Socialist Challenge No. 202, 18 June 1981
The scan: sc-no202.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 ATTACKS ON THE INCREASE Defeat the racist
JOBS NOT BOMBS: CARDIFF 4 JULY
No 202 18 June 1981 of Pakistani Organisations.
ment and made worse by the police.
told black youth to stay out of the city centre!
and confrontations increase daily.
racists.
ing weeks.
movement.
of those who are responsible Tory politicians, and capitalism.
against racist violence.
tion and nationality laws must be kept to
and on the jobs.
and the Coventry demonstrations.
stepped up
organised in Coventry
back the racist onslaught.
25p Unemployed and strikers 10p
Socialist
BLACK PEOPLE are under attack. Racist violence has doubled in the past year according to a report compiled by the Union
The violence may come from right wing thugs but it is driven by rising unemploy-
Coventry is a prime example. Police allowed racists to murder Satnam Singh Gill in the middle of the main shopping precinct two months ago. They then
The struggle of blacks in Coventry to be free to walk the streets without fear is in its eighth week
Over 200 people have been arrested, mostly anti-
Police harassment was a major factor in the Brixton uprising last April - and it is continuing now, even as the Scarman inquiry gets underway.
At the end of last week several people were arrested in dawn raids by the anti-terrorist squad. Hundreds of others have been arrested in interven-
For too many white youth the voice of the fascist right is louder than the voice of the labour
They believe the lie that black people are taking their jobs, insteading of laying the blame at the feet
- the bosses, the
The labour movement must take up the battle
Hattersley's promise that the next Labour government will repeal some of the racist immigra-
The TUC has belatedly issued its Charter for Black Workers which attempts to give an answer to the discrimination that blacks face in the unions
The labour movement must join the campaigns around the victims of racism like Nasira Begum, those charged as a result of the Brixton uprising
The struggle against unemployment must be
only this struggle can give an answer to the influence of the fascists among white youth.
The labour movement must give full support to the self-defense efforts of the black population.
On 3 July a day of action against racism is being
- factories, offices, shops and estates all over the town will be leafletted. The time has come for the labour movement to throw
parts of Coventy being barred to black people
onslaught While skinhoads shout racist abuse, police move against demonstrators protesting against
Sweeping election
victory for
French socialists
FOLLOWING the victory of Francois Mitterrand in the
presidential elections, the French Socialist Party has
achieved what appears to be a landslide victory in the
first round of the elections for the French Parliament.
nas of
By Paul Lawson
With something like 38 per cent of the vote, the Socialists are likely to get an overall ma. jority of the seats, giving Mit terrand the chance to carry through his programme.
The SP's victory is not only a bitter defeat for the right wing Gaullists and Giscardians, but reflects a shift away from the tar divisiveness which is tainted with the and sectarianism its leadership
LIC organisational strength of th CP in the factories remains 1 tact.
The likelihood now is that gover without the support of Mitterrand will able the Communist Party in parliament, although it seems that he will give the CP some minor posts in the government to pre vent it from playing an opposi tional role.
New
new period of French politics has opened up which will have a profound effect on all the maior buropean coun
ever men years of right ence
workers expect a major change
The election of a Socialist government represents political counter-blow whict
workers nave prepared against the attacks of DOSSC
It shows the same dynamic that is developing in Britain -in response to the economic attacks of the bosses, the workers look to overall pontical soil tions which can begin to over.
In France the working class will now go through an extended period of testing out the solutions offered to them by the new reformist government.
Signs
i ne question whether after this period the new government will be able to meet the expectations of rea
life of the workers. The signs are not favourable.
To really defend and extend the acquisitions of the workers in the direction of socialism, would necessary for the government to take radical anti-capitalist measures and call on the workers to mobilise to carry them out.
But the programme of the government exceedingly moderate. envisaging only
tions, and no real assault on the overall power of capital.
Reforms
France under Mitterrand will stay NATO EEC. It will remain a capitalist state, offering the workers only limited reforms. But in a period
economic crisis there are
limits to the reforms which can be offered - even the increase in the national minimum wage could be easily destroyed by a new spurt of inflation
The working class expects its demands and needs be satistied. so it is inevitable tha after 'period of grace the
will mobilise to win WORKCH them. Either the Mitterand government will be pressurised into taking action against the interests of the bosses or it will come into collision with the millions of workers who have propelled it into power.
Page 2 scan of this page
Occupation of Rover would inspire jobs fightback
DURING the protest demonstration a fortnight ago against the closure of the SDI Rover plant in Solihull, a group of workers raised a slogan which was rapidly taken up by many of the marchers.
They chanted: Michael Edwardes, dole.'
From protest action to an all-out tight against 10b loss is a big step,
Militancy isn't lacking, but the struggle against unemployment requires a political break with the traditional framework trauc umon acuor.
The argument which has to be won is that occupation of a threatened plant can only be a part but an essential part — of a strategy to save the SD1.
Stopping the closure of the Rover plant requires a
confrontation with Edwardes plan for BL as a whole. , There is no special case for the SD1.
The arguments against closure are against the Edwardes' plan, and ultimately against the Tory
Assault
The Tories have used BL as a spearhead for its attacks the working class movement. The 5 per cent wage rises at BL; the enforced speed-ups, and the assault on trade union
Have OCCI carried through in BL are now being extended to the rest of engineering.
In the contracts which BL IS now making with suppliers, there are detailed specifications amount labour to be
wages that will be allowed.
Saving the SD1 means stopping these attacks. The plant has to become a focus for the rest of the labour movement, and this will only happen if the workers in our plant take militant action to defend their jobs.
Оссиру
With the such act facing
closure, action can
mean only one thing - an
occupation.
The first task will be to
physically prevent the
company transferring the
work Cowley.
unions there have taken a
position of boycotting the
SD1's work, but this will
mean nothing unless
take up the fight.
company claims
that closing the SD1 will save f8m a year, but it
refuses give detailed
figures. We believe the real figure is much lower.
We have to demand
that the company's books Shi, but on the whole of are openea, not simply or
Edwardes' plan.
Although the company financed, publiciy owned and
BL has never
revealed its plan. The com-
pany is too important for
Socialist Challenge
'Michael Edwardes, We ain't going on the
the working. class for its DO CICS be lett to a handful of industrialists operating under the cloak of commerical secrecy.
Even on BL's figures it would need under £200 per car to keep the plant open. Crisis
The workers in SD1 are not responsible for an e crisis in the industry, and
the company should pay
keeping VUl jobs until solves the crisis which is of its making.
Balanced against the cost to the company of
jobs is the social cost of closure. In terms of lost revenue. expenditure on unemployment benefit, rate rebates and rent,
household costs the Exchequer almost £7,000 annually.
It is a crime against the working class that the immediate cost to a capitalist enterprise is deemed more
the community as a whole. If SD1 closes, people will face years of hardship on the dole and most of the older workers will never work again.
Solutions
Solutions to the crisis demand national political action and a programme to be implemented at the
government anu by the working class.
le labour leaders are. Lung anti-Tory rhetoric and short on politics. In particular, they avoid taking steps for an all-out confrontation with the ones. 1 ney preier lo wait for the next election.
That will come too late to save millions of jobs.
The fight has to start now. The mood in the working class has changed, and the potential for an all-out fight against unemployment is growing. Focus
An occupation in BL would be a major focus for that growing mood of resistance and it would stimulate similar action elsewhere.
the union leaders give support to the fightback against unemployment
that millions of working class people are now anxious to see. 18 Juné 1981 " Page 2"
ERY SAD
MY
Challenge
(Corialict
MIKE
Photos:
By Eddie Squires, Shop Steward, Rover SD1 I have been at the Rover SD1 plant from the
of the f90m
pride of both workers and management as the first SD1 rolled off the line.
Rover car standing at the end of the line in all its glory. That was a short five years ago
Rover cars were renowned for, but he fell short of quantity for the launch date.
under instruction to go for quantity, only to find that SD1 was congested with unfinished cars
time this was impossible.
tages.
Edwardes was brought in government to trim BL.
took out his axe. His new bosses gave him a free hand, and a new team of under-managers was
Home News
From a Rover correspondent
MAN
WORKERS
SO I AM HERE SPPORTI DAD.
'What worries me is, do we know our friends?'
plant opened.
The sub-contractors who were still working on the plant were impressed by the brand new
Plant manager No.1 was removed because he wanted to build the car with the quality that
Manager No.2 was sacked because he was
No.3 went for reworking all cars which needed rectification, but even with unlimited over-
The company and unions agreed to let cars go to dealers with shor-
by the Labour He trod softly at first, but once the Tories came to power Edwardes
TRANSPORTA
ON DELA brought in to sort things out. redundant at the SD1 over the past 18 months those who stayed have been trated like morons. We have been cursed, bullied, and disciplined over minor matters
per cent rise collected by Edwardes. most efficient plant in BL. Over the past 12 months our bonus has averaged f13.50 week, compared to the next best plant, which averaged £1.50.
when it was announced close. To me and many of my mates, this wasn't simply an announcement that another 2,000 were to go on the dole. war who will need the jobs after us.
We will take up the challenge. leaders should understand that we will not let them isolate us. We remember Speke, Robinson, Canley, and Ansells. not stong enough, we must seek the power of the miners, dockers, and transport workers. can and will win if the union leaders stand up and be counted.
is do we know our friends?
6/163
KEN Three thousand workers have been made
Our wage rise was 5 per cent, against the 38
. We are the
So you can imagine how stunned we were
that the SD1 is to
It was a declaration of
for our jobs and the youth of this town
Our union
Derek
It's not a Rover fight - it's BL. And if that's
. We
We all know the enemy, but what worries me
Diary of
the deputy
convenor
Monday 8 June. Action committee meeting in the morning, where we report back on the Leyland com bine meeting. We organise coaches for the lobby of the Transport Union's automotive group nationa committee on 18 June, and of the TGWU's biennial delegate conference which starts on 22 June.
It's also decided to go for another £1 collection. and we begin to organise for the demonstration August in Birmingham
We will have to visit al the main factories in Birm ingham Black Country. We decide to ask Benn, Scargill and Kitsor to speak.
Tuesday: Management inform us that there are 20 vacancies the Land Rover. This rapidly becomes a hot potato. Wednesday: The shop stewards meeting at dinner time agrees to all the action committee proposals. But a couple of stewards warn that the response to the new fl collection will be worse than the first.
One of the problems at the moment that the stewards tend to go with the mood of the section rather than lead anc change it.
Thursday: First reports on the t collection are disappointing
I speak to four sections and go through the main arguments balancing
management the social cost of closure. he mood gets better.
Friday: The money starts coming in but the Land Rover jobs issue is still simmering.
Among some of the more militant stewards mere is a make or break attitude: ask the mass mecling and if we don't get it we can wrap the whole thing up.
This has to be combatted. The most important aspect of this campaign is winning the membership to fighting the closure, and delivering ultima doms. We that won't done will go to a mass meeting next week PAT HICKEY, deputy convenor Rover SD1
Page 3 scan of this page
THE CAMPAIGN for Nuclear Disarmament is today stronger than ever. Opinion polls show
majority against missiles. The Challenge supporters - Jobs not Bombs - is taken up everywhere in the labour movement.
missiles was at least 80,000 strong.
nuclear weapons movement should not be the occasion for complacency, for a very obvious reson. one period of mass support, ago. It organised and the Labour Party conference, in 1960, voted for unilateral nuclear disarmament.
But CND, defeated last time round. A new 60 page pamphlet by Socialist Challenge supporters TONY SOUTHALL and veterans of the last wave of the movement, argues that this defeat was a result of a lack of political analysis and strategy.
of the first wave have to be assimilated.
will be a vital reference point in the debates about the way forward for the movement
CND never had a consistent strategy towards the labour movement. There was cellaimly no ongollig campaign aimed at the factones anu tie rank are me members of the and the Labour Partv. Instead there was the Labour
This was set up in the autumn of 1958 and comprised left MPs and union leaders like Frank Beswick and John Horner. They were not used to the open mass campaigning style of CND.
To be less than kind, their political experience had involved politicking in
TOORIS the Bevanite revolt and then getting thrashed by Gaitskell and the right.
Ian Mikardo expressed
bunkered View much of the Labour left when, in an interview with Taylor and Pritchard he dismissed the importance of CND as a mass move-
LOC strategy of winning key igures in the organised labour movement: Sketchy
"Another 10,000 or 20,000 50,000 political people don't compensate for those who can exert political pressure at the point of action.'
CND's work in the unions was sketchy. Far more was done by the Direct Action Committee (DAC) whose main spokesperson was Pat Arrowsmith.
The aim of DAC, a few local trade union committees, and later the industrial sub-committee of the Committee of 100, was
popularise and agitate for industrial action against the bomb. In 1962 the CND conference passed such a resolution. It was opposed by Michael Foot and the rest of the ex-
'Lessons of the first wave'
The Labour
left and CND
Cruise and Trident slogan coined by Socialist
Last autumn's demonstration against the
But the immense support for the anti-
CND has already been through twenty years massive demonstrations
despite its mass support, was
JULIAN ATKINSON,
If history is not to repeat itself, the lessons
'CND 1958-65 Lessons of the First Wave'
Aldermaston auto Tady Fater Saturtay 12 noon
FINAL MARCH: Hyde Pk Corner
ecutive. It was never implemented Arrowsmith and Michael Scott resigned in protest.
The 1960 Scarborough conference should have been the greatest victory the Labour left had ever won. The union votes were there. The peech by Frank Cousin WaN lacklustre. The response of Labour leader Gaitskell was electric. He rejected unilateralism and would 'fight, fight and fight again to save the Party we love'.
Mers listened the left leaders eith sinking feeling. The issues were wider than mere nuclear annihilation - - the party could split and the next election be lost.
Another worrying feature of the victory was
CND 1958-65 LESSONS OF THE
FIRST WAVE A Socialist Challenge Pamphlet
DY TONY SOUTHALL AND 50p
JULIAN ATKINSON
labour movement orientation.
on CND and the Labour left. ALDERMASTON TO LONDON EASTER 62
Easter Sunday 9.30am 9.30am RALLY HYDE PARK near Hyde PY Comer| 12. 30-3 PM
that the constituency parties (CLPs) supported Gaitskell by 512,000 to 260,000. The right wing were prepared to wage a counter-attack to reverse this decision.
The problem was whether ine Labour lefts were prepared to seize on the victory that the Aldermaston marchers had put into their hands. Their proven specialism was ll gallantly losing and remaining a critica, but lova minority. Would the lefts have the will or political ability to fight again!
The unilateralist victory at the 1960 Labour Party conference left the CND leadership quite unprepared Jacquetta Hawkes was 'absolutely astonished'
by ine VOte and had been 'quite
of Wildl had
Stop the missiles
New Socialist Challenge pampniel 'CND 1958-65'.
Available from London N1 2XP,
plus 20p p&p. against nuclear weapons, and in particular the necessity to combine mass action with a
Below we publish a much abridged extract ton Gree Hammersmith Kensington aster Monda
Sloane Si ictoria st Whitehal
been going on. AJP Taylor regarded the Conference decision as 'really a distraction...
Labour left were in a dilemma. They had the conference behind them. But if they attempted to apply those decisions, Gaitskell and the right would fight There would be a risk of splitting the party and wrecking its electoral chances. MP Zillacis Called or Zilliacus called CLPs to ensure that MPs either supported conterence policv or resign. But most cried 'back'
In Parliament only five MPs voted in line with conterence policy during the defence debate. The right also began organise in the unions and.. the Party as the Campaign
for Democratic Socialism, run by Bill Rodgers
To their suprise they found that the CND and Labour lefts were not run-
the callivalsi Party and union branches.
Amr int after
Labour left Scarborough managed to put on the defensive ideologically. Gaitskell raised the issue of NATO repeatedly and harangued the 'neutralists and fellow travellers' The Labour lefts tried to avoid the unilateralism by the 1961 The rejection Party conference came as
surprise. left, showing great skill and ingenuity, nad manag
to stab itself in the
Bike. The tomime horses
antone norse The front end is basically a liberal capitalist party wate end is a muddled working class one. Limits
The Labour left was determined to respect the boundary limits the right was prepared to
The tront end of the horse was not prepared
The back end, rather than risk a split, was reluctantly pulled into line.
CND neither foresaw nor guarded against this instead of its policy leaving the Labour Party struggle the Labour
CND should have made a cicar turn to une Labour movement, withOur sue roms mids. campaigning orientation
CND did not produce literatur union and Labour Party rank and file, nor contact the branches. used mainly moral arguments, ratner than spell out the political issues involved and the economic consequences. It refused to raise the issue of industrial action. It did not fight its imto portant Labour movement friends when tney, equivocated over NATO.
the Dear Comrade Cook
get
Parliamentary Labour Party
Trident missiles.
Labour Party.
Now this
to abstain in the defence debate
• against Cruise, government's insane You were Benn. shadow personal abuse body.
Unfortunately.
Benn (and yourself) to go along with policy in the voting What is the explanation behaviour?
to carry out Party policy.
mor John, a strong of disarmament,
Denis Healey is an Cruise, The fact that
deputy leader shows that they UNiC
ty, when Michael Foot retires
Since your
umns to an explanation from you. Comradely yours Socialist Challenge Socialist Challenge
MARCH TREM
LONDON
OFROR ALDERN ON
An open letter to
Robin Cook MP
Over the past year and a half you hav become known as one of the most determir ed and forthright supporters of CND in th
- speaking out up and down the country, against Cruise an
We think this activity has been admirable Unfortunately, you have hit the headline over the past week or so, denouncing the can didacy of Tony Benn for deputy leader of th
is strange. Just a couple weeks ago, the leadership of the PLP decide
75 Labour MPs decided not to go alon with this, and in accordance with Labour con ference policy, voted against the governmen
Trident and the rest of th 'defence' plans. one of those 75. So was Ton As a result, Benn was 'carpeted' in th cabinet and subject to a torrent o from the members of tha
you have joined in tha campaign, instead of defending the right o
Part lobbies of the House for such illogica
You say Michael Foot 'should be trustec
But weren't you a lit tle bit concerned that Foot appointed Bryn
opponent of unilatera as his defence spokesperson Does this strike you as a promising sign?
Tony Benn shares your unilateralist views
unabashed supporter o Trident and the British 'deterrent' Foot and the rest of th Shadow Cabinet didn't want an election fo
were quit Healey in an advantageou
If you want a Party leadership which is go ing to fight for unilateralism, we suggest the you start supporting Benn and stop acting a a hatchet man for the anti-unilateralist right
behaviour is sO illogical W would be more than happy to open our co
18 June 1981 Page
Page 4 scan of this page
POEU conference - marking time
Lee Jeans women will
THE annual conference of the Post Office Engineering Union, held in Blackpool last week marked a new stage in the confrontation between left and right in the union.
ans was best svmboised
the eve conference
meetings addressed by ToRY
Benn and Healey ite annual Broad Left
onlerence
say: *I support the Broad Left
the POEU, I support policies.
He went on to make a stir-
•welfare capitalism' and of
laucal socialsi change. He received a stan-
ovation almost "Tony Benn tor Deputy badges were
Meanwhile, a few hunTHE LEE Jeans occupation is now entering its 2nd week. women from the factory will lead a march for jobs across Scotland, organised by the Scotlish TUC.
This demonstration building much needed abour movement, as the occupation is under hreat.
This week the workers
the occupation agreed o ser up a committee to
We be boss or stablishing a co-operative
an alternative or tic tacloy.
The names of those morosed for the commit-
enough to raise cincion. Apart trom the our movement repres
from the STUC
.:he National Union of
allu Garment includes Mr Wolfe Dresident Scottish National and Ross
economic spokesper-
for the Scottish Lite: als.
Secure
The occupation
for the Dullicall. i the Lee Jeans workers
re insisted that the com-
wee back the continua-
towne o, upe sent
However, setting
proceedings will un-
stedly strengthen
ase who wish to see the
ipation turn away
its militant DOVCOLL
paign and building
sport in other sections
the working class. Support
Despite the magnifi*: support the occupa-
has received from c-kers throughout Bri-
Lee Jeans owner, the Corporation, unvr is a multinacompany. em10.30 workers ghout the world and sales were $633m
For such a company he loss of the stock which
Greenock workers c. s is not very important,
ong as ll ls able to suppocialist Challenge i Jüne 1981 arkers tri
dred yards away a meeting of
200 supporters
Mainstream were addressed
barley. Healey and Eric
Thei
apologising for the
Labour
alongside virulent denunciaLUIs of the left-wing well
COWa well witn their
'moderate' supporters. Frustrate
Fleet Street had shown
Concerne interest the
conference. The Daily
Mirror and the Daily Express
march for jobs
At the end of the month the
could be vital in
support from the
sources.
lhe only thing which could force such pany to maintain its operation in Greenock would be the threat that it could lose
British sales, which amount to 3 per cent of the British jean market.
Campaign
This could only be achieved by a nationally organised campaign in the
and consumer outlets. NUTGW have shied away from such actions.
The NUTGW has allowed over a 100,000 of its members to be made redundant .E: the past ten
collaborates wilo the textile manufacturers in calling on governments to implement import controls.
Boycott
The STUC has presided over the loss of 150,000
obs in the past ten vear: It depends on the goodwill of employers to invest in Scotland as a solution to Scotland's unemploy-
Both hope to peacefully persuade the Tory government to give the Greenock workers some handouts to keep production going.
All not lost, however; the Lee Jeans WOrKer mainlalming their occupation and their CanDalu SLOD the movement and sales of VF products.
This will bring them into conflict with the committee set un bv the •lUC Trade union militants can plav their part: everything must be done to ensure the calvalzil caulls supoult
One shipload VF products held up in any port throughout the world
Page 4
had all launched vicious attacks on POEU Broad Left on scale not seen since
the AUEW. wing The Tory Dress Lanc'uve.
were clearly ratted at the prospect of the Broad Left, which one NEd 2ing 23 seats
on the
Click of this onslaught anu une weakKUCCU *leadershir on one NEC took its toll on the conference, but the right-wing
frustrated their desperate alicups to unsed some or me broad ce sub. porters. They especially went after Phil Lloyd, a Militant supporter from Swansea. most outspoken and uncompromising left-winger on the
While lefts' votes were down slightly, Phil and
•For a few
more
•op
LEE.
5T
uce
Lee Jeans has launched a wide-spread campaign in its effort to keep its 5 per cent of the British jean market.
would do wonders for the morale of the occupiers.
Similarly a consumer boyCOLL movement which
Home News
other vulnerable left-wing
NEC licinocs increasca teel support. The
end result was the same as last year's 14-9 right-left split
conference, general
By Colin Talbot,
POEU Westminster
Bryan Stanley spoke of it be-
ing 'the year of the Bill', refer-
British l orles
Telecommunications Bill.
which to carve-up the
Post Office
The POEU's campaign
asthetic. The NEC had failed
led tandate to use industrial ace conference
tion to defeat such attacks on the Post Office. Stanlev ex
IN
the ultim to joan
sexism advertising
marked
The
roads into Lee Jeans sales in Britain would set the oc-
on the road to Luvaliull success.
plained that industrial action would merely have provoke worse attacks and that we had
government'.
This cautious 'wait and Wholepproach see' dominated the cute canc acietale. re ecLec any calls TOT We race. They also voted oaks and varied attacks we face whelmingly to accept a 12
packagic, which
some shorter week agreement. the denate n 'trade union unity the NEC federation with CPSA (Posts and Telecoms section and ine Societv Post Office Executives By Des Tierney
EANS
Photomontage: JENNY MATTHEWS
displayed by the campaign in its posters is in
contrast to the women in Greenock who are fighting for their jobs.
Messages support and contions Treasurer, Lee Jeans shop stewards com Brougham Greenock, Scotland
specifically any Will y WIll communication Workers, either across the old Post Office or even with the 35,000 UCW members employed 1 elecons
Unity
The federal structure pro
Culocisone bureaucranc providing for unity at the top and disuni Nevertheles.
delegate 40000 votes to 500 als inest
We certainly,
unity Of fice, but we need a rank and file trade union under the con-
Laurence Scott sit-in:
'There's no turn-
ing back'
is as strong as ever.
the whole country'
Over a thousand jobs are now threatened at the
, plant, eyes are on the fate of the sit-in at Laurence • Scott
Bob Penchion believes 'If they get away with i here, then jobs • will go al over If they don't then CHUNCH will bea more wary.'
The Manchester North district of the engineering
has boost to the sit-in by calling a weekly levy of their 15,000 members, potentially raising a much needed £1,500 a week to sustain the action.
Arthur Snipe, owner ot laurence Scott. has made a move too in the last week of the 650 workers were sent their P45 and a 'week in hand' wages
Bob Penchion ase workforce to frighten
workforce but 'He had no impact, in fact he's just shoved more coal on the fire b giving us an extra week's wages. we're grateful!'
The convenor is hop-
NAI
LAR
SUPPORT
THE ABORTION
FACILITIES BILL
» 24JUNE«
2.30 pm onwards
trol of our members merger of the POEU , CPSA and UCW also need friends in the Labour Party
are committed to defending nationalised unlike Healey and Varley above all, we need to put ou own nousc in oruci anu starl fighting back.
Many militants awa IrOn conterence feeling a bit let down. Far too had expected 1 easy victory over right-wing
tions for the NEC or the fight attacks. It's clear that we need
the rank and file level more than ever before THE determination of 650 striking engineers at Laurence Scott Electromotors, Manchester
Convenor, Bob Penchion explains: 'We've been sat in for eight weeks now to stop a closure and there's no turning back. It's not only a fight for Laurence Scott, but a fight for
Wing, as LSE make motors for the coal industry, that strong support will come Iron the miners: 'We'd like a blacking of five companies owned by Arthur Snipe - Mining Supples, Mechforge Ltd, Mechconstruction Ltd, Mechcaste Ltd the denical Longwall Mining Corporation'
Increased support also being sought from the workforce at the different Mining Supplies plants And Laurence Scott workers are looking IOI more than money from the Manchester area.
They want a mid-week march called by the Confand already met with Labour • officials to plar major rally with national speakers For their financial appeal states, the dispute at Laurence • Scott will be won or lost amount of solidarity from the rest of the trade union movement. Lanatice Scott Stewards, G. bonanons, Message:
Roundcross, Romiley, Cheshire
Lobby of Parliament
Page 5 scan of this page
Labour right in Wakefield is smarting
Communist Party join attack on Manchester Labour left- over Manchester Labour
JACK SMART, leader Labour-controlled Wakefield district council, recently declared: 'Government
should resign rather than be party to massive cuts in public expenditure.
What remarkable about this statement is that Smart, who also the chairperson ine
By Redmond O'Neill
not contain this narrow, sectarian element.
Party, don't
Star.
This article takes
task those the Man-
chester Labour Party who
have been engaged in
running battle to force the
Labour group, which con-
trois the City Council to
carry out party policy of
'No cuts, no rent increases
and no loss of job oppor-
tuinities'.
The immediate focus
of local press attacks,
well as that in Morning
Star, IS that S1X
councillors have not been
shortlisted by wards for
selection as Labour Party
candidates.
Norman
Morris, leader of the
Labour group, announced
he will not stand for elec-
non ext ycar.
Hit
Socialist Challenge
asked Arnold Spencer, a
member of the City Coun-
cil for Mosside ward, to
comment Oll the recent
witch-hunt in the local
press and on Jim Ar-
nison's attack in the Mor-
ning Star.
Arnold Spencer ex-
plains: "There has been a
hue and cry raised by the
press that a left wing clique
within the party is putting
various councillors on a hit
list. All that has happened
is that the wards these
councillors represent have
the panel of candidates to
the City party.
'What is really involv-
ed is that activists at the
grassroots are saying they
want to be represented by
people who carry out party
policy after they are
elected.
Rediscover
"There nothing
peculiar about this situation
over the country. It iș a rediscovery
suciansill
within the Labour Party.'
Manchester the Labour group has been
divided for two and a half years. As Arnold Spencer puts it: "The roots of this
contict lie in an argument about policy. Should we
Association of Metro-
hisitan Aeadershies has, in
leadership Wakefield council, slavishly carried out every cul du lale lise ucilanucu by the Tories.
Moreover, left cillors who objected have found themselves disciplined by the Labour 'NOBODY should be under any illusion that the left movement in the Labour Party does
These words, refering to the present struggle between left and right in Manchester City
come from Shirley Williams or David Owen. They are taken from a recent article by Jim Arnison in the Morning
more or less totally comply
with government requests tor culs in services and resulting job loss or should
we, in concert with other Labour councils, make a stand to defend the ser-
vices for the people of the city?
Cuts
'At both the 1979 and the 1980 conferences of
the Citv Labour Party a
policy of "No cuts, no rent
Increases ana no loss of job opportunities" was adopted.
'Nevertheless, the ma-
jority the Labour
group, have pushed
through three major
packages of cuts
then, raised rents and
eliminated something
the order of 600 jobs,
direct defiance of party
policy.'
The Morning Star arti-
cle concludes by saying:
"Surely there is a case to be
argued that disagreement
with such people ought to
be dealt with in a spirit of comradeship and unity, and not by adopting the right-wing tactics of the witch-hunt.'
Expelled
This may sound
reasonable but when the
left wing minority of the Labour followed party policy and voted
3980, St Le is dissenting March
councillors were expelled by the right wing from the Labour group.
Arnold Spencer records the reaction of a section of the local Communist Party at that time: 'Following our expulsion Luc trades concu. which seemed to be heavily influenced by the CP, passed a motion of confidence in the Labour group leader and his policies.
'So, despite the fact that seven of gur eight constituencies were backing us and the Labour executive eventually upheld our appeal against expulsion, it appeared to us that
group.
Finally, Jack Smart
and his cronies have at-
Wakefield Trades Tacked Council because of campaign stop the district council closing the local Snapethorpe Hospital. Smart directly responsible for the closure threat as he is the chairper-
wwur
movement shouls ctions _oliother wielher they in this regard movement Ine choice is not supple make Manchester, kers nad lo decide cuts opting native. vith of those, that rely part of the counchlor nor CUon we positive shy in election But features, there are least Laurence Scott occupation
supported Manchester's Labour left.
the leadership of the trades council endorsed the expulsion.
Jim Arnison, in the Morning Star, criticises the Left for going out on a limb from the local trade union movement.
But while it is true that the lett have not built sufficiently strong links with the industrial unions locally, they have distinguished themselves from the majority Labour group by supporting virtually
Labour Party
Stealth Authorite. of Wakefield Area
Three left-wing coun-
cillors have been suspend-
ed from the Labour group
since November
charge against one was so
ludicrous that the suspen-
sion was soon litted.
But councillor Derek
Fatchett is still suspended.
the aise examine nave done enough
absence
01 such
mass opposition tacing the some people councils who hate.
said: out.'
councillor like • her et coun- from
or defy the tor the first alterbrought includiing some
left move casues
cay aig account-
10] chester feature this movement of
it has who for years have
Salon v client
political acti lace tni
it down. of which is legative There is in saying that such
every working class stuggle in Manchester:
'When the workers in the housing department
took strike action, basical
Arnold Spencer points out, 'they were violently attacked by the Labour group, fully backed, as is usual by the Tories.
'On the other hand the City Labour Party supported that strike and has since supported Royal Pride, Mosedales and most recently the Laurence Scott sit-in.' Lead
Arnold Spencer sums up the row: There is an influx of people into the party who want to change it in a socialist direction. What gives me nightmares is the thought that in 30 years time l'Il be like the present majority leaders. the aim of democratising the party is also to make sure Lilal When the. Lett wins leadership there enough checks to make sure we don't get power mad
'In that sense there is no Manchester peculiarity; in essence what's going on here is nothing more then a local reflection of the national struggle within the Party around tability and democracy.
His 'offence' was to say publicly: "Let's make sure get LaDOlI government not commitpollcies of the Callaghan/Healey governfollowing policies of the 1980 Labour Partv conterence.
The ather purge victim is David Hinchcliffe. His
JIM ARNISON dissects the long-running battle over policy within
Manchester City Labour Party.
ultra-left tendency ' to virtu would
enemy and « narrow movement. weaken working One of the Labour councillors morcuital
ment come under Labour attals cat that be for voted for rent increases, panel naving
but the of the claim 100,000 hous une. union c Tory goye nment commissioner.' them hande, (nal kers
nub of the question dehance demanded led, to Man. would hav people acting ultra - left element which have the government and bringing of taking
not much point now & movement trades council.
Alex Kitson, over Ireland.
offence was to say that he wished for a speedy resolution of a dispute between the council and its school caretakers the caretakers were the council's lowest paid employees
Hinchcliffe had not been toid of a group deciUnions
have
of council defia in sun
few Werd the argu-
In the Party and
only the people through the media. reachec
, the debate has failed ment
powertul and otherconfederation
Morris. unportant manual worunions
Wor Pick-
convinced tha clique within the city
Party definitely in this, Klein de unionie arr trade union sections people
more Nobody of the manual unions a re illusion
their Most of the fin
college
are having an smallest unions.
As to
son, tion attacking
conference
chester With who attacked Benn
Socialist Challenge
sion not to mention dispute publicly.
The right wing off sive is being answered result moves Wakefield CLP to defe Derek Fatchett, a bran the Labour ordinating Committée ! been formed A petitior SUDDOr chcliffe has drawn up, and demonstration against t COse STal thorpe Hospital will ta place on Saturday 27 Jur ning is made kers and dateriners bs for social delegates fro wor
anti-intellectual way
there is an imbalance, and pear
their March to pro protest a
Labour published leader inter Norn
tor the lobby: intat Norma largen of the mas right ming. i them describing All that can be said abo obviously Marxisn than should lual thi left
ultra-left element Labolr part this narrow Metal mechanics vote for electoral
THE divisions in the Labour Par:
effect in even th
This was illustrated at the recent! held conference of the metal mechanic at which delegates voted in favour of it Labour Party retaining the electoral co lege system for the election of the lead and deputy of the party.
who the deputy should be. proposal for the union to back Tor. Benn was unsuccessful. Instead, the issa was reterred to the union's executive
In the course of the debate Alex Ki
from the party's national executiv did his best to thwart support for Ber.? He launched an attack on those whor he said, broke the unity of the party b speaking out on reland.
But it was significant that a minori: at the conference did support a resoi
the Tory/Labour bipa tisan approach to Ireland.
In the shadow of these divisions at ir
there WUn overwhelmir. backing for the fightback on jobs. T-
Jor an emergency resolution backın occupation at Laurence Scott ir "-
conference
to campaign jor ire étéra.. Benn at the Labour Party conference
18 June 1981 Page
Page 6 scan of this page
WHEN it comes to Ireland, something is Bristol.
On the May Day march in Bristol Irish solidarity activists 24 foot banner roacing. Sands, MP'. A good initiative but, in itself, nothing.
But then, the march Communist TONG Brian Underwood, organisers, demanded that the banner be removed from the was forced to put the issue to the vote - and lost by about two to one.
The Irish solidarity movement has expanded in the wake of the hunger strike. But THE growing instability of the neo-colonial part of Ireland was highlighted by the general election on 11 June for the Dublin parliament.
The seats were divided Lost evenly between the ec: erning bourgeois party
The bourgeois opposi-
The first, Fianna Fail,
-8 seats; the second,
ite Gael and Labour, 80.
highly peculiar hold the
lance of power.
H Block prisoner canlidates won two seats, eferively denying rianna
any possibility of putEg together a stable ma-
Whatever kind of weak overnment emerges from be intensive wheeling and
which has now will be much
revious one to pressures
nsing anti-imperialist «ung, locusea on tne r
ack issue and the impen-
dısaster visible all servers Dutlet
The relative economic * elopment ot the past eas was fuelled and susted by borrowing, and
day of reckoning for
imperialist banks and
lancial institutions is
approaching.
the same time, the
osperity of the last years
• ihe closing-oft of the
ditional outlet of
arraton nas produced
explosive growth of the ambers of youth who are *ginning to flood onto a
job market. this situation the ish people are desperate-
looking for political rematives.
This was reflected by wild fluctuation in the pinion polls
In Ine 01 C
* results. the erratic pattern of
The national coalition I Fine Gael and Labour bich governed the couny ::om 1973-7 left an evil mory of repression and
capitulation to imc.a.ism.
repeat of such a cialist Challenge 18 June 1981
the issue of small incident moving in
carried
'Bobby in Bristol. demands rally after the pontical status.
mendoer one of the main
Party
hall. He Benn's Bristol
The GMC
importantly, this
IRISH ELECTIONS
H Block victories
just the tip of the
By Gerry Foley,
Dublin
government was not an attractive alternative, but the incumbent regime had done nothing to deal with the economic problems.
Failed
Its anti-imperialism did not go beyond a little pale verbiage and
SOISC dubious publicity gim-
such the Dublin/London summit talks with a vague agenda and even vaguer purpose.
some respects collaboration with British repression even increased under Fianna Fail.
The cabinet presided over by Charles Haughey has let the British government drive four Irish policial prisoners to their death without even making an official protest.
Since the Irish governtalled to political prisoners under
wing, the Irish people did this directly by electing two of them to membership of the parliament that is supposed to represent
These two prisoners have now been recognition as political prisonels. representatives of the oppressed
the only means available to
Moral
When one prisoner has been elected to the British
parliament, and two to the
rish parliament how can
Ine Thatcher government continue claim the
criminal?
How can any Irish government claim it JULi SILS responsibility defend them?
In a whirl-wind tour in support of the Block campaign, Bernadette McAliskey stressed:
When one half of the population is under 30
Page 6
Ireland can be won in the labour movement By Bristol supporters of the H Block prisoners
that the chances of winning support in the labour movement tor ine irisn strug gle have greatly increased.
And this was not the first success , In April, the trades council
and demand
The local Labour Committee on Ireland has spoken at several Labour
meetings, including Tony South-east general management committee.
in Bristol North-east passed a motion on the prisoners, while the West constituency called for an end to bipartisanship with the
iceberg
Over 3,000 people showed their support for the prisoners in years of age any , governparty EDAL says that young people between the ages of zu and 30 wnc are starving themselves to death to uphold the dignity of our people aren't a of concern, has no moral right to TUC The attendance at Bernaacle s Tailles was largeundark, in Especially ere youthful, especially in an H Block prisoner was later elected She said: "The press is talking about the cynicism of youth towards the big parties That's that's common sense. They're not about to be fooled.
Bernadette also appealed to workers at incentres: 'Take back the trade unions from who betray them, put them back in the
Ireland
Tories. And all this before Tony Benn
made his recent remarks on Ireland.
Nor have there only
cesses in Labour parties. This month
the Transport Union branch
Lucas, Kingswood - one of the best organised factories in
ared • passed a motion in favour of
'troops out'.
had argued for the motion for severa
weeks on the factory floor
All of which shows that provided
the
made, significant sections
labour movement can be won to pro-
gressive positions on Ireland.
tion on Saturday. forefront, the cause labour the cause of Ireland.
which Block candidates received astounded the press and the politicians, both here and in Britain. Moreover the visible success of the H Block
ballpalel cal didates was only the tip of the iceberg
The intervention of the H Block movement in the accurated was severe. ly restricted by the tionalist wing of Provisional Sinn Fein. It had in+ sisted the Block movement could only support prisoners who would be unable take their seats if elected. Leap
This wing of Provisional Sinn Fein also found it difficuit to col-
been suc
and TF
the Bristol
of the London's H Block demonstra-
laborate with other forces in the campaign. It was, and is, afraid of independent personalities like Bernadette McAliskey.
In the present situation it is easy to see the power that H Block leaders could wield in parliament.
If Bernadette had STOOG. .TOT example, and been elected, the campaign wold nave taken qualitative leap forward.
If H Block activists had stood in all or in a broad range of constituencies. Bernadette proposed, the established parties could have been rocked to their foundations.
The H Block candidates cut into the votes
all parties but they most damaged those with false pretensions Republicanism Fianna
and Sinn Fein the Workers Party
PISH PEOPLE 61
The Bobby Sands Banner carried on Bristol's May Day march.
Fianna Fail's Charlie Haughey.
The latter group, now
sect, made gains only as long as It was the onlv alternative
the big parties.
everywhere H Block candidate stood, SFWP was cut down size.
Nonetheless the failure of the H Block campaign to contest more constituencies allowed two hardened enemies of the prisoners to get into parlia ment and hold the balance of power that is, Joe Sherlock of Sinn Fein the Workers Party, and Jim Kemmy OI Socialists Against Nationalism. Lunatic
Another independent, enough one, is is confused enough on national
talking about blocking with Kemmy and Sherlock.
Only the gross default of the anti-imperialist forces could ex plain the fact that such lunatic sectaltalli could play an important role
Th other three independents populists, more inclined to vote with Fianna Fail. One of them Sean Dublin Bay Loftus, is an ecology can-
vote came from both left and right.
Peoples Democracy, the Irish Trotskyist group. stood two candidates on a revolutionary anti-imperialist programme Vincent Doherty, a leader
BOBBY SANDS »
The H Block election victories wiped the smiles off the faces of Fine Gael leader Fitz Gerald and
of the H Block movement,
premier's Dublin
constituency and Joe Harrington, a respected trade
union activist in Limerick
city
Against powerful Doherty rolled
up 1,481 first preference
votes out of 40,581 cast in That is, more chan one nit five-seat constituency; of the vote needed to be
elected Harrington
got lust under 1,000 votes on the basis of a very small-scale campaign in an area where anti-imperialist feeling is relative v low
The Irish Labour Party suffered such heavy losses that its very survival would be threatened bi a continuation of its coalition policy
It may be forced to reject the tempting fruits of exclusion in the govern-
from the hand Ol Fine Gael, thereby leaving no other possibility open but that of rickety minority government
Given the inability of the incoming stable goment
elect a ment, the likelihood is that the next genera election will be held in a relativel short LINC anti-imperialist movement will consequently have chance to re-orientate itself, so as to take fuller advantage opportunities available.
It already had greatly increased possibilities bring pressure to bear on behalf of the prisoners
Page 7 scan of this page
A struggle for human dignity'
The organisation we called
the Free Trade Unions of
the Coast was formed on
April, I heard
about it on Radio Free
Europe. (Laughter) It's
unfortunate that I had to
learn from so far away
what was going on close
by.
The committee was
founded by three persons:
Andrzej Gwiazda and two others. Gwiazda noW
national vice-president of
sondarity. One OI the
others was a secret police agent. but we didn't know that then. How this group
survived we still wonder
Loday We had constant dif-
ficulties,
welc Constanty harassed by the authorities. Over the course of two years we were able to
put out only eight issues of _oul paper Robotnik
Wybrzeza (Coastal)
Worker).
The police would search our homes and confiscate not only published issues but also typewriters,
paper, even
Point eisted heese ras
listed 'criminal evidence'. And they used other methods to harass us, such as temporary arrest for fortyeight nours. Influence
Later they began have people fired from their But
OUS. tinued with our activities, and our intluence becan to
So the authorities guw. transierred me out of the shipyard to another factory, illegally, and kept me there for three months.
1here was a difference between what I had been canille and what Was paid at the new place. The shipyard was supposed to make up the difference, but thev wouldn't let me into the yard to collect my
pay Finally they had to let
back shipyard. When came back, I tried to give every worker in the vard a leat et telling about my case. They began searching me at the entrance to prevent me bringing in literature.
vne day 1 managea to smuggle through •some copies of Robotnik Wybrzeza, with our explanation of some changes in the work and payment system. I was fined for 'disrupting work'. Afraid
After 1 was fined I appealed to the workers for support, but tney didn't act because they were afraid. They thought that if someone is punished, there is nothing you can do about it.
But I knew against the law, because our rree Trade Unions
doctor law. who is a great man; he is still our adviser. He helpec
everybody was very surprised, because court. I was paid damages.
Still they continued with their reprisals against me. Sometimes they would lock me in the cloakroom
shipyard for two or three hours. So that they could say I was late for work and
Polish shipyard workers from Gdansk: since Solidarity was founded the harassment they suffered has decreased enormously punish me. This happened several times.
When they did this I started to shout as loud as I could to tell the manager of my department that I was being held there, that I was not late.
So they parked a truck when I would yell no one could tell Where the voice was coming from.
Another Way they harassed me was to turn off the crane that I was operating. I had to stop work and climb down from the crane to find out What was wrong, and they used that as a pretext for charging me with leaving my work station. This happened many times.
Trials
But every time I was fired, I fought in court and was reinstated. I had six
.The judge was surprised that these cases kept coming to court, because the management had no
independent union,
the
interviewed Anna
the shipyards,
commonplace before last August. legal basis for its actions.
The only way out of this constant harassment was appeal to the workers at the vard. had a meeting with the other members of the Free Trade Unions group, and we decided to issue a leaflet telling who I am, , how long I had been working, how
trials I had won, why I had been tried, and what the manager was now saying. Leaflet
Our friends handed out these leaflets on August, and that was the day day the Gdansk shipyard strike began.
Jerzy: Hoout a putties people marched inrough the shipyard to the department, then the main gate, where we demanded that Anna be brought to the yard. It was a really beautiful action the part of the workers. Just before she was brought to
ANNA Walentynowicz is a leader of the Polish
Solidarity. The strike in famous Gdansk shipyards last August began over her sacking as a crane driver in the yards. DeAnn Rathbun and George Saunders
with two of her co. workers, Jerzy and Maciej, both pipefitters at
for Intercontinental Press.
Below we reprint excerpts of the discussion dealing with how the August events began and the harassment of dissidents which was
the yard, there was meeting with the general manager and the first secretary of the party organisation of the shipyard. There was an excavator which was used for people to stand on to speak.
Maciej: When the general manager sol up on tis excavator to speak - it was about nine o'clock in the morning; work starts at six Walesa appeared on the cacavalor. monent befor the manager
this strike?' And Walesa appearcu on tic excavalo. and announced: lead this strike. (Laughter) And he went into the manager's office to begin negotiations.
Walentynowicz: was hiding to avoid arrest bs the secret police, who kept survelliance. was at the medical clinic of the shipyard, which is out-
side the gates, when I heard that the strike had begun. I went to the win-
third floor hallway and saw that the wales were fl moving
Alina Pienkowska (a nurse at the clinic and a leading activist of the Fres Trade Unions group) and I locked Ill the ladies' room; we thought probably strike started and the secret police would try to seize us. Police
I went outside, to try to make call to Warsaw, and there saw two familiar men from the secret police getting out of a car. I understood that I couldn't make any phone call, because they were coming for me. I hopped onto a street car and went
the part of Gdansk where I live
By now there were four secret poncemen followly me. I went into a shop, as
though to do some shopping, but really hoping to be able to call Warsaw from the But they were too close behind me. Nervous
So I ran across the street against the traffic and rushed into a friend's house. From there I could see there were now SIX plainclothesmen standing outside the house, looking around nervously.
When the car from the shipyard arrived at my home, my friends there who knew my usual hidin places they had made sure that it wasn't a trick, sent the car to where
And of course 1 went to the shipyard
And that the beginning of the Gdansk shipyard revolution of 14 August, 1980.
Now about the strike itself. After I returned to the shipyard and joined
Socialist Challenge
the negotiating committee,
turned out that the
manager real didn't wan to come to an agreement
with us.
Demands
The first day there
were two demands: return
Walentynowicz to work and increase the pay of all workers at the yard one thousand zlotys a months. The next day our demands grew: return Walen-
tynowicz to work; return
Walesa to work; and raise the monthly pay by two
Walesa were allowed to come back and the agreement was signed. This was on Saturday 16
one concession. The monthly raise was
from 2,000 to 1,500 zlotys So the strike was over. The Polish national anthem was sung. The manager went to his office. Workers
But as we were leaving the hall a large group of my workers were waiting for me, and one of Inem sala, w nal have you done? You have fulfilled vOll demands. that's all. Do you know
your demands? Because the other factories of seacoast are on strike.' But we hadn't known
Alina Pienkowska and I went running back to the hall to declare a solidarit
but off The shipyard loudspeakers were announcing that the strike was over and that everyone had to leave the shipyard by 6pm. The gates were open and peo. ple were leaving.
Alina and i went running to the main gate. Now Alina is very small, a tiny person, but full of in. itiative. She stood up on a barrel and began to appea Lo nose woo were eve
We have to help the others with their strikes because they have helped
We have to defend us them. We have guarantee their security and Somebody
Hours from the crowd said "She's right!' The gate was closed. Success. HapDILLCOS
Strike
The same thing hap pened at the second gate
young people organised microphone
amplitier. Ther Walesa joined us. It had
Appropriate fi
im to call for a solidari stirke, because five or ten minutes before, he had an-
OLI strike was over. Now that the first two gates were closed, we went together and closed the third.
But out of 16,000 workers, maybe only 6,000 remained me comra with other shipyards. About the time we did, I saw the genera
motorboat. I made an announcement on one of the microphones near the gate. İ told the workers defence guard that the manager had left and that now we were the masters of the shipyard
18 June
Page 8 scan of this page
Building the Minority Movemen
Socialist
Challenge
REVOLUTION
Industrial
Workers
Conference
London 27-8 June
Entry by ticket only from PO Box
50, London N1 2XP
PI-FAS SKIN Our PETITIO unions and socialism'
'political' wings of the movement.
Strategy.
at the conference. THE LCC'S conference Central Hall, Westminster, on 18 July will undoubtedly be one of the most important rank and file trade union conferences held this year.
Given the wave of struggles like Laurence Scott, Lee Jeans and Rover which are taking place, and the political developments around" events
People's for Jobs and Tony Benn's campaign for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party, the conterence is ilkelv to be attended by hundreds of trade union militants eager to discuss the way forward.
Benn
The last LCC trade union conference in November was a shambles Challenge supporters had not turned out TOTCC. there would have been only around
But
OCODIC DI COCHIL. political situation has changed.
The LCC closely associated with the politics of Tony and his election campaign has electrified the
Socialist Challenge
By Pamela Holmes (AUEW)
THE response to the Peoples March for shown the willingness of working people to stand up and fight rights. The tory over the Tories on redundancies how powerful we can be.
So why do we have to take further punishment from Thatcher and her gang? Because the isting trade union leadership scared mobilising the strength IN preparation for its trade union conference in July, the Labour Co-ordinating Committee has produced a pamphlet 'The trade
by Pete Rowlands, which argues for breaking down the traditional divides between the 'industrial' and
It also backs the Alternative Economic
BRIAN HERON looks at the political case put forward in the pamphlet, which will be an important under-pinning of the debates
at ing. . up a furious debate on policy in both the Labour Party and the trade unions.
It is to Benn that the most advanced militants are looking, and against une millancy Wal these militants represent Foot and Healey have firmly set themselves.
According to the LCC, Pete Rowlands' pamphlet first serious assessment of Britains trade union from a committed Labour left perspective In fact it is a dreadful mishmash of borrowed ideas, which attempts pessimistic view of the state of combine the class struggle (one not too dissimilar from that of Socialist Workers Party, with gradualist and right-wing political strategy, reminiscent of the Communist Party's "British Road Socialism'. The two are closely Conccica.
Rowlands argues that 'during decade of economic crisis sand much period precedented industrial militancy, a socialist breakthrough has
18 June 1981 Page 8
back. tremendous
Jobs has
strike in that for their Movement (NMM), miners vic-
showed
makers'.
ex-
stiff of
collaboration,
USTI
HELP
YOU
not been made; indeed socialist ideas are under widespread attack' Further, since the election of the Tories their attacks 'have met with little response' and the "trade moved slightly to the right'.
We take sharp issue with this assessment below, central argumentation is how we got into this situation through the debacle of the government because it is on the basis of this argumentation that Rowlands draws his wrong conclusions about the relationship of trade union militancy and socialist strategy tives.
Apparently we
where we are now because of the failure of the government's social that which explained by
failure of the leaders to fight for the Alternative Economic Strategy: the Doomed
movement
'Short of a substantial implementation any reparation had been done, th ocal contract was mieve! doomed.
This failure to the AES was due to the unions
"bureaucratic moteness from their membertoo ship and aversion to busning
their political role...
to the 'anguish of the Winter of
Discontent which led not
BH) to revolution or a radical lett government. but the most mounting' reactionary government since for the 1930s'.
There we have it! But all is not lost since 'the ebbing away ofmilitancy
of the working class and organising a real fight
WICE TIC
The working, class found founded, itself in a similar situation in the years leading up to the general
The response made was National Minority
its name from the familiar right wing and Tory press complaints about every problem being due
of trouble1921.
Minority Movement described itself as 'an organisa- In
employers non or mintant wrade unlonists
realising the extent to present leaderst have committed themselves and
membership have banded
HELP
Rowlands' DUEWId
last Labour
and objec-
arrived
Labour contract, the trade union
of the AES, for political
push the debate around many issues'
Pre- militancy
and led to
as
produced.
Kitson,
the last few left.
together to restore the original purpose and fighting spirit on trace amons were teadership with a policy based new on a realisation of class struggle and a complete reorganisation or te mons... 20's the work. ing class had suffered some big setbacks. The Triple Alliance of railway, transport and mine workers mae collapsed in Its first big test, letting the miners down to serious defeat in e9s forced a intering the engineering lockout to impose wage cuts. Unemployment grew rapidly to cent whilst union plummeted. The shop stewards movement col years' has produced a 'healthy
last Labour
If there is an ebbing away of
something better be done quick because the present AES, surge of the Labour left is not due to clever manoeuvring or something like that, but a result of the crisis in the Labour Party that the years of massive class militancy and polarisation have
Basnett, Jenkins and the rest are being pushed all COUL over the place because the base of their unions is moving to the
Elapsed, decimated by redundancies.
The COLUM picked up during 1923-24, but the trend class confrontation developed the continued their fight to restore the rate of profit by wage cuts and longer hours. Actions The spring of 1923 saw the first big dustry since 1920 among dockers, vehicle builders, AULO workers, builders agricultural labourers and boilermakers. labourers.
In the autumn. the Com munist Party started a campaign to launch the Minority Movement.
LCC Trade Un
THETRAI
AND SO
The Social Contract of the government was doomed, not because the union leaders talled to fight for the
but because in reality it was all attempt to de the work ing class to the deflationary and pro-capitalist policies of an ut. terly right wing Labour govern-
The workers were right to fight back against it and throw
But Rowlands and the LCC have a point. It is true that LACK the old ways of battling against the employers and government are no longer adequate.
The campaign began series of propaganda met aimed at uniting the vario
around an action progr to fight the existing leade They aimed at fighti the leadership unions, a 'leadership upon a realisation of the struggle. organisation NMM reflected its aims had sectoral and national tures based SCULUIC class wide demands.
The founding confere the Movement was August 1924 and was att by delegates of 270 org tions workers.
None of this would The working class is on the defensive. A political battle is taking place in the workers movement to hammer new perspective.
Miners
But this political argument takes place in a context undefeated strength. The miners showed how quickly defence can be turned into at-
However, the movement needs an overall political perspective. But that perspec
Page 9 scan of this page
in industry 27-8 June, London
ith a been leadership of ea ings op- party - the Communist Party
- rooted in the main industrial unions which NMM. From 1919 to 1922, the Communist the (Comintern) under the leader-
ship of Lenin and Trotsky, carried out asystematic fight with the infant British Communist the Party to knock on the head the
infantile HORONS OT which lead them to silly tins such as — two of a kind'. prevented the aP promh Such
in ded a serious hearing amongst the
mass of workers, dedicated work which they had conducted In defence tave miners during the build up to
tive has to be linked and in-
tegrated with a way of mobilis-
ing the full strength
movement against the Tories
and for socialist policies.
inst the puslem or up
against problem
trade union bureauracy. Accor-
ding to Pete Rowlands:
problem of bureauracy
not so much a distinct stratum
of personnel but rather a rela-
tionship which permeates the whionism practice whoie of
account evades
problem of the
Fi cal
of a revolutionary without the Black Friday nominious collapse of the Tri-
ple Alliance.
comprised the Faith
International its new une elecons:
Party cannot Labour Party in so far as it is a party of the workers any more than it can oppose the trades unions as such; but it can, as it
Tory and Labour
COCS Winne fight the reactionary junta and had seek to transform the Labour from gaining Party into an revolutionary despite the sent eaders of the Labour par- faith of the workers in the the ty must be tried and outlived by experience. This experience the
on Conference
EUNIONS
HALISM
bureaucrats, who are a distinct stratum and who of the benetit trom bureaucratic relationships in the workers' moveHICHL.
Fault ...the Arguing against the SWP's denotes simple-minded notions of bureaucracy, the says: "The main fault with this trade analysis is that it kubstitutes sociology for politics, the the crucial difference as lying live between members and officials,
The fight for socialist policies
and
tain by their actions It
Naional Left In 1922 the CP summed up attitude at the time o in the Labour Party. *The Communist
oppose the
bureaucracy
is valid.
trade unions,
instrument of Labour Party:
progress The
questions DOCauS! workers conference.
East Hecla
rather than between left build and rihti a dineree comin toe right,
Leadership and membership, which as we have seen, have grown recently.
tions of the bureaucracy, under pressure, will align temselves the with class struggle.
pamphlet
Tony Benn on a section of the trade union bureaucracy. seeing within vital concern for the ranks they open the door to dealing
Communists will help them ob.
was this understanding which allowed the launch of the NMM in the unions and shortly atterwards the complementary
Wing movement
Some things have obviously changed since the 1920s.
has completely consolidated its hold over the aparatus of the Labour Party.
But the same general approach
An independent left wing must be built with its feet in the unions and its head in the
The organisation of such a left wing will be one of the key
discussed at the Challenge HOUSENA with the whole.
the SWP; the fight
W
Wing class.
Role
officials,
of what
ships
conservative bureaucracy.
the Labour
will be with the bureaucracy. and account arguments. within
It is certainly true that secPower •We need mobilise bases himself Dar au culary
The differences
the leadership are of
bureaucracy as a
This is a political error of through its
with the bureaucracy can't be dealt with just by militancy, it is a political fight. It will involve a struggle to force the leadership to defend the interests of the work- ruling
parlament. one basi leht. The oo ot une But all this can't bureaucracy can't simply be explained by the fact that they are
irrespective politics. But the very example
happened under Labour during the social contract - when the union leader-
sided pure and simple with the class collaborationist Labour leadership - shows the TUC
nature of the
A new rank and file leader- bonces ship is neded in the unions and
Party, organised can link around a programme of action disgruntled and class struggle methods. It
built in bitter struggle March. existing labour
Here we are coming close to the essence of the pamphlet's
Line trade union movement is seen as an extrabananicular Dowebascord future labour government.
the bosses,
to be able to thower of tra- bring working class, and its allies, to defeat the extra-parliamentary power of the ruling class.
If this means that a socialist the government would have torely
on the mobilisation and direct action of the masses to carry
then we agree. If it means that mass action would just be a subsidiary adjunct to parliamentary action then we disagree because the decisive centres o
monopolies, courts, police, army etc. — are outside
In fact, it seems that the LCC means the latter variant, because your ultimate strategy is inscribed in what you try to
lo today. There are two impor tant lines of thought about hor to get a government committed to socialist policies and it is ımportant to disentangle them. 'Protest'
One line that of the
endorsed by the CP - 15 to build a 'protest' movement against aspects of government
around demands like that of import controls, which
up with sections employers. This was the CP line on the People's
The other approach starts from the struggles at Lee Jeans. Laurence Scott and Rover, and puts forward joint Labour Party/trade union action to bring down the government, around a fighting programme designe to mobilise the workers agains
including central points like the 35-hour
he atter course obviously implies the 'right' of workers to
down the government through mass struggle - a line which the LCC does not accept.
Many of the things which the LCC puts forward to drive
Labour Party discussion deeper into the unions can only
CANTYONALON NINEWORKERS
KENT AREA be applauded
We entirely support thing like workplace branches of the Labour Party, closer links between trades councils and CLPs, promoting broad lefts with a less electoralist approach and so forth
But the paradox of the LC( is that whereas it has politica positions on the need to link trade union and Labour Party action, Its positions are well to the right of other campaigning bodies inside the Labour Party
The reason is very clear: the LCC tries above all to link the Labour Party and unions while preserving strong ties with the union bureaucrats
The more the LCC goes inte the unions, the more under the pressure of an tolerable contradiction bet ween class struggle actions and
and an alliance with a leadership whose very existence is based on a compromise with capitalism.
Labour Co-ordinating Ct-
tee Conference
Trade Unions &
Socialism
Speakers include Tony Benn, Arthur Sargill Bernard Dix, Audrey Wise
Central Hall Westminster Sat 18 July Delegates from TUs and Labour
Parties Contact LCC, 9 Poland St., W1
Socialist Challenge 18 June 1981, Page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
Where you can buy
Socialist Challenge
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Socialist Challenge 18 June 1981
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okshop. Tel: 00-2364905 forivals Grassr NEWCASTLE: SC on sale every Se
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LONDON. Central Books, 3/ Uray
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Che Other Bookshop,
to Sainsbı Matters, Wood Greer YORK:
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Page 10
rally
SATURDAY 27 June - note that date in your diary! On that evening Revolution is holding its first anniversary celebration rally in London.
Three years ago the International Marxist Group launched the youth paper
Porostion. shee pape-
BULLS paper founded an independent
Yolion Toani, ion, Reva.
1 ouLll. in political solidarity with the IMG and the Fourth International.
Over the past three years Revolution has proved the most regular and widely read socialist yout paper. It is well known for IS COSSICHL SUDDOEL OI workers' struggles throuOnouEme wone Nicaragua to Poland.
More than any other youth paper it has given regular support and coverage to Youth CND, fighting against Thatcher and Reagan's war drive. YOPS
The policies of this Tory government hit
outh particularly hard.
Not VOLL unemployment but those on DOCILIL YOP
schemes are expected survive on £23.50 a week for six months betore being thrown back on the scrapheap. Higher educa-
The T-shirt to be
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Make cheques payable
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Come to the
Revolution
By Ann Henderson tion is also under attack with savage cuts in school and college budgets.
Young people need allies in their fight to change society that's why we stand for joint Labour Party and trade union action to kick out
Tories. It is to the labour CHOYCHCHE that
youth are increasingly
ooking to solve their problems.
Freedom
ACrOLuHOn Youth stands for building an organisation young
young workers young blacks all young people who are fighting for freedom and an end to the capitalist system which offers youth hot ing. We're fighting
socialism are Socialist Challenge and the Fourth International.
That's why we have speakers from Peoples
Democracy in Ireland and the French revolutionary youth organisation solidarity with the FI at
London rally. And OUL that's why Socialist Challenge SUDDOTICE should come to our rally on 27 June, sell our paper financial aid to building Revolution, and our organisation.
Support
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THE money from the past fortnight's post means tht we have topped £30,000 in our Fund Drive.
Buyi Challenge as wel a building for
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We should meet the national target by next year
later than anticipated due to a delay with some big donations!
Wed 2 to Sun 6 September in London Discussions, debates, forums on: Britain, Central America, Ireland, Eastern
Book these dates now - 2 to 6
New issue of REVOLUTION now out!
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Rally
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Mention should also be made to our talented comrades in Stockport whose donation represents (part of) the proceeds from their internationally bestselling *John .Lennon commemoration' poster.
Our thanks this week to: Hemel Hempstead £30,00 Tower Hamlets Brent 260.00 Southwark Cardiff 53.50 Camden 4 S0 Huddersfield Oxford Southampton Stockport Swindon Lambeth 30.00 Hackney Leeds 150.00 Bristol 15.50 Bangor supporters Standing Orders Martin Avery Anon 75.00 SMS AU UU Andy Jones Ed Mahood 10.00 R Haggie 4.00 Labour Party SOTOO 322.50 Mandel Rally 800.00 Total £2713.85 Grand total £31210.00
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Page 11 scan of this page
What can you do when reporters'
Pacesetters on pay
Photo: VAL WILMER
AID.
By Gecffrey Sheridan
trade union movement.
warrants headlines.
Yet the London weekly
muaoaane Time Out is a
long way from bankrupt-
cy, ot ether the political or
commerical variety.
It turishes the capital
with a radical appraisal of
the police, the courts, local
government, the welfare
SLalc and much else
besides. Its cultural
coverage, if sometimes ar-
cane, is a stimulant for
developments in the arts
and a
boost to the au-
diences they need.
Fringe
The impact of the
strike, HOW in its sixth
week. can be seen
visibly in the fringe LIUS L
theatres and independent
cinemas in London, where audiences have plummeted since Time Out's listings
were halted by the industrial action.
With the i the pearance, too, magazine's Agitprop column, which provides free noticeboard for meetings, demos, and the
ike, a touch of nerves can be detected among the left in the metropolis.
Time achieveCali measured against the two other
publications London.
Where To Go and What's On are aimed at the kind person who looks to Soho for a night vul on unc town, yet their combined circulations are less than the 80,000 notched up by Time Out, which has an annual turnover of over 1m Threats
Over the years, the Hardae s publisher Tony Elliott,
nas made threats about disposing of his money-spinner to IPC or a similar enterprise, yet under the effective editorial control of its staff, Time Out has shown
AN THESE
BABIES
Possibly no reporters' wives, but certainly women journalists were among those who occupied the London Evening News in January 1978 and secured the right to reply to articles attacking lesbians who have babies by A STRIKE at a radical magazine might not seem to have a great deal of relevance to the Most of the alternative publications which flourished in the heady days of the late 1960s and early '70s have since gone to the wall, and if yet another has run into trouble it hardly
that radicalism is no deterrent to sales.
Battle And if many of the magazine's readers (and staff) are now middle-aged mortgaged, Time Out's politics have not developed a paunch which is reason enough to solidarity to the staff's battle. w nat nes behind the strike is an unusual union agreement. Most significantly it provides for pay parity. The 64 staff below Hana-CHiCil deve whether a theatre critic or typesetter are on the same salary which is presently f8,700 a year.
Elliott wants to wave goodye to that. It doesn't take a genius to appreciate that wage differentials the norm in the newspaper and publishing world, well as British industry at large divide the workforce, which is exactwhat Time Out's publisher has in mind.
Conditions
As it happens, the agreement specifies that DUOS DUARE AITIDO ATT1 tions should apply to an other magazine that Elliott might launch. He wants to terminate that as well.
Neither is he happ! about the clause whick says that he has to consult federated chapel, which brings together the NUJ, NGA, and SOGAT, about any business venture involving Time Out cash.
Although the strike is primarily to defend the existing ariccc rather than win improved pay or conditions, contidence prevails in the chapel.
A High forced the staff to abandon their month-long occupation of the magazine'soffices, but they are now happily ensconced in Action Space, and
NUJ Equality Working Party
war policy was
war was not only just but winnable.
their wives march in demonstrations? Apart from the giveaway that Washington Post reporters were men,
the remark is intersting
because it offers an insight
into that -OrOCesS waich
goes some way to answer-
Wing a question constantly
being asked by supporters Time Out boss Tony Elliott trying to forget about the strike Labour GLC has offered other premises rent free.
One of the main activities is the production and distribution of their Court order 4 strike-sheet, Not. The cost of the 25,000 copies of the first weekly bulletin being met by revenue from advertising. this.
The best news for the strikers last week was the
By Marion Bowman, recent member of the
IN THE last years of the Vietnam war, when public opposition to the US government's
becoming increasingly 'respectable', the American press also began to shift away from the official view that the
At that time Ben Bradlee, executive editor of the Washington Post, complained to a colleague: 'We tell reporters not to march in a demonstration. But what can you do when
of the Campaign for Press Freedom: dorse the values and views of Why do journalists en their employers and where do they draw the line editor, Catledge of the New decision of the national council of the NGA - to hold firm on a boycott of When I relayed this inr- Time Out mation to Tony Elliott, , his God, I'm half asleep.? reaction was, 'Oh There is a lot of truth in His appraisal of inter-union solídarity did not
wives go on strike demos?'
the Times wrote that in hiring staff he wantec independent ercanve men. thoroughbreds... not the sori WIC -CoUlC Dossed . orowocdIe! had to make them do what I wanted don often by making them think i was what they wanted done.
Priorities
That statement is sufficiently contradictory to explain why it often is that journalists believe themselves be completely objective when their work, founded on selec tivity, reflects the priorities of particular types of people These an ighlight an important issue for press and how news that of Collen values and editorial policies are created and adhered to It is easy enough to argue
strike
take into account the fac that the NGA has initiated amalgamation the NUJ, which the talks - WIEN union leaders are unlikely
want ditched through their failure to back the Time Out strike.
That NGA
women typesetters are part of the magazine's federated dọn chapel, and enjoy pay and
Latne current system ownership of the pr source of justict pat pelalcu the Hewspapcls DUI Wier to questions such 'Why does the TUC omen's Conference c and ther only of a nature? the answer 1 To deal with problems like that, discussion has to rang Wlac concern right of reply or i ke the Bast of alternatives the desirability of a labour daily How different would the final product be? Beliefs Very little is known by th
beliefs o ourllalst. nature of their work Journalists themselves have a need
Time Out
conditions well above the norm in the industry good example of the kind of unity which is needed to bring about a favourable HIVLCOL
Agitprop listings for inclusion in Not should be sent to: Time Out chapel, 314 GI ray's Inn Rd, Lon
WC1. Send support and donations there, too.
-Socialist Challeng..18 June 1981 Page 11
for reassurance so strong that the whys and herefores of their craft are rarely debated critically.
So it is significant that dissent amon! from that group naso ae euraT group arcad employers prejudices
It is easier for male jour talISTS to identify with the values of male employers, to 'thoroughbred •1 urne. Catledge Women, on the othe WLULC. lana. nave never had avie of the pald n tat aLOnaTIG foothold Quite apart from wHal mcko women are fit for, there is the simple fact that women
not men. Women The increasing number of voo sp urn e ue Bie
identify with each
other and with women outside
the industry, has given rise ti
a new spirit of dissent from
the sexism of conventional,
male-created Journalism: dis
sent which affects many othe
arcas ur Journalsuc oracuice Discussions about sexism
that ideology
most popularly
recognised in the . page three
pin-up but one which involves
VUL PECAILICS OL OMISS OT
condescension and distortion
l aisc maly Issue, central to
press freedom and the role o
journalists in society. • Gansersh iliances, ownership
allegiances, trade
mcson, social, as
well as industrial, relations
all these have to be considered
once objection to sexism is
voiced
It is important therefore
Pu Đ the von B gi
put as much emphasis
nature of the
nalists as on straight employ
HICHA HaLLC. SuGi as eola
opportunity in recruitmen
and
and abortion rights, or provi WaLCilL
sions for working parents like
CreeRes Equal
There is no guarantee that
equal numbers men and
the workplace will
U TOT JUANMDA1 TONhA TIDATTY
emale public in the pages of
the press, but men and women
different nave
periences and it may be mor
I women in their owi work is,
as lumnel Calledgt put it, 'what they want done too
Indeed, the fact that young womcu tamees very much the minority in provin-
offices now be utspap crushed only tem porarily in their dissent
editors sayllg. don t agree with me, you have never make a ou malst is an news sense and indication of how that proces: of endorsement can be inter TUDICe
guarin ano potori)
for women minority groups
SUPUULL TIOSI suuogillg agamst sexism anc racist ane enfranchisemen
Lions po pries tae om aa
tions a juse prese overlanked
the powerfu ary anch lo lask.
Free Press
• This article is taken from Free Bullere s lie Press, monthly Campaign foI Press Freedom. Details of the bulletin and the campaign, from: CPF, 274-288 LonCOn Rd, Hadleigh, Essex. Tel 0702 553131
raet enut ar ahalleno trila
Page 12 scan of this page
Mustard and Chile -a hotcombination
USA 'misled' us
on El Salvador
By Toni Gorton LAURENCE Eagleburger, an Assistant Secretary of State in Reagan's administration visited Europe in February with documentary guerillas in El Salvador were being supplied with weapons by the Soviet Union, Cuba and other communist countries.
Based on this evidence European leaders " were solicited for support Reagan's line Salvador.
The only trouble is that the document wasn't based on papers seized from
guerillas' as Eagleburger claimed, but from presumptions of the State according to Jon Glassman who was its principal author.
KIKy Hi
By Toni Gorton RECKITT and Colman, the British mustard company is promoting a new product. In a full-colour, glossy newpaper called Roundabout it extols the virtues of - Chile!
The paper asks: Isn't it about time we started looking at the good things about this spectacular country?
'Chile and Atlantis -our business in Chile are well worth studying: because they're both suc-
stories and they're both good at solving their problems in dynamic, original ways.
In a truly original way, Colman's explain that the Chilean military only 'reluctantly" after displaycook power 'remarkable patience
in the cout democratically elected Salvador Allende in 1973.
Freed
And It- dynamically transmutes Catholic Church figures of 15,000
ortured and imprisoned
CLIC military
"several hundred'.
But let's not quibble about damned statistics because after all Chile 'today is a pleasant place to
*Political prisoners have been freed, ALCOICS" sion eased and the right to argue against official PoncIes always evidence' the company says.
Chile also seems a pleaplace to die as the
United Nations reported late last year, with an increase in numan rights violations.
Socialist Challenge
evidence TACH the
He now describes it as 'misleading' and embellished':
For example, the evidence for *nearly 200 tons of military supplies said to come from TuTed papers actually comes from 'intelligence Dasea on the air traffic based on the truck traffic
Another figure of 800 tons of 'most modern
Mass graves are still being found with corpses
people who 'disap-
pear, like the 2,000 or so whom tre detailed since the coup. International, Torture is
• routiney in Chile during periods of incom-
municado detention. But there we go again being
141
SPECIAL
ON
CHILE
18 June 1981 Page 12
weapons and equipment' was taken from a figure of 130 tons weaponry stored Nicaragua and multiplied by six!
Juggle
This sort of logic 1S reminiscent of the Tory plan juggle the unemployment igures by OLLY counting those who apply for benefit rather chan those looking for work difference about 10 per cent.
would it the stakes weren't so high. The war negative.
well part or une reason people hot-blooded about Chile. say our mustard moguls, is due to
involvement of the CIA.
Allende
'But, people tend to
forget that the ordinary
people of Chile would,
without doubt, have
unseated Allende without the help of the CIA, had
International
of liberation in El Salvador continues and the death toll grows daily. In San Vincent the other
the unacitakers lan out of coffins...
London students have chosen July American Independ ence Day, to picket the US Embassy. This organised jointly by the EI Salvador Solidarity Campaign and une London Students Organisa-
call for cher, . Reagan Hands off El Salvador and Students perialism.
Assemble 5.30 to 7.30pm, US Embassy, Grosvenor Square, nearest tube Bond St. Further details from the
Salvador Campaign, 01-359 2270, or LSO tel 01-637 he so continued to mis manage their country.
That's okay then the CIA saved the Chilean people the bother of doing it themselves. that was nice of them wasn't it?
Now here's one to interest all our British readers. People get hot about Chile because Chile Suras proven monetarism works!
The Colman's conmen tell us that 'Chile's economy is run by a group of economists known to Chileans as "the Chicago boys?
Reagan
'They have been practising for some years the philosophies preached b Professor Milton •Fried man and endorsed by President Reagan of the USA and Prime Minister Thatcher in the UK.
Unlike the UK', however, the ideas are working. It is, ot course only fair to say that in put ting the philosophie into practice Chile did not have
processes getting in the way.' Facts
That's good to know. Does this mean that Maggie's persuance of Milton's philosophy will lead her to embrace General Augosto Pinochet's methods? That
something think CLO about.
Spain: abortion
on trial
By Frank McBride
MORE than one hundred years im-
prisonment is being sought in total for
eleven women who took part in abor-
tions in Bilbao, Spain. The prosecutor
is asking for sentences ranging from 60
years for the women who carried out
the abortions to six months for the
women who underwent them.
All abortion in Spain is totally il-
legal. The pill is available but difficult
for many married women to obtain; it
is virtually impossible for single
Women
The eight women on trial who had
abortions are married and had beer
refused contraceptives from their doc-
tors. Some chemists even refuse to
stock condoms.
For the rich, of course, clandestine
abortion is available. For up to £1,000
a woman can have an abortion in
Madrid that is safe from health risks Bolivian workers
support fund set up
CONTRIBUTIONS
aid the clandestine
trade union struggle
against the Bolivian
military dictatorship are
urgently needed.
Money raised so far has towards the upkeep of
trade unionists in hiding,
support of tamilles of those
Let's not get diverted •It's too democracy gets in the way in Britain because the tacts abou Chile's economy seem impressive. Inflation is down Allende to 30 per cent. The 600 Consee gross domestic product is growing at an average rate of nearly 8 per cent over the last three years.
Industrial production is up by 30 percent since 1975. Exports up, reduced dependence on copper export price controls abolished, etc and so on.
We wonder how it is
Dock streets
to abortion. chens and stairways. killed or jailed and the purchase of typewriters and
enable leaflets to be printed 1 and
week
Since the coup a year ago all trade unions
fallen by 50 percent; over then that the Chilean ecnomy less now than in 1972. the inflation rate higher than international levels?
Why is the inflation rate calculated on costs of luxuries while not paying any attention to prices of necessities? What about
estimates of 30 percent and 50 to 60 per cent in rural areas? Answer
How can we be so scep-
we me nave been reading the answer to Roundabout produced b
and police raids. For others, it is the
This present trial was originally begun in 1979 but was suspended after massive mobilisations in favour of amnesty for the eleven and for the right
Now there is a right wing offensive in Spain attacking living standards, civil liberties, national rights and women's rights. Divorce in Spain is still impossi ble and a new law at present going through parliament is being weakened with every amendment
Despite the present reactionary climate in Spain, the Women's Assembly of Bilbao believes it can mobilise the solidarity movement that was built up in 1979. As the Assembly puts it, the campaign then completely upturned Basque society. Until then even the word abortion was clandestine. Abortions, like other women's matters, didn't leave the kit-
Now the women are hoping the issue will once again take to the streets the council and trade unions.
5,000 people are politica exile All of Bolivia is a military zone.
Despite the repression there have been two 48-hour strikes and go-slow call Dallis Fondions infort then bald contact the Support Fund London E7. Tel 01-471 Bank account: 01-43338275 National Westminster Bank Hurdwick Place, London NW1 2JG
Freste
Photomontane. DETER
those damned workers at Coleman's who belong to union ASTMS. wonder
ding, certainly straighten them out.
Chile Solidarity Campaign nOS launched campaign of protest agains Reckitt and Colman's defence or tre chucan resume uru t economi interests This is being ordinated with trade unionists JOI compul ror juriner informanion con tact the 129 Seven Road, London
Page 13 scan of this page
service
White health service professional workers have a sickening assumption of the superiority of white middle class cultural norms.
A group of GPS in Brent said with complete confidence and scientific detachment that 'the pain threshold for Asians is half that of Caucasians - they complain twice as much for half the reason.'
In the NHS the mythology is that Afro-Caribbean women are feckless and irresponsible, while Asian women are compliant but stupid.
West Indians are dubbed as having no culture, the problems for Asians is their culture
Either way, black people's diets, child rearing practices, family relationships, highly established medical systems, are seen as either inadequate or downright harmful.
Meanwhile the SUS law has helped create the stereotype of Afro-Caribbeans as reckless, irresponsible and criminal, while the immigration laws have encouraged white people to see Asians as law abiding perhaps, but only because they have no legitimate reason for being in Britain in the first place.
Photo: Victor Burgin
Black people are the most exploited group of workers in Britain. They are forced to take the lowest paid jobs, and they are the first to lose them at a time of unemployment. Unable to afford the food they and their children need and living in substandard and over crowded housing, it would be surprising
suffer worst health than white people. TATIONAL BILL
THREATENS
Photo: Nick Oakes
Black people and
the health
Tew with details.
The fice:
Be ven
Jth, The But there is little consciousness in the NHS of the economic and political causes of poor health amongst black people.
Dr Sklar represents general practitioners in Brent. When asked if working conditions affect people's health he replied: 'Not really, you see in this counif black people in Britain did not try conditions of work have
been modified not to cause ill health'
migrants on health grounds.
wrist X-rays to ascertain age
sensus on the validity of the method).
is found,
Ted Gang,
African children is probably
IN December last year a clerk it St Bartholomew's Hospita lecided to check the eligibilit Dartculur Duttent. She rang the Dnss ana wanin a minutes they rang back memorandum she bassed to the surgeon treating reaa as Jollows. ine avove namee presented a doctors' letter for a surgical outpatient appoint-
not happs treat-
ter eligibility for contacied inererore the DHSS who in turn have obtained the following info mation from the Home Of 'Arrived U.K., 1974, was extensions for temporary stay until September was then told to return to Cyprus, appealed against aecton our aovear arsmissea and told to embark August 1979.
DHSS have alerted immigration authorities that sme is sal nere ane nave erver me authority to tell her that she can't be treated consider her rgenc r on a paying patient basis only. racism.
Photo: Robert Golden
The British Medical Association has been involved in a campaign for the screening and exclusion of im-
Young Asian women coming to Britain as fiancees have been subjected to sexual examinations to establish their virginity: the BMA has now sanctioned the use of
(although there is no medical con-
And all immigrants coming to Britain are now subjected to chest X-rays and are deported if active TB
often separating women and children from their husbands.
The BMA's campaign has firmly established in the minds of people that black people cause disease.
the civil servant in charge of health services for ethnic minorities at the DHSS is able to say that 'deafness among Asian and
associated with factors such as lack of hygiene, spitting, etc...
Low income, bad housing and hazardous working conditions mean bad health. Black people face some of the worse housing and working conditions in Britain, as well as the constant stress of
A report from Brent Community Health Coun cil challenges the view that black culture is to blame for black people's health.
Racism permeates every aspect of the NHS, from its recruitment policies to its assumption of the superiority of white diets, family systems, traditions of healing and approaches to child rearing; from mythologies about black 'pain thresholds' to eligibility for NHS treatment.
low and hours were long.
least rewarding work. Wilson and Jeanette Mitchell.
Black people first encountered the NHS, not as a service provider, but as an employer. Wages were
Black nurses and doctors found themselves, like the ancillary workers, doing the hardest and
In addition overseas nursing students are constantly reminded of the insecurity of their status as students because if they stop being a student they face deportation.
Many students pass the course only to find themselves deported. No reason need be given.
As one nurse said: The effect of racism is to isolate the overseas nurses, they are keeping a low profile, often don't complain and are sometimes even reluctant to join trade unions.'
Black People and the Health Service This excellent report, from which these extracts are taken, comes out of black people's experience in Brent. But it is not just about Brent. It is about policies and practices which are dominant throughout the health service in Britain. Copies from Brent CHC, Rear Block, 16 High St, London NW10. 50p a copy. Research by Amrit
Socialist Challenge 18 June 1981 Page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
BPC union support for Pergamon strikers
By Carol Russell, NUJ striker AT a demonstration in support of sacked strikers last week, there was clear evidence that workers in
Pergamon-owned OUICI companies are ready to Join LIC fight Robert Maxwell, Pergamon's 'millionaire socialist' boss.
Maxwell held a lunch party to celebrate his takeover of BPC (British Printing Corporation).
A DOUL 50
unions turned out to picket and leaflet guests.
Henry m Nimmo, Oxford's Mayor, refused an invitation to the unE occausc iL wowu u volve crossing picket line. Other guests, such as
Keep talking,
Duke
Dear Philip,
I JUST wanted to tell you how much I
appreciated your comments the other day.
You're quite right to tell unemployed people
to make up their minds about what they
want.
Nothing worse than indecisiveness, I
always say. I mean, fancy not knowing
what to do with one's leisure time.
One can always go out on the pony or
sail in the yacht. Some times of the year it's
really fun to go and shoot a few partridge or
take a tew salmon out of the river.
One can even go out to the Royal Stud,
cant one? There's the home cinema, the
wife's stamp collection, her art collection
and if things get really desperate one could
even run one's fingers through her jewels.
don't you Phil? So keep up the good work
and set standards for all of us, especially
the three million lucky, lucky people who
have all the free time they want.
I mean they don't even have to sit their
way through those dreary ten-course state
banquets or get involved in their son's 3,000
guest wedding. Why should they complain?
So tell it like it is, Phil, we all like to
know where we stand.
Admiringly,
Your Socialist Challenge Court Reporter.
PS. I see that at least one of your subjects,
Marcus Simon Sarjeant, knows how to use
his leisure time.
Socialist Challenge 18 June 1981. Page 14
Diana Dors in the role of author, assorted BPC managers and loyal scabs, had no such scruples, but some, including Ms Dors,
know that Maxwell defeats Pergamon
troduce of the
into BPC
La joint •laim for whole company. If Oxford strikers' were
pay and still worse existing
BOUS cale dispute. in
plan' for
jobs. SOGAT members already taken action.
You know how to use your leisure time,
Rail-
workers
demand
job fight
By Mark Findlay, Leeds
NUR
THE mood at the NUR
Guards and Shunters
conference on 15/16
May was for action
against the Tories' un-
empoymen poncies.
A motion from the Three
Bridges branch called for the
union executive to threaten
job loss in the in
dustry, such as British Rail'
closure of the Colccuol aid
delivery barcels service
bringing
closure of marshalling
yaras, mcluame une largest d
siev ane mme curtaimen
of passenger services with th
hreat of line shutdowns an
angry polic its general secretary, Sic
v cigneu, m parucular. A mo
tion from Paddington No 1
branch was passed
unanimously, xpressing con
renegotiating
last year's pay
agreement waica naa extena
ed guards' ticket duties as part
of a productivity package
Other resolutions raised the threat of COnC HOCISOR NALGO ballot on aces n
affiliation to
Labour Party
By Carolyn Sikorski AGAINST the advice of the
COLICI CICC Blackpool last week took historic decision to ballot
782,000 members on affilia-
tion to the Labour • Party.
were deteated on other importan Issues: the conterence decidea
affiliate to CND and policy unlaterallsu. and voted against ine namona encer. ship to recruit the
unemployed into special sections of existing branches.
Men ders can now de nstructed not to cross picket
the union will support taking
industrial action and there has
of the memoas for callig surike de tion However, despite stirring By Helen Slyomovics, Cardiff North CLP 'THE South Wales miners will support Tony Benn for deputy of the Labour Party and Arthur Scargill for NUM president,' Emlyn Williams, president of the South Wales miners to an audience of several thousand at last weekend's miners' gala.
A march to the ralv
banners Tower, Penrhiwceiber and Maerdy, representing a century of historical struggles.
Will Paynter, VCLC dE NUM leader, spoke to the vouth in the audience. 'You must learn to understand this capitalist system and how to replace it with a socialist allcauve olc It is not enough to take part in marches, the 1930s hunger marchers didn't change capitalism.
Emlyn Williams eche duc has the task or echoed sentiment: mentinit mass unemploy.
think only marches - will defeat the
News
a guard - • and a Leeds City
branch resolution condemned
the steady erosion of guard's
reponsibilities. Delegates
union
leadership on pay, jobs and NUR Broad Left
formed
ON Saturday 6 June a
of socialist militants in the National Union of Railwaymen decided to set up Broad Left alliance to fight for militant socialist policies in the NUR
A programme to defend railworkers from atsteering commite elected. A adopted, and ma or oo ccuve will oe next vear s rues revision ference of the NUR. sharpness of the attacks on railworkers and the attempts Lo usmanuie wnole secuons or
makes this alliance very timely
also winning derence democratic gains inside the Labour Party
Given the significance of the fight for
such an issue is clearly of ma-
sigmucance TallWOrKers.
on against plat 264 cuts arrop
million proposec by
Scotland George Decreta State for
£53 million of which
from Lothian
were given no clear lead about
actions to be taken by thi
branches.
was left to Socialist
Challenge supporters in the
NALGO Action Group to call
-ringe meenns voTe Than
60 lelegate: heard Socialist
Male te
toss ohl in 4 jobsend that it
was -essential inat scotlana
was not left to fight alone
were urged to
argue in the branches for me
Tons tne Local Jovern
ment Group July meeting on
pay for a nationwide walk-out
alc non-co-vocialon WILl
central coverneal com
missioners Care usee against
Lothian Council's 'no cuts'
A meeting of all branches Scottish district
urgently needed to
ordinate action
South Wales miners
back Benn and Scargill
declared
Tories they are in for shock.' Referring to six South Wales pits which had not any capital since
Is was by the and the
Des vice
Vales iners have that this
Led by f the
While miners
at the gala trom there were few Part)
Neil MP to
Roach
Bridge
workers
fight on
By John Shutt
Roach Bridge Paper Mill is squashed
in the countryside between Preston
and Blackburn.
private firm whose owners reside in
the Isle of Man,
notoriously difficut to
dispute at the mill which is now in its
28th week promises to be the Grun-
wick of the north-west.
the workers there have not had the
national publicity and organisationa
support they deserve.
Last December, the workforce decided to
elect a Unon committee
mediately recognised
Graphical and Allied
Managemeni promptly
shop steward Frank
bad time-keeping.
out in svmpathv the management sacked all 50
union members and since tnen nave rerusea to
talk to union official
Years Day. SOGAT have boycotted all su
plies in and out of the mill.
week vigil the workers have had to put up with
severe
cowboy lorry drivers, scab workers and polic
Harassent
About sixty workers still cross the picke
line each day. They are ferried to work bs speak for the Labour Party to the heckling of the miners calling for support for Tony Benn.
Kinnock claimed that the only way to shatter this rich scroungers and petty scabs' government was to UnCI PoncIes was unable to answer the heckling miners who demanded to know which policies and which leader could do the job of finishing off the Tories.
(Otley), with is lice Operated by
it has been unionise.
on hand when scal
But so far
workers to £100 Was im1 Trades the Society
(SOGAT).
by sacking Brown on the pretext o movement is mobilised. When the workers walke Preston
son stressed uc paper mausury
on Christmas and New
be
managemen
Dnue omike rune Computer workers
job threat
Mancheste committee, ICL
West Gortor
recent announcemer 5,200 redundancies at ICI scen oy une workes as a rul iner step towards une acaln ol the British computer manu-
The joint reject the and al C picagca to ligat
It is clearly seen as a fight on two levels. First against the management whose overall
rid of Dial. manuracturing Dase In britaln and transfer production to South Africa
Secondly against the actions of this Torv government which have been a major factor in of the ICL. It sold Enterprise Board
then sulal c ansconnuca BENE Doctemen Dolcy an agreement that any government
give preference to ICL machines) the contract for the PAYE The long comourer nave contouted t the loss of confidence in ICI and its products The joint
recent €200m loan guarantee to the company was concluonal ol
Nuttals and B&B Taxis of Preston, paid for by
Most are non-union but a
acoole une lact mat une asoute nas Deen back ed by all TUC-affiliated unions. In spite of the boycott, lorry drivers fron Sandon Product
Leeds), Blackburn Chemical Tate Fuel Oi Hendersons (Paisley) stil cross the pin), tin Allance
harassment disturbing.
scabs came out of the works gate and starte
/ wo rour pickets: Eugine Pil and Mick
sauting the police and charged them for took them
points out that the police workers are shipped in b laxi ana ne msCH Is Orch DIcke up to quesuoning witnout being charged . On Sunday 24 May he was held for 7 hours before be-
week. management have increased wages for scab
After 26 weeks on the picket line there ar now only 30 of the original 50 pickets lef . But
left are confident that they orovlacu une support ol uc whoc Lauc ulul
2 rades mobilise support and secretary John Parkin
'It's not just other employers in
this dispute. It is employers throughout th
A defeat here will not jus
a defeat for SOGAT, but for the whole
Donations, messages of support anc details of mass pickets can be
(cheques made payable to Roach these redundancies being made. Thev are determined to tolow une lead given by the Gardner's workers fought their management over redundancies and won.
BENN Tony Benn for Depu"The fastest sellbadge the People's tararch, Star, June). can have a copy of this hot property for just 20p (plus 11½ p postage)
Give-away bulk rates are available.
Write to: Islington Research Group, c/o PO Box 50, London N1 2XP.
Page 15 scan of this page
Walsall Tenants
fight in-
creases By Chris Palmer 20,000 council house tenants in Walsall have been refusing to pay the £3.25 per week rent increase due from 1 April. The increase, imposed Tory Secretary of State Michael Heseltine, for the Environment, Tolowee the withdrawal of a loan repay-
grant which left the Borough Housing Revenue Account over f6 million short.
The Labour-controlled council declined to directly confront the Tories over this issue, fearing to make
into another THeRESCIVeS Clay Cross.
Instead, the 34 Labour councillors, led by councii leader Brian Powell, and Dave Church, chairperson of the Housing Committee, called meetings. of
the council Tenals estates.
February meeting of Walsall council tenants decided thạt the fight was on but that it should be a fight involving the million tenants throughout the country.
Their plan was not to make it a local battle but a
which nONd! OIC
Walsall could take the lead.
To rally support locally for its decision to recommend its members LU refuse to pay the increase, the tenants association organised 500-strong
demonstration on 14 Mar-
ch.
The build up to the
rent strike culminated in a
mass lobby of the House
of Commons on 25 Mar-
ch. Where over 500
tenants and 15 councillors
were present to hear David
Winnick, Walsall North
MP, explain how the rent
were only
part of the Tories' attacks Bu CI cascy
on working people.
KanOW directed VOUL the alsc Tory
The said to
goverlmenl,
the cheers of the tenants.
But the Walsall tenants
cannot hope to deteat the
Tories on their own, even
though support amongst
tenants has stayed
solid. The fight has to be
taken up nationally.
As Don Brayford,
president of the tenants'
says, 'In every part of the
country tenants organisa-
tions should convene
public meetings. Heseltine
should be flooded Witn
further demands to meet
tenants from all parts of
the country. There must be
no let up in pressure.
TOAST.
THE ROYAL COUPLE Anti Royal Wedding Badge.
Rec and black on wnite 20p each plus sae. 15p for orders of 10 or more (postage included)
From Toast the Royal Couple c/o Birmingham's Other booKsnoo HIS/ Digbeth, Birmingham B5 SDR Cheques payable to Birmingham's Other Bookshop
By Bill Loxton
A RADICAL leTt turn was taken
the Scottish National Party (SNP) at their recent national conference Aberdeen. conference voted for paign of civil disobedience against unemployment, withdrawal of Scotland NATO and for unilateral disarmament.
The conference also gave a rapturous reception to strikers from the Lee Jeans occupation in Greenock. im sarue tolo the conterence trom the platform: 'Let us remind the interested throw these wes eh tul of rh thay parties before
By Pete Rosner
BLATANT victimisation -unionist at Lucas Aerospace Willesden,
been informed by letter that he is sacked.
As a member of the
Lucas Aerospace Combine
shop stewards committee
Mike helped draw the
famous Lucas Plan for
Socially Useful Products
- a fighting alternative to
management's plans for
redundancies.
large-scaie
He TASS represen-
tative at his site, a member
of the TASS national
negotiating. committee at
Lucas, and a past presi-
dent of his union.
The sacking took place
after management broke a
union agreement and told
By Ros Young and Jo Black
AFTER two years of
Tory misgovern-
ment, women have
had enough and we
are fighting back!
Women occupying the
Lee Jeans factory in
Greenock to defend their
jobs and a woman's right
to work are giving a lead to
the Scottish working clas: wad shoni int the way for-
fightback
ware
against the Tories
The strength of their
struggle comes not Olly
from their own determina-
tion, out, as with our vic-
tory in the campaign
against the anu-doortiol
Corrie Bill, from the
massive support
labour movement.
The нест val for
Women's Rights Against
Tory Attacks in Edin-
burgh on 20 June is part of
this fightback. It will be a
focus for women from the
labour movement and
women's organisations to
celebrate our Dasi VIC-
tories, to exchange ideas
ana to aiscuss plans oi ac-
tion for the future.
Themes
The main themes of the festival al c women's right to work; a women's right to choose - - abortion and coluaccouol ,Scotland;, women ,against
Scottish Nationalists turn left
new
proved so age the woiw cieelioll
The the '79 Group which include: .CalTl SCOTTSA Sillars, and Margo McDonald. Labour Party
The strategy
for from : wing policies
ouulalie would include SNP campaigns lIKe
Unions.
was leadership posts.
Save Mike
Cooley's job
• that's the only way to describe it. Mike Cooley, a leading trade
, has
Mike his engineering job
the restructured
Willesden site was
They offered him a per-
sonnel job instead to pre-
vent him carrying out ef-
fective union work Wher
he refused that job he was
sacked. TASS ias
him official backing.
Mike explained to
Socialist Challenge that his
victimisation was part of a
concerted CaCKOOw
the company, who recent-
sacked APEX
representative Liver-
pool WIld was only
Edinburgh Women's Festival
FESTIVAL FOR
AGAINST
20th Juney
the war drive; violence Ireland; against women; and women against racism and fascism.
We will also lave films, videos and exhibitions on these themes, theatre groups, bands, disco and activities for the
children.
News
tory they will have to ia the SNP!
SeTTSAITE of the party rank and file to 'Tartan Tories' im.
partyl leader, been of this group is to Pett ing policies ias ehenmenced of tionalism
method of move involvement SUNU ana ac allsi unemployment, and possibly an attempt to build a base inside the trade
potence
The left/right battle in the SNP
the elections -TOI Jim Sillars was elected on to the executive as vice-
reinstated after industrial Lucas management are extremely hostile to Mike's ideas on technology and disapprove of the links he and the Combine committee have with the Centre for Alternative Industrial and ecuucal Systems (CAITS). They have objected to his taking unpaid eave for research activity.
Stakes Mike believes that fundamental SSUC freedom of expression is at stake in his victımisation the right of trade unionists to time for study
PROGRAMME
WOMEN'S RIGHTS
TORY ATTACKS
We hope this festival will contribute towards the growing movement to get id of the Tory government and the fight to ensure the next Labour government is fully com. a mitted to policies that will defend and extend Women's Fightfen os
of or for pot velog metha ad
other members. after 5 recounts SNP parliamentary eader Donald Stewart was defeate by William Wolfe in the election tor
president. now the SNP has always seen as bit of a joke party ana neuuiy su.
Tic sent montauly anc divisive na
has decisivel by the SCOTESA workinc
But with the growing social and
the ap palling record of the Scottish TUC ir fighting unemployment, and the im
Labour-controlled
sou pla ngor thai thi naw radical
that this new raaica could resurgence to enrich their movement with ideas and information. Mike Cooley's job must be saved Send messages of sup port to: Ken Gill TASS, Onslow Hill, Little of Green, Richmond, Surrey; and MiKe Cooley's representative: Phil quith, 138 Ludgate Harle Skye, Burnley, Lancs.
Edinburgh Venue: Trades Council and Playhouse
Top of Leith Walk
Nasira Begum
what may we enere to
deportations threatened Cynthia Gordon.
Kaur and -Nasareel Movement, and Socialist Challenge. Also present were three Parties Manchester Liverpool Wavertry Trafford and delegations along
Seamen.
By Tessa van Gelderen
built by-pass.
him by taking two lovers. Handing out a sentence the judge told Asher,
Asher as CTne
of manslaughter laughter?) on responsibility.
MOnTAS It was, therefore
Mind you he enough ContrOl
Bristol.
remembering June Grieg. She Is still
of battering, she lived a life of hell.
not one of them.' does have a licence to kill.
By Jamie Gough SUSAN Shell has been sacked TrON neI 100 in a home tol young women by the Labour controlled London Borough The purely and simply that she is coulal When Susan admitted she
As- was gay the Director of Socia
Services her, This deceion has cked askea ner Lo ICSISI
This decision has been upheld by the council's Ap ocal Connnullce In Susan's last job, with Brentwood council, she was hecallse she was - Bating have said that she cannot emolovcd occausc presents 'a very high risk young home In other words cil have decided that lesbian sexuality in itself is bad, that young lesbians in council posilive model or support aor must their sexuality.
Susan has been strongly backed by her union, NUPE
against disaininaron o
aoamist ascrmaon June •DeoDie •DICKCLCU her reinatemen to demanc w nat massive response
ra Sy a
unions аскль. Ilis usbustllb uat Labour council should prac
Solidarity march with
and Cynthia Gordon
WEST Indian and Asianwomen led a1,000strong march in Manchester on 6 June chanting 'Come
stay The march was called to protest against the
of Begum and unele WerC contingents from their defence committees and those of Jaswindel
Achtar; the Asian Youth
constituency Laboul Ardwick, Mosside and
Bolton trades councils sent
as did white collar unions NALGO and ASTMS and the National Union of
Pti Socialist Challenge
Men: a licence to kill?
GORDON Asher strangled his wife, carriec her body to his car and buried it under a half.
. But he walked from the courts a free man because his wife had 'cheated
six montd suspended You have suffered enough'. The Daily Star (9 June) descirbed
tortured husband" while Daily Express called him 'long suffering'.
Another husband was not quite so lucky when he killed his wife. Robert Anderson was jailed for two years after he was found guilty
(pronounced man's the grounds of diminished
But, like Gordon Asher, Anderson's wife was to blame for her own demise. She had after all refused to have sex with him for three
understandable that when Anderson lost 'control, he lost it in a catastrophic way', as his defence put it.
did seem TO n.ecad after the 'frenzied killing (Daily Star, 10 June) to visit friends in clubs in
But while women's lives are clearly expendable, and women are obviously to blame for the violence men subject them to, it's worth
serving a six-year prisor sentence, imposed nearly two years ago, fo killing her violent husband. Exposed to year
Yet the appeal judges rejected the argu ment that she acted in self-defence. They saic that 'there were various expedients open to woman regularly subjected to rough treat ment by her husband, but a licence to kill wa
Yet a man whose pride is hurt presumabl
Re-instate Susan Shell
tice such flagrant discrin tion a recently publis discussion docu -LaDou Party NEC nere can wn our vIcHu valid reason for dismissins employee for the sole rea that he or she is homosex
Send resolutions TO Leader of the Council, 1 The Bvir Cenhre,D geni Brorough Bark Essex, coples to ine Lu Campaien for Gay c/o 10 Burstock Rd, SW1
Campaign
the for gay
rights in
the Labou Party
ON 6 June a conference people held Caespator foor the Li Ine com erence wus u success. aThere w as re strom de thal inere are •лен tunities in the Labour pened up by the prod of a discussio gay rights by the natic ecutive committee, and t espousal of gay TLET Tony Benn
linking the campaign c to the struggle for gay in the trade unions to force the NEC to pu iner discusstor uockn the Socialism series and distribute branches only available •TOrI on recuest campaign is
organised through res , linked b. tonal co-oraination c tee. Memoersnuiu oucr members of the Labour or of TUC-recognised u affiliations are labour Write to Clive -.London-W3.6JL 18 Uune 1981 Pa
Page 16 scan of this page
CIVIL SERVANTS HAVE ALLOUT NOW!
By Phil Dexter, CPSA Newcastle ON THURSDAY the council of civil service unions meets to consider the next steps in the civil service dispute.
the civil service. docks and the airports, Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Defence is certain to wreak havoc and hit the Tories where it hurts.
The response must be a call for an indefinate all-out strike. The CPSA (the largest of the nine unions involved) have been balloting the membership.
Although the response is mixed, the North-east, Scotland and the north ol England have recorded
three one favour of strike action.
The fact is, we have no choice. The Tories are inent on smashing the civil service unions and we have to win this dispute. After the defeat at the hands of the miners the government is looking for some scalps.
Defeat
Shortly after the Tories came to power in 1979, Nicholas Ridley MP presented a document to the cabinet. The Ridley report stated that the way to deteat the working class
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NO CHOICE:
There has never been an all out strike in
But a strike that hits the
was not to take on the big battalions' of the miners, the dockers the engineers.
Weaker
Instead the government should contront the weaker sections of the trade union movement.
Four groups were singled out: British Leyland, steel workers, the rail unions and the civil service.
The Tories have had with this SORC SUCCESS strategy, but now need a big victory at a time when workers are feeling more Connachl.
The civil servants' dispute is no longer limited to this year's pay claim of per cent with a f10 underpinning minimum for lower grades. This is
Tween the government and published
London N1 2XP.
the whole union move ment.
We are ready to fight this battle to its bitter end.
And it will get bitter.
Picketing likely become ferocious as some
the smaller representing management grades arop out
Despite the Tories'
lives at risk
There was an
response to the strike call by am-
bulance crews in Scotland and
London last Monday.
may now be stepped up in the
fight against the government's
derisory 6 per cent pay offer.
course, the media tried to say
that the workers were putting
Socialist
REVOLUTION
'Code of Practice' we intend to have at least 500 pickets outside the gates of our office at Newcastle
In the last 15 weeks we have gone out of our wa not to hit claimants. But selective action has not worKed and the CPSA membership is now ready LO ldy Wildl was always
NUPE
OFFICIAL
STRIKE
999-Tories put
overwhelming
Action
staff.
Challenge
regarded as the "last card'
We are sick and tired of the government's attitude towards the civil servants. We want an early end to this dispute and we want nothing less than the full claim. The member ship are ready to fight and we expect our leadership people's lives in danger. But as
La spokesperson for London ambulance workers points out: 'The ambulance service has been under funded to the extend that lives are at risk because we do not have enough
Industrial
Workers
Conference
London 27-8 June
Why I'm coming to the Industrial Workers Conference By Phil Davies, Furniture,
Trades Executive (personal capacity)
factory
jobs in the trade
they have sold their jobs which aren't theirs to sell.
the hands of the Schreibers of this world.
evaluation of personalities but of policies.
Steel, Rotherham
of the situation.
trying to drive us down.
fighting for.
day, political ideas supporting the struggles in Central America.
of the country will be a great experience.
NATIONAL MARCH
UNEMPLOYMENT
4 JULY
ASSEMBLE: 11 AM NATIONAL MUSEUM
RALLY: 1.15 PM PONTANNA PARK
Entry by ticket only from PO Box 50, London N1 2XP Timber and Allied
I HAVE just been made redundant from Schreibers in Manchester, along with all the stewards bar one. We'd won a number of battles against management. Last year we fought off a management attempt to close the whole
We had a militant organisation on the shop floor. But a number of the key militants were not prepared to fight the present redundancies when most of them can still find
They'd been on short-time working for months. They explained that they didn't want to keep on working for such an anti-union employer as Schreibers. What they failed to appreciate was that their getting out - even if they do find another job easily, which is likely - is that
I am hoping that this type of problem can be taken up at the Socialist Challenge industrial conference. In my opinion the tasks of socialists is to map out the steps to get a government committed to the sort of socialist policies which can take the means of production out of
A resolution supporting the candidature of Tony Benn for deputy leader of the Labour Party was adopted by the FTAT Executive Council in May, proposed by Phil Davies This is now to be sent to all branches for discussion and an ace will gooear. in mnewuv issue or the union tour nal, explaining that the decision was not based on an
By Steve Pilley shop steward, Crafts, British
MY family has always been Labour. But I only came across revolutionary ideas during the steel strike. Then I learned that the positions that people dismissed as being 'communist' were things that explained the real character
The steel strike showed us the real character of the police and the Tory press and showed that underneath it all our society is still divided into classes, with the bosses
When people tell me to go to Russia, I explain that that system is not what we are fighting for and explain the situation in Cuba as something much nearer to what I am
In Rotherham, we have set up a CND group. We have a group based on the River Don plant. Many workers to-
particularly the younger ones, are dead keen on - fighting Thatcher and the bomb and
To be able to discuss and exchange ideas with many other militants in different industries and different parts
AND RALLY AGAINST
CARDIFF
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