Socialist Press no. 226

February 2 start for strike

CUTS: LAMBETH CALL

BRING DOWN THE TORIES THIS WINTER!

PRESS

100,000

MARCH

AGAINST

THATCHER

SOCIALIST

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 226 * 3 December 1980 * 20p

TO ACTION

Tabet EVERY (Fightback CUT The police and the mass media may have created some confusion as to the precise number who joined Party's Labour mammoth Liverpool march against unemployment last Saturday. NO worker who. was there could have counted accurately.

There may have been as many as vast tide that the Pier Head. But what was unmistakeable was the mass hostility that has acyclopcu to us lory govern- ment. In a week Corey he which Chancellor Sir had snatched il per week from pay packets, MOSt workers announced new local ment cuts, robbed the old age DenSIOnCIS. sentenced least another 100,000 workers prolonged unemployment, militancy was running high.

emerged in the forefront of the fight to bring a halt to the Thatcher offensive on our public services. from a 700-strong delegate con- ference held in November has

FIGHT

issued a Alreduy

AUEW

strike from Has Lambeth TGWU stewards. ing contrast with that of union like Alan maL or Labour Labour councillors, done nothing whatever to resist the lory cuts tive ing a conference to discuss the way lorware mn me ngal te defend ocal services against the cuts.

700 delegates unIons. constituency attended and voted overwhelm- ingly to campaign for: ompensate for cut counch nouses or nousing land *Removal councillors who carry out Tory CuLs. occupations as soon as any Labour's new leader Michael Foot was clever enough to plav along with the mood. His call was in fact the same Callaghan's-wait until next election Flamboyant But he wrapped it up in a flam boyant sentence that long, almost action to bring the orles down

NOT

ALaT EISNeT leader

NUPE

who has Gone That it to destry health lony most allow social services. called openly for sHe "General Election' -only to met not d for a Generals trike!

loud calls from the tated by they will Labour Party Young Social- because of a few windy speeches ists speaker tony saunols, now when he ever drew applause ov about oureaucrats. alled for the unions to use thei Tory government is to Jun mausua Coul lo 1ore down. this government out"

LIC

This is the key issue now cons mat luuuuu workers facing the working class.

are ready to fight: but that their

SUPPORT THE

HUNGER

STRIKERS

*POLITICAL STATUS NOW!

*TROOPS OUT OF IRELAND!

Sunday December 7 at 1.00 pm.

Assemble Speakers Corner Once again Lambeth has Labour council faces receivers commissioners or is refusing to imple- Calcutt ment curs. occupanon and sup porting strikes to defend facili ties threatened by the cuts.

A steering committee set up Debt charges tor allens trom to ustrial industrial sector and private sector trade union- labour and

ISIS

*Cancellation Counci debt she lenings the books February The expose the profiteering of banks backed ane or vate contractors. ane ut nationalisation of supply indus- Their stand marks a refresh- tries compensation under workers' control. Fisher, and *The TUC to MPs and most plan for a general strike in pro- who have tection working interests and living standards" ine steering committee elec ted from conference has now met. It has fixed a recal The present Lambeth initia- when the Labour conference for Januarv 17-and urged maximum labour move- ment sa it has called on trade And unionists Labour government the country

COUTCHHOTS

from to support the call for a 2-week - trade from February 2. and councis the This is most developed call vet tol action to stop the cuts. It must be fully supported Tab somalien thrOughout the socialists throughout the No cuts in jobs or services.

*No rate or rent rises to must be torced to give it active support Reversal of decisions to se *All out Fębruary 2 *Stop the cuts; bring down 200l1 the Tories! all jobs and services! *All-out strike action and Youth march against Tories Thatcher's gang may be irri- leaders are far from ready to protest marches-but lead. change course Now is the time to build a new, revolutionary leadership in workers movement The only way to stop this defend hard-won rights and bring it living standards and carry real struggle through a 'Join us in this task!

Reagan victory spurs offensive

SLAUGHTER OF SALVADOR

Polish strikers challenge Page 2

-INTERNATIONAL•

LEFT WINGERS

The Reagan victory has had an immediate and far- reaching impact in Central America where the forces of capital have reaction initiated a offensive. The first indication of the long-awaited backlash came Nicaragua Alfonso. Robelo

TOOK

is bourgeois mon party our or the Sandinista-dominated Council of State Robelo and his fellow capit- alists against rulesle "growing Lucal ism". Ine initial tactor in tneh break from the Sandinistas willi covered s Illusal elections. However, the crisis deepened with the shooting of the leader tion-COSEP in clash with FSLN security personnel. The iberal press clauns that

TITS

WilS notille Iess execution in cold blood and was April rally in Nicaragua against Alfonso Robelo when he resigned from ruling junta puito Dinyu chamono, tod escalation of the struggle against evident that in recent weeks the Joaquin the Somoza dictatorship. ot the liberal bourgeois Color the killing are under increasing pressure, much Klainy marked i critical stage in tho means clear by no but Is police state powers unlike the profits reaped by the the public and brosecutor Small wonder the internal security service capitalist class in the West bureaucrats trial of not The natural outcome ol a the deaths based on private owner- East Berlin and those responsible for Moscow. banks, factories and Prague are growing increas- ship a workers in mess stres and for the ill-treatment means or production. ingly agitated by events in workers arrested in the 1976 They are the result Poland. bureaucratic manipulation of an sites alease of the two week's strike in the arrested militants centred planning. not point it is sarced The chiefs' only Stalinist and implemented last hursday larcel cLoRomk ucmands that they can retain struggies mass guarantee Poland; nor was it focussed sim- Le tre ite state. Abready Solidarity Were e nave creamed on the now shash any and every al ches oif for themselves is their ability ply demand for inde- have trough police document they obtain. Kawner r locusseo on curb- ing the repressive police state apparatus- -on which lavish class and thus prese ve Weakening own the end moves. privileges enjoyed by bureau- the enormously costly and crats in Poland and in all of the spy deformed workers' states and other But to concede the depend. work were to be weakened, and demands in full would be to the privileges of such parasites The strike was called open the way ake an even more away, the prospect of stripped release secure une

IWO

dramatic organising supporters of Solidarity, the Polish ponce state apparatus In roland.

trade union formed new mass take stare power into [nen owi The third point, for instance, hands becomes increasingly real.

this would call into question And if workers were to oust anev nad beer accused survival of Communist Усту their bureaucratic and duplicating leaking Partv leader Stanislaw would Aallla document on the roland thel exall pic who, head internal vhich had swiftlv be followed elsewhere dissident movement Security in 1976, was the man This is why, even Ine the Prosecu principally responsible for weakened Polish bureaucrats tor General's office. repression! seek again through con- The fact that such politically cessions to hold off the moment Investigation charged demands are now at the of confrontation with the work mass struggle their bureau- tellow Poland dire The strikers were demand- the USSR and Eastern Stalinist bureaucrats throughout ing not only the release of the Europe are preparing the ground two mutants arrested by state castern buroDe th in a list peared police, •buta fulliscale back the Polish workers. only as 12th in a list whole uly cougaliull raised by the Gdansk demands The Soviet newspaper Pravda apparatus or inema repression.

has lent its backing to a hardline Faced with the threat suikers. ancy acmanacu an clu another round of runaway strike to the privileges enjoyed by the the Czech Stalinisi artice ov the Polish police and Communist leaders likening the situation in action, bureaucrats Poland today to that in Czecho Party bureaucrats. social consultatons Such privileges include high the Kussial with readers discuss union demands for: invasind East German bureau- pay, access to scarce goods, and Internal At a the bude in the budget of the holidays State And East Security crats, even more pugnacious stand Czech their their

I0SUILS.

published These material privileges of concazues. lavt methods used by the police, the the ruling Stalinist bureaucracy, attacks on Solidarity leader By Don Flint regroupient Somocistas Sommised despite death their nominal leader. There have Lech Walesa accusing him of having unks wun tanan lascists Walesa calms The German daily Neues Deutsch. land, is an anti-communist who to West Germany ¡ecs closer than the Polish government.

serine press and ave of allu very useful : for the allies he Stalinists in their struggle for control. Walesa was at the forefront of efforts to contain the struggle jailed

TOT

release Solidarity militants. and pressed return inter- warning army AviA links with the Catholic him to play the role of "moder- ate" within the Solidarity move- ment. West Germany Meanwhile Walesa with deputy prime minister Jagielski SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 December 1980 been an increasing number of armed incursions, with literac brigade members being kille all several dooruve alterols d country where the population is politically distanced from the FSLN and largelv to the catTerent ethnic most densely populated west.

the same time from Honduras. "border incidents", , reflects the very great build Honduran military the US by state Department na encouraged local dictator Policarpo Paz aside this years planting cecuons walch saw a supposed victory the bourgeois opposition the return to and "constitutional government" president and remnals has made sure that he retains tight control I is territory which has Strateg

EN G

imperialists, since it borders on both Nicaragua and El Salvador It is no coincidence that the Hondurans and une balyauorear Inta nave rapidly patched their eleven-year diplomatic quarrel dispute in the last month. along with other Common Markel countries. seems ken to offer cut-price food supplies from

EEC

butter Alassive ana cain mountains In an CIorI to stabilise Kania's tottering Stalinist regime. A meeting of EEC heads of state seems Cakes butter, cereals and beef to the Polish to ease chronic food shortages-and to orter mem on cheap cong ten credit that will minimise the burden on the chaotic Polish last thing Europe's 1110 rulers wish to see. l the working class carry through political overthrow Polish bureaucracy: nor are they Keen alow swanon which Soviet and East German troops intervene an attemp the Polish crush movement. With, the border area free of direct neutra

TOOD

control re establishea, the salva dorean guerrilla: will be deprive dare not at perist see cooperation evel betweet armies Ine frontier region to wipe out insurrection aries. course, in t Salvador • itself that the Reagai victory the greates impact and is likely to impose far-reaching consequences assassin toe of the leide and Last ing, terror squad of over 200 men major stage sultail Condoned There can be no doubt what- soever mat the new ori probabil condone ant ity, participated in thi s action. Alone want Chacon the Bloque Juan Revolucionario Popular Enrique Cordoba Alvarez

: FDR),

of vanue Franco of the Communist Party Enrique Barrera _Social Democratic MNR and Dorotec hernandes dwellers' union, affiliated to the LP-28. assassinations have removed the central iigures bellevea tuat it might bi possible all-out insurrection. This, at least, was the view of the imperialist press which ww nave.to come wo with another set of glib explana as to why in their view EI tions . really the Salvador 104 depths of a civil war, why 9,000 dead this year is only the sorry by-produci and why respectable vourreois lawyers are row Dolle gunned down and disten bered alongsids easants nd great noting Alvarez served as a minister of Lee Juma mal tas salary a The signs are only too clear- the Salvadorean right is escala ting its campaign for the annihil- ation of the left by whatever means necessary At same time there is evidence that the Reagan admin and direct intervention should the left respond to its setbacks with an uprising. Repercussions Reagan's American Roger Fontaine has advisoI made it abundantly clear that an option", although and udiellalan nonetta (presumably other' Argentinian Bolivian) would probabl the US Rapi before still Deployment as avoid diplomatic repercussions for US imperial The Salvadorean lett 1s in a strategic impasse. Following th strike of August the Prolonged People's Ware y failed escalate flas popular and military strength to the guerrilla! The can move with confidence to a all outie they sate infect they Ilave osses on me armv ang police in the outlying provinces many populous sectors, remain vulnerable right wing terror-the killing of opposition leaders makes this only too clear The Salvadorean revolution sat a cross-roads: and with 1 future of Central the America stands in the balance the imperialists muster their 1101 maor counter revolutionary offensive.

UNSTABLE POLITICS BORN OF

CHRONIC POVERTY

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 December 1980

-INTERNATIONAL

The political exCuC Africa instability of West was highlighted in the last two weeks by major devel- opments in the chronic and bloody civil Chad war in the of including arrival numbers of Libyan large troops) and by two coups- one in the former French colony of Upper Volta and the tiny the other in ex- Portuguese state of Guinea- Bissau. The political instability the area is to a great extent the effect of its extreme poverty.

Chad, Upper Volta and Guinea- all estimated to have Bissau are à lever ol nanond ucome Dei $100 more than headitte year number • omel this in West Africa, uniltiles nas been come cown ana nol uo in recent years, partly as a result sustained drought and resulting harvest failures.

Famine Countries, whose Conulll y overwhelmingly agri- temalns cultural have been sufferins widespread famine have and forced to Decl lalcc most nronoriion even or ner the imminent (soca crisis caused wnice accoramo to most reDorts ola yed Navemrolt inthetipine November coup Guinea Bissau, wouiltl y woch Torl verrs armeo soloers have as a matter of course been Vieiro placed outside bakeries and rice Guinea-Bissau Gerie isiands (PANG) c Cape- Cape President overtntown tcu num OCl mnool cant was. Luis Cabral, brother of the I reform exneriments in socral renowned leader of the long and the liberated areas Amilcar was Portuguese D1lla arallist murdered betore co oni21m Amilcar ( anral.

macoencence Amilcar Cabral or ame was won ana alter the liberation most radical Africa's in 1974 his brother Luis became the anti-colonial leaders and during Aristides Pereira 01 tne lon war acallls Lit rorlu' plwsiclll guese army his party the African une Lape v erae Istanas and Party for the Independence of secretary general of the PAIGC.

BRINGI

a Socialist Press pamphlet

THE TORIES!

E THIS WINTER!

A brand new pamphlet, spelling out programme and perspective for struggle to oust the Tories.

Available, price 45p including postage from WSL, BM Box 5277, London WCIN 3XX PAIGC Congress 1977 two national party noureal cra In ' Guinea-Bissau, nOWeYeI there was one particular feature separation of the party from the leadership. masses- many of 1acl Wai were racially not Africans but 'Mestizos (people of mixed black and white racial origin) originally Cape SUmC 01 Verde Islanders like the Cabral brothers. Not that this racial differ- • explained the growth ence the separation, since durihg the independence struggle the same leaders gained general mass support. Rather the racial difference may have come to be linked by the black African working masses with the privil eges which the leadership of th PAIGC has come to grant itsel While workers had to stand hopelessly in food queues, their would them ( Wo connttie. were inere- jeauers Dass foretcal pally ald bt wasi gle chauffeur-driven saloon cars.

political party; and The cars, like much else in in Guinea-Bissau recent years,

TALU S

boncy unic ull two countries.

• HOTT CI-ПАРАМО ПОН АТРА

few Swedish government which very towards unification were Guinea-Bissau perhaps found it:

HUVES

ever wken anu msicau lic varey 1isl licubolully other African in both countries declined as a organisation countries are rulee Di E0a1 increasingly famous ethnic grouping the became Wabenzi and develop- the masses sIUlI Guinea-Bissau ea growing nvalries belween tne Calls), Tories' "H' Block lie-sheet Along with the holiday deny use or extellsive facilities and privileges brochures plopping through afe

EJEU

NaLC the letter boxes advertising prisoners have been enjoying."

benefits the of a winter And why • have the "chosen" live in Bermuda this way holiday -in may Why it is as "part and parcel of well come one from a less the overall terrorist activities of well-liked resort. the Provisional IRA"! The British Army-through this Nevertheless, despite Ireland Oftice- .NorIenE has made a determined bid to provocation, the put the H Blocks on the tourist otiicials of tne orison cerace parin to continue to provide map with a brochure grotesque- tender The version entitied

TH-DIOCKS.

Reality'. oving car Complete with •noeDencen ooserver: (who? Roy Mason?) have accep pictures, diagrammes and quotes nom ue lory DICoS. lL ls lilt This will humanitarian fashion Northern teana dinice's orooa- anda answer to' the republicar tommie desee eloI Uy lanket protest protestors TrusTrate rushed. out as the disrupt the smooth running of was strike: bs niberal the prison. that's what bourgeois opinion in Europe and America about!) that the army and the H Even those not on the protest grist for the just nice misunder- ales alc mill. We are told that these are stood people. introductory article- the me waca. tae over citule or a cortio uni a pired complète uninspired whelming majority of prisoners Northern Areland's prisons Sees the fone H comply. oI an H sock headings fOr the "balanced' view of the speak uThet themselves: Blocks "The facts and the fantasy" "The European The fact is that the of Human prisoners have imposed the con- "H Blocks, what they offer" •nons ubon ensever they who have chosen to create ana Humane polcy squalor. They who have chosen There is a picture of men in Volvocracy'. The scant reports from thi Colnu HiUst press ignores, suggest Worlos that the new rulers, led by the black African former the anti-colonial leader of war

MAOT

Joae pemnaru( V eta have made use both of the racial background and the privileges of The new junta seized powe in the name of opposing the union between Bissau and Cap Verde (surely a euphemistic way ∞ ехон „aca ecc they speak the need remedy of the previous regine. Most aspects of that corrup-

'TON

ver known because of the state senous utas. bolluca ment after independence. But the new iSoe tor ent addition that, in says economle p nvleses unt rulers, Luis Cabral's regime had massacred to 500 of its up opponents who have been found in mass graves. But, however much the new government tries to isolate itself iom les Dicuaessul, Il wIl U hard for it to escape joint res- ponsibility. Of the , new government of twelve members no less than shorts playing football. çunningly text that the prisoners are generous!

auowee lo wear SDOILS CioLne. sport-suggesting that here least there no complaints about should be prison unliorm But of course such conces- sions by these humane men are wasted on these prisoners. Alter al go we not learn, in a pene trating fifty word analysis of dirty that the protes Wild

"DEFACED

DCaSLS Have religious magazines and bibles"?

Quotes with . ne nookiet closes quotes from the press reflecting "wide range of opinion al t wallal Telegraph Ene uneay that the clergy have been flocking to echo the senti- ments namonlet there will no doubt be a second edition out soon. • meantime it is a good IIl CIC thing that there is no cover price on the first edition. the misses elements best seller would stand mort chance on the fiction list than as Page 3 Enrico Alvares looks at the recent developments in West Africa eleven retain the same minister- ial responsibility which they had Ll Ine DECVIOUS OrC Iney nave enjoyed the same privileges as the deposed leaders.

there how is it they,

. LUU.

wai lod aware ol men! It is hard therefore to credit the reforming intentions new Willti. Iclldlll exceot lor us too iwo or uer figures the same the old And •Vieira has certainly regime. sal no ule aooul ally Platis 10.

any real democrausaon or the country But if the regime changes no thing internall it looks, as though it may mark a signiticant the international align- stlt en ment.of Bissau after indepen- dence, Guinea-Bissau was expec ted tc tollow cautlous bro Soviet line in foreign policy.

In fact its dependence on aid ffom imperialists woolell and the energetic offers of aid and technical assistance from Sweden, meant that the Cabral was sutolIsulEl Western. Sweden The deposed leaders Ver, crosely • Connecica Sweden —one or tem.anne Minister Vasco Cabral (no rela- tion) has in fact been granted political asylum by Sweden and is now in te sweaisn emoassy in Bissau, Also coincided the coup Bissau with the arrival I1 oI a large contingent advisors from the Soviet Union first Significantly recognise the -new Coulll reaime was nee belang (auine (Conakry) led by the still rela- tively pro-Soviet Sekou Toure Several of Toure's political had oboonelu

UCCI

glyel asylum in Bissau by Luis Cabral The . coup may therefore realignment in West mark well Africa as inter- tau onary wilr a cncwa Ot LIc old cooperation between Conakry and the PAIGC which ended after the war of indepen- dence But it looks doubtful in the that it will extreme any realignment for the inhabi anu or lie colay

-RO CO

tinue, after their heroic struggle against the colonialism, VICEmS.o1 lepress on, mnisc- and hunger. There d my abcde onc million people living in Guinea , In the years leading tr Dissall, Ene rormauest revoltof April 1974 their actions played a major progressive role in world their brave fight pro

NISTOT Y

gressively demoralised alilly : coup highlights how fai the thev stil are trom winning what they fighting for were struggle, how they now fight need take to LIvw

TOTCCATOCO TO CHROT MAI ISIRP

and privilege.

FIXING THE NEXT

DEPRESSION'80

Heseltine-hated on all sides Page 4

TORY

round-up "Unless there is a change of course, there could be a depression that would make the great crash of 1929 look like a technical correction of the market':" So said Tory MP Geoffrey Parliament kippon 1CW days ago. Rut e was gregv behind the Ine depres unleashed by Thatcher SiOn 1980 1s alteady greater lidi Wal of 1929-31! The latest CBI survey, pub- lished Monday 'S las Li Financial Iimes shows tnat out- is expected to fall this year followed than 9.3%, by a turiner calastropitil 4.110 next year. If there is one particular Tory who has succeeded in getting everyone's nose Michael (Millionaire) Heseltine. As Environment Secretary, this walking • BrvIcreen auver! government-bringing complete Lud standstill, flogging raisine home help closing and raising rent social ano tate as latest sonee l a for week rent Incre e But would-be whizz- complicated kid,

ELECTION.

you've been Perhaps waiting patiently, like the rush through new legislation and trade union gerrymandering 1984 boun leaders, for the catola. daries and 30 Ve Thatcher Election \General as your safe Tory estimated extra to settle accounts chance seats in Parliament at the next with Thatcher? election. sales, the This gives a total fall in out- But ine lail in of unemployment and put or 14% in tao years CrOW Lil above the drop of only 11% in policies

EN E

1929-31, far greater terrall government, are themselves now powerful the acting Lerias. squeeze on industrial profits.

increases that have taken place since the Competition between rival 1930s. foi a share of a dwindling firms is This parade of closures and that there Mal kel bilbals time culoacks lakes. Vlark al d oressurt •n every manutactule Britain guteeen more so to hold down or even cut prices.

soverti

NOT

Britain While Thatcher has rushed to the • economies underdeveloper hail this situation the begin- Latin Hilla. ning of alau In Ilation, lew America. big employers see the situation Capitalism shutting through the blue-tinted 1s now same up shop becayse its Bunkens tation has left a majority of the The, CBI report shows that 15% of the 1,800 companies world's no uaton too

_DOOT IO

buy even the bare necessities of cut surveyed are. planning will offer price next four inel orices the employers a profit. months. Minister for Closures: Joseph Only 26% of firms expected ,their prices in readers, manufacturing increase -particularly metal period. time when At a neXL manufacturing: inilation 1s sul , a 13 o sucI margins are being measures are a sign of despera- tion. soneezed. number of cases, eliminated."

But as long as the capitalist profit system intact, mean that more and firms are being driven to more • wil reman edge of bankruptcy in production When profit very che. factories close for sales •up thrown onto the struggle is the ineylabit of an unplanned, anar outcome dole queues. Il is nappeng au around us. chic capitalist econom Only a fight to defend the Times independent of the points out ousiness

HILVIVOS

'Work'-but no jobs! Programme (a 'STEP' onto the work' There is to be queues) with the Com- dole • made available to tens of munity Enterorise Programme This will recruit a few staff thousands more young job will whose in James Prior's people 11LU extended farcical 'Youth unpaid, voluntary •part-ume Programme' Opportunities other schemes to his But considerate Tories are at disguise the level of unem- proposing to the Social least ployment. Advisory Security allow But there are real they kindly still no jobs for young workers ployed workers SuCI spewed voluntary' work : without who' are eventually docking their benefits! these "work end Prior Meanwhile, has experience" and other plans.

Indeed there is not even any oi the announced scheme which is currently keep- many Tories have replaced the Special several thousand workers off ing Thatcher Temporary to the government, bundles of new legislation on Heseltine had promised that Planicu Heseltine's new his broom' not and local would nous ne coercl. scheme be deferred Heseltine has proved a miserable and embarrassing failure.

of government grant which the district councils will Maggie is reportedly . not next year And Heseltine's Intervene the blonde bungler has Cabinet colleadles are sck ant failed find scheme tired of his half-baked efforts at Even the Tory-dominated protect the rural councils while They have legislation. House of Lords has been torced to intervene to prevent some of the same time implementin: ame lor mole laws li his proposed attacks on complex this parliamentary session.

nascen

DOCK

areas-and grant system of rate suppoit.

there little comfort rural If Heseltine this for r workers. тпете Not amused left-over Heseltine Il I on a range of necause he is cimosy ano mner ficient at carrying through the issues. MI lan even managed result, Now h the

ADC

McCallum, leader need not to swap one enrage Ine tweedy Tory , but to drive Tories" who run the 333-strong than 30 another.

COVEIS

Association of District Councils.

million people) has loudly com- Ine wnole gang out ol onice.

At that rate we would never bosses' see the pack this government! A Bill has already been published that would allow fiddle as quickly as possible they could hope to vin again After the only class-and working thus challenge the continued exist- ence of capitalism, , and point to the neee hora oannea. sociais economy-can stop the runawa Tory more jobs and whole industries -IncreasinE Inas. Britam and on a wora scale 1n defence of the riches of a hand- ful of employers. Mass action That is why mass action is each eve ro redunda ty atened tre.

threatened occupying and iighting tores. wall all nail for supporting strike and blacking action The demands most volun tary* For 'or combusory: work sharing for the whole workforce without loss of paykopen the boaks of the employers--expose

DIOLIES

made suppliers ies" distributors and banks! *Bring Tories! Demand a workers governiell will nationalise industry banks without and as the basis or a plannea, sociai Short Time …ne lemborar. Working Compensation Scheme is to be maintained despite its spiralling costs. pay employers to keep workers shor sack on them. Now firms can apply Io1 rather than the previous six.

e level subsidy of the from 30% This • more to a 25% wage cut anything up workers now covered by scheme at months-followed by

LISU

redundancy Tory "silver lining cloud. •Moneybags Heseltine (right) SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 December 1980 So much for democracy! Socialist Press has stressed time and again: the only r way to bring class is mass Working ca acion bring down Thatcher, drive out Labour's right and press through the fight tor socialis policies. - The- vanishing women workers In just three months~- July-September 1980, 350,000 jobs disappeared in the UK. This was a marked increase the speed or redundancie.

No more than , 400,000 jobs had lost 1 the preceeding 12 nearly a year's Thus months total iob loss took place in only three months. Anc sackings still being announced every day. in the the last recession mid 19/Us disappeared in two years. So fa Thatcher has disposed of three •rimes that woure But hardest Tal decline workers. wollich indus • dependent upor neavily tries where ine diocest cutoack have taken place; they are gener tha fid they ar de redun dant; they jobs or are married women elig ible for unemployment benefits Once out of work many women Teretore co nor oomner to sul as unemployed, .and con "vanish' veniently Stalistics 'Disappeared' This can be seen by comoal ing the employment and unem.

350,00 ceased to exist jobs official Heaving 100,000 unaccounted for in the last twelve months 'disappeared

TAIS

workers has reached 225.000 It is true that in some cases older Male • workers ave lakcl early retirement, having been made redundant othe cases workers may nave the so-called econ omy But the majority are likely to be peen excucco trom une work force -driven back to an exist ence atico of the home 'housewife' in the fen onal wonoe working class women can hear name without becoming angry

Labour bureaucrats bid to reverse Blackpool gains w SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 December 1980 The doors of the Labour honesty praised Tory Minister Party leadership have been James Prior. whose ana-unlon swinging back and forth in legislation he, as a Labour MP, supposedly the last two weeks. few have gunslingers And Wilson went on to make emerged, seeking shoot-out it clear that he had for Healey one while nas gone shoe. Support elections. shiner seeking to polish Michael policies and support for Healey Foot's plaster cast. go hand in hand First 'Gang

OUL

War Late the sevill Three' reactionarv David Owen shoot-out He declared that he is standing Willlams, whose welcome retusal down from the Shadow Cabinet to seek so as to give himsell greater tree MP drew forth no less than Jour tile next adopted this year's Guardon. He was, he said, "very fond" Not alone OINT rOOL. Her statement amounts to an And he had a few KINd open declaration that words for Tony Benn, who,

NEC

on the Labour admitted, had helped purely for the purposes of assist- "invigorate British politics".

Healey and the But as Owen opened fire in lories to subvert the Blackpool the street outside the Shadow Cabinet saloon, Dennis Healey corerence uecisions • right. Haley or _are not aone n DeDuLy this fight. instance produced a Derringer Leader, has been opport this campaigne able inside. Foot's He announced that Labour had only two years to undo the ›ase• or a lorma or eace unlocialic ship elections to be based on a Blackpool this year. formula drawn up by Taking aim wing rump of the Parliamentary Lavour rally This would involve each in holdings, and And he called for a postal constituency ballot swsterd lor ciecting ine Hills. party leader. unions formulating new arrange- ments to seek a mandate from Meanwhile, from pent- political fund-paying house members. au about Meanwhile

DIOCK.

was accorume lo uls taking aim with a Winchester PLP-representing seneme, une only themselves-would continue to hold a large percen- Wilson, with unusual

PRESS

GANG

The thieves have begun on course and to th things she was elected to do."

to fall out in earnest. The Mail goes on to castigate Divisions within the ranks of the goy semest: the Conservative Party ceems i the find their amongst governed camp lolowers in tne press. Ine Street into they will not be deflected from where editors their harsh but necessary course strive to orove ner controlling to true Tory philosophy. vithout real shout that pos come and hand division--the kind of debate that cruel and heart- less woman, must be forced to Come nave waken brace arounu Stalin. Is Comrade stalin being the It so great that he car . or is before supply country The that he can rise collapses. Are the British people expec- Only in this case, instead of ted fall for this lunatic Stalin it is Thatcher. charade?" The Daily Mail and ine sun Now when the liv mor began it-the Mail as usual with starts talking about what the more punch. British people will and will not

MAGGIE MUSI DO A U

stand or tal for then it is time TURN was its astounding lead to run for cover. headline for November 26. To But the Daily Express iTs Tenders must dave solo ed believes it has a monopoly on like the beginning of the end.

such instant opinion pols.

Had editor lost marbles? Had the printers taker the Express was given over to an over? Is the Daily Mail a red on The Lady snot tor rivals under plot in disguise! Ine lust para headline graph supported such dramatic Burning" possibilities I nis started Mail Daily never The "Tory, Tory, Hallelujah. The believed it would have to say it.

biggest political U-turn Britain has this Kut now it must Mrs facer year has seen must make a U-turn and make it from Mrs Thatcher's fairweather immediately. Inenos-te Dauly Mall and the But the U-turn "turns' out to Sun. (surprise, Their political credibility has sunrise. more butchery, not less. he mol disappeared their

OWI

wants more cuts, claptrap." ployment. more attacks on the The rest of the page is unions! In the opinion of the Daily mixture of abuse and hopeful seems which suggest that Thatcher is nicely "Through lack of support on it set governm the welas cowaruice dill incompetence people government is the the Titanic, to arM. Mrs Thatcher has U-turn determined to be the orchestra begun which played as the ship sank!

must make is essential to Sult tage of the votes in the resulting "electoral college"! Such an extension of demo- Wond hollow charade to disguise the control continued monopoly exercisea election party reader But some trade union leaders have emerged arguing a position even more till Was Cal coul and reev The Aurw and GMWU are in which at least "electoral arguing,, college oi ine voles du to unerar-ulus recutine me nant wine to sing only one major union to guaran- tee victory

EETPU

of all lafora lor a Party members thus disean- million workers chising the six affiliated to the Party through their unions. Meanwhile

NUPE,

TGWU.

ASTMS

and (surprisingly) are pressing for an elec

USDAW

in which the PLP тота. conese gets 40% or less of the vote.

Of the 12 major unions, 2.5 million block votes go in tavour of a 30% PLP vote and only 22 million in favour of 40% or less. But what of Tony Benn, who for socialists Illally 11as come to personify the fight for democracy in the Party? Made peace As the gunslingers take up poston lor a maor onsaugit on the Blackpool reforms, Benn picked up his and made outfit with root. There are some embarrassing claims such as: Ine Dally Express does not believe The intalibuity Tory rule. But later the paper declares: OuI Dalt wall nobody be in any doubt to where the Daily Express stands.

We stand boldly behind Mrs Thatcher. It she fails it will not lust be a cisaster or me conser- vative Party, it will be a disaster for Britain. If the press cannot agree on where "malcret stands much it owes to some of the figures labour hurchal. The Daily Mail, which calls for new stiffening Thatcher's sinews wants business as usual from Terry Gully. Assessment ers man a week hetore it• attack on the weak-kneed Thatcher government it ran an editorial BL Dully many would love to have said about them. How is this for an assessment of a trade union leader from the opponent those unions? "Mr Duffy is nobody's idea of a trade union Titan. He is no great speaker Viten flustered for a phrase • He is as flat unlikely vowelled there is something about him.

Often enough we have cause to lambast the inert and lacktusure WIlU nOW TUC. Bur person use The not all drizzle, Murray and Moss Evans. there's Duffy there's hope. Whatever the outcome January's special conference, he has said, he will not challenge Foot for the Party leadership.

And he has sought reelectior the Shadow declaring Cabinet - thus himself willing publicly to defend the line put lorwara by tool. Whether or not ne succeeds in this-and Benn is plainly still regarded as excessively left wing Tribune Group piacca nim omy eignue On then "slate" for the Shadow Cabinet - Benn has plainly con- defuse the sciously moved We rally al d key point in the fight for demo- cracy. Union leaders, Tribunites and Tony rally behind the one-time "left' winger would have Way Ludl impossible had elected Party leader The outcome is a growing oostace to democlacy anu lu socialist policies. Balloons won't stop BM nazis Red balloons were the determination not to get sucked order of the day on the protest Wd. anti-fascist nast condon. workers Aeams!

CHOROIN

Racism demonstration called at of this were obviously short notice through West- 13 this of its as bourne Park a week ago. members were Dicke our at Dre arranged points during the We can only assume that march. them the Nazis or the British were a ploy Workers Socialist League SUNDOLLeR Movemenl forseen obvious police The carnival atmosphere posed them tactics and did not walk into the no threat. They would not have blockade been far wrong! were therefore able to went where the was the opposite way to the BM and actually marching. got hemmed in at the end after protesting the strains Serious to fid le INazis dada da da, dada da da". The hundreds of people we Not even the obvious from then consisted saw manoeuvie by the police at the largely of groups of black youth end to box everyone in and stor on the ANL march, , and were Lem even calcue seat or une fascist been antici- serious about trying to stop scum nad ated by the organiser British Movement march tather The ANL lollipopers at th than simply airing an empty tront walked hanniv protest. jaws of the law and the The police, as usual, were 'Militant' LPYS were entreating out in force to protect the smal keep group of fascists and allow them alle to march at any cost keep togetner rignt to the eno You had look carefully Only flags and banners to check that the police had not were visible taken over the megaphon deen lines or Douce The biggest group Estimates of 400 Nazis were on

TO A

march who did show their exaggerated. Out of the stinking corpse of capitalism..

Page 5 Benn: shoe-shine boy Some of the fascists did get the beating thev • deserved out the ANL demonstration played part in providing the means to do that 3,000 people were marched York and not even down again!

pacifist protests will not stop the British Movement which-to a greater extent ever than the Nationa Front-is built on the basis of attracting Inordansed anto back ware youth to a campaign of street vies and age has baccomm : commun-

DIV

1s not acoenaen

UDON

open east can hatred openly Nazi-style not by protest and propaganda the organisalon worker aerence the specific task of driving them off the streets The politics

ANL

ot the were nadeware co counter the NF in the period prior to the last election: but in the struggle aramst me oresent camoan o is criminally lascist groups it wrong Socialists must take up the fight for the workers movement to crust the BM and its fellow wherever they show their faces.

VIOLENCE

against women Page 6 Events in Leeds within one week this month have shockwaves through sent the country and have forced look many to at the question of violence against women. On the Friday Leeds Crown Court a man who killed wite ov smashing ner skat with a hammer was given a two suspended sentence pleaded guity to by WaS provoked Mrs anne Coles who was neurotic and He was not found guilty of murder. Monday, the Annette and Charlene Maw, convicted I of mansaucte were sentenccu m the same court to three years imprisonment for stabbing tathel had beaten ano _terrorised unem and their mother for most of their lives. Not isolated And on the Thursday it was discovered that Leeds student Jacqueline Hill had become the

VICLEI

called Yorkshire Ripper. Three incidents of violence against women coincid- entay came to dant must one week. are, however, not isolated, one off, sensationally rare occurances. They are par whole pattern of violent abuse to which ject because of the fact they are The reality (above) and the media fantasy (right) women Over takes of sexual or

1UIE

domestic attack upon women in apart from the endured by violence who are were on dreds or romance, marriage and childrer full of love and the idea these lusions tney wind ul trapped within the home, isol- the seeming pressures of raising futility of and servicine lamules They have no possible way out; getting a job is impossible elderly or perhaps they've dependants who can't get into home or just children who have no nursery place. for many Ullly Wal women cope witn oppression is with "mother's little helpers' million anti-depress- ants are taken everv dav.

tails are womentend weakdoey complete breakdown occurs or suicide is attempted.

And of leaves out account the women in Britain anu Internalofally agonics

SUETCT

aILer being forced into seeking illegal abortion. This is the kind of violence that addition women endure alla «usered whole the working class through the capitalist system.

1IOLSKYISLS

as a malot responsibulty under. stame has to find mission of stand the means independent working class action to deena tem adv day from violent attack-what- ever form it takes within capital• 1SI1 But that is not easy and it is not enough: we must also have a perspective revolutionary makes the fight to halt violence siste to overthrow capitalisme women and to take steps to ensure that such violence can last ll a socialist society. Strategy It is our responsibility as on all other issues to declare now we . propose tackling the fight against sexist attacks. We have to present a strategy and a proposal of the violence that counteract the of daily deforms lives women. In doing so, it is inevitable that we understand that defen- alone -though

SIVE

Incasules —will never a women the threat of sexual attack, the from the constant discrimination and degredation that women expel- ience daily under capitalism Only removal of capital- ism itself will do that. simply sualt naively that socialist revolution will automatically penetrate the concealed pockets of the psyche nave ~ been nurtured bourgeois ideology. Morning Star Jacqueline Hill's editorial murder called for: "concerted social acion

BRANDNEW*

AUTUMN WINTER

HIM

AND

HER

FREE

SEND NO

MONE!

: LAST,

THERE AT

PRESS: Europe's big overnight sensation that's glamour pane rom cover to cover wild hundreds of the most sensational exotic fashion wear available— 64 revealing pages in full blour featuring a stunning splay of exotic bras and jefs, naughty nighties ductive dresses, sexy tockings, pulsating playsuits, daring waspies, suspender bels of we took: PLUS SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 December 1980 The night before a wedding there's time to k HE against male violence and for Socialists throughout the

KNOW

labour movement should between unc be put on a proper - sexes to examining MOTe footing. means of workers' self-defence against sexual attack as well as Women, it said, should have

YOUR

the right to work and the right ahams racist and lasest attack One tactic could be adopted Lo walk wie surcel from groups of feminists.

incapable of

ALON

putting forward the necessary Where a number of assaults action to defend women's jobs, place in any one nave taken area, they organise a system and fight for tul employment patrols which have effectively so the Morning star Is incapadie the posin anythi fight against reduced the threat of attack fight against we

AXA

ваттаск. should raise this proposal on sunual altalk trades councils and organise Leeds chief constable une workers after the murder advised women groups of suCI to "stay at home" for their own delence squads on a lun rota basis rote lion Self defence The media have merciessly played on the fear of women Another point that has after this horrendous attack While the Tories are econ- emerged tom une seeos camous is the demand for classes in self omicall women back defence for women into the home with mass redun- We be insisting dancies and cut social services inrough the teacning unions-in media are helping psycho Lne particular the NUT -that DIna women complete training in self-defence ; and deprive them of any inde- be taught in school to all girls pendence as they are terrorised that out of even venturing out alone.

uncle women are in most cases physic- Patrols ally weaker than men-this can train ove that heh bring Fortunately the students of which Leeds Universitv have examined by which-through methods their own actions-they also can demanding that a full system of defend women attack 11Ull side marriage are Ikely to na cheap state transport agreed sex with any mar wilnout tying on the ponce provided after dark. They have organised an and therefore cannot have be escort system from bus stops, That implies a state taxi women door to door service as part of a accompanying women to halls girls under 16 and proven fait cinemas and programme of necessary publi are safe from su presence. wives friends' houses. including clearance of

WULAS,

They all grounds, adequate also organising 1ne police invarlabiy inter patrols of street lighting. even gate the rape victim to det portable mine whether any grounds ex grounds. system to claim that they "led the m There is no doubt that the danger is growing

GLAMOURWEAR CATALOGUE

And most poli Wilf In the USA it is estimater 'experts' publicly advise wom EUROPE'S Nol. potential mar aoour nau a mion wome to resist every year are raped. violent rapist. rape victims w these rapes are attacks involving and appe obev suca avice Hottest physical violence and force calm and unbruised to lay We must therefore demand complaint at the police stati that rape crisis centres be estab- with Locate lished in every locality. suspicion-as are inose must be under workers' control.

delay reporting the attack wh they collect their thoughts fion to the hadegradent, humia.

Such prejudice among poli and degradation that officers itselt acts as an obsta to many rape cases even be women exce

PASSION FASHION CATALOGUE

rape in a police station.

The victims There, the police are majo too distressed and alienate of the lin : that the advocates proceed-or their protestall "come woman 'asked for it are brushed aside by policem as simply the lies or fantasies on ne was olly havig a bit ol fun" confused The i first in ordeo tot that immoral' womer is lying order for she the rapists leg accept that she defence begins long before a DolICt case reaches the courts. Justlled in saying sne has beer raped, a woman in a distraught state, physically and emotional Crisis centres battered has to endure attitude of t police cross exammaton tun or The whole innuendo and accusation and an Donce immediate medical examination.

the state for which they are t guard-dogs Principal myths They are the most profour

SEND

NOW FOR FAST RETURN!

v racist. sexist and all worki The so lof the foremost class body. se an EXCLUSIVE principal We cannot and must n

SHOPAROUND SUBSCRIBER

exponents them for been turn support that have that is trated around the question of sylvaully. rap they are the first to insinu- Crisis centres are so importa We must insist within the woman labour movement that that it is in some way incited 'invited' sexua assault stated by wearing a short services, to provide counsellir • skirt, by being alone in a night club, pub acurate medical and legal advic or so-called 'red light' district, a 24 hour phone service FREE with ever or ny neig one an empl support lor women who choc

GIFT VOUCHERS

hitch-hiking or visiting a man at his home or office.

rape

WORTH 67 G.55

conditions the that have Under

ESHOPAROOND

came and oe a establisnea also hope "to liaise with local educ "responds" to provocation by ило помоло women who should be demurely tion authorities, with a view • by •a man, or introducing the subject of ra clothed, escorted safely confined to the home.

Police at once assume tha de-mythologise women who have had sex out- glamourise it."

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 December 1980 Acting Up:J.R. keeps a royal secret (left) against women; (above) hypocritical dirty postcard' ever produced?

DONT NEED TO

DON'T NEED

• ME FROM

HE LOVES

ME We would turn this process towards the labour movement. questions in the raisie teaching unions. by men taski ideal that women. UD -2n for men's ocla prodiem, rooted dominance centuries and the capitalist society has between female body other change conditions that vomen and 111 al inferior position. kape women are to belief There vul uy this Dr Judy rapists pietning ingularly Many apists have men have

ESTO

demand it pwa are often as saying been form the section prison In the of analytic rape, egression, атн and destre to violate break ersonality lough illegal, 1968: "The idea puraged by and itioning. Inh oent in extreme The al C the fantasy image women vertising reflects incepts of men's fantasies of une rule sadism with the wuy woulu uke wowen ic consumers masculine headed dicated to serving men. The innocent-looking Page

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PLEASE

BUT YOU'RE JUST A ROBOT

MARK.

WITH A

KINK

CIRCUITS

states in a chapter film tides of

LOUI

becomes a continuousN Inciner The woman ripping, ravishing the sex, existing Whatever to virtu- ol woman as a emphasises the ally evtry the denigrates women such examples a current courage, crea- series ot These being cases the United murGer States and 'Ripper' case comparable perpetuating Mass beard, war icipate in titilation. have women Illass DuDaCITy averts ever want much literature the general psycho- response. the barbarity and cruelties whip up a a ruthless and independent. victim has with sexual- otten equated 'Ripper' case-terrorising women to sexual in the home. by psycho- women are associates male (the and victimisa- chine of crime lable lust Cinema' Nude Kim I'll sue Benno says Mrs World on violence

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WHO RAPED MF

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10542 05 conqueror designed intimidate alic Was inspire fear. demand we pro- these psychological supporting lucolored aggressive ture attempts expose al C Whitehouse". the But surface. committee the based on important oppressed ditioning, and Mary but also fight She Lanstorm honours list, In fighting not censor any woman's home" existing salt . children"; auvocde defending the concept that it is To stay home after her She The fight Workers and precisely challenged It is why committees for entertainment Inaustry, Equity, Brenton's These examine films British necessary has survived take demanding Page 7 yul says contest boss Julie

MISS UK AS YOU

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Sun picture exclusive

IDENTITY VARANG

of capitalism Proolems film of Everyday that a blacked class state is order monastery. take people a a full : of consumers, in part Iner in revolutionary lever. longing for Peonie desire moc faction be the tiresome defend denigration Some They may that the important • Thatcher's centrate • or is a vicious will about the She seeks like Tal mass obsconities of occupations, Prom Nigh1 action of the media *Prom threatens Night' morality Trotsky also said however in "The all kinds even only Inev : used the interests Gay News OI democrati rights they working class. LOUISSe Co If we fight ideology anti-church now the 19lT see it as solely a : of men (patri- 'Romans' domina- Next week: Paul Bar A further feature article on without battered women.

COMMUNIST PARTY KEEPS

THATCHER IN OFFICE

Page 8 Margaret Thatcher's crisis ridden and reactionary regime has been kept power by the conscious and deliberate intervention of the Communist Party. This Starting surement s the only serious conclusion which from can close examination oi the recent wages struggle inside BL. With Tory policy in disarray and divisions within the Tory Party itself, BL workers were oised to spea cone nave brougne down. Yet under these conditions Jack Adams, leading membe the party

TOSITIO

decisive mass meeting at the and put the recommendation for acceptance or ine oom oer. There doubt that 1s no putting official Adams was policy. Communist rally Despite massive cover by the of the Longbridge meet- ng the Morning Star the follow failed to even mention mort nad taker blace. Once again the Tories have been protected by the trade just as they bureaucrats, were during the steel strike Now because or une acuons of the Communist Party BL workers, far a fight against the have lories, been useu as une lever to orne Thatcher's incomes policy. Interesting The importance betrayal, linked. as it is to the staggering determination of the trace unIon leaderstip whole not to contront natcher makes a detailed examination of of events both inter- the course boule all reassal y. BL sold-out worKers wert year they last well. voted for strike action by a 2-1 majority by trade conducted Elle unions. Slo py or postal bolis ballots This lover postal suddenly decided not to accept result. mem Ders to keeo workme different. This year it was national Secretaries played thei officers The General mevilabie role. lt was ble convenors une decisive part and hence the crucial importance of the Com- mullst rally The question of democracy is very central indeed within BL and can never for a moment.be struggle separated trom the wages or tne struggie to dciend jobs or conditions. Participation leadership bems in problems years of "worker participation' under Ryder at the time of the Labour government.

his was class collaboration perrection anal une com- munist Party from the outset was its most consistent suppor •a step

LOT.

Towates workes ContO When BL moved towards the corporate bargaining system Socialist yes ane the workers oca League) the same collaborators the negotiators; became even after participation formally ended continued flourish to heads Co the the ranors ord he the ranks of particular commust rally. , UP

TE FORD

"RATES UP

ARE UBI

RENTA

COMMON 1

SOCAL CONTRALT

SOCIAL

CONFLICTI

SMASH

THE

SOCIAL

CONTRACT

Longbridge workers on the march against the Social Contract: now their Stalinist leaders are selling out to the Tories meant they by the inis that attempt ally supported the Confed when it "turn the nego- management to set up a completely unrepresen- toward: bonus Jay- corporate ment"-as had been the case BL structure strucers could have ho control which last yeat Everyone, he said, must_ be wildlsoryel very nam on unis Dolli The JNC has 27 members The JNC later endorsed the Seven of them are national Combine Committee policy and officials, the majority of pres respited ith an offer of management presented it the 20 represent convenors small nute Ders workers, mostly with craft interests.

Even at that stage the seeds The majority BL of the sell-out were there workers represented decided are against minority the offer and sullall actourre for unree weeks lo The JNC reports to (but is consider it! not accountable confer- nearly 200 ence of convenors Confed claim They déspite the fact that tin Most BL workers would have handful mostly

IGWI

considered three minutes as too the vast long to consider it, but the JNC convenols represent majority of workers and the rest had mollye speak only tiny minority reported back to the interests. various stewards in the This system was accepted by plants that the decisior tactical' Within te communist rarty ane owner.

because they were on it, and said, the Confed would unty because they knew it would be have one effective block strike employers for the engineerin industry which they anticipated The 1980 claim of £17.21/ be more than 6.2%. They 20% across the board) was could then press tor the same fact originated not by the the but by the Combine committer Plant the shop stewards decided at one ol ine sparsely attendec mass of the members that the meetings it has held on rare must be slate occasions since it was destroyed if the claim was to be seriously proposed. by parucipalion. mass meeting was called "Single item" which uramously voltu 101 rejection of the 6.2% offer and to pursue the full claim.

There, Jack Adams proposed mid-October Duffy that 8.2% 101 Lil' minimum rates for the Confed 20% be adopted which would be "clear to thing it, Adas" Promptly the BL JNC met moving it, Adams stressed management, expecting a similar that the important thing was to SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 December 1980 Bill Peters examines the sell-out at British Leyland

WE BUILD

PRINCESS

CAR

NO 1 GH

WAGESIS

REST

SOCIAL

CONTRACT

SOCIAL

CONFLICT

offer the the october. convenors Then their problems began atticals • and tawardes got a Edwardes only offered 6.8%. shock This, he said, was the final offer.

betrayals Despite previous Caught

INC

edwardes and vacilation since the claim decision, the called started, there were massive votes conference 20 for strike action. convenors sound out their "to VeloUri All directions views The meeting decided to go back consult the shop stewards in the plants. When stewards met in the majorities were over- Lile whelming and Plant In Bl the cowler ASsemOLy vals as e they already had a mass meet- whole onlv 21.000 voted againsi ing decision behind them action compared 42,000 in favour The stewards mandated the When the JNC met on the Bob rryer to press at Convelo the

JNC

for simultaneous Iollowing Monday to assess the series of mass meetings through- support of the members they to be held on the same ran in all directions motion • call . an all-out vote on a recommendation for strike moved by Bob rrver and strike action • Arthur Harper was defeated by a majority of one This policy was put onto a circulated from Grenville 1vliU d ac ma the connor one Hawe o car way

INC

strike was defeated and a motion convenors accept the reassemn vicu 6.8% was also defeated. 27. On that day the JNC met an The JNC, the "leadership" hour before th he miles thin the mr be. ing. It adopted the policy advo- cated bv Frver ine convenols met and took a similar decision.

They went into the conven.

This was a very crucial tac ors conference an hour later tical decision, because the ke with three motions but no policy modulisng Du workers wai unity. After a battle, the motion to cal al-but strike on the basis of the mad ay of to to s Sold out carried 99 votes to with 14 abstentions BL workers had been sold- Seven days' notice of an all.

out three times the out strike was given to Edwardes year when plants had beer became workers all Welc seeina UnAt alla une decision. sonne in fighting Edwardes. •plants that had voted against the When the mass meetings strike, such as Rover where the held effects last April's sell-out were Thursday were still strono it became clea that workers would be out once the strike started. • Management acted quickly where to go and They knew what to play on-bonus. Top managers in each plan that the would not bE improved , but money could be earned through intimidation was inrown It measure. was said inside the JNC meeting and they cook a sellul. They told him hi: vien "card would be marked" if he continued support strike The pressures were effective On Wednesday an emergenc

JNC

called they promptly agreed to mandate talk about bonus to from the stewards and they were in com of the cout it was even worse. They But it was even worse. decided put forward their own proposals for a bonus Bonus They proposed that five vonus pouts (d1.do) De gualan teed on top of the 6.8% offer (A i conceded sul lase 8.2%o-equal to surorise: Confed settlement) Unfortunately for them prepared wai eight all week period hours negotiations succeeded "impro miserable deal to 12 weeks.

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 December 1980 providing the whole claim was settled there and then. This was impossible and the talks broke Thursday further meeting took place of Terry Duffy, this with Edwardes and time General Secretaries oi various This included only not staff who notning to do with ine Roy Grantham 0I AlEx was there. Clive Jenkins was there- had WIlUSC 1u1chic seen Tuata workers into accepting the David was there whom MGs late and announced the Who call for the ment" to BL on wUulu plate Monday following week. They

JNC

assembled back the sell-out. The following day an emer- caved also backed. mne sell-out with majority Instructions were calling off the strike. morning there On Monday was a 1010. meeting of shop stewards the Cowley Assembly Plant. The convenors reported the evens ol cue previous weck anu It became clear tnat Bod rryei had been a pat to legi Luis on Donus. There was a very sharp reac- pion tom theis wined. The 200 unani- the JNC mousy to and the convenors' conference.

nev cared tor a new. demo- cratic structure based on a dele- fate tereng, Which the had since summer. General Secretaries with no members involved in claim: Jenkins and Grantham Duffy (right) chats with NUM leader Gormley: Gormley did not attend talks with Edwardes!

negotiations strike. bonus predictably produced nothing.

At the mass meeting Adams Fryer fought for a new strike refused to put decision the stewards and instead pushed the Oasis 01 plant. maneste Trom The convenol. comerence

JNC

voted 14-12 recommendation for accept- recommending Even after he had done his final" offer of 6.8% plus £1.25 best week Doris twelve weeks to the convenors the next day. workers who film Silenced workers Adams aside At the convenors conference pleas unal Would Fryer wenced. ruled that no JNC member be allowed to speak! convenors that 111C ane oner be acceotea was over• whelming- -but they argued that it would be recommended to a This was majority big further series of mass meetings extremely days. difficult. Plant the Assembly meeting was wing-who I guarantee anti- SuIKe meetnes for a was even yuLa bargaing accepted. recommended stewards the call Once again Edwardes has backing. used the apparatus of the trade railroad Cowley vulcaucialy on wages. demoraise The worktorce But this year, more openly the than ever before, union officials have had to lean for support upon tne involvement many plants followed their of convenors-and, key to their whole success, upon "Commun- something Ist Jack duals strike acron. of Longbridge workers saw and voted against Adams' treacherous line at the mass meewe. thing hu it on the Long that witnessed his betrayal on their on the everything hung TV screens. The fight far vote. walet nae been new leadership held back until Tuesday morn- in BL -so cruciai it further sell- inst Longbridge outs are to de avolded-means a repeated its fight not only against General Secretaries, and the right wing: action-then the vote througn- it means a out BL would go that way.

All dal

CODESI

Everything therefore hung Party and its conscious oppos- Adams and the ition to mass struggle to bring Communist Party. down Thatcher. The sell-out came when the CP's "peaceful road' CP-led Longbridge works com- to socialism means in BL full- seawardes ollad rati mittee decided to accept the collaboration with Tory pay. This was taken to a full mastery a stewards meeting. There Adams revolutionary road, sell-out proposal was decisively of workers Dase• on cerence lost. independent interests, can offer •The stewards voted 180-140 a way forward for BL workers. for strike action. Building such a leadership is But was not allowed to the thi: Last uncertaken LIlt Workers Socialist League.

stand m •I AdamS determined moves to knife a All those who argue that change is a slow process of gradual peaceful transition should keep well away from the Natural History Museum in Kensington in future. entided Man's place in evolu exhibition caremi stamps on ine most cheried. cherished beliefs of all who saw the • theory of evolution as proof ir nature of what they preached about politics and society of slow change as tual Instead gradual vears Pass me exo mon challenges us to accept what all the evidence indicated nature changes. and shary sudaen suvicly -alc none maor breaks wild tet past and massive leaps into the future. Man did not, for example, exhibition suggests, evolve the simple straight line in a from the apes. As the handbook puts it: is axiomatic, therefor that fossil no recoro can cons cerel ancestral to any other, nor can any species evolve directly into another. what happened was Instead. that at certain points there were sudden breaks major qualitia tive changes leading to a nev sta this is reflected in revised "tree of evolution' on which branches display off at breaking representing these sudden violent breaks into new direc-

RED YOUTH *

BRING THE

TORES

Page 9 Capitalist dinosaurs see red moused m a sow and uneven ful process" he was ridiculed as a crank and an ignoramus. Morrow Colin reviews But now that such ideas have exhibition the new gained and audience are Place publicly 'Man's in counterposec Evolution' bourgeois prevalling the objec- at the politics behind the Natural History tions comes out Museum in Kensington. Thus. in a letter to Nature magazine, • Vivien Halstead argued that if the view evolution and natural history now on disolav at the museum tions, the emergence of new becomes accepted it will encour ase theres utionary view o scares Evolution is thus seen practice as a process of revolu- "knowledge": is Bourgeois tionarchor this is, of course, therefore reauced Marxists always claimed it to be who -the official ideas of the ruling layl class. areued ance ne Dubacaon o Engels 'Dialectics of Nature' for For Halstead and his ilk such a materialist understanding what matters is not historica of nature as a process fact but political continuity! • is the Unfortunately, informa- What nieresung response of the bourgeois aca- tion has accumulated on evolu- demic • world to this assault or tion, on the ice ages, on geolog- their treasured picture of the the chris orry ever on to , on the reversals of world In the 1950s when 'heretics'

HISTOV

like Immanuel Velikovsky against nature, what has become is the contra dictory nature of our world and ma mne nistorv o man and the very earth itself was one of cata Sus revolutondy Dasu clysmic change not gradual evol As Velikovsky has commen- the response was simply ted: ution, "The past of mankind and unissive of the animal and plant king- Velikovsky argued when that the of doms. too. must now be viewer *are in the light of the experience of certainly not inert and are Hiroshima Hie portholes of the Beage from and no longer Illaine vy spontanelly dna con flict" and went on to point out Perhaps in his book Earth in • Upheaval • The canals cno that alarmed enough at what saur, sees of the Be fle, none "facts have presented them was Darwin from the selves that do not square with portoles the picture of a peaceful world scents its own extinction.

RED YOUTH

• Monthly paper of the Socialist Youth League New issue available Price 10p plus 12p postage

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Socialist League New issue now out and blame us! Price 12p plus 12p postage Both available from WSL, BM Box 5277, London

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A chance to vote against Chapple's men Page 10 160,000 members of the electricians' union EETPU) are entitled to vote in the Executive important Council elections currently under way. • Electrical and Plumbing with out ot is councl seats talll. together Tols vOTE actually covers one-third of the mem Dersio With iust one executive vote every five years an even greater for the rank and urgency exists and his

KICK

Chappie 'gang of 13' out of office, Chapple nominees are as follows: Breakell, Mersevside (President EETPU); East Anglia and London: E. Clayton: South East: and South LUlluUll Hammond organised scabbing against the Isle of Grain picket); South New. Socialist Press Pamphlet .con- taining analysis of the military coup by the Bolivian generals.

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INDUSTRIAL NEWS

England Plumbers: W. Gannon; Confed engineering strike 1979 by a threatened ballot of scottish Plumbers: H. Barlow All the above named must be

EETPU

members at the ver opposed. EETPU members must point the employer was caving and opportunity grasp. Chapple *Initiated elitist private for higher and his right wing clique on the neate cart grades- adding further executive: lemise of the NHS workers seeking to *Encouraged scabbing at the uncl mutenant the Isle so smashing notice and economic merests unprecedented dual CMWU strike that promised to defeat the employer assault. Thatcher's *During marathon steel from Not lust strike vetoed the right of 10,000 rich. ruth government Lilt lessly fueling and antiation unemployment but from union strike pay autocrats like Chapple who have Chapple has also declared his five Junked pretence communeni y vals Thatcherism even to the extent representing organised labour by magnitude their , union members sheer the selayals as wayne. *Branded striking hospital Callaghan's Labour government during signed the Concordat as a their low pay strikes of 1978.

for Prior's notorious run' 'dry the *Ettectively DIUKe

DON'T GO INTO

THE FIGHT BLINDFOLD!

SOCIALIST

For a

GET

PRESS

clear lead in the struggle against wage control, cuts and redundancies

RATES:

Trial sub (UK): ..£2 Six issues €8.00 Six months .. £14.00 ' One year.. Europe: .... 29.00 Six months Rest of the Work: ... £10.00 Six months Please send me trial sub/six m the one year of Socialist Press, I enclose Name. Address Send to: WSL, BM Box 5277, London WCIN 3XX SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 December 1980 Scots tenants angry radical changes in the govern Scottish Office Minister ment's housing policy -and Malcolm Rifkind had to run more money for Glasgos the •of gauntlet angry exchange wit analy Scottish pickets the other week as he Tenants Organisatiot rrance. made his way to a major Rifkind said council houses housing forum. were being sold because people The pickets representing city wanted to buy them-and not tenants' associations, called for because of government policy.

invalidated from the election.

anti-union Employment Act.

received tact candidates sharo contras Chapple's lists of regional branch meeting free and times only after successful with nomination, and less than three

EETPU

revealed as the stallus most many bureaucrasca and the TUC. the exceeded no

TUC

xecutive domin worker candidates the right to more of the ates at every level 60-350 divisional branches manifesto is The 500-wor‹ Officials 21S0 scrumnised.

WILL

SOILLC

candidates already pointing to All 120 full-time officers censorship by the executive National Branch Meanwhil Chapple's nomin from function tes suicity journal, Contact, all paid for by directed by the Executive.

They are not accountable to rank and file members-and in rank the 450,000-strong the mass media National conference resolu- Fragmented contemptuously flouted as insignificant such branche opposi- Cardiff and Birmingham have tion remains fragmented with as experienced bureaucratic rank-and-file members with ClosuIe candidates in some regions. banned from holding office open campaigning executive election have (nO! reached agreement escaped obstruction An (excluding the CP who confined executive circular claims to re- themse ves to ent ruics. interpret the rules. the The It states that: challenge within the strongest No branch can invite the EETPU although they see candidate can accr candidate as the property of th sites or indus- can visit plants, rank and file movement- trial committees to electioneer; presumably the political no mender or member s suspor is not as important as gramme ters can send circulars, leaflets 'unity at all costs! or letters on his behalf. No can- Nevertheless is essential didate can give interviews to the that-all rank and file press." Chapple's volt To ignore this dictate runs nominees. the risk of the candidate being Kick out the right wing!

THE

the With workers by economy on a world scale offer!

a way forward. thousand taking the such a perspec. Tory streets to oppose policies there is plainly which, in today's struggles fights the lack militancy advance trade union organised working class. • mintancy. orotes politics and illusions that capit Yet the existing trade union abolished through bureaucrats parliament right Workers offe socialis those Trotskyist League fight worker. predicate and day went detence 100S stan our to bund • such a principa dards, social services ana demo emersnio in me work no cas.

cratic rights in Britain. can only be defended through policies from the independent cidss. Internationally Y newly-formed class internationa affiliated to nothing 10 lose from attempts to restore Trotskyist International Liaisor the profitability of their "own" committee. wach employing clas reconnaionio and reconstruction where the contra the tions er of revolutionary / parties in every dictions the struggle closure anc destruct Stalinist probuctive socialist cracies planned only Hamilton had Minister to consider the housing to channel money to resolve the problem and tr of Glasgow's housing One picket called for a cure and urged houses damt Mr Rifkind to .. Use a week and see what it's like' Glasgow District Councillor then challenged are yselal open debate KIKInG TO his ward on the condition But he declined this

TOULOSI

; this some of the on nearing had been standing freezing weather had to be held back from expressing their views more ToIciol Rifkind made his war the housing , forum being held ir the Mitchell Centre , Glasgow. Ms Hamilton said later we aim to protect tenant throughout Scotland, and it is action like this that only we can make ourselves heard" Associa- tion • secretary Iris McDonald echoed protestors' feelings the when she whole thing is inse a talking shop-it nothing fo people who really need help. will cost f140 million Glasgow's housing dampness problems. So far.

been allocated all mul da

MONSIE-AIE

Have forums like this" Tenants' anger, like that of Scotland's army : unemploved. must be directe towards mass action alongside firemen and other sections bring trade the down the Tory government EIS yes to alliance The

EIS

Scotland's teachers' biggest union, Glasgow last meeting in weekend took a significant with its step forward decision to commit itself to a public sector alliance to break the government's 6% pay limit. The marked conference blow the right wing serious

EIS

with the LIle permanent pay review body, formal links with British

NUT

and of retention compulsory arbitaliull

JOIN

WSLIL

degenerated workers' states.

wve readers socialist rres seek more details of the WSL and its work and to join us in the struggle fo socialism. Please send me more details of the Workers Socialis! League. Name Address. Send

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PARTIAL VICTORY

NEWSLINE BACKS HESELTINE

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 December 1980 Ford workers' 3-way fight pal plants-Dagenham, Hale- wood and Swansea-have all Union voted heavily for rejection already ottered of the company's miserable cessions 9.5% pay offer. in exchange for B thay miy rend thạt pạy fight they find that Suu1 lel nours Stil is truntle • strike action is o EneT offering sell in tront of them L'usuy. une neconators nave extra seeking a vote been deberate v simply on the offer and not on disguise the question of a strike.

16% rise in the cost of living This Ivayes manoeuvre. once the Toom

IOT

and deal, the vote has gone for rejection.

Terry Duffy only oi the union leaders involved who has attempted to head further negotiations away from the issue of wages onto the plinary code. vucsuon or nours The wage offer, he has said, is satisfactory, since Fords have already offered more than BL: snatching pay from workers ale volng not or more money but for shorter hours Duffy surow more clolt rom hope squeeze a small m crease

NOTOS

wulnvs against union sion from

TULLS-DOSIDIY

sympathetic to the 1c v1 à vénovx evcn n the working week next year, than vuntpally line with the Confed national waer memoers. Miners 'yes' to 9.8% Tens of civil servants in towns across the country In a pit-head ballot 56% stage rallies in working time of

NUM

members have last week in a protest at the voted for acceptance of the Tory 6% pay limit. Coal Board's pay offer of . London, In 9.8% and improved bonus Westminster accommodate the numbers that payments. allve Milltant areas such as Scot- 1,500 rally -while land, Yorkshire and South Wales diverted to an overflow were unable to swing votes on a In AN AI 1SUPAP sPO JAnPOTa mingham. Liverpool. Executive's recommendation for towns omer acceptance. similar rallies. Strike averted of Civil Service cental But the deal has been widely meetings are the described in the Tory press als being clue ammunition if any uornic nas nemed avert Ised miners' strike she will be less the Tories pleased that these powerful did howerer He sector workers have so damp publicly cacaouar UnIOns alon government's 6% pay limit-and porain th pay e earh will be back again in 10 months pendent' time for more! which would show how far civil servanls vay das lauen besino.

Although Lambeth been taken by Council and its leader Ted Kevolutionarv opportunist daily Newsline Knight are at present in the forefront of the movement attacks the to mount a fight against the for fighting Tory cuts, the Council has Lambeth Council selling council at the same time complied housest with Heseltine's instruction ters have played a key to sell-off council houses.

mobilising resistance in NALGO Knight and others argue that = víc ețe n z mącc meę. this was because they knew that vote by 1119 members to oppose all cuts and Lit sales woue De Docked ov maintad shelaliski orker has local

NALGO

branch. Ene Indeed Lambeth

NALGO

Ana S DOCIn correctly called on the Lambeth correctly blacking any work on Council to reverse its decision to of council houses-as wue t sell. For the WRP this smacks are NALGO members in other cities. LOO TOnOV, OT against Tories. But they now do so at the rushes in to attack the SWP: risk of their jobs. Socialist Press argued that Lambeth "They want Council to decide to is wrong Councillors to 'do a Clay Cross' ell: and that they should give a «o oppose neseltine 's Act to lead to other Labour councils (sic!) rejecting Heseltine's ultima- municipal housing. tum. and them right into A very different stand has Court alld mence settlement-in order to present a victory to tne members and conclude a squalid deal on pay.

2,400 workers who had negotiators have been occupying mne uraue con Gardners' diesel engine fac- productivity and tory in Manchester for the moves to crush unofficial strikes discussions past seven weeks voted last week to return to work on alla Densions WOrdS. ther terms which they regard as the jobs and conditions of their members for a major victory in the fight odds and against unemployment. viius own terusa As a result of the militancy to match the and determination of the occun has with- alion maracement wheel the 590 redundancy drawn notices it had issued to 1clusal

T'OIU

workers shop noor workers to brook any -including those • issucu lo con- attacks on their conditions has Tom Macafee and several venoy by last week's shop stewards. But in naicwood return for this con flow from the firm's new disci- cession; the unions have agreed voluntary reduodabs th agd Ford workers face a fight on voluntary redundancies ail fronts: against a government early reurement over the nex1 their wage three months rip: against And there is the likelihood determined short-time quently, under the Tories' short- . Inene to and protlis uto wuinui suusiuies scneme leaders more The whole position will be plight of the reviewed next September. the It is not clear at this stage whether ally vulcosuns lave been made on tne wage Cianm sparked off watCn Civil servants fight 6% thousands of t tl so needa bi merl than wrangling eagles to bring a the walked out to Malt lo LOI aRWCKS And thousands of angry civil serae aper more than rea dy Central Hall, was unable Seamen v ae o lę more i meeting. ballot Cardiff, Manchester, Bir- cannouran there were Bill Kendall of the Counci Seamen will be balloting Unions declared between December 1-12 on "these 1021 the employers 10.5% offer.

first shots of protest campaign"-but gave The executive of the NUS has recommended rejection.

wildl was to be But the executive discussed in the next salvo against whether industrial action would ballot decided against it ana offer the squib of the civil service By thus hedging their bets case they to er ple cy doing their

0UTT

of the 'inde- create conditions for Unit auraolanice ol an onier wnlcr anoulls to a savage wage cu1 for NUS members. the Workers, drastic penalties, even jail. Yet Party letter advocating this ana lts suicidal course, the SWP says: A Newsline editorial actually What much ess ceat Socialist whether there is any possibility Workers of fighting back and winning' lo orevenu In other words, the SWP is SWP members and suppor- varackine mon ne side nec role the Lambeth

LIVIIR

to тогсе Councillors into a confrontation with 1,750

NALGO

courts which they advance will fait Shonss the it rot pol tal irresponsibility. reflects minds of middle class political uesperados In bidin the me mica. a real fight ment there will tactical Newsline retreats since Labour Councils such as Lambeth are not always able to choose the ground upon the Lambeth which to wage a fight." th This ould In taking this stand the WRP the High and Lambeth K nient the more councillors themselves-and

GARDNERS WIN

company's initial threats to sack Even 100 workers and the notices to occupation 590 workers. But militanev and confid- ence among Gardners workers the dispute plainly remains high: there has already wail d plulest sloppast DuCIl LalK diversionary. vvet vonus payments since tne relumn to work However the fact remains that sackings have the struggle thereby won a reprieve 300 jobs have tion: but it has also still been lost at Gardners Backing for "no cuts" policy In Lambeth, the Labour council has adopted a policy of refusing to make any cuts initiatives, simua in spending by Speaking at a public meeting in Leicester Lambeth council Already leader Ted Knight said: ue rectaoont "We Camden inten dl to prepare our budget on the basis of financing lead, and moves towards similar all ene wil maices action in Lewisham make clear the posi- 11C 11210 uon that the ave ment

DUDTT

SeCtOl has put e. But we will want Mebrualy will support. theme Lambeth conference, ambeth council clearly has considerable support. for January 17 in London.

A the asi meeting of the Lambeth Steer- Resolution ing Committee it alluutl Direct Lavoul forçe is caulng strke action loi move a resolution at the Special two weeks from February 2 in opposition Tory spending Lavour rarl) lead a fight TiVe Tories, Backing that refuse to carry and to • 1ł. This call January 17 conference mmeoace backing from Lambeth GMWU We urge all members, AUEW local au thority employees and TGWU stewards suvoor and Illas. meeung conerence NALGO workers has voted over- 2 strike whelmingly to back the strike Further from February 2. Lambeth camoaen Knight pointed out that the recall conference, and request councillors, too, would be part for speakers from of the fight: Committee to attend local meet- "We will shut down Lilas snouu oe Lambeth council. As far as I'm Local Government concerned, all doors will be Steering Group, c/o Room 103, locked." Lambeth The Lambeth Steering Com- Hill, London 01-274 7722 Ext. 2066. mittee passed a resolution sup.

produce an argument custom- another Clay built for any and every Labour traitor wishing to excuse his o1 growing carrying against this government could herself for out cuts! We should provide the much-needed focus remember lilal the Clay Cross struggle--strong- national solidarity dod mae tosio struggles ly and correctly supported by the verlaat the timt focusaed defiance Heath oecause Senes the pessivi or tere government's Hilassive shares the pessimism Hibicases.

SWP?

£3 rent increase swngmr om is orevlos sec.

Taran So where will the WRP now supporters in stand on the imposition Tory Labour councils of Heseltine's rent increase? Will latest L3 bureaucratic they recommend yet another trade unions and "tactical retreat"? Party who, while ready to uttel the demand 'left' words from time to time, ThaT should be for Labour council- are completely opposed to any Lony Tory cefs to refuse to implement genuine action. Every worker faces the sack or imprisonment if they fight the Tories. Why is Newsline so anxious to let Labour coun- cillors off the hook? Page 11 spokesmen for the within occupation were heard to the б. •Cal develop workers that every job must be tol cany teluement and volun- tary redundancies as a solution defended as they toured job "sold" through a.ver seeking support for the struggle.

voluntary redundancy early dangerous and is a job lost to the whole working class. Fight redundancies support •1 lit overwae mino from labour maised int the The Gardners experience has over £40,000 raised in shown that it is possible to fight weeks-is an indication that tens redundancies by factory occupa- uivusanus workers emphasised looking for precisely such a lead need for a political fight in the fight to defend jobs.

Jobs won back 700 workers at the Man- chester Housing department have defeated management victimisation of ten mem- bers sacked for implement- ing their unions' "no cover" policy. The ten workers have been reinstated. But union officials have duee/leu ananacenenr s nigit lo nae rougnsnod over the porting this important step and no-cover action urging other sections of workers mented by NUPE, NALGO and Inroughout the countrv to take

MATSA.

particularly week 1 nC enret aimute- calling supporting strikes in which mobilised a 3,000-strong march through Manchester on a there are moves bi working thu: workforce in with nothing resolved to follow the Lambeth the cuts 1 nit 1120[ doanst must be pressed home in Man- chester as in every other area bs a full-scale public

SCULO]

stoppage all ou actor clearly Yecalled defend jobs and services.

of the Defend sucuuer In the meantime Knight will anti- r comerence calling to lead a anto gl tec fascists Labour councils vut unt cus. support to the On August 17 150 fascists marched in Socialist Press Nuneaton, protected by the police. fascists were Ine Lam beti ine the February heavily outnumbered by trade local and details of the anti-tascists. and tnf As a result of the march, the Steering eight anti-fascists were arrested for various offences. Their main of course was anti- to: 'offence' addressed in fascism. Two have already been tried Hall, and fined by the courts. There

DIXIOT.

IRW. Tel. are, however, trials ouiste défendants are The being tried between November 27 and December 6. There are likely to be he hasi besin posaded heet been charged biting a policeman's thumb important that union . Tne Trane rallies to the defence of these people Why do they wish to avoid Cross-which at a ane resent cuae or arow ing unem ployment and multanci frustration amongst youth is a breeaing gufie Lasisl -as wilmess me recen to bring Duuso movement marer recession deepen the these fascists will . come out of the the woodwork and try to reach disillusioned vouth and workers with their racist and nationalist Or is it not rather because in ideology What : is needed is a consis- tent and vigorous workers move- positions to search for the present ment to drive the fascist scum anti- off the streets. movement, the WRP This fight against fascism is adapting elements inseparably int the Linked to the fight against the Tories and capitalism and the traitors in the Labour and trade union movement who do nothing to lead the working class forward. Socialist Press readers are urged fight for donations to and sent money and message

NCARF,

26

SODOTT

tO Westmorland Avenue, Nuneaton.

SOCIALIST

PRESS

10P

BOSSES SEEK WAY

As we go to press, fire-

STRIKE

preparing for the men are first of the planned one-day stoppages support their pay agreement. Unlike their this tome they time

SUUCAC.

Ilaye been assured from the TUC and from the fire - officers' union. -using antique Green Goddesses The FBU Executive is man- of {1 SLanuDy i i csl «ateo to cal a seres oi onc uay munon per day strikes as part of the fight They are still debating how force the employers to honour best to defuse the deal which ended the ve go to press, willle the rBl Day 9-week bitter Executive StiKe waits at the Cora 1977-78. Hotel for phone call to summon them to further talks.

Under that deal firefighters' pay is annually adjusted to keep, Not negotiable in une witn tne upper quar lie averane rese inde tnateaseings.

ne uld be 18.8%. Bute Tory HR memoers nave made m clear that in their view the vedl figure, embodied that councils casn umies mean offered tne Hale wul ani villvill more miserable necomabie the Financial Times is -in clear breach of that Yet increase- speculating that body arcciclll. employers may be ready to pay some of the employers are plainly reluctant to engage u mouni-covics ine in a protracted and potentially FBU leaders agree to loss of jobs expensive struggle with the FBU through manning cuts.

FUND

€10 from an 89-year old Surrey pensioner; £5 from a Worcester reader and £325 from the Oxford WSL Bazaar thanks due to all those involved in this splendid (with effort) has pushed our total to £1157.65 out of our target This leaves us £342.35 to raise by the WSL of £1500. 6th Anniversary Rally next Sunday 6 December.

So if we are to be able to announce by the end of the collection at that rally that we have gone well over the top in our fund drive we still need our readers and supporters to send us some money in the next few. days.

We'll all be spending lots of money on ourselves in the next few weeks as the Christmas Holiday approaches so let's, make sure we don't forget to send a little something to the Socialist Press Special Fund first.

Our address is: Socialist Press Special Fund BM Box 5277, London WC1N 3XX

ŞLAMBETH

OUT OF FBU

There are other reports care- suggest a fully that of around compromise offer In either case such offers should be rejected out of hand On the one hand a lesser pay setriement wold end of the agreement On the other hand, the FBU refused to dis- has consistently cuss the issue of manning levels and the other issues of "produc- in ment's new Green Paper, as part oi tne vay lccolalivls. wreer ravel DIODUSeS cuts in manning at fire stations and reduced attendance at fires and road traffic accidents.

In itseit this is a whole nev attack on tremen.

CBUT

case such matters are discussed Advance notice

SOCIALIST YOUTH

LEAGUE

BIRMINGHAM

Rally and dance Four live bands Saturday December 20 Digbeth Civic Hall More details next week

OLD KENT RD. FIR

LE PICKE

Firemen on the march 1977 at national level with the Home becrelary anu une cenuld ruc Brigades Advisory Council, not EC is almady. with local And

FBU

the is already com- miltee to a campaendcalns the proposals The Green Paper stands as a threat and above the present dispute on pay the one-day strikes must be seen as a preparation to all-out in defence of the pay akivl With the issue of pay settled fight defend jobs and the to existing levels of service must be carried through. Meanwhile the scandalous moves by local authority union negonators to nola uo uneu own payn is seted must e voally talks until after exposed and fought. possible 1 nt lllaxuill uniter асто necessaty defeat the Thatcher offensive on public sector workers. plus the film on Bolivia, "The Courage of the People'. The strikers no union leader will • support Like any other strikers, medical treatment. they are insulted and reviled Yet the British labour move each day in the pages of the ment-misled by the mass media and its own bureaucrati Tory press. leaders-has agonisingly been Like any other strikers, their niPuAN aIM 0 NIOGSAT 61 MOT amevances cemanas of the Irish prisoners for solidar- distorted ignored by the ity and support. media The prisoners are the victims Like any other strikers, they of British multary repression I face VClols aTaCKS nOL ON Northern the six countles Ireland. Their "crime" is from to drive out struggle a foreign MPs armv of occupation trom thel within tne workers movement.

homeland and fight the IOr But unlike other strikers the democratic right of the Irist of the Irish republican struggle people to determine their own hunger strikers is literally involving life and death. Either politica. lutute. succeed in their demand Political courts the restoration of privileges

IOT

amtacneo recozmuon oi lel nev nave been sezec o status as political prisoners, political police, subjected they will be dead within weeks.

political And unlike many other by political, no-jury tion; tried strikers. une nunger suikers car sentenced

COUILS

aill tee no contidence inat mnem continement in the Long Kesl struggle will receive broad solid.

concentration camp for politica the rank and file of arity irom Poullsi une brilsi workmne class Tory ,'torture chief The seven Long Kesh hunger Nixon Hughes: like his savage labou

ALKINS

strikers-John Tom predecessor Mason claims that Feeley, than commor they are no more McKearney hollllly And in this way the McKenna, Raymond McCartney cumuas. have tried to crush their resist andh we dk on-are sal to taie ance week refusal The prisoners have fought anything water Sal l for four vears for the restord They growing TOn Oi P tane ave weaker , and will soon be on the refused to wear prison clothing critical list. do work prison In returr have Doll suvalel Women prisoners unto d violence and deprivation. They have had enough On December 1 they WerE The hunger strikes have now joined in their hunger strike by republican pecome a locus tor tessance к unret coulascou in Ireland British imperialism women prisoners from Armagh Mass demonstrations have been Gaol, where the 'dirty' protest women support nel coualoul lie sx counlic and in the South. Token strikes

ARIO HANT SS PR OO

have been held The oppressed alongside the more publicised Catholic minority is taking to "blanket' protest by the men of the stet ein itaisop0r2,000 Long Kesh. Yet Britain only same time Pauline ATTnt turned out on the November 1: McLaughlin, a young prisoner British from Armagh remains critically withdrawal from Ireland. Trade ill, her weight down to just over umon and caoour ledders were tour stone. She is not in hospita conspicuous by their absence but in a prison cen, demer demonstra Sun has been further called specifically LUluUl supoort of the hunger striker It must be supported.

DEMONSTRATION

Be there! Bring your Bring banners! your union Political status now! leaders! Bring vour Labour MP.

Troops out of Ireland! And if they'ie not there demand to know why they sup- Sunday 7 December Thatcher's war against the Prish peopl Assemble 1.00 p.m. *Support the hunger Speakers Corner *PoW status now! *Troops out of Ireland now!

*Self determination for the Irish people! See the new film on H Block at the Workers Socialist League

-RALLY

Speakers from Woman Worker, Rec Youth, Trotskyist International Liaison Committee and Workers Socialist League. Saturday December 6 at 2.30 p.m.

New Ambassadors Hotel, Upper Woburn Place, London WC1 Tickets at door £1.50