Socialist Press no. 72

LEVELS

After two years of vicious controls wage and with 10% limit on rises still in Leyland force, workers now face an added threat. Callaghan's Secretary Lib-Lab coalition govern- ment,responding to the with instructions of bankers and tracks. industrialists, is supervising throughout the whote of British industry. Their objective is to significant- ly increase the rate of profit of SCULOnS private enterprise, and to slash the i volved manning services and the public sector in order to minimise the drain on these profits. Director. "Our strikes; Leyland tivity. our plants, Sir Keith Joseph productivity The effect of each of these moves in the current period of economic stagnation is to throw additional thousands of workers and youth onto post-war record dole queues. These political spokesman for this latest war on jobs is lead- follow ing Tory Sir Keith Joseph, Fleet who spelled out clearly the feelings of major major employers in his speech at the Tory Party Conference: Oil will not save us, because by overmanning we are blunting our competitiveness faster the than oil will make good", he said.

The 'prime reason' for Britain's "overntices, economic crisis IS anu restrictive labour practices claimed Joseph, who went on to call for "not redundancies" but a "constructive use of wastage" to cut manning levels and unobtrus- the

SOCIALIST

PRESS *

BOSSES' WAR

ON MANNING

While Joseph was spelling out this plank of Tory policy, British management under the watchful eye of the National Enterprise Board Industry and Varley, Eric were already pressing vigorously ahead their plans to implement massive speed-up on production

DISPUTES

Throughout the company of workers have been in disputes new OVer levels by lorced in with the complete collaboration of union officials and convenors. Leyland Cars Managing Whittaker, Derek announced the company's deter- mination to proceed with these measures in a speech on the eve of the Earls Court Motorfair: problem not just strikes are only part of disease and only part of the British disease.

"We also suffer as does a very large part of British manufactur- ing industry from poor utilisation of equipment, from over-manning, and therefore from low produc- "Many of the difficulties we have had during the last 2½ years and also recently in a number of were and are on this issue of productivity. "We could have avoided them or ended them, by simply allow- unsatisfactory state of affairs to continue-we have not, and will not, deviate on this key management criteria." new turn to Leyland are ramming home repression relying entirely on the ability of union officials and In a convenors to control the hostility of shop floor workers.

CONFRONTATIONS

by Leyland

LOVES

on tough confrontations Seventeen Street related to the "black when brought on working allack. conditions at the Financial Times outright. Just and Daily Express. National Congress and the Now the Express management African Congress has announced fresh plans to slash number of journalists from was the 600 to 500 and extend the work- event which ing week from 40 to 45 hours, along with a cut in earnings.

Archbishop of Canterbury!

But in some other sections of Over forty industry different tactics are being adopted to force in manning cuts.

The National Coal Board, with under house arrest and robbed of assistance of right all political rights). Those banned wing day November 3.

THERE IS NO PEACEFUL WAY

TO END APARTHEID

In the aftermath of the and Weekend World as well as the murder of black leader Steve white editor of the Biko, Vorster's racist govern- Dispatch. This new repression does not ment has given a dramatic mark any qualitative the screw of Vorster's policy. Mass in South Africa. organisations have been customar- ily banned and the arrests and surprise move on individual bannings which came in October 19 Vorster's secret police descended on virtually every black the one day added up to what has organisation which was still legal.

become normal over a few weeks For years, opponent

BANNED

apartheid, however mild, has been safe from South Africa's daily organisations repression conscious- But the manner ness movement have been banned bannings, one swoop, the African evidently conscious change of Pan tactic by Vorster, have been agitation over Steve Biko's death banned in the past. Also banned in prison about which the banned Christian Institute, newspapers have continued to ask evin ced protest increasingly from as unlikely a source as the questions. As has been widely observed, leaders the latest wave of bannings makes organisations were arrested and a illegal even those black organisa- number of others 'banned' (put tions leaders had shown themselves ready to c • to compromise

FORTNIGHTLY PAPER OF THE

WORKERS SOCIALIST LEAGUE

No. 72 * 26 October 1977 * 10p Next Issue The next issue of Socialist Press, the first weekly edition, will appear on Wednes- In addition to improved coverage of home and international news, the weekly paper will carry a regular reviews column and other new feature material.

Starting with the new weekly will be a major seven-part centre page series on Ireland. Make sure of your copy.

alarmed the American and British Daily imperialists and the white "liberals in South Africa. They are alarmed that Vorster's actions will change in make more more blacks allu black realise that only through capitalist revolution can racism in South Africa overthrown It is this which accounts for the hypocritical outrage from the State Department and from of British Foreign Secretary David Owen. The same fear has led the 'democratic capitalist press throughout the sharply accusing Vorster of aces ot react of the was "suicidal paranoia'

CONCESSIONS

fearful But it is very unlikely that Vorster's tactic based on irrationality. While it is true that embarassing his racist regime has something to gain from the development of a collaborationist black leadership such a leadership is unlikely to last very long unless it can hold out serious prospect of Concaccione whinn aretoe hasn

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Page 2 Since 1968 the anti-imper- ialist struggle in the north of Ireland has tended to eclipse struggles by Irish workers over But with the recent wage settle- ment at the engineering works of reminded that economic questions are indeed very real to Irish workers - particularly when both North and while unemployment and inflation working class are as willing to fight VI t they are to fight army repression 18) workets at the Tyrone crystal Ireland) occupied the factory and representatives past the gates in a against the layoff of 43 no las denied that the lay-offs are perman- co- In thinkers, Fianna Fail-who current- hold governmental office-are likewise strident anti- pursuing working class policy. Unemployment 17% 1s now while inflation is averaging 18%,

POPULAR FRONT

REACHES SPAIN

the only Rabies is not deadly disease sweeping across Europe. One other has already crossed the channel; and last week it reached Spain. It is the popoular front: that is direct governmental collaboration between parties of the workers with parties of the capitalists.

the economic Just as during 1930s so today crisis of the in world, parts of the and in western than more Europe, the capitalist class is look- ing to popular front alliances as a last resort to impose the burdens class, crisis on OI unle before it is forced to turn towards fascism and the pnysical destruc- tion of working class militants and organisations.

COALITIONS

Today both Britain and Germany are ruled by coalitions of mass social democratic parties with "liberal' of the so-called parties Belgium bourgeoisie. In and coalitions of Holland the major workers' and capitalists' parties rule they though passing are through critical times Portugal the Socialist Party government relies on parliamentary support from the bourgeois parties and there seems a good chance that Premier Soares may towards an open coalition govern- with the bourgeois Democratic Party. The Communist Party started to call has IoT filet possible retiress on o the fullest possible expression popular front. Last week President Eanes made a thinly veiled threat to impose presidential rule unless the parties programme.

'NATIONAL UNITY'

months the For the last few of "government

IRISH WORKERS IN

STRUGGLE

with a whole series of wage cutting past week there have been threats to put the shutters up and pull out.

DIO DUSCU

members of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU) ITGWU's sleepy-

NO DIFFERENCE

we oppose the decision to switch unions. There is no qualitative difference between the bureaucracy within the

ITGWU

and that any Everywhere these union. union leaders play a key role in dampen- ing down militancy. Those warnings however should not divert attention from the where all parliamentary political parties, except the fascist MSI have agreed on a programme of anti- working class measures to by the minority Canneu Christian Democratic Party.

An agreement signed earlier this Communist Party year guarantees support for Italy's Tory govern- giant step towards the ment, Carrillo *historic compromise' which the CP proposes: an open per- Italian manent coalition government of the Communist Party and the Christian Democrats. 'hat government now exists in all but the formal sense.

SOCIAL PACT

Last week a similar agreement was reached in the Moncloa Palace in Madrid between the shaky neo- Francoist regime of Adolfo Suarez the parliamentary and all parties Manuel Fraga's ultra- except for right Populat Alliance. Ever since the elections of June 15, which Suarez emerged minority and with a parliamentary barely one third of the votes, has been demanding the signing of a CP social pact. Both the and the Socialist Party (PSOE) have stated 'conditions virtually meaningless for such a pact. The PSOE leaders have openly

AUSTRALIA

Call general strike Intervention by the boss of Australia's TUC, Robert Hawke produced a short lived return to work in the Victoria power workers strike which has now led to half a million layoffs in maintenance evorders that it they employer's strategy Which is to take went back to work their wage claim advantage of the situation in order to close down the plant. took four days to see this was a

NO COMPENSATION

Workers in Limerick should lay occupation of the plans now factory with the demand that it be nationalised without compensation direct and placed under Vanguard Party, William Craig, has management. lE u Another is the Canadian-owned Tara mines Europe as to whether the scope of at Navan, been sacked and a decision taken to close down the £90 million factory Craig, who is a member of the Legal there Affairs Committee of the Council, The mines, which contain the richest lead and zine deposits in the world, have long been a centre of militancy in Ireland Craig was the man who ordered the The recent failure police to attack the first civil rights of a productivity deal acceptance has obviously precipitated who advocated UDI for Northern closure plans. Ireland and who called on loyalists The task of revolutionaries is to of elaborate

DIOT LIC

transitional demands capable " of political integrating Convention and the Callaghan Lib- economic du questions, and on the basis of such programme to construct made the appointment in the first revolutionary party which is alone capable of ridding Ireland of imperialist oppression. Fruits of the popular front in Italy-Police harassment of students backed by Berlinguer with Suarez "but not yet; while Carrillo, the leader of the CP has

IN BRIEF

been calling lor a government o national unity The Moncoa paci is only step short of the CP's plan Carrillo triumphantly referred as a "common programme' with Suarez' What the pact consists Francoists. of is a series of measures to protect

BANGLA DESH

capitalists from the worst effects of In the aftermath of the attemp rises will be restricted to ted coup four weeks ago, military wade 22% while inflation at present over dictator Ziaur Rahman has banned 30% is still accelerating. Employers all political and has put parties will be given free rein to sack five hundreds of alleged supporters of the coup on trial. 37 have already increases more than 22%. The pact been executed and 20 sentenced to allows reductions also life prison sentences In "exchange" for this massive

PORTUGAL

economic attack on the workers the President Eanes has promulgated the law passed in parliament two months ago giving widespread com- specific, and last week's extention and small medium pensation capitalists whose was expropriated in 1974-70 perty prisoners The most brazen forms of class

ZIMBABWE

the CP and PSOE leaders in Spain.

clearly joins the The Zambian government has had its second round of talks on the euphemisms like imperialist plan for Zimbabwe with ment' cover up what are in reality Smith's racist Like the regime. popular front governments.

secret meetings between Smith and Zambian President Kaunda, these talks were organised through "Tiny" complete Rowland, Chairman of Lonrho, the working class is the central task of British multinational which has the workers movement throughout economic interests in Zambia huge SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 October 1977 Australian working class and the Tory government. Electricity Com- The State mission sent letters to the strikers saying that if they did not return to work by the end of the week they would sackca were sent out for non-union labour to fill their jobs. same time the govern- At the Who threatening to Cal rules? the election on Edward Heath in 1974, rushed a major anti-union bill through parlia- ment in two days. The bill restricts tries the right to enforce compulsory arbitration.

It which widens conditions under can be sacked, unions can strikers be deregistered and their funds broken out simultaneously. Dock- uranium exports, resumed recently Whitlam's previous Labour govern- Governol 1n hundreds of striking dockers were industrial action. Australia's union leaders must be forced to call a general strike, the wnich throw the Tory government out of legislation and wages policy.

ICELAND

Transport and other public services in Iceland have been at a standstill for two weeks as a result state of all-out strike employees in wage claims of up to 35% with cost of living protection.

THAILAND

deposed The military have Thanin whom they put Premier into office in a bloody right wing The generals coup complaint against Thanin is that he putting into was too thorouch in fect campaigns against corruptio and the narcotics trade. The Maoi CP announced an agreement with patriotic 'democratic and OLiC revolutionary step up forces' guerrilla war.

ARGENTINA

gas and The police used tear baton charges to disperse the largest last since public Several year's military coup. were hundred demonstrators of the demanding an account hundreds whereabouts of the political prisoners who disappeared in police custody.

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 October 1977 Three leading members of the Red Army Faction (RAF), unit of so-called a terrorist "urban guerrillas, Andreas Gudron Ensslin and Baader, Jan-Carl Raspe, were almost certainly murdered by West German state agents on Tuesday 18 October. That is the only conclusion we from the can draw evidence surrounding their 'suicides' Stammheim top security jail.

Irmgard Moller, another member of the gang, although stabbed near the heart is expected to survive.

The deaths came only hours after the joint German/British raid on the hi-jacked airliner in Somalia.

West medla Germany reacted predictably, using the 'celebration' to stir up anti- and

TATTORNI

a communi hysteria.

CLAMP DOWN

The success of the raid signalled clamp the time for yet another down on already eroded basic rights. Since the kidnapping of the employers' leader Schleyer (a Nazi was a friend of Goring and organised concentration camp labour) the German government has mounted massive scurity campaign against the left.

The world press the bourgeois the "destruction over welcomed of the gang". It was, the Times said, "a good day for Germany" Democratic Germany's Social government were given maxımum during the operation by support Minister Callaghan Prime

DELUSI

and his lapdog David Owen.

the only they give

NOT

strongest moral support the first West German military oper- ation abroad since 1945. they also the British loaned members Special _Air Service and British equipment for the raid. It is clear that the imperialists (after recent joint meetings decided London) have to make these military operations the standard response to anything they choose to label as 'terrorism'

REWARD

The Mogadishu raid got the full "Marxist" cooperation of the of Somalia, mllllary governinche the of acting in expectation reward in the form of arms supplies from West Germany, Saudi Arabia and other imperialist countries.

the Urgent now face TaSKS workers movement in Germany. It should demand that Irmgard Moller be transferred to a norma hospital once and freed upon recovery.

All charges against In list The evidence she can give dropped. must be taken up by an indepen- dent workers' enquiry set up ascertain the events leading up to Lie caus The 'crime' which the RAF were accused of is one of attacking the symbols of imperialism. But it is the Schmidt government-which attacks viciously the most basiç rights, that expels immigrant workers wil

DACK TOLS

militants and that harbours Nazi war criminals such as Schleyer-that is guilty of the real terrorism.

For the past the four incarcerated

VICERO

were Stammheim, with no access to the Two outside world. vicious new law was rushed through parliament which anows pontical prisoners to be held in total iso- from their lation, even lawyers This attack on democratic rents was so naked it even led to token protests from one two 'left' social democratic MPs.

SOLIDARITY

been The

RAR

members have

WORKERS MUST

PROBE STATE

constantly harassed, degraded and still tortured; yet they have stubbornly refused to waver in their commitment to the cause oi armed struggle against the state. They will be remembered for their courage in the face of this attack. But they will also be remember- ed tragic proof that individual as terrorism and attempts substi- tute for the of the mass actions working class are bound to fail.

What their fate can teach us is not new. Much of the history of the pre-Marxist was the history of organisations with aims and methods similar to the RAF's.

Organisations such as Babeuf's Conspiracy of Equals, the Carbonari, the Buonarroti and Auguste Blanqui's Secret Societies all shared what Engels called the '"fantastic idea of overturning an by the action of a small group of conspirators.

CHOSEN FEW

of agitation Instead amongst the masses leading to large- mobilisation, these early scale for 'Baader-Meinhofs' opted agitation behind the backs of the agitation generally class, working chosen few who the secret theit themselves kept progant Lenin, too, had to wage a harsh struggle against conspiratorial trad- amongst sections Russian masses. Tsarist dictatorship the Russian social democrats: ..had never dreamed of being form a workers' party in able, to Russia legall: they thought that this fight must be waged not by conspiracy but by a based on the revolutionary party They working class movmeent. think that the fight against the in consist not

ILUSI

conspiracies, but organising education, disciplining and organ• ising the proletariat". Russian Social (The O le

| INTERNATIONAL NEWS

MURDERS

Chancellor Schmidt urban guerrillas turn to other layers to lead the revolution, and in the single-handed, is that cary share t of the RAF to carry it out total blindness to the power of the working class. Because they see no prospects of harnessing this power by galvan- ising the broadest layers into action they turn petit-bourgeois elements to do the job instead.

COMMANDO ACTIONS

The

RAF

explicit are quite about this. In their 'programme', Concerning the Armed Struggle in Western Europe, they say: "It is no accident that on all fronts members of the young intelligentsia, especially the students, play an important if not decisive role" 'there is little evidence that anywhere the In world the industrial proletariat is in the forefront of these struggles or has produced new theories or forms of organisation". will For them the revolution develop "from commando actions • to the formation of a militia and the demoralisation of the oppressive forces a long through drawn out war". It is with this understanding of forward that these mis- the wav guided comrades came out of the Union Socialist (SDS) in the late sixties.

FANATICISM

Like present day Maoist groups West Germany (the KBW the KPD, the KB etc,.) they revert to than the hard work of building a Bolshevik party. Stunt tactics and bombings are the of those that methods consciously turn from the working class, and the tasks confronting its present leadership both within the Social Democratic Party and the trade unions-leaders who have failed to offer any resistance to the huild up of repressive laws in West Page 3

BREAK UNION

OF THE LEFT

weeks after the initial Six of electoral victory next spring.

This accord with the breakdown in talks between would present state of Soviet diplomacy the partners in France's Union and raises the question whether the of the Left the situation seems CP have consciously disrupted the as black as ever for the parties discussions knowing that this could concerned. cause electoral failure newspapers have The collapse of the reconvened Leading Paris been quick to spot Moscow's hand talks on September 24, and the in every CP move, but have played failure to date to revive them has this up for their own anti-commun compounded recently by Been ist ends. from both the announcements Communist Party (CP) and the Socialist Party (SP) concerning next

ONE-SIDED

spring's legislative elections.

The "Trotskyists" of the Organ clearly the These divisions are isation Communiste International product of diplomatic manoeuvring denounced the CP fo within the Union in time for next the 'intolerable and scandalou spring's elections situation" arising from its "freneti The bourgeois Radicals, with campaign of division against thi 3% of the vote, have been SP. But this denunciation is a one the free enterprise flag waving sided one which lets the SP off th within the bloc in an attemot to hook win support from middle-class ele- The

OCI

immediated have th ments disenchanted with Giscard

SP-C

demands for and Barre "for a CP/SP majority in the unity; The CP have been putting on a elections" legislative orde. militant face in order to hold on to "put an end to the Giscard-Bart their electoral support within the government and the 5th Republic" working class-a support which was Ouvrieres, 821, (Information threatening dwind e October 1977). because of • the CP's open espousal Although the OCI has consis of such right wing measures as the characterised the Union o tently «all round nuclear strike force" the Left it have been as a popular The SP meanwhile unity call is now hard to distinguis!

bets-and able hedge their from the Pabloite

LCR

group' currently hold options on either a similar demand *centre Union of the Their Rouge, ; caller left" should they paper, has government, "reaffirmation of workin secure enough votes in March class unity" (No 473, 12 October of thus issues here ait the crisis-bi the dividing these popular- answer to principle which they the immediat mean frontist each Is concerned allles coming together of the CP and SP exclusively with playing to its own audience and presenting itself as the

NO SUPPORT

Union's the

DONI

thoroughly capitalist common pro- The WSL is certainly in favou gramme. of working class unity, and we ai The CP have also to contend prepared give critica quite though, with ad allond support to candidates of the CP an pressure of the Soviet bureaucracy, SP in the March elections. whose interests in France But such support is conditiona served not by on one thing-namely that the moment seem best the Union of the Left in power but and SP th break not only with the wing set uf but also wit bourgeois Radicals, of Giscard and Barre Union of the Left and the There can be no doubt that the common programme CP's apparent "intransigence" on a Until that condition is achieve number of questions has damaged we can give no support to parties i CP/SP/Radical ot a te prospects front. popular unity, and therefore the prospects

WORKERS

SOCIALIST LEAGUE

The Workers Socialist League is a Trotskyist organisation fighting to build a revolutionary leadership in the working class to lead the mounting opposition to the betrayals of both 'left' and right wing Labour and trade union leaders and the Communist Party, as they attempt to enforce wage control, sackings, speed-up and public service cuts. As workers take up the struggle against these policies they are weight of forces opposing them to confront forced by the sheer political questions. Only with an understanding of the role of the labour bureaucracy and a programme to unite the broadest sections of workers in struggle can a way forward be found.

The Workers Socialist League is the only movement that sets out to do this, fighting consistently in the working class for transitional which go beyond simply trade union militancy to raise demands, the political questions to workers and prepare the forms of organis.

ation and the knowledge necessary for the struggle for socialism.

As a result we have been at the forefront of struggles against the cuts, against wage control, for unionisation, and against redundancy.

We have done more than ary other tendency to fight the introduction of 'workers' participation' in industry. And we have strongly supp orted the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement, whict has set out to show the link between the reactionary policies of the Social Contract and bureaucratic dictatorship in both the unions and the Labour Party. But our practical struggle for the continuity of the principles and method of Trotsky's Transitional Programme is in no way a task con.

It requires an attention and involvement in the fined to Britain. struggles of the working class internationally, and the fight to recon.

struct the Trotskyist Fourth International.

So there has been a consistent drive within the WSL to deepen and enrich the movement's understanding of the history and the present crisis of the Fourth International as an essential part of our initiative towards its reconstruction.

We urge all readers who agree on the need for revolutionary iead archin and the demands we out forward to find out more about the

"COMMON INTEREST CHAINS

Page 4 CDLM wages conference

CUT WORKERS

FREE FROM

Mick Rawlinson, delegated from "We are not just a move- the Aylesbury and District Trades ment for democracy. We show Union Council, and a member of how the attacks on democracy outlined the Fire Brigade Union are a result of the attempts to how the pressure for strike action hold back the pressure of the had grown from the demands of the annual delegates conference in working class. May. His branch would move That was how Tony Richardson demand for a sliding scale of wages from the urganising commitee o.

to be added to the wage rise at a the Campaign for Democracy in the conference called special delegate Labour Movement, drew ane the two for next month. relation between mall themes of the third conference-

CHALLENGE

wages and bureaucratic control.

The feeling in the fire service He 200 delegates and was such that the second. all out visitors Birmingham that the 1n strike of firemen since the war was by alternative forward the put on the cards. CDLM was more than a series of "My has endorsed the branch correct demands: policies of the CDLM and gave me 'The alternative we put is that to the recall support to take them interest of no an one The sliding scale conference. employer: the independence of the wages will confront the executive working class from the employer."

of our union with something they have not previously encountered.

OPEN ALLIANCE

to blow the ten gomg per cent limit sky high. It's going to It was a theme that was echoed from speaker after speaker who challenge the government.

5/293

TGWU

Thornett, strike, Alan described how strike pointed out that the sliding branch, whether over pay, union recog scale of wages demand -if met since nition or the closed shop turned the of Heath's threshold union officials into open alliance the expiry rises-would have yielded pay rises with the employer. said that the every Richardson 12 tor a wetk month rule was important because Worke it demonstrated the union leaders' collaboration. Grunwick The pressure of the class on pay had forced them to shift towards deals incentive productivity schemes, used to divert away trom major claims. The main resolutions proposed

EXPLOSIVE

CDLM

Organising Com- the mittee were all carried. The confer- Party had The Communist ence will fight for the working class . In fact they held argued for 'unity'. against the 12 month struggle class while struggles back Ene rule and the 10% pay limit, putting against pay controls collapsed. instead the demand for the sliding remained situation scale of wages. Councils of action could explosive. Conference rejected productivity agenda, to draw in the will campaign for the be on the deals and whole working class in an area to Femoval of the Callaghan-Healey support struggles over pay.

Callaghan-Healey removal 'You cannot say that tomorrow leadership of the Labour Party.

there will definitely be an explosion It has also pledged itself to fight and mass struggle in the working for the abolition of cash limits in class in be but way can the public sector- -to be replaced by excluded as a possibility.

We a sliding scale of public expenditure forward a policy that can develop to compensate for rising costs.

all sections of the labour movement them- delegates pledged selves to fight for equal pay and a Alan Gager, treasurer of the £60 minimum wage. the London strike committee Metropole Hotel, outlined how- with the full support of the GMWU workers there put in a fS0 a week minimum wage demand.

TWO QUID RISE

number of delegates and visitors reported on speed up and "We were told we were breaking

IOSS O1 JODS

GLC

the 12 month rule because we got a John Plant, from the branch of NALGO reported a Tory last march. It was a two qua rise We didn't even have a union move to create 1,300 redundancies joke. then." in the construction and architecture •We learned from day one. We'd department before next March.

What special Despite s never Deen on strike Delore.

we are asking is for the strike to be general meeting for a strike ballot made official and for other hotel the national executive-General groups to put in the same demand Secretary Drain refused to allow it to be carried f the EETU described from the out. the section policy to win official union The chairman of the conference, their 130% wage increase-imposing

TGWU

Tim O 'Sullivan, an overtime ban! branch, reported on the dispule li *How can work I0I 40 the paint shop at Cowley where the hours, making the company money picket disputes the On recognition conference called for full support pickets, the Grunwick mass campaign for the cutting off of all services to the factory and support based trades committees on councils and labour movement bodies.

NATIONALISATION

In the event of Ward closing the factory the conference calls nationalisation under workers without management sation The sell out of the Desoutter strike was condemned. will campaign conference for intervention into the Rank and File committee to put forward this programme.

FIGHTING TO SAVE JOBS

Colin Kenny the mutuality agreement on speed- up with the connivance of convenor Deo Parcong A section of the 200-strong conference support for The called _ concence London conference hotel workers to be called by the CDLM to strengthen the Metropole strike and to campaign for other hotels to put in their own wage demands and back them with strike action.

It called for full support for the demonstration in October 29 'for the right of women legal abortion'. to free. sale and

CONFERENCE

The question of a conference to fights discuss unionisation Grunwick and Sandersons was remitted to the organising Colin Kenny, ASTMS secretary Health Service of London Stewards' Committee, revealed that defence of hospitals had brought a bitter personal attack on him from the union hierarchy.

forced to bank carry was him statements around witn show that his union subscriptions had been paid.

DIRECT CHALLENGE

The management attack on the Hospital come Hounslow because defence any jobs was facilities and service direct challenge government attempts to carry out its policy of SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 October 1977

AUEW

workers betrayed Jim Black, deputy convenor at Desoutter (speaking in a persolla capacity), outlined the betrayal of the strike for union recognition of after blacking and a district levy to the strike were continually finance rejected on the AUEW district com- mittee. The hypocrisy of those on the who voted against it was committee clearly spelled out of these heard one same people who had spoken against the on the Grunwick picket line speaking to the mass picket, saying the TGWU and APEX should do everything in their power to bring it to a successful conclusion.

A. Mullarkey, of the TGWU 955 branch-a supporter of the separate section for tunnel miners-told the that members. conference oI ms occupied had the branch who Murphy's site in London faced up to five years jail for ignoring the injunction taken out against them.

But the tunnellers were prepar- ing an all-out strike to win an agree ment on the employment of union members. In London alone 220 out members were out of of the 300 work. The conference collected £164.

Of this f50 was given to the Metro- pole strikers and the bulk of the remainder was set aside to prepare a be distributed in every leaflet to the Leyland factory opposing bargaining Company's corporate proposals. *** * ÷ The Hotel Strikes pamphlet The story of four strikes for Trust union récognition Houses Forte hotels at Sheffield, Birmingham and Oxford and at the Linton Lodge Hotel, Oxford.

Essential reading for an the struggles understanding for union recognition and pay the Hotel and Workers National Catering Committee, copies Action can obtained from the action be committee from Socialist Dartmouth Park Hill Press, 31 London NW5 1HR Cost 35p each (32pp) plus 15p pap

DRIVE OUT NEWHAM LP TORIES

ABORTION FIGHT POSES CRUCIAL-

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 October 1977 The crisis within Newham North East Labour Party has reached a new with stage recent moves by the extreme right-wing to break the up party. The right wing infiltrators, led by Julian Lewis from Oxford, called an unconstitutional meeting of the Executive Committee which The National ( Abortion Campaign demonstration to be held this coming Saturday in Birmingham brings to the fore- front the need to wage a pol- itical fight the right to abortion on demand is to be secured. It is no use approaching the abortion question as a single issue.

It is completely connected as problem the cuts in social service spending. and the class collaborationist Lib-Lab coalition deal.

CONTRADICTORY

Because of this connection, two completely contradictory positions on abortion were adopted at this vear's labour Party conterence

NATIONAL ABORTION

CAMPAIGN

BRIBERY

The scandal created by the September 22 speech by British Leyland chairman Richard Dobson and his subse- 2200 a year no exee the from resignation post has tended to focus on only a few questions. Instead of debating whether the 'cancelled' the GMC meeting-in effect a sub-committee cancelling a meeting of the committee which elected it. wingers together LeTT with former allies of Lewis who have been forced from him Lo break took the principled decision to go ahead with the GMC. Where the rule book had failed them, Lewis' gang resorted to other

POLITICAL ISSUES

On the one hand, conference voted support for the measures taken by ine Labour government by Lib-Lab and the "overcome" the crisis coalition to of capitalism. This of full _Colrse support in practice for the devas- tating cuts that ruining the National Health Service. And yet on the other hand delegates voted by a massive b3 1 majority in favour of every LO woman having 'the right to choose can abortionor in favour of and "freely campaign available abortion on the NHS in all parts of the UK". However the bid, supported by the Labour Abortion Rights Cam- paign to mandate the whole Parliamentary Labour Party to vote against move to restrict HOTO: Andrew Wiard. Report

PARTICIPATION...

CORRUPTION

EXPOSED

chairman of British Leyland should be an open racist like Dobson or a more tactful variety of capitalist, Leyland workers should be looking into some of the aspects of the Leyland Dobson's set up speech unveiled. One key question is of course the of issue the existence of the hotly denied 'slush fund'. Dobson's speech makes absolutely clear that methods. They changed all the locks on the party premises in order prevent the GMC from taking place. When this political tactic had been dealt with by few well aimed kicks the Lewis door, his so-called "constitutional advisor, Oxford don McCormick, disrupted the

GMC

meeting with the serving of more writs.

abortion rights was heavily defeated the recommendation of the

NEC.

"left' wing Lena Jeger,

NEC

speaker on refused to lne topic treat abortion as a class issue in which working class women 41 C . denied access free to abortion. Instead she made ludicrous speech calling for 'more tolerance' of reactionary anti-abortionists, and attempting to show that the issue one to be decided by the individual 'conscience' of Labour MPs The fact of the matter, of course, is that the Tory anti-abor- tion bill sponsored William Benyon which failed to reach final reading in the last session of Parliament was backed by large numbers of Labour MPs. And there top-level moves under way to draw up an Page S whelming, But exposed sement cort tion exposed, too corruption and abject collaboratio of trade union officials and burea: cratised layers of convenors Union leaders, said Dobson people with rather than walk out. Well now it all right at the top level. It doesn work too well lower down.

Dobson understands th problems faced by officials an convenors and expands on th conflict between the collaboratio of bureaucratic union leaders an the feelings of their members: "It has caused stresses in the unions and up to point the unions have come to l identified actually wit not management[!) with th at least bribery is Leyland policy: Government, and seem to be co "Who would have expected the authors of the Government Daily Mail to have the bloody nerve broken promises. bribe somebody £15,000 Management appreciation of tr reveal the documents (which turned leadership shown unlon out be forged) in to order Dobson's comments on the workin company the of the Ryder Plan in Leyland-i perfectly respectable fact that it which the is clearl was bribing wogs?"' the slashing of manning levels Attention has of course centred "It's a very good plan. It ha on the racialist overtones of this three legs. The first leg was that i salemen. Dul vodson says openly you had better industrial relations that bribery is a "fact" 'and Leyland industrial relations will provide "was" doing it better productivity. light of this admission In ine The two other legs ar the case for a workers' enquiry to capital investment and the thir open Leylands books and examine leg sure the extent of this bribery is over- (Laughter). It doesn't really matter The point is, the whole thing fall productivity You down don't hai And forcing such produc in tivity onto the shop floor wors force, Ryder 'participation the strategy-sucking key lay els stewards into management roles.

important "The higher you get, the easier As we go to press summonses it is to get rather broad agreement for contempt have been served on something or other. against GMC delegates who took We started by saying we will the principled step of opposing the new Rover factory only open the right of the High Court to organise you may have heard of... if you the business of the labour move- manning eter which are perfectly unlike manning Action must be called to force levels so far experienced in the UK the dropping of all charges and the motor industry expulsion of the crypto-Tory right So they all sign up. That's fine wing. l wil come later what … Lo actually happens... agreed bill backed by both the Labour leadership and the Tories, with the sole intention of restrict- ing abortion, in a desperate move by Callaghan to cling on to a hand- ful of votes from confused Catholic workers. This issue must now be taken up in branch mandating every union Party GMC delegates to Labour demand every Labour MP oppose any restriction on abortion.

This must be linked to a fight for strike action to halt and reverse the cuts in the Health Service, and Robinson the of the

NHS

Tantalisingly, however, the illicit protection against inflation through a sliding recording of Dobson's speech does scale of spending. not come back to "what actually Such demand can only be happens". We are left to guess.

achieved if the Lib-Lab coalition is But we are given some clues. The National Dobson's final remarks before the broken. Abortion Campaign has so far shown speech became inaudible no give evidenc that regards such glowing tribute to the management talents of Stalinist political issues as important.

But it is only through the turn Longbridge, Derek Robinson: "We are stuck with the unions to these questions that Saturday's demonstration doing ritual dances. Sometimes can play a role they the fight free sometimes for abortion on

SUPPORT

demand. they don't They have different motives. I happen know the chief convenor at Longbridge. He is an avowed Communist. I must say I rather like him because he is fairis good at getting people working Beside these clear insights into the cosy relationship between management and union bureaucrats combined with an open confessio= of the Dobson's of bribery, personal position as Leyland chair man dwindles to entirely secondar!

interest.

OPEN THE BOOKS

Trade union committees must be Leyland throughout demanding full ali

ALLOS

accounts and woll bally plans. The participation set up must be and Robinson along broken er participation doe with other must be removed from all positiors of leadership. In their place a get leaders must be constructed =

US STEEL BOSSES

DEMAND IMPORT CONTROLS

Page 6 The steel industry inter- nationally is facing a major crisis which is leading to wide- attacks on jobs and spread conditions and threatens to unleash a trade war between steel producing major the nations. steel has still not Demand for returned to the levels which existed international 1974-75 before the 1977 the During trade recession. industrialised nations will make and sell only 85% of the 1973-4 levels.

Projected production figures for been overestimated this year have In the USA, steel by almost 10%. have dropped 33% share while the Dow Jones average for all shares has only fallen 11%.

and 70% of new 60% Between plant construction. into steel goes The fact that new plant construc- big is underway on tion not scale despite continual talk enough "upturn", means that steel of stock are piling up everywhere.

capital spending The lack results from the fear that enough profit will not be forthcoming to make the investment worthwhile.

COMPETITION

sales fall, com- As the steel producers between petition sharpening and at present focuses manufac- on complaints from • US turers that European and Japanese 'dumping' on the US companies are market at artificially low prices.

16% Steel imports have risen by 20% of US and almost this y cal supplied are requirements Delig from abroad. campaign has been massive launched by the US manufacturers against foreign producers.

has Georgetown anti- is filing an announced French against steelmaker; US Steel filed one last month against the Japanese and is against similar considering National manufacturers; European considering a suit against Steel is British Steel. levelled of charges One the at British Steel by US producers is that it is receiving an unfair subsidy from the government. to these measures, addition In anti-dumping existing wrich legislation, the American producers are pressing for further protection.

In particular, they want exemp- tion from clean air and water laws, raise profits, tax breaks to new government subsidies to modernize end to and an plants criticism of price increases.

LOCAL UNION 1938

UNITED STEELWORKERS

OF AMERICA

AN ATIVE

The US steel producers carried their anti-import campaign into the Rome of the meeting recent International Institute of Iron and Steel Manufacturers

SOCILL

much of the time available discuss- ing how to avoid a trade war.

TRADE WAR

Prior to the start of the confer- ence, EEC Commissioner for Indus- Davignon Vicomte audience an walch as0ressed nearly all the included. neads ol US and Japanese, the biggest European steelmakers: "For you to believe that you can by closing your the crisis alleviate will simply You market Is wrong. create a trade war." conference Eurofer, the (the club of European steelmakers) offered a voluntary curb on imports to the USA -if other would do the same The arrangement would last for supposed to be 2-3 and parallel with a Japanese offer which has yet to be accepted by the US.

were manufacturers American offers. reportedly hostile to these They are continuing to press for stricter import controls.

While Japanese and European imports in the US run at around the same levels, the Japanese threat is the greater. the between comparison US and record of Japanese the greater shows producers efficiency of the Japanese In 1976 the USA produced 302 tonnes per production worker while the Japanese produced 459

A CENTURY OLD

one medium size mill has Only been built in the USA over the past In the same period the 15 vears Japanese have built 8 giant mills.

Few Japanese plants are over 20 years old while some in the US go back over a century. The American ruling class is far of question from united the import controls New York Times recent editorial said that: "Shielding steel does nothing to problems of high basic eliminate production costs. And it goes on to say that ineff- would lead to higher prices iciency and weaken American mausly as a whole. major consumers of steel industry are car such opposed to protection of steel for these reasons and like other anti- protectionists would preit. greater emphasis on rationalisation, speed- to unemployment, leading up, the closing of old plants and the construction of new more efficient The problems with this strategy are, of course, huge. the working Such attacks on socially explosive would class be and the financial problems in fund- ing the new plant are immense.

process rate the whole At any There exists. would take likelihood 0i therefore, the anti- combines which strategy with attacks on dumping jobs, wages and conditions

DEMANDS REJECTED

Carter administration has The clear that it rejects the manc steel producers demands for greater import controls. Carter has pointed standing i: steelworkers byImported Wage and Price Stability.

steel found that US This due primarily are problems structural weaknesses rather than competition from Japanese imports and that there will be little benefit controls unless prices were allowed to rise significantly.

NO SOLUTION

report found Significantly the of modernisation that large-scale the industry through the construc- tion of new integrated plants would provide a simple solution due пО1 The involved. to the high costs puts emphasis on the tact report that productivity gains have been lower and wage increases higher in steel than in other industries.

will be accent Evidently speed-ups and lay-offs. placed on The report found that Japanese steelmakers could export profitably pay transport costs and to the US, and still existing US import duties undercut US steelmakers by about 5% import controls The drive tor will in no way datend jobs Protectionism the threat of retaliation. forward world and trade reduction more unemployment. companies, Moreover, the mobilize support trying import controls within the workers seeking tie are organisations compa workers to the juture of jeter::

"FOREIGNERS"

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 October 1977 Crisis of leadership faces By KEITH WHITE 65,000 Jobs Endangered necialty Steel : 344-4533 "not steel bosses for layoffs Steel union bureaucrats blaming "foreigners be in line for partial or complet prejudices-are sell tvuelli US steel closure. the The crisis in has als This company is reflected in a whole "lay-offs industry 200 at announced range of aSsurembay org Youngstown plant the September Ste In Southern Ohio, Amco Tube Youngstown Sheet has announced 600 lay-offs at i Company announced closure of its 3,000 Middletown plant Works Youngstown Campbell have jost their jobs at Alan Woe Ohio, resulting in the loss of 5,000 Steel, Philadelphia. jobs. Bethlehem Steel has announced forward Instead of putting a 10% cut which has led to 7,500 independent workers sackings (3,500 at its Lachawanna these threats the leadership of t facilities outside Buffalo and 4,000 United Steelworkers of America in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

involved in a campaign amongst US Steel has announced the lay.

members to raise support for t off. by December, of 1,000 admın- companies demands tor istrators at five plants in Indiana and fro exemption and Illinois, while its South Works controls pollution laws. complex in Chicago is rumoured to

RIGHT

STRIA

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 October 1977 Carter Lloyd McBride, recently elected to the leadership of the succession to I.W. ('no-strike') Abel is leading this campaign.

He recently said that he doesn't the corporation blame for shut- downs because "Profitability is the name of the game. USWA District 28 which covers the Akron-Cleveland-Lorain area of Northern Ohio held a mass rally in Cleveland: . to show how important it is to keep steelworkers jobs from being given awav to foreigners' District 28 Director Frank Valenta and Lloyd McBride were the featured speakers and the Steel Corporations aided the campaign by ending shifts early on that day.

WORLD WAR II

speech Valenta In a recent conjured memories of World up War 2 making continual references to "sneak attacks" and "Japs".

While leadership

LNE

behave like this the Cleveland steel companies are -using the import scare to demand speed-up.

The Republic Steel district manager has warned ot closures: 'We increase produc- to tivity. Do jobs in 15 minutes not 30 We recognise some of you minutes. have mortgages, some families.

We don't sound like a want tils lo threat, but ..." (Quoted in Militant (SWPI) It was this same union leadership which brought in the Experimental Negotiating

(ENA)

Agreement which prohibits strikes between pay agreements.

IRON ORE STRIKE

The ENA, however, does allow for disputes on local grievances and 18,000 iron ore workers (members of the USWA) on the Mesabi Iron Range in Minnesota and Michigan have been on strike since August 1 connected intact: AmorE The employers have been resisting negotiations unti recent v on the grounds that this demand ENA no-strike commucts win tae clause.

TENACITY

The USWA leadership support lor the strike has been limited to $30 a week strike pay. The

USWA

tenacity of _The strikers this dispute-the employers have brought a suit for $1 million a day damages-shows the feeling amongst steel workers which could be channelled into an all out struggle on jobs throughout the whole industry if a clear lead was given by the union leadership.

Not all the union fallen in with McBride's strategy.

Jim Balanoff, director of USWA District (Chicago) says that there is nothing in the companies' anti-imports for campaign SLee

WOKETS.

"The fact of the matter is that even there was no Japan, Environmental Protection Agency, they would still have the closed Campbell works and moved to Chicago. I told them installing pollution equipment have created 5,000 jobs, but they don't really a damn about jobs steel give workers. They want import controls only to their monopoly price structure and monopoly profits. The companies have prices them- selves out of the market, with three increases this year alone but price they are trying stampede the country into trade restrictions.

We ought to be fighting tor a public works programme for those laid off, for legislation against price increases and for some way we can what US Steel is see l saying is true." (Quoted in Militant, [SWPI) Balanoff's demand public works is correct-but it is up to the trade unions to draw up a plan for

OPEN THE BOOKS

The demand for the opening of the steel companies books fits in well with Balanoff's very atruth of Us about checking the US Steel's assertions. But the opening of the books campaign must not be diverted into linked bourgeois Democratic Party sucn correct poits as are

WILCICALS

League 400l In a major article on steel they mention only the over-pricing comments from Balanoff and make no attempt to draw out the impli- cations oi his usetu state. more ments. The snartacist policy the steel crisis consists of plant seizures.

a national strike against mass lay- offs, expropriation of bankrupt steel companies, maintenance of all Jobs at tull union wages and con- ditions and a workers party based on the trade unions. Yet if these demands are simply thrown with по method of connecting them to a struggle to the current withir subjective weakness of their union leadership must be bridged by a struggle to expose the real positions bureaucrats these that begins from the existing state of consciousness in the threatened and directs towards the necessary policies.

Central to such a programme of struggle is the

VISHAL OILIC

Transitional Programme towards workers control. Conspicuously the Spartacists make no call for the opening of company books to trade committees; no demand for work sharing full pay; no demand for trade union committees formulate plans for public works. But only through the 1t Is struggle for these demands that the of expropriation can be raised in any other than an abstract way and it is only through these demands that the plant occupations could find a practical way forward.

PRACTICAL MOVES

cuts opens up a good opportunity practical up establishment of labour slates in the elections and fight for that slate to defence of steel and other jobs.

putting their demand for a Labour support to Sadlowski and worked around the Steelworkers Fight Back image to the Spartacists' sectarian-

SLIC SCU

aspects of Sadlowski's platform and Militant, (paper of

CAMELECU

reterence to these wrong positions, and gave support which was only in the very vaguest sense

DOSTON

guishable from Sadlowski on nearly history of liquidating into 'radical' series of abstractly correct demands - including open the books- but it carried in practice into the USWA.

slates in elections--but simply stand Wighest point of that crisis is the false method employed by both major "Trotskyist' groupings in the confronted if a way forward is to be found to the construction 01 Trotskyist aadres Page 7

IMG

DROPS

DEFENCE OF

USSR

The work of such bankrupt with groupings as Big Flame and the Workers League national Marxist Group both of which reject this Trotsky dissolve the to "fuse" nothing but a hindrance to 'unity differences and by the Socialist Challenge Editorial centrist and itional demands they substitute a groupings that speckle series of vague formulations that And the tradition of Trotskyism left" in Britain. Stalinism and all forms of bureau- cracy within the labour movement which laid up the rich heritage of the Fourth International-receives a fully-fledged centrist group Still finding it hard to mate the longed-for "unity" these groups which balk at the very hint of Trotskyism, the IMG has pering' of the cadres of the Fourth now gone a bold step further Socialist Challenge International, this is a concept that In of October appears a 'Battle of Ideas article entitled 'A Draft Statement Instead the IMG was born in Britain as a movement in the late 1960's of Aims', in which an explicit break under the leadership of the 'United is made from any notion of build- Trotskyist ing revolutionary national. party. the Socialist Challenge AS editorial board puts it: "Socialist Challenge has consis tently campaigned unified revolutionary organisation. We do not believe that such a unity can be brought about simply by agree- ment on the immediate tasks Nor, confronting us today. on the other hand, do we believe that only Trotskyists the Trans-

SULUVILIA

itional Programme of the Fourth Internadonal, wilch was acopied l 1938, can be considered as revol- utionaries."

TROTSKY'S ANSWER

For those who do not agree with

IMG

the that discard we should Trotsky and Trotskyism simply because Trotsky was murdered Tariq Al! 1940 and the Fourth International The USFIs main distinguishing founded (on the basis the Transitional Programme) in 1938, characteristic is that it traces its political method not from Trotsky there clear from answer but from the Trotsky's pen: centrist revisions of Ernest Mandel and of Michel Pablo Fourth International, we "The of national in See etary 1950se Inter- who was Secretary answer, need being has 'proclaimed'. It exists and it fights.

Pablo's conviction-endorsed by Is it weak? Yes its ranks are noi Mandel-that numerous because it is still young Communist Parties of East and Western Europe They are as yet chiefly cadres. But would break from their counter- these cadres are pledges for the revolutionary policies and "projec future. Outside these cadres there a revolutionary orientation' aoes nor exist a singie revomnon mass pressure, brought the Fourth ary current on this planet really International tc + split in 1953.

meriting Inter- ll our the name. 3 hooked for similate cready- national be still weak in numbers, it looked similar is strong in doctrine, programme, made" revolutionary forces among tradition, in tne incomparable tem petty bourgeois nationalist forces ir pering of its cadres. Who does not the ex-colonial perceive this today, let him in the among students meantime stand aside. Tomorrow it countries, black • nationalists and teminists, will become more evident."

now even the "eco-freak" fringe- (Transitional Programme, p. 42.)

always avoiding the tough fight for The IMG leadership, however, firm cadres the organise i set Trotsky aside as a diehard old working class. sectarian, and proceed to abandon those

"CHILDREN OF 1968"

precisely aspects the which Trotsky inter nationa In the search for such ready described as its key strengths.

made" revolutionaries, the IMG has In terms of doctrine, the IMG long ago followed the leadership of now turned decisively towards wha: the 'United' Secretariat in discard- the latest Socialist Challerz: euphemistically terms 'the childre= scientifid melnoc Marxism and embracing in its place of 1968"—that degenerate milieu o.

jaded ex-student "revolutionaries" analysis based on the most super- ficial appearances of events, result- and armchair theorists that clatte: ing in wild zig-zags of policy the stage of the so-called "far left" This abandonment Any attempt to build a movement of doctrine means also throwing aside establish- based on such characters can ori Trotskyist ed of the result in positions movement-in particular the anal- ation and isolation from the orga= ysis of the Soviet Union as a degen- Isea workig ciass erated workers' state which for all The task of building a principle its deformations must be detended leadership = Tears cate 150 unconditionally agains: attack ag =20% imperialism This fundamental tenet of the reconstus: the Fourth iners Transitional Programme and falls thereore Depres indo no mer

GUEVARA: IDOL WHO

OPPOSED TROTSKYISM

Page 8

PRESS GANG

Little boy Blue At the age of 16, thousands of working class youth face harassment by the the dole, short lived job Law or below well creation place At the age of 16 William Hague, from Rother stardom instand from election asset for the Tories.

Hague won his spurs at the Tory Party conference by producing one of the most reactionary speeches of the week, questioning Tory leaders had the wil to bress through their anti-working He was front page news, a new Churchill, evidence that the Tories had captured the imagination of the Front benchers flocked to be photographed with him, TV com- mentators asked him his opinion of the ense, the unionsanted to wanted inig

NAFF

pronounce him. in the Sunday Times- Atticus the speech annoyed by missing while in the bar-reported acidly on the celebrations. 'Mr. (editor English of the Daily Mail). . hustled the youth away, seemingly wishing to put him in his pocket. Wherever I went for the next there was Mr. couple of hours, English producing William as from beneath his coat, to be patted on the head by a photogenic Shadow Minister." The Daily Mail has signed him up to write some union bashing articles and although Haigue may will well last long, he squeezed before being discarded.

Napoleon said that each one of his troops carried a field marshal's Hague has paton in his knapsack. seen presented with Keith Joseph's ratchet in his. however one qualitic- Che addressing the revolutionary army.

applying for the job of boy from wonder of the Tory Party.

parents Haigue's own a soit with drink Only those similar qualifications need apply.

Thatcher's speech was pushed off the front pages by the sudden death papers showed their approval.

closing speech 'Let us restore power to the people--Maggie'. A strapline clap and cheer as Labour's policies "Maggie the Magnificent" pay controls, cuts, and unemploy- coalition government lenged in her fan magazines of Fleet of objectivity. In its main story on Tory Party firmly by the hand at Blackpool yesterday and led it back streets and the back parlours where Jubilee Union Jacks hand on the wall, and where two pennies to ruD working class. Her kind of class...

"Every aspect of Mrs Thatcher reflector hermene the clothes ste example the clothes she opted quite wore. ordinary outfit in navy stemane one might say, that women SUlt. often send away for. around else Like everything Blackpoo! that week, the Fleet Ernesto: 'Che' Guevara was In was there in 1955 that he with made contact the killed 10 years ago by the He brothers and their followers. being Bolivian army, after joined their guerrilla training pro- cornered along with his tiny, gramme and set out with them to of guerrillas invade Batista's Cuba * rauna in the rickety exhausted group motor-boat, near the village of Higuera.

82 men landed from the Granma 13 years His death came only in 1956 and only 13 survived the after the start of his political life.

first ambush by Batista's forces.

It marked his final conversion into a political legend. His fellow

PHYSICIAN

Fidel Castro of the Cuban leader, revolution said of him: "If we wish to express what we want the men of future generations rebel soon became a military we must say: Let them be commander and in the last year of like Che!" I Cubis pertical passed the bulk political revered sentimental manner In the first year after the flight which is reminiscent of a religious of Batista, Guevara's role was in the saviour.

TEE-SHIRTS

bourgeoisie, Guevara was appointed to the crucial post of President of And outside his adopted Cuba it Guevara's face which Che probably looks out from more student's walls and tee-shirts than development of industry. This is the period when Guevara that of any other political hero had a major impact on the course It is not necessary to deny his remarkable personal qualities- From a commanding position in courage, asceticism, military ability, the state apparatus he pushed for a talent-to dismiss these judgements of Guevara gramme, for a plan for accelerated and absurd grotesque idealisation Guevara's true over-estimation of ment of closer links with the Soviet importance. more serious than But much exaggeration has been the uncritical

ON THE "LEFT"

adulation of the politics Guevara represented. This period was the height of The

BBC

film shown on

I NE

Guevara's political power. He stood death, though of his anniversary clearly on the "left" of the Castro some marred by and his policies were leadershin tary, had the virtue of explaining in largely followed. some detail what is known about but tne perioa aiso snows uj the of Guevara's political limits of clearly the Guevara's committment. politics. It when young began, His conception of revolution was petty-bourgeois doctor from a petty-bourgeois idealist basically Argentinian background , he toured Minister His period as the Andes on foot and by moLot- responsible for Industry was his cycle and was deeply impressed by first contact with the intimate the material and moral degradation working class. Indian of the poor population. writing during this Guevara's was prolific and shows an period

INDISTINCT WAY

impressive grasp issues about economic questions.

It was a reaction which no doubt But it fails to avoid an idealistic numerous other tourists have exper- emphasis. While Guevara cannot be ienced. With Guevara the difference directly held blame for the to was that he resolved in a very indis- economic adventurism and idealism tinct way to do something about it.

which led the Cuban economy to His first intention was apparent- serious crises in the late 1960s and ly to do some kind of missionary- 1970s, there is no doubt that some style medical work of his policies when he held econ- a later trip Guevara But on omic power moved in more political circles. He precedents on which later disasters had contacts with the "left-wing" were based. of the Peruvian populist movement The problem was APRA. And then in 1954 he was fundamental of theoretical not some error Guatamala the time of the emphasis but the petty American invasion which overthrew character of the politics of Guevara the reformist governmenl along with the rest of the Cuban Arbenz. leaders Guevara apparently fought in The Cuban rebel army had based the resistance to the invasion and the itself the peasantry and then escaped to Mexico. Ull SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 October 1977 and urban • petty-bourgeoisie Guevara continued to look to these groups as the material out of which the Lain American vanguard would be built. Guevara' superficial "Marxism" shows up in his political impres- sionism and inconsistency This was especially evident over Union. 1960 Soviet returned from his first visit to the fired with enthusiasm for

USSR

planning methods and notable became pro- mOs Soviet protagonist in the leadership.

Stalinism and the destruction of workers democracy in the Soviet Union have no seem to posed problems whatever for Guevara The nature oi Guevara's Cass politics is revealed most tragically in his romantic conceptions «DOu the Latin American revolution.

By 1965, Guevara's power in the Cuban leadership had waned For which remain reasons mystery he left Cuba and disappear- ed from the public eye.

IGNOMINOUS DISASTER

Then in 1967 he arrived in Bolivia a guerrilla army to start modelled on the war in Cuba.

The ignominious disaster of this venture has been blamed followers special Guevara's circumstances and particular mis- takes. But this failure, along with so many other in Latin America, was It was the isolated accident. inevitable result of the revolution.

(associated primarily ary strategy the names of Castro, Guevara with and Regis Debray) begins "armed struggle" with the and it (particuarly small-scale guerrilla with almost rural

WOE.

mystical powers catalyse struggle successful revolutionary "guerrillaism turns the This Marxist strategy of revolution on its first, struggle mass head armed first, party struggle second; army second. doubt that No Marxist has any imperialism cannot be overturow! taking the without armed struggle, of form cases guerrilla 0 111 C worldle But armed struggle is not a cata- • movement: it is a lyst or ene mass tactic which derives from the needs of the mass struggle. the inverted Guevarist conceptions of the armed struggle for which vears dominated large sections of the "revolutionary left" in Latin America and have been adopted too by the "United" of the Fourth Inter- Secretariat national. strategy vase d on guerilism? has Whatever its specific brought disastrous consequences and has set back rather than advanced the revolution in Latin America 1963 "reunification" the in

USFI

document of the the Castroite leadershiP unconsciously of Cuba were characterised Trotskyist" And much is often read into the fact that Trotsky's History of the Revolution found Russian was among Guevart's possessIon. Bolivia. himself however Che Guevara leaves no doubt on this score: from the thought Trotsky", he "one can take a number of things even if, , in my judgement, his was wrong Later action was mitate nd if his fundamental concepts and Despite his role in the overthrow Guevara of Batista, was "unconscious Trotskyist' but conscious opponent of Trotskyism and thus ultimately an obstacle to the tight tor worid revolution

What has happened

SOCIALIST PRESS,

Wednesday 26 October 1977 Suddenly, what has become of the crisis? Inflation is coming down, the pound has strengthened and Healey starts 'giving away' money.

Every minister full of talk of the reward for two years of wage controls, the stable future ahead, if only The 'if only" is a bit of a draw- back. If only the British worker does not wreck it all by demanding too much money. only, some kind of pay policy can be made to If only these spending cuts DOlO can be im posed and more jobs axed. There are other clouds on the Yes, horizon. the

LUDOVECEL

level is on the high side (at 1.4 million). No, hasn't yet reached a level higher it was during the three day week. But (we are given to under- stand) these only details. So are what is the truth?

GAP NEVER WIDER

Inflation has fallen from a peak of 23% at the end of 1975 to give the possibility of reaching 13% by the end of the year. Forecasts of what will happen to it next year vary wildly. same time the gap AT Tone between and pay prices has never wider. In the six months to been of June 1977 incomes the end fell in relation to prices by 3½% PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report (a fall in real incomes equivalent to 7% in a year). Their living standards have fallen Dy more me pero malion das falling, than did while been inflation was rising. Unemployment is still rising.

1.6 expected 1s now _ to lop tne million figure and stay there even if Margaret Thatcher Keith and Joseph are not given an opportun- slash hundreds of thousands more jobs.

SINGLE INDICATOR

ror two vears the government illegal. The effect of this on profits has directed its whole propaganda (without a total ban on wage rises) towards inflation. Wage controls would have been fatal. have been justified in of respect The consequences of such a step their ability to reduce it, and the for capitalism far reaching are so coalition government's locus that an all out price freeze is not an inflation has been reminiscent option for any government which Labour with ove balance or pau- wishes to manage cabitansm rather balance of pay- pation than to destroy it. (For the Com- ments in the 1960's. therefore Party ask An economy cannot be Labour-Liberal government to out- measured by single indicator. price rises akin asking Whereas workers state be them to put a stop to capitalism.

judged in terms of the living stan- The anti-inflation policy dards the working class, is a capitalist economy is successful fraud. It is not designed primarily according to the to reduce inflation but to increase its own terms, the rate of profit, through attacks rate profit can of employers on the working class. These attacks extract. encompass wage controls, massive

"ANTI-INFLATION POLICY"

in public expenditure and

CULS

monetary control which will guar- It is this which has been the real task, first of the Most new investment now being govern ment alone, and lately of the Lib- replace old

DEL TRO

Lab coalition. plant equipment with less and Inflation in some respects has labour-intensive production, either been damaging to profits (partic- inrouen gradual speed-up or whole- ularly as Britain's inflation rate has sale sackings. been higher than its competitors) - The 'new dawn' is not going to but the first task of 'anti-intation bring an end to any of this.

The policy" has been not to cut prices, cretl on milation nas come about partly through the low demand of a but to protect protits. If Healey had wanted to stop siuggish economy and partly inflation he had a simple remedy.

inrough the attacks on wage levels He could have almost as a side effect of the attack price

LISCS

BOOKS BY TROTSKY

The Transitional Programme. document of the Founding .30p Fourth International... The Revolution Betrayed £2.05 plus 25p p&p In Defence of Marxism £1.75 plus 20p p&p Writings on Britain (3 vols) £1.65 each plus 20p p&p Permanent Revolution £1.75 plus 20p p&p available Folrose All from Books, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill London NW5 1HR to the Crisis? on living standards In real terms industrial output is now only 2.7% higher than it was the beginning of 1970, nearly eight years ago. it is still far below the level of the three day week and shows only the faintest signs of increasing.

The 16% inflation figure is still staggeringly high and only seems acceptable compared the 23% rate reached at the end of 1975.

PRODUCTION

PHOTO. Labour Weekly The demand for a sliding scale of wages to inflation match is not therefore diminished through a fall in inflation which could well turn Indeed the decline in living stan- has merely highlighted the

GATOS

need for a policy which will protect living standards against inflation.

Healey at Labour Party Conference far from being over, is deepening.

Capitalism unthinkable socialism as in one country and the international crisis is getting worse The the leading capitalist economies has inst • „0 taken place The leaders of these countries still talk about a 'boom'.

That boom was confined to the United States for a three month period which is now Thatcher leading capitalist countries the rate of growth is getting worse.

so me countries output actually falling but in all of them the trend is eetting worse.

International unemployment has also risen sharply. Between Septem- ber 1976 September 1977 and unemployment in Britain rose from Page 9 HOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report Callaghan period it In the same rose 900.000 France from to million, in Italy from 776,000 tc 1.7 million, in West Germany from 900,000 to just over just under 900,000, and in Belgium from 223.- '000 to 259,000. One in 20 of the Common Market workforce is nos out of work. International inflation has increased and world while commodity prices have fallen world food prices have by abour 20% in the first half of this year.

The crisis of capitalism will take has not been torms resolved because the attacks on the succeeded working partially alleviating just one of symptoms. PHOTO: Andrew wiard, Report.

CP leader McClennan-calling for price controis. The strength of the pound is to a large extent a result of North Sea O1l which brought a sharp cut : in fuel imports and so improved the balance of payments. the oil is real ine boost TOm enough but how long it will last is almost completely unknown It could altogether by 2,000 and be declining the year fast from 1979 onwards, or, if new discoveries are made, it could con• tinue to give the economy a shot in the much longer. It doe however, any trends not, alter propaganda The about the economy is just that. Profit levels in real terms have only just begun to show appreciable rises For this reason the government is committed as firmly now to hold- standards of ing down the living the class as it was at the working beginning of Phase 1

INFLATION

NEW BOOKLET

THE CASE FOR THE SLIDING

SCALE OF WAGES

All the points you need to know in fighting for the sliding scale 20p plus 10p postage trom Kevin Lee, 44, Devonshire Road

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

1,000 IN MARCH AGAINST

Page 10

GLC

SACKINGS

GLC workers on the Over 1,000 action" Tuesday demonstrated last needed. cuts in the work- against the force announced by the Tory Council. carried Tories took office Since the their first attacks have fallen on the the ballot. labour the direct architects (housebuilding) force. the Tories month ago their first cuts-1300 announced jobs are to go by the end of March.

NALGO

mass decided to proceed with the strike constitution which the requires. GLC Staff Association, a The house union large white collar under reactionary leadership (which includes a prominent Labour Party Greenwich Council) decided to call only a "silent lobby'

GLC

meeting -18 next of the October.

STAGE SET

whose leaders

NALGO,

a merger attempt with engaged In agreed to Staff Association, Drain support this lobby and to hold a Positive meeting of their own. the NALGO meantime the Committee estate National Emergency failed to authorise the strike ballot they

LIFT ENGINEERS WORK

TO RULE FOR 130%

employers. EETPU lift engineers are The their third week of a now in increasingly national 40 hour work to rule in support of a 130% wage break This call for action on On the claim. the long standing demand for hour came from £3 Lift National Shop Stewards Com-

O•DY

mittee in July. The same meeting threw down the gauntlet to the union bureau- cracy-that if adequate support was EETPO members in the not given would come off the Lift industry check off system and form a break This, a 'new away union. This anger came direct from the sell-out of the 7-week strike in June and July of Otis workers against suspension. pay levels are Lift engineers made up by long hours of overtime.

(UK) to With cut backs in the industry this threatened. To main- overtime 1s therefore, tain living standards, much higher rates of pay must be secured. were The response of the Federation Engineers has been to ask of Lift their for £3 for the top

WUINELD

immediate £1.30 for mates. going down to Jones' of Despite the derisory nature this offer official support has been who much less than full.

DEFEND

"united that grounds with was set for the Thus the stage events of October 18. workers At the NALGO rally, demanding that placards General Secretary Drain authorise throughout North London because their depleted workforce could no longer cope with the workload "silent lobby, The had no effect on and led to confusion among many of the workers-why silent when the destroying their jobs were arriving?

ional technicians then arrived bear- ing placards Association for attempts to negotiate directly with management over

INCINERATOR

NUPE estate demanding that Fisher NALGO's Geoffrey Drain action official, demand. ignored this came from Ken Deeves, leader of the NUPE workers, who announced strike unofficial ded a conference work means that Lo rule routine mamtenance is not being carried out and only virtually identical being seen to. for a Gowns are calling construction side, the wage, employers face large penalties for failing to meet deadlines.

inflation payments. plains

EETPU

Conference on the Such payments, November 19 in Blackpool.

can only be won if This claim of the work-to-rule is turned into all- the but on eut strike anso he dibstab gle tan- Price Index. Lib-Lab govern- up against Each resolution ment and the EETPU bureaucrats.

different view slightly, and not the formation of this union is the task that com- pursued on a local level.

fronts the lift engineers.

remaining

TGWU

officials are silent on the decision by Takiron sack 12 workers including the TGWU Branch Secretary, member of rence Jones-a founder the union in the factory claimed the Management men 'redundant' have since but begun recruiting new labour to take Meanwhile place. support was squashed reinstatement by TGWU District Officer Binding, proposed further Ids at CAV Workers rejected overwhelmingly derisory wage increase offered by the company. At a mass meeting last Wednes- workers threw out the offer, day, which was only 5% plus the possib- ility of a self-financing productivity

NICHIC

LE 170.000

SAVED ON

RECT WORKSE JOR ALONE

March by direct workers against redundancies in the Midlands waste incinerator that Edmonton North East London serves most of be closed down predictably StrIKe actIon The fight for an the Councillors focussed leadership recently formed joint shop stewards they were committee. Tories who were A large demonstration of educat- On this committee denouncing the Staff "unity" place undermining their peddled by Communist Party, SWP and IMG members alike and conditions people bring forward All taest proposals for London-wide conter- for special committees, for ences, than other anything necessary-the building of strikes in workers now sections make their support of have already moved into action while the massive £55 minimum wage call obstacle that public sector workers Around 120 shop stewards for pushing confront from public sector unions in official increases-the the Birmingham district atten- of the unions concerned called on To raise the minimum wage to October 15 and adopted three increase £55 mean. excess of 10% resolutions means a fight against It €55 minimum the management; against against protected coalition government threshold "cash through of programme enforce pay restraint in the public sector; and against the TUC bureau.

however, are have dedicated who not to be based on the assessment selves to holding down pay settle- price committees ments. Retail government's Simply to propose 'rank and file' such problems is to rackie spelled out a completely inadequate. certain speakers claimed that NUPE of the Way should be claim Fisher and leader Alan had attempted bureaucrats tackled the Ma01 disrupt the Birmingham conference, these of

HONO

detailed, and no course of action to combat them were propose day meantime was hastily summoned for action' 26, and a one-day strike, October timed to coincide with the national of against the 'day action called on November 23. Several speakers claimed that the one-day strike call was not a sub- stitute for all-out strike action but a "build-up" to it. Past experience however suggests that unless programme lor action against both wage controls and the cuts is made SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 October 1977 CAV offer thrown out Instead it was decided to read it he is cidem that tess have the ahead been submitted. already Management have rejected the demand. At a meeting between the Executive Committee the Shop Stewards Committee and management on 16 September, it was made plain that the company were going to adhere rigidly to the government pay guidelines.

offer of fact their conforms to the now defunct Stage 2 of the Social Contract, let alone the present policy! much Strike action is now very

GMWU

at

CAV.

the agenda Coughlan told the John COMe On be prepared for mass meetme to industrial action later on, but it is now clear that this action will be needed sooner rather than later if workers are to halt the current drop in living standards. Warwick job cuts County Warwickshire threatening is again Council redundancies and reduction in hours for workers within the school meals service Using the excuse of a decline in the number of dinners taken since the increase in have told union repres- prices they entatives of kitchen staff and meals supervisors that cuts must be made.

intro- Already the Council nas duced cuts in hours worked. Clearly by fight back unions must begin now if jobs are to be saved alternative The cuts have been threatened the on for some time and following a long GMWU branch which battle the staff meals school covers Nuneaton adopted a policy of total opposition to cuts, calling for strike action if any attempt were made to talk of implement them. now is to put this The policy into practice. In addition to fighting for the branch implementation workers school meals what full access to all should demand County Council accounts. which would Such investigation show the real state of local govern- ment expenditure and the way that of out profits are being made essential services must also be a fight for There abolition of school meals the the adoption charges and sliding scale of public expenditure essential services from protect to inflation. Reinstatement such fight way In the wake of the battle at in the THF Desoutters and local hotels over union recognition Lib-Lab we can expect a wave of anti- with its limits' union actions from the bosses.

One of the first of these is taking factory and Azion place at the them- warehouse in Lambeth manufactures plastic Azlon ware and scientitic laboratory of for wide equipment 1a1g Over the last few While has been increasing there months in the both union

TECTUCHE

other factory and the warehouse • sacking ; оп I nis resulted in the October 4 of Trevor Williams who had begun the recruitment for the were

TGWU

A number of workers struck in of his support and have been out ever since maintained Deliveries are being drivers to laboratories. by scab cuts, schools and colleges issued a call strikers have for technicians to refuse to accept materials from delivery of scab drivers

TGWU

Meanwhile the himself official has district maat comprehensive unobtainable. Council Trades Lambeth cunnorting the strike and calls for a

SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 October 1977

NEEDED TO

SAVE HOSPITAL

Five thousand London Hospital workers stopped work last week in defence of the Hounslow Hospital in West London whose patients had been forcibly removed by the Area Health Authority. For most of them it was a 1-day stoppage in response to a call by stewards in the hospitals who had organised over the previous few days in spite of a lack of leadership from the union bureaucracy.

London Hospital At the West however, NUPE members came out on indefinite strike-only to be forced back after 2½ days through lack of sympathy action and refusal of NUPE to make the strike official. 3000 of strikers Nearly the assembled outside Hammersmith Town Hall on October 12 where the A.H.A. were meeting.

INAUDIBLE

Militant calls were issued from stewards demanding all-out strikes to stop the cuts. NUPE official Ron Keating and

NALGO

General Secretary Geof- addressed frey Drain the but their speeches were inaudible amongst calls from the meeting for official strike action. Inside the town hall the A.H.A.

refused to discuss a motion calling for the immediate re-opening of the Hounslow. Instead they called for a public inquiry into their actions! No lead on bus claim of one day per series week lightning strikes by bus- men in South Yorkshire is continuing in support of their pay claim-based on restoring living standards to the level of two years ago. This works out at a 67% increase plus a cost of living clause.

refused to Management nave offer more than 10% , insisting there is "no money available". TGWU bureaucrats have refused make the strikes official, and to nave taken no achon. lo persuade similar other busmen to claims.

TGWU

Elsewhere officials are hiding behind the 12-month rule to prevent Ine spread or achion on pay. The South Yorkshire stoppages be turned into all-out action, must and similar claims

ALL-OUT STRIKES

Supporters of the Hounslow hospital were sitting the public forcibly gallery removed by police. Immediately afterwards Sister Cath Cooney, NUPE steward at Hounslow correctly condemned the inquiry as a diversion, pointing out which time feeling would defused.

FACE THE SACK

Subsequently, however, the hospital occupation committee-in which the Communist Party is a political influence-has wel- major comed the call for the inquiry even though "it is only into the methods used to evacuate the hospital and not into whether the Hounslow should stay open." It is quite clear, however, that the AHA have no intention of being delayed by any enquiry. They have written to staff still occupying the Hounslow instruct- ing them report work be faced with another hospital oI the sack. As a result a few union members have since left the occu- pation. The sacking threat means that the still the occupying

WORKES

Hotel strike.... fight for a The strike the Hotel at Metropole, Road, Edgware London, has reached its third manhandling week, surviving from and management from

GMWU

treachery the officials. About 60 workers representing all grades at the hotel are still out, determined to fight on unti their minimum demands for wage are met. Originally 208 members of the

GMWU

the working at hotel- NUJ strike to spread After nearly five months on the streets, action is to be taken to spread the Darlington closed shop dispute. The

NUJ

is calling guerrilla strikes throughout the westminster Press empire from November 1.

This action-instead the firmer all out strikes-has been called so that the employers will how long the NUJ nol khow us! strike fund will last. But unless the action strongly taken and strongly supported by will become nothing more than a token of support.

IRRESISTABLE

NATSOPA are certain to refuse support further action alter ar outburst from General Secretary O'Brien, Uwen

THENS

Industries Committee of the TUC last week. He said the

NOJ

should recognise that the IOJ was a union!

The call spread strike the became irresistable as soont as lie mediator published his report.

Darlington suggested that the chapel should return to work for a vear and try to get on better with their management. No window dressing was thought

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

The Day of Action in defence of Hounsiow Hospital hospital will soon be without pay these initiatives though it is clear NALGO is said to have promised that neither can achieve very much.

full pay up to at least November 9 Hospital workers are fed with up when the

AHA

but one-day protest strikes and the meets again NUPE has not yet given demand of the such a occupation committment. should be to force the NHS union call indefinite strike

CONFERENCE

action until the cuts are revoked.

This be coupled with should mitte hahio tailed to to come demands for the expulsion of David Ennals, the Minister responsible for until a labour movement the raid on Hounslow, confer- both from ence on November 5 and a lobby of the Labour Party and from ASTMS, the AHA meeting on November 9.

the NHS trade union of which he is Socialist Press supports both of a member. spread the £50 wage owned by the giant Lonrho group Phase 2, the 12-month rule did not voted to start the strike on Monday apply. October 10. But Romp and Tilston did a quick 180 degree turn within on

PROMISE

the Department of the Employment saying that manage- They demanding minimum wage of so a week and were ment were right to be invoking the 12 month rule £43.60 for service workers, and The officials disbanded the backed by full time went picket lines and ordered the strikers official Gerry Tilston, who to return to work, promising that promised to make the strike official there would be no official support.

within three days. Regional Officer, Edward Romp,

NOTICE

management that since there had been no union agreement under Not surprisingly many of the strikers gave up-some going back to work and others returning just enough to long hand their Those still on strike learned that this was not just quickly fight against but mamazemen against their own union leadership, whose first priority is upholding the of the fight. When NUJ members overwhelm- anti-working class policies of the ingly rejected the report in Darling- coalition government. When workers take action to win ton, the scene was set to step up the

NGA

the union policy of a £50 minimum strike. members Darlington, who are supporting the wage, these officials go so far as to full for give said they would have othe

DOCT

if it had been accepted and workers to drive through the picket angry

NGA

team lines. the at the

PIC

were forced to admit that their members The leadership realises that if Metropole workers win their wage did not want to return to work.

The working of the NUJ resol rises thousands of other ution mean anything workers will follow them.

can nothing. li the guerrilla mean token strikes the dispute

SPREADING

will fade into oblivion. If enough be put on Westmin- pressure is to Already the £50 minimum wage ster Press to recognise the closed demand is spreading, with workers shop, then strikes substantial O1 Hotel duration are needed, leading to an the Central group and other chains including Trust Houses all-out shutdown of the entire Forte, Grand Metropolitan, and newspaper network. Rank, puting in similar demands This move, backed up by strike threats, challenge to the the vote of Ford workers long history of betrayal in the on the London Region of the GMWU, and pay offer is over- to the council structure wages which has maintained the scandal- ously low wages. It is imperative therefore that all

GMWU

TGWU

defend the living standards of Ford and branches demand that the strike be made official, send delegations picket line and give the fullest possible financial support to group of workers who being would be whittled denied strike pay. All contributions to Strike HQ the government's 51 Manor House, Marylebone Dood NuI Tol 01.792 1707 Page 11

NUM:

throw out incentives the The struggle against 'incentive" scheme jointly advocated by the National Coal Board and right wing miners' leaders has not been advanced inch by the one scandalous and farcical court proceedings brought by the Communist Party dominated Kent Area NUM. For those who needed any convincing, simply provides further evidence that to involve the bourgeois and legal

CUUELS

the affairs of the apparatus in fundamen- movement tally wrong and extremely dangerous.

SET ASIDE

In reply to veteran Stalinist Jack Dunn's attempt to get an injunction to stop this week's national ballot the incentive scheme, Lord

OIL

down a Denning handed ruling which can be used in future against other sections of workers.

Denning set aside the clear vote of NUM delegates at this year's conference, and declared annual that the union's right wing domin- ated Executive the right to flout conference decisions: "This sensible and reason 13 a able proposal by the union's exec- utive committee to take the views of members by democratic means ballot of the secret workers affected by the proposals."

The court action, supported also Scargill, sas simpty Yorkshire left-winger Arthur demonstrated the confusion of the "left" 'within the NUM, who have in the past been the victims of court rulings.

and clearly learned nothing.

The campaign against the Exec- utive's position and the reactionary incentive scheme must be based on mobilising the rank and file of the union around the demand for immediate action on the pay claim Oxygen runs out As the strike of 3,000 British Oxygen manual workers pursuing a 30% claim third week, layoffs and distuption in the

CILLCLU

engineering industry are spreading.

Shipbuilding particular has been hard hit, with 20.000 workers now laid off, while in the car indus.

substitute find methods of welding are havoc on some production lines There is no doubt that the strike has devastating industrial strength.

Yet fresh moves are to be made by both TGWU rational officials of and

GMWU

a bid prevent workers' stranglehold tightening to the point victory and 0] preserve the 10% pay guidelines.

MORE DETAILS

I would like more inform- ation about the Workers Socialist League Name. . Address Send to WSL, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NW5 1HR

Page 12

VOTE "NO' TO

LEYLAND PAY

FRAUD

Using the Tory policy of a secret ballot held throughout British Leyland, the Confeder- ation Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions leadership is trying to railroad through company's corporate bargaining deal. They managed to obtain decision of senior stewards to recommend acceotance of the deal at a rigged meeting in London on 18 October. Yet Leyland throughout the TGWU-which represents the vast majority of semi-skilled and skilled workers-was forced to take a stand against the deal.

Moss Evans the minority at such meetings

EXCEPTION

because representation is one senior steward for each each Rovers, Sole exception was plant. Communist Party where and This means for example that the 'Militant' leaderships

TGWU

Senior group Steward the declared in favour of Plant, corporate Cowley Body representing 7,000 bargaining. members, has one vote-as But the TGWU convenors would has the electricians senior steward not fight the deal in another Cowley plant represent-

VIE

HELPIC

They argued that they only ing a mere three workers!

didn't want corporate bargaining "at the present time" or that they

RIGGED

wanted a different scheme.

This enabled Moss The rigged decision of this meet- weakness Evans to gain a decision of ing been used on the the TGWU senior stewards that they ballot form and in the press as part would discuss corporate bargaining in 1979 on three "conditions" Evans took this to the company, are designed to make who then made a "new" offer- workers and submitted it in ballot form to Leyland workers. seeing their strength as an organisational force.

SAME AS BEFORE

TGWU convenors that in many parts of Leyland had said they were This plan is basically the same as against the deal played right those rejected before. the hands of this plan by not hold- The only change is that negotia- tions would take place at plant explanatory literature. level until November 1979, when Even in the Cowley Body Plant corporate-level bargaining would be where the one mass meeting that we know of took place, the leader- Additionally all plants were to a vole offered increase for pay decide policy on a plant basis.

Vovember 1977-01 12 the month rule did allow 10%,

IN FAVOUR

would their ther get wick reviews arose. Instead they even argued in Confed leadership then favour of the ballot taking place, i ne called a senior stewards meeting. despite the tact that the meeting Moss Evans and the TGWU leader- was solidly against the deal.

ship even The only literature produced in they knew that although

TGWU

the Cowley Assembly Plant was a senior stewards represented the special edition of the 5/293 Branch majority of members they are in News containing a detailed attack

SOCIALIST

PRESS

*

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Send this form to: Cocialict Proce 21 Martmouth Pork Hill| on the company's plans. The decision of the Conference of the Campaign for Democracy in the Labour Movement to distribute leaflets throughout Leyland was therefore a big step forward for that organisation. The CDLM leaflet aimed at the key point of the deal, the fact that majority of workers do not know what is involved response to the Cowley Body Plant doubt from IGWU mass meeting that if meet- had taken Ings OVe Leyland then the deal would have

LEWISHAM

Committal proceedings have begun against the now Lewisham 21. Eleven youths were committed last Thursday charge of conspiring to steal purses and other items between January and say of tres Lewisham The main conspiracy charge was youth and dropped against six others are fighting the committ- The South Africa style bail conditions which have been

RALLY NOV 6

MONTHLY FUND

issue of the This is the last fortnightly 'Socialist Press'. we week weekly appear next This is clearly a great step paper. Socialist forward for the Workers League and for the readers and supporters of the paper However a weekly paper cannot be without the necessary run finance. We face continuous price that increases the materials In go into the production of a news- distribution costs and on. been overwhelmingly rejected But even if the deal is forced in, this will not in any way be the end conflict. Already strikes are taking place in Leyland against speed-up, the very kernel of the deal. And at Longbridge, inspectors involved in strike are a grading which is in direct conflict with the grading structure in the deal The deal itself must be rejected and, as the CDLM leaflet says. individual plants must instead put in claims to regain and defend their living standards.

HEARING

imposed on the youths since they first appeared in court at the begin- ning of June, including signing on every day at the police station and curfew-bemg in betore a time each night, have finally been lifted.

WORKERS ENQUIRY

The most task facing South East London, however, setting up of a 1s Ine labour enquiry into movement police harassment of the black including the case of community the Lewisham 21.

COMEMORATE-

60th ANNIVERSARY

OF THE RUSSIAN

REVOLUTION

-CELEBRATE

THE LAUNCHING

OF THE WEEKLY

SOCIALIST PRESS

Film-Potemkin Sunday 6 November, 3pm YWCA, 16, Russell St. London WCI (1 min. Tottenham Court Rd. Tube Station) support is there for our paper. If we can raise £3,000 1n The Fund surely we can raise the £600 month target that is absolutely necessary if we are to successfully 'Socialist the weekly Mallal So far this month we have received £375.08, leaving us only a week to raise a further £224.92.

All donations should be sent to: Socialist Press Monthlv Func 31, Dartmouth Park Hill London NW5 IHR SOCIALIST PRESS, Wednesday 26 October 1977

MANNING

FROM FRONT PAGE

win acceptance of an "incentive" scheme which would increase the face work of coal WOrKerS DI anything up to 60%. And throughout every industry the end of the rigid pay restraint of Phase has the appearance of the job-slashing "self-financing productivity deals' trade union officials peddled by who are dedicated first and fore most to preserving the profitabil- ity of the employer-at the expense of the long term interests and of their

OWI

members

ERODED

Meanwhile in the social services manning levels are being contin- ually eroded by "natural wastage" fill and management refusals to vacant posts with the full know- ledge and tacit acquiescence of union officials. Every indication confirms that the sliehtest show of weakness o concession by workers' leaders in attacks simply ine lace or suck fresh provokes a management onslaught. The only way to fight the offensive is to confront auCK as and where it takes place by all- out strike action. Workers have no interest in boosting. the profits of state-run private employers industries at the expense of jobs and working conditions. All "incentive" schemes must be rejected and instead full claims catching-up wage with

SED LIEU

DOVISIOI

inflation through protect against a sliding scale of wages clause.

OPEN THE BOOKS

Employers claiming that their very survival depends upon cuts in manning levels must be forced to open their books to elected trade union committees to leed for such firms to be natior alised under workers management Such must not confused with the phoney move "nationalisation" towards embodied in the National Enter- Board prise which eagerly 'left' supported by supposedly Labour MPs. The NEB itself is in the fore- front of moves to step up the exploitation workers Leyland and in other industries.

In fighting to defend working conditions workers must therefore fight these 'lefts', and combine this with the fight to break the coalition reactionary Lib-Lab which daily proves its role as the instrument of big business.

APARTHEID

FROM FRONT PAGE

intention of making. Vorster stands to make tactical gain by appearing tough four weeks before the

JUW.

South general election in which African whites will vote for a new parliament. leaves open the possibility of a tactical loosening up after the elections, which he is certain to win. Vorster's moves underline the fact that there is no reformist way to end apartheid and that message will now South reach more of Africa's black populati?n.

BOYCOTT

It must also reach the labour the movement of the Boycotts of supplies, world. especially arms, to South OI strike action supportive and many other forms of material with the black struggle solidarity carefully planned and must be implemented. same time a relentless At the fight must be pursued against all those 'leaders' of the labour move- ment, such as the present British their government, IO] of 'outrage are expressions committed to the maintenance of apartheid Concrete action against the African regime would, as South threaten well know, ther bastion of the world important cabitalist system