Socialist Press no. 73

REJECT

LEYLAND

BALLOT

British Leyland management and every British will be delighted at today's 2-1 employer workers in favour of a package of proposals including abolition of plant-level bargaining; acceptance of a pay increase of only 10%; a job-cutting incentive scheme; and 'fringe benefits' linked to vicious no- strike clauses. Foisting this package of ation on the deal, and only a policies U0O1 handful called mass meetings.

workers is a major step on the Those tew road Leyland's ultimate that were held overwhelming- goal: the introduction of US- ly rejected the style "master contracts" proposals. which all negotiations are This showed out of the hands of even it only TGWU convenors elected union representatives had and given appomted on the issue in mass meetings, national officials. thousands But such measures could could have against the deal. only be forced through with the of assistance union Leaflets bureaucrats. Plant convenors have been softened up by involvement League and the Campaign for commit- 'participation" Democracy tees which have sucked them Movement, through mass leaf- into open management roles leting of all major factories, and focussed their attention launched a serious campaign on the "state of the com- against the proposals. pany" than the con-

ATALICI

Communist ditions of members. Longbridge stewards failed to Proposed chaenge relusing to make any recom And the officials who head mendations either way on the the Confederation and Engin- ballot. eering Unions not only Stalinist endorsed the package but Robinson even proposed to Leyland the for door some tactic of the secret shopfloor vote for the package as a last ballot. ditch attempt for a pay rise.

The ballot tactic is of He used course a long-standing favour- handful of right wingers as a ite with anyone determined pretext for cancelling a strike to break union ranks. for the annual pay review.

ballots Secret were crucial element of the Wilson Living standards government's union-busting In contrast "In Place of Strife' White Workers Socialist League has Paper and of the Tory Indus- consistently argued that Ley- trial Relations Act. workers Their purpose is to force immediate claims for £100 a workers to act as individuals week linked to cost of living subject to Tory press propa- clauses in order to regain and ganda and management lies, defend lost living standards.

ratner than as part of the Through organised labour movement.

erately No information and Stalinist leaders, Leyland This objective was made have now secured victory in easier by the ballot. Even while the press cam- paign for a 'Yes' vote hotted to be answered even on unat up and management put out a led the ballot and its timing?

completely falsified version of the package, Why are virtually no voting figures suppressed?

convenors produced inform-

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 73 * November 2, 1977 * 15p - Who controlled the voting? •Why are plant results • How many workers know what the deal contains? vote by

ISH

mass meetings clearly that mounted a serious fight

CIAL

HOIC

WOrKCIS been swung

ITRACT

Only the Workers Socialist

CIAL

the Labour

FLICT

Party led right wing, convenor Derek the opened Where workers who allegedly voted 59,000 to workers in favour of the new scheme?

And the harsh fact remains march by that the ballot was rushed through by management in such a way that almost none Leyland's of 120,000 •Cal workers Knows even now what he was voting for. with this the The clear. Workers cannot be bound by such a ballot. LETeSTS OT lodge should The whole charade must be rejected. *All changes forced in as a resut or une ballot must be confusion delib- resisted. createl. by right wing existing manning levels must be defended. *Corporate pay bargaining be rejected and where-

MUSE

But some questions remain ever possible plant claims sub- mitted, the 10% rejecting Who, for instance, control.

limit, and including cost of living clauses to protect plant-by-plant against inflation *Elected trade union com- suppressed?

SOCIAL

CONTRACT

The

SOCIAL

rejected

CON-TRICK

favour. Longbridge workers earlier this year duced a mittees demand full ganda in favour of the must books to access to Leyland reveal the true "state of the gill campaigned against. company" and show the need The for nationalisation of Leyland

NUM

along with the motor and uphold component industries and the policy against banks. *A be campaign must launched the unions the courts. against all secret ballots, and for mass meetings to lecide policy and to conduct elec- tions. Such policies would inev- itably bring a collision with the Lib-Lab coalition govern the job-slashing ment and National Enterprise BORTe task it whose is to force through speed-up in Leyland.

But only through such fight and in the building of a new political leadership to carry it through can Leyland workers hope to protect jobs and living against statedes the next spate of attacks.

FIRST WEEKLY

EDITION

including: IRELAND (New Series) •pp.6-7 Kruschev Remembers .. ...p.8 Will Leyland Close Down? • p.4 Our Policies (New Series) • p.9 Miners must press £135 claim the deal not so result of the much fo itself but because they regard miners ballot on once- alternative to the as an productivity NUM £135 a week pay claim deals was awaited as we The is a step back deal went to press with the wards for miners and a tota national papers predict- It has already allowed the ing a small majority in Executive overrule the national conference Both the Coal Board and struck a savage blow against the NUM executive have pro- democracy in the union. torrent of propa- NUM members must fight deal for the £135 claim to be ruth- while only Yorks leader Scar- lessly pursued regardless o the result of the ballot.

Communist Party Productivity deals car refused to make any effort to bring nothing but an increas- conference rate of exploitation for productivity miners while the value of the deals apart trom their damag- Deny emera cash order wil ing and ridiculous appeal to eroded swiftly inflation. The NUM executive want Inflation "The miners' f135 claim itself makes no allowance for protection of against inflation But it presents the miners best chance of restoring their living standards. It was because miners recognised this in 1974 that they threw out productivity deals then. The fight for wages mus against the ahead go now Stalinists and right winger who are striving to tie miners hand and foot. Scargill

-INTERNATIONAL'

Francoist Interior Min- ister Villa Martin has instructed the police to take tougher action against strike pickets which are still completely illegal in Spain. That of the first bitter fruits of part two of so-called Moncloa the Pact. Filthy agreement Through this filthy agree- workers' agreed to parties have give parliamentary support programme of anti-working class economic measures. That was part one. Part two.

signed last Wednesday, a few hours before Villa issued his the new instructions police, supposed be of "demo- use Crisis in E. Europe demonstration against the influence of the Soviet Union and against the tast German police took place on October 27 in Berlin At the end of the celebra- ton East Germany's hundreds national day, people assembled young the Alexanderplatz chanting anti-bureaucratic slogans and others in support of Wolf Bier- man, the poet and singer ex- pelled from East Germany a year ago. Police attacked demonstra- tors, who kept reassembling when they were dispersed.

Reports speak of dozens of arrests and injuries. Romania strike The 'denial' of the Roman- ian authorities only lent con- persistent miners in the Petrosani region party bureaucrat and to have demands were met. with Romanian bureaucracy is not resting easily in its bed.

Secretary bitter complaints in a meeting serious deficien- cies' of the Communist Party "self sufficiency' of ome of its bureaucrats. Polish problems Secretary Polish Party Edward Gierek has also been public airing of some difficulties of the Polish свистасу: This took place of the CP Central casion Committee called to discuss year's SuCCeSS 'economic manoevre' which part prices or Dasic 1oods Gierek admitted the persis- tence of 'difficulties sadly resented by the population'.

His report was a story of "corruption, waste, theft of social alcholism, property, favouritism, fail- gigence, te oi management to respect planning norms' and much che besides. Opposed by

SPANISH SOCIAL

workers We reprint below the text

CONTRACT

of "The a leaflet entitled UGT of Madrid does not accept the Moncloa Pact". This was issued last month by Madrid Bank workers and in- dicates the feeling against the Pact. cratic reforms" which the head, there is every reason to workers' parties received think that they will continue The Assembly of Industry and Local Union Federations return for accepting austerity.

to pur thel traming Lo use.

from of the

UGT

of Madrid Apart some vague Formal blessing decided in the meeting held words about freedom on October 10 to denounce speech and assembly and the establishment of a committee The difference is that the Pact' tne so-caled Moncloa which the Government MP Moncloa Pact now gives them an overset the broadcasting service, the tried to get from the political the formal blessing of the what it couldn't get main point of the agreement purported leaders of the

DHATES

from the unions. concerns the nolice working class. The only pos- It proposes to reduce the sible principled demand We denounce agree- autonomy of the police auth- about the Francoist ments reached, which in fact ponce orities and bring them under (and armvi is for their com represent a Social Pact which the closer supervision of the the UGT has always opposed.

ele on o of the Interior, and Minister formation of workers defence Through this pact signed so, the Communist Party and squads to organise defence wilnoul eleence

E NO

Socialist Party blandly argue, against the "democratic unions and against the unions police force". under parliamentary and attempt another being major workers' In every made to make the solution of The Socialist and CP Spain, demonstration the economic crisis fall on the leaders, thus criminally give masses of people show their backs of the workers. their blessing the demands support for these A wage cut is clearly and continued existence, virtually by chanting the slogan "Dis- precisely outlined. Maximum unchanged, of all the repres- solution of the oppressive wages are fixed which annul apparatus of Francoism. thus paying sive the factory or industry nego- This "democratic" police attention the CP and The agreement alsc been minutely bureaucracies force Socialist allows free sacking of up to trained in the suppression of their night and day struggle per cent of the workers democratic rights and to attempt to silence this who get more than the maxi- workers' and popular mobil- militant and inde- mum 22 per cent wage isations. pendent demand by increase. EduC With Martin Villa at their millions of Spanish workers.

On the other hand the

SAAD

Banks, of the most important of the centres Spanish present

SOUTH AFRICAN ATRWAYS

on completely crisis, carry untouched when everyone knows that small and medium firms are failing because the them are denying credits. Because of all this we take this opportunity to declare ourselves once again against the Social Pact. We pact say no any which tries to tie down the working class so as to solve a created by those not CrISIS workers but is the result of the capitalist system. NO TO

THE

REPRES-

SION OF BANK WORKERS!

TO FREEDOM

AGAINST

THE SOCIAL PACT!

Unpublished pathologists reports have revealed that black leader

LABOUR AMNESTY!

Steve Biko died as a result of head injuries, and that he suffered brain as acute kidney failure. These revelations point clearly Provincial Committee of damage as well Biko, making the South African as the killers of the Trade Union Banks, 0I sense of Police Minister Savings and Stock Exchange because of a 7-day hunger strike.

There are now reports that a public Credit of the UGT of Madrid PHOTO: Mark Rusher, IFL. inquest into the death is to be held.

October 13 1977

AUSTRALIAN STRIKE

SOLD OUT

may just get the workers con- minimal cerned wage increase. Such a sell-out of course for the way further state repression of the After a 10 week long working-class curbing strike power workers in militancy. On top of this, Prime his first Frazer has the La Trobe Valley,

A MOL

Minister victims are most likely to be December 10 as the date for Victoria have voted to the power workers who have a general election. return to work in order- just returned to work. The main issues on which Although they in the words of the shop were cap- he will campaign are clearly able of crippling the entire stewards' Chairman-'to to be greater state control of Victorian the more unemploy- the union, avoid being at the centre failed outright their ment (predicted to rise to 8% of a political issue. 40 dollar wage ciaim January) and a further by The dispute, which Prime Instead, the union bureau- holding down of wages. Minister Frazer called 'the cracy-led by the President of the Who governs? AustrAla S industrial history', Trade Unions, Bob Hawke - cost over 450 browbeat milton Austrialian the workers into In the words of Transport dollars in lost production and returning while their claim is Minister Nixon, the choice is wages, and at one stage saw heard by Arbitration Commi- who the be, over 5000,000 out of work.

ssioner Mansini country-the 01 governal From the Victoria State But given that their claim the unions. Government it prompted the rejected At the moment Frazer has previously has Deci declaration of a state of emer- by the Commission (on Octo- a majority of 49 in the House gency, and from the federai ber 18), it is highly unlikely of Representatives. Government drew wide any progress opponent,

BURTON

legislation ranging giving to be made in that Labour leader Gough Whit- going Federal courts ereater control that direction. lam, has boasted over trade union affairs.

expects to win back 30 of Seeing the stoppage threaten to take on the pro- these and take seats Test out Labour to power again. portions or a general strike As we go to press it seems That, however, is by no the union bureaucracy were likelv that Frazer will get a desperate to get a means certain after Labour's obviously failure to chance to test in practice the support the power return work and art now efficiency of these laws which workers' demands. engaged haggling Signing the Moncloa Pact

BRITISH TERROR

UPHELD

BY COURT

In predictable decision by the Court of Appeal last week, four political prisoners Irish had their prison sen- tences confirmed. The four-Carole Richard- Patrick Armstrong, Paul son, all failed for cie in 1975 life all jailed for after the bombings at Guild- ford and Woolwich. They had been among the first people to be arrested of the Preventior Terrorism Act of December 1974. Throughout their trial they claimed that they had been intimidated into making statements based on inform- ation supplied by the police.

It was on the basis of these statements alone that the life were awarded-no Sentence forensic or any other evi- dence connecting four with the bombings was ever brought forward. Now those sentences have been upheld-despite the fact that the three men imprison- ed after the Balcombe Street siege, together with Brendan Dowd who was arrested in Liverpool in 1975, all came forward to say that they had responsible for the

OCCI

bombings at Guildford and Woolwich, and that the other four completely innocent. The judges threw out these without statemențs much For revolutionaries, though, the opinions of his lordship are neither here not there. Victims of imperialism recognise that all of We 100 Irish the and more political prisoners in British of British jails imperialist oppression of Ire- land The various offences which the prisoners are sup- posed to have committed- bombings, shootings, robberies-are all incidental to this fundamental fact.

That is not to say that we the indivorisaistic, condone conspiratorial the IRA, or that we accept responsibility ute utopian nationalist policies they espouse Criticise policies On the contrary, we criticise both the policies and the manner in which they are fought for. But revolutionaries cannot remain neutral when confron- ted a state intent on with beating down all opposition to its exploitative rule.

Not only must we call for withdrawal of an immeolale British troops from Ireland but we must demand that all Irish political prisoners be immediately freed.

HONG KONG

Dozens of off-duty police- men went on the rampage last Friday, after a 2,000-strong had demonstration ponut marched on the headquarters "Indep of the government's Commission Against endent Corruption" Ine police are investiga- complaining that corruption within tions into their own ranks are "unfair" in a society where corruption is virtually a way of life. The Police Commissioner Brian Slevin is now thought likely to establish a police officers' federation griev- to enable aaces to be aired.

ARGENTINA

The government in Argen- tize has been rocked by the biggest strike wave since th overthrew Isabel Peron in 1976 the fact that Despite strikes are illegal and the by the unionS are run military, unofficial strikes led by railworkers, have swept the country. The railworkers are claim- 200% ing increases up because of the ravaging effect inflation has had on their wares.

CHINESE BUREAUCRATS PREPARI

INDIAN POPULAR FRONT

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2 Norember 1977 Hua

IN CRISIS

In elections six months ago, the workers and peasants of India firmly rejected the repressive legislation and anti-work- ing class policies of the Congress Party. Although the right wing alliance Janata reaped sweeping victory from this hostility, the ruling coalition now finds itself in as big a crisis as the defeated party.

United solely on this basis of opposition to the Gandhi dictatorship, this reactionary popular front has been unable to fulfil its wild election pledge of democracy in India.

Platitudes While continues to thunder liberal platitudes, its economic policies of L11- develop- capitalist attened and thoroughgoing ment allegiance to the bourgeoisie have resulted in mass disillus- ionment. Internally, the

LOO.

riddled with coalition dissension. The recent attempts to arrest Indira Gandhi on charges of corrup- Were HENe divert attention away from the failure of the Janata.

But Gandhi, more flexible operator has taken advan- successors, tage of these moves to challenge the new leadership of the Congress Party which displaced after election defeat. Pressure This first attempt unsuccessful, but doubt Reddy Brahman (Congress President) will not long be able further SuI YIVE To solve the economic

- INTERNATIONAL•

NEW PURGE

their political and economic priorities. include economic nece growth, the reinstatement of material incentives, the rapid until next spring to give more A year after the arrest modernisation of the army time to eliminate opponents of the "Gang of Four" and relaxation on the cultural who threaten might Iront. the dominant group in aist upt lls proccuuigs. The pre-Cultural Revol- the Chinese bureaucracy Production Party training schools has not been able to con- uTIon are to re-open, and academic Although it is claimed that solidate its position. industrial has achievement be once production Desperate increased by 10% in attempts are the criterion for again Ine being made to "Tectify the entrance to university. period January-August this style of working in the Party" year as compared with 1976, way the group and to purge hostile elements.

round Hua and Teng hope to the problems of economic The People's build throughout the country growth loom large. Congress has been put off "cadres" There is a lot of talk on who will fight for Janata leader Desai with Soviet leader Brezhnev in Moscow uous series of strikes. government claims be Communist Party of India (Marxist) following 'socialist' the same time there methods. which opposed Haddowned a ties In practice this have been Gandhi and gained support at between landowners and ever last elections where the ally form of capitalist exploita- attempting to

CPI

was smashed. The CPI occupy the land which legis- tion to develop the economy.

(M) now its own formally granted George Fernandes-leader lation has of the Socialist Party and them West Bengal Minister In this situation the role of priority for for Industries-

ITSI

the CPs has been predictable Indian makes constant appeals to the workers and peasants bourgeoisie to do their duty Although the pro-Moscow popular to break these by the somoted the Gandhi dictat- Communist Party front alliances between country and learn their fight for what is right. parties and the indian bour- He stresses that the Janata orship up to and beyond the geoisie. building of a Trotskyist parte will ensure that no kind of end, last week in Moscow This requires prime minister Morarji Desai ideology will hamper indus- joined Brezhnev fighting trial development-or profits, on programme of course! declare their 'equality of including land nationalisation But 18 national interests'. and expropriation of major months of the emergency slashed wages and At the same time Moscow industries alongside demands to improve and defend living since workers have seeking a rapprochement March Stalinist standards with the national and guarantee surged lorward 1n democratic rights

IN BRIEF

HOLLAND

fled attacks from the police.

currently owned by farmers Since the deaths there have The outgoing Dutch Prime over 65 years of age. Minister has been trying to been a series of strikes and put together another "left-of- student demonstrations ing for the removal of the

PORTUGAL

centre coalition despite the Minister revolt in his own Labour Colone. public Immediate cuts in Party over a compromise with Bolivar Jarrin and Labour be enacted spending are to Minister General Jorge Salva.

the Christian Democrats on by the Soares government dor Chiriboga. the distribution of Current expenditure is to be portfolios. A special Labour by 20% and capital cut Party congress is to be held

POLAND

10%. expenditure Portugat's public debt is now Novembed to deide on the (Saturday this Private farmers in Poland £3.2 billion, and the balance De ven a care сотрошьс. of payments deficit is expect- pension-regardless of

ECUADOR

ed to rise to £l billion by the whether they hand their land end of the year. The cuts on to their descendents or to The military government is have been dictated largely by the Formerly only state. to hold an enquiry into the thant a 550 million duan in the

IMF

due. are circumstances surrounding tose larmers wno bequeath- ed their land to the state the deaths of 25 striking order to offset the balance of were entitled to a pension sugar workers last week. Ihe Over 70% of farm land in payments deficit. 25 workers from the Azfra Poland in private hands, mill were renortediv drowned the rights and of wrongs accepting loans from abroad.

Although this does not yet have official approval, a form acceptance of credit deposit- ed by foreign companies who export to China. As part of the reintro- duction of incentives, wages have recently increased and differentials have widened.

competition" "Socialist between factories being encouraged. Western technology is to be utilised bring the Chinese army into line with and the toleration of western films and music is posed in the launching of a new "let 100 flowers bloom" cam- paign. Alongside these domestic changes comes an even more promiscuous to approach foreign policy. Border dispute Attempts have been made to restart discussions between Thailand and Cambodia on their border dispute. Visits have been made by members of the leading US quartet to the aILU in Europe which counts First-ever strike hits Greenland The first ever strike in the history of the young workers movement in Greenland is now under way. During the night of 16/17 Greenlander miners employed in the Lead and Zine mine in Marmorilik Greenland's West Coast U1 stopped work to back their claim for equal pay with non-Greenlander the miners and for an agreement with GAS (the Greenland Workers Union). The Greenex, compay (a subsidiary of the Canadian giant Cominco) has oftered equal pay on condition that the union agrees to the intro- duction of the Danish labour relations laws, foisted Haws workers upon the after the historic defeat of 1889. Company town The mine is in a very out of the way place, and the company runs an old fashion- ed "company town", rather, "camp" They control the only of transport Icans from the helicopters, area, and the communications, such as post, telephone, telex, telegram the The company own dwellings, barracks, and also the workers' free time. Any- behaving free time (such as bother of various forms after drinking) or having guests staying over night can lose his job. By controlling transport, the company has also hinder- ed effective safety checks by factory inspectors. Shipped out strike Indeed during a earlier this year by Danish the firm called miners, police with dogs. the put the helicopters strikers into and shipped them out of the area and eventually back to Denmark. Page 3 were not countenat during Mao's lifetime. This turn to closer tions with the capitalist o tries has been accompai renewed reaction attacks against the USSF being the main war-monge The US is denounced ( in so far as it supplied wi to the USSR. Zig-zags The Soviet Union mus kept weak agriculturally economically, says Teng that it will not be able launch a war The right-wing zig-zag the Chinese bureauc! reflect very much their i ility to deal with the con dictions of a workers' develop struggling. to omically in the bureaucra ally imposed confines of Stalinist policy of "social in one country". this which dict It 1S their need all to dent political aspirations of workers and peasants The realisation of Il aspirations demands of bureaucracy under the lea ship of a Trotskyist party again, the strikers were = 39, including the strike : mittee. The union-which sta in 1956-has about 11. organised out of a popula of 40,000 and has no mo to sustain a strike. They there: appealed to the trade ut movement Leaders of the Danish all either were

GAS

tried to con when them. Picketing However union locals work places have begun donate. It has been reported t the strikers were picketim an attempt to stop the Dai miners from strike breakir This year the Greenlan met the eskimos from Car and Alaska in confere The first political pa founded Siumut, was summer and now has at in the Danish parliam There are also pro-imperia forces favouring collabora with Denmark and "Marxist-Leninist" orga ation calling for class strut against the boug elements. Greenland is officially but Danish county has National Council. Off shore oil The inhabitants purely by fishing and ing until relatively ment with Denmark oil. The Greenlanders want off-shore bOT any but it is proceeding. Spil doesn't dissolve in the Ar waters, and with modest st the vanish from seals scene. The economic struggle the GAS workers theref connects completely with struggle against Dar

Page 4

WILL LEYLAND

CLOSE DOWN?

Ever since the oil crisis 1973, every time ritish Leyland manage- wanted to have ent ash through another tack on workers' con- xions they have spear- caded their moves by areats of closure. Since the toolroom strike this threat has March deafening, ached propor- The main voices to be ard shouting it have been »de union leaders. Benevolence These bureaucrats claim hat the fact Leyland has not losed sections or shut down was through the Rogether lenevolent desire of govern- pI ana employer to save abs, or through the energetic factor in Leyland's rejection of Plans 'B., 'C' and 'D: eading of union officials.

At that time the company a document has now dire proclaiming een obtained which shows financial crisis, and publicly, management's decisions airing four alternative "plans closure are based entirely production -stopping commercial grounds. throughout Leyland for half produced while foremen read by the company Sternally out the options. as been shown already to all Carry lant 'participation' commit- Plan with produc- planned, but tivity stepped up to levels *at In other words, virtually levels right wing union least осту eo walling our European competitors."

ponvenor and leading steward Plan B: Cancel the planned Leyland knew its content the Mini, and May of this year.

BIEN

Derek Robinson, Stalinist convenor at Longbridge: the CP produced a special pamphlet to back Leyland Plan 'A.

The Workers Socialist League is a Trotskyist organisation fighting to construct a principled revolutionary leadership in the working class in Britain and internationally, and for the recon- struction of the Trotskyist Fourth Internation- al on the basis of the Transitional Programme.

WS fights at every step against the The existing leaders of the trade unions and the Labour Party - now firmly harnessed to the bourgeois politicians of the Liberal Party in an unspoken coalition arrangement.

Against their policies of class collaboration we put forward instead a programme which independent class interests of points to the organise indep- the working class, its need to endently to overthrow capitalism, destroy its establish machinery and state repressive socialist planned economy.

Only in this way can workers resolve today's problems of tumbling. living standards, mass social services, racial, unemployment, slashed national and sexual oppression.

For more details on the WSL and its work, fill in the form below. Name Address Trade Union Occupation. The fact that action at almost any plant could stop production of specialist cars was a major range-creating medium car 30,000 redundancies 1980. Plan C: Concentrate specialist cars only-from the Princers unwards. This would mean 50,000 redundancies by 1979. Plan D: Concentrate include specialist but valu of production limited TENe new Mini and other cars. This towards would be move withdrawal from volume cars.

"options" As these

WEIG

right winger every released and many 'leits' began tun- of urge acceptance ning Plan A. They pledged to accept all kinds of speed-up in order to do this. Forefront The Communist Party was special pamphlet on it. When the company finally announced this was the result the repercus sions involved in implement- ing the other schemes. posed by in pled producing only specialist cars with high fuel consumption Sharp reduction If Plan D were adopted pull Leyland began to and then out volume cars, OI there would be a sharp reduc- dealer the UK tion network. But if Plans B or C-prun- back cottont entirely on specialist vehicles implemented, the - were document predicts be a high There would risk of a "collapse" in the UK network leading to uncontrol- lable defections which would make the distribution of the narrow product remaining range virtually impossible."

words volume other cars are necessary if only to help sell expensive cars.

also The document effect of the examines the various job-cutting options on industrial relations Pointing to the interdepen- Leyland plants the dence of report shows that even if the savage cut-backs of Plans and C were adopted: models which would t "There no required to be produced which could not be stopped by a plant which affected the being was run-down. Alternative B would prob- ably result eventually return to production but only after period 01 and with no bitterness guarantee that the remaining plants would improve in per- There must formance. reservations the severe practicability ot c in terms whether would recommence. Industrial and relations productivity are generally no specialist plants than any ofcer plants.

better Inefficiencies in there ordil the higher are concealed by unit economic profits. closures of plant of 'bringing means senses" to their peopie been postulated. This is com- SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2 November 1977 Lord Ryder-drew up participation plan for British Leyland.

pletely unproven." by the right wing: «The historic non-survival One key advantage of Plan Rover, Triumph and , the company report adds.

of A, their Jaguar was due union leaders and is that the expand their inability would work management facilities or to update their implementing together model ranges unlike BMW or speed-up. Mercedes Benz, and for them viable a greater be expansion than is practicable would be required. firms The specialist car unable previously to were survive alone-and now increased competition chances must be even slimmer concludes the lepok In the other Leyland monopoly out of the economic necessit- capitalism, and ies such mono- trend towards be polies cannot nO W reversed. New Leyland boss Edwardes A is not Leyland's Plan by charity or by And in the next section, motivated the face of Viability, the weakening "Financial pressure from union officials.

document goes on to leved. that Plan A has the potential It is a conscious response and a of substantially more to the economic crisis being deliberate move profitable than the rest utillst these officials and convenors The document completely dismisses the prospect of the in imposing drastic speed-up in tracks surviving on production specialist cars on pursuit of maximum profits.

beloved their own-a slogan SWP Rank and File Conference cracy in the Labour Move- The National Delegate October ment, called by Conference Conference decided to partic- and File for Satur- Rank Rank National ipate in the 26 November in and File Delegate Conference day clear to to fight Manchester promises ailu programme to be adopted. bring together large number of militants from Policy a wide range of industries from current are able to and Readers who the struggles of the working should attend and fight for the class over wages, cuts and points following

SUCHE

union recognition. policy. However, the rank and file *Break the 12-month rule and the 10% pay limit movement, wnich is commal- ed by the Socialist Workers *Reject productivity deals Party has a history of bureau- *Fight for catching cratically such rises linked to cost of living organising conferences Can ele clauses. reason to believe that this one *Campaign for the break- will be very different ing of the Lib-Lab coalition of the worshippers As the remoral and for of the working Callaghan-Healey spontaneity right class both the SWP and Rank leadership File reject the fight :0 limits and build conscious polifica. ine sector the working :: public expen class through the fight io: the policies

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2 November 1977 movement 2,000 demonstrated on Saturday through the streets of Birmingham in protest against the appall- ing lack of abortion facilities in Birmingham hospitals. Coupled with the Lib-Lab coalition government's spend- the right wing ing cuts, consultants in these hospitals loophole have used every 1967 the Abortion Act prevent women having abortions on the NHS. One wondered, however whether the empty back through which

SUCCES

demonstration passed were intended by the to symoonse a return nation.

ally to pre-1967 conditions.

Single-issue politics Other factors noticeably lacking, which of course reflect the single-issue politics of the feminist groups such as the National Abortion Cam- paign, were trade union dele- gations and banners. Even the statutory "left" Labour MP was for once absent from the platform of the rally held outside the Birmingham Women's Hospit- al at the end of the demon- stration. At this rally it was left to a London Peter consultant. Huntingford, to cut through the "not the Church, not the state, women must decide their fate" chantings of the feminists. pointed out that the of the NHS is the financing central issue to be faced by the abortion campaign. In his view: 'There is nothing wrong with the legislation-it is the government weye here provided the NHS with the finance for abortion facilities and now they are cutting that finance further.' Class perspective Relegated to last speaker by the NAC Chairman Berry Beaumont was Val Keen from

ASTMS

the National utive-the one speaker in a spective to the fight for fight spective abortion rights through the labour movement. She correctly called upon trade unionists to pass resol- utions through their branches and commit their national leaderships support

TOT

abortion rights. form However, what he taken and acton c

BEARINE

STUDENTS UMIDN

-ElE

VEMEN 5

STE

Al Saturday's NAC demonstration in Birmingham.

Abortion demo - minus the organised labour particularly her own union, to stop the cuts. ASTMS, can play seemed to The WSL supports NAC in its lobbies to expose the anti- abortionists in Labour the Party but calls upon

NAC

The

WSL

upon "left" supporters in and its abortion rights campaigners Parliament campaign to to join the fight in the labour the throw out right wing movement-in trade unions, of Healey leadership and trades councils and Labour Callaghan with its coalitionist Party bodies-to defend the policies of wage control and NHS against the cuts. public spending cuts. Local committeés must That leadership is assess health needs, including

LEUW

Tories plotting with the abortion demand, and the introduce new laws to restrict financing of the NHS must be abortion rights. Any attempt adequate to cover this need, to restrict the struggle to boint for pomt wild single issue would inflation.

VIOLESL

leave them a free hand. Strike action must be built

EXPEL NEWHAM NE

CRYPTO-TORIES

TRENTKE FORY

GIRLIST PLANT

LEVIS

MCORMICK OUT OF

HER

KEEP TORY

PRENTICE

LEWIS -

LANS OUT

WRITSE

CARMICK

OF THE

WONT

BIRDS OF A

LABOURTARY

FEATHER

INTIMIDATE

On Wednesday 26 Oct- the hearing, Delore constituency party members seven members of ober, picketed the High Court to the Newham NE Labour support their comrades including Party, Andy before the trial. Bevan, the Party's 'Militant' supporters from National Youth Organ- many parts of the country joined the lobby raising the iser, appeared before the slogan "Hands off Labour" in High Court charged with manner.

DUTCY

contempt court. Neither their slogans nor meeting of following their speeches dealt with the of the General Management concrete questions how the constituency should Committee which right brorede

COALITION

CUTS

JOBS tells miners Detecting the dire and was based on machine and muscle straits of right wing power. miners' leaders in their powel Benn's present role in the efforts railroad to in Lih-lab coantion cabinet acceptance of the NCB's highlighted by this latest attack on working conditions oreckishing, "incentive; safety- in the pits. wrecking scheme, Energy Secretary Erected Tony Benn decided to • The Callaghan-Steel help them out. government was erected first Attempting to play on and foremost as a means of distant memories of malmers cutting the of the wages the days in which he posed as working class as a means of a 'left' alternative to Wilson increasing the rate of exploi- and Callaghan, Benn issued a tation. statement backing incentives.

Now that the strategy has been widened to incorporate Evils a concerted drive to increase The plan, he claimed, was effort and cut manning levels "designed to avoid the evils throughout industry, Benn of past piece-work schemes" clearly feels obliged to prove PHOTO: Andreu' Wiard. Report Tony Benn technicalities. Three of the accused have had their cases dismissed and the right wing witnesses who have appeared far have been discredited. Two of the have not been proceeded with on the grounds of technical

INFILTARTOS

faults in the writs. Every effort is being made by the authorities to avoid a

NEWHAM

confrontation the between labour movement and the PHOTO. Andrew Wiard Report "Left-winger" Last minute rearrangement of time-table the court's brought the before WaDC Justice Payne-widely 'left-winger regarded as a among judges. The cases are being argued in such a way as to avoid the for political necessily argument. The CLP is now under the supervision of the NEC pend- ing an investigation by the four man commission headed by Eric Heffer. Andy Bevan (fourth from left) and co-accused at law courts.

It believed that this investigation will take place Of course any such pro- at the end of November. Party cedure will bring the once again into conflict with members have not tally been of the yet informed the courts. terms of reference for the is false to believe that enquiry or invited to the NEC can re-establish the evidence. functioning of the local party avoid a bureaucratic without a political confron- evasion of the politics of the tation with the courts. Newham NE events all party will not right wing members should shrink from legal action to with the expel Diock any moves to remo duce the democratic rights of ay pro-i ones They should also insist on constituency members. their right to give evidence to In the three dave of the Page 5 Dig faster'- Benn anew his dedication Callaghan. But if Benn as a minist has been pressed out into t open, other 'left' Labour M fulfil surreptitiously equally reactionary role their tacit acceptance of tl Lib-Lab coalition. The fight must be steppe break this rotten de up to in which the Labour Party completely subordinated the bourgeois politicians the Liberal Party. The right wing coalitio ists and their 'left' defende be from must leadership positions an expelled from the Labor Party.

ARTHUR

SCARGIL

Yorkshire miners leader, h led confused campai

NCB

against the scheme. between supporti reactionary legal moves i Kent miners to get a cou injunction against the ballo Scargill has been attempti mobilise miners to against the plan. He has also found time give a two-page interview Socialist Challenge. But he saved enough tin deliver and energy to left resounding wing spee. on coker 28 i called for action destro 12-month rule 10% limit. audience must ha His impressed, He been speaking at the annual confe ence of that well-known lef wing body, the Institute Personnel Management.

YOUTH

LOBBY

FOR

JOBS

The Labour You Party Socialists, guided by the tan 'Marxists' of the 'Militan Group, have called a nation of Parliament again lobby unemployment on Nover Der 6 Almost the only aspect unemployment mentioned the literature campaign the lobby is youth unemplo ment, despite the fact th the majority of the curre 1.5 million jobless are adi workers. with Com Nevertheless, unist Party backing and wi high again feeling running unemplovment it that the lobby will attra considerable support. The 'Militant Group = do its best to ensure those who do attend are i= within the confines of "pre uring" the Callaghan-Ste coalition government public works. WSL members and sug will be intervenise orters the lobby fight fo: of the need break the coalition if soca policies are to be implere ted And by urging lobiyers focus this issue ir with left' L:: meetings abject rerusal the right the 202:

Page 6

CRISIS

We begin to must intricate enravel the nationalism, of tangle religion and class conflict Irish which constitutes politics. These elements the hallmark of most colonia!

semi-colonial situations.

and However, it was in Ireland, 'First Colony', that Britain's the blue print for later colon- empirically isations was daited. Economics The policy of using religious differences to divide first rule' was success- used in Ireland. was not pical begemony. It had adamental orgins A Protestant minister from * i Ireland noted in is really impor- „Ine Ireland, „tor 18 ST laree centuries is the fighting of the 101 Ireland

ROOTS OF

TODAY'S

Part One nothing but a special reality war. The form of the land of supremacy was simply a lever for evicting the owners of the land. The process was simple. The King demanded spiritual refusal was high allegiance; punishment of treason; the high treason was forfeiture of estates, with death or banish- ment to the Recusants. Any other law they might retained have obeyed and This law inheritance. anel fixed its iron grapples in the and made conscience impossible with- obedience out a degree of baseness that rendered life intolerable.

Hence Protestantism detested. not as a religion su instrument much spoliation'. Rev. James Godwin 'Land War in Ireland' Disqualification In the Cromwellian period 1640's, in the the policy of using Catholicism as 40I ownership taken unbelievable extremes that "Any nation oppresses another forges its it is a pre- own chains • condition to the emancipa- English working tion of the class to transform the present forced union (ie. the enslave- ment of Ireland) into equal confederation and free possible, into complete separ- ation if need be." (original emphasis) Marx this In way assessed in 1870 the connection organic between the Irish struggle national self deter- for and the fight mination against the oppression of working class in the England. makes it clear that Marx the English labour movement should accept this connection abstract principle, not as an but because it holds immed- practical significance for iate the class struggle in Engiana "Ireland is He argues tnal pretext the English the only Government has for retaining a big standing army which, it happened need be, be used against before, can after the English TOTKen having done its military train- ing in Ireland." Although written almost a hundred years before the out- established during this period planted' from their homes to which thus the form was the most barren ana wildes! English possession of Ireland Ireland, the corner province of Connacht. took The Protestant landlords who was Any played the role of an English outside this area, caught which was less than a quarter Ireland ensuring garrison in its continued subjugation whole country, was ot the Irish The divisions sold into slavery or hanged.

not ones society were thus deriving from religious faith but from property ownership.

Protestant tenant-farmers learnt this to their cost when 1692. of laws was from prohibiting Parliament, (except

VEN'

forces Catholic was forbidden, was inter- Protestants. marriage son land by of his and renouncing church. zeal LU Irish convert actually riotestant: despite the Penal Code. many land SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2 November 1977 break of the present struggle defence of living Britain in in the north of Ireland, these standards or jobs therefore key statements point to the question of the continued aspect of the Irish crisis for British war in Ireland cannot British workers. be ignored. demand for On the eve of the major Irish clashes in Britain over wages, national self-determination is jobs and social services, the vital demand not thus Ireland as a testing- simply for Irish workers, , but use of ground for new means of pol- also for the British working itical control must be a cause British every alarm to

TOT

worker. Acceptance In recent mass confronta- between workers and tions Yet the events of the past the police increasing evidence produced nine years laye emerges that the police tech- British Labour from the used have been niques general movement Northern first acquired support for the Irish struggle Ireland. of, and but an acceptance Use of perspex shields in sometimes even misguider baton charges and the aerial backing for the

BT1E1S

control of demonstrations by government's policy of armed some of the helicopter occupation in the Northern al c imports from more six counties of Ireland. the Irish situation. of There are number reasons for the lack of any Pretext solidarity widespread • on the "Irish" Question" (which However, Ireland's tole as the a guinea-pig for new technol- ways really many "British Question"), ogy is overshadowed by its

A BEC

primary one being confusion for the use as a pretext the the issues behind over erosion OI strife in Northern Ireland cratic rights in Britain.

of the haze of the However introduction which obscures the smoke Prevention of Terrorism Act political realities of Northern detention which allows tot Ireland arises less from the of Irish and deportation and bomb- rioting, shooting trial, sets people without ing than from the fiction of legal prece splashed large headlines dents, threatening the demo Street's Fleet rights of both British cratic and Irish workers. co The British press, particu In any fight by workers in The British Government in latter could extract higher attempt to remove the rents from Catholic tenants.

an grievances most Protestant families obvious Mant passed a Catholic Relief Act who had been in Ireland since restored (1778) which the Plantation were forced to of Catholics certain rights emigrate again, this time to land ownership America. Under pressure from the And it was from across the a body led by volunteers, Atlantic that the first stimu- Dublin Henry Grattan lus for change in Ireland came barrister and M.P., the restric- the late 18th Century. tions on trade with England were abandoned in 1779. Limitations Grattan's plan was to The American Revolution remove the semi-feudal trap.

in 1776 struck the first blow pings of Irish economic life self- colonies of the and establish a system on the government. English model. Engendered as it was by Thus all his demands for trade the restrictions independence for legislative the English imposed by the Irish Parliament government, this qualified by an insistence on revorunon The Irish Republican flag flying over the United camp at Vinegar Hill the maintenance trial circles which were them- English connection selves suffering under British his The contradiction in legal limitations on trade.

fact the conception of cattle that to 'democratise' the Irish Irish exporl profitable the England Parliamentary and economic Century, had been 17th meant removing the system banned. clique woollen trade with The Dublin England was choked by an Castle: ver this clique was the with import-tax, assertia. mitar, and political wine lace other than England guarantee or the maintenance COUnLICS was prohibited. connection ot thi with Every Irish induste Ulster England the exception of the industry was crippled

NICH

Compromix ày these legal restrictions.

Therefore the example of i5::23 America raised great hopes in 80002:30

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2 November 1977 larly since 1969, has tinued British rule. 9C1- formed the role of con- The of the sciously mystifying the social and political which issues underlie the present conflict.

Instead of reporting this background information, they have chosen to ation Ovel events as an archaic 'historic' teud between Protestants and ship capitalism wIth Catholics who cannot forget past rivalries. This interpretation lends substance to their picture of the British Army as an inde- policy pendent philanthropic peace- has Labour and keeping force which is there Governments to keep the two sides apart have both rather than its actual role of murder strong-arm guarantee oI con- and A giant Repeal meeting at Tara, 1843 the much vaunted. Ireland, he stated, meant 'Grattan's Parliament'. ending British rule. This gave the Irish Parl- Inspired by the French Revolution of 1789, which formal legislative iament redity dee English govern- while had a powerful impact on Tone founded Ireland the reality the ment continued to rule by United Irishmen in 1791, Presbyter- of corruption in initially among means control of ians and Dissenters in Ulster Parliament and the armed forces and as a radical reform society.

three in Ireland. Their principles administration One of the most clear- were: 1. Democracy sif the deal was Theobald the deal Theobald 2. National Sovereignty was Union of all the Wolfe Tone, a Protestant people to achieve the barrister. other aims that this Tone wrote The development of U.I. 'Revolution' ' was one into a revolutionary society 'Which, while at a stroke of occured through their links doubled the value with the Catholic borough-monger in ere kingdom, three Committee. fourths of our countrymen Conceded slaves as it found them, and the Government of Ireland in 1793 Tone managed the base and wicked through this alliance to contemptible who the British

TOTCE

had spent their lives degrad- ment to concede the vote, ing and plundering her An Argument on Behalf of class alone, as the latter had the Catholics of Ireland wished, but also to Shull 1791 Catholic peasant 40-shilling By his unqualified freeholders. assertion of Ireland'si right The entry of the Catholic to self determination, Tone into masses politics avoided the contradiction of threatened the positions of Gratton's position of the gentlemen the still prevalent which Catholic Committee, which among would be 'reformers' dissolved itself at the behest North of Ireland the of the Government. nationalist minority in the British Labour movement spectators on a life-and-death North of Ireland. This has conveniently kept struggle which is integral to the issue beyond the pale of their own political future. of the the political activity two main parties. It is vital therefore that an This complicity does not only apply to the right wing independent initiative begun in the British Labour leadership. Tribunite M.P movement, and the starting point for this is the clarifica- Stanley Orme of tion of the basic issues in the position second-in-com- Irish conflict. mand to Merlyn Rees as This is of the armed series of articles caeculut of the people of intended to begin this oppression Northern Ireland plucess Such a clarification necess- The failure of the majority of 'Left' M.P.s to oppose this itates a survey of the histori- with the cal background to the present Commen

DOICY

Tories has helped render the conflicts. Wolfe Tone realised in 1796, forces he described as nearly 'that and when a French fleet with

LUILCOLD

Tone on board arrived off respectable of of the Bantry Bay. society-the men coast at However bad property'. weather prevented the French army from landing and the fleet 'Defenders' where returned to France. Tone immediately began In Ireland this meant attempting moblist the Catholic mainly another expedition. peasantry. Links were there- While the sight of this attempted fore with the fleet off the coast greatly 'Defenders' an agrarian encouraged the U.I., it also society formed места alarmed the government. Ulster by Catholic tenants to protect themselves from Vicious Protestant the vigilante It heralded one of the gangs know as the 'Peep-O- most vicious chapters of Day' Boys. British rule in Ireland. These thugs resented the Since the U.I. was best influx into Ulster of Catho organised in Ulster, a force lic farmers, who were used was sent there under paying higher rents and General Lake to put down constituted 'sedition'. to their economic pothe "Peep-O-Day' gangs The An Indemnity Act and an Act constituted new Insurrection

YUIC

for the foundation passed, the former to sanc- material Orange Society in tion any illegal act com- 1795 mitted preservation in the of the 'peace'. unlimited Cause gaye Orange Society licence to With the outbreak of war and Peep-O-Day Boy gangs England between and plunder the tavage and France in 1793 there were holdings of Catholic U.I. that hopes among the Teals. revolutionary France would These were later gangs revolutionary armed and put into uniform assist theit 'B' Specials Act The made it a capital offence to administer an illegal oath the U.I. such that of After 1797 had been waiting in vain for spent French support and early 1798 had seen the arrest of the entire leadership of the U.I., Lord Edward Fitz- gerald called together a new directorate decided and on May 23 as the time for the rising. However, before the all appointed night, the members of the new direc- fell British torate Fitzgerald hands. was delivered by the treachery of Magan, wealthy Catholic barrister. Uprisings Without the co-ordina- tion of National Leadership, rising became an unco the ordinated series of local Although uprisings. areas-such certain Wexford- Wicklow and considerable these scored Yeo- against Ine and militia, they manry destined collapse were one by one. Tone landed with French expedition August 7 but was quickly defeated. He arrested, tried was and sentenced to hang. He only escaped the rope by cutting his own throat in prison. The defeat of the rising and the of the bloody repression by the army before and afterwards masses in left the Irish state of shock for over two decades. The Act of Union which 1800, was passed in was thus merely a new arrange- ment with a tiny minority of the population This change in the form of English rule was necessi- tated by the English govern- ment's fear of Ireland con- 'Achilles" stantly being its Heel' its imperialist rivalry with France. Market designed to was of the remove the danger of invasion Tecumenco like that of 1798. suited it English business interests by guaranteeing it as a source food and labour, of cheap Page 7 This Act which passed in the Irish Parlia- ment only through bribery, Protestant threats the and Ascendancy, promises of Emancipation (ie. entry into Parliament) to Catholic middle classes, was the concrete denial of the existence of an independent Irish nation. Grattan The history of Ireland since 1800 has been the constant reappearance this nation despite this legal conjuring trick. of rule of thi The form the othe nation over one may have changed, but the of it, the Core land system, continued un- changed. Plots of land were let and sub-let many times over, with a middle-man taking his share on each sub-division. The competition for a live- lihood on the land had beer greatly in creased by the numerous bankruptcies Irish industry caused by the union with Britain. the mod- This removed protective duties on British which had goods secured a small home market for Irish industry From these linked econo- consequences of the mic the union emerged of strands Ic British rule. The Agrarian secret 1 societies of the peasant. The liberal-national movement of the Catholic middle classes The Agrarian societies had been widespread in the 18th form the Centur Whiteboys, Rockboys. Defenders and others. with the defeat However of the 1798 rising. the liberai.

nationalist movement

TOOK

IN REVIEW

Page 8 Spanish Communist Party leader Santiago Carrillo in his book 'Euro Communism The and State' declares himself a supporter of Kruschev. The trend to Carrillo's kind of 'Com- chosen munism', he says, reversed at the point of Kruschey's downfall. Such statements make it Kruschey worth examining Remembers. particular Volume One of these remini- scences shows the early emer- gence of the long time stalin- ist bureaucrat who was to step into Stalin's shoes after Nikita Kruschey must have been one of the most sicken- ing, grovelling bureaucrats ever educated in the school of Stalin. is instantly That much from these clear memoirs which no doubt attempt to show him in the most favour- able light. Leading role did Kruschey not just suddenly emerge with the 1953. He death of Stalin in had joined the Communist Party in 1918. From the start he had supported Stalin carrying 1n through the purge of Trotsky and the Left Opposition. Kruschev playing. leading role in the Party by the time of the Moscow Trials and accepted every zig-zag of counter-revolu- policy tionary manoeuvre carried out by Stalin. Running through of' Kruschev's limited criticism of Stalin is a refusal to attack anything more fundamental Stalin's attacks on than democracy. this And even

COTECTE

until withheld after wras Stalin's death. In the meantime Kruschev built up his personal position people on murdered by the Stalin with the obvious machine, involvement of Kruschey him- self. The book is written to that Kruschey only

SHORESL

suspected that things were happening, while dazzled by strength Stalin's theoretical and distinguished record.

But course this 1S Stalin had ma deception. do theoretical ability, and his enritter io keep pace with Red he himself joined the Army-then led by Trotsky- in 1919, and remained on the scene while Trotsky was first slandered and then written out official history оІ all Stalin's on instructions. And Kruschev also must have known that virtually all his acquaintances of similar being executed. rank On after page page Kruscher casually notes the shooting of this or that lead- ing contemporary. Stayed alive of the post As he says 1930 period: 'During the that years followed I stayed alive while of my contemporaries, most classmates at my The near. emy, my friends with whom I had worked in the Party organisation, lost their heads Kruschev held back mass movement after death of Stalin as enemies of the people. I've often asked myself how was I spared?" (P.71) answer The that Kruschev was recognised by boot- Stallin a devoted. "licking lackey, that he and was able to avoid matocuvic him by against Potental rivals. And even being "spared' meant consciously thousands Red leading Army soldiers to their death during the war in line with Stalin's orders, Kruschev still did it unflinchingly. Divorce The book reters similar bureaucrat who went for Today Slanders on left wing groups are two a penny on the News. Last week's BBC television 'Play For Today' extended that slander to drama with Robin Chapman's play, 'Come the Revolution' Memoirs It was a tedious 'comedy' left fringe theatre group who get given the star treatment by a leading Trot- skyist' actress, Beth Bailey.

She changes their show into a reiteration of simplis of a tic slogans and assures them that their bertormance at rally could spark the There is no doubt there are plays, even comedies, to be written about the left, bureaucrat Revolution but Come the was right wing such propaganda that it could only have been acceptable to TV because of its targets. The 'left' theatre group has no politics. Its credentials "Kruschev Remembers", translated by Strobe are established solely by the fact that its members draw commentary and notes Talbot. Introduction, the dole as well as working.

by Edward Crankshaw. Penguin Books, £2.25.

Beth Bailey, the actress, is such an jibe Redgrave The book goes on to reveal Vanessa that the In such an environment Secret part had to be cast to look Kruschev, the 'survivor that the sensational Speech itself was a measure totally different. reigned supreme. His of self-preservation the She rides in a Rolls Royce later criticism behalf Kremlin and then changes to a bicycle Stalin's murders is based on of for the last mile. She patron.

the practical problem of con- bureaucracy. solidating a relatively stable ises everyone in sight, con- Head off business cludes cut throat bureaucracy independent of whims of an individual deals the side and the on Kruschev argued against produces her politics as the which could give its full of opponents speech, crudest series of clumsy pro- long-term the out that those pointing problem of holding down the paganda points wrongfully imprisoned under The programme ends with Stalin would soon be return- Kusslan workug cass. But, despite the the moronic leader appear- to their and 1ng of a stable strength, would ance raise questions that bureaucracy in the Soviet Union is an impossibility, as Kruschev himself found when he stripped from all office in 1964. While Kruscher was grovelling to avoid the execu- tioner's bullet also was political supporting every taken by Stalin. position Excessive This included the Stalin Hitler Pact of 1939, which very nearly led to the defeat of the Soviet Union by the Nazi war machine in 1941.

also entirely Kruschev supports Stalin's attacks on His criticism of Trotskyists. the purges is restricted to the excessive purging of fellow bureaucrats: 'It during was precisely this period (1935-38) that the practice of mass repression through the government born first apparatus was enemies of against the Zino- Leninism-Trotskyites, Bukharinites, long vievites, defeated by since politically Party, the and subsequently Com- against many honest in their own countries to the would have to be answered munists, against those Party the Fearing the explosive justice of the sentences.

who had borne We didn't to dis- this unleash, want heavy load of the Civil War forces could Party Kruschev attempted to head credit the fraternal the first and most diffi- and representatives had cult years of industrialisation them off. attended the open trials, But in doing so he was and collectivisation, who we indefinitely postponed the the careful not too far. actively fought against to go rehabilitation Bukharin, The book casts interesting Trotskyites and the rightists for the Leninist Party Line.

the relationship Zinovier, Rykov and the rest.

light (P 379) between the Kremlin and the (From the Secret Speech at the Communist the 20th CPSU Congress: leaders of Defends repression this vol. P.587) Parties internationally; .. we decided not to say Of course Kruschey no- In the remaining sections anything about the open where explain of the book Kruscher works speech to the of the Stalin. We hear only my through an extended defence Twentieth Party Congress. personal defect of his rude- of Kremlin policy after There was a certain ambiguity Stalin's death. Almos in our conduct here. No connection drawn for instance, 1s He reveals, the exorbitant that he held back from releas between material privileges of Stalin's The reason for our ing US spy-pilot Gary Powers was that there had position and that the boost John whole- been representatives bureaucracy Kennedy's chances of winn- fraternal country houses, luxury holi- Communist Parties ing the presidential election.

Buk- present when Rykov, days, etc-and the need to And, of course, he defends defend them by repression harin and other leaders of the the brutal repression of the were and tried

DCUUIE

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2 November 1977 Pseudo Play gloomily theatre watching the miners dancing women trom the show "They don't need us do they?' 'What do we do?' They've got 'Go home their own- bloody culture.' In that the play is a crude hatchet job on the left it is relatively unimportant. Its real slander is against the portrayed in class the shape of the miners as anti political, philistines.

Redgrave-slandered 'Nothing like a good dose of propaganda started on the second shyou, watching says one of them the show draws The play on experience that suggests Robin Chapman has never steppee patronis Teal Word patronising pseudo theatre comes not so much from the performance of his wet group of lefties as from his own ben Hungary 1956 importance to the account of Kruscher's early history a: Stalin's trainee. so-called Euro Prick any Communist' 'leader today and you will find a similar self- thoroughly centred oppor- tunist and bureaucratic crea- ture of Stalinism. As the crisis of capitalism forces the bourgeoisie in every country to intensify its attacks on the working class, schooled these bureaucrats, solely in •peaceful co- existence' with capitalism move vicious in support DI austerity measures, suppress the slightest sign of independent working class action. In this they find a fitting father-figure Kruschev.

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2 November 1977

ANOTHER

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report

TORY

BUDGET

Healey The Lib-Lab mini-budget much trumpeted in the Tory press In the meantime Healey has are merely the result of bringing announced Chancellor by forward changes due next April businessmen and those who take Healey last week was design- frequent holidays abroad; while anywav, and have been more than ed to ensure continued back- insulted financed by huge cuts In public sansIoners sending devastating the pathetic £10 Christmas bonus.

ing from TUC leaders for the naw Pensions at pri sent, even with 10% pay limit and to give the soral services November, The £400 million supposedly stili T158S of appearance generosity the designed jabs in the languish below even well while giving nothing of sub- inadequate £18 single construction industry will tind its and £23.30 for a married stance to the working class.

way directly into The cotters

DESON

the privately-owned bulding couple called for by the Help the firms. Aged organisation. The puny tax handouts so

OUR

A new series on the fight for Transitional Demands

POLICIES

Open the books British Leyland-a speech made by In such a situation the the secret supposedly 'nationalised" deposed Leyland chairman demand for elected an Sir Richard Dobson, publish- committee industry operated a 'slush VOTKe ed by Socialist Challenge.

thoroughly examine fund' for the payment of But this kind of revelation Leyland's books offers a clear bribes to officials, dealers lead further develop the must to perspective to and distributors at home questions on the relationship struggle both within the car between the "'public sector" monopoly itself and also far and abroad. and the capitalist economy as beyond it. This much was revealed in from Starting workers a watl

PRESS GANG

Day of the jackals Like all impotent of Fleet Street vient hacks creatures the British Press ground into action. they have purs ted Mr Thyepr For than year is jealous of its virility.

Prevented by its own statement from one timidity and business connec- another under the disguise of tions and by repressive laws *Press Freedom' and to mspue from investigating any of the allegations of a 'cover up' and politics a murder threat. business, it substitutes muck- raking. Fourth question. Nothing pleases the Press The that more than to be hinting at real question sexual secrets of prominent wanted to ask became they figures. clear at Mr Thorpe's press Dan Smith was able to his "Have you" asked the practice corruption

LALE"

man from the BBC, "ever had hampered by the Press (while a homosexual relationship?"

it was the common small talk of. the North East), It was the fourth question and Jeremy Thorpe's connections oт tre ores comerdice an with the London and County the that only one really Securities fringe bank have counted for these guardians Party Is Jess been allowed to slip into the of our freedom. mists of the past. As Mr and Mrs Thorpe, Thorpe becatne his lawyer and Clement Freud director of the non-executive tried variations on outraged blundered bank at £5,000 a dignity, the mob year, for which sum he was on for several nunutes turnine apparently expected only to the question over as if thumb- attract publicity to the group.

ing through a dirty magazme.

The publicity did eventual- Four times they came ly accrue when back to the same question.

BOTK

12,500 small Never Norman collapsed with mind about depositors at risk. Scott, the murder threat, the was ticked off by a up, what about ale-covcu Corlue Department of Trade report your sex life? for "an efror of judgement") They chased hard tor just When allegations about Mr half a sentence around which life "'harne'd ahı hąv n a n _it ie the Healey's magnanimous tree Cnristmas donaton ot sp a day over a year may create illusion of wealth in the fortnigh Christma: barore •UU WIkI nothing relieve long-term poverty among Britain's 8½ million pensioners. Ino geo cn minor are aready so badly off that they pay no tax at all and qualify for supplemen- tary benefit. In short the budget is well summed up by the Sunday Times susiness rems "To barely concealed Tory dismay, Denis Healey has become Dix of widespread awareness corruption management level, the 'open the books' the fact demand polnls lo that what is at stake is not a handful of corrupt individ- uals in one firm but asystem in which similar behind-the- scenes deals, swindles pay-offs govern the lives of millions of workers. Outlet The "nationalised" Ley- land empire, for instance, acts for the British capitalist class as a crucial outlet for the almost entirely privately firms component which are currently recording substantial profits. addition, Leyland face cuts in real

WO ES

coupled to wages ba vadt to cut manning attempts levels on

•TONNEO TACK•

in which the company relie: on the support of convenors officials declaring and union the need to 'save company' Yet at the same time huge interest payments are being made by Leyland to privately owned banks, each of which turning huge profit figures. 'open the books' demand is a means of expos- ing this state of affairs to the organised workforce Leyland, and making this the basis of further action of jobs and living defence standards. No illusions As socialists, of course, we The have

MINOS.

problems that workers face in Leyland cannot be solved in Just one company To resolve such problems it is necessary to fight for the nationalisation of the entire the best Conservative Chancellor we have In his latest Budget he again observed, entirely, almost laid down the Gollens ne naTona Onea ru and he brought substantial relief to backbone of the Conser. the small vallve rarly, nawełY businessman." Yet

TUC

leaders have hastened to give the fake package TaPIY spat ADOrOVAI hobiind against hope that the E1 a week will defuse the cut pay suurle Jack Jones, nimselt wall or the way to a comfortable TGWU declared measures genslOt "a step verer me ront orec tion". of the GMWU David Basnett announcec try" "good WANiC wait until April to see what followed. And TUC General Secretary "this claimed that LEr Wiuttay package is useful, but more will be needed, and soon" however, impressed, were public sector union chiefs, who now face the certainty policing further cut-backs in the social services. motor component with the industry, of socialist economy. such Iv broad the class, starting level of from the that fighting develop struggle. The the books' the protection of jobs and 1OI living standards, offers means to raise these questions in a living way in the workers' movement. acuye, 1119 slogans. For the ™+rKe EC Page 9 NUPE assistant general sacte tary Barnard Dix complained that the latest package of Tory policie: was "too littie, too late" Less printable The of the 1.5 comments Britain's millior Guttand dole queuos. pow obviousiy indefinite condemned an

TUTUNE

undiuto io likolut be les hentbte. while sedding crocodile the 18aT anem ao monu. Labour the "ettE Pount simply moaned that further has made Healey money the Nationa avalan Enterprise Board-which is now spearheading a job-slashing mrime British

KUL

VeS H Lavlano ano orner Inoustrle.

In contrast to these 'lefts' who tacitly support the calition to Healey's Budget from arisweel the workers movement must Dt clear and catsaric. coalition that spawned must SuCdeT broken, its defenders ousted from leadership DUSstIls adopted sacils orooramme fight a General Election.

By John Lister Trotsk! 01 and as Cont... For operate reyolutionary workers every T'hey for prepare beginning in the in the the entire form of control 225-6) p. The

TR F

DOOC

demand linked to fight foI workers of produc- tion entire the books therefore has schemes. shop corporate revealing management, selected management statistics stimulus as While "participation" sets to blur class ines defuse struggles, 'open the books' starts from the inde of the worktor:z pendence from the deals and interests of management. As such the demand "private equally valid in "public" enter prises

SCCLUI

"bankrupt" profitable firms. provides means workers' direct attention to their exploited position society, and to point towards an independent class solurion to such exploitation And in this context the demand fundamenta. the work aspect of

CI ID:

Leagus Workers Socialist the w :xer: inass

Page 10

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

Grunwick support vetoed by TUC Councils and and Regional Socialist Workers mendation to his members other similarly only if 'the union was assured League members and workers". financial indemnification by supporters were amongst picket other unions in the TUC'. Bụt new mass has 200 strong lobby of been called for November 7.

the this wasn't even discussed in This is a welcome step and the TUC General Council the General Council meeting.

to all readers Although the results of the we call on on Wednesday 26 Octob- actively support the picket er, called by the Grun- lobby may therefore seem to serve as a focus have had little effect, in fact which must and stimulus for workers who wick strike committee. quite the reverse is true.

can strike in support or black Other contingents As the WSL leaflet distrib- delegations from the factory. included uted at the lobby argued: the Rolls Royce and London 'The of Mobilisation importance Hotel strikes, Metropole today's lobby lies precisely in postal workers from Crickle- than Mass pickets must not that rather London the fact Internat- and serve as the central plank of "ignoring' or 'bypassing' these ional branches and electrical at the strikers' policy since union bosses, workers and engineering delegations.

themselves they are complete- Grunwicks are taking up the As the motley collection win this their insufficient fight to expose of bureaucrats filed through dispute. inactivity. the lobbyers, the bitterness Only the mobilisation of This fight must be relent- of the strikers became clear.

cutting lessly carried on. The strikers capable of workers with cries of Greeted off supplies and services to must ensure that it is spread 'scab', *your 12 month rule is factory-against their the over to other key sections of much killing us and 'how union officials-can lead these workers-post office workers longer on the picket line?' strikers to full reinstatement must be encouraged to place Chappel Fisher and Jones, and union recognition. demands on their executives were forced to mutter seem- words ingly encouraging about 'the need for blacking' and 'giving full support to the strike' However, as these leaders emerged and the results the meeting were announced, the full extent to which these mouthpieces of the ruling class are prepared to go to sell the Grunwick strike out became once again crystal clear. Only the bureaucrats of

UPW

proposed any the faction'. They had it seems, the at meeting consult Grantham and his

APEX

ostensibly "to discuss" the feasibility of blacking workers. of the UPW will Jackson An arrest on the Grunwick mass picket.

go ahead with such a recom- Fight Alfred Herbert sackings! unionists 70 trade from various hospitals As the crisis mounts Herberts Coventry machine tool came together last week will continue to claim loss of Alfred manufacturers to lobby a meeting of the pretext profits as Herbert have announced Authority Health redundancies and speed-up Area of 460 the sacking policy to detend 100s cuts against savage that- workers. start from just proposed locally in the muSI not from some imagined com- The unions involved have Health Service. between a detailed break- been given lobby, called by workers and employer in the The of those who will down supported by

COHSE,

was form of boosting profits.

jobs-all lose their that is

ASTMS

in

NUPE,

must demand workers missing is the actual names.

and UCATT-some in all of the opening of the. company Taken together, the sack- these unions answering a call books to find out if company ings will mean that Herberts to strike work for the period are intending to shed 25% of Grano dr Curel found Representatives were The information its total workforce. hastily invited in by the AHA used to draw there must be Bailed out by the Labour chairman, Labour Peer Lady up a workers plan for produc- the tune of government to McCarthy, explained who tion and nationalisation to years £68 million,

JUSE

that NHS standards were all a provide the necessary invest- blame "lack of Herberts ago, "comparative' matter and any- ment. 'foreign orders' and compet- way, none of the plans to cut An 'open the books' com- ition' for the difficulties they million was from all back Over mittee drawn now face. finalised-yet! workforce of the Tom sections

AUEW

convenor face would help to forge a unity workers now These is for Doughty further take the need strategy of import controls to Pieseli action to defend the Health existent. Herberts help The Service and their jobs. with successfully-especially national leaders of the public In the face of a common German manufacturers-and sector unions have called for fate, militants within all the thus make

COOLLY

from week action for profit to secure jobs. unions

TO USI

Will DaY l 21-action which November including This is a complete dead united action, is to be limited nationally.

strikes, and the occupation of the WOrKers Parliament by lobby of the factory to force the com- under threat. alloted delegates not

STRIKE

NATSOPA

workers

NUJ

the supporting shop strike at closed Darlington returned. to 'work' last week, furious at the action of their union leadership. Ferguson, the Tommy NATSOPA FoC, had a stand up row with the official sent up to order them back Not only have his mem- forced to cross bers been

SLADE

NGA

and

NUJ.

picket lines, but they were further humiliated by West- minster Press management on being told that their return, holiday entitlement had been forfeited by their action.

Their return has put the back workers company payroll, but with no.

work for them to do, so long as the NGA members stay out. Lobby against Cuts unlimited Last year demonstration and lobby of Parliament pulled 80,000.

These compromising union leaders must be exposed pressured into fighting by a open and campaign of the accounts examine Health Authorities and to reveal supply companies of the rake-offs and misuse PHOTO: Andrew Wiard. Report

PRINT LEADERS BID

TO BREAK NUJ

Everything points to a deal between Owen O'Brien- NATSOPA General Secretary -and Westminster Press, who own North of England News- papers. NATSOPA have suc- cessfully pulled out of the dispute and stopped the £50 per person a week strike pay that they claimed was drain- ing their funds. Westminster In return, confident that rress were so NATSOPA's defection would end print union support that had notices placed on they the Northern Echo windows proclaiming 'We're Back'. A this over curtain covered optimistic slogan.

NATSOPA

The workers are on basic pay-far less than West- pay-and their strike minster Press is expected to off within two lay them Health resources. This must be campaign accompanied and fought for of mobilisation Dy workers through strike action and ad- the occupation and ministration by workers of hospitals planned for closure In that way the fight can begin for our control of our Health Service. SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2 November 1977 NUJ members lobby their NEC for support to Darlington weeks if the paper cannot resume publishing NATSOPA officials Thus have not only struck a blow but may against the strike have thrown their members on the dole in the process The NUJ is now commit- a series of guerrilla ted to strikes throughout the rest of the group and are pressing for the NGA executive, , meeting this week, to support these The NGA executive has that their already admitted members at Darlington would be very hard to persuade to go back to work. But they are unlikely to permit effective support by their members. happens

NUJ

If this it alone members must go with all out sympathy strikes and fight for local print sup- port in defiance of the NGA executive. Wage claim NUJ chapels throughout provincial the whether to strike voting on over a £23 wage claim with numerous fringe benefits.

Society Newspaper The offered 10% employers has been accepted by which scab union, the their tame

IOJ.

The IOJ issued a state- if *other that any ment more than 10% group' won they would expect the same.

The struggle for a decent NUJ cannot be wage in the the closed separated from shop dispute at Darlington.

An all out strike over pay forward hand must hand with all out strikes to win at Darlington. Enquiries to Carl Brecker at the hospital.

METROPOLE STRIKE SPURS

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 2 November 1977 Cowley stewards invasion from Workers • the Transport Department at

BATTLE

British Leylands Cowiey Assembly Plant invaded a meeting of TGWU Shop Stewards from the plant on Tuesday of last week. The workers were protest- ing. at the decision of right The lead by given

TGWU

Convenor wing Reg workers in the London Parsons to bar their shop Metropole Hotel, on steward, Alan Thornett, from strike for three of stewards discuss Leylands proposals for centralised wage bargain- ing. Shop stewards at the meet- ing said that the 100 or so workers made a very power- ful intervention accusing Par- sons of witch-hunting. vigourously detended right decide who represent them. The majority of 170 stewards supported the Trans- port drivers and in (ne end Parsons left the meeting after refusing change to position. British Leyland ordered a of toni special sacking document be drawn last up Asian families who take too long visiting families. no our as workers muozens Leyland factories with a large Iningtant were told workers that would sack worker unpaid Lne who abroad

TO L

back on the decreed date.

menl are gIve The comany

LOCI

industrial tribunal in Reading Ins week, tnal tne pollcy was both black and

TOT

workers but had been drawn Willi up with Pakistanis and Indian A Cowley worker who had the document signed although he could not read English and then was delayed

DIALECOI

Pakistan through dysentry never ine of outcome the case tribunal would not force Ley- demand from Strand Hotels a land to take him back. The AUEW's final appeal court last week unanimously deplored the action of the union's Executive. refused The the court letters pass on to from the Sheffield District and from Smethwick obiect- the notorious Exec- ing to Date out i DeKendne 12-month rule. According extreme right wing General Secretary John Boyd, the decision to suppress the letters way was taken unanimously by the Executive-which includes Maoist Reg Birch.

Concentu Tales

GET LOST!

-OOPS, SORRY JIM, I THOUGHT YOU

WERE ANOTHER BLODY MEMBRER..

YES ONE O'CLOCK

AT THE

MAN AT THE TOP

£50 WAGE

paign against the millionaire tycoons like Maxwell Joseph, Tiny Rowland and Charles Forte who are making Committee and discuss programme to take the cam rises including demands toi ance is m lls chanenge to tne

BRILLIANT! LIO SHOULD BE ENOUGH

THE PENSIONERS' VOTE

TO PULL

2.50 MINIMUM

MAGE

CTEL WORKERS

LOT ON

Workes

HOW MANY

GERIATRIC WARDS

SHALL WE CLOSE

то РА)

FOR IT?

Page I7

INDUSTRIAL NEWS-

SUPPORT NE

LTAD

STRI

ETOR ALL.

Troops to break Fire strike? The Lib-Lab govern- ment is preparing to use troops smash any •firemen attempt by to win their 30% pay claim through strike action. Should firemen walk out troops will walk in • To fire stations. The clearly encouraged plans by union leaders' scan- dalous inactivity in the face the public sector. So far

RAF

picket-busting at every settlement in excess o Heathrow 210 the 10% norm has been in break the air traffic control private industry while . the assistants' strike. sector has faced the public Strike action by firemen added barrier of rigid govern.

the seems clearly on cards. Several areas have already The labour movement called for strike action, and must be modusea to ensure on Merseyside, firemen are that the FBU claim is won in threatening action next week full if the offer is government This means an immediate regarded as unsatisfactory by fight in union branches and delegate meeting special Labour Parties to force the in Eastbourne on Monday breaking of the Lib-Lab coal- November. ition which is plainiy intent Birmingham. Manchester, confrontation with the Strathclyde and Oxfordshire firemen. have threatened strike action And it means fighting for threr demonstra Councils to organise Trades tions of firemen have taken immediate supporting strike place in support of the claim.

down as soon as ally aliciol The firemen's struggle is a troops to is made use key one for every worker in break FBU strikes.

SOCIALIST

PRESS

.. £1.10 5 issues. 10 issues £2.20 .. $5.50 25 issues ..£10.00 50 issues (Overseas rates: write for details).

I would like.. .. issues. I enclose £.. Name.. Address. Send to: Socialist Press, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill London NW5 1HR @henrihol

SOCIALIST

PRESS

GUDRUN

ANDRERS

ENSSLIN

BAADER

JAN-CARL RASPE

VICTIMS

STATE

TERRORiSM

STATE MURDERS

The deaths on October work reached the cells, the 18 of three leading Red apparent deafness guards to Army Faction figures has wa ocd West Ger- presented the with government man has been the more of a problem than deaths nave nad on ensuring even tighter state repression.

abating liberal just While speaker after speaker at public opinion concern- Schleyer's funera! was appeal- the ugly evidence ing ing for a world surrounding the against now VaLEl three parties in the Bundestag incident. were busy As President Walter Scheel legislation designed to further sala last i nuisuay . restrict democtatic riehts and "It the danger presells fuelling the that our country splits itself anti-radical witch-hunt. into two enemy camps which each blames the other for terrorism." ists to SPeruec lo Survivor lawyers will be excluded from court hearings. response the Investigators supposed suicides and the authorised to the fourth open suspects' mail and con-

ETOSOCCLS

U1 duct member surviving the ordeal to reveal the circumstances of for evidence. the attack on her, the West German state immediately set Com- International up mission to quash any sugges- tion of wan attack from out- side". Commission's report The last week. was released Secretary Predictably, State Klaus Bollig took up viewing time on all the TV networks publicise Lne and findings to assure the population that: *Beyond all shadow of a doubt, Ensslin, Baader and Raspe took theit own lives".

All the evidence pointing to the contrary-the letters in wrote that which all four they had no intention of the state- committing suicide, ments by Irmgard Moller that she was stabbed, the tortuous evidence by the proposed how and explain State I0 "suicide" when two ane pistols, explosives, radio and the components of communication net-

SCLICL

FIGHI REPREZION IN

W-GERMANY

• MURDERS, IN STATMHEISON

• 'BE RUF SVER BOTE"

• CUMMENISTS OUTLANED

SINCE

• NAZIS, LIKE KAPPLER, WEL-

COMED BY GOUERNMENT

Do London picket against German government oppression

NEW REPRESSION

FOLLOWS GERMAN

All the special police units of the

BKA,

BGS, BSV, etc) (the the gunshots etc- will be reinforced and yet another so-called anti-terror- More importantly though ist group set up. effect these The activities of the latter were illustrated at the funeral of three members of the RAF on 27 October in Stuttgart. Body searches wide Can- terrorism, Hundreds were on duty in all riot gear, checking new mourners' identity passes and conducting body searches.

German press reports sug- already raging trade gest that not a single union bureaucrat or MP has come out against these Trials of suspected terror- moves. be drastically task of demolishing and all defence The the anti-working class legis- lation of the SPD/FPD coal- will be and seeing icion governmnenl tap phones, tnal a workers inves- tigation into the deaths of the three takes place, assumes indiscriminate searches even grcalel uigency.

RALLY NOV 6

COMEMORATE-

60th ANNIVERSARY

OF THE RUSSIAN

REVOLUTION

THE LAUNCHING

OF THE WEEKLY

SOCIALIST PRESS

Film-Potemkin Sunday 6 November, 3pm YWCA, 16, Russell St. London WCI (1 min. Tottenham Court Rd. Tube Station) In a criminal bid to sell out the British Oxygen strike-the pay strike with potentially the industrial biggest yet officials power-union have persuaded conven- ors to recommend calling off action in support of the 30% pay claim. Th tu officials, headed by 'left' officer John Miller, had set out from the off beginning to head action which threatened to drive coach and horses through the 10% pay guide- lines laid down by Chancellor Healey. Tenacity official in pay challenge the 10% limit. Yet the tenacity of the Rather proved strikers has been spread action anal in the course beyond doubt the pay of the three-week strike.

wing Lib-Lab Financial Times the pointed out: see the The roots of the strike..

SLT UCLUIE

lie in their unwillingness to accept single figure Wa2C eged positions. of produc- suspicion rises, tivity deals, dislike of compli work agree- cated company ments... and resentment company has at the way the handled negotiations. If the convenors' line and put by the deceptive line Miller rejected, whole are of British industry seCtOIs could be threatened with within days, and the closure full claim could be forced out of BOC management. Productivity Fresh Leyland's Instead, Miller has argued and plans methods fot a return to work ior an undisclosed "substantially im- proved offer" which in the firm then be would has hinted made by management. inseTS teSE CEREa to scrap tied be productivity perfectly strings-in other words parts. attack on manning levels in

BOC.

already been If Miller gets his way, then order the from waging a war on BOC in because Leyland of their living stan- defence offend private dards, the strikers will now offering face the prospect of an offen- cheaply. sive being taken up against them to force increased effort ariels bent, and job cuts. This is the product of the line being reactionary now implemented by every union

FUND

With only one more post of the month to be delivered we are still a long way short of our monthly target of £600.

As we launch, with this issue, 'Socialist Press' we must stress weekly

-CELEBRATE

once more that without a serious fight to raise the full f600 each month we will find it difficult to develop and expand the coverage and quality of the paper.

We urge all readers and supporters to join us in the fight to raise the money which is so essential to the maintenance and development of the weekly 'Socialist Press'. All donations should be sent to: Socialist Press Monthly Fund 31, Dartmouth Park Hill London NW5 1HR

GAS WORKERS

MUST EXPLODE

OFFICIALS' SELL-OUT

And when full-time officials move consciously to entrenched defend their , a conscious policy miercsls, and a clear plan of action are the only answer. *No productivity deals or HO CeNaYeS *No 12 month rule or 10% limit *For catching up rises to make up for losses over the Hast two vears. linked to cost clauses to compen- of-living sate lor intlation! As we go to press conven- ors still have to win support for the deal at plant level.

Continue BOC workers must reject the "deal' hatched Healey spurious Miller and disputes that secretly between BOC management and foisted by than their strengthen U1. wafer-thin two-vote majority.

CTUSE

limit and the right They must vote at mass coalition that continue strike for the full claim, , and spawned it, union bureaucrats call for an extension of the preservation of this that had the of blacking action ncals clinging onto their own privil- already paralysed bosses' attempts to break the strike.

Launch inquiry into car parts smash-up! evidence that and books, production need be to thrown open to workers this HlIC week with news of a plan million of good spare Thousands of parts have destroyed by management dare not dealers by Power SuTUlUs spalt.

BMC

service, steward at Cowley who broke the news, Car seats have been slashed had watched said .he wheels sawn in smash up for years. Why? nail, manolas crusieu anc was Leyland's arrogance carpets shredded in machines supreme John Power, a senior shop know our business. the best way of We know going about it reason for the ne au scrapping policy is to protect our customers TrON possibility of being offered obsolete parts by 'pirate retailers. Leyland workers should workers' inquiry demand policy, into the .company throwing open the business of the 'nationalised' the SeCTeLS firm and the private parts and retailers firms alike.

John Power is perfectly placed as President of Oxtord Trades Union District anc Council to launch an inquiry on the labour move- based ment in the town. of His record, however, stabbing initiative every within the working class and Trades Council transforming into a body which he hopes will do nothing, makes Power the last person to be capable launching of and carrying through such an initiative.