Socialist Press no. 125

5 per cent STRIKE NOW

PRESS

Mortgage rise swallows Any The ABC peacefully Chancellor of pay think again. Labour The whole of this betrayal Increase increases an a living standards to come.

The Official Secrets Act, and those Labour leaders workers that insist on preserving it, whose Wast must be removed obstacle to the democratic rights of the workers' move- nike But ment. every This is the obvious lesson of week rev-serry. Campbell "secrets" trial which is in its concluding stages as we when co to oress. John Berry the former Signals Intelligence corporal the mortgage increase.

WIIO

SPOKe Journalists By Duncan Campbell and Crispin Aubrey. has already been pro monev supov. that nounced guilty by Mr Justice ensured Mars Jones. And his summing up has laid more stress on the importance of the Official national security towards a new In reality the Act defends closures, only the secrecy of the military growing dole queues. ana StatE apparatus maintain capitalist rule.

Manifesto But the Labour leadership has openly declared its refusal to molement meir own Manit- esto pledge to repeal it.

And while NUJ leaders have strident verbal made protests about the trial, there has Deer no cerious artemot to moorise action in defence of the ABC victims of this reactionary law lesson of the de- ine bitter portation of former CIA agent Phillip Agee still has not been Barnt. The labour movement must act to defend John Berry and defendants other should they be convicted And workers must drive out those "leaders" who collaborate with the state machine dedinsi the interests or the labour move-

SOCIALIST

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 125 * November 15, 1978 * 15p Dagenham mass meeting votes to continue Ford strike of group workers who may have been intending to settle for Healey's 5% limit will have to thumping 2% increase in mortgage interest rates has just wiped out the year's wage go-and One there are plenty more price on Most affected are young with families, packets only barely stretched to pay the bills before the latest price of section workers will be hit by the package of measures intro- duced last week by Healey, he raised the banks' Minimum Lending Rate to a These do measures not record 122% and triggered as a result of wide- come spread breaches of the 5% up the limit. No pay substantial Healey has section of workers is yet the average receiving more than a than the present rate a crease. of inflation in other words Recession he has taken a further step round of Rather they emerge from redundancies and the of international

CRISIS

has capitalism, Pressed present t recent recession chaotic plunge of the dollar in the money markets. Carter's President panic moves to "save" the dollar of entailed borrowings $30.000 million and a sharp rise in interest rates within the USA itself. This designed to was attract investment from other capitalist But while a transter of foreign investment out of HOTO: Andrew Britain would strengthen it would weaken the dollar, the pound, particularly at a class increasing struggle. So in order to placate the international bankers, and particular the Common Healey Market financiers, Healey

TO PROTECT

LIVING

STANDARDS!

was forced to raise interest course complain rates in Britain sliding scale of wages. The whole episode myth of exposes the wage controls ending inflation sion that In reality the value of the standards pound internationally, protected determines vast nationalisation range of prices in the shops, industry completely out the control of the actions of the economy. class of the working or government-and can Ditched wildly fluctuate due to completely unforseen tactors claims already Workers have no interest in sacrificing wage increases actually under conditions of the cost of living clauses. capitalist. crisis; rather it is But such essential to seek full being quietly tection against increases union leaders the cost of living through a merely to sliding scale of wages. Automatic Under the sliding scale, monetary policies wages would rise automatic- increases ally in line with a workers' only the cost of living index, worked wages offers such treachery! trade The union/housewives answer committees, and taking public sector taxation and mortgage sector charges into account. The employers will of

IRAN

Strikes continue

PAGE 2 L

Behind Abadan fire CENTRE PAGES that they pay This is no more man an aamıs workers living can only be through the major and the establish- ment of a planned socialist A whole series of wage Carter submitted- now on strike if their living including the Ford claim- contain the call for standards not to be CaTE further savaged by the inter- national bankers. demands are And in fighting for their ditched by full claims, workers must anXIOus also take up the struggle to head off the the IMF's British militancy of their members.

representatives-the But Chancellor Healey is Callaghan-Healey leadership already threatening further Party,

-TOM

to strip and establish leadership res- over ponsive to the interests of sliding scale of the working class. Spread and coordinate the strikes! For a is clear: sliding scale of and private wages! workers alike must Build councils of action!

follow the example of Ford, Kick out Callaghan and Leyland and bakery workers Healey!

BLACK ARMS TO IRAN!

Junta with no visible support Page 2

— INTERNATIONAL-

German union chiefs face crisis The leaders of the largest trade world's union are once again caught on a large (and very sharp) hook. This time Eugen Loderer and the other bureaucrats of the West German metal workers union IG-Metall are being forced towards calling strike action by workers in the steel industry. As the German capitalists have moved to "rationalise' their share of the imperialist crisis by seeking to impose The workers who have redundancies, increased has crippled oil-production in militancy dramatically on Iran, remain solid in their floor in the steel plants.

strike despite the threats of Already under fire from military govern- the new a steady barrage of hostile ment. criticism and even outright Azhari's General rejection from its members, cabinet has now offered a 22% the IG-Metall leadership is the wage strikers in no position to crush these refusing to return to work until latest developments. have their demands political flatly Employees have been met. refused even to discuss the These demands include a call for the removal of the Shah and national wage claim, which has been centred round the release the prisoners, together with a series popular call for a 35 hour end desianed measures week. imperialist domination executive is The union Iranian economy. certain now do w troops • sent in sual ballot on strike action to go fields and work tne ahead next week refineries have made their ability largest steel-producing area, advance maintain production, the strike North Rhine-Westphalia. is still causing massive econonio The JuIC disruption, not only within Iran overwhelming reveal an for whole majority in favour of strike moralism The imperialists are now West For both the to convince them- busy trying German steel magnates and genérals se. ves ThaT Loderer and his colleagues, been successful in their restabilise Shah's such a result win a vul reports from the last dwindling prospect the position within ran ee of trouble-free cosy, wave winter by the fireside. continuing in full flood.

Of all the countries of Latin America today Peru is the one where capitalism fewest of visible means support. More positively it is Peru and where

'WORKCIS

closest peasants are taking power into their own hands. This critical situation has first of all from the virtual political collapse of dictatorship the mullary headed by President Morales Bermudez. Morales' predecessor General Velasco had Bermudes for eight managed to based a mixture years and more catastrophic, the "anti-imperialist" remedies and more rhetoric, one or two much- 111010 directed against the jobs and exagerated Tels wages of the workers and the building of "mass organ- counter-reactions more the isations" which ne nau lun militant, and more Morales has had to depend intellectuals, repression increasingly on cringing political support of alone. Fidel Castro and the Tolerance Party Peruvian Communist and a good deal of repres This has lost his regime sion. of popular Morales-a more candid every tolerance on which its pre- right winger from the start- decessor partially survived. lacked all these assets But in spite of the repres- except the repression. this year As the economic crisis of throughout sion the working class through a the over: The N series of daring strikes and three years has grown more of these strikes is revealed in a report Tehran of develop- circulating ago in ment.

SIX

northern city of labriz strike there occupied the match-making and owned textiles Tactories Iranian capitalst The employer was occupiers the by oroered keep away trom the tactories When challenged this attacked by the strikers and nad removed to a hospital, where he shortly died of a heart attack.

Violent Alongside these strikes, the demonstra nuct ano tinns are continuing throughout despite the orders or the mobilisations generals to reach a climax are expected Shi'ite wher Moslems will commemorate the martyrdom of one of their early leaders on what is probably the date their religious major calehual itself Trom capable of controlling InesE the military developments, shown covertment confused First and arrested the head demonstrations showed that it could no longer be held down. was forced to Morales (blatantly undemo- call cratic) elections "Constituent Assembly" in an attempt to stave off his and of reckoning moment reverse the perhaps crisis. The result was not what for Every he bargained least participating party at verbally opposed the military regime. And a remarkably high share of the very loaded poll parties of went working class in particular the FOCEP Front of parties calling themselves Trotsky- ist, who gave every impres of meaning what they sion said and showed that up to a point they were capable of mobilising the masses. But the party with most votes the june electiol: (35%) and so the immediate arbiters of the fate of the the old regime was bourgeols nationals move ment

APRA,

now once again in one of its verbally radical phases. statin the past there is APRA's substance I1U words-as proves dominant by using its in the Constit... position SAVAK-then he moved Sanjabi, leader of arrest Karim National Front the and potentially one of his most valuable allies. generals cannot While the whether •eciot military impose TUlt scart dictatorship, or try and install a 'civilian' • regime, the bourgeois religious nationalists the leaders have been driven into a new alliance. propelling the TOrCt ayatollah Khomeini and Sanjabi been the indepen- together has the dent Moonisation organised strength of the Iranian proletariat. movement has presented a daunting challenge to religious and bourgeois demo crats alike. From their different each has reached out Dositions. to the other in hopes of exploit- ing for their own ends the crisis dictatorship and of equally weakness Critical working class leadership Their new found unity has attract been calculated support from sections 01 Ine who share their officer caste the way perspective control and suppress the move of workers and peasants ment that is daily undermining their political strength. Assembly to block with the Popular Christian far-right the demands Party against of the left (especially defence of FOCEP) and in military dictatorship. the APRA is led by the more than 80 year old Haya de la Torre who if there were an Olympiad for opportunists would certainly the finalists. Torre. Haya de la President of the Assembly rapidly losing as an opponent credibility of the regime. Attacked This was demonstrated when three weeks ago, after the last IMF-placating round of price rises a demonstra- attacked not only tion buildings but government also APRA offices as well.

APRA turned down the FOCEP resolution demand- ing the complete reversal of the price increases; but at the same time its leaders felt obliged to present their own resolution asking reconsider the increases. They still hope that such puny gestures will let them presidential and win elections congressional are next Strikes cripple Ghana 'National consensus' was the cant spouting from the lips of Ghana's military dictators seven months ago.

They spelt out the meaning ot this patriotic •phrast fuily last wook by declaring a to crush of emergency more than 80 militant strikes it the public sector. in March, the generals rigged votes to produco a theil majority

TAVOL

proposed "Union Government' Now they have suspended oven democratic conceded by the dictatorship.

General Demonstration in Tehran

AKTO

'disappointed' he was that how 70,000 workers had taken strike action, and went that strikes announce bacome criminal arty again none to property had • camand security of the state The strikes had already para.

¡lysed crucial IN BRITAIN, where Foreign I Ghanaian economy, including Secretary David Owen has time the docks, when the government and again declared himself of the over

SACKOO

support of unambiguously strikers. the Shah. the protests ot Labour began As the generals up to now, beel recruit scab replacements from restricted speeches the huge reserve army of unem and Parliamentary arm-waving.

ployed and impoverished i for the trade une urcent question workers the British working class is to take into slammer toureaucrac up throughout the trade union reverse gear full- the fight for Friday, issued a movement On they scale blacking Supere- grovelling plea that they had not needed to bolster repression in 'meant to undermine authority' IraThis means by failing to order an immediate the ratumn to work

TGWU

and other unions But now that the dictator.

and the docks to had agreed to set up a transcor ship and ordanise the identification board arbitration der manan blacking cargoes-especially of with the civi servants Associd arms and ammunition bound for iran This must be combined with The real "consensus' whic the struggle within the Labour between

AKUTTO

rebresant. Party for the removal of Owen the generals and world imperial.

pro-imperialist the how best to continue ism the proletariat tenaciously fight. against In e oppressed interests of the world's working Ghana class In their fight to blow that Those Labour 'lefts' such as apart, centleman s Sheffield MP Martin Flannery Ghanaian workers will have to out against begin. by replacing the labour nave support for the Shah must be with bureaucrats play a leading to called upon leadership prepared to fight and •stand their such a fight lead revolutionary yore in exposed as empty wind bags.

struggles. Assembly has humiliating concessions. the after under- approved the new constitu- The latest taking to grant some local tion. and (in violation autonomy of the IMF's spending cuts) Discontent a massive increase in public works in the jungle town of the streets and Tucallpa which Out in para- mines and factories where it lysed by what seems to have matters there is very little short of been insurrectional general strike.

little that

APRA

can do protect the regime But the regime's ability

HOW LO

from the discontent of the to temporarily buy off such masses. struggles extremely Even the Moscow-backed limited. Communist Party (Unidad) week's agreements is not in a position to help Peru's main inter-, with very much since it can now national creator:

CLU

only hang on to control of of reschedule repayments important the decreasingly debt for two years are based Peruvian General Confedera- creditors' insistence on ine

(CGTP)

tion of Labour that the Peruvian govern- through blatant ballot-rigg- all the implements breakaway against the IMF's measures. CP (equally Stalinist) And that implies taking (Majority). harsher action against even Workers in any case have combative the increasingly been turning increasingly to working Class other organisations union than the CGTP. Terror

UNITED STATES

There will be a centre For months Morales has shown that though terror is feature the page on nis only weapon In relamor political situation in the to strikes and other militant States in the United actions, Goes • 110! next issue dare to use it to its fullest He has been extent. of forced a series 11l0

Courage and confusion in the fight against Interview with Sandinista spokesman SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 15 Norember, 1978

TERNATIONAL •

The vicious dictatorship Somoza and of Anastasio clique his nepotistic appears to be Nicaragua final towards turcoig crisis. US imperialism now

TIMOS

itself no longer able to give full- hlooded support to the contin- uation of the Somoza dynasty.

"human rights Last week crusader Jimmy Carter ensured that the IMF once again blocked loan Nicaragua. Carter of course made noises about. . insufficient liberalisation measures, but the real reason knows full well that the that he lasts, longer Somoza stronger work g class opposition both to Somoza and to the group of businessmen and representative of the Sandinists, church leaders which Carter will currently visiting Britain.

back as the new govertmert the WSL has funda- The bourgeois torces uitdriy of .differences anti-Somoza the mental pollical ir volver The programme and perspective with movement are united the FSLN, but we feel it is vital Group of Twelve' (Los Doce).

vital This grouping Carter's intervention since it has support ot the hercerista wing of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). whilst The Could you describe the political herceristas claiming to revolutionary composition of the FSLN! Marxists' and leading a series of The FSLN is a body comprising guerillaist ettectiv€ main groups, the •arlo n anel blows War somoza. nave COnSIS® Popular rooncea cuddled up to the broad Tendency ine rroietaridn against the opposition Tendency, , and the Insurrection- unprincipled dictator. Torel Tendency links with the nicaraguan e arolsts l. bourgeoisie. The Prolonged Popular War is Marxist and has a Leadership Tendency of strategy of a long-term war attrition baser anole In fact the Sandinistas have peasant communities. authorised Los Doce to torm a leaders Killed in provisional government combat with the National Guard military operation Sandinista in 1976, but it was prominent in should permanentiy iberate any the uprising of September this part of Nicaraguan territory.

Needless both the the Stalinists Nicaraguan joined in cocia democrats nave the broad opposition front.

The leadership of the largest of three general trade unions has actan achet inks nte me NUN "businessmen's organisation" Alfonso Robelo (organi- led by ser ot rebruary s businessmon s strike). the this situation, in the of leadership question working-class movement posed most starkly. The strenath of support tor the Sandinists comes trom Ire urban rural working-class Nicaraguan the 50% ot tuBary abour torce is n doricuiture or bourgeois allies of But the of the Tise ¡ercolstd Will. vanrinite can in no way este• sent the these workers and peasants. The Sandinists have, for the three moved last ever the path of class further down collaboration in their ettorts cut corners in order to end ini bloody dictatorship of Somoza.

The full implications of such a strategy the can SeBn historic defeat inflicted on the just Chilean working-class such a Popular Front formation was overthrown. we print an interview with Angel Barrajon, an official Somoza's troops move in on guerrilla Jighters Somoza to publicise the struggles of the Nicaraduan working-class and to raise the issues of proletarian within the internationalism labour movement in Britain.

of Leon, vear .im The townS Chinandega, and Estoli. Tendency is The Proletarian and has Marxist-Leninist strateav o ooltica oraanisation in the towns; it is the smallest of the three groups The Insurrectional Tendency Tercerista wing is now The largest It seeks tactical group. with progressive allances elements in the middie classes.

natably Los Doppand has inter- support national Venezuela and Panama. Terceristas have been of the responsible iu0s 'armed actions against Somozé

T HONDURAS

NICARAGUA

VENGAUC A

GUATEMALA

Wounded youth carried off under a hail of fire bourgeois elements involved.

since October 1977, including Palacio What about the orientation of the taking Ine Nacional in August this year.

the Terceristas to Los Doce and FSLN get its doe: vnere omer conservawves, arms from? Within the FSLN itself there are From the black market or from class contradictions. There defeated sections of the certain strategic differences LIit art National Gudre on. Torming allances with bourgeoisie but we act unison. We do not as an organisation Do you receive any aid from narcose in enen OrOGE opposition front or the United "geo-political" situation in Peoples Movement, but we do the Caribbean has preventet with Cuba from helping. Effectively maintain rer onsao. them. We have a very are aene The bourgeois anti-Somoza good relationship with Cuba but there is no way they can forces are simply Usint popular base to attack Somoza give material help. Cuba accepts is restricting their Nicaraguan refugees and FSLN Decaust requiring medical members protitability But they are at best reform- Treatment ists-particularly with reference What links do vou have with which National Guard, ove a ibi tion mien grots?

we regard as an army of occu- are in touch with groups in pation. EI Salvador and in Guatemala What you have to Could you give an outline of the latest developments the understand is that we are aisc struggle to overthrow Somoza?

fighting U.S. imperialism which at all levels, intervening broad •Doositon TrONE economically and clearly contains many ambigui- militariy țies and new splits are emerging.

politically. U.S mercenaries and anti. certain orces want to estaosu also involved. We Castroites are a kind of Somozaism without . want Somoza. Tha rODeer pressurise the U.S. to end this In the last few days however intervention. We also need arms a United Peoples Movement has been set up by 22 proletarian ana money organisations. The aim of this is We see our struggle as one the conquest of basic for eo vo dee revoța. cess being trapped inside bour- popular demo Treedons ana geois democracy. cratic rights Our ultimate aim is the es It is very definitely a popular socialist tablishment movement, There are Nicaraguan youth defiantly tear up Somoża's portrait Somoza society, but we must first pass through a series of stages Can vou comment on the timing of the September uprising?

Some elements in the FSLN did not Think The time ws moe Tol mass support for armed struggle the majority felt that the forces avancee • were conflict. see can anes ant ye that the movement did not have enouon sirenett carry out al insurrection. We are trying now offensive .with plan a nev new tactics What steps is the FSLN taking to set up councils of action and sovers as a gass lor a werkers and peasants government? We have two basic objectives ir Firstly the INNe oresent stace expropriation

COT

„Gomoz: and their associates who 30% of the economy cultivable land anc 40% of the CARond V Th€

DO TICO

and ideological struggle to build for socialism. Somoza's land wv ner becomes social property, we can begin real agrarian reform and gain control over production We do organisational work both urban and rural working-class. but it is very harc given the extent repression. As Trotskyists we in the WSL stand for the reconstruction oi the Fourth International based solidly the Transitional on Proaramme Do vou have ausy contact with groups claiming Trotskyist either withir Nicaragua or from outside?

We have had discussions witt Tide Niets bot insel u side We Nicaragua they are • with too concernet matters of theory. The Tratskyists in Nicaragua have no' gase in the workine class do not reject the Trotskyist position as such, but distke the • inquisitorial proces Trotskyists use.

Cuts fight goes forward in Sheffield An important step was wages taken last week when the organising committee for cut-backs the conference on cuts in This Cobboy the

NHS

be held in abolsned-all plans, and information Sheffield passed the resol- opened tor inspection ution printed below. UnOn The resolution represents the of the NHS paint hor uss. culmination OT denemar over about led by Workers Socialist League: ,keep pace that the probleme heads of patients.

NHS

other publie and CO OUL •aotin i pillaged erately pursued by the • o comones government. "Facec supply the barEndr •orte k économic crisis of the capitalist laken the system government monoboes nationalisation.

OLLOM N

within that very system by the uso of such •messuras wage and cuts in: public trade unionists Cultel an attempt to and in the exoeno ture. offset à crisis of profitability canu salon satisfy the demands of the tion. They must then

IMF

integrated and

ONVOLE

into the government is clawing back mandoea money from the public sector as to provide private industry wit subses, gans x concessions. 'Conference is opposad to all the In* puclic expen diture and resolves to Fight them in the labour against woveueu onme bisor rae following programme. «1) Opposition to all cuts in government Soanasr dne Tor a reversal of all previous cuts.

We oppose cuts in other services means of maintaining NHS. Opposition must • oe boTa toti wane tho ret e where actually felt. Torm OT closures and reductions staffing levels. There must be no living socutice Saved standards, simply to maintain in office a Labour government.

Unionisation "2) For full unionisation of the NHS and a Galnoarald pay laroe lasterden overcome the low levels in the This can only be achieved by fighting to break government by linking Wa0g ConTrol ane wage increases to inflation by "C" November Canass been dubbede the leaders of the with "sympathetic", by National Union sef The

NUS

Students. mem oers Their idea of a campaign: this farcical "G-day" propo- for adequate grants for their sal must be censured at the million-strong

NUS

mem bership is to send groups of students and be

TAUS!

around London for a day organise a genuine cam paign performing "stunts" which the government and trade union Catering students are will not simply urged to laugh off. overalls, theological students will participate in a "pray-in"' Westminster based on demands at be Cathedral. mandatory Cooper, Penny long- students-concentraling Stalinist standing treasurer the needs of students in the of

NUS,

claims furthet education students are "bored'. with who are at present discrimi- the usual paramentary. nated against. lobby and want a more active' form of protest. creased to make up for the These an that Iccik TuBATOT NuS. to the murse erste of away since • 1t

NUS.

students highest level in 1962/3. Come have not turned up in large However, on Broad Left- cost of living, IUN DeTS organised lobbies-since the increases are not enough: all Broad Left have continually students should turned these ITOm granls 10 De workers and NHS users. "6) These policies can only • Al•AS:ir mne blane ai the Area Health Authorities for be fought for within the general shrouded fight planned socialist tor a must be secrecy economy based discussions banks, finance Wallowaiisea should compa said on rins Te health ov trace remain committees and to users second-class service, designed to aid the struggle cure sickness rather thar promote and ensure a healthy For regular increases in population, long as it is sub. service budget ect o mue poucies • от a covarn and ment which places the interests additional financing to meet the of the capitalist economy above those of the working class Only 5) At present the NHS is as part or a tignt tor a govern the ment which serves and is respon- arue sible to the wnich make working class can enormous profits out of it. The une Interests The workers In

NHS

the

NHS

and its users be

ITUST

out of the hands of the defended. by means of their fight for "To

TAIS

We programme, conference resolves MUSt support an investigation into the to: finances of these companies by a) support all occupations, working in them strikes and other actions against

NHS

closures and cut-backs. ås par or the for their nationalisa- b) fight for supporting strike fully sections aclor •une the NHS and workers. c) challenge all those trade com mittees

SOME CALL IT PROTECTION

for sell-out demonstrations keep up with inflation, ana discussions that they not eroded "left" further. Executive should Students unite responsible for with trade unionists in price committees assess how inflation hitting their conference, pockets, and what rate forced to grants and wages should increase. Trevor Phillips

(NUS

bureaucracy President) his and blode Left friends will be De able to never Such a campaign should for all „zlalls on PHOTO: John Stumock Renom sectore The grant should be in- has cut reached its will ine rising once-a-year fight for increased

#COHSE

NO CUTS

SAVE THE

CONSE

newsflas

KILT

COHSE '

union and Labour Party leaders nominations who refuse to fight against the cuts and campaign remove par tic satine them from their positions Co-oremaate d) elect a committee basec lead the Lawyers slam Mason Opponents of the British military occupation of the imperialism North of Ireland have for a repressior long time pointed out the wAlch Vasor way in which prolonged remand of unconvicted republican prisoners has reland Last of 23 junior barristers become an unofficial system demand Mason's resignation.

of interment. It has become commonnlaci for anti-imperialists to anything up years in jail contemptuous betore being brought to trial raniament week Labour's

BUT

las: dec aren: Northern reland torture chief Roy Mason Ont ste d defence counsel lur trei ano strooeo orsoner‹ •eTent of their legal right to appear in terrorists are court prior to remand anger. this new attack was ine dustr actor unconvicted by prison screws-but the speed prisoners as: of Mason's action demonstrated "people how thin veneer murder and terrorist offences."

The barristers amounted to latest man nothing Snown for the due this jurisdiction interested in organising their Eventuallv membership to fight around these protests, emergency these demands. screws voted Instead they are doing WOr KinO their best to dissipate remarks summed up student militancy into such tionary role pointless Labour leadership on acomes 'pray-ins" • Veston

WSL

The its Northern Ireland must student supporters to join the fight SoCo nCT I building

SLO]

our province leadership in NUS which is important.' capable and willing to fight on the above demands. not a Tory minister. NUM-sponsored Labour administration. The British movement must act to remove ines reactionar. whose open collaboration with British imperialism Jrish people is a clear indication of their hostility to the working class in Britain too. modisino the Callaghan/Mason clique and force withdrawal troops trom ireland trace union contingents should be on the Prisoners Aid Committee Prisoners GrIsh Delegates at the last NUS conference Sunday November 26.

EXTEND

AND

DEFEND

THE

NHS!

ECOt

CONS OSULY HOSAT

BRANCH

programme." from the and, delegates from The resolution was even- tually ore anisations Supported unan mousi campaign and committee c oreanising fight for the which is composed of members of the Workers Power and •eredates TrON Labour Party, NUPE the and

ASTMS

reparations to • Ine conter ence are well union branches and have organisation. circulated with details of the conference and there has been a response vrom severar cirections "legality" behind which British I ne conterence provides the masks its military gainst the cuts, wgch has been . Oasis with sneer arrocance malny detensive, Into a politica proceded to Ottensive defend his actions outraged even In Sheffield, the tendency so the legal profession in Northern Tar, nas been to respond to cut: Tuesday à group inel OCCur sometime met. to successfully las was recently the with Thornbury Annexe Contemptuous this doesn't stop They drew attention to his cuts coming. In order to prevent offensive cuts gOltCa felid, k. needs to be waged which he This is reason for the conference-to aware that those dIscus situation in Sheffield within the who recular v context of the general political Provisional

IRA

seething with resolution is central to this task Iviason nad gone on to tall If the conference adopts the remand resolution. it will pave the wal forward imoortan nave development, both in Sheffield committed murder, conspired to and nationally The the DOlL. Taise• in onedoul programme can only that Mason's actions and words realistically fought for in the excess from a concõ à on d vonà the bureaucracy of the 20ainst consistently trade unions and Labour Party.

but contempt such,

WSL

would ocess of law nup sheffield inia ves uree taken Sheffield, both thouah deaf organising similar conferences Mason lifted the solidly the Wasto (Nanou movement and by sending dele csumne norma gates to conference to be hypocritical held in Sheffield the the The take whole conterence place on Saturday December une rish the Mount Pleasant Centre "Tho due process of law. Sheffield, from onartow Lane 10.00.am till 5.00pm. roman Speakers include delegates but the security from Occupatior equally mounsiow Committee, the South Oxford Nursery Campaign and the The scandal is that Mason is Socialist Medical Association He is an ministe Prisoners Aid Hostility Committee

DAY OF SOLIDARITY

Labour

WITH IRISH POWS

November 26 "leaoers' Assemble Hyde Park against the 2.30pm March to Clerkenwell Green to arive out *Solidarity with Irish British

POWS !

*POW status & amnesty and Labour Party : mobilised for all Irish Political Prisoners ! or solidarity with *Brits Out of Ireland ! War on

Sedgemore's smokescreen SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 15 November, 1978

DELL LAUGHS

ALL THE WAY

- TO THE BANK

After years of service to •Party itself. Dell movement, the LaDoul subject of repeated appeals from by on mere scraping 'Militant' £14,500 ministerial salary, closure Callaghan's Trade Secretary on oresaes Edmund Dell has decided to His departure himself for look after preferably the Party as his change-and to in fact the best action he could old trade-merchant have taken. banking. He has in his period of office helped Callaghan and Mealev improved returns not oniy for his old firm of Guness Peat but also tor every oTAer section of British capitalism.

Comfortable As MP for Birkenhead, Dell has calmiy watched une muves PHOTO: Chris Davies, Report close the Western AnI0- and firm, reddiels Merseyside, oThe cosures knowing that own nis

TUTUYE

only secure but was extremely comfortable. from the

HIS

resionation government accompanied by an endorsement pro-capitalist vallaundi s the oo icesa rauses once duaill sucn raole to inhabit reactionaries leadina positions in the Labour otonenouse to Reg from George-Brown; LOrO Prentice to Loro Chatont. trom Christopher of Marsh; the parade acnare former zabour cabinet munıster that have openly declared their to capitalism against uculalivls ine WOrKinC Class Hicvel ending. How many more remain for Labour the time -being in the leadersnip, walla Lile offer the right ot comdany directorship or quango position their move up •етоге the social ladder? Demands defection spells out Dels those people- the futility the Militant group- such as continue to. ac cress the Callaghan demands cabinet in the expectation that these •eoole Can "'pressurised" into chanelne their policies by the trade union the Labour ovemen! • LY

PRESS GANG

Family favourites Margaret Jenkins was worth her That passenger in statistic husband's car when Land Rover coming the watching other way shed its trailer which smashed of strikers affected car and killed into the families. her outright. women Her husband, Denis often in the Jenkins, awarded was strikes. Thev are for £1,200 the

SAOCK

killed her and DOClE as ll cll £18,000 for the loss of his wife as housekeeper. com- of the 'family bread- panion and major TOHe winner". passive-unwilling Mrs Jenkins' housework tragic heroine. was valued at £l an hour.

Cann balkı When the defenders of family life have finally run with class working through their emotional appeals for stability and Ford secunty tne courts Icveal 1l 101CC everyday tragedies that pass give their up higher wages. through their hands 'women's work'--housework Only anti- communists need apply The vicious anti-com- munism of the Labour government and the was the particular class collaboration of Communist Party the Ine Western both highlighted฿ were last week. from the Industry Secretary Eric leadership-and well-is Varley is reported to hesitating before appointing Office Post Engineering Union

NEC

member Len Willett to the board of the Post Office. Stooge Willett, a member of the Communist Party was 19-strong elected to the board by vote the

POEU

conference September. His willingness to become one of the stooge trade union "representa- tives" on this manazement body which overseas the implementation of speed-up in the hugely profitable post telecommunications and service, should come as no surprise. Party Communist Prentice seldom There is ,Labour's retreat by left' without a covering smokescreen. Last week was no exception. Callaghan and Healey carried a vote on the anti- socialist proposals of the Queen's Speech with the aid of the 'lefts' who voted Loyalists alongside Ulster including Enoch Powell. This vote has . ensured that the right wing Labour cabinet will continue to uphold the 5% pay limit in the face of bitter strikes by Sedgemore Friday £1 an hour dead. "Normally in for shopping worthwhlle bonanzi but yesterday have Dagenham, Tln Cl of the when reading in the press or many the wives 57,000 Ford workers look television, campaigns to sap the morale taut faced and pale as they shopped for bargains" through concern for be of their would some interest learn how reporter Ann Morrow distin- themselves are forefront of guished between the taut subject to faces of the wives of Ford the same laws of capitalism workers and the taut faces oI otner workers wio. weit But in the fantasy world trying to make an ordinary newspaper week's pay packet match up the shops. to the DIIces Inl "For the men the strike Vic tilt has depression, meani over the inactivity and boredom. But 'Ford wives' has nothing to for the many oi women, them young, it has been a conceru frightening women and worry each everything to do with trying build-up of debts and week a greater inability to workers struggle for mortgages and hire- pay purchase instalments." The Telegraph reports: No evidence is presented members have argued favour of 'workers participa- British tion' "schemes Leyland, in the ship build- ing industry and elsewhere. Nowhere have they from • shrunk performing management 'duties' such as the closure of assislig plants, the 'rationalisation' of and the producuon of labour trimming force Varley, and But for Callaghan, Minister Prime even the word 'Communist smacks uncomfortably of and militancy

TCKLICC

According to the Depart- ment to provetry sacurity anyone liable to prove a risk" could be excluded from the Post Office board.

But the reality ss that, under • the guise "industrial democracy", the board Post Office excludes consciously anyone remotely likely interests of the dereta e working class. political Only

IE. G

illiteracy of Varley and Callaghan has led them placing Communist Party members in that category!

military hardware Ford bakers and into battle workers, proposed others. and open hostility of the entire trade Monetary System-EMS union movement. than take a But rather Treasury stand on this issue and spells .out vote for the con- reluse lo COlsCuuClIVVs tinuation of such policies; latest so-called 'left' the (za boul the EEC bureaucracy, MPs found a new, hitherto introduced, on top untapped source of aveaun Tribunite Brian from that source. Sedgemore-unti only for his notable nationalist cal for imoom controls to protect British embarassed capitalist industry-went and tioned by Select mittee. For Sedgemore sacked by post his Secretarv ony Benn of La DOlS ing the EMS But did Sedgemore Callaghan? for this division of labour between boredom a cabinet post to protect!

and worry. Even in their descriptions of the financial hardship the women interviewed give the lie to Ann Morrow's fiction of a life of plenty disrupted by strike, One says "We don't have holidays much anyway" "We don't go Another have out, never 00 ne we cannot afford ocudusc for. a lot and we ony very Another "We don't ask occasionally go out to play Bingo. enjoying from Far usual Friday bonanza before the strike, the wives of Ford all workers know working class men and

PHOTO:

women know: The standard of living of te dererded by strice action working class can only over wages lage →

LABOUR

PARTY

One 'Communist' not snubbed by Varley, Chinese bureau- crat Mr Wang in Britain to buy Harrier jets and other against Tane European He quoted a confidențial document which PHOTO: Chris Davies, Report

O O U

if this, the fiendish invention of of the existing mountains of waste- ful and expensive legisiation Embarassed In doing so he annoyed Healey Denis In a touching display of Healey, who was being ques- and back. opportunism the Commons he wrote Expenditure Com- roBrian" stabDing personal letter to the laying this 'crime' sacking at Callaghan's door was summarily and wishing him all the best.

Callaghan trom Labour's as Parlamentary the NEC Dennis boy on Private Secretary to Energy Skinner to voice an empty of the defence doomed Benn himself is chairman Policy Sedgemore; he pointed out Home that if Sedgemore had been Committee which has just a shop floor worker sacked producea a paper concemn- for such a "misdemeanour' out of hand. then there would have been defend a walk out. against No walk out Not on your life! He has But of course there was walk-out On the contrary, th6 press wile played up this "rebellion" by Sedgemore every single 'left' including Skinner him- self walked loyally into the the government lobby vote on the Queen's Speech like "opposition" this within the Labour Party that enables Callaghan •to proceed with his vicious anti-working class measures.

demanding that left' In MPs take up a fight for the removal of Callaghan and them promising support should they do so, trade Labour .unionists and such activists can force positions out into the open, and see in practice the utter of their spinelessness present supposedly "socialist"" leaders. Benn

Butchery and arson by The facts behind the "Our drawn from the observations of people. Abadan-people Rex who were the Cinema, people who gathered as the full horror of the death trap unfolded, and

WIIOSC

SURE

daughters, sisters and were burned alive who led the front people The showing secono ranks of demonstrations less p.m. The began around 9 than 24 hours later. audience mostly The oil refinery biggest working class, many cnelle in the world is in Abadan.

old and families, young That's what it is known for.

people, men, women and Also, it's so hot and oppres- children, number of sively humid in the summer students. 830 people packed and oil construction the theatre. The lights went workers are on their jobs by out. The movie began. and work a.m. cannot Outside the Rex Cinema than they Tater a.m.; people resume work around 3 p.m.

WIEU

passing were and continue until smoke seeping out from the o'clock. between TOOl. It was Equipment and people stared as curiously at the building. In silence, of they vast hecause san heaviel of and heavier smoke. Within stretches 01l refineries and petrochemical plants, minutes, people were heard "it must the advanced fire- that collatele fighting equipment exists in be empty". Abadan and it is recarded as Not unusual the sophisticated most Middle tast. Many movie theatres Oil Abadan workers In been targeted during nave are 10 months milllall oi demonstra- Throughout 50 the years, tions. It is thus not unusual duration of Pahlavi rule in that there might be a tire Iran, Abadan has been But people automatically centre of anti-regime and assumed that any theatre anti-imperialist tions often rallying tens of thousands and even several hundred thousand from the entire region. The Rex Cinema, located in one of the working class neighbourhoods, was centre of anti-Shah activity.

the evenine August 19 there saturady were to be two showings of movie called "Reindeer". It is a generally progressive film which apparently simple theme, conveys symbolically the depicting of injustice tyranny ana oppression and the heroism of struggle against it. Sold out progressive film. All had been sold out. tickets holds theatre cinema fire fire meant that no one would There be inside. had been single injury; all theatres had been before being hit by empty demonstrators. Not empty Within minutes, people realized that maybe the Rex yo had swelled to 5up or had swelled to 500 600 within minutes as the smoke also had swelled around the building. It was this Seconds crowd moved towards the doors Suddenly, settling come from nowhere, police vans and army trucks filled Soldiers and the entire area. poured out of the police vans and surged in front of the crowd, swiftly blocking front the

CELL C

building. Police plunged into the crowd and shoved people backwards. Suddenly this Owen's friend As the regime of the Shah totters the Labour in the government iS forefront of interna tional efforts to prop it up. As the Iranian masses demand with one voice the removal murderous regime, the Shah takes his cue from David Owen and announces 'concessions'. An into this or that inquiry puppet. Another promise of elections the in distant future. A reference to 'mistakes' Meanwhile he turns to a 'persuasion of tanks and The remains of the Rex cinema ociațion of the United States.

wall of troops and police the ground. barricading struggled the door were attacking. Clubs went up in out of the fire was being the air, cracking down on shot and clubbed. 1o one backs hands, heads, and side, people noticed section of the wall about to as people shoved to Alilis It reach the doorwavs crumble Delhe Flames all around broken through from inside were the roaring and two. three people bulaing. frantically blaze, the entire theatre was were trying walled with fire. get out safety The "People crowd rushed are burning to rescue Please help them!' them. screamed someone from the Before they reached the root, jumping two stories to edge of the building and the the ground. people desperately trying to them get out, police As the crowd stared in • surrounded them, shoving horror, police swarmed over clubs with rifle butts and clubs, him, and bayonettes pushing them back aimed to the ground where Struggling frantically against had fallen Within he the police, people watched seconds, police killed him.

Shots rang out. in agony as only two or People three behind so escape. screamed from the roof. leaving behind scores They were being shot! Two, others by falling then another two trapped timbers and totally drowned were breaking through the in flames. roof, scrambling to the edge ready jump Lte They were being Pitched battle ground. they shot before reached The scene in front of the theatre was now a pitched between crowds desperately trying to get to the doors and scores of police and troops fighting back all attempts at rescue.

People could see that struggle had broken out from behind the doors, from the coming inside theatre. And they could see solid soldiers wall of behind the police pushing against the doors to keer them shut. Troops shoved, kicked and smashed rifle butts into the crowds. Police closed in tighter and tighter blocking access to the building Behind them, another solid wall of shoving troops against the doors. The front of the building Iranian troops was now a raging inferno. It the 'order" of murderous troops on the streets. The biggest threat to his the regime comes from working class with political strike of the oil for the fields drastic as capitalist customers as tol the regime itself. Sympathetic as ever, the Shah the troops. David Owen and Jimmy Carter the two exponents of 'human rights' talk of the need for order: for stability tor oil. To support them the Shah releases some political prisoners and then sends his soldiers onto the streets to refill the jails and the The material below is excerpted from the pape Resistance, published by the Iranian Students Ass was 11.30. At 1l o'clock a . carrying tank had pulled up several hundred feet from the theatre. People ran in vain to the it close to blazing theatre drinking water truck and was empty and couldn't use the oil company's hydrants they were told. lights Inside the had The movie had out. started. Smoke curled into Within minutes ine treate around flames were all them. People rushed the had doors. They found them chained from the outside Heaving themselve had finall mainceded it had finally succeeded breaking one door. As the the tried to push through door, they saw that the were shoving against a soli wall of troops, armed with machine guns, pushing then back inside the deadly fire "Anyone comes out- we'll shoot!" shouted the troops. the soldiers hurled As themselves against the door shoving people back int the Oilt fought their way through As they staggered forward plunged police on top them with clubs Chained The doors had been re chained The death over was sealed. For four hours, the fir raged. Crowds battled anc fought against the police heaving desperately agains the armed troops. By 2 a.m they knew that everyon must be dead inside. An most of the people who ha jumped from the roof ha leaving only DeCi about a dozen people alive

SOCIALIST PRESS, H'ednesday 15 November, 1978 that they will exchange the despotism of the Shah for of

JICH UIK

CVC IUL

the official opposition. Yet the emergence to the vanguard of the struggle of the working class and progressive Duoorlatll ceve oomenu or ne alay revolution. working Already the class provides power- ine is for the The Shah and . America friends still the Shah's presented 'communist- of the 1 D Ted WOrK and the 'infiltrators'. westerh biggest danger Iran has The the yet been than the fire cinema Abadan acrialus a party ot leading socialist revolution. "terror- obediently atol 'evidence' of and Tane Gall-cl 1110n. Abadan troops could be seen pulling At o'clock the truck bodies out of the wreckage fire aored. it pulled up several arrived. and piling them onto army No one was ever hundred teet trom trucks building blaze, so far away that the allowed near the reach water coman t evel the ground floor. As broke in Everyone inside was dead. 20, police forcements anu Dy swarm of early several troops Then: fire barricaded entire allil-y The navy fire against of shocked, The National Oil fire Iranian Hesses desperate 'fire tyranny. It chemical truck arrived. over this of savage out the fire. horror already Police up. the and Within Abadan erupted inundens and the charred theatre Tyranny! to the until 5., From admissions in ran explanation they were given. Press has Socialist of the Iranian paper US. cations does not of eye nIcaEs witnes uf e this taken from Resistance honest to build up allerol of what aecitale happened Wine responsible. In fact, this extract shows, Shah. stricken Crowds people -inferno This regime that theatre was surrounded by thousands of troops. No one permitted the Was fical scene. trucks D V ally pulled loaded furious Two Monday alsappeaieu night. The is reported a Navy his officers llave week', Victims of the Shah's murderous attacks A license has been issued' to the Tory press to witch- hunt and libel revolution- That suit brought aans. Observer the Workers menuets The jury Thatne Observer's arms cacies WRP's sense have • Gecateo nar Central members and Vanesca Secretary and former been not Gerry Yet the had revealed conclusive Special eTTOrT tue Branch and koserve witch-hun coordination And •exposed the industry which of the several blaintits nad Also was the scanoa ous

TAIS

Equity leader Peter Plouviez who, mienter. TrONE •oluca oidcK listing, Gorst into taking the …o ceciare so te or ai encuich. But ada outrage to ncd: lis aydinisi Tnt In ured This more than an open to une servile ment nare imagine the of damages wittine

OUT

workers saoer. further ciass There buurse taking Tory press. entirely particular case. HEit the IRP's should be that the "justice" . ancer maals the capitalist the part SyStem leaders further expensive in this basic

LIBELLED-BUT

NOT DAMAGED!

Expensive lessons WRP law suit to the WRP must be Newsline that the programmat action of the huge ic call for an armed uprising of counted in excess of monev paid over to the sum the working diass reterred on!y Observer. to specific conditions-where a A futt reining must alse government elected on socialist laKt accoun

SOCIAHS

procrenine Was compromising and outright attacked by right-wing minority reformist made by statement 4:349 "revolutiona Tiest suo soset ries" in testimony in Parliamentary road hearing brought about on their own initiative Aside from the way in which Central Committee member spells out an this conception Corin Redgrave went into the witness box to . rounded MAcarav! onlv did the reformist perspective by quoting whir recet arme struggle but that at the moment as an axample of such a socialist the Party adopted a policy of covertmena hetende s r poula armed struggle he would resign!

government in Chile in tront 19731 earv ge nas armoITionS IO serve as a latter-day Kamenev or be best Redgrave willi the very Zinoviey-reneging on by remem heror mant vrt sympathisers and eve or mne socialist revolution • Vanessa Redgrave also de- grotesquely TO! westlak. ls 1°01 clared that she hoped that the om u Aerosi orissenzeed an a onis agonising sequence in the Socialist transtormaton would consil- Palestinian she "through legal, The and peacefu! struggle" Gerten cance warne machine gun above her head wews/ine. she declared in cours that: 'My whole lite | have ST HOC Ce CORZ CaIT 20aasi violence war and terror was not iving to the w nar. tactinont revealed that she has not in any way braken from the liberalism

DOELIC

that for years before her sudden "recruitment" made her an dd Stacp tome • DOtCa SUCRERS of the Socialist Labour League end the WRR Protest politics Rather than winning over Redgrave : to Trotskyist politics the WAP has been shown have tanen vcar o ner particu brand of middle-class la: protest. is the WRP S fighters, its cynical warnings of Redgrave: talked of immediate and coup: "legal, constitutional and the tacads for its real positions.

peaceful struggle" for social- Behind this thin ism. "revolutionary" phrassoloay and piey-acting, , luris the real Reading these statements wretched face of the WRP-its t ts naro to lecan mat de vne QODOTUnRE% eVARiCi si the prs yes hie tar the aat serious struggle for the Trotsky- incessantly, years with a monotony relieved only natinna workers movement; it: chichen

TVSTA ICA

Cowaro y Compromises wirt ine language, warned the British petty bourgeois leaders of th of immi- class

PLO,

and wich the tragi and wettsttiy nenct Libyan dictatorships; and ary military coup! aastentinn trom of If such dire predictions were to almost every one of the daily haing taken seriousiv. it would struggles of the British working be reasonabie to assume that, crass far from opposing the arming of Standered ine vorkine class ara seerir recompense for 3-year-oid libels through bourgeois courts. When, late in 1974 the

WRP

leaders would founder Penoers devoting Anetales Workers Socialist League, ther campaigning for and organising

WAP,

members the tirs formation armed leader- challenced the nec: B workers miltia ane moonesi the shin c anandsnmant WOrKIng and demands .of the of transitional de 'metod Trotskyist programme, we were mands sanderea aot seu V T eO But of the WRP bureaucratically expelled.

colise Committee does Every one of bur criticisms Central not has since been amply borne out seriousi" beneve "analysis". And it reserves its in practice. special venom for the : Workers Though six of its members which is the have now at great labour and Docidils LedouE oniy political that expense-cleared their names in fandanay does fight consistently for trans- the bourgeois cf the courts iticna mobilise ludicrous and libellous charges demidek against the ThA Working CaSE • them And while falsely accusing us Observe: article. WRP members of reformism; WRP leaders find shouic now address themselves Temse ves

GOCH

*o *e zer mere coro nołca preaching what amounts to a charges thst remain peaceful road to socialism mesored by thair leaders Vanessa Redgrave in cartici By Johm Lister lar according Cor arad

'Participating' in the Speke closure cover up A review of What Happened at Speke? by Huw Beynon, published by 6/612 Branch TGWU, Liverpool.

This pamphlet is an whitewash unashamed Roberts, of the role of the whizz-kid combine committee and chairman leading Communist Party mem- Ford. Derek ber Robinson He along with the demonstrated British convenors at Leyland's Triumph recent Speke plant. redundancies Eye factory was produced by the TGWU branch that covered the closed plant and threat to by "disinterested" plant. liberal and some- alinchall observer-of-the-class struggle-from-the-side-lines, Huw Beynon. ine same no serious grovelling contains analysis of the participation set-up in Leyland, of which the Speke pamphlet. Robinson is 100% in favour and which with his aid, first 'hypocritically fingered Speke low productivity plant' and then *rive vears helped organise the closure said Standards of the plant. pamphlet is written as a "nasty employer"-bash- would • yUL. ing essay, but at no point unbelievable: with comes to grips the problem of the traitors time people within the oIne working class itself. car lactory The theme is very much didn't there?" It's gone" the same as Beynon's earlier The same publication for working quoting the Ford-in other words 'spare a moment for the plight of the poor carworker on the assembly line'. another part Workers are put up on a pamphlet pedestal and 'significant' grovellingly quotations Loyden, talking received from them. period after The attempts of the left announcement to fight the reformist closure: leaders in the plants are scoffed at and belittled.

what working Any other position want to know is when did would imply a criticism of we last win one?' What are the same our trade leaders with whom Beynon doing?' They PHOTO: Laurence Sparham (IFL) Pickets at Birds Eye, Kirkby-betrayed by IGWU official Eddie Roberts By Chris Erswell has such a cosy relationship.

A vivid example is Eddie the 'Militant' Ford Halewood who figures prominently in Working for a full-time official for the TGWU and his right wing credentials during the struggle against Birds Kirkby, when he ordered the work- force back after a company close the whole Subservience unprincipled, subservience to PHOTO: John Sturrock, Report the right wing is evident in Eddie Roberts is quoted clicking his tongue at the Speke closure: ago if you'd would be closed down without a fight no one would have believed have been "But it's gone. Two years saying "Speke? There used to be a . out there once method of hypocritical, and they see that there's hand-wringing right wingers nothing down for them.' making banal obituaries for His own questions might the closure is also evident in well be asked of himself.

of the Apart from verbal where Beynon support and futile meetings quotes local 'left' MP Eddie with hatchet-man Edwardes, Loyden about the along with fellow local left' MP Eric Heffer, the first of the failed to argue for occupa- tion and played key "In a situation like that, supporting role in delaying class people and diverting any potential struggle. leaders union Reputation look around Their left' reputation aided them in this task and did not in any way compel them to fight the Labour Party for the removal of Callaghan and the of the rest Labour politiçians who were lavour of the closure Nowhere there 1S any mention of the role of the convenors in the closure.

For

TGWU

convenot Mick Everett this was not the first closure that he had presided over. Before Triumph he was the nearby (now closed) Garston Bottle Works Nor is there any mention of the Speke mass meeting where Stalinist

AUEW

Thomas's convenor Dave hollow bluster about "fight- pation'. Beynon's position on 35: "Nationally, Council wa. ! of-much closure of Speke" 'participation which the benevolently set up. This, of the Leyland have 'sold' they have managed Beynon His criticism merely that they 'consult' the Speke Uval evidenced in relating to Robinson "At both meetings Derek the convenor of Longbridge Leyland shop stewards com- Robinson ing the closure" was promised the shouted down by the support of their workmates meeting after his appalling in other plants. record sabotage and betrayal. tested (you before you really find out); A prime example of this and partly this was because was refusal workers at finger to fight the victimis believe it existed" ation in 1975 of the (then)

SWP

Tommy member had a record of betrayal as Healey,

AUEW

deputy long your convenor. Socialist Press Neither of these Speke and mentioned convenors at any time made thinly-veiled attempt to yet a call for occupation. again imply They completely membership's fault abdicated from any attempt In fact lead a struggle against sits on the Cars Council, was the closure. present at a joint meeting of They stood by and made Leyland end 110

HIOVC

managers attempts of Loyden, Heffer when combine committee

OVCI.

chairman Derek Robinson delay and divert the Standing ovation with futile struggle 'talks' Edwardes and lobbies of He "participated" in and Callaghan. ovation They helped Edwardes serve up oldl of blood-curdling buckets 12,000 redundancies bluster That plan virtually gave what they were going to do on behalf its seal of of the members. closure of The most low glaring alleged om'ission, however, is on the was singled out role 'participation' ticipation committee report.

Leyland and in particular of It is, therefore, the role of Derek Robinson, to say that the Cars Council Stalinist chairman • the was not informed about the combine committee and Speke closure. fervent advocate of 'partici- The fact of the matter: is The Triumph Speke plant that the convenors who equivocal voted for the Edwardes plan the role were and are in league with participation' in the closure management is revealed in the following Robinson in particular, amazing statement on page for all his demagogy was quite prepared to see Speke the • Cars closed for the sake of the not informed overall 'viability' participated Levland in-decisions relating to the His presence at the mass meeting was to ensure that Beynon apparently views made were some towards plant occupation to genuine body for consulting prevent closure. In this task the views of the workforce he succeeded. employers It is the failure to put the blame fairly and squarely on 1s how the management convenors and in particular the participation Robinson that this makes set-up to the stewards and pamphlet such miserable obviously whitewash 'con' even Socialist Workers Party, which devoted of front Robinson's failed to speech first the workforce meeting without a word of the closure! of the criticism tailure to decide for occupation, Gullible subsequently dropped the His gullibility is further issue as the sell-out took passage sulaue the mass Robinson, and chairman of the British committee spoke and "This support was never have to fight Report Speke didn't unto. John Sturrock. The fact that Robinson arm (see 118) is there that it the Robinson, who convenors Heffer and This booklet, does Keniworth say what really happened at Edwardes first took Speke-it offers only bureaucrats-eye view of one of the most miserable sell- outs to have taken place in the struggle on jobs over the for the last few years. involving further Leyland workers are not to follow their Speke brothers and approval for the sisters to the growing dole Speke whose queues, a leadership must be productivity' constructed that will draw out these harsh lessons and struggle consciously against rubbish the existing combine com- mittee leadership for an end to participation and a fight for and working Wades conditions.

'Disinvestment' no way PETER MCINTYRE reviews The Falling Leaf, an exhibition of aerial dropped propaganda 1914-68.

The exhibition has just completed its stay at the Museum of Modern Art in Oxford, and is to transfer

PHEEDON

«HE RECOO

PICTORY TO

VICTORY

FREEDI

FREEDO

"ICTORY TO THE

To

VICTORY

Southern Southern to London. During the siege of Paris in 1870 citizens fleeing the Prussian forces by balloon dropped and pamphiets leaflets the encircling

OIT

soldiers. taken up ine dea was 1871 Paris Commune packed with propaganda to drop outside the city. known exampleof Inis tirst enemy cirectiv stressing common cause and the injustice of the the attackers became one most sophisticated weapons of used cvnicIsm sides Dota World Wars and in all imperialist invasions. World. War I During World War I British French forces and dropped mIOn amonlets and leatlets into Germany. 1939 the RAF dropped six million leaflets in one night British soldiers attach leaflets to propaganda balloon in 1918 South South Or

SHEA

africa africa Anti Apartheid demonstrators Falling leaflets on German towns before war was declared. tonnage dropped Total by all sides during the war never been accurately estimated

OUT

Ine Monroe bomb developed by the US specifically drops spread 480 million of propa pieces curooe between Day and the end of there The US in Vietnam were as paper extravant Their weapons as in their bombing.

The US airforce dropped an estimateo milton billion pieces of paper • On Vietnamese. that is 48,000- noures 000,000,000,000 Villages of 100 people would receive 100,000 leaflets. i ne everything from use• mem TOr blocking holes in toilet paper An exhibition a tiny oroportior air-crooner propaganda from 1914-1968- The Falling Leaf-has transierted to London trom the Museum Modern Art, to fight apartheid This is another paper agents and the source of much published by the Anti international capitalists. Apartheid Movement as a Clarke declares that the dis- contribution, they. fondly investment imagine, to the overthrow, , but remain a moral crusade or at least the liberalisation be a fighting "political of the repressive apartheid campaign" However he shows little system of the South African awareness o the realities state. ot class. relations means of internationa means whereby the • ot The solidarity with the South African state can be South masses Atrica Simon Clarke envisade. tre Empiricist growth and partial redirection of the "disinvestment" campaign The pamphlet is packed with means statistics, and wus vestment TAf tables reality action by the imperialist empiricist analysis that are the states to force change realities ot the world to such left-wing voyeurs. County we acrose di most reliable imperialist Backed up with this informa- the Oxford. "Your mother is asking new- comers from the front: Where ine exnibition is macabre horrifying and fascinating. is my boy?-Don't know, some Themes recur again and again..

where in the steppes ot war however the leaflet anti-commun- takes a sharply political turn.

takes They have been tellina vou name from a leaflet dropped on that this was war against German France by Germanv A paper leaf was inscribed German imperialism, with a helmetted skull and the • there is no Kaiserism. but now more Kaiserism, no more auto Words. The leaves are cracy. falling. We will fall like them. "The German workers have The leaves die because God wills arisen in revolt-and they have But us. themselves destroyed Kaiserism.

•ecause the English wish it. Next Spring Themselves! Without the help of nobody will British and valuenwor American troops. "There is no d800 leaves The more moera soldiers. Life will pass over our Ish in Germany. I he Kaiser and graves. the German warlords have fled.

leaflets Few "Germany, wett InaT Russia, • One of the most bestial sunte now the land Revo ution on display was dropped by the Germanv Russia, will …ake

RAF

on Germany in 1941 block 01 governed It showed a vouna airi with masters, ner nead split in halt and captioned simply 'Not "Do you realise that in this Nazi Germany dropped Battle freedom great against the Capital one • Loncon snowing freedom deans victims of Dresden. against take dea dracry against fake democracy The anti- potency Rockefeller you imperialism not even ane oreani are to fight on the side of your shunned by Goebbels leaflet addressed African troops in showed the looTine Thei houses by French soldiers, with 'Coloured soldiers, the message lay down your arms' Vietcond messages for black US soldiers with a rhyme: "I wish I were an Hawalna Looper. would truly love to be; i wish Alabama trooper, were 'cause could kill the then niggers legallv ") While the Nazis exhorted French black they also

•OWI

arms dropped leaflets Italy portraying black US

TOOOS

raping women and desecrating churches. Most imperialist persuade Tound it necessary to the enemy that mother/wife/girlfriend wa: or the For i ocine simply pining away. the in the British press would not be out or date nere: There is only one example of Bolshevik propaganda dropped dropped British and American invading forces 1919 aroun Murmansk It is sad to have to report that this, begins with appeal the solelers home remem oe Swee wives and children, sweethearts It goes on: rare y A review of the Anti- Apartheid Movement's booklet Changing Patt- erns of International Investment in South Africa and the Disin- tion, Clarke can correctly point vestment Campaign by

OUT

natune imperiast bank. Simon Clarke. running South African Price 50p capitalism He goes on to argue from this that 'disinvestment of the imperialist governments!

campaiqn should concentrate or It would seem that he them even more than on the convinced of the fundamenta multi-nationals which He decenc moerialism participate directly certainly fosters the illusion that oppression of the South African denunciations working masses. avarticia are more inar mere Because he necessarily cynical cover-ups for the imperialists' only aware Inat the banks ane multI- interest nationals are right behind the Africa-the south repressive measures ОГОТІТ the apartheid state Glar Ke "Embargo" Is ratner vague about now they to be persuaded 'disinvest' A clear example of what is So he falls back on the hope to be expected from the Labour of legislative action on the part 'ells and ineir ilk is the arms "embargo" on Southern Africa attempt iroldet and nepenoent mooiisation actions the working class by action from the Callast state which. been sub "pressure" was ther ected to expected to and action support of the of the South Africar Interests working class of course the imperial- ists had first ensured inat ini was _ATricar state sufficiently strong, through arms stockpiling and througt • productive capabilities Only then did they announce support for embargo. Thev of course made sure at the same time that arms cruel masters a allist

YOU

brethren and your fellow workers? Are you not working phony secre deais third agents, etc against yourselves... "Demand to go home. Hold Open the books your regiments meetines form soldiers' councils, For this reason the Workers force demands your Socialist Lodgut Calls opening of the books and action "If you are convinced in the force justice of the cause of Labour workers' management of then come over • to our side ane dil tims ano oanks tradina wit: you Wil Africa-not South only to welcome into the ranks ensure effective those who are fighting for the emma. coe. as so ensure sure rs, Ene emancipation ot Labour. also to ensure . supplies That single of goods essential to the struggle of genuine proletarian Those workers . o sunrice tor tnis exnibition It is not surprising that such Of anti-communism there is action Is not part o plenty. • Drue the Anti exhibition The notes are Apartheid Movement they do not Trustrating since Nor, of course, does it stress translate fully many the leaflets and they are also highly the vital necessity Ing or an independent working biased party South Africa Class Japanese artective propa which could take full advantage ganda against British imperial of the independent action of the ism 'balanced JOn. imperialist proletariat the the assaot states. problems of the British in India The exhibition . Itself. how Left talkers ever, should not be missed.

Such prospects are outside the vision of left talkers who cannot see beyond their statis- tics and blueprints, who foster illusion that car assist ine struddline broietariat though, hevolutionarie fight in the real world the class struggle they 110E wrovide schemas (TO the set. reform of imperialism or for the geographical redistribution capildf struggle the is for development and an organisation capable of expropriating and smashing tertaliste Impracticable • The disinvestment campaign pursued the AAM is merely an impracticable wetty bourceols Dueorint in the face of imperialism's large stake in South Africa-one which it will winery surrender nowever much it squeals hypo critically against apartheid Simon Clarke's pamphlet is AAM's announce- ore хео ov ment that its views are necessarily their own unnecessary pre caution-nothing pamphlet is likely to cause any Toros churchmen etc., to the cultiv tion of whose support the AAM devotes so much of its effort German leaflet dropped on British troops in 1945

Campaign fights to save hospital What's so great about the WSL?

INDUSTRIAL

In the last month, impor- tant developments have been unfolding in the fight completely mendations. against Health Service cuts

AHA

in Oxford. The

NUPE

and

NALGO

and referred back the others.

decision Por afte after the final decision Area Authority to close Oxford's changed main geriatric hospital lidl Cowley Road called the first union meeting of workers in the just let hospital. They intended win members! support for their own position This treacherous that, given the from rear' support for closure, occupation contrast ine by staff argued, the closure of besides. they Community Health Council's hospital. opposition the closure had decision orced the AHA unionised SeT U0 examine the proposed working rarty to possibility re-siting the hospital as a complete unit_ workers a great victory. meetings struggle to grasp the need for Quite frankly, we're socialist revolution. unique! For this reason, We're are smaller than some self-styled the only movement that fights patient/v 'revolutionary' groups. the WSL ano reient. the building o7 has featured in the forefront of TOr Trotskyist pay the tige an irit he sale t party capable mobilising the working class in the struggle for state power and the establishment of a socialist struggle against society. annisation against in doing so, ine wol alone The Tiont does not shrink from head-on dictatorship battles with the existing leaders This method of approach of the working Ciass whetne Telectine any descent to simole these be lett talking Labourites union bureaucrats, or Stalinists concession of the Communist Party. counter-revolutionary In these battles we set out to or stainist bureaucracy - Is of course essential for the working prove to workers botn in theory and in practice the necessity for class not only leadership and Lans tones TakIno starting from issues the

WSL

eemanes which. today's probtems and today's the within the work. Workers to workers liberation struggle and revolut- Cass.

THE KEY TO THE CUTS FIGHT!

The booklet spells out necessary for

RANALS OUT!

struggle against the cuts,

* MORE

drawing on practical ex-

HEPITAL COIS

perience at and the Oxford Nursery Occupation. 30p plus 10p p&p from the WSL. 31, Dartmouth Park Hill London NW5 1HR.

NEWS

In 10 days flat. this working to change from holding their prepared its report-with discussion in secret to holding conflicting i in ouelle session. Eventually they withdrew their secret recommendation for Those identical with its own proposals Closure open document posing various options. without a leg to stand on-so Before making any decision telling other

AHA

McCarthy, Salo member land a Labour Party were personally in favour of occupa.

GC member) lut consultation anyone try with the would take place public and the staff. 'leadership in complete Unprecedented as found 'democracy' is font taken ue against the made it clear that the AHA were Longworth geriatric still operating with une same budget, necessitating cuts.

With workers to stop the Longworth Support Committee closure by occupation representa- Tormed. witn from local residents, presence

TIVAC

lobbies

AHA

Friends League ot forced the Authority inside and anc UnIons ionary struggles such as those in Iran and Southern Africa, but , though we also the necessity tor the recon- Trotskyist SETUCEOn Fourth International as the org- anising the centre world party of socialist revolution.

sale of The WSL is not the biggest in the movement on the left in Britain lUb leaders the cuts, the Is it tables! of. But in its approach struceles. ane memoer bureaucratic to both theory and practice it is within the unions. only really revol- serious utionary movement When look at struggles under way the problems faced by tue wor. for a rerosmis Kine class. the necessity principled leadership is unmis- takeable Britain

WHY

NOT

JOIN

US? Fill below form for more international details, or approach your local points out not branch. wit gladly supply information about our support the Irish policies, and per. programme,

MORE

which

DETAILS

the policies all-out Socialist League.

EGA

the Name Address. Send to: WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR In a series of state- their ments over the past their week, the NUPE leader- victory. ship have made increasingly clear their Fisher intention of selling out sector the fight in the public not sector around the claim for a 260 minimum have already wage and a 35 hour week. Their latest tactic has they are been 'prolong negotia- strike action in tions' in the manual workers the sections-whose mention date of 4 November after Christmas. already passed-and they are also impossibility of calling out hinting forced workers before Christmas.

than blaming Christmas Also last sonneleser Fisher was quite happy ness' of back and watch the A conference Firemen fight alone against called Phase when he-more December,

NUPE

inan any other union boss- branches a position to end minster was. outside the Health service build an inev . decided independent campaign based on Ine various the following policies: defence of the health service.

1) Oppose any cutbacks anc , Burford Road Cowley 2) Demand the opening Witney Community Hospital. 3) Declare be support for actions McCarthy

LIFE

Lonewortr closure, the next meeting with workers Goals including occupation and offer the same support for any action action committeas other "Let laken. workers hospitals threatened by closure. the will Call union meetings branches Health Service charesent the viewer he public chair. nest lake suboortine strike action Demand the AHA open will its books. to committees channels •OT trade unwonists and users oi declared the Health service She may Determine up to set the voice trade union inquiry members of the public and staff

HITO

cine provision of geriatric services in declaring and preparing for inde.

Oxfordshire. pendent action to stop the cuts.

NDON ARE

RANT THE A TH

Today Please send me more information about the Workers Number 3 includes: 'Low pay' delay isolation and greatly Hammersmith hospital. Chances The conference will be open to delegates trom al union branches affected by Willing to strike claim- -although only officers branch and and the public have voting onlicials will leadership rights-and could play be allowed important part in coordinat- repeat the betrayals of last ing the fight and demanding year. Public sector workers that the leadership give a shown by clear lead. countless resolutions passed through union branches that Not so serious willing take support of This conference should claim -without any be supported as a serious of waiting until attempt _cobrainale action around the low pay The leadership must now claim. to give a clear Not so serious however, call for such action, rather is the Campaign for Action their own

NUPE

(CAN),

weak- influenced by the SWP and the membership. IMG and seems to be has been suffering from all the London political shortcomings sponsored by these groups. West. at of CAN's The extent Hospital and programme sise demons to organise demonstra- tions on low pay and to Low Pay' badges and print even 'Low Pay' T shirts in the vain hope that this will sufficient to defeat the The committee also started 5% pay policy and the organising tor public meetinas ir Callaghan government, towns affected in CAN's campaign far So seems to indistinguish- able from the official NUPE Exploded angrily campaign This strong stand was shown wnen

_LOV

exploded angrily 5. the trade unions about the setting up of me make it clear that hold when i personally wil meetings Have ', she • consuitation well be afraid of wine workine cas NUPE leader Fisher

SSERNATIONAL

Trotskyism Theoretical Journal of the Workers Socialist League * WSL British Perspectives *The Poisoned Well (document for submission to *Ith World Congress of USFI).

The Spartacist School of Invention.

Price 60p plus 20p p&p from WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.

a GARNERS: ACTION NEEDED Disaster course in NUJ pay fight The strongest wave of militancy ever experienced in provin- cial has newspapers been headed off by the body responsible for wage claims- handling Provincial News- the Report Industrial papers Council. OTO: Andrew Wiard: Packed with people elected the basis of on sounding militant manifestos, the PNIC last 6-2 weekend voted by against recommending strike action to the members in support of their £20 claim.

Delegates a E sent méeting in Birmingnam reported support for strike action from even the least iate strike action nationally militant chapels. if members were victimised But the

PNIC

had for imposing sanctions such prepared a mealy mouthed as refusing to use telephones resolution which called for or do night work. sanctions from November 20 with a strike to follow at For the some unspecified date in the running, future the NU. is heading Delegates were also told dispute, not over wages, but that there would be immed- side

UVUL

Pay strikers victimised A bitter six week pay strike by 100

TGWU

members at a Birmingham turned into an factory has all-out fight for rights. Management of Smith-Wallis eno ineerina no noate have now refused to discuss with the

TGWU

elected or allow Garners ShoD stewaros back Into been forced plant. another week The strike began workers received a £2.50-£4.00 gestures at a time pay offer in response to their their ten -aimed at could so clearly be won. £60 target Token minimum wage. came from Since then strikers have dug in for a long battle, and man necion Regional Organiser violent reported, will attacks The DicKet ine. available One management scab was money Christmas discovered carrying an axe in his ano Officer Abrahams calmed help on the picket line. takingsto wish this s Last week same scab involved arove wildly at the picket line, hospitalising three pickets with to approaches injuries and shock. there is no reason to believe that the of * П8 TUlI even one extra picket will be produced by Now carmingham organisa tion must be thrown behind this declared that one picket outside strike-with blacking mass a restaurant was enouen cover 15 gates and financial support.

tee seems determined to block

AT THE TOP...

UNION

I DUES

wages struggle which the employers are free to create sav one week before Christmas. calling An amendment for strike action 20 from November was witch-hunted and defeated by 102 votes to 49. The PNIC resolution, being the only one lett, was carried then by an even larger majority. Amongst arguing LOSe wholeheartedly against strike action was union President, Denis MacShane, one of the plethora of fake lefts elected into office with the support of Journalists' Charter, who later become most skilful advocates the of reactionary and spineless MacShane policies. MacShane, in a late inter- vention, even tried to nave all reference to strike action

PNIC

removed from the although he motion told had earlier delegates that third year during last year's dispute he the leadership of had not been able to tell the difference papers between had been where sanctions issue applied and those where no Tne action was taking place. Such was the dishonesty of the final resolution that those delegates had

WOLO

from openly said would that they rostrum never obey a call to strike for a resolu- theless voted ton contalning tnal ponc They understood that it was there for decoration only. strikers have The Strike committees Cal TOd TGWU delegate conference on witness to Garners strike of token desture number two where displayed in Wednesday's the form of a month struggle Morning Star of Communist Party leader McLennan (hordon gesture number OnE picketing Garners the powerful TGWU CP have been sending committee. which deredation. TrOM

AIRC

Les Shorter Street and Morning Star offices some and Wednesday every betore lunchtime to picket in Tratalgar Catering Square. to seek out oh so the cosmet cob CP's fool the May some But since no striker will be members Into berleving Abrahams' Party has a principled record in trade groups, the strike, the appearance is not even skin oppo Six or seven top bureaucrats a man who once twice a week is no substitute CP to a serous artemol mobilise their • thousanes And the Regional Commit- claimed London members who have never been seen near the

I WONDER WHERE

ÖFISHALL IS? I'M SURE

(I SAW HIM COME IN:

LET'S SEE- DECEMBER, A CONFERENCE OF GENERAL SECRETARIE.

THEN JANUARY, WELL LAUNCH A FIGHTING FUND:-

The BL Cars ad-hoc com- mittee, the body which shaped and introduced so- management called worker participation' ..g over company into BL, has voted unanim- mutual agreement ously to abandon the decisions at all levels scheme. 8•-nol At its meeting last week the Committee time, accepted a motior had moved ov soo aver convene revent of the Cowley Assembly Plant and coax those plants such that six months notice of with- Cowley Assembly •rawa TrOM •articipationi previously windrawn trom Ene served on the Company. scheme to re-enter it. Vauxhall offer accepted A mass meeting at union Vauxhall's Ellesmere convenors at Dunstable, Port factory brought an predictably endorsement of the stewards' recommenda- to fight. tion "reluctantly to One speaker. accept" the company's floor, £5.95 with strings pay talks had offer. until review Right wing convenor before John Farrell had resorted to action • should full stewards' meeting called earlier. only after stewards the 'factory committee' had full support for the crafts- split on the question men, the event the full pay strike. stewards committee His accepted the deal with only witch-hunted a handful against. Peter Farrell, and At the acceptance of the deal was Ilass mething Farrell, who has successively eventually passed the buck on pay to about 150 voting against.

Garners picket. ATIOr OT raced But the tokenism of CP headed by Stalinist Frank Stiller "support" most exposed creativ when we examie (rarners role of the network of Stalinists top positions in the London Both labour who have last sub-committee meeting And on Westminster cone next to notnine to alo ine strike. Council, Stalinist

TGWU

Regional Secretary David Treisman Sid Staden is a CP. member and moves to elect a Garners strike agreed with the ponce to restrict picket lines to six strong.

scottee raisine tunes for Other CP members , are arrested barners dickers delegates to the Region This strike only a few of these bodies were Committee which has scarcely lifted a finger in 10 months serious v Region TUC is membership behind the policies of mass picketing and secondary headed Stalinist chairmar Jack Dunn, with the secretary Diackine being Morning Star darling Jack Token gestures with an employer Dromey. boss Margolis. The Stalinists and Inese people nave not ever mobilised themselves in support ront winders inat olock all-out action must be exposed at every of the strike opportunity. I ne treater concon Assoc

(YEAH, WHAT'S HE

LOW PAY?

OH HELLO- ER. I'M GLAD YOU

ASKED ME... I'M JUST BACK

FROM A MEETING OF THE

• ACTiON COMMITTEE

MARCH

PRINT & DISTRIBUTE 2,000,000 LEAFLETS

APRIL

ARTICLE ON LOW PAY IN 'TRIBUNE.

MAY

A SUNOMY MY OF ACTION WITH 1 HOUR STRIKES

JUNE

DINNER WITH JIM AT Nº10

. JUL

ARHOE ON EWERY IN MORNIE SYR

AUG

RALLY ADDRESSED BY ALAN FISHER

SEPT

* MYSTRIKES AT SELECTED BRANCHES

OCT

ANOTHER 2,000,000 LEAFLETS

Unions pull out of BL 'participation' Absent last week's The motion called for with fateful drawal from the scheme unless meeting were the agree what Longoriodi conventor berek

(AUEW)

and Jack Kobinson , Adams (TGWU). decisions- all Robinson had been perhaps advocate of the Inf toremos now doomed scheme Commee which had not met for a long been reconvened Vote to a coaten hac who back Cowley 9- The Birmingham District Committee of the

TGWU

has called Regional officials, and officials to drop all charges Luton and wound against nine members at the the blaming Cowley Assembly Plant-the members for being unwilling 'Cowley 9' The Committee made the the from call atter hearina a report from however, pointed to Regional Committee dele. gate, who had revealed that no the way in which prolonged discussion on th nine had been the spun Com- taken Chaelonal

SIX

weeks mittee's October meeting Christmas-strike Among the Cowley 9 are the have been and convenor three deputy convenes iT Levano's cowiev He went on to declare Assembly Plant. They have faced penalties including then beginning their ossible union and a life ban on union office since kangaroo-court contribution was "inquiries" by chairman disciplinary charges began a year Titherington and ago the vote for campaign in defence of the 9 has attracted sponsorship support from carried with leading stewards, branch officers committee ano prominent members of the union. The Birmingham District's decision represents a maior biov the witch-hunters In TGWU bureaucracy

TGWU

Branches and committees naus the dropping of the charges. Councils

GLATC

sun Cormitter men failed to attend the Trades secretary has •blockind could be won if • their mobilise are no use Midlands Regional Secretary like Garners arriving for mothers the opening of the Regional Inquiry into the Cowley 9

MAY

WE'VE GOT A FULL-SOME

JUNE

BATTLE PLAN DRAWN UP!

JULY

...AND THIS IS ONLY THE START! OUR COMMITTEE

IS NOT GOING TO BE PUSHED AROUND- IF THIS

CLAIM ISN'T SETTLED BY NEXT NOVEMBER,

THERE'LL BE SOME

REAL FIREWORKS!

The platform at the Cowley mass meeting All of BL cars volume car production is now at standstill with Maxi, Marina, Princess, Mini, Allegro and Rover 3.5 production lines halted and 27,000 workers laid off. Land Rover production be halted by the end will of this week The lay-offs result from the walk-out at the Drew's Lane Transmissions Plant in Birmingham were 3,000 workers have struck against management's offer for the 1978 wage review. Management have offered pack age lumps together 5% on the with so-called Lale Enel "parity" and the scheme new minimum earnings rates negotiated at national level.

The offer is made only as and package conditioned on attainment of productivity criteria to pay for it. Mockery Even accepted by it individual offer plants the will not be implemented until all Cars. 33

0I BL

have it- acceler making a mockery of plant bargaining. mass meeting of workers at the Cowley Assembly Plant Thursday voted overwhelm- ingly offer. Meeting under conditions been willere shut down since Monday as a result of the Drew's Lane strike the meeting passed a motion saying that: "When the plant reopens for all models, an immediate mass meeting will be called by convenors Which action wen be taken if a satisfactory offer a set madtoby thattime not

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Cowley rejects parity' plan the Hass Convenor meeting, Bob fryer congratulated Drew's Lane workers for the stand they had taken and said he would be sending a message of support to them Atter urging total of the rejection offer he explained how the Company make a profit out of their

CULS

They want an 869 cut in the Cowley Assembly Plant workforce waistine production schedules-450 by November 20 and the rest by the end of the year.

This the Company want to achieve bv a voluntary redundancy programme. Fryer meeting would be that there cooperation with the volun- redundanci Lail but that any section which defended its manning agree- ments against the cuts would be backed to the tull.

The Cowley joint shop spelled out their stewaras case for rejection in a leaflet handed out to all members It pointed out week. that: "The Company have not offered anything, payable now on this year's review. What they

FUND

The November Fund is still on target with £334.16 in the coffers at the half- way point in the month. Our thanks to all those of who sent in a total £90.91 in the last seven days. Donations should be sent to: Socialist Press Monthly Fund, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR. Bakers' picket Northern bakers win full claim The Bakers Union strike has put new heart back into the workers stands poised, as we go to of the Bakers I need press, between disaster and Federation-Rank| Hovis major victory. McDougall and Allied Bakeries- The campaian bv the Baker are prepared to up the stakes to *Federation, aided and abetted luciude breaking the closed shor by the agreements with the Bakers industrial reporters Union. Should Fleet the Street support for the strike has been then the union could be broker crumbling is a gross lie in many bakeries up and down country. the car tulation Shoulc ther win, some ot the smaller bakers in the Bakers Federation to the strength of the union will be dramatically increased and the demands of the Bakers Union Hands go up to reject Leyland's 'offer have offered is a package which If this highly contentiou. must be accepted total and grading structure is accepted ir cannot be broken down. (Aptly full everyone of Leyland by company What "parity" Cars 33 plants. described ine are the themselves offering us their proposals? "parity he pay cash " TO remarks that the a bad They raised through "parity" money be paid in three productivity. This 869 auck egg in six Inches ot ice means 5% The includes stages. Jackaut people out of this plant with which will only be paid "on Stage 1: Final paritv the rest pulling the work on rates parity plus 5%, minus f4 payable on existing programmes acceptance The programme in principle". This November 1 1978 you accept a £19 differ. means that the 5% would not be Stage 2J£2.00 May 1979 ential between top and bottom paid now but back-dated once Stage £2.00 November grades 1979. •arity wa accened this whole, highly. con- I order to ill thrack of These amounts will only be tentious parity scheme ever gets they quoting a figure paid if the following condition ground, since

OTT

are met: bitterly disputed by arent productionate for If the five grade structure is grades in virtually every plant. Cowley! accepted and everyone Remember last Novembers direct workers by November broken promises!" were uney dre sotted into st

ANNIVERSARY RALLY

SOCIALIST PRESS

Right

RALLY

To commemorate the at Ist anniversary of the weekly Socialist Press.

DUALIST.

the

PRESS

Speakers to include Socialist Press Editor forefront!

DEFEND

John Lister

SU TOOLMAKERS

Followed by a showing

GET

of Eisenstein's

DEFEND MIE

"STRIKE"

SOCIALIST

RIGHT

Admission £1.00

PRESS

Trilo I would like to receive

EVERY WEEK!

Sunday 19 November issues. I enclose the sum of 3 p.m. at New Ambassadors Hotel -Name . S issues.. .£1.10 Upper Woburn Place Address (1 minute from Euston 10 issues .£2.20 Tube) 25 issues .£5.50 Send to: Socialist Press, 31, Dartmouth Hill, Park 50 issues . {10.00 London NWS IHR Published by Folrose Ltd. for the Workers Socialist League, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London: NW5 1HR Printed by Anvil Printers Ltd (TU) London. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office

STRIKE

bakery workers will have blazed a trail against the 5% limit fo other workers to follow. Sam Maddox, the maverick secrelar or the baker Union is a bureaucrat bent on making a left reputation.

em drovers OTTe year, billed in the national press as 11%, included a major attack on baker workers dains included demands for shifts and permanent night mobility of labour, complete and that the gains made year over bank holiday working should be handed back Vacco cal. ma meetings or communicate with chiled a hashinal strike membership in any way. He strike dav ano then sat nack to wait for the crumble. In many areas there were no pickets on the bakeries and n mass meetings of the workers.

It was not until the middle of the week that it became clea Allied ' Tua mank

SHOVIS

ano Bakeries had laid plans continue production hey agreed plans with thi stewards to bake bread for local hospitals and then simply carried on baking, completin up to 50% of their orders witt staff and management shifts.

There has been nothing like the level of Federation mem ders mar …the has claimed. Had the strike been Federation crumoline • The claimed then everything would have been the end of by three •The week As it was smaller bakery firms Federation, hold out , unable to capitulated on longer Friday. Warburton's Preston, Knightsbridge Cake anchester and Jackson s tron agreed the £10 yorkshire to 6,000 26,000 This boost to the remainder has been • backed up by a union that only statement 26,000 members on strike were working. Even the employers only claim 2,000 back at work despite their confident state ments. bakery workers nave show in some areas their willingnes to set up picket lines and stor supplies getting in many parts of dress made the country bear testimony to their determination The nationa

EXACUTIVE

the union has now called for a conference on delegate special Saturday. that the opportunity taken. to strengthen the strike Pickets on the bakeries must b strengthened Blacking shoul demanded trom the TGWU Pickets should be set up at mills strike bounc plants supplying The Baker: Federatiol handed -letters strikers up their They picked packets last week that their jobs will be protected I tney agree to scab-in othe words the closed shop will b broken. This is a dispute bakery workers cannot afford te lose. A fund must be opened provide • fo Maestre workers whose pay is too low to save and who are receiving no strike pay. Maddox must be compellec to become responsible directly to strikers should set who u• new own suike committee.