Socialist Challenge No. 101, 21 June 1979
The scan: sc-n101-jun-21-1979.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
No. 101 21 June 1979 15p
Socialist Challenge
DISBAND THE SPG!
A message from Police Chief McNee to black people:
"If you keep off the streets of London and behave yourselves you won't have the SPG to worry about?
Page 2 scan of this page
pinoys asarl
•
UE
Due se uaas aq 0l udaq spuesnoyt
эд
74L ardanas 10g 0) syaas
durans
InO
• івро1 101
Perpense y don y ase
741 ¡! pue ways oi pascidde ade 0 11
Modons
NEY JOU ique palpa
S84 partala
sun simp UE 40
ІнквІрцІя
Is!unmun ) 24.1
J0]
suntiDuo y 1800] /
¡guo HIng quinas Due surela g
pue suogel escuedo de toda aut
put
Our: parague im sapysgne anoge воддешлоди:
DE RAPPE DA PIN 1= asea desees o des asopoda pur
CUBA.
70880 6 АН
sassoy
34
pue
эsoyI
SEM
Ardwis
pIoN p.04
JOU
341 pıdey 710Ш
|
дама талав and da
Apde
d va
ARNALI 48 j0 швЭ DUB
017 1
20 01. 018 punos э4t piure
a47
MOUS 1847 247 Surdund
добивр Jo
S! 1I
pus consant siga de
La: İ UI •
paronsop b v v c c !
Rease 4473
SILL
94/ pue sino 00 [
pausa
seM pue pasto sey
\
para
asayt sando элву uBy!
Aquo. seM имор
e v
laipnq Saina sB4. dn
said pamous ПЭлЭ
Page 3 scan of this page
¡ CARLOS AUGUSTOS CIEL
By Tariq Ali THE distinguishing characteristic of socialist militants is their virtual anonymity. They work quietly. Here they can be seen selling a paper, there wielding an ageing duplicator.
Ask them what their weekly activity consists of and you will receive a litany of meetings: trade union brasches, aggregates. anti-racist committees.
The list could be
Itisar irritating There at Do
won there personal rewards. A revolutionary fighting for the emancipation and victory not of individuals, but of a social class and of all the oppressed.
This existence is not widely acknowledged. How could it be otherwise in a bourgeous society! Is not the aim of this existence the very extinction of the bourgeoisie?
Photo: ANDREW WIARD (Report)
BLAIR PEACH
1946-79
One who never turned his back but marched breast forward, Never doubted clouds would break, Never dreamed, though right was worsted, wrong would triumph Held we fall to rise, are baffled to fight better, sleep to wake.
regular
internal party They adefi
nea the militant is the world.
-Robert Browning
Thus militants recognised only by those with whom they are in
contact. Friends and Comrades, trade union colleagues, union bureaucrats, Special Branch operatives, employers.
They alone know the militant in question wickling a cost a tiny group of peo death was reported in Britain aad throughout
Bourgeois society utilises all its institutions to seal off those who are its most consistent opponents. It seeks to enclose them in a small circle, whose diameter is the only boundary of the dissent that the ruling class is prepared to
tolerate.
acknowledged and the medis,
enemies.
lovers,
abnormal existence. те Стогу till then to iversal. His
Council.
Mahboob Ahmed, strike committee,
If this border is violated then all hell is let loose. We saw this in Southall.
In 'normal' times the militant is reviled by
atomised by capitalist society, treated as an oddity by many work mates. Toe life he or she leads is a constant battle againsi
As such it cannot but be su
It is only in death that the qualities of the militant can be safely appreciated.
Bair Peach's
Da =
Union lead Gill spoke officially
But the mass of people were militants like Blair. Jayaben Desai marched silently recalling
SPG's brutality the leader of the Garners was also there,
hundreds of Asian a
Joba convends Охуда speaks murderer Grunwick; Phoenix S with the Ra as Tony Cliff
Then "International' reso
movement.
brother. forgotten
must be seen as a priority.
'Who killed
including pop, Trades Council Street, London E1.
Blair Peach Southall Defence Fund.
HOME NEWS
Micky With fists katr Peach? painting from Dan Jones, available as a colour poster 20 x 30 ins. The price is
from. Tower Han (Publications), 2 Call
Money raised will be contributed to th
Fund
Socialist Challenge 21 June 1979 Page 3
Page 4 scan of this page
If you earn less than £5,000p.a.,
"The NUM's here!' came the shout from a group of young miners in the
thick of the mass picket outside the Nottingham Post on Saturday, their
arms linked to journalists, printers and local militants -the sports edition reaching the streets.
The 1,000 pickets lost that battle,
SLADE members showed that the 28
•lists sacked from the Post when
they joined a national pay strike last January are vy do • The Post went to war against the
unions six years ago, introduced HCH technology, printworkers are just as anxious as the journalists organisation.
The managing director т. Pole-Carew, HEWSKICK Sheriff of Nottingham, which has
nothing whatever to do with the high
level of arrests on the picket line,
the heavy fines handed out by the
Nottingham judiciary.
The NUJ now needs to implement
the decision for a one-day national
strike taken at the conference, and hold a series of such
actions to prepare the way for the
conference's other decision: to ballot
on whether to hold an all-out national
The sacked ioumaists
producing a weekly newspaper, the
Nottingham News.
achieved a local circulation of over
10,000, It would help if this paper
supported the labour movement. Last
week's issue didn't even mention the
journalists' own picket.
By Tommy Cusack
THE WORKERS in the Oxygen Company, who through the ten per cent pay limit in 1977 with an all-out strike, and who last yval woll pay wan apore Locis Healey's five per their new pay claim last week. The claim includes:
• A £25 per week rise in basic wages
• An extra five days holiday a year (bringing it up to 5 weeks annually)
• For all negotiations to discuss pounds and pence, not percentages
• For the annual wage deals to be dated from May 20 as from next year. This in effect makes the present claim an interim one from this October until next May.
Already BOC International is claiming that profits are because. of militancy in the Gases division in the UK.
There is no doubt that out of the £14.3 million profit BOC national made in the first quarter of the year a large chunk has been channelled into the bosses' fund.
BOC International is preparing for a fight, there is no reason believe the workers are not ready to take them on.
At the national meeting formulated the claim all the biggest and most militant depots were all represented.
By Mark White LEAMINGTON's civic centre is the latest venue selected by the National Front for its annual expected to be held in October. This follows the successful campaign persuade Great Yarmouth council to deny the Front civic facilities.
Leamington's anti-fascist mittee learned NF'S application last week, ately launched s campaign. include pickets of the Tory-controlled _ council meetings application will be considered.
The campaign already has the support of the local trades council, constituency Labour Parties, Asian organisations. are to be visited to gain signatures for a mass petition.
Sead letters urging the refusal of the application to: Cllr Leo Howlett, chairperson, Warwick Conscil, Town Hall, Worcs.
Socialist Challenge 21 June 1979 Page 4
- all trying to stop
By Jude Woodward
For the rich:
into Howe's Budget. means on their
their income after tax when it first been £12,600 and
and £15,700.
For the poor:
the is High into their pocket.
That's an increase cent.
union's annual no increase at all.
mean
The
WILI
index, while
Dy lue cou or tne year.
The Low Pay
these conclusions:
smashed together families WaCK So if vou cent formulated
will ensure you lose out.
Moreover, take into effect of the budget on down
Inter-
strike
to THE BUDGET
which
to office.
even
words and nothing on action.
conference,
to said that the NALGO,
bit as bitter' latest Industrial Relations Act. and immedi- But
This will 'constitutional'
which the
emergency and Housing estates
against redundancies.
District Leamington,
committed
A married person earning £25,000 a year will be putting a neat £3,000 extra
pockets a result of
In other words, before the Budget would have now it will be
That's an increase of 25 per cent.
A married person earning f2,000 will
only be putting an extra £70 a year
Their former income after tax was £1,880, and now it will be £1,950.
of 3.66 per
Of course, for the millions of anemoloved on social security and unemployment benefits it will mean
And for the millions who already paid no tax on their earnings it will
higher prices and absolutely nothing extra to pay for them.
Chancellor has predicted that his Budget will result in a 4 per cent increase in the retail price
Treasury leaks point to 'an annual inflation rate of 20 per cent
Unit has compared the effect of the VAT increases with that of the cuts in tax and formed
For a family earning £60 a week the two aspects taken together will
mean a weekly loss of 30p to 40p.
Earning 235 a week, the same family would suffer a net loss of 29p.
The VAT and tax changes taken will mean a net loss for with incomes up to tiou a the two-thirds who earn less than S.01I a year, then the increases in VAT alone
from these migures do not account the inflationary prices
They do not include, for example,
forced by the cuts in the rate support
Alternative
needed to
= NALGO policies
By Dave Burn, Islington NALGO policy.
dominated the NALGO conference at Balckpool this year, although the Tories had already made their intentions clear as far local government was concerned by almouncis a compiele Ireeze on new appointments within days of coming this
The Budget was bound to mean
more cuts. The only question was how bad they would be, and the response of the NALGO leadership. The latter was predictable: heavy on
General secretary Geoffrey Drain
TUC, including would be mounting the 'strongest possible' resistance 'every
against the
resistance would be the majority of people had elected this government and we would have to live with it.
For the national executive, this meant no action against the cuts. Its
the cuts limited the practical proposals to a declaration of support for any branch which decides to take industrial action
Since a freeze on new appointments doesn't involve redundancies but a loss of several tens to
jobs • WILOUI non-replacement, the executive is not
to a fight against this
you re out of pocket
grants to local councils.
They do not include the increases
in petrol prices through higher duties,
or the financial problems resulting
the million lopped off
nurseries' expenditure.
The government has
announced that 1,300,000
people will not have to pay tax at all —
but this does not necessarily make
them better off. Many of these people were paying negligible tax anyway.
But the left at the conference had Drain's
policies. The Broad Left, based on the Scottish and Metropolitan (London) districts and dominated politically by the CP, was not willing to organise any opposition to the leadership
stage, in the interest of maximum unity of the trade union movement against the Tories
the executive's the tron Metropolitan district, calling for a national demonstration against the cuts, was withdrawn.
Supporters of the NALGO Action Group were alone in organising any national opposition to the leadership, and attracted 60 delegates to their nightly meetings. They also held a meeting the impact of teamtology on NALGO members, which attracted almost a hundred delegates.
year NAG should forward alternative resolutions on all the key economic debates.
democratically-run national conference of NAG should decide on the policies to confront the executive, and attract the large number of Broad Left supporters who are looking for a way to fight the Tories. Support has
be organised for any branches which launch a struggle against cuts or on Day
The left at the conference was able
There is a dishonesty in the way this figure Treasury. The Rooker-Wise amendment to the tax laws ensures that the personal allowance (tax-free income) has to go up by at least the rate of proudly inflation each year. In other more this Tory 'concession'
had have been anyway.
There's no question about it, the budget was good for the rich and the
An
the new
Defence Campaign, London NWI. Tel 01-701 5691
put to win a comprenensive poncy on
maternity and paternity provisions, and through a National Campaign meeting attended by delegates was. able Lo prevent the supporters of a motion calling on NALGO to withdraw from NAC from getting their resolution heard The executive felt obliged to make statement vigorously NAC, reeling, no doubt, battering received
presented by the Beit have made no
attractive words; would have wall. implemented Under
poor worse off.
SQUATTERS' leader Piers Corbyn was sentenced to 28 days in jail on 13 June for his part in opposing the mass eviction of the Huntley Street squat in London last summer. He was released pending appeal. Support for the campaign in solidarity with Piers and Jim Paton, the last of the defendants to come to trial, is urgent. Speakers and films available, from: Huntley
Gc/o Camden Law Centre, 146 Kentish Town Rd,
Abortion delegates. 70 the organise • 10
'Nalgo supporting from the sexist event, 'blue' comedians
potentially disastrous for the poor.
then, Howe and Thatcher pretences about it They have said all along that the important thing was to make Britain
for rich, through "incentives', and let the poor go to the
the guise of offering us'choice', the Tories give the wealthy more money to spend and leave th much-publicised strip show for
This event, organised by Blackpool branch, had been included in the official programme, and the stripper was only withdrawn after a big campaign by delegates who were promising to wreck the show.
A 60-strong picket supported by
Left' supporters from Liverpool protested at what was still a
including as it did two
Page 5 scan of this page
We can't
afford to
wait 5 years
By Rich Palser INFLATION at 20 per
and two million LUIL unemployed. That's the future set out in the Tory Budget.
leaked Treasury figures say so. Both Callaghan and the TUC have warned so.
So does the labour movement to do about it?
Callaghan and miners' leader Joe Gormley have made their position clear.
It's take industrial action for political ends, Callaghan, since this would be saying that we do not believe in democracy.
It's wrong not to let the government 'get bedded in with industry',
DaYs Gormley.
The Tories are already 'bedded in" with industry - they are the party led by
directors and financed by big business.
D
Looking after the bosses at the expense of workers Iving standaras what their politics are all about.
Callaghan can talk about democracy, but who ever voted for two million unemployed and 20 per cent inflation?
Both of them want to avoid the real issue — that basic rights and living standards are coming under attack from the Tories.
Are they or are they not prepared to. lead mass action now to defend those basic rights?
Callaghan and Gormley have made their position clear - we have to wait five years for election before we can act.
But if Callaghan and Gormley paid mgre attention to the democracy of the labour movement they might motion passed by the last Labour. Partv conterence
campaign for free
collective bargaining, and the TUC's similar opposition to the 5 per cent limit.
They might also member some of socialist policies to defend living standards and jobs that will be vital mounting fightback
• The TUC policy prioritise winning 35hour week with no loss of pay in this pay round.
• The priority of ending low pay through minimum wage.
Labour Party women's conference target figure of £70 last weekend.
Just as dangerous as Callaghan and Gormley's antics is the attempt to put off a fight by public sector
-Comparability would honoured
thank you Workers we will'.
without any aggro'
Adams drivers who make regional
five years ago when
attempting to take
prices.
unionists
profits; Thatcher, the National Union of Teachers special salaries told last weekend.
Pinning any hopes on that would be foolish when the inflation forecast is 20 per The problem is not comparing wages with other workers, but tecting wages to inflation.
This was the original objective of last claim by the National Union -of Public The ployees for inflationproofed wages through automatic increases.
United fight this winter around these policies can defend hiving standards. Those Callaghan and Gormley who stand in the way must by be removed.
Petrol prices down!
By Geoffrey Sheridan
DRIVERS who toured the South-west last week
to the Transport and Union. Oil tanker drivers in GWU threatened to boycott racketeering garages, and succeeded in cutting prices.
At the beginning of the week, one garage in Teignmouth was charging £1.20 & gallon. Wednesday, after union interyention, the price had come down to 99p. On the same day, the union discovered at 4.30pm that a BP hadni ded the price of a gallon of diesel furite
£1.50. By 6pm it dropped to £1.
group. secretary, says: 'We told the companies, Either you'll get these prices down
They did. All the cases of over-charging taken up by us have been solved
acknowledges that the regular deliveries to the garages can readily monitor their prices, but he is concerned to stress:
'We're moderate people in the South-west. We wanted to stop profiteering, but we would run into problems if we kept it up too long Some of the militants would want to be judge and jury, controlling everything. ' A fate worse than death, no doubt.
But the message has not been lost in the South-west. Adams describes the number letters of support received at the
'astonishing'. perhaps more astonishing is the rarity of such action by the labour movement.
The previous occasion in Britain was some
warenouse workers Allied Suppliers in Glasgow refused to make deliveries of lentils because the firm
advantage of a shortage by selling old stock at newly inflated
Having waved goodbye to the (relatively toothless) Price Commission, and now looking forward to further bonanzas from the Tories, the City would have a fit of apoplexy If trade
exercised control over Manipulation of prices and supply fattens
as the Chilean workers appreciated
By Bernard Regan AS 200 teachers lobbied the National Union of Teachers special conterence last secretary Fred Jarvis minutes explaining why the government's offer was being recommended for acceptance.
Little was said in favour of the offer of 9 per cent plus a f6 monthly supplement on account in advance of comparability more was said about why it was not possible to fight for more - that it possible government just elected on a strong mandate that the unions had accepted,
By Ron Thompson proagainst THREATS of a national overtime ban and one-day strikes came from the National Amalgamated Union of Engineering year's Workers last week, Negotiations have been taking place over the union's Em- claim for a rate of f80 for skilled workers and a 35-hour week.
The right wing, now in full control of the union executive trying to negotiate the claim away.
First they agreed to shunt discussions like on the 35-hour week and maternity pay off into a separate working party which would report within a year.
Since the vast
To the rescue...
oil tanker drivers
government. a big General
action to reduce them
By the CUlA
manipulators.
oil
opposite direction. pocket its share. handed out to the Stock Market. tanker of 'years following, TGWU's What
1970-72 1973-75 1976-77
was The upturn in company world
I4wm mark to
getting on for £100m.
prices.
waiting for.
Teachers salaries split
fight.
Delegates salaries pointed Saturday, general spent 110
was study. Rather 67,743.
& File fight Teachers
other teaching and that the
Engineers' leaders manoeuvre
rates well
main
Committee of the
National national minimum time
has been hour cut
majority of
THOME NEWS when they took action to stop black market operations by store owners during the Allende
The producers and distributors of goods — workers — together with those who consume the bulk of them-working class people-are ideally placed to monitor pricellevels, and to take
Boycotts, pickets, and the like would make a sharp impact on the retail side, but when it
manufacturers and giant monopolies, such as the oil companies, local
effectively
As the following article shows, the profits of the oil companies happen to have leapt up during each 'oil crisis'. Nationalisation under workers' control would put a stop to that. The Tories, surprise, surprise, are moving in the
so chunk of Be wil be They want the City How the profits gush Many will suffer from the impact of the present 'oil crisis', but - if their account books are anything to go by — the giant oil corporations will not be among them, writes Brian Slocock. after tax, one three Bresh oil majors (Shell, BP, and Esso) for the three years before the beginning of the oil crisis in 1973, for thres
and for the two years after that, in total and as annual average:
Post-tax Profits of British Oil majors
Total Annualaverage £1431.1m f477m £3950.6m £1316.9m £3901.7m £1950.8m profits started almost as soon as world oil prices began to move in 1972-73. Shell's went from below the
over £1000m; BP's from around €100m to over £300m; and Esso from a loss or a 'mere' £15m in a good year to a figure
Since the first big jump, however, profits have not tended to move again. Perhaps the latest oil crisis' is just what they've been
membership would not be prepared to
opposing the deal out that Over 60. union associations had already rejected the offer, and that the Budget had lef no-one in any doubt that they needed more to defend living standards. move by the union president to take the vote by a show of hands only wa defeated, and in the division the deal accepted by • 188,226 votes to
The organisers of the lobby, Rank and the Socialist Alliance, held fringe meeting attended by 80 delegates. They are now discussing a joint left platform for the union elections
engineering workers negotiate loca over the minimum tira rate, the 35-hour week demand was component of the claim which could unify any fight.
Then the right wing tried at the Committee to make the implementation date the main pol of issue with the employers' offer of £68 for skilled workers. But this was rejected. The executive was also told to demand from the employers a der this year, with further reductions to 35 hours by 1982.
A national meeting of convenor and stewards in the industry has bees called for 7 July in Sheffield is. attempt to force the executive to
Socialist Challenge 21 June 1979 Page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
HOW DO WE STOP THE RETREAT?
TONY Cliff's article contains important warning: do not think that all was well until 1974 and then it all Went SOul.
Fundamental weaknesses of the labour movement were very much in evidence before 1974, and these were reinforced to the point where they decisively limited the resistance to the Labour These nesses will not go away just because Thatcher is in office, and we have to tackle them as such. That essence of Cliff's message.
So what are those The first. that Cliff sectionalism. In 1972 and 1974 the miners were seen to be fighting for all and won active solidarity from other workers. Under Labour the tiremen were betrayed by the TUC and no-one came to their aid.
So why was this reinforced after 1974? One factor rejected by Cliff is that unemployment had dampened militancy. And 11'C true that this has demoralised the class to the point where they fear going out the gate lest lacy get the sack.
Recession
Nevertheless, there has been a not unimportant change in the economic situation the first world capitalist recession since before the war, which hit Britain in 1974 and reached its low point in 1975.
Firms ake no longer rationalising production and moving machinery from one plant to another.
factory sit-in enough to stop redundancy, because a firm going bust has nothing to lose from sitting it out.
The workers have demoralised, but nor do they believe any longer that the situation will get better soon. They are right to begin to look for more far-reaching solutions. Offensive
Last winter's wages remained sectionalised cause workers Ford squeeze more out of profits, whilst workers in Leyland saw no such easy way out. Part of our job in fighting the sectionalism within the movement is therefore to fight for policies which do show a way out.
National
Rank and File
DELECATE
CONFERENCE
Photo: JOHN STURROCK (Report)
Socialist Challenge 21 June 1979, Page 6
an weak-
is the
weaknesses? identifies sectionalism
250 monopolies
not yet
confront in our struggles.
Of course this
objectives are needed to struggle in the synchronised
just The
longer seems way
incomes policy
not been Once Labour
general opposition collapsed.' Alternative Workers saw no Labour
offensive Party, and in the
partly be-
could to keeping Labour in office. was not only them.
Labour
ranks of the workers.
socialist fight back,
ASH PHASE
BOUSTRALELATONS AC
DEFENDING OUR UNIONS is the theme of the conference organised by Rank & File which is taking place this weekend in Manchester.
It could not have come at a better time. The Budget shocked a lot of people. Even workers who voted Tory in the last election are more than a little angry blatant wage rises for the rich and price rises for the poor.
The mood for a fightback this winter is growing, and with it a realisation that basic union rights like picketing
But if major battles are on the agenda, will the labour movement be ready for them? The retreat of the last five years should be enough to make us reflect a little.
In a recent article in Socialist Worker (26 May], Tony Cliff gave some answers as to why that retreat occurred. Below, RAY VARNES [NUPE ILEA Schoolkeepers] and JANET MAGUIRE [ASTMS branch. secretary], both delegates to the Rank & File conference, take up the
It's not a matter of just making
propaganda is never wasted — but a matter of showing how these policies under can meet the real problems which we
is not the only reason why the movement's sectionalism has been reinforced. If common
unite tne form of socialist policies, Cliff is also correct to say Tale was abelo avertone inc sectional struggle under the Heath government was the common enemy,
rallied around the 1972 and 1974 miners' strikes because they were seen as
through Heath's and then Heath's government. But 'the alternative to the Tories meant the Labour Party.
that
alternative to and Callaghan particular. The left in the Labour
trade union leaderships, subordinated everything
But it That loyalty to extended right through the
Eventually the workers began to
but this with sections less dominated by Labourism
Socialists in the unions
teachers and dustmen Wilson in the '60s, firemen and the public sector under Callaghan. The fightback took longer to develop
the Callaghan government because of the deeper economic crisis and tre problems which Wal prescule to workers:
Downplaying
In downplaying these factors Cliff tends to reduce the problem to one of organisation. Thus he makes a major point of the fact that the number of full-time convenors has risen from around 500 in 1969 to something like 6,000 today.
He says that this gives a much wider base to the bureaucracy than existed before. The problem is that 'the organisation inside the factory relating the individual shop stewards to each other still goes through the convenor.
Presumably Cliff thinks that the solution is to provide some other means for stewards to relate to each other, and that is what is meant 'rank and file organisation'. But this is wrong.
First, the problem is not in and of itself that convenors are full-time -what's decisive is that they are paid the average workers' wage, are elected and recallable, represent the workers rather than participate with the bosses in running the company, etc. When a convenor pursues right-wing policies our job is to remove them - not set
under up unofficial bodies.
This does not mean that socialists never argue for unofficial organisations when the become an obstacle to organising the fightback.
Stewas commee
But workers will unofficial organisation when they see the need to choice. They first turn to the official union, and rightly so the unions are there for. Only when they see through the arguments of the union officials and are committed to a fight and find the officials blocking it will they try to organise through other means.
Ignored
Nor was organisation the major problem in mounting under Labour, The
committees ignored the union's code of conduct and won active solidarity through flying pickets.
It was the political fight we lost by under Labour. The leaders in the workplaces - the shop stewards in particular militancy was no longer enough and fell for the
ments.
Rank & File failed to take account of these problems when it called one-day strike in solidarity with the
because creating organisation
fighting right-wing
and Chapple.
Nor away.
right wing official structures
who will The national docks shop
only turn to
when they have no
you policies, - that's what
members talking left.
argued out.
La fightback lorry drivers'
rule.
and file
saw that
'national interest'
argu-
London
London E That
ALLICIC. mocramon siruggie.
the six counties. postage) from:
London SW9 Congress of the Fi limited "democracy
strike call went totally • unheeded,
the problem not just unofficial union to make the call for action when the official leaders fail to — it is to win the political fight with those official leaders.
•where does this leave us in the Tories? The same leadership which said "don't rock the boat' is stronger today than it was when Labour came to office. The unions should keep out of politics - get the best deal possible from Thatcher' is the cry of Gormley
will the economic crisis go Showing how a fight for socialist policies can take place now will be vital if we are to defeat that
One thing will change however The 'left' union leaders who collapsed in the face of a Labour government will be getting their militant speeches out of the drawers and filing cabinets where they put them five years ago.
A small minority of workers will remember their role and not put any • trust in them. But a far larger number;
want a fight against the Tories, will not have that memory
Rank & File has to see that the lefts are put to the test of the next few years. It has to go to them and say, 'if
support a fight around these organise with democratic basis to doso"
That's what was done in the CPSA
the civil service when of the started The 'Broad Left' turned into an open activist body one which foughi for action from the official structures, and within which different political positions could be
It was almost unique when Labour was in government, because the left leaders elsewhere were silent. Now it could be the exception that proves the
WHAT'S LEFT
WANTED: full-time refuge worker for Hackne
Nomen's Aid. Write: HWA, B7 Cecilia Road
Tel: Roland 01-274 999 daytime MALL GAl socianst sceks cheao and spaciou uth London from Auturan
10.30am-5pm. Creche Further information from: Women's Voice, PO Box 82
URUGUAYAN comrade needs room. Phone:
IRELAND Socialist Review No • 5 is now out
Wolch alls national • vortern Ireland econonk renas. analysis or che general election result f7
• ols renews rice & : ISR(B), 60 Loughborough Rd
TUC General Council supports imperialism
House Great Russell 9.30am. Smash th of Terrorism Act! Organised Revolutionary Communist Teridency.
SPAS
The question of socialism and democracy has been of constant interest 1o soclauss since n emergence of mass socia democrane partes
This pamphlet is the text of the resolution Socialist Democracy and the Dictatorship of the
adopted by the United Secretaria
of the fibed nuered it the Forthcoming World
It shows that Stalinist bureaucracy and th
441 H only choices available lo the working clast
Pamphlel 35p plus 10p pop from The Othe Bookshop, PO Box 50,
Page 7 scan of this page
Gay Pride '79
on from
By Jamie Gough
TEN years ago this month the patrons of the Stonewall bar in Christopher Street, New York's gay fought the police on three successive days in fury at the harassment and violence that they had suffered.
Last month, 5000 Fransisco stormed the City Hall and burned police cars in protest at the milf sentence ejven to the murderer ol the city's gay councillor, Harvey Milk
Ine biggest eruption American city since the black rebellions of the late 60s.
In the ten years that separate these two outbursts, the organised
changes. In this article we examine the new class struggle methods that are increasingly coming te the fore in the struggle for gay rights. Attacks
New methods of struggle have had to emerge over the last two or three vears. as the nace and scale of attack. on lesbians and gay men in the imperialist countries has sharply increased.
These attacks have not mainly come from the governments, or from the organisations of big capital.
Rather. middle-class reaction has risen up,. alarmed by crisis, horrified by the disintegration of the family and the rebellion young people, and has vented its wrath, if not on the cause, at least on a. symptom • of the 'malaise' increasingly open existence of gays. Traditional
The cadres who social tabric of canitalism headteachers, magistrates, activists and police — have in their various ways sought to turn back the Clock.
The seriousness of the new attacks has pointed to the inadequacy of some of the traditional strategies of the gay movement. They have made it clear By Teresa trances and Hanlon
ATTEMPTS to crack down on the press and on abortion in failed last week. Journalist
Palla acquitted charges arising out of a TV film on abortion.
Abortion is illegal in Portugal. But there least abortions a year, killing at least 2000 women.
In August 1974, Palla and several other journalists and began a TV series 'Name: Woman' to look at women's problems and the gains they were making in the new
The final programme in the series, in February 1976, was entitled 'Abortion is not a crime'.
Women were shown why they had been forced to have abortions, although they were kept in semi-darkness so they could not be identified.
And the film showed an abortion Delg themselves in a popular clinic, by the Karman suction method ordinary bicycle pump.
Perhaps most important, it gave a
Ten years
Stonewall
produce ever increasing ment and liberalisation. lobbying can suddenly
enclave, massively irrelevant.
CULELIULS
not something broadening by gays in San
challenged by Contrast in an
action, involving gay
movement.
The contrast her notorious Save On
opposed her
prevented canvassing meetings.
The the economic
shocked gay people. Coalitions
the
lesson of Miami had been learnt. right
the
church for which they
But thạt
militant campaigns
Judge frees abortion debate
Joseph
abortion should be done.
Portugal The Church
Maria parties were outraged of action was taken.
180,000
crime.
filmmakers an attempt to
press won after 1974.
ironically
explaining
rights.
and many
Party did prominen
with an
by letters
that capitalist society does not of itself
enlightenThat polite be rendered
They have also indicated that the increasingly public existence of gays is
that will example. On the contrary it is something that will be
powerful forces and must be defeated by powerful forces.
There has had to be a turn towards the defence of gay rights by mass
only gays themselves but non-gay organisations of oppressed groups and the labour
between the two major struggles in the US in this period shows the kind of political development that has taken place.
When Anita Bryant campaigned in Miami for the repeal by referendum of a gay anti-discrimination law, Children
campaign, the ad hoc coalition that
relied on advertisements and sponsorship from
activists from holding public
vote was lost; but the loss Willi
When Senator Briggs introduced his referendum proposal in California to exclude gays from the schools, the
the gay movement was still there of course 1978 The Concerned Voters of California insisted that the presenters of TV ads,
were paying, be non-gay and as right-wing as possible.
did picycill the formation of coalitions throughout California which adopted open and
of canvassing, voter registration and demonstrating, focussed on winning the support of | clear explanation of how the abortion was to be done, so that any woman watching would know how a good
and the right-wing and Palla was interviewed by the police. But no
Suddenly, three months ago and three years after the TV programme, Palla was charged with an assault on public morality' and 'incitement to
The trial was widely interpreted as curb some of the freedoms that both women and the
Palla alone was charged, and not the other makers of the film. This was probably because she is vice-president of the union of journalists and has been an outspoken proponent both of treedom of the press and women's
But the attack drew surprisingly little public support from the right,
came to Pala's detence Fortexample, although the Socialist
not publicly defend her, Socialist deputies [MPs] gave evidence on her behalf.
Palla was particularly encouraged
and telegrams that
the working class and the oppressed.
The National Organisation Women gave strong support to the campaign, which supported demand for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.
A 'Workers' Conference Against Briggs' attracted, hundreds of trade unionists from diverse sectors. School students went on one day strikes to help in the campaign.
The climax of the campaign was a demonstration quarter strong in San Francisco, a third of
WElC women and including thousands of Chicanos and blacks and with delegations from the largest unions in the city
The Briggs proposal overwhelmingly rejected, contrary to all expectations. The same turn has been made in other countries.
In Sydney in June and August
gay demonstrations brutally attacked by the police as part
their campaign against militancy in the city.
The gay movement, allied with the women's movement and the fought for and won support from the trade union movement against this • repression.
In Britain, the prosecution of Gay News MARIA PALLA giving evidence to the judge duriag ber trial
NATIONAL
TASK
Whitehouse led to the organisation of
of a demonstration of 5000 people with a
of anti-fascist organisations dented on a gay demo, as well as small but signinicant labour movement.
Similarly, in Canada, forces were mobilised in massive opposition to the prosecution of the Body Politic, to a police raid on a gay bar in Montreal when 140 people were arrested, and to million Anita Bryant's tour of the country
The efficacy of sations is shown by the passing soon afterwards of an anti-discrimination law by the Quebec State parliament and by the unexpected acquittal of the was Body Politic defendants. Allies were • The trade union support obtained
in these mobilisations did not emerge
all spontaneously, but had in most cases
been built for over the years by caucuses in the unions allied closely with the left.
A recent example in this country is the overwhelming approval by •Civil and Public Services Association successful conference,
by dațion of the executive, of a change in
ITS TIME!
FORCE
women's and nation orientation unpreceWinning support from the
but these mobili- clandestine Franco Today,
in Spain,
The need to
gay tant as big
the In this
against the recommen
Canada.
June, the
hear
. UrOlLar
were necessary. will
struggle.
has made
government's down.
GAY
the constitution making one of the union's aims opposition to discrimi-
on the basis of sexual
this kind of formal support is vital in laying the basis for mobilising the unions against attacks 'on gays at work or outside.
The importance close links between the gay movement and the jabour movement is also shown ini Spain, where close collaboration was
up, necessity between gay groups ana the Neighbourhood Commissions under
these links ensure a present of non-gay organisations on gay demonstrations
and effective protection of the still illegal gay organisations
experience of the last few years of the gay struggle points to the
will support from other organisations of the oppressed and to fight with class-struggle methods.
This becomes increasingly impor-
capital gives increasing support to the demagogic politics of the petit bourgeois right.
way the fight for gay liberation will become part of the • struggle for socialism in reality as well
poured in from Europe, the US, and
In acquitting her, the judge called the charges an attack on the freedom of the press, and said abortion should
And it will be. This weekend, 24
national campaign fol contraception and abortion |ČNAC will be holding & counter tribunal co show the effect of the present law, which bans all abortions.
Up to 1000 people are expected to
doctors, sociologists, and psychiatrists talk about the horrifying conditions abortions are conducted under, and the physical and menti harm of repeated illegal abortions
women will publich sadmit to abortions and tell why the
And trade unionist stress that long contraception is not widely availa and abortion is illegal, womer never be able to take a full part in
But if the acquittal of Maria F
it easier to talk not stoppe attempts to
The first women in memory arrested for having an abortion on trial in Lisbon on 5 July. SI well known like Maria Pilla need support from wome out the world if she is to be Socialis Chalkinge 21 Juné 1979.
Page 8 scan of this page
The question is not just whether we but what we do as an alternative. I Yorkshire NUM, repeated his call for Callaghan 10 go as leader of the Labour
Calling for a change in the constitution to allow the party as a whole to elect
At a miners'
Party.
Why has the Labour Co-ordinating Committee sponsored a resolution for this year's Labour Party conference censuring the Government?
I'm glad you say it's a motion censuring the government since some people have construed it in other ways.
It's not that the last government tried to implement Labour Party policy and failed, but essentially that it failed to try to implement that policy — in fact in some cases it strenuously sought not to do so. In my judgement and that of many others, this was one of the reasons why the government met with election defeat.
Not only had it lost a radical edge has historically been associated with Labour governments basic social democratic commitments to high public spending, or attempt to achieve full employment and defend the fabric of the welfare state.
Does the censure apply to all members of the government! I'm thinking of people like Tony Benn.
The wording of the censure also criticises some members of the National Executive Committee for not lighting effectively to defend elements of the party programme in the period prior to the election.
It is important to stress that there were some honourable exceptions to that situation. Some members of the NEC did not put up an effective fight, others did. since the defeat Benn has decided Malicipate in the Opposition Front Bench.
me people on the Labour left, such as Eric
ler, have opposed this
rove of it?
eila's decision is essentially for him, though I binkz I can understand why he deckied to do it.
It's Important nonetheless for people to ecognise the extent to which what happens to
Bevan, left leader of the '50's, talking to Wilson. Scargill's choice for today is Benn.
last Labour - which HEMISS
- out l lanco to elsure cvel
battalions
NEC
successive
policy. not to
neglect . you
may have
gala in Barnsley last week Arthur Scargill, President of the the left, so called, within the Labour Party -which I think is an area which extends much more to what has been called the centre of the
1S not exclusively related to the personal decisions of an individual.
I wonder who could be included in the left — the 'honourable exceptions' on the NEC that you talked about, who defended party policy during the last government? There was no real opposition to the right-wing of the order, for instance, of the Bevanite left in the '50s.
In the '50s, leading government members resigned over prescription charges. resigned from Callaghan's government, except
Bob Cryer Manufacturing Co-op and one or two others. In generai, there was no real opposition. How do you account for that?
It's a false parallel between the "Bevanite opposition' during the '50s and the role of the NEC in the "70s.
Whereas in the '50s, we had an executive which was effectively dominated by the right of the party — in that instance by the big union
-in '70s there conventional terms, a left
It's very important, if you look at the kind of positions taken by the executive through
conferences, that the criticised the government time and again, and asked for conference support for such criticism ot the government for not implementing party
The key question is how it is that we can have a labour movement in which there is
crucial respects for - conference decisions and in certain cases direct contempt for such decisions by a Labour government in office. That is a basic question of internal party •democracy, which itself is a basic question of political power.
The turning point in such a difference in the
conference movement, and the parliamentary party and
the late '5Us.
In the early drew
Nobody detailed argument
public sector, Kirby But
office.
- called by the NEC.
was, in majority on the
things are
executive
policy in general.
incomes policy.
Junc unions could no government
and the
said.
government came with the Gaitskelites from
The post-war Labour government, example, discovered that the party draft to nationalise the coalmines was incredibly short. But Attlee didn't put the whole thing into a Royal Commission to consider whether or not there was a case for nationalisation, he simply instructed the relevant Minister to make sure that a detailed draft on how to nationalise the mines was put before the Cabinet.
'70s, on industrial policy, we up something like 150,000 words on the extension of the new forms of planning control, and industrial democracy.
disregarded, and in key respects it was gelded by the government in
Yet there was no association with workers in struggle, no real action — demonstrations even
You're right, of course, to say that there was criticism of government policy, but at best it was veiled and verbal. There is, surely, all the difference in the world between sharply critical resolutions — no matter how important such
— and a serious opposition.
There was no opposition, for instance, to the Social Contract, which was the cornerstone of the wages policy and of the government's
It's important to understand the way in which the Social Contract was initially framed, which was in opposition to the concept of a traditional
experience of the '60s meant that longer rely on a Labour interpret what was interests of the working class in general or the trade unions in particular.
In that context, the Social Contract was put forward as a means of avoiding a permanent incomes policy on the basis that in return for perceived and clear progress on key aspects of
its leader, he said that any new leader
this is done l am certain that the next le
party policy,
levels of recommended
members.
public spending,
democracy of and endemic to the
conventional
trade unions.
agreements on supposed to
is open to question.
You
the top monopolies.
and even in ine agreements,
Do you think
Parliament?
So what way forward does the Lat
especially concerning the economy, the unions would negotiate certair
recommended stress wage increases with the government which would be then be put to
• That could have brought the unions into the area where they could demand the defence of ownership, the opening of the books of big extension business, and genuine forms of industrial
It failed for reasons which are much wider
labour movement than simply the activity of personalities within the NEC or the Parliamentary Labour Party.
With the honourable exceptions of Lucas Aerospace and the Vickers shop stewards, there is no extensive demand to move beyond the
framework of wages and conditions as the defined and confined role of
It's quite ironic that among those who pushed most strongly and clearly for planning
big business, which were be process of tripartite negotiation, was David Basnett. In that sense. the conventional view of 'moderate' or 'centre
Certainly, while militant demands for higher wages are necessary today, they are grossly inadequate to meet the depth of the crisis and to resolve it in the interests of the working class
were associated with the National Enterprise Board, and in particular with the demand for the nationalisation of 20 to 25 ol
What makes you think that this demand,
for compulsory planning wouldn't have been sabotaged? such * demand could be implemented with a future Labour majority in
It you launch what amounts to a ideological challenge, which in a sense we did, it
Page 9 scan of this page
ppose the Conservatives, terview with Stuart Holland, MP As part of our ongoing debate on the way forward for the labour movement after the election we spoke to Stuart Holland MP — one of the main ideologues of the Labour left. He is a member of the newly formed Labour Co-ordinating Committee, and author of the book entitled, perhaps ironically, The Socialist
carry out conference decisions. 'If of the party will be Tony Benn', he
left offer, and what are its policies?
akes time both to make an impact anslate an intellectual agreement on the need or certain policy changes into an rasp that those changes are not only desirable ut necessary conditions for the defence of even onventional objectives such mployment, a high level of public spending, nd so forth.
What has been quite important, I think, has ten the fact that those policies did come into
mainstream agenda of debate, discussion, nd struggle within the labour movement.
They are still on that agenda, and in this ense they have entered much more widely into foth people's perception and experience of the inds of economic and social problems they are
This didn't mean that we expected that they overnment. in the Green Paper, on the Nat- COSTISHY adopted onal Enterprise Board, we stated clearly that here will be tremendous forces rient any extension of the public sector into PASIL Industr constructing role by the state for capital; so I on't think we're surprised in that respect.
i not convinced that there was any lack of thusiasm about nationalising 25 of the top sonopolies. There was massive support for the 073 Labour Party manifesto - certainly greater athusiasm than for any manifesto since the ame of the Atlee government.
But if we come onto the question mplementation of such a policy, ossible through leristation to take the top onopolies out of the bands of private owners.
The Attlee government, for example, found extremely difficult to nationalise the steel dustry because the steel bosses were prepared break the law and boycotted the institutions stablished by the government to effect the ationalisation, to open the books, and so on.
Trade unions may have won a legitimate ple in society, but hest are such policies to be implemented if workers are not to control the conomy and rule in society?
and to
intuitive delighted that there was.
What I'm full trade unionists initiatives. working class
The crisis
tending to
the
50 years.
of how is it
working people themselves.
It's Important
Challenge.
I didn't say there wasn't major interest in the policies in the early "70s, and I was obviously
saying is that the kind of appreciation of the policies was not so extensive that they entered into the automatic reaction of
to government policy
The question of how is it possible to implement radical policies is very open-ended.
One of the striking things it seems to me in relation to some groups on the ultra-left is that for 30 years or more they have been talking about the impending crisis of the system, they have also been arguing that in such a crisis there would be a spontaneous mobilisation of the
in order to smash the state apparatus and transform state power.
has but the r transformation has not happened
What's important is less to refer back te Attlee's difficulties in nationalising steel which was attempted until very 1945-51 government — than to draw attention to what can now be done by the Labour Party and the trade union movement in the face of one of the most reactionary and class divisive Conservative governments that we've seen for
It's important to realise the extent to which the intensification of the general crisis on a global scale, which will be aggravated in Britain by Conservative measures of public expenditure cuts and so forth, will highlight for
movement the question of not simply whether we oppose the Conservatives, but what we actually do as an alternative.
I'm not saying that the conference hall itself is the ante-chamber to socialism — it's not. If there is to be change then it has to be part of a process of perception, reaction, and action b
nonetheless to stress that unless you have a relatively specific strategy for dealing with particular kinds of change within society, then basically you are thrust back
purely on spontaneity, and in a spontaneous situation people may spontaneously react in a reactionary rather progressively.
What role can the Labour left play in achieving the 'action' that you talk about?
With the trade anton leadership having swung to the right since the carty "70s-and they will dominate polley decistons at the Labour Party conference Labour left to go directly to mobilise around its policies?
The labour left has derived its strength in many it not from parties and from the trade union base.
It's extremely important that the maximum feasible campaign should be undertaken within the labour movement to show that this crisis cannot be resolved either simply on the wages front or by passing resolutions at conference.
In that sense reference of the debate beyond wage bargaining and opposition to the re-introduction of wage: policy. We also must move beyond a defence of welfare statism or the assumption that with sufficient appeasement of restore full employment and economic welfare.
The scale of the crisis on embarked is greater in one sense than that in the 1930s, which was one of underconsumption, where state spending essentially on armaments contributed to the recreation of employment.
The today disproportionality -industres between between advanced and declining industry, regions deprivation and decline, and between social groups and classes.
These forms of the consequence of the post-war boom itself, since capitalism is inherently unequal and uneven in structural, social, and spatial Therefore, unless we think now in terms of
than react - is there a seet for the
, the ranks to
beyond full
constituency extension
society.
we must move the terms of
labour movement?
capital • we Party
while it may be one's own which we've LCIU Parts
strength
major between big and small
democratic
with inner city
exclusive channel. crisis are the
distribution.
chloe Chall
extending our analysis of this crisis into an alternative socialised mode of development, then there is little chance of making progress in the latter part of the century
With vast technological unemployment or the horizon in the form of the micro-chip, but also upon us already in certain crucial areas, we must both reduce the working week and also question the whole role of work in society.
And that really implies moving beyond the question of the means of intervention into the economy to the end for which that intervention is directed; a social bill of goods and services
employment and X-hou working week to one of useful employment and
individual freedom transcending the form of alienation in capitalist
In one sense socialism was never more clearly on the agenda than it is in this country and some others in Western Europe today.
What sort of left should we be building in the
First and foremost, one not only within the labour movement but also within the Labour
It has been argued for half a century that
less compromising to form untouched by the compromises of others, it is clear to me that the
the instrument for major change, but also its
commitment to . democratic institutions is a desirable one
Nonetheless it. is also important in
society Dullics should be genuinely plural, and both within the Labou Party and without there seem to me advantage to such a plurality of groupings rather than an
But iif the left is to gain strength from diversity, it also must be able to reinforce agreement rather than difference. orbertie we risk ritual protest against adversity E than common strength against our adver
Page 10 scan of this page
Why Bernadette was right
The criticisms of Republican prisoners...
International Tribunal on Britain's Presence in Ireland Final Hearing: London, 7/8 July, Conway Hall Delegates credentials from International Tribunal,
12 August demo
THE oreanisers of the August demonstration marking the tenth anniversary of the despatch of British troops onto the streets or Ine North Ireland have applied to the Department of the Environment for the use of Trafalgar Square. The intention is to use the square for the rally at the end of the demonstration.
Since 1972 the square has been banned associated with Ireland. Only two exceptions have allowed by the British government - the rally held by the Peace People, and a sma meeting organised by the Better Life for All Campaign.
Seven MPs have backed the 12 August demonstration: Joan Maynard, Cyril Smith, Stan Thorne, Ernie Roberts. Syd: Bidwell, Frank Maguire, and Leo Abse. Sponsoring organisations include the National League of Young Liberals, the Campaign
Democracv Ulster. Women and Ireland, and from Belfast the Association Legal Justice and Turf Lödge Tenants Association.
The prolcal cals on the British government 'to commit itself to a policy of withdrawal from Ireland'. But the United Troops Out Movement, whịch Is also backing the demonstration, will be organising a separate.' *troons OUL contingent.
Further information
sponsorship forms are avail able from Steven Dawe at the
of Young waterl Liberals, Whitehall London SWl.
People's Festival
COMMUNIST Party stewards Festival Siedto get the police last Supday's 'People's to remove a 'troops out' outside the festival. But the cops refused to interyene.
The United Troops Movement had previously applied for a stall inside the festival. But as has become common practice over the last few years, the festival's
application. So UTOM organised their own stail outside the hall.
But even this was too much for CP stewards, who tried to seize the 'troops out' banner and remove the stall. challenged the stewards claimed that they were acting under police instructions. But the police told UTOM members that on the contrary they had been asked by the stewards to
the stall but
The stall was defended by UTOM supporters, including members of the Socialist Workers Party and national Marxist Group, and eventually stewards called off.
Socialíst Challenge 21 June 1979 Page 10
12 rallies
been
MCAlISkey
observe the boycott.
in the South of Ireland.
for
A Chara, We are addressing the following letter to you and our comrades
land and to all our relatives and friends outside. It is not a personal opinion but LOW is written on behalf of the
and blanket
publican prisoners of war in the H-Blocks:
It concerns your stand Place, candidate
European elections. towards elections is that we totally object to taking part and we fully support for boycott election, stall
The following are the main reasons for our call Out to boycott:
should successful in your election campaign and become an elected member set-up what-changes you even hope to make?
Have we in Ireland not seen all • 100. often sees mereevant be politics of the ment are and have been regarding our position in the Six Counties?
Has anyone into the existing set-ups and brought freedom any closer?
What makes you think it will be any different in had Europe when it comes to
questions on Ireland?
Ranged
will be a coalition of those WIlU Inter- Leinster House and their
supporters were European countries. From
these Call you
European elections
to stand
BERNADETTE McAliskey received 33,969 first preference votes in the EEC election constituency of the North of Ireland.
stood as an performance was achieved in spite of an active campaign against her by the Provisional Republican Movement. The Provisionals were calling for a boycott of the election, and at one point described Bernadette as a 'scab' for refusing to
But it is clear from the election results that the Provisionals' boycott campaign attracted little active support. Although the 57 per cent turn-out was significantly lower than in the general election, it was, for instance, higher than
Furthermore, the level of abstention was much the same in both the Protestant and Catholic communities. If the votes of the straight Loyalist
anything but a majority opposition?
Are we in the H-Blocks the not here as a direct result of the position created by these same people?
What good can your campaign sion do in a place where the the Re- perpetrators of this repression have such a powertul position?
Did you achieve anything at Westminster? the What can you hope to Our achieve. al these Luxembourg?
Will • YUU
torture of political prisonthe call ers in the H-Blocks or the this brute against the people in the streets?
We the prisoners in the H-Blocks be don't consider so. the roughest end of British repression, don't consider this that you will make one iota can of difference.
We know only too well that only how remessinh, forever, is the repression, orever. establish- boot both it and the people (the Brits) who H-Blocks Vul country at the point of a gun, which is comrades and their supporters doing and will continue to do.
The reason why we are here in the you protest not reform, but for Westminster, real change, and freedom. the Tich Republican Prisoners, expect H-Blocks 3, 4, 5 & 6.
anti-repression candidate, and her credible
against repres Strasbourg/
stop the
-repression
Republican
We,
way
build of Vul
our
outside are now
H-bioCks on for any change, revolution
47 Wilsham Street, London W11
Ireland Unionist]
population in the North as a whole. received a massive 140,622 yotes.
popular among the Protestant population.
candidates are taken [Democratic Unionists, Official Unionist and Northern
and added to the straight Anti-Repression, and Republican Clubs), the Catholic percentage of this total works out at just over 34 per cent - which approximates to the Catholic
But if the Provisionals' boycott campaign had comparatively little effect, the results of the Officials were disastrous, with two Republican Clubs candidates polling under 7,000 votes. What the election did show was that the SDLP retains significant political support among the Catholic population -something which could have been further undermined had the Provisionals joined with McAliskey in her campaign. As it was, John Hume of the SDLP
On the Loyalist side, lan Paisley secured another impressive victory with 170,688. The most sectarian extreme of Loyalism has never been more
In the run-up to the election, Republican prisoners in H Block issued an open letter to McAliskey explaining their opposition to her candidature. This letter and McAliskey's reply are reprinted below.
.. and Bernadette's reply
tactic at this time. wage afterwards.
spoDort of you.
European
the world.
newspapers Italy.
'Catholic' vote ISDLP, We believe that a boycott is the wrong
Three weeks campaigning across the Six Counties has made that clear beyond any doubt. We have brought the message of your indomitable fight for the status to which you are entitled to every town, village and townland in the Six Counties and broadened and deepened support for it.
That support will be shown not only in the election result but in the campaign which we will continue to
I have never claimed to speak directly for you. But you will be aware that I have never failed to speak out in
And vou have mi pledge that I will continue to do that.
You will also be aware that many of your parents, relatives and friends are actively involved in my campaign, not at all because they are committed to me, but precisely because they are passionately committed to you.
I do not say - and you seem to be under a misapprehension about this
make the H-Hock crumble through activity the European Assembly. Of course not.
What I do say is that I can use the
Assembly to take the message of the H-blocks and of the Castlereagh torture chambers, repressive law and the British presence, on
the highways and by-ways of Europe and make imperialism's last obscenity in Ireland stink throughout
Already our campaign has put H-Blocks on to the front pages o1
in • France, Germany, and Denmark in the last fortnight alone. And that's just a start. When we are finished the H-Blocks will haunt Britain everywhere. Every British politician and bureaucrat will walk in the shadow of the H-Blocks wherever they go in Europe. T'i see to it.'
Page 11 scan of this page
Sandinistas pin down Somoza
By Roy Alexander
THE vote by the US Senate in favour
of lifting sanctions against Rhodesia
makes it more certain that the Tory
government will
recognising the Salisbury regime in
the autumn, once the embarrassing
obstacle of the Commonwealth prime
ministers conference is over.
But this coud for out to be the
Tories' first big political mistake, for
there is increasing
Bishop Muzorewa's phony
majority' government
running out of steam.
Hardly were the rigged elections
over before there was a falling out
among the thieves who concocted the
internal settlement. Chief
Zimbabwe United People's Organis-
ation (ZUPO
originally set up with support from
the Smith regime
nationalists) joined
Sithole's
denounce the internal elections and
demand a new poli under
supervision.
Their real complaint was that they
did
therefore in the ensuing scramble for
choice government posts.
Of course, this is just the sort of
division which Ian Smith
friends have been counting on to force By Dave Kellaway
YOUTH in the Nicaraguan slurs are using Coca Cola bottles as Molotov cocktails against the Guards' automatic rifles.
A Panamanian minister of health has left his desk to alongside the Sandinistas.
President Somoza sweats in his fortified Duker sending airforce to bomb the workers' area a mile or two away across the lines of barbed wire
Over 2,000 are dead, thousands more refugees look for somewhere to go, and people loot for food famine is officially recognised.
The decisive battle for the capital, Managua, and for the Nicaragua has begun.
Nicaragua (population two and a half million, with accounting for 80 per cent of its export earnings) is run country than as a family business empire. Somoza's wealth is estimated at £500 million and this includes ownership of 15 per cent of the land, many industries, all the drugs and prostitution rache s72 earthquake and benefits from the disaster relief funds.
Illiterate
Meanwhile 50 per cent urban and 70 per cent of the rural population are illiterate, income is f187 a year, and 36 per cent of the population are unemployed.
From latest reports outcome the uncertain. The Sandinistas control the northern towns, setback in the south when an attempt
towards evidence •LIL
"black
is already
Chirau's
political group
and Chiraus.
oppose the
with Rev.
ZANU
to
British Herald
election, and post-election amnesty
has continued to get worse.
This is berne out by and his official National
fight and die
future of
agriculture
less as a
Guard (above) bomb workers gIcal
fighting in Managua.
of the was a defeat for the masses,
per capita the opposition
HU.
the final offensive or not.
remains This
but suriered a
mass mobilisations in
Tories head
for fall on
Zimbabwe
Muzorewa into ever greater reliance upon them in the new set-up. But it also has the effect of undermining the internal settlement and boosting the Patriotic Front as an alternative to the whole gang of Muzorewas, Sitholes
on
This is, of course, the other front on which Muzorewa is under fire. are Even the pro-government Rhodesia
out editorial that the promised flocking of guerillas to the new regime under the
has failed to materialise, and that in fact the war
the rising figures on war deaths and casualties. A very disturbing feature NICARAGUA's President Somoza, sweating in his bunker while his National
to set up a 'liberated' zone adjacent to their bases in Costa Rica was thwarted higher. by Somoza. All eyes are now on the
The last offensive in September key
leaving Have 10,000 dead. But the speed with which
has regrouped convinced the US that Somoza has to
whether he survives the present
time the Sandinistas better armed, more unified, and have larger forces in the field. The level of
the cities,
of these is the increased number of "terrorist collaborators' (as opposed to straightforward "terrorists') turning up on the death lists: 21 out of 52 in the most recent figures.
Since the , forces are not shy about labelling anyone a terrorist
least pretext, must assumed that "terrorist collaborators'
unarmed civilians displaying some form of sympathy for the Patriotic Front.
The final headache for Muzorewa — and the one which could eventually be his undoing - is shown in the increasing time spent by the security forces in recapturing cattle appropriated from white farms by inhabitants of the black rural areas rather than in 'terrorist -hunting. One Muzorewa particularly in Managua, is
In fact the self-organisation of the masses in the insurrection will be the
military and political the Sandinistas politically prepared the masses for an uprising which will avoid the bloody defeat of September?
Last time, set piece battles between heroic groups of Sandinistas and the National Guard ended with losses for the guerrillas and massive reprisals against many workers' areas left defenceless once the guerrillas had
connected agricultural warned the government that there is a crisis of expectations millions of black people in our land'.
Meanwhile municipal employees are grumbling restrictions, while black teachers are up in arms about the failure to give them public service status would give them interest-free home loans which have so far been limited to white civil servants).
The Tories are heading for a fall over Zimbabwe. But a foreign policy disaster will only give the government real trouble if there are people in this country prepared to hold the Tories to account for their reactionary policies
• The Zimbabwe people can be ours as well by turning Rhodesia into a noose for the Tory government.
caught NO TORY
SELLOUT IN
ZIMBABWE
SATURDAY JUNE 30%
ARAMA PASHANT READY
TO TRAFALGAR SQUARE RALLYAT APA
been pushed out of the towns
The Sandinistas express all the combativity of 40 resistance to dictatorship, but also all the classic political weaknesses of a national liberation movement unclear abut the relation anti-imperialist and socialist tasks of the revolution.
It is mass resistance which has weakened the
Sandinistas continue to allow
bourgeois opposition National Patriotic Front to dictate its goals.
Radical
of national unity,
reform of the National Guard rather
than its dissolution -
are designed to maintain bourgeois
and imperialist interests
mining
organisation.
the head of the Nicaraguan masse
against Somoza requires the fullest
being coordinated
American Human Rights Committee
(59a Church Street, factor. Middlesex TW7
organising meetings
country with a feature-length film on
the struggle. Get your organisation to
sponsor a meeting and order leaflets
and posters
• For further background on the
struggle in Nicaraoug.
referred to articles by Fausto Amador
(Vol. 17, Nos. 21 and 22).
HUGO Blanco, with the left-wing has recently well-known among the with six
about recent wage security,
sabotaging 'destruction', (which tation. perks like Blanco deputy action
victory of Blanco.
Darlalnenlal y
sweeping Peru, urgent
the dictatorship.
The members THREE
'South
statistics student
the Lianelli years mass will take place.
between the produced a discussing
regime. Yet
the within the The
in the wider cooperation.
0762.
Thus they propose a government
APOLOGY and radical LAST - demands which
by underChapman. independent working class
But despite these problems in the
Press
Solidarity in Britain is presently
Roy the Central 17, No.
Old Isleworth, struggle for 6BE), who around the
year (48 cheques to Intercontinental Press/Inprecor and send
deputy of the • alliance the Constituent Assembly in Peru and a
Trotskyist leader, has been charged by the military regime
offences: sabotaging production, offences against public
disturbing peace, the agrarian reform, and anti-state agi-
is the third left-wing to be arrested The Constituent Assemblyruled that there was no case against Victor Cuadros of
UDP and Hernan Cuentas of FOCEP. But the Assembly's mandate expires next month, and the regime could then decide to take. further
against them well proceeding with the charges against
All three were arrested because they have refused to play the regime's
and have instead used the Assembly as a forum to champion working class struggles. With a new wave of strikes now
the regime's most need is to prevent the emergence of a national opposition to
THE British government has jailed four Trotskyists in Hong Kong fo unlawful assembly. Our 'democratic' rulers objected to a peaceful picket of the 'New China News Agency office on 5 April in solidarity with the democratic movement in China.
four imprisoned three of the Revolutionary Marxist League and a sympathiser, are: Leung Kwok Hung, a garment worker (two months); Chan Chung Wah, a student (three months); Wong Chung Ching, & shopkeeper (three months); and Hou Man delivery worker (two months). Threi
RML given suspended sentences.
Welsh rugby clubs Llanelli, Cardiff and Newport — face opposition to their planned tours of South Africa this summer from the
Wales Campaign Against Racism in Sport' which aims to stop what will inevitably be a boost to the beleaguered apartheid regime.
The campaign has already put out
showing the level of discrimination against 'non-whites' in South African sport. One example is state awards for sport. Out of 523 none have gone to Africans or Asians. and only 24 to coloureds.
A tour of factories by a Soweto
build support for the campaign is planned, and there will also be a mass picket on 28 June of the Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli, where
"bon voyage' dinner (guest speaker Edward Heath MP)
videotape her case and its
treatment Irish political is placed European
week's report from Peru should have been credited to Robin Hamer and Colin Chapman. The accompanying photo was by Colin
Intercontinental
THE Kurdish and Arab struggles ir Iran are featured in the latest issue of Intercontinental Press/Inprecor (Vol.
23), which also includes major articles on Kampuchea, the
the 35-hour week in Europe, and the attitude of socialists to the Moscow Olympics.
Single copies of the journal cost 30p plus 10p p&p, but subscriptions work out much cheaper at $2.50 for an introductory offer of 10 issues, £5 for six months (24 issues), and f9 for a
issues). Pense Wake onl 'Intercontinental Press to: IP/I, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP.
Socialist Challenge 21 June 1979 Page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
Khomeini's 'national fist' fails to land
NTERN
By John Leadbetter
AN ALL-POWERFUL president is the main proposal in the draft constitution
drawn up by the Khomeini regime. The draft. suggests that the president should be elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term, and
snowd be able to choose le orime minister.
dissolve parliament, and act as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
The aim is clearly to remove the regime as far as possible from any accountability to the masses. Thus the drait eoually tais to make ans mention of regional autonomy or the principle OHION Celerite
But no piece of paper is going to settle the issue. Many of these being fought out in struggle — as in the Arab
province of Khuzestan. Here nine Trotskyists of the HKS (Iranian section of the Fourth International] and three leaders of the local oil workers committee are being held in jail in the town of Ahwaz. Sedition charge
The Trotskyists were seized by the local Imam Committee after they issued a statement
against the Arab population of Khorramshahr. They now face execution on charges of sedition and incitement to insurrection.
This repression is the regime's response to the demands of the Arab people of Khuzestan i01 basic democratic rights. majority of the working people in the province. Yet they have been denied all national and
in a region which -large chemical plants, and installations — produces more wealth than any other in Iran.
The Political Front of the Arab People and other nationalist groups demands at & rally in Khorramshahr in early May. These included: recognition of Arabic as the first language of the representatives in the constituent assemb v and on all local, regional and national councils; use of a percentage of oil revenues for development of Arab education and the Khuzestan area; and the incorporation of these demands into the constitution.
The local Imam Committees, which are made up of non-Arabs, campaign of daily organisations. Prime
Madani, Khuzestan, censored all reports from the area and attempted demands of the Arab people by raising the spectre of 'separatism'.
Madani in particular boasted: "To-day raise the national fist of Iran. permit the separation of one centimetre of the land of Iran. Our fist will smash the heads of all those who try to separate any part of Iran.' Islam
The 'national fist' of Iran cannot be wiekded indefinitely, however. differences between the religious and secular forces still remain unsolved.
By David Frankel ACCORDING to its supporters, the SALT I1 arms treaty is a step towards peace. restrain the nuclear arnas race. It will lessen the likelihood of a nuclear. war', US secretary of State Cyrus Vance declared.
aliti Pentagon's nuclear arsenal will be expanded under the proposed treaty.
Since SALT treaty concluded in 1972, nuclear arsenals in both the Soviet Union and the United States have roughly According to a speech on 5 March by Senator Mark Hatfield, the number of Soviet warheads increased 2,100 to 4,000, while the number of nuclear warheads in the Pentagon's arsenal went from 4,600 to 9,000.
The same process will occur under the SALT II accord. Summing up its expectations in an editorial titled 'We Support SALT', the US journal New
explained
knock-outa
for Iran
questions are already
goveralden troops
long sentences and possibly
They Iorn ine
- with its extensive oil-fields,
otber industrial
first raised their
Arab people; confidence responded with
attacks Arab Minister Bazargan and governor-general
misrepresent the just
We will not
The
Not
Behind the scenes,
advantages, the double the total Soviets do; in 12,000 8,000.'
the 'arms limitation supporters increase in the weapons deployed!
Those
doubled.
from greater.
But
public opinion
May: • Carter as a man of peace.
Page 12
Bazargan has attempted to rebuild the old army and state structures in order to regain the of both domestic capital. But his efforts are being undermined by the trials and executions of top army and civil service personnel, which have been authorised by Khomeini's 'revolútionary Islamic Council, as part of a plan to construct a new type of state, backed by & thoroughly purged army, with a cohesive Islamic ideology.
Failure continued failure to compromise on this question severely binders the ruling class from reintroducing order and stabilising the new regime.
surprisingly, dissatisfaction impatience is growing throughout the country. Unemployment stands at 3.5 million, nearly & third of the labour force. As yet, government
SALT means more nukes!
'Because of submarine and bomber
US currently has warheads that the 1985 we will have • 0 Ine Soviets'
Here we are presented with an
treaty' waxe loresee a 25 of nuclear cent number
accept the SALT framework offer the lame argument that it is necessary to support the treaty because without it the increases in the arms budget might be even Soviet
the whole purpose of the SALT debate, from the point of view of the ruling class, is to try to prepare
for precisely such arms budget by playing up the supposed Soviet threat While at the same time presenting
have come to nothing. foreign • In SUTIC
week.
Organisation
reach
and divide Carter jacking who has vowed continue up the military budget by at least 3 per cent in real dollars each year, is now able to present his new weapons programmes as necessary concessions to hawkish senators who would otherwise refus‹ to vote for the SAIL treaty.
Kenneth Bacon bluntly explained the tactic to readers of the Wall Street Journal in an article on 12 December: 'Even if an arms control ratified...the debate is likely to leave many people feeling less secure about
strength, more suspicious intentions and, therefore, more willing to increase US defence spending.'
Since coming into office January 1977, Carter has had consistent policy within the limits imposed on him by the anti-war mood of the Amencan working cids. increasing arms spending and pushing towards military intervention abroad.
promises to create projects to absorb the jobless
factories, struggles around economic questions are beginning to re-appear. Workers are implementing the 40-hour week by simply not turning up for work one day each
In Kurdestan, & high level of independent organisation still exists despite the attempted pogrom by government forces two months ago. There is a possibility that a Nationai Assembly of Kurdestan will soon be convened.
The HKS has consistently supported these and other struggles throughout Iran and is the only group effectively able to counter attempts ho dived lines. Tort is on mes religious and target for the crackdown regime for the crit must be defended. the Khorneini
to The boldest moves have come in pact is the Middle East in the wake of the Iranian revolution. These include:
The $5 billion worth of new arms of being shipped to Israel and Egypt • Trial balloons about the possible establishment of US air and naval bases in Israel and Egypt, and a treaty that opens the door for basing US ground forces in the Sinai. • The sending of $540 million in US arms to North contingents of US • The dispatch of a US naval fleet, including
Colates including
embassies and consulates.
support already won.
the seamen's union, union at
signed in many countries unionists, MPs, and party leaders.
many student unions. become a should be
Minister, Tehran,
Constellation, May,
to ment Carter
Yemen, along with
'advisers'. imperialist
aircraft carrier
A WORLDWIDE defence campaign has been launched by the Fourth International to free the nine HKS members, as well as the three jailed members of the Ahwaz oil workers' council. Actions are known of in more than a dozen
pickets of
A particular feature is the labour movement
In Sweden, telegrams have been sent by the harbour workers' union
and the metal workers'
Volvo (Gothenburg). The printworkers' union congress in Switzerland sent a telegram. Telegrams or petitions have also been
by leading trade
In Britain those who have taken up the case include Amnesty International, the Tribune Group, the Iranian Women's Solidarity Group the Campaign for Solidarity with Iran, and
redi Bazarand, Prime sent to: Mehdi Bazargan, Iran; and to the Islamic Revolutionarv Counci. Tehran. Irar
to the Gulf of Aden during the conflict between North and South Yemen this March. • Plans for the creation of a US "Fifth Fleet' in the Indian Ocean • The establishment of a 100,000strong Mid-East intervention force. Along with these moves has come a serious attempt to reinstitute the draft. As New York Times military analyst Drew Middleton explained on the attempt to restore conscription is due to la belief that in the (next) decade the Army will be summoned to intervene and perhaps defence of American interests outside continental Europe'. words, the imperialists are well aware that they will have to fight new Vietnam-style wars if they are to contain the social upheavals that threaten their profits. pursuing contradictory policy. The proposed SALT II treaty is not an isolated move towards peace in an overall policy of aggression. On the contrary, SALT II is part and parce of the imperialist war policy.
Page 13 scan of this page
By John Marshall THE 1972 miners' strike was one of the most
class victories in Britain. was the start of two years of struggle which destroyed the Heath government. Learning the lessons of this struggle is organising any fight against Thatcher today.
The strike began amid defeats. In early 1971 the Tories had scored a major vIctory thoroughly defeating a seven-week strike by the postal workers. The government's wage policy that each maior settlement must be l ner cent lower than the last was holding firm.
But Heath still faced the major problem that victories in the public sector were not nearly enough. The employers reverse the tremendous decline in the rate of profit in British industry by inflicting major defeats on the industrial unions.
Here the government had a much tougher fight on its hands. In 1971 the Ford workers had wared a mator strike against the company. and workers at Upper Clyde occupied the yards against government had to take on and defeat a major group of industrial workers to impose its economic policies. It chose to confront the miners.
Confidence
Preparation by the strike was intensive. were built up. The City of London Newspaper wrote: Months before the coal strike started, ministers were saying in private government would establish inflation". policy by a resounding victory over the miners.
The Times expressed the confidence of the government and employers: "Coalstocks away from the pits are large enough to withstand a strike for weeks, if it does not spread, with marginal disruption to industry and commerce as a whole.'
These words 'if it does not spread' were to be the key to the whole strike.
Sympathy
Certainly the TUC did nothing to help the miners. It refused to call a meeting of transport unions to organise solidarity with the strike. The seamen's union, asked to import of coal, said it was sympathetic but it must be remembered that our members are on articies une regulations Shipping Act) when on board ship and they cannot break these'.
Worst of all, the EETPU and the GMWU agreed pay deals for the power workers just as the miners' strike was getting under way.
There was enormous smoathy for the NUM in the working class, blocked bv the union leaderships. The decisive question was whether the miners would wage a. struggle determined enough to rally working class support against the sabotage of the TUC.
Right from the start the government did everything possible to isolate the miners and break the strike. It cut down power supplies to impose hardship on the rest of the working class and try to turn Inem against the miners policy it was to use again in 1974 with the three day week. The press went on about how the miners were making everybody suffer.
The government's attempts to break the strike were not confined to propaganda. The employers and the state used the toughest possible measures.
Injuries
At Dover scab lorry drivers, iron bars, were paid f20 a day to drive through the picket lines At Grimethorpe three miners were injured when a scab lorry driver smashed his lorry through a picket line. At the firm of T.Simpson a picket had his foot crushed and another was injured by a scab wielding a meat HOOK.
The police and the law openly collaborated with the scabs and the employers. newspaper photograph of a iron bar was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions he wrote back:
It would be necessary for the prosecution to prove that the truck driver carried the bai with the intention of using it to injure. therefore he was merely holding it so as to cause. the pickets to move away from his truck so that he could drive away without danger to himself or anyone else, I do not consider that an offence would be established. propose to take any action in the matter.' Respectable
Faced with these vicious ruling class attacks the situation was very clear. would go beyond any of the forms of struggle used since the war or it would be smashed.
But the NUM leaders held back. Gormley was very careful to say how 'respectable' the
He told the Morning Star in December 1971: 'If we are forced to strike from
a vital part of
working class
sector by
could. only
Shipbuilders had
closure. The government for the Enormous coal stocks
that the their 'antiboycott the
the Merchant
but it was being
- a armed with When a
scab wielding an
If
not therefore
of the last war... fuel was in short supply.'
Either the strike
'If it does not spread
The 1972
miners' strike
9 January it will be the first official dispute of the NUM since it was formed towards the end
We did not rock the boat when
The desire to be respectable also came up in the first key choice of the strike safety men should come out. When they did in most pits this was attacked by Gormley. He told The Times: "The men are being a damn sight more militant than we would want them to be.
WEST DRAYTON
COAL DEPOT
Another view entirely was put by pickets from Murton pit in Durham to the newspaper 7 Days: 'We've held ourselves because we were sold out by our own leaders and the Labour Party. They want the pickets to be respectable. Being respectable got us where we are at the bottom.
But if the NUM leadership hesitated to act at the beginning of the strike, the rank and file did not. Théy set out determinedly to smash the employers' offensive.
The first step "secondary' miners
would have been useless.
across the country.
Blockade
down.
London a
power station.
miners struck self-defence. power station the oil
Special 'hard" brought in,
police. Fiercest
of pitched
Then it started.
strike.
law had all faile
the police back." major industrial union. than they were then.
The lorry
long
working class. struggle government
industrial
was the massive use of pickets. The government had calculated that the miners would just picket the pits. The TUC refused to call for a boycott of coal and simply said that union members should refuse to cross picket lines. There must have been a few wry smiles pulled at the General Council of the TUC over this.
With 31 million tons of coal stored away from the mines, what did it matter if drivers could not reach any pit-head stockpiles? If the
had followed the normal strike procedure of merely picketing their places of work the agreement not to cross picket lines
But if there was no point in placing pickets on the pits, the answer was to take the pickets to the workers. The mass pickets began to spread
The key targets were of course the power stations, which were picketed until they shut
These pickets were so complete that in 'naval blockade' was established. Miners took over a pleasure boat and wen down river, complete with loudhailers, to stop coal being transported by water into Battersea
The clashes on these pickets were ferocious. They reached their culmination when one miner was killed by a speeding scab lorry. But the
back with real workers'
Scabs were pulled from lorries and loads dumped on the road.
At Keresley the floodlights were shot out with an air rifle, the junction box for the lights was smashed with a sledge hammer, six inch Halls wore cmocduca In lne arive, and broker glass spread on the road. At Alderman's Green
•tine set by the
The fiercest struggle came at Longannet power station, where the electricity board was prepared to use helicopters to bring in workers and six naval boats were used to bring oil in.
squads the police were ; who threw workers in jail without bail or trial. Mick McGahey, the Scottish Area President of the NUM, was assaulted by the
If Longannet was the fiercest battle, Saltley coke depot in Birmingham was the greatest victory. For a week six hundred police fought to keep the depot open. Four police and countless miners received severe injuries. After four days
battles between roughly equal numbers of police and pickets, the working class of Birmingham acted.
Two hundred shop stewards from all the major factories in the East Midlands district of the AUEW met. The following morning further police reinforcements were called in, and six
out of the debot Forty thousand workers struck. Eleven thousand poured down the hills onto the picket. The police were swept aside. At 10.45am on the morning of 10 February 1972 the gates of Saltley coke depot were slammed shut. They never re-opened until the end of the
Saltley was the end as far as the ruling class was concerned. The violence of the scabs, , the campaign of the press, and the open use of the
As Tory MP William Deedes put it: "Th crux at places like Saltley was not how the las was interpreted but how it could be enforced. It was not doubtful law but numbers which held
At Saltley and in hundreds of other unsung struggles the rank and file of the NUM hac broken the back of the capitalists' assault. The government's income policy was smashed.
There were still setbacks to come. In 1973 the hospital workers suffered a severe defeat. But the government of Heath had been shaken to its foundations. It had been shown that a government could be defeated in struggle by a
The second miners' strike of 1974 rammed home the lesson by bringing down the Heath government. In the February 1974 election the Tory Party received its lowest proportion of the votes in any general election this century.
The great lessons of the 1972 miners' strike still apply today. The TUC and union leader: are no more prepared to wage a struggle now
But the Ford and lorry drivers' strikes last winter showed once again that the industrial working class have the power to destroy any government policy.
drivers' strike in particular showed the power of mass picketing and why the Tóries are so determined to destroy it. No victory for the Tories in any other field can make up for decisive defeats by the core of the
Victory is possible by SHRAN against. even the most reactionary
As in 1972 it will be the fight between the
and Thatcher that will determine the outcome of the class struggle.
Socialist Challenge 21 June 1979 Page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
LETTERS Fighting Zionism and anti-semitism I FOUND Steve Cohen's article on. the links between anti-semitism and immigration controls (7 June) really interesting. But the lesson drew regarding the links fighting• Llorism and anti-semitism
cown.
Why should every
anti-semítism? This might have been the case atter 1945, but it's not now. We shouldn't base our opposition to Israel and Zionism on the grounds
Zal-sorulsal
Zionism, by its yery nature, was and is a colonial project. This meant that the Israeli state could only be established
Zionism because we support the rights of the victims of colonialism. This
we should support the rights of the Paletinian Arabs to return to their homeland (regardless of the fact that this may mean the destruction of the Israeli state).
Steve's points from the standpoint of a Zionist, then one can only conclude that there is something to be worried
Are imporaniy, it More importantly, you look at the same thing from the point of a Palestinian, then you can only conclude that people who say
based on capitulation anti-semitism, but nor should we go out of our way lo ayVCaSG Zionists. Wę do have to take up the struggle against anți-semitism. But it is a political error to confuse the two DaLLISS
rights of the Paletinians by bulding a
CaliDadu struggle and to take the fight against
Facts on the French CP MARTIN Meteyard (24 May) writes that French Communist Party leaders 'now cynically admit that they broke the Union (of the Left) because the SP
cruiting out of it — a rather startling admission of the bankruprcy of their Meteyard could tell us wnere and by
mission' has been made?
MOSS SIDE Socialist Challenge supporters sell the paper at Moss Side Centre. Saturdav. 11-1.
Ahe paper s naiies al oute in lobile be
JURIN RAU
HPLA AVUGH socialst Chalenge sale baturdav tuncoeme near ine lotterv Cleveland Centre. Also available from Newsfare r'Ol imortnation abont the suDDOrerS actiriles leese Si, calas So ipe Ced. Turs. oks 64 Quen Ste roosw. Ohon Wed.
Socialist Challenge 21 June 1979 Page 14"
that he between and Robel.
A.S.Simmons (London SE14) answer Communist
Chartists and
the SCLV
ON behalf of Socialist
you!
the helped the devolution But
limited resources alow comrades seem to be mixing
SCL V's programme at wit.
-HOL.U
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE EVENTS
Hastin Lalk v
caluraay
40 cLas.
MIDLANDS
DupDoriC batkinorn BOOks • Rooke
It seems to me to show the same degree of ignorance (with the usual anti-Communist venom added) as his statement that François Hincker was 'one of the authors of a recent book, The USSR and Us'. Everyone who knows anything about the French CP knows that the authors of this book were Adler, Cohen, Decaillot, Frioux
• The pre-conference contribution by PCF politicel bureau member André
in 'Humanité (19 April)
union on a programme did not allow
stronger, and it was, on the contrary,
profited from this experience ' I still
leader on the PCF's policy between
to pull me up for misattributing the authorship of The USSR and Us. apologise to all concerned. However this does not alter, my substantive
Hincker from the central committee because, as editor of the party journal Nouvelle Critique, he had allowed too much
Charter I would like to correct sóme major both. inaccuracies that have appeared in
regard tendency. Although this is hardly the place to take up the basic differences between us, any future serious debate (to which we look forward) will not be
HNCHCCHLOLOER and
revolutionaries' (10 May), you state: •Workers Action and the Chartists took wrong and sectarian positions on major questions such as the ANL and
matter of fact, we have always given support to the ANL - as far as our
made certain criticisms within that
we unrestrycul)
US up
Jon Duveen (31 May) accuses us of giving critical support to some of
boroughs (which is true), but then
on to call this 'amending the
SCLV is not a monolithic disciplined body but a broad and open forum for
arrangement (221 7481). Wide range of Fourth
HAMILION supporters sell Socialist Chatlenge +-Spr. For eraits of local astiviies conta
group meets regularly. Phone Geore sut 031-945
normation , ab011 Socia ist ( naben ge cıve ıom oư vucn cägv Join in SC sales outside Boots (corner of Reform
outside New Street station every Saturday, 10-4.
Highfields Community Centie. Paper on sale at
mets every other Sunday. Contale sil oup onizllce KRIS MI.
DEWSBURY Socialist Challenge sales regularly on Saturday mornings in Westgate at the Nat
the whole far left in the Labour Party (a 'class struggle left wing', you might say). The SCLv as such retains its opposition to rate increases (though this could be changed at the autumn recall conference); meanwhile it conducting an open and democratic debate on the issue, which divides
organised tendencies independent activists.
Finally, our change of mind on the rates issue is alleged to reflect opportunist relationship to councillors Knight Livingstone, rather than being the
sober and thorough
incidentally fails to explain how else he thinks Lambeth or Hackney could build council houses or pay NALGC members like myself) is reminiscent of
MARTIN COOK (London SE24) Scotching rumours (2)
'Scotching rumours' (31 May). Yes
behaviour of Scotland's soccer fans. With a friend I went as an Engalnd
events will perhaps convince everyone of the value of Socialist Challenge as
Westminster Bank. 12.30-2.00pm.
LEEDS Socialst Challem fam-1. 3e paying a
tadeny
YORK Socialist Challenge is on sale at the York buln- yest, was lo dox voz, co r'umark 110 Cheltenham Rd. Bristol
every Saturday from 10am-ipm above bar. Post
Challenge irom the Oz Shop, 44 Union Si, Ryde.
ROTBALL FANS
NO SCOTS
Ne boarded a tube at Baker Stree for Wembley Park Everywhere was packed with Scots. Everyone was excited for what the Scots regard as the game.
The tube ground to a halt before Dollis Hill and for half an hour we were left in appalling conditions. The and air was stale, the heat overpowering,
and the People fainted and everyone felt ill. all My frend is an officer in the fire left service and is always talking of his and work in hair-raising
situations. However, never been so scared;
that people would die if the doors
kicked off. This cincided with the first effort to communicate with the 'animals'. We were told that the doors would be opened on one side of the train and that the electrified rail had been switched off to enable us to walk along the line to the next station. A special train would then take us to the
enquiring about the 'special train' a railworker told us that this was a 'con', and we would have to walk to Wembley. In fact we ran a mile before distance. Finally we got to the match
announcement informed the crowd
closed, and that spectators should use
tenire.
Faturays 1730a m-Ipais Cmecial Sales
salt
bokslall
COLCHESTER SC supporters meet regularly o every orerss tline 21 27 for saller aclats.
PADDINGTON/N KENSINGTON supporter Sel inele ereyere sacune panond, Wincior nrr.NJ suDDorlers al DurA so KliburN Hiea ko. London Ny
regularly on Sunday evenings. For details phon Mick on Hemel Hempstead 41037. Also pape
TAe 'army"
treated. more nenaviolt Solihull) yours banks article in pointing
Challenge
1.10pm nationally
no reason
bank life-and-death he said he'd so he wedged
anachronism in
the population. 1 am CUC CISSUIN
to the left in
THE
letters
normally
request. 45hilLa
TOWER
Markel HACKNEY Ci nursoays aruniversyolseas
outside Sainsburv' s
HARINGEY paper
tortnightiy on
ASO available Muswe:
Middle Lane, Labour
Frine Bo . Res i
about a mile towards this, station,
people walking back told us it was
closed! A policeman informed us that
there wasn't any public transport. So
walked back past the stadium to the West End.
I was amazed at the way we were But what amazed me even the quite exemplary or the Tartan Army.
Throughout the day I saw no violent
act although the circumstances were
the most intimidating I have faced. In fact the Scots' attitude made me
embarrassed to be English. Thank
you once again for the truth
DEREK JONES (NATFHE member
Lloyds Bank
and Chile
so alled aolsina e pae ik
so-called "revolutionary?
with Lloyds. But an Tribune of 1 June contribured more tha 200 miltan that Lloyds dollars to the Chilean junta over the past two years - and your rather abject appeal for funds in your issue of 31 May have prompted me to write.
l ask you therefore why Socialist
continues to bank with •Lloyds when there is a socially owned bank, the Co-operative bank, and the
owned Girobank existence? I await your explanation with interest, and in the meantime see
why should pay you a standing order through a capitalist
SIMON PARTRIDGE [London N7] Tories' win I BELIEVE that at this point in time an overall Tory victory was necessary to illustrate to the majority of British voters that there is a deep-seated crisis in the capitalist system which renders
Thatcher-type programme an
1980s Britain, • one which has no chance of working save at the expense of the vast majority of
confident that the main of this result will produce a sharp and permanent swing
British politics, and eventually force the British workers to reassess the relevance for them of the parlamentary democratic system. CAROLE HODGE (Glasgow)
of letters
printed will be kept
may the
Unsigned will not published,
on VALTHAMSTOW readers can buy Social
from Sheridan's New
LEYTON readers can buy Socialist Challeng from Patel's Newsagents, 326 Lea Bridge Roa
HAMLETS Socialist ADam, Brick Lamte (Lorne+ of Buxoa 31) weekend: Saturdays mee
Whitechap
12-2pm, in Kingsland High St, Dalston -ree supporter!
ARROW Socialist Challenge supporters n
gularly, details from Box 50, London N1 2
• sales at Finsbury Park seyen sisters tubes, umurs everme, Muswen rl ana (rouch ena broadwaks barurtay morit
Muswel! Hil C HOOKSAEN Hill Br; any BoKmas s, Vares newsagent N8; and Finsbury
S.E.LONDON SC group meets Saturdays 1lar paper sale in market. All local
CAMDEN SC group public meting: : Why did
Page 15 scan of this page
paufịsse
pue InoqeT pasad SE
Jo ayt
шол] aJEMEUN Jo pue SSaL LaAR
e sem pey 1-
01
Jo
Ardus Aquado ue
ODAL
aind HAIT
a pue passarddo os pastreiomapos
SEA!T pue santanamos pinom
Ua4L 947.
В ЭМ
Ч8n014I
Tv d
puedsailos amOs Annąe en
Be J0]
эyt pue 1010 941 porad
имор 1SOU
AL suoners
pue "Surop:
$ c se e
OUM. 210M э47.
10ys am 'OOL tE punoJe
•
101
рив "!! 1nоqе pasnjuos, aus oya fue assn
•!
ITAL э47 97
den en pasea 241 241 ssem
Page 16 scan of this page
CORRIE'S LAW- FORCED CHILDBIRTH!
Fayerseyside Abortion Campaign
EIGHT people on Merseyside are standing in the way of women having access to safe, early abortion on the NHS.
These are the gynaecologists in Rodney Street who will abortion, but only if you can pay up to £100 for it.
Unly three out of ten women in Merseyside can get an abortion under the NHS.
The area health authority, nearly three years ago, agreed to a day-care unit in Liverpool, only be cheaper for the NHS, but safe and simple for women.
However, the refuse to operate this, not on moral grounds, but because they will lose money.
Angry at the hypocrisy and greed of the gynaecologists, the Merseyside abortion campaign organised a picket outside the private rooms in Rodney St.
In front of a huge banner. abou 60 people chanting slogans marched along the street and managed to block off the road outside the consultants' rooms for a short while, •You only believe in it when we pay for it."
Our reason for being there was made clear when a Rolls Royce slid past and into the back entrance of the consulting rooms.
A day-care unit in Liverpool's Sefton General Hospital possibility.
So, the next day we occupied the out-patient cinic at the family planning session to make our point.
. A Jetler was reac out staung Wal the out-patient clinic would stitable place carry. abortions. Ail the facilities are there, including ocyclal trained willing to perform abortion.
These actions were just the first of many planned Dy Ine abortion campaign day-care abortion clinic.
Next Saturday, 23 June, a day of action with stalls and street theatre is pauned for the centre of Liverpool. Registered with the Post
Socialist Unadenge
ew anti-abortion BIl
It's not only Corrie
perform which would not
gynaecologists shouting:
Is a real real, traditional ale.
finishing
luckily be out early the end of it. doctors
Merseyside secure pubs.
individual Our thanks to in the last two weeks:
Office
OUR FUND DRIVE
'EVEN after a month of abstinence, Anon keg beer still tastes as if it's polluted with raw sewerage in comparison with
That was John May's verdict after month's sponsored 'dry-out' to raise money for socialist Challenge. Luckily for John real ale is available in his part of the world, and
. for us ne was able to keer going for a month without a drink knowing he would get a decent pint at
This letter came £14, and AHN there's more to come when he tracks down a few more debtors in the local DH
That does not mean we don't want
WCau those contributing
Published by Relgocrest
AS Socialist Challenge went to press,
Tory MP John Corrie seemed to be on
the verge of announcing a Private
Member's Bill to introduce further restrictions on the control a woman may have over her own body.
Corrie, "Lie MP Ayrshire and Bute, had this to say in Glasgow's Evening Times on women and abortion:
"A girl has to be very naive not to know by 16 weeks that she pregnant. If she is having an abortion she should have had it by then. After 16 weeks she should be made to have her baby.'
These three sentences ee sententes stail the anti-abortion sanctimonious, sugary sentiment in
Which it is normally wrapped. Corrie
says it plain and simple: a woman "should be made to have her baby':
No if the concerned was 'naive? and know she was pregnant.
Cardiff SC J.E.Spragg 2 French comrades J May's dry-out Camden SC Group Sales of fruit Ed Mahood (Canada)
Hackney SC benefit Camden IMG Marianne Ebel Tower Hamlets IMG AUEW Shop Steward
Bristol SC supporter
Red Drinker R.Jeffrey Glasgow subscriber Weekly Total Cumulative Total £1,428.48
No matter if concerned would mental or emotional pain if she gave birth.
On 12 No matter North concerned was
'ashamed' to do anything about her pregnancy before
No matter, the woman will be birth.
It hardly needs spelling out that what is involved in Corrie's Bill is an attack on democratic rights as basic as -thịs reactionary ment is likely to see. What Corrie is
the moving towards is not just marginal
restrictions on the control a woman • has over her own body, but a policy.of forced birth which carries with it truly horrendous implications.
So this isn't just an issue for the women's movement; it is an issue for woman every progressive, didn't individual and organisation in the £10.00
2.50
1.00 Domestic: 6 months, £5; 12 months, £10
5.00 14.00 25.00 20.00 10.00
Name . 25.00 40.00 Address 20.00 1.43
1.00 10.26
2.00
6.00
5.00
5.00
'Socialist Challenge'. 221:19
Ltd. for Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper St, London. N1. Printed by Feb Edge Litho Ltd (TU),
the face enormous havt
the woman raped and
door.
is Corrie's argument; has 'made' to give
rally Tory Parlia-
Party
October.
even liberal
SUBSCRIBE NOW
Abroad: Airmail, £16.50. Surface, f10 per annum.
Multi-reader institutions: double individual rate I enclose a donation for the Fighting Fund of ...
Cheques, POs and Money Orders should be made payable to
Complete and return to: Socialist Challenge, 328 Upper Street, London N¿
Corrie has jibed, 'I dare say I'll
women's libbers pounding me'. That is not a quarter of it, Mr Corrie. From this week on the hope is that you will be so denounced
the reactionary, authoritarian specimen which you are that you will be afraid to pop your head out of any
The National Abortion Campaign
formulated plans which can defeat the Bill - but only if these plans receive the massive backing the deserve from the women's, student and labour movement. The
include a demonstration and coincide with the second reading of the Bill, estimated to take place on 13 or 20 July, emergency
conference; Women's TUC to honour its pledge to organise a national demonstration in
From this week on the maximum unity and the maximum action necessary to bury Corrie's Bill. From this week on it should be the number one issue for all of us
3-4 The Oval, London Ez.
← Socialist Challenge No. 100, 14 June 1979Socialist Challenge No. 102, 28 June 1979 →