Socialist Challenge No. 229, 21 January 1982

Socialist Challenge · 21 January 1982 · 16 pages, 22,120 words read by machine

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Challenge Support the train drivers

No. 229 21 January 1982

RAILWORKERS are

introduction

hold them back.

Sid Wighell's appeal to the arbitration service,

ACAS is a treacherous atlempt to stab le aspute in the back. This is little wonder since he has agreed

all BR's bob-cuting proposals which members are now showing they do not accept.

ACAS cooked up the present deal last August after it became clear that a few months' breathing space would allow BR to take on the drivers alone.

new boss, Pat Lowry, has as much interest in railworkers as he showed in British Leyland, wiel ne was lyncnael cawardes' personic Mallager.

There has been 100 per support from ASLEF membership for all the actions called by the executive and massive pressure is building up for all-out action.

meeting of Illass drivers in the Midlands last weekend, maline stations and depots attended by ASLEF soonsored Les Huck field called for all-out action. Drivers

Model Resolution Pass this model resolution in your trade union or Labour Party branch. "This branch fully supports the railworkers' fight for wages and against job loss. It calls on the naional executive to give the financial and practical solidarity necessary to the railworkers in order to bring this dispute to a rapid and successful concluSION

25p Unemployed and strikers 10p

Socialist

boised to win the first. round against British Rail's attempt to destroy 38,000 jobs and massively increase productivity at the expence of railworkers. Even BR has admitted that 4,000 drivers' jobs will go after the

flexible rostering. railworkers struck together, nothing would

the Southern and Midlands are vuclalllz a which is cutting services from Euston by 40 per cent.

Guards throughout the have Deen supporting the drivers. Sid Weighell has been bombarded with demands for solidarity strike action and faces motions censure tor his role in the dispute so far.

More militant main line stations like Kings Cross, wnere boln ADLer and NUR members are organising SunKe action, can . play a big role in co-

Pressure for all-out action he new rail Broad Let should add its weight to this.

A defeat for BR will be a defeat for the Tories.

They are as 'uninvolved' as they were in the steel strike 2 years ago. And as WIll une miners who prevented pit closures last victory IOT the drivers will be a victory for us all against unemployment.

made at the same time?

quite specifi

Broken promises.

A lot has been said about the August 1981 pay agreement, but what about the productivity agreement which was

The understanding on flexible

rostering which was accepted by all three rail unions, including ASLEE, was

anne as follows:

Wing the 8-hour day.

THE ASLEF

DISPUTE

body revealed the ASLEF attitude "The ASLEF representatives noted the points put forward but re-affirmed that after very careful consideration, they were not prepared to accept any rostering arrangements which involved relinquishment of the 8-hour day agreement.."

Since then, a " -BR broke the promise. But the issue is the 4000 jobs immediately and the 38,000 planned. And the increases in productivity which involves outlaw-

Rape victims - up against

the law

FOR A long time, women have known that if they are raped they cannot depend on the forces of 'law and order for justice.

That is one reason why, estimate from the Londor according to all

Rape Crisis Centre, only 25 per cent of rapes are reported to the police.

But now, it is obvious to anvone who reads newspaper watches television that the situa tion is much worse than they might have imagined.

The decision of Judge Richards not to imprison the rapist of the hitchhiker, the brutal interroga tion by the police of the rape victim shown on television have shown what the frightening reali

fail to give adequate pro tection to women it uti harass rape victims. and even seek to defend :*: rapist.

It is true tha: niant treatment rapist by Judge Richara has been condemned the top legal authors Thames Valley 2. 11 also the accepted criticism : :*:

victim shown on ieier.SUll

But this does not mea that the maltreatment e: rape victims can be et. plained by the prejudice c:

single judge the sadism of an individua policeman.

The structure of society, the nature of 'law and order' in this country i always liable to put women on the defensive, and insis: on sympathy for men wh "lose their heads' and attack women.

When you have system which discriminates against women in employment, job promotion, pay insurance schemes, taxation and many other ways. then it is hardly suprising inal judges oh pois logi: carry through logic and treat women with con tempt.

And when there is a parliament in this countr! where al c minority of less than three per cent, then it is not surprising that this parila ment never gets round to discuss how to strengthen the law in favour of rape

That is why, until the social and economi: system in this country fundamentally altered a: tacks women discrimination women will corrida

Rape. wha! sa- =€ done: Ses sage "3

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Editorial

PO Box 50, London N1 2XP

Phone 01-359-8189/8180 (editorial and distribution)

Labour Liaison "82

THE fight is on to prevent a still birth of

Labour Liaison '82.

proposed,

checked at Brighton. Its need has been

confirmed by the effort of the right wing to shift blame for the damage done to

the Labour movement by the Callaghan-

Healey government by making the in-

credible charge that all Labour's election

problems lie with the left 's efforts to pre-

vent such damage beiną done aaain.

But faced with Foot leading a witch hunt and many on the

explain Labour's by-election losses, sec-

tions of the left went into a spin.

* The Labour Co-ordinating Committee

opposed the formation of a new left

wing.

* The Campaign for

Democracy argued for a 'low profile'.

* Benn agreed not to stand for deputy.

The meeting of LLC has to answer

Basnett. Has 'peace broken out'? Have

the left capitulated to the right?

The left has no alternative but to

fight.

courage the right. The right are fighting

for a free hand in the party so that if

necessary they can seek an alliance with

the SDP.

Any strong opposition in the Party

and the unions

broken. A compromise with the left is

hopeless for them. But it is also hopeless

for the left.

Stuck halfway, the left cannot win

their appeal that a radical alternative to

Wilson and Callaghan

masses of people and win victory for

Labour.

A fighting LLC means

• Giving a vital political lead in winning

labour movement

railworkers, the

steelworkers in their battle against the

Tories.

best possible conditions for a Labour vic-

tory - and transform the fortunes of the

left.

• Breaking the back of the witchhunt.

The 300 hundred constituencies

have already opposed the

should be organised

especially into the unions. Joint trade

union

the witchunt, organised in the main cen-

tres would be useful forums to discuss

the next steps to win a Labour victory.

• Backing the anti-missiles movement,

the fight for a womens right to work and

to choose, and building solidarity with

Solidarnosc. These issues can mobilise

and give the lie to the charge that left

wing demands are unpopular.

• Seriously trying to open up the unions

to the Labour Party debates and releas-

ing the stranglehold on militant action

by the base. This will

serious backing to the fight to unseat

right wing union

democratise the unions.

the Labour Party outwards in this way.

This is desperately

challenge of the left is to succeed. JOIN THE FIGHT FOR

SOCIALISM

If you Socialist Challenge supporters in your area or would like more information fill in the form below Name..

Address..

Age..

Union/CLP (if any)..

Send to: Socialist Challenge, London N1 2XP.

Socialist Challenge 21 January 1982 page 2

Labour Liaison was after the left advance left, unable to

Labour Party Any compromises will only en-

therefore must be

can inspire

backing for the miners and the

Success here would create the

that witchhunt and extended

Labour Party rallies opposing

involve giving

bosses and

The LLC can be useful if it helps turn

necessary if the would like to be put in touch with

PO Box 50

GREG TUCKER NUR guard on Southern nolen CoUro.

AS THE ASLEF strike has progressed, feeling of the

hardened in suptuuras rins port or ine artvers come ume sa ns cone ur the offensive trying to drive

wedge between NUR and

ment is trying to stop NUR Southern Region mar memoe ven vlc or ulys when no trains are running

guards with productivity deals Ce commitme so vree nerson operaton or truls within the next two years on suburban and inter-city lines.

response has been to close ranks. NUR orancnes nuve veer coming out in support of ASLEF throuonow ine soumer Region and some depots are refusing to negotiate at all locally on productivity.

ronch e waterloo, Dusscu resolution in support of ASLEF and demanded thai

ohe e OR Produi ere si

otiate on productivity, onev in time wilri trie uuur lh Grades conterence decision to refuse to discuss flexible rostering hours. At the meeting members stressed the need to show our support o) ine ADLer arvers

Given ine seloul Dy ine national NUR leadership all this has led some branches to

venice t siu veg, union s eererar secretar y

antoranmen. ne ore

body able to give a line oi

his, the Rail Broad Left, has

been strangely silent.

Left leaders nave yer to come oI ooeny. They must do so. Never has the time been better for socialists to drive into the NUR and turn back the collaborationist policies of weighen anu co

Why you

Trade Unions.

Five reasons

should support

ASLEF

By D. Ellis, NUR member THE stakes in the rail strike are high. The the pay agreement reached with the traindrivers' publicly admits its own failure to follow the agreement - but justifies its actions! dispute involving a mere 3 per cent rise is at issue. In reality, the outcome of the struggle will have an impact throughout the labour movement.

Here's five good reasons why all working people should be four-square behind the industrial action and why everyone should be planning resolutions and active support today. 1. Train drivers and other railworkers who are taking solidarity action provide a shining example for workers throughout Britain. It's the same old story. British Rail wants to increase productivity — to force each railworker to work harder for less money.

pay for a crisis which is none of their making! 2. Railworkers are defending a fundamental right shared by all workers in Britain

management elsewhere to challenge this and other similar historical gains.

On average railworkers are forced to work 54½ hours each week to compensate for the low basic rate. Now the new rostering will under-value overtime - with no proposals for an immediate increase in the basic rate.

The carrot of a 39-hour week will still leave railworkers with an enormous hole in their wage organised sectors like railworkers, this will be used to keep down even further the wages of the lower paid. 4. The social consequences of longer workdays for railworkers and their families will be devastating.

life.

suggest that drivers work a mere 4½ hour day. That's the time they are at the controls in their cab. depots to get to the trains, the checking to ensure they

tions, engineering works, and so on?

planned cubacks are implemented.

of monetarist policies. It's the profits and the book balances that count most for Margaret Thatcher.

troublesome union out of the way.

bit's anti-union laws.

ABOUT 100 guards at the new 39-hour week is being administered

LAST Thursday.

ASLEF, : Holbeck,

usua numoed of condemning the ting the 'variable rostering

support for the drivers' action.

British Rail Board has flagrantly thrown aside

union last August. The Board now

The media is making out that an obscure inter-union

British Rail plan to axe 38,000 jobs by 1984. It has admitted that 4,000 drivers could lose their jobs through flexible rostering. Yet again, workers are being asked to

- the hard-won right tc an eight-hour day. If the clock is put back over 60 years in this industry, just think how much easier it will be for

3. Today the rail industry is based on overtime working.

packets. If such a massive wage cut is forced on strongly

Management doesn't acknowledge these consequences of its plans. But its effects will extend even beyond family

At work railworkers will be forced to let things go by the board to complete their day's work. It's ludicrous to

What about the other hours spent travelling to the

are safe, the time spent reading the volumes of intormation published weekly to inform drivers of speed restric-

If safety goes by the board, it's the travelling public that will suffer. That is, if there's a service left after the

But once again, services for social need, which take into account the well-being of the workforce, aren't part

5. It's been clear from day one of the dispute that the British Rail Board has been out to destroy ASLEF. It's tried to isolate the union at every stage. The decision to pay NUR drivers the 3 per cent although they haven't agreed to the rostering is just the latest example. And there's nothing Thatcher would like to see bette than a

Whether this goal is attainable or not will depend on the backing ASLEF gets. If support is weak, the door will be open for Thatcher to tackle other troublesome unions. And it will be that much easier to enforce Teb-

Sheffield

militant Tinsley branch of the NUR voted to begin a work to rule on 18 January in support of the drivers. This action follows the branch's decision to

reject the productivity accepted by the union

on a national level. The guards state that their action won't have much bite immediately, but they are determined to keep their eight-hour day and are unhappy with the way the

Leeds

writes Stephen Skeet, the Leeds City Branch of the NUR at a meeting, attended by twice the coole. passed a motior NUR executive for accepagreement and other productivity proposals like 'one person operation of trains' and the 'open station concept'. There were 20 guards at the meeting who reported that feeling among guards was running very high and that there was a lot of

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By Tessa van Gelderen LUNCHTIME Thursday. Kings Cross and ine over... till Sunday anyway. JON MARKS from Local Department Committee (LDC) of the Kings Cross National Union OI Railwaymen, talking about announcement that members of his union who are train drivers will be offered the 3 per cent pay increase which has been withheld from the train drivers union, ASLEF.

I'd have thought the British Rail Board would have duopicu lal stralegy before now. I'm surprised it's taken them as long as it

despite is at mpt hat

despite

alicullyi drive a wedge between the two unions, , the guards ful-

y support the driver

They're taking actio per cent, and against variable rostering wilch is wial we also opJose, Jon explains. Weighell, generai secretary, is not putting the union's position when he says ASLEF's to blame for this dispute.' Record

Jon is anxious to set the record straight. 'Our executive committee has a •position that the 3 per cent claim is separate from productivity and that the

wrong withhold payment.

He pulls out the circular from his union which

this clear 'NUR drivers have been instructed officially not IO work,' he adds to stress the official position the NUR compared to that of Sid Weighell.

STEVE FOREY, secretary, Kings Cross, ASLEF branch, gives his view on how the dispute can be won "The Board is making threats about lock-

The says. 'This Ill us vul. tactic of a two day stop-

it's too long, too drawn out.

By Pete Grant, ASLEF the twisted remains of his cab, eventually having to amputate his leg.

The dramatic Scene were seen by millions TV viewers on liN news that night, bringing home to them the dangerous job inal train arivers under• Lake. What contrast there was wine em that followed: Peter Parker, chairperson of British Rai Board, repeating his Stanuel lal une arivers are being totally selfish demanding his Board pay the 3 per cent owed from last huzusI unless unvers accept flexible removing the protection of the 1919 eight hour day.

Between the

picket lines

sitting in pub in train drivers' strike is

'What we want is an all

out indetinite strike for-

thwith. There can be no

This offer to

the NUR drivers shows

there is more at stake than

flexible rostering. It's

deliberate attack by the

BRB and the Tories

smash ASLEF.

'You can't divorce

what's happening from the

general allack on trade

unionists Tebbit's

LIla nues Rank Steve COl

tinues. and file

members of ASLEF are

now not prepared to ac-

cept productivity

Progressive

elements in the NUR are

Jolling TORCeS bloody good

which is a

development.

So what do the two of

them think of the 'federa-

tion' between their

unions? Steve quite

clear: 'I was a delegate to

comererce

any rank and file member

knew about this federation

was when it was presented

to us on a plate.

"It's not been created

by pressure from the bran-

Ches. Lever redivid

tended to develop the uni-

we do need at grass

roots level.'

Jon Marks disagrees.

"The federation was in fact

'towards unity. You can't

up such body on

SCL

rank and file basis.

created the framework so

we can establish the links

we're talking about.'

Unity

The two continue to

disagree. 'Look, says

Steve Forey, 'both ASLEF

and NUR said we weren't

going. accept flexible

rostering. There's no point

having une leacranon

unless you have unity in

Here. Jon Marks

What drivers think of the dispute

In the early hours of Saturday morning East Croydon station echoed with the sound of tearing metal as a freight engine crashed into the back of a stationary parcels train. Firemen took seven hours to cut the young train driver from

We consider that ou agreements are

flexible ther

are. Drivers can be booked

to work up to nine nours a

day where sufficient

economies will accrue.

We can be moved two

hours either side of our

on the

two-day roster and we

have to report for duties at

booking-on times that

Will train

movements without regard

concerned -

unearthly

2.47am.

denies that this was actual1 But he says, try posa dir: NUR's position. ferent tack, 'the Federation facilitates

VUl al' tempts get two councils together.

'Circumstances are changing for ASLEF, you 'can't afford to be independent as you have been in the past The first argument that comes up, you expect the NUR to accept ve, but 1 don't. savs Steve, do expect them to go along with their members' interests. It's a very crucial issue. Every quate ve spoken to is against flexible rostering. Guards

On this there Is no disagreement. in tact ai Kings Cross, the guards have been actively organising support the drivers.

'We're planning on a two day strike in the near future ' explains Jon. took 70 guards up to Unity House NUR Headquarters, last week We want one hour off the working week without strings.

'We're seeing management on Monday; if they don't accept our demands then they'll get 24 hours notice. Although the principle for flexible rostering's been accepted by the NUR, a lot of the guards are against it.'

Steve adds that the drivers want one rest day every egal week. achieve their 39 hour week

willoul strings, of 'That's the only way we think we'll benefit from shorter working hours. guards at Kinis Cross: he 'The adds, "could well lead to a lock out.' Jon agrees but points out that this could have backlash effect. voke a general lock out. It we dont want to

The media _is quick to DIck up railworker who, luckily, wasn't in the wrecked train. The press and TV have nothing how our unsocial hours affect our health and safety

- and that of the traveiling public.

The dispute, however is becoming of

all argument over rostering than an all-out attack on

SOCO Drivers are becoming await that the Board, backed by the Tory zovernment is more concerned with *teaching ASLEr a lesson'. Even Len Murray, whose norIllal touch of death to disputes. nas stated - to the catcalls of British Rail

Hallane"

Trade Unions

would have to be done of

ficially through the unions at Kings Cross.

This proposal for support action from NUR a Kings Cross would not receive official backing there's hot much the of. from ficials could do. The train

win The NUR

drivers won't cross the picket line, says Steve, 'whether they get the 3 per cent or

ment - that the ASLEF

case is sound.

The NUR has changed its stance since the BRB of-

fered to pay 1600

drivers the 3 per cent

without strings, and is now

supporting the ASLEF

The government becoming alarmed at the inability of the Board to budge ASLEF.If there

were to be a miners' strike,

an all out strike by drivers

would mean that essential supplies like coal and oil would soon • in short supply - despite any attempts at stockpiling.

The Triple Alliance has

never been lucidel. tant. And an opportunity of destroying ine reactionary government

since the war is ever growing.

tUVI Kings Cross drivers picket their union headquarters.

not.' Peter Parker, chairperson of British Rail, can lock us all out.

Nothing is going to stop tivity, Socialist

CENTENARY YEAR 1980

GRESS ASLEF members We're very determined.' But the key winning picketing.

HOW TO FIGHT

'PRODUCTIVITY'

Socialist Challenge PAMPHLET FOR RAILWORKERS

What policies are needed to tackle productivity in the rail industry? Order now 'How to fight produc

Challenge pamphlet for rail-

'It's not a traditior. ¿ the railway Steve poin

'Members cra unions are used to sitir down and everythir comes to a stop. It doesn happen like that anymor Goods, these days, are ia ried elsewhere.'

Steve explains th they're hoping to step u London next time on London-wide basis want to stop anything tha moves, ' he says.

'We know non-unio labour is being used deliver goods, such as ra tional newspapers

them help Ste points out that there's signed agreement betwee British Rail and Lond Transport union whi outlaws strikes in solida: ty with each other. Flying

'We really need the pickets,' he says, 'especia ly flying pickets.' Anoir: ASLEF member comes : to the pub. He's beer. the picket for two nigh and has statted the sir. headquarters 48 hours Cross tol gets a well deserved che They're pleased with : way things went last wet

Kings Cross. they're planning the nex action: pickets on Satur day night, then Tuesda and Wednesday. They'r out lo win and win mea. all out.

Socialist Challenge 21 January 1982 page.

Page 4 scan of this page

Kings Cross guards support ASLEF

Why we're going for Boyd and Duffy

By R. Brookes, NUR guard. MOST NUR guards found out that had lost auaranteed 8 hour dav they heard about their agreement with British Board over 'variable rostering just before Christmas.

Over guards allenace d mass meeting and unanimously the action taken by ASLEF The meeting also decid

take strike action witnin the following 14 days on a lightning basis to snow guaras total opposition to 'variable roster-

in y hards there we hey

guards there, walked out together, blowing, to lobby the union executive. A lot of points were raised with the six members of the executive who agreed to discuss the issues. Kings Cross guards wanted to keep the guaranteed day and work a straight week instead the week averaged over 8 weeks.

The two issues that were raised many times were the loss of the 8 hour dav, meanina a loss 01 overtime payments with no rise in une basic Tale. and the impossibility of swopping turns on a weekly basis under the new arrangement. The only

train crews manage have a reasonably normal family life is by changing turns. travelling time railworkers could work anything up to a 14 hour day.

In response to the shown by lobby. the ecutive stated that it was quite

the agreement Cross guards to negotiate u9 hour ego vate 8 straight hour days and an extra rest day every 8 weeks. However, it was clear to everyone there that BRB would never aulc

would defeat the object of the agreement which was to 'vary' hours.

By Patrick Sikorski

enough.

Our aim' says Scott:

onvenor Denis Barry, 'i :o expose Boya, Duffy and the Éxecutive for the corrupt people that they are in continually flaunting the democratic rule book of he union.

*That is why we have aunched a campaign for ranches to pass a resolusion, using Rule 14, which calls for the removal of the Executive.

*We expect the kind of :reatment we have had irom them over the last nine months from the likes

Arthur Snipe but rom our own union.

*They have clearly broken union policy which was to use the strength of the union to fight for jobs

and against unemploy-

We gave them

zreat platform to fight for jobs. But they don't want victories otherwise every

member would fight back and lney preel a quiet life.

The Scott workers are

using a provision

AUEW rule book under

Rule 14 paragraph 5 which

allows the membership

demand a hallot for the

removal of the Executive.

It ten per cent or more

of the branches pass the

Socialist Challenge 21 January 1982 page 4

suntu la

when

union's

Rail

supported and they

whistles

39 hour

hour

way in

With

Danger

nings the executive said, members от Ine mental committee the Kings Cross area manager to give a written agreement to train crews work an 8 hour day, completely 39 hour week.

executive asked the guards to THE LAURENCE Scott workers have had They are going for John Boyd and Terry Duffy, General Secretary and President of the engineering union, AUEW, respectively.

resolution then the General Secretary must call a ballot. A two thirds majority is needed to force the Executive to stand down. 'We are confident of getting the necessary ten per cent of the branches to support our resolution,

know, 1,060 branches sup. ported our call for official national backing from the union last year and need approximately 260 branches to continue to show their support. 'We realise that many people don't realise the stakes involved until similar situation hits them but we would like to think that we will get support, especially from places like Ford, where member Jack Whyman was prominent in the sell out, and from British Leyland, Plansee and Staffa. 'Of course, getting the ten per cent is only the Knowing the way this lot operates we wouldn't expect a ballet without another fight.

The Scotts strike committee has circulated every branch and District Committee in the union with an

Sid Weighell demonstrates on the Jobs Express march. How many jobs is he prepared to sell of his own members? To test out the truth of what withdraw

the guards ficial local depart- headquarters, are asking refused. nothing

sion. issued a At the end of the lobby the

appeal for support for the Rule 14 campaign together with conies of their lates strike bulletin which carries the headline: 'We Shall Not be Moved'.

Extensive factory tours to distribute the new bulletin and show the half ISSUE NO 3 "This is the third issue of the strike bulletin. 15,000 copies of each issue are produced. To get the word out and help produce future editions, the bulletin must be self-financing. Order YULI

Trade Unions.

their threat of unofaction, but outside the this was angrily It was agreed that had been said

would lead to a change of deci-

the LDC newsletter for guards

'On the Road' outlining the deci-

sions taken at the meeting.

hour video film "The Laurence Scott Saga' are being organised.

Building national op position to some of the most aggressive right wingers in the movement is the only way to give the membership the Coll

LAURENCE SCOTT

STRIKE BULLETIN

WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED

copies now and distribute them among your friends and workmates. (2p a copy plus postage from:

Laurence Scott Joint Shop Stewards Committee c/o G Fryer, Roundcroft, Romiley, Cheshire.)'

On the following Wednesday and Thursday the ASLEF members picketed Kings ,Cross, but they were not joined

It is vital, not wy many guards. only at Kings Cross, guards join the pickel because that is one of the best ways to show support for the drivers.

fidence to fight back

against the Tory jobs

holocaust. Dies Sid Welgel, Bir Boyd and their cronies Sirs and Frank Chappel are also the men behind Michael Foot and the

Labour right's witch-hunt

They all know that a confi-

dent rank and file fighting

back against the Tories

power in the Labour Party they

have ignored conference

policies broken the rule

books and manipulated

the block votes..

The Scott's strikers wall Labour Parties especially those with AUEW sponsored MPs to be involved in the Scott

tours, showing the film Lever executive cont 'THIS BRANCH has seriously mishandled the Laurence Scott dispute. As this is an of concern to all ALEW members the branch demands ballot for removal of excouncil in line with Rule 14 Para 5.'

Rule 14 Para

Resolution passed by Kings Cross guards

everybody ouL.,

strike pay.

Stance of variable rostering.

strike.

guard's depots.

that all

lines tion to variable rostering

newsletter and raising money.

Laurence Scott workers and the four milion on the dole can't afford to put off the fight to nail the Arthur Snipe and Terry Duffys of this world The right wingers and the broad lefters will no doubt argue that taking militant action against the Tories and the right wing

- AUEW branches

support this resolution

Removal From Office: "The Executive Council or any member thereof, may be removed from of•fice by a ballot vote of the membership of the union provided that such a ballo is demanded by 10 per cent or more of the branches and that not less than two tniras or une membership are in favour of such

1. Following a LDC recommendation it was agreed that all guards attend for duty on the above two days as normal, (this action to be dependant on the NEC of the NUR not calling

2. All guards who attend for work to donate f5 each per day to the ASLEF hardship fund in view of the fact that ASLEF will not be paying

3. This levy to be our way of showing solidarity with the ASLEF over their resistance to accep-

4. Guards to call strike action on two days in the next 14 days on a lightning basis to show our

5. Strike action to be co-ordinated with other 6. A delegation of everyone in attendance at this mass meeting to immediately lobby our NEC members at Unity House to indicate our opposireprinted from On the Road Kings Cross guards LDC

Hackney Socialist Challenge/Revolution

FORUM Laurence Scott: a lesson in struggle

Wednesday, 27 January at 7.30pm

Dalston Library 24 Dalston Lane, London E8

in the labour movement will cause further setbacks in parliamentary elections on the one hand and in the fight to change the AUEW leadership on the other.

The Scott's strikers' message Is lal we won l beat the Tories or the Alliance without also taking on and • beating the right wing. removal. The ballot shall be conducted by the General Sectretary your ports this resolution, make sure it is sent to the AUEW General Road. London Peckham Road, SE15 and a copy sent to the sirike committee Roundcroft, Romiley, 20

Cheshire, with donations

Page 5 scan of this page

Miners - Gormley sabotage

MacGregor's massacre goes on

THE TORY PRESS has done all

in the into whe influence thes

vote the South

miners who could decide the

final outcome of the national

ballot in the pits. If the 55 per

cent majority needed

strike action is not achieved,

this will largely be the respon-

sibility of outgoing President,

Joe Gormley.

But Gormley's fellow

wingers nave also done ineir bit. Ine

Nottinghamshire area

speaking on Nottingham radio, stated

that the

autiles would not prevented the area from making an CACCULIVO make

effective response to the Coal Board's

advertising campaign.

The right wing would like nothing

better than a defeat for the NEC in

the ballot. All along the line, they

have done their best to sabotage the

fight for a full claim.

They prolonged the negotiations

and allowed the Tories to isolate the

Leyland workers, the tanker drivers

and the Ford workers,

could have been powerful allies for the miners. Mandate

The left in the NUM has organised a vigorous campaign throughout the umon or rejecuon or ine oler. In Nottinghamshire, for thousands of copies of the Yorkshire Miner were provided for militants.

But the hope that the would turn tall under the threat of sunke action has led downplay the question. Yorkshire Miner calls for an incisive vote to reject the offer and to empower the NEC to call strike action if

British steel:

SOUTH WALES drove the out of their holes last week. One Cardiff shop-keeper had his shop wrecked local community for ing 75p for 50p pieces for the electricity meter.

Time will tell whether steel

workers will respond as firmly to

the threats of British Steel boss

MacGregor to shut

because of alleged £100m

aamage, and the threat of con trols on imported European steel

into the United States

Marlene and Roger

both work at the Llanwern plant

Newport. Iron

Trades Confederation

By Gordon Smith The work-in Aluminium's smelter at Invergordon is still going strong

The workforce of 890 are taking part the largest fight of its kind

job Osses since Thatcher came 10 power.

British first gave notice of closure just aller Xmas on a blant which is the most efficient in europe. / was lo close only the week after it had reached a peak in smelting efficiency even by its oun very high standards.

Closure is being forced

workers despite their own excellent perfor-

Wales sible and realistic talks'.

for

acuull.

weakness.

right

President,

Nottingham support the

of the rank and file. Militants all of whom win.

The miners strike

needed once more.

leadership

instance, deadline to

Tories for picketing drawn up.

Scargill

The the support

Board's

blizzards profiteering rats Challenge:

with We're the charg-

echoed this sentiment:

more plants impose all tne

snow

has one strip MacGregor's Tovey the cold plant closure

and Steel nis mind.

(ISTC)

We are fighting to win'

The fault lies completely with British Aluminium who, from the plant opened during. the Wilson governinent, have

been running it at a loss

because they cannot do

their sums properly.

The workers at the

Smelter have made it clear

that they will 'stick it our'.

With 20

unemployment in the area

they have simply nowhere

lise 10 g0.

The 890 jobs ase.

Eastern Ross

which already has 1000

people on the dolo

Job losses in industry

dependent British

Aluminium work will push

necessary' in order to bring the Board back to the negotiating table 'for sen-

This has left the right wing with a lot of room for manoeuvre. They can argue that a 'yes' vote is really a mandate for more talks but not for strike

The Coal Board, recognising this

will attempt to drive wedge into the union and, with the aid of the right-wing, push through a settlement well short of the full claim.

The right-wing NEC majority is bound to try all its usual tricks to sabotage the fight for the full claim. It will try to string out the negotiations in order to undermine the confidence

The way to prevent a right-wing sabotage is to organise seriously for strike action. The left must show the rank and file - and the Board - that It there has to be a strike then the miners will make damn sure they will

in 19|z was organised on just such lines and, ten vears later. the same battle plans are

The heat should be put on the through lobbies of the NEC: the Board must be given a firm

meet the claim. Strike notices should be issued as soon as the results of the ballot are out and plans

A start could be made now to win other groups workers and a campaign mounted by militants in every pit to counter the

and Gormley's

member Marlene, told Socialist

'We're all disgusted MacGregor's statement asking what's behind it.

He's using the weather as an ex-

use to cut le ov jobs wolch

he announced last year.'

National Union of Blastfur-

nacemen (NUB) member Roger,

'My opicapitalists in

Europe and Britain are trying to

cuts

Steel. No-one is left under any il-

lusion that they believe that BSC

mill too many.

Statement about proves that another never far from He will use any straw

that public opinion will grasp

the figure of 890 to 2000 in Scotland as a whole where the Tories have already forced 14 per cent of the population out of work The Invergordon have already received support trade union and Labour Party branches all over •corona. meeting organised by the local Labour Party attracted over 500 people.

Il is time to broaden out this struggle the whole of Britain. All Socialist Challenge supporters can help by passing resolutions of support through their own Labour and trade branches.

Home News

BOOTH "Now come on lads,

sabotage.

The Board and the Tories are talking tough but they face major problems. Stocks of coal at power stations have fallen dramatically and the train drivers strike has played havoc with the coal shipments from the Nothing has really altered since

end last year. threatened American block JIDOTES will have a limited im pact as British Steel only exports around 350,000 tonnes anyway. 1980, Mac Gregor hasmade clear appointment his intention to make the British Steel industry 'lean fitable' through plant closures, rationalisations and hive-offs to

rivate firms. This policy mear

hat by July 1982 a mere 97,00 workers will be employed BSC - a loss of 89,000 jobs since January MacGregor warned that 19.000 Last

more redundancies woula be ad ded. This is now looking real as MacGregor

pitheads.

the leadership at area and pit level, as in 1972, the membership can be convinced that the full claim can be won.

the demand for the full claim — for a known that he is The closing a whole plant to accom-

on modate a

14.4m to 12.6m tonnes per year. This plan has only one aim: to force the workforce to carry the cost of a gargantuan productivity leap. John Foley, officer of the ISTC pointed out pro that Recent productivity figures

from Llanwern everyone s thought that both here and Port Talbot achieved productivity in by creases approaching 30 per cent

last year.

In recognition MacGregor there will be no wage increase at more all nationally for the second year it be running. He has also postponed

SINKING LIVING STANDARDS-RISING

RENT & RATE INCREASES - HIGHER FOOD PRICE

PRESCRIPTION CHARGAS UP, AND ANOTHER TRET

be sensible. Grab hold of this straw!"

With a clear lead from Scargill and

the

In the election campaign, it was

By Celia Pugh

considering

production cut trom ISTC nationally 7th. us, 'the the NUB , South Wales

have game. If workers then hell wagon.

After MacGregor of this, insisted that

• INFLATION:

four day week, early retirement ans

Invent into new Dils - that irer

enthusiasm of rank and file

Such demands can be a :a.:

call against mass unemploymeni ard

the Tory government.

the introduction of the 39 hour week until January 1983.

It is in the face of this that the

threatened an overtime ban from February

'Unfortunately, Roger told craft unions, including nationally accepted the recent redundancies. Local ISTC officials also think that Bill Sirs is playing a waiting

miners take these people on hop on the band. his meeting witt last Monday, Sir suggested lifting the proposed

on une basis o' some phony guarantees. In the interests of us all such grovelling needs to be fought.

Socialist Challenge 21 January 1982 page 5

Page 6 scan of this page

Extracts from passed by the Secretariat of the Fourth International on 10 January

ON 13 DECEMBER bureaucrats took the initiative and unleashed the political counter-revolution in Poland. They struck this blow to block the rise of a powerful mass movement that was moving towards the establishment of

democratic regime workers power.

The imposition of martial law was imperative to hit Solidarnose before a leadership was formed capable of facing up to tae question or power. ine situation of dual power that opened up in 1980 could not be prolonged indefinitely.

A defeat has been inflicted on the Polish workers but the working class is not crushed as it was in Hungary in 1956. Solidarnosc is very disorganised irom the repression, and a large part of its leadership has been removed. But the breadth of this trade union and 'social' movement, together with he acpun or popular nauca agalist the Military Council Salvation, has created an extensive resistance including the establishment of underground networks.

A long period of localised and Fragmented clashes is opening up. It is he duty of the international proetariat to support with all its strength the struggles of the working people of Poland against the repression Laruzelski and Brezhnev. :hiS solidarity with *arkers will learn the 4n-kers' democracv periences of self-management from he Polish workers' bitter struggles.

The declaration of martial law,

mass arrests of those who are ..a!; active and free-thinking

i the imposition of an undisguised - diorsip acmonsales yet agall

there can be no 'reform gradua! democratisation' of such a

Since August 1980 the sheer inana of survival of the bureaucratic apparatus led it to reject the existence and development of a mass, indepentent and democratic trade union. it sio not carry out any real reform or renewal'. Its concessions stemmed irom a policy of immediate selfjefence. At the same time it was brnging logelner an the clements 101 d : ounter-offensive.

The cynicism of the bureaucracy's charges against Solidarnosc cusations OI 'anti-socialism' 'counter-revolution' - are Sucu proportion to the privileges that the regime wants to safeguard. Military Council is not fighting today against "capitalist agents 'imperialism' is thousands of representatives of the working masses.

It stands exposed as the Military Council for the Salvation Bureaucracy!

By imposing martial law and setiing Lne Military bureacracy has modified its tradicional methods of rule. This indicates *he extreme weakness of its socia base and the deep crisis of institutions :hrough which established political hegemony.

The ruling Communist Party had begun to fall apart under the impact of the mass upsurge of the last 18 months. Hundreds of thousands had left it and joined Solidarnosc. had the so-called 'renewal' congress of last summer significant change.

Even the Sejm (parliament) had begun to develop an initial autonomy from the party, happened Czechoslovakia at the time Prague Spring. On 3 October the Seim refused to adopt the emergency measures proposed by Jaruzelski.

This institutional crisis left only an increased resort to the armv as a last solution for the bureaucratic caste's counter-offensive, acting liaison with the armed forces of the USSR.

Socialist Challenge 21 January 1982

resolution

United

the of of National

Through Solidarnosc lessons ot

the

•eXacand

The

imprisoning

of the

Council the

its

Nor continuous any system of

acceded to the position leader, openly of the the paratus.

close administrative apparatus.

the

page 6

the Polish

workers

Since 1980 there have been almost joint military

manoeuvres; an alternative paralle

communications was

established; and General Jaruzelski

Not parti reflecting this drift

towards basing bureaucratic rule on

military/police repressive aply.

In late October some 883 military

units were sent into the country to

resolve 'local conflicts' — in reality to

facilitate a military takeover of the

And on 2

December there was the militia attack

student Military

Solidarity with

occupied with the support of Solidarnosc, to test the determination of Solidarnose to respond to repressive provocations.

But it is not the case that the army has come on to the political scene as a "third force' independent of bureaucracy and the Communist Par-

The top officer corps represents the hardline nucleus of the party. All the generals and colonels are members of the party and the massive majority are graduates of the USSR military acaucines

The immediate objective of the

Council

Solidarnosc as a nationally organised apparatus and timidate broad sectors of the population into believing that resistance wa: futile

round-ur members, intellectuals, militants, the militarisation of whole

of the establishment of 'obligatory labour'

track down timers, the introduction of "loyalty' statements, and Lne Stalinist tradition where there is no appeal against sentence.

mass movement and the gut refusal to accept bureaucratic order, spontaneous wave broad resistance throughout the major workplaces and regions. After this first phase OI

resistance shape. Workers use their control over the productive apparatus to check the 'normalisation' bureaucracy.

The 'spirit of already evident in the underground appeals issued by the union and in the support organised for the prisoners and their produced by the coup, and the fragili-

present dispersal of a leadership of the resistance, does not favour the development broad-based mobilisations against the regime at the present time

the resistance there can however be no doubt that the breadth of the movement of the workers Solidarnosc means that it cannot be totally liquidated. In the next phases of struggle against the dictatorship new cadres will come forward. This is a significant difference with what happened after Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968.

workers' democracy with its emphasis on lass partipalion, against bureaucratic corruption, and for workers' self-management. In the weeks martial law there recution ships the

need thoroughgoing struggle against bureaucracy strikes' organised councils, for workers' guards, and a workers' counter-plan to the government's economic proposals. Such a perspective of struggling for workers' power was the only real alternative to the continuing bureaucrats.

But Solidarnose had not grasped the full meaning of the conflict of interests between the workers and the bureaucracy. Any long-term application of the strategy of 'self-limitation' of the struggle failed to tackle the danger of the inevitable bureaucratic counter-revolution against the emerging WOrkers power. political current fluence within Solidarnosc was needed to fight for the preparation of the masses the workers' nower

The Polish regime needs the creation of a new political hegemony not entirely dependent on the barrel of a

scene runs up against a series of major problems. It necessitates the painful reconstruction of a stable party for the the bureaucracy

underway, or a new one.

Any project of political recomposition also requires a much better economic situation. The crackdown has to facilitate the imposition of a vast austerity plan, unemployment, reduction of social spending and inbreak creasing work discipline. But in such a

co-managing

the workers.

direct any curectors

The to sufficiently in- one of Jaruzelski already been

The repression is extensive with a

Solidarnose and other

workforce, the

Solidarnosc full- SUNS It

But the extraordianry spirit of the

struck a led to a semiof strikes and millions of

active opposition now taking world scale

ureaucrauc Plans masses shoulder

Solidarnosc'

bureaucratic

families. But the trauma

The

of the police of open

Whatever the different phases of

organised d'etat.

bureaucratic

tervention Solidarnosc provided a model of

creased. its The

preceding the imposition of the

was growing among the local leader-

for more the

• the need for 'active

by the workers' the same

peoples perialism.

rule of the

break

sion Within A conscious revolutionary with national in-

development of

Ine pollucal

the - either the existing

wholescale purge

its

Anchical

price increases, dictatorship!

context an 'independent trade union'

the regime's Plaus would not find any resonance among

Such an austerity plan would go hand in hand with an attempt

planned bonuses to the adand Wallacella. ministrative staff to enable the regime to try and win itsell a new social Dase

Church heirarchy remains the master cards which has congratulated for its moderating role. In the Vatican, just as in Warsaw there is a tear that more active workers' resistance might lead

large scale confrontation, resulting in Soviet intervention which would threaten the Church's conces-

was certainly easier for the bureaucracy to declare martial lan than to win the war of 'normalisation'. Never before has a bureaucracy had to reorganise its system or powel at all levels and on such a vast scale

The imposition of martial law has

terrible blow against the whole of the international proletariat. The struggle since August 1980 of

workers in Solidarnosc was one of the most advanced examples of proletarian struggle on a

struggle between government and the we are totally shoulder with the masses. The workers' state was not undergoing

imperialist assault capitalism. On the contrary it was the

degeneration the workers' state that was under attack.

proletariat was tending radicallv challenge the power of a privileged minority based on the force

A common theme runs through all the declarations or bourgeols and im perialist forces on Poland: the Polish workers went too far, in this way they bear some responsibility for the coup

Washington is using the Polish step up its campaign to justity a re-militarisation drive and the stepping up of aid to the bloody Central American dictatorships. The danger of counter-revolutionarv in.

against the Nicaraguan and Grenadian revolutions has in-

Fourth International will commit all its weight inside the international labour movement to develop

solidarity Lavall with the Polish workers. All those who today refuse to develop this mobilisation vide tne workug masses in ten own country and internationally. To organise active solidarity with the Polish workers facilitates preparing

support for the mighty struggles of the Central American

against American im-

All the links established between the international workers' movement and Solidarnosc must be used to

the isolation which Jaruzelski wants to keep the Polish workers. Material, food and medical aid should be stepped up. And trade union commissions of inquiry should be set up to find out about the repres-

against Solidarnosc militants. workers movement Marxists should develop a systematic explanation of

aims, and internal democracy of Solidarnosc.

Revolutionary Marxists oppose all proposals for a boycott by the imperialist countries of Poland and the USSR. Such a campaign can only play into the hands of the anti-communists like Reagan. Such a campaign would effectively mean calling on the banks and imperialist powers to strangle the Polish economy still further with all

consequences TOT the Polish masses themselves.

The Fourth International will link

campaign of solidarity with Solidarnose with efforts to stimulate mobilisations against the imperialists' war drive and against the efforts of

Central noelast America and the Caribbean Down with the bureaucracy's military

Solidarity with Solidarnosc!

Page 7 scan of this page

Solidarnosc's resistance

By Davy Jones THE POLISH workers' resistance to martial law is growing daily. continuing arrests, loyality ings, there is workers' co-ordination. the workers' fighting spirit has not been crushed.

An extensive national undergrouna co-oraination has set up led by Zbigniew Bujak, former head of Warsaw Solidarnosc. Regular

By Jonathan Silberman SUPPORT for the Polish workers is urgent. The savage measures taken by General Jaruzelski's government, threaten made by the Polish workers, but also the fight for socialist democracy in other Eastern European countries. In this regard, the Polish situation has been likened to the events in Chile in 1973 when the government of Salvador Allende was ousted in Pinochet's military coup and tens thousand:; slaughtered.

il roate is nol cale and the likeness is only superficial. First, been military

LouPoland. In Chile. leaders of une army conspire with ine

and the Brazilian military democratically-elected clical. But in Poland

zovernmen cecicec to use mutarv mean:

crush nine independent workers' movement. Coup

Talk of a military coup in FoRno misses ine nout. anc lets the ruling Communist Party off the hook. What characterises Poland,

caster european countries is that the state is based on an leaders of the party, the army.

lauc umuls, allu su on.

I any cases. une same

STRAJK

ENEP ALNY

Despite the government's

oaths and sackdeveloping underground All the signs are that

bulletins are appearing in

Solidarnosc journals have appeared elsewhere under different names Fighting Solidar-

to Day in Lublin, Fighting

Poland is not another Chile

not only the gains

Chileans were

people cal transfer from one

branch of the state to another, or even occuov more tnan ore

position at the same time.

Poland, this the

General Jaruzelski simultancousiy munster derence. orme minister and first secretary of the Communist Party

To doyermes voir.

polical hale and s

declare the Hilallous stalc ui wal lU uC Tena lis orveges ao main tain its monopoly of political

whole evolution

lowards a revolu

ror example. soudarnosi began to take initiatives control stocks and distribution of •foodstuffs in

lale vulcautial mismanaceme generale ne rend une summer, began with the formation of towards workers' self

UveI une omanon o workolace

Information in Wroclaw.

The resistance has gone so far as to hold press conferences for Western journalists. On 13 January two Solidarnosc

ICI COCHtatives Warsaw told reporters that some 20,000 people were now organised

resistance networks round the country, which were planning to hold a one-muluie s suerce la the major plants round the

directors.

increasingly the regional Concernoce leaderships were discussing sine proposes for ac

keeping factories going under workers

mccu estaonsn emergenc workers plans. the trend towards a confrontation political power came to ahead over the decision to propose a Hallullai ine rade umon on une rune lioning and methoos political structures' , and the The infamous ZOMO riot police

country on 13 February.

"The people put up with hunger and misery, to which the government has accustomed them, they will not allow all the

gains sinse August 1980 te

lost', said the spokesperson. also unconfirmed reports of continuing sit-in strikes in the Bielsko-Biala region.

In Poznan, the govern-

The second difference between Poland and Chile was the character of the leadership

movement Watesa not another Allende.

Salvador Allende believed in the importance of a mass movement WUIACIS DUl vue surcuy subordinale lo uc

June brotessional politicians in parliament

He entirely all such leaders do to bed on the independent ac. build an alternative power

Zbigniew Bujak ment received another well publicised rebuff when a stage-managed junket for

Western press went badly wrong Journalists SpoKe lo workers al une massive Cegielski engine

wore Solidarnost badges

worker added: •Solidarnosc is alive and well, and we will win. Worse

Things got worse for the government when Poznan's regional Solidarnosc leader told reporters.that his statement martial law which the authorities had publicised had been made under duress I now withdraw the statement... was made under duress, before

tivity and organisation of the workers Accoretay. crucial points in the Chilean

the Popular Unity government sought

and cutarorisc with the bosses and the army. Army

Indeed, the army felt it could overthrow the government and crush the

precisely ot this nesitating weakness of Lnt icaucis id.

zaruze ski on the other hand, decided on martial law not because of Solidarnose's vacillating leadership because he feared the conse-

grows

I had a full picture of what was going on,' he explained.

Within the internment camps themselves now renaoly esumalca lo nave up to 20,000 occupants, there is a new hunger strike underway in the Bialoleka camp, and a newspaper Free Voice circulating within the themselves

Meanwhile government repression has been stepped Even Archbishop Glemp, who has done his best over the last month to defuse any militant fightback, has admitica inal more peopie nave been interned The purge of public o dissidents and

officials goes on

Latest to face the chop is Henry Samsonewicz, rector of Warsaw University,

•retusing to allow his staff and students undergo the government's 'loyality' test

Thousands have been sacked or prohibited from returning work for failure to sign the govern ment's 'good behaviour pledge - some 4,300 in the Szczecin shipyard.

'independent' newspaper has been started up, Rzeczpospolita (Republic), by the authorities which they ob viously hope will be less discredited than the other official media Antisemitic propaganda against Solidarnosc has also been stepped up in the party paper.

The army daily, Zolnierz Wolnosci, launched regular attacks on Solidarnosc leaders and well-known dissidents.

quences of Solidarnose going

onto tie dressive

the readership of sonear nosc is a rank and file leader. ship that learns its lessons in

gle.

crucial turning

point in Poland over the last

months Solidarnosc

leadership stood for one thing

above alt else

Comtes 1 et worrer could rely upon their

own ability and preparednes:

to struggle

because millions of Polish

Slave

caucalca in ws key messarı that desnute the renression Poland today and the serious setback suffered by the mass

Socialist Challenge

singled out Jacek Kuron and Adam Michnik from KOR and Jan Rulewski and Źbigniew Bujak fron Solidarnosc as nothing other than a gallg political adventurers.

It went on to outline its ConceDuoi COT ans new trade union in Poland should function: "The time will come to build a stricti Lade on organor

purely working oralisalon wilnoul rase advisers, developed regional tures, without 43,00 officials and withou political adventurers.'

Blame

Leader of 16= restatile Zbigniew jak, in an interview wit

New York Times asserted that spontanec. 1 costauce to the regi.. was growing, , and stinging reply to all thes who apportion blame the union movement

'My answer will s÷ brutal. many Western poi : cians believe that if :. had been wiser could have avoided tragegy But know that "wisd Tor us meant consoe tion with the state

laboration that nave beer against the worke s the intellectuals men of culture and :.: arts

'We would become another anner:

the totalitariasystem, creating Oniy

Him oression democracy. This mius: not be demanded of us

our Solidarit union.... Truly indepen. dent unions can exis only in conditions democracy. Thus continue and remain in dependent the unior must fight for democracy and become its guardian

'So struggle struggle and yet more struggle. moreers have not been cru novement

There widesprea: resistance

Today, alas, in Chile eight years after the coup :he workers' movement has sti

short Ollyska liquidation rank and file of Solidarno: leaders, along the lines of the Chilean slaughter.

Force

The Polish regime is ne

which is Solidarnosc means

or a soviel-inspirea invasic

comes when

States'

Unica difficult

Over tervene in world nollties a did over the Chilean coup the NATO alliance cacaousty the last len years

• internano... economic crisis, and by bion peasants of Central America in Asia and Africa

The capitalist

21.i0 have been quite

over the roland

Undoubtedly the enemie: of workers throughout world have been stren by the events there lave Laust oumism decause roland not another Chile.

21 January 1982 page 7

Page 8 scan of this page

MICHAEL FOOT:THE TA

By Toni Gorton and Brian Grogan

ticles by Michael

*Opposed to democracy

Europe

government

*Breaking with, the

sky.

Foot's articles

cept his purpose in trying

the Labour movement. arguments at their peril.

Foot's image of his left opponent is the joke figure of comrade Smith of television sit-com fame who views socialist change in 'the prophecy of a great, supreme crisis as the inexorable means of establishing the new society as opposed to the steady remorseless Fabian method of human advance'.

flowery phrases manages to conjure himself out of the present 'supreme' crisis of Thatcher's Britain and Reagan's world in order to assert the nappiness or ine boom years of consensus.

But Foot gives the game away. His defence of the supremacy parliamentary democracy leads, tor him, to the inexorable conclusion that the last Labour government had a creditable record. Indeed, to suggest otherwise Foot intones monstrous perversion'.

Never does he allow the reality of parliamentary democracy capitalist slump to sully his

Parliamentary democracy is an important gain for the working class. The political rights which exist in this country such as the right to assembly,

Reg Race MP

What do you think

significance of Bishop's

ford?

Well, there's a great deal of nonsense

been talked about Bishop's Stortford.

What actually happened there

that Tony Khich was an in

which was

paper, but which made absolutely n

concessions to anybody.

He said that Tatchell had to be re-

instated, that the witch-hunt has to

end, that Party policy has to be sup-

ported and several other things too.

That really was made very clear by ported that me aer lew SEC

ported bi other

members.

Now, he did say to various people

inal ne wasn t parnicularly keen lo

stand for the deputy leadership

1982.

think your

what happened at Bishop's Stortford

really depends on whether you think

that the Electoral College should be

used in every conceivable

cumstance, or whether you think that

there might tactical

sometimes for not using it.

I must say that I think that it Tony

did stand for deputy or as leader there

wouid be a verv substantial defeat for

the left, ie. he would be defeated for

either position in a tairiv heavv wav

I don't think that would be helpful

to the long term interests of the left or

Socialist Challenge 21 January 1982 page 8

INTENSE interest has greeted a series of ar-

Foot in the newspaper. Foot charges that the left is:

*For the totalitarian despotism of Eastern

*Against trying to elect a future Labour

*Responsible for the successes of the SDP

traditions of socialism established by Marx, Engels ... and even Trot-

cumstances be only of passing interest. Exsupremacy of parliament for socialists is a desire to legislate all those that disagree out of

openly, to trade union organisation

struggle and mass mobilisation.

no gual alice rights.

Foot cover for the same rights.

mal democracy.

Parliamentary democracy is no of guarantee of our democratic rights.

'Is

and great ful of press barons.

disputes could consent instead of force?

party on a long term basis. was the Do you Stortthat Tony was last year. informal

How would you see that?

the policy.

Now that because vou in question:

Labour Party judgement about

issues.

cir- Shadow

reasons

Kabul policy

Observer paratus. other cir-

to establish the

The left ignores his

the right to express political views

the right to vote and the right have, however, all been won through bitter

But parliamentary democracy

of our indeed. it nas provided tne erosion of these very vote fundamentally, parliamentary democracy is only for-

himself.

the

The major decisions affecting our lives are taken outside by unelected civil servants, by self-appointed heads of big business and by the tiny hand-

To what reality can Michael Foot be speaking when he declares that 'parliament is where

be settled

The facts show that whatever the

our challenge to the leadership of the

after Brighton the left has been thrown onto the defensive - if you think

Benn would receive fewer votes this time round than

Some argue from that point of view that Bishop's Stortford was a victory for the right over the left, and have argued that the left should take a very much lower profile over the next period.

I don't think that at all. What we will do over the next few weeks is ensure that a major campaign is mounted in

movement in support party TOr

is very important must ask yourself the who is going to support policy unemployment, on the bomb, on the Common Market and the rest of the major

It can't be the right wing in the

Cabinet because they don't agree with it, and it can't be some of

PLP against because they may agree with the SDP

have

Therefore the only defenders Party policy must be the left, and the left must organise forcefully to ensure that the manifesto that we fight the next election on, which will be constructed in outline form this year, is a

will of the vast majority at any given

confounded powerlessness over the state ap-

This we see vividly in the case of the GLC. An elected Labour GLC Is blocked in its efforts to bring about lower fares by a non-elected Lord Denning ruling in the interests of the property owners and the anti-working class Tory government.

During 1976, it was the International Monetary Fund, albeit with the connivance of the Michael Foots of this world, that dictated a policy of savage cuts and wage restrictions. The ist is enaless

This reality is at the heart of the constitutional fight inside the Labour

Are we to accept Michael Foot's conception of democracy as that of a Labour government responsible to non-elected powers of the civil service, the board rooms, the EEC or the police and army; or one responsible to the mass of people who fought to put them there?

It is this not the fatuous argument that the parliamentary leader now has

authority over individual MPs which is at the heart of the matter.

Foot's idea of democracy comes to the simple act of marking a ballot paper.

The Alice-in-Wonderland meaning given to words is exposed by Foot

defines 'democratic socialism'. nouncement of Nye Bevan as being 'collectivist, socialist power wielded by the central state, acting through Parliament'.

Such a hand-me-down socialism is

opposite of democracy. It volves the elitists' idea that the goal of socialist politics is to act 'on behalf' of the supposedly ignorant and unwashed masses.

This bureaucratic, democratic. This excludes the majority of people, rather than involving socialist manifesto, capable of being introduced socialist Labour government and which doesn't make any concessions at all to the right.

This is a campaign that must be mounted, and in that sense we are going to be on the offensive in defence of Party policy

It is therefore the right who have been seeking over the last few months to undermine the gains that have been made by the left.

What do you think that Labour Liaison '82 should be about? What is your attitude to the controversies surrounding its foundation

example opposition some of the leaders of the LCC? The attitude of some comrades in the LCC quite honestly makes me puke. I wish they would depart in peace Labour Laison have carified quie I think attitudes well over the last weeks.

I think that there will be agreement that we should try to make a campaign in defence of Party policy

witch-hunts, in support Tatchell, and in support of those who

been debarred from membership.

That certain to command universal support. I think the only area of contention really is whether there should be an election campaign for leader or deputy leader this year.

In-

them the real democracy. For language, finally comes down to the simple act

not of marking a ballot paper

which accounts for his hostility to any

— Labour Liaison

of party

the unions?

Attatchment to parliament involves support for the Tory

meaning of all his ornate Foot's idea of democracy

It is this threadbare and banal idea Will he organise the Labour Party fight in

extra-parliamentary action

been fairly wel established by Tony Benn, others, that all the major reforms wo by the working class have been th result of tremendous agitation outsid parliament. We don't need to rely o

Dave Ward, wi tional committe fice Engineers ( attend the foun of the Labour behalf of the P He spoke to So in a personal ca

Why do you thin important?

Well, it's a ch the Party to go t sive against the r the Brighton Co have taken a bl with the witch-hu Some of the completely lost th tion. Labour Lia HE CSC

Why do you thi been able to go

First off beca of the Tories. workers on the c for radical chang just over the next Second, I thi

Page 9 scan of this page

IE BRAND OF SOCIALISM

es of the last Labour government

the example of Chartism or the suf-

fragettes which Foot amazingly places

outside of the epoch of parliamentary

democracy. which destroyed the Tories last at industrial

lemmpt lo snackie tne umons. Allacks

the nare Post Ofexpects to

onference • п *82 road Left.

Challenge

meeting is

r the left in I the offenthink since

ine lell election losses.

30 U1. m to have se of direcan put that

What do you mean?

right have offensive? the arment

the attacks when the right millions leadership, e prospects seem to be

* Foot and amined!

parliamentary action restrictions.

82: Two views -

ard POEU Broad Left

company have done a good job convincing people that the left are to blame for the state of the Party and that they're the cause of Labour's

I think that some of the left have swallowed this rubbish. But perhaps they didn't need much convincing.

Anybody on the left who accepts that the left al C responsible for Labour losing votes, control the make all the policy the statements, and are the only ones who ever ran Labour when it was in government — needs their head ex-

on abortion rights for women have only been blocked by similar activity as is evidenced by victory over

majorities favouring

The free run given to the nuclear maniacs before the recent resurrec-

But it's obvious that some of the left haven't got the courage of their All the things that the convictions.

Tories are doing now were prepared by the ex-minister or unempiovment, Foot, and the ex-chancellor of the Exchequer, Healey.

No wonder a lot of workers are looking for a change. But don't expect Foot and Healey to expose the SDP. They carried out the same policies.

How does the situation in the unions link up with what's going on in the Party?

It doesn't really, not much, or at least not enough. That's the whole problem of the Labour Left in a nut-

It's obvious that there is still a willingness to fight against the Tories, or you wouldn't get groups like the BL workers, who have taken a real hammering, still game to take them on.

It seems only some on the left of Party di c licious organise directly for their policies in the daions. Perhaps they think that the union barons will do their job for them. But the balance sheel of

tion of CND shows there is no chance of nuclear disarmament drawing millions into action outside Parliament

one piece of parliamentary action has done anything to reverse mass unemployment. But the flick of the miners' tail last year, showed what could be achieved that way.

Parliamentary legislation and action is often necessary to ratify such achievements. But mass struggle is the primary force for social change not even the best intentions of 'men of goodwill'.

There is no chance of nuclear disarmament without drawing millions into action outside parliament.

The Coscuice democracy, that is, a true democratic socialisin. is the involvement of the mass of the people in daily decision-making about every aspect of their lives from the point of production on the shop floor, to the level of state.

The fight for a Labour government has to encourage and centralise this approach

Any Labour government that seriously embarks on this course will have to encourage and rely upon a counter that defenders of the status quo my, civil service and bosses' organisations.

Foot is playing games when he indicts those that foresee a violent confrontation for actually seeking one. The facts are that the workers will meet violent resistance in attempting to impose a socialist democracy.

No ruling class has ever handed over its power willingly but has resisted with every means disposal.

Let us recall the example of Chile studiously ignored by Michael Foot. Despite the democratic election of Salvadore Allende, the military forces took action against his government

that approach is already pretty clear.

What else do you Labour Liaison should do?

It's got to organise those who are fighting the bomb, organise those who are fighting for women's rights, organise those who Polish workers. really.

If Labour Liaison remains at the level of a few ideas bright — a couple of resolutions to Party conference and the odd article in the Guardian boat Hundreds of thousands of peo ple are involved in these issues. They can spearhead the left's fight against the right, and start building for a Labour victory at the next election. But only if the left carry the fight through to the end ple are convinced they are going 1o get what they need.

What do you think is behind the witch-hunt?

If the left show weakness, the

because the workers began to take without things into their own hands.

dismembered and rights suppressed. the most highly developed parliamentary tradition in South America.

No ruling class has ever handed over its power willingly but has resisted with every means at its disposal.

would put the blame for this onto the left for tion'. The tragedy was that the lett as a whole did not foresee the problem.

British ruling class has rarely been faced with the prospect of the exsocialist propriation of their power. But even

when a sniff of such an eventuality is raised, the British ruling class is quite prepared to ditch parliament.

It is now that during the winter crisis of 1974, discussion highest levels of the police and army began to parliamentary strike forces

the ruling class did on a much wider scale to prepare for and defeat the General Strike in 1926. - the ar- even on smaller

ruling class have no qualms about opposing parliament if they perceive it as being against their interests. In 1974, the Labour government army to break up the Uister Loyalist strike, but the army hierarchy simply refused.

has is allowing workers the rights that the bourgeoisie have. And in covering alr its up the control by the capitalist class of

parliament, state, he also covers up for the role of the right-wing in the Labour move-

sistent democracy, his exertions on its behalf do not stretch to denouncing Lord Denning Ken Livingstone in the life-and-death too interested in power

think the

fighting.

witch-hunt as its first step support the That's the key to it do our bit.

Page 10 scan of this page

Labour must back

Solidarity Committees Solidarnosc Birmingham Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o Roger Murray, Sparkhill Labour Club, Stratford Rd, Birmingham.

Glasgow Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o lan McCalman, 18 Mossgiel Rd, Glasgow, G43. Ring 041-632 1839.

Greater Manchester Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o Jon Silberman, Crete St, Oldham, Lancs. Ring 061-620 2885. Eastern Europe Solidarity Campaign, 10 Park Drive, London NW11. Ring 01-458 1501. Labour Focus on Eastern Europe, Box 23, 136 Kingsland High St, London E8.

Polish Solidarity Campaign, 69 Edinburgh Rd, London E13.

Solidarnosc Trade Union Working Group in UK, 64 Philbeach Gardens, Earls Court, London SWS. Ring 01-373 3492.

Labour Poland Solidarity operative Bank, 110 Leman St, London E1.

Solidarity with

Solidarnosc

Glasgow Sat 23 Jan 1.30 March from Queen Margaret Drive

Rally at 3pm at Partick Burgh Halis Speakers: Marek Garztecki (Solidarosc), Denis Canavan and John Maxton (Labour MP), Jim-

my Reid, Ellen Monaghan (Lee Jeans).

Other solidarity demos

MANCHESTER: March and rally called by Greater Manchester Polish Solidarity Campaign

:.. Thur 28 January. Assemble 6.30pm All Saints, Oxford Rd for march. Rally at 7.30 at Free Trade Hall with labour movement speakers.

BIRMINGHAM:

…rades

11am Chamberlain Square.

AUEW hall. Speakers include Eric Heffer and

Marek Garztecki (Solidarnosc).

Revolution/Socialist Challenge

Solidarity with Solidarnosc Southampton: Thur 21 Jan, 1pm University clubs and societies room, Newport: Thur 21 Jan, 7pm at YMCA, Commercial St, Newport.

Swansea: Thur 21 Jan, building, Orchard St Lamboth: Fri 22 Jan, 7.30pm at Lambeth Town Hall.

Wandsworth: Mon 25 Jan, 8pm Labour Party rooms, Lavender Hill, SWI.

Glasgow: Tues 26 Jan, 7.30pm at AUEW Halls, Glasgow.

Leicester: Thur 28 Jan, 7.30pm, Socialist Centre, High St, Leicester.

East London: Wed 3 Feb, 7.30pm at Dalston Library, Dalston Junction.

North London: Fri 5 Feb, 7pm at Roebuck pub, Tottenham Court Rd.

Gdansk memorial to victims of 1970 riots

Socialist Challenge 21 January 1982

with 51 Montrose House,

Fund, c/o Co-

Rally and march on Sat b :alled ey Birmingham Polish Solidarity

council. Assembie

Rally at 12.30 in students union.

7.30pm at AUEW

FOLLOWING a successful rally of

150 people just five days after the

declaration of martial

Poland, the Greater Manchester

Polish Solidarity

been established.

The campaign has taken up the call

of Solidarnose members made at the

Szczecin shipyard that an international

campaign be organised for

martial law, the release of all those ar-

rested and for the restoration of all union

and democratic rights achieved through

struggle since August 1980'.

paign is also pushing for the TUC and the

Labour Party nationally to organise a

serious campaign of

Solidarnosc.

The Campaign solidly

movement-based with

MP as Hon President. Labour councilloi

Eddie Newman as chairperson, and

page 10

By Davy Jones AT LAST the Labour Party has begun to take action in support of Solidarnosc. Last week's international committee organise a major public rally in London in support of the Polish workers. Full details of the date and speakers will be available next week.

The meeting further endorsed resolution moved by Eric Heffer MP urging 'all sections of the British labour movement to refrain from any fraternal contact with either the Polish United Workers'

Party, the official Ponsn trade unions, willic the military regime continues, while trade unionists and other supporters of Solidarnesc are imprisoned, and while freedom of expression of trade union organisation is banned. We therefore give our full support Solidarnose in their hour of need.

The resolution also supported the objectives

Solidarnosc as outlined

of September/October 1981. March

Hopefully NEC will endorse these proposals. having refused

before Xmas to support a resolution from Eric Heffer calling on the party to organise a march for December in support of ine ronsa workers

The TUC is still pressing for the right to send a delegation to Poland to investigate the repression.

Union branches are being encouraged sena bro tests to the Polish Embassy Over Polish government's refusal receive the TUC delegation.

The beginning of serious support for Solidarnosc not before time. The labour movement and its lett wing in particular will pay dearly for its silence over Poland.

Manchester mobilises for

Solidarity

law day 28 January.

Campaign has

and students. week

'an end to solidarity

munist Party. labour Further information Bob Litherland paign can

Secretary, Street, Oldham, Lancs.

Solidarnosc

meeting agreed to

It has left the field open for the likes of Chapple and Duffy the Polish crisis to whip up anti-left propaganda within the unions.

Many left wingers have said rext 1o nothing about Poland, cluding Tony Denn. And Scargill has on more than one OCCaSIOl implied that Solidarnosc bears some blame for the current crisis. had become more than Just a union', he claimed.

Eric Heffer replied to this then in as weeks Lat or disgraceful Laurence Scolt shop steward Phil Penning as treasurer. A torchlight demonstration and rally has been called for Thurs-

Support for the demonstration has built up with backing from rank and file trade unionists, Labour Party members

The City Labour Party last voted unanimous/y to back the march and to affiliate to the Campaign, and a big boost came when the ASTMS branch at ICL donated £100.

A rather unfortunate rebuff for the campaign was received, however, when the North Manchester AUEW District Committee refused to give support. With five delegates voting in favour the proposition was defeated following strong opposition from members of the Com-

about the Camobtained from the 51 Montrose House, Crete

Weekly: 'Certainly, Solidarnosc has increasingly come forward with political demands Demands surely which all democratic socialists can SUDDOIL. Most of our British unions political clauses in their rule books. say they will work to get rid of capitalism and build socialism.'

support

"The issue is fairly sim Poland have created, free workers of and independent unions, sebalalt tron the and not under CP control. They therefore deserve our unqualified support.

Utilit weeks and months the labour HaveliCil should rally Polish seafarers struck in Vancouver last week to demand an end to repression

Teachers' union

backs Polish

workers

The executive of the Na-

tional Union of

Teachers on 16 January

backed a resolution

moved by Bernard

Regan of the Socialist

Teachers Alrance

ing for support for the

Polish workers.

SOUPARTY

Socialist Challenge

PAMPHLETI

Workers building barricades in Gdansk on 17 December behind these sentiments and build a mighty movement supporting the Polish workers. The Labour and Tony Benn in particular have the responsibility to campaign.

East European Solidarity Campaign

broadsheet with the Labour Party

The resolution wel comed the TUC statement on Poland calling for an end to martial law, the

release of prisoners, and the reopening of talks bet-

ween Solidarnosc and the government. It also called

on local NUT associations and divisions to

this stand, and to send messages the Polish government via the Lon-

Solidarity

with Solidarnosc

pamphlet

2000 copies sold in first

week! Order your copies

now of the second edition.

Just 25p or 20p for sup

bulk

porters

orders.

resolution on Poland, details of the rally, and other labour movement solidarity actions and resolations. It will be vital maierial for all socialists

suppor for Solidarnosc Write for

East European Solidarity Campaign, Park Drive London NWIi. Ring 01-458 1501.

TRIKE

don embassy opposing the

repression.

There is a meeting ir

London on Friday 22

January at 5.30pm in the

Prince Albert pub

Wharfedale Road, Kings

Cross, to discuss twinning

associations with

their counterparts

Poland, and developing a

campaign in support of the

Socialist

Challenge

Polish school

Two day educational

school on Poland and

political revolution for

Socialist Challenge sup

porters on 13/14 February

in London. If you would

like to come see your local

SC supporters or write to

Socialist Challenge school,

PO Box 50, London NI.

Page 11 scan of this page

US' Poland hypocrisy

By Phil Hearse GENERAL Alexander Haig got himself into a tizzy last week at his press conference in Brussels. Called to outline the US's case for collective Western sanctions against the over Poland, Haig's press conference turned into near debacle when the Guardian's European Palmer asked if the US's position on Poland wasn't a bit hypocritical.

Wasn't it a bit hypocritical asked Palmer to make a big fuss about Poland when the US was supporting a military dictatorship in Turkey and backing up brutal repressive regimes like that in El Salvador. Haig nearly blew a gasket. 'Haven't you forgotten', assurances of the Turkish regime of a rapid return to democracv? nalists were too polite to laugh. Cold War

Haig's discomfiture only highlights the utter and complete hypocrisy of the United States By Paul Lawson

TIs NOW a yoar since the rovchutianary gua illas of the Farabundo Marti National Libera tion Front (FMLN) launched their final offensive against the US-backed right wing dictatorship. the regime, FMLN now control a quarter of the country.

States poured in weapons and other forms of aid to the dictatorship.

United States thought that it would be possible to crush the guerrillas. offensive failed; as the above map shows the FMLN now controls many important strategic

regime is able to secure the towns. But in the countryside important liberated zones exists, including some within twenty miles capital.

In 1981 El Salvdor received more US military aid than any other Latin American Coullll y Its military 'advisors' now comprise something like

per Cell the Salvadorian army's officer corps. The US military aid has included radio trucks, M-16 rifles and ammunitition, planes and forty helicopters.

The role of the US advisors has been to supervise ine overal operallon of the war, and especially to ensure the correct use of helicopter tactics. They have also supervised the formation a fleet coastal patrol boats to try to cut off supplies of arms to the guerrillas, and the formation and training of the elite Atlacati brigade — El Slavador's very own 'green berets'.

Despite the flow weapons to the regime's army and national guard, and the increase in size of the ally. the military forces of the regime have suffered from high

Haig in a tizzy-

Soviet Union

editor, John said Haig, 'the

The assembled jour-

El Salvador: guerillas control

a quarter of the country

Although the offensive failed to topple

after a year's hard struggle the

In the period after the offensive, the United

The regime and the

But their counter-

areas of the country. Just as in Vietnam, the

of the

casualty and desertion In six months last Tale. year, ten per cent of the arKilled or wounded.

The tactics of the Salvadorian army have taken on an increasingly 'Vietnam' style, with helicopter-borne troops hying into lne countrysiac on 'search and destroy'

MISSIONs. The obiective of these missions is to fly into FMLN-held territory, destroy training camps dua other guerrilla 311stallations and attack villages which support the FMLN.

Just as in Vietnam, a crucial objective of these attacks is to terrorise the Clain population.

Sometimes these raids do an tact madaze to discover and destroy FMLN camps,

But just as in Vietnam, the coverlilicill tually fly out: the guerrillas and villagers LIC No permanent calls alc wull.

The January 1981 offensive failed because, itself recognises, there was in-

over the Polish events. Reagan and his cohorts have just seen the Polish events as a mechanism for whipping up Cold War hostilities, and attempting to mobilise the Western governments behind the US's increasingly strident line.

It is particularly appropriate that Alexander Haig should be publicly confronted with the double standards of his government, because it is Haig himself who has been the most strident US spokesperson in threatening to take military action against countries in Central America, like Cuba and Nicaragua with which the United States is in conflict.

During the last year over 30,000 people have been killed in El Salvador, most of them victims of the US equipped and trained military forces Thousands more have been killed by the US. backed regime in Guatemala.

General Haig vividly outlined in his press conference the complicity of the Sovet Union and the Warsaw pact in the Polish events, pointing to the presence of Soviet Marshal Kulikov in Warsaw before and during the military's move. On this Haig was absolutely correct —

sufficient political preparation and military intervention in the towns. i ne population, without adequate protection, failed to carry through the insurrectionary general

In the period following that setback. the FMLN returned to the offensive through their sauulare campaign, which has disrupted electricity supDues and drastically curtailed production. Industrial production, largeas a result of the campaign and the war climate, has decreased by twenty five per cent over three years.

In addition, the FMLN has concentrated on conducting. local offensives and widening, the rural areas under control.

The extension of these areas has facilitated the FMLN guerrillas

International.

directly involved.

for all they between them - a system of routes for transferring guerrilla forces and supdlies. • This enables them to quickly switch their forces from one front to another.

The military situation which has therefore emerged from year since the offensive is one

Te auve stalentale Neither side able to defeat the other - otten a classic phase of a guerrilla war. Nonetheless there is a situation of genuine dual power. The FMLN guerrillas now permanently administer a section of the country. The trend of development is towards a strengthening of the power of the guerrillas, the country ungovernable and economy continues to decav. As the guerrillas get stronger, and the regime talls the possibility of intervention by the United States increases.

the one true thing that he said in the whole press conference. But Haig could also have pointed to the role of NATO in planning the military coup in Turkey, a move in which the US was

Gangsterism

Just as when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, the US will play the Polish events

to whip are WOlLI communism. The criminal actions of the Polish and Soviet bureaucrats not only deal a blow against the Polish workers and the working class internationallv. but in the last analvsis strengthen the hand of imperialism it easier for the United States to justify its international gangsterism by pointing to 'agressiveness' of the Soviet Union. In defending the Polish workers, we must not associate the workers movement in any way with the false friends of the Polish workers.

In reality, the United States and other Western governments will have breathed a sigh of relief when the Polish army moved against

LA LIBERTAO'

Roy ine guettillas 50 km

revolutionary war

Under the Eagle, by Jenny Pearce, Latin America Bureau, £2.50 By Phil Hearse JENNY PEARCE's new book valuable weapon for all those who stand on the side of the people Central America and the Caribbean against the bloody American-backed dictatorships oppress them. The book traces the history of American domina. tion of the region starting with the Monroe doctrine in the first half of the nineteenth tury, through to the notior manifest destiny' exemplified by Teddy Roosevelt's pugnacious perialism, to the pre Sent revolutionary struagles in that region.

Particularly valuable is the strategy States 5=== 1960s. In response:o ire Cuban revolution and rising discontent in the region, the US, through

anti-

• making Alexander Haig

the Solidarity. The

and the Pentagon. ported by its real friends ment of the whole world.

Towards a regional

the Alliance for Pro-

the Central

American Common

Market and similar schemes attempted to assist the economic and

development of the region alternative to revolution.

Phoney land reform

schemes abounded. Such industrialisation as occurred was dependent industrialisation, under the control of the US multinationals and benefitting only the controlling oligarchy.

Twenty years later the result of this project clear. The ruling elites re main intact, except in Nicaragua where licy laye been overthrown by the Sandinista revolutionaries The masses

200 0 2=1

'moderate middle way seems credible to no one.

Perhaps most in-

Socialist Challenge

Carlo

actions of Solidarity, its demands for workers control, workers veto and the use of direct action of the organised working class to win victories, will not for one moment have endeared them to the White House

Solidarnose must be sup

- the labour move-

HONDURAS

teresting from the point ot

view revolutionary

Suralee and future

course of developments

Jenny Pearce's

remarks on Guatemala.

This country, she argues,

is in many ways the key to

the region

Guatemala is the coun

try with the bulk of US in

vestment in the region. Oil

has been discovered on the

border with Mexico. The

links between the

Guatemalan oligarchy and

the Reagan camp are par

Although the political

violence in the country has

not reached open civil was

as in EI Salvador, 25,000

people have been killed

since the late '60s, perhaps

5,000 in the last year.

The army kills 40 peo

ple a day, while the left

wing guerrillas

ticularly the Guerrilla Ar

my of the Poor - grow in.

Any

stalemate in El Salvador,

Jenn Pearce

could be broken by the

aevelopments

Guatemala

campaign with inese::

task for socialists.

21 January 1982 page 11

Page 12 scan of this page

An offer you can't refuse

Where you can buy

Socialist Challenge

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Socialist Challenge 21 January 1982 page 12

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FUND

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'82

-ABOUT

DISARM

AN ALL OUT

June.

national.

by British CND to organise

ternational action chosen coincides with the

cisarmament.

of a new cold war, armament that has gone debate have never

DUCOoUlC.

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Germany, Italy and

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Mobilise for 6 June

CAMPAIGN for huge European-wide anti-nuclear mobilisation on 6

That was the decision of the recent meeting of the secretariat of the Fourth Inter-

The meeting heard reports of the decision

another huge demonstration on 6 June, and its call for in-

on that day. The date opening of the United Nations special session on peace and

The United Nations debates undoubtedly reflect the world-wide concern at the build up

and the furious rewith it. But UN solved anything: only mass action will put the warmongers under

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* CRUISE

ticularly hard to ensure ordinated demonstrations take place in line with CND's call.

The Fourth International has decided that during these demonstrations its militants will take up the demand for a nuclear free Europe

'from Poland to Portugal', which is complementary to the nuclear disarmament, drawal of American bases. the demand tor jobs not Bombs'. the links between the imperialist war drive and austerity, and solidarity with the strug. gles in Central America.

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with

the f300 sent by our West

London supporters LOOK

us to the initial target for

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Page 13 scan of this page

By Bridie Ryan THE 1981 Labour Party conference may seem a

may have forgotten, which marked a milestone in the Labour Party's policy on Ireland. The party is now committed to campaign for a united Ireland.

But, as Joan Maynard said at the time, 'We've won the parliamentary Labour Party, we've won une constituencies. now we have to win the unions.'

She

Was the trade union block vote which secured the defeat for resolutions on British withdrawal, the fundamental prerequisite for the achievement of Irish unity.

British trade unions that have members in the North of Ireland are concerneo unal support TOI

would divide their membership and incur final chaos.

Reasons

But, as Irish trade INTONSIS have oTten pointed out: partition, the crime agalnst une irisa people, divides the working class.

The District Secretary of the Jrish vant's union Matt Merrigan has said: "It is exactly 60 since partition

ycals was imposed on the Irish people as a partial settlement of Britain's colonial role in ireland

'Community strife secLantalsiu. death have attended the in a procession commemorating the 13 young tims of the New Cross

17 January.

The following evening over 300 heard John La

Socialist Challenge 21 January 1982

Ireland: 'We

have to win

the unions

long time ago to us all now, but for those who

it was that conference

maintenance of this last vestige of Tory imperialist presence in Ireland. divided the working class in Ireland, relaruca di socialsi (Onsciousness and created tension and division between working people in Britain and Ireland.

Amza Ruddock (centre) one of the bereaved parents

massacre. As part number of events one year after the Deptford fire

1000 people attended a memorial meeting on Sunday

page 13

This was written in a letter of support to a conTerence will hopefully take the first step for organising on the Irish issue in the unions. conference. organised by the Labour Committee on Ireland and The Committee for Withdrawal from Ireland, will take place in London on Saturday 27 February.

It is being backed by leading trade unionists and Labour MP's among them

IRELAND: TIME FOR

TORY POLICIES TO GO

LABOUR MOVEMENT CONFERENCE ON IRELAND

SATURDAY 27th FEBRUARY 1982.

THE THEATRE, 309 REGENT ST LONDON W1. and to set up an international inquiry.

Ireland

Tony Benn, Joan

Maynard Sapper

and Ray Buckton.

Donr Flynn the

secretary of the Labour

Committee

stated: "This conference

otters an opportunitv tol

trade unionists, Labour

Party members and others

in the Labour movement,

to contribute to the debate

that activate the

British trade unions and

take forward the campaign

in the Labour Party. Break

'We must prove

British trade unionists that

the situation in ireland to

day directly involves them.

Not only does a divided

Ireland obstruct social and

political progress there,

Dut also threatens the

labour movement here by

undermining democracy

here'.

The difficulties of win-

ning a significant number

of trade

• LO

cause of British withdra-

wal are enormous, but this conierence marks an im-

portant first stage in the

battle. Get delegated now.

Details from, Labour Move.

Ireland, Vorth End Rd,

W14.

Rose and Darcus Howe of the New Cross Massacre Action Committee review the campaign and plan the next stage. It was agreed to fight for a new inquiry

The NCMAC can be contacted at 74, Shakespeare Road, London

By Tessa van Gelderen

Transport's 35,000

political action to defy the Lords.

London Transport

workers are responding to

the doubling of fares, huge

cuts in services and the loss

of 5,000 jobs. The Tories

nave no intention of resolving the mess their

friends in high places have

placed the working people

of London in.

David Howell, Minister of Transport has,

in the words of Ken Liv-

ingstone. 'Given with one hand and taken with the

other' when he announced that he would repay f6lm of the £110m penalty

which he imposed on the London rate support grant.

Where has the other

needed

'HAVE YOU ever been on the game? How many men have you had sex with? How many times have you had sex? Have you had

Rally history of mental ilIness!

These were the questions

policemen fire at a womar

wit call

revolt ina she had been raped

The woman's gruelling in terview was featured in a BBC television documentary series

The three policemen conducting the interview took sadistic delight in asking woman she unsulls which OuCH was wnole come uo entire procedure concluded with one sad or Thicks "This biggest load

'and another, 'I'd say you ve been a wiling part-

Not surprisingly, the end, the woman decided not to lodge an official complaint of rape

It's only when such extreme cases come to light that

public outcry 1s made even ine luc nas been mov

Murray has written to Lord Hailshan welcotfing the Crown's commcus on me chaos mode ment, and Joan Lestor MF

led a group of base or MP's a House

ing Judge Richards

oresent laws are so obviously weighted

victims that chang needed Beth don kape Crisis Centre, told vocaust unauence ter of the law is quite strong on rape tion

can be up to life him risonment.

But while on the one hand rape is recognised in law as a

serious crime other hand lapc. al c

conDaralvery con by the police andoceede comoralis oroceeded viction rate low, sentences about two and a half years

'consent' which forms the basis

= 2are beaten over the head

never Centre has made submissions London Crisis

Fares Up in London

FOLLOWING the decision of the Law Lords that the Labour GLC's fares policy is illegal, London

workers are considering strike action. The unions involved are backing the call from GLC councillors Ken Livingstone and Valerie Wise for 'all-out industrial and

f40m gone? The transport unions should now organise With . the GLC, Labour Parties, other and consumer organisations to openly Law Lords.

Up in the West Midlands THE Labour West Midlands County Council will put up fares by 70 per cent as a result of the decision. The flat rate 2p charge for children and the plan to introduce concessionary fares for the unemployed will now be

Rape- changes

Criminal Procedure calling onus of proof to be

The defendant should be re

tered to mired that ea

against the women's will.

Womer une RaDi casis centre aso wish to ser rape within marriage made il

As far as police interviews are concerned they want to see women allowed to have a friend when makes he statement Beth told us: unc ponce are mere to estabusa racis. unis can ne

done dathon yet what was

interviev television is not at all uncom

I ne law and order brigade have been quick to seize the the public outcry gain 1 al They dience for lucas see the problem being one o now to strenginen une Dowel to punish in-

dividual as stre

Clearly, real fight about Pc Brian Kirk was one of 'hard men' woman

scrapped. The Tories must

laughing themselves sick...

But in South Yorkshire AT a mass meeting in South Yorkshire, transport workers Monday. 1,400 transport workers voted to come out on 25 January This is the day designated as a one day protest stop. page against govern. ment policies.

The bus workers will be out because the Law Lords ruling may result in the loss of 1,500 jobs in South Yorkshire.

As the leaflet calling the bus workers to the meeting stated: "This is probably the most im. portant meeting you are asked to attend. As a bus worker it may be your last.

By Judith Arkwright and Yvonne Taylor

popular attitudes and misconceptions about

Plans with are rectica in lie leed process. Allues walco women secretly enjoying

which see rapists as normal' men

Rape is an inevitable pri duct of the sort of societ which we live which degrades

and teaches palucipal oppres

Labour movement leace:: have shown signs that they are prepared treat this issue Hopefully we winou schousnes see them following women's lead and alongside them to bring about change in the law

Motions to

• ace no

Amount meetings and emergency motions at the LaDoll Women's conferences all help women to win the sup port they need to move ahead on this issue. Kine was inter demoted for lazing saped

Page 14 scan of this page

Are the bosses for

letter

Democracy

WHEN the early Marxists called themselves aemocrats iney were crear about what they wanted. of democracy in the three main areas or social ute -political democracy, economic democracy and individual liberty. These three things are bound together in the revolutionary maryist's view of democracy.

The ruling class has for too long had a propaganda coup on lney say democracy means they nove ken one aspect of political democracy, that is panamentary democracy, adem cracy. This needs as held that up be confronted. By putting back the missing parts of roOk challenge the ruling class on their chosen ground

Socialist Challenge should produce a pamphlet called 'what is democracy'. it could show why socialists are the only real democrats. ROB JONES, London

DAD

TASTE

Socialist Challenge

etters Attel SerTEl.

21 January 1982 page 14

PHIL HEARSE (letters 14 January) that the bosses are

get rid of her.

He claims that 'manufacturing' has been hurt This is to repeas Thatcher's policies.

Dourceols prejudice. Recessions factory closures and Illass unemployment are in the WELCI COLD oi ine bosses even if interest rates and the value of the pound are not exactly to the bosses' liking.

Line racis speak tor themselves. Most major manulaclulllg BIONS back in profit, other state sectors (British Steel BL are on schedule for their restructuring programme. Average productivity

(higher than Japan's), wage rates are down.

The main problem the bosses have with Thatcher is in relation to the money SUDDEV and the composition of public sector expenditure (too much on welfare, not enough on capital The demands of the bosses are for Thatcher

1iUlc faithfully implement her

In fact they have over-

etters

Letters

suggests opposed to Thatcher's monetarist policies. If this is true, it is a rather odd that there appears to be no early move to

whelmingly benefited from Thatcher's monetarist policies and broadly speaking are 100 per cent behind them.

There a discussion on exactly how, and what tempo to reflate. But this is ditterent from

which in so far as it has any Conceit. proposes a uto• pian return to the concensus policies of the boom years.

The sort of expansion of the economy, will encourage a 'grab back' by the working class which will rule out the effectiveness deanng will wages and the Inrougn legislation. Heath found that workers 'respect' for such laws was only skin deep.

The bosses need the policies of the SDP like a hole in the head. Despite all the gains, productivity is still too low Edwardes' 'achievements' at BL only bring productivity there back to 1929 levels! Competitiveness, even with the tall of the pound and the

Staffa, the

need for union

solidarity

WITH reference to the recent articles and letters Socialist Challenge has carried on the Staffa dispute, it may be useful to explain what happened on the staff side in Staffa.

The white collar union ASTMS eventual-

agreement with the company, albeit reluctantly We negotiators didn't feel the branch could be carried into a position of going on strike to achieve a settlement of over then per cent.

When the TGWU went on strike, convenor Mick Wilson requested ASTMS members not lo cross the picket line. This request was supported by the ASTMS group committee, but the members as

volcany slight majority to ignore the request.

Despite this, some ASTMS members decided not to cross the

After two days the thanked

productivity increases, has only knocked 15 points off the 40 per cent drop sutfered in 1980

organisation across British industry. still an insuperable barrier to the sort of increase in the rate of exploitation required. The bosses are still utilising the situation created by I hatcher Ford and British Rail are two typical examples of a general pattern

Phil's analysis suggests that the perspective is for the attacks on workers to ease up The opposite is the case. Not only will the offensive on workers' organisation intensify, but Inis will be generansea lo other areas, like the cur-

destruction ot the London public transport

This is not to say the ruling class is not in. ing with constitutional changes, turn to coalitions and so on. But what raises this is the problem created for them by the democratic rights that we enjoy. these ASTMS members and withdrew the request not to cross

It is clear that the majority of ASTMS members did not realise that solidarity with other unions on site is essential, especially with ine recent anti-union legislation. We cannot have unions on the site being

Sallit picked off one at a time. Unfortunately, a lot of ASTMS members still hold an elitist view.

This one lesson of the Staffa dispute is for the need of greater co-operation between unions in the same plant, and for an understanding of the importance of solidari-

As ASTMS negotiators, we intend to carry on and press this view.

JIMMY MILLER Vice-chair, McPherson's ASTMS London

the SDP?

When the 1012C the previous 'gentlemanly' alternation of parties creates difficulties of rather major kind.

turning out of Thatcher poses the undoing of all her gains - Dal ticularly with the rise of Benn inside the Labour Party. This is where the SDP comes in, as a way of ensuring a further term for a Thatcherite government

Guilty - if

weeks, there's been enough of it. First, Judge

are always guilty.

proceeded against for rape

be held -and the rapists are free

line then he ought to

'consenting'. laws with its ambiguous

marriage is all against the woman.

go out they are almost automatically walking, making themselves any man to take.

years tor all rapists

when it gets into the press.

police are no friends of women, women best defence is self defence

chains and not to rely on bourgeois law.

Wing women now

tial we may be as to their effect.

law

problem in the first place!

JUDITH ARKWRIGHT London

(whether headed by Thatcher or not).

The bosses need Thatcher's policies (shorn of their idiocies) and by hook or by crook they are determined tha the government has them whatever people vote for But even the best laid plans of mice and men...

BRIAN GROGAN, Hackney

you're a woman

IT MAKES you sick at heart to read about the brutality and cruelty with which women are treated in this society and the way the law itself even condones this. And in the last two

Bertram Richards tells women in this country that if they go out late at night, if they choose to be independent, if they attempt to exercise basic rights afforded to men in this society then they must expect to be punished for it. Women, as the victims.

Then, in Scotland three young men are not

because the woman involved is in such a bad state that she can't give evidence and the case cannot

so again the woman is punished

And these cases are not excentions. Loro Hailsham has now made a public statement condemning the decision of the judge in the first case. But if this judge has stepped out of

be removed. Lord Hailsham would not approve of that, since it was he who two years ago upheld the verdict of special circumstance for a man who claimed that he believed the woman involved was

The entire legal framework of the rape

definition of consent, with its non-recognition of rape within

Such laws reinforce attitudes that women are either whores or wives and mothers that they should either stay at home or, if they

'street available for

A Tory MP following on from the Judge Richards verdict, is seeking to introduce a law for a minimum custodial sentence of two

• Typical of the law and order brigade to jump in on an issue like this

But socialists must explain their attitude to this. We know that the law courts and the

and thai

fight to change the society that keeps them in

But we cannot abstain on the issues fac-

we should support changes in the law including the ones mentioned for a minimum custodial sentence to protect and benetit women - however scep.

We should also demand the removal of judges like Richards, and for the laws allowing for rape between husband and wife, and for the word 'consent' to be changed in the

I would be interested to know what other readers think about this. It is a burning issue for women and socialists must take it up we cannot leave it to the crocodile tears 01 the bourgeois media - who are part of the

Page 15 scan of this page

Should socialists support Reagan's boycott?

'The

Laurence

Scott

Saga

Granada TV's 'The Laurence Scott Saga', is invaluable if you want an accurate portrayal of the Scott's strikers' case.

A video of the film is now available from the Laurence Scott Strike together with PENNING, a TASS steward at Laurence Scott and PETE CLIFFORD, have documentary for Challenge.

The documentary starts by explaining that emnlover Arthur Snipe is a man of unusual frankness and the 'perfect villain'

The Financial Times described the take over of Scott's by the Mining Supplies group in October 1980 as a 'dawn raid'. Snipe prefers to think of it as an act of charity: 'They were lucky we took it over,' he explains. He was saving a 'drowning company'.

Assets

Challenged about his asset stripping of the Scott's new group Snipe proclaims that taking over a company is like getting married, you don't know what you're getting.

In contrast, Strike tative, Peter Rowen, talks about how Snipe's move to close the Manchester factory in April 1981 shattered the lives of the 650 workers there.

The decision to occupy was taken against a background of job losses throughout the area. go, says Peter kowen

The other villain of the saga union executive member, Ken Cure, is featured defending the national union leadership's sell out in July. tled for just three months guaranteed work, he declares, Where there's life, there's hope!

The union leadership

HOW DO we aid

and Labour

In the first of a

Arguments for

only further hurt

Poland.

Not any old blow aimed at

Elic despotic 1 UICIS

Eastern Europe aids

Solidarity.

We know from our

own experience that

Thatchers and Reagans are

no friends to working peo-

While mouthing sup-

broke

pickets.

documentary,

laly.

Committee speakers. PHIL

reviewed the Socialist strikers'

The

urunce. ' Enough said!

Committee represen-

engineering 'We had nowhere else to

- engineering

Explaining why the executive set-

fell for all Snipe's our sisters and brothers in Poland? With trade union

leaders proposing no serious labour movement action, some people have been seduced by the idea of a campaign calling on imperialist countries to take economic sanctions against Poland and the Soviet Union.

new series of Socialism, BRIAN GROGAN argues that such actions can

the workers port for Solidarity, Thatcher is busy shackling the unions in Britain. Reagan is going still further and destroying whole unions.

COuLSC. SOcialists must stand for the ayerthrow of the bureaucratic rulers of Eastern Europe.

The events in Poland have shown that workers' rights

claims of hardship.

by former chairman of the Scott's group who describes the brutal nature of Snipe's asset surrouniz oocialiull.

John Tocher, local divisional organiser of

national leaders' move to stab the strikers in the back. In the understatement of the year he says: 'We're sadly lacking in national leadership.

Perhaps the Scott's strike is best known for the break up of the occupation by sledge hammer wielding bailiffs and the flying scabs who

the picket line by November.

Local MP, Charles Morris, is plainly shocked by such tactics. Sadly, he fails to explain how serious a threat is posed for the labour movement as a whole by these moves and by the use of the Employment Act against the Scott's

Snipe himself raises the most important question. In defending the closure he protests that: "There's nothing special about the situation at Laurence scott'. union leadership are concerned, no doubt they hoped that this would be the case.

But what has been special is that at Scott's, the workers have fought back rather than be sent down the road to the dole queue.

Peter Robes hor determined they throughout the documen-

describes despite facing enormous obstacles. touches on this but tails to canture fullv the real strength of the dispute: the strikers' successful mass pickets to stop scabbing; the efforts to spread their message across the country; the five week long flying picket of the Doncasterbased Mining Supplies and their fight against the engineering union's leaders. It is all these things that make Scott's very special. Clear

Unfortunately the documentary concludes with the regret that here is an impossible situation with a stubborn management and a stubborn workforce.

However, as a summary of the Scott's

slury. the documentary weapon. The message from the strikers is clear: you can fight back but you have to be prepared to face many problems on the road to winning.

Laurence Scott Saga Strikers is armittee rel laurence ol

Committee,

Meeting and Video Show

The Laurence Scott Saga

Halfway House, Ashton Old Rd, Openshaw, Manchester

Organised by Socialist Challenge are incompatible with the maintenance of a privilegbureaucracy. the other has to go. But the liberation of the class is not a task for Thatcher or Reagan.

Ever since the first successful capitalism with the 1917 overthrow POVE

Under Review

Their patent falseness is

Tapscott, helicopter So far as he and the

all.

The film is a vital

together with

061-231-4434 ENCE

, LSE convenor

Laurence Scott in the early Russian Revolution, imoccasi 1 UlCiSi have hankered after winning back to the capitalist fold the growing number of non-capitalist countries.

Now, Reagan is once again mouthing threats of 'roll back' . His game is to try to leech off Solidarity's fight for workers' rights in

SNIPE

THE SELL YORKSHIRE OUT ASSET a LAURENCE STRIPPER SCUIT

Poland in the hope of

crushing Sovie workers.

Behind Reagan's eco-

HO INC is

drive towards war.

At this stage, he is not

contemplating a direct at-

tack on the Soviet Union.

To that extent, his sanc-

tions are

SOLIDARITY

WITH

LAURENCE

SCOTT'S

SIT - IN

NO SELL OUT LAURENCE SCOTT hearted. His main concern at this time is his war cry Reagan's striving to win backing for sanctions Is an alempt to store up a fund of support for acLOTH against the Soviet Union in the future The result of Reagan achieving any success with his policies will be to undermine the growing anti-missiles ment.

In the longer term, re-imposition of capitalism in Eastern Europe would be a world shatter ing defeat, not only for the there for workers of the whole world. Socialists cannot be party. to any campaign which aids this

sanctions do not affect the privileges OI the Polish bureaucracy. A call on the

Western bankers to in-

their stranglehold on the Polish economy can only increase the misery of the workers. Will not even have the marginal benefit - as in the case of South Africa - of disrupting imperialist opera-

Rank and file blacking is no solution either

In the absence of any political being waged by the rank and file trade union leaders, sup port for blacking appeals are bound to be inspired

imperialist propaganda.

The struggle in Poland is not economic. It is a

. What is poluca struggie needed political and materia aid the workers' movement throughout the world Solidarity.

Socialist Challenge 21 January 1982• page 15

Page 16 scan of this page

SOLDARTY

The Polish rulers' loyalty pledge Thereby declare that I have read the memorandum from the chief of staff of the cabinet of the Council of Ministers dated 17 December 1981, and I confirm that 1 am fully aware of my duty to behave in conformity with the principles of the people's law.

Acting in the interests of society and socialism, ples ertake to safeguard in all principles of the edification my conduct the authority of the popular government and to scrupulously carry out the instructions of my superiors, bearing in mind the socialist development of the People's Republic of Poland and the maintenance of trust in the people's State.

'Considering that numerous leading bodies of the NSZZ Solidarity union have acted over the past months clearly against the constitutional bodies of the government, tending to take counterrevolutionary positions to overthrow the

I hereby declare withdrawal from the union.

Registered as a newspaper with the Post Office

Published by Cardinal Enterprises, PO Box 50, London N1. Printed by East End Offset(TU) Ltd, London E2.

Socialist Challenge

with -

the 'peace' and 'calm' of Poznan.

nosc' badges.

withdrew it.

dependent union.

and declarations SOLIDARNOSC.

resistance has already begun.

The Polish workers'

RESISTANCE in Poland to the imposition of martial law is growing. Last week the Polish government organised a specially laid on trip for Western journalists to see for themselves

But when they got to the Cegielski engine factory they found many of the workers wearing Solidar-

During the same trip a regional leader of Solidarnosc - one of the few to have publicly supported martial law - told journalists that he had made his statement under duress and

The military coup of December 12th 1981 is continuing to meet determined resistance from the inSOLIDARNOSC. After the shooting of the Silesian miners, the breaking down of factory gates and the internment of more than 30,000 SOLIDARNOSC activists, the military government of Jaruzelski is resorting to work passes, compulsory signing of loyalty document of intent not to rejoin Those who refuse to comply with these anti-union measures are sacked or interned. Despite this, support for SOLIDARNOSC remains strong and in many factories passive struggle for democratic control of industry and the right to a free trade union has been attacked many times. Workers have been killed in Poznan in 1956, Gdansk in 1970, Radom in 1976 and now in Silesia in 1981. Each time the Polish working class has rebuilt its movement even stronger, eventually exploding in the historic Polish August of 1980 and the creation of the 10 million strong NSZZ SOLIDARNOSC. This union cannot be crushed by tanks and guns -it is the days of the WRON (Military Council)

It is clear that Solidarnosc not crushed.

Solidarity bulletins are circulating in several major towns.

The main leader of the resistance still free, Solidarnosc leader Zbigniew Bujak, has given a lon interview denouncing all those - East and West who blame Solidarnosc for 'going too far and causing the repres

-Labour Poland Solidarity -

An appeal to the British labour and trade union movement

NOSC.

donated will go to SOLIDARNOSC

with a donation.

Capacity ov

GLC), ERIC HEFFER MP.

ANDY HARRIS (London Labour Party

ecutive).

Graham Durham, Solidarity Fund,

London NW2. Tel: 01-452 7227.

Every day evidence of resistance of the Polish accumulates. All this is taking place despite the fact that there are now 20,000 people in the detention camps.

of The frow presist no

SCOTICS dicates the need to step up the work of building a vast international solidarity The left of the HOVCHICHE labour movement has been very slow to take up the campaign Britain something which has allowed right wingers like Formley and Terry Duty Frank Joe to present themselves as Tne real friend. of the Polish workers.

Ronald SHUS Reagan and Alexander these right wingers have nothing in common with Solidarnosc, an organisation which militantly fight for workers' rights.

To begin to build a labour movemen paign important steps have been recently taken.

Labour Party InternaCommittee passed a resolution supporting Solidarnosc and sponsoring a London labour movement rally Solidarnosc committees Glasgow, Manchester are organising demonstranons. And an appear to se up Labour Poland Solidarity fund has beer signed by Eric Heffer, Ken Livingstone, Tony Benn and Ron Keating of NUPE. There also moves towards a labour movement Solidarity conterence Solidarity with Solidarnosc is the most important international task ot the anour movemen today. As the resistance arows. renression wil tensify. Our job is to make the Polish WOLKCH. do not fight alone.

See pages 6,7 and 10 for the latest news of the Polish crisis

HANDS

OFF

SARANO

Badges. 20p + 11½ p&p. Bulk rates on re

cues voster oreer made out Socialist Challenge which are numbered not the future of SOLIDAR-

This appeal for funds for SOLIDARNOSC is going out to the British labour and trade union movement to aid the rebuilding of SOLIDARNOSC and to help the families of those interned, imprisoned and killed by the WRON. Every penn!

We hopi every trade union branch, every Trades Council, every Labour Party branch will support this appeal

This appeal is already supported in a personal

TONY BENN MP, KEN LIVINGSTONE (leader,

RON KEATING Gen. Sec. NUPE), JEREMY CORBYN Ex-

Please rush donations to: Labour Poland Solidarity Fund, c/o Co-operative Bank, 110 Leman St, London El. For further information contact:

treasurer Labour Poland 89 Gladstone Park Gardens,

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