Socialist Press no. 16

REJECT JOINT SPEED-UP COMMITTEES

NO PARTICIPATION

IN MANAGEMENT!

the employers. As selected convenors from various British Leyland plants ended three days of class collabor- ation at the plush Allesly Hotel in Coventry, senior shop stewards from the Chrysler combine were roting to "continue talks" on bogus worker participation pro posals which will open the door to major attacks on Chrysler work- Despite the efforts of the trade union leaders to suggest they are separate issues, the Ryder plan and the Chrysler proposals are identical in their principle aims: Both aim to integrate convenors and shop stewards in to the struc- ture of management, and use their influence to achieve rationalisation, speed-up and redundancy. At the same time they seek to destrov their ability to lead resistance by making them party to company initiatives. Both have the longer term aim of Ford-style national wage negot- iations which transfer all wage: bargaining into the hands of the full time union officials. It was plant level bargaining (together with the piecework system long since sold out by the union leaders) which made car workers for years the leaders in the wages fight. Both employers and union leaders want to see this ended. Both sets of proposals are linked (with the complete agreement of the union bureaucracy) to new hoped will further tie the hands ›f shop stewards, and make them liable to victimisation. Union lead- ers as well as employers want to curb the independent power of the shop stewards movement which has dominated the industry (and improved conditions) in the past.

DETAILED PREPARATIONS

At the meeting of BLMC conven- ors, which will resume on September 8th, details were drawn up for the plant-by-plant introduction of the Ryder speed-up committees throughout the Corporation. The discussions took place around a plan produced by management. The Ryder plan itself had been acapicu wor of a normal meclug of the BLMC Combine Committee, but by a company convened meet- ing, including staff representatives - which resulted in a high percentage of those voting being either fore- men or industrial engineers, whose job it is to speed-up workers any- way! This is the vote that has been

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

Last Friday was an importai day in the calendar of treachery, designed to shackle 200,000 car workers to the profit margins of Stoke stewards meeting for nearly an hour, and in this way obtained agreement. Local as well as nation- al union bureaucrats are thus being used by the employers to railroad in their policies.

The capitalist press has also played its patt in foisting these fraudulent schemes and commit- tees onto the working class, by falsely presenting the committees as giving workers an 'equal' say in the running of the factories.

Ryder Nothing could be further from the truth. The ownership of the plants is not affected, and the final say on all questions is left . auite tirm v with management. in addition, the terms of reference, which determines the nature of the committees, are defined as "the mort: "ficient production of motor cars" This means the job of the com- mittees is to organise production.

It means the participating in man- agement. It means doing the job of management - and that means as they see it, increasing the rate of exploitation of the working class. The Workers Socialist League is completely opposed to these committees and to any trade unionist working on them. We believe that as battles begin in Leyland and Chrysler against re- dundancy and in defence of cond- itions, they will be fought against these committees. It is therefore a matter of principle to be separated from them.

£50 BONUS

An indication of the value of "participation" to the employers is Chrysler paying a £50 bonus to the year if participation is accepted in full. The implementation of these schemes is a big victory for the emolovers. aven to them completely by the union leaders. The experience in the motor industry will be a base to extend similar schemes throughout industry. These moves have taken place with virtually no opposition. In Chrysler, the key decision at the Stoke plant was taken last Thursday, with à leading Stalinist and T&GWU Executive member, Mcclusky, on the negotiating committee which made the (unanimous) recommend- ation. Both the IS and the WRP have a steward in the plant, but at the mass meeting ho king of opp osition or any campaign was vis- ible. The only consistent fight has been put up at the BLMC Cowley Assembly Plant, where the 5/293 branch has voted not to participate and the shop stewards, after being denied a meeting by the right wing convenor, are organising a campaign for a vote on Ryder, which is being Chrysler boss Lander forced in over the heads of stewards and members. We emphasise that these schemes are not simply a "car industry" issue. In every industry workers are being told if they co-operate with speed-up and 'voluntary' re dundancy it will "save jobs' In reality it is the participation of the trade union leaders in man- agement attacks which now directly threatens jobs through speed-up and rationalisation. * No participation in Speed-up Committees!

FORTNIGHTLY PAPER OF THE

WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

NO 16 * 3rd SEPTEMBER 1975 * 10g

TUC DEFENDS

LAW ON PAY

Jack Jones and, Len Murray in Blackpool Meeting just before the open- Arthur Scargill and the retreat of ing of the TUC conference in the Communist Party enabled the Blackpool, the General Council right wing to sidestep a claim for of the TUC voted 25 votes to £l00 per week. Shortly after that 10 against an ASTMS resolution crucial retreat, the NUM executive took the treacherous decision not opposing statutory reserve only to recommend support for powers to back Wilson's £6 Wilson's pay laws, but to give the pay limit. government policy a boost through a ballot of miners. The ballot was This means that the TUC' having hidden nearly two months behind anything but the decisive accept- ance Wilson was looking for. Even the lusion that the pay restrictions given the participation in the ballot were "voluntary" • is now not sim of supervisory staff (who would ply accepting the use of the law vote for legislation) and a complete by a Labour government to control ly fraudulent question on the ballo wages, but defending it against , asking if miners wanted to attack by those unions which up- paper, help "fight inflation", the right hold free collective bargaining wing could only whip up a 3-2 This is the outcome of a whole majority. stage-managed plan to foist wage- cutting policies on the working class. Jack Jones has been at the

PRESS

centre of this plan from the start, and railroaded the scheme through the T&GWU Conference in July, using as his main argument the lie To follow up this there have been that a voluntary agreement was various press flurries by Jones and the best way to avoid legislation.

Murray to lend some air of credi In fact it has been shown that vol- bility to the TUC talk of "preserv- untary capitulation was the essent- ing jobs". Carefully vague proposals ial prelude to Wilson's laws.

have been leaked to the papers on calls for a government programme of public works. At the same time a viciously nationalist campaign

NUM CONFERENCE

Ior import controls has been kicked of by the TUC bureaucracy, to create the illusion of protecting "British" 'jobs (at the expense of The scene then shifted to the workers else where).

IRELAND CIVIL WAR

PORTUGAL DANGER IN POPULAR FRONT

The North East of Ireland the been SO near has never long predicted full scale civil At the root of the con- al. flict is an unfinished national evolution which today can enly be brought to completion the leadership of the nder ish working class. partition and dismember- The of Ireland, James Connolly dicted in 1914: rould mean a carnival of reaction and South, would set the wheels of progress, would roy the oncoming unity of the all movement and paralyse ced movements whilst it en- should give bitterest opposition, against it fight the our should

CYCL

30 AUGUST

The enormous demonstra- of 100,000 tion nearly through the streets of Lisbon Wednesday night showed on strength and the increasing of the Portu- determination guese working class. Groups of sailors, soldiers and many sec- expressed of workers tions their desire for unity in action defence of the gains they the have made since in April throw of fascism 1974. the same time the great dangers that now face the Portu- revolution clearly were guese revealed. The Stalinists of the Commun- dominated the slogans ist Party and banners march, and the enthusiastically the they cheered now ousted Prime Minister, Vasco Goncalves when he addressed them at the end. For the CP the march of rallying what was a question forces they could behind the capit- in order alist military government, to prevent any independent struggle for power by the working class The Stalinists have found new traditional allies for these, their Outside the government policies. ail ding, spoke OI nIS great joy" at the construction of "popular unity front?' bet- the new "democratic' ween popular And banners carried at the forces. head of the demonstration included the Stalinists those of Bot simply themselves, but also those of other such as the PRP left organisations, Proletarian Party, (Revolutionary asociated with the British IS), and so-called Trotskyists of the LCI (International Communist League sections of anc Portuguese O1 ІДК INTERNATIONAL nEWS

DANGER LOOMS

As that carnival of reaction heads towards a bloody climax it is imperative that the English work- ing class demand the withdrawal of British troops from Ireland as well as materially support all those who fighting for a united socialist are republic in Ireland.

SAME FORCES

urged labe forte fight to the death Those forces Connolly against in 1914 are essentially the forces who cacuoldly British imperialism plotting, with if they can, against it if they must, the ways and means of frustrating the democratic, national and social- ist aspirations of the Irish people.

The Convention talks are dead- by transferring them locked. Even from the public debating chamber committee rooms Pilvale groups may claim about "tactical reaction", alliances against their was undoubt- role in this situation a left face to the give of counter-revolutionary alliance designed to shore up the Gasses rule of capitalism in tottering Portugal. stress that It is important to Portugal at the moment here "extreme currents of the political left" considerable exercise a influence. The great danger is that so many of these centrist and non- Antunes revolutionary groups are giving their approval to political ties the working class liaison that foot to the capitalist hand and state. These developments take place against the background of contin- demonstrations in uing reactionary the North of the country: At Leira, about 75 miles north of here, two nights of rioting earlier this week ten wounded. left one dead and The offices of the LCI and Maoist were burned. Similar incid- groups ents will no doubt continue.

have been The main

TOLCIS

small- poverty-stricken peasant holders whose desperate plight has compounded recently by a been The murder of a young prot- estant in Newtown Hamilton was pretext for the eight unionist the councillors on Newry and Mourne District to walk out of the Council.

UUU Assoc- At the same time ine iation of Local Councillors threat- ened to withdraw all their members UUUC and the SDLP still cannot from office unless there is a change shake off their rank and file. On the basic contentious issue of pow-

"INDEPENDENCE"

All that is left for the UUUC Where all this loyalist activity to do now is draft proposals for a is leading to was spelt out at Porta- new parliament in which they will Gays ast in the Convention bar themselves Uster Special Crestabtion to ask will sign it of course but as Ernest the people of Northern Ireland to has seide The atmosphere Balra submit to shared power, a Council of disastrous direct rule" report is the one in which loyalist In this situation the leadership politicians will give a nod and a wink to the activities of the prot that is being offered to the working estant paramilitary groups" selves ignores or denounces the national "sectarian diversion" that alienates protestants. The alter- would fight for proletarian leader- ship of the national struggle, since on the one hand and with only the programme for a workers' draw their forces from the official republic can rally the forces North and South that can expel imperial six paramilitary groups, the Orange ism from Ireland.

STALINISTS

Orange 121001 excluded) in the Ulster Army Coun- who lead the official IRA and the 1n latter pursues the panacea of nat- Committee the leaders of last year's reactionary strike that brought the ducing the Irish struggle to the level gether again this her cessin policine to fortist areas and demand more measures Executive of the N.W. Republican

REPORT FROM JOHN DOHERTY IN LISBON

er Otelo de Carvalho, together with of long-term evolve a policy credit and guaranteed prices in the army commander Carlos Fabaio to rally support last week within the country-side. The fury of the small been directed for a possible d'etat farmers has thus

COLO

ally failed, because the officers even in And active in the them. the right-wing areas of the North burnings and shootings, have been the support of could not guarantee bands of fascist desperadoes, small their men from mobilisation against the fag-ends of the old regime.

It is not these forces that at the present government. point present the main threat this to the revolution (though Here ter Here in stage might in the other towns Lisbon, Coimbra and Oporto, where the big estates have South, been nationalised, the working class is pushing forward the revolution- ary process. Throughout Lisbon can be seen groups of houses occupied by wOr- kers whom soldiers have refused to evict. There are workers of every sort to organise anything - from running a brewery co-operative of to setting up Politica discussion taxi-drivers. goes on around posters and mant- Fabiao the street bestrew festoes that this confused corners. Packets of leaflets thrown in was situation that a group of COPCON from cars are eagerly picked up and officers produced a document that read by workers who pass by.

was to be a left-wing reply to the The balancing of competing consolidation class interests and the main politi- policies of capitalist cal decisions are still made within Melo put This document reflected the views the Armed Forces Movement. which despite the elections earlier of middle-class soldiers of a group this year has in no way released who only But its grip on state powes slogans, section of this faction-ridden body conceive of the mobilisation of th can act independently of the class working class in their support Naturally it xontained a num society whole. forces in the Document : of the Nine ber of points about the plight o while Melo smallholders in the North and th forward by Antunes put them to the side or evoti needed work out a prog kind attempted the Western friendly to ramme could thus provide the beleag this policy capitalist powers, (despite the views of the European ured Stalinists with the base they needed to break away from their did win anis or an press) not the isolated position. ranks support within 20th there was a army where every order is debated, On August demonstration - supported only at statement from above and every the last moment by the CP - which formal SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday September 3rd, 1975 Clubs attacked the Provisionals in that statement which laving declared a ceasefire against calmed the British army they have declared open season against non-catholics" issued at time This statement, when the nationalist population of the north east stands in danger of pogroms from the loyalists, served but to promote no other purpose with the Stalinist collaboration forces of reaction. way forward, and can only provide cover and legitimation for the daily onslaught of protestant assassination squads. Despite this contemptible policy

WELC

Association statement which show- basis for the collabor- ation the Stalinists so eagerly seek alrect outcome taphical area known as Ireland og- to remind the Stalinists what they are formally committed to! Nothing class unity can be forged by trade class and the Irish catholic working class have achieved what they have achieved in a struggle against capital protestant worker has achieved has achieved as a reward capital taught the the importance of unity and the common interests of taught the protestant working class It is for this reason that even today there is no Labour Party in Its pro-imperialist support a ally. for the link with Britain undermines if the link with Britain brought the adyances the protestants have made, away from the reactionary elem- gathering that been ents have around Antunes and the right wing policies of the Socialist Party lead- ers. It provided the CP with room Any efforts of Car- for manoeuvre. valho's associates at compromise between the different elements the AFM were shattered. But at the same time the shaky position the Bonapartist military Provisional government was yet again confirm- ed. The Stalinists were therefore forced away from their earlier tav- of strike breaking oured policies and their efforts to control the apparatus of local government and the media. They began to mass put forward new policies aimed at -their their defending positions relationship with the

AFM,

and the support in winning masse began to call strikes They themselves - though only one, for half an hour, on August 14th.

ultra-left reactionaries of The the various Maoist sects, who com- mand some following amongst sect- ions of workers, actually opposed the strike call, and persuaded some not te carry white-collar unions out even this feeble united action dangers of counter- against the Teo WROn The final outcome of these efforts of the CP to present a left face in opposition to the attacks "united front gainst them was t. gainst reaction" : 25th August. Stalinist and centrist organisations in defence of the COPCON docu- ment. It set up a provisional secret- ariat to organise against reaction Besides the Stalinists, the Pablo- ites of the LCI and the syndicalists of the PRP, signatories included the centrists of the MES (left socialist movement) and LUAR (League of

TIMOR INTERVENTION THREAT

WHAT IS THE WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE ?

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday September 3rd, 1975 then the protestant worker turns to the Unionists as the real guardians The of that link.

ASCENDANCY

recession face them flict still over the will turn to the worker within the Craigs. The only basis for SU the working clear. On of Now impeccable) delegation of State, wage ist" this situation basis the even increasingly catholics who fleeing their Not in South-east Ulster In and the interests And finally from all ing Needless to say, other, organisation could offer 61.50 a heated Unionism's centrally for week On the keep the White Abbey of number catholics fell from 8,000 to 3,000 The Stella Maris and is still falling. catholic primary school on the edge Provisionals' of Rathcool had 1,000 pupils well as 1969. It will begin its new term with only 190. Only

SOUTH

the South the coalition In government, fearful that the British army might pull out and that loyal- ist pogroms would engulf them in civil war, arrested Provisional leader David O'Connell in the hope that dered: this would drive the IRA to aban- independence. Timor, Portugal's smallest threatening colony, is now the scene of bitter armed conflict between greatest rival political As groups. happened in Mozambique and Angola, the decision of the the colony Portuguese army to withdraw from the colony has created over a political vacuum which the weeks. right wing UDT (Democratic Union of Timor) tried to fill three weeks ago through a coup led to the tarian d'etat. The coup outbreak of civil war between and the pro- the right wing communist Fretilin movement.

twofold. the Fretilin The success of soldiers is causing such great con- cern in capitalist circles that from spreading rumours about commu- beating babies death,

BUSIN

the area are now governments in The Workers Socialist League was formed on December 22nd 1974 as part of the fight to carry forward the method and principles of Trotsky's the founding document of the Transitional Programme, The WSL now national. principles in the workers' movement.

The formation ot matically by the the Yadership in order to prevent diarsion of their an Revolutionary abandonment of the Programme mass expulsions showed that there could be

WRP

an independent organisation had to be founded to maintain the fight for Trotskyism. Such a split came out of particular conditions. The rapid development of the economic crisis of capitalism and the forward movement of the world working class, and Cambodia, began to produce the conditions to build revolutionary parties internationally. At such a point the importance of a fight for the method and principles of the Transitional Programme, against both sectarianism and opportunism is paramount in the preparation of revolutionary leadership.

period of isolation from the as the only tengene the working class in the taking of power.

The defence oi jobs committees: the by trade union fight for all wage agreements to include a sliding scale to don the ceasefire and engage and hold the British army in the North.

coalition government finding that the nightmare it feared The economic has come to pass. is already driving southern working class into revolt and the government is having to win the nomen Its weakness unresolved. is underlined by its acceptance of the trade union demand for index- ation, a 1% rise in wages for every 1% rise in inflation. The employers urged the governemnt to reject this demand. But it felt too weak to do

COALITION

the coalition is drifting apart as Fine Gael members call for freeze while the Labour Party would prefer, like the British Labour government, the cowardly "fining employers" In of conditions are the fertile for advancing Ahmed the demand for a sliding scale of trade union drawn up by only are attempts challenge British policy being made in Dublin. The old historic allies of Unionism, the British army Tory Party show reluct- ance to follow Rees' strategy and commerce, trust the guardianship of imperialist Paisley and the to lan Convention leaders. So, having toppled one reform- unionist government after an- the Paisleyites find that the road to power is being checked by desh, old allies who would North East under direct Westminster administration rather inflation than tolerate a plebian takeover.

industrial The ceasefire has served both the need to replenish as for create the Rees' need to conditions for the legal fiction of and report. Convention debate SDLP took it seriously the and got nothing for its pains. Rees and the British government have manoeuvred themselves into exact- ed competition the position they wanted. Like synthetic fibres. So the Asquith administration in 1912 they hoped to hide their connivance by exports. by allowing themselves to be pres ented with what they actually or of loyalist declaration in the civil war. The two countries showing the the situation in are Indonesia and Australia.

The Australians are supporting renewed Portuguese military intervention in until it in order to forestall a in the 1960s. likely attempt by Indonesia to take colony in the next few ment of Gough originally opposed to "Humanitarian" poration Whilst Suharto of Indonesia However, the talks of intervening on humani- grounds is not as was by widely Whitlam's own party believed that he has the interests of the inhabitants him to think at heart. Suharto's interest in the colony is support Firstly, the colony is of sufficient strategic impostance army. also the 'rank and file' policies of the IS group who refuse to defend spending an estimated $15 million a year and face the possibility of a of guerilla war, in order to gain control of the country. nations. called for in this situation.

Fourth Inter- lised to represents the continuity of the struggle for these League followed the expulsion of over 200 for this method. carried out bureau- both in theory and in practice nese correcting the no hope o struggles in this period party. which has now overthrown imperialism in Vietnam tionary movement revolutionary After a hard working class poses similar Trotskyism now emerges Trotskyist, with a programme and a history of struggle to lead of developing a truly through the fight for work sharing on full pay, run programme. defence of living standards through the compensate for

THE COUP IN BANGLADESH

to the donors to cover the balance of payments deficit The chronic state of the econ- omy in Bangladesh also owes a lot to the long period of exploitation by the bourgeoisie of West Pakistan from 1948 up to the war of inder endence in 1971 when East Pakistat broke away to become Bangladesh.

In 1948 at the period ition of India into Pakistan, Pakistan Hast all the export virtually for the country was comparatively fertile agricult- urally compared with West Pakistan By 1970 however the regiona income of East below that of West Pakistan. bourgeoisie OI used the East as a protected market high tor prIcea. Dauly goods from their factories sold at prices well above value, transferring wealth from East to Bangladesh involving the ass- West. President, Sheikh Muhjib, and the instal-

ROOTS

lation of his former minister of follows a period of intensify- The roots of the present polit- ical crisis also go back to the war of economic independence itself. Sheikh Muhjib, representing the weak bourgeoisie The world economic crisis of East Pakistan, penetrates the economy of Bangla- last moment to break tron underdeveloped the West - despite the suppression countries, in the form of increased of the democratic constituent ass- import prices of industrial goods embly by Bhutto and Yaya Khan Western the in Karachi following the sweeping capitalist countries. victory for Muhjib's Awami League Bangladesh is dependent on imports Party in the 1970 elections.

nearly all industrial goods as When the question of the fight well as basic food and grain items.

for independence became inevitable In addition, earnings from the Bangladesh main export, jute, have been falling.

unprepared. Muhjib had made no This stems from a fall-off in demand preparations despite pressure from (due to the overall slump in world the masses. production) as well as from increas- Meanwhile the Maoists, slavishly from cheaper following Chinese foreign policy only 25% of which was for a 'united' Bangladesh's import costs are met as a buffer against India - denoun- ced the struggle for Bangladesh as means that over 80% of "an imperialist plot" "foreign"aid" received by the coun- was an early victory for the West try is immediately transmitted back Pakistan military, world imperialism, and the indep endence of Bangladesh was even- tually secured of the intervention acting equally Secondly, the virulently anti- the power politics of the Indian communist government of Indonesia bourgeoisie: concerned that the successes of generally. the left-wing Fretilin troops may stir up latent pro-communist sym pathies in Indonesia itself, where

POPULAR SUPPORT

existed party was physically liquidated Thus despite initial support around the question of the The Australian Labour govern- ending of rule from Karachi, Whitlam was not Muhjib regime in no way based the incor- itself on the workers and peasants Timor into Indonesia of Bangladesh. to such opposition ionalisations Muhjib carried through a plan inside Timor itself, supported no programme of wholesale nation- the left wing in alisation of industry. has forced was at all costs to avoid dispossess- again, hence his landlords ion of restore order by the Portuguese attempt collectivisation of agriculture in the context socialist OI plan and the The right of the Timor people foreign trade. to self determination must be Such a programme is the only fended against the imperialist plans basis for launching a fight against surrounding capitalist the effects of imperialism and the nationalisation under workers' management: all these As they are fought for and workers are mobi- win these demands, they begin to form a bridge between the of workers and the need for the present level of political consciousness Yet the WRP refused to take up a fight working class to take the power.

For this reason the most important developments in our work have centred on a break from WRP sectarianism and propagandism, important gains in trade union work and opening up completely new areas.

We are beginning to recruit and train from the new forces thrown into - not only trade unionists, but also professional workers, housewives, students and youth - in the fight to construct the Our record shows that we continue to fight uncompromisingly to • not only the WRP but expose all those who attack and revise Marxism Soviet Union as a workers' state, and the IMG who liquidate the revolu into unprincipled blocs ariasons well Stalinism and reformism tendencies, as as against Already it is clear that throughout the world the movement of the questions for those groups calling themse te Committee e sctions ot the internanona par acually Fourth International, producing similar splits and offering Ess.

For this reason the WSL is now engaged in a prass i: iii: nal discussion prior to a full founding conference, a vital part of which is ic world capitalist crisis. It can of worki the be carried coul by class and peasantry united unde The Mi revolutionary leadership.

jib regime had nothing in comm with this.

MASS UNREST

of part- India and Under pressure from produced growt mass unrest as famine and econo earnings as a whole, and moved right. uced a popúlar backlash to Muhj Pakistan was 25% Awami League party from whi traditionalist Moslem Leag The the West Pakistan had This precipitated benefitted. jailing by Muhjib of all effect opposition leaders, the overturni produced of the democratic constitution December 14th 1972 and thereby installation of a one party state.

the culmination of this proc was the abolition last month which Bangladesh's 22 daily newspap freedom banned and the remaine placed under government mana ment. assassination of Muhji The carried out by young army offic motivated mainly it seems by ta within the milita refused until the ional struggles of the increasi and frustration corruption otiors any political ate mat of the regime, to the masses. This can be seen which the way his succes Ahmed and his backers are rumm ing around to try and find sor basis to legitimise their takeover.

The return to Moslem trad ionalism emphasised in the cup has a. was militarily totally few days after the noticeably cooled off lest it prod a hostile reaction from India. The have been no signs of any changes in the economic policy Pakistan Seems that Munis nation y regime though the Kremlin will be halted there are signs of a more friend The result attitude from Karachi. None of this in any way soh supported by the starvation problems facing t masses of Bangladesh for whom t only way forward consists in t only through the building of a revolutionary par army in the interests of on the basis of a programme socialist nationalisation of land a industry. weaken Pakistan popular the Despite token nat- His policy and the economic State monopoly of 1971 Liberation torces

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CAPITALISM

PRODUCTION

Page 4 In the economic con- vulsions of the last few years the relations between both the rations and the classes of the thrown into a profound dis- in the breakdown of the d crisis, the boom and slump in commodity prices and the collapsing profits and capital accumulation, raging inflation over jobs and living standards.

producuve icsources is now

GINK

most severe recession since the last Cooperation and Development) nas inlen by six months the rate of collapse has In the individual countries the down 12.7% France down 17.1% Japan 5.5% W.Germany

«OWI

down 18.7%. Italy 5.9% down Recessions since 1945 have in form taken the the main rather than actual slower growth The only previous post- declines. total which actually waI down production late '50s when it fell was in the by around 12%. Usually, decline in one country offset by increases has been this time it is happening others; everywhere simultaneously.

DEPRESSION

of the The great depression with three years of 1930s began falling industrial production in the capitalist world as whole, followed by a slow recovery. The fall in industrial production in the

OECD

countries than in any faster has been those three years. The second major indicator of level of un- the recession 1S employment. In the last year the of unemployed number roughly doubled in all the major capitalist countries. In April of this year (on the British basis of measurement, since in its official figures each country basis) the levels uses a of unemployment were: 7.7% United States 3.3% Britain 5.1% France 3.4% W. Germany under- figures undoubtedly These of estimate the real unemployment and they have risen sharply),. Britain very (in They imply last four months. in the level of unemployment capitalist world of over 15 million workers. Moreover, the average number of hours worked by those in jobs has dropped in a year by between and nearly per O ner cent (America)

FETTERS

fluctuated on aver be in per stagnant prices. The present one The change week. with an unprecedented comcides conl a between of currencies world inflation. In some countries vane beginning of 1970 and June 1975 the intensification of the recession has brought some reduction in the was: rate of inflation. 088888 up Germany up Japan up France

INFLATION

down 18½% United States % down 24 Britain down 252% Italy But in a number of major countries (Britain, Sweden, West Another destabilising factor in the Netherlands) the Germany, international economic relations rate of inflation has continued to oil The four- has been the climb. or five-fold increase in the price of Rates of Inflation annual diversion oil has ied to an

IC W

exchange ales

HE WANT

OBST

WE PETITION THE

PRESIDENT AND

CONGRESS TO

ACT NOW

W Region 8-UAW seems to have begun before any based on the belief that- in world industrial increase duction such an increase will soon happen.

Monetary crisis and commodity capitalist inflation are not, as the press often the basic suggests, They causes of the crisis. alt themselves in large part the result deep rooted contra more dictions in capitalist production But nor are they just passive of underlying reflections of profitability and problems investment. They themselves come play active role an intensifying the crisis. - it 15

OULDUL

alone The level of profitability periods can be compared different numerically the difficulty but which depends on raising protits, the balance of class forces, cannot be neatly quantified. The development of the crisis over the last few years has included . From both booms and recessions.

mid-71 output grew at mid-69 to than 1% p.a. in the capitalist less world. mild recession was This reflationary action in reversed by all the major capitalist countries in '73 mid-71. From then until extremely dramatic, eleas if short-lived, boom, with output growing at 9% p.a. Towards the end major capitalist states nrecent recession SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday September 3rd, 1975 Throughout all this period the crisis intensified. The accumulation of capital continuously declined in of relation growth '50s Throughout the production. 1964 grew at output the capitalis! in world and investment at around In the '64-470 cycle output 72%. 42% and investment at grew less than 4% p.a Profitability has also suffered The most recent reliable severely. profits figures are shown below: Profits as a % of net national income 1974 1960 8.0 (4th qtr) UK 23.0 18.9 16.5 (4th qtr)

USA

21.9 17.0 Germany 11.5 12.5 Italy 16.0 (1970) 11.5 (4th qtr Japan being still Profitability further reduced as the recession takes hold. And this has led to a further fall in investment because neither the funds nor firms have invest when the incentive profits are low and the low level of production has led to enormous excess capacity.

INVESTMENT

fallen by Investment has an in the 7 major of 122% average from 1973- capitalist connie 1975 and there is an average 20 capacity. 25% idle Low profitability has also forced many firms heavily into debt and threatened them with bankruptcy in the absence of state aid.

present makes the Unsold Chrysler cars between the two capitalist society. Through the long to earn a rate of profit As Trotsky said of thé remark ably similar period in the aftermath But it does not take place in the classes. The more restricted must classes and group: capitalist equilibrium can only be going defeat of the working class In no country has this defeat been capitalist govern ments fear the necessary contronta- unemployment is leading to short Italy) is a further symptom of that bourgeois press has been predicting an imminent upturn in production like the though the end

WILSON'S FIRST PAY LAUS

SOCLALIST PRESS, Viednesday September 3rd, 1975 continuously receding

OLUSOCCE

Many sections the left have 0I also become obsessed with predict- ing exactly when and where the upturn will begin. For revolutionaries, however, this is not the crucial question: evidence that here is increasing for a time at least, the recession may abate. But the recession is not the crisis. An upturn in production would temporarily raise the rate of profit increasing the use of industrial by capacity but would further exacerbate the more important profitability, the Colstiall relative strength of the working Grass When discussing the world recession of 1921, Trotsky rebuked who predicted that the those recession would commously until ended in the

WOLSUL

revolution. it is necessary the same today - and equally to those who place great weight on predicting the timing of an upswing. In the short-term both limited upswing and a continuation of the decline possible. Capitalist have some effect on this through their and DOlICIeS ll ls impossibie short-term developments predict with certainty. However, although they are not since irrelevant to they will affect emphasis and tactics, they make no difference to of the the direction or strategy revolutionary struggle. What is that certain tinkering with government economic policies can resolve this crisis. The capitalist class needs to defeat the working class over living jobs, and The deflationary and inflationary between which bourgeois the capitalist class. different attacking ways working class lie down and be beaten. all major through remained years of severe crisis, workers are suffering increasing and all that capitalism has to offer. but not invincible. if the present crisis armed This dem- consistent, defend its position, possible does not major of a socialistssociety to carry this into practice. The introduction of state pay laws through the f6 wage limit by the Labour govern- ment means that a new period of struggle is opening up for all workers. Together with this decisive attack workers' on Wilson has living standards, obtained unprecedented collab- oration with union leaders in witch hunting in the unions and Labour Party all those who try to lead a struggle to defend and against accepting wages, record unemployment. Wilson's Labour government is being revealed as absolutely anti- working class and the fight to defend and jobs ware Call only be successful if it is turned into a political fight to remove Wilson, Healey and the right wing and for the transitional demands that this paper alone puts forward, demanding that they be implemented by those who replace the right wing. to understand necessary that no Labour politician will carry out such a programme since the fight for defence demands in • of jobs and wages immediately starts workers on the road to the revolut- itself, capitalism ionary ending which even the 'left' in the Labour Party pledged to defend. But are Labour the struggle against the Government is essential to demon- strate its reactionary, cowardly nature in a concrete way to the largest number of workers.

The successive Labour govern- ments have always behaved as poor feeling themselves barely tolerated as guests in the employers' house, and frantically careful never to offend their hosts. This does not come from the individual position of Wilson or any other MP but rather reflects 0081012211 posinon or une relorst. the tolerated guest wil never take over the whole house. Pay laws were used against the working class by the Wilson Govern- ment of 1964-70, and to look at this period helps us to understand how to campaign against the present pay laws.

CRISIS

The of Labour Government 196470 was dominated by the emergence of the economic which has now turned into world recession and the beginnings of mass unemoloyment. The weakness of British capitalism especially came to the fore with massive balance payments deficits (£800m in 1964) and continued speculation against sterling which resulted in its event- ual devaluation. Wilson attempted defend capitalism by helping it wring more value from the working class and George immediately appointed Brown at the Department of Econ- omic Affairs to discuss a prices and incomes policy to hold down wages and increase productivity: ie speed- The Mutual Declaration of In- up. Productivity, Prices and tent on Incomes was signed in December 1964. Wilson's memoirs show where Tine pressure

COMES

from In August for these attacks. 1965 he met Fowler, American of the Treasury. He ". Secretary was afraid of an inflationary situa- tion developing and particula voluntary doubted whether the prices and incomes policy which George Brown had negotiated would be able to withstand pressure ClIC which for wage. increases Whilst he did not subject. WeLC attempt in any way to make terms [!!] he was orders give apprehensive that if further central bank aid were required it would be difficult to mount we had no inflation better salegulara than a voluntary system. It was in these circumstances that we began first to think in terms of statutory powers". (Wilson, The Labour Government 1964-70: A personal record p131)

MANAGERS

Accepting that their job is to manage capitalism, the Labour Gov- ernment must acopet the dictates of bankers and employers, the dic- tates of capital seeking profit: The Labourites then went to First they convinced Frank of the General Secretary He opposed the voluntary "Tes- but apparently on wages . Brown went round have private talks with long At the Cabinet meeting on Sep- 1966 Seamen's Strike: Young Socialists Lobby of Parliament in support and Incomes was to be made a statutory body and the Secretary of State (Brown) was to have refer price or power to any wage issue to it and enforce its decisions by ministerial order. Price or wage could be deferred while Board held an inquiry, the and there was an early warning system for such increases. Price control is of course always talked about to make the deal seem "fair" but never gets off the ground of nameless "difficulties', oecause admitted by Wilson in 1965 and by Shirley Williams in 1975.

COVER

Just as today, the TUC leader- ship put up no opposition to the introduction introse it is the Ts ps chich laws. Today of are being legislated, and they hide behind the cardboard defence that £6 limit is voluntary and that the workers will not be jailed - both completely meaningless when comes to the shrinking value of the wage packet. In 1965 the General Council agreed with Brown before the legislation was that although passed by Parliament it would only be activated by a specific Order in Council requiring the assent of both Houses so that the voluntary system could 'prove itself". Woodcock pro- posed further that all wage claims be submitted to the General Council for vetting. This behind-the-scenes deal was accepted by the Congress the next day and opened the door for the TUC to intervene and coll- aborate in holding down workers' wages. Although the bureaucratic lead- ership had carried out the betrayal, the pay laws were never accepted by workers.

FIRST CLAIM

In January 1966 the Prices and Incomes Board faced its first major claim, that of the NUR and pay joined with the employers in rec- ommending a mere 32% on basic rates for some of the lowest paid workers in Britain. Wilson did not consider living standards of workers, but rather bankers "to confidence sterling: yield 111 strike threats incontinently would the of mean end any meaningful prices and incomes policy, with serious effects abroad" (Wilson, But

NUR

rejected British Rail's final offer Page 5 is a fight with the Government, not for a General Election in March and wanted to avoid at all costs an the shipowners. election campaign during which the So Labour Government Government would be capable of Labour emerges more fighting the working class than the confronting large section of striking workers fighting for wages and is used by the employers, against Labour. latter for that purpose. On February 11th Brown came up with the idea of ante-dating the lowest settlement, which was defeated by

NUR

one vote by the Wilson, who was telling everyone the pressures which are being put on men I know to be realistic and he wasn't asking for money or more backdating, made last-minute personal plea to the NUR executive including a future productivity deal (which meant, as always, wages in highly organised strike committees exchange for jobs) and managed to group of politically motivated men, get une strike canca oll Immediately alter the election, NU

HAR

NUS executive and Wilson, BR smears. He mentioned Jack Eward, James Slater on the NUS executive: attending the executive council in salle Where ey are free to stay Ramel son (CP Industrial Organiser) has visited the flat while they were On the basis of this witch-hunt the the right-wing outvoted militants the NUS executive and the strike was called off detail on the seamen's Some strike has been necessary to show how far Labour is prepared to go of the strikers, demanding the left MPs fight Wilson to stand in the front line for the working employers against same situation again. class, and how low they will sink, Speech in to smear campaigns and their become Prices expulsion of logical conclusion anyone who stands on principl against pro-capitalist policies. Ther are signs of this coming again prodactivity. When in May argue restraint aftermath of N.E the Newham After this defeat for the sea Wilson felt strong enough to

NICI

on 20th. July 1966, a and higher overtime service six-urther san sino of se and amounting to a 17% increase.

offer was further months severe shipowners' face of such an In the 4% TUC had to of attack, the express Minister reservations, and Cousins, who had resigned from the Cabinet in June because he was opposed promising an inquiry

(HOL

wage control, but he wanted the conditions of employment. impossible price contro too) declared that the T&GWU would the not observe the freeze. This move of Wilson to the right, dictated by intervention made growing run on sterling to the NUS the other union leaders join Cousins would do the economy, (TO with even a right winger declaring: "You asked for voluntary but was unable to get us sell-out he wanted: restraint to avoid a freeze, and we Now you're asking us for "Their agreed. reaction a freeze to avoid unemployment. and bitter and with But the babble of noise was offensive shipowners' methods and cover their tracks Just if they resented being even and attacks hoodwinked, they allowed them on us be taken in again. selves to The bosses against the workers" (Wilson, ibid. p227) Labour Party left-wing challenge amounted only to a motion, signed by 47 MP's and calling for import the NUS, controls (i.e. let workers be unt and the

TUC

employed abroad) to take eventually said they would the of Emergency, meaningless pared a State

WLAN

that "social equity was days later, clared a few he proviso preserved.' old lie that hoary he

LAW

and even over a mildn to the empe After this collapse, wage became had re-emphasise law August culung incomes policy 1966. It is clear that the Labour act in the interests maintenance of that Dollci Government only of the employers, gaining strength could made clear we not from workers support, from the weakness, collapses and ccept a 'he Court of Inquir betrayals of working class leader- under that noted friend of and from defeats ship working class, workers. Make the 'left" We demand: •MP's fight! Sack Wilson and the seamen, June, wing preparation for Tune right as the removing

CHELS'

bear on the seamen. and for an alternative amalgam. flew back from holiday to for & leadership in the unions them that the refused socialist transitional programme the back. Even 'moderate' General Secretary br R. Roberts

SPANISH CIVIL WAR

HIRD & FINAL PART

In our last article we cussed on the central estion of leadership in the Franco. against owed how the failure of the atrists in the POUM to take a fight to win over the aks of the anarchist workers becoming more were more disillusioned with leaders of the CNT) led

POUM

to betray the isses. Yet Spanish were strayed forking orld pr ression i As soon 1936 the for the ternational =publican against immediately scism the time while in wernment led by ritain of Labour number inisters were in National Tones These social democrats, served the class interests owever, and the the capitalists

HOE

they orkers. The last thing anted was the seizure of power in the working class and by to give If they were ocasallis. military support to the publican government there was o guarantee that the workers and casants would not use those guns Franco but destroy not only pitalism as well.

TALK

The consequence of these fears as that while the workers' leaders countries talked capitalist Bane pathetically about the struggle Franco's they ainst oposed not military aid to th publican armies a ' non the pact' between Russia and the powers, *Party, led by Russian By this Stalin, degenerated so much that the ests of the world's working linked as they were to the of revolution on lopment scale, did not even enter the thinking of the Stalinist What most concerned истасу. now was the existence oi a tially very hostile Nazi regime one of the borders of the Union. order to counter the threat I by Nazi Germany, which was British Batallion International Brigade

LESSONS OF THE

ments of Britain Pyrenees into Spain. At first the and France. He hoped that with Russia to the east and France and Britain the west, Hitler would twice think about sadin, the Spanth conl For Stalin, the Spanish French war onstrate his opod fatty active steps to to demonstrate faith good Britain and France. He therefore readily agreed the "non- intervention pact and for the first volunteers who fought to send any military to sed any military aid to the send Republican armies. many

INTERVENTION

of The fascist governments Italy and Germany on the other hand, never had any. intention of abiding by a policy Mussolini, intervention. sent not only military particular, manoeuvies numbers of Italian aid, large

DUL

troops as well. Feeling very much certain the junior partner to Hitler, he to the civil war to arms, intended to use the 'heroism' and demonstrate fascist 'might of Ene anilico. to be allocated. also The Nazis themserves military with proviata pilots to equipment, supplying. was also legion did not could be Apart from therefore, a cause with the fascists to O0C1 who in the Spanish their the

POSE

available, military equipment with out the busily been It which they also re-arming was further British giving their opportunity to alliance that that everyone (except Moscow) Stalinist day. The of the Spanish cause of the Stalinists essential more and supported millions of those areas support took by the

TOTTRY

pact the fulfilled an armies enforced, would be the collecting of and and of May 1937. multias, CNT, still led to clashes Thousands of class-conscious and the workers, trades unionists and intell- Socialist party ectuals also, from all over supported the Europe and America, travelled to SBain to ernment. the International pact to take in Spain of main „wne with to be gained armies. were Stalinism of arms and would be by the fascists wavelle y the fascist the governments "triple' Ior a persuaded all the made it the Spanish power ir free from counter- presented the workers POUM and the the

CNT

Stalinist-

PSUC,

bourgeois gov- SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday September 3rd, 1975 control of it. Within two hours Republican Spain in half, and not long after the heroic workers throwing the workers were up barricades throughout the city.

Barcelona were forced to surrender The Stalinists in the PSUC who the fascist forces. The Inter- supported the attack the national Brigades were withdrawn exchange were forced to withdraw, from Spain and with the fall of Madrid early in 1939, the civil war and the lett sections of workers from the

POUM

came to an end. and the issued calls the seizure What then are the main lessons power by the workers through be learned from the terrible to the development of democratic defeat of the Spanish working class organs of defence. who had fought so heroically and But the leaders • of these so desperately against fascism?

working class organisations refused The first point is that when the Instead heed call. they the bourgeoisie is posed with the to decided to negotiate with the tasks of the bourgeois revolution who insisted that the government and is too weak to complete them, streets be cleared first. With the the only alternatives-are the fight difficulty

CNT

greatest the and for workers power-or the victory POUM leaders cleared the streets of of reaction. the workers and ordered a return It is not possible to fight for of a bourgeois to work. the establishment They followed this up with at a later and then democrac instructions to allow state forces socialism, the socialists stage. city and to vacate the and Stalinists argued. The material the

HITO

telephone exchange The negotia- conditions did not exist in Spain tions were ended and upon which a stable bourgeois immediately telephone exchange democracy could rest occupied by the police. This gave Secondly in the fight against the government and the Stalinists reaction and for the basic demands control over the whole telephone . of the democratic revolution working class must base itself on systein. Whereas under workers' control its own class organisations and a the telephones had been open to, programme which represents its own all anti-fascist forces, the Stalinists class interests. Any other organi- and used their sation, any other programme must control to prevent CNT and POUM be that of another class which, communications. however friendly it may be at a This story repeated was given moment, has different interests throughout Catalonia, except that and is therefore, in the long run, the government forces and hostile to the working class.

Stalinists grow more successful, CNT and

LO I

POUM members at will.

STATE

Meanwhile the CNT sent dele- Thirdly, it is impossible to carry gation after delegation to the out a struggle against fascism by Catalonia bourgeois state. time in trving to use the workers were dead and 1500 woun The bourgeoisie fear the masses ded. days that followed more than they fear fascism.

Only In the hundreds more died as the POUM by setting up rival working class and anarchist troops were cleansed organs of defence, production and by sending them into the line of supply united into national fire without air or artillery cover.

council, only by establishing dual Having provided the necessary power and then going beyond that service to the bourgoisie, the to the conquest of power and the of the POUM and CNT establishment of the workers state could now be dispensed with.

They can the struggle against fascism be were unceremoniously thrown out successfully carried out.

of the government and the POUM The destruction of the capitalist was declared illegal. control of the fac-

SLALC.

WULACIS

long atter, the Stalinists tories and the distribution of the created a situation in which peasants also serves as land to the formal end of workers control and the essential basis for politically the disbanding of factory the of the commit- called for, which they fascists who only gain in strength tees was know Caballero would find intoler- • the because vourgeoise all pard able. He too then left the govern- lysed. ment he had been instrumental in Fourthly, the need for ever worker to understand the completely forming which was now comprised solely of the 'liberal' bourgeoisie counter-revolutionary nature of Stalinism demonstrated the and the Stalinists. 1n les prisonniere antifascistes.

Libération immédiate de tous les Camarades du P. O.U.M.

Noue d'admettons pas le prin- cipe d'un proce contre lea camarades du C.E. du P. O.

U. M. sana la garantie de la présence d'une délégation ou vrière internationale. Nous protestons contre les exécutions sommaires et lés assassinate de Camarades du

P. O. U M

The bourgeoisie took greater Spanish civil war and the building section of a revived Fourth and greater control of the govern- ment while the Stalinists physically International in every country is now facing opposition the the most important naudaled left. The leaders of the outlawed the working class internationally.

POUM

were arrested by the In Portugal, where the Armed Stalinists and murdered Forces Movement rests precariously Nin, as do all Bonapartist Andreas the veteran regimes, on Trotskyist and leader of the POUM, both the working class and the was himself abducted by the the bourgeoisie, the lessons of Stalinists. They denied any know- Spanish Civil War must be learnt ledge of his whereabouts but this conscious by every class did not prevent widespread protests There can be no substitute in against their action throughout the such a situation for a revolutionary workers movement. based on these fundamental party However, the counter-revolution planks of Marxist theory.

Centrist was too far advanced, and movements like

LLOW

the POUM waich the leaders of the workers parties Marxism vocabulary used the too far compromised for any effec to cover over their capitulation to tive opposition to the actions of Stalinists and reformists play a the Communist Party to be mounted.

treacherous role of confusing the Nin, with Andreas many regardless of the along working class lesser known and unknown oppo- enormous sacrifice and dedication of Stalinism brutally nents of their members. Wai tortured and finally Civil War was a The Spamsh the Stalinists. the working class that defeat for The successful advance could have been a great victory. As counter-revolution within the ranks as 1931, the of coupled IrolsKy sald as early the republican forces decisive question was leadership: with the treacherous policy of the of "For a successful solution Soviet Union meant that the fate tasks, three conditions of the Spanish revólution was by all these are required: a party; once more now sealed. With the disbandments of the backbone a party; again a party! fight oi the Now in 1975, as the Spanish the workers militia and factory proletariat after 36 years of fascism the more the fascis.

QUESTION MARK OVER BOMB TRIE

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday September 3rd, 1975 With the Birmingham pubs bomb trial concluded and life sentences passed on the six convicted of murder, some questions remain. For this trial, though maybe one of the biggest show trials in Brit- ish history, has aroused no protest in the British working class. Six men were convicted of murder and three more of con- explosions. spiracy to cause the All nine were accused of being members of McDade's team.

(Mc- Dade was an IRA member blown up in Coventry while planting a DOm D). Of the six convicted of murder five were arrested at Heysham on the night of the pub bombs as they were travelling Belfast for Mc- The defending law- Dade's funeral. yers emphasised that men who had just planted bomb would unlikely to try: • and leave the country immediately by major à port. It is significant that the chief prosecution witness, Thomas Watt, who worked of the with three defendants, admitted to harbouring Littlejohn night of the Irom the pub explosions until his arrest.

Watt said he was sympathetic to the National Front and regularly informed the police about

IRA

IMG EXPOSED

The recently formed Lam- Campaign beth the against Cuts held its third meeting last week. The highlight of the evening was the continuing political acrobatics of the Inter- national Marxist Group, the self-proclaimed Trotskyists who form the British section of the Unified Secretariat of the Fourth International.

The MG claim to support the Transitional Programme, the founding document • of the Fourth International. How- ever, the news does not seem to have reached the IMG in Lambeth. The main item on the agenda

PORTUGAL

the FSP (Popular Socialist Front, of the one many left splits from the Socialist Party). The danger of this alliance is its domination by of support for the bourgeois AFM government: it also utterly fails to provide a fighting policy to develop of the independent strength working class. government based on the scattered expressions of workers power in factory committees, house occupations, etc., at this 1s not point an immediate policy. It is however perspective towards which all serious revolutionists must Thus the correct demand now alm. that the workers parties - the CP and the SP, which won a clear maj- ority in the last elections - form a workers government and for independent constituent assembly distinct from the AFM junta.

This can only be fought for through mobilising the class and strengthen- ing these local organs of class rule.

If the working class is solely 'democratic directed seeking to rule within the confines of a capit- alist Portugal, the necessary direct- ion towards the struggle for power could be lost. At the same time it is certain that the demand for a func tioning independent expose Soares' links assembly call the AFM to those with workers who have been taken his talk of "democratic demagogic , and who seek the parliam rights entary road in Portugal where every major workers party is tied to the bourgeois AFM.

LITTLEJOHN

members. Further the press reported that the Birmingham police knew Littlejohn was staying with Thomas Watt although they did not arrest him until the following month.

Littlejohn is the self-confessed British agent who carried

OUL

bank raid in Dublin for which the IRA was blamed. Thomas Watt's testimony in- cludes such statements as that John Walkers, said of the to be one commanders of the IRA team, asked buy cheap him where he could alarm clocks, drew a sketch of a bomb and warned Watt not to go out on the night of the explosions.

Further prosecution evidence was based on iorensic tests which were positive on three of the nine and the contessions of some of the defendants. The defendants claim of the meeting was the programme which the committee should adopt around which the working class of the borough could be mobilised the public esmen- cuts in diture being introduced by the Labour Government. Members of the Workers Socialist League.pro- posed a series of demands based on the Transitional Programme. These demands included a sliding scale of the erosion of the social services through inflation, of the opening the books of the health area authorities and education authorities to committees of trade unionists, a call to the local Labour Party to demand that local MPs and coun- cillors vote against the cuts and r.CO demane rolor symaste Tribunite MP for Norwood, and John Raser, resign from the govern- ment and begin a campaign in the Parliamentary Labour Party to re- move Wilson and the right wing from bower. from p2 supporters of Gerry Healy's LCRP (League for the Construction of a Revolutionary Party) were punched and their papers burned. A more effective intervention was made by the PRT (Revolut- ionary Proletarian Party, associated with the Hansenite minority of the "United Secretariat" and pursuing policies opposed to those of the official section the

LCI).

They distributed a document on the dem- onstration welcoming the desire for unity against reaction but warning of the dangers of the Popular Front.

We discussion bet- sa W ween demonstrators and those who gave out this leaflet, which seemed to provide some hope of breaking these workers from the Stalinist pol- icies that had brought them there.

At the time, the PRT same leaflet contained a number of weak:.

Despite the real physical nesses. dangers, a more effective way could have been found to confront these policies of the CP which have allow- ed reaction to grow in the past and will certainly encourage it in the • tuture. Above all, the PRT leaflet did not mention the need for unity in action with those work- who still support the biggest working class organisation the Socialist Party. The slogan "down with Social Democracy! was stole ed with great fervour on the demo- stration and white many workers expressed their justifiable hostility to the reactionary policies of the leadership, Soares' must not be allowed to prevent that these were extracted by the police after crude torture and mock executions. This ties in with the testimony of the prison doctor who certified that the wounds received WelC between twelve hours and two davs before the arrived at prisonels Winson Green words while they were in the hands police. However, in the closing days of the trial the judge rounded on the prison doctor and him of perjury gross accuscul incompetence. Prison Wardens The judge argued that the were obtained solely in the and prison thus cleared the police. As the trial closed the Birmingham Evening Mail printed a remarkable With cone interview prison which Waltee m fessed" that the wardens had beaten up the prisoners. He reminded us, however, that should charges be brought against them, then Winson Green prison would have to close since wardens cannot continue their duties while on trial. It looks remarkably like the prison wardens being the cover the scapegoat for the police. It seems clear that eight of the nine convicted were members sympathisers of the IRA. One was The

WSL

present members proposed this as the only pro that could gramme mobilise the working class against the cuts. Revealing their utter contempt for the working class, the IMG opposed accepting this as. the programme of the committee on the grounds that it would hinder the development of a broad united front against the cuts. The IMG claimed that while they were not opposed to the demands presented by the WSL, that what was needed first was a series of actions around slogan fight the cuts. Indeed, the IMG's own 'Programme' did not mclude a singe demand that would show the working class how start fighting the cuts. When the WSL programme was put to the vote it was rejected with the IMG voting it down along with everyone else. The IMG programme was not put to the vote and an alternative programme scrabbled to- gether at the meeting was accepted.

Carvalho The announcement last night of the replacement of Goncalves as Prime Minister by navy chief Azev- edo will further weaken the Stalin- ists, but will not provide any sol ation to the instability of bourgeoi rule. The storm against Goncalves appointment as Armed Forces chief and the reported threats of anti- communist rebellion amongst troops in the North show that this com- promise situation nothing.

where changes take place hour by hour it is poss ible we could shortly see the open intervention of fascist military bands now being amassed in Spain and doubtless expecting to find many supporters in the large numbers of reactionary Portuguese now return ing home from the African colonies.

Also the wings the

CIA

and other agencies of US imperial- ism. At the moment however the strength of the working class predominant and in the chains short there term should be heightening of the revolutionary struggle. Portugal is thus the cock- pit of the European rezolution at this point in time. He, James Kelly, convicted accent and many Longbrid not. conspiracy was an kers demonstrated under the Orangeman and claims to have ' "Kill the

IRA".

Br been "infiltrating" the IRA shop was sacked The summing up for defending the job of prosecution seemed to emphasise the malevolent his members known to be: nature of the defendants, describing sympathiser. In the cha "a cocky, aggressive little one Government w outrage the liar" to the pernicious yao. terrorist legislation' Sophisticated Bombs Whoever was politically sible for the bombing the they provided a considerable The defending lawyers each tage to the forces of reaction concerned at then secute to achieved not a single gain own clients acquittal at the expense Irish working class. of the rest. Lastly we must note that no mention . was made in the of the site of the bomb press Scepticism the bombs used factory, although were highly sophisticated, and de- signed (unlike other IRA bombs While we defend theref aimed at non-military targets) to absolute right of the ProT maim humans more than to destroy

IRA

the Catholic population in the

OLODCILY

What are we to conclude? The of Ireland against provocati instigators of these particular bombs harassment by the British could be connected to Littlejohn, and Loyalist thugs, and to s the Loyalists or the Provisionals. for the national independe However this speculative: the Ireland, do not in we an of majority the British working support the Birmingham bo class believe it to be the work of or similar policies which ca the IRA and have reacted to it as aid counter- revolutionary fo such. Many sympathisers of the A serious question mark national •struggbe in Ireland were over this trial, however, dem beaten up in the aftermath, some that the workers movemen lost their jobs. out the fullest information On the streets of Birmingham treat the verdict, along wi it became risky to reveal an Irish sentences, with scepticism

CAMMELL PICKET

STOP SCABS

Over 1000 building Cubitts (Arrow Park) WOr and others including Liverpool Cor kers representing all sections tion workers who took the da of the trade - from ship in support. repair to the new Liverpool Jim Saddler told Socialist underground railway - picketed broke how his ane whilst against police action and in arresting him on the p "Four of them grabbed solidarity with the sacked Peter line Lind then one of them seemed to at Cammell workers my arm in a Judo hold then I!

Lairds shipyard, Birkenhead.

Scabs from the new contractors, Other comments came fr Wimpey, who have (supported by of the Peter Lind A member customary police violence) been Committee: "We've approach breaking the picket lines for weeks the Labour MPs Mersey "given the day off" Heffer included, and they've were arrogant boast of a Wimpey spokes nothing for us and yet the go was: "Our men have got the ment owns 51% of C • Lairds sh man their teethi and are "The union officials are us OlI between they haven't even determined to carry on work anc been dow not even lose a day" turned into the picket line - they suppo no wim sadder added "T, its opposite when faced with such solidarity and determination.

realised that the right to work Sites the Action backed Committee's call included: : Teaching closely linked to the righ SU Hospital Site (Liverpool), Skelmers picket." Tale bin Bike, Neat, trip.

The picket must be foll (Birkenhead), Townson up by the labour movement ir Stanlow Oil Refinery, Merseyside area conversion, in this situation. Such a party must within which the majority wor fight, without qualification, against the CP and parties, the SP, the bourgeoisie and agents in break from the AFM, take con the state machine, army, and enact policies to tackle and in the workers' movement.

daily problems besetting wOl It must fight to strengthen and develop the workers' committees Soares, and the Stal which are now growing up in every leaders to allow such a governi factory and place of work, to the to act will strengthen the point where they challenge for workers to form their for power. It must sęe these comm organs of power and a new les ittees set up armed defence squads ship in opposition to the boun against the threat of reactionary vio state lence. At the same time a Trotskyist leadership must join the struggle The fight must be deve to strengthen the sallors' and deo ter the person to soldiers' committees, and the ten- side committees and ensure they organise them act independently control oI the workers and rank and file sold of the military authorities and the Oniy on the basis of landlords. Joint meetings on a reg ional and basis programme • can concrete subs must h

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n b d ПОМ НІКНАТРИРІМАНОМ АПН • Ced la papar en ne e

AINA

uO sanss! f нэrd q susnpu! un aper coman sall øn nà q SapeIL

AR 0 A

15'm aland

NOMINAN

NaSaTTIM анонхо huamanat punj