and His name was given by four attack onivuee MPs in the House of Commons oT commons irat The question whether the

BBC

as part of the campalu four Labour MPs-Jo Richard peace ews. Leveller and The Journalist were and mash ristoner sol. hol nobert

PHOTO:

being prosecuted for contempt and Kilroy Silk Price-should be condemned for ot court tor naming him Colonel Immediately Bis Uneel protection of Parliamentary Turtner examined priviles his name This seemingly was broadcast minor question could openly reveal for The Director of Public Pro- The Tirst Time ini nue rees secutions-T.C. Heatherington- years the sham of Parliamentary privilege when it conflicts with Mikardo editors. "It not accepted

PRESS GANG

CENSOR'S CARVE UP

The censored version of icult to get convictions in the On the other it proved un- the BBC Play for Today on able to carry that censorship to courts decause or tne intimia the point required by the state- the dit cuter of ning in pand potential witnesses and the trial of Willie Gallagher not just a total blackout of the Belfast for the Legion play,

OUT

„tota o'ackout tal urous tor sactanian crimes Hall bombing was a devas- news that it had ever been writ- BBC Censor: The main prob- lem for the courts in Northern tating attack on martial ten and stifled. Ireland has been the intimidat- law in northern Ireland- he ode drove on coa they are ready to use the leg. ion of witnesses and the finding despite the cuts that were of impartial jurors. islation they have been given made. of evi- Churchill: nola anyone in opposition cIne rulds the occupation dence have been altered so that bou chanced Tine commentary that introduced confession allowed as antly. clue to were co the film. It cut another passage dence even if it was obtained by to do the job the state required They to hold threats or force.

COUC

change was the verbatim official Willie's father indefinitely and Censor: Under this Act account of the trial of Willie without publicity. judge may admit as evidence a under in- nanconer ContAcsIon OntAInAd Gallagher is no work of fic- tense interrogation. Niceties He on hunger tion. strike Churchill: (The Diplock close the point of death ir The result has been to de- ways with terror- Lone kesn concentration camo His trial, and events around the monstrate to thousands of wor- ists than internment 'demo Kers aboltion raise the pressure tor the witnout tid which wa. caus cratic' niceties, without achiev- ing widespread disapproval.

whole welont the movement to mobilised ing any tangible gain tor the rui- Censor: In 1972 a commis- Irish both sides the Sea to ing class. sion Was

SUT

Unce LOrd Author Caryl Churchill and English judge, Diplock, to out an eno to Ine occuoation o1 Roland northern Ireland and the director find ways of bringing terrorists went correct to resist using the courts massive represssion that To UStice to te to see cohes ad have The passage cut out altog- Win IT. The events around the play naVE ether pointed to the rising rate demonstrated the dilemma been delighted to stop the show.

o convictions under me no un Just a sample of the changes trials and asked whether it Inal me druis state ane a nom- shows that the only aim was inally Labour Government find worth defence. themselves in present Ine stooce triais and the The labour move On the Government in a more favour- one hand the

BBC

ment must now demand an end able light. ship on the Berries and i costn- and oroved adain tis willino to do to extreme lengths of censorship to protect the state from critic- Churchill: According to the ern irelano. nev cannot censor Diplock Committee it was diff.

the entire working class.

computer files Along with fellow journalist Crispin John Berry Campbell was supporter campaign t th former CIA agent Phillip Agee and American journalist : Mark nosesam.

PRE-TRIAL RALLY

PICKET

Never mind, you unem- ployed! According to Chan- cellor Denis Healey, the British capitalist economy is "better balance" now in than almost any time since the war. The recessionary measures have ensured 1½ million that workers reman on the co save also managed to cut the rate of inflation and stabilise the value Ente oIne currencies internationally.

But Healey is still not satis- fied with ine mistone curs living standards and post-war record levels of unemployment ne nas createo in nis ettoris to boost the profits of big business.

Phase 4 his speech the employers The Edinburgt junior Chamber of he stressed the importance maintalning nigid rnase 4 wagi controls. But he claimed that the fall in intiation had increased livin‹ standards by 5% over the last 12 This, coupled

WITE

TheM reputation as investigative journ.

alists, brought them under the watchful eyes and ears of intelli gence agencies. When Berry-who seven beforehand had boon years army corporal attached to the

THE RETURN OF COLONEL B

ANGER NO ANSWER

months This is certainly not true for the growing army of unemploy- ed workers cast aside bv overn.

ment-backed rationalisation in industry and cuts social service soeneiro The legitimate frustration and anger of unemployed workers and youth seine by Socialist cirected the Workers Party and Com. the munist Party towards the Brick Lane to bronton march entitied 'Anger on the Road' But experience has shown PHOTO. Ahra Dovis Parou Healey Page S top secret signals intelligence unit SIG INT-contacted them and sought a discussion, phone ensured Survellane that MI5 knew where and when the meeting would be. tape.

ATTE

„TVO

recorded conversation, all thre The content o were arrested. the conversation has never beer published or revealed. Spying clause The three victims are charged under Section 1 of the Official Secrets Act-the clause"- though not the prosecution They are sores eact face a possible 14 years in jail The intormation on te nev police compute last workto the announcement week that employees •stablish tent at forer- atomic weapons indicates how widereaching this Act is, and how severely restricts the rights of the workers' movement. Abandoned Home Secretary Labour Merlyn Rees recently announ the cabinet

SCOT

abandon Labour's manifesto pledge to repeal the Act, and thus to perpetuate all the clan destine activities of the most Gamen s police and military apparatus.

The fight to defend Aubrey, Berry and Campbell and prevent aramatic new attacks on demo cratic rights be must therefore taken up with urcency by the labour movement as a whole TUC leader Murray with Callaghan again and again that anger and not enough are actene exisuing foos or to torce through socialist policies that can create new ones. DuCI dost act ano demands as the march's call for 35 hour week are readily the TUC traitor who have collaborated with the of factory employers in scores closures ano mass reounoancies Occupation A programme to fight unem- ployment must begin with the fight occupations

TOF

and independent working class action prevent further SaK' linked to the demand for Ines work-sharing on full the pay opening the books and the nationalis. employers, ation without compensation of major industry. This calls for the building o a revolutionary leadership in the trade union and labour move. capable directing workers' anger and resentment along the path to political inde.

pendence of their treacherou: leaders

LESSONS OF THE U.S.

MINERS STRIKE 1978

fail to develop By Keith White political independence We saw in last week's article that the rank and file of the United Mine Workers of continually clashed = impts by their It: sinie in sell out the struggle The conflict was so sharp during the thousands of miners signed peti- tions demandino ine resonation President Arnold Miller. ints stuation it is cear great opportunities were InaT the fight for a opened up tor revolutionarv une. For the duration the 32% of coal pro- strike some This cuction continued. codl was mined in non-union pits.

A key focus for the struggle was blacking of this scab coal ine miners Inem se ves SnUT Arnold Miller down many scab operations, but it was necessary to back this up WITh campalet blacking throughout the US labour movement. union leaders I nose Trade who paraded their support for the miners at rallies all over the country shoute nave been

OUT

on the spot over this question.

Determination As We pointed out in part One of this article the efforts of Miller the to sell and strike were in suare distmeon to the determination of the rank and file the

WUSSES A

should have been nere struggle for the running of the be the strike hands of the rank and tile at a local level. This could have been done by local meetings calling pass reso utions removine wite and replacing his control with that of the rank and Miners tion of the strike. important for the many donations from those who suboorted The miners directed those who were organising Even after the strike ended.

miners were still complaining the strike shows that the SWP indepen- direct towards class that money conditions , was totaly cabdoie or postic •enCe aerence leadership was being witheld the real issues and giving the and, from time to time, talked In fighting for active support revolutionary line for of the need for a Labour Party.

for Press called for the setting up of Com- support element in the strike concentrated "Solidarity" mitteas ot to oroanise blacking and financial support.

setting up support committees, The existence of Committees organising rallies and collecting The for the mothe sharp •t Action wolo nave a a ir intervention into the strike was basis for the demand for political edge December strike Taft-

ISSUE

general against the the struggle-that betweer headline "Support Coal Miners bartel Decan i rank and tIe miners ano Strike". moves to implement this anti- Miller leadership-was reported Between then and the end of labour legislation. in general terms. the dispute the central theme of But in no way did the SWP Subordination the sw was Solidarity emphasise the treacherous role Despite the fact that many of Miller or find ways of devel- thousands words were oping the struggle against him inroudnout the strike we written giving the detais or Ene placed the centre of our ollidenl search Ine attack on the

UMWA

and the fight for a break pages of The Militant during the demands battles being fought out by the 10-day strike reveals a consis with the bemocratic rartv and miners. ne minarr aooearer the construction of a Labour tent avoidence or ine question throughout as a paper giving no of blacking action by supporters more than a commentary from a of the strike ne too leaders or ie.uo socialist viewooint Nowhere did the SWP argue labour movement showed their To be sure the SWP were not to the for this demand. complete subordination passive in barter government Ine It is clear that the member- No call massive contradiction which ship acted WItn opitors and the opened between these February 22 Political Commit- rank and file This is shown starkly in one see stop priorities as follows.

which gave statement article, Why the mine miners and ottered a great opportunity to • nepo a anor party wiltant push forward this demand.

the lies and 3 March, 1978), where the SWF "lo expose A fight for a Labour Party divisive tactics of the energy 'Labor Party representatives would pose snarpiy the need tor Corporations class independence and and in the state * O held mobilise in Congress political devalopment out of the broadest possible support for vote would decisiatured against any and all measures to, StrIKe. the miners, anu Alongside this it was impor- *To draw the lessons of this move scab coal" tant to fight for the nationalisa- battle for working people.

But in the same issue of the article tion ot the mines paper, entitled The largest self-styled Independence "How not to support a strike", Trotskyist group in the USA is the SWP makes no call Within the strike itself the The socialst yorkers rarty.

paign tor the blacking demand Throughout the strike the SWP at least in words stressed and gives impression of

SWP

The the centrality of the gains newspaper opposition. Attacking the sectarian Soar.

gave extensive coverdue orlering union dermocracycomine rom 1972 victory tacist League, the SWP says: a detared picture or the strategy The Aller's and tactics that party pursued.

Miners for Democracy and the "The Spartacist League A study of their record in need to extend these gains, to outfit sectarian will US 'Trotskyists' I rotskyls pretensions "supports the miners by intro ducing union resolutions calling (boycott scab coal and demand the steelworkers immed That ¡ately go out on strike too" The author, Shelley Kramer goes sympathy strikes as the central putting torward as an alternative "sup DOrl aCTIVITIes Inat can make headway." Not central But consoicuousiV dosen: from the SWP's suggested list is any mention of blacking scab coal We can only conclude that the SWP did not regard the fight for blacking to be central in the miners strike Yet in this strike the produc tion and shipment ot scab coal was an important weapon in the hands of the employers evidence of the Further SWP's solidaritv actions can be seen within the San Francisco 'Miners Strike Labor-Commun. ity Support Coalition" Despite the fact that a resol- was • Passed calling for utior blacking coal shipments witnin the area and the svr did not oppose this resolution the publicly the Coalition did not mention this important demand And the SWP voted against resolutions trom union Locals ir the San Francisco area for sym UMW bureaucrats: Right winger Patterson (left) and 'militant' Patrick

PART TWO

pathy strikes in support of the miners The bulk the

SWP*

support activities was the collec Ton ot monev But the money collected by Coalitions did Support not go to ocal miners organisalons ou to Miller!/ He of course did nothing to distribute it to the ranks Socialist Press called for the if Carat implem Cred the ridi implemented the anti Taft-Hartley acainst ene miners however, again restricted its cal = tO further protest by those supporting the miners Strike action Nowhere did the SWP advo cate the preparation. , of strik action, restricting itself to his torical articles about the •great strucere. in the late 1940s Part One of this article to the article we drew attention in ant June to wac atterpted to answer the sectar of Spartacist ians League Worker and heavitt League on the tasks of revol utionaries in the miners strike.

this the supplement, AOrI Meaning of the Miners Strike" those study thi walt real tace ot the swrs turn te the unions" will find the neces sary information have already drawn attention to the fact that the essence of the interven tion was to build trade union level solidarity with the miners the implementa tion ot this line was carried ou in such a way as to avoid head on conflict with Miller. Atter the strike was over the major "The Meanina o article the Miners Strike" had this about the question sd' enderle "The reform leadership was swept into office by Illas. upsurge in the coalfields But

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 30 August, 1978 new officers-and many of its not reaise mat it would take d He construcle y abour siates in elections.

closing attack on Miller and co. -simply descriotions Their very normalive election. willer posed not only aerson Harry ratrick wno empioyers pront arive, etc., tne dangers the historical g miners counter anavsed the evolution or Harry interview in The Militant.

WU Li ITSe T now to take to the sharo ecce in the miners strike-the fight to Construct new. are silent in the tace of petitions restonation. what is the swr s attitude to this? Should miners have signed Ine Meaning here. destruc workers attacks now pend auncoeoon torward the demand for black.

vitaly 10T union democracy fight to open the books of the banks and corporations. Trom the outset secret the DoSses In proaces. Ine spartacists current chaos of con- trived the steelworkers. democratic planning, or produc tion to meet human needs.

"These far-reaching tasks can carried

OUT

only Ine was envisedded not simov as a solidarity strike but also as a oarty wouid their Vangs the miners strik. CratIc •overnment a workers oped, ine demand tor sympatny

CARTER

SHOULD STICK

WITH

PEANUTS

ICCEI

St

UMI

To break from Democrats was the central issue of the strike The test of this line and collection of material aid such whether it is to be implemented as food and money which were in a reformist or revolutionary vital the for will be to see whether the way strike.

SWP

now begins to fiaht practice for the organisation of Necessary elected workers' committees the mines. Arnold ine steel plants, and factories to how important the money was fight for the open the books He sat on it while the rank and file of the UMWA battled on for demana. Secondly, while

SWP

110 days without pay. nas placed increasing goods Lanned donations though monasts on tre demano tor a Labor Party, this has remained abstract, prudgard miners probiems were necessary to keep the strike going.

ever The SWP continues to stand Demands for own candidates in elections strike It is important to make It showing Ene ave back Union. were as Carter prepared to use Ene ent- anvone nan neen lalon tnese would have open struggle destroy the anti-labour law Ine seroo leaoine uo to tor one-day sympainy strikes in union locals where they strike labour community suo.

mobilise workers to remove the strike the Sparta- oUT cenerativ The call for a convention- mav or mav not nave Ine mont act ce tor strike intervention social tal altitude to the ceve •o- miners strike • comoinee their allacks beine launcneo Di the spartacists to the any concrete to build such a party Oasis workers cratic on the the strike. While working in a non- sectarian way in support of the struggle the Socialist mIners League was also able to make an moul tall the San Francisco 'Miners Strike Labor-Community Coalition' by success uny buttino forware the resolution to black coal within the area. • The SL(DC) fights for the formation Party through the struggle to establish independent labour slates erections went back to The miners work having suffered some im.

portant set-backs. (see Part One) out une overwne mind boint to come out of the strike was that despite the mine-owners bid to smash all ine gains won survival of the miners in years of struggle they were forced to retreat. The was a massive show of strength of the US working class-a show understood inspired workers coming into other struggle. A careful study of the rol of the trade union leaders and and dollar "the revolutionaries" in this not strike is a necessary preparation political answer lor tue batties to come in which the central task is the construc- tion of an authentic Trotskyist Ske action old - age pensioners! well-meaning people who pensioners will Ennals, Stanley Orme and good to their mothers, and ment appears very early, on COMMeNT resources. mean less for other rigidly defined in size, and The truth is, of course,

PENSION

SAY

e EGA

MUST STAY

OuR say BriTIoN no to hospital Pensioners fight the closure of the EGA No crumbs for Veteran Trotskyist DULCIE YELLAND reviews "A Happier Old Age", a discussion document on elderly people in our society, published for the Department of Health and Social Security Welsh Office by HMSO, London, 95p.

increased will have to be reduced in this are simply whispers losing profit and no reason and in chapter three comes There is no exulanation well provided for, and that 80, and concludes: out their working life for the very old will in general 'com residential homes for infirm Contac 7.30 p.m. because there is not the money for local authorities. to pay staff to provide comfort. They would know that facilities are being cut down

ISLINGTON

everywhere; that Library newsrooms are being closed

PENSIONERS

down and the Health Service eroded, in the name of economy, and the quality of life diminished in every way, with pensioners always PHOTO: Mark Rusher IFT on the dirty end. It is of little use to talk cuts! of "an active approach to treatment and rehabilita tion" while elderly people are waiting for years for replacement hip joint oper- ations, and Liverpool heart sufferers hoping for are charity from private medicine. Only when the means of creating wealth are owned by the people and used for the people, can youth grow happily into age, and leisure and tranquillity be enjoyed along with self-respect, by all ages.

Marxism to debates Page 8 •Politics Is the con- centrated expression of economics'. This motto from Lenin, tacked on я ronIo: Harrison's book has a savage irony in such a context. Here economic ana VSIs IS not so much concentrated as dissipated into milk-and- water generalsanions. former Trotskyist, Harrison now slowly up Marx's economies in a private laboratory until they are transtormed into useless gas which is absorbed by the poisonous atmosphere reformism. This 'Critique of Refor- mism' tals into three main In the first half, sections. Harrison provides an expos- reformists. "The Social Rela- ition of We tions of Commodity Pro- and in the second approaches the relationship between Capitalism and the Forces' Productive by analysis offering an of capitalist crises, and by nificance criticising the analyses of grotesque Harrison's TOO mOLS. reformism. Presentation Minor details apart, the first section gives a valuable of the central presentation elements of Marxist econ- Writing simply and con- cisely, Harrison explains the than of commodity refutations nature and expounds

TONICOR

law of the value, before to show moving on what distinguishes capitalism from simple commodity reference produchion. which took form and origin of the turn profit, the he with canita ism This the between nue. In themselves-and even revolutionary which more as an introducion to "Capital'-these German reading make very useful pages contribution to the political development of the labour ists. movement in Britain. If they had been published separately: cond have welcomed them despite all enthusiastically, the obvious limitations of everybody such a project. Erratic But from here on down Harrison pilots his readers like a drunk but self-confi- dent tobogganist, heading blindly for burial in a vast of snow. bank he course but the be erratic, lika y destination is all too certain.

Firstly, gives

SUITEC

of the early -and account historically progressive phase of capitalism. Then come two chapters Capitalism' and on Rotten •Capitalism Since the War', where Harrison pits his own "Marxist' analysis against the positions of representative Harrison reduces with Labour lefts' DAVID WHITFIELD reviews "Marxist Economics for Socialists-A Critique of Reformism" Callaghan many minor the of the Crosland, the last the prachical Luxemburg, set by the "a debace the century capital- struggle and socialism the herself was Party Lenin SUCIALISI PRESS, meanesda: 34 Augusi.

their own method- divorcing ideas and by their words from their John Harrison, published by Pluto Press, paperback £2.40.

actions, role in the class struggle. which from ought to understand clearly since 1974 it is not a question of this way which they or that method of struggle, paragraphs. from the living or the use of this or that set spring An of tactics, but of the very they of the Social- how be Democratic movement." the of that Harrison's and struggle. Although Bernstein's Such ideas, his full-blown revis- ionism, were rejected by the 'Critique trivial facts Reformism', and is party, it was at this period this that German Social most fully the the did section present-day Democracy deat reformism the British exist as Labour Party. movement. Opposing of stales) imperialism by texts The ('The Anthony apparatus of

IWO.

of class in 'left', Holland But he snow any party's in the Challenge'), Tony Benn sup- of course, make many 'opposed' the battles within the of criticism. German working class be can 'lefts' to fail formal concise of this understanding utterly left. to

DONELOI

the lessons which such struggles harrison debate. ideas the are not they Reform of the political the At every level it is pendence the working class. German Schmidt over revolu- The 'lefts' may not have "Regardless of the motiv- working. class today attacked the ations of particular indiv- the of the iduals, so directly as the right wing, within right reformism but at every stage they have Second Inter. embodies directly anti- international betrayed their national-the workers by working class policies of class and capitulations, abstentions, whereas lett reformism evasions and fine 'socialist' represents attempt Schmidt, and defend workers' words. other agents albeit ultimately mis- Objectively, they act as a the right cover for wing, guided one. shielding its atrocities with their energetic and fervent "While right reformism should be treated with out- course continuity speechifying. of Harrison's right hostility by socialists itical justify distortion of the reality of persuasions. reformism should be 'left' social democracy not hard to unearth. Con- attacks on the working approached spirit of • In class. fraternal sistently, political ideas are unrelenting But this criticism". divorced from the material preser of history, history as in this astounding conditions the In en history of reality of the class struggle announcement double. think comes from a self- The refusal to fight for styled 'Marxist', a revolu- revolutionary political working tionary! leadership of the Anyone half-acquainted breeds its own with the role of the Labour corollary and justification- 'lefts' today must wonder reformism political method of burette Ut dudes the how Harrison can justify manner such a thoroughly cratic leadership, but a set one red mysti- fied piece of political 'anal- the way misguidedly wrong ideas. ysis'. Luxemburg The reform of reformism ultimate and inevit- is the able "solution". Of Harrison advises no such course "The has confirmed Marxist ism's to offer forward has exists for perhaps the reader to 'Notes and References' 'Guide to Further Index' ary' this Leveller, writing un- relenting to the Benn Harrison offers no political alternative. There is not even a faint glimmer of what suggestion as programme can be polltical opposed to reformism in the vital fight for the leadership of the working not even the flimsy shred of one.

policy. The abstract ideological confrontation is apparently sufficient unto itself-and presumably considered sufficient for the needs of the proletariat. Waving a red flag in the privacy of your own room is a futile if rather pathetic and balancing gesture on barricades is a notoriousl tricky operation that can- not be sustained for long.

In a spirit of unrelenting fraternal criticism, urge John Harrison to step one side down on or the other while he still has the choice.

SUCIALISI EREss, Weanesday 30 August, 1978

IN REVIEW

The thriller that unmasks the capitalist crisis 'Tell me, Dr. Hitchcock, what do you think of the future of the capitalistic system?' As I said, Yamani had a versatile mind. It is extremely precarious.'

'I agree. But tell me your reasons for thinking so...'" It is not often that internat.

ional best-selling novels contain lengthy discourses on the instab- contradic- inso tole tions of capitalism. But Paul E. Erdman's latest book, The Crash of 79. actuallv its attention on the centres developing economic crisis and implications of ineralist porcies in the Middie tast, to produce a gripping narrative.

While Erdman's previous smash hit The Billion Dollar ^/ling Dasea its plot on high manipulation of paper currency relation to gold The Crash 1y Is a story conducted at government level, the material motive regime, the semi-feudal despotism in Saudi Arabia, and the vicious CIA-installed dicta torial rule of the Shan of Iran, and drawing from these sources the basis of its plot. Ailing economy checkarat hired banker Bill Hitchcock, Saudi Arabian government undertake a massive programme recycling revenue order to prop up the alling us guarantee economv. ana thus American military backing for the Saudi regime. vitanwnie in iran the Shah lays plans to acquire and to use The weapons working alonaside his already vast between Dallery ot sophis- ine ticated military hardware and and the government is tellingly his colossal described army a bid to seize the Saudi oilfields and thus showing trie closely knit old-boy net" of top control the whole Gutt area.

This involves bankers' nominees astalled plan- ning of the world sate for Ways anu means obtain quantities of plutonium capitalism in the post-war era" from Iranian through direct nuclear plants, and control. davance• scientitic know-how from the supposedly Banker "neutral" Swiss ciudes: ve sHICHL. which has developed own sceptical about any 'conspiracy' aerensive nuclear shield The most theories of history. the stuff about the Rockefellers, of the plot ot Erdman's novel is his attempt to link these two me notschilds, the old boys a1 plots together through Morgan Stanley, paralet the romantic relationship Lehman Brothers between banker Hitchcock and other placa the Swiss Ocuante! the scientist hired thus the world, nuc par by the Shah to make his bombs. control the capital Authentic But by the time I aged, had In almost every other respect ste •tical the plot is startlingv authentic And indeed as the economic analysis unfolds Erdman is hardly surprisingly, not based convincingly on Marx's tenet of labour as the mechanisms through surplus :value under sourCe interests the capitalism. leaders ano Its too Us cruise miscile • Us armamenis nave as imperialism's policeman in the Middle East Crash Erdman, The Hiroshima bomb economic relationsni. ane mnen resoonc to US banks crisis, manipulating the puppet mator figures bourgeois democracy in a two-page account me ciculcu covernments In addition he points to the role very chronic contradictions faced by "keeping US capitalism, and in particular American tre Danks. "Their problem lay in both sides of the balance sheet. On governmenta assel side, where the loans Hitchcock con- and investments of a bank are listed their situation was bad "y had always been highly enough to give an honest bank Carola You know, THl0U0in considered extremely generaly form drop dead in bar First Boston, and 'Sor Tew one quarter-of the assets of the That being in control of America and top fifteen banks in the United through States were worthless only carried Iney MArA on the market books at full value, of course.

was middle- But they were simply not there.

less represented loans and i ne investments that had gone down the the totally and story aran irrevocably" skituliy and sketches the Fictional assets which the capitalist class In a six-page : analysis, banker both create Hitchcock convincingly lists real been supplied in huge quantities to Iran Iran JOHN LISTER reviews "The of "79" by Paul E. Middle East. published in paper- capacity ing that of the USA back by Sphere, price 95p.

intwo bace logues It is but a small step estate, tanker fleets, giant loans to enviseage to gaint bankrupt corporations, loans to bankrupt crace - already lethal force in oped growing nations holdings in bonds of bankrupt US state and city Saudi-iraniar administra- tions the fictional assets of itself. ne ranks And he goes on to point out unable the crisis the Habilites side Shah's ehonas sine That "You can have all the bad financial nuce the world, as a bank; international loans small to mad cash corporations you, no bank ever wer elly up because of bad loans a its books the banks is staved off shortage of liquidity-ready.

wholesale turn to the -to pay off doubters when they oress appear at the door". inflationary The novel builds on this conception in the 1920s of immediate Cano and imagines Impending crisis a move by Saudi Arabia to prop rickety off half the world's oil supply: this Structure shifting investment from Europe 1o the

USA

to live with a bank system towernonneorice or imports in order to restore th competitive formal reserve auvafild American capital against Europ former and Japan. But into scheme flicker and fade" intrudes an internecine struggle eroman! Saudi ruling clique from the Ene and the Shah, with his desperate defender 'Communists' against revolution Trotskyism Today

THEORETICAL JOURNAL OF THE

WORKERS SOCIA LIST LEAGUE

Number 3 includes: * WSL British Perspectives * The Poisoned Well (document for submission to XIth World Congress of USFI).

The Spartacist School of Invention.

Price 60p plus 20p p&p from WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR Page S guise of a banker who is any thing but a revolutionan Consistentiv socialist revol- ution is depicted threat as : more En e effects of the capitalist crisis.

plan to stabilise his power by oilfields, and his willingness to use his huge armoury to do so Is accuraterv oescriber as imperialism's chosen bulwark witt military in some areas exceed- Erdman cata- the formidable and ground forces and weapon- Shaha by at the dinal imperial • paced at the disposal of the further addition smal scale nuclear bombs to an "It might be said that Nixon order to was helped both into and out of provide a plausible basis for the the White House the biades which bond lawyer in Wall Street ann- provides the climax to the novel als, John Mitchell. And Jerry Ford was given little choice but The war finds the US almost to delegate half of his Presiden- militarily to prevent the the leading and triggers a Rockefeller carne crash, in which the good Herr Doktor Kissingel bankers and US Finally the himself, together engage in a Nelson Rockefeller, took leavo withdraw their ot absence from the Big Apple holdings from the US banks and make the e her halfdid no sure Jerry screw up The run on the dollar and or by The working class is referred to produce , billions only dollars- ar obstacle to certain capitalist strategies stripping away illusions in stability , or in the possibility oilfields, , cutting of a "rational" • solution to the capitalist crisis and pointing to "The world was now forced the real contradictions faced by that imperialism agony, chaos and with the prospect of with the book monetar glamourise a lice Burives The la analities of contemporary 'spy and crime fiction gradually began to Despite being billed as "The No. 1 International Superseller" novel is written Crash of 79 is worth standpoint reading. • capitalism. in thi US jet fighters on a production line 'Communists' Against Revol- ution, containing the import essas of Structural Assimilation Tim Wohlforth is the book on post-war that olasinism Mandel and Healy would not discuss. Makai sure a your op from:

WSL,

31, Dart- mouth Park Hill, London

NW5 1HR

\gainst

Page 3

WSL

5/2

COW

WRITES

HAERS

1W IRKERS

The Workers Socialist League is a Trotskyist organ- which fghts to build a revolutionary leadership ¡satior that era politically prepare and mobilise the working class i for the taking of state power and the construction of a socialist society. The fight of the Workers Socialist League in Britain is a part of the struggle for the reconstruction of the Fourth the World Party of Socialist Revolution, International, founded in 1938 under the leadership of Leon Trotsky.

The basis of this fight is the theory and practice of the Transitional Programme of the Fourth International.

forward The Workers Socialist League puts programme to defend the interests of the working class today against the attacks of capitalism in crisis. The aim of the programme is the independent political mobilisa- tion of the working class towards the overthrow capitalism and its state machine in the capitalist countries.

In the workers states which must be defended against imperialism the task is the political revolution to over- throw the parasitic bureaucracies which repress the work.

ing class and endanger the gains that have been made.

The fight for socialism is impossible without the fight to expose at every step the misleaders of the working class: the Labour and trade union leaders (both 'right' and Communist Party Stalinists (both 'Eurocom- "left'), the pro-Moscow'), bourgeois munist and the petty derail anti-imperialist struggles in the nationalists who underdeveloped countries and those groupings which pay lip service to Trotskyism whilst rejecting its basic methods and programme. Only through such a struggle can the working class living find of the capitalist a road out crisis Talling standards, unemployment, denial of basic rights, colonial repression as in Ireland, and the threats of fascism and war. For more details of the policies, programme and work of the Workers Socialist League, fill in the form below.

Please send me more information about the Workers Socialist League. Name. Address Send to: WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR

WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

PUBLIC MEETING

"British Leyland and the Crisis in the Motor Industry Friday 15 September at 8.00pm (please note change of date) Fast Oxford Community Centre Princes Street, Oxford

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

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INDUSTRIAL

Pickets at Bethnal Green Hospital have thwarted several attempts made by management over the past running weeks to begin down the hospital into a small geriatric unit. Earlier in Tne occupation the delivery of special geriatric beds to the nospita was preven- ted by pickets, and during last week a building contractor stooped TrOM stick tural alterations to the surgica wards Also, the casualty dep- artment. which nas been occu- pied since July 1, the admin- istration cut off the telephones

OUT

Inese wett reconnectcu immediately following pressure from the hospital stewards.

The occupation is now at a stage maintaining cructa Bethnal Green as a full general Equipped Although the authorities have succeedeo in stoppine casualty and operating theatre being used, these depart- fully equipped still ments are and coula be reopened al dily time. the surgical wards, empty which noW alt being guarded by the occu- and attempts conversion wards Into geriatric wards-such as those being above-are mentioned strongly resisted by the pickets is of central importance surgical beds are kept that the alone, surellar otherwise TOnT 20 seobel the theatres will be severely It is vital that this fight is maintained and supported. Res- of action The strike for union and reinstate- recognition a sacked ment of shop steward at Sandersons Fork- lift Trucks in its sixteenth month. The strikers have shown strength and their high, validiu out ine strike is destined to enc Grunwicks same manner

TGWU

unless national leadership are forced to step up the action. The picketing and limited that blackings such Fords, Basildon, workers the strikers themselves Witch organised, is having a crippling production the on Tactory. Step up action The main task now force the TGWU to step up the action so that support longer scattered and I spasmodic. Roy TaCtory SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 30 August, 1978

NEWS

Pickets protect Bethnal Green hospital olutions must be passed through nearby Mile End hospital is next throthe ut at area co Loand the branches-particularly cosure ang pledge Hosoltal oranenes. support on the picket line Also the lead must be giver Long term plan Bethnal Green steward In last week's Socialist Press calino tor in the health service ot inere Wa outine any moves longer term plans to close Mary's Hospital, Harrow Rd., run down une hosollar. alla lui the re-opening of the casualty general London -anote and theatres. hospital with accident and emer gency facilities. and well-

VICIOU

planned series attacks •car be fought on a London. only wide basis Socialist workers League has worked consistently build an all-London joint shoo stewaros committee in une health service which can against

TIONT

London-wide strike A strong all-London commit be in the position to lee would organise _oncon-wide STrIKE action amongst health workers threatened aerence hospitals, whilst same leading a fierce campaign to force the trade union leader this action on a material level Cuts minister Ennals and organ- action It is only The running down sation WIl Bethnal Green by the author. re-open casualty the Canc ities is part of a general plan of at Bethnal Green savage provide a strong lead in the fight cuts Ine „Londol health service both in this part adainst nospital closures and crie East London-where cuts in the health service.

casudlly Support Sandersons week Sanderson, is obviously cast in

T+GWU

the most reactionary mould Apart from the Forklift

DRESSED

factory he is a major landowner in tne area. an acent tor tovold forklifts Crown palleti trucks and lives in a brand new

AGITATE ORGANISE

fourteen bedroomed house with

EDUCATE

an airstrip behind it. initially cooperating

ATT8

with ACAs and allowing them to conduct a ballot of the work.

of which went in favour TorCe. the union, …he took uo nIs position and called a meeting workforce to tell them they could have a union, but il they did he would sack them Faced with type opposition the TGWU should be using its power CAll to gamn but up now union and risks splitting acted abysmally •ureaucaly have orticials the unity of the strikers them to cut the size of advising them selves the picket, telling some The only principled way should get part-time that they deal with this now would be fo jobs. the money to be put immediate.

ly into the strike fund to assist Lump sum the financing of the struggle.

Sacked steward, Phil Gillat's for levy hecuest. case has even been upheld by an finance strike have been Tribunal and a lump Industria consistently refused at Regional sum ot tl,5uu paid over to nit ane vadona devel by Sanderson as compensation And the inevitable confusion not aiding figh Whilst the the date of a has arisen reinstatement. since WESt week ot action ordinary carrer bodies have no powers to ge for 21-25 August, but put back thair back, the people 11-15 September the dangers money carries Sovere reotest or Moss evans since it throws a shadow over the by putting Evans has over also over of the responsibility for the strike to into the hands weabull Social workers picket Bethnal Green Hospital, already under occupation, had pickets on its gates this week-this time manned by hospital workers but by the social workers striking in Tower Hamlets. due Dellne activities of non-union medical social workers 200 social nday 21 About have been out since Monday August as part of the fight for their regrading claim. At present the demand is for rent ca.. tiations-steadfastly rejected by the Labour-controlled authority adopted

NALGO

the policy earlier tnis year Many social workers take home as little as £40 a week-a tact which lies at the basis o shortages and crippling inadequate services messages donations to:

NALGO

Services Strike Committee, 13 Wellington Way, London E3.

Officials bow to scabs management-backed delegation of scabs to lobby AUEW District Office the last week brought a dram- atic sell-out of the struggle the reinstatement of a sacked shop steward. The steward, Gordor Parsons, been actively organising for the AUEW among Milthorpe emolovee International in Wakefield, and sacked reporting an Wvd Management laid on a coach to enable a contingent of scabs AUEW offices To Travel lO where union officials not only listened sympathetically to their but followed their advici case and withdrew official backing for the strike The refusal of union bureau.

crats ever to orcan st wOrKer into the unions is clearly spread Desoutters and from the throughout Grunwick labour movement. Support on the picket from Cowley car workers Ron Todd, now TGWU National groaniser an• tormerly tary of the London Region.

However no hopes should be raiser ov Inis move. ror the fas four months before his promo.

tion up the bureaucratic ladder, Todd nresided over the Garners strike in Central London, where the issues are almost identical te Sandersons, not least the adamant refusal of the full-time orticial ananist measures required for victory.

Every etfort must now made to make the mass picket ing during the week of action a and branches should b comanorno intensiticatior blacking plus the imposition of a levy.

TGWU's SECRET DEAL TO CUT SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 30 August, 1978

DEFEND TELEPHONE

For a shorter UPW telephonists' repre-

JOBS.

sentatives have been summoned to Lough- borough this week in a bid working week to persuade them sell thousands of jobs. A special conference on new technology productivity on full pay! UPW delegates to this year's annual conference, finished. It can also be used to who threw out assess staff levels based on the amount of work received in an Crawl Wryeaders are seeking to exchance 07 19395,76 and 7, all decisics Annouon tt wil cut inos ang 1975, 76 and 77, all of which posts this starter because will declared that no trials on _new equipment would be permitted • oso ete ветоге Dossiole System X until shorter working week introduction in 1981. had been will see to that. agreed tele odonists. System X The report already rejected this year had been drawn up just A recent circular stated that tree weeks conference. One delegate des- The errect or the introcuction of cribed it as being asked to buy a System X on telephone opera- ting statt •ack box wach woulen treveal speculative its contents for two years.

because no tirm programme tor the of System X Road show exists. Yet fias 'contirmed recentv that ine Post Office is geared up to start this The Executive Council of project in some areas within the complied with the the request for more information by vorseeable vuture. The effect on operating staff collaborating Post wIll this PHOTO: Andrew Wiard. Report UTTI Ce send touring the country explaining devastating: 80% of their traffic Univ technology engineer presently ments terms. " ne rost uttice employed would paid overtime money to tele. phonists to WOrK The new system ano so analons should bring the UPW and the were thev tor acceotance or the POEU together in a united fight.

new equipment and for trials to it will also attack postar loos as the more information that can ime special keport tor the transmitted in printed form Special Conference was not sent out to branches until July 14, trouen onone unes te less wil the need for it to be trans alcowing onry seventeen davs to ported by mail workers. call meetings and sergest 1 send Joint action deadline Amenaments were not cireu lated until August 21 and the The POEU's recent industrial Conference itself, , called in Bank action would have been won Holiday with the UPW membership (who weth

CAL UCU

have had a policy of a shorter delecates on noldav. The main proposal is for the over three working week

TOI

years fighting alongside.

introduction Tom Jackson microviche vo screens whicn at converence will result speed this vear was up. oniv repared Exchanges act dead weight the given

POEU

they get something of new technology mately bo seconds to nancle an inquiry-with microfiche this there is no * Substantial we want somethino. pay uses bro will question about that", he said seconds which tected against inflation (instead The policy the UPW and means loss of posts and jobs or proudovir carrots mat wil Microfiche is only a stop gap the POEU should be leave millions on the dole and for the Post Office

NO OS 0T00S 0S

low wages) * A shorter working week on introduce ot business mUCH secret full pay with the introduction the Post Office and its more Lomou Information Retrieval terised System

(CIR)

under which all entries will be on a computer Possible benefits UPW EC have a three month 'measure the possible Trial benefits to staff and the business' They As the strike at Garners estimate ThaT with full implementation a total Steak Houses this week of over 2,000 posts may 'saved enters its eighth month, support continues to flow in comouterised direc tories and the viewdata la UK to the strikers. Post Office invention week During tha

WIKS

Ine onone The tele. strike com- numbers of tourists in Central hurther atield the Post Office vision) London diminished some- M. has mittee mem Der Man bood eventually won't need directory widespread support for tound what and the numbers entering the addressing Will when picketed restaurants has The able to do this themselves from been reduced to a trickle of meetings number oT labour home or the office. movement bodies in Scotland.

£10OM is being spent on this The picketing has been main.

some significant tained With project which could be launched 24 sugust an age astright Communist party in early 1979. Blackburn Tels, August. a larce Av-strono of the implications aware delegation from the Executive Mahboob visited, CIR with viewdata, have tabled Krother Committee of the CPSA voted that the Post amendment amonost omners. leaders ot the Communist Party in Scotland. Office to come down to the picket line public MUSt

NOT

alve they and access to computer records.

is to be hoped that this covering This motion should a number of different will place pressure within that be party supported restaurants very ThIS conterence However it tails to put torward a policy for opposing the des. truction of directory operators commitment PHOTO: Chris Davies. Report 'posts' and a no loss ot jobs or drive policy work- sharing on full pay. The other major change the UPW leadership is backing is the Call introduction of Automatic necoroine equipment (ACRE) which will the ticket work at the switchboard. Reduced The equipment will reduce the need for the operator rever to a nue dor routino ceas -the call details only need to be dialed once and can be used for both accounting and rOUTINO. It will also time calls and auto- matically release call when Demonstration on previous Garners Day of Action Right wing UPW leader Jackson suppliers (recently £9M had to paid back from BICC who operatee a oner cable manufacturers) sell out by the Union bureaucracy of jobs and post.

limited levels of support which it has been giving to the strike up to now. to be hoped also that It IS the efforts Greater London Association of Trades Councils and its liaison commit- will eventually yield more pickets and other support.

This week there was little sion or extra sudoort trom this quarter though we understand a circular has now been sent out to trades councils in the London area. The Brent Trades Council delegation was conspicuous by its absence on Friday evening, 25 August The key body for winning support for the strike is still the Number 1 Regional Committee of the TGWU. The limits that the bureau.

placing on their sup- crats are the meeting held earlier in the which are being Circuit tod The pressure being put or

TGWU

leadership the the strike clearly reflected was discussion. Ine strike wa called 'another Grunwick", political issue' on which 'possib- Iv some iousnial action woule have be taken by other to groups of workers, particularly in the public supply sector, Last week brought fresh confirmation of the impor- tance of the policy of fight- ing to 'open the books' at Chrysler, as argued for consistently by Socialist Press. Chrysler senior stewards re- ported that ther are secret covernment pians cor recuetior in the intended output of the new four-door Alpine The car was • que to go into production late next year with a projected output of :130,000 a The stewards claim that the real figure is 60,000. The company claims the pro- ects sui in tre blannino stade and that no ixact production figures could be revealed.

If the • stewaros ficures are correct, then hopes that the new lead 2,000 Coventry J00S plants will be squashed..

Treacherous The stewards have demanded an immediate

CENE

This Debartment ot industry treacherous put the whole business into the nanas of the capitalist state Militants in all the Chrysler plants should call now for the settine do or electe• committee to organise an investigation of all Chrysler's future plans Al ine tirst oint union meet national officials and senior stewards since the Peugeot-Citroen Takeovet European plants was Chryser s announced, four-point plan was agreed con- ine olar places tour ditions the takeover of Chrysler UK The British government tr equity the nave stake in Peugeot-Citroen group Board for a A seat on the 'British representative' *A policy of "no closure or loss of jobs in the existine Chryst tougher. ts tougher • planning agree- cone with The meeting rejected demands for a Bl takeover 01 Chrysler UK and nationalisation of the company.

GARNERS PICKET LINES

The meeting also heard refer.

ences to a previous'resolution that we give full support bu wore we sivine enovon. answer to this point time after time by Regional Organiser Shorte Regional Secretary Sid Staden must have like sounded broken record. They said 'we are not getting the support of members with the pickets'. that 'there has not been much response from Othere ding me giving were support The reason for this is not the unwillingness of the members to tight. OUT tne retusal of the bureaucrats to lead. This refusal is shown clearly in the resolution that was passed by the meeting calling vaguely on rade crouds to obtain sue port from their membership without demanding any specific commitment. Even specific commit. ment Regional Committee memoers to visit the bickers or Tuesday or Wednesday evenings has not been carried out since Regiona Committee meeting. Only the Building Trade Group has continued to send its Tecular celecation The biggest bombshell in the Page 11 Chrysler-still no call to nationalise attacks on nationalisa- tiọn have also come from now the Executive of the AUEW and from Moss Eva s of the TGWU.

In other words these people who argue within Leyland that necessary maintain oIne. manufacturers are cabitaltsi making sure that this tion is maintained so i workers can piay one aroud against another It is no wonder that Chrysler workers wouidn't tind anything ver che devang combine committee's call for the Chrysler Leyland, that put combint committef this forward is central to the "participation" schemes and ceneraly suonort the attacks of Leyland management. unrvsier in with only Leyland also makes it clear that this would be nationalisation o only part of the industry-leav ing the components firms off all the profits-and but linute Co ellion rores. By even making the call, the Leyland combine recognise this out won t go the whole way to challenge capitalism's ments by calling for the nation- alisation wore MotO and components industry without dril under workers' management.

IMMEDIATELY after a 200. strong mass picket mobilised or gates Hickson and the the Welch chemical plant in Castle.

had demonstrated Int strikers Stor ASTMS and ACTS scabs, strike leaders demonstrated their determination strike Under cover of a change in the attendance bonus and the selling •ot a nian bowerer committee" to discuss a prodic deal tivity they moved obtain a return to work Strikers who had seen the • action fight for wdu in excess of Phase L incieast incensed at this were betrayal, though stewards argue that they have to negorate with management Regional Committee minutes is revelation of a secret agree.

ment win une golice Inat mer‹ should be a maximum of si pickets at an establishment at ally one writ as secret goreement. whici typifies the refusal bureaucrats to take the step necessary to win the strike, has not been revealed to the strikers nor indeed any of the pickets Ine police have just beer allowed to harrass pickets and pick off individuals without any opposition from the serious bureaucrats It is presumably this same agreement waic tes berno thi rather otherwise unspectacular Out article on 18 August tha 'mass picketing has been ruled out. It is the stepping up of suf port for the strike and not its diminution that will win it now " sober not 'secret diplomacy' that will be the means to do this Support must now be built picketing oranches specific restaurants on partic ular nights The 30

COT

action on for September called by strike committee must gain sup.

port as wide as possible in thi movement, especially workers' in TGWU Region 1

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Australian workers rise against Tory attacks The vicious Tory govern- ment of Malcolm Fraser stands on the point of being overthrown by a massive up- … by the

SUIC

Australian working class.

attacked the Sydney stock a means les! But the leaders of the Unemployment benetits exchance Labour Partv. fearful of coming previously linked to inflation the Labour Party and But will now only rise for those with trade union leaders--who could not able to contain, command immediate unemproyed aependents TOr a genera strike te Drine Trade war down the government-have ling to divert the class opposi- tion to Fraser into peaceful terrified by shrunk back, Ine demonstrations and protests.

response Amalgamated Metal Workers Fraser s covernment was At the same time the govern- brought power after the and Shipwrights Union bureau ment. which had based itselt or Governor General exercised the unfettered capitalism, intro- crats have called on the Austral.

drastic war ian Council of Trade Unions to historic gent or britism imperial.

ism to dispense with bourgeois protest action organise only measures to protect the home democracy and ordered Labour grown adainst Ene budder capitalists foreign But telephone and telex against Fraser was elected in subse- have already workers out- Competition. quent elections on the basis of stripped this ne resoonse or the working timorous resoonst the that class immediate. •Dock Members of the Australian Tele Sidney, Melbourne communications Employees would reauce taxation. reduct workers state intervention and leave the staged a 24-houl facing a ало наета ов Association massacre capitalists to attack the working strike against the budget.

new technology Jobs OVer Demonstrators mobbed have banned repair work for the class unmindered Fraser as past four weeks. arrived at Savage bourne hote uses. Power lunco. and suuu workers ioined The budget they introduced demonstration possibly the As other capitalists in other one week atter the budget most vicious attack on ine gain: breakaway sectior countries nave touno to mer of the working class advanced capit- introduced in an alist countr since me war -Hunger protest for PoW status Income tax rose by 1.5%, a petrol brought a state levy on 16 orice ume gallon and the state health insur (introduced ance scheme As we go to press the Gallacher has sent telegrams to courageous Irish republican boin irish Prime Minister Luncr and the head of British striker Willie hunger imperialist Labour repression, Gallacher is on the 48th day sharo tax rises were imoosed James Callaonan consumer goods, tobacco, fast in of his liquids-only desperate bid to secure a re-trial beer, and spirits the barbaric Long Kesh con- for Gallacher who Old age pensions are oniv to 1976 for the bombing of a centration camp. be increased for those who. sub- Legion ral in strabane ject themselves to the misery of His father, Brendan Willie Gallacher's hunger

NURSERY MARCH

demonstration council force retreat on the preservation of the The closure but had a demanding the restora-

HUESCEY

decisive the school means that the impact tion of the axed South "saving" from the nursery to axe the Counci s Oxford Nursery will South Oxford Middle closure is now negligible.

march through the Now parents. . backed by the local union bodies, Oxford same site. streets on nlally Anxious to avoid an even Saturday September 2. will be demanding that the bigger Edu- nursery facilities on the site confrontation. The struggle against the cation minister Shirley be reinstated, and the jobs by closure the Nursery Williams ordered an about- lost by the closure filled.

Tory council led to a the The march starts from turn on this closure at con- nationally significant six South Oxford Nursery siderable the the LUsI week occupation bv parents at 11 am. and local Irace

STILL

earlier this year. This occupation failed to

FUND

AVAILABLE

WITH three days to the end of the month we have

THE TOOLROOM STRIKE AND

£365.05 only received

THE FIGHT TO END WAGE CONTROL

towards our £600 fund A Workers Socialist League pamphlet drawing out No time must be lost ir the political lessons of the national strike by Leyland fighting to raise the rest of this sum toolmakers in March 1977 which brought the down- Our paper spends n fall of the Labour government and the emergence of this source the wage-cutting Lib-Lab coalition deal.

income. All donations should be Available, price 25p plus 10p p&p, from: sent to: WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR Press Monthly 60c12 191 Fund, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 IHR. Published by Folrose Ltd. for the Workers Socialist League, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.

Printed by Anvil Printers Ltd., London. Registered at the Post Ottice as a newspaper cost, this crucial sector have the power threaten industrial production. There are 12 hour delays on Onone Call.

TOWAS

phone calls and telex messages out of the country have come to a virtual standstill and busines: has been seriously disrupted.

Anti-union act Fraser responded by threat- enneto de-realster me union under the Australian equivalent of Heath's Industrial Act, which would lead to a heac on controntation as the govern ment moved in to freeze the assets of the union "taser nas aiso infeatened te invoke a special clause against ine leader snic The outright spirit of con Fraser has frontation in which aboroachee Ine aisouTe na: strike began as a protest against orutal beatinos screws Long Kesh, and has taken up 300 Repub the struggle by lican victims orn biocK in Long Kesh, who are demanding the of prisoner war stripped from them by Status Labour s torture colets As a result of their refusal clothing or do wear brison prison work-a sign of criminal status-the Republican prisoners are being held in brutal con

WSL

Coventry 'Defend the S.U Toolmakers' FRIDAY Sept Ist, 7.30. The Elastic Inn Near Pool Meadow Bus Station.

WESTERN SHIP-

REPAIRERS

Labour movement confer- ence called for 30 Septem- from ber. Details the Action Committee. 29. Gaywood Close, Ford Estate, Birkenhead. Fords claim: watch your leaders! Malcolm Fraser allowed the union leadership small room manoeuvre Fraser has announced. his deter withstand 'black Fittiallut ma watever me cost "If the union's recommen- overthrown dation not cover ner WIl resources available to it, and the powers available to the govern facing a eraser himse t political crisis after the sacking ot Reginald Withers responsible getting Fraser tor as head of the Liberal Party) tor trying to nutrict electoral boundaries Withers' sacking was that followed by of Robert bunstan victoria STaTe minister who rang the Melbourne papers protest the Frase: vva. anasackine his most loyal ministers.

man has gone mad What does he want to be-the next Pope?" ditions of indescribable filth and haroshio Gallacher is reported to be in His a state of severe struccle acains British imper ialism must be supported self-respecting socialist ana wade unionist, ana te vany redoubled in the labour move force the restoration of PoW status, a complete with drawal of British troops from Ireland and an amnesty for all poultical arisoners

PUBLIC

MEETINGS

London 'Save St Mary's Hospital' WEDNESDAY Sept 6, 7.30 pm. 'Earl Of Derby' pub, opposite St Mary's Hos- pital, Harrow Road

CONFERENCES

BETYNAL GREEN

YOSPITAL

Delegate conference called by Bethnal Green unions and Stepney Trades Coun- cil. THURSDAY Sept 14 Details from Bethnal Green hospital occupation.

The £20 increase and 35-hour week claim sub. mitted by Ford workers last week indicates both the militancy of shop floor workers on wages and the they face dangers betrayal at the hands of their leaders. The claim if conceded would drive coach and through Chancellor Healey's • vicious 5% Phase 4 pay limits.

No panic But Healev himselt shows no sign of panic. At the weekend referred sneeringly to last vear s sell -out Ford union leaders, who aban.

doned a 34% claim to end up with a miserable 12.4%. And union officials have again linked the Ford claim to amassed by this multi-national, rather than to the necessity defend the living standards This version of the "special case" argument is designed as was last year's claim to ensure Ford workers are confined to Ford alone and not used as the more throughout the motor industry -much of which is supposedly registering financial losses rathei than profits. Ford workers are ast prevent repetition year s sell out they must insis that the social contract challenged, the claim pressed in full, and attem ol argue it on the basis of Fords' profits be thrown aside leaders and convenors who reject this course must be pushed aside this Ford worker! can give a lead to the whole working class Losses claims The basis for pay must be an assessment of the amount needed to catch up with Ine losses years • of wage controls and inflation. And the catching-up claim MuSt «enkee to a cost-o living clause to provide increases inflation compensate for assessed oy elected committee: trade unionists and house wives. revolutionary leadership prepared to fight for the nation alisation without compensation management uner workers the motor components industry must be constructed in for this programme and oppose the inevitable moves by Todd Reg Birch and others to ditch the £20 per week claim.