Socialist Press no. 83

Italy: Government crisis poses

PRESS

PHOTO: John Sturock. Repor PHOTO: Mark Rusher IFT The resignation of Italian Prime Minister Andreotti on Monday followed protracted political crisis.

Last week Italy's political the brink of leaders went to ••Br government between the Christian Democrats and the Italian Com- must rarty. • But at the last moment they drew back. With remarkable co-ordination Three evenis all raiseo dosades to what the Italian capitalist press to label a virtual beginning wras cartaly. First, leading Stalinists of the CP started publicly softening Party Secretary Berlinguer's •emano tor seats i tue caoiner They began to hint that the party need not yet go that far.

Second. US imperialism made as soon as it looked as if the CP a sudden shift in tactics.

was about to After boasting months

SITS

for urgent consultations.

thurope the Caffar administratirn internal affairs Western

SOCIALIST

Weekly paper of the Workers Socialist League * No. 83 * January 18, 1978 * 15p Police escort FBU Executive member past angry firemen Tanker drivers lobby TGWU official Jack Ashwell demanding action problems for Stalinists said the State Department, "share profound democratic values and we do not believe interests ane The CommunIT snare values and interests. The statement also said that the Italian Com nunIst Were "unwilling to meet the aspirations of their people for effective, just and compassionate government After this the third event wa not surprising-a majority vote of Democratic The Christian MPs against immediate coalition with the CP. With a tormal .cortion impossible the CP nonetheless to hold totally unable WorkInd class longer without some apparently significant change in the present between the CP and the Christian doreemen Berlinguer Democrats. CP The latest issue of the enter the govern- Rinascita is torced react to the growing pressure in ambassador the base of against the the party "The United States and Italy", collaboration class shameles

FIGHT 10%

WITH NEW

LEADERS

firemen's •g into joint acti The strike be here. Built outstandmy The lessons of the way the

TUC

leaders combined with the Lit-Lac coalition govera- ment to isolate and erentes- lines these I sell our the sirtie are there- prepared fore crucial 70i :=.: basis tant firemen fu: as :o 172 coalition government, working class as a whole formed Ad. Leadership precisely inrough a Phase The most important point controi. to stress is that it could have

FBL

won-though by been lerry Party from the "militancy more them- showed and selves rock solid from begin- reactionary strike. ning to end of the What was essential for a out this task. leadership victory was He opposed prepared to fight tooth and trom the nail to bring other sections of workers with claims outstand- of settling not tor "guarantees" tor money next year. Parry's to 1cil The acted to the leadership. In an article in the magazine, Ferrero, a regional party Bruno The writes with Saeeran urison. section an understatement That cannot from coming conceal his pre is te . there is the risk of a gulf between _ ne ¿ nO decision the the party. In the mass of recent years, per week.

COURS

devAlooment or our line nas •*di important. But broad areas of the the on it more or loss party have taken as something for alternative. dangerous and false attitudes appear in our which

SECTIONS

410 Democrats Scargill barist open coalition Party- Yorkshire while rejecting they to give know have South Wales and Kent. Stalinist leaders some kind of help so that they can carry out its counter-revolutionary task.

taken Male las the form of the resignation of the Andreotti government clearly hoped that thi: incentive the will be seen as an arnievement Cont'd Page 2, Col 4. an alternative to them. Inside Ireland: Break from nationalism Centre pages Trotsky on France: Review....pp.8-9 ..pp.8-9 Councils of Action .... .. p.11 Pits: Sell-out complete Meanwhile Coalition the firemen. instrumeatal Also But to carry our a figh: on betraya the means being membe Council challenge the voted support tc Lib-Lab wald _oI the while holding ba firemen which member their own March tanker including drive to force oracl leader Moss Evans, and pow 3 of wage negotiator Frai workers Chapple. General Secretary Parry, by remaini And a loval membe silent on these moves allow of the TUC General Council the of isolation defender its succeed. policies, was clearly incapable of carrying Limit enforced These forces the strike will be used techniques and

DELSEL

attempts

TUC

from the first day was talking further enforce the 10% pay limit.

cash bu of Already the danger sig more Tanker flashing. drive Most decisive of all was have been limited to a part Fra complicity in the overtime ban and negotiator for Chapple, TUC's policy of using the 12- month rule and endless man- power workers, alrea talking of only shutting do isolate the fire- stations time rather than Conscious a nation stoppage

TUC

consciously They and work stop major that if this ally section coming into action to limit defeated th break the isolation-the only permanent wage controls w way of winning the struggle remain in force. most important Regain and defend prevented on were ne acti They must take miners who had a conference now on claims to regain l for a November living standards and prote review and a claim for £135 wages against inflati through cost-of-living claus When the right wing voted executive to ignore with the fig be combined the vote there was no fight to for councils of action in ea bring out the areas represent- mobil area designed to ing the majority of the NUM other sections of workers by controlled simultaneous action on th and the Communist own pay demands. Scotland, this way coach horses still be driv can Courts through the 10% limit. Those leaders that es Instead the CP and Scargill this perspective took the right wing to court.

Erounds of defending the L In the end the CP accepted coalition governme schemes and must be removed. Scargil offered no action as

- INTERNATIONAL'

Black traitors near deal with Smith The clique of clerics This formula is no more slale avoaralus and Smith wants the present cover for what is tin-pot potentates army agreed Muzorews who call themselves the Tacis-controled anel n net ween and Smith-that the guerrila ponce lo carry on virtuauy leaders of black Zimbab- uncnangea. armies must be crusnea as an getting are wcalls, Muzorewa basically independent force. rapidly in their effort to but It begins to look as if an accepts tnis wants the sell out every interest of "internal settlement' guernlla armies to be inte- grated with them. these lines is im minent.

the Zimbabwean people to the racists. Outflank Last week Bishop Muzorewa, Reverend Sithole Muzorewa and Sithole and reached probably won't sign this agreement with racist premier racist charter uness thev are lan Smith on the right of the that by doing they sure SO, White racists to control 28% will be able to outlank the of the seats in parliament rival external leaders, Nkomo after 'independence' and Mugabe. This would give them the That would be impossible constitutional power to block sordid deal could be -10 any legislation against white made to hold tor a moment- property and privileges. if Nkomo and Mugabe were fighting from politically No agreement principled positions indepen- dent of imperialism. "there is stil no agreement But of course they are not.

how long these powers They are themselves compro- would last. mised with the alternative Smith wants 15 years; plan of British Foreign Sec- Muzorewa and his fellow retary : Owen andy the US traitors have so tar gone up to imperialists wand to some eight. extent South Africa). will com- No doubt they In spite of their recent promise on somewhere to Owen, apparent hostility around ten. Nkomo and Mugabe faced The last issue remaining before the complete rotten with the bossibiltv that the imperialists will support sel-out is signed is the future Muzorewa Smith-Muzarewa dEICCHCIL ruCLuTe Teress ve Lynch speech - more hot air on united Ireland they ve heard this same TOriT-cne socccHrc rcc was "unhelpful" (although he nationalist rhetoric for years "talk added that from Fianna Fail, but the amnesty for those convicted timing of the speech. carefully gathered Delicate moment evidence can do nothing but succour give la W The Irish Prime Minister reakers"). delivered his speech Irish on But Lynch's speech was last week Katne sunday actually nothing more than a (January 8) seemingly at reiteration of the policy delicate moment in the talks Lynch party-rianna Mason WICi Roy was conducting Fail-has held for some time: Unionists with the and Judging by the amount a call on the British to declare Catholic bourgeois parties of space it occupied in • of someday their intention the North. last week's papers, withdrawing, and a hope that one These talks, reportedly someday Ireland will also be would think that Jack aimed at securing communal reunited. agreement establish Lynch Southern toothless local authority, Irland's Prime Minister- Amnesty were making predictably little was about to invade the Lynch did introduce indir- DroMess-Lie

OMOMISLS

North and give battle to ectly wanted less total more or one possibility the British army. of an amnestv tor the step ContOl

HIES

IRA prisoners in the South.

towards a restored Stormont; Ex-Colditz prisoner and the SDLP wanted a definite Since amnesty is currently current Tory spokesman on the foulest word the proportion of seats in any Northern Ireland Airey Neave Northern Ireland Office's arrangement in exchange tor said that Lynch's recent their support. volavulary anu speech "was sweet music in to them, any men- anathema the ears of the IRA", that it Collapse tion of predictably got was a blunder and a ghastly their backs and

CIUL.

the from But since neither D1 uuccu vuiury party Less forthright Mason. was willing to budge the talks What irked particularly likely collapse WelC Northern Ireland Secretary British politicians though was anyway. State was somewhat less not what Lynch said, since Lynch's speech

PRIET

HAD CIR

still look to Britain and the

USA

to help them into power This now almost certainly consists in finding a way to enable Nkomo and Mugabe to› do a deal with Smith andl Muzorewa ana so produce a in which grand agreement everyone would be happy- evervone that is apart irom the 6½ million black workers Zimbabwe against whose interests any vact wil be directed Urgency While it is necessary to fight for labour movenc the guerrilla support to armies fighting racism and imperialism, the petty leaders bourgeois of these movements are not capable of defending the consistently of * independent interest black workers and peasants.

imminence l ne 'settlement' of the Zimbabwe questions points to the and importance of LICIEy building an alternative revo- lutionary leadership. provided the perfect oppor tunity for the Unionists to asked, pull out-how, they of could they ever think discussing with a man who believes in amnesty for IRA men? Mason and Neave's rage is thus not directed at Lynch's blather, but at the fact that it spoiled their little "round of talks", and scuppered their Northern attempts to give Irland independent admin- istrative functions. But even if the talks had gone on they could not have solved, even partially, the Irish question, precisely because there is no bourgeois democratic

SOLULIOI

question Lynch's speech may have caused a flurry in diplomatic circles, but it altered not one whit the situation existing in Ireland today.

ITALY

From Front Page of the CP leadership. It also raises the possibilitv of a new election which CP leaders vould tell their rank and file would lead to CP losses. ne stalinist leaders will mosu икету wy in uis way to palcu u some new formula for supportins enristidn Demobials parliament. But no such solution can be expected to last later: treachery weducis cannot any longer be hidden tron , working class. possibility There gaining any Dackine

TOI

kind of deal with the party o1 Italian capitalism oecomine increastnot- evident .to Italian workers that "development" of the CP's each olicys in reality une same d the previous one. and every one of them Each more heavy burdens on lubose. the workers.

RAONSTRUCT THE 4TH

INTERNAT DNAL

The Birmingham to London march in solid- arity with 40,000 Turkish metal workers who have been on strike for more than seven months ended last Sunday with a lobby of the Turkish Embassy in London. The march started Birmingham . with 50-60 and ended with DU DUlLE1. nearly 200 in London The Stalinists of the Com- munist Party of Great Britain New Communist anel Party sponsored march The AUEW, , some Labour MPs, -Trades Councils and various union branches were among the supporters of the march One of the great weaknesses of the march was that no polltica. content. There were no meet- ings throughout the march to explain the metal workers strike to the British trade unions. Although the WSL did not In day two 'conference' of the Polish CP last week, First Secre- tary Edward Gierek revealed the utter bank- ruptcy of the parasitic caste which constitutes the Polish bureaucracy. Gierek pathetically admitted 'problems', even 'penury, in housing and food supplies but offered only empty resolve (DImISCS Lnem Prices up More food would be imported-but, added Gierek ominously, prices would have to go up. It was the refusal of the Polish working class to accept such cuts in its standard of living whieh led to the over- throw of Gierek's predecessor Gomulka and in 1976 rocked the Gierek bureaucracy itself to its foundation Gierek wooed the Catholic leadership and appealed plaintively to "all patriots" to contribute to the "prosperity of our fatherland" Such open abandon- ment ot anv pretence to base himself on the working class the fact reflects that the interests of the working class and the interests of the Stalinist bureaucracy dl t mutually hostile. Parasitic clique last four une yeals Polish workers have showr

TLFACUE

REVOLITIDN!

Sparnam, II u WSL contingent on the London section of the march agree with the politics of the Turkish Party Communis dominated march, we partici- contin- nater 7 HHf gents in Oxford and London in order to demonstrate our solidarity with the strikers though other political tenden- cies were conspicuously absent. Restrictions were put on the

WSL

delegation selling papers and literature by the London maren organisers. In various Socialist Press sellers threatened that they off the would be thrown march if they did not stop selling papers. We condemn

•NCR

practices Only through political fight can real inter- national solidarity between and British workers

GUTKOS S

be established. Despite the leadership •of the metal workers strike will continue to fight in the British Laut support for the Turkish metal workers, in wnost SRN K e defence plant level pay negotiations has now cost the an estimated £400 employers million in lost production Polish crisis Gierek and will show again, that thev are aware of that and are prepared Gierek's to tight parasitic clique. Some sections tne bureaucracy have no stomach for this fight-something reflected recent letter for "more demoe pleading for by fourteen leaders of 1aky the CP, including former head of state, Eduard Ochab A spokesman of the party dismissed protest by saying that the signatories of the letter were "entitled to opinions" but their were very old and should be their lives allowed end "with dignity and peace" «To take no posion on their behavious is a humani- tarian attitude" Gierek But knows that Ochab's tame is o•bosILIO retlection-howeve dis- torted-of the working he cass wnet deal cannot with contemptuously.

ALL INDIA RAIL STRIKE

Indian railway workers at a mass meeting The powerful All-India Railwaymen's Federation

(AIRF)

is making now preparations to launch indefinite strike action in May. There 1.8 million are workers ways, and one third of these employed for years so-called many 'casual workers'. with wages that are well below even the extremely low average wage in the industry. The action is being taken higher gain „to . wages. shorter working day and a whole of ! basic lallee conditions and provisions that the has covere consistently refused to grant.

General strike Identical demands were raised by the general strike railway workers in May which 1977, was ruthlessly suppressed by the Gandhi The police, and army the navy worked evel together with hired thugs to attack pickets, beat up and and torture militants their families. Workers evicted were houses, brutally their 25,000 strikers were dismissed and 20,000 arrested. The AIRF is continuing its demand for the re-employ- workers O1 VictImIsed and an amnesty for those strikers still in detention.

A key figure in that earlier dispute was Socialist Party George Fernandes, leader, who now plays a central role the Janata coalition Minister for Industries. Profitability For all its confused tactics, the Janata's economic pollci clear objective: mas ore vey the maintenance of capitalist profitability. The Gandhi dictatorship directed vicious offensive against the living standards of but workers allu •casallls since the ending of the emer- gency wages nol even risen compensate for inflation, have scarcely ana begun to reach the levels of 1975 which those of welc poverty ana starvation Nor have the sweeping promises of land reform made any matenal ditterence in the lives of the millions of dying Although the railways sirke will be tne most signu-

- INTERNATIONAL -

Gandhi icant yet taken in opposition Janata's une policies, many other strikes and major demonstrations have already emerged. Maharashtra, one million teachers and state govern- ment employees have recent- voted

COREC

strike for higher wages and justice, economic despite the passionate pleas of Prime Minister Desai. In all this turmoil there is no principled political leader- ship •lo unle ne suruggle or This workers and peasants. leaves ine mela wide open toI bourgeois politicians such as Gandhi to make huge gains by using populist methods to exploit the spontaneous hostility and activity of both the proletariat and, particularly, the peasantry.

Opportunism Having split the Congress Party Gandhi now seems ready to continue in the well- worn paths ot onportunism by initiating a campaign of civil disobedience against the Janata. first step this direction was taken last week when she appeared before the

PLANNED

Callaghan in cosy chat with Gandhi Callaghan Shah Commission of Inquiry into abuses of power during the emergency. Frame-up Gandhi has previously refused to testify, correctly analysing the commission as the instrument of a political frame-up her administra- When tion. she used her appearance to this denunciation, Gandhi was charged with what promptiv contempt of annount. court, and now faces the distinct possibility of a prison sentence All this notoriety did not Callaghan trom chat with the having a cosy ex-dictator on his trip to Staunch supporters of the Emergency administration up to and even bevond the bitter end, Labour cabinet recognise Gandhi's potential for regaining power.

But these intimacies were not allowed to jeopardise the talks with Desai on Crucial Indian ways to rivet the economy more firmly to the British section of internation- al imperialism. As a further indication of

TUNISIA:

CALL FOR

NEW UNIONS

The continuing struggles within Tunisia developing a more and more openly politi- cal character. freezing- The temporary over of the giant strike wave has not ended the threat to the security of the Bonapar- tist regime Prime Minister Nouira has used this breathing space for consultations urgent

WALA

Giscard and Barre in France.

But the same period has seen the growing possibility of a split between the UGT (the only legal trade union) and

PSD

(Destoni Socialist Party) which rules the one- party state Hahih Bourgui Nationalist Party and union were built together the period of French colonial rule, and the PSD has remained in power since independence. Bourguiba's party bourgeois petty nationalist formation: its strategy has been to stimulate 'economic development' by keeping the working class firmly in check while limited introducing nationalisation and encouraging imperialist investment. Included in this policy has been the tying of the UGT to the organisation of the PSD with close links at every level, Hedi No uir and officers being the vital importance to automatically members take steps British capitalism of atranced relations maintaining good possible government *the future, and build an independi *The main strength di Callaghan "Y.B. the labour party have met witt Chavan, the dominant force union's million member- ::%2 growing response. in the other ship lies wing of the the mining and Faced with this alarmi Congress Party, nominally lod ralway sectors, where the the situation, unio by Brahamananda Reddy- militancy recent has been National Council has issues In sharp contrast to this most forcefully expressed full of social statement But demands universal the the for pro- sound and anti-imperial Moscow Communist Party of higher wages and improved fury, but signifying only t India has finally conditions have announced spread Gene resignation that it was 'wrong' to support and every section, have Secretary Habib Achour fro inevitably the Gandhi dictatorship. brought forward political bureau the political demands Hasty judgement Central Committee Last January the 'social

PSD.

pact' This somersault has been was jointly negotiated by union, employers and achieved with the 'resigna- Determination government. tion' of a few leading officials As the basis of the new His will and the confession of 'hasty resignation 5 year plan, this set down a followed by others, but lit judgement' Such a gesture is unlikely • mınımum wage other activity will be seen workers, but centrally fixed these bureaucrats besid decimated the and annual review of all wage of the CPI and if their determination ranks claims every April. Gandhi regains mass support full politic ore yell over the next year, the party development of the prese Opposition may well reverse its jump struggles. The strikes of the last two and once more hail her as the stil deang that the US Achour and his leader of the months have been in opposi- progressive has no bourgeoisie, the greatest lady tion to this government wage aims, pontical they don't wish to remo which this country has ever control, and the leadership of produced'. the UGT has been forced to Nouira from power, and th they opposed al c capitalism-so long as it "co developme

IN BRIEF

tributes to the of the national economy, ar ind not parasitic but pendent of foreig countries". In the age of imperialis there is of course no that ful can these conditions in a devel When, a few What he calls "the con- weeks spiring" consists of a series ping economy military ago, dictator of public hunger strikes by Opportunity Hugo Banzer announced several hundreds of students that there would be 'free' and workers, a one-day strike That will not stop the presidential elections in the tin mines called by the in fake leaders from

DELAYI

June and that he him- mineworkers' federation on the Tunisian workers January 11 and proposed self would not be peasants internation strikes by factory workers in imperialism at the first avai candidate, it had all the Cachabamba and La Paz. able opportunity. hallworks of a manoeuvre In the next phase of i designed ultimately to struggles, the Tunisia keep him in power. working class must centre i

BELGUIM

The last week has shown, activity smashing wag In the first major outbreak control, splitting the uG perhaps, he had in of militancy since last spring's mind. from the government part strike wave against the Coali- and building an independer In response to a new wave tion Government's economic labour party based on th of workers' and students' petrol workers plan policies, protests against Banzer's fight. an indefinite strike from failure to grant an amnesty It is only in this proce 17 in support of a January political prisoners and that the revolutionary leade demand for cut the exiles, the dictater threatened ship can be forced to dire week from 40 to to call the elections off • WOrKIg slugges 36 hours. the people ask us to do so demands of Tunisian worke will if the they surely as the overthrow conspiring continues". imperialism.

There was a great fan- (fare in November last year when David Ennals, Minister of Social Services, announced new scheme for disabled drivers-Motability. Coupled with the announcement LAlau mobility allowance was going from

HC XI

November it was described as ja new deal for the disabled.

To show what a wonderful scheme it was, a long list of sponsors announced was which Len Murray rubbed shoulders with balon rvelyn Moss de Rothschild, and Evans backed Lord Goodman. Exalted circles The idea behind the scheme-which has yet from apart NOWId the exalted circles trade union leaders move in-was that drivers would disabled hand over their £10 a week and the Motability would arrange that they would get.

an adapted car. No-one has explained how £10 a week is going to be HekI erouat meet the cost of buying and with the discounts that Motability will win from manufacturers and the £100 million has borrowed at rock. bottom interest . from the clearing banks. the Since Davii cils taxable many disabled people receive far less than £10. Victims Once again in a history of deception, fies and evas ons that stretches back ten years, the disabled have been made public relations victims.

aune

LI0- LAD

COaIHO- with its dedication to public spending cuts-is „01 course interested in a solution the problem of disabled people trapped in the home- rather is interested solving problem the Tne that have continual attacks Government been made Ministers and DHSS officials.

The have

ZLCKS

rehicle which has been given to the disabled-the notorious trike' The trike evolved from bath chairs suppled to wai pensioners by the British Red

HPJ 474N

MOTABILITY -

MORE FRAUD

FOR DISABLED

PHOTO: Chrin Davies. Renorl Ennals It took Teoaced the to a yeal publish report, the the trikes have. engine upre being the Ovel Graham papers, Hill, ding tor onsaoted

1 OIY

under later, was nol as sale as they are made give little noisy, and, can carry only were constantly pecause making noises in kes' of the Parliament disabled. In 1973 the Department

TMC OC R O

asked the test body

MIRA

to test the trike. Again the for 1969, results were suppressed. Which came out At this time opposition to the trikes was coming trom the trikes then all over the country. One of since himself have unete wilie Ene rencers WaS reports and disabled, Peter MacBryan.

succession consistent he nas been a LwoLo auliusl WItivil dIayV opponent of the trike-fight- condemned the trike. governm ent inquiry - ing for it to be replaced by Baroness 'Sharp headed adapted car dll recommended they be Politically MacBryan is not at al conscious. He has been happy to among see ales Tories and has not turned his towards the vanuualdu uraue muon movemcal Memorandum But within his limitations he fought extremely 1973 December received a phone call which seemed confirm every suspicion about LiialsWels Commons. The conversation was brief and to the point. The caller said he had a copy of an memorandum lltclldı SClll Parliamehtary Michael Alison, Tory Secre- Under Department of tary Health and Social Security The trike-a motorised bath chair official, that a contlmlg SUCIALISI PRESS, wednesday lo January 19/0 tvans that the memo was authentic government cover-up was in of and progress over the safety that there nas been a the trike A few days later a photo libellous would be • T( arrived. It suppose anything other than copy on Department notepaper, dated that the memo was a forgery.

November 1973 and But it was a very clever one following contained the It was written on Depart- damning statement: mcut oaoe doode. cọr "Even .due course cated machine similar In public opinion does force user Tne reconsider the vehicle signed with initials similar to specitications. it would not at Alison used at the start TROce this stage be politic to of his name (but not, he says, crente suspicion that we are in any in the fashion that he uses on way hesitant, memos). or uncommitted to our adopted to whom /it The officer stance on their safety". addressed was salel From the Join. Parliamentary Uniler Secreiory of Siato Mx. Sa 1 Nov 1973 Re: Morris PQ'8. I feel advised to answer with what. inforr- ation ye have aiready available to us.

Even if in due course publio opinion does fcice ua to reconsider the velicie specii- ications, it world not at this stage be politic to create suspicion that we are in any way hesitant, or unconmitted to our adopted stance on their satety.

Therefore, I cannot see wny under the circunstances we should have to consider advocating any adjustment whatsoever to our present and see no real policies or expenditzres, reason to refer to the M.I.R.A. report or to do anything other than to treat the matter in the normal way.

M.A.

MICHAEL ALISON

The disputed letter MacBryan have left the Department was delighted. He had, he believed, achieved before the memo was sent.

However, the the tinal piece of evidence he sallit needed to show the Ombudsman found that government and the

DHSS

that the : statement to which had been the covering apparently up ine maemu truth about the disastrous was indeed mislead. Terened. ing and that Alison had been trikes. The letter was dated five given wrong information Common language would davs betore Alison answered questions about its safety in go further and say that the common: whoever was responsible Iot In his reply Alison implied the information producing that a petrol tank on the trike lied met government regulations.

Overturned In fact the Motor Industry Research Association Lesl petrol tank that which the leaked memo said should not ruptures in a lest cannol be menuioneu- had caused a fracture in the said to have met regulations which say it should be safely tank in a 30 mph head on affixed. collision But Alison denied that he The Ombudsman also discovered that repeated had ever written the memo and when Sir Alan Marre, deniais in the Commons thai the Ombudsman a inke nau overtumeu duling Cd liC report on the trikes in August the MIRA tests were oniy 1975, he said that there was half true. (It had not overturned absolutely no reason to during suppose that Alison was not the test but it had done so while being backed telling the truth. into a parking place while the Threatened tests were golng on!) The Ombudsman was MacBryan has subsequent-

DHSS,

lenient on En e ly been threatened with legal commenting merely that they action for persisting in saying were open to the charge of "lack of frankness" and that.

Department the had been "slow to act". Spot checks on disabled drivers when pressure on the Department was at its height was described as unfortunate- ly timed. Disabled drivers said it was intimidation. Complicated The situation-particularly the mildness of Marre's critic- ism-is further complicated by the fact that the Ombuds- man was himself Under Secre- tary the

DHSS

in the period shortly beforé that he was investigating A complete condemnation of DHSS policy on the trike certainly have woule reflected to some extent on. his own period in the depart- Illcill probably the was nearest the disabled came to From that time success. this the Tory government and later the Lib- Labour and Lab governments have done their best to retrieve some credibility Labour's criticisms vanished almost overnight the 1974 election dite. victory. Allowance The master stroke came in 1976 when David Ennals announced the phasing out of the trike. announced annals that he was replacing the trike with-nothing. . Instead the disabled were to get disability allowance-first of £5, which has risen now to and next November to £10. Because this allowance goes to all disabled it was a major gain for those without cars. For those who would have had trikes it is a disaster.

Faced with the choice between a dangerous vehicle this atowance disabled pressure groups split began to turn against themselves. med trom acaro trans trans- formed from a villain because he was blamed for the decision to phase out the trikes. Now under oi a 'Save our Trikes' backlash the trikes are still being issued as replacement vehicles to those who already have them. The Motability announce- ment is simply the latest in manocuvics le put some window dressing on une neni Campaign MacBryan is now at the end of a blind alley insisting that involved be everyone charged with criminal negli- for continuing to supply trikes or for taking part in a cover-up There undoubtedly secrets inside the DHSS that would clear up some oi the mysteries of the history of the trikes. But the only way forward for the disabled is to turn from appeals for prosecutions to determined campaign inside the trade union move.

ment-particularly in the car Tactores. The technology exists for the disabled to have adapted cars in which they will not only be safer, but will also be able to take passengers. Moral outrage at the latest moves . will nothing for the product disabled. Ten years of outrage have proved precisely that.

Disassociate Thẹ campaign must begin demand that Len with Evans Murray and Moss disassociate themselves from a scheme which is being used gve somne creulomty lo a which left policy has thousands of disabled people virtually housebound, and fight for job-creating provide adapted cars for all disabled people.

Lefts will swallow Why Labour accepts 'Militant' talkers

LABOUR

PARTY

major stumbling block for any leftward- elements moving opposing the coalitionist leadership of the Labour the Party remains Centrist 'Militant' News- paper and its supporters.

Under an assumed guise of pseudo-revolutionary rhetoric wafflers carry out an

LIONE

essential task for the right wing and fake "left' MPs by seeking to head off any fight for principle. Militant stinter pe their the line weekly paper, have stepped in in several areas to hold back demands for the breaking of the Lib-Lab Coalition, even demand Seeing them like an office which, for all its fleas cal, smells, carries out a useful job in deterring mice, leadership the Labour has been content to tolerate the Militant group, and occasion- ally offer leading saucers of milk supporters as with the appointment of The capitalist and the newspaper editor have an uneasy alliance. Although newspapers depend the for on big business existence, through adver- tising, and although they themselves of are part capitalist enormous enterprises, the search for sensation and combat can bring populist often papers into conflict with the capitalist class they serve. The trail in the papers wake or tne: Dusiness world and guesswork wholesale flattery and the basic principles of the witch- hunt to serve it. Industrial correspondents special place in this nave d uneasy relationship. As they stand outside strike meetings being sworn at by the working class, as they wait outside the doors few of information crumbs passed through public relations experts, they must Phase refusal of The Labour's "left wing" MPs fight against the to limits 10% pay current imposed by arbitrarily they consciously And and Chancellor Healey from calls to action shrink to Lib-Lab coalition workers the that might lead 'lefts' themselves the came out government into the front line of a real the fire- clearly during fight to break the Lib-Lab men's strike. oust the coalition and ough a single left MP the Callaghan-Healey leadership.

Throughout weeks But the 'lefts' impotence is went beyond vague not restricted to Phase 3.

'solidarity' and talk sions of Already they are preparing of the firemen as a "special case" to duck out of any struggle against government plans for Such opportunist positions a Phase Four. the fight deliberately evade shown last against wage control for the This was Tuesday in question time at whole working class.

DYPRENTIET ORY

A

SOCIALIST PLAN!

LEWIS INFILTRATO

CORMICK OUT OF

INALISE

ES!

NEWHAM

MONOP

ERS

Andrew Wiard, Report

PRENTICE

KEEP TORY

LEWIS-

WRITS-

LAWS OUT

THE

MABOUNT

PHOT

•ms Of i

NTIMIDA -

115 Posturing as opponents of Toryism in Labours ranks-Militant supporters Militant Wilfully ignoring the un- supporter Andy Entrism, set up by the £4,000 a year National Executive last mistakeable evidence that the mean o une job of Party youth organiser.

Labour Party has been infil- January This relationship emerges This report is now avail- trated and led for years by able Labour Party whole platoons of Tories and more clearly trom the report of the Special Committee to members in the NEC Report crypto-Tories cast in the Reg

NEC

Examine Documents on Prentice the 10I 19 / / mould, declared from the outset that the report would centre on left-wing elements.

PRESS GANG

"The NEC considered alle- gations about entrism, that is Trotskyist influence within lahour Party "i (Our Itals). His masters voice But in an apparent volte- face from the huge national witch-hunts that panied the wholesale expul- stoung Socialists in 1964, tee the Trotskyist-led Committee also asserts that: "The threats of discipline and expulsion has never won political and argument

WHIC

come to hate the working never will". class and fear his boss. which might have to go little wonder that A little matter of closing their firmest relationships are the That ¿Livervool factory. kind of thing. He was sure Torped wiin me traue umol officials, (and the depth In they could be relied on. interviews tney conduct wil the bottles that the bureau- They could be. For crats hand out). However, the next few days, every when Chris Davies, Report carried about Leyland pattern is broken the indus- leaks, unattributed trial correspondents respond linked of t to order. to Edwardes wielding First class with phrases "Everyone knows When the capitalist comes Leyland could operate 30,000 less workers. out or nis lolly tower, wner he speak What truth condescends Edwardes' directly to the reporter, then inspired will that be the happiest day of the life and a or seemingly Whether Special Committee member Edwardes is really ready service wil immed- John Chalmers-happy to iately be laid on. that stage of the could tolerate 'Militant. when Michael Edwardes, the man Socialist the industrial correspondent It is in the conclusions of the that Challenge claim have three-page Kevort is he has as head of British All knows the Committee's real attitude installed he heard his masters' voice and to the Militant group emerges Leyland, took the more com- he must rush to help. That is most clearly: phant aside They jumped do his in the best traditions of the "There are to

HUECIOU

the documents bidding. freedom the press. reterences in to the aims of the Militant He had a problem. There Capitalists must be free to that had to get have what they want printed tendency. These claims was a story are asking necessarily about. not awectry from nil.

will out any ot of course. But a little matter awkward questions. some of them may be false the House of Commons. darling of the one-to "left' Michael Foot appropr ately stood in for Callaghan.

Endorsed But instead of meeting a barrage of bitter opposition MPs from enraged lett opposing any hint of a Phase 4, he found it easy to parry the damp flannels thrown by Eric Heffer and Dennis Skinner. Heffer pompously "warned" that be and claims may exaggerated and fantasy' Clearly the con- of veyed is one of a group babblers who are dismissed as the possible threat to no existing right wing leadership and their Tribunite allies [the they claim include documents] planning of work deliberate Labour Party, which the they themselves describe deep entry in the Party, and the tendency has all members of the National Committee of the LPYS which they state as their intend to they instrument for further action in the Party" Were Militant group the based on the slightest shred minipled programme there is little doubt that their you organisation would bring out the Labour NEC in fits of apoplexy. Certainly the mere election of a majority of real Trotskyist supporters of the Socialist Labour League into YS National Committee in 1964 was enough to spark the massive witchhunt. Yet here the Militant group's operations are cata- logued with equanimity. "Live and let live is the report tone of the whole from Labour bureaucrats con- fident that Militant will let them live on in the leadership of the Party. The document points out that 'Because our democratic principles are what they are, if we be concerned there attempting to direct the action of its members within the Labour Party" In a sense this is true. It clearly is time for a sort out of. those who are working for outside interests within the Labour movement general and the Labour Party in particular. Advocates and practi- tioners of the Coalition deal with the Liberals are the most obvious case in point-since they have wilfully abandoned the independence Labour Party to the second- string capitalist politicians and swindlers that make up the Liberal leadership discuss policies with "hev the Liberal leaders first-and ten turn to impose tnem or the Labour movement. These hostile forces must be driven from the ranks of the Labour Party. And the Militant group, with its wretched programme of pious divorced from slightest the fight in practice against the right wing will be exposed in such a fight. Four Lib-Lab ment has in mind it did figure the backing the have Labour Party as a whole. But Heffer knows as as anyone that the wishe the Labour Party never e into the calculations of Callaghan-Healey leadershi And he knows too tha long as the reactionary with the Libe ition deal Lib the remains leaders will continue to l governn say on policy than any labour m ment body Heffer himself has ta this position endorsed trooping into the lobbie vote support the for the Lab coalition ten months, ana cically of calling no Ma lettil fight to break the any PHOTO: Chris Davies, Report Foot fobbed Heffer o stating that he still hol views his original policy In other words favour of wha Callaghan Healey and TUC can impose on the union movement, • opposed to the blunt i ment of a statutory poli Dennis Skinner, who Heffer, parades wing opponent of the go ment outside Parliamen acts as a loyal lackey o Lib-Lab coalition division lobbies, Foot whether agreed "the new sexy, husky of Mrs Thatcher" controls. PHOTO: John Sturrock, With contributions on this level questions the one Labour MP 'wh publicly claimed he is w to vote against the Lil coalition sca ucal. surprising that Callaghat Healey regard Party at best а п stamp for their policies a worst a tiresome irreleva Irreievance So while the primary Phase 4 to prevent a the centre on strugg workers for claims that the 10% limit through important that Labour members also pul leaders on the spot. Those Labour MPs declare they oppose controls must be instr by

GMCS

to take genuine fight against the limit by campaignin; of support any sectio workers in struggle agai by voting against the Lil coalition government break fighting coalition

Ireland

ROOTS OF

TODAY'S

CRISIS Part 11 Break needed from nationalism proof were needed tion was that the self-reliance the Provisionals, whose and the road of petty- militarist orientation attract- reformism TeJeClOl ed that section of youth who out argeois nationalism is a

DUT

episode found no leadership apart had empiricalv gone bevond de-sac, the travels of Civil Rights from the Provisionals. Gemonsauons wings of the

IRA

In the absence of a revol- and throwing stones. their 1969 split in August 1969 utionary leadership their only Ine crIsIs could be vides it. was a .turning point in the TOPCO IUl higher level of pure militancy the Catholic of The progress the working class. and heroism, witled cials the yellow- along Provisionals' brand of nation- road of reforming the Confidence alism with its mystical self- cashed and closer the er and Before then had there squandered. inists. been widespread confidence The rise of the Provision- their immersion in of als in earnest in mid-

1ULL

lue dolly began Northern Ireland Civil Rights movement and The "honeymoon

(NICRA)

Association middle class leadership the period" between army porting a Bill of Rights the Stor- gain reorms Irom and the Catholic population for "with- only was short-lived. val of troops The aside of this Castil. acks"" moved Confrontation thev have leadership the process of irtation with the nakedly Women's B-Specials, as imperialist

RUC

Tension shown in various the and te Movement. minor riots escalated in July well as the obvious intran- to all out confrontation.

the Unionists who Sigence of Militarist ordered demon- The election of the lorv the attack, Westminster Their concentration on the government the that STated TaCT ine Northern State could not be in June 1970 produced lowest of economic issues, more hard line attitude to the fishing rights and reformed, but only Catholic population. co-operatives, EILL OWIl the Northern streets to The tragedy of this situa- the army imposed In July area ot Betaste Euris Rond Belfast. During the army killed four curfew and in anticipation civilians; of further attacks the Catholic ghettoes began to arm themselves. Independent It was in this context that the Provisional IRA grew in .and eNa paaide DICill themselves as an independent force. The Provisional :campaign under way properly 971. The first soldier to be Killed Northern Ireland shot dead on February wab that year-a 18 6 oi tull the army had months after first been brought in of three The killing Scottish soldiers on February 26 sparked off a reaction by One of their LoyalIsls. the Belfast ship- leaders in yard led 4,000 workers on a demanding uc onbuiaLIUl interment. Unionist leadership, West- under pressure from minster for political reform but committed by its party to a policy of "No Surrender" moré became and

THOIC

untenable Chichester-Clark, who had "moderate" succeecer O'Neill as Prime Minister, was himself ousted from the right by Faulkner in March 1971 Pressure "increased on August 1971 Faulkner ordered its 342 introduction. anti- Unionists were arrested and 226 of these were held. Barricades The entire Catholic popu- lation was at war with the British army. Barricades went Belfast, and in Newry Derry. In Derry they remained up for almost a year, establishing the Bogside and Creggan areas as "Free Derry" of Such was the response class, Catholic working that even the Social Demo- the cratic and Labour Party, Catholic of the mouthpiece middle class, had to withdraw from Stormont. 16, 8,000 On August on strike in wolKerS Wollt Derry internment. aed l Rent and rates strikes spread all over the six counties.

The reaction against interment greatly strengthened the Provisionals and both support membership this Their strategy period had been, as well as attacking military langels. Northern Ireland

TH AN C.

economic lability for British imperialism. Development thinking This was the of behind their bombing businesses and factories.

The sole political demand of this bombing campaign was the ending of Stormont by the British government. The paltriness this O1 granted it (Britain den diu and the repression worsened) and the individualist methods the Provisionals used to gain it, prevented the development of an organised mass move- ment against imperialism while it bred illusions in the good intentions of the British State. Such illusions were shattered by the tragically events of Sunday January 30, 1972 Civil Rights demon- stration approximately 20,000 people marched from Creggan towards centre of Derry. The march was banned from the city centre and was stopped by troops outskirts of the Bogside. A minor riot occurred but the troops, the ist Parachute nogmeul SeNoer with the usual rubber bullets CS gas and but with real bullets. They killed 13 civilians old including children and premeditated alteme by the and an open Icli. British government to intimi- date working Catho ld class off the streets. As happened with a similar the Unionists on attempt by October 5 1968, their plan blew up in their faces The Catholic community all over Ireland were completely • outraged. 'here three-day strike was Derry and a one day strike all over the North. New recruits Workers downed tools and Dundalk demonstrated Limerick and Cork, Galway, The British Embassy Dublin. in Dublin was burned down -by a 30,000 strong crowd A march on rebruarv 6 1r Newry 60,000 a.tacted people. Ónce again the Provision- als gained new recruits and for their

JUDDOIL

political programme-which because existed -but Dare they had access to guns and were fighting imperialism in a fashion. Nevertheless the Provision- precisely point ais al were being given uncondition- al support bv the internation al Marxist Group Mole their paper "Victory to (with the IRA on its cover) on 7 Fébruary 1972 asserted "It vital solidarise with the IRA, the only force capable of giving an immed- iate perspective struggle against which an enemy determined to crush the resis- tance of the Irish people" This adapta- o•DolLunisi tion T.O _pelly-bourgeon the IMG (and nationalism by in Ireland by People's Demo the Calv. calle di moment when the IRA were demonstrating their lack of political direction

North, And in the catululai y The result- paramilit- unal sectarian campaign murders-was able. strategy the British to smash the enlisting (the Lanco "solution" would all all appear men. They with up March 20 White Paper proposed 1973 which the of giving measure atter ', allowing the class their A hope of the council in fact to was the Northern and Ilialllalll The the last doomed from to date, was the start. Whitelaw congratulates troops in 1972 and was warmly by end the Bloody Sunday had and, oI produced such massive month, Loyalist and anti-imperialist explosion feeling not only in Northern Official by Ireland but all over the South over the acas Faulkner, Alliance possibility of that the Party that • between also saw the genuine July mass movement in them, gained majority of whole of Ireland against the Assembly seats when by imperialism and its Green and sectarian held in mid- elections allies definitely 1973. existed. ane Tantüre rule give a clear Provisiona execuuye leadership this to saw asd The of the

IRA,

had strikes the movement fact tes that they themselves had not were ironed the out at qualitatively broken from the Sunningdale pressure politics of the Civil Rights movement. They had upped The of 1972 the stakes-from "One man- One Vote" to the abolition of Stormont. Ulster Council Sunningdale rejected and inten- the In the ster on his supporters Faulkner The right wing United Unionist bankruptcy the entire Paisley and gained Craig twelve seats. coula only The 1974 the April political when required. Heath The decision of the Tories to the dl vll to concede this was based on proletarian the spontaneous outburst of ihe ensis militancy following Bloody Sunday, which had brought failure to on the home to the Tory govern- would not in ment that their interests, North and South, were in 38 PE1 jeopardy. of the the Provisionals. On March 24, 1972 Heath prorogued Stormont, appointing Whitelaw as Secre- 1972 July te muselves tary of State for Northern the direct of the Ireland. Provisionals' failure to At the beginning of July a series of negotiations between of uniting the Provisionals and Whitelaw anti-imperialist

O EI

took place, and a ceasefire basis. was arranged. On the face of it, mid- 1972 was the high point of the Provisionals' campaign. Yet the rejoicing was to Southern workers prove premature their support had The who army. opposed the the North. ceasefire from the beginning seized the first let could to to opportunity they such break it. by Within nine days hostilities had been resumed because of istration established an incident in the Lenadoon estate in Belfast. The negotiations wịth the hundreds. was Provisionals were terminated, the Liberty had before. a vote The were thus the Dy para-military The While blocks the organisations. R oad planting methods However Irish the other whelming tor Protestant Britain. strike of call in Mas 1977). the Ireland conflict. Ordered Wilson tc class and can the main COnCIl power the army ment. army was strengthening The reaction the working that complete solution the of Ireland. expense weeks of the capitulated and resigned, the whole immediately had of sectana lucas Provisionals own

TACK

bombs exploded car 1n allowed this Moveell 33 people. 'peace' "violence". The these Whit much more hysterical that reserved to the. Provisionals, bombings the end: of any-price" The bombs which to attempt 21 people Universally definitely bombs were TN f Stale meal Ior The any tor these whicn them. had civilians offers Liberty. sim introducing government 'antı-terrorist reachonal) ullaly Helana, Dublin the day bombs Provisionals they must lOI ine militants indict- despite and they at the arising the adopted alil policy that pro-imperialist posture confronting out the on . "peace-at- walte• restore their providing vuures Movement than

LLLUL C

achieved the political tasks ignoring and aclvll) and the left Militant the TelOHIsLs election voters doorsteps. Greet Orange nationalism by class working perspective Such a building dent class Central such tions of wages. menl, religious on cumia lon affect and grounds, divide both North and South the border demands to along mobilise tarmers polies In demands ists that none must while the can and imperialist island partition and South exploit the continue „aDoul As and indus immediately decades, antagonistic adopted national revolutionary struggle entering the of The camp class young in an taking atmos- with phere of heroic national and clashing the 'egoistic, narrow imperial British arrogance Laut unionism, swing and UCLWCCLl ready Cvc. unite these It the ness young intelligentsia and individ ual enthusiasts who. nauoas. their the turn supply movenenu wilna oregonucr the green flag over of ance red way une 'national revolution' even in practice Ireland, of become uprising workers", Britain, Vol. III Writings on p.168-9. construction The of revolutionary party prepare the way for such an uprising the _urgent task confronting the Irish working Cuass And it is the duty who take their SoCialiste commitment proletarian internationalism seriously to assist this task in every way possible, and continually campaign the British labour movement for action force the withdrawal of to British troops from Ireland, and in support of the right of the Irish people to self-deter- mination Concluded

IN REVIEW

LESSONS

OF PARTY

BUILDING

TONY RICHARDSON reviews "The Crisis of the French Section [1935-36]" by Leon Trotsky, published by Pathfinder Press at £2.50 in paperback. 286pp.

"bourgeois politicians out of In the introduction to French section of the Inter- the People's Front". Communist League this extremely important national and (forerunner of the Fourth As the economic book the editors say French flowed political crisis of International) from "History does not repeat capitalism grew worse and the the complexities of the new itself exactly, and situation they confronted.

Trotskyist forces began win growing support for their would be futile to search In France, as internation- ally, 1935-6 the policies among the youth and saw in this book for tailor- emergence the congress, slannist auull party made solutions to current the SFIO leaders recognised strategy of the Popular Front problems." -the conscious formation of that the irolskyists stood di with reformist obstacle to their strategy polltical blocs Of course history does not repeat itself "exactly". But in with bourgeois of class collaboration. parties allu reading the correspondence the political inden- a national congress ol the workers' the Young Socialists in July endence of Trotskv and the reprinted 1935 eight and parties was abandoned. pamphet by five leading JS members who member Secretariat "Entry tactic" Wolf, the reader continuously had been won their positions were expelled. has to remind himself that And France Trotsky began campaign- written wab this. Inlaltlia. from 1934-5 that Trotskyists ing for the French section to forty and years ago not and mist set out to impiemenl all consolidate gains yesterday. "entry tactic" into the SFIO move towards re-establishing arance with the The reason for (the French Socialist. Party independent party simple. It is because many of led by Leon Blum) in a bid to towards the the forces calling themselves important step break tendencies towards Fourth International. "Trotskyists' today-including and self isolation sectarianism with Breitman and Naomi "Our George conabltalion within the tiny (100-strong) the reformists could not last Allen, •the editors this Trotskyist through group forever. They and their political anence ver winning leftward moving took the initiative for the co-thinkers in the 'United" sections within the reformist Good; that saves us the Fourth split. of the Secretariat party. trouble doing International-have thrown

SFIO

the aside everything that Trotsky Within the selves . "The workers who think fought for in this political Trotskyists were to take up United Front -and the other ones, through for struggle in 1935-6. their Cal action of workers' parties and them-must understand fron To some extent the oppor- now on that: errors and disorienta- organisations against fascism, tunist In order to make an tion of the leadership of the fight for the slogan and to

OUR

POLICIES

Part Two of a three part series

COUNCILS

OF ACTION

between The months On 31 July 1925- Local pressure on them August 1925 and May 1926 included the setting up of a known as 'Red Friday'- of of considerable Council were 'Provisional the leaders of the Triple importance for the Action' in Liverpool. and the entire working class Alliance' unions were The Tory government had to continue its subsidy to the compelled to threaten a movement. The Tory government set further combined strike against coal industry for'a up a network of regional and six months in order to better further threats to reduce prepare for concerted action local strike-breaking organis- the standard of living of with the help of the ations by the working class move "independent" the miners. allegedly ment against them. "bourgeois Radicals, they must separate from themselves the Bolshevik-Leninists. - In order to make docile cannon-fodder of the youth, it is necessary first to drive out the Bolshevik-Leninists.

- In order the better the fool the workers, Stalinists and the reformists those have get •to witnesses, annoying Bolshevik-Leninists." (pp43-44) Organisation for the Mainten- ance of Supplies run by local members fascist Tories, organisations and other such The trade union leaders on other hand did nothing the prepare the forth-

TOT

coming struggle. did they not Not only of possibility the General Strike in May 1926 until it virtually was them, but they also refused do anything to organise to members for such an union eventuality. to the Thus was lett Communist Party to call for Trotsky, was however, of faced problem the shaping a leadership in France from people, many of whom had been drawn to Trotsky- ism only on the basis that they had left or been expelled from the Stalinist Comintern.

Flexibility Under these conditions the fight against opportunism was that much more difficult.

illustrates The book be made preparations councils of action to be set up and strike plans laid.

of The Stalinist policies the Communist Party caused place a reliance on

TUC

the 'lefts' within the which was to prove disastrous as the struggle developed.

Syndicalist attitudes The syndicalist which the CP had only begun eradicate also prevented putting forward them from either for industrial struggle or the development its political implications after his expulsion method af Trotsky's approach. He demonstrates surprising flexibility wherever it seems a comrade might be for the won or held move ment, but an iron inflexibility when he considers itself of the party concert was at stake. On this basis i he was favour of expelling the rank opportunist Molinier and his supporter Pierre Frank when centrist tendency their which could put workers in a position to act independently of their cowardly and collab- orationist leaders The Communist Party did the however hard before May 1926 for months some preparations made. the CP-led Through Minority Movement a Special Conference Action organised at which there was discussion what would need to be done. Minority Movement The called for the setting up of action which would be capable of 'carrying

eveloped a paper outside the ontrol of the party. Democratic centralism was political and organisational Trotsky rinciple that efended regardless of the ossible losses it might bring Trotskyism. the scanty forces of This fact alone glaringly with the Pabloite ontrasts United" Secretariat today, which opposing tendencies lithin the movement lowed free reign to publish putting directly pposite positions to those of le majority Leading members This fact particularly tell known to the authors of book le both leading lembers of the US Socialist Party forkers (which revented by reactionary US from affiliating ane

SFI).

They know Inat unti a w months ago tendencies in apport of the

SWP

inctioned

«CROMOINV

puntries all over the world, ublishing their own papers conflict with the

USFI

ajority positions. Indeed Trotsky's positions understood a dispute' CP Action in of 1925 was ursuing of defence ips'. Once the 4 May, Hed out une wage cuts threatened, methods of work May, many busands of pubica- ins, said the had tnein relop organis- "What been this under direct of essure the aggle". ancil cases Ber such oint or 'emer- committee' as of cases restricted to the national problems inside France. They relate centrally to the kind of international that is iccucu, parties ute each country. The question remaining to did the be answered 1s wny

SWP

choose to publish this book, which an Contains implicit indictment their own positions? ine answer les in tne lac tional debate within the USFI itself. The erendency, majority the leadership under Ernest Mandel, and counting in its ranks the same Pierre Frank castigated by Trotsky this holds volute. position angling for 'socialist unity'. It is because of this that their section the International Marxist Group gone overboard its desire to ditch the trappings of the Trotskyist programme and link wit uncies degenerate centrists and left reformists through the medium of their paper, Socialist Challenge. The SWP-for unclear reasons of their own-disagree with this orientation. But last year they decision TOOK The to drop their pretence of a bodies cases with trades the local Party at where shop

WCIC

of the to TUC-wAs Trades Councils and the Scab work on London docks serious fight against Mandel, But in essence Trotsky was

SUUSE

and to their support- arguing on the of a ing tendency with the international. revolutionary majority tendency. And the SWP has proved that believes international movement." So now the SWP seek a sovereign dIl simply diplomatic of more way factions and tendencies existing What differences, and raising unel can ignore majority votes.

attempting to use wrong 01 Trotsky's writings for their Hermaphrodite own opportunist purposes The editors therefore tell They clearly do not accept us: Trotsky's dictum that "Inter- "The current theory and national discipline prèvails in workers be taught to practice of some sections of every case national the Fourth International discipline". (p. 152). [they the

USFI]

mean join Nor, for fear of disrupting suggest that not all of their leaders [!] have absorbed the their new found 'unity' with Mandel do they draw out the lessons Trotsky tried to teach Romain somewhat 1935-6 about "broad" content of Trotsky's fight on themselves the notion "broad" newspapers, the revolutionary attitude paper. groups, procedure Trotsky etc." termed the new paper La Commune, launched (p.173) (p.99) But the

SWP

themselves by the opportunists Molinier and Frank "a hermaphrodite the high these

AOSOTO

•Commune point: lessons! paper". He attacks its refusal to International break the from centrist Marceau Pivert, whom For instance they describe Trotsky describes the "extreme left of the People's the issue at stake as: Front" crew of "What, in fact is a revol- anonymous unknown "various utio nary In analysing the opening party? collection of appeal for Commune factions are Trotsky tendencies each of which is strikes a note that (still grouped free to go its own way when- should echo for every reader ever fails win of Socialist Challenge today: of majority?" "But here is where creating army communards' is laudable But it suffered created terrific because and leader- programme ship. (p.100) proclaimed of the Marxist Group will blind to the similarity eye between attempt together "militants various and Socialist Challenge's "broad- based struggle tendency" in non-exclusive character, grouping militants holding range preserve the principles of the movement, Trotsky's ringing advanced denunciation "socialist unity' must strengthen their fight: ... the methods of La Commune are diametrically opposite all my conceptions of the organisa- Popular Front leaders Leon Blum (SP) and Maurice Thorez (CP) (left and second left in this picture) tion of a revolutionary party.

full permits. directs those 'in to?" In preservation peace and most the local order strike transport little help the problem the councils of the of action, though for example, rail waymen of 'permits'

OCHI

committees persuaded

TUC

leaders had strike. National Commit- work out system which tee asked

TGWU

and NUR locally as Jimmie live but to NUR put it- "out had acute that would he exercise abandoned the permits some control' system, In Leeds, for example, the decision was call made to Virtually all of them out some engineers for fear that others who Thus together factories that were stopped

TGWU

with Bevin the General that they might be isolated and subject devoted energy to victimisation. of action

COUNCI

were also compelled to act the way of and comment after "nueventee Lne the General Council betrayed the TUC said. struggle on 12 May by calling off the strike without having secureu any guarallees had to keer This The councils out in order to was

WORKCH

prevent the victimisation of calling out others, and indeed there were strike probably more on strike the mittee wrote: though usually day alter it was called of than at any previous point.

"No domination"-in other words, no "On programme. the basis of parity" means parity in cynicism with regard enviable kiple of parcar- scarcely "mass paper" is in reality as imitation of l'Oeuvre, dresser up in slogans borrowed from the right and left and radicalising petty aimed al bourgeois who are not even able to understand that the preparation for civil wal begins with the elaboration of that "mpso paper can be nothing programme and other than one of the instru ments of this programme" (p.116) Mandel The again appendix by any reason argument was put of La the Commune abandoned ation raised Rous and (p.262) SWP do • out, the the "others" Despite factional method approach • LO this new book for the the of Mounted police in action at Elephant and Castle 1926 It was only at this point that them any evel considered the of the role The Newcastle Council of Action issued statement that: "Never in the history of the working class struggle- with the exception of the of treachert leaders 1914-has there been such a betrayal calculated of working class interests as has overtaken us this week". By John Docherty

the local and national leaders of the National Union of Teachers traded in strike action in return for a pro- mise of no redundancies Oxford from County August, Council last teachers in the county's schools have been sending children home as sanctions against the cuts in staff implemented in September. Now the NUT leadership are recommending that members accept deal in which is gained- because 'the membership no longer wants to fight" Vote 'No' Here of the copy leaflet the distributed by Workers Socialist League schools arguing for teachers this shabby vote no to deal. "Since September 1976

NUT

members Oxford- shire have been fighting the Tory Council's education cuts February of announced in that year. As Jack Stedman, Secre- tary of the Oxfordshire NUT Divisional Committee, said in a letter to the Oxford Mail on August 1977. our dispute is concerned with th lowering of staffing levels in the schools and consequently about the quality of the edu- cation service to the pupils.

correctly explained that while the Union's actions up to August had won impor- concessie Council tant redundancies, remained intransigent on its intentions to reduce the teaching 4389. At • force to this time, Stedman calculated that 4733 teachers were needed to maintain ratios- into account falling taking rolls. Intransigent The Council has remained intransigent on the teaching orce-in November we told by the Union in Cam- Circular paign Council still intends reducing the numbers to 4345-so the sanctions must remain. Now being are WC recommended by the Union's local action committee- which is comprised of local Association Secretaries and the officers of the Divisional Committee the Council's offer of-4345 МОТОРТИІ

LORDU DONN

PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report

ROYCE

NO REWARDS

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

NUT SELL OUT

TEACHERS JOBS

T TODAY'S

NO

RIGADIER

MO NO GATION TOP

TROW'S

CU BS teachers! Members are being asked There is to be no discus- vital decision sion of the offer by Associa- based on misleading advice- tions by the Divisional and the local press. or Committee Nothing has been achieved itself local Associations elect dele- -the concessions on redun- dancies were made when the Council realised that natural The ballot paper fraudul- wastage than was greatel had hoped for. cully omus any relerence to targets for the pupil-teacher Closures being ratios or teaching force, and planned the first and claims to have wrung major middle schools, and the next year's callous attacks nursery : U1 education are going ahead.

RR PAY DEFEAT SPURS

CALL FOR NEW LEADERS

After 17 gruelling unanimous decision to hand over all the ballot papers to weeks on a picket line, committee the 600 strikers at the destruction. Mulliner Park Ward Rolls Royce plant in North Protracted London decided to The strike committee itself accept the management's remained solid throughout. offer and return to work.

indeed as late as mid-Decem- The ber the strike committee had September in support of unanimously rejected demand for a 17% across the offer of 10% plus a €50 "gratuity" board well as increase as improved sick But the protracted nature much and holiday pay. of the stoppage and the do- Solid nothing attitude of local union officials who sat their hands right throughout From the very beginning, the strike combined to wear the ranks were solidly behind the men down. the strike, and rebuffed time and again management man- Faced with the prospect of oeuvres aimed at dividing the an unhappy Christmas and a strikers. not very New prosperous Thus when the manage- Year the picket line, the ment last November tried to men decided on December 23 ballot strikers and to to call it a day and accept the une secure acceptance for their offer of 10% plus improved paltry offer, the workers sick and holiday pay. scotched this move by a near Yet even if the men go

COUR

MOTORS L° LONDON

MOTORTAIN

PARK WARD

MULLINER

DIVISION

SHOP STEWARDS COMMITTEE

Rolls Royce strikers picketing the Motorfair early during their dispute Journalists at Darling- ton went back to work on Monday for the first time June since 3- defeated after the longest strike in the history of the NUJ. More than 100 journalists

THE

CUTS NHOEF

TANTS

Demonstration through Oxford protesting at the cut in teaching staff.

What attacks on the edu- cation will be service next, once Brigadier Streatfield and his fellow Tories know they have defeated the NUT? If the ballot result is YES and sanctions are with- all drawn, there is only one place to put the blame-not on the membership who, divided and confused, often in small did schools, not Isolated always carry out the Union's sanctions to the last letter- but on the leadership, back sadder, they DaCk workers at the other London plants of Grunwicks Desoutters-tnes have seen for themselves the real face of trade union official- *The key figures in securing acceptance or me 10%o deal the

TGWU

regional official, Len Cowlard, and the Sheet Metal Workers Union official Joe Parker. Collusion The degree of collusion between these pillars of wage control Rolls Royce and management was evidenced when notice of the last mass meeting was given; Cowland's letter was written on Rolls Royce

SCIN

Rolls Royce envelopes and franked on the Rolls Royce stamper! The strikers at Mulliners though are determined that these lackeys not get away with such open flaunt- of the wishes of the members. Replace leaders The stewards have indicated that their key objective now is the replace- ment these mis-leaders with representatives who will fight wOrKers interests, not those of mange- And as long as the working class teels like that there can be no doubt that future battles and confrontations with management and officials will recur. The Mulliners strikers may but other nave gone down. sections now are queuing to take their place. Journalists end record strike went on strike more than of the NGA and Bill Keys, seven months for Chairman Printing tne closed shop, without the Industries Committee of the support of the printers who

TUC

move m lo settle continued to produce the the strike. Echo Northern and weekly Compromise papers from scab copy. A series of mass pickets They approached manage- and controntations ready to adapt to • will ne printers forced the leadership almost any compromise, and Squeezed between their and members e were forced employer, they pull out NGA, Slade and NATSOPA members on strike

STOP

the hope that the employers, Westminster Press, would crumble. But WP-one of the

CUTS

managements LoLanes newspapers-have plans for which are incom- patible with a strong effec- National tive Union of Journalists. Print Union leaders, quickly convinced became that the strike could not be WUrl Secret back door dealings Blackpool TUC last September

SACAS!

approach to which have involved the

WOUN

journalists returning to work.

local and national, of our Greater pressure Union. This leadership has used Its rejection by the NUJ every device under the sun to members (almost 'unani- wear down the determination Keys mously) led of teachers to fight the cuts.

publically abandon them The NGA and Slade, being 80% vote closely involved more Even when 80% of the pressure from wuel gicalel members voted to strike last their membership took longer May, the leadership only to pull out. called out one Association for Eventually, with the aid of two weeks, and then traded the NUJ General Secretary, in future strike plans for the Ken Ashton, December, deal on no redundancies a management 'offer" bearing Only determined plans for a remarkable resemblance to strike will stop cuts. the ACAS offer was put to Sanctions only serve to the strikers "and isolate and confuse, When it was again rejected, both break the unity Wade announced that it had within the Union and the been a joint management/ of teachers with offer and that the parents. journalists were being The Workers Socialist 'intransigent". League urges NUT members He ordered his members to examine very closely the to work. and record of its leadership Slade members followed suit.

All Associations hold their AGM's in the coming period, No hope the Divisional Officers and For are re-elected later this spring.

the past month the these Participate lournalist: kept the elections and throw out this strike going with no hope of leadership which has betrayed winning us and the pupils we teach!"

The NUJ leadership had capitulated at every stage of Luard dispute the manoeuvres of the print aids union leadership They had rejected from Westminster Group Chapel to spread the scabs strike-a call that came in late August. Right wing Labour MP The strength of the Evan Luard has delivered a Chapel has been Darlington blow trade against union such that the NUJ has gone his back united and not crushed.

organisation home In town of Oxford. The trade union organisa- tion has been preserved, with Luard, a Junior Minister in the a promise extracted from the Foreian UtTice. nas supoorted a scab organisation-the Association management that all jobs will of Polytechnic Teachers-against be filled and that the propor- the TUC affiliated NATHE tion of NUJ members will not According to the Oxford Mail allowed to fail below its Luard was hauled over the coals pre-strike level of about 81%.

GMO

his telling ture Cove noT utora rolytechnic Enquiry that they should grant recog. nition to the APT. The sole promise beyond Luard s reply was to treat the that won by the strike is that APT and NATHE as competing im prove organisations ith salins.

& management wul pay levels "when pay policy affiliated to the TUC, but so long permits", as there are teachers in the Poly An mauiry is now to be technic who belong held by the National Execu- unions I believe they have some NUJ into tive ot the the right to be represented".

(Our dispute and the implications for the tuture of union's In a later letter to the Oxford closed shop policy. sought to modity Only the most rigorous his position saying that he wa prepared for ACAS to decid of examination the role Oxford Parti played by the leadership of demand apology and all the print unions has any must public retraction from Luard who hope of showing that what is nas stabbed trade unionism in th needed is not so much a Dack The GMC have urged Luard to change policy on the loade of leadership and te withdraw his remarks and he has change apparently rerused break from the bureaucratic whom traitors at the top of the print responsibit unions

NOW YORKSHIRE FALLS TO NUM SELL-OUT

MINERS: WATCH YOUR

From 'Socialist Press' of November 9, 1977 The 63% by vote Yorkshire miners to their principled reverse incentive opposition to schemes is the outcome of two months of evasion procrastination by and Scargill and by Arthur Stalinist leaders in Scot- other land, Kent and areas. PHOTO. Andrew Wiard, Report In a move designed to badly refurbish their tarnished credentials the officials of the ment sponsored Advisory Conciliation and Arbitra- Services

(ACAS)

tion have decided to make a fresh attempt to ballot scab workers at the Grun- wick film processing plant in North London. According to reports from committee Chamed. Gandhi, this Kamlesh move has been approved by APEX general secretary, koy Gran- tham. Murray-despite TUC inaction, Grunwick strike still not dead. did (Grantham ot course not say that when the ACAS inquiry eventually comes to grief-as it must do-then he will stop strike pay and put an end this stoppage), The idea now that

ACAS

will Ward write to

LEADERS!

tivity scheme could only be fought by an all-out battle to on the miners' force action be £135 pay claim, aue lo settled on November 1. We showed the way and which the right wing employers saw the incentive as an alternative to the plan conference policy on pay.

stressed that the Ana we rejection of the scheme in the was a NUM national ballot Á PE Grunwick reballot asking for permission to hold a ballot; if he refuses (as he will)

ACAS

going blacklegs at contact all the their homes and ballot them then. recognition union Ward then still recognise APEX-then ACAS can hau him before the Central Arbi- tration Court and-have him fined! When ACAS first began its Socialist Press procetuligs this was pointed out inal could diversion legal which not victory for the strikers. Similarly, the

ACAS

proceedings nOW full and secure recognition full reinstatement-in fact, they are designed exclusively to bolster up ACAS's repu- tation and provide it anew with some specks of credibility. The Grunwick strike will be only and WOn

YOUR MAN AT THE

HERE HE COMES NOW..

CHRIST-WHAT A STATE!

HOW ART A KOUT

OF APPLAUSE, LADS!

INDUSTRIAL NEWS

But even in the pay claim clear mandate for Scargill and local For the right wing itself were calls for changes those who were opposed to schemes have the additional that the structure Socialist Press has warned advantage of weakening and could result in proposals to membership- throughout that the produc- dividing the ena annual wage making a single agreed wage such deals to demand immed- US-style three Impose difficult, and allu action on basic wages, claim iate enabling right wing areas to yeal conudels in defiance of the 12-month threaten to break the unity of rule and the 10% policy. Yet Scargill and the still the NUM itself. This would have mobilised Stalinists • sat on their hands, the miners alongside the fire- refusing lead on give a LO men in a struggle that would At its December 8 meeting wages, and leaving the whole have given a lead to the entire the Executive flouted every initiative to the right wing working class and destroyed Instead of laying plans for aspect union democracy controls once and for wage when it gave the go-ahead to the £135 strike action all. deals and claim in those areas that 1OCa upheld the TUC's 12 month Backed off rejected incentives schemes, rule while going through the and rallying miners to action motions of lodging the £135 But Scargill and the Stalin- against the dictatorial actions backed off. pay claim. ists immediately They failed to call for a ballot on strike action for the pay

SAVE

clear claim, despite

SAVE

right winger challenge from

ELTHAM &

Len Clarke for them to do so.

Mick

ELTHAM &

Instead Stalinist

MOTTINGHAM

SAI

McGahey put his signature to

MOTTINGHAM

call for increased produc-

HOSPITAL

tivity -with no pay increase!

ELTI

Meanwhile the right wing

HOSPITAL

was stepping up

OWI

DON'T

MOTI

for local incentive

LET THEM CLOSE IT

campaign

DON'T

schemes in complete defiance

LET THEM CLOSE IT

HOS

of conference policy

DOLI

and the national ballot. DC

LET THE

DUOTO. Torrance Charham. IFI A picket opposing the threatened closure of Eltham and Mottingham Hospital in South East London those workers who service Grunwicks decide to cut off Wreckers return supplies-post, gas and elec- tricily, and walet. During the summer Cricklewood postmen demon- over his heart and fooling The wreckers in their willingness- strated everyone in sight. combined uniform are back. against the Well almost everyone. The onslaught of Tom Jackson of the

ACCOUIL

Daily Express ume oleo tae Sir William Ryland and all oi lobby. outside the delegate truth well down in their story Fleet Street-to stand out in

FBU

of the conference (Animal firemen terrorise a support of the Grunwick complete with pictures town) and the evidence they smoke bombs and hair raising SurIKCIs presented incontravert- of Don from needing was accounts The task now at Grunwick "But officials able. police protection is to recreate the conditions claimed that some would have been a which will allow post, gas and members. wearing little flat if our old friend, uemonsualois workers to black uniform jackets Wall dreaded the agitator supplies. firemen". Which only shows mocked up uniform had not systematic campaign that if you dig hard enough made a reappearance. centred around a resolution for the truth the evidence He first spotted, by committing key sections to always emerges. union officials and reporters strike action in defence OI only, at the lobby of the TUC Some unkind firemen have victimised postal workers and before Christmas and has assured me that these dreaded support of the strikers been keeping a low profile animals, standing in line with must be mounted now since then. notebooks, and savaging In addition, regular day But in the middle of the every worker sight, were time picketing of the plant 1n Bridlington mayhem, there he not real reporters at all. Just resumed, be and plans must pockets stutfed werewolves wearing resumption of again, was

LOT

with bombs, villain written all human skin for the occasion.

mass picketing.

HELLO TERRY... CONGRATULATIONS!

I'VE LAID ON A BIT OF A PARII..

GANG WILL

LEN, HUGH, TOM

PRESS

BE HERE.

5 issues I0 issues 25 issues .

IT WAS HELL AT CONFERENCE

WHAT I ALWAYS

DO...I RULED

I would like to

WHAT DID YOU D

IT OUT OF

Name ..

ORDER!

Address of the right wing bureaucrats, Scargill and the Stalinists put affair into the the whole and the hands. of lawyers

DOLECUIS COULED

Ludicrous This abandonment of the

NUM

of the from the state was combined with ludicrous talk of strike action to win equal to pay incentives operating al cad obviously schemes-an unachievable demand. As it turned out, the court hearings proved of bourgeois "justice" in operation-with the judge openly declaring his favour interest of "the bias in national and increased productivity in the coalfields. No action Scargill and the Stalinists emerged puffing and blowing and denouncing the courts- but stil caling no action ol wages. A few days later both the Scottish and Kent areas

NUM

had reversed of the their position and agreed to negotiate incentive schemes.

Scargill's area-the bigges the union -was carry on the resistance under massive opposition. the country All ove miners were being publicise collecting extra money unde the while new schemes, Yorkshire nothing offered as a perspective othe than the dim hope of a futur fight for the £135 claim.

Area ballot Scenting final defeat- though still blaming everyon himself-Scargil but organised an area ballot on ar incentive scheme, and backer from any campaign fo away rejection Yorkshire miners tall at endless embittered divorced from divorced from cash in the pa reluctantly swun packet. 76% against to 63% i trom favour of incentives. Major blow meantime th In the actions of Scargill and th NUM Stalinists, whether con unconsciously managed to assist the TUC i its plan the

TITI

9-week strike agains men's the 10% limit, and enable the emplovers and the rig wing to strike a major blow a the strength and unity of th

NUM.

This harsh and bitte will be apparent t lesson more and more miners as th NCB drive for speed-up inter sifies, and as packet pay ViCE remain locked in the like grip of wage control.

From it miners must cor for clude the necessity principled, revolutionar

NUI

in the capable of fighting and expo ing both the open right win and the 'left' and Stalinis misleaders.

SOCIALIST

* .£1.10 •£2.20 • £5.50 £10.00 • sum of t.. Send to Socialist Press Circulation Manager, 31, Dartmout Park Hill, London NW5 1HR

LEYLAND, STEEL INDUSTRY

What are the facts?

SOCIALIST

PRESS

After weeks of press tion of a rigid rumours about plant closures and massive One uning redundancies Leylands mace new Managing Director, contempt Michael Edwardes, has worker revealed a part of his plans. Speaking to the Cars orators Council, the top body

ULI

so-called worker participation, last Monday he ences and announced that Leyland Cars numerous leaks. split up into four will Morris, sections, Austin, Rover and Jaguar Standard Triumph. His contempt He does not spell out "decentral- what his exactly participation isation' moves mean in prac- tice but it is clear they do enforcing his policies. not extend to collective bar- gaining where he is pressing PHOTO: John Sturrock, Report

MERSEYSIDE

MERSEYSIDE

REJECT

THIS SELLO

Firemen's violent hostility to the betrayal of their 30% pay claim was demonstrated in the aggressive picket of the recall conference at Bridlington last week.

Police called in were to protect executive members ard were present to "protect" the FBU eadership inside the hall itself conterence began with a point ot order from Strathclyde objecting to police remaining in attendance while union members were excluded. A challenge tailed to majority win The TWO ThIroS needed to overturn the ruling of President Wilf Barber. In recommending acceptance of the employers' offer rarty nad surrendered to both the employers' key objectives; *A full return to normal working with no action against scabs. Agreement that by 1979 firemen's pay would be "in the adult male manual upper quartile" and movements take place annually "to maintain the relationship." Cowley recognition fight Leyland's British confronted by management refusal to recognise Alan When his position Thornett as

TGWU

appointed day, January 3 Deputy Convenor at their was Cowley Assembly Plant is return his job transport section or his pay- to be the subject of a ment would cease. meeting between addition National Officers and Pat that all levels of management Lowry, British Leyland's supervision instructed Personnel Director. not lo with him After being elected in a Conver. shop floor ballot at the plant Reports in I hornett a month papers Published by Folrose Ltd for the Workers Socialist League, Printed by Prestagate of Reading (TU). Registered at the GPO as a newspaper.

Iorward with the introduc.

centralised wane thing Edwardes has absolutely clear is his so-called participation Monday's meeting was his first contact with the collab- on the Cars Council since his appointment yet he had given three press confer organised ipation' has been to present proposals' to "Counter-proposals" Edwardes' ambition to cut back Leyland lars however Instead of proposing opposition to redundancies : and structure closures by the his method of pation of the plants and fight for work sharing on full The response of Stalinists they propose increased pay and the right wing on 'partic- productivity as the answer.

MERSEYSIDE

WONT

SOLD 1)

bE ВіЙ This means that firemen move up the "league table" compared with other workers-but will not provide increases bearing any relation to the cost of living If current moves by NUPE and the GMWU bear fruit the firemen could be the first of a series of arrangements the public services- long-term benefitting nobody but the employers.

But one thing that Parry and his cronies will find it hard to take away is the tremendous politic- education that firemen have received during their nine week struggle.

a generally conservative position at the firemen reached the point of Stal ot une elsoute seeing as clearly as section before them the criminal role of the that contront even a 100% sond orticial strike The rumblings at the conference of moves to the transformed into

OUST

leadersals must planned action to carry this fight through, and build a conscious alternative.

had "stood down" from his he attempted to take elected position were the fabricated by the press.

TGWU

A meeting of the instructed to stewards held soon after the on the elections had decided that the

TGWU

officials should be forced to intervene if British was told Leyland carried out their non-recognition threat. been In line with this policy, it negotiate the was decided to recall deputy stewards February 1 if recognition had some news- not by then been achieved.

Alan Thornett 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NWS 1HR.

Steel union boss Sirs Workers must open bosses' books How he imagines increased productivity can save obs and not lose more was by Derek Robinson, revealed leading Stalinist convenor at Longbridge. He said that the present 850,000 productior incidentally (which the company can't sell) should be increased to one million with no increase in the workforce means speed-up and "no-strike" edu- ing to an inevitable 3 or 4 day week altu cies if the extra cars are not SOld So yet again the Stalinists are trying to tell the capital- ists how their businesses. Asked what would happen workers wouldn't accept 11 this no loss of pay. Robinson specu-up replied that they would have "lefts', members to accept Edwardes' plans.

Tribune Group of MPs, Support put their names to the Pariia Sure enough, , one of the leading left-talkers in the Powers,

JONE

closures hardstei Senior Steward Cowley spares nas repued. Kinnock and "I'm supporting the new have gone chairman [not of the union, attack on workers carried out Lib-Lab but of the capitalist by the company he because can government. kill us or cure us. If either Michael Edwardes can bring further and joined with Tory back profit, we can negotiate MPs to draw up a complete against that. I support him."

for plan cutting All this taking place workforce in the loss-making when the corporate bargain- British Steel Corporation.

ing plan is being negotiatec which contains Too big no-strike clauses unchanged and the incentive which Everyone has contains such clauses as that BSC losses are astronom- one wherebv workers would have ical. some to in every there money in year, £1.5 or day. The figures involved are every unree monts lr order to achieve the same big too bonus as the previous quarter.

calculators. But all this is being But consciously covered over-not with the acquiescence of the leadership of the steel unions lust ov the companv but also stewards the like Robinson and Powers who informed have not the membership in any real way as to what is contained In these negotiations. Challenge Why should kept accept Edwardes' figures or as do the 'Socialist Press'. Stalinists and the right wing, accept his arguments on the far this state of the company? Trade

HIROSE

full £600. challenge this conspiracy of Silence and demand Leyland's books be opened to elected shop floor committees. All must be secret negollatons ended Edwardes Robinson. have sat down to draft proposals for "phasing out" thousands of jobs while workers on the shop 1001 are deliberately kept in the dark as to the real causes of these gigantic losses. It is obvious that the losses are not caused by overmann- The estimated loss for ing. the coming year is the equiv.

alent 520,000 paying workers a salary of £100,000.

Depression The the steel crisis in industry is directly related to the chronic depression of the world capitalist system, and the fact that British industry is still at the level of the three-day week.

There not even any respite to be gained by per- mitting thousands of jobs to be Iost In bol There are no other jobs to go to, and the plight of those remaining in the industry wil deteriorate still further.

Yet, astonishingly, at the very point that closures and sackings are being discussed, bureaucrat have agreed to the implementation ot a new extension of worker participation' in BSC. Determination Kinnock This commits them Jobs must be defended in using their positions to force every factory through occu- "volun nome speca up and pation and the fight for the tary" redundancies on their sharing of available work with own members, and further indication ot thest Meanwhile three so-called bureaucrats' determination to of the assist the all-round attack on have their members. The issue here as in British mentary report that advises a Leyland is for trade unionists jobs to elect committees with the accompanied by speed-up and task

BSC,

and showing who Richardson, profits from BSC's losses.

Russell Kerr Which suppliers private along with every benefit man acturers and which banks cream off coalition tat interest payments? Now: they have gone a step Work-sharing And on the basis of this back information workers must step up the fight for work. sharing on full pay for the whole BSC workforce and for the nanonalsation of lnest the beginning of sectors as been told planned, integrated and unte nationalised industry that will £520 million per be possible under socialism million every Meanwhile the collabor- job cutters that allu for pocket the Labour and trade union leadership must these Labour MPs, ve removed Monthly Fund The continuing relentless rise in prices was again brought home to us this month with a further increase in our costs, the first of many, no doubt, in the next twelve months This underlines once more the need for a most tenacious fight to raise the finance necessary to maintain and develop This week we received a further £167 giving us a total sc month of £297.40. This is a good start to the month but we must maintain this pace if we are to raise the All donations should be sent to: Socialist Press Monthly Fund 31, Dartmouth Park Hill London NWS 1HR