Cdlm Statement Backs Toolmakers

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of the text of a statement in support of the tool on Saturday by the Campaign for Democracy in We reprint below most makers' strike adopted The decision of the BLMC toolroom workers to continue their strike at a mass meeting in Birmingham Town Hall, despite the pleas of Scanlon, is a major step forward in the working class's fight against the Social Contract.

Despite the leadership of the strike denying this is a fight against the Social Contract it is clear that to grant the claim would breach Phase Il. It is also clear that Phase Ill could not be held if it was in any way flexible, because if any one section got more than another then that other section would go into action.

It is no chance that the struggle against the Social Contract takes the form of an unofficial committee giving a lead after two years of continuous frustration at rising prices, wages held down and being told to get back to work by officials (the Midlands toolroom workers were instructed back by the AUEW Executive Committee last year).

Scanlon The movement within capitalism through the Social Contract, Bullock and 'participation' is to draw the union leadership into helping to solve the capitalist crisis of profit.

Integral to this are the moves in all unions for officials to have all the negotiating power and for the role of the shop stewards to be taken away; everything must be "taken through procedure"-put into the hands of these officials.

For the union leadership to hold Stage I and go into Stage III under conditions where there is universal hatred of the social contract by the members, this control is essential.

This is why it is not only the employer that will not negotiate with the toolroom committee: neither will Scanlon and company.

To us it seemed the most boring of three ring circuses. But in fairness, we must admit that the Workers Revolutionary Party managed to coax over 2,000 members, guilt-ridden drifters, and confused but cheerful youth to their "Festival of Trotskyism" on Sunday 6th March.

The afternoon featured films and exhibits of photographs and documents, some of them interesting from the point of view of the development of the Marxist movement, others slantea to support the WRP's present campaign of slander against Joseph Hansen and George Novack, leaders of the American Socialist Workers Party, sympathising section of the "United" Secretariat of the Fourth International.

About 1,000 heard a rally which began the evening's entertainment.

Its impressively international array of speakers must have persuaded all but the most sceptical that Gerry Healy's "International Committee" remains a vital force for #arld revolution. We must - Representatives of the phantom conni curselves among the sceptics.

the Labour Movement.

So all the force of capitalism and the trade union bureaucracy is brought to bear on these workers.

The Labour government elected into office to defend jobs, uses the 1½ million unemployment situation it has created as a threat. The government acts through the NEB (the body which the 'left MPs all say should be strengthened) to carry this threat through. The Tory press talks of closure.

The Executive Committee of the AUEW then repeats these threats and in fact carries out the attack.

They have so far issued two instructions to return to work, tollowed by a meeting in London of the EC together with delegates from District Committees.

When the vote was taken at this meeting the majority of striking toolroom workers was against return, but the non-toolroom workers outvoted them.

This led up to the mass meeting in Birmingham addressed by Scanlon and Duffy in which they brought out all these threats of closure and tried to get the men back.

The voice of these workers when they howled down Scanlon and Duffy was the voice of two years of the bureaucracy's wage cutting.

The fact that the man who has held down the whole AUEW could only get ten votes out of 3,000 was working class speaking. Similarly the continuous ovation for the unofficial strike leaders was the response of the working class to a strong lead.

The toolroom workers must be supported. They are giving a lead to the whole working class in that they are fighting the Social Contract now. This is something no 'left' talker will do. No union leadership has done this.

The Stalinists' LCDTU conference gave no such lead, but directed to trying to persuade the trade union leadership not to accept a Phase III.

APPLAUDED In fact speaker after speaker attacked "sectional" disputes and one leading Stalinist defended Scanlon's role-for which he was clapped. Now EC member of the CP and leader of AUEW/TASS, Ken Gill has specifically attacked the toolroom workers.

Leading Stalinists in Leyland have called a conference through the Leyland Combine Committee the rump Greek section of the Clapham "international" said nothing that would indicate any participation whatever in the living struggles of the working class in their respective countries.

And WRP General Secretary Mike Banda showed in his statement of programme that the WRP have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing in the past two years.

"Nationalisation without compensation under workers control" is in; Trotsky's Transitional Programme is out.

There were ringing words on smashing the reformist and Stalinist bureaucracy and on bringing down the Labour government-but Banda was utterly silent about how to do it.

Banda also called for support for the WRP's latest propaganda lurch, a youth march for a United Socialist States of Europe.

Georges Vereecken, long-time collaborator of Michel Pablo, was the only politically alien element on the platform.

The WRP now exhibit him at every opportunity because he supports their call for an "inquiry" into Hansen and Novack.

Chairman Cliff Slaughter showed intandistina on April 3rd.

The meeting of the combine committee to prepare this conference specifically voted against a resolution calling for support for sections fighting Phase Il, with Derek Robinson, another EC member of the Communist Party, and toolroom worker at Longbridge attacking the toolroom struggle.

Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement supporters will of course oppose this projected sellout at this conference and demand support for the toolroom dispute.

Photo: Dave Evans. IFL.

Longbridge workers opposing wage control.

The only way Phase III will be defeated is by taking action against Phase II now. That is why the toolroom workers struggle will be central to the recall conference of the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement.

The first conference held in October had as its central theme wage control and the way this was held by the attacks on democracy in the labour movement.

What was discussed there has become a reality in the struggles of the toolroom workers and a recall conference is taking place on March 27th because of these developing struggles.

At the same time as we unconditionally support these workers we must say there are dangers in the way the leadership is conducting the struggle.

Vereecken as a comrade with "over 60 years in the working class movement as a revolutionary"

Vereecken's remarks about the backwardness of the American working class do not, we trust, reflect à new shift in the line of the WRP.

They were, however, allowed to pass without comment, and indeed his speech was more roundly applauded than any other except Healy's.

Gerry Healy's oration was a fiery delight. He regaled us with anecdotes of raids by the Special Branch.

He told us of his recent series of classes in "Marxist theory" to Lebanese and Palestinian militants in W. Beirut.

But conspicuously, he did not tell us why Newsline has lately been acting as apologist for Colonel Gaddafi's anti-communist regime in Libya. Why is that, Gerry?

Once again the declining forces of the WRP had been shoved up on pillars of rhetoric.

And it was time for the Equity fraction to do their stuff, a semidocumentary "How the GPU Murdered Trotsky" • whose primary goal seemed to be that of depicting • Taranh Lancan immarcivolt failina highest paid plant in Leyland; it is another thing to ask to negotiate wages and conditions on a company wide level.

Ihis gives the lead to the company's requirement of corporate bargaining rather than plant bargaining; this would inevitably end up in the hands of officials.

The massive movement of workers is because of the erosion of their wages (not 'differentials') but the claim does not allow for this.

What is required is for the claims of toolroom workers and others to include a demand for cost of living clauses in their agreements whereby their wages would rise automatically with the cost of living as decided by elected committees of Trade Unionists and housewives.

Recall Conference Wood, Birmingham 20 Final details in preparation for the March 27th Conference on Wage Control and Union Democracy were agreed at last Saturday's meeting of the Organising Committee of the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement (CDLM).

Despite opposition from the IMG who argued against inviting speakers directly involved in struggles in the working class, stressing instead the need for people who *understand the need for programme" platorm would incase sped thes from the Oxford TGWU Hotel strikers, from the EGA Hospital occupation in London and if possible, the Little Ilford School NUT.

Among other speakers will be Alan Thornett, the candidate supported by the CDLM in the current election for General Secretary of the TGWU; Trevor Holdsworth of Bradford AUEW District Committee; Dick Bradley from Longbridge TGWU, a speaker on the struggle for women's rights and a speaker from the Labour The committee also agreed to approach workers in a number of other struggles including the toolmakers struggle with a view to speaking at the conference.

During the lunch break of the Conference the committee agreed meetings would be arranged . to discuss campaigns within a number of unions with members presentin particular those whose union conferences are approaching. It was agreed such meetings would be held for IGWU, AUEW. ASIMS, NALGO, NUT, NUPE and GMWU members to respond to Trotsky's cries of agony.

The rally considered a motion calling for a Commission of Enquiry into Trotsky's murder and indicting Hansen and Novack in advance. We abstained, the only ones to do so. We apologise for that -we should have voted against.

A particularly disturbing aspect of the WRP's non-programme of "socialism now" is its effect on the working class youth around them.

We were appalled by the anti-trade union ideas of the young comrades with whom we spoke.

Contempt for the unions,. opposed to political hostility towards their reformist and Stalinist leadership, is something no rounhtinnars orialic ran affard 'democracy' into the whole trade union movement.

The financial support already rolling in for the toolmakers (without an appeal being made) and the Ford workers' one day strike and lobby of the AUEW EC show the kind of response that is possible.

We call for other workers to take all out strike action in support,; we must oppose the official instructions to cross picket lines issued by the TGWU.

In order to strengthen the strike and gain the necessary support we will fight for the above programme in the trade unions. That is why the toolroom strike will be central in the CDLM recall conference.

Hall, Birmingham Rd: Handsworth -ixec The IMG, who stated that their members had only moved motions supporting the conference in those labour movement bodies where they felt certain to win, and could only claim one success in terms of branch support, told the Committee that in their view however many came to the conference they would only be a small minority force.

For this reason, the IMG said, the idea of the conference should be to arm those attending with a programme to "catalyse" the building of an organised left wing committed to class struggle policies" , and proffered a list of tasks for action.

The Committee agreed that this amounted to an alternative resolution and should be submitted in the normal way through a labour movement body.

Despite the IMG's attitude it was reported that support for the conference had grown within the labour movement. Bodies whict had agreed to send delegates since the previous committee meeting include:

ASTMS 516 (Publishing);

Oxford 5/670 TGWU (Hotels);

Warley AUEW/TASS; Warley East CLP; Camden North CLP; Selly Oak CLP; Kensington North CLP;

ASTMS Leeds 507; Sheffield AUEW/TASS; Charing Cross ASTMS; Oxford UCATT;

Aylesbury Trades Council; Oxford COHSE; Strand Hotels GMWU, London; ASTMS W. London Medical; Westminster NUT;

Leamington Trades Counci;

Warwick and Leamington LPYS;

Middlesex Polytechnic Students Wadham S.U; Oxford" Student)

Trade Union Liaison Committee.

Healy More experienced members would probably not make the sort oi statements we heard from the youth. But it is the WRP's lack of programme for intervention in the mass organisations of the working class that makes it possible for such backwardness to flourish inside the The WRP have in the past excluded members of other political groups from their meetings wherever they could. We were, however, admitted to the "Festival" under our own banner, so to speak. Is the WRP beginning to take democracy in the workers movement seriously? Or did they merely find it expedient to strike a pose of openness in their campaign far a "'nahlir annuiry??

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IST. PRESS, We nesday 16ti March The struggle against the DES proposals to increase tuition fees found a national focus for one day last week in the countrywide NUS demonstrations.

In London, 20,000 students marched in protest against the increases; in Glasgow, 10,000 students took to the streets; and in Leeds, 6000 students, backed by NUPE branches, demonstrated.

This impressive turnout by students, and the fact that 38 colleges are now occupied, once again underlines student willingness to fight the increases.

But again, the gap between student militancy and the NUS leadership's inactivity was never wider.

The London demonstration was designed from the beginning as a purely protest action. But even this protest was blunted, as for example the demonstration managed to march past the DES at Waterloo without even pausing to register student opposition.

DUKE OF YORK

Like the Grand Old Duke of York, the demonstrators marched up to the DES only to be marched straight away from it.

And at the end of the demonstration informed those students Clarke Loose students who could hear him above a massive barrage of abusive attacks on him and the Broad Left in general how pleased he was that they'd come, and how Shirley Williams had at last consented to meet the NUS Executive to discuss the situation!

The point has often been made Photo: John Sturrock, Report.

This policy is clearly divisive, it counterposes overseas students home students, those without grant to those with one. LSE students outside their occupied building.

wishing to study can do so.

These demands against : the present fees structure must be coupled with demands for a rejecGeneral 1 Management Committee mee tings of Islington North CLP are to be closely scrutinised by Transport House:

That is the outcome of an NEC enquiry into the CLP set up after allegations of right-wing rigging of elections and the expulsion of left winger Keith Veness for fighting to expose it.

The inquiry committee has also instructed the CLP • to restore Labour Party membership to Veness.

Veness Veness was expelled by the CLP -dominated by a bloc of Catholic Action supporters of MP Michael O'Halloran and orthodox reactionaries-following an interview in the local community paper Gutter Press.

In this Veness exposed the exposed tactics of the right, including the ruling "out of order" of Ward AGMs which went against them, and the packing of meetings with members of other wards.

He also attacked O'Halloran for his relationship with the North London lump building firm of J. Murphy, O'Halloran's former employers who were fined £750,000 last year for tax evasion. and for his failure to speak in the House of Commons-O'Halloran has yet to make his maiden speech after years as an MP.

More recently, Veness's wife Valerie, the only Councillor in Istington with a remotely left position on the cuts, was attacked with a broken bottle at their home by two thugs who gave her the message "That's for Michael O'Halloran"

It is the outcry over events of this kind which must have prompted right-winger Shirle! Williams to propose Veness reinstatement, an indication that although O'Halloran's politics are impeccable-he votes solidly behind Callaghan-his political methods are an embarassment even to the righi wing.

However even in restoring Veness, Transport House has made sure that they have not paved the way for a left-wing takeover o: Islington North.

Every GMC for the next yeal will be attended by a Transpon House official, ostensibly tc prevent further vote rigging, but it reality to keep an eye on the lefi wing threat which the local reac tionaries have shown themselve incapable of handling discretely