Socialist Press no. 152

LABOUR LEADERS

CRAWL TO TORIES

Only three weeks after election of Thatcher's the Tory savage government, a panic- there has been stricken rush of trade union seeking talks and leaders agreements with it. As even the pretence of price was swept with control away. Com- the abolition of the Price mission and a barrace or brice class shit: as 2 worcing 22,000 civil family; were axed and a service

HOOS

freeze imposed on local dutnor ity jobs; and as millionaire asset- Heseltine limbers up for destruction of counci the total • TUC leaders nave been their claim for meekly staking Talks witn une lones "Best deal' queue Head une Gormley. Joe miners President who proclaimed tnat. government. choice going to talk to Ministers to get the best deal I can" But he was quickly followed got to live with by Alan "we've this government" Fisher-whose willingness to collaborate with Thatcher hindered by resolution

NOPC

comerelice mandatina him to oppose TUC talks with the Tories. ASTMS leader and former however, JenKins succeeded in ramming through a conference resolution calling fo a continuation of TUC/govern ment talks begun ander Labour Meanwhile Genera Len Murray Secretary 600 audience of lecturing an police cadets at hendon, war ing the Tories against rushing into hasty changes in the law on une unions Ignorance willingness Showina his tame struggles, his concern for the plight of the police, and his profound ignorance of the daily harassment already meted

OUT

pickets under existing laws, Murray announced unal. "By and large, local police and pickets are able to agree!!!

satisfactory mutually ments within the framework o keeping the peace. 'And I think this is the best proceed-not by way and giving you changing the law [the police] jobs are Which impracticable to carry out" TGWU bureaucrats did their towards collaboration marathon finally crushing ine at Garners recoon ton

SUTIKE

Steak Houses. And Electricians' leader outlined Chapple Frank proposals for a pact with the Tories that would outlaw strikes end of each agree- prior to the ment and all political strikes.

Social contract These moves to collaborate with Thatcher echo not only the contract" "social reactonary under Labour, but the 3½ years

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 152 * 30 May 1979 * 15p of TUC collaboration with the hated Heath government. while Time ачав workers camouree Tor action union bureaucrats traipsed Downing Street obediently to Heath, and TOr TalKs WItn returned to sabotage strikes and head off action against the anti- union laws. Now in 19/9 the new lurcr international crisis symptomised most capitalism, crisis, snarpiy by a une Tue drawing the reformist - unIon leaders into even more profound and open collaboration with the employers and the Tory govern- ment. Brazen Callaghan But it has been who has most brazenly summed up the prostration of the labou front of the bureaucracy rory ottensive Lashing out •Labour's National Executive meeting last week, Callaghan brushed aside all the ett talk inal nas been bandied about by Labourites in the wake of the Election defeat.

the Party vertner ne ПО! would support a trade unior took strike action for the against political reasons he electec government,

STOP STRUGGLING, BROTHER-WHAT HARM CAN

workers seeking ways of censur- He would condone no action their right which tried to thwart the imple- ing and removing govern- wing of the Tory and lett -talking leaders, mentalion and of pressuring their poten- ment's policies, ne went on Instead Labour should use unions into Tialiv powerTul action detend

ODS.

union rights and living standards weaknesses against attack. policies"! that The mass movement Arrogant destroyed Callaghan's 5% pay on talk by NEC stirred entire stamona

HMIL

working class and strengthened 'left' Neil Kinnock of renation- compensation its confidence. alising denationalised under Wrath arrogantly natcher wallachan proclaimed that: Those labour_leaders that as I am leader of today under the Tories seek to "As long the Labour Party I will do all !

continue the collaboration with the employers that marked the can to ensure the rarty occupies same middle ground last five years of Labour govern- did when in Opposition as it so under conditions ment do government. where they can very Quickly But of course none of the face the wrath of their member- present at the 'left' talkers shipar from it being possible meeting took up this renewed challenge to them to launch a "unite against the simply removal of struggle for Tories", the last 3 weeks show: and it was his reac- that it is essential to break with Canadhan tionary statements and drive right wing That were gleefully publicised by the Tory talking collaborators and left from leading positions it any oress But such capitulation to the fight is to take place serious Tory offensive all wings of against Tory attacks by the labour bureaucracy is miles removed from the mood of the Principled lead working class. Such a break requires Two weeks of union confer- ences have seen time and again principled political leadership, Unanswered questions for the IMG Pages 8-9 History of Social Democracy... pp6-7 • p.5 European Parliament. Spain's fascists call for coup The Spanish fascist Fuerza organisation, which four Nueva, weeks ago mobilised a demonstration 250,000 on the streets Madrid, is of now for calling openly on the military coup pattern of July 1936.

A FEW DISCUSSIONS DO YOU?!

of Last weekend gangs the fascist thugs attacked Madrid headquarters of the Communist Party and of the the anarchist trade

CNT.

Fuerza Nueva have close in the sympathisers top echelons the armed virtually which

• HOTCES.

seized control of the streets assassina- tions of army officers and cafe the explosion OT bomb which killed ten in Madrid. This new armed threat to the working class must be resisted by the formation of workers defence squads and a redoubling of the struggle Francoism destroy through the mobilisation of the whole working class. Harlech envoy to puppets As the Tories move hell- towards recog for-leather the reactionary nition of Muzorewa-Smith regime Rhodesia, Lord Harlech has been named the unofficial ambassador to the puppet regime. He will operate a virtually shuttle diplomacy continuous between salisbury and the so called "front line states", seek.

ing sufficient signs of weakness from their pourgeois cover ments for the Tories to proceed with full-scale recognition Muzorewa The Tories have abruptly abandoned the strategy jointly developed between Labourite and Owen collaborator David Carter's token "black" reaction- ary Andrew Young. of line under

SWITCH

Thatcher has forced Carter's US administration to reconsider its the dropping of sanctions to open up supplies of cheap chrome TaVI materie from desia. British labour move- ment must act now to sabotage Callaghan the Tories' plans to strengthen can Muzorewa's puppet regime as a and programme that buttress against the independent independent detend Ine interests of the working class struggies or the black masses: and mobilise the kind of mass demonstration has been action that is necessary to drive called in London on June 30, assembling at Spitalfield Market this vicious natcher covern at 2.30 p.m. ment from office.

FRENCH WORKERS OFFERED

NO LEAD BY SP OR STALINISTS

Moroccan tyrant faces mounting pressure Page 2

-INTERNATIONAL-

do not differ. The French Communist production sections of all "all position Party's 23rd Congress took Industry ano occupation or official places where cec sions an one or nose wro does nor place between 9-13 May are taken". recoonice myset in marxism' against background of If the workers were looking "without a free market free- struggles by the intense TOt some Heade said Socialist Party their hopes must working class to defend com Is not rooteo anymore in the economic order and is there- have been shattered. jobs, working conditions fore threatened." and democratic rights and Do no differ Mitterand Another also made their one month after the supporter Most of the Congress's time 'We do not politics very clear. Socialist Congress the OT was taken by polemics between •stand tor nationalisation .

Party. Obviously the working class The

TWO

man sections. namely After the massive March on the Mitterand section-claiming looked eagerly see what the that his Paris' months the congress would nave back to Leon Blum and Jaures- offer. demonstrations where there is a But predictably, it offered anetne nocare section "threat of violence". that his faction's line of policies to the no alternative socialism went back to Jaures.

The the steel workine class. Ino ustrV

STIT

very Intense I fe rest vva. Inere were no arguments on against closures and redundan- spent the political line of the party! in attacking tne roie CP in the "Alliance of the This was ensured by cies. bureau- Left". Occupations Cratic manoeuvres the seret tion of delegates and the total ThA working class and on socialist exclusion militant workers Steel plants are occupied by Rocard policies Mitterand and from the Congress workers, managers Taken nostate taking place are anoi with

CRS

riot continue Donce. On cemonstraton steel workers attacked Longwy, a police station where some of had been colleacuts 100200 detained. ano trie to destroy Il

NULLCENCEMENLDOE

with the help of a lorry driven against the walls: this level raced Will the trade militancy, unsons are offering no perspective whatso strikes ever marches. One the such was •roaniseo Dunkerque, supported ane not by the Stalinist-led CGT. French steelworkers march 2,500 Only workers took part and the workers lack confidence their leadership was made very clear. to WaS have come 400 Kilometres this twaddle. Longwy we have been fighting Tor Tour monus due our actiona are better united structured", declared one worker at a meeting after the march. general strike the step ing of Workers also called for U.S. gays Royal despots have clash with always looked forward with confident anticipation to from lavish hospitality police Hassan Il of Morocco. The latest to sample these has extravagant San Francisco contains been Khalid, feudal one of the world's largest monarch of Saudi Arabia. and most politically active The two kings met to find gay communities. ways of buttressing their reac against the The militancy of those gays gathering tides of revolution by was sharply expressed in a major the trial , after Ine arao masses walen inreder riot last Tuesday. overwhelm established former the Middle imperialist order White. In November, White, a cam- Past Hassan chose the occasion to bigot; palenine reactional y 'moderate' statement on the spiritual duties of rulers and Bad miniagainst rites against te proper uses or religion "I think we have no right to faith of peoples to Desoite Crear evidence mat the crime was premeditated, the Her ures returned jury His talk of a "vast subver- at work within sive conspiracy cemension or Saudi duced marched in protest the next day Ine samic sects was promoled The political and econ of course, by the Iranian revolu IrON tion and played there omic history ane concitions of gneto in castro ou these tyrannies are significantly From the reports available at Iran's for all the present, it is far from points of similarity. Real concern Hassan has good reason to be or what its political basis was.

revival of a certain City Hall they Neithe alarmed at Massar nor Krand however, will fina much dific.

confronted riot police and tear Tuncamentalist Istan In sludenl aro es-not for the development saristacton. gas.

UITY

because When unexoloned relationship witn me Aydloid! impact the was lobbed back at the canister Their broke ranks real concern mace by events in lan Donce oney Within Morocco, the that ot opposition rioting began in earnest.

TOTCOS

massive social weight that works A police car was set ablaze- have been spurred overthrow of the Shah, and with be wrecked or or ne la does tolveser the first ot 30 to that a dynamic political force.

the ourn out-ano me moc Hassan claims to be religious ate police baton charges started.

proletariat may people, and the the demonstrators in Iran through the still-unfold- City ing revolution slamic clerics nave not canied way the political status which the of the Iranian Hall, over 80 were injured by battern! ayatollahs acquired through the revolution will repro- the police attacks. not be The Congress reaffirmed its main political govern- on the politics-against en ardemen the France's right to defence" and "national cautious move back towares une

USSR

with the attendance the Congress of the head of the mussian trace union movement Marchais also defended the economic balance of the Com- munist countries. nis was tut only contentious remark of the Congress. No alternative Marchais also emphasised the need for grass roots unity with- out jeopardising unity al the top -a reference the alliance. Emphasis was also conspicu- ously placed on the need for unity within the CP, and also on the need tor more democracy Workers struggle have a very difficult task if they were looking for a lead in the CP. Its politics stay exactly the same. No call of the working class to fight toi and TAPir lOOS on the agenda. After the bankrupt both CP and SF congresses of The workino cass contronted Dv economic threats to their living standards, has no alternative but oute which is prepared to tight ToI the independence of the work- ing class against both the bour geoisie ano bureaucracy. Shah's process of secularisation.

At the the same time, moroccan oroletariat is tar tort strongly organised than Iranian workers who had exper- brutally lenced thorough repression White Revolution' Mass strikes Already this year mas. strikes have broken out in every industry, college students have taken their place alongside workers that almost reached movement generd strike proportions the The charactel students' participation-as allies the working solidarity with class, rather than Isolated Hassan with Carter vanguard-has marked new stage in the class struggle within economic crisis, driven The on more sharov ov ine contin- uing war in the Sahara, has also placed new burdens on the peas- tionate credit and requisitions of food below market prices for lne troops the everv

TUTA

militancy of Moroccan workers the barrier of the confronts exst about legoerony Here, too major develop- taken TE VUl LS LIlE parties, and a split in the trade unions leading to the formation of a new national union conted eration. SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday May 30, 1979.

CP leader Marchais of populist, reformist and Stalinist misleaders have nowhere been their mort shametu patriotism. ano deter mination to prosecute the war of occupation in the Sahara.

amitancy and recent displays of strength the Moroccan proletariat lack: leadership revolutionary and nas not yet shown a mixed determination overthrow Hassan's tyranny In many ways, therefore, the war in the sanara bresents the Moroccan king with more immediate threat. i nest odys ey t Mans trouper vision is mixed on the fate of Iran. But he does not have far to look at Portugal the example of disastrous colonial wars which led to the overthrow deeply the each de than or the the past, sections of the anne• torce. various coups. Hassan's well. grounded fears placed officers OOSTrUC Polisario. The whole army has become demoralised the experience losing a war the discontent among rank and file junior officers grows daily Polisario long sustains its successful offensive the threal ot a new and more serious military coup grows to alarming proportions. guest of unwelcome his tellow . the Snah wa: despot greeted with hostile demonstra wherever he travelled in forced to lake nis ticket to tre banditias Han a tee rebute tion for and prudence, oreparations follow his royal brother into an exile of luxury have been well drawing closer at an ever swifter panc

CRISIS ROCKS SPAIN'S

Living hell on Bolivian SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday May 30, 1979.

NTERNATIONAL-

REFORMISTS

The right-wing Gener- demagogically spoke. al Secretary of the T'hev have seen a rranco- dictatorship change its Spanish Socialist Party ISl Jorm Dul not lis• personnei Felipe

(PSOE),

its anti-working class Gonzalez, was forced to policies. week's And it has been allowed resign at last this operate party congress. It was widely rumoured that, after he had made his and unexpected o amalic resignation speech, the first desperate plea for Gonzalez his mind came wildle from the Francoist Premier Suarez Whether or not such messare was sene une resuls of the PSOE Congress will but alarm produce nothing in Spain's capitalist class.

Open fight They now see the pros- of increasingly Decas fight between the open socialist aspirations of large sections of the PSOE rank and file and the right-wing of control tnt leaders ior temporarily headless party.

The for Uklasivil Gonzalez's resignation was his humilating deleat in a which, his vote ae allsl OLter ••positIon reaffirmed the PSOE's paper commitment "Marxism" But the dispute in the the party months S.X before the emer zenev conference . ect anew general secretary bound 1S to only around rage lIU U questions of words but aisc of policies and leadership.

Disappointed two years of the PSOE's now legal operation have deeply disappointed millions of Spanish workers who have voted for a class party in the hope of open- ing the wav tor the socialist policies of which Gonzalez tin mountain Last week's powerful and putrid government, brings 'treat" The meat moving documentary, special underground Tin Mountain, was the first reserved TOr workers-at 25% off. of Jonathan Dimbleby's of the meat finds its trilogy on Latin America to onto fourishing black vay be screened by ITV. market to raise monev tor the bare essentials or to pay off the The 30 minute tilm was a massive debts which almost crushing into the everv TamIV nas ine exportation ana poverty borne Company store. •v co van tin miners The mines are unventilated. It is expertly and no doubt dangerously filmed at the site of 25% ot the miners sutter ar stage avancer

CHICOSIS

me v•eest rin mine in une word caused the by at Siglo Veinte-which ironically n a stone

(GUST

"20th Century translates as Tuberculosis an almost feudal slave

IL IS

This is combined with tuber- camp isolated trom the rest ot situated on a tin rich which endemic and rock 15.000 teet high in the uitredled. lo aroouce anliness Anoes which is quickly tatal Workers die at the rate of 38 The miners work 12 hours a seven week, 52 a month day. from the labour force 6,000 weeks a year tor fl a day Ine aver ace expectancy even inis meagre sum is nol ot a miner is 3/ their own. years. They are forced to queue for Medical treatment is poor hours to spend it on a staple dn xce diet of potato and maize at the Most miners have to lay and Company store. die in the cold damp Company Occasionally the Company Houses WiCH Inev fve. nationalised and Company one- which housto "Bolivian by the ConToHed room stone constructions witn the of by collaboration like TeOrmISI Header. Gonzalez, his along with Stalinist counterpart, Com- Party munist leader Santiago Carrillo. Disillusion with the leadership appeared at the Gonzalez corrugated iron roofs. In some cases thev house 2 tamilies ine rent tor these hovels is deducted from wages and when a working man dies his family is evtea into me street destitute to make way for a family with a 'fit' worker. Disentry Hunning water and sanita.

is LIOn 'houses'. is the fle avaloTy street. Disentry is rite Unemployment o'mrunate" e bigh. high. Those not to work for the Company are forced to scratch a starvation existence oUL duane oned workings and from slag heaps.

Others, more "fortunate" gather the last grains of tin left tne succe olts atter une processing. They work waist deep Studge tor long hours for a tew •olnes a week Even for this job there is a two year waiting list ready to lake inen joos wnen they can no longer stand the pace.

The opium workers chew very start of the congress PSOE's wien pallia Gregario mentary leadel Peces Barba, was rejected by the congress first as Chair- man and then as Deputy- chairman, even though he backed by the whole" wds leadership Later, Gonzalez was only able to win the vote on his political report by making a demagogic self-criticism of une tove s support 1o1 tnt wage-cutting strike-breking Moncloa Pact in 1977. 32% of the delegates to opposition in the PSOE con- the

PSOE

voted gress was certainly less than Cong-ess the main political in the party as a whole aralns! report. Nonetheless it was a dis- agreeable the surprise One third leadership who have spent the last year organising And in the "Marxism" Gonzalez was massive purges of socialists the PSOE, especially reduced to a minority of trom in Euskadi and Andalucia.

only 31%. These indicate The left forces votes at the rough division of the dele- congress remain, however, gates into three groups: one without bold revolu- tionary leadership third right wingers open Gonzålez' behind the After resig- lined WIl0 main leadership on all ques- nation none of them were third who anothe ready to present themselves

LOTS

wish to commit the PSOE as an alternative leadership.

"Marxism" and formally to Exploited "socialism" but who accepted the collaboration- This failure was swiftly ist policies of the leadership; exploited by the bureau- final oppose both the policies of and third who cracy who managed to get for S-man agreement the leadership as well as its committee of right wingers

NOIC

SV DONC

and the fakest of fake lefts point the party to the right.

elected run the party to group includes until the special congress.

"Trotskyists and the The militancy of the Spanish equivalents of rank and file and the weak- Tribune of the sections ness the bureaucracy, Group, as well as many events of the independent militants.

PSOE

congress have revealed, is a major new Demands of masses threat to the treacherous But there is no doubt policy of consensus in post- that they reflect the Franco Spain. demands of the mass of the And it has exploded at working class for policies to the same time as the and beat capitalist threats of right-wing Francoist offensives takeover military as ETA The extent of the left steps its successiul leaves to numb their bodies acanst the ettects ot the work and to take away the hunger pains. Despite these appalling con dignity OlTONS amazına maintained by Indian workers and their families.

•Ull vidil miners nave d long and proud history as class Former dictator Banzer But with 60 military coups The last 50 vears. thev face conditions the Inne incredibly difficult conditions.

Bolivian miners getting Last time they on steadily Other cheaper wooll wilst strike town was seriee oTT sources ot tin, togetner with ine by the military and the strikers use of plastic has hit the tin were gunned down. market and reduced the price Dimblebv's incluced cacto!

CT NI

moving interviews with women Bolivian military dictatorship is who described the brutality of to increase the rate of exploita L1 it fusillary tildl zion even more But the miners there tor nothing left to give. But as a documentary, For the heroic tin miners of course, the film offered no way forward for these oppressed solva mne onv wav torwaro Is struggle agaipst imperialist people and capitalist slavery Siglo colitica actIvity This leadership Veinte evident from was rec uire: a programme Graffitti WITh whichar Ine walls-mostl conditions to end the work of the Bolivian Corn- Bolivia munist Party and the 'Trotsky- Capitals!l ailu throughout Latin America.

Ist run. Page 3 Stalinist chief Carrillo terrorist campaign against officers the and dl ill fascists organise with grow.

Ing aggrssvless Destroy Only the mobilisation of the around working Class policies socialist can destroy these threats from the extreme right. The crisis which has opened in the PSOE offers a new opportunity to Spanish revoluouanes m ne ckl build to a revolutionary leadership. - Fight French ban on Mandel! The reactionary Giscard-Barre goverl ment last week expelled Ernest Mandel, leading member of the 'United Secretariat of the Fourth International, from France. He was detained on arrival at Charles de Gaulle airport. applying They wert ban originally imposed on Mandel by De Gaulle and Pompidou. We condemn this flagrant violation democratic rights and call on labour movement organisations in and trancı eselanere denounce and fight against the growing use by capitalist of reactionary valliello bans of this kind Mandel

Page 4

ICTU FAILS

TO FORCE IN

NO-STRIKE

PAY DEAL

•Agreement "with knobs on".

Right wing leaders of the Congress of Trade Irish ICTU had been given any man- Unions last week date to draw up such a deal, and were heavily defeated in their bid challenged

ICTU

their force through reveal whethe to secret talks with the employers Under- proposed National to the prior standing' with Jack Lynch's conterence capitalist government. free collective bargaining.

By 3l8 votes to 119-nearly 3-1-the Congress threw out the Praise negotiators Understanding, which offered a package comprising a 15% pay rise over 15 months PAS at pains to praise the negotiators and to avoid ruling out the poss- system, and talk of government reaching ibility measures to ease unemployment win LICH for a stringent no. making strike agreement Carroll, But began run speech Goals! trouble as Irish Transport careful to state that while and General Workers Union-the terms were biggest union in the Republic- emergence of the Understanding rejection, mandating voted was its 65 delegates at the ICTU to event" toric oppose the deal. the oetween State. What was conspicuous about the ICTU debate ast week wa. strike clause and the minimum delegates absence prepared to oppose the deal on pay increases of Phase One and tz under rnase principle. Rather issue the stake ITGWU's stated appeared to be the exact price Tne alleviating the conditions of the which Ine lowest paid. the trade unions should be sold Lynch's pro-imperialist government-which has become pursue its own policies on pay.

by-word for massive oroTits among the world's, bankers and IS no Industrialsts One delegate who seemed to from pattern break

NUJ

speaker to retrieve the situation araument Was Many pay Brian Trench, who described the already Understanding little more National Wage inan

PRESS

GANG

Don't worry about price •unerwise. the popular press: all just a public rises-it's relations failure. for andreil Telegraph gave The light some prominence to a meeting Angus between count week probiem. respon Maude, lory minister sible for information" and Tory Central Office officials, in which Maude's the proolems failure to Coin Ine Diame has. rises on the Labour 1alt the abolition government It was one of those reports mission announcement where one is quoted ano but not revealed,

SOUTCES

di t detailed which gas, oresents electricity what went account like 'it in phrases oresseu appears that ..' and there is policy question" disquiet government circles way Tnal.. cloudy Telegraph The corresoon- dent says: view is that this failure public to (believe) entit eo the price increases just Were possible the work Mrs much ot as the government * natoner s ment". axing is also casted. also accepted that it information will extrmely task to convince Tune (second from left) Lynch Minister with questioned whether the ICTU bureau- Colley and launching the Under- CruS leaders standing. there had been March 9 delegate to press forward more than ever Trench called tor a return to savage Meanwhile, despite against 15 week the marathon way Other speakers however were strike by Irish workers continues to halt mail communications and Teleonone agreement -a further clea Testimony the mood of the irish workers to fight in ITGWU Vice-president John readiness defence of their living standards.

the keynote deal was the unacceptable "a verv sianificant and his- the relations and the unions He haggled most over the no- under only which do nothing towards policy of The Leicester April The ITGWU, he said, would 21 Defence Committee immediate evi- begun major has dence of what these policies are campaign in the labour for that matter, wnat ine movement for support arrested for those are revewa National the overdue from opposing this year-and workers are likely Front's St George's Day march. etc.,) after the Tory through price rises especially noliticians nave daved une va for their release with a politica nothing new "explanation" the press It is not only the Tories who "corect" have their problems. The Soviet and Tory officiais will expelted two West find a way around the UnIon German TV men and lampoon US the correspondent and Report for Problems being drunk while working Maude certainly picture Robert Knight beir an oracial reporter-English-born "Party officials told him that of the Price Com- drinking Vodka at the by recephe Telegraph The rance salone nar including those and the picture drugged occl and petrol had had been a set up job. provoked an adverse public reac- called Conservative Since the Soviet bureaucracy into quite capable drinks and since Western corres- this will be done capable of was also made clear in that kind pondents art "drunken brawling, and a hatred Ene yvay Russia" would towards to plump for truth on Ministers felt that

TOO ST

themselves should spell out the either side Maybe Maude might like political case for a policy, when the dispute take note advance the vodka for couple of crates of factual Departmental announce- pliable pressmen should iron out misunderstandings Ormationut it more plainle ally liable to arise over prices, jobs, only will released by the department lon ete. UTOM/'H' Block committee has The Oxford labour move- made the first ment conference on Ireland campaign in week) (reported last ment bring taking steps sent to Northern Ireland proposals for a bulletin on In last week's Ireland back into the local omitted the and Labour unions Oxford That Tine Party. Block helping to hoc meeting of an ad and committee comprising Trace conterent unionists, Labour Party activists Three out or tse tour resortion.

carried by the conference.

and focal Campaign defends anti-fascist victims opened with an This the intervention into Leicester May Day celebra- tion. Since then meetings have been held with local people and on May facing charges, 14 when all those charged appeared before magistrates only one of the remaining 73. pleaded guilty. was a £660 for threatening fine behaviour and carrying offensive weapon on. a day the Tatt with assaults was 'non-political no more than £150. Vengeance This clearly demonstrat- ed the determination of the colleges and wreak exemplary state gone out to local unions.

vengeance on all thost pre- pared to take to the streets labour on basic class questions.

the It also indicated stand of the Defence Com- oppose that mittee wad police harrassment. political involved was This campaign Victimlisa Lion designed to intimidate anti- platform which could only alists spelling be fought by winning labour importance and support movement workers' fighting concerted and against all unified defence the charges. threat of Against and even massive Tines prison sentences, the Defenc Meanwhile Committee has evidence asserted the need for a clear emerge on of the role of explanation police violence the police and the thugs of fascists in the April 21-in the

SPG

on which particular their indiscrimin- Blair ate use of violence against by the SPG demonstrators. Socialist Witnesses sought being Witnesses are defence sought by police and evidence is individuals compiled to expose being last week totally random way in the leader Vishnu were which anti-lascists rounded up and picked off mated Monday by selected officers. defence To finance the and the campaign SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday May 30, 1979.

Work starts on bulletin. proposals for a The adour move

LONDON UTOM

delegation to Demonstration Saturday 16 June report constructive role Assemble Speakers

UTOM/'H'

Corner, 2.00 p.m. Committee played bour organise the proposing years old released without cases in June, collections are the streets charges being raised in factories and onto stations miles appeals have from police from home at 2-3 o'clock in The aim is to win broad the morning. essential that the support It movement full-scale for a serious defence of the rights of those arrested to labour movement enquiry police this brutal fascism free Inle assault on Southall's Asian community is taken up with winning means support for the policy of no and Labour trade unions and Parties everywhere. for fascists out the critical Defence Leicester of the demand self defence Fund has been set up now, before the major Tory and fines to cover attacks on the unions begin.

costs of those arrested 21 April Send Evidence donations to: Aprik 21 Fund, Co-op further Defence to continues St., Hotel Bank, the scale 01 Leicester. against anti Southall riot,

ANL

supporter Peach was murdered

THE WAY FORWARD

Worker this

FOR YOUTH

week reports the case of one A 16-page pamphlet detail- Asian youth who has had to have his testicles removed policies of the ing the following a vicious assault Youth League. Socialist Price 20p plus 10p postage And speaking in Oxford from SYL, 31, Dartmouth Southall Sharma esti- Park Hill, London NW5 total arrests 1HR. 700 23 April at 800-with large numbers of Asian youth as young as 11

Why EEC fat cats are begging you to The Common Market has been in existence tor over 20 years. Britain has been a member for over four years.

During all this time the EEC has ween a arous highly paid (on tax free salaries) appointed bureaucrats Brussels. All major political decisions nave meanwhile been taken ov the Council of Minsters. individual vanilaist covernments making un the EFC The European Parliament has always been enviseaged as a completely irrelevant side show divert the absolute policy making wowe oi Enese two powertul bodies.

Its main purpose is to allow politicians from the local vanild- Heis let out steam in curope posture "reformers" and EEC institutions. Not influenced It also enables the Commis- sIon of bureaucrats in brussel. to nave arrect contact with local MPs they easily influenced nouse or brussels tar away from financed bv EEC tunds 'normal" from any pressures Describing a jet-set trip to Constituents Luxemburg by would-be Laboul Inis remains unchanged article curocareerists ThAl with the direct lyrical waxed about elections. "taxing" such tax-free jaunts •i ne powers ot the curooean Parliament are strictly limited.

day will 'One spend

EEC

can reject hours at an official lunch [!] budget-but they cannot amend but the next you may be unable i or aco To It

TING

Time even to grab a They also remove the sandwich. entire Commission-but not any "And meetings lasting late into the eveninc mar They ask

GUESTIOTS

protracted discus- by about the running of the EEC- sions in the hotel bar until the but cannot start any legisiation!

dawn breaks informal contacts Insight often prove however, to be the These powers will remain the no doubt, ing and it was these that the same with the direct elections.

candidates in Luxem- burg found most useful lil: An insight into the realitv of "work" of the European The question we have to ask The Parliament was offered recently Is why the individual capitalist in a Labour Weekly supplement governments and the Commis-

FIGHTING FOR

NURSERIES

SERTUC

OXFORD TRADES

CONFERENCE

"Care of the Under

COUNCIL

Fives"

CONFERENCE

Saturday 30 June 1979 Congress House, Great The TUC Under-fives Russell St, London WCI Charter • Credentials (50p) from Saturday July 8 Jim Watson, 106 Mount OCCR Hall View Road, London N4 Princes Street Speakers: Arthur Latham, Chair- man, London Labour Speakers from Oxford Party City Nursery Campaign Reg Race, NUPE and the NUT among Margaret Cohen, others National Campaign for Nursery Education Chair: Tess Gill, NCCL vote on June 7 sion are willing spend

TE TOTTE

bounds promoting direct elections and entire tal weak body. £200 million Practically the whole of the budget of the Information Dep- artment of the Common Market Is being spent on promoton or along with alloca erection. tions from other

EEC

sources The €200 total cost will exceed The EEC is giving money every political party that stands This will include the Communist Party and the Labour Party.

Money also been even given to the Official Sinn' Fein.

These organisations share these grubby handouts with urganisations such as une tascisi MSI in Italy.

LEICESTER TRADES

COUNCIL

CONFERENCE

Saturday June 16 2.00 p.m. Highfields Community Centre "Women's Right to Work and the need for Day Care" Speaker from Oxford City Nursery Campaign More details from 74, Highcross Street

LABOUR

Thatcher and Schmidt-wondering how to get out the vote on June 7?

It is not just at the level oi this massive indifference.

Common Market that this course not been shown to • benevolence has indifference the Labour Party Market, but hostility to partici- In Britain itself every call by pation in it or support for it Labour politicians to vote in the It the poll was about leavin elections Has beer InE interesi wold giver shoot up and the politicians of maximum tantare. in the television and oublicity every stripe would face an uphill Dallie to orevent a vote to oul The big problem-admitted out. by tAle immense apathy shown towards the elec Recession tions, : just in Britain but in every Common Market countrv But why are the capitalist!

the reading so keen on getting everyone to seems ducounts

TO DE

vote? competition going on amona th The reason lies in the place Europe to working class of Europt the present achieve lowest turnout in developing economic these elections. World recession. "is going to be necessary to make even harsher the attack on Every British politician both the working class of each of the Labour and Tory are European countries working themselves into The employers hope that the • a trency ove PTA used in crackdown Peter Grimes, former name anybody, just so they London organiser of the would give me a period of peace" Irish Republican Socialist Party, was Third time released from Padding- was the third time ton Green police station Grimes had been picked up last week after being and grilled about the Neave held for two days under bombing as part of a police the Prevention of dragged in Terrorism Act. several ulds republicans for questioning Police him released Grimes, aged 31, was in before a hearing on an appli- the army for four years and for habeas cation Culous. been out of the IRSP after a doctor reported his for three months. mental condition was deter- police are iorating. engaged in an all-out now Grimes told the campaign of harassment Observer: the under guise of their frightened I investigations. The PTA is was prepared to write any- their basic tool. thing, confess to anything,

PARTY

Parliament will provide a body that will aid them in carrying out inese attacks It will certainly be a "repres- entative" body that will not bi "nuenced by any reaction trom the working class Once elected MPs are there for five years. They cannot be removed. They are cocooned from the working class by the vastness of their consultencies ano year salary plus expenses above all, • there Is a built-in Torv maioritv in Britair the Common Market because rigging the Eurc Constituency boundaries "Representative" The more votes cast in this election more the Tories collaborators, be able claim the will European Darnamen teresents evervone It does not matter • who you for this tittier • Unes will winner! remain unchanged as WIl! anti-working alliance curopean capitalist: explaining Univ 1aST WeAK away a runaway increase in th EEC's scandalous "butter moun ano detending ThE ludicrous Common Agricultural Policy, a top EEC Commissioner matter how much "reform may talk of fixture wasteru within the EEC that cannot be Charade Nor can any other basic EEC institution. parnament f a charade designed to con the European working class This is wh we have consis argued for a boycott of TeNTIV the June elections throughout Europe, and a struggle in each Count To overintow 01 capitalism and withdrawal from this capitalist bloc struggle,

SUCH

opposed to any illusory • hopes internal the retorms for internationalism Socialist United States Europe PHOTO: Chris Dares Don PTA architect Roy Jenkins

NEXT WEEK

Press feature Nocialis will report of last week's conference and a reply letter received trom a militan supporter.

Social democracy : there never was -any 'golden age' By Johnny Byrne "To say 'not replace the apparatus but reform it' means to be a reformist, means to become not a revolutionary but a reformist democrat.

Reform- ism means nothing more than concessions on the part of the ruling class, but not its overthrow; it makes but power remains ,concessions, in its hands. (Lenin: Can the Bolsheviks retain State Power?)

The Party Labour to: Britain represents the arche- "the old Socialist Parties typal model of social demo- become the which nave cracy in practice. main hindrance the It is the living example of revolutionary movement of the working class." reformist applodell politics, a walking condem- It was necessary, he said, view "Ilal Inese parties snould.

capitalism "demonstrate to the full can be tinkered their extreme backwardness; will untu ll yelas (in the words of the Party's consti- that they should discredit tution) 'the their utterly inadequate and Common ownership of the means of narrow methods: and bring production, distribution and the shame and horror exchange" national discord the The Labour Party is affil- Droietariat. in order that the iated to the 'Second Inter- class might free working national' the itself, through these terrible cranalose name for disillusionments a whole rag-bag of from the demo- prejudices and slavish habits social cratic parties. of the period of preparation The Second International and become last that however, nothing which the voice of history is than a pathetic charade, an calling it be-the to nOW occasional for revolutionary class fighting excust bureaucrats from different for power". The War and together the International. hails swap stories about how they Britain. are propping up capitalism Party gained enormously in their respective countmes from its for the The party's officially Imperialist war wai adopted platform was The ruling class saw. that "Labour and the New Social Formed 1889 2|-АПРАІ СИТАТІ an anaemic docu- order' mediary to fool the workers Second International failed ment which set the tone for into believing that "national piecemeal advance lo survive the impact ol the and interest" was greater than First Imperialist War capitulation to capitalism in class interest 1914 when the most power- all its forms. The role that the bureau- The section (the formation Germar cracy was already playing in Social Democratic Party) Labour Party as a break the la bour voted in the Reichstag for lovellel W do from the confines of the widened and deepened by openly capitalist Tory and war credits its own

TOT

the government, who knew imperialist ruling class.

Liberal parties had repres only too well that military ented a political gain for th At the crucial moment success depended entirely when the bourgeoisie working Class on elicient industrial out- every country was forcing Labour Party put. was born deformed with the workers into horrific blood-bath to defend "the cancers of parliamentarism, Opposition interest" imperialist war, the so-called The mintancy of the Many 'socialist parties in Europe working today Class erupted con workers showed their colours have the illusion that the "unofficial" and tell in their struggles, but the rewards of Labour Party was once "own" national capitalists.

fighting genuine socialist historic betrayal The lessons of this finally organisation and reaped by the that it ls historic betrayal are of vital Lavour Party and the trade simpiy a matter of return.

importance the revolu- arme golden age of LU Wille 1918 Labour became ior Lunary movement The key question for us first the ume the biggest Bourgeois remains the breaking of the opposition party. mass of workers from their 1918 was a key year for Nothing could be further reformist leaders. the Labour Party. A new from the truth. The Labour was adopted Party is and always was, as Expose record Conson and it was transformed from Lenin "bourgeois workers' party".

a loose federation of affilia- To do this, the record organisations into alwar. las and practice of social demo- centralised party, organised against those who seek must be relentlessly into local of parlia expose une stam exposed as rotskv parties subject to discipline and mentary democracy, in 1915 when he referred has never attempted to do TGWU leader and later Labour minister Bevin after betraying the 1926 General Strike more than smooth some of the roughest edges of capit- alism. As such, Callaghan and Healey are simply the latest running body that has monumental tracto such traitors MacDonald Henderson, Attlee, Gaitskell and Wilson.

The best conditions for exposing social democracy occur when the reformists are in power. Unemployment The first Labour govern- ment was formed 1923 when 191 Labour MPs were returned pack. rapidly ground rising unem biovment The leadership was in the Ramsay nande MacDonald snowden. Thomas, Henderson and the Fabian 5. =- t... these men meetings at Webb's house.

one such meeting Snowden wrote the follow- comment in ing Ilis memoirs: The conversation turned upon what we might be able to do in the first session of Parliament. There would be two courses open to us. "We use the for a demon- opportunity stration and introduce some bold Socialist measures knowing that we would be defeated. "Then we could e with this illu the country illu- stration of what we would if we had a Socialist do majority. "This was a course which been nad urged the extreme wing of the party, but not policy which commended itself to reasonable opinion "I urged very strongly to this meeting that we should not adopt an extreme policy but should confine proposals to measures that we were likely to be able to carry We must show the that we were noi under the domination of wild men.' MacDonald himself repeatedly the socialist heel Minor reforms Labour speaks government for itseli -a ien minor reforms housing and welfare benefits, complete refusal repeal the Emergency Powers Act MacDonald

LABOUR LEADS-10 A BETT

Labour's 1973 conference (which chained the unions war-time restrictions), full for British support (especially India) and vicious repression strikers (notably the London transport workers): Jimmy Thomas, Colonial Secretary, proposed a toast at the 1924 to the Empire Exhibition with the words that Labour intended: "above all else to hand to their successors one thing when they gave up the seals of office, and that was the recognition that general they were proud and jealous of, were and prepared to maintain, the Empire' Indeed the most striking feature of those, the first British social democrats their absolute power, was desperation appear middle diplo- decent class who kept their caps firmly in their hands The Labour leaders vied the Tories as to who WIth could be the most virulently anti-Communist Accordingly after 10 and despite increasing class polarisation.

the first Labour government collapsed-learning nothing from its defeat. The next two years were marked by a huge upsurge working class militancy in the face of rising unem- ployment and wage-cutting 'Red Friday' In 1925 major strikes by textile workers and miners won important gains. 'Red Friday notably victory of the miners which forced the Tories to scrap the wage-cutting proposals and subsidise the mines The Labour Party leaders responded with expressions of "concern" that a govern ment and employers were being compelled to give con- through "force rather than reason"! This prepared the ground for the historic defeat of the British working class in the General Strike of 1920 the Labour leaders wret kept up continual secret talks with the • government attempts grovelling settlements. This collaboration by the reformist bureaucrats was not some monstrous aberra tion. It was simply a natural and inevitable consequence of the implicit support for which is built capilalsil into the social democratic consciousness.

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday May 30, 1979.

Sankey Thomas mmonly portrayed as a key shift to the left socialism" As Jimmy Thomas him- doctrineless self admitted: (MacDonald's words) that it usual hoped would the suppose my critics will sav that "homas blows of capital. The crisis of 1929 was so was almost grovelling, and it is true. sharp that a gut class vote "In Labour all my long returned ience I have begged with 287 seats (the Tories never 260 Liberals I begged the and pleaded like anar pleaded all day today, 59). and and i pleaded. becatise I second bones that government presided believed in my over my duty the country 2½-3 unemployed. million involved it. resolutely its face against those who had put it Paramount Dowel. anu scoocu un cooperation with the Tories Capitalist Britain was of and Liberals (especially the paramount importance, latter). anv case that the The collective impotence three million strikers, spear- lefts Party ot the abour neade by a load or starving Independent Labour miners, might have. (ILP) and the Stalinists of When the working class Communist Party

TOP

moves and flexes its muscles then engaged in the ultra- the reformists are invariably "Third pollcies of the Period'.. contributed One independent single strengthening action by workers threatens MacDonald's position. the whole mandate that the ruling class has granted to In his first speech Prime Minister of the new Socd utmocacv. the capitalist collaborationist crisis govern- AS MacDonald intensitied and employers ment, pressed home their advan- wondered: tage on a demoralised work- 'how far it is possible, Party without abandoning any. or LaDOUT "tentative elaborated our party positions, without Labourites Attlee, Morrison, Bevin and Cripps served in Churchill's reactionary war coalition.

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard. Report Gaitskell Wilson in any way surrendering any Prime Minister in ventuiti item of our party principles, such National Govern- ment". Lo concer oursever

COTC

as a Council of State In the subsequent elec- arrayed regiments tion, less facing each other in battle".

prisingly, smashed- return- ing only 52 MPs opposed to Inus the way was cleared betrayal of the the National Governemnt. for National Government As con- anem pioymenl 1931. tinued to rise and wages to It was gradually dawning loom- on the centre of the Labour election Party that MacDonald and further his circle were losing even the

HOSE

LEO US

conniction with the labour more ment. The crunch came when The ist Snowden introduced £96 World in saw million worth of public spending cuts in the summer of 1931. £66.5 million of this was accounted for by a 20% cut on in unemployment benefit! Even the TUC turned on Again, of th the government, The accordingly resigned. National Government which tions of capital, to ¡lowed was d callion ol four reassert itself. Tories, Liberals and miners' strikes leading Labourites- MacDonald, towards the Snowden, ar and the retur Thomas and Lord Sankey ps 1945 the These tour were expelled from the Labour Party, ground for th though political election. break was with Labour ed w ds •with its biggest policies. This episode is crucially ever major important to an understand- 160 all over ing of just how useful social Anyone had democrats are to the bour- illusions that big geoisle. majority of period es, Prefer Mac Donald however, was awakelle Labou One of the Opposition The leaders, Sir Herbert Samuel, incapable its spots in told the King that: 1945 "in view of the fact that There many are the necessary economies myths about would prove most unpalat- Labour that able to the working classes, it would be to the general they could and interest by Labour imposed government or the best alternative would be of socialism National Government. would preferable Mr. MacDonald should war had the this State intervention further. means rationalising failing, the not ism. with of and commodities. Excluded from the process of nationalisation any form ot workers was control or managemeni of the newly nationalised industries. At the same time, how- ever, the previous owners of these largely bankrupt firms were very handsomely com- Labour the administration. The NHS, which repres- ented a gain for the working class, on the one hand, also became a sitting target for private supply industries on PHOTO: Andrew Wiard. Report Callaghan the other. All that the reformists had achieved for a consent tional which were carned out stifle consciously any after the milion days strikes; from 13 1945 only And the trade stranglehold the Labour Troops smash up on an ly Order army ine was national rights Labourite Bevin the main became of the 1951 san and 30s highest ever taking job of over ine scals cancerous social was wing under Gaitskell, windy serious the

WCIC

honesty drop from the ownership clause Labour could evel By after manipulation had led to of the Wilson's economy was greater encouraging of private The classes showed appreciation of by Page: 1966 election. For Harold Wilson the conclusion was viral. Cred "It proved that Labour could give national leader

COIC

ship, that rejected the of Conservative concept cynical between conflict class and class" Class contlict. however has a hasty way of contin- wing despite the verbal denials of bureaucrats The seamen's strike of 1966 provided a particularly for Wilson, sharp reminder who succeeded in helping

NUS

the bureaucracy regain control by witch- nunting sunke leducts •This, and the attempts to railroad in anti-union laws 1969 of course were In merely a prelude to the massive attacks on workers launched by Wilson, Healey and Callaghan in lne lasl Labour government. These were attacks carried out under condition where working class action.

led by the had smashed the Tories under Heath and returned Labour power ito logical survey of the record democraci SOLd between 1974 and 1979 see Socialist Press 145) The key aspects to stress in the patient exposure of the reformist parties by revolutionaries the are consistency of social demo- cracy's betrayals and the continuity of its support for capitalism. Arguments whether Callaghan is worse than MacDonald, whether Attlee was better than Wilson and so on are pure diversion. Retormism does not follow a downward course from some more principled point in the past. Reformism follow's consistently anti-working class strategy. Traditional leaders Moreover whilst advanced layers of workers have broken with reformism up the struggle and Lakel for a revolutionary perspec- of the work- tive, the mass still bound to ing class its traditional leaders. The degeneration of the Third (Communist) Inter- national, the counter-revolu tionary of Stalinism,

TOIA

the splitting and of the Trotskyist Fourth Inter- national by have all sectarianism contributed to this. Only Trotskyists, fight- ing patiently and consis- on the Transitional tently Programme with the trans- ш20a melnoa can expost the reformists for what they are The Workers Socialist League stands for the recon- of Fourth the International on the basis of a struggle for the principles of Transitional the Programme. 1935 Once Again the (in

ILP):

"An absolutely clear programme first condition. A small axe can tell a large tree only if it is sharp enough"

USFI LEADERS "UNITE' TO

Unanswered questions Page 8 The immense revolution- ary upheavals that toppled the Shah in Iran; that con- tinue rock the racist regimes of Southern Africa and military dictatorships throughout Latin America; that in 1974 brought down Portuguese fascism and today still threaten the stability of Franco's heirs in Spain; and that have found their reflection recent in mass struggles by the work- ing class in nearly every European country, are clear testimony the colossal to strength and tenacity of the working class. But they also indicate-each continuing in its own way-the and historic crisis of leadership that has proven the kev tactor struggles of soontaneous miltanev walk nave are lo attain the level of consciousness carry through the necessary to once ano tor the reoressive machinery mate and establish the distratis- capitalist Programme To such struggles, lead Trotskyist are parties necucu. •ica parties must oe oasec or the programme, the principles and the that method •eve oopoi

OUT

The iences of the Russian Revolu- tion, and continuous struggles against Stalinist degen- eration ot the (Crano the Third (Communist) Internation- as well as against every form ot centrism. This kind of clarity is also vital in the struggle to construct a ledgers capable or moolis.

ing and directing the struggles of the workers deformed and cecenerate workers state.

Eastern Europe, and Asia Cuba towards the political over- enrow or tne barasic oldinist bureaucracies that monopolise political these coun power tries and teed oft the progressive property relations nationalised established there. Contradictory historic was with

TAIS

political task in view that the Trotskvist courtn • international was founded in 1938. But since death Trotsky's comolex and contracictor changes in the balance of class in the post-war period. Fores the - nas toune itset wracked nareside crise each me or problems around altaisine nanoeuvies dru counter-revolutionary politics of Stalinism. This led in 1953 to a major sort in me internationd, which diVided into the tWO main currents that with endin loudy Wine grouped around Michel Pablo Mandel, Ernest which and responded •ost-we changes by throwing overDodio established Trotskyist analysis an e adapting to emerging "progressive" forces; "orthodox wing around Cannon, ambert ano Healy. which responded to the new rigidly tormulations orawn up in the past, and refusing to their own past chantic mistakes Cuban revolution The Cuban revolution, faced which Trotskyists were WITh _Ine necessity path that steered clear of adap- Castro's petty bour- latium geois nationalism. ano Inal correctly analysed the role of in moulding the world Stalinism Cuban evolution tne produced a turther spitt In the with

SWP

Cannon's American from breakina conticarly International committee rejoin came Mandel and Pablo ine inability of the remain "orthodox torces agree on anything beyond the political truisms and nostlitv to radio ism opened the door tor split in its forces, and in 1971 Lambert broke away present dav OCRF!. torm based around the French OC!.

To compound the confusion, ano ine have since 1971 each in their towards the moved OVil opportunist doaotatons politics that are the halimark of the Pabloite USFI. in watch direction. Inen. are militants to look for the contin- Trotskyist uity the Dear Comrades, Our National Committee has discussed the letter dated now Comrade September 29 from

ING

Grogan In e enclosed). In it, he spells out changed attitude of the Lift IMG and the USF towards the long-standing proposals for the WSL to become involved in the pre-conference osCussIon the

USFI

Xith World Congress. We noted in particular Cde Grogan's statement that: 'In first we need clarification your exac Characterisatior ine Fl. It is essential that we star trom a Ine revolunonary charactol our two organisations." (para 4) clearly quite from marke• chane or positior that expressed the Uor "Relations. with resolution rotskvIst oreanisa lions Oroaramme and method? To the "orthodox" statements and of opportunist practice Ine combination of sectarianism and bloodstained nationalis bourgeois welly East, regimes Middle Ine embodied in the "anti-Pabloite' IC? Promise of "unity" of these Of course neither offers the answer numbers would be revolu tionaries. wane relectine Dot or these options wrongly seek the promise of answer for the IMG groups claiming to be Trotskyist which are outside the Fi" which was adopted on April 34 1976.

That resolution stated that

WSL)

{The should be clearly characterised by Trotskyist organi US maintains a slightiy sation different relation towards than the other mentioned-stating oreviously simply that it will not pre-judge advance is a Trotskyist whether the FI orcanisatior nowever. clearly does not charac- terise International "counter-revolutionary des troyers Trotskvism' etc. do the ' we or OCRE should maintain the essential framework of relations grit the wentisneith the this groups mentioned " (p3) Ithe resolt. section tion then goes on to talk o some unspecified "unfortunate James P. Cannon SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday May 30, 1979.

common confusion, evasion and The SWP has dug in and opportunist goreement Getendeo its Dosition or retusine disagree" on crucial questions to call for the withdrawal that divide its main component Vietnamese troops public It is a paper unity that currents. namouchea cannot be extended into the polemic from Mandel. practice of its various sections.

And the SWP is persisting in Bitter divisions • sane deserte vote by the USFi to adopt a of bitter "troops out" position. After five divisions the factiona rar trom otterine a conesive question organising centre for a world guerrilla Wa Latin America, the 1974 events socialist party in Portugal found the American

USFI

offers uneretore int reactionarys contuser denating. chamne laws from affiliating all manner of undisciplined ten- tne USFI) and its supporters in the the dencies-in which even on

LTF

with occasions that volts LaKell. Mandes suoborters the minority Teels tree to dis- conflict that still has not been regard the result! resolved SWP's Common struggle supporters adapted to the Portuguese Socialist Party, while Mandel's • Nor is the discussion within dencies Thel nited front open siener

COIN

doreement: the Stalinists and trailed tencencies between Mandel and pro-SWP after the petty bourgeois Armeo supporters is waging a common More •rorce movement differences emerged over the Iranian revolution in Angola Bolshevik Faction, by war Bec Nahuel Moreno, which "unity" held out by the much 1977 buT moves wert of commands allegiance larger USFI made to dISco Ve these Tactions majority of USFI forces in Latin and produce a "united" leader- every revolution- ship- America is, or arv seeks to de Dart of dudss lengthy document based revolutionary movement.

rerusal GISCUss wast Moreno attacking the But there virtue and equally citterence numbers if they are achieved at opportunist assessment of document Socialist Democracy and current tasks. tne expense Dictatorship of the Proletariat clarity subsecuent events nave effectively suppressed A revolutionary brought the rapid collapse of party must beer even that "unity" by the USFI. prove itself not by its size but And

WSL

* The Poisoned sell. discussion The wars in South hy its anility in practice to otte recent document correct leadership to the work- East Asia brought forth a huge fire of great spectrum assess- submitted to the USFI early in ing class under the opposing 1978 for circulation in the dis- USFI's events recore Inrouenoul cussion prior to the XIth World leades it unable to offer such a various sections-with none of them able arrive Congress has been also suppressed, by a joint decision "unitv" is principled or consistent analysis inceed pro-SWP pro-Mandel artificial creation based ot stalinism The following letter was sent on October 25, 1978 to Brian Grogan of the British IMG and to other leading members of the USFI and of its of The sympathising pressing the circulation case tor the secuons, Poisoned Well. No reply has yet been received to any of the points it makes. sectarian moves" by the WSL, was the purpose of the long- by our sunmission to the dis.

USFI invitation to the cussion. He merely informed us standing heard no which we nave mention since that the projected date toI voL to submit material to. and Our position become involved the Congress was, at that time, lay on tne chardl discussions prior to, the Xith 1978 of the USFI has not terisation changed from that day to this.

World Congress Timetable Nor, the It was tor this reason tha first est all in pose sel cussions, could it have done so.

Drawing the material i the IID Bs, and contained the Clear « comrade • "rooan wrotf to us proposing the following: retard Lo In. we could go rapidly Our latest statement on document Posioned matter, therete Passoned Wil in the WSL forward membersni Well. meeting, with the participation of the United Ast became clear inar ine makes unis aeso wierv credr which could take XIth Congress would be delayed "It is necessary for the world Secretariat well beyond May 1978 we Trotskyist to re- the movement Torware discussion. think the WSL should agree to made discussion of our contri- issues bearing on examine the this proposal as taking bution a part of the discussion the post-war role of atalinish for own • Second Annual order to clarify and correct up the proposals of the USE and it was finally Conference, that have the wrong positons concerning making a contribu tion to the World Congress am enoes tomm been adopted. For this purpose in February 1978 the IC and OCRFI discussion. the USF!, Our That same letter (August 1, intention remains to leadership and sections, for all 1976) concluded: complete ine secono nat ola.

their false positions, cannot be "(ill) The WSL which will be a docu- should make regarded in advance as having ment dealing with the lessons themselves outside the placed a suomission to the oiscussior for the next World Congress world Trotskyist movement.'

ot the recent class struggle ir The IIDB [Discussion Bulletin] Europe. It comes „ascome surorise At no point during this to us therefore to find that- circulated to members. To further debate after two years of exchanges on entire oreparator this, membership meeting the proposals inal we suomil material for the Xith Congress should be held at which halt

TROTSKYISM E

discussion-Cde Grogan's letter the time should devoted to the submission of the WSL the

TODAY

now attempts to persuade and half the discussion WoL that we should start une discussion with the USFI at a The - -with the oasis or this Ine could two Political Resolutions of the point which only last World Congress.. a conclusion ofa reached thorough process of discussion: We would point out that an acknowledgement by us thạt there was no mention either the vori is, beyone question.

Tais emer a revolutionary organisation.

preceding April resolution any preconditons being imposed Discussions to the World Congress. Nor was For our leadership and cadre there in existence at that point- convinced

SUCH

Lune best or our position would first an agenda for that Congress discussions to And when, some six months necessary Cde Grogan later, wrote again, beain. and for these discussions to be connected-as outinea ir arrancine tor us to receive oul The Poisoned Well-to first consignment Price 4op pius iop postage trom the line with our prior agreement,

WSL, 31,

Dartmouth Park Hill, thorough examination London NW5 1HR he made no attempt then to lay oractica work carried our Di the USFI and its sections.

down oreconotons or to ores We had understood that this cribe any topics to be covered

BLOCK DISCUSSION BE

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday May 30, 1979.

Healy forces within the USFI. What are they atraid of? …ne cocument tocusses of the historical of the USFI its evolution and •resent contica bositIons rumi the time of the 1953 spit the It sets out to prove that tne most recent wrong positions of

USFI

Angola, etc., Portugal trom beind Isolated errors assessment, but the fruits of the history of the USFI itself.

Wrong method 'mis- shows that these funda- ot a lakes mentally wrong method during which, in one conver- Cde Grogan sation Was informed the general content the document- any agenda for the Congress Was forthcoming, made by IMG or USFI to place preconditions on our submitting • •ocument. Circulated On the contrary, according reseated trom the ING, our document without doubt, to be cir- culated throughout the sections ot ine or. This position was echoed by Jack Barnes, Mary Joe Hansen, Ance waters and wor leading members ot tne

US SWP

which although barred

USFI,

affiliation the They, too, urged us to complete and submit and stated their belief that it would be discussed Indeed it was not until after had been our document completed and received bv both

IMG

and USF! that the first this change took place position In June 1978

USFI

the to Bureau wrote urging us

IMG

"con dISCUSS wIth tne cerning the best possible forms through which we can begin a •IscussIon| No plans We though it strange that, while acknowledging receipt Tine roisoner ver. Ene letter gave no details of plans to cir- culate it. In contacting the IMG Lambert analysis and a wrong approach to fight for programme in method of analysis and a wrong aboroach The non gramme in the working class, which inevitably, time and time again, to opportunism

USFI

wonv Inen. since 1953 been has from based positions and essentially the remain. inadeoudit demanding task giving Trotskyist leadership the inter- workers

GIO

tne yvor kers Socialist League accept an initial

USFI

participate the discussion OrIOT TO Xith World Congress? view is that the Fourth Our entered internationa USFI leader Mandel we then discovered for the first time that there was a reluctance To circulate our docume August received a We of Xith Congress copy were astonished agenda. We see that it tries to exclude any discussion The tactiona struggle that has marked the last ten years of the USFI. Rut we observed that it did clearly state that "Discussion of previously remaining points placer on ine agenda remains We naturally ThIS T that, since The Poisoner mean Well refers to cunstantia dis documents already cussion there for the Congress. was still no impediment to its circulation within the USFI.

But recent meeting Cdes Groaan and Pugh for WItT the MG-now documented Cde Grogan's September 29 letter-we were amazed to hear a compete v citterent. ano two pronged position argued, which effectively exclude meaningtu TrOM anv involvement in the Congress.

On one hand we were the toio that there s now a one!

abandon requirement that we our long-held position and now horganisation before declare VorI revo lutionary

WSL

our document-or any document -s circulated And on the other hand we are told that, since the factional the dissolution of s rules the iv and L- tendencies are would document not circulated to USF| sections in any case. We are told that this is profound crisis in the post-war perioc ane nas been essentlairy destroyed organising opportunist by DolTICs or raoloism. All that remains are fragments-chiefly degenerated OCRF and the The bor Healyite IC. Within these three are to be groupings

DUIK

OT Ine TOC world scale regard themselves as Trotskyist. attempt to resolve the Fl must direct CrIsis OT Ine towards these forces and seek to break from their present opportunist course.

Socialist League is not a part of any of these groupings. We recognise none of them the exe usive continuity Trotskyism, but in all of them links historic the crisis-ricoen Remembering own a struggle within the oriaIns British against sectarianism a fight we see une need to wage to develop the struggle for prin- within ciple and programme international each inest groupings. Reaffirm Well The roisoned intended to argue with

USFI

and others the neces- Illitalls sity today's politica tion for a re examination of the the post-war history lessons of the " rotskvIsi movement. and for a reaffirmation, both in theory and in practice of the because the pre-congress discus- sion "Would up your positions! not be the arena to lakt might not feel and the WoL satisfied that points had received sufficient attention!

Ut course the vo comrades make no suggestion as to what is 'correct arena such seems te

SUCH

moves serve only to obstruct discussion the necessary MarXIST metnod programme which alone can enable the WSL arrive - to ••ective endacle sation or une USFI and its sections and their role in today's class struggle. Decided against It further appears that the IMG and the USFI have already decided that no document by the WSL on any topic will be we also see circulaled Trom the etter inal- given favourable clarification" USEl, the ane endership withe characterisation support the circulation of a new Wrom doe Congressing a to it agenda TrOm conures. least in the ranks of the IMG".

War bolteral exone a similar bilateral exchange cocuments nas oreviousiv taker place between us and the IMG no unfortunately. develooment waatever Interns of international discussion with or within the USFI. feel To bluntly, we that the abrupt about-face that has taken place in relation the submission ore-conaress Ciscussion designed to prevent our political Page 9 We reprint below the Introduction to the French and Spanish language editions of the WSL document The Poisoned Well, allowing themselves does minod ital basic principles leadership knows that it pushed aside forces deter- on which the FI was not agree on a range of funda from break which its mental political but from questions mine and the defence present-day essential remnant nave We say that such Headers strayed in the last 30 years must be exposed and fought self critical Transitional Programme in the such struggle-in particular For 30 vears. thanks to them approach Class and their predecessors, Tne for thorough-going break character sarior ale has been wracked by crisis and opportunist.methods role of Stalinism; and the need from the time and Trotskyist parties to be for Dolitical ot the past, ane tor deenuine again major turning Castro style struggle to reconstruct the Fl as counter the class have found struggle centralised Inter- "progressive" petty bourgeois a disciplined would-be Trotskyists national capable of carrying for- nationalist formations. are Tate and coulder Lo Inter ward the struddie cuestions vene and struggle the revolutionary leadership against course nor oedo issues Inat car Transitional Programme and be relegated to past history but This is 30 years too long!

again as living petty bourgeois nationalism.

arise again the problems in today's struggles o JOin political clarification United rejection • the working Class forces that today wish to adhere nationally In ourselves now making The ot Trotskyism The

USFI

leaders toon our fight for the reconsure.

"united" in reiecting roisoned veli availablt Fourth certainiv French, Spanish ano any such approach

WSL

and Danish, its internationdl Though a USFI resalution in thinkers are setting out to tight Julv 1976 spelled out an invita the USFI's attempts to suppress tion to the WoL suom t discussion on these key issues document to the XIth Congress forward our we dim to pres discussIon struggle for the king or oolec ditions, the appearance or ime tive and thorough political dis- Poisoned Well has prompted

USEC

that is necessary to la! repeated moves the Cussio •a sole pasis or onuine moree bureau to reverse this decisior ment for the reconstruction of and exclude the document from the Fourth International.

the discussion There has, however, been no Demand answers attempt whatever to reply to it.

political content. And while the USFI's British We call on all militants of the USFI, the OCRFI and the section hidd moves towards discussing raise inese auestion. the USFI itself within their own organisations and to demand that their leaders translate and circulate The respond. Poisoned Well to its sections.

But we warn also that they will bureaucratic met we consider mat such moves indicate the political weakness COSTrUCTIOn Cand USFI's position on the from leaders who have of the intention of allowing discussion issues raiseo in ine docume essence the "united' of their own past errors, or o Trotsky WSL-fighting for discussion on principles Jack Barnes In this context, and without tional Internal Discussion bositions becomine known dre preconditions, the

WSL

discussed within the USFI as a bulletIn materia ano WEl the proposals sympathising and its attempt wherever possible fore work for the fullest joint discus- made in cde . Grogan s letter oi sel lions September 29 for us to observe and USFI

IMG

nis in our view can only SIOl national discussior local and impede the struggle for the leadership and members prior to

IMG,

for the Fourth the XIth World Congress. reconstruction of meetines ano us to submit, in addition to int the also Poisoned Well, a document on welcomi theoretical and practical decision of the IMG to prepare be Eurocommunism to reaffirmation of its founding The Poisoned Well. reply to circulated in the IMG principles and programme.

accept cde. reply with "ve Will certaini we await your AS such. casts grave Grogan's September 29 proposal keen interest. doubts on the sincerity of the that we arrange a full discussion Yours fraternally JSFI leadership when it pro- remain this reply. We also Jonn Lister claims that is optective Is ec willing procede For the National Committee WITh ensure that: proposed debate on the Fourth of the Workers Socialist League "All forces standing on the held International. of procramme London as soon Marxism should united satisfactory date can be agreed democratic centralist International" Now in English, "ne verv ouroose ot ine dis cussion and examination which we are practical work proposing is to establish beyond which torces cenuine! do stand on the programme o French and Marxism revolutionary today s class strucore. Reverse course Spanish! We therefore call upon the The Vor to reverse tais course ol obstructing the necessary discus- Poisoned o and clarification, and to sion facilitate Well sweeol Circuld tion the GISCuSSIOn document The Poisoned Well within its ranks and those of its The Poisoned Well sympathising sectIons Price 20p plus 15p p&p nationally, in line with the own resolution of 3-4 From WSL, 31, Dartmouth April 1976. Park Hill, London NW5 Socialist The Workers 1HR League, for our part, will members to study the Interna-

ASTMS CHIEFS

Page 10

INDUSTRIAL

The ASTMS Conference last weekend was opposite to all expectations. Unlike other unions who are trying to their left face stands against in verbal Tories,

ASTMS

Ene t _ can no longer be classed a left' union.

was roneer the

NEC

pretence through the motions of suppor- ting left wing motions, knowing reconvene they only cer Tories need Vuln against orotests instead of forcing action from a krot President labour government. Instead they almost became a riot! blatantly supported the right wing.

refused The slogan over the platform When "Reverse was Regenerate British ¡colored. Industry". This referring the under Tory sudan demanding government is a blatant defence of capital. they meant bv The next day battle NEC motion would day The NEC emergency motion economic amendments policy no sale of the profitable sections been submitted. of the public sector, and for the As accepted money they make to defray the impact new technoloav. for honouring of commitments proceeded speed from the comparability commis- • became TUC/Government sion; and for discussions motions. continue days-not 16! "matters central economic importance" -in particula monitoring lett a lot Imports-social sector spending policies.

It finished opposition Ine to attempts to amend laws on the unions. This motion was taken by General Secretary, Clive Jenkins Conference mandate teave the the ear v rush hot foot to • uesaay Downing Street for talks with Thatcher It was a Rules Revision Con- Terence so much of the Time spent talking Was to the membership power down The rule Halure ThA changes did not take that vital far as the branches rights at the

OUT

stopped at the leve They ham Evening Divisional Councils-effectively bureaucra- enorcing another layer the for June 16.

UTIONS

structure. Bureaucratic control and print union The Programme of Business must become the focus of a was submitted by Which Ine decisive Standing Orders Committee was dormant campaign for rein- another of bureaucratic case statement of 28 sacked jour- control They nalists and for recognition nad in coniunction with the Divisions, chosen of print unions. Priority. Items for the : Agenda- had then an o chosed WITn virtually no the compositing. motions appropriate Te t for these Priority Items.

result was that majority of rule changes sub mitted the

NEC

recurements response of the Con HOTO: Laurence sparham, IFI ference to iris was to reter th Agenda for days the two on rule revision back to the

SOC

and to agree to work through all the amendments rule which had been submitted.

Later this year asumption that the motions nht under reached would be taken adjourned conference later this year. But later that day it became obvious to Conference the NEC meant "adjourn" =5-55 5 with commit- -=- they would

NEWS

LURCH TO THE

RIGHT

This caused an uproar which One of the main factors producing this due to the general lack of con- appedlance 'strength and incompetence way the Wvds Ene ot the Communist (ex-MP Doug Hoyle) Party, after opposing the NEC in the initial fight, caved in and did nothing take three to follow it through. separate challenges to the Chair!

was eventually oreer Backed NEC sWaS done report back They had made their they what pro- decide test-and "adjourned" they Inen • on backed the NEC won the the Net for rest or the Conterence announcina we The CP have a lot to answer probably 16- need for conference to take all the the right of the turn to rule that had union Not result ine Conterence original Pro. two gramme of Business which was National Officers are CP or ex- CP members through such obvious • 'Rank and file' could have completed all the • couple oi extra The 'Rank and File' group in

ASTMS,

called 'Red victory for the NEC Collar made in the Conterence dele Torm of mass leaflets demoralised at the power of every session of the three and a half and day Conference apparent strength of the bureaucracy.

But soite ot holding

NOTTINGHAM

Spread the strike! A new mass picket in Since the support of trade union

NUJ

annual conference called for Notting- national one day strike in Post has the provincial press been called in the town support of the Nottingham journalists the union's new right wing has The demonstration called executive done nothing to mobilise by the local Trades Council the membership in support.

branches But

INGA

national unle council has agreed in turn in the semi- principle to support such a Despite the obvious limitations and weaknesses day protest actions oI one

DERBY

TELECRAPH

42%

PROFIT

8% Clive Jenkins armed forces mark will opppose And torgotten But the 1974, and meetings every evening (two Labour traitors, well attended) they did not organise their intervention the into the Conference itseif in any Tory government. thing a disciplined resembling way gramme of So in spite of having quite large forces, their whole vention hinged on a couple of delegates. racial and They to hold a are going 'Red Collar' conference in the ly revolutionary Autumn where they ITIUST De challenged minimal And it does programme-which solidarit call for even the election o whetner union officials. out the world, minimal any Divisional Officer Their programme revolutionary Shah in Iran could support it. ist Fourth International.

Turn into union . here must be a turn into bureaucracy, the union on a principled pro- League gramme instead of setting up an alternative body along side with minimal demands strong in Any

ASTMS

socast In take the latest rightward mUST turn seriously, and fight to take to prevent eve of the union weven bureaucratic control and force more democracy, especlaly in Divisional Councils and Branches such a strike would draw provincial

NUJ

members back into struggle over the jobs of journalists sacked tor joining the seven week pay strike Former mass pickets have been pitifully attended. A real struggle now be 1i1 cot taken throughout the print unions and NUJ for delegations on

GET

the picket line and for sup- porting strike action. the time the same Nottingham journalists must themselves break Irom reliance on the diversionary 'alternative' paper (The Nottingham News) • which wins sympathy without advancing the struggle and restart regular picketing. Build the mass picket! Spread the strikes!

MORE DETAILS

Please send me more infor- mation about the Workers the coupon below. Socialist League. Name Name . Address. Address Send to WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.

NWS IHR

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday May 30, 1979.

JOIN OUR FIGHT-

AGAINST TORIES!

Returned to office after five years of Labour betrayals, the Tory government has immediately begun wielding a sharpened axe on jobs, conditions and social services. Trade Union rights face imminent legal attack.

Prices are already beginning to rocket upwards.

Plum sectors of state industry will be handed to the Tories' profiteering big business backers; and the pay rises to police and only the prelude to increased state violence against pickets and anti-fascists, and an intensified army crack.

down in the occupied North of Ireland.

The Callaghan-Healey leadership has made it clear that it any perspective other than settling down and meek.

ly accepting five years of Tory devastation though they have once • more custed oft thair near "socialist" speeches, Labour's "left-wing" MPs have continued to duck away from any fight to remove Callaghan TUC leaders. have

•TOO

collaboration with Thatcher and the _to establish a basis for Tory cabinet, their anti-working class alliance with Wilson and then Callaghan.

parallel ling working class has experienced and overcome such betrayals before-to topple Heath's union-bashing government in smash through Callaghan's reactionary Phase wage controls in a series of monumental pay battles last winter.

These experiences are not dead. They point to the jobs, social services and hard-won union rights can be defended way that against renewed Tory attacks.

But a principled, revolutionary leadership is needed if the the TUC collaborators and their hangers-on in the Communist Party are to be exposed and pushed aside, and mass struggles mobilised that can defeat and remove the Such a leadership must fight day in and day out for a pro- transitional demands which starting from today's conditions and today's consciousness within the working class, lead workers to grasp the necessity for socialist revolution And in taking up democratic demands-such as an end to sexual discrimination , it must show the that must be played by the crucial role working class as the only consistent class capable of leading the struggle for the emancipation of mankind. fight on an international basis-mobilising

MUS

for anti-imperialist anti-capitalist struggles- in Ireland elsewhere through southern Atrica or and drawing strength and I political lessons from upheavals such as that which ousted the hated This means fighting for the reconstruction of the Trotsky.

Thim mod or or conson desert same trade union militancy, or concessions to any wing of the is the method fought for by the Workers Socialist The next period will see major class struggles in Britain. A principled, Marxist leadership is essential. Our movement though programme remains small in numbers JOIN US and take forward the struggle for socialism!

DON'T GO INTO

THE FIGHT BLINDFOLD!

CAPTAL

SOCIALIST

For a clear

PRESS

lead in the struggle against wage control, cuts and redundancies

SPECIAL OFFER

10 ISSUES POST FREE!

If you would like to take advantage of this offer fill in Please send me 10 copies of Socialist Press. I enclose £1.50.

Send to Socialis Press. 31. Detects Part Hill, London

NOT ENOUGH TROTSKYISTS

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday May 30, 1979.

IN THE UPW!

The UPW Conference last week narrowly rejected already rejected the call for the re-election of officials by a vote of 10,587 remove to 8,124. This indication of simmering discontent was also reflected in the passing of a censure motion on the behaviour of the union's its Executive Council Thursday. "for bringing the UPW Despite Into asrepute during The the 1979 negotiations on pay, which culminated in the recom.

had been mendation tor acceptance in the lational ballots But in moving this resolution Derek Walsh from Loneon »iressed une catterence between 'no confidence' and censure.

confidence means sack; censure means a do one Tae knuckles, he declared. Committee, they High point wouldnave order even it tound! Five debate motions was prefaced by confidence in the leadership had actually been tabled prior to the 'slanderous 7001 should not be made" but one was with- drawn and four defeated after Jackson In a three-day cover-up operation

NUPE

leaders emerged comparatively unscathed from their miser- able betrayal of last year's £60/35 hour week pay claim. General Secretary Fisher was able orust aside schoolkeepers resignation. anti-Tory retorie trom conlerence chairman om Assistant General GrITTIERS. Secretary Bernard Dix dilu helped lay ul avolame any move to tormu late a wage claim for next year.

the leader- ship suffer

LOUY

ch or which inci. mounting militancy CaTe ThA within NUPE's rank and file.

for: Relaunching Collaboration campaign involving membership of Fisher, who in the Economic defend the public sector and to Policy debate call for support for such a cam- detended The policy of collaborating with the paign from all other unions.

Tory government, instruc- ted to cease any talks with the clinics, Nose Tas. Tories restriCtIons …contrada othel campaign threatened union rights and to with through meetings and demon. closures and to place all possible strations and industrial action resources at their disposal.

resist Tory attacks on the public ensure

SECTOR

branches Also passed was a Westmin- earliest ster Hospital motion fought for any actions against at branch level by WSL Health closures in their divisions Service supporters which called Executive

AT THE TOP...

UNION DUES

speakers had tortuously argued productivity stringent strings that since the conference had attached to the rejected pay offer re election "phonev'_thouah

VCIC

of officers it would be wrong to he was unable publicly to reveal this to the membership. une existing leaderchin It was indeed the pay debate And though deal also which marked the high point of included agreement to the intro interest at the conference with duction of part-time and casual delegates straining at the leash staff, he argued that any branch commencement refusing accept staff would from su•bort time Maurice Styles at Union head- available, over 200 amendments quarters. Anyone with experience tabled by branches to the the Executive's heport on pay• brand of back. specia stabbing "support" offered by Conveniently lost' ex-Stalinist olytes woule nave immediately smelt a rat at this point. Peterborough 17 of these were ruled out of detecate anger that exoressed members' fost by on Standing Orders Standing Orders should who declared that "phony" productivitv deal "It is better to fall flat on seen out ot than bend over Jackson's speech in the pay backwards comoromise. don't want blood but justice".

a warft Referring to the overwhelm- statements ing rejection of the Executive's settlement, the dele- prosec the aroued That weren't Fisher survives! should publicly give support to campaign and strikes aly SUCh against the cuts. Paybed deadline And an Edinburgh motion calling immediate nationalisation of the pharma.

ceutical industry without com.

pensation was also carried.

The publicised set- back tor Fisher and the bureau was passing the Hammersmith motion calling the Executive • Turne services to private patients from January 1 faster moves to phase out private beds.

Dix had unsuccessfully asked for resolution Survivor-Fisher to the EC because he "we should weneved figh To nos to make, an active sure that the Uliase private beds." the union Grovelling praise 2) To support occupations in On pay policy, a Westmin- and ster Hospital motion calling for sector units protection of wages against inflation through a sliding scale

CULE

inadequately moved Jamie that all spent his time IvioTTis. intormed delivering grovelling for at The praise possible opportunity of Fisher and attacking the adden.

cuts and/or dum to the motion which called for the resignation of Fisher and Council Assistant General Secretary Ron

DEEMS LIKE OFISHALL HAS RUSHED OFF TO

A MASS MEETING WITHOUT HIS EQUIPMENT

WEVE BEEN IN THE GAME TOO LONG TO LET

THOSE TROTSKYITE BOOT-BOYS

COME BETWEEN US!

WE MUST STANT

TOGETHER AGAINST

MEN OF VIOLENCE.

EXTREMISTS.

RENT-A-MOB

PICKETS !!

"more Trotskyists in the

UPW

than the rest of Western first implemented. Eurogis however was clearly not case to judge The ment slash almost complete absence of any throughout the Post Office.

serious future dite native Combatted struggles. Jackson was able with refer the negative tone of the debate, stress that ano seriously put forward Post Office were a lead for pay claims to come.

composite for But it is not only on the pay action front a decisive political nanaling 01 lead is required Inland Periodicals. A stir was created at confer- the Tor ence contiGentia management circular, spelling up, the out their policy of understaffing principled socialist leadershio ir international exchanges by at least 25% was with urgency. Garners the ending of entirely une TGWU leaders-including Com munist Staden and Keating the Regional Committee. Camden General Branch fact secretary i ne made wrote personally to rule out of the hardest-hitting contribution order an attacking Fisher's earlier state. ment that 'anyone who thought Conference of the TGWU amply £60/35 hour claim The demonstrates could have been won in one go struggle haunts the bureaucracy.

must have been mad." the suddaby example of Camden, still on. , where all- On the out strike action had actually representatives won the claim for a large section of the workforce. recognition struggles Press Socialisi Leadership supporters attend l every put ne, like ILCA delegate ОГІЛО and fellow IMG member Ray bureaucratic failed to make the call rights-a vital part of the prepar.

ation of new leadership that will restonation not betray. pronty. Even so risner used a special suspension of standing orders reply to Suddaby's

GARNERS

contribution and portray him-

CONFERENCE

selt ludicrously most accountable General Secretary "The Lessons of the in the Trade Union Congress" Garners Strike" extent of the

NUPE

_i ne leaders' willingness to collabor: Open to délegates and ate with the visitors from all unions cuts uncer ine. urgency of fighting at shop floo Saturday June 9 level to force officials to imple- University of London ment many of this year's confer- Union, Malet St., WC1 we uncles. ane tor tae sula. of a leadership capable of Full details from Strike fighting Fisher and his bureau- Committee, 12/13 cratic hangers-on. Henrietta St., London WC2

AH, HERE HE

SORRY I'M LATE

COMKADS

• O'FISHALL, THANKS PrO

RAPTUROUS

SUSTAINED

APPLAUSE

IN ARRECTAN A Yuro

THE MEN WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION

Page 11

NUPER

militant sacked Bill Geddes, a London Divisional Council member of NUPE, has been sacked from his job at the Hammer- smith Hospital in: West London. The for. the reason Geddes was sacking_tha allegedly caught painting slogans the hospital wall-is a com.

welc reo nerrino Censured-Jackson Geddes-a member of the SWP-has been sacked because revealed seven years after it was is a militant unionist Trace working in the Health Service This serves only to highlight who has played a part both in the continuing drive of manage- fight against manning levers health cuts and in the action or pay in the London area Thi sacking cannot be seen isolation. the episode in a series of victimisa And the first tentative sions uf private intervention into the tions ot trade unionists workinı in the Hammersmith Hospital combatted by and Ealing Area Health Author- resolutior Califie ity. prevent the It began last mail from Pharos year sacking of Stan Hunt and Alan at the nearby West runtold axe sharden. London Hospita and the war on jobs is stepped This was swiftly followed by build a new, to the sacking of Bill Tizard, who worked the UPW must be pressed ahead Hammersmith succeeds Tne sacking Geddes-who present appealing vecision-they will nave ettec cleared Tive v whole leadership of

NUPE

From back page hospita will they find it

NOT ON

the strike rests easier to implement the massive the programme of cuts planned for district-which has already Stalinist Syd the closure of the Invole Kidney Transplant Unit at the Hammersmith-but Ine that Moss Evans also have struck a major blow in advance against NUPE's amendment on Garners proposed against Calmoalen Biennial Delegate It was of course Geddes who the moved the successful wal resolutio to black pay beds at the NUPE The Conference on June 9 is conterence It is vital that NUPE is made platform will be to lead and organise a strong many action for the TrOM orooramme OT reinstatement of Geddes. calls : is obvious on all nowever. tea work for Fisher and the NUPE leadership ante nothing defend … oreer to the lessons Geddes untess relentiess betrayal of union campaign is taken up inside thi The major weakness in the approach all the viCtImiser unsts in the district is tha they failed to take up any such fight against the locd •ano national NUPE leadership Hunt and Pinfold, with the strongest trade union base in the district fickly Tolowed full time officer through ACAS appealed to management, failing to fight for the one thing that could save them-the mobilisation of Health Service workers in strike actior The Divisiona Council of NUPE Ot WhiCh Geddes is a member, must be forced to call immediate all-London Health Service stewards' conference to prepare strike action to force Geddes!

reinstatement

WELL IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN QUITE A YEAR FORUS

BUT WE MAINTAINED A PROUD RECORD

oF WoRKiNG

TOGETHER

TO SAVE THE

LABOUR GOVERNMENT!

VOFISHALL

WELL BROTHERS, WHAT CAN I SAY?.. I'M JUST A CONSTABLE

IN THEGREAT ARMY OF LABOUR-

-AND THESE PRESENTS

GARNERS STRIKE

Benn's left' posture blasted Fist fights at Ecevit's Congress

SOCIALIST

PRESS

SOLD OUT

Thursday the tion ot the colossa strenoth ot

TGWU

Region 1's 500,000 membership of bureaucracy and resources would be met, the Region fulfilled the oalance meeting ambition 17 of months finally tipped. strikers had asked for standing. support for their June 9 confer- By a slim majority a meeting of the ence and for union assistance in remaining strikers in the building for it. maranon warners oreak Houses recognition struggle were Blacking cajoled into ending the dispute. Ine Decinnine The meeting officials Cook, Shorter But the officials recognised Staden found the would be themselves conference lace• win a roue or sinkers used as a plattorm to oress once which, despite all the hardship again for backing they suffered in months of isola- refused to give-mass picketing, minance dna blackie was unwilling to talk in terms of months FOr The striKe swallowing had stood as a public condemna- promises of "new jobs' tion win aley DUl outeducials leaders whose suedo! une systematically anti-working class policies of the attacked that the strikers' consis- tent demands for the mobilisa- incapable Former labour govern- ment minister Tony Benn's campaign of rebuilding his 'left' received image unexpected setback last week at a packed meeting of London School of Econ- omics students called by the Economist Bookshop strikers. ne strikers nave deen Tont.

even months for recog of

ACTSS,

he TGWU' nition cienical section. teem or opposition from the LSE Board of Governors who own the shop with Economist

FUND

The rightward turn in With the first month of Turkey by the government Fund the Special now Minister Prime of Ecevit behind us we are still well met huge opposition in his short of the first £1,000.

party's National Conference The total received so far last week. now stands at £740.90. The target is £2,500 which will enable us to embark upon ambitious publishing throughout the programme next six months. But without the full fund that publishing programme will not be fully realised.

There is no time to be wasted therefore in quickly £1,000 reaching the first and pressing ahead towards the target which must be raised by the end of July.

All donations to this fund the monthly or to Socialist Press Fund should be sent to 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR. Turkish troops imposing martial law restrictions Published by Folrose Ltd., • tor the workers socialst Gearue Printed by Anvil Printers Ltd., London. Registered at the Post Office as a newspaper.

mass action, even in defence of right of union Houses Fores Trust Desoutters, Houses Sandersons Garners. Now, despite their facade of same anti- orv . rnetori leaders have demonstrated their defend Unles low ale workers adast police harassment and vicious manage- ment. ine strike nas continued so because the officials did not dare to call it off themselves open eyes oetraval The whole movement. They will that the canca oil lue delion as d rig leat to cover their treachery.

This cheap lie The 'responsibility for exposed. Continued on page 11 magazine spokesman Professor Yarney's latest move To dune strike nas seen to direct approach make TGWU leader Moss Evans calling on his backing for the dispute to reterrec TOr aroitration

ACAS.

This proposal has been principle correctry • re ectea on the strikers • a versior which would be used to sell out their demands. benn.

WAC

declared himse t a fellow ACTSS member, told how he had personally arranged bracking ortne sno• Fabian Society and launched into a predictable round of left The majority of his Repub.

lican People's Party's MPs and Senators were among the oppos ItIon There were violent conflicts fights within the and physical conference itself, as the political , Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.

FIGHT NEW

ATTACK ON

THE EGA!

GARNERS

OFFICIAL

STRIKE

TRADE UNION

RECOGNINO

Mark Buchar THT Victo to the Dunno wbarners strika/ rhetoric. support for these struggles, Stressing the importance of pointed to the link between this the 'learning lessons' ane Union bureaucracy. Labour strike ae coope THaT collaboration with the there was nothing like action government on friends you who your workers' living standards were! Drawini widesoreat quite applause from the meeting, he nas was a statement from someone who, less than .condemned those two months • was crossing a platforms about civil service unions picket une Ine neeo tor socialism. vet nar The utter hypocrisy of this gone along with those policies and his other remarks was only vil protest brought out by fund contributions ston contr Strike bution from Wl membe Helen utiler, nfo ACTS information from bookshop akingers in Blackwels speaking behalf 173, Clapham Road, London SW9.

UXTOre Attacking the refusal of the

TGWU

leadership to organise Turkey fight polarised around the ques- tion of party democracy. But even such or course And though the opposition's opposition is in no way trul changes democratic or revolutionary.

Call • constitutionai was defeated, It is simply aimed at reform- narrowly Congress illustrated that Ecevit ing the bourgeois the 'left' face of Turkish capitalism.

has lost overall support within his own party In that offers no oppositionists sharply serious alternative to the work criticised Ine recore ino class movement in lurkey which faces the danger of an covernment and its capitulatior the extreme right historic defeat. Such reflect the Prosecute acevil s within covernmenta measures the Turkish working class and The recent anti-aovernment toiling masses advertisements by

TUSIAD

(Confederation of Employers) One delegate said that the RPP came to power to attack have off sparked Silar the privileged rulers, but now exchanges between Ecevit and business organisations. we dre neer dutack. Other delegates "raised the called attorney. prosecute RPP's to abolish the those responsible for such advertisements and said anti-communist 141 laws ane that if Polder or Tobder (Police 142. the trade union UnITY movement and to expand demo- and eachers' regerations. cratic rights made such statements, attorneys would prosecute them too repress All we nave cone ds those rights, they declared • Ecevit snare Turn or The Conference has again shows the contradiction yet to finish but unstable bonapartist this soecial sioniticance acute political and economic It must be remembered that crisis • the leaders of the trade union for the bourgeoisie The latest moves by the government and the Camden and Islington AHA represent the most serious threat yet to the occupation continued of the EGA hospital in London. Following the lobby and occupation of the emergen.

cy AHA meeting on May 9, been proposals have

LWO

which would made effectively end the existence of the EGA as a women's hospite the is drastically reduce the hospital to treat- ing gynaecologica patients--which would mean the closure of most of the wards and the reduction of staff. The other is that the hospital is reduced in size • partv funded from private sources. This would represent • major tactical for the Tories' victory intentions of bringing private funding and invest- ment into the NHS. Opposed The hospital staff action committee and committee resolutely opposed to these proposals.

They are continuin call for the upgrading of the

EGA

on its present site with full staffing levels, and for the repair of the lift, enable several Winer

WOW!

of the closed wards to be reopened They have called for 24-hour picket of the hospital the imminent removal of sending patients and are lo cal trade speakers union branches to gain support Local hospitals and other trade union branches in the London area must begin to prepare for action in defence of the hospital resolution passed at the

NUPE

conference committed the union to defend the EGA. It is now

NUPE

members to force the leadership to act.

confederation and the Turkish • Labour Party along with Hunored just been released nave oniv from prison after their actions on May Day his, and generals remain determined play balancing role over classes for une • sake or national unity.

ane national salvation' But this is no more than a transitional regime for the bour- Ecevit can hold one as back the working class move- ment and anti-work. introduce clas! measures will keep him in power; but at the same time they are preparing for overy dictatonal rule The main question facing the working movement is to mobilise independenu Tascist threat and the attacks or the Ecevit government, and armed workers militias must be orcanised to Tant ine auracks oT the fascists on the streets In to from Ecevit and for a united front of the working class, a l rotskyist party must be formed Turkey.