Socialist Action No. 124, 6 December 1985
The scan: 124-dec-06-1985-SA-UK.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
DEFEND LIVERPOOL WITCH -HUNT!
THE ENQUIRY into Liverpool District Labour Party is a disaster for the Labour Party. The Labour Party should be concentrating public attention on the viciously anti-working class policies of this Tory government. Instead the headlines are now going to be dominated for months by this enquiry. It will run and run. Don't have any illusions.
By Joan Maynard MP
We should be concentrating on the wonderful things that have been done by Liverpool council. We should talk about the houses it has built, the recreation centres it has built, the jobs it has created. All this is going to be lost in an attack on Militant - who were anyway always a minority on the council. The council has been carrying out the decisions of Labour Party conference.
This enquiry is supposed to better Labour's election chances. But that is a totally wrong. The election results in Liverpool, both locally and in Parliamentary elections, have been excellent. It is this enquiry that might make them worse.
Some people are saying that we can have the enquiry but not a witch-hunt. But that is like the position on the Falkland's war that said you could be in favour of sending the fleet but against its use. That just aided Thatcher. It is a fatal error to believe Labour
win an election by being respectable for the press.
The enquiry, in fact, is just being used to start a witch-hunt. Neil Kinnock already said before it was set up whom he wanted on the enquiry. There was an attempt to exclude any representative from the CLPs.
This witch-hunt, if it is successful, will extend to other socialists in the party. We are already seeing press smears being extended to Graham Stringer and the Manchester party people who have nothing to do with Militant.
The entire party has to support the position of Eric Heffer, and other Liverpool MPs, who have come out against this enquiry. Don't imagine that the issue is going to go away. Because we are going to support our comrades.
SociAlist
ACTION
NO
Inside: • No witch-hunt in Liverpool No expulsions in Birmingham
No. 124 6 December 1985 30p
Bhopal: a chemical New trade union Hiroshima federation in South Ireland: Why Labour Africa must oppose the accord
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Labour's internationalist 13
2
SOCiA Nt
AcTioN
The left begins
to get its act
together
AFTER A period of flailing and floundering around after the end of the miners strike, It is clear that the left wing of the Labour Party, and the labour movement, is beginning to get its act together. this is, on the one side, the sensible tactics being pursued by Campaign group of MPs, the black section, Scargill, and others, and on the other side a shift to the right by Kinnock that is now so extreme it is beginning to peel off certain sections of his support.
The immediate situation after the end of the miners' strike was dominated, in the left wing of the labour movement, identified with the left shifting to the right under the guise of 'loyalty to the leader', 'influencing Kinnock' etc.
Meacher, Blunkett, and finish up sharply to the right of their previous positied but that what it required to be left. positions. But it was not so much that that is to defend the interests of the working class, itself radically changea.
Ken Livingstone for openly explained, against Marxism Today for instance, that the GLC, the high point in popular terms of the previous wave of the left, was a ge nuinely reformist struggle carried out in an extremely favourable situation.
The material base for the policies of the GLC was its huge rates income. It was a totally different situation to the literal destruction of their communities and futures which confronted the miners, or the savagery that had been inflicted on Liverpool by the combination of the policies of Thatcher ministration of the city. It was not possible to de fend the miners, or Liverpool, 'by the methods of
previous methods were totally inadequate to
The most important development which took lace was that of Scargill, Benn, Skinner, thi lack section and others moving far to the left o their previous positions - as has now been seen on the miners, NATO, economic policy, black
Liverpool, the witch-hunt, and Ireland.
But the emergence for the first time since the 1920s of a real class struggle left, a left which definitely chose 'which side it was on' as Ton Benn put it, had one immediate, dangerous ef fect. This was that this left was initially isolatec against the combined onslaught of Thatcher and
This was why it was so important for the left to reject the ultra-left proposal made to it from some sections of the labour movement that the way forward was to run a candidate against Kin nock for leader of the party. Instead the left had to drive a series of wedges into Kinnock's base on specific issues which corresponded to the in-
Labour Party conferences on the issue of amnesty. The black section did it well in the defence of the black communities. The Campaign group ol MPs now has an opening to achieve it on opposi-
There are other openings coming up. The alliance which figures like Bea Campbell were calling for between women and Kinnock inside the Labour Party is falling down against the reality of Kinnock's real policies on women — as the criticisms Ann Pettifor has been forced to make of Kinnock show. On the issue of Ireland another section of Kinnock's base is almost certainly going to differentiate from him - and Ken Livingstone has made his reappearance supporting a definitely progressive cause by coming out openly against the Anglo-Irish accora. witch-hunt, while the Kinnockite left has com pletely gone along with the enquiry on Liverpool, we will see what happens when Kinnock starts moving for the expulsion of Hatton,
Kinnock is taking the party further to the right but some openings are developing.
The two are connected. Because what is realy happening is that the nature of Neil Kinnoc! leadership of the Labour dearer and clearer.
Socialist Action 6 December 1985
The occassion for
the leadership of the by sections previously
Livingstone did
example, has always and those of the previous Liberal ad-
Sawyer or Livingstone went to the Party is becoming
THATCHER'S OFFENSIVE against the labour movement, and against the left in particular, con-
gather momentum. onslaught there continue to be major developments on the left — particularly on international policies.
A huge step forward was made November Anti-Apartheid demonstration. important development was the vote paign group MPs - including Tony Clay, Jeremy Corbyn, Joan Maynard and Dennis
One of hardest
present.
socialism between
British
however, in an imperialist in-
struggle the
that country the ruling
As
Jetarians in against own bourgeoisie no, it will be a
dependent countries, against perialism.' order to
Line working
is this being
the
since 1979 including in the the defeat the strike.
these
Women
the Benn-
No
@CORMAC
This is clearly.
the first step on
the road to a
United Ireland!
the
with the Another of 13 CamBenn, Bob
glo-Irish accord. JOHN TOnG
example. these forces still very small minority the labour
themselves these cannot
gle agalls! une Thatcher
labour
gle left, today under
developments situation
different. upunle
most
WaN
the war
the late
movemenl
Nọt does South Africa perialism including in
The Anti-
Apartheid Movement The Anglo-Irish deal? I think it's wonderful! Marvellous!
Do you really believe
Of course not!
The whole thin isa contrick!
mushrooming locally and
Action believes that every single one of its
should take their highest priority today the building of the Anti Apartheid Movement, its local groups, and solid-
but it cor-
On this the labour
Thatcher government.
South Atrica is
the
second key opening has
When • Thatcher
since
tea lo for the
But knew that
attention to that policy as
sion adopted by Labour Party conterences. Inat Is he has no intention of paying any regard to whatever!
In fact on the question of the right of nations to self-determination Kinnock has a particularly ap palling record. By far the most vigourous callpalgi Kinnock put up under the 1974-79 Labour ment was that to deprive Wales of the right to an elected assembly something incidently,
would have been real point of support for the miners in their strike in South Wales.
And Mrs Thatcher? that?
encourage the
Right in line with Thatcher's calculation, Kinnock duly led the massed Parliamentary Labour Party through the lobby last Wednesday in suppor of Thatcher's accord. Far
• Delg a step to. le of Ireland accord Curtails the oppose the marching the
in this individual together with and his UNIONSI SUllIC thing takes
of political
new phase and a Lolan new
ment or reaid.
policy, principled
which the Sallu labour can identify.
situation the public
Statement of the
Labour Left Co-
ordination
SUPPORT FOR the
Anglo-Irish bet-
ween the Tory government
in Britain and the coalition
government in the Irish
republic SHODDECI
with the Labour Party's
declared policies.
By taking a bi-partisan
Labour Party leadership
COL
ference decisions condem-
the of stripCUSt
A great woman 3 who obviously has the best interests of the Irish People at heart!
But trage an loyalists e
make even bigger fools o
themselves.
Politics Today
ween the Campaign group ot Mrs ana ine Labour Committee oppose acculu definite campaigning goal must now be set by the labour. movement not of course one that will be reansea in une short telli but one that can be fought Party to throw out the accord.
The of the
way for These
speak.
cord, and reunified the
bour on Ire-
of that issue once the left
of Ireland.
are not merely vital themselves They are also issues on which the British labour movement, by carrying tionalist duty, can take the
deals Thatcher. searching, the Diplock courts, and plastic bullets and the continuing use of
Prevention of. Ter rorism Act.
The Labou Party leadership should be con demning these abuses of
РОШІа
which ed instability in ine 32
instability counties • the need for a united Ireland.
Central America Labour Group Founding Conference Saturday 14 December, 10-5pm County Hall, London SE1
CALG is supported by the Nicaragua Solidarity
Campaign, El Salvador
Solidarity Campaign and the Guatemala Working Group. The conference is open to representatives of all Labour Party bodie
Crom An Dhohlar and individual party
members. • Enquiries and registration: c/o Jan
Gate, London SWIA IAA
(phone: 01-222 1719)
Page 3 scan of this page
Labours monumental own goal
News
Liverpool City Council demonstration, 29 March 1984 Party.
Speaking at the Oxford uver v LabouCuD Ol Friday 29 November he salu.
'On Tuesday and Wednesday in the House of Commons, the Anglo-Irish
Yasi culcill Was discussed. It was a very important debate and issue
Thursday most newspapers especially Liic so-called JUDS. had huge front articles
vase about so-called
Liverpool Labour Party, the
the CCCISIUl Susociu District Labour Party emblazoned UVCI their Jasvo.
It was an own goal of monumental proportions. I have to say I feel outrag-
LIIC decision of the NEC and the attacks being made on
Liverpool
NALGO members oppose
witch-hunt
LIVERPOOL NALGO Rank and File, which was formed soon after the 'cuddly left' began its drive to impose compromise solution on Liverpool City Council, has issued the following statement against the witch-hunt:
'Liverpool NALGO rank and file are opposed to the current enquiry by Labour Party NEC, into the Liverpool District. Labour Party on the basis that it is a thinly-disguised first step towards witch-hunt of Militant Tendency
supporters and other •unacceptable' activists.
'Whilst we condemn many of the tactics used by Liverpool City council in their budget battle against the Tories, we fully support their original stand for more resources.'
ERIC HEFFER, MP, one of the five members of Labour's National Executive, has come out strongly against the witch-hunt of Liverpool District Labour
good labour people who believe in socialist policies.
The papers were also full of serious charges made by leading Labour Party figures of 'political corruption', *litera COr ruption in employment', 'intimidation'. and so on.
Charges that have been Ilaue by gulter Joullallsls
CTORY
agalsi labour peopie al
times over the vanous ycais
If there were such corruption, and people making such charges should be
Pacpar such coruption
such corruption should be dealt with by. police action against the individuals concerned, not with the suspension by the NEC District Labour Party, made up as it is of good honest people, whose only crime want to fight the Labour rarty s pontical ene mules and get a Labour government elected. t, torrenas been in the past, there has individual corruption in City Councils, as for example in the North East. Yet no one at the time suggested that the Citv Labour Parti there should be suspendCul
Liverpool's pèople are being damaged, not by the
Labour Partv in Liverpool, whose members have consistently fought for them, to improve lives ne cinions with the Intenuol lifting them out of their despair orouznL aooul ue zuvclllment policies, but by those in the Labour Party who spend their time attacking the Liverpool Labour Par-
and playing intoo the hands Labour's political enemies. It is no accident that Tory papers lli callullas loudy alc cal ing for the so-called
hard left' to be thrown out of the party.
The language
Gc, sucii ds maeeoLs azallls.
forgiveable. wonder Labour's political enemies and Sir Trevor Jones wish Norman Tebbit the party leadership well. They, of course, hope to gain by its action.
The suspension of the District Labour Party does
sections
THE LABOUR Party black section national committee, meeting this weekend, vigorously opposed the party leadership's witch-hunt against Militant supporters in Liverpool.
It is circulating a model resouuuon wiuch reaus as follows:
This condemns recent attacks Oa Lv members by labour's national leadership. We oppose all moves aimed at renewing witch-hunts and oul ccs
We view with particular Conceul Callul taken against comrades who sunport the Militant newspaper and comrades wno support back sections. Neil Kinnock claims he desires party unity, yer he has been the source of unprecedented altacks on individual socialists. This has been avidly latched upon by our opponents and their friends in the
great harm.. At the moment in Liverpool a council by-election taking Dace cuc to uc uituci death of councillor Peter Lloyd. The party is also raising cash to defend the councillors in case against the Distric Auditor.
councillors are threatened with surcharges and suspension OIfice, because they carried out Labour Party pollcy as laid down at the 1984 party
Yet they are being treated as criminals, instead of being supported Decaust 01 LEICII wuul ageous stand
would seem to me that too many in the party
top level have conveniently forgotten wild party policy is. There are a almoel o vers ons ocine put forward as to what the enquiry Liverpool
Neil Kinnock quoted as saying: am antagonistic to the Militant
Stop witch-hunting
Militant, say black
capitalist news media.
*The enemies of socialism have been handed a gift by the divisive tactics used by Labour's na-
cauciS aralsl those in the party with whom taey alsagrce
'We demand:
1) that action aimed at
the proper functioning of the Liverpool Districi Labour Party is halted; 2) that Birmingham Sparkbrook CLP
Socialist Action 6 December 1985 tendency. I want them out of the Labour Party. .' One other is bv Rov Hatterslev. who is quoted as saying: "This
nivesulzallul about how the people of Liverpool have been treated in the Labour Party's name.
I am opposed to witch-hunts anybody who ooserves aDour s consulu' tion. That does not mean ! agree with all they say accept democratic social-
HOL-CaCOOCIU cratic centralism, which in Dl acuicc all centralism and no real democracy. 1 am afraid we are getting zoo muco or loe lale the : Labour Party at the moliciil. and mem bers should not allow it to hap-
An investigation into real complaints one thing. To suspend a party such as the Liverpool party is wrong and members all over the country should protest. mediately reinstate into full membership black sec tion supporters Amir Khan and Kevin Scally.
'Only by responding positively to these demands can Labour fully corvinice our supporters that the party is commited to the democratic right of every group and individual in our ranks to argue for socialist policies
by party leaders.
Model
resolution
against the
witch-hunt
THE LABOUR Left Coordination has circulated model resolution against expulsions and defence of Liverpool District Labour Party, as well as expelled Birmingham activists Amir Khan and Kevin Scally.
All readers are urged take this resolution up in all %IDOlI novenen organisations.
1ne resolution reads: 1. This believes that if the forthcoming local elections as well the next general election are to be won. the party must remain united. We therefore deplore the party national leadership's divisive campaign against local councils and District Labour Parties which fight Tory cuts. and against pressure groups within the party. 2. In no case should internal political differences be used as a pretext for the expulsion individuals and the suspension of pressure groups holding views which do not find favour with the present party leadership. We therefore deplore the recent expulsions of members of the Labour Committee on Ireland, the Labour Party black sections, supporters of Militant and other socialists within the party. 3. We are also concerned with the enquiry into the Liverpool DLP, which appears to be being con-
through the media, so as to ensure the District Party found guilty in advance. 4. We call on the ts tional Executive Cor mittee to end the s: pulsion of sociolis from the party.
Page 4 scan of this page
Black sections fight Sparkbrook expulsions
4
THE BLACK section adopted, a six point plan Sparkbrook constituency Labour Party's expulsion of Amir Khan and Kevin Scally. It involves:
1) a campaign of
Hass resolutions in the labour movement aimed at reversing the expulsions; 2) supporting meeting in the Sparkbrook consuluency i acicnce vi the expelled com-
3) a lobby of NEC members, taking forms contacting individuals, and a lobby of the meeting when the ap
has alread been lodged, is heard 4) taking the fight to the Sparkbrook rank and file,
branches, trace socialist societies and ward
sections; 5) investigating the poss bility of legal action; 6) a campaign of letters and articles in the left and black press.
Five resolutions opposing the expulsions have
mingham. London seven bodies have come
Photo: CARIBBEAN TIMES
William Silcott's room after Tottenham police raid
TWO MONTHS after the events of Sunday 6 October the community
is still in Tottenham
under siege.
from the
Broadwater Farm Defence
explains that
Collitter
raids on homes followed by
daily al c
rence mme me canucu oul
manner which•
flagrantly disregards civil
and human rights.
date there have
been 100 reported arrests,
mainly young. But only 40
per cent have been charg-
ed. Children have been ar-
restea, aelamica ana ques-
tioned. welve vcal
nave been held for long
perioas wilnou, access lo
their parents or solicitors.
In at least Case.
police have sledgeham-
uncl way IllU They have carried
shotguns and rifles and in
one case Six armed
policemen from the DIl
unit held un a house. he
Public Order Act gives the
Donce Calle blanche
powers to apprehend
tenants and residents
the area, and detain them
as long as they like.
Rut the realv special
treatment has been reserv-
ed tor the Silcott tamily.
Socialist Action 6 December 1985 national committee has
of action to reverse halvis Streatham, including Vauxhall, and Southall CLPs.
Councillor Amir Khan, who has been added to the black section ildi tional committee, explained that the overwhelming majority of black people including many who hac
initially supported black
Secuols. vociferously opposed the expulsions and deman-
din their reverigh
neighbouring Small Heath constituency was split down the middle
the Sparkbrook party action, with the right wing on one side and on the other, the rest of the people and baCk
Another Asian Coun cillor and member of Sparkbrook constituencv. Mohammed Rafique also faces expulsion this monin. he is a former opponent of black sections. Thus the crime of 'bringing the Pally into
Tottenham under heavy manners
Winston Silcott and his
brother George were arrested on 12 November
and whisked away, naked,
for interrogation in police
stations outside the Tot-
Leman dea cUle War
held and questioned for
days and released
[WO
without charge. Winston
was first held for a 'crime'
on a charge now dropped, and then charged, along
with two juveniles aged 14
and 15, with the murder of
PC Blakelock.
Winston has solid
evidence that he was
nowhere in the vicinity
during the The
DULICC al c Holling
ferocious campaign
pressurise Tottenham
youth to Sasemens
saying Winston was pre-
During their operation
the
DOLICE mountcu
quasi-military assault on
Winston's parents home.
50 of them, armed
guns and sledge hammers,
advanced Trouse.
William Silcott, Winston's
father, pleaded with them
to use his door key but was
out of the way
or 'have his face smashed
in with a gun butt' says
Silcott
defence committee. They
disrepute' on which Amir and Kevin were expelled, is clearly being extended to a
tion against opponents of haltersiey s neutenants
'Hattersley's hand is clearly visible strings', said black section vice-chair Marc Wadsworth, 'and he has a lot to fear from the rank and file. He is the baron of a rotten
His days al C numbered, both in terms of his ability to manipulate the fathers, and in terms of ois CLP and key
occupation of the post of MP for Sparkbrook.
'Because these bullying tactics, a lot of people would previously not have supported black self organisation are now supporting
It's Saless that black martyrs have had to be made along the way.
'This is a multifaceted struggle with vast implications. The left has to line
ple, or they will probien and defend black peo-
part problem along willane night wills. then sledgehammered down the door and ransacked the house, remoying personal vast amounts. They refus-
William Silcott's
quesi lor a note of thi items removed. Even such items as picture were removed.
'When the police raided my home there was an armed officer present at the time,' says William in a sworn testimony. "They intimated that they believed that Winston's friends were in the house waiting
for them. This is utter
as l am
who is my house and I cannote understand where the
police got this idea from
Neither I nor my sons are guilty ally of the
crimes committed in the
Riots" and I
do not consider the police
handling of this matter in
relation to my own case
be one of benefit to the
community
selves.
• For further informa-
financial Support.
speakers, resolutions of
contact the
Broadwater Farm Defence
Committee, 12-16
Tangmere, Willan Road,
London NIT (Telephone
01-808 1667/801 7327).
WEST MIDLANDS
CAMPAIGN
SOCIAL, SECURITY
CUTS
MARCH
AND RALMER
SATURDAY 14th. SE
March at 1 am the DESE ON November the GMC Of TUESDAY
Birmingham Sparkbrook CLP expelled its only black councillor, Amir Khan, and Kevin Scally, secretary of Birmingham Labour Committee on Ireland (LCI).
The expulsions, carried by 28 votes to 18 and 28 to 21 respectively, came as no real surprise. Amir Khan had fought to establish a black section to give
mainly Pakistani members an in-
democratic voice Kevin in Scally Dally supports affairs.
British withdrawal from Ireland, opposes the PTA, ana Is acuve in acienanig its victim Maire O'Shea.
Both challenged corruption and patronage in Sparkbrook CLP. In dothey oy had also challenged Hatersley, deputy Labour leader, and Sparkbrook's MP.
Hattersley
The ostensible reason for their expulsions were that they had brought the party into disrepute' Amir through public attacks on Hattersley's attitude 1o, achievements TOT Sparkbrook S black community; Kevin, through his involvement in a TV documentary alleg-
HIDEODCI recruitment of Asian members to the constituency's Spark Hil ward.
In really however, both Amir and Kevin Scally represented the sort of party and policies Hattersley can neither accept not nose to reDrescul - d democratic party whose Asian members determine their own needs.
For Kevin Scally things came to a head two years ago. In the Autumn of beginning of the reselec- 1983, just the tion process the Spark Hil ward received 140 membership applications in one week
One form was from one of Kevin's neighbours.
Councillor Amir Khan has been expelled for the 'crime' of organising a black section in Hattersley's constituency
Hattersley's rotten borough
When Kevin next met him he mentioned the applicaLOR discover ne had never filled it in. partial investigation sanc tioned by the ward revealed that at least 60 of Ine WelC similar fakes. In some cases the addresses didn't even exist.
There was an obvious explanation. Spark Hill was the one ward unlikely to support me reseecon of Roy Hattersley, unless
GMC delegates were changed at its forthcoming AGM
By Mick Archer
Given the dispute over membership the Spark Hill AGM was postponed until March 1984. When it eventually took place many of
officers returned with sizeable majorities. Kevin Scally was reelected as secretary by 95 votes to 35.
Unperturbed, Roy Hattersley himself questioned the meeting's validity at the following GMC. He reported he had been approached by several members complaining that people from outside the area had altented and voted at the Spark Hill AGM. Bandung
The AGM was declared invalid and a further one convened. It took By now Kevin Scall 1984.
now Kevin Scally and others ward understood that a 'valid' AGM was one that went at least some way to electing a slate of officers that the GMC encorsed Ther compromised and gave over a number of positions 1o Hattersley supporters.
When approached earlier this year by the Bandung File, who were investigating the abuse of the Asian vote in inner city constituencies like Spark. brook, Kevinecteu appear and furnish them with some of the bogus applications.
START FROM E STE
On Sun 8th Sept Roy Hattersley: 'clearly visible pulling the strings.'
Among the charges made at Tuesday's GMO was that 'the programme showed you in possession of Labour Party applications which had come to you through your position as branch secretary, these should have been forward-
not retained you. were the property of the party and should not have been handed over for the use or ine meala unles. permission had been sought and granted.' Ireland
Kevin Scally has been a member the Labour Party for 10 GMC delegate, he has also been branch secretary and election agent as well as representing the constituency at regional Labour Party conference He is also secretary of the Birmingham LCI and a member ors nauonal couricil
As a salmeis sued by the this week notes: 'The LCI is con-
News
IVE
, 1005 at 230 a.m ODEON CINEMA
DAY OF LIVE NON- STOP
BY BRITAIN'S LEADING ASIAN BANDS
IN AID OF CHARITY FOR THE ETHIOPEA
Try a Rod Promen IF UND
SIAN
L eth Sept 100 ODEON ONEMAT /ж 230 pa
BE HAPPLE LIVE NON
.. IEANING ASIAN™A
vinced that Kevin's activity for British withdrawal from Ireland has conto the demands for his expulsion Ever since he joined the Nor thern Ireland Labour Party in 1969, Kevin has beer CONSCI advocate of British withdrawal. 'We regard the expulsion of Kevin as a very • Inter LO the organisations campaigning legitimately in the labour movement Ireland. The LCI calls for investigation into Kevin's allegations, since if they are true, they are very serious.
In Birmingham meeting will take place this week Labour Party members determined oppose both Amir and Kevin's expulsions.
• Copies of resolutions passed in defence of Amir and Kevin should be sent to the black sections na tional secretary, Narendr Makanji, 10a Palmersto Road, London N22
Page 5 scan of this page
A chemical Hiroshima
International
3 DECEMBER marks the anniversary of the world's worst industrial disaster ever. Between 5000 and 15000 people died when a cloud of deadly gas escaped from factory in Bhopal, India.
London conference on 3 November saw the beginnings of an against tionals whose policies produced Bhopal.
did Bhopal happen?
multinational chemical firm. It has 100,000 employees world-wide, working in 500 separate plants in 36 countries.
It boasts a commitment to safety. But its past and present activity has created death and industrial disease on a large scale, including silicosis, bladder paralysis, radiation Doison ing, liver and skin cancer and cadmium poisoning.
waiting to happen. An international cost-cutting policy, chemical firms in the '80s, led to inaaccuate mamntenance, underman ing, ed to manufacture the pesticide Carburyl was originally to have been pro-
was commissioned with a twelve. reduced in 198] to eight. lhe total from luo to os. Most or those sack. ed had been disciplined, many for refusing
manual.
Accident
poor. In 1981 a worker died after being solashed with Phosgene.
five workers were hospitalised after a similar leak.
the internal alarm system was disconnected Wal lie sysicill
losses, hazards, strike
then reported attributed union fears to imagination'.
thus far from an unforseeable act of god. They were the consequence of a conscious policy to boost Union Carbide profits in defiance of its workers, and pursued by Union Carbide -by its rivals.
means ends here does the saga of official complicity in its activities which now turned the in-
disaster:
Disconnected
ple who had been caught sleeping were hospital. short initial blast, had been disconnected and was not turned on again until 3am. There was in any case no local evacuation plan or emergency procedure.
fects of MIC had been distributed to local doctors. company medical officer would only say that it caused 'minor irritation to the eyes
watcl.
now dving at dead Everywere lue avnig welc wracked with violent coughing and vomiting, their eyes blinded and streaming, their bodies In asully. Mass began within hours.
Why was so iittle knowledge on MIC's toxic effects available to those trying to cope with this catastrophe? It is now established that MIC permanently damage the eyes, lungs,
earl, liver, central nervous system. utera and bloodstream. The company's manual wal lis
Bhopal
effects comes about down into cyanide within the body. Had local doctors had this information, and had the cyanide antidote sodium thiosulphate been widely us-
Mally
Cyanide
Union Carbide knew this. clearly stated in a technical handbook nor in other countries where MIC was handled did it seem keen to release
doctors fought to save lives and end suffering on the basis of virtually total ignorance of the poison involved. Of-
have reason to believe Union Carbide has carried out research on animals and we have specifically asked them for the result of this research. They
available". It has trickled back to us from the USA that they do have this
the possibility that cyanide could be the main problem within a week of the
arrived with 50,000 cases of sodium
Madhya Pradesh, opinion were willing to accept then evidence in the absence of support
LTON
Stone Wall
tims of Bhopal who met a stone wall.
French CGT member JeanMichel Valeaux, from the Union Carbide plant at Beziers, explained their long history of struggle over the safety
French plant were originally the same as those in Bhopal. In 1977 the union cal
that
one year on
reassured workers that beyond 'im-
result in serious long term problems.
the by-products of exposure to MIC In 1979 further evidence from Hrench
through the web of secrecy.
truli aDOl
Victims
dia, to the USA, to Britain, forging
workers have realised that the company which brought the disaster can they are sitting on only be confronted by collective ac-
organised an all-India convention in ment and the right to information.
for a mass campaign on the dangers
Supreme Court ruling compelling the distribution of Sodium Thiosulphate
the state government to take this step
way
Indian Council of Medical Research, who confirmed the cyanide conneclion after trials. Only in April did the
stocks were ready and on 3 June, voluntary organisations were finally
'negligence'. Hence the court action.
doubt about the value of individual litigation. Perhaps the most signifi-
in 1978 the management finally admitted that cyanide could be one of
that under high temperature and pressure MIC could break down to produce
were unable fully to break
ume on tney nave been acmanding full information from management about advance warning, the dangers of MTC, safety systems, alternative manufacturing procedures, and the
then case.
They have been travelling 1o In-
17-18 February a broad
They have taken up the campaign for
Thiosulphate; for provision for abortion for women who inhaled the gas;
One tactic nas been lo secure a
extreme and continued reluctance of
multinationals co-opt and implicate
Socialist Action 6 December 1985
DANGER.
around a trade union and workers'
workers and victims have devised an
should not just be allowed to cut and
provide jobs and a safe environment.
This may be the only hope of future employment for many victims
withdrawn. Thus strong backing, par-
Such unity is much needed. While third world countries often receive the most exploitative and most danger-
Bhopals exist everywhere the British chemical industry has been Flixborough and Seveso disasters are
DUl workers who try to resist companies introducing cost-cutting, procedures are frightened into silence
Bhopals' is a universal one. From India 1o France to Britain we must learn
tessons. those fighting for a future in Bhopal should be a springboard for united action in-
Spital Hill, Sheffield
Coach trom L000T leaves Southall, King Street (outside Southall Monitoring Group office) at 7am and calls at Kings Cross, York
• For further information contact mon Ground, 87 The Wicker, Shef-
and
Countdown
to disaster
UNION CARBIDE's favoured
cheapest - led them to build a plant designed to incorporate large-scale storage of Methyl Iso-
which caused the catastrophe
610 led to the disaster. We still don't know what started it.
• The initial rise in pressure from 2 p.s.i. to 10 p.s.i., noticed at 11pm by the new shift, was not seen as a cause was sent for because 'the instruments often didn't work. They got corrod-
• Because of cuts in manning levels, it was left to one worker to check the 70 panels in the control room every two hours, instead of two workers
ed the MIC at 0°C, and which could
Swel had not been working for down
caustic soda gas scrubber system, designed to neutralise escaping gas, was undergoing maintenance
• The flare tower that was supposed to burn off escaping gas was not
and pipework to it had been discon-
routed to a vent line that emptied into Water-spray systems designed to surcurtain in the event of a gas leak were only designed to spray to a height of
• There were no gas sensors capable of detecting the leaking MIC. Not was there a high-pressure warning
carbon-steel valves had been used instead of stainless steel.
possible causes of the runaway reac-
• Storage tank 619 was meant to be available as a spare reservoir in the event of emergency here indications of the leak mere significance not understood, until far
late
occurred appeared in 'The state of In
New Delhi
noticed that the temperature guage on tank 610 had reached 25°C, the top of moving to 40 p.s.i., the point at which the emergency relief valve opens. investigate and was horrified. As be stood on a concrete slab above the began to shake. "There was a tremen-
behind him. The slab, made of 60 feet of concrete at least 6 inches thick, was
furnace. He couldn't get within 6 fee
sound and saw gas shoot out of a tall stack connected to the tank, and form a white cloud drifting over the plan!
the sleeping neighbourhood.
In the plant he found that the pressure indicator had gone above 55 p.s.l., the top of the scale, and the MIC from the storage tan, recan safety • valve had opened,
Even had all safety systems fea tioned, the design was such that or 40 per cent of the escaping gas corl have been neutralised.
Page 6 scan of this page
oppose the accor
6 Socialist Action 6 December 1985
I voted
against
BOB CLAY, one of the thirteen Labour MPs who voted against the Anglo/Irish accord in parliament, explained to us why he had been prepared to take the steps of walking through the division lobby with the likes of Enoch Powell to oppose Thatcher's new Irish carve-up.
LABOUR & IRELAND
THE ALTERNATIVE ACCORD Wednesday 11 December 7.30pm Council Chamber, County Hall, London SE1 Chair: Joan Maynard MP (Nobel angle Maeace Prize winner)
Mitchel McLoughlainn, Sinn Fein Derry City Councilor Ken Livingstone Leader GLC
recognition Southern government.
I DOLI
strengthening Ulster.
responsibility power In the responsibility
repression
suspect that
cuse for banning Sinn Fein.
pressured does not end partition.
La means of assisting the
clear to be the opposite.
the six counties. THE PRADDYSTUNT PEEPUL OF ULSTER ARE BIN SOLD INTA BONDUDGE BY THE
JAZZABELLE THAUTCHUR!!
THE AGREEMENT quite clearly involves, for the first time, the legal
partnion by the
I see the accord as a clear move away from the unification of Ireland, a view which is reinforced by the fact
Margaret Thatcher and Tom King regard this agreement as
It gives the Southern government
our witnour any Teal six counties. That will sooner later become a responsibility for increased
the nationalist
Having outraged the unionists by negotiating this agreement in such a deceitful and clandestine manner,
the that this produces will become the ex-
I also believe that there is some truth in Enoch Powell's assertion that Mrs Thatcher only took this small and contradictory step because she was
President
Reagan, who's administration is anx-
NATO, with American bases.
Finally I listened carefully to those in the Labour Party who argued that this agreement is a step towards the party's policy of reunification. anc that the loyalist fury proves this.
But my view is that the agreement in this sense achieves the worst of two worlds. It mobilises the loyalists but
The argument is similar to that used in justifying sending in the troops in1969. The measure was defended as
nationalist community. But it quickly became
A Labour government ought to tell the unionists firmly and unequivocally that they intend to with-
of draw militarily and politically from I BEG YOUR PARDON?
THE TEN to one vote in the House of Commons for the Anglo-Irish accord will go down as Thatcher's greatest parliamentary since the vote to send the British Fleet against Argentina in 1982.
And, as on that occasion, it is a victory delivered to her Labour leadership which politically indistinguishable from the Tories when it comes to any issue touching the vital interests of British imperialism.
No-one should be in any doubt that the Irish question is indeed such an By Redmond O'Neill issue. Every great turning point in British politics has been accompanied and catalysed by a crisis over the Irish question. Today the occupation of part of Ireland by Britain remains the most acutely unstable contradiction built into the structure of the British state.
It has resulted in sixteen years of unrelenting mass struggle, armed strug gle and political mobilisation by the na tionalist community within the North of Ireland statelet and has created, in Sinn Fein, the most advanced mass political force in Western Europe. Sovereignty
The fundamental aim of Thatcher's policy is to resolve that contradiction by breaking the pulitical mobilisation
the nationalist community smashing Sinn Fein. That is the objective of the Anglo-Irish agreement and by endorsing it Kinnock renounces all pretence of any independence of the Parliamentary Labour Party from the Tories on the Irish question.
A labour movement incapable of distinguishing itself from the Tories on the most longstanding colonial ques ion in British history will not capable of achieving anything damental for the British working class.
That is the meaning of the House of Commons vote, and that is why the 13 Campaign Group Labour MPs were so correct to vote against. Their signals that their solution to the Irish question lies through uniting the British
I SAID, " THE PRADDYSTUNT PEE-"
IRELAND:
Labour must
victory
by is labour movement with the 800-year-old • struggle of the Irish people for national self-determination.
cord was accurately summarised by the Financial Times: 'It commits Dr FitzGerald's Dublin government to supporting actively the northern state presently constituted.' government for signatory to an international agreement which recognises over the six North Eastern counties of Ireland. Dublin explicitly allows the arand tificially created loyalist majority in the six counties to veto the right of the Irish people as a wnole to sen-acter mination.
Security
involve Dublin more directly in the be military defence fun- statelet. scheduling of an early meeting between Lawrence Wren, Garda and Sir John Herman, chief constable the vote stabulary, step security operations
A PIECE Of the ACTION
FORGET IT, KID! NOBODY'S REALLY INTER-
ESTED!
governmental
The essence of the Anglo-Irish ac-
the The Dublin the first time
British sovereignty Orange
loyalist militia,
organisations, A key function of the accord is to
Wing Its first fruit has been the statesmar commissioner of the
Royal Ulster cross-border
In exchange for all this an inter-
WHAT WAS ALL THAT ABOUT?
I DON'T KNOW... SOME CRAZY MICK... WHINGING AS PER USUAL!
YOU NEST OF VIPERS! WE'RE " BRITISH!
conference between Dublin and London with a permanent secretariat based in Belfast is established. This will discuss policy on the North but, as the Financial Times explains: "Dublin would not. however, be able to intervene directly in the government of
province, or force ministers into particular decisions.'
Even the most blatant mechanisms of orange supremacy remain intact -Diplock courts, strip searching in Armagh. The Ulster Defence Regiment, which is nothing more than a sectarian
with a membership overlapping with loyalist paramilitary
will remain in place There are no provisions to end sectarian discrimination in jobs and hous-
Thus the claim by Tribune and New
SENS accord has something to do with progress towards a united Ireland is demonstrably false. It is an agreement by the Dublin government to help the British state pacify the six counties
In that sense it does reflect Britain's
YC
Page 7 scan of this page
d
failure to defeat the mass nationalist movement in the North. It also reflects the immense discredit that has become attached to the Orange state internationally over the same period. The accord is an attempt legitimacy to the Northern state and British repression by making Dublin complicit in both.
Of course Paisley, Molyneux and the other Orange bigots in the Official Unionist Party and the Democratic Unionist Party cannot tolerate the involvement of Dublin in the Orange state at any level - even that of col-
with them in repression against the republican movement. their own twisted sectarian logic they correctly grasp that if London has to lean on Dublin for support this is a new demonstration of the non-viability of the Northern statelet.
FitzGerald
Why should Garret FitzGerald's government bail out British rule in Ireland in this way?
This question was answered by a Sunday Times article before the accord was even published: "Saving the SDLP (Social Democratic Labour Party) is largley what the talks are about as far as CORMAC 12/85
W, COME ON! DO REALLY REALLY ELIEVE THAT??
WHAT ARE YOU?
SOME KIND OF
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT?
SuPPORT THE PoW(
SMASH H
A BLOCKH
ERMy
Dublin is concerned. In four years the SDLP share of the local election vote has remained constant at around 17.5 per cent, while Sinn Fein's vote has shot up from zero to 11.8 percent.
'If Sinn Fein were able to win five 1C W seats in the Dublin parliament at the next general election, which is not impossible under the republic's system of nropornonal rebresentallull, hold the balance of power in the South whilst dominating nationalist politics for the first time in the North. It is a nightmare that haunts both Garret FitzGerald in the South Hume, the SLP leader in the North.
*The second reason he (FitzGerald) wants a deal to bolster the SDLP is because he fears that if Sinn Fein gains the upper hand among catholics in the North it could wreck the South as well. If the IRA became the legitimate champions of the nationalist minority in the six counties, the risk of Ulster's civil war spilling over the whole island could not be ignored.' (10 November).
The threat FitzGerald is worried about was shown to be real enough at the height of the hunger strike campaign for political republican prisoners in the H-blocks and Armagh women's prison in 1981.
Bobby COL more votes than Margaret when he was elected Westminster MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone on 9 April 1981, with 30,492 votes. Paddy Agnew and Kieran republican prisoners, were elected 1o the Southern parliament on 11 June 1981.
H-Blocks
These votes were based on the greatest 32 since the 1918-21 liberatin against Britain. votes against the spectacle of the consuuuona nabonalsu SDLP and Fianna Fail — standing idly by and allowing 10 young men to die horribly of starvation recognise that people jailed by courts with no juries for fighting for a united Ireland are not 'normal criminals.
They were accompanied by an enormous mobilisation of Irish people in solidarity with the prisoners - 100,000 al the funeral of Bobby Sands for example.
The Hunger strike campaign was a watershed in Irish politics because it conclus very showed against British rule is a 32 county strug gle.
Il showed, the role of the main political forces in that struggle: that the main props of British rule in the North are not only the unionists north of the border but also the capitalist parties
SMASH.H.BLOKK
MAGGIEiSA CRIM
Party south of
the North.
Sinn Fein
could republican movement
and John
by Gerry Adams.
were not
ment elections last year.
tionalist
status by FUne
of
ten thousand
Thatcher
domination
Doherty, both
- the Dail -
Fein which is
County mass campaign
of national
They Were the cause of Irish unity.
parties the
choice.
rather than
years.
Dialogue
The alternative
that the fighi
and British withdrawal.
Sinn Fein.
from Britain.
the present,
tions of the
speaking
Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Labour
the border. demonstrated that the SDLP is incapable of waging a struggle for even
made for the most elementary human rights in
But the most important impact of the H-blocks campaign was within the
itself. The servile worsnip lessons of the campaign were applied to the entire activity of Sinn Fein with the goal of transforming it into a mass cam- And paigning socialist party. The leadership of Sinn Fein passed to the current led
Sinn. Fein was able to show that the votes it received North of the border
savours temporary emotional response to the plight of the hunger classes, strikes, by going on to stand candidates and win 59 seats in the local govern-
Unlike all of the constitutional na-
parties Sinn Fein now stands for the liberation of women from the restrictions imposed on them by both the catholic church and orange bigotry.
Il is for a women's right to choose and
contraception theological divorce North and South of the border Il is developing a programme which really can unite the majority of the Irish nation, men and women against British
in the main,
And it is becoming stronger in the South. At this year's annual conference the proposal from the leadership that Sinn Fein should end its policy of abstention from the Southern parlia ment was only very narrowly defeated
It is this whole development of Sinn
the threat that has brought the Dublin government and Margaret Thatcher together - and not some belated conversion of Thatcher to testant.
The accord therefore faces the British labour movement with a basic realises at
Notwithstanding fine phrases about Irish unity, support for the accord is support for Thatcher's efforts 10 destroy the one mass political party in Ireland that has fought relentlessly for British withdrawal, Irish unity and social progress for the last sixteen
- at present supported by just 13 Labour MPs - is to gain a powerful ally in its own struggle against British capital by uniting with the Irish people 1o fight for Irish unity
That requires rejecting the accord and opening up a dialogue with British labour's natural allies in Ireland
Protestantism,
WE REPRODUCE here an article written in 1913 by the great irish marxist James Connolly. In it he explain: that the divisions in the Irish working class originate not in religion but in British domination of Ireland.
He shows that the key to uniting the Irish labour movement is to free Ireland
FROM TIME to time I propose to give some attention to the elucidation of the problems peculiar to Ireland and particularly to this part of it. For phasise the fact that religious affilia-
population of Ulster determine their political leanings to greater extent than is the case in any part of Europe outside the Balkans.
But the manner in which this has
I believe developed is also alique. that it is true to say that, politically
the Protestantism of the
North of Ireland has no parallel out. side this country, and the Catholicism of the Irish Catholics is, likewise peculiar in its political trend
To explain I mean that, whereas, Protestantism has in general
political freedom and political radicalism, it has been opposed to slavish worship of kings and aristocrats. Here, in Ireland, the word
convertible term with Toryism, lickspittle loyalty,
and hatred of all that savours of genuine political independence on the part of the 'lower classes.'
in the same manner, Catholicism which in most parts of Europe is synonymous with Toryism. lickspittle loyalty, servile worship of has
and hatred of all that of genuine political independence on the part of the lower
Ireland almost synonymous with rebellious tenden- most cies, zeal for democracy, and intense feelings of solidarity with all strivings upward of those who toil.
Such a curious phenomenon is easily understood by those who know the history of Ireland. Unfortunately for their spiritual welfare and I am using the word spiritual, not in its
but in its better significance as controlling mental and moral development upward Protestant elements of Ireland were,
plantation of strangers upon the soil from which the owners old had been dispossessed by force.
The economic dispossession was, perforce, accompanied by a political and social outlawry. Hence every attempt of the dispossessed to attain citizenship, to emerge from their state of outlawry, was easily represented as a tentative step towards reversing the plantation and towards replanting the Catholic and dispossessing the Pro-
Imagine this state of matter per sisting for over 200 years and one
once that the planted populaton — me r rotestants — wert bound to acquire insensibly a hatred of political reform and to look upon every effort of the Catholic to achieve political recognition as a insidious move towards the expulsion of Protestants. Then the Protesant always saw that the kings and aristocrats of England and Ireland were opposed by the people whom he most feared and from recognising that it was but an easy step to regard his cause as identical with theirs. They had a common enemy, and he began to teach his children that they had a common cause, and common ideals.
This is the reason - their unfortunate isolation as strangers holding a conquered country in fee for rulers
Socialist Action 6 December 1985
Catholicism
and Politics
alien to its people - that the so-called Scotch of Ulster have fallen away from and developed antagonism to political reform and mental freedom as rapidly as the Scots of Scotland have advanced in adhesion to these ideals.
The Catholics, for their part, and be it understood I am talking only of the Catholic workers, have been as fortunately placed for their political education as they were unfortunately placed for their political and social condition. Just as the socialist knows
class, being the lowest in the social system, emand oate use wour as a resul emancipating all other classes, so the
ly that he, being the most oppressed and disfranchised, could not win any modicum of political freedom social recognition for himself without winning it for all others in Ireland.
Every upward step of the Catholic
emancipated some one of the smaller Protestant sects; every suc cessful revolt of the Catholic peasant has given some added security even to those Protestant farmers who were
defending landlord. And out of this struggle the Catholic has, perforce toleration. He has learned that his struggle is, and has been, the struggle of all the lowly and dispossessed, and he has grown broadminded with the
of the slave revolt against slavery.
But with the advent of Home Rule, nay even with the promise of Home Rule and the entrance of Ireland upon the normal level of civilised self-governing nations, the
relation of Protestant Catholic begins to melt and dissolve, and with their dissolution will come a new change in the relation of either faith to politics. The loss of its privileged position will mean for Protestantism the possibilities of an immense spiritual uplifting; and emergence into a knowledge of its kinship with its brothers and sisters of different creeds.
Whether the entrance of Catholicity into a position of mere numerical voting power will lead, in its turn, to a withering up of those kindly feelings born of its past sufferings is another matter. I do not believe inal ll will, al least amongst toilers.
Our apprenticeship to misery has been too long, our journeyings in the desert of slavery have surely implanted in our breasts a sense of the criminality of any attempt to impose fetters upon omen such ourselves have worn. And out of that belief the writer looks forward with confidence to the future believing that the tale these Notes from Ireland will have to tell will be a hopeful one, even if the hope is nurtured amid storm and stress.
James Connolly Forward, 3 May, 1913.
Page 8 scan of this page
Build direct labour movement links
8
AT A MASS rally in Durban last
weekend South Africa's largest
independent trade union federation was launched. The
federation which
together all the chief independent unions and federations over half a million, mainly black,
members. This in and of itself is a tremendous achievement South Africa.
Even more significant was the use of the launch of the federation by its leaders to throw down the gauntlet to Botha on the Pass Laws. He has six months to abolish them or the new federation will lead a campaign of mass civil disobedience against them.
This decision, announced by the federation's president Elijah Barayi, vice president miners' union, marked the decision that the unions will play an active and leading role struggle against apartheid such, and not confine itself to the so-called 'bread and butter' issues of wages, hours and conditions.
The new federation, the Congress of South Trade Unions, will need massive support and solidarity British labour movement. On this Jare we •aIC reproducing Labour Party's position on links with the independent unions. This should be acted on now.
THE 1970s saw a major change in the South African political economy. The decade witnessed the development of a rapidly expanding,
(but African) trade union movement. the movement, although viewed considerable suspicion and on occasions viciously attacked, now appears to have established itself as a permanent feature of the South scene.
At the 1981 Labour Party Conference a resolution was unanimously adopted calling '. for the Party, working with our trade union colleagues, to provide assistance and training to the independent, racial trade union movement in South Africa.
We must work towards finding the most appropriate way plementing this resolution.
The first task Is those trade unions that can genuinely be considered to be 'indenendent and non-racial' from those that The unions affiliated to the South African Confederation of organising white workers in openly racist unions, clearly fails to these criteria.
Unions affiliated to the Trade Union Council of South
organising some Asian and Coloured workers as well as over 20,000 African workers, also cannot be accepted. Since its foundation in 1954 TUCSA has vacillated over the ordarisalon of workers. TUCSA first Alrican workers, ten admittea tem (1963), then finally expelled them (1969). In 1974, with the growth of African trade unions, TUCSA allowed Africans to affiliate, but generally organised them in exclusively African trade unions, in parallel to existing TUCSA unions. TUCSA's changing stance should be seen as the result of the growth and militancy of the independent non-racial which threatened TUCSA's credibiliLy as a major trade union federation.
TUCSA's African highly bureaucratic, relying organisationally on their parent unions for finance and general secretaries of the
Socialist Action 6 December 1985
South Africa's trade unions
brings
- has
within the
in the as
named African
from the
the
trade
For these I casulls. well organised be
calliol
noted they with brought into
dependent African The attitude of the
Labour floor democracy is non-existent.
nondustry. To meant that they Coloured and of im-
to distinguish
the Federation are not. Trade
Labour,
meel becomes a significant trend.
The non-racial unions Africa. characterised 170,000
addition,
CACa excluded Issues such as rents and
munity.
During
workers in • trade unions, August 1981
are continuing There are a Many parallel
unions are also the general secretaries those of the registered parent trade unions.
TUCSA
considered 'independent'. In addition it must be
are frequently firm with the operation of management to head off a recruitment drive by one of the in-
unions. : parent. unions to the unionisation of African workers is one of paternalism and their commit-
Lalll ment to workers' éducation and shop-
The remaining unions can generally be described as non-racial, since they organise all workers in an in-
date this has generally unionise African, workers, but them? their constitutions are non-racial, and once white workers are willing to join the unions they will be welcomed into membership. One union affiliated to
South Unions (FOSATU) recently made something of a breakthrough in recruiting some white workers into membership at a car plant, but clearly there is a long way to go before this
are also by a commitment to democracy so that the membership have a direct say in the policies and practices of their union.
bunit CUtsiderable links with other community Dascu Organisalons, co-operaling on
bus fares, South while in return receiving support for state. their industrial action from the com-
Perhaps most importantly, these unions are increasingly taking united range
the DrOLeStS followed the death in detention of the trade unionist Neil Aggett, the unions co-operated to bring out 100,000
La protest stoppage. In and April 1982 the unions met at a 'summit' to thrash out a common policy for the non-racial union movement a process which is
rapidly growing number of trade unions, but the best known and most representative are
groups around FOSATU CUSA (the Council of Unions of South Africa) and unaffiliated unions such as the General Workers Union, the South African Allied Workers Union and the Food and Canning Workers Union.
it there is anv doubt over the status of a union there should be consultations with the ICFTU, or the appropriate International Secretariat. These bodies are in cons-
with the non-racial unions and well able to advise on the policies and problems of the unions.
If these are the unions that we can support (and the list is not exhaustive) and the criteria by which we can judge them (non-racial, independent), what kind of solidarity can we have with
Forms of Solidarity
1. Solidarity Action in Britain
THE British labour movement has a long history of campaigning against
repression characterises apartheid. The labour movement supports United Nations sanctions against South Africa and unilateral steps reduce economic links between Britain and South Africa, as well as the development of a strong non-racial trade union movement in South Africa.
British unions can and do play a valuable role in assisting the non-racial unions in their struggles with
African management and the
i. South African trade unionists not infrequently fall foul of the regime's repressive laws. There are a
of measures including pickets, publicity, messages of support etc - that can be taken in order to bring pressure to bear on the South African unionists' release ii. The hand of workers in disputes in South African subsidiaries of British companies can substantially strengthened if British unions take action on their behalf. In the last few years, several examples of such action have taken place. For instance, 1981, at the request of the ICFTU and
after shop-floor
British Leyland plant at Cowley, Alex
Kitson and Terry Duffy of TGWU
and AUEW respectively
BL management
strike at the BL plant in Cape Town.
The intervention was successful. and
subsequently many of the Cape Town
workers WelC
Plant
2. Material Assistance
FINANCIAL and material assistance
have been supplied to the non-racial
trade unions by the ICTFU, the TUC
and a number of International Trade
Secretariats for a number of years. The
form that such assistance should take
can best be determined in consulta-
tion with the independent and non-
racial unions, but the following forms,
or assistance may oc appropriale
a. financial assistance for trade union
education in South Africa;
b. scholarships trade unionists; c. collections for
and for the families of jailed or vic-
timised workers d. subsidies for salaries of organisers
and for office and transport equipment.
The ban on FOSATU receiving such funds has ficulties but these have not generally proved to be insuperable, with the in
ternational labour movement porting a wide range of educational and organisational projects in South
Africa.
3. Visits to Britain
AN increasing number of non-racial umon representalives are visiling bIl
attend meetings trade union colleagues in this coun try. While contacts with racist trade unionists ascouragea, conlacts will represell tatives of the non-racial trade union movement assist in the establishment Trade of a real rapport between unions
These contacts have proved invaluable during solidarity must be based on an indenth knowlege of the organisations and personalities involved 4. Visits to South Africa
AS THE independent and non-racial unions have grown in strength they? have come increasingly to value their links with the international labour
Many tatives travel number of British unions have receiv-
trom African counterparts. non-racial unions in disputes have at times felt that a visit by members of the international labour movement would assist their case
At the the recognised that the South African government would, welcome such visits, since they could be portrayed as breaking the policy of boycotting the regime will be at pains to extract any propaganda value that it can from such visits.
It is therefore essential that any visit should only take place after consultations with the appropriate non-racial trade union, the TUC and the wide appropriate Secretariat.
Some guidance has been provided by those FOSATU unions affiliated
the International Federation. They following: 'We strongly favour fraternal contact between workers in South Africa and workers in other levels, provided this is guided by the interests and workers. Visits to south Africa and visits overseas should be based on the CONCICIC needs of workers.
meetings at the
tatives. met senior
in order put the company during a
re-employed at
shop
Lone stewards
Europe.
tober 1981).
for South African
workers on strike
Africa; ii. emphasis
caused some dit-
Africa;
, supAfrica
of be
Course
consultations
International disputes when race mon
Federation
Unions
union represen-
overseas and a
their South Unions In particular,
same time it must be
occasion,
South Africa. Certainly
WE
International Trade
Metalworkers suggested the Britain United States sidiaries
countries, al
makes
requirements 01
Visits
International
should involve not only top officials,
but also plant-based worker represen-
'The aim of these visits should be
to strengthen fraternal ties between
organised workers in ditterent counc
tries and to carry forward the struggle
for workers in South Africa to win the
same rights as have been won by
workers in other countries.
'Several visits to and from our
unions have already taken place with
stewards and union officials
from Europe visiting unions and fac-
and shop and officials from our unions travelling to the USA and
This contact has been
valuable and will be encouraged in the future, provided it takes place in ac cordance with the above principle
and guidelines' (Press Release, 22 Oc
These guidelines can be elaborated upon by suggesting that: i. visits should only take place at the
request of and according to a schedule
drawn up in co-operation between
British unions and the independent and non-racial trade unions in South
should be given company-based contacts, i.e. the ex
by representatives working for the same parent company in Britain and South
ili. British unions should specifically refrain from going on visits to South
organised by the South African government (or its front line organisations) or by companies with interests in South Africa;
Great care should be taken in making any statement to the media. concerning the visit.
If these guidelines are followed, visits to South Africa can be undertaken and the solidarity so vital to the international labour movement can be strengthened.
Note: In drawing up this document
were held with the following organisations:
. Confederation of Free
Trades Union Congress International Metalworkers Federa
International Transport Workers
International Union of Food and Allied Workers Associations South African Congress of Trade African National Congress Anti-Apartheid Movement Council of Unions of South Africa Federation of South African Trade SUPPORT DISMISSED
ROWNIREEVORKERS
WON'T EAT
WILSON ROWNTREE SWEETS! Spit out that fruit gum chum!
internationa firms based in Western Europe and the have established subsoult Africa, where labour is cheap. One such firm, sweet-
Wilson-Rowntree, sacked a number of workers after • a strike at their East London factory in 1980. In protest at this action the local community called for a boycott of all the CORLESSONS.
Page 9 scan of this page
News
Over: 1000 activists students and labour movement organisations met at the Anti-Apartheid Movement AGM last Sunday.
The broad agreement registered series of campaigning proposals reflected the confidence of a movement that has just built the biggest anti-apartheid demonstration ever in Britain. A 50 per cent growth in membership was reported, and plans were discussed for doubling this growth over tne comung montas
The AGM was opened with speeches from presentatives the
and SWAPO.
Greetings were read from the UDF and a telegram of support was sent COSATU the new trade tinion federation at the weekend.
AN 'Agenda for Action' with extensive proposals for activities in the next six months was
AAM tional secretary Mike Terry.
The report explained that the black people in South Africa, the solidarity movement Britain, had been able to strike major blows against the apartheid regime and its international backers over the past year.
Ever British government had been orced to make small policy shifts. The Movement now had to expose
A saried regime's counter-offensive, inclu-
US backing UNITA's military action in Angola.
paign for sanctions
campaign sanctions against South Africa. full plan of action, was outlined (see box).
From the statement of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, read to the Anti-Apartheid Movement conference.
THE AFRICAN National Congress, on behalf of the fighting people of South Africa. greets the annual
eneral meeting
British Anti-Apartheid Manene WISI
The AGM takes • immediately after more than 100,000 British people took to the streets
London demanding sanctions now!' and support for the ANC.
Tames The fire is
fire liberation is engulfing the
The avaltheid political DOUCHEI and economic
crisis. apartheid crumbling. The ANC calls on our people to help make the coun try ungovernable. This is exactly what the people are
doin they're destroying the
structures of apartheid in the black ghettoes. The ANC calls on the people to take the struggle the white areas. They're doing just that. The racists are in
frenzy. Even the businessmen are in a frent• licy are abkile I0l ad vice from the ANC!
Anti-apartheid conference
Agenda for action
representing local groups,
on a major
A resolution confirming the AAM's committment to campaigning for
diplomatic links between Brianna South Africa was agreed.
WO DON caused considerable con-
These contain trovesy.
By Anne Kane, Hackney and Tower Hamlets AAM
proposals that the AAM should broaden its platform to take on campaigning on general anti-racis issues proposed by Bradford AAM — and in opposition to the Prevention of Terrorism Act proposed by Edinburgh branch of the ultra-left Revolutionary Communist Group.
adopted
DOLI welc after amendment to clarify that LUIS involved the AAM extending support to other struggles rather than changing its own platform. The PTA was opposea in ils use against South African and other anti-apartheid activists.
These differences revealed two entirely different directions for the movement.
Either the AAM can be
brell in the broades possi
Hovellell azallist apartheid, uniting all those who are disgusted by the South African regime on this sole basis. Or there is the proposal of the RCG
ANC: We're counting on you'
ting the on tronts
school boycotts, the church
rganisatiol South
the South side Africa and
. The
and suc-
not then
hurt
boycotting super
What
ing know
LIC UNCIVES. They children.
In
people, try
that the movement should effectively be confined to those who also oppose the PTA, and any other ques-
Such an approach - In restricting and confining the forces we are prepared
mobilise against apartheid to agree
of programmine other questions would be a grave disservice to the people of South Africa.
While the AAM can, and should, lend its sup-
port to other struggles, its first responsibility has to be the people of South Africa. This means simplest possible platform
opposition aval theid for sanctions now, and the broadest possible mobilisations.
This difference underlay ine question o1 Ine status of City of London AAM which filiated as a group by the
CommuLLet February 1985, though individuals retain their na tional membership.
The facts presented to the NC indicated that the City AAM was attempting
native national movement by recruiting members na tionally, with-holding funds from national AA, and calling its own 'national' actions in London.
two-thirds vote against reinstatement was Inuenced by ine aisrup tive tactics of the City group and the RCG, in
their lives.
South
progressive, and peo
women, workers, black
political
Our ale youl battles.
We need and expect solidarity LOre British people. The ANC
asking the of
JCODIC British increased solidarity with us.
SUNS putting more pressure on the British covernment to im. pose sanctions apartheid, demanding the withdrawal of the racist South African troops from
demanding une withdrawal of racist South Aincan troops from parts
on nola, er and athe
unbanning and its allies demanding the unconditional release of Nelson Mande a and al political prisoners, demanding the end of the state of emergency.
hasten the downfall of the apartheid
The people South Africa are counting on you. Do not disappoint them. Do not fail them.
cluding constant heckling with terms like "Botha', 'Judas' and 'scab'
Aside from the political differences, there
underlying problem
the structure of the Movement. No one should be witch-hunted for their political VieWs. but Cit
only possible while there is no weighted delegate structure for conference.
Individuals, local groups and labour movement delegates all have the same status. Those in London, who mobilised for
can easily •LIC COnCICICe. dominate by sending every possible supporter.
The campaigning priorities allow every possibility for such a mass solidarity movement Will the south people to continue to grow in Britain, the heartland of international support for Botha.
The way to deal with this is through a represenLalive structure which would result in accountable
caucishp bodies.
Action guide
for a coordinated dav of sanction:
action against Barclays
• 1 March Trade union completion
conference
• 17-23 March Week of
local trade union action
around sanctions
• 19 March Mass lobby
of Parliament
• 22 March Day of local
demonstrations for first
anniversary of papers called Young Socialist.
wing in London attracted
Not over 400.
The meeting was an oc-
Cliff Slaughter and other WRP speakers. Slaughter
and all who the lessons can certainly
Such objective degenerate prac-
seemed ge-
RELEASE
MANDELA
INAL CONS
UTH ALR
• January Date to be set massacre and demanding
• 1 June Target date for certain South African goods boycotts
June Nationa 'Freedom March' in Lon
campaign against Richard Shops, which has taken over the Next South Alcan coining contrac Langa 1o be prioritised
WRP: the crisis deepens
FOLLOWING the expulsion of Healy and the split in the Workers' Revolutionary Party both wings have been holding major public meetings to attempt
Both groups claim to be the real WRP, both produce newspapers called the Newsline, and youth
have Newsline are being rejected. In Newsline they state that the WRP unde Healy's guidance: • supported • the murde of 21 Iraqi communists in 1979 • adopted a chauvinistic position in the early part wall will Argentina over the Malvinas by 11Ul advocating the defeat of British imperialism • adapted to imperialist pressure in response to the Brighton bombing by the IRĂ of the Tory party conterence last aurumn • held wrong positions on the miners strike lurching from it's a revolu
Socialist Action 6 December 1985
SOLDARTY SANG TONS
16 December
tion' to a 'return to work
• turned WRP branches
debt-collection
finance the daily Newsline. • gave uncritical support
figures like Libyan leader
these changes in political position, Banda and Slaughter
be Healy's bureaucratic expulsions and physical intimidation within the WRP, and are rejecting the method of accusing political opponents of being CIA or FBI agents
Connie Harris who was expelled in 1960 from the WRP's predecessor the Socialist League — speaking at the London meeting made the point that it was all very well to reject all these positions, but it was not clear what I was replacing them
She pointed out that the rot did not start in the WRP in the '70s, already there in the SLL,
the '60s Connie plained that the WRP
9
South Africa Heroes'
Day (Founding day of Umkhonto we Sizwe)
Public Meeting 7pm, Conway Hall, Red Lion Sq., London WC1 Speakers include:
Aziz Pahad, ANC national executive SWAPO representative
Called by: ANC
would have to totally break from the method of frame-ups and slanders against its political op ponents. This method had effect of immunising the WRP against objective political USCUSS Ull walling it off from participation in united front type actions with other forces.
Clearly the WRP is at a turning point. The expell ed members along with Healy himself, have kept a total silence on the charges againt him, thereby covering up for his despicable actions At the same time the Banda/Slaughter wing of the WRP seems thrashing about and failing to find the explanation for the disaster that has hit their organisation. While they SCCL prepared have a reasonably • open discussion about this present they are nowhere near the solution.
Moreover tionable, however far go in rejecting the old Hea ly formulas, whether there is space on the British lett for another SWP-type group, however 'healthy it becomes.
Page 10 scan of this page
10 WOMEN IN the Labour Party are throwing down the gauntlet to all those in the leadership of the Labour Party pay lipservice to supporting women, but vote down every one of Labour women's demands.
women's section of Labour's NEC to be directly elected by Labour women's conference, this year the Labour Womens' take the bull by the horns.
By Jude Woodward, Labour Women's Action Committee executive, personal capacity
snadow elections will be held for the NEC places reserve or women m al the 1986 women's conference. We will then be able to compare the legitimacy of the NEC democratically elected by Labour's official women's conference, and the NEC women's places appointed by the trade union bloc votes. AGM
Organising this campaign will be the subject of the major discussion at the
is a campaign that will once again put the fight in the Labour women's organisation back at the top of the agenda.
Labour women are being forced to confront male chauvinism in Labour's leadership because the last year has
WIDENING THE
SATURDAY DEC. 14th 1985 7 ENCLOSE THE BASE WIDEN THE WEB AND CARRY GREENHAM HOM
Socialist Action 6 December 1985 'We are women, we are strong' — closing song at Women Against Pit Closures conference, Sheffield, August 1985
Labour women:
organising to win
- starting with Neil Kinnock — who
Having campaigned for several years for the
Action Committee will have to
starkly revealed the depth of the opposition women's demands in the val Ly demands were overwhelm. w ne WAC's
ingly adopted LIC women's conference, it is clear itself atty. Con ference that no DIULICS has been made in the party as a whole.
Quite the There were fewer resolu-
agendan party contence
agenda recent and even the one WAC resolution supported by the NEC, calling Facts for women to be included on shortlist, was voted down on conference floor.
Alongside this there
has been the disgrace of
GREENHAM COMMON O
EMBRACE THE WORLI
out of the first 200 prospective candidates selected for parliamentary seats were women.
These facts have had a sobering, effect on many women in the party, cluding among those who were sceptical about the importance WAC's demands for the most elementary democracy for But overwhelmingly this is turning into anger.
This year's AGM has to reflect that anger. Our number one goal must be
translate iustitied outrage into national conronauon with male chauvinism and those who prop it up in the Labour Party.
The 'shadow' election by women's conference of the women's section of the NEC will demonstrate that women are not asking for any favours - we intend to take our equal place in Loe labour movement. This will resolve some • the problems WAC's perspective in the last year, which was marked by the absence of any such initiative aimed at the party as a whole.
Individual campaigns around reselection by their very nature take place in
consumerces creating a series of isolated local battles. , Unfortunate-
WAC did not take up the limited opportunities that did present themselves to organise national, public campaign.
Scargil
The emergence of Women Pit Closures gave le perfect opportunity for such campaign. Here, Scargill put women demonstrated to millons of trade unionists, in a bitter class struggle, that not only are they capable. playing an equal role in the labour movement, lney are capable of leading it.
This has continued with the role of dozens of WAPC groups campaigning to defend the NUM in areas like Notts, -fighting for an amnesty for victimised miners and in arguing tor WAPC itself to be recognised as a con stituent part of the NUM
This was the most unprecedented relation betweet and an industrial trade union com-
both men
gle, HILLS and fact that
demands the labour
with
had been closely with fighting these women. centrally in
con ballic especial v in the mining seats the whole would
have demonstrated WAC's interests few opponents
their
Alliances
Building such alliances with women like those in the mining communities
WAC has outwards and adopt more public campaigning approach. Everywhere that women are demonstrating only struggle, but lead the working class in real Dalworking class in real battles in the mining communities, at Greenham, in the black communities, in Ine Ivor or irelana, South Africa - WAC has
be there championing them.
Women in the Labour Paough is enough and the Party saying that strategy demanded is one of confrontation, going public, CanDale allu directly linking up with all women actually elections provide she core The NEC 'shadow of such an approach - but this cannot be solely posed in terms or te formanties procedures and voting al
We need a campaign around it that begins now. with meetings in every area of the country which lake he struggle out of the cor tions, wards and GCs and
into the broader labour movement. Together with women from the mining communities, black women, ANC women, women from Ireland, WAC has to
have a real say in the
movement it will never meet our needs. Choice
We must not underestimate the scale of the battle we are taking on, nor the fact that our gains will not be made rapidly.
that breeds demoralisation, it is failing to really take up the fight. The
feeling are not really even mobilising the support we have got, and the support we can potentially win, in an effective way.
The Labour Women's Action Committee faces a choice at its AGM. Not the choice of whether it con-
demands or for some other
Nor about whether the women on the WAC executive are
as proposed in the current issue of Labour Briefing or what its image' is. choice WAC faces is about how WAC campaigns for its demands, what strategy is has.
campaign has to b
based on the actual struggles of women. in alliance with all those who are prepared to support And this is the second ele ment of the choice WAC Tas Lo make - whether 11 is prepared to mobilise its potential allies.
Kinnock
WAC has to be prepared to make the judgement that what matters is where you stand when
comes the vole hat wowers oculallus.
me, much the Cam
much of the Campaign Group, some other unions are with us, and should Dialforms, issuing statements
ing alongside us.
Neil Kinnock on the other hand, .for lipservice to women, is one of the chief props of the male chauvinism of the
for when it comes to the vote, he votes No.
Silentnight:
'a battle about
class'
BARNOLDSWICK, small town in North Lancashire, was packed to its last Saturday 2,000 people marched in support of the Silentnight strike.
The strike at Silentnighl las now lasted for six months. with the entire 500-strong workforce hay. ing been sacked. The con-
By Dick Withecombe tinuation of the strike has been aided by the suppor given at this year's TUC
he strike is to be the subject of three-hour tende in baramcat on December, when local MP Peter Pike will be speaking for the Labour front bench.
Already the strike has received nearly £100,000, through national and International solidarity. Support has come from as far away as Sri Lanka.
The solidarity network built over the 12 months of the miners' strike has been available to the Silentnight strikers from day one of the dispute.
Dennis Skinner MP, speaking al the rally, described it as the same
"This battle has got the
of the National Executive Committee who voted to sustain the rights of those Liverpool councillors last 'Wednesday.'
Euro MP Bob Cryer
Forgemasters'
THE SEVEN week old strike by 700 steel workers at Sheffield Forgemasters Atlas site
stronger than ever following a stormy mass meeting last Fri day which forced ISTC officials to withdraw a return to work instruction.
The all-out strike began on 16 October in response to a far-reaching management offensive By Martin Hill
MacGregor style, as one worker put it
For five years wages at Forgemasters have fallen
two of those years there has been no increase at all The plant suffered massive job Forgemaster
JUSSES. argued that this was necessary to restore profitability
Workers were intimidated hv the situatior in Sheffield's steel in-
which ha seen over 20,000 jobs go since 1980. Now the Atlas site i making profits but management's attitude hasn't changed
This year, they offered a paltry f4 a week across the board, then even that was withdrawn. Instead they "re-organised' the site into five separate companies, and refused negotiate at site level alive
The central shop steward's committee was
News
echoed remarks:
shown by
message
• th
Liverpool or er it's in
Wales, and Yorkshire, with
Peggy, from the
Common, gave
•celebrating.
time.
Mone
"TAI 92 oranci 10 Rainhill Barnoldswick, Colne, Lancastire
strike:seven weeks
declared 'unnecessary the union office was closec and venor's post abolished Existing agreements nave been torn up The joint works health and safety committee abolished. And now management say they will rule on which shop stewards are acceptable to them!
At the neighbouring River Don plant, Forgemasters have tried to ban shop • steward: meeting to discuss the
management offensive
way there, demands for a no-strike deal on recent £3.4 mimon order, and a lilica to existing agreements.
Forgemasters the biggest private employer in Sheffield. A victory there .. would be a huge boost to other workers in the stee and engineering industry,
whom face similar threats.
Support for the strike is spreading especially the engineering and min-
The striker: have produced leaflets and stickers and organised regular • city centre collec tions. As Christmas abe
they'll proache. needing all the support licy call get. • Donations, requests for information and speakers to: Ron Ward, , secretary, shop stewards committe SOUTE centre AUEU House, Furnival Gate, Sheffield
Page 11 scan of this page
News
UDM exposed in Leicester
'LEICESTERSHIRE NUM leader Jack Jones in a stunning expose of conspiracs and corruption has revealed to the
Union's National Executive Committee the extent of the Coal Board's involvement in the breakaway organisation based in Nottinghamshire.
'A hushed NEC, meeting on the morning of Friday, 15th November. listened intently as Mr Jones described how NCB chiefs:
'PLEADED WITH HIM to briag Leicestershire into the breaka» 2!
'OFFERED HIM financial remards if his Area left the N M
'ADMITTED that the purpose of the breakaway is to 'get rid of Scargill and Peter Heathfield
'THREATENED to withold any wages offer until the \UM accepts all the Board's terms on incentive payments.
Among the points which stunned the NEC was the revelation that Jack Jones had himself been offered the presidency of the breakaway by Roy Lynk last July?
Miner reported the resolve the outstanding latest development in question oi our memberthe NCB's campaign to ship of the Leicester Area. smash the NUM. compromise Was
Mick Richmond, reached whereby our one of the 'Dirty Thir- union dues for the duraty, explains how the tion of the strike would be paid, a guarantee given of fight defend the no disciplinary action, and union is taking place in Jack Jones would come Leicestershire. out in open support of the
NUM. Jones said that he needed us. striking miners, as the union was facing a difficult time. reterses wnen Il came lo ine Bagworth branch meeting, port of the Jack jones gave a brilliant campaign in Der- speech for one hour twen-
minutes, slamming the UDM and the activities of the Leicester alca picol deni campaigning against the NUM.
However tere was a Tony their lot of hostility from the
350 Dresci At the 12 of us who had sup-
tober, of The eventual vote was
fifty-fifty on the call for the Area Council organise a ballot on the
The colliery bicakaway.
was Jones is now frequentEllistown, where iv in the press and on the area Terry radio explaining the case Hughes is They for the NUM. Also local voted for a leaders of the Power group
firsdoing likewise, for the
organised first time.
Arthur was It's a pity that both sides didn't do this eighicen montas ago.
'Racists out!' at Ford
A UN QUE agreement to sack 'employees found to be distributing racist literature or engaging in any other act tikely to cause racial disharmony' has been won by trade union action in Ford Dagenham Assembly Plant (PTA). The agreement will cover the whole of Dagenham operations.
Two foremen have already been suspended and will-be removed from the plant. A third, Tony Lecomber - the British National Party thug who blew himself up trying to plant a bomb outside the Clapham offices of the Workers Revolutionary Party — has been sacked.
The incident which food, potatoes' and sparked the 'What method did vou use place on the nightshift of 7 to illegally enter the counNovember. Two foremen try started circulating a racist The response was im'joke" employment ques- mediate. As the filth cirnorre co selecleo wine culated workers began
This contained walking off the job. There comments such as "Name were no less than 17 ditWest indians should ist all father known) ferent stoppages and by
mid-shift hundreds of trim possibilities on a separate and final assembly sheet', and 'Main workers had gathered in of income: Mugging, the main canteen demanDrugs, Prostitution (tick ding ine sackine of the as applicable)'. foremen responsible. d.
Particularly aimed The action was easily Asians WCIC 'Please tick • HELIC WaKC Ol your staple diet: curry, pel the Lecomber bombing
ONLY ONE month after the NCB intervened into the Nottinghamshire NUM ballot on the breakaway with the 'carrot' of their pay offer, the empty promises are already ringing hollow.
Disattection is show. ing amongst those miners
ILUG believing that membership
the UDM would guarantee them wage packet of £400 per week.
Not only has the wage increase worked out to paltry £1.90 per week extra
some, but also the NCB has begun driving through productivity measures without any negotiation.
They are threatening to
travelling payments, which would considerably extend working time underground,
Already management are using any excuse to
the previous weekend militant shop stewards had won unanimous support for a policy of refusing to work with racist or fascist supervision.
at exactly the same: time the two Lucilan werencia their racist filth, a leaflet from left-wing Ford Workers Group was going around the plant calling on
tees and union branches to 'follow
icad Dagenham PTA stewards
telling the company: "We will refuse to work with these evil bastards"
of history's happier accidents!
"ne cueces were aken up next morning by black
other senior stewards. LICy threatened LO SLUl the whole plant if the two were not removed By ear-
vice-president manufac-
dock time.
cher.
the leadership
the decision NCB to
been back some
This
the
all
There that
NUM
turing, of Was in the
The suspension foremen the promist dismissal
company tunities and
believe that. being
Policy
they were
considering Nunes
Asial
Nottingham: the fight goes on
Tribunal
on the
the
knock these at-
means
in Notts,
indications
of the
split. One'
at Blid-
Europe,
was the
two plant, instant racist acrevamped
opporawareness
circulated
'We from right,
good No doubt
the
possiworkforce
worth, is now recruiting an average of 10 members a WECK
However, •despite the opportunities that opening up for rebuilding the NUM in Notts it would ve woluto urucresumalt
still exist Heathfield, NUM General Secretary, speaking at a social for the victimised miners in Rainworth last Friday made this point forcetully.
He emphasised that we siriggle and he called for face and that fight. In particular, , he explained the need for militants to avoid taking action which could lead to
However while the NUM does indeed face a very serious situation, there are still gains being won. The Rainworth social also celebrated reinstatement of Ken Petney, who had been sacked from Blidworth colliery.
that they will refuse to take the racist foremen there.
This is a very real victory against racism militant rank and file trade union action. As one denanted shop steward said: It was just like the old days the mid seventies: the blokes just started walking off the 10b° That's situation Ford has
• nol naa lo con tend with for several years ana explains management's panic.
After all, in this year's pay offer they are trying to force through a two year
and a radical productivity deal sweeping
job clarealon. amongst lineworkers and between trades. The last thing they want renewed is workforce with confidence in its ability to fight and win at local level.
cvery. where should use and build on our victory.
Socialist Action 6 Decerber 1955
Students set to
fight apartheid
THIS YEAR'S NUS conference, to be held on 6 to 8 December, looks set to be the biggest this decade, with an estimated 2000 delegates expected to turn out. creased acivities of NUS This reflects the and students all over the country over recent HUll ths, , especially in solidarity with the struggle
asallis apartheid in South Africa.
Student anti-apartheid groups nave been sprouting everywhere this vear. with one result being 64 student banners on the anti-apartheid demonsra tion of 2 November, all with large numbers of students behind them.
Accordingly, South Africa, along with educa tion cuts, will be the priori-
subject TOT debate NUS conference. The
Xmas greetings to
the miners
11
Cartoon from The Miner cals fol sanctions
and of all Africar
tou of ANC SWAPO speakers col
actions the AAM
This is excellent
will ensure motion
and the NOLS leadership the NUS.
to the tull
For
organise campaign among
links.
THE National Miners' Amnesty Campaign produced 10,000 Christmas cards, each in-
addressed - one of the sacked and jailed miner. revenge of the NCB and the Tories for the strike
Each card costs which will be sent NUM National Solidarity Fund. Bulk : orders sale or return basis. Send your order to Christmas Cards. , 4 The Grove, Las caster LA1 3AL.
Page 12 scan of this page
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'One federation - one country' South African unions unite
THE LAUNCH of the new Congress of South African Trade Unions last weekend is a milestone for the liberation struggle. brings unions with a combined membership of nearly half a million
dustry — in the mines, engineering, automobile, textile and transport sectors — as well as in retail trade and food.
COSATU, as the federation is called, is the product unity talks which have spanned four years, and brings together the now-to-be-disbanded FOSATU, the NUM and the unions affiliated to the United Democratic Front.
The Congress's President is Elijah Barayi,
0-year-old vice presider
›f the National Union ‹ Mineworkers and a former activist in the African National Congress before it was banned
Speaking the 10,000-strong launch rally
Sunday, under the banner of 'One
one counTecerallul try', Barayi called for
abolition of the pass laws nationalisation the
and for disinvestIlllcs. ment by foreign panies.
answered the arguments of those like Thatcher that sanctions or SOnin ATTIC WOld more harmful to black
than to the ee siece 16ksh, he sard WOrKCIS
since 1652', said; referring to the date when whites started to settle in South Africa. 'COSATU is therefore in favour of sanctions': he declared despite it being illegal to call for sallcliol under South Africa's apartheid Jaws
In an interview after the rally Barayi further
explained the role of the new federation. COSATU's main function, he said
wold be to 'organise and
educate the black masses,
just wage and bread-and-butter issues OUIL broader political issues too'.
Another speaker at the
ally was Cyril Ramaphosa
general secretar
NUM Ramaphosa also took up the political role
the new federation
'COSATU he liberation contri-
bute 10 the
struggle', he declared, ad-
ding that such political in-
volvement should not be at
the expense OT building
suppori on the shop floor.
Ramaphosa went on to
explain that "the fac! that
there is no clear pollca
direction among the work-
Ing. class is a lilitallol COSATU to point a direc- This why want
tion for the working class
The new federation together 34 of the country's independent
It will represent workers throughout basic in-
of this country'
The political direction of the Congress was further underlined by the DI Cocace of United Democratic Front members Billy Nair and Kenneth Ndlovu who were welcomed by the 900 Congress delegates as observers The congress also callea ior uroops le
out of the township and for the release of ANC leader Nelson Mandela.
By Jon Silberman secrelary is Jay Naidoo, ot COSATU's
Sweet, Food and Allied Workers Union. An Indian, Niciion cle ibe
nolCauol growing unity between dif ferent sections of the black workers and an affirma tion of COSATU's non raciai comatlsene unitary state: one federa
- one country!
Not attiliated to the new federation are CUSA the Council of Unions of South Africa with 180,000 members and the smaller Azanian Confederation of Trade Unions - both of which are associated with 'black consciousness' DOINICa organisations. The official state-regulated federation, TUCSA (which has
dramațic unaergonk decline with the rise of the new independent unions), is excluded
The importance of the new federation in welding logether a united force of the black working class cannot be overstated.
Elijah Barayi showed in speech what movement represents
wnel delivered
ultimatum lo the regime
over the pass laws, which require blacks per manently carry documents proving they Slave
'permission' work
Blica. 'White
arca.
'COSATU gives Botn
six monins io gel ra o passes', he declared thunderous applause that does not take place we
will DUT of
the black man ... I want to
give PW Botha a lasi war-
ning 1o get rid of the pass
laws and lo withdraw the troops from the lownships
before the country burns.
← Socialist Action No. 123, 29 November 1985Socialist Action No. 125, 20 December 1985 →