Why Only 300?

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Over three hundred trade unionists, including delegations from Triumph, Chrysler, and Rolls Royce, marched through the streets of Coventry on January 17th to protest against rapidly increasing unemployment in the city.

There are important political reasons why the march was so small. Though the demonstration was called officially by the local Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions, the T&GWU, (the major union locally) was not represented by a single branch banner, and only one AUEW branch banner was in evidence.

ABSTENTION

And the abstention of political organisations was shown by the fact that the only political banner on the march other than the 'Rank and File' banner was that carried by the 40-strong contingent from the Midlands area of the Workers Socialist League.

It was also WSL alone which defied the Confed's attempts to rule out 'political' slogans and shouted demands for a fight for work-sharing on full pay, opening the books of the employers, and nationalisation, alongside a fight to remove Wilson.

Indeed the Confed policy was very different - its leaders restricted themselves to pleas to Wilson for Coventry to be TTERS welcome readers' comments and criticisms on Socialist Press articles. Letters should be addressed to the Editorial Board, c/o 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, * - .. ]-.. ATULA ITTE LENESTOY designated an "Assisted Area" which - they claim - would direct more capitalist investment to the area and so reduce unemployment.

In a period of declining investment such a policy is quite clearly a fraud. Even more than this, however, it is a policy designed line up the trade union leadership alongside local capitalists against the working class - of Coventry and elsewhere.

Although few workers could summon up much interest in this bankrupt perspective, it is a policy which has enthusiastic support from so called "left' MP Les Huckfield.

GEC At a recent city centre rally of (EC workers the Tribunite MP from Nuneaton said it was time "Coventry themselves people looked after This narrow outlook goes hand in hand with the economic nationalism advocated by BACK ISSUES!

We have back issues available of both "Trotskyism Today' 'Socialist Press' Stoke stéwards on the demonstration the lefts'.

The low attendance at Saturday's demonstration will be used by all those (whether open enemies of the working class, cynics or opportunists) who claim that "workers won't fight" against declining living standards.

It will be used, as were the low attendances at Chrysler mass meetings, as a cover for those who refuse to lead a struggle for jobs.

As such therefore it is a deliberate blow against the working class, increased by the ludicrous forecasts of a 15,000 attendance made by Confed leaders.

The fight for alternative policies to the dismal protests of the local bureaucracy is clearly essential. A firm starting point the programme fought for by the WSL on the demonstration, which clearly showed that the WSL alone has the perspective of defeating the bureaucracy and leading the struggle against unemployment.

WSL EDUCATION CLASS Sunday, 1st February, 8.00 St Community Centre.

'The building of the Labour Party'.