Socialist Press no. 70

LEYLAND

STRIKE

COULD FELL

CALLAGHAN

9,000 workers at British sanctions Leyland's five truck and bus factories in Lancashire have rejected a company pay offer of 7.6% and, as we go to press, are entering their second week of strike action 1S demanding a €15 increase ment potentially and a 35-hour week. This major strike, paralysıng support one of the most profitable sectors of Leyland, marks the emergence of mass struggles fight in tne against pay policy. It is coincidence that it another comes at the same time as 3,000 skilled workers at Vauxhall plants Luton and. Dunstable have Instead voted to give the company seven employers days' notice of strike action unless it improves on its 8½% pay offer- -while which has also been rejected by tivity other manual unions. further

SHOP FLOOR FEELING

These moves-about which the Tory press is consciously silent are only the clearest cases of the shop floor feeling on wages which has already produced indications that the government's arbitrary 10% pay ceiling is breaking up.

Most notorious of these signs nas been the unsuccesstul govern- ment attempt to force the Belfast firm of J. Mackie to withdraw a 22% wage increase already in the pay paukets of 4,000 (largely Loyalist) workers. The government attempt to bludgeon this employer into direc- tly cutting wages-amounting to a last ditch effort to impose a Phase 3-even brought embarassed opposition from arch wage-cutter Jack Jones. It adds to the growing list of firms under threat of government

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

1091 for paying increases above Healey's limit-yet so far no employer has felt strong enough to attempt to reverse an agree- the 10% figure are union officials who see it Meanwhile the CBI, while of regain and defend members living course in favour of wage cutting, standards, but clearly disturbed by reactionary life of the Callaghan-

COYCLIL"

measures which could Steel coalition government.

bankrupt Certai employers, and has had to declare large sections of for individual firms through the "unjustly" penalised. Liberals could be forced to with- from

ABANDONED

draw the , would inevitably precipitate a In fact Healey's original call for huge government crisis. What year increases bigger than last year's 5% figure crats is not so much the possible already been abandoned. return of (they lived happily with Heath for are frantically now Tour years) but the prospect of a trying to hold settlements to 10% sharpened fight for new leadership "self-financing produc- deals", which can only boost unemployment, have been devised as an escape clause for anguished employers.

The main weapons in enforcing Between and the end will be illegal for any organ- isation to exercise its elemen- Chris Davipe Renort tary democratic right to hold mass meetings and marches within the Greater Manches- ter district of Tameside.

a grave threat to the labour move- ment. directed principaly forces who have shown that they are not going to allow fascists to parade freely whenever they will.

Healey is opposed to state bans on any CB in the labour movement as their job This is why they every device divert - LO prolong the from pay strikes. Instead they are attempting to negotiate ting productivity deals. These bureaucrats know that if workers break

WEAKNESSES

10% limit, This same attitude is reflected layers This convenors coannon. 10 11 stewards. David Hewett, for

AUEW

worries union bureau- convenor leading Leyland strike has shown weak- Tory government messes on unis score, that the Lancashire factories: ... have become a low wage, low productivity set-up

NO VICTORY IN TAMESIDE

political marches and meetings.

September 21 While of October it

CCHELISES

Socialist Workers Party "victory their march" brate the ban we say very clearly: This ban is a victory for: *the police, who have guaranteed the NF's safety: *the Labour Party leadership which has consistently refused to This important precedent poses do about the ' anytning fascist menace (and indeed has concentrated its fire on those who Make no mistake, the ban is have confronted those physically); *the fascists, who will use the ban to campaign for 'democratic rights. The Workers Socialist League It is not a victorv for the working class but confusion on

FORTNIGHTLY PAPER OF THE

WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

No 70 * 28 September 1977 * 10p

TUC

workers have become apathetic and uncooperative." are using workers Instead of making this kind of statement, Hewett should be seek- job-cut- ing every avenue to spread the strike. The Leyland stewards should call a meeting of delegates other local shop stewards

STORE

committees, union branches and other labour movement bodies and with the aim of spreading the strike in the area. instance, This would lay the basis for the local council of action capable of action independent of the trade complaining union bureaucracy. They call on other Cont'd P.11 Col 4 the SO this question is rampant on the of the left. prepare Socialist Worker No 546(24.9 to cele- 77) does not even see fit to mention that the ban applies tor themselves and other working could not class organisations as well as to the fascists. And the confused front page lead in the International Marxist growing Group's paper Socialist Challenge No. 15 says this: 'We reject the ban on the anti- fascists with the

LASCISES

contempt deserves The fact that the fascists are not being allowed to soil the streets of Tameside is a victory for all those who argue for Continued Back Page Col. 5

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

MILLION-STRONG MARCH IN SPAIN

Page 2

NTE DE LUCHA CON

PLAN REACC/ONAR

The Colombian Teachers Union (FECODE).

The one-day general strike in Colombia on September 14 the marks a new stage in of Colombian the upsurge working class and of it the right confrontation with wing government of President Lopez Michelsen. During the course of the strike, which reportedly paralysed the forces the security major Cles. launched a massive wave of repres- bUll. In the capital Bogota alone 18 people were killed by the police and 4,000 arrested, manv of them bull-ring the which placed became a temporary prison camp grimly reminiscent of the football stadium in Santiago, Chile.

Colombian The government claims to be one of a tiny handful South the American political rule of military dictatorships. It is true that both the parlia- ment and the President are elected after a fashion. But the nature of Lopez Michelsen's rule, since his election as a 'reforming' candidate in 1974, elections has shown how are no guarantee of the most elementary democratic freedoms.

PRETEXT

For most of that period, using the terrorist activities of some Guevarist Maoist and guerilla groups as a pretext, the government has ruled with emergency powers.

It is the organised working class and the peasant movement which of these nate

DECHE

vicus

DUYVIS.

Strike leaders and militants have dismissed from jobs and been arrested and in a number of cases, tortured and killed. Under the emergency powers the strike standard approach threat in recent months has been for the army to occupy the plant, as has been done recently in oil installations and cement factories.

In the universities, especially in occupations have Bogota, these taken the form of full-scale army invasions. For most of the last two closed many of its militant student leaders imprisoned.

Colombia's vaunted 'democratic system'. The mass of the working class and peasantry showed their contempt for it last when in the municipal year elections only 25% of those eligible bothered even to put their name on the voters roll.

BOURGEOIS PARTIES

Colombia Electoral politics in the for been almost …long exclusive preserve of two bourgeois parties-the Liberal Conser- vative parties. traditional from the Aside repression of political opposition, the norties have also tried to main-

USO

CON

FECODE

GON

TRAS CI-ESTATUTO DOCENTE/STA.

NEW STRUGGLES ERUPT

and strikes, workers *yellow' trade unions. the bank the health service A large section of the working workers class is still organised in two 'trade doctors last year including were involved in a two-month long federations, the Union of strike against government plans to Workers of Colombia (UTC) and the Confederation of Workers of restrict their trade union rights.

Colombia (CTC), which are part of demands the general the Conservative and Liberal parties strike-for large wage increases and respectively. automatic the last few years the cos ol bvtg compen'

DUL LOT

rejected contemp- sation-were Colombian working class has been tuously by the government.

rapidly building independent with the brutal This, along unions; partly the Communist Party will only reinforce the repression, dominated Syndical Confederation combativeness of the workers, and Workers of Colombia CSTC), of a repeat of the general strike for a and more importantly, in

WHOIS

already being longer period individual sectors such as the widely proposed. industry (Workers Syndical Union, The determination of Colombian

USO).

workers to fight is very clear. But These have also emerged among of the workers the white collar workers like the wenkness significant. Such movement the Colombian LeaCHek waele include the continued weaknesses Teachers* Federation

(FECODE)

existence of the fake 'trade unions' of has organised long SeneS

CURTINAJES

Bourgeois leaders, reformists and Stalinists at the head of the giant march The Diada, the traditional the left wing workers and national day of Catalonia on parties in Catalonia from 1937 to September 11 was celebrated 1939. second most important demonstrations by huge politician (after Luis bourgeois throughout the Catalan region this Companys) Inl

COWLI CYOI"

culminating in a march of well alliance was called Josep utionary Tarradellas. Since Companys' death million through over one been the 1940 Taradellas has Barcelona-one of the biggest leader of the self-styled Generalitat in demonstrations ever seen in exle Europe. This old and discredited man is now once again being used by the leaves The demonstration no forces of counter-revolution doubt about the massive popular Spain. support in Catalonia for an end to He has done a deal with the repression systematic Francoist regime of Adolfo Suarez rights which been has which would permit a re-establish- with the Francoist associated ment of the Generalitat of which dictatorship. president at larradellas would be gained limited Catalonia its of of bourgeois statute of autonomy in 1932 after the head a list the ministers (already leaked an overwhelming popular vote for a referendum. The autonomy in press). Suarez' plan to implement this Stalinist and bourgeois allance in deal before September 11 proved Generalitat (the name of the the because of the im possible oppos- autonomous executive) played an role in the political and ition of the Socialist Party and w DOl Ldlll Fight for union in St Louis An open attempt to break the Steelworkers' Union local has developed in the strike of 1,500 trade unionists at the Hussman Plant in Bridgeton near St. Louis, USA Workers at the Hussman Plant, (a division of Pet Inc., which makes refrigeration equipment) have been on strike since May 1. Local 13889 Steelworkers struck over the callous refusal of Hussman to satisfy its demands of improved wages, health and welfare benefits. Workers told Labor News (paper of the US Socialist League) that the company was also trying to double up on manning levels and cucc umon reoresenaon Shortly after Hussman began to hire non-union scab workers, the company got a restraining order

IN COLUMBIA

the of authoritative absence trade union federation partly due to the opportunist manoeuvres of the Communist Party in the SCTC and the absence of a mass revol- the palt! Iepiesenis independnece of the working class and based, therefore, on the Trans- itional Programme. parties on the left The largest remain the CP and the Independent Workers Revolutionary Movement be

(MOIR)

which will both popular frontist standing separate the candidates Presidential elections next year. of Socialist In a future issue Press we shall be analysing these what they campaigns and mean for the wörking class. parliament elected on June 15 the deal

••SILIUI.

based any shred of Warner fact principle but simply the that they opportunisticatly wanted their share of power which ally Suarez was willing to devolve.

These manoeuvres between the Francoists in Madrid, the Catalan bourgeoisie and the reformists and Stalinists are all designed to prevent by exercise JEH aSC Catalonia of any right to self-deter- mination.

'AUTONOMY' FRAUD

Even more than in 1932, Catalan it comes (as it when "autonomy probably will within a very short time) will be a fraud. of will answer none Ine Catalan working problems of the will be instrument an Class. designed combat its demands more ellicently. Revolutionaries in this situation farooer tha MAmActatio SOCIALIST PRESS, #ednesday 28 September 1У i i

REPRINTED FROM

'LABOR NEWS'

against mass picketing and called in Bridgeton police and trained riot squads. August 1 three hundred On pickets were attacked in what one local labor has called "police riot" Å hundred pickets were arrested Stone and David Ramsey Janen were later given jail sentences by a temporary judge for Wolacs against coming Iestraining order within one vard Hussman's gates. Ramsey was singled out by the prosecutor in a red-baiting attack.

Ramsey is a militant auto worker at the Chrysler plant and an organ- National Workers iser for the associated Organisation _a group with the Maoist Revolutionary Coms an tesult of his absence to As a result Ramsey has been attend his trial, framed-up, victimised and fired by Chrysler management, which hopes and connection prevent solidarity between the militant and Hussman Chrysier workers strikers. St. Louis Labor The Greater Council has condemned the August 1 police riot and Hussman's union "an busting as outrage every- thing decent" The Labor Council has also endorsed a boycott against Pet Inc (the parent company) which owns 905 liquor stores and a chain restaurants. But boycotts, statements and stockholders demonstration: not The meetings are enougn. call a mass Counci labor picket movenen! Hussman's. And it must call for the removal of police riot squads and the judge's restraining orders But to do this would mean a Democratic oreak

LOTE

control the police politicians who and judges Independent Labor candidates must run the next 1n

COCA

elections. Labor must also call for massive public works to dry up the 'unemployed who can be pool of used as scabs. armed LEBANON-Israel's attacks over the last two weeks on Palestinians in Southern Lebanon is a new example of the ultra-aggress.

ive line of the new Israeli govern ment. But it is also clear that Israel has continued since the end of the civil war to give direct aid to the fascist near-fascist Lebanese and The Phalangist „Torces aggression may be one of the results of the "secret" meeting two weeks Foreign Minister between 220 Dayan and an Arab leader (possibly King Hussein). demand for self-determination but must reject all compromise with nationalism by fighting at the same democratic and time transitional demands for the whole Spanish state Among these the demand for the repressive dissolution Francoist and the apparatus creation of workers se telendt organisations is of extreme impor- September tance, also cno tea While organisers of the the congratulating march 4t eTe themselves on its total success and peaceful nature, ine armed • OnCi occupied large sectors of the centre of Barcelona. While they did not attack the main body of the demonstration, fired at on its edges they

CT0OI

300 injuring about and SlIdios. killing at least one who had - nIs a rubber brains DIOWIl

OUE

bullet.

VICTIMS OF MOSCOW'S

CYNICAL DIPLOMACY

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 28 September 1977 The forced incorporation of Eritrea into Ethiopia, which the Soviet Union opposed in the United Nations after the accepted by war, was never the Eritrean masses. National liberation organisations were set up and in the days of Haile got mora despolish! Castro from Moscow support and even some material support from Cuba where Eritrean guerilla some fighters were trained. imperialist- As long In C backed Emperor hung on to power the position of the Stalinist clear-strong was bureaucracy support for the Somalian junta and Eritrean help national to

LOKCI

liberation. But in 1974 Haile Sclassie along with his feudal aristocracy was overthrown. At the beginning of 1974 the tensions decades exploded throughout Ethiopia. Workers, peasants and students staged hundreds of demonstrations.

strikes and actions orner brought the autocracy to its knees.

SUPPORT

Selassie months Haile hor manoeuvred to find some basis of political support but found none.

As power seemed to be passing altogether out of the hands of the bourgeoisie a aristocracy and the group of military officers known as Military Coordinating INe Committee the Mouthing "revolutionary" words

MCC

imposed ruthlessly its the not against the power collapsing teudal aristocracy but the independent also against mobilisations of workers, peasants and students. 1974 Haile In September Selassic was formally deposed and the

MCC

formed provisional government which was Toilitary known as the Derg (meaning Armed Committee). Forces (oordinating The declared itself Derg soon "socialism" What "socialist" seemed to mean was a land reforn, nationalisations SOIlIC of ot some areas capitalism including tor the imperialist investments trom countries. involved the ruthless supression of parties and organisations, attempts to prevent au strikes, tne total suppression oi the trade union movement and so on-not unlike the policies of other "socialist" military dictatorships like those of Libya, Algeria, Peru and even Somalia. But the Went Derg in repressive actions of the some ways went even further than suBorn the ""left" Both the tone and the ot the regime

TETTESVE DELALV

intensified after Colonel Mengistu nterally snot nis way lo power in a meeting of the Derg in February of this year. The instability within the junta released new round of mass led by left wing mobilsations forces the Ethiopian as SuCh Popular Revolutionary Party.

All these were put down with almost genocidal fury by the government.

MURDERED

Many thousands were murdered the first months of 1977. The regime faci raised money selling the bodies of the massacre their victims tamilles

BACK

£100 a time. If the relatives would not buy them the bodies were thrown to the nyenas. In the last tew weeks Meneistu is reported to have ruthlessly sup- pressed the petty-bourgeois Maoist which until recently Meison group supported the Derg. Mengistu announced week Lasi the establishment of a single legal the Ethiopian parly, Workers Party. This, 1s the regime chosen by the Soviet Union as its new close ally in the Horn of Africa.

The Soviet bureaucracy's plan to shift its nas never been sumply Somalia allegiance from Ethiopia. Its 'aim is to reconcile these differences and the become dominant force in the whole area.

CONCEDE

What it has argued for is that Ethiopia should concede territory Ogaden to Somalia and that some form of autonomy should be Eritrea which would live happily ever everyone after under Soviet tutelage.

But the Kremlin bureaucracy's attempts at compromise have so far failed because it is dealing not with obedient but with servants opportunists such as the Derg and the Somalian junta who have their particular contlicting interests. It is also dealing with the masses' demand for national independence in fritrea which they will not tone the

LOWE

USL

occause

SULLS

Soviet bureaucrats. Of course, it is still possible that pressure the split national under liberation movement will be forced into a compromise with the Derg.

Both the main liberation move- ments, Eritrean The Front

(ELF)

Eritrean and the Popular Liberation Front (EPLF) have been involved in bitter battles with each other in the past, though recently they have mover costr tactical together at least questions of the fight against the and its recently army mobilised popular militia.

CONSISTENT

The EPLF has a much more "left' imagu than the ELF but the strategies two political consistent with cach other since the EPLF does not in its immediate beyond the go "'national democratic revolution"

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

material aid from of a varieti sources including imperialist and right wing Arab governments The EPLF however, has tried to create political organ- isations further to the left.

For instance at the congress of the EPLF a few months ago, there were delegations from the People's Republic of Yemen, from Gadaffi in Libya, from the Popular Front and the Democratic Front from the People's Front Palestine, Liberation of Oman, the for the People's Revolutionary Ethropian the Italian Communist Party and Party.

UNRELIABLE

The problem with these friends has been that either they are not materially powerful or not reliable or sometimes, neither. Gadaffi, for instance, who is in a position to aid the Eritrean liber- ation struggle, has now sent help to Mengistu-though not too much hard for him as

SULE

fundamentalist Moslem to justify aiding a predominantly Christian Moslem country against one. The opportunism and treachery of Stalinism and its world allies in supporting the Derg, therefore, is creating a new opening for imper- reactionary and the

LLOSE

governments in the whole area. It is well known that in the last months Moscow have found themselves not, Stalinists or they Soviet ica in tea Horn of Pax Sovietica in Africa but, instead, taking sides with the increasingly war-torn Derg.

And unless there is a verv sharp change of fortunes the Derg faces defeat on at least two fronts.

does deny that the not Somalia-backed West Somali Liber- ation Front (WLF) now controls 80% of the of the eastern area including Ogaden; only provinces three towns remain in Ethiopian hands and they have all recently been the scenes of major battles.

•WSLF

In the last week the claims to have captured Jijiga. Also tail link Ethiopia's only with the sea through Djibouti has been cut for several months. And in Eritrea the liberation forces control the majority of the country and have for months been at the gates, or even inside the gates of its capital Asmara. Inside Ethiopia itself the Derg is under attack both from the right- wing Ethiopian Démocratic Union, which alliance represents ¿ll deposed feudal capitalist and and the popular interests, trom forces (the working class, peasantry and students) who are partly organ- ised in parties such as the "Marxist- Ethiopian People's Revol- Leninist' utionary Party.

STALINIST

Like the Popular Liberation Front in Eritrea this party adopts a rigid Stalinist two-stage (democratic followed by socialist) concept of the revolution. Trotskyists must fight every- where in the labour movement for principled support to the mass opposition to the Ethiopian Derg's bloody and repressive policies and material solidarity with

TOT

national liberation struggle Eritrea. And the increasing desperation of the threatened Derg shows the the building of need tor revolutionary Trotskyist parties in Ethiopia Eritrea, and Somalia which can give leadership to the struggles and fight against political "progressive" lallsts or will lake forces like the Somali junta or the Derg. Page 3 Eritreans Fight Cuban Backed Government Forces Brezhnei

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 cuts. As workers take up the struggle against these policies they are forced by the sheer weight of forces opposing them to confront political questions. Only with an understanding of the role of the labour bureaucracy and a programme to unite the broadest sections of workers in struggle can a way forward be found.

The Workers Socialist League is the only movement that sets out to do this, fighting consistently in the working ciass for transitional derands, which go beyond simply trade union militancy to raise the political questions to workers and prepare the forms of organis.

ation and the knowledge necessary for the struggle for socialism.

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

We have done more than any other tendency to fight the introduction of 'workers' participation' in industry.

And we have strongly supp orted the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement, which 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 con- fined to Britain. It requires an attention and involvement in the struggles of the working class internationally, and the fight to recon.

struct the Trotskyist Fourth International So there has been a consistent drive within the WSL to deepen and enrich the movement's understanding of the history and the present crisis of the Fourth International as an essential part of our initiative towards its reconstruction.

We urge all readers who agree on the need for revolutionary lead.

ership and the demands we put forward to find out more about the WSL and join our fight in the Labour movement.

THE FREE SHOW FEW

Page 4

WORKERS

WILL SEE

1977 marks the 400th anni- of the birth of the versary greatest Flemish artist of the Peter Paul Baroque era, Rubens. "Rubens Year" As part of the celebrations the British Museum has impressive and mounted an surprisingly accessible exhibition of more than 200 of his drawings and sketches, certainly the largest ever displayed in this of its kind country. Admission is free and the show runs till 30th October.

For a number of reasons though, it's unlikely that this event will draw more than a large handful of workers. A few years ago a survey wah conducted amongst manual workers this in an attempt to country their attitudes towards and art galleries and to museums find out why so few visited them.

This survey had no pretentions to laying bare the social, economic political roots behind the so- and called "cultural philistinism" of the but it did come up working class with some interesting points.

It turned out, for instance, that 95% the respondents likened the atmosphere within the buncings to chulbles.

OVERWHELMED

All those interviewed felt totally overwhelmed by the rows paintings that confronted them once they had entered the be they the products of galleries, mediocrity be they or nineteenth century official portraits eighteenth century landscapes or even earlier religious pieces.

many, museums have the …rOT as stately homes and same status the oil paintings they house seem to and embody the same acquire of life that mysterious way refuges of the these permeate aristocracy and the bourgeoisie.

a way of life symbolise They totally alien and directly opposed to the interests of the masses; about as enticing as a Sunday sermon and fraction as relevant the conditions of the real world.

To dig deeper into the even Jean de annals la mistory, commented, than Bruyere mOre 300 years ago, that "the pleasure of criticizing robs us of the pleasure of by fine being moved chings. No-one is quite sure what those things" *fine can were, Bruyere was attacking assume la those professional critics, still with who never permit them- selves publicly to find works boring OI to admit to being foxed by them. The trouble is that while the critics maintain their "intellectual dishonesty", too many people draw the opposite conclusion - that art is purely for intellectuals and fact this Rubens the exhibition shows that there is much nie and drama in tine art which can be grasped by the layman.

CRUEL CHARIOT

Engels remarked that human progress was a cruel chariot

WYCI

Hunilallis corpses. The period into which was born was a cruel and turbulent not seen for the previous born a new vision of the world. The age of scientific discovery was born.

The age of Galileo, who stressed the who discovered the laws those of microscopic matter and of realIse

NOTOR

science, religion and art, logic and and go their own separate ways.

past were beginning to be replaced by the new materia.

determinates of man's bodily fate; mechanical laws, atoms, glands and violent change, wrote in 1611, "this new philosophy calls all in doubt..

"tis all coherence pieces, in gone. and after his During his life death in 1640, Rubens has always been one of the greatest names in European banting His biographers have tended to give him ot

SOTT

dished out to Lenin after his death by Stalinist historians. A whole series of writers, by a combination of myth and conjec- lies, ture and succeeded in building up the legend of Rubens the Superman. by Otto One famous Rubens, whom we found at work, to paint he and while continuing Tacitus listened to readings from dictated We and letter. were silent for fear of disturbing him but he conversed with us without inter- his work and without rupting stopping his reading. He also went on dictating the letter as though to give us proof of his amazing gifts.

Given that this aura of panegyric and fairy tale worship surrounds his life work and memory it's best to suCK to essent mented facts about his life.

wealthy He was born into on June 28, 1577 Flemish family The of his childhood story sketchily documented and quickly West- Having inved in Siegen

TOO.

phalia for only a matter of months, and moved to Cologne me all Antwerp in 1589. then onto It was here that Rubens studied absorbed the Romanizing and the Antwerp tendencies Mannerists. His studies included the inevitable concentration on then of engravings and

EDITE IUK

antique works of art. He moved to Italy in 1600 and it was here that he entered the service SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 28 September 1977 and antique sculptures, a study that restlessness One of the best exhibits on show well documented the exhibition is that of "The in this exhibition. A large part of this initial part of Lion Hunt" The end result is wild, traumatic his artistic education consisted in of the monu- the initial producing sketches and capturing; yet mental of Leonardo da drawings still demonstrate a careful, works surgical balance Vinci and Michelangelo. Anghiari" "Battle of and attention to detail, as well as As his shows, a high level of preparation brilliant construction techniques.

went into the production of these copies and this disciplined relation-

SYMPATHETIC

ship served to lay the basic ground- All Ruben's paintings are over- work for the future productions powering-yet to see them side by when he completed

PLILWCLU

initial sketches side with the returned there in 1608. like looking at a photograph of a His development as a painter was fully grown lion next to that of a smooth and continuous all All the initial sketches give us a sympathetic insight into his creative process and it is obvious that for eously "discovery stepping stone to the next and even Custallics. brought to life yet dissected, and in the process reduced to its essential, quent to 1625, show Rubens at his strokes of the brush are used and the whole manner of approach and extreme, unhesitating rapidity.

Nothing could be freer and the Lion livelier than the sketch for Hunt. AS Eugene Delacroix remarked in his famous journal: "With all the outspokeness of his colours and torms. hi (nis neayy an ideal of the greatest Force, vehemence and power. the him from splendour trea demands of grace and charm always Ruben's subjects were typical of an artist patronised by the courts Western Europe; ot and biblical themes, portraits A Lion Hunt. Unfinished oils on panel religious allegories. This exhibition of his sketches and one can search in vain for does however afford us a glimpse of sudden breaks and leaps in style.

another, more lighthearted Rubens The Italian Period which It further shows that although him developing a hard, epic style Rubens was never a thinker on the gradually gave way to a more subtle of soul level Leonardo, which nevertheless suave troubled as Michelangelo or such a method still contained the same solidity.

perceptive character The decade 1610-20 began for Rembrandt he was both an avowed the two great altar- with Rubens realist and a remarkable visionary; called "The Raising of the pieces a true son of his age. Cross" 'The of the and Descent Cross"

BYMIKE HIGGINS

especially The latter

ON STALINISM

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 28 September 1977

LEFT

EXAMINING THE POSITIONS

CONFUSION

MANDEL REVIVES

OLD ERRORS

Fourth The Trotskyist and the long-drawn

QUIL

Culitia- International was formed in dictory which it process trough 1938 to give a clear lead in the expanded into Eastern Europe gave struggle against Stalinism, Stalinist parties had acquired a new, which had shown itself as a progressive role and reactionary, thoroughly could be pushed further to the left counter-revolutionary force by "nass pressure" or "exceptional workers' conditions' the within move- ment.

SPELLED OUT

Since 1938 the major internal of The main advocate struggies ana souls that nave taken within the Trotskyist FI General Secretary place position was movement have turned on the need Michel Pablo-but the case was argued at first by the FI for a correct method of analysing Stalinism and understanding. the leadership and was Wale. which Stalinist also br vaned WaVI taken up ammest Manuel parties have managed to play who spelled it out as clearly as any- counter-revolutionary role.

one: In grouping the basic forces that "In the coming revolutionary were to form the FI, Trotsky had upsurge in Western Europe, during struggle against the centrist and VC aralia forces of what he termed the '3½ unleashing of the growing wal, International'-the Possure of themasses is li balito socalled 'London Bureau of Revolutionary French Italian Socialist Unity'. Communist Parties to modify this These people could not accept pacitist course of 'neutralising the the necessity to break definitively These could ›ourgeoisie. parties trom then 'project a revolutionary masteri uner orientation nurtured hopes and dreams that the themselves and "see Stalinist parties trans- forced to undertake a struggle for Conte (Ten Theses 1951). somehow formed into Dower revolutionary parties.

PUBLIC SPLIT

Similar however, Lenuctics, have since found expression within As the class struggle itself in the ranks of the fl, particularly in 1953 refuted these views, several FI swung against the aftermath of the war, when the oi the

DECEIVIS

continued existences of Stalinism Pablo's line, which threatened to

PRESS GANG

Out With A Bang Eric Miller He Labour aristocracy and his was rich. the leading business role. lived the life of a tycoon. Marcia He Williams to He bought and sold companies London's most expensive restaurant with less worries than most of to discuss 'Labour Party business us buy doughnuts. says the Mirror. He had links with a Mafia godfather. When he put a revolver to his Just to show that being a "social- head last week and blew a hole in ist' is a passport to international himself it could be living even Bobby Moore OBE came another capitalist trying to find the to his funeral. decent way out The picture drawn for us in the We should be grateful to the supposed to be about the press is press for reminding us that Miller downfall of one man who lived it "socialist". was in lact a was up too long. of the Socialist Inter- In fact it is the detail about the Teasure labour national, same so the caned leauers Lenin by movement that provides the most denounced outbreak of World War I. HulLeTesl In fact when the Socialist Inter- most out of Miller? got Maudling national came to London he looked with his house deal, or Harold Wilson with his helicopter after them. The Daily Express tells us: trips at election time? the ""He gave members Was this man really so unusual?

Socialist International meeting than most. He had the Churchill Hotel-the Peachey But the signs are there in other so flagship named after the politician callea soclalises. most admired-lunch of lobster Fric Miller isn't the only puzzled and champagne. member of the Labour Party to be but they ate and drank heartily.'

a JP and hand out sentences to the Miller was a friend of Sir Harold working class. He isn't the only Wilson and seemed equally at home 'socialist' equally with at nome with the leaders of the Labour or Tories or top Labour bureaucrats the Tory Party. fernans une best To Sir Harold he was an clection the whole attair is that the labour campaigner. to neginald mauanng movement needs sir eric viler and his less rich followers like it needs a a very convenient landlord.

see no difference Sir Eric could hole in the head.

FIRST OF A TWO PART ARTICLE BY TONY. RICHARDSON

PROCLAIMING THEMSELVES TROTSKYIST ON THE CURRENT

EVOLUTION OF STALINISM.

politically liquidate the forces of Trotskyism in ill-conceived "deep into the national Stalinist parties. A public split began when the US Socialist Workers Party (which was prevented by reactionary US legislation from affiliation to the FI) issued an Open Letter declaring opposition to Pablo's line But those which sided with the Open Letter and formed the Inter- national Committee also failed to develop a full understanding of Pablo's method and the problems that remained unanswered. As a result the Cuban revolution produced considerable confusion the IC, and in 1963 the within

SWP,

, believing that Castro was a "natural Marxist" and that Cuba was a non-deformed workers state, proke trom the i ana deciared is sympathies lay with the groups that had followed Pablo ten betore.

HISTORICAL PROCESS

In examing the positions of the 'Trotskyist' groups on the current developments of world Stalinism, cannot sce them as therefore, we the plucked

ITOT

They represent a historical process of development and are a symptom of the crisis within the world Trot- skyist movement itselt. of the The position maiority tendency of the 'United Secretariat the Fourth International (the IMT) is clearly argued MOSt

CD Y

Ernest Mandel, whose article Three Kuro-Communism Facets was published in the April 28 issue ot

BY VARIOUS GROUPS

Mandel this parties cannot be transformed into "under pressure from the masses'.

thing in the article shows that he is again attempting to get around the Stalinism, by looking simply at the Ignorie begins by saying that what he terms development of Stalinism, quoting pull on the Stalinist parties-from Moscow on the one hand. and thi this point simply to pass the time.

He was analysing an actual process by following the Stalinist one country', and implementing the involving alliances, with bourgeois parties, were moving even closer to so-called unless it is seen in

LOCSE LENDS

anxious above all to win the respect allies, and to show tney nave ne of leading socialist

HELCHLUI

Page 5 Firstly they are indicating their to any struggle against opposition The enthusiastic suppor: capitalism. Italian Communis: given by Party "austerit!" to the

VICIOUS

measures of the bourgeois Christiar Democrat government shows this. as does the backing given by the CP Suarez Spanish for the government. secondly these Stalinist And parties show their new democrati credentials by criticising the

USSR

internal regime within the and Eastern Europe-while taking care to give no support to indepen- workers' struggles agains: deni these bureaucracies policies in other These words are two sides of the reactionary Stalinist coin of peace- ful coexistence Not so for Mandel. For him the verbal attacks on the regime in the degenerated workers states flows the Stalinists' move towards their 'own' bourgeoisie and attempts to win anti-communis! words: the growing criticism of the "It follows that we must regard this aspect of 'Euro Communism' positively and not negatively What we condemn about the 'Euro tenperialind lack carrying their own thought through .This is progress and to the ena . simultaneously to reformist petty- by Euro Communism. But it is very different from the one suggested by Communists' criticism of the USSR is completely consistent and trom pro-capitalist exactly the Dalli standpoint as this ciass collaboration their own countries. The real contradiction is that such class collaboration by making left stands concessions to the totally opposed to the forward movement workIng Was. involves internationally, and mass CPs in struggles to contain their members.

COUNTER-REVOLUTION

Mandel, however, because he takes everything the *Eure Easterr Europe genuine, winds u: ludicrous conclusic: drawing the that openly being implicitly acknowledged that Soviet society, far from being a worker» paradise,' has many features that ni *Euro Communist would party introduce in the event of the over throw of chuntries capitalism in theit own carried away has Mandel become that he has actually forgotten yet again these Stalinist parties are counter rero lutionary parties that stand ove: opposed to the throw of capitalism, and France, May-June 1968) their determination prevent such an overthrow!

Mandel goes on to suggest in the most idealist that masses will come into conflict with the CPs because of inconsistencies the Stalinists arguments- preaching "democracy" within the USSR, while running bureaucrass parties at home. Workers however will come irt CPs struggle against mate-s intellectually but necessity-because the assisting and supporting employers attacks WOrkErs and basic rat s iving standarus The CP-led unions. trade "monolithis from relaxing Mandel suggests. tighten the bureaucratic screws sir further in the struggle to cons: the working class. This will force many rans are file CP members into confrontat with this leadership

"ANA

clear analysis of inèse CPs iti. =

Page 6 The 'United Front' is a term possibly more often used and understood than less often almost any other among left wing groups in Britain and internationally. It has recently been stretched, absurd lengths in for instance, to include the uncritical DIeT Workers by the support Revolutionary Party to that anti- communist, pro-Islamic bonapartist despot Colonel Gaddafi of Libya.

More common, however, is the bewildering of propaganda alidy left groups, blocs between small in which all those concerned agree to drop offending aspects of their programme in the name of "unity and each or willed lays duduren claim to be a "united front" Of course neither concept has really anything do with …Ine tactic of the united front as it was adopted by the Third and Fourth Congresses of the Communist Inter- national.

POLITICAL DIRECTION

revolution of The kussian 1917 was successful October because a revolutionary Studliun conditions had occurred under where a Marxist leadership existed capable of politically directing the Russian workers, of struggles soldiers and peasants for the over- throw of capitalism. not the only But Russia was revol- which similar country utionary crises took place at that Hungary, and Germany, 112 Bulgaria enormous revolutionary struggles shook capitalist rule to its foundations. But in each case the working class was unable to take the final step to power because the there was no Bolshevik party in those countries to give conscious political leader- Instead, social democratic 5110. were able parties, remaining strong, to head off the militancy of the working class.

HOLD

In other countries too, formed Com- even though newly Members of the Left Opposition on their way to exile in 1928.

UNITED

FRONT

BY JOHN LISTER

all non-communist parties. Only by social democratic parties retained a placing themselves at the head of substantial political section of the working class.

the practical struggles of the prolet- 1917 only by those promoting As the wave POSt ebb the struggles, can they really win over revolutions began masses of the proletariat to problem large to be controntea by lne the dictatorship of Communist International was how the fight for the proletariat]." to win workers away from these reactionary leaders. The Comintern spelled out the time, with At the same difference in approach and in pro all-round launching gramme between the CPs and the employers attacks on the living standards of reformist parties. the working class as a whole, united 'The Communist Parties do not forward any minimum was needea to acicna even put the most elementary conditions.

and programme strengther improve the tottering structure of

EXPOSE

The destruction of that capitalism. remains their guiding aim structure It was in this situation that the and their immediate mission. But to Congress of the Comintern Third carry out this mission the Commun recognised that the task parties must forward Communist Parties was now to go fulfilment is whose an demands their initial role of beyond immediate and urgent working class democrats denouncing the social need, and they must fight for these and stating the basic principles of demands in mass struggle, regardless socialism-which revolumonaly of are compatible conditions amounted to new of the with the protit econolly little more than propaganda work.

class or not If the capitalist devise It necessary the vital demands correspond tactic to expose the social demo- of broad proletarian masses cratic leaders in practice before the and if the masses feel that they can- membership, eyes demands these exist while at the same time advancing a are met, then the struggle for these would show programme demands will become le startilig the need for a Communist WOrKerS point of the struggle for power."

of the Party. was Lue asin The call for unity front policy. As Trotsky united aimed at the social democratic and said: 'With the third congress, it is realised that the post-war revol- The utionary terment is over turn is taken to winning the masses, the united that organising the masses on programme of transitiona. demands. The Theses on Tactics adopted made the at Congress overall view of the 'united front even clearer: "Communist Parties can develop only in Struggle. even ine smalles should Parties restrict themselves to mere propa- They and must ganda agitation form the spearhead of all proletar- ian mass organisations, the backward vacillating masses, by putting forward practical proposals urging the struggle for struggle, by the daily needs of the prolet- for all how the struggle should be dilal. and this exnosing to the centrist leaders by the Communist Parties was therefore from the very beginning linked to a conception of a programme which would stand the reformists' own programme, but which would win popular support within the working class ranks of these parties. Only in this way could such call conditions for these create leaders to be exposed if they failed to accept. demand that social To act jointly with Com- democrats munists on programme advanced that neither social demo- cratic workers nor their leaders would accept it would be to achieve nothing,

JOINT ACTION

But to demand joint action in meekly dropped demands and endorsed their own would reformist programme neither expose the reformist leaders or politically advance the working class-it would simply cut away the political independence of the CPs.

The danger of this opportunist by CPs adopted

LOUSE

seeking to implement the united was recognised and In 1921 the Comintern December Executive issued a series of Direc- SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesdar 2§ Seprember 197; tives on the United Front', which included conditions, stringent insisting on: ... the absolute independence of every communist party enters into an agreement with the parties of the Second reformist Two-and-a-half [Centrist and the its complete free Internationals, dom to put forward its own views the opponents of criticise Communism While accepting Communists must basis for action, retain the unconditional right and the possibility of expressing opinion of the policy of all working class organisations witnou and exception, not only Delore after action has been taken also, if necessary, during its course.

In no circumstances can these rights be surrendered. At the same time the Directive: made it clear that the tactic in the form of public proposals for join action was only really of relevanc to the mass CPs. would a proposal fo Not only joint action from a tiny group o communists to a mass social demo cratic party seem absurd, but the ability to capitalise on a refusal by out join retormists to carr actions depended upon an aHil to communicate this to the masses 'Whenever the offer of a join rejected by ou struggle must opponents masses informed of this and this learn who the real destroyers workers' united front. In eithe case it is essential to capture th broad workin attention 0I masses to interest them in all stage of the struggle for the revolutionar!

united front.

UNITED FRONT

Where parties lacked a sufficien class support basis working however, the Fourth Congress mad it clear that the united front tacti did not apply, , though clearly wha was th valid remained entirel of concepi demands on which the small Con Parties could tight leading position working class struggles It was this problem of

ULIC

of force numhers

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 28 September 1977 Lenin in Red Square which had to be tackled nearly 20 later the Transitional 111 adopted the romanc founding document of the Fourth International in 1938. Stalinism had bureaucratised and corrupted not only the Russian Communist Party but through that had led to a complete degeneration in the Comintern itself.

ABANDONED

In the course of this degener- ation the Stalinists had abandoned completely the the concept united front as formulated in the first four congresses of the Comin- tern. In Britain in the years 1924-26 the 'united front had been perver- ted to allow the Stalinists to form uncritical bloc with the 'lefts' an in the TUC leadership, developed through the Anglo-Russian Comm- Trotsky summed up the less- episode in this ons of this sorry way; In order that the Soviet trade might maintain the bloc unions the strike-breakers ot the General Council the British Party had to be dep- Communist This was rived of all independence.

obtained by the actual dissolution of the party into the so-called min- ority movement', that is, the 'left' opposition inside the trade unions.

... The demands for a break with the strike breakers appeared even to some within our own ranks as.

Zinovier Stalin, Bukharin, .. sought to replace the weak Brit- ish Communist Party by a broader which had at its head, to be sure, not members of the party, 'friends almost but Communists. at any rate, fine fellows and good acquaintances The result of the Stalinist policy was of course that in the British General Strike of 1926 the CP had no line to put independently of the "All power to TUC. It's slogan was the General Council". And the Gen- eral Council betrayed the strike Three years later this opportun- ist rgnt wing course was Dureau cratically switched to a hysterical ultra-left policy which

@ILY

was ruled out and reformist parties were denounced as 'social fascist' This 'left-wing' perversion of the "united tront lea to the victory of Hitler in 1933. Just over a year later the com- intern again changed line, to a new attack united front the call for 'People's Fronts' which set to incorporate both workers' The Wattles. of outcome was deleat the Spanish revolution and of course other the subordination of the CPs the their so-called "pro- Porcies gressive' bougeois "allies",

NEW INTERNATIONAL

The failure of any section within the Comintern to raise the slightest doubt to Stalinist had been the major factor in the of the German class by Hitler in 1933 confirmed for the Trotskyists that new International had to be built.

But the new International would nut be able to draw on the massed of resources the millions-strong social democratic movement as had the Second International. Nor did it carry the revolutionary prestige that had randy drawn thousands of workers the banner of the degenerated

HOW

I TO

International. The courth Internationa woud need to find a road to the masses in conflict with these mass form- ations, with only the most slender basic forces in each country It could not in the initial stages public for to proposals united fronts. Instead the political method which had provided the basis for developed, in the form of a system of transitional demands outlined general terms for a range different situations internationally.

if fought for in 1hese demands. practice within the workers' move- ment, could win mass support and establish forces at the Trotskyist forefront of the daily struggles of the working class. The 'united front' does LeTI not feature m the main laclica. Transitional discussion the Programme-but the combined policies even alter its sectarian li of reformist leaders exposure of the programme as a whole, and the demands themselves of this which is One example clear today is the demand for a sliding scale of wages to protect ag- ainst inflation. The demand has a mass appeal within the working class, has the potential to satisti their real requirements, but is stead- lastly rejected by leaders. United action is both desirable and possible on such a demand - but brings workers face to face with licacnerous roe or caci own leaders. In fighting along these same lines today, the Workers Socialist League does not refuse to act with other left groups insofar as we agree on particular points of programme of particular issues. But in our view to weaken ir the fight for the any way transitional demands within the workers movement in order to con- solidate some form of "alliance" an unprincipled basis and to retreat in practice from the fight for a mass base of support in the struggle against the reformist and Stalinist leaders.

CAPITULATION

This is why such bloes as the electoral pact between the Inter- national Marxist Group and the Big Flame united fronts. are not Rather, by abandoning such the Trotskyist basic elements of programme as the demand for the books opening the for employer, fight work sharing on full pay and the fight for a sliding scale of wages, the bloc in fact heads in diametrically the oonosite direction towards capitu lation to reformism and the abandonment of political indepen- dence. There ye epochs whe "There epochs when the revolutionary tendency is reduced in the labour But those epochs movemen. demand not arrangements between the small with mutual hiding of sins, but on the contrary, a doubly implacable struggle for a and correct perspective an education of the cadres in the spirit of Marxism. Victory genuine

PRESS FREEDOM AND

THE CLOSED SHOP

One motion that never answer to anything. In Fleet Street most of the national dailies which quite found its way onto the launch the witchhunting against the TUC order paper at Blackpool

NUJ

effective

MOLAILS

this not set aside year was closed shops because of lack of time-but The fact that some employers have happily conceded NUJ closed was knifed in the corridors shops (and subsequently beer outside the conference hall.

forced leave covers motion from the National The federation, the Newspaper Society) Union of Journalists called on all is evidence that in itself the closed TUC unions to refuse contact with shop is no threat The contradiction-that some emp overs seein to Have no quail. In TUC was other about the closed shop, while others will fight tooth and nail-is merely a reflection of the split on journalists in would tactics at present evident within the Tory Party.

OPEN CONFRONTATION

including the Some employers have not been willing to face a lengthy strike in profitable provincial papers, wher had they have good reason to hope that the full implica- they can prevent tions of the closed shop being used calling for action to Others, however, believe that the spread the against the confrontation best open 1S policy. Bill Keys, The drive towards the closed

SOGAT,

had ideas. As shop itself comes of course in the first place over wages. Provincial journalists are badly paid and in time of the

TUC

meeting Tne offices heavily overworked. many Darlington strikers. setting up out for the strikes the NUJ have Pay It was impossible for him to give even token support that concrete which might mean demanded for support was then around the after strike strike country. Key's solution was simple. He told the NUJ delegation that if they the motion he not 014 would denounce them from the platform and would launch a public attack against the 'Trotskyists' on the national executive of the NUJ.

duly It is one typical account of how come to terms with the Terusca lo drive towards the closed shop Not only has the union had a closed 30 years all ohe Nor itself was formed as a reaction to the Institute of Journalists (IOJ) where leading positions were inevitably taken by management.

ineffective the been because took active shape at employer has been able to count on the support of a few people in each Annual Delegates Conference of the

NUJ

paper-most of them with one toot was on the promotion ladder and many of them inside the strike breaking shop and to make no exceptions

IOJ.

The print leaders of course pay lip service to the fact that the press by which free. But this is seen as a during a dispute to do the strikers' Is not slight flaw on an otherwise perfect jobs and to sign work done by any fear of sanction by bloom scab without At the slightest suggestion that the printers. print workers have refused to set an the print

HOWL OF RAGE

anti-trade union article union leaders even outao employer in their condemnation But despite the role of these union leaders, the capitalists under- Fleet Street, "the stand the closed shop as a threat to was about to their monopoly of the mass media the of NUJ 'reds'

PRESS FREEDOM

witchhunt Fuelled by The clearest example of what special the by "press

NUJ

called which employer. freedom' was given recently during membership. Tne SITIKe engineer. Daily Express, when the whole of closed shops as the front page was given over to a the management statement from The have which specifically and openly executive identified the editorial line of the declare. paper with every dot and comma of the employer's position. The manipulation of the press to of the members unionists, attack trade agitale against revoluter ahu racialist and sexist On occasion the management perpetrate policies is not of course the resull has conceded without a fight. But a Page The concept of a 'free press" is e: absurd as the concept of a 'neutra state. The direction taken by the press-like the direction taken by the State-is entirely dependent or the class that owns it A paper which elected its edito: from the workers, which decided policy through the workers, while the capitalist continued to own the paper would in fact be a form oi dual power. The claim that "press freedom exists today is so bizarre that the whole ront of the working Case meula snould clear. But it is not. Confusion is publicly sown within the ranks o: the membership by the leaders o: the print unions themselves.

Ken Morgan-who ended his NUJ General seven year stint as Secretary this week-said speech Centra to the Farewell London branch that the employe: could be right to fear the closei if shop that ever meant tha journalists would attempt influence editorial content.

The few examples of printers or journalists blacking copy direct political grounds have i been condemned by the same unior leaders who refuse to lead any fight: for the defence of jobs, whae attempting to force through agree.

ALRIGHT... WHO'S BEEN

UNDERMINING MY

FREEDOM OF

THE PRESS?!

ment on the introduction of new technology. There is little doubt that if the NUJ membership is defeated ove: the closed shop-as opposed individual strikes , being defeated- then the way will be open for the employer to set about breaking up print union closed shops.

NO CONTACT

The forward for Nu! way members is to take the campaig: into the labour movement-pressirg be made wit ‹or no contact to IOJ or other non-union journalists The refusal of the print unior fight for this relative: leaders to simple trade union demand, is par and parcel of their refusal to tige for wages or to defend jobs.

The campaign for the close: shop must therefore be bound is = a campaign for a rew leaderstis i- the print unions, a leadership i* the needs of the workers in i- industry and subject instar: recall by it Above all the closed shop fight never be seen as a maron Mus question of wages and conditiors but as the fight to bring the media under workers' control: only ther will any meaningful freedom of the estahlished-since Dress this step can open up the mette: the voice JCT".Ci..….= majority of soviets-the

WHO WILL FIGHT

Page 8 Lewisham police attacks Police last week stepped up Mrs Foster and her daughter, still in her nightclothes, were then of South their harrassment and to Deptford arrested Lake London's black community police station where were with the arrest of the wife and before being held for three hours three children of David Foster, charged with assault. to walk Chairman of the Lewisham 21 then leit

WELC

home although Dawn Foster was Defence Committee. still in her nightclothes.

The arrests took place early on Meanwhile, 16 year old Chris 17 morning of Saturday the and his brother Karl had themselves David Foster had left September. been arrested when the police paid his home in New Cross at 6.30 to a second visit to the house.

work. go 1en minues laler a Chris was charged with breaking LU policeman arrived at the house.

bail conditions and the police He told Mrs Foster he had come be kept in to check whether her son Chris, one The magistrate, custody. however, of the Lewisham 21 was at home. was not prepared to agree and gave (Under the the DaHL him bail of £50. defendants have to be indoors from The Fosters have now taken out 9pm to 7am every day). two summonses against the police Mrs checked het son's hoster one alleging assault and the other, and confirmed that Chris room assault and grievous bodily harm.

was in bed. But if this police harrassment is the immediate need is to be halted,

RADIOED

to fight for the mobilisation of the South East Foster that the labour Mrs alleges policeman radioed the station and London. was told by an Inspector to "nick" The Lewisham 21 Defence Com- A moment later mittee must urgently proceed to the boy anyway. the inspector said that he would approach Labour Party and Trade come down and do the job himself.

Union branches and other labour movement bodies to elect delegates Five minutes later the Inspector and three other policemen arrived.

Labour Movement Enquiry Io a the Foster into the events surrounding According Mrs inspector assaulted her and her 15 arrest and subsequent treatment of the Lewisham 21 and the assault year old daughter, Dawn, and arrest of members of Mr policemen looked on, Foster's tamily. amazed. A flash in the pan? Police defend a Lewisham 21 demonstration from attack by National Front fascists last July.

FIGHT TUC PAY

SABOTAGE

Union conference decisions taken only this summer are already being ripped to confetti by desperate union officials determined to stem the tide of pay struggles.

As the storm mounts within the AUEW against Scanlon's action in

INFLATION

flouting the National Conference policy and casting the

AUEW S

1.2 million votes to tip the scales in javour of the 12-month rule, the 37

TGWU

man Executive met rasu week and voted to throw overboard the union's explicit rejection of the at July's Biennial Delegate TuIC Conference. Meanwhile in the NUM the right embarked wing leadership also upon a course of all-out defiance of conference policy discarding the lodreid for November, and adopting a £135 claim to be call the defeated for instead productivity deals. The break Healey's 10% limit and win big claims linked to cost of living clauses to regain and defend living standards is thus inseparaDe mom tie issue or mol democracy and the struggle for new leadership trade unions. full For this reason urge we Conference for the on support •The Wages Offensive and the Fight

NEW BOOKLET

for the Sliding Scale of Wages" called for Sunday 23 October

THE CASE FOR THE SLIDING

the Campaign for Democracy in the

SCALE OF WAGES

Labour Movement at Digbeth Hall, All the points you need to know in fighting for the sliding scale More information about the (50p) 20p plus 10p postage from kevin conference and can he obtained from the Confer- Lee, 44, Devonshire Road, 210₴ Secretar Kevin Lee. Handsworth Wood. Birmingham Lib-Lab Coalition The right wing's line for the is Labour Party conference already plain for all to see. and Healey, Callaghan the coalitionists who make up the will out present cabinet set the above all to ensure that key issues of pay policy and Lib-Lab deal the remain intact. Any censure they receive on this or that aspect of their reactionary pro-capitalist policies will be aside with the time honoured contempt shown by for Labout leaders party conferences. A few crocodile tears on youth will shed, unemployment memorial bouquet or two thrown of the coffin mutilated on social services, and a liberal helping of fraudulent hints at better times to come and a Christmas bonus for Britain's starving pensioners will be the biggest concessions made by the crypto-Tory right wing.

KNIFE-EDGE

Yet Healey and Callaghan know their coalition government hangs on now mass a knite edge. Any day struggles on wages could precipitate crisis that would governmental sweep them from office. they feel able to ne reason approach the annual conference with such arrogance is the spineless the Labour "left" by even before the first signs of battle.

The "Tribune' group of MPs, for has trooped obediently example, time and time again into the Parlia- mentary lobby in order to register support for the Callaghan-Steel coalition, and the pay laws it was designed to introduce.

HABIT

There chance that appeals no they will break what has become such a deep-tooted habit during this year's party conference. Hain Peter Hain and Simon the Hebditch have deserted Liberals and joined the Labour Party.

CALLAGHAN?

Key Issue Is Breaking PHOTO: Andrew wiara, Report.

that Indeed it is even unlikely leading figures on the Labour ally "left' will be unmannerly enough to fact that this is a blurt out the government in which the coalllion Labour Party plays second fiddle to the bourgeois Liberal Party.

Callaghan and Healey Certainly safe from attack on this will feel scotsk yists" of the Militant groud, tame score declared their who have openly opposition to breaking the coalition whole while pleading for a of socialist policies to he range implemented by Callaghan.

But it is necessary to put the the "left" Labourites on spot order to expose their role to those sections of workers who retain the that they might turn and fight the right wing. This is why the Workers Socialist League has changed its original plan to lobby the Labour Conference on

HAIN: WHO IS

JOINING WHO?

decade especially for his campaigns African against South Loallls In a television interview he said Labour that Joined the was adopting a Party because 'socialist' policy.

DISCARDED

Socialist Press would like being referred to know here. Is it the policy of wage restraint, unemployment and the cuts or was Hain referring to the now Peter 1974 tattered and discarded Election Manifesto? Meanwhile we will watch with see whether these ex- interest about their Liberals are whether this socialism or move instead the by move Labour lefts' towards the policies the Liberal Party. Hain and SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 28 September 1977 Callaghan-no fears of serious revolt by the lefts' October 4 and called Tuesday instead for a lobby of the annual Tribune Group meeting on Sunday October 2 at 10.30 am at the Dome Brighton Our central demands will be that the 'lefts': *Break the coalition. Launch the fight at this conference!

removal of the *Fight for Callaghan-Healey leadership!

*Support all pay struggles.

*Fight for a socialist programme for the coming general election.

Right wing attacked in Camden Camden Labour Councillor Phil Turner has caused a stir in the local Labour Party by putting into print the words Labour activists that many thinking for some have been time. In an article headed Wanted- Council' published in A Socialist the St. Pancras journal This Month, Turner attacks local right wingers: 'One hears more and more from the leadership of the Group about ratepayers and less the 'plight of needs of the about the and les poor and disadvantaged." And Turner , on to araw : conclusion which applies with equal relevence to the ment when he points out that the Labour Group, and the leadership in particular: •..have become obsessed with 'manpower effectiveness', 'cost all the other jargon saving' and phrases of the economic crisis.

remove reactionary tught to Labour leaderships and right local wing MPs is the only way to resolve Turner's article- problem. though insufficient in itself-shows sections of the Labour undl Party beginning

LUIK

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 28 September 1977

SOCIALIST

SOCIALIST

PRESS

PRESS

*

SACK

'OPENING THE BOOKS'?

DEADLINE NOVEMBER 2

That was the date fixed for issue of the new the first 'Socialist Press' at a weekly week of the meeting last of the Executive Committee Workers Socialist League.

The go-ahead for the expansion of the paper comes at an explosive in the development of the stage Britain, as the Lib-Lab coalition struggles to hold together reactionary wage controls of rejected by the vast majority workers, Such a situation confirms need for a Trotskyist weekly ine In their efforts to maintain the Callaghan-Steel coalition office 1n the TUC leaders have embarked on a series of manoeuvres and breaches of democratic procedures even roaded through the hated Phase 2 policy. their desperate attempts to In hold back the working the wages, the union bureaucracy has reached the point of sabotaging the most basic struggles for even unionisation and recognition-as in Forte, Grunwick, Trust HOuses Leyland Desoutters and Westminster Press.

REFORMISTS

And the This provides cleares conditions for a struggle both for programme alternative the TO reformists and for the construction of a new leadership within the trade Wenl union ana labour moyenient.

The work already done by the fortnightly Socialist Press on such issues has established a record far ahead of any other left wing paper.

Tostake just one example, Indeed should note that throughout the whole period prior to and following the Phase 2 vote at the 1976 TUC, Socialist Press alone insisted that break the TUC vote was a stage-managed which in bureaucratic manoeuvre feeling of way reflected the 110 workers on the shop floor.

STRUGGLES

struggles While other group argue that workers nationally. attemoted "accepted" "agreed with" the or From TUC policy that there would be no against Phase 2 and that the only hope of activity would be protests against the cuts, it was left to Socialist Press to pinpoint tell-tale signs of a wages explosion

TROTSKYISM -"

TODAY *

*

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The tootroom strike: Socialist Press alone drew the real lessons.

This is why we alone were able recognised that to draw the political significance of Seamen's strike, the ship can only pay strikes last year at Rubery Owen Fourth Salisbury Transmissions, and the New Year's wave of pay strikes.

tunist leaderships and This resistance culminated in the strike toolroom Will l brought the downfall of the Labour therefore government and the emergerice of carry the wage-cutting Lib-Lab coalition.

left while

LOUDS

floundered on this, it was left to Socialist Press in a Special Issue, to 'news" but draw the political lessons from this change and to step up our consis- materal on me tasks to be strugge for the exposure oi the "left' talkers within the Labour 'left MPs Party-demanding the vote against the coalition, and fight for the removal of the Callaghan- Healey leadership. And we alone Socialist Press consistently characterised the Lib- alviaca and disorientalca by oppor- and highlighted the urgent need to book extended deal if the fight for that coverage of the socialist policies is to proceed.

Our line on these developments regular and and interventions into key struggles wide range of disputes. at home has been combined with a Every continuous orientation towards the Socialist Press and political problems faced by the working class inter- the earliest issues of the Lule Socialist Press we have seen crisis of political leadership in have to impose British workers movement as part of an international crisis of leader- ship, in which Stalinist and retorm The decision ist parties play a treacherous role for weekly publication

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INDUSTRIA

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AUEW: CP KILLS =

examination of the strong response to our £3,000 Special Fund, which within cleat now complete success. fight for this the But relax. need not

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branches country are already straining every muscle to raise donations and carry through fund-raising activities--but readers can also play a vital role in rasing the final amount needed.

Many of course have donated generously during the cam- paign for the Fund. again on all readers and supporters to rush last minute donations for the completion of the Socialist Press without delay.

And at the same time we want to urge our readers to let us know their feelings about the content and style of the weekly paper-articles and topics that in your view ought to be featured in Socialist Press. Already a number of meetings of WSL members have revealed strong feeling that our coverage of the Labour Party expanded and developed in regular allocation 1917 no mo 1977 And at the same time we have this crisis of leader- be resolved by the fight to reconstruct the Trotskyist International-at present more blatant than tnose tnat ra unresolved Socialist Press has been able to only inter- not national news-spanning dozens of countries and attempting in each case to provide not simply neutral Marxist assessment of struggles-but also considerable problems and the The first issue of "Trotsky- confronted in recon- Today', the ism structing the Fourth International.

magazine launched Workers Socialist

EXPANDED

July, has been an enormous success. expanded have Socialist Press from an initial eight Many local areas have already sold out their allocations pages to twelve pages we have been continued orders are coming in for able at the same time to develop reviews, and additional copies. In the light of this response the arts, wel industrial news pages which offer magazine's Editorial Board, meeting this weekend, has fixed the next serious analysis of a publication date the when it will appear one of these aspects of from will be developed regularly on a quarterly basis.

and expanded with the added scope included will be the transcript of Among features of the weekly paper. It will retain the existing 12-page format though an educational lecture on Aspects History added expense of producing a of the of the weekly paper will mean that we will International given at our first-ever price Summer School together examination of the role and policies increase, with the new paper going on sale on November 2 at 15 pence.

of the Trotskyists in Britain during World War 2. to name the date Advance subscriptions are now follows an Page 9

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INDUSTRIAL NEWS

PREPARE TO PULL OUT

Page 10

SHOP SWARDS

LOMMITTEE

Grunwick: «What the report said to Ward was that he should Mr. make a gesture and take a few of them (the strikers) back to unions a chance to give the save their faces ... Mr. Ward being asked to not surrender anything essential".

Socialist Press to be Knowing the only newspaper to have consis tently exposed the Scarman Report as being nothing short of a sell-out effectively shield behind and trade union bureau- which all the crats both "left" and right would will be readers hide, regulat forgiven thinking the above tor quote is drawn from a past issue of this paper. this isn't the then case, waverings of perhaps the centrist Socialist Challenge or the rank and Socialist filism of Worker have other finally dragged somehow OI them into a position of opposition to the Scarman proposals and out in defence of the strikers jobs?

ON PAY RULE

Mounting anger against the leadership showed

AUEW

shop itself at the special stewards meeting last Monday Sheffield recalled by District Committee to discuss the TUC report back. Richard Caborn, a leading the member Labourite

AUEW

delegation Congress vividly described Scanlon's blatant disregard for the union rulebook

ALEW

(which that the states delegation decides how to cast the union's block vote). He was followed by his father, veteran Stalinist District Secretary George Caborn who put position of the Sheffield District Committee. Fearful of the pressure of the top Noor. Caborn pledged support for all local engineers with claims 10% or against the either over the 13 month rule. In the discussion that followed that they stewards showed understood clearly that this policy sharp bring them into conflict with the union executive who have already instructed all full- time officials not even to apply for thoce sections

BUREAUCRATS

Regretfully such an about turn is asking too much from those who have without fail lined up their forces in effect behind the bureau- сгасу. In fact the lines above represent one of those rare occasions when verification for our point of view comes in a hysterical outburst from a representative of the ruling class, in this case James Prior, arch right and Shadow Secretary wing Tory for employment. Prior's frankness is matched by the story on the front page of the Times last Friday. Under the headline "Union pre- paring for withdrawal from Grun- APEX leader Roy wicks dispute" Grantham shamelessly revealed that he had: finally recognised that tactics available for there are no the dispute that are not winning illegal or damaging to the either electoral chances of the govern- ment."

SHEFFIELD FIGHT

Passionate appeals were made for collections and levies through- out engineering locally for workers already in dispute. 500 at River Don These include Stampings, locked out for working to rule over a bonus claim in breach of the 12 month rule, and another 600 likely to join them any day now at Ambrose Shardlows.

A resolution was carried over-

AUEW

calling for whelmingly for recall branches to fight committee and for national District Committee to organise a lobby of it to reverse the union's position on the 12 month rule.

call for Also adopted was lodge complaints to branches to the AEU final appeal court to overturn Scanion's TUC vote and

TASS

shop steward supporter of Socialist Press then spoke onethe need for an alter- both the right native policy the Stalinist dominated wing and 'Broad Left'. big claims to He argued for regain and defend living standards coupled with a cost of living clause based on a union price index.

In making this point he went on to expose the Broad Left's scabbing in relation to the fight against Phase talk of tailoring claims 1 and their The only surprising thing about this disgusting sabotage is that it's bubble to the 1U32g surface. For this decision to abandon the strike represents the logical culmin- ation of the whole APEX strategy fitting tribute to the series of and talks between trade union leaders, all with strike breaking records as long as their wage slips, and various strike committee members, ostensibly set up to transform the

TUC

resolution calling spineless "an intensification of financial for and practical aid" into

CONCICLE

action.

SECRECY

From the outset it was very that these talks, destined to clear head off demands for immediate action, would be conducted under a heavy veil of secrecy. Even the strike committee itself has been kept in the dark about the of these negotiations and progress "persuaded" lobby these not lo meetings. Indeed the increasingly blatant and vicious attempts by the APEX leadership to gain total control over and steer it the strike committee the defeat into certain pressing need for the committee to reassert its independence from the bureaucracy. of demoralisation Elements within the strike must be conscious- ly fought by the strike committee.

The call for a mass lobby of the

TUC

General Council meeting issued last week is clearly a move in the right direction.

ISOLATED

But this turn must not be an isolated shift in policy. Whatever meeting, the outcome

LOUS

strong call should go out for the immediate resumption of the mass pickets, thereby cutting the ground away from those who will suggest continuing negotiations. From his recent statements it is clear that Grantham sees the strike least dristmas and he will go to any dragging lengths to cut short any indepen- dent action by the strikers.

The strikers can expect no help from the likes of Grantham, but must appeal for the support lo movement labour possible, as well as demanding an end the secrecy immediate within the strike. * For mass pickets now! of post, blacking "ГОГ water and electricity now!

*No to Trade Union sell-outs!

*Scarman proposals For our. and recog- full reinstatement SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 28 September 1977

CARS BULLETIN

LAUNCHED

Thirty car workers attended The conference, which was on

CDLM.

the the the first car workers confer- programme passed a motion which laid stress ence called by the Campaign on the need to regain and defend for Democracy in the Labour living standards. Movement in Birmingham on

INFLATION

September 11. Although representing a modest Over and above the call to break the conference made an 12-month rule and declaring beginning the important contribution towards the development of alternative leader- control the motion against need for ship in the car industry.

spelled out the comprised against The was clauses to protect Conica mostly of workers from the Cowley inflation. Plant, the Corporate bargaining and 'partic.

Body • Cowiev Assembv Plant, the Longbridge complex and ipation' schemes were opposed and mutuality defended, Jaguar. agreements conference took the while the call for the opening of the The books and nationalisation of the car decision to set up an on-going cars was committee of the and and component industry

CULM

elected delegates to it. included charged the committee with Other objectives adopted were: the public- lay off the task of beginning *Extend improve and of a Car Workers Bulletin to agreements to 100% pay. ation Direct be sold in the car plants as a focus *No secret negotiations. for alternative struggle the for negotiating commit- contro leadership tees by mass meetings The conference also decided that *FO Committees Com bine the Committee should organise a directly answerable to the shop wider better prepared floor. conference at a future date to carry * Against import controls.

this work forward.

FIGHT

THE

NORTH EAST LON

BRANCE

MEDICAL

HERNIS

Workers in nearby Hackney marching against the cuts last year.

PLAISTOW MARCH

The Action Committee of A work-in to stop plans to close the hospital has been going on since Hospital, East Plaistow July 15. London, has called for the The workers have said, through biggest possible mobilisation their unions, that it should stay of local community and trade better such as open untl maternity facilities are provided.

union support for a march on The Area Health Authority October 1. plan to close Plaistow to implement cuts and transfer its government

EGA

Gate hospital Forest

WORK

presents, the workers point out, the delays expectant danger tor Reprieved mothers that could be critical.

Newham has already one of the highest rates of infant mortality in terrible conditions - Minister and run down social services.

not the first East Plaistow Londor hospital to come under the 100 supporters of the Eliza- axe. Anderson Already the Plaistow Invalid and beth Garrett Hospital has Crippled work-in picketed later Hospital the Poplar closed wel

DHSS

headquarters Hospital. Tuesday 20 September as their responsibility for this rests lobbied first and foremost on the shoulders representatives of the trade union leaders in the of State David Secretary public refused sector EC Ennals to demand the hospital their mobilise strike action stay open. detence Ennals announced to the lobby The October demonstration union officials, local of stewards, must become the focus of a move- MPs and consultants that he had occupations ment strikes been "converted": to the case for a that can prevent this happening run by hospital to women, but gave no assurance thai would stay

STILL AVAILABLE

open. also admitted that but for

THE TOOLROOM STRIKE AND

the hospital would the work-in,

THE FIGHT TO END WAGE

will not stop the ciosure,

CONTROL

DHSS

has been Instead the forced to implement the laborious Articles reprinted from the consultation of local interests as to Special Edition of Socialist the future of the hospital Press analysing the political statutory procedure, which This consequences of the toolmakers previously avoided, the DHSS had strike and the Lit Lat pact but will tull support to workers l s Price 250 alus 1it a6=49m the work-in another three give WSL, 31, Dar-a- Fare Hid months breathing space to step up lifts arm the fight for the repair hospital lift and for the upgrading

NUJ CAVES IN TO PRINT UNION

OFFICIALS ON CLOSED SHOP

SKEGNESS: A NEW THFP

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 28 September 1977 ShEfFIELD CP

SHOWS

COLOURS

ON PAY

fional Execisive or the National Executive 40 AUEW members at Single- NUJ against the brute force hurst Hydraulics in Sheffield were of the

TUC

collapsed this by on lo septemder management after imposing a work week when it voted without to rule over a 25% pay claim. The dissent to put the question of Communist dispute offered the a closed shop at Darlington Party-dominated

AUEW

District up for barter. Committee a golden chance to push through a claim in excess of the The Executive agreed that 10% limit-though not in breach of "mediator' tree hand the 12 month rule. However, while to produce a 'solution' to the strike official backing was granted, the Westminster Press owned District Secretary George Caborn North of England Newspapers.

also took a hand in negotiations, as The mediator will also be free a result of which the workers have propose settlement to now been persuaded to return with dispute Westminster Press's at London 10% settlement, while office where journalists negotiations take place on a selt- victimised for went let using financing deal to provide additional break the Darlington strike.

bonus payments. This deal provides a sombre

OPENED UP

warning to those who might be expecting any firm lead In this strikes both way Caborn and on pay from the offices where journalists have been District. picketing early have since been opened up for print union No backing leaders to carry out a sell out yet for Rolls Royce

CLAIMS ENNALS

As the strike by over 100 production workers at Rolls North Royce in Willesden, London into its third goes A chanting crowd of nearly the strike has yet to week, 400 hospital workers and local be made any of official by supporters greeted Minister of the four unions involved-the State for Health David Ennals

TGWU,

the sheetmetal on his arrival at St. Nicholas's workers, the woodworkers and Hospital in South East the

EETPU,

although the London Monday 26 on sheetmetal workers leadership September. promised a favourable decision The hospital has been cited for this week. Greenwich closure 16 mass mey threw Bexley Area Health Authority. September rightly the Ennals agreed to inspect it after the management's offer of an 8%o wage Health Council had community rise and fl a week for sick pay into responded to a wave of protest and the dustbin and confirmed their objected to the move. demand-for a ll wage banals was all smues as ne gave with average rise coupled his brief set speech about a very of at least £71 a week holiday pay.

difficult decision" and hurried As press it is still we unclear what a similar He spent three hours touring

OLIC IN

the wards, posing for pictures Crewe and Shrewsbury plants 1n and engagine patients in and news that the Crewe plant have conversation. accepted a management offer of 10% whereas the Shrewsbury plant seems set to strike tor their original claim is unconfirmed. What is clear though is that the fight for official backing will be a long and arduous one, something those in Willesden realise when they say they expert to arcel snow on the picket line. Canley job fears British Leyland's plans for Worry and bitterness written on the patients' faces. One the ending of car production woman trom hamesmead with a at Triumph's Canley plant in told Socialist Press: broken Coventry have led to fears that thousands of jobs will be lost.

really think? We're terrified down there: it's all concrete.

You might The work is being transferred to be dead before got Solihull and of you despite promises hospital." and reorganisation of relatillig She added "I think he wants to close it." there are disturbed by the possibil- At the end of his walk about ity that car production WIll Ennals refused to give his decision transferred before the preparation or eyen to speculate on its timing.

for the new work is underway.

He that the insisted health Following with all Hollie services would have to suffer four Coventry MPs, managing direc- St. equivalent biow for Derek whittaker has Nicholas's were to remain open.

call a meeting of all convenors at Where, asked how Labour the Caniev pant. The MPs admitted, however, Minister could justify cutting the of working people that they were not "entirely Health Services anywhere, Ennals claimed that the happy" with the outcome of their NHS was continuing to expand in meeting with Whittaker. real terms. Workers at Canev must demand a full inspection of the company's "After all", he spluttered, "I'm a socialist!" books which will lay the ground- On the hospital he work for a trade union plan for the leaving "Save St. Nicks" future of British Leyland-a plan received a badge which he stuck in his pocket with which will start from the principle

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

Only 10 days before their collapse the

NUJ

executive had voted-by 10 to 9 with one absten- tion-to make victory at Darlington and London an absolute condition

•I SCEE CINCHE

Now although the strikes will continue the arena has been shifted from the into the away strikes conference rooms the Where bureaucrats have more freedom to manoeuvre.

MEDIATION

The Printing Industries Commit- of the TUC had proposed at Tee Blackpool that mediation should begin and that journalists and supporting printers should return to 90 to nil vote by work. the stay out Danglon followed by a similar vote London set the scene to resist this An emergency meeting of the Westminster chapel was called, a mass lobero op Press

NUJ

I'M A SOCIALIST

Members of the action commit- St. Nicholas's tee save were divided on the likelihood of Ennals reversing the closure decision.

Socialist Press asked the workers would do if he went what they ahead with the closure From their answer it seems clear that kind of

SUIC

envisaged. They would now do well to come out oven v for occunation and to prepare labour movement support it throughout the

TOT

community. The refusal of

TGWU

officials to use the strength of the 1.9 million strong union to win disputes emerged clearly in the marathon strikes against the Trust Houses Forte hotel chain which were sold out earlier this year. Now 43 workers at Sanderson's factory in Skegness fork-lift are facing similar obstruction in their twenty-week battle for reinstate- ment and union recognition.

Iney are up agalnst not Olly a reactionary anti-union employer,

TGWU

but Regional Secretary David Cairns, whose actions helped ensure the sell-out of the Imperial Typewriters occupation in 1975 dragged there on any blacking officials have Sandersons action against subsidiary, Truckmasters. Sandersons is continuing to import Toyota fork trucks and adapt them.

Meanwhile all Cairns at a support meeting called on 12 September was how difficult it would be for the strikers to get jobs if they were defeated. TGWU members however have given strong support to the action- blacking the workers supply of leading to drop in production from 15 trucks a week to 3 As strike committee member Colin Simpson told Socialist Press: "We are fighting on three fronts: one, the employer; two, the higher

TGWU

officials; and three, hard- We are receiving only £6 per ship. week strike pay from the union £6 from the strike with another fund. to be no coopera- There seems tion between the union officials Ken Morgan- until this week NUJ General Secretary. the NEC was arranged and a motion was prepared to combat the sell- out This resulted in the historic vote by the Hxecutive to continue the fight without concessions.

It was achieved in the face of from the outgoing bitter hostility NUJ General Secretary Ken Morgn Executive not the vote at all rather than vote for the tough amendment.

BLUNT

The reaction of Bill Keys, chair- Morgan man of the

PIC,

when broke the bad news was blunt.

"When will the NUJ National Executive grow up?" He convened a second and more determined meeting of the PIC Evidence that the strong stand by the NUJ was correct was borne out immediately. Under the impact of the vote, FoC's from print union all over If we lose this it will set trade unionism in this 100 back a cd years-but we will win. But what we need to win is full backing from the union. Above all we need urgent financial support."

The next meeting of the TGWU No. 10 Regional Committee must Leyland factories throughout the Leyland thelt

OWI

claims now and take action to win them.. And they must broaden this call to the car industry as a whole -where Claims are now in process in Ford and Vauxhall. these cases that claims sub- advocate the mitted should be full catching up claims to regain 1974 pay levels, linked to cost of living increases, providing rises to keep pace with inflation as assessed by elected trade union committees. To highlight the fight against the present government the Leyland demand must that the 'left' Labour MPs declare full support for the strike and Please send me Socialist League Name.. Address Post to WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR.

Page 11 the group met in Darlington and reaffirmed support, , a move which brought the possiblity of escalating the strike closer.

CROSS PICKET

But the PIC threatened to order all print workers at Darlington to cross the picket line if the NUJ did not go into mediation without pre- conditions. Keys, Morgan and the other print leaders are looking for a short term "interim" closed shop from Westminster Press in return for an end to the strike. of this cynical natult was exposed at Black- treachery pool. There, in secret, print union leaders met NUJ members from Kettering who want to leave the union and assured them they were free to do so. Last year their attempted defection prolonged a dispute at Kettering into a six month closed shop battle

IDENTICAL

was the identical solution which being sought

HOW

Darlington which finally drove the work. Now NUJ members back to their strike is shown to have been in vain. All is not yet lost. . The strikes continue and the NUJ Executive has promised to examine the mediator's proposals in the light of NUJ policy This cryptic wording which was accepted by the entire left wing of specifically the Executive designed to mean all things to all But it takes the disputes into exactly the arena in which the union leaders will flourish: print the half world of shady deals, half truths and sordid manoeuvres Ina Contes alike drinking bie out ond leave

NUJ

members cup called 'victory". be lobbied with the demand for Regional and national blacking Sandersons, on and for increased financial help.

In the meantime, support and donations should be sent to Phil Gilliatt, 27 St. Matilda's Drive, Winthorpe, Skegness, Lincolnshire

FROM PAGE 1.

fight break the Lib-Lab coalition It is by the stand they take on coming struggles that these so- be 'left wingers can called exposed in the eyes of thousands still workers will at some illusions that they call be send tw fight and new point steps forward can be fight for new leadership in the workers' movement. The policy is already pay reeling under the battering of a offensive-correct leader- wages ship in such major disputes as that at Leyland can deal it the final blow, and open up the possibility fight for alternative programme.

MORE DETAILS

information about the Workers

DESOUTTERS: FIGHT MUST

Page 12

GO ON

A mass meeting of strikers Issue. Brothers in from Desoutters West London-on strike for 20 weeks demanding trade union It simply recognition-voted on Monday by which to accept a management docu- ment as the basis for a return their choice". to work. At the same time the meeting remale of Fred support convenor, Hopper (who was sacked during the dispute) and representation.

AUEW

officials have met Desoutters management, on the on wages.

BRITISH

LEYLAND

have restoring found a new ally in their bid individual plant This bargaining after November 1.

TGWU

Roy Fraser-once He the leader of the notorious bargaining. Leyland Toolroom strike which clashed with the rigid the jacket of Phase 2 earlier this year.

Now fraser and the toolroom called strike committee have strike from October 28-the aim being -has now to pressure Leyland into proceeding with this proposed Hraser corporate bargaining structure.

This manoeuvre has nothing to do with rates of Fraser is workers pay. simply seeking the best lever for

UNION

the ago.

OF THE

The Communist

LEFT

reached programme. when Fabre, IN "intransigence". proposal that programme

CRISIS

country's financial of these groups.

SOCIALIST

PRESS

BRITAIN

EUROPE

6 issues €1.00 o Issues 12 issues £2.00 12 issues. £4.00 24 Issues 24 issues

REST OF THE WORLD

o Issues 12 issues 24 issues I would like to take out a subscription to Socialist Press.

Please send me.. . issues. I enciose £ ...

NAME

ADDRESS

Send this form to: Socialist Press, 31, Dartmouth Paris Hill, Standing behind shametul decision to institute finance the strike The document which the mass meeting has accepted in no concedes trade union recognition.

raGi member Don books of proctaure "individuals" proclaimed that a levy can raise grievances and if they wish, can be and undertook to press this.

accompanled by an "employee of discuss levy.

NO RECOGNITION

There is to be no recognition of has now been accepted. shop stewards and no

COLECTIVE

will remain impossible for example to negotiate

TOOLMAKERS BACK BL LINE

pay differentials between workers. clashes with the aim of bring about area rather than corporation-wide And both plans conflict with feeling. on the shop, floor- which is bitterly opposed to the end of plant bargaining. Hugh Scanlon-who during the agreed that 3,000 toolmakers be sacked by Leyland weighed in to back Whatever comes out of new talks between Scanlon and Jones, will need to fight to defend plant bargaining. France's popular front-the doctrinal Union of the Left-is now in sordid throes of its worst crisis since its formation five years way of attention crisis could, conceivably, role in the popular front.

lead to the break up of the Union.

Talks between the leaders of the Union-the Socialist Party (SP).

the is a formal guarantee to the bour- Party (CP) and the geoisie that the bourgeois Radicals-ended in dead- parties are lock last week, with no agreement

WOLKIP?

front's common French capitalism. tabre's walkout This failure further exacerbates reminder strative the crisis engendered on September bourgeoisie that it is their interests Radical leader, Robert that he represents and tor which ne stormed out of the first is fighting. round of talks accusing the CP of velled call for middle class support in next Spring's legislative elections The ostensible sticking point in the negotiations nas been the the original (1972) to of the Union, which the extended list of companies to called for the nationalisation of the nine biggest industrial increase the as well as the banking and from 2,200 to 2,400 francs, as well should sectors, be their dual cil extended to include all subsidiaries opposition LO demands. * * ki €3.00 £2.10 +410 the outstanding amount. £8.40 the vote to the strikers accept the company's terms was the work. of the London The next evening the full meet- North District Committee to refuse ing the District District levy to voted down a levy by 9 votes to 4.

Stalinist Cook The Committee had built up the inspected the books carried out his hopes of the strikers by sending an promise. He argued for the levy, Cook to look and then voted against it.

the strike. He This was a further was needed financially hard pressed strikers.

At the mass meeting the key role When the F&GP met on Tudesay was playe by Bill of last week however, it did not AUEW Divisional Organiser. He sai Instead they that the company had made some recommended a return to work on "concessions" in the document and the basis of the document which that could be used workers' advantage. On the question of the levy the District President George Anthony

"CONCESSIONS'

an extreme right wing CP member, said there was no need for one since He was not however prepared to himself acceptance move instead railroaded the strike mittee into recommending accep- tance on a majority decision.

The sacking of the shows how many the companv are making A return to work without his full reinstatement would further victimisation PHOTO: John Sturock. Report.

harassment. It is essential that the remains completely full reinstatement of the convenor campaign and for blacking must continue. blacking The still Oxford and Sheffield and this must be extended. New and more regular finance sources It may be that the struggle to defend Fred Hopper will create the conditions for He W

OOK

document which can described as a sell out. Fraser Standing behind these apparent- All this however is differences, however, dressing: the CP are motivated Ds electoral considerations of bureaucratic self- interest, not concern for indepen The Radicals staged the walkout dent working class activity; their focussing national much feted stand on the national- on themselves and their isation issue is characterised not by intransigence, but by the crassest opportunism.

FORMAL GUARANTEES

Already the CP have dropped Their participation in the Union their demands that the Citroen

WORKS

Compagnie Francaise des Petroles working class's willing to tailor be nationalised. Moreover, it should be pointed demands Sull out that the proposed nationalis- will be is a demon- to the French executed from above include a takeover of plants which French currently capital unprofitable to run privately.

As such it is a thinly- The correct demand is that the But the CP have also had to play CP and SP break their working class base-hence bourgeoisie by breaking from the Union of the Left, the nationalised and the proposed common programme and refusing any minimum wage wal leviations l such popular front blocs. Instead "intransigent" there must be the Radicals' CP government programme.

£3,000 FUND

Yet another encouraging fortnight for the Special Fund with a further £327.68 to add to our total. With a few days to go to the deadline, we have now reached £2644.87 out of our target of £3,000, leaving us just £355.13 to raise.

Now that the date for launching the weekly 'Socialist Press' has been named, let us have one last push to collect received during the last two weeks include: Nuneaton £8.18; CH £3; Hackney £5; Posters £5; East £17.50; PL £10; Carworkers £89.50; Leeds £34; €59.80; Sheffield £30; PL £45; Aylesbury £7.50; Leamington £5 and Winsford £8 Last minute donations can be sent to: Socialist Press Special Fund 31, Dartmouth Park Hill SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 28 September 1977

SOCIALIST PRESS

RALLY

COMEMORATE-

60th ANNIVERSARY

OF THE RUSSIAN

REVOLUTION

-CELEBRATE

going back to

THE LAUNCHING

OF THE WEEKLY

Committee

SOCIALIST PRESS

who had Sunday 6 November at 7pm YWCA, 16, Russell St. London WC1 blow to the (1 min. Tottenham Court Rd. Tube Station) McLoughlin to the TAMESIDE, From Front Page.

mass mobilisations against fascism and them a denying platform." It is all very well for the IMG but "reject the ban with com- contempt". The fact of the matter remains that we as socialists cannot march convenor within Tameside "concessions between September 21 and the end of October. Workers democratic rights have mean been removed. and The ban has simply handed the NF an issue on which to campaign strike solid for the while workers have learned no lesson fight

JC W

fascism. national Almost forty years ago Leon Trotsky had this to say about firm in state bans on fascist organisations "Being an irre concilable opponent not only of fascism but be also of the present day Comintern same time decidedly 1 am at the arainst the suppression or eltne of them. The outlawing of fascist groups only be would inevitably have a fictitious character: as reactionary they isa tions can easily change their colour and adapt themselves to any kind of organisational form

WCOW

influential sections of ruling class and the governmental apparatus sympath.

ise considerably with ther and these inevitably sympathies increase during times of political crisis. Under the conditions of the bourgeois regime, all suppres Peugot- of political Sion rights and and the no matter whom they Irecoom. are directed against in the begin.

in the end inevitably bear ning, class. down particularly its advanced elements.

bureaucratically That is the law of history and will The workers must learn how to distinguish between their friends find it and their according their judgement and not

•OWI

actors police." the with The ruling class today clearly has no intention of silencing the by rejecting fascists. by On the other hand the state any will to bear down heavily on the anti-fascists This is why lignt lor a sri we insist that the way to crush the fascists must be the independent mobilisation of the working class. Whenever there threats from the fascists the agallist organisation of the labour move ment or the black community bearing the brunt of

WICH

fascist attacks at present-there must he a campaign for the form- al ol workers acience squads Those "letts" who call for "ban' on the front must be forced to support such a fight. same time we recog- nise that the fascists are only able to because they pose with an answer the economic crisis. able to cut the WP be ground from beneath the feet of the fascists only by advancing a programme which can defend anc regain living standards The "lefts" in ust support the strugges or workers against Ine coalition government's policies of wage control, unemployment and cuts which add fuel fascist They must launch a campaign for the Doc l ne canton