Socialist Action No. 132, 28 February 1986

Socialist Action (IMG / Socialist League) · 28 February 1986 · 12 pages, 18,299 words read by machine

The scan: 132-feb-28-1986-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.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Page 1 scan of this page

STOP THE WITCH HUNT

NOT THE LEFT

TORIES

10 or more of its leading members.

This will be a treacherous blow to the unity of the labour movement. Now we have the revolting spectacle of the Tories and Alliance gloating whilst Labour's leadership disbands the very party which has stood longest and firmest in defence of the jobs and services of its city against Thatcher's government.

Liverpool is not being disciplined because it broke the rules, because, like the NUM it stood up to Thatcher and in doing so it exposed the failure of the Kinnock-Hattersley

INSIDE

ACTION

BUILDING AN ALLIANCE FOR SOCIALISM

FIGHT THE

AS WE GO to press, Labour's NEC leadership to take the labour movelooks set to disband the Liverpool ment into battle against the Tories. In Labour Party and to prepare to expel fact the most gross violations of the

Labour Party rules are with the support of the NEC, in precisely those parties where the right wing are in control.

Kinnock and Hattersley are attacking the left because they are abandoning Labour Party policies full employment, against the Tory anti-union laws, those fighting the Tories. but taking the party so far to the right, in fact, that the Sunday Observer feels able to extol the virtues of Hattersley's 'Reaganomics'

occurring,

stand and fight the Tories.

- for against the Tories.

and in support of They are course

left.

Bill Etherington on the Justice for Mineworkers Campaign p6 • War at Wapping: Week 5 p4 • Tambo welcomes COSATU p9 • Heffer on the witch-hunt p3 • Sellafields leaks p2

No. 132 28 February 1986

Wapping:

step up

the

are

The Labour leadership increasingly tries to woo the City and big business by convincing them that they will stand for Thatcherism without Thatcher. That is why Kinnock, Hattersley, et al have to attack those sections of the labour movement that do

The NEC's McCarthyite witchhunt is a disastrous blow to the fight

Every individual and every organisation of the labour movement should make themselves part of the campaign to reverse this

- and to turn the Labour Party outwards to fight the Tories not the

• See page 3 for details of the witch-hunt.

30p

DEFEND

TU. RIGITS

the action

DURING THE six weeks of the official dispute between the print unions and Rupert Murdoch's News International publishing operation, solidarity with striking print workers has grown by

day all over the country. Demonstrations twice weekly are now a feature of the Wapping picket line. And supporting actions up and down the country

beginning to get off the ground.

Most of all, this solidarity from other trade unionists and labour move. ment activists has been led by miners. The experience of their own year-long strike still sharp, they more than most understand clearly the stakes in the printing dispute. rucien Agains Pit Closures led the way, participating the • first women's demonstration at Wapping. Kent miners quickly followed, reorganising their own London rally to centrally include representatives from the print unions. On Saturday contingents from across the country, down for the Justice for the Miners march rally, and concert the following day, will swell the ranks of picketers.

Other trade unionists are following suit. o Activists have used the experience of the miners strike to begin setting up support groups for the print workers. Lambeth and Tower Hamlets are two examples.

The response of the rank and file of the movement has given heart to the 5000-odd News International printers whose jobs stand to go. But the police-patrolled barbedwire fortress in London's docklands is a symbol to the whole labour movement of the future of the print industry if Rupert Murdoch gets his way.

All of the newspaper bosses are moving in behind Murdoch to impose redundancies, speed-ups and union-busting on their workforces. Robert Maxwell, who claims to abhor Murdoch's union busting approach has just followed Murdoch's tactics by locking out the work force producing his Scottish Daily Record. Whatever short-term gains in sales they may try to make at Murdoch's expense, all of the press barons are lined up to break the power of the print unions.

These are the stakes. The government and courts have already shown where they stand. And it is these stakes in the fight with News International which makes it so urgent to respond to the sackings, the sequestration of SOGAT 82's funds and to the mounting anacks by omner employers wit all-oul strike action to close down Fleet Street.

This would massively swell the ranks of the Wapping pickets. It would present a powerful argument to the TUC and affiliates to deliver solidarity action as opposed to purely moral support. And it would bring the labour movement into the battle to the level made necessary by the scale of the attack.

Murdoch's papers undoubtably should be boycotted, but the key to victory in this struggle is escalating the action in a major way within the print industry itself, and in solidarity.

The scale of Rupert Murdoch's attacks show the seriousness with which he is treating his project; the response of the ranks of the movement so far shows potential that exists to combat it. The prin union executives must rise to the chal - and step up the action against the wrecking, union-busting onslaught News International

• See page 4 for

Page 2 scan of this page

SELLAFIELD: Why the leaks won't stop

2 Socialist Action

ACTiON

Kinnock's New Model Labour Party LABOUR HAS been winning plaudits from Fleet Street almost as fast as the Alliance has been catching up with it in the polls.

The most glowing testimonial so far was an article by Adam Raphael in this week's Observer.

explains that stratepy has been replaced by 'a modified brand of Reaganomics'. Roy Hattersley, he says: 'now talks in Owen, of the need to expand at a pace which will not set off a new round of inflation' spokesperson, is quoted approvingly as saying John Prescott, that the unions mustn't expect a future Labour government to get rid of the Tory's anti-union legislation. 'The commitment to withdraw from the Common Market similarly has been replaced by merely goes on. Unilateral disarmament too, he says, is "an option to withdraw" also about to be spirited away.

'What is remarkable, how little resistance there has been to Labour's march towards the centre. But his conclusion is at odds with Guardian writer Hugo Young, who also notes approvingly that Labour's policies are says the hard left - by which he means anyone now in tune with the " to Kinnock's left.

However far the. the Labour leadership has been able to get to date, concur the

witch-hunt.

get this one right. The evidence for the Observer's view is that a whole wing of the erstwhile Labour left has col-

lapsed before Kinnock. And if one member-one

vote is pushed through the next conference, virtually all of the left's gains since 1980 will be

under the chopper.

The problem is that the leadership, on its pre

SANE Labourbecause course, cannot it refuses

government. do the job for which, the LCC claims,

made leader. He cannot lead the party to elec-

toral victory. That is why Raphael hasn't got the

whole picture right,

assessment is nearer the mark.

ed, an alternative is being forged in the very bat-

tles against Thatcher which Kinnock refuses to

prosecute: around the Scargill leadership of the

NUM and Women Against Pit Closures,

the Campaign group of Labour MPs, and around

Labour Party black section, and others. This left

doesn't yet share a common perspective.

under the hammer blows of the class struggle it

is increasingly converging. It is the most advanc-

ed, and most proletarian,

Party has seen since the 1920s.

policies — of class solidarity, militant struggle,

pressed and the national liberation struggles - and alliances

can build a majority for Labour and for socialism.

left is most closely identified with the fight for

the labour

representative of black people,

and the international class struggle. In this way

it has begun to hammer

perspective for rebuilding political support for

abandoned.

Editor: ALA.V FREEMAN ihe last week of December. #preseni socialis Action's views.

Londor: NI 2XP

28 February 1986 alternative economic

terms not dissimilar to those of Dr

Labour employment

Raphael

Raphael explains, 'is

government s but are still deeply entrenched. bourgeois press estimate

importance of the Neil Kinnock, they all agree, must create majority for to fight the Tory That means that Kinnock cannot he was

and why Hugo Young's Although one section of the left has collaps-

around

But

left that the Labour

It will take a long time to accomplish, but its

between working people, the op-

Contrary to the claims of Marxism Today, this

movement to become open to and women. youth

an alternative

Labour: in and through the anti-Thatcher strug gles which Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock has Pahlished weekly except two weeks in August and sigted articies by contributors do not necessaril!

These are extrial correspondence regarding subscriptions

and receipts to socialist Action Distribution ..: at: materal for publication (including advertis-

•cause Action Editorial at the same adaress. ... ee ine in the high cost of postage We

• acknowledge unsonchea cop: o mpanied by a stamped ad

LEAKS FROM the Sellafield nuclear plant are, by all appearances, about to become yet another Thatcher "bananaskin'. Hard on the heels of a European Parliament call for the plant to be closed, the cabinet has suspended all plans to privatise nuclear power stations and is preparing to ditch Sellafield's 'outmoded' management.

By Alan Freeman

But, 11S like the Westlands crisis, the problems at Sellfield are not the result of minor errors

They flow or Juagement. from the whole way the British economy and state have been built since the war.

Sellafield is not an ordinary nuclear plant. It is at the centre of the in tricate web which binds together Britain's nuclear weapons, power

and its tradin relations with the rest of the world.

Its main purpose is to give Britain guaranteed source of plutonium to ensure it can produce nuclear weapons and dictate terms, through its control

plutomull,

nuclear powers

1980 'Square Leg' civil defence exercise, it was obliterated by an imaginary atom bomb. There

is only one major facility

the site with

definitely identifiable

military function, and that

was shut down in 1981.

That is why, leak or no

leak, Thatcher will strain

every nerve to keep it run-

Sellafield or

Windscale, as it was called

until it was renamed

1981 of sheer em-

barassment, is not a power

stallon. It is above

nuclear reprocessing facili-

It does three things. It

stores nuclear waste, either

to 'cool it off' or simply to

wait until something better

can be found to do with it.

It subjects waste to various

A PiECE Of the

SELLAFIELD?!

I don't think you could even give away a field around that place!

treatments either to make

more suitable BOI storage, or to separate out the more highly radioac-

components. Third, LIve and most important, it ex-

tracts unused nuC. uranium, and plutonium which has been produced from uranium in nuclear reactors, to be recycled for

of either in THITECT usc weapons or in reactors.

Plutonium

Its third function reclaiming plutonium gives it a key strategic role in the weapons industry. It extracts plutonium from LIlt nuclear nearby stallon, Calder which Hall

then refines for the Ministry of Defence to make warheads. has high priority for the Trident project. All plutonium for Britain's warheads has, at one stage

another, passed through Sellafield.

things, Among other this is why the government has refused to let any international team inspect the

factory, despite insistent

European demands

Leaving aside the fact the inhabitants

both Cumbria the

East Irish coast can be

poisoned without CYCL

having the right to find out

why, this sheds interesting

light on claims that the

main obstacle to nuclear

disarmament is the Rus-

sian relusal permit

nuclear inspections.

Windscale late as enquiry, the 1977 the

government and the UK

Atomic Energy Authority

refused even to admit its

military purpose. So

Windscale's biggest invest-

ment Wa. sanctioned eith buines realed. rpose without its real

But the plant's role

goes further. the

custodian of Britain's en-

tire national stockpile of

plutonium 'Control

plutonium, said one

British Nuclear Fuels of-

ATION

I've got it! Why don't they change the name of the place again? Like DEATH VĂLLEY perhaps?

'It will involve additional

exposure to local

inhabitants but the risks

appear to be so small that

this fact cannot outweigh

the advantages' — Judge

Parker at the 1977 Windscale (Sellafield) enquiry.

ficial 'and you control the world.'

AS a stockpile and reprocessor of nuclear waste, equally key the plant plays an role in Britain's nuclear power dustry. The close connection between refining out plutonium, and storing nuclear waste, means that the two facilities have had to be developed in tandem.

Early

It stores used fuel under water from both the early Magnox nuclear stations and from the second generation advanced gascooled (AGR) reactors.

Between them, these two types of power station account for nearly one-nin of Britain's electricity. By

1990 the figure will be one quarter. It also stores the spent fuel from the Navy's nuclear submarines.

Nuclear waste is the dirty rear end of nuclear power. safe way dispose of it has yet been discovered. But British governments have ignored the problems because of the urgent need to build up a weapons capabilit ries the mania for getting shot of any reliance of coal for power.

The most criminal insanity of all, however, the Thermal reprocessing (THORPS) plant now beIng. built of £1.2bn. This was the subWindscale Enquiry, It is famous 1977 part of a grand design ac-

In the meantime if I were you, 1 wouldn't do too much swimming in the IRISH SEA!

Analysis

cording to which Britain will take responsibility, not just for its own waste but for the nuclear waste of most of the rest of the world!

Its only current rival is the very large, and much more modern French plant at La Hague, on the Normandy Coast

being built through deal with Japanese European companies who are financing it in return for British : agreement • WaSLe reprocess it when the new off them and

facility is ready

Export

Implicit in this rangement is that a larg

part of the world

plutonium will extracted in Sellafield and re

exported. When it was

pointed out at the Wind

scale enquiry that this con

travened President •Cart

er's non-proneraton in

itiatives, the judge ac-

cepted evidence from

BNFL to the effect that

only 'civil' • plutoni um

would be exported.

By laking everyone

else's waste off

Thatcher gets to contro

world plutonium supplies

So keen is the nuclear in

dustry that in the early '80s

officials were even propos

ing to pay for the privileg

of receiving other people

effluent.

Indeed, BNFL hasn'

even waited for

THORPS facility to be

finished. By 1981 one two

tonne flask of waste was

arriving 'every few days

according .to Peter

Bunyard, editor of The

Ecologist. This compares

with a total British nuclea

industry output of 30

tonnes per year.

The important thing to

understand is that there is

as yet, nowhere for this !

go! The world's radioac

tive wastes are happily pil-

ing up in leaky tanks near

the Cumbrian coast,

storage facilities whose

lifetime is known to be

limited, with no method of

disposal'

hand

That is why, just like

Thatcher's cabinet crises,

the Sellafield leaks are not

going lo stop.

•Cortiac

Well, thank you for the advice leaky mouth!!

Page 3 scan of this page

Labour's witch huntr

Politics Today

'Stop the

witch hunt'

call to NEC

THIS WEDNESDAY the Labour Party national executive committee will have placed before it a resolution from Liverpool MP Eric Heffer.

Supported by fellow NEC members Dennis Tony Bena, Joan Maynard, Tony and Jo Richardson, the resolution demands the party call a

the escalating liall witch-hunt. It calls on the NEC 'get OI the witch-hunting atmosphere beginning to develop in the party ano lo concentae on defeating Thatcher and her government at the next election'. Labour must not indulge, it says, in tactics

'witch-hunts, thoughtcontrol guilt-byassociation'.

The resoldon DomEs out that there are many

party, some of which are intluenced by socialist journals and newspapers.

This 'not new phenomenon in the party' but has 'existed since its

252225

District Labour Parts

old deal esters

to but irone

5682222-

laser soretary

formation'.

party must not return the days 'proscribed lists and tolerance', but should accept diversification of 'groups, strands of opinion' within le parly. Joullars and newspapers of one kind or

with widely differing views, are bound to exist, it says. 'This diversification be

that the party is healthy, dynamic, socialist force ave co moDuse support from wide sections of the people.

It concludes that the main task of Labour's national leadership today is: *to work for the election of a Labour government the next general election.

ed that internal attacks on each ouner. icading disciplinary action, can

neID LIC political enemies who are backed

its power to stop Labour gelling back mo goverll• ment. 18th Petriari, 198,

HARRIS

which is geared to do all in it certain to inflict further blows on the Labour Party by endorsing the recommendations of the NEC enquiry into the Liverpool District Labour Party. would mean disbanding the district party until next June, expelling at least 10 leading members of the district party and appoint full-time organisers to run the party in the meantime. PAT MURPHY reports.

THE majority report of the enquiry into the Liverpool

Dally mended that: 'the NEC takes decision disciplinary action if ap.

rapidly Drubilalt possible.' minority

by Audrey Wise ICUULI and Margaret Beckett opposed expulsions.

of the NEC will delight the Tory Party and the SDP-Liberal Alliance who will be the main beneficiaries of the new round witch-hunting. It will also delight rigntwing mafias the Labour Parties around the country who are using the national witch-hunt to set-

accounts with opponents of their often cor-

generally undemocratic actions.

Witch Hunt News has

hunts.'

Defend Liverpool

Labour Party

AS WE GO to press the Labour Party NEC seems

This

chronicled dozens of such cases of expulsions and rigged delegations in right wing CLPs, including the expulsions of Amir Kahn and Kevin Scally, from Hattersiev's Sparkbrook CLP for giving substantial evidence of corrup rigging and intimidation That evidence was a lot more substantial than any of the charges against the Liverpool Labour Party Dudley East, the West Midlands regional organiser has just endors ed over 30 new delegätes from the GMBATU the EETPU and the TGWU to the GC, which include a fashion designer and the president an NUT association: and other teachers - - all claiming to be bona fide GMBATU GC delegates.

Eric Heffer told Socialist Action: 'Clearly we are moving back to the situation that we used to have in the 1950s, where people were excluded from the party by the right wing because they were advocating socialist policies. When the leit got a slender majority on the executive we reversed that. We abolished the proscribed list and encouraged all socialists to join the party. At the same time we never conducted any witch-hunt against the right of the party. The only right wingers to be expelled were those who placed themselves outside the party by standing candidates against Labour. Their expulsion was moved by John Golding. I hope to see both reports on Liverpool District Labour Party published after the NEC meeting. The minority report puts the record straight. Personally I will fight any expulsions in Liverpool or elsewhere every inch of the way. That doesn't mean I support Militant or anybody else. But it does mean I am completely opposed to witch-

The nine officers of the CLP had written to David Hughes for help and have now resigned in protest at

the rigging of their GC . In

CLPD

supporter Andy Wilson re Wallis expelled fol Colllplaining of irreguarities in the GMBATU delegation to his GC

There are dozens of similar cases coming to light. If the left complains of corruption and voterigging It Is silencea In cluding by expulsions.

The attempt by the NEC Liverpool Labour Party would not Dossible without the active support of the so-called soft left of the party led by Tribun and the LCC. Tribune ha literally campaigned for expulsions as a result of the Liverpool enquiry.

In an article in week's Tribune the case is explained: The COTT however, will almost certainly support the expul-

Socialist Action 28 February 1986

INERPOL RIDES COUNCE

18

workers

sions as it was being emphasised this week that the case against individuals is Dascu evicenct malpractice and no one would be proceeded against on account of their political beliefs.

What hypocrisy from a paper which understands perfectly that ine reason for expulsions Liverpool and the disbanding the DLP is that the left has led the party in a fight against the Tories, whereas the pleas the NEC for help in defending

democracy in Sparkbrook DUCC BasI diesborough have been re

jected by the NEC precise. ly because here we have cases of the right wing attacking the left to hang on-

control. Tribune has run no campaign for enquiries into Hattersley's Sparkbrook, or Gilbert's Dudley East, or the refusal of the Wales regional ex

allow elected attend its meetings.

Tribune's support for expulsions is not based on

3

world

constitutional argument

is based on political hostility to the best actions standing virtually alone in of the Liverpool wally defence of its city against Margaret Thatcher's government

While Thatcher's government limps through its worst crises since 1979, the Labour Party NEC backed by Tribune and the LCC - is directing its fire at its own left wing not Thatcher and the Alliance

The task of the left is quite clear:

witch-hunts and for united action against une tones. to tnis cha It Is necessary to campaign for

Labour Party Coll ference reverse the disastrous decisions of the NEC on Liverpool and to uphold the rights dozens of socialists disciplined by local parties

Every single CLP and

organisation should adopt resolutions

end. they should rush resolu tions to the NEC deman ding no expulsions.

Page 4 scan of this page

War at Wapping Week 5

Socialist Action 'WE ARE NOT going to win in the courts. This battle will be won at Wapping blocked,' explained Dennis Skinner at a rally in support of the print workers in the Conway Hall, London, recently. Events of the last week have made this clear. Murdoch has increased his use of the courts against both the NGA and SOGAT, but the mass pickets at Fortress PETE EVANS reports.

THE government has mobilised all its forces try and break the resistance of print workers to the attacks on their unions. _courts lave been used, resulting in the sequestration of SOGAT's

with similar

WAPPING NEWS

6,000 SACKED MURDOCH

capers out, A MY PULL THE OTHER ONE!

issue carries messages from all three general

member of the AUEW, Jack Whyman

From Scotland:

SALES of the Sun have

LUNC dive in

Scotland since the News

International strike

began.

Reports from SOGAT

Edinburgh area branches

also indicate that no copies

of the Sunday Times and

of the World were

available at the beginning.

this month. Their

distribution around the

rest of Scotland is still

With only one excep-

fion,

wholesale centres from Falkirk

LUll

to Dumiries have relused

handle Murdoch's

titles. In addition Glasgow

and East Klinrice nave

withdrawn the four titles

trom buonc nolanes.

At Glasgow's Wapping

equivalent, Kinning Park,

there 1S now 24-hour

picket in operation. So far

successes include British

Telecom engineers refus-

ing to cross, as well as local

workers from

autonly

the cleansing department.

As the uncollected rubbish

28 February 1986

Support for picket grows

and Wapping can be

Wapping plant have grown. threat against the NGA.

And the police are being openly used breakers. like the miners strike, last week the police viciously attacked pickets using horses and full rot Anyone in their way stas was batonned. The DON'T BUY

PAPERS The first issue of Wapping News, jointly published by SOGAT, NGA, AUEW and

NUJ, is available now. Copies are available, for a donation, from: LMS, 8 Bradbury Street, London N16 8JN. This

secretaries of the NGA, SOGAT and the

NUJ, and from an executive council

as well as lots of tith its on life at the Fortress. Ideal for raising support at your trade union and Labour Party meetings.

SOLIDARITY ROUND UP

builds up, the working environment is getting even gilles.

From Wales:

IN WALES and the West Country no copies of the Sunday Times are being distributed. And only half the usual supply of News of the Worlds getting through. recent SOGAT branch survey of 60 towns and cities in England and Wales showed that distribution of the Mur doch titles was much worse than News International claim. Of the 60 cenLICS no News of the World, 16 71 per cent received

per cent received no Suncoves and aure. 16 per cent received it too late to deliver to homes. 16-year old South Wales paper boy, Roger Davies, has been backed for refusing to deliver the Sun. His aaa is a miner who was on throughout the NUM

day they claimed 'outside agitators' caused the trou-

These tactics are an attempt to break the morale of the pickets. hasn't worked. Support is growing.

Last Saturday's 6000strong picket forced the police to hold back lorries tor Two nours. rel aralll papers were distributed late.

The print unions are actively building solidarity for their struggle. are planned throughout the country to increase the support they have already received.

La delegation from the Fleet Street papers joins the picket. More and more reinforcements are coming

outside London.

ILULI Miners from Kent, miners wives from Yorkshire, electricians from Southampton have all joined the Wapping picket in the last weeks. Further delegations

promised including alt from railworkers, Inem selves now threatened with ine sack Ior relusing l0 handle scab papers.

Usually different dele

rations marci on the

Wapping plant, a tremen dous boost to the the pickers alread there. banners flying, they sing songs and chant slogans adaptec from the miners strike. Only the accents are different.

Action

As the evening draws on, the scab TNT lorries come into view inside the plant perimeter. The police begin to move into action, clearing way through the picket line. The pickets wait, anger rising, until the lorries carry-

their scab cargoes speed through. A bigger picket and perhaps

Last week one of the TNT arivers rerused cross the picket line. He was later beaten up by the scab drivers, then sacked

dispute.

Roger told SOGAT: '1 don't want to

Wales and West branch have promised to tind him alternative work.

From electricians:

THE EETPU's largest

Scottish branch,

Glasgow, recently pass-

ed a resolution against

the conspiracy between

their union leadership

and News Interna-

tional.

The resolution of the

4000-strong branch

reminds headquarters not

to take the loyalty of their

rank and me memocis lo.

granted Other Scottish

EETPU branches have ex-

pressed support for News

International strikers and

invited speakers to put the

Case Over 30 EETPU bran-

ches have now passed

resolutions rejecting,

actions of their national

leaders.

SACKEL RUPERTS REWARD The police who make arrests of pickets each night aren't interested in finding his assailants!

Saturday, the demonstration was organ ised by the AUEW chapel involved in the dispute. One hundred and ninety two engineers are among those sacked by Murdoch.

from Fleet Street, the engineers were joined by other AUEW members from both the North and South London district committees, as well

firefighters, teachers, civil servants, bus workers and other print workers. Delegations from distribution workers, SOGAT members, were there too.

At the end of January, five . AUEW engineers, employed Graphics Systems to work on Wapping machinery,

A NEW grouping the journalists

against Wapping scabs.

The called on ex-

They have also

journalist

journal, that:

'Journalists were put under

first day,

From Australia: THE Australian print unions have asked their

British colleagues for a

report on the situation

JAN CHAND PROFITS OUR KI WAD BEFORE

JOBSM MURDOUIRE walked out. Refusing to cross picket lines, they returned to their pany's Preston headqualies Murdoch was rumoured to be 'irate'

A rally was organisec at Wapping by the AUEW last Saturday. All speakers called for a bigger picket. Jock McPherson-Quinn, president "'ALEW London South committee, explained that he was also a surcharged councillor from Lambeth.

struggles were against the same enemy he said. 'Let's have larger numbers here in the

George Anthony from the London North district committee told the rally: 'We must double, treble and quadruple the picket. We must get our fellow

unionists here order that this street can be

with News International.

They particularly want

the names of any

Australian scabs In

telegram to Brenda Dean,

Chris Harvey, national

secretary of the Australian

Printing and Kindred In

dustrial Union promised

that a full report of the

British strike would be

taken at a meeting of

chapel representatives

from across the continent.

• Much of the informa-

tion in the Solidarity col-

was compiled from

SOGAT Bullell

No 1, published by union

headquarters

available from: SOGAT

274-288 London

Hadleigh, Essex SS7 2DE

(phone: 0702 553131). The

latest isses or Liabin, the GA Wapping

Broad _ Left

avaiable from: Link-up,

21 St Louis Road, London

SE27. Any requests for a

copy of either newsletter

should be accompanied by

a donation.

Action

in the Midlands

THE Birmingham Trades Council is to hold a major meeting in support of the print unions this Thursday, 27 February.

By Bob Smith, Birmingham

Speakers invited include Brenda Dean and

Dubbin general

sheeties of 0d and

NGA, and AUEW ecutive member.

Meanwhile, 'local support group for the print unions has been set up and meets weekly: So far it has helped picket TNT distribution depots

the Midlands and wholesale distributors in Birmingham city centre.

A delegation of Fleet Street printers travelled to the littleworth arca of Cannock on Saturday 15 February join 120-strong picket of the TNT depot there. This was

blocked'

But it was one of the sacked engineers, Jim Bradshaw, AUEW FOC at

The Times, best

pointed the way forward

The TUC and Labou Party, he said, 'should organise a mass demonstration to join the picket.

Afterwards he explained

Socialist 'Instead of expelling peo-

Liverpool, the Labour Party should put their strength behind this struggle.'

Such nationally organised demonstration would undoubtedly put stopping Wapping on the agenda The picket has to

built throughout the

labour movement. As Jack Kent U secretarv of the

Kent said at the

Conway Hall rally: 'If you fight you can win, if you

do not fight you will not

win. Let's get down to

News

Pm no

Sun

the largest picket held in the Midlands to date, was organised by South Staffs miners who received print union support during their own strike.

Print workers in Birm ingham face jobs losses il Murdoch succeeds The Birmvabulll, ingham Post and Evenin Mail plan to shed 250 jobs when Iney technology.

For speakers of picating movement meeting phon Birmingham NGA 2963 or SOGAT on

7.30pm, AUEW Holloway Circus. • The print workers sup• meets at the

Hockley, at 6.30pm every

Wapping?

• Send messages of sup and donations striking AUEW members contact: Duncan Boyd Secretary, 97. Orpingion, ree Streel Pauls

Kent.

Joint M'cr Trades Council - M'cr City Labour Party

SUPPORT THE

PRINT UNIONS

DEFEND TRADE UNIONISM

MASS RALLY, Gt. Hall, Manchester Town Hall TUESDAY MARCH 4th 7.30 pm

SPEAKERS

TONY DUBBINS

Gen Sec N.G.A. 82

BRENDA DEAN

Gen Sec SOGAT 82 TONY BENN M.P.

JOHN AITKEN* EEPTU Fleet Street Electricians Leade

JOHN TOCHER AUEW BOYCOTT the Sun, the News of the World, the Times and the Sunday Times

Page 5 scan of this page

Notts NCB launches new victimisation offensive:

News

to weaken in its Notts heartland, and Lynk's outfit

Leicestershire and North

against NUM officials at Ollerton.

timised for supporting their national union. Every sacked and threatened miner must be defended. HELEN ARTHUR and report from Notts.

Whetton, secretary Bevercotes

in North NOLLs. marks a new escalation in

against the NUM was accused of 'undermining the authority' of the pit management. was to pin up an branch agenda at the pit.

No gains

This, combined with further and threats of disciplinary action, is designed to create a reign of terror in the Notts

The NCB setting

militants and to trample basic unlull rights underfoot in the process.

• neir objective is simple. It is to bolster the flagging fortunes of the UDM

1o undercut the rebuilding of the NU'M in Notts. UDM is heading into dete clear that trouble. The initial momentum the breakaway has been lost as the UDM failed 10

out of Notts. The overwhelming vote in

the NÚM Leicestershire coalfield rocked Lynk.

Suspensions

On top of inis. ine UDM has dramatically

Hake ally Ital gains in North Derbyshir

There is not a single UD. member al the Warsop

pit right at the top of UDM's hitlist

Miners at Agecroft and Parsonage collieries in the Lancs coalfield have decided to return to the national union after a brief flirtation with the UDM.

The national membership of the breakaway is now

STOP

PRESS:

WHEN Paul Whetton was sacked at Bever-

cotes last Friday, the NUM branch called a

Sunday meeting to discuss action.

HUNTER, one of the two suspended NUM

members from Welbeck, reports.

•PAUL's sacking was the last straw for Notts

miners. Bevercotes NUM meeting had to be made

into an open one when miners from other pits and

even some UDM members turned up to discuss ac.

tion.

morning. but te coal boara went into acuon.

removing men from the canteen and banning some

from NCB premises. The response was a walk-out.

Contrary to local press reports, a good majority of

Bevercotes miners were out on Monday. By the

nicht shitt. action has escalated. Ony seven men

went into work. The Notts NUM can no longer

tolerate the increasing atjacks from focal manages.

ment. The situation could well escalate across the coalfield.

Defend the NUM

SUPPORT FOR the breakaway UDM is beginning

has failed to make the headway it anticipated in

Derbyshire. But that doesn't mean plain sailing for Notts loyalists. In the last few weeks the area Coal Board have stepped in to give the UDM a hand. An NUM member has been sacked at Annersley, two have been suspended at Welbeck, and there are threats of disciplinary action

The National Union of Mineworkers cannot tolerate miners vic-

ANDY BUCHANAN

estimated (on the basis of ornicial figi receiver) to be in the region of 20,000 • a. Tar cry trom the 40,000 claimed by Roy Link.

These set-backs have given rise to signs of strain within the lands, Notts itself. UDM branches voiced criticism of Lynk's use of funds. He recently spent £21,000 bulaing

himse en

widely known to be in serious financial straits.

Silverhill branch minutes contain an appeal lo pur democracy DaCK into the UDM'! Attacks At pit level, UDM officials have turned a blindeye while management oreak proccaures and ury push down bonus payments by fiddling the igureş. It has fallen to th IUM'to challenge such at-s tacks.

This has prompted a growing number of men to come back over the NUM. Al Ollerton last week. for example, men were recruited to ihe union on ine arternoon shift alone.

Faced with these problems, the NCB, yet has begun lo intervene directly to support the UDM and to prevent the NUM. from gaining new ground. A fresh camof harassment, timidation and victimisation is being directed at the NUM.

Sackings

Annersley colliery an NUM member has beer sacked after a fight in the miners welfare. DUL UDM members caught MARK A canteen meeting was called for Monday

HARD

WEVE GOT OUR BACKS THE ERS

*URN AVE IRGREAT fighting underground have not been disciplined.

At Ollerton, the vice-president Notts NUM, Mick McGinty, has been threatened with dismissal. The manager

may not carry any NUM Iterature on his person or discuss the NUM with any of his fellow workers on Coal Board premises. Demo

Even mole Seriously two leading NUM members at Welbeck, including the branch delegate Tony Geddes, have been suspended for handing out leaflets calling for support for demonstration against

chairperson McGregor's visit to the

The call for Ult. demonstration had been made by the NUM branch

Welbeck and endorsed by the organisation of the sackeu miners, une volts 24 Club.

Activists

These attacks are far more than a management attempt to remove dedicated NUM activists. They are attacks on the basic right of a trade union

organise. message simple and clear NUM is a disciplinary offence.

The Board fear that the rapid development of NUM organisation that has taken place in many of the older South Notts pits will now take hold in the

ÉCONOMIE

REMORSELESS, FOREIGN COMPETITION.

YES. BUT YOUO MUCH BETTER IT.

VATIONAL UNION MINEWORKERS

power in unity

NO LINGHANSHIRE ARE

North Notts superpits. These are the lewel in the NCB crown, prime cuts

Conic. privatisation. It is to prevent such a development thạt this attack on trades unionism is being launched. Problems

It's obvious that the prote us has are has- problem that at these ing so well,' Mick McGinty told us. "We know that the area industrial relations otticer has • DUL Oul all can vassingnby the NUM letters to managers to stopped. And I know that Ollerton management least were called to NCB

headquarters last week. It all seemed to stem from that'.

We asked Mick how

the present attacks. have to support anyone victimised whatever ways we can,' he said, 'and before it comes to sackings. We must do everything in our power to get support.

Rights

"The law is supposed to

any trades union wish. But the Coal Board management are telling us that there can be only one recognised UDM. soon as the NUM starts recruiting, the

come from management. to prove what sort of an outfit the UDM is.'

Mick emphasised the

FACTS!!

CLIERY

CRO

severity of management's crackdown. We feel that all our basic civil liverties are being taken away. I go to work wondering if I'm going to be stopped and strip-searched on the way to check that I'm not carrying recruitment forms.

'But people are taking

very seriously. Many 11c1 ine UDM ALUV that what's happening is wrong, and that something must be done. It may be McGinty today, but who's it going to be tomorrow? 1930s

'The days of the 30s are returning to Ollerton. WE need to put pressure on the NCB to stop these attacks. We need help from other NUM areas, and from

The NUM must stand up as one to throw back these attacks. They are the thin end of a wedge which, if it gets driven home, will destroy the possibility of rebuilding the NUM as an effective fighting force. Defence

Notts Women Against Pit Closures immediately expressed readiness • 5 throw themselves into the fight in defence of the men NUM 1IUW branches under attack.

Thoresby and Sutton have done likewise.

The area leadership of the NUM must now take

LIlC Cuuse outline a plan of campaign in support of the victimsed militants and in defence of basic trade union rights.

IRELAND

UNFREE

Irish self-

against the use

the Royal

member of the

Women

BARNETSON reports.

of every house.

tified or charged by the army or courts.

'Plastic

'It's a weapon of suppression.

or against anything,

against you'

who was murdered by

stabulary (RUC) while

August 1984.

Dhotos

been intured'.

the brutality we put up with everyday.

threat of plastic bullets.

Socialist Action 28 February 1986 5 determination and the miners strike TWO WOMEN with direct experience of police and army brutality in the north of Ireland toured the Midlands speaking our

of plastic bullets. Emma Groves was blinded by the British army in 1971. Brenda Downes' husband was killed by

Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in August 1984. They spoke in Nottingham at the end of January with Pam Oldfield, a

national committee of Against Pit Closures. GRAHAM

'LET our heartbreak and misery put a stop to plastic bullets now before you have to suffer them too.' That's how Brenda Downes summed up the reason for the tour she and Emma wert on.

Emma Groves was shot in the face with a rubber bullet in 1971 by a British paratrooper. On 4 November 1971 the paratroopers were putting the whole district in which she lives under house arrest. That meant one 'para' standing in the lobby

To lift the morale of herself and her 11 children in the house she had one of them put on a record. As the music started one of the 'paras' in the street fired into their living room, hitting Emma Groves directly in the face. She has been blind ever since. The soldier responsible was never publicly iden-

are being stockpiled by 15 police forces in Britain,' Emma Groves warned.

Whenever you go into the streets protesting against unemployment

this weapon will be used

Brenda Downes was the wife of John Downes

the Royal Ulster Conat a Republican rally in The RUC, in an attempt to inhale te namonals community and disperse the demonstration, had been firing plastie bullets at the crowd earlier in the day. Though many people had been injured the rally went on. As John Downes had been separated from Brenda and her daughter during the rally it was not until half an hour after returning home that she heard he had

'I went to the Royal Victoria hospital. They didn't know if John had been injured or not. I later found out the truth.' The RUC officer who shot John Downes at point blank range was chargquest and the RUC claimed he was killed by a ricochet — even although it was filmed and shown

From the miners' strike you've seen some of you to demonstrate and protest with us against

'I feel honoured to have been asked to speak,'

ment are two words that spring to mind when discussing the policing of the miners strike. They

words that are facts of life for Irish republicans. For many years the repression has seemed remote to most working people in Britain.

'The policing methods used in handling trade union disputes today are reflections of the war in Ireland. The police were organised like an army. They made full use of dogs, batons, shields, snatch squads and, towards the end of the strike,

'In an issue of The Miner one headline read police first took up occupation in our villages. The article linked the miners battle against the police forces of the British state to those of Irish people against repression, and the daily harassment suffered by black people from both the police and

'Remember the tactics used by the state acais the miners. It demonstrates clearly that the British ruling class will not confine to the North of Ireland

Page 6 scan of this page

JUSTICE FOR M •THE CAMPAIGN might go on through this year, it might have to do the same

IT IS 12 months since the miners returned to work and there are still about 550 men sacked. Many of the offences are non-existent, mind trivial - the vast majority involving incidents or cidents with scabs.

At the time of the NUM special conference last November, there were 21 in prison and 962 dismissed. Only eight are now in jail: two each from South Wales, Kent, Derbyshire, Yorkshire. The vindicate taken towards strikers is illustrated by the fact that when the Court of Appeal reduced the sentences of Hancock and Shankland from life imprisonment to eight years, the police decision to the House of Lords. For the prosecution to make such an appeal is almost unheard of.

The case of the concrete block was a

activities arising out of the

confiscated as a result of fines,

purposes connected therewith.

Miners 1984-85,

the police and the organised use of the judiciary

union: and

the advice and consent

same as follows:

1) Her Majesty's Secretary

State shall grant free pardons wherever appropriate.

or benetit.

expended whether

Socialist Action 28 February 1986 next year and the year after. As long as it takes, we will continue to remind the movement of its responsibilities. That was how BILL ETHERINGTON, chair of the Justice for Mineworkers Campaign, described its objectives to CAROL TURNER when she visited him at his Durham Mechanics office recently. The campaign will be launched with a splash this weekend. Bill graphically described the conditions which make if necessary.

never but we don't hear after day. alleged in-

and attitude

ones such as

case. appealed the

Justice for

Mineworkers

A BILL TO:

Provide for a review of all cases of miners jailed as a result of the 1984-85

dispute in the mining industry; for the reinstatement of miners sacked for

dispute: or me reimbursemeni sequestration and receivership; Whereas during the heroic struggle of all who have been associated with the National Union

membership have been the subject of a concerted and vicious attack by the

whole power of the State, including the unprecedented and combined power ot

by

sequestration was imposed and the elected trustees of the union were removed

and replaced by a receiver appointed to run the affairs of an independent trade

Whereas a great injustice was inflicted upon the National Union of

Mineworkers and its members and the members of other unions who assisted in • the compaign to defend pits, jobs and mining communities; and

Whereas it is right and proper for these injustices to be rectified and

remedied by the State through the enactment of legislation for that purpose:

Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with of the Lords Spiritual

Commons, in the present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the

of State for the Home Department

immediately review the cases of all miners jailed as a result of the 1984-85

mining dispute, and of all those who took part in the dispute and were punished

for acts done in good faith for the purpose of safeguarding jobs, living

standards, services or civil libertles, and following such review the Secretary ol

2) All persons to whom this Act applies shall be required to be offered re-

instatement by the National Coal Board or other employer at their place of

work, or at an alternative and suitable place of work without any loss of service

3) Those who on grounds of retirement, health or other reasons are not able or

willing to accept re-instatement shall be fully compensated for the financial

losses that they have suffered as a result of their dismissal.

4) The National Union of Mineworkers and all other unions which were

associated with them in the said dispute shall be re-imbursed by the treasury

for all those sums confiscated from them as a result of fines

For in their name as a result of their

sequestration and arising out of the appointment of a Receiver.

5) Any expenses of a Minister of the Crown incurred in consequence of the

provisions of this Act, including any increase attributable to those provisions in

sums payable under any other Ået shall be defrayed gut of money provided by

6) This Act shall come into force upon the date which the Royal Assent is given.

7) This Act may be cited as the Justice for Mineworkers Act 1986.

tragedy. We had days of hearings about that. But there wasn't much said about the third lad found not guilty. The Coal Board still won't give him his job back,

that reported day

The 550 sacked men who, two or engagea. three years ago, would probably have been reinstated by a phone call from the union rather than all the meetings and

violence. arguments that are now going on. The situation is different from area to area. But by and large, those areas that appear to have a future have had more NUM success getting sacked miners back than

Scotland Durham and Kent - although that is not strictly the

The Midlands, for example, which expected to be a long-life area, has had little success getting sacked men back. None have been taken back in Notts. But South Wales has had quite a lot of

plaints.

Bill

monies and for

Mineworkers and

order of and the

Illicts

shall failed.

O DELCEWISC

special

men taken back

Coal Board practice has varied. In Scotland everyone was sacked no matter how minor their offence. But here in Durham everyone who was involved in theft, that is stealing coal during the strike, was sacked but subsequently re-

The ones who are leit are cases where there was a suggestion — I'd put it no higher than that

The Coal Board is unwilling to take notice of anyone other than scabs. Any

La scab makes an allegation, the has … to witnesses before the Board prepared to say that there looks as if there's some doubt. That is still hap-

Not many weeks ago a Durham miner's job was threatened for an incident that took place in a public house. We had the preponderance of witnesses and yet all management said was that they were 'letting him off' this time. They weren't prepared to accept there was no case to answer.

But I know of no cases of a scab being sacked for bothering a striking miner. And mere have oeen many li stances where there have been com-

One of our by a saries wo was subsequently round secretaries was knocked to the guilty of assault. But the Coal didn't sack him. That is true up and down the country.

The NCB have replaced respected managers, ones who had a little bit of understanding of the industry and the men in it, with a set of business sharks: experts on the balance book mentality, who know about exploiting men. That is why they were appointed. But it has been a total failure in terms of miners'

Rather than take it lying down, there have been go-slows, one day strikes, refusals to work overtime. The new ball game has created a bitter atmosphere, but it hasn't curtailed our

Many miners were loyal to the Coal Board. That is why we had such a hell of a job getting the strike underway. They didn't realise the nature of the animal. But now they do. Now you never hear talk about the union trying to bring the government down, or the political motivation of Arthur Scargill

from Ine least radical of

Everybody knows the score. are more alert, more concerned about their rights, as a result of the way the

Coal Board treated them during the strike. To that degree, if the Board dic but know it, they might have done us a

favor. But that is no consolation to the sacked lads

The NUM nationally and in the areas, has tried valiantly to get sacked

miners reinstated. But so far we have

We put our case to the parliamentary select committee on employment.

Even though there was a majority of

Conservatives on that: committee

came out on our side. They believed

that the Coal Board had not acted as a reasonable employer and recognised

there had been discrimination against

striking miners.

That was the situation faced by our conference last year.

recognised that we had to broaden our

campaign, that we couldn't get our

sacked men reinstated on our own.

Supporting victimised miners and publicising their case

NO MINEA

- of

are Board

Justice for Mineworkers Campaign is all about. It came out of a fringe meeting called by Trade Union Briefing at last year's Labour Party conference More than neeting in their lunch breal surprise to me, and very encouraging. We began by calling it the Miners Amnesty Campaign. At that time there

EMP The am or iN Big one

They

campaign, blems of the national union in getting sacked miners reinstated paign group were the motivating force

Certain people within the NUM are wary of using the term amnesty. are connotations anniesly which accept done something wrong that they've got to be torgiven for ing about that for miners ing about justice ed the name to fit that criterion. Our purpose publicise the case for sacked miners.

Last through TUC and ferences to do all they could for the victims of the strike. pressure on, to make sure that the TUC and Labour Party are made to carry out conference resolutions.

There's no the these men

200 people attended in

- quile e passed miners strike.

going before

was to highlight the pro-

the for the cause.

There asking for that these someone has

. But we're not talkwe're talk. . We eventually chang

fund-raise and

two good motions gol going.

Labour Party con , which committed these bodies

We've got to keep

chance whatsoever of being sacrificed. The cam-

Posters for the Heroes concert

tickets a

paign might go on through this year, might have to do the same next yea and the year after. As long as it tak we will continue to remind the mov ment of its responsibilities

Both the TUC and Labour Party

resolutions . supporting If people fall t

vayside because of that strik even Neil Kinnock admits there is a lot of injustice involved - the movement has got to do something about that. Those men were fighting on behalf of

fighting When the bills come in, those who were doing the encouraging have got to pay up thing, would like to see the Labour Party say it is going to instruct the Coal Board

men have got to be taken back when it gets into power. l'd like to

too do something about esponsible for the decision that these men be sacked. If we believ in socialism, we can't allow such peopl to continue in office.

In the meantime, the Labour Party and the TUC must do a bit more abou raising funds to keep the sacked miners

Because of

receivership, the NUM is not in sound financial position. Soor men will run out of unemployment pay, we are going to have to pay everything because every pound we give them will be deducted from their supplementary benefit which is means-tested.

At the moment, out of the national solidarity fund of the NUM, a marrie

Page 7 scan of this page

NE WORKERS

THE ALBERT

VE BLAND ELLIOTT ICKETS У KERSHAW.

OWEN BAND. JOHN PEEL

TOM PICKARD, ED PICKFORD

JOCK PURDON, PRELUDE

THE HANK WANGFORD BAND

WILDON BROTHERS, WORKEYTICKET

PLUS: BILLY BRAGG

PAUL WELLER, & others to be confirmed

TONY BENN, PETER HEATHFIELD

TONY BANKS (Chair, GLC). MIKE WARD (GLC)

DENNIS SKINNER, DAVID NELLIST •

en going up across London in the last few weeks. A few

available at £3.50 from the phone number on the poster.

man gets £45 a week and a single man *easonable standing of living and it That 3 the least we can do. In March the anemployment benefit runs out and we are talking about £100 a week each for 550 sacked miners.

What we have done up to now is remarkable, but that is a colossal task. From these figures I've worked out that we are talking about paying out in the region of f2% million a vear. Thai means we need f30-odd million on a return of capital basis

The TUC and Labour Party must be asked to redouble their efforts to collect money for sacked miners.

The Justice for Mineworkers Campaign is organising a rally on 2 March - but the glory for the Heroes concert goes to Women Against Pit Closures who organised that. It was felt that the Justice for Mineworkers Bill being introduced in parliament on 27 February was a good time to keep the pot boiling. At the same time the Campaign group is publishing a Justice for Mineworkers pamphlet, which brings together aspects of the strike and is a synopsis of the problems which still exist. We will use this to get our message over.

But our campaign is about constant campaigning. If people get sick of the sight that's just the way it should be! No one should doubt it, our anti-victimisation campaign against the injustices that striking miners have sufered will go on until every single one is instated.

HALL CONCERT

TO BUILD for Miners rally and concert, sacked miners from Kent, Durham, Lancashire, and Nottingham have had a permanent office in the Greenwich Labour Party DENNIS PENNINGTON, a sacked miner from Bold, reports on a week in the campaign's life.

BY THE end of last week requests for tickets for the Albert Hall concert on 2 March were arriving continuously at our Greenwich office, and at times we were hard pushed to cover all the evening meetings in London to which we have been invited to speak.

Last week we had a change over in our 'staff' and amongst our new faces all arriving in Greenwich were two good old lads (one aged 59, the other 56) who had been dismissed from their privately owned pit for refusing to cross picket lines. When employed, the coal at their pit by hand in the old style, the coal still being conveyed there by means of pony power!

These people certainly won the admiration of the younger lads because of their dedication to their union and their

"HALL

KENSINGTON

LONDON

SUNDAY

Sacked MinGt Greenwich Labo Rooms

Greenwich 01-858 7055

Produced by GLC

Building the Campaign

the Justice for continuing belief in the case for coal.

Saturday

Tilmanstone to listen to Arthur Scargill

address a meeting which was originally

meant to be held in protest over the

NCB's intention to close Tilmanstone rooms. colliery. However last week the Board

gave the pit a reprieke (and no doubt

they only intend it to be temporary) and

the meeting ended up a celebration of

the Kent miners' victory.

dent was in an ebullient mood and,

despite the arctic weather conditions,

the hall was full to capacity. He urged

the Kent men and women not to rest on

their laurels and

against the Coal Board's tactics.

also pointed out that the

proving to be a failure; that according

to figures from the Official Receiver in

Sheffield, 86 per cent of British miners

remain in the NUM, and applications

for re-entry into the NUM these men won Mooding into the national headquaters.

to London in high spirits, ready to cam-

paign even harder for the fulfillment of

our demands for reinstatment and to

ensure that the rally. and concert on 2

March will be a huge success.

by

Mechanics

from Vane

why

presidents.

ROYAL ALBERT

the 2nd MARCH l las

DOORS OPEN 5.45ge SHOW STARTS 6.30

tional Union

Details available from:

32 Woolwich Road councillors.

Suddick,

WAPC,

for 11.45am:

12.30pm:

members. 3.00pm:

10.00pm:

11.00am till 5.00pm:

Quite naturally the national presi-

7.00pm:

to be ever yuan 11.00pm:

He UDM was

1.30pm:

2.30pm:

March to Hyde Park. 4.15pm:

Myself and the Kent lads returned Rally in Hyde Park.

6.00-11.00pm:

Socialist Action.

Organising the Campaign

TO BE SUCCESSFUL, any campaign against the injustices suffered

mineworkers and their union must have the NUM firmly in the driving seat. That is why Durham

general Bill Etherington is chair of the Justice for Mineworkers Campaign. It is why Arthur Oxley, a sacked miner

Tempest colliery in Durham is its treasurer. And it is Justice

Arthur Scargill is honourary president, and Peter Heathfield and Mick MeGahey its honourary vice

Set up at 1985 Labour Party conference, the campaign will be launched • with a splash this weekend. Marking the anniversarv of the historic miner strike of 1984-85, it will coincide with

introduction in parliament this Thursday of the Justice for Mineworkers Bill (reprinted on these pages), and with a weekend of events which culminate in the Heroes concert at the Albert Hall on Sunday.

The campaign is already well set on the road to success. Since its inception, the steering committee which has so far guided its work has grown in numbers place

Sheffield found around 250 people in attendance.

Already the campaign council seats representatives from Women Against Pit Closures, from regional miners sup port groups, from the Campaign group of MPs and, of course, from the Na-

of Mineworkers. Its original sponsors — people such as kor Todd, Jimmy Knapp, Ray Buckton, Jim Slater, Ken Cameron, Ben Rubner (of FTAT), Alan Sapper and Ken Gill -will be invited to become honourary

The campaign aims are simple. Ann

cooramalor or le heroe. and Durham delegate described them succinctly. 'There are two primary areas of our campaign,' she told us. "to win support

the NUM resolutions passed , TUC and Labour Party conferences, and to fight for their implementation.

'The Justice for Mineworkers Campaign aims to highlight the plight of victimised miners and their families, and the situation of the union itself. We are here to offer help and to raise funds

Diary of events

Thursday 27 February

Petition delivered to Downing Street by Campaign Group of MPs. NUM representatives present.

Presentation of the Justice for Mineworkers Bill, plus presentation of the Group's pamphlet JUSTICE to the press. Simultaneously with this press conference, another will be held in Brussels by the Campaign Group's MEP members. Trade union and political deputations will also visit British Consuls in Italy, Spain, France and Holland urging an end to victimisation of NUM

Tony Benn presents the Bill to the Speaker.

Tony Benn appears on Question Time.

Saturday 1 March

Durham Mechanics Band is playing in Covent Garden.

Greenwich social for the Justice Campaign with Campaign Group MPs and NUM members. Phone 01-858 7055 for details.

Miners visit to Wapping.

Sunday 2 March

Rally in Jubilee Garden. Speakers.

Albert Hall Heroes concert.

28 February 1986 7 in defence of the NUM and the vic. timised miners. Any funds we raise are directed solely into the NUM's national solidarity fund.

At its recent national executive on 14 February, the NUM 'agreed to sup port the establishment of a national justice for mineworkers campaign'. Bill Etherington, himself a national executive member, has already raised the question or ollicial support for the

Campaign. 'After the NUM November we agreed to broaden our horizons,' Bill told us. 'Obviously this fitted very well with the Justice Campaign, giving some credibility to what we wanted to do.

'I think that some sections of the union have been a little bit suspicious about someone doing what they regard ed as the union's job. But the NUM alone will not get all its sacked miners reinstated. We need the support of the broader movement. At no time has the Justice Campaign gone ahead with anything that the NUM doesn't support. I certainly wouldn't have anything to do with a campaign that did.

'AIl NUM areas will have the chance if they so desire for their officers to be part of honourary council. inal en sures that the NUM takes its rightful

- at the head of any campaign against victimisation of its members

The Justice for Mineworkers Campaign welcomes support and affiliation from all organisations who support its objectives. Future plans to build that support include fringe meetings at each of the forthcoming regional Labour Party conferences, jointly held with the Campaign group of MPs. The publication of the Campaign group pamphlet, Justice — out for the first time at the weekend - is a further effort to build that support and ensure the funds need ed to support for the victims of NCB and government policy keep rolling in.

• Affiliation the Justice for Mineworkers Campaign is: £50 per an-

for national bodies, £25 for regional bodies, and f5 for local ones. Donations and applications for affiliation should be addressd to the Campaign Treasurer and sent to: Durham Mechanics Office, The Avenue, Durham DHI tion on the campaign and its activites can be obtained by writing to the same

Page 8 scan of this page

Politics and trade unions in South Africa

8 Socialist Action THE BIRTH of the Congress of South African Trade (COSATU) at the end of last year was a source of inspiration many workers in this country.

of this non-racial union federation - the strongest organisation amongst ever seen in South African history — was an enormous advance in the liberation struggle. million workers with membership in over 30 different unions, united into a single federation, in itself is an important achievement.

By Dodie Weppler

the establishment

BUT COSATU is even more significant on another count. Aler lour years ol often difficult negotiations debate — as well as common perience in struggle — COSATU was founded on the basis of agreement on an important political principle: that

trade Will.

COSATU can defend its members only if it organises in their defence both as workers, and as disenfranchised citizens or soul Alca.

COSATU recognises that the unions themselves must take a leading role in the struggle to overthrow the theid state; that the fight to achieve Iner most immediate jectives is inseparable from the fight for their political rights.

Incredibly, Dick Carter, commenting on the formation of COSATU in Socialist Action ('COSATU and the ANC', 10 January), fails to highlight this signal advance for trade unionism in South Africa. Instead, this article, relving for its facts on a single. sided book Power! by VicShane et al. chooses to attirm the record and founding principles FOSATU. 1 ne artialea unions ol this federation had the largest number of adherents of all the components tual WelL into the tormallor COSATU. Yet the basis of the initial foundation of FOSATU was a rejection of union involvement in politics.

It ill befits Socialist Action to be raking up ine old amongst the trade union activists in South Africa at this time. But having done so, it is important that Socialist «cов readers are appraised of the true record as the same principles remain indispensible in the face of new challenges will COSATU

Carter's article looks at the past positions of two major trends involved in the unity: unions that looked to the ANC for a lead, such as SACTU; and the black independent unions affiliated to FOSATU. The article correctly points to the importance of their common nosition or 'the issue of non-racialism' our. This approach was the hallmark

of SACTU when It was 1955, and when FOSATU appeared in the late 1970s, it also identified with non-racialism.

issue became the sticking point for any broader unity, but SAC

argues that should continue to

unions remaining outside COSATU, CUSA and Azactu, from joining the new federation.

But then the problems Carter's article begin. Firstly, it fails

to consider FOSATU's past views on the political luvolvernenl unions themselves — as opposed to seeing strictly economic organisations which workers can use as an organisational base to act from, in the broader how clicul

Secondly, Carter insists repeatedi that Political i all 'tactical'

issues which

FOSATU and SACTU,

was proved correct',

:horoughly vindicated',

"on out completely', and so on. The

message of the article is unambigous:

SACTU/ANC Was wrong.

Carter's judgment of FOSATU's tac-

28 February 1986

Unions

to

workers

Half a

of

•ano

organisation,

Naval"

economic ob-

UlIC

Dennis

of differences

they might have Lenninist'

This judgement

COnIORL

Line unions, and

vindicated Have OCCu

the light of recent experience. or col-

founded in for the

history Organise... 'non-racialism'

keep the link between

economic gains and political struggle, SACTU WCIt with historic role

UNC Iberaton. Political rights 'Rejecting politics

and

seperated 'FOSATU 'FOSATU was ed working conditions. 'FOSATSU This was

ingeedi ano une socials revoldon. this point

South African workers take the country's gold to private stores tics is that If they had been theorised unions

been described as

grave misunderstanding of Lenin's views on

points to where Carter goes wrong. Indeed, the record shows that it is SACTU's views (and therefore those of the ANC) which

although SACTU's own views have, of course, themselves undergone an evolution in

This idea that it is indispensible in the fight to overthrow apartheid rule

unions to become more political is a cornerstone of SACTU, the union federation founded in 1955 which joined the Congress Alliance in its founding year. SACTU's official

. or Starve! puts it this way: 'By clearly recognising the

the struggle for general une the founders of calling upon the workers of South Africa to fulfil their

become the spearhead in the struggle for national

al cuts

the slogan of "no the trade union movement", SACTU leaders refused to divorce the struggle for political rights and power from the day-to-day struggle for higher wages and improv-

the same message that Lenin and the Bolsheviks repeatedly stressed, while writing about unions

- on ponucs ana le

— the message is still relevant. ll s wnal Is meant oy their call Ic develop the unions and factory committees 'into powerful revolutionary weapons'.

The Communist International, when it was led by Lenin, explained

from 'time immemorial theory of neutrality has been based on the assertion that the trade unions must concern themselves only

questions and in no cir cumstances interfere in politics. The bourgeoisie has always endeavoured to separate politics and economics, for it is well aware that no serious danger will threaten its rule while it manages to keep the working class within the narrow confines of pure trade unionism.

Engels took this question up in a series of articles in the Labour Standard in 1881. After considering the functions of the unions as a means of regulating the rate wages resistance against capital he notes that this function 'does not exhaust our subject.' A struggle between great classes sociely necessarily becomes a political struggle', Engels

because the end goal is 'to abolish the wages system altogether: In South Africa, today the goal is the revolutionary overthrow of the apar theid system of rule.

Agreement principle of the need for unions to be fully involved in politics was a crucial factor which made possible the unity of the trade unions in South Africa. Ot course there were other important issues — in particular, the agreement registered on the non-racial character of the new federation. In addition, a

of organisational matters

were resolved. But above all, it is the understanding • of unions to wage resistance against the bosses. apartheid rule which registers such a remarkable advance with the birth of COSATU. the Unfortunately, Carter

Shot water judgements. For him, 'At the level of with won out completely tional principles organisation by industrial unionism, representation on the basis of dues paying membership, non-racialism are unmistakably those of FOSATU'.

Decisive points

Leaving aside the futile benefits of this entire exercise, Carter's assessment is just wrong. For a start, these were not the decisive points of contention between FOSATU and the ANC during the fusion 'two racialism' can hardly FOSATU's imprint alone! can anyone see COSATU's commitment to industrial unionism as "proof' of the stamp of FOSATU as opposed

SACTU WEen slogans Union, One Industry, One Country, One Federation'?

Equally paying membership. signing union Sonicac without community-based meetings was reJectea in ine rusion, out is wrong le give such weight to the practice of one particular union and then to identify

ANC' by

registering post-war years. wrong to

now

indispensible regime always

the nol only

but also against

also

"with his other

FOSATU The organisaof COSATU

In sum,

convergence gle. talks. 'Nonne seen And how

founding of SACTU were for 'One Barayi

on the issue of dues.

The method of

members, lalil. wayllicull

In Depth

it with the policies of either the ANC

And then 'FOSATU was right as opposed to the

There were differences between SACTU and FOSATU - including over the registration of unions and their participation in Industrial Coun cils. Right from the time it was form ed, SACTU led the resistence to any registration of unions, arguing that it undermined the unity of the workers movement and it would lead to a loss of independence.

When in 1979 the Wiehan Commission report stipulated that the new independent non-racial unions could register, FOSATU affiliates decided to register. For Carter, this decision was a mark of FOSATU's superior approach. Indeed, it leads to his judgment that FOSATU is "Leninist'. But

putting FOSATU's growth and development down to its 'intelligent use of legal openings', Carter turns things on their head

As FOSATU itself would explain, its growth ocurred because - despite

the union refused to give up its independent actions. SAC TU no doubt remained influenced by its earlier debates over registration. But this time round there is an impor

difference. Today, the mass movement and workers struggles are not going into a decline similar to the

- today is combined with a massive upsurge both of workers struggles and of community-based resistance.

Future battles

This fact leads on to an extremely important point involved in SACTU's general approach. It would be quite

assume that the open activities of the independent unions are

• a permanent fact of apartheid

some especially reprene iorm of boûrgeious democracy. It is therefore

IC maintain underground structures.

As SACTU puts it : 'Aslongas...

trade unionists face detention without trial, torture, and murder at the hands of the police, the occupation of their townships and the brutal strike-breaking tactics of the

and the bosses, there will be a need for SACTU. But this is seen by SACTU as complemen-

open organisation, not counter-posed as the article implies!

To make a principle criterion for Leninism — oul or lne tactic of registration is wrong. And it

disarms the South African masses as they prepare for future battles. At any rate, at the end of the day it wasn't a theorelical argument tha was won by either side, that led to COSATU's birth. Rather it was the common experience of the struggle which gave rise to its formation. In this, the successtul Iransvaal stay away strikes in November 1984 marked a turning point.

, Dick Carter is correct that COSATU's birth was based on the

of previousl counterposed views. But it occurred around a specific axis. Carter's article is misleading because he ignores the main question — and the main lesson of the experience of the recent months: the need for the unions to get more involved in the political strug-

Carter gets the basis of convergence wrong so he can't explain how, although the ANC-inspired unions were so organisationally weak

comparison to FOSATU or the NUM, many of the leaders of the new union federation - including Elijah

— were members of the ANC until it was banned

Finally dwelling on previous difterences between the torces that are today united is not the kind of contribuțion that we, as socialists in Bri-

can best make today ‹ lo ine South African revolution. However, Carter raised the issue. To allow his one-sided assessment to go by unchallenged may have proved to be an

Page 9 scan of this page

COSATU takes on Apartheid

International

Preamble to constitution

We the trade union representatives

here present firmly commit ourselves to a united, democratic South Africa,

free of oppression and economic ex-

ploitation.

We believe that this can only be

achieved under the leadership of a

united working class. Our historv has

taught us that to achieve this goal we

have to carry out the following • TASKS.

• 10 ortalise the

workers and build effective unions based the organisation of workers in the fac-

tories, mines, shops, farms, and other

workorces.

• Organise national

their worker members democratically elected committees.

• Unify these industrial unions, into a national, worker-controlled federation.

• Combat the divisions amongst the workers of South Africa and unite them into a strong wOrK Class

• Encourage democratic organisations and leadership in all spheres of our society together with other progressive sectors of the community.

Reinforce and encourage

gressive Inlemnanonal worker contact and solidarity SO as to assist one

We call on all those who identify with this commitment to join us and the workers wholl we coresent as comrades in the struggle ahead. We call on all trade unions to silve allu their members in their ranks without discrimination and predjudice,

shall determinedly seek to further and protect the interests of all and that its guiding motto shall be the universal slogan working solidarity: 'An injury to one is an injury to all.

Federalism

This congress noting that: dustrialisation South Africa's bitter history of in-

and exploitation has

for the netempon

attempts by the Create separate states and nations. 3. That the intention of the proposed federal system is to maintain and control in the hands of the present minority and perpetuate an oppressive and exploitative system. 4. That the demand of all progressive

aemocratic Africa is for a unitary state based on one person, one vote.

Resolves to: 1. Reject as a total fraud the new proposed federal solution.

Reaffirm

OUT venel in a unitary state based on one person, 3. Work towards the destruction of all barriers and divisions so that we are united irrespective of language, race,

And further believes that only with the total unification of all people into South Africa will we be able to rebuild our rich land and make a real contribution to breaking the chains poverty and economic

South Africa's new union

WHEN COSATU, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, was formed last year, it brought together unions whose membership totalled over half a million. It adopted resolutions on all the decisive political issues facing the black people of South Africa: on the kind of South African state it wanted, on the State of Emergency, on the homelands policy, on the pass laws, on women, and many other questions of civil rights, as well as on the basic trade union issues of the right to strike, the formation of the industrial unions, and inter-union co-operation in Southern Africa as a whole.

We reprint some of the resolutions agreed by COSATU, together with extracts from a recent speech by Oliver Tambo on the new union federation. Tambo's speech was broadcast over the ANC's Radio Freedom and was delivered on 8 January. The text is taken from a pamphlet issued by the ANC's Lusaka office.

that bind Africa

Allied Workers Union)

State of Emergency

1.

That the cause unorganised apartheid system, trade be no peace while it exists. democrane Calls for:

State of Emergency. industrial

through townships.

and confident

worker sperity.

Workers Union)

Bantustans proThe congress noting:

just struggie

2. That VarOus

Ullilc sed people and

Noting SAAWU wOrkers Workers Union) in the class banning

killing of trade unionists

tions.

Hereby resolves that:

together forces for

apartheid reconstruct fully prepared power tive means at our disposal. 3. That we are solutely opposed

South the idea and

tions of work.

those

vantustalls (Composite resolution)

Right to strike This federation noting:

class their

of exploitation

(Proposed by the Sweet, Food and

•This inaugural conference believing:

That the declaration of a State of Emergency has been used to wage a war of repression against all sections of the oppressed communities and to try to crush democratic organisations.

Not all South Africa is the existence of the

and that there can

1. For the immediate lifting of the

2. For the withdrawal of the SADF (South African Defence Force) and all apartheid security forces from the

3. For the unconditional release of all political prisoners and detainees, the unbalming or bannea marviauals anc organisation, as a prelude to the creation of a democratic South Africa where all shall live in peace and pro-t

(Proposed by the General and Allied

1. That the bantustan system was imposed on the African people, against their will, with a view to thwarting the Vote in a unitary South Africa. Une Person, One

bantustan administrations have practised extreme torms or oppression against the oppres

- including trade unions.

in particular the banning of Allied Ciskei, the the Bophuthatswana bantustan, and the

and orner democrats by tribally based organisa-

The bantustan system be totally rejected and that the federation struggle

other democratic to the creation of democratic and unitary South Africa. 2. We shall not hesitate to exercise our right to organise in plants based within the bantustans and that we are

defend ourselves agalst repression by walever elec"

completely and abto the super- rades exploitation occuring in tnese areas and declare our commitment to reject

Draculct workers receiving less wages and worse condi-

4. That we express our solidarity with

communities around Durban are struggling against being incorporated into the the

tegral

LOTS 1. That the strike is a legitimate right and necessary weapon of the working

struggle against bad working condition and low wages. 2. That the strike is internationally accepted as an essential element of

black shop steward who died recently in police custody

collective bargaining.

3. That freedom of associalion,

assembly, and picketing for strike ac-

tion are also fundamental rights, in-

ternationally, in an industrial strug-

4. That the infringement or curbing

of these rights is detrimental to the social and economic interests of the

WOrKerS *5. That the right to strike is severely curtailed in South Africa. 6. That a strike involves a democratic form of struggle. 7. That picketing is an integral part of a strike and of morally persuading fellow workers not to break a strike. 8. That essential service workers are not allowed to take industrial action in pursuing their demands.

Therefore resolves:

To continue a relentless campaign which will allow workers full freedom

association assembley, WE seize this occasion especially to welcome most warmly the formation of the Congress of South African Trade (COSATU). We extend to its leaders, its affiliated unions, and

the membership of unions the revolutionary ings of the ANC leadership, inside and outside our country, as well as those of our entire membership.

The struggle to form democratic trade union centre na. been hard and protracted. Many com-

have SOCIE working to achieve the result that was consummated with the formation of COSATU. We all acted in this manner convinced of the need for the unity of the working class of our country, of the imperative to defend and ad vance the interests of this class, and of

necessity for the organised, united, and conscious workers to remain in the front ranks and as an in-

part of the army revolution that is today snaking une apatheid system to its very founda-

The formation of COSATU has therefore added enormously to the strength of the democratic movement as a whole and is a victory which this movement must defend at all costs.

We appeal to those democratic

Police anti-riot tanks hover over demonstrators at the funeral of a

picketing for strike action.

removed

followed mutually

strikes.

measures to be outlawed. 3.0 campaign

tervention in disputes

Sums to establish strike runas

tees

equal rights.

and (Composite resolution)

TAMBO welcomes COSATU

Unions

both their leaders and members.

those greet-

bar their way to join COSATU.

Conges into tne

one

founding conterence hours

Lne general unions

unorganised and the These complishment rests on the shoulders both of COSATU and the democratic movement as a whole.

Fellow workers, 1986, we shall mark two historic anniversaries.

of

anniversary of the great mineworkers' strike of 1946 and the hundredth anniversary of May Day workers' solidarity day.

In connection anniversary of strike call democrațic forces, and especially the haue umon movement, to araw or the

Socialist Action 28 February 1986 This re-

legislation that denies these rights be forms of schulll) 2. To ensure that where workers have

agreed dispute

during such ment This requires that eviction form from accommodation and other such

and respond vigorously against police and state in-

strikes tices.

4. To fight for the right of trade OU.

5. To ensure that strikers are free to establish and control strike commit- mains the

South 6. To fight for the removal of the

and designation of essential services and principle that all workers be allowed to share trade unions which still remain outside the fold of COSATU to reconsider their positions. We are convinc ed of the maturity and honesty of

cordingly we are certain that at this critical moment in the history of an entire people and region they will find a way to overcome all obstacles that

Many problems remain to be solved to fashion the new trade union

instrument of working-class and national liberation that the delegates visualised at the

Durban.

These include the transformation of

into industrial unions and the organisation of the

unemployed. are important tasks whose ac-

enhance during the year

These are the fourtieth

- international

with the fourtieth the great entire ment

revolutionary traditions of the

Disinvestment

This congress: 1. Believes that all forms of intern tional pressure on the South Africa government including disinves

is an essential and effecti pressure African regime and we support it. 2. Further believes that it this gover ment remains intransigent in its racis antidemocratic, and antiworker pra

then this pressure will have! increase as ar act of solidarity wil

struggle for hoeration trom e ploitation and oppression.

. Commits ourselves to the social wealth of South Africa r

Africa for the benefit of al further of international workir class solidarity action with our stru (Proposed by CCAWUSA) ANC president Oliver Tambo African mineworkers in order

the contribution COT th workers to the cause of national an social emancipation.

It is totally unacceptable that u to its hundredth anniversary, Ma Day in South Africa has remained a ordinary working day. We therefor fully support the workers' deman that from 1986 onwards May Da should become a fully paid publi holiday. Our entire democratic move

must support the i calls trade union movement in the struggl to realise this demand.

Page 10 scan of this page

Reselection under threat-again!

Labour Party members lobby for democratic reforms to make the party more accountable, at the heyday of the democracy campaign in the early '80s. Today, and only three years after their election, the Kinnock-Hattersley leadership want 10 put those gains under the axe

10 THE LABOUR leadership is attacking Constituency Labour Parties' right to reselect MPs for the second time in two years. The organisational subcommittee of 10 February is proposing a working party

'widening the reselection of MPs. 'normal' NEC. On 26 February the NEC is only discussing Liverpool.

By Alan Freeman

This is Kinnockese for OMOV one memoel, one vote. removes the rigne or reselechon trom CLP and replaces it with a ballot individual members. Far

widening the franchise, it deprives all the atfiliated members (including over nive minon trade unionists) of any say in reselecuun al all.

Choice

The intent is also to move towards postal ballots, not just to wider involvement of individual party members.

One of the main witchainst Liverpool complaints ag-

District Labour Party is that votes

taken 111dividual members attending District Party members. can be assumed the NEC is not quite so conference procedure which has been the basis

ABOUR

REGIONAL Labour Party conference

fringe meetings organised jointly by the

Campaign Group, the Campaign for

Labour Party Democracy, and the Labour

Left Co-ordination:

Yorkshire:

Saturday 1 March, 12.30. Southcliffe Hotel,

South Marine Drive. Chair: Joan Maynard

Speakers: Bob Cryer, Jeremy Cuss (CLPD),

Black Section,

London:

Saturday 1 March, 12.30, Room 2, St Matthews

Place, opp. Lambeth Town Hall.

Chair: Joan Twelves. Speakers:

Alan Barclay (CLPD), Diane Abbott, Bernie

Grant, IRBG/LCI.

Scotland:

Saturday 8 March, 6.30, Station Hotel, Perth.

Chair: Eric Clarke. Speakers: Tony Benn, Gavin

Strang (CLPD), Ann Henderson (WAC).

North West:

Saturday 15 March, 5-7, Opera House Circle

Lounge Bar, Blackpool.

Chair: Les Huckfield. Speakers: Eric Heffer,

Michael Hindley (CLPD), WAC, Bill

Etherington.

West Midlands:

Saturday 15 March, 5.30.

Chair: Marje Bridle. Speakers: Tam Dalyell,

Amir Khan, CLPD.

East Midlands:

Safurday 15 March, 12-2, Parade Hotel, Grand

Parade, Skegness.

Chair: John Witby. Speakers: Diane Abbott,

Tony Benn, Dennis Skinner.

South West:

Saturday 15 March, 12.30, St George's Hall,

White Lion Hotel, Mary Arches Street, Cottage

Bar, Exeter.

Chair: Dawn Primarola. Speakers: Campaign

Group MP, Ray Davison (CLPD), Notts

Women Against Pit Closures, Exeter expellee.

Southern:

Chair: Bryn Griffiths. Speakers: Jeremy Corbyn,

Liz French, Val Price (CLPD).

Socialist Action 28 February 1986

franchise' for the The motion goes to the next

for disbanding a party and expelling Coullciliors.

By replacing delegate votes with individual

above all postal Dalluls. ballots, replaces

democracy of LIC Ical ward, section and CLP

where candicates can be miervewca

arguments heard and debated with largescale lobbying and votebuying. would gigantic step away from an activist, campaigning party towards an SDP-style, Access-card party.

Message

Two ference roundly defeated

from the such a proposal NEC because it did not get enough backing. The EETPU supported the NEC proposal but refused

support the ToWU said it Ollici. while would support the principle, but not the NEC proposal.

Winning with

socialist

policies

Women Against Pit Closures.

Tony Benn, le.

CAMPAIGN

for labour party

democracy

Turnock, speaking for the NEC at the end of the debate, said the NEC undertook not to raise the issue again because it had better things to do.

LAST Thursday 140 people crammed into Islington's Red Rose Club rally against apartheid.

Organised by Islington North and South Labour Parties and the Anti Apartheid Movement, the rally assembled local MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Chris Smith, SWAPO, the AAM, Essop Pahad from the ANC, and Tony Benn prediction come true

Sparkbrook Birmingham.

ing on the behalf of some members of the nationa executive committee to the debate on black : sections at

boasted that in his constituency there was a back coun cillor in each of the three wards. Nearly 50 per cent

Other Books:

The Other Books book service has a wide

selection of labour movement and other

radical literature, available by post. We

have a fine choice of books on South

Africa, which include:

Part of My Soul

Winnie Mandela, Penguin, 159pp,

£2.95 plus 25p postage.

To honour women's day: profiles of leading

women in the South African and Namibian

liberation struggles

IDAF, 56pp, £1.00 plus 22p postage.

Nelson Mandela: The struggle is my life,

IDAF, 208pp, f1.85 plus 46p postage.

Make cheques or postal orders payable to IMRS.

Orders with payment should be sent to: Other

Books, PO Box 50, London NI 2XP.

LABOUR ST BE LABOUR

MPS OSEN PARTY

Clearly now has nothing better to do. Five minutes before the end of the organisation subcommittee Jon Adams, who is also the socialist societies'

Islington rally against apartheid

MP. It took place on the same day that international bankers gave •LIC South African government year's financial Ronald Reagan made his space konala visit to Grenada.

Essop Pahad stressed that the fight against apartheid is a fight against imperialism. The South Africa regime had declared war on the country's black population, he

Black section statement on Sparkbrook

IN A statement of June 1984 the Labour Party black section warned the Labour leadership of a mass exodus of black people from the party unless the party began to practise racial equality. Our warnings were not heeded. It gives us no pleasure to witness our

with the formation of the Democtatic Party, which now has 300 members, in

of Sparkbrook's electorate are black: 500 of the 700 Val Ly It's true that members : are black.

councillors representing the constituency three are black. But we would lave admitted shameful representation with

• NOT BY

PRIME

MINISTER

and Coops delegate to the national • executive committee, moved a motion to go to the NEC calling for a working party to be set up on the issue.

said. The South African arms budget is greater than

most black the Nyc ot African countries

The ANC, he argued. is the only organisation with an army fighting apartheid, the organisation rame that can sh with

He said there was a mass soontaneous response from the youth of South Anca identifying with the ANC, marching under there uncilors Mr Hat- regret. Now two the tersley used to bolster the credentials of his constituency have been expelled from the party.

It was the expulsion of councillor Amir Khan for forming cuisuilucil black section that finally activated the exodus.

Councillor Amir Khan has been an outstanding representative of the community with a remarkable record. The founder of the Denlocialu Party and others finally decided the Labour Party was beyond

THE CAMPAIGN to get black sections candidate Kingsley Abrams elected for the LPYS place on Labour's national executive was dramatically strengthened last week.

Vauxhall black section passed a motion supporting Kingsley Abrams and calling on Linda Douglas to stand down and support the black sections national campinga Doulas is tee

Linda Douglas Militant candidate for the place and a member of

NOT BY

FLEET

STREET

Protests Were raised that business could not suddenly placed on the agenda without due warning. In the past the left has always been prevented

ANC colours, (an offence for which you can get five years' jail), and carrying

AK47s funerals.

Groups of youth stoning the police often consider themselves irregular units Umkhonto we Sizwe. the ANC army. This spontaneous response gave the ANC great responsibility to lead and structure a combination of armed struggles and mass

reform.

At the last general election Labour received one million votes from the black community (one ir eight of Labour's votes) Over 40 Labour MPs owe their seats in the House of We fear that black electorate. unless abour grants black members the legitimate right to organise in black sections, the Democratic Party will grow beyond 300 members and beyond Bir-

The LaDOUl Party must stop the rot

Vauxhall backs Kingsley

Vauxhall party She attended the Vauxhall black section meeting to seek support her Call didature. The motion she

calling for Vauxmoved hall black section to seek support for her candidature, no seconder. meeting

donated t25 to the black sections national calvalls in of Kingsley.

Meanwhile the Youth Fightback editorial board a motion calling for support for Kingsley fell by nine votes to twelve.

The motion read: "As

NOT BY

THEA

SELVE!

from raising issues wanted discussed, on these grounds. time the chair overruled the objec tion and the motion passed Neil Kinnock seconding

political action

'The South African working class,' he said concludig held back. The mass ac tions cannot be halted.

Tony Benn called for full support for the strug gle, including the military struggle. He stressed the need for internationalism in the class struggle in Britain. A collection raised over f200 for the ANC and SWAPU

and must do it now.

We must make it abSO ULCE cleal that the Labour Party black section or any of its members has had nothing whatso ever to do with the forma tion of the Democratic Party. However we sym-

Path its formatione one

formation. The black section cannot support independent candidates candidates of other parties in opposition

officially endorsed Labour Party candidates.

most comrades will know Kingsley Abrams from the black sections vouth com mittee is standing for the LPYS place on the Labour Party NEC . His platform

general a Mouth with that Fightback against all witch hunts, for the self-organisation the op pressed,

of routh Frigiback's at

Fightback's affiliated YS branches have already nominated Kingsley This EB should agree

support his and participate in the campaign committee which is being set up.

Page 11 scan of this page

AUEW: support for Tocher grows

Net

Regional Young

Socialist conferences Scotland By Gerry Kirk, delegate, Dumbarton LPYS WITH 250 people including delegates trom over 40 LPYS branches, the Scottish LPYS conference in Glasgow on 22-23 February was the largest in the country this year.

Guest speakers included George Johannes of chair Johnnie Walker and SOGAT's Bob Gillespie, who called for labour movement solidarity just as Robert Maxwell was locking out 1050 workers from his Glasgow Daily Record plant.

But conference did not endorse the campaigning priorities to grasp this potential. Though 10 of the 67 resolutions took up apartheid and George Johannes called for 'no buts' in backing the South African liberation struggle, resolutions from Edinburgh Central and Dumbarton YS which called tor an ANC tour, publicity for the AAM and priority

Also defeated was a resolution from Dumbar-

Johnnie Walker made a strong attack on expulsions and purges and all anti-witch-hunt resoluapologise for Kinnock's action by claiming Liver-

On Saturday fifty people came to a Youth Action fringe meeting to hear Joe McQuillan and black and Irish people needed from the labour

meeting next day took the discussion further, with a speaker from Sinn Fein and Alan Smart, president of NUS Scotland. 60 came.

North West

By Martin Marriott, AUEW, Gorton LPYS delegate THIRTY THREE delegates came to the North West LPYS January: The issues were clear from the first discussion around a resolution calling for support for the black sections and a cam-

Farm in defence of the youth of Broadwater the tone for the rest of the conference including the

final debate on South Africa, in which conference

rejected a resolution supporting the tional Congress and backing the Anti-Apartheid

Movement.

25 people came to a Youth Action fringe speaker from the Anti-Apartheid Movement, and to hear Les Huckfield,

Kingsley Abrams.

East Midlands

NOTTINGHAM, 22-23 February,

uninspired event

wanting to fight Tory attacks.

Discussions on Nicaragua and South Africa

were dropped due to lack of time. 'The highlight of

the conference was when it was addressed by Den-

nis Skinner MP. Other than that the conference

was largely a rehash of rhetoric with no proposals

for action. The exception was Leicester West, who

proposed recognition of the UDM, the expulsion

of the Militant and support for the EETPU. South West

By Sandy Burke, Bristol West LPYS Delegate

SOUTH WEST region LPYS conference on

15 February was much smaller than previous

years. Only 21 delegates came, representing

12 YS branches. Three were unable to attend

as they had been suspended by the right wing.

motion called for links with the Anti-Apartheid

movement and the ANC. It was passed, but the

bulk of the contributions dealt with support tor

COSATU, which speakers tried to counterpose to

backing the ANC. Summing up, the regional com-

mittee attacked the 'individual terror' tactics of the

ANC and counterposed it to the non-racial trade

unions. However it recommended support for the

motion, which commits the region to support the

AAM and the boycott

meetings with ANC speakers.

thouch ILl youln

Abrams explain what kind of support conference on 15-16

After a strong debate it was defeated, setting

Atrican Na-

Euro-MP,

saw with little to offer youth For the longest debate, on South Africa, the

campaign and hold

ABOUT 250 AUEW members rallied in Wolverhampton on Sunday campaign of Broad Left candidate John Tocher for the union's presidency. Tocher, who trailed right winger Bill Jordan by 22,000 votes in the first ballot, faces a hard fight when ballot papers go out for the second round of the election in early March.

In his keynote speech, court of law. We've got to

tracks the threat to us all.

will I truck and

dressed by Duncan Boyd, Teachers Alliance

FROM THE outside, life in the schools would ap-

pear to be dominated by the pay dispute. This being

true, it is nevertheless the case that one factor that

has enabled the National Union of Teachers to

maintain its fight has been the growing strength of

DeTi LONGUI

exists three definable cur-

terms of existing support;

Brouping with pockers of

support in a few branches,

which has never

erioush challenged

A on e e ano nas

sectarian attitude to it.

The ILTA election was

particularly Imortalll

because it came just atter a

witch-hunting

the STA by the Times

16 Februáry to support the

AUEW branch secretary for Fleet Street. Boyd requested the boycott of all

mass deminstrations to the Wapping site every Satur-

committee and branch in Lave

Airlie argued that: 'John Call-

but the candidate of all

London elections show

growing support for Socialist

By Ray Sirotkin

aclive

campaign to a barrage of attacks on the incumbent STA leadership, posturing as the true defenders teachers' interests. Indeed, they even suggested that the STA was no different from the Inner London Education Authority, then suggest that the ILEA was no different from the Militancy on the up: Inner London teachers giant rally on 23 January

minded peall progressive paper of all

Rather than outlining a course or action — m sup port of trade unionists, including AUEW members, in Fleet Street, against the privatisation of Leyland Vehicles and Land Roverperspective Airlie outlined Was

criticised by Socialist Ac-

it is action by the members

the key to electoral victory

active membership organ-

passivity and demoralisation upon which Laird and

battle on three fronts

DOSSCI the olher hand ershignised

that a serious approach to

terms of action based sole-

gle of teachers as a whole.

only about 30 per cent

of ILTA teachers voted —

nowever

when education is

past by the NUT, it is im-

portant to appreciate the

character of the leader-

shop of ILTA. It is the

of encersal which

needed nationally within

the NUT which under-

stands the need to fight but

breaks from the past sec-

tarianism of much of the

left in the union.

Socialist Action 28 February 1986

North Wales slate

workers plan rally

have altered the sign at

the legend 'the world's

have beer

the Ffestiniog Slate Company manager changed the bonus scheme. Under his 1icv

producing 200 more slates each day but losing £28.50

packer the company director sent

Two of the

have refused to negotiațe

If the 42 are not

Welsh speaking communi-

and has been behind

launch 'no scabs'

petition

ALREADY more than

500 people in the Cynon

Valley village of Aberc-

wmboi have signed a

protest petition against

the return of superscab

Paul Watson.

Spearheading the cam-

paign are Aberc-

By Sue Reid

wmboi women's support

set up after five

men were dismissed from

the Phurnacite coking

the end of the

miners strike. Paul Wat

, the only scab in the

valley, was responsible for

getting them the sack after

he accused them of spit-

ting at him.

Watson transferred to

management were finding Notts lasl ycal because

much trouble to

keep him in Abercwmbol,

11 us: "The scabs can't go Is

com

The strikers and th

the miners strike have bee

Party members and Plai

Marc strikers

hopefull

cola coo.

Oral

Blaenc

TGWU, Plaid Cymru ar

of su

fror Distine Fund, TGWU

Caernarfo

Aberewmboi women

where feelings against hi ran high. Now he wants come back, sa! because he is home sick! is rumoured that the !! reason is the oppositi from workers he is findi in his new job

But the mining co which ear the nicknar

Scargill Valley during

don't want

back. ine women s s

port group warn that if

returns mne reacion wu

be dramatic

Roberts,

group chair told us: •T

response to the petit

has been first class.

circulating throughou:

Cynon Valley and wil!

sent to the Notts he

quarters of

Fuels, owners

where Watson worked

til last September

Page 12 scan of this page

HE ENEMY

PRESIDENT FERDINAND Marcos, for 22 years dictator of the Philippines, power at the very moment we go to press. Last week's disastrous election finally convinced a reluctant administration that risks attendant on holding him there outweighed therisks of ousting him. real credit for his fall guerillas, trade unions movement.

ne decision has nothing to do with a new-found love tor democracy Indeed, the speed at which the anti-Marcos operation has been put together, and the size of the forces raigned him, demonstrates just how easy it would be for the US

depose dictators throughout the world who cling to it for support and receive its backing in the name of the war against communism. If the United States pulled the plug on South Africa's racist rulers, they would drown within months.

The US administration realised after the election

Marcos could no longer hold line against the guerillas of the New People's and the growing mass, militant opposition assembled such organisations as the KMU (the leading Philip-

RATES Inland 6 months £8; 12 months £15

12 mombs only) : £17; Air Mail E24

-render institutions)

Address

Please send me as special offer..

SOCAiNE

ACTiON

Marcos gets

is being driven from

But the lies with the Philippines and anti-imperialist

pines trade union) and the National Democrane Front (the Communist Party of the Philippine's mass anti-imperialist front).

Washington ha been

• pushing Pointtrained General Ramos, the spearhead of the antiMarcos coup, against Marcos' crony General Ver for the last few years. During the election campaign the fractious Philippines middle and business classes united around the figurehead of Corazon Aquino.

Breaking Marcos'

dangers carries for US Hally imperialism. He has presided over a low-wage economy of mass misery and grin-

multinationals.

Now, only mass repression can hold back the growing revoluonary headed by the CPP. The

SUBSCRIBE

I enclose cheque/PO payable to Socialist Action for £

Socialist Action Subs, PO Box 50, i London NI 2XP.

the push

danger is that the expectations raised by dumping

will uncontainable.

until the wav. last Reagan was still urging Comoronse between Marcos and Aquino while Reagan's nawks. like Jean Kirkpatrick, wanted hold out against dumping Marcos.

The unparalled scenes surrounding his attempts

cling power demonstrate the dangers.

Aquino, who comes from one of the wealthiest families in the Philippines, has already given the USA all the guarantees it has been seeking for its continued economic and military dominance. The bases will stav

The radical rhetoric about redistribution wealth has been carefully tempered with guarantees for foreign investors. Most significant of she has retracted earlier calls for the repeal of the notorious Amendment Six, a Marcos constitutional device which gives ine presiden sweeping powers to make up detain opponents.

One thing, however, seems next to certain: Marcos, once the US's most trusted puppet, is finally, after 22 years of misery for the people of the Philip-

pines, getting push.

The sooner, the better.

Special free book offer!

Take out a years inland subscription and we will send you free one of these books:

On Afro American History

by Malcolm X

For The Struggle is My Life by Nelson Mandela

Special offer four months issues for

YEDICKDAY

TOMORROW

RHILIPPINES

establishment to put over a simple message victimised miners have not been forgotten.

Thousands of other miners and supporters, unable to take Monday morning off work, are still coming to London on Sunday tor me demonstraton and rally. Four coaches are booked by the Yorkshire area executive

Each coalfield in the country has been mobilis ed. Day new coaches are NUM branches respond to the national union's mail ing encouraging all bran-

ches and areas to support

Mineworkers Campaign.

In the London organis-

ing office, with the team of

sacked miners from

around the country, 3101

the last two weeks it has

been clear that 2 March

last-ditch effort.

Twelve months after the

end of the strike, all the

victimised miners have

started to SOUK to the

future: When will our

money run out? Will I ever

get my job back? Are we

TO COLiCI.

The movement has

responded with tremen-

dous success. It is hoped to

NICARAGUA

MAERDY

WIVES

SUPPORT

THE MINERS concert at the Royal Albert Hall is already a sellout. From the start this has been an ambitious project, but the mining communities and their supporters have filled this bastion of the

- the

raise up to £20,000 from the concert's fund-raising.

New standing orders to the NUM solidarity fund for By Dick Withecombe the victimised miners will be circulated, but above all SUSELE the Mineworkers Campaign will be launched nationally with a simple message

we will NOMe them!

executive has decided to positively in, CHicoulas and guide the campaign. A directive has been mailed out to branches tor them to affiliate.

Over the next month each and Women

Against Pie Coursel

elecung their delegate onto the campaigns national council.

The NUM will be par ticipating with the miners' support groups and supporters to launch Justice for Mineworkers Campaigns in each Labour Party region.

With the NUM'S money for the victimised miners perilously close to

Justice for the miners!

running dry, the first maor asko me model will be massively increasIng us runa-raising.

The Albert Hall concert's success has bought important time. It is now planned to have repeat concerts around the coun try, starting in Scotland.

An open air concert is being organised at Orgreave on 14 June, two years after the events there during the strike.

The bedrock of the however, will be regular and systematic fund-raising in the labour movement: a campaign for standing orders, the systematic raising of levies through the unions,

continuous tours for sack-

What you can do:

details. • Set up a Justice for the Mineworkers Campaign in your region. • Circularise the Labour Party and TUC resolutions through the labour movement together with standing orders for the NUM's

miners:

W1.

Led miners.

The focus for this cam. paigning will be the resolu tions the NUM fought for and won at the Labour TUC CUTE ferences. This will be built through the Justice Bill, launched in parliament on 27 February, and the Justice pamphlet produc ed by the Campaign group of Labour MPs Having won these posi tions in the labour movement despite leadership opposition, they will now campaiene for throughout the move.

• See page 5 for the NUM in Notts, and pages 6-7 fo with Bill Etherington.

• Affiliate to the campaign: see page 7 for full solidarity fund - obtainable from the campaign • Organise meetings and tours for the sacked

• Order the new pamphlet Justice, £1.95 plus postage, from: Verso, 15 Greek Street, Londo