Socialist Press no. 129

DOWN WITH THE SHAH!

FOR SOCIALISM

NGA leaders help to destroy their

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 129 * 13 December, 1978 * 15p of the largest In some political demonstrations ever seen in the world, the workers, peasants and students Iran have their unanimous expressed demand for the overthrow of the Shah's dictatorship.

And while the Shah and his military regime still cling on to thev rapidly losing are power Their fear of last weekend's some or vate tactories nave marches led been occupied by workers; the banking system unel trooos ane conce trom tre lysed by strike action; and last streets demonstra- where The tions are to take la week once acain ine workers in shield the oil fields stepped up of their and go-slows which Tanks. Ine •an in nis dalace and the bourgeoisie in their wealthy resulted in oil production talling suburbs could only look on fear- less normal than hat Its level doout two mion Tehran and crowds other cities called for the death New dangers oT me onan ane me cowntal or the government. As this great mass movement These grows, it brings the end of the events, which Shah's regime rapidly nearer.

continue as we go to press, are opening up the way to struggle

BUT

at the same time it Is for socialism in Iran. encountering new dangers-both outside and those Weakest link who claim to be its own leaders many oT Ine orotesT This former fortress against demonstrations taking Kotally religious form, communism is now the weakest bolitica ink in the imoeria st wrong •TO interoret move. ment as a whole as a religious attacking movement. the Shan s The actions of the strikers tyranny the Iranian masses are also attacking world capitalism and hundreds of thousands of demonstrators of which he is a principal agent.

expressing their hatred of the oppression workers are snowing consciousness of that connec the dictatorship the and tion by once again intensifying to keep the Ineir austrial actIon against mese commoine capitalist property in Iran.

working masses or iran in a state own union In imposing an indefinite the NGA have entered into a deal with lock-out on 4,500 print other-pet street bosses to allow them to print workers and journalists at while the Times exud papers the Times, the International IS OTT Ine streets Thomson Organisation Financial aid the obviously enjoys

TUIT

financial and political back- These extra sales will prove ing of other Fleet Street aoe• revenue tor theimes rival papers-but revenue which papers and the print these employers are quite likely employers as a whole. To channe oackin minanca cie they succeed in their to Thomson of forcina their war on jobs at the Times!

newi technology and effectively elim- in Tner wores ratner Than inating NGA control over type- call out the NA's other Fleet support of setting operations. management members in will be davina the wav tor an all- Ine Inreatenea worktorce at tne out onslaught on jobs, through- Times NGA leader Joe Wade is out the industry. them to do extra Waiting for lead work when can only strengten the emo overs. But even while the Times This, plus the revelation of workforce waits vainly for some talks and attempted secret DosiTive lead TrOM UnIon secret deals between tne

NOA

officials it has leadership Times een revealed that the opportunist leaders of management points sharply at

IN IRAN.

ot permanent derivation at une same time as it provides a small class aristocrats

VVILE

Iranian oil worker wealth-some of the dimensions ot which are eino revealeo in figures the striking workers of the Central bank To begin to resolve the material problems of the masses which nave tea ine oresent mass not uprising, necessary Shah's Only dictatorsnio out to co devone the danger of a major sell-out Which in a comparative v snori of time could cripple the pace NGA as a union. and dealing

DUCH

wneerne must be condemned by every printworker. Instead the call for out the Times

BUSE

supporting StrIKe throughout Fleet Street all Defend jobs! sharing on full pay! Conspiracy Open the books Tinancial connections and conspiracy jobs clash throughout the industry! Demand the nationalisation of Times newsoapers ana Ene remainder of the bourgeois press without the under management elected committees of workers.

that •expropriate the barasites or ine aristocracy. ine landowners and the capitalists to build a socialist planned economy Workers committees Already sections of workers have spontaneously taken some steos in inat airection by occu pying factories and setting up workers' committees. But those who at the present time claim to be the leaders of the movement against the Shah attacking nave no intention or capitalism in Iran. They priests national (mullahs) capitalists •re oresentea National Front. These leaders cannot offer to the masses a way out of their problems, . for their all • since democratic rhetoric they VaHL maintain caoitalist exoloita- tion in Iran. The mood of the workers and peasants has been so un- compromising tha some these those who have attempted to demobil- ise ine demonstrations in ine

PUBLISH

HUSSE

DAMNED

NATSOP

NoT AT

ANY

PRICE

Carworkers Conference Statement-p.4 p.8 Hansen review (part 2) p.5 EMS explained p.9 Ireland...

R A N

The last three months-have already re ease National been discredited. Front leader Sanjabi from jail To maintain any credibility may be part of an attemol le would-be prepare reactionary leaders nave nad take increasingly radical public compromise positions in order to keep up Both regime and the With The mood or ine masses Triantened woura-oe new leaders are haunted by the same spectre Power to betray the Iranian socialist revorution Nonetheless althouan These they could both see that tor leaders are riding angry days the situation two political tiger, they to be one of dual threatened continue to nave une ower to oower in ine ma or cities.

betray the movement as long regime left power revolutionary vacuum in the large areas of the leadership in the form socialist cities from which it was forced of a Trotskyist party, is not to withoraw

DULT

It is now involved Already there are strong contest for power with the rumours that the religous and masses as it attempts to restore bourgeois political leaders its authority. negotiated an agree secrely But that authority is in any ment with the shan in order to case based on an army consist avoid last Sunday and Monday's ing of a majority of conscripts, gigantic demonstrations "getting Continued page 2 out or nana

SUNDAY

NATS

NATSOP

ANATSOPA

NAP THE

I NATSOPA

NEWSPAPERE

SOPA

The NATSOPA demonstration against the lock-out threat

Page 2

INTERNATIONAL

Soviet troops 150 blitzed villages; 100,000 new refugees. That Menaistu friendship is only part of the toll paid Union and Ethiopia. by the Eritrean people AL INe the first three weeks of the latest offensive against their of Africa, struggles for self determina- tion and independence. Front (EPLF) were forced withdraw While the armies of the Dera crush. the Eritrean battle the the of Keren Ethiopian military dictatorship visiting his mas been abroad I ne allies in this counter-revolution- aly wal cuban alles Not oniy are the National armies supplied and Cuban advisers. divisions Cuban grow in MiG bombers EPLF's and destroy the crops By LS. E. Asia barbaric acts, ledoers or te do tato ship oo the Dard.

the reactionary again The Unct history of troubled relations between Stalinist states took new twist last week with the decision of Vietnam to sponsor an alternative 'Govern- National Sal- ment ot vation', pledged to over- throw the present Stalinist regime in Cambodia. That this is no propa- ganda exercise a firm

DUT

commitment is shown by concentration of one 120,000 Vietnamese and 20,000 rebel Cambodian troops along the border. The of the programme United Front for National Salvation is for a neutral, non-aligned Cambodia with the re-establishment of banks and money, abolition of the compulsory WUlk system, freedom of move- ment and and association, rebuilding of Cambodian family life. Peasant communism The development of the Cambodian revolution since the overthrow of Lon Nol's UȘ puppet regime has up to now seemed to follow ideas whose loyalty is more and more peasant primitive com- in doubt. munism much more Inan Stalinist doctrine. of mutiny that forced the with.

This drawal of the troops last week- perhaps due to the feudal structure of pre- cue. revolution Cambodia where both the working class and the professional middle class were almost NUl-astele. Thus the social layers from which the bureaucracy of most Stalinist states drawn did not exist. What concerns the Viet- namese is the extreme Khmer nationalism ot regime. which claims large of Vietnam as part of the former Khmer empire, anu appears to use ine wa against Vietnam as a means ot justifying further sacti- fices by the Khmer vodsalllo. of 'The support the Cambodian government by China makes the situation one of great danger for the masses in South-East Asia who may well find them- selves again once unlucky pawns in a power conflict-this time between rival "Communist" bureau- clavics. Eritrean fighters face Moscow, Colonel and the oppressed oro etariat masses of world that their ratitiec a treaty between the pruise. Trienosnio are work for the COntraCTS same time the latest strengthening of counter-revolu- tion Truns Ot this vicious friendship were being gathered in the Horn Legitimate as une 10rcer ropular Liberation The EPLF is plainly unable to understand the complex basis Enem

DOSITIONS

Asmara-Massawa high- to the soviet and Cuban inter- way and to evacuate the town vention in Ethiopia and Eritrea has-though understand- -ana ably-responded secured cower• which these advances for the Derg was marita wal that of the Soviet Union and its But their struggle for nation- al self-determination is a legiti- the Ethiopian One [nal deserves international with SUDOOrT soviet workers' movement. weapons and trained by soviet demonstration soon. sored by associations of Eritrean workers and students in Britain Soviet pilots held Saturdav marching from Speakers Corner in this latest assault. Sovie Soviet Embassy under The troops manned the Soviet tanks, the slogan: troops moved forward "Condemn Russia's war of with their heavy artillery. and it aggression in Eritrea". was soviet priots who flew the The WSL will be supporting to strafe this demonstration, distributing anu Ine explaining relucee camos. to droo naoam protest criminal role imperialism the the Horn of wureducratic and spelling out ATTICa boviet union anc Trotskyist position the reac Cuba are fulfilling their pledges tionary role of Stalinism in that and bloody they have announced to the international IRAN-from front page which the masses could impose their own power in place of that was the virtual certainty of the dictatorship has not yet been taken. •nat is tne esta•sament of militias and independent But the decisive step through Soviet-type committees repres- worKine class ane oppressed classes OtAe including the and file ran k soldiers. The 'peace talks' between the Egyptian ne nasn t and Israeli bourgeoisies of this historic drag on, with American envoy Lyrus Vance now leader Yassir indicated his undertaking yet another fall over desperate week of "shuttle diplomacy" in bid to get things he claims to represent. moving. Meanwhile the Palestin- ian petty-bourgeoisie looking He has sent mcicasingly prepared to strike its own bargain with the Zionists.

Begin: staking fresh claims Soviet planes bomb Eritrean village week's events When that happens Although the show that more and more enough large sections the masses nave tion wii race Ine new cancer oi imperialist military intervention Wattaced Inemse ver arms, remain to restore control with they still dangerously is then ded which the American and British makes the demand for covernments soldiers to the key to "stability" ano the revolution one of over to permanent the most crucial at the present tne woole cost One the time. national tasks o movement now Britain and other countries orevent oirec military intervention. Blacking tne blacking especially the Shah urcent than ever present is the campaig solidarity suc- arms me workers Motore important cont victory of Iran. *Down The Shah's riot police the military regime! SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 13 December 1978 Arafat in new sell-out plan Although piqued because for a Palestinian state on the been invited West Bank ot the Jordan take part in the preparation and the Gaza strip, he sell-out of use of wil renounce une the Palestinian people, PLO force against Israel" Arafat It is not known whether willingness to or not he has the support of backwards the other PLO leaders defence of attacks on the "Comrade" Arafat's fundamental rights of those intentions are clear. Provided that the Palestin- ian petty-bourgeoisie can be Message guaranteed minimum conditions to develop into the Palestinian a persona message to President Carter national bourgeoisie then all will be forgiven telling him that, in exchange The Zionists, however, are being far less co-opera- tive. Rather than clear the way for a Palestinian "mini- state" the West Bank, they are instead stepping up building there. Arafat's hopes are doomed to failure! Right of return Palestinian workers and peasants must break with these petty-bourgeois leaders and build an organ- isation which reflects their organisation interests. which will fight for the right of return for all of the Pales- tinian peoples and jobs and homes for all in the Middle East Arafat his and errand boys around the world must decisively rejected if be any lasting lnere Is peace in the Middle East.

Arafat *Build armed workers' scale the militias! *Create peasants workers' and soldiers' committees!

country *For a constituent assembly!

*For and workers say peasants' government! constanty (that is *In the factories and oil- imperialist rule! fields: expropriate tne capital ists and occupy! *In the countryside: expro- urgent inter- labour priate the landowners and theretore occuov imperialist *In the army: refuse to obey the officers! Join the workers in apart imperialist setting lo maitias *Black all arms to the Shah!

*No imperialist intervention! *Sack Callaghan, , Owen and Meanwhile the campaign for Mulley, the Shah's friends!

all arms and ammunition becomes more The major obstacle to this at

DEMONSTRATION

5300 Called by Campaign Agains Repression cor: = in Iran Sunday 1- December 1.30 pm. Speakers 'Cre Corner with the shah and

Rival Stalinists fall out Francoist referendum flop SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 13 December 1978

INTERNATIONAL

While at the end of economic planning altogether. last month the political It is only a few months assembly of the anti- Communist

NATO

by sinkes in the one end of alliance at coal mines conces- to give Europe was paving the sons in the iorm oi wage increases komanian way for a new imperial- ist build-up, He lives, arms like the other major public row on the Stalinist bureaucracies. budget military was under the permanent threat of attacks from blowing up within the • new working class. Warsaw seven-nation That is why the present Pact. dispute is causing so much President bitterness. Nicolae of Romania has It is not Ceasescu's iron- Ceasescu for a long time been a mem- fisted internal regime which offers threat the Pact ber. oI different from those the other stabilly the bureaucracies. Soviet burcaucracy "selfish" refusal would like. But his shoulder his of AS long ago as 1962 share defence Romania forbade other spending means already Warsaw Pact the other troops to stationed detested bureaucracies must in conduct manoeuvres in its territory make up the gap by further and has refused to allow economic pressures on the soldiers Romanian to be masses. And as far as the Kremlin commanded by officers from any other Warsaw Pact is concerned if Ceasescu is get away with this, countries. dangerous example would Also on more than the be set for the other Warsaw Romanian occasion Pact. which are vetoed Soviet equal need of any possible policies in the Comecon economic alliance.

themselves Salve from the wrath of the work- Despite his long history of public recalcitrance, ing class. Ceasescu's "every on Ceasecsu s new attacks the Soviet Union two weeks Stalinist bureaucrat for him- unexpectedly ago sulary. Rough ride They began during Warsaw Pact summit meet- ing at which Ceasescu claims to have resisted Soviet efforts to extract an increased military committ- ment from all the Warsaw Pact countries. After what was reported to be a lougn nde at tne Ceasescu on summit, his retur to Romania orches- of trated a arge num ber public displays of "national suppoit" his indepen-

…IOT

dent stand. made a number of pointed statements opposition not only to more military spending but outside interference Romanian affairs. He spoke the "sacred right? of decide its • lanon lo own destiny. National Neither the In spite of an 11 to 1 Assem bly nor the meeting tor the new of 3,000 maJority party members who constitution, last week's applauded pomtediy Ceasescu's words, represent referendum in Spain mass support for proving to be a serious the nepotistic • bureaucracy embarassment to the in Romania. No Francoist regime. vestige of workers' democracy permitted The Suarez government under the dictatorial rule of and its Socialist and Com- Ceacescu and his family and Party munist allies went his friends. predicting that their massive propaganda campaign for a Popular backing would get at least yes vote 80% the population to 0I But it was no doubt in an participate in referen- effort seek popular to dum. backing that Ceasescu In fact, however, almost publicly linked his one third of the electorate

(ODDUS-

ition to military more stayed away from the polls spending to the neco -many than Cane spend money instead on the December 1976 referendum domestic economic needs of the elections of June Romania. 1977. It is this contradiction Irregularities which equally faces all the East European Stalinist bureaucracies including that It is impossible to put an of USSR-especially the exact figure on the propor- when the tion of abstentions, same week since Brezhnev the Ministry of the Interior was forced that many of doesn't seem even to know aamit the major economic how many voters there are targets on the rolls! the tenth Soviet Hive Year Plan will not be fulfilled and As in the parliamentary when as a result of similar elections last year, countless failures the Bulgarian examples of electoral irregu- leaders had to announce the larities came to light. abandonment of long term Many voters found them- self" approach is, therefore, a real danger to the Warsaw Pact bureaucracies whole. The rumours that the Kremlin is preparing some military move against Romania therefore, completely DE discounted. Certainly Ceasescu seemed to retreat at the end of last week from his sharpest anti-Soviet remarks and opposition

LOOK

the more. nebulous OnLO ground of a vague proposal for an arms-free In

LUID

Central Europe. That have been a reaction to a threat. And a mysterious state- Ceasescu's last speech might be evidence thạt such action was being seriously prepared politically. Ceasescu complained at such actions in the relations between Communist states "a support . 0I revolutionary elements certain countries and the instigation of these to over. throw the government, actions which in a flagrant violate way the principles and the norms of relations between socialist countries.

international law and even the UN Charter." The so-called transitional government in Zimbabwe has outlined a new plan for an "internal settlement".

change from the previously announced plan, all parties which gain five seats TUrB atacuions April will be entitled to repres entation in the cabinet. Previously the whites would have been guaranteed 28 of the 100 parliamentary seats but the cabinet posts were to have gone to the party which won the elec- tion. Now the whites could concelvably emerge as the most important bloc and therefore also the cabinet.

The announcement supported the main black collaborators Brezhnev with Czech Stalinist Husak the selves registered twice OI not at all. some poll stations 'yes' got a congrat- voters ulatory certificate. All this and the high rate of abstention have both severely discredited was planned to be a trium- phant entry into the fold of "democracy". Armed police Instead it ended like more reminder of Franco's rule-the electoral virtual declaration of result before a vote had been cast, the ban on demonstrations during the campaign and the omnipresent armed police at every polling station and on virtually every street corner.

Suarez and his reformist and Stalinist backers will try argue away all these obvious symptoms of the absence of any real campaign waged by the democracy. government together with But , not even by blaming the reformists the atte intimidation by the Basque Stalinists (in which both nationalists of the ETA, can Felipe Gonzalez and they wipe from the record Santiago Carrillo toured the the sorry fate of the consti- region) the people tutional referendum in the Euskadi contemptuously Basque provinces (Euskadi).

boycotted the constitution In spite protest against its failure to recognise Basque police presence and a huge Ceasescu with Elizabeth Windsor riding through London earlier this year Nkomo meets Hughes government-Muzorewa and Both stressad that they supported the new proposals in The • Ca sharing of cabinet power would, they said, "unite the nation' Sithole said we do not want independence and then, after a week, a coup and after r another week a counter-coup. These aavel• banent. more clearly the ever nature the internal settle- ment. i derrita war has made the peaceful transition to stable black majority rule impossible.

imperialists to all. party conference, split the bring

TOLIOT

Nkomo an alliance with into the collaborators continues.

Despite •11C) Spanish police on the rampage in the Basque town of Renteria national rights. In the Basque provinces, less than half the electorate voted. In Guipuzcoa and Biscay -traditionally most militant Basque provinces- the abstention vote was as ' high as 47% of those eligible ¡ Lo vole Page 3 PHOTO. Ander Wised Renort "the liberation of Zimbabwe can only be achieved by war".

Joshua Nkomo was last week- imperialist envoy ene meeting Cledwyn Hughes. to press the out As we go come this meeting was whatever however announced from meeting CEne the fact that Nkomo agreed to meet Hughes at all can only give if anything, was discussed with, Callaghan outlined • when he Africa a seatenet demands must pressed for *No secret diplomacy! *Intensify the armed struggle! *For a socialist Zimbabwe! * Far from neutralising the continued of political instability in Spain, the referendum _sharpened the

CONCE

between the Madrid regime and the masses in Euskadi, and has cone ittie it any thing for the democratic credentials of the regime nationally. Contradiction Far from establishing definitive parliamentary democratic order, the refer- endum may well tum our have sharpened the contradictions. These have expressed themselves in recent weeke the one hand in ETA's on ¡effective campaign of terror against the armed police and civil guard, and on the other hand last month's attempt at a military coup and increasing mobilisations by the far right. At the end of it all the Interior Minister Martin Villa was reduced to saying weakly that the referendum was not so important any the way, since Spanish people had already definitively chosen what he "democracy" last year's elections!

Page 4 Throughout the motor industry there is an employers oftensive taking place, against shop-floor strength, for speed-up and greater exploitation. In Fords, even though the workers successfully broke the government's 5% limit, they ended up with a punitive anti-strike clause tied to 5% of their wages, whereby any dispute even 15 30 minutes would lose them £4 automatically. This is under conditions where the Ford manage- one of the ruthless in the country and, as las been snown Dy recent at Halewood on workers working the line, is continuously attack- ing. Attacking This clause is designed to weaken workers' resistance which inese attacks. why management insist on this clause. in levland the manage- has set about system- ment atically attacking a labour We force which has been the Democracy in traditional leader in

TROTOT

industry and con- wages ditions. Leyland workers have had the strongest shop- floor organisation. Now the management, with the help of the union leadership, have ended established plant-wide negotiations and now achieved agreed Policy national level negotiations for the next year. By management hope have to established (through the package they have offered) a wage and clauses. grading structure alongside the already estab- lished national conditions agreement. Speeded-up ing wage controls. To achieve all this, the prepared pay certain wage increases which have to be raised by speed-up and demanning. Even then, Leyland workers will have had their standard of living reduced as being speeded-up well as because they are only being 11) Direct offered the 5% in this year's review and have only received the the previous WYCl three vears. Chrysler In with as Leyland the management have used continuously the threat of closure in order to attack conditions-this has component mdude: not changed with the take- over by Peugeot. So all Vauxhalls the measly under attack, 8% increase even had wage have similar strings tied to both productvity part of it. These for tion" committees have been being implemented on the shop floor with the cooper- used ation of of the stewards in towards doing stewards. el alovers AUEW members at Vauxhalls

CRISIS IN

THE MOTOR

INDUSTRY

publishing on are the Labour Movement calling a conference for workers in the car industry to be held on January 20 in Birmingham.

clear programme on which it has campaigned within the motor industry, the Conference organisers stress that they are extending a particular invitation to other groupings on the left within the motor industry to come along without prior com- itment to discuss the crucial issues facing carworkers.

voted on it the last CDI M l'ar Workers' Conference was: 1) Regain living standards.

2) Defend them with cost of living 3) Break the twelve month rule.

4) Full support to any section fight 5) Against corporate bargaining.

6) Against participation 7) Defend mutuality agreements.

8) Open the books of the employer 9) Extend and improve lay off agr ments to 100% pay. 10) No secret negotiations.

control negotiatin!" over committees by mass meetings.

12) For combine committees directly answerable to the shop floor.

13) Against import controls.

14) Nationalise the car carworkers are for them. and many In opposition to these problems. attacks the workers nave Leyland and Chrsyler, received nothing but mis- . "participa- leadership. tordia the officials recommended penalty senior with the Tne dea dirty work But whereas in Fords the officials led a fight against the 5% arguing the profit- of the ability company, the of the rest motor industry the officials have along with all the employers' plans. They have dual standard-one for companies who declare profit and another standard for those who don't. Forefront In this the officials have received the support of many of the senior stewards particularly of the right- wing and of the Communist Party. Leading CP •membel Derek Robinson BL Longbridge, for example, has been in the forefront of fighting for company-wide bargaining, which the means the are employers using shop weAKen stewards and strengthen the full-time officials, Leading CP members Chrysler also been in the fore- Lave this page the statement from the Campaign for While the CDLM itself has a front of the employers' and whilst inițially plans talking in favour of nation- alisation of Chrysler at the time of the Peugeot take- did nothing to fight for this There is an urgent need to develop a new leadership me motor maustry that fights for the independent interests of the car workers; that stops the employers plans to pit Ford workers against Leyland workers or Datsun workers any OI others; that puts forward a programme that does not start trọm the "profit- ability" of the firm or its necessity to compete with other car firms, but from the defence of living standards and jobs. Occupation redundant, into. We We must answer the threat closure by

OTI

exposing the fraud if it is a bluff designed tc argument

DIOSUIC

workers into accepting common company offer and by the employer. of the strengthen the fight occupation of the plant if it is a real threat. We must say that we will oppose all speed-ups, unem- ployment-creating schemes that we will oppose redundancies. The employers will sar that they need to economise car will outer firms-we must demand the opening of the books of the and of its firm concerned component suppliers as well the rest of the industry. Let uS see why they can't maintain jobs and If they prove their wages. case, then the whole motor and

SHOUSAN

should be nationalised without compensation and under workers' management and made part of a planned socialist economy. policies, alongside nese cost-of-living clauses, where- by wages rise automatically with the of living as decided by elected com- mittees of workers, to be in every wage deal are essential. Import controls If these are not fought for, then the trap of the Communist Party and Labour lefts' who argue for making COlLOIS. Japanese or other workers SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 13 December 1978

DEALS ARE

pHoto. Taurence Soarham. IFL Ford strikers spell out the basic message Chrysler workers on strike at Linwood Stalinist Robinson Todd will be fallen speed-up no-strike clauses and all the other problems the answer now facing car workers and employers' "viability" argu- in this the challenging the CDLM will be fighting for a that new leadership in the motor we have a interest with the industry. This will greatly : against

CARWORKERS

CONFERENCE

THE CRISIS IN THE MOTOR INDUSTRY

Called by the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement January 20, 1979 in Birmingham Full details from CDLM, c/o 37, Birchfield Close Blackbird Leys, Oxford

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 13 December 1978 Labour 'lefts' cheer Callaghan's nationalism It is seven years since the disintegration of the monetary system of the capitalist world (which had been established at Woods and Bretton based the on whelming economic strength of the United States). During that time of attempts number have been by the made main capitalist nations their restabilise monetary and the exchange system rates between the different countries. the results only isation which have gap France and Britain widened as well. many very The planned EMS would sharp have taken place. for grandiose • plaus Union The danger to the whole capitalist since indicates absence of mem bers. much than more the international And in the between the and its into symbol European capitalist and capitalist the become economies too fell as balance the of "united paymculs The in the Europe". value the deficit of their and redistributes profits from Ireland-fear

EMS

deficit the the of further countries. So the their if their partly the up profit- ability by control struggle Comerive fails. between individual nations precious to them economic partly an reduce helps weapon profits competitively priced and LIaL But it is also partly putting up prices. counter-stroke by the The and Irish countries (notably nevertheless, by West Germany) to try stop the competitive devaluations and to gain a West for respite German got in an capitalists.

EEC

ment aid Technically the

EMS

would them to involved plan getting the nine EEC members to But it fix their exchange rates in of the BIteTeSIS relation to each other and "float" allow deal. inem US together against the French capitalists were dollar and other currencies.

not prepared to dig deeper This into their pockets-not even simply involve exten- to persuade their Italian and of the existing system sion Irish rivals into partial of this kind (known economic disarmament "the snake") which So rival capitalist West Germany, includes nationalism sabotaged 1010 Holland, Belgium and Den- symbol of imperialist mark and used to include European unity. Capitalist leaders at the Bonn summit since the 1960s that These antagonisms currency stability is bad for reflect the disunity between the working class but that capitalist the states which devaluation is somehow a from arises the fact that "socialist" measure. they are unable to impose This is simply a smoke- all the costs they want on for the anti-socialist screen the working class. nationalism of this group That they are which that the argues forced to grab from each economic crisis can and threaten the solved by defence of the monetary stability on which national capitalist economy collectively they depend. through import controls and devaluation. Rearguard But devaluation, like the It is only socialism which can bring about non-

PRESS

antagonistic of the states of Europe a step States of the World. seit-styled Tribune "socialists" left of on ne the Parliamentary Labour Party, however, have once again shown themselves to not in the vanguard o1

GANG

the fight United for the Socialist but in rearguard capitalist nationalism. Last week on his return For well over a year the press has kept a discrete silence over the fate of the Sanderson strikers, broken only by occasional refer- ences to it as "the Grunwick of the north" or Britain's longest running strike. PHOTO: Andrew Wiard. Repor Last week as the details of has been implemented at the time going to made press-were known the Guardian gave it the accolade of an editorial.

The purpose was to bury the strikers praise them. „nere was no reterence to En e the continual batle for thion continual battle for union acton. me neve enome sere promises from the

TGWU

Ot which never delivered; the were Callaghan the dogged determination alone from Brussels they jingo- keeps strikers going through istically cheered Callaghan's justification for not joining The article began simply: the FMS- "You win some: that it lose wasa defend Britain's "nationa some: '—a summarv entirelv ir interests" harmony with the public utter- ances of trade union leaders Callaghan uses the same who have wetrayed one long argument to justify Phase running recognition battle after 4! another. To this chauvinism they The Guard solepin keeping add . a spurious line eo toria popular in Tribunite circles accord with the right wing of

LABOUR

austerity policies which go with maintaining along fixed exchange rate, involves an attack working class living stan- dards. And import controls involve an attempt to shift the burden of the crisis in onecanyonto workers in another. the working class, But unlike the narrow nation- alists of the Tribune group the ruling capitansti the

• TUC,

ACAS

that should be given the force of law and the right access workers. ACAS is a government set up agency which exists solely to damp down action working class. the It is out of the same drawer as the industrial tribunals. usec to head off strikes when union militants are sacked every vedl Ine publish statistics showing that a high proportion of workers who turn to unis arotter win oractica! nobody wins reinstatement from tribunal has not aLIacKs Tory press which demands no interference in the rights to hire and fire. ACAS. like the tribunals, Is an organisational expression • of democracy-a social ball and chan The workino cas painted in the colours neutrality. or a defeat-at Sandersons on other recognition battles will be immaense. Nownere bigger than at Garners London where strike the in support of union recoanition is coming up for its first anniver- sary, where of every piece . double talk and betrayal by the Page 5

PARTY

| Currency dealers in Tokyo whom they reflect, have no country. Socialists should be opposed to the EMS which part of a plan for the recovery of West Germar capitalism at the expense of its rivals. But they must oppose with policie: represent the independent international interests of the working class.

TGWU

bureaucracy nas been dou'-led through the close involvement of the Communist Party It is no accident therefore that this week Margolis, the boss of Garners, chose to breal his silence over the strike. He provided the material for witch nuns in e da ceres and Telegraph. theme of both articles Wa: workers n restaurants did not want the in and that union the strikers were beme manouateo ov 1er wing extremists The Express published picture of Cyril Margolis in hi "a general or the eve of battle" of Grunwick stalks the West End of •Londol this Christmas. writes Geottre!

Levy, with more truth than he is aware of. coming dose articles, together with sudden renewec TV interest in the strike are not of informing

TOT

• Ine buroose readers, with perverted facts iney are part ot laying in groundwork for demolition the strike, in which the on

TGWU:

oureau crac challenged with the results of a new poll of the scabs.

THE BIRTH OF

Page 6 'On October 28 1928, and Cannon, Abern Schachtman were expelled from the Com- munist Party. The very next week the first issue of The Militant published, distributed "not was surreptitiously mimeographed bulletin such satisfied ultrary cliques printed newspaper." All three had been employed by International Labour Defence, a perman- ent defence organisation for clas war victims initiated by the Communist Party. They had no jobs and Despite no income. these inauspicious beginn- The Militant ings, was produced regularly fortnightly basis. The long of process accumulating cadre of The Trotskyism American • was begun. Outside With no possibility of reaching wide layers of the expulsion, before militants had to be contacted from outside. Almost immediately the Trotskyists won people in Minneapolis where the American Trotskyists were play such a central role in later years. The CP leadership aided the through their process bureaucratic approach. • heir method was to go down the up country and putting a motion in every committee and branch the of approve expulsion Schachtman Cannon, and Abern. "And everybody who wanted to ask a question or information was Bel more accused of being a Trotsky.

ist and expelled forthwith.

prac all tically those who had been expelled for hesitancy voting to confirm our expulsion became sympathetic to us and most of them joined us." (History of American Trotskyism, pp.56-7). difficulties The facing the Trotskyists waco They had only one

MOS.

Trotsky's "Draft

CONV

Programme of the Commun- ist International: a Criticism of Fundamentals" Ones and twos This was the document which had changed every- for Cannon while he thing Recruit- was in Moscow. ment on the basis of this document was by ones and twos. "Soon after we were expelled.. there came a knock on my door one day and there was Morganstern of Philadelphia, young man "Cannonite" said "we heard about expulsion for youI didn't we trotskyism 0177 believe it. What is the real low down?" In those days you didn't take anything for good coin from your Inter came I can own faction. remem- this day •going into Der to the back room, the precious Trotsky docu- hiding place from and handing it to Morgie.

"He sat down on the bed and the read long "criticism"-it whole 1S book-from the beginning to the end without stopping once, witnout 1ookmg Up When he finished, he had made up his mind and we began to work out lans to build a nucleus in Philadel- phia." Serialised Others were recruited in the While the same way. "precious document' serialised The Militant it was a long time before it

AMERICAN

MARXISM

1978 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the emergence of the Trotskyist movement in the United States. The Socialist Workers Party which today claims to represent that tradition offers no more than a hollow mockery of the fighting spirit of that early movement. This article is the third in a series in Socialist Press which will examine the early history of the SWP, the party so central in the 1930s to the launching of the Fourth International. « James P. Cannon Max Schachtman was possible to publish it in with renewed enthusiasm expulsion I had made my While of pamphlet form. the national sneaking to Of the slanders group (and hundreds and sometimes course, American had already shortly afterwards the emer- been thousands of people. levelled Trotsky "Now at were gence of a Canadian group we had to speak now directed with full force around Maurice to individuals. Our propa- Spector at Cannon, Schachtman and inspired forces in the rest of gandistic work Abern. the world, the Cannon mainly of finding out names group had to wait months of isolated individuals in the Encouraging CP, before making direct or close to the party, of These contact with Trotsky. who might be interested Genine ions the three former leaders of Nevertheless they went interview, printed in the ahead, resolved spending hours and hours the Cr were answer press and found their the Stalinist gibe that they talking to a single way all round the world "three writing long letters generals ual, encouraging the rest of the army" by con- explaining all our principled international opposition.

structing one. positions in an attempt to To win forces in the USA The work of building the win over one person". was a major step forward.

left opposition was in stark In the first phase isolated It helped the hard- contrast Cannon's groups and individuals were pressed force won in Chicago and Minnea- previous work. forward "Not before elsewhere to long our polis (a couple of dozen in each), Kansas (three OI Philadelphia four; (two); New York (a few individ- uals); Cleveland, St. Louis and mining areas of Southern Illinois. The Militant was a propa- ganda paper, carrying long articles explaing tue issues at stake in the divided world communist movement The CP responded with savage repression of anyone talked the Trotskyists. After building their whole lives in the party a ostracism" whole wall OI separated them from party members "We lived in those first form days under of Trotsky reviewing troops in Red Square, 1921 pressure which is in many respects the most terrific that can be brought to bea being- against social ostracism from people of one's own kind." Cannon reports how this pressure kept many sympa- within the CP away thisers from Trotskyism. The step necessary to break from the was just CP too great to LaKe Throughout this period the Trotskyist movement considered itself to be still a faction of the Communist International. Initial work Not until 1933 when Hitler came to power with hardly a ripple of opposi tion developing the Stalinist ranks : did Trotsky call for the building of new revolutionary internat- ional The initial work of the Trotskyists American therefore directed towards the cadres of the Commun- ist Party. we have seen, the CP As used slander and ostracism Trotskyists against the When that failed they tried to use physical force: "They sought avoid • LO having to answer any argu- making impossible for usa to speak, ments to write, to exist." The Trotskyists sold their papers outside the CP SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 13 December 1978 American workers in food queues during the Depression headquarters in Union The Stalinists were Sauare. so surprised by the speed a The Militan walch for few appeared that weeks sellers were lef alone. Then the physical attack began. womer members were set upon kicked punched and and driven away Fight fight took alter the Trotskyist place defended their programme and perspective in the fac of the Stalinist terror. Not content with confronting the Trotskyists on the streets the CP brok into Cannon's flat and stole all his private papers, docu ments, correspondence

HICCUTEN

As with the other tactic they the used, physica attacks rebounded on in Stalinists: "We scandalised them mercilessly, cried to high publicised thei heaven. burglary and gangsterism and made them wince with ... We knew our exposures to exploit all how thes things to good effect appealed to the good will and communist conscience of the members of the party and began recruiting people wno came to first as a protest against thi stalinist procedure.' The attacks on seller

1929. Cannon made Defence were formed of and the meetings ahead successfully ended in hospital that up not the COlO as had been thought. the For of the party Abern knocked "We have going they could Cannon's previous with Foster, Lovestone faction, a were in Cannon majonly made two-hour speech on expelled. speech was The Militant. On the its CP was national the Trotskyists the of platiorm faction. the expulsions Opposition Now a It began tion of on an -starting witn and going from there the union US problems By away

HOL

ontact SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 13 December 1978 ments Further Later this platform the basic the first the That conference, held May 1929 31 by 17 alternates A central preoccupation 'was the membership. than all craçy kinds of Commun. could recruited that was the clear on which the Soviet despite fight those turn away policy faction History of American Trotskyism, great Lannon oI a lirm He Trotsky- 15m and grew precisely of independent Without clarity

SUC

other the soon expelled to programme in order to facilitate generally the CP grew. Now opened a period of increased hardship for the Trotskyist forces-"the dog- the Left Opposi- days; of tion" as Cannon called it. The central emphasis was placed on publishing activity and theoretical work. Despite enormous financial difficulties printing facilities established •vere and even book- whole Trotsky's "Problems of the Chinese Revolution" produced. Economical The May 1929 confer- had decided ence on propaganda orientation. places emphasis on economical use ence question at the conference was concrete task cor 100e tople shal we set was decided that the CP remain the focus for activity. the road to the masses leads through the vanguard and not over its head": This entirely different the Interna- the Tendency parallel their Trotsky speaking in Copenhagen in 1932 Tendencies most adverse conditions avoiding the difficult work of a faction those forces. Iemaining the CP represented a bend- CP. ing under pressure of the The believe was tained Problems the various the Stalinists. People who could not jectively revolutionary The today stand up to pressure of this politically

SONI

destroyed for the tasks to be in the mass come. of As we have said, the twin the movement themes of the Communist Moreover, relation- League of Amenca were the Russian and trade But this questions of Trotskyists replied and early 1930's the the main to the CP's ultra-leftist political of the and 193.0's. position of the working was to be American Federation found in Communisi Labour and instead building Parties. parties had "Red Trade Unions" by been hardly fighting for an understand decade by liscussion polemics by using ine with has an GIne to play in the of the Fourth is the establishment of the Trotskyist the fight. Trotskyist Another of the of the period" fight for of. the struggle "cadres" (from ated other left groups) "trained" theoretically isolation in from the struggle in role of the the con- tinually the that in this tradition James Cannon. At the 1929 con- The Wall Street Crash ference, as Salle existing formations could the impact of a successful the League of the mass of seizure state workers be reached. Russia. The left turn had in fact The Bolsheviks had the of the problems for the immense authority amongst Trotskyists. the most militant workers.

Their was Many CP members Thus not only were these and follows: set ourselves sympathisers now said parties the political "Look, the vanguard; they were also in agitation." Vale corrected itself, there is no cases the physical - 16. need for a separate organis. vanguard of the class. Com- series this ation". Recruitment from munist Parties organised and the Stalinists stopped and, many thousands of 1ed brief we can as the depression mounted, working class fighters. Page 7 Stalin with cronies at the Black Sea For while Cannon does say that with few members it was not possible to do mass work, he also has this to say about the political situation in which they were working "We had no chance what. ever participate in the • to Wherever tried to get into workers' organisation we would be expelled as coun Trotsky- ter-revolutionary ists We tried to send dele- gations to the unemployed Our meetings. credentials would rejected on the that grounds were enemies of the working class."" addition to this Cannon argues that: •..there was great stag- nation in the general labour movement. There were no strikes. The workers quiescent. They were not interested in any theoretical questions were not ns at that time" of for Today's ence, in could the Cannon tain- ing today. Our movement has le to play class of and bureau- crats alike e of group" to mass sely assessed lues- tion that Communist shed with grouping real of the Left The this the by deal between witn Ene League of e of the at issue and

Castro with Angolan President Neto Castro (left) with Peruvian military dictators Excited by the appear- ances of the revolutionary of the Batista •retenren dictatorship in Cuba and the steps towards national- isation that followed, leaders of the US Socialist Workers Party devised the concept that Fidel Castro had "naturally" become a Marxist-even "uncon- an scious Trotskyist". Ignoring. the close inter play between Castro's policies and the powerful political and qwno supoon cven o țoe Cuban regime the new Soviet Union, the SWP leader: ship seized on his left dema.

gogy, the progressive anc measures taken within Cuba to out vestiges of support ror US imperialism . hold TO Castro up as an anti-Stalinist.

They ceased to call for the construction inoesen-

UCNL

i rotsKyIst bartv in cuba -and instead sought to play role as a pressure group within Castro's political movement.

Appearance Such positions were wrong at the time, and can be, seen more clearly to be wrong now. bui they dia tit in• with the superficial " •oparanco events in Cuba-even though failing grasp 1e0u content of those events now, nearly 20 years B Ut• later,

SWP

are still vigorousiy defending Castrc revolution. Each point in each against

MIS

donicies logically placed. N0eoca criticism, insisting, in spite of Every explanation and every even most obvious facts, illustration that Cuban policy in Atrica In drive the points chosan and in Ethiopia cenerai particular is: (p.121,1961). "an internationalist policy, The

SWP

went .even a policy that aids the African further, and rave winnd and by extension suggested that socialist Gastro omers a revolu- solution to the working class tion". fighting the These words, by

SWP

Stalinist 'theoretician Harsch, bu caucdcy, ernest and •assaoe ironicalt vere written even wolle Cuban crushingly refuted by troops were using Soviet arms of events, Hansen to back reactionary argued in 1960 Derg military dictatorship and "With such a relationship Eritrean liberation the

CT USIT

ray allo rip trat cubo the fear that Cuba struggle! may Papered over hands of Kruschev not seem well founded. It is likely that the Cuban But these positions are the wil prove official position of the SWP- source of inspiration to TreSA leaders the Russian workers in their wnose have now papered over their own struggle to win back the pontica. differences with the leadership they knew under democrecy 'United' Secretariat Lenin and Trotsky." (p.54) OIne Fourth International On Latin America, Hansen tne (USFI) from which wrote: tne inspiring d donce ot oo, prevented from affiliation by reactionary US legislation.

inspiring defence 300 Cuban page just revolution published by Pathfinder Pres: Mexico Content. rrom contains Chile and Argentina, Cuba has colection leading

SWP

become a key in public vriLnes member Joseph Hansen all life. all likelihood, contain false next revolution in any of the

INIS

Latin American countries will vus tion ont asiro During the 1960s the SWP tend

TOIOW

naltant not example of Cuba rather than printed castro's speeches consistentiy that Guatemala, where a

DUTI

them cetendar against ww souist BITTO e criticism: towards the old ruling circles "Each speach serves and armed forces definite political purposo restoration connectad atways reaction "' (0.60) nobilising support for And on a world scale, the lefence or deepening of the Cuba Cuban ( Stalinist tank ablaze in Prague 1968-Castro endorsed the Kremlin intervention answer to the problems of the workers' movement. dynamic revol. ution, it can, by following the natural line: ot its Curene through revolutionary politics on the international scene, add dualitatively new force to the revolution, the COlOnIAI to defence of the Soviet countries a asI imperialisı attack, and to the struggle for world wide socialism." Holding these impressionist and anti-Trotskyist positions, it was hardly surprising that in Hansen write

COUTO

in support of entus aticav the Havana conference of the Organisation Latin American Solidarity (OLAS)- Cuban-sponsored initiative to group together guerrillaists and organisa. revowtonarv tions from Latin America, and attended by delegations from other workers and States internațional organisations.

•Step forward Hansen described the

OLAS

conference "an encouraging achievement and a step iorwaro tor the word And in reply to revolution' the magazine Monthly Review, which had said that Castro was 'Fifth erectively launching a International', Hansen replied only, that OLAS: has much to accom- before seriou ly be than cei that it claim plish now

CORTES

International." (p.226) Raising criticisms on the question of the industrial orol. Stalinist bureau- „Ine

OLD PALS

TOGETHER

AGAIN

Part two/of a review by Tony Richardson of "Dynamics of the Revolution-the Trotskyist View". by Hansen, Joseph published by Pathfinder Press in paperback.

cracies, the revolution small wonder that at the 1969 Westerr Europe and demo. USFI World Congress guerrilla cratic centralism, he went on: wd. actuay adoptec to policy the Latin Tha1 The will

OLAS

take that it is these American sections. problems. I think against arcuite ToIS completely in the logic of the policy Hansen found himself rogress already made by th tied hand and foot by his Tricontinental and OLAS con earlier false oSILIONs ferencas towards

TUL

realising nis dreams oi Castro over serious consideration of these coming problems". (p.227) Teon hes kyiss oo hae the real world had socl Guerrillaism USFI effectively going over to Castro! With not only Hansen, but was at this point. that

USFI

leadership Hansen came out with nis first EnE (wnole finding itself swept along with attack on Castro, rea this "current" dropping for a while the and drawing uc of schemas through which approach seeking alcd the Castroite forces would this "natural oersuaot provide Marxist" to adopt SWP policy rcawy nce! parties, wc/ontona Pernoin theut the atractive Cuban power coiu. tion for youth, and the of the Castroites Talluro understand Stalinism, declared "All of this fostered ultra leftism and even auti political attitude arnond • Tnє youth drawn into the orbit of the Cuban revolution, al tl ularly in Latin America" (p.248, 1970) He claims it is necessary to through the experience with the youth. But the SWP misled youth into acTiveiv illusions on Castro and Stalinism. was particular, Hansen himself who contin- uously even wt alstl Castro. his attacks on arter Castro's chosen ally in Trotskyism as "a vulgar instru- Ethiopia-Derg leader mont of imthe Triconidenta Mengistu. Tricontinental conterence was Hansen who proclaimed OLAS: a definitive broak with the tureacherous iadur advocacy "peaceful coexistenco" really signifies a line of maintaining and doing StaLu. everything possible to bioch taking tho, the from masso: road to revolution".

OLAS

It was Hansen who said that

OLAS

would "facilitate a re- groupment of revolutionary Latin America and force: spend rogr hati ve nt their • SoPed (p.226) ne maie ret l neum aund and argue hort, the Cubans ha ot yet settled accounts wil Stalinism. Of course between 1967 and 1969 a whole number of major changes-both the USA with the emergence of the atTlAwar movement, and internationally with the Strike and the "Prague Spring" had taken place. Czechoslovakia fact drawi most obvious evidence Castro had Toal become integrated into the Kremlin's political orbit Regretted Yet in page article dealing with Castro's So0CC defending the Soviet interven. tion Hansen does no once condemn Castro Instead makin apone oof the ort irineion ora stalinist ) one of the crimes Hansen lame cen 'It is to be re • this. Per hap Castrodomo will come this view more facts accumulate." (p.378) And ,though does offer meera. general introduction mouthed criticism ot some o regimes that Castro has Tine supported-suct Allende's Popular Front, Neto's regime in and the Mengistu dictatorship in Ethiopia- Hansen still talks of: leadership extending t.o.o And Hansen concludes by against' arguing ooliTiCa revolution in Cuba for the over.

of the Castro bureau. Throw cracy Instead calls vaguely for a "Leninist-type party that internal demo. cuaranteet cracy" Dogmatism Despite nearly twenty years which practical experienc • exposed the hollowness of their analysis and refuted the impressionist ideas on which it based, the USF! leaders, still cling rigidly to their false position on Cuba Pabloite empiricism has thus turned to a torm ot stubborn dogmatisn whose mirror image found in the Workers Is to be Revolutionary Party Jeatersolt that

IIS.S

TISMAV

Cuba remains a capitalist state in which Castro is a new Batista Hansen's of mis- • conecton and confused writings leading on Cuba are in short.

TUNUB

eloquent testimony to the need reconstruct the Fourth Inter- national on the basis of a return to the Marxist method and the principles the Ot Transitional Programme. Concluded

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 13 December 1978 Teachers' leader in anti-gay outburst My association campaign for "never 6" knowingly recruits homosexual teachers". So said the leader of the National from California. Association of School- That masters, Terry Casey, in organised by the far right.

a scandalous Kadio 'Unacceptable risk interview last week. But it This reactionary and almost the sinister attack on the rights California gay teachers was OI movlal. launched in response to a Casev. "kit" of information and films produced by the Cam- same time Homose xual for paign Equality (CHE) for use in teachers. school sex education. persecuted" he said. Proposition 6 And then Casey's witch-hunting breath he added that: words frighteningly "They able risk in recent Temmecenl •I Ie

IRELAND

STROOPS OUT

NOW!

The Common Market the bourgeois regime in the South, has been issue an increasingly to the fore sinn rein has declared itself In Ireland over recent clearly for an active boycott months. of the June elections, The "will he? won't he?" according to the paper An haggling by Irish Premier Phoblacht, has made moves Lynch to internationalise over the JaCK European Monetary System campaign at a recent meet- (EMS) ended last week with ing in Turin. The Sinn Fein a decision to remain outside -after failing to pointed out that the extract effects substantial sums of cash aid Ireland have from the

EEC

ACNel countries (see p.5). the cost native Irish industry at the But at the same time the of groundwork is being laid for Colse the elections to the so-called Lw ooe e o "European Parlament", to to waltis be held next June. neutrality Irish participation in the

EEC

elections is part of an effort only member of NATO). both the British imper- ialist oppressors in the occu- Hostility pied six counties and by their lackeys Lynch's 1n the 26 And government In counties to tie Ireland more

NATO

brings firmly into the economic/ the British occupying army, military bloc of European and capitalism. tne buusa government not This will have the effect to surrender to Irish libera- of strengthening all those tion forces. forces opposing the war of national liberation

EEC

rising

HOW

carrying on SiX people-particularly in view ine of the failure of counties, and propping up "Proposition California which would-had it been passed- have produced the sacking of all homosexual teachers cam baien American workers demonstrate on gay rights by was opposed profession . whole the Why anti-gay bigots such trade union as Casey should believe that homosexual are however, wants tcaclicis any greater "risk" than their the same result while at the heterosexual colleagues posing defender of the interests of not explained. Absurd argument "I wouldn't want them Doubtless it is part of the the next reactionary bourgeois mythology that depicts gays.

are an unaccept- incapable of controlling their sexual feelings, while catiluns Sinn Fein fights for EEC election boycott help for small farmers to materialise-the boycott Recognising this line-up play can palgı important role in the fight Ireland free of oreak and, im perialist domination But to go further than a protest gesture the boycott must

SUCN

wall altil connected to a fight for a series of transitional delegate demands pointing the way main forward for the Irish work-

EEC

the ing class and small farmers been to raise their struggle with of living, weaken British, European and Irish capitalism. multinationals, Such demands must include the fight for

EEC

superior living ProTeCion undermine Irish standards through a sliding (Ireland being the scale' of wages, providing country . increases to keep pace with inflation as by dosensel elected and housewives' committees. They must include resis- turn the EEC tance to all redundancies support for and sackings through occu- threatened DaLle European pressure on factories; and the fight for the opening of the books of Irish and multinational firms to trade union com- With hostility against the show the millees Irish necessity amongst be Ior inem IO nationalised, without com- promised DISaLOn. workels "normal" people represent. supposedly well-balanced Soaring statistics rape help this absurd the Thorpe scarcely argument, which feeds largely on ignorance about homosexuality-an barrage which the CHE ignorance both Labour "kit" for schools is designed leaders to com bat. virtues of Terry Casey, however, family unit has shown that ne an unacceptable risk for those teachers whom he claims to management. And unemployment must be challenged through the call .crash programme of useful public works, creating new jobs throughout the 32 counties of Ireland. Trotskyist party Such demands, pointing to the need for a planned, socialist in economy united workers' republic of Ireland, are of course un- achievable without the removal of all British troops from occupied six counties, and the Lynch government. the Sinn Fein campaign for aclve boycott and their objective, which Phoblacht An describes as , acting in coopera- tion with kindred organisa- tions in Europe, mantle the EEC totally" is in general correct, it is necessary build to capaste st atoin Treland capable mobilising the working class in the struggle for a revolutionary socialist alternative to capitalism and thę Common Market. Page 9

GAV

RIGHTS

NOW

Militant/Lou Howor right wing trade union leaders. His sinister attack shows The press attempts to use .the need fight the in Cast LO sedl trade unions, especially the head fresh attacks on gays.

teachers for the coupled with the intensive rights of all workers and propaganda by and Tory youth determine their own sexual orientation extolling the without fear of any form of the bonseol discrimination that suggest Casey's outburst is likely to be only the first of a succes- sion of similar attacks by Writings on

WSL

the Fourth International Fourth International: Problems and Tasks: The first WSL document attempting to draw an objective balance sheet of the post-war history of the Trotskyist Inter.

and analyse the roots of its natonal, current crisis. Adopted by the Fonding Conference of the WSL, in late 1975.

Published as three supplements to Soc- ¡alist Press. Price 15p plus 10p p&p, Aspects of the History of the FI: Based on a lecture by John Lister to the

WSL

1977 Summer School, this article attempts to examine in more the departure from the Marxist GATAlI method carried out by Michel Pablo and the majority of the International Secretariat of. the fiin the uctul following the Yugoslavian 'break' with The article shows Stalin in 1948. the methodological connection between the positions which led to the 1953 split in the International, and those which opened the door for the opportunist reunification' of 1963 Published in Trotskyism Today No 2, march 1978. Price 50p plus 15p p&p.

The Poisoned Well: The document drafted by the Workers *Socialist League for submission to the pre-conference discussion of the USFI Xith World Congress - exposing the political bankruptcy and opportunism of both of the previous main factions within the USFI. Pointing out that the common factor of each of the self-styled 'Fourth Internationals' is their.

:departure from the method and principles on which the FI was founded, this article calls for serious steps towards the reconstruction of the International. Published :in Trotskyism Today No 3 July 1978. Price 60p plus 15p p&p.

All available from the WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5

Broad Left stifle fight in NUS the National Union series of demands for grant of Students annual con- increases and the abolition anomalies such terence has the OI as cretionary awards. But it developmentof the role demand for grants Nauc Iu of Left the Broad protected azalol alliance of Stalinists, inflation. T'ories and reformists. Furthermore the strategy for campaigning on grants Through bureaucratic continue will to be bludgeoning which would restricted to publicity stunts -the heart ot Citrine CUCer and individual discussions Jack Jones or Len Murray, with MPs and ministers of they have Tetaned EnelT state. hold-but only against The main opposition barrage of criticism of their this came from the IMG-led policy of "responsible nego- Socialist Students Alliance. tiations" and their failure to Mick novever mobilise any students

SSA

Archer, Executive against cuts, unemployment member admitted, their or rent rises. amendment did not contain no doubt that here is different demands any or later these reac- sooner of those Broad Left! the nonary bureaucralc career- The only difference was ists will be toppled. more m tastract call for question facing But the and call students is how and on what mass campaigning by linking basis to do this, they the fight to the trade union themselves move into action movement. for higher grants and lower In the debate on educa- HIenLS tion and youth unemploy- During the Executive Left ment

AIOCO

report and TN e their full announced their social democratic allies support for all the instru- continually attacked were ments used bv the govern- for their failure to respond ment to provide a smoke- a lead to students or give screen for its policies. unions faced alaCK Rejecting even the most their right to organise tepid mobilisation against and their living standards. proposed such policies by The anger militant OI the SSA and the SWP, they students came to a head in supported the Manpower "catering the discussion of Services Commission and all and residence" when other available diversions.

senes stuuculs complained that they had Mandate been on rent strike since the beginning against oi term The extreme of bureau- in hall fees of up increases cratic control was felt in a to culo bul naa recelycu no truncated discussion from

NUS

support the Northern Ireland. Executive. The EC had refused to These students condemned the EC for their carry out a mandate to sup- this the International refusal coordinate

POTE

action, or even to circulate Tribunal Britain's on Hall Presence in Ireland. information Their put by actions. reasons, Deputy resoenl it was a of the Christie treasurer res- was that "front" for the "sectarian ponded. admitting "the Troops Out Movement". National Executive did not cocrdinate the The clear dereliction of attempt to London actions". democracy compound- was She blamed the member- ed by the Broad Left ship for not giving her the Stalinists who through said it was information and series of bureaucratic man- regimented not the job of the National and UCUYCo lead such bludgeoned through execuave

VOLES

actions! their policy with only one brief speech being allowed grants and cuts Tne Cooper Co against what they had done.

debate, turned the argument around By centnng ute

SUNNI

discussion on the to say that they were trying question to lead a campaign, but the of the: Tmbuna the members wouldn't respond!

have and others now allowed the NUS to use the The Broad Left policy on charge öf "sectarianism" to grants was eventually passed about one-third of move away altogether from -with the conference voting any campaign in opposition against. the military occupation This. policy of Ireland. contained a PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Repor

LUNDON

ACTION:

CDORDINATINGCNTEE

Thánh Ver

INDUSTRIAL

NUPE MUST

FIGHT SACKINGS

ELE

Last week the chairman, docked ancillary other workers pay due to their refusal to the clock after a member West Lo ictull

NUPE

six monta exee menta sonemc London After months trailing branch were sacked. through ACAS and the courts, had still e oanen resconeeo wio dutnoslic

HI0 U

all-out strike action (joined by repaid the back-pay by Novem- AUEW members) with support- ber. About a month ago the delion ince Charing Cross Hospital branch resoon•eo ov sourtine This move by off the central heating at the the hospital mandeemer teoreserues Nos ital. most serious attack in recent Management mmeoratev on trade unionists in the embarked on a well-prepared plan to evacuate the patients to health sol vile, basic right of hospital workers a nearby hospital. to organise. Sacked ane sackeo leacersnio or the branch-Stan Hunt and Alan Pinfold-have established Last week, with the patients their time all returned the dispute oncie тесото in алтО office, defending their temporarily settled was membership consistently against announced out of the blue that allegedly shut mandeemenl altacks. un worker nd leading the branch out on strike down the boiler was Hounsiow Hospital erier in the response raid sacked, along with the branch secretary and chairman-not tor year anything to do with the dispute, These reasons behind the sacidgs, ind underlying but because of general 'work record'. obvious that the st it is virar unat unese mitanis are defended with immediate action sackings are a blatant attempt throughout the London health victimisation, and the itself is only a pretext dispute The sackings are the direct useo •v mangdement co cer o result of a long-running dispute of the branch leadership who over 'clocking-in' at the hospital have consistently defended the which came to strike action in working conditions of their ine summer wnen manadement mem bers Why join the WSL? Quite frankly, we're in the fight against the sale of jobs by leaders, the unique! struggle against cuts, „ tn8 the only movement uve re unionisation struggles, and .E. Thaty tor phi ly and relent- the fight against bureaucratic building dictatorship within the unions of IrOLSKVISI •aTTV coscore mobilising the working class in the struggle for state power and nis metnoc ot aooroach .- rejecting any descent to simple establishment of a socialist trade union militancy, and any In doing so, the WSL alone

TOTN

Concesion shrink from head-on counter-revolutionary reformist does not or Stalinist bureaucracy - is of battles with the existing leaders of the working class - whether course essential for the working these be 'left' talking Labourites class, not. . Only In britain but union bureaucrats, internationally. or Stalinists taking up international of the Communist Party. I'n these battles we set out to labues T ne OL ••InIS out Rol prove to workers both in theory the obligation of British and in practice the necessity for workers to the liberation struggle and revolut- transitionel programme ionary struggles such as those in demands which, starting from and Southern Africa, IT dl today's problems and today's also the necassity for the recon.

.within the work. struction of the Trotskyist in Fourth International as the org uteKOrA struggle to grasp the need for anising centre world socialist revolution. party 'of socialist revolution The WSL is not the biggest are smaller than some self-styled movement on the left in Britain revolutionary groups, the WSL is it the

. GOVIBST

• •¿

TO CHOAT OT

member ot. but in its approact pay struggles in British Leyland, to both theory and practice it is

MORE

DETAILS

Please sand me more information about the Workars Socialist League. Name : Address Sand 1o: WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Mill, London NW5 1HR

NEWS

SOITa •roules London have gone off the clock sio neest hint oftreble and the months without •ans tor evacuation nac peen prepared well before the highlights the summer-which Canital ausretare mandoe ment for the wel fare of the patients when it comes to the of

SETOS

busines. ViCtImSO tion. This is borne out the huge press and media campaigr which has surrounded the strike with front page personal attack sacked Wu es bre actona oress An example of the orches- trated nature of the press witch-

TOTT

was aven morning when women arrived at the picket line and paraded in van, Tront or the nospital with push chairs for the benefit of flotilla bourgeois urs. who arrived at the re borters same time. Posed oose• tor ine cameras for about 15 minutes-touting 'patients before politics' banners they left, along with the reporters obvious that the hospital management and Area Health Authority have deliber- the only really serious revol. utionarv movement When look you „ür tu under struggles now way anc the problems taced by the wor necessity king class Tine principled leadership is unimis. takeable WHy NOT JOIN US? Fill form more details, or approach your local branch who will gladly supply aore InrormatIon programme, policies, and por- spoctives.

NEÄSÜE

SOCIALIST

PRESS -

DEFEND THE

BL TOOLMAKES

DEFEND THE

RIGHT

tr minr! I would like to receive.: issues. I encinse the sum ol Name Address 31, Send to: Socialist Press, Hill Dartmouth Park London NWS !HR apt SAYS

FIGHT

THE CUTS 1

SA

JOI

SAVENE

JOBS

ate v rimed tais atiack on tesel coincide with future pay in the action on Icaitn selvice Gous vitally maker important that immediate wide.

spread action is taken for their connoiete reinstatement Throughout the history dispute, the official NUPE the have feaoersui. Te seateo y shown that they are both incap.

and unwilling to defend these mnnitants. Evacuation Although the dispute has already led › strikes and to two the evacudtol • or oale

. INE

N- cadersnio nasment attempt circulate health service branches and emphasise une cenma anoo ance ot. ne dispute. They have repeatedly turned

CALAD.

Indusma triouna and the bourgeois courts in a desperate find attempt #alviauar solution to widt Is e class problem, affecting trade unionists throughout the health service. Their scandalous recoro l highlighted by the fact that they have refused r csclll give tun ornicial backing to te strike. All-London strike arin nor warseoii sea isolation those victimised urcoe umorists is to т • Lat leadership, by passing resolu tions through Divisions, Area Committees and branches immed. to sponsor ar iate, stewards conference to plan orocramme LonconaNiot strike action for • The full .re- instatement of the three trade unionists

NUPE

• •anona London must be circulated and héo ved of seriousness of • victiffsalion alle relation to tuture pay struggles It must be stressed again that officials cannot tne truste• to instate tois action without the sharpest Rossible from the dismissed prcoouls •ranch •rucias ane strikers Right at

WORKAS

the forefront!

GET

SOCIALIST

PRESS

EVERY WEEK!

S issues. ..21.10 10 issues . . £2.20 25 issues ..£S.50 50 issues .£10.00

AN EPITAPH FOR A STOOGE

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 13 December 1978 Oxford hospital fight ballot The Longworth Mass Hospital Support Com- which is cam- mittee Plant last the paigning save 10 strongly local geriatric hospital from the of thé axe ballot which Oxtordshire Area

TS TAAK

Health Authority meetings thạt holding public meetings recister in Witney and Oxford 'yes' acceptance this week, with grading struttule ala tile loss wi demonstration through Oxford on Saturday. But This demonstration starts Leviano i kelv at outside the p.m. acceptance Cowley Koal hospital whose • closure Dy Londonode twnere te the AHA has already been favour) announced of Oxford's meeting malor olants health service trade union- last chaired by ists week, Pat Ward, chairman of the NUPE branch settled by which covers the Cowley Rd. Hospital, decided to set up a support grading structure are committee for Cowley Road that similar Lowiey Longworth. meetings

T CT

This was an obvious calling together Ward, em barrassment to who, with

NUPE

along orocucuon grades. Executive mémber Betty He also Ward (a part-time worker at Cowley Road) has previous- manning standards. claimed ( that. Cowley Road have workers "accepted" its closure. The Longworth Support Committee hopes to mobil- Plant. however: the leadershio is ise workers health service throughout Oxiordshire JObs. well as other trade unionists Deputy One time right wing Thornett was victimised by convenor and darling of BL management. the Daily Mail, Reg When Parsons, lett the BL Parsons

STUCK.

meeting of the paint shop, Cowley Assembly Plant where he was last Friday, isolated, dis- denounced Thornett in an credited and deteated. anti-communist He had been given volun- soon to become a familiar redundancy payment theme. tarv by BL management. After It is understood that he the management is to join strike of Rank Hovis McDougall Whallen, Parsons - penned Geoff

UNUCI

formerly Industrial Rela- tions Director of BL, which and

RHM.

a director of now Parsons was a renegade the Trotskyist fresh convenors' from the Socialist Labour League. He Vader became national noted witch- press hunter and strike breaker.

against climbed to notoriety plant convenor Bob Fryer.

He in 1974 when

TGWU

Parsons, Ofotall

AT THE TOP...

UNION DUES

Confusion reigns on new BL pay succeeding, some time- mectings getting rid of areas, Leyland's Cowley Assembly la out wtou reoacene week were But mass meetings in that of 3,500 recommended production vote 'No' in the company's with only four wor kels voted. votes against, in support of the is taking place stewaros

DOSTLION

oi osesina the introduction of two grades It is quite clear from these of production workers. Cowley will Simila mectine vote- Kodv vant forklltt truick orivers since the implications of voting voted. unanimously oppose their. position the ardilig structure. jobs-nave peer Yorks union overall because the complete lack of information at WOrKETS An unofficial strike are being recommended to vote other by nine delivery men is _ano at taking Not settled Cooplands bakery Scarborough, the North But the question will not be this vote as East tar coast holiday many workers. opposed to the resort. concerned. Bob Fryer, the TGWU senior Drivers all members of the TGWU, took this action steward at the Assembly Plant mass told after year's frustrated be would efforts to get management production to recognise the union. workers to fight the splitting of strike began two on into wo KerS Novem ber when three drivers were sacked after oromiseo to back any section acting to defend its relusllg lo carly vur cama deliveries brought about by the then impending bakers' No lead strike. After their dismissal, six the neighbouring Body other delivery came flick giving no lead over the loss of out in support responding to threats by management.

As a result the management Convenor Alan nominee of the bress. tne TGWU bureaucracy and the eecieu wullpally. became the Thornett's section and called idol of the reactionary and the tele-

ZULLCI

steward, and vision channels. Enjoying the full support of TGWU General Secretary speech- Jack Jones, Region 5 Secre- tary Brian Mathers and Oxtord District Secretart readtonary upoorey wivese supporting David Buckle, he set out to "drive the Trotskyists out of the plant" breaking stunt, the witch- In the summer of 1976 hunting letter to Jack Jones he victimised four stewards triggered a chain of and claimed that "he had events leading to a Regional put the Trots to

IOI

good" Inquiry and the calling of elections year later, and yet spotlight of another Regional Inquiry later, Parsons set up another campaign Thornett and new TGWU branch in the attempt plant in an to 5/293 which the chosen destroy the

SOLIDARITY?! LOOK, THIS IS A UNION-NOT A

BUNCH OF REDS... 'VE TOLD YOU BEFORE -SET THAT

TYPE AND STOP

QUIBBLING!..

BLIMEY ! EVEN ASHTON'S CAUGHT THIS SOLIDARITY"

BUG NOW-HE ALLAYS SEEMED A REASONABLE BLOKE...

• NUT

Dear O'fishall, omtena is etatet mander. an auk you Lriwing ove cam to stop icketo. our Ken audes,

STALINIST ARRESTED

Tom Durkin, a member of the Communist Party and of leading member

GLATC

was arrested last Friday. *th person ont the picketi that and intimidate arrest-for carner s navmarker restaurant- the direct responsibility scandalous fellow and exposed throughout Stalinist Secretary. Sid Staden Hedlonal agreement with TnE ane ne secon o tie ou police to limit the picket line strict instructions ay Cis picket torm attacks per restaurant NHowred Durkin restig bewildered fight omnel class has down a challenge Though management the recognises bakers Union, they refuse to recog-

TGWU,

nise the which the drivers feel is the appropri- ate union for them. Since the strike began, the strikers have maintained 5.30 a.m. midnight picket at the bakery They have also had some success getting flour blacked and have stopped regular supplies of fuel from getting in to the bakery As yet the strike has not made official by the been

TGWU.

chaired by be barred trom was

HOW

expelled from the union Thornett 1974 things since had changed. The majority of members refused to Whe'n Parsons banned has paign Thornett Alan from acuok dedisi stewards' meetings he was Fryer near discredited Thornett's section they retain in the plant.

struck and turned up for the Involved AnCellle Shortly afterwards, communist. December last year Parsons Parsons' found himself voted out of symbolises the office Fryer was re-elected

TGWU

convenor and Alan Thomett his deputy. The reply of Parsons and principled the TGWÙ bureaucracy was in the Cowley to trump up harees aanst failed. ulen sevel militants (the Cowley 9) and recommend that they

AND YOU-START LOADING THOSE PAPERS!..

NN

(BUT ARENT WE SUPPOSED TO BE

KNELYZNNA

FIGHTING PHASE 4 AS WELL?

RESPONSIBLE WAY,

Page 11

IN GARNERS DAY OF

ACTION

to six-strong has given scabs and Wise at Grunwicks. police a olank caecue to nards Grunwick Gerlke strikers and the employers . taught of struggle it is clear methods this consequences of Ttd. Ine leTT oureaucrar agreement, Staden and Shorter are dete

WAS

or Picke ihg caled y AT determined their continue record of sabotage in this strike Hedeatino TheIr crandaom The police, clearly acting on level of support for the Day of to prevent Action Shorter on October resem bling ana odden manae to medast only one delegation out resorter eicore ateik restrictiink ets sio pickets 1,600

TGWU

branches for Friday's action. arresting the Shattered hopes with pickets, TUru. However, the large turnout arrogantly thrown of over 400 on Fridav evenina including delegation of 31 the arrest of Scargill and Audrey from Sussex University. stautered Tnel hodes mnat Ine Day of Picketing would be a dismal failure Moreover with the arrest of à now feacino Stalinis difficult for the Regional leader ship dissociate

TGWU

• Trom rnaaysocket Leading mem bers the of labour movement have suffered Inte consec uence. olade s betrayal in full view of wide layers and workers in the glare of the national media crisis naw That opening Regional up leadership of the TGWU and implicating Communist • the Party Partyuncemenefteat don Toddhe reflected retumuine to conouct une sunke strike committee can Durkin •Ine drav strenoti TrON rriadys the knowledge artIOr thai Todd's reappearance signals the inability of the Regional leader sale to eosuy seri uais Su Ke oul All militants in the TGWU must now take up the campaign unouen tue danckes ano snoe stewards committees national TGWU delegate confer office ence mandated to suodort strike ( U] committee policies trade unionists should Parsons' departure from send resolutios. conder the factory comes at a time agreement the staden's with when it has become clear police through branches that the victimisation cam- Trades Councils and the TGWU floundered and Regiona Committee hornett im possible

IWORKERS SOCIALIST

because of the mass support

LEAGUE

the lIUl

OXFORD

demise of an individual anti- Public Meeting departure end of "The Fight Agains determined attempt. by the Phase 4 ourcauctacy together with management NUJ speaker over 4½ years to destroy the leadership built Friday 15 December Assem bly 8.00 p.m. Plant, an attempt which has East Oxford Commun- ity Centre, Princes St. .och snorncr-i DONT cakE WHAT CANI

VAME YOU CALL IT... DELIVER THEM.

A LETTER FOR

Ou O'FISHALL.

MANAGEMENT WOULDNT KNOW WHERE THEY WERE -

-NO! THE QUICKER THESE JOURNALISTS GO BACK,

THE QUICKER WE CAN, ER.. DEAL' WITH OUR CLAIM!

PRESS

JOURNALISTS IN

THE FRONT LINE

The strike by provin- cial journalists for a t20 a week pay rise firmed up last week as several more important sectors voted to come out. Only 200 NUJ members the provinces are now scabbing on the strike out of a total membership of more than 8,000. Reversed The Liverpool Post and Echo journalists who had at first voted against the strike and have now come «oul Coventry and Wolverhamp- ton journalists also reversed decisions Calle sunke. Rarely arguments now take decisive steps to nave that the membership were see that it is won prepared to fight been Scabs so cieariv shown to be talse.

Association-where But the failure of print 100 members out of 212 are unions to tel their mem bers strike-and not to

CIOSS

picket. lines Wales looks, certain to prolong the an immediate action and make the strike call or be expelled outcome uncertain from the union. Work normally ordinated at centres Individual chapels are fight for local HelT ing. supporting action from Demands ana pracuca support Irom offices 'work other normally?. stepped up. all the print vince chapels committed are to prepare bargaining, conective meellig and all since print union discuss members will be demanding an increase of well over 5% when their review dates fall 1979, due during this instruction is a clear sabo- tage of the wages struggle.

Print leaders union should be their members out in united fight against the Government pay policy. Arrests There have been number of arrests around the country violence from police against pickets. With the strike solid the leadership of the NUJ must

FUND

A spectacular Christmas Bazaar organised by comrades in the Oxford area raised a grand total of f300 for our Funds last Saturday. Among the greatest successes were a well-stocked cake stall, and the perennial favourite - the bottle stall. But thanks also to comrade Bob for his tire- less efforts as 'Comrade Christmas, to all those members and supporters who donated so generously, and to the willing helpers on the day — as well as the customers who made the day such a success.

Perhaps some other areas might feel inclined to emul- ate the Oxford example. Our December Fund currently stands at £194.60 at the half-way stage in the month.

A major effort must be made in try to clear the rest of this month's total if the Treasur- er is to be able to relax during his hard-earned Christmas Donations should be sent to: Socialist Press Monthly Fund, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.

Printed by Anvi! Printers Ltd., London. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office.

SOCIALIST

Journalists on the picket line but plan for goes on, making the strike more Press solid. about Individual employers are beginning other otters такс separately from the News- must be faced with choice-obey paper Society The Birmingham Post have agreed a £20 rise with their London Mass pickets must be co-.

office journalists, although where decided to NUJ members are still work- the chapel continue the strike there.

for financial. Birmingham Post jour- the naiists are unions must also be office in Birmingham main after the chapel voted not the strike last Chapels should also begin support for new week. The numbers not of FoCs-not crossing the picket line have whether the strike been growing. Sandersons hitch Has the Sanderson strike been won? Despite press statements that amer is montas Forklift truck boss Roy Todd Sanderson had conceded cemanos tor reinstatement and recognition 46

TGWU

his members on strike at Monday. okeaness тастом revealed a last ditch attempt by him to back out. been mobilised Scabs indo -In comoany ume ane tor ine benefit pre-arranged TV -during ten days to Sanderson "grace given recognition Im •emen: the agreement. And when TGWU National Oraanisel • arrive uni plant to address a meeting scabs he was told that a section would not Cane workTorce accept the strikers back-and that the Board was split on the Issue Todd has given an ultimatum the next ten days to to settle by Wednesday. If this is not done , then the prospect humiliation Ene wake of his image-building in the Ford strike seems certain to TOrCE to defeat this tin-pot employer.

Published by Folrose Ltd. for the Workers Socialist League, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR We say: Phase 4 relies on TUC leaders As a massive army of nearly 2 million workers renewed gathers for assault on Phase 4, the TUC leaders continue prove themselves either in the pay of the enemy or, at best, the world's worst generals.

Since Chancellor Healey laid down his 5% limit ultimatum in August a whole succession of delays, open manoeuvres ano sabotae nas ensure a rathe limits see tills workers nave been torcea to go 'over the top' in strike action one at a time. the nine-week Ford million authority workers sat tight on their £60/ so nour week calm as thell November 1 review date went Vauxhall Negotiators went one step further, and, with attempt to clarify the confusing management offer, called in the middle of talks for voted down. Abandoned In British Leyland, collabor ation between union officials and Mas week pay claims 2700 lodged most car plants, by and substituted a ballot on a 5% pay otter linked to a job cutting productivity grading have parity And the Bakers Union beén on official strike for four underway at all weeks before

TGWU

and GMWU bureaucrats even went atreddy instructing theit members not to cross picket and actions gesone mas conlective mis Which leadership, heavy blows have been struck at Phase 4_partic alise the membership Fords British ulariv and Oxygen. But the strategy has ensured that TUC's "one time" the 5% limit is alive and kicking throughout public sector is to The and in much of private industry ment now in force within Year The New witl renewed surge of struggles as 1.5 million local authority picket lines. health workers. 200.000 posta Organisec workers thousands drivers, engineers and tanker drivers and lorry drivers collar staff line up behind their claims in While these workers will violence strength from the power draw And in the ano strike bein nal ists tenacity of the bakers' struggle some of against low pay, they must draw workers lesson these UneC led strikes were normally" by entirely from above by national picket lines! union officials. Knowing the Weakened would be if The failure to develoo inde- pendent strike committees each factory and workplace led balt Cast •weakened resistance to settlements which fall far short of the claim and include stringent official Delidity Causes ane omner concitions.

This lesson must be learned above all in the public sector;

ERITREA

SOLIDARITY MARCH CALLED BY

The Association of Eritrean Students in the UK The Association of Eritrean Workers in the UK Assemble 12.00 at Speakers Corner for a march to the Soviet Embassy Saturday 16 December themselves against • not teaders. wne make no secret oi their support for wage controls those who rattle. out fine sounding speeches at ranges ano oress conterences Pulled back even bakers Sari Maddox whose rhetoric left "lefts' standing, and who

HUSL

nan seemed eetermineo to tiani the strike to the finish, pulled back from open criticism of the super. were vising scabbing against his mem bers. The realitv is that the TU( right wing are attempting repeat isolating the strike tiremen's against Phase 3. in the hopes o preserving Phase 4. F. defeat such sabotage, strike leaders must be called on •UT Tae! wores inti practice and appeal to and rank and file mem bership the other

VISIOTT.

involved calling on them come out too in a united fight 5% limit, against the defiance of the 12 month rule.

And, since the council workers' and health service pay caim means a oirect contron limit, role "left" MPs Labours so-called must come to the fore. Last week in deliberate themselves off the effort to get Maddox the

NOOK

b% pay policy, d handful lefts consciously talked out a Tory motion which where union members are going organised condemner tne use or covern ment sanctions against Fords seriou "left' The fact is that neither NUPE leader Alan Fisher has nor 'eft' MPe union leaders have any alternative perspective given strong nints that or policy to offer the working he intends to implement little token "guerrilla" class They reject the vital demand orotest pay claims to for catching up wi constaine to wir the claim but much to demor- •e protected dedins through cost-of-living clauses They instead the ence certain sacrificese general need workers Cross pickets the state to pay out subsidies, in Another reason why elected order to preserve the profits of strike committees are essentia private employers. combat the tacit agree- the Open the books I oL which nas made it standaro practice to cross other union's They reject the for call supposedly bankrupt scabbing ov employers to be torced to oper and white to workers' com. their books characterised the mittees prove the case for whole of the bakers' strike-and nationalisation without compen- led to mass arrests and police Ration against pickets. Instead for they provincial jour- import controls Nationa Enterprise Board investment to orint workers organised preserve british industry the And for these reasons they country-are accept, in practice, the right of worl crossing NUJ carlaoman ano healev the labour movement and imple- their Tory policies But it need not be like this.

ment outcry there witnout interterence tried such This is why Labour 'lefts' they refuse to fight for their removal tactics in the Ford strike. unior officials came together to give a TrOM OTTICe model display of total blacking And it is why in the struggles action-halting almost the whole to come workers must break of the firm's European opera- Trom these leaders ano ollo a tio Strikers must demand such revolutionary that party the prepared to fight fo become uni Independent interests • OT rule, not a near-unique excep working class; for the oyerthrow of capitalism and for a planned In doing so, they will find socialist economy.