Socialist Challenge No. 221, 12 November 1981
The scan: sc-no221.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
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Page 1 scan of this page
Challenge
BASHERS
No. 221 12 November 1981 THREE MILLION Wages down,
blood too.
man Tebbit, has bashing laws.
the unions, tracts which specify union labour only.
150 years ago.
25p
Socialist
STOP
TORY
UNION
UNEMPLOYED. rents, rates and prices
up. And still the Tories aren't satisfied.
This vicious government wants its
pound of flesh, and every last drop of
Now the Tory Employment Minister Norannounced new unionHe wants compulsory ballots
and cooling off periods in strikes in 'essential
services'. He wants employers to be able to sue
and an end to commerical con-
This proposed legislation is a fundamental
attack on the right of workers to organise, a
right that has been fought for since the Tolpud-
dle Martyrs were transported to Australia over
The labour movement has to throw its full
weight behind a campaign to defeat this union-
Unemployed and strikers 10p
the government.
they've had everything
new Bill.
back against redundancies, Hoovers, and those struggling
workers and the tanker drivers.
Tories once and for all.
bashing legislation. It has to move every muscle to stop the Tories in their tracks. The best way to start is to build the maximum support for those workers taking on the employers and
The Laurence Scott workers have been out on strike now for seven months. In that time
thrown at them, including withdrawal of official support from the unions. It's bad enough already with union leaders like Duffy and Boyd, without Tebbit's
A victory for the Laurence Scott workers would strengthen all those workers fighting
as at Staffa and against the Tories' four per cent pay policy like the Fords
A victory for the Scott's workers would be a mighty blow against the Tories' union-bashing plans. It would lay the basis for kicking out the
Inside Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament: conference preview page 4 'WEVE had everything thrown at us. Now we have no choice but to go back onto the offensive against Snipe. We are going to put back on secondary picketing at one of his factories in the next week.
'We've been made
unofficial by the national union leaders. We've been evicted by bailiffs. the gates have been burnt open by scabs, protected by the police.
We've seen mass police presence to attempt
Miners' presidential election:
ARTHUR SCARGILL speaks pages 8&9 management through our picket line. We've been stabbed in the back, once again, by Duffy's sabotage of the AUEW Final Appeal Court.
'Finally, last week, we had the helicopter raid. Although we feel it was only a propaganda exercise to try and weaken our spirit, we're appalled at the silence of our national Confed of. ficials.
We can only assume that they condone this unionbashing. Of
ALEX KITSON
and Socialist
Challenge
debate Ireland
page 7
Greater Lon-
don Council,
women and
jobs: interview
with councillor
VALERIE WISE
page 12 they were also silent when the bailiffs came, SO we're not really surprised.
'We're going to need support for our picket from wherever we can get it. We're looking for all trade unionists, employed support our struggle? or unemployed,
Denis Barry, Laurence Scott convenor
Page 2 scan of this page
VOTE
ACCENT
SNE MEG
BURN
in particular.
The timing
DUFEL before the leaders of the
Socialist Challengo 12 November 1981 Pago 2
AFTER LEYLAND
Amid the archaic pomp and ceremonial which accompanies the big occasions of the British state, and graced with the presence of Lady Di, parliament was opened on 4 November. Queen's speech outlined a programme of legislation which adds up to a massive attack on the working class, and on trade union rights
was ironic, for just the engineering transport unions had sold out the struggle at British Leyland. A massive nationwide struggle against the Tory government had been averted
opening the way for the Tories to escalate their anti-working class offensive.
Last week the British Leyland workers overwhelmingly for strike action against pany's 3.8 per cent pay offer. On the first full day of the strike last huge pickets were put on
Two thousand pickets
Cowley plant, mockerv of the ment Act which limits the number of pickets to six The mood tant; ed their pay slips at TV cameras. home pay of f50 to £60 for a 40-hour week.
Meanwhile. union leaders had cooked up their deal with management: no increase basic rate of pay, a tiny increase in screne. While tional meeting stewards relected the deal. a crucial sabotaging role was plaved bv leaders.
Duffy
Terry Duffy, president of the called on cept the offer 'for the good of England':
Alex Kitson Laloull workers Davera must told his members more listen to the proposals of the shop up minds'.
At the mass meetings the next morning to decide new workforce
the Longbridge ingham, The
Wing to work.
day and
work. Close
voted company the com-
by Monday and against them.
But Lne union
outsice the
making a tremendous anger Employstandards was miliangry workers waiv- mood
showing take Lead
the trade mass majority
in the
the bonus
the 1a - LUNS of shop
whole working class.
the union living standards
union leadership
product of engineering union,
period. It to ac- strength
mid 1970s of the workers struggles. he his members to Boyd
AÚEW stewards and
both
uner own unions and
Party.
Apart from Sabotagne offer the against unemployment was split. AI elic
Editorial.
largest plant, in Birmmeeting of
15,000 workers was split 60-40 in favour of accepting the offer and reiurn- the
The Cowley plant with 6400 workers voted over-
but majority the years, workers had voted for a return to
Clearly the threat of Leyland boss Michael Edwardes to close down the
there was a long strike played a role.
The workers were harassed (symbolised
massive newspaper failure television campaign Laurence
role the leaderships was decisive. The vote revealed prevented
and frustration at falling living
and constant and a growing defiance working class determination to struggle back
The
But in a situation of workers
unemployment the dampening were curiou prepared to enter a pro- demands longed struggle without a workers clear lead from the union
employees This result is symbolic of the situation inside the
mood of resistance to mass unemployment and falling reinforce
.is being
Many
This leadership is the
previous consolidated its during the last Labour government in the leaders.
— a low ebb of ment will these feelings Duffyleadership ot the the major
inside the the Labour trade pulsory regularly struggles in procedure enginceng maustr
*CHAND WITS STILL ONLY 38% And now...
THE TORIES Within days of forcing Leyland workers back to work under threat of closing the company down, Patrick Jenkin has declared that BL, as it exists at present, has a future.
In a speech at the weekend, he said it was government's intention private enterprise the profitable sections of
That means that the cuts in real wages BL workers have suffered in and all the jobs they have lost will be used to finance profitable plants which will then be handed over to private bosses. If the sell-off plan goes ahead it could also mean that BL will then close down the 'unprofitable' sections.
It all amounts to one more Tory rip-off of the nationalised industries - and one more rip off of the BL workers.
by their trade support the from Scott tion in Manchester), it is their block vote at Labour
conterence which the left wing willing more decisive victories.
Removing this leader- be used. ship is a crucial task if the
is to fight against the Tory austerity offensive.
the consequences this defeat of the Leyland
will have effect • on the 'round pay Sections like the miners, Ford workers and public
have been holding off to see the out-
gon The defeat of te
defeat Leylana workers will Inu:
Thatcher's four per cent wage norm.
Many workers will feel discouraged, fearing isolation and betrayal by their
The Tory govern base itself on in trying to push forward its proposed egislation on trade union
Among the measures in Age the proposed legislation or
unions ballots and al c com- cool-
ing ott periods in strikes il 'essential services; making
legally binding; removing
certainly lack subtlety.
Industry Secretary
very limited
to sell-off to
the last couple of
union immunity civil action thus allowing unions to be sued by employers; compulsory periodic ballots to
tor closed shops. and outlawing commercial contracts which specify that only union labour can
Effects
Thus Norman Tebbitt,
…nev Secretary TOl Employment, intends to ram home the effects of unemployment in weakening the unions to deal them permanent damage. JOIN THE FIGHT FOR SOCIALISM
If you would like to be put in touch with
Socialist Challenge supporters in your
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Defeats like the one a
Leyland will also have:
negative effect on the leve
UNOI membership
which has already faller
by one million in the pas
three years.
In the build up to th Leyland strike dozens
of workers were joining the
unions in the car plants. Now they will be leaving in droves. Order
At the same time, the sense of bitterness among
of Leyland workers will lead resurgence of the effort to call their union leaders to
The fight for democracy in the Labou Party has taken enormous strides forward the past three years. This process must begin to flow into the trade unions if the left advance in the
Hovellell continue.
Top
But it is excluded that ine trade union bureaur cacy can sit on top of this seething discontent at the base indefinitely.
A victorious struggle
have put the continued exIstence the Tory government in question. It is only a matter of time before such a major na tional struggle occurs.
Page 3 scan of this page
Strike a blow against Thatcher- and Duffy LAURENCE SCOTT STRIKE BULLETIN
management, leadership.
Arthur Snipe, Taurence Scott boss. has resorted to every trick in Ine boOk. When he talled to 'entice' workers to scab on the strikers, he sent nencopiers to grad a lew small motors, with connivance of the police.
When the turned down offer, union leaders, by Terry Duffy and Ker Cure or le engineering union, withdrew support. But the strikers are determined than ever that they will win this dispute.
They know only well that a victory for them will give confidence inspiration workers fighting to save ten Jobs and to improve their living That organised conference this weekend.
Solidarity Laurence Scott much more than severa hundred Manchester. fighting for poncies unar lake on boun the Tory government and
cohorts like Snipe, well as me leaders own organisations who are
the struggle Thatcher.
That's why conference will GOLI _Bue lessons Scott workers' fight iobs and union rights. and the right for democracy in
Confederation LIC Shipbuilding Engineering Unions.
Building solidarity has not been the 'icing on the cake' for Laurence Scott
La vilal ingredient
fighting back and winning
fight for obs Scott worker have the victory of Lee Jeans, and the dockers, the fight at Staffa and the Liverpool typists. They have also SOCI sentents land and he uncertainties nignuback at Hoovers in West London.
Breaches
In al these cases the
workers have been pressed
fight Dack.
action the
leaderships has
workers isolated,
too often defeated.
With 3 million on the
aole, union orncials know
that workers will
hontiv rush to the aid of
struggles like Scotts. Thus
the fight for solidarity
also the fight for official
support.
That is why the Scott
strikers have now
times mailed every single
one of the 2,800 AUEW
By Tessa van Gelderen and Patrick Sikorski THE BATTLE for Laurence Scott continues. In their seven-month strike the workers have faced the combined onslaught of attacks from
the state and
the well
misleading Boyd and Duffy.
Without the for the workforce
fight. led
officia jobs, and
more will be lost.
Dull
too
and LIC
ounel
LUdI
standards.
solidarity nave Picket
with
mucalls
saving
and
means
socialist
TOI Labour Party.
drawn
against
and Duffy,
the Harassing
discuss opportunity
the for loDoles Laurence
of win. To and Boyd
movement,
members. ot
months Laurence demonstrated
seen national AUEW Liverpool
National the bring the line, opportunity AUEW
in their union.
This
discuss
DUL the
union the urgent left national action to
and all
Snipe. not Thatcher and Duffy. them deserve.
three
Romiley, Cheshire.
Ine union branches and districts as
the National mera Ders
rule book Cucudis un
official support it is very difficult
stewards to convince the members to
Leyland showed that. If the union officials can ignore the decisions of the membership then more
the fight for better pay and conditions
every stage of the fight Scott's workers have
support inrougnoul the labour movement. At
the dispute they sought advice
WULKCIS who had just won a victory
They have also fought to win the support ot ovel 100 MPs. At both the TUC
Labour Party conterences thev linked up with Tony Benn's fight for the deputy leadership and
democracy
Thev have continualv attention the treacherous role of Boyd
occupying the headquarters them at every
conferences, meetings and
Scott
do that and to
they need the full support
Culc labour in particular from AUEW
The strength of feeling in the membership can be
picket of the executive December. Such a picket, demanding a recall of the
Committee and the Final Appeal Court to
executive into would be an ideal for every
demonstrate their anger at the erosion of democracy
solidarity conterence has not only to
the lessons Laurence Scott, but also
need TOT win this
lispute once and for all
such a victory wil be a blow to Arthur
Margaret Terry Let's give all that they
All messages of support
and donations can bensero fo
Roundcroft.
November 1981
Snipe's Air
Service
ON TUESDAY 3 November two helicopters raided the Laurence Scott factory in With the protection policemen mounted - eight masked men whisked away motors.
Laurence Scott boss, may have hijacked some motors but he is unlikely to put them into service. Within 48 hours, and Laurence Scott in Norwich agreed not to handle the goods.
Similar support has come from the main dockyards in Scotland after a visit from a Laurence Scott delegation. Such an embargo has to be extended to cover other Admiralty and Coal Board work normally done by Laurence Scott's in Manchester.
It is this type of national action which has out of conference this weekend.
Support from miners, shipyard, dock and transport workers needed if the strikers decide to take the fight right back to Snipe by picketing Mining Supplies in Doncaster again.
so-called 'illegal, Snipe was forced to make an offer - an offer the workers could and did refuse, but nonetheless an offer after months of refusing to talk with the unions.
with this deal, which, enforced redundancy clause, the stewards to victimisation. strikers rejected the offer, the unions withdrew official support. refused to condemn the eviction of the occupying workers at the hands of the
Manchester. of 200 of them
La few small
Arthur Snipe
Vickers in Barrow in Furness solidarity
will also be
The last time the strikers initiated this
secondary' picket,
The union leaders wanted to go along
without a no exposed When the
Since then Boyd, Duffy and Co have
Issued by Laurence Scott Joint Shop Stewards Committee the helicopter raid.
Yet the policies
police, rather than the evicted the strikers
days.
landing.
Now Norman 'Skinhead'
trade union funds
strikes that are deemed 'unlawful".
NATIONAL
SOLIDARITY
CONFERENCE
Saturday 14 November
15p Avallable Trom & houndcrott, Romiley, Cheshire
bailiffs. They have had nothing to say on
of government give a green light for the forces of the state to intervene directly in anti-union activity. At Staffa, it was the
bailiffs, who and who then proceeded to occupy the plant for several
The police were also well informed about Arthur Snipe's planned helicopter capers. So were the television cameras who just happened to be present for the
Employment Secretary, Tebbit, plans legalise such activities. He wants to erode union rights still further by insisting on the use of secret ballots, and on making
liable to civil damages in the courts by employers in
Thus the Laurence Scott Solidarity Conterence comes at a most avorooriate time. Snipe's Air Service and all that goes with it has to be well and truly grounded.
Socialist Challenge 12 November 1961 Page 3
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AS THE Campaign Disarmament goes into its
tactical nuclear weapons might be used
talking about a European battlefield.
cover up, Alexander Haig, the US Secretary
to fire a nuclear demonstration shot.
the world on fire? Just as in 1962 when the
was prepared confrontation with the Soviet Union over Cuba's missiles, new noises are being made about military intervention in Cuba and Nicaragua.
Cuba armed forces, territorial militia on full alert.
in belligerent noises from the US in recent
ing revolutionary America and the Caribbean.
part of their strategy.
of nuclear weapons cannot be tolerated. Now Is the time movement against the missiles, against the war makers and disarmament.
Brian Heron decisions to be taken conference to take us forward.
THE annual conference of CND, be held 13-15 November in London, has a huge responsibility. must lead the way for the biggest mass movement seen in Britain since the war.
Last month two hundred and fifty thousand people marched in London for nuclear disarmament. Over million marched in Western Europe, protesting Reagan's mussues.
It was display of strength that Scll shock waves right to the heart of the US administration and their European allies.
Foreign policy advisor and ex-NATO commander General Haig is now under Litical. Tressure removal comes in part from the Reagan regime's fear of presenting too hawkish Tace European allies.
Eight European governments now face a Crowne vas unc US-inspired war drive.
Cruise and Pershing missiles are the major target for nuclear protesters in Europe. This underlines the failure of the Reagan/Thatcher team to place the blame for the nuclear build up on the USSR.
Socialist Challenge
CND- steps
to victory
for Nuclear 1981 annual conference the threat of nuclear war hangs
When US President Reagan says that
without escalating into a full-scale atomic exchange between the super powers he's
of State, has revealed that NATO has a plan
Where could the spark come from to set
to rIsk all-out
has responded by placing its including the reserve and One of the main reasons for the step-up
months lies in its need to contain the grow-
ferment In central
The rattling of nuclear weapons is a key
Whether deliberate or accidental the use
to drive ahead the
for unilateral
spotlights the vital at CND's annual
Despite the defence efforts defence spokesperson John NOtt (who has just denounced BBC bias) orie Weinberger in the USA, few al c Convuiceu that NATO is just 'responding' the Soviet drive nuclear confrontation.
One glance the performance of Thatcher in command of the British Reagan's pursuit of • 'peace'
Salvador gives the lie to their excuses for a missile build up.
In Britain two factors have proved decisive building CND over the past year.
The first is the mobilisation of youth. some estimates than one hundred and twenty thousand people twenly five CND's monster demonstration.
Every mass action against the missiles in the past year has been supported by thousands of young people.
The second factor is the decision by both the TUC and Labour Party conferences to *back unilateral disarmament. the biggest political victory in CND's history. 12 November 1981 Page 4
The Labour and TUC
decisions give real weight
to the prospect of a future
Labour government being
forced abandon
Britain's nuclear weapons.
They also hold out the of direct
pause
industrial action against
the missiles
TUC and Labour Party
resolutions into action in
shops. oftices, mines
and factories.
It's not a matter of
adopting Jobs not Bombs
slogans, nor of debating
alternative production
schemes for
workers. These questions
aren't for CND to solve.
We should concentrate
on mobilising
class support, an important aspect of which
will be to press for joint
CND,
Labour Party and
I ul achon on the streets to stop the missiles.
CND has to change to do inis. not by lunkering with the constitution but
by adopung the measures outlined in resolution four from Rotherham.
proposes that ther
should ne a reduction in the membership 1coicschlalioi level from affiliated mass
like LIC trade unions, workplace CND branches, National Council place to be elected at conference.
It is alarming that there are only three resolutions
We need an democratic youth or gallisalon 10 lead the anti-missiles movement among young people.
Youth must be free to make their own decisions and run their
but inis far from agreed. National Council reversed the decisions of the first YCND conference held in Birmingham.
Conference must
its support for, and confidence our young leaders. Resolutions 117 and 119 embody this support and confidence.
It is not so much CND. but the antics of Reagan and Thatcher that have put NATO back on our agenda.
Although vote against NATO was larger
this year's Labour Party conference than at last year's, there is still a long way to go.
BAD
TASTEA
CORMAC
Stop the missiles
Build Youth CND
mittee in his personal capacity
seen in London, but it had the largest number of young people ever out,
threat of nuclear war.
have been set up across tne country.
in their areas.
In schools, colleges, and in the
what the 24 October march reflected.
UNITY IS STRENGTH
Many like Tony Benn apparently believe that the backbone of NATO's Lucica strategy can be broken, without killing off the beast altogether.
On this issue we require sustained educational campaign, directed particularly at the labour Resolution 88 from Sheffield best fits this particular bill. BUT LENS BE FAC
By Richard Rozanski, YCND National Com-
ACROSS Europe, thousands of young people have led demonstrations against cruise missiles, and against Reagan's war drive.
On 24 October, the CND demonstration was not only the largest demonstration ever
, on the streets fighting for a future free from the
Over the last year, Youth CND groups
leading the nuclear disarmament campaign
workplaces, it is young people who are tak. ing action against the missiles - that was
It is clear that vouth are in the forefront of the nuclear disarmament campaign local-
MERTHYR
Youth and trade unions on 24 October march in London
Finally the campaign needs further action focus. Last year, the October demonstration was a guiding light for the campaign.
ITS success was confirmation of the confidence and hard work of the campaign over the last year.
A similar action focus, designed to draw together the international
centre of the CND conference this year.
CND, as the best way to organise and in
volve these thousands of young people,
must be the message from the CND con-
terence
workers, students, and school students,
youth campaign towards the trade union
movement and the Labour Party Young
Socialists.
18, or to restrict resources available to
Youth CND, will only hold back the cam-
paign as a whole.
tober and who have led the campaign
cher's war drive.
MEWN
TYDFIL
TRADES UNION COUNCIL
movement with the labour movement in this country is the prize in 1982.
Greater Manchester and District CND committee have given that focus for mass action in their proposal for Luciatoda demon stration in resolution 45.
These are the steps for CND in '82 — if we take them, victory will be much
ly and nationally. This must be placed at the
Young people are the future of the CND in this country, as they are internationally
A clear commitment to build Youth
This means opening it up to all young raising the age limit to 25, and turning the
Any attempts to lower the age limit to
CND can't afford to turn its back on the thousands of youth who marched on 24 Oc-
against cruise and Trident, and against That-
UNDOD MAE
NERTH
closer CND Annual Conference will nelo November in Queen Mary College Mile End Road London El Socialist Challenge readers suppor aidson command C nexi Labou governmen unilateral disarmament be supportin sp, 0, 45, 71, 88, 00 an 119
• 19 TO SPARE ME THAIY FATE !!
Page 5 scan of this page
Polish
race
By Davy Jones HUNGER has Poland. As reports collapsing on the job from lack of food, the ruling authorities cynically allow the economic crisis to deteriorate in an attempt to discredit the independent union movement, Solidarity.
The appalling food crisis has prompted widespread strikes OVCi recent weeks. The
Hius publicised was that of the
workers Zyrardon near Warsaw WHO finally returned to work last week. In Solidarity bulletin one of them. who mainly women, explained their plight:
Nothing
'it 1 want to buy meat on Tuesday I have to get in the queue on Monday morning by 6am and stay
the WEOC CaV and night. Even then sometimes there's nothing left. The first five people find something the others nothing. Those who are retired can spend the whole day and night in the queue and usually end up with something, those of
work Cal find nothing?'
With the paralysis of the authorities in dealing with the crisis, it's hardly surprising that the movement for workers' self-management and workers' control is spreading On October there was the first nanonal meeling or clectea delineis held in Warsaers delegates workers'
SOLDARNOSC
What you can do to help Solidarity
1) Argue for political and practical support for Solidarity your organisations. Twin
Poland from e to unide or on ter aty
Poland from region or district. 2) Raise within the labour or printing equipment for Solidarity's dif ferent regions, Labour Focus on Eastern Europe.
3) Get your labour movement organisation to order Labour rocus on Eastern Europe, c/o Box
23, 136 Kingsland High St, London E8.
workers
against time
returned to the streets of
Amount of workers
Some 17 regions of Solidarity were repat the meeting, and a steering. committee was established based on the SCImanagement bodies.
Was Dasscul outlining the aims of the movement focC box accompanying this article).
The ruling bureaucrats zoo are searcnno ror new political solutions the It's CauS accident that General Jaruzelski has become the party leader as the 11C W army is drawn increasingly into the centre of the political stage to bolster the discredited vally apparatus.
Army But this manoeuvre has dangers for the authorities There aTen signs of unease within the army itself. A letter from
barracks was recently printed the Warsaw declared: 'We will not be a tool in the hands of those in power. We declare that against the workers. le against the workers. want to serve them.
And the Solidarity branch at the Huta Batory labour movement your organisation with corresponding factory or union branch in
your union or Labour
movement funds
details can be obtained from
foundry in Katowice recently sent the following telex to all other workplaces: 'You must organise meetings with those called up for the
did in ou factory on 20 October on the theme: "Soldiers must Hevel aral De use deals! the workers as they were in 1956, 1970 and 1976'
Organise similar meetings Archbishop Glemp
İNPREKOR
SAMORA», BOLIDARNO8C, BIUROL
edition of Inprecor,
the Fourth International. You can help
get revolutionary Marxist literature into
Poland. Send
2XP.
International.
in your workplaces.'
So now the Polish rulers are toying with the idea of an even historic bolder move: compromise' government of national unity involving not just the party and the army, but also the church and Solidarity.
Talks Top level talks have been held between General Jaruzelski, Archbishop Glemp and Lech Walesa to explore the possibility.
Last week the paper Zycie Warszawy underlined the INPREKOR - first number of a Polish
is now being distributed in Poland by supporters of
cash to: Red Weekly (Polish fund), c/o PO Box 50, London N1
Lech Walesa tries to persuade women workers at Zyrardow to return to work
talks: unprecedented meeting between political
moral authorities flay be crucial importance for quick establishment national agreement.'
Not everyone in Solidarity is happy with the idea of such a formula
'national sa vauol The Lodz branch of Solidarity passed resolution on 19 October bulletille out that bodies such as a 'national front lol understanaing ana cooperation' would have 'a decorative Character whose competence would General Jaruzelski
Resolution from national meeting of council delegates
1. A steering committee (KZ) of the national federation of self-management (KFS) is created. 2. This steering committee is constituted by the regional co-ordinations of the WOrKCIS councils. representatives from each region. region has a consultative voice. 3. The workers' councils of institutions
az lies rises re representegional the
through ordination. 4. KZ KFS is a provisional body until the holding of national workers' councils until decided by the regional councils of selfmanagement.
KZ KFS is open to all regional coordinations of councils.
6. KZ Krs has no powel workers' councils. It can taken decisions in the form of: resolutions which bind its executive or resolumons represenung c common point of view. 7. The aim of the KFS is to allow the creation and functioning structures and organisations regulating the functioning of a seit-managemeni model for the economy and state. 8. The KFS realises this statutory aim by: - organising co-operation between the existing councils or those in formation and between their representatives;
be limited and composition less representative
'Its creation would be aimed al establishing semblance of control over the initiatives of the authorities, thereby giving them a certain legitimacy. Solidarity should only take part in institutions really representative of society,
assuring ons control ove
authorities.
In the race against time before the economic chaos demoralises the Polish workers there are broadly two trends of thought developing within
Lech Walesa
the
acts, and
acts, with abrogating them;
management two Each authorities, institutions;
regional through referenda;
- explaining its
congress of ouner wast
regional parliaments;
information; • the cover
of social
the establishment federation.
territorial Stalmacha
0315292.
Socialist Challenge
union movement over the way forward There are Inose wno seek a broad compromise with the allowing independent unions to snare power On the other hand there are those who put the emphasis on the development of the movement for workers self-management, inked a national council self-management right of veto over the Love uneas policies. The outcome o inıs race may snap the future development of the Polish crisis. particıpatıng in the elaboration of draft legislation and other parliamentar decrees, presentings its opinion on suck
putting forward its own proposals within this framework; - checking the existing laws and other
La view to modifying
— representing the position of the self-
councils the state organisations and
- organising consultation on economic problems in the broadest sense, including
point of view on the socio-economic reform — acting with the aim of creating socio. economic chambers in the national and
- setting out the ways and means of casano or cue economy aru stale
preparing and distributing
— co-operating with other organisations on common goals of action.
The steering committee should realise the above-mentioned goals insofar as no national federation of selt-managemen councils is set up. It should not however forget its primary objective to elaborate
future form of statutes and the of the aforementioned
The provisional seat of the KZ KFS is the Upper Silesia Region, Katowice, ul
17, tel: telex:
12 November 1981 Page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
What way forward for the Labour Left?
Labour Co-ordinating Committee
By Tom Marlowe NOT FOR a long time has the left the Labour debated itself to the extent that it has been doing in the last couple of months.
The use of the term 'lett' in this context is widely applied. It ranges from Neil Kinnock to Reg Race, from Tribune to Socialist Challenge and Socialist Organiser.
The issues at stake in this debat were stated firmly by Neil Kinnock writing in Tribune on the eve of th. Labour conference. Kinnock two pages to explain why he could no vote for Tony Benn in the deput! contest. 'The Labour Party is now ir a seriously weak position', he argued and he blamed this on 'the particular I0Im Ol divisions in immeasurably worsened by the nature and conduct of the deputy leadership election campaign.'
Logic
Kinnock's logic led him to allow Denis Healey to become leader. This was seen as a way of healing the left/right divisions in the party by having 'left'
Michael Foot and a right wing deputy in Healey.
More than SCOTC Tribune MPs also refused to vote for Benn.
It is hardly surprising that in the aftermath of the anti-Benn vote by these Tribunites the debate within the left should intensify. Speaking at the
Tony Benn floated the idea of a eece rally
'Labour Representation as a means of organising what
Lemmed se Labour Party. He counter-posed this to Tribune.
Tribune itself has also argued on these lines. Attacking both the right and what it called the 'ultra-left' in hoveaty, the new paper arguedy it November: want action for the abour movement. We want the campaign against the Thatcher administration to be taken out into every highway and byway Britain. The actions of those who call for "unity" but spend most of their time fighting within the party will be judged by the wider Labour movement as a whole.
By Des Tierney
Co-ordinating Committee's
Socialism' conferences in Glasgow.
The Colle ence attracted only 120 delegates
and OUSCLyCIS. con-
siderably less than might Have been expeciea, considering that 1,500 turned up to the first of these con-
ferences, held last July in Lonaon.
Small
The small numbers at-
tending the
Droblems which face the
LCC in its attempt to in-
the its
plans.
sacklist 12 N
Party allu
tool
recent years,
deputy
leader in
of other conference
o what te
Eric Heffer
Ul zallisallull,
Race and others. surprising.
Party LaDuul initiated the
should also be conclusions
adopts low profile
THIS weekend saw the second of the Labour
'Trade Union and
First, it was clear from the speakers and contributions at the conference that the LCC nas little relationship with workers fighting the None of the major the WICH CU struggles going Laurence or Robb WORKON are fighting redundancies. The of the previous week's e at BL was when George Galloway, Scottish chairperson of the Labour Party and leading spokesLCC
"hat Tribune should cal tor a cease-fire is hardly surprising. Its own
22
even its newspaper threatened by the campaign of Reg
What more that
the Campaign for
Democracy, who
democratic reform
• the Labour Party,
coming to a similar the albeit from a different
Scotland, went out of his way to defend Alex Kitson, TGWU acting general for the role he scuicial y, the Vlaycu dispute.
Bob Wright, assistant secretary of the AUEW, one of the other main speakers at the concalled on the left to discipline itself to allow the Labour Party to win the next election.
Appeal
He stressed the need to broaden the appeal of the Labour Party attract the support of the middle classes.
Labour Party.
Reg Race viewpoint.
Writing in Socialist Organiser
October, Vladimir Derer of the CLPD that organisation's executive had decider
the 'CLPD should
decision. First, 'the need to restore to
Party the credibility crucial unprecedentedly
narrow electoralist approach was present throughout the conWithout suppor he one ten the Plans and encouraging Tories then the pans outlined at the conference, launch bulletin trade union activists and to promote the formation of workplace Labour Party branches, will come to nothing.
These failures were continued at the LCC annual general meeting the
on the economy and the Ign agalist une culs were voted down or remitted.
This profile approach was also shown in the LCC's policy towards the Labour Party leader ship elections Sormer Per they Aise after the AGM
reactionary policies of Thatcher are to be successfully challenged in the next general clecuon.
Second 'the this Labour will not
credibility as long as it appears to be a not
hopelessly divided One of the difficulties with this argument was illustrated in the House of Commons last Thursday. course of the debate on the Queen's speech Denis Healey declared he was
said the LCC would not b
month election campaign',
Policy
The only reservation about this, expressed by leading the LCC Michael Meacher MP, cabinet and the Labour Party front bench should reflect policy as decided by conference
BOLI the LCC trade union conference and the AGM recognised the threat posed by the right wing through its attempt
witch-hunt Militant supporters. AGM unanimously called on the Labour execulive lo SIOt the witch-hunt, and to recognise Pat Wall, a Militant supporter, as the parliamentary candidate for Bradford North.
believe
Britain
conference organised
expulsion Church
the Field called
Militant.
'the members The
policies any
wider labour
are organising
perform necessary.'
New
of the
Kinnock
beer sources
realisation acuull c this WIll the
In the
majority leaders.
Audrey Wise
a mullhaleransi, and addea, 1 aon l the expulsion of
Aucticall Dasci would contribute to
Here, Healey was openly defying and attacking the decisions of the party conference which did adopt a unilateralist position and called for the closing of US nuclear bases in
whatever the left may choose to do, the right in the party does not intena to cease aerying
policy. Moreover, the right in the Manifesto Group is now taking un the battle te such an extent that it has called for the
Militant newspaper.
It is not just the right wing as identified in the Manifesto group who Is on tne wilca-nunt ural. in a letter l
Guardian on 8 October Frank
another anti-Benn Tribunite upon Labour's national executive to launch an inquiry into
Field's suggestion was that this inquiry should aim at kicking out
hard of Militant party while allowill! enthusiastic supporters of Militant to
If nothing else, Field's call for a purge underlines what Reg Race and others have been saying: that the old Tribunite left is
LUW as 'church' as the Labour Party itself
conclusior that alternative form of left organisation in the Labour Party is necessary. How that lett should organise and on wha
Socialist Challenge return to in subsequent issues.
This view has, •since mmen been
spelt out more firmly by such MPs a
‹eg kace ana Boo cryel Reg Race told a fringe meeting at the end of the party conference 'A majority of the Tribune Group has always resentec
attempt to try and make the vroup reach movement to contact CLPs and trade unions. In the present circumstances where ine rent wing
Fi ... it is absurd to say that the Tribune group could possibly
the kind of role that
Race saw a new group coming out
Committee and the Benn campaign
and the 'new represented bv Benn
These suggestions have in turn
alacked ITON variety On 23 October Tribune Eric Heffer maintained 'the left mus
alvide its lorces' He insisted, 'Concern over Labour's chances
next election which are threatened by the : present divisions has made the need for party unity an urgent priority even at the cost of entering into compromises with that wing of the party which is led by the
For virs and trade union
Page 7 scan of this page
the labour movement say?
Ireland
By Alex Kitson The article headed 'How the Labour Party's statement
inaccuracies and untruths. order that everyone clearly understands how the statement was prepared, little background information is essential.
Early last year the Labour Party's national executive committee agreca to ser up a stuay group with the task of pro-
lICW. comprehensve and detailed Northern policy Dro gusals Ireland. All members of
the NEC were invited to serve; and the Parliamentary Labour Party's Northern Ireland and
ne Shadow Cabinet wel also asked to nominate LICIOCIS The final membership
of the study group was then a matter for the NEC itself. Officials of the parGoint-secretary including Dick Barry study group, who is incorrectly described in the article as a member), thus had no sav in its composition
As far as the personal views of the members are concerned, would be true to say that the great majority favoured Irish
therefore, that the study
was 'heavily weighted in favour of proLoyalists', and that Dick Barry 'organised and was able to control how it operated' is quite ludicrous.
It is an insult to the experies e and intelligence reeks of Fleet Street gutter journalism and is a sad inaication or ine aepins to which Mr Bell is prepared to sink.
The article appears to TOUCHALES LU Ireland the study group acLually one most is ential ing
most influential Lucil. Democratic
What should
NO SIMPLE SOLUTIONS
Alex Kitson Unionist Party. Does the should haveignored theme author suggest that
then complains that it did Peoples Democracy, or the Irish Republican Socialist Party, both of which, it says, 'have elected Belfast coun cillors'
When the visits were made to Ireland in June and July 1980, neither PD nor the IRSP had any elected councillors Belfast or anywhere else for that matter. But there was no conscious decision
to these organisations and, what is MOTe neither these organisations asked to see Us. We did, incidentally,
arrange a meeting with, to use LIe aulios label, the anti-unionist Irish Independence Party; but this was cancelled at the last minute due circumstances completely beyond our control.
"he article also states. correctly that the study group did not meet Sinı The New Ulster Political Research Group — a front oraanisation for the Ulster Defence Association
Fein. But it was our clear intention to Irv to meet Sinn Fein, if this could be arranged.
The study group thus wrote to Sinn Fein suga Sine meetin fein, in Belfast. meet in Dublin as there preferred were difficulties over the attendance in Belfast of its president. Equally, however, the Irish Labour Party were unhappy at the
of meeting Sinn Fein in Dublin
We therefore attempted agree to meet in Belfast. In to persuade Hell spite letters and telephone calls between ourselves and Sinn Fein it was not possible to get their agreement.
Altogether the study group met 35 organisations in Ireland, including such anti-unionist bodies as the SDLP, Republican Clubs, and the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association in the North, and Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, and the Labour Par-
Ireland.
ty and the Irish Transport
«eneral Workers Union in the Republic. The list of organisations was agreed by the study group and every member
she so were determined to listen to as wide a cross section
of opinion as pensible.
evidence we received from constituency Labour Parties, oran.
and individual members in Great Britain. plus that which was sub. mitted by any interested organisation or individual in Ireland, was considered with great interest and sympathy. The views contained in it were reported accurately and concisely to the study group.
They were not cansored or rigged in any way. But study whether on Northern Ireland or anything else, should be completely bound by the evidence it receives. It ought to be free to decide whether to accept or reject all or parts of any evidence.
The vast majority of the members of the study group had considerable experience and knowledge of Northern Ireland and
therefore, quite capable of making these «casions, l can assurc you they were not made lightly.
The article also makes a serious allegation concerning myself. It alleges that I 'threatened to resigr from the study group if it Callic Oul strongly favour of Irish unity'. This is completely untrue, and is a slur on my character.
As chairperson of the I sought to basis of agreement and consensu within the group; and Generately refused
hard and fast position on any of the issues before us. However, it is true that I was strong!) opposed to the NEC mak ing major new declara-
ON 24 September Socialist Challenge published an article, by Geoff Bell, dealing with the statement from the Labour Party national executive on Ireland which was presented for the party conference. The statement was based on a report submitted to the national executive by the Northern Ireland study group
The chairperson of that study group was Alex Kitson, deputy general secretary of the Transport and chairperson of the recent party conference. Here, Alex Kitson and Geoff Bell discuss the
tions of policy, whilst the group was trying to complete its work. And, incidentally, I agree fully with the proposals outlinthe statement presented by me to conference.
The article as a whole represents an attack not only on the study group vnich preparea Ine INc thern relan statement for the national executive committee, but on the national executive committer which finally proved the statement defore submission to the annual conference.
To the best of my knowledge the author of the article did not consult any of those named in the article for clarification, or indeed for any information, before it was written.
It makes no attempt to understand the very difficult decisions which had to be made by the study group; nor does acknowledge the enormous amount of work that went into producing the salemen.
This perhaps understandable, bearing in mind Mr Bell's clear opinion that he is the only with the right answer, but an attempt to justify his point by stoop ing to to tal ter Jounailsit and misrepresentation of the facts makes one wonder if the wider labour movement can take Socialist Challenge seriously in the future.
The author implies that there simple, straightforward solution to a problem which is centuries old, and that the study group and the NEC callously ignored this. The fact remains, however, that there are no such simple solutions. and lne nex Labour government will thus have to take account of the harsh reality of the problem in implementing programme future.
General Workers Union, and
IN REPLY
By Geoff Bell 1) The membership of the study group. Of those on the study group the following has a record until the Onionist ariorit in the North of Ireland decide otherwise, and of opposing British withdrawal: Roy Mason, Don Concannon, Merlyn Rees and Brynmor John.
To that list I would add Stan Orme, whose period
minister in the North of Ireland suggested
from his previous anti-Unionist position.
MPs on the study group who were generally hostile to such views were Martir Flannerv JOUr Maynard, Jo Richardson, Jock Stallard and stan Thorne
Of other members of the group, Tony Saunois of the LPYS has often ex pressed the view that the
rish national question i irrelevant, and that what i needed IS CISS WEnt North of Ireland state.
At the Labour Committee on Ireland fringe meetine al ference both Joan Maynard and Kevin McNamara labelled this opinion as pro-partitionist
ideology. McNamara described it as 'the first barricade of Unionism'.
Of the trade union
on the Alex Kitson (TGWU), Alan Hadden (Boilermakers) and Neville Hough (GMWU), were all members of unions whose North of Ireland branches gave evidence to the group
was generally hostile to Irish unity and British withdrawal.
This does necessarily mean the leaders of these unions would endorse such views,
fluence on their thinking.
Such was the thinking on which 1 based my judgement, not an exact one admittedly, that study group had an eightto-five majority generally hostile to the anti-partition pro-British withdrawal view
2) Dick Barry. Contrary to what Alex Kitson says Dick Barry is listed as part
f the 'membership' of ti
rous in the NEC report t the 1981 party conference
Dick Barry did also, on occasions play more significant part in the work of the group than the title
joint-secretary suggests. For example on 26 March he, and he alone, on behalf of the study group visited Bobby Sands, then on hunger strike.
Socialist Challenge
3) Those study
course, accept Alex son's assurance that the study group were unable to meet either Sinn Fein or the Irish Independence Party for technical reasons. However, this was rather unfortunate considering the group met, not so much the DUP, but the para-military Ulster Defence Association through its front organisa Political Researen Group. New Ulste
The point remains of the 35 groups and organisations ine stay group met the overwhelming majority were pro partitionist. This did not reflect Irish opinion as a whole or the views of Irish trade unionists as a whole
4) Alex Kitson's 'resignation'. accepi that Alex Kitson at no time threatened to resign However, , at one meeting of the group Alex Kitson and Dick Barry protested al the decision previous meeting of. the group against the Labour Party organising the North of Treland
were their protests that they demand-
WUll. revote.
Although the final repor recomme in the or recommended Ireland to establish Labour Party, it is also the case that of the 79 submissions made, in writing to the study group, only jour supported such a call
5) 'Simple solution' Alex Kitson's major point is a political one I maintain my view that the study group, as expressed in its
was, politically, pro-Unionist.
note that McNamara in a speech on 19 June called the con. sultative paper from the
group 'an Orange paper
I would also point out that the NEC watered down the find renort of the study group when it re jected a recommendation that any constitutional change in reland should be sanctioned by a referendum in the North.
I do not claim to be the only person with a 'solu tion' to the Irish question. Rather I would, in general, align myse! with the majority of constituency parties who voted for the motion supporting British withdrawal from Ireland at the recent party conference. 12 November 1981 Page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
THE MINERS: A QUESTION OF
compromise
La standing ovation.
areas.
photo: GM COOKSON (Socialist Challenge) the weak-kneed
Gormley,
WE ARE OPEN 6 DAYS A WE
BY CANDLE-POWER, BATTERY-POWER, AND WILL-POWER
Coping with the miners' strike, 1974 vintage
Socialist Challarigo 12 Novembar 1981 Page 8
I'm not
in this
business to
WE ARE reproducing an edited version of a speech by Arthur Scargill at Sherwood Miners Welfare in Mansfield. At the end of the meeting, which was attended by over 300 of the 800 miners at Sherwood Colliery, Scargill was given
Meetings like this are taking place up and down the country in the run up to the National Union of Mineworkers' presidential elections. Branch nominations are running strongly in favour of Scargill even in traditionally 'moderate'
leadership the looking for a change and a leadership that can take on the Tories.
Joe retiring president, are
we
dustrial decimated engineering.
being destroyed. queue.
civilised
coal industry
Even dependent
ment. wanted
stepped.
closures.
to develop
imported
£33 per ton.
There is little doubt that today
face the most economic crisis in our history. The very foundation of our in-
future our machine cars and textile industries are
Decades of accumulated skill and human investment are being discarded thought as three and a half million people are condemned to the obscenity
How the hell can we sav we are a
society voung people up to the age of lo and then turn around and say that there is no useful work for them, no responsi ble task for them to perform? The
cannot be exempt stand apart from the systematic attack on jobs and living standards.
In the '60s the philosophy of the leadership of the union was to accept pit closures and job losses. We saw the loss ot 600 pits in 12 years, the loss of half a million jobs. became industrial tom area lo area, trom pillo pil
today there prepared to sell jobs for redundancy or transter morev position here and now: no man has the right to sell his job, no one has the right to sell their children's or grandchildren's jobs in exchange for permanent unemployment
During the
on imported wasn't the policy
The job losses closures were the result of the policies of a Labour government.
that the government will learn one thing from the Tories. I hope they will show the same loyalty to their class that the Tories have shown to theirs.
Earlier this year the National Coal Board published a list of 50 pits it
Close forced the withdrawal of the closure
Bed. Since the beginning of this ace me become the NCB has closed seven pits and they intend to continue with pit
This year 6,000 jobs have been lost. The Board's policy is clear; they intend to continue with cutbacks on labour. It is the height of stupidity not
the coal industry union must demand, as a priority, no closures except on the grounds of exhaustion and a ban on imports.
Five million tons of coal are being
lIlO Britain. result of the distribution of the world market. The West German
British coal has a production cost of Has Gormley given up his seat to Scargill?
serious
steel tools,
systematically
without
of the dole
educate
OI The miners
are those
• 1 want to state my
'60s Britain became
oil. That ' of a Tory govern-
and the pit
Labour Our
simply as a
coal in.
Joe Gormley: We
We get a miser per ton compared sidies given by th Germany, Americ could be proved th producea lot less ferent matter. Bu question of defen obscenity of dist
The first step m ports. Impon conl an immediate redu ana probably ine pearance in the ne cost of oil is nou than that of coal one manouse l oil while closing d imports of oil and an unprecedented
This meeting place at negollatons on li on. I think they m hoare necolator. pinstripe suit, onions in their po
eyes wile Board can't afford
Arthur one 'you can look at don't believe me. me looking at the "I didn't cook 'em
You know that told us in '72 and ' their stories, we w
Page 9 scan of this page
at's there to say?'
absidy of f2 • use suu ernments complaints Russia. If it † coal can be £25,000 ht be a difot simply a obs, it's the the world
exila zlouln a year savalon. a ban on imuld result in paid a coal stocks on the nail. plete disapnonths. The
economics n importing ment cannot be
A ban on warc uld result in
be taking
with the claim going ie le coal
uniform:
pen bring tears tell uS the i our claim n told me, oks if you sno good I told him,
ly what they e'd believed have had a
EADERSHIP
strike. We'd have had a whip round
to help them out. We didn't hear any
when Ezra's salary went up from £33,000 to £45,000 or from
to £33,000 for the rest of them. There was no aggravation then.
When interest rates went up, the Board paid out, without question, an
There was no agWhen the private contraclots pur up men prices, the Board
up without question, paid cash
A trade union ieader has one obligation above all else to put the members nist.irs ine miners wno gel the coal. Machinery and interest pay
allowed to overnae Licicasts The Coal Boare should meet the full claim and if that
dustry is in debt, the Board should go means at the end of the vcal • the in. While pits close, Britain becomes dependent on imported oil
to the government and say the reason
we are in debt is because you forced
up interest charges.
When we went to meet the Board
they told us there was f71m available.
We asked what
They said £6.45 for a faceworker. 5.7
per cent on basic pay or 3 per cent on
lake nome pav
cepi such an offer.
When we went
cond bloody reduction They veal offering meeting, we'd acutally
£4.25 for a surface worker, that's two
per cent on take home pay plus fl on
the incentive scheme.
That's at a time when mortgages have gone up by f3 to f5, rents are set
to go up the same amount,
going up by 12 per cent. Our last in
crease was 9.8 per cent at a time of 16
per cent inflation.
For the first time I sat on the Na-
tional Executive Committee
heard other members of the executive
arguing for acceptance of a cut in
wages. . I hope I never have to sit
through another meeting like it.
If Prince Charles and Lady Diana
can get 25 per cent,
Edwardes can get 35 per cent, then the
miners have a right to 23 per cent.
NOW I'm moderate
reasonable man. I'll settle for seven
OCI CCIl
tion. That condition is that we seven per cent of Ezra's salary. You can't spend a percentage, you can only spend money.
There's an infection affecting this
industry. It's called the overtime bug.
We all nave to callic ciences on the amount of overtime be-
ing worked in this industry.
It's time we had a salary arrangeeveryone mines. If it's good enough for Derek Ezrager, it los good lough former Ezra, Gormley, it's good enough for you.
salary elimination of overtime could create 50,000 new jobs and be a step in the direction of a shorter working week.
I want to say where I stand on the is test the othere interested e
in the long term interests of the miners to have a strong, vigorous and democratic union which quickly ana erecuvery to le wisnes of the members. The shirk its responsibilities. this business to compromise.
I'm here to fight for my members, board say, I wilFight to the end for whatever my members' interests. I want to say that it the price of the Presidency is compromising on my beliefs, then don't want the job job if you agree with the policies I stand for.
I will fight for a democratic union whose Icaucts are accountabie regular intervals, whose leaders
The press, the Mail, Sun and Miror, are prepang a lllassive campaign against me. They want anyone but me as president of the National Union of Mineworkers. The Coal Thatcher
wall anvole Dul Scargill.
Keir Hardie once said that if the press and the ¡ories attack vou ther you must be doing something right. The reason they oppose me is because they know I'll fight.
Someone once asked me what I thought was the finest achievement of my career. I told them that one week after the end of the standing on the street when an old man in his eighties came up to me with tears in his held out his hand and said he wanted to thank me and the miners for wiping out the bitter memory of 1926. That was the finest moment in my life.
If you want a president who won't compromise, who'll stand and fight the Coal Board and the government whatever its colour, vote tor me. I stand bv my record a the only candidate who sistently fought for better wages and k. conditions, the only candidate who has consistently fought to defend jobs alu our maasily.
No way would we ac-
back for the se-
prices are
and
if the Honda man
and
on one conor.
in the
your
and the
By Jack Lavin
responds
union cannot
The major candidate, Coal ly right wing
council I only want the
jority The
do Tories to back
Since then,
Wing new Board and
offer.
Scargill's
Led pamphlet, Eighties, '72 strike I was widely
out the miners union.
Barnsley
eyes. He defend jobs.
offensive to fight for a 35 hour week and programme of investment to create thousands of new jobs. Such policies then you should sent a complete contrast to
has con- the policies leadership which has allowed thousands of jobs to be destroyed.
The
AT THE beginning of December, 250,000 miners will elect a new president. paign to stop Arthur Scargill is in disarray. in branches on the nomination for the president is running heavily in Scargill's favour.
right wing Ray Chadburn, president of the traditional
Nottingham- hillicks shire area, received a major setback when his own are
voted to nominate Scargill by a two to one ma-
miners' strike earlier this year forced the
off from their threat to close 23 pits.
, seven pits have been closed and 6,000 jobs lost. The Tories are plann-
offensive.
Together with the National Coal Board, they are sticking firm on a 6 per cent pay
policies combat this threat are contained in a recently publish-
Miners in the e ciniulas thon. she which is being executive argues for industrial action against pit closures and to
system
Miners should go on the
La massive
mand • repredemand for of the current
Leyland workers question.
SCARGILL FOR PRESIDENT
The right wing cam-
Voting
were left to fight alone, thus weakening the fight for the
when agreement was reached to a month long adjournment of pay negotiations.
The policies put forward by Scargill represent a real challenge to the bankrupt policies of Gormley, Chad burn and their supporters Scargill stands for a leadership that will mobilise the strength of the rank and file to defend jobs and living standards, instead of accep. ting that miners should bear the burden of the economic
The election of Scargill will not be the end of the fight against the right wing in the NUM. The right is hoping to control Scargill through its majority on the
which favours small areas and sections.
For this reason Scargill places great stress on the in- on troduction of a block vote
on the executive which would give the majority to the left wing areas who represent the majorit of NUM members The de-
for a representative NEC has to be linked to a
regular elections of full time officials.
At the moment they are elected for life. Miners in the Eighties is silent on this
Many NUM
members feel that the officials say one thing before they are elected and another when they have their jobs for life. The demand for periodic elections strengthens the left's fight against the policies the right wing
The biggest weakness of Scargill's programme support for import controls. This demand plays into the hands of the right wing. It puts the blame for the crisis on American and Polish workers and not where it belongs - on the Tories and the parasitic private suppliers and con-
Support for import controls undermines the fight to stop pit closures and job losses. When the Bedlay pi in Scotland was faced witł closure Mick McGahey, Communist Party member and a leading supporter of import controls refused organise a fight. When the Bedlay miners came out on strike to keep their pit open, McGahey refused to back them.
Despite such differences
policy, Socialist Challenge supports Scargill against Ray Chadburn and the other • right wing candidates. The miners strike in February 1981 showed that it is possible to take on and defeat the Tories
A victory for Scargill will be a step forward in the tight to get rid of officials like Boyd and Duffy have scabbed on the fight to defend • jobs and to kick out the Tories.
Socialist Challenge 12 November 1981 Page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
'Raise your voices to support the Sierra Leonean workers'
NATO's
new
member
By Frank McBride of the strike.
What were the events that led to the general strike?
The workers in the rutile, diamond, port and other industries live and work in appalling conditions. They live six to a room and earn f35 a month when a bag of rice costs £45. Health facilities are virtually
and the houses that have been built are occupied by the local ruling party officials and executive officers of the mining companies.
These conditions have been going on lor years and tere was not really any one incident that sparked ott the sunke. Ibrahim Langley and Lames
June secretary genera. and president of the Sierra cone Labour Congress. jam Kassim of the Employed Workers Federation and many shop stewards, were thrown into the Freetown Maximum Security Prison.
The only radical independent newspaper was attacked and its premises bombed and printing presses destroyed. IB Kargbo, journalist, Pius Foray the editor and Lans Joe Sesay, correspondent for the London-based magazine Africa Now are gaol. Teachers and pupils have been
was widespread and Special Branch police at-
political groups.
When people turned up to protest the closing newspaper 25 were shot and killed by State Security Detachment officers.
The strike was effective Socialist Challenge
THE Spanish voted in favour of the country entering NATO.
Catalan and Basque nationalists the government won an easy majority.
Opinion polls, however, clearly show an overwhelming Spanish people move. Because of and despite this sentiment all appeals for a referendum on the issue were defeated.
The army, into the NATO, also made sure that an amendment demanding that no nuclear weapons Spain was defeated.
by the entire Spanish left, though the Spanish Socialist Party's ment was somewhat weak. position was not based on hostility to NATO as an organisation.
Socialist leader went so far as to oppose the Greek socialists' leave NATO.
that a future Socialist government Sierra Leone is a small West African state with a population of 2.5 million people. This ex-British colony became independent in 1961 under a pro-imperialist government led by Milton Margai. On 1 September this year a general strike was called against the Stevens government, in protest against low wages, the cost of rice, unemployment and the lack of health care, education and transportation. LARRY HERMAN interviewed BAI KABLAI, an exiled journalist, in London whose paper The Tablet was closed down on the first day
throughout the countly.
Makeni, in the north, and in the southern province of Bo, there was a virtual shut-down.
In Kenema Province in the east peasants tions and refused to sell their produce in the markets. capital, Freetown, no work was done at all.
How did the government react?
state emergency declared, a curfew imposed and the army was put on alert. But because of the governments' lack of Stevens had to call LOUDS from Guinea These troops evervwhere in the capital. armed with automatic grenades and tear gas.
They attempted to neutralise the strike by workplaces and killing jailing strike leaders and those who followed them. licall Army security operations.
What affect has the strike had on neighbouring coun tries?
The new Liberian ment of Sergeant Doe has 200 LEONE American army to ensure that the government stays in power.
Gambia totally Stevens. governmends the neighbouring states are afraid of the effect of the militancy of the Sierra Leoneans over their borders. And, as the last chairman of the 12 November 1981 Page 10
parliament has
With the help of the traditional
majority of the
opposed to this COR
Robles which favoured entry
be installed in putting
Opposition to NATO was voiced
Their opdeals.
Indeed, Gonzalez,
campaign to hospitals,
The Socialist Party did promise
Spanish!
Stevens has received messages of support rom various African governments.
Siaka Stevens power after a coup in 1969. He came movement, and became head destabilised lne movement, hanged several of his party members, top military commanders and non-commissioned the army.
He courted Seku Torre of Guinea who provided troops to pul down tne radicals who ob.
In jected to the influence of big business and corruption.
Tne next few
solidified his power, but in 1977 radical students rebelled and •emonsua the Sierra Leone army killed
250 people.
In the
What is happening at the moment in Sierra Leone?
Stevens' The general strike came to a
temporary halt at the beginning October, without any pay, was their families were starving to
death. Troops were continually harassing anyone the strike.
support,
in 700
What can people in Britain neighbouring
were do to help the workers and peasants in Sierra Leone? weapons,
One of the main contributing factors to the ending of the general strike was the lack of and sustained pressure from trade union organisations outside my The Gui- country. People in Britain and charge of the rest of Europe must develop
La new sense of awareness for the plight of workers in Sierra Leone
We implore the trade union movement in Britain to raise
coveral
their voices in condemnation and to take industrial action against those British and multinational firms that are shattering the liberty of the
SuDOUlLS
Leone people.
of the
We take responsibility for our own struggle against imperialism,
flowing
successful WEBOUT NATI tional support.
International
would call a referendum over NATO Meanwhile they have called demonstration for 'peace', as part of their policy of not destabilising the government.
NATO The debate remarkable biased coverage imposed by the new direc-
ex-Francoist censor Robles. Most time was given over to
speakers overment
ensured that a pro-NATO documentary was screened.
The United States has naturally welcomed the decision and denied
pressure on Spanish big business meanwhile will be looking for improved conditions for trade with the USA, while the American arms manufacturers will look to Spain for new NATO arms
Increased arms expenditure will hit the Spanish people hard. Little enough is spent now on schools and
and combatting unemployment. The Jobs not Bombs slogan may soon be translated into
Calle
union party state after he valduell state he thoroughly trade union international business.
executed
officers in
For
years Stevens
MAURITANIA
weeks workers and
involved in TLANTIC Port Loko and other countries for
Freetown O
Cherbro Metres 5000 Sierra 3000
but we cannot be
interna-
was TV
Carlos
and
Spain
In 1978 Stevens called a snap general election and by various means only 15 per cent ot the population was allowed to vote. That same year a one
was ratified in in parliament in the pay of diamond
NOTELA
A LI ALGER siti? of {sumner
A N
SIERRA Bales PMagburake LEONE
King Juan Carlos inspects the Spanish troops Who controls the Sierra Leonean economy?
the South Africanoccupied territory of Namibia, Sierra Leone is dominated by Cala
lulle LIBYA EGYP
Coresta
CHA D
SUDA NI
CENTRAL AFRICAN
8938:62
ZAIRE
Anglo-American Corporation is the most active company in their extraction. In fact, the Anglo-American Corporation virtually controls Sierra Leone
But there are others! GerHulall. French, British, Ameri-
and Lebanese companies predominate.
S R
O Tetran IRAN (PERSIA)
MA N DIA
TANZANA SO CE AN
So 13200000 _ 3003 •SCR Lambet muthal sual are Project
Page 11 scan of this page
What kind of step forward is this?
Letter!
which
way
Whatever form of arbitration 1s agreed will. be a compromise aimed at ending the 18 weeks old strike.
LIC SES and operators prepared to accept such a compromise has produced
of articles in Socialist Worker in recent weeks alleging
sell-out. The Liverpool branch officers are accused of failing to organise the dispute, and the whole suialesy NALGO Left, of which three of the branch officers founder members. has been brought into question.
these criticisms, the views of the vast majority of typists and machine operators have been ignored and the extent of support for them hopelessly exaggerated.
For instance, Socialist Worker (24 October) reported that the typists and machine operators had been railroaded by branch officials into accepting arbitration. However, was the Canc machine operators themselves, at a mass
of the strike who proposed arbitration as a solution.
This was then put forward by inem as a possibie aller. native to a full branch meeting on 21 September and was approved with the full support of the Strike Committee.
At that time, some typists had returned to work and
AL WALKER'S REPORT of the current position in the Liverpool typists' strike completely leaves out the opinions of the strikers themselves.
Contrary to the agreement between
Letters ATTA SETTER
Liverpool
typists' strike:
have
opportunities.
Below WALKER
forward?
An ultra-left perspective
For the past two weeks, the employers and NALGO nationally have been wrangling over the form of arbitration to be set up to settle the typists' and manchine operators' strike. Talks are due to start locally to try and break the deadlock and the Liverpool NALGO branch has decided on further escalation.
others hardship. Also a mass meeting of 1,500 members of the branch had previously voted againsi escalation. are Faced with such difficulties, the strikers adopted the compromise formula of seeking 'an improved offer or arbitration.
The arbitration ACAS, had already brought by the employers and of eadership of NALGO.
NALGO had said are branch must accept arbitration it were offered. the branch regarded arbitration as a last resort and continued to press for an improved offer.
In more recent weeks, situation has changed for the better and SUDOULI typists has grown. officers' proposals for tion were finally agreed at the
nålgo
Liverpool NALGO and the City Council, Rose Jones on behalf of the typists strike committee has stated You don't go on strike for arbitration. (Socialist Worker, 24.10.81)
The three loading
Letters
The developing situation in the Liverpool typists' and machine operators' strike has become the subject of strong disagreement between socialists who
supporting the women's three month long fight with the City Council over improved pay grades and
JOHN STRAUTHER and AL explain the two different views that are held
branch meeting on 21 October.
Prior to this meeting the Strike Committee had proposing any escalation at all.
However, as a result of that meeung, Inere Have bech mass walk-outs across the branch, stoppages ments and there are now over 250 key indefinite strike.
Housing Rent Statt and workers in the City Solicitors and Planning Departments.
service, This WaS been Socialist Worker (17 October) national as branch otticers organise the dispute'
This escalation was mainly Also, that ine In response smash the branch by laying off
Even at this all members who scab on the typists. The branch responded to this out these groups on indetinite strike the Under the impetus of these 'dispersions' over a period of a for the few days, there The branch likelihood that an all-out strike escala- of the branch might develop However,
naigo
branch officials of Liver-
Walker, have all recentreferred possibility of an all-out strike by the branch leading victory for the typists' claim.
Why then was this
Associations been against
Feminist historian
severd
workers nese incuee Cashiers, City
of an
reported in
'failing to tinue carolicee equivalent to their pay. whelming refused to
by bringing
the Realistically,
once the Authority
ment.
JOIn Socialist
lo will unc usbule cept that.
ALAN WALKER
NALGO at the meeting on 21 Oc. summaneously with the City Council's
At that time, such a victory was possibility Instead of this, the
'New Socialist is lively, new and socialist DENIS HEALEY, MP
'New Socialist has made a great start. Please be sure of my continued co-operation with the venture.
JACK JONES President, TGWU Retired Members
•The poverty of philosophy and theory in the British labour movement is well known and deplorable. New Socialist is shaping up to be a great antidote. GEORGE GALLOWAY Chairperson, Scottish Labour Party 'The only really relevant debate about the future of Britain and the world is taking place between different sorts of socialists.
Labour's new analytical journal is now the best forum within which those who subscribe to democratic socialism can argue their case.
TONY BENN, MP •I regard New Socialist as quite remarkably good. It certainly deserves to succeed.'
COLIN BARNETT Secretary, North-west TUC 'New Socialist is a really important means of developing the discussion of what we mean by socialism and what kind of society we're trying to
SHEILA ROWBOTHAM
'A splendid way to run Labour's internal election.
RICHARD CLEMENTS Debate her au the the New Socialis Depury
realised that a firm stand was being taken, they retreated
From then on, the prospect
all-out strike receded The majority of those on indefinite strike would only con-
provided they were strike pay full take t not. unc over majority those 'suspended' would have backer
These selective strikes have been sufficient to force the City Council to accept arbitration despite a considerable number
eatistically this is no
which to reject the offer of arbitration and to continue the strike indefinitely in the hope of securing a clear-cut settle-
Holliday writing in Worker (31 October) says he doesn't wish to simply criticise but to argue a strategy
- and ac
But I believe that what he puts forward is an ultra-left perspective which would leave the typists with nothing.
Vice-Chairperson, Liverpool
Branch over the heads the allowed Sir Trevor Jones, leader of the Citv Counci. to take the initiative from
for a form of arbitation. in abandoned doing, thoy have the
What have you heard about the
Labour Party's new magazine?
New Socialist
Saltern
What'
ALSO:
Paley on the Social De
Issue 2, Nov-Dec '81, on sale at main newsagents and radical bookshops, price 60p. or direct from New Socialist, 150 Walworth Road, London SE17 1JT. Tel 01-703 5298
Cuba: where the
power really lies
I CANNOT AGREE with Steve
October) that the Cuban revolution 'didn't throw up organs
The Committees in Defence of the Revolution (CDRs)
are popular assemblies based on the localities. In them
immer horses rear faster social activity child care
and so on.
When they mobilise block by block, area by area, city
by city, you see where the power really lies in Cuba.
I was in Cuba the day after the fascist coup in Chile.
Far wing developments
Bolivia and Peru and it was a serious fear that Cuba might
well be invaded. A Cuban ship was at that very time being
pursued and shelled by the Chilean navy
The CDRs mobilised from one end of the Island to the
other and flooded into Havana on horses, ox carts, trucks
and army vehicles. It looked like the whole island was on
the move. This was repeat performance of what had hap
pence winks had S oked a fine sali standing Revolu , the US Bay of Pigs invasion
tionary Army and thought
They too forgot about the CDRs and the armed strength
of millions of Cuban workers.
If Fidel is a Stalinist, I wish the Russian bureaucrats
were u DAVE DOUGLAS 'Stalinist' as he.
Branch Delegate, Hatfield Main NUM.
position of strength built up in the previous WORKS of solidarity tions by thousands of NALGO members and Jones has almost succeeded getting the typists back to work after four monIns - for nothing.
What kind of •a step forward is this?
The real leaps. for. ward in the course of в†тіко organisation and
ocialist
or her?
Archer's claim (15
, youngsters and men organise themselves in alloca
were ' afoot Cuba would be a pushover
militancy of the typists and the mass solidarity actions of others in their support, have all been ignored in Alan may have been lost ir the outcome Is this what Socialist Challenge wants?
JOHN STRAUTHER, Liverpool NALGO Action Group * 1931 Pago 11
Page 12 scan of this page
Lee Jeans, Eiser: 'a common struggle'
Turning policies into practice
Alex Kitson receiving a bouquet from women delegates at the Labour Party conference. They were angry at his patronising attitude to them.
Ellen Monaghan (right) with one of the visiting
Eiser women VALERIE WISE in one members of the Council (GLC) Labour Group which took office in the spring. the GLC's Industry and Employment Committee and committed JUDITH ARKWRIGHT asked her about the sort of policies she wants to see the GLC implementing on behalf of women.
What do vou think are the main problems facing women todays
Unemployment really the major issue women have to face at the moment. That and cuts in Scarves.
Unemployment Symposedly 8:9
London
t's a high as in Liverpool.
In Stepney and Poplar, for instance, one in four of the male ovulativil and one in five of the female population is unemployed.
You think that the Gle
you think that the Labour Manifesto offers enough in terms of policies equal opportunities for woment
Our manifesto is very weak on women. That's
up by men. They tend to
that everything that is proposed will help
well wrong. There are specific questions which men don't ser
Members of the GLC and ILEA who consider mense ver Socialsfeminists have begun to
regularty wild olne. similarly committed women Labour Partv members. We are looking at the Manifesto and trying to broaden it to reflect the needs of women London.
What sorts of policies have you been considering?
One example of the sort of policy we are looking at is the proposals we are mak-
relation the Greater London Enterprise Board (GLEB).
vesting in industrial
public operatives, Socialist Challenge
of eight women 49 strong Greater London
She is also Vice-Chairperson of
socialist feminist.
enterprise and municipal enterprise as part of the GLC's Alternative Economic Strategy
Investment will be on conaltion community and shopstewards committees involved in drawing up local planning agreements.
These planning agreements need include a positive action programme for women. The
GLEB Icast has with enterprises could include clauses about the number of part-time jobs, the provision of day care facilities and equal pay for work of equal value.
The GLC has a massive supplies depot for London boroughs and, here again, we le work ng on a code o conduct. We could refuse 12 November 1981 Page 12
In the beginning of October, two women from the Eiser factory Sweden visited the Lee Jeans occupation in Scotland. The women from Eiser and from Lee Jeans have been involved in similar struggles to defend their jobs.
fight, the visit to speak at a large solidarity meeting in Stockholm.
cupations was sparked off by Swedish tional Radio which women's visit.
in Sweden, similarities between the two campaigns and the situation at Lee Jeans today.
I HAVEN'T been in Sweden before, and I'm looking forward to coming to your country, I'm quite excited about it.
I've met two of the girls from the occupation Valerie Wise to deal with firms that don't comply
When the GLC sets up its new direct labour
Women.
occupation in northern
Now the Lee Jeans women have won their
ELLEN MONAGHAN will be returning
The contact between the two factory oc
Nasponsored the Eiser
Ellen Monaghan spoke to our sister paper
Internationalen about the
who were over here, I had them at my home and we talked a lot about their oc. cuballull alla compared notes.
There are a lot of summanues two struggles. between We're both
working multiorganisation, London Community Builders, we could lay down guidelines lor traling womel — say
nationals, who took grants from the government and, once grants went finished, said there was no
market for the goods.
Both of us felt very strongly that an injustice had been done.
At Lee Jeans, we felt that the goods and ine machinery belonged to us. All the Swedish women had was machinery and asked them whether they thought this was enough.
They said that it was. They felt that the machinery was rightfully theirs because the government had paid for it
I felt we had a common suauon and a conmon struggle
feel really marvellous going back to work. There's a great at-
relationship mosonere. a zooo worki and we're all doing very well. one in every five apprentices should be a woman.
'd been in favour of an actual system than this but its illegal ar further the moment.
I'm also planning organise a conference women and employment
a working conference
trade unionists,
projects and so forth.
What Corner questions have you been concern. ed with?
One issue we've been looking into is sexist advertising. Some of us feel we should have a committee
women to look into this.
The GLC has the
classification A,X or private club view ing only.
I may be puritanical but I think a lot of these films exploit want to use our powers to make mem privale club viewing only so that fewer
There were no problems during negotiations We have the same terms and conditions as we had before.
They gave us the same union conditions we were used to
I feel quite optimistic about the future. You know, I feel a real good bit of determination.
We feel its more of our company now.
At the end of the year the company is going to
- what profits have been made -and, we will share the profits
We'll get bonuses al the end of every six months, at Christmas time and at the end of next summer time.
you're working something.
We have been given a contract for three years for people will see them
Censorship of some degree has to be used while women are exploited. Men
see they aren't being degraded
Some of us want to take up adverts on the underground posters
like the one for the Shining
Bond tims It's degrading and it's en-
the wrong women
can incite violence and TOI women travelling late at
Were going meet with the managing director of buses to work out a code of conduct of what is acceptable.
Have you thought about improving educational opportunities tor giris in the Inner London
Education Authority (ILEA) area?
There Which the could ake are specific
now to bring about equa opportunities in schools. It could appoint advisers
as many jeans as we can make And then an exten sion for another three years. So we feel prețty secure about our JoDs.
We're all changing after the occupation. Girls who didn't know what
UNICES was about really understand a
Thev've become more union conscious and even more politically aware.
There were girls who had never been to meetings before who got up at mass meetings.
Some girls can do this now, and we're still sending young girls away to speak.
It's made them all dif ferent people, more aware Before they took a lot of things for granted and now they are more active in the union.
I'm very optimistic for the future.
who would be responsible
for promoting Equal Op-
portunities in schools and
inspect schools to see that
equal provision is being
made
The appointment and
promotion of female and
male staff could
monitored and in service
training to encourage the
development of non-sexist
practices introduced.
For schools which are
re-organising 'schoads, co-
educational non-
sexis
established
want the GLC to be
able to put some of these
policies into practice while
we're here we want to
show we've got an alter-
native
We have to encourage
women inside and outside
the Labour Party.
I think a future Labour
Governmen should
change the law to help
wunich. for example to
allow for quotas
But changing the law is
not the only means to
achieve women's rights -
you can use legislation l
back up the tight wome
are already making.
Page 13 scan of this page
Britain 1981
TREAGAN
ETARISM
GAN/THATCHER NEMPLOYMENT RACISM/FASCISM
MONETARISM
CAPITAL/PROFITS LAW ANDORDER
WAGES/PRICES
COUNTER INFORMATION SERVICES have their 'Anti-Report' for 1981. In 1980 the 'Book of the Year' produced by Ink catalogued the events of the year, but failed to coherent overview meaning of these CIS's 'Anti-Report' avoids this mistake.
It contains concise counts of the summer riots, the fascists and racism, plight of the unemployed, an excellent account of the year in Ireland (widely rumoured to have been written by Socialist Challenge journalist Bell). But the core of the AntiReport is a mass of facts and analyses of the recession.
The different sections on the banks, the asset strippers, prices unemployment and big business - add up to an overall analysis dynamics of the crisis.
Every economic recession is simultaneously an attack on the working class.
produced
Links
give of the events.
grim fight to ac-
the lost,
carefully dissected.
Geoff
stop prices rising,
statistical and material.
of the
Available Other Price £1.95 For inThe two faces of Tory Britain
dustrial capital this means a
'discipline the workforce and boost profits', as the report puts it. The long ing list of plant closures and jobs
and the attempts of the from big firms to force down wages and increase productivity are
The meaning of this for ordinary people, at a time when monetary policy has failed to
is hammered home through a mass
graphical pletely
among CIS Anti Report 1981 from The Bookshop GAS + 28ELECTRICITY +27TOBACCO + 23 RATES + 21 RENTS 43
Under Review
every recession some sections of capital do better than others. In Britain, bank-
capital is particularly strong and is doing very nicely
the sky-high interest
As industry runs into liquidity problems, it is forced to borrow from the banks. high are interest rates that the major firms are having to borrow even more to service these debts. The result is that British industry is now com-
mortgaged to the banks - which is one reason
many why the nationalisation of the banks is a crucial demand for socialists.
The 'Anti-Report' details the operations of the banks, how the 'base rate' for lending is used to bring in huge profits, how the banks fought the 'windfall profit' tax proposal and how they avoid paying billions more in taxation.
The 'Anti-Report" therefore more than just a 'report'. It is a weapon for
There are some who don't fit on the scale WHAT BRITAIN LOOKS LIKE TO OTHER NUCLEAR POWERS!
QUASE CONCENTRATIONS
1 CENTRE OF CRUIS MISSILE ZONE SSUB BASES • NUCLEAR WARHEAD PRODUCTION NUCLEAR WEAPONS So
RUNAWAY
COSTS
militants, an invaluable source is of facts and figures for those
countless arguments in pubs, on the
- 1017 • 305:: 50% 1224 -- 1638 - 124-5
TARGET BRITAIN
PORTSMOUTH COMMAIR
runs
shopfloor and in the
farings tos by 113%
With Big veals gran the everse s
DUNFERMLINE NATO COMMAIR -IMIT O CRUISE A MOLESWORTH CRGREENHAN
PORTSMOUT VORTHWOOD NATO COMMAIR
labour movement about who
the country and who
benefits from the crisis.
Phil Hearse Socialist Challenge 12 November 1981 Page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
but more under threat
Where you can
buy Socialist
Challenge
Scotland ABERDEEN: SC av:
Books, High St:
Lane; Hope sale every Sat 1-5pm Safeway, Ford. 53 Eliot Crescent. Hamilton or
Wales
NEWPORT: every Sat in town centre
SWANSEA: SC England
1985 Books.
Be detail.
BIRKENHEAD: eland
Outside
IRMINGHA SC on sale at The
Keys, every Fri
HEMEL HEMPSTE.301. 30P
sales in HUDDER ELE
Piazza.
and 10.30-12.00 it Headingly Arndale Centre. Corner LIVERPOOL Son sale me
Whitechapel
Bank, High St; at BURY in the shop-
nct and at Metro Books; at
library in St Peter's Square no shop. Tel: 06-236 490 Frat NEWCASTLE: SC on sale every Sat available at Days of Hope bookshop, itside
Polytechnic
on about local acOXFORD: SC toms and avery sal 10.30-52.30pm1 nin Cornmacker.
What's Left
noon Sat to publication.
London NI 2XP.
BADGES available from Revolutior
on each orde rostage.
Youth, PO Box 50, i.on don NI 2XP.
BADGES MADE: Glasgow SC
have badge-making machine
ToO Box 50, London N
A series of meetings to re-examin Africa more recia
Nation Centre. 173 Archwa All welcome. Organisec Archway
Socialist Challenge
STANFORD: Se on Salt Market Sa STOCKPORT: SC sold every Saturdelivered 4838009 WOLVERHAMPTON: SC sales on 1. 30-6m entre from Yama B British office
London BRENT: SC sold Willesden Junction
30р S. 1030-5 300 , canng WEMBLEY: SC ales Fri 6.45am ar North Wembley BR Station
Bookshops BANGOR: Holyhead
Fourth Idea BookBRIGHTON: The Public House, Lit-
MILTON KEYNES: Oakleaf Books, 109 Church Street, OXFORD: EDA Books, 34 Cowley woiverior
: The Other Bookshop per St, NI: Reading Matters, Wood
(: Community Books, Walr S0 from Conference on freland Leeds. Workshops on: trade unio vering social. 1 ireland. studeni from 374 Counties. and the trish Socialist Challenge events ALGU traction: Sat 2) Nov 12'nor
12 November 1981 Page 14
By Toni Gorton
ple, especially women, with deportation.
Nasreen and children live in Rochdale The Home Office moved against her when her marriage broke down. She appeared before a tribunal
23 October final appeal against deportation and heard that she had been granted permission to stay.
The most amazing thing about the case is that the Home Office refused to oner any evidence as lo
she was not legally wily entitled to stay.
This was atter vears of reterring the case to the appeal system.
Nasreen's MP, Cyril Smith, taking up the question of a parliamen tary enquiry and of com-
(£20,000) from ocusallull the Home Office.
Shirley Graham, Jamacian by birth, has lived in Britain since 1974. She has left and entered the country several times and has 'indefinite leave to enter' stamped in her passport.
In August. atter short trip abroad, she was held at the airport for five days.
HE
Labour
mer.
This case is a flagrant
example of young peo-
ple being victimised
because of their colour
and their political ac-
tivities.
They are
charged under
spiracy laws
carry possible
of life
sentence
prisonment and are all
pleading not guilty
Model resolution:
This trade union/orga-
nisation calls for the im
Nasreen stays
AFTER four years of uncertainty and two years of sustained struggle, Nasreen Akhtar and her daughters have won the right to stay in Britain. But the list is growing of other black peo-
who are threatened During this time her was very ill, her diabetis and blood pressure aggravated by the harass ment of immigration officers and their aelay giving her proper medical treatment.
She went into hospital for abdominal surgery upon her release In addition, while she was on holiday, her home in Forest Gate, East London was burgled.
So wiel home from hospital two didn't have a bed to sleep on. The police refused to take up her case.
A worker at Newham Law Centre said:
Because she is being treated as an illegal im. migrant, her civil rights as the victim of a burglary have been suspended'
Lord aken up Shirley's case b!
Arthur Lewis, Newham North doesn't want to know. in a letter Avebury he says that, according to the Electoral Register, there is no such address as that given by Shirley Graham and also One of many demonstrations to keep Nazreen Akhtar here
movement
urged to defend Bradford 12
THE Leicester support group of the Bradford 12 is urging a national campaign throughout the Labour movement to win the release of the 12 Asian youth arrested in Bradford following the uprisings in many cities during the sum-
mediate release of Bradford 12 and the dropping of all charges.
It resolves to:
Send a resolution to the Director of Public. Prosecutions calling for their con- release; which Organise and call a meeting with a from the July Ith Action commitee.
3. Send a donation of £10 to the July Committee;
ANTI RACISTNEWS
she
was
she
has
Shirley Graham that he objects to a non West, elected and
democratic hereditary Lord Peer getting involved!
Labour movement support is urgentlv needed to stop the deportation of Shirley and others, some support
4. To attend and actively support this Committee's activity.
The Bradford 12 can arilalica C/ C DOOKSnO• the Street, Leicester and, High Street, 01-571 4920
Public meeting Manchester Sunday 8 November at 3pm Longsight Library speaker Stockport Road
Speakers include Darcus Howe Anwar Ditta Action
of whom are listed below. non Petitions, briefings and intormatior about planned public activities al c available trom defence campaign.
Shirley aranam Defence Cuntoucer
NO:< DERATION
ISEN NARA SARA
be haoole Berners Southall
March, 1982. What a winter break! (UK) c/o Windus arenace so commisson desos
Forest Gate, London Road, Romford Friends of Aziz, Malik c/0 /04 Commercial Street bulle Mumtaz Kiani Defence Com-
C/0 millet 4th Idea Bookshop, 14 Southgate, Bradford I Celebrate the third anniversary of the Grenadan Revolution in Grenada!
The New Jewel Movement Support Group has organised a special flight to celebrate the third anniversary of the revolution on 13
6 March to 10 April £320 flight only.
Expect to need another £200 for food and
For further information contact New Jewel Movemen!
Walk London N16 or phone
Page 15 scan of this page
'This is a fight for jobs'
POEU special conference debates federation
and Ulster Queen, occupied their ships on 6/7 November to stop plans.
service on 11 November. If this succeeds, it will follow the path of Cunard, Manchester Liners, Canadian Pacific and other firms who have put hundreds of Liverpool seafarers on the dole.
_ne other service Ireland, British and Irish Ferry and Jetfoil to Dublin is in doubt, which may mean the end of the centuries old shipping links DCLWCCHI Liverpool Ireland.
The occupation is a defiant move to stop this rundown and job losses.
The national Union of Seamen convenor on the Ester Queen, Danny McGee, told Socialist Challenge, 'We are not interested in talking about cuundancy money. I his Is a fight for jobs.'
P&O originally planned to close down the two Liverpool-Belfast last January.
They claimed be making a loss of £600,000
Roy Physick, NUS convenor the Ulster Prince said, ' the firm had eight years of good profits from this run, but now we Leeds
engineering
workers
reject 5½%
By Mick Foley SOME 300 ENGINEERING WOrKers Sulzer engineering Leeos are going into the third week
against their of five and a half per cent not on the vialtale bonus payments.
New
Workers are
deme ding 2 per Siss
Swiss •ultilaliulid and Have
Ene management to open the books to he chaint they can't meet
claim.
The
Lecas lactory brand new. costino f22m
complete with
perimeter of plants. chormous Level
So many. in tact, inat The managing cirector willem walton applied to the AUEW district
permission for gardeners LUIC picket une to orevent nis
walton is also une orest. •ent or use yoreshire ano Humberside Engineering
will determine tae level or Day deals for the Yorkshire district.
Andy Halligan, a shoc stewaro. salt that It Is the complete intransigence of brought thi
#VIC
La long ward fight.
Messages of support and contributions can be sent to Tommy Wake c/o AUEW House, Bridge St, Leeds I.
Liverpool Ferries occupation
The crews of the P&0 ferries, Ulster Prince
management's closure
The company wants to end the 160 year old
are in recession they want
to close us down.
company had to
back off after a six day oc-
сирано by une crews.
The NUS made sugges-
tions for saving £370,000
and the other unions in-
volved made similar sugg-
gestions totalling
£900,000 P&O then claimed that
their losses really
over £1 million. in a situa
TION where the company
overall made f40 million union view that P&0 want This backs the
pull out of shipping
altogether. They all cauy
have substantial dealings
oil and construction
(Bovis).
For the workers it is a
straight fight for jobs. 350
on both ships, with office
staff, dockers and
sup-
pliers making nearly
thousand jobs at stake.
The NUS members in-
ENGINEERING
UNIT FIS TECHNOLOGC
workers sit in to
Pickets on the Ulster Prince and Ulster Queen
Evolved are determined not see taese go. One unemployed seaman told first went to sea in the 1950s the union was 100,000 strong.
Today has about 21,000 members of which 3,000 are unemployed, 900
POST OFFICE
UNION
FOR SOCIAL AND
AL PROGRESS
Sheffield
defend jobs
By Brian Lyons
Trade Unions.
of them in Liverpool.
Danny McGee summed it up this way: 'We hope to get the backing of the NUS executive stop every P&O ship the country
'This is our last chance to save our jobs. There are
By Colin Talbot, Westminister POEU
the basis
enterprise.
The leaders of the Post Office Engineering Union mounted weak, halfcartel prolest agallist luc new Act. Once it became clear that the Tories going to steam-roller through Parliament leaders adopted a new tack.
Gear
Thee stare dow ill us
that were now in compelle environment' and had to gear ourselves up to the competition.
Meanwhile, they have been busy feathering their own nests. They have come up with a plan to CItale bureaucrats' paradise a federal trade union based Telecom.
The proposed federation embraces the posts and telecoms section of the civil servants union, the CPSA. . No-one on the left of the union objects to
ON 3 November, 35 mainly electrical workers COCO cupied the factory of Davy Instruments in Sheffield
action jollowed the announcement management that 34 out of
workers and 4t out of 105 staff workers were getting the boot.
According the bosses the sole reason for the closure of Davy Instruments that labour costs are too high.
Formally, Davy Instruments is an indeper-
ASTER
arek. if we jam nom it
work. If we join them will be virtually impossible to get work.
At the recent Labour Party Colic cuce chairperson Alex Kitson of the transport umon picag ed full support to them. The British Telecommunications Act came into force on 1 October. This new Tory law split the Post Office in two, creating the new British Telecommunications Corporation. It also laid for the hiving-off of parts of the highly profitable telecoms business to private
merging with our fellow Ccucal WUlKCIS
We do object to merg ing with our bosse - the third partner in the Society of Post Office Executives, SPOE, represents • our engineering supervisors.
The left, organised by the POEU Broad Left, is campaigning hard to prevent a merger with SPOE, which would cripple any joint union.
The Broad Left is also campaigning against the proposed federal ture. The POEU national executive claims that the federation provides the adyallance 'size with autonomy'.
What it really provides
for is all the disadvantage
of size and none of th benefits of unity.
A cumbersome federal council, federal conference and federal officers' structure will be created, a whole second
dent company. Actually it forms part of the Davy. Loewy Group and situated on the same site as the large Davy-Loewy factory in Darnall, Sheffield.
Both D-L and DI are prosperous comounties despite the recession. They have recently received number of large export
DI is about to merge with Davr Systems 1o form.
new compars which plans io shed the -2.. 2.luring side =0517
Many of the . workers who deal with the shops, dockers, drivers, tug and gig boat son's union and can play an important part in bring ing P&O to a halt.
Send messages of support from trade unions and tier of bureaucracy removed from the rank and file members
it will work mainlv bi consensus thus allowing the minority of supervisors to block action.
There will be no rank and file unity, • because the existing branches will re main they are separated into ing, clerical and visory at the local level.
Most importantly, this is an attempt by the trade union officials to carry the split in the Post Office into the structures of the trade unions themselves.
Leave
The new union would be based mainly in British Telecom. It would include a minority (about 10 per cent) of POEU members who work in Posts, but would be essentially a BT
would leave the Union ot Communications Workers UCW (formerly the UPW) as the main union in Posts
It would create a situation of two power blocks one in each business, with
emphasis on computors
Control methods and analysis.
It is also planned that the manufacturing needs of the new company will be met by sub-contract labour presumably reduced costs.
Management have so far refused even 10 negotiate ihe furure of ite
I-
Lab Spe Pers fram hee
speakers from line capution vour branca r workplace. Hold collections
4 messag and dona tions to:
National Chio. seamen Paracie Ss1-109 178617. Telepc. -a the inevitable pressure !c: further 'rationalisatior within each business. fu:. ther reinforcing the split
Last ita UCW Annual Conference voted for a single,
union core:
Posts Telecoms ars their subsidiaries.
Composite
composite resolttion from 17 POEU Brar. ches is going forward: our special conterence o the Federation, whic: reads:
'To negotiate the reorganisation of the Pos Office POEL
unions UCW, CPSA P&T Group, with the intent to create a rank and tile in dustrial union embracing and their subsidiaries and PO ana unrobana
on a federal struc
The POEU left will b going all out to defeat tha executives federation and win support for this mo. tion
As Broad Ler: broadsheet widely circulating in the union putt it: 'Unity Yes-Federatio: No!'
that a loyal and experien ed workforce of some : years standing cannot, and should not, be allowed io
discarded through ro fault of their own
'While there is work:. do it is our right to do:: and our jobs and we will sirie :: achieve these ends
Messes
= demono
Page 16 scan of this page
Smitu stays
Labour
MPs
back
Staffa
fight
for jobs
STRIKING workers at Staffa
Leyton,
their case to Labour MPs at a meeting in the
House of Commons
November.
dispute as the spearhead of the fight against
unemployment in the inner cities, and to issue a call for a total embargo on all Staffa pro-
ducts.
The workers are now into the eighth week what looks like being.
long struggle to save the
The strike began on 29 September with a 17 day occupation which ended when a force of 300 police invaded the site, evicting the workers and removing all the stock of hydraulic motors.
So far the AUEW and the TGWU as well as the electricians' EETPU, and ASTMS have all made the strike official.
Fight
The company, which is owned by the American hyaraulics Irm, brown & Sharpe, has been offered a t4m government grant make the move Plymoe Labour
The Greater London Council offered io match this offer to keep te Jobs London but this was rejected.
In a debate at the full
council meeting
november a policy Was
adopted which the
Tories were forced to en.
dorse - that Staffa should stay in London.
Nationally, the Tories have argued that moving
Staffa Plymouth
preferable to allowing the
Socialist
Challenge
Products in East London are preparing to present
this Thursday 12
The MPs will be asked to support the Staffa
whole operation to go out orreatened try, as has bes threatened owners.
Labour should answer
this threat by fighting for Staffa to be brought into public ownership in order to save jobs.
Staffa has a full order PO Box 50, London N1
UPP.
Model resolution
THIS branch pledges its full support to the strike against
closure by workers at the Staffa plant in East London
ment it
government s aecon to eve ine wam or browne and
Sharpe a £4m grant to move to Plymouth
We resolve to give material support to the workers in the
following ways:
1) To send a donation/collection for the strike fund
particular the mass meetings on Monday mornings.
4) To demand that our MP trade union
ducts.
book, its products are in celand protits TOT the gosses no
me with a the wing problem of unemploye
To ask a speaker to the branch or general committee
sponsor th elocation grant ana oin the appeal for a national embargo on Staffa pro-
justification for allowing 400 workers to be llowil on the scrapheap.
MEET THE JOBS EXPRESS
Support youths' demands for jobs, education, training and a voice.
Coventry workers
strike against the cuts
The issues raised by the Staffa beyond any local borders, dispute well
as do those raised by the Laurence Scott strike in Manchester.
Both struggles are the vanguard against Tory job-killing, unon-bashing
The LSE dispute has also had to contend with the AUEW national leadership withdrawing official support which has meant no strike pay, and
strikers to spread picketing has also been hindered
So far strike pay has still not been given to the AUEW members at Staffa and no moves on a national level appear to have been made to help the
ASTMS
wOrKers
The record of the AUEW leaders, Boyd and Duffy, LSE and at British Leyland gives a warning for the future.
Send all messages of sup port, dos sand tran
Chris Newson, Strike Committee. 39 Somers Road, Walthamstow E17, Tel 01-539 0886.
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Public sector workers taking massive strike action in Coventry have brought normal school working to a halt.
The 4,000 strikers mainly caretakers and school meals staff members of the public sector workers union NUPE.
They are protesting about the local council's decision to make spending cuts to the • tune or £2m, education bearing the brunt.
The council proposes, among other things, to cut the of ancillary workers in education by 10 per cent, to chop the holl day period retainer fee half. and to increase • the price of school meals to
30P i he decision of Coven-
try's Labour-controlled council was taken atter a local referendum produced a seven-to-one majority in favour of spending cuts rather than a big rates in crcast Talks As we go to press, the council is adamant that it will stand by its decision to make cuts, prepared to talk to NUPE about 'the ways in which savings can be made.' In a press sa ventry stands said: 'Coventry stands lo lose large amount. • U. government grants unless
NUPE hove Late. equally firm secretary of the Coventry branch has estimated that the proposed cuts will mean 12.5 per cent reduction in wages. The strikers refuse have talks with the council unti
sent out changing their conditions i rick dil withdrawn Only 25 per cent of the electorate in Coventry participated in the council's referendum, which was held in August. Coventry's working people, already suffering mass unemployment, were clearly not keen to choose by which particular methoc the Tory government's pound of flesh was to be exacted by their Labour council.
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← Socialist Challenge No. 220, 5 November 1981Socialist Challenge No. 222, 18 November 1981 →