Socialist Challenge No. 192, 9 April 1981
The scan: sc-n192-apr-09-1981.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.
Page 1 scan of this page
Challenge BACK BENN'S
No. 192 9 April 1981 25p TONY Benn's decision to stand for deputy leader of the Labour Party provides an excellent opportunity to consolidate the gains of the left.
intends to prioritise the fight for left-wing policies, and the election will be a crucial test of where the party stands.
But what a miserable response Has •TON the trade union leaders and LICI parliamentary Labour Party, backed by a deluge of abuse from the media.
Now that an electoral college Shas Deer eStablished for the election of the leader and
aCDuLy leader, the Labour leadership has discovered that it is 'undemocratic' and 'divisive' to use it!
Elections, it appears, are about bureaucrauc stitch-ups between trade union and parliamentary leaders: not about a
Unemployed and strikers 10p
Let the left be heard!
CAMPAIGN
Benn has made it absolutely clear that he
discussion of policy and a Particularly disVULC graceful are the statements by Alan Fisher of the Public Employees, and Ene enter tom Alex Kitthe Transport Union both urging Benn not to stand.
NUPE and TGWU members should ask their leaders. wi voss avans and Alan Fisher really cast Ther vote. •TOI genus Healey, candidate of the Monetary Fund, of the
Socialist
austerity plans of the last Labour government and member of the Bildeberg group of bankers?
Even worse is the attitude of many members of the Tribune group in parliament, who are bleating about the need for party unity.
Unity, of course, is
the past thi tight
the past the for Labour Party 'unity' has meant acceptance the
policies of he donment ot
and the abandonment Labour rarty COLIC ClICC policies - in other words, sell-out pure and simple.
So are we going to see members of the Tribune group vote for Healey
and all? Judith Hart Their Eric constit- неттет uency partes snould im mediately call meetings to
group members back Tony Benn.
Benn's programme has OnVIollS doesn't say anything about
ployment, for -hour week, and hick for struggle out the Tories, here and
Socialist Challenge believes that programme is far from adequate to mobilise for an et-
Fisher (above) and
Evans and Kitson (left).
Will they vote for
Healey? fective right to defeat the Tories. But it does open the way for a real discussion of socialist policies Tor une next Labour government.
far as it goes it should be supported. The campaign LOI benn pro vides the best terrain to hammer out an action pro gramme to face the Tors attacks and push forward socialist t policies.
If the leaders of the Labour Party the unions don't want to sup port Benn, then the rank and file should force them
Labour Party 'ade unic branch
lould discuss the depu leadership election and
decide its policy.
The union executive committees should be bombarded with motions demanding support for Benn. Every union conference must hear Benn speak - and in the best traditions of democracy, let Healey speak as well.
Let's have debates up and down the country, and see who the rank and file supports
Socialist Challenge calls on all its readers and supporters to urgently take up the campaig for the widest discussion of the programme
Market.
service cuts. •
JoBs
NOT
BOMBS
election in the labour movement. particular we call for housands, for Ten. of thousands signatures, for the following appeal:
We give full support the candidacy Tony Benn for deputy leader of the Labour PaVe believe that the campaign offers the best opportunity to discuss and organise to win policies which the labour movement needs in the face of the Tory attacks.
We call for every Benn's five-point
Withdrawal from the Common
A non-nuclear defence strategy. no Cruise, no Trident.
A return to full employment. • Full restoration of the social
Extension of democracy, including defence of the democratic rights of women and blacks.
branch, committee, and conference of the trade unions and Labour Party to diSCUSS their attitude to the election for
of the deputy cater Labour Party.
Time is not on our side
union conferences are already underway. are to seize this opportuni-
crushing defeat on the right wing action is needed now
further advances by the left, we shal get not the status quo, but
right-wing come-back and a reversal of the gains of the last two years.
Page 2 scan of this page
- People's March
'Editorial
328/9 Upper St, London N1 Editorial and distribution, tel. 01-359 8180/9. Accounts, tel.
01-359 8371
Tory economic policy
LAST week's academic economists that the government's monetarist disaster for Britain illustrated the extent to which the monetarist 'hards' in the cabinet are isolated.
Even the bourgeois commentators are criticising their deflationary zeal, and pointing out that spending for investment need not be inflationary.
Some of the points made by these commentators can easily be agreed by socialists millions unemployed, when the railways need electrification, when modern factories, homes and building.
But many of the government's non-socialist critics are missing the point, as they recoil at the effects of the recession and run for cover. tionary policies aren't just an economic experiment, as everyone Healey to Len Murray would have it but above all a political strategy. Thatcher and Howe aren't just using to 'shake out' unproductive and reduce inflation, but also to deal a massive blow to the labour movement.
They want to though the insecurity unemployment, and hence undermine the militancy and strength of the unions. Critics of this approach say that mass unemployment is incompatible with reducing inflation in a 'modern' state, because of the scale of social security payments.
The Tories have their own answer to this - they understand only too well that the full impact of unemployment won't be felt without attacking social security benefits. these attacks is now on the way in the shape OT the proposals money and benefits for strikers' depen-
This vicious assault on benefits is just the tip of the iceberg we can be sure that further cuts are on the way. more important than gaining a wage increase or fighting for better conditions and shorter hours. priest Milton Friedman nicely caught this mood recently mented: 'If a single job has many applicants then it's paid too highly'.
Nobody has any confidence that the present recession next year. But if the recession, with its accompanying attacks on workers' living standards, can push down the price of labour far enough, then the basis of profitable investment and decolopment stillo e ay off world recovery represent at least a partial success for the Tory strategy.
Samuel Brittan, commenting in the Financial Times, said of the academics' attack on monetarism, these academic demos add to the gaiety of life'. But the academic debates, shouldn't blind us monetarist strategy isn't just an periment but an attempt to crush the lives of real people.
Thatcher, Josepli and Howe accept this as a necessary lubricant in the running their system. No better proof of :na: system's insanity could exist.
declaration by 364
policies were
respectable of - that it is ludicrous to have
schools need The Tories' defla-
from Denis
unemployment industry,
force down wages
created by
organisational
The first round of
to tax dole
workers'
So keeping a job will become
Monetarist high
when comwill end within the
partial
created.
however gay,
… to the fact that
'ex-
no answer to
job loss
By Pat Hickey Senior shop stewaro. Rover Solihull AS unemployment climbs steadily, the working class is looking increasingly to the labour leaders at national level to develop a fightback.
There were large turn. outs for the Liverpool and Glasgow demonstrations •ang for the People's March for Jobs is dukelvto demassive
In contrast, workers at olant aud comomne eve are reluctant to go into struggle as it becomes apparent that the depth of the crisis demands a nanonai answer
Unemployment is now seen by the working class as the main problem faces. Even those in work are being forced to accept speed-up, wage cuts, and attacks on trade union organisation. Crisis
The Tories and the emolovers are using unemployment force inc workers lo pay tor the CrISIS The need for fightback is urgent.
More than 40 years ago
Trotsky Leor WIULCI 'Under the menace of its
situation the UWIL letariat cannot permit the transformation of an in-
the Creasine workers living off the slops of a crumbling society.
'The right to employment is the only serious right left to the worker in a society based on exploitation.
'Against unemployment, structural as well as conjunctural, the time is ripe to advance along with
EARLY
шІтн
Import controls
the slogan of public works, the slogan of a sliding scale of hours.
The first step towards that in today's conditions must be for a 35-hour week.
Every major union in balaln adopted policies in favour of the 35-hour week, bul none has led a serious fight for this demand
Policy
In national negotiations, the officials have blatantly ignored COlference policy.
After national strikes in engineering knocked one hour off the week or condition that there would be no loss of productivity. the Confederation Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions, sala ine question of hours would
raised again until 1984.
A national fight for the 35-hour week without loss
would bind employed and unemployed workers together. It would create 1.5m jobs immediately and if the de.
gramme of public works, unemployment would eliminated.
Houses
The unemployed could work using idle plant and
build houses, schools and hospitals that the working class needs.
Such policy would mean a head-on confron-
will POvera ment and the employers.
Yet the strength of the 13 million trade unionists in Britain were mobilised by a national campaign, the
WE
DEMAND
DECENT
PENSION
working class would be unstoppable.
The Tories are well
They backed off from the because they knew that fight with the NUM would rapidly develop into a battle with the whole class.
Strength
But instead of seeking to mobilise the strength of the whole class in a fight with the Tories, the TUC is trying to mobilise the CBI.
At a special Transport Union conference on import controls, general stated: We take the viens Moss Evans stated: that the CBI ought to end its silence and represent the its members properly'
The key demand of the TUC in its attempts to tie up with the employers is the CUltrols This policy will do nothing solve employment At best would merely export it for a short time.
Recession
The crisis is not just a British crisis. I hroughoul the industrial world, unemploynent is increasing by leaps and bounds. In the nine EEC countries
WE
HAND
. FOR
it is currently at 8 per cent.
Under the impact of the Cver employer is seeking to grab a siale ol luc market al lilt expense of other empoyer.
Britain excludes foreign goods other countries would retaliate When import controls were introduced on a large scale the 1930s unemployment jumped from 12 per cent in 1929 to 23 per cent in 1932-3. Dearer
Import controls would reduce the standard of liv. ing of British workers. cheaper goods are exclud ed, British workers would daces. Import controls ac have to buy dearer
extra 01 1 the workers in favour of employers.
For example, a direct result of EEC controls on food is that food in Britain is almost 50 per cent dearer inar in the rest of the world.
The call for import controls is an openly nationalistic demand, saying
workers that they have more in common than other workers.
35 HR
WEEK
It is only a small step to then call for 'British jobs
British WUIKCIS which would divide the working class 1n Britain against itself on racist lines. Profits
Of course, employers will support import controls where they increase inelr pronts. But they wil also want redundancies. speed-up, and attacks on fighting for policies which unions. Only make the employers pay for the crisis can the work. ing class may any progress in tas pena
The well-fed gentlemen of the TUC (Len Murray's price rise last week gives him ar annual salary • O1 over £20,000) are deter mined to avoid a confrontation with the Tories.
Quangos
Their policies al c tailored so as not to alarm the employers and enable civilised discussion to take place in govern
Well-paid seats on quangos are more comfor Laole man caute e cias. stre que de. places omake struggle or a them fight.
NE
DEMAND
BE
Page 3 scan of this page
should show anger of - working people'
The contrast greater.
On one hand women workers at 'Lee Jeans' Greenock are in the eleventh week of occupying factory in an all-out fight for jobs.
On the other, 'event' of the TUC's 'Week of Activities' is the march this Saturday in Bradford called by the National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers against unemployment and for import controls - a demand ported by the textile bosses.
One is a real fight against the Tories.
The other represents collaboration between the union leaders and the dustrialists who 100,000 textile workers on the dole in the last year alone.
Miners leader Scargill is due to speak Bradford. Let's hope he makes it crystal clear just how the
By Des Tierney BY courtesy of the Scottish Council of the Labour Party, the workers occupying Lee Jeans factory in Greenock
recently treated to showing of Norma Rae.
It was a good choice of film. Norma Rae tells the story of a heroic struggle by women workers in a factory in the southern states of the USA to unionise their factory and improve their living conditions.
The massive support that the Scottish labour movement has been giving to the Lee Jeans occupation is due to the determination and courage of the mainly women strikers.
As well as women struggling for their rights, there was another aspect of the film which made it particularly suitable.
The southern textile portrayed in Norma Rae could very well have been the VF Corporations, the giant US multi-national which OWil the Lee Jeans Greenock.
Anti-union
VF has an annual
700m dollars and 18,500 employees.
It owns 34 factories in the United
States and another 10 throughout the
rest of the world.
The location of its factories in the
US is significant. They are almost all
situated in the
states, where traditionally labour has
been cheap.
Abroad, its factories are also in
areas where: union organisation
weak - Hong kong, Spain,
Africa, the Philippines and Brazil,
although also has
Canada, Australia and West Europe.
couldn't be
the 250
their
the main
supvery in- the one
have put
Arthur of pay at the
company
factory
turnover of
VF experienced
per cent to $45.9m. each share doubled.
was Dallies.
South US stock
factories months!
ON THE MARCH
AGAINST
THE
TORIES
Liverpool to London, 1-31 May miners won the first round to save their jobs - through nationa! strike action.
Let's hope he puts forward demand which unite every worker in the fight for jobs - a 35-hour week and worksharing now with no loss
Let's hope he calls on the TUC leaders to build on the example of the Scottish TUC and
How to fight a multinational
LEEE
840 Some of the Lee Jeans workers
an chollus growth during the 1970s. Sales tripled to $633m and profits increased by 900
The earnings for selected
Even in 1980, a year in which the
hurting most comVF had a record year, Last week, VF's shares were valued on the
exchange at a higher value than they had held for the last twelve lory
But the contraction in European
Tories last Wednesday.
Liverpool and Yorkshire London will also ding import controls.
workers unemployment.
We should
series of
for those workers
can from Plansee,
from Royal
lead both demonstration
Sunday 31 May. LEE Y
TEANS
SIT- IN
sales of leisure wear has hit Lee Jeans. There are several reasons why the Greenock factory may have
for Closure The Tories' economic policies, which resulted in a high exchange rate for the pound, is one of them.
À sharper than average fall in the demand for jeans in Britain could be another, and more importantly, a tac-
willl a high degree of organisation could have Greenock the target.
CSEU who organised a twohour general strike against the
People's March For Jobs from
be deman-
Bradford demonstration will at root be angry mobilisations
against
mobilise for both on the basis of a fight for a 35-hour week now and a
one-day general strikes to kick out the Tories.
A first step will be calling
fighting back now - from 'Lee' jeans,
Rotherham, Pride and Schrieber's in Manchester to
the Bradford and the national demonstration to greet the Jobs March in London on
The Greenock workers are out to show the European management of VF that Norma Rae lives!
The workers have occupied the factory to prevent the movement of stock and machinery and they are demanding that the available work is shared among VF's factories in Britain and Ireland Management has discuss the workers' demands in the hope that the occupation would lose support.
Support The opposite has been the case, despite the lack of official recognition until last week by the National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers.
Support
mood of the workers hardening. Until allowed Lee products to move freely through British ports, although they knew they could call on the support of the dockers. This line of action is now being reconsidered.
Shipyard workers on the Clyde are among the main contributors to the £5,000 a week that the 250 strikers are receiving.
The workers welcome attempts to Consullici Jeans. They have also started a series of meetings and visits throughout Britain to win support and explain their been case. have • 14, 15, 16 April - Birmingham • 27 April to 1 May - South Wales • week ending 9 May - London, Leicester For information, union messages of made NUTGW, 543 Glasgow.
Tory government.
the anger that working people are feeling over
the highest level of unemployment ever.
concerted industrial action. We hope that the
march receives more publicity than the TUC
week of action. more active support, all the general council should join the march at some stage (perhaps they should check Len Murray's holiday dates first). march, but what about the workers that are in dispute at this moment in time.
The organisers of the march should invite them to play a prominent part and lead off the march as it goes through their areas.
We have to support strikers like those at Royal Pride, Mosedales and Ansells to name a few. Also it will be a boost if Lee Jeans workers from Scotland were invited to join the march.
If this march is to count for anything to the working class it must not become just an excuse for a get together of union leaders, churchmen and politicians.
It must be a show of working class strength From Schreiber shop stewards committee, Trafford Park, Manchester refused
is flooding in and the
has been
they have
boycott Lee
Sauchiehall aonations write and St,
Open letter to the
labour movement WE are sure everyone in the labour movement is looking forward to the people's march with anticipation for the start of a fightback against this
We hope that this march will be used to show
Surrounding the march should be calls for
The general council of the TUC need to give
It's all very well calling the march a people's
National march and rally against unemployment Sunday 31 May Assemble noon at Speakers Corner, Hyde Park for march to Trafalgar Square
Socialist Challenge 9 April 1981 Page:
Page 4 scan of this page
Benn stands and the fight is on
SWP replies on Labour Party
advance'
MANY readers of
Challenge will be as amazed as 1 was by some of the arguments appeal-
ing, with clear editorial support, your pages. In particular this will be true of the article by ington (12 March).
Socialist Challenge seelus
have turned its back completely on
what was supposed to be the central Diank ot its politics when it
founded, endorsed at last year's In-
ternational Marxist Group
ference.
This was, course, sistence on the need for the lett outside the Labour Party
socialist alternative to Labour.
It was in this sense, for instance,
that you wrote to us in the Socialist
Workers Party demanding unity in
july 19lo, alla agan last yeat, if the unfortunate tone of your first
letter made it impossible for us to
meet your demand.
By Paul Smith A BARRAGE of abuse from the right and the centre of the Labour Party has greeted Tony Benn's decision to stand as deputy leader. ceeds his intelligence, described the decision as 'stupid... a move which will destroy party unity' blush went on to discuss the possibility of his own candidature!
Benn's decision to siand against Healey
universally concemned in the parliamen:ary party because it forces the left to fight.
Potentially, the ranks of the party and the unions will be lined up against the parliamentary leadership and important sections of
bureaucracy.
Benn's campaign :herefore provides valuable service to those campaigning in the labour novement for democracy and socialist policies. left at rank and file level il correctly rally round Benn's candidature.
The right-wing assault ¿oes not arise from backlash in the working ciass far from it. comes from the fear of the right wing that many workers 1UI | :adical alternatives to the lory allacks.
Action
Sensing that the Tories are on the run, and fearful
support for the
social emocrals. uuc suo porters of Labour Soli-
desperate
Galil V prove that Labour can be irusted with the mantle of office, and tnat they will
make no fundamental challenge to the real rulers
of Britain.
Unfortunately, until now the Labour left has re-
mained silent in the face of
this right-wing offensive.
It has relied on extending
its gains JILU the
parliamentary party
through work in the
Tribune group and the
reselection of the most ob-
noxious of Labour's sit-
ting tenants.
It has not faced the fact Socialist Challenge 9 April 1981
'Such a party cannot
be a tool of socialist
Socialist
called for is not the building ora
Labour. but Party on the Labour left's terms. Bob Penn-
by the Labour left around the questo
We are told: was
state to the centre of LIC
the in- politics.
to build a
that the Labour left is 'deluded' belief that
socialist advance. even John Silkin, whose ambition obviously ex-
- and without the slightest hint of a
Glum Heffer opposes
Benn
that an all-out battle inside
the trade unions was and
Temalus "cessal y to
secure the left's advance.
It is no accident that
the trade 110 N leaders,
from Kitson NUPE'S
Alan Fisher have weighed
in to criticise Benn's can-
didacy. Like the NUR's
Sidney Weighell, they may
find that their membership
have sone nile sal
their attitude
finally decided.
Moss Evans and his ilk
are well aware that the an-
nual election
Labour leader puts a time
bomb under their own
feudal fiefdoms. Recent
events have shown that the
advance of the left can go
further without
challenging the barons of
the trade union move-
11c1ll.
Unions
Benn's fight for deputy
leader has the potentidi to
put the right wing's cam-
paign into reverse.
vigorous campaign
within se unoRs to ors
the block vote directly
under the control of the
Page 4
SLCau outside'.
Around
But now, it seems, what is being
Socialist revolutionary socialist alternative to
entry into the Labour
Pennington presents the struggle
tion of reselection and an electoral college in the most glowing terms.
"The fight for democracy (within the Labour Party) is an attempt to break the grip of the state... This brings the question of ington
British oul
Scorn is poured on those of us left? who adhere to the old Marxist view
such a reformist party can be an agency of
Apparently it is wrong to tell the reformist left it is 'wasting its time' and we are 'crazy' to argue for a par-
membership and for the democratic election of the union leaders would put bureaucrats the defensive.
Benn has correctly delenaca ns candidacy on the basis of the struggle for socialist policies. His fivepoint programme includes support for full employ ment, fare services, getting rid of cavallsull oI wel
nuclear weapons, withdrawal from the EEC and the extension of democratic rights.
Most of these points are worthy of support from any socialist. But the
Labour Party
Labour left. Marxistito Telate directly to whanis Pennington ends going on in the Labour Party, in-
of 'commentating from the
would make for clarity all Pennnington anc Socialist Challenge would spell out their answers to a few questions
Are all readers and supporters of
Challenge being urged to ioin the Labour Party? If so, when and how was your previous position
that focussing tionary unity • reversed?
Finally, are Socialist Challenge supporter within the Labour Party expected to argue, honestly, that such a party cannot become a tool of socialist advance without a complete break which even Penn-
would admit is unlikely with not only the reformist right,
also the leaders of the reformist
Or are we going to have a repeat of the pattern of recent weeks, of the words of Benn, or even Foot, being presented as it, perhaps with minor modifications, they could be correct rallying cries for the class? Yours fraternally, Chris Harman, Socialist Review No smiles now as Benn challenges Healey
crucial element missing from his programme is any notion of how • LIC WUIN' ers' movement can achieve these desirable objectives.
Surely very first task is the fight for mass
of this hated Tory government which is an obstacle to advance on any front.
Teeth Establishing full employment and an expansion of social services will only be done in the teeth of the most bitter opposition of the capitalists.
Socialist
Challenge
BOB PENNINGTON replies:
I DO NOT think, nor did I ever sug-
gest, that the Labour Party Is agency of socialist advance 1 do belleve fights on policy and democracy in the Labour Party part of the struggle to build a revolutionary socialist alternative.
The labour bureaucracy alco working class, and its ultimate loyal- between capitalism
ty lies with the capitalist sta.e. This is why the right wing and the media so ferventiy MPs against their constituency parties.
They want to tion where the MPs are free of control by the labour movement so they can be accountable to tional Monetary Fund, the Bank of England, the military establishment and the other institutions capitalist state.
They want the Labour leader to be elected by a predominantly rightwing Parliamentary Labour Party,
The struggle for 35-hour week is missing from his programme.
This would duce unemployment by 1.om. at a stroke, would entail massive struggle Will the deeply rooted interests British ruling class and its loyal representatives in the corridors of the TUC's Congress House
rhe struggle for nev socialist policies for the Labour Party will entail an all-out battle to build a movement that drives straight through the fainthearted and feeble-
capitalism Because the 'an
however that the
are an important
but they also anti-capitalist policies. mediand the preach to them
defend the rights of
preserve a situa-
Challenge were to join the interna
of the minded current leadership of the Labour Party and the unions.
The same _people who attack Benn for 'disunity'
against left-wingers in the Labour Parti Sidney Weighell has announced a campaign to Capel na s 0] Peter Shore declared that. splitter have gone the key task is 'to get rid of the wreckers'
Benn's simple reply to charges of 'divisiveness' is that: It's very dangerous
so that its sole right to choose the cabinet and decide the policy of a Labour government remains intact.
Likewise, the state is against the Labour Party adopting a unilateral ist policy, coming out of the EEC abolishing the House of Loras, ana extending nationalisations. All these measures would be a serious blow to
Labour Party fighting about democracy and Issues of policy that have an anti-capitalist potențial, some 800 people a week are joining the Labour Party. Most of them have illusions in retormism,
want more radical,
It is not enough for the far left to
from the sidelines that left social democracy will only betray in the end. The far lett has to be where the fight is, and it has to be where the biggest opportunities for winning thousands of new people to socialist ideas are to be found.
If the supporters of Socialist
and Socialist Worker forces in helping to organise the Labour left, we would
able to build a powertul alternative to the right wing.
we would aiso De position to counter the illusions of
And we could lay the basis for a real Marxist move ment rooted in the working class.
to say that elections are divisive' Discussion the policies the workers' movement that would ge nuinely meet their needs is a vital weapon in the fighi for workers' unity.
Those who are seriously concerned with unity can only applaud Benn's decision to stand.
Now the campaign for hearts and minds should be taken with all speed into the industrial unions. The hatte can onli be fought and won in the engine room of the working class.
Page 5 scan of this page
refutes witch-hunt
FOR OVER year LOW members of Revolution Youth, the socialist youth organisation, have been actiye in the campaign against Cruise and irident missiles. In many places they have played a major role in bülding Youth CND. Unfortunately, Revolution Youth is becoming the victim of a red-baiting witch hunt, orchestrated in part by national officers. of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
It is extremely regrettable that time and energy of the disarmament movement shoud be wasted by such antics, but given the
that dem aCND. under threat Revolution Youth has asked Socialist Challenge to make the tacts of thıs atfair known.
Role
AL une DeccuocI CUllference of YCND.
SCVCl members of Revolution WeIC elected to the 17-person national ad-hoc committee of YCND. This reflected the role which we had played in re-bulding YCND a mass campaigning body.
The TITSI whiff that "independent' YCND activists and supporters of the Communist Party were orchestrating a campaign against us emerged at meeting of London YCND on 4 March, when accusations were made that YCND was being 'dominated' TON-
body,, the 'International Marxist League' JIN DUT DE ANTO
ORIININ DUT OF NATO:
Youth lead Manchester demo against the missiles
Revolution Youth
Youth National Committee)
TH MISSILES!
STOP
New issues of Revolution explains
Revolution Youth's position on how to
build a mass YCND. 10p from PO Box 50,
London N1.
This was followed up
at the national ad
commulice meeting or
March, where a leading
YCND activist, Mario
ARITAIN BUT CE HAT
By Richard Rozanski (Revolution SOCIALIST PAPER FOR YOUTH
i
BUILD
YOUTH
CND
Borza, complained that Revolution was domiHalill. the campaign.
Al Ine same meeting Sally Davidson, CND na-
Stop the missiles
tional ol gallisei anlu member of the Communist Party, produced a copy of a document alleged to be a perspectives resolution passed by the Birmingham DranCi Kevo uDon Youth.
anc Gocuncu IcIcIcu to bulding YCND and winning of
SuDDUrICIS YCND to the ideas of Revolution. Sally Davidson alleged that this meant that trying to 'take over' YCND.
Limit
It seems likely that the next National Council meeting CNND will discuss the alleged Revolu„DOl Youth takeover YCND, and give regional CNDs the filiate YCND groups. wei lu usal
second assue emerged in this affair that the characie. YCND. National officers of CND have
CECS CU the view that YCND should be limited to those unacl years age, despite the fact that upper age limit of most youth like
Sul calsaliul. the Labour Party Young Socialists and YCL, around 25. Priorities
The CND national office wants YCND to be a school
SLUUCUE oradusd tion, with relatively little say in the campaign. What it doesn't want is a powertul youth wing, uniting all sections of youth. correspond: with their view that CND should be a 'people's movement', not one which prioritises the
labour movement and youth as Revolution have argued. United
It's part and parcel of the same approach which puts nuns and brigadiers on national platforms, but not a single youth speaker,
happened at last OcLoper s uclulisiraliol.
Both some nonaffiliated members of YCND and the CP/YCL are worried by ine in fluence Revolution Youth in YCND. Revolution Youth has never made any secret of the fact that wine l suves to ouo lat campaign as a united front body, lt also aliclIOls WIll young people YCND tọ socialist ideas. It does this,
11U| 'manipulation' or underhand tactics, but by selling its publications and arguing for its ideas.
Build
At the YCND national conference on 11 and 12 April, Revolution Youth will argue that YCND snoula de bulli as a non exclusionary united front,
SECDONS youth young workers, the unculD ovcu college ' students and school Suucuils
We pledge ourselves to loyally build YCND, but not at the price of keping
politics.
Let's hope that this affair CanDa quickty sel aside,
that can get on Wil co ul winnng hundreds of thousands of young people against the missiles and for unilateral nuclear disarmament.
Easter
Against the
Missiles weekend CND Willbe OVER Easter conducting series of activities against nuclear weapons below Is a partal su of the major асtivities. Further details of all these activities can be obtained from CND, 11 Goodwin St. , London N4 зна. Tel: 01-263 4954/8546.
ALDERMASTON: Sat 18 April, southern region CND demonstration outsic e nuclear research centre.
BRISTOL: Sat 18 April Bristol and south west region CND demonstration to Admiralty HQ. For details ring Bristol 32707.
CAMBRIDGE: Mon No 'defence' against the bomb
By Alan Lenton
AFTER more than 20
years, 'civil defence'
is once more becom-
Ing issue of
debate.
Anti-nuclear groups have denounced the government's new civil defence manual Protect & demonstrated utside civil Survive fraud, and defence installations.
But the criticisms of
civil defence seem a little contradictory.
It is denunced as
waste of money, since the
civil defence measures are
totally inadequate _ O e
fend the populations
against nuclear attack.
But at the same time
vı cerence oroeraml re criticised because th
only provide shelters for a
minority .of millar,
and topse seramis
criticisms are truẹ, but they miss the
main point.
The reason that the government has re-
vamped its CIVll defence
programme has to do with
the new way in which the
Western powers are look-
ing at nuclear war.
More 'strateists" re. and
defence
beginning to consider the
possibility of fighting and
winning a limited nuclear ke the Cruie, whici siles wal Missiles
pin-point accuralv
together with the neutron
DOMD. and the increasing
possibility of striking
decs ve blow atalils!
Socialist Challenge
20 April, regiona demonstration 11 am from RAF Honnington to Thetford Bidge 353804 Details CamLONDON: Five loca marches to civil defence bunkers at Cheam, Crystal Pal-
Wanstead ace, Dollis Hill and USAF Uxbridge.
MANCHESTER: Mass demonstration to greet transPennine march. MIDLANDS: Five oron( march Rugb) from Birmingham/Wolverhampton, Derby Leicester Milton Keynes, Leamingtor Culminate Mon 20 April with march on Rin olman Details Mar-
021-236 9815 NOTTINGHAM: Sat April 18. 11 a.m. march through town centre Tel Not• tingham 582561.
Why we object
to civil 'defence
Soviet missile silos wi first strike, all Tuc Cal war baci the framework of acce? table military options
That's why defence has once mo: Decome a cover meni cr. cern There is no dous that the measures descri:. ed in Protect and Sur... border on the farcical
When describing hew a family can survive nuclear attack with its ow indoor shelter, the manua is careful also to expla.what to do with the corf
ses of those people in ye:
shelter who di
In fact the gover.. ment's own estimate anything an unde:. estimate) is that weeks of a nuclear atta:s on Britain, 35 million pe: ple would be dead
The government is =.=? making SCHOu. DICDa. s tion to defend the popu:: • tion in the event of nuciea attack partly becaus: there is no defence agair. the aevastallor would be wrought on B.= laln auring a nucicar al'... bardment
Civil defence is a fra.: sma just binure oni: not
minority bureaucrats and military could hope : really safe, but because creates the illusion there is some SOA defence to nuclear atta:i when obviously there ish:
Civil defence nuclear wal more thinkable Its ideological. It is part oi.. war drive preparations
9 April 1981 Page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
• Ankara
SYRIA
JUKUA
ARABIA Turkey: What the
generals are trying to
sweep under the carpet By Nick Robin THE green light given by the Reagan administration to torturers and dictatorships around the world has been received gratefully by Turkey's military rulers.
There dre NOW estimated 100,000 political prisoners in Turkey's jails.
There have also been
deaths custody, and four youths
including one lo-yearhad boy been Erdal Eren have executed following conviction by a military tribunal.
The main target of repression has been the
well-organised Turkish labour Slashed
Various hard WON social benefits are being Sashed the minimum wage, pensions, redundanc! payments and the working week has been exlended to 56 hours.
This is all part of the *economic revolution' demanded by the International Monetarv rund.lt 1s a determined attempt to
the organised workers' movement and to salvage Turkey's paralysed and bankrupt capitalist 2.000 leaders of the DISK current trial (Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions) is the focus of this attempt.
Second on the junta's hit-just are the Kurds. who nake us auvul a vuailci of the country's population.
Concentrated the backward regions of eastern Turkey, the Kurds have been sub-
ict io the most barbaric
throughout
lackey's history. Kurds
In 1923 the Turkish Renubic was founded. in 1924 the Kurdish language was forbiden from being taught schools and, following the crushing of three national insurrections in 1925, 1930 and 1935, the Kurds were deprived of all rights and therefore referred to as
'mountain Turks'.
From 1925 to 1965 Turkish designated 'military area and no foreigners were allowed in the region. In the campaign of
Socialist Challenge 9 April 1981. Page 6
U.S.S.R.
Baghdad •
IRAQ 1925-26 the Turks massacred 250,000 Kurds.
Slogans such as 'One Turk is worth the whole universe' still adorn the schools and barracks, and are part and parcel of the
ideology of Ataturkism to which the present junta subscribes. Shot
It is no surprise that the majority of those shot in the streets by the military since the coup last September been in ine kuraisa region, and that Kurdish nationalists Have Dece muscululalcy rounded up and imprisoned.
For the military's purposes, the singing of a Kurdish folksong evidence enough of Kur-
The growing resistance to national oppression was one of the major features of Turkey's political and social crisis at the time of the coup. The junta's first declaration referred to the threat of secessionism' as the pretext for the coup.
Reports are currently filtering out Turkey that 92 Kurds are facing execution as a result of "secessionist activities' in other words, attempting
speak their own language, wear lnel own
costume, and their people Ul callse shake off centuries of op-
pression and suffering.
NATO
After SiX months of dictatorship, the junta has proved totally unable to solve even the most elementary economic problems tacino lurkev
The IMF and NATO nave Turkey, which is the only NAIU member sharing a border with the Soviet Union. Since the Iranian revolution, its strategic inoftalice the Middle East is even greater.
The national liberation struggle of the Kurds not only in Turkey, but in Iran, Syria and iraq — is a critical tactor in the future 'stability of the Middle East for imperialism.
Active solidarity Wilh the Turkish and Kurdish people can have a real impact changing Lne balance of forces in the region in the near tuture.
The Turkey Solidarity Campaign now has cities and is campaigny committees ing in the labour movement against the dictatorship. It can be contacted c/o BM Box 5965, London WIN 3XX.
THE latest agreement with the Polish government following the Bydgoszcz affair has led to open differences among the leaders of Solidarity. Karol Modzelewski, the national commission's press spokesperson, over the way the agreement was reached.
has arisen between moderates, who include Walesa, and more radical leaders.
THERE was an increase in prices valurady.
Monday the people went to the head office here they discovered that the •tector mad no mamence over price rises and could OnLY DOSS DIV bonus by about 5%.
So, 300 people from the shipyard went to the Regional Committee building to ask for an explanation.
When they didn't come back for a long time a se cond group was organised to see what was nappening. I was with them. Students
Afterwards we went to the polytechnic apologise for not helping
during uncl March 1968 demonstrahOne for bread and freedom. The rector came oul and sala inal tne deci sion to raise prices was correct, our nobody listened to him.
LABOUR FOCUS ON
BASTERN BUROPE
POLAND:
SOLANNE
IN ACTION New issue of Focus on Eastern Europe, the authoritative journal of events Easterr Europe. Dossier on Polish struggle and building of Solidarnosc. £1.50 packed pages. Write to: LFEE, Box 23, 135 Kingsland High St, London E8.
International,
Solidarity leader recalls 1970 riots
the blood of the
murdered'
resigned
Another dispute over union tactics the union 1970 Polish riots
The students talked to us and promised help. But when we went again rom, naraly anybody wa. there. It turned out that Thev were shut u a lie student hostels. However many them jumped through the windows and joined us later.
A cordon of police was standing near and now things began. The first police cannister burst spreading tear gas around A crowd was massing
Red crosses had
been drawn with
ANNA
Gdansk shipyards,
the moderates.
issue of Labour Focus
army. near Pere headquarters,
Iwa. through a loudhailer • for the people to go back to work. remember shipyard worker climbing on to the roof of a tram. bar ripping freas shia nd bare and shouting: 'Shoot! What have we got to live for?
But at that time there had not yet been any shooting.
On my way back, I met some colleagues who were
WALENTYNOWICZ, veteran campaigner for trade union rights, and a crane driver from the
has come under fire for her criticisms of Walesa and
Below we reprint from the latest
on Eastern Europe her account of the events of 1970 when a similar workers' upsurge was defeated by the Polish police and INT
Till
coming out of the rows of smipyards, dressed asbestos overalls and safety-helmets. 1 raised my hands in the air and called: 'Wait minute You've got to think it over. But nobody heard The people shouted, 'The ar my's here.
From all sides came the volleys. helicopter was firing into the shipyard Policemen disguised as soldiers were
firing at people coming in_ to the shipyard.
The first dead fell From the hospital hung white sheets on which red crosses had been drawn in the blood those murdered. There were very many sheets, so many had fallen.
Delegation
And later.. I don't know, I was slaving away in une kicnen ine time. I was there when the shipyard workers capitu• lated. often thought anerwards those who perished. Will their blood be a poisoned seed or a sign of reconciliation?
I found myself on the list of those to be dismiss ed. However,
Iwa. selected for the delegation to go to Warsaw for meeting with the authorities This was in January 1971. Three coaches were brought up and off we
not to Warsaw however, but only to the
offices of the Regional National Coun-
one point the with topicsel tatives from the highest authorities entered a very sharp discussion. And this certainly convinced uS
like shouted Gierek: will help.
Tears
Just like the others 1 believed that they wer real tears that ran down lne genuieman s cnecks he spoke: and that while he remained Minister of in ternal Affairs there would
bloodshed Poland. , I felt that I was being recharged with hope and faith like a battery But disillusion was quick to follow.
A month passed, and the agitation didn't stop In May 1971 a strike exploded. I ran to the head office where a crowd had already gathered. It turned out that one of the cause of the conflict was a new svstem of dividing bonu ses. People still remem bered Jaroszewicz's pro-
Ourselve decide how to allocate them
Why, once again, had nobody asked us our opi nion? He was disregarding the December troubles and a rumour
round that he was working
for the UB (Secret Police)
Activities
went up to the microphone, and thoughtful, I managed to convince the staff that they should go back
forcing the a!CI
management to transmit
demands the authorities And the peopie astened to ine
My speech turned out to he verv uniortunate to
me. Thereafter there were as many
who followed my every
movement at work. It wa also said that I had col-
lected money for the victime this was tivit ire
activities in organising the com.
memoration of December, my perseculion
police and the security
Free Coastal Unions
all belong the
thest years that followed
Who would have
thought that this road, so
full of suffering, would
have led to 'Solidarity'?
Page 7 scan of this page
Rich pickings in ruined steel industry-but not
tricks that others put down to paranoia.
‹ nere snoula be no doubts about the Tories' plans for the steel industry.
With commendable dour the
prime muster revealed the government's intentions in two short sentences.
'One of the purposes of the money being injected into the British Steel Corporation, Thatcher stated, 'is to get it into a condition and size at which it can be profitable When it is, we can denationalise it.
there All the closures and all the workers who are being down the road are serving one purpose profit and that surplus, materialises, will accrue the Tories triends. Crisis
To sued the septis or the
bol of both the depth crisis affecting British economy, and of the Tories' anti-working class remedies. It Is also, umortunalely, a classic example of the political bankLUDEL Y union leadership.
A few facts. Since 1970 the number of workers employed by the Steel Corporation has shrunk from 230,000 100,000. Ian MacGregor, was brought in by the Tories to concoct arescue daniorsedustry, is already shedding a further 22,000 jobs.
That the bloodletting unlikely to stop there can judged from a remark made by Sir Keith Joseph during the se cond reading of the Iron and Steel Bill on 19 March
'By all commercial stanthe industry secretary
sal But under present legisla-
tion it cannot be liquidated This Bill, he revealed, allow the corporation's tivities to be reduced virtually to nil.
in the form below Name...
Address.
Age:
Union/CLP (if any)...
London N1 2XP.
for the workers
SOCIALISTS are sometimes accused of finding conspiracies where none exist and of pointing to dirty
such
canhas steelSCIlL the to who Joseph.
be It is an incredible statement, foreshadowing the disappearance of a basic industry least as a nationalised Joseph added istic, and if that not justified, further closures and redundancies will be neces'will Optimism is hardly aL" order of the dav. Stee ducers are desperately trying to JOIN THE FIGHT FOR
SOCIALISM
If you would like to be put in touch with Socialist Challenge supporters in your area or would like more information fill Send to: Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50,
By Celia Pugh
'This Bill will allow BSC's
activities to be reduced
virtually to nil' - Keith
undercut each and markets and car plants closing and new building shelved, the markets that dwindle.
Commercial standards 'optimism is the
profit workers, yet their leaders refuse to recognise what is happening the in the capitalist lungle
Many rate they turn a blind eye to pro
At the Velindre works outside Wales.
a consor an has are local
thousand lobs. union leaders have show that the plant is efficient. They demand 'the right to continue to make protis.
At Llanwern Talbot, the union leaders are encouraging prove the plant is viable. ductivity records broken and export orders are at an all-time high. no small sacrifice has rocketed and satetv regula. tions bring one miners stre During miners' they requested dispensation so that the plant could continue production And all this is based on the notion that if the workers work hard enough the plant will be saved.
Denationalisation will come in stages to ease the financial burden on private firms. Joint companies will be set up where
Home News.
compete for markets.
Government injected to
companies
hidden government
The
and the sold to BSC be mistaken ly transitory. redundancy
new private with Hadfields, ments, and GKN.
And
Joseph made statement,
private sector'!
The
and Duports Inculary
sessions in
minds. Overtime Their
Unemployment other's prices With factories
with long hours,
for early
competition and tion Group asks: spell doom for steel-
look at fellow
Inal we are now
tin-plate
Swansea Now is the
wier e LISt with overtime
ment starts immeclalely.
The tried to
mand for longer
and Port
the workforce to game are
PrO.
are being
It has meant never win
overtime production should be strike, of vasarice market.
treatment
dent of South commented
too: a: our guts
the private and public sectors
funds will be rationalise unese
new firms before the private
pletely. Under this scheme take Con-
code named Phoenix private
firms like GKN acquire new
plants at no cost and receive
subsidies:
£40m in the case of GKN.
Duport private steel
colloany Has scraobeds non.
profit making plant at Llanelli
with the loss of 1,200 jobs. Its
Sheffield Midlands have been
These schemes should not national-
isation. BSC ownership is pure-
Asset stripping, interest and payments will be
made with government funds in
a tidying-up operation before a
venture is set up Tube Invest-
the response of the
largest union in the industry,
ISTC? In the same week that
Unis Commons ISTC Banner 'Save the
steel leaders have paraded workers from Velindre
through parlialobbies, the
Court, and even hymn-singing
their inspiring tempts to change the Tories'
knee-bent posture would have as little chance of persuading rivers to run up hill.
the industry accompanies a shake-up
short days, and penalising conditions
retirement The bulletin of the Port Talbot Ac-
'How can the union leaders
members who have just been finished at Port Talbot and tell these people
filling their jobs on an overtime basis?
to tel management no extra tonnage
unless
demand for recruitment to share the work is vital. Added to it could be the de-
35-hour week, holidays, and early retirement with no loss of pay.
Tories' those of private capital, profit and competition. They make no secret of it. And bv those rules steelworkers car
The private sector has to be nationalised, not saved. Steel
planned to meet social need and not the
the capitalist Above all the bentknee posture requires urgent
Wales the miners strike action: 'You cannot play by the Marquis of Queensbury rules when they are aiming the::
Dai Francis
South Wales miners'
leader dies
RESPECTED miners' leader Dai Francis died in Cardiff on : March at the age of 70.
Since his retirement as General Secretary of the Sou Wales area of the National Union of Miners in 1976, Da mained active in the labour movement.
He will be missed by all who stood shoulder to should with him in the struggle for the liberation of humanity
Every cause gained his attention and commitment. worked in the pits from the age of 14 and was elected to tr South Wales miners' Executive in 1943
As a Welsh speaker, founder member and President ( the Wales TUC, he took up the rights of Welsh people
A fervent internationalist, he fought with the Intern tional Brigade in Spain and was a member munist Party until his death.
CND's opposition to the imperialist war drive.
10 days before he died he took part in a Cardiff CN demonstration for 'Jobs not Bombs'
One year ago, March against unemployment. He talked then to Socialis Challenge about life in the '30s and the lessons for us toda:
'They were trying days, difficult days, days of struggle : every direction. And the struggle was centred on the figt against the Means Test, the fight against unemploymen and for the reestablishing of the union.
'The future of Wales and every other country depends o its youth. The old people can help. But it's the youth who v got to take the initiative. They've got to awaken the con: cience of the Welsh people about what is going to happen i the future.'
SUBSCRIBE TO SOCIALIST CHALLENGE For new readers we are offering TEN ISSUES of Socialist Challenge for the incredibly low price of f (real value f3.15!)
With 12 month subscriptions we are giving away a FREE COPY of The British Economic Disaster by Andrew Glyn and John Pluto Press (usual price f2.95).
Complete the form below and rush your order to Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP Cheques and POs payable to 'Socialist Challenge' SPECIAL OFFER 12 months: £14 plus free copy of The British Economic Disaster o months - t/ 10 issues for f2 only verseas: 12 months — Surface mail & Europe air ma £17.
Other air mail £24 Delete as appropriate.
Name....••• Address
of the CoDai recently participted
Dai supported the South Wales You:
Harrison, published by
Page 8 scan of this page
THIS IS NOT THE A OF THE TRAINE
Free fares, courtesy of railworkers
TICKET inspectors and collectors and "Shetieid Man cheste! areas arene usinkeo hehis
Lusicki Veneis week They want a public in-
quiry into the orodosea closure of the freight service on the Manchester, Sheffield and Wath line.
The service is due stoD on June. mn ue meantime, tor one week. trave! will be completely Iree. This will be one inaustrial acuoli lial wils Ul1 ing applause ine public!
MORKERS
N.U.R
MORLD UNTIE
NUR has
women members, too
BRITISH RAIL employs a large number of women, oul lney are concentrated in une tramconaily remaie sectors the nromtable
ticket collector and NUR mem oer racanizlon station in London, plains what work
It is still unusual to see womer al a llall mic sldtion guaras UCKel
. Like all women with male workforce I found it LOOK llic lu fil ill
At first I felt isolated. It's the small things, uke toilets in the staff canteen.
When
ı was lleı vIcw' ec tor meloo i was askec if I would get upset if a
inbecoming uniforr
100 well. feel yUu nave to orove as d woman you have a right to the job.
after found 1 object of curiosity. People accept you as 'ou are
All rail orkers are facing redundancies and t' •destruction of Iae mousiry. SEVe YOlC ll the union, women and
has to make their heard demand vuite leaders start the inlal vul Igni back now
As electea local representative I can see
every day at wo ck that the
changing.
Management is preparing lor culs l uie sultllici im oortanl that
womer Dlay a lul role ll the union. Mv oranco nas passed a resoletioation og
abortion. It's Lallt sIcu forward when male trade unionists alt prepared To take uD fight for all members, in. cluding women.
ick
outthe
ories
Socialist Challenge 9 April 1981 Page 8
BRITISH Rail has reached the end of the line - and so will 6,000 railworkers this year.
New recruitment has been frozen for several months, fares have sky high, passenger and freight trains have been withdrawn, and the collection and delivery parcels service has been scrapped.
British Rail is selling the house to pay the rent. It is putting up fares and cutting back services, but the more it does that the fewer passengers and freight will be carried by rail.
And goes on. Since railways were nationalised in 1948, LICy nave providea an essential service for manufacturing industry. But the government of the day has always colcal o co muss al a muuuld u cosl
and now the price has to be paid.
In the 1950s diesel trains were introduced as a stop-gap before electrification, a temporary measure tha is still with us today. The private road lobbv has nad the ear oI successive governments and the refusal to invest has resulted in a run-down. date and potentially unsafe railway system.
Most of BR's diesel fleet is past its 25 vear litespan. Essential renewal oi worn-out tracks has not taken place, alll over nall the track system nas wooden sleepers.
Unsafe
At the end of 1979 over 120 miles of track was subject to speed restric-
because it was unsafe for full uols. speed. BR chairperson Peter Parker has torecast inal the end of the decade 3,000 miles of track unusable
In anv rational societv a rallway network would be run as a service to carry goods and to transport peopie. boln lor work ana picasure we don't live in such a society. We live in a totally irational one.
High fares and bad service have driven away passengers and freight. Yet a train which is empty much to run as one that is full. Where fares have been reduced in countries, traffic has increased.
British Rail finances more of its costs from its internal tu rail ta any other major European railway. the others receive a higher proportion of rail costs from government subsiay.
The vast sums which are needed to keep even the present BR equipment and track serviceable, never mind to
modernise the system, are not forth-
Cowboys
Instead the Tories support and encourage private enterprise roads are built and private coaches operate on routes where the railway Is the most suitable carrier. While cowboys in the coach and lorry business cream off the profits, bus services in rural areas ana in lowns are rcauceu and withdrawn.
In this situation it is nothing short of scandalous that the Union Railwaymen accepts the idea that rail must be made to pay, but suggests to management ways which this may be achieved. 'We're all in it together' is the constant cry of
Transport Review, the NUR's journal.
Under the guise of improved rates
gone OTOSIT
the Public transport in
out-ofwill be
But
COsIs di
on behalf of the NUR.
OLEC
highly paid.
rail -describes as
, trunk
- shows that.
pay and conditions, National
Wing, which was
from the NUR!
result of government policies. MARTIN EADY, president
IF LABOUR wins the Greater London Council in May,
immediately
Transport fares by 25 per cent. The National Union of
Railwaymen supports this policy.
• An underground journey in London costs three
times more per mile than a Metro journey in Paris.
• In the 1970s, £2bn was spent on public transport in
Paris - four times the amount London Transport spent in
the same period. Since 1970 more money has been spent on
public transport in Paris than in the whole of Britain.
• In real terms, the average journey in Paris on public
transport now costs half as much as it did 20 years ago.
Paris is now carrying a fifth more
passengers than it was five years ago. Since 1970 more
money has been spent on public transport in Paris than in Sidney Weighell offers to make cuts
BRITISH Rail may be broke, but it is not because railworkers are
The Low Pay Unit's research into wages paid in which the unit 'a nationalised indsutry with strong trade unions whose strategic power and influence in the national economy is potentially great' * In October 1979 (when
the official Railwaymen's Charter proposes to re all. introduce compulsory Sunday work-
after a long, nara struggle between the wars. icri. This comes not from management but
The unions are asking the government for a big increase in investmenı and operating subsidy to British Rail,
The present state of BR is the direct
of the NUR's London district council, London Transport and PETE GRANT, ASLEF, Willesden branch look at why rail is in this situation, what the unions are doing, and what they ought to be doing.
-London's down and out transport
the whole of Britain reduce London
travelling:
RAILWORKERS have tremendous pride in They have always been willing to sacrifice themselves to good service.
Their concern has been much their own safety, but that of the travelling public.
The Amalgamated Society Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, ASLEF. was formed in Sheffield in 1880, not because of the anpalling conditions thẹ drivers faced Decause the signalling system unsate.
The motto of ASLEF is 'Brothers in unity, the public salely. protection'. The employers have been able to take advantage of this to keep wages down and conditions of service poor and out of date In recent times, British Rail has not carried out essential track repair, so speed restrictions have
Railworkers - low paid and overworked
the Low Pay Unit's definition of low pay was £60 for a basic week excluding overtime there were 38,000 railworkers on basic rates of £54 and less. * In April 1979, even by working more than twice as many hours in overtime as the average manual worker, the average total earnings of BR workers were still £3 week less than the average for all manual workers. * Average hours worked
which is essential if BR is to survive at Yet because they accept the need for rail to pay its way in capitalist - make a profit and not run as a service — the unions are offering a long list of cuts. General secretary of the NUR Sid Weighell has issued a letter to the unions' branches making the following proposals:
Which was due to comi
• Since 1976 fares on the Underground have increased by over 300 per cent. In the same period, GLC financial support for London Transport has decreased by a third.
• In the last ten years, the number of passengers
- by tube, down 15 per cent
- by bus, down 30 per cent
- by car, up 17 per cent
• In Sweden last year when rail fares were cut by 30 per cehire passengers ror easeengers has in creased follow- passengers increased by 14 per cent. In South ing the freezing of fares. And this year not one Metro train will be more than three London Transport's 1933 stock was withdrawn.
Why trains come off the tracks
imposed. running times and hence delayed arrivals working as the Chief Railways, Sir lan HOLSU exposed in his annual report.
Last year of caused by Irom 13 t0 17. occured at places where a renewal of track had but postponed was McNaughton's 'Where normal renewal is deferred the problem is then one of deciding vur Wil when deterioration components that, speed of traffic must be imposed 'As the circumstances inevitable that judgements are wrong
by BR manual workers in. creased during the period 1976-1979 by 2.4, from 48.4 to 50.8 hours.
In terms of hourly earnings, BR staff have enjoyed no improvement in earnings since the late 1960: (1974-5 excepted * By excluding overtim‹ there are almost three time: as many low-paid workers in BR, proportionate to the size of the workforce, as in other industries.
closures
Election and delivery. • rive passenger train mileage. • Accelerate streamlining.
keeping'.
Further
Central Wa
USE of its present financial situation,
Bri deferring the renewal of track on the Cen
on:
(Tor
beli gov the a U
Ley
10S.
P
years old. Last week, the last of
IIIU wo
per Lal the bus
This results in increased sav BO.
It also means a reduction in safe WI
lin inspector of McNaughton, at: derailments wholly defective track increased Nine derailments 7p been deliberately ma
report states: thr
of the various sta safety, a restriction in th number these cla increases, is some of the bo M
Lo cla
far
Who their relative Th
do
qu tra
Ll C ye
• Accelerate marshalling yard
Era
Withdrawal from parcels col-
cent reduction in
administrative ra
• Co-operation in 'good house-
Page 9 scan of this page
GE
for
es line
together
cilitation of speedy progress anges. anges in working practices vorse, of course).
leaders appear to nat if they can convince the ent of their good intentions, s will be kind to them, make and come up with the cash. pproach was tried in British
with disastrous results: and continuing closures, job victimisations.
ext gement has picked off secR which have little industrial catering, hotel and parcel
Our union lenoers nave ck and allowed this to hapme oretexı mna caese seclors icrificed in order to persuade inment to finance the 'main'
the unions' attitude has not he railways. British Rail
'Into the Eighties'
LOCUnICIIl d streamlining the rail system. at means is axing at least forty is will leave some areas like les without any train services
h Rail handed rail travellers blows last Xmas: fares up by enl, passenger services cul by td suburbant and a drastic slashing in the
services the n region.
major terminals are
with closure after L.ne rush hour, and more than 100 will close in the evenings and nds. travellers, who are not, in the usiness people paying first es, but ordinary women and I get two fingers from the rail they don't work nine to five, to tridav. Most ot the proosures are stations in South
mainly servicig working as. ds ritish Rail's own admission,
the "captured' re the direct result of governlicies.
travelling, in the rush m into old-fashioned trains. sh is so bad that trains have to
out oi service because the frame has buckled and the b longer shut. tage of staff results in no adever for drivers and guards. So e cancelled when railworkers
on leave. Cancellations akdowns occur daily because ould have been replaced 15
h Rail has asked the e375m to electrify all major
major es. soac. vul ul ans of blackmail to accept job ad cuts in conditions and ser-
policy that we need for the ; has to start from the fact that - di service wnicn exists ocial needs — not to provide
IT
#itt
increased their relative importance in the transport network.
*THE SWEDISH EXPERIENCE. Since the 1977, the situation of the railways in A massive injection of just started but the first signs are that the railways have
rged drasticallv
Such a socialist policy would mean that rational decisions could be made. The standard and level of services and fares would be decided in the framework of an overall transport policy that took account of other transport, such as buses and lorries.
All this would need a massive injection Tunes system. But it would result in improved productivity and a service that really was a service Ior lne Havenlg public.
(ONLIO OVCi British Rail should be in the hands of railworkers themselves the case there would be working conditions and hours and a reduction in fares.
Instead of that capitalists are being subsidised through penal interest rates and profits for private industry
achieve all this left wing neeas lo bull in lne lau unions. Militants organise informally against closures and redundancies, and for the democratisation of union structures in the NUR. But it is early days yet.
We need a shop steward system 01 representation and negotiation
The Triple Alliance of rail, coal, and steel workers, will only become a
forms of Will it happen again?
InDIUVO
what happens to
If this were improved
an organised
are beginning
1974
TTT BRITISH RAIL ANNOUNCEMENIS BR'S FINANCIAL TIMETABLE
rovinus fare increncec have haen tellnwed hv o
sponding drop in the number of passengers.
730 Passenger journeys 702
1975 1977 1978 1979
reality in organised solidarity in the fight against Tory closures.
This will not be organised by our nresent leadershin. It wil have to star at the bottom with the building of the new class struggle leadership.
British Rail in 1977 received less government subsidy than any other major European railway except Sweden*
launched a low
million
Rail boom
in Sweden IN SEPTEMBER 1979, the Swedish State Railway (SJ) periment as a success in that they have recorded fy application for over a year, and SJ regard the ex- entire network. The reduced fares have now been in passenger fares campaign over thier
innal journeys during, ibe
Italy FS Denmark DSB
"..i.....
DB Germanv 1> 61.2% self-financing
Netherlands NS 55.5% self-financing Belgium SNCP 49.6% self-financing
Socialist Challenge 9 April 1981 Page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
Socialist Challenge
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noret Cide View or John at 54 Elior Si HEMEL HEMPSTEAD: Casales is
SC Events BRENT Brando: a reature filmabou
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Socialist Challenge 9 April 1981 Page 10
Where you can buy
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Socialist Challenge News
•National sales week,
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porters Aberdeen
Zanu паскису.
London.
Both agreed that they
had met with a surprisingly
positive response Colin
from Aberdeen told us
'We were all very nervous
at first but we tound tha
people were not surprised
to be knocked up by us.
They seemed to accept that
people who had strong
political views should want
to come to their homes.'
Paul from Hackney
agreed 'Everybody
nervous about going door
to door but after doing one
or two floors of the flats
people became more : con
fident. Nobody was hostile
and we found people were
interested talking
politics on their doorstep.
Both supporters'
groups had used the same
approach. They simply
turned up to the choser
estates without prior warn-
ing. On hindsight, Colin
thought this hadn't been a
good idea: 'It was too sud-
Gen. The best thing in a
new area would be to use
ola back copies of the
paper to put through
people's doors together
with a leaflet saying we'd
back the following
week'
John, the Hackney
Socialist Challenge sales
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They also plan to include a
Tear -OIT strip their
leaflet explaining how to
receive legulal
the paper. 'It's very quick.
You can cover a very larg
WILl number Asian
and West Indian people had been attracted to the
paper by the coverage of
the Black People's Day of
Action and the centre spread on Anwar Ditta.
In Aberdeen, SUD• porters plan to continue their estate sales and will Mastrick estate in the Na- out selling the tional Sales Week. Colin explained: 'Estate sales are good because you can Tell people our regularise contact
Hackney plan to ex pand their sales from the Kingsmead
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ONCE have decided to buy it regularly.
One Hackney told us story which shows the regular relation. ship we can build up with
ur housir she had socked on
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Page 11 scan of this page
No privileges on my platform
JUST before Lord Mountbatten made his last boat trip, he gave an exclusive interview Lowdown about the threatened coup 1968.
Challenge now publishes facts behind the conspiracy.
What made you think about a coup?
Actually it was my nephew's missus
put the idea in our neads. had been getting all those complaining about the government.
Who from?
Well, ordinary people. Chaps like heriditary peers, army police chiefs, bankers and company directors. Liz takes notice of like that. She knows verv well it thev complain, then something is really
Did she distrust Harold? Good Lord, no! She always reckoned he was one of her most obedient servants. Set him up for a month, it did. when he was allowed to bow to her and kiss her hand. thought he was not tough enough.
So you had a chat with Cudlipp and King about all this?
JENNY Davenport (Letters, 12 March) is wrong to think that rape let individual men off the hook. have denied that men - social-
sexuallv. and in everv other sphere - have more
than access JUWCI women.
It is the man's and woman's position in the family that gives men that differential access to
Women must therefore first challenge our own subordination and mobilise for our own demands male
DICdonces are be confronted.
Revolutionary feminists only
Wallt AS A woman worker in a traditionally male industry - the railway — I was particular v interested in lenny Davenport's letter (12 March). Lne only woman on the platform at my station, my experience has not been one of sexual harassment.
Yes, sexist remarks are made, and do sense resentment that I should
aoingd traditionally male Most of workmates ‚home wives domestic chores, but as a socialist i'm in tavour of all workers going home to find the domestic work done. Domestic labour must be socialised.
What worries me about Jenny's letter is her claim that male workers materially benefit from the oppression of women. assume that she sees these Hennes terms oine right to work as a Post Office engineer, miner, railworker. In other words, she sees the right to work in certain areas as a privilege and nol a nignt.
I'd like Jenny, as relatively well-paid skilled worker, to come to Fellow workers that they and tell are privileged to work long hours, under ever more hostile conditions, for £58
The truth about that coup attempt
Well, yes. They thought like Liz, Phil, and me, that those silly bloody voters might go and to Labour government into office We didn't want to chance that.
Socialist
the What were the things that wor-
Tried you?
It was bad enough the Vietcong giving the victuall when started supporting them and rioting outside
She things looked damned bad letters Wilson porting the Vetnamese.
not like that. He told Liz as much. But as she said to me: day when the officers, sent them to the Tower for treason. Now that bloody Wilson can't even
people kick them out of the Labour Party. It really upset Liz, that did.
Then had students. that 1n May revolution. rible ideas in our students' heads. Instead of joining the started joining groups like the SWP and the IMG.
She just
anyone else worried?
Especially those Russia, they claim they can't live off Ine wages we pay. rersollany I cal confront male prejudice or 'male power' They choose to highlight rape as an issue because it its in with their view of working class men
All men dIc Ical tionary - the oppressors.
All women al c tionary - the oppressed.
Why not hang rapists and really punish the pressor?
Socialist feminists have to do more than contront male prejudice. We need a strategy for eradicating it.
Paddington station
a week! I don't think that they'd agree with her and I know that I don't.
The right wolak is just that — a right and not a privilege.
As socialists we must fight the OODICSSIOD women because it weakens and divides
put another vice.
Yanks the run around in
There
American embassy the coup?
You even had Labour MPs sup
Harold did make a balls of always rely 'There was a Callaghan,
monarch could have
Wing to do Things got so bad in Paris those blasted Liz, let it be.
there was nearly a This put all sorts of ter-
that?
KGB the a figurehead
rtainly in MI5. that WOrK for
Britain.
Wrong on rape
That strategy accords the working class, as a class, the central role establishing socialism.
It's not possible argue that the working class 1S revolutionary class, because progressive role, and in the same breath say that working class men have no interest struggle for women's liberation.
My article argued that working class men have more to gain from
'I'm the only woman working on the plattorm...
ment. That is why Socialist Challenge has consistently fought for a woman's right to choose on abortion. and why we are taking up the campaign tor positive ac tion and a woman's right LO WOlK If we follow Jenny's arguments to their logical
Letters
never understand why the government does not ask Brezhnev for a contribution to run our secret ser-
Anyhow they are not against us on personal grounds and they knew very well that if we ever had one of those terrible socialist revolutions they would lose their jobs and their pensions just like the rest of us.
Why did you not go through with
Well, we decided that if Harold did
things we could on Denis Healy, Jim Shirley Williams and George Brown — if we could find what pub he was in at the time.
We knew that the troublemakers might grumble but they were not go
much. In the end I told
Do you reany think tae wueer should interfere in politics like
Too bloody right, I do. She isn't jus
If things ever threaten to get our of hand she intends rally-
democracy. nephew of mine know what to do. They have no intention of having a
of unwashed workers runn
women's liberation than by defending the status quo.
As individuals, may have higher pay than women but as a class they will gain from equal pay for women because Class will be stronger. individuals, men are SCI Vice c by women aca class they would gain from a more communal form of domestic labour.
As individuals, men may gain from the sexual subjugation women, conclusion, we might as well give up now. If men materially benefit from women's oppression they ai c unlikely to take up women's rights LUC labour movement. And we can effectively dismiss the possibility of male workers ever participating in the
Lord Mountbatten (left): Surprising revelations
but as a class thev have no reason support the social double-standards of the ruling class which treat women as commodities.
For Marxists the term 'material interest' means class interest. I maintain that working-class men have no class interest in the oppression of women, or any other group.
The fact that working class men, particularly Post Oftice engineers. • WIlU are skilled workers, believe that they gain from the oppression of working class women is a popular fallacy war socaust erns ike Jenny would do well to argue against.
VALERIE COULTAS, Birmingham revolutionary socialist movement.
Why should men fight for socialist society which will eradicate all their material privileges? HAZEL MACPHERSON, Paddington NUR
Lowdown
Poland and the
market
THE article on Rural sondarily by Davy Jones (26 March) was right cosse bic moor act of agriculture in the Polish struggle. Together with the civil rights issue, this was
a visit before Xmas as the TOCKS OI union could founder
(JuS the Polish population live or Luc all which is amons the most fertile in Europe
spite of the hard winters. Yet for the past three years Poland has been a ne importer food
The country could face a famine, Solidarity WalL. and the abolition of privileges. the longer run, it calls for the national economic plan to be re-drafted SAlTI investment heavy industry to agricultrual means of pro duction
In the medium term
Sweep stakes on
Irish unity
will lead the Ireland.
must start from where we are.
dismembered, partitioned, and in part working ciass socially and politically divided.
The political division Kepublican workers
on which to build Ailean
organising together political party. out of Ireland, and in this revolutionary
has to support the Republican insurrectionists
In Britain
ly
withdrawal of the British state from Ireland.
labour movement, as for Ireland's DENIS KNIGHT,
there needs to be a return to some sort or makera agricultural the left aca some find in this the proof o: the new loss nature; others confirmation of 'state capitalism But the re-introduction ot amited torm market in a planned, na tionalised
way question democratic rights political organisation At the end of the Ja! the right to form politica parties is the key issue fa:.
The Polish Communis
Polish Communis: rarty will not voluntari give this issuą which theretore demand our redoubled support fo: developments Poland reeno une excelen coverage of internationa calls RAB BIRD, Sheffield AILEAN O'Callaghan asks (19 March): 'Which class is to lead the movement to unity Ireland if not the workers organised independently of all other classes in their ow? mass political party? The question answers itself, as : has always done in Irish history: the united working clas:
movement for a unified, independer
But big wishes don't catch even small fishes, and i.
• In Ireland, we have to siar: from where British imperialism has left us: the natio
occupied. between Unionist which is the poisonous legac British intervention in the affairs of Ireland, is not a bast
O'Callaghan's vision of Irisr within 'their own mas:
The legacy of imperialism must be swep
labour movement in Britian, as well as internationali:
the working class is of course alread 'organised independently in their own mass political par.
, and this powerful working class does have a duty, a. well as a self-interesi, towards divided Ireland. This is to bring to power a Labour government committed to the
In this way the labour movement, as is only fitting will remove from Ireland the chief obstacle to working
This will be as good for England's
Pier Ward, Brighton CLP Socialist Challenge 9 April 1981 Page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
The Sinister face of
By Michael Tregebov ONE hundred years Spanish general rode his horse into the Spanish parliament, announced its and rode OUT returning country to the rule of the landowners.
Monday 23 February 6.22om two hundred motorevcle con from three companies Guard, led by Colonel Tejero, arrived at the parliament building in school
during the vote Ior ine new president, Calvo Sotelo.
They burst 1n. bullets from their hips, and ordered the trigntened deputies to he on the floor and wait for the proclamation of General Milans del Bosch.
At 7.15 Milans del Bosch, general of the Third Military Region, duly occupied the city of Valencia with tanks and armoured cars. claimed himself the supreme chief of the country, answering only to the King. Outlawed
Once decorated by Hilter for his service on the Russian front in the Second World War, Milans del Bosch issuca une proclamalon promiscu vy
Tes, tra de unions and galerings or
and gatherings more than four people; announced a nine o'clock curtew; the population of Valencia to several hours of military music.
At 7.45 an army unit occupied the TV and radio buildings in Madrid. At the same time president Suarez the leaders of the Socialist and Communist parties, Felipe Gonzalez and Santiago Carrillo, were from parliament leaving
Manuel Fraga leader of the rightist Alianza Popular, claimed by Tejero to be the only 'non-traitor' in parliaMutinies military chits tho toid hime Meanwhile the plane walling to tly him out of the country. The King refused Senor dony officers, some of whon now figure in the list of those arresLCu were busv both negotlating with Tejero and aborting mutinies in their own regions
The coup attempt has presented as an isolated incident involving only lunauc Inges or the almy and police. But dozen top ranking generals have beer charged many Spaniards are wondering what exactly happened in the six hours before the King appeared to put an end to the coup.
Originally the coup was planned for 21 March, codename Operation Almond Trees. But something forced the hand of the conspirators. A notice was placed in the fascist magazine El Spic on 23 February reading: sure that I'm going to try and make a coup on Además, no sé! (the number of letters in the spanish words gave the time of the coup - 6.22pm).
Socialist Challenge 9 April 1981
ago a
dissolution,
the
of the Civil
fired rounds of
captain and subjected The coup
presidency.
and veniently out of time.
removed behind for his successor,
suspect Arregui in the
police officials their underlings
met his up. of a
to go. crisis (particularly unemployed welfare);
que autonomy; the
been
divorce. now that two
enthusiasm
fact movermeil
you know.
who traditionally I'm not
LICo
Page 12
Spanish generals en route for parliament: next time might be the real thing
came shortly after Suarez sudden resignation trom the
Speculation is now rife that he was tipped off about the coup attempt, certainly his family was con- ed
the country at the
Suarez was having difficulty in
parlament Calvo Sotelo. The police torture and murder of ETA
Carabanchel prison had sparked off mass demos and strikes against the police, leading to the resignation of six top ranking
"in solidarity' with
This immediate crisis proved too tempting to the conspirators to pass
Other serious problems also convulse the Spanish state: the economic
SCVCICi for who have social the growth of fascist death squads; the continuing crisis over Bas-
controversy over •pain's relations with NAO and th Common Market; and the campaign against the impending legalisation of
Despite this background the coup was destined to fail. There was little
for the coup from the •valsa o temanona sourceoise
the leading bourgeois and lcwsbaoers.
Vanguardia and Diario 16, both commented: "This isn't a banana republic,
The old landowners and bishops
dominated Spain nave bedome more integrated into the international finance and power
Even the military dictatorship, which so well represented those interests under Franco, was replaced by the caudillo himself with a dictator-
International,
Spanish fascism
ship based on a strengthened police apparatus.
It seems that the plotters were victims of their notions that Spain need-
'hard man' and their military aspirations. The coup tempt served both as a blunder tarnishing the military and boosting the domestic and international prestige of the King, as well as a full dress rehearsal for another attempt.
There were massive demonstrations in the wake of the coup,
The following excerpts are from statement issued by the United Secretariat of the Fourth International.
THIS was an extremely serious coup attempt to pressure the King. into forming military that •overamen would do away with democratic rights and repress the workers movement and nation alist organisations.
The Spanish parliamentary regime was set up on condition the state apinherited valalus ITON Francoism especially the military command, the police and the judicial be compitely Sysicil. preserved.
cluding one and a half million people
sions along the route. Yet the Basque country was almost trozen In suence own The night at- ot Basoue
success Even fore go origi
SuCCess. leaders ducked out of their office for secret destinations.
While elsewhere wild demonstrain- tions in favour of the King and the
The Spanish workers' parties the SP and CP
accepted this blackmail and compelled the workers
1t They cvcl ended up voting for an
'antiterrorist law.
What really quite serious for the • future ot the workers' movement and the nationalists is that the response to the coup from the trade union and majority workers parties was immediately give the King a blank chegue They explicitly called solely for calm and confidence in the King.
Only the Spanish section of the Fourth International, the LCR, systematically mobiliseu for a general strike, calling for workers' July. the dissolution of the repres-
parliamentary
OUSCU
country affair.
tionalist with the
receives classes Armada OLISON
acaucill Franco Spanish enough.
but moment.' Power
ultimately generals Whatever future highlighted the
much power.
In suspected of
rightist civilians like eni Cicl homage to l'elerc
of the coup found
(second
supporting bastard too.'
The meaning of the coup attempt in Spain-
King Juan Carlos sive bodies, a purge of the state apparatus and for Gerensi democratic rights
The effect of the coup attempt has been strengthen the ability of the repressive apparatus to
constitution were organised by all the
parties, Basque retused lo demonstrate ll support of a constitution that has im-
King and Civil Guard in their territory
Like another planet the Basaur continues to make its political orbit twice as fast as the rest of the Spanish state
Certainly there have been arrests, including of generals who breathe the same air as the King, but hundreds more officials were implicated in the
But only the far left contingents on Inf mass demonstration called for a purging of the armed forces and police. The SP and CP both failed to make such a call or to lead a general strike against the coun attemot
This leaves the Spanish workers sinking feeling that next time, if the coup is better planned and
the approval of the ruling Franco's chosen Kins choose to take that plane and hanc over power to the generals.
Plotters
By contrast, the military showed their admiration for the plotters. At the Getafe airforce base full military honours were organised for Genera
before he was taken to And on 1 March before the King addressed the Zaragoza militar!
the cullllllaluci eulogised and complained that the flag wasn't venerated
According to Miguel Angel El Pais, seditious officers have marked out a Cede orcerencer that the King knew about and supported the coup.
betrayed them at the final
Without the King, the job was impossible. Next time the have to be him. his sult alleglances pas the whole affair has corners of the constanon waien endow nim with so
all about 500 people involvement in Operation Almond Trees. These include the
El Alcazar and professor Jesus Fueyo and some bankers who lent the mone to eleo swue o ouv mue schoo
used in the attac involved: he strutted into the Congress on the coup evening wearing his an
cavalry uniform and paying
One retired civil guard exchanged a tew words with mv local 'So it didn't turn out so well for Tejero,' said the postman, swinging his mail bag around his hip. , The old civil guard spat on the ground: 'If it wasn' for that bastard King; he's a bastard, and his father (kicked out of Spain for
Republicans) was a exert political pressure The King's powers too Have veen surenguenca And there is a greater possibility thal Calvo Sotelo's new government wic avic lo mmoicicu its programme - but in a
previously planned.
Whatever artificial and temporary atmosphere of 'national unity" lla prevail only • united mobilisation of all the workers' parties, unions, and revolutionary organis
ding democratic rights and hiehting for the dismanti ing of the state apparatus inherited I from Franco.
This is the only way possible to confront and smasa une next - and pro bably more serious
Page 13 scan of this page
Big stakes in the quiet
Bobby Sands' election
campaign
By Gerry Foley in Enniskillen THE campaign to elect hunger striker Bobby Sands to fill the Fermanagh and South Tyrone seat in Westminster began dramatically on Tuesday of last week.
Bobby Sands' sister Marcella, told a meeting ot
in call vals. Dungannon. 'We thank
the people Fermanagh - утопе. and
hope where we had none.'
Before the opportunity offered by this by-election to win broader support, it was generally assumed that Bobby Sands would have to die Delore the second hunger strike campaign would regain the momentum of the first.
The Sands' family was acutely aware of that. Its sorrow and dignity gave a powerful emotional intensity to the opening rally. Shadow
Most of the meeting was taken up with detailed description of the various forms of skulduggery and intimidation that the campaign WOLKELS could expect to meet, and how that could be dealt with.
in tact the onlv wav to win such an election is to
allu outorganise your opponent.
What is involved is not just vote-getting but con-
THE British government
is sensitive to criticisms made in the
States over Britain's role
in the north of Ireland.
The US Socialists
Workers thinkers of the Fourth Go- Party.
ternational, sent
telegram to the
embassy in Washington
January saying
the attempted assassina-
tion of Bernadette
Michael McAliskey
'reveals the full horror of
the system that
has created and main-
tained in
Ireland.'
Within days the SWP
received a lengthy reply
from JS Wall,
secretary at the
He sought to
embassy.
justify the presence
British troops in north of Ireland and the
record of British
perialism.
The SWP has
replied to each
points made by the first secretary, and publish here a summary of the correspondence.
My government condemns without reservation terrorist violence by anyone in Northern Ireland.
The primary instigators protectors of terrorism in Northern Ireland are the government and its agents.
British troops have
vincing • a depressed and
beaten-down people that
they can win something;
that there is hope if they
stand up and express their
opposition British
oppression.
by-election
taking place in the shadow
ot the gigantic machine or
military and police repres-
sion.
On Saturday I travelled
with ten- noul long
Sands' campaign caval-
cade, two hours of which
was spent undergoing
questions and identity
checks by the police and
the (scenener
cavalcade was held up for
an hour as a result or a
Loyalist provocation.
The police waited until
the procession was outside
the then half
dozen police cars cut it off LUWIL
and 25 to 30 cops jumped
out waving carabines.
Despite inter-
national publicity focused
Bernadette ner
McAliskey has also been
harassed by the police. She
was held up for 15 minutes
belore me openlig press
conference Her car Was
picked out for a search.
The government's quaint tale of
violence in the north of Ireland
responsible for numerous United The Bloody
January, ered 13 of them in cold blood. SHOI being challenged. Anybody in a pro-kepudlican died sidered fair game.
And it is not only the British British troops who are responsible for
torture and murder: the Royal that Constabulary
Ulster Defence Regiment, both operaling under me auspices or
and British government,
Have a lot lu aliswel lul.
Britain
The repeatedly made it clear that Northern it is not prepared to concede
the demand for status. Nobody is imprisoned for his the first beliefs. All have been con-
Evicted in open court.
British
is nypocritical of the struggle of the nationalist population against this colonial
the
im- prisoners are imprisoned
their political beliefs. or ince It was the British govern-
ment which introduced internment without trial in Those interned were never tried
we
For convicted unev terned solely on the basis their political beliefs. since me enome or arenment, 'suspected terrorists' can held incommunicado seven days and then tried in the Diplock
and judge and no jury.
The SWP's reply lists the British methods used
'suspected terrorists'
been methods described in the report
Support the Irish
don NW6
Although she has been out of hospital for only a couple of weeks, Bernadette is working 12 hours a day on the campaign, giving interviews, talking counselling ICOUlLCIS workers on the details of the electoral law, and even addressing and stuffing envelopes.
She appears where despite the danger to her lite She is the heart and soul of the campaign. ine elechon callpaig. has aroused the enInustasin ot the voulll.
There are groups of young killing Cuzeus.
Sunday massacre 1972 slaught-
COl-
the anar
also
has
political
or her political
to deny that
Republican
for
1971.
were lof
for from the European CommisThere is one sion on Human Rights.
Prisoners
stand for 12 hours; they were against masked and hooded. They were subjected to loud DUOS
Ireland
countryside
NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION
prisoners
Grant their five demands
Sunday, 26 April Assemble for rally we y 30 pm, Kriburn Starind, Lon Called by H Block/Armagh (London)
Committee
people postering everywhere. All generathe CONS calliulic population are being drawn in.
Victory However, there is tendency on the part some Catholic politicians to think that the surest way to victory is to make it a Catholic VCISUS Protestant election It is likely at the end of the day that The taone workers will stick to their habit of vollg anill forced to used
and conbeaten and
Unionist, but just another Catholic campaign would not arouse the necessary cu thusiasm. unle crowds at the chapel Sunday gales unl seemed to respond best to appeals to strike a blow against British repression and for the dignity and nationhood of the Irish people.
Applause
Such an eminently practical politician as Nel Blaney, the Donegal political boss, understood that. He made strong speeches masses Republican Lisnaskea, putting the Dialle 1U1 the violence where it belongs - on the British government In the more conservative Enniskillen, Sinn Fein speakers drew loud applause when they reminded their audience of how the Irish people have always supported the nationalist prisoners will be the key to the Sands' victory. wiere number of wavering voters deprived of sleep and food. These are methods that are against any people fighting for its liberty. unless
cept the suggestion that it otherwise.
British soldiers have Sands' posters.
are concentrated For such people, I have found assurances that the alicitiull and sympathy of international opinion and in particular of sections of the Catholic clergy who suphuman rights, are poLi very important.
It is vital to focus as much international attention as possible, and for as sympathetic observers possible come in and come quickly. ine gical Dallie Wilal is now being fought in this quiet countryside and main
no 'occupies' Northern Ireland. for Northern Ireland is part of uk and will remain so
the people of Nor
Ireland and Parliament at Westminster decide
A rally for Sands' campaign was banned when Paisleyites threatened a counter-demonstration.
seen tearing down
small may be decisive for the future of one of the most intense, powerful and enduring struggles against perialist and capitalist repression in our time.
Bobby Sands:
Portrait of a Hunger
Single copies 25p plus 10 copies top pop. incl post Cheques/POs to Informa tion Ireland From: Information Ireland, 1 North End Rd London W14 8ST.
It has been six decades since Britain enforced the partition of Ireland against the wishes of the Irish people. of an artificial statelet in the si counties was an affront to the right of the Irish people to self-determination.
The SWP quotes from the sunday limes Insight leam' book Northern Ireland: Report on the Conflict to explain to Wall why his claim that the majority of people lI Northern Ireland want to re-
part the United Kingdom sheer deceit and hypocrisy:
'The border was itself the first and biggest gerrymander: the new province of Ulster had
meaning except the i which the Protesarges alca tant tribe could hold against the Callout
Rule
"As such the State itself was thereforehad to bemaintained immoral concept. by immoral means... and in the ena ine Army on we surcers, !! ternment, "deep interroga-
Terrorism has been used for Centuric. maintain its rule in Ireland. The by the British 10
British government cannot condemn the real terrorists in Northern Ireland. • do that it would have to convict itself
The letter from the SWP concludes with demands made in the original
Immediate prosecution and
conviction of those responsible
the attack on Bernadette and Michael McAliskey!
Grant the demands of the
H-Block prisoners!
End British occupation and colonial rUIC Northern
Ireland!
Socialist Challenge 9 April 1981 Page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
By Judith Arkwright THE Bill on indecent displays, which its sponsor the Rt Sainsbury claims will be welcomed by 'women's libbers', parliamentary debate on 1 May.
It deals with "indecent' covers of magazines, posters, and T-shirts outside and inside shops.
The average newsagent will be exempted from prosecution only if the offending material is kept in a backroom which has a warning notice.
The Bill proposes sentence, while which have much less severe penalties.
Many women regard pornography as exploitative, and feminists consider display of the tagonistic to the view of women as people and remale body workers.
But does Sainsbury's Bill offer a protection for women against exploitation or humiliation?
Laws which deal will have been used in a repressive way — not on the side of freedom of sexual expression or protection against abuse.
photo: JOANNE O'BRIEN
Socialist Challenge 9 April 1981
Hon Timothy
comes up
displays on the
Under the
words -
two-year prison repealing the antiquated laws
in a commercial selling as all
sexual expression
9099
John Tilley MP: 'There will be no front bench compromise while I am on it.'
By Dave Carter I HAVEN'T racism in football.' These words were spoken by Ken Knighton, manager of Sunderland Football Club in an interview on the BBC TV programme Decision Maker: on 20 March It comes as no surprise to a Mid dlesbrough supporter like myself that the Sunderland management can be so short-sighted and incompetent. How else do our local rivals I us in the League despite getting bigger crowds?
But Knighton sums up the attitude of soccer's hierarchy to one of the game's ugliest aspects.
Page 14
Obscene Publication 1959, for example, it is a crime to publish an article which is likely to 'deprave or corrupt'. But the law doesn't provide any definition of those
• it is left to male judges and male police who are notoriously unsympathetic to gays, lesbian sexuality, and much else besides.
the recent pedophile case, defendant Tom O'Carrol was sentenced to two years for conspiracy to corrupt public morals.
He was never charged for any was harmful, but with breaking a 200 year-old law which had fallen into disrepute because it is arbitrary and undemocratic.
Many other so-called 'protective" laws on issues such as rape, social security, and employment perpetuate the dependent, Racism on the terraces
seen any form of
Front's activities
about it.'
take grounds,
Home News
Indecent displays-
should they be banned?
Act of graphy By taking up
like these oppress women.
police and the alter the status of women. action that Commercial bodies
equality The liberation
second- alc material.
On the road to
repatriation
FIVE hundred Filipinos are under threat : of expulsion from Britain what new pamphlet describes as the beginn-
An injury
to one...
A CONFERENCE of London Labour Party members last week kicked off a campaign to mobilise Labour Party opposition to the Nationality Bill and the 1971 Immigration Act.
John Tilley, Labour MP for Lambeth Central and front bench opposition spokesperson Home Affairs, declared that 'there will be no front bench compromise while I am on it'.
He stated that our aim must be to kick out the Nationality Bill altogether and ensure that the next Labour Government repeals the 1971 Immigra tion Act and the 1981 Na. tionality Act (if passed).
For further information Charlotte Atkin 01-675 01-633 9377 or Bob Swart 30/4 Jurie Ansell
01-769 1160.
A NEW campaign is seeking support for Jaswinder Kaur, 23-year-old Leeds treatened with depor woman tation.
Jaswinder came to Britain in 1976 allu man who was later discovered to be here illegally In 1979 she left her husband after he had assaulted
Like one of the three wise monkeys, he professed to have seen no evil. But when pressed by a football correspondent of The Observer, Knighton did ad mit to having heard some racist chanting
described 'good-natured banter between two sets of supporters'.
On being asked about the National
the terraces, described them as a 'minority who come to cause problems. We can't do anything
He could almost have been describing the Middlesbrough midfield.
Racism among supporters appears to
forms. There are certail especially in London - West Ham and Millwall, for example — where the fascists attempt to recruit.
Action should be taken against porno-
- but by our own organisations. this question within the workers' movement as was done with the campaign over the page 3 pin-up in the Yorkshire Miner we can explain more clearly why pictures
Banning only strengthens the powers of the
courts; it won't substantially
exploitation of women's will only be finished off by women organising to fight for their rights; the right to choose on abortion, the right to work, and to
of womer will eventually mean an end to the distortion of human sexuali-
creates the market for pornographic
Wing of the 'road to repatriation'
The Migrants Action Grouc gives the evidence behind the Thatcher governments campaign against Filipino community, which has already resulted in some 50 people being thrown out of Britain.
Campbell
RICHARD Campbell was 19-year-old Rastafarian who died at Ashford remand centre a year ago The official inquest decided that Richard had died of 'dehydration due to schizophrenia' that it was 'death by self neglect'.
The labour movement and black community were dissatistied with this ver dict and the recent series of notorious deaths while in police custody. ballersca and Wand sworth Trades Council inpublic inquiry which was led by Tom Cox MP and chaired by Maurice Styles the
Don't let Jaswinder Kaur go!
her hospital. SULl . Her husband was ar putting
assault and deported.
Jaswinder has legal lizil o siay here to racist unmistalvil laws Kut i she returns to mula ne. husband has threatened her with violence when she gets the the Friends of Jaswinder Kaur is asking for letters to be
This used to occur at White Hart Lane, but the success of the Against the Nazis' group, not to mention the presence of Ardiles, Crooks, drove the fascists away.
The other aspect abuse as soon as a black player gets the ball. There is no real NF presence in Middlesbrough, but rhythmic chanting 'National Front' never fails to greet any black player visiting Ayresome Park Viv Anderson of Forest, George Berry of Wolves and Brendan Batson Brom have all been victims this season.
Usually the better
worse the abuse. The effect tagious: once it starts, older racists who wouldn't normally chant slogans, begin telling anti-black jokes
MAY™
-BANDS-FILMS -PLAYS•
MEETINGS-EXHIBITIONS ETc
FOR MIRE NEONATON TRIA HASTAN US STOMP
The pamphlet shows how Office has for years been closing eyes to sharp practices by agencies which arrange for main-
domestic labour to come Britain from the Philippines.
Now that the government interested boosting
The racism that
killed 'Cartoon'
TUC's race relations advisory committee
which has just been published concludes:
'Richard did not die from 'self neglect" rather he wa hapless victim of a series of crucial Tale. the authorities — failures based on a lack of respect tor Richard and on a racism that underpinned almost
aspect the system.'
'The Death of Richard
"Cartoon' Campbell' can be obtained from left bookshop: dide rom trades sea and Battersea and
Wandswort
Hillbrook Road, London
swil. sop a copy or 40p Joi orders of 10 or more, not in
cluding p&p.
sent to the Home Office urg-
It has also organised a na
tional demonstration in Leeds
May, which will end
with a rally addressed by thi Workers A:
ociation and Ker
Woolmer MF
Further details from The
Friends of Jaswinder nuur
LAP Box JK Blenheim
Terrace, Leeds LS2 9HD
prepared to listen. 'Spurs
Villa and Garth
is blatant racist
out the skills and
supporters.
of West
Ine playe the
is con-
anyone Justin Fashanu.
FESTIVAL
WOMEN'S RIGHTS
A TURF hostility to immigrants it is manufacturing flimsy pretexts to deport pe ople who have done nothing but work and sacrifice to benefit their children at home. "On the 080 Repatriation Action from Group the
1JR plus postage. Tel. 01-388 0241.
THE DEATH OF RICHARD 'CARTOON'
CAMPBELL 'The Death of Cartoon Campbell by Battersea Wandsworth Trades Council.
Available from The Other Bookshop, 328 Upper St, London NI 2XP Price 50p.
Don't
do it,
Di?
Don't do it, Di!
Spare Rib, the month!! teminist magazine, has produced its comment on forthcoming Roya Wedding.
Badges mail (inci p&p) from Spare Rib Ex tras, 27 Clerkenwell Close London ECIR OAT. Bulk and trade orders also available.
Ken Knighton and other managers may feel that there is nothing that can be done about it, but the Anti-Nazi League thinks otherwise. It is encouraging local groups to leaflet home games, pointing
which overseas players and native blacks have brought to the Football League.
If you're going to a match on Saturday, get in touch with your local ANL
The national ANL office may be able to supply samples of locally produced leaflets - phone 01-351 2823.
Hopefully one day every League team will field a black player. I just wish Mid. dlesbrough would hurry up and sign
Page 15 scan of this page
Gains for the left at student conterence
Squatters SAS hits at
Ideal Home exhibition
By Piers Corbyn SQUATTERS occupied a show house at the Ideal Home exhibition on Saturday.
Members •™ outter Against Sales (SAS) and
Squatters Union Medallion balcony of the award snow Mouse moister a caner.
It read: 'Homes for all, not the rich. The
addressed the CrOWa and палаео OUT leaflets.
spokesperson explained: 'The exhibition is an asut to me homeless and badly housed', urged support for the squatters By Ann Henderson THE National Union of Students conference in Blackpool last week resolution on priorities for the
up the crisis •VIS students.
After a year of lowkev campaigning bv the union on 'student issues',
the Left Alliancedominated executive proposed more of the same.
The alliance is a motley crew or communist Party members, Liberals and handful of Labour Party careerists.
By Bob Pennington
THE shooting of Reagan and
his aides has once again un-
leashed a debate on whether
or not the USA needs new
laws governing the right to
carry a gun.
The most vociferous defenders
of the present regulations are the
arms' manufacturers and their lob-
byists on Capitol Hill.
Those who are for regulations
restricting the right to carry a gun
are concerned about death and in-
jury; both liberals and reactionaries
appear to be equal victims.
But the violence that
American society is not impartial.
violence Is te ultimate weapon or
the white establishment against the
Class allu EliC
minorities.
To restrict the right of people to
Calv gun would HOL
violence but would
murders and woundings
US city there is a ghetto where one
or other racial minority lives, either
black or hispanic.
are the worst paid, the most under-
privileged ana
citizens in American society. Ghetto
Everv dav thev are the targets ot
racial violence, inspired by the state,
entorced by the armed police who
are all too often supported by back-
ward white workers.
ine gnelo is a nistory
pogroms.
In the early 1920s the USA was
swept by a series of terrible riots as
whites swept into the black ghettos
killing and maiming.
that happening today is the fact that
the ghetto is armed and ready to de-
Tena sel.
now at the barricades du Sha the as Hill estate y. Hackney,
Wandsworth
I ne covernments bo
ICY promoting
home selling off council land and ownership
housing is a disaster
families has doubled
in the past five yeras
cent nousing must be
rOnT TOr everyone.
Unemployment and hous-
emning us all to years o
Direct action is the only
answer.
Information from SAS,
tel 01-701 5691 or 01-237
voted down every
union. That of leadership among
But at this conference
the National Organisation (NOLS) Labour Students
began LU DIcaK from the Left
away
Alliance. proposing its
ting candidates for
of the key
The NOLS resolution
on priorities
- Should there be gun laws?
stalks the Organisation building, itself unable and/or unwilling oppressors, the OAAU
lead to more ecuci means necessary.
It has a mammoth annual budget to arm its police, its national guard and Their inhabitants its army.
necessary, it unleashes that armoury under-employed against workers and minorities.
Henry Ford could
tional guard and scabs to shoot strikers. In 1970 the national guard gunned down the young students of Kent state university for daring to protest against the war in Vietnam. The history of
of white organising the wren Lae
WUIKCIS
Teamsters Union thist the cops
looked on.
What stops
In many when the state trooner takes ott his uniform at the end of his shift he
BOC DEPOT
SHOWDOWN
DRIVERS at the British Oxygen ( plant in Wembley, NW London, have been strike since Monday of last week following the sacking of a driver. ine driver. brian walson.
Is Years, orkered foctor
delivery with a cylinder short. years:
Without any evidence. the manager arbitrarily decided Watson was the fiddle and dismissed him. In-
was immediate The only cryogenic liquids recognised that students Can nol be sevaraleo on the rest of society in the fight Tories.
Unfortunately NOLS put
forward no proposals ULI how carry out that fight.
The Socialist Students Alliance motion called for the union to lead political campaigns on all the issues affecting students. But every priorities resolution was defeated. Policy will therefore be decided by the new executive.
The UCIU Alliance The assassination of Malcolm X in 1965.
of Afro-American Unity, was: 'In areas where the US government has shown
who kill innocent children and adults
Minees
advocates that the Afro-American people insure ourselves that justice is done - whatever the price and by any
The state is never short of arms.
Whenever it thinks it is
may need them.
Restricting.
In the 1930s the steel bosses and
rely on the natheir own paid down unarmed
class.
pickers were poorly paid farmin Caltornia. ther restricts
thugs to arm themselves.
ef the southern states
Pennington
Home News
BOC
bised bank aospitals nos
i because.
been boycotted as slewalu Socialist Challenge: 'Last time more liquic went out for hazare went on normal deliveries'.
BOC has had to look as far Sheffield for orivers witting carry inest liquids, and it has still not anyone daily trains North Wemblev from the BOC Dro duction plant at Widnes will soon have to be cancelled. presidential candidate, Dave Aaronovitch, , was reelected - thanks to Tory transfer votes. same thing lappener with he Left Alliance executiv
No doubt the alliance will now use the two lories on the new executive to retain its slender majority over the increased strength of NOLS and the far left.
The leftward shift of the conference was registered when the Socialist Students Alliance resolution on turther education Among the aims of which he was
to bring to justice the racist
replaces it with the tunic of the Klu Klux Klan, but he still takes with him his state-issued weapons plus a few more for any Klansmen who
the right to bear weapons would not affect any of these people. In fact it would con centrate the guns in their hands. The state would have a monopoly of arms against a disarmed working
It would be folly to expect the state to protect workers and racial minorities against violence. This is wny we are agallist any
the right of the working class and its black and hispanic allies
Readers are asked to send in details of news, events, etc that they think coula he used in Lowdown. Forward 1o Bob
Challenge, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP Lowdown Socialist
The pressure the Wembley
on the men as be pring
drivers finally backfired, and the stana. to lose vamaole cus tomers in a prolonged strike. red reid tailed nok
regional talks will le reduced watsons sentence to suspension while this pro-
The drivers have so far re
mad it plain the sTal Watsor Cal COMe through it to go back to work
colleges was passed. This
called for priority to
given to mobilising
students at these colleges
against the Tories'
education cuts.
Shift
The political shift wa also evident the creased votes for the SSA
first preference votes in all the executive elections, compared to 190 to 200
votes or the ce a arce
and 75 for Socialisi
Workers
Vincent Organisation (SWSO).
There was considerable interest in Ireland at the conterence. A letter trom a student on hunger strike
in the H Blocks was read to conterence.
Donaldson, an SSA
from Queens SUDDUrICI University, Belfast, successfully siooa on al anti-imperialist platform to be one of three NUS delegates to a European summit of student unions. Moves
Right-wing to
overturn the union's pol-
of allowing wullcu-
only meetings
WCIO
defeated.
There were guest
speakers from the Nev
Cross Massacre Action
Committee, the National
H Block/Armagh Com-
mittee, Lee Jeans strike Greenock
the El Salvadoran FDR.
The conference refused
To be greed by instig
mayor, insisting
instead on a speaker from
aucs Coumith education
cuts moves by and further
some Tory
students to break up the
NUS, it is not surprising
that the Left Alliance's
compromise politics are
under pressure
left.
The Socialist Students
Alliance will be fighting
for the maximum left
unity especially with
NOLS and SWSO
porters, to make NUS a • union that campaigns in
the interests of students
and the labour movement
against the Tory govern-
HOCHE
Back the
Lambeth
teachers!
By Hilary Tarr, Suspended Lambeth teacher
THE executive of the National Union of Teachers decided last Thursday to uphold the decisions of the union's national disciplinary committee concerning the suspended Lambeth officers.
The six NUT members nave deen susoenceo trom the union for six months. and are banned from holding office for a further
of
timise members who tight Ine CULS Talnel
the Tories' education axe.
Support our reinstatement is growing On Saturday, the NUT ecutive was over 200 teachers angry at the decision to uphold the
suspensions
protest letter has been signed by prominent
Post Office workers TOM Jackson of the Union of Communica tion Workers and Bryan Stanley of the Post Office Engineering Union must be a little worried after the 1 April mass rally and lobby of parliament.
munications Bill
1 lit ОПОП catch. were noping lor a peacerul arter noon speechifying from MPs followed by decorous lobbying
nsteac they faced demands from over 4,000 angry and militant members 10I actor CUD cluding strike action' to kill the Bil
They had to listen to four sponsored MPs tell them great detail what they already
_ that the Bill would allow private enterprise profit from Post Office operations, while cutting un
SCIVICES such rural bosla denvenes
The post and telcoms workers knew — and neckler. began to say - that this was the latest in a long line of de-
and that would lead to large job losses and worsening conditions of service
Gay trade unionists
plan newsletter
By Jamie Gough
conference was held in Sheffield on 28 March.
tew vouth. workshops, and the trade unions
of lesbians, be held at the national lesbian conference.
decided to try to set up local groups to do this.
weak.
discussions.
London SE9 4SA
members of the union it the north of England, in cluding presidents and of NUT assoc secretaries iations. further three MPs including Joan Maynard, have pledged uner subbor Lam detr NUT is no allowing the suspensions We continuing organise the same policies , building calmedic! against tor attacks
the ano unrouonout the labour movement.
We want to be able to at this union that it's they and not Mendersare chosen isolate Have
themselves from the labour movement Copies petitions from: ILIA Defence Wheathill Rd, London SE20. campaion
• BENEFIT Reinstate the Lambeth 6 Fight the cuts!
Friday 10 April, 71o 11pm Steel'n skin Red Rinse Flowers & Frolics Al City University, hortnampion sq., London ECI
Strike against the Bill, say
tion
from the shadow cabinet tha Lue next cavour covernmen would revoke Ine legs anot and restore the monopoly, he s massively applauded one on the pla:form answered thi questio of how to fight the Bill. whic: will inevitably get onto :: statute book When lan Mikardo said that it to wai: unt there was a Labour ma from the Moor was Tell that the cry from the floor was: to the miners Bryan Stanley, the POEL general secrelary asKcl members whether thes wanted action when the Bill was before the House. whole audience
Aware of the link between democratising the unions and getting a fighting leadership challengec Jackson to stand Ior ciello at the next UCW conference.
the fight against the Bill in al the Post Office unions. Brength at the lobbey and ol ovel Qi thei magazine Spark. More than copies of Socialis Challengi were complement on how to figh the Telecoms Bil FOLLOWING the success of the 1,000-strong march against state repression of lesbian and gay people in February, the second annual Gay Rights at Work
It was attended by 60 people, with only ten men and a
There were some useful discussions in the , which covered such areas as youth sexualit!
Women at the conference wore critical of the lack of understanding by the men there of the specific problems
and another meeting of trade unionists is to
It was widely felt that there was a need for gay trade unionists to meet regularly to discuss the many political and personal problems that we face at work, as well as planning work in the local labour movement, and it was
These could be particularly useful for gays in the manual unions, where gay self-organisation is present!!
A bi-monthly newsletter is to be produced to aid these
Further details from: GRAW, c/o 7 Pickwick Court.
Socialist Challenge 9 April 1981 Page 15
Page 16 scan of this page
By Davy Jones FOR the second time in a month black people have taken to the streets of London to defend their rights. people, against the Tories' racist Nationality Bill.
The mood of the demonstrauol was militant and defiant. Hundreds of coaches. Ual ticularly from the Midlands, had brought the protestors to London, just
after Anwar WCCKS I Ditta had won her appeal to bring her children into the country.
Tony Haque from the Bangladeshi Workers'
Association summed the mood of the
photo: PETE GRANT (Socialist Challenge)
AVTAR JOUHL (above) insisted that labour move-
ment leaders should have been at last Sunday's
march. The platform
Nationality Bill included
organisation
Photo: PETE GRANT (Socialist Challenge)
Primer sy eas End Ores Tril ted Lando 2-
Socialist
Challenge
'Come what may,
we're here to stay!'
Last Sunday more than 15,000
almost all of them black, protested
demonstration when he spoke: 'We've shown today that with unity and solidarity among ourselves we can fight this racist Bill to the very end.
'This is not so much a Nationality he continued as all mmilllei allol Bill. The Tories are trying to blame black people for the problems caused by the ccss ul.
Avtar Jouhl of the Inthe rally against the every major ethnic o box au. London Nº
dian Workers' Association commented that there were more than one hun-
black community banners on the march but few from the official labour movement: trade union and Labour party leaders snold oc nere with us marching shoulder snottee ac alsl racist laws and against unemployment.'
Removal removal though the neve And call for the democratic re-selection procedure of those Labour MPs responsible
Li1C Green paper on nationality came from Rudi Narayan
West Indian Standing conference.
A high point of the raily after the march was a
read the slattiiicill crowd from the H Block
It Ursulicis. it sala: totally uacceptable to us, political prioners H Blocks, that more racist laws should be brought in-
existence. Herow second-class citizens, now is the time to cement the bonds of unity. Please help save lives Blocks.
And the speaker from the Kashmiri Workers' Assoclallon, nating tildl much of the Tories racist legislation on immigration and nationality. stemmed Hom abou covernicu
and tieren papers, wallace HUCA Labour government does
repeal this Bill, we'll be back again in this square.
New edition of HERE 70 STAY, official newsletter of the Campaign Against Racist Laws. Just 10p. Write to CARL, Lansbury House 41 Camberwell Grove, London SE5.
THE Polish workers' struggle for power is in serious danger.
ly discussing armed intervention to
ment, Solidarity.
a 'direct struggle against the socialist system'.
the workers have no say in running the country.
'serious threat to the foundations of socialism in Poland'.
This is a lie. for a return to the capitalist system. It has only threatened the privileged rule of the bureaucrats.
Europe. Every time the Soviet rulers have
have used military force to brutally suppress the workers.
They invaded Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968. They must not be allowed to invade Poland in 1981.
Soviet leaders to stay out of Poland, but they are no friends of the Polish workers
Polish sisters and brothers. Direct links
and local labour movement bodies.
HANDS OFF
POLISH
WORKERS
The Stalinist rulers in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe are open-
crush the independent union move-
They claim that Solidarity is engaged in
This is a lie. It is the Soviet bureaucrats who defend an anti-socialist system where
They claim that Solidarity represents a
Solidarity has never called
Real workers' power is incompatible with the system of bureaucratic rule in East
thought their system was under threat they
Reagan and Thatcher have warned the
The labour movement in this country should act immediately in defence of their
with Solidarity should be made by national
Your Bank
Name of Account to be debited
Account Number Our Bank...... Socialist Challenge.
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Sorting Code.......30-94-5?
Amount to be paid.
First Payment due....
Signed
Hands off Pólish workers!
Demonstrate Sunday 12 April, 1.30pm Speakers Corner to Soviet Embassy Sponsors include Tony Benn, Eric Heffer, Jo Richardson, Bernard Dix (NUPE), Labour Focus on Eastern Europe, and others Speakers include Tariq All, Reg Race MF Frank Dobson MP. Philip Whitehead MP
In particular socialists should be on the march this Sunday in London. As Tony Benn says:
the efforts of the Polish trade union Solidarity to introduce real democratic accountability into Poland. Socialism can only be established by consent.
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE BANKER'S ORDER FORM ‚Lloyd's Bank, 19 Upper St, London N!.
.0179678
Monthly
. And on the same date in the month thereafter.
'All democratic socialists should support Ride for Revolution BRISTOL supporters have found a good way to raise money
Two healthy comrades will be cycling the
London nex!
nonth to raise money lo Keviuc! TOLI! and Socialist Challenge
We wanı sponsors le guatanice a few pence 2 mile to raise the cash. If SC people will come up. with 2p we'll raise £250.
Can you sponsor them
Weee tor nas todo ir
sponsorship forms to: 'Bikes', PO Box 50, London N1.
This week brought £231. Our thanks to:
Yves Thebault £8.00 US supporte £88.64 Middlesboro £28.00 Newcastle €70.00 Thomas Todd €10.00 Ed Mahood €10.00 Standing orders £14.00 Jim Avery £3.00 TOTAL £231.64
← Socialist Challenge No. 191, 2 April 1981Socialist Challenge No. 193, 16 April 1981 →