Socialist Challenge No. 231, 4 February 1982
The scan: sc-no231.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
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Page 1 scan of this page
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- Editorial
PO Box 50, London N1 2XP Phone 01-359-8189/8180 (editorial and distribution)
Kill the Bill
THE PUBLICATION of Norman Tebbit's anti union legislation concentrates the mind wonderfully. The main proposais, which the labour movement has known for months, remain unchanged. In comes: • State funding for union ballots. This will give the press a field day and the right wing to use the media of their own ends recent miners ballot. • Compensation for job loss to those who refuse to join a union in a closed shop. This will, in the words of David Basnett, general secretary of the general workers union, disrupt collective bargaining. • The right to selectively sack strikers who refuse to return to work. This gives a green light to all scabs.
Out goes: • Union immunity to civil actions for damages for 'unlawful industrial action'. Unions will be liable for up to E250,000 damages. • Legal protection for so called 'political strikes* as well for inter-union strikes.
The major import of the Bill is to leave to reactonary judges to declare whether or not a strike is "illegal'. Solidarity actions would be totally ruled out as would such actions as the recent blacking of the Sun by traindrivers. Moreover many trade union leaders will be able to hide behind threats of legal action being taken to block industrial action.
The last time that these sort of restrictions were imposed was on the backs of the defeat of the 1926 general strike. But the working class is not in this position today. Given the right leadership it can easily have the strength and organisation to prevent mis legislation occonnais nam
Len Murray, general sectretary of the TUC was moved to declare: union Bill. It is an anti-industry Bill, and it will join its predecessor, the Industrial Relations Act on the scrap heap. meeting decided to shelve even modest proposais for action until the special conference of union executives scheduled for 5 April. By that time, the proposals will be well on their way to becoming law Terry Duffy, right wing engineers leader, took Murray's jabberings about the Bill being 'anti industry one ludicrous stage further. In his view the unions should make common employers as they have bigger influence' than the unions. He left unexplained how such joint action was possible when the employers supported the Bill, "It is realistic and soundly constucted' said Walter Goldsmith, stitute of Directors.
Len Murray may try to claim credit for putting the Industrial Relations Act on the scrap heap. But without rank and file action and a mass movement being built, it would still be in operation.
Before the IR Act became law, strikes were called. One attracted 250,000 workers and the second over 3m. The first time the law was
used seriously to imprison five dockers a general
strike from below developed forcing the release of the now famous "'Pentonville Five"
Bill Keys, general secretary of the Society of
Graphical and Allied Trades, has put forward a
platform of measures which would be a good basis
for discussion and action. He has called among
other things for the use of trade union strengin and
for the TÚC to call for co-ordinating action to de-
fend unions under attack.
fund and for the TUC to withdraw from
government bodies concerned with
plementation of economic policy or dealing with
the proposed Icgislation.
ranks. A call should go out for the formation in
every area for action committtes to mobilise
against the Bill. JOIN THE FIGHT FOR
SOCIALIS If you would like to be put in touch with 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 4 February 1982
- as Gormley did in the
bribe non-unionists to
This is not just an anti-
But the last General Council
cause with the
director-general of the n-
two one day He wants a fom ail the im-
But the key is the mobilisation of the union
PO Box 50
page 2
Labour Liaison '82
THE new left campaign in the Labour Party Labour Liaison '82, was launched Saturday 2: January. Central to its discussion was whether or not a truce between right and left had been agreed at Bishop's Stortford earlier in the month.
This underpinned how the left views its strategy in the party and the trade unions during the Tories, running up to Labour Party conference and to the next general election.
TONI GORTON spoke organisers, BOB WRIGHT, assistant general secretary of the engineering union, the AUEW, about his opinions of the conference and the tasks of the left.
Can you explain what the discussions istortford Bishop's mean for the left? How will Labour Liaison '82 be organised, especially in the trade unions and localities?
We not creating a membership organisation or sectanau tion. What was agreed at the meeting is that LL82 would be a co-ordinating body to launch priorities and a campaign strategy in regard 10: the problems facing the working class in this country.
The Labour left groups who were initially represented gave general, if guarded in some cases, support tor the principic.
But there will be no formal organisation.
So the campaign itself is a liaison, it is intended to
identify the left and
CHELICHEE those on the
right of the Labour Party
who've been propagating the idea that the left
out to destroy the
possibility of an election of
a Labour government and
to create splits and so on.
Attacks have been
SDP to justify their defec
tions, and by some of the
remaining right wing
elements nee baue trade
unions and the
Parle believe that now -
nothing with
Bishop's Stortford -
the time identify
Labour serious
alternative in oracl to
defeat the right wing in the
sense and the
Fories in particular
And of course we must and defeat the
challenge this
breakaway SDP, many of
whom were the tathers and
mothers Labour's
defeat in 1979. So there
isn't a truce.
We have made it very
clear that we will resist any
attempts TEVE SC the
constitutional changes
BAD TASTE (2
THREE MILLION!! AND HERE IN NORTHERN IRELAND ONE PERSON IN FIVE 15
"NO TRUCE'
coming year in the fight against the
one of the
resclection, on election of leadership and the general moves that SCCL made to make the party more accountable.
If the right wing think they with witch-hunts within the party overall movement. whether it be Mill-
candidates for parliamentary seats,
government situations that develop and that local parties are going to be over-ruled and stampec upon -- then were oppos ed to that. We'll fight it
But our major task is to ensure that all parts of the party accept the authority of conference on policies decided and seek their implementation,
to unify the movement to defeat the Tories and ment hat will represen.
will represent and reffect the real desires
aspirations the
working class of this country.
Labour.
The better
way.
/BUT THAT MEANS THAT FOUR PEOPLE IN EVERY:
RIVE HAVE A JOB!
Labour Party
But look. on the left say that if you get accountability selection don't need mass activity such
demonstrations around unemploymnent or abortion rights What else needed besides policy agreements?
Demonstrations, activity
meetings, campaigns and so on are all important in that you are involving workers, but in themselves they are not the answer.
It's Wild. vou do as a result of the huge upsurge. I think we'll be judged on how far we can develop a
as an alternative SPALTES to what's happening.
There is a lot of move ment trade unionists in the private sector in the industria
world who are saying quite bluntly, individual panies, national or multinational, shall not have
the same right of deter-
mination cut backs
closures and diversionary
strategies in terms of pro-
ducts, lifting companies
out of Britain and putting
them in South Africa and
so on to boost their pro
fits!
All these things have
got to form the basis for
Labour planning agree
ment/strategy, where
Privatordu tres made to
more accountable.
We've got to be more
aware of the destruction of
our industry and be
prepared to take them into The Callaghan government is responsible for the present electoral problems of the Labour Party. It is a
(COULD MEW IT A
MAGNITUDE
Bob Wright is the Assistant General Secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers. He is on the stearing committee for Labour Liaison 82 and was also Broad Left candidate for Genera/ Secretary of AUEW
public ownership if
Will you be 'campaignbill? against Tebbit's We have to do what the AUEW did in 1972 and say that we will not observe your courts, we'll not attend them, we'll not be subjected to the judiciary I hope it will be a much more united fight then we had then
The labour commitment is already there. We have remove such legislation from the statute book.
The battle in the Labour Party has been fought under the slogan of more Wilson/Callaghan governments'
But this presupposes
but (neV type leadership both in the party and in the unions where the use of the OR PERHAPS YOU ONGOING LEISURE SIT UATION OF INCREASIN
block vote has
decisive affect on policy
and constitutional ques
tions.
The struggles that have
been going on about who
should be the leader have
been think
it's remarkable that Tony
Benn should have come so
close to winning the depu-
ty leadership contest.
Whether stands
again, in my view will be
largely determined to the
extent that the right win
launch an assault when i
comes to conference.
Benn will consult the
movement about whether
to stand again.
But we are not going to
create ihe possibility of
greater division un-
necessarily.
If the Labour Party
can emerge as the rea
alternative to the Toric
then there can he substan-
tial changes
judgments of members
about who they elect.
Labour.
The better
way.
gigantic travesty to blame the lefts efforts to prevent a
AND WHY SHOUL VE BE SO SELFISH?
INCREASED LEISURE!!
Page 3 scan of this page
The John De Lorean sting
Labour Irish campaigners to meet
motor company voted to give its boss,
hasn't earned his 'performance bonus'.
con men of all time.
The only qualification on such a judgment is that thetarget of De Lorean's con
HIST Labour governmen and its dictator in Ireland Roy
practically stood on their hind legs and begged to be swindled. That Lorean duly obliged will be to
credit capitalism, but really, it has Den 9s as taking candy from a baby.
The saga began in the summer of 1978. De Lorean arrived on Roy Mason's doorstep and asked or a lot or money: that time it was f53m, although
TECCIVE much more. De Lorean had an idea. It was to build a 'ethical, safe sports car made stainless steel, with air bags instead seat DelS something very fancy called
clastic reservoir moulding: In That T he De Lorcan promised that eventually employ 9,000 workers.
De Lorean had tried the con in other places. He had been to Michigan, Kansas, Texas, nsylvania, Puerto Rico, Spain, Portugal and France, but no suckers could be found. went to the south of Ireland and asked for 237m. but the
there decided was too high a risk for the Irish taxpayer'. So, grasping the old confidence trickster's THENE that the more money you ask for the better Chance vou nave of getting it, De Lorcan asked ON February. the Labour Committee on Ireland (LCI) holds its annua! conference in
Birmingham. The LCl is
The nation group in
the LADONE for
British withdrawal from
Challenge asked Martin, an one neena
worker from Man-
kind of
issues will be discuss-
The LCI was formed two years ago, Dul already 1 has over 500 members and is growing. All the time we are gaining new wences or cama
The big question is always Labour Party.
AT THE start of this year the board of the De Lorean
John De Lorean a 'performance bonus' of over $100,000. Although the company announced 1,000 redundancies at its factory in West Belfast last week and now seems to be on the verge of liquidation let none say that John De Lorean
For he may well go down in history as one of the most successful
Mason for 40 per cent the southern Irish had judged too risky"
De Lorean and his not too smart assistant Don Concannon in a recentive mood. That was when Mason was swaggering around Belfast proclaiming that he had beaten
of the IRA. All that was needed to
complete the victory was to give Catholics in West Belfast a few inousana joos ana they would return to the friendly bosom of the British family So. in one of the shortest negonaans penoos m nistor only 46 days from start to — Roy Mason signed away the money. Normally in such deals there 1s a amount of accountability written into the contract, but Roy Mason didn't worry about such details.
Only one representative was appointed to De Lorean's board and John himself retained the licence to produce the COr that if De Lorean packed his Pen- bags the factory he would leave
behind would he forbidden by law to continue to produce the
He car. Just to add
cake De Lorean demanded that Mason be linked to inflation grants Rov agreed to that one as well. Such then was the John De Lorean CUTE it hardly needs saying John's promises have remained unfulfilled quarter of the 9,000 jobs ever working out the best way to achieve our goal of bringing aoour withdrawal from Ireland.
The troops are most in portant, but we want to end the imperialist domination.
Party members and trade WHOSE WEATE KUCHED change the policies of and pledge future government to get out. Bút the high-ups in the party would never go along with that, so we have to oune a protest movement that can force the issue.
At the moment, we are only just beginning The funeral of Bobby Sands - his election opened up the Irish debate in the
more
found Mason
COLATE
government
That meant
arrived, the stainless steel car icing to the turned out not to be made of
stainless steel after all, and the air bags and elastic reservoir moulding never saw the light of day.
The car did eventually roll off the assembly line - six months later than promised - but it Less than a is ridiculously over-priced and
was described by a leading US even the left in the part duck the Irish issue if the are given the chance. All the opinion polls say that majority of people want the troops one or one resson or another. the left was prepared to take up this policy it could be a real election winner,
Do you think the last Labour Party Conference went some way to meet vour demands?
Things have moved in the party in response enormous support for the
and internationally. The election of Bobby Sands MP proved the English
Ireland,
acceptability".
would be
for *the rand
La company executive. John De press lied about the port prisoners had. The callous reaction of the Labour opposition to the strikes and tragic deaths brought to the conference
flood of resolutions demanding a break from
Torte Lcidid a great job
in bringing these together, but the eventual decisions of conference are little more than a start in committing the Labour Party to getting the troops out and letting the Irish run their country. e It is wrong LO allow Unionist politicians to veto British withdrawal. It is wrong to make any conditions upon
There are plenty of people around who support Irish self-government if they make the Loyalists
remain ir they join NATO, fits in with what British want. There are movement, like the MiliTONE that British troops should stay
until it goe socialist! Our campaign will HAVELO SULL SULLIS sense out on all this.
So what will LCI be do ing over the next year?
Although we recognise the stimulation
massive movement for withdrawal will come tron Ireland, there is still loads
car journal as 'abysmally short or any commercial standard o personally
for De millions Lorcan's claim that the car mysterious
'ethical', the image has now changed as a product Panama.
young bachelor who's made it', in the words of
to it.
Lorean has certainly made it. The Daily Mir-
of work to be done here and now. We have to try to organise all those who supported withdrawal at Party conference. We have to increase our attention working in the unions where the block votes at conference went against withdrawal.
There is room for growth of support among voung people particularl LPYS and would be
ror revealed last week he has
been channelling of pounds firm based in
Switzerland but registered in
Apparently, nobody
knows what this company did
for or with the E9m John gave
In a socialist country John
De Lorean would be thrown in
useful to see how much help having Youth CND for building CND's activities and maybe do the same with a youth wing of the LCI.
In all these areas I think we will grow. But just as important is makporters don't fall for the ing sure that ES CHIL of the trade union leaders who say we should be persuading the government to work out a
IRELAND: TIME FOR
TORY POLICIES TO GO
LABOUR MOVEMENT
CONFERENCE ON IRELAND
SATURDAY 27th FEBRUARY 1982.
THE THEATRE, 309 REGENT ST LONDON W1.
the for the socialist suntry
socialist country would have allowed him to operate in the first place. They would have used the money to produce useful products like
kidney machines build
simple texts on economics and given them to Roy Mason.
solution which will be 'argued for' with plastic bullets, truncheons and the like.
At conference, resolution which called for a special policy conference to take a deeper look at the Irish situation was referred to the Executive for further consideration. If we could help to get this of the ground, it would be a great opportunity to put forward our views Socialist Challenge 4 February 1982 page 3
Page 4 scan of this page
RAILWORKERS: AL
ASLEF
full
support
needed
By Pete Grant, ASLEF PRESSURE is increasing union, ASLEF, leader of the NUR proved once again that he is more a friend of the employers than railworkers. He took his scabbing behaviour to new heights in the press, claiming that ASLEF is going to cause his members to lose their jobs. He said he would take ASLEF "kicking and screaming if necessary' to the arbitration tribunal.
Why won't ASLEF go to arbitration? The reason is quite simply that there is nothing to arbitrate about.
The Rail Board has renegcd on an agreement - and ASLEF conference was quite cicar on keeping the
hour day. Arbitration means a willingness to compromise, that is, give up their eight hour day.
This we will not do.
Remove
If the NUR leadership was serious about ending the dispute, woud pressure the Board to pas up. It would also join with US opposing rostering. The rail unions unicca woua cwickiy Dring this dispute to an end.
There has been a lot of discussion as to why ASLEF han't called an all-out strike. Many drivers feel that an all-out strike would be counter productive. The majority were involved in the 1955 strike when ASLEF called everyone out prevent the loss of firemen's jobs
steam to diesel and electric traction. SUTCE other railworkers and without strike Dav ther were starved back to work.
The present three days of striké coupled with the work to rule are having a big disruptive effect with minimal problems for drivers. BR has lost an estimated £60m and it 1s believed that the Socialist ChaMerge" "4 Febraary
on the train drivers" to go to arbitration. Sid Weighell £920m external cash limit for the present year has ocen usco uD.
Next month British Rail will be brought to its financial knees if the presci ahuanon goes ou
But what has to be weighed up alongside this, is the way that BR is attempting to use the effects of the drivers' action to turn other railworkers against the drivers. The withdrawal of Sundav working has been coupled with a warning that paymen Tor buncE the drivers" strike will also be withdrawn.
Doom-laden threats are being mutered that the financial loss caused by the
Trivers action will preven any wages rise at all bein given by BR in April.
The hopes of BR utilise Weighell's scabbing to isolate the drivers from the start didn't work out. But its present methods might erode the overwhelming sympathy displayed by the guards.
Unity
The three days of action are having their effect on coal, steel, post and other big MUSES of the railways. However, dustry is managing, by and large, to cope. total closedown would increase the pressure dramatically.
The Observer reported frantic lobbying by BR's main users to prevent a
page 4
Sun
WE ARE
sunie tne
Erata that RE KINKI
Kings Cross Guards win right of reply to attacks in the Sun
possible lock out by BR
A total close-down is coming. The question is on whose this will be. the pressure on the RUR ASLEF needs to leadership to force Toin! all-out action. Time is run ning OUL. Ray Buckton, the drivers leader, cannot allow Weighell to use the federation which exIsts between ASLEF and the NUR to prevent criticism of his scabbing role Unions
Train drivers need all the assistance the labour movement can give if we are to win. The present dispute could well be throwing down the gauntlet on the part of the unions as Tebbit's new CIELENIE proposals go before Parlament.
An all out strike would require the rapid use of secondary picketing to stop goods normally taken tra sport, The e TUC Vi road transport, be on the spot. What a bet-
way to attack Tebbit and the Tories than ensuring a victory for the train drivers.
Forward ever, backward never (especially to 1919).
News
are the
2 The men
only want
Stie te travr
to protect jobs
'DRIVER
Sleep
Rail Broad Left
meeting was organised in solidarity with ASLEF.
Dennis Skinner also drew Lne oe weenune the right wing is up to in the NUR executive and what it's doing H THE LADOU ETNA Il's no accident," he explained. someone like Russell Tuck, a union delegate to the Labour Party's national that body. Atter ali, he comes the right wing or from a union that supports
ideas as an IL-OBLOS DONCY.
Skinner called on all trade ONSLOCOmeleneaco: ASLEF and reported that the NEC passed solidarity
In his view, the concern of the meeting should be now to iganise dewon, not silipl a talking shop.
Unfortunately, the leadership of the Rail Broad Left -comaRten by Militant tendency falled to heed his words Mike Cleverley DHe CISOE Ca Rat Broad Left and hunt inside the NUR at some
By R Reed, Kings Cross Guard
rostering in British
the train drivers
railworkers
fourth week.
Since the start of the
dispute the BR Board and
the national press, with the
able help of Sidney
Weighell, have done
everything in their power
to isolate the drivers.
Up to now they have
not had it all their own
way- spontancous strikes backung a ion thy train- guards and the swift
crews against carly at-
SCHLOS LO WI US AMEL
campaign in the Sun suc-
cessfully forced this dail
to carry an article in reply.
Non-payment for Sun-
day work is only the latest
ploy to split railworkers.
But Monday's action by
guards in the Southern
region, ans Tost in their with
average
pay pacacis, brought yet
another group of workers
into contiict with BR
The Board now plans
to step up its ettorts to nut
across its case for flexible
rosters. Local depot
managers will be given
sample OLeIS and
doubt LDC's will continuc
A TIME TO ORGANISE
By Hazel Mcpherson, NUR Paddington No 1 'DON'T BE frightened to talk about getting rid of this government, because that's what we've got to do. That was what Dennis Skinner from the National Ex ecutive Committee of the Labour Party told a London raily called by the Rail Broad Left last week. Th
length. But he only referred in
passing to the ASLEF strike
ane ine unofficial action
teken by NUR guards oppos.
ed to flexible rostering.
Speakers from the floor were left to provide a way for ward for the present struggle.
Apologies were given
the speaker from
ASLEF's executive, but Steve Forey, OrANEn secretary Kings Cross, spoke from the floor. Forcy stressed the need TOT UNC CACCIRIVC OI ASLEF IO call for industrial support from other
USSOHS SNCLE
organise secondary picketing *Only an all out strike will win.
He was encouraged by the support from NUR guards in his depot and by widespread industrial action taking place. In his view, the role of Broad Left was to cordinate such action.
Other speakers cchoed Forey's remarks. Ray Varnes, a guard at Kings Cross called
Railworkers action
conference called
A CALL has been issued for a meeting of Local Departmental Committees (LDC's works committees) to help cordinate rank and file action to end NUR's agreement to the new flexible Rail. This is a welcome response to the need for vigorous support for
particularly from other - as the strike action enters its
to be summoned to the offices of station mangers where a human face for the new will be found Widespread opposition to flexible rostering POSSS SIE BOW CamEre mood of militancy among the (DE transformed into action alongside drivers? For short time Kings Cross became a focus for guards nationally, with a real possibility of rapid escalation of their action.
Faced this prospect the NUR leadershin quickly CHCE the local LDC to Unity House. Day oi threats and 3 COUCH Weighell signed laying bi
down our right to a work ing day which far practicable would be based on an eight-hour day prompted the LDC to call off the strike.
ich a cepre meetins
which accepted
•ECCOHCE OE to end
the support of
ASLEF and against WPOI CICHECC mCHOCTsO the NUR executive who voted agaunst ficxible rostering to •Only in that way. he ENTELECT can we deal with a witchhunt. If Tan Williams Broad Left supporter on the ACCUIVCT made e sarenen today, he sing flexible rostering, would be sup. NOTECE by THOUS2TEL of guards Geoff Hensby, branch secretary of Paddington NUR, Naale by aging from te responded
1030 that one prote warste orin present action stated that the Broad Eeft would be supporting an allLondon conference of LDC (shop stewards) to do ust that. A solidarity leaflet to explain the issues at stake will be distributed by the STONCEC Socialist .Challenge supporters in the rail industry ше кав вгоас Left should hase itself upon those railworkers who ready and willing to struggle.
hore shut ocen lil
those struggles. This Break down the Isotaton anc give those involved a sense of
new rosters, many guards recognised the difficultie of co-ordinating action on
regional and national LEVIE I
But the vote to call oft the strike was no at all a sign of their unwillingness
fight. the same meeting, there was unanimous vote to Join a 24-hour strike by ASLEF members disciplinary notices issued to two drivers!
Moves are now afoot to bring the LDCs in the London region together within the next fortnight to discuss the next steps in this fight. The call for the
COTIL" from depots on the Southern regon who have been taking action over the last two weeks.
Attendance the meeting and the organisation of a united fight now alongside the drivers can COLLE those who argue that lite t i be done unti
Annual General Meeting in April By that time, the outcome of the driver's strike will be decided!
Il's also an answer to those who are starting to look to local agreements as a way of defeating the new rosters. Railworkers in larger depots might fare okay, but it's no solution for depots throughout the OLEILES
their own strenet- ANO 1 would publicise more broadly
the issues to others within the TLUSTY
This should go hand in hand with organisation within the machinery The re-call of the union's Annual General Meeting (AGM) and ine Grades Conference could provide a forum to deal
with flexible rostering and al
LIC OLIE ISSUs •LIVOLCE . The forthcoming Rules Revision AGM • DC VILEE for the Broad Lell to nut forward alternative policies and structural changes to democratise the union, giving the rank and HECTOOV Most impor tantly it should organise around thosc policies CH OTSEe TaRs
Sidney Weighell and the right wing leadership not only
machinery of the union at their disposal, but they have the Tory press, the
and the government singing their praises
But we are not disarmed We have a se of alternative policics and the strength the rank and file. A broad left e coomco to tamure te te tric: to deal with the union leader ship by AGROCUIYE and resolutions glone - withou putting the organisation of the ranks at its centre.
If there is any lesson which the present leadership of the Broad Left should learn, it': that a failure to respond to the needs of the ranks will lead to nothing but its marginalisation.
Page 5 scan of this page
The final split from Moscow?
WHEN GENERAL JARUZELSKI's troops went into action against the Polish workers on 13 December most of the European communist parties hesitated to make a judgement. in particular, the British Communist Party waited for several days before making criticisms, while the French Communist Party, almost by instinct, move 'positive overall'. No such hesitations occurred however in the Italian Communist Party (PCI) which boldly condemned the military's move from the start.
According the PCI's general secretary
that the whole historical of socialist advance which
with the October revolution "has reached a dead end'. He concluded that the process of 'socialist renewal"
Eastern Europe was now impossible.
response the PCI to Polish events was
treme criticism of the Soviet bloc made so tar For over a decade the PCI has been in sharo contlict with the Soviet leadership over its internal policy and its international orientation. Worse
The response of the Soviet Union has been im-
and uncompromisis. JOLIE editorial in Pravda amounts, in effect, excommunication' of the PCI, in the same style as previous denunciations of the Yugoslav CP in the late *forties and the Chinese CP in 1963. According to Pravda, the attitude of the PCI reveals tenets of op portunism revisionism". It denigrates the achievements of the Sovie people and party by speaking of a crisis of the Soviet political system'
For Pravda, to speak of a crisis of the Soviet political system is to openly come out against world socialism' and 'against the interests of the Italian working class". In turn the PCI replics that *there is no Vatican of the world communist movement which can excommunicate us.
By Paul Lawson MIKHAIL SUSLOV. who died last Monday at the age of 79, was the Soviet leadership's guardian of Stalinist orthodoxbeen a key figure in As such, he had determining the ma. jor Soviet policy decisions for a quarter of a century.
He was the one person in the Politburo who per-
tinuity of policy of the soviet bureaucracy end in particular guarded the
Marxism - Leninism' which has alienated generations of East European youth from Marxism.
ITALIAN COMMUNIST PARTY
its first hesitant
pronounced Jaruzelski's
Speculation that this is indeed the parting ofthe ways between the PCI and the Kremlin has excited in-
interest the ideologues of Ine European bourgeoisies. Their
almost unanimous: the PCI has
it should now be allowed into government.
According to the Financial Times since the policy of the PCI is rather less radical than that of the present French
nent or the British Labour left, there is absolutely no reason to now keep it out
provided 115 unks witn Moscow are detinitively
In fact, the major oblections of the American and European politicians
PCI participation in government, which
consumma-
for an *historic com-
(le Christian Democrat government) has been that you cannot rely
Moscow, no matter what.
Unity
It has never been that the PCI's programme is 10o Despite the fact that the PCI has pronounced in favour of staying in NATO, the United States in JaILILLId has always objected that rhetoric is one thing, but fundamental political loyalties are another.
The PCI's conflict with Moscow is not just a formality, but an event of decisive importance for the labour movement in the whole of Western Europe. It marks a crucial stage of the evolution of
Guardian of Stalinist orthodoxy
Suslov's personal
criminal testory to the
criminal history the bureaucracy. In the 1930s ne was a member of the party's control commisSUPE which helped prepare some of the purges. In the in charge of NKVD troops who carried out the depor-
of whole nationalities Caucasians and Lithuanians.
In the late 1940s he was in charge of the campaign against Tito in the Cominform, when official Soviet ideology characterised the
*TitoTrotskysists* (see the British Communist Party publication From Trotsky
Tito by James Klugman).
Enrico Belinguer, PC/ leader the PCI away from Stalinism towards becoming a social democratic party traditional type.
Even if the PCI in the past has been quite in favour of participating in a government which managed capitalism rather than attacking nonetheless this reflected not just the
own reformist orientation but also the policy the Soviet bureaucracy - that of the not chailenging the diviSIOn Europe,
Formerin® belonged taly
formerly world The adherence of the PCI to DUESCUS order in Italy
not contradict an allegiance to Moscow.
What happened in Italy reflects the conflicting pressure bearing down on
he Communist Parties in Western Europe During the 1920s and 1930s the degeneration and bureaucratisation of the Russian party resulted the Stalinisation of the other parties.
The resources of the Russian state, including its
financial and 1843519C material resources as well as the authority of the first
opposed all Kruschov's moves towards cultural liberalisation and "de-Stalinisation", and played key role
ruschov's removal. Deeply implicated in the decisions invade Hungary and Czechoslovakia. enough Mikhail Suclos turned up in Warsaw in 1981, to urge orthodoxy Polish communists. repression) on the
More than anyone else, Susiov represented the self- consciousness of the
burcaucracy nad a reputation for being
West
sionisso toles con ma-
sionism'. tion neatly represents the
International
workers state were used to overturn leaderships, pro-
the theory of
the that defence of socialism was identical to the defence of the Soviet Union.
The net result of this process was the creation of parties like the CP under Dutt and Pollitt, the French CP under Thorez, and the PCI under Togliatti which placed idherence to the line of the Soviet Union in effect defence of its diplomatic interest, above the interests of the international gic national class strug
Record
This was starkly revealed not only in the way in which the CPs WELC USE to promote the struggle against Trotskyism the defence of the Moscow trials, but also in the way
which unanimously defended the Hitler-Stalin pact in 1939 - with disastrous consequences Numerous other example could be given.
What happened to
self-interest of the bureaucracy, resting on the social relations of non-capitalist state but Icaring all forms of independent and critical thought.
The Soviet version of Marxism, encapsulated in the "manuals' like 'Fundamentals of MarxismLeninism' which have been used to train generatons young munists all over the world was done une greatest пат to the ability of Marxists to counter bourgeois and petty bourgeois ideologies
It has cabled all the ideologues of capitalism to present Marxism as a noncritical and dead religious ideology. While the communist parties in the West
change this? For or partie like PCI the French CP, the years after the second world war plac ed them under another pressure. These mass parties gradually implanted themselves in the local and national apparatus of the state. In italy, not only national pand hocal hull national and local time apparatus of its
party organisers, nalists etc. - but hun dreds of parliamentary deputies, local councillors and so forth. A huge bureaucracy has been created with its own independent interests Suslov together with Brezhnev can now allow the luxury of their young intellectual: playing fast and loose with all sorts of theorists above all Gramsci), no such luxury is available to the
Shout party. Once critica
thought ther
P.C.I.
separate and apart fron Moscow
No doubt, financial aid from Moscow continued until recently, but the PCI
not fundamentally dependent on that.
CHOf immense pressure on the PCI has been showing the Italian bourgeoisie that participatin managing, participating the management of the state In other words, the long bureaucrac are caught own bourgoisie - and it has increasingly chosen the critical action invariably follows.
Soviet Marxism-Leninism is anti-Marxist in
more fundamental sense: it assume that Marxism is a finished body of knowledge to be learned
What distinguishes Social Stalinist from democratic party? So long as there is no difference at the level of policy, so long as the Stalinists are com-
managing the capitalist state apparatus rather than overthrowing
there is only difference
the link with Moscow, the subordination of no matter how partial or vestigial
the interests Soviet state. If thePCI has made its final break with Moscow, the road to full social-democratisation now open. by rote. It is literally
police ideology. It is no the least of Susiov's crimes
Working case at nee
working class relentlessly guarded this ideology against every
Socialist Challenge 4 February 1982 page 11
Page 6 scan of this page
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Fourth International
THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL is launching two new English language journals - Interna-
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International Viewpoint, the first issue of which is already in print, is a fortnightly news
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Starting regular publication on 22 Februar, International Viewppoint will be an indispensable guide to world politics for militants in the revolutionary movement. We appeal to all supporters o the Fourth International in Britain to
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international Marxist Review will be the English-language version of Quatrième Inter. nationale the theoretical journal of the Fourth
Celebrating
International
Women's Day
8 MARCH 1982 is the 71st International Women's Women's Day celebrated in 1913 to commemorate the anniversary New York textile workers.
Socialist Challenge and Revolution Youth supporters are hoping to celebrate this event with an Interna
Women workers from different countries will come along to share their experiences in struggle miner from the United States will talk about the situation of women and the fight for positive action there. Women have been invited from different sections of the Fl. It pro-
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It promises to be a good weekend. The school is on 12/13 March at County Hall, Waterloo. Open to SC supporters. Tickets for rally and school: send E3 to J. ANOTHER boost for the Polish Fighting Fund
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Two new journals of the
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Page 7 scan of this page
Rape: is castration or long prison terms the answer?
Defeat Tory attacks on
By Yvonne Taylor 'CASTRATE THEM' is a common reply of those questioned about what to do with rapists. MORI poll interviewers found this frequently volunteered in their recent poll for the Sunday Times.
population wanted rapists executed or sent to prison for at least seven years.
against women be solved in this way?
Over the past few days the national press has led the attack on the police and judiciary, giving unprecedented publicity to
which would have gone virtually unmentioned a few weeks earlier.
BEne outery has sent heads rolling in high places
with the resianation of Nicholas Fairbairn, the Scottish Solicitor General, over the Glasgow affair By Anne Potter, National Abortion Campaign Steering Committee
A FOURTEEN year gaol sentence! That's what doctors who continue to apply the 1967 Abortion Act - giving them the ability to arrange abortions on non-medical grounds - face. Peter Huntingford
By Nina Scott LYING on a hard couch under harsh lights in a shabby cubicle for what seems like hours.
Officious footsteps pass the door - is it my turn? Hanging on the very edge of a cliff, waiting for a nouncement that could completely change one's life.
Dramatic? Exaggerated? Far from it.
This is the crunch SEEKIE ON EROTION Whatever she plans for her life can be completely swept away in a However armed she is knowledge, however good a case she can present (and where is she trained for such
is final.
The reality of A Woman's Right to Choose' nowadays. is that woman ever had under the 1967 Abortion Act are progressively being chipped away untu eventually the ow against women.
Altitudes have not changed enner — any woman becoming accidental ly pregnant is guilty and must not get off lightly. That's
for your lack of serious research into safe.
effective contraception!
So what is happening? Some GPs use delaying tactics in the hope you'll change
rest: "take these pills and if you don't have a period come back
LOOKE LORD HEER
They also found that 85 percent of the
But will rape or other forms of violence
appete police are dees
Trapped knuckles after the televising of the episode of Police dealing with a rape complaint.
But after the dust has settled when the spotlight has moved on, it's time to weigh up exactwhat women will manage to gain from all the public outrage.
This isn't the first time that rape has become such a major issue.
Peter Huntingford, well known campaigner and doctor for a woman's right choose has decide if after 14 years he is going to give medical grounds for abortion the Department of Healtn and Social Security form VASTE LICE AL TOC-U face the threat of prosecu-
abortion. And the DHSS not changed the law This is a serious situation for doctors like Peter Huntingford but for the 80 percent of women who
Abortion - a reality in
every woman's life
some cases,
red to another,
doctor's pro-
patient appointments are
moment for any woman
back to the GP again matter of if you weeks for admission. be like is anyhody's gwess
HERES D
will be turned
much dividual doctors - blame us women WAIT
measures.
the many
secution If the Act, in a week: think
help.
Nearly seven years ago, a Law Lord's ruling gave rise to a similar storm public 1975 they declared that 'an •HONESE reasonable belief that the woman was consenting to sexual intercourse was a proper defence to a charge of rape. he controversy led to Labour MP Jack Ashley's Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act which modified the effect of this ruling.
In 1977, only two years later, a Guardsman who
has reen on sted of his
was released so that should damaged and rape became a suject of public debate once more.
Then, as now, the solution was scen to lie in stifer penalties. Jack Ashley seek abortions tor socia reasons, threatens
Many doctors now will refuse gIve abortions for non-medical reasons for fear of secutions. As Peter Huntingford said, If this prosecution goes ahead, would regard it as the prosecution of eighty per cent of women who have had OCT HIC 1967 act. From the under pressure, from anti-abortionists, to intimidate doctors into
Ur eise, the referral letter doer not nre sent a good case to the consultant: and in
women are referred to a con
Others refuse outricht, and do not point out that you have a right to be referGPs simply chase women out of their surgery shauting murderer! (Yes, it does
In the hospitals, waiting lists for our-
getting longer from two weeks. if you're lucky, to nine or
The consultant may use delaying tactics, or refuse - then its
succeen theres oper What the staff will
ine wernates, car care chics, exist only in some areas and are threatened by cut-backs. They are run by the NHS and provide a quick reverrat, and eary abor tion service that is sympathetic. The charity clinics are also quick, efficient and sympathetic, but they cost over €700.
The latest moves by the Departmens of Health and Social Security to prevent doe tors from performing abortions for social reasons and the pressure being put on in
will result in desperate will resort lo desperate
Back-street abortion is a reality. So are
women who dred of sepsis. or great pain and alone, through fear of pro
changed, then not even the charities can
Women's Rights
called for minimum sentence of five
Today, despite all the anger at the way the courts have dealt with rape cases, in the past, it is still possible for a a Vocontri cused 'contributary negligence' by a judge and for a brutal attack to written off because it's
not lo the rapists to court.
Perhaps the most significant 'statistics"
from the MORI poil is that 33 percent of those questioned believe that women are themselves at least partly to blame i raped.
Rape continues to be prescue areat le women's lives one which narrowly limits their
abortion rights
severely restricting practices. It is chopping away SECOS BOREREDETI of the 67 act without daring to debate it in parliament.
But if "the DHSS thought it could sneak this through without people fighting back then it is grossly mistaken.
At a large meeting at the House of Commons
WEEN MPs, trade unionists and pro-choice organisations came together for a council of Time to start organising mass activities again
independence of action and of spirit.
Public debate is once more centred around what to do with the rapists who are actually convicted. Because many of rape are never reported and the police pursues few complaints as far as the courts were the conviction rate is low this is a very small proportion. Yet few people seem concerned with how the rape threat can be removed.
Choice
This won't happen by lining up with the *hang em and toe em brigade who are among the most reactionary elements our society
Joining the campaign war and worked out a local and national campaign to support the threatened COMOR the new form. There has to
stop the Director of Public
Prosecutions bringing these charges.
Tuesday 9 Feburary has been chosen as the dar of action. There is a lobby of paramca demonstration in London on that dav. There will be local actions in all the major towns Bradford, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge,
for higher prison SCHLOICES capital
ture ie castration would on hand strengthen the repressive rights of the state and on the other cut across all the most humanitarian in-
recent years regarding the treatment of those who are outside the "law"
Length of sentences has never been proven to be a deterrent.
Indeed, the call for castration indicated belief in the myth that rape is sexual desire that's got out of control. It's nothing of the sort.
Rape is a form of assault on a person who is designated as victim, without choice, without Leeds, Cardiff, Liverpool Manchester well as in Scotland.
Trade and Labour members should discuss this issu and demand that the TUC and the Labour Party nationally take action. Corrie's bill to restrict abortion was only stopped by the strength of the labour movement. We have to ensure that on this even more serious threat to women's
movement fights and fights GUICAIY
As long as women at perceived in this way, rap will continue
For example, some o the strongest advocates o the most extreme penaltie are often men who seem t want rapists punished, ne so much for the damag they inflict on women, a for the injury they do t other men by soiling the "property"
male code honou (which mear defending your 0W woman but seeing all oth females those who are nobody
nobody Das never been r gam
never been fina knocked on the head.
Those who argue f harsh punishment at ti same time say that wom
ceptable patterns deserve d
protection of the law. Horror
During the Yorkshi! Ripper scare, for instanc the press were outrags when the murderer turne
from PH stitutes (fair game) (whic 'respectable means 'our") women
vocate that the law shou
riage and many would st find it hard to believe th the majority of rapes a committed wh are known to the victim.
And it's easy to s why The sexual violen of husbands ma friends or acquaintances simply not viewed with th same horror or given tr same name.
It's an accepted haza of women's relationshi
WELCH and ts wh happens when women a
the wrong impression' 'lead men on Power
There is no single, sin ple solution to the crime c
The roots of sexu violence go deep. They as buried in the social cond BONUS WHEN CISIONE human relationships, pa CHICHIETY those DCINCE women and men, whe violence is used tolerated - a means ‹
others
It is necessary to can paign for the rights of t victims. to publicly fun women-run rape crisis ce tres, to protect the victim
sure full physical and me tal support is given to th victim following
It is also necessary take up facilities such street lighting and la night bus SOLTICE women who work at nigh
vital part of movement against will be for women to seen as independent pe ple their own righ fighting for right fighting against their in age as passive recipients: male sexual needs
This task is not simp the task of women but: those who ally themselv with women.
Defending a woman right to choose on abo tion against the Torie moves to restrict the 19 Abortion Act will be i important parl struggle. - Socialist Challenge. 4 February. 1982 page i
Page 8 scan of this page
Against the bureaucracy, the programme of political revolution
FROM the workers' revolt in
East Germany in June 1953,
through to the Hungarian revo-
lution 1956, to the Prague Spring in 1968, up to the rise of the Polish
workers in 1980/81, the Fourth International has been on the side of the East European proletariat revolutionary cractic struggle.
We adopted the same attitude to
the workers'
Republic of China
these did not take a revolutionary direction, they did add up to an acute
social and political challenge to the bureaucracy.
This approach stems from strategic
considerations. tions which reduce the political strug-
gles on a world scale to the opposition
between two camps or between two military alliances, in which the class struggle is a minor element or subordinate.
There are two camps in the world. But they are the camps of the working class and the bourgeoisie. these the bureaucracy usurped power in the
with very When it attacks imperialism sometimes does that owni power and strengthens the international working class, When it attacks the working class, as it has just done in Poland, it reinforces the international bourgeoisie.
Solidarity with bureaucratic struggles of the workers of Eastern Europe, China also flows from practical considerations. The class been an international one for a long time. Imperialism and the interna tional bourgeoisie have fundamental objectives which they relentlessly and intelligently pursue on a world scale.
To paraphrase Karl Marx, unless the workung Ciass foreign policy of the bourgeoisie with ils own internationalist policy it will go down to endless defeats. And there is no other material basis for an inter-
policy TOT other than active solidarity based on common interests.
The Fourth International's support for these workers struggles in the countries of Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union and China is based on a precise understanding MEBO historic goals that these struggles aim to achieve.
Contrary to the propaganda of both the bureaucracy bourgeoisie there is no socialist coun try anywhere in the world, that is, in the sense that Marx and Lenin gave to the word "socialism' no classes. All the countries commonly referred to as socialist, are, in fact, in transition between capitalism and socialism, transition bureaucratic dictatorship has frozen midway between one and the other
The sunscite against a government calling itself "socialist' clearly shows the bankruptcy of that government. But it is not
cialist Challenge 4 February 1982 page 8
By Ernest Mandel, leading member of the Fourth International.
It's
of October/ November
consistently
in its anti-bureau-
struggles in the Peoples
put during the For although
We reject all concep-
Between which has Soviet Union little autonomy. and to defend its privileges
whether it wants to or not.
the anti-
Soviet Union and
struggle has counterposes the
Kania
the proletariat linked: workers"
anti-burcaucratic
immediate and man.
workers
and
- a society with workers
which the ty/state would workers' revolt
to
the failure of socialism or Marxism.
the bankruptey
bureaucratic usurping of power in this
post-capitalist society which is reveal-
The goals of the anti-bureaucratic
political revolution which the Fourth
International had Carned
theoretical analysis
tional Programme of 1938, resolution on the decline of Stalinism
1957, and in theses on
Democracy in 1979 — have been fully confirmed by practical experience. These are the same goals which were
forward by the workers in their 1956 revolution, the Czechoslovak workers in 1968/9, and the Polish workers in 1980/81.
- two faces of
These goals revolve around two central ideas which are indissolubly
democratically self-management; -TEC management economy by the working class, based on the values of equality, and the self-fulfilment of the human personality of every woman and every
Such an economy is one where the
themselves determine production and priorities and the organisation of the
It is different to burcaucratic centralism as it is to the rule of the market, which both subordinate the
exterior and trollable forces
Authentic socialist with the ending of the total monopoly of power by a single
For a Front'/State. involve much democratic freedoms for the working masses, in other words, freedom of the press, of association, of the right
demonstrate and
the
access
in in the Transi- the
in our
Socialist
Hungarian of the state. Partly leader and premier, Jaruzelski, with former party chief,
the same
BOWE There is no
centralisco check
tha of the
solidarity
excluded.
InC workers' consumption democratically
councils.
uncon-
democracy away party, a par-
This greater management,
strike; in- socialist
dependence of the unions from the
state and plurality of political parties,
free access with no censorship to all
groups of workers to the printing
presses, the radio and television; free
to all sources of culture,
knowledge and information.
These two principles featured in revolutionary Marxist
State and Revolution by Lenin. They
are central to the construction of a
socialist society, the progressive tak-
ing of control over all aspects of
cconomic and political life by society,
and thus the gradual withering away
There is no better indicator of the
progress towards socialism than this
withering away - the transfer of real privileged bureaucracy
the mass of the people. better indicator of the on the building of socialism than the long term reinforcement of the state, which is and always will be the sum of the apparatuses, the men and women who exercise the functons from which society as a whole is
These two ideas culminate in one and the same conclusion: all power to
councils and centralised popular For the importance of the workers and popular councils is that while they are organs of the state, exercising repressive functions over the imperialism and the class enemy, they also reflect the progressive withering
of the state, gradually fusing with the mass of the population in the exercise of governmental powers.
If this process of fusion is real, and it cannot be so without self-
socialist democracy, and the plurality of parties — then and only then, is the construction of a
classless society genuinely
put into motion.
and build
classic, we have
historic level,
perialism,
disastrous
bureaucratic dictatorships
Today,
tries alone.
recall
institutionalised in countries? broken
the Stalinism, the
France,
struggle.
ries all the hopes for humanity -to
enemies eager
organised
ing and leading it towards
built.
the
That's the socialism that we want.
That's the socialism that the workers
in the Prague Spring and the workers
in Solidarnose had started to conceive have been one ha he is through
since 1914 is a world crisis. At the
the crimes im the disastrous
quences of the survival of capitalism
are even graver than the crimes and
consequences of the
there are thirty million unemployed in the imperialist coun
There are undoubtedly more than 100 million people caught
in the ghetto of poverty and degradation and in the so-called Third World There are some thirty million children each year who die of hunger. Must we
that torture and atrocities ZITE more than fifty
Reformism long ago abandoned any attempt to suppress the capitalist regime which is responsible for these abominations. It contents itself with slightly alleviating the worst excesses. Bot even this goal, which has nothing to do with the elementary imperatives of solidarity and human liberty, has
down lamentably since the crisis of the system accelerated.
To the joint crisis of capitalism and the burcaucratic dictatorships, to
bankruptcy of reformism and struggles for the democratic power of the workers and world socialist federation, is the only alternative. The Polish workers, after those in Portugal and those of May
and of the autumn in Italy, have shown that it is anchored in the reality of the condi ton and the capacity of the workers!
The Polish events like those of so many other countries have also confirmed that for this plan, which car
the future of be realised, the spontancity of the workers, as impressive as it might be, is not enough. Against
to defend their privileges at all costs there needs to be yanguard, rooted in the class, prepar- and sighted The fronts the workers: their interests repressive apparatus con-
are in fundamental contradiction power.
Revolutionary parties must be built, the Fourth International needs to be
SOliD
Page 9 scan of this page
Solidarity activists speak: An idea can never be destroyed'
shop steward.
workers here doing to help Solidarity.
Do you think Solidarnos might have been better able to resist martial law if it had been more tightly organised at the expense of being less democratic?
MG: That was a key problem for us, one we discussed a lot but which was never really resolved. No Solidarnose would, in some ways be more effective and stronger today if it had been less open. All information was available to anyone who wanted it. There was never a question of any secret talks or secret decisions.
But, on the other hand, the very principle of Solidarity, its reason for existence, was to do away with secrecy and the absence of information. The question really was what was more important for Solidarnosc -ciples or short-term effectiveness. We were for principles. That was the most important thing, because an idea can never be destroyed.
The police are so effective. After all, they hounded Trotsky for 20 years Lill they got him. They can penetrate and destroy any organisation in the end. But the idea survives. So I think the way we went about it was right.
How is Solidarnose fighting back? MG: Well, most of the information
we have has appeared in the media. But 1 should say that we Poles are underground specialists. We have a lot of experience in this field, It will be very difficult for the government to completely crush Solidarnosc.
Was there much before the takeover organising resistance to such a move?
Solidarity activists Piotr Kozlowski and Marek Garztecki recently spent nearly a week in Sotland, meeting representatives of the labour movement to build support for Soliarity. Kozlowski was a senior steward at the Ursus tractor plant near Warsaw; Garztecki a journalist with Warsaw Radio and also a
During their visit, Piotr and Marek gave a lengthy interview to DES TIERNEY and MARTIN METEYARD for Socialist Challenge. This week we print their comments on the situation in Poland since the military crackdown and what they would like to see
doubt its prinPK: The problem was that we were preparing more for a Russian invasion. So the instructions sent out were based on a resistance to Hitler in 1939 destroying removing street names, turning round direction signs, and so on.
We did martial law, but we never expected it to be so severe. One of Jaruzelski's first policies never shoot Poles foolish enough to believe him. didn't workers by simply killing them. discussion never believed the Polish Army would about act this way. We expected that martial law would break down, and then the Russians would come in
Did you expect more support if the Army®
MG: Definitely. But the Army itself was not used very much. The time it took gests that units, from one city to the next. The main instruments of the repression was the paramilitary force, ZOMO, with its tanks and machine guns. Today the Poles call them the Gestapo.
What other means did they use to crush resistance?
MG: Above all, they struck at the centres of the movement. exchanges were cut off, two hours
wave radio sets (which
ment.
three year jail sentance
movement here to Solidarity? wishes alone.
out from
include the possibility of First, they was that Poles would and we were We war; believe they would crush the
We tivities in Poland.
Second,
up,
Poland
to suppress the resistance sug-
they just used the crack moving them round the country plies organised
basıs through dividuals.
risk playing Reagan and Thatcher.
with trade unions.
Telephone
before the military opcration began They confiscated all CB and short-
had to be licensed), all duplicators (also subject to licensing) and in some cases even typewriters and film and video equip- Our
There is a total ban now on taking photographs in Poland. It carries a
Our distorted by What are you asking the labour
do to help
PK: No PK: The first thing we want you to
bureaucrats Scotland?
went understand is that the Solidarity trade union working group in London is not acting on its own intuition and
We get bulletins, messages and instructions smuggled
Warsaw, Wroclaw and what they want from trade unions in the West is quite clear:
should support OHH four demands: for the freeing of all
of the state or union property
confiscated by the junta, the possibili-
ty for Solidarity to continue its ac-
they should break off relations with the Polish state union, never consider having relations with
any dummy Solidarity that may be set
and cut their links with other
trade unions which fail to condemn
the deprivation of workers' rights in
Third, they should consider refus-
ing to handle imports and exports un-
til our basic demands are met. From
this we exclude medical and food sup
on a humanitarian the Church or in-
Some people would say that you
into the hands
MG: Our approach is that we always
try to deal not with governments but
We don't ask
governments to do things for us
because they are not our natural part- same.
ners. Of course. people like Reagan and Thatcher will try to use the situa tion to their advantage. But these people have nothing to do with us, we don't even speak to them.
approach anyone who claims to want to help us is always: what do you think about free trade unions and workers being killed?
aims are constantly being these people. stance, let me ask Piotr a simple question: could you find one worker in your factory who is in favour of a return to capitalism?
MG: Trade unions are working class organisations, we just don't understand people who can go on asking questions like this. Of course we want democracy but a union we set up and we control, not one handed out by the
PK: People here must recognise that we don't judge them by the name of their party - Conservative, Labour even Communist The cuestion is: do they oppose the killing of workers, do they really stand for workers rights
That's the touchstone for us as to their real intentions. Living in Poland makes you immune to words - only deeds are important.
Finally, is there anything you'd like to say about your reception in
MG: It was always the same when we
STORE and talked directly to the workers- there were never any silly questions, they never questioned our intentions. They knew who we were and what we stood for
The problem starts when you're talking not to workers but to those who claim to represent them. We feel sometumes that these are the, same brand of people who used to run the state trade union - the way they taik, the same kind of attitudes. It is in-
credibly arrogant when such people claim to know better then us how well
off we really are They think they know best what's good •Tor Ine
workers which means that really they
despise them.
We were much less taken aback
than you by the hostile reception from the convenor at Rolls Royce, Illington. We've met such people when
they've visited Poland. And we know
what goes on. They're whisked round
in limousines to tour factorics, the
canteens are restocked with chocolate
and other things we haven't seen for
years, all at cheap prices — even the
grass is painted green! They never see
the country as it really is.
Such people want to believe that
the workers hold power somewhere in
the world and all they have to do is
close their eyes a little and believe
And of
wur tacy saw was genute.
course the prize for doing so is to be
invited back next year.
It was a real contrast to meet a
representative of the Liberation Front
UNCOOT immediately
greeted us by saying that we were
fighting for the same things
It doesn't really matter so much
who we are fighting, as for what -
for our freedom. The oppressors have
many faces, they go under many
guises and they bear many names. But
the threat to us as workers is just the
Socialist Challenge 4 February 1982 page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
Manchester rallies
By Pete Clifford "Nearly two centuries ago on the site where this hall stands, workers struggling to build British trade unions were gunned down in the infamous Peterloo massacre. Please stand for a minute's silence in their memory.
Solidarnosc member
tory, began his speech at a
their was through the streets of Manchese express their solidarity with Solidarnosc.
The banner of Manchester Trades Council was on the march and there were contingents from a number of local factories including
reguson and Laurence Scott where Kozlowski had spoken his tour of Manchester's factories.
Particularly impressive was the number of young people on the demonstrafion. Placards calling for *Victory to Solidarnose!"
Hospital workers
back Polish workers
The following letter to be sent to General
Jaruzelski
Stewards Committee COHSE, NUPE, Royal Edinburgh Hospital.
At the
Joint Shop Stewards
workers at the above hospital, concern was ex-
pressed at the measures taken recently by your
government and mular aumontes.
declared in your country which removed many of
the basic democretic rianis or workers, tarmers.
students and other sections of the Polish people.
Since then we have received news of widespread ar-
rests and imprisonment of many national and local
leaders of Solidarnose, the independent workers"
trade union, and of similar actions taken against
the organisations of farmers and students.
Britain and internationally, and reflecting the con-
cern of our members, we condemn the measures
taken by
authorities, we call on you to:-
1) End the state of martial law.
2) Release those imprisoned since the declaration
of martial law and
Solidarnose and the independent student unions.
3) Remove army and security personnel from the
railways, mines, dockyards and other industries.
4) Allow the re-opening of the offices of Solidar-
nose, Rural Solidarnose and the student unions.
OBIE the suppressiou through practical recognition of the right of free speech, assembly and association and confirm ac ceptance of the Gdansk Agreements of 1981 and others made with the independent unions since
TREE THIC
the Polish working people are being cynically used by people like Thatcher and Reagan to make them
appear concerned with democratic
union rights, masking theit
such as that in El Salvador which rules through
armed terror. We urge you not to continue in your
present course and to recognise the rights and demands of your people.
Socialist Challenge
to Solidarnosc
Longshaw of the against bureaucrats nere Eva of Socialist Workers Party explained workers everywhere had a lot to learn The best union the world retary an Silberman, SCOTCLUEN the Manchester er ampa nocialist supporter Socialist Challenge, denounced the campaign of Reagan and Thatcher. "These people who support the repressive was passed by the Joint Shop of representatives of AUEW and NAGO at the
December and January meetings of the Committee representing
In December 1981 a state of martial law was Along with labour movement organisations in
and military
further attacks on Your attacks on the genuine organisations of
and trade support for regimes
4 February 1982 page 10
EM0630-
regime in Turkey, he said, who send military personnel back up the murderers in El Salvador,
back South African invasion of Angola and who lock up trade unionists in their own country are no friends of the Polish workers
Only the international workers movement
Poete workpot that
that's why our campaign is solidly labour movement based.
Piotr Kozlowski
immediately
inspired audience. PLUS WOLLI Keagan and Thatcher's claims he declared: 'Solidarnose does support
Jaruzelski and Kremlin
The declared:
SOCKSE methods. It Stalinist.
detail of the
Victory
Finally, answering the
and sectarians emphasised that Solidarnosc LORS OLDEN
crushing and resty is
growing and victory come. *Ten million workers, half a million students and two and half million peasant familics cannot be defeated by the Junta. We will win.
The rally and demonstration were the highlights of a successful three day tour of the Man-
area by -Pioti Kozlowski.
During that time he spoke with stewards from Chloride, Shell Chemicals. Mather and Platt, Kellogs, Laurence Scott and BL Leyland. In addition addressed meetings of the powerful engineering union's Manchester North and bout districts
Local TV. press and radio TOBECCA Kozlowski's message that Solidarnose would return, that Polish workers were determined to get rid of Jaruzelski. The most important reception was from workers at Massey
GREATER MANCHESTER LORCHLIALI Piotr Kozlowski (centre) at a Manchester press conference
Ferguson.
The company has large contract with Orsus where Piotr works. Over 80 workers attended factory gate meetings organised by their stewards where they were told how the workers Ursus were working with the military
the factory. Should Piotr return there he would certainly face a long prison sentence.
However, the resistance is growing. In the first two weeks after the declaration of martial law, only two tractors were produced by the entire lactory.
Military
Dave Leonard senior steward from the centra packaging site, had carlier 11 Inc week scconded a resolution at the national convenors conference of Massey Fergusons which called or rank and it blacking action across the
groupearing badges spe
porting the struggles Laurence Scott and BL. Kozlowski's message was simple: we face the same problems, you are attacked by the law, we face the military.
He appealed for strengthening the links between Polish and British
vorkers in our common
During the course of this tour Piotr met some objections raised
At the Man-
instance, delegate
patible socialist planned and
was an of the Piotr,
who was
these attacks on He ex-
was by the Polish and
ment.
ISH week
how millions of workers, students and peasants could all be in the pay of the CIA. Fortunately the committee did not adopt the views of this delegate but resolved to send a protest resolution
the Polish embassy demanding the release of those held under martial law and requesting the embassy to send a representative to the district committee to explain their it was at a conference of the Chloride senior stewards that Piot explained that he was here as a Pole, as a worker, and as a trade union activist requesting support from British workers. But his appeal more than that, because of the threat tO WOrKerS organisations in Poland today.
They were facing military government claimed to speak on behalf of the workers but really didn't have anything to do with socialism. He didn't want to see a return to capitalism where private companies ruled the roost and workers had few rights
On the contrary Piotr appealed workers across the world to unite in a common battle for what he described as *socialist WUEKCES With that messag democracy
just three days in the Man chester area, support for Solidarnose has massively. In the coming months the Greater Manchester Solidarity Campaign which organised the tour plans to go out to win active support from
major union and factory in the area
Inspired Piotr Kozlowski we are sure that CER OC CORC
Socialist Challenge Polish school Two day educational school Poland and poltical TEPOLION Socialist Challenge supporters on 13/14 Februar in London. If you woula like to come see your loca SC supporters or write to Socialist Challenge school, PO Box 50, London NI.
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Page 11 scan of this page
OUT FOR VICTORY
TRAIN DRIVERS' representatives from every depot in Manchester are meeting, in a weekly liaison committee, to organisation of TREVOR WANGSAM, and REDMOND O'NEILL asked the members of the liaison committee their views on the progress of the dispute.
Peter Gunn (secretary Manchester No1 branch ASLEF) We' ve pot to overcome the barrage of press distorLIOILS GOOU dispute We're fighting against the British Rail Board's Icmpl to get rid of the eight-hour day and along with it, 4,000 jobs.
Look around here. You don't see many young people here. That's because they've chopped 50,000 train drivers' jobs since the war. Right now there are 30,000 unfilled vacancies on BR and still they re recruiting. Since I started this job l've been made redundant and shifted right around the coore uimes depot to depol. more than you've had hot dinners.
H Newell (chairperson of Manchester LDC) I suspect that mie govern ment has provoked this
dispulc try ASLEF and shut down BULC railways. Unfortunately when we take action, it's the public that gets hurt
But if they can take on ASLEF then they will be out to break all of the milltant industrial unions. That's the aim of this Tory government. If we go, ir'll oc naraci ror everyonc cise to maintain their standard of living.
Albert Seymour
(secretary Newton
Heath depot ASLEF)
SEDE that flexible rostering is a -DTESS nawe CalEa
normal bractice In OLET
countries. But if they want
to compare us with orher
Common Market coun-
tries they should also look at pay and conditions.
British train •drivers
have the longest working.
week, the shortest holidays
and the lowest wages. Now
they're threatening there
will be no electrification if
we don't ditch the eight-hour day. But on the
railways they've always
promised us paradise next
week.
Harry Turner (Manchester No. 1 AOLEr
We've had 100 per cent
Manchester ASLEF
fighting for jobs
push forward the the struggle in this area.
DUNCAN EDWARDS
support from the NUR
OTIVCTS hut yet EDE
guards have not taken ac-
lon. All the came there is a lot of support from the
LCIE -OCTALINE ETHOC
the NUR because they also
work shifts and know what's involved.
The BR Board is trying
to split the unions by .en-
ding Sunday working.
Sidney Weighell is letting
them get away with it. He makes tine speeches about
the 35-hour week and ban-
ning overtime at the TUC but when it comes to defending his members, where is he?
Guards have to work
un the wages t hey survi ye
on the wages they get. they don't work Sundays or their rest days, guards come out with around E50 a week.
Bob Barrows (chairperson Newton Heath ASLEF) If you are members of the engineering union, you ought to
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
tivity: a Socialist
workers, se Dius juD borc
Ltd. Available from: Rail pamphlet, PO Box 50, Lon
get Terry Dufty to keep his mouth about this dispute. When he mouths U aTEASsO idea is to convince people that speaks for all engineers.
In fact, Duffy is like a lot of his colleagues — he's ust going for a seat in the Houst of Lords We would ask AUEW members to protest against
interference in our dispute.
Gunn This dispute is not likely to be settled by compulsory arbitration. Our protracted strug. gle in 1955 went to arbitration and the result was that we ended up with the same as BR's original offer.
The Board has had no scruples in the past about ignoring recommendaLOIL- from arbitration
While we are fighting we want all the support we can get from the Labour Party and the unions. We want to get the truth across to the public.
This is a strike to defend jobs, to defend livins standards and to defenc militant Nauc UmOnsu That's why a victory for us will oe a victory tor al workers.
Challenge pamphlet for railCheques/Postal orders to Cardinal Enterprises
Trade Unions
US RAILWORKERS
By Ike Nahem WHILE British railworkers are fighting to defend the right to an eight hour day. counterparts in America are up against drive bosses to increase the legal limit on the working day to 16 hours!
This and other attacks on US railworkers take place at a time when big business is on one of the mOSI CORCe EE against working people seen for decades. Monetarism is the watchword in Britain. In the US these attacks go under the Reaganomics.
Today American ment figures are higher than at any time since 1939. A full 50 per cent of black and Latin youths can find no jobs. In heavy industrial areas like the Chicago/Northern Indiana steel centre. ment stands as high as 30 per cent.
Does it sound familiar? There are even more parallels. It was no accident for instance week's Economist argued that a cood outcoma to the current British dispute would be 'the destruction of ASLEF in much the same manner as President heagan.. destroyed the air traffic controllers in America last year'
Most railworkers in the have been working without a conLIAEL SIREE April 1981. tracts expired following a serious C-TCET InTuCea Dv IauwoKes on the government - subsidised and regulated, DUL DrIVETAI Conrail line. This line carries much of the freight in and out of the north eastern part of the country.
Reagan threatened to liquidate the company completely, selling off the most profitable lines. the face of this blackmail, unions called a national march on
It's the same the
whole world over
Neicannuoan ncaae
their a sman protest action
by rail OTTICIE
forms. Thirty TE WOKE S T nES uu
inflicted a stunning rail workers. offensives were eliminated.
other
been gutted. years now, unemploy- frozen.
belts.
unemploy-
ordered
TRATASI beck and call of the company
magazine
some pretty obstacles.
US tion is legal
The con- upsurge
the craft structure OwnAd unions
20 separate
reinforced
unions are cratic Most rail contracts we nave to work under
One
ownership
are
WWBPR TAP
ATTE
Washington. Their demands were
LEBERKS
The union leaders had in mind
They only estimated 1,200 marchers on the This
•monsieTior permit thousand angry
But no sooner had the marchers returned home when unior leaders signed an agreement that CrUCIP
loss on con Index-linked wages are Thousands jobs were wiped out. Safety and
work practices that have been in effect for decades have
For et -least twa wages have bean backs
With this victory under their
rail bosses are moving to establish the Conrail precedent as the norm for industry nationwide.
Reductions in crew sizes, flexible rostering and the longer work the ing day are all at stake. If they get 200bn away with this, railworkers can be budget
report anytime.
NOIOCEESL anywhere, to go any place at the
US railworkers are up against
formidable instance tionalisation labyrinth of federal laws and red tape that date from the Railway Labour Act of 1924 rule that there day Io must be up to two years arbitretion and appeals before strike ac their unions.
which resulted in industry-wide organis. ation in most basic industries, left
of the rail untouched. Today railworkers are divided into some
unions, situation which the infamous 1924 Act has
Finally. the most powerful rail
notoriously undemoalWO CErS even have the right to vote on the
difference between the US and Britain is the private
and management of American railways, although they
government subsidised and 'regulated". Huge financial bonan zas for the railway capitalists have come from a cozy partnership bet banks and e rail companies Te COVeMAMeT land handouts in the 19th century were only the start
the rail bosses let the railways deteriorate, they organ-
Bosn Hetees around the tables in secret meeting rooms of
When mey reorganise ine consolidate a new profitable
concentration and monopolisation of industry. 'merger-mania' as it's known. sweeping the US. And it's moving full speed ahead on the railways.
Smaller firms - whose service
Line livelinoods o1 farmers and small businesses
becoming less viable. Many will be gobbled up by the five or six giants that will remain.
Socialist railworkers in the US are calling for an end to all cutbasive investentio eld toe service entire industry on the basis of human need, not profitability.
zenaness TOT this and other vital social services can come from closing the tax loopholes for
rich and especially from the year Pentagon for war and nuclear
It's also necessary to remove the rail industry from the tetters of private ownership. But as the current British crisis shows. na
in itself doesn't guarantee the rights of labour This will come with the control of
day operations on the railways by the workers, through
The nationalised industry must be administered by an independent democratically elected body of workers and consumers.
more and more American workers are seeing that the solution to our problems can't be met on an industry by industry. or on a union by union basis. The solution must be political.
Above all, workers in the US need an independent political party based on our class. Solving this
independence the next giant step of American labour
. page 5
Page 12 scan of this page
NO EDWARDES' PLAN HERE
BRITISH LEYLAND Vehicles workers have taken direct action to defend their jobs at both the Bathgate and Leyland plants over the last two weeks. Michael Edwardes' corporate plan will almost certainly result in the total closure of the Bathgate plant and the reduction of the workforce at Leyland in Lancashire by 6,000.
True to form, blame at the workers' door. Only drastic reductions of the workforce, he claims, will make BL viable. Speaking at a Scotland last Friday, Edwardes admitted that the future of the Bathgate plant 'hung in the balance', and that 'a long strike could mean a short future for the Leyland Vehicles plant in Lancashire.'
the closure plans was to occupy the plant. Last Friday, after a one week sit-in, the company gained a court injunction against them. But an all out strike at the plant continues.
JIMMY SWAN is Bathgate. Last Saturday the Leyland Vehicle Combine Committee met in Preston and afterwards he spoke to PATRICK SIKORSKI from Socialist Challenge. 'Our position is that we are determined to retain Jobs and the manufacturing base in Leyland Vehicles. with this, the direction is Edwardes away towards complete closure of the Bathgate plant.
Support
The meeting was very well attended with delegations from every Leyland plant in the Bus
We discussed the general situanon, cacuanged tion on our attitude to management's approaches for negotiations as well as ine distribution of financial support which is star-
and general solidarity.
Jimmy Swan went on to explain that the Lancashire workers were as determined as those Scotland light Edwardes. They face a situa tion where all parts will be hived ott to the private sector and only the assembly work would be done in the brand new Leyland assembly plant built in 1978 with E32m of public money.
Jimmy convinced that it has been the action taken by Leyland workers that has stopped the American company, International Tarvesters, literally in its tracks, trom investing in a diesel engine plane in opam
The
tradeunion
alternative
Patrick Sikorski reports on
the trade unions alternative
to Edwardes' plan.
Socialist Chällenge 4 February 1982" pagé 6
Leyland Vehicles
Edwardes tries to lay the
press conference in
Bathgate workers' immediate response to
works convenor at
This plant was to have built some 80,000 diescl units, mainly for export, explained Jimmy. *The project is only viable if the STICKERTA collid CIEVE guaranteed supplying the demand from gutted post-Edwardes" Plan Leyland assembly plant.
Part of this plan is to sell off the tractor division to the privately owned
Marshalls Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. Such has been
Ment To Leyland that the
ment in Leyland that Marshall company colours have already been
paint spraying at Bathgate! But
ment Vehicles (LV) owned
given OSAL CHI acceptable
the company has not reckoned on the determination of the workforce to fight back.
Even the successful serving of an injunction on
not demoralised them. As.
MOOTHES QUE *The whole way that we occupied the plant and carried out the occupation in a very disciplined manner, massively bolstered the confidence of the workforce their own ability to organise. •We weren't surprised that the company went to the courts with inis tor government in office, the THE WORKS COMMITTEE is making its present demands in order to sustain employ-
and retain Leyland as publicly manufacturer of trucks and buses.
*The longer term future of all workers in the industry is also at stake
the international ге-
will be looking to future discussions
in this region to develop our strategy to save the industry.
We will also be calling upon the political and industrial organisations of the labour movement, the Labour Party, and the TUC to conduct their own inquiry into the fate of LV as what is supposedly a public company
We will be looking through them to develop a policy for the future establishment of an industry with an
range of products under Full control by its workers and those it
Trade Unions
Picket lines at BL truck division, Leyland and Bathgate, Scotland.
They it measure Laurence
Laurence Scott. We weren't surprised at the outcome of the court nearine at whicr of course opposed the
granting of the injunction.
Fight
But we didn't want to have the main fight over the injunction and occupation at this stage. There is a full 24 hour picket on the factory and nothing will move in or out. The effect
the company the same and we can get more people involved on the picket lines serves.
Leyland workers want a future The trade unions have known for sometime that their jobs Jeopardy and have been presenting their alternative to the membership.
The 1981 UK market for trucks was only half the 1979 level. In the North west thousands of jobs in the industry have gone in the last 12 months. the rate of profit on each truck or bus falls, the multinationals which control the industry will only invest in the most efficient plants - that is, those which are unorganised and where
are paid sweated labour.
Edwardes then that UK workers are responsible for
where the workers have fought hard for their conditions ward his survival plan. The trade
* No redundancies * No more out-sourcing of components lie. keeping conponent
We had to say enough is enough. I wouldn't say our action was the product of completely new political awareness. As
know we've had the
Slydeside occupations the past. Lee Jeans has shown that it can be done and the whole town and community around Bathgate know that it is fightback or die Look
happened to Linwood.
*We had a very suCcessful shop stewards' rally in support of our fight last week attended at very short notice by between
manufacture in Leyland itself)
LV WEIC in + No transfer of work
As pects of
into public hands
pillance for other
and puts for
is putting demands.
the works
200 and 300 stewards from the West Lothian region including convenors from Rolls Royce and other major factories. Meeting *Others came from as far away as Dundee and the Clyde shipbuilders would have ELESCE they had been more notice TUC and local Trades Councils were *Plans are being laid for a major demonstration aimed at the Scottish Grand Committee meeting in mid-Feburary which has the Bathgate issue on the
No more selling off of parts of
The works committee is demanding "full information about the present financial position'. It also wants a parliamentary inquiry into all as
management and mismanagement of L.V since it cam
The works committee is very con scious of the need for Leyland to b support of
habie bed industries.
It is cils, the of Department of Industry, Information about LV is therefore neither publici available nor publicly debated befor
To save jobs the works committee the whole
8 or managemen did not
carry out the proramme of renewal.... an envisaged by the 1975 Ryder Plan...
committee therefore
agenda. We are planning a 307111. VILE the
Pleased in Baligate. The
1s aso in Batheate stewards" meeting also called for financial support, levies and collections to be arranged.
Win 'At the Combine leve there are also moves to organise an all Leyland
d that Vehicle
understand that Convenor Jim Mclean 15 in contact with cars con venor Jack Adams. We are determined to win this demands immediate investment in a
foundry and adequate invest ment in machine tools And it wants the government to provide funds fo investment at low rates of interest.
The works committee knows onl too well that it has to build suppor for its plans if Leyland workers are to successfully combat Edwardes. Suc
can only be united action by all LV workers from all unions and every plant. But in th
support of the while labout mil
ment: the Labour Party, trades coun
TUC, the Confederation o Shipbuilders and Engineering Union and Labour controlled councils.
The works committee has been putting its trade union alternatives lo
work force over the las three months in a series of leaflets. A the last leaflet pointed out: There is
alternative the disastrous policies of the Edwardes'
Page 13 scan of this page
El Salvador Air Force goes up in smoke
American young socialists fight Reagan's offensive
By Phil Hearse THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION is proposing to double military Duarte regime in El Salvador. The build up of military aid has been on the cards for some time because of the military situation.
clear that the guerrillas of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), a left wing alliance fighting the right wing dictatorsnip, control a quarter of the countryside.
The need to boost the capacity ari the army ard
national guard portant because oly ime portant because elections planned for 28 March. In order to give the Duarte dictatorship more "legitimacy" clections have been carefully prepared for well But
here is one problem: the main opposition roups
n particular the Revolt tionary Democratic Front (FDR) of which the FMLN
By Richard Rozanski 900 people gathered for the Young Socialist Alliance (YSA) conference in New January. ference had to face up to was the offensive which Reagan has launched against workers at home and abroad.
cher's look tame by comparison. Military spending has shot up. While posing as the friend of the Polish workers, smash the PATCO - the air traffic controllers union.
In his defence of the *free world' Keagan has spent millions of dollars in giving military aid to the ruling junta Which Salvador, massacring its own population. Rcagan is also making plans LOE WEE
US to double military aid to El Salvador
Said to the beleaguered
generally worsening
As we reported two weeks ago, it is now
is a rom the election. are excludec
Further, since large areas of the are under full or partial guerrilla control, and since there is a war going on, there will be no effective place The l places. The result therefore be a fraud. The United States even fears the guerrillas may choose the date of the electons for a major military offensive.
York in The main item which the YSA con-
Reagan's public spending cuts make That-
Reagan has attempted to
against other revolutions in Cuba, Nicaragua and Grenada.
Lisa Hickler, introducing the international political report, that the anti-working class offensive поте abroad was part of the at-
Just how bad the military situation is was revealed last Wednesday when FMIN guerrillas calmly walked into main airforce base in San Salvador, planted mines on the planes and walked out. Most of Duarte's airTOTCE 3 bang. smoke in one big Helicopters, fighters and transport planes were destroyed. The helicopter war has been an increasingly important part of the regime's strategy against the guerrillas the US military advisors are teaching the regime's officers the tactics of Vietnam.
The destruction of most of the helicopters in the country will give the guerrillas much greater freedom of movement in ine next coupie or montas Hence the US panic to
tempt to solve the cconomic crisis of US imperialism. To do this the ruling class has to increase the exploitation 01 HECECAT workers, while defending their markets and spheres of influence abroad
Solidarity with the revolutions and the Carial Central America bean will be at the centre of the YA's activity in the solidarity with the struggle LICAL will of the Polish workers.
Malik Miah, introducing the report on the political situation in the United Statec stressed that although working people were becoming angry with
International
rapidly replace the planes.
The project of doubling US military assistance requires that ine Reagar regime convince a sceptical Congress that Duarte's government is "improving the human rights situa-
The attempt to do this has received a severe setback in the past week a the reports o a massacre of civilians province has come out.
Journalists visiting the area report seeing dozens of decomposing bodies te
Village Mozote. Eyewitnesses among the local peasants saw villagers being bound beaten up and then taken away groups of four to be shot Women and children were machine-gunned to death.
What is happening in Morazan - a stronghold of the guerrillas on to border with Honduras -
the ruling class offensive they had few outlets to express their anger.
Class
The crucial lack was an independent workers party
Labour party which would unlike the bourgeois Democratic Party fight for the interests of the workers.
A hopeful sign of independent working -class polities is the emergence of the National Black Independent Political Party (NBIPP). The YSA pledged to do everything in its power promote the growth of this party
repeats the pattern of Viet-
The US and South Vietnamese forces in that country tried to terrorise the population in the countryside DEVELL. them from supporting the guerrillas. But terror of
this kind has never won the hearts and minds of the
сор on the contrary
Drill only succeed in con solidating support for the FMLN.
In 1965 the Vietnamese revolutionaries destroyed most of the American air force planes at the Da Nang base in northern South Vietnam. Their ability to do this was a dramatic demonstration of their military strength
repeating itself. A regime
can't defend its airfield agains revolutionary guerrillas i heading for defeat.
Over the last two years the YSA has succeeded in getting over half its membership into industrial jobs to ino the fac socialist ideas • Tac-
They will continue LUEICS, to organise this, and over the last few months have succeeded in establishing a traction of members in the garment industry.
Support
On the last evening of the conference well ove
1000 people attended a ral Reaganism entitled *Fighting
• at nome and abroad", where over E1600 was collected for building YSA campaigns.
Secret meeting plots
counter-revolution By Paul Lawson
meeting,
the Cuban-Soviet invasion of the Americas'. Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia Ecuador, duras, Jamaica, Surinam, United States and Uruguay.
The meeting was introduced by a speech from US Army General Meyer, wno argued that we already in a war against communism decisions of the conference were: to set up a permanent co-ordination centre of the of Latin America and a per-
headquarters of the conterence
These decisions will of course promote direct contact between the armies of the region which will, if necessary, be able to byLAND EUNCEITEICHLLS Direct contact between the and Chilean armed forces were a key lever in organisAllende the coup against the
government 1973. The , Interamerican Police Academy (torture training centre) is being moved from Panama to Honduras.
The conference discussed the best way ideologically combat the left and the labour move.
the region. The assembled generals discussed the best term to
left-wing movements. Bizarrely they decided that revolu tionaries and that the key terms were *Marxist subversion' and "terrorists". One genera asked those assembled to make "terrorism' a common, not political crime.
NEWS is coming out of a secret meeting of top brass from Central and South America held at Fort McNair, Washington DC last October. The
attended by US Defence Secretary Caspar Weinberger, discussed 'how to fight Leading military personnel attended from
Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic,
El Salvador, Guatemala. Haiti, Hon-
Panama, Paraguay. Peru,
The generals had 'useful' exchange, on tactics Chilean Defence Minister, General Carrasco, argued the need for right to combat the with a right wing one far we've used force, he said, "and it has not worked. To kill them is no use, for two
What works is to penetrate the people, organise courses, to improve the life conditions of the poo so that they become deal regards subversives Our are working voluntarily with com munities, teaching women how to read, how to sow and how to take care of the children(!)
General Marques, Brazilian, read secret document describing how Brazilian army was able to eliminate the threat of communism through in filtration He said that alongside infiltration, was necessary to improve distribution and keep violence to minimum. JUS give a balance to all this talk o improving the conditions of the poor, Salvadorean minister Defence, General Guillermo Gracia, asked more military aid to El Salvador, which other generals supported, let the country succumb to *disgrace'
EL SALVADOR SOLIDARITY
DEMONSTRATION To coincide with the government's
fraudulent elections Sunday 28 March Assemble Speakers Corner 1 pm March to rally in Trafalgar Square
Socialist Challenge 4 February-1082 page-13
Page 14 scan of this page
ARGUMENTS for SOCIALISM
Here we present three views on the rise of the Social Democratic Party, from Gerry Hoffa and from Socialist Challenge supporters Steve Potter and Britain Heron
Socialist Challenge is questions about the British political scene.
are still backing Thatcher or are they switching
BRIAN GROGAN has got it all wrong (Letters 21 Jan) when he monetarism (factory closures, etc) is in the interests of the British bosses because it leads to increases in productivity.
Far from it. Her obsession WILD the 'marketplace leads in practice to
allance with foreign multi-nationals against her
ow The consequence is
The consequence here for all to sec destruction of the UK manufacturing base and decimation of key sections of the organised working class.
Moreover, how can we seriousiy maintain that the Tories selling off North Sea oil assets - a key commodity to foreign companies strengthens UK capital?
At present 60 per cent of UK oil exports are sold to the US and being stored in a strategic reserve (that is in topped up oil wells) and five more years of Thatcher will lead to the well but to oil being wells but to being sold back to us at inflated prices! 1920s and 30s we saw, as during the today, a recession producing plummeting wage levels and living standards - but, contrary to Brian's argument it did not lead to increases in the productivi-
of labour. The history of the pre-war mining industry is a case in point
WHAT
IS THE
LABOUR
BUREAUCRACY?
By Ailean O'Callaghan DURING Thatcher's government hundreds of thousands of workers have gone into battle, only to be stabbed in the back by trade union leaders. And not just by right wingers like Terry Duffy.
The actions of transport workers' leader Alex Kitson in British "lefts" cannot always be trusted. In the recent cords sel-out many someone like Ron Todd, who used to be a Ford worker himself, could force an horrific productivity deal on his members, original overwhelming vote for strike action to oppose the deal.
Employers
How is it that leaders of organisations formed to defend workers against bosses end up de-
Socialist Challenge 4 February 1982
Will the bosses back the SDP?
The debate so far in the past two issues of
raising fundamental
Especially disputed is whether the bosses
Monetarism not in interest of British bosses
SCHA that Thatcher's
redundancies,
Indeed it was only the compulsion of war, state intervention and later nationalisation which led to a jacking up of productivity in major industries.
Why was this? Quite simply because the specific character of British capilalism has been the institutional divorce of Capita 11dustrial capital, with the former dominating and controlling the latter. Exportation of capital rather than domestic investment has been the main activity. Hence it's not a coincidence that the key industries making, massive profits are banking, properties and more marginaly the food industry.
The inability of UK industrialists the new technology on the scale of their competitors is a product not of 'innate conservatism' but of the extreme difficulty in obtaining long-term credits from the banks.
The reason for Britain's economic decline is not a high wage economy - the UK is bottom of the Lestore starvation by n league table vestment over decades.
The logic Thatcherism if left to its own Leyland shows that
militants wondered how
despite their ing.
page. 14
their allegiance to the SDP/Liberal Alliance.
workers movement?
400 words or fewer
devices over the next five years won't be a fitter economy but economy of warehouses and consumers WHOLE forced to buy whatever the multi-nationals decide to dump on us. incory In cold De possible to restructure Bri
to facilitate a long term refuelling of finance into British manufacturing, as was done in Japan Germany under US tutelage after the war, or interestingly as Hitler did during the 30s.
But to expect that such
YESH CH could carried out "wet'
Fores, the SDP Denis Healey, or even Thatcher
What about the
workers?
BRIAN Grogan says that the bosses need the policies of the SDP like a hole in the head.'
But, as the old refrain goes, what about the workers? arne rise of the SDP represents the crisis of leader the Tories have guidated. have considerable popular support amonste
Large sections of the midfying the interests and wishes of their members?
Fundamentally, it is because ine trade union Icaders have their own interests which are otten counterposed to those of the mass of their members. This social layer is known as the bureaucracy.
Trade unions need to employ full time organisers and negotiators. But, as Solidarity in Poland has shown, such a need doesn't by itself, create a bureaucracy. Indeed, in the first flush of the formation of the mass general unions at the end of the last century, these unions had many similarities with Solidarity.
They were responsive to the needs of their members, were led by dedicated militants and had constitutions which gave tremendous control by the membership over their full time officials. The activities of these unions frightened the life out of the bosses.
But the bosses soon understand how to create a new moderate breed of leaders with whom they could "negotiate. were encouraged to receive wage increases and perks which gave them a high standard of liv-
Letters.
And what affect is the SDP having on the
If you wish to join in this debate or commant on any subject please write to us: SC Letters, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP. Please keep to
all letters will be edited.
herself would be about as realistic as expecting Cardinal Hume lead radical restucturing of the Vatican. groupings are mere puppets of different LECTORS ORDIATO A ly unable to reverse the CHOSENC decline the UK
What socialists have to argue and fight for is a workers government that will lead the struggle for the nationalisation of the economy under popular control - which is the only realistic alternative to a wasteland of dole queues.
GERRY HOFFA (ASTMS)
Manchester die class cannot stomach their war-mongering and pulverisjobs in the public sec-HOCDCLECH ruling MESS SIDE programme (although Brian the Tory
underestimates bosses divisions) Tories widespread resistance
organisco working clas The question for the the SP is by thing up s is opening up, but how thes Can TEn terests of the
capitalist system. Salaries overthrown.
bosses can Union leader:
ONE YEAR after the foundation of the Social Democratic Party it is vital that we take stock of its significance.
Brian Grogan is correct to point out that Thatcher's still receives wide sup port from the bosses and the rest of the ruling class: but political anc economic necessity does not always match
would the ling bot
would find
SDP/Liberal Alliance moderate economic expansion plus wage and attacks the unions not completely inadequate for the next period, however limited that might be.
What are the impications tor the isbour movement? If the SDP itself CSLOOSHCE 2S broker for coalition
pressure for coalitionism will leave the working class movement unaffected.
damentally divide and further move ment At the same time they fac electoral their own party at the next election to stop ine dercat or t Tories turning into something far worse -ruling class governs sections of the ning cla
There is also a real crisis of leadership in the workers'
At the moment the right wing leaders of the labour movement have the
Spung the policies of the But the mantle of Wilson and Callaghan and the good old sixties has firmly by the SDP
Lenders succeed only building the SDP.
Of course, union leaders were not crudely bribed. Many, who started off with the best in
would justity opposition demands of their members through the sometimes correct need to put the interests of the organisation as a whole above that of the action of a small section of the union.
This occurred in Solidarity, when the national leaders sometimes prevented the uncoordinated outbreak of local strikes.
However, the permanent separation of the top officials from the general needs and in-
members WACH TACSC cauers have ween doie to sausty ten own material interests within the framework of the
Today, union leaders enjoy a standard of living beyond that of most workers. Len Mur. ray, one of the lowest paid, has a salary of over counts, union cars, fees for tve appearance. they have expense ac and lectures to bosses organisations. They receive salaries for being on government advisory bodies on the boards of nationalised industries, or even on the boards of private companies. They have a lot to lose if capitalism is
In a period of capitalist expansion, the
allow certain concessions workers. In over one hundred years of their ex-
have been responsible dramatically raising the material and cultural level of the working class. This has given the
Underestimates the City
Already, both James Callaghan and Denis Healey have raised the question of whether an SDP Labou coalition would not be preferable to another five years of Tory rule.
The attack of the right against the left inside ine Labour rary at the present time is inwatery bound wo with the question of govern.
LUTE
stance the witch-hunt and the right wing 01fensive are attempts to render the Labour Party fit to rule lin the interests of caoital).
But it is also the case that the defeat of the left necessary precondition for coalition perspective from the Labour right.
In its campaign for a Labour victory the left must start to
ENOUG LY fight against the SDP policies of the Labour
and centre, particulariy on policy, and against
The upshot is likely to be a major division in the tradi tional Labour vote at the next
therefore laid for a coalition government between the SDP and sections of the Labour
righ The current witch-hunt in
the Labour Party and th
base is designed to create just such red of manoeuvre bureaucracy
The consequences of such
way level, including in the unions
B1C013 Every major struggle against the threatens to put the process in reverse
The emphasis of Brian's letter therefore is In cereale significance of the SDP from
bask this
mass of workers
control. terests of the working class
rooting out of the bureaucracy. or gone around
coalition.
the long term dangers for the noVe ment are obvious. If the Labour Party DEUSUDDE coalitions with other parties doesn't this legitimise the type of break with the Labour Party openl canvassed Fran Chapple and others?
The possible repercussions of another isle OT Grain dispute within the rUc unde these conditions WUSE very question of the organisational unity of the working class.
These are the questions which arise from SDP/Liberal threat to the working class movement None of them are inevitable, but neither should the left wilfully blind itself to their scope or their implications for our tactics today.
STEVE POTTER
the point of view of the threa that it holds for the workers WYCHICH rrow mis pomt or view te SDP becomes a simple re-run of Thatcherism clothing - while the working COSTY CEY up
tion, we say that the class con-
through the labour movement wHit is thoroughty bourneo!
apparatus, threatens the unity of the labour movement in the next period.
Barring unforseeable and major industrial battles over the the verge of a period of grow ing polarisation and political within the labour movement.
BRIAN HERON East London unions tremendous prestige. The union leaders
glory. They embody the achievements of the unions in the eyes of the
Despite their integration into the state and government, even right wing leaders sometimes
have to sanction strike action in order to keep
Union leaders can't always keep control by directly sabotaging struggles. From time to ume bureaucrats come forward who under. stand that the best way to preserve the control of the burcaucracy to place themselves at the head of a militant upsurge, and thereby control
This was the story of Hugh Scanlon and Jack Jones. But their subsequent careers showed that they were just as capable as the right wing of blatantly selling out struggles. Their 'militant' past made this job that much easier.
As the crisis in Britain intensifies, the room for concession diminishes. More and more, the choice is whether the role of unions is to police the working class in the interests of the bosses, or dedicate themscives to promoting the in-
To act in the interests of workers in today's conditions means breaking with the capitalist system. But for unions to become instruments for socialist change would require the complete
Many thousands of workers have recently gone through bitter experience of how trade union bureaucrats act on behalf of the bosses But, at present, such workers are in a minority For the majority, the leaders still enjoy a cer tain prestige. These leaders cannot be ignored
Page 15 scan of this page
оссиру
ON 1 DECEMBER, 1981 Plessey management served 90 days motice on its workforce at Bathgate in Scotland. The factory was to close with the loss of 330 jobs. The workforce has occupied the plant since 25 January.
machinery which management intends to ship to Italy. The occupation, overwhelmingly com posed of women workers, is the second action in Bathgate to defend jobs.
their management and now the courts to save their jobs. Socialist Challenge spoke to some of the women in the Plessey occupation about the situation the town now finds itself in. MARGARET Explained, worker, •With both factories redundancies this town on its knees.
Loss of the 330 jobs at Plessey would unemployment in Baungare to su per cent
Teams
Margaret pointed out, *Manv of ine women here have their husbands working at BI.. We are getting support from the whole
Teams have been sent out to local factories and shops; they've had a great reception. We are travelling all over to raise support. A delegaton nas been sent to Lee Jeans.
There are four unions involved in the occupalion: the engineering union and its white collar section, TASS, the electricians' union and the
Scott's convenor
arrested on picket
By Pete Clifford IN A NEW provocation in the ten month long strike at Laurence Scott, Manchester Tactical Aid Group police arrested on the picket line, convenor Denis Barry. chairperson Peter Rowen and two other strike committee activists.
Denis Barry told Socialist Challenge what happened We called a mass picket on hearing that non-union sacurity firm was to be responsible for Precion pee factoran
company. Clan Security. was believed to be offering to work 80CLONO! simply security of the тастогу. Attack
Over one hundred strikers assambled outside the factory last about this protest about but were refused the right to corket you cant ven their own facLOSY talk to them, I'm the DEKERRE were told by Inspector law". we
Plessey workers
They are pledged to stop any movement of
Two miles away BL workers are fighting
clerical union, APEX. Most of the women belong to the AUEW and so far Marry in referenDe said Denis Barry their attempts peacefully persuade the scabs not to cross the picket.
Inspector Morris
icked on myself and
other identified activists. This was diversionary tactic. as the scabs then gained
Denis Barry. Protest
He and the other three were charged
with obstruction. In
spite of this attack, the
stre pisket moundithe
clock basis. Moreover,
they are not letting up in thair campaign for
removal the engineering union ex-
ecutive council who they see as the main problem they face in pushing forward the
struggle ca. Denis Barry out this campaign. saling Loreno sup-
porters
scott to steo un thei financial support.
Please rush to G. Pomies, Cheshire. Fryer. Rounderoft,
By Neil Cruickshank
have the support from
But the fight will be very hard, as June said, *There's work to do in the factory but Plessey will not invest _In new machinery. They have taken a great deal out of this place and put nothing back. Plessey last year had
nine month profit of [84m and yet they propose to close us down.
Future
*We have always been cheap labour. Average take-home must be 159 or Bathgate workers at Plessey are following in their sisters' action (above) who in 1977 worked-in to stop redundancies at the Kirby factory
the strikers stand up to the bitter winter.
•Trade Unions
here mod that with
here. And with bonus. But we will stick it out as long as it takes They are not going to take our jobs well everything else they've got out of us in the past."
Links between the two struggles in Bathgate are growing every level. Last Wednesday a meeting in the town of over 200 shop stewards and convenors from all over the
For Plessey and ll support
Ann told Socialist Challenge about the welcome DOL 01 stovies which had been cooked in the canteen at Plessey for the frozen BL picket. She
*We have to get together because it's sure that the management will get together. TASS convenor at Plessey George the
WECK NO SEL:
DUL LAURENE SCOTT Denis Barry (right) on the picket line with Charles Morris MP as
said that the fight to save the factory was the fight to save Bathgate's future as was the strike of the BI tractor plant there. those two factories close tere would be no work left in the town.
Breach
The occupation action committee on hearing of the proposed closure and the redundancy money be
produced balance sheet to show to the Plesser workers. necessities alone it would all be gone in 18 months.
As we left there was still no news about management's failure to pay the week's wages owed to the women before the occupation. Similar tactics have been mice with Be But the mood was cheerful and contident and the message was *We'll stick it CUE
Money is urgently needed Send donations to Plessey
Gc/0 Mary Murphy, Main St Fauldhouse, West Lothian
The ups and
downs of the
By Matthew Boult
stant eroding of jobs by management.
only 650 workers
cient machine eventually arrived.
union occupied.
cupation and were locked out.
Negotiations
rounded by snow drifts, 20 to 30 feet deep
Dunlop workers for solidarit
fact thar Brunmowr blackspots in Wales to be observed. But management would not accept
fight. They've chosen to fight.
mised support.
matter.
c/o Wales TGWU, Transport House, diff
Laurence Scott
Strike Bulletin No 3
and their appeal for action
against the AUEW council NOW OUT.
committee, 20 Rounderoft,
gratefully accepted
seriously mishandled
dispute.
Rule 14, paragraph five
COUNCIL
General Sccretary:
Cheshire with donations.
Dunlop occupation
SOME TWO months ago 450 workers occupied the Dunlop DiY plant at Brynmar South East Wales. Dunlop, the biggest employer in Brynmawr was occupied in protest against the con-
At its height, in the late '70s, Dunlop employed 1,800 workers in Brynmawr. Today, a major redandancy dea and many small scale redundancies later, Dunlop employs
During all this time the workers proudly boasted that not a day's work was lost through industrial unrest. Large scale reinvestment had been promised. One pitifully an-
Just before Christmas more redundancies were propos ed. 450 workers from the clearical section of the transport
The members of the enginerring union and the office staff union, ASTMS, did not join the oc
management had been considering shedding up to half the remaining workforce. The occupying workers survived the bitterest blizzards in living memory in South Wales, sur-
In mid January Dunlop announced the closure of the plant because of lost production! The negotiators from Wales transport union took over. Delegations from the local workers movement were received and appeals to
were made.
The arbitration service, ACAS, stepped in. The Wale officials of the TG WU tried to make a new agreement. The union would accept the total closure of the plan despite the
one the unemployment
In return full redundancies rights for all workers were
The 1980 Tory Employment Act meant that the state would give nothing to workers who had lost their jobs through an industrial dispute. The Dunlop workers faced a choice: permanent unemployment or to press on with the
Leicester Dunlop has banned overtime in support o Brynmawr and other branches in the Combine have pro
Negotiations have now moved to a British level. Moss Evans, general secretary of the transport union, has been briefed and on 4 February a British team is due to meet Dunlop UK. Uf this fails the workers say that a national campaign at every level should be launched. As they point out taking on a giant multinational like Dunlop is no easy
Send donations and messages of support to Dunlop strike
Cowbridge Rd. Car
NEW issue with the case of the Scott strikers
engineers
ORDER, 2p each plus postage, from LSE strike
Romiley, Cheshire
All donations for the AUEW rule 14' campaign
Laurence Scott Strike Committee Protest resolution for AUEW branches
THIS branch believes executive council has the Scott As this is an issue of concern to all
AUEW members the branch demands a ballot
for removal of executive council in line with
Rule 14, paragraph five states: "The executive or any member thereof may be removed
from office by a ballot of the membership of the
union provided such a ballot is demanded by ten
per cent or more of the branches and not less than
two thirds of the membership are in favour of such
removal. The ballot should be conducted by the
If your branch supports the protest resolution
make sure it is sent to the AUEW general office,
TI0 Peckham Rd. London SE15 and a copy is sent
to the strike committee, 20 Rounderoft, Romiley,
Soctatist Challenge 4 February 1982 page 15
Page 16 scan of this page
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