[The February Fund has got off to a…]

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The February Fund has got off to a good start with £209.25 arriving in the first week of the month. However, if we are to come anywhere near to completing our £850 Fund in this short month we are going to need that amount And if we are to even begin to restore the cuts that we have been forced to make in the size of Socialist Press then on top of this we are going to have to raise an extra £60 a month from our readers and supporters.

With more and more Labour councils facing the crunch on the question of rate and rent rises and cuts in spending, and Socialist Press supporters in the thick of the battle to force these councils to adopt a no rate, no rent increase position and confront the Tory government, we urgently need to restore Socialist Press to its former 12-page format.

But we can only do this if we increase our income. And that is a problem which only our readers and supporters Send us a donation today. Or better still write in for a Bankers Order Form and make á regular commitment to The final betrayal of the six victimised Longbridge workers-four of them shop. stewards-took place before the eyes of millions of television viewers last week.

The initial betrayal had, of course, taken place behind the closed doors of Digbeth Hall, where a vote was pressed through to call off the strike in their support by 1,500, Metro workers.

Then, last Friday, those with video equipment were able to watch action ieplays of Longbridge convenor Jack Adams declaring the strike resolution defeated when it was clearly carried-in just the same way as he had done to halt the struggle on wages last December.

That makes it twice in three months that this leading Communist Party member has helped the Tories strike a major blow at the struggles of the working class.

Given the barrage of media propaganda and combany lies churned out to the Longbridge workforce, however, the strong body of shop floor support for the victimised workers was nothino: short of remarkahle Adams-who had been the one who initially propnsed putting the sackings to a joint management/union "inquirv", and clearly opposed strike action for their reinstatementfound it no easy matter to complete the sell-out.

Kev factors in the outcome last Friday were:

*The small attendance at the meeting which had been called without pay and at a time when night shift attendance would be at a minimum. All six victimised workers were from the night shift.

*Adams' refusal to allow two of the victimised workers to speak directly to the mass meeting.

*Adams' insistence upon the disadvantages and difficulties of a strike-failing to mention that 'the TGWU remained committed to official support if the vote went for action.

*Adams' refusal to put the resolution tabled by the shop stewards' committee-which called for all-out strike action to secure the full reinstatement of the six. Adams instead called for all-out action to secure a reduced sentence-thus effectively stating that they were guilty.

*The fact that the motion in went first to a meeting drawn from the whole plant rather than the workers on the Metro line whose four stewards were among the six victimised militants.

Despite all these obstacles, and despite a company manoeuvie of awarding bonus payments of £23 the week before and £15 the week of the meeting, the voting was very close.

While Edwardes has achieved his victimisation, therefore, he has not repeated the crushing blow that was dealt by the defeat of the call for action to defend former convenor Derek Robinson. The workforce remains strong.

But they could have been stronger still if there had been a leadership that was prepared to fight strongly for a strike vote, and lead a struggle to stop the Thatcher/Edwardes offensive in its tracks.

The Tory hand in the victimisation was made quite clear the previous weekend when Thatcher pointed to Edwardes' succesS in throwing out "wreckers" from the BL workforce.

But the Communist Party is against bringing down the Tory government: such action does not fit in with their "peaceful road" to socialism.

As a loyal CP member Jack Adams will no doubt receive another Order of Stalin for his actions last week. But in Longbridge and throughout BL shopfloor workers must draw the bitter lessons of this and previous sell-outs by their convenors and officials.

A fight must be launched to build the kind of leadership that can defend shop stewards, defend jobs and living standards, and lead the struggles necessary to defeat Thatcher.

This Saturday's Longbridge 8 conference in Birmingham marks an important stage in that fight. We urge readers to attend.

'Star' iole-page LONGBRIDE 8** CONFERENCE Saturday 14 February 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Dr. Johnson House, Colmore Circus, Queensway Birmingham Open to all trade unionists and Labour Party members and more every week. can help us solve.

helping the work of Socialist Press.

Our address is:

Socialist Press Monthly Fund BM Box 5277, London WC1N 3XX