Socialist Challenge No. 178, 1 January 1981
The scan: sc-n178-jan-01-1981.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.
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Challenge THE CHALLENGE FACING US IN 1981 JOBS NOT BOMBS
* JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * BOBS NOT BOMBS BOBS NOT BOMBS SNOT M
* NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS
BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS
BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS
Irish Struggle
p3 Rebirth of CND -
p5
Socialist JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS
alist Challenge
BRITAIN OU
Action
The Economy and
the Tories p9
* JOBS NOT
REVIEW OF 1980
BOMBS * JOBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS
No. 178
El Salvador insurrection AS WE go to press, news is coming in of a nationally co-ordinated attempt at insurrection in El Salvador.
For some weeks now it has been clear that the Salvadoran struggle was reaching a crunch point. It seems likely that the Revolutionary Democratic Front will soon announce the formation of a government in exile in Mexico.
Latest reports say that a 1,500-strong guerrilla column in El Salvador is marching southwards, and that there is heavy fighting with government forces at the town of Duice Nombre de Maria, 100 miles north of San Salvador.
Socialist Challenge will contain detailed coverage of the insurrection next week.
48 виде NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS
Women's Struggles, Prospects for '81
1 January 1981 20р
* 3S NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBSO
JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT BOMBS * JOBS NOT
BaM!
JOBS NOT
Poland
p687
Page 2 scan of this page
Socialist Challenge
Revolutionary socialist weekly
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ERS: We urgently nee Socialist Challenge 1 January 1981 Page 2
User maurice.
Storm
signs
for '81
that it would be perilous to ignore.
Over Republicans Democrats found common cause conducting the wi been slow to Cor have not been war die he 10 presiden moting the nev war cinve. tial campaign demonstrated the same convergence in domestic policy. 'Monetarism' creed of both the candidates.
witness to a new rightward shift in the politics of the imperialist bourgeoisie as a whole. It was heralded by enthusiastic support enjoyed by Margaret Thatcher. It was consummated. by the endorsement given to Ronald Reagan: by Americar big business. Game
Reagan's victory will hasten y American policy further to the right. The Pentagon's campaign to double US war spen ding in five years will receive unabashed support from the
Her Europea allies will likewise be called upon to dramatically increase their contribution to the NATO war chest, regardless of the cost
forts of the American ruling co une sock "the
lass to gain renewed popula
upport or military adventure
i the Third World will be aide
While Reagan'te"
Reagan's victory marks a shift to the right in the capitalist politics of the USA
there being no other typ politics for the mass of th American working class), there is considerable opposition to the man who enters the White House on 20 January.
the USA, small but significant numbers of men and
are beginning
listrust and reject the lesse evil' game offered Republican and Democrat parties. Enemies
But the principal enemies of Ronald Reagan will be found abroad. orary operations in Iran and * нтесп
El Salvador will face the armed vigilance òf the peoples those countries. Washington is
as concerned as moscow that the workers of Poland do not
Renewed turmoil in
astern Europe and the threal
of political revolution is a high
price to the discom
ture of the Kremli takes his seat at the oval dear, Four days after
Michael Foot will doubtless be
confirmed as leader of the
Labour Labour
Wembley conferencomthe third
in nine months, will not end the
party's present crisis. Thé rul-
ing class, alarmed by the results
Pos mence
TWO election victories should govern the thoughts of British socialists in 1981: that oi Ronald Reagan as President of the USA, and Michael Foot as leader of the Labour Party. Both signal changes on the political map
ago ahead of the October frightens the left with the spectre of a split in the Parliamen tary Labour Party. But for the time being the trade content to Michael Foot can claw back the rains made by the left last year. lo derail the lett, Foot nas to to head off the movement against unemployment and for disar -by mament, and campaign to bring down the Tories this has been limited so far marching at the demonstrations, it's a risky game.
But Foot gives such mobilisations shitting the whole party to the left and undermining resistance of the right wing in the party still threatens to make worse rather than better for the right. Yet Foot is a cal happy one). of the shadow Cabinet elections ten the results Shadow the parliamentary clique gave the Pertaine face when rank another they refused to elect Benn or Heffer Both should challenge Foot elections broader franchise that will be Party's • decided at Wembley. or not they do, the fight in the party will continue, against the manoeuyres of the right wing and the trade union
Editorial.
Foot and Reagan — signs of stormy times
conference,
united action Labour Party
government.
wing ment never utgent,
has to be based dustrial unions.
Although the battle against
head of
side the Labour Party mass extra legitimacy
the programme further.
matters movement
tive (a
for the and For Benn
mained silent and inactive.
The fact that strikers succecded the question Whether ore of British not just to Irish
the
leadership, but in the fight for
between the ruling and the trade against the unions to kick out the Tory missiles
replacement
The need for a united lett
inside the labour move. prevent Cruise in 1983.
But what kind of left wing? Certainly such a left wing
on the inis these unions which will decide both
: the Tories" and, by virtue of their size, the outcome of the battle for leadership in-
for all.
It also has to be a left wim
Strength
with an international, socialist
That such a programme and such a left wing do
exist today in the labour shown b the for Nuclear shameful silence of leading left be wingers on the heroic and suc cessful struggle for the H Block
prisoners' 53 days 11U11 and other left MPs, with
honourable and usual ex-
- of Ernie Roberts, re
the hunger in winning most of their demands and rais
prominently in the minds April
decade previously was a tribute
the mass mobilisation of the
• the labour
and an indictment of those who would not support them. the
Much can be done to build shop left wing • 119 the labour movement. Our chief contribu tion to the world-wide struggle steel. against the new Reagan leader. ship of the US ruling class can mine be made by disarming our own
class The campaign siting of Cruise Britain and the of the current missiles by must hit top gear this year to
The first priority has to be given to any cal for mass ac tion on the streets, But also of critical importance is the need for the labour movement to organise the mighty forces that can bury the project once and
the labour movement con"ference called by the Campaign
Disarmament,
held in Manchester on March, will greatly advance the campaign ir tre tabusanas o delegates that are expected
the labour take the mass action message back into the rank and file
The slogan of :. JODS nol Bombs will likewise inform the link that socialists will be making between the weapons drive and unemployment. The TUC week of action called for 4-11
and Glasgow the demonstration on 21 February wiis be oecasions.tor pressive show of strength from
will give the opportunity for the whole trade union movement
say what the Leyland York bridge: enough is enough, workers saying
Yet the lack of a leadership that could turn this sentiment into fighting actión against the Tories means that i smallest development in this direction has to be seized. The most pro
development is that of
workers, miners, and steelworkers to defend jobs these industries. Already it has mispirea acvelopments such a
Sheffield conference of stewards to Or MeSt against the first round of the MacGregor closure plans
Such conferences will deter-
whether the • Triple Alliance will fight or be yo another cripple alliance' covering another retreat by the union leaderships.
…Genuine
Another challenge may be presenter to the abour move ment on 14 January when the Private Members? Bills - 02 given their first reading. Once again a known anti-abortionist MP has secured the top-slot
Whether or not Sainsbury goe ahead with his Bill, the Tor government will find a way to Diacale is rignl-wing Dase Will another anti-abortion measure:
The National Abortion Campaign has planned a labour movement conference for 14
national unions to commit the next Labour government to in troduce positive legislation to guarantee a woman's right to choose.
these three fronts bombs, jobs, and abortion the left can confront the shift to
bourgeoisie socialists can make some step towards building the type of
lett willg …in the labour movement which can overcome
problem thạt although Reagan is a consistent defender of the interests of the ruling class,
They defender of workers interests.
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Political status - the struggle continues
Ireland 1980:
British
it is
over'
In other words, hunger strike bv the Irish Republican prisoners ended, just in time to save the life of Sean McKenna, the first hunger striker to approach
The prophesied confronLalOu DCLWCON Republican community and the British state was thereby avoided, at least for the moment. Towards the end of the
hunger strike may start afresh on New Year's Dav
In one way that sums up Ireland in 1980. It was a year in which more questions were asked than answered; a year when foundations were laid, but few are clear whether the building will be built, or what it will look like if it is.
Deadlock
Towards the end of the year, justifiably, it was the
hunger strike which was
preoccupation. following comment from the Unionist Belfast News-Letter the day after the ending of the strike indicates
that preoccupation
The hunger strike dram Republican prisoners were in deadlock with the Government until
"confronta- reminds belween Ine UsA:and the Soviet Union a couple of decades ago.'
To those outside the north of Ireland such a comparison must appear ridiculous, yet there is no doubting the sense of deliverance many in that statelet felt at the ending of the strike. Relief
As the nationalist Irish News said: 'While conflicting accounts of the events leading
decision of the Republican hunger strikers to end their fast were being given yesterday, there was no conflict about the almost univer-
evidence of relief with which the news was greeted by the people of Northern Ireland.'
Note the use in that paragraph of the word
Not everyone expressed unlimited glee at the ending the depended on how that ending was interpreted.
The Unionists were divi-
'thankful
By Geoff Bell, in Belfast
NO BOMBS exploded in London at Xmas; no British soldiers were shot in Belfast; there were no riots in the streets of Derry. the ded. Democratic Unionist
leader lan Paisley saw the settlement weakening' from the government's previous position. Official Unionist Molyneaux disagreed, claiming Wal une chaing or the strike represented 'a rebuff to
the hunger strikers. Another Official Unionist, Powell, saw the outcome as *a draw'.
The Republicans were not equivocal. At a rally', held in Belfast on the Sunday before Xmas, Adams, vice-president Sinn Fein, maintained: "The British has been forced by the deter mination of the women 1n Armagh Block give the political recognition the meet has The British government been forced prisoners feel meet of the demands.'
The
Message But Gerry Adams went on to warn that not everything had been settled, that much still depended on a responsible attitude from the British government', and message today is to be vigilant and alert. The weeks ahead are the most crucial since the blanket protest began.'
The possibility of another police (right). (Photo: Joanne O'Brien)
MAIREAD
NUGENT hunger strike ended. considerable
leader James
EnC
Enoch
"victory
„Cry
government
and and H
prisoners BRENDAN
to HUGHES hunger strike the re- words added importance five Whatever views are held about the strike that just ended the Peoples this page balanced questionable victories in the campaign.
One was the emphasis on mass action; another was the 'the that action. Not for years had there been from the шишу, ана дос ror ycars пас that community applied such Scenes at one of the last hunger strike demonstrations: Bernadette McAliskey speaks to marchers during a sit-down in Armagh (left) after being stopped by
Ireland
TOMMY McKEARNEY
THE following is the text of a leaflet distributed by the Irish revolutionary socialist organisation People's Democracy, just after the
The ending of the hunger strike represents a limited victory for the prisoners and the H Block/Armagh campaign.
The British were forced to make concessions, but these do not amount to a full implementation of the five demands or a full recognition of political status.
This means that the campaign in defence of the prisoners must continue and that those involved in the campaign must examine the hunger strike strug. gle to develop a more coherent strategy for winning the mass of the Irish people to our cause.
The concessions are a limited victory because changes in the prison regime that the British were willing to concede in the face of mass protest were not available in the previous four years. We can only assume that these concessions are a result of the mass pressure exerted by the campaign.
However, the victory is limited. Concessions made on prison clothing and on association appear
MARY DOYLE those in the end, were made.
and the statement from
Democracy on seems the most there were unlaughe ontestabl ISSUer summit: who took part in possibility
such mass protest Republican comtually political British to
LEO GREEN tion. ment.
JOHN NIXON make the concessions which,
Thousands of people marched in the month when the diplomacy game finally came to Ireland, with the meeting carly in the month of Thatcher and Irish premier Charlie Ireland
now that important were discussed at this the long-term Paisley Britis political withdrawal from the north of Ireland; the creation of links, economic and even- dum
between the two parts ul treland, te bro mise by Haughey to consider
SEAN • McKENNA
' to fall short of the demands, and it is not yet clear it
they are enough to enable the prisoners to end the
blanket and dirty protests.
Also, the British are able to deny that political
status has been granted and are able to turn what is
essentially a political problem into a police opera
The British were able to hold out because the
mass of the Irish people were held hostage by the
Social Democratic Labour Party and, in the south,
the Fianna Fail government.
The trade union bureaucracy was also able to
hold in check the organised power of the Irish work-
ing class. It must be said that the Smash H
Block/ Armagh campaign did not have a central
strategy of challenging the SDLP and Fianna Fail and
building a special campaign in the workers' move.
The struggle goes on. We will have to continue
our defence of the prisoners. We will have to defend
ourselves from the Royal Ulster Constabulary and
the Ulster Defence Regiment. We will have to de.
fend the whole Irish people from the results of
Haughey's and Hume's collaboration with Thatcher.
MAIREAD FARRELL taking Ireland into NATO
There is little point predicting whether Thatcher will, in the end, endorse such a plan That she is thinking about i hows the pressure the Britis government is under, from
and internationally, to come up with a 'solution
On the Unionist side, lan
has. said he would fight to the death' to avoid a link-up with the south. His recent advocation of a referen-
within Britian on the north of Ireland's future has, bęhind it, a renewal of an option he has canvassed before
TOM McFEELEY RAYMOND MCCARTNEY
that of an independent 'Ulster'.
For the present, however, the population seems too divided to offer a united front on any issue. Terms
'I am thankful it is over,
said secretarv of state Hum
phrey Atkins, and although
ne was reterring to the (tirst! hunger strike he could well have said the same about
1980. If nothing else, the year has seen Britain grudgingly
with a tew of the realities of Ireland.
There is no dismissal now of the IRA there is no longer any bluster about the ot ireland having no right to a say in what happens in the north. Ir that context a measure of vic tory can indeed be claimed by UNSA Republicans and socialists - Britain has final-
persuaded thai Ireland will not go away.
Victory
There are dangers in that victory, for if Britain is now seriously considering a long term settlement of Ireland's British question it is certain that such a consideration wi only be undertaken if Britain's interests in Ireland as a whole are maintained.
If Britain has re-evaluated what do about ireland. would do no harm for Irish militants to re-evaluate how to square-up to Britain.
Socialist Challenge 1 January 1981. Page 3
Page 4 scan of this page
British Steel 1981:
It's
or die
By Celia Pugh
employed 230,000 people.
jobs were lost last year alone.
lowering manning
levels and closures,
Mac Gregor wishes to make
the Corporation leaner'. But
Ical Is not always healthy.
Warnings of summer closures
at major plants, and threats
liquidate the Corporation suggest that slimming
may turn into anorexia ner-
VUSa "Slimdown' to a
complete wasting away
TV press have
resented MacGregor as a
night in shining armour,
riding (for a fee, let it not be
forgotten, of f2m) to rescue
the industry from bankruptcy
and to relieve the British tax-
payer of the burden of sub-
sidy.
Loss
, BSC, despite a
subsidy of f950m, expects to
resent the government witt
un estimated loss of £600m
MacGregor claims to be able to SLOD £30-a-second haemorrhage by marketing.
wants increase home sales of finished steel to finished steel to 2.5m tonnes; 12m tonnes and exports of to cut capacity to 14.4m tonnes; to squeeze the workforce by productivity schemes and reduced manning, and to cut energy costs by reducing the consumption of coal.
According to the MacGregor plan, price competition will be minimised in agreement with private steel companies. Thus the present BSC closures in areas where production can be hived off to private concerns like GKN and Duport.
Plan
But few commentators, left _or right, share the thusiasm and optimism with C11which MacGregor announced
Corporate Plan.
Observers of the steel industry discern only continuing rundown of BSC. Some pro-
Socialist Challenge 1 January 1981 Page 4
Local Government in Crisis National
Labour & Trade
Union Conference
Recall conference 17 January,
Central Hall, Westminster,
London W1.
fightback
TEN years ago, the British Steel Corporation
If BSC chairperson lan MacGregor has his way. the Corporation will in March 1981 employ only 100,000; 52,000
phesy liquidation, for which the unions, if they Corporate Plan, responsible.
JuL DONC of the Plan.
Jobs Steelworkers will not protect their jobs and conditions if they play by the rules set by BSC and the Tories:
As the economies dive from stagnation to full-scale steelworkers Western Europe the sack.
World demand for has fallen steeply. ties in the car and machine tool industries, together with government cutbacks house, school, and hospital building, have played pa Every European steel producer is desperately seeking to squeeze Hule each worker and plant.
If the steel crisis is more severe in- Britain elsewhere, the reason lies not in the idle workers of Fleet Street but peculiar historical conditions of Britain's steel industry.
First Britain is paying the price for field. Built in the last century her steel mills were sited on the coalfields of a country whose industry was scattered in a dozen valleys. mans and the Japanese industrialized later, more advanced then available dominates the world market is Today, the steel in the vast steel plants that occupy the harbours and waterways of Japan, Germany America, thich world's iron ore is carried by giant tankers.
tion and members of
Tory government.
The steering group
simultaneously.
reject the will be held Here lies the real
Corporate
capitalist
recession, throughout are facing
steel Uncertain-
their
from shut down
In 1950, the Labour Party, eager to modernise steel,
in the took the industry
ownership of the year later, the Tories returned it to its former WaN tragedy. In conditions of the 1950s. the industry modernised with less injury to first in the workforce,
nasters carried off the profit f the industry but did little t replace its antiquated plants.
In 1967, the The Ger. government nationalised steel
once more.. Now the using the nisation programme, techniques more savage
delayed, that the end of the boom and a period of falling demand. integrated
ned to shut down 30 of the most out-moded steel plants and to concentrate producthe Raves rain thori Talbot and Ravenscraig, Port Llanwern. But
Home News
Building workers in the Lambeth direct labour organisa-
the Transport Workers Union in Lambeth have decided to take strike action against local government cuts imposed by the
elected by the November anti-cuts conference has called a national demonstration for Wednesday 4 February in London.
action would be far more effective if it was taken
save the into state. One built in the 1960s.
This the boom and when might have been with further Laurices steel denationalisation,
of Toryism.
Unfortunately Wilson
all the and profitability. for having been would coincide with
Wilson, BSC plantempt viable proposition.
Redcar more viable." jobs." you this drastic
and General January
successful 1
regions,
SW2.
Ravenscraig strip mills - built in the sixties but will it survive the eighties?
surgery has proved unable to
The reces- they, told us sion of the mid-1970s forced even the closure of strip mills They
figures
Backed by successive Tory
governments child BSC decided to cut its losses through
closures and and planned that project nonsense. agreeable to the philosophy
'Corby tional steel union leaders and the fatheir local officers are playing MacGregor's game: viability
steelworker, these pages a year ago: In the Charlie Keeny spelled it out in poration see this. two years before the sackings at Corby production records were surpassed in a frantic at- never wanted to
become "Become more
we were told pense. can keep your
Get your organisation to: *Support the Lambeth re-call conference on 17
* Support the week of industrial action from 2 February
* Support the day of action on 4 February Delegates are welcome from trade union branches and
trades councils, shop stewards committees. Credentials from: Labour Local Government in Crisis Conference, Room 103, Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton Hill, Brixton, London
'At the end of two years "Too bad,
didn't work hard enoueh."
presented us with about the lack
viability that a four-year-old
could have SCOl from
Warwick University told uS
BSC's figures
could produce
strip more cheaply than bring-
ing it in, with only a small in-
vestment in new plant, much
smaller than the amount they
intended to buy our jobs with.
We tried to make the Cor-
it was at this point that it didn't want to know, they Jinally dawned on us they
i'd know whole quest for viability had been a gigantic hoax at our ex-
•We had been fed a thread of hope in a cruel attempt to
CLPs, Labour groups, and
Photo — Larry Herman
keep us quiet until they were
ready to give us the chop.
Steelworkers must
by say the andes ad plans
have beer savaged because
the name of the game is profi
all cost. Steel should b produced according to social need — to build the hospitals, schools, kidney machines, and other amenities which the people are demanding.
Steelworkers could
guaranteed a job in safe and
pleasant conditions through shortes working
longer holidays and early retirement with no loss of earnings.
This means preparing for an all-out battle meeting blow for blow Tory resistance to these demands. There : no other option. In 1981 it's fightback or die.
Page 5 scan of this page
Banning the bomb
The
rebirth
CND
By Bob Pennington AFTER years declining membership, Nuclear Disarmament has taken off again.
Memories are
streets of West London, numbering hundred thousand as the Aldermaston marchers turned down Whitehall and swung into Trafalgar Square.
The
November 1979 thạt NATO was sending Bri tain a batch of Cruise missles. and Knowing that the horrific Polaris is going to percolacca Dy the more horrific Trident the deadly and destructive - nuclear weapon known roused people into action, once again.
As wey were wakered from a complacent slumber, ordinary have cot-
nüclear holocaușt is
peterrumm that nilar or me estabish.
admited on February 1980:
of Cruise missiles
shall be ihe
snail . be number one.
The amented, London Evenir
vews, on 20 August 1980 cynically reassured only on wolfe survive nuclear war. It neglected to. mention that 45m of us will die!
Admit
Home Office officials blandly admit that there is no way a national shelter
can oroviuca.
Lörd Belstead IS In arised any idea of pro Civil Defence
for the population, by sayll?
Would 'cost billions • and
and pounds.
Hopes that a nuclear war
horrible to template and that Castanse cover sad the mary win trawback are being shattered whenever the top brass open
general Alexander Haig, when he was Supreme Allied Commanei Io NAIU, said: weapons must employed. convey decisive escalation of suffi-
nemy that he should make
political ECISION Ccast allack allu
Haig is, not just some
soldier who will be in check by astute politicians. He is the
.. again. QUISE
of relative obscurity, and
the Campaign for
revived of those Easter Mondays în the late '50s and early '60s when thousands of people streamed through the
over a has just promoted to the US same Haig whom Secretary of State!
Britain, Thatcher's: fingers are hovering over the
mes. tenorter
*doomsday and sue alread DeCI through the steps she would have to take to launch a Polaris missile strike...". Stock
With the nuclear stock
piling reaching unprécedented heights, the bellicose threats of I natchers, and Reagans get louder are cne arce or civil retence. necomec more obvious, so the fear of nuclear
wonder CND has tremendous growth in the last vear Jalual of alvidua mCmOCISHID 2.0WV ene December it nad topped the 11,000 mark. Local groups
sprouted dormant branches have been revived; new ones lave beel Dorm
CND
estimate. local membership. which is growing faster than national andid 22, mo win sho sign membership, or ll evening our yel.
React CND would grew fast ohat was people began to react to the
But the effects of have reverberated throughout the
Party Last took Juic to the the Labour Despite rain thunder, 25;000 people marCued
the manc determination of the marchers * chardon MF aker,
called unilateralism
one said:
proud it', *This governmént Lunching an all-out attack on working people it is driving us closer Lo•War
• speakers con tented themselves with pious calls for world peace
ISSILES
and general disarmament
unilateralism the Call movemen
lain snould get out ol the war-mongering NATO alliance of the
consultuck CHEC lett had forced, a resolu-
Party conrerence calling tor
the resolution for getting out of NATO was defeated.
On 26 October r. came the bigges against nuclear weapons since 1961.
Home News
OUT
NCE!
CENSE
Eighty thousand marchers converged • on Trafalgar Square, frightened allu angry .. The unreal nuicear war, and boosted b the unilateralist decision of Party conference.
The large numbers • youth the there marked absence 01 trade Darners ¡nousands ounce not members marched, yet they had not been organised by nixed ND patform as a mixed bag.
BRITAF
NATO
MAR. LONDON
2610 Party of the eighty thousand strong demonstration last October against Cruise missiles Photomontage by Peter Kennard
speakers, only Tony Benn from due. Labour rally executive and Rod Todd from Transport UnOt represented the labour movement No Instead the platform exmilitary; Wild clergy; alic Desonalues The last year has seen a massive growth in the antimovement velled in numbers.
llauc SUDDUlL mounted with UCATT calling for boycotting of work
OPEN
. The conspiracy silence about the nuclea incal. cenderate v creater
the Tory and leaders, has been broken.
On 24 January last year, . C0Є • COMORS discussed nuclear weapons for the first time in 15 years. chance of building a
anti-nuclear movement, which can effec LIVCH wa. plans of the Tory Govern ment.
Which way-willist on is.
men go? oresen leadership of CND is a combination of Broad Lefts and pacifistsr who are anxious to build a broad movement Bv this they mean basing it onthe • came social forces that dominated the 26 Oc-
they are not
Icaucis with alla
union! . Thell 'experts who are invariably full-time officials
Again they see the vote Labour Party conference a
but • 10l Wall. assume that the return of a Labour government headed
bye Michel For i tensist
unilateralist government. Stuck
They ignore the fact tha Foot and the great majorit
'arliamentary Labour Party are Curlill ted to NATO, and as long as Britain remains in tha alliance stuck witl The NATOS
The döcument DPC/D/74/30 makes
LOTS states:
ilian should plan maintain an adequate canventular ucıcule as lulls di _necessary to neconate an ac ceptable peace. If not suc. cessful in achieving its aims
Activities include:
Saturday 10 January
for rally at 12.30pm
Town Hall, rally 7.30pm Newcastle City Hall.
and 100,000 leaflets to be distributed
Further details ring Newcastle 730174 or 633192.
-Socialist Challenge
STAI
TRIDE
NATO will employ nuclear wears caly It is highly dangerous to
rely supports NATO and which sos certa nack from the brin! unilateralism when con wrath class an American • allics Recent opinion polls nave snown inal some per cent of the British suppor unilateralism This that a mass base exists 1ol Dunonne an enormous ant war movement Such movement only achieve it: aims it wils suboort menc workl class. and organisations Vicars No One against "orogressive Vicars "per sonalities', or even the ode
Or or his military past. organise agains the siting of Cruise. industrial
nev connor envorce at em bargo at the ports and airfields against the importa tion of They cannot build a cam-
WIC! mobilise hundreds and hun dreds of thousands of people to take strike action against war
Nor can they build a campaign which will fight to Commi next • 900 | government to get out NATO those
The borena is there lo build massive anti-wal movement that can stop the Toyee succes , va successful Dase usen on movement which is the only way to win and in fact is the best and only was to build a broad movement Tyneside for Nuclear Disarmament
Week of Action Friday 9 to Thursday 15 January
March and Rally Sunderland. Assemble 1lam at Sunder and Civic Cen *tre. March through Sunderland, return to Civic Centre
Thursday 15 January — Torchlight procession through Gateshead and Newcastle. Assemble 6.30pm Gateshead
Leafletting and Postering all week - 3,000 posters
1 January 1981 Page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
Poland: the struggle for workers' power
POLAND 1980: A TRIUMP
By Oliver MacDonald
ștruggle in Europe.
anti-working class
will create a
the West.
The Polish began to HOVe enfeebled. Gierek regime had become so drunk with its own euphoric propaganda that it thought it could assert some aullonl ov prices on 1 July. The worker: hit back by demanding wage increases.
When these increases easily, sections of the working class felt confident enough to launch a The Catholic Church wants more than a word political ding rights that would -and oureusve in Walesa's ear
Photo: RAB BIRD (Sociallat Challenge)
Half a million people came to Gdansk to remember the dead' of 1970
(Socialist Challenge
Photo: RAB BIRD
Socialist Challenge 1 January 1981 Page 6
THE UNFOLDING drama workers' struggle for political rights is the key to the entire development of the class If the Polish workers are defeated the
Europe will be greatly strengthened. If the Polish workers win and hold power this
crisis for bureaucracy and the imperialist powers in
workers when Ine systel.
raising meat mass
together strike action wor
LOTCS
demannumber from the
price rises.
million people
died.
the ceremony.
about visiting political use.
wur tirst stop Warsaw regiona Solidarity. Even speaking Polish the busy mus onere wal Huge notice boards with peo. ple taking notes; small groups f activists discussing; queue transport bundles posters nteramure. and the coming and going all told u Polano than a hündred articles in the Western press
::Friends
A meeting was arranged in the evening lOTUS Sole people TrON union'. These turned out to include the administrative anc
the secretary of
Co-ordinating Dascu connentee later explained why we receiv-
tion: ae apor to denion
tion: representatives han to the Press We want to have uiscussiuls bul we kno the Western press are not our. menos.
Weak
Throughout our epeatedly Solidarity was at the stage o consolidation riescul memoersal already oerweer ane million in a population of.35
of the Polish
forces throughout
the Stalinist
did — drive a shipyard crane through the Stalinist political Above demanded and won indepen•dent trade unions.
During the course of the strike wave struck in over S00 tactoriec in the Gdansk region. They cam in the MK$ Inter-Factory Strike Committee. Workers in dozens of facSzczecin region created a similar body and the same type of organisation was also created in the Wroclaw On December 16th 1970 an unknown
of mainly shipyard workers Gdansk/Gdynia shot by the police for protesting against
Ten years later the new independent unions held a rally of half a
to commemorate 120-foot high monument to those who
Along with other worker militants from around Europe, I went to Poland to meet Solidarity members and attend
The editor of Socialist Challenge rang me
Poland a union/management meeting at work told us we would be laid off over Xmas. So with sponsorship from my AUEW branch this was a unique chance to turn the capitalist crisis in this country to
was the been without ui salsatul. infectious: StHI weak
Threat
Jeans and constan!
WOIKCIS
further aetiuss in the WUIKICSS
hours.
• co mee visited the the
was clearly exposed
ycals. rrom
anona now a net importer.
Failure differently conference
Iis owit Deooe turope s mos
ustilal WrkCI
Sul Calisd UnOH including peasants
joining a union.
total million.)
vanguard
popular deserted by • CRAS upper they turmoil.
trade workers SCCI
Prague the such area were day before the
routine million. The union has only
and the level in some arcas Is examioic Katowice only 50 per cent of the miners are members
This does not mean the
will concede any compromise on the original 21 demands drawn up summer. Last week ther
threats call Jalk)
Daltodys The working week at present is 46
On the second day we
IOUla E Icrence or une deasams unor where the crisis in agriculturs
The level
gropped lurer rod laso noa
pears ortoo dsturts oland is
The 750 delegates at the
damning the regime's failure after 35 years to fed
in one of fertile countries where 45 per cent of the. population live on the land
conference by iledging the support of the in
in the struggle to register the neasants
Non-state employeęs renily forbieden by awe from
and Upper Silesia areas
Between 14 August and 1 September over one million workeis were on sunike ror tne same central demands (out o
work-force of 12
The Gdansk victory pulled the entire working class, the middle and poor
Dcasdlil. and the mass of students and cultural intellectuals over the side of the working class
The bureaucratic lackea any base support. It" was its own working membership, and the levels of bureaucracy were thrown into
Internationally, emergence of an independent
union Poland was catastrophic prospect by the bureaucracies ir
and East Berlin: became established and legitimised it would be a gigantic beacon of hope to the East German and Czechoslovak workers.
In Czechoslovakia the
Sheffield
Rab Bird
Solidarity with Polish Workers
lessages o the and solidarity waveuucut unio • CecitSI any outside eKZ Horel Mor 10 MKZ Hotel Morski, Grundwalska, Poland. labour wooes omne sritch movement darity appeal, which call: for raising funds a small sting
Gc/o 137 WorKerS Uedetr. ingham B5 6DR.
Under huge 'workers and peasants of the world unite delegate delegate siammed discrimination. culi upliul. op tarms are 100 umes the siz‹ of the average peasant farn but only 60 рет •cient.
Everywhere we went self organisation theme. There is a tremendous
Solidarność pieces the stalinist rule regime tried to seal
This
IVoLCNCal against
for repression.
East German
Solidarnosc,
the agent: in
dependent
the
coexisting
has to give.
by •rOISA
By Rab Bird,
AUEW shop steward,
. Terment
own union
saw polytechnic cent of are in thi
Sencusin niot
new union
1OO1 publicising the new unions afterwards lustration support to . SIOD
messages Solidarity
anion'
strikes
Gdansk,
character.
to send
press. to
obtained come to
Griffiths . democratic
appea
Birn askeu aooul a tendencv union had a right to • SOgan
inefficien-
shipyards WRe ane cc
cent as effi demand
was a common
Ziotys Tof ine
workers would ușe a lever like
• smash 10 entire cauace. oi So the Husak off the country from news of Polatd for as long as possible
WaN however, impossible for East Germany, so Honecker has swung over to a
cold-war line West Germany create the right atmosphere
The rank and file of the CP has been
tor sarada Walesa leader
is a CIA other words, any East German arguing for in-
trade unions deserves ten years for spying
But all this horseplay is only a stop-gap: there is no chance of genuinely independent trade unions in Poland
indefinitely with the Stalinist set-up in Eastern Europe. One side or the other
. The basic international Stalinist line is that the union must be crushed either
government alone or with the help of ar
each factory establishment draw up strike committees fuHt LaS
elected local organs. At War where 85 pe the 8,500 employees union I a nine-hour usi organica aUSO academic freedom from the state the right to elect a new Rector Bullet
At the Warsaw steelworks we sat in on a meeting of the While leaders of the old union wete back working: on the shor delegates representing 10,000 workers
discused he way ror ard
known as 'the bullet in tl un al uc buc or tue recer ›onaanly carnoaca to tree 1 two supporters arrested the Proplans for harassing
with militant • .Hs. 2 good Di esclt •* 1/00 • conscrousness They continually stressed that *just a trade But al the same tim they insisted that there if the authoritie
. on the 21 demands made last
summer, and they realise thal such strikes take on a politica • was VUVIUUs us that Solidarity was more lan just a trade unior Solidarity is beginning to terms with what organisation means in practice conference Lech Walesa wher Al a pres
vran mar in the Gdansk stated that everyon xpre! and sfand on the basis of those views. vr ccel .Ufe Lenin who stood as a sectional delegat
was expe as . pres tor pire
for
Halt uwill: wage. differential: CUI CHL ranging trom 1.800 zlotvs for woma neaner • • Z.INN most skilled
Page 7 scan of this page
I FOR SOLIDARITY
Invasion torce
When the government signed the 3i Auguse. Gdansk on August; the emergence of a new union in-
of"
VOlVC mialy muOns members was certain. There was bound to be a division of power in the country between the new union with its mass popular base and the bureaucracy with its Soviet military muscle. The question was how both sides were go-
ing to e bie haray divided
nto three groups though Lone was properly organised
internally coherent: a first
oup opposed to the agree-
and tavouring HIl-
ediate. confrontațion "with the new union. They were the sectors whọ felt sure thạt the agreement meant their own certain downfall and they
prepared to do almost anything to stay in power:
Au me onier extrene were
small number of people within the bureaucracy - like Fişzbach, Grabski and Olszowski - hoping for long-term alliance wiln Solidarność and for fairly
in the interests of restoring Darcauclauic rule through workers. But the idea of difterent Ichacicics •witHI unc univl ca Hol sceu to be wioe. dy unaerstooq.
The Polish authorities are now trying to draw the new
11llO LaK OS • Tesoor sibilly TOI The economic crisis. Local enterprises are to
bes an moreas nore and
nave introdiced
WOTKCES councils. Solidaritv members Stresseo mal Inev may. elected to these councils but
make. spect of th with thẹ economic
Ic lws s a Ccila DEUUICI laclle Inc duc suurlares are rea. even mougn tney are manipulated
Samne g horcer oatstanding balance of trade
Yugoslav-type decentralisation.
The third grouping, led by Kania, lacks any definite programmatic character, wishing firstly to' demonstrate its complete loyalty to Moscow and secondly to attempt manoeuvre against • nosć in the political field to avoid military t nis poncy nas resunica l a series of lurches from one CISS • lO LuC "CX regime dedos ing small-mindedness furiating the workers various ways without abe to contain the develonment of the new union.
Rival
While the more technocratic wing bureaucracy _ has failed harness Solidarnośé to its own project, another, powerful force has been ing to use or, more accimiev aolse warkers' movement for the Catholic OWIS ueress. hierarchy and the established Catholjc intelligentsia.
The. • hierarchy, sperous and deficit is $25,000m and a further loan from the EEC to buy Western food has just been negotiated.
Nobody in the new union is against central nlanning but their defensive attitude makes them criticisms of the present plan
under Stalinist rule, hungrv fluence, does not look kindly • CHIC eCIICc challenger to its own authority. Sotidarność a direct alternative focus working people"s aspirations, to Solidar- • a direct rival to the clergy.
invasion. working. to gain
over . ne Solidarność in order to-make
its in-
being
radical
the to the latter do its bidding.
more will then
Solidarnosć game with the bureaucracy to extract more its itself. It will be able to say to the regime: privileges and we will put a stop to this or that nonsense
pro- from Solidarność' .comfortable
SOliDARNOs
or to present an overall alter-
¡alivc. tuc ovourtuaics lor
• araWine HD ¿gưca a vn re
tremendous as more than 50
er cent of industrial workers
afe concentrated in 800 plants
of over a ere are thered ex.
amples of workers"
collivl.
though exteno ls in- • and
regime by urging a could become
The hierarchy is therefore
influence leadership of party'
Socialist Challenge London Day School
Sat 24 January 10.30-4.30pm East Europe and Poland Speaker: Oliver MacDonald Open to Socialist Challenge supporters.Admit-
tance E1. Venue: St. Matthews, Brixton (2
minutes Brixton Tube station)
able I0 use as a pawn in its
Sessions for Hculc a ccucul 'Give us
minority
Mazowiecki, the editor of
Warehouse and .distribntior workers have cooperated with the union to expose ing during the recent shortage
- or mio has wom tacai co
plant
set up a Joint committee to ex anine manaremen waste ane
• the Catholic monthly Wiez
La leading adviser to Walesa, has repeatedly tried to prove his usefulness to the.
capitulationist line on the Solidarność wing
leadership leadership. First he encourag-
tronoe ed the regime in its drive to file. include in the government/u-
agreement . Ife clause about the 'leading role of the
was Kremlin against vanguard.
dent,
Then he fought tooth and
against. the 3 Octobe one-hour Solidarność strike. -
aldlllst the LOvCH• ment's refusal to fully imple-
Lech proposals'
Walesa went along with these moves and found himself in a
in Solidarność
The resulting confronta-
CHAŃSK
LENIMA
inefficiency. And th control commissions established the strike asr cclculs demana une oser books slightest •obstruction from
Because of the shortages there are queues everywhere in Poland. mv asng the longest
Agueultulal. , muusurlar. dic wie colri workers as well a. chucente Wait patiently for
hon. Todvim d infoaria,
then Solidarity -represents their only hope The • ulul unic. all uc code m exoressug uer •asotranons TOI change Baisry the demand, of ind sondarity neea: port
masses.
tions with the regime produc ed a considerable radicalisa tion within Solidarność, and December, the concilationist beginning
OI soncariose was in serious . 'Will rank and
At this point a crucial new turning point came. Against a background of enormous
blackmail Poland's borders an alliance
formed between and the papacy the working .class
The common interest of both forces lies in preventing the emergence of an indepen-
working class political force within Solidarnosć. The Kremlin is happy to see a utou t tl under the con trol of the Church hierarchy. while the hierarchy is evidentpolpeai ree arials or these SOLE
.dCtivists who have been raising supposedly *irresponsible
.If the alliance holds, we can expect to see attempts at driving a wedge into Solidarność through ante arrest political activists within it. If
Photo: RAB BIRD (Socialist Challenge)
was the scene
120-foot high
these arrests and subsequen
trials are carried out this will
mean the TveLCH
established its right to decide
who can and who cannot raise
their VItln Solidar-
ność. This would be but a
short SLOD HOTE overt
political controls over
Solidarność's activity
the
bourgeoisies have no desire to
instability' • Poland
they want to see the workers
put down. There are different
preferences as.to how the
workers should be put down.
The workers' leaderships
in the West have done
DICCIOUS to help the
Polish workers. :They too are
frightened by the spectre of
workers power. Socialists ir
this country should campaign
openly and vigorously against Sorieers ald fore toset trash of the Polish
workers and
union links between Britain's
unions and Solidarnosć
Such solidarity is the best
way. to strengthen the sociaiist
left within the Polish working
class. In the inevitable battle.
between the bureaucrats and
the new-found workers
power, international workers'
solidarity can play a decisive
role.
Photo: RAB BIRD (Socialist Challenge)
•The Lenin shipyard at Gdansk (above left) of the commemoration ceremony on 16 December unveiling the
monument (above) dedicated to the workers killed in 1970
Socialist Challenge 1 January 1981 Page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
VICTORY TOTHE ARMAGHWOMEN
THE
By Judith Arkwright
Tories,
nature of the campaign.
It was the culmination of alliance between
organised womens and labour
movements which had been
growing over a period of five
Cola rUC itself to call a national eventually forcing the
protest demonstration on a
so-called "soeial issue'
The backing of the TUC
for the pro-abortion
It was the
first national trade
federation in the world to call
action on womens' abortion
rights.
• It meant that thousands of
women and men who might
otherwise have
drawn into action around this
issue came out on the streets
for thé October 1979 TUC
demonstration. It meant that
many more working people
were open discussing
demands like a woman's right:
to choose and how to achieve Impact
It is undeniable that this
labour support
brought . Ine victorv •of campaign. Women alone could not have defeated standina the anti-abortionists and the Tories. We should organise
ourselves as women and fight for our own demands but we also neca allles to win these demands. Our most powerful ally is the organised labour movement.
This victory for women and for feminism early 1980 confirmed radicalisation among women a growing and the increasing impact of
issues, like the women against violence campaign and the campaigning of young women. In the last few years women have been joining the trade unions at the rate ot 164,000 per year and now comprise per of workers affiliated to the TUC.
Inside the labour movement there were interesting developments Discriminaton committees were set up in the TGWU and Socialist Challenge
WOMEN
AGAINST
TORIES
THE MOST important event for women, in this country in 1980 was the victory over the Corrie abortion amendment Bill in March:
The Tories had given their implicit backing to John Corrie's Bill to restrict abortion rights as part of their drive to whittle away the post-war gains of the workers' movement. The defeat of Corrie was rather significant both as the first big defeat for the
but also because of the momentum and the General and Municipal Workers Union; called a special conference on positive action supported by unions like the engineers and the miners; and the Scottish Womens passed a resblution on women and violence.
Campaigns
When you have Benn doing interviews Spare Rib and Cosmopolitan been and making rash demands for 1,000 women peers in the new when women's sections in the Labour Party throw off their traditional role of making scones and bazaars to become fighting organisations; and when the Labour Party produces an official pamphlet something must be up! then you Icause Some feminists are more. sceptical have questions about the validity of a campaign on the single issue of abortion because it doesn't the "feminist' programme (Spare Rib no 102). Others feel tha the IMG puts too much emphasis on the labour movement.
We are optimistic about building womens movement of women fighting their demands. The possibilities for raising feminist ideas in the movement favourable than it has been for a long time.
Though we place no illusions in Len Murray or Tony Benn when they raise issues -it's their that's important. By drawing • women into activity around specific immediate much broader feminist campaigns can then be taken up.
Gloomy But 1980 has also had its gloomy side. That menace to women's rights, Thatcher, intends to women back into the family 1 January 1981 Page 8
IN IRÈLAND...
the TUC
women
TUC Tony IN NICARAGUA... Women played a prominent part in revolution. women's AMPRONAC 35,000 members
i gallising
sexism,
that
raised
full
Women are half the broad-based world's population
own and turn back women over Women's pay is 2.1 cent lower as than in 1975 when the Equal Pay Act was
these plemented. audience • Women are
jobs at twice the raté of men. • Less than 50 per
issues abortions are now
the NHS
tion facilities are being cut.
By the end of the New Year holidays it should also be clear whether Sainsbury MP is to introduce Margaret a private members'
drive restrict abortion Sainsbury is private secretary
Sexual Politics
rupted for ten minutes by one protester who kept on talk ing about their plight.
And association IN ITALY... has in 21
Apartheid by Sex
And receive one tenth of the world's income
the gains of last few likely
per motes: a percentage Margaret
finally im- tion all Woman's losing their moaned ker children: cent of angry if any done on feel gully compared to 67 pe chooses to 1909, and contracep- providing that
welcome for the stead of having a job women could find a job!
Timothy Her fake
children and the Bill to rights. ding.
Women prisoners in Armagh received massive support.
on an
scale in 1980 there was the
United Nations conférence
on women's rights, and
around the world...
PROTE
INTE the womens movement collected nearly
100,000 signatures in support of a new bill against rape.
They organised an international conference on rape at-
tended by 3,000 delegates.
hours
to Michael Heseltine and is chopped
receive government backing for any Bill he pro- message
Thatcher gave her Xmas message to the na- 1981.
interview with Realm. She bethe plight of latch'It makes me and the woman is made rights because she • concentrate coming warmin anc family in- unemployment another
If only valell The concern for quality of women's lives is exposed by the huge cuts in social spen- Where the welfare state of women
government that
international
HUMENS
IMMITTEE
_Women do two-
thirds of the
world's working
women should plug the gaps - that's her real
Women will have their answer Thatcher in The HOSI important
winning support for a massive and immediate issue will be last campaign against Sainsbury
Tories on aborton Fighting for woman's right to work in the
Tories struggie. around will be permanent • cam-
national women's . LI due festival on 9 May against the Tory attacks will be vital to draw together broad
• SCULIOTA lo tell une Tory they have
The UN conference itself was inter-
IN POŁAND Anna Walen-
tynowicz was a prominent
leader in the strike wave
which included demands
on women's rights such as
three year maternity leave.
sunny one hundredth of the world's property
had enough of its policies.
But we want to have our
cake and eat it too. In order to fight the Tories we have to work out what we're fighting for as well. The record of the
Labour government on cuts in public spending and other issues affecting women was hardly sufficient to pro vide a real alternative to the
Women have to take up their demands in the debates in the Labour Party and the
unions around • positive legislation discrimination. and These are the Dos uve
Guestons around which the emerging women's movement will stand or fall this year and in the years to come
Page 9 scan of this page
Margaret Thatcher?
By Brian Grogan
THATCHER'S policies
aren't working; that
much is obvious
we enter 1981.
Britain's bosses,
who went along. with
Thatcher's policies,
getting worried - they
don't see the promised
phoenix rising from the
ashes, and they
that only cinders will be
left.
The prime minister's
economic policies are part of
a strategy which she's sticking
to. The crude idea behind this
'monetarism
Is to restrict the
money supply and let
market do its
But the inevitable result of
restricting money supply is to
provoke drop in
economic activity: a slump. Gobble
The aim of this strategy is
to let competition do its work.
Weak firms will be pushed to
the wall, and stronger
will gobble them up. Even the
strong companies
Have le
take measures to produce
more efficiently, by getting
workers to produce more so
that British capital can com-
pete the international
market.
The flip-side of That-
cherism work are
millions of workers thrown
on the dole. Longer
queues are intended
weaker working
organisatior push down
wages, and thus remove ma
jor obstacles to higher pro-
ductivity.
This strategy is part of an
historic attempt to deal with
60 years of capitalist decline
in Britain.
It amounts to a recogni-
tion that only major
reorganisation of production
and a big defeat for the
working class can start
change the bosses' fortunes
for the better. To push these
measures through, a short-
term decline in profits
thought to be inevitable.
So far so good for the
bosses. They understood
Thatcher's plans and welcom-
ed them. But things haven't
worked out so well in practice.
High interest rates have attracted speculative funds
Irom abroad, but are crushing British industry. As expected, there have
been an historic number of bankruptcies. But even blue-chip high produc
export-orientated companies like ICI have suffered catastrophic cuts in profits.
Spectre
The rate of profit in industrial and commercial companies (excluding North Sea oil) has been cut to 4½ per cent — a full percentage point lower than during the 1974-75 recession. There is no sign of improvement.
The spectre haunting Britain's bosses is that when the world economy moves recession, Britain's industries will be left on the starting line.
scalse low profits even the stronger companies are having to plead
with ine for massive loans to keep afloat.
High interest rates, far from restricting the growth of
supply expected, have had exactly the UDOUSILC Companies have had to borrow to pay the interest on previous loans!
The growth in the money supply by April is likely to be a year-on-year increase. of 20 per cent, compared with the
as fear
the WOrK
7%
GB
5%-
4%oles
3%-
2%-
the
dole
class
1970 71 '72
5-0
GROSS TRADING PROFITS NET OF STOCK APPRECIATION SEASONALLY ADJUSTED 40
North Sea
20M
1-0 19RA 74 '75 :76
government's stated goal of 7-11 per cent The government claims inflation major story. But even threatened.
It has been the borrowing of the big companies been primarily responsible for the massive increase in the money supply. same bosses are calling more public expenditure cuts to control inflation.
While the wanted to limit the public sector borrowing requirement (the difference governmer income and expenditure) to £8.5 billion this year, it will in fact be billion.
Unemployment Rates
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED exct. SCHOOL-LEAVERS
West Midlands
"73 '74 75 °76 78
INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL COMPANIES
Total '77 '78 "79
This isn't because Thatcher's gang is wavering over its plan success welfare state this That much is evident from Heseltine's nouncement of a 3.1 per cent cut in council house spending; in his vindictive of overspending'
But these council house building. and his complete knocked oer course by the off course alive and housed! So what accounts for this £3 billion overshoot? between The first problem is that whatever monetarist £11.5 says, the government has had JULD money
Home News
1980 — The economy and the Tories
Does anyone love
'79 '80 FINANCIAL DEFICIT
1973. '74 '75 '76 '77 '78 '79
. tionalised British Leyland and steel. dismantle far from it! bosses What they cerned about is public sector December anpay. Government plans have overshot by fibn here as well.
Tory cuts were punishment councils, different to Labour's; ban hit jobs. Yet the strength of public sector prevented bv the being hasi people to be kept
the hard-fought gains won by the public sector in Labour's final days because of the théory nave put on especially Labour controlled into na- ones. So
Ebn
10
20
30
40
5-0
60
industries like
This isn't what annoys the
Con- sector.
instability policy.
O De they fair. were to destroy services and
BOYCHICH breakthrough Tory plans from easily implemented. workers.
because blems, too,
and secondly pressure they are nervou local councils. The one
this led
Unemployment total
climbs to
record 2,162,874
wage ture.
has
cher's another blow to monetarism: the imposition of a si cent wage limit in the public
wage limit introduces haDDy government bargaining into a political af- It transforms wage has
. Each claim can become a with the and CYCL threatens to become a green light for other
Heseltine has other pro
, in the shape of such Labour councils hostile to his cuts. No wonder the bosses story for the Torrents bes the imposition of wage rises
Socialist Challenge 1 January 1981 Page C
well below the rate of infla-
tion. The CBI's Pay
Dave decline from 16 ses
have . declined from
trend con
tinued through •Novembe
Trend
However, lew are con
vinced that this is a perma
nent trend. Moreover, this
situation not been
translated into any significant
2.24m officiall
unemployed
miraculous if those in work
weren't a bit cautious
what is happening to workers'
organisations, particularly at
This will determine what
will happen in any economic upturi the bosses be able to
take the opportunity of an up-
turn
crease in labour costs? Or wil without
the workers be able to regain
what they have lost?
The bosses are haunted by
the fact that i organisation ir
the workplace will I remain in-
tact long enough for workers
to claw back their losses, as
they did after the last reces.
sion in the mid-'70s
The situation at BL
Longbridge indicates
тоир workers who have
scen oaterea from Dilar t
post by y one of the most far.
sienter capitalist
manage able to score
gains only with the direct and
open sabotage the union
leadership and the stewards, under the influence
of the Communist Party.
Despite the smashing of the combine, , the underlying combativity of BL workers remains intact.
Strike
As soon as the Metro light the end of the tunnel, workers demanded a share of the action. There was a massive majority for strike action against the 8.2 per cent
offer. Although the union leadership relused lo act on this mandate, a major strike defence rights is in the offing as 1981 opens.
Nothing has been finally decided between the bosse
workers. Some major Pend tor campic Mere Brod rigist have
registered. output levels have surpassed Michael Edwardes' projections. In Rover productivity increases of 30 per cent are be ing demanded.
This is not the general pic
The Bank of England Bulletin reported December: It does not ap pear that productivity performance over the past year or so
been significantly ferent than the mid-1970s
In 1980, Margaret That-
government thrown everything it has the working class. . She has created untold misery millions of working people But Britain's bosses are no
Everything vicious government has done
not been sufficien break the back of working class resistance.
Success
guarantee sucoess.
further measures threaten to hit Britain's profitable industries irreparably. This is why Thatcher enters 1981 increasingly under Talli and cut off from the realities of the political situation.
Page 10 scan of this page
Under Review/International
Earthquake shatters Italiangovernment
By Jean Mackenzie
TRIPLE album dedicated to the Nicaraguan revolution! That's the New Year offering from the Clash.
Thirty six tracks for z3.99 can t be dad valuc, so
Wing gluea to the radio so
didn
bought album because of the title dinista refers to the FLN, the
Daluisie Liberaton rron. waica ica
Nicaraguan revolution o1 1979 and because of the rumour that
the record proceeds
for LOUI were going t i the FSIN
My local record shop had a big display in red and bacT ot what Sandinista fighters but was in. fact the Clash.
Untortunately incle s the same deal on the songs
Only one refers to the FSLN. What could have Socialist Challenge
The Clash
been celebration and popularisation Nicaraguan revolution is a missed opportunity.
album consists I acks about tre as Дu amiasm - housing, poverty, corruption; six 1 January 1981 Page 10
SANDINISTA
on war, imperialism and the Hutical Holocaust
SUS laws live. ine workers star in one and reature in tour or live others; youth and unemployment score twice and are two in-
the
film smal alle nored. that
strange so lt all meates a change i custea love The first track sounded uke iner Robinson Band, the second like *Rock Follies', followed by rate disco. Elvis and Bowie. FABRIZIO BURRATTINI DEIANA of the Revolutionary League in Italy told about the recent political implications.
The earthquake hit three the south of Italy, Potenza, Salerno, and Avellino. These comprise one of
underdeveloped and backward areas of the country.
was once made about the area, Christ stopped at Eboli, and the story goes that Christ has not vet this country because it's so backward.
• mounter villages, which • made rescue very difficult. government tried to seriousness of the whole thing. Army
The earthquake happened on a Sundav. and righ up until Monday evening the government was saying
was not so serious, even though the media were pro-
civil protection (rescue) services
Between craneaker days after
suit alve - - a hundred were discovered in all. of the victims of while waiting to o be rescue: modation from re accom brought down most of when
Building regil tons for eat
governmen thquake regions
were ig Crisis
The rescue services had no equipment, such special instruments needed to detect bodies rubbie. Unly 1) nelicopters
were hat all the the offiale
were needed
Even ten days after the earthquake there were area:
hadn't beer
along the motorways trying to stop the army cars and begging tael co come up lo
It sounds like the Clash impersonating ferent each time (free sub to Challenge anvone wao can orovide a list of the 36 sound-alikes). first track listen with hal my on TRB Two and the Clash
oper have neither the "tunefulness' nor edge of Tom Robinson. Chants
Theirs is a combination of over-slick
ano. Ine odd teeing that the
words and music were writwithout each other. greate some of them sound like they Citalits
dubbed over self-indulgent
enjoyed listening to 'Sandinista
day afternoon, and it would
just as turned
up loud at a party: Since on-
ly my best friends approve
of my music tas tes, don't let
me put you off buying it
Any band illa Sing
about the living revolutior
snould be
The album and enjoy it, ar ncourage the production o
records at prices that youth
and ELETTRA Communist Socialist Challenge earthquake and the
The episode has deepened the crisis of confidence in in the south which eas especially
soulll StrOnglord ruling casuan democrats
The crisis began with a petrol scandal senior Christian Democrat
who pocketed Hastes something like ti billion quite incredible!
Aid
Often though, mistrust is not politcal people just think the
government
example orcansallons from Laur unions to rengious organisa tions, arranged their own
Even individual workers and down
well coule to ne our da some factories the north the
For the read to leave ides
WASHINGTON BULLETS
Oh! Mama, Mama, look there!
Your children are playing in that street again,
Don't vou know what happened down there?
A youth of 14 got shot down there..
The kokane guns of jamdown town
The killing clowns, the blood money men
As every "cell in Chile will tell
The cry of the tortured men
Remember Allende, and the days before,
betore the army came
Please, please remember Victor Jara
In the Santiago stadium.
cs verdas
The Bay of Pigs • In 7901.
Havana
For Castro is a colour
s a reover man reo
Those Washington bullets want Castro dead.
For Castro is the colour...
Inat wil earn vou a sorav orlead
For the very first time ever
When they had a revolution in Nicaragua.
•nere was no interterence trom America
Human rights from Amerika!
Well the people fought the leader,
'Ant lone tiew..
'N if you can find an Afghan rebel
nat the moscow dullets missed
Ask him what he thinks of votin
Isk the Dalai Lama in the hills of Tibe
how many monks de ine canese cel!
In a war-torn swamp stop any mercenary.
'N check the British bullets in his armoury...
Que?
...SANDINISTA! factories and go south to
government Christian discredited but it will hang
Loyal
In Italy the Christian Democrats are not just the supercal, they state itself. The two - part and state - are interwined So sine people question
they chucials question bourgeois demo cracy.
This is the danger and the Communist Party is a MUCH anyone else; it has gone to
bourgeois state as anyone.
Communist
But the right strengthening itsell in this
south trying to get support from thos sioned with the government
There have even beer
vasuneton ounets acdin
those Washington bullets again.
for the playboys in the Cuban sun, With no Washington bullets what else could he do?
• communist.. demonstrations of property vwicis protesing al ine re quisitioning of their holiday homes for use by the victims the commissioner • in charge operations munist. ¡ne trade unions have been organising as well, there's a real social polarisation going on, though it is not expressed in terms of a political way forward.
Corrupt
Recently the Communist Party has made a turn away from supporting the Chris. argues to crats, and it now argue coalltion of Socialists and Communists. Dul ll s all words they don't oractice want bourgeois lose chiefs credibility their demand should get thi mUSi millisters _government may sur ive car a wake and thre survive for Toms at the moment. time away.
Page 11 scan of this page
The crushing burden
of religion
Dec) • TO have
He obviously
are of the
Marxist
DOOK Aoram of ITOT-
camp aged 22
book he Jewish Question.
history Marxists do. through developWoul Using
riginated
Europe with thi saocolli
grew WITh Dreyfus
Zionism nterpreted
capitalis cron to the resuitine was.
the
Cohen
Religion
and
socialism
derives cultural support from mysticism'
J000 to: him!
Those OT. who were tradition
and solidal for cultural WCTC SUODOrE won do't
special pleas
major religions The cluding
regions
and
patible.
actively for
ed groups
Paddington Campaign Against
Racism and Anti Nazi League
Defence Campaign
AS YOUR readers are aware, during and
after the anti-British Movement demonstra-
tion held on Sunday 23 November, 66 of the
anti-fascist demonstrators were arrested,
roughly half by the notorious SPG, who
were brought in late in the afternoon to
'mop up
The PCAR/ANL Defence Campaign was
to maintain and build on the anti-racialist,
anti-fascist presence in the area, and to pro-
vide the maximum legal and financial
If any of your readers were witnesses to
arrests or mistreatment by police, or if they
have any photographs which could help in
the defence of those arrested.
tact Paddington Law Centre, 439 Harrow
Rd, London W10.
And we are appealing to anti-racialist,
anti-fascist sympathisers and organisations
to make generous donations towards the
defence of those arrested. Please send
donations to: Treasurer, PCAR/ANL •
Defence Campaign, 29 Croxley Road, Lon-
don W9.
Peter Cannel.
PCAR/ANL Defence Campaign
tion Detween Zionism
too : of Jewish
relatives accept this
comrade.
tollof
'Spirituality the
movement and İslam,
the the rollgions!
Lately repress oppress
and by people
bdus crushing religion
than
support TrON soiritualy Steve Cohen
greater sup strength
raditions Trotskyism and ment.
hold incompatible.
defended and explained
•groups and through its explanation the Shi'ite Moslem opposi-
of Catholic workers in the Irish struggle.
In the struggle against all
The and Socialist Challenge have proved themselves to be among the Dest working cass fighters.
But in the fight against oppression are no special cases. Just-as we en courage the dissolution of Canst al suading people to abandon the oppressive roles
road that Marx and Trotski took away from their Jewish traditions. the socialist revolutior
Cohen-finds that with calling
himself a socialist. shoula constaer wny ne calls JOHN NOLAN Liverpool
please con-
Needed: a firmer political
approach
SINCE Challenge's relaunch i matched September we have
dramatic style and
gradual actor men m content. bul ll ap. pears that the problem with our revolutionary Dress
style and a new typeface and
What needs
arme Pouroach issues political
Nov) brought this to a heac According to the front page the firefig tory, yet the TV and an FBU
MERSEYSIDE
'Victory'
a sell out!
I WOULD have thought your front page article on the agreement Dec) premature to say, the least.
It gave the impression firemen had scored a victory after the so-called agreement' assure you that the firemen in my area -London, Glasgow are calling it a sell-out rather than a victory.
The fact is that the FBU leaders
Flying in
the face of rational
judgement
THE
FBU won because
the Working city st move:
HUve This SUITIS Dower Pa sent Tories cringing. Socialist Challenge, 3 December
If only you were right!
Letters
epor at Trades regional votee against the and the was only accepted FBU chairs ecutive or casting vote
political leadership
FBU they way!
coverage
workers
tiọn
SAY
NO €
MERSEYSIDE firefighters show their feelings about the 1978 pay deal. Is the 1980 deal a vitory or are our correspondents (see below) more correct in calling it a sell out?
firemen's pay with a was a little chance of winning that we so on. can majority
not to mention
better coverage and e sewnert
subsequent weeks.
CHRIS COOPER, FBU Kings Norton
However such assessment seems to tv. me ace of rational judgement, and wishful thinking The Firefighters course weicome. Nevertheless, more an assessment of Tort paternalism ine pro duct of working-class anger
The governmen
too Happy al the nave peer shaken by the impact of cer tain policies which they have pursued. However, the pre-
the loss of the jobs for the youth of the future?
DenI une prepared to print interviews Will TAIC insidious lett. challenging
reinforcequestion
weekly dangerous Dallucill 'his aHOS counterposed "ThatThere is no harm in en couraging the debate in the aDour movemen - some might say comrade Benn has ve should have ar dication • the Class i cvulutiollary Marx .Ist, soçianst alternative.
Sw.nen civil servants
picker tons it reas a tree
front political *of Ayrshire Marine pickets Ayrshire Marine pickets
MERSEYSIDE
REJECT
THIS SELLOUT
- no it's
decision to walk out of the meeting
has probably thrown away our best
our proposed strike action, full TUC backing an
I think you will agree with my assessment and I hope to see much
our dispute . In
sent average level of pay setLentents ano ability to withstand comsavage
Die business scens lo sug gest that far from 'cringing are capable
ment to the reshaping
Demagogic and musors statements Socialist Challenge will do little to halt this project.
EDDIE ASHBEE, Nottingham
Hunterston got 150 words
here is some ortre mos VIgOrOUS practical opposition to the class collabora tion the STUC
experience into part
Not a class Icil wile lu ocoland.
Where the paper leading us! Comrades need a polemical paper tha
our Pray and party with Call l acualc Socialst workers ranv or Poland workers socialist democracy, and th Marxist or power be easily digested Lo say Hollie of Is bower
stimulating immediacy?
C ENDELL and TINA LEA, Glasgow
MERSE
WON
SOLD U
RIV
Victories
still to come
: LEICESTER IMG discuss-
ed thirefighters
article Dec) and agreed that it wa
OUtIOOK
The FBU has not inflicted humiliating defeat' on the Tories
Conse ate alvidea on tne issue The Wales of the FBU voted to recom mend
accolalic Mersey and Unesmire Iegions unanimously rejected it.
• Terry Fields pointed out that
1978 breached and nac
Lilal ancie were cuts alla produc
Ideas involved l
also opted for rejection.
Our line should be that this is a phoney by the Tories and we should
calling for
al. lit Mas. meetings that take place on the issue.
The working class can
be • illusions: defeat of the miners in the same week was mosey old to the large coal stocks caus-
recession, and deals
caunous mood tories are stillo come our 'vicLEICESTER IMG
John
Lennon in
America
ing
heralded fron
the same DULLICS
came fron New York City albun
Besides you Woman is the LUC or tne "Blood Sunday'
to the Attic and Angela
Jump did.
sitting • John and
plat 1U1il anti-wa
« nonuar & this not AS those
ongoing fo
of thos
Liberty their
What's Left
Laging orgas. Phone king
80th Birthday Lactures CLi James, Marxlet hletories
lectures on mn or Barberter' on 6 Jas Socialist Challenge 1.January 1981 Page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
LEYLAND BOSSES FORCE SHOWDOWN
By Pat Hickey, TGWU shop steward, Rover Solihull BL's. refusal instate the eight Longbridge workers who have been victimised for protesting against arbitrary shows management's determination to press ahead with its round of attacks on the unions.
This is management's next step in pushing provisions of the Slave's. Charter' which union leaderships imposed in 1980. - The sacking of the eight, including four shop stewards, will prepare the ground for further victimisations
ups.
Pathetic
Michael. Edwardes and his team have been encouraged in their anti-union plans refusal of the union leaderships. to fight the 6.8 per cent wages deal imposed towards the end of last year.
In the current dispute the pathetic response of the union
encouraged management in its tough line. stead of calling an immediate
strike, the leaders have done possible to avoid the issue.
First they suspended -action pending the outcome of •the appeals, which.
WHAT DO WENT
TORIES
OUT
HOW DOWE
-NEN
Socialist
Challenge
to re-
lay-offs
• latest
through the
92-page the
the speedby the to eight. union When
everything
typically any report only yanuary.
TOR
OUT
resulted in the reduction of the number of sackings from nine
more than 1,300 workers walked out, Edwardes
threatened sack all the strikers if they do
for. work on By Mike Picken, Oxford CLP 'LABOUR crackdown on Socialist Challenge sellers' that was CREAT front-page headline in the Oxford Star.
It was reporting the decisions of the Ea of Oxford Labour Part month which . ver used
solery • because sells • Socall Challenge backed bacint Labour Party's Gre Oxfordshir
decision to remove Nicharos Trom panel from which county council candidates are chosen.
Anita Richards •Was dropped from ine Datel occause sne Challenge (wrongly describ-
Xmas Day in
the occupation
By a BPC occupier OCCUPATIONS don't stop for Xmas. Eight journalists spent the festive season on the sixth-floor of an office block in Central London; communicating world via a bucket-and-rope hoist.
case of pay demands
The AUEW has instructed its members to report for work while the TGWU has called for an independent enquiry: the right-wing leaders condone management's imisations, while the leaders ask for an independent' outsider to tell them what to do.
No section of the leadership has responded Edwardes threat of sackings and closures
the umpteenth time we've had such threats for an all-out strike. *by calling
Oxford Labour Party witch-hunt
was well known when she
was put on the panel som porters are the latest step
against
socialists in the Labour Party in Oxford.
Just over 18 months ago
Ted Heslin;
Union branch chairperson
and supporter of rress. was expelet rom tont DaV. Necktord continues to defy the NEC
order to reinstate him.
and suD• DUILCIS membership, SUlL despite reused the
with the rest of-the
answer to Thus openly strikers. vict'left' sIf
cupied. So
Wing another
•the members.
NEC upholding
peats
other
socialists ip Oxford Labour
What is happening sets congres proceen
can only hep
Disciplinas
the Tories
abour movement is be
perative that the right.-of
Labour Party members
sell Socialist • Challenge
other left papers is establish-
cu
The NEC must take. a _stand on this issue and in
Oxford CLP Hestr
tonor me aopens or rete
and others
membership:
They are among 65 NUJ members fighting ¡cuun- book publishing division of Cance. •BPL , Britain's largest prin-
remained locked office for Xmas Scotch and radical literatur
moisted up to tne sixin floor
Council, and the NUJ pro-
© Leyland Cars
At Longbridge there has not yet been a mass meeting. The
Edwardes is mass meetings throughout the company to support the Longbridge
Edwardes does carry out his threat every BL plant in the country should be oc
far the leader ship show every sign of los
battle, despite the lead given by
- 10 issues for just E1!
Abroad: 12 months. £12.50 or £18 airmail.
Name
Address
enclose a donation for the Fighting Fund of..:
payable to 'Socialist Challenge'.
Complete and Challenge, PO Box 50, Condon N1 2XP return
vided two pheasants.
publishing dustry's profits are being hit and in resin and management's ; solution. speed-up.
Capacity
It wants to sack nearly i quarter of the editorial staff
is collarles. with those left behind expected to Macaonac pick up most of their work: Unior been selected for redupdancy
The NUJ chapel is unimDressed outne
redundancies are the way to "However, management apwhat
right to by which means the 'Caback ..to:en-
now damaging to lts *workforce
The 65 NUJ response.to • aliciol al a lock-out. wallen look place wnen the chapel contested the redundancy notices 10 November • b holding meetings in working time
. Ine occupation or one of the offices provides focus for chape
when the management would • 11K C asintegrate subbort TOT the struggle has-come from BPC print book
and. local trades council
Fund
Most of the 65 occupiers
Nove mo been pough they
November Although week receiving
officia disputę pay 11 Vill the NUJ rely on sup
port from the chapel's hardship fund,
Contributions and messages of sur
C Chapel I Book Branch, , 314
payable Educational NUJ chape!): Speakers are
* The Camden Journal in North London is being shut down by management The eiger journalists on the newspaper one of the very few local papers to sup-
: CI C handed notices ust deeremo
i ne result is a sirike Dy NUJ members in the North Lotudes ewe routingtion which Gazette and - Hornsev Journal
The editorial staff on the Camden Journal • regard managemerit's action retaliation for ancy unior disputes. Management claims that the
with weekly. Cl Culaton of of 7-8.000: is un profitable; yet for years it has done nothing to pro-
A hundred local people attended a support meeting two days before xmas and' emer •Sel Save the Camden Journal Defenc Committee Michael Fool, a, loca resident, bern ure more une soon. SOrS demonstration planned
and suppor c/o Labou Party dle Lane, London N8
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← Socialist Challenge No. 177, 17 December 1980Socialist Challenge No. 179, 6 January 1981 →