Iceland, Denmark vorkers face attacks

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After nine weeks of labour pains and three failed attempts, Iceland's parliamentary leaders have finally given birth to a coalition.

The general elections of 27 June resulted in heavy defeats for both partners in the previous coalition-the right wing 'Inde: pendence' party and the radical, farmer-based Progressive' party.

The Social Democrats and the People's Alliance (a party of veteran 'Eurocommunists') each made large gains, but no single party held a majority.

It was the leader of the People's Alliance, Ludvik Josefsson who made the last unsuccessful bid to form a coalition, which foundered on the objections of the Social Democrats.

Opposition

In refusing to participate, they cited Josefsson's former membership of the Icelandic Communist Party and the opposition of the People's Alliance to NATO membership and the US base at Keflavik.

But now both parties have joined in a government led by Olafur Johannesson of the Progressives, although . Josefsson himself has refused to participate personally But the immediate problem facing the coalition is the strength of the working class. With years of spiralling inflation (now at 40%), Icelandic workers have successfully fought. for escalator clauses in wage agreements.

Once the new government has moved to devalue the Krona (by an expected 15%), then discussions on wage 'restraint' will begin with the union leaders.

Denmark

Clearly the strong agreements currently in force are under a major threat, and the new government will no doubt look to Denmark (the colonial power in Iceland until 1944) for appropriate methods of defending the interests of international capital.

Last week also saw the formation of a coalition in Copenhagen, but in different conditions from that in Reykjavik. The minority Social Democratic government of Denmark had been touting for partners for some time, before finally reaching agreement with the Liberals.

Wage control The declared aim of the coalition is of 'restoring a better economic balance as a basis for a more satisfactory growth in oútput and employment'. That is, of course, wage control, speed-up and mass. unemployment.

VAT increase

Aiready a wages freeze has been introduced along with a supposed freeze on prices and profit margins, and VAT has been increased to further fuel inflation.

The powerful Danish TUC has repeated its position that wage control can be agreed only on three conditions--tax reform, housing reform and compulsory worker 'co-ownership'. The last has never been Social Democratic policy, but the first two were explicitly abandoned in the coalition bargain.

Prime Minister Anker Joergensen, having failed to secure the reliable support of the TUC, has been forced to turn to the bourgeois parties as the force which can assist him in his attacks on workers.

But already a mass wave of protest strikes is spreading from the shipyards in response to a call for "active opposition' to the coalition.

As the collective wage agreements state that fines will be imposed on all workers on strike for more than two days, 'this action will prove an immediate test of the worth of the loud protests from the TUC and parliamentary 'lefts' and show the ability of the Danish defence interests. Anker Joergensen class to mobilise ir of its independen with increasing demonstrations and violence in at least four other towns.

These include Masaya, where a short-lived commune was established in February before being brutally smashed by the National Guard.

To cap it all, Somoza also discovered last wook the exis.

National Guard itself!

His power rests solely on the loyalty of what remains virtually his private army and the support of US imperialișm.

But now the Carter administration is uttering condemnations of the regime's abuse of human rights, while the officer caste clearly doubts that Somoza has the capacity to suppress this latest opposition. The dictator may well feel that without friends!* nanto Fight, Whatever course the struggles in Nicaragua may take, there can be little doubt that the days of the Somoza family dynasty are very definitely numbered.

But the workers and peasants of Nicaragua may well find that their rejoicing at this victory is cut short by the imposition of dictatorship under new tyrants who use the old methods of repression for the same familiar aims.

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