Socialist Press no. 40

'LEFTS' BETRAY JOBS

TO "SAVE LABOUR

GOVERNMENT"

Both Left and Right wing Labour MPs are now agreed on the most basic issue workers face today. Both sides consider it more impor- "Save the tant to Labour Government" than to defend the interests of the working class. The statements made last week by Norman Atkinson and Arthur Latham, both leading members of the "Tribune' group in Parliament; highlight the that these way covie de assis me ta 20n27.

Healey attacks. "All those who seek to sustain the government in office must the cuts in

ACCUS

principle - not in their entirety - but in principle. He claimed there was alternative to this.

PROTECT

Like Latham, Atkinson said a Tory government would mean at and a quarter million least "two unemployed". The logic is there- fore to protect the reactionary Callaghan leadership carrying out Tory policies grounds that the return of the •ories would be worse Healey now talks about four pay control, Callaghan openly says it will be 1980 before situation une better. the right-wing use the of threat election which everybody knows (and which the by-election results show) Labour would lose because of abstentions hostility caused by the 2110 Wilson-Callaghan policies.

THREAT

This threat has pulled the left' into acceptance of 1½ million unemployed, wage-cutting and the ending of free collective bargain- ing, along with continuous cuts in the social services The right-wing have shown that they themselves could less whether a Labour government is returned at the next election.

They are only worried about the

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

of British capitalism protection and the defence of its profits. It is this which them with provides their prestige and bureaucratic privileges. Roy Jenkins for example is just about to take up a £40,000 a year Common Market job. of John the case Stonehouse a Privy Councillor has revealed only a nute ol what goes on the Labour leadership. The Labour leaders have much more to hide. This is confirmed by the way that Eddie Milne, campaigning corruption, was expelled from the Party, Labour and by the attempts to suppress book. nis Inevitably, none of the lefts" have defended him. While the Labour right wing is completley tied up in its compro- mises, collaboration and corrupt deals with capitalism, their left' wing counterparts put consider- ation of their own careers in front of any commitment to principle.

This is why, when Wilson used dire threats of an election in order to pressure the 37 left abstainers endorsing his economic

HELO

policy during an earlier round of uts, Callaghan can now even pul he left' dominated Labour NE( into acceptance of the full Social Contract by 13 votes to 7.

EXPOSURE

Benn even went so far as not to turn up to the meeting in case it meant him being exposed; if he had voted against the Cuts Callaghan threatening to was remove him from his prestigious cabinet position; if he voted in favour, Benn himself, like Foot (who he is glad now says Callaghan beat him in the leader- ship election!) would have been exposed before the whole working class as nothing but a right-winger.

We have to say that if voting against the cuts or unemployment or the pay "deals' means bringing down the Labour then this should be done.

The 'lefts' fight

TOLUSE

FLO

means that any Tory government returns as une result or an election would be handed all the anti-working class legislation of this Labour government. Their refusal to fight assists the development of frustration in the working-class which in turn leads to demoralisation and assists the development of racist ideas.

The "lefts', accepting only numbers Parliamentary and etiquette, show contempt for the working class who have shown, as the miners did in 1974 that they could defeat a Tory government.

STAND

A stand by any of the "lefts' fighting the policies of Callaghan alternative anti-capitalist

WILD

policies and campaigning through- out the workers' movement for the removal of the Callaghan- Healey leadership, would strengthen the working class and assist it break through the to barriers of their own trade union leadership which stands also behind the slogan of "Save the Labour Government" These 'left' MPs and their trade union counterparts however doing exactly the opposite of this.

tell They workers "we are weak' and that the alternative to 1½ million unemployed under Labour is 2¼ million unemployed under the Tories. This simply accepts the Cont'd Back Page. The renewed upsurge of black protest in South Africa raises the possibility that white racist rule is now under an attack which it cannot survive: Fifteen years ago at Sharpville cold-blooded murder of 69 the people provoked a temporary retreat of the mass struggle Last week, however, thousands of young black students, school- children and workers showed in Mafeking, Port Elizabeth Soweto, and other places throughout

FORTNIGHTLY PAPER OF THE

WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

NO 40 * 11th AUGUST 1976 * 10p

INSIDE

Trotskyism Today: 4-Page Supplement. "Death of a Fixer" Page Confusion Fights Corruption. ..Page & Trico Strike... Page S PHOTO: Chris Davies, Repor Benn

STRUGGLES ROCK

APARTHEID STATE

South Africa that they will be demonstrations, school absentee neither intimidated nor bribed ism and arson has simmere into accepting the continuation of ever since, not only in Soweto bu one of the most complete and also in many other towns.

brutal systems of repression in the The government was forced t world. reverse its policy on the use o Six weeks ago, in June, police repression of riots against the But this concession was no compulsory use of the Afrikaans more ing in headin beating and schools left, shooting language in black heading th official 176 estimates, offensive of the young blacks.

dead and over 1000 wounded.

SAVAGERY

Cont'd Page 2 Col 5. This savagery did not quell the protest which, in the form of

rage 2 Mass demonstrations have mc aded reinstate those ¿ does nothing to housands of workers who Паус keen dismissed from their jobs for wade union and political activities.

for them АПУ amnesty left by the government explicitly to their employers. And there Es been no sign that the dent will amnesty any of its own xemployees. Second, the 'crimes' for which the political prisoners have been in have not been abolished. Any them could be rearrested at any ame for political activities.

At the present rate of arrests by cells Spanish Done men any emptied by the amnesty would be filled again within two months.

this small if much But, publi- rised concession, is one which has peen forced on the government. It extent to which the

ROWS

the crore the massise upsurge of the fascism crumbling Forking class.

FEAR

The leaders of the Spanish Com- -ear evidence of their fear of this dependent offensive of the work- ag class by counting the amnesty a great victory' and as virtual proof of the government's conversion to The amnesty, said PCE secretary general Santiago Carillo, seems e a step towards the reconcilia- on of Spaniards' and added that willing party would pegotiate with the government. He

MIDDLE

the centre of an Beirut is aternational political and conspiracy against the military Palestinian people. Right-wing continued, Lebanese forces throughout the weekend, their merciless bombardment of the Iel-Al-Zaatar refugee camp and the Nabaa leftists' enclave in Eastern Beirut. Backed with the connivance ortise imperialist Soviet Union, the aim is to drown blood the very centre of ine palestinian resistance to Zionism.

This was why. Lebanese rightists had the full cooperation of the Syrian government 'post- ceasefire talks sched- the ded to start in Damascus.

With the of the Syrian Fetime talkm only it they succeed intend regime in reducing the Palestinian and left- wing positions in rubbie. The conspiracy, however, goes far wider than this. The Israeli navy now regularly patrolling the sea off Southern Lebanon prevent supplies and arms reaching

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

SPAIN: PARTIAL AMNESTY

meant negotiate openly since PCE leaders secret talks between and the fascist government have taken place for some time.

Spokesmen of the Socialist Party (PSOE) have given the amnesty an even more rapturous welcome and have said that the 'democratic forces' are considering the establish- „ment of a committee to institution- alise the dialogue with the govern- ment. Only the Workers' Commissions though dominated executive, the PCE, issued a less abject state- saying that the struggle ment, "until would the last continue out of jail and all prisoner was political parties trade union organisations were legalised without and the PCE president next was puonessed meeting of the party central com- mittee which took place in Rome at made first time that number of the leading members of Central Committee; these include Marcelino and the Hernando SoLo. Jesuit priest Francisco Garcia Salve.

The PCE invited to the

VICI

sessions of this meeting not only representatives Spanish and O1 Socialist and Social wuropean Democratic Parties but also the Christian Democrats with whom it is allied in the class collaborationist Democratic Coordination and who have already been holding discussions with the Suarez govern- The Rome meeting confirmed unar inere was been no cnanga the right wing policy of the Com- munist Party. Though this correctly complete calls for a amnesty and the establishment of autonomy for Euskadi, Galicia, Catalonia and any Spain which region the demands it, essence the programme is the most scandalous class collaboration. Nowhere in its programme does the PCE go a step for the achievement of elementary bourgeois democratic rights.

And even these, it thinks, can be achieved by way or a government national of reconciliation which

EAST:

supplied. Syrian forces ate lenoring instructions under government the 'cease-fire' agreement and firing Palestinian wide posItIons areas of the Lebanon. in the the same time, South of the country, Israel 'good the so-called promoting policy, trying establish lences' the frontier control areas Dy permitting a trickle of food and medical supplies in to the popu- lation which has been driven into a desperate situation by the months of war. the Arab At the same time League 'mediators', and the Libyan representatives Egyptian 'sympathetic' to the supposedly diplomatic Palestinians, TAlH circles in response to every latest, the cynical "peace' proposal or the right- Syrian government wing cliques in Lebanon. the Palestinian And people are held within this political trap of the nationalist leadership LANe

PLO,

round Yasser Arafat, which pursues each new diplomatic cul-de- the mirages of "support' sac and from such governments as France, appeal over the

ICILSCU

CONCEDED

would be coalition of left and including fascists of the right, present regime. "dialogue' The between the fascist government and the oppos ition has now become the main *democratic of the talking Poll forces' grouped in the class-collab- Coordin- "Democratic orationist ation.

UNPRINCIPLED

ALLIANCE

group of 32 leaders of the along with Cootimation issued independents statement dialogue about the proposed on July 22nd. In this the ultimate anti-working class objective of this alliance unprincipled was made clearer than ever. economic problems it said 'demand a political agreement to create the conditions for economic recovery'; necessary this required the participation of all Spaniards. that these There no doubt "conditions" mean an all out attack working class in order to on the help solve the crisis of Spanish which day capitalism becoming more pressing.

POLAND:

The strike wave that swept 25th had Poland on June do with "hooligan- nothing ism" It was a powerful class blow at the Stalinist bureaucracy of Gierek, arrogant their heroDist attempt to hoist food prices.

repression, Despite the police and the lies and censorship of the filtering Stalinist regime, reports out of Poland show more and more clearly that it was an offensive of that forced the the working class government to back down. In the Gdansk area not only the shipyards, but many other factor- in response to the price rises, ies, were locking the gates and stopping work in protest. shipyards It Gdansk was the whose demonstrations against price police subsequent violence, brought the downfall of Gromyo's government in 1971, and his replacement by Gierek.

scene of the And Radom hoopost caches in Tune renorts in SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 11th August 1976 Without political some agree-

S.AFRICA

ment with the leaders of the main parties the fascist regime workers Knows it has no hope of imposing Cont'd from front page. the requisite economic policy.

WITHDRAWN

On August 4th this offensive reached its highest point so far. For that it has with- Soweto for of 20,000 left drawn completely the programme the of white Johannesburg centre of economic measures to demand the release of all those by the cabinet three previous arrested in earlier demonstrations.

months ago and has said that toi When the march was stopped by the time being it will deal with the the police, the demonstrators built economic situation with a series of barricades, tore up railway lines and piecemeal decrees. from brought transport virtually It sees a longer term programme Soweto to Johannesburg to a halt.

as being dependent on some This, plus campaign for political accord with the opposition including the Communist Party Johannesburg's black labour But the PCE leadership will not force did not turn up for work on easily divert the angry, impatient that day. and militant Spanish working class Mass demonstrations continued down this unprincipled Toad and spread during the following Already it is losing its control of two days. The police and security the workers' parties which stand to forces put on national alert were its left. and have killed and injured scotesi (PTE) and Workers now the Labour Party of: black students and young Revolutionary workers. Organisation have main- The renewal of the mass demon- support of the tained critical terrifying the - white strations class-collaborationist alliances. But only not nationalist government, their representatives were signific- seem irrepressible by absent from the 32 who because they antly because police intimidation, signed the statement calling for a 0. +1 better organised they clearly accord with the govern- political than those in June. ment. Rioters challenge S. African police in Soweto. Now upheavals have spread to key areas including Mafeking and Port Elizabeth.

FREE

JAILED STRIKERS

The demands are becoming more and they general are increasingly taking the form of the call for a general strike The signs of panic among the ruling Nationalist party were clear gans" workers formed the from the tone of editorials of the demonstration on the morning of main Afrikaans newspapers which marched the June 25th, recognised a need for 'concessions' headquarters Communist Party such as permitting home-ownership carrying red flags and singing the for blacks. Internationale. the was police attacks on It which led to the

SUPPORT

demonstration fighting, in which an estimated 17 workers were Killed. Trade union and labour move- But all reports of the demon- ment organisations in Britain have a strations make it seem that support duty the strongest _orotest in for them is so widespread, espec possible terms against the police ially among the black youth, that violence of the Stalinist regime in would only be such concessions Poland. dismissed as insulting. Radom and The workers urgent Warsaw who have been singled out becomes than ever for the fight to be for vicious jail sentences must be extended in the Labour movement freed and charges pending against Britain force the Labour any others must be dropped.

Despite their tactical retreat on government to break all economic and diplomatic links with white the price rises, the Stalinist leader- racism in Southern Africa ship in Poland have done nothing to The rapidly growing fight of the alleviate the chronic food shortages oppressed black population of that face ordinary workers.

materially Sugar for example, is now unob- South Africa can strengthened at this crucial time by tainable in the state shops. and

A TORY GOVERNMENT

ray lit. and lives should be investigated The small cloud of lethal the through an enquiry by

TCDD

which • escaped gas, labour movement but by from the chemical plant of the parliament! Hoffman-La Swiss Roche in Sevoso Milan, is near

INTERESTS

Milan, having major conse- both quences medically and politically. The systematic subordination of the interests of the working class to Fifteen people are now hospital but the long-term medical this is an sample, last week led the effects of the almost indestructible use its power to install in poison are expected to be much DC office another government, a worse. government of the bosses.

TCDD was an ingredient of the Led Giulio Andreotti (who defoliant used by the United States led the centre-right coalition. of in the Vietnam war. 1972), the new government survived its initial vote of confid-

STERILITY

ence only through the abstention of the Communist Party (PCD.

The smaller and Vietnam in the parties A report from particular the Socialist Party (PSI, Communist Party

(PCI)

Italian were all unwilling abstain and to newspaper L'Unita said that. responsibility sterility . had been caused by the Later

LOT

of Christian Demo- and infant mortality had VIug cratic rule unless the PCI did so as increased by over 50% in contam- well. inated areas. The new Christian Democratic

CONNIVING

• (DC) has been Burkillent ironically forced to advise abortion The PCI and PSI together now anu contraception to Infabitants oi the contaminated area. have more votes in pariament than (It was

DC'S

opposition to the DC; but they are conniving to abortion which indirectly led to the keep it in office and thus they fully June 20th elections). share responsibility for its nakedly The PCI leaders have criticized anti-working class policies.

the dangerous delay in the govern- The published programme of the ment's handling of the situation.

Andreotti Criticison of ones fascists or taides the fascists. It includes But that this they bIODUsg - deadly threat to workers' health the vast a committment to reduce The Workers Socialist League The Workers Socialist League is a Trotskyist organisation fighting to build a revolutionary leadership in the working "left" and right class in opposition to the betrayals of both wing Labour and trade union leaders and the Communist In the daily struggle to take the demands and principles of Trotsky's Transitional Programme into the trade unions, the WSL has been at the forefront of the fight for the sliding scaie of wages, and work sharing on - demands which at the 1975 T&GWU Conference were the only alternative to Jones' 16 pay plan and the wholesale acceptance of redundancies by the bureaucracy. In today's fight against the TÜC's 42% pay cutting deal with Healey this demand for a sliding scale of wages (rising according to the rising cost of living as assessed by trade union committees) is the essential basis of consistent opposition.

In the Health Service WSL comrades have led the struggle for a sliding start of workers control of the service (beginning with opening the books of the Health Authorities), along with the fight to end all private practice. Perhaps more important we have led the growing call for strike action to defend the NHS against the cuts and to implement these policies, fighting those like the ASTMS and NUPE leadership who substitute the words for the action.

In London this policy has already won a big response with the one- day action against the closure of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital when 2,000 hospital workers in the area struck and 400 marched to lobby MPs against the cuts.

WSL comrades have tested and developed the demands of the Transitional Programme, putting forward in every case the only real opposition to the Stalinists and the right-wing. Our struggle "open the books" for the velan tan motor maustry and agalist du forms of "workers' participation" have won mass responses.

At the same time we have put forward a policy fight unemployment, calling for unity of employed and unemployed through the fight to mobilise the trade union movement.

The

WSL

fights for is the movement consistently transitional demands, going beyond mere trade union militancy to pose the political issues to workers.

In doing this our comrades have been forced also to lead struggles for trade union democracy against the bureaucratic manipulation of the Stalinists and right-wing.

But our struggle for the continuity of the principles of Trotskyism is in no way a task confined to Britain. It requires an attention and involve- ment in the international struggles of the working class and moves to rebuild the Trotskyist Fourth International.

So while many interventions in Britain have developed the League's grasp of Trotsky's Transitional Programme, there has been a consistent drive to deepen and enrich the movement's understanding of the history and the present crisis of the Trotskyist Fourth International, as an essential part of any serious initiative towards its reconstruction.

We urge all readers who agree on the need for revolutionary leadership and the demands we put forward to find out more about the WL and join our fight in the labour movement.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

ITALY: CP INSTALLS

government deficit, which means enormous cuts in state spending increases in taxation; wage and including "transfor- control. mation" (ie. partial abolition) of the already incomplete sliding scale of wages; and the rationalisation of the state-owned industries, leading inevitably many redundancies add to the 1½ to workers million already unemployed.

SAVAGE

trom the Cannot rave

SUPPORT

It was in discussing the relationship between Ireland England and in - the last century that Marx commented that nation that oppresses another cannot itself be free.

So still in 1976, British soldiers campaign maintain 'law and order' in Northern Ireland and their allies in the South imprison people on the say-so of policemen. Here in Britain hundreds of people have been picked up under the so-called Prevention of Terrorism Act, unionists like Joseph smith, trade Gallacher of the Bletchley Trades Council and members of the Irish Young Socialists who • known for their opposition to individual

LOTIONIL

TRUTH

The truth of Marx's analysis being clearly demonstrated, as the capitalist press in this country increasingly distorts and obscures what is happening in Ireland itself.

when the At a time Labour government apparently abandoned its efforts to discover a pro-imperialist "final solution' in the North of Ireland, the press only reports occasional terrorist loyalist incidents' protests' against negotiations, parole virtually any attempt made to come to terms with the movements fight- ing for self-determination.

PRESS

Typical of the looking-glass attitudes of the capitalist press has account of what has been inc happened after the assassination of the British ambassador in Dublin on Zist July. Not only was half the entire police force of the Irish Republic finding those respon- WHeeLed To sible, but many people were picked up who could not have had any- teturn to opposition not admitted to a coalition by the DC.

They point to their gains: "Communist" as speaker of the "Communists" the assembly, in chair of several important parlia- committees; old premiers such as Colombo, Moro and Rumor excluded from the Cabinet, as the PCI leaders insisted. But workers did not give the PCI more votes and more parliamentary strength than ever before in order to see their own parties ie-install a bosses' government with few cosmetic and to have

CUTLET

unleashed against them all-out an attack on wages, jobs services.

CONDEMNED

The PCI leaders have condemned the Polish •Communist Party over the " prison

SILICES

workers after the recent protests about price licieases. Their opportunism in doing this is made clear by their support for the DC's programme of wage cuts and price increases in Italy.

The of main criticism Andreotti's policy speech made by the PCI daily newspaper L'Unita it did not call strongly was that enough for "sacrifice, rigorous and lesponsible partici pation. Leaders who can behave like this have totally abandoned any struggle on behalf of the working class.

IRELAND DELEGATION

jail sentences for even belonging to what the Government decided to be 'subversive organisations' were announced. Truly, no government could go further in showing its selective govern passtl The campaign the agalsi sentence passed them has pointed out the scandalous abuses of their "trial" which took place without a jury. The efforts to free the Murrays supported

MIEST

Class conscious workers. It 1s m order to uncover and report on developments/in Ireland that the Troops Out Movement in Britain has been organising National Labout Movement Delegation to Ireland This kind of initiative merits full support within the working class movement. Already thirteen MPs

CLADONT

and ten Trades Councils have Italian CP leader Berlinguer after meeting Christian Democratic Prime Minister Moro earlier this year ing to its literature the delegation has adopted these aims. ".....to the facts about establish what is happening in Ireland, by discussing with representatives of the labour Ireland, • movement in thereby enabling the labour move.

ment Britain to arrive at an informed and progressive policy which will assist the Irish people to establish their right to national self.

determination.

UNIONS

Other sponsors include union branches such as the Hatfield Main NUM branch and the North Council District of the London

NUR,

number of as well as • individuals from the Irish labour such Phil

UNCHCHI

Deputy General Secretary of the Government. Local and Public Employees Union and •Ramond McGain of Dublin Trades -the Council Executive. So far about ten British Trades Councils have elected delegates. along with seventeen trade union Laches Parties three Labour and five student The delegation will visit Dublin on 17-18 September when they wil meet two Labour members of the Dail, David Thornley and John O'Connell, as well as representatives of Fianna Fail, Provisional and Official tepublican and groups others. On 19th and 20th September they will visit Northern Ireland and meet tenants groups, unionists and others. Many further details remain to be worked out by the delegates themselves, but in the meantime branches, Labour Parties

VITOR

other working class bodies should want more details who contact the Troops Out Move- ment at 1, North End Rd London

Strongly represented on the enlarged committee are leading members from the " disaffiliated Oxford Trades Council.

WHAT IS JIMMY CARTER?

Page 4

MEETING OF CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

FULL SUPPORT TO

DEMOCRACY

CONFERENCE!

In our last edition we carried the full text of a statement by the newly formed Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement, an ad hoc committee set up by trade union militants.

As a first step in this campaign the committee issued a call for a conference to discuss 'Wage Control and Union Democracy" to be held in Birmingham on Sunday October 24th.

The Workers Socialist League will give full support to this conference. of the trade At the second meeting of continual policing that the union membership Committee of the Organising of the Labour and basis union the Campaign for Democracy leaders' increased attack on demo in the Labour Movement, an cratic procedures whenever a voice was raised in opposition.

indication of the broadening response which the campaign

STATEMENT

has gained was the diversity of trade unions from which It was emphasised that a fight members have come forward.

the TUC and Labour back against betrayals had to Membets of 'the

T&GWU,

government linked to demands which mobilised

GMWU,

UPW,

NUPE,

SOGAT,

of workers, such as the sections

NUT,

ASTMS,

TASS.

NUR, NUJ,

COHSE

ACTSS

defend Sliding wages, and WHIt outlined in initial conference the attendance. statement.

HEALEY

Following several proposals, was agreed that the references the bureaucratic actions. within A discussion on the proposed Labour Party should be extended conference resolution was opened to include additional material.

with a reference to the statement by Dennis following the

CIRCULATED

week's that the Labour Government were Copies of the statement are now planning four years a turtlet being. circulated -wage control. union was the imposition of wage branches, shop steward committees, Labour Party wards and GMC's.

cutting from above, which required The overwhelming victory "poor" millionaire Jimmy Carter as the Democrat's Presi- dential candidate ensures him the full support of his party the coming campaign. But implications does the vhat South-North marriage between Carter and running mate Mondale Walter have for American politics? First, if Carter is elected he will be the first President of the US from the Deep South since 1848, that is, since the little-remembered Zach Taylor.

"ENLIGHTENED"

or views on Blackers here is no views on Blacks ("there difference between the blood of .

white and black man"), his ...a cmphasis the sapport from such Black political Georgia Congressman lillie Andy Young and his token consid- cration of Black California Congressman Ron Dellums George Meany, AFL-CIO leader has endorsed Carter Vice-Presidential nominee - - despite support to Carter as a candidate age is that of the Old South.

Carter's overwhelming capable of beating George Wallace on his own ground in the primaries.

His peanut farming and But after the nomination, souther-Baptist his Carter's redneck image has become conservatism "liberal" issues liability especially he will ach public spending compete probably have for bonen behind him, and especrong reliance "strong Liberal votes with Eugene McCarthy omen who is likely to stand again as an indifference to the problems of independent. LATE-UTIOn dominated indus- the of singie out his Southern

NICIECE

Mondale, who is reputed to have strong links with organised labour

ESTABLISHMENT

(the AFL/CIO have now endorsed Carter's nomination) and also Liberals. who are not is this which made such support from

PINUT

for Though the aim is the conference to be based on delegates from these bodies (credentials 50p) fide unionists bolla •trade invited, with supporting organisa- being 10 additional proposals, amendments and alterations to main resolution. The Labour movement press and political groups are also being asked to support. There has been an enthusiastic to the campaign far, response so reported and was that arrangements. were. already being has largely come trom those disillusioned Americans who respond his anti-Washington, anti-nig hoping (vainly) that a new face and a new approach will CuTe America s Is. On this basis, Carter has also drawn from support the ranks of traditional Republican voters.

Although Carter has announced his intention, if elected, to give his Vice-President a major role and a big slice of authority, he has practice already tempered Mondale's 'liberalism'; notably his

CHANTI

OVIE EPBLRISTRICT

¡ POS RADES

delegation of made for a large T&GWU members from the Export Packing Services factory Banbury. Campaign • Secretary Kevin Lee, a

SOGAT

FOC

emphasised that Socialist though the Workers League had provided significant support for the campaign and were organising national meetings as part of this, the conference was open to all those •repared to support the basic demands in defence of wages and trade union and Labour Party democracy. from Catholics. Neither Carter nor Mondiale has direct experience in foreign affairs, opposed US although both have intervention hint and Angola that their government would use more subtle means of suppressing national liberation and ism, such as the application of economic pressure to Italy to keep the Italian Communist Party (PCI) out of the government! But Carter has certainly not ignored international questions in presidency. Since 1972 he has been with closely associated research and political national group known the pressure as "tri- Trilateral Commission (the lateral' referring to its North European and western Japanese membership).

HISTORIAN

The first director of the Com- mission the well-informed war historian of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe Zbigniew Brezezin- "Carter's Kissinger". ski, known as Among the members of the Com- Inission are muti milionaie avi Rockefeller (president of the Chase Giovanni and Mananan Agnelli (President of Fiat and until recently of the Italian bosses' federation, the Confindustria.

Trilateral Commission has The been campaiening for a less heavy.

handed foreign policy by the US.

this But might mean in is by the pracțice suggested personnel who do the detailed studies for the Commission policy on Latin America: Lincoln Gordon (US ambassador to Brazi at the SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday I1th August 1976 Bureaucrats imposing wage cuts: Jones, Basnett, Scanion, and Gormley.

COUNCIL

Details the conference (subject to confirmation) are for it to be held on Sunday October 24th at Digbeth Hall, Birmingham with morning and afternoon sessions beginning at 10 am and ending at 4.30 pm. of the meeting further is planned Organising Committee for Saturday September • 4th Birmingham. All those interested in attending should contact Kevin Hands- whom further details and delegates credentials are also available.

sador to Bolivia at the time of the right-wing coup in Bolivia in 1964); Linowitz and others who helped to make the Latin American policy of the Kennedy and Johnson admin- istrations which came up with the economic embargo on Cuba from 1961 of the and Dominican republic in 1965.

So in Latin American affairs and East European affairs at least the simple peanut farmer with the big has sophisticated and grin some experienced friends.

PRIMITIVE

But these connections are not widely publicised. It is with the simple and primitive image that the Carter to He camp expect win. offers to sweeten the dank atmos- phere of Washington where the stench of Watergate still lingers on the air, with Southern breeze scented with "honesty", "decency": "trust" and de-centralisation.

There is every sign at present that this appeals to the traditiona American voter to whom politics question of personal committment rather than a struggle of classes for political power.

APPEARANCES

Despite the of appearances change plain that the class content of Carter's "programme" is no different from that of Johnson's Nixon's or Ford's. The Democratic convention made as clear as it ever working class leader- was that no ship be found in the Demo- can cratic Party. It highlights the need to build in the United States a mass represent labour to the party

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 11th August 1976

SHIPBUILDING:

NATIONALISATION TO

SAVE THE BOSSES

by Steve Murray "It is a struggle for jobs."

ment's Nationalisation Bill is the That was how Callaghan des- This explains the alacrity with cribed the situation facing which they have accepted national- shipbuilding at the workers well paid seats on the isation, and Boilermakers Conference in new Shipbuilding Board. (When the Tories at one point seemed near to May. defeating the Bill, Swan Hunter's Callaghan's trip this But shares dropped 18% in one day!)

conference was not concerned with For the 72,000 workers in the the saving of jobs - but rather at yards, another story of the the co-operation nationalisation will be the signal for Union in the "slimming of the ship- the fiercest attack on jobs yet seen.

industry and Central to this will be the role of destruction of jobs. the leaders, courted by The nationalisation of the ship- Callaghan this May. building industry now being carried The

UCS-

of 1971 struggle out by the Callaghan government is showed both the determination of intended solely to benefit the ship- shipyard workers to fight all out for yard bosses and to set the stage their jobs, and the completely ship- massive alacks criminal role of the union leader- building workers. ship who refused to fight for the

ANARCHIC

full nationalisation accepted of the wotst For years, workers in the yards agreements on conditions and pro- , have been at the mercy of every ductivity in return for what was no anarchic boom and slump in the more than a stay of execution.

world market. for all Now the union leaders. At slightest threat of a their statements that they will resist the decline in world trade, ship owners anv closutes or redundancies, laye have called a halt to new orders and agreed in the tri-partite working Industry cancelled existing ones. committee up by of Secretary Varley Each wave recession has to co-operate pushed thousands of workers onto the planning of profitable 1972-74 dole. The boom of industry. pushed up world capacity to 33

COOPERATION

million gross tons, as each capitalist fought to expand his share of the This can only mean one thing - profits. Now, with the slump in world their cooperation in. these redun- demand, (predicted as no more dances and closures. 12 The only policy Boilermakers' than million gross tons until 1980) massive closures and redun- leader McGarvey has offered is the call completely diversionary for dancies are on the agenda through- "buy out the world. British shipowners to British shipyard bosses, British". For the But to defend the jobs of ship- antiquated tottering whose and yard workers a socialist programme yards have been pushed one step not barren with each nationalism is needed. closer to bankruptcy this of recession, present There must be no cooperation with this capitalist form of national- slump spells disaster. ordered in 1975 compared with a With 33,000 gross tons isation. Not one job must be allowed to capacity of over 1 million The fight must be for work- gross go. and books order sharing on jun pay and for a pro running short - they are, with few of public under gramme except them ede tabour ge.

union control to create new jobs them the Labour govern- for shipyard workers.

RENT-RISE HITS

LABOUR VOTE

A sharp struggle has devel- importance because of a Council be held in Victoria oped in Warley and West Ward, Smethwick September on Bromwich against rent 16th. increases. Victoria has always been The Labour-controlled Sandwell Labour stronghold with the Tory Council is trying to raise rents by vote being almost non-existent.

£1 per week for flats and £1.50 per

DISGUST

week tor houses. A meeting of representatives of associations from most of But during the last year, disgust the borough's housing estates on with the of the labour Monday 26th decided on government and the Labour council policy of witholding the increases.

and of allegations of with a series corruption by councillors has led to collapse or tne Labour rarty

HALTED

branch. At the same time the National A demonstration by 150 tenants Front has launched a campaign 3rd halted it Me tie on A sist Victoria around the questions of halted jobs and housing conditions.

meeting, tenants demanding to It seems likely that the Labour know how they could be expected to pay the candidate will be a supporter of the increases when rent increases and ware increases other govern- dE C limited to 4½%. ment policies. In this situation it is The struggle takes on a special thought that a National rront victory is likely.

LETTERS

BETRAYALS

This shows very well how the We welcome letters from betrayals of the Labout Party, at readers. Letters for publication national and local level open ine should be kept as brief as possible The growth of fascist and sent to: the loil Labou: Party behind The books of the owners must be thrown open to show the need for the nationalisation to go ahead with compensation to the owners and under the management Alongside this, the nationalis- aton or the sulpo wiers must fought for. In no other way can the development of the yards planned the interest of in the workers. Occupation of the yards to fight this capitalist nationalisation must be prepared for now before a single job is lost.

OXFORD

MARCH

Two hundred people marched through Oxford on Saturday August 7th to against the recent protest fascist attack on the offices of the Oxford Council for Com- munity Relations (OCCR). This attack followed the pattern of others in Birmingham and where creosote and red poured into office paint were equipment and over and miles furniture, bore the hallmark and of a small well-organised gang of fascists roaming the country attack- ing chosen targets. The demonstration called by the OCCR and the Oxford Anti-Fascist Committee, marched through town to the OCCR meeting in offices addressed by the local MP Evan Luard. Remarkable by their attendance on this demonstration were seldon- members of the local Com- munist Party including local NUPE organiser George Anderson who had pointedly boycotted the local march against the cuts organised by the former Oxford Trades Council.

The

WSL

contingent on the march shouted demands for an end the Immigration and or defenc= through shann? 231 well :he

TRADES COUNCIL

COMMITTEE

A strong step forward in the fight against unemployment in the Leamington area was taken when on July 1ith the Warwick and Leamington Trades Council set up an unemployment sub-commit- tee. The task of the committee was to be to campaign against growing unemployment and to direct the organisation of unemployed workers into the trade unions.

PLAN OF ACTION

The committee has since met twice and adopted an all-round plan of action designed to take the political questions involved in the fight to defend jobs into the local Among its proposals was to take an initiative to involve unemployed workers and youth in its meetings and to gather detailed information from shop stewards committees on of the development and growth unemployment, short time working and unemployment among women, youth and apprentices. Attempts will be made to visit local union branch meetings to take Previous initiative of Leamington Trades Council -

BUILD WORKERS'

DEFENCE SQUADS

More racialist attacks are going to take place. The neces- for developing defence sity squads in those areas where attacks are already taking place is therefore becoming more urgent. The task of revolutionaries is both to defend those being attack- ed and show that these attacks are a class issue. Fascism about breaking up the organisation of the working class as a whole.

Those immigrant organisations or individuals who have started the formation of vigilante groups have taken an important step forward in breaking from the reformist posit- ion of appealing to the police, the them- selves against fascism - which itself is just another form of capitalism.

But, unlike the International Marxist Group and other groups we do not say it is simply a question of "Build labour movement support black self-defence" for (Red H'eek! front page statement 10.6. 161 c: "Osir ibe defense of

DATE 1=

Page 5

FIGHTS FOR JOBS

up the issue of recruiting ployed workers into the unions.

In addition, plans are being laid for a demonstration in the town in September.

POTTERTON'S

One of the first issues to be taken in the struggle against up unelployment the planned sacking of 140 staff and production workers Potterton's - which is a part of Birmid Qualcast. a 10% redun Zanes re the 1400 workforce dancy from and will add to the already above average unemployment in the area.

No lead has been given so far by

AUEW

the (foundry section) and

ASTMS.

before the works In fact holidays the AUEW leadership were even canvassing their members fo voluntary redundancies! Already the firm has succeeded in reducing workers to a four day week. The fight against this new wave of redundancies must be based or the demand for work sharing on full pay, backed by occupation o the plant if the employer refuses to withdraw the planned sackings.

z a 3z 5 Anti-racist march We of course support the right of immigrant workers to defend themselves whatever way necessary against racist and fascist attack. we also political responsibility to attempt to direct these self-defence groups towards of the calling the strength organised labour movement as d whole so that the most united class attack can be launched death fascist provocation and violence.

If black workers and youth have been the first target of the fascists, picket lines and trade union meet- ings will be next. Fascists have already attacked meetings Ireland. WSL members and supporters in affected must therefore aleas branches, propose i at their union trades councils and Labour Parties that a fight is waged for workers defence squads organised jointly between immigrant and trade union organisallons Where possible, Fie must fight for this within immigran: organise!

żelence squads attendire delegates home made wasn

HERE E

THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

Page 6 Part 16 By Terry Clarke The Soviet bureaucracy not as the heir of the sian Revolution but out of defeat of European tolutions in 1918-1923. It erged not as the outcome Bolshevism but only over bones of revolutionary #shevik traditions and aciples, of persecuted Ishevik cadres liquidated by hostile to the itical independence of the aking class. are crucia to an JIbC lerstanding of the origins of the bent-day Stalinist bureaucracy ch inhabits the Kremlin and besmirches the name of mmunism" by world wide ayals of the working class and most squalid deals with world The material breeding ground the bureaucracy was in fact the backwardness • OT ia - the weakest link In ine capitalist powers first rationally, and the under the strain of slutionary upsurge. Left Oppositionists (left to right):

PEASANT-BASED

Top: Preobrazhensky, V. Smirnov, Muralov The economy was the struggle Kussian for necessities begins rwhelmingly peasant-based, with again, and that means all the old only few centres of very revive". crap must (Revolution der industry which had always Betrayed p 56). dependent foreign As the upon administrators of this estment "generalised and The want", resting ermath of the war, the February of layers managers, technicians, October revolutions, and the from toe coencessis who benefitted ming protracted wars of concessions in the New Economic Policy, and generally the avention (throughout which the serialist attempted most conservative strata tarily restore capitalism in post-October Soviet society, the ria) together with economic bureaucracy began which ¿kades, served to dislocate increasingly and to ensconse itself in coverish the soviet economy, position material privilege ing chronic hardship and want.

represented the old crap authority, unchallengeable These were material conditions pletely unfavourable the blishment uf communism.

APPARATUS

Isky made this quite lysing the rise of bureaucracy in They were the mediators, the olution Betrayed: regulators, the apparatus men. A far Marxism out from sets the cry indeed were they from the top dopment of techniques as the grade Bolshevik cadres, the best and mental spring of progress, and most valiant of whom had either the communist the civil OCOl wat or the dynamic of absorbed into moductive forces... isolated them from the masses. premise of The revolutionary should be so high a enthusiasm which follows all economic strengthened the TevOluTIOnE that productive of growing ranks budding having ceased to 5 bureaucrats. The million-strong not require any goal, Red Army was demobilised, and its distribution of life's goods, commanders gradually moved into continual abundance, leading positions in the soviets and demand 85 it does not the administration. well-off апу family And all series of Lime a boarding house any international defeats inflicted ticept that education, the working class was strengthening social opinion. Speaking the hand of the bureaucrats whose I think it would be pretty red to consider such a really basic beliefs founded the one hand on lack of confidence perspective as "utopian" in the working class and on the

3ER0EJ.

456) PP other the pursuance of self-interest.

DANGER

LOW LEVER

sevelopment of site: the Jange: The relatively low specific weight of 9. compared to the mass peasantry in 23005 Russia together with the extremely level the 1L +4 fadoses of the ogressien se a the ebsolutely

THE RISE OF

BUREAUCRACY

Bottom: Sosnovsky, Pyatakov, Antonov-Ovseenko workers' and the "administrators" took over.

But central to the predominance of the bureaucracy the of the Bolshevik Party conquest itself - the vehicle of the October Revolution and the essential organisation for the struggle against bureaucracy The gradual annexation of the Party by non-proletarian social forces began immediately after the October Revolution, but escalated the victorious conclusion to the Civil War. From the very outset it was fought by Trotsky, taking up the offensive against the bureaucracy at the request of Lenin, who, though incapacitated by a crippling illness, could see the dangers posed for the revolution. The take-over of the Party the bureaucracy rested (as do all bureaucracies) on the democracy Trotsky, 1923, movement. in linked the questions together: "To the question of pose now party democracy without analysing the membership of the party, from the social point of view as well as Promich standiof would be to standing, would dissolve it into a void..

The conquest of power was followed by a rapid, even abnormal growth of the party. A powerful the magnet, party attracted

LIUL

only workers with little consciousness but even elements plainly alien its spirit: functionaries, careerists and political hangers-on. In this chaotic period, was able to • preserve its Bolshevik nature only thanks to the internal dictatorship. of the Old been tested in Guard. which had October" (New Course 4-5). quickly purged from the Party, ert Most careerists were the dictatorial regime, which had been consolidated at Tenth the Congress constitutional factions administrators of the Party apparatus. In 1922 Stalin had been elected General Secretary of the Party, the controller Piece apparatus. by piece apparatus proceeded to dismantle the of elements and bolsnevism replacing them with bureaucratism "However exaggerated were the forms it sometimes assumed, the bureaucratism of the war period was only child's play in comparison with present-day bureaucratism which grew up in peacetime, while tus th of the farty. the apparatus, the ideological continued obstinately to think and decide for the Party. " (New Course p7).

UNANIMOUS

A resolution submitted on these questions to the Central Committer and calling for a "new course" was formally passed unanimously.

But in practice no change was and only Trotsky the made, and Opposition Leit fought for its implementation. They alone called for the reassertion of inner-Party demon o Ior an increasing attention the cultivation working class cadres (by 1923 only one sixth of the Party was workers employed in the factories), and a to the youth to fight the

LUIII

dangers of bureaucracy: "It quite clear that the development of the party apparatus and the bureaucratisation accompanying this development are engendered not by the factory cells, linked together through the medium of the apparatus, but by all other functions that the party through the medium of exercises State Ine apparatuses of administration, economic management, of military command, of education. In other words, the source of bureaucratism resides in the growing the concentration of attention anc forces of the SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 11th August 1976 Stalin industry". (New Course 13). But instead of carrying out the recommended turn put forward by "Troika" Trotsky, the of Stalin, Kamenev and Zinovier who moved into complete control of the Party after the death of Lenin in 1924 announced the "Leninist levy" supposedly commemorate his As Trotsky death. described it: "The gates of the party, always carefully guarded, thrown wide open. Workers, cleos, petty officials, flocked through in crowds. The political aim of this manoeuvre was dissolve the vanguard in raw Icyulutionaly human material, without experience, without independence and yet with the old habit of submitting to the authorities.

The scheme was successful. By freeing the bureaucracy from the control the proletarian vanguard. the "Leninist levy." dealt a death blow to the of Lenin", party Revolution 97-98) Betrayed Some 200,000 raw recruits were brought in in this way, and the task of the Left Opposition in fighting the bureaucracy made insuperable All the time the of the tentacles bureaucracy were reaching out and engulfing wider and wider spheres of operation. In 1927 the platform of the Left Opposition called for a special law Criminal Code ""punishing as a serious state crime every direct or indirect persecution worker for criticism": Instead of this, there introduced into the Criminal Code an article itse against the Left Opposition (Revolution Betrayed p 99).

MORE POWERFUL

The Soviet bureaucracy, then resting national international social forces more powerfui than the revolutionary Russian proletariat. but at the same

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday Ilth August 1976 the Dneiper Dam - one of the first of planned products production insisted by the Left upon Opposition. consolidated its rule, anu de tne same time developed the necessary military and repression within and outside the party protect_itself against challenge or criticism. And talk of when we "bureaucracv we are not talking numbers. in small The parasitic social grouping which in this way usurped the political power in the world's first workers' state mushroomed and flounshed in manner similar but much greater in than scuit aimles of Ollicials and functionaries that feed off the trade unions in capitalist countries In Russia the bureaucracy could use empire not simply the as its labour the movement but state administration.

TWELVE PERCENT

By 1936, Trotsky calculated thank immediate constituted the {Revamtion Betrayed p 139) by bond of and privilege: "Where and sufficient food neat clothing

LULU FAL

great and small, use the power primarily in order their guarantee well being. fear the of the masses, its upon its religious kowtowing to Leader", who embodies the power

GAINS

The gains October ot the rs revolution were Even enormous. the degeneration of the Bolshevik and all the marty incompetence, corruption, narrow vision and caste privilege that the bureaucracy brought in its train did not prevent the nationalised property earing fruit particularly after 1928 rapid and echnological impossible growth ander Tsarism or capitalism.

Bụt the continued parasitic of the Stalinist ureaucracy, which lives on to this lay, poses the task firmly before international workers' In the struggle for thè evolutionary overthrow of apitalism internationally, the fight aust be pressed ahead for the political overthrow

LOUCH O

Stalinist Kremlin bureaucracy Only way can the T.11C ureaucratic shackles be severed, full benefit of new lechnology and world resources be bear on the task of rougnt to juilding socialism Soviet Union and eliminating the last "the crap" old of rivilege and want. Next edition, last instalment:

DEATH OF

A "FIXER"

A Trotskyist obituary to Vic Feather by John Docherty. Victor Grayson Not since Hardie first day of the General strike, had 1926, the Feather, life-long advocate of the different sections of the trade class and union movement moved with such did unanimity as they on these Secretary questions. Yet no other trade union leader 1969 to fought harder than Feather prevent this unanimity resulting in appearing. against the employers and the Tories, and in defeating their capitalist and allies in the Labour leadership. •TI an of opponent form the working class. He the strike support of any of militant the

TUC

deepest the driven back. machinery, derived his caste of tradel union and where his Tore and House, but collaboration the emplovers and their state. demonstrated, a "bureaucrat's Feather was bureaucrat, accept their any on from the class even than Nor was 1971 Tory played and Industrial Act defeated forms collaboration famous complete between union leaders and capitalist state have been "Cooperation Confrontation'. foisted the on class the defiance of the look cals enormous the miners OI What is special about Feather is of reactionary legislation, and not that he has brought government _oblamed praise from the of tumbling down. the trade Feather union movement and the working was not the clever organised class. tactician who the edis of case true rent he was Tories, confounding the called great friend portrayed press. employers leader Campbell Adamson, and that former Tory leader Heath thought he "always had the national interest at heart Tories. The other words interests of real victory won by the millions of who took But other union leaders of the past, like Jimmie Thomas in the and Ernest Bevin in the 30s and 40s What of this victory have been described as 'patriots' by was government, not the same sort of people. prepared to home the Nor there anything Feather's about virulent anti-communism. In this he simply following in the by other means. footsteps of his predecessors at the played a

TUC,

particularly Citrine and Tewson, besides Arthur Deakon, strength into the Jack Tanner and the other cold war infamous contract' and the warriors of the 1950s. Pictures of can be wunt produced of Feather hobnobbing have followed. with aristocrats generals, in formal dress sporting his Order of Commander the British victories the Empire, and of his membership of the House of Lords by of a Tory Cabinet in 1973

PREDECESSOR

the central

COYCLICHL

method But in doing this he was only the It is as an following a precedent set as long ago as 1886, when his predecessor Feather significant

TUC

SinetarGladstone's responsibility Henry deteriorating living and Broadhurst, joined fewer jobs. government and visited Queen Victoria in Windsor Castle.

What marks out Feather was not the outward manifestations of his betrayal of the interests of craven the atmosphere of 11CC the working class. it His particular contribution was for became difficult channel great measure him the links with the unity and strength achieved by the wotking class in the early • 70s into collaboration the enemy. place his the No TUC leader before Feather working class of movement was in a better position to hold together and mobilise the deepfelt opposition to the attacks in 1908 in a organisation and conditions of reptesented by the labour idealism' Labour Bradford the But it always had close links with middle class pacifists and do-gooders, and quite unable to face the decisive tests of imperialist. • war in 1914 and the betrayals of the great class battles up to 1926. Keir Hardie, who provided one of Feather's middle names was noted as a leader of the ILP in its eariy period. But despite all the mythology that has been put out around his Hardie name, was bu no means averse to secret electoral deals with the Liberal Party which was part of strategy of the early Labour Party. victor Grayson. who won the famous Colne Valley by-election in 1907 fought independent socialist' in defiance not only of the Liberals and Tories, but also the electoral of West Yorkshire ILP.

HERO

Grayson became a hero among workers in the area as a result, and it is not surprising that the infant Feather was named after him. The trouble with Grayson, however, was that he confused the struggle for socialism making dramatic theatrical gestures. He thus collapsed politically at the time of the imperialist war in 1914, joining the army, personally became an alcoholic. He disappeared not long after the War, possibly murdered. Feather's roots in "labour idealism' typified by the were names chosen for him. They were middle class

TOOLS

philanthropy and pacificism that in a Snowden or a MacDonald could lead directly to openly joining with the Tories in 1931. Or they could grow into the of hypocritical politics _a jimmie Maxton praised Chamberlain who on his return from Munich in 1938 1976 is bene Bineck late of the Fenner Angolan mercinaries. For Feather the in the labour idealism of the ILP did not grow into political pacificism this effete and ineffective variety.

Instead he became a pacificist in class manipulator wat whose purpose it was hold back the fighting spirit of the working class. From 1938, Feather served in the Organisation Department of the TUC. One of the main purposes of established this: body, decade earlier, was to dampen down any militancy within local organisations of the working class particularly the trades councils, and this was one of Feather's special jobs. In order to keep the active rank and file of the trade union in line with the dictates of the leadership, Feather followed the examples of his predecessors Citrine and Tewson, in organising witchhunts councils that any trades showed either independence militancy. He visited many of them over the years, and it was in his day that the bitter cold Particuldity war battles took place, when historic London and Glasgow Page 7 Feather also. according to hi Obituary The Times, kept "a private list of names and records' of Communists and other militants. In the days before such bodies as Cause, 'Common and the active interest of Government intelligence services in the internal life of the working class movement this must have been of particular value to trade union bureaucracy and their capitalist masters.

TUC

AS General Secretary Feather not only fought to.or permanent capitulation to • the of trade union but also set up the regiment, TUC regional machinery continue the process of taking the initiative within the unions as far as possible from the bast place it instead in the hands of full- full-time officials He also strengthened -the industrial committees the General Council, making it easier to arrange collaborationist planning with any capitalist government. Feather 'fixer was known as a because of his careful manipulation, through of the key individuals control of the trade intervention at the end of the bitter struggle at Pilkington's in St Helens Cant 'mediation' at the end of a bitter dispute when the bureaucrats of the and Municipal Union had been utterly discredited and the workers had confidence in a rank and file strike committee.

Feather's role was to re-establish the position of the G&M leadership only hope was in a return to work.

of Feather's efforts, Feather victimised and the original demands largely rejected, but the G&M bureaucrats, much the relief of the employers, were back in the saddle. That the kind of 'fixer' was Feather was. He was able to effect a level of betrayal on a national level 'corridors power" oI not - usually possible for an individual union leader, who. whatever the apparent his always has his members position, breathing down his neck.

TUC

leaders have no such constraints. However, now the bargains struck by Feather and his successors are having their effect, as wages buy less and less, health and social services subject to ale increasingly vicious and unemployment climbs yet again to record levels. The real results of high level 'fixing' blow opyious to widening sections of workers as they prepare for inevitable battles ahead against the unprecedented attacks their conditions and the unprecedented connivance in these attacks from the rotten bureaucrats Who sit of the trade at tne

CLOU

union and working class moverent.

Bureaucrats Like Featine" aiong with the capitalist class serie.

espite the frantic efforts Labour leaders including ard Short, to prevent its Eddie Milne's new auto- raphy No Shining our' is reported to •be ng like hot cakes. Labour MP for Blyth from -74, Milne fought a consistent against corruption the In ar-controlled councis of the *East a corruption which, clearly demonstrates, did not with the gaoling of architect Poulson Councillor ew Cunningham. attempting to expose the live traditions of local govern- in the area Milne encountered Rematic cover-up involving all the Labour leadership the cabinet and the left'- National lated executive uttee (of which Cunningham long-standing member sh Transport House) down to Committee and the Constituency Party.

EDWARD SHORT

ard Short the party's kader, has been in the fore- of efforts both to prop up a Cunningham and Milne, making him one of ok's "stars". vitably, fighting the Party bureaucrats, Milne himself increasingly from the counterparts in the leadership. Cunningham, East

G&MWU

Doss oi the te: all, one of them. is 3: saad perpetrated against orize class are just the sort acci Union leaders find it aLderstand and forgive, and that Cunningham's Inion pension 1s still a to him while he recuper-

REVIEW

CONFUSION

FIGHTS

CORRUPTION

A REVIEW OF EDDIE MILNE'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY "NO SHINING ARMOUR",

by Richard Brooks ates in jail. Milne, the other hand, has his Union's nomination support, his post as an official and his pension. Rocking the boat" is the one unforgiveable sin The tactics which the right- wing used against will be Milne instantly recognisable to any socialist who has fought on principle against the bureaucracy.

FOUR SETS

At the Labour GMC meeting in 1974, for instance, which voted to drop Milne as parliamentary candi- date, a local taxi proprietor, a new "recruit" to the Labour Party, arrived with four sets of delegate credentials whereas a previous al meeting several NUM delegates who vote for Milne were refused entry. These are the tactica of weak men who feel the danger of the working class pulling the carpet out from under their feet.

Wherever the actions of bureau- crats are challenged they automatic- ally raise the cry against those who "split the movement" "rock and the boat". The assumption behind these charges is that the only forces which gain from such a struggle within the ranks of the working class movement are the employers and the Tories. It is to Milne's credit that he understands that it is precisely the leadership of the Labour movement which suppresses all forms of demo- cracy, that and SpIts demoralises the Labour movement.

MORAL

But Milne's weakness is that he never moves beyond the level of simonic moral condemnation of corrupt individuals under- standing the economic and political roots of this corruption.

He repeatedly trumpets his own Eddie Milne minimal political awareness: "I was soon to realise that the loyalty that Callaghan and Wilson owed, was less to the Labour Move- than to the cronies they had

INCITE

around them, and that those who suffered as a result were the great mass ordinary folk whose immense sacrifices had created the opportunities for the Wilsons allo the Callaghans to achieve power and influence, built on the great Movement that others had made possible. Undeniably tee these but banal, observations cannot possibly provide a perspective for a fight against political corruption.

Corruption inevitable of the development of a capitalist state. the recent from Watergate to bribery scandals, Japan, the question has arisen in the press as to how widespread this "problem" is.

SAME REPLY

The reply, from official, politic- ian, or capitalist is always the same: "What constitutes corruption?"

For "problem" the whose most shock- ing exposures elicits such pieties from the press goes by many names and under some of them it doesn't seem like a problem at all, at least to some people. certain amount of "gift- giving" is built into the capitalist system: a must try to Chris Davies, Report influence his market in a more less competitive situation, and the market is the State then it is those control of its adminis- In tration that he must influence.

PHOTO:

the power distribute wealth ever omits himself. Capitalists can no more the struggle for SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 11th August 1976 than they The effects ,can afford to give up of such a struggl scrabbling after 'undue profits" vould have teached far beyond th theit survival depends upon it.

North East. As the crisis-continues and their Milne's great weakness is his markets contract, capitalists face inability to see clearly the political increasing competition, which must or the real principles at stake in the lead to further, and wilder, struggle with which he is dealing, or attempts to exert "influence" to grasp the fact that only an indep- The dependence of Labour endent working class can find the Ministers like Short on individual strength to carry that fight through capitalists like Poulson is only successfully. reflection of a political dependence of the Labour leadership in general,

POLICE

on capitalism. Their position negotiators This weakness leads him to rely between capital and labour requires on forces such as the police whose a struggle to hold back the struggle interests are opposed to those of of the working class and to prop up the working class. He has a partic- capitalism. ulat faith in the the press, even To expect that these men will right wing press; his book has been fight consistently against capitalism serialized in the Sunday Telegraph.

is to demand that they undermine In his obsession with the honesty or the system that gives them their dishonesty of isolated individuals privileged positions. and the revelation of "the truth' Such a fight would expose them he has lost sight of the fact that to the as would same dangers selected aspects of the "truth" thorough of used as well as lies by the capitalist within the Labour cortuption press to damage the Labour Move- Party. Milne only confuses his sup- weakens his fight by

SECRET DEALS

seeking anti-working class allies. He Yet it was these men in whom cannot recognise that what he is Milne trusted: it was the leaders of fighting is a manifestation of class- the Labour Party, and the Unions collaboration; therefore 1s the who deals make to recognise class- Win 1 • with the employers every day in the collaboration in his own tactics.

year, to whom he turned with an Since foundations Eddie Milne's innocence that begins to seem,

ILP

• has won one the book drags on, less touching parliamentary election and at least than touched appeal for eleven seats in the local Council.

- to an investigation into the Labour Party.

Yet at no point in the book does In fact he Milne every make reference to the Canell available force, including the police of his programme Tory and the government, issue other than that of corruption; attempt to launch a State investi- and even on that he prefers rhetoric into problems of the to specific proposals: Movement; Labour force, "We must compel authority to that is, except the working class.

tackle the problem of corruption Milne's support among the work- midst. let those in ing class Blyth was certainly authority get out and make way for yet he made those who can and will." considerable, no serious moves to mobilise that Only genuine working class support against the bureaucracy committed to the destruction

• DALY

until after he left the Labour Party.

of capitalism can successfully fight the corruption which thrives on the

INDIVIDUALS

capitalist system. Miline says nothing of his record Within the party his fight, as he in this other, broader struggle.

mentions proudly testifies, was almost wholly none the major with individuals. Only struggles which have taken place in he required - including two machinery to miners' dica strikes campaign tor him as Independent what direction and Labour candidate did he bother to support he gave them. lead his supporters against the right-

POLITICAL FIGHT

wing. In the event, he received nearly 23,000 votes. It is not difficult to For Milne the issue of imagine the huge effect his struggle corruption is an isolated one.

But would if, instead of for the working class, on the other appealing to Wilson and even Heath hand, a leadership which assists in Milne had fought within the local Royai Commission, the ruling class attack on workers' living standards must be opposed, Labour Movement for a workers' not by allowing the Tory press to affairs inquiry into the feast on their personal

CULLILICI

Council and for the demand that but by both for a pontical ilent the tull details of all transactions be democracy for an alternative made available to elected workers' leadership the workers' committees. movement. Basnett, GMWU General Secretary. His union pays Cunningham £60 a week!

TRICO BATTLE EXPOSES

"WHAT'S OPPRESSED AND RARE AS A DODO? - A SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT TO THE TRIBUNAL!" (Trico Strike Bulletin)

SOCIALIST PRESS,

aley 11th Arguest 1976 The willingness of the Labour government to use the illusions full force of the police along- side scab forces hired by the them employers against pickets at the Trico-Folberth factory arrest arrived, exposes the fraudulence of Trade both the Union and Labour Relations Act and the picket. Equal Pay Act. In Both these allowed measures had been described in glowing terms "reforms" by the

AUEW

Labour leaders McLaughlin who of course have sided with the and against militant the gates workers in every dispute since they This came to power in February 1974 picket ironically the of the miners' strike.

SOLID

The Trico factory in Brentford, усат which manufactures windscreen enforced wipers tor British Leyland and ment. Chrysler, has been hit by a solid twelve week strike of 400 women demanding increases of £5-£6.50 to bring their pay level with five men workers doing the same job.

While Management at first attempted to level out pay rates by refusing the five men any increase - which necessary men to join the Tory action which began on May 24th.

then the company have offered the £2.50 pay women a which was rejected by the last mass meeting. employers. The strikers have maintained a 24-howr the factory pickel despite attacks and harassment by police and gangs of scabs coordin- ated by management. But on July 29th came the most The blatant attack, of wuen a convoy lorries driven by scabs employed by which the General Express Services was forced the Act through picket line by five coachloads of police. i the

POLICE

Despite the peaceful picketing that had taken place up to that that

DUL

date, the police set out by force of numbers to enforce an arrangement whereby only six pickets the allowed to approach the lorries as refusal to they passed. therefore In theory this is illegal under expression the much vaunted Trade Unions • tribunals. The most brutal forms of political repression in Latin America are not confined to right-wing the military dictatorships.

WEEN

Venezuela has a parliamentary political system and even criticised the Chilean conference of the Organisation of American States. Argentinian In Venezuela three weeks ago, down Jorge Rodriguez, the best known were leader of the Socialist League (Liga Socialista, sympathising The section of the United Secretariat of Fourth International) . was regulations. tortured to death by the police.

Rodriguez had been accused of Under participation in the xinapping of leaders William an American executive, ation, Niehous. This barbarous murder has the return made it clear that torture is wide- fishing spread in "democratic" Venezuela.

owners.

EMBARASS

siege The parliamentary opposition has, for its own opportunistic reasons, used the to embarass the government of Carlos News Andres Perez, who has been forced to the arrest police torturers reports say that directly responsible for Rodriguez' death. Meanwhile, the real instigators 30% ot tha and Labour Relations Acts.

But for those who retained any in the "impartiality" the law, the police soon dispelled by their obvious determination to intimidate and pickets. As the the police used physical violence to keep strikers back as the first driver refused to talk to the the event no pickets were approach the lorries or communicate with them.

Divisional Organiser Bill manhandled police who waved the lorries out of attack the right to reminiscent of the police action during the strikes by the miners and building workers during 1972 - comes only a week before Shrewsbury picket Des Warren was eventually released after serving all but one month of a savage three sentence for picketing, by the Labour govern-

DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS

the TUC strikes wage- deals with the Callaghan- Healey leadership, claiming' it 18 order to prevent the leaders are supervising an all-round attack on the democratic mehts of trade unionists, through the police, the courts, and full support for the bitterness Trico oi ine strike also confirms the futility of the feeble provisions of the Equal Pay Act, hailed by the reformists as the day of women's emancipation.

women strikers have correctly understood ine way Tribunals set up under legal quibbles. are a conscious employers and trade opportunity can balon bureaucrats to prevent widespread Street gal to - siphoning as part of the fight into interminable individual legalistic wrangles.

confrontation with the employer.

The Trico strikers have refused for this to go to the Tribunal - and point management and

DOTT

leaders have the equal pay is made successful.

women workers do identical work The successes five Management's have so far been concede equal pay inadequate simply an open of the task of the and Chrysler cars. to prevent women

SOUTH AMERICAN NEWS

ruling the country. tin miners' union). The new government in Peru is But the every day giving signs of its extreme with their complexion. Relations military occupation the Chilean and Argentinian dictatorships are improving.

exiled leaders are released.

A summit of the three dictators

1700 SACKED

is planned for a few weeks' time. The Peruvial generals have expelled To refugees and closed this is now exile demand organisations, that critical the Chilean or reportedly sacked during the strike Argentinian regimes. - be reemployed. new government is main- General Banzer taining the emergency state of siege imposed his will through repression the short run but certainly seen only the beginning of them it has the struggle to destroy his power arrested of the Fisherman's Feder- who have protested against fights to impose his own power for of the nationalised first time in the industry its former growing divisions military dictatorship. In neighbouring Bolivia, military dictator Banzer has lifted the state left-wing guerrilla imposed for have suffered, une miners strike; though this is a formality for that the left Peronist organisation, the Montoneros (now negotiating a hivpaganna purposes since nein no way lacks dictatorial powers, united Argentina Liberation Organ- mining areas is isation under a government blackout. But tionary Army (ERP) there has been a • guerrilla group the return to work and an imposition of Workers of the government's wage offer of a able hold their to increase (compared with the parades in defiance of the dictator-

FAKE "REFORMS"

winning equal pay through farcical both support from The right to equal pay and equal Yet none only be won leading through mobilising working women fight to bring working class move management to its knees by com- in the trade unions, in pletely blacking the products. Officials in many areas reason it is vitally are clearly suppressing circulars and important that this strike which has appeals from the strikers.

taken the correct road to winning

MOBILISED

of the strikers limited the In answer to this the support of blacking of

BLMC

and Chrysler workers products which are fitted to BLMC behind mobilised be strikers who are in the front line of The strike has nominal official the fight both for equal pay and mineworkers persist demands that the of the mining areas is ended and that arrested and the 1700 workers may have Shas almost In Argentina, General Videla still context of within the In spite of the blows which the organisations it is reliably reported the Peoples Revolu- and another day, July 9th Red Brigades The dictatorship has Power (BRPO), were willingly granted the freedom own military the streets to the secret police of other South Ameriran distatarohine Page 9 Police pave way for scab lorries through Trico picket line T&GWU and against the latest wage-cutting pay are deal. of these Wherever possible, speakers from coordinated the Trico strike committee should be Trico to branch and shop stewards meetings to put the case use of their rally full support behind the strike, sending delegations from the major factories support to the continuing picket. At the same time the fight for donations and factory collections must be taken up to assist the hard- ship fund. must Donations should be sent to the Trico Strike Fund, c/o AEU House, the Trico Woodlands Road, Southall, Middlesex.

PHOTO: SWP MILITANT

Bolivian tin miners - their strike stopped 75% of tin production the security services of other more especially Uruguay and i ountries, of Chile, have complete freedom 'operate Argentina against

TRANSPORT & GENERAL WORK

BOSSES MANDEUVRE

AT EXPORT PACKING

SUDDEN RUSH OF TGWU OFFICIALS

the recent and First Following that cossful campaign of picket- they discussions with and demonstrations by yorkers at the Export Packing The contract fervices factory Banbury, in oth British Leyland manage- bent and the T&GWU bureau- racy are attempting to head ff the struggle. Both highly embarassed were

EPS

the hen workers pinned telephone) sponsibility for the withdrawal of

BLMC

contract (which would ost 400 jobs) - where it belongs 16111 trade the collaboration of the unnecessary! the

BLMC

anion officials and From ¡participation" committees be decision to destroy the jobs was aken. Call

IMPOSSIBLE

officials hope. The Leyland finding it impossible After luring the first two weeks of the a union. official struggle get things changed interested, dramatically

EPS

wIcIO feturned from their annual holidays Allégro next year, n week. TO Jaguar workers in Coventry have begun a work to rule in scheme. defence of the jobs threatened decision of British by the Leyland to build its new paint Bromwich, The shop at Castle rather than at Birmingham, management in Brown Lane plant the plant, to Coventry.

DECISION

As they begin this action it has does been revealed that the decision to move the paint process was taken of the Cars sub-committee stewarde hodu ot

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

hundred jobs, announced management the withdrawal involved in been contract in the middle of 1977.

British Leyland and things were not so bad after all.

NOTHING CHANGED

would now be with- drawn over the course of a year and months as few Workers who have previously announced. - Socialist Press are clear that nothing The has changed. defence of jobs - not whether they A few hours later, two T&GWU officials. arrived on the site (with a go tnis montu or nost moncik The crucial fight must come over national officer on the other end of the first redundancies in October. If intende to derend she jobs at EPS the battle is won work retained at EPS, it can be won and that all the demonstrations and on the rest. action had been The danger tactics by the officials. They are to

EPS

the reaction of organise a meeting with stewards in workers to these manoeuvres there seems little chance that the struggle which the work is being transferred be defused in this way as the cne bL packing plantl lowicy le be used as a the new first stage divert the campaign. time table the with- drawal of the Allegro mechanical parts in October of this year throw- This is to be 100 jobs. followed by the withdrawal of the panel work in April body destroying further Banner left by EPS marchers

TONU OFICIAL

ARE HELPING - SOMEONE OMWHERE

DO OUR

OPK

ORD DISTRICT OFFIC.

BTSECRETAR

KIBUCNI

AJTHOMESCH

NET ORGANISER

JAGS HIT BY CARS COUNCIL

mittees of this sort is a new and sinister development of the Ryder the reactionary

JOB OF MANAGEMENT

sections tl aT V plans for "rationalisation" "participation" bodies are increasingly carrying out the job of Latest move workers - moving from plant Leyland Mirror (the taking decisions on the rag that indignantly and pronouncing jobs of workers *management on their work effort. It is 'essential therefore that a editorial board of so-called struggle in defence of jobs at Jaguar tatives" general not just direct ir The paper towards management and MPs but focuses the blame on the craven management collaboration of convenors leading 'employee and full time union and culminating in Rover of the last spoken to the issue that, and the on Two hundred members of

NUPE

the entered delaying now week of official strike action weekend at the management's drive to and facilities at the staffing Hospital, Hammersmith delaying tactic to London. Their action follows a sustained campaign to management the through the cuts service planned by the Area Health Authority for Hammersmith government's the ment of Health and Social Security.

This has meant permanent and deliberate short staffing, ment refusal to provide holiday sick on

WUIKCIN

refusal to allow union tation for members threatened with discipline or 'reassignment .

On top of this the management refused to withdraw have discipline any threat member carrying out official union policy. Bill Chairman Geddes, NUPE's North Branch, angrily District management accusations action is putting patients at rsk As he told Socialist Press on the line picket it ls cne culs ln that are Health Seryice Hammersmith Hospital centre for open heart surgery. But under present plans the number of patients being heart makers is to be cut from 70 to 50 a - and they year are to De cheaper, plastic pacemakers!

In effect the government's cuts are condemning year to probable death. this nine entire wards of hospital are

OUL

The attempt endence of the trade union move- ment and a complete break from "compromise" solution to the "participation" set- dispute Christopher at of maua setoni hil by nor ine of Redditch has failed. coming local conference, At Company informally offered a pay- secretary of the office Leyland OII IOF tie the offer in the latest if he committee victimisation, and reinstatement for

MAHRSCCEL

denies it is a the member supposedly being made rag'!) for redundant.

KOWI

management and TASS members had made it Ihe "employee represen- clear that they would not accept a deal of this kind. that member said announces As and and these firm's owner representatives" (the director: "Mrs Smith has always been able bureaucratised layers of convenors SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday I1th August 1976

ĐION

URKERS

NHS

VOLIRY

«COH

LINEK

inis is angar buł l musł mo nUPE HOSPITAL

STRIKE

NUPE

and various reasons, members fear they are planned for second permanent clousre. The strikers at the Hammersmith cleaners, against include cooks, and and store workers, cut sterile responsible supplies. West one of several "heirs is ony London hospitals struggles the government's provoked policy of financially mutilating the press Service the National Health health solve the economic

•ECHEDL

crisis at the expense of the working and workers and Depart- - both nealtn other workers needing health care.

in secret with Plans drawn up the DHSS allow for 120 out of manage- London's 150 hospitals to be closed cover 101 entirely! and NUPE members on strike at the Hammersmith are in the front line of the struggle to defend the Health of the interests Service patients. their Trade unionists have responded

NUPE

by refusing to deliver non essential though urgent medical supplies supplies (blood etc) allowed of through the picket lines.

Hammersmith Hammersmith the refuted At the question of basic trade union rights that their the overall fight against the and in the cuts have together come sharpest fa hair: blame. half-hearted official NUPE officials, 'support' given by Is a WorO of the NUPE leadership's call DalL 'guerrilla' strikes against for local the cuts, are totally inadequate.

backed by Only policy, to force health national action, given spending to be increased in

CHIC

repair the cuts and to with prices, already made, can defend the jobs people On top of and conditions of union Ta USID the and provide the health care which in for workers need. action

RELF GOODS

BLACKED

bought." find a The stand taken by the members enthusiastic has brought an Relf's from shop stewards response and Leyland Oxford British Birmingham. the They have imposed once again a total blacking of Relf's goods in which represents 95% of Leyland, would accept his Relf's total work. This is in spite of a written call Buckle

T&GWU

David from District Secretary in Oxford for the blacking to be lifted. industrial tribunal case on An the dispute has now been cancelled of the after it was correctly argued by the managing

TASS

members and Leyland shop stewards that it could only under- blacking and best

COURT SLAMS NUM FOR "CONTEMPT"

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 11th August 1976 The Labour government's policy of continued public spending cuts will mean a continuing decline and deter- ioration in the rail network and services if not reversed.

This is the conclusion of the 87-page reply by the British Rail Board to the government's trans port policy consultation document.

The Board goes on to point out that government plans would mean

BOSSES LIKED

£10,000 A YEAR MAN

Building trade employers grateful to former were so

T&GWU

national building secretary Leslie Kemp for his cooperation the over years they have taken that an establish a testi- initiative to monial fund in his honour to finance the training of young people. was revealed last week by This

T&GWU

Jack Jones, General attempted who to secretary, press revelations (reported in Socialist Press) that Kemp, after premature retirement from his full- time union job through "ill health" was taking on a number of other giving income of over all £10,000 per year. Jones' statement vigorously denied that the T&GWU itself had influence had part ally securing numbers of part-time appointments for government Кетір, whose new jobs include posts on two neighbouring towns development corporations.

hits Kemp. himself arrogantly back at those who had exposed his lucrative 'retirement' prospects, in his out that opinion he was well worth the money.

that he had He told reporters been advised that he should give up ms Illume mol posion because of the "strain that goes with being a union national secretary" whether the not known T&GWU's building group member- already ship, face unemployment as a result of the policies of Jones, Kemp and the officials who appointed gang of bureaucratically run the union and support the anti-working class policies of the Labour govern- would endorse Kemp's view well, that he is "worth" £10,000 a year that he worth his hefty was salary

T&GWU

national as official. What is clear is that Kemp, as a valued and long-standing friend of the employers has built a comtort- able position for himself by resting on the back of the labour move- The struggle for the regular election of all officials, for them to be accountable to their membership and for them to be paid no more than the their average wage stepped members must up within the T&GWU to drive out such careerist elements and pave the way for principled leadership.

All officials be forced their other sources of income and be subject to scrutiny by branches and stewards

40,000 RAIL JOBS TO GO

a real increase in South Bast com- muter fares of 74% every year until an estimated 60,000 1981, driving. passengers (15% of commuters) off forms of Toad and into transport. But while critical of the govern- ment's inadequate provision foI spending on track and equipment, document also the management 40,000 cut in the work- forecasts a force over the next five years. This would slash 20% of the present pay- of course be linked as in Toll and Jones In yet another intervention by the courts into the internal running of the trade unions, a High Court judge a week ago ruled that a decision by the Yorkshire

NUM

Area to right suspend two wingers from holding union office for courtyears was "contempt of two Daputo Brien Judge Rubin granted William - Grasshoughton Branch Secretary, and Tom former Secretary KOeDuck - Manvers Main, temporary injunction against the suspensions pending full trial. The which has been case, followed in Socialist Press, revolves around the collaboration of the right wingers with lawyers represen- ting the Sheffield Star, which was libel deferding against action Yorkshire

NUM

President Arthur Scargill on behalf of the union.

DAMAGES

The eventually newspaper £3,000 damages in required to pay compensation for remarkS made Scargil's handling picketing during the miners' strike.

O 'Brien (both and long-term opponents of Scargill and crucial figures the right-wing

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

industry to speed up and every intensification of working for those Secretary Sid

NUR

Weighell voiced immediate oppos- planned sackings, ition the that claiming the forecasts were based on a continuing decline in the use and activities of the railways.

Weighell still has not However. outlined any proposals for action defend jobs and conditions on the railways, let alone to combat of the coming gloomy period described by retiring Rail Richard Marsh, Board who anticipated: withdraw "We begin more services, we will impose speed restrictions, not bring in modern equipment. The net product is not even a cheaper railway. It will be a expensive ralway and ElL- Treasury will have to pick up the bill':

STRENGTH

To fight this prospect the indus- trial strength of the rai unions, held in check until now by the union bureaucracy, must be mobil ised in action to force a halt to cuts wherever they first take

•ANO

effect, calling the Labour on government to make additional finance available. The demand at both local and national level must be for the full accounts, plans, manning levels and outside commitments of the Rail Board, along with National Bus and haulage operations to be opened up elected crammallon Dy mittees from the transport unions.

Un the basis or te ormanon revealed, the unions must draw up a planned national transport system, under workers' management, incor- porating the nationalisation of key suppliers, and preserving all jobs in the three main sectors of transport the through implementation of work sharing on full pay.

EXPANSION

Within this framework local plans can then be drawn up tor an of public transport expansion systems, creating new. at JODs trade union rates of pay.

no _other way can the thousands of jobs threatened by the Labour government's pro-capitalist of strategy rationanisation closure be defended or the right to adequate public transport be achieved. Labour Party) were charged by the .

Yorkshire Area Council with giving confidential union documents and information to the paper's lawyers.

The judge, of course, in support- ing the two right wingers against agreed by the disciplinary action the Union, serves the interests of the employers. the deceptive He raised argument that anybody ought to be box and able to go into a witness testify without fear of being punished by "anybody"

PRINCIPLE

Yet O'Brien and Roebuck were breach of trade in principle when they took the initiative Star operate cooperate wiin the Sheffield •presenting confidential material which could aid the defence against the union.

The disciplinary action centred on this question alone. their. And present moves to appeal to the courts of the employer against the trade union movement makes clear their class

DON LO

The claim that Scargill in for disciplinary action pressing the acted both against men "prosecutor" and as chairman is the disciplinary proceedings ridiculous. simply In using the internal machinery of the union to Scargill raise these questions was simpiv following the rule book.

and

LOBBY

THE TUC

BRIGHTON: TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 7th.

The announcement by Healey last week that the main TUC leaders voted in a NEDC meeting for proposals which include four years of wage control adds urgency to the call to lobby the TUC i Brighton on Tuesday September 7th.

Since the Special TUC which accepted the wage-cutting 42% deal on June union leader knew 16th, the first round of now spending cuts, which every were coming but purposely concealed, has been announced And now even more protracted and savage wage restraint in atready being with complete contempt for the union accepted and Scanlon, by Jones membership's views or interests.

the The impact of the latest series of cuts by Healey has stepped t1 pressure from members of those unions which will make up the bulk of th admitted 70,000 coming redundancies..

even forced some union leaders like Alan Fisher of NUPE te This has This opens the possibility of conflict between him declare against the cuts.

and Jones and Scanlon, who have consistently supported the cuts.

The depth of the betrayal of the June 16th Special Congress is shown by the latest unemployment figures - standing at 1½ million, a post-wat recor this is included a huge number of youth on the dole - over 200,000 without jobs. e International Socialists are organising a Right to Work March fr ndon to Brighton where they will lobby the TUC on September 7 This march is along the lines of their previous march, against "excessive •, for a 35 hour week, and a number of other mainly straight trade union demands. None of them in any way direct the working class to the fight for workers struggle for nationalisations, and control as a transitional step towards the Without this, the IS talk of 'socialism' remains simply towards state power. hot air. The call by the Workers Revolutionary Party and their Young Socialist youth unemployment put for a separate lobby two days later, against forward such correct calls as "full training on demand" at "trade union rate of pay". But this is coupled with the incorrect, sectarian-propagandist call tr "force the Labour government to resign!" detached from any programme fo Indeed the demands advanced by the WRP are all simply governmenta demands - which without programme for local, particular struggles, becom simply abstractions. It is important to direct every struggle towards the question of governmen but this must be connected with the immediate struggles of the working class Fot a real fight. to begin, the demand for work-sharing on full pay must b put forward wherever redundancies are declared.

The betrayal of the working class has not just taken place at the nationa level also, where leaderships have come out in favou level, but at the factory of voluntary redundancies or simply allowed redundancies or closures to tak place. Similarly, if the employers claim they cannot pay, the demand must b 'open the books' of that particular firm, backed by occupation. This direct towards the necessity of nationalisation without compensation.

The demand for a programme of public works to create new jobs ties H with the fight of the social services unions, and the struggle for a slidin scale of state expenditure on social services Both these demands show the necessity for a massive government injectio of finance and a programme of nationalisation of building and supply indus tries which would open up new jobs for employment of youth at trade unio rates. The WSL will be lobbying the TUC on September 7th on this programm of demands. linked to the necessity of new leadership in the unions and th recruitment of unemployed workers and youth into the unions.

Only in this way can youth and workers opposed to the TUC betrayals b enabled to fight inside the unions alongside employed workers on the centra political questions in the struggle against unemployment.

the Yorkshire Area Council itself clear lesson drawn on the reaction and by the Union's National ary role of those who seek to use which despite its right the law in this way. Executive, wing bias could find nothing uncon- The fight for internal demo be combined cracy must therefore stitutional about the disciplinary fight for the with a tenacious action. of the complete independence from state This latest interference by the workers' movement capitalist courts into the running of dictatorship. the unions must be fought and a

MORE DETAILS

Please send me more information about the Workers Socials League. Name. Address Post to WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NWS 1HR.

FOUR YEARS OF

WAGE CONTROL

Last Wednesday night illions of television viewers card Chancellor Denis healey gleefully anuquitoe hat

TUC

leaders ar the TEDC meeting that day had oted along with government ad CBI spokesmen for 'four ears of wage control'. The embarassed response TUC was to immediately get ealey to withdraw his statement hich gots ДИСА arther than even the reactionary 12% deal agreed by the TUE.

CONCEDED

but the fact remains that in sence Jones and Scanion have conceded to this pros- ect. In fact, their whole cringing titude at the meeting could only "take all the summed up rofits you want, but please invest me of them to give jobs to our unprecedented in the history embers." British capitalism and about ten To these so-called leaders' of times as high as the average for working class jobs for workers the last six years! not a right which must be aght for, but a favour to be by tained them- before the represen representatives It is just as well that Neddy the capitalist class. (NEDC) did not seriously discuss Profits, they all agreed, were this second forecast - or it might • first priority. have been difficult to see how the The jobs, conditions and wages crisis-torn capitalist system which workers could be nothing more for the last few has years a desirable by-product of produced nothing but slump and isfying the capitalists' interests.

unemployment suddenly was The

NEDC

(Neddy) meeting going to perform this unheard of called to consider two fairy economic miracle. ries. The TUC leaders did not make There were "forecasts" for the produced by the econ which was common to both the ists of the Treasury. Ireasury forecasts - that wages would not rise any faster. than

GROWTH

prices. But, with the effect of the tax One of them what forecast this means that living system, suld happen if the growth of the standards would fall continuously pnomy continues at the present for the extour ers. that, course, means Aunt. According to this, unemploy- that the Labour government and 1979 would not have at Dy the TUC leaders casually work on below the the assumption of long-term high of 1½ million. It might continued state control of wage even higher. bargaining. admit openly that

ALITATE

were willing to accept this

"FREE BARGAINING"

ration, the TUC joined the CBI voting So much for Jones' talk of a olution which declared the 'controlled return' to free collec- aclusion of this fairy story as tive bargaining! Both he and the acceptable'. TUC leaders are well aware this could only occur if fought for

ALTERNATIVE

by the unions against the govern- ment. Such a fight they have no the Treasury's They preferred intention of carrying out.

ernative fairy which Such gatherings as this meeting a small alted in fall in the of Neddy emphasise once again abers of unemployed workers higency or tirowng our the 1979 but on v

TUC

and Labour government amption that the rate of indus- leaders along with all the class • growth would rise to 8% a collaborationist treachery they completely figure SUBSCRIBE to Socialist Press

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NAME.

ADDRESS

he hed by the Markers Carialiet Tour Scanion Those who claim to lead and represent the working class are in fact simply sitting around a table with the capitalists, playing with the interests of workers as if they were bits of paper in a Monopoly A report just published which examines to whom cars are being sold estimates that now 33% of all cars registered in Britain in the year to February were on comp- any books - and 50% of the Brit- ish car industry's output is sold in this way. This gives the clue to the way employers and managers are evad- control measures - ing ine ware giving selected managers cars to compensate for nominally limited naturery

CP ATTACKS

SPANISH STRIKE

The 3-month old strike at Motor Iberica in Barcelona is holding out against the bosses, the police and the Spanish Communist Party. The bosses have refused the workers' demands for a large increase to cover inflation and the of reinstatement workers sacked for militancy Scab have been

WOLACIE

brought in and threatening letters sent to the strikers. The police have been enforcing the anti-picketing law; they have smashed the doors of a church to disperse 3-week solidarity

HULL

Thursday September 2nd Hull Central Library 7.30pm

SHEFFIELD

Sunday September 12th Prince of Wales Division St. 7.30pm

LEEDS

Thursday August 26th Trades Council Club 7.30pm

JOBS AXED

The recent government that announcement 46,000 Civil Service jobs are to be axed over the next three years represents a massive attack on the jobs and con- ditions of Civil Servants.

The main government depart- ments affected are Defence (20,000 jobs), Inland Revenue (5,000 jobs), Health (5,000 jobs), and Environment (2,500 jobs): of "defence" itset the maintainance of the British imperialist army with its overseas detachments and repressive forces tor home - is not being cut. The sacking of office staff simply to axe jobs. Moreover, the cuts can only result in worsening working con- LEFTS BETRAY Cont'd from Front Page.

"sacrifice' prospect of to make capitalism work. Even where they talk 'left' their policies accept this necessity. demand for 'British import controis to save industry is the clearest of these.

'left' talkers There are many both inside and outside Labour Party, the sum total of whose talk means 'Don't fight'.

The Militant group inside the Young Labour Party Socialists (who call even themselves Trotskyists) say for example: "It would be a serious mistake, as the "Tribune' group recognises, to vote in such a way as to bring down the government. As Arthur Latham said, the Labour govern- ment might be like a bad Tory but another overnmen vould be like a dose of arsenic fo the workers.' The WSL says that the central.

question is the mobilisation of the strength of the working class, not as a pressure group but in a way workers will not unal declares accept capitalism's crisis put on their backs. We no redundancies, no cuts. We demand the 'lefts both wives of the occupation by strikers. According to Guardian a Party organ- leading. Communist iser of the illegal Workers' Com- missions in Barcelon dismisses the strike as a "tomantic exercise" saying "I sympathise say i cannot supart theith them This attitude scandalous entirely line with the CP's rejection of the demands of the left to convert the Workers' Commissions into a real trade union organisation, and with its preparations to negotiate a deal with the fascist government. (See Page 2).

WSL MEETINGS:

NEWCASTLE

Friday August 27th Bridge Hotel High Level Bridge 7.30pm

COVENTRY

Wednesday 25th August Heartford Tavern Junction St. 7.30pm. SOCIALIST PRESS, Wedresday 11th August 1976.

46000 MORE

ditions for all Civil Servants.

The Civil Service union leaders have spoken out against the cuts but argue only that the figures on the government based its case are "innaccurate" What is needed however from these union leaders, and in partic- ular from the leadership of the largest of the Civil LIDA, Ine Service unions, 1c a come fight to defend everyone of these Civil Servants must teğuse to cover the work of colleagues who have left and not been replaced. The Civil Service unions should mannug leves and cal strike action if the management try to force employees to do the work of those whose jobs have been cut. vote against these attacks in Parliament and fight for alternative policies, organise in the trade unions for strike action and occupations to fight the cuts.

*Fight for work-sharing on full pay worked out by elected com- mittees of trade unionists.

*If the employers say they can't pay, then open their books prove the necessity for nationalisation without compen- sation of that industry. *For programme of public works paid at trade union rates in order to employ the unemployed.

*No state control of wages! For a sliding scale of wages clause in every agreement so that wages rise automatically with the cost of living. *Reject the Callaghan-Healey at the Labour Party Conference. Every delegate must take stand against Labour imposition of Tory policies.

FUND

The July Fund closed with a total of €536.11, including donation of £20 from J.W.

Those which have made an early start with the August Fund include: Hull, £4.75; South London, £8; Banbury, £1.55; Central London, £45: North London, £36; Aylesbury, £1.15; Oxford Assembly, $9.50; Oxford General, £10; which makes the total £115.95. It is important that all branches make a particular effort during the holiday period to raise the full fund. This 16-page issue is a great step forward for us but of in our course means an increase printing costs. All donations should be sent to: Socialist Press Monthly Development Fund, 31, Park London Dartmoutn Hill,

NWS IHR.

OXFORD

Thursday 26th August East Oxford Community Centre Cowley Rd. 7.30pm.

LONDON

The Struggle for Socialism in Spain Kenilworth Hotel 97, Great Russell St., WC1 Friday 13th August at 7.30pm