In the last few weeks Portugal has more er less disappeared from the columns of the bourgeois press. A demonstration of several thousand calling for the release of leftist political prisoners last week was dismissed in a paragraph by the Guard ian (21 February).
Obviously capitalism is now less worried by the situation after the events 0l -20 Novemper. our unar makes une tasks of solidarity more important, not Jess. Massive class confrontations remain on the agenda as despite the aid' world capitalism is pouring into the coffers of Portuguese capitalism, both the immediate and structural crises of the coonoiny are sull unreso ved.
Under the pressure of the world rocession, sections of world capitalism remain unconvinced that the Portuguese workine cass can oc subduce more than emporary. The mutunalonais con tinue to sabotage the economy. A recent delegation to Portugal from the Southern Region Trade Union Information Unit has spoken of the failures of both British Lou a Massey erson to sene spare parts for buses and tractors which now sand Ide Timex has locked out its workers in Portugal who have rejected the plans to enforce massive redundancies. As part of these moves the Timex management Likewise the infamous ITT corporation, with factories all over Britain, is trying to bankrupt its Portuguese subsidaries ov laxine is internatona deals what is called transfer pricing'.
Firms such as Plessey, who have recently announced 2,000 redundancies in Britain, have pursued exactly the same policy in Portugal. Plessey has factories in Ilford, Chorley, Huyton, Wigan (due to be entirely closed), Speke. Beeston, Sunderland, Liverpool and the Isle of Wight. Virtually every major British firm has its finger, or in some cases is arms, in ine portuguese pie Two hundred of the 600 foreign firms involved in Portugal are British.
Despite an unpressive ust or soonsors for me tortcominy sondarily conference, including Ray Buckton (ASLEF), Mick MeGahey (NUM), Emlyn Williams (NUM), Ken Coates (IC), Syd Bidwell MP, Audrey Wise MP, Joan Maynard MP, and Stan Newens Me the labour Government is maintaining import restrictions on Portuguese textiles and yarns. It is obvious whom the Labour Government supports in Portugal when it has gone so far as to allow the National Republican Guard, who in January shot five demonstrators, to be trained in Britain, It is against cacuonary mows such as unese unat a campaign can and must be built.
The 13 March conference, initially called by the Solidarity Campaign with the Portuguese Working Class, is crucial for the building of a solidarity movement in Britain. At the last meeting of the conference organising committee, wien numocrca amontits rebresent alves dcicadies iron ine LaerDoo!
Union Information Unit, as well as from the ICL, IS, IMG and PWCC, it was agreed to put a motion to the conference calling for a campaign around the slogans:
No to any economic sanctions!
Big Business, NATO, CIA off Portugal!
Portugal must not become another nue.
Solidarity with the organs of popular Against the repression of workers and soldiers - frce the 25 November prisoners!
We urge all readers of Red Weekly to scek the affiliation of their trade union branch, trades council. students union. constituency Labour Party or LPYS to Ene sondarity campaign and the con terence. Details and dratt motions from SCPWC, 12 Little Newport Street, London WC2.
HAMLETS BR
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CH BIC