Socialist Challenge No. 278, 28 January 1983
The scan: sc-no278.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
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Page 1 scan of this page
Challenge SUPPORT THE WORKERSE
LABOUR AND TRADE UNION SOLIDARITY WITH THE WATERWORKERS
No. 278 28 January 1983 The fact that the waterworkers are taking on Thatcher's government and its four per cent pay norm welcomed by working person.
This government determined that working class will pay the price for a crisis that has been brought about by a system run by big business and its Tory party.
The waterworkers have rejected that idea. They have insisted on right of workers to get a decent wage and have no intention of accepting lower standards capitalism can solve its problems.
This shows the way to all the tra de movement. defeat Thatcher will drive a great hole in the Tories four per cent norm which will make it easier tor unose workers following in their wake. Furthermore they file of the trade unions that Thatcher and her
25p
GOVCHEHHOUS defeated and that the ignominious retreats in the NHS, steel and cars y une opanswicks every irs anc
WOrd the cowardly
the
Tories.
A victory for the waterworkers will which is breathe new life into the
trade unions encouraging militancy and confidence.
That can only be to the benefit
the
movement and after the retreats of the past year they turn the
the Tories which would living augur well for Labour at LACE the next election.
Of course the strike will cause and discomfort, union doubt rags like the Sun they and the Daily Mail are they already
their 'hazards to STONES. simple discomforts. health will
come out ot this strike are the responsibility of Thatcher and all those who support her.
Socialist
WATER
can be
the Duffys fault leadership, not the strength of the
ineretore
labour
tables on
inconvenience 0110-110
manufacturing health one answer to this. aRV dangers that
FOR THE FULL CLAIM
Inside
6 USAF-
Greenham Common women speak out pp 6-7 DON'T WASTE WATER
Page 2 scan of this page
SDP methods in Labour left
Editorial
The Campaign for Labour Party Democracy is on the verge of a split. pioneered the democracy struggle in the Labour Party and laid the basis for the Deputy leadership campaign. On one side of the split, as the Financial Times bluntly puts it, stand Benn and his supporters; on the other Foot's. Benn himself is attending the CLPD AGM this Saturday to motivate a joint left leadership slate.
Foot's backers ecutive - have led a campaign of abuse against 'Socialist Organiser, the IMG and New Tribune', publicly circulating lists of names who are 'unfit to Icad Ine CLrD. joint statement backing their slate for election to the campaign leadership at its AGM on Saturday, that unless CLPD agrees to register and endorses their ideas, they will split and form a new campaign.
These are SDP tactics. Either you unite behind us, without dissent — or we split. Why are they doing it? Because they have swallowed a false road to unity: unity around the Labour leadership, around Michael Foot, and — since Foot is now Healey's willing prisoner Healey, backed by Foot, is leading the drive to split the Party by means of the witch-hunt, to surrender it bound and gagged Treasury and the Foreign Office.
101 unity around them to reproduce, disgusting form, CLPD.
Nothing makes this clearer than their attitude
the WIES-SE deliberate defiance of the witch-hunt by CLPs. We must use constitutional means, they say — while half the members are driven out and so denied access to the constitution. changes do they want? They support the Manchester Withington amendment, which calls for a "democratic" register, so that conference (in which the witch-hunters have a majority because of their control of the block vote) can expel the socialists instead of the NEC. Last year this got less votes than any other proposal. So their argument that
Activists' Diary
Trade Union CND AGM, Saturday 29 January,
2pm, County Hall, London SEI. Delegates from
trade union bodies affiliated to CND.
Campaign for Labour Party Democracy
AGM, Saturday 29 January, Conway Hall, Red Lion
Square, London WCI.
National Labour Briefing Conference,
Saturday 5 February, 10.30-6pm, County Hall,
London SEI. Speakers will include: Ken
Livingstone, Ann Bliss, Jeremy Corbyn. Details
from London Labour Briefing, 23 Leghorn
Road, London NW10.
Socialist Society AGM, Saturday/Sunday 5/6
February, Sir William Collins Schooi,
Charrington Street, London NWI.
Labour Against Witch-hunt National
Council,
London SET.
Labour Committee on Palestine, Open
Steering Committee Meeting, Wednesday 16
February, 8pm, County Hall, London SEI.
Open to members and others who wish to
participate in the campaign.
Broad Left's Organising Committee
Conference,
Vote, Saturday 19 February.
trade union Broad Lefts and official TÚ
organisations. Credentials from: BLOC 108
Princess Boulevard, Bebington, Merseyside, L63
7PE.
Labour CND AGM, Saturday 19 February,
11-5pm, County Hall, London SEI. Two
delegates from each CLP affiliated to CND and
open to individuals who are members of both
National CND and the Labour Party.
Registration £2 (£1 unwaged).
Ban Plastic Bullets, Labour movement
delegate conference, Saturday 26 February
UMIST. Barnes Wallis Building, Sackville
Street, Manchester 1. Credentials from: Plastic
Bullets Conference, Box 15, 164/6 Hanging
Ditch, Manchester M3 4BN.
Labour Democracy and Local Government,
National Conference for District Labour Parties.
Saturday 26 March, Manchester Poly Student
Union, 10.30-4.30pm. Sponsored by Sheffield,
Leeds, Manchester DLPs.
Manchester City Labour Party, Hulme Labour
Club, Istoneylow Close, Manchester M15.
Socialist Challenge 28 January 1983 page 2
This campaign
- the right wing of the ex-
They have now confirmed, in a
around Healey himself. But
to Whitehall, The helpless splitter leads in a far more crude and
Healey's tactics within the
oppose any
And what constitutional Saturday 12 February, County Hall. Accountability of the Block
Delegates from Details from:
they are 'seeking a proposal which can obtain maority support nonsense.
Foot's support - and that means Healey's. At the very moment when the register is almost dead, they want to give it the kiss of life.
How should the left respond? Unfortunately, Vladimir Derer and Pete Willsman Jeading Foot supporters. use a quote trom lon Benn which tells us where the left's past mistakes lie. In a resolution on 'Party unity' they call for uty around me casung edacismp, me exisung membership, and the existing policies'.
But the leadership is junking the policies and trying to drive out membership because it wants a government acceptable to Whitehall and the CBI. The left must make a choice: unity round the policies and membership, or around the leadership? This was the origin of the tremendous crisis of CLPD at the last when it completely failed to organise the opposi-
Labour Against the Witch-Hunt had to take up the standard instead. CLPD was paralysed because its right wing baulked at resisting a witch-hunt backed by Michael Foot himself. All their talk of finding policies accentable to a maiority or con ference' is just a cover up for this. For the first six years of its existence CLPD's policies were not acceptable to a conference majority and this never deterred it from its campaign to change its minority support into a majority.
The demand for unity around the leadership is JOHN Golding,
in Manchester last weekend.
of the left in Manchester, under the hammer.
GRAHAM
Manchester.
The immediate context of the NEC enquiry into the Manchester City Labour Party is a very sharp divide between left and right. The COLOS the City Labour Party, while the right controls the Council Labour Group Before the all-out local election in May 1982 we explained, as a City Party,
prepared to carr out the Manifesto would not b eligible for the panel.
As a result we dropped
the bstants candida
right's candidates, although most were later reinstated by their Constituencies. This time around a smaller number of coun cillors were aropoca and there have been no appeals trom their constituencies.
This means they have exhausted the rules of the Labour Party as a means to get back on his for we NEC t them is for the come in and use their rules which basically say that thev can do anvining bet ween conferences reinstate them.
Despite me reasons put forward by the NEC
What they want is
is needed.
but a necessity.
unity should be a policy
Labour Party conference,
SUCH most do an
These
the last eight years.
paigns' document
NEC enquiry into Manchester LP
Golding takes witchunt
to the North -west
the Labour right's Judge Jeffries, was holding his witchunting Tribunal
This time it was the Manchester City Labour Party, the bastion
that was coming
STRINGER, chair of the City Labour Party and one of the left-wing minority in the ruling Labour Group on the City Council, explains why Golding's eye has been turned to
our view, this enquiry is a smokescreen to get a small of councillors BaCk on the panel.
The other aspect of it i that the City has developed its policy over the last few years And now has a high campaigning The right. wing NEC is taking portunity to attack the ty Party as an organisa
The NEC's cover for this attack on the City Labour Party is a number of allegations of malad ministration. But they have failed to bring for ward any evidence for their claims.
One such allegation rests on the City Party rules that we should have no more than 40 per cent of trade union delegates.
At present we are up to bonted this 45 cent. We out to the VEC two years ago, as have mechanism LODBIE dIYULIC ITUI filiating. Nor would we want to.
At the time the NE said: Your rules are contradictory and you
an impossible demand. It is an appeal against rocking a boat when the officers are busily trying to throw the crew out of it. It is an appeal to drown
Is there, then, a different basis for unity? Unity
The labour movement, neither wealth nor status to defend itself, cannot afford the luxury of division. Unity isn't just a tac-
We agree, Tribune who call for a common basis of unity in reply to the splitters, and we agree that the basis of
Unfortunately Tribune's own suggestion as to the basis of unity isn't an ideal one: the proposal to change the basis of representation at Labour Party conference to give the CLPs a greater say. This isn't an agreed policy. Even within the left there is in extensive discussion going on about it. But mos
urgent problem of today, which is what to election year when democratically decided policies are being ditched by its leadership? — and when the same leadership is concentrating its entire energies on expelling the socialists instead of fighting the Tories?
- and above all the policy question are the real tests of everything CLPD has done for
The NEC next month will discuss a draft 'cam-
La draft manifesto doesn't have unilateralism in it. Two thirds of the
can't be expected to make them self-consistent. We have records of them saying that. The original rules were agreed with the NEC at the time of the Party reorganisation in the early The other allegations hold even less water. It is all part of their smokescreen. And it won't work anyway. Really all attempts to attack the City Party in an administrative way are a dead end They would still leave the left in the dominant position in the constituencies.
The NEC, and it shares this with the Mancheste Labour Group, is out of phase with the membership. We have to make the constituencies and campaign in that way.
That can bring the wit chunt to a halt.
is greater organisation o the left. We tend to forget that the right is permanently organised on national even left is very much less organised.
The City Labour Party organising a conferen • 26 March to this end. is for District and Constituency Parties to discuss what experiences we share and what methods we can adopt to develop the fight for the kind of things we have been fighting for over ST CASU years, essence the accountability of representatives
eyes of the Labour Party ranks.
Number Ten?
Greenwich constitutional
against the Labour Party.
Secondly,
on the agenda, which will certainly be
which has constitutional change.
with part in
tary Labour CND has 180 members
jority union support.
This is the road ahead.
Labour's
which
conference voted for this, one of the most popular in Labour's armoury. CLPD was formed to ensure that Labour's policies were implemented. If it cannot help stop this gigantic travesty of democracy, it will have neither credibility nor relevance in the
What is the left going to do about this? What hope can it offer that after eight years of struggle there will be a difference if Foot moves into
CLPD can make two vital contributions to this goal. First, it can throw its entire weight behind the
amendment which establishes, clearly and without equivocation, the right of every group in the Labour Party to exist provided only that it does not stand candidates
it can take up the struggle for unilateralism to be in the manifesto. Resolutions
passed commit CLPD to this policy. Of course, CLPD as a single-issue campaign is primarily committed to
But, just as it threw its weight behind a broader campaign for Benn to become Deputy leader of the Praty, it can take
- and help establish — a broad campaign to defend Labour's socialist policies. Parliamen-
- the biggest cil group in ramament. outateransi Has ma
It will be hard for union leaders to justity breaking clear mandates from their members on this issue. Unilateralism had a two-thirds majority at conference. It must go in Labour's manifesto, and Labour candidates must be committed to defend it in the next parliament
The left must immediately begin to explore the basis on which a united Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory centring on unilateralism can be formed. This is the next step forward; this is the basis for unity.
Photo: GM COOKSON
Page 3 scan of this page
Pay the water workers-
BOUYED UP BY their successes against the Health workers and the miners, the Tories have thrown down the gauntlet workers.
tion the Government has made.
The 29,000 manual workers in the industry are one of the most powerful groups Britain. The consequences of this strike are potentially catastrophic. Large sections of industry from LaLS to electricity dependent on water supply. If the dispute goes there will be massive layoffs and power cuts.
Virtually every home in the country will be hit.
There are about 80,000 mains bursts and 5,000 major sewer faults each
sewer faults daily.
Alongside the economic disruption and
will be serious threat to health as the antiquated Sendec system collapses.
The Tories are prepared to gamble with
he health and livelihoods LoTTA 2ION210O to force down living standards. The response of the labour movement should be loud and clear: Pay the water workers- Smash the four percent.
The water workers claim is one which is aimed at bringing them out of the poverty levels that "they have endured tor vears. At crens t82 for a ba sie her present water worker week. The claim is intended to bring them into line with comparable grades in gas and electricity.
OUR SHEFFIELD reporters inform us: Pickets were out in force on Monday and the strike is solid among the 350 manual workers in the area. At the Moonshine Lane Depot shop steward Chris Hague said wage is £82 for a 39 hour week and we do not works shifts and there is very little overtime here. have been pushing for national action for years in Sheffield.
LES HUCKFIELD, Labour MP for Nuneaton told us about one water authority:
Severn and Trent Authority under the chairperson of Sir William Dugdale is notorious for its penny titudes. 1 have to deal with the cases of pensioners who have been cut off after simply writing to ask if they could water bill on instalments or after a delay.
When the authority went over
to direct billing by computer, it tied the hands of the local authorities been more sensitive about the problems of hard-up people,
Smash the 40/0
to the water
This could well be the biggest miscalcula-
La flat
rate increase of £13.50. In
adamon mey are cramme
a further increase in line
WILLIC LOTHE
maintain that position.
The other aspects of
the claim are also Ones
which the labour move-
should support:
MICHL
one-hour reduction in the
working week and an
crease to 5 weeks holiday
after one year's service.
These demands are fully in
line with the TUC's posi-
tion of reducing hours to
combat unemployment.
This. is why it is essen-
tial to build the greates
possible support for the
water workers, the labour
movement Has to reply te
the hysterical can in
which the
unleash on the strikers.
This will mean starting
now to build tours of the
factories and workplaces
for water workers to
explain their case and win
support. Local
should be in the forefront
ot inis - organising pubne
meetings, arranging tours
We should call on
CYCLY Labour MP and
Councillor give their
support and to get on the
DICKer Bes this is not
just a matter of helping the
WaLCI WOEKCIS afie OUT-
come of their battle could
election. If the Tories can
win they will -USC It to
revive the flagging
Falklands Factor and go to
Round-up Round-up
Sheffield are all out
individual consumer.
Our DasIc
000S.
This is why we
strike break.
way they 'The authority's
pinching at-
took their wives!
pay their
Warwickshire
of the Authority
had often
chair of the board.
Strike can cause chaos the country on a Resolute Government line For the labour movement it is golden oppor tunity to break the myth of To into the biection d to invincibility and to policies that defend the in TereSTs of working class.
The Tories claim that this would mean *massive burden U1. consumers' is a total lie. The cost of the full claim would abe £40 million,
getting At Blackburn Meadows sewage works Phil Hurst the union secretary emphasised 'our action is aimed at the cutting of supplies to industry not the Other workers stressed that they were not worried about the threat to use
They pointed out that the cratsmen were supporting them and the fire brigade had agreed not to
'But the biggest scandal is the
spend the money. Last September, six of them went on a junket to Switzerland at a cost of over £7,000. It was supposed to be an international water conference, which does not explain why all six of them
Making money from water is not new to Sir William, a big
landowner.
Shortly after he became chair
Severn and Trent it bought large tracts of land off him. So he was selling his land, as a private individual, to himself as
which would mean a 3½p increase average bill. It would in- week on crease the industry's costs by just over 2½ percent.
The hypocrisy the Demonstrated guest is demonstrated their plans for the industry.
financial targets which they are setting according to Colin McMillan, Severn Irent Water Authority's Director of Finance, increase charges by about 15 percent. Over the last
Socialist Challenge reporters have been around asking and others what they think of the pay claim and the strike. Here are some of the comments we got.
In London
Out on the picket at Rosebery Avenue Authority
Headquarters in London on the first day of the
strike,
candidate for Islington South who had brought a
solidarity message.
Chris told us: "I.have come so show my solidarity
with the wult worker
treated them appallingly. They deserve a living
wage and they should be treated no differently to
the gas and electricity workers who have won a
wage rise.
I hope that the trade union movement will show
health workers. The Labour Party leaders, and the
National Executive of the Labour Party should be
speaking on their platforms, and the picket lines,
and put questions in the House of Commons to
argue the case of the water workers.
*At the moment they are not saying this loudly
Also on the picket line was Paddy Carroll who is
an inspector at the Rosebury Avenue office. He
feels that 'a lot of people will support us becuase
we are bashing Thatcher. The whole trend of That-
cher's policies disturbs me and this is part of the
struggle against them.'
It's sad if other low paid
from the action we are taking. They should take
the action we are taking.
says Pat Hickey eight years charges have increased by 250 per cent, far more than the increase wages, and despite a COUCHOI manual workers from 34,625 to 29,393, a cut of 15 per CCHIL
The Wate workers have been pursuing this claim for the last 15 months. The response the employers has been -10 refuse to negotiate. In addition the government has declared its intention to
waterworkers was Chris Smith, prospective parliamentary
The government has
same degree of support as they did with the
workers can't benefit
AGER tear up existing national agreements abolish the National Water Council. The claim for comparability has been re jected out of hand.
Rank and file members of the unions in industry are fed up with the weak and hesitant response of the trade union leaders to
situation. This has been demonstrated by the 100 per COll response the strike call, and by the refusal of the craft grades to cross picket lines.
Round-up Round-up
Manchester Area
only £3.15 to £3.45
tions
want similar rates of pay.
cost £40m.
Tories to offer four per cent. The consequences of catastrophic. created enough problems.
emergency cover.
to refuse to cooperate with the troops.
From the shop floor the call must be for: No retreat on the full claim the water workers can win The reason the Tories have been successtul up to now against the public sector
strength on the part of the working class and cowardly leadership at the top of the unions Betrayals like those carried out on ASLEF and the Health workers must not be allowed to happen again Interview with
Derek Pattison
TGWU Waterworks Branch Sec
The majority of water workers are incensed at the tour per cent offer. In actual figures this will mean
per week tor most of them After tax etc they will be lucky at the end of the day to have enough even to pay their union contribu The feeling is very strong, we'll go for full 15 per cent. At the moment we're well behind Gas and Electricity workers; but we do similar jobs and The employers have saved f60m per year in lost wages through the introduction of new technology and natural wastage. The full claim would only The water council were prepared to offer six per cent and to negotiate. They were instructed by the
WaLCI strike will be The dirty jobs strike in the 1970's The government have said that they will dispose of sewerage by putting it in the river. They are also threatening to bring in the troops. Personally, if they do we'll withdraw
We are particularly looking for support from the fire services and the FBU as they will be asked to move water. We would like them
Socialist Challenge 28 January 1983 page 3
Page 4 scan of this page
dependent public enquiry.
Newington force to without full investigation.
The death of Colin Roach comes after a whole series of incidents involv-
SEne terrorisation of black families early
gun-toting, racially abusive police LOELUEG young blacks in police custody interrogated with Outs nee to eir needs Nor is his death the first to Have occurred local police hands.
nigercu by Colin's death, the black community responded by 500 people my on Saturday day 22 lackney January demanding an enquiry free from police inenterence and calng Tor famous Stoke Neting ion closure Station.
Outside the station, a two minutes silence was observed memory Colin, and at Stoke Newington Common at the end of the march the neea Lo continue the campaign to achieve the demands was stressed.
On the night before the march a meeting called by Hackney Black Alliance FIFTY DELEGATES representing sixteen local parties met in Glasgow 22 January tor the founding meeting of Scottish Labour CND.
Opening the conference. Gavin Strang MP sccretary or rarnamentary Labour CND stressed that our battle to have the party
out nuclear unilateralist policy government was not yet won.
was essential for CND to maintain its mass campaign up to and after the election. It had to pay
ing in the unions if we were to hold the line there where leaderships had often been forced against their will to vote our position.
We had to go on battling to get parliamentary representatives backing
Labour CND 1983 will be a crucial year for both CND and Party: Labour carrying out a big campaign this year to decisions of Labour conference disarmament are carried out. The Manifesto is to be drafted next month.
Although we won 71 percent of the votes at the 1982 Party conference
for the meal stone are bi not
of the manifesto, convinced that it will be Even if it is included in the first draft it will still have to deal with the hurdle of the coordinating committee, many of whose members will do their best to fudge the issue.
Nuclear disarmament is the most popular policy of the Labour Party. The more pressure we can bear from ine grassroots tor the party to stand by unilateralism then the
Socialist Challenge 28 January 1983 page 4
Colin Roach-
ON 12 JANUARY Colin Roach, a young black man, died of gunshot wounds in Stoke Newington Police Station. Police say his death was suicide but the black community has called for a full and in-
They have too much experience of the Stoke
believe a police statement
Hackney Legal Defence more than 130 people had held Hacknes Town Hall where a demand that Hackney Council withdraw all funding from the local police. This demand was seen as being BaLL of campaign for the withdrawal of local authority funding where the police 110| democratically accounto the local community. The argument bethat nonaccountability mean non-funding by the CONTILLILY.
Cecil Gutsmore member of Brixton Defence Campaign who spoke at Friday night's blamed Colin's
gression the ere in as
gression British police. He said they learned directly IrOm British state experiences the North of Ireland. It wa not by chance, Cecil emphasised, that Kenneth
Scottish Labour
CND is founded
By Chris Morris. and Observers CLPs and eight
for CND. The present 120 members ot Pariamentary Labour CND was still less than half of Labour MPs.
The meeting broke to hear M Foot address a Scottish Labour Party rally Foot said the LP could claim like no other party world, to have led the OCaLC and specifically the movement against cruise and trident But he said nothing that committed future Labour government to any immediate steps of disar-
Labour CND then reassembled even more determined to cut out the
An appeal to Labour Party
activists from Labour CND
By Joy Hurcombe, National Secretary of
the Labour CND will be
ensure that the
Party simply to stop nuclear
States' bases
Party through, both commitment 18CO-8
across Europe We wil
in London.
bring to CND Worthing Sussex
Newman had been transferred from his job as boss of the RUC to one of overlording the Metropolitan police.
A campaign waged by police leaders and sections of the British SLaLC. continued since the late 1960's with the goal as the complete arming of the police and the svstematic
propulation The Police
population Police and Criminal Evidence bill, he said, threatens 11 02M 0 07059718 direction. Cecil urged the need for united resistance by the black community and working people stop towards a police state. His Britain' "progress
words certainly caught the mood of the meeting.
The recent events in Hackney, OVEr 50
duld the "accidental' shooting of Steven Waldorf evidence of the escalation of police aggression.
The police becoming a brutal law unthemselves The demands of the Hackney Call Doll must be ported as part of the resistance to the growing strength and unrestrained violence of the police in DrEIsa SocIeLy
CND
dissembling. Walter Wolfgang brought LUCCLHES as vice-chair of British Labour CND and resolutions were passed on tasks for the coming year.
These included building for the August rU/LP LP day of action, and for all CND's mass actions, day school, regular bulletin directed at CND and party activist:
This would to CND why its aims would only be achieved by unilateralist Labour government. Conference ended by electing a committee including members from S Ayrshire, Paisley, Glasgow Edinburgh, Perth and Arbroath. To be put on our mailing list send quid to T. Southall Scottish Labour CND, 420 Sauchiehall St G2. more likely it will be that Labour can win the coming general election. all Party policies this is the one which the left cannot afford to lose because it will be the decisive one in 1983.
That also means insisting on the fact that Labour Party policy is not
Cruise and Trident but
Brish sof all nudier wee onied
including United
In the coming year it will be important to keep up the pressure on the bases and the places that supply them. But at the same time Labour
decisions must be carried for a clear manifesto and .TOr massive on Hiroshima Day coordinated with similar actions right
be discussing all of this at Labour CND's AGM on 19 Febuary
For details write to: Labour
11 Pembury Road.
Coventry last week.
Well he certainly got a
rousing reception from
hundreds of carworkers
were all obviously
cycling fans. Even
Minister was so moved by
his reception he described
i as a most catraoraman
demonstration.'
Before the
management told senior
stewards that they should
suppress any protest ac-
tion that might come up
from the shop floor and
contacted
the senior stewards to ask
them if there was any reac-
tion to the visit.
Once the word had got
around that Tebbit
coming people started
discussing what to do.
workers pointed out HAVE YOU been hanging onto the odd pound or two in the hope that Maggie Thatcher is making them more valuable? Better get rid of them quick - it's not a good investment these days.
good bet these course, join the flook of investment overseas - latest figures show £1½ bn went abroad in the third quarter of last year. Apparently they are worried a Labour government might be elected.
Or, if you don't want to invest in the ex ploitation your pounds in the only really worthwhile and secure enterprise going Don't delay anything!
Blanco White £ 40.00 Leeds LIVerDOO! 50.00 Leicester 50.00
26.21 MEady 50.00 York 00 00 Sunderland 15.
Brent Hemel 20.00 Swansea 4U.UU
Total so far
On your bike
Norman!
AT HIS OWN very special request Norman Tebbit came to visit the Jaguar Assembly plant in
was visiting Jaguar to try and casa in on its recent SUCCCUSCS Eighteen monthe pant accor the ding to management was in serious danger lapse. Since then howeve there has been a dramatic turnabout in the company's fortunes which has got big publicity.
The visit was intended to cash in on this, and as a number of workers pointed out, it Tebbit got with a trouble-free would think that this was also ap.
So dozens of workers shop stewards "What are we goAs ing to do about Tebbit he Several sections met and Jaguar workers show Tebbit where and how to go! Where can you put it? Oil's not such a
days either. You could, of
of sweated labour, you can put
— the fight for socialism. - send it now while it's still worth
Camden 80.00
Dunn 8.00 Huddersfield 25.00 BOUTWEEK 70.00 Pietrasik 3.00 Middlesborough 40.00
Southampton Cardiff 100 2.00 Oxtord 120.00
982.00 Є1967.00
By a Jaguar worker
voted to walk off the job if Tebbit was brought into their shop.
he press wanted to know what was going to told: It Tebbit goes inte and thes Were if That night the Cove ot shop we go out of try Evening Telegraph ran
saying: 'Clear Out Jag Men Tell Tebbit'
many of workers in the Trim sectons, where a walk ou was threatened are women!
Strike
That afternoon stewards on the two main assembly tracks called meetings and told members that there seemca lo be strong reeings against Tebbit's visit and a majority decide what they wanted to do.
Socialist Challenge FUND DRIVE 83
CHEQUE FLIND DRIVE
Well, when he arrived about 250 of us showed what we wanted to do. We downed tools and lined up outside the main offices booing him and sticking our fingers up in a V sign.
Another held up a bike a Britain's best known ad of cycling entered the offices.
Management wisel decided not to take Teb bit on a tour round the fac tory floor. He claimed of COHE wasn't the demonstration that stopped him going on the floor but a lack of time. Well, I SUDDOSE 1огy ministers are allowed thei own little fantasies!
But we at Jag know different. As our Transport Union convenor Ron Newcombe said 'Our protest was in effect a strike, and we Strike a vid ore consider it SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 15 DEDICATED TO THE DESTRUCTION OF ALL THAT I HOLD DEAR.
THAT REMINISME
MUST SEND OFF A
TO THE
Page 5 scan of this page
women's hospital
Jobs fight - in
with a chance
By Anne McNee THE FIGHT for jobs at Metal Box, East London continues. Nationally announced job loss of 300 representing 50 per cent of the workforce at the Clapton site have neither been confirmed nor denied by management.
The trade unions have responded by stepping up their demand for company recognition ot the formed Joint Shop
COMLECC Recognition will ensure the maximum ordination of union policies and provide joint negotiating platform
ECULCOCILL the workers in the factory.
Although management offered the accounting information to the union convenors and senior representatives was rerused as te confidentiality restrictions were unacceptable.
The JSSC has released up to me mute newsneets keeping the workforce abreast of the latest company positions. The shop stewards have also provid ed leaflets giving the facts on the redundancies.
For example, a skilled male worker would get the equivalent of one year's
Privatisation dispute
Victory in battle
for Bury's bins
BURY'S TORY council, under pressure from the unions, last week told private contractors to return the tenders they had prepared for refuse collection, street cleaning, vehicle maintenance and public convenience This tremendous victory for the 18 months fight against the privatisation plans of the Tories.
The OrLanIsCa Dy a TomIT CommIE tee of all the unions. It included a mass publicity campaign
60,000 distributed to every house une autonly. Memocrs or lne
government union, NALGO. refused council
with And just before last vear's elecon nere was an a ou strike of staff, refuse collec-
drivers and fitters prot TO MALG
lan Stephenson,
explained "All the unions acted together and didn't
1 nere
going to be defeated WEIC Wherere was such strong trade union solidarity.
When NALGO members
taking action, the manual unions threatened to saur dowe me whole amon ty if any of our members were victimised. We refused to put in a tender ourselves because we said ou TOUS WCIC HOL TUr
INCILECI prepared to accept massive JOIN THE FIGHT FOR
SOCIALISM
If you would like to be put in touch with
Socialist Challenge supporters in your area or
below
Name..
Address
Age
Union/CLP (if any).
50, London N1 2XP
pay for 11 years service. The shop stewards have also shown how voluntary redundancy payments afrect a workers right unemployment and social security benefits. Facts on the employment situation in London have been distributed According to the Department of Emplovment unskilled male worker competes against 16 others for each job and technical male workel against 15 others.
Messages of support should sent to the Leaders of the Hackney Borough Council c/o the Hackney Town Hall, Mare St, London E8; the GLC c/o County Hall, London SE1; Ron Brown, Ernie Roberts, and Stanley Clinton Davis the local MPs c/o The House of Commons for their attempts to maintain these jobs for Hackney. decision
Woe seme a staff and manual unions have come together in action. But it
ill not be LiC CoulCH Have SCL WILC CUL
but not any longer.
that will
urea
But the unions do
end privatisation attempts
Hackett, year's NALGO branch president had this
not only to line the pockets of
LORY I DUN Is us a sual step in our fight against the Tories
Wnie the unions should continue their against the privatisation plans
the SCIVICCI gas, British and oCa authority services, the only
return a Labour communica- to nasonausation with no compensation.' would like more information fill in the form Send to: Socialist Challenge, PO Box
By Islay Fullerton A 'HOME birth unit'
possible,
don.
Day care abortion tacilities is another. As is for womesive treatment
Sace women. All these will go it Wancoworth District Health Authority votes to close the hospital
DHA planning group - with a majority of Labour members on it - decided unanimously to recommend full closure of the hospital from 1 April next year.
Previously there had
1988 when new facilities WCIC supposed be available in St Georges.
South Londons
- where you can have your baby in an atmosphere as like home as
with all your family present. This is one of the things under threat in South Lon-
But 850 beds have already been cut over the last eight years in Wandsworth finance the St George's development Representatives of the local women's movement, Labour parties, trade unions and the trades council have been out collecting signatures opposing the closure and have received tremendous response.
As soon as passers by heard 'South London hospital for women' they stopped in their tracks came back and asked what we were petitioning for.
had my baby there, I'ma nurse not another hospital closure'. Support particularly came from old people.
Anger locally has been such that tne Labour rart member on the planning committee who proposed the closure is beginning to wriggle with cunbarass ment claiming that he has been misinterpreted and may WCl not vote for closure when it comes up on 27 January.
The morale of the campaign is already high. public meeting attracted well over 100 people. One third were from the hospital itself
A midwife and a doctor from the hospital told the meeting of the plans to expand the hospital by
amongst other things, set-
well-woman clinic, a breast screening clinic, and providing a day nursery for hospital workers' children and children of women attending as out-patients. The hospital has just set up
clinic to help smokers give up Almost half the maternity beds in the area are provided by South London
Its much easier to get to on public transport than St Georges. An important factor, since three quarters of the women who have their babies there are working class unlikely to have cars and most hit by other Tory attacks.
Very many women from the Asian community choose to have their
Socialist Challenge
babies there, because it is staffed by all-women
The special care baby unit is right next to the ward and whenever possi ble premature babies raised in incubators by tre
mother's bedside.
Besides such facilities the closure of the hospital will worsen unemployHe me area particularly for women.
The workers the hospital are fighting back 250 angry employees have already met and formed ar
the closure with representatives from all the different sections. in the hospital
If you wish to help cor tact the campaign commit-
118 pen to everyone, on
28 January 1983 page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
GREENHAM COMMON changed the political balance of forces on the disarmament question in Britain. It will take all the jingoism the Tories can muster and indeed Maggie is trying very hard to muster it - to turn the tide against this truly massive feeling amongst women and men that Cruise must be stopped and stopped now. Why has this happened? Why has the Women's Peace Camp at Greenham Common become what the Daily Mirror calls the 'world's most powerful protest against war'.
Firstly because women acted when others in the disarmament movement sat and talked. In acting in such a decisive way, and being prepared to get arrested for their aroused the suffragette spirit that has always been part of the backbone of the modern women's liberation movement, the strength of women's feelings on the disarmament question giving a moral authority to that kind of action.
Focusing on a key target, the base where Cruise was to arrive, women turned Sunday 12 December into a truly mass event, an original event because women, young old, from all backgrounds, came through an informal network to protest as women against the mad Tory government.
This action had the support of fai HOIC WUHICH than turned non-violent direct action the day after also had a lot of sympathy behind it
which is why the popular press that day had to rave about nalists' and Soviet television or, trying the other old trick, card of 'butch lesbians' action.
The action was also based on a real feature of this wave of CND in Britain and the disarmament movement throughout Europe. Women are playing a leading role ment as they did in the solidarity campaigns with Vietnam in the late 60's
Women have marched to Union demanding peace. Every Tuesday in Tel Aviv during the invasion of the Lebanon against Begin's war and 200 womer dressed In black marched Jerusalem. In Britain women have not only participated in CND, setting up Women Against the Nuclear Threat campaigns, but also they were part of those forces opposing the Malvinas War.
The women's movement has consistently taken up the cause of Irish self-determination, in the mobilisations outside Armagh gaol on International Women's Day. Also, as in Vietnam, women are playing a vanguard role in the against imperialism in colonial countries.
Thirty per cent of the FSLN
guerias wno overinrew me samoze
dictatorship were FMLN/FDR in El Salvador has not
only a women's organisation, AMES, but its own women's brigade. what has to be understood about this
feature of the disarmament move-
ment and the direct involvement of
women in the armed struggle is that
when women join a movement in
large numbers, they bring their own
demands and their own forms of
organisation to that struggle.
Socialists reject the Tories'
tempt to drive women back into the
home in this country. We oppose the
hypocrisy of Tory
Margaret Thatcher or Patrick Jenkin
who use the breakdown of family life
imposed by unemployment
poverty not only to attack the welfare
state but to make women feel guilty
that they work outside the home.
Therefore it seems to us that to put
nappies and other reproductive ob-
jects on the barbed wire surrounding
Greenham airbase, to symbolise a
women's protest, is rather dangerous
as it emphasises a traditional view of
women. But we can also understand
that many women view that statement
in a positive way, as a way of sayıng
that women's responsibilities for the
bearing and bringing up of children
are creative social functions, in con-
trast to the death and destruction of
Socialist Challenge 28 January 1983 page S
has
Eus movemens
independently, did Socialist
them, unheard
Party sellers
nuclear case anyone
position.
rally pains, they
necessary.
perialist threat. strikes Women's
waging nuclear war.
Margaret militarism of this
stronger up. The
country and *Pravda jour- genocide in the Lebanon.
playing the
leading the from bases in Britain.
that women
in this move-
war,
the Soviet
still true, protested
through we see the women, symbolised bes perialism.
compass the
struggle
the semi-
women. The
And
have to be pacifists?
leaders like
and production.
butter
many other
This understanding• informs our approach. Our sympathy is with the anti-capitalist, militant objectives of
Our approach goes 100 per cent in the opposite direction to that of the Socialist Workers Party who can only criticise, and at worst do their best to alienate women, by their hostility to women taking action
as women. Not only Workers Party coaches have a fifty per cent quota of men on
of in the socialist movement in this country to date, but many of their male Socialist Workers
arrogantly chanted Women and men unite to fight the bomb', to drive home the point just in
misunderstood their
Socialist Challenge fully supported this event. All of our supporters. will
the defence of women arrested taking action on 13 December and demand support in the labour movement for their defence. On this basis of active support a con-
debate possible and
We don't agree the nuclear threat is a male threat as Women Oppose the Nuclear Threat do, we see it as an im-
We don't think sex suggested by Brighton Peace Magazine, will stop the imperialists
Thatcher, our woman Prime Minister, is one of the world's leading war mongerers. She calls for a
stand against the Soviet Union, a more interventionist role in the semi-colonial world for NATO she opposes the PLO coming to this
the Zionists She's quite happy to let Ronnie put his finger on the button to launch cruise missiles
We're not too happy with the idea
are 'naturally' more peace loving than men. More women
in Britain today, are opposed to nuclear weapons.
In the past women have played a prominent role in movements against
often because they have traditionally been left at home to bear the social cost of war. But although this is
it is changing Women's changing social role has led them to play a more direct role in wars on both sides of the political spectrum. Thus
Israeli army recruiting and the National. Organisation of Women in America heavily polarised on the draft issue.
In Vietnam, Angola, El Salvador, Ireland, Nicaragua, Palestine we see women taking up arms for national
Does the demand for Peace en-
aspirations of these women? No it does not. The first group of women participate in im perialist warmongering even if it's out of no real choice in the case of conscription. In the latter case women can't afford the luxury of pacifism
American wal hurls napalm bombs on their homes or as in El Salvador today when the womos of pregnant women are riDDed open and the heads of their companions are placed inside by the death squads. What choice do these women
Other issues are also at stake in the.
Greenham debate. Helen Johns, one of the founders of the Peace Camp, has argued for all workers in the ar-
maments industry to give up their jobs even if it means going on the dole because she believes it is morally wrong to produce arms.
Yet workers do not control the labour market nor do they control
to nve incy must work
wherever they can. Again they cannot have morals that deny them bread and
These are just some of the issues for debate about the demands of the
Greenham Peace women. There are
questions to be con-
sidered, and socialists should be will-
ing to discuss all of them. But the first
thing every socialist should do is to
defend these women, to demand the
dropping of the charges against those
arrested. We say right on sisters. Emi-
ly Davidson would have been proud
of you. Forward to many more mass
actions by woman on the scale of 12
December to stop Cruise in '83.
Monday 14 February
Thursday 31 March
Diary of Events for Greenham
Trial of Women arrested at Greenham on New Year's Day starts Newbury Crown
12 hour blockade of Greenham, women only, Burfield, mixed.
HREENH
Friday 1 April
Saturday 2 April
Human chain from Greenham to Aldermarston, five miles, and from Aldermarston to Burfield, seven miles. Starts 1.30pm followed by Festival at Aldermarston that evening. CND demo Glasgow.
Page 7 scan of this page
AM
By Valerie Coultas 'I'd like to see
30,000 women with
ladders going over
the fence next time.'
Daily Mail of 13
down what they
camps
LAURA MITCHELL and VALERIE COULTAS went to Greenham Common last Sunday for Socialist Challenge. Unlike Anne Leslie in the
Jan we didn't take Greenham women out of their surroundings to get away from the atmosphere of the camp.
We sat and talked around the fire, listening to what the women had to say and writing
thought about missiles movement. The women do not all have the same views, nor do they see their stand in a seperate way from other peace
is women
DOLLECT 201O
Christmas.
was
been arrested
Each time you yourself
December.
time
It's
he women's violent
be here.
to a cell.
has December. tend
womer the
the antibuy much
at times.
A theme of many women spoke to was that they are part of a much broader movement. Their camp
only and it has hit the headlines because of this but anyone is welcome to visit the camp to sup Juliet, who is 23, has been camping
Greenham Common She came for a few days then decided to stay. On New Year's Day
arrested she'll court at Newbury on st. Valentine's Day with the other women who have
What made you decide to come and stay at the camp?
I've been to CND demonstrations In London for three vears in a row
come away asking what vou ve achieved came here at Xmas and stayed for the
over the tence (the women danced on the silo).
Support has mushroomed after the action over the weekend of 12-13
nat was (Illass because everybody could get involv-
I'd like to see 30,000 women with ladders going over that fence next
been the first demonstration since the suffragettes.
camp here has given women the chance to do something without men. This just happens to be a women's camp and so it was appropriate that it should be a women's
Women who came, did so tor their own reasons. Mine was to take part in women only, non-
direct action. hev sav that within 16 weeks Cruise missiles may
The camp has brought lots women into activity for the first time. At Oxford police station, where we were taken on New Year's Day, there were 44 of us. They packed us in, nine
Becky is seventeen years old and
been at the camp
came down for the big demo on the 12 December. I got arrested and then decided to stay have been involved in a local peace
group. I feel if I don't do this I won't
have future. I can't do anything if there's no world left
There are five layers of barbed wire on the fences here. It looks like a concentration, camp. It really horrified me when I saw it because it
shows how important this place is
The fact that it's all women give
an incredible feeling of strength. Men
to compete with and competition would destroy it. We all have so much in common and a lot or power. Ner. We organise and plan mental but but in the camp, things just get done.
A lot of us are on the dole and we use this address. But we haven't had to
food because we get much help from people who support
us. Actually we've had to give it away
at the peace camo
the missiles
viously people all
especially with these SINCE Thatchers.
of things they just created quite a lot of men accept it.
they are non-violent. out talking about planning more tours.
we get most
unions. The T&GWI
women's
methods it doesn't work.
tralisation
of
how it began.
since
anybody, thing much better.
Lots of people come sirength,
are all related
women should about nam,
fight against oppression?
mental These
choices.
SO
in a situation
response.
Socialist Challenge
Lisa, is a German woman staying
Our main aim is to be here to stop We are so much under pressure. Ob.
through the age especially with these eagans ared
Reagans
Men support us. They write letters or poems about how they have been inspired and say that they have plenty
can do. This place is as a women's space and
I think it's important that actions are done all over the country and that
We are going Cruise and we re We support even though they are mixed. We take them food and money because being the most tamous camp
On 24 May it has been suggestec there is an international strike strike in every arms factory We've had quite a lot of support from the
don't let their people work here. All of those who work at the base are not unionised.
We haven't and we can't have the ohysical power to stop these missiles t you try to beat them with their ow
Terrorism in Germany lost contact with the people, it couldn't make them aware.
We have to create a new society which is non-hierarchical and non-oppressive. I personally want decen-
and de-industrialisation.
Even if we prevent the missiles we have to do much more because the earth is running down anyway.
Julia is also at the camp she explained
It started off as a mixed camp and hierarchies developed and women just felt that it should be a women's camp This way there's no risk of violence by
we can contain the whole strength from i bring women-only. feeling
There and gain women don't war is a male principle. Rape and war
But surely there are just wars that
support? What women fighting in VietEl Salvador, Ireland, they take part in direct combat today. Don't you support women who
women have difficult They're forced to fight or support the regime in those countries Your only alternative is to fight. It's not a question of just wars. Ideally I
and you have to. you're raped it's no good to have no
28 January 1983
Page 8 scan of this page
Where you can
buy Socialist
Challenge
Scotland ABERDEEN: SC available at Boomrown books, King St. For more info
Station. steps 30-5.30: a End, Princes Si. Also available Ist May Books, or Better Books, For-
Candlemaker Ro LASGOW: SC sales every Thur/Fi
on Clyde Books, High St; Glas
Cresswell Lane; Hope
Wales
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every Sat TALBOT
NANSEA: SC sales outside Co-op, Oxford St, 11am-1pm.
England BATH: SC on sale at 1985. Books, London Koad and Saturdays som 0298 for more details Bains. Phone Labour Club, no side
Be a. Fo Keys, every Fri HAD ORD
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STOCKPORT: SC sold evercan ur
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Thursday
PADDINGTON
Bookshops BANGOR: Rainbow Holyhead RADOR Four look. Gwyned
se reson S, The Public House, LI-
Imarks, 110 Chelten-
Birminghar City Co-op
10 COME ERE Worer Books,
OXFORD: BOA Books T se 54 Cowley
Find V Kari, 33
ondon Rd, Leiceste LIVERPOOL: New from Nowhere,
n Rd. NI:
Pa8528 Up.
Sains
no: Shaki Books.
McConville's shroom Books, SOUTHAMPTON October Books,
SUNDERLAND: The Ceolfrith Art
ORK: Community Hooks, Walm
STUDY conterence on the struggle against imperialism
Hall, London SEI. Organised Brinaly by babesource the
Resource Cen include
ill. the High Commission TOr renada representanve
Serest: Libato, 91
Details Secretary, Liberation,
page 8
Gandhi
Indira Ghandi certainly knew what she was do-
when she put her Richard Attenborough's film Ghandi. The Indian political establishment is never going to get a better how much it pays.
I hope review by an Indian Marxist. But it is obviously the western audience There is no doubt it does have a tremendous impact.
It's not hard to find
Firstly it's undoubtedly the best made film technically I've ever seen. It isn't just a quesion of good camera work but of how every single detail is integrated into the wnole
Secondly the distortion in the film is very rarely in what is actually shown.
The wave of terrorism that preceded Ghandi's claim
the wealthy character of Ghandi's backers; that the support for Indian in-
Came from sections of the British wake dess toesate me policy of the Labour Party).
All that is shown clearIv in the lim and indeed a lot can be learned from it.
Just to take one important detail. I had never really absorbed before just how significant was the role played by the United States and its press in wanting to get the British out or mala to open up Its
support into making
mass advertisement no matter
Socialist Challenge will have a
at.
market for US goods. The host American reporters who surround Ghandi in the film brings the point out clearly.
Richard's message' isn't hidden either. Indeed the very openness of helps give power to the film and integrate its parts •Down with violence'. Long live 'inner transfor-
and pacifism.
That is hammered home from the verv first scenes of the film to the last. Racist
Where the film distorts Indian history incredibly - is in what it leaves out. Take for example the first scenes in the film. They are set in Africa WICE struggle against racist pass
for Indians. The South Africans portrayed as brutal racist pigs. Excellent!
Except that not one single African appears in
the whole thing except for
railway compartment porter! The fact that campaign was carried out for the African majority is naturally not mentioned Ghandi's campaign aimed at getting a better position for Indians within the framework domination of the Violence
The same happens when it comes to the big scenes in India. Here it is
easy to work out what is really going on because the film is forced detail but the process is the into much more same.
The tactic of 'nonviolence' of Gandhi was in fact the Indian capitalist class s answer specific problem They wanted to get rid of the British and at the same time prevent POLY movement for dependence escaping from their control and threatening capitalism in India policy comes out in 1922 The logic of such
strike lead le violent clashes with the police in Chauri Chaura Gandhi immediately callec
position to the British. He WIVECLU Nehru, this is obviously not shown
By Alan Jones
in the film, assure vou that if the civil resistance HOYCHICHE - had no been suspended we would have been leading violent struggle but essentially violent Gandhi later ensured that the Indian Congress condemned what was describ ed as 'mob violence' in the Punjab and Gujurat. But these political decisions are portrayed in the film as Gandhi wrestling with his conscience over "violence and morality.
The British of course replied to the calling off of the movement with little gratitude. Once they were sure they were over they promptly arrested Gandhi
British rule was maintain-
until it finally broken by the colossal im pact of the second worl
War and the worldwid weakening of the British Empire. Division
A final consequence of Gandhi and the Indian Congress's policies is shown in the film although its causes are
exacted Gandhi and the Congress Constaney DrOKe tends movement to ensure that
on their terms, and that the British should remain rather than risk any threat to Indian capitalism,
localist and sectarian religious bourgeois politi cians had a field day.
The first result was the division of India into India and Pakistan independence and the terrible massacres -ed by the mass murdere Mountbatten.
Gandhi is shown op posing the massacres bu the film does not mention that the Indian Congress, which he headed, inevitably led to the events. It is rather as though naving anowea te Daten. to become infected with small pox a doctor is ther praisec for heroism because he puts some ointment on one of the sores.
There are good parts in the film The British regime and politicians are portrayed as brutal, fre-
variably and completely treacherous Who could not enjoy that! The justice of the Indian demand for independence IS openly supported and the evitable consequences of the British policy of opposing it which led to massacre and repression shown without com-
positive. Theel are e
positive effect. photography is breathtaking
But just don't imagine you're seeing anything to do with the real struggle of India for independence.
Page 9 scan of this page
The missiles election
Hans-Jochen Vogel By Hilary Driver IN THE world's
March.
parties.
The outcome of the election will have major repercussions, not only for the European bourgeoisie
fight cops and
bosses
SINCE last
have braved police harassment in
18.5 rupees a day - less than 60p.
Despite the fact that
70 per COTH of the women are members of the industrial Iransport and General Workers Union, the union is not recognised by the bosses. The women have been trying to discuss their conditions with the company since last September, to no avail.
When they tried to ban overLie. Seven
suspended 'for not their overtime period' and the majority of the women walked out on strike.
They demanded a wage increase (that they be paid an equivalent day) reinstatement of the suspended
medical facilities in case of illness.
Last December strikers attempted to hold a meeting near the factory which was viciously
by the police, hospitalising three women and injuring others — one of the women hospitalised was ave monts arcenant. Leaders of the strike have
WEST GERMANY:
second strongest power, the Federal Republic of West Germany, national elections have been called for
The calling of the election was precipitated by a series of manoevres on behalf of the ruling class by the leaders of the major political
West Germany is the most decisive power in the EEC also for the stability of im-
Sri Lankan women
December 700 women Polytex Garments factory in Jaela, Sri Lanka,
violence and their fight for decent better wages and working conditions. The women, many of whom come from rural areas hundreds of miles away from the factory, earn only
They work sewing jeans, blouses and shirts for consumption in the United States and Wester Europe.
subsequently been charged under the emergency since many of women come from rural areas, they live in boarding houses near the factory.
Since the strike started, the anatores have asked some to leave, others have had their rent but up. officials have been beaten Wespite the financial dif bosses' ficulties the women determined struggle for the elementary rights and living standards.
Help the Polytex women: per express
and fight o: H President of the Socialis Democratic Republic Lanka, the Mawatha, Colombo 10 Send messages of support, do their tine secret. at- of their union:
ATTO Marcus.
Challenge will give further news of the strike in subse quent issues.
perialism on a world scale imperial
Democratic in alliance with the liberal Free Democratic (FDP) has held political
broken following a growing divergence on policy, and in
The West German
West economy. Although
but Germany
recently nas been cushion ed from the crises racking the rest of Europe, recession is now coming home to roost.
The generalised recession and seematon as been meed by (including the collapse of
the AEG-Telefunken),
Wing unemployment million and massive debts now bosses'
externally.
SPD hardly has a record as defender of class interests, German that the situation demandmuch than the prepared to take. country's legislation Turn
ine
Heeding their masters' voice, the FDP did a quick turn around and transferrca ten aneglances to te right-wing Democratic Unior Union
and their rabid bed-fellows thugs. the Christian Social Union
(CSU) headed Helmut Kohl
are
The
their Democrat
most
alliance lost sharpening up the policies
SP. They began te
SPD. letters,
and spending, in order to Excellency
and a nuclear reactor proof Janadhipthi
Tried out in the context of a real decline in workers' living standards, W.L unemployment
Ra- economy in a
spiral.
As well as these problems, there is a growing popular HIUYCHLECILE
campaign Party (SPD) siting
Party in the country stalled, This alliance was by the
particular plans to
German West for the until fairly Greens
significant
period of
bankruptcies
Oca CecRons. replaced the FDP which reached
political scene.
Although the
working the /est Christian liberal alliance
SPD was
military
terest German
Sidice. the Lion min line, Christian
Pressure by
Christian and FDP
time States strategy.
began social benefits
were under pressure from This is being car-
WInE
mass and bourgeois political
downward
Wing. year as and worsens. focused at pre-
Helmut Kohl sent in the anti-missiles
prevent the of US Cruise and Pershing nuclear weapons
— to be in-
end of this year. This movement has been developed in a situation of growing mistrust of US imperialism, and until now a high level of support
ecology/anti nuclear party, the Greens.
The Greens have won
support regional elections, and are expected to win seats in the coming election. In several
as the
One of the most important aspects of this mass peace movement is its opposition to NATO. Both
out, fully committed to the Atlantic Christian Alliance and to NATO's
plans Although the international recession
the between the Wes workers.
bourgeoisies over, for in outcome
Sovie pipe- One general the • slogans and political "Return allegiances are very strong. many.
the majority
The last thing the ruling class wants to see is a bust up with the United
over military
another reason for them to This was yet them
alliance. manoeuvre the SPD out of office, as the SPD leaders tions
closely their leftand the ⅓ of SDP and branches who are against the siting of the missiles too for
The polarisation of the Oppressed
parties and inside the SPD itself is just at its beginnings and will deepen over the com- another
the political economic crisis The elections,
while necessary, are a huge gamble for the bosses.
While it is likely that the FDP could be wiped
the ruling class are putting their money on a
Democrat majority which would be able
impose a Thatcher/Reagan-type
expense of the But it is not at all certain that this will be the
the election the CSU is order Her.
Prevent the Red-Green chaos There is a
possibility that bined votes will give them
Whether the Greens would work with the SPD is another matter but the immediate threat of the missiles may bring
into an uneasy
The result of the elec-
will be watched by leaders of
the Soviet Union. will be an important event
the workers and
Particularly in Europe, the elections one way or
will have on the shape and development of the class struggle for years
international
VIEWPONT
Individual copies 65p from Other DOOKSTOR 328 Upper St.
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Socialist Challenge 28 January 1983 page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
Labour: responsible, patriotic and moderate
IN PREVIOUS issues of Socialist Challenge we have examined the role of German, Spanish, and French social democracy, and shown how they have responded to the big events and crisis in their respective countries.
Beginning this week, INGTON, looks at the rise of the British Labour Party, showing how it has responded to the crisis and opportunities for social change that have taken place in British society.
Some historical
landmarks in
Labour's history
1892 General Election resulting in election of Keir.
Hardie, J.H. Wilson and John Burns, standing either as socialists or independent Labour rormanon al bractora or independent Labou Party. 1895 ILP stands 28
none elected. Hardie lost seat in South-west Ham. 1899 TUC Congress votes by 546,000 to 434,000 to in-
struct the Parliamentary Committee of the TUC to invite the cooperation of all the Cooperative,
organisations jointly to co-operate on lines mutually agreed upon in convening to devise ways and means for the securing of an increased number of Labour members to the next Parliament."
Formation of the Labour Representation Com-
open only to Labour and socialist organisations. not to individuals.
In General Election two IRC candidates win seats. 1901 Taff Vale decision forces Railway Servants to pay
camases ane costs amounts to zoo. ww belduse of strike. South Wales miners also forced to pay up 650,000. 1906 General Election, LRC stands 50
Twenty nine of these get elected. Miners Federa. LRC from now on is officially known as the . Liberal Government returned.
LADOURCE.
Taff Vale decision reversed. Rights of organised workers to picket secured and freedom from col-
7HU7 Miners' federation votes to join Labour Party.
Osborne Decision which declared raising of com 1908
1 cory evies or Dole subose
its financial sources. 1913 Under pressure Liberal Government bring in
unions to pay money to a political party providing majority of its members vote to allow it to do so. 1914 By May '63 unions had voted on giving funds to
Labour Party. Only three small
and 407,356 against.
August - outbreak of World War I.
WHIPS FOR LABOUR'S BACK.
Socialist Challenge 28 January 1983 page 10
BOB PENNhis
candidates in veneral Electon
Trade Union, and other working clas
congress candidates. was ma unlawful. This robbed Labour Party of Austerate vote was orovos it lavou
When the Labour Representation Committee was formed in February 1900, it was to lead within a few years to the establishment of the Labour Party. taken by the working class towards having its own political party.
But that conference something else. dent Labour Party, particularly Keir Hardie, had decided that if Labour was anywhere it had to be done through parliament.
in arliamentary Socialism: the 'Labour Party has always been dogmatic not about socialism, but about the parliamentary system. Empirical and flexible about aese eates have always made devonon to that system tien fixed of reference
PonE and the conditioning factor of their behaviour.
When Foot therefore made his speech grateful Tory Front Bench
11 1704 denouncing Peter Tatchell alleged extraparliamentarism. Foot saw himself of'social democracy deten- the knight
ding its very holy grail.
The LRC Conference also set its stame on lac Labour Party in another way. The Independent Labour Party, and par ticularly Keir Hardie, had decided that a party like the ILP with a socialist programme, albeit a reformist one, would never get une votes. and membership, to make it a serious
In order to team up with the trade unions the ILP leaders therefore happily accepted that the declared only purpose of the new organisation would be the representa tion of working class opinon br sympathetic with the aims and demands OI the labour movement'. In a tradition that has been continued ever since, and which is dear to the hearts of
about s bresent ondaow Cabinet, these demands were left undefined Class War
by the Social Democratic Federation a distinct party bas- the LRC to form
the recognition of the class war and having
ultimate objective SILS the socialisation means production, distribution,
change' got only a handful
As the majority of the
people leading the LRC
trade unionists, and ILP
mempers alike were hostile to the doctrine of
class war, it was obvious
that they would ain
achieve their objectives by
compromise and alllances
with sections of the ruling
Class.
And, of course -ThA
place where the politica
representatives of the rul-
ing class are to be found, is
in that building alongside
the Thames at the bottom
of whitehall.
Such a course demand-
ed next ty therefore and
gradualness,
The first real step had been
also decided The leaders of the Indepen-
going to get
Labour's representatives could not be tied down by dogmanc poncies otherwise their chances to win over and even Tories would be more difficult, if not im possible. So, these Cautiou and reformist leaders, the idea of not defining the aims of the LRC was correct.
As soon as it got involved the electoral field, the LRC had to
the Liberals Tories, and it solved that by recommending that its affiliated organisations *should run candidates, to begin with, in such a way as to make it possible to either the local Liberal o Conservative Association to leave an open field for the Labour candidates
Lib-Lab
of the leaders even suggested that the LRC send a deputation to see the orv and Libera Whips and this only lost by the narrow vote of five to four.
As the LRC was quite happy to reach an understanding with local Tor n coera Associa tions, it did not take the leaders long to get round to the idea that it was better to run respectable 'and 'moderate' candidates rather than those who insocialism and other such sisted talking about funny ideas.
Ramsay MacDonald and
Hardie took this reasoning to logical conclusions and entered into secret negotiations with the Liberal Chief
Whip, Herbert Gladstone
The Liberal leaders agreed to use their influence to prevent local liberal opDOSe lo anne car didate who supported the
general objects of the
Liberal Party.' In return, the LRC • had
*demonstrate friendliness to the Liberals in any constituency where it had influence.
Naturally, being good christians, both Hardie ane existence of any such MacDonald denied
with the Liberals, at either national or local level.
The policies of these leaders played right into the hands of the Liberal Party. The growth of the trade unions, the rising confidence of the working people, evidenced in the fact that they had even formed .a Labour Party, scared to hell the more astute sections of the ruling. class. Lloyd George with his policies of limited reform therefore tried to provide an alternative to
Keir Hardie Labour and bring the new radicalism safely in tow behistead of leading this
Instead of radicalism against Liberalism, the Labour Mrs saw i as a sure way or pressurising the Liberals, rather breaking the Liberal Pars means ty. From 1911 until 1914, issues like Home Rule for Ireland, votes for women and trade union rights dominated radical British Donnes. bur Labour under the chairmanship of Mac
saw their main task as being to keep the 'progressive' Liberals in office.
As a result Labour could never place itsell at the head of the Irish Home Rule VIOVCHICH Whilst being in favour of VOLC. -WORCE. adherence constitu-
tion extra-parlia mentary action meant it finished up on the wrong MacDonald
wrote of the suffragettes: *The violent methods are wrong and in their nature
and anti social, quite irrespective of vote or no vote.
Unions
In 1913 Ramsay MacDonald declared, 'it is quite certain that up to now the power to strike has enabled Labour to secure the provements in conditions which it has WOR But then came the rub. He insisted 'the trade union conflict has become the national conflict; the field upon which it has to be fought out is the state, not the workshop: the weapon is to be the ballot box and the Act of Parhament, not
collective bargaining.
Such a view was entirely logical for MacDonald After all, he had argued *the modern state in most civilised communities democratic, and in spite of
anomalies and imperfections, if the mass of the ordinary people are agreed upon any policy neither electors, privileged peers nor reigning houses could stand in their way.
War
Med Donald neer ex-
plained WICU peers would do if their privileges were ever threatened. Not did he go into any detai
the reigning houses would do if some upstarts from the mass of - ine oramary people ever tried to stop them reigning.
Then in 1914 came the biggest test of all Great War broke out and Europe headed on the greatest binge of slaughter humanity had ever seen.
Labour's response was immediate. the August the most important organisations of the abour movement met l conterence. Their ostensible purpose was to form a National Labour Committee Against War. Instead they Emergency Workers" Na- War
which was supposed to watch over workers interests during the war.
Twenty days after the war started the trade
and the Labour
Party declared that there should be an industrial
truce for the duration of
the war. On the 29 August Labour also obligingly agreed to an electoral truce.
important icadets
they were against the or ficial definitions and causes of the war. MacDonald, who resigned the leadership of the Labour Party Keir Hardie, Snowden, Jowett and KHCTETOSOT their opposition to the blood bath.
But they had their qualifications. Hardie ad mitted A Nation at war must be united, especially when its existence is stake.' MacDonald wrote: •We must go SUCCEE through. History will in
2OOOTLI the but the voung men this country must. for the HOWICHEL. settle the immediate issues of victory.
Snowden who was against participation in the war effort, never let his
his patriotic duty, and
*the whole labour movement will be united or one point namely that it is the duty of the movement to help the nation in its present difficulties.
Now that was the raving' opposition of the left extremists responsible ones happily
their responsibilities and accepted the otter to loin the ment. On 15 May Hender-
the Labour Party leader joined the cabinet along with William Brace and GH Roberts who got jobs as junior ministers.
TUC InC Labour Party Conference
this decision. The Labour leaders knew that when it came to the crunch they had to support their ruling class, who after all were British born and bred,
even though they might be
trade unionists.
Page 11 scan of this page
Against all immigration laws
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE in this issue reports on the effect that the racist immigration laws are having on the lives of black people and Asians in Britain.
These are not isolated cases. Unfortunately they are only too typical of the hounding and persecution dished out by racist state officials backed up by racist laws.
Racism is humiliates. It damages the interests of working people, because by identifying blacks and Asians as the scapegoats, it turns one group of workers against another and obscures who our real enemy is. that we do not have enough jobs, enough houses and enough social services, because we have too many black people in Britain. This is a lie. We do not have enough of what we want and need, because capitalism does not find it profitable to produce the goods needed. laws we defend the basic democratic rights of people TO earn a aving without being degraded by the state and without living in a state of uncertainty and fear. In doing so we are fighting for working class unity and solidarity, and that serves the needs of every worker, be they black or white.
Anthony Brown faces deportation
poison that degrades and
The purpose of immigration lavis is to say
take a stand against immigration
where they choose NATIONAL BOOK
SALE
15 January - 5 February
at
The Other Bookshop 328 Upper St London N1 Hours - Mon, Tues, Sat 10-6; Wed 12-7; Thurs, Fri 11-7
and Birmingham's Other Bookshop
137 Digbeth Birmingham B5 Hours - Mon-Sat 10-6 Closed Wed
a sentence of death.
ple have been executed in Iran.
ror tose who avoid execution, brutal alternative of Khomeini's jails, 50,000 political prisoners crowd
Women are particularly under threat from the vicious prison guards
Dead
Despite these barbaric horrors that deportees, the Home Office has turned down requests Lilal Iranian students granted political asylum and has insisted that the regime in stability. Already Britain has deported 100 Iranians, a number of whom simply disappeared when they got
The threat of Home BaCK Office • deportation
the heads of nanovel another 900 people.
Racist
In some cases college administrators are laborating with the Home
Offic to get rid of Iranian
students. One Conced
quired Iranian
doing their HND to pass
levels. No such was demanded
cutement
of English
students. Those
who did not pass their 'A"
levels did not get on the
course, therefore lost their
visa and now face deporta-
tion.
In applying
laws the uses every
possible means that it can
muster against black
ple. Not only Goes LIar
rass them with immigra-
tion officials and
police, but its also uses the
Death by deportation
BRITAIN'S RACIST IMMIGRATION laws are causing increasing suffering to thousands of black people, and in some cases literally mean Hundreds of Iranian students in Britain, who are opponents of the Khomeini regime are facing death by deportation. Already many of those who have been forced to return have been summarily executed after getting off the plane at Tehran airport. Twenty thousand peo-
Department of Health and the Social Security.
Parveen Khan Manjit Kaur are two single mothers living children in the Manchestet area. Not only ing faced with theat of forced deportation but the state has devised a way of starving them and their children.
DHSS has not only refused to pay them any supbenefit, picmeltaly have also been told that they are not allowed child benefit, their children for born here. TaCU
Son Enus Ali has now declared migrant after living here fo an illegal six years. enus arrived In Britain in 1976 as a 14 year old boy. His Tabarak had since 1963 and from then until 1974 col- so he could bring his son to Britain. Enus every other Fred the procedure no students procedure the racist laws and waited nearly two year before he got permission speaking and join his father.
Iranian before he arrived in Britain, his cancer.
Illegal
its racist Now suddenly six years later the Home Office has peo discovered he is an illegal immigrant. pened because last year he went back to Bangladesh to get married and on his return naturally for his wife to come and join him in Britain When he was being in terviewed at Ringway airport by an immigration officer about his wite's application, he when he arrived here. Last October, went to see Enus, tell him that his wife could join him, but to say that he illegally Was because his father had died before he could join and that he was deported Residence Anthony Brown is Jamaican-born 22 year old who has lived in since he was six, exception two years and ten months.
He now taces deportation because the country. Derek Wilton STOWE has resided in Britain since 1954. He had trained as ar architect and worked tor the Ministry journeying from
in Britain.
Anthony was going Lo Stretford Grammar school when his father accepted a two-year contract to lec ture Technology Derek Brown then took his family with Jalliaila otten adopted by lecturers when they take and appointments but then he was not white. and that is where the racist laws come into effect. are tney be the legal Status
Anthony -ine school in Jamaica but was not happy there and asked to return to but stay with his older brother who had not Jamaica His aespre hic refused thinking he would
were be too great a responsibility.
Anthony's
renewed his been Jamaica at the end of two im- years breaching the migration WICE Anthony father family got back to Britain been here were surprised
dismayed to find they had breached the immigration he saved hard
laws, which stipulate that like nearly to preserve their resident's immigrant sur Status non-SEES CHECH
must not be away for more tan two yeats al d thie.
Support
- CollIC Just The extra ten months father died of his father had stayed away
meant the threat of deportation is being used against him and he has been told that he must now leave the country.
These cases. with the fight to save the This has hap- iver
students, COOLE Chan, Manjit Kaur, Enu Ali, applied from deportation, call for the support of the labour movement and should also the COUCCEEE students unions.
Demo
mentioned
was dead
immigration Racist Laws is holding a
not to demonstration in Londor on Sunday 27 March, and we hope our readers pencil Britain that in not only should we him, ine Campaign, March demonstration, but we have os art calluds! ing now inside the Labour ParL and unions for the support of OU CUCS That means get the Labour Party conwith the will repeal these iniquitous and barbarous laws which are used by the state to inof the history of TICI suttering. residence death in the case of the Ira-
SLULICLES Anthony's father Labour
end such doing so show black and Asian people that their in-
of Works, terests lie with the labour
movement. brital!
and five
College of in Jamaica.
procedure
Overscas went
England to
gone parents
father
contract in
unwittingly 1971 imlegislation
This and
and
state. and defending
- Parveer
and Anthony Brown
of the
The Campaign Against
inel alanes But
build and
the trade
that it
and even
A future government must
and by
horrors
Parveen Khan and Manjit Kaur single mothers denied supplementary and child benefit by racist
National demonstration
Sunday 27 March 12 noon at Jubilee Gns, County Hall, London
No race checks Repeal the immigration and Nationality Act
Stop racist deportations Unite the divided families now
Organised by the Campaign Against Racist Immigration Laws
Socialist Challenge 28 January 1983 pa
Page 12 scan of this page
Socialist
BERMONDSEY:
WITHIN A MONTH official campaigning will start in the Bermondsey by-election. For over a year the Tory press have waged a
TA Hange Lainer Party
TATCHELL, Labour Party candidate. As he said to Alan Freeman and Redmond O'Neil "This is going to be the most important election in this area since Labour won the seat in 1922. Over 20 candidates will be standing against us. This election is vital because the whole of the Left and the socialist policies we have stood for will be on trial.'
The Tory press will be giving their support to the independent Labour
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Challenge
LABOUR
MUST
WENT
candidate John O'Grady. He is the nominee of former right-wing Bermondsey MP Bob Mellish.
Peter explained: 'Some people have swallowed Mellish's line, in the past, about fighting the Left out of loyalty to Labour. Now O'Grady and Mellish are going all out to sabotage Labour's chances against the Tories and SDP/Liberal Alliance. *These two are nothing more than the latest in a series of anti-Labour turncoats. They both made a very good living out of the labour movement for years. They've been sustained by the dreaded local Party acoff and eat the hands that have fed them."
Tatchell's campaign will home in on the devastation of Bermondsey over the past decade: 'Over 15,000 JODS have been lost in private in-
For readers who take out a year's inland
Alteratively we are offering Henri Weber's
ALAN FREEMAN
THE BENN
HERES
Send to Socialist Challenge, P.O. Box 50, London N1 2XQ
dustry over the past ten years', he says. Council rents have doubled since the election of the Tories, and one in four council houses were built before 1919. Yet Mellish and O Grady are up to their eyes in the London Dock Development whose chief building luxury flats and three yacht marinas for the Surrey rich.
The decision to select Tatchell as Bermondsey Labour candidate was based on a fight against this 'jobs for the boys' approach of the corrupt clique that had lived off the local labour movement for years.
As Tatchell put it: socialist and a rebel. If you're working class in this area it's the only way you'll get anything done. The working class has only ever won major reforms by organising and demanding their rights
The Bermondsey by-election will be a decisive test for the Labour ParThe witch hunt organised by one
witch-hunt organised right-wing as • well as their declara. tions that they want nothing to do with socialist policies like unilateral nuclear disarmament are giving the Tory press a field day in their campaign to prevent a Labour victory.
Nowhere is this more the than Bermondsey: against myself and our party over the last 14 months certainly helped. Rather it has undermined us and given credibility enemies' claims that we're a bunch of wild-eyed extremists. As a result we're blocks severe disadvantage.
The maximum vote for Tatchell will be a blow against both the Tories and the witch-hunters in the Labour Party. It must be campaigned for in that light. Against latchell mous forces are being mobilised. It is up to activists in the unions. Labour Party and CND to do their utmost to tip the scales in Tatchell's favour because that is the most effective way that we can demonstrate the kind of socialist campaign Labour victory necessary in 1983.
TATCHELL:
Corporation
to be 'Yes I'm
didates can tory in the general election.
case "The witch-hunt
hasn't
Labour's
can be defeated.
with a
enoring.
for a 732-8274.
Photo: CITY LIMITS
'Help our
campaign'
WE particularly need a massive Labour victory in Bermondsey to show that can-
win fighting for. strong socialist policies. We want this campaign to demolish the myth that the turncoats and defectors like Mellish and the SDP have any hope of preventing a Labour vic-
We expect that in the course of the campaign Fleet Street will work overtime to undermine our support. So we are asking for an all out effort by labour movement activists to help with our campaign and prove that the Fleet Street lie machine
There are 22 candidates, and over two hundred canvassers have been bussed in by the Liberal Party. We have to reverse the damage of the last fourteen months; we urge everybody to turn up for our mass canvass on Sunday 30 January, and subsequently each Tuesday evening and Sunday morn-
Make sure your branch of the Labour Party and of your trade union pledges help; and above all don't wait for the election - start now! For further information contact Dave Fryer on
← Socialist Challenge No. 277, 21 January 1983Socialist Challenge No. 279, 2 February 1983 →