Whose Side Is the W.r.p. On?

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Transport drivers lobbying the TGWU inquiry on the Cowley 9 'Public meetings held by the Workers Revolutionary Party are unusual occasions.

Guards on the doors rigorously vet those wishing to attend to ensure that political opponents-and in particular members of the Workers Socialist Leagueare excluded.

At recent meetings, Newsline photographers have been stationed outside, taking pictures of anyone turned away at the door.

The WRP has not disclosed its purpose in taking such photographs, which could in certain instances be used if they fell into the hands of employers, union bureaucrats, immigration authorities or the police.

Open letter Three years ago, shortly after the formation of the Workers Socialist League, we had occasion to issue an open letter to the WRP complaining about the publication of pictures of WSL members whom they knew to be liable to attack from such quarters.

But in recent months WRP photographers have boasted their willingness to repeat the same behaviour.

All this has not gone unnoticed-and at one WRP meeting during the Lambeth by-election two • people inside the meeting asked why the WRP re used to discuss questions raised by the WSL and a third asked why everybody was being photographed.

Opportunist

Why indeed? The reason lies in the inability of the WRP leadership to defend their opportunist political positions, or their abysmal record in the few areas of practical work in which they are involved in the labour movement.

When we have devoted space in out own press to analysing the revisions of Marxist principle and Trotskyist • politics undertaken by the WRP leaders, there have been some who criticised us.

They argued that the WRP is a spent force, incapable of further intervention in the workers' movement, and able to deal with opponents only by the most gross and incredible lies and slanders.

The use of terms such as "agents of the Stalinists' of the imperialists, the Zionists, the police.

"provocateurs" or -if all else fails-'unqualified sup:

porters of the Callaghan government" has certainly become a hallmark of the hollow polemical articles from the WRP in recent years.

Continuity But that is simply one side of the WRP. We must remember that the main WRP leadership were the ones who at one stage fought for the continuity of the Trotskyist movement, and at a later point made the first serious turn by the post-war Trotskyist movement into the British working class.

• This history means that this leadership and its apparatus-however squalid its theory and practice todaycan still serve as a pole of attraction for certain layers of youth, workers and petty bourgeois forces.

Few of these people are told anything of the history of the WRP-and fewer still are told the truth. And to ensure that those who are in a position to explain the degeneration of the WRP are kept away from this membership, the WRP leadership have from the outset whipped up a frenzy of lies and distortions about the Workers Socialist League.

Principles

The WSL traces its roots back to a group of WRP members around Alan Thornett who in 1974 took up a fight to turn the WRP back to the principles and the method of the Trotskyist Transitional Programme.

This brought the full weight of bureaucratic repression down upon the opposition.

Thornett and 200 others were expelled from the WRP in December 1974 by General Secretary Gerry Healy.

And to cover up this suppression of democratic centralism they were accused of "capitulating to Social Democracy".

Thornett in particular was said to be on his way into the bureaucracy of the TGWU..

In spite of continued unprecedented attacks on Thornett over the past 3½ years by both British Leyland's NEB-controlled management and the TGWU officials led by Jack Jones, Healy has doggedly maintained this position.

Now with the recent bureaucratic attempts to expel Thornett from the TGWU and victimise eight other Cowley stewards along with him, Healy has been forced to try to answer this contradiction.

This contortion takes the form of a two-page article in the WRP daily paper, Newsline (May 13).

Healy Healy advances. the notion that Thornett is not being attacked for what he has done over the past 3½ years but because management are still bitter over the defeat inflicted on them four years ago in 1974 when . Thornett's shop steward's card was successfully defended under the leadership of the WRP!

This ridiculous analysis could be treated with the contempt it deserves, were it not for the fact that the article goes on, using the argument to argue that the victimisation is all a plot by Leyland to get rid of the WRP in Cowley (which hardly exists anyway). and develops a much more sinister line.

The WRP article actually gives direct support to the TGWU officials and the management in their attacks on Alan Thornett, by lyingly accusing him of 'indiscipline', and adventurism' in the struggle.

Healy's argument . on these issues fits in exactly with the line of argument of the TGWW officials.

Dossier It also coincides with management's line of attack in the shape of an 18-page dossier on : Thornett, designed as the basis for a further witch-hunt should there be a strike in his defence.

The Newsline puts it this way:

"They management] sought to clear out all political opposition and to use the adventurism and indiscipline of the Thornett group not only to strike at the revisionist organisation they founded-the WSLbut to clear out all WRP influence from Cowley as well"

"Adventurism" and "indiscipline" are the precise charges laid against Alan Thornett and the Cowley 9 by TGWU officials and by British Leyland management.

Conclusion

The conclusion of the 18 page dossier puts it this way: "Once again 1 must emphasise the serious nature of this matter and I trust you will investigate the whole issue on an urgent basis and inform us of your organisation's intent to enforce discipline into your organisation on this plant".

Healy's allegation puts the WRP back on the reactionary course adopted two TRANSPORT HE months ago when Newsline described some of.' the Cowley 9 as "grotesque adventurers" who had "opened the door' to the attacks of the bureaucracy.

No evidence Since there was and is no evidence to back up the allegation of 'adventurism' and provocations" by Thornett-or the Workers Socialist League, the WRP attempt to use distortion to create the impression of wild, individual activities.

Newsline readers are told that last October convenor Parsons decided to exclude "Thornett and WRP members" from plant-wide TGWU stewards' meetings..

But WRP member Tom White was not excluded by Parsons - who sees him as no threat. Thornett alone was excluded. And such a move has to be fought.

Thornett's section of transport drivers stopped work, and 100 of them marched on the stewards' meeting, demanding reversal of Parson's position:

"Group"

Newsline would have us believe that "Thornett and his group" (the WSL?) "gate-crashed" Parsons' meetings. The phrase is carefully chosen to minimise the massive support for the action and the impact that it had.

But the falsification does not stop here. Newsline is determined to make it seem as if Thornett's actions were responsible for 'opening the door' to the TGWU witchhunt.

The WRP article therefore gives details of the management's instructions to TGWU District Secretary Buckle to 'enforce discipline into your organisation'.

And it goes on:

"The blackmail worked. North had his wish granted Following series hot 'unauthorised' (read 'management provoked ') stoppages and • meetings

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One of the letters from the dossier compiled by British Leyland management to back their case for refusing recognítion to Alan Thornett as Deputy Convenor in the Cowley Assembly Plant.

I Mraty palton that such candiestar all! comest throsaires to det, (raly, fairie and totalltpently in the best interesto of all our sunters, Carli talem to ella pactory to bolt Monaganst and inter. 11 **** " all po dona visa it, "anot of you all knot eter ThRA' пе Ivewsune article- union intormation is one of produced without a shred of the charges raised against 'vidence or any first-hand the Cowley 9. Fortunately inowledge-to corroborate the documents became It is disgraceful that a investigation got under way.

"It is clear from this that the difference between Jones and Thornett is marginal and that both work on the same as-. sumption that the Labour can be forced by pressure to carry out far-reaching and progressive reforms.

Mike Banda, in Whither Thornett "Dear Brother Thornett, :.

The Oxford District Committee have recommended that you be expelled from the Union.

Brian Mathers, TGWU Region S Secretary, Feb.6, 1978.

organised by Thornett in retaliation against the company's adamant refusal to • recognise him as senior steward, the union acted.

In November...

The WRP is caught here with its fingers in the till while short-changing its readers.

The senior steward elections that saw hornett elected as deputy convenor did not take place until December! How, then, could any stoppages have been held to force his recognition in October?

Unsupported

But the essence of the case for the WRP is to prove that the TGWU , victimisation was "provoked' by Thornett.

This is why they include the unsupported management assertion that the stoppages and meetings were "organised by Thornett"

TGWU Region 5 Secretary Brian Mathers In their anxiety to "prove" thạt Thornett organised these meetings, Leyland management aboriously produced an 18›age dossier.

Now they and the TGWU ifficials can simply produce AI=...

heir story!

Mr. D. J. Buckle District Secretary TGWU Transport House 43, Cowley Road, Dear Mr. Buckle, Cowley Assembly Plant has, once again, suffered stoppages of work because of strife within the T&GWU in the Plant. Unless the matter between the two sides is settled we can forecast more stoppages caused by intraunion differences. The issue seems to be one which falls within the broad description of internal "trade union affairs"

The series of stoppages during the dayshift and nightshift of Tuesday 25 October which leads me to write to you is:

1. Stoppage in Dayshift.

The sequences of events was:

a) Your Senior Steward, Mr.

Parsons, obtained a facility from the Company for a meeting of T&GWU Stewards plant-wide in the South. Side Canteen at 7.30am on Tuesday 25 October.

b) Mr. Parsons determined to exclude Mr. Thornett from the meeting informing the Company of his decision. Subsequently he requested typing and photocopying tacilities to inform Mr.

Thornett of his exclusion in writing. The letter sent to Mr.

Thornett is attached.

c) Two Transport Department Supervisors saw Mr. Thornett at 2.15pm on Monday 24 October and informed him that he would be required to remain on his job as the Company had been informed that his release was so-called 'Trotskyist"

organisation can lay itself open to use as a tool by management and the labour The transport drivers march on Parson's October 25 stewards meeting took place not before, but five days after TGWU bureaucrats had taken the decision to prepare the victimisation of the Cowley 9.

The unexpected arrival of 100 workers in the stewards' meeting-as Parsons has since admittedin fact played a major, even decisive, role in exposing Parsons in front of the stewards, and ensuring his deteat in the December election.

Had Parsons won that election, the victimisations would have been carried through before Christmas.

Courageous

Far from exposing the Cowley 9 to victimisation, the courageous action of the Transport drivers was the biggest single factor in defending the Cowley 9among whom is WRP member Tom White!

Healy and the WRP of course wish to minimise the important defeat inflicted on the TGWU bureaucracy by the left in the Cowley plant-the dominant force in which is the WSL:

In their anxiety to do so they in fact carried out the only "adventure" that has taken place in this struggle.

Charges

Distribution of widely circulated before this internal not requested for the Tuesday meeting.

d) On Tuesday 25 October .

7.10 am-Messrs. Trinder and Blakely, T&GWU Stewards informed Transport Supervision that "There will be a stoppage of work as Mr. Parsons will not allow Mr. Thornett to attend the 7.30 meeting"

7.15 am-Transport and Supervision informed by Messrs.

Trinder and Thornett of a stoppage of work. The AUEW steward reported that his members were in support.

7.20 am-Mr. Parsons was told of the stoppage by IR Department and Mr. Paintin was deputised to deal with it so that Mr.

Parsons could start his 7.30 meeting. Mr. Paintin failed to gain control in Transport and Mr. Thornett and members gate crashed the South Side Canteen meeting at 7.35 am.

7.30 am-Mr. Parsons began his meeting and after interruption by Transport at 7.35 am attempted to explain his reasoning for excluding Mr Thornett but closed the meeting at 8.05 am having failed to control it.

8.20 am-Transport members returned to their shop.

8.25 am-Messrs. Thornett and Blakely and Buckingham informed supervision that a return to work would be recommended and work resumed at 8.30 am.

8.25 am-Mr Parsons reported back the IR Manager and later provided management with a statement signed by himself and seven other Stewards (attached).

2. Stoppage of Maxi Production on Dayshift.

Brief facts are:

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Pd you the sunbarabi, a111 bare merriatent brother Bick teyler Donly Sarcep thaT Tenny Clas mer albart Painkta = To Bak • Prese White's name on Parson's approved 1975 Deputy Convenor elections.

The Newsline chose to publish sections from the Leyland dossier -which at that time was still confidential. This adventure led to an investigation by TGWU officials soon after the WRP article appeared -in an effort to implicate convenor Bob Fryer in the leak.

Popular vote For Trotskyists to be elected by popular vote after years of unprecedented witch-hunting vindicates the fight for the programme pursued in the Cowley plant by the WSL and puts the squalid record of the WRP to shame.

a) Work stopped on Section 2 at 11.20 for 30 minutes. It should be particularly noted that no "call" • for a Senior Steward was made prior to the stoppage occurring which is part of our code of conduct for the avoidance of disputes. The stoppage involved 17 men. The T&GWU Steward for the section is Mr. Simpkins.

b) Deputies Paintin and Crockford (AUEW) identified the stoppage as a protest against the disbanding of the 7.30 Stewards meeting without conclusions of its business. A return to work was achieved when Mr. Paintin relayed a promise from Mr.

Parsons to see all Maxi Stewards after the lunch break.

3. Stoppage of Production on Day Shift.

Brief facts are:

a) Work stopped on Section 2 at 2,23 pm for 12 minutes. It should be particularly noted that once again no "call'' for a Senior Steward was made prior to the stoppage occurring. The stoppage involved 13 men. The T&GWU Steward for the section is Mr. Harford.

b) Deputies Paintin and Moss (AUEW) were sent to the stoppage but on arrival work recommenced. However, they identified that the stoppage had been a pressure tactic to force Mr. Parsons to reconvene the Stewards' meeting before the ballot took place.

4. Two Stoppages in Transport on Nightshift.

Brief facts are:

a) 8.00pm-a group of 22 transport drivers including Mr.

Blakely marched to the IR Department to see Mr. Parsons periticed to ate and moccaund is pou the rentership, adidates for the offlee or Deputy senior stomara bo do giu ean benefit frot « sagedne Industry, palet shan Body Kentificatson Morth of ARomaly Bert see tomate!

for December Indeed if Healy wants to commission lengthy Newsline articles on Cowley he should begin by answermg a lew basic questions -such as why the WRP has failed to rebuild its forces in Cowley after driving out its cadre in 1974.

Another question arises when the Newsline article correctly describes "participation" as:

«This reactionary scheme deliberately introduced by the Labour government and sanctified by Industry Secretary Anthony Wedge wood Benn and the 'lefts in 1976, has enabled the trade union officials in the big unions in Leyland to to obtain explanations why Mr Thornett had not been allowed to attend the Stewards meeting.

This was despite Mr Blakely's involvement on the day shift.

Mr. Parsons met them briefly in North Works and reaffirmed his intent to exclude Mr. Thornett from future stewards meetings.

He instructed them to return to work at 8.45 pm. Work was eventually restarted at 9.30 pm.

b) 10.00pm—Mr Parsons met North Side T&GWU Stewards in R Block.

c) 10.30pm-QT Stewards joined the meeting by authorisation.

d) 10.15pm-Transport drivers including Mr. Blakely left their place of work and gate crashed Mr. Parson's meeting at 10.35pm. The Stewards at the meeting made it clear that they wished to have the meeting continue without Transport present. Transport left. and resumed work at 10.45 pm.

The series of stoppages is a very clear indication that stewards and members in your organisation do not accept the fundamental principle that disputes which are internal to a Union or between two or more Unions and to which the Company is in no way a party shall be determined in accordance with union procedures and shall not be the subject of industrial or other coercive action by any employees in the factory.

cannot emphasise too strongly that these stoppages indicate that despite all joint efforts since 1974 industrial relations are again threatened by divisive action within the arrogate to themselves all manner of powers. It has given them a vested interest in containing militancy on the shop floors."

But Healy and WRP leaders well know that Tom White-their only member on the plant at the time when participation was introduced, went on to the particpation committeeunțil he found it too unpop ular to continue!

That early betrayal by White was an accurate foretaste of his complete refusal to give a lead in any of the struggles that have taken place on the plant in the past four years. Why doesn't the WRP try accounting for White's record in the struggle for the Transitional Defence campaign Why are the WRP leaders unable to cite any struggle anywhere in which WRP members fought for transitional demands?

And, most obvious of all, T&GWU. The Drivers' statement that they will attend every meeting from which Mr.

Thornett is barred looks ill for the future if Mr. Parsons continues with his policy.

Because of this I must inform you that the Company will not be granting facilities during working hours for T&GWU Stewards' meeting on a plant basis if named individuals are to be excluded. It is clear that any further meetings on this basis would lead to a repetition of anarchy and losses of production which we have just experienced.

The above limitation on plant wide stewards meetings will only be reviewed when we have your organisation's formal assurance that stewards and members will conduct themselves in a reasonable manner and are. prepared to honour basic principles of conduct jointly agreed between the Trade Unions and British Leyland in the British Leyland Procedure Agreement.

Once again I must emphasise the serious nature of this matter and I trust that you will investigate the whole issue on an urgent basis and inform us of your organisation's intent to enforce discipline into your organisation on this Plant.

Yours sincerely W.D. North Cowley Assembly Plant.

Plant Director October 1977 Tom White where does the WRP stand on the Cowley 9 defence campaign, which has attracted support from hundreds of militants and stewards right across the TGWU?

Why was it that the WRP opposed this campaign and the national conference it called, while proposing no alternative form of action to defend the Cowley 9?

Slanders

It is their inability to answer such questions honestly in front of their members and the working class that forces the WRP to its campaigns of slander and • lies in the workers movement.

A further article next week will look at the WRP's opportunist policy on international questions-in particular Palestine and the

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La la The Vorster government

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‚eyland's story echoed by Newsline slanders