Socialist Press no. 65

REGAIN AND DEFEND

EXTEND

POSTAL

BLACK!

Trade unionists from almost every union in nearly every part of the country responded in their tens of thousands to the call from APEX Grunwick strike the committee for a mass picket of the factories on July 11.

Although, the police replied 4,000 with a turnout of over including their cavalry detach- ments and military-trained Special Patrol Group, their attempts to with the picket met break In failure. fact, the repeated pickets made the streets around each of the factory entrances completely impassable for several hours. The assortment of trade union bureaucrats from APEX and else-

TUC

including assistant wuere general secretary Norman Willis, attempted to address the a hostile pickets, were given reception as a suitable reply -TO the their lack or acuon over previous ten months. was the CONL aSL the strikers given to acclaim themselves and left-winger Arthur Scargill, who had brought a large contingent of miners from the along Yorkshire ae WO with many other delegations, had travelled overnight to join the PIckeL. Ironically, it was Scargill's which ensured that the aCTORS goal of bringing the factories to a nat was on Damaav acuievcu It was his call for the pickets to join the demon- i uc-organised stration which brought a response after right-wing, pleas had failed.

With the picket reduced to only a few hundred, the scabs Cont'd Back Page, Col 5.

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

The political defeats suffered by the TGWU and NUM leaderships last week reflect the complete rejection of wage control by the work- ing class. In the face of these Chancellor developments Healey's attempts to enforce wage control confirm that we are now at a decisive turning point in the class struggle in Britain. fundamentally, the Most of the carefully demolition laid plans of the TUC to impose a rigid Phase 3 indicates a political turn by the working class parallel to the 1966 Seamen's strike-the first mass struggle by the working class against a Labour government -and the 1974 miners' strike, in active hostility to wnich mass. wage controls lea to une orngule down of the Heath government.

OFFENSIVE

In the wake of the destruction of Phase 3, a wages offensive is There is no already opening up. doubt that section after section of workers will now seek to seize their chance to make up for the last two years of vicious cuts in Tea wares The readiness of workers to these pursuit struggle demands is shown by the scale of tne moomsations n

SUDBOLL

and the the Grunwick strikers, blacking action ichacious postal workers in defiance of UPW leaders, employers and courts.

the And Salte c

•LILC

defeat of Jones at the

TGWU

Conference has clearly shaken the of the union bureau-

CULORLY

cracy at all levels and challenged its ability to sabotage and disrupt through bureaucratic decree the of members to struggles their defend their living standards.

* LEFT TALKERS

But it has not removed their room for manoeuvre. Rather, it has forced them the left increasingly utilise talkers and the Communist Party to assist them in heading off and diverting militant struggles on wages. Already in Fords and at Long-

WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

NATIONAL COMMITTEE

STATEMENT

have rushed in after the ships TGW vote to submit claims toi increases of no more than 15%-20%. Even if such claims were won in full they would still amount to substantial wage cut under present inflation. And workers are clearly prepared to fight for much bigger claims.

DEFUSE

"responsible" parms isto take tise The purpose or tnest steam out of the wages movement by arguing the need to keep the employer viable. We say that the priority must be the restoration of the living standards of the working class to and the defence of 1974 levels, this through linking wages to the cost of living through a sliding scale of wages. The defeats suffered by the killed bureaucracy have any possibility of an agreed Phase 3, and caused Liberals to question Lib-Lab future of the coalition deal. But they have not slackened the iron determination of Healey and Callaghan to press ahead with with the Liberals. their alliance wage restraint, and im pose without the formal necessary support of the TUC They have drawn closer to the Liberals to set themselves free of

FORTNIGHTLY PAPER OF THE

WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

No. 65 * 20 July 1977 * 10p

INSIDE

p Page 6 Portugal Stalmist Response to Euro- Communism and State the by Carrillo, Page 3 The IMO's Challenge Trotskyism Page 8. TGWU Conference: Special Two Page Report, Pages 485.

Heathrow Shilt Pay Strike Note 1 Page 11 Press Gang: Page 9 Turkish Crisis Page 2 Ryder Demand Workers Page 10 The vote against Jones' line at the TGWU Conference

LIVING

STANDARDS

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard. Report The Grunwick mass picke the whether through the unions, or begin only after end through the Labour Party itself.

existing contracts The TGWU conference rejected At the same time the govern- ment is aware it can count on the this position and voted efforts of TUC leaders bargaining unfettered collective energetic to stifle militant wage struggles by as of August 1. disposal. any HiCass It is with these moves in mind Scanlon has already announced that Healey has made it clear that that the AUEW will uphold the prepared governmenl *12 and month rule'

.OHOL

press ahead without any forma annual agreements. deal with the TUC More dramatically, the TGWU From the government end, al leadership has violated the specific claims in the public secto wage of this month's conference VOTe will be resisted; rigid cash limit by circulating full time officers will be im posed, and,

WOLAE

informing them that the return to Cont'd Back Page, Col 1 enllective haroaining is treA

Page 2 Bhutto

ETHIOPIA

With the strong support of the Soviet Union and Cuba, supplies and some military Ethiopian Israel, the from "Marxist" military dictator- ship (the Derg) has launched a massive military attack on the national liberation forces in Eritrea. was ignomin- A similar army This iously defeated last year. year the 25,000 regular Ethiopian troops already fighting in Eritrea are also being reinforced by from irlift of troops and arms Addis Ababa. counter-offensive follows This of spectacular everal weeks 'ictories for the Eritrean national- liberation The three Eritrean organisations now claim to control whole territory aside irtually the rom the capital, Asmara. The Ethiopian attack has report- master-minded by •aly been Soviet Union and was not launched until the Soviet military delegation had satisfied itself that Eritrea was

TURKEY

the to press AS We 20 crisis in Turkey government remains unresolved, with right Party leader Justice wing hold unable Demirel to together a coalition with the extreme right National Action National Party and Salvation Party. Thus the stalemate from the indecisive June 5 elections still paralyses the bourgeois parties, while international capitalists and Turkish employers wait impatiently for and political economic equilibrium to be established.

The most hopeful direction for the bourgeoisie would seem to be the proposal for a compromise by Bulent Ecevit, leader of the biggest capitalist party, the liberal-retorm- ist Republican Popular Party.

While there differences are

RPP-JP

between cotton would imms. the immediately enlist the support

THOSE

TE DELISL

and Stalinist leaders within the workers' movement gave electoral support to Ecevit.

Indeed Halil Tunc, the leader of wing trade union confed- the right eration CTWU has threatened to call a general strike "that very day" if National Front coalition of parties is formed, and right wing dèmanded a JP-RPP coalition.

INTERnATIOnAL NEWS

PAKISTAN

of The military seizure on July 5 power in Pakistan was a response to the mount- ing exasperation of Pakistan's the civil ruling class with the unleashed by disorders of the right-wing squabbling politicians. There has been a good deal of speculation as to why new military dictator Zia ul Hag seized power have been on behalf of it may now imprisoned ex-Prime the Ali Minister to save nim DnUItO, the demands capitulating to from of the opposition Pakistan National may have Alliance (INAl-Or been on behalf of the PNA in order of new to guarantee the nolang elections In spite of his apparent agree- recuperable. One of the Soviet bureaucracy's aims in this reactionary struggle is for its undoubtedly to have access growing fleet to the important Red Sea Eritrean ports of Massawa and Assab as supplements (and possibly alternatives to) the Somalian port of Berbera on the Gulf of Aden.

HOSTILITY

Hostility between Ethiopia and Somalia has been growing rapidly as a result of Somalia's support for the West Somalia Liberation Move- ment in the Ethiopian province of Ogaden. recently cut This movement Ethiopia's main rail link to the sea military other and scored victories. As a result, the Somalian govern- ment, after recent questioning of its long standing military and political alliance with the Soviet Union, has now reportedly withdrawal of Soviet technical and military personnel from country.

GOVERNMENT CRISIS

LINGERS ON

greatly Such statements have perturbed the chiefs of the armed and it is clear that if forces, parties should lose bourgeois control over the working class the would not hesitate miltary intervene. manoeuvres are further These policy the confirmation and reformists-backing Stalinists Ecevit as a 'democratic' alternative to Demirel, rather than putting forward independent working class candidates is completely bankrupt.

present a clear This failure to reason alternative was one main National why the fascists of the Action Party won 922,000 votes in the elections. fight for In reality the rights cannot democratic crisis from the separated 1l1 fight for a clear socialist programme geared to the needs and demands of both workers and peasants.

The starting point must be of the workers' movement defence against the fascists through detence and factories squads based working class neighbourhoods.

The bourgeois courts must be challenged by the setting up, workers' inquiries into allacks- the May Day slaughter especially. in Istanbul. And a programme spelling out

IMPATIENT BOSSES OUST BHUTTO

ment to fresh elections, Bhutto Membership of trade unions not was desperately attempting to avoid military approved by authorities is punishable by three certainly The answer is almost years in prison and five lashes (tor that it was not on behalf of either students unions the penalty is seven group that the military took power years in prison and ten lashes).

along with Although the regime says it will because - 011T. ratntl Pakistan's capitalists and landlords, "free" elections in October organise of either inability they saw all political activities une of politicians to maintain and punishable by five banned control over the masses. years in jail. a good deal of the period For sentences can all be the rigged elections a tew by special summary since imposed himself has Bhutto military tribunals from which there months ago been to rule through only able is no right of appeal. martial law. consigning the leaders of

DEATH

ALEI

People's

PNA

and Bhutto's the Party to an apparently comfortable Such tribunals can impose the protective detention, the military death penalty for acts of"sabotage" regime immediately or "damage to property" introduced large number of extremely repres- In addition most of the Islamic traditional blood thirsty sive laws. legal code is introduced for other crimes-for example, cutting oft the hands of thieves

STALINISTS BACK REACTIONARY WAR

The dictatorship following the of Gaddafi the example Libya dictatorship in humanely specifies that this barbaric punish- "by a carried out ment be few months Cuban emiet fidel Castro has become qualified surgeon using local anaes- thetic." Soviet policy in this part of Africa.

In his recent tour of Africa he Gibraltar Dere the italian go prevents.

Cuban support for

EQUAL PAY FIGHT

blatant Workers fighting discrimination in the leaders seized pother from the rigne racial British imperialist outpost in wing rivals to the Gibraltar have been imposing the black' on supplies At the same time he is reported Ministry of Defence dockyard passing through both the com- and the more "progressive" the sections mercial port and the airport.

Eritreans. of the workers, members The General British Transport and

REJECTED

suffer from Workers discriminatory rates of pay which keep Gibraltar citizens in the dock- This offer has reportedly been yard on a wage £18 per week lower rejected by the Eritreans, resentful citizens doing identical than UK at Cuba's opportunist change of work. sides (many of their guerrillas were Their struggle is in defiance of trained in Cuba). colonial regulations vicious British They are also unwilling to make which make them liable to sacking the blood- with any compromise for industrial action. Already one thirsty and treacherous Derg, which gener- hostile Ministry of Defence power has shown itself as totally shut down- ator has had to be to the Eritreans' right to self deter- with needed spares held up through to its own left mination as it is opposition, hundreds of whom have blackie National Union of Seamen The been slaughtered In massacres in blacking support, giving recent months. material to the Royal Fleet Auxil- In order to reduce the number of fronts on which it is forced to fight, the Derg has recently tried to buy off its right wing opposition- the Ethiopian Democratic Union- FRed Seas with the offer of an amnesty

MASSAWA-

EDU supporters. dramatic developments These

ASMARA S

of and the strategic importance and its Ethiopia's coastline

AN ASSAB

potential control of the waters of

SUDAN

the Nile, has turned the country's

TIGRE

/BEGEMDIR

international wars civil counter- battle-ground revolutionaries.

GOJJAM

ADDIS

HARRAR

ABABA

East

USSR,

Cuba and by the

ETHIO

the Red Sea ports Eritrean Front) (the support of the Egypt, Arab regimes Popular

KENYA

Eritrea), claims to be

NAIROBI

has broad support in the nower SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 20 July, 191

IN BRIEF

ITALY

the Communist The terms policy agree- clashu ment of Agnostino has captured Nito Alves, that it opportunist former Interior Minister and ally of Moscow, who led a failed coup against Neto in Alves escaped from custody April. after the coup. iary in Gibraltar. In this garrison colony industrial action takes place under intervention. In threat of military 1972 a general strike was met by troops running power supples.

The pay dispute has come to a esculating cost head Living. entitiecause eive as high supplement Decause living Gibraltar-but Gibraltarian workers are told their are lower because prices are lower! The colonial administration has refused to argue a case for its racial Under pressure based pay policy. they offered the have the Gibraltar citizens 80% of the £49 basic paid to UK nationals.

threats of reprisals if the TaVit This offer backed action is not called off.

and British dockers airport workers in particular must be ready to take action in defence of their Gibraltar brothers if this threat is implemented.

SAUDI ARABIA..

ORTH

SOUTH

YEMEN

YEMEN

CADEN

Aden

{DJIBOUT

"BERBERA

OGADEN

SOMALIA

MOGADISHU

250m Greater Somalia

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 20 July, 1977

STALINISTS

DIVIDED ON

CARRILLO

In the early days of the cut support from some parties In Western Europe, the Soviet Spanish election campaign Union was supported by the Danish Santiago Carrillo, General Greek and Austrian, (exterior) Secretary of the Spanish Com- Portuguese parties. munist Party, published a now Cunhal, Alvaro Portuguese CP notorious book called 'Euro- secretary, expressed his "serious Santiago Carrillo's communism and the State'.

about

GODDES

way of thinking. The main themes of the book were two: an attempt

DOUBTS

justify the form of class collabor- ation carried out by the Spanish, In Eastern European parties, Communist French and Italian howevel THere were Parties; and of serious doubts about the attack on second, Pall the Carrillo's Carrillo. bourgeoisie of his sincere intentions Only the Czechoslovakian party an attack on the Soviet Communist gave unambiguous backing to the Party, especially on political repres- position of New Times sion in the Soviet Union.

Rude party newspaper,

SHES

Pravo, accused Carrillo of "laying

MOSCOW

with visible pleasure, the cuckoo's Eurocommunism" in the The book prompted a virulent egg oi rejoinder from the Soviet bureau- nest of the world communist move- cracy in the form of a review of the ment. But the Fast German, Romanian book in the international foreign affairs journal New Times,. maintain an embarassed silence on bubased in Moscow. The "Eurocommun- review attacks Carrillo the question of "consciously personally anti- ism"; and Hungarian CP leader Soviet" and for putting forward an his interpretation of "Eurocommun- scarcely-veiled support for it.

He stated a few weeks ago that the interests of imperialism and the "Eurocommunism" was "complete- forces of aggression and reaction.'

ly natural". Carrillo himself responded

"DUTY"

this attack with a number of press statements elaborating his view that the Soviet state: only the right but "not not exactly " of all parties to find their the duty 15 bourgeois certainly not one own road to socialism: where the organised workers are the "With without the dictator- ruling class ship the proletariat, with Saying also that if he had been pluralist or other form of socialism.

in the position of the Czechoslovak only want them to open up the Communist Party leaders 1968 road to socialism for their people as he would have ordered his followers quickly as possible. to tire on soviet troops.

Carrillo strongly defended Conflict between Carrillo and against the Soviet attack by the Yugoslav the Soviet leadership is nothing of the CP, while paper the Italian CP was a good deal more to condemn the "unaccept- ready

EXPELLED

able" tone of the New Times review than to support the precise formu- the lations in Bastilland French parties group inside The leadership of the Spanish CP was taken similar line. The expelled for refusing to condemn have CP daily I 'Humanite wrote the Soviet invasion of Czechosio- Trench vakia and were later supported by on July the Soviet leaders in their attempt "Aside from his book, of which which turned failure, form perrectly PossiDie to cricise alternave certain chapters without stooping Communist Party in Spain.

to hostility, the secretary general of quarrel, however, has

NICW

Party •directly stirred up a hornet's nest among the communisi aimed at and disputed Communist Parties of western and Will by d

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

And the author of the New Times article worsens his case by trying to dissociate from a party its secretary general. inadmissible procedure. This is not the way to the debate EnColate within the world communist move.

ment." would wrong to see the be "Carrillo affair" as mere hot-air. It certainly marks a stepping up of the Kremlin bureaucracy's its declining

ALLELL LU

authority within world Stalinism.

NO DISAGREEMENTS

But the Soviet Union has raised disagreements with the class- collaborationist strategies of so-called Eurocommunist parties.

Quite the contrary In the middle of the hulabaloo about Carrillo the Soviet press significant- ly produced a series of articles in and praise of the policies "successes" of the French, Italian and Spanish CPs. On July 9 Pravda spoke of the the frontist popular Union of the Left in the French Pravda, the acknowledged the diffi- the of the not let us forget of workers, monopolists to help of isolating the com- has been over-

WELCOMED

Italy, Pravda welcomes the ENeW between the CP and the Christian Democra *its a long between that • way making an agroement and putting it into practice. Once again Pravda notes that through this agreement: "the discrimination which the CP has suffered from Talkit the division of the political forces of the country coming Carrillo of the French collaboration and Italian CPs is mild compared with the rapture with which the Soviet

TASS

July NeWS praised the policies of the party of Santiago Carrillo himself.

The Tass dispatch begins by "realism complimenting and subtlety" Adolfo Suarez and King Juan Carlos. The Spanish government (which is, of course, composed of rrancoist murderers) retlects, says Tass: "The results of the last elections which have shown the will of the Spanish people to put a definitive .. What end to the rrancoist past .

is important is that legislative and executive power in Spain is from now on concentrated in the hands of partisans of parliamentary demo- cracy." This "achievement" is put down by Tass wisdom of the the strategy of the Spanish CP 'The Communists of spain, who have selflessly fought fascism here it forward the slogans or here put forward the slogan national reconciliation of all Spaniards, regardless of which side of the barricades they were on in the civil war. The triumph of this slogan today is the result of the long struggle of communists, socialists, other anti-fascist democrats and catholics of this kind make it Eulogies clear that the purpose of the Soviet attack on Carrillo is not part of any alter the criminal attempt of the popular frontist strategy West European CPs but is rather a new installment Moscow's OI "indiscipline" arrest attempt within the Stalinist forces.

The two things, however, cannot be separated since the Soviet policy of socialism in one country is the basis of class collaboration on the part of the Stalinist parties in capit- ailst countrice But at the same time, that class collaboration can

COIODICLE

the adoption of fulfilled only by anti-Soviet positions such Carrillo's support for US bases in Spain and the Italian CP's support The problem of authority within lege 3 dictions of the counter-revolution- ary policy of socialism in one country Carrillo The attack on symptom of the fact tht the Soviet bureaucracy finds the consequence especially troubling at the present time.

Ine wew times articie was noi an isolated occurrence. Almost sim- ultaneously the Soviet leaders virulent attack launched a similarly on the Japanese CP. because of its support lor the Japanese ment's claim to four islands of the Kurilles group which are 'occupied by the Soviet Union On June 12 Pravda accused the Japanese CP of "chauvinism" "hos- Russian people" tility to the and "violation the principles OI Marxism-Leninism by making frontier problem the object of a dispute between Communist Parties." CP its reply the Japanese identified itself leadership with Carrillo and the right of all Com find their own munist parties to road to socialism. It attacked the Moscow bureau- for "continuing the errors of cracy Stalin". condemns the Soviet Union for its "great power intervention ism" against the Czechoslovakian CP in 1968 and for its open support "anti-party for group within an the Japanese CP in 1964 when the Soviet Union financed that group's factional Voice of Japan, paper described the group as "true aulu patriots". This further reminder these between that the confilets Soviet bureaucracy and other CPs are nothing new Nevertheless, the CrisIs Stalinism which they express now seems to be reaching a new peak.

A simultaneous crisis has blown up in relations between the Chinese bureaucracy and its hitherto faith.

ful ally, Albania. On July 7 the official paper of the launched unmistakable attack on the inter- national strategy ot the chinese leadership (without however mentioning it by name). The main point of the article is an attack on the Chinese "three worlds" theory in which the "third world" is the source of revolution "Considering the globally 30 called "third world" as the main force in the anti-imperialist struggle . without and the revolution making any distinction between the authentic anti-imperialist and revol- utionary forces and the pro-imper- ialist, reactionary and fascist forces which hold power in a number of developing countries. means distance oneself in a flagrant way from the teachings of Marxism Leninism preach typically opportunistic views causing confusion and disorientation among revolutionary forces... The articles point to the need to fight regimes like that of Pinochet in Chile, whom the Chinese have The practice of Enver Koxha's regime in Albania gives no evidence that its adherence those than principles anything more But in the Stalinist world even formal adherence to such a position

Big vote for sliding scale of wages Page 4

DEFEATED

In more ways than one the wages debate at the TGWU Conference was the centre piece of the week.

The unprecedented defeat of both of Jones and the unanimously endorsed line of the TGWU General Executive Council on this issue has fundamentally altered the political situation within the TGWU, as well as TUC hopes of imposing a Phase wrecking workers. Before the pay debate, tension showed itself in continual hostile questions on the executive frustration of the membership of the shop floor found its reflection even within the bureaucratised layers that made up the conference; and after pay debate many delegates, confident the task was done seemed to the the platform, pressure against visibly ease struggled to regain its shattered prestige.

But within the pay debate itself a key component was to focus from the very the manoeuvie

STATE

planned for foisting had Phase 3 upon the Conference.

WORDING

This meant that the eyes of all delegates had to be directed to the Executive's of the precise wording composite motion, which called for "orderly return to free collective and insisting that this was no more than a blank formula cheque for a Phase 3. opposition Moving the main 'unfettered calling for composite from collective bargaining

AZUSI

1, Danny Harris centred his speech on the wage cuts suffered under the Social Contract, and the flouting by tonditiond on which the last Tight leadership the endorsed had Contract. But it was left to Alan Thornett, moving the third resolution which return" of free collective bargaining On LUU called for a sliding scale of wages to spell compensate for inflation,

TGWU

exactly how out last conference had been duped by use of a vaguely worded motion: "Many delegates will remember the last conference, where we had a vague-formulated motion-equally in a similar way. I will quote it to you. "That this Conference supports the Social Contract,.. recognising that this understanding is in total opposition to any form of statutory wage control, and seeks to sustain (believe it or not) the principle of free collective bargaining."

collective Not only was tree bargaining ended by this motion- but none of the conalions were ever carried out."

APPLAUSE

Thornett went on to draw strong applause when he pointed out that the executive had implemented the without 5% Phase policy authority from Conference.

convinced that the term Jones' am 'orderly return' is used because the would face certain motion cereal it if was called at this conference up by its real name-wage control" position. Thornett was also the first dele- out the ominous gate poli government silence on Phase 3.

wood, "It is significant that although backed 3 weeks from the we are now only end of Phase 2, the shape of Phase 3 has not been revealed. Why not? If it is a policy which would be acceptable to this confer- ence, why is it not revealed to us?"

ESCALATOR CLAUSES

He went on to show the need for Jones' free collective bargaining to include

TGWU

the demand for escalator clauses to match inflation. members cannot Since

OLLI

influence inflation, must protect themselves against it.

policy. the note Setting dominant of the wording. of the suspicion

I TGWU CONFERENCE SPECIAL

JONES BOWS OUT

"That cost of living escalator offset to agreements of price amount included in wage increases additional Additio rate. To facilitate this the establishes Union machinery to compile a cost of living index which will accurately reflect the impact of inflation on the wage packets of our members.

Negotiators should demand that 3 of wage controls on all escalator agreements be based on this figure ment figures 'Report; during the debate the anger and against the working class."

while the leadership The vote for a sliding scale of wages, taken immediately after the "orderly rejection of Jones

REACTIONARY

resolution calling was controis Body Dagenham Danny Connor. he was thai from an export-led boom and less realistic." policy is "the This Alan Thornett to back down. Delegate after delegate marched was attack the

TOSILIE

Jones stood up in "orderly return" as a Phase 3.

damaging Among

TOSU

attacks on the platform came from conterence The thoroughly discredited motion former supporters. mover of the Executive composite As at the last TGWU Conference his had changed say sliding "Enough is enough", he said.

laughably wage control" Sheffield convenor Sylvia Green- who had also pictusty Contract Social announced. come up "I'm big enough to here and say I was wrong".

FORMER ALLY

And, Irish delegate Malachy Grey announced that he had been one of allies in the fight against the '50s and nignt wing in the '60s-but ringingly denounced "*the Executive motion sim Dil old. old story. dumb- Right wingers were founded by the onslaught on their Only a handful attempted to speak. desperately When the chairman the full inflation be settlements own and not on govern- which are biased Branch No. 5/293.

IMPORT CONTROLS

delegate claimed. Coventry composite Patrick was the only for the govern- against mount ment to impose a series of import policy. He pointed out that "cheap moved Ford labour" foreign Plant jingo ism Tory Press that nationalist sabre rattling increase massively, diverting from Connor, like every defender 0t the real problems faced by workers.

this nationalist policy, hotly denied "The real question a chauvinist, while et in lionish industry ba the basis complaining that every time a job is nationalising country under abroad", Jim Callaghan's dream of monopolies control" he argued. "becomes less The motion with only however, foundation principled votes against.

for building a socialist Britain", he But to no avail. The Executive motion was defeated 2-1 against these odds that for immediate the afternoon unfettered collective bargaining was session and attempted to swing the passed by a similar margin now accept

ONE-THIRD

through floundered series of already refuted arguments And the sliding scale of wages Jones reserved a special attack for motion, though defeated, won the scale of wages motion, backing of nearly one-third of the *rigid describing it -indicating the growing Conference influence of a demand which two was backed years handful of delegates Jones now hands on a tarnished and dented crown to Moss Evans.

The leadership that hinged on the authority of the General Secretary at conference has suffered a major setback. And the failure of the platform to give any build-up whatsoever to the incoming Evans means that he now attempt

HUSL

much strengthened left wing from a position of great weakness The question now for militants is to go forward from the confer- • build to conscious developing leadership to principled the bureaucracy on every front.

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 20 July, 1977 Jones sees defeat looming in the pay debate

CHILE

JONES SPURIOUS reputation as a great internationalist suffered a hefty kick during discussion on a against motion composite Chilean dictatorship After Jones had worked through which he wept a long speech in for the workers crocodile tears murdered or incarcerated tortured, Pinochet's regime, under proposed no policies whatsoever to London docks support delegate interrupted just as the vote was to be put. pointed out that London of blacking dockers had a policy Chilean goods-but that in some areas dockers who implemented the were taken off the clock policy them- back the linion would maybe make up their wages?

fumbled completely Jones words exposed. He mumbled a few "complicated" these how about things were and said it would be "up to the executive" The point was damningly made not, anymore than an Jones will Dave "internationalist' bureaucratic delegate to "principles" to the point carry his this of supporting struggles against the a myth, and employers at home. if London dockers are to main- and policy, they principled their would tain must fight Jones to do so.

HOTEL

re- workers'

STRIKES

carried, a handful of

INSULT

The call THE WORKERS in Sheffield, return Oxford and Birmingham who spent long bitter months on picket lines the struggle to win union rights within the giant Trust Houses Forte only combine catering and hotels to be sold out by TGWU officials, were given a calculated insult by Jones. Moving executive support for a resolution on meaningless Jones saw fit to Industry, Tourist by only a need for the hold forth on the union to "pick up its responsibilit) to unionise" the industry in which 500,000 well over there are potential members having personally But despite and

THE

strikes. followed the confronted bs angry having been strik office one occasion capoin national office demanding this action. blacking suDport control Jones omitted any mention of their brave struggle "congratulated" "al instead ne those associated with building the difficul very inese bans industry. The motion, which simply calle challenge for Tourism, Minister for

MINERS SHOW THE WAY

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 20 July, 1977

EQUAL RIGHTS

ISSUE PRESSED

Moving the composite resol- ution on Equal Pay and Equal Opportunities Alan: Thornett laid stress on the failure of the Sex Discrimin- much-vaunted ation Act and Equal Pay Act significantly to Improve the lot of women in industry.

Pointing out that the composite heavily motion leaned too reviewing and revising legislation, Thornett emphasised that: ''The main responsibility rests force the Foual right employer 1o concede The clearest proof of this, showed Thornett, was the lessons of two recent struggles-Electrolux and Trico. At Electrolux, individual women at a Tribunal, only won equal pay to be moved off their jobs by the But at Trico the employer won with the trade union movement tol defeated by industrial action which achieved equal This showed way. the way forward.

PLACE OF WORK

Crucial is what union leaders do the place of work stressed Thornett. And most ignored is the issue of equal opportunity.

of jobs "The vast amount in the engineering and automotive industry available are It is in the power of con• wuineD. venors and stewards to make major inroads into this.

BULLOCK GETS

THROUGH

Despite the efforts of of delegates number who spoke on the real effects of "workers' so-called particip- ation" and the class collab- embodied oration in the of the Bullock proposals Report, a composite motion in favour of the Report was carried. Colin Carty, One speaker, Export Packing at

LOLYCLINE

Services, Banbury, pointed out that "participation" by TGWU stewards and management in British Leyland at Cowley had led Cowley stewards to agree to the withdrawal of work from the factory, resulting in 250 redundancies. 1200 TO 600 Another 350 jobs in the same factory had been lost when similar steps were agreed to by trade union Chrysler leaders factories Coventry. In the course oi a veat had shrunk from 1200 to 600. Oxford delegate Tim O'Sullivan Carty's argument, and up Dacked stressed that the terms of the Ryder "participațion scheme in Leyland are quite specific it says the company will ru affairs and make the final decisions.

So how can you participate?"

he asked. A similar view was taken by Bob Stoker froin Huddersfield.

"I reject any participation in the management privale We haven't under capitalism. got socialism. We are fighting capitalism. "Participation man wears two hats: one with mange- ment. and one witn ine stewarus he pointed out. But the mood of the conference deputy two hats, wedıCl Levland's Cowley convenor Alec Morton J.P. Body Plant. "You can say "no' under partici- Only if this was done could the divisive of reachonary "women's work" be broken down and women workers properly inte- grated into the TGWU. Delegates from the floor however ignored the issue of equal and concentrated this opportunity fire on the less contentious question of equal pay. Most speakers attacked any idea of relying on tribunals, and several out that out of 1,000 dele- Donted gates only 35 were women.

YARDLEY

One delegate from the Yardley bitterly attacked cosmetics factory the role of TGWU officials and convenors during their long-running equal pay battle. She was greeted by Moss Evans' patronising assurance that: "If the ladies don't think we're doing the job adequately, push us a little bit !!! and we'll see if we can do a bit better next time.

was left to Alan Thornett, in replying to the debate to ram home the responsibility of convenors and stewards at the con- terence to lead the tight to bring women into the workforce.

this Only could create conditions for adequate numbers of women to be delegated to confer- and breakdown the ence, present reactionary "women's section whose work focussed on such "wamen's jobs" as the Pin, Hook and Eye and Snap Fastener Wages Council'. Alec Morton J.P. change all this. 'Maybe heads will roll." he went on, *but can't yOu power without responsibility" around by was turned Liverpool delegate who shrewdly Bullock pointed out that offered trade unionists "responsibility but no power" Executive composite was with the overwhelmingly carried, memorable assurance from Moss Evans that: want truck with emasculated Bullock.

TGWU CONFERENCE SPECIAL I

JONES BACKS 35hr WEEK the same lines. And Deputy General Secretary Harry ur win was oniy too picastu to take advantage, and to move in quoting reams of statistics on the various diversionary, government's "job projects and creation schemes which offer some youth a work. few weeks or months Lacking any alternative, the tooth- backed Jess leadership was carried. The debate was one-sided because the motion on the agenda spelling out a clear policy to defend Urwin jobs and strate new ones The unemployment debate submitted the 5/293 Branch, by manipulated the order indicated how necessary WaD paper and separated from the main fully developed alternative to discussion on unemployment.

the reactionary policies of the right wing.

OPEN BOOKS

By focussing attention simply on the emotive issue of youth unem- The 5/293 resolution called for after speaker the speaker opening of the books of DO tellI succeeded in creating the who employers declare impression that only school-leavers redundancies; for union backing to are on the dole, and concealing the factory occupations; for a policy of fact that factory after factory has demanding work sharing on full pay carried through rationalisation and where the emplovel redundancies with the full co-oper- production, and for nationalisation ation of TGWU leaders. employers who refuse these was not only right wing demands speakers that created the loophole Having been cut off from the -indeed a crucial role was played main unemployment this by Broad Left and Militant motion had to be moved by Alan who supporters followed exactly Thornett just as the bulk of the left

TYCOON GORMLEY

Question: How do you stop Canadian workers going on strike? Answer: Hire a British trade union leader to sort them vuL. Joe Gormley- president for life of the National Union of Mineworkèrs-has been appointed to the board of a multi-million pound Canadian company to advise them on industrial relations. So now we see why Gormley was so opposed to the NUM adopting a pay claim that could regain and defend his members living standards!

The firm-Vancouver Wharfs-is a subsidiary of the William Hudson Group, an oil giant. Gormley will add an undisclosed salary to his £7,500 a year from the NUM and another £1,000 a year from the National Research Development Corporation. Vancouver Wharfs chairman David Olhams said: 'He has good qualifications in that we run into ar awful lot of labour troubles here and he would know experience most useful most people. We would find his more about that than Gormley, who angrily refused to comment, before leaving for a holiday in Spain, will no doubt win a glowing reference from NUM members who will confirm his expertise in holding back wage demands and his use- fulness to the bosses. The £135 a week claim to Executive of course interpreted be lodged for November that accept the pathetic f6 "flat rate" from the

NUM

emerged under Phase Healey's state Conference must set the tone for the entire working class.

PHASE 2

The demand is not excessive.

Two years ago even right wingers And last year the Executive voted toothless resolution

IOT

a ballot narrowly lorced through calling on the union to "seek' decision on a deceptively figure of £100 a week. ballot paper which it used to give The right wing majority on the backing to Phase 2 The upshot is that miners still receive only a basic of £7l.

Mean- while inflation and taxation mean that the £l00 claim ot ago must be upped to a £135 claim now But of course the right wing who were prepared to advoate this figure the at the conterence did so basis that they would make up at least f20 of the figure by trading increased productivity was one This for the resolution again using the infamous words "seek to achieve"

PRINCIPLED

For this the Teason setback the right important to plans scuttle TO claim was when the NUM Confer- ence voted for a principled rejec- his case at the tribunal. oniv to be Page 5 wing delegates were called out to discuss the composite resolution on Though Thornett's contribution, stressing the fact that this was the only motion to outline programme to defend jobs won applause from conference, the motion failed to get a seconder.

BANKRUPT

The bankruptcy of the call for 35 hour week as a supposed "cure for was indicated unemployment by the that composite resolution demanding it was passed with the full backing of Jones and As far as the right wing are concerned they are quite prepared incorporate verbal claims for a 35 hour week while speed up or production tracks which jeopardises This was confirmed by the fact that a separate resolution, calling for the Executive to "give official support all branches, shop stewards committee. and gouP of members in the fight for a 35 hour week without loss of pay, and official overtime bans

TOT

opposed by the Executive and substantially defeated. Each of these decisions show the workers must take if direction all living standards are to be brought back up to the levels that existed prior to the Social Contract.

A Northumberland miners' resol- ution calling increases

TOT

inflation through linked to threshold agreement also shows a among miners growing awareness that even a 90% wage increase can stoking up price increases.

The fight must now be pressed for: *The full £135 claim *No productivity strings.

*A sliding scale of wages to com- pensate for inflation.

PAMPHLETS

The Toolroom Strike and the Fight to end Wage Control Price 25p plus 10p p&p How We Fight Youth Unemployment Price 10p plus 7p p&p Available from Folrose Books 31, Dartmouth Park Hill

Page 6

THE RISE

people called Some them "Terrorists"? objective whose was to see that the last king would be strangled by the of priest' entrails the last these "Terrorists' were the But intellectuals of professionals and which had the Republican Party Portuguese overturned mon- the archy in the almost bloodless rev- olution of 1910. This bourgeois victory was achieved, as in most other Euro- pean countries, only with the aid of the proletariat. of this terrified critics What was the Portuguese revoluton unanswered question of which part the proletariat would play in the Republic. The new regime was petty bour- geois in character, but it was histor- such class ically impossible for control the state for any TOILeS LU length of time.

VACILLATE

Inevitably, the government must vacillate in response to constantly from either the capitalist pressure before finally or the working class. giving way to the dictatorship of proletariat or of the bour- the geoisie. But the leadership of the Port- class consistently uguese working failed to develop an understanding and process the theory permanent revolution. The tragic consequences for the working class of such a failure were Spain not in starkly laid bare more Allals Portugal. of the early legisiation The Republic was typical of petty bour- particularly in its geois radicalism, attacks on the aristocracy and the were abol- Titles Catholic Спитси ished: the state was secularised; the church's property confiscated, and Costa, Prime Minister,

HI DIS

would be declared that religion in two wiped generalons

CUL

MEANINGLESS

The new Republic also granted the legal right to form trade unions and to strike, but the meaningless- ness of this paper democracy soon became painfully to the working class. The Portuguese economy was in a state of apparently uncontrollable Shattered crisis. neally the protracted wars by against the Napolionic allu the loss of Brazil (a former then by colony), Portugal was barely able to remnants of its own exploit LuC ampire. Competition with the developed capitalist nations seemed an imposs- the Such Remialican government did achiere enly the vapitalists. hora thi

HOW FASCISTS TOOK

STATE POWER: NO3

PORTUGAL:

OF SALAZAR

months after the Only

SIX

Republic had been declared, a wave wages and higher of strikes lor better conditions broke Lisbon and spread rapidly through- out the industrial areas.

democratic gov- The bourgeois responded to these strike demands by smashing the and with the with police violence of workers by the Repub- killing lican Guard.

DIVORCE

As a contemporary paper of the labour movement proclaimed: "13 March 1911 is the date that marks the republic divorce between and the working class." But there were no revolutionary forces in Portugal capable of draw- ing the lessons from this divorce. policies On the contrary, the various working followed by Republic class parties during were to lead directly to the estab- lishment of fascisn. At this time, the industrial prol- dominated was Socialist Party which had adopted a Marxist programme revolutionary as long ago as 1882. this, the party was Despite divided between its revolutionary right-wing and enter into constantly sought alliance with 'progressive' elements of the bourgeoisie, in the shape of the Republicans. given full The Socialists had Republican support lo the coup. unable They were completely inability of analtse the inevitable the regime to resolve the economic

SOCIALISM

They failed to recognise ne the working class to necessity

TOT

and establish the seize state power dictatorship accomplish the democratic tasks of SOCIALIST PRESS, W'ednesdar 30 Juir, 19?- dictatorship. There was every indication that the leadership of the working class would mislead and preciscly this trap workers into of The industrial proletariat small - only? Portugal was very of the population. cent Del Although tightly organised, and in respects at a high level of many was political development, incapable of accomplishing a revol- ution alone. vital for the workers' When the Republic attacked the it was parties to gain the allegiance of the class, the Socialists were agricultural, paralysed. They had no alternative and other peasants to continuing their policy of faith workers, and to do this li was in the democratic intentions of the nationalisation and redis of land government. Industrial militancy continued, tribution and in January 1912 the govern- Gripped in the agricultural crisis, being ment smashed a Lisbon strike by constantly peasants were declaring martial law and arresting declassed to the status of landless while landless labourers over 1,000 workers. labourers, The pattern had been established land into thrown old WerE was to be repeated during unemployment which This was the situation of the vast the 16 years of the Republic, when were 158 general strikes in majority of the population. To fail Portugal. in the task of winning over inest The bourgeoisie did not remain this These volatile elements moving over passive when threatened to support for the bourgeoisie, or at working class activity tide The Republican Party itself split the least into an indifference tatal into a radical wing led by Afonso to the success of the proletarian Costa (the 'Democrats') and a right- struggles. "Evolutionists') workers" parties group (the None of the wing established close links with took up a consistent fight for these which officer caste army, This failure the or the demands. alone The persistent monarchists and enough to ensure that the triumph other groups attempted a series of bourgeoisie only the was 25 uprisings coups matter of time, however heroic Int Thete were between 1910 and 1926, and resistance of the industrial workers short-lived counter-revolutionary might be. In the meantime, the Republic- dictatorships. But no single class proved strong precarious maintained The a Bonarpartist regime, enough to take stale the national bourgcoisie v and tottering on dalancing forces backs of the conflicting which it tried to reconcile in the name of democracy' Republic was In 1916 the the British govern- pressured enter the first imperialist ment to world war. This move only aggre vated the economic crisis, which in the political ten- sharpened sions.

REFUSAL

After the war, the Socialist Party continued to declare its refusal TO support the Republican government but Socialists actu- in parliament, of the cabinets the ally entered Republicans 1919 and 1921. This class collaboration opened the way lor oiner forces to forward and take the leadership of the working class Salazar with Rhodesian racist lan Smith From 1917 the anarcho-syndic Portugal was an economic alist Portuguese Maximalist Feder- weak colony of Britain, and the interests increasingly impor- ation became British capital tant and won control of the major tricted the development of Portu- the CGT (Confed- eracao Geral do Trabalho - General guese industry. Confederation of Labour)

IMPOSSIBLE

The full, disastrous significance of this political development was to during the became clear only with the over- be revealed Republic that it was impossible for throw of the Republic. In 1921, the the bourgeoisie to establish its class Portuguese Communist Party was rule over the workers through the formed; two years later the party apparatus of parliamentary democ- effectively isolated from ra the working class had been able the mass of Portuguese pursued its ultra-left, sectarian to hold the bourgeoisle in check policy of trying to build a "red but historical stalemates cannot fot union' long survive the pressure of class While the revolutionary energies ot the proletariat were wasted time

LOTULS

It' the dictatorship of the prolet- necessary to advance a programme was not established. then the ariat this or its leadershin. . 11010*: Salazar with Queen Elizabeth Il of Great Britain Even in its most radical pha the Republic had not attempted Recruited fr reform ally. the families of the ruling class, officer caste represonted conservative force. groups of individ Isolated had staged coups in otticers but now a general movem past, was developing to restore stabi with the rule of 'law and ord The bourgeoisie grew confid class could working that the and within detenter bourgeoisie the tool for that del being forged as fascist wy ds took shapc.

CORPORATE STATE

of Coin At the University the CADC (Centro Academico Democracia Crista ACaut of Christian Democra with Antonio de Oliveira Salaz prominent member, was develo the theory of corporate state t those papal Encylicals which outined a policy entrap the working class.

In Lisbon, Marcello Cactan editing law student. Was magazine Orderi Nova (New Orc which defined itself as: anti-lib "An anti-modern, anti-democratic, anti-bourgeois anti-bolshevik maga: and revolutionary and Ror Catholic, Apostolic intolerant and in monarchist, sigent." of the attempt Despite

SOCIALIST PRESS. Heanesday 30 Juis. I9-- CADC to build Catholic Workers' Youth Associations, these aniL groupings were completely unable to develop a following of any signif- cance. In conjunction with the army it was the forces of thest apparently insignificant which Were able to impose the corporate state on the defeated workers. 1926 saw yet another attempled but this time the military coup - coup was successful. The Republic ended, begun, nad virtually peaceful transfer of power.

The coup was in no sense tascist The generals in command were representatives the forces which had fought to end Ivalllull the Republic. They were right-wing, hostile to the working class, and in a general way determined to re-establish the authority of law and order', church and lamily. But they had no spectic lovalty to the bourgcorsie.

and possessed no coherant politics.

An early picture of CP leader Cunhal.

Awed by the cconomic chaos, they turned to Dr Salazar, WIld the new gov- enter ernment, but soon resigned, recog- nising that the situation was not yet ripe for him to establish his power.

Two the years later. movement had been totally disor- its failure 1o act against zenied ov the dictatorship. The anarchists had campaigned for 'prolctariat rantv towards the coun Such a criminally irresponsible position was not only a hetrayal of the virtually whole class: it also destroyed the anarchists as a polit- ical force anarchist-led CGT collapsed from 100,000 to 15,000 members. But the other workers' parties had offered no alternative perspec- tive, and political bankruptcy on scale could lead only such d widespread distlusionment and apathy in the class. Membership of Socialist Party uwinuiel 2,500, and that of the CP to a mere It was at this point that Salazar came into office, terins which secured his supremacy in the He then "I know quite well what I want and what I am going... For the rest, let the country study, let it suggest.

let it object, and let it discuss, but when the time comes for me to give I shall expect it to obey.

orders,

CONSOLIDATE

Over the next six years, Salazar worked to consolidate his WeT. The dictatorship struggles within the military hier- archy and provided him with solid support, church wnie the restored to grace and welcomed him whole-hartedly. In 1930 he announced the of the Uniao formation Nacional (National Union) as the country's on This had no similarities with one legal political association. mass lascist parties of Italy and Gerinany; it was simply a structure Salazar's Sult maintain the ideology of fascism, while at the time was claimed to be opposed to, and above, factional

LIFE

interests of political parties.

Although frustrated in all its efforts, the working class had not ceased to struggle the against dictatorship.

RISING

The CP had moved increasingly into the leadership of the workers' movement, and in 43 lt leg the class into temporary alliance with the Republicans (and the anti-cler- ical Freemasons) overthrow Salazar. The rising in Lisbon was and 40 suppressed violently, workers were killed. The Salazar became Prime Minister. It was only at this stage fascist party was formed in Portugal the National Syndicalist Party led by Rolao Preto. Modelled far more closely on the Italian German parties, and proved a threat to Salazar's sonal control of the fascist state.

Two years later, the executive of the accepted Salazar's party "invitation' join the National TO) Union; leading when members opposed this, they were exiled immediately. In September 1933, Salazar felt secure enough to declare the Estado Novo (New State). Under the National Statute of Labour, all strikes banned, all wett unions declared illegal, and the apparatus corporate state erected.

GENERAL STRIKE

The anarchists reacted by calling for a general strike; the CP attacked al legal activities as being in the interests of the fascists', and pro- posed a rejection of the new consti- tution by democratic parliamentary methods. The spontaneous resistance and hostility of the working class far out-stripped the pathetic demands of both groups. More than 60,000 WOrKES particınated in the demonstrations which developed from the general utionary upsurge. A state of siege was imposed, and the armed resistance crushed by Republican Guard and Security DO 10 olle ren. Marinha Grande (north of Lisbon), where a soviet had been declared, the rising was deteated within tive Fascism had come to power.

days. By DAVID WHITFIELD

BACK ISSUES

Copies of the Back issues contain- ing articles in this the first two series • Italy (2parts) and Germany (2 parts) - are available for 10p plus 9p &p Socialist Press, trom 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR. Within these are pages collected of the finest some and yet least known pieces of twentieth century revolutionary writing. Larissa Reissner was born in Poland in 1895 and died aged only 31 in 1926. In that short space of time she played an important role as a Bolshevik in numerous spheres of revolutionary action. This book flows from the period she spent involved in the German struggles following proletarian World War 1 Throughout her writing Reissner combines brilliant constantly horrors description of the of Weimar regime poverty under the with astute political analysis of the contradictons embodiedlin social German democracy and the republic. "Berlin October 1923" she In examines the contemptible sell out

SPD

the (Social Democratic Party) and the growing spirit of communism that many German workers came to see as their onlv union leaders and officials, initially by Pluto Press. Price £4.80 members of the proletariat, are ultimately brought by social democracy to the point where they stand as the greatest obstacle to the of that proletariat for progress On the eve of a fascist power. putsch, the clean shaven

SPD

intellectual or the union bureaucrat can offer but sympathy nothing the miseries with of the Stallig unemployed workers. They suggest only rallying the bourgeois dictatorship embodied in the putrid carcass the Weimar republic OI while hundreds of thousands of seek nothing more than workers principled revolutionary leadership: "Oh, ecstatic what an Lails chid are oze a sudden wait could all of a sudden waft through the cold, hungry vigilant meeting! A cheap, miserable yet seductive hope that can fool no one and neve the less crades intone the less crawls into proletarian heart like a louse on the table only to be squashed by the fingernail of bourgeois iron dictatorship. And yet that traitor of rotting alive the Wal t shoulders of the proletariat and its with poisoning ptomaine gets yet another chance dodge the clear simple and fighting slogans of a break with the bourgeois government and for that hateful social revolution.

Just listen. 'We are beaten, unarmed, unemployed and robbed by our vile bourgeoisie. This celebration rightly be called the funeral repast of the revolution. But, dear prolet- don't get upset anns U dialy. time, history and social destiny are on our side. The wheel of history cannot be turned back and there- fore, in spite complete ot

GUI

unreadiness for battle. the tascists will not triumph; go in peace and don't be afraid of Ludendorff. The Pa?"

SPD

repton Berlin, May Day 1923 history is on ours. Good night and the level of forcing German wors until we meet again-not on to break the strikes of their Engl barricades but at the next jubilee counterpart. which, with the aid of social "A man does not die from providence, will tur out happier the wounds he receives. Each of t than today's." miners had lost faith in sociali Hamburg ai the In Barricades trom one specific betrayal or o itself Reissner carefully records single act of treachery. Here. t chronologically and them old man had been poisoned by t atalyse. the whole of the 60 hour Hamburg Vorwarts's toxic gases of artic Rising of October 1923. against Russia; there the fragmer Coupled with maps and eye wit- ot a smashed strike had crippled t ness accounts she pieces together young worker. A speech by Nos the extraordinary and had like shrapnel over wallars

OUTST

organisation displayed by the Com- third. There are also very

ICCI

munist insurgents in the tace o injuries, no more than a few days overwhelming odds. weeks old. The odds they confront include the Weimar state For example the SPD wor and the cancer of social democracy.

who has standing on Reissner examines each moment been lost recently, in 1924, vi the unions broke the last big str of courage, each seizure of a police arsenal by a small unarmed band of of Ruhr mineworkers only communists and their supporters- days prior to the verdict all the while waiting for the revol- conciliation commission, desp ution that never came. the feeling of the masses and n to emphasise the feeling of the masses one never cases the scale of the task and the extent withstanding the that tack of the success embodied in the strike has lasted twenty-five da kising, in the face of 50 years of and coma nave neid out as lo pseudo-socialism dragging the prol- They smashed the again. into its quagmire of ment's solidarity. preventing transport impotence. workers' fro

INSIGHT ON

WEIMAR

A review of Hamburg at the Barricades by Larissa Reissner, translated and edited by Richard Chappell. Publisted She still maintains beside this a the comlig miners: in this way they helped ti brilliant emotional understanding of the conflicts individual metal workers betray tha workers, and their emotions after comrades so that to this day ci the suppression of the Rising.

treachery has not been forgott Hindenberg's Finally, among workers. Reissner presents a cold Germany, discor so wing a caste hostility between t They whipped clear expose of the development of the demands of German imperial- different branches of labour, salti ism, the Krupp magnates. They are and teasing this wound on the bo the pioneers of the 20th century of the proletariat. Comrade T.. f way-of-ucath the basis the getting all caution, no longer spo advance of the German bourgeoisie but shouted at the top of his voi into fully fledged capitalist produc- His coal-matted beard stuck fro his face like a stake. Reissner yet again combines an "The Saar goes on strike but 'feel for the work. Didn't you see? Hundreds and struggle, with recognition that at all the station trains ready only through assistance Ine They started to move as soon as t German Social Democracy could strike in England began. They Krupp's restabilisation programme called it 'English coal'" the Great War. necessitating atter "I'm an old social democrat a: lock massive redundancies and these two here are honest works outs, succeed. but together we were sire She takes numerous instances in breakers And our part! which wage labourers, male and workers airs do the work female, young and old confront the degradation inflicted on them by the mode and

OTOUCHON

Her greatest strength it: = increased to the extremes of endur- ability to combine capitalism ance by the analysis of her subject CrISIS Ol reflected in the chaos of Weimar nition of the relation of K: Germany imperialisin as always relating Reissner. ne: immense emotional argument to the individual prolet- of the doubts, fears, bittere arian in the actuality of his or her of struggle, doesn't simply expose the workers ground down * SDP sell-outs. stone of capitalism Instead she lets the miners at the Krupps. coalfaces or the destroyed Ruhr This book, translates : R.: unemployed paupers swept into Chappell, combines then the is rotting barrack hulks on city fringes of what little work of Resire speak their own condemnation in present in pant. alone their own language of bitter exper- bibliography and several essays lence about Reissne: poems Thus the Leninist cell, like the that knew her best. butterflies subterranean hovering the embittered Ruhr face- "cating the moisture and sipping the darkness together: is By SIMON JACOBS possible direction scen as the oniy

IMGS CHALLENGE

TO TROTSKYISM

Page 8 Socialist Challenge editor, Tariq Ali snaps', anti-political Flippant, 'holiday from the picket; Grunwick mass uncritical extracts from the pamphlet Flame Big new Trotskyism; pages of against "debate" "Eurocommun- on ism" in which the counter- revolutionary role of Stalinism is not mentioned; and a mere two paragraphs on the struggle for the policy of a sliding scale of wages carried out at the TGWU Conference: mix these together with a welter of light minded and irrelevent material and you have a close approx- imation to each of the first Socialist six editions Challenge': Socialist Challenge, says the It aims IMG, is not a 'party paper' to draw the Editorial Board 'forces" outside the organised present outfit. Already, several hapless with neither aim nor groupings, this programme, accepted nave cordial invitation. These include 'Big Flame', which is openly hostile to Trotskyism; the which believes Workers League. Russia and China to be capitalist states; and two new discoveries-the 'Marxist Worker Gameside International Socialists.

Group' (from Bolton) explain the IMG's role as ringmaster in this circus. It talked of the need to attract people "responsive to the initiatives Socialist Challenge

BUILD A SOCIALIST OPPOSITON

of the far-left but who are repelied by its lack of unity" The 'Our Policies' section makes a virtue out of opportunist neces- sity and talks of uniting such forces "broad based struggle into class . non-exclusive in tendencies . together character, grouping militants holding a wide range !!!

of political views."

"SECTARIANISM"

The same section talks of the need to reject "sectarianism". But all these Trotsky answered positions long ago when he pointed to the confusion of the "anti-sectar- ians": "The centrist frequently covers up his dawdling by referring to the danger of 'sectarianism', by which he understands

VICE I

for purity of principles, clarity of political consistency and position, organisational completeness.

Centrism and the Fourth Inter- national). The IMG today, of course, like the centrists of yesterday, try to and open- make reasonableness mindedness on Marxist theory their basis for trapping the innocent and the unwary. attack the Workers They Socialist League for its determin- ation to carry through a consistent fight for the Trotskyist programme.

TROTSKY

Trotsky dealt with these arguments also: "Occasionally one may hear the following reproach why does [the Left Opposition] take such an intransigent attitude toward those organisations that stand outside of

WORKERSE

INCORPORATING RED WEEKLY

FOR A UNIFIED REVOLTIONARY ORGANISATION

the working class. The IMG today with its search for a broad based' "class struggle [!] tendency" mirrors this method exactly and has resorted to wooing the Socialist Workers Party (former- ly the International Socialists).

group on the This is the largest far-left' and therefore

IMG'S

prime target for the drive towards 'unity'. As ever the IMG prepares the ground for this manoeuvre, not by an open fight for political clarity but by finding "reasons' for calling the SWP 'revolutionary The main problem here is that blatantly this definition • false 1s The SWP is an out-and-out centrist formation. Trotskyist the rejects Transitional Programme outright.

AVOIDED

Its paper, Socialist Worker, com- pletely avoids the fight for Marxist theory, programme and leadership considering working Tne Class. its job done each time it has given a group of strikers a patronising pat on the back Ernest Mandel Hand in hand with this, the SWP of workers states rejects atience against imperialism. the Second and Third Internation- Socialist Challenge it is als lie the Socialist and Communist Yet for out such undiplomatic to point Parties]? Why does it demand of them '100% Marxism?' things Challenge (A letter in Socialist Behind this extremely character-

IMG

leader John Ross, was hidden by istic approach there is Little (!] 'Stop These entire world attitude in which there entitled Attacks) is hardly to be found 51% Marxism Only long articles urging unity and 'non-sectarianism', are now on Intransincince of pie pand principled for the the agenda. One call there have only petty bourgeois flounder- in the IMG's silence To wisdom ing in the waves of history.

criticise these aspects of the SWP, "petty bourgeois the TaCL if their related especially floundering" of the IMG is deeply the class the practical activity in the history rooted Spanish CP leadership struggle would only serve "United" Secretariat of the Fourth confirm the fact that 'lack of unity' International, of which the IMG is 'far-left' about deadly the the British section. and matters, This bloc of organisations dates Calle smoothed over by the gimmick of a back to the faction led by Michel catch-all newspaper. Pablo which brought the Trotskyist movement to a split by declaring it

GRUNWICK

was unnecessary and futile to build parties independent Desperate that the revolutionaiy Lo pite in the working class, since "objec- the Socialist opposite cast tive processes' were, apparently has gone all out for the Challenge centrist automatically producing title of 'Most Flippant and Super- currents within the mass moving ficial Left Newspaper' Stalinist parties. The Grunwick strike is a case in

"FUSE"

of Despite and pages pages coverage, the reader may search in job of Trotskyists, The vain for serious political analysis of the Pabloites, according to W dr therefore to dissolve their indepen- this major struggle. Why several months, did after dent parties and "fuse" with these the Tories, press and cops seek to forces. struggle into a head-on since that split in 1953 turn this And, of confrontation? leadership Ernest under the of programme Mandel have remained questions they

WY ORL

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 20 July, 1977 "A centrist swears readily by the policy of the united front, empty- ing it of its revolutionary content and transforming it from a tactic into a supreme principle."

service to those sections of the working class which are seeking a victory in this struggle Yet Socialist Challenge in merely its first five issues, least essential treats uS 'analysis' that can be found in any mass-consumption bourgeois paper.

We read: "The strikers rely not on talks, or comprome „ building mass action not as a means of forcing Ward to compromise, but as a way of winning the strike [!].

They rely on the working class in action: in class struggle.

As Arthur Scargill put it, 'What Grunwick is about is class contron tation on the picket line. Which is Grunwick has become why major political issue it has.

carried away The IMG is here with a euphoria that blinds them to political question programme and leadership.

COURTS

Socialist Challenge readers will find no serious treatment of the use Socialist Challenge No. I tried the postal blacking which has been issue throughout the …me cential strike Trotskyism is thus reduced trade unionism, and the

IMG

the political level of descends to Arthur Scargill. But while grovelling to the SWP and trade union militancy • is bad grovelling to the Stalinists Catall of the Communist Party is worse.

Challenge has given Socialist much attention to the question of 'Euro-Communism" it -by refers to the changing positions of Communist Parties Western many in relation to their own bourgeoisie and in relation to the Soviet Union But nowhere will the reader find an honest and open article which utterly fights to explain counter-revolutionary nature of the CP leaderships.

FRIENDLY

In Socialist Challenge No. S, we leading IMG member Robin tind Blackburn giving friendly advice to the British Stalinist Party "You're a small cadre organis. ation [!] on the fringe of a large

AGAINST SUCH "UNITY'!

JOE QUIGLEY LOOKS AT THE IMG -BIG FLAME

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 20 July, 1977 debated the last decades, Uver because they are directly relevent stand'! both to the situation of your own party [!] and to the conditions of struntle in struggle an advanced capitalist murder "relevance" the class Trotskyist strategy Stalinist parties is the emphasis in every one are of Trotsky's writings after 1933 on veteran the need to destroy the counter- cancer of Stalinism devoluuonary CvEn which feeds off and throttles the workers movement But Blackburn mutters nothing but banalities abstractions, ane avoiding every sharp political point, leaving veteran anti-l rotskyist Monty Johnstone a free hand.

'Our Policies, Socialist Sheen. Challenge astonishingly states that: "Neither the Eurocommunist nor the pro-Moscow wings have any Workers meaninow of stratitalist state the meaningful strategy That both "wings" do have a Moscow meaningful strategy for acting the of imperialism sheep) against the working class is funda- mental to Trotskyism. Socialist Challenge however ends! hopes to win people from the CPs not by capusins te slannists, by saying what is, but by covering it away up. Policies' Socialist Challenge No. 5 devotes single centre pages to passages from "Eurocommunism and the State' by Spanish leader, Santiago Carrillo. The introduction tells us that "Carrillo's critique (of the Soviet Union) remains He icomblete. to understand the need for debate, institutionalised organs of workers democracy in a socialist state.

aldous.

ELECTORAL PACT

"Unity is a great thing and a great Slogan. But what the themselves worker's cause needs is unity of Marxists not unity between Marxists and opponents and distorters of Marxism. Lney for bodily So spoke Lenin in April 1914 on the eye of the first imperialist war.

The consequence tolerating class itself. within ranks opponents of ane Marxism, of failing to split with the very distorters of Marxism the was collapse an astruction Second International. Today on the eve of big battles in the heartland of capitalism, the for unity goes "Unity' cry up. behind Contract. Social Tne "Unity" behind the TUC's attempt to police wage control. A previous example of unprincipled unity - the Alexandra Palace Rally naht to lead it who its real frianda the platform. The treacherous role of the labour bureaucrats becomes more glaring as tne workine Class surge Challenge, forward. In such circumstances the Big clear responsibility of revolution- prodaced aries is to intervene against these misleaders with old Stalinist programmatic alternative. recent It is only in the severe test of the struggle itself that the working class will learn differentiate one the IMG programme from another, one banner from short another -in really discover amongst all those different tendencies claiming the 'Incomplete'! 'Fails to under- All this is presented as if the inadequate slightly touched-up, the pay Canale leader of a dominated by this former

GPU

squad during Civil (15%),, _The War, could be useful to the working One would not imagine that here value unaer "Trotskyists' discussing Stalinist uses his "theories' of Eurocommunism. and attempis to use the name of Trotsky as part of a drive towards sharing power with fascists in his own country. Interestingly, in the cartoon on the same page, this opportunism is given a visual impact. This shows Brezhnev chasing which are labelled with the names of the 'Eurocommunist CPs.

sheep is labelled *Polish The Polish workers who have put up a heroic Tess ance lo ine and Warsaw Stalinist bureaucracy, are put on a par (as with people like Carrillo who squable with Brezhney entirely for bureaucratic, anti-working class In every way therefore Socialist Challenge represents a political turn Trotskyism, The 'Our Irom statement does not list a But demand from Trotsky's "unity" and "democracy" Transitional Programme. Challenge centralism.

DISMISSED

Indeed when the Trotskyist demand for a sliding scale of wages was fought out in the TGWU pay Leninism and Socialist Challenge dismissed it in a scant two would offend analeilists, judgement chills to the marrow a whole range of groups who parade programme hammered before the "unity' conference in Cass "revolutionary". was taken feeling their irrel- debate on July 13. evance to the needs of the class consolingly huddle together warmth and attrinute IMG's unity their own retreat in front of the that they gathering storm, as a retreat by the Flame to Whole or he programe Thus it is no. coincidence that week that the Miners and alliance. TGWU Conferences •the tell Labour-Liberal government policy "don't rely the wages tatters, self- proclaimed Trotskyist IMG and the semi-syndicalist, semi-Stalinist Big but Fiame signed an electoral pact.

avoiding The basis for this any "unitv" was existing leadership. quite accurately described by a Big Flame spokesman as a recognition Beginning RA demand class "for standard of living" on to say cuts, "по' to racism and Contract. to sliding scale of only workers and against the existing leadership.

Instead minimum wage which, week no commitment to action now, bureaucracy.

AVIL

women claim of wages for housework.

subordination on the part of both groups that the industry" working class is in retreat. (Socialist July 7, page 7). the alliance the Flame get off" have recently want to stylers who pamphlet virulentv attacking Trotskyism, composed of slanders plus more work than the empty on economic processes and consciousness devoid produces it of practical content. Given But given the speed with which pie utopian, seems to be duandoning any pretence to uphold Trotskyism, reactionary an alliance with such people should not cause too much embarrassment.

Marxist principles Instead they gave prominence to Stalinists which the paper hopes to and diversionary draw around the IMG. demands lodged by Stalinist in Fords Such a severe and Longbridge (£15) and the lurch away from the principles and docks (20%). None of these claims, method fought for by Trotsky must if won in full, would even hold its have a disturbing impact on those current inflation, let layers within the IMG that think of alone regain lost living standards.

themselves as Trotskyists.

Angry Polish workers attack a local CP headquarters It is up to them to examine the while stressing its call for long-term , Socialist consequences nowhere "turn" within the IMG itself.

for Meanwhile the Workers Socialist League remains

RAG BAG

proceed with the political tasks that contront the working

LOW

Clearly, this, the cornerstone of the building of a principled leader- the only means of ship cadre within the working class ensuring disciplined unity in action, and the struggle for reconstruction the rag-bag of the Trotskyist syndicalists and semi- national. A draft IMG-Big Flame election that was where the platform con- the Workers our at the Birmingham centrated its fire to Liverpool for public Big Flame unleashed a stream of petty-bourgeois hysteria attacked the It is obvious from examining this Programme in general and Socialist draft that so promiscuous has the Press in particular. mongering become The IMG sat cowed and silent were prepared to allow write the for the sake of getting them in an electoral The programme's centre piece is on politicians, strength lies in our own struggles which of course sounds very radical is in fact a green light for challenge to the

UTOPIAN

with the utopian asking the capitalist guaranteed decent the draft goes 'no' to public spending to unemployment. no 'no to the Social But as the draft also says "no' books and to a wages and hours go ahead everywhere and it effectively closes the door on the in the most vigorous manner with a that can defend split, a split and again a split."

mobilise a struggle we are offered a £50 as their new found allies fulminated and 35-hour the need for because denouncing the can member of the

IMG

and will secure the support of the literature stall for worthless garbage, his unreadable "independent income for all and unread books with him.

is in fact the reactionary When

WSL

another 'No attempted to speak education to character of these libertarian "anti- simply fatuous, sectarians" was revealed. The plat- designed no doubt to attract into form refused to let him speak.

"stop the world I persistently alternative life- stood out as eloquent testimony against the fraudulent unity being Inlane education system can be separated fostered and and operated for different purposes meeting forced lne cnairman system that back down No debate on the way forward that the meeting could develop from lowest common being asked to endorse this cottage denominator politics. reformist and this out

WSL

the demands it was to be wrath of the meeting It is to be hoped that after such expected that any stand made for would receive a gatherings some members Pag

PRESS

wholesale

GANG

MUCKIN

OUT TH

YARD

Within one week of Scotland number detectives convicted of co tion or perjury rose to Maudling and Reginald other MPs were criticised business connections Poulson, and Lord Ryder back an 'unauthorised gif of this €49,000 from Reed national. determined On all sides highly pol lay reputations soiled class- Even Don Revie swapped the of international soccer for th international capital. The Fourth police corruption showed that the Porn Squad Regional Crime Squad and the squads were riddled with policemen handing out favou direct proportion the return The Sunday Times said: "It emerged from the trials for almost a decade corruption only invaded the upper echelo Scotland Yard but became pa the system itself-instig encouraged and sternly prote by some of the most senior p officers in the land."

FRAME UP

It is not just the Porn Squad Socialist League big money. Thousands of pe who for one reason or another fallen foul of their local station suffer everything from F which harassment to full scale frame Transitional blackmail and violence. the Police Federati magazine-Police-has Own carrying letters from low ran constables complaining that se officers seem to have an unhea connection with the masonic m ment, and that local masons s to have an immunity from arrest Not that Press is wor the about this. For them the corrup ended with the sentences.

The Daily Express boasts: "The television interview Sir Robert Mark reminded us al how much we owe to our po norces The fact that these men tried and convicted shows there It shows that Robe reforming the Yard brought results. In many countries police cort tion is taken i for granted. But here. We still have the capacity be shocked." Robert Mark himself has ot things his mind Like workers who use industrial mu win their demands, and TO according to his TV remarks, wo Lenin after 1905 than murderers.

BENT COPPERS

theory, unfortunate Compared to that a few b behind his coppers more or less is just pe bringing his crime. The Express has in any devised a sure fire answer to member outside chance that any the true police might get caught out Provide more money. "Not j to give them a good rise soon.

to put the 10 me bracket conn And her m a ho hand not hear any nonsense abour w rises ruining the economy).

from The high pay argument was u to successfully not all that long over MPs. A proper salary, it said, would remove any parliamentary clash between For pointing business interests the Which brings back Maudling Cordle and Robert three MPs for whom a parliam ot the

Page 10 The first demonstration of the Lewisham 21 Def Defence Committee was stacked by fascists and took place under the protection of the police! The ›elence committee nas called a jurther demonstration for Saturday 23 *uly, assembling at 3pm at Lewisham British Rail station.

ISLINGTON 18:

SAVE FRAMED YOUTH

A public meeting on the 18 RADES AVE LOndon Ernie North London

AUEW,

black youth facing frame-up

EETPU,

Central

TGWU

(ACTS),

charges in Islington was London

ASTMS

and two Labour 50 people attended by over councilors nave agreeu lo lake parl ast week. Defence Committee is and the resolution addressed to the expecting the participation of other local organisations which support ludge condemned the whole way in Shich the trial had been conducted, the campaign. include Islington Trades refusing to give a fair hearing to the these Council, Carribean Labour Solid- Pouths and their parents.

North Teachers Progress in mounting the labour arity, London Association and Central Islington enquiry on Saturday 23 was also reported. Labour Party. The Defence Committee has investigate This will police correctly called for a labour move- behaviour towards black vouth 1n the Islington area. ment enquity He SCI Police Commission by the the up Investigate the facing black "independently' by conolions Government. housing, employment, Several Communist Party-domin- youth provision, the ated such the and magistrates courts and Teachers Trades Council and the legal aid system.

WORKERS

SOCIALIST LEAGUE

The Workers Socialist League is a Trotskyist organisation fighting to build a revolutionary leadership in the working class to lead the counting opposition to the betrayals of both 'left' and right wing Labour and trade union leaders and the Communist Party, as they attempt to enforce wage control, sackings, speed-up and public service cuts. As workers take up the struggle against these policies they are the sheer weight of forces opposing them to confront forced by political questions. Only 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 trade union militancy to raise demands, 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 of 'workers' participation' in industry.

And we have strongly supp- orted the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement, which nas set out to show the link between the reactionary policies of the Social Contract and bureaucratic dictatorship in both the unions and the Labour Party. But our practical struggle for the continuity of the principles and method of Trotsky's Transitional Programme is in no way a task con- • ned to Britain. It requires an attention and involvement in the struggles of the working class internationally, and the fight to recon- suct the Trotskyist Fourth International.

So there has been a consistent drive within the WL to deepen = enrich the movement's understanding of the history and the present crisis of the Fourth International as an essentiat part of our -: a ve towards its reconstruction Wte urge all readers who agree on the need for revolutionary lead- = = and the demands we put forward to find out more about the iSt and join our fight in the Labour movement.

MORE DETAILS

Peze ei ze more information about the Workers Ryder Association have propose sure an those but directly Call li y involved in the Defence Committee tull well that "Tairness

KNOW

could be expected from the system of law or police. This they know from the rigging of the trial of the 18. particularly the way which the defence barristers have conspired with the prosecution, judge and police, over plea-bargaining, and, after immense persuaded three of the pressure, younger youths to plead guilty on minor charges of conspiracy.

IMPLICATED

These pleas implicate the older with the trial likely to youths, and, full of end in racis! this year's publicity just before Notting Hill Carnival, it is clear that the and defence are 'conspiring' to deliver maximum sentences. The Defence Committee has also quite consciously called delegates from labour movement bodies rather than simply inviting individuals. By this means they hope to force through the maximum of working class involvement too organisations, all many which have ignored the position of blacks up till now.

MOBILISATION

In the past Islington has seen massive working class mobilisation, including the Stalinists, against the National Front. Now it must be out this enquiry and fight on policies to improve the whole position of blacks.

in this way also unemployed and alienated youth can be brought into class struggle to fight on programme of demands which show the way to the socialist solution to their problems. Much needed donations to, and Islington information from: Defence Committee, 161, Horsey Road, London N7. If a struggle is not main- tained against the domination Young of the Communist League, the National Union of School Students will wind up middle class pressure group locked "debates' endless DES and Shirley with the Williams. This is the inescapable conclus- ion from this year's NUSS Confer- ence held last week at Middlesex Polytechnic The President. tacitly supported by

YCL.

received the two thirds of the votes at conter- :hough returning ofticer the himself confusing instructions on the ballot - resulting in 10 spoiled papers out of 74 YCL members had also prepared policy statement. which called to tackle teacher unemploy-

OLIC IN

RYDER: DEMAND

INQUIRY

"When money comes as a gift there is no way of know- whether it comes trom Woolworth's or a hole in the ground." That is how Lord Ryder-chair- of the National Enterprise Illai Board-shrugged off his still unex- £46,500 gift Canadian firm, revealed last week.

As far as Lord Ryder is con- cerned the monev was simov a that went wrong- -not prescil. should never have Decausi received it, but because it has been paid by the wrong firm! He thought it had been paid by Forest Products Ltd, Canadian firm he did not even work for, and repaid the when he money discovered that it had come indirec- Paper Ltd, Reed subsidiary of Reed International (of which Lord Ryder was chairman for more than a decade).

RESIGNATION

Now the gift has been added to the long list of sensations which have absolutely nothing to do with Ryder's resignation from the NEB Like the slush fund allegations and the Bewbush land deal affair we are expected to believe that this latest revelation has nothing to do with his sudden decision on July 2 to quit on August 1 Another nice coincidence is that the original request for the money be to paid to Ryder was December 1974-the same month as Ryder was appointed to start his into land. He was paid £47,000 a future Leyland. a chairman of Reed and Yeal £31,850 a year as chairman of the

NEB.

Workers in all National Enter- prise Board firms as well as those Reed International employed by will no doubt follow with partic- war interest such actals about tne payment as are allowed to emerge.

NECESSARY

One question that they might like answered is why the gift was thought necessary in the first place?

What made Ryder think that there

SCHOOL STUDENT

CONFERENCE

demand for social service spending to rise in place with inflation.

But discussion on these amend- Instead

ICES

delegates were offered a Hobson's the Choice-enner Stalinist draft, or retain the old document unamended. Under these draft conditions the new was endorsed. opposing the Social Contract and calling for a sliding scale of wages was defeated, though the mover stressed the need for the NUSS to have a clear position on their Inese ISSUe. approaches to the NUT and other unions, part of the fight and as against the cuts. The

ALSS

stin plagued by inancial and recruitment huge problems. But delegates many recognised that the way to

SU1YC

these problems is to fight harder- not to cut back. The election of a WL comrade to the National Committee at least opens up the possibility of a contin- uing fight turn SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 20 July, 1977 nothing with the was wrong 100,000 Canadian dollar payment from Canadian Forest Products?

Although Reed Paper Ltd and CFP jointly owned pulp and paper factories Ryder never worked directly for CFP "It seemed a logical Yet he said: Teware or in veds service wa company as large and as prosperous as CFP. To put this in context it is the equivalent British Leyland oia transport driver receiving a £49,500 not from Leyland thank you, (which would be ludicrous enough proposition) but from the garages he delivered the cars to.

The man who arranged the pay- ment-R.W. Billingsley -has now retired to his vast estate

OLES GE

Toronto where employees threaten journalists who turn asking questions Billingsley owes his rapid promo- tion inside Reed Paper Ltd to Lord Ryder's interest in his career, and it was Billingsley who arranged the 'present. Workers will want to know what made this successtul husinessman put his career at risk arranging the pay out.

APPROACHED

When he first approached CFP the company refused to make the payment according to their exec- utive vice president Ron Longstaff and only changed its mind when it was told that they would be re. imbursed in full by Reed Paper Ltd. Another question still to be answered is why-if everything was innocent -the none actually paid through neither of these companies-but through. a "offshore shadowy cultually. organisations that are set up because they are able to exist in a twilight world as far as taxes and disclosure are concerned?

Why too does the boss of CFP insist that the payment was not a thank you, but a straightforward gift-in flat contradiction of Lord Ryder's statement that it was a "post retirement gratuity"

BLUNDER

The Daily Mail blunder over the forged letter implicating Ryder in "slush fund' allegations has led the to court actions which will inevit- the truth about the ably delay funds themselves being revealed for years if at all Ryder is protesting innocence about the £49,500 payment, tht executives of Reed International are saying nothing and the one man presumably clear the wIll Call matter holed up on his up, Toronto ranch If ever there was a clear cut case for a workers inquiry into the truth around these allegations it 1s Workers would not put up now. kind winded of long willi explanations offered. now being will They want simply who was being paid what, by whom and why.

EMBARRASSING

The capitalists are all too aware of how embarrassing this kind of can be. As the Observer revel don Business News complained, "The chief danger is that the general public, which isn't in the habit of £49,500 gratuities will receiving assume that such purbores (tips, showered about like confetti are in the higher echelons of industry.

Paying back the gift is neither here nos there. "T'll take it back", is the plaintive cry of every shop lifter stopped outside the super- market. However innocent he may be Lord Ryder has come under suspicion. i workers inquirs aspect of the

NED.

Reed every Leslard ether

Nursery kept open

HEATHROW PAY:

STRIKE VOTE

Shift workers employed in the engineering and mainte- nance section of British Airways at Heathrow Airport will meet on Friday to vote on a resolution for strike action from Monday 25 July. Since the AUEW strike at the Airport in support of the claim last April, there has been little progress. The strike ended when manage- ment agreed to negotiate the question of shift pay claim without insisting that payment should be based on the introduction of new shitt patterns.

CHANGED

But once the strike was over they their changed position made their offer on shift pay which conceded most of workers' demands, conditional on the unions accepting new shift patterns A totally ineffective one-shift-a- week strike was initiated by the shop by Ducked mass meeting but the action only Sturrock, Report Heathrow engineers ' strike meeting, April this year.

Determined action by supporters of the Oxford City Nursery Campaign this week reprieved a nursery class from closure at the eleventh hour.

Part of the vicious cuts planned by the Tory County Council has been plans

CUL

places-saving £20,000. Where exactly the axe was to fall decided by secret was working -and party set up- given delegated powers-by the Courici earlier this year in order to ration- the whole Oxford school system. In spite of surveys carried out by the Nursery Campaign of the provided ample evidence need for nursery places in the area, soon abounded that the class in the South Oxford Middle School was to be closed on July 15. The two Labour Councilors sitting on the working party, Tony Williamson and Olive Gibbs, would not subov information. saving ther bound by confidentiality. were parents of The Citiuen affected -18 four-year-olds- decided to march to the council offices on July 12 and demand to

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

Last week, at the first ever meeting of stewards from all unions represented in the engineering and maintenance section of British -the AUEW, TGWU and EETPU- a motion calling for strike action at a time to be decided was amended to fix the date for strike action as next Monday. If Friday's meeting mass endorses the stewards' recommend- ation, the strike could have very The government has a declared aim of limiting increases in average earnings over the next year to 10% and Will clearly seek to hold wage increases down to that level in the public sector of which British Airways is a part. However, with British Airways facing their busiest season, the will undoubtedly put enor- strike pressure on management.

HOUS

The strike would also certainv open up the whole question of the struggle for large increases pay the substantial

SLEILC

involved shift in the pay claim come on top Stage Two settlement agreed at the beginning of the year. Tory leader Streatfield substance. They were informed that the offices were awaiting a letter from

DES

on the legality of the closure. Since education nursery covered by the 1944 Education Act closure notices are statulory nOL necessary but the case is less clear the where nursery is part normal school.

A LARGE

DESPITE

LOBBY

and a 17,000 petition, the Liverpool Authority Area Health decided at a special meeting on 15 July to go ahead with the closure of Mill Road Maternity Hospital.

members bothered to turn up to the meeting, and the vote was only This decision reflects both the manifest inadequacy of the mater- units at Sefton General and Broadgreen where patients are to be transferred and also strong pressure decided to carry on with its policy of cut-backs in all hospitals, However, on the Mill Road issue, there has been a damaging public Red faces Food strike

IN THEIR FIRST STRIKE FOR

OFFICIALS OF THE AUEW

TGWU

32 years, member. are showing Ied faces after Batchelors Foods factory High Court last the Sheffield have been out since July 7 week. demanding payment of a 10% • wage The union executive had bureau- increase agreed prior to Phase 2.

cratically expelled two head office Pickets up to 40 and 50 strong workers out of the AUEW to pacify are manning the gates from 6am to the leaders of Apex which wanted 11pm, despite the reluc-

ODVIOUS

One recruit them of the two tance of TGWU local official Jim had actually had his

AUBW

Holmes to pursue the claim membership proposed by John Management refusing Boyd, the general secretary.

discuss with the TGWU and threat- The two clerks in the union head ening to close down the factory in a the presumably office, noting clear bid to intimidate the strikers.

union's complete subservience to The factory is part of the giant courts, the went to law and Mr. Unilever Should the combine. Justice Brightman of the Chancery pursued by COHe Division overruled the union exec- management, it must be occupied, utive. and trade union committee might be easier for Scanlon established to look into its financial and Boyd if they invited the High dealings with Unilever. Court to set up a division inside the Donations and messages to: union offices. Then they could ask Batchelor Foods Strike Commit- permission before taking any Vincent Gerunsall Crescent, SheKed 6.

Knight, 42, decision whatsoever. the Council for the disruption of the nursery open for another term the lives of the children and their and to issue a closure notice which parents-many workers would have can now be fought through public had to give up their jobs and stay procedures. at home The Nursery Campaign not only wild tae canaren agam incensed the parents. won a term's reprieve for the clas: proceeded to make plans They but delivered significant blow the occupy nursery on the the Tories' against

SCUICI

Friday afternoon at the end of term Hustler should closure be announced

INCLUDED

The City Nursery Campaign was behind mobilised Plans and A further forward came step parent groups thrown up in manly when the National Unior support of the recent teachers' Teachers Divisional Committee strike also pledged their support.

voted on Monday-by a narrow On the morning of Friday 15 margin and against the views of the parents and supporters lobbied the officers-to include nursery defence working party meeting and were in theit current dispute met by the right Tory The effect of this however was call curs Councillor Brigadier Streatfield and no more than a promise from the union official of legal advice to the Mrs. Barlow. The Tories were left in no doubt Nursery Campaign and assistance in writing a "strong" letter to Shirles about the determination to defend education and the disgust Williams! nursery in the cynical disregard for the latest plans tor the county by the NUT are for a education needs of pre-school chil- September dren. half-day strike on followed by protracted strikes in Streatfield announced his intention to close down all nursery certain areas of the county.

"does not believe There are still no plans to extend schools since he children should be in school until strike action throughout the whole the age of five". county However, the success of this lobby was announced later when Pickets banned by court The foure struets hear blow at the strikers Nigh picket were banned from picketing charges arising out of assaults b alter Lue scab Five weeks later the scabs issue.

assault by the pickets-an obviou maximun magistrate ruled that there was no enough evidence to convict anyon magistrate bound over two of the pickets fo: ordered them to stay away from the Night Since there was no evidence to convict either of them of anything the only "crime" they could have been guilty of was that of picket Ing. Both had been regular picket during the five months the strike has been running. This is the second illustration the Night Out striker have had of the class bias of the Courts and other institutions of tie state. In May ACAS conducted E investigation into the sacking = Pat McGuire, victimisat:= began the strike. The strikers have never even told the conters shown or because of the ACAS report, obviously did not favour strikers. A further blow has been the dis covery that the supposed arrange.

TGWU

ment between the аnо Equity-by which Equity members would renew their contracts Night Out-amounts to with the nothing. Initially the strikers were told by TGWU Regional Officia Alan Law, in charge of the strike, that the Equity ban would become effective from August 1. said the ban would атет begin from September. It has now been discovered that never at any time issued Equity instructions to members about not appearing at the Night Out; that therefore Equity members are continuing to sign up for the Night Night Out has Out; and that the artists booked up till January!

BLACKING

These setbacks only reinforce the need for a total Regional black on THF if the Night Out strike is to be won The Saturday evening mass due to resume from pickets are July 20. But although they must be ing the mass pickets will be a mere gesture The Hotels branch of the TGWU in Oxford has passed a resolution to be sent to the next Regional Com- mittee meeting, condemning the full time officials of the sell-out strike at Trust Houses Forte's Randolph Hotel and calling Regional Officials to implement a total black on THF to ensure the success of the Night Out strike.

Other branches should follow this lead. Donations to the strike fund should the Night On: Strike Committee, c/o Pat McGuire Broad Transport House, Street

Page 12

SO LONG JACK-

TIME FOR STEEL TO

TASKS.

ettorts to shackle the «one cuts offer nothing Suddenly aware of the scale of that the Tories are issue we have received £202.61 towards the £3,000 Special Fund making a total to date of £1323.21. We have only ten weeks to raise the outstanding £1700 so no time must be lost in taking up the fight for this finance which is essential to our plans to launch the weekly We want to be well past the half way mark by the time we next go to thanks to the following for donations received: Oxford bookshop workers £2; R.B. £13; workers £30.60; R.E. £5; East London £13; South London £20; £15; K.V. £5; Hackney £26.13; Sheffield £20; Oxford £28.

Our regular Monthly Fund has got off to a better start this month with a total so far of £321.06. But there is no room for complacency.

Every effort must be made to ensure that the full amount is collected.

Donations to either fund are most welcome and should be sent to: 31, Dartmouth Park Hill

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

PAPER OF THE WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

BRITAIN

EUROPE

. £1 6 issues. • nsules... L2 12 issues Inner. 24 issues. 24 issues I would like to take out a subscription to Socialist Press. I would like. • issues, I enclose I.

NAME...

ADDRESS

Send to: Socialist Press 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR of the new situation. central confronting the working class is that of leadership. "left' talkers and Stalinists will be to divert the multanc working class and to preserve the Against advance direct towards the most central political In the

TGWU

struggle was carried through both to direct the main attack on the platform and to put forward the demand for a sliding wages as a conscious alternative to wage controls.

RESPONSE

third of the voted for that it is beginning to mass response. struggle is therefore crucial.

pay 'As the government wields the can only them to the rises in the cost of living, as assessed by elected trade Wherever this policy is adopted we advocate the development of prices committees, to establish a cost of living index independent of the biased figures quoted by Healey. As struggles for these demands develop, together sections workers in through the fight for councils of action rooted in this mass move-

CONFERENCE

In line with this perspective we to use Grunwicks as a set-piece ir the struggle to regain and defend wages struggle the need to remove within the labour moment, and establish a government based resign-even atter coalition government exists.

Now they have all greeted with all too aware themselves that this represents a with the Liberals to throw their Grunwick picket line. or in any way develop the indep- Social Contract and break the Labour Party for the demand that establishing a socialist programme for the next general election.

can be exposed in the course of £1.15 the class struggle, .£2.30 opened up for the construction of .£4.60 working class. with the demand that there be and month rule; declared for any working class in struggle.

question noW of union leaders, spollaneous and strength of the perspective we programme to movement wages debate at the crucial Darlington are still surviving scale of

COOLS UI

conference TUC's Printing Industries Commit- this policy, indicating tee, Bill Keyes, has come out with a draw developing the specific support to the journaliste inflation is that NUJ members' reaction to this be defended by linking statement must be tempered by the NGA 'full backing' guarantee has inflicted a major blow against NUJ morale last week by sabotaging the mass picket that had been called on printers and other trade unionists strength picket, General Secre- struggle off he would declare it unofficial, he did not want another Grunwick The result was that all but 150- 200 of the pickets stayed at home Starrock. Report moving closer into alliance pay ceiling as applying to the country's total wage bill.

working decision for completely unfettered collective bargaining Meanwhile Evans has hired a city There must be a fight both in government and

NEW!

TROTSKYISM TODAY

Theoretical Journal of the Workers Socialist League In this way their 'left' postures

OUT NEXT WEEK

the way Price 50p Features include: The RCG and the Women's Congress of the the of the Question. Faction and Party: A Reply to the IMG wages agreement government; Cuba full support Order from section of the

WSL

31, Dartmouth Park Hill 18.7.77. London NWS 1HR SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 20 July, 1977

NOW STOP

THE PRESS!

becoming most like Grunwick is the time it is taking the officials to been out for seven weeks.

even agreed that the venue should begged the employers to show them But Westminster Press are so deeply committed to preventing a strong union operațing among their journalists that Keyes will have to stretch ingenuity to breaking point if he is to avoid calling printers at Darlington out on strike when the round the NUJ action In this respect the officials are doing precisely what the employer leaked A secret document hopes from Westminster Press head office main objective reveals that their is to prevent the action spreading to print workers at other offices The employers have also instruc- ted editors to run opinion columns for a closed shop declaring that journalists would open up the Press to political pressure! No SELL OUT

SUPPORT OUR 8

NO TO LAKE

MAINTAIN FORD CLAIM!

The presentation of the Ford workers' pay claim by Moss Evans, TGWU General Secretary-elect, completely accepts the latest arguments of the gov.

ernment and the CBI. All that is disputed is the precise figures.

Evans says that the claim for a 15% increase with fringe benefits (notice.

demand for cost-of-living increases gets no mention) is that he interprets Healey's 10% words Evans agrees that if Ford workers get their 15%, some This specifically breaches the TGWU conference stockbroking firm to analyse Fords check that the firm can pay the full claim. This concedes that pay claims should be tailored to the problems of the employer and not the The very claim has now been by-passed by the situation, and it is certain that Evans will negotiate it downwards towards Healey's norm Ford workers must insist that the fuli claim, cost-of-living clause and all POSTAL BLACK from Page 1.

coach was able to gain access with little resistance. Nevertheless, George Ward, the factory and his loyal Associa- backers in the National tion for Freedom and the Tory Party leadership had received one more bitter lesson to dwell on alongside their humiliation at the hands of the Cricklewood postal workers. such Heal Succus independent working class action shown the way

…TOT

strikers' victory be This strength must now for an immediate used to pres of the postal blacking extension of Grunwick if the dispute is to be brought quickly to a successful end.