Socialist Press no. 66

DESPERATE OFFICIALS

FIGHT 10% LIMIT

August 1-the official end of Phase 2 of wage control- behind us. But it is is now becoming increasingly obvious that if workers are to win the large wage increases regain and necessary to defend living standards there is a hard fight ahead The TUC leaders may have been forced by obvious working to back off their cass nOsal original plans to impose a third year of wage cuts

LICHE

members. But they remain determined to ensure that workers suffer anther drop in living standards, drastic and will go anv lengens lo independent sabotage wage struggles that seek break TO Healey's Chancellor unilaterally declared 10% overall limit.

HEATH

Workers will remember that in

TUC

exactly this way The managed to uphold two and a half of state control of wages Y Cals under the hated Heath govern- InCHE. For AUEW General Secretary therefore Bovd of chorus right wingers The opposing big wage claims, using the argument that claims suen could lead to the carly resignation and defeat of "the best Labour

SOCIALIST

PRESS ]

GRUNWICK -

UNION

Government this century" is the attempt most cynical acces

LUH

Boyd and the right wing would claims now, oppose waLd whatever government was office. And in any event workers at local elections and by-elections have shown by their mass absten- TONS WaaRe k Oe wasc utung poncies ortae wretene Lib-Lab government Boyd is But more important, his completely flouting union's policy, decided only two months ago, which instructed the Executive to "call for an immed- collective iate return to free at the end of the bargaining Cont'd Back Page, Col. 5.

As one TGWU Grunwick "It wan't a pull driver said, back by the strike commit- tee; it was intimidation." He was referring to the narrow Friday by vote last the Grunwick strike committee to call off the mass picket planned for August 8. That vote means that with its first anniversary only a few weeks Grunwick strike for the dway union recognition has suffered a serDack ar mre maros or tre wade union bureaucracy. Since the blacking of the cond ore nai oe whe cri ke Crickle- dispute becone DaLBe ground of major political importance.

DEFYING

Defing the strongest oppos- from their own leaders in ition the Union of Post Office Workers and threats of legal action against them by the National Association despite their and Freedom subsequent lock-out by the Post Cricklewood postal Office the workers resolute stand had been the basis for a huge

HOVC E CHL

the support of throughout working class, culminating in the picket of the factories on July 11. the strength of this was and the successful response challenge the courts _OTnE action which forced the blacking Tory leadership to pull back from to challenge and over- Ene C Ve turn the Labour-Liberal coalition government.

DANGERS

At the same time, the union leaders themselves were drawing their own conclusions. They, too, had recognised the dangers in such

FORTNIGHTLY PAPER OF THE

WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

No. 66 * August 3, 1977 * 10p

INT MIDATE

STRIKERS

'mass action for their plans to con- Stagg, acting UPW General-Secre their class collaboration tried unavailingly to break tary, TinDe and with Callaghan policies their action. Healey. He argued that they wet Any struggle behind which the putting the union in danger and working class could be success- blacking anyway Ene Wds fully mobilised presented a major important in winning the Grun problem following the throwing wick strike as it would be settled out of the Social Contract, with by the Court of Enquiry. pressure on wages building up.

Meeting strong resistance Stagg called a further meeting of the whole branch membership fot the end of the week. The union's executive was due the meantime to meet consider the next move. Almost identical tactics welg being pursued by APEX. The ful Grunwick strike committee

TGWU

includes two

WSCE

members representing the drivers were summoned to a meeting o the Executive

'COOL IT

the Grantham, general SCCIE tary, launched a bitter attack or the strike plans Headers

O TUL

August 8 mass picket, and insisted Scargill-must procede on Aug. 8 they should heed the call of Loro Justice Scarman, chairman of the The failure of the Tories strategy for all-out confrontation Court of Enquiry, to cool it until its findings are published meant the muaLve Setuned firmly to the UPW and APEX towards the end of August.

bureaucracies. Aller unis une was unanmou ly rejected by the strikers.

They took their chance-not to win the dispute but to attempt to pointed out that it was only th impact of supporting action which knife it. had forced the enquiry in the firs place, Grantham turned

PLAN

argument to outright intimidatio that their £30 weel In a carefully prepared plan, saying cut to E12 pay would be worked out almost certainly with

SLUIKE

they unless they toed the line.

ministers, centred their attention on ending This sort of bulling is not new the postal blacking and sabotaging Grantham. He had, the planned mass picket called by 11, threatened to suspend strik the strike committee for August secretary Mahmood

COHILICE

from union membership Ahmed At a 4 hour meeting early in unless he ordered the mass picket the week between UPW full-time to leave the factory and join th officials and the Cricklewood Cont'd Back Page, Col 2 leadership, postmen's Normar

BLACK ALL CHILEAN TRADE

ASIA: "PROGRESSIVES' HIT THE DUST

Page 2 The brutal regime of Chile maintains its place in world narkets largely unhindered by reformists and Stalinists of the trade union leadership in other Although and capitalist countries. resolutions Sufficient paper polemicising against the dictator- ship have been passed to stretch Congress House to Santiago from but the goods on which Pinochet relies are ferried freely around the into the High Streets orld and of British towns. It should therefore have brought blushes to the cheeks of the recent Mineworkers tiational Union delegation Chile when secret they were thanked by the contacts they made for 'solidarity action' by vorkers in Britain-given that every shop floor demand for blacking has supressed trade union

DECE

officials.

REPORT

miners' dele- Nevertheless The gation was the first visit paid by a The trade union since the coup demon- 1973 and ILs

ICDOLL

the Junta, method used by the the Junta to demolish the best organ- Just South each plant. working class ised America. obvious method has most I ne Indians in Bihar celebrate the defeat of Gandhi.

Yet another of South Asia's worst "progressive" self-styled fallen with has leaders In resounding thud into the polit- Pakistan, ical dust. Sri Mrs. Bandaranaike lost dictory Lanka's general election on July 21 explicitly than Indira more decisively even whom she had increas Gardhi on modelled ingly ner semi-ciclator- shir Party Freedom Bandaranaika's parties except 8 of its seats in Fa-liament. Jayen ardene's right wing United he calls Party won what arrassingiy large majority stotal of 168 seats. Gandhi and like all their have lost mass with INTERnATIOnAL nEWS sits in on those that are allowed.

been through the murder of trade Needless union militants and officials.

But it was still not possible for collective bargaining and no union dues can be collected.

the Junta merely to wind up Appeals against the trade union organisations.

by banned are heard many were military officers. confiscated their funds working others were "reconstructed".

been however trade unions Illegal operate and the NUM delegation found that strikes had been success- called fully some factories. union collaboration is also demon- strated by the fact that some union officials from the Allende days have continued to serve under Pinochet.

delegation The recommendations couched in timid terms asking the NUM to 'consider" a motion to the

TUC

that trade and that British trade unions should *co-operate ably one called by someone else.

is clear from the TGWU conference.

Jones-words but no action.

collapse into only Miners' Federation for prevarication when example has its officials selected by docker if the union would actually five from a who choose back action against of the 15 oldest workers and goods. Written permission is needed for Meanwhile by the Chile Committee for Human meetings and a policeman or soldier up the world -1.3 million to prop. the in ship while unemployed out of a total work- itself in the force of under 6 million.

the in India and Party and Sri Lanka popular discontent with informal deal with the Janata.

fraudulent "progressive" leaders has been reflected in very contra- through support way 101 parties-the right

WHE

National Alliance in Pakistan, the tunism kept Janata Party in India and now the tne LSSP (the and the United National Party in Sri Lanka.

which before party There is no doubt that these of the was the Sri pressing problems of the workers International) and peasants and that their plans with will involve massive repression.

alance

POWERS

moment before the elections.

Both the Already Jayewardene has taken semi-dictatorial "deal powers violence the single parliamentary seat.

unleashed ey his own gary follar- how brainwashing Rights shows techniques have been added to the strikes and say of banned Junta's programme It is the latest move by the Junta to make its bloody rule less embart- "unfair dismissal' assing to US capital. a committee of Reductions in political arrests in months and the release of class not recent has some political prisoners have been totally crushed. matched continue to increase in 'disappearances'-that is murders-and against political prisoners.

over fringe issues in The brainwashing comes in the wake of 30 arrests of The international nature of trade trade unionists who had published a May Day letter against the Junta Of those arrested 11 disappeared the classic fashion, Junta claiming they were not under with returned for arrest. blacking-

MYSTERY

'discouraged' be Most of them have reappeared in mysterious circumstances, some a boycott-presum- claimed never to have been away.

said they had others The meaning of such resolutions holiday' and others refused to give any Jack Jones made a long speech their absence. red faced One turned up claiming he was asked now an ardent supporter Junta. Chilean ships A well publicised hunger strike in a United Nations building in a report published Santiago will undoubtedly force the Junta to further twists accomodate its brutal murder LU and torture to "world opinion" The hunger strike-carried out by 26 relalIves persons failed in its demand international inquiry, but no doubt Pinochet's embarrassed friends in the White House.

STRONG

Pinochet has since stated that must be authoritarian democracy "because without strong authority peace: there is chads. there He also announced there would be no further releases of political prisoners. In fact arrests have now been stepped up The vital need for support the blacking to is highlighted class working these events and report. Dockers and transport particular in must demand is immediately put blacking such into effect. aya warde appsiatien is to biadd Gandhi dictator- appointing the Socialist Party sunk ministers some of the UNP's seven mire the Janata non-aligned Com- Jayawardene plans to tackle his munist Party (Marxist) did a more other immediate political problem, that of unemployment, by opening

OPPORTUNISM

the gates to what he hopes will. be a flood of foreign investment the imperialist countries.

In Sri Lanka the same oppor The centrepiece oI pro-Moscow the establishment in Trincomalee of "Trotskyist" a tax-free and customs-tree area tor his expul of the processing tactories, Lanka section facilities and shipping "United" Secretariat of the Fourth UNP hopes to convert which the political Sri Lanka into a king of amalgam of the Bandaranaike Hong Kong, Singapore government until the last possible and Monace There can be little doubi that the LSSP and the Sri Lankan working class, which picked up their just rewards for this only a ten months ago treachery-they were annihilated in a huge strike wave against Borderi the elections and are lett without a naina santicine w1: "arliu- 0201217 NP's SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 August, 1977

- IN BRIEF

repression

PERU

The social crisis provoked by the new austerity plans of the regime unpublicised has intensified A one day general strike call by charges the trade union federation domin- Communist Party ated by the evidence (which has recently switched from support to qualified opposition to government) was the mullary widely followed. The security forces killed at least 10 people on with the the day and have now moved in on the Centromin copper mines where unions have the Maoist-dominated The indefinite strike. called an encouraged firms to regime na: dismiss all strike leaders.

CHINA

winger Teng Hsiao-ping Right been 'on who since his disgrace until a few brusquely had been officially weeks ago account of labelled an "unrepentant capitalist roader" has finally been restored to all his posts. This makes him of the number three in the line-up of the Chinese bureaucracy. behind Hua and chairman Kuo-feng Prime Minister) and Marshal Yeh Chien-ying. and turns written works Teng's "poisonous recently are described as officially

HU W

"fragrant flowers" of disappeared At the same time the "gang of for an four" have been expelled from the party. 'liberal'

PAKISTAN

Military dictator Zia ul Haq has released deposed Bhutto and some of the opposition Pakistan National Alliance leaders which he of elecțions in advance says will take place on October 18.

security At the same time further penalties of and public imprisonment promulgated flogging have been of political form against any activity. worldwide

ETHIOPIA

Chilean The wars between the Soviet and high the NUM Cuban-supported Ethiopian military dictatorship, the Derg, and movements liberation national workers Eritrea (in the north) and Ougaden.

that Somalia (in the east) is claimed by rapidly intensifying. The Somalian government has stepped up its help guerrillas and a Ougaden state of general war virtually exists countries. Both between the claims of made numerous massive casualties inflicted on the long time ally of enemy. Somalia, asked the Soviet Union, has now for and been offered major military support from the main imperialist powers. cabinet from

SAYI:3

¡TEAMUZ

this plan is 1977 , casinos. hotels through

ENTERNASYONEL

'ENTERNASYONEL

launched thecretical Turkish languase :::: aist macaz res

SPAIN: FRANCOISTS CALL FOR "DEMOCRACY'

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 August, 1977 "Now this democracy must figures still show it as 5%) and emi- be consolidated". grant workers are returning These were thousands from the rest of Europe.

the words of Franco's chosen In the last two weeks Suarez has King Juan Carlos successor begun to unveil his plans to deal Spain's newly when opening with this rapidly worsening crisis. He has devalued the peseta by elected parliament. 20% giving an enormous push to have come They might equally from the mouth of Felipe Gonzalez He has proposed cuts in public or Santiago Carrillo. spending, greater freedom for firms To all of thein the consolidation to sack workers through the aban- "democracy' of deter- donment of the rrancoist employ- mobilis- mination prevent any ment protection laws and new wage anon of lne working class wnch will threaten the limited legitimis-

CONETOS.

ation the Suarez government ot

TARGET

produced by the June elections (the final results of which have still not The wage control target has not been announced). been finally announced but the The key feature of this counter- figures being put around are a flat revolutionary plan the "social rate increase which would be under pact" through which Suarez aims to 5%* of the (with wage draw the reformist Stalinist and inflation already at over 30% and leaders in parliament and the trade still rising). Suarez wants, he says, unions into full collaboration with to agree a figure with the unions.

the massive economic attack on the Spanish So Suarez agrees he will have to class works wallet capitalism urgently needs.

grant some limited legal right to strike and allow the conditions in

CRISIS

which the trade union bureuacrats can build up their still very restirc- The symptoms of the economic ted organisational strength in the crisis get more glaring every day mass movement Inflation is the highest in Europ; In spite of the temporary gains many businesses are near to closing lance down and Francoists, reformists and Stalinists stock exchange prices tumbling; unemployment which brought the new parliament situation over ten percent of the workforce being, the remains

JOLO

(though official the doctored extremely explosive especially on

ISRAEL: HUGE

PRICE RISES

Israel's right wing Likud Israel's hopelessly compromised federation-the coalition government last Histadrut-was predictably gutless.

week announced a series of The Secretary-General, Yeruham cuts in government subsidies, Meshel, merely threatened to cancel resulting in a 25% increase in with the pay agreement government and called for a purely food and fuel prices. protest one hour strike against the Similar increases are to follow in the cost transport, postal 0I Clearly Histadrut wants services telecommunications. and repetition of the events of The cuts amount to a reduction 1974 November of £145 million sterling in Israel's wiel puce

GUISE

following a 43% devaluation led to three nights of rioting in Tel Aviv.

But Histadrut's spinelessness is no doubt also motivated by a desire protect its political wing, the Labour For Alignment. recent revelations-the details of which are yet unclear-indicate that when Labour was in office, it too planned increases of such magnitude.

Histadrut's bluster is thus a both for its own inactivity, COVeT I and for the anti-working class policies of its political confederates.

The timing of the announcement during Prime Minister Begin's talks Carter

WELIL

Was aSU clear signal to Israel's chief backers,

USA.

that Israel needs more financial help. With inflation running at 38% minister begir and small (2%) devaluations of the Israeli pound occuring. at almost monthly intervals, it is clear that current national budget of £7,500 the Israeli economy is in a perilous million, and include a reduction of state £87 million in the £2,500 million Without US aid - military and defence budget. financial-the internal and external Significantly, however, the contradictions besetting Israel defence cuts are not to affect front would surely combine to rip the fighting strengths-they fall lane state apart. instead on accomodation and trans- The cuts in no way mitigate port. those pressures, but instead inten- The reaction of the leaders of sify them.

MORE DETAILS

Please send me more information about the Workers Socialist League. Name... Address ......... Post to W'SL. 31. Dartmouth Park Hill. London NW5 1HR.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

the question of the struggle for national rights in Euskadi and struggle against the social pact. In relation to these struggles the Socialist and Communist Party al! leaders are hostile to the would demands which meet the needs of the working class.

GROTESQUE

A particularly grotesque instance of this is the recent adoption by the CP-dominated "trade the Workers Commissions, of what thes "the scale of wages' call sliding Workers By they Tils Commissions bureaucracy means the increase of wages in me not with prices but with productivity!

The obvious unacceptably the new economic measures to the working class has forced the leaders of all the them in public the backs of the behind workers they are manoeuvring towards a treacherous with Suarez. Suarez knows, however, that the chances of controlling the working class through such a deal remain very small.

FRANCOIST

He still holds in his hands many repressive he has inherited from the Francoist state.

And he is still prepared to use them The utter inability of the quarrelling of Arab wings nationalism to serve the interests of the Arab masses is shown clearly by the recent fighting between the reaction- ary regimes of Sadat in Egypt and Gaddafi of Libya. Since the death of Nasser in 1972 and the collapse in the follow- ing year of efforts to unify the two countries, Gaddafi and Sadat have been competing for the mantle of the leadership of Arab nationalism.

By April 1975 Sadat was describing his rival as a 'mental defective providing help for and Vocative deMienn Menachem Begin's provocative recognise Jewish three settlements the occupied West Bank of Jordan exacerbates external tensions.

It shows again the utter hypocrisy of all talk of 'peace' from Zionists, the and coming straight Begin's US visit must have after been discussed with Carter So much for 'human rights' a la Carter. No doubt there was some of the need discussion lor some more appropriation of territory in order to offset the unpopularity of the price increases. US Cyrus Vance's "dis- appointment" will alter US support for Israel, however-and it will certainly do nothing to further the Palestinian people's right to self-determination.

PERSPECTIVES

of the Workers Socialist League

BRITISH PERSPECTIVES:

"The Fight For Revolution- ary Leadership'. 15p plus 7p p&p.

INTERNATIONAL

PERSPECTIVES

'Fourth International - Prob- lems and Tasks.' 15p plus 7p p&p. against the organised working class as he has used them to repress the prison revolt in recent Madrid's Carabanchel jail.

His "victory" there, howeve after came only of and common political prisoners had totally destroyed the interior of Carabanchel, that hated symbol of Francoist repression. There is doubt about the no willingness of the union leaders. Socialist Communist and and Parties, to collaborate with all this.

But this so easy in situation where still less than 10% of Spanish workers belong to any

DICTATORS AT WAR

every shade of political opposition to the Gaddafi regime. There also seems little doubt that the Libyans have also been involved in some of the varions within opposition movements Egypt, perhaps including the extreme right wing group of Ahmed Mustapha who let off bombs during July at Mansoum in the Nile delta.

The period of active warfare from 21 24 July followed "series of border incidents, with police border guards kidnapped and exchanged, 10 Egyptian and with soldiers killed on 17 July.

WRP leader Gerry Healy cheer-leader for Gaddafi.

The fighting which followed began with Egyptian infantry cross- border raids and ended without any formal cease-fire, Will Egyptian air raids on a number of suspiciously placed anti-aircraft positions within Libya. The determination of Sadat to 'teach a lesson' to his rival dictator is linked to doubt further Egyptian efforts to arrive at agree- Zionist settlers of ment with the

'PROGRESSIVE'

The so-called "progressive' wing of the divided Arab nationalist movement is not capatle of fighting betrayal Sadat's oi the national demorati: demands the 3n0 Palesmissi These demards. well as ite economic demands oi the Egyptiar workers and peasants and Libyar car anis be man under a leadershio Page 3 Socialist Party leader Felipe Gonzal of the union federations and wh of them have freques most strikes and demonstrati shown their rejection of leaders' collaboration capitalism and the government Suarez acknowledges that to the social pact accepted ne have to make "concessions" wh the reformist and Stalinist leac bureaucratically domir -WIl the unions and who between it picked up nearly votes than Suarez in June's fr ulent elections--can sell to workers who have so far given th qualified political support Trotskyists but because the Trotskyists Druciance Workers Revolutionary decided to take a quite differ attitude, perhaps from some fee of freemasonry amongst dictators. The whole spectacle of the F activity on this question borders the farcical.

REDGRAVE

WRP central committee mem Corin Redgrave standing Egyptian the embassy with "Hands off banner Libyan Revolution" is scandal well-known view of the barbarous penal policies of Gaddafi regime alarming has more Even the general position on Libya ta by Newsline for some ti tne previously referred to in Soci Press. This reached a peak with recent border incidents The WRP's July 27 meeting the events featured well-kne starlet and

WRP

leader Vani asserting that "we m Redgrave defend the vanguard revolution leadership in Libya. Such a statement is disgrace from a self-proclaimed Trotsky There can be doubt Gaddafi at this point represents militant wing of

THOSE

nationalism, the most hostile t Israel settlement with ale rivalry with Sadat is related to t

OSCILLATE

But what cannot be ignore: doubted is that nationalist regi Gaddafi type can just easily oscillate in the direction Already the Libyan regir.= supplied Soviet-built tanks Ic reactionary military dictators'- presumably against national libera: forces in Eritrea elses: and Libya's domestic poices been based on the precepts Koran, including the secre of comer. and ite limbs

WRP

#passion ation for iter

DEMAND PUBLIC WORKS

Page 1

BREAK THIS

LIB-LAB

COALITION!

With no discussion with the Callaghan has Labour Party again moved further into dependence tipon the Liberals, that second-string party of big and smaller business headed by David Steel and a motley gang of would-be European parliamentary careerists.

Lib-Lab "pact" has so far The Healey's unilateral borne fruit in declaration of a 10% overall limit wage increases over next year, backed up by the TUC urging union negotiators not to try standards living eroded catch 1974 in year's since

LILLO

claims. "pact" In reality une Parliamentary to an undeclared the Labour coalition which leaders are quite consciously using TC bureaucrats in order lo the shackle working CaSS meTte baser or thies. this coalition is base widened by the increasingly open the support being Callaghan government both by the Tory press and by the Tory Party itself.

THATCHER

leader Thatcher last week Tory "gladly" Callaghan's accepted invitation that she join be negotiators urging next pay "moderate" during the round. The Tories clearly recognise with growing militancy on building towards confron- wages tation, the Labour and TUC leaders stand a better chance together may of heading off the working class than a Tory government. So while they continue to sound ONE PERSON NOT suffering as Healey's result of Chancelior riciously anti-working class policies is Chancellor Healey himself, who is negotiating to purchase a £65,000 8-bedroom mansion Sussex sold his existing he has s00n £60,000 country home. Healey already reportedly has sold his Highgate house for an thought to be in undisclosed the region of £100,000. certainly fit easily into He will neighbourhood most oi nis new which is described as about 5% Liberal and about. 20% Labour". off from time to time to pressure further Callaghan government to the right, the Tories are far from attempting any repeat of the March confidence which motion no brought down the Labour govern- ment and forced on the coalition with the Labour Meanwhile, Brighton Party's conference approaching in October the Labour Party runs daily further from any serious struggle to break this reac- coalition or challenge the dionary Callaghan-Healey leadership week produced the Last disgusting spectacle of Eric Heffer in the Commons to jumping up the Tories that there was reassure Social hated still life in Contract. same time the 'left' on At the Party's National ite Labour Exacative was beating a humiliated retreat when Callaghan poured cold plans to slash то 312: Cous defense perding by 35 Tre o: these left appear to fight 00 a...

CLE=

the Amid predictable crocodile tears and monotonous hollow cries of "intolerable!" from TUC bureaucrats, unemploy- ment has soared to a new peak of 1.6 million, while unfilled vacancies fell by over 5,000 during last month. While 'left course every waffler latches on to wing' the emotive issue of youth unemploy- ment, the overall figure includes a staggering 1.39 million unemployed adult workers, for whom none of "job the gimmicky government creation" and "work experience frauds consolation whatever. school-leaving But even for youth, 253,379 of whom are now on the unemployed register, the finding prospects employment at a living wage are worse than ever. Every employer in both private and nationalised industry is looking to ways of trimming and speeding his existing workforce-not for up additional workers. The public services are being cuts in government ravaged by spending.

DOWNTURN

And building trade employers forecast a continuing downturn in an industry in which over 300,000 workers already unemployed.

CALC

55% of building firms expect over the coming year employ less than they did last year. So they collapsed ignominiously as soon as the right wing challenged their attempt to get a tepid series of changes in the election of the Party leader passed at Conference.

But they clung tenaciously to a meaningless mist lasil opposition to the Common Market and Tribunite economic policies, put to Conference be which will with NEC backing, but will be in any event ignored by Callaghan and Healey. The break from the coalition is question to the most decisive fought for now within the Labour Party. All CLPs and union branches that have declared against the coalition meist now vitals lobby the Brighton conference around this demand. Discussion centre on must developing a programme of socialist policies on which the coalition deal must be broken. Labour "lefts' whose And the votes have propped Parliamentary up the coalition for three months must he called to heel by their loca!

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard (Report).

Steel In this situation the feeble or notes struck outright reactionary by the various union leaders voicing demands from 'reflation ranging calls for import controls offer to youth adult solution or … to workers. Unemployment must be fought on two fronts: the outright defence of all existing jobs, and the fight to create new ones. Wherever employers threaten existing jobs the call must be for work sharing on full pay to apply to the whole worktorce The employer's claim he cannot must be met by occupations pay full demand that the and the accounts of the firm be opened to elected trade union committees and their representatives. If indeed the employer is unable the full workforce the to sustain Jenkins: "intolerable!". While in workers scrape empty pockets and wallets for cash enjoy much the to break, the needed summer silence has been broken by a profit din of clamourous figures from Britain's major all of corporations, whom have been minting money as a result of the Social Contract.

ICI staggered laughingly to the incredible £540 bank with an million. GEC smiled happily with a modest £278 But million. the five big hawks had chel 4830 of laugh • a cool 8 = 1111 million profit for a year of holding to other people's Ull the public sector Meanwhile industries have also made full use of of labour power the cheapening provided under the Social Contract.

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 August, 1977 Students Sacked Authorities at Essex Univer- announced the sity have expulsion of five students who occupations took part in earlier this year in protest at Shirley Williams' proposals to drastically raise tuition fees.

been 10 other students have Callaghan suspended a pertines totall to fines totalling £2,000 were imposed on others were Altogether

SLUCHE

"tried" University Disci- oy tne plinary Committee, and 67 of those were found "guilty an unced hast veneer, Estere When increases Vice-Chancellor Albert Sloman was occupation must continue with the of the first to register his one demand the firm be nationalised "horror" and the proposals without compensation, under the proclaimed from the rooftops his management of the elected union the claim to be concerned with sustained and by committee students' plight. government contracts. The true nature of such create new jobs

BONE

sympathy was revealed, however, as requires both a campaign to recruit soon as students began taking direct the trade the unemployed action to ensule movement, and a combined union tation of the increases. and struggle of employed injunctions High court went both the unemployed workers in sought to end occupations; univer- unions and the Labour Party.

lecturers sity physically attacked of this struggle the and a whole array of must be the call for a break in the disciplinary measures were enacted Lib-Lab coalition. against miltal te This would open the way for the student union removal of Healey and Callaghan Clearly, the authorities have of their policies, and reversa period as the chosen the holiday of to provide a crash programme boot the optimum time to useful public works under workers students. creating new jobs at trade control. The Students' Union has thus union rates of pay. been sorely hampered in effectively challenging the victimisations Nonetheless it is crucial that the university's attempts , to crush the union as a fighting force be over- turned. For strategy for that a clear taking up this struggle next term But the events of the is required. past six monins nave snown tna the alone lack sufficient social power to protect them irom the form of attacks-be they fee increases or expulsions.

Trades Council has Colchester passed a motion in support of the students; they must now be forced to act on that motion-only in this way will reinstatement of ali ine students be achieved. Basnett: "priority".

BOSSES' BONANZA

which gladly agreed to The National Coal Board, groan- leadership, both social contract wage cuts and ing about lazy miners who should netted £27 million massive staffing cuts, was the Post WOrk hatder. made £392 Office, which actually profit. British Gas snatched £31.5 £105 million million-though million profit consumes "excess" is to be handed back ir with while British Airways, even rebates to telephone subscribers.

eight work-starved Concordes Post Office boss William Ryland to make managed

SUDOOL.

stressed how useful had been the respectable £35 million. 10,000 cut in telecommunications jobs and 3,000 jobs, and

MILKED

postal produc hoped new and similar tivity arrangements would be made But the really big money was in again. electricity. Hard-hit consumers with sky-high bills have been makeu le

COMMITTEES

the tune of £207 million profit Electricity Council and £130 million to the Central Elec- Trade unionists must take al tricity Generating Board-a total of these figures seriously. Only a short £337 million. That is nearly while major state ago for every man woman and child in proclaiming gloom industry and showing the country and despondency balance sheets deep in the red.

Top of the pile, cashing in on a pliable particularly trade union Elected trade union committees at local, regional and national level Open must take • demand. of these firms and the books industries! Discover: *How these astronomic profits made? *Who receives it? What work do they do? *How were earlier figures manip- ulated? *How do "loss making" nation- alised industries assist these profit makers? that comes tem such investigations will prove percen soubt the need to naton- alie she whole o: major indusins under without

POLICE WAR ON SOCIALISTS

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 August, 1977 Report of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis for the year 1976. HMSO Cmnd 6821. By a guest reviewer.

Every socialist and trade Gurdip Singh Chagger-which militant shoutd according to Mark was not a 'racist' union be killing--he has this to say: aware of the contents of this "This racial unrest was stimut fascinating new report. ated and manipulated for their own his five Sir Robert Mark in ends by extremist elements includ- Commissioner of the years ing the International Socialists and London Police has steered his the International Marxist Group."

organisation through some difficult and corrupt times

VICTIM

tomates becoming more political, moTe anti-trade union, more anti-socialist Mark goes to paint the on force. picture of the National Front as the The report reeks of bitter and strikers; hatred for activities wing almost all comment is devoted to against National

CAUCASIS

while actual crime is reduced antese. Front racialism continued through- to piles of bare statistics.

out the year." This is not surprising in view of Indeed the racialism the the levels of crime within the force National Front is minimised in Mark which presided. Most Mark's account: obviously, the Chief of the "Porn "On September 26 NF the Souad' has been convicted mounted a picket outside a disused helping resell pornography and the warehouse Lea Bridge Road, 1n Chiet of the Drug Squad of protect- Leyton, which was being used as a ing the importation of drúgs into the local Moslem com-

HOSCUC UY

Britain. munity. This action. • provoked Mark very clear the the reaction by the left direction his and future efforts have wing extremists... to take-combatting working class resistance to falling living standards.

"Unrest arising from economic problems at home and changes ir the political abroad scene continued to create problems for the police.. (Page 10) The report devotes 14 pages to 'Public Order' compared pages on 'Crime' and "Traffic'. section Public It 1s 1n ine Order where Mark makes his stand most clear. He outlines the various against the marches brutal oppression by the British Army in Northern Ireland, and goes on to claim : the continuing violence British against soldiers province increases the possibility of a backlash by anti-Irish elements in London. Mark only such backlash he Flying the face of all the 1n reports comes from small of the large scale enquiry findings National Front demonstration.

carried out last by Brent year Un the southal demonstrations Trades Council, Mark claims thai last year following the murder of on the 'Right to Work" march run the International Socialists-ir

NEW

which were arbitrarily marchels assaulted and some hospitalised by frenzied police: "Police subjected "to a were sudden and violent attack.

CUTS

of time Mark spends. lot analysing the Notting Hill Carnival, where, he claims, the riot was not due the of number massive

LOBBY

police. Yet he alleges successive attempts by large gangs of black youth to rescue their friends from The 'Steering Committee' the grips of the almost exclusively which is supposed to repres- On the ent nine public sector unions Trico dispute, Mark has called for yet another Came "an aggressive note was intre. Lobby of Parliament and rally duced by members of student and against the cuts. organisations with no In accordance with connection whatsoever the with the six union concerned." unwritten month rule for defusing working class hostility to

VENOM

the cuts this has been scheduled for the Autumn. According to the recent On the Smiths Industries announcement of the committee computer operator dispute Mark (which originally was also reserves special venom for the

VID

organise the 17 November day-of- pickets and for the fact the dispute was won: action last yeary, cne loboy will de held at the end of a 'week-of- "Picketing organised by political action. extremists resulted their it remains to be seen what form reinstatement on 16 September.

this action is to take. Other facts to be gleaned from should workers the report show that demand the opportunity to deter- *The hated Special Patrol Group mine the policies of the Steering even 'ordinary" police Committee than finding regard as animals-stopped them imposed from above. 19,000 people 41,000 Hover active union members in

VONT

vehicles arbitrary searches in the nine unions know nothing at all 1976. about its composition, its terms of Bift they only managed to make relerence or its mode of operation.

4,000 about this Irom allustr Its policies to date suggest wholesale intimidation. *591 further officers qualified in determination to head-ott any real fight cuts and limit the against the How long ot revolvers. struggie to Parliamentary protest.

before weapons appear Enest Resolutions should be openly on picket lines? through all public sector unions to complaints were 1400 the Stuering Committee demanding made against the police. However.

a policy of extended strike action the police ensare that the! inves- to stop the cuts, hand in hand with complaints thems! es Davies (Report) "Police powers are being dangerously widened. It might start in the black community but it will soon spill over into the whole community". This was how Althea Lecointe introduced the workers' enquiry into police brutality and the case of the Islington 18 on Saturday 23 July After day's hearings with direct questioning of those who had submitted statements and reports, commencalons lors action were made by the 12-strong committee of labour movement delegates.

The 18 youths were not there. They had been ordered into custody for the judge's summing up of the 3-month trial. Since the jury has been then retired for five days.

NOT GUILTY

It has still only returned verdicts -mainly 'not guilty' so far, on one third of the 89 'charges and not on any of the 'conspiracy' charges The enquiry placed responsib- ility on the local labour movement to take up a fight on the problems confronting black youth and also to recruit youth, employed and unem- ployed, into its ranks. The demands of the petition

WORKERS ENQUIRY

that the local CID be suspended and investigated were endorsed and extended include

LWU

stipendiaty magistrates, Springer and Maclean, of the Highbury Court.

HOME SECRETARY

Ernie Parliamentary for North, Canal ate suggested that the local MPs who have agreed to meet the Defence Committee to receive the petition, should not only set a date for that meeting but accompany the dele- gation to the Home Secretary.

Also these MPs should ask questions in Parliament about the cost of the trial-estimated at £400,000-at a time of economic crisis and cutbacks Workers social services, housing, education, social security, employment and youth were called on to form a joint union committee to campaign for im proved services for youth And the local Trades Council Police wade into Trico pick

LAUNCHED

was called on to gain TUC sugg for an enquiry into the case azi campaign for jobs for the un ployed, jobs at union Crate. providing apprenticeshir trait: At the enquiry itsei ite == committee accepted the inst =: recommendations and urged tha published. So report be far delegate has refused to sign leading local teachers Stalinist The fight must now be taker to ensure that the recommer tions are carried out.

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Barcelona demonstration in support of the Asturian miners.

emergence of revolu- The Spain struggles in пагу new sharpness day gives a lessons the to urgency at must be drawn from the erious struggles of Spanish arkers which ended in defeat d forty years of fascism.

and Stalinists reformists crucial Tole was defeats cannot those e such an analysis. The task of Marxists therefore their treacherous and to then now. and programme Spanish masses. of power was seizure inly a conclusion to the Civil the temporary sienified ution of a process which had azed in Spain from the begin- at the century, and which was the specific character of the war of 1898 against the the entire Pacific Fleet of the Spanish navy was destroyed in one The one ship which survived hour. the bombardment of the Atlantic Fleet was the only steamship of the soon captured- navy. It was vely when it ran out of coal.

CRITICAL

For all its farcical qualities, this humiliating defeat symbolises the Spanish of the critical ruling class in the age of imperial- ism. Already the vast American terri- from tories tip of the continent had southern from Spanish rule broken early 19th century. The remaining was an cupie casualty early which culminated in the First World War. Spain itself had been character- ised by Trotsky as a state of degen- limited erated absolutism, periodic military coups. Capitalist of the productive development backward. extremely existed barely Modern industry Catalonia and the Basque outside and the was economy Drovices. primitively dominated by inefficient agriculture. this The crisis caused economic backwardness was repro- duced as instability in every one. sphere. in a state of Government was church and as the constant crisis blocked all stubbornly the army attempts to accelerate the modern- 33 entirely isation of industry: different administrations attempted rule Spain between 1902 and 1923.

PROFITS

The increasingly urgent demands of the capitalists were only tempor satisfied the immense arily received when Spain profits they remained neutral during World War One. But the development of industry in those four years did more than enrich the bourgeoisie. simply also strengthened the working class which grew in size and in organised force, principally within two major unions, the ÜGT and the CNT The Union General de Traba- Union) ¡odores (General Workers' created by the Socialist had been Party in 1888, as a trade union on of those in reformist model the European but in other countries, 1910 the Anarchists had set up the Confederacion Nacional del Trabajo (National Confederation of Labour) had quite different aims. which The CNT was far more militant, and its main orientation much more obviously political.

STRENGTH

was drawn Its strength of Catalonia the proletariat from of landless labourers and The that of the UGT lay in Andalusia; the other industrial areas (Madrid, Euskadi) and among the Asturias, of Extre- agricultural workers madura and La Mancha. the Organised in this form, working class had begun to realise its own strength in the great waves of strikes which had swept Spain, and largely succeeded in achieving their limited aims. Anarchists, the general Hartne strike itself became their primary they for revolution. and stralegy it would lead on that argued of the directly to the abolition state.

PRACTICE

In the early years of this century they made four major attempts to this strategy in practice, the with the last these and possibility of the proletariat seizing state power was openly revealed tor SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 August, 1977

HOW FASCISTS

STATE POWER:

THE CRIS

THAT SPAW

FRANCO

the CNT was driven underground • called by the 1917 was originally and even forced to disband at one with the support of the socialists, Anarchists. Minister of War Franco with Major Doval, a prominent leader of the Asturian repression. But the dictatorship had no mass The demands were partly econ- and as a Bonapartist regime omic, partly political: specifically it base could not survive when the recurr- called for democratic control of the army, and an end to the imperialist ence of the acute economic crisis which had threw the working class once more adventure in Morocco onto the offensive. resulted in mass conscription.

forced to resign in Although the strike was smashed army-within three days, 1930, but the process which -by the achieved this gain did not stop at of potential revealed the had 1t General Berenguer, that united action by the working class point. installed in his place, attempted to throughout Spain. calling In its development, the political legitimise elections for a Cortes (parliament) general forces had taken up the which would have given the dictat- were to hold again positions they during the Civil War: in fact the cloak while orship a democratic maintaining its powers unshackled officer responsible for crushing the Asturian miners was strike of the beneath none other than one Major Franco.

BOYCOTT

With the ending the war, was once more Spanish industry The workers' and petit bourgeois forced lo compete for markets; it responded republican parties proved uncompetitive. calling for a boycott, and as this governmental The movement gathered momentum it interrupted by crisis was abruptly became clear that the regime would the dictatorship of General Primo unable to gain completely de Rivera, installed by the king.

majority in such a Cortes an improvement Supported resigned, the Berenguer condition of international in the were cancelled, and the elections capitalism, this grandee was able to for municipal King opted prolong for seven ycars his attempt elections in April 1931. to restore the tarnished glory of Here the established tradition of Spain. and coercion virtually necessarily corruption project guaranteed a victory for the regime involved plans to restrict clearly in power, but the resuils independence of the working class, overwhelming the demonstrated and for this Primo turned to the Republicans and support for the

UGT

and the reformists of the Socialists Socialist Party, who participated in Faced with this combination of his reginie. class opposition to the working arbitration boards Compulsory dictatorship. and the hourgooste's petahlich d l along with other

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 August, 1977

'OOK

N04 S

NED

order to safeguard its

GWIL

bower, King XIII slipped Alfonso juietly out of Spain, and the Republic was declared. Two months later, elections to he new Cortes gave massive the parties in support najority to of the Republic. The Socialist Party alone had many seats as all the as

WILE

and clerica parties ogether, and was the largest group in the parliament. Zamora, Alcala a right Catholic Republican, became Prime Minister coalition which was formed-a wide-ranging Popular Front.

FORESHADOW

With minor changes, this govern- lasted from June 1931 to ment 1933; in many vovem ber aspects foreshadows the later Popular front which was betray the TO orking class during the Civil War.

was urgently to necessary esolve bourgeois democratic TInA asks of the Republic. There was no great difficulty in recognising the main tasks that needed to be ful- illed: a solution to the agrarian problem; the development of the roductive forces in industry; control over the church and the alaly But each of these tasks could be erformed only by crushing the yorking class, by the working class itself seizing power.

The 'failure' to institute these eforms was in no way accidental.

The bourgeois and petty bourgeois could Republicans manage a lemocratic revolution: they were workers and attack the democratic demands, eject ust they rely as WeTe the bulwarks of creasingly 11021 Alcata-Zamora proclaims the Republic from the balcony of the Ministry of the Interior in Madrid, 14 April 1931.

reaction. The loyal support given to the the Socialist Party government by did nothing to its bourgeois character.

HOLD

On the contrary, merely allowed the capitalist parties to hold the sections of the working class which were organised in the UGT, while of never conceding any the forward by reformist demands put Largo Caballero and other Socialist leaders. It was the mass actions of the class which had working largely created the republic of workers of classes' (this description WaS drafted into the constitution at the of the Socialists), prompting power had been transferred immed- iately to the bourgeoisie.

Only the Left Opposition had been able to analyse correctly the oi the spanish Italie and members were isolated the insignificant within Stalinist Communist Party The Stalinist line itself was the ultra-left Third Period policy imposed Comintern on the by Gil Robles, leader of CEDA stalin. Government the now in was

UNABLE

of Lerroux, leader of the hands 'Radicals' (a right-wing party), and Despite its militant left-wing, the the Spanish workers and peasants Socialist Party had suffered more open repression and 11U survie Marxist tradition. mounting attacks during the 'bienio proved wholly unable negro', the 'black two years' develop understanding of the an The new cabinet moved swiftly theory of permanent revolution, or reforms that to repeal the minor to recognise that only by mobilising had been granted, and concentrated workers and peasants in the struggle most of its attention on crushing to impose the dictatorship of the independent action of the all y proletariat could democratic working class. reforms be won in the process of building socialism.

FASCIST

Meanwhile the Anarchists, of the state, refused to see that The largest party in this parlia- their policies were based in idealism Confederacion ment the and would inevitably result in the Espanola de Derechas Autonomas defeal of the working class by the

(CFDA),

organisation which had grown rapidly towards

LIC

bourgeol Stale end of Azana's government. drawing its support trom the artan

DOWNFALL

petty bourgeoisic and lumpenprol- and from The refusal of the Socialists to peasantry who had gained from the challenge the policies of the 'demo- Socialists and Republicans only cratic bourgeois government, and increased poverty. the abstentionist the strategi 1934 was the year of the first Anarchists, brought about the confrontation between liid ul downfall the Republican and fascists the workers. Gil coalition. Robles, CEDA leader, had called failure of the continuing three mass rallies to display CFDA's government 1o counter the effects intensifying world fascists were met by general strikes.

omic crisis lad to a widespread loss the complete disruption of trans- port, and blockades of workers who sei Nevanbe 1033 the fascist The backward of the Spanish economy and the plunge of international capitalism into ever these deepening crisis made problems daily, and exposed the tensions and contra- within Spanish dictions sorely The of the Republic survival depended on its ability to overcome but, by its very tnese oostacies, nature, the government could not possess this ability. Caught on the one hand within the limits imposed on the progres- sive bourgeoisie by the internat- ional development of imperialism, the the nane balance of class forces within Spain itselt, the Republicans wicre powerless to institute demo- cratic revolution. Weak and un competitive Spanish capitalism required protec- develop oroer industrial production. But such a would have provoked retal- iation from other countries by the imposition of tariffs on Spanish agricultural produce Torn between its loyalties to the industrial capitalists and to the the Republican landowners, coalition was powerless to act: both and agriculture continued Industry to stagnate.

AGRARIAN

This negative policy intensified its turn the agrarian problem in the lath polared land, three-quarters these were landless labourers.

On the vast estates of the south employment was best seasonal and increasingly unobtainable wages below starvation level; in the north the smallholdings were too small to provide subsistence for those work- ing them. An immediate reform of the division of land imperative: nationalisation and redistrib- ution among ihe peasants could in any way alleviate the and starvation thes ame ume and inefficient agricultural methods which prevailed throughout Spain.

CHURCH & ARMY

At every turn the Republic was to encounter the powerful hostility of hoth Church and Army.

At the same time. the dominant bourgcois the government were coi prepared to thes rightis daNg had been Page 7 far the largest holder of now bv capital in Spain-the Jesuits alone owned one third of the country s wealth. The movement leading to the establishment of the Republic had been strongly marked by the anti- clerical feeling of the working class especially in Madnd and Catalonia where churches had been burned demonstrations against the corrupt influence of the church But the Republicans were only too aware of the value well Catholicism restraining and 11 diverting the revolutionary energies of the workers The reforms they introduced were trifling, but even these toker sufficient gestures were drive the right wing out of the coalition: Zamora resigned to become President, and a lett kepublican Manuel Azana took over as prime

TENSEC

Demands for the reform of the army had long been raised by the workers, and were central the 1917 general strike.

COUP

Drawn mostly the old trom officer aristocracy, the caste was strongly conscious of its links with the major capitalists anu landowners represented to democracy Continuous and in August 1932 a military coup was launched by General Sanjurjo with the support of these and other reactionary forces. coup failed. but still the the made no move: capitalist parties had already seen in they the could practice receive from the army against the working class in the local genera strikes organised by the CNT th previous sumiliet revealed the had then true character of the "progressive bourgeoisie by ordering the army to crush the strike in Seville.

Manuel Azana These confrontations led the reactionary government to attempt bring three fascists into the cabinet. The replied workers swiftly: the UGT called a genera strike within three hours, and onc the army was brought The solidity of the strike reached its highest Asturias where the miners set ur a Workers' and Peasants' Republic.

Land was given to the peasants.

the were seized and. …actones armed with dynamite, the workers resisted for fifteen days the troops sent against them under command of General Franco.

STRUGGLE

3,000 workers were killed- mostly in after reprisals the struggle Surenue-ol Asturias the Spanish workers *=: learned new methods s: aar. = Rati stea Acss Workers' Allianca formed to unite the differen isations of the class in tance, and the .....s.. Asturias had been through the mind :: ere. in Spain The smashing strike was followed struggles sovernment Continued next adition By Dare Whitfield

SWP LEAVE ENGINEERS

Page 8 IAN SWINDALE looks at the record of the Socialist Workers Party in the Heathrow engineers shift pay dispute.

As the largest political organisation to the left of the Communist Party the Socialist Workers Party claims to be growing rapidly both in size and influence in the workers movement. But an examination of any ot their interventions in the struggles of the working class clearly demon- strates the political basis for this recruitment-political adaptation to the multant strugges of workers With the working class having decisively rejected the plans of the TUC bureaucracy to foist another round of wage controls on them orderly the under ot ar return to free collective bargaining' opening up a new lever or struggie the against betrayals union officials, it is instructive to look at the record of the SWP in the fight against Phase the Social Contract. Following immediately pay parity -in Hakes the class wage dionally Already toolmakers, rejecting repeated calls from their union executive to return to work, had challenged Scanlon LO who he was representing-the union management or the had humiliated government-and aim at a mass meeting of strikers.

INCAPABLE

Having rejected their national eadership in favour of a more 'rank and file' leadership of shop "wards the toolmen now found these init leaders were also incapable of winning = caucally their demands. Refusing to face to the the aalications of tookmakers' alenge to the Social Contract, = strike committee backed down the point where was being

ALEW

members air BP . Ior an understanding of the full implications of the dispute, within the leadership of the strike.

The stewards based their shift pirways paid the forst stil pay claim on the fact that British rates in the West London area.

The strike bulletin pointed out that for example, for the Monday to Friday double day shift, British figure for a similar shift outside the airport was found to be £9.20 and Employment Protection Act allows lor predominant in a surrounding area.

the stewards argued that the Social Contract was not the issue and that course, airport employing 60,000 workers was so large that it represented a Contract. And all those forces who The AUEW executive committee strike official and sent Reg Birch, responsibility for civil aviation, to strikers to insist that they return In an interview with the press he blamed the working class for being foolish enough to accept the Social Contract and stated that there could be no money paid as long as the Social Contract forbade it.

The of British Stalinists the Communist Party were also quite clear about the implications of the strike. However. as had been the case with the toolmakers, their influence among the strikers was so minimal that they were unable directly to influence the strike committee.

Leyland In Britist they had made up for this by condemning the toolmakers' action and calling on workers to scab or the strike.

This was because in reality the Stalinists appared Rage controls.

But ine: covered this position arguing that P..: air BP Aircraft grounded by the action of Heathrow engineers.

GROUNDED

The engineers were very wary of the Stalinists who dominated the wages sub-committee, the lowest level of the negotiating machinery.

blocking the shift pay trom being advanced Calm jointly by all unions in the main- tenance section of British Airways.

Of the five negotiators for the strikers one, Frank Gates, stood out In private he also was prepared to admit that the Social Contract but in public he was prepared to go Act covered the claim The job confronting revolution- The dispute could only be won if makers had threatened to The opportunism the shop stewards committee had to be opposed and the inad- was understood by its reformist leader- eLessary ment and the government's Social

RELUCTANCE

So, for example, the

SWP

stewards shared the reluctance ot the stewards' committee to call out the day shift workers, who were not involved in the day shift claim Although clearly Was problem to hold out on strike not directly involved,

WOTALES

this was nevertheless precon- dition lor issuing a call to other workers to take supporting action.

hoth on the airport and off.

Merender. the das shitt archers SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 August, 1977 of other workers on the airport mittee were behaving in this way in a struggle to destroy the Social solely • individuals they because as Contract and the Lib-Lab coalition were "bureaucrats' Without a fight to focus it on government and open the way up to claims to defend living the involved the pay central issues standards for all workers.

strike had eventually to collapse As this became clear, the SWP

DEVELOP

instead of offering any lead for those prepared to fight on, simpl In strike situations workers given joined the rest of the stewards and a lead are in a position to develop return work understanding more although they knew at that point a few weeks than might have in that there was still no guarantee of been possible over a period of years the workers receiving single previously. penny. Ideas are tested out in practice

SWP

rationalised their and leaders. position by claiming that the situation it is the task of revolution- money could not have been won aries not only to fight for the anyway and that at least the union policies necessary to win the partic.

was now more firmly established in ular struggle but to raise in the airport than at previous any the broader ques- way time. tions raised by the struggle.

AGREEMENT

Nowhere was more important than in the strikes that The engineers returned to work broke out during Phase 2, all of the basis of an agreement by on which placed in jeopardy the future British negotiate Airways to the of the government. shift pay several clalm witnin But the SWP failed to raise these Discussions on weeks. new shift issues either amongst the stewards patterns were not to be a pre- or the mass membership condition for a settlement.

One brief leaflet advertising an Once the strikers went back

SWP

meeting referred to the however, British Airways insisted conflict as being against the Social that they would negotiate only Contract, but what was necessary if the union the shift pay claim constantly raise these would at the same time negotiate broader issues before the member- new shift patterns which would ship so that workers could be result in more work being done by steeled for the scale of the confron- the day shift at the expense of the tation political development and other shifts could take place. Further industrial action was proposed by the AUFW alone if the

INTERVENTION

claim not agreed was British Airways. The form of this action From such an intervention it would be possible by of the SWP proposed for the best one elements in the strike to be brought stewards, and embodies a character- towards revolutionary Marxism.

istic of all-out struggle. suggested, be a For the SWP, however, *inter- There should, he vention" strike by each shift once a week in the struggles of the working class is seen in terms of until the management came up with offering to print the strike bulletin.

the money printing support stickers and collec- Although accepted by a mass tion tipractical help and sheets of engineers, this action other such meeting collapsed after the second week.

But collection sheets are no

PROPOSED

substitute for the fight for political clarity amongst workers Subsequently the SWP stewards into conflict with forces which they proposed immediate strike action only inadequately understand.

if the claim was not paid by August Why were the AUEW Executive 1. The Joint Stewards Committee Committee refusing to make the agreed to this proposal and British strike official? Why was the wages Airways, faced with this threatened subcommittee, dominated by Com- action, agreed to pay up munist Party blocking members, without prior negotiations on new the claim? Why was the sell-styled shift patterns. But they insisted "revolutionary, Reg Birch, demand- that the claim would have Department ing they return to work and cleared by the of blaming the working class itself for Trade the Social Contract? The failure of the SWP to raise

3394A0A#0N02230240612

British

MATTON CROSS

aurways

RESTAURANT

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, (Report).

The five man negotiating committee. Jack Gatsky (right) became the spokesman for the strikers, but the left' Frank Gates (second from left opportunistically went along with the view that the claim was an anomaly. The SWP were unable to challenge him.

the question of a fight against the It was political clarity on these Social Contract meant that the questions, all ignored by the SWP, that the Workers Socialist League union officials were able to secure the acceptance of the BA proposal tried to contribute to the dispute, and take it to a mass meeting for together with a policy for broaden- ing out support for the strikers.

endorsement The engineers have still not Clift, however, in an SWP Tony The Department received a penny. meeting after the strike was over of Trade is expected to apply the that explained "as a matter 12 month rule which means that no principle" it was not their policy extra shift money can be paid until to criticise other groups of the left January when the government pay their paper for they were not norm of 10% will apply useless polemics Clearly if the engineers are to with other groups but preferred and their shitt instead to explain their policies to substantial annual increase they stil government nave to along with the rest of the • working

REFUSAL

class. The failure of the SWP to drive thraughout the

SOCIALIST FESS 4=300: 105

Alexandra Kollontai

FIGHTER

FOR

SOCIALISM

of Much Alexandra Kollontai's writing still work. remains to be translated from Russian but what we know of her work is relevant to revol- child care. utionaries today, centring as it Ine Kollontai does on women's vital role in and the overthrow of capitalism and the building of world communism. Kollontai, had Engels, analysed the economic and social oppression of women under capital- ism and took this work forward by destroyed seeking to construct an alternative replaced future for women under socialism.

The women

ICLTUILNICHE

children workers to the revolutionary party required, in her opinion, dh urica- by the party both the to ships are economic exploitation they shared and the social with male workers them particular alone. The Therefore both the lorm and content of work amongst women in a sexua workers was examined by Kollontai and brought within the scope of 'chaos' in points out how nothing in life Morals and concepts of marriage specific

Y SADOR

forms Sotal Looking at individual holds under capitalism it clear that such forms are historical- now but does not produce. Coroles necessary producer of cloth, cheese,

HOUSEWORK

Kollontai argues that as house- work is economically unproductive it must be collectivised. This would free the woman herself to become a worker while the housework would under the domain of other Come professionals running state services as laundries and community such personality restaurants. based Kollontai aware that "possessiveness' was although welcome private such developments, other aspects of centuries-old provoked physical

LOIT WREST

great anxiety. Would their children be taken away from them? If divorces were made easier to obtain, who would says. fend for them if their husbands took off? The pamphlet takes up these concrete by looking possessiveness, objections closer at the family. as a

STATE

The state, under capitalism, goes unequal part of the way to iberate women from their traditional Tole; by manufacturing food, clothes, house- basic hold goods; by educating children comradeship. to a minimum level and in fact by taking women out of the home to basic to work low wages

DUU!

when needed and thus

CORDOS

loosening the family ties.

But capitalism needs the family The second of our occasional series on leading women revolutionaries.

bosses who control the right to 4 ance Therefore no provisions made for the most demanding part and submission." of a woman's work in the home- In question free nurseries, says, amongst women for the maintenance and care of children, freeing the mother to contribute to the prosperity of the workers' state. advocates

REPLACED

within the Party Under In this way the family is not necessary but dies out gradually, society and where societies responsibility for 'my restrictive gives collective responsibility for 'our' children Consequently personal relation- trade unions. freed from the economic factors of marriage and a union of affection and comradeship becomes possible between people. accompany- Kollontai ing the Russian Revolution resulted workers although Crisis' affecting every layer of society Kollontai, struggled problems throughout her life against subord- inating tendencies affecting women up questions both as workers and as women.

relationships, analyses this "Sexual Relations in the At the time clashe is selling the basic criteria protection She is seeking the for a morality that can reflect the tion, women's political interests of the working political class ... and serve as an important working class's fighting position. the strengthening 1 IT Bourgeois love' distorts the ol both bartners Il 18 both workers on extreme egoism, stifling deriving from ation of a women's section of the property relations, and party to take up assumptions of with women's and emotional inequality organise leatlets, pamphlets, classes, in sexual experience. meetings and to produce a women's Much of the social chaos of the paper early revolution results, Kollontai trom active, creative une clubs had been efforts of the proletariat to forge Russia although the breaking up of relationships and ideals, to the first Duma put an end to them off and submissiveness

VACILLATED

and strengthen the social position of the working class Throughout whole by bringing Kollontai herself vacillated between women forward as equals. Bolshevism and The idid that some members argued must submit to insisting the other members of one and the same work among women. class is in contradiction with the proletarian principle of up, with the initiative for Women's Day to be celebrated hy both men This principle of comradeship is and women workers. the ideology the OT The paper working class. It colours and deter- also launched though mines the whole developing prolet- stopped by moranty, a morality which after a few helps to re-educate the versonality these theories into practice December 191 providing sickness workers passed. tion of. Motherhood 20 _ was set up, and withir of revolution гле become a purely civil alter one y cdl political equality. Under immensely conditions of early days the Bolsheviks making historic strides towards the liberation of women.

CONGRESS

On November 18 1918 the First Congress of Peasant and Women convened Bolshevik women's paper. special education was launched to inform women o their new rights and how to use them. Department Finally Working and Peasant set up-Genotdel-with freedom instead of being bound by throughout the country of property, capable Its first task was to mobilise for comradeship rather than inequality civil war. At the same time, despite the Workers Struggle for their Rights" Kollontai takes up lack of resources, all sorts of exper- iments were taking communal kitchens, workers to draw and were them into revolutionary struggle.

was not until 1929 with the Using the example of work led rise of Stalinist bureaucracy by Clara Zetkin in the Social Demo- the tide began decisively to turn for •cratic Party in Germany, Kollontai with the closing down of Genotdel which was now proclaim- ed 'unnecessary'. capitalism it had been Kollontai's strong In many Lourer struggle for the emancipation was organise women separately in clubs comoined nowever with a strong element of idealism which brought legislation her into repeated conflict with the women trom attiliating to political party leadership. movements and in many cases to

SOCIAL

However, apart from this tactic that wornen alguta part of working class had a specific social position within the class and partic- flowing from that position making it necessary to take which them such Issues work, insurance for child-birth and for children, educa- education equality which had hitherto been left to the feminists.

course today the emphasis has shifted somewhat but women In 1920 she joined with Shlyap- nikov and a number of lesser figures in the organisation ot a opposition" faction, demands for proletarian democracy for immediate trade control of industry It made capital out of the dis- proportionate weight intellectuals within the party called for a purge of non-workers Kollontai brought together main positions of this faction in a booklet: 'The Workers Opposition of March 1921. The demands of the Workers Opposition, which could have been discussed on their merits in an ideal situation, struck a sour and divisive at a critical juncture of the civil war in Russia. Lenin appealed for party unity Trotsky in Red' Square against the formation of factions at continue to be oppressed doubly as this point. and under the 10th and wolleress women. 'fractionalism'. Kollontai proposed the inaugur-

WORKERS OPPOSITION

these questions, commission In 1922 eleven former members of the Workers' Oppos- including Kollontai So it was that women workers others to make a similar appeal to set the Communist International over up in 1906 in the head of the Kussian Party. Iwo of the five ringleaders were expelled from the parl congress- Kollontai however this early period reprieved. She later compromised with the Menshevism She Stalinist emerging Bolsheviks, playing Ene an active LUlt Ministry need for for Foreign Affairs Soviet ambassador to Finland she In 1913 the Bolsheviks took this was complicit in the of the 1939-40 Russo-Finnish War.

She died in 1952. However, Kollontai's Women Worker' was work remains of publication as an indication of how we should the authorities intervene amongst women workers and link their Issues and resumed in up economic

PRESS

GANG

dincult post-capitalist were already Working 'Socialist Press' has stressed by the time and again that all and any committee interference by the courts in the labour movement must be rejected, for Women was decision has branches overtly that the Sam stop African

UPW

Jackson's role then in place: like his laundries, Grun wick - 1U10 launched class itrespective of that Appeal Courts "no man Gouriet John National the Association for should work in the nave were So when that turns out • the Mirror hid tiny headline inside most Tory Press sharo turn The Mail said: "Do we then have to bow down for ever meekly before a Consti- tutional convention that permits the General, for reasons which no judge may any longer dare to question, to scuttle cautiously when anv Lenin raises its fist and turn a blind eye when the law is broken? No we do not." Express under a headline 'Change This Bad Law' said: "workers' "There are any number of jargon on phrases -any lawyer can think them up-to conceal a decision not to enforce political convenienceo* the law reasons of So much for the rule of law. Not that it did not do its alloted job in and this case. Tom Jackson didn't have to be found guilty. He only had to the be threatened. Now bad news for those of you bracket You are estremely hard bracket. You are extremely That is what the Sunday Tele- found on to 'Kenilworth Park'-a page weepy entitled The Middle Class at great strain Bay • outlawed The poverty took all sorts of forms too terrible to mention here but was summed up by one man on this estate of genteel poverty.

"Look", , he said, "If you've had former three continental holidays a year, who wants two? And if you've had joined champagne for breakfast, who want white wine?" The top bosses are feeling the pinch as well. Exposed in the Daily Mail was the terrible piece of news eicventh that the bosses our top companies are getting only five and a half times as much as the average wage after tax bureaucracy, Just think for every pound say.

the a car worker takes home, the boss -as takes home a measly £5.50 If an average worker takes home preparations f45 a week then his boss has only a paltry £247.50 a week after tax to play with cannel As the Mail put it: "The "rich' have been soaked They, are now bone dry, cleaned and

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

EVANS STABS HOTEL

Page 10

STRIKERS

Moss Evans, General Secre-

TGWU

Elect of the tary week to intervened last prevent workers at a Birming industrial ham hotel taking action in support of recog- nition. Workers Birmingham's at agreed Imperial Hotel had already to take strike action and a blacking order had been sent out to brewery workers when the order came from London Transport House to "cool it" Midlands IGWU official Terry Austin who had made it clear that the order came from Moss Evans immediately tried to contact the of hotel workers to take action was asking to shop stewards given by Terry Austin. suspend action. He was reported by the Birming- Moss Evans' intervention has put Mail as saying that ham Evening a brake on struggle for union recog- his members "will become increas- nition at other Birmingham hotels.

recognition of ingv frustrated the longer it takes Moves the TGWU ress for i to to sort the problem out and I can at two other Birming- see this frustration boiling over the Centre Hotel ham hotels, into industrial action. Penns Hall Hotel, Sutton Coldfield Terry Austin is not noted for are also being delayed. Birmingham his militancy by workers.

WRANGLE

He was in charge of the strike at the Trust Houses Forte Night Out While the hotel worke restaurant/theatre when it first and the expected to sit wait months tive ago out the national officials of the TGWU and Night Out strikers voted no con- which union uMwu wrangie over fidence in him and he was replaced has prioric inthe coie indust he by Alan Law.

GMWU

TGWU is in breach of a national

LAW

agreement between the two unions is Since he removed the limited hotel industry by blacking he was organising on THF as a GMWU "sphere of regarded establishments in the Birmingham influence" area several months ago, Alan Law An indication of the readiness.

WORKERS

SOCIALIST LEAGUE

The Workers Socialist League is a Trotskyist organisation fighting to build a revolutionary leadership in the working class to lead the mounting 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 Culo. As workers take up the struggle against these policies they are weight of forces opposing them to contront forced by the sheer understanding of the role of the political questions. Only with an 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 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 has 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 can- struggles of the working class internationally, and the fight to recon- sir-cere Trotskyist Fourth International.

erere has been a consistent drive within the WSL to deepen Sc the movement's understanding of the history and the F'ese: C-sis of the Fourth International as an essential part of our . =• = Dwards its reconstruction.

Evans himself has done little to inspire confidence. Two weeks ago THF held a press conference announcing that ACAS had found that there was evidence that shop . to suggest McGuire (whose steward Pat started the dispute) was dismissed for her union activities.

ridiculous reply this Law's "we have never claimed was that that Mrs McGuire was sacked for her union activities. Why then does Law think Pat McGuire was sacked? Despite the fact that ACAS have proved to be liability, providing THF with propaganda to use against the strikers, Law is still working with them Last week ACAS had discussions with both the union and THF. But the Night Out strikers realise that then is by a black of THF through- only their strike out the Midlands region. Alan Law has so far been evasive as to whether he intends even to reimplement the limited blacking ot In a of a few months ago. recent press interview on the Night Mathers, the Brian dispute, Midlands Regional Secretary said of Law's leadership of the strike that, "Alan Law is particularly suited because of his position in the trans- port industry, to black deliveries.

Exactly! So if Mathers and Law are serious about winning the strike - what are they waiting for?

and Messages of support donations to the strike fund should Night Out Strike be sent to the Transpitte House, c/o Pat McGuire, Street, Broad Transport Birmingham.

BBOOKS

FOLROSE

All from WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.

LEON TROTSKY

THE TRANSITIONAL

PROGRAMME

of the Founding programme published Fourth International, with a glossary and introduction.

30p plus 10p p&p.

HOW WE FIGHT

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

First WSL Youth Pamphlet, show- ing link between unemployment

CLOSED SHOP

ROW GROWS

Print workers at Darlington were due shut down the to press at the Evening Dispatch' and 'Northern Echo', Darling- this Wednesday in ton, support of NUJ members. The print unions' support for the closed shop dispute came at a meeting of the Printing Industries Committee twelve days before and members of NGA, Natsopa and SLADE have all been told not to cross the picket line.

SUPPORT

The support though nine weeks late, is welcome. It has been hailed by the capitalist press with a wave of hate editorials. What is becoming clear is that shop, the demand for closed coupled with the NUJ motion to TUC that the scab group-the OJ-should be boycotted by all trade unionists, is fast becoming a test for all the print union leaders far beyond what they are willing to meet. Despite all protestations from employers union bureaucrats the the closed shop could see that threaten their ability to spread anti-working class propaganda at will.

SUNDAY TIMES

'FREE SPEECH

FRAUD

Print workers at the Sunday Times who demanded extra for extra work have money been treated to a nauseating display of solidarity between employer and their own the officials The print workers were told on Saturday that the size of the paper was being increased and refused to until they given work assurances that extra money would The chapel has been be paid. demanding a week's notice of the size of the paper.

REFUSED

About one third of the paper's run was lost after the management refused to give a guarantee of big money for a 68-page paper.

paper The NGA members-who work a 13-hour day the night of refused to work over- ProduCtIon

THE TOOLROOM STRIKE

AND THE FIGHT TO END

WAGE CONTROL

of Brings together analysis struggles against Phase 2 with a account of the Toolroom full the mass action that strike - brought down the Labour govern- ment and brought the Lib-Lab coalition to power. Also includes the programme of the Campaign for Democracy SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 August, 1977 The "freedom of the press" they defend so shrilly is their freedom to attack the working class.

Westminster Press-supported by a slush fund from other employers determined to sit out the the PIC-under strike, while

SOGAT

General Secretary Bill limit Keyes determined are support. The London office journalists of Westminster Press have been locked out since the first week of the strike because they refused to allow their work to be used at Darlington their Formal support for position has been passed by Fleet Street chapels but the moguls of the national papers are conspicuous the picket by their absence on line, often down to three

NUJ

members Printers are not being told to office black from London work throughout the black- and group ing is being hindered by the NGA head office. The NGA in the Kentish Times part of the group have shown the way forward by blacking London office copy there. All print workers must demand- full support for London office- throughout Westminster blacking Press. time to complete the run.

of the paper's The

LESOULSE

editor, Harold Evans, was to issue a vicious statement accusing the NGA "putting their own workers of narrow interests those free speech, truth and the thalido- mide families.' He protested that after five years campaigning for the article-which has become a symbol of the paper's virility - the Yorkers had sabotaged his efforts.

speech see fit inform the NGA why the number of pages had be reine ased.

paper years complied with bourgeois role of conceal the agreeing ic Distillers and drug manufacturers When at two days notice print workers raise the question of pay "five years of Evans says ment. effort are lost in a single night.

Immediately the NGA General Wade, and Natsopa General Secretary, Owen the Natsopa O'Brien went with Evans and that Commselale other freedom loving employer Larry Lamb of the Sun and News of the World. they listened to Unblinking Lamb describe his print workers as 'sheep' led by 'wreckers'. Not the slightest protest was raised.

Both union officials complained instead that their authority was undermined because Fleet Street negotiated bigger employers pay increases with their members after the officials had settled for 5%!

Wade complained bitterly that "doing deal: management had been behind the leaders back. How could the union leaders stop actions if the management "under- of the union". mines the authority Conctor this with the response of Victor machine managers who took the action: 'If members had known what Harold Evans was going to say about them today I feel they would have onne home at 30" clock on

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 August, 1977

NUT'S PASSIVE

ACTION MAN

In June the NUT in Oxford against edu- called a strike cation cuts. On June 21, NUT Action Com- leader Max multee the strikers that he announced to Shirley had sent telegram Williams calling on her to condemn of Oxford's the "irresponsibility Council for cutting £3% Tory million from its education budget.

Morris, in sending his telegram, offered Williams a fig-leaf to cover policies, which the her own or union bureaucracy finds so embart- assing. Williams' own particular "responsibility" has been Lib-Lab of the imposition coalition's policy of swingeing cuts in education spending-cuts which confining union action Morris, by to the Oxford area and emphasising the role of the Tory Council, were tacitly accepting. Williams has turned down But Morris' offer. Last week she announced that: "The Oxford authority is not in breach of any government policy on staffing standards." She added piously that sacking: "Is the last means of reducing education expenditure. but omitted that she had say given Oxford's Tories little choice.

LIMITED

Morris is calling a half day strike in Oxfordshire on September S and following it with some more limited action. But he cannot now deny that the strikes are against the Lib-Lab government. of course, is not the Oxford, hit by the cuts. But it is only town where the NUT is the only town

WEIR

SIT-IN

ENDED

the Weir The work-in at in South Maternity hospital London has been called off.

The steps, orthose at the footsteps those Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Hounslow hospitals, had been kept firmly under the control of NUPE full-time to officials-even une of NUPE threatening exLeILL withdraw their support if the Weir stewards

SUVUILIS

either CLASH, the organisation of NHS stewards in London, or of the

SWP

Hospital Worker become involved in the work-in.

Unlike the EGA, where the work demands for built on was workers' enquiry into the needs for the hospital. and into its true cost Weir work-in had the most the minimal programme. Consequently, when consul- tant claimed that the hospital was "not worth saving" because of its high rate of perinatal mortality, the workers became demoralised.

a trade Instead of demanding investigate this union enquiry claim, to find out why such deaths occurred, and to demand finance equipment to overcome any problems, the leadership accepted THe Cat NUPE officials quickly made use of the demoralisation to step in and without consulting the staff, ahan- doned the work-in. that was made was that the closed hospital will not be used as offices by the AHA!

Another work-in which has now started, at Plaistow, NUPE officials, will controlica ov certainly suffer a similar fate if a way found of placug tne work-in in the hands of the workers in the hospital and linking it to a programme of demands which will!

action. The issue is a leading any national, not a local issue.

will be The government token, half hearted (let shaken by alone half-day) action. nationally must Teachers demand all Oxfordshire teachers be called to indefinite strike action,

NUT

levy of with members in their support.

whole And necessary the must be forced into strike demanding the government for finance duct udie education nationally and guarantee it against inflation. If the Oxford cuts are defeated, cuts can aiso be dereated eisewnere same time the Council At the cannot be bypassed.

FUND

The NUT based its initial cam- paign on a demand that the Council million contingency spend lfs 26 fund to save teachers' jobs.

to have Calmed fund to cover inflation spent the and the NUT obligingly destroyed all its leaflets which mentioned the fund! All sections of the labour move- ment must take up the resolution, passed by the Oxford District NUT for a committee of delegates from union branches, trades councils and PTA's to investigate the accounts of the Council and report on: *The financial needs of Oxford- shire Social Services. *The ability or inability of the Council to cover this need *The finance which central government will have to provide to cover any shortfall.

NHS

IN

CRISIS

STOP CLOSURES!

Several more hospitals in South East London have been by the Lib-Lab threatened government's savage attack on the NHS. Tuesday its meeting on 12 July, the Greenwich and Bexley Area Health Authority decided to are the Coles Be learn Mottingham hospitals. hospital St. Nicholas scheduled for closure, except for out-patients and 9 to S casualties.

Since {reenw 1ch Health Council has Community voiced opposition to the closures goes to Secretary of State for Health and Social Services David Ennals for appeal. and About 100 workers the British Home supporters tron and Babies and the 101 Memorial Hospital lobbied the AHA meeting to protest. They patronised and were insulted by ex-left GLC councilor Fred Styles, the incoming chairman of the AHA. And finally the AHA called in "persuade" the police to workers to clear out.

I INDUSTRIAL NEWS

DESOUTTERS

NATIONAL BLACKING NOW!

outside the slogans The The tools made by Desoutter are also in use by aircraft engineers gates of Desoutters engineer- at Heathrow and in ing works on the Edgware Rd.

other factories. Kingsbury in London have an All new equipment and replace- them — ominous ring to be blacked. ment Grun- "Desoutters-another

VICIOUS

wick" _"Act now not 1978" Instead of seeing these demands For the 100 or so workers now the strikers have in the 13th week of their strike for put into been forced to watch 100 members union recognition the slogans are a starved back to work and a vicious recognition of the task they have to physical attack on their the layers of accomplish within convenors. their own union. Despite this the determination Despite official backing, despite of the strikers is undiminished and a few reassuring words from Hugh Tuesday's lobby demonstrates their Scanlon, and despite some readiness to take the fight back to undoubted successes by the strikers the union bureaucrats. imposing limited blacking, the It is clear to all the strikers that

AUEW

shown itself totally has the union has the ability to win the produce the action unwilling to dispute at will needed to bring a quick end to the The AUEW convenor, the only dispute. striker so far sacked, told Socialist

LOBBY

"We calling for national are demand-as at Grunwick The of but the blacking Night

SUCSOULLCI.

and as in the Birmingham executive council has not endorsed against Trust Houses strike Out the blacking. Forte, is simple and straightforward We've written a letter district committee urging the exec.

To this end strikers and support- effect council this into put

AUEW

ers took a lobby Tuesday to cemand

VICTIM

action. demand made by the The for blacking of new engineers-themselves strikers

AUEW

the the equipment being sent from recently victim firms-including -meet this factory to the car bureaucracy week Leyland British -and discuss blacking Desoutters.

Heathrow Airport and the docks to far the AUEW have refused So abroad. to lift a finger to help.

day district the that the Un Bill McLoughlin solictaly. strikers supposed to give the letter which they could take round asking for blacking in the factories name of the district committee, he "too busy told them he was write it! have been previous attempts to the firm, all unsuccesstul. But the union this drive for the rent to a time quickly attracted 235 workers, Asian workers in including many the firm

VOTE

A unanimous vote to strike came after lengthy negotiations proved Desoutter managements was 1081 refusing to reach a settlement.

strike The made

AURA

official but limited dispute pay to £9 a week Despite constant requests they refused to increase this to cover hardship cases. Many of the workers crossing the picket line at the firm stop and explain in a shamefaced way that they could no longer afford to stay out

FORCED

hospital workers and residents of flocked to Tham esmead estate Waterfield Secondary The union had in effect forced School in defence of St. Nicholas' them back to work. Khan Shop steward Sultan hospital. Bangash, told Socialist Press: The meeting decided to organise "We District Com- told the a rally at Lesness Abbey on Sunday mittee you can't live on f9 a week August, means of gaining as public support. That vital. But support Nicholas workers at St. should have no faith in Ennals to reprieve them, at a time when the launched government had to destroy the Health Put alle Service by financial strangulation.

They, and workers at the other hospitals threatened with the axe, should begin at once to formulate plans for occupation to stay open and campaign for support in local labour movement, particularly through the trades councils.

branches all these in hospitals should affiliate to CLASH London of Area Committed

LILE

Stewards in the Health Service, as capable giving an instrument direction fight political LO against the cuts. Any shop steward in the NHS who would like further information

CLASH

should

WILLE

Colin Kenny.

CLASH

Sec ctary. Mary Department of Virology. Page 11 were doing and they said they everything they could do.

Last week we took out three inside people from factory. We know others are ready come out, but they you can't live on £9 a week. The management have agreed to refused recognition back convenor, Fred take the Hopper. After four weeks of the strike him letter company the sell alleging saying he assault on a driver.

ALLEGATIONS

Hoppe: Pickets that say as the driver's placed his arm

NOTE

"Just wha: shoulder the scab said, wanted". appeared with sticking plaster and false allegations of an attack that management, fearful they cannot do a George Ward and altogether bar the

UTION

banking on allowing it in only if it already broken through sacking of the convenor. been In fact, the attacks i have on Hopper, not by him Ten days ago he went with the convenor to collect deputy money for the union funds.

Whilt in the Surrey Arms, near the scabs confronted them and factory began throwing punches On leaving the pub the two were again attacked. Hopper said: the ground knocked was and kicked repeatedly by three four people A bus stopped and a West Indian driver jumped out and drove them off." Hopper agat- Last week Was threatened in full view of police by one of the same four scabs whi PHOTO. Alvis Davice Report Scanlor he was crossing the picket.

The police-who had tol. Hopper he would have to take out for assault private summons looked the other way All supporters of the Desoutte strikers should ensure that a maintained picket is enough defend these workers. The strikers and extremely shor of money. Cash or cheques shoul be sent to the treasurer of th Bat, Kingsome Maron! committee Mount, 27, Springfield London NW9. Desoritter

DESOUTTERS

ANOTHER

GAUNWICK

Not

Page 12 LABOUR MPs

BACK DIRTY

BUSINESS

"Parliamentary The privil- letting eges" of Reginald Maudling and Albert Roberts were when he preserved intact last week, not spokesman, so much by the business lobby more of the Tories as by the massed ranks of Labour MPs. All but 11 MPs voted against pulsion, and only a total of MPs prenared to WeTe ever countenance months suspen- At sion-a motion proposed by George MP Strauss-the wealthiest the Labour Party has ever returned.

£25,000. The majority of those reputedly 50 MP's who call themselves 'lefts' quite happy two men Here who had accepted money from a mass briber and spoken on behalf of close his cause. should continue in the House of Commons. corruption,

LEFT TALKER

entitled members". Indeed it was appropriate that at the forefront of those urging MPs *agree Select Com- avoid mittee report, and attempting to expel or suspend guilty one-time was #nei Foot, "leit" talker Michael now Was Callaghan's right-hand man.

strikers He argued that Maudling and "suffered Roberts had already sufficient penalty" this Foot was backed up former strongly by Lorv Prime Minister Heath who the sang pass of Maudling, proclaiming him-in Tory terms-"an honour- Shortly able who should be man supported.' that the resignation of Tory MP Cordle-who had actually gone to to he lengths of pointing out Poulson the amount of Parlia- mentary soceches he had made on behalf-was the ritual blood 60th Anniversary of the To Russian Revolution intention of To commemorate the 60th of the Russian Anniversary Revolution the Workers Socialist League has produced in a limited edition of 500, a five colour silk that print of a recruitment ooster for the Red Cavalry.

individually This poster is available from local branches of the Workers Socialist League, price £1 or from WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR price £1 plus 25p p & p. against them. Even in All proceeds to the Socialist Press Special Fund for the weekly blacking. caper.

SOCIALIST

PRESS

PAPER OF THE WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

BRITAIN

EUROPE

6 isues.. .. £1 ó ver . . 12 inves .42 12 issues. 24 incoes. •£4 •Te leges I woul like to take out a subscription to Socialist Press. I would like

NAME...

ADDRESS.

Send to: Socialist Press PHOTO: Chris Davies, (Report) Maudling that let and Roberts off the hook. Reginald Maudling; at time Tory front bench Was of spoke British Malta aid for nine « times during one year in 1967 when Poulson was hoping for contracts from Malta to build a hospital and Labour MP

COLLOSAL

£11,000 over received Maudling the same time Poulson and from and his wife and son were entitled a new house. towards to receive from Poulson more than find he did not Maudling himself mant to Poulson when he niel- described the cost of his family to Poulson Poulson as 'collosal'. Ministers and officials on behalf of The Select Committee of MPs set up to inquire into the activities committee...does of MPs around the Poulson affair corruption. came up with the astonishing con- Maudling's Case itself that this is not "inconsistent merely strated the way in with the standards which the House to expect trom its capitalism support working class.

GRUNWICK-FROM FRONT PAGE

TUC demonstration. postponed the for This time, however, Grantham several hours unsuccessful. His response postmens" verdict the precaution meeting of for Friday afternoon. ment of the strikers' money until With the UPW their meeting had ended. meeting fixed for the morning of the same day, Although now the aim of the bureaucracy was even more the postal opposing the officials the vote for break workers at their morning meeting calling off the only carried by 35-24. and thus weaken the resistance to to Grantham later in the day.

UPW

before the Jack Dromey, Council Secretary and an influen- meeting began. it was announced Court of had tial force in the dispute, who was Appeal congratulated overturned the High Court ruling by which supported the ACAS report saying that August 8 was not a recommending union recognition, principle and that unity was more and had ruled in favour of Grun- important than wick's management. certainly a factor in the vote being

ATTACK

break the Cricklewood ship over the last week means that Stagg had no the struggle has now been taken workers' resistance. subtle to a new level. relying on arguments. On behalf of the UPW The official union proved itself has executive he launched the most savage attack yet on their action.

successfully carrying through and defending even the most elemen- Saying that he was not using threats, he nevertheless told them tary struggle of all the right to unless they began normal Organise dr lake don m trade by Sunday night and unions-even signed favourable possible conditions.

a statement that the blacked mai would be handled, their lock out pay would set themselves the task of derail- be withdrawn, their pension rights ing the dispute and other benefits jeopardised and setback of the Post Office management given on the working class as a whole Under these a blank cheque for further action crucial all the face of this the branches and organisations (repor- vote was 51-48 to call off the tedly over 70) that have declared support for the call for the August 8 mass picket press ahead with Meanwhile Grantham had * £1.15 . £2.30 .£4.60 • issues, l enclose i.....

Albert Roberts MPs were unable to act because the whole four years House of Commons i £4,000 costs riddled with business connections Naturally and unspoken deals. Labour Party it necessary 10 Roberts is expelled demand that when lobbied from the Labour Party and replaced and that all MPs rid themselves of Poulson. This too-according to the business interests not amount #**** The Ryder £49,500 gift reported in Socialist Press No. 65 was even the spectacular but Roberts has demon- more sinister than reported. It was which entered in the Reed Internationa Canadian MPs literally as well as figuratively group's subsidiary against the "political contribution" their plans. strikers meeting Already

TGWU

await the and had taken Grunwick union's Regional of delaying pay- to ment Committee which TGWU call for a mass picket on faced August 8, condemns the action of an wIth difficult the APEX task ofticials,

TGWU

fight the picket blacking of Grunwick. mass Leit talking miners' And the ambiguous attitude of Arthur Scargill who Brent Trades thousands of miners for the ful 11 mass picket, must now declare publiciy his intention to procede on August 8 and (rantham fol intimidation of the strikers. The demands dates. was must be: *No documents ta The sharp struggle for leader- by UPW members. *Reimpose full postal blacking.

leadership of incapable under the most Instead these bureaucrats have and inflicting a national proportions conditions it is those union

SPECIAL FUND

At last we have passed the half way mark in the £3,000 Special Fund. With nine weeks to go we have now received a total of £1,560.08, of which £236.87 has arrived since the last issue of 'Socialist Press'.

Among the latest donations are ES £10; Oxford £21.81; Hull £2; Birmingham E19; Newcastle £20; South London £25; Winsford £10; Coventry £10; CC £2; SM £4; Liverpool £20.05; Leeds f33; VG, Hackney, £2; Summer School collection £58.08.

With the end of Phase 2 of the Social Contract and whole sections of workers preparing to fight for substantial pay increases there are clearly big class battles looming. In this situation, the fight against the union importance. If we are to be in a position to take up that struggle and pose before sections of workers in struggle a activities have been organised, one of which is advertised elsewhere on this page. But readers are still urged to programme to defend living standards against the attacks of the Liberal-Labour coalition government a weekly paper is essential. It will mark a qualitative development for the Workers Socialist League and our ability to intervene in the class struggle.

Central to the fight for the weekly is the raising of the £3,000 fund. At the summer school a number of pledges were made which we hope to report on as they are paid. At the same time a number of fund raising send in evary penny they can afford to help us raise the necessary finance to successfully transform Socialist Press' into a weekly paper in October. There is no time to lose. Send a donation today to: Socialist Press Special Fund SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 3 August, 1977

WAGES-FROM PAGE 1.

second of Social stage Ine Contract." Boyd is in fact doing precisely the opposite. of conference Also in breach policy is the

TGWU

leadership, which has circularised officials calling on them to honour the TUC's 12-month rule-designed to Phase artificially prolong beyond i senerati date The

TUC

General meeting last week clarified exactly the policy the wage cutting bureaucrats have in mind when by 23 votes against 4 it endorsed a call on all negotiators not to try to make up ground lost since 1974 in forthcoming pay claims.

INFLATION

And Prime Minister Callaghan knowing full well that regardless of coming wage claims, the flood gates of a new spate of inflation are already creaking open with brusque announced arrogance this weekend: "It use us trying recover what we [!] lost-and the Government deliberately arranged Foot this loss-in the last 12 months and But while their political trade union leaders sharpen their knives and prepare to hold them back, the working class is showing members must clearly l rejects l taconas.

line A torrent of wage claims aimed for two wasted at making up years is now building up: Chrysler workers are seeking around €18 claiming 20% are

LOCKER

minimum, £100 per week in some Jaguar Triumph areas; and workers in Coventry are demand ing £20 increase; Lucas Aerospace as c workers have claims for 30%; Yarrows shipyards Glasgow a mass meeting of 5,000 voted with only 3 against for a 30% rise across the board and e 35-hour week. cases these demands many strikers bare required are the minimum to repair the damage done over state. There is a real the last two years. demands danger that "left" talking bureau- crats can attenot to detuse the wages by drawing up feeling on "responsible" claims far short of and calls on full and in the for required, the ileure. of talks drop to fit inside course leader Healey's 10% figure mobilised

DEFEAT

To win any demand above the 10% union officials will have to be fought and defeated. denounce the And in the of these Grunwick • course struggles workers must ensure that win they are protected August the rises inflation against Case ensuring automatic rises to keep be signed pace with the cost of living as elected trade union assessed by committees including housewives.