Hunger protest for PoW status

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As we go to press the courageous Irish republican hunger striker Willie Gallacher is on the 48th day of his liquids-only fast in the barbaric Long Kesh concentration camp.

His father, Brendan His father, Gallacher has sent telegrams to both Irish Prime Minister Lynch and to the head of British imperialist repression, Labour leader James Callaghan in a desperate bid to secure a re-trial for Gallacher, who was framed in 1976 for the bombing of a British Legion Hall in Strabane. British Legion Hall in S Willie Gallacher's hunger Willie Gallacher's strike began as a protest ayainst brutal beatings by screws at Long Kesh, and has taken up the struggle by the 300 Republican victims of H Block in Long Kesh, who are demanding the restoration of prisoner of war status stripped from them by Labour's torture chiefs.

As a result of their refusal to wear prison clothing or do prison work-a sign of criminal status-the Republican prisoners are being held in brutal conditions of indescribable and hardship.

Gallacher is reported to be in a state of severe weakness. His struggle against British imperialism must be supported by every self-respecting socialist and trade unionist, and the fight redoubled in the labour movement to force the restoration of PoW status, a complete with. drawal of British troops from Ireland and an amnesty for all political prisoners.

NEDNESDAY Sept 6, 7.30 pm.

Earl Of Derby' pub, opposite St Mary's Hospital, Harrow Road CONFERENCES BETYNAL GREEN YOSPITAL Delegate conference called by Bethnal Green unions and Stepney Trades Council.

THURSDAY Sept 14 Details from Bethnal Green hospital occupation. -much of which is supposedly registering financial losses rather than profits.

If Ford workers are to prevent a repetition of last year's sell 'out they must insist that the social contract is challenged, the claim pressed in full, and that the attempt to argue it on the basis of Fords' profits be thrown aside.

Those union leaders and convenors who reject this course must be pushed aside.

In this way Ford workers can give a lead to the whole working class.

Losses

The basis for pay claims must be an assessment of the amount needed to catch up with the losses inflicted by three years of wage controls and inflation.

. And the catching-up claim must be linked to a cost-of-living clause to provide increases to compensate for inflation as assessed by elected committees of trade unionists and housewives.

A revolutionary leadership prepared to fight for the nationalisation without compensation under workers' management of the motor and components industry must be constructed in Fords to carry through the fight for this programme and oppose the inevitable moves by Todd, Reg Birch and others to ditch the £20 per week claim.

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PUBLIC MEETING London St Mary's Hospital