Socialist Action No. 149, 26 September 1986

Socialist Action (IMG / Socialist League) · 26 September 1986 · 12 pages, 18,024 words read by machine

The scan: 149-sep-26-1986-SA-UK.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)

Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.

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

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LABOUR'S ALLIANCE FOR SOCIALISM THE DECISIONS taken in Chesterfield to set up a Campaign Forum bringing together the Campaign Group of Labour MPs, the broad left in the unions, the hundred or so Campaign Groups now being formed in the constituencies, and the organisations in Labour Left Liaison represents a

In particular the fact that the women's demands and the campaign for Black Sections have been officially and explicitly endorsed will open up the Labour Party to those who have been

In addition the decision to endorse every year the candidates for the women's section of the NEC chosen by the shadow elections at the women's conference puts the Campaign Group firmly alongside the women's movement, making it central to what we are together trying to

We also agreed on two other important changes. First to abandon the negotiated left slate and go for clearer political nominations for the NEC next year. And also to invite all Prospec- tive Parliamentary Candidates who are in sympathy with our aims and objectives to make contact with us, in place of the old system, which was by invitation only. These decisions, taken together, offer the Labour Party as a whole a broad non-sectarian alliance for socialism that can stretch out to the millions of people who we seek to represent but who have felt excluded by the structure of the party, and some of the statements made on

We need a strong socialist Labour Party to win the election and strong socialist policies to carry that to success. And above all we need to make the Labour Party

by TONY BENN

inadequately represented in the past.

do. its behalf.

ACTION SociAlist

major development for the Labour Party as a whole. and democratic in its own structure and purpose.

Launching Campaign Forum

truly representative

Page 2 scan of this page

'Politics is not only about winning the next election'

2 Socialist Action 26 Sep 1986

SociAlist

ACTiON

BUILDING AN ALLIANCE FOR SOCIALISM

Campaign Forum

THIS WILL, of course, be Neil Kinnock's Labour Party conference. Denouncing the

Labour broken at Blackpool, and explaining the right wing policies that will could fill up this entire issue of Socialist Action. And indeed the attacks on free trade unions, sabotage Thacher now, abandoning the rights the unemployed, embarking on building up Britain's conventional weapons, repression in Ireland, the witch hunt and many more issues are seriousness.

But the issue which confronts the left is not to denounce Kinnock - we take that for granted. The real question is to find a way out of the situation. That is why the September in Chesterfield to found Campaign Forum, An Alliance for together the Campaign Group of MPs, Labour Left Liason, and left wing figures in the trade unions just as important as Kinnock's role at Labour Party conference. These two developments, Kinnock and Campaign Forum, will in reality sum up the two orientations of Labour Party conference. Kinnock's will be the majority. But what is really vital for the future of the labour movement is what will take place with Campaign Forum.

For anyone who has any experience Labour Party what is happening today with Kinnock is just familiar. It is the same path of taking Labour to the right which was pursued by Wilson and then Callaghan. It will end in disaster. That is already certain.

As for those that are going along with Kinnock - the 'realigned left' sealing their own fate, and damaging the labour movement. will all end in debacle. And it will be Labour and the working class movement that will have to pay the price.

What is crucial about Campaign Forum is not that it will be the largest and most serious left wing in the party — although it will be that. It is not simply that it will rapidly produce a network of Campaign Groups throughout the country -although it will achieve that. What is crucial is its politics.

Campaign anyone. It sets out a basic strategic line of march for the labour movement. That is to tie Labour's traditional base to a massive extension of its

social alliances. And through that to create a ma-

ority for socialism.

What that means in practice was shown more

than anything by the miners strike. It was the

way that the Campaign Group of MPs stood with

the miners that allowed it to become a political

centre point for a revived left inside the party. It

was the stand the campaigns in the party took

with the miners which radicalised many of them.

The campaigns which

Labour Left Liaison, the other crucial compo-

nent which

Groups of MPs to establish Campaign Forum,

were also those in the party which stood with the

miners

impact of its own concerns.

But the whole is very much more than the

sum of the parts. Bringing together the leader-

ship of the miners strike, the Campaign Group of

MPs, and the crucial campaigns in the party is

not just organising a pre existing.

creating a new basis for the left. One that stands

on making absolutely central the demands of

women and black people,

struggle methods of the miners, of defending the

democracy of the labour movement against both

the courts and the bureaucrats who try to stifle

it, of linking that to those who are fighting for

their freedom internationally -

Ireland, South Africa,

other country.

takes up every example of injustice everywhere

it is found. That is what Campaign Forum begins,

just begins, to do. That is why it is such a pro

foundly important development.

Kinnock. But the future belongs to the left. That

is more sure than ever.

promises that will be

be adopted

struggles against

support for

of the greatest

decision taken on 20

Socialism bringing

- is an event, in its very different way,

of the

all they are doing is Forum is not an opposition to came together in

came together with the Campaign

although each radicalised under the of using the class

whether it is in Central America, or any

The only left worthy of the name is one that

This Labour Party conference belongs to Neil

ON 11 SEPTEMBER Tony Benn spoke at a Campaign Group rally in Manchester. Also on the platform were Eric Heffer Maynard MP; Women's Action Committee; Graham Stringer, the leader of Manchester council; left's candidate in the last AEU presidential election; Mike Wongsam from the Labour Party Black Section. Tony Benn's speech set Labour Party conference by explaining how the fight for a Labour government is inseperably connected to the labour movement defending now those it represents.

POLITICS is LIUL only about winning the next election. It's about here and now. It's no good saying to people at the Wapp ing picket line that it will Delei when Labour's in power. It wasn't alright at Grunwick, and we were in power then. The Labour Love call never ported the Grunwick strikers and Mrs Desai in the way it should have done.

By Tony Benn MP

The first lesson we have to remember is that if we're really going to repre-

sent une ocoDic we welc

established to represent,

we've got to fight alongside them now. we ve co to be on the picket now. We've got to support the Silentnight workers now; be at Wapping now,

at Greenham Common now; with GCHO

workers now, with the

South Africans in struggle

now we forget the 'now'

then people won't be so in-

terested when we come

along as candidates

polling day. They'll say

when we

had a struggle?' That's the

essy simple lesson ne

very simple lesson:

rediscovery of solidarity.

Solidarity

solidarity is essential. We The rediscovery

cannot climb into power

on the backs of people

struggling now by telling

them to stop in case they

interfere with our election

campaign. That's got to be

said, and it's got to be

made clear.

The second thing we've

got to do - part of what

might be called the

'analysis' of socialism — is

to connect the issues. We

can't fight the issues in

penny packets. We can't

say the pensioners fight is

different from the wom-

en's struggle; or that the

struggle South Africa

has got nothing to do with

Dece 01

Is it true that the leaders of the black South Africans have refused to talk to Mrs Thatcher until she renounces the use of ¡violence?

Pettifor from the Labour

John Tocher, the

the scene for

the miners.

That is elementary. I'll give you a simple example

Why does Thatcher support Botha? becalist sends her uranium. Where does go? To our nuclear power stations.

when it goes to America blacks in South Africa and

Aucticall

Chernobyl

they would close the

power? And who took the

the first generation to have Peterloo

Here in the Manchester

Free Trade Hall we are just

stone's throw from

Peterloo,. where the huss-

ars cut down the people

who what? The vote. WC11 demanding Engels

wrote about the conditions

of the working class

Manchester

fight of our

predecessors - men and

The AGTION

No, you've got it" wrong... the PLO are refusing to talk to the zionists until they renounce terrorism!

women, black and white - is part of our history. If we live just on the basis of daily headlines, what the polls say loudy and what Vincent Hanna has to say about it on Newsnight the time-scale of the newspaper he alliests we deny that come from the past.

are always telling us that the miners failed. Well, a lot of failures our history have been the foundations of great vic tories. I think if Len Mur 1cly would had nave been told alive the he

Tolpuddle martyrs to go to Australia and back!

The reality is that out of struggle people learn. Education comes from experience.

We have to build on experience. It is no good say. ing to people what we want is power. If you are out of work, your dad's waiting for a hip operation, or you're badly hous ed, you're not really interested in just helping someone else into office

We must also look to the future. History won't stop on the day that Neil Kinnock steps into Number Ten.

Ireland?

What do you think is going to happen when he sends a minister to explain in words of one syllable to president Keacar that his

maşies mustato Reagan

imagine Reagan would say: 'Oh, thanks. Neil, I'd rather forgotten that. When would you like me to do it?' Pressure

all. Look what they did ir

new zealano out Ot AN ZAS, and began to pile the economic pressure on.

If you don't tell people happen they do vote Labour, they

the real struggle begins.

and bob musk

after polling day Reagan unleashes the full weight of America to destabilise this country, people say: "You never told us this was going to happen. We thought it was going to be more music and balloons You never told us that this country would be under

most powerful country in And what do you think about.

Analysis

We have to look at today. We have to look. at our past. We have to look at other parallel struggles

Unless those gaps we won't have a correct electoral appeal

• 100

truly representative -wuncu.

struggle. Unless the labour ore nucople

of this country the truth. We've got to build on what paramandalor pere

cariet. We have a huge

of socialists:

that can only come from the movement and the people as a whole.

CORMAC 786

As a member of the British Labour Party 1 prefer not t think about Ireland..

Page 3 scan of this page

News

LABOUR'S BEST chance of winning the next election is by raising the political temperature, by advocating policies which represent a real alternative to the Tory Party. But the party leadership seems to want to take us into the polling booth wearing carpet slippers. To prepare the ground for this, the 1985-86 national executive committee has witch hunts on a massive scale and the dilution of party policy. More time, more paper, energy has been spent on a purge than at any other period during the nine year's I have been on the Labour NEC.

Victims of the purge: Amir Khan...

Unce you start a wilch hunt against a section of

U1l ideological grounds the Tory press will ensure there's no end to it. 1ne media are weeping tears of joy at the prospect

ing non-stop internal enquiries

The witch hunt has a chemistry all of its own, like the case of Khan and Scally where some people in Birmingham decided to take it a stage further. The same is true Central Fife, Scotland.

There have been scores of others who have been expelled in the wake of the The witch hen as Now

Switch hunt been widened even further by a 200-page report St which the officers of the which party have been suspended.

Organisation

That enquiry wasn't initiated by the local party.

It was started at the top, by

national executive, in the case of Liverpool.

And once the flood gates 2110 open COuLSC anybody can launch a further attack.

Now a new disciplinary body, the National con-

being proposed

LuC Cille. This takes the witch hunt one step on by including in its terms of reference the fact that anybody who indulges

'conduct prejudicial to the party' can be subject to expulsion. A ver wide reterence you can catch almost anybody on the left with it.

It is a very sad state of affairs, when we should be concentrating driving the Tories out of ment, that the NEC majority- the right wing and

left'

Joining hands expel

Labour NEC 1985-86

Witch hunts

and attacks

on party policy

presided over

and more socialists trom the party. That is why delegates at Blackpool all

USC

selling body, and must support all the appeals and resoluuhons agallis expuisions.

Power

This witch hunt goes hand hand WILO NEC's systematic dilution of policy. Once the purge had begun the right wing was able lo slall walchlig down policies. Several

documents of that

One particular, which has the

would allow the

rigid on balloting in After the sion of the few

that we now ap-

tion with docu-

the wat for

with the intention of curbing trade union activity and industrial action. de mos sad gering lurch to the right that has occured within the trade union movement since the end of World ...and Tony Mulhearn

War II.

There are other doc-

last 12 months that al c

WCaK socialism. For instance public ownership has been dropped for more cosy terms like social ownership. Those decisions would not even have been contemplated al Labour conference a few years ago.

On crucial decisions on the expulsions there have been nine, sometimes 10, NEC members who have taken a principled posinon. by and large te milie have stood firm. But that's out of a total of 29 NEC members. Reforms

With the exception of Eric Clarke of the NUM, on most issues the other l members from the trade

have block voted for the right wing. There has been allassive right wing shift in the TUC ana ine trade union tion of the Labour NEC. The 'cuddly left' in the last

months too supported the right wing leadership almost all the way down the line.

Alongside the witch hunt and the attack on policy, the NEC right wing are diso opposing denno cratic reforms demanded by women and black people, and they are planning turther restrictions on the rights of CLPs. The party should be made aware that the goal of the right, without any doubt at all, is to change the method of reselection before the next TONO lakes place NEC has set up a working party to prepare proposais on this.

Advance

But despite all the at-

women and black people,

They are still very much on the agenda. They will be coming up again at Blackpool.

absolutery convinced that the idea of DUSILIVe aculull or ullulcu by the Black Section, with all the support that got in many inner city areas, has resulted in a tremendous

Photo.

of black candidates standing and getting elected in the last round of local government elections. Black Section has given black party members the confidence to

The ideas Black Section promoted, though they got defeated at conference, were good in themselves. I support them all the way down the line.

The Black and Asian Advisorv Committee was set up as a counter-weight to Black Sections. It has

acceptable

munities.

Although the

delegates conference,

ference the

walty

elections.

There tOTe

the issue of Labour ference electing the

section of the

national many

five of us who supported

Advisory Committee

ON 22 SEPTEMBER the Greater London Labour Party rebuffed the Black and Asian Advisory Committee (BAAC). The Regional Executive voted for a motion to 'withdraw all of its representatives from this undemocratic committee' and called upon 'all socialists to boycott it'. The motion considered it an 'insult to Labour's black supporters to relegate the demands and needs of the black community to a toothless body which will achieve no more than all the previous and now defunct race committees.'

By Paul Sharma, Labour Party Black Section

Monday night's decision was taken despite an intense campaign over the last by full-time Labour Party officials and the Labour leadership in • support of the committee. The BAAC was set up as an alternative to the Black

Party conference. The

move to withdraw wrecks the

By Dennis Skinner MP

the principle. We have managed to get that numbaer une tast NE gures

NEC conference meeting. With odd exceptions, the same people are pressing the witch hunt have taker a ine against women's role in the party and at their own conference.

Rule change

The aim now is to get a majority. This is one of the issues that has made progress in the NEC

The NEC right wing are now launching an attack on the youth section of the party, trying to take puWe.

Labour Party Young Socialists. What

Ila. become known as the Tom

proposals sawyer for the reorganisation of the youth section, was recently won at the with only seven of us

London rejects Black and Asian

BLACK

SECTIONS

your vole

Labour Party's 'official' race policy. It makes more urgent than ever that Labour recognises democratic black sections in the run-up to the nexi general election.

The BAAC is made up of Labour's national executive committee members including Roy

voting against it

Twenty five has been found to be the acceptable age limit for a youth sec-

unions. But the NEC want to reduce it to 2i. Ihe pro posals also envisage taking away the right 'LPYS conference to elect its own delegate to the national executive, ana generally bIinging the youth sections under much closer contro by the leadership.

Despite the rightward drift of the leadership, it is clear that important stirring is taking place in the ranks of the party. I speak thre gatherings around the

. Ihere has been an emergence of groupings on the left, and the meetings they hold are very well attended

the the heartand of he UDM, Notts NUM rally.

we saw the biggest turnout Hattersley, national trade union figures anne appointees from nine LaDour s eleven regional parties. But half of Britain's black population live

ine ared covered by Greater London. Effec-

half of Britain's black population now have no representation on this

Socialist Action 26 Sep 1986 3

for many years. That is a positive maication of lat trends I'm describing.

Campaign Group

tant par in r

tant part in this. have now been two wellpublicised meetings of the Campaign Group and Labour Left Liaison

and Manchester, both with big attendances.

third is blanned this year in Scotland.

There is serious supfor the emergence of Cam-

Pouli locally.

Many people are beginn ing to realise that we cannot go into the nex: general election with watered-down policies and expect to win. There are a

CM COOKSON lot of people in the consti-

tuency parties who believe we nave lo oul socialist back on Labour's agenda

Winning the election is about personalities; it's about putting over policies. somebody who has done close on 150 meetings this year, I don't think I can be accused of not campaigning. I believe we've got to get out into the areas. including Tory seats and others, to spread the socialist message. don't to spend my time on witch hunts — but on aevelopins poncies an campaigning The party a

whole must spend more of its time usefully, driving the Tories out of government.

Miners

Despite all the diversions created by the national executive, they have still not stopped spreading that message The emergence of a wing united around issues such as the women and black people, supporting struggle Wapping Silentnight and elsewhere and campaigning for justice for victimised miners fighting 310 socialist policies show Lule wal torward tor the whole labour movement. purely appointed and non-elected committee

The BAAC already sutfered a major blow earlier Los monti wich ils chall Black Section Jo Richardson

Cll1. nounced that after ine Labour Party conference in one week's time she will Tenuse et ouv lo culdlf cic committee but will also not take up membership of it.

Jo Richardson's decision brings the number of members of the committee who have either resigned, refused to attend thny will

stated not seek reappointment to

At next week's Labour Party conference there will

tions calling for disbandment of BAAC submitted Black ses su. CLPs supporting the

The BAAC will slowly limo to conterence - at conference we urge the labour movement to to sleep humanely. will be no peace in the Labour Party on this issu‹ until the right of black Labour Party members to form democratic black sections is constitutionally recognised alternative to the BAAC which must be adopted by this year's party conference

Page 4 scan of this page

Black Section platform for NEC elections

4 THE LABOUR Party Black Section is presenting three candidates for election to the NEC year's Labour Party conference — Diane Abbott in the women's section, and Narendra Makanji and Russell Proffitt in the constituency following platform has been issued by the candidates and the Black Section for their election.

WE DEMAND the immediate recognition of all Rack Sections established in Constituency Labour Parties around the counof the NEC special work- The recommendations ing group in favour of Black Sections being set up where Black party members want them should be incorporated in the constitution. This means Black Section representation at all levels.

pally s national leadership has adopted a two-pronged attack on the substatial gains made by the Black Section campaign. The first front has

cen the setting up of the neo-colonialist Black and Asian advisory commit-

"he second has beer the expulsion from party

LWU

ON THURSDAY 11 September 600 police, most in full riot gear, raided the St. Pauls district of Bristol — the centre of Bristol's black community. It was a direct police attack on the black community which has been condemned not only by tions but by the Bristol labour movement. SALLY JONES outlines the racist attack on St. Pauls. The police codenamed it 'Operation Delivery'.

Whether this was because they arrived concealed in Turniture lornes ana nurea vans isn't clear. 'Opera-

Saturation' would have been a

The fact Diale ala. that they handed out letters from assistant chief constable Popplewell, saying they were there to search tor drugs and apologising for the in-

simply added insult to injury.

The police arrived at 4.15 pm. At 4.30 the canvass sides OTI the lorries were rolled back and

on target addresses. One of

Socialist Action 26 Sep 1986

at this

section. The

leading Birmingham supporters, Amir Khan and Kevin Scally. These tactics are well-known to us and nave been perfected many decades of 'divide and rule'. We totally oppose the witch-hunting of Socialists from the Labour Party. Furthermore, would refuse to serve on the Black ana Aslan advisory committee ans

people but not elected by and accountable to them.

we are committed to furthering, the Black Sec-

tervention in politics. This

stepping up the fight for Black national liberation (South Africa), support for the demands of the Palestinians and support for British withdrawal

Racist police riot in St. Paul's, Bristol

black organisa-

the targets was the Black and White Cafe made famous as one of the flashpoints of similar events in 1980.

At about 5pm, the police started putting. on Le nol den ance r along Grovenor Road us-

. oi a little ston-throwing in response to the raid. Local people urged them to withdraw quickly as their heavy presence and behaviour was bound to create a response. But they stayed Tor more la turce tours.

Haven when they did 'withdraw' at 7.45 it was

LuC immediate Grovenor Road area. And

Black

Sections

from Ireland. Britain must withdraw from NATO The grip on developing countries of colonialism and big business has to be broken.

•Labour Partı replace its patronising ap proach to international aid and development with policies relevant to Black people at home and abroad. But the most urgent priority is to isolate racist South Africa. We

they left 20 cops in riot gear by the Grovenor Road flats, even then. Inevitably people gravitated towards them . jeering. Meanwhile police

Vali raced down Grovenor Road at high speed. it was a clear attempt to provoke

response. couple of petrol bombs and stones were thrown and a car set on tire

Lines of police quickly returned. From then on ow ponce the area in military formation. Grovenor Road was sealed off. People were not allowed to walk down it.

Ted Fowler, Avon Labour county councillor for Ashley ward. which covers the St. Paul's area told how he was "terrified

There is nothing mand

There nothing more

rounded in a small place

people armed to the eyeballs'.

emergency debate

resolution to party

to ensure the resolution gets discussed. By Anne Lemon, delegate Bristol West CLP

*the emergenci resol-

sait response by the local ution

movement and Community Association condemning the police raid and defending the community. The wide-

response reflects surcau the shock of people in the area lo une clearly. wenplanned police invasion. It gives Ine ue lo tue meula s claim silent majority supported that so-called the raid.

night after the initial raid saw tant police chief, Malcolm Popplewell, subjected to a barrage of angry questions at a meeting of the police liaison committee. Why had St. Paul's been singled treatment? Why TOT were SO

police involved?

BLACK PEOPIE AND THF POLICE

restate the Black Section's demands for:

1. Immediate disinvest-

Labour authorities; 2. A national Labour Party fund to provide aid for Azania's freedom fighters supported by a national publicity spearheaded by the trade unions and Labour Party; 3. An officially-backed refusal by trade unionists

The so-called antidrugs raid recovered no hard drugs at all, just

of • Wall juana. Out of the 85 people arrested. dragged out of their homes in handcutts. charges have beer brought out against just 18 most of them IO alleged minor public order offences.

The following night the area was once again salute again using the pretext of stone-throwing police

Inevitably their occupation of the area led to further clashes This hasn't led to a withdrawal,

ing LOWCYCL of local despite the urg- community leaders. Over a week after the operation, St. Paul's

not because 'violent community as the police allege but becaus

everywhere you go ther are vanloads of police, 650 in all in support units from seven forces.

Bristol Labour Parties call for

BOTH BRISTOL CLPs have backed an emergency conference condemning the police action in St. Paul's. Vigorous lobbying of the Conference Arrangements Committee will be vital

Why were they still in the

Jagun inatos of the the coordinator the local Community Association. The Association has been Ine subject of tremendous media witch-hunting and its chairperson, Kuomba Balogun, has been vilitied in the national as well local

Jagun explained that 'Operation Delivery' has produced the opposite ef fect of what the police wanted. Ine raid came oul of their desire to show their strength and prove St. Paul's is not a no-go

to them. Ironically al ca they have made St raul s

no-go area for foot patrols. Before police could walk up Grovenor Road but

to handle South African

unconditional

•ute release of all South African political

5. A manifesto commitment Labour Government will break off

will Pretoria's racist regime and rescind rights residency in Britain of the one million White South Africans who currently have this entitlement.

Labour must back up its anti-racist statements made in opposition with bold action govern-

Labour's economic policies must be geared to full employment. Ownership by the workers of the commanding heights British industry must be swiftly acheived. must be national

wage. Youth Training Scheme slave wages mus ended. Trade union rights for all

be WULAUS gual anteed. Positive policies Police begin St. Paul's operation they could find themselves in a bad situation.

Jagun was given a platform at a Justice for Mineworkers rally on the Saturday following the raid. , He outlined the events of the previou. iwo days, crawmilitary-style links between the st. Pau ts and the sort of

Paul's and the 'sort of oppression faced by the brothers and sisters BOULEA ICA

Tony Benn welcomed the opportunity of sharing the same platfrom with Jagun and suggested it was time the rate-payers who pay the wages of the police had an opportunity to exercise some control over themristol West CLP has

of the chief and assistant chief of police in Avon and for Labour members to withdraw from the police liaison committee. it has also decided to hold a maJor rally consultation with the Community AssCornor

aimed at ending racism including contracts com-

and au vaucil equality targets — must be

The health service workers - many of whom are low-paid and Blac must be properly valuer and rewarded The NHS should be adequately resourced

Education for means a crusade against racist sterco-typig Dy lit British school system. The culture achevements anc history of Black people

be positively trayed.

Racist immigration laws must be repealed. The police must be freed of

under the democratic con

elected tatives. We fully support Black Section policy or policing in that the nex Labour government must:

1. Repeal the 1984 Police Act, the Public Order Act and the Prevention of Terrorism Act;

Bristol West

emergency

resolution

raid on St.

majority in riot gear.

The police operation was totally

community of St. Paul's. tion by riot police despite pleas by

The atacks made

Brixton, Toxteth, Broadwater Farm etc. This conference:

support

munity of St. Paul's. 3 Calls

body not controlled by the police.

News

2. Enshrine in law the duty of the police to prosecute perpetrators of race at tacks; 3. Set up a fully indepen. dent police complaints body; 4. Ban the manufacture Strea-pilings and firearms, gas, plastic bullets, water cannon and ULIC life endangering equipment.

Representatives on the NEC supported the Black Section campaigr will be accountable Constituency Labour Parand affiliates who nominated them and will regularly communicate with these bodies. we are fully committed to advan. cing the gains of those who have fought for greater and les all valar bian and gay rights.

support the onstitutional demands of the Labou Women's Conference.

There will be report backs and discussions with the Laboul Party Black Sec tion National Committee its annual conference anc duly elected officers.

THIS CONFERENCE condemns the police

Paul's Bristol on Thursday 11 September 1986 involving 600 officers, the

• unjustified and represented a direct racist attack against the

The subsequent occupalocal labour

should withdraw, only served to heighten the tension and tuel controntation. The police action has irretrievably damaged their relationship with the

by the police shows similarities to tactics used in South Africa. This St. Paul's operation follows the pattern of increasing ly repressive police actions during the last year in

: into the se. quence of events and the policing of St. Paul's.

local labour movement/community enquiry involving the comabolish the present police complain procedures next Labour governent

with a democratically elected

Page 5 scan of this page

Women, Labour, and the left

News

Action Committee (WAC) strong presence of women at the Labour Party's an-

thriving regional groups and over 500 members. Its strength derives from three sources:

porting all women in women in those trade unions affiliated to Labour Party. * Self organisation of women.

above the rivalries of men's factions within the party.

At the same time of course we have welcomed positively all forms of support from men within the mass movement or around campaigns

I WO key issues will face WAC at this year's party conference. The first is the next round in the struggle for women to con-

their GWI _orealisdtions in the party. The second the alliances women should make to achieve their goals.

Advance

WAC's demands the right of the women's conference elect the women s NEC, a woman on every shortlist for selection, and women's conference have the right to submit resolutions to party conference — have made ma-

in the last year. further two

the NUR and UCATT, have been won

support its demands.

This is reflected in conference agenda. This year, unusually, there will be no composite attacking theme at Blackpool this year.

By Annie Brady

At the TUC earlier this ConTess within a whisker of passing a resolution that demanded the abandonment of all civil nuclear power, while

pro-nuclear resolution feated. This shows the real overwhelmingly prospects that exist at par-

conference this y cal

passing clap nudear

phasing out nuclear power, despite any reservations by the party Leadership

THIS IS the sixth year that the Labour Women's

Will be organising a

nual conference. Six years after its formation WAC is now an autonomous organisation of women with

* A strong commitment to uniting with and sup-

struggle, and in particular the

* A determination to remain 'above factions', ie

WAC's campaign to strenothen the women's organ-

By Ann Pettifor isation.

The composites likely to go to party conference will probably deal with the following areas: for proposa. weighted vote at women's conference which will reflect the number women rate unionists, ana for reservea seals I01 women trade unionists on Nationall and the Conference Arrangements Committee * A proposal for a special revision women's conference to discuss the Issues relating the women's organisation.

The election of the

NEC by COn-

change

list. National Labour be given its LIlC

ICICULC.

No to all nuclear power!

OVER 200 resolutions and amendments to party conference on nuclear power must be a record on any issue. Without a doubt, the demand to get ricof all Britain's nuclear power plants will be a central

recent Gallup poll published in the Observer showed per of Cent Labour voters in favour of phasing out nuclear power, 56 per cent of the whole sample. A commitment to a clear campaign around sulaoolle nuclear power would be a massive boost to Labour's

Chernobyl has brought together the opposition to nuclear power which has been the Windscale disaster in 1957. It has become apparent that there is no safe.

The critical debates will take place around composites based resolutions from APEX, the UCW, the 19 resolutions and amendments submitted by constituencies in line with WAC's demands, and amendHe TILS sanested Putney and Glasgow Hillhead.

Demands

It is clear that the party as a whole is no longer able to ignore the demands which are being put forward by women within the Dal ly - and which have been repeatedly endorsed

women's conference. This year's party ference will therefore be a critical one for women and for the Labour Party. Without being serious about women's rights within the party Labour will not be able to appeal to women.

The issue of alliances for women will be especially important given the launch of a major new umbrella group, Campaign Forum, in Chesterfield on

The and for women

to its of demands. Instead

practical organisa-

power embodied

Labour conference,. of the

as they way to annerate United

United States, for instance, no new power stations are on orael, ana up lo lov ex isting orders have been cancelled.

Delegates must insist, in the words of the Nationa! Union.

were of Labour Left Liaison before it.

WAC, and women will continue to work with all those who support their aclands — no were support from all sections of the party. But the existence of this new Forum, which has at its centre the Labour Women's Action Committee and Black Sec. tion, important departure for the left. way to detend tr allows Dal

organised

interests - the only basis on which principled alliances can be made. This alliance is therefore committed to forging uni-

between oppressed airin depender e their and autonomy.

The second important aspect of this new Forum Is lal ll pursues an oojec tive first introduced into the Labour Party lett bi the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy. CLPD was the first ever campaign in the left of the Labour Party which saw power a its single minded objeclive. Surprisingly no one on the left of the Labour

eve serous thought of, or planned to

DOWCLICS before. They wrote about

in newspapers or proclaimed it in speeches and then left things at that. Power

CLPD set about achieving power for the powerless eles and le of lad - in

of the Labour Party, which since its formation had been forced into a position of subordination by a domi Mineworkers resolution to conference on 'an immediate halt to the nuclear power programme and the phasing out of all existing plants' and 'an integrated do development ot with creased alternative energy, sources

nant and privileged group within the • pallalicilal y party. It did this without 1CAU1 rhetoric. As a result it was successful something

This is a third aspect of Campaign Forum Women and WAC, not make the politics style, or the politics of protest, priority. Instead they alter-

Unity

essential power

unskilled une

• have for

to within ranks more than just skilled

the deeply

of men over the

tary Party has

oppressed every.

Nicaragua.

Seven years after the advent of a hostile government Labour and indeed large sections of the left — remain weak and ineffective with a confused

electorate hesitating before

that seems have little substance. Thi will not be turned round changes in power style but only

within society and within the party. WAC demands that the right of women to control

own affairs recognised within society within the party, and within the left. This is the sole principled basis on which can make alliances.

Labour Left Liaison, and now Campaign Forum, have taken the first steps down the long road pioneered by women. We will see next week whether party conference is prepared to follow suit.

wave wind. geothermal and solar

enerive want to see this

policy in Labour's election manifesto, Peter Heathfield. •We believ that it would fantastically aid a Labour victory at the nexteeneral election sa

Bases out of

Britain,

Britain out of

NATO

THE UNITED States air-raid

strengthen Labour's policy. By Carol Turner, Labour CND (personal capacity)

Tony Benn demonstrated earlier in the year.

to line behind

allies into shape and gain support.

Libya policy.

labour movement, that •leads

removal of all US bases is one such issue

NATO. A Labour mean fight. Developing

crucial importance

Socialist Action 26 Sep 1986 5

on Libya means that Britain's international alliances will be high on the Labour Party conference agenda next week. With 14 resolutions calling for all US bases out, that policy is certain to get debated, and it looks as if the majority of CLPs will be supporting this demand to

As the outery which followed the attack on Tripoli and Benghazi launched from bases in this country showed, there is no doubt that this would be a popular issue for Labour to fight an election on. But the NEC will oppose the resolution calling for the removal of US bases, as the voting record

Eric Heffer's paper

Reagan's attack was aimed at forcing Libya in-

the interests of American imperialism in the Middle East. What also came to light was the fact that there was no military necessity to launch it from Britain. That decision was motivated by US desire to knock its European

demonstratec the real role of NATO. In the past few years discussion on NATO wiltrawal das revived will tae urs, bul lnert is no movement whatsoever by the trade union block vote. Raising the question of the bases is one of the ways to begin to break this log-jam.

A huge majority still exists in the party for Labour's policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament. And there is a significant commitment from sections of the party rank and file for getting ou of the North Atlantic Alliance. But the question is how tactically to fight for this — especially at a time when the leadership's retreat on the whole policy front, including on some of the nuclear disarmament issues, leads comrades into defensive battles. Neil Kinnock's 'unity' appeal has helped disorient campaigns within the party to strengthen

The issue for the left is to find the way of fighting against Britain's imperialist alliances and to find a way of breaking into the debate within the

, especially within the unions, discussion and action inexorably against Britain's foreign policy. The

Fighting for the removal of US bases is also one of the key routes to taking up the question of

committed to throw American bases out, and a leadership campaigning into the election on such a policy, would bring to the fore the question of NATO membership. Such practical issues are necessary alongside resolutions on the subject of withdrawing from NATO

The NĂTO edifice is a central feature of US and British imperialism. Bringing it down is no

La strategy concretely to put withdrawal from NATO on the agenda is of

in developing the anti-imperialist stance for the left in the labour movement. Fighting for the removal of all US bases from this country is a practical first step towards that. It also aids all those struggling against imperialism throughout the world.

Page 6 scan of this page

Launching

Campaign Forum

ON 20 SEPTEMBER the Campaign Group of MPs,

meeting in met with Labour Left (LEL) - the umbrella organisation taking in many of the main campaigns in the Labour Party including the Labour Party Section, the Labour Women's Action Committee, the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, Labour CND. This meeting followed discussions between paign Group of MPs and the campaigns in the LIL around the way forward for the left. It decided to . launch Campaign Forum Alliance for Socialism. This will bring together the Campaign Group of MPs, ( the LLL and left-wing figures and groupings in the trade unions.

The political basis for Campaign Forum was created by the cooperation of the left during the miners strike. But two crucial steps were taken to its creation during the spring paign Group became the first group within the Parliamentary Labour Party to formally endorse the demand for constitutionlly recognised Black tions within the Labour Party. Second the Campaign Group embarked on an editorial policy in its newspaper Campaign Group News of giving space to the major campaigns within the Labour their own views. The Campaign Group also went on to endorse the slate for the women's section of the NEC decided upon at the shadow women's conference.

These decisions by the Campaign Group itself followed its own policy in supporting the miners strike, launching the Justice for Mineworkers paign, supporting British withdrawal from Ireland, and demanding British withdrawal from NATO.

These decisions by the Campaign Group, taken together, represented a radical departure in the way groupings within the parliamentary party related to the party membership as well as important steps in policy. mentarians in the past, of course, had agreed to participate in struggles, campaigns, outside parliament. But it had alwavs been on terms wnich iney dictated. They 'condescended' to place themselves at the head of movements.

The Campaign Group had already started to break with this tradition in the miners strike - during which they participated as one part of the enormous movement which supported the

The Campaign Illici. tioned, as Tony Benn put it, as parliamentary wing of the miners support movement.' This began to change the Campaign Group's relation to the entire party.

paper like Tribune, and the Tribune group of MPs, picking out selected individuals who it chose to 'represent' the movement. It paid no attention to who the key campaigns and organisations in the party themselves think can them.

For the campaigns in the party what is important is both policy and empowering. all people, women, or all party members, working. class itself. That demands for the rights of women's conference, or the creation of Black Sections, have become so crucial. They are not 'arid', 'constitutional' the very heart of whether the Labour Party exists for the benefit of an elite of parliamentarians and 'leaders' the benefit of those who created it.

The Campaign Group, through its

role in the miners strike, began to open itself all progressive

opments in the party. tions of the bartv make token gestures,

'politics of style', the Campaign Group

endorsed the policies which

campaigns in the party demanded.

began to function as a real part of an

'alliance for socialism' in the party. It

was this which opened up the way to

Campaign Forum and is why Labour

Left Liaison sought a working relation

with the Campaign Group. It meant the

Campaign Group was now working as

it had with the miners.

Socialist Action 26 Sep 1986 holding its Chesterfield, withdrawal

Liaison allowed ine Forum.

field the following press Black issued by officers

Tried on our front page. and

the Cam-

Chesterfield

the new group An Alliance for Socialism An government and popular majority for socialism.

most influential

LIC together constituency unionsis and parlamentarials 'Campaign First the Cam- unitea voice or grass

Committee,

Sec-

in the trade unions.

'What

black people.

elections

the Campaign Group Labour Party Labour Left Liaison (LLL).

Camundemocratic

conference.

Many parlia-

and women's corference demands

Blackpool.

at Labour Party conference.

Group func-

the

of its main competitor Tribune.

operated by

vide for equal

best represent

individuals.

Ann or the Women's Action why

issues but merstone ot its campaign'

Marc or for Labour Party

develWhile other secwere prepared or engage in the

the key receptive

to self organise.

with the key launching Campaign Forum.

campaigns of women, the black communities, and those demanding British

from Ireland. was massive political step forward which

Campaign

Following the meeting in Chester-

release Labour Left Liaison. Tony Benn's comment is car-

Ine LLL's statement declares: 'A major new umbrella group was launched at a summit of the Labour left in

Saturday 20 September. The immediate priority of

Campaign Forum. will be working for the election of a Labour

the of a

'Campaign Forum is potentially the

socialist umbrella group since 1981. For the first time in

Labour partv's history it brings

activists, trade

Forum will provide a Tools organsa tion like the Labour Women's Action

the Labour Party Black Section, the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, the Campaign Group of Labour MPs, and left wing groupings

distinguishes Campaign Forum from previous initiatives like the Labour Coordinating Committee and the Rank and File Mobilising Committee is the central role played by campaigns for the rights of women and

"The decision to set up Campaign Forum arises from joint work between

and the new umbrella organisation Among the issues championed by the LLL have been, opposition to the divisive and

Black and Asian Advisory Committee. It has succeeded in winning near unanimous left suppor for the candidates for the women's section of the NEC that were adopted at this year's national Labour women's

'The new group will oppose all expulsions, call for support of the con-

the Labour and Black Section, support British withdrawal from Ireland, demand the removal of all US bases from Britain, and defend reselectoin of MPs at the party conference in

'Campaign Forum will be launched publicly at major ralalies of the Campaign Group and Labour Left Liaison

Following party conference Campaign Forum will be supporting the formation of local Campaign Groups and regional rallies and promoting the sales of its new newspaper Campaign Group News — which already outstrip those

"The structure of Campaign Forum — An Alliance for Socialism, will pro-

representation of the three wings of the left in the party the Campaign Group in parliament, Labour Left Liaison, and leading trade unionist — and will also draw upon the experience of a number of prominent

Pet Committee issued a of the Labour statement: "This is the first campaign clearly identified with the left which has not added women's rights to a shopping list of demands but instead has made support for women's rights a cor-

Wadsworth, chair of the Back Section, said: •What is clear is that when Labour wins the next general election there will be at least six black members of parliament. It is a virtual certainty they will be closely associated with the Campaign Group of Labour MPs as a result of its decision to support Labour Party Black Sections. However it will have to be a Campaign Group that is relevant and

black perspective in politics. This new initiative can ensure this happens through joint action based on support for the right of black people

Labour Left Liaison and Campaign Group speakers will be sharing platforms at Labour Party conference in

ONE OF the major parts of the newly launched Campaign Forum is Labour Left Liaison (LLL). This is the liaison body of the main cam-

Ann Pettifor of the Labour Women's Action (WAC). Its secretary is Vladimir Derer of the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD). Other campaigns in the LLL include the Labour Party Black Section Labour CND.

Since its creation during the summer Labour Left Liaison has been receiving major press publicily. The New Statesman devoted our pages to its creation politics followed by an exchange between Vladimir Derer, Roy Hattersley and Michael Meacher. Neil Kinnock engaged in an attack on Labour Left Liaison in his speech criticising liaising, and Sorteming in Manchester on the left.

The public meeting held on 22 July in London by Group News, and supported by the LLL, attracted 700 people to hear speakers from the Group, Women's Action Commit tee, Labour Party Black Section, and Campaign for Labour Party Democracy. It received widespread national coverage in the Guardian, Telegraph, Financial Times, Observer and other papers. than 800 people attended a similar meeting Manchester September. Labour Left Liaison will have a major impact at Labour Party conference as most important parts of Campaign Forum.

JOHN ROSS looks at the politics of the LLL and the reason for the political impact it is making.

THE POLITICS

Committee

ly, and increasingly strategic line for the Labour Party and

strategy for socialism in Britain.

As Neil Kinnock, and porters,

seeks to work with, that September

paign Group

Campaign

the LLL plicitly being spelt out.

Campaign

The first

The "prototype, on an More huge social on • 11 NUM to the women's movement,

and gay movement, one of the

alliance of the miners reality represented the 'model'

LLL,

which make up its

support

movement -unions,

Lucill

that reinforces

existence. What it has socialist strategy

for socialism in Britain. socialism can be

However it is equally dangerous,

socialism in Britain.

tal lask lacing sociausts

struggle of every type only just at its beginning

THEPROCESS that led to the creation of Labour Left Liaison represented in reality a sea change in the entire orientation ot the Labour left. Labour lLeti Liaison is the first attempt to create what might be termed a strategic left within the Labour Party. The LLL did not aim to bring together 'all the left' on the existing basis. On the contrary it set out to change the basis on which the left was constituted. It is based implicit-

explicitly, on a

one that is not just looking to the next election, although it is totally commited to winniga, bullo remoulang me ch tire Labour Party and embarking on a

and his supmanifestly lack any strategy for socialism, it is going to be the forces assembled in the LLL, Jogether with currents in the Parliamentary Labour Party and the trade unions the LLL

will be the strategic driving force of the Labour Party. This is why the campaigns in the LLL have come together with the Cam-

of MPs in Campaign Forum. It is therefore worth spelling out what that strategy is - both as it is implicitly inscribed in the demands of

and as it is increasingly ex-

point about the LLL is that it is based on a class struggle left. It was the impact of the miners strike

together. i enormous scale, of the alliances the LLL represents was the

movement generated around the miners strike. The ties of the

to the black community, to the lesbian unions are exactly the social alliances the LLL is about creating. It was the

strike that in of the

The LLL differs from the miners strike of course in that the campaigns

CUTe wee organised first through the constituencies and then went into the unions for

But that does not alter the political core of the matter. None of the key forces in the LLL are content to remain in the constituencies. All are out to link developments across the entire

taking in the CLPs, the women's sections, black sections, the youth section and all othe parts of the party. What the LLL is in fact constructing, and by that helping define a political strategy, is a series of social alliances across the labour move-

The second feature of the LLL, one

characte strategic left, is that it realises that while struggle, as with the miners, is an absolute precondition for success by itself it is not enough. The British working class has been struggling for its entire

lacked is • and any political organisation to embody that strategy.

A first crucial point in the strategic vision of the LLL is that Labour has to create, to consciously build, a majority

The idea that introduced minority of the population is absurd.

ultra left delusion, to believe that there already exists today a majority for

Capitalism in Britain today is not held up by a 'small handful of traitors'. Creating that majority for socialism, a long hard fight, is the most fundamen-

That fight for a working majority for socialism will take years of

- and we are still

The first element of this majority for socialism is Labour's traditional support — with, to be blunt, its tradi-

TTAK

(Top) Ann Pettifor, mem Committee and chair off Armagh Priso Wadsworth,

tional core in the white male mai working class.

But that core of Labour's tr tional support is still vital. The ide creating socialism based on 'an allia of the disposessed is pure nons The struggle for socialism cannot confined to white male sections of

class. But definitely take them in.

Politics rests on power from w the working class, women, the bl communitv and others are exclu Any strategy which does not inc winning over the white male section

Page 7 scan of this page

OF LABOUR LEFT LIAISON

of the executive of Women's Action abour Left Liaison. (Middle) Picket of *gainst strip-searches. (Bottom) Mare air of the Labour Party Black Section

al the working class is simply utopian. It

won't work.

This also helps define distinguishing features of the LLL and the organisations within it. None of the campaigns in the LLL are content to remain simply in the constituenparties. The most aigns in the LLL are the Campaign t abour Party Democracy (CLPD), tł Women's Action Committee (WAC), the Labour Party Black Section and a number of Labour's most important anti-imperialist campaigns — such as the Labour Committee on Ireland and

Labour CND. campaigns,

Labour Left

support.

Labour Party Black Section,

The vanguard of their willi

of Ireland.

their

SCIOUS unions.

WAC naturally

trade unionists who are women -

two thirds who are men. tion seeks organisation throughout movement

it also uses this to fight against

trade unionists wno are wnite. ther two unions, UCATT,

ACTT, this year.

unions with success. Labour

tire labour movement.

palens in

tional

But

and its social base.

HOL

many other social forces.

one of the

knit together

tionally and powerful cam-

socialism.

power of the

'minorities'.

Other anti-imperialist workers, with the partial exception of the Central America Labour Group, tionally do not yet see the need to participate in

Liaison although hopefully that will change as it acquires

Organisations such as WAC and the

For the Labour Committee on Ireland, are not fighting for narrow sectional national interests of British white male workers.

SUDDUlL all ing members in the labour movement, black members of the labour movement movement and those active on the issue

The same principle applies for campigns such as Labour CND or the Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Rights. But all these campaigns are marked not only by their orientation in- ment. to the organisations of the CLPs but by

support in the trade

seeks to have its crucial base among the one third of

- but 11 also seeks to change the positions of the

The Black Sec. spread black selfthe labour - including the unions and to have its base in the black community and among black workers. But Labour

something racism among the ninety per cent of tremely

A serious fight in the unions has a powerful base among the forty per cent tie bet of union members who are women or politics. black. But it also involves a fundamental fight among the positions of the sixty per cent who are white and male.

The Campaign for Labour Party Democracy has among the strongest trade union links or any campaign In the party. The Women's Action Committee has been progressively winning trade union support — gaining a fur-

NUR and to support its demands this year and only narrowly losing even in John Golding's NCU. The Labour Party Black Section won the first major union, the NUM, to support it in 1984. It won the vote of the NUR and NUPE last year, and it has received its first supporting amendment from a union,

The Labour Committee on Ireland has been intensifying its work in the

CND, part of CND, has traditional links with the unions. A key part of the power of the campaigns in the LLL is therefore that they are organising across the en-

This gives a ker strength to these campaigns and the LLL as a whole. It also means the cam-

the LLL are progressively touching the key centres of organisa-

power in the Labour Party. organisations, and alliances, involved in the LLL show the way that Labour must expand its entire traditional understanding of politics

The miners strike just based on trade union solidarity of the traditional type. The miners strike allied a key union, and other unions supporting it, with women ibside and outside the working class, miah the ber social forces. in short it and with enormously expanded the alliances of the labour movement. That is exactly

he strategic concept of the LLL

Labour's traditiona working class base with an enormous

of its social alliances nainternationally, and this in a coherent strategy for

It is this strategy which creates the LLL'S policy.

ridiculous to claim, as do the Labour

right, that this represents an orientation

women, white male

the black community, those fighting for freedom and socialism na-

and internationally, people are not a minority. They con stitute a majority of society. Out of these Labour can create a real alliance for socialism in Britain which is a majority in society. The strategy the LIL is putting forward is to create a potentially hegemonic force in society.

This is why the overt break of the LLL with anything remotely resembling the politics of Militant or the Morn-

Star was decisive. Because politics of these currents cut the labour

off from the decisive alliances which could make it a majority in society — and a left which cannot explain how Labour will ever win a majority in society for socialism is a left which cannot lead the labour move-

The LLL does have a strategy for how to win a majority for the labour movement and for socialism — to te Labour's traditional working class base

massive new series social alliances, and link that to the key anti-

mperialist struggle that are taking

olace in the worl . It is by putting forward that strategy the LLL 'breaks the mould' of the previous framework of the Labour left.

It is because it understands that Left Liaison represents new, and potentially powerful, that the Labour leadership and press have been giving

such attention. The represents a new type of force in British

One that represents örganised conscious way the nucleus of the type of alliances the miners created

British capital, the

leadership, never lost a moments sleep

over the type of politics represented by the Morning Star or Militant. But the

type of politics represented by the LLL, on the contrary, is something

the

serious indeed.

It is also for this reason that many ohstacles will be out in the wav of the type of politics that the LLL represents. For success by the LLL, and Campaign Forum, wing of the British labour movement. exe

When it reported the creation of the LLL the New Statesman reported as LLL purely token, and deeply significant

the fact that Labour Left Liaison had proposed as its joint chairs representatives of the Labour Party Black Section and the Women's Action CommitIt wa. sion. But it was not in any way token.

The decision to propose that WAC and the Black Section take the chair of a labour movement organisation, the very LLL, symbolised, and determined, its

Vladimir Derer, secretary of CLPD and secretary of Labour

Left Liaison ing class. ty, and the key would reshape the entire left

national

a deeply significant deci-

Labour left.

MO PIT

CLOSURES

Socialist Action 26 Sep 1986 7 entire orientation. It meant embarking on a strategic line whose absolute core was to tie together the white male work

women, the black communianti-imperialist campaigns in the party and to tie these together in the organised labour movement. Proposing to make WAC and the Black Section joint chairs meant that the entry ticket to that left was support for the demands of the Women's Action Committee, and the Labour Party Black Section — as well as crucial inter-

demands including British withdrawal from Ireland. That is a sea change in the entire orientation of the

And it is aiso why Labour Left Liaison is making such a huge impact in the press and Labour party. It genuine-

is an historical land mark in politics of the left witng of the British labour movement.

NO PIT

GLOSURES

Page 8 scan of this page

Labour must hear Sinn Fein

Victory for political rights in US

8 Socialist Action 26 Sep 1986

LCI's open letter to Neil Kinnock

THE LABOUR Committee on Ireland's plans to in. vite Sinn Fein Councillor Tommy Carrol to speak at a Labour party conference, and its promotion of a tour of Sinn Fein councillors to local councils in October has provoked a big controversy in the press. In this open letter to Neil Kinnock, the Labour Committee on Ireland reply to press criticism and address pertinent questions to the party leader.

Dear Neil Kinnock, and hoped that a report

would be brought forward been the for culei cle debate. LADOH HA -

The Party Dal Ly Blackpool. signed November. The overIrish Post,

that PLP collference unlikely to division with the

The Daily to indicate guverlticuy their The LCI argued ed up on unattributed comments from the Labour that

for Ireland.

Labour Senior figures

Committee on Ireland were seen SLUILS sceptical intentions, the

Telegraph which make the task unity easier. readiness of left wingers

We have the legal system in the Irish You are Republic to satisfy futher saying British government that

Ill,

Republic to Dreakle by the demands

Page 9 scan of this page

'Autonomy' advance for Nicaraguan

International

AS PART OF THE intensification of the US-backed war against ministration engaged in a vicious campaign concerning the plight of the country's Indian and black people. But Reagan's claims that the Sandinista government maltreats the country's indigenous

Living in the Nicaragua's Indian and black mously benefitted from the 1979 revolution.

Roads, schools and hospitals have been built.

Land has been distributed.

Trees and crops have been planted. The town Bluefields is projected as becoming Nicaragua's chief port.

Despite such gains, the US found the Atlantic Coast a quite fertile area for its 'contra war' орегаtions. Even santical economic improvements to the region could not rapidly overcome deepseated divisions rooted in a history of discrimination.

al leader of the san-

tional leader of dinista National Libera-

'AUTONOMY IS not a new idea' explained Nicaraguan president, Daniel Ortega to special conference held last year it has been the desire and aspiration of the people from the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua for over four hundred years'.

The Atlantic Coast comprises 56 per cent or the country's territory.

suffered tremendous isolation, and its peoples have been subject superexploitation and racial discrimination.

The Pacific coast was the CORVICCU Spaniards who minated the native tribes But they were never able to and 12 national trade unions transport, civil servants, graphical,

munication workers.

Ron Todd, general secretary of the TGWU

olitica leaders from

Nicaragua and El Salvado on the conference platfrom. Their theme will be the struggle for peace, selldetermination and recon-

the tace of stepped up United States nicivcuuull.

The conference has been called with the US-backed war to overthrow the Sandinista government entering a new stage.

13 August the US Con-

$100 MeSS million aid to the Contras and US military manoeuvres are escalating I nonduras.

The Nicaraguan people have appealed for international support in their forts to defend their sovereignty and

direct use troops.

A national meeting of

indians and black people

Nicaragua, the Reagan ad-

peoples couldn't be further from the truth, writes Jon Silber-

Atlantic Coast region, peoples have enor-

tien Front out it earlier Toe coo came up against a problem preschica itself in any other part: the ethnic problem'.

Appreciation of this problem gave rise to the 'Autonomy Plan'. When I speak of autonomy' Borge exn lained am not just to respect for their Coolis religion, lang. uage and the right to use the forests and waters, but also to the election of the local administrative authorities and Regional Assembly, meaning an advanced autonomy, the only real autonomy for ethnic

Centuries of discrimination

County through their colonial policy in the Atlantic region. That was left to the Bush.

The British first began contact with the Atlantic coast early in the seventeentn century. They ried favour with sections of the indigenous peoples seeking turn them againt both the Spanish and onel morgetour peoples to strengthen their GWil rule. The coast continued until British protectorate 1860 (Nicaragua had won its independence from Spain 40 years earlier).

Following the Coast's incorporation agua in 1894 its resources were milked ary eign, principally US-based companies.

Labour Movement Conference

on Central America

A MAJOR CONFERENCE in solidarity with the people of Nicaragua and El Salvador will take place on 28 Feburary 1987. The initiative was taken by the El Salvador Solidarity Campaign and has now gained support from the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign

inculding the constructon workers, public employees, shop workers and com-

the Nicargauan Solidarity Campaign on 6 September discussed how to promote this solidarity. The NSC

By Celia Pugh

has joined forces with War on Want to produce an attractive information paca. contains material on US trade unions, the Atlantic Coast, Reagan's war and the contras, women and health.

See hornatom on us

funding of the Loony is, the pro-Contra lobby autone. me henruord Court of Justice decision He cason for the bannings of La Prensa, Bishop Vega and Father Carballo.

The El Salvador Solidanity Campaign is. also responding to appeals for

groups that exists in the Americas.

Autonomy Plan provides tor aerence, micknai security, international

policy, all-Nicaraguan economic strategy jurisprudence be responsibility of Nicaraguds centra ment. Within this framework, the Atlantic Coast will govern itself at all levels cultural, omic and political.

Borge explains that the Plan has nationwide scope. The Atlantic region is enriched because it is the direct beneficiary of autonomy. The

enriched because ICECIVE the cultural heritage of the Atlantic. Both are enriched through the elimination prejudicies and misunderstandings.'

The plan, he argues, is a contribution by Nicar. agua to humanity. 'ех-

panies wiped out forests. Mining companies CAhausted the consid-

gold deposits. eradic (Nicaragua was world's top ten goldproducing nations in

940s and '50s). Overfishing чет! Coastal waters bereft of the most healthy and lucrative fish.

Prior to the revolution of 1979 nothing was done for the region. schools roads were built. Illiteracy stood at 80 per tempts to organise unions

crushed by the NaWElC tional Guard. Silicosis and

tuberculosis was the plight

LUTOWE OUl work by the closure of the

The people's cultures and languages were suppressed.

FMLN forces

support to match the

LICW inside SalThe Duarte government is in deep crisis. It faces mass demonstrations

tion and military breakLIONS Ov the FMLN liberation forces. The mass movement's demand for a peace dialogue between the government and the heration fronts of the FDR-FMLN have again been rejected by Duarte.

On 13 September, 200 supporters the

presses in legal terms the revolution's recognition of the marginalisation and

that the aboriginal communities and ethnic groups have suffered JOI The revolution has adopted their historic demands as its own, and promises to

HONDURAS

•OCOlA

ESTELl. "MALAGALP, UMINANULGA

PACIFIC OCEAN

The peoples

Six distinct indigen-

ous peoples and ethnic

communities

own languages presently

live in tue Allantic coast

region:

• SUMOS Today the

term "Sumo' is used to

refer to all the surviving

non-Misikito groups.

There are 8,000 Sumos

Mestizos, the 80,000

the

numerous people in the

Today

they live in hundreds of

communities especially

in Northern Zelaya.

• RAMAS The 800

COIS ILLIE the

smallest indigenous

group. Their very

vival is at stake. - Duarte has rejected peace dialogue Salvador Solidarity

paign picketed the US Em-

bassy London. They

were •TOSLCSLIK against

US funding of the Duarte

regime and military sup-

port for the ruthless bom-

ings of the Salvadorean

countryside.

• Labour Movement conference on Central Amen congress February

1987, House, London. Leaflets available from ELSSOC,

13-16 Borough, Road,

London, SEI. Telephone

respond to them on all levels. • Tens of thousands 01 Nicaragualis Have Occ. involved in meetings discussing the autonom process.

The greatest obstacle to the carrying through of the autonomy plan remains the US intervention. Until

PUERIU CADCER

Northern celaya

Southern

Lelayc BLUEFIELDS A

(ATLANTIC OCEAN • CREOLES The 30,000 Creoles are descendants of African slaves. Their culture Afro Caribbean and they speak Creole English.

GARIPHONES or BLACK CARIS In 1,500 Garifunas orgin-

Africans with the Carib-

the Lesser Antilles. Their

has almost disappeared and is being

along with their

• MESTIZOS The 120,000 Indo-Hispanic peoples from the Pacific coast and central regions form the majority of the Atlantic coast population. 01-928 3412. Donations

requested of fl 1000 leaflets. Also available is the report of a recent Labour Movement delegation to

El Salvador at £1

• Nicaragua Solidarity

Campaign/War on Want packs are available

£1.95 from 20/21 Com ton Terrace, London N Briefings on the state of

Contras and International Court of

decision are available for 30p each.

now, some 35 per cent of economic damage produced directly as the result of the 'contra war' has been inflicted on the Atlantic Coast. Substantial amounts of the latest $100 million contra aid from the

for continuing this policy of destruction. Thousands of indians remain in Honduras, hostages of the con-

Two organisations of the indigenous proples still maintain themse ver under arms against the revolution

But by recognising the just demands of the digenous peoples for

through their aulullully policy dialogue and through amnesties the Sandinista government has turned the tide in the

Grenada murder

trial smears

. revolution ...

since murder

occupation authorities

By Celia Pugh

to discredit the 1979 revolution.

Wing the guns of the

evitable methods imperialists.

ment has soared.

liberties are under assault.

the

formed part of the measures.

... Coard sup-

porters cover up

so-called Committee

to cover up for Bernard Coard

Wing that Coard had any part in this. point the finger leading the army to shoot them down.

Pot group'

Grenadan revolution.

Socialist Action 26 Sep 1986

Atlantic Coast. Each weel dozens of Miskitos an Sumos have returned fron Honduran refugee camps despite the armed conflic of the 34 villages along th Coco nver which divide Nicaragua from Hondura have been resettled.

Actation orge puts i the Nicaragua national ethnically pluralist, multil ingual and culturall pluralist will take timerbu • There hav firml established been qualitiative change in the population's think Peace, return an autonomy have becom the banners of struggle o the peoples of the Atlanti ALMOST THREE YEARS have passed sinister, Maurice Bishop, and the Us inva- of Grenada's sion of that tiny island. In October 1984, the

arrested Bernard Coard and 18 others for Bishop's murder. Coard had been deputy prime minister of the

People's Revolutionary Government. After much delay, the trial began in April this year. It is being used by the US-installed New National Party and the Reagan administration

The Coard faction overthrew the revolutionary government by moving against Bishop and turn

army against the mass domonstration of 19 October 1983 which released Bishop from house arrest. The Reagan administration and its servants in the Caribbean are seeking to convince the Grenadan people and the oppressed throughout the world that these are the in-

and anti-

The NNP government is also using the trial to undercut popular discontent over worsening conditions on the island. Health, employment, and education projects initiated by the revolutionary government have been dismantled and unemploy-

In the first four months of this year, living costs jumped by almost 30 per cent with a new tax on consumer goods. Democratic rights and civil

A new Movement Restriction Act limits travel out of the country of those deemed to be security risks. Trade unionists are harrassed. Unemployed youth have been killed, political activists intimidated and opponents of

government and US presence on the island are subject to arbitrary searches. Irregularities by the authorities in the conduct of the murder trial, including ill-treatment of defendants, have also

government's repressive

Now, however, very necessary opposition to the government repression is being abused by the

for Rights Grenada and Caribbean Labour Solidarity. These organisations have been organising in the trade unions and Labour Party and through the pages of the Morning Star, Caribbean Times and Tribun

They use denunciations of the US-backed trial to rewrite history on the murder of Bishop, deny-

They even responsibility at George Louison, agricultural minister in the revolutionar! government and today a leader of the Maurice Bishop Patriotic Movement. Caribbean Times of 12 September describes Louison as 'the man accused of murdering Bishop'. Other accounts blame him for bullying Bishop to break party discipline leading to his house arrest; and for 'manipulating the masses to take to the streets on 19 Octobe

and smear campaign does no justice to the Grenadan revolution. It flies in the face of well-documented evidence presented by Cuban leader Fidel Castro. While rejecting the right of the US-backed court to try Coard and his supporters, Castro leaves no doubt that this Pol

murdered Bishop and with it the

Page 10 scan of this page

ALLIANCE SOCIALISM 22-23 November

******************************************************************************

Initial speakers include Tony Benn Martin Collins Jeremy Corbyn John Lang Vladimir Derer Venue: Sir William Collins School, London. Make cheques payable to Socialist Action.

Please send me Name

Address

I/ We require..

Send to PO Box 50, London N1 2XP

BUILDING

Linda Bellos Marc Wadsworth Betty Heathfield

Bill Etherington Price: £6 for the weekend, £3.50 per day (£4 and £2 unwaged).

FORThe second annual 'Alliance for Socialism' weekend of debate, discussion, and agitation sponsored by Socialist Action.

Peter Heathfield • Diane Abbott

Alan Meale Ann Pettifor Jude Woodward • tickets for 'Building an Alliance for Socialism'

places in the creche for children aged

Topics include *Which way for the left? *Labour Left

Liaison *Which way for

women in the

*Black

Liberation *Defending the

unions today *Justice for the

miners *Lesbian and

*Campaign

*Fighting the

witch hunt *The Anglo-

Irish Accord *Britain out of

NATO, US

Britain *South Africa

El Salvador *Zionism

AN Labour Party? Gay Liberation

Group of MPs

bases out of

*Solidarity with

Nicaragua and

Fund drive

Grand Xmas

raffle

considerable sum target is £1,500. prizes.

PC 1512).

equivalent if they prefer.

This rattle ongoing fund drive

schedule

We had aimed to resume weekly

year. Most of our

resume weekly publication

(Box 50, London N1 2XP).

or 3 for fl.

weekly Socialist Action.

Fund drive

Dowd. Please keep the money coming in. and radical literature.

miners' strike

p&p Women Under Apartheid International Defence and Aid Fund, 120pp

46p p&p For Their Triumphs and For Their Tears: Women In Apartheid South Africa Hilda Bernstein, 136pp, IDAF, £3.50 + 34p p&p Part of My Soul

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PO Box 50, London N1 2XP. If the total value o

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PC 1512

FROM THIS issue of the paper, we announce the launch of a grand Xmas raffle. All funds to go to help the regualr publication of Socialist Action. We hope to raise a

through the raffle. Our So we are offering major

The first prize will be a choice. Either the new IBM compatible Amstrad personal computer (the

Or the new Sharp 10-function VHS video recorder. The winner can take the cash

is separate and apart from our - and a projected major publication fund that we will be launching from our Building an Alliance for Socialism event. This latter will be to fund our return to a weekly

But before then, we need monies in rapidly.

schedule im mediately after the summer break. The problem is that a series of debts were accumulated following the split in our editorial board at the turn of the

commercial activities were disrupted for a period of over two months. We must meet our creditors before we are able to

So we are asking all our supporters to help sell these tickets, obtainable from our editorial office

And we ask ail our readers to buy some tickets. They sell at 50p each

Success in this will speed the return of the

THANKS to our readers and supporters who sent us money since the summer to keep us afloat. These include: £35 from our Newport supporters, £25 from Phil Waterhouse 'left over from my holidays', £10 from Luko, a German reader, £40 from our Bristol supporters and f5 from Norma

Other Books

The Other Book's mail order service offers a wide selection of socialist, anti-imperialist

Shifting Horizons: a testament to women in the Lynn Beaton, Canary Press, 265pp, £5.65 + 40p

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Cheques and postal orders payable to Other Books. Orders with payment should be sent to: Other Book:

books ordered is over t10, then simoly add 15 per cen

Page 11 scan of this page

New mood of resistance in the NUM

Politics Today

THE DURHAM COALFIELD gave a massive 'yes' to industrial action in two area ballots last week. The eight thousand NUM members voted 68 per cent in favour of an overtime ban in defence of wages, pits and jobs.

action in four specified areas — solidarity with their victimised workmates, pay, restoration of the industry's conciliation procedures and in opposition to the closure of Seaham, the area's most profitable colliery.

• The vote by the twoand-a-half thousand mechanics means Line area's pits will now be hit

weekly lightening 24-hour stoppages without mechanics' prior warning.

By Jon Silberman

The Durham votes are

the latest evidence of a

•growing IOOd resistance. Last month the South Wales Area voted to start a ban on coal production during overtime in

protest against the Coal

Board's pay tactics and continuing job losses.

In Yorkshire, Hatfield and Rossington NUM branches have both had one-dav strikes and a number of South Yorkshire branches have called for an Area overtime ban. The Yorkshire Area Counch TETCCLCU moves for immediate action but voted in favour of a national overtime vote should talks with new NCB boss Sir Robert

Haslam fail to yield the desired results. Kent miners will also be voting

inis montn ana born soull

Derbyshire and Noramber and de lo consider action.

The new mood in the pits is the proof that Ar-

hur Scargill's presidential address to this year's

NUM conference, which

said the NUM would be

faced with the need for in-

dustrial action, was not

'out of touch with reality'

as South wales

like Terry Thomas put it.

It's the new mood of

resistance, moreover,

which prompted coal boss

Haslam make

• gesture of

combined deal iposinina

combined involving

the reconsideration of cer-

tain of the outstanding 468

miners and pro-

posals on pay, Haslam

nopea side-step the

growing anger and what he

described as the 'past in-

transigence of the

leadership'.

But just what Haslam

had mind with this

TWO HUNDRED peo-

ple demonstrated at the

Old Bailey last week as

the first trial arising out

of the police occupation

of Broadwater Farm

opened. Eighteen-year-

old Gary Potter was in

the dock accused of af-

tray, writes LARRY

HERMAN.

Over ine next year

some 80 people will pass through London's Central

Broadwater Farm

erupted year ago

response io une acall vi

Cynthia Jarrett who fatal-

ly collapsea auring a police

raid on her home.

Gary Potter's trial end-

ed on Friday with the jury

finding itself unable

In a parallel ballot, Durham mechanics voted for the De was revealed by

Daily Telegraph indisincomespondentsu the September issue. 'Only a small minority of the 460 still not reemployed willgel their jobs back' he concluded.

for Haslam Day. went over the heads of the NUM to impose the outstanding rise which will be back-dated only to those who scabbed during the dispute. Next year's offer will be "below the inflation rate of 2.4 per cent according to Robert Taylor, labour editor of The Observer.

Wages

The Coal Board known to lavour a he w wages structure with

ductivity, aimed at further dividing the miners.

The Board's tactics are clear enough. They aim to press home the advantage gained as a result of the outcome of the strike. In addition they want to cut off the legacy of the strike by maintaining the victimisation policy at local level and at nationai level defeating the Scargill leadership of the NUM by hook or by crook.

Certainly the Board is continuing its attacks. In

1985-6 a total of 43,000 jobs were lost, with the : closure of 27 pits,

and workshops.

Seaham

Earlier this month the Board announced the Banda of Seaham colliery

Since March of ulatill. last year, six collieries, two LUKE UVELS and two workshops have closed in the Durham area with the

loss of 9,000 The rundown of Seaham, the most profitable of the remaining pits, is seen as a threat to the whole area.

Ernie Foster, delegate the Durham

Area Council toid

we're determined to fight

The Board has also an-

Broadwater Farm Trial Opens

reach a verdict after being

sent our twice. The judge

has ordered a retrial. The

evidence Potter

was based on a confession

signed after he had been

beaten by the police and

held in solitary confinement for days. The Broad-

water Farm Defence

Campaign has called for

dropping of all charges

ana lor a public enquiry

into the deny Cynthie

Jallell. LICY

organising demonstrations

at each trial.

To mark the first anniversary of Mrs. Jarrett's ocalil. the Campaign nas

called a candlelight vigil at

from 6pm to midnight on 5

October and a mass picket at the Old Bailey starting

at noon the following day.

Durham mechanics took first lightening strike

nounced the closure of Hucknall colliery in Notts. Hucknall was merged with Babbington only last year

combined pit had massive

and a life of 40 years. Investment of £12.2 million followed. Now the 1,300 strong WOTKIO CO face the prospect of move from south to north Notts - and the town of

effective destruction. The 130 NUM members Hucknall have voted to tight the closure which they see as a springboard

further closures in the Notts area.

The fight against closure has already wide backing, reflecting the growing strength of the NUM in une Area. NUM membership stands at just under 5,000. In June a new Notts NUM ottice was opened and 5 September saw 3,000 mar-

through Mansfield and 5,000 at the gala.

people on trial.

SIX MINERS are still serving jail sentences.

Yorkshire 132 are still sacked. The figure for Scotland is 128, 45 in Kent, 29 in Notts, 77 in Durham, 8 in South Wales and 18 in north Derbyshire. A total of 468 miners remain victimised as the result of the strike.

have continued since the strike.

NUM Icaullig tivists at Welbeck in Notts

sacked distributing leatlets oppos ing a visit to the pit by MacGregor at the begining of the year. Bevercoates NUM branch secretary Paul Whetton, was sacked for pinning up a notice advertising a forthcoming NUM branch meeting.

Two miners sacked at Charges against those to be tried include murder, riotous assembly and affray. Police will not be amongst the 80

Fighting for Justice

Armthorpe colliery south Yorkshire for leaving the pit early only won reinstatement as the resull which spread to of week-long strike

Bentley, Rossington and Hatfield Main

"The fight for justice is more necessary than ever It must be supported by all Labour Party conference delegates' said Dick

JuSLICe workers Campaign.

The Justice or Mineworkers Campaign is now supported by TGWU, ASTMS, Fire Brigade Union ASLEF, FTAT and the Society of Civil Servants and new affiliations are coming in at the rate of 5-6 per day.

National Justice

Campaign 26 The Avenue, Durham DH1 4ED.

Youth

in action

to Labour

conference

SIXTEEN

role and

une National

Students.

By Anne Kane and Robin Laney

people'

ones to bring the party's youth.

ship. They are made in the

Sawyer of NUPE -

age limit to 21.

clude setting up

youth campaigns committee

franchise, decided by the NEC,

ward. in

campaigns, leadership

and • irrelevant

young people in the last few years.

the LPYS -for exists in the Labour Party

CND,

News

the LPYS

create a much

dience.'

5355, London WCIN 3XX.

Socialist Action 26 Sep 1986 11

Youth resolutions

Party

RESOLUTIONS and amendments have been submitted to party conference on 'youth organisation'. The essence of the debate will be around proposals made by Glasgow Hillhead CLP to downgrade the

independence of the LPYS. These proposals are supported, among others, by

Organisation Labour

It is claimed the new proposals will create a 'vibrant youth movement' and make Labour more attractive to youth. Labour is to 'Listen to Youth' more, promote Red Wedge, and keep up the work of 'popularising socialist policies amongst young

Despite the gift wrapping, the key proposals are

- that is the LPYS - sharply under the control of the party leader-

: context of a £3000 budget cut suffered by the LPYS since October and the total removal of its f4000 newspaper budget. They are part of wider proposals suggested by Tom

• which include lowering the

The proposals for immediate implementation, by way of preparing the ground for next year, in-!

youth committees regionally, to which the LPYS would be subordinate and which would allow youth officers in CLPs to 'coordinate' youth work. Next year there would be proposals to replace the LPYS by a

- and elect the pre sent LPYS representative on the NEC by a 'wider

will come for-

These proposals have nothing to do with creating a 'vibrant youth organisation'. The first right of anv such movement is to decide its owr

and representatives However, the policies of the LPYS render it a small

organisation in the tace widespread youth campaigning - as seen during the miners strike, in solidarity with the struggle against apartheid, against racist policing and in many other struggles. The LPYS has failed to involve itself in almost every struggle important to

There are two possible responses to this situation. One is the cynical attempt by Hillhead to use this isolation to try and end any independence of

- a lot of pop music but no power!

The other is for the LPYS to adopt policies that make alliances with black youth, women, lesbians and gay men on their terms, and be involved with young people in campaigns like the AAM. This type of way forward for the LPYS began to be built with the united campaign around a black sections candidate for LPYS representative on the NEC at this year's LPYS conference. The kind of left that

- around WAC, the Black Sections, the Labour Committee on Ireland,

and Campaign Group — must organise to further its support inside

Supporting these policies and alliances will

'wider franchise' by allowing the LPYS to reach out to and win many more young people for Labour. The proposal from Hillhead is to put Labour's youth under the control of an NEC that opposes exactly these kinds of alliances.

Ireland day school

THE first Youth and Ireland school will be held in Birmingham on 8 November, aimed at building on the support for Irish self-determination won at this year's NUS conference and driving that policy into the LPYS. 'We aim to consolidate our links with tne Nanona Urganisaton of Labour sludents. through joint campaigning activity,' said Conor Foley, LCI Student Officer, 'and use our success in the National Union of Students to take the case for Irish self-determination to a far wider au-

• Details of the Youth and Ireland school are available by contacting: Gerry Kirk, LCI, BM Box

Page 12 scan of this page

ON 1 OCTOBER, which coincides with the Wednesday of Labour party conference, miners throughout South Africa will mourn 177 of their fellow workers who died in the Kinross mine disaster. The executive of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) of South Africa has demanded that the Chamber of Mines shut down the country's mines on that day. If they refuse the NUM will call a one-day strike.

The e NUM have been backec 500,000-strong Congress

South African Trade Unions and by the United emocalc front. the country's largest anti-apartheid organisation The UDF said it would SUDDULL the NUM 'whatever call it makes to mourn and pay homage to mnose gallanl minnes Wiu died in Kinross'.

Anger black South African miners over the disaster was reflected

memorial service organised by the owners of the Kinross gold mine. The overwhelming majority of tne miners rerusea lo attend the service. A local NUM representative plained that the Kinross OWINCIC JULC CUlLcerned at the disruption to production and their profits than with the lives and well-being of the miners.

The miners held their own short service, as evidence piled in UVCI ine CUtl" pany's responsibility.

Cyril Ramaphosa,

secretary of the NUM made an inspection of the pit in the wake of DOILI ANCO S WORŁ CyCI gold mining tragedy. 'This

completely necessary accident', was his angry verdict.

On 16 September five welders had been left to fight an intense 400 meter flame arising from a faulty torch. No fire tinguishers were found. Miners as far as 1.5 RATES:

Inland h manthe .

12 months £15 •verseas (12 months onlv)

Europe E17: Air Mail €24 (Double these rates for multi-reader institutions).

Name..

Address.

Please send me as special offer.

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'ecietared ae a newsnaner with the Post fifce Published by Cardinal Enterprises, PO Box 50, London N1. Printed By Laneridge Ltd. (TU), London E2.

SOCiA LiKE

ACTiON

The blood on

apartheid's gold

kilometres away started to 'drop like flies'.

Thresille fumes wese

the TeSlIL 8-Uss

By Doreen Weppler

negligence by the General Mining Corporation altHed (GÊNCOR) which owns Kinross. They Wolc • formed occaust

boer ered em rial lad

used coat the gallery walis. There was no alarm system warn miners of the fire.

Further details will undoubtedly come to light once the judicial enquiry demanded by the NUM and now conceded by the apartheid regime gets under way. But the grim reality behind the disaster will not change until the entire apartheid svstem 1s overthrown.

As statement issued by COSATU the country's largest non-racial union federation, put it: "These deaths are a telling example of the peril of black miners are exposed to daily for the super-profits of the South African mining industry.

Conditions facing the gold ULIC S South Africa are the worst in the world. In the 10 years up to 1983 8,209 gold miners died.

At Kinross, as in South Africa's other mines, the workforce is composed of migrant workers, torn from their families and

INTRODUCTORY

forced to live in single-sex compounds for 11 months of the year, the duration of LaCHM CONCS While the mine-owners (all find NIULCY fit out these prison-like hostels with elaborate tea gas systems and to hire

heir own private force of security thugs - both to' be used against the workers — even the most basic safety precautions are ignored.

Gencor is infamous for its anti-union stand and appalling Salely record This year alone began with the largest mass dismissal in mining history when Gencor herded 2300 striking miners out of the Impala platinum site. SACTU statement issued by

in Lusaka after the disaster calls on Gencor to recognise the NUM 'as a first and necessary step to pressurise the mining bosses to begin to ensure adequate health and safety standards'. The planned one-day strike will be decisive in getting such recogmcon But equally the intenational labour movement had a responsibility to take up the appeal for a massive flow of money …Into mre special families of the tocis. to aid the

The TUC immediately sent its condolences and an otter ot assistance. In view of the British NUM's close relationship with its counterpart in South Africa, Illicio here will undoubteldy lead the way.

„Labour party ference must express its detestation and outrage at this latest act of barbarity by aparthied as well as by the resolutions demanding sanctions. A minutes silence Wednesday would be a fitting tribute of solidarity.

SUBSCRIPTION

OFFER!

13 issues

for £3

A new offer will not remove the barbed wire

offer'

News International workers before the summer.

dancy payments from

pay-outs.

The sacked News International workers not be offered their jobs back. The electricians will stay. Murdoch has even refused to guarantee priority to the sacked printers when new vacancies arise. The offer of a 'works committee is not evelt Sunal step

of the print WOIN. but simply a statement of what already exists. mittee Such a would 'works be almost WUlll"

100 per cent scab electriclans, overseeing the pre

no-strike sweetheart deal that they have guaranteed to Murdoch.

It's a scandal that our national leadership have decided to ballot the members at all on such an awful proposal.

THE EEC's package of

on South Africa were more a case of sanctioning apartheid than imposing real sanctions against the racist

After a great deal of hullabaloo, the Com-

Market's foreign ministers finally decided merely to halt new

in South Africa and ban the country's exports of iron and steel and Krugerrands.

The ban will affect less than five per cent of South

Reject

Murdoch's

new offer

Rupert Murdoch's latest 'final offer' must be rejected. It's hardly different from his previous 'final

which was rejected decisively by the sacked

The current offer 'increases' the overall redun-

£50m to £58m. But the previous offer of the old Times Fleet St building, claimed to be worth over £6 million is withdrawn. Even though the ceiling on the maximum for every year worked is marginally raised, the £58 million is small in comparison with traditional Fleet Street

It seems that after the mass hysteria and rantings that the miners 'should have had ballot' the

By John Lang, deputy FOC, Times Clerical SOGAT News International members are having to suffer with a ballot at every

These are ballots of attrition As the months tick by and no new initiatives are taken the hardship Decomes grealer. we mave to win every ballot, Murdoch only needs to win once.

With the capitulation of . our national union leaders, • this DIUSDCU looks daunting in the eye of the rank and file. At the

EEC sanctions apartheid

Africa's ven ports the EEC. Even coal had been included as was predicted, just 15 per cent By Jim Kingsgate " of its sales to the bosses market which topped £5.5 billion 198 would have been at stake.

But an alliance of West Germany, CrTLISa Britain ensured that coal was excluded and that the package was kept _to a minimum.

Chancellor Koh and Tonerencave a joint Boess Conicicice following the decision to express their opposition to sanctions in general. Kohl explained that in relation

time when the rank and file activity and organisa-

its best the dispute was handed back to the national leadership

run at the biennial delegate conference June. Since that time we've seen a series cosmetic exercises the form of a 'boycott cam

(even though this took six weeks to happen).

But it's not too late to turn this dispute into something it's always been capable of - being won. What's needed is a campalgl IvI d Iegulal Hlass presence at Wapping, the imposition ot a nationa levy amongst SOGAT members. and for dustrial action within Fleet Street.

is ultimately the key. In the nine months we've been in dispute we ve secieers Ssacest

in hours, the ending of the closed shop, the printing of newspapers under contract and countless other

lilallake to coal imports not onl did this

genci a. DUSILUl apply but in addition 'the fate of many thousands not only of coal miners but their family members' were at stake. Kohi and Thatcher pleading on behalf of miners was just one of the many sickening

of their hypo. critical stance.

There was undisguisec relief South Africa's rulers that the package was So weak. beci une osnulaenta Afrikaans daily newspaper

lulal the SalCuUls contained more 'verbosity than content'.

The package will have no perceptible effect on

LICHI

We need to link such attacks that have beer made on the Mirror, Express and Observer with our own struggle against News International But Lne more national union leaders sign awa) hard-won rights, the more they undermine the members' confidence in other newspapers.

Just look at the latest deal with the Telegraph. It involves binding arbitration ana a no-dispute

Should dustrial action take place the management have the right to lay-off those not involved without pay. Nearly a thousand jobs are to be axed, and some

will nave real pay cut.

unions affect us all. In

otar ve alpad bose seno gis and nu

leaders should help to link dispute and forge a united together, we all can win.

Britain's imports from South Africa according to Daily Telegraph cor respondent Brussels Alan Osborne. 'Last year Britain bought some £27 million of iron and steel. Most of Britain's imports from Africa are fruit, vegetable and minerals, and Mirs lhat cher has insisted that these remain untouched', wrote 16 September

As the biggest foreign investor in South Africa

be the most affected by the ban on new investment. 'But i prae ban is un goes on

ban ls unlikely force changes in any major business plans.

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