Socialist Action No. 111, 30 August 1985
The scan: 111-aug-30-1985-SA-UK.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
TUC must back
the railworkers
SociAlist
ACTION
THIS YEAR'S TUC congress faces decisive choices for the labour movement: whether to knuckle under to Tory laws against the unions, whether to move towards a catastrophic wage control agreement with the Labour Party, how to carry through the defence of the miners and the mining communities, how to smash the Notts NUM breakaway, now to re-establish trade unions at GCHO, how to defeat the splittist right wing in the AUEW and EEPTU.
But one immediate issue dominates all else. How the TUC can back the railworkers.
After confronting the the Thatcher government is attempting to spread its attack to every section of the trade unions.
The unprecedented threat made on Saturday by British Rail's personnel director John Palette to meet any regional action by the NUR with a national lock out shows the determination of the government to carry out the type or alack against the railworkers that it used against the miners. It is the Board's response to the guards' expected vote for industrial action against driver only operation.
The sacking of railworkers in Scotland, South Wales and Humberside for carrying out elementary trade union action reveals the same pattern of intimidation as the sackings and imprisonment of
In both NUM and NUR disputes the tough brutal face of Thatcher's Britain, and the future of trade unionism in this country, is being more and more openly revealed.
It is this reality, not the dreams of cooperation with the government, of complying with the law, or of cooperating with employers in 'raising production that should be pre-occupying the debates at the TUC
According to one Guardian reporter who interviewed Norman Willis on Tuesday, the meeting of the TUC with Thatcher at the end of the miners' strike ten some wue leaders ourning waw desire to be part of the corporate state again'. As Arthur Scargill pointed out, the net effect of that intervention by the TUC was to get the NUM a worse offer than the one they received at the beginning of the dispute.
The TUC already has a shameful record with the railworkers. The general council's role in defeating ASLEF's strike in 1982 still burns in the memory. The same treatment was meted out to the vie fight, starting at this congress, must be to turn that entire policy of the TUC around.
The left in the NUR are arguing for an all-out rail strike as the only way to roll back British Rail's attack. The TUC congress must give full unequivocal political and practical backing for the NUR. This means in particular:
• Immediate reinstatement of all sacked railworkers • Follow the lead of the NUM. No transfer of goods normally carried by rail to any other form of transport • A boycott by the other transport unions of all goods normally carried by rail • No crossing NUR picket lines • Full political and financial backing by the TUC and Labour Party to the railworkers • Full backing by the TUC to the NUR against any legal attack on the union.
LOBBY THE TUC Monday 2 September 8am onwards outside the Winter Gardens Blackpool Amnesty for all sacked and imprisoned miners!
No. 111 30 August 1985 30p
Rallhouse
It's all toc RISKY RISK
WORKERS
NUR
NUR
INGS CROSS
GUARDS
KED
Page 2 scan of this page
Showdown in rail ***
OVERTIME BANS, work-to-rules, cooperation, lightning strikes: Britain's railworkers are being forced to use every method at their disposal to resist Thatcher's attacks on their industry and jobs.
At the same time they're being joined in action by drivers in the their sister union ASLEF and the National Union Mineworkers is backing them by refusing
let coal move by гояй.
Unity in action has
day London
Photo: OM COOKSON Glasgow and from Car-
diff Doncaster. Within the NUR more grades are coming into activity as the members of the workshop, and signals and telecom. munications, grades по option but to fight against the feracious
onslaught on their jobs.
While the depots under attack are standing firm, the response ana many gave dor lakel action yet.
Here we take a brief look at some 0I
depots who are at the sharp end of the struggle today; the 400 guards at
Kings Cross, Glasgow,
South Wales and Imm-
ingham To me Deca
suspended or sacked in
the past few days.
for a fight
Since the suspensions at Kings Cross mainline
in London started a week ago, the depot has been a hive of activity. We are getting organised for the coming industrial action as management continue to suspend guards who won't agree to work trains modified 1OT Driver Only Operation (DOO).
Mainline
trains suburban lines are still working nor-
Management's acwas provocative.
needed to run the service
— in fact they are onlv › out of 64 - but they want to start training drivers on them. Since the modifications have not been tested;
they must have a guard on
All Kings Cross guards have received a letter tell-
ing them that the number
of guards jobs will be cut
from 198 to 90 — a reduc-
well over 50
cent. This will hit
guards with less than 10
years service.
overtime ban!
THE DİSMISSAL
notice hardened us up.
Seven have gone back
which has disappointed
but not disheartened us.
The most noteworthy
thing is that the miners
womens support
have contacted us offerin
грог The Neath nd
visiting
2
SUSPENDED guards at Kings Cross have worked hard for a 'yes' vote in the ballot. But if there is one thing that has been brought home, it's how right the miners were to deny the Tories the chance to meddle in their dispute via a ballot.
Ever since the NUR took une accision to comp ly with the Tory trade union legislation and hold three separate ballots in
Kings Cross: we're organising
There is a vague promise that 'you will not have to leave the industry' but this exposed
letter from LO
depot
of resulting With these the delectale
ing tactics to
before the
guards Clearly
intended to
mane cancl
which nas set back
About suburban have been
BIOH Now al
tion.
South Wales: we're all on
our picket line this week; 1
believe they've already
gone to the Severn tunnel.
Dave Jenkins,
Chair of guards LPC
We've been talking to th
all Wales women's support
group the centrai body
which • coordinates all the
groups.
We met the NUM and
Socialist Action '30 August 1985
Suspended Kings Cross Guards lobby Rail House last Tuesday
The ballot trap
the industry of the guards, the workshops and the signalling and telegraph grade the Board has had a field day. for support.
movement. Passengers
been leafletted Guards spoken other and depots.
An has been organised the
event of a HOCK-OFIL for from quarters,
vited
• Donations and messages of support to the Hardship Committee Lah. Kings Cross Guards Ас-
Committee, c/о NALGO office, borough House Bidborough Sí., London WCI.
Cheques payable to: East
District Council Hardship Fund.
Tel: Guards LDC room Kings Cross: 01-837 4200 X4988, or in event of a lockout: 01-278 444
X2556.
they've promised us all the
support we need.
We've had the backing
of the print this week hene Britises refused to
publish TENe Rail
to fill
our jobs. Labour
Hughes, and MEP David
have been on our
picket line as well.
Virtually all the depots
are on an overtime ban.
KINGS CROSS Nol
Their heavy-handed tacties have ranged trom in dividuals being sent home to mass sackings.
But the aim of all these
By Ray Varnes, suspended Kings Cross guard
moves was to try to crack one of the depots marked for immediate driver only operation (DOO) prior to any ballot. Board knew that if they forced a return any depot taking action that the result of the ballots. affect
In these circumstances, it was a good move by the union to bring the date of the ballot forward. It gave manoeuvre for the first ballot. But there are still two further ballots come. Each ballot will be used by the Board as a referendum of workers to judge the ac tion already underway in the industry.
There will be a big majority at Coalville support of any action to defend jobs. We've been prepared by the action we took during the miners' strike, and some members who By Roy Butlin, chair Coalville LDC
weren't hot on solidarity action last year are right behind the fight for their own jobs today.
We've had to start
from scratch in putting the
case for the defence of our
jobs. Our depot is entirely
freight. Most of the
arguments put out by the
union centre on the need to retain passenger guards
But the case for main-
taining guards on freight
trains is just as strong, anc
needs more publicity
Potental alsasters van on
CUT if there are serious
derailments freight
trains which drivers on
their would find it
hard to cope with. And on
the freight -side, there
No matter how carefully worded inese are. tney won't save the union from injunctions flying in every direction. Even if the national executive complies with the Tory laws and decides to pay fines, sequestration is valene care once the Tories take off the gloves.
But to let the fear of sequestration stop actions to ACTORA Jobs and condi tions would be crazy. should remember that one of the strongest unions in Britain today, the NUM, still has no funds
In the final instance, it is how well organised the union is at every level, and how well educated and
clear-sighted the membership has
through struggle, that will save the union not its bank balance. If it was a question of finances alone, we would never be able to maten ine virtuall unlimited resources at the Board's disposal!
Coalville: overwhelming support
during the strike
won't even be the help of
other railway personnel
travelling as passengers on
the train.
But taking guards off
freight • trains will also
Glasgow: all-out
action needed
The guards in the West of Scotland have been at the centre of the campaign by British Rail management to harass and intimidate the workforce, and to break union solidarity by provocative attacks. Guards at Glasgow Central were locked out after refusing the imposition of driver only operation (DOO). Wher they were sacked, the guards at Queens Street and on the North Clyde line signalled their voting intentions by staging a 24-hour stoppage last Tuesday. to try to disrupt the ballot: first the sackings, then a massive campaign of propaganda and lies, with fullpage ads in every local paper in the West of Scotland
capped on Thursday Strathelyde's rail network by closing five lines if the guards take action. workers has already scotched management's plans to advertise sacked guards jobs in the national dailies.
(stewards' told Socialist Action of the mood of determination in the face of these attacks.
The threat to close the five lines is just another example of the intimidatory tactics BR have used. The intent is to disrupt our abiliballot. 1o conduct a proper
Management would still like to provoke some which would enable them to drag the union into the
The issues at stake in this dispute are far greater than DOO. It is the very survival of our union
Because of these high stakes we are getting massive response the ballot. The members this aren responded magnificently to the sackings, with spontaneous action And we expect substantial majority voting 'yes'.
The only danger will be if we follow the kind of
"guerilla tactics' some are
proposing. The effect that
would have on the guards
It Ins depot woulc • De lc
expose them to much more management intimidation.
The union reps would face Roy Butlin receiving a commemorative miners lamp for the magnificent support from the Coalville railworkers
cause enormous delays to
the entire system. The BR
Board's own survey says
that a full 93 per
"stop and examine' train
incidents are resolved by a
Rail management went to extraordinary lengths
by the threat to slash
Solidarity from SOGAT
JOHN BARRIE secretary of the guards LDC committee) at Glasgow Queens Street
disciplinary attacks, and our members wouldn't feel they were really fighting. Instead what we need is all-out strike.
There isn't com-
we can get. The British Rail Board have nc choice either. In order to do what they want with the industry, they need smash the union. No com Monde is one We would
UL C members high level of pressure on the executive to ensure all out action The TUC should be lobbied when il meets, to maximise support there, ana a strong NUR lobby should make links with everyone else in struggle, especially the
Here in Glasgow in the Labour Party we have to confront asgracclu role Strathclyde regional council who have taken management's side. Constituenci parties and branches should send resoluțions to the regional council to demand it gives unconditional support for the railworkers.
member of the train crew,
usually the guard. . If the guard disappears then the
driver would have to ask
for help from the nearest
depot, causing serious
disruption. On thei own
drivers would be unable to
out even the most
basic checks. For instance
testing the brakes takes
two people: someone on
the engine and someone at
the back of the train.
So. BR says it needs to
cut back thousands of jobs
efficient
LU LUIC
system. But this just shows
that inefficiency will result
if the guard goes, because
there will be enormous and
costly delays.
The Midlands vote
doesn't look promising,
but the question will be
whethel or not the
voters will go to work. BR
La divided
union. ted scab ser
vice in the idlands would
be very use al to manage
ment, They've learned
from the miners' strike
But so have we And we
Know WE depend on
the •Dirty 30', Leicester
shire's striking miners, for
full support.
Page 3 scan of this page
Showdown in rail
How the railworkers
can win
After the miners Thatcher
that has developed over the last three weeks.
Railworkers face two burning questions: will Thatcher the threat to close the railways faced with the growing actions and can they win in ine lace or the threat or a national lockout?
There can be no doubt that Thatcher will have few qualms about shutting down lne rall system and locking out the workforce. But generaly would prefer to keep the services
by trying to buy off or per-
ahea that their interests lie with lich, the Rall and the 'rationalisation' of the industry.
However the situation develops must understood that the Tory government is prepared go all the way against the railworkers just as it
against the The government means to KOUTCLUTC British dustry no matter what the
in human suffering. Lubl Thatcher's through the British Rail
lost through
mous lie. The plan called for 45,000 jobs to go by 1990. In the past
years almost 14,000 workshop staff have gone.
What is developing in rail is not a fight about a couple of thousand guards but a fight for the future of the entire industry as it was with the miners. None of the so tar won by such as guaranteed working week • are sate. Thatcher means to try and grab these away in the process of the fight.
The very nature of the Rail Board's attack demands national response poses challenge for the entire
is taking the railworkers. But contrary to what she expected the railworkers are fighting back. That is the pattern
All out industrial action is the reply railworkers can possibly
the National Union
must call to unity in action against the Tory government.
The TUC congress and the Labour
conference must be brought into the fight to save jobs to defend the NUR.
The miners were not defeated because they lacked the will to struggle, because they lacked strategy to win, or they lacked a leadership that would stand and fight, but because TUC and Labour Party leaders
mobilise the labour movement behind them. Never again!
The lessons must be drawn from the miners strike for the current fight. Railworkers are a powerful force. Because of their industrial and strategic weight they can quickly bring serious disruption to most of the economy, , atfecting all the major commercial and industrial centres.
the london area some three quarters of million people travel daily the 1982 drivers During
1982 drivers' strike, buses were being turned away over 20 miles from the centre of London. This makes an appeal to NUR members on London Transport to take action as well a ney demand.
Or :se:eige: sade. the Centra.
Generate 3ere been tate:
- 4; These
and heip desperaie .a.8.=
influence the ballots being laken.
Railworkers can win. There is a will to win already by thousands involved in the current actions. They need a leadership that will stand and fight, one that will moduse the entire membership for struggle, tnal will deepen ine links with ASLEF all levels dire out other
the Labour Partv for support. It won't be easy but the attacks can de pushed back.Kegiona action, grade by grade action is useful primarily steps taken towards nationai industrial action. As the NUR nationally says, *Its the only language that management understands'.
scabs in the industry must not become a
A vital aspect today in the fight to protect the rat industry, unions and jobs working towards a massive ves vote in the ballots yet to be taken.
The entire trade union movement must back the railworkers.
PIECE
And atter the
guards have been made
•reaundant
From one-man trains
to no-man trains s
to no trains
WHAT TO DO
• Plan a tour of sacked railworkers to local workplaces, union branches, Labour Party meetings. Take regular collections to make sure railworkers have a living income during the dispute.
NUR and
platform
Closures movement
• Commit your union branch or GC to full and active support for the railworkers, and to insist the TUC and the NEC pledge the full backing of the movement AS whole.
• Involve women's groups who see the need for a guard on every
O THE ACTION
After all, if you can't privatise an industry then it • ought
you are lownminded young I tory..
It's a guards life!
first class compartments?" '
Protecting passengers
from such outrageous
a se guards so The
of a guard's job.
prime respon-
sability, along with the
driver. is to the train and
on passenger trains to the
passagers u aboon lo
the usual task of making
off safely at stations the
guard has often got com-
mercial duties.
If a train is involved in
an accident the guard is
responsible TOT stopping
the train, putting out any fire, moving passengers to
a safe place uncoupling
burning vehicles that the rest of the train can be drawn away and UTULCU ting other running lines by train. Contact the
Arainst Pit Closures with a view to
families.
• In light of the large numbers of black and Asian workers in the in. dustry, enlist the support of these communities in any locai solidarity actions.
• Organise solidarity actions to coincide with local action taken by railworkers from workplace collections and delegations on the pickel-ble lo ITISEMI
as the dispute develops. Make Cure MPs and councillors
the dispute, and join any pickel-bacs. • Join with Socialist Action supporters your area to get out the reilworkers' case and to actively organise to force the BR Board to retreat Help railworkers learn from the miners' strike by selling the pamphle Railworkers and Miners and In Defence of the NUM.
•.or a
Or a
realiti Oh. I give up what a peculiar L idea! I assume Chal
THERE'S A clipping on my mess room wall. It reads 'overheard at a party: posh young woman saying to a friend, 'Of course we need guards, who else is going to keep second class passengers out of our
placing track circuit operating clips on the rails and detonator in
In case of injury to the
By Toni Gorton, NUR guard
driver their tasks fall on the guard. In the case of an accident to driver-only trains the driver, , if uninjured, is to look for *responsible person to perform the guard's duties. But how many 'responsible people' out to neutralise the third rail. put down detonators? And what happens when the driver in injured - which
Labour's missing
plan
railworkers have a very bleak future.
And how
far short of the mark.
For instance the August issue of the union Transport includes 'Labour's Charter - the way forward' In it, Neil Kinnock has special By Doreen Weppler, NUR guard
message for railworkers The Charter, he claims, ana now une 'whole community can benefit from a system of cheap, efficient public transport.
And indeed it can. It's true that a massive gramme or investment. as the Charter calls for, is badly needed. And setting basic minimum levels of service would also aid the majority of British people Many of the individual proposals help counter the rapid decline ot the services.
However, to totally reverse the onslaught or jobs and services involves fundamentally challenging
young sD member,
"new realist" trade union bureaucrat
=
is often the case? 1984 there mere almost 1000 incidents of derailments, trains runeing into obstacles and cot lisions between trains. For example Isle in the yest there was & serious coli freight train and a passenger train НСДИ Wembley. his quick thinkine praised for quick for out and 'proter ine' tbe accident sit
Ironically the persom who performed the guard's duty was Richard editor of the Railway Gazette, on of the main 'experts' used b management to convince the public that guards are a useless hangover from the past. member of the public l fairly the type everyone will be rely on, on their journey!
The Tories are dead clear on how they see the rail in dustry in the coming years. If Maggie gets her way,
But what about the Labour leadership's transport policies: times have you heard Kinnoc speaking no behalf of the beleagured railworkers? In fact the alternative that Labour is promoting falk
the very logic of our profi motivated Unti we have a government tha puts first the interests o working people and not the profits of the wealthy few, then no job is safe Clearly Neil Kinnock doesn't have anything so basic as this in mind. But tron his vantage point it's fotally unacceptable that backs Charter which ignores the rights, conditions and wage levels of railworkers! Other urgent measures like the nationalisation of all sections of the industry which have been put in private hands — are also absent Today the centrepiece of Labour's policie should be 'No to any jot loss on the railways' And the Tal workers fight would be enormously aid. if Labour's leaders mobilised the members im mediately around the need for a guard on the back of every train.
Gormac
Actually I thought -I was being satirical. making a joke...
A JOKE! That
explains it! The
country is ruled
by bunch of
COMEDIANS?
Page 4 scan of this page
Campaign gathers strength
Socialist Action MORE THAN 600 mineworkers porters packed the main hall of Hucknall leisure centre in Notts last Saturday. They came to hear Arthur Scargill address the latest in series of meetings aimed at rallying support for the national union. Other speakers included Notts president Ray Chadburn and Anne Lilburn, Against Pit Closures. MICK ARCHER reports.
mounting,
has taken
letter all branch secretaries, dated August,
mittee not
arranging TOT Scargill.
Even general
discussion
branch ficials committee
SHOL Nottingham area policy,
locked out Blidworth
in the because,
area into their
description
with
It's at-
Notts Ray
Chadburn
against. the NUM. The
focus on issue of '
•elena wages and
The effect predic-
table. Non-strikers were
among those who snapped
up leaflets for the meetings
outside Hucknall and Lin-
by pits and many of them
turned VUL for the
meeting.
30 August 1985 Scargill — and how the Notts area poster campaign against the national union
Keep Notts national:
and their sup-
president Women
In a detailed rebuttal of the arguments made by the splitters Scargill hammered these points home. He had come to Hucknall he explained 'to argue the
not for the views of Arthur Scargill, nor the views of Ray Chadburn, but to argue the case for those who built this union, who created national organisation.'
Listing the gains of the union past struggles Scargill also spelt out the key issue confronting trade unionists today: the CASICICC of four and half million unemployed and the threat of further closures and redundancies confronting the mining and other industries.
Applause
Loud applause terupted Scargill's speech when he said I'll tell you what Scargillism means fighting to save the jobs of those that are at work and ensuring their sons and daughters have a job to go WElC they leave school. What's wrong WILL that for polici high ying the dan- I ask you?'
ger of pit closures in Notts
itself Scargill also spelt out the sort
thought the NUM should be fighting for the future. These included an
immediate ena lo overuie
but where miners would
earn on a daily basis the
same money they would
have got if they had con-
tinued to work it
This he claimed would
create 25,000 jobs for
unemployed youth
presently dole. He call
Fi on the dole.
neels
ed Ior a tale protechun
scheme
miners full pay when off
work through illness or in-
jury and four day working
week with no loss of pay as
part of a new technology
portrays him •Without the unity of the union none of
possibilities can become a reality,' 'Scargill argued.
But also stressed that this meant supporting all those fighting to defend jobs even where it in-
who had
strike the suppert thes
strike support they deserved. in the case TelL Wan even more ob.
Drawing
parallel between the attack on the coal and rail 3l1dustries he said
fights closure
strike action and in
and fight.
The possibility of immediate strike action very slim. An energetic public campaign is what's needed to save the pit. And first we've got to get out the facts about the preSPenthiwceiher colliery. conditions
By Nigel Bevan,
Penrhiwceiber Lodge
Committee (personal
capacity)
Hearing that the pit is
to close, people assume the coal there is exhausted or
geologically unsafe to
mine. If this was the case
then the NUM would also
be for closure.
The truth is that there
are at least 30 years of
seams that can easily be
mined. The conditions of
these seams, in the Coal
Roards own words,
good' and 'very good. Sc
it is clearly a political deci-
sion, not an economic one,
that has decided the future
of Penrhiwceiber. The
South Wales NUM is in
full support of the lodge
committee's decision to
SUPPOST YOUR
NOTTS
UNION?
Rail 'want to get rid.of thousands of guards. It's a first step in their campaign close down huge tions of the rall network Both they and the Tories are wanting to see a cutback of major proportions. "Then we will see the juggernaut trundling hrough our villages filled with coal rather than on a nationalised railway inThe NUR are involved in a battle for jobs and they are involyed in a battle to save their
Penrhiwceiber
THE MEMBERSHIP of Penrhiweeiber lodge NUM have voted overwhelmingly, by two to one, to fight to save their colliery. Even after 12 months of bitter
face of financial inducements from management in the form of redundancy pay, they are still people prepared to stand
fight. The case will now go to national for their consideration.
We will go into review procedure with an extremely good argument for the retention of the col liery. But without outside upport this will fall on th leaf ears of Coal Boar management.
To bring to bear the pressure we need, we have o organise all the strength that was there in the strike That means support from women Against Closures, the support committees and so on. Once these forces organised the campaign can take off, with leafletting, petitions, meetings and demonstrations.
Everything we can use in fact as against Hobart House.
That campaign is only just Bettie have to conground. centrate fire first on the Valley. Once the valley organises, we cal take the campaign to the rest of the labour movement across Europe. in Britain and
Notts president Ray Chadburn addresses Bolsover miners at the beginning of the Keeps Notts National campaign dustry.
hope that every single miner in every single coalfield in will agree with me when I say that when the NUR comes and asks this union for assistance we'll give them the same unswerving devoted assistance they gave us during the nationa strike.
The meeting obvious boost for all those campaigning against split in Notts. As Scargill
finished by explaining
'this union was not built
by Arthur Scargills. It was hult or the blood the sweat, the time, and Ine tears of miners in the 1920s and before who the only way of defending their rights as being the creation . of one national union. In their memory I ask you to stand up and be counted not only say that you will stay with th NUM but fighting for your union.
The message wasn't
That's what has to be doe.
in the remaining weeks. threatened with closure
(plus 20p p&p).
to:
2XP
News
Defend the Mansfield 55!
FIFTY-FIVE men who were arrested on 14 May last year at the Mansfield rally in support of the NUM are currently in court facing charges of attray.
They are appearing in Nottingham Crown Court where the case has now been going on for 11 weeks. Seven have beer aquitted, but the remaindict.
Notts Women Against Pit Closures are appealing for support for the Mansfield 55. People are encouraged to attend the public gallery during the sessions to show thei support. • Notts Crown Court sessions are held at Shire
High Pavement, Nottingham. Phone 0602 501234 (David or Brian) detais of the days when 258487 (Pam) the hearing taking place.
Demo for Hancock and Shankland
WHEN BEDWAS
councillor Ray Davies appeared in Cardiff
court recently, he used
the opportunity to
publicise the call for a
national demonstra-
tion in support of
Russell Shankland
and Dean Hancock.
The two Rhymne!
miners were jailed at the
end of May after being
convicted of i the murder
of scab taxi driver David
Wilkie.
Ray
pay a f10 fine after being
found guilty of obstruc
tion while out collectin
money last December for
Christmas party
miners' children.
consistant refusal to pay
the fine means he's likely
to spend a day or two in
jail himself
Hancock and
Shankland are appealing
their sentence,
will be heard in Londo Rhymine October. Upper
Rhymney
Group, togethe with
Newport, Oxford an
Bristol miners' support
groups, are calling for a
national turnout in sup-
port of the two.
• The march will leave
Brixton, South Londor
at 8.30am for the High
Court on the day of thei
appeal details
from 0222 886695.
A New Socialist Action pamphlet, price 50p Bulk order rates available on request. Write
NUM pamphlet, PO Box 50, London N1
Page 5 scan of this page
WOMEN AGAINST PIT CLOSURES
News
movement alike.
CAROL TURNER reports from Sheffield.
How do we
organise...
"THIS movement that was born in 1984 has begun to inspire the world. I honestly believe that even in Britain there is not yet an appreciation or lne pnenomena that the establishment or lue women s support groups has meant, not only to the National Union of Mineworkers but also to the national and international trade union movement.'
That was how Arthur Scargill described the movement of women from the mining communities, when he addressed the first national conterence of women AgaInst Pit Closures in Sheffield the weekend betore last. hyperbole. The first thing This was mere
be grasped about the decision establish VY diet Against Closures as a permanent
denisabel that it represents a con-
fundamental - aspect of
More powerful movements of working class women can be seen places such as Nicaragua. But up till now they have remained confined those countries whose struggle for socialism is at • a lar migner pica nan l the developed capitalist world.
Inspiration
The Women Against Pit Closures movement in Britain is indeed an
all those across the world fighting for their liberation allu NeIT national independence. And it is no
eltner that delegates and visitors in Sheffield on that historic Saturday gave such Wat 1l welcome to Tanya Abramsce of the South African Congress of Trade Unions, when she called for support for the struggle of black people against
apartheid Torine South African Na- regime, tional LIOn of Mineworkers. The women felt themselves nart of a com mon international struggle.
The 700-plus women who assembled in the heartland of the NUM were in fighting mood. The dav began with. and
dominated by, a de- Photo: G'M COOKSON mand for 'the right to vote?
'The women want
Kay Succiate from organisation, said Kay Kent, endorsing the call for decision-making ference. 'But they can see that they will only have that if they feel part of this organisation. And the only way they'll feel part of it is
THE DETERMINATION of women from the mining communities to consolidate their movement was marked by the first conference of Women Against Pit Closures as a permanent, national organisation in Sheffield on Saturday 17 August. That consolidation, in and of itself, is a significant achievement which will benefit the women's movement and the labour
Despite the fact that many groups have shrunk in size since the end of the strike, the 700-plus women who gathered together that weekend gave testimony to the continued militant struggle of the women's support groups.
if they can vote themselves.
For the last 18 months, the of women the support
closures. without the the strike
the support
important though that was. they
role
Wing against the attacks couldn't have did organising the for within that faced particular Turiest,
their By organising they to con-
the understood even the Coal Tory understood that.
The magnificent the Women Pit The only vote of the day: delegates overturn the chair's agenda
tion of women is divisive of the working class. On the contrary, it is the ruling class who lay the conditions and
will benefit from, the real divisions that exists between men and women in today's society. Women are not only best placca lo unaelstand those problems, DecausE they expenance them first-hand. But they are also in the best position to know how to begin to overcome them.
Tribute
That's what happened in the miners' strike - to the benefit of the working class whole. And that's what Arthur Scargill understood when he paid tribute to this movement that 'has begun to inspire the world'
Totar thei reason that women at the first national conference of WAPC fought as they did for their right to vote.
What was at stake was no mere one-off right to put UD their hands at a
Betty Heathfield:
'A unique organisation'
said,
I'm saying
women's
years. What we are new in doing
ourselves into an organisation...
and sing it - and then make it mean something!
conterence: it was the very Tuture one movement.
The WAPC movement will not live or die accor ding to what happened in Sheffield that weekend before last. But it's future will be decided, In lare measure, by whether lt continues to be a self-governing organisation of women from the mining communities, whose way of organising and of fighting is determined collectively by the
That's why women were angry in Sheffield City Hall. And that's why the structures and the aims of the campaign will be the subject of much discussion in the local groups in the weeks and months to come.
AT THE end of the day, Betty Heathfield spelled out the importance of the Sheffield conference. 'I want to remind each and every one of you,' she
'that we are part of a unique organisation. women haven't struggled before on behalf of jobs; I'm not saying women haven't struggled before on behalf of women's
movement and the movement have been doing that for forming
'We have to start somewhere, and we're starting here today. We've had a song throughout our struggle: "We are women, we are strong'. Get up
Closures.
OUR view is very positive after the conference. It was good to such a large number of women there, and that so many groups are still active six months after the strike.
Women Against Pit Closures now
with an important future.
Despite the problems of organisation and com-
KALGOALE
for fighting
with the Naot r Mine-
for that reason the over-
ference to continue the for associate
Michael McGahey romised asso. CaLe Scottish the cheers
Only one whole
hotly after-
deter-
of the
national
asked French from Kent, one of the
hand
"justice" we we found the in the against the
we ye already in contact
Socialist Action miner ' Support for the families victimised miners is still the central campaign for most groups.
The women of Notts, at the sharp end of the atLACK Lynk' S fight awakar , are leading the
Notts na tional. It was not an accident that two of the best contributions of the day both came from Notts.
Applause
The end of Helen Arthur's speech was drowned by apolause when she called for support for the railworkers. 'In a week or two's time,' she said, *we might have a national rail strike. Those people are looking to And it's going to make a difference
them; a difference to
prepared to take on the Rail Board and the government in the same way the miners did.
Gwen McLeod, who is chair 01 Notts WAPC began the afternoon session supporting the *right demand "They've made a mistake,' she said of the national with the local ASLEF to offer any support that we
their fight - through the network of contacts and experience we've built up over the last 18 months.
we re looking now lo the next conference, which
Dosilve decisions on the future • of the
We'll contacting the 17 pits in South Yorkshire strengthen area coordination and help any groups that have wound up to get restarted.
We want every pit represented the next conference, with delegates
are maller related to NUM members.
30 August 1985 committee, and the Dial form should note it: don't get away from your grass roots.'
Appealling for unity after a morning disrupted
barracking led number of left groups attending the conference, she said: "Think of Notts. Without unity we'll get Keep No as national . alla we ye gol li keep We can I De responsiDe Io the men in our area - but we are responsible for an -historic movement of
that can go for. ward.'
Strong feelings expressed against scabs' wives being allowed to join WAPC. But the issue still remains to be thoroughly discussel
Take the woman whe went to Risley jail for three weeks, for example for breaking her bail cond tions and returning to the
work. Does she, by he own merit membership of the WAP( movement? The answer of course should be a resounding 'yes'
The draft proposals fo the aims and structure of the new national WAPC organisation are still to be finalised. In the light of the demand for a decision-making conference, the undertaking of the chair
that a conference of area representatives will be convened to vote on all proposals - - is unlikely to satisfy the dominant feeling within the groups for pit-based group-based representation
One thing that wasn' controversial though was the basis which the movement itself continue
The 75-25 per LU GASLS. cent formula for representation between the mining communities and other was unanimousy troops was unanimously red So too was a clear understanding WAPC's main aim, as the
suggests, remains the fight alongside their
in the NUM to pro. tect their jobs and communities against the continued i from the Tory government.
Page 6 scan of this page
plan to split
6 Socialist Action 30 August 1985
THIS YEAR'S TUC congress will be dominated by the rail strikes, by the aftermath of the miners' strike, by the continuing fight in the coalfields, by the TUC's attitude to the law, by the general council's move to the right and by the threat of a split with the AUEW and EETPU.
But behind all this lies a more fundamental development: the long-term drive of Thatcher and the employers to split the labour movement itself. All the particular struggles fall into place within that overall framework.
JOHN ROSS looks beyond some of the immediate issues at the basic goals of the Thatcher government's attack on the trade union movement.
When Thatcher came to office in 1979 she DTOUCIL with her tne sophisticated and worked union policy of any British government this century.
Contrary to some forms of alarmism on the left, for example by Marxism Today, the goal of Thatcher was not to open up the way for essentially eliminating the trade union movement. No British government today has the relation of forces to achieve that. Instead Thacher's goal was radically to change the nature of the trade union movement a goal completely interlinked with the drive to reorganise
British economy and politics.
At the economic level, Margaret Thatcher has sought to bring about not only a shiit or income away tom labour and toward capital, but also a dramatic redistribution of income within the working class itself.
Popular myths aside, the period of Thatcherism has not seen an unrelieved assault on the working class with a simple universal increase in hardship. On the contrary the period since 1979 has been one major prosperity significant sections of workers, made possible by the North Sea Oil revenues.
This is seen, for example in the video and home computer booms and the continuing affluence in the South and South East.
Using more precise measures, average real take-home pay increase by more than 10per percent between 197 and 1985. But this average is deeply misleading. The chief effect of the period since 1979, and the policies pursued by Thatcher, has been to increase virtually every differential within the working class.
A skilled manual worker earning £199 a week before tax in March 1985 had gained a four er cent increase i
eal income under the Tories. This is i addition to far more obvious and spectacular increases: 10 per cent for a middle manager earning £18,000; 22 per cent for a senior manager £26,000 a year; and 35 percent for a company director earning £54,000 a year.
In contrast all those at the bottom end of the income scale have been savaged. The real wages of semi-skilled workers earning £146 a week before tax have fallen by three percent under the Tories, income of unemployed by 18 per cent. million people have been pushed out of
jobs altogether — the greatest plunge
poverty of any section of the into population.
Between 1978-79 and 1981-82 alone the bottom 20 per cent of the population suffered an average real loss in in-
come of £82 a year. The after-tax share
of income going to the poorest half of
the population fell from 27 to 25 per
cent in the same period. Since 1979 the
proportion of male manual
classified as low paid has doubled from
10 per cent to 20 per cent even on of
ficial criteria. Among women it has
risen from 65 to 80 percent.
For some sections of the working
class the situation is far worse. Blacks
are twice as likely to be unemployed as
whites. The wages of an average black
male worker are f20 lower than those
of white. And the only reason the dif-
ferential is not so high for women is
that all women's wages are so much
lower than men's. Women's wages are
still less than three-quarters those of
men's, and the differential is increas-
ing. Nearly two-thirds of full-time
workers, and 90 per cent of part timers,
classified as low paid are women.
One of the most concerted of all the
Thatcher government drives has been
most
to decrease youth wages. Differentials
with 'adult' workers have increased
sharply.
These divisions are not just increas-
ing between industries,
specific industries as
famous example is the impact of the in-
centive scheme in the mining industry
where miners in the productive Not-
tingham coal field have been able to
secure far higher pay than those in the British 'peripheral' coalfields. This was one of
he key factors underlying the divisions
of the NUM during the strike.
The trend of development is clear.
Thatcher has sharply increased the in-
come of high management, the salary
component of the capitalists' income,
and substantial sections of the 'middle'
class. But she has also increased the
wages of important layers of skilled and
other highly-paid workers.
These moves by Thatcher though
aren't just about wages and differen-
tials. They are part of an attempt. to
restructure the entire labour market
along Japanese and American lines.
One of the great advantage that US
and Japanese capitalisms have com-
pared to their rivals, including Britain,
is greater control by employers over the
labour market. Japan was once famous
in Britain for the "job-for-life' con-
tracts given to workers. The impression
was that this applied to the entire work-
ing class. What is not so generally
realised is that it applied to a small sec-
tion of Japanese workers. This pro-
tected privileged position for a minority
was accompanied by much bigger more earning Two
Photo: JOHN HARRIS
workers
Terry Duffy, helping the Tories
casual workforce, with far less rights in
employment than in a country such as
Britain.
In the United States, until recently,
such a clear division of employment did
not exist. However the US acheive
roughly the same effect by having far
greater
during booms and slumps than
Western Europe and by the systematic
racism in employment, and every other
field, against blacks
Of late such divisions have been
Thatcher's
the unions
systematised into the US labour system through 'two-tier' workers receive higher wage rates, health protection, employment protec but within tion and so on; new workers however
are employed at a lower rate, have well. The most
For no security of employment etc. In short a division is created even between employees in the same factory or job,
privileges than others.
labour market, nevertheless the direc-
marginal and
nent thinking and polic
description of the process involved.
Employment
what it calls a "dual labour market"
employed by subcontractors.
terviews with
services, including construction.
• 'A
dependently
old work.
900 permanent
Day, rangements, on three-month contracts.
" a manager said,
to permanent status. outside contractors tionally done
National Economic in employment
their initiatives
contracts. Existing
fewer or no 'fringe benefits', have little
with some enjoying relatively far more
While Thatcher's plans have not progressed to anything like the level of the Japanese or US organisation of the
tion in which British capitalism is trying to go is perfectly clear. Restructuring
le working class into relatively secu igher-paid layers and into far mo
insecure sections lies behind much of recent Tory govern-
A report in he Financial Times of 21 August: worth quoting at length. It gives a clear
'Companies are reorganising their workers in novel ways to increase the flexibility of their labour force, according to a report commissioned by the
Department, published soon. The report... shows how companies are moving towards
a core of a secure workers separated from a periphery of workers on temporary contracts, working part-time or
"The study is based on extensive in-
managers in 31 panies, half in manfacturing and half in
West Midlands mechanical engineering company has encouraged many of its skilled workers to set up in-
as pipe-fitters, joiners, painters and son, and tender for their
• 'An electronics company in South Wales employs about 230 supplementals on three-month and 10-month contracts to act as a buffer protecting its
employees. The suplementals have less attractive sick
holiday pay and pension arand are given permanent jobs only when someone leaves the per-
• 'A large insurance company based in the north-west has increased its part-time workers by a quarter in four years and has begun to recruit clerical staft
"You can call it our pre-cautionary demand for
"and it helps Photo. JOHN HARRIS
us to select suitable people to transfer
• 'A British-based multinational in the food, drink and tobacco sector is also searching for functions to contract out, mainly as a way of hiving off its industrial relations problems to a contract workforce. As a sweetner for its unions, the company is encouraging its remaining workforce to compete with
for work tradiby outsiders peripheral
*The study shaped some of the main pensions.
conclusions of a paper submitted to the
Development
Council in March by Mr Tom King
secretary. Companies training,
"had not been unduly constrained in
by UK protective
legislation," it says ... Companies are
unions
tions. other.
NUD
however more concerned about protective legislation that stops them offering
workers poorer benefits, such as holidays, sick pay and
In the longer term, the report suggests, these developments could have serious implications for policies
since few companies offer their peripheral workers much training; and for social security arrangements, since they are blurring *the already
opaque) distinction between employment and unemployment"?
This economic policy, although it can never be carried through in its Por cted undertying arry actions
underlying Тогу attitude towards the unions. It involves a policy not of attempting to eliminate the trade
- the relation of forces does not exist for that - but of confining them to these more privileged and secure groups of workers, then doing deals with the more right wing trade unions that will exist among these sec
This was spelt out in two of the most important documents the Tor Party drew up in opposition: the draft proposals on the anti-union laws, and the infamous Ridley report which pre planned miners. The two complemented eact the confrontation WILT
In several respects, the draft trade union proposals were a word-for-word copy of the policies adopted by right wing in the AUEW and EETPU
NCB
Nantgarw/ Windsor Colliery South Wales Area
-two of the key unions the Tories ha
targetted. Their core was the introdu
tion of compulsory postal ballot
coupled with restrictions on secondar
action, such as picketing and so or
Thatcher calculated on, and is now ge
ting, relatively direct collaboratic
from the leadership of these two b
craft-originated unions certai
issues of trade union policy.
The second aspect, outlined in th
Ridley. Report, was that there is a re
Page 7 scan of this page
WOMEN AGAINST PITCLOSURE
economic basis for collaboration with the right wing of these unions. tricity supply — the key to defeating the miners' strike — in particular was singied out as an industry in which longterm security of employment and high wages could be guaranteed. Confrontation in this sector, Ridly noted, therefore both avoidable and should be avoided.
As regards other higher paid groups of workers, the Tories believed they could gain support by rejecting comes policy and wage controls. revolt against wage controls among higher paid and skilled sections of the working class had already started under the last Labour government with the Leyland toolroom workers' strike. In 1979 the shift to the Tories, among skilled workers, 13 per cent, was higher than any other seciton of the population.
That same process that saw an electoral swing to Thatcher among better-paid and skilled sections of the working class, concentrated in areas such as
South East England, was reflected in-
side the trade union movement,
moves to closer links with the policies
of unions such as the EETPU and
AUEW.
As for the low paid and unskilled,
Thatcher had an answer for them as
well. No economic concessions could
be given. On the contrary they were to
bear the main brunt of the Tory at-
tacks. They were to be deprived of the
strikes in 'essential services' such as Elec- health and local government, through systematic weaken or destroy unions
Privatisation policy dovetailed into inis approach. In inese areas tree wus was an authentic drive by the Tories to literally destroy trade union organisaLOR.
Finally such a policy had a tremendous impact at the political level, terms of the unity and structure of the labour movement. At the peak of its electoral popularity (for 1945-50 or 1964-66) the Labour Party's support was based on a bloc of high paid and low paid sections of the working class. The unity of the TUC itself -with its membership stretching trom ultra-skilled high-paid workers down to low-paid black and woned worker ability LO deliver everybody.
So the move of the Tories to increase differentials within the working class also meant an attempt to shatter the unity of the Labour Party and the trade union movement.
At the electoral level this process started with a big swing worker votes away from Labour, to the Tories, in 1979. In the Labour Party itself, it was carried through by the split of Owen and Jenkins to form the SDP in 1981. The SDP subsequently captured a substantial part of Labour's 'middle class' and skilled workers vote in areas such the South South East in 1983. The culmination of such a move in the themselves would be a split in the TUC. In these circumstances, the major rows created by the AUEW and EETPU de-
congress decisions ballots are just a taste of things to CULIC A Indeed the final outcome of the pre-
sent processes, and of Tory and SDP-Liberal policy, is easy to see. It would be to split the trade union movement into two separate federations. based on the EETPU-AUEW coupled with white-collar unions, would essentially be based on the higher-paid more-secure sections of the working class. would be far more 'apolitical' - that is right wing - than the present TUC,
co-operation Labour and the SDP-Liberal Alliance.
The second federation would based on the unskilled and unions, more left wing and linked to
The Tories would seek to cooperate with the former and smash the latter. The aim at every level would be to split the labour movement.
Such a division of the trade unions would of course be a catastrophe for the labour movement. There wouldn't be 10 millions members - the present membership of the TUC - divided into two federations. Millions of workers would leave the unions altogether. Such a split would be a means to achieve, would qualitative defeat of the working class. This is the scale of the attack the Tories have in mind.
There should be no alarmism, or
belief that such events will move rapid-
ly. The fact that the ruling class and the
Tory Party have this project in mind,
and their ability to translate it suc-
cessfully into practice, are quite dif-
ferent things. But neither must there be
any underestimation of the scale of the
assault against the trade union move-
ment — or the scope of what is to come
over the next 10 years.
The left in Britain, including the left
represented by Marxism Today, have
consistently underestimated
radicalism of Thatcher. The goal of the
Тогу party and British
concentrate resources
within relatively privileged sections of
the working class, and to mount a
ferocious assault on the
tremendous implications for the future
and structure of the British trade union
movement.
The labour movement is not con-
fronted with a Tory Party tinkering at
the edges.
union attacks a series of random pro-
posals. Such issues as ballots are only
the beginning of the process.
What is
decade is an attempt to change the en-
ment - and to qualitatively weaken it
The left in the labour movement must
raise its sights to the full scope of what
is taking place. Only then will it be able
to develop a coherent strategy for dealright to fight back, through a ban on...ing with that situation.
-aNG attempt
such as
example in TRIKE
ECESTE
RKIN
white-collar
ОТТ,
•was based on its something for
part
OI SKIlCO pow
incr aim
Wing
the l and the whic stret unit trace the
capital.
that
on postal
othe It wee
men sucl One, suff the bloc
and other working class.
cep Such a federation pres
reach out allis between aga ruli be SC WA general far down leac
198 hor Ine
not only Un nat uni me accompany,
wh
tai tuals analyse the
tee do defeated.
ch we STel clo achievement.
the
capital, to wa
and income hand in hand.
rest, has of the Mineworkers
và ha TOI Nor are the present trade af
to other unions?
at stake over the next ba
Ppe of the trade union move-
les
night m
JUM AREAS CUMBERS
Corr
JAM SC
Uniting to win
THATCHER'S policies represent kind of
forlorn peace.
socia 900HT
class. ARTHUR
gramme." apartheid.
National mission by Union of
war.
front
and
its supporters.
MBERLAN
SYSHIR
the suffragettes fought in vain machine
always
tions,
chaining tion? • the
Pm:
The next thing they're going to do -and I hope from the bottom of my heart that you are — will be to express from this conference total support for the African people fighting against
I hope those leaders of the labour movoment who were arguing that the leaders of the NUM should condemn alleged violence by our members, recognise that Nelson Mandela has been in jail for 25 years because he vould not condemn his people to ighting for freedom. And I'll no condemn miners fighting for theirs
Peter Heathfield said that the ad
• MacGregor (in a recent Financial Times interview, that the strike had weakened the NCB) spelled
ut quite a lot of the Board's thin IT to see it written in glossy terms. All But you don't need to go to th you have to do is to look at the annual report of the National Coal Board, at their annual accounts — MacGregor writes that the miners' strike was a setback to the National Coal Board's policy and plans for the industry.
If there's a lesson for this con ference, it's that if we want to maintain our pits and jobs then what we did in '84-85 I believe we're inevitably going to have to do again. We were fighting, each and every one of us, against government policy — and we were and we are involved in a class
I'll tell you why we're still on the Perspaper I tell overly the Coal pages Board, the government, big business,
the media are supporting breakaways in Notts; because they realise that the only way they can hope to win is to try and divide the National Union of Mineworkers and
These super-democrats in Notts Mr Lynk and Mr Prendergast, they talk about election of officials. You heard BBC and ITV give them loads of airtime about Scargill having to
Socialist Action 30 August 1985 7
D• DERBY DURHAM-KENT NI
NORTI
VALES VC
Arthur Scargill: commentators at the time tried to say
Heathfield, MeGahey and Scargill stand on this question: where we've
stood. If our conference decides there should be periodic elec-
we've always we are were stood: in favour of it. Why don't Lynk and Prendergast stand for elec-
The lessons of this dispute were seen at the Orgreave trial - when in nocent young men were put on trial on frame-ups, when they were tak cen nto court because police lied an forged documents. Some of the scenes down there could almost be laughable, had it not been so serious, with many of our sons and many of our people in the community facing
shire and all over the place. They cooked - deliberately - the information put into that courtroom in an attempt not only to put into jail an to find guilty miners, but also thi women who appeared on those picket lines during the course of the strike For the first time in the history of the British labour and trade union movement, women took their rightful place defending not the jobs of their men but defending their job, their pit and their otts area leadership have now
Notts area
said that Michael MeGahey Peter Heathfield, and Arthur Scargill have
been banned from going into Not
tinghamshire to speak. Twelve bran ches of the Notts area have invited u! by majorities ranging from 70 to 9: per cent. And on instruction from the area leadership in Notts they've been told to cancel the meetings.
The first one was tomorrow morning at Blidworth - they cancelled Scargill speaking at Blidworth. Well I've got news for them: I'm going to Blidworth.
I'd like to conclude my contribu-
tion to this magnificent conference
not by trying to impose my views or to
introduce my philosophy or that of
the national leadership, but as so
meone who has been at the forefront
in this historic class war, I'd like to re
mind each and every delegate and
visitor here today that they've got
an obligation far wider than any small
divisions that may exist between you;
to cement those divisions, to come
together in unity, to lift up your eyes,
to look further afield than the present
situation, to recognise the part you
have to play in the ongoing fight to
save this industry, to understand the
role you have in fighting to maintain
the National Health Service, the
education system and the social ser-
vices — to take into account the wider
political role that you yourselves have
created.
Above all else to say to yourselves
that we have to win not only our fie
against pit closures and job losses.
do not only have to have a united con-
ference, but we have to create the con-
ditions that we will need in the next
general election to ensure the election
of a Labour government pledged to
real socialist policies.
I can give you a thousand reasons
why we should follow that course of
action. I'll restrict myself to two. You
owe it to the memory of two of our
lads who died fighting for those prin-
ciples: Davy Jones and Joe Green.
Go from this conference united.
Together we will win.
Page 8 scan of this page
8 Socialist Action 30 August 1985
IRELAND
UNFREE
British
delegation
to Belfast
THE BIG Republican demonstration Belfast on Sunday 11 August included 116 people from Britain among its ranks. At the rally which followed, Geraldine Egan from Birmingham Trades Council said: 'A growing groundswell of people in England are objecting to what is happening here. We too are struggling for our freedom...and we like you have our chains to break.
*That fight for us starts here, and it starts with getting the troops out of Ireland,' she said. Like other speakers here words were drowned out for most of the crowd by a British helicopter hovering low over the rally.
The delegation included Pat Reynolds of the Irish in Britain Representation Group, Ray Davies from the Rhymney Valley Miners' Support Group, Pam Oldfield from the Notts Women Against Pit Closures, and Lloyd Hayes, a former soldier who was twice stationed in the Six Counties, as well as members of the Newham Monitoring Project, and Socialist Action supporters. In all there were 500 international visitors put up in the homes of nationalists in Belfast that weekend.
On Saturday night we attended a social, with the first song dedicated to the British miners. The last was a chorus of 'Here we go'. As international delegations were introduced, the audience gave its WALLCOL welcome to NORAID was welcomed too.
When we arrived in Belfast on Friday morning bus drivers refused to travel the Falls Road — so we had to walk its half mile. Three armoured jeeps drove by, returning to take the film from someone who had taken a picture of them. While the RUC spoke to us, the British army fanned out in surrounding streets. Sinn Fein explained that this was what 'normalisation' has police do the talking, but they go nowhere without an army escort.
previous night bonfires throughout the nationalist areas to begin the commemoration of internment. In Andersonstown, an RUC jeep arrived at one of them around 1.20 in the morning. They fired two flares to illuminate te area ten sool one man m cae nead will a plastic bullet. BBC headlines next day reported 'Andersonstown man seriously violence'!
On Saturday morning our delegation was taken on я tour of army forts. is visible from most of Belfast flats were knocked down to give it a commanding position.
The rest of the delegation weekend included videos and workshops, including the banned BBO programme Edge of the Union.
• East London Socialist Action is preparing a slide show based on the delegation, march as well as life in the nationalist areas. bookings, write to: PO Box 36, 136 Kingsland High Street, London E8.
ARN
'UH GROUD
Demonstration outside Armagh jail
in the Basque contingent.
meant: the unionist
DeeD lit after street
The largest, Fort Jericho,
some high-rise showing the SMASH H-BLOC
UNE CAES
Demonstation in Managua against US war threats
TREVOR EVANS is an economist currently work-
Research in Nicaragua. Socialist Action interviewed
The interview is in two parts. This week's deals with the impact of the initial economic policies pursued by the Sandinistas. The next issue looks at the economic consequences of the war.
you remind us crops.
through Central American common
increased Nicaraguan
was very dependent the import
Whereas
Nevery per cent of material production was
products of agricultural producing.
agricultural products.
But despite this there was a lot of hunger in Nicaragua
lot of food that was consumed had to be imported
In 1979, after the revolution, the Sandinistas faced an that
coullully by Latin American standards was very underdeveloped as a result of the 45 years of the Somoza dictatorship. LOD of that Nicaragua experienced eighteen months of the
What was the economic strategy Tie Sandinistas when they gained
The FSLN's overriding
REAGAN !!!
A TE
VAS
CAER
and the impact of the US war against
priority was to meet the needs of the popular sec-
had supports ant the
toI.
The government wanted to avoid the sort of collapse in production that had occurred in places like Mozambique after liberation and so they pursued the policy of a mixed economy. This has three components the state sector, the small producer sector, and the capitalist sector.
policy of creating cooperatives
and
The land parlarge (latifundia).
over of all
Within capitalist
DOULECURC who CUH-
The state
over what
and
tant. claimed to a tribunal that the capitalists were not producing, and that claim was upheld, Wald be eat that propriated - as would
leaving the country.
Economy and War
in Nicaragua
The share of the strictly capitalist sector in output has therefore fallen from one third in 1980 to just This fall is also due to the dynamic accumulation in the state sector.
The state sector organised in the area of people's property based on the state farms and the factories that were taken over from Somoza and his close allies. They have councils where workers are
because the economic constraints that on the economy there is limited
within which these councils can determine what happens within state enterprise. What they produce is pre-determined so they mainly Have Ill fluence over working conditions.
What are the material constraints within which the revolution is now operating?
The first is the legacy of underdevelopment which was inherited from Somoza. Nicaragua is an economy which depends on the export of four major agricultural products. It has to use the dollars earned from them to import virtually everything else the economy needs. So Nicaragua is a very dependent country.
Secondly the economy has been very badly af sected The prior the world recession. all agricultural exports has fallen very sharply in the world market since 1980 This meant that by 1983 the same volume of exports from Nicaragua could only buy two thirds the volume of exports of 1980
The other direct choromic problem is loc shortage of labour. Partly this has been due to general migration into the capital - workers tron rural areas attracted by high city in see arom the city people leave agricultural produc-
formal commercial sector
— selling goods in the free
market.
Another cause of the labour shortage is the land reform. The poorest
peant to a rand
debt bondage and hunger to provide wage
harvests before the revolution now flave tel own land and can produce themselves.
So how would evaluate economic policies of the FSLN?
In the first yes on the revolution economy did extraordinarily well While the rest of Central America suffered a 16 per
Product beween 1980 and 1983 per capita income 1l Nicaragua increased by 10 per cent.
In comparison with the experience of other radical regimes the have managed to maintain pro. duction 1n the capitalist sector at reasonable levels.
However most of the investment has been in the state sector. A number ol the cooperative are also
TRADE UNION CONFERENCE
IN DEFENCE
TCP BRITISH AND NICARAGUAN SPEAKERS AND WORKSHOPS WHAT YOU CAN DO
International
making quite strong financial surpluses.
This developmentcombined with the provision of collective goods like health care, educa tion, subsidies on basic foods, and the big expan sion of basic food produc tion which has led to self-sufficiency in some basic products — nas meant thai resources have been directed particularly to the poorest sectors of society.
In laying foundations for the future the very strong investment programme has laid a basis for an independent path of development
There are lessons for other countries. What has been very important are the new forms of organisation that have been evolyed. The state has very few resources so that it has been forced evolve forms of social regulation that don't depend on large state sector. So while one quarter of production state does not have to run - although there is strong social supervision of this capitalist sector.
The six basic foods are distributed via a territorial network small private shops. this distribution system doesn't have to be rin hi the state but is closely supervised by the neigh bourhood committees
• that 1s SD COLU popular and social regula. tion.
Nicaragua has reduced its economic dependence Mom the shifting
: US and towards Europe, Latır America and the Soviet bloc
You've talked about the policy of a mixed economy in Nicaragua. In what waj does that differ from the way it is talked about by sections of the Labour Party in Britain?
The most important difference is that in Nicaragua the capitalist sector has lost political power, and this means that the policies of the govern ment and the state are directed in the interests of the popula sector. While the capitalists still continue to control important parts of the economy they do so very firmly under the hegemony of a government dominated by the interests of the workers and peasants.
OF NICARAGUA
Sheffield Town Hall 23rd November 1985
10am til 5 pm sHowed by NICARAGUAN SOCIAL EVENING
me sidely Concier • Die Dear, cerius Soiteric
Page 9 scan of this page
'Freedom Charter'
International
South Africa
A CENTRAL political point of reference in the struggle in South Africa, strategy in that country, adopted at a 'Congress of the People' held in Kliptown, near Johannesburg, on 25-26 June 1955. The Congress was convened by the African National Congress (ANC), together with the South African Indian Congress, Peoples' Organisation, Democrats (an organisation of whites supporting the liberation movement).
from throughout South Africa. The Charter was adopted by the four sponsoring organisations as their policy and became the manifesto of their struggle for freedom.
were arrested and charged with treason. acquitted after a trial lasting more than four years. In the wake of the massacre of scores of black protesters in Sharpville, the ANC was banned in 1960. Its principle leader at the time, Nelson Mandela, was imprisoned for life in 1964.
Socialist Action can study it.
Africa, declare for all our country and the world to know:
• that South Africa belongs to all wno live in it, black and white, and INaL justly claim based thorite unless it 1s on the
will of all the people;
• that our people have been robbed of their bir-
thright to land, liberty and peace by a form of govern-
ment founded on injustice
and inequality;
• that our country will
OIUSDCIUUS
free until all our brotherhood, pe
joying equal rights and op-
portunities;
• that only a democratic
state, based on the will of
all the people, can secure
all their birthright
without distinction of col-
our, race sex or belief:
And therefore we the
people of South Africa,
black and white together
equals. countrymen
and brothers — adopt this
Freedom Charter. And we
pledge ourselves to strive
logelner,
strength nor courage, until
and the debates over is the Freedom Charter
the South African Coloured and the Congress of
The congress was attended by 2,888 delegates
A year later, 156 leaders of these organisations
They were
We are printing the Charter so that readers of
the democratic changes set
out here have been won.
The people shall govern!
man and women
shall have the right to vote
for and to stand as a can-
didate for all bodies which
make laws;
All people shall be enin the
L Culo lane vall
administration of the
The rights of the peo-
ple shall be the same,
regardless of race, colour
or sex;
All the bodies of
minority rule, advisory
boards, councils and
authorities shall be replac-
ed by democratic organs
of self-government:
All national groups shall
have equal rights!
There shall be equal status
in the bodies of state, in
the courts the
schools for all national
groups and races;
All people shall have
equal right to use
own languages, Hand to
their OWN folk
culture and customs;
All national groups
shall be protected by law
Charter. his behalf. against insults to their race ana nationai pride,
The preaching and practice of national, race
colour discrimination and contempt punishable crime.
The people shall share in the country's wealth!
All apartheid laws and practices shall be set aside. The people shall share in the country's wealth! The national wealth of our
country, the heritage of all
TACKIES. shall
restored to the people;
The mineral wealth
beneath the soil, the banks
and monopoly industry
snall be transterred lo lne
ownership of the people as
a whole;
All other industry and
assist the well-being of the
people:
All people shall have
equal rights to trade where
they choose, to manufac
ture and to enter all trades,
crafts and professions.
The land shall be shared
among those who work it!
Restrictions of land
ownership on a racial basis
ANC leaders Chief Luthuli and Yusuf Dadoo were banned from attending the Kliptown meeting which adopted the People's Dadoo's mother receives the Isitwalande ('hero') award on
shall be ended, and all the land redivided amongst those who work d land banısh famine and hunger;
The state shall help the peasants with implements, seed, tractors and dams to save the soil and assist the tillers;
Freedom of movement shall be guaranteed to all who work on the land;
All shall have the right
land wherever they choose;
People shall not be robbed of their cattle, and forced labour and farm prisons shall be abolished.
All shall be equal before the law!
No one shall be imprison-
ed, deported restricted
without a fair trial;
No one shall be con
demned by the order of
any government official;
The courts 'of all be
representative all the
people!
Imprisonment shall be
only for serious crimes
against the people,
shall aim at re-education,
not vengeance
The police force anc
army shall be open to all on an equal basis and shall be the helpers and protectors of the people
All laws which discriminate on grounds of race, colour or belief shall be repealed
All shall enjoy equal human rights The law shall guarantee to all their rights to speak, to organise, to meet together,
punish, preach, to WOrSHID and to educate their children;
The privacy of the house from police raids shall be protected by law;
All shall be free travel from countryside to town, from province province and from South Africa abroad;
Pass Laws. permits,
ting these freedoms shall
There shall be work and
security!
All who work shall be free to form unions to elect their officers and to make wage agreements with their employers;
The state shall recognise the right and duty of all to work, and to draw full unemployment benefits;
Men and women of all shall receive equal pay for equal work;
There shall be a fortyhour working week, a national minimum wage,
paid annual leave, and sick
eave for all workers, and
maternity leave on full pay
for all working mothers; Mers Farm
workers, workers
and civil servants
have the same rights as all
others
Child labour, com
bound labour, the tot
system and contract
labour shall be abolished.
The doors of learning and
of culture shall be opened!
The government shall
discover, develop , and en-
courage national talent for
te ennancement of our
cultural life;
All the cultural
treasures of mankind shall
be open to all, by free ex-
change books, ideas
with other
lands;
The aim of education
shall be to teach the youth
Socialist Action 30 August 1985
to love their culture, , to honour human brother-
Education shall free, compulsory, univershildren: equal for
Higher education and technical training shall be opened to all by means of state allowances and scholarships awarded on the basis of merit;
Adult illiteracy shall be ended by mass state education plan;
Teachers shall have all the rights of other citizens;
The colour bar cultural life, in sport and in education shall be abolished.
There shall be houses, security and comfort! All people shall have the rights to live where they choose, be housed, and to bring up their families in comfort
and security
Unused housing spac shall be made available to the people
Rent and prices shall be lowered, food plentiful and • no one shall go hungry;
preventative health scheme shall be run by the state;
Free medical care and hopitalisation shall be provided for all, with special care mothers and young children;
Sum shall be demolished and new suburbs built where all have transport, roads, lighting, playing fields,
Divide
and rule
in South Africa as
Inkatha the organisation
made by the white racists.
FACED with the black up-
surge against the apartheid
regime the South African
racists are trying to resort
to a tried and tested tactic:
divide and rule. 1 ney Have
utilised for thi purpose
the exclusively Zulu pup-
pet organisation Inkatha
of chief Gatsha Butheles1.
Inkatha is a notorious-
ly tribalist organisation
and was used by the South
African state : during the
Soweto uprising of 1976.
At that time members of
Inkatha attacked non-
As the black struggle in
South Africa has deepen-
ed, and the United
Democratic Front has
grown in size and impor
Inkatha's hostility
to the UDF has increased
with physical attacks
being increasingly carried
members of
the UDF by Inkatha.
During the black upris-
ing in Durban earlier this
month 18 UDF supporters
were killed. Many
had their homes burnt by
Inkatha and by the police.
Many ÜDF activists
from the Luanda township
took retuge in bearby
Phoenix settlement set
up by Mahatma Gandhi.
setțlement itself was
attacked a few days later
and much of it was burnt.
The fire brigade and police
refused to come to the help
of the African and Asian
militants at the settlement.
Instead, according
eye-witness reports, the
toured the Indian
township of Phoenix with
loudhailers telling people
9
creches and social centres;
The aged, the orphans, the disabled and the sick shall be cared for by the state;
Rest, leisure and recreation shall be the right of all;
Fenced locations and ghettos shall be abolished. and laws which break up families shall be repealed;
South Africa shall be a fully independent state, which respects the rights and sovereignty tions.
There shall be peace and friendship!
South Africa shall strive to
naintain world peace an
he settlement of all int national disputes negotiation not wa
Peace and friendship amongst all our secure people shall upholding the equal rights.
apportunities and status oi
The people of the pro tectorates Basutoland Bechuanaland and Swaziland — shall be free
decide for themselves their own future;
The rights of all the peoples Africa to independence and self-government shall be recognised. and shall be
of closed
cooperation;
Let all who love their
people and their country
now say, as we say here:
"These freedoms we
will fight for, side by side
throughout our lives, until
we have won our liberty!" THE PRESS in Britain, and in particular in thi United States, is attempting to portray the struggle 'increasingly black agains black'. Press publicity has particularly been given to
of chief Buthelesi DICK CARTER looks at the role of Inkatha and the other attempts to divide the black population being
that Africans had attacked
Pheonix settlement be-
cause it was a symbol of
South African Asians
and that the Africans were
township and
Asians.
The police organised a
posse of Indians who
headed off to the settle
tacked hey would mainat
tacked remaining
African UDF activists had
not the true situation beer
explained by Indian UDF
members
The Group Areas AC
in South Africa serves to
strengthen the states hand
in exploiting divisions
centre of Dur-
ute waile
ban, like all South African
cities, is surrounded by In
dian and 'coloured
townships. African
townships lie it a band
these The white
area lies in the centre
the nerve pulse of the city
It is this which provides
another • base for r attempts
to divide and rule
There should
confusion. What is involv
ed in South Africa in not
'black against black
violence' as the press
claims. It is the
racists attempting to utilise
divisions and puppe
organisations to maintair
their own rule.
Needless to of black
heard nothing
the press in ole ce
press 1976 whet
DECK the lice semes hide on
schoolchildren
Soweto!
Page 10 scan of this page
Come to Greenham - § Raptember
SPUC on the attack in Ireland
10 SEPTEMBER 5 marks the fourth anniversary of the women's peace camp at USAF Greenham Common in Newbury, Berkshire. women are preparing for a mass trespass when they intend to 'replace the base' by covering the fence with blankets on 8 September.
The blankets, symbols on one side and eyes looking in at the camp on the other, will be exchanged at the end of the ac-
and countries. Women from the Pacific Islands will be in attendance at the Green Gate.
The time of this event coincides with Operation
September. Involving the largest Home Defence
HOO HuLCO tain since World War II.
By Valerie Coultas
British and US troops will be involved in the exercise, along with the nome service, the •І ЄГritorial Army and the Reservists — at a cost of £3 million.
Telecom workers
want action on pay
At & meeting of 500 NCU (previously POEU members Central Hall West minster last Thursday the mood of Telecoms workers was clearly for a 'yes' vote in the ballot for industrial action on pay:
The union's claim is cor 12 while British Telecom manage ment's offer is for either 5.75 per cent with strings
per cent with even more strings, one of which is f21 a week wage cut for
MANY MISTONS MANM HANDS
WOMEN'S WEEKEND FOR PEACE
JUSTICE AND DISARMAMENT
Manchester
Or uriner details ring vot cso lood
Socialist Action 30 August 1985 To celebrate this event
embroidered with life-affirming
tion among peace activists from different groups
Brave Defender is an exercise directed by the Ministry of Defence, aimco. al protecung dooul zuo key points airfields,
munication centres,
an invasion by a shadowIng Sunstei teams of Soviet saboteurs called Spetsnaz attempting
infiltrate the country. BBC Radio 4 reported that Dies over the Into rivers tor the soldiers use substitute for 'dead bodies' certain grades! While the broad left led executive is calling for a ves vote in the ballot they are being deliberately coy as to what is meant by their call for 'industrial action' But speaker after speaker from floor was clear that it had to mean national strike action.
The membership if not the leadership of the NCU have learnt the lessons of the selective industrial ac-
SURALLY spelt disaster in the fight against •livalsallull.
By Marcella FitzGerald, London North Central Internal NCU
Although NUR guards at Kings Cross were ol
llowed to address the meeting the question of the NÜR's dispute came up time and again and the solidarity telecoms
with the rail guards was clearly shown in the response to the collection.
The result of the pay ballot is expected in mid September. 13/ 14/15 september 1965 Town Hall Registration fee £5 waged £2 unwaged
masquerade in fact has nothing to to do with protecting the civilian population from the so-called red peril. The threat of war in the world today does not come from the Soviet
from aggressive foreign policy the US and imperialism. They have DCU the the nuclear arms race.
Home Detence is nol however designed to deal with an external. but an in-
threat. Set up 1n 1972, Home Defence aims
control the civilian population in the event of a nuclear war.
Defence forces
Home will actually be used control the public, panicking when supplies run out and fleeing from obvious largel areas or olganising
The so-called bodies the Brave acau Defender troops WIll be practising on are those of people alive today.
Alert
None of the 200 key points to be defended in
Brave CACICISC Defender however include nuclear
Lal EuLo political manoeuvre by the Tory government and the
Clams cal counter the growth of the
They hope to shift public attention away from the nuclear threat towards imaginary conventional war threat by the Russians.
The Greenham women's peace movement aims to alert the public to the fact Brave Defender is not what the government 4210 believe, by tocussing nubic attention on the 3. American cruise missiles stationed at Greenham the 501 st unit of the United States Airforce tactical missile unit.
"These are the weapons that make Britain a prime focus for a nuclear attack. They are form OI defence at all' explains (SPUC)
Ireland. Not only was an amendment of the Constitution passed in 1983 constitutional, changes, contraception is almost impossible to get,
the unmarried.
There is ittle or no contraception or other sex
schools, which according
should ensure no teenage pregnancy.
Contraception
Despite this, there has been an increase from 21 Temale bes
cent of all births in 1971 to 0.8 per cent in 1983, and the number babies born less than nine months after marriage has doubled between 1962 and
building the action at the camp. The best form o defence is go give up all our nuclear weapons.
'The real brave defenders are women who are fighting governments throughout the world demanding they stop participating in the arms race. The people taking part in this' exercise far from being brave defenders are grave offenders.'
The police, the army and ine courts nave no concern for protecting thi
ights of ordinary people
Their attempts to suppress the Greenham protest is just one proof of this.
Harassment
The harassment of the women at the camp is now almost unbearable. Everyday une women face the threat of eviction and the confiscation their possessions.
District Council has won a High Court ruling changing the status of the common to private land Rage (Ratepayers Against the Greenham Encampment) continues unsavour actions stimulating viol ence against the women.
Women peace cam paigners and members of the camp are being given harsh sentences. Anne Francis was year prison causing €250 worth damage to the fence. After an appeal this was reduced to six months, but this is still totally unrelated to the alleged crime
"defence' down to Greenham for the Phoenix Weekend of 7 and 8 September to 'Replace the Base'.
• For coaches phone the London Greenham office on 01-608 0244, or ring
Region CND on Loston 01-388 1628.
ONE WOULD be forgiven for thinking that if there is anywhere in the world where the attentions of the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child were not needed it is the Republic of
making abortion unbut despite some recent cosmetic
especially outside the larger cities and towns, or for
Under these cirIt is not prising that in 1983 3,700 women (10 a day) giving addresses Ireland abortions in Britain. The true figure is undoubtedly higher.
Leonora Lloyd, NAC
It was SPUC, the Irish group of which vas form-
British adherents, WCiC largel constitutional ammendment During that campaign, opponents claimed that the ammendment, passed, would
September 1982: Greenham women blockade camp lead to a situation where women's lives would be in danger, and where women could be prevented from travelling STILET abortions.
So far, least one woman has died because or being relused ucalci that might have harmed the foetus. Now SPUC turning its attention to the counselling services.
Since 1983. abortionists have picketed family planning clinics and the two Dublin centres where women can gel nelp and advice before seeking
Now SPUC has applied
in the High Court to outlaw such
the Lillia eighth amendment.
Injunction
The organisations named in the injunction
Dublin WellWoman Centre, which ad-
vises on many aspects of health not just pregnancy and abortion referral - and Open Line Counselling, a small organisation which exists solely to help women with problem pregnancies.
the nanon wo make it impossible to give non-orreruve counseng referral information, claiming that access to this intormation is undermining 'public morality"!
Ad Hoc
An ad-hoc group has been set up to detend the
• against this tresh attack, led by the Union Students ireland Their demands
1. The right of Irish women to agencies which provide non-directive pregnancy counselling, in dependaut of church and SLGEL,
News
2. The right of agencies and individuals to provide information women with unplanned pregnancies on all options including abortion;
The right to refer
jurisdiction where abortion is legal while these services
al g unavailable in Ireland.
The ad-hoc group is planning conference-public meeting in mid- September io discuss the case, which goes to court towards the end of September. In Bri-
the National Abortion Campaign will be doing what it can to publicise and support the campaign.
• How to help; dona tions and messages of support should be sent to: Open Line Counselling, 3 Belvedere Place, Dublin 1; Account No 24578008, Allied Trish Banks, 20/22 College Green, Dublin 2 (The cheapest transfer money is to take cash to a branch here.)
Page 11 scan of this page
Black section demands apartheid sanctions
News
WHEN THE Labour Party black section national committee recently issued a statement on South Africa, the storm raised by the criticism of Kinnock's record meant that the proposals made for labour movement action against the Botha regime have been all but lost. If Neil Kinnock pursued just a few of these demands as strenuously as he has opposed black sections, then black and white activists alike would have that much less to criticise in his behaviour. We reprint below the black section statement.
SOUTH Africa's racist, neo-fascist apartheid regime must be starved of
of economic, social and diplomatic con-
The Labour Party black sections committee fully supports the call for complete and inviolable economic sanctions aULO disinvestment aimed at bringing the racists in Pretoria to their knees:
But we believe that freedom for the enslaved black majority in Azania will not be brought about solely by sanctions. Those fighting break the chains of bondage through the and armed liberation struggle must be supplied with financial and material aid.
Neil Kinnock says he endorses the suspension of diplomatic ties, à Dall OU
links that were made in the strike.
The Saturday rally
gave an indication of the
political situation in the
mining communities,
Tilmanstone pit
threatened with
Betteshanger
miners walked out over the
erosion of safety standards
in the pit. Six members of
Betteshanger lodge are in
jail. Terry Harrison, a Bet-
INTHE
PLEASANG
the export of oil, weapons and capital, and the exclusion of coal and uranium imports from the. bolna regime. he not prepared to fight for these minimal as opposition leader. They are yet anouie • саггов to induce black people to vote Number 10 on a promise he may allay not keep.
We call on Neil Kinnock to show the statesmanship, lamentably lacking in his squalid campaign against black activists in his party struggling for an organised voice the labour movement.
When he was quoted in the recently using the terms "repellent' and "bankrupt', was not South Africa's apartheid white minority government be was referring to, but
Kent Mines not
Missiles festival
THE SECOND Mines not Missiles festival held in Aylesham, Kent over the bank holiday weekend attracted over a thousand people. This was down on the attendance at last year's event which coincided with the middle of the miners' strike, but the festival provided a welcome focus to re-establish some of the
teshanger miner summed up the situation like this: 'We strained the loyalty of our members to the utmost. Twelve months on strike is no joke to a working class family. Coming out of that strike did come disillusion. It's not easy to accept the kind of things that have happened to us.
members freely organised * in black sections.
More than 60 people • have been Botha, gripped by fear of the inevitable restate of imposed *state emergency' - SCOTES LUIC black people have died since the recent uprisings
How many more must be slaughtered under a tyranny unrivalled since
'Our lads have had to eat craw with this management since they went back but one thing they'll not accept Is a
that will be dictatorial about working and safety
condie lessons it?
the -HIC SIGNUILD miners' strike were very
much to the fore in the ralLinks that miners in Kent and the internationa.
had made before,
and after the strike. Inter-
national visitors were pre-
from Holland and
Luxembourg and speakers
Nicaraguan WCLO taken from holidarity Salvator Solidarity Cam-
Salvador
paign and Anti-Apartheid.
A speaker from Dover
CND drew out the links
against the missiles and the DeLWCCI the struggle
miners. 'We're all fighting
Thatcher and 'That
cherism' she said. When I
was at
the strike the NUM.sent us
support
When I was on a picket
outside canterouty jail
protesting about the im-
prisonment
there were lots of
women in at-
tendance.
By Valerie Coultas
She also pointed out
that CND was experienc-
ing the same kind of ero-
sion of civil liberties as the
minels had experienced.
'At Molesworth at
we saw the police adopting
the new style tactics thes
used in Ireland and
11131
then at Orgreave
Perhaps the strongest
feeling that out
the festival 1n was
support for the coming
REGR
01
MIN
Nazi Germany before Kinnock uses strong adjectives and
South Africa's continuing crimes?
We call on Neil Kinnock to urgently convene meeting of labour movement leaders formulate campaigh fight of the railway workers. Ray • Varnes. suspended guard from Kings Cross, pointed out that some railworkers had been miners sare that the
struggle 'was prelude to attacks on the entire working class and that it wouldn't be long before they were coming for us. Unfortunately the majority OI couldn't see that when they had the opportunity to join the strike last July.
But the Tories offen-
sive was now hitting them
and railworkers were
begin have asked Kings
you'd have asked
Cross guards eight weeks
ago they could have
to management
they would have said no.
Now 100 guards had
stood firm and strike com-
were being
established. KANIWOTKCLS
are discover this they
sorts skills they
didn't think they had. The
miners will know all about
this.
Pledges of support had
already been given
Kings Cross guards trom
Nottingham and the Kent
pledged
solidarity
The festival continued
for three days showing the
play In the National In-
terest about the strike at
Betteshanger in 1941
large audiences and attrac-
ting many young people to
the bands and
events. Mines not Missiles
is going to become an an-
nual event in Kent and it is
a useful way of taking the
issues raised by CND into
the labour movement. The
strong commitment of the
CND group to the of not backed up by National event was, unrortunalery
CND.
1. Immediate disinvestment by unions and Labour local authorities; 2. A national Labour Party fund to provide aid for Azania's freedom fighters; 3. A concerted programme of pressure in parliament aimed securing sanctions and stopping the British government from vetoing such measures the United Nations Security
FRANCOIS Mitter-
rand bas been at pains
deny any French
government involve-
ment 1 || the widely-
publicised bombing of
the Greenpeace ship
Rainbow Warrior
New Zealand. to
Describing the act
'criminal terrorism'
demanded that those
responsible should
punished. But with the an-
nouncement that three
French army officers
involved in the incident it
looks as if Mitterrand will
have to ensure some peo-
ple high up his UHL.
secret service are punished
if he is gong to turn words
into deeds.
Socialist Action 30 August 1985
'BLACK PEOPLE support the miners, our
struggle continues. That was the message
from the Black Delegation as the 1985
Notting Hill carnival got under way last
weekend.
cash support and delegations to picket lines
from the black community throughout the
strike, returned to the carnival to raise
money for sacked and imprisoned miners
repression unleashed against the NUM
during last year's strike brought a ready
response from the black community who
have long suffered severe harassment from
police and courts.
a Black Delegation float and in street
collection over the weekend. Over £2000
was raised from the street collection and
which is being donated to black miners in
South Africa.
Council; 4. A national publicity the trans arion and
trades union Labour Party press aimed at securing support and cash; 5. An immediate end to the sale of South Aincan goods by Co-op stores or use by Labour-controlled local authorities; 6. An officially-backed refusal by trade unionists at ports to handle South
GREENPEACE
Greenpeace: the
French connectior
French army lieutenant
Christine Cabon, who has
now been arrested in con-
nection with the bombing,
introduced herself
Real is reace sun-
Greenpeace supjust one month Rainbow Warrior in
was attacked. She was ac-
cented Greenpeace
member and was allowed
attend internal he meetings.
to Paris which she claimed be were for a magazine.
letters are now believed to
have been
French secret service
By Maureen Lansbury
Two other French ar-
my officers are now under
11 The Black Delegation, which organised
and publicise the amnesty campaign. Police
More than 50 black and white miners from three coalfields participated on stalls,
donations from local traders, 25 per cent of
African goods or goods destined for South Africa 7. Unconditional release of political prisoners.
Black sections intend to stand and fight for black liberation inside and outside Britain. Like our brothers and sisters Azania, we will not be beaten bankrupt opposition demand for black rights now! suspicion for the attac These are captain Domi otherwi known as Sophie Turen and Alan Turengebased the Fren secret services underwal combat school in Corsk They • Were NOt after the explosi S0U1I on a charge of murder Three NCOs from Train same underwater school are now also bei sought on international The warrants in conn tion with the sinking of the shithe whole episode becoming a major politi development in France shows just how determ ed the French • governm to push through nuclear testing program in the Pacific.
Page 12 scan of this page
WHEN THE TUC congress meets next week one discussion will be 0r f Africa's apartheid regime. The connections between the British and South African governments were reinforced last year by the visit of premier Botha. Thatcher's government continues to practical measures against the apartheid state.
on a practical programme for the total economic isolation of South Africa in support of the black struggle there.
Closures conference, the connections between the struggle of the British miners and black people in South Africa fighting for their freedom.
BLACK South African women and have taken inspiration from the militancy of British working class women, before, during and after your strike.
SACTU urges you tend this strength, this uniL, ms milancy o sup port the fighting peoples of South Africa the brutal oppressive South African apartheid regime.
The profits of the coal we mine in South Africa go into the same coffers as the profits from the coal that you mine here in Britain. As workers we refuse to compete with other We
motivated by greed. long as there is a trade and LITELIECE relationship between Britain and South Africa the bosses will always go to South Africa where coal can be produced cheaper.
Coal and other minerals are produced more cheaply Africa are paid subsistence wages
ander hazardous working conditions. workers face the continuous threat of retrenchment and sacking in South Africa today.
Unemployed are classified Africa as 'superfluous labour appendages' are forcibly removed to the Bantustans. Unemployed, anskilled and someless, LHET ments are controlled by a
caste-law system, and their labour is exploited by migrantLabour system.
The British government continues to play an invidious role in this oppression. of RATES:
Inland
6 months £8;
12 months £15
Overseas
(12 months only)
Europe £17; Air Mail £24
(Double these rates
for multi-reader institutions)
Name ..
Address.
Please send me as special offer Registered as a newspaper with the Post Office.
Pablisked by Cardinal Enterprises, PO Box 50, London N1.
SOCiALiSt
ACTION
sanctions against South
It is now up to British trade unionists to decide
In her speech to the recent Women Against Pit
TANYA ABRAMSCE drew
Botha to Britain last year during vour strike was to
with the Tory government, including methods and supress their unions. Maggie Thatcher was looking for methods to import and control your strike.
Solidarity
this blatant alliance of exploiters and oppressors which highlights the need for solidarity between South African
Back South African women are particularly afof black workers in South
South African
mineworkers
THE SOUTH African NUM has rejected the Chamber of Mines revised pay offer. means that a national strike is threatened from Sunday.
the-board wage increase of 22 per cent. The giant Anglo-American Corporation, over 80 per original offer to between 17 and 22 per cent but the General Mining Afrikaaner-controlled, refused to budge.
Last Thursday after leaders undertook to call off the strike but to consult their members who obviously took a different view market are clearly worried about the effects of a coal and gold strike in South Africa.
SUBSCRIBE
I enclose cheque/PO payable to Socialist Action for £ ... Send to: Socialist Action Subs, PO Box 50, London NI 2XP.
women gre vine in the Bantustans against their Their husbands, brothers and fathers are forced migrate to the mines in the towns to earn living which Just enough money and imposed taxes.
Apart from toiling for long hours in the barren 8110 Bantustans. these women suffer untold stress imposed on them by the state which stops them LUCI CVCU seeing their menfolk in the towns. Women have continuall defied these forced separations by coming to the towns in tneir aroves and setting up "squat camps'
continued harassment by LIC bLaLCI We, the people South Africa, refuse to be oppressed. We reject being discriminated agains black people. We rejec being oppressed women. We reject being exploited as workers. rejection of this oppression by our fighting reste reuteral soull Africa ungovernable. The bothe regime nas reacted with naked brutality by the so-called
State of regimen is
regime against wall. amount of petty reforms crumbs SINUSI! master's table will divert our pau.
This
The NUM had originally demanded an across-
which employs cent of NUM members, raised its
Corporation (Gencor), largely
five hours of talks NUM
The mineowners and the international money
Special free book offer!
Take out a years inland subscription and we will send you free one of these books.
Over Our Dead Bodies -Women Against the Bomb
Introductory offer for new readers:
Eight issues for just f2!
30)
workers have been on strike
took solidarity strike action.
The strike is over the decision of Islington's Labour-controlled council
emplos supervisor
ound to be in breach o the council's employment opportunities policy in a job where she deals directly with the public.
Over two years there has been consistent racia harassment and abuse black workers in one of the council's housing sections,
South Africa
Anti-racist strike in Islington
FOUR HUNDRED and fifty Islington council
since 5 August to demonstrate that they will not allow racists to work work with the public. The strike has been made official by the local government union NALGO. On the 14th of August all NALGO members in Islington
which has resulted in some
jobs. They have been subject abuse, cluded from social events, and experienced things as ashtrays emptied over their desks.
After many union protests, three • workers were found to be in breach of the equal opportunities policy.
Vi Howell was found to have racially harassed an
TUC must boycott
administrativeR assistant and accordingly was advised to attend 'racism awareness' course.
Subsequently the council reassigned Ms Howell to a post in neighbourhood office which involved working with the public NALGÖ members decided they
would only be prepared to work with her if she mad a verdal stalement Lial ne. previous actions had been discriminatory she was prepared to adhere
the equal VOOUELULIILI policy . This she refused to
NALGO members her office voted unanimously not to allow
the office to open. When they were threatened with disciplinary measures over this action, 450 out of the 465 NALGO the neighbourhood social
and housing advisory offices struck
have demanded that the disciplinary threat be removed, and that none of the three found to be racist be moved to areas dealing with the public
donatissas Messages of support,
and 'curtors for speakers to: NALGO Office, 135 Upper Street,
NI phone 01-226 8230
← Socialist Action No. 110, 2 August 1985Socialist Action No. 112, 6 September 1985 →