State Capitalism and SWP politics

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As the firemen dig in for their second week of strike action in support of their 30% pay claim, the silence from the TUC leaders is deafening.

None have offered real support to the firemen, though they know that if other sections of workers with pay claims outstanding took strike action now, the 10% limit could be decisively broken.

Manoeuvres

Instead there have been a series of evasive manoeuvres by NUPE leaders representing one million local authority manual workers, by leaders of ambulancemen and hospital telephonists.

And while left miners" leader Arthur Scargill has beginnings of a witch-hunt, with Labour right wingers claiming that the Socialist Workers Party were the cause of the strike. This, linked to the Tory call for fire station equipment to be given to troops could be the next move.

"If this was to happen, the guys on the picket lines would become even more bitter, knowing they were in for a long strike.

"Those who are now confused would see that the troops are not their old buddies, but strike breakers.

"And Rees would be showing that he had abandoned negotiations and had decided to starve this prospect and the pay limits pulled back confrontation.

Strong

While workers' | leaders hesitate and delay, the Tories are stepping up their demands on Rees to make fire station equipment available to the scab troops-in direct conflict with picketing firemen.

Despite the bankruptcy of their leaders the firemen remain strong.

Demands that army firefighting depots be picketed to cut off fuel and supplies A FULLY QUALIFIED FIREMAN WORKS 48 Hrs.

FOR THE HOME DRY OF £46-71 are growing in some areas.

Trade union support for the firemen's struggle at shop floor level is enormous. Workers know that if the FBU destroys the 10% policy they will all benefit.

That support must be turned into action. The firemen must not be left isolated in their struggle.

This is why • the Workers Socialist League has called for the setting up in each area of Councils of Action, to strengthen and to extend the firemen's strike, and to provide an organised basis on which to fight against mass army scab sing and attempts at picket b sting. Ireland (The Easter Press Gang.

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denouncing every "left' from real •pp.6-7 Back us out.

"We would call for immediate assistance from the trade union movement.

*l am secretary of the Aylesbury and District Trades Council and my branch will be raising an emergency resolution this Wednesday calling for financial and other support.

"We want to bring together all those unions who have claims opposing the 10% policy to act all together.

"The FBU strike can rebound through the whole trade union movement. This is a "moderate" union, but the members' support is absolutely solid.

Any 'left' MP who claims to support the firemen must be called upon to actively support such councils of action, and all wage struggles that threaten the 12 month rule and the 10% limit.

In last week's debate in Parliament left Labourite Dennis Skinner declared that the firemen should be a special case if the rest of the working class could also be a special case.

Vote against

He must be forced to draw the conclusion from such statements-and to d clare SPECIAL CASE MATI RISE publicly that he will vote against any motion of confidence in the coalition government and against its Liberal policies.

Oust

And Skinner must be called on to organise a campaign throughout the labour and trade union movement to oust the Callaghan-Healey In this way those leaders who simply talk left can be distinguished from those prepared to fight in active support of workers' struggles, and a principled leadership built, adequate to the needs of the working class.