Socialist Challenge No. 251, 24 June 1982
The scan: sc-no251.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
Challenge Health and railworkers Make war on Tories
No. 251 24 June 1982 25p Unemployed and strikers 10p
Socialist
Health and rail workers Make war on Tories
workers are fighting for a
Photo: P. GRANT (Socialist Challenge)
working conditions.
government.
for a confrontation. snap general election. leader, leader, these attacks.
defence of jobs.
game.
AS THE Royal Baby is born, health
miserable 12 per cent wage increase. As Prince Charles arrives in a chauffeur-driven limousine, rail workers prepare to strike against vicious attacks on their jobs and
Whatever Thatcher hoped to achieve at home by her war in the South Atlantic, workers have declared war on her and her
Make no mistake, the Tories are looking
Riding high on a wave of jingoism, they have made another totally unacceptable offer to the hospital workers, despite the massive show of support in defiance of the Tories' picketing laws, from significant sections of the working class.
The railworkers will take the brunt of Thatcher's thuggery. There has even been talk of the Tories using the confrontation to win a
The entire labour movement should throw everything behind these struggles. Now, more than ever before, the Triple Alliance of rail, coal and steel workers should be used to stop everything that moves on the railways.
The Tories plan to close another 30 pits and 25,000 steel jobs are on the line. Miners'
Arthur Scargill and steel workers' Bill Sirs, have pledged resistance to
The best way they can defend their own members' jobs is to give full and unconditional backing to the rail workers now including bringing their own members out in
The Tories are confident of taking on the unions after the Falklands War. The labour movement should respond by preparing ! own war. Let's bea: Thache: 3: -e: 3a.-
Health workers and railworkers in struggle
pages 2, 3, 4 & 5
Witch-hunt
not the left
'THE REAL question is how can
forward gramme to get full employ. ment, to get peace, to get out of the Common Market, and to get rid of nuclear weapons?
Tony Benn, speaking
END
LOW
PAY
Natonal Union of Putlic Empoyses
Fight the Tories
the head.
the Labour left. out
Tories have
reverse its leading …ones cowi
those who Labour's policies.
That
Tories
previous the inquiry
will rely on
Head Office views members
considerable
walca despite its sist on
supporters
in unity. party that will develop
office.
CaSs
Labour Party.
the South gala last declared that unity
not socialists.
He
the SDP defectors. Labour Democracy
union
ing the
mendations
OC COLUS means linking
ec :o celer. »: time
against the new witch-hunt in the Labour Party, hit the nail on
Just as the unions have launched a wave of strug gles against the Tories Labour's right wing has chosen to attack
At a time when some of the most significant battles against the
been unleashed Labour has an historic chance to
electoral fortune by the battle to bring the mustede or enuns that battle the Labour leadership is allackie uc mass movcuucut ard
are fighting for
is the meaning of the witch-hunt - it is aimed at those who are fighting for the policies which are vital for defeating the
Ted Knight, himself a victim of
wilcn-nunts, described into the Militant tendency as a 'nark's charter'. It
secret information . unnamed party HeRDeS u about .the political their fellow party
The report itself has been compiled in the same fashion, with
assistance from members, the main right wing group in the party
investigated acknowledged links wiln anlı-working class organlisa tionf the attack on Militant is successful it will give the green light to
Satidasiy and Sher to He ley.
boot to the rest of the left, particularly Tony Benn's supporters.
National Executive Committee members have only received the conclusions of the report They have not been shown the evidence. The right wing on the NEC will in.
endorsing the findings, waiting for the eve of annual conference to implement the recommendations: to boot out Militant
The right wing is not interestec
programme that can bring the Tories to their knees and put Labour into
Such a party and a Labour government committed to socialist policies would finally expose these
traitors who have cynicall! used the party for their own ends That is the cleansing we need in the
Arthur Scargill summed it up
Yorkshire miners Saturday when he can only be achieved by attacking the Tories
condemned the Weighells and Hattersleys of this world as
same kind of traitors as the To loud cheering he pledged the NUM's opposition to the witch-hunt of the Militant
We need the biggest ever cam paign to defend Militant - and anyone else under attack. Currents like the Campaign for Labour Par
and London Brifing have already stated that they will refuse to comply with the witch-hunt register Local Labour parties and trade
branches shouid rust resolutions to the NEC condemn
witch-hunt report and refusing to implement its recomr.
the witch-hur: *ith workers. health workers ar= those struggling against ne Public meetings hould ie : Witch-hunts: not the first
pages 8 & 9
Page 2 scan of this page
- Editorial
PO Box 50, London N1 2XP
Phone 01-359-8189/8180 (editorial and distribution)
The war has just begun
EVERYTHING is now settled in the
South Atlantic, say the media. The war
is over, the
democracy is being restored in Argen-
tina. Let us now think of the good things
in life: the future king,
smashing up the railworkers, and look.
ing forward to a Tory election victory.
The election might be sooner than
Michael Foot expects.
for Thatcher must be very great; Foot
has handed her public support on
plate; he
finish his destruction job by launching
Labour's biggest witch-hunt since the
1950s.
Will the new prince become a king?
Will Thatcher win the elections? That
depends on whether we settle accounts
with Foot. But two things are sure:
democracy has not been restored in
Argentina, and the war is not over.
democratic Argentinian government do
about the war? According to our
tionary, democracy means the rule of
the people. What do the people want?
Satisfaction of their just claim to the ter-
ritory
Islands!
Argentina if the new government drops
this just claim? Only the most vicious
and repressive
silence the Argentinian people now that
it has been given a voice.
at present too divided and weak to im-
pose a repressive solution: not because
of the war, but because of the bankrupt-
cy of the capitalist system they defend.
The conclusion is simple. A lasting set-
tlement cannot be
Argentinian people's claim is rejected.
surely, into war with the Latin American
people. She will be driven to strengthen
alliances with rulers
Pinochet. She will be driven to further
aggression; she will line up more solidly
with Reagan's
revolution.
begun.
Pay the
Health
Workers
JOIN THE FIGHT FOR
SOCIALISM
If you would like to be put in touch with Socialist Challenge supporters in your area or would like more information fill in the form below Name.
Address
Age
Union/CLP (if any).
Send to: Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50. London N1 2XP.
cialist Challenge
islands are British, and
the World Cup,
The temptation
now seems determined to Ask a simple question: what would a
dic-
and resources of the Malvinas
How can there be a democracy in
government could
Fortunately the Argentine rulers are
produced if the
Thatcher is dragging us, slowly but
like Chile's
world crusade against
Only a battle is over: the war has just
Pay the Health workers badges available at 25p each Orders for 10 or more badges ao each Orders for 100 or more 15p each chernes payable to "Cardinal Enterprises' and send to Badges PO Box 50 LonWhy not get your trade union or Labour Party branch to order some? 24 June 1982 page 2
ARTHUR SCARGILL was greeted with loud cheers when he committed the miners union nationally to action to defend the threatened closure of the Snowdown colliery in Kent, Yorkshire miners' gala in Doncaster last Saturday.
all out strike action of miners had forced the government to withdraw a 'hit list' of mines that it wished to close.
commitment to keep the pits open Scargill said and Snowdown was in the frontline. He appealed selected as a target, I ask you to take industrial action to save the pits, to save jobs and to save the industry'.
great importance as it is likely to be the flashpoint between the miners and the Tories.
Collins, area secretary of the Kent National Union of Mineworkers about the background to the threats.
THE SNOWDOWN colliery in Kent is potentially an extremely productive pit. Below the present workings there is an eight foot seam covering a very
La cd least 75 million tonnes of reserves. yet the lories are intent on closing it down.
'Snowdown is a prime
how much store can be put by
of Tory Ministers, • Jack Collins explained. 'Even after we forced the climb down in rebruary the 'hit list' of threatened pits was Snowdown amongst them - local management continued to insist on unacceptable conditions before they would agree to our proposals to open new seams'
Local officials demanded the reduction ol me worktorce trouen redundancies and transfers other pits. 'We are not preparca lo agice oll ally redundancies. If they Wanted eauv reurement, great so long as they look on new young mices and paid decent pension.
The Kent area agreed to some transfers but were highly suspicious numbers demanded by the Board and their stonewalling.
In June 1981, the local NCB officials formally agreed to the NUM proposals for making the pits viable. But nothing happened. 'They kept stalling
all the while complaining, that Snowdown losing money. Of course it was! There was no planning or new investment goIng On.
Meanwhile, the Board was backtracking even on some forr.al agreements. Their
recruit youngsters yescinded and they framed year was
their investigations into the potential of the new seams in such a way that they NUM workable proposals would DIOVC 'un- LUC
*Then at the end of the negotiations they demanded that we agree to the
Save Snowdown
at the
In February 1981, the spontaneous
The government had reneged on its
'If one pit is
The threat to Snowdown takes on
Brian Grogan spoke to Jack
present closure
reduction of the workforce as a supposedly temDul al y ¡casul c They were talking about cutting 500 from only 800 in toto We weren't falling for that old trick: make vague promises, get rid of most of the men, then move in for the kill when we would be in no position to resist. In the face of this, we decided to act', he continued.
'We decided work on 2 June. We used that day of action to fan VUl coalfields to alert the rest into all tne other
of the miners that we intended a total stoppage to save the pit on 19 June, explain the issues involved and win their support and soldarity. The reaction was uniformally positive. Whatever the formal political complexion of the leadership in the various areas, we got committment for support every place we went.'
They lobbied the NEC which carried a motion unanimously supporting the Kent area in its fight to keep snowaown open. view of this and on request
ship, they decided
their plans for all-out strike.
'Snowdown's future will now be discussed as a matter meeting between the union and the NCB on 24 June There will then be a full report to the annual con ference starting 5 July. If there is positive response from the Board then there will be all-out action for jobs called from then' workers are presently engaged in battle agains the lories what was the potential of joint action?
'Should Buckton of the drivers' union make
call,' promised Jack, 'the miners will respond. There will be no question of the miners allowing coal to be handled by blackleg labour.
'We are also doing what we can to help the healthworkers. Obviously we have to reserve strength for our own bat tle, but we have sent
all the
Trade Unions
• 1011 STARLA
ROPOSE
LARY UNDANCY Clues
IN 1 fight against closure
LATIONAL Jack Collins, general secretary, Kent NUM demonstrations. On 23 June day of action we will send a delegation to Join the healthworkers demonstration in Lewisham in South London.
By Alex Mateo
at the annual Saturday.
Despite the rain, large crowd assembled at the rally to hear speakers Michael Foot and NUM President Arthur Scargill.
Foot spoke of grave threat posed by the Tebbit Bill, offering as a solution the for
CO-vocalli returning Labour government committed to repealing the Bill. This he said was necessary for the good of the nation; he also talked Tories immorality concerning mass
In the same vein, Foot dismissed Britain's policy in the South Atlantic as a distraction, concluding with characteristic percep tion that 'the world is
Arthur Scargill, made
MYNOIKERS
NOB RENAL
ON SNOWDOLA
NEGOHAIONS
Kent miners successfully lobby their national leadership for full backing in their
WORKERS
KENT
NO MANHAS THE RISK
TD SELL ANDTHERMANS
He didn't think that the chauvinism generated UvC the FalklandMalvinas war would undermine the fight against the Tories 'Now
Scargill pledges NUM
to fight the witch-hunt
SEVERAL thousand miners and their families were joined by contingents of health workers
miners gala at Doncaster on Arthur Scargill clear his opposition to the Tory war. * am opposed to Britain trying to hang OILLU imperialist colonialist past', in the presence, of Foid. said.
Scargill went to denounce the witch-hunt by pointing out that unity can only be achieved by attacking the Tories not socialists.
KENT MINIR
SAY RECRUITMENT
NOT REDUNDANCH
the shoolllg ovel workers can see that its our living standards that are al stake The government would be extremely unwise to fight us head-on'.
He condemned the GM Weighells and the Hat-
tersleys of this world as the COOKSON (Socialist Challenge)
same kind of traitors as the SDP defectors and pledged the NUM's opposition to the witch-hunt of the Militant tendency. This statement was greeted with loud cheering
The of the miners in supporting the health workers was part of the fight agalls Tebbit, Scargill said He then reiterated the demand for a four day week, . retire ment at 55 and a minimum wage of £110 per week. In continuing this theme, he starine antone sure stating that, one pit is selected as a target, I ask you to take industrial action to save the pits, to save jobs and to save the industry'.
Enthusiastic applause and cheerlig firmed the miners' willingness to oblige.
Page 3 scan of this page
All out with the healthworkers
South Wales miners score goal for health workers
'Healthworkers need our support'
By Celia Pugh FIFTEEN thousand seafarers, building workers, civil servants and engineers united in a tremendous demonstration on Wednesday 16 June, the day that 36 Welsh pits took strike action in support of health workers.
As the multi-coloured lodge representing the 24,000 striking miners swung InLO cardiff's Sophia Gardens for
rally, unousands of uniformed nurses, domestics and auxiliaries cheered, clapped and chanted. One miner. moved by the electric atmosphere, remarked, "It feels like scoring a goal in the World Cup!'
Magic
This was a truly magic dav for the Wales labour BOVCICUL. As the rally's orealisers revoricu to une cheering crowd, this was the biggest demonstration so far in the UK-wide cam-
the health workers.
South Wales NUM President Emlyn Williams greeted the rally. 'Today's miners strike is our expres-
of solidarity. When we talk about assistance this what the South Wales miners mean. 90 per cent of the lodges submitted emergency resolutions demanding that the NUM leadership stand up to be counted, not just in this
DUL I LEC general fight. The miners were in the gutter until the
RICH PALSER spoke to
sall school of nursing. about miners and health workers. JOHN: A lot of miners agree with the workers dispute but not a lot is being done. The miners in 1972 and that we could not have done it on our own. we nccuca te
the healthworkers need our support now.
STEWART: You
week some miner is colle need medical treatment. Last
week the ambulance was out
our
that SOME
cross the picket line that muses vul us al lie Dils they dian t work because iney were too few.
MICHEI F• All in all there
was on on picket eat te
were icket line at the pits. It could have been better organised. Nothing was Cycl
That was
done by the local stewards, it was us that decided to
I got a letter from COHSE telling us to stop serving out mess because our oo is usi to feed the patients. The trou-
SUPPORT for the healthworkers 12 per cent claim dramatically increased on the 23 June TUC-called Day of Action. Miners in Scotland and Derbyshire led the
way but water, gas and electricity workers also gave
support. Thousands of council workers and local government workers in NUPE and NALGO also backed up their hospital colleagues. These actions were a
health workers, miners, 1970s. Then we stood up to be counted. After the 1972 strike they have think twice about closing Last year we stood up
Power To cheers he warned 'Attempts will be made to buv SOme oI vou divide and annihilate you.
Don't let them do it. together, be united and we call will.
In contrast to TUC icoresculauve Charlie Donnet, , who opposed allstrike his OU l speech, Emlyn Williams drew tumultuous applause when he said 'If I have to be critical, it is that no member of the public services should be at work today.'
Derek Gregory, NUPE Divisional Officer echoed this militant response 'The government don't understand the power of argument, so we have to use the argument of power. The support and action of the given confidence to health service workers all ove Britain.
Some accuse us of taking action to bring down government, that this is a
John Chambers from Markham Main Colliery, Stewart Berthwick from Yorkshire Main Colliery and Michele Oliver, Lover-
at the Yorkshire miners gala,
Able is that that doesn't really nurt management, waitresses just have to do The decides who Lall emergency case and increlore what cover we operate One day strikes just mean that the dishes pile up till the next day when the go on and have to clean them all up. I inink it snoula be all-out action.
the Jor ls cicar to me unal nurses have support but one day • We not going to be nave colto de al-our with ine nurses. To me there has not sufficient from above, from the TUC
STEWART: The thing mulers are not zolne to oc oll worker.
There's a among nealth workers because the governical
more pay than the others.
MICHELE: That way you are ezen other rather than the government.
'If we bring down the government over this par dispute so much the better, we'll be doing the country a service. Today it's the miners who are coming ›ul to support une neall workers.
STEWART: I think the TUC
We asked e. 0 come the 23 June.
KIOW WILY to have been out again.
JOHN: I agreed with what Arthur Scargill had to say at the gala. He's in touch with the miners. He'll go round campaigning and talking to
SWAR at Gormley did. posite of what Gormley The House of Lords is the best place for mim.
JOHN: scargill gets up and
whether its controversial or He cuts through all the waffle. He was right when he said we weren'
were striking against the Tebbit Bill because when that
we're • doing would be illegal. The irvine to make il so that you
with Can't SnOW songarily other workers.
STEWART: The only thing I would add to Scargill is that
miser trust ato usery
miner striking. те тів: I under out on strike it any worker is alica.
Solidarity
Health workers 'clap-on' miners in S Wales last week
miners will call on us to support their struggle against pit closures. We have to aid that struggle.
I ns uremenaou: day of solidarity received an added boost when international speakers were in-
одви
а це
Murray, please note.
vited to greet the crowd. A delegate from the Swedish Municipal Workers Union brought solidarity message from Swedish health workers. miner Stefan Palka was warmly
HOSPITAL CLY
SATS
ED
END
LOW
PAY
Health workers demonstrate on their 'day of action
tremendous encouragement to health workers to stick out for their full claim despite the new offer made by the Tories. But these actions were also one in the eye for the 1980 Employment Act which expressly forbade such solidarity action. Yet trade union action is so determined that the Tories dare not use the Act. Len
received when he declarec "I bring greetings for your just struggle. Polish workers are involved in a solidarity struggle too under difficult conditions and The Stalinist bureaucracy
C TO 4% TR IS 10 w WE A
trying to take back all that
Solidarity has won. The
bourgeoisie in the west is
taking away the rights o
the miners for the solidari-
ty they have shown us and
I wish you victory?
12
TO Socialist Challenge 24 June 1962 page 3
Page 4 scan of this page
≥ RAILWORKERS IN FRI Rail: the battle is on
militancy BR face
by support from tube workers. During the train drivers' series of day southern region commuters took to driving to the start of the underground and circumventing the effects of the strike that way.
of their own demands. This is an excellent basis for forging joint action. PATRICK SIDALL, a worker on the underground and a member of the NUR reports. London Transport tube workers took strike action from last Monday against managements attempts to unilaterally impose new timetables.
By R Brookes, NUR guard LAST WEEK Peter Parker spent an estimated £34,000 just so that each and every railworker would have the unwanted pleasure of receiving a personal message from him through our letter boxes. Letters from management to workers' homes are becoming more and more familiar. Sir Michael Edwardes has regularly found enormous sums of money to send his views to British Leyland workers, especially when they were preparing for action to defend their jobs.
What did Sir Peter have lu say: First orance wat 28 Mav the Boara made the rollowing offer: to increase rates
of epicy ir, per end on
the sIx
been completed by 30 July
If agreement on the reached by to rely reached by Day will
What an insult this offer is! It's well below other public sector workers have been offered start: And in reality, it is on-
Socialist Challenge 24 June
DIS
WANT APPRENTI Horwich workers demonstrating against closure threats to railway workshops. This is the sort of
Tube workers fight back
ANY rail strike will be immeasurably strengthened cent effective.
strikes earlier this year,
At this time, NUR members on the tubes are taking action in support
By the beginning of the Monday rush hour was clear that despite LT's claims of limited services on some lines, the strike was 90 per
A reply to Sir Peter Parker
cent offer - a lICI C Our Da Vi should have been backdated to 19 April, a year after the last Instead, supposed to wait septembe six months late — and agree to produc "The NUR hasn't even the seen fit to give a firm figure.
The minimum we should be for Cell, muanon Is runing at 9.5 per cent.
And what about the "productivity items! Tae mean only one tning - loss of jobs, loss of pay and worse conditions. ake the
page 4
APPRENTICES BRITISH WANT THOR:
WHO NEXT TRADE
WHATRE CLINE!
VINOWOR
ORWE
BRITISH RAI
YGINFERING
These new timetables
are being put torwara by
management as a direct
result of the Tory law lords
decision earlier this year to
wreck the Labour GLC's
cheap fares policy.
If accepted, the new
timetables would mean
less frequent service TOI
the passengers, and less
muras or tao crews ow.
ing their shifts. Although
this would probably not
lead to compulsory redun-
dancies, it would create, in Boaros cemaneor guards on the St Pancras to Bedford line. One hundred and fifty guards their jobs immediately
Lucil: And it means the boare will be able
press ahead to remove guards from all the electric all talls
The trains used on these lines were custom Dulll so they can be readily con-
'one man opera once piloț scheme at St Pancras is
LIC every guard on these trains will be under inreat
As li that's not enough,
Board wants withdraw guards from freight trains well.
LUCI sarcly
tram crews and other railworkers. Most rai
don't realise that the guards who are responsible fol saicly case thres trallis. breakdowns in unlit tunels,
other mishaps.
By R Reid, NUR guard
A MASSIVE campaign to mobilise support for
railworkers throughout the labour movement is the urgent order of the day. The excellent call for all-out strike action by the executive of the
National Union of Railwaymen has been matched by the determination union, ASLEF, to fight British Rail Board to impose the flexible rosters jon 3 July.
railworkers.
at least a month.
the short term, a much
larger pool of spare train
crews whose numbers
would then be cut back
wastage.
LT have already announc-
ed thạt they want 500 train
crew jobs to go.
Wage levels would also
be affected. Later starting times, and earlier finishing
times would both erode overtime earnings and also speed moves towards the removal of the night shift.
These moves would affect
Furthermore it's not just guards who'll lose thei jobs. One of the productivity items, the 'open station' form staff and the plat-
certainty or une cole queue like signalmen when services
anary back in secret The
Barged to akes 40,
,000 jobs in Nobody lobs are sarcars. next
Already
and lailways ark apart. crouen is chougil
Sir Peter 'No one who has Parker also
examined our proposals for
lexible rosterin objective them. What rubbish! Does been abi lault this mean that all the drivers
ASLEF and the drivers and guards who both
against
cent grades and conference
all incapable of seeing lexible rostering for what it
- a cost-cutting scheme
of the drivers'
the decision of the
British Rail supported by the government, are preparing a major snowaown with lne Major BR customers have been walcu lo bcoare iu a lola sutuown ol
Newspaper articles have mentioned a lour month strike. Local employment bureaus are advertising urgent vacancies ior heavv goods
vehicle drivers to establish alternative transport. Power
stations have been stockpiling coal for several weeks.
The British Rail Board
hopes that a prolonged
strike will undermine the
ability of the rail unions to
stand in the way of halting
sweeping productivity
measures which will shed
40,000 jobs. these
measures get through, the
remaining workers in the
maustry will
worsening of job condi-
tions and a tive
wage freeze followed by a
pay which
doesn't even start to match
inflation. Nothing ICOS
than 12 strings will do cent without
So we're in for a long
fight, and we'll need every
bit of support we can
all LT Underground
workers.
The new timetables are just the thin end of the wedge
and deep
coin i managemen was res
introduce. These include:
• One person operated trains
• Automatic fare collection
• Automauc barriers
• The closure of sections of track and less used stations .
But the action so far has been mounted despite the lack
of a clear lead from the unior head Unity House to get more work for less pay Train
crews who are working these rosters working nine
overtille working which were forced to do to make up for our disastrously low basic rate Besides, the job is quite flexible enough as it 1s. We nav:
cutterent starting each dar - with two hours
flexibility' either side
hifts start at all hours of th nient anu udy vy c alcau work unsocial hours so that the commuters
the world sleeps pee be e tra themselves
• pub, train crews are al
Sir Peter Parker says we shouldn't support our union's strike call But unless strike action is taken or rele and his way is the bag tinue
is the biggest all to the industry and our jobs.
muster to win. The time has come to turn the Triple Alliance into reality. Steel workers are still facing massive job losses and the Tories are out to decimate the coal industry. The Dit closure proposed Snowdown in Kent is only the start. The health workers are battling on and the_ magnificent solidarity shown Shorkers from other sectors rank and file
will count a great deal in any advances they make. Their struggle has shown the willingness of rank and file workers to extend active support. Triple Alliance could stop Joint action the vicious attacks on industrial workers and could bury Tebbit at the same time.
But none of this will be achieved unless there is full and active backing from rank and file railworkers themselves. Many in the industry are not fully aware of the deadly implications of the Board's proposals. Most NUR members are sceptical that the strike will go ahead. Sidney Weighell has rung too many false alarms in the past and then has con ceded vital principles to the Board without a fight.
Railworkers are quite capable of mounting strong, united fightback. But that will be under-
refuse to issue a clear state ment, specifically of the nev
timetable. - reivine instead •n a orevious statement car• ing for general non-coopera. tion with any measures ing from the House of Lords decision.
Section council representing train crews did send out specific instructions, but right up until Sunday night many were wallus to sec wilat daD- e pened next morning. here have been no depot meeting
patchy. Station staff are stin
BR boss, Sir Peter Parker
mined unless the leadership breaks from its sorry record and becomes responsive to the deep-telt sentiment of the membership to mainlaln and li prove our conditions and to save our jobs.
The mắin lasn organising the membership will rest on the local strike committees. In the Kings Cross area, a Joint strike committee has already beer SCU volving several depots to co-ordinate the ments of pickets to trouble spots, as well as to discuss possible secondary targets.
One strike bulletin has already been put out by the committee, and a second is due this week. Mass meetings are being plann ed in every depot before 28 June. Once the action SLalls. weekly Illass meetings, following a prearranged mass picket, will be held on the day that strike pay is paid out
If this kind of lead is followed and every worker in the industry whether they be guards, drivers, workshop engineers or platform staff
sees that we're in this
and stand or fall together, then we'll not only win our own struggle, but we'll inspire others to follow our example.
working instead of coming out in support.
NUR London District SUn-
to make it clear to the whole
LT membership tha the strike continues until th new timetables
Secondly, that all NUR should be out on strike. Final ly LT must be forced to make eity strings all ace united action by train and bus workers across London
Page 5 scan of this page
Thatcher's war at home
Strike for our interests, not Weighell's
By Pat Hickey
days. £1.5 billion to defend 'our" national interests. And now she's determined to defend 'our' na-
be the tragedy of wasted lives of working peo-
to destroy her new enemy nians, but the rail unions.
Rail workers have rejected an offer of five per cent. Even that is chicken feed. But the five per cent is not going to be paid until September after a five month wage freeze. So really, the offer is nothing more than three per cent.
And this grand sum of Inree per cent Is uea lo a six-point productivity package. Thousand. British Rail Bota and the are stake. The Tories are determined to take on the rail workers and force through their plans to make railworkers pay for the crisis.
The train drivers' union ASLEF forced the Board to retreat over flexible rostering. AUT now everything is geared up for
By D Ellis, NUR guard THE STRIKE call by the NUR executive should be welcomed by railworkers because nothing less than all-out action will put a halt to the attacks on the rail industry and the attempts by the British Rail Board - with Thatcher four-square behind it - to get us to work harder for less money.
The last Sidney Weighell wants is this strike rose ane ome week result InIS arsaster Kemember how Weighell told us it would put money in our pockets?
And Weighell was quite reav o come same over ne Board's measly three per cent
meeting last week, Inal Lalks coname with ine Board. And wonder! He feels happier ir
thorpos fui of the Board
NT LINE ≥
London guards protest outside union headquarters against MARGARET THATCHER is riding high these
She says she spent the fantastic sum of
tional interest at home. This time there won't
ple, but she'll use the same single mindedness
not the Argenti-
an all-out war. The stakes are high. The Tories want to buila on the gains they made in public opinion over the Malvinas/ Falklands war. Now they want the gains to stick by defeating important the labour movement.
If they defeat the railworkers they can prepare a tresh round ot attacks on the working class. They can even consider an early general election. A test of strength between the railworkers and the British Rail Board is a LEoL the Tories and the labour of strength between
movement. It's a fight which the working class must win. that will benecessaryte main- does mounting the fight lail our wages ana conaltions. Give
The strike call for 28 June came because other member of the Sidney Weighell out-votea in a minority! But
as we know. Duney coesn give in easis d another Exday, he called another
and no doubt insulted the Executive - lo ger the decisid. Toas's the talks reversThat's why the back the table with the Board.
But one thing Weighell
DON Sid Weighell was quick to give his 'full support' to the army In the South Atlantic. He's a bit more
about fight with the BRB. There's no doubt he'll be usual eleventh hour sellOul. But he's got little room for manoeuvre in the face of the Tories' determination to crush the rail workers and his members' resistance to any more sell-
deals like flexible VUl rostering. condn i do was to reverse the
trike call. He'll keep trying
o find some way to sell us ou right to the last Innules. a sunke cal conto even cost him his knighthood, afier the strike is called off, it
lanworker. who'll end up ahead. It'l be
who Peter railways straight.
will ocooe wao areal ever Interested in providing a de
let alone our •ane Or course the majority of the Executive which is toda'
TOT sunke yesterday signed and sealed
flexible Maybe they are getting wor-
1n9 NUK S Allllua. cenera Meein on to une They know there are strong feelings behind the resolu
NO 2
si'''D0r
Shildon workers demonstrating against closure of Rail - crucial to the movement of coal and steel
Miners, steel workers and transport workers have given magnificent support workers. They have show-
defeating this Tory
Widespread blacking and solidarity ac tion will be vital if the rail strike is going to succeed.
The railways are vital to the economy. With ef fective picketing, large sections of industry can be tions which call for mor democracy in our union and more accountability of our cacalve.
Support
But whatever is moving them INtO Weighell's wishes today. fact is their call for action is the only thing that is going stop the destruction of the in. dustry and the Board's plan to drive us into poverty. day we neea to pur our tull support behind Executive's call to action because we back their record
because lilal SHOTT
change things. If we Board down
they'll find it harder ¡cal ycal lo suove more Dre
deals down our throats.
And we'll also be in a SIroncer position to tell
N.U.R
SHILDON.
stopped. And if the mines, steel and other sectors black the use of alternative freight transport, the Tories will go down to the biggest since the miners forced them to do a U-turn on pit closures.
If that happens, general election will be a very different kind of election than the one being planned by Thatcher, the SOP and the Labour rights!
Sidney Weighell
Sidney Weighell that only the united action of the membership, not
deals vith Sir Peter
, arker, are the way torwarc fu. sirike whatever ships well have to put with, bettei position to fight tor a more
wien starls lo meel our needs ano bateress
By P McDermott
of the
rallworkers
for Thatcher to return to office
jobs and living standards.
• BECAUSE the
lost under the Tories.
to put his anti-union laws.
SDP-type policies.
wing on the movement as a whole. stops to defeat government.
our paper will
* Start now to sell our
1. Contacting local strike committees
3. Calling public meetings
port
back the railworkers
*Get your trade
messages support, sheets, and help on the picket lines
Socialist Challenge
SHILDON
WONNS
ATION
SIMMITTEE
SAVE
SHILDON
WORKS
Six good reasons
why you should
support the railworkers
• BECAUSE the Tories want to use a defeat
Eln the wake of the Falklands war to call a general election. defeat for the railworkers will make it easier
— and then we'll have another five years of attacks on
railworkers are in the front lines of the fight against Thatcher. Il they win, the door will be opened for other workers to win back some of what we have
• BECAUSE support for the railworkers is the best way of telling boot-boy Tebbit where
• BECAUSE support for the railworkers will also give the right-wing 'leaders' — including Weighell - the loud message that the Tories will be defeated by struggle, not by • BECAUSE support for the struggle is the best way of defeating the witch-hunt in the Labour Party which is an attack by the right-
• BECAUSE the Tories are ruining our rail system, cutting jobs, cutting services, refusing to restock and modernise, at the same time as they are selling off the profitable sections so their friends in the City can make big profits, and we are left to pay higher prices.
THE national press, the telly, and the radio have started to launch their campaign to support the Tories to defeat the railworkers. Socialist Challenge is out to do just the opposite. We're pulling out all
this disastrous Tory
Our supporters in the rail industry, in other workplaces and in the Labour Party and the Labour Party Young Socialists will be work. ing flat out to win this fight. Week by week
giving the real facts, discussing the tactics in the fight, and we will be ready to expose any sell-out manoeuvres.
We want other workers to join us in the struggle for a workers' solution to the crisis, and help us to sell Socialist Challenge. So your local rail depot and at British Rail Socia weekly at
* Get your Labour Party or LPYS branch to pledge full support to the railworkers by: 2. Organising solidarity tours to win support
with speakers from the rail unions and other industries 4. Demanding your MP gives full public sup. 5. Passing resolutions calling on the NEC to
union branch, shop stewards committee, Trades Council to send
circulate collection
24 June 1982 page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
Struggle in the Lebanon
of the RCG, Lebanese
section of Fourth
International
Why did the Israelis choose this moment to anackr vynat wore weir strategic objectives?
The first aim is to follow up the Camp David solution, DHOKCE down, and either renew it or rake new same vein. The essence ot LEC Camp David agree. ment was mutual recognition. between Egypt and Israel, trying to deal with the Palestinian question by giving them some self-rule
'autonomy' and trying to ina an alternanve leadership to the PLO -and all this to be done of course without taking into
the wishes and demands of the Palesti-
The only way that Israel can secure its ex-
EXODUS: 1948 and 1967
MEDITERRANCAN
StA
The Palestinian
exodus SCATA
ISRAEL istence is by constantly establishing around 'security belt' which consists of stretches or and which are 'de-militarised' and where the PLO cannot carry out any military operations
They have already done this in Sinai and the West Bank and now they want to do it with South Lebanon. They tried to do this first 1978 establishing Haddad's state - 'Free Lebanon' and also by making sure that United Nations forces policed that area.
But the 1978 solution didn't
work occause PLO had weapons which enabled them to reach into Israel. The Israeli's call the operation Security for Galilee' - Ine area wnere all the settlements are.
political developments in the Arab world were favourable at this moment for the Israeli
Egypt has Invasion already been 'neutralised'
the bi-lateral ment. Syria has a lot of internal problems and there is a lot of anti-Syrian feeling inside Lebanon.
Jordan as we know is an impertanst agent. Also
Socialist Challenge 24 June 1982 page 6
Interview with a member
the situation wasn't very good Tor merry asce Lebanon. In the past few years uncle Have been growing anti-PLO senLIlICILLS which have been exploited by Israel and have been exacerbated by the Phalangists.
The growth of seclarianısın witnin Lebanon in the last few years has been exploited state. This is why you've seen organisanons like Amal for instance taking a more anti-PLO stance Amal is the militia of the Shi-ite fundamentalists. Suni and Shite Mu All these
Muslim groups - support the idea of a strong Lebanese state ana a strong Lebanese almy as well.
side. is of course in favour of this because
new lebanese armi
LEBANON SYRIAN
ARA • KEPUBLIC VII first exodus second exodus
could be in control of the
south, which corresponds to the wishes of these groups wine are supported by a majority of the population.
Isn't the Israeli attack also a response to the rising unrest against
their rule of the oc-
particular the West
Bank? in other words
didn't they hope to inthat a mora all Palestinians and
by defeating the Palestimar muldor
I don't think that it's just a
response to what has been happening LOe West
Bank it's more complex
that. but obvious s
the failure of Israel to
alternative
CIcalc
Palestinian leadership to
of the PLO tuat which would collaborate
and the failure of the
collaborationist Village
Leagues was one factor
What is your estimate of
the defeat the
Palestinian militias and
Destruction in the streets of Beirut
the Lebanese left. Are they crushed will they be able to resist?
It's true that the Palestinian and the progressive Lebanese forces have lost some important strategic bases, but they have by no means been completely defeated. They are still able to move around quite freely as far as we can tell.
Do for the option vill
the option for establsning strong Lebanese state controll ed by the Maronites above phalangists?" the
Israel would like establish Phalangistcontrolled state for sure,
that doesn't Cones pond exactly with the pro. ject US imperialism which is to incorporate Palestinian fighters defend the positions
International,
other bourgeois Lebanese leaderships into restructuring the state.
So what Israel is probably going to do is try establish a state headed by the Phalangists but which other bourgeois leaderships have Dall This would include setting up a strong Lebanese army, armed 5 kind of Americans. This solution would be more acceptable to the United Nations and reactionary Arab rulers than a simple Phalangist state.
The other bourgeois
other tradinonaist. confessionalist groups on the Muslim side, including Jumblatt's Lebanese National Movement, which is ultimately a bourgeois nationalist
despite its alliance with the PLO, and would have to be taken into con-
sideration.
How do you assess the performance the Syrians in this conflict?
If Syria confronted Israel it was only because it was obliged to do so. Considering that Israel said from the very start wasn't interested in fighting Israel the Lebanese, but just the Palestinians, Syria respon•ded to that very well from The sraels Doll o yew
Since 1975 Israel has been sending naisance planes over
and the most sophisticated Syrian weapons have not been used against them. 10 pro tect its image : Syria would from time to time send old planes over Lebanon which it knew would be shot down.
impossible forget the action of the Syrians in 1976, which wasn't unlike that of the
which nOW prevented the Lebanese left and the Palestinians scoring a military victory over the Phalangists
When the Phalangists butchered the Palestinians in the refugee camp at TelAl-Zatar the Syrians kept the Palestinians pinned down in the hills and even joined in the bombardment of the camp.
What will be the repercussion of the Israell at tack for Syria rest of the Arab world,
We are entering a new
phe mip David project
Camp David project and the death of the present Lebanese regime. Syria wants which at one and the same time pays lip service to the national aspirations of the Palestinians but also conforms to the interests of the pro-imperialist regime.
To this end it is apply. COC on load alli the Americans, which
takes the form of a presence in the Lebanon.
to make a bi-lateral agree.
so its only option is to try Louse ar Arab nations for a global agree
with Israel which consists of the recognition of Israel in the end and the protection all these regimes in the area.
It is quite clear that the Arab regimes are not sincere for tel suppor for the Palestinian liberation struggle. But at the moment they cannot afford to demand anythin less than an independent Palestinian state on the West Bank.
The price they would be prepared to pay for an independent mini-state on the West Bank would be recognition of Israel - • in effect selling out tional rights of the Palestinians.
Interview by Phil Hearse
The Other
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The resistance is part of a broader revulsion
against the genocide 'Lebanon
widespread the reserve armv. which is made up of people who have fought in past wars.
We were told the ferocity of the great shock to tempe invasion
Israelis. Many are against the wa - even I uney now nave no confidence to speak out.
ne genera mooa is nol ror at what is rightly seen a unprovoked aggression on the Compaign or nocide against government's ine raesunlans.
'People are just not believing anything the government say. The invasion is go HOW. sale woman ing to change a lot of things in
— this could be a turn ing point. launched campaign has
against the war b Israeli militants
Jerusalem ortanisca
•Women Against waT and the Bir Zeit
Committee was supported by 500 people, the largest protes against
Middle East by that date
'Women Against the War' planning furthe on 23 June ana mney expect many mort people to support have also been 1 sending petitions to the Israeli papers
The press in this countri remain silent on what is hap
inside Israel and the ving discontent with the
Israell government.
Our solidarity goes to th heroic Palestinians and
their against the : Israeli genocida
invasion; and also to all thos inside Israel who speak
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Page 7 scan of this page
A socialist foreign
Labour Committee for Withdrawal from the South Atlantic
THE WITCH-HUNT in the Labour Party is directed against the socialist policies conquered by the left since Thatcher came to office.
formed Labour Committee for
fight that has to be waged in the labour movement against Foot's treacherous
We urge all our resolutions in their Labour Party branches supporting the committee's aims and affiliating to it.
cle printed in London Labour Briefing, ALAN FREEMAN explains the need for a fresh look at foreign policy by the Labour left.
THE FALKLANDS/ MALVINAS crisis has proved one thing: foreign policy is Labour's blind spot.
The adventure has unpleasant lessons for the left; but we may yet emerge stronger it we take them to heart.
It is time to question the myth that Labour's satest strategy is to centrate on domestic issues like unemployment at the expense of 'cranky' foreign policy issues.
This unwritten canvasser's rule deeply engraved in Labour thinking. Foreign policy is
CORMAC'S VE ALWAYS
THOUGHT THAT THE bRISH LADOOK YARIY IS AT ITS LOVELIEST DURI Withdrawal from the
London Labour Briefing conference.
people heard Ken
British troops, to remain in power.
He went on to say that the basis for the commitlee, 0l which he wasc
policy to defeat
the Tories
Socialist Challenge thinks that the
That is why we think the newly
La vital component of the
readers to pass trade union and
In these extracts from a longer arti-
moralistic
The anything practical.
Uveiscas.
cher and her cronies
policy, their main
sound. disastrous has finally
VULCO
exist.
bench have uS
IN 1 TORY RAGS....
NG A WITHHUN..
THE NEWLY established Labour Committee for
South Atlantic held its first public meeting last Saturday, during the
Over 50 Livingstone, GLC Labour eader, denounce Thatcher for cynically killing hundreds, if not thousands of Argentinian and
sponsor, was the bare minimum we should demanding. "Those islands
are certainly
bengas stupid socialism
socialism needs a new foundation: a socialist foreign policy.
33 MrS nave made a promising start by voting
govern ment's war effort. Foot's
important which is that the so-called 'hard left' have aç-
from their
Faulds
feeling
is with union those opposed the front bench
in the Conference
resolutions
But positive
front
withdrawal trom South renunciation of any
backing 101 the Argenti-
the idea that socialists promote their aims deploying capitalist forces abroad.
• • WALLOW I THE HYSTERA OF
are part of the continental
land shelf of South
America,' explained Ken
Livingstone.
For the British to say
that they had the right to
'free' Argentinian workers
from the junta was the
height of paternalism and
racism. If on the first day,
front bench
had opposed Thatcher,
Labour Party
'our boys' protecting free is shallow not supported by In
twenty-year war has Vicious
154 British
MPs the French and
emergency
atrocities committed,
foreign Investicul
about
order the
vestors.
are created thrown the holy allance overseas li vestors Overscas forces.
pen told.
small against
But who is
The Cuban and dictators were freedom the
and
next in line.
behind In the last
...•I ADORE BEING PATRONISED BY SIOUX LOLLY ON
there would have been no
military adventure.
Tessa van Gelderen,
from Socialist Challenge
had earlier taken up the
same theme and argued
that activists in the Labour
Party had "settle ac-
counts with Labour's
front bench con-
ference'. That was why the
Labour Committee had
two months they have been engaged in naval exercises with the USA which involved 4u sips. 80 aircraft, a mock invasion of Grenada and a landing on Cuba.
If Thatcher establishes a precedent by intervening successfully in the Malvinas, Reagan will have a green light to go into E Salvador with Thatcher's blessing and the backing of 'our boys' in Belize.
The alternative is more cost-effective, and works: bring the home and give their guns to the guerrillas.
Dy ith Age principles
apply in Argentina. not only preposterous when the Tories say they will station 10,000 troops in the South Atlantic to oppose dictatorship: it is a
The Argentinian peo ple will revolt against junta; in the streets they shout Maivinas. ves: Junta, no But they won't find the British troops on their side; nor will they win support from American, West German or United
Such forces will obstruct socialism Argentina; and thereby obstruct the road to the only really free future for the Falkland islanders, which is to live with - and associate with — a free, socialist Argentina.
The alternative is very simple: get Britain out of the islands now, and start giving real internationalist
those who can get rid of the junta -the Argentinian working class.
MOST OF ALL LOVE THE UNIFORM!
been set up so that the
Labour party could give a
lead in opposition to That-
cher's warmongering.
It was this 'adventure'
in the South Atlantic that Lagan's porees in South light
America and which had
allowed Begin to claim if
Thatcher could invade the
Falklands he could invade
past tow years
Tories and the SDP,
mament, withdrawal from the EEC,
policies with increasing
years as well as being
ternationalist position
problems
quadrupling of the rent of our offices.
vast profits from their property empires.
pounds have come in to our office.
The right wing
backers, 'Moscow gold' and the like.
youth, trade
Michael Foot offers
South Atlantic The right wing because
We appeal t
press, but to against rising costs and rent.' Please rally round to fight!
Area West London East London
South London Brent Birmingham & West Midlands Manchester and N.W South Wales South West Oxford Scotland North East Yorkshire East Midlands Individuals Total
Lebanon.
The overwhelming majority the meeting agreed with the necessity
such committee take right into the heart of the labour movement.
There was some discussion as to whether the basis should be broadened to in clude the right of Argentina to the islands but the
Socialist Challenge
FUND DRIVE '82
THE right wing of the labour movement is summoning its courage tor an attack on the gains of the whole labour movement over the
Instead of using its power to tackle the
Foot and Healey are choosing to attack those who have fought for the socialist policies which have gained such wide support in the trade unions and consti. tuency parties - policies like unilateral disar
, an end to incomes policies and for the reduction of the working week to give work to the jobless.
Socialist Chillenge has toss overhese
the most outstanding fighter in the Labour Party for a principled in
against British imperialism's adventure in the South Atlantic
For this we and the rest of the left of the Labour Party are under threat from the right It is not just the far left - Militant, Socialist Organiser and ourselves - under threat, but the whole of the left wing in a desperate attempt to make the Labour Party again a party
defend the capitalist order from the rank
The right wing do not choose to attack us for the policies which we have fought for in. stead they attack us on such questions as the
This is an open secret indeed. Every week in this column we tell our readers of our finan
resources of the Fleet Street press with their millionaire backer who bail them out with the
The only support that we get is from you, our readers, through our regular fund drive
US
cannot understand this
They fail to understand that our readers,
unionists Labour Party members are willing to make considerable sacritices to supoor a paper that keeps allve the voice of the international working class
This 'great con
gratulations' for Thatcher's slaughter in the
will never understand bocich lie at the basis of such commitment. lack the political principles
our readers to defend
Socialist Challenge against the right. Not ju by encouraging the whole left in the Labour
Party to buy and demonstratively sell the left
support in the other battle
Last week This week 674.00 674.00 533.01 583.00 465.00 465.00 400.00 530.00 1140.00 1140.00
637.00 647.00 907.55 1247.55 625 .00 625 6.00 217 888888 217.00 BERNARY 180 .00 528 205 285 . OC 270.00 2490.00 780 7664.85
general feeling seemed io that committee should be as broadly based possible, without avoiding the necessity Labour s leaders.
For further informato. about the activities Labour Committee Road Loan i Withdrawal from Sos:
Allantic
Socialist Challenge 24 June 1962 pago 7
Page 8 scan of this page
WITCH HUNTS -
THE LABOUR right's attack on the Militant tendency is only its most recent attempt to rid itself of the left at the risk of destroying the party.
In the 1920s the Communist Party was banned and a mass campaign organised in its defence. Hundreds of thousands of Labour Party members, from constituencies disaffiliated because of their refusal to implement the ban, threw their weight behind the National Left Wing Movement.
It was only when the Communist Party itself made an ultraleft turn away from the Labour Party that the movement collapsed and the right gained the upper hand.
In 1938 Stafford Cripps was expelled and his Socialist League disbanded. And after World War Bevan formed an oppositional parliamentary group - the 'Bevanites' which included Michael Foot and Harold Wilson and was witch-hunted out of existence.
Bevan developed
huge mass support. His group was persecuted in language that is becoming familiar again - for being a 'party within a party.
But Bevan could not develop a valid socialist alternative faced with the Cold War and the collapse of union militancy during the early years of the postwar boom. In 1957 he capitulated, turned on his supporters, and renounced unilateral nuclear disarmament.
Tessa van Gelderen looks at two of these episodes and argues that the left today, faced with a new onslaught, should learn that it must fight every inch of the way: whichever section of the left is under immediate attack, the real target is the whole of the left.
At the same time these past experiences have shown how important it is to turn towards the unions and to extraparliamentary working class struggle. Socialist Challongo 24 June 1982. page 8
By Brian Heron ting horn.
Aneurin
cies ilke Battersea
elected and returned to parliament.
conference the first resolutions against the
ty.
decision. started to
communists.
In
were leading Labour Party, betrayals of the union leaders,
tion.
decision in
act of any organisation, themselves pitted against the ecutive machine.
sion of the
in his biography of Bevan.
Party of the agents of capitalism'
million members total trade union membershin
both organisational and strength.
1927, 150,000 were represented.
policy and the leadership of the party.
THE sickening unanimity which! extended from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Sun to craven leaders of Labour's front bench over the Malvinas war will be renewed this week. The target? Militant. It's open season for witches in the Labour Party again.
With due pomp and ceremony, Michael Foot, erstwhile champion of peace and socialists in the Labour Party, will sound the hun-
He will explain that it is not the ideas of these people which are the problem. We know what support Foot has in the labour movemental me momentas re•ustereo in the polls. Rather it is the fact THE LABOUR PARTY did not always keep Communists out. When it was set up it had an affiliated structure and all working class organisations could take part. In constituen-
the Communist Party not only affiliated but put up parliamentary candidates who were
The right wing could not tolerate this and by 1925 had rammed through
of a series of communists - in this case preventing them trom being individual members of the Par-
Nearly 100 divisional and borough Labour parties refused to operate this
neaaquariels disaffiliate those bodies that refused to implement the ban on
December 1925 the National Left Wing Movement (NLWM) was founded to defend the left. Present
members from the the Independent Labour Party and the Communist Party. Its aim was 'not to supersede the Labour Party but to "remould it nearer to the heart's desire" of the rank and file'. Both the attacks from the right wing in the party and the
particular in the General Strike in May 1926, gave an impetus to its forma-
'Many were to regret that
later years when the left in the party, robbed by their own
effective found hopelessly Ex- Movement
Michael Foot writing on the deci-
Socialist League to disolve in 1937 to avoid expulsion
ty'
Labour
At its September 1926 conference capitalism, the mood was to 'cleanse the Labour
The right wing's offensive continued with tne ald or te union block vole. The communist-led Minority Movement in the trade unions continued to
1926 it had nearly UlIC — a quarter of the une
Its leadership, its programme and its outlook linked it to the National Left Wing, which in 1927 increased in
political Trade union support grew for the right of the Communist Party to affiliate, and at the NLWM's second annual conference in September
members
More and more Labour Party members were disgusted at both the
that these people have the cheek to organise to present and defend them in the Labour Party. As one heckler at a Callaghan rally in Birmingham at the last election put it threatened with 'yes...who let these socialists in? The platform clapped.
The hypocrisy . of the leadership is indicated by the lop. sided application organisation principle. We eagerly await the clamp down Committee for Transatlantic Understanding. not to Callaghan's now inner party to reverse unilateralism.
The biggest affront of all is that Foot is the leader of a real 'party They wanted to change the party in a
millant, direction.
Conference declared: "The Left Wing
consists of sympathetic Labour Parties and left wing groups who are pledged to work for a left wing programme. It is not part of the objects of the left wing to create splits with the Labour Party nor is it under the domination of any political par-
opposed 'watering down' policy accommodate or the explusion of any section of the working class from the Labour Partv
The NLWM was composed of hundreds of thousands of independent socialists: but its history is very much the history of the Communist Party, founded in 1920. Right from the beginning it considered affiliation
Labour Party, though not without dissent from leading communists. In fact Lenin, Trotsky and the whole Comintern leadership had to argue against its early sectarianism.
At its founding conference most spoke against affiliation, against advice from Moscow although the vote was narrowly passed in favour. The first application was phased to invite rejection. When rejection was the
Communist of 16 September wrote: 'So be it. It's their funeral, not ours.'
within the party'. His party is composed of the majority of the PLP and the majority of the barons of the trade union movement. They wage daily war in the party of constituency activists, millions of rank and file affiliated members, the LPYS and Party Conference.
Foot machinery built up by the labour
movement anti- sacrifice to destroy its democratic
policies, campaigns on the sions.
mention
marchea against missiles. thousands of health workers, rail workers and miners are going into battle with the Tories. Now is the
National
Left Wing
Movement
But one week later, under pressure from the Comintern the same paper argued that 'it is the duty of the communists to work are. well-worded Labour leaders was published rebutting its accusations of subversions and arguing that the Labour Party should adopt revolutionary methods to achieve its ends.
Over the next two years the CPGB made a serious effort to break from its sectarian past. They agreed to endorse united front tactics with T A Jackson's tamous cal to take the Labour leaders by the hand in order to later take them by the throat.'
By August 1922 withdrew all candidates it had been planning to stand against Labour The party's new attitude was explained thus: "The Communist Party cannot oppose the Labour Party insofar as it is the party of the workers any
unions as such; but it can; as it does with the trade unions, fight the reactionary junta and seek to transform the Labour Party into an instrument of revolutionary progress.'
Support for Communist Party affiliation to the Labour among trades councils and unions, in particular Federation.
FIGHTING WITC
Labour's front bench,
palling
They use the ing down. over generations of
and decipolicy
Last week a quarter of a million
Today the CPGB the TUC threat
Things
Communist Party
'It ambitious British
thirties ty loyalty
was
wacre ine masses
reply to accept
biography of Bevan.
and Palme Dutt was
the CPGB division
the workers solidation ship'.
oppose the trade
worthlessness
candidates Party grew Labour.
the Miners sequences.
chance for the labour leadershi to reverse the terrible effects ol its popularity created by its ap stand on Thatcher' bloody little war.
Foot can put Labour in the win ner's enclosure by leading join Labour/trade union action to br this wretched governmen In the thes mobilisations and trade union bat tles will be sufficient to stop th right organising any decisiv reversals at this year'
Labour conference. But Foot wil do his best to put the party out side this vast upsurge of ange against the government.
Instead he will use the relativ isolation of the left created by hi
1927 was a year of transition for
The trade union bureaucracy was campaigning against the activities of the Communist Party and the Minority Movement in the trade unions; at the some time the influence ot the left wing movement ir the Labour Party increased. Membership of the CPGB was declining, after an all time high, and the party leadership had acceded to the demands of
trades councils, of explusion, should disaf filiate from the Minority Movement.
reached head at the Ninth Plenum of the Communist International. A majority of the British
Party argued that because of the party's activities with the Left Wing Movement, things were now extremely favourable to them. As historian L J Macfarlane explained, 'A genuine mass left wing opposition in the Labour Party was possible in the near future if the Communist
continued with its policy working within the Labour Party'
was the most bid by the left throughout the whole period of the
to break the stultifying rigidity of Party alignment. The overwhelming bulk of both Conservative and Labour Parties believed that par-
must take precedence over all other virtues ... Aneurin Bevan
one of the few members of Parliament who were not prepared
tamely this paralysing dispensation.' Michael Foot writing on the Unity Campaign of January 1937 in his
But alas this was not to be. Instead the position put forward by a minority in the CPGB, led by Harry Pollitt
adopted. For them it was a period of 'increasing
between the mass of the workers and the reformist leadership expressed in the leftward advance of
and the rightward conOI lne reformist leader-
Instead of fighting for a return of a Labour government 'in order help the workers by their own perience to convince themselves of the
of reformism' as the majority argued, the Communist Party was to stand a maximum number of
opposition to The final resolution paid no heed to the role of the left wing inside the Labour Party with disastrous con-
Page 9 scan of this page
NOTTHE FIRSTTIME
stand on the Malvinas war to launch his own 'bloody little war' in the Party. He will move against Militant.
The ultimate aim right is throw Labour's policy gains disorganise and break-up socialist left. The blow against Militant is a blow aimed at the gains of the mass movement against the Tories.
Behind the action against Militant is the build up to strike at Benn and the current he leads in the Party and the unions. And it is this current, above all others, whose organisation and activity guarantoes Labour and
'The argument seemed to
be that a minority had no
right to advocate
views or at least
organise in an effort to
become the majority
party loyalty
supreme in the Labour
Party.
Michael Foot on the expulsion of
Stafford Cripps in his biography
of Bevan.
The third annual conference of
the National Left Wing Movement in
September 29 1928 agreed, in effect,
to support Consulusl
Labour candidates.
days after, the Labour Party con-
ference took further measures against
the communists.
affiliated
from supporting non Labour can-
didates; and denied the right
Labour tartes inviting
speakers from organisations not eligi-
ble for affiliation to the Labour Par-
ty.
This decision gave the CPGB the
excuse it was looking for to wrap up
the National Left Wing Movement
although its demise was to drag on for
several HONILS.
Wing Movement had been built in the
heyday of the CPGB. In October 1926
had 10,730 members
December 1929 this had
3,200.
The CPGB was a revolutionary
party with mass support, particularly
in tne umons.
successfully build the NL WM and the
Minority Movement and why impor-
tant sections of the labour movement
were prepared to defend them. But as
Macfarlane points out: 'The National
Left Wing Movement was a valuable
tool for carrying out the earlier Com-
munist policy of changing the Labour
Party from within. When this policy
came to be seen as neither desirable
nor possible, the National Left Wing
became an encumbrance.'
The communist
thrown away a
tunity. Hundreds of thousands of
militants were prepared to risk
disaffiliation rather than sacrifice
their class principles. Over time
these class instincts would have
led them to
socialism, which was
itself by the leadership
given in both the NL WM and the Minority Movement.
But these militants still saw the Labour Party, even with its treacherous leadership, as the only vehicle for reaching their fellow workers and forming a governThey were not willing
follow the Communists into the
wilderness.
I-HUNTS THIS TIME ROUND
EEC, incomes
of Labour's
back unions, and vital to Labour's the spects. struck
filiated organisations condemn-
basis.
from the YS, unions and activists trade under attack. Get speakers along point its 1926. The to
reigned the transport Union, later had changed its
secretary, Labour Party Korean War. candidates A few
These measures
organisations
of platform
banned Socialist
from the Cabinet.
The National Left
but by fallen to
istence ... why it could 23 October 1952.
Party had historic oppor-
SKVISES.
revolutionary
proving it had Luvill. tempted ko to The breakaway
union policy of opposition to the
policy and the of Militant is the defence of the whole of the Labour left and its support in the
AND the policy gains so only the election pro- movement
• Take a resolution through all • Build sections of the party and all af-
October ing the Militant report, rejecting the implementation of any action either locally or nationally on its
witch-hunt. • Organise local rallies, speakers
real
THE BATTLE for the Labour Party
took a different course in the '50s.
The mid-twenties had been a high
working class struggle,
culminating in the General Strike in
fifties saw an economic
boom in the wake of the Korean War.
McCarthyism was finding a foothold
in the British labour movement.
Tribune in 1948 had supported the
ban on communists holding office in
but one year position. The
paper attacked the TGWU general
Arthur Deakin, who had
demanded the outlawing of the Com-
munist Party and the suppression of
the CP's Daily Worker. There was an
upturn in the class struggle; the wage
freeze had all but broken down.
But the biggest issue facing the leadership was the The 1951 budget cut
made cuts in the health service as a
direct consequence of the arms pro-
gramme necessitated by the war and
demanded by the United States.
Trotskyists inside the Labour Par-
ty were organised within the Socialist
Fellowship, which produced a paper,
Socialist Outlook. Its modest successes
in organising anti-war rallies put it on
the list of proscribed organisations. It
was the same national executive that
Fellowship that
voted for Gaitskell's budget of cuts.
Three days later Aneurin Bevan, John
Freeman and Harold Wilson resigned
'We cannot allow this to
go on and free controver-
sy and free newspapers to be stamped out of ex-
Michael Foot speaking at a pro-
test meeting against the proscrib-
ing of Socialist Outlook 1954.
The next two years saw an inten-
sification in rank and file opposition
to right wing leaders of the party and
The Parliamentary Labour
Party banned the Bevanite group on
The parliamentary
group disintegrated after the ban but
mass work and propaganda flourished.
Bevan had hoped to deflect the
right wing by winding his group up:
but the witch-hunt now got
1954 saw the proscribing of Socialist
Outlook and the expulsions of Trot-
The issue of the rights of all
tendencies to put their views in the
party had become a vital one for the
Michael Foot denounced the ban
against the Bevanites in Tribune and
the 'new tinpot Torquemadas' who
were leading the witch-hunt. As the
class struggle gained momentum, as
trade unionists, led by the dockers, at-
deal their •Wil
leaders, so the witch-hunt intensified.
dockers had formed union from the TGWU,
the blue collar NASD union. It was
to mobilise support for the current trade union battles. The theme of these meetings should be 'Fight the Tories and their allies in the labour movement. ' For it is
strength of the mass which will throw Foot's challenge back in his face.
the national YS demonstration against Tebbit 16
in Liverpool. This demonstration links the present trade union battles and defence of the YS against the effects of the
At the heart of our policy to defeat the witch-hunt is the desperate need to link the struggle to the
battles now on to Wilson, Bevan and Mikardo - 1951 the general secretary of the TGWU Arthur Deakin, who was determined to rid the Labour Party of Bevan and the Bevanites.
Mark Jenkins, in his 'Bevanism, Labour's High argues that "The mass movement and more precisely the dockers were asserting the course and tempo of the Bevanites' struggle. The dispute of 1954 is the very essence of the Bevanites' struggle against party and union bureaucracy the right of assert control over their unions, their party, their leaders.' (emphasis in original). Dockers, busworkers and railworkers were all in dispute in 1954.
In this growing mood of militancy the right intensified its attack. TUC expelled the blue collar dockers union and within hours the national executive of the Labour Party passed ot censure which had supported NASD. It sent a threatening letter to editorial board members, including Michael Foot, asking 'how do you reconcile your attacks on the leadership of the TGWU with your membership of the Party?' Tribune made a spirited defence and the NEC climbed down.
But these struggles marked the tailend of postwar militancy. Bevan was more and more limited to inner-party manoeuvres whose limits were set by his acceptance of the original NEC disbandment of his group The right continued its
defeat the Tories. These battles
have the power to defeat That-
cher and blow Foot's offensive to
smithereens.
The witch-hunt,
Labour's right that they will not be
able to offer the ruling class a
stable and reliable government,
and therefore be forced to rely on
a left inclined labour movement
for their political fortune. Their at-
tack on Militant is a sign of their
good intentions. Look,
saying, a Labour government will
radical solutions to the crisis. We
can put our house in (capitalist)
order.
But at the same time as the
Bevan and
Bevanism
hunt. In March 1955 there was even an attempt to expel Bevan from the party. The pretext was his abstention on an opposition amendment to the book Defence White Paper.
pretext is shown by the fact that the other 62 Labour MPs who abstained had the realer withdrawi ore docks significantly the
Labour Party, at the time of the explusion campaign, adopted a position only slightly different from Bevan's
holding summit talks betweer great powers. In the end this was the real problem of Bevan - whatever the Bevanites Bevan himself was unable to break out of cold war unable to find a 'third way' between The
Russia and the United States finally came down on the side of imperialism. The right wing clearly saw Bevan as a bigger enemy than Tories.
leaders wanted to expel Bevan in the full knowledge that a split might ensue. Just before the NEC meeting that backed down from expelling Bevan, Deakin confided in Gaitskell that in the event of any wavering on the question of explusion, the unions 'might have to consider their relations with the party.'
parallel of Bennism. The left wing of the Labour Party sing Bevan's praises witch- and do not ask themselves why he -
right try
in the final tory. had enough they are
the pressure for them. Tony
for socialist policies. sedate election
the mittee
Bevan.
That it was a ing
successes withdrawn. More 1960s, Parliamentary within
The issue was on the necessity of policy
the
might have wanted,
politics. was jact, and
the
Deakin and the other right wing
out of print Bevanism is often extolled as a
reverse radical policies, or move against the socialists they break up what chance there is to mobilise in the working class for a Labour vic
The labour movement have of Callaghan and Healey to last them a life time.
Foot and Healey have already made their choice. The left must make theirs. The right have made it clear that they are prepared to turn the party over to the inquisi tion rather than fight the Tories. The left must organise to stop
Benn must stand against Foot as the first step in organising the ranks in the fight
and his successors — capitulated. But Marxists make the opposite mistake of pointing to his capitulation and ignoring the huge mass working class movement that supported him
"To the leaders, opposition meant a more or less presentation of their case in the House of Commons, coupled with the development of a practical programme be offered at the next A great gulf seemed to be fixed between the politics of the streets and the politics of Westminster comrooms. Bevan's whole striving in the thirties was to find a bridge between the two'.
Michael Foot in his biography of
In reality, Bevan was organising in an entirely different context to today. The working class was able to ad. vance without a life-or-death strug gle, because the postwar boom - and imperialist profits - could finance an expanding welfare state The only basis on which Bevan could have forged an independent working class movement, given the lack of political millancy to which this gives rise, was by strikout with an independent foreign policy. he The tremendous of CND in the in changing the climate the Labour Party, demonstrated this.
Bevan was unable to establish an independent foreign because he knew that American economic support, and Britain's world role, depended on staying in the Western Alliance Unable to see any alternative than straightforward incorporation into the Russian camp - unable, in to chart a revolutionary foreign policy he could not defeat the right wing.
Further reading Communism in Britain By Woodhouse and Pearce pb New Park £2 Bevanism: Labour's High Tide By Mark Jenkins pb Spokeman £4.95 The British Communist Party By LJ Macfarlane
Aneurin Bevan Vols 1 & 2 By Michael Foot pb Paladin £2.95 Socialist Challongo. 24 June 1962 pago s
Page 10 scan of this page
Labour women move left
THE LABOUR WOMEN'S conference this year was a major victory for the left in the Labour Party. As we reported last week it was attended by over 600 delegates — more than double last year — and passed resolutions against Britain's role in the Falklands and NATO, and for positive action in favour of women, often voting against the platform. It thus took policy positions in advance of any other official national Labour Party body - including the National Executive Committee and even the LPYS
This week we assess detail. Three closely-linked issues dominated it: the policy debates, democracy and the role of women in the labour movement, and relation of the trade unions to the Party. The connection is clear: without the means to implement policy decision, resolutions are meaningless. ANN WOODWARD discuss the issues, and we reprint the views of some of the delegates.
How can
women win?
WOMEN have been leading current struggles against the Tory government; so it is hardly surprising that the women's conference emerged in the vanguard of the struggie for socialist policies in the Labour Party.
The media chose to concentrate on incidents children which women left
on the platform
per childcare This viral
childcare. This 1ssu long by the labour too long labour movement, but lne press emphasis obscured the debates at the forefront of
delegates' disgust at Foot's backing for Thatcher's war; their
the hunt; and their demand Ior a sav in the Labour
Part a delations.
between Icialiull the unions and the Labour Party delegates
1 all as theme throughout the discussion. Yet what was
how can women secure imprementation policies they won? Women ICCU over aren own organisations and Tentesene women — in labour move-
bodies. DUI democracy can only be effective if it mobilises the
Trade Union delegates to the conference were as follows:
NUPE LUEW (TASS) UCW iMWL ACTT NUR NUAAW POEU Bakers, Food APEX Allied Trade: NUPE Most trade union delegates are elected in their regions. find out about delegates involved in the
Party? Make sure they give
in Regional Labour Party Women's Conference
A WO
CHT TO C
Socialist Challenge 24 June 1982 page 10
the conference in more
HENDERSON and JUDE
collective strength of
women and the labour
The mood of con-
terence was ior action. It
welcomed a speaker from
the NHS, and COHSE and
NUPE delegates em-
phasised that their pay
battle was of vital concern
for women. The debate on
Tebbit's legislation
brought to light the impor-
lance or sondarity accion,
Tebbit would outlaw the
women workers need to
secure their demands.
But the general desire
for action did not find a
focus the resolutions,
which did not put forward
clear campaigning
priorities.
Part of the reason is to
be found in the support of
delegates TOT the
Alternative Economic
Strategy, which was pass
ed by conference, and in
val liculal the
tion by some on the left on
a search for a 'feminist in-
comes policy' in the AES
framework. Believing that
'redistribution
wealth within the family'
LaKes priority over other
struggles for women's and
Class rights, they try and
achieve this demand in a
framework relies on
government and state ac
LUI mastead ormass ac
tion by the labour move-
ment and by women.
TGWU Tailor and Garment Workers Blind/Disabled AUEW
EETPU
your che Layour discussion inside
reports back to union and
i that your union is involved
Badges Woman's Right to Work Woman's Right to Choose Available from Cardinal Enterprises, PO Box 50, London NI
Lop plus 15p pap;
Sp for 100 or more post
free
DEMOCRACY was the hottest debate at con
erence. Among proposals passed were • Five resolutions to go from the women's conference to the Labour Party conference
union representation • The women's office to be fully resourced and given no additional work by the Labour Party
Seven out of eiaht members of the incomin‹
Standing Orders Committee are supporters of th Campaign for Labour Party Democracy
A proposal for the women's executive to be
conference decision the reciona conterences
The trade unions were SCeN obstacle to democracy and even as irreversibl right-wing.
But as Steph Grant, a delegate from Birmingham Soho and TGWU member pointed VUL. "The Labour Party should be ashamed of itself for being so far behind the unions in taking up the demand for positive unions, everyone must
are the backbone of any effective fight for women's rights; and democracy in the Labour Party can only be conquered alongside democracy in the unions.
Trade union delegates spoke against women's
NEC representatives because they would carve out trade union women. The answer
-Labour Party
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE
90-
FOR AWOMAN'S RICHT
TOXORK
PAY THEM
ALTH WORNE
Democracy: how to
implement policies
erence to the NEC — with discussion around trad
elected by conference was defeated, but last year's
- for executive election from Stones is for unions to increase their representation at the women's conference, and for this conference to give weighting to trade union delegates in its NEC slate The right-wing exposed their fear of socialism when they opposed sending five resolutions from the women's conference to We ray comerence course they don't want left ward. Poomen peed a fore 1OLall issues inside the Labour Party. Moreover the proposal will ensure that women's issues are not dropped off the bottom of the Party conference's agenda.
But it is a wrong emphasis to concentrate on Labour Party internal democracy alone, or on making next year's conference more like women's conference. Most trade union
co women will be mobilised behind the left's policies: but that is why the rightwing will try to defeat the gains of this conference.
The next step is to build really solid support in the unions for its decisions
All women's sections and wollens councils should be out campaigning in support of the health workers, setting Labour Party public meetings and organising collections. Trade union delegates should be encouraged to participate in women's councils, and the left should champion factory branches.
Joint Labour Party and trade union schools on issues like positive action were proposed in One the motions. These could be used to work out a com-
strategy; IS not enough for Labour Party Icecs do a votes to be active in their trade unions. The should organise around their policies inside the unions.
Labour party women are showing the way ward to the rest of the movement this is the way to fight the witchhunt; this is the way streets against this To mobilise women
Ann Pettifor, CLPD women's action committee
I was distressed by the false divisions and was lack of sympatty mor
sympathy
though I don't necessarily think they went about It l the 'time honoured way of LP conterence Divi sions arose in conference because some wanted to discuss vital issues like Tebbit and employment,
some couldn't
Estella Clarke, SOGAT and Secretary of Edgbaston Women's Council
This is my third Labour Party women's conference and there have always been motions trying to get the women's organisation changed. This year's conference has been big success; more people are becoming aware about the issues and the number of delegates is growing
SOGAT voted against the Falklands resolution because our deezanon oD jected to the attack on the labour Icaucisio Collall ed within it and also the call for the unconditional withdrawal of the task force. My union ference passed quite good resolution but it did not cuce miese causes
On 20, on democracy involvement of women
objected paragraph 'e' because it interpreted the TUC Charter for Equality with tee mous a sucha way that said trade unions had to send womer delegates to conference in
female members. This was seen as dictating to the unions. We voted for positive ac tion and abortion. This is our umon policy
personally agreed with Composite 20 although I think we have to be careful about telling unions how to organise. think there needs be greater understanding between the trade union section and the CLP/ Women's section or ine conference. I'm as active I my amon as l am in tne Labour Party.
Hazel Macpherson, NUR
I am in favour of mandates; as a trade delegate to the conference voted according to man dates throughout, because it's part of the process of accountability. What concerns me is the process Di which union policy is arrived at in the first place, and the lack of involvement of women in the union in that process
I'm in favour of a more democratic annual general meeting within the union, also I'm in favour of the NUR executive pro. posal to organise tional conference of NUR women although think this has to go hand in hand with special structures throughout the union
I think the system of a block vote based on female membership only
because they had to worry about their children.
This is how many of the divisions arose. The fact that many of the resolutions were carried, some by 280 votes, shows the support and unanimity there was at conference. But the platform tried to reinforce the idea that extremists were using ag gressive
all lumped in together. Everyone was interested in the debate; only the mothers weren't allowed to be
think lot of members of the Labour Party are in the sort of jobs where being. union isn't very impor
It's different in the Lalit manual unions where you are constantly fighting against pay, closures and redundancies so that
wind. ISSUCS democracy in the party for ¡stalled — have to be put into second place, not because they're not impor tant but because there are other things that demand attention. I would agree that some union delegates are right-wing. I can only speak for my own union however. We've come out
support of left-wing policies we nominated Benn for deputy leader.
Many delegation you're going to get rightwingers. Most unions vote according to their policies or abstain. On the question of democracy and the women's conference it had not been discussed beforehand; people don't think it's important think some of the unions felt alienated in the democracy debate. They saw the changes as being an attack the unions because uney saw ll as lak ing away their power. It's never really been thought out.
COHSE delegate
I've been asked to give the vote of thanks at this conference - I'm please about that but I'm n sure what I'm going to say. I didn't support th platform time; think that what the younger women at this conference want is good but we've got to get the trade unions to agree as well.
would mean firstly that the mandate would mean something to delegates and secondly that the con ference itself would become much more important. The block vote would provide a focus for discussion inside the union.
The democracy debate at conference was very important, and parallels the debate taking place in the unions. But it was unfor tunate that this debate wasn't linked to policy it became abstract. I think
why Trade Union delegations responded as they did to the democracy debate after having voted con sistantly the left on
tion and international
Page 11 scan of this page
Bradford 12 freed!
AS PEOPLE leave court 2 in Leeds Town Hall they cry, embrace and cheer as the tension of eleven months of struggle released. It is Wednesday 16 June. The jury has just returned a not guilty verdict on the remaining eleven defendants in the Bradford Twelve trial, on charges of making explosives with intent to endanger life or property, and of conspiracy to make explosives for an unlawful purpose. As they leave the court for the last time, jurors are greeted with cheers and applause from the defendants and the packed gallery.
The acquitted verdict is a massive victory, not just for the twelve but for the wnole back community ma Britain. When the jury said 'not guilty', they said self-defence is no offence', iney black people have the right to defend Lenscives
They said the Bradford police had been unconcerned about violent allacks black people, preferring to spend their time harassing black
AHO thev said the police had attempted to frame these twelve black youths.
Bombs
The case arose from the discovery of a cache of 38 petrol bombs on waste ground Bradford following minor disturbances on 11 July last year. In the next tew weeks the twelve were picked up.
Denied access to solicitors and treated very badly during questioning, made voluntary statements which become the lynch-pin of the prosecution case.
Murdered
feminist
scandal
A MAN who killed his feminist companion was acquitted of murder at Winchester Crown Court last Thursday, prisonment for 'manslaughter'.
allegedy pro thied to kill yer old Mary distan
because she refused to have a monogamous relationship with him.
paign for Nuclear Disarmament and of the chester women's liberation group. Woods killed her by clubbing, her own bedroom. kitchen and wrapped it round with two socks 'to minimise the suffering' claimed the defence.
with sex you are playing with fire. It may be that conventions that surround sex are to prevent people from burning themselves. have a monogamous relationship with a man, then it's your own look out if you get murdered. plications of the judge's remarks couldn't have been clearer.
Bristow's feminism and political convictions. said: 'Romantic love was childish to her. Mary was in a stage of rebellion, an idealist and devotee of many different causes. 'Implication: being a feminist and a peace campaianer, she aot what was comina to her
women can rely on the law. It comes in the wake of
hitch hiker was guilty of 'contributory negligence, and the decision in the private prosecution rape case
went on to make it explicit that if a woman drunk or asleep, rape couldn't be proved.
rape and murder provided that you re monogamous, apolitical, non-feminist and don't drink or sleep. And provided that you're not a woman either.
and suffering is public
The petrol bombs were said to have been made for 'copycat' against police and buildings Tarlochan Gata-Aura, the only defendant to be crosscharges he bombs hese denied these charges. made when he was
heads were coming up the motorway to attack black people in Bradford. They were for use only as alasl resort, in self-defence. The idea was to 'erect a shield fire to deter any 01tackers from coming into
When the prosecutor attempted to pour scorn on this, Tarlochan said, 'Maybe you don't know what it is to be black in this racist society. In such a Only yUu can think ducasures vor muell make to deor seven week weeks the defence used the trial to show what it meant to be a black in a racist society.
Witnesses were called to descripe LDe inva sion of Southall on 3 July Mast year, firebombing of une Khan and merely sentenced to six years im-
old Peter Woods,
Mary Bristow was an active member of the Cam-
• Win-
strangling and then smothering her in
Woods fetched a meat-tenderiser mallet from the
The judge, summing up the case, said: 'If you play
In other words, if you are a woman and refuse to
The im-
Much was made by the defence counsel of Mary
He
The Winchester case shows precisely how much
the case in which the judge said that a raped woman
in Scotland in which the judge said that rape couldn't be proved unless resistance could be proved. He
was then she couldn't resist and thus
In other words, the law might defend you against
INDEN S
family Walthamstow which killed a woman and her three children.
Two Asian bus drivers in Bradford described how they had been victim of racist attacks last year. Both had to have several weeks off work; no police action was taken.
This police indifference highlighted
war time and time again.
Holland
Anti-nuke soldiers face frame
up charge
Three members of the Dutch soldiers union, the VVDM, were arrested last Thursday and Friday and charged with stealing Dutch nuclear
Delicio They are Steef Boot, Peter Van Wijk and Oskar Van Rijswijk. Two are national leaders of the VVDM and the other leader. No details of the
Decriminalise
abortion
By Ann Potter OVER 80 per cent of both Tory and Labour
according recent Gallop Poll, think
UVeI whether or not to continue with pregnancy should be left up woman in consultation wiin ner doctor.
This is not the situation however. which most women find the recent Party
the National Abortion
stall wn aunt wallt ally more enteren ana certally
won she ordany morenant
pregnant alla ner Coclol iciuscu requestec She then
OWIl dUUl tion at the cost of £150.
still the individual
News
EPPERTCTTE
Police witnesses either denied any knowledge of racist attacks or claimed that they were not significant.
They had not bothered to check up the parts of the defendants' statements which referred to the skinhead threat. 'I was more concerned with the riots,' said Detective Constable Irvin.
atomic secrets charge have been given
The VVDM union has between 10,000 and 15,000 members the Dutch armed forces.
veroes of the VVDM in the 'Soldiers Against Nuclear Weapons' committee have participated in uniform in anti-nuclear demonstrations. Moreover, they have been organising among soldiers against Dutch military personnel being responsible for guarding nuclear sites.
Oskar Van Rigswiji
nember or me kr Dutch section of the fourth International. responsible for organising doctors who decide whether oI 10l a wollall call a0OГПОn. law being against a woman's choice, carry out
provisions the : present
are totally Haucyuan 1979, 32 Cent of womet nad to traver oulside their Area Health Authority to obtain an abortion. At the
abour Abortion Rights
wampaign annual meeting ills Daturday a callpalgil decriminause abornon and le
Facilities which would publicise the uneven anne madecualt tacules which exist throughout the country.
LARC AGM
26 June Lambeth Town Hall 1lam - 4рп
GUE
RO
The defence also showed the trial was political designed to intimidate anc criminalise black activists. Most of the twelve were members ana sympathisers of the United Black Youth league militant black organisa
Some had been in volved in campaigns such as Anwar Ditta's fight be united with her children, and supportfor
this work among the soldiers.
The Dutch Ministry of Defence has presented no serious evidence in support of the charges. Either there is no evidence or the anti-nuke soldiers have discovered new plans site nuclear missiles in Holland which the state wishes to keep secret.
The three face up to 15
By Chris Guthrie, Paul Hutchinson and Christine Jacobs George from Bradford, black worker Irom who had been jailed on a talse police statement.
emerged that the Special Branch had been unvolved. briefing officers before homes were raided. Detective
superintendant Holland explained: 'It was their job to take care of the political aspects of the case.
years in prison if the charges are found proved.
Socialist Challenge appeals to all its supporters to get resolutions through their local CND Labour Party and trade union branches to protest against the victimisation of these anti-nuclear soldiers Winose activil much more in the interests of defending the people of
It was not just legal defence which freed the twelve campaign mass action organised by SUDOUTI groups up and down the country, playe a crucial role. This car paign organised demon. strations and pickets outside the court, , and took the case into the black community, black organisations, trade unions and the labou Party , produced bulletins explaining politics of the case and why it affected, not just black people but white workers. Blow
It was an outstanding example of how a defence campaign should be run
of CS gas and rubber bullets, was an attempt to intimidate black youth ir the wake of last year's riots; but the youth fought back and dealt a stinging
the Bradford police and the racist state
only crease the confidence of black activists the police and the fascist: think twice before the again choose to harass black people
We have to build on this victory, to continue the struggle against racism. As a first step the
Twelve paign supporting
auditis deportations in Bradford on 10 July.
Holland from nuclear extinction than that of the Dutch 'Ministry of Defence.
Send telegrams to: Dutch Ministry of Defence, Plein no
Netherlands
elkazern _Croesalaan
Utrecht, Netherland copies to Socialist Challenge Socialist Challenge 24 June 1982 page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
Exterminism and the cold war
ween the monstrous inhumanity
managerial revolution.
has coined a new term to
mining world system of exterminism.
The theory of the
managerial revolution was
crushed in the mud and ice
around Stalingrad when
the real underlying social
antagonisms between the
international capitalist
system and the Russian
workers' state, however
deformed, led the
bloody climax of the Se-
cond World War.
Hopefully Thompson's
theory won't need
Lo lace NLB'S ner modern Stalingrad.
book marks
theory of exterminism, in
compilation ot from socialists on Thompson's theory.
Exterminism was a notion of a mutually reinforcing system of military and technical elites in the US and USSR whose drive towards nuclear superiori-
then ceasing determind
social and political system of their ICSOCCUVe countries. and consequently of the main divisions in world politics Exterminism identifies the main enemy of the antimossues movement NATO and the Warsaw Pact.
Of course the colonial revolution, with its centre today in the struggle in El Salvador, does not struc ture every aspect of world The 1994 Brazilian World Cup squad
Socialist Challenge 24 June 1982
Brian Heron reviews a new book from New Left Books SOME socialists reacted to the parallel bet-
of Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Russia in the 1930s byinventing a new stage of human society - the
Today EP Thompson deal with the awesome power of the nuclear arsenals on both sides of the Iron Curtain, the new deter-
does score a point: episode that escaped his (Davis's) vision altogether Gdansk.. Thompson points out that Solidarnosc deep meaning 'over there on that side which has the most bearing on the cold war and its history.
This woolly phraseLeine point. The bureaucratic system of Stalinism is also in terminal decay. Indeed its inability to stop the break up of Yalta has provided a powerful impetus indigenous revolltionary forces in the colsen -colomai world It is the combination of the crisis of imperialism and its allied structure in the labour movement, Stalinism, that pro duces the current stage of world politics, and the imGuise radicalisation throughout the world, in.
Cluding anu-mossue movement in the West.
The huge impact of the new anti-missiles movement on world politics completely different in form and from the Stalinist-inspired protests for world disarmament in the 1930s. It has the potential to take on an page 12
anti-imperialist and anti-
Stalinist dimension. Much
however depends
resisting the attraction of
'exterminism'.
Struggle
The pivot of the book the struggle between Marxism and exterminism. And after some interesting contaiouuons from the East German Marxist Rudolf Bahro and the Medvedevs from Russia,
Thompson rounds his fire in a concluding article on the 'orthodox Marxists' Mike Davis and Fred Halliday from New Left Review.
Comparing the Davis alue Dutt's 'Notes of the Month' in Labour Monthly, Thomp son says: 'I am wary of the way in which Davis offers to tidy up thirty years of history, and package it into categories which, on inspection, are rhetorical or descriptive rather than analytical. "The dominant lever or worla pontics. "he assures us with confidence
nent revolution arising out ot the uneven and combin ed development of world capitalism what this means?' asks the innocent Thompson.
Leaving aside Thompson's presumed ignorance of Trotsky. it means that we should discard Thomp son's self-fulfilling system
exterminism with complete and empty abstractions, justifiec neither by evidence analysis. Instead
Under Review
should investigate the real
struggles concrete
societies since the arrival
of the bomb, and analyse
the responses
nant capitalist
and ruling classes.
Instead of the vision of
the mad scientist (much
loved in the '30s as the ex-
planation of poison gas or
high explosives) and now
bedecked Thompson
with military regalia, we
find OCTICCUY explicable
policies operated by
whose existence and interests under threat.
First, a large sector of
the globe has been taken out of the capitalist
market. Nuclear superiority necessary not for deterrence, but to keep open the historical option of restoring those sectors Ot the world market. and preventing the spread of socialised property into new areas Nuclear
allows greater SUDCHIORILV freedom for massive bulld up of conventiona operations aimed ạt the revolutions number and rate, in the colonial and semi-colonial world.
From the basic interests of humanity of course imperialism is barbaric and irrational. Im perialism world into two wars involving the bloody destruction of millions but it is explicable. And the bedrock of that explanation is the evolving and antagonistic interests of classes.
By Geoff Bell and Davy Jones 'DUKE OF WELLINGTON,
hell of a beating.
How distant seem those good old days, when the Norweigar commentator celebrated his coun-
2-1 VICLOV over England. The days when England's footballing imperialism knew its place.
But inat was last before The War and The Baby — oh yes and before Don Howe arrived to help genial Ron Greenwood
the English more
backbone' _ le more fouling. God
So now the England XI have apparently only appear on the football pitch and victory will be theirs, or at least so the pundits are suggesting. And God help anyone who doubts that, and God help
Toreigner, especially any non-white foreigner who dares to stand in the way of an English triumph. Alter all. didn't we teach football to the world, and aren't we doing it again?
Well not exactly. England will not win the
Nationalist hysteria
triumphs in World Cup
Lord Nelson, Winston Churchill, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana Spencer ….. Margaret Thatcher, Margaret Thatcher, are you listening? Your boys just took one
World Cup. They will be outclassed and outplayed by German he Brazil Argentina, Soviet Union or someone else We will then be treated to English fans rioting and ine spanish ponce cirec tively dispatching the conga-dancing, anthem. singing, 'We hate Argies' : to the gutter trom where they crawled.
And that will be one of the most pleasing sights of World Cup. There have been others: the Hondurans. Cameroor and Algeria striking goals and blows for anti-racism: and the French goal against England which was best of the tournament so far, but because it was against England was not listed in ITVs Goal of the Week' competition.
Women
It is the monstrous national egotism of the English fans and studio ex Ders walch has dwarfed all other political angles to the World Cup in-
cluaing ine exclusion of women from every aspect of the tournament, and the arranging of results so as to please the public brilliantly exposed by the Kuwaiti Football Presi
Sheikh Fahd AlAhmad Al-Sabah, following France-Kuwait walk-off incidents.
Labour Party member Brian Clough has been one of the worst - insisting from the start that England would win just as he insisted it that a 'clown of a Polish goalkeeper would ensure English passage 1974 World Cup. Well he was wrong then, and hopefully he will be wrong again
We can only hope that Latin America has the chance to the Malvinas by Argentina or Brazil lifting the trophy in
defeat of the English infidels.
Page 13 scan of this page
The peasants: target of reaction
THE INVASION of the Malvinas by the Argentinian generals was premissed on an attempt to create a national military government recourse to civilian participation in the government. The fiasco of the military's attempts to take the islands has resulted in a tremendous crisis both of immediate governmental power and long-term military rule.
low; the popular movements and in particular the trade union federation, grouping and strengthening.
The government which will emerge trom the present wrangles among the military is certain to be a short-lived affair. The resignation Galtieri
army and a new President.
But that 1s not being decided on the basis of different
basis of seniority. The new President will be Alfredo St Jean, the brother of the governor of Buenos Aires.
by the standards of the Argentinian military, has a reputation for being 'soft'. He succeeds to the presidency by virtue of being the Interior vinister. une secono Talk in the government. Prisoners
During the worst years of the anti-left repression
Jean had jurisdiction over political prisoners in the Buenos Aires area. unnke other senor 0Ificers he refused to allow me secrel ponce to culer the prisons and carry out assass rauous anu Lorlule.
He established good rela-
with Catholic bishops on this basis.
in recent weeks ne altended a meeting 'multipartidaria' the broa• roar orve dooostion parties in order to Terrost his liberal
El Salvador
By Charles-Andre Udry
Salvadorean dictatorship and of strengthening their military offensives against the forces of national liberation.
On 31 March 1982, Salvador elections 'Showed that there was a real desire for democracy' (US News and World Report, 12 April 1982) A Salvadorean worker, quoted in the
going to begin by liquidating all the reforms and the people will revolt again'.
the analyses made by the chroniclers of our own press! doubt thathe 28 arch sawa nonest could farce, televised world
were elections made by for reac-
which Lon. anyone i
for being already.
published by the
a stucy centra mercan universily in San Salvador proves what a farce
Thomas Sheehan Catholic University
denounces electoral
carried out by the government. Fraud
He reveals that D Hinton, the American allivassauvi, concocted an agreement velween parties so inere should
discussion rontation of the elect
raud (the Guaraian 4 June 1Y0L.
and reforms are only tactical
to a single goal: military defeat on the FMLN.
of the United States in El Salvador is war. 1000 soldiers and 500 officers
consensus around the - without having
The prestige of the military is at an all-time
the CGT, are re-
age'. But this by no means amounts to support for a
democratisation of the political system as a whole
competitors for the post OI interim president are Lami Dozo, commander the airforce. Dozo is enjoying a period of unprecedented popularity, given the performance of the airforce,
LIC forces in the war with Bri-
inflicted some losses on the enemy.
Power
But the airforce is far Too smare welds Tal too little power internally,
with the army and navy, to be able to en-
the of the whole of the military.
1he new commander of the armed forces will be Cristino Nicolaides, fanatic right-winger and anti-communist. Nicolaides has a reputation of being one of the most ferocious of generals who participated
bloody which followed the 1976 coup. Nicolaides Illaut d speech several weeks ago
which sincerely assured his audience that Communism had been trying to subvert the world IN THE SHADOW of the British imperialist agression against the Malvinas, the combined forces of the
Washington are
Reagan said the 28 March
same magazine, has a clearer idea as to the future: 'This will be the same dictatorship as before. They're
This prediction is a little bit more accurate than
trained in the united states —
rite c coses in se who
courses Panama bases of American The stralezy. numoci cadres in the 23,000 strong army will thus be doubled. Elite
In June '82 according to a US official army will be able to change
Since May, attacks situation by the elite killers have in-
reased the regions Morazan, Jsulatan. Chaletenango, Labanas, pressure against the MEN While inere
these offar being crowned with success
growin direct military Intervention Takes place in the context of a growgrowing support for the Hon duran armed force: oï area de cance
paramilitary operations Nicaraguan
the pore id rene!
President pontics Mangana, installec the United States, it could not be
Peronists demonstrate in Buenos Aires
since the year 500 BC!
Even as commander of the armv. colades wi have just a temporary rule. His views are too bizarre and correspond too little with present day needs to hold even this post for any length of time.
The candidate for President being pushed by the United States Alessandro Orsilla, whose clearer. In order to reduce the social base the revolutionaries in 1979, a caricature of an agrarian reform was inIlalcu Profit
Co-operatives were set on land belonging to latifundists.
But the co. operatives fell to the far right!
in second nase on alleged reform should have
made the pole on
land which they are cultivating. On
Mav. consuluen Assembly suspended this law. Out of 172,860 families with the legal possibility of 34,000 have used this right. only
uner centands are supPressed be tere
according "Popular moderate Democratic Union more than Lu as nave been e
irom newly acquirec and in the last two months
Tribune 31 May 1982)
ornciay. the Salvadorean countryside 55.4
of the population
complete the result of these elections before oDenine •enocacy torture have increased. Peasants
In a small town near San Salvador 'six peasants aged from 19 to 30 years, thrown out of their house during Ine nighl, and then ica le El Playon where they were
beheade 12 may 1192e
militants Christian
which legitimated the elections and the power of the military
assassinated. Among
International,
Argentina
after the deluge
middle name, appropriateton enougsi 'Washing-
Orsilla 1S General Secretary of the Organisation of American states, career diplomat who has than a decade, includingie for more 'the pre-coup era
Orsilla for the United States flas important qualifications which could make him the ideal person
Victims of the repression
them were four mayors.
'Last Friday two hours aaron a in been nominated
FrancIsco
chinameld Evangelinc
Gracia Lopez was killed in his
kitchen with his 18-year old
eroger eleven on AT
June 1982)
representative or the
appear characteristically assassinations carried
out by es. For Thomas wing and
securitv forces'
who planned
American bombing of Cam-
to begin a period of political transition towards a limited democratic opening in the country.
A big landowner and exporter of wine, he has an international among the Latin American diplomatic corps. He has good relatoas with the right-wing of the Justicalist (Peronist) party bodia and for Reagan these are only incidents • nev cal son bye Amandan preten
and who Cubstuls grave in El Salvador Will
this dirty that solidartly with the MEN counter-revolutionary
moo olased Cane ex. tended Reproduced from Breche, of
Party DOCTORIS
section of the Fourth International
By Phil Hearse and will tae opposition Radical Party, while maintaining some support in the army.
An operation to put Orsilla in power would ex ploit the crucial contradiction in the multipartidaria coalition - which includes the Peronists, the Radicals and Ine enristian Democracy,
The divide between left FMLN capture Defence Minister
RADIO VENCEREMOS, the
radio of the Cancestit savonorean guerreras rus unt nounced the capture of Col-
Adolfo Castillo, Undersecretary , of Defence in the new Salvadorean govern. ment
Castillo was shot down in
helicopter flying
Colonel Luna
ranking morne
and right goes down the middle of each party, between the parties. Thus Orsilla could bring into a transitional governmen right-wing representatives ol several parties
The final major candidate for President is Italo Luder, former speaker of the Assembly, and a rightNim Prescent would be ther Peronist. Making most bold of all the possible options implying immediate transition from military rule
The precise outcome of the internal struggles of
is impossible to predict. But in the intermediate term it is nov impossible to stem the tide of the reconstruction the political organisations and the trade union federation, the CGT. The prospect opened
limited democratisation, with civilian Dal lic ballul in government, if not completel civilian goyernment. This will inevitably up democratic space for resurgence of all the currents in Peronism and the workers movement. It will imply a return of politica. exiles. Stable
The model for this partial democratisation under the watchful eye of military is what has hap. pened during the last few years in Brazil.
But the Argentinian
finitely less stable than in Brazi. and the economi framework -more arious than that which ex. isted in Brazil at the start of the democratisation process. After generals, it is time for the Argentinian workers have their say.
Salvadorean military figure and iner bodyguards.
captur of Castillo
growin strengir the FMEN ana incl ability defend the nipermer zones wom cerer ar tack
Steadman Fagoth referwed Philip Age wo weren interview ago, teachonor tender or in anti-FSLN Miskito forces in
Honduras has been injured b
shrapnel in
IT IS known r the sumerisin. ure responsible or me mack
Socialist Challenge 24 June 1982 • page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
Solidarnosc miner tours coalfields
Where you can
buy Socialist
Challenge
Scotland
ABERDEEN: SC available at Boom-
King St. For more info
4.15-5.15pm Station, sold
Ist May Books, or Better Books, For-
Moro fox 6. 1t May
rretts, Byres Rd; ‹
Hamilton son, lo forrest rescent,
Wales
BANGOR: Sat 10-12 town centre.
CARDI every sal available 1-0-8 Books,
NEWPORT: every Sat in town centre
PORT PAL BOT: BoT: Sat Plam-1pm every Sat
Stard 31, acalm saide Coop.
England
omoutside the Roman Baths. Phone
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at Fourth Idea : SC on sale 1i-1. 'Hole ir
Her, Bristol 6
0-1pm Si James S avallable iro
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD: SC sales ir Tan-pas The Pisca 2.30-1.30pm
and 10.30-12.00
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Bookshops BANGOR: Rainbows
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ookshop, 85a New Elve
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Order from SC, PO Box 50, London NI 2XP. What's Left
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Socialist Challenge Events Lone 10N national ce BRENT Socialist evolutionares and Pain, Najar Chate, ng discussion or *Revolutionaries inson Hall, Anson Rd, NW2. Speake am London Labour Briefing Graham
carlor, plus soclans nallenge Socialist Challonge 24 June 1982 page 14
Gate, Sat MANorIELD: rn 3-gpm, stock wel 10.30-12 Westgate Four
Shopping
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evenings and Thur mornings oul sid NEWHAM: SC sold Sat llam to
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A NWI: Om entish Towe
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3) Kate Bainbridge
CONFERENCE ECONOMISTS: sociais ence. Brad ford Unieersnual SDMy Road, Ormskirk, Lancs L.35
Campaign of
CAMDEN Socialist Challenge forun
June 3rd marked the
Michael Gaughan's death in Parkhurst prison.
He died as a result of force feeding after 23
days on a hunger strike. He wanted to serve his
sentence nearer home, in Ireland.
Unsurprisingly, this
has not been recorded in
une Dress. WISe
pages after all have been
filled with
debates about the decor of
Loren's ¡lallall
prison cell. Meanwhile
hundreds of
Prisoners of War have
been subject to appalling
conditions in Britain's
sheep-shed prison camps
on the Malvinas.
The British penal
svstem is a vicious form of
class oppression, especial-
Iv reserved tor those who
stand up to the imperialist
state: particularly the Irish
nationalist prisoners, of
which Michael Gaughan
was vlic
Due to last year's hunger strike, the whole
world learnt of the dread-
ful conditions suffered by
Republican prisoners in
me n slocks ano Armada
But in many ways the con-
Outons dre wosse orlaOse kept in English jails.
rrom outset the odds are stacked against them. After their arrest the prisoners face a massive campaign of media lies And the wall of 'security' surrounding the trials guarantees the Dri bring
Ittie chance being found not . guilty. Little evidence produced against them, and they often face charges such as conspiracy, biased judges, police ana juries - the type of conditions now being copied in trials of black nationalists, such as the Bradford 12.
Every one of the 100 Irish political prisoners in England classified 'Category A' high security, an extraordinary 25 per cent of all such prisoners
By Barry Wilkins and Malcolm Jones THE 15 JUNE visit by Stefan Palka, miner and Solidarnosc leader, to the South Wales coalfield made another big step forward
building support
The tour was supported by the recently formed South Wales Labour Movement Committee for the Defence of Democratic Rights in Poland. Stefan strengthened links already established during visits by Piotr Kozlowski with miners at lower Penrhiwceiber and Brynlliw pits, and with the Aberdare and Rhondda joint lodges committee.
In addition a number
new links were established. Stefan visited Cynheidre pit and address-
the lodge
curillece who promised to consider adopting imprisoned Solidarnosc miners. At a meeting at Tass Merthyr and Deen Navigation ioint lodges committee Stefan
Irish prisoners
in English jails
eighth anniversary of
in Britain. No one could
claim that 25 per cent of
'serious violent crime' in
this country consists of
IRA campaigns.
The prisoners receive
constant verbal abuse and
threats of physical
violence from warders.
This year Owen Carron
MP toured English
jails visiting Irish
prisoners. Paul Norney
beaten up in every prison
he had been transferred to
because he refused to ac-
cept that was
criminal.
The denial of adequate
medical treatment is also a
cause of
great
Marion and Dolores Price
(on hunger strike with
Gaughan), although suc-
ressfully repatriated, wer
'eleaser prematurely
because of their acute state
of ill health engendered by
force feeding and criminal
negligence by
doctors
Guiseppe Conlon and
Sean O'Connaill died shortly after being released, due to diseases that the authorities refused treat. And Noel Jenkinson met an unexplained death in 1976 in Leicester prison. On grounds of his wife was refused an independent autopsy.
Another grievance concerns visiting conditions. After saving make olne
England and being subjec to special Branch vetting. relatives face strip searches, harassment and arrest under the Prevention of Terrorism Act
But worst of all, the prisoners constantly moved from jail to jail by amongst Wales
was asked what he thought of Reagan and Thatcher's 'support' for Solidarnosc.
He won support for his condemnation of their attacks on trade unionists in their own countries and his insistence that Solidarnosc seeks support from workers and trade unionists and not from these governments. Money and the adoption ternees was promised the meeting.
Stefan was also invited to address the area leadership of the South Wales NUM on 15 June. Given
previous refusal meet Piotr Kozlowski thi‹
improtant breakthrough, enable still more support
be won from south
Home News
George Lennox, outside Wandsworth jail in 1975, was framed after exposing Army torture in Northern Ireland. the authorities with no warning
Ray McLaughlin, for example, was moved the day before his brother arrived the way from
Australia for a visit. And there's Paul Hill: held in
10 different prisons between 1975 and 1977.
The other main instrument of repression is solitary continement, im posed for up to a year and Stefan Palka backed miners' action in supporting health workers Wales miners. At the Aberdare and Rhondda joint lodges committee Stefan stressed the need for international solidarity in the struggle for workers rights.
This solidarity was shown in practice at the
more in whitewashed and
solDe Drooled cells for
even minor breaches of
discipline. Out 6½
years served by Liam
Baker, 4 have been spent
in solitary
Naturally the pris-
oners' main demand is for
the right to be transferred
to jails in Ireland: repatria-
tion. Over 100 years ago
Marx son o a previiss
generation Irish
CB
Nantgarw /Mindsor Colliery south "
Wednesday rally of several
Lousare miners and
healthworkers in Cardiff.
Stefan invited onto
the platform and to warm
applause have greetings
from Solidarnosc and sup-
healthworkers struggle.
By Piers Mostyn
politica prisoners
England, that they were
held 'as hostages for the
good
people outside'. This tac
tic backtired. as it onlv lec
to increased agitation and
massive protests that Marx
himself was involved in
leading.
No such situation ex-
ists today. Owen Carron
has pointed out that, while
refusing transfer the
Irish prisoners to jails ir
Ireland. the government
has readily transferred 74
British soldiers to British
jails, who have committed and murder in Northere offences (including
Ireland.
Carron summarised
the prison situation in Bri-
tall being 'without
question, inhuman as far
as Irish P.O. W.'s are con-
cerned' But he also em-
phasised that spints wert : high. These prisoners have
ance. Pat Hackett - miss WIARD for 2½ years refused to wear a uniforn
, and at least : one other is known to be
'on the blanket
Irish republicans have
ANDREW
been to the fore in ever ressance in English ison major
Jalis (especially Hull 1976
escape Gerry from Brixton in December 1980, aided by two ordinary prisoners was
graphic illustration of the
increased solidarity fron
other prisoners
With a new Tory lav and order offensive home and war mongerins abroad, the oppressive
penal system will play an increasingly important role in clamping down on those wne resist The defence of these prisoners is an essential first task for socialists and trade unionists in backing that resistance.
POLISH miner Stefan Palka concluded a three day visit as a guest of the Nottinghamshire miners on Monday 14 June
During his stay he met branch officials from Nottinghamshire well as Belgian miners leaders and members of the Scottish Area Executive. He also met Michael Foot and traindrivers' leader Ray Buckton
Stefan got warm welcome when he visited Nottingham's Ollerton
Blidworth pits, and colliery , North Derbyshire. Here he , recounted Polish
problems militarised pits. Many he spoke to asked about health and safetv issues and Stefan explained whai Solidarnosc stood for in answer to fears raised by the praise that Thatcher and Reagan have heaped on it.
A more extensive tour is to be organised in the autumn.
Page 15 scan of this page
5-1 for strike
Preston
By Ray Duckworth Boilermakers, GEC Traction strike FOLLOWING the acceptance of a 141% crease by GEC supremo, Lord Weinstock, GEC shop floor at the voted by a five to one majority in favour of all out strike action. Their rejection of a stewards committee recommendation in favour of a 5% offer linked to the shift surprised GEC singled out the plant for an attack on union conditions and demarcation lines.
Despite appalling weather the workers are maintaining, 24 hour round the clock picket on Ine plant and have support for the dispute from staff at Preston and the GEC Traction works
Sheffield Commotices and Manchester. The pickets are being stepped up to include local subcontract firms and other GEC plants.
Works Colvelul Keith Hastings explained Ina de Workelccusioe
Lockout in
Lancashire
By John Shutt
WORKERS firm the
engineering of
Millbrook, Central Lan-
cashire New Town have
been locked out since 25
May. Management has
refused to recognise the
trade unions (engineers,
boilermakers and sheet
metal workers) and has
attempted to underpay
workers and disregard-
ed and safety
regulations.
The workforce were lockout amer
broke down over tne
plementation bonus
picket has been organised and
Dials lo stall
still unequal
By Helen Slyomovics,
Plasnewydd Women's Section
'WE ARE not being
treated equal to the
men', Socialist
Challenge was told
by Pat Goode, of
Hoovers in Merthyr
Tydfil.
The Equal Oppor-
tunities Commission will
probably have to be called
in for the second time this
year to deal with
discrimination the
plant.
About thirty women
have seen made perma.
nent in the canteen after
being Laus Cucu 11UL1
other sections on
porary basis. 19 of these
women come from the
bagging machine section:
at least five were moved in-
This sec-
stead of the men.
tion is due for closure as
work is being sent to Cam-
buslang Scotland.
Management's desire to
speed up the transfers have
resulted in this decision to
get une wondi HILe the
canteen and keep them
LEICIC.
action at GEC |
pay in-
Traction plant in Preston
introduction of the three management who had
their opponents and are settling in for a long and bitter dispute
So soon after the June 10 Day of Action against the legislation local workers are finding the need to defend union rights is at the centre of the fight cerene Secondary picketing and MaSS SUDDUIL gates the instinctive response.
22 June CSEU picket is planned at Millbrook Engineering. underway. The
three nights since it moved to
alca last December, oreanisca scab labour from the office staff
Mcker vell rebuck ex plained that the Factory spectorate would pass a lot of the stuff in the tactory cranes de ol properly stalled, oxygen bottles (nO
Since the dispute the boss's
year old son has been working
Donations and messiles ok
gusoute Committee C/0
Cross St, Preston, Lancs.
Hoover women
So far only one woman in the whole plant is permanently on the assembly line.
By making the women permanent in the canteen, management can close down the bagging department more quickly than before.
Pat Goode told us 'Our section should never have
accepted This agreement.
Men will be taking on the
one one wower
have been transferred permanent v to the canteen.
Now men can go on the line, women are stuck in the canteen, and manage-
run down the Ice call
section as fast as it likes.
On 4 September the Wales against women s
aemonstrating
this kino 0) discrimmation
which leads job loss for
will from
Pontypridd to Cardiff
ther information from Wales
women s rights committee
renorris 410484 or Burry
741136.
Sandhar and
BY 14 VOTES to 13 the mainly Asian workforce at Sandhar and Kang in Bir-
have accepted Mullelall
offer and management s returned to work.
They WOR , pay rise and union recognition, but failed to re-instate two key
Baljinder Diane have been reinstated.
Baljinder Singh told Valerie Coultas 'We put all our demnds management and they were saying yes,
yes, re-instate everyone. But tirst Baljinder must do a packing job. Baljinder is disabled and could not take this job. Management offered him £3500: 'But even you offered me £100,000 I By Bob Woods (Ealing branch NALGO delegate)
A GROUP of angry
black workers invad ed the annual conference of local
government officers,
NALGO, last week and brought proceedings to a halt.
The Black Workers Group of NALGO's Metropolitan (London) District Committee had organised a lobby of the conference in support of a motion from Ealing Branch calling for positive action by the union at all levels to combat
No wage
increase
with
strings
By Ann Potter
THE OFFICIAL dispute at
: Barclay's, London's top
sign of ending. Last monti
shop TOOr.
Transport members,
went on strike after 5 month
broke down. accept management s oner or as pe.
cent VORC increase, condi.
tional changes
working hours, practices and
recuncancic DalLia
argued that instead of the pre-
sent 7am mm cavo
8.30 - 5pm day is necessary
Apparently, impoverished
Rolls Royce owners no longer
chalicur. alice
owners have to bring them in
for service inemseives.
only two days strike,
management
strikers and men who
were sick or on holiday
widesprea backing ac
tion by Ford, недотой
ostal and rail worker has
sulted in only 5 Rolls Royc
being serviced a week instead
rad, , the senior snop steward
said that the only way the
end is when the
present manager goes.
Donators un message.
uppo DIU Hicks
Drummond House
203-209 North Gower St,
Trade Unions
Kang - divisions
weaken workforce
wouldn't take it,' he told
thot for sale principies are
The workforce met and voted 22-7 against accepting any sackings - at first. 'Then someone asked for a secret ballot and the vote was 14-13. But we agreed to respect the majority view.
The strikers would have been stronger if they hac
regular strikers' meetings; and if they had not been prevented from speaking to Labour Party and other trade union meetings by John Partridge, the local TGWU official. Such moves would not only have raised money, but confidence on the picket lines.
ANGRY BLACKS HALT
UNION CONFERENCE
personal and institutional racism.
Incensed by the action the President, JOLL
Allan, who manipulated the rules in order to deny a card vote the Ealing motion, the black workers
left the gallery where they had been listening to the debate and went down onto the conference floor to express their disgust.
The National Executive Council was particularly worried by clauses in the Ealing motion. of these gested that rules should be
fight
sHy workers rom custu
ash and carry in Mancheste
have been on strike for the last
six weeks. were victimis-
ed for joining the TGWU; th other five walked out in sup-
Caplan is a typical small
Way is pool
ong working week includin
soured mornines
conditions are terrible. Toilet
were inadequate,
there is no hot water and the
building is freezing in winter
Your Bank.
Name of Account to be debited
Account Number..
Our Bank.
Co-operative Bank Ltd 110 Leman
Account No
Sorting Code.....
amount to be paid.
First Payment due
Signed..
drawn up enable NALGO to discipline and expel racists. The ole proposed the formation of a new national committee to take forward the struggle against racism. petition couried dou d The following day conference denlored the manne. in which the President had conducted the vote and considered that had dealt massive blow NALGO's credibility among its black members. One-fifth of the delegates (400 in all) signed the petition.
Caplan recognition
Some of the workforce decideno one union - Ine resul was immediate sacking and a walkout The strike is now official. turned Lorrie. nave away. Kellogs, regularly break the some. SuLT picket; hire vans are also be ing used.
Donations Dave Joss, 25 Drive, chester 8, 061-795 4086.
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Socialist Challenge 24 June 1982 page 15
Page 16 scan of this page
LEBANON
By Phil Hearse
latest edition Palestinian refugee
Then the Israeli air and sea attack began.
The family went into an 'About 50 of us were cramped in the shelter'
hit. people
of their fate.
You wouldn't know it from the television reports, which talk calmly about 'clashes and 'Israelis encountering further resistance' what was happening
was conflict between two conventional armies. But in the course of their operation to 'defend Galilee and mop up the PLO' the Israelis have Massacred nonsend civilians.
Can you imagine what the press and TV publicity
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ZIONIST
BUTCHERS
MASSACRE
CIVILIANS
TIME magazine summed it up graphically. Its
reports how at the Meome'h camp near Sidon, Sihan Mahmud was preparing dinner for her family.
air raid shelter.
said Umm Mahmud. 'The one next to ours was
There were hands and heads - pieces of - flying everywhere. When that happened I couldn't stand it any more, so we just ran'. In the confusion she was separated from her husband and daughter and knows nothing
would be like if the Russian army had just invaded neighbouring country and killed ten thousand civilians. To sav the least. a little bit more condemnation would be called for. It might even push the royal baby off the front pages But the death of a few thousand Arabs here and there hardly evokes a word or condemnation from the British media. The attitude of the BBC was admirably summed up when an aid agency withdrew from
With each 12 months inland subscription to
NICARAGUA: THE SANDINIST 4.
London N1.
negotiations for a TV appeal help to i the civilians because the BBC was being. 'obstructive'
This nicely attitude of Israelis themselves who are refus-
allow ships with medical and food aid for civilians to dock the Lebanon.
The sheer scale of the destruction wrought in the Lebanon is difficult to imaLic Perhaps one and a half million people have been displaced from their homes by the Israeli invasion. Hundreds of houses and flats in working class areas have been destroyed by te Lionist onizkreig.
As we go to press we are on the verge of an even greater tragedy. Israeli premier Begin has promised that his soldiers will not
Missile West Beirut. This
almost certainly means that an invasion is imminent.
Ihroughout Lne temporary ceasefires arranged
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by American intermediary Habib, the Israelis have continued their shelling of West Beirut.
Begin and his War Minister Sharon will be unable to resist the temptation to try to slaughter the Palestinians - militias and civilians alike. The repeated attempts to deal with the Palestinian pro. blem militarily leading to its ultimate conclusion: genocide. veritable
the Palestinian problem.
The hypocrisy of the Israelis was well summed up by Sharon when asked whether Israel had a guilty conscience aboul civilian deaths. 'Of course
have' said Sharon 'that's what distin is fros whe loinguishes
The Israeli invasion of the Lebanon came in the wake of the rising tide of anti-Israel tions in the occupied territories and the failure of the Israeli-Egyptian Camp
David agreement.
The David agreement had three com-
First the recognition of the Zionist state by
Egypt, and then hopefully the other Arab states.
Second, the parties to the agreement would work for the replacement of the PLO as the main leadership of the Palestinians. Thirdly, Palestinian mini-state would be set up
the West Bank of the Jordan where the becalm-
and deteated Palesti nians could be cooped up.
The failure the Camp "peace process' occurred because the recan mase refused to play ball. The PLO retained the support of the overwhelming majority of the Palestinian population and continued to resist the Israelis in the occupied territories.
For the Israelis the at tempt to crush the PLO militia is more than an effort to 'secure' its fronJune. And this before the baby was born!
'The second in line to the throne' has now arrived and don't we know it! But the world of the allegedly future king is a
Canes from the world of you and me
Lady Diana, the carrier of the 'second in line to the throne' has had her baby
hospital workes or ba
hospital workers miserable 12 per cent wage increase. But that won't affect the Royal family as they produce another parasite on the British tax payer. Nor will Di and Cases woe amelia huge cuts in health service facilities.
Mary's Hospital, Harrow Road, is part of
tiers. t • 1s an to demoralise and crush the whole Palestinian population. vious military setback, like But • arter eacn
the one suffered in Jordan September 1970 the Palestinian people have refused to lie down.
Moreover the Palestinians are part the
the Arab people whole. • The Arab national'ist regimes that have refused to all effective communities in Britain.
Daddy's gone a-hunting
'IT WAS the simple act of struggling to wrap a sports car seat belt across the second in line to the throne that somehow summed up Princess Diana's dilemma yesterday.' — Daily Mirror 16
the same hospital where Di is having her baby In a private minime or a day a costing
where the workers have been struggling for months Illally DreVell its closure Even the closure of Buckingham Palace's nearest hospital, St George's at Hyde Park Corner did not see members of ine Royal tamily out picketing. They don't, after all, have to rely on an ambulance service that is over stretched and under resourced although this use it gate pair private pa-
in hospitals.
As families this country are struggling to
assistance to the Palestinians are going to be called
ple Begin and Sharon are perpetuating the tragedy Palestinians. But they are storing up an even bigger tragedy for the future. They have made Israel an outcast among nations. Even with the support of US imperialhold will not last forever the Zionist strong-
ISRAEL OUT OF
LEBANON!
RALLY: Fri 25 June 7pm
Chelsea Town Hall Speakers include Ken Livingstone DEMONSTRATION: Sat 26 June
Assemble 10am Speakers' Corner, Hyde Park Organised by Palestinian and Lebanese
pay the bills, never mind give their children much in a way of luxury, this Royal recerve thousands of presents, the Royal couple did on their marriage. What sick joke time when jingoism is running high, atel i nalcner s bloody war in the South Atlantic
this baby for every tear it Cal wrench from readers. Little will be said for the struggle of hospital and rail workers in their fight for a decent standard of livins Little will be said for Thatcher's tacit support for Begin's genocidal role in the Lebanon. Britain is about to launch itself into trenzy or nationalism. England to diathe orid All we need now Cup
← Socialist Challenge No. 250, 18 June 1982Socialist Challenge No. 253, 9 July 1982 →