Socialist Press no. 52

AS CP BACKS GOVERNMENT

MASSIVE "NO'

TO LEYLAND

CONVENORS

The Ad Hoc Committee of Company class collaborators who have been used for the past year full advantage. to railroad the policies British Leyland management the shop floor has onto received a heavy rebuff from (which Leyland workers. Stalinist The Committee, whose bridge members were appointed by the national officials of the various unions, was set up to co-ordinate of the Ryder the

HOCUCEON

penalty 'participation' plan. stewards Consisting of right wing convenors from several Leyland gave and dominated plants, by redeploy VaTIOUS Committee kept existence by management and trade union bureaucrats who saw it as the embryo of a, National Negotiating Committee Joint. conditions. ready for the day when they red plant bargaining and establish Committee a corporate structure. The "fringe benefit" diversion than - motivated by those who want to avoid confrontation with the

TUC

over government and wages policy was tailor made for this Committee. Negotiations fringe benefit package were opened with management, over ine neaas of the individual plants, at corpor- culation ation level.

U0O0I

This developed into the most angry important management threat and since Cal

WOLKCIS

CULS

battles over the ending of piece- the introduction

WORK

28081 Measured Day Work a move which has substantially reduced

COLLYCLLOLD

worsened the conditions of Leyland workers.

yet

"KEEP WO"ING'

stewards in Faced which, unde hi Committee The articipation' had stewards which a a pter ma the viamity: become a D. managemen, was the primary of the company question; which backed Jones and Scanlon in their 'Keep Working at

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

all Costs statement in Leyland's management Journal. can hardly be blamed for taking

WORSE

The first draft of the proposals were enthusiastically accepted by Derek Robinson, convenor of the Long- complex and chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee attacked virtualy every exisung proccaure agreement. It established no-strike clauses; brought senior discipline into the structure on the management side; the right management • LO workers between the established and plants, corporation-wide bargaining which would abolish the indepen- dence of individual groups of workers to fight for wages and After lengthy negotiations the ended with revised document arguably worse the first draft. This was accepted by a 3 to 1 majority at a full meeting of convenors from all Cars Division plants, and recom- mended back to the labour force.

MISCALCULATION

This move was a major miscal- by the right-wing. The of the working frustrated over wage control, price increases, spending Naut itself forcefully felt. power by the Cowley complex 'years. crucial to the scheme - right wing holding key positions But while the on the Ad Hoc Committee enthus- iastically supported the proposals out 500 shop throw off the complex only Stalinist and three supported the document!

shift the among ment. quickly, followed by Their criminal similar decisions in other factories national "peaceful road" Cont'd Back Page, Col 4. through last ten days. present Sunday support by freedom of action. The next demonstration protest police attacked and doing another Leyland convenors gas cannister.

SPANISH

WORKERS

SHAKER

FASCISM

Two million on strike and hundreds of thousands demon- strating in the streets. That was last week's response of workers all over Spain to a political crisis which raised the spectre of a new civil war. The Spanish ruling class can no longer hang on to the means which have served it for the last forty working class The same day, General Villaes- head of the military court once again showed its readiness to cua, fight with all necessary means to was kidnapped. Spanish fascism, its was later claimed by "GRAPO' leaders (the "First of October Anti-fascist reformist Group"), lined up with the fascist govern- which claims to have policy of head of the Council of Oriol, for the last two months.

reconciliation and to democracy Late the same night, an armed a negotiated pact with terror gang broke into a law office the fascists has never been more and murdered three Communist Party dramatically exposed than in the lawyers; six wounded and two of those later crisis political died in hospital. developed with astonishing speed

CRIMINAL STEP

January 23rd during a demonstration in Madrid It was at this point that the opposition" for all "democratic of amnesty political prisoners, a student was groups together the Communist killed, shot in the back probably Party, Socialist Party Christian members of the Warriors of Democrats, criminal step of Christ the King, one of the fascist terror gangs to which the govern- declaration with the ment has given virtually complete

LOYCLILHECIL,

.. expressing their identity of

CORECL

BLOWN APART

which, extremism is trying another violence, morning ongoing process towards demo.

assembled to cratic normalisation in Spain."

against this killing. The This opened the way for the the demon- government to activate the vicious strators with exceptional violence Anti-terrorism Act murdered "suspects" to be held for ten days student whose head was blown apart by an exploding tear without charge and police virtually uncontrolled free-

FORTNIGHTLY PAPER OF THE

WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

No 52 * 2nd February 1977 * 10p Responsibilit same organisation held the State, Carrillo - police bodyguara dom of search. Though the others were claimed this was directed agains extreme right, the almos exclusive use of such measures i Spain has been against workers' movement. Asked the next day, at th which funeral of the murdered lawyer comment on these steps, C and the leader Santiago Carrillo, (himsel took the along with the CP Central Com signing a joint mittee, now protected by a polic fascist bodyguard) backed them to t hilt: "I think the government ougl political to be supported and pushed on i through order to avoid these acts the to halt gangsterism and there is no roon for the slightest doubt that have complete confidence in th goodwill of Prime Minister Suare and the members of the govern which allows ment" On Friday 28th the police wer the grants Cont'd Back Page, Col 1.

EGYPT: BASTILLE IS STORMED

MAURITIUS: LEFT WING GAINS

Page 2 It will take a long time for in Cairo, the dust to settle other Alexandria, and the main Egyptian towns since the masses took to the streets on 18th and 19th of last the month. The immediate efforts of the Egyptian government to impose price increases at the behest of the International Monetary Hund were The subsidies were pushed back. continued and wage increases main- But at the same time the entire direction of the pro-capitalist, pro- American policies were prougnt into cuestion, along wild democracy the so-called policy efforts at accomodation with Israel.

The eruption of discontent that followed the announcement of the showed proposed the dissatisfaction which has not been allayed by 25 years of nationalist rule or even the military victory of 1973, when the Suez Canal area was won back from the Israelis.

BROKE WINDOWS

evident differences The very between the poor masses and the clearly minority shown

TICO

into the the poor came streets. In Cairo they broke windows in the big hotels and the night club district and then went on Parliament building. they attacked the In Alexandria, headquarters of the Arab Socialist Union, which also houses Egypt s two other legally tolerațed political organisations. Cairo The demonstrators in showed their real class hatred when 'Your daughter is wearing the latest fashions and we are sleeping ten to a room". When the riot police threatened them with rifles, they shouted: "We are dying of hunger in any on with your case, bullets" When a curfew was announced with anybody defying it in Cairo, to be shot, 30,000 people remained in the streets. At least were shot dead. the main Sadat's surrender to demands of the crowds by restoring the subsidies has in no way solved the problem either for the Egyptian masses or for the regime itself.

The result of the December general election in the tiny, sugar producing Indian Ocean Mauritius of island was judgement on the two reac- tionary and bureaucratic parties which have dominated Mauritian politics since indep- endence in 1968. Both the Labour Party led by Prime Minister Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam and Duval's Gaetan Social even more right wing Democratic Party are deeply com- promised with imperialism which has always shown an appetite for this island because of its important strategie position. boasts an alliance kameoolam with Indian dictator Gandhi who also has designs on the island which she visited last October.

The of these • two

COLCHILOL

parties for the masses of workers and peasants of Mauritius is shown by the fact that the largest party after the elections, the socialist

INTERNATIONAL NEUS

Ever since Sadat decided to political and economic reverse the policies of Nasser and to lean to the western capitalist powers, economic crisis has assumed new forms.

Some industries nationalised by Nasser have been handed back to private capital, and as a result the number of idle rich inhabitants of night clubs has increased, with no sign of real economic development.

"KULAK"

can be seen in the At the village Nasinjah - the Mohammad Ahram newspaper found a now rich developing under Sadat's economic policies.

His article saying so was, needless to say, not published, the phenomenon he described will inevitably lead to further outbreaks of social discontent. The fact is that Sadat's attempt at economic development through been a complete failure. The 2,000 million dollar loan promised President Nixon in by 1974 never came. The influx of American capital which was supposed to come never came. No major US company has set manufacturing industry up any 'planning', and what foreign investment there has been is in the unproductive service sector. Nor has help been forthcoming from Saudi Arabia from ol rich whom Sadat has been demanding a large proportion of his enormous arms bill, so far without success.

been thus Amencan neto used to buy expensive limousines and gas cannisters ponce throw at rioters. It has not helped to deal with 50% inflation since the 1973 war nor with the average of above £12 wage rate just month, the legal minimum.

NOT ENOUGH

official level of subsidised The food, including one kilo of rice and one of sugar per person per month in large families is not surprisingly the not enough Egyptian people that they are gain- ing any benefit from Sadat's regime and its policies. The correspondent of the Mauritian Militant Movement had seats at all in the previous 11U parliament. With 30 seats it is still two short of overall parliamentary an leader Paul majority, its Berenger has said he is prepared to form a government. The leaders of the other two engaged in an parties are nOW attempt to sink their bitter personal discords to prevent the MMM form- ing a government and threatening their monopoly of political power.

The previous coalition between broke up Ramgoolam and Duval during major strikes in 1971 and 1972. For his part in organising these, Berenger was eight lalied Ramgoolam's govern- months by ment which suspended the consti- which new general tution under elections were then due. This "state of emergency' under has undemo- which Ramgoolam cratically clung has permer lastea lor lout yedrs Berenger predicts that a new French paper Le Monde saw some parallels of recent events with those in the history of his own country.

"GREAT FEAR"

They have had their 'July 14th', 'storming of the Bastille', he as 1789 there is a 'great fear", time amongst Egypt's rulers, about have tried to somewhat discredited theory of a They used this story in order to members of the officially approved Khaled Mohiedin which holds four seats in the National Assembly.

But the communist plot' theorv was not taken very seriously, even Sadat by the authorities. spokesman told the times journalist that the arrests were: 'for the public to see. They will be released eventually" Most of those arrested are from the various wings of the Arab nationalist movement, particularly the splits to the left. Some be 'authentic claim Nasserites' and of course they get some support from the masses who identify with the revolutionary side of the late President Nasser's political movement as well as with coalition could not last more than a which time year, the Labou Party would have lost its remaining supporters. The extraordinary growth of the

MMM

and General Workers Federation, the trade union with which it is linked, suggests that he is Tit so, the professions of social- made by the MMM will soon Party's put to election programme was a very limited one but include a number of potential reforms.

FAMILIAR PROPOSAL

It advocated the nationalisation of the five largest of the island's 21 sugar companies, of the docks and companies (not the banks) and of the major hotels (Mauritius is an important tourist resort), together complete boycott) and the ending of landing rights for South African SOCIAMSI PRESS, Wednesday zna rebruary, 1971

IN BRIEF

the left rhetoric of his rule.

There are also supporters of the Communist Labour Party, formed in 1968 and identified with the political trend of George Habbash and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. There are others in the Workers Commuist Party identified with the Palestinian Democratic Front.

The mass offensive in Egypt shows that despite the setbacks in Jordan Lebanon and in recent "mensures' to the Arab masses years, strong and prepared to fight.

Dul

RIGHT TO WORRY

They also show that the Arab.

bourgeoisie, whether they turn to imperialism Stalinism OI unable to serve the interests of the Steal Arab masses. The return to "Nasserism' cannot a way forward any more provide than the various other varieties of 11 political party in Denmark has the power to force this policy down the throat of the Danish workers.

only open the wa y for an inensific- case the election ation of the social crisis.

HOLLAND

UNIONS PLAN TO

DUTCH

begin a of strikes and campaign other action in private and national- the next two ised industry weeks. The action is in defence of the limited automatic compensation for inflation, which has been built into contracts since early Ine Ware 1970s. This the employers say is "too expensive'. The social democrat led coalition government has so far not intervened directly but is expected to do so once the strikes begin.

Habash

ARGENTINA

nationalism.

THE VIDELA DICTATORSHIP

the Egyptian has unveiled a new batch of anti- Nevertncies authorities and their media are right working class measures to worry about 'communism'.

industries the public The building seriously working week is to be raised from communist movement organised 35 to 42 hours, and union officials class and breaking in the working are to lose the few facilities which from the old nationalist notions remain to them. is the way to present a real threat Paid maternity leave, sick leave to Sadat, his Zionist and imperialist and holidays are to be cut. Huge friends, and his reactionary Arab planned redundancies are also including 15,000 railway workers.

which have Leaders of unions participated regime have these cover-up of government measures from a visiting investigat- ing commission from the Internat- ional Conderation of Free Trade anti-Com- Unions (thig oformist, munist, trade nd : international).

ZIMBABWE

Airways. addition, promised

THE RACIST SMITH REGIME

attack unemploy- programme to has refused to go along with the ment. British Labour government's efforts In the case of the hotels at least, to kill the black liberation move- "nationalisa- the MMM'S however, ment with compromise. tion" familiar proposal to 1s the Smith has sabotaged Ivor buy up 51% of the firms, a formula Richard's plans to reconvene the which has met with the satisfaction Geneva conference and has instead of capitalists in many countries of hanged eight black political the semi-colonial world. and stepped up its ролель MMM's While programme military plans. can in no way solve the problems from military Exemptions masses of Mauritius of the for whites have been service their electoral victory represents reduced and steps taken to stop rejection of the continued domin- food reaching the guerrillas.

ation of the island by imperialism This shows desperation in the and telo calier is threatened of a new offensive by the face as power liberation army and the waning before and they be never strength of the racists. wall expected to try to defend it by the Since the war began 250 • most unscrupulous means.

members of the Rhodesian security These henationansation bufe only by defeated forces have been killed. What is cannot 51% net emigration of the white P,00 more serious in the long run, the a principled leadership based on the Transitional Programme of the lation year over Fourth International. 3% white (about of the population).

WALTEREd. The Stalinist bureaucracies of Eastern Europe are facing political opposition on a scale which is again causing serious worry to the Kremlin leader- ship. 'A campaign was begun last week by the Czechoslovak authorities to several leading deport of the 'Charter 77' signatories petition for political rights.

singled out for the offer Those of free passage included Vaculik, writer Ludvik playwright Pavel Kohout, former Minister Jiri Hajek and Horelen three former Communist Party officials:

'INTERFERENCE'

Four signatories had other The already been arrested. suspicion exists that Czech protests against 'interference' by the British intelligence services within Czecho- the slovakia based (716 PalL Onl activity British ambassador _ I a who left in may ne one aspect of a plan to brand the 300 signatories of the Charter as pawns of the West. The moves for political rights in Czechoslovakia have at the present a purely democratic, not a socialist, character - reflecting the middle Mis Gandhi's proclamation of a general election to be held in March is not the end of her It is a way for dictatorship. her to reap its political fruits.

• The election is bound to take the of the sham referenda torm beloved of other dictators.

opposition Many imprisoned leaders have been released; but tens of thousands of opposition party militants, whose and trade

DETECTI

work would be to any nevassal y serious opposition campaign, will remain behind bars throughout the campaign. Press censorship has been lifted; but remain under newspapers not to say which will anything national divisions. Most of the papers which were prepared to offer serious criticisms Gandhi close were forced LU during the emergency and may now find impossible up 1L again. Gandhi And maintains and of the radio monopoly television. been Only forty days have allowed for the development of any opposition campaign election, which along with the con- tinuation of acute day day repression of the mass of the popul- ation makes anything other than a Congress Party victory out of the question. The only principled be would to boycott such 'elections'. There is, however, of unprincipled political shortage organisations ready to participate in the sham, giving

TOKE

opposition to the Gandhi regime.

The opposition grouping of the is an unprincipled alliance right wing nationalists (Jan Sangh), traditionalists (led by J.P. Narayan) and Social Democrats (the Socialist Party). This alliance can offer absolutely nothing to the Indian masses.

The Communist Party of India, which has slavishly supported the tutatorship. been partly nas Dow ditched by Mrs Gandhi and may

EAST EUROPE

IN FERMENT

Biermann class and intellectual composition of this disparate opposition Stalinist rule. Some elements of the "Charter 77' movement will very probably shift decisively to the right in the weeks and months to come.

the But the background to events in Prague is a much wider and deeper opposition to Stalinist Eastern dictatorshir throughout Europe, which broke surface with general Poland last June against sharp government-imposed rises in food prices. Gierek's. regime was forced to beat an overnight retreat, but since then it has conducted a continual campaign of victimisations, frame- INDIA: Gandhi's Repression Continues contest the election on the basis of support for her policies but oppos- of her ition to the growing power Sanjay. son, But the CP may still make an with the Congress accomodation Party in order to get a tew guaran- teed parliamentary seats.

knows that the capitalist She •..and in Sri Lanka Hundreds of workers have been arrested for 'incitement to strike, press censorship has been imposed and troops have been used to maintain essential public services.

These are some of the repressive measures taken by Mrs. Bandara- naike's Popular Front government over the last four weeks in its attempt to crush the recent massive wave of strikes. They began on December 22 when railway workers struck over a pay claim. The government granted of the claim but large numbers of railway workers refused on. January o under the terms of the agreement.

1ney were Jomeo on suike Dy virtually all workers in the public services including electricity bus transport welch

« L SOLC O

reactionary laws forbidding strikes in these sectors. Playing a leading role in the organisation of the strikes, was the Ceylon Federation of Labour which dominated the by

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Gierek and harassment against ups hundreds of the wotkets involved and those who have come forward to support them. Last week two leading members of the Workers Defence Committee set up to defend the victimised fined for illegally workers were collecting money'. the lsion to the West too, to regime's expulsion of dissident play- last November wright Wolf Biermann was intended as a warning against any form of opposition. And similarly the reshuffle last brought hard- Willi Stoph as head of the liner goverriment, reflected for a 'firm' team to bring on revised opposition parties will be no threat since her now have increasingly won the allegiance of big business away from the non- Congress parties it once supported.

The election, if and when it place, than a new tactic to maintain the anti-working class dictatorship.

Trotskyist' LSSP, once a sympath of the 'United' ising section Secretariat of the Fourth Inter- and member of Mrs Bandaranaike's unprincipled coalition government until it was expelled in 1975. Reports indicate that the leaders of the Federation of Labour failed to provide any clear programme for the near general strike. essential item of that The programme should be the demand for the reactionary Popular Front government to resign. a result of this failure of AS political leadership, some workers were being forced back to work Di Bandaranaike's vicious attacks all democratic rights. Part of the direct responsibility for these attacks lies clearly with the Communist Party which has a member the Bandaranaike Just neighbouring India, as the Stalinists are loyally lining up behind the savage repression of the working class Polish riots in 1970. and by Aue Spanisa all tatesk Com- controls production The Spanish and Italian norms - changes which, they fear, provoke resistance from munist Parties have also may made of the protests against important wast sanctimonious German working class. repression in Czechslovakia - as official Chinese

ECONOMIC

crisis is making itself felt in Eastern agency! Europe, not only through more

RESHUFFLE

difficult trading relations with the West, but in the mounting cost of imports from the USSR, especially One Communist Party which is of oil. All the regimes, in one form at odds with Brezhnev and his another, are forced to try and apprentices in Prague, but has not word of curb working-class living standards issued protest, while having no intention of Rumania. relinquishing of their Last week, it was announced bureaucratic privileges. that Causescu, , general secretary of The defence of workers against the in Poland appointed his the bureaucracy has regime, had wile received little support abroad.

Elena onto the top committee of the Party as part of major reshuffle of the top echelons of

SANCTIMONIOUS

the Party and state. It also involved promotions for same is The not true of the Mrs. (made Ceasescu' s Czech 'Charter 77' , which because Minister of Industry) and Butica, of its potentially right-wing uses has another close relative of the family, been endorsed by an international also brought onto the Politbureau.

array of social democrats, headed

WORKERS

SOCIALIST LEAGUE

The Workers Socialist League is a Trotskyist organisation fighting class to lead the to build a revolutionary leadership in.the working to the betrayals of both 'left' and right wing mounting opposition Labour and trade union leaders and the Communist Party as they attempt to enforce wage control, sackings, speed-up and public service As workers take up the struggle against these policies they are forced br the sheer weight of forces opposing them to with an understanding of the role of the labour bureaucracy and a programme to unite the broadest sections of workers in struggle can a way forward be found.

The Workers Socialist League is the only movement that sets out to do this, fighting consistently in the working class for transitional which go beyond simply the political questions to workers and prepare the forms of organis ation and the knowledge necessary for the struggle for socialism.

As a result we have been at the forefront of struggles against the cuts, against wage control, for unionisation, and against redundancy.

We have done more than any other tendency to fight the introduction orted the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement, which has set out to show the link between the reactionary Social Contract and bureaucratic dictatorship in both the unions and But our practical struggle for the continuity of the principles xa method of Trotsky's Transitional Programme is in no way a task com requires an attention and involvement in doe struggles of the working class internationally, and the fight to recon struct the Trotskyist Fourth International.

o there has been a consistent drive within the SL to deep and enrich ovement's understanding of the history am present crisis of the Fourth International as an essential part or en initiative towards its reconstruction We urge all readers who agree on the need for retolutionary lead ership and the demands se put forward to find our more disor tu WSL and join our fight in the Labour morement.

SOCIALIST PRESS

SOCIALIST

PRESS

BE HATE FOR

*OPENING THE BI

UKS' ?

First edition of Socialist Press, first Two the yeats ago edition of Socialist Press rolled off a primitive sheet-fed litho press in Leeds, only six weeks after the founding meeting of the Workers Socialist League.

It headlined on the betrayals embodied in the labour ment's National Enterprise Board - at that time under the direction of Benn as Industry Secretary, show- ing that the strategy it embodied the of simply payment subsidies to private enterprise and the furtherance of class collabora- tion. Two years later the issues posed in that lead article are still central to the struggles of the working class against the betrayals of the Labour government.

GOAL

The economic goal of the Callag- han government remains the regen- eration of British capitalism unemploy the expense huge the social ment, cuts living services and working standards. And at the same time the Ryder first the report, drawn practical test for NEB intervention, has begun to be implemented in British Leyland at the cost already of thousands of jobs. scheme itself leans heavily for its implementation upon the collaboration in management of and whole layers of ConteROs stewards sucked into the apparatus of 'worker participation' which has been lauded from the start by leit MPs and union leaders as well as the Communist Party as a 'step towards Socialist Press has stood from its Murray Prepares The Labour government's figures are giving almost own daily confirmation of the huge cost which the social contract is the working imposing on class. Total unemployment (excluding school leavers) went up by 70,000 to reach more than

DELEMI CLI

1,400,000. well 6%c of the over sortforce. At the same time, the real wages of still work are falling tastE isan ever.

SOCIALIST

PRESS

*

LEFTS MUST FIGHT NOW

SACK WILSON

TO DEFEND JOBS!

First edition on newsprint, July 1975. first issue absolutely and consistent- ly opposed to these moves of the Labour government, by

NOTICKCE

their allies in the TUC We have based our analysis and these issues lessons drawn directly from the practical struggles of WSL members against cuts, sackings, speed-up and participation.

PRACTICAL WORK

And it has been the practical work of movement which enabled us to highlight from early gulf between the the growing determination of the TUC leaders impose a second stage of wage control in the 4½% the form of limit, and the mood of the shop floor union membership. We have been able consistently and show lead articles features, the link between wage and the drive towards control Murray Phase Three In the year up to last December earnings went up by 10%. When mcome tax and social security are taken into account, this meant a rise in take home pay of no more than about 7-8% Over the same time prices soared a full 15%. This implies a cut real pay, therefore, of between 7% and 8% over the year. It is going to The get #orse. Price Commission week predicted that inflation would get faster over the net: :27 And

SEITAS LE

Iade Ita

DITE

TROTSKYISM ..

OMETICAL SUPPLEME

TODAY *

TERRATIOnAL First tweive page edition, November 1975.

2 YEARS OF

bureaucratic dictatorship within the

FORESEEN

And we alone on the left have foresee been of militant struggles in explosion the working class. same time the devotion At the of at least two pages in every issue analysis international of the oppressed masses struggles against imperialism movements in Britain have always been seen international context and not in isolation.

It is this approach combined with serious attention to theoretical and historical questions which has established firm footing for Press, enabling us to Socialist method of modernise our production, expand from an eight page to a twelve page format, to expected to come down. will not be long before the Jit 10% annual cut in real wages, which has predicted would Socialist Press be the effect of the social contract, becomes a reality. as these But at the TUC leaders figures released, ате are making it abundantly clear they are hell-bent on enforcing a Stage Three of wage control atter July.

Now there is talk of a Special Congress of the TUC to be held in pre-empt March in an attempt to at this summer's union conferences to a new round of wage cutting.

TUC

General Secretary Len Murray is stating that a pledge to cut unemployment is a "precon- dition' for a Phase Three.

Yet at the same time workers in industry from nuclear every shipbuilding; coal- power to Irom Health to the National mining readiness Service • have their to fight every aspect of the Social Contract. these To struggle against and betrayals a programme per- be agreed. This is spective why the Recall Conference on Wage Union Control and Democracy Campaign for called by the Move- in the Labour Democracy of central importance in ment preparing the fight back.

We urge all readers and support- ers to fight in their union branches, shop stewards committees, trades Parties Labour for councis delegations and individual militants which is to attend the Conterence.

to be held in Digbeth Hall, Birming- Sunday March ham on 27th, beginning at 10 am. Copies of the Draft Resolution and credentials (50p) are obtainable from the Conference Secretary, Devonshire Koad. Hardsmorth Wood, Birmingham SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2nd February, 1977

SOCIALIST

COWLEY

FOR

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

PRESS

*

RIGHT WING

'LEFTS BETRAY JOBS

AUEW: CP KILLS sa

TO "SAVE LABOUR

GOVERNMENT"

POIS

TODAY

First sixteen page paper, August 1976. Regular industrial news begins, June 1976. massive price inflation period of and falling living standards it expand considerably to necessary the circulation of Socialist Press, increased ensuring that the expenses of weekly production can be met.

READERS

For this reason we are taking this opportunity to call on our If every reader took just one extra copy ot Socialist tress and sold it to a friend - or donated a mere 10p to the Monthly Fund could take the immediately decision for a weekly paper. It is as simple as that. WSL members in every area are of course already seeking ways of raising the circulation of the paper undertake the frequent publication do not have to be a but you theoretical supplement, member of the League to donate to Trotskyism Today, and provide the our fund or sell a copy a week of sustain our considerable basis coverage of industrial news.

the paper. assisting the transformation But we are obviously not let matters rest at the of Socialist Press into a weekly you content to would be assisting the struggle in present level. union against wage control every principled for and Many additional areas of work and policies leadership which can defend the need to be given coverage.

working class. And fortnightly paper, The first two years of Socialist however comprehensive, must lack Press have been years in which the the immediacy and close coverage fortnightly paper has been vastly weekly of events possible improved and enlarged. Help us paper. make 1977 the year of the weekly

QUANTITATIVE

paper! for the develop- Our next goal • For additional copies of ment of Socialist Press is therefore Socialist Press contact your local quantitatively increase branch bancouth Park Hilt, London NWS write

WSL,

further the number of pages, but to qualitative

SLOT

IHR.

weekly paper. To undertake such a step in this

BESTORE

Students on the November 17th anti-cuts demonstration

STUDENTS' STEP

FORWARD

NUS to co-ordinate: national occu- The fight against Shirley pations. Williams' attack on the educa- • The Executive are not, however, tion service was stepped up at bound this motion, the bu the weekend. conference was not a policy making i Last Friday about 100 students dic. Department of Edu- Despite the inadequacy of the picketed the cation and Science in Waterloo. On motion passed, it does reflect the willingness of fight Saturday 150 students attended an students to students conference the increases. overseas London. Trevor Phillips of NUS Exec- The conference on overseas be held at Middlesex presented fighting easiee students to utive totally Poly. February 12th on strategy IS opportunity to take this struggle increases. This included a "day of action" further. March 2nd, and national Details about the conference can on demonstration on March 9th.

be from the Overseas The rejected Students Group there, telephone conference these 01-804-1958. proposals. calling instead for the

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday Ind February, 1977

LABOUR NEC

LAUNCHES

WITCH-HUNT

An amended resolution spineless which "notes with concern" reports of entrist activities the Labour Party, and into opposition to broad which states that the nature of the membership of in the unions. does not condone Principled the Party creating organisations within it to 'undermine its democratic

NEC

objectives" has been passed the National unanimously by Executive at its meeting last week. This vote indicates the complete refusal of 'left' talkers on the NEC - including LPYS delegate, Militant group member Nick Bradley LU take a principled stand against bans and pace ripts was established the Once established

NEC

rapidly at the proceeded of one-time 'left" instigation Michael Foot, to set up a special sub-committee of five to examine ton, the of witch-hunting catalogue the Party's Labour material collected by National Agent Reg Underhill.

Three

NEC

members reselection normally vote with the 'left' rallied behind Foot's motion, while TGWU The delegate Alex Kitson (backed in the elections by the Militant sitting current Group) tactfully left DeTore leaving the motion passed

VULC

by 16 votes to 10. There no doubt that this rightward the

NEC

regular swing reflects pressure from union leaders rag. which to anxious to batten down all hatches against their own members.

Party. being aimed at the Har trom National Abortion The Campaign, the IMG's "Mass abortion on campaign". inadequacy has one issue turned into a reformist ginger group. one Final confirmation of this came the National Tribunal which at on Abortion Rights Day of Hvidence struggle on the NHS. last Saturday which took place But January 29th, Central Hall, Westminster. Five to six hundred gathered to hear about the effects

LOCTOI

of the 1967 Act; what it was like hetore and theretore what it wil be like if abortion is restricted again; union side" situation the internationally and Trial Exposes Frame - up Of the numerous charges of in brought murder and arson of against the beseiged St. key Balcombe certain offences which the Each to defendants have pleaded guilty accused testimony from the indict- are missing prisons, ment. witnesses, This is not surprising for three involvement and one young English innocence Irishmen doing those bombings. offences, the pub bombings in Guildford and Woolwich. corroborate After the seige of Balcombe St.

points collected was lifted one of those arrested Butler, included the Guildford and time Woolwich pub bombings amongst used in those for which he admitted public. responsibility. At the time Surrey police who were carrying out the investigation, had quite different and un- other dubious connected group poopic custody. would Whether they have with their nrosecution werepered Bévan Andy the and equally invertebrate Militant group, this witch-hunt is to set the scenes crackdown principled the social contract both within the Labour Party and Labour Party members should immediately move CLr's motions demands its decision and Ieverse and in the disband the committee. interim refuse to co-operate in this

BUT IN NEWHAM...

The removal of While right wing Labour MP victory represent Neville Sandleson held on to agents of Toryism the skin of his candidacy by Party, and point the way forward his teeth in Hayes and Harling- to the ousting of the whole anti- class Newham North East working clique. Party has finally But this will decided to proceed with the achieved if Prentice is replaced by a of its Parliamen- candidate who tary candidate. alternative for the working class.

of Every effort endless manoeuvres the extreme right-winger that Reg Prentice, have failed to preveni campaign (in this step taking place, though they no doubt stand against the Labour have delayed it for months.

Party) is fought on total opposition Prentice has now been offered a to the spending cuts, wage cuts and the local Tory job cuts of the government, with a Newham Recorder, through commitment measures inside and outside Parlia- conduct his war against the rank and file of the Labour ment and struggle for the removal of the leadership carrying them out.

NAC TRIBUNAL -

REFORMIST JAMBOREE

the problems in trying to obtain an due to the the NHS because most of the 1967 Abortion unionists are Even within the limits of this been issue would onto the streets". possible to discuss concrete action could widen the area of

NAC

OICE

for abortion demand support for the

TUC

from kept to instead fighting in abortion with no "diversion' onto they cuts or women's rights or the fact should they abortion is a class issue.

at the

NUT

were told by an CaLY "trade member who was giving the just talking. of the issue that we would not get support from the union movement. issue was section. "extracted" from the accused while custody) if they had known of idle tion admission gave

SHOW

speculation, since the Bomb Squad would like kept the information from them.

of the Balcombe St. and the ensuing battle to given separate through parliament have different indication front of lawyers and easier to overthrow the 1n admitting their own state than reform it! and stating the of those sentenced for Guildford Woolwich constructive task this Lawyers say their stories closely and that at many MP, by letter or in person, they confirm information them to Benyon Bill! by Surrey police at the of the investigation but not There the vote Oll Clearly this exposure of the way the state frames up groups of Irish that this is a one issue campaign.

people based on circumstantial and procurred evidence to the class the methods explains restricted 10 deafening embarrasing silence with "free" called wico mesa has greeted the choose 1? ad misssions An open letter mission to Mandy. Shell. be held at Alexandra Palace, on February 27th.

WSL

members

NALGO

ASTMS.

attended and contributed to the first three meetings of the Committee Rally to be held in February.

Prentice We did so on the basis that we were in agreement with the concept of the Rally and that therefore we would involve ourselves planning and organisation.

however, a factional Early on, the struggle in Working Women's Charter resulted in a major modif- Prentice ication to the concept of the Rally.

against the From being a Rally for women in the Labour workers who see the develop a strategy and programme for fighting the trade union bureau- Callaghan-Healey cracy and the economic policies of the Labour government, the Rally only be fully was transformed into a mass event on a muco lower ever - a mas "consciousness-raising" can offer a serious forward which will must be made to programme in order that it offends no one. which Prentice will In particular, the majority of the Women's Charter Working

IMG

tariat (led by not wish to offend the Communist Party and the act against these mobilise; nor did it wish to come into conflict with the assortment of women MPs, trade union officials and Labour Party bureaucrats who struggle for support the rights -50 long threaten their own positions (which their very nature depend them supporting class policies of the Labour govern- collaboration ment in

TUC).

Thus it was decided to leave politics out of the Rally.

The politics of the WSL brings us into conflict with organisations Trade Unions in any concrete way which retreat from offending those of the active trade who attack any section In her view working class. was "time for the NAC to take the were faced issues out of the Trade Unions and "How to fight question in the politics context But in most people's experience Rally?" the verbal After the Planning abortion demand meeting which they stopped passed prohibiting taking a position on the social contract or on the role the union movement as had "their support", instead of the present leadership have used the VICtOry Working TUC to force the bureau- "unity adapted to the to do something instead of possible lever or pomical conscious ness had won the day. Also, as long as abortion is kept Thé leaflet advertising the Rally to the issue of "a woman's right to states: choose" it is difficult to see how it "The Rally will draw together can be fought through in the trade the experiences of all those fighting for women's rights. By drawing the speaker who put lessons of the last year we can carry abortion into its context as a class the struggle forward and begin to the speaker from Chile counter the mounting attacks.

who was talking in the international How? Pooling insofar as it helps useful only Tess Gill who was speaking from developing a programme on which the Abortion Law Reform Associa- details of the law they implemented, the Li complications in formulating a law get it gave clear that it would be a ot bourgeois

USE.

The nearest thing resembling a put forward by interesting abortion jamboree

NHS AXES

was for each delegate to lobby their to get vote against the William will also be demonstra- tions and meetings to correspond to the Bill's second reading. But it was made quite clear In no way does the NAC relate it struggle, leaving it what one speaker called the "pro-choice movement".

Women of the world unite and Poss

POLITICS -

EXCLUDED FROM

WOMEN'S RALLY

from the Workers Socialist League Women's Com of the Planning Committee for the Secretary Rally 'One Year After the Sex Discrimination Act and Equal Pay Act ro to carry the struggle 10rw3r2.

(from and NUT, == pai i Eis may - As the crisis of capitalism for the the crisis of leadership of the working class is heightened. It the conventors' extends down to witch hunts of militants and onto the shop floor where stewards are sucked into class collaborationist in its lend participation schemes to credibility to the employers' efforts wage cutting, speed-up Impose and redundancy. The only way these attacks can be fought and the struggles of women emergent given political broadened need direction is these bankrupt leaders are exposed and aner leadership basing itself on principle and programme is built." the current period any demands STrUggIe 10I session will conflict bring workers. into with the bourgeois state, democratic take

JOLIOT

rights as it attempts to solve the crisis the capitalists Secre- expense of the working class.

Thus members) did the need is posed for a programme which develops workers' conscious- ness beyond the limitations set by the bourgeois state. We argued for these positions on the Planning Committee up to the point where the decisions had all women's been taken. does not We withdrawing from the Planning Committee now because, the Rally as it is going in our view, the anti-working intentionally forward will abstain from giving women workers the with the leadership they now require.

We requesting instead to have a stall at the Rally through which we can make known our programme tor womer workers and for the working class as a whole: the *For the right to a job, to full nursery provision; for free abortion with the for

OUI

and contraception on demand.

• Trade briganto ninted bil of the the trade unions unionise Committee including all part women workers. timers and those unemployed motion was *For equal and pay equa opportunity, under the control of the workers themselves. of the *No wage control. For clear that more catching-up increases lowest immediate and then for wages to incease with every rise in the cost of living as determined by elected committees of trade unionists and housewives.

*No redundancies, For all the work to be shared out equally at no loss of pay part-time *No cuts to the public services.

United strike action by all public sector unions against these cuts.

experiences *To achieve these demands - strike, occupy, open the books!

COHSEAK T

CLAYBUN.

ANCH

Fight cuts Sa jobs

BLOODY SUNDAY

- 5 YEARS LATER

Page 6 JAMES SHORT looks for signs of progress in the struggle for Irish liberation since January 1972 Bloody Sunday, January 30 1972, marks the high point of in British army repression Northern Ireland. 13 unarmed Civil By killing Rights demonstrators that day, could thought they army tne bludgeon into submission the anti- within the imperialist MOYenCHL Catholic ghettoes. In this they failed. For within months the Unionist govern- ment at Stormont had been forced of existence; and within six out months, the Tory regime William under Northern Ireland, W'hitelaw, with was negotiating Provisional IRA leaders.

SHIFT

reasons for this apparent The shift from open repression to and conciliation can negotiation of the din De ole g aæok tactics of the British changing government since the introduction of the army into Ireland in Augusc the movement itself. 1969. Northern Ireland was and is an The changing pattern of British imperialism's interests in Ireland artificia. political created 1921 on the most pragmatic basis and sixties had fitties cuning Tine meant that for Britain, Ireland was possible. Six North- counties the Dow a single economic unit.

East of the country were chosen as The division of Ireland into two domain because - a division which its geographical separate states possible land this was the largest iau sulea CltLS compatible with permanent carlier date was now no longer Unionist rule. LELEil y. From the very outset, Northern becoming a In tact lt was ast Ireland was undemocratic, and anti- barrier to lucrative exploitation of sectarian practices were toe island as and in this democratic British imperialism's task built into the state to ensure that would the nationalist population

NDEAHEIRUCCME

to reform it and bring it into line never gain governmental power.

forced Gerrymandering, siin the Soutn. emigration whole array

CIVIL RIGHTS

sectarian devices were thus part and The mid-sixties saw therefore, a parcel of the Northern Ireland state of discussions between the LOTCILS HICCOLUl Sorhern and Southern administra- By trying secure reforms within the context of the Northern tons on various economic matters Ireland state itself, the Civil Rights and the growth of a Civil Rights movement in the North designed to movement was attempting The Northern Ireland secure equal rights for the Catholic impossible. ireformable, population there. state and the that was Morenent soon discovered He dt that the Vorthern Ireland state was undemocratic but that it existed at iesist all. attempt at The • anz Cail earlt UDA thugs of running clashes with the Royal Ulster

(RUC)

Constabulary and B Specials. The winter of 1968-9 passed in - Derry, Armagh, Newry, this way all Burntollet and Derry again witnessed Loyalist attacks on Civil By the summer of Rights marches. 1969 the Catholics had had enough.

FIGHT IT OUT

Exasperated by the repeated refusals of the Stormont regime reforms, they any

CONCCUE

decided to fight it out once and for all. Thus occurred the famous Battle Bogside of 1969, of the CAUgUSI when the Catholic workers of Derry succeeded in inflicting major defeat on the RUC and B Specials.

It was at this moment, when the Catholics had actually won but important victory, temporary, that the British government, fearful lest all of Northern Ireland erupt, sent in the army. This was done not to protect the Catholies, but to stabilise and defuse a highiy volatile Tihar= The army's task from the outset British contradictory one. was a imperialism's interests Ireland In demanded that certain reforms be made, and this could only be done dismantling the more

CUHI.

some features of the Northern disbanding the ueda suate Specials, disarming the RUC, etc.

On the other hand there existed the Catholic population, who had shown their capacity to fight the slait, anlu wno wele new Canolr ing for the immediate implementa- tion of long overdue reforms.

The army's first was to

NUYC

keep this militancy check, to ensure that whatever reforms were made, were made in accordance with British policy and not accordance with Catholic demands.

This antagonism soon came to a head. In July 1970, soon after the Tory back to government came office Britain, the army a curfew over the Falis proclaimed Rd area of Belfast. curfew the During the army killed four civilians; and in anticipa- tion of further army attacks the began Catholic gneltock themselves. this context that the It was in grew in strength Provisional IRA and established themselves as an nencer ro The Provisional under wayown ernest in 1971. The campaign first soldier to be killed in Northern Ireland was shot dead in February of that year full 18 months - a the army had first been üj+tr

DEO LEIL IH

INTERNMENT

Between February Aled, 1, and eight more soldiers were killed, tiny fraction of the numbers to die in later months of that year.

On August 9th 1971, intern- introduced,

MENI

marked new offensive 4n1CH against the Catholic ghettoes, This offensive was to bear fruit in 1972, SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2nd February, 1977 in the Bloody Sunday murders.

If the Provisional policy in this period can be summarised in the two words - Smash Stormont, then British policy can be summarised as neatly - Smash the Provos.

undisguised This policy of military repression failed. In the South, workers and students Derry answered killings -by burning down the British Embassy week later, 60,000 in Dublin. A Newry people marched 1n defiance of a government ban on OCHIOASEALOnS.

PROROGUED

This spontaneous outburst O1 brought home the militancy to Tory government that their vital interests, North and South, were in serious jeopardy. Faced with this prospect they changed L1ldballl tack and conceded certain Provis- ional IRA demands. By the end of March, Stormont was prorogued; officially for one knew year was gone forever. By the beginning of July a series of negotiations between the Provis- ionals and Whitelaw had taken ceasefire had place, and beet arranged. On the face if it, mid- highpoint 1972 was of the une Provisional campaign. Yet the rejoicing was to prove The army, who had W1 CiaLULC from the ceasefire the opposed beginning seized the first opportun- ity they could to break it.

Within nine days hostilities had been resumed because of an Estate in Lenadoon Th cufel. Belfast. The negotiations with the Provis- ionals were terminated, and by the end of the month Whitelaw acceded to Loyalist demands and instructed the army to invade the "no-go" areas of Derry and Belfast the escala- 1972 also saw July tion of the campaign of sectarian

Beethoven: A Child of the Loyalist Issassinations squads It was 107 clear that the Loyalists army and the had hammered out a new anti-Catholic alliance, and that between them they were determined to crush the Catholic resistance once and for all.

The summer of 1972 marks a turning point in the Irish clear struggle. Faced with the breakdown of the ceasefire and intensified army belligerence, the Provos into the gliettoes and fought back.

Yet this retreat signified, no other event had done, the bankrup- tcy of the entire Provisional strategy.

CONFUSION

E In the face of the army's offensive, could required. working class. failure to single and 1972 gains of would sutficient not in Provos. a. direct 1972. After Sunday, the demon- Southern Irish workers the that by away to such had established which And in the North, Provisional failure even to try and win Protes- ant workers side on class anti- common working imperialist basis left those workers the hands of reactionary dema- gogues like Craig and Paisley.

The result - the creation of the anti-Catholic paramilitary outfit, and of campaign the

UDA,

assassinations was almost inevitable. Now, five years later, the war in Ireland is still continuing, but the prospects clear anti- imperialist victory are more remote now than they were then.

IRA

now denied political status. focus of IRA activity has The shifted from town to country, and though the army are on a hiding to nothing in border areas, the overall situation is one of stalemate and stagnation. of This degeneration the struggle, accompanied by a growing isolation of the Provisionals, irrefutable proof that petty-bour- geois nationalism is incapable of icdung lie ant penals move ment to victory. events past seven * no years furnish striking confirmation of Trotsky's thesis that only the working class can bring the struggle for national liberation to a success- tull conclusion. Indispensible to that struggle is a revolutionary party which bases itself revolutionary cleat programme and which forms part of international revolutionary an movement.

PARTY

The construction of such a party is the most pressing task facing the Irish working class It is the now. of socialists who take their commitment to proletarian inter- nationalism seriously to assist this task. Britain, revolutionary socialists have a particular duty one which is equally this respect, important as our work for the immediate withdrawal of troops. from Ireland. Failure address ourselves seriously to both these tasks will mean the continued fragmentation of struggles North and South, and as a result the continued domina- tion of Ireland by British imperial- That domination has ism. given Trish workers their fill of Bloody Sundays; we must now they do not suffer

CHOLACE

repetition. An oration by the Austrian Grillparzer Franz was delivered before the coffin: "The last master of tuneful song, the organ of soulful concord, the heir and amplifier of Handel and Bach's, Haydn immortal fame is now mo more, weeb over

LIC

riven hushed you hare son him. No living man halls ot the immortals

CICIS LIC

their portals unclose. He whom you mourn stands from now onward of the great all ages, inviolate forever". The occasion was the funeral of Ludwig van Beethoven, who died one hundred and fifty years ago next month. Grillparzer was in some respects Beethoven did in fact enter "the halls of the immortals" during his lifetime. was the first composer to win from his own age the nearly universal judgement that he transcended it.

CURIOSITY

A sense of optimistic curiosity about the developments which led "perfection", a desire to master the past as part of the totality these factors led 19th nature century European bourgeois society of resurrect the earler "great" composers, as they did to historical investigation every sphere. Beethoven was the special case, the first great composer mummified music's museum without first having to be exhumed.

He has remained there ever unshakeable occupying position in bourgeois concert life. and more recently in the culture of thể of Eastern. workers' states Europe. its strong individuality, its assertiveness, its aura of mastering insurmountable Beethoven's music appealed - and still appeals — to the cultural values of capitalism's most progressive phase.

PRODIGY

It has been interpreted in other for the well: as evidence of the German superiority "master race, or alternatively as a found- ation stone for the musical applica- tion of the principle of socialist realism. If believed, as was LoL. inviolate! child of the Beethoven ility for men as never flux the political greatest Even his childhood 18th The thirst of noveity bourgeois aretences Paris major Vienna led and parents accomplishment. Beethoven's bibulous Electoral had ambitions of Court at Bonn, this sort for Ludwig, and in 1778 presented him playing the piano in "his little son of six years" (he was in fact seven and a half). The rigours 'enforced precociousness may have contrib- uted to the composer's neurotic personality, but they produced eativ masterv of some of the tech.

niques of musical craft, particularly improvisation and harmony, and an iron determination in the face of difficulty. 1792, the of 22. at Beethoven travelled to the musical capital of Vienna, where he was to spend the rest of his life.

On the way he met the French the revolution tor first time: expense book for the trip records French Revolution By Louis Wells Napoleon firmly rooted in the style of his musical mentors, yet by no means tentative, and 1n individual, even eccentric.

Under the surface lies another characteristic, which is yet more soon dried up, Hlector Beethoven's genius: the wilen Lie

CHAR LO

the forging of subtly related musical retreated advancing ideas, of ideas that take account of was each other, that can contribute to living. organic, dialectical processes.

a superficial. this trait manifests itself even in the sets of and worked when the variations on opera tunes of the day hackwork which gifted with patronage was yielding to the Beethoven tried to eke out a living from the amateur market. Unlike the countless "bead- strings" of other composers, alent. variations are not merely a succes- sion of different ways of ornamen- servant, his and grand- have seemed see what an and the patrons among Rudolph, Lichnowsky, Waldstein. He even of his "von" , to of noble give the lineage. contempt, when the elements faced Beethoven tin a go variation. variation related by development or conscious contrast the drive what breceded it. and the result for is a logical and coherent, if artistic- ally modest whole. of creation (to see this one has Beethoven probably was in sympathy with radical circles in Vienna and, like them, at first saw the French Revolution as contain- hallmarks ing possibilty liberation Beethoven's character from the feudal remnants as of the age of bourgeois OI oppression. After years of threatened war, the continued erosion of financial from support aristocracy and invasions Vienna, his Beethoven's published two of political attitudes, never particular- ly clear or consistent, underwent a change. Despite his deep-rooted commit- They also drive and to individual freedom, he that mark them probably welcomed the reactionary in 1814, for Congress of Vienna Fidelio was which his opera crowning musical event. "the (1793-4), the of Most of Europe saw in the figure pIano early of Bonaparte the enitome of the sonatas, French Revolution. For Beethoven for Napoleon was that, but something own used else besides. all are The composer clearty identif with the general, saw in him t characteristics same invincible determinaton altruism that be imagined himself. as early as 1798 rrom *Titing concern co! symphony Napoleon but

VILLUIL

The Thi entitl and developme Beethoven's and tue coneren are daded, constructi of but from dictates of Its four of humour for ironv Druso ut chlalge mood until th virtually phonic form. world sharpest confi unfolds, but movem those parts of the ideas. One can of the op Mirabe the kind of milita exuberance loded from first his "Eroica" a not the though not of Pope Beethoven reac violently Napoleon's 'Is nothing than human ambition will exalt hims But ilusions Napoleon, He changed more ious trip Paris which ne as late as 18 materialised, Westphalia, blackmail to ¡aristocri remaining Its heroism universal, And also embodies battle specific optimi fundamen But the most those music. our are part alla rightful proletariat.

Page 8 "But the proletariat is held in check by just these groups who are their directing upper circles, in other words, by the Fabian politicians and their choral accompaniments. authorities, pedants, arrogant and ranting poltroons, systematical- ly poison the Labour Movement, befog the consciousness of the proletariat and paralyse its will. Only thanks to them do Toryism, Liberalism, the Church, the monarchy.

bourgeoisie continue to retain their hold and even feel they are firmly in the saddle. bureaucrats of the trade unions represent at the moment the most counter-revolutionary force of Great Britain, and perhaps of all the world's development."

concern as themselves Socialist Tne fis unabe to grago so doly demonsnee over . oroud tecord in respect of widen• was The MALeS Rool and at the same time the in forthern Ireland where he be thought apporters of the IRA and others see ae cect o a complete cheir rights led "Prevention saixs. iogether with the spending which LUty hard-won rights farailies. clear Labour Govern- These bombastic the aristocracy and the The Fabians, the ILPers, the conservative Leon Trotsky, Where Is Britain Going?

MACDONALD

RESURRECTED

By John Lister (!!) an industrial system not admin- belongs not to the people but to an bourgeois democracy is a system of institutions and measures by the aid of which the needs and demands of rendered innocuous, or are simply France; the United States and other of the workers about a full programme of nationalisation - in the immediate post-war election her to ask about nationalisation are not minority of capitalists and bankers.

Williams, we must give up any idea whether they like them or not, are the result of the workings of a free agemey of a sorereign gbrerment.e ot the word "demo- capitalist class to "consent" to such .. the Slate. aside indefinitely by the capitalists while the real business of smashing

AGEE-HOSENBALL

MUST STAY

SPOTLIGHT

the workers movement precedence. While reformists every- where urge workers to respect the "rules" of bourgeois they are most often broken by the employers.

BITTER STRUGGLES

The reformist view is even more absurd when we Tealise Perhaps this is accidental? No, Shirley woud not have talking to us at all if workers had not dared long ago to wage lengthy, bitter and often violent struggles the employers in secure right to unions and to secure the vote for Parliament. Every reform, every won since the Industrial Revolution is the product not of but ot harsh conflict with the employer and his sae macane But for Williams the right people If they cannot be persuaded to they proletariat on the bourgeoisie.

these gentlemen; and their programme. One can imagine the horror in the minds of the pioneers of the movement if they had fore- labour seen 150 years later workers would saddled with Williams as their representatives!

Williams preserves silence also on the complete failure of so-called "democratic" socialism ever to successfully democracy against attack by the employers. In Italy in 1922; in Germany in 1933; in Spain 1939; and Chile 1973, workers crushed under the heel of fascisi reaction after years of bankrupt Parliamentary manoeuvres Social Democratic Parties In not one country has a social- democratic

DALY

even terested fascist agression. against ammered socialsm. This di course is directly bEcause oi ite tact that such SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2nd February, 1977 ON

REFORMISM

Trotsky took the use of violence in defence of the working class. Williams in her final series of democracy, questions to hound out "infil- trators" demands "Do you share our belief that socialist objectives must achieved by the method of demo стасу?" This attempt to tie the hands of that the workers in advance of any Williams struggle is the surest guarantee that no concessions will be made to the Force is not however worKIng Class. an end in itself: like democracy it is a means to an end: order to "It is. absolutely unchallenged build trade that the aim of socialism is to elim- inate force, first of all in its most crude and bloody forms, and after- concession : wards other concealed forms. But we are discussing not the char- capitalists' acter and morals of the future Com- society, but the mUSI and means of the struggle ways "The MacDonalds inherited from Puritanism not its revolu- tionary strength, but its religious prejudices. From the Owenites received not their communistic fervour but their Utopian hostility to the class struggle. From the past political history of Britain the Fabians borrowed only the mental devendence of the History turned its nether parts to the writings that they read there became capitalistic force. When fascists disorganise strikes, capture.

the editorial staff of a newspaper or a cashbox, injure or kill workers' likes while the police encircle the burglars with a ring of tactful inviolability, only the most corrupted hypocrite could coursel workers not to answer with blow blow defend for under the pretext Communist determined that in the society there will not be room for force".

Trotsky, Where Is Britain Going?

A little later Trotsky amplifies the point: 'In deciding the of were question revolutionary force the parliam- entary democratic principle is not by in the least accepted as the highest examnie by Ivor humanity for democracy, but democracy as one of the auxiliary instruments on the let alone road of humanity's derelopment. Where bourgeois democracy is conserted into an obstacle it must "socialists be dulled down.i

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2nd.

Trotsky democracy, was:not: advocating bureaucratic Only dictatorship. the cramped intellect of the Fabian Shirley • Williams could confuse Trotsky's argument here, and his life long struggle against with stalinism support for the political regimes of the

USSR,

China and Eastern Europe.

"PROBLEMS"

And it takes the arrogance of a completely ignorant right winger to announce as if a new fact that these countries have unresolved

IOLI

problems" - each of which have been extensively dealt with seriously only in the writings of Trotsky and Trotskyists since the mid-1920s. Trotsky's views on the kind of democracy which would supercede Parliamentary democracy in Britain Where Is he found Britain Going?: would there be of "And what evil - we take the liberty to ask in a Soviet order, applied to British technique, British industry, habits of the British the cultural working class? First, the royal authority would be abrogated .

Secondly the House of Lords would Thirdly be abolished the Lenin present Parliament, of whose shiftiness and impotence even the Daily Herald writes almost every dex montices Apsidated. The lant parasitiam of the landlords would be annihilated for ever. The basic spheres of industry would pass into the hands of the working class, who constitute the overwhelming majority of the people in Britain.

mighty apparatus of the Liberal and Conservative papers and publishing houses could be utilised for the education of the class . The workers working would select their own represen- tatives not within the framework of those fraudulent electoral regions which broken britaIn IS by today, but workshops and factories. The Soviets Workers' Deputies would renew the govern- mental apparatus from bottom to top. The privileges of birth and wealth would disappear with a counterfeit democracy based on deposits in banks. A true labour democracy world follow, which would focus the economic with the political of administration country." Trotskyists therefore aim not at bureaucratic dictatorship - but at workers' democracy. And the Labour Party, as the mass party of the working class, natural place to argue for such policies.

RIGHT INFILTRATORS

Only the extreme right wing will their right to do so oppose fearful lest principled forces rally to the cause of removing the Healey- Callaghan leadership and taking up the struggle for socialism.

The splitters, the wreckers, the gangs of mansion and country farm infiltrators are on the right wing of the Party not the left. The Labour Party by them OI for them. They are a parasitic growth upon it. It thes who should be drummed out of the morement.

Leon Trotsky

WHERE IS BRITAIN

GOING?

WRITINGS ON BRITAIN

(New Park Publications) Vol. Two. Pages 1-107 Arailable froze SL. 31. PAUL STEIN reviews "The Communist Movement: from Comintern to Cominform'

STALIN'S

LAST

YEARS

Fernando Claudin. Penguin, 1975, £4.75. Communist movęment he has This is an important book - moyed certain respects detailed, frequently accurate, decisively to the right. He there- bitter and iconoclastic, attacks not only the Stalinist tore - uneasily organising revolution- policies methods in which he and ary facts by means of refor- was politically educated, but at the same time Lenin and the leadership ist theories. of the Comintern in the early years The for author was nearly after the Bolshevik revolution.

twenty years (1947 to 1965) on the Political of the Spanish

NEW "CLASS"

Bureau Communist Party. Fernando Although he nowhere spets out Claudin was expeled how this came about, his book is as part of an opposition tendency that in 1965; his opposition assumption early written Stalinism much Stalin's Soviet Union became began, however, system earlier - with the events of 1956, totally net Kruschev's 'Secret Speech 'new ruling class when controlled by and the uprisings against Stalinist which: "became the real beneficiary of rule in Poland and Hungary opened most massive divisions with the means of production, immune up the the official movement throughout to any intervention or control ov the mass of the workers, and grad- the world. Claudin's book is of importance ually acquired the subjective characteristics of a dominant class" because it deals with some of the (Epilogue, p.599) main events which give out own But at the same time period its basic political shape, and when in the first of the book) he because attempts all-sided SCCTIOn tries to discover the origins of the treatment of them. political crisis which in his view The first section offthe book •of centres on Stalin's dissolution of led to the the

ANLOIEEIC"

Comintern in 1943, he xt..

with the Communist (in Crisis of June 1943) as a 'peace-offering' to Chapter entitled "The Theory. his allies in the Second World War.

burden is that the Its main

TWISTS AND TURNS

perspectives of international revol- held developments Claudin tries to show how this Lenin and the other leaders of the was the inevitable outcome of the Comintern immediately after 1917 Communist having

THANIEROR

over-schematic, foreseeing been prostituted to the twists and

WELC

more-or-less similar and simultan- turns of Stalin's foreign policy for eous national revolutions in a large years before this. number of countries, which the The second part of his book goes Comintern would in a more narrative form have to lead. jeal ite post settle- ment bermeen Stalin and the 'allied'

SUBORDINATION

imperialist powers, the Cold War formation of the the This conception, which Cominform, the break with Tito, Claudin's view underestimated the and the rictory Chinese of European capitalism of the Revolution, up to the eve of the and its servants in the social demo- the cratic and trade union bureau- зшалюд openea up d death of Stalin in 1953. cracies, opened the door to Stalin's What mars Claudin's book is the subordination of the Comintern to of Soviet tasi: standpoint foreig, ibe bisery ite be banner of sociai The Locatera. Hungarian uprising, 1956 has been established clearly what for years that the 'theory of country' had do with the work of nothing to and is a Stalinist Marx Lenin, invention pure and simple.

Although, therefore, Claudin has a theory of the social degeneration State of the Soviet this theory informs the body of his book only extent, and he in very small то а fact treats. the destruction of the Bolshevik Party and the Comintern revolutionary organisations in purely political - even 'theoretical' - terms. he shows this Stalinist worse. not as the political degeneration, negation of Lenin's Bolshevism, but in some respects as an extension of This is especially to be seen in 3 ('Monolithicity") where „Chapter he attacks both democratic central- the organisational principle of the Comintern and the famous '21 conditions' in which the Comin- drew a clear line between itself tern and the old leaders of the Second International parties. Claudin deboríbes the '21 conditions' as: model of sectarianism and bureaneratic method in the history of the working class morement."

Page 107. This is an opportunist and facile assessment by Claudin, which the fact that the October ignores Revolution itself was made only basis of the most vitriolic on Ine opposition to the treachery of the Second International in 1914-18 war. And this assessment accords with Claudin's own class collabora- tion, today, with the Spanish Social Democratic Party (PSOE), which is busy preparing, hand-in glove with Communist the Party leadership, for a new Popular Front in Spain Claudin is a living example of the od of Stalinhe polt only that and

DOLLIC

be fought successiolly borough de gate di Lerisco Do these faults, though, deprive Риде 9 'merit? Surprisingly, the answe fashion curious deficiencies of his approach tend each other out, cancel and ma especially the second section of t book dealing with the peri after 1943 - well worth reading.

Claudin writes essential political history and deals mair with the relationship betw Soviet foreign policy and the of the official Communist ment. And it within the 18 and especially in apparatus relations with the main imperial powers - that the Soviet burea has gone furthest towaI restoring the methods of capit ism. Therefore Claudin's approach essentially that of looking for t 'Taison d'etat' of those who rule t Soviet Union combined with sceptical study available materials, cast a good de of light on events.

COVERT CAMPAIGN

This comes out, for examp when he deals with the bombsh Yugosl expulsion of Tito's Party from Communisi Comintern (June 28th, 1948).

Claudin is able to show not ji how this was the general result basis of the Yugoslav Commune independent tole in the war, but of specific natio bureaucrac from the

VICSSLID

then developing the Faste Kurope workers' states Stalin's covert campaign agau Tito within the Yugoslav Party a state, and then the sudden brea followed by the slandering of T as a 'Trotskyist', 'fascist' and age of the Western intelligence servio were all closely connected sections of t attempts by other Eastern European bureaucracies loosen their direct political economic domination by the Sov Union. For instance, in the early part 1948 the negotiations (under since 1944) between Tito Dimitrov then leader CP) Bulgarian to combine countries into a Balkan Federati had reached an advanced stage, a had gained the behind the support of Gomulka and the lead ship of the Polish CP. In January 1948 Dimitr Possibili publicly of the spoke of confederation Peoples Democracies, plus Gree He was promptly brought to h by Stalin. He "buf create a zone' of states in Eastern Euroj each individually tied to Stalinist Soy ine Union, with autarchic econon plans and with any political coll oration' orchestrated from Kremlin.

CIVIL WAR

Equally important, Dimitro (quoted Claudin proposal by 490) by including Greece stru the roots of Stalin's post-m agreement with imperialism.

left Greece was to thus refused capitalist. Stalin give any military help at all to t Greek Communists who had be comparably strong with the Yug slavs during the war and who, 1948, were still fighting a civil w in the north against the America backed government. Tito's attempts to give some a to the wieeks acceleratea the bite Claudin chronicles the politic events accurately and perceptives And in general his book is worth reading politi narrative of Statem after the

WAT

Europ.

PUNGENT CRITICISM

He writes with a correct towards public motives and statements Stalinist politicians. This is especi so, for example, of the 194 ly 52 purges in Eastern Europe, whe Claudin seems correct in retrospect support for them at the time.

Claudin does not understand t social, material roots of the burea Consequently стасу. he 4.. treat of its history scientifically.

But he gives an account trica free of anti-communist preadi and well argued and researcied e the major phases it dais mi The a distie is mas besi Penacio

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

On Thursday 27th January the fifteen-week strike of four Holbrook cleaners at the of the North East Annexe London Polytechnic came to an end. the The dispute began over question of 'safety - namely the use of asbestos the Holbrook buildings. The demands of the strikers have been pattially met of the Education promise Joint Committee to have all asbestos removed from the buildings and to pay three weeks' back pay (seven were demanded) for the loss earnings sustained during the strike.

Further, the cleaners will receive four weeks' pay during the period while industrial cleaners remove the asbestos. There can be no doubt that difficult under extremely conditions the result of the strike marks a victory for the cleaners.

certain is the tact that the strike could have achieved all its demands much earner had for the treachery of GMWU been supposed ате represent the cleaners. A special mention must be given scabbing of the energetic regional officer, Bill McCall.

T.G.W.U. KRANCH

KILBURM

WORKERS ARISE!

THE UNIONS

gillin

THE POWER

The need to strengthen and co-ordinate the

NHS

Joint Shop Stewards' movement in London will be the main theme of the Conference of London Area Stewards in the NHS (C.L.A.S.H.) on Wednes- day 23rd February. This conference, for all London NHS shop stewards and lay officials been organised by the South Camden Health District Joint Shop Stewards Committee and has already received support from other he don trade union branches and the Health Service Adrisory Committee of ASTMS.

CLASH

will take place against the background of an ever increas ing number of local actions led by JSSC's against the effects of NHS expenditure cuts. The piatform of speakers will be including dewards. of the Elizabeth Garrett

HOLBROOK STRIKE ENDS

fight this in the course of the bureaucrat rewarded the four women for their union dues contri- bution to his salary by telling them that for all he cared they 'could go to hell' He followed up by encouraging other cross the picket line on the grounds that the strike was 'unofficial'. Nalgo NEC evades action The role of the trade union leaders in using bureaucratic manoeuvres to prevent any action developing against the cuts is illustrated clearly by developments recent at Middlesex Polytechnic. Last November

NALGO

the branch Middlesex Polytechnic voted at their AGM by 200 to 7 in favour of a series of one day strikes against the non-tenlacement of staft vacancies. However this overwhelming vote was not big enough for the NEC of

NALGO

to declare the strikes official. Instead they demanded a ballot of the membership.

This two months

OUR FIGHT 15

1R FIGHT

CLASH CONFERENCE

Anderson occupation who have played a leading role in the struggle against the cuts. The will also be Come cr addressed by one of the three shop stewards at St. Bartholomew's Hospital who were suspended and then following Niel strike. The week long strike (reported in SP 51) took place over attempts to cut overtime. Reductions in overtime pay are addine to the enormous eftects of 15% inflation at a time when union bureaucrats have imposed the 42% pay limit on their members.

1975 official survey showed that overtime accounted for 10% of the total pay of ancilliary staff. CLASH conference organ- ising committee has prepared resolution that seeks to draw on the lessons of these local struggles and to point the way forward.

In fact at an earlier stage he had declared it official and has not to this day informed the strikers when the 'change of heart' took place.

It is a tribute to the determina- tion of the four cleaners that they took their struggle through to conclusion against such treacherous "leadership'. organise, taking place just after the Christmas vacation. Yet under these highly unfavourable conditions the result of the ballot was 194 against the strikes with 187 for, a majority of just 7! Using this highiy dubious result hardly a true reflection of the feel- of the NALGO members, the ings NEC are refusing to declare the strikes official. This has only saved the NEC for time however. A special EGM has been short called to discuss the situation. If this meeting confirms original decision as it the strike inevitably will, the NEC will again be put on the spot. Just how serious is it about backing branches fighting the cuts!

MDEN

EGA picket Key No demands include: sackings; work sharing on full pay; strike action and unconditional support lor occupations of hospital buildings; and sliding scales of NHS expenditure and pay based on assessments of labour movement the effects of inflation.

Stewards all-London Shop Com- mittee with a full conference every three months, also being Service circulated. Health ISSC's and tradé union branches have been invited to submit alternative resol- utions or amendments. Further details of this important conference, which will be held from 2pm to 6pm Wednesday 23rd February at Bonham-Carter House, 52, Gower St., London WC1, can Prosper, obtained from Terry Secretary, South Camden

JSSC,

University College Hospital, Gower Street. London WCI.

FORD SPEED-UP

FIGHT

Attempts by Ford manage- The hostility to these measures ment at their Halewood plant was clearly expressed at the mass meeting of body plant workers to impose speed-up through held on Monday following the out- the imposition of severe disci- break of the dispute. The vote for plinary measures have been strike action was overwhelmingly met by a strike of 4,500 body carried with an 80% majority.

from calling for official Apart plant workers. backing, however, the resolution The dispute which began on from the shop steward's committee Thursday 20th January over the only called suarantee for satisfactory sacking of a welder is the biggest written from the confrontation since the company's company - and the intervention of letter of November 15th last to all Moss Evans (TGWU national officer employees asserting "maipractice in the motor industry). and laying down new disciplinary conditions.

PEACE FORMULA

The letter was followed immed- iately by a number of dismissals Evans did in fact intervene - via Dick and suspensions (about 100) rena gael provoking a series of stoppages in who organised a meeting between the period before Christmas with- representatives of the stewards and which out any challenge the management produced tc company's measures. 'peace formula' to be put to a mass meeting on Sunday. Stewards in the body plant claim that management are The deal however came unstuck ignoring established when Senior Stewards asked for a procedures and using the further meeting to clarify certain foremen as instruments indiscriminately disciplining the points. The Company workforce. refused, saying But it is not just a question of that this was their final offer.

A meeting of the 40 Body Plant discipline and disciplinary procedures: at the same time the Saturday therefore on company are attempting to increase voted to continue with the strike.

This must be maintained until all productivity through the stopping (until production attempts to impose speed up have been dropped. targets are met).

MASSEY STRIKE

Assembly workers at We've tried to do 48. We've even Ferguson are contin- Massey worked in the safety areas. Its just not on without more labour."

uing their stand against Management insisting that management attempts to the men can return to work if they impose 20% speed-up on two accept the 48 tractors target.

tracks Coventry at the new This attack is part of a general- plant. ised attempt to speed up produc- tion They've taken people off the over five management took 136 assembly clock at Manchester and workers off the clock for alleged Kilmarnock, now they're doing it "The kit o here" rest the 1,000 plus Following an occupation of the assembly force immediately came plant ended voluntarily by out in support. While ste artant attraorkement had the machine shop voted plant after management support this was by gained a court order, identity cards means where the unannous and beer those still case was argued by machine shop working and extra guards stationed stewards support was won for the at each gate to prevent the entry of assemany me "unauthorised personnel" Workers on picket duty bitterly Both management and workers attacked the management targets.

are now dug in for a hard battle.

"The of 48 production

LATECE

"If we lose this one they'll go tractors a day is just ridiculous. At right through the factory" pickets the moment we do an dyerage Ol toid Socialist Press. 4D.

NUT MOTIONS

The rising militancy of full employment for all teachers.

NUT associations is reflected in the Motion 75 from Haringey also motions submitted to Conference.

ballot instructs the Executive Many associations have called for strike action to achieve these for the rescinding of Rule 8, the demands. disciplinary _change sneaked into The disgraceful situation of not last year's conference which allows unemployed the Executive to suspend and expel have full union rights is also taken members who really want to fight up in a number of motions.

the cuts. Motions in the section on racial Many motions on salaries reject ism call for the exclusion the Social Contract members of the National Front and and any incomes policy and motion 174 the National Party from the Union.

also "inflation calls correctly for Westminster and Greenwich proofing by automatic to propose that the Union affiliate to rises compensate for increases the tie Labour ratty cost of living® (proposed by This would be an important step East London and Croydon).

in allowing union members to play Several their full • part in fighting the anti- motions express their opposition to the working class policies of the Labour government government and for the removal of expenditure cuts and call for the restoration of all social services and the right wing.

Plans to close the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson women's hospital in London have been deferred for another • two months. At a meeting with staff at the hospital last Tuesday, the Chairman Islington of Camden Alea Health Aurhority admitted that the proposed replacement facilities at the Whittington hospital were inad- for treating patients and that it would require at least eight weeks further work on the renace- wards to bring them up to ment standard. Previously, the AHA had stated their intention of closing the EGA.

its third How clie occupation, on February 15th and of removing essential equipment on January 28th. this threat, the answel lu EGA shop stewards committee had called mass picket tor of the hospital on both dates and in spite date, 150 pickets the manned entrances to the hospital on Friday case the AHA broke its promise of at this LivL

MACKINSEY

BLUE-PRINT

KEEP OFF

PRIVAT-

STEEL

Last Friday officials of the Confederation of Shipbuilding Unions and Engineering in Sheffield agreed reopen talks with Edgar Allen Balfour management over the closure of their Capital Tool Works in Sheffield where over 400 have been redundancy given notices. With the unions in strong following the half-day position strike two weeks ago which stopped most of Sheffield engineering, whole workforce of the with the Edgar Allen Balfour group still out strike to defend these jobs, the Confed's decision to negotiate with management is a clear retreat.

SELL OUT

Previously Confed had the rightly insisted there could be no notices were withdrawn. To negotiate now when not one has been made by management clearly is a preparation for a sell-out. Right from the start the Com- munist Party have resisted extend- ing the strike. They have issued no for the occupation of the Cal! Capital Tool Works. Nor have they even mentioned nationalisation of the employer to defend the jobs The Clive one member, Hartley, Secretary of the Strike Committee, has not openly fought

NDUSTRIAL NEWS

EGA CLOSURE DELAYED

AGAIN

longer against the eventual resiting of the EGA at the Whittington, but that it was the details of the short term that were being disputed.

Needless to say, Burns' view of . the union's position had not been And workers at the nearby Uni- discussed with any of the staff versity College Hospital threatened beforehand. attempt This again emphasises the need walk out i any was to remove equipment from for regular meetings of union made the EGA. members at the EGA to control the The main danger now lies in the way their officials are running the confusion which the

AHA

occupation. the attempting

SOW

amonst medical and the stali at hospital and which has already been swallowed officials dispute, By admitting the the 1n dealing inviting members of the EGA staff to become involved in planning the details of TO Whittington, the AHA have duped people some principle of keeping the EGA open on its present site. This has Vince Burns, ment

SELL OUT DANGER IN

PHOTO: John Sturock, Report playing the Stalinists; down the close this week) organised at once.

and The must be for the question demand arguing solely for a one-day rather defence of all jobs through work than the 4-hour stoppage and for an sharing on full pay and the nation- of the entire firm under overtime ban. alisation With short time being worked in workers' management. Sheffield factories, The Confed nationally must be many demand for an overtime ban is no forced to call strike action and the more than a protest action.

District brought out in full support- In line with the moves towards a ing action. sell-out, the local press, which has scarcely reported the strike, is now "back to work' campaign starting a

LETTERS

These developments show that the policies of the CP letters present a grave threat to the strike.

We welcome from all have rejected The readers. Letters for publication the Confed to deal attempts Dy should be kept as brief as possible with management behind their and sent to: backs and maintamed the Ilent le defend all jobs. Socialist Press, 31, Dartmouth with Negotiations

HHAIALCHACHE

Park Hill, London NWS 1HR.

must be called off and an occupa- tion of Capital Tool Works (due to

JACKSON

DUCKS BEHIND

THE LAW

As the dust settles on the week of non action by British question to be asked of postal of mail and tele- ars sent by Jackson to branches of the Union of Post Office Workers suggest he never had the slightest the union knew in advance that legal action was almost certain and that they had already decided to an instruction from Jackson to all his members - action in support of workers are immediately involved.

Their support in not crossing picket 1S strations of working class solidarity.

WICK

Immediately the union withdrew its action stating that this was to allow The real reason is now Jackson was not sure whether his postal and telephone workers which disrupts mail and telephone calis is Act of 1953 and the Telegraph Act of 1863 In a letter to branches last week Jackson says that the union hired Counsel's Opinion on what the law meant. complains that he 1s stil waiting for that opinion. (Through- respect for the the letter his legal profession is demonstrated by the capital letters he gives to each mention of this "Opinion").

In the meantime he spells out his own Opinion in the form of an edict. their (Law "It is clear that in Lords) opinion the right take to illegal sympathetic action in with the Acts accordance

„LWU

referred to earlier. Branches for the time being, become involved in matters of this kind for they too would be open at the charges of a criminal moment to character." With the next sweep of the pen Jackson declares that no-one has challenged their own right to strike.

'Indeed there have been refer- ences made that this is quite legal."

(The Acts of Parliament make no distinction about how post disrupted. They simply make it a crimms oftence:. special promises report on the Counsel's Opinion at the annual conference. Presumably it will arrive on a tablet of stone.

before this The day circular, -Jackson sent off to all branches apologia to long page branches explaining why they heard about the blacking first when they TV switched their sets or opened their newspapers. introduce the ine decision to 5th blacking was made on January nineteen days after they had do so by the Post, been asked to Telephone, Telegraph International.

Another six days went by before the circulars were sent out. The news broke in the newspapers on January 13th - two days later.

Jackson claims that this was due to leaks from branches and that this was why other branches did not know of the decision (presumably blaming workers for a postal staggered delivery). this claim into What throws doubt is the fact that the National Front claims that one of its major major campaign within the union to fight the Front's poison wherever it Instead Jackson handed to all racialists and fascists a club with It is in this circular, sent out taken South Africa. Even this statement contains nationalist and racialist British firms are investing heavily of the available. Every job created by a British firm in South Britain to ease our unemployment off the blacking since: PTTI that our union has had world- wide publicity for its stand".

have been accused of dabbling in inter- national politics. This is not true[!] Jackson union officials have lost "not one minutes trade union jobs" through the blacking for What their time was spent doing circulat "Immediately after the Grun year it became clear to the union that our right to take sympathetic took action against the UPW in the they inal would try to take action against u obligs trade tions on the basis that this organ beer action saysit was at no time the intention of ith Exch was i Cancil to take Taken together these statement agains MeCHave Socialist Press readers should first union bureaucrat to enlist th aid of the law to ban strikes in hi

T1TP

Cent W43E other controis. were not consulted.

torm clauses ceo to a union compiled general rena ma l • maex lo 0110199 15 League tion calman ofticials made subiect to reguar not aestoy employers cnce accepteo une social contrac contros None of these conditions closure jobs. as autorily 41 P.

LESLICKORI

ot however. true, in the

AYLESBURY

to Public Meeting

THE FIGHT AGAINST THE

WINSFORD

SOCIAL CONTRACT

"AGAINST WAGE CONTROL"

Wednesday 9th February at 7.30 Sunday 13th February at 7.30 The Plough and Harrow Wheatsheat Hotel Stoke Rd, Aylesbury.

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

PAPER OF THE WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

BRITAIN

EUROPE

. £1.15 6 issues. {1 6 issues. 12 issues. • 22 .£2.30 12 issues 24 issues .£4.60 24 issues I would like to take out a subscription to Socialist Press. I would like.. ..issues, l enclose £.....

NAME.

ADDRESS.

for four government motion futu une them now in their third month ol

TESTS

ITOI

" a r most demands such as amnestyr. tre

COINCHCL

COLLEY

the entere connuence. was to