Leyland Sues Sit -in

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The workers occupation of British Leyland's bankrupt Innocenti plant in Milan has continued since the end of November.

The occupation continues to be at the centre of the Italian political stage, posing major problems for the totering Christian Democratic government and occasioning huge demonstrations of trade union solidarity through the streets of Milan.

NOT PAID British Leyland has still not paid out a penny in promised redundancy payments. Not content with having thrown several thousand workers out of a job, Leyland are now suing them in the Italian courts for the repossession of the cars and equipment which they now control.

The cars, alone (Bertoni minis) are worth £7.5m - enough to offset about one month's losses at last year's level.

In bringing this legal action Leyland are trying to force the Italian government to send in the police to break the occupation. Such a move would provoke massive resistence from the workers in Milan and the rest of Italy.

CRISIS

So a Leyland victory in the court case (which begins on February 17th) could worsen Italy's already profound political crisis.

RALLYWSL long Innocenti occupation also, therefore, an embarrassment for Italy's 'ommunist Party, anxious above all to preserve its 'espectability" in the interests of its cherished ambition of forming a coalition government with the Christian Democrats.

SUPPRESSED

All the major political parties in Italy thus have an interest in giving as little publicity as possible to the situation at Innocenti. The Italian government is trying to head off the problem by trying to organise a purchase of the plant.

A plan by Honda to manufacture cars in the plant was pushed out by another project of Fiat to assemble vans. That too has been abandoned in favour of a plan involving the specialist motor cycle and sports car firms Guzzi and Maserati.

The Italian union leaderships have totally failed to offer workers any alternative perspective to this desperate search for some other capitalist to buy up the plant. It is only the determinațion of the occupying workers not to give in that has so far prevented this solution.

SWALLOWED UP Only a principled and uncompromising fighting for nationalisation without compensation, which will prevent the interests of Innocenti workers being swallowed up in Leyland's search for money and the Italian CP's hunger for a part in the government.

EDUCATION CLASS Lake St Community Sunday, 15th Februa «The General Strike' constituency party is so with dubious practices 1 the NEC is to investigate › continue to receive the . backing of the union? It time these people were workers to fight Wilson or STRIKE Neither Weighell, nor ASLEF leader Buckton has called for any industrial action to defend jobs.

Crosland's plans show clearly that the time has come for a campaign of strike action from the rail unions. The demands of the strike call must be:

* Stop all interest payments to the banks! * Open BR's books to committees of railwaymen and rail users to draw up plans for an integrated transport system. * Government cash to finance such a system. * On this basis prepare the abolition of the British Rail Board and full workers' management. * Work-sharing with no loss of pay - no redundancies and no attacks on conditions railways.

Only by fighting for such a coherent programme can the labour and trade union movement defend itself against Wilson's latest attacks.