Socialist Action No. 144, 20 June 1986
The scan: 144-jun-20-1986-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.
Page 1 scan of this page
TEND BRITISH COMPLICITY IN APARTHEID! BREAK ALL UNKS WITH SOUTH AFRICA
ERNAMBIA& SOUTHAFRICA! SATURDAY JUNE 28
MARCH
ACTiON
FOR FREEDOM
INSIDE
Millions commemorate Soweto uprising p12
End British complicity with apartheid p12
The 10th anniversary of SOWETO p Speech by COSATU general secretary p7
Reinstate Khan and Scally p2
No. 144 20 June 1986 30p
COSATU
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NEC goes full steam ahead on Liverpool expulsions
2 Socialist Action 20 June 1986
ACTiON SOCiALiSt
BUILDING AN ALLIANCE FOR SOCIALISM
Fitting the left
together
DESPITE THE witch hunt by Neil Kinnock, and despite much clarification which re
sion but a political
same basic forces
entire development
the labour movement. trade union
Solidarity.
Telegraph, Economist,
perspective
The second
although LPYS.
tory positions wider than the political project Gay Rights, Labour
The reason the
their demands. the Black
supports Black Sections, members voted against the Anglo-Irish Accord for example.
In turn these key campaigns in the Labour Party are based on the most militant and most oppressed sections of society - the miners and mining communities, the women, the big cities, the thosersuffering Pose on because to ren
orientation, and the destruction of the weltare state. these forces reflect themselves both through the trade unions and through the party. The key task on the left today is bringing these forces together which political agenda for the left.
But behind the differentiating political current in the labour movement today lie profound social bases. These social shifts are increasingly shaking the labour movement.
They simply ways. he
towards political
new-
is also extremely
Times, Guardian,
the rest of the
the policies
Kinnockites.
They
inThe current is that of
the Women's
It has support,
The Campaign
whose leading
black community,
people of Ireland,
fighting unemployment
involves setting a clear
DENNIS SKINNER:
"The witch hunt
THE WHOLE atmosphere in the party is one of trying to pick on the weakest links and to extend the witch hunt. Then, having created an atmosphere of
many of those being expelled have been indentified. That, in my view, has been the plan from the very pened on Monday 9 June, in the Amir Khan, Kevin
suitucky.
tuency and, when his ex-
Moved oul
television programme con-
execute committee, Eddie Haigh, moved that the three be suspended for nine monLUS. Although I believe they should have been cleared of all the charges, I seconded that as an option which might succeed. The
against were Cyril Ambler VULC was 2:2. and Ken Cure.
Cure, along. with the
national officer, David Hughes, prepared the report to the committee in the first
I argued that he DESPITE a High Court ruling.
could take action against the NEC decision to expel him, the Labour leadership is relentlessly pressing
members. Mulhearn was booted out of the party in the first round of expulsions which took place at a special national executive committee meeting 21-22 May. Ian Lowes and Tony Aitman were also expelled during the same session.
Last Thursday and Fri day, 12-13 June,
purge. Derek Hatton was By Carol Turner expelled in round two of the NEC special meeting, despite his absence on Liverpool city council business. It is likely that Hatton wil follow Muhearn into the courts to contest this decision.
The protests of Davia Blunkett reported in the press last week unal rignl wingers such as Ken Cure and Charles Turnock should be 'replaced' are completely hollow Blunkett and others have
the slightest degree opposed to the witch hunt they would simply prefer to see it carried out with a lighter touch.
Also expelled during
the Thursday session were
Richard Venton and Roger
balunisiel. They were
bridgehead is widening'
we have had a judge's rul-
should act as judge
ceeded to say that the having a different form of
Another recommendation, that the appeals be rejected, was then moved and seconded by Cyri Ambler and Roy Hattersley. Hattersley had the right to be present at the appeals and mediation committee as an officer of the party. But, as member of parliament for Sparkbrook he is at the centre of this controversy. I believe he ought not to have turned up to that meeting.
His vote : was vital. It resulted in the recommenParty president Tony Tony Mulhearn
dation that the appeals be rejected being carried 3:2.
During the six month dispute on the NEC about
Helens North constituency, John Evans, the MP there, has meticulously refused to take part in the preoceedings. He has insisted his name be recorded as not voting. Hattersley didn't follow his fellow right winger in this regard.
At the national ecutive committee following the appeals and mediation committee, Hattersley used his very vital vote along with Cure, part of carry ne day by 13 votes to the enquiry team 12.
What happened at the 9 June NEC means that the bridgehead of the witch hunt has been widened. Party members should understand that it is not lust a matter ot at. tacks on Militant. The witch hunt has now broadened out those who, like the three Birmingham members, have the temerity to appear on a television prograinnie
If the party leadership is going to gag members who appear on TV won't be many people left How many times the shadow cabinet.
do we hear_leading members of the Labour Party saying things on television pro-
that members outside parliament would District Labour Party vice president Terry Harrison on Friday who became the seventh Liverpool member to be kicked out of the par ty by the Labour Header ship
The the scenes adopted by special NEC are clearly For example with the ex-
ception of Felicity ing and Terry Harrison
Dennis Skinner rather they never said?
That what these three Sparkbrook bers did: they got involved in controversies mingham and put their views to the media. Expelling them is almost like saying that media controversy is the prerogative only of those party members fortunate enough to get inside the Palace of Westminster.
And that suggests there can be two forms membership in the party. Those who are MPs or in the House of Lords, with the freedom to take part in media woe betide any rank and controversy But (who are likely to lose their jobs as a result of their ex-
have beal dose charged
representation at the NEC been denied hearings. At the same time though, the NEC voted to have its own legal advisor on hand throughout the proceedings.
It has been made plair to NEC members that to vote that those charged are members of the Militant tendency is to automatically endorse their expuision. With the exception of the seven who have consistently opposed witch hunts that is, Francese nurran Eric Clarke, Frances Joan Maynard, Jo Richardson and Dennis Skinner ever see coe . NEC who has taken part in
proceeding at is witch hunter. includes the so-called soft lett such David
Blunkett, Michae Meacher Sam McCluskie and Tom Sawyer.
"The scandalous treatment of the Birmingham comrades emphasises once
the leaders have transformed the NEC into a kangaroo court, said Tony Mulhearn, referring to the expulsions last week
Amir Khan, Kevin Scally and Mohammed Ratique.
Analysis
file members who manage to express unel point o view on a television pro gramme!
imperative whole Labour Party understands what is happening. The bridgehead is widening and the policies pursued and car
at party conference
if this witch hunt hysteria cortiles
That is what the expulsions of Amir Khan, Kevin Scally and Mohammed Rafique represent: a further broadening of the base : which is now under attack. "That is the reason that I have been to the High •Court: to stop the NEC decision to expel me, didn't allows the that . they
allow me a witness wouldn't allow me lega
and because the ieader of the party actually introduced evidence against me, after I had left, which has beer deciared inadmissable because it is gossip in an LCC docu
which is recognised as lies.
He added: "They ruthlessly abusing their authority to clear out good socialists from the party'
The current round of purges have not yet been completed. A further ses sion the NEC necessary to finish off the Liverpool 1l. But the ex-
pulsions last week of the
Birmingham comrade • show thạt it is not only so. called Militant supporter
Liverpool who are under attack
The witch hunt offenbroadened sive has been
out by the Labour leadership. In the run up to conference in the autumn the party must be flooded with resolutions that demand reinstatement of those
• 6л pelled and a halt to this purge.
Page 3 scan of this page
Campaign Group, Black Section, CLPD say: Reinstate Khan and Scally!
Politics Today
of socialists in the party.
natural justice and pointed out that
defence campaign to fight these attacks.
KEVIN SCALLY:
FOR 15 YEARS I have
In une
the of Sparkhill
brook performed func-
member-
to member-
the On Dal Ly
three addresses
exist. plications,
The varied.
Some had
behalf of persons
applicants
no reason to
raised the matter DalLY the general committee February 1984 and it was agreed that enquiry would be carried out. late 1984 an enquiry was held, with the involvement of Freda Westwood, the regional officer.
considered
I nis only speeding the applications through the ward by doing
with the procedure away for checking. There was no enquiry the circumstances in waten use persons applica-
AT A PRESS conference called last Wednesday, 11 June the Campaign Group of Labour MPs, the Labour Party Black Section, the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD) and Witch Hunt News demanded the reinstatement of the three Birmingham-Sparkbrook party members expelled two days earlier by the Labour Party national executive committee. Reporting on the decision of the appeals and mediation committee, and the NEC which met later that day to uphold its recommendation, Dennis Skinner said this was clear proof that the base of the witch hunt was being broadened. He called on all party members to resist the purge
The expulsions were attacked by Paul Sharma speaking on behalf of the Black Section. He condemned violations of
would be clearly seen as racist by the black community. Sharma appealed for support for the fight for reinstatement of Amir Khan, Kevin Scally, and Mohammed Rafique.
On these pages we reprint the statements by Dennis Skinner and Kevin Scally made to the press conference, together with interview with Amir Khan. The events of last week represent a deepening of the witch hunt within the party. The determination of the Labour leadership to press ahead with expulsions shows the need for a broadly-based
I am calling again for
irregularities to be investigated'
tions had been found to be irregular applied to join, or the reasons.
Complaints about the Kevin Scally
nature of the enquiry did not result in any further investigation. In May 1985 I was approached be the programme, I ne Bandung File, and I spoke about Lue regularities. The programme was broadcast in Septmeber 1985.
In November 1985 was meeting expelled attended bi at GC Mr
Roy Hattersley. At the GC meeting prior to my expulsion Mr Hattersley spoke and called for the 'boil to be lanced'.
My appeal against expulsion was heard by MI Ken Cure of the Labour Party NEC and he recommended that my appeal should be rejected. BOLT Mr Hattersley and Mr Cure attended the NEC on 9 June and voted to accept
the expulsion of Khan that recommendation
The recommendation Was accented bi to 12. I am advised that the NEC decision was made in breach the rules of natural justice.
The decision was reported in both the Guardian and the Telegraph as being based on a finding that I had committed irregularities recruiting large numbers of members. This is untrue
am advised, libellous. understand that the articles were based on a Labour Party press brenng altnougn unis nas been denied by the party.
I am now calling again for the irregularities to be investigated. If a proper investigation is carried out I have no doubt that I will be reinstated In une pally.
Meanwhile I am asking the Labour Party plain the basis for the press reports, and confirm that the decision of the NEC will included the NEC report to party conterence in accordance will the Labour Party rules. I have seen correspondence with David Hughes, the party's national organiser. claiming that such actions by the NEC will not be reported to conference.
would like to stress that in carrying our duties in the ward I was seeking to uphold the constitution and principles of the party. There has neve been any element of a personal attack on Mr Hattersley.
• Further information
from Kevin Scally,
021-777 8588 (evenings) 01 Bernie 8323 (day time).
AMIR KHAN:
CUTE
MARCH
RALLY
AND tee conducted the enquiry
voted.
My solicitor feels that the way in which my expul-
handled represents breach natural justice. I will now be consulting him about further
I will also be lobbying mv union tor subnort have been a member of the TGWU for 15 years, and a shop steward for three of them. I was heartened that Eddie Haigh on the appeals and mediation committee did not vote for my expulsion. But union support has to go further than this.
Birmingham-Sparkbrook expelled me for setting up Labour Party Black Section. But for me It Is a matter of principl
the black people ganise
oreanst ourselves. White comrades should not tell us how to do that.
I was expelled because Roy Hattersley feels threatened and embarrassed by Black Sections. This is an issue of politics, not a personality conflict.
The only reason I have been formally given for my expulsion was that I spoke to the press and criticised my local MP As a black councilor, 1 snoula nave the right and the freedom lo speak lo une press. Inis is a political expulsion
the Sparkbrook Decause establishment doesn't want a Black Section.
Don't forget though, Sparkbrook is one of the most deprived areas in the country. The fact is that black people in Birmingham are living in ap-
'I will fight for however long it takes'
I AM disappointed that the NEC did not have the sense to overturn my expulsion. From the start I have not been satisfied with the proceedings. Ken Cure who chairs the appeals and mediation commit-
into the Sparkbrook fiasco in the first place. And the fact that Roy Hattersley sat on this committee is also prejudicial. His attendance could well have influenced how people
palling conditions: black unemplovment is 60 cent; housing conditions are really bad.
Black people are looking for progressive policies to begin to solve these problems. They're not getting them from the local Labour Party and that's why they are keen to set up a Black Section Black Section meets unofficially Sparkbrook, and we discuss pro-
we are going to launch a Birmingham-wide Section, from Wil conference which take place in a couple of months time Une Black Section acluss Birmingham will put us in a much stronger postion and create broader base for the politics we want to discuss.
I think that will be a big step towards helping create Black Sections across the whole country.
There is already a black causus on Birmingham ciColnCu Summerfield caucus, which has had its tirst sucCess We were responsible for getting the first black chair of the urban renewal commitLeC That comrade 1s now on the executive of the council Labour group.
This is the first time we have threatened the right wing control of Birmingham council This will grow and we will see some more changes on the council as a result.
Black party members in Brimingham are determined to carry on with Black Sections despite my
Socialist Action 20 June 1986
TODEON
LIVE
expulsion. If is takes 10 or 20 more expulsions, so be
They are saying to tHemselves 'if people so frightened of Bask Sec. al C tions, there must something to them'.
The only way out of the crisis black people face in Birmingham is for us to or callist together organisation to force the
take up these issues. In the past we've had the Pakistani Workers Association, the Indian Workers Association, the Bangladeshi Workers Association.
Black Section has brought all black people together under one umbrella. I feel very proud to be part of that organis-
THE Campaign Group will
port comrades who have temporarily
party.
Black Section
sparkorook consuluenc.
who abused and manipulated Asian
maintain the white
Sparkbrook.
'bringing the party into disrepute.
the party's national leadership
ternal division rather than defeating the Tories
hunts.
3
BY BRITAIN'S LEADING ASIAN BANDS
IN AID OF CHARITY FOR THE ETHIOPEAN
FUND NON tion, am already getting massive support against expulsion. Since the Sparkbrook party expellec Kevin Scally and me w have been up and down the tings. Letters of sup speaking meetings. port have flooded in That will continue despite the NEC decisior week. two days after that meeting £300 had been raised in Birm-
paign. Inal Is couraging.
People are furious al the Birmingham expulsions. will carry on fighting until I get back in to ine party however long that takes.
Campaign Group
continue to fight against the witch hunt, and will continue to sup-
had their membership refused. We will continue that battle not only up until the annual conference, but if it is not won there we will continue the battle after the annual conference for their reinstatement into the AMIR Khan organised a Black Section in the
of the party's deputy leader Roy Hattersley. This followed a boast from Hattersley that 'my Asians' don't want an organt ed voice of their own in the CLP. Kevin Scally ex posed the corruption of right wing party workers
voters to 'rotten borough' of Both were summarily expelled for
We have demanded an inquiry into the corrupt practices being used in Sparkbrook but our call las gone unheeded, despite a prima facie case cortprehensively being made by a black television programme which investigated allegations. Instead
- hell-bent on is-
have embarked headlong on a programme of witch
Page 4 scan of this page
Labour Left Liaison formed
4 Socialist Action 20 June 1986
Campaign Group
News goes to eight
pages
FOR FOUR months the Campaign group of MPs have been publishing Campaign Group News. This month it produces its first eight page issue. significance and possibilities of Campaign Group News.
Campaign Group News is edited by the Campaign group — its editors being Bob Clay, Joan Maynard and Alan Meale. The Campaign group, together with the NUM, clearly has majority sup-
What makes Campaign Group News unique and important already is its genuine openness to campaigns in the party. This is in line with the original statement of the Campaign group of its regarding the seemingly inactive and isolationist role of the PLP in relation to the rest of the Labour and trade union movement.' Members of many different campaigns and organisations have contributed to the initial numbers of Campaign Group Newsy.
Those writing in the first few issues have in-
secretary Narendra Makenji, and Paul Sharma; leaders Diane Abbott, Mandy Moore, and Ann Pettifor; articles by the chair of the Justice for Mineworkers Campaign, Bill Etherington; Women Against Pit Closures National Committee member Ann Suddick; the secretary of CLPD Vladimir Derer; the Treasurer of the Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Rights Peter Purton. Campaign Group News produced a special all women's issue for
Campaign Group News extends itself internationally in this latest issue with an interview with
Group News has carried uniquely detailed information on the witch hunt. These are in addition to regular articles by Labour MEPs in the European parliament, and
Campaign Group News is not a publication like Tribune in which, all too often, you find journalists writing about the struggles of other people. Campaign Group News, particularly through the space it gives to the campaigns in the party, directly reflects what is going on and the words of those
Kinnockite left engage in what might be called the 'politics of style without substance.' ample, make gestures, write long articles, glossy advertisements etc about women and black people. But they refuse to actually support the demands that the Women's Action Committee or the Black
able to link up with the key struggles, campaigns inside and outside the party their demands. That is why its pages are open to
Many people have obviously collaborated to growth will be a tremendous aid to every campaign in the party.
Campaign Group News
Labour must end
nuclear power
IN THIS ISSU
• Campaign Group News can be ordered from the Campaign Group of Labour MPs, c/o Alan Meale (secretary), SWIA OAA. 30p for one issue or f5 for a year's subscription.
CAROL TURNER looks at the
activity of the PLP, of the Guardian and other papers of the
House of Commons, London
LEFT WING organisation in the Labour Party took a major step forward on Monday 9 June with the formation of the Labour Left Liaison (LLL). This
CLPD executive and has the potential to most influential left wing organisation in the party since the end of the Rank and File Mobilising Com.
of the new organisation.
Labour Women's Action Committee (WAC) and from the Labour Party Black Section were agreed — subject to ratification by these organisations. Ann Pettifor, of WAC, chaired the initial meeting.
founding meeting of LIL the Black Section, Labour
Labour Briefing,
tional. The Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay
(LCLGR)
(LCI) has also been invited. comenuee alu
power
Was
nol were ore acculc a lul-
Six Campaign Group supports Black Section
ON Wednesday 11 June, the Campaign
Group became the first group of Labour
MPs to commit itself to supporting Black
Sections. We had
secretary Alan Meale told Socialist Action
'and the group recognised the principle of
black people's right to have Black Sections.'
Sponsored by the Campaign Group of Labour MPs and published by the Chesterfield Labour
experience charts the course of the party
last two years, especially drawing out the effects
of the miners strike on the alliances which the
Chesterfield party have been building.
established on the basis of proposals of the
Vladimir Derer, secretary of CLPD, is secretary
Chairpersons from the
Advisory Committee; the
places on the NEC by the colicieuce.
CLPD's resolution against one member one vote and
tablity; the LCI resolution opposing the Anglo-Irish
WILC hunts and on establishing an appeals tribunal. Most of these have been printed proposed bv discussion,
CAMPAIGNING
FOR SOCIALISM
Party with a foreword by Tony Benn, Campaigning for Socialism: the Chesterfield
over the
Price 70p, plus '18p p&p, the pamphlet is available from
Other Books, PÔ Box 50, London NI 2XP
(cheques payable to Other Books).
tions with the Campaign Group of MPs.
decided to itiated by Labour CND the Campaign group • of MPs and Labour Action for Peace for the removal o1 all us Dases and to seno
delegate to the next meeting of this campaign.
A numbestice issues or the Justice Mineworkers Siuth Africa, and Centra America have to be
at subsequent meetings. But it appears unlikely that any differences impeding common action on these will exist.
With clear pro gramme action, with with
which the Was called -potential become the most left
the party the
The
be contacted via Vladimer Derer, Secretary, 10 Park Avenue London NW 11 7SH..
be a
David Blunkett's protest about the Birmingham expulsions is shutting the stable door after the horse
Which way for
the left?
Campaign Group of Labour MPs Public Meeting
8pm, Tuesday 22 July Hampstead Town
Hall Haverstock Hill (Belsize tube) Speakers include
Tony Benn, Dennis Skinner, Eric Heffer,
Margaret Beckett, Labour Party Black Section, Labour Women's Action
Committee, Campaign for Labour Party
Democracy
Conference against the witch hunt
has bolted. It is Blunkett and Meacher's support for expulsions Liverpool party members that has legitimised the witch hunt whose latest victims are Khan and Scally.
By Toni Gorton
Those expelled by their CLP have no automatic right to appeal to ference. Furthermore the NEC is unlikely to account for its action in its report to conference.
Therefore it is vital that constituency parties and other affiliated organisations get resolutions and amendments to national conterence demanding reinstatement. The witch
weekend can be a good step forward coordinating a united national
Already Labour Left Liaison (the new body which comprises the major campaigning groups in the Labour Party), in conjunc tion with the Campaign for Labour Party Demo-
News
BL
SERA
cracy, is publishing
of Witch
Hunt News. They are also
organising fringe
meeting at Party
conterence and drawing ut
model resolutions about
Khan and Scally. The
Labour Committee on
Ireland and Black Section
are also urgently discuss-
how best to defend
their members.
Khan and Scally are
featured speakers at the
witch hunt conference
Also speaking are Audrey
Wise (coauthor of the
NEC minority report on
Liverpool), Tony
Mulhearn, Linda Bellos
(leader of Lambeth Coun-
cil and vice chair Black Shair of CLPD) and Val Price
The conference has
been sponsored by a broad
cross section of cam-
individuals, and
affiliated organisations in-
cluding two executive
members of the Durham
Mechanics branch of the Mineworkers, one of who National Union
will be speaking.
CONFERENCE AGAINST THE WITCH HUNT Saturday 21 June, 10-5pm Regents College, Inner circle Regents Park, London vocakers mcude Audrey Wise, Linda Bellos lony Mulnearn, Amir Anan Kevin Scally, Pat Wall CLPD, Elsie Horstea (surcharged chill, 2 delegates from Labour Party affiliated organisations - £3; Observers welcome.
Page 5 scan of this page
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established last December.
largest strike in South African history. THE SOWETO uprising of 16 June 1976 signalled the beginning of the greatest rebellion in South
rior to the present struggles that
egan in 1984. On the morning of 16 June students from Soweto gathered at the Orlando West Junior Secondary school to
rotest against compulsory educaion in the Afrikaans More than 10,000 had assembled by 7am.
South African police first attacked dea opened fire on it. Col Johannes demonstration with tear Keingeld, the white officer in charge,
rst shot Hector Peterson dead with his
solver and then opened fire with a
cachine gun. He explained the decision
resort to gun fire by the fact that: it das a more demoralising effect than a
istol shot.'
As news of the massacre spread
arough Soweto buildings were seized,
ricades erected, and battles with the
alice began. By mid-atternoon 30,000
ople had joined the main demonstra-
Fighting continued into the night
ith Soweto completely sealed off from
outside world.
That day shook South Africa to its
Socialist Action 20 June 1986
THE MOST important political alliance for the overthrow of apartheid in South Africa is that between the organisations of the black South African working class and the revolutionary nationalist African National Congress (ANC). Today by far the most powerful organisation of the South African working class is the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU),
It was the call of COSATU to support the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the Soweto uprising with a general strike that has produced panic in the apartheid regime this week. The call for a national strike issued by COSATU for 1 May this year led to the
COSATU has been taking major steps to increase its cooperation with the ANC - including a joint meeting and declaration issued in Zimbabwe on 5-6 March this
The Soweto uprising
Wing Africa
all over sion of Angola.
Orlando language. certain
gas and
of rising
areas for the police and armv.
Wing. The that 'only 250,000 ticipated in the uprising of Soweto.
On 17 June
solidarity march
foundations. Discontent had been ris-
allong black population as victories were achieved in dead in the African states to their north. Por- community. tugese rule in Angola and Mozambique collapsed and then Angolan and Cuban troops defeated the South African inva-
'Don't high school itself students painted on the walls 'Victory is
Urlando Mr LA. degrees. MPLA was the name of the organisation that had liberated Angola from the
Rather than crushing the discon- was tent, as ine boull Alrican government had planned, the massacre of 16 June, and the resistance to it, set off months
struggle throughout South Africa. On 17 June strikes began. Parts of Soweto became turned into 'no-go
The police began random killings of black Students people in order to try to crush the upris-
government later admitted cils people had parfontein, also students at the University of Zululand demonstrated Elizabeth, and burnt the administration building. elsewhere.
by white students from the university of Wit-
headed by JAY NAIDOO — general secretary of
COSATU.
He explained that the freedom of the South African
working class could only be achieved through the
destruction of capitalism in that country.
South African government under the State of
Emergency. watersrand materrandy 19 June almost 700 were place in Johan-
police attacks on the black
A second wave of protests began in the Pretoria area on 21 June. Black schools were sprayed with the slogan
pray, fight', and 'Support Soweto.' By 23 June more than twenty townships had seen risings of differing
On 6 July the government retreated
teaching of Afrikaans. But by then this
totally bypassed. another round of uprisings began in the area around Johannesburg.
By the beginning of August mass democratic organisation began to grow among the students in Soweto. On 2 August each school sent two representatives to a meeting at which the Soweto
Representative Council (SSRC) was established. Similar coun-
rapidly established in the black townships of Katlehong, Rand.
Mamelodi, Atteridgeville/Saulsville, Sibasa, Seshego,
in the Vaal triangle and
On 4 August the SSRC called mass demonstrations and strikes to demand
year. The COSATU delegation to that meeting was
In this speech, given at the university of Natal on 18 March, Naidoo explained the political views of the COSATU leadership. He stressed the necessity for the independent organisation of the working class and at the same time the necessity of these organisations entering into united action with the ANC. He called for unity in action of all those prepared to fight against apartheid.
The speech is reprinted from Intercontinental Press.
As we go to press Jay Naidoo is being sought by the the release of those imprisoned by the regime. Up to 60 percent of black workers in parts of Johannesburg failed to turn up to work. On 23 August the SSRC issued a second call for a strike.
Between 150,000 workers participated in it in the Johannesburg area.
On 13 September, in a strike call, half a million workers in the Johannesburg region stayed away from their jobs. On 15 September a further strike took place in Cape Town - with about a quarter of a million workers taking part. The strikes nesburg and Cape Town were gest in the country's history.
But on 1 November further strike by answered outside Soweto itself - The July movement had begun downwards.
But while mass strike action began to recede rising self-organisation conunued to grow lor some ume widespread strikes on 16 June VoIC 1977 commemorate
nent, Soweto residents Soweto Local Authority Interim Committee - known as the Committee of Ten — it was seen as a step towards a popularly elected council. But although Port the Committee of Ten continued to exist, and wield political influence, members did not make a real effort to circumvent the obstacles set up by the
Speech by COSATU
in
locate
the
Lists.
years ago in
at the most. around
worker
withstanding the
militancy students. communities 200,000
renewed
in Johanthe big-
the call for a the SSRC was not
turn
There
the original
formed the
police. It strikes.
struggle
Wh
WHAT I would ake to set out here today are the broad circumstances
we as the independent trade unions, and COSATU in particular, operate. I will attempt to
COSATU in the present political environment and explain
pressures under which relatively new union movement ex-
In understanding the significance of COSATU it is worth recalling that 10
1976 the total paid-up membership in the newly formed in dependent unions was probably 20,000
By 1979 it was probably COSATU alone there are now 600,000 fully paid-up members located in every industrial concentration in South Africa.
But for all the strength that we have at present, for all the experience of our
leadership and more broadly the working class, COSATU still is a relatively new organisation, this not-
fact that COSATU carries with it all the traditions of
and resistance worker organisations that have come before it.
The tasks that face us are enormous. Millions of workers have to be organised. Many workers disorganised by years of bureaucratic unionism are
The organisation is still being more effectively rooted and consolidated at local, regional, and national levels.
So although we believe that we have something to say, we also know that we are learning. We are learning from militant sectors of our people - such as the
we are learning from those which are building alsciplinea grassrools structurcs, alc we are learning from the unity in action with other progressive forces.
The uprising of 1976-77, showed the same features that were to develop on a
the enormous struggles of 1984-86. The movement started with mass demonstrations and attempts to crush them by the
developed through mass Democratically elected organisation began to appear in the
the Soweto Students
Page 7 scan of this page
ich alliances outh Africa?
Nevertheless we do believe we have something to say, and with this in mind I would like to share some thoughts with you.
COSATU is first and foremost a trade union federation. It is an organisation that unites organised workers.
roots are on the factory floor, Its
Pollie is its strength at the point of production its members are the producers of the wealth of our country.
is not enough to simply concern ourselves with factory issues. Nonpolitical unionism is not only undesirable, it is
And this basic truth has become organised worker movement.
•We see ourselves as full
participants in the fight for
democracy, justice, and
peace in
bulent year in the history of our counry. It saw the emergence of levels of esistance to the apartheid state which have never been seen before. It saw a uling class floundering, a government directionless, and an economy ravaged py inflation ment.
FOSATU ¡tical direction.
SATU as a political relieve that COSATU has a responsibility to voice the political interests and vorkers and also more broadly of the vorking class.
We therefore see COSATU as an ctive struggle. We see ourselves as a political orce at local, regional, and national resentative Council was the first
ro of the street committees
soweto in 1976 was not only an im-
se struggle in itself. It was the dress
arsal for what is taking place today. No wonder
Africa, son SO brates te racists of South Africa so fear it.
General Secretary
levels. And we therefore are forced to confront the following questions.
What sort of politics?
What sort of liberation are we seeking?
Who are our friends and allies in the struggle?
What are we fighting for?
What are we fighting against?
The political policy adopted recently by our Central Executive Committee
aspect of their lives and within the communities where thev live. It is therefore imperative that the Federation should play a major role in the struggle for a nonracial and democratic society and that the Federation will not hesitate to take political action to protect and advance the interests of its members and the wider working class.'
Clearly we see ourselves as part and parcel of the broad struggle against apartheid and racism. We see ourselves as full participants in the fight for democracy, justice, and peace in South
'Apartheid racism has gone hand in hand with our
exploitation and suffering at the hands of the bosses.
Free enterprise has not been something separate and
hostile to racism.
Affind yet our experience as workers has taught us more. Justice for us is not simply a beautiful phrase. It also means social justice, economic justice, political justice. It means freedom from hunger and poverty, the right to work. the right to proper housing, decent
education system that would develop the human potential of our people. racism has gone hand in hand with our exploitation and suffering at the hands of the bosses. Free enterprise has not been something separate and hostile to racism. Despite the desperate attempts
themselves from the present discredited regime, we have learnt one important lesson, that the root and fruit of the apartheid tree is the exploitation of
Our most recent experiences at Gencor, Rand Mines, Haggie Rand all confirm this. It takes very little to unmask
pursuit SUNC-DIOULS.
changed. Many lives of our members
through the brutality of the mine bosses and repressive organs of the apartheid state: the SAP (South African Police) and army. To us the alliance between big business and the apartheid state is
expressing the interests of Sullec VUIl freedom. We see it as our duty to make SHIe change the skin colour of our op-
which sees the bulk of workers continu-
we therefore see it as our duty to promote working-class politics. A politics where workers interests are paramount in the
At the same time we recognise that no struggle has ever involved one social force acting alone. We therefore have to ok carerany al our society to sec who are our allies.
This brings me to the other impor tant aspect of our polițical policy: 'the independent political interests of the working class shall be waged through ...taking up political struggles through our membership and structures at local, regional, and national levels as well as through disciplined alliances with prowhose interests are compatible with the
organisational practices further the in-
us, firstly, to avoid isolating ourselves as workers and detining our triends and allies too narrowly, i.e., the danger of workerism; and secondly, to avoid subsuming ourselves in an incoherent mass defined 'freedom', i.e., the danger of populism; and thirdly, to choose our allies on the basis of what we know, Wildl has
on abstracted principles of what is or is not a 'correct' approach, i.e., the danger of impractical but nice-sounding theories.
Thus when we look at our society we can broadly say that our allies fall into two groups. Firstly there are those we regard as close allies of the workers. These are the unemployed (there are more than three million); the rural poor
tarm workers); and the militant black youth.
We believe that they share with us the desire for real freedom, for meaningful change. It is our experience that they are largely the brothers, sisters, children, and parents of our very own members. Their future and that of the
'We therefore see it as our duty to promote working-
class politics.
paramount in the struggle.
workers are inseparably linked. Like us they want a meaningful transformation ot our societv
of all those who share with us a hatred of the present system. It consists of all those who share with us a hatred of the of the present system. It consists of all those people oppressed by racism, ie the democratic forces amongst the white
with our allies. But we believe that the widest possible unity is necessary to rid ourselves of the evils of apartheid. We may differ in the type of society we would like to see emerging in this country, but we believe we have enough in
dress a few words to the intellectuals
We ask you to put your learning skills and education at the service of the
ployment, look at the housing crisis, the transport problems workers face Help expose the poverty wages paid and the pervasive influence of the big monopolies. If you are a doctor, serve the people, look at the problems of the working class: malnutrition, kwashiorkor, and health hazards at work.
But we believe that the direction of the workers' movement will develop
workers on the factory floor and in the townships where they live. Accordingly the role of intellectuals will be purely a supportive one of assisting the greater generation of working-class leadership.
have generated a working-class leader-
mood or populist desire for ill-defined "freedom ship that is competent enough to debate its position and to direct the movement
general, but in the real world we live in
COSATU is forging closer ties with democratic community-based organisations. In particular we have a high regard for those communities which are building strong grassroots structures in the form of street committees. We see this as a major step forward and an im-
that working class organisation on the fac-
encourage this and see it as COSATU's policy for members and local structures to play an active role in building such structures. In many areas COŠATU locals are becoming a driving force in the growth of solidly based community organisa-
policy we have chosen, as COSATU
A polities where workers' strugglès are
dependence. Nevertheless, our commitment to ending apartheid, the state of emergency, the release of comrade Nelson Mandela and all political prisoners, the unbanning of the banned organisa. nons, une end to lue pass laws has givel. us much in common with a wide range
Undoubtedly the most important of
Congress), a movement whose stature
and influence is growing daily in South Africa. In the light of this, COSATU
The talks were open and conducted
that COSATU, as a representative of the working class, is seized with the task
Socialist Action 20 June 1986
struggle, both independent organisation and as an essential compo. nent of the democratic forces of our country. Further, it is clear that in the specific conditions of our country it is inconceivable that political emancipation can be separated trom economic emancipation.
Therefore, while united in opposition to the entire apartheid system, there is a common understanding that victory must embrace more than formal
'We believe that the widest possible unity is necessary 1o
rid ourselves of the evils of
apartheid.
political democracy, and must involve a struggle for a society free from the chains of poverty, racism, and exploitation which would require a restructuring of the present economic system
Obviously there is much more to say on this point. However the democratic nature of COSATU ensures that we first report back fully to our membership before going into detail on platforms such as this.
It was in 1960 that Macmillan spoke
Africa. winds have become a hurricane. Even the corridors of parliament have felt them. When opposition leader Slabbert resigned from parliament, saying he saw no purpose in parliamentary debate, he was
and even the isolated white political establishment
As COSATU we believe that change
we
take the lead in organising and mobilising not only in our factories but 'Our experience has taught us, firstly, to avoid isolating ourselves as workers and defining our friends and allies 1oo narrowly, ie the danger of workersim; and secondly to avoid subsuming ourselves in an incoherent mass
• bring the lessons of solid organising to our people as a whole and especially • raise the issues of social, political, and economic transformation now and not leave it to some future
• build workers to gain confidence in themselves and in their ability to lead
understand the dual needs of
form pro-
• organise the unorganised and build
• through our activity and education programmes to develop an increasing. ly coherent political perspective anc programme for our federation.
following principles:
in building powerful, militant, and democratic organisation
This strength will guarantee that worker aspirations will not be suppressed. Such organisation
real
Secondly, organised workers are not representative of the working class as a whole, but they constitute its
The better the organisation the more powerful their weapon becomes and the greater will be their contribution to the strug gle of the working class and the op-
Thirdly, we must draw all people into a programme of restructuring the economy and society as a whole in
wealth of our society is democratically controlled
"It is clear that in the specific conditions of our country it is inconceivable that political emancipation can be separated from economic emancipation.'
and shared by all its people
Politics for workers is not only the matter of changing governments. For workers it must go much further to break the chains of poverty and ex ploitation that bind our people at present. It is the struggle to liberate our people so that they can realise their
Page 8 scan of this page
8 Socialist Action
IF someone were to ask you which country had the biggest debts in the world, you would probably think of Brazil or Mexico.
You would be wrong. With net debts of over $100 billion, rising at $100 billion per year, and an annual trade deficit of $120 billion, the USA - the world's biggest capitalist state — last year became the world's biggest debtor. This fact illustrates one of the central features of the period since the long postwar boom ended in the early 1970s.
The history of capitalism since World War I was dominated by the ascendancy of US imperialism, most advanced in the world: After World War Il, this ascendancy made the USA the leader of the capitalist world.
Accompanying this was: 40 years of unparalleled prosperity, growth and political stability for the main Western countries. political record also testifies to the effect of that stability: in only one imperialist country has a government fallen amid a revolutionary working class upsurge since 1947. That country, Portugal, has since been stabilised.
But in 1971, when the USA was forced to abandon the convertibility of the dollar into gold, on which postwar financial stability had rested, a new period of instability opened up. On one hand, the long postwar boom was coming to end and mass unemployment returned. But dollar's problems in the early. signalled something else. The last 15 years have been dominated by some of the effects of the relative decline of US imperialism in comparison with its European and Japanese competitors
the effect of a decline which the United States is now trying to oversome.
Decline
This decline, however, takes place in a context of the lack of any alternative to the USA as leader, and principal pillar of stability, of the imperialist system. other Carlast state is remotely capable of challengng the USA as the guardian of collecive imperialist interests. Other counries, above all those of the EEC, bear he consequences of the decline of the
S. but each fears to challenge it for isk of destabilising the capitalist system including hemselves. The economic fate, and herefore politics, of every imperialist country, Is nven lo a grcaler or lesser degreee by this contradiction.
To give just some of the facts on his decline. In 1950 the USA had 22.5 per cent of all world exports manufactures. Even more significant, in 1945 56.7 per cent of value added in manufacturing worldwide was added in the USA. Monopoly
These figures illustrate one of the chief reasons the USA dominated the world: because of its rechnical superiority — to be precise, its monopoly of advanced production rechniques. 19s0 each Americal factory worker produced three and a half times as much as her or his German counterpart. Each miner, four times as much.?
The polifical strategy of the USA corresponded to this economic lead. It pursued the policy of 'free trade imperialism'; it tried to break down all possible barriers to its trade. It aided the break up of the old colonial empires of the French, Dutch, Germans and Italians. flooded Western Europe with capital, their postwar society to make it safe for this investment.
But there was an inevitable consequence: the spread of the advanced techniques which made the USA the world's leader. The very countries whose access to foreign investment had been destroyed in the war concentrated their resources on domestic investment and began first to catch up with the USA and then to outstrip it.
Between 1955 and 1970 capital stock, the sum of fixed investment;
rew by 38 per cent in the USA, but by
37 per cent in Europe, and by 203 per cęnt in Japan. Productivity in Japan
20 June 1986
HAVE
•LIC
Puctorsici
the 1970s finally
examples.
of
Vietnam. that. rose 6-7 per cent faster than in the USA each year, and in Europe 4-5 per cent faster This investment could not show up in manufacturing capacity. By 1980 the USA's share of value added in manufacturing had shrunk to 21.1 per cent, less than half its immediate post war level, and its share of world manufacturing exports to 11 per cent again only half the post war level. The United States is far stronger in the export of farm productions, and in supplying its own raw materials than in manufacturing; but the relative decline was still clear.
What have the effects economic decline of the US domestic economy been? First it has meant that the USA's balance of trade — the difference between its exports and imports - has shifted dramatically from
A
COKE!
HAVE A
COKE
Why the US
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS is increasingly marked by open acts of aggression by the United States. The bombing of Libya, following the invasion of Grenada in 1983, are just the latest
The United States is funding the Nicaraguan contras and backing South African supported forces in Angola and Mozambique. The US is clearly attempting to return to the role it followed in the 1950s and 1960s when it sent its troops into Jordan, the Dominican Republic, and
The first reason for this increase in US military action is directly political. The United States is faced with a major upsurge of struggle against itself and its supporters in a number of important semi-colonial countries. Haiti and the Philippines, following on from the struggles in Central America, are just the latest examples of
The United States is preparing for major wars and military action against colonial rebellions.
The so-called Reagan doctrine, proclaimed in the United States, envisages the increasingly direct
but
billion."
destabilising,
rest the world
rapid growth of the US economy
Japan sycophants as of this
imports than domestie growth. Last
is lashing out -
use of US military forces throughout the world.
But a second reason for greater US military action is that increasingly it is the only weapon available to the United States. In the 1950s and 1960s the US was able to stem the flow of rebellion in some parts of the world by massive economic aid. The Marshall Plan in Western Europe, the huge aid poured into Japan after the Chinese revolution and during the Vietnam war, the aid given to Latin America under the 'Alliance for Progress' following the Cuban revolution, were only the biggest examples of
Today the United States is giving major aid to Egypt to back up the Camp David Accord with Israel. But the United States' capacity to give massive economic aid to the governments it favours is greatly reduced by the economic problems of US imperialism itself. The United States, therefore, has to rely much more directly on military force, and military threats, to sustain its policy. ALAN FREEMAN looks at the economic decline of US imperialism and its
surplus to deficit. The USA now runs a trade deficit with every single major region of the world except the Middle imported."
East. Its annual deficit even with Bri- way in tain is $8 billion. With West Germany it is $11 billion, and with Japan $55 ed.
This is the unstable, and in fact
feature of the boom which Reagan inaugurated in 1982.
This boom was floated by a very large injection of cash, borrowed from the
into economy. For the last three years the
far outstripping Europe and rivalling Us economv
- has been hailed by Reagan a new economic miracle. But it is now clear this is tar from true. Because US manufacturers have lost their lead in productivity, the money which was injected into the financial.'s US economy tended to generate more
capital
cle
from
debt.
Lne since
and year no less than half the USA's spending on new capital equipment was
This in turn reflects the third which the United States technological lead has been narrow-
Superprofits
The second development. which lies behind the shifting political relations between the USA and Europe, is a steady but very thorough change in the source of the superprofits of the and
As a writer in the authoritative French paper Le Monde put it: 'American debt has brought about a change in the nature American power which, from being commercial before 1971, has become
US capital, just like the British last century, has begun to turn foreign in-
In Depth
vestment into the principal refuge for its profits Between 1975 and 1981 alone the US exported $87.4 billion in long-term capital. In these years the income from foreign investment of $161.5 billion completely covered its trade losses. Instability
The problem for US capital, and one of the major sources of instability in the world economy today, is that this does not constitute a solution, but on the contrary accelerates all the problems of the US domestic economy Precisely because surplus value capital is invested abroad, the productivity of US domestic is harder to improve. Also what investments there are tend to concentrate overwhelmingly on the so-called service sector of the economy rather than in basic industry. That in turn means that US
ceases capital generated within the US itself and instead becomes more and more para sitic. It begins to use its special finan cial position to monopolise and recy-
the capital generated in othe countries.
The turning point now reached for US capital is that income from profits abroad no longer covers its losses
trade The US plunging deeper and deeper into international
Does this mean, therefore, as the forces behind the 'realignment' in the Labour Party seem to believe, tha there is an alternative road for British capitalism in linking up with Europe to create a European capital independent of, rivalling the United States. Not at all — and that is indeed a number one problem of Western Europe.
Reserves
First, the immense historical reserves of US capital, and the fact that the USA is by far the largest capitalist state in the world, rule out
possibility ally alternative world capitalist leader to the US arising. Moreover even were such a leader
as Britain's fall from world leadership shows, the process would be extremely long and could not be accomplished without most tremendous political upheavals. Secondly, the context for the USA's decline is one of a general crisis of world capitalism which no capitalist power has been able to escape. Indeed
1914 no European capitalist state has been able to arrive at any fundamental economic equilibrium without the economic aid of the US
the Olly one that tried was Hitler's Germany. No European capitalist power can United States.
Crisis
What US capital's crisis is provoking is a much sharper phase of inter-imperialist competition and rivalry in which both US and European capital are making ever-greater resort to the use of state and military machinery to gain advantages over each other.
also spreading economic disorder throughout the world as the US tries to respond to the economic gains which were made in the postwar period by its imperialist rivals. It is forced to mount increasing attacks on its own working class, and against
world countries through developments such as the collapse in the price of raw materials and the debt crisis.
With its economic reserves undermined the US is increasingly pushed to resort to military force, and economic offensives to deal with problems that in the 1950s and 1960s it could have tried to deal with by economic aid.
The stick, omittes ars toreign more
dominates US policy. 2: Theism and Siya, Capitals
Harrison and Glyn, Capitalism since
World War II Fontana 1984 3. International Business Week 12
August 1985 4. International Business Week 22 April SHe Monde 7 May 1985 1323.4
Page 9 scan of this page
Hormel strike shakes US labour
New moves in Central America
International
its most famous product Spam.
iant compan
Jnited States. Last
Austin, Minnesota.
The origin of the P-9 strike was the Austin workers refusal to grant
COnCeSSIOnS demanded by the com-
This is itself important in a country where the labour movement's last few years have been dominated by
ConcessIoll after concession granted ov unions to the manage. ment. The policy of con-
has been suD' ported by the leadership of
AFL-CIO the equivalent of the TUC.
Still more important than the individual fight against concessions, the
troduced many methods of
into the United States that have not been seen since the 1930s. These methods, such as flying pickets, SuDDOlL Colllllil" tees, revival of active union democracv. and turning to the most oppressed for support, are the same on a far smaller scale, as those seen in the miners strike in Britain.
As result the P-9 strike has become a battle with not only the company but with the leaderships of both the UFCW and the AFL-CIO
Since the end of World War Il the power of the US trade unions has been deeply eroded by the policies of the AFL-CIO
eadership. Union memb-
ershipha cent to the
cent the workforce. CoraDoranon with the employers has been followed all down the line.
Local P-9's members have set out on another course. They are using union democracy and other struggle methods to organise their strike.
Local (branch) P-9 was first organised in a militant sit-down strike in 1933. A
conranteed arantal mage
annual wage vasu un a Jo 10ul Weck was negotiated by the union in 1940.
Since 1960 the Hormel management has been FMLN/FDR. CELIA PUGH reports.
Three and a half years ago Columbia, Mexico,
Venezuela began the 'Contadora' peace initiative in Central America. The 'Contadora'
first proposals were accepted by the Sandinista governmell of Nicaragua. Since then the United States has worked
undermine anything resembling the original Contadora plan.
The bacsed regime by
the US backed regime Central America El Salvador, Guatemala,
Hormel company — although they certainly know
But Hormel is a — one of the 500 largest firms in the August 1,500 meatpackers employed by Hormel, members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local (branch) P-9, were forced on strike at the company's plant in
demanding substantial Concessions trom Ine union. Hormel has succeeded in torcing through 16 of the last 22 years. The offensive against the union escalated in 1978 when the company threatened to close the Austin plant.
Union members were forced to accept a contract that put their incentive payments into an account provided Hormel with $20 million to build a new plant.
When the new plant 1982 workforce was reduced from 4,000 to 1,500. Working conditions deteriorated in the new plant.
Hormel arbitrarily slashed the workers wages. When the old contract expired 1985 the company offered to bring wages back up to $10 an hour Ineaverage wage paid in the chain of Hormel plants.
However, thẹ company demanded maior new concessions which included slashing the job security soicill. establishing the IN RECENT weeks important developments have taken place in Central America. The United States has worked to sabotage the 'Contadora' peace plan for the region. The Duarte regime in El Salvador has been forced to concede new negotiations with the
Honduras, and Costa Rica is that the Nicaraguan Dovelcul disarm popular militias. Honduras has demanded that the Nicaraguans allow foreign, that is US troops engage in military manoeuvres in the region All these are dressed up in a demand that Nicaragua accept a limit on its forces 'according to dolly. population and gross na tonal product vnile the
region continue to receive US aid.
Nicaraguan president
right to punish injured
of a new wage scale system
hired wider BICWIV workers would be paid substantially less than those already employed.
Other company demands included the elimination of maternity leave, and cuts in health care benefits.
In preparing for the
the union local began by involving all workels al luc plalll, their families, in activity that educated evervone on the issues involved in the dispute.
This democratic form of organisation has con. tinued throughout the strike. P-9's president Jim Guyette has stated on numerous that 'only members OI P-9 started this strike, and only they will end it.'
The first
official recognition. This was given by William Wynn, president of the UFCW, and by the union's executive committee. In January 1986 P-9 membership voted to request the union to sanction flying pickets al the Hormel plants in Fremont. Nebraska and Ottuma, Iowa. Wynn reneged on his carner agreement lo sanction the pickets and launched a public allack P-9's leadership that was carried by newspapers and television across the US.
Austints Laus
tou Shalt not protest
Hon Shalt not inse City Streets freely
thou Shalt only say what they
Hormet want you to sut
tou Statt lel scabs of couna, cif
Unicals stral limont jobs mimour Protes
Ortega has put forward a counterproposal that: all foreign military presence should end and the region should become a neutral or advisors • no toreign Dascs
no manoeuvres will extralcalullal forces.'
The United States made its intentions clear by starting, on 5 June, two weeks of new military exercises in Honduras. These took place only eight miles from the Nicaragua border. The US has also agreed further million in economic aid to
$121 monolia military aid. This follows $20 million in so called 'emergency' aid sent March on the pretext of a non-existent invasion of Honduras by Nicaragua.
The Nicaraguan
Wynn's statements denouncing the strike helped set the stage for the gover nor of Minnesota lo call the National Guard into Austin protect scabs entering the plant.
In spite of these attacks 500 workers at the Ottuma plant, and 56 at the Fre-
picket workers were immediately sacked by Hormel.
The UFCW have taken a number steps to try to force the members of P-9 to toe the the macany. These in-
cultually clude ending official recognition of the dispute, and cutting off strike pay. Most seriously the lica tional union leadership receiver to seize local P9s HHOVCUr Cal
The UFCW leadership is now trying to negotiate a settlement with the company that includes taking on the 500 scabs working in the plant. These moves against P-9 have been supported by the US courts
P-9 members have con tinued the strike in spite of the torces against them. They have spoken at hundreds of ches across the country. Many union branches have "adopted' P-9 families to support for the duration of the strike.
In addition to this support from trade union Solidarity Campaign (NSC) in pealed for increased solidarity under şlogan
called increased Illancial aid TOI Nicaragua. launched
intervention for peace Central America.
few
Mass demonstra-
policies, were by
the Demo-
The isola-
branches the National Organisation of Women the most important women's
Olcanisalul the United States has supported the strike. So has the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists the most important black trade union organisation in the US.
Demonstrations support for the strike have been held in Austin. On 12 April, after the police teargassec and beat peaceful pickets outside the plant, 6,000 trade unionists, and other sup-
demonstrated Austin in support of the strike.
The Hormel workers have called a week of pro. tests in Austin from June to 28 June. The week of actions, called Solidarity City, will include peacetul demonstrations and picket lines the Hormel plant and building a tent city. The strikers are calling on 'labour, unions, farm groups, civil rights groups, students and other organisations to and bring cars, buses, and tractors for a week of protest in Solidarity City for the International solidarit)
Hormel strike important. Messages support, and financial
can be the National Hormel Strike Committee, PO Box 655, Austin, Minnesota 55912, USA.
ENFAMIL
FIGH
BAC
BAL third round of peace talks with the leaders of the liberation forces the FMLN-FDR
This round of talks, scheduled for August, has been welcomed by the FMLN-FDR. While agree-
FMLN HOK calls upoll all national sectors to continue struggling as rcsolulely a. before ... to transform the
han Dan he dia pel
with Duarte into process towards achieving peace with justice and dignity which is the mos cherished aspiration our people' • Copies of the petitior against US intervention in Central America can be obtained from NSC Compton terrace, Upper St, London NI.
Haiti of organisations.
up 22
lowest in the world.
West Germany
in Lower Saxony,
('environmentalist') Party.
of
received 42.1 per cent.
likened the Greens to the Basque armed
than any seen since the war'
Greens support for abortion rights
leading to next January's West German
closest for many years.
Many cooperation with the Greens.
Spanish state
the recent reterendum to see their views
Communist Party, are all pro-NATO
entirely composed of state functionaries,
privatise the ports.
USA administration.
of
unheld the lower court's decision. 20
Socialist Action 20 June 1986 9
WORLD
Organisers of general strikes which paralysed Port-au-Prince on Tuesday 10 and Friday 13 June say they will escalate action if they don't get a civilian government. The strikes were called by over 28 political, community and labour
Opposition to the military junta created by former Duvalier chief of staff general Henri namony das been growing since Wavaner was driven out. Initially demands focussed on the punishment and removal of former Duvalierists particularly from the Tontons Macoutes - his private secret police — at local and intermediate levels. But as Namphy deploys his troops to defend the former torturers and attack the people, the movement has begun to demand his removal.
The groups who organised the general strike want to get rid of two government officials immediately: Colonel Williams Regala and finance minister Leslie De La Tour. Significantly, the demand for De La Tour's removal is coupled to a demand for economic measures in support of the poor, whose living standard is among the
Following the outcome of the local elections West Germany's ruling Christian Democratic Party (CDU) has launched an hysterical campaign against the Green
The Christian Democrats lost their overall majority in the loca election. The Greens gained 7.1 per cent of the
The Social Democratic Party (SPD)
The CDU finance minister Staltenberg liberation organisation ETA. He claimed the Greens had an electoral wing and a 'violent wing' pledged to demonstrations 'more brutal
Other vicious attacks included those on the
The aim of the CDU's onslaught is to prevent cooperation between the SPD and the Greens
parliamentary elections. These promise to be the
The CDU obviously aims to reinforce the SPD's right wing which rejects
The Spanish state goes to the polls on 22 June with widespread predictions of a victory for the governing party (PSOE), and scant possibility for the 40 per cent of voters who rejected NATO in represented. The existing parliamentary parties, with the exception of the dwindling and divided
In the socialist party itself, which is almost opposition to Gonzales' abrupt about face has collapsed. His anti-working class policies have lost support — he is currently facing a long and intractable dockers strike against his attempts to
But the right wing parties are in no shape to profit from his loss. They suffered a heavy practical defeat in the referendum when many of them called for a boycott. Gonzales made a direct appeal to the bourgeoisie over their heads. Though the peace movement is very strong, it has not given birth to an electoral opposition. However, the CP this time will form part of a broader coalition, 'left unity, which may offer some means of registering the anti-NATO feelings in the country.
Pro-abortionists scored an important
Supreme Court victory when judges refused to reinstate an Illinois anti-abortion law which had been declared unconstitutional by a lower appeals court. The decision was a snub to the Reagan
The justice department had filed a brief asking the judges to overturn an historic ruling, made in constitutional right. Reagan has publicly pledged he will overturn this ruling and has been stacking the supreme court with judges favourable to his objectives. But even his appointees unanimously
Page 10 scan of this page
10 Socialist Action 20 June 1986
Break all links
with apartheid!
Build the
Freedom March!
28 JUNE
OUTRAGE AT the latest act of the white minority regime in South Africa added extra impetus to activities already organised across the country last weekend in honour of the tenth anniversary of the Soweto uprising. The imposition of a state of emergency by Botha and his racist thugs brought people onto the streets
The banning of news coverage shows how afraid the South African racist state is of the pressure that could be brought to bear internationally to isolate apartheid. But, despite the blatant atrocities which take place daily in South Africa, the British Tory government is unwilling to lift a finger against the white
Thatcher's only interest is upholding the profit that British capital makes from exploiting South Africa's black masses. Any 'economic measures' she might be forced to concede will be purely cosmetic. But window dressing and half measures are of no value to the super exploited and oppressed black majority in South Africa. Thatcher's government and others like it must be forced to break all links with the apartheid state.
That is why the number one task for anti apartheid activists, and the labour movement, is to build the biggest possible movement in solidarity with the people of South Africa and their struggle to overthrow the racist state. It is by building such a movement that real pressure can be brought to bear on governments whose main concern is to preserve the profits which the ruling classes make from exploiting the African continent. That is why the first task of everyone in this country who is in solidarity with South Africa's black majority is to build the biggest possible Freedom March in
Break all links with apartheid!
Release Nelson Mandela!
Build the Freedom March on 28 June!
FUND
DRIVE
Weekly paper
fighting fund
have sent us f25 with the
HUAL tions, through the Women
is the central part of any weekly schedule. Every lit- ve succuve We
help of our brothers and We en- sisters in South Africa,
Solidarity round-up
South Wales A SPONSORED march
weto is an annual event
passed a resolution con-
cucisculy Botha's apartheid regime said Graham Atwell. one and demanding tull sanc.
Transvaal 20 COAT oF ed a day of solidarity
the headquarters of several
The African National Colgress socake
was
His own presence DOOK Laus. was the living proof of the lallulla.
Fund exhibition
LUEl had
Huddersfield
people, mostly youth, took Soul Arcaus to overturi part. Hundreds more sign- the hated Botha regime.
theid regime and a boycott
WCIC was Showil. Birmingham
Among those taking. part were three black Namibian
up to show solidarity with the struggle of black peo-
build support for the na-
Lil availies
Brixton demo marks
Soweto anniversary
SWAPO with publicity for
The march faced some
well harassment trom
Such
• demonstration's success. Call
with the Freedom March had been commuted to life
eople who visited the exwere Euro-MP Alf Lomas
Ivewnam Is one of Manly councils taking part
. ОП
Hall, there will be a public
WITH the ANC took the opporprovided an excellent tocus Andy Chaffer on 021-47.
ingham's Other Bookshop, support for the struggle in
MEP, John Fraser MP for helped us build the LAnS
UNIONS
Black Section
and the TGWU
BRITAIN'S LARGEST trade union,
General Workers (TGWU) is currently opposed to Labour Party Black Sections. But this position has been reached as a result of sentiments expressed on the subject by the general executive committee without any debate at rank and file level. In a long article published in the union jour-
By Ashley Patel, TGWU Coordinator for Labour Party Black Section secretary Bill Morris spelt out the executive's opinion on Black Sections by attacking the
But the TGWU's present views on the subjects has some inherent contradictions. For instance, despite being a supporter of the campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, which has championed the Right of Reply', the TGWU have refused to print Black Section's response to the Bill Morris salvo. Furthermore, at the TUC in 1984 all the large unions, including the TGWU, backed a NALGO motion in support of black caucuses, which encouraged all affiliates to set up appropriate structures (like black members groups) to adequately represent black workers. In the same year, the TGWU delegation to the London Labour Party regional conference also voted in favour of Black Sections. And subsequently, at the national party conference the Dyers and Bleachers trade groups supported us. The TGWU executive has since imposed its will on the huge block vote wielded by delegates.
A resolution in favour of Black Sections was on the agenda of last year's IGWU biennial delegate conference (BDC). Yet the leadership did not see fit to get it debated. This decision could not even be defended by Bill Morris who admitted that the union's position on Black Sections lacked 'moral legitimacy' until it had gone before a BDC.
The Black Sections campaign, on 17 June, took the fight for self-organisation to the unions special rules revision conference in Aberdeen. This was backed by a motion from a Birmingham branch of the TGWU supporting our demand. This gave the union an opportunity to come clean. The emergen. cy resolution supported the setting up of black caucuses in the TGWU and Black Sections in the
within the TGWU's constitution is logical extension of the union's support at the TUC organisation allows a group of the oppressed to come together and formulate demands on how the general principles and organisation of the struggle for socialism within the union shall be applied in youth are allowed specific representation within the unions, the Labour Party, the national ex-
The concept of black self-organisation is not new. It has long been accepted in political parties
Zealand Labour Party has a Maori section and the US Democratic Party has a
The NAIGO black workers conference in Leeds last month proves that large unions are members defeat racism.
workers conference that unions should not see 'unofficial black members groups' as a threat to their constitution. He warned that if black workers felt unions did not care about their problems they
get on the TUC's general council, despite the backing of TGWU general secretary Ron Todd, proves that if you are black you cannot build a base without black workers who are the lowest paid and
mechanism called black self-organisation which gives them a voice and a means of articulating their
If the TUC is committed to the development of positive policies to promote equal opportunity in employment regardless of workers status, creed, colour, race or ethnic origins and if, as the TGWU leadership has suggested, a commitment to racial equality is part and parcel of good trade unionism, then the labour movement should be at the forefront of the fight for our modest demand. It should be giving a full and fair hearing to the Black Sections movement instead of trying to muzzle the debate. Our experience is that when Black workers are allowed to decide for themselves as in NUPE, they support Black Sections.
Page 11 scan of this page
Wapping — turning the tide against Murdoch
In the Unions
Wapping.
this framework other decisions of the conference can help further take the offensive against Murdoch. The conference projected special 'days of
oycott' as well as aiming thé Saturday IRass picketing different groups of the laboul movement in turn. Until now, no direct appeals to support of the labour movement have been made by the SOGAT leadership.
Such an approach can also help make clear, and put pressure y Norman TUC general secretary Willis' sell-out approach. Willis had been a major force in putting together Murdoch's jobs-formoney 'final offer
At the SOGAT conference Willis groaned and moaned about the so-called 'limits of trade
seit ciocuastances. pre-
circumstances'.
SCLEL reality 1S that the TUC could finish Murdoch off with a flick of its tail if it put as much work into informing and mobilising the ranks as it has in trying to force a sell-out deal on the sacked printers.
took the militant printworkers 18 weeks to wın tne nauonal union lo clear strike aims. A good ing, 11 June
mineworkers should get their money back.
But the implementation of this decision was immediately put off. Arnold will remain in situ in order to pursue his 'breach oI trust' case azainst Ine union leadership.
NUM lawyers have appealed on the grounds that
NUM marks Joe
Green's death
ON 15 June 1984, just two years ago, NUM picket Joe Green was killed, crushed by scab lorry ourside Ferrybridge power station.
By Martin Hill
Last Saturday 700 people, mostly miners and their families, marked the alvcsa• marching past the site of his death to a rally in the nearby village of Kellingley.
Addressing the rally Arthur Seargill, paid irbute 'to the memorv oi a man who paid the ultimate price for his union. Day by day Joe Green went to picket at Ferrybridge power station to ,demonstrate his commit-
SUN BOSS Rupert Murdoch has responded rapidly to printworker militants success in winning their union conference to support stepped up action at
But in his court action aimed at resequestrating the print union funds he admitted for the first time the impact that the mass picketing at Wapping is having in his ability to get out his papers.
The court affidavits made by Murdoch lift a corner of the curtain on the massively increased costs required to keep fortress Wapping producing and distributing News International titles. It throws light
response by the rest of the Labour movement to the clear abpeals now coming from the SOGAT conference can help build sup-
Moole o bri ene Streee
whole Street.
Murdoch's success to date has been used as a stick to dramatically worsen conditions of all Fleet Street printers.
By Brian Grogan
The discomfiture of. the journalists at Wapping are straws in the wind in this regard. As is the clear instruction by the NUJ leadership to other journalists not to handle scab copy from Wapping Despite Dean and Willis's offensive the union ranks have been able to hit back.
Ine lories, tne courts and the police obviously understand this new reallty. All the evidence points to stepped up police alTreks the tacks particularly Wapping and Kinning, Park mass pickets. The naming of individuals formally responsible for organising the picketing in Murdoch's afBill Freeman, naavits Chris Robbins, Mike Hicks and Mick Britton • is a warning in this regard.
Mobilisation by the
THE 18-MONTH long theft of the National Union of Mineworkers assets ended on Wednesday morn-
- but only briefly. Justice Meryyn Davies, who appointed receiver Michael Arnold in the first place, ruled in the High Court that the
By Carol Turner
the two conditions demanded by the courts HavC been meL NUM tunas are returned trom abroad and new trustees have been appointea. ment to saving his union and his industry.'
Scargill ridiculed the kniehthood just awarded to Ian McGregor. But, he added, he'd lave been disappointed if the government had not rewarded McGregor. Tories were loyal to thosé' who defended their own class. 'There's a lesson there for Neil Kinnock.
What Joe Green and Davy Jones achieved had held back the pit closure programme. Many pits still open would have closHELICN struggle. Scargill ended WILL a cal lu slcr.uu ll fforts to reinstate The 501 miners still sacked for their role in the strike. 'It's time to say to the Board we've had enough harassment, enough intimidation'.
labour movement at large for the mass pickets at Wapping and of
Uays boycott of News International papers are number one priorities.
The decisions of the biennial conference of the
the taluul Pillll Vl0 F Society of Graphical and Allied Trades (SOGAT '82) registered a major suc-
for printworker LEON militants who had spearheaded the succesful campaign to reject Murdoch's ( €50 million "final offer'. They won the national union for the first time to endorse the aims of reinstatement and union recognition. Previously, general secretary Brenda
tu
'It is nonsensical that should conthe receiver tinue to exercise control
funds, Peter vel Heathfield ouT told Socialist
Action. 'We have complied with the details of the COUL order that the trustees be replaced.
Mervyn "Davies Judge acknowledges that the new
'honourable LI UDECED al c people"
'We all feel that it is time to return to normality Taue tiar Contmuc Will
Women print workers cheer the result of the SOGAT ballot to stay out Dean and the majority of the national executive had considerec such guals lu be 'unrealistic'.
On this basis Dean was even forced to formally back comprenensive proposals for intensifying the struggle - including
SLCU ped up mass picketing at the two scab sites at Wapping and Kinning Park in Glasgow. As a price for her acquiesence this, Dean insisted on a motion effectively restricting such escalation within Tory laws.
Agreement to this contradictory demand from Dean was a necessary compromise lo make. now be decided which of Peter Heathfield the costly exercise which Arnold undertaking Our lawyers were contldent that the receivership would be lifted:
Thousands marched two years ago at Joe Green's funeral
the contradictory decisions of union conference will predominate Murdoch's court initiative is an attempt to exploit the contradiction. Dean will of course try to limit the pickets and action.
The recent events are on the side of the militant SuaKe leadership. The ballot only won Intougn a sharo turn to ln• volve the ranks in the running of the dispute
— [Of organisation of the series ot mass meetings and the formation of the London ¡laison committee to coor dinate stepped up action
indispensible Lila these continue.
'As Arnold himself said in January this year he would be with us weeks ALBer RHOOLOS. evidently he is still here, occupica in acuon agalsl the union's banks and its
Nee mauora vlca
We have gone to the Court of Appeal and we are optimistic that the ap. peal judges will support our application. That will mean, at the least, we can begin to function as a normra aoe o We car start assessing our financial position and, hopefully identify areas where we can tidy up our affairs. 1 200L
Socialist Action 20 June 1986
conference
TWO HUNDRED and fifty railworkers voted to go from the NUR's guards and shunters conference to meet a march by victimised miners as it arrived in Dundee on Friday 6 June.
The conference adopted resolution solidarity
threatened
ed on national ex-
struct 'not to move or any
workshops
limited questions specially the
the guards and shunters con-
delegates.
The conference
(DUO) for the moment But
preuiciel
Any
union agree
jected.
One on the NEC to 'obtain a commitment from the next
NCU boss
controlled the executive since 1983.
DONLCa union's which still local
from the union's and
uwli way
terence NCL
TUC Party cull ferences were won
broad left
the nomination TOI the Party NEC was
in 1983.
charged debates conference strucica me new gencia secretary to immediately resign his seat (a step he has shown reluctance to take) and condemned press statements he made since his election expressing his intention negotiate voluntary redundancy agreement.
However Golding clear'v. demonstrated ability exploit the political weaknesses on the left in the debate on rena-
11
Guards and shunters
Labour government to bring back guards on trains'.
The co He rente keen. to maintain its links with the NUM. Clarke secretar of the Scottish NUM, was giver a standing ovation befor and after he addressed th conference. He reminded delegates 'I was the one Sidney Weighell forgot to vote for' in the Labour Party NEC elections.
Particularly warm applause was given when he said about the NCB. 'What mandate do these people have to run our in. austry• Who elected them? When the next Labour government cole. baDOur ovennHenlcon
n we will replace them.
Again representatives were invited from Notts. • A collection raised £312 for Notts Women Against Pit Closures
The conference called for a union 'investigation into discrimimation goams ethnic people and womel in our grades'. The resolu tions pointed out: "This will Hiicl looking BRB's job advertising and recruitment policies, training schemes, and conditions.'
The secretary of Rai Against Apartheid Doreen Weppler, WAS given time to speak, by decision the con ference's executive com millee. Aller laiking abou
conditions of black adwoken in Soutt Africa, she said that the RAA banner will be Anti-Apartheid's Marct for Freedon on 28 June this year, and all branches are invited to bring their banners.
Golding takes over as
THIS WEEK John Golding takes over as genera secretary of the National Communications Union (NCU). He won an individual members ballot b! more than two to one against broad left candidate Phil Holt. Golding supporters also swept the board in the recent conference ballot for the NCU's na tional executive, ousting the broad left which had
of British Telecom.
ambıguou
the union
the TUC
Militant, major in lne rig.
campaig:
moderat: forces think are capable winning the
executive ballot.
:escalare the 'middie
as general secretary wil be to isolate the sections the union wanting to taks action defend _jobs. Those in the NCU who wisd to win an alternative Golding's collaboratior with British Telecom mus make sure he does not succeed.
Page 12 scan of this page
MARCH
Millions
IN ONE of the most demonstrations of power in South African history millions of black people in that country, with support from around the world, commemorated the tenth anniversary of the Soweto uprising on Monday 16 June.
The censorship imposed by the South African
gime, following on tr
ewly reimposed State o tightest in its history. was the tightest in All reports of the activities of the South African police or army, or of 'unrest' were declared illegal. All
out of South Africa had pre-recorded and subject io censorship. The Johan-
Star, and other papers, appeared arge white spaces where the censors had been work.
But despite the almost total censorship the scale
6 months L8,
12 months E15
(12 months only)
Burope E17: Air Mail C4
Double these rates
For multi-reader institutions)
SOCiALiSt
ACTiON
commemorate
Soweto uprising
of the strike still came out.
Ninety per cent of black workers in the srand area struck. Between and 80 cent black workers in Durban, and 90 per cent of those in Pietermaritzburg away Eastern from Cape, stronghold work. In the
of the African National Congress (ANC), the strike was 100 per cent solid.
Soweto was blocked
off from the outside world by greatest security operation in South history. But the trains that normally take
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And me as special offer........ joe/PO payable to Socialist Acdon sor E PO Box S0, London NI 2XP.
Soweto, and which were allowed through, WOLC totally empty.
In Soweto itself the strikers adopted the sensible tactics of remaining indoors. It was clear that the South African army were
tOr the slightest Bretex to le hich at poe
one which at present the black working class could not resist. The order of the strike reinforced its power. Gunfire in parts Soweto reflected operations by the police. But still Il people were killed by the police and army. the strikers didrot reare where the dimensions of that on 1 Mav. according cas in the pres. reports,
The State of mergen-
y itself is the tightest eve
en in South Africa. Hur dreds of trade unionist. and three hundred church leaders have been arrested
Winnie Mandela has been resubjected to temporary house arrest. Jay Naidoo, general secretary of the
Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU),
being sought by the police.
But despite the represlast Monday's strike make clear, that movement in South Africa
is continuing to grow. The
combination of the black
population organised
townships first
through the United
Democratic Front (UDF),
then increasingly through
committees,
together with the organis-
tion of the black working
class through COSATU, is
producing the most
powertul movement seer.
in South African history:
The anartheld regime Is
being shaken to its foun-
dations.
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Take out a years inland subscription and we will send you free one of these books: TUSTICE: The Miners Strice 1984-86 by the Campaign Group of labour
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THEID
that apartheid is reforming
destroyed.
something Shat the aparsheid regime well.
could not exist for a day
it by the British and rulng classes • Britain has £12 billion invested in South Africa. This is almost 40 per cent of all foreign investment. • British banks have floated f6 billion out of the f23 billion foreign debt of South Africa. Over half of this debt falls due for repayment before the end of this year. Africatai Britain is one of South
largest trading partners.
Without this support South Africa's economy would collapse
This is why Thatcher will not accept anything but the most cosmetic
FOR FREEDOM Rea
IN NAMIBIA & SOUTHAFRICA!
End British complicity
in apartheid
THE reimposition of the State of Emergency by the South African regime has exposed Thatcher's lid
itself. There is no possibility of apartheid eliminating itself. It has to be
sanctions against South AInca. ror sucn sancuons will not only hit the Botha government, which hat cher and Reagan support, but also the 1200 British firms with direct investment there the Trade UK South African declared: British bluntly declared: investment in South Africa is more profitable than most British other overseas investment'. In straight monicial apartheid boosts the proBritish firms tits of by t5000 for every black worker they super exploit.
Little wonder that Tories moved an amendment parliamentary motion to impose measures deleting 'economic. British firms naturally consider their
LONDON SATURDAY JUNE 28
profits important than black South African lives.
British complicity stretches right aown line. It is criminal that the British press and media Is sticking to the last detail. The absurdly •acostall
restrictions imphe State of El terms ol
State Emergency The only justifiable reason for not reporting the pro. tests on the tenth anniversary of the Soweto
that the broadcasters and journalists had been expelled. The fact that none of them
speaks volumes for nave our "free press'
The EEC foreign minister meeting on Monday cowed exactly the same pattern. No effective
taken, even measle proposed, against South Africa.
The Labour Party leadership was correct to move motions demanding
ASSEMBLE HYDE PARK II-12
economic sanctions in
Tuesday.
Parliament But their proposals do not go nearly far enough. The labour movement cannot
content with Neil Kin. nock's and Denis Healey's approach based on appeal. ing to the and promising only limitec measures All links with South Africa be broken. The forces that mUSI be aided in South Africa are not "liberals" within the Botha regime but those led by the African National Congress the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the United
Front, who Demociall aim overthrowing apartheid
The demand of the labout movement has to be breaking all links, economic, financial, commercial and political with the apartheid state. . This is the demand of the South
African masses. It must be out demand also.
← Socialist Action No. 143, 6 June 1986Socialist Action No. 145, 27 June 1986 →