Socialist Press no. 222

Polish leaders retreat from confrontation

AFTER BL SELL-OUTI

6% LIMIT: TORIES

SOCIALIST

PRESS

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 223 * November 12, 1980 * 20p Affiliated to the Trotskyist International Liaison Committee retreat, the Stalinist leadership In what amounts to a has averted the threat of massive further major climbdown, strıke action on Novem ber1 z Poland's Stalinist regime has and thus bought more time to the means to control the conceded major militant Polish working class.

of the demand country's. whne Ene OTSOUTe •Nas independent trade new centred on the contested clause, union federation Solidarity.

few of the other economic sunrem e 1 OUT Das Dolucal Concessiols Maue agreed that a clause inserted by the government to setue unis Warsaw judge conceding summer's strike wave have been realised in practice. readng TOle or me Communst Press has con- Party should be removea trom AS Doclalst the union's statutes, and -in line sistently pontea out, unere Is no way that the Stalinist bureau- with a compromise deal-appen- cracy in Poland any of dec to ine statute as an annex.

In exchange for this public CeTormee Workes slales Cal Give them an inch and they'll take a mile. That is generally of the

LUC

employers. It is even more true of the Thatcher govern- ment. And last week they were given far more than an inch by the wretched headersnD 70,000 British Leyland workers.

A completely unrepresenta- BL tive m eeting ConvCHULs threw aside the 2-1 vote by shop for strike action floor workers unions' the Dursuil ur called off pay cam —and strike that would have at once become the focal point for an Tory against the all-out tight government. Within hours the Tories had betrayal. capitalised the scale of the HODInO unal sell-out would set DaCK ane demoralise whole working class, they moved in at announced a savage 6% limit on settlements in the public sector. Miscalculated This policy -only new Callaghan's higher ill-fated limit-is to rigid cash enforced through limits on local au thorities Howe with Thatcher: Seizing advantage of BL betrayal But there are already signs miscalcul- that the Tories have running high. ated the level ot militancy in But leadership in the public the working class. all-time sector Is runnne al an The immediate reaction low. Union leaders, who have from the fireman -the section of done nothing the oppose workers TIrSt attectea oy blame the cuts. have tried to pay limit-was an unolllcla. membership own

TOT

TneiT work-to-rule that spread rapidly refusal to mount a fight.

whole acrOss Vir tualy country in advance of a meeting Sized up of the : FBU Executive. The firemen have particular The same union leaders who The agree- left the steelworkers isolated in reason to be anery. ment which ended tneir nauonal ten umree monui surusele last trike three years ago laid down winter are equally determined to an they entitled to prevent a showdown with the Lila U this the month: TISe Tories this time around. Tories have new nira anatener coverumer this agreement and up has sized up the TUC leaders offered them only 6%! They recognise that every one With the firemen clamouring ol mem woulu soonet SaCTILICe other public sector or action their members' jobs and living lead- -can given a standards than unleash the kind

VOIKCIS-1

also be expected to tight back of struggles that could drive the strongly. Tories from office. Thatcher has no doubt been Brunt heartened Ca y - mouthed statements of union leaders in response to the 6% Inflation is now running at over 15%. Public sector workers But this assessiment leaves have already born une orunt or Tory pending cuts in terms out the mood of rising anger uts and militancy in the working slashed services, class itself. manning severs anu In BL car plants, news of the overtime earnings. Bitterness is coexist with genuinely indepen- dent trade unions. existence of such ne very hanes wolle ne a permanen!

to the bureaucracy's power and privileges. past month has seen therelore, COnTICIS witnn ult bureaucracy on the way forward and an escalation of a new stage of struggle as the working class pegan to cemane une lun mioic" September mentation of the agreements. Mass strikes have erupted in cansk ane cubmn on me oand 7 November. dansk public service and betrayal was mel by rury impromptu gatherings of shop floor workers literally demana no to be carlea out on suIk remen nave shown ine readiness to fight. Water workers have already declared temselves preparea to take strike action to back up their 20% pay claim. too, the Cise watte pressure on wages is bulding up.

Right miners" President found little Gormley support ası week lor ns moves the towards acceptance - OT piy to the NUM s 35% caer in reply to the NUM' n oras. shoo roor workers have suffered the double insult of a new disciplinary code uni- ateralv rammea nome. coubied with the certainty of a single figure pay offer In British Airways and Rolls Royce, state-owned firms have proclaimed a total pay freeze. Rolls koyce management offering only a possible 5% tlec to increased productivity, while BA bosses have imposed a pay freeze until July, to be followe 'by a paltry 7.8% offer A readiess to ligut on pa runs alongside the emergence o workers crippled transport and services demanding immediate wage rises for teachers and other workers, while groups of strikers occupied Ine civ s town nal In Lublin striking transport workers commandeered dn orsarisca moromotu nicel- inas on inem to expam met demands while on the streets supporters distributed red carna- tions. It is in these conditions, against a background of harves failure and economic chaos, and win me ureat or turmer sunike.

Cont'd page 2 on jobs, with the suruseles Gardners Man- occupation joined by the of militant occupation threatened ICL tactory in Wins ford workers who immediately manage- HiClE. saw And November broad-based 700-strong delegate conference, Lambeth Labour convened by uroup cany a nonug tesoll tion spelling out a campaign for mass action to halt the cuts.

Even as the Tories move to nut the boot in to me workıl class, therefore, the opportunity to genera-

CAISLS

useo strike acuon mar we nee to boot Thatcher out of office!

A precondition for success in a determined

SUCT

IgnES struggle to prevent any moves to isolate those sections of workers that move

ILO

SurupLIC wages, on jobs or against the Since TUC leaders and local olliclais wi ao cery une their power prevent

-LIN(

spread of such struggles, this means it is essentia fight of councils of action to

REAGAN

-his politics Centre pages -his economics Page 2 Polish leader Kania and Brezhnev

PUT THE

BOOT IN

TEJECT

Firemen in 1978: their pay agreement now torn up stranglehold of union bureau- defend and extend strikes and crats occuparons mn cach arta. They must link up the fight Such councils aCTIO1 for industrial action against the should draw in delegates from all trade union and labour move- ores to the boluca surusele throughout the whole labou ment ooales as weu as WUIKu!

a new, revolu movement for class parties politica. ana tionary leadership organisations tenants, à leadership is pensioners, students and unem- such capable of challenging Foot and DIOyCU old Callaghan and They should fight to mobil- gang, ise class-wide carrving through the tight tor a action the defeat of the : Thatcher govern- workers covernmere to implement socialist policies.

ment-and as such hallenge the

Pinochet's guru gains new Poland Strike first-bury later: Page 2

-INTERNATIONAL -

influence On the economic front Reagan, for instance, in the his most explicit promisc Milton Friedman must now cam balen. undertaker be accounted the most federal income tax the the next three influential person 10% world annuat l'eucrar buuzels like KeneHD nals 2s0. Friedman's economic views ungertaken notho are known and increase arism and in the United State.

the government as suppiy-slae economics aeneil to zero They derive from the works Thatcher's experience has of the shown har thet oberivs ere omist F'riedrich von Hayek, and present circumstances onlv now hola. sway nol Santiago (Chi Treasres Downing and the Submerged Lisbon and C'anberra; but they have now risen to dominance In Kingston, Jamaica, and Or rather, they are mutually orthodoxy in about to become exclusive within the framework "worked". That partially the Oval Office itselt. ol panamentary астостасу ини Pinochet's savage dictatorship in Reagan s clecton now brings the maintenance and li cethe oi Chile. rights won by working class There the rate of inflation as unemployment benefit, social been enormously has influence in the whole imperial-

SCCUTTV

rec or suosarscu cau ist world. coup SInce Ine stale cation and health services.

central axis" of The their spending has been massively cut is the attacks on all of the and the government's finances policy that cconomic these which are the hidden and have been put in crisis must oc ahowca lo lake ils suomergca DOTHOn So many of the stated objec- "'natural" course WiTHOUT programme on which Thatcher working class and the weakest ¡ives or neomamism nave oecn Sa Carneiro, Fraser, Seaga and achieved. capitalist class sections of the now Reagan have been cleeted But all this was achieved at being protecica and smeraco in Now ciccieo encan. any by the economic the cost of the unstated neces- Thatcher, vrill na thot nee phy. consequences-a actions of the state: CATaStrO- the subinerged part level The specific programme becomes visible the COnIOI and a huge cut in real wages features of the policy have been first problem that arises is of emphasis re-elected, cutting being even Terrible defeat possible deficit through Ouase l

SUYCIU

"vOldIns U/CIl cuts in public spending, together confrontation with the working with class in which the survival of the Those consequences possible in Chile government would be at stake.

been and -as su ly Ht asal y because of the terrible defea pontcal bride to gain erectoral s more man a comcacnee popularity - -cuts in taxes for the therefore, that there is only one DrUIV InaDCled tilt most prosperous sections of the working class in 1973. country so ism has been applicd and has The Chilean defeat is, there- midat Class. page new US nuclear plan November 12 that some Polish CP Taders were drivenno Tak e acTIon apalnsl nC W unions-which claim a member- ship of million in 8,000 the factories throughout Country Joset Klasa, a CP central On November 5, and for spokesman. strike hen thot that strikes which days after, countless thous- announced Decame "threaten country's well- workers all over anas ot Dimblebly's programme. will be banned. it neces- being Britain debated an extreme- For the imperialist military Government decrec sary by 'How "There limit which ly serious question. Calls Wildl luw tollo sll the keinood

COI

millon: real is the threat of nuclear justines state intervention.

deaths, but rather the possibility war"? strategic advantage More ominously he added. securing a were provoked into by carrying out 'The is determined, for anev in till l oru yy e Dally *theatre thie not onv ov me eecuon oi nucical

SENK O

S lleil the first ume since August.

Ronald Reagan-although leading to a shift in tha1 use the options at its dis- been cause enough- the global balance of power.

might have posal." Jonathan Dimble- also by But faced with this apparent- DU l by's programme Blank cheques DOlIU open declaranon Wal and the Daily Mirror's front- new the rights of the page on Thursday. unions, the leadership of Solid- this context that It is in mood of most authorise Carter's decision arity have shown no willingness to workers Was l neiDe of the to mobilise , Ene strengin ezrler unis vear a new systcill ul Frances Pym's cheerful Polish working class in defence control of missiles, which specit- behali of the comment on excludes any democratic of their organisations. ically is. "better to be interview with Iones tlal ll intervention, Presidential receni dead than red". Socialist Organiser Lech Walesa, must be scen. on the shop floor leader of the independent Polish What Carter put his name to appeared to agree, but wnat wo in fact a blank cheque for Solidarity, Taue Wås need to know is whal dre unc the US militarv chiefs of statt to cominenting on ine success realities behind the imperialist the 3 strike said override the President and war moves? themselves when missiles have no plans any We are to be used "Arena" wars SuIKeS. llave selvas cal That this power now rests in omic problems ana strikes can- not help the economy." the hands of a rentagon woen precisely the point openly contemplates the use of Thus, at The Bomb it became action to politic- even when decisive rapidly Pentagor clear TAaT SUCIl • weavuli "limited" purposes-possibly strategists have gone consider- ally contront une bureaucracy Is required, the limitations of the such ideas as the beyond deter the ussk in ine middle East in Europe-is indeed a leadership thrown nuclear aelerrent the chilling thought. spontaneous struggles in August They now soeak sharply is the response of most begin possibility limited nuclear it poses most Crealy whal engagements-just wipe out one exposed. alism to its own crisis. The papacy, conscious of the (ours! )-anc conunent. massive importance of their influence in "arena wars, 1.e. a nuclear wal r'acea will struggles in Europe alone upsurge against workers, have

BOLUINE

Valk imperialism on world wide of the many retused to alow rouse ormale Dul. Nicaragua, in in Iran, Cardinal Wyszinsky to resign- experts Ene Drostamllc stalk. pointed out, such thinking has El Salvador. in Limbabwe, the he is 80! fore, what required by all capitalist ruling measure classes. Victory on points Ihey are still not preparea in most knock-out battle which took place in Chile.

nOW „ Ine ale ookm- more towards gaining a victory by the points potentially demoralising ettect.

of mass unemployment and fall- ing living standards recently deposed alaly y Prime Ministe Francesco Cossiga would be able to tel Ronald Reagan how just ancal sach d victory ls would successo] Forlano who warned two weeks possibility about the Italv becoming another Chile oi anotner urkev (witnem. course, from Forlano himselt ruling class nas c eary deidre isett, it tust decided the end, to pre- parea to carIy out lolal W al against the workers and peas- ants of the world For that to be done, a break must be maey u Deals l from notions all liberal preserving human life. That 1s the step wich ine Pentagon has taken When thev talk of 'tolerable death ratios' what they mean is price that for imperialism The increasing crisis of political authority in Iran despite the war with Iraq was shown by the arrest on former November of foreign Sadeq ministe Gotbzadeh for criticising broadcasting the state service. Gotbzadeh remains a close confidant AvalOllall Khomeini that early • his rele Lesca hbeex cact de enter-

_LUSS

1I0V0 Mohamed tained KeLa Saadati, a leader of the left wing Mujaheddin movement, whọ is currently held at the Evin Prison where he was formerlv held by

SAVAK.

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 12 November 1980 Pinochet puts Friedmanism into practice and his ilk). So would. Margaret Thatcher world stage who came onto the …Lo montas doo to wau lavilalsi applause, glittering with prestige and apparent political authority ready magic with the wand of monet- arism Now she presides over fo ermend, aich i is patin.

disunited, and incapable reaco! declared aims without embark- ing on a new perilous attack on tee workine class So as the fanfares subside, realise that Reagan must soon riding Lilt DIosDeles triumphant into the sunset this time round are very dim indeed bankrupt capitalist system. And ht o make ure oa ere de no hitches in their war moves proce the entire nuclear strike dure is now computerised using codes which none of the opera- tors understand With office, the Keagan in tasks facing. the US WOrKI. class are truly massive. But one job thes must urgently out is the calling to account o the pentagon. te orsarmn!

the military warmongers and the bringing under workers' control oi al nucea ulsanaluls

IRAN ARRESTS

"a He is accused of being Soviet agent because he inter- viewe(

SKOV

member of the : Soviet embassy after the February 1979 Revolution about the activitie ol mecha mua Saadati, who has been held in solitary confinement some time, had his contact with through rInISKOY araneeu Yassir Arafat of the PLO has been defended by President Bani-Sadr and also by Ine t who commended him for his during 1979 to pre-empt a puss ule ny alist culv Even support or inis kina b.

guarantees Saadati More South Africa raids on

SWAPO

At the end of last month, talks on Namibian indepen- dence between UN officials the South African and government ended in dead- lock in Johannesburg. On the day that the talks began

SOUTA

AurIcal generals launched yet anther attack aimed at SWAPO guerrilla forces and Angolan millary and econ omic targets The sharp contrast between official diplomacy Cane ane vmoeavi. moellalisli backed drive for stable capital- further shown ist control, up soon after the talks. Tribalist elections were helc under military control to insta stooge local governments in the reserves oanlustanl-ly pe lapua. -a move designed to strengthen the labour control DIA regime and the puppet whea aom seis it In the northern region Ovamboland (nearly half Namibia's 1¼ million people are Ovambo seaking, wilcke

SWAPO

guerrillas rest on militant base of mass resistance effectively many control anu areale aay was unabi. organise elections. The UN serves as a "demo- CaLC Illask ht vellals WN eui tons and uil specie.

illusions of UN ies the wen or secret dolomac through which imperialism and organise ds villo decisons The petty nationalist leadership of SWAPO sows criminal illusions amongst workers ane mutans doout tnt ability of the UN to furthe! struggle against their oppression and capitalist exploi- ranon This perspective turns working away from independent its clanc mobilisation and class interests While workers and militants determined take up the SuUsCt aralllsl sLal. SWAPO leaders look for wavs ol limiting, undermining and blocking that struggle reformist bureaucracy the SWAPO leadership lears th independent class strength working class-the preales threat to its interests and ambi nOn. In public speeches and state

SWAPO

leader Sam ments the Nujoma attacks ongoing imperialist tht connanct powers with the South African government Yet he himself is constantly negotlahon and deals beyond the : eyes and control of SWAPO militants inside struceit Namina continues TO snarbet

SWAPO

leaders will ste thei desperate attempt over the astle portal wollin forward movement of the work ing class. At the same time, they will be forced into greater relance le uel manone ges with imperialism militancy growing and com Daevil! WUIACis militants and guerrla lignier must be armed with struggle and an programme o that leadershit indepenoeu shows a real way forward in the oppressed interests une Illasses

IRISH HUNGER STRIKERS:

WE MUST NOT LET

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 12 November 1980 Seven Irish republican prisoners at the notorious Long Kesh concentration camp in Belfast are now in their third week on hunger strike. are demanding restor- nev ation of their status as prisoners attempts by posit and 7 the Tory governments lo "criminals" for fighting to liber- from British their country rule imposea Dy fighting such Im Deransi the five specific demands raised by the prisoners.

are for: *The right wear their own, not prison, clothing.

to refrain from prison work richt to tree associa other political tiọn Prisoncis. *The right to organise their al facilities, and to receive one visit, one letter and one parcel a week *The right to full remission of sentences Sean McKenna demands have been These consistenty In some cases this shamefu republican in Long Pulsolitis Kesh since their special category silence has been the result of indifference to the struggles of stripped from them stalus Was by the I01 wilson governmen poopic Hallulla 1976, bid portray liberation: in a in others it is the criminals those outcome of tacit open "own" British support for their fight the efforts of the British army to preserve the imperialist ruling class malmanne oppression of the Irish people.

rule over the six counties of Northern Ireland. The capitalist press and mass Blanket protest media are ever ready

TO WITCA-

who takes up the struggle against British imperial- For four years, up to 300 time blaze been engaged none ism. As a result, few labour move- engaged in have any ment leaders seen 'blanket" which they have refused to in pounca aavantaze Lo be calca from declaring. themselves prison clothing or to slop whal support of the Blanket men of out iner ceas In retaliation they have been Long Kesh subjected savage vears of bitte ATter

IOUT

struggle have failed to make any clothed single in a British govern- impact on bianket, they nave been left In and unheated cells and sub- ments Dosiliol win the support they need from the British workers' movement, beatings and endless abuse Block prisoners the ma treatment resorted to desperate tactics.

hands British imperialism which has been internationally Desperate certany word: the decision to launch a condemned. has run alongside a hunger strike in their complete suence on ine blankel could quickly struggle from the leadership of weakerica sidle the British labour movement.

pring dean to tae seven men unIon allu Lavour But there is no doubt that leaders-who so easily comdemn they barbaric behaviour by right wing so goaded by nave been Latin ill-treatment oppression •a way that they are willing to press Asia and Africa-have America. The only through their struggle. raised not whisper against similar activities being carried wav uner can oesavel s British military ensure that. they their by the wit demands. au inoriles There have already been too repress the liberation struggle in the counties of Northern many maravis to me mrisa revol- ution: the British labour move- Ireland. Charter signatories Benn and TGlil Organiser Ron Tuid

THEM DIE!

John Nixon Brendan Hughes Tommy McKearney Tom McFeeley 7 in London ment has the responsibility to these issues act in solidarity witn te nunge.

1che on strikers and ensure that no man must be inked to a mul scale mobilisation the British dies. movement Already it is clear that the labour against hunger strikers' stand nas • inalenei coverall all u formed focal point for against • ine detenders or onuse imperialism struggle against growth of the leadership. British imperialism. huge 25.000-strong demonstration through Belfast solid DOTe witness support for The beration struggle in the six counties-now at a greater level than any time in une last ten years And the tears ora rise muge struggle and the possible of hunger strikers have helped to stampede a group of union leaders, Labour Mr: ana individual liberals into their signatures to the Charter endorsing the prisoners live aemands. With one or two notable exceptions, these signatories cave unm now laken no sion- icant stand on prisoners' the the Irish liberation issue Their involvement now must made the broadest pussible vallpalgi Throughout

A DOUT

move for action solidarity with the hunger strikers. Ihis means demanding thai these union readers ano Labour.

ites conduct an active campaign level their every own tor resolutions l support prisoners' the demands, and for preparations to mobilise Handu. The huge Belfast support demonstration on Vovember 15 and December Leo Green Ray McCartney In this socialists must explicitly raise the demand lor toe immealate witnarawal oi troops from Ireland as Kritish for ending self- imperialist rule and the the determanon

IIISI

people as a whole

TORY TOTHEARMAGHWON

ANISETMEN

Page 3 "We, the undersigned Republican PoWs presently incarcerated in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh firmly declare that from today October 27 1980, we shall embark hunger strike in upon demand that we not only be recognised and treated as political prisoners, but as human beings. decision to Our grave hunger-strike is entirely our and owes influence only to the perpetuation of four long years of British institutionalised torture and unprecedented DarDalily H-Block here within and Armagh jail. Having exhaus- ted every other means and alternatives available to us, we see no other way of end- ing this inhumanity. Whilst the Irish nation remains unfree, partitioned and war with an alien government, torture in the prisons and oppression in the streets will always exist.

And no different is today from the same Black than and Tans of sixty years ago, when the same alien govern- Terence murdered ment MacSwiney and young Kevin Barry. So, in the spirit of Mac Swiney, and with the deter- mination of eight centuries of uncompromising resis- tance, we the undersigned, of yet another risen Irish generation, declare our firm resolve to uphold those fun- damental principles of right and justice, for there is no torture, and right in no justice in British justice.

We call upon the Irish nation to bear witness not only to our trials of inhum- anity, but to the perennial inflicted upon our nation by an alien govern- We face death in the ment. mind of those who are right.

We leave our lives in the nands or ine isn and our souls to the most high God. Signed Leo Green Brendan Hughes Ray McCartney Tom McFeeley Tommy McKearney Sean McKenna John Nixon

Pig: i Some of the 19 King Henry's strikers with supporters on the picket line King Henry's: the savage face of The management of strike-bound King Henry's capitalism Meat Products, Levens- hulme have been found €500 on guilty and fined two charges at Manchester City Magistrates Court. 1) Not securing guards to the crimping moching his hand including his thumb Providing insufficient In a trainine ano superviston.

muffin machine without The charges arose from guard. accident last when being did Heather valentine los!

he is prosccuted over ins 1½ fingers in a machine which still crossing the picket ine!

crimps the lids on pics. September Margaret, said she had In evidence she nem Der over mica to remove a no alter she years had three fingers crushed had put it on crookedly. steak pudding crimping in the Management admitted that the guards wCTU adjusted but denied that the Crushed training was inadequate. Striker and witness Debbie 22 Fitzpatrick clained the accident OClODen happened before she drew worker had two fingers crushed first weck's in a third crimping machine.

Lilal

OCCT

even life an hour's instruction on halt picket unc TO rISK how to run the machine. limb in the factory. and This is the second conviction alling their dues behind of the company in its four vear

DUIS

history. defended by the Bakers Union. 1978, man's arm badly injured when it was pulled by manager Hollins whose offers faulty have now machine with renned ine seve ol limit switch which would ordin- telling the strikers they should have automatically draw straws to see which eight switched the machine off in an Tell i accident. Since Heather's accident evening there have been another three.

picket was arrested for criminal damage to a car, halt an hour In june buncan lost lok.or Teachers demand union stand on gays D About 30

NATHE

working with the young or the lobbied members the mentally handicapped. The document outlining this National Council of the policy has not been made public union last weekend demand- but already one gay man has ing support tor gay teachers be work for trich the area for in further and. higher educ- work which he

COIC

peoples' home. Thet foby asking A handyman in a Scottish support trom youth John Saunders. cams necrona councis in cast analla Was sacker ov nis emolovers as and Outer London insisting that soon gas He fad ways the

NATHE

produce a gay rights had always been policy without delay discrete totaly l ve reprint below sections oi ness, but Employment the leaflet Appeals Tribunal upheld the dis.

THFE Gay Group at the lobby. missar alouon tney areca wal I ne National Counci's there was no scientific evidence this important for such anti-gay prejudice.

lobby reach the item A Salford drama lecturer, on the agenda and to vote dowr Gordon Wiseman, proposal orve the tem current priorit has never been easy for fighting against his dismissal after being found guilty of gross gays working with young people Had any to be honest about their sexual.

lecturers been convicted and recent events make 11 ot simuar Chardes it is nien clear that becoming no unlikely that they would have it suffered this easier. September of this vear Clwyd County Council decided Gays are particularly prone to miserimis a recitary those discriminate against known to such discrimination because they are denied the protection after it had gone through the Police also arrested friend complaining about her treatment case will be tried on Inel 10 December. The other eleven arrested on August will be tried I by special court on l- December-all to bo heard before the notorious Stipendiary Magistrate, de Tonsatioil isobably or the will , probably here Employment Act on 12 Decem- ber The beginning of the nearby Gardners occupation resulted in a fall in money and attendance at mass pickets but support for this dispute remains essential.

Donations and messages should be sent support

BF&AWU,

Dudley Rd., Manchester 16. of the Employment Protection Act. movement, howeve weakest only strong as its on other attacks workers tomorrow reaov the saunders case !

being used precedent against other workers appealing agalst undu alstissal in snous trial tribunals. No trade unionist can afford to ignore such sack- ings, particularly in a period of rising unemolesment The 1977 NATHE Annual Conference was told that research was being undertaken Into discrimination against gay ecturers. Where are the result f that research We think that after three and years it hall Is time tor

NATHE

• members would know thai Thev colo rev on me suooor!

their certain might at least think employers ause mindle against us." SOCIALIST PRESS. Wednesda: i.

PRESS

GANG

Hypocritical tone of the Now it has become obliga. the Daily week was set by torv for all the Dress to beain editorials on the economy by Mirror which set out to woo listing the pitfalls and problems the mass anti-bomb move- that face Torie and isund ment. some policies. But there is never any One of its special editions doubt the where leaders vas civen over to chitune stories about the ettects ot a nuciear blast and the build up of atomic "Suicide" ¡ne issue inciuded a super- imposed photograph showing BL • workers, we were first a nuclear bomb exploding in the , deserved some sympathy But the of the centre or London But for all that the Mirror senior crucial vOlt needs the pennies of the 70,000 inere was a suoden dast or ine old venom aemonstrated 'suicide' spread across most of „Loncon. on october 2o, It also needs the politics of nuclear the front pages apologists Rogers, collapse of the senior I ПЄ Owen and Healey editorial-looking stern of place amidst the simulated carnage-declared that the only way to prevent nuciear war wa: to build more nuclear bombs!

The hypocrisy has swept through Ine ories. economic oolicies.

It is no longer good business to sound enthusiastic over tOO Thatcher's economic policies Her public status dwindles the day and the number of by CHuC amond supposed supporters increases just as fast.

(The Brighton Argus prominent coverage to Guy rawke. ally were was burned on the bonfire.

The tried their displa on a theme ot Quote interest!, The national press generally makes a pretence at trying to make mine at election time before plumping either for Tories or the Labour right Thatcher vine

NOW

AVAILABLE

BRINGI

• Socialist Press pamphlet

THE TORIESI

E THIS WINTER!

A brand new pamphlet, spelling out programme and perspective for struggle to oust the Tories.

Available, price 45p including postage from WSL, BM Box 5277, London WCIV 6XX.

left however. stewaros time for celebration since the attack-the limit-was amounceu simultantously anxious rash wringing broke out. The govern.

ment was nervousiy accused of a U turn' (which it isn't) _loera newsoapers—tke thi Guardian, complained that not would be workers equally attacked own jobs which go when they beat limits, people s. Conservative papers like the Telegraph Sunday showed concern wett ine same Inf problem is not the attack on the workers; the problem is that the workers may fight back that the papers acreee collapse the BL convenors in the face of Edwardes' threat ot closure was a malor tactor in ine covernment announcement There have already been pre dictable bleatings in Britain the government Lim awe announced nationalising most of the daily papers. been the tionary Thatcherite Fraser gas censored Australia which

LVV.

newsudber about to expose a which were defence contract scandal.

In Britain, the Law Lords this tightened th ournaists wit judgement on the

BSC

their "mole" case-setting precedent aimed at preventing any turner such embarrassing The press in Britain, for all its breast-beating about indepen- dence and freedom, is as servile and constrained as any in the world Our first lucky winner Dear Comrades, writing an enter you Spot the Month of Action competition. As you may know West London is the place wher Dromey Jack has his base Southall may come as surprise to you to know that have actually been organised in this area enctos reatiet. wnich details events which started with of 200 people in Brunel University on 2 Novem ber ana will culminate in a bic Hali an alven er rally in Acton Towr by Dennis Skinner, Joan Lestor and-that indescribable chan Fisher! cuts champion struggles- Other events include public meetings, conferences, leafleting ano demonstrations severa towns such as Southall, Acton, Hounstow, Chiswick hope this information is sufficient to win me at leas one 9 Down the of the pamphlet "Bring Tories This Winter" I also hope that your mem.

bers and supporters will not, as you seem to have done, assume that . have beer orcan sed out will seek them ou and argue as strongly as possible the need to kick out Thatcher's government and replace it witl a workers dovernment The main point about SO That They l • bodies is do that not organise activities but that when thev di mobilise people, they push their economic down thei Capitalist strategy Inroats ratner than outering i fighting socialist programme Yours fratematt.

Leicester bosses back 'import controls' demonstration Steel houses: CONFUSION AS LABOUR SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 12 November 1980 the On Wednesday Torv MPs and a handful of Labourites speils out in 12 local most vivid way the realty of the November Greville Janner work. have given their MP, Labour MP for the politics of class lorce an hour off to take part Leicester West will head a collaboration i lne maren, so eager are they WOrKerS vorkers adopting large demonstration through to see then seeking to nent unempovment the it can offer nationalist policies of "Bu the streets of Leicester.

British. Worker' porters He will be accompanied by women's paper of the Workers Al Ine same ume, or course these employers will no doubt oiner Socials cue will ne inter.

Jim Marshall and Tom Bradley, demonstration equally Castl use with Alex Kilsby, the together Imolcil class colaborationist Hosierv Workers Organiser.

stance bureaucrats gramme-a plugalile be a demonstra- defend Is tnis to workforce at the interests of the working class.

tion calling bringing next turn of the screw on wages down of the lories! Not or -demaneing that the i nev will arcue lor me oven- interests of company viabilit ing of the books of the hosiery vour fle. Ine bureaucrats wul the asking workers should forgo their employers and their supplies. Thatcher impose rises as import they did in the "I'm ooposion lo dureaundancies

CULLOIS.

backing brain campalen' work-sharing will not This line employers, defend of nev be joined, and a surprisingly, by a clutch of Tories, union bureaucrats and occupation to halt closures.

unions to launch The recent Leeds con- ference organised by the enquiry Labour Coordinating Com- proved be confused and inadequate affair. was have to begin by accepting that ane arrenoance aTTe Leicester and District over 100; Arthur Scargill was if it is to carry out an effective Trades Council has launched not and there resolutions then enquiry worry 110 an enquiry into the cause of about upsetting councillors wore taken or decisions reachea the house fires in steel Nevertneless its signiticance lies in the fact that the LCC saw houses on the City's New In fact, more than likely, it fit to call it at all, an expression Parks Estate. will ol ne cnanome sutualon witnin hostility of councillors keen to decision The hold ine Labour Party Those Labour 'lefts' linked labour movement enquiry maintain une cover-up. genuine independent the

LCC

who have been Trades counch aelegates labour movement inquiry begins heard, at the request of the pushing hardest for the interna AUEW 16 Branch. the accounts keeping democratisation measures, now icla- turn to the trade unions not in nonship of conditions on the estate from bureaucrats but from a struggle two tenants. Laureldmannel typica to establish before the workers' of the right wing-that is in back door deals with the top echelons movemenu une Tea nature Graphic account problems which face of' the under capițalism. links the

- DUT

seeking with John Barry and Val Hill gave well mean point- rank and file. Illat Illa graphic account of fear ing the complicity Quite what the lefts' intend Girect v which. haunts of Labour leaders in une estate losow- acrieve is not clear seven fires in many and betrayals at both local and certainly the conference failed months and vigorously criticised to give much of an answer.

national lever the local council for its attempts lo cover up ine tea probem Bradford solidarity The act that the houses were "temporary houses" designed than 15 for more

USU.

Val Hill said the result was' that many tenants were convinced that the council had with Palestinians making The major structural changes materials used in order to make the nouses sale. and were intent only on hushing things up and making altera- tions to keep people quiet.

The Bradford Labour could not be relied stalinism one so e man dont was Movement Campaign for obvIous that the houses needed knock- willingness to prevent the over- ing down and replacing. Palestinian Solidarity held throw of dictatorships friendly The council has responded its first public meeting the to the US. Monday before last. producing a pian or a d1.L in these conditions the con гераіт scheme million tinued repression of the Pales- The meeting, entitled Why [£500,000 in the present year] and should support workers remove the worst excesses was stressed that Palestinians", , attracted around ever since the oressed canary 50 trade unionists, Labour Party Campaign tormadon ine ceilings), but leave the houses workers had witnessed the fruits generally as they are. members. students and Palestin- imperialist tactics in the lan exiles Or oin the Cam meetin the mein Barry Inadequate behalf of Turner dangers British responsible stressca The of this is inadequacy represente Crisis ridden governments who CearV The tact that in Hull it was calculated find themselves faced by a Roger Hardy, an NUJ mem- £6,000 house over per ber and journalist specialising on Hilitall l class would be needed for such work, the Middle East, gave a detailer peasantv torougnout tne word US war chiefs had lost the account of wnist Leicester nave come out the dispossession of with a figure of £2,500. ability to openly intervene Palestinians Perhaps more listurbing, they wished-as wit- snowea now the British govern- however, is the reluctance of the ment had been responsible for messed ov carama ano ran.

As a result they were using aiding the Zionists. counch to spen out in any detall what it intends What the detailed to do on say to do the excuse of Afghanistan to re- He explained how the British government protected the colavus mullary outposts and tires prepared by the fire officer rearmeh stalls from Zionists as they created a 'state concluded. The 'detente' within a state' prior to 1948.

Trades Council renewed cold towards A major lactor in alding tne Enquiry is to succeed it will final military defeat It is this type of policy for fighting unemployment that the union leaders wish to avoid inere nas deer action to defend the 5,000 jobs already lost in hosiery this year remains passive in the face of 2½ million unemployed in Liver- 1he demonstration become the start of a mass caus- must Novem Der paign to demand action on jobs.

Dul must stall

NOT

Irom the oroniems of the employers and their hatchetmen in parliament but from the inde- venent mierests or tne worKi Class.

LEFTS SEEK UNION

SUPPORT

But the day was notable as a forum for discussion on the stage reached in the Labour Party since the Blackpool con- ference and (to a extent), the fight tò remove the Tory government LCC spokesman, summed hesitancy by •saying tney realised inat turning towards the unions was a 'mine- field' and it was necessary 'get out every uning WOrked first". This no doubt explained the inability even a single concrete Droposa 'action-postponed until a TOr further conference future date A clue to the LCC's motives was revealed by Hain's refer- ences to the failings the Palestinians had been the break- ing of the massive resistance strikes in the 1930s by British forces. Ine connung western sup by the need for me explained mathema d fore police agenty imperialism to in the heart-of the Middle East.

The campaign's characterisa- Israel tion lavialist. was coloralls settle . state challenged by a group of Zionist students who attended a part of the meeting In referring to the rights' of different religious followers to their religion in certain lowIl. mccle was apologists agea inest accept the idea Israel indeed a socialist state! Brother correctly pointed to the denial of trade Palestinian rights workers outcozing homes, the torture! and arrest of activists and the nonsense of the idea of socialism based upon the dispossession of a whole people Textile workers SWP's rank : and file movements He correctly referred to the latter's demise as being partly attributable Stalinists' to the keeness to surike deals wiin the right wing. But then he added we all suffering from its collapse!

EX-Mr Audrey wise made a •typically demogogic tion-calling for a fight in la Doul movement to get rot the Tories and its replacement with a workers' government.

Welcoming talking' that taking was now place within the Labour Party, appeal lor tne alternative econ omic strategy-but with real participation the workers in companies uke Lucas ana bu Lionist brutality on West Rank To conclude the motion against repression in the West Bank and another coup inTernet are presened Turkey were presented the labour movement. The campaign received solid arity greetings from ten ordans Labour including Page 5 By Colin Morrow Peter Hain Cryer a local left' Koh MP who kept his seat, spent 15 blaming the working class for accepting mass unem- ployment, closures, etc Speakers from Gardners fac-

LOTY

occupauon ano a mnouga. ful and interesting report from steelworkers Llanwern Action Committer examples of the wales were kind of struggles and forces which Labour Party/trade alanct But that means. coulo attract providing effective answers and policies-which the LCC has ye East _ Council, Middle Trade Union Friends Palestine Turkey Solidarity Campaign and in support s also circul- ated support or the rich republican hunger strikers and the campaign steering commit- announced its support for their struggle

John Lister looks at the politics of the new President

IT'S REAGAN - BY

MUSHROOM CLOUL

Page 5 In his first statements after • the results President- were declared, elect Ronald Reagan has said his initial moves will be to cut taxes and government spending, and impose on the recruitment freeze of public service workers.

He has campaigned on pledge to implement three con- annual cuts of 10%. federai income tax. and to give nuge tax concessions to industry -while pledging at the time to further increase military sochulle

OVUI

alic above Carter s Colossal war budget. Such policies under the con- ditions of the Us cconomy are any they case be carried through by can only draconian cuts in social service spending. But the attacks on nunc services will also be accompan- ied the wholesale lifting of by evo tentai salety and other regulations on business- at the -again expense of the working class Reagan also plans to lower wage in order to the minimum increase the scope for employers exploit Ine VaST unemployed youth-particularly blacks-cast aside by "solu Such a naaen capitalisin tion to unemo oment is ont which intensifies the misery of the most oppressed sections of US workers. Thatcher's strategy It is no coincidence if all this SounUs exactiy natcher s economic strategy. Keagan and Thatcher share for the monetarist theories of vulton rileoman. ana a smuar dedication to the restoration of capitalist slashing spending and allowine ine weakest seculons lo go to the wall. "What's with bank- wrong was Reagan's reaction to the Carter admin- istration's laboriously structed plan to save the USAS collapse earlier this year.

The closure Chryster would brought Ilave

JUU.UUU

redundancies-out would of course have given a profits Ford boost and General Motors wonder That The Thatcher government has been one enthusiastically welcome the arrival Keatan as rrestaent-erect.

Stronger hand The sweeping Republican victorv nas aven keacan control the Senate-and thus a far stronger hand for implementing nIs policies ever naa lor nis more conven- tional attempts to manage US capitalism. Thatcher and Reagan's other co-thinkers nope mat ne will as result quickly be anie his implement international as well as a national level.

the last five "Cold waar War Reagan's aggressive Does nave ame on no less than ten occasions to propose the use of military force to. secure us imperialist Interests In 1975 Reagan was among "hawks sufficiently the few the trauma recoverca Iron. the vietnam cerent to callor?

intervention into Angolan war of liberation.

Ine neou onican President the day herald felt unable The USA could do supply and CIA Loan mercenaries to work alongside African soldiers and the South

FLNA/UNITA

guerrillas Then unsuccessIu. war agàinst the Cuban-backed nationalist MPLA. More recently. Reagan advo- cated only last winter that the USA should reply to the Soviet of by Afghanistan blockading Cuba! Alongside suen wamonder- ing statements has gone a con- tinued defence the US inter- Vietnam, Keagan aeclaring auring ms cree tion ca his in that: time we recognised that ours was, in truth, a noble cause." back such a war- mongering world view, Reagan's are looking aelence auvisors towards a colossal increase in

REAGAN

* PRESIDENT

FOR

IAMS

USSIANS

COSSACK

SLOVAKS

LATI

IRISH

military budget-perhaps closed plans for increased $40 billion or more in his first weaponry and тесп nology year In the final few weeks of th Reagan refers lovingly to the election carefully soft Reagan balance or torces inal prevalied the time the peddled his Cold War image when President But it is plain that he, and missiles the military hardliners who have Kennedy brought the world to supported him. would initiate a The bank oranced wa period of growing inter- "We outnumbered them 8 to new 1 in missiles. It isn't very hard national tensions, dropping even for to see why, when Kennedy and thuman right of pretence concern and throw the Kruschev eveouled each ouner Kruschev blinked. He knew he weight muscle openly behind reactionary didn't have the regimes, in Central and Latin us aown. Ana now we navell l got the muscle to stare them ships in El Salvador and Bolivia.

lown. There are even more frightening possibilities. Arms race Reagan's seven foreign policy advisors • are reportedly divided hawks "super- It is towards a renewal of into and hawks" the arms race to restore suen a balance of military forces that reas the hames, the mantary Reagan looking increase the military budget designed opposed to is move himsel

SALT

force the Soviet Union to agree Une limitation agreement negotiated To a more acceptadie deal or by with the Soviet arms limitation for the superhawks- bureaucracy. is in favour of the headed Reagan's Keacall policy siou millon Ma missue systen initiated by Carter, and also in Allen-there is no question of a favour of building the • neutron deal with the Kremlin leaders.

They believe that a major SOCIALIST PRESS. heinesia;

REAGA

1 Let's Make amerio

CUBANS

BIG

OIL

PIES

ARMEMIANS

a CLUB'

HUN

ITALIANS

'Hey, I can't stand seeing the poor and tl freeze through the winter-have the boys!

a little!' conventional or-more likely - strengthen the the grip nuclear war is inevitable within ideology of US racIst sexis are imperialism next tew urging Reagan to raise militar His election programme was spending by an immediate 20% eagerly endorsed neo tascists of the Ku Klux to prepare lor such a wal • Klan, These men are the who pointed out that: majority among Reagan's "it reads as if it were written defence advisors! by a Klansman Under their influence he has Similar enthusiasm was to be made it clear that he favours: religious funda- "Cristians for Rcan® *Stationing US troops in the mentalists launched Sinai to help desert bone coms state or aside and the puppet Sadat regime in Republican's stance of opposi.

Egy pressing tion to the the Japanese Amendment (which would con imperialists to increase military equal rights to women. ccae spending. opposition to abortion, and *Possible moves towards opposition to gay rights.

recognisna reacionary nationalist regime in Taiwan- Let-down the be dese statinist this could done alienating The reactionary Christian tough" "get policy volt has nol always cone lo t against revolutionary move. kepublicans. In 19/b many o them looked to "born again" ments in the Caribbean. Jimmy Carte to intensify will Such aggressive instant applause from oppression of women and gays.

WIn Thatcher's Tory colonel Donner, leader will continue Christian Voice, pointed • out ever that Carter's term of office had follow in the wake of Us imper Meanwhile within the USA wingit itself Reagan plans an offensive tremendous let-

elderly stand there and out and rough them up own, if not a betrayal, to have Ine

ILKA

federally-paid or not stopping for advocating homo- exual rights. Darwin challenged Reagan, contary. intends to hold on to lainly uch His election supporters. peech rally of 15,000 vangelical Unristlans in Dallas went so far as to question he theory of evolution, in a bid Drove mis megaevar creden- As bigots and reactionaries inel Denina Reagan, he drew into nis cam- sin as Lyno Net. Nofziger, a former of ving Jonn Biren society, who ecame campaign press Yet Nofziger and his oleaques were orudert enougn ot to allow Reagan to parade statements Republicans' instead icious was sualvey rapped manner again eminiscent of the Saatchi and Saatchi campaign which brought Thatcher to office in Britain.

And Reagan's tendency blurt luvicious alice statements was suDDorted squashed by virtually access of him from the direct access ¿evorters for ine quranon or ine campaign. But Reagan's trump card was the disillusior ane angel amongst many sections American society at the appall- record of the Carter regime, will lll les own Ham-lisica way spent naa

TOUT

years at least initiating-if completely accomplishing-many Reagan's economic and military poncies. Reagan is therefore now set office period of protona cconomic whoops enthus- CrISIS. iasm for his election Wall Street allu industrialists will be echoer the oil monopolies and others who will look quick cash on their investment in nis campaion. At 69, Reagan is the oldest 9. take office man President. The next oldest wa: Harrison. He willam henry took office aged 68 in 1841, caught pneumonia the ady • and ca a monto racer. Tens millions Americans would doubt welcome now councile such But it seems more inar JuKeN Loat recan Will ne around busily terrorising, and children the world and over son we normal me Only independent struggles of the US labour move- ment in delence ot lobs. Wares hard-won social services ano democratic rights can halt the Reagan offensive. Page 7 As US workers abstain from election

MAJOR UNION

CALLS FOR

LABOUR PARTY

While the British press which orass roots suppor miont stick to a plattorm and it the!

echoes the American bally- developed for an indepen don't we will throw them ou dent pro-labor party hoo about the "landslide" just as tue bruso workers le in a schizo-

I HIVE

out me barty ou rrime vanister election of Ronald Reagan move Heath in England. onrenic ( also voted as the new American Presi- maintain its support for Demo- Learn. from Polish our Congress dent, the fact remains that candidates for brothers and sisters; occupy the Call and the Democratic Party plat are his Republican candidacy plants wnen you see they close down. What

JOTT

attracted of the support This contradictory would happen the labour only 26.5% of the adult

. IAM

renects ine laws in mis country it at or the population. Machinists this continent president vuillam winpisinger who was one of the foremost were to lay down their tools at While 43 million men and Kennedy, time? All we have union supporters same women and one of the i trie Nantes ou neir subport tor meacan s oient reTused swing obedient pockets and stand tirm like the economic i natcherit behind Carter after the Demo- Polish workers did Our Polish cratic Convention counterparts now have were heavily they declared him- Winpisinge legal monas tuar • we co ane inev Dered oy some a moon wn! self in favour of a "oro-labour' live in a communist countr had been so alienated by the though opposed to one Our coal miners, just a couple o party, choice ever in wed. tied simply to the trade unior The Carter and Ronald year.

TIETU

to strike movement Toucht Tor the richt Tweedledee heagan that tney debate on the issue during a contract, , fought for a in the did not vote at all. one of the delegates, Bro. Smith Participation in this election pension tor retired workers and

LAM

1005, Tovent achinst every inmunction miserable 52% turnou1 When Carter invoked Taft vigorous v underlines the neces.

-was lower than in the 19/6 sity for an independent party of ignored it. While Hartley, they election lower than the and the working class previous post-war rock bottom, were strikino une rauroads the barges carried in scab coal in une past our aporoach to 53% in 1952 politics has been to support the The built the

CIO

Thus in the world's most Democratic Party. What good Eighty percent "democracy" • of the finance has this done us! Are they really the biggest single political tendency The came trom miners. our triends- is one of opposition to Dom oT Let us stand together as the the multi-million dollar capital- anti-labour time piece Polish workers electoral and the • aa ana we w legislation Wds Masseu cain victory. vve must nave a class policies control. labour and must start Democrats wert which both mass parties and the They were in control when our building it today. so-called John Anderson fought the election.

and peaceaoy bicket were taker Class consciousness from us the Taft away Not registered Hartley Law How they call Another delegate again ImIT cour pickets Inree four at a plant gate. When a scab snowee me emercence or anew Included in this 77 million crosses our picket lines we want level class consciousness tendencv will be tens of millions among IAM members, spurred we con tuke it, of workers who have become so we want Them to know we are evident bankrupte hostile to the politics of the not going to stand for it. It of both Presidential candidates: bourgeois that they do "Delegate Kelly (Lodge 79): doesn't take too much courage The working men and women of not even Dotner to recister te #Wie votbut this does not mean that this countr there is only one picket there Navi ween consis tently given Less • апонес choci their union leaders have of political candidates, as exem- plified this big business simlariy and I think will all year by story • yOU stance-or drawn the obvious controiling Reaga and the aoret nat scaos are not noted political conclusion: that it is for their courage or idealism.

calleo lesser evil. Carter. ano th trom both Let that the United States is the only major necessary not Democrats and Republicans and country in the world where the Democratic controlled Congres to construct a Labour Party in now in power and they workine men and women co no the fight the USA to for control the interest rates as they have their own political parties that function day the incesendent interests or une to day need to build cobalale working class and oppressed oicket unes uke inev cid in the wasis. leadine ane wontine tol minorities thirties; we must demand our interests the com. their Instead the bulk of the AFL- rights; munity and the political arena constitutional must

CIO

should take the bureaucracy EnTeW Uncl of thi retur to me soldaril weight behind either Carter or Thirties' we must have the roni Interve soul an incepen to strike in our we dent labour party We should bureaucratic leaders of I he must have the picket lines where President : Winpisinger the 2-million and Secretary Glover to call.

witC crosser Ines (transport) union, together with lines, not management. we have conterence ToI the purpose National Maritime Union, to stop Show the building at is one per people's threw in their lot with Reagan- unions our militancy and deter- and that this party white most omers, navine Tailed should call upon all of organised minatior ano deodie wil TOCH secure the nomination the IAM as they did to the labour in the United states to Teddy Kennedy candidate,

CIO

in thirties. Show this join in building an independent Carter around tallicu will American labour party. If we do multancy people supposed messer not start now, we will not have tock to the lam The Polist Reagan. workers rallied to the leadership a labour party." Such development in one ot the shipyard workers USA's Withhold support yve are not going Ine largest UnIOnS the Taft Hartley Law and other must be driven torward in the laws by supporting the Demo. perish openin s full But significantly, one of the The sharpened situation Democrat: crats USA's biggest unions. the one.

creagan and the crisis within the Republicans both are parties o created electiot million-strong International big business. We have to form Association of Machinists, voted a party of work Democratic Party our own party The fight must be to break like people Inose here n the Us labour movement fron debtemsel convention to with. this room today. vve nave to get hold support from any presiden.

all of organised labour together the grip of the bourgeois parties tial candidate and carry through fight for own hammel the IAM leadership independent party the pontical orooramme. vve nave to was mandated to: create a platform that all of the working ciass. "join with other progressive working people can support. We and liberal groups in our society that wave Have . Policialls aretermine Ene extent will stick to what they say and

Defend Bolivian masses! A new series Why build a revolutionary From our first thinking moments in childhood, our the British workers' movement.

immediate response to prob- lems we contront is to seek to overcome them by waV dent class interests. reforming the conditions in which we live. Whether it be the erving baby secking to pressurise adults ideology into more warmth floor workers organising in trade the education system unions to pressurise employers media, into Pay Ill Wakes conditions In the eyes of the we tend spontancously to think seeking taunts. change within the existing order indefinite future Developed political idcology, ament. - secking to the retormism. improvements in working class particu living stallel us forms of organisation essential to preserve the Casano and Parliamentary alist the system, within the framework of capit- exploitation of alishl. The seizure of power by put a rapid end to this new die- military dictatorship own power in Bolivia is an attempt to crush the workers struggles for the widest Inve ment in the same way as democratic, organisation Pinochet's coup did in 1973 ic dae umons. tor treedom oi in Chile. the press and assembly, for the release scell political Every gain, every democratic right, won by the long We Bolivian working the class these demands as forming part and oppressed masses- .of the task of the overthrow of -illucine the military dictatorship by the use verv existence or their own organisations- is now suppres- working masses of Bolivia. with Ine nelo Already nationally. workers ano tael leaders have been massacred and imprisoned the barbaric ine comolete destruction or the onslaught of the military.

dictatorship, we support the call for a constituent assembly based I ne world economic crisis means that more than ever the ty cal ranchise. imperialists their Bolivian allles need to increase the rate ol expioitaton or ine working Revolutionary class. The bourgeoisie has no leeway to grant reforms to the cratic demand. oppressea In unese conditions restlicita lo ine selung up or a The imperialists and their allies bourgeois parliament such as has the initiation of any know that been overthrown democratic Irecaoms Bolivia.

HUSI

will allow the working class with with the struggle to form inde- revolutionary traditions

IS JULE

pendent to build its own organs of power, soviets, in which all the as Il began to do in 193 and organisatons again 1971. and to move oppressed masses will be rapidly towards the creation of these organs will and workers peasants' government. the working class, the peasantry quest for rank and file and the profit and The neen theretore and organise to oppress the masses which is of the workérs struggles.

parame min the considerations 1nev. can lorm the hasis for a continuous ade me ary dicte overthrow bf the local aules, and not their words about "human rights". torship to the therefore now the Le worke urgent task of the working class building of a workers' state in the Bolivia based world to help Bolivian workers By John Lister party f 2. Reformism Reformism remains the dom- class, in the hopes that further inant political tendency within reforms can be conceded in the luture This is not because reform.

course Hally

WOIKCIS

ists are able to offer workers a unwittingly embrace such ideas to detend their indepen- having encountered no serious.

alternative position. But the politics of reform- ism also provide an ideal cover reformist because for Labour politics are a reflection of the Icaders inla trade amn orcials wno seek only te ine ruling class in preserve their own cosy, privil- eged positions. fore reinforced at every turn by the mass and every institution in Uneasy balance reformist leaders of the Labour Party and The union bureaucracy develon- cmerged from the strengthening ment towards "socialism" in the of the trade union movement in can arise only As a layer of lasi century. officials and administrators they have balanced at first uncasily between the growing power of meantime-.and thus they supposedly mem Dere represent and the employers. the reformist sees it as Increasingly and Cul capit- union unaccountabie Ine and membership, this bureaucracy lake its in course of decades the working nardened Statement of the Trotskyist International Liaison Committee, Monday October 27, 1980 Through these demands establish their revolutionaries Bolivia and intoughout ine world will fight support strategy of permanent TO)r possible revolution. rights-for freedom In the of the world rost advanced especially especial the imperialist countries upon which the dictatorship depends, prisoners. we lave revoluton. fulfilment fight for the

SOCILISIS

maximum possible political and material solidarity wiell Lile sluggie or bonvia s oppressed masses against the dictatorship.

of their allies inter- First. demand made oy une resistance As part of the struggle for movement in Bolivia that there should be no the recognition of Bolivian military regime by governments; and that all forms of economic and assistance should ended. We call upon the leaders of the main workers' parties This is a revolutionary demo- (Socialist and Communist It must not be parties) to do evervthing in their power to stop such recognition and aid taking place. Second, we support and aim often to give concrete effect to the com DiRec Bolivian denkers for a blacking of trade made demand workers' with Bolivia. We Bolivia's call on leaders of the trade union movement in the repres- to imple ine rebresenialves he blacking ol allis ana oner supples to th soldiers junta; and to impose blacking of the armed defence imports-especially tin -from Bolivia. upon the InTe leaders of the labour movement military to prop a initiate a massive campaigr taking of power ano • active, con crete solidarity in the imperial- chan the ist countries in order to increase the spread of information about on soviet demo- the new, reactionary, anti-work- elite, feeding off the the labour move committed headquarters ment While containing that strength in order Service

LUCC

between labour and canital They that if the ment balance of forces were to capitalists will uisruptea In e overinrou the the capitalist class, then their fat salaries, expense accounts and private property cushy Jobs would come to an of system end. in Chile, downs Feeble protest Reformism Their ever power of the state, frontal attacks on the unions does and hard-won rights has fore invariably been contined to to preserve its rule. stop toms or protest ana pressure politics socialism - which Even the employers' direct legal onslaught on the power of ine unions at the turn of the not Century Tolont ment mobilising mass strike action in "peacefully the working class but by strength *villallull ol amentary Labour Party-to Dart-une pass laws to defend the unions The Labour politicians allu Labour governments that have state machine in its place.

emerged since that point have carried forward the Unattainable relormist politics of the union - and thus struggled vulcaucracy- simply to "manage" capitalism and achieve piecemeal reforms able by the through Parliament. Yet the politics of retorm- omic crisis, are reforms!

time and again up The run material The against fact is that, for all the charade democracy, ramamenari real power in capitalist societ destroy jobs, esides not in the talk-shor living standards and trade union Westminster. the rights. undemocratic board-rooms of And ing class regime and to neip to aids Pinochet in Chile and the speed its end. Soviet bureaucracy Fourth, we demand that no alliance witn restrictions be placed upon thi in Argentina, ve a of the new Bolivian junta.

from Bolivia and that they should be entitled Social Security and other related bene- hits The bureaucratic leaders of ist Parties in the capitalist coun the degenerated deformed workers' states have long showr assistance by unwilling to fight states to such dictatorships, and wemselves against dictatorship Latin demand that America. tne blacking of trade with the Chinese bureaucracy Bolivian junta Bolivian prisoners-at least 2,000 political prisoners thought to be held in jail SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday i3.V the banks and industrial mono- Labour leaders are making polies, in the military and police clear that they are not prepared to promise • Ill the nign cour restore the cuts and the top echelons of the Civil even if re-elected The ot kritish While verbal battles in Parlia- capitalism can only , be restored the exploitation this o intensifying Inal relorm are tolerated by the ruling class, f the working class allow far iron : leaving leeway for suCh reforms. this Play-acling only so long as then new profits and stripping the away limited exploitation remain past, more profitable, years. Itate-as viclous military crack Turkey and Bolivia have helped to confirm Overthrow oller. worker‹ no way whatsoever of confront- For workers to defend these ing this obstacle and destroying mails to improve them living standards they voules or armed begin to reforms men used by the capitalist class capitalist system bu necessary towarus une overthrow the system and estab the nationalisation of banks and socialist planned basic industry without compen- economy. sation under workers' manage- such revolutionari achieved perspective is gaining in popular through ity amongst sections of : workers tion, but only by mobilising the driven to desperation by the all- the working sluca tory onensive. But it wil class in mass action to break up not win majority support spon- capitailst state machinerv new. workers Revolutionarv pontics musi be fought for and argued out apposition Labour union leaders left' and Ight duke and inis requires an organised struggle But if socialism is unattain- committed to Only revolutionary party politics of reform sulla persper tive can carrv through this fioht Isil, so, In inis period or econ and thus lay the basis for the necessary struggle to defend the hell-bent on restoring the profit- interests of the working class abulty of capitalist industry, is We urge readers to join with driven by the economic crisis to the Workers Socialist League in this fight sUlla. services ine most conscious of support the Hicasules has a close struggle of the working class and "brogressive" oppressed masses. , the friend the Bolivian Long workers and peasants struggle against the dictatorship 'stablishment o democratic rights! For a Con- We call upon the Commun- sultuent AssemOV! peasant te mined Bolivat workers'

"HOT

to omn us n denouncin the socialis • states of South America!

they institute and other

School meals campaign gathers strength Bring Anwar Ditta's SOCIALIST PRESS. W'ednesday 12 November 1980 School staff in meals Less staff and hours means time to Lancashire are fighting back less spend on cleaning Tory anu. merciore. lower standaras the govern- of hygiene. Menu changes have ment attacks on their jobs resulted in a lowering. of nutri- and living standards. tional value of meals. Some school meals staff have The meeting recognised that upportec the Lancashire ine erosion in tne service repres- ented a direct attack on School Meals Campaign almost income families, with the partial inception, now

DOM

they getting full support witnarawa or wee senool meals from their union. and price increases. Norm-cast Lanes area organ.

Discrimination iser for Neville Davis

NUPE.

is asking all branches of school staff in Discrimination alca to sellu school meals, acrerates. ana give mu subbort chuaren Iree particularly in senior and upper to the Whilst reflected in the use obviously motive this white disc 101 system. segregation and restricted items move by lie movement, it is by no means the on the menu. This particularly obscene Following the successful effect counci and govern- lobby of County Hall, freston, not only mirrors ment poncy last month, the campaign organ- capitalist values but strikes ised further rights and equality of meeting earlier this week. The active represen- youth and school children.

campaign. com- Ine attacks on the school mittee reflects its growth in the meals service are attack on an the rights of women and a con- two months since its formation.

trades delegates. scrous boncy or me transerence and part-time of funds from the public officials, staff, private sector of the meals By Leavilcis. Dal Calls locai Coul- lan me scool medi less attractive more expensive come an a nutritionarment are all represented on the com- accessible low-income less mittee. groups and by discouraging The latest meeting reflected ransition "packed' the non-sectional attitude of all supervison members of the ana tne rerusal to allow a glass Although fight the of water with a packed meal), against the Tory government is able to the

SUIIOU.

service remains the central issue, deal a double blow on the work.

solidarity was expressed for all ing class. involved against attacks JObs ane Hamburger vans living standards through expenditure cuts in the public Children are either asking to sell. School meals staff were par- go home for lunch, which often ticularly concerned about the means that women work adverse effects which the cuts in outside the home have to give Houls aru stallill levels. as wou make urance- ments for someone else to as çhanges in menus, are naving on the welfare of children.

provide meal

TOT

Their children home! For 4½ years Anwar Ditta, a Birmingham born Asian woman has been struggling against the racist immigration laws to be reunited with her three children-Saima 7, Imran 8, and Kamran 10. For 4½ years Anwar and her husband have been denied the basic human right to have a formal lammy dle Anwar ıree children in October 197 Labour and was refused. Anwar's appeal 1980 under was nearo in uv the Tory government and it was rejected! The judgement was nOT any discrepancies in based on Anwar's evidence, but simply on character assassination racist une nome Unnice. On 16 September the leave decision appeal against efused On 30 September was the Home Oftice declared the Ditta com- case Anwar pletely closed. Anwar home worker textile the Huustry want premed racer. Her husband Shuja is on Despite the fact short time. children have They send considerable uvoenuents nand Revenue since 1975, the state is •roporton or te locome back to Pakistan for the maintenance now trying their tax of their three children. allowance completely in light of children. Or, children are encouarged to use the growing number 'chip' and burger' vans which park outside school gates at lunch time.

With and local county authorities about to embark on the budget compilation for the next yeal. school meals aLaCKs on service can be expected. There is a real danger that next vea may see a widespread axeing oi school meals system the throughout Britain, something that flas alcaly some areas The campaign meeting dis- cussed action luture An open ener … to Ine Lancashire County Council is to appear in Preston organ of the Preston

ANWARS

VHOME

Anwar Ditta and 4% wear old Samera lead he demonstration of 300 at Rochdale last September the Home Office's decision.

Anwar Ditta is an outspoken and courageous woman who will fight for her rights. For case of immigra- tion law harrassment publicised, By Eric Jones Council, demanding amongst the council. other things, the 1he campaign offers subnori suppressed nutritional report on to all groups fighting expendi- ture the cut Lancashue senool meal.

encourages setting-up Cement links throughou Lancashtre at with amping on as Letters are being sent to all link with a group groups backs in Daren-teacher The the school meals service area in order to build further in Cheshire, he Cheshire rade the existing support the Io Union Action Committee The of industrial ana cemenT between struggles school by NUPE action was uIscussec workers, teachers and ine campaigns last meeling This again underlined the impor- val bills struggle has tance building Expenence in councils shown the outcome of fighting acton to broaden the siruzzies isolation delegations Call acalls! Cuts with from the whole labour nas success unv cerenced meals service from providing a base the school porting strike action in both the round of 'cuts, only to the burden transferred to other puble and private sector In this way the basis can be areas or county expenditure by Demonstration Saturday 15 November 1980 Assemble Church Stile, off Drake Street, 12 noon support for the demonstra- there are dozens of cases that being organised on hon There are no less than five November Rochdale support of Anwar Ditta. such in the Longsight area of Manchester alone Socialist Press calls for Page 9 laid for the necessar miass action deteat the hatche government and defeat attacks on the working-class Solidarity with Turkish workers Speakers from the Turkish Solidarity Cam• and the Committee paign for the Defence of Demo- cratic Rights in Turkey recently addressed a meet- called Coventry ing by South-West

CLP

on the "What's happen- theme of ing in Turkey?" One men is, was honestred on October was sponsored the Cover lost South-tast the Trades Council. It heard reports and analy. of sis situation latest Turkev. In the discussion which followed, the main points raised were the nature of regime 12 after the September solidarity need

LOT

was active . which and which sought to and file • rank Labour Party and trade union ' members Despite the limited atten- dance of around 20 the meeting Was constacied success • startin Involved point in the drive activ solidarity with the Turkish masses and Kurdish people particular the obvious readiness of both solidarity movements work togethe was a good omen for the tuture For more details of the Turkey Solidarity Campaign please write to BM Box 5965, London WCIN 3XX.

Page 10

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

Liverpool docks stewards pave way to dole The developments in opposition to. since the Liverpool docks strike threatened were retirement shoukd be on a volun- tary basis; and call for a shorter revealed recently in an week article in the Liverpool nondays. Echo. The Chairman of the docks shop only one worth retaining Nolan WEeWATOS COmBEICE JIM said they have recently called a clap-trap series of meetings to discuss the mount to a profitability employers to implement volun- by conducted stuay National Ports Councit. unemployment It implemented. this report will mean the loss of 1,500 jobs.

short more speca up and Closure of berths. worker on ine docks to make une response to this attack money and run. the leaders of the shop stewards nave put forward ine lonowing Abdication pathetic reply: they are calling for the government to intervene namas between une colan) bv the dockers' leaders of their and unions le. for impardle talks): the setting up responsibility kind of National Ports jobs. SOle There must councine cac structure which is unclear) to run the Concessions docks; and for delay in any compuls orreluntary, retirement land acquisition ano sac by another Development Corporation until redundancy that does away with the financial and social reper- jobs forever in colossal cussions have been examined in depth'. DOverIV. With workers by the economy on a world scale offers thousand the taking a way more streets to oppose Tory vivich, in fadershitruggles figled policies there is plainiy no lack of militancy the aurance organised working class. trade Unior politics and lusions that caDit Yer the existing trade union alism can be leaders parliament. -whether right Workers The offer perspectrve Leacue workers orepared ment fighting day in and day defence jobs, living stan. out to build such dards, social services and demo.

leadership in the working class cratic ones in britain Inese can ony ce detended through policies which start from the independent interests class, international affiliated nothing everything Trotskyist International to lose from durempts to restore Committee employing class. In a period where the contra- Internationai ano tne dictions anarchic capit- of revorutionary parties in every force tenor sale country lead alist system and against Closure parasițic oroductive Torces only planned in the socialist wacles stewards declare their The complete acceptance of compulsory this scandalous loss of jobs by the dockers leadership high- sily Cally lights sharply the need for a new leadership committed policy of work sharing on full longer latter demand is the backed up by the demand for elected committee and its adverses The rest is the usual refor- unico is tanta- lash up with the The whoe or Toe accounts ole Mersey Docks and shipping firms and Board, the

DACK

tabilalist dealing with ine docks, so tha workers can formulate their of the crisis- ridden and confused own study Inaustry.

OTIOI

complete expropriation and nationalisation under workers Hallachche

CCHOBLION

action in the docks key the realisation of As such it is an abdication the linked demand defend all supporting achon by overseas dockers and seamen. But with the current, be по bank- rupt leadership of the Mersey HODS Cluel docks stewards committee asking for tripartite talks, it is just that they themselves voluntary be the first to be got rid of if an area of not workers Jobs ar volunteered' onto the unemployment and scrap

JOIN

THE

WSL I

degene ted to der eates. readers of 07+L6 Socialist …o acnieve such a perspec Tres seer mort • needed detais or the wol and Its work and to join us in the struggle for socialism. beyond workers militancy

• OTOLEST

abolished through Socialist Please send me more details I rotsKyISI move Workers Socialist of the a principled League. Name Address. inted to the newly-formed which fights for the Fourth struggle Send

WSL:

BM Box 5277, London WC1V 6XX. Stalinist bureau. actorie

MERSEYSIDE R

FACTORY CLOSURES

encha Leyland Dunlow Meccan • Why campaigns wore lost & abor thoy ean be A WSt Pamonie

JUST OUT

A new pamphlet produced by the North West Area of the Workers Socialist the exposing League

GET

betrayals of the trade union leadership in the fight against factory closures and the policies needed to defend jobs. Price 27p including postage from WSL BM Box 5277, London

WCIV 6XX

Trial sub (UK): Six issues. Fight Six months One year Europe: textile Six months Six months... closures Name.. Address At a recent meeting of the North West Division of Union of National Tailors and Garment Work- 6XX ers the main discussion. was led full official by time Ralph Don. He lines ologise curion discussion politics into -then went on to talk about the problem of closures. expressed his sympathy tol employels who couldn't afford to eat luxury hotel the union were employers and meeting ensCuss wast increase for 1981-and had to with the union officials at eat a local pub! In the neated discussion that followed, a Winsford dele- gate raised the question of Oxfordshire lack of union policy to fight the massive Closures in the cloining industry and to organise against Health the Tory government. The crisis that is hitting the clothing workers is a result of the crisis capitalism, she long-stay said, and not the problem of Hospital for imports from Cos dependant elderly women. countries. Diversion The union leaders are simply Dy lne AnA use ure cuesuon or unports lu divert from the fight against the hospital Tory government. A call for the nationalisation ot beds. Was received tavourab v une delegates, but diverted by the as well lost officials geriatric care received there however, Three delegates willingness declared their fight for this policy before the conference next April, to make Community 'll a real issue in ine union The pessimism admitted by hospital staff who one union official position to defend it. in no way Tellects clothing industry, who are more discuss hospital-was and of occupations question organise for strikes to bring down natcher The mobilisation of workers 29 November must not b for took place Fortunately Longworth is very different.

"othing workers must carri action to build councils fight closures, cuts, and unem ployment. SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 13 Nureriter:→

DON'T GO INTO

THE FIGHT BLINDFOLD!

CARTA

SOCIALIST

For a

PRESS

clear lead in the struggle against wage control, cuts and redundancies

RATES:

...£2 £8.00 £14.00 . £9.00 Rest of the World: £10.00 Please send me trial sub/six monthe/one year of Socialist Press. I enclose Send to: WSL, BM Box 5277, London WCIV Hospital work-in vote AHA, with would so ye. your union to get job the support of local consul- at the new Witney hospital tants and the Community sala Fortunately the unionsteward Council have had other ideas about what a renewed their attempts to union was for close the vitally necessary Longworth all union members in the hos- pital and asked them to oppose 50 highly ne closure woe woe cree calt by continuing to work with th patients and keeping all the ¡here is a crucal snorlage of well over 300 beds for the hospital's facilities open elderly in Oxfordshire, admitted said, they •o succeed. sue would have to seek the support of all the

NHS

trade unions They nave just closea. Ine in Cowley especially from their tucally. Road, which they argue was no own union branch. CORSE a cut but a straight transter of The site meeting voted unan- imously continue working In fact, 13 beds have been with their patients in the wards, the specialist as to go into occupanion to preven bed ree stake a tonsk on up The closure of Cowley Road action when porting strike Hospital met with great publi

AHA

moves l hostility, but crucial though thi close it the It is clear that the AHA anc hospital was, it was only the the consultants geriatric were in a Parities in encitar and a sage worth in It soon became clear, how option for closure. that the official line Their cynical and systematic destruction of facilities has been fight not exposed. save the hospital, but instead to They arrogantly dismiss. th determinatio Longworth te best transle. terms for staff" when closure workers to defend the hospital Woman Worker subout let: the story at are ignting to ensure inal un

COHSE

workers' action with strike action from supporting It was in May 1978 that the unions staff were all gathered together for a mass meeting to be told by will prove them wrong and keep an AHA officer that theirhospital this much needed hospital open.

SOCIALIST PRESS. Wednesday 12 November 1980

BL CONVENORS

FROM BACK PAGE

conference of all BL convenors manual workforce at the giant is even worse. Longbridge 200 Cowley Assembly the come from the

CONCHOLS

Yet the

TGWU

repres. brushed aside. ents 80% of the BL workforce!

the rest are made up of betrayal, a meeting Ine craft union often Shop Stewards ridiculously tiny Assembly rant votea witn only against numbers workers one particular whose con- following demand for the imple- ditions are entirely different to nentation of democratic proce- those of production

WIKCIS.

Unles Luture completely tions: 11 was

INTS

JNC

farcical assembly that the "This meeting hi then turned to rubber stamp its ence oculayal or une strike. convenor The vote for the sell-out was have sold out our claim. They overwhelming. The wishes of had no authority 43,000 workers-incualre override une virtually the of the of the members. If they wanted whole

CAR INDUSTRY CRISIS

A POLICY

Out

FOR OBL

WORKERS

now! Bringing together recent material published Socialist Press, this new pamphlet details the crisis in BL, the collaboration of the union leadership with Edwardes on the future of BL Price 42p including p&p from WSL, BM Box 5277, London WC1V 6XX.

CONFERENCE

Saturday November 15 at Digbeth Civic Hall, Birmingham 10.30 am. to 5.00 pm. Credentials £1 (50p unwaged) from G. Webster, 169 Barclay Road, Smethwick, West Midlands Chall

AT THE TOP...

UNION DUES

to capitulate to Edwardes they complex and the nat an obeation to recal the and Body mass meetingse and seek the of members for contemptuously support their position aftermath this We call TOr an end to the of the Joint existing unrepresentative nego the Cowley tia ting structure within BL. We call for a new based endorse the on representative delegate con ence : the siz individual plants. Pay negoula- contererce showd elecu me vu should be and the responsible to it. s no confid- the This would bring a degree of They democracy into our negotiating conterence procedures. A full analysis of the situa- Whatever tion 4 wu mass vote or tolowing lae sell- out will appear in next weck's Socialist Press Basnett Hunterston JSSC Conference on basic trade union rights Partick Burgh Hall

GLASGOW

Monday November 17 10 a.m. Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement

THE LETLAND

VOTED FOR STRIKE ACTION.

RIGHT! I'LL TAKE A ROLL CALL:

DAVID:

CLNE; ALEX; TERRY; FRANK;

JOE JOE?. WHERE'S THAT

JOE GORMLET !

CHIPPING AWAY AT THE

TUC

ICL's 2-day sit-in: 1,500 workers at the ICL put by the computer factory at Wins- in Cheshire did not ford Diant wait long before giving their membership in the fight response to the company's plan to close it down. occupation, to ine closure was announced last Friday. The Monday, after a discussion on lic plant s vomt unot commit.

occupy the stat dor voidays stewards voted limited, marks sow treur accrmmanon to umon leaders defend jobs. with propond closures They management ces dna askea Enem to leave lne plant-wnich they did. Stewards then broadcast ing action locally over the 1 annuy • surprised worktorce that the factory was occupied decision for a two-day their jobs occupation had not arisen with- our peDater some stewards nad strongly argued the case for an immediate all-out occupation to stage of being detend jobs. had favoured more others traditional forms of protest-the workers are kind of gestures that have see factories the capitalist class, closed down by dozen throughout North scale West and industrial Britain not ine davocates or an inder- occupation had also In nate Curtbally. March against unemployment Tories took office. The national demonstra tion against unemployment place-the taken called in Liverpool for 29 Hospital on. the st November forms the next the major focus of working class rosoilal occupation hostility the Thatcher fight to defend government. teacher Eileen With special trains and resultea coaches laid on from all areas it from union officials, but from is certain that many of the most militant sections of the workers' rank and file. And they movement demonstration called the deliberately heart of one of the areas most union leaders in the hop‹ devastated by lory policies Enev Will and thus help but nor will tnere be ani lack of hypocritical Labour and workers from willing trade union leaders allull. turn out on a Saturday protes against unemployment without the workers movement however being prepared to lift a finger in is different very practice fight cuts wretched capitulations closures or mount any struggle headersnio to bring down the Tory govern- ment. 700-strong delegate Breast-beating speeches can 'Local Government be expected from a whole range convened bureaucrats: yet the stark Group on November 1. fact is that there has : not been a Attempts single officially-led tight to stor _Rot bureaucral even one factory closure blame cuts on union members public the were vocally attacked by service since

CUTI

...WE MUST HAVE A MORE

I KNEW IT! I KNEW THEY

REPRESENTATIVE MEETING

WERE BEGINNING TOCAN

T.U.C.

WHOLE

- I'LL CALL IN THE

GENERAL COUNCIL

THOUGHI

WITH B.L:

THIS WASA

her bood

CARRIED!,

THE DECLAm.

ALL THOSE

Page 11 make it indefinite! pressed for this proposal to be 1980 its profits rose Joint Negotiating 10% to £20.5 million. In the las Committee to a mass meeting oi Lul year prols rose rio to a record £45.7 million worklorce , The nex1 day, in order fully to involve the addition has jus received of a: an amended order for tne computensanon ol Revenue esoluon. callne lor a amue nand be announcer JUC, was cried by a 4-t maority. was Redundancies significant simply a break from the defeatist politics Ine sackings are further move profits by increasing the exploi- wien lacea amon they now go beyond the They solacion a rota mave redundancies have 2-day occupation to an indelin- already axed 1.600 jobs in the Te can ste nant and tont from that basis to build support- last 12 months through- In Winsford this means that and 500 the workers who out the ICL combine. the Wins "volunteer' Tora workers can take the onv 10] steps open to them to defen redundancy have already gone.

With throughout the the area closed or closing, Occupation as a key to the defence of jobs is effective only rest nave nome to lose ano as it goes beyond the everything to gain by mounting a fight to save their jobs simply spell out clearly to all concerned that action they start should the workforce of intent upon seizing Metal the threatened Box , and mobilising lactory across ine road to Join for them in a coordinated fight support Thel full-scale demanding official first malt of backing

ITOR

Ine the first half concerned.

NOV29

and file NUPE delegates and ine lew struggies unar nave oiner noor speakers. •Viserable St. Benedicts NUPE amendments designed to the Meccano eliminate action alls Columba's Ine tal resolution were the Gardners overwhelmingly thrown out Trade unionists and Labour in Manchester; _Nottingham activists instead voted in favour Crosbie -have serie. amenament. supported jointly by ITOn Press, the Campaign for Demo- the resistance among in the Labour Movement and -which oreanise, have all been spelled out a commitment . to isolated by national strike action 112Ik Illads tha acainst

CULI

orael defeat the Tory offensive.

• quiety dereater to deter other This fight must be pressed taking similar home in the for the November 29 demonstration The mood in the ranks of The demand must be placed firmly on that claim to from workers' lead the ot the inal uney stop unen excuses 10 inaction and start the long over- due fight to mobilise mass strike This was borne out at the the action throw Crisis a natoner covernment leadership A new must be Lam beth Labour built in the labour movement to

NUPE

LUV

OUS

allu that stand opposed to Those such a fight. rank

SA PEN HONE CAL LATTR

HOTEL

(THOPE THIS IS OVER QUICKLY?

¡'VE GOT TO MAKE A LEFT

METRO

SPEECH THIN EVENING.

RICHT WEL THIS CA RORA CELSPATION

HAN ME

MUZZOU HAVE MOSSI

BL: CONVENORS

THE WEAK LINK

SUPPORT HUNGER

Published by Folrose Ltd for the workers Socialist League, BM Box 5277, London WCIN 3XX. Printed by Morning Litho Printers, London.

For the second yeal running BL workers have voted 2-1 for strike action to pursue their wage claim.

And for the second year running they have been miser- aby perravco oy incir icaacts.

Last year in a secret ballot workforce threw out a 5% the offer. Union officials and con stepped venors Creatu maximum confusion. And even- Edwardes succeeded tually deal imposine Ine shop floor workers. Came as shock This yarne meetings thats. throughout produced a convincing 43,000- 21.000 vote tor strike action to press ine unon stil clam anl reject Edwardes' 6.8% ultimatum. The vote came as a shock to union leaders, employers and Friday November 14,5.30 pm.

Mass picket of Downing surcel support of Armagh prisoner Pauline McLaughlin. Saturday November 15, 7.30pm Central London Benefit Disco, Polytechnic, Bolsover St.. called by 1.0.M Monday November 17, 7.30 pm Public Meeting on Hunger Strike Dalston Hackney, Speaker Firnie Roberts Called

SOCHUSE

Organiser. November 22, 12 damurady noon. Picket of Brixton police station South London Hunger called by Sunday November 23, 2.30pm Manchester Martyrs demonstra- Picaddily

ASSEMIDIC

Gardens.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

• Monday Vovember 24 at 7.30 p.m1. Lower Town Hall, Brixton Called by South London hunger berke Achon Committee Wednesday November 26 at 7.30 p.m. Battersea Town fall, Lavender Hill Saturday November 29, 2.30pm from Clapham Common Maren called by South London Hunger Strike Action Committee. Saturday November 29, 1.30pm March from The Crown, Crickle- wood. Called by IRSP. For details contact Box 353, Charter London NWS. 01-267-2004.

SOCIALIST

PRESS

They grasped at once onto Torv press-all of whom had formed the view that ine maicrous proposal Dy after company 12 verbonu £1.25 bonus workers, years pink for fight betrayals. would never €15 per worker over 3 months again. Under pressure from their supposca concession members- bitter at three years that would excuse calling off the strike. on Monday November 3 voted -for all Steamrollered -with heavy abstentions Tuesday. Next to fall before Edwardes But this decision proved to was the Joint Negotiating Com.

be the starting signal not for Having nataly

DUCT

preparanons wanne SETIKe diviced on wetner o • not Committe the son steame but for frantic manocuvres by top officials to force home i Committee soon sell-out. rollered into voting overwhelm- Union General Sccretaries many them (like David of them had wanted. Basnett and Clive Jenkins) with But while the JNC is itselt notorIOuSLy unre resentalive clain -were immediately the amnes beached by closeted with Edwardes, who attendance ofticials and convenors watera out his usual lnical lo shut down the company. representing only tiny handfuls The General Secretaries BL's 70.000 workforce-a immediately collapsed before Cont'd page 11 howaracs inreas.

STRIKERS!

As the hunger strike by Socialist Press suoDollers republican Irish seven take up a fight in every town for initiatives with other prisoners enters its third joint troops out cam- week, the campaign in their soclalists allu paigners towards puncily and beginning support. support the grow. hunger strikers. wake But with the danger that in in the Meanwillit weakened the their state the press wiren-nunt against st could Birmingham Labour councillors face prisonels inter tikers, the West netore aristmas. llls vital tal Will the British labour movement nungel

SLIKCIS.

rapidly take Midlands section of the Labour to up Luvas Committee on Ireland-includ- the restoration of prisoner of war status. 13 constituencies -has rallied m Labour Party members trom Ar its meeting on the week National Committee of their support. end the A statement declares that:

WOIKCIS

Dollarist called on all WSL branches and "We call for the reintroduc

FUND

A good post of £206 this week has taken us much nearer to our target of raising the first f1,000 of our £1,500 Special Fund by next Saturday. But we still have to raise £310.75 in the next few days if we are to reach the first stage of our target on time, so there's no time to lose.

complete the fund by the Workers Socialist League Sixth We want to Anniversary Rally on December 6. And in order to do so we are asking all our readers and supporters to consider sending us one day's pay.

We know that everyone is feeling the pinch at the moment, but, with huge struggles looming against the 6% wage limit imposed by the Tories, we need every penny of this fund if we are to be able to intervene in these struggles with the programme of Trotskyism.

Our (new) address is: Send us a donation today.

Socialist Press Special Fund, BM Box 5277, London WC1N 3XX Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office. Signed articles do not necessarily represent the views of the Workers Socialist League.

IT'S FOOT!

FIGHT ON!

Workers at BL Cowley Body Plant tion of the previous political

STATIS

or mese Dasoners. draw attention to Annual Con Report 1980 Tereny eeptons of the EC ference

AISO

we note cynical attempt of the Tory government to head off the growing disquiet in Britain and elsewhere about what is happen- ing in the H' Blocks and / granting all Ireland generally, by Ireland Northern Daisone the right to wear official prisor issue civilian-type clothing "We congratulate the coun- to declare their cillors prepred nositions an e queston and pledge that they stand alone under will аттаск Mail and its supporters. The issues-page 3

WORKERS SOCIALIST

LEAGUE

Christmas Bazaar Cowley Community Centre, Oxford

SATURDAY 29

NOVEMBER

12 noon to 4 p.m. Cakes - Gifts - Books Raffle Bottles Games Jumble Plants Refreshments - You name it, we've got it! Donations and assist- ance welcome. Michael Foot has been selected by the Parliament- Labour Party the ary as 'man most likely'. They see as bes equipped to stem a forward of workers treatens o dust me ratne government and return a Labour government under stormy con- ageing his and Desolle tattered 'left' image-laborious- ly refurbished by the Tory press In recent weeks-rool ilas years been a loyal servant of the Callaghan gang. Wage controls During the lifetime of the last Labour government Foot as a Cabinet minister lent his sup port

TOUT

o nase oI wage controls, to huge public spend- cuts, mass unemployment, ing private handouts cast industry, and intensified repre ion of the Irish peopl Since the election of the governmen devoted his main energies to forestalling moves towards Party democracy and Labour discredited bolstering Callaghan leadership Like Callaghan, Foot stands opposea resolutely action to bring down the Tories.

his methods of argument • of seeking: to for a perspective Thatcher pressuris change or poncy are more subu flexible than those main rival for the Party leader- Dennis Healey sh While Healey and arrogantly argues the need for capitalist policies-wage cuts. public spending cuts and unem.

ployment-to resolve Tne capitalist crisis, Foot seeks more the same • dress un lactruly lu policies as a variety or socialism It is on this basis that Foot has clearly won substantial sup.

the right wing domin Dost Irom ated PLP who recognise that control of Party the face of rising rank and ille militancy Bamboozle Sooner than further antagon- ise the new left wing within the Party. the PLP Close Foot-whose flights or wind rhetoric will, hope bam. they them and defuse their struggle The • tight ior a principle‹ socialist leadership in the labour now proceed Callaghan. Was did against Callaghan the extreme wing's choser right defeated, the battle will now be Turtoer ou The open in tae the Special Confer- run-up ence in January.

ANNIVERSARY

RALLY

Six years of the Workers Socialist League Speakers from Socialist Press Woman Worker Red Youth and the Trotskyist International Liaison Committee plus film

SATURDAY 6

DECEMBER 3 p.m. New Ambassadors Hotel Upper Woburn Place London WC! Tickets £1.50 (£1.00 outside London in advance), unwaged 50p