Socialist Action No. 2, 25 March 1983
The scan: 002-mar-25-1983-SA-UK.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
ACTION
No. 2 25 March 1983 30p
STOP
WAR
LAST WEEKEND a large force of right-wing insurgents entered Nicaragua, supported by the Honduran army. invasion force is being repelled by the Sandinista army:
MODERN
TIMES
...free world... blah, democracy... no aid to Ethiopean Commies... blah, blah 'em out or blow 'em up...
Invasion in Nicaragua
REAGAN'S
PLANS
But the incursion is a clear signal. Reagan is planning the overthrow of
The FSLN government. The plan is
being masterminded senior CIA officers in Honduras.
Millions of dollars are going into the training and equipping of the counter-revolutionary tras'
The United States wants to repeat the operation it carried out in Guatemala in 1954, attempted at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba in 1961,
At the same time as the fighting in Nicaragua 5,000 soldiers of the Salvadorean army went into action to attempt to dislodge the FMLN Lucilas strongholds.
On 11 March 36 US battleships began manouevres off Puerto Rica and a large number of them immediately set sail for waters surrounding the revolutionary island of Grenada.
The Wals plans America and, the Caribbean are blah ... part and parcel of the same war
drive which enemies of Reagan's 'free world'
our ve
Unemployed and strikers
SoCiAList
the left-wing
by 50
'conthe Lebanon,
of missiles.
Palestinian
the peace for Central
threatens all the Salvador
10p empire, which gave the green light
Israeli blitzkreig and which threaten the peace in Europe by installing hundreds of new nuclear
The enemy being fought by the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, by the FMLN in El Salvador and by the
fighters is the same and enemy being confronted by the Greenham Common women and
movement in Europe and the United States.
Thatcher is the most willing ally of Reagan's drive to war, openly giving support to US plans in El
by sending British
observers tr year's phoney elections - and going all the way with Reagan's nuclear insanity.
Reagan and his cronies fear the -peace movement as one of its mos decisive opponents. The British labour movement must play its part in defeating the drive to war.
The Campaign to stop cruise
Trident, out 100-plus US military bases - and the campaigns in solidarity with El Salvador and Nicaragua can strike a blow for those in the front line of the war in Central America. • Nicaragua — turn to page 3 • Greenham Common back page
inside:
A photo-feature and the background to the US-backed attacks against the Nicaraguan revolution.
Sunday 27 March
12 noon Assemble Jubilee Gardens near Waterloo Station
•Unite the divided families now
Gissa job!
AUTHOR Alan Bleasdale struck a blow for the
unemployed at last weekend's British 'Oscars'
awards ceremony.
After guests had entered the Grosvenor House
Hotel through a hotel workers picket line, they
were rocked again by Bleasdale's speech as he
accepted the top TV drama award for the 'Boys
from the Blackstuff' series.
As he held up the award he said: *This is for the four million, the 13 per cent who are not suppos-
Led to count at the general election.'
• Turn to page 14 for a report on the Grosvenor House strike.
Page 3
Page 7
Lebanon:
An eye-witness aceount of the massacres at
Chabra-Shatilla.
ALL OUT FOR THE
CARL DEMO
See pages 8 and 9
DEMOUSTRATE
CAMPAIGN AGAINST RACIST LAWS
• Repeal the Immigration and Nationality Acts
•Stop race checks• Stopracist deportations
Socialist Action urges readers and supporters in London and the Home Counties to assemble at our banner at Jubilee Gardens from 11.30pm.
Page 2 scan of this page
Organise for a Labour victory
2 Socialist Action
CND
CND Diary Action, giving a round up of useful facts, news and dates of Nuclear movement.
The listing of events is free and the details should reach us by the Wednesday, one week before publication.
Action, 328 Upper Street, London N1 2XP.
Investment in Scotland OUR SCOTTISH readers might like to note that the government does feel that it can invest in Scotland. It has given a contract to Beatty Group to construct hardened bunkers for aircraft various RAF Scotland. The cost of the plan! A million.
Budget afficiendos and drinkers might like to know that this is just short of the amount of extra revenue raised by the chancellor with his increase in the tax on spirits... Cheers!
Spent fuel MORE FASCINATING Sixewell B inquiry. reprocess the spent fuel rods and dispose of the wasteN revealed that their plans for reprocessing have been giving evidence.
pent fuel don't go beyond the end of the century
Most of the current generations of reactors have a life of beyond that.
Furthermore, nobody worked out what to do with the bits when the reactors are finished with. After all, you can't just knock them down!
The Ultimate weapon!
SOME OF YOU may have noticed reports that the Pentagon may be removing as many as a thousand nuclear warheads from Europe in the near future.
Don't De Iooled. removal of these weapons 'obselete and difficut to use effectively.
Among the likely contenders for removal are, for instance. 600 lucical Hercules anti-aircraft missiles.
La nuclear enemy aircraft it will undoubtedly down' it. All well and good, but what about the people on the ground underneath!
Davy Crockett TALKING OF obsolete weapons, irresistably reminded of the US 'Davy Crockett' nuclear weapons system. It consisted of a jeep on which was mounted a light rocket projector.
The rig had a range of two kilometers and the
the warhead was sufficiently powerful to blow the jeep wu te crew
The weapon was actually deployed in Europe from 1960 until 1967. Come to think of it, maybe the system did have its advantages. The chances of its firing vanishingly small!
News letter SCOTTISH LABOUR CND have just produced a newsletter. t contains information about local authorities and civil defence, Rosyth Dockyard, news from the region and details of forthcoming Scottish events. Copies of the
Glasgow. Price 20p.
*Sat 26 March Glasgow West CND Rally. Speakers: Keith Bovey (Chair Scottish CND), ClIr and yuNu speaker. rime rotest and survive. olarts 11.00am at Downhill Primary School. * Sun 27 March Ladbroke Grove CND showing of 'The Peace Game'. at 1 Thorpe Close. London WI0. Starts 3.30pm. *Sun 27 March GLC Bunker Party 7.30pm at Lloyd
Waltham Forest, London. mark nealie. * 28 March-2 April International Peace Studies Week (for students) at Pimlico School, London * Thur 31 Mar 12 hour blockade of Greenham Common (women only) and Burghfield Royal Ordinance Factory (mixed). * Fri 1 April 14 mile human chain from Greenham Common to Burghfield via Aldermaston. Starts 1.30pm, followed by a festival at Aldermaston * Sat 2 April Scottish CND March in Glasgow. Starts in George Square at 11.00am, and ends at Carnival in Kelvingrove Park. * Sat 2 April GLC Bunker Party. 7.30pm at Civic Centre worth recknam.
*Sun 3 April GLC Easter Parade, featuring specially commissioned 'Peace Float'. *Sun 3 April Demonstration at Faslane Nuclear Sub base. * Thur 7 April Aberdeen CND meeting discussing END. Starts 7.30pm at 24 Adelphi (off Union St), Aberdeen. *8-10 April Campaign Against the
Newton Terrace, Glasgow G3. Details contact (01)-278 * 8-10 April International Peace Camp at Wycombe. * Contact Bob Saunders Bourne End 22624. *8-10 April Nuclear Free North Atfantic Conference Mitchcll Theatre, Glasgow
25 March 1983
EVENTS
is a regular column in Socialist.
forthcoming events in the Anti-
Send to CND Diary, Socialist
the Balfour
establishments_ i shere 19% revelations British Nuclear Fuels,
appears to have yet reason for the that they are
warheads for Nike-
war-head near an
one is almost
even at maximum range.
have been LUDL Sauchiehall
Plan Davidson, Starts Battersea Park al
meeting. Friends Meeting House
Socialists for a
Labour Victory
What we say
'SOCIALISTS for a Labour Victory' — established on 7 March — have finalised their campaign's platform and are circulating a declaration based on it to all PPCs, CLPs and MPs seeking their endorse-
March, after the Darlington by-election. meeting of the campaign, which is open to delegates from CLPs and affiliated campaigns, is to be held on Tuesday 29 March at 7.30pm, House of Commons (Room booked by Ernie Roberts, MP).
The platform reads:
It will complement the official Labour Party campaign and seek to unite the
behind conference policy.
The campaign must start now. The possibility of another lory ment is one of the gravest threats ever laced by the working class and oppressed groups. Only a fighting lead from the Labour Party can save working people from another 5 years of Toryism.
Labour tall gain massive support and win the election if it clearly presents policies and mobilises the support of all sections of Labour must give a lead to youth like these Shildon workers down in London to protest the closure of the railway works near Darlington.
IT IS touch and go whether the campaign document produced by the Labour Party NEC will contain any commitment to lesbian and gay rights.
This was revealed at a
meeting in London on 18
Maron nu Tom Sawyer, deputy general secretary of
VUPE and NEC member.
The Loe Ine meeting,
There will be a press conference on Monday 28
disarmament and removal of all nuclear bases in Bri deployment of nuclear weapons in or by 35 tap spendings, o tras
troduces a 35 hour week, withdraws the EEC and expands the NHS, and education for all. and renationalisation of hived-off OCCLUIS
3: A commitment to raise working Class
SHILDON
YOUTH
WHAT FUTURE??
Gay rights policy dropped!
organised by the Labour Campaign for Gay Rights, nov the right wing a1 C fighting against the inclusion in the document of the policies on gay rights passed last year's Labour Party conference.
These policies included: • support for an anti-discrimination law banning discrimination against lesbians and gay men housing, employment and
NU
'Return social spending to 1977 levels' policy. Defence of trade
rights and immediate repeal of all Tory anti-union legislation. 4: Full campaigning and commitment to all Party policies for will le including postlive acuion In employment, public spending, child and health, including legisla-
WOLICI right to control their own
5: The repeal of the racist
THE POTENTIAL support for
Labour Party is enormous.
the official leadership of the Party.
vow lal support na to be organised The firs
will be to win every SIcI possible constituency, candidates and MPs to endorse SLV's platform tnat is to pledge to campaign for a Labour victory on the basis of radical conference policies.
By Redmond O'Neill
The local elections in May will offer the first major opportunity to put that pledge effect. Any cynicism which results from the horsetrading between Healy and Foot over the manifesto can only be overcome by local parties demonstrating action
social facilities. • the lowering of the age of consent for gay men to 18.
In addition there is a need to ensure the inclu sion in the Party manifesto of a full commitment to gay rights including equality in the age of con sent for heterosexuals (presently 16).
As Paul Canning described to the meeting,
PE
A DISTRICT BRANCH
Nationality Act, the Immigration Acts and determination to eradicate racism and inequality.
6: To increase civil liber-
tability and repeal repressive legislation.
7: A united Ireland.
policy, supporting libera-
movements in other Socialists for a Labour Victory' campaign in the trade unions and
, This was shown by the reaction of regional Labour Party conferences to the expulsions and retreats from conference policy by
their commitment to socialist policies.
Meetings of SLV supporters should be called together to plan proposals for this kind of campaign he aim is not to establist local SLV groups, but to win constituencies to cam paign through active sup-
extra-parliaWUll mentary actions the
Peoples' March and Greenham Common giving such campaigns nattorm within the elec tions.
In some areas it will be possible to establish broad
labour movement campaigns for a Labour victory which organise, in
the fight is now on to win the Labqur Party Young Socialists to support for gay liberation starting with
By Gay outing raised
by Gay Young the LPYS Easter Conference at Bridlington.
• For more informatior
on LCGR and ĞYSG anc details of affiliation, write: c/o The Gay Cen-
Sla bioom Street, Manchester. /
News
ANUPE
ABOLISH
FOWLER-PEST
THE DISEASE THA
IS KILLING THE
N• H
We pledge ourselves to fight for a Labour government committed to implement these policies.
We will campaign for the election of a majority Labour government. After , the general election, there must be no formal coalition with other parties i ne House of Common where a Labour Governmenu duces to waterdowr its programme in return for parliamentar support.
Now the time •for
Win
campaign
port oCaLC trade unions, communities amongst activists to Party
At its lation will discus the
unions national movement. CLPs, camDalla and
Sorry!
MISINFORMATION and proof-reading error resulted in two errors last week. Andy Harris is an ex-member of the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy Executive Joy Hurcombe's article on the NEC draft document should have read: 'But this will not fulfill the Labour Party's conference commitment Hillin' disarmament.'
Page 3 scan of this page
International
AS WE go to press it appears that a substantial invasion force has been infiltrated into the Nicaraguan province of Jinotega, just north of the province of Matagalpa and east of the town of Esteli.
The force is apparently well armed and is at least several thousand strong. Part of this force has come overland, 'and two thousand or more have been parachuted In using planes of the Honduran air force.
I he force appears to be commanded by Augusto Calero, landowner whose land has been collectivised by the FSLN (Sandinista) government.
Reports indicate that the scale of fighting is such that the Sandinista
are using tanks and artillery.
Campaign
Whether or not this is the beginning of a larger scale invasion is not clear. What is clear is that it is part of a longer term campaign to bring down the Sandinista government masterminded Washington and organised by the CIA from Honduras.
It is the most serious incursion yet by the counter-revolutionary 'Somocista' forces, main-
smen who fled the coun-
the Somoza was overthrown.
The Nicaraguan revolution July 1979 gave a massive impulse to the struggle against the rul-
Photo: CARLOS AUGUSTO GUERITA (Photon)
Nicaragua:
countdown to
invasion
ing dictatorships in pover-
Central America.
Salvador and Guatemala left wing guerrillas Have wol Sweet! victories and liberated whole sections of the
By Phil Hearse
countryside.
political considerations make it difficult to send US marines
was done the Dominican 1965) the United States has embarked multi-million dollar campaign to de-stabilise and
uva" revolutionary Sandinista government in Nicaragua and prop up the ailing military dictatorship in El Salvador.
All along the Honduras-Nicaragua border the
forces have established camps from which to launch incursions.
The US administration
Sandinistas over three vears ago.
Reagan's first national security advisor Richard Allen was put in charge of the operation, and worked
committee with Secretary of State Alexander Haig and his assistant Thomas O. Enders.
Train
This committee was responsible for the plan to organise coull® revolutionary invasion force, and the assistance of Argentina was sought to train the force in HonTens of thousands train in the Nicaraguan people's militias.
NICAR
NICA
NICA
NICAR
NICK
NICARA
NICAR
NICARAC
NICARAGUA
duras. Training were also established
In charge or tne operation in Honduras is
John Negroponte.
Invasion
Preparations for an invasion were stepped earlier this year when 1600 US troops collaborated in a got exercise will Honduran army just seven miles from the Nicaraguan border — operation Pine'.
Vast military equipment from the Big Pine exercise were left behind by the forces for the
use by the Somocista forces.
The ideological backup to the US's escalating war
Central America
been provided by Ronald Reagan's SUCCLICS on the evil of Communism and the dangers of revolution throughout America which describes as 'a threat to the entire hemisphere'.
Whether
prescue mcursion turns out to be a full scale invasion, a dress rehearsal or merely a testing raid, the intention couldn't clearer the *Big the
dinista government.
Reports Managua say 'the companeros are leavine their desks and re-joining their US defence units'
If the fighting escalates major mobilisation movement defence of Nicaragua will has
Central
The
Western
not the GUATEMALA
be military
San-
from
EL SALVADOR
of incursion into Nicaragua.
HONDURAS CENTRAL AMERICA
A SOMOCISTA CAMPS
US HANDS OFF
NICARAGUA !
150 people were mobilised last Sunday by supporters of Socialist Action and the Socialist Teachers Alliance to protest outside the American embassy against the
Socialist Action 25 March 1983 3
OPERATION 'BIG PINE'
NICARAGUA
'FIGHTING
OF ZONE ESTELI
MANAGUA
COSTA RICA
Page 4 scan of this page
4
NFREE
Interview AS SINN FEIN'S elected representatives to the Northern Ireland Assembly have been excluded from Britain by the combined effort of the Thatcher government and Foot leadership of the Labour Party, it is necessary to go to Belfast to interview them. Martin Collins went to the Falls Road for Socialist Action to talk with DANNY Fein.
In Republican News, you have covered both Livingstone's visit and the Ireland's conference on plastic bullets. vou see developino a solidaritv movement in Kri tain? -We think the best development would be a broad movement for withdrawal.
Britain — that just alienates opinion.
When Livingstone says he wants peace, and the best way to get it is through withdrawal, he has had a popular appeal. That way he wins the support of people may for agree with Irish self-determination.
Livingstone thinks that the best way for the Labour Party to promote declare its intention to withdraw from within the inal provides a userui starting polnt. How do you view recent discussions on an 'all Jreland forum'?
The FitzGerald government in the South is trying to restore the credibility of the SDLP. we DeSS dangerous project - basically they are sketching out detalls of a tuture Ireland in the absence of the Unionists and making concessions to them in advalle.
Once British withdrawal becomes likely, and the Unionists get forced into discussions, they will feel free to demand further retreats.
We want to get over our view of the future, which is for a socialist republic. We do not support a partitioned or federated state.
The left has chipped away at Labour's bipartisan Irish policy, winning Prevention of Terrorism Act and plastic bullets. This year, the LCI is withdraw support from the Assembly yet you seem to have dropped the campaign.
This was a strong feature in our election campaign, but up until now it nas been diricult to carry 1t through. The Assembly had not acquired a sinister image on the streets. It looked as if the wrangling amongst the Unionists would prevent it getting of the ground, and many felt that the imminence of the Westminster elections with the possible ching of Prior pearing into thin air.
Now the 'Scrutiny Committees' and so on have been established, the project for a restoration of a Stormont-type body is much clearer. Itating a conterence to discuss details of a mass action campaign against the Assembly.
are going Democracy, the IRSP who would participate.
What plans have been laid for a follow up to Ken's visit with a larger delegation?
He has gone back and is taking soundings, working out the best way to proceed. We have made it clear we will fit in with whatever seems tactically best. Obviously the second and third delegations might have a diminishing pre arent ao on receiving delegations until the
of the war.
We want to continue the dialogue.
Socialist Action 25 March 1983
Danny
Morrison
MORRISON of Sinn
How do
We have no interest in
quite reactionary reasons
the campaign is to Ireland life of the next Labour government.
Why else are unese resolutions OUDUSIIL
arguing Labour should ditwould mean any campaign disap-
We are in.
out to Peoples and other organisations impact, we aTen
THE LABOUR Steering Committee Against
Witch-hunts and •Labour Against the
Witch-hunt are launch a joint campaign to defend the five editors of Militant exnelled hv the Labour Party's NEC last month.
They aim to win wider SUUUl for the stand taken by forty-four Consutuency Labour Parties who have signed an adver-
Labour Party
MANCHESTER is now a prime target for the witchhunt within the Labour Party. Since the Tories took power in 1979 there has been a series of battles between the Labour Party in Manchester and the party's national office in London, centring on the question of who should represent working people on the
chester city council is the expulsion of 27 members from the Labour group. The NEC has sent letters to this effect to the Labour group, although the increcuon poncy,
¡cus lo cove only levalls.
Success
On these policies there have been three years
for Labour in the city, even when the national trend has been against it.
Yet the council has acquiesced in a policy of car-
OU l ment cuts and rent rises to the tune of £100 million in cuts and 150 per cent rises. The question has thus become one of countability the most local teve
A PECE
MAKE KOON FOR THE musnkooms.
•Militant' purge
tisement in Tribune declaring that they will not expe Militant supporters.
Representatives of the two campaigns agreed las Wednesday launch appeal TO] Turne signatories to the advertisement. and a second in stalment of the advertisepublished in early May. ment due be The first advertisement attracted considerable atlenton earler this month because it established that the NEC was likely to experience considerable
Witch-hunt hits Manchester
By Graham Stringer (Chair Manchester City Labour Party) and John Nicholson (Chair Manchester Ardwick CLP) The most recent move in the NEC's
mean Say
who vote in line with party
which has caused the witch-hunt in Manchester The majority of the Labour group now about 40, in a full council of 99 - cannot ensure sucress in council, nor, wors still for them, in Laboul
A series of manoeuvres was recently wheeled out by group, regional office and NEC to try to prevent the left (in its broadest SelISC) gaining ground. There materialised the 12-month
OF THE ACTION
BUY NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO INVEST IN THIS NEW FALLOUT • SHELTER! MADE FROM REINFORCED CARDBOARD!
Joint action to beat
practical difficulties in carrying through its expulsions. Among the signatories are Islington Central and Hammersmith North CLPs
whose members include Militant editors Peter
Taafe. Ted Grant and Keith Dickenson. Delete
The GCs of these parties have subsequently confirmed by large malorities that thev wil no1 comply with the NEC's remembership, that is months membership of the relevant constituency in oroer to vote in branch elections.
appeal structure was reorganised, so
of non-recommended council panel candidates would take precedence over all other levels of party organisation
When these failed, there followed an NEC inquiry into Manchester Labour Party . the second in three , years which predictably replaced the non-recommended candidates on the Panel, without reference to the rules. It also froze the 12 month rule at a point 6 months previously 18 month rule in effect.
Sting
None of this, however, could stop increasing number ot branches selecting their existing left-wing
But there represcillalves. was a final sting in the tail of the NEC inquiry
- I an unpublicised report to the which
sallic lucculle expelled five socialists from the party and which heavily restricted parliamentary re-selections
reorganised constituencies.
The Catch 22 (or 29)
WITH EACH SHELTER MEDICAL
AND TI'S LOW-PRICED!!
quest to delete the names
of these litelong socialists
from their membership
recorus. Editors
The anti-witchhunt bodies are also discussing common activi-
secure the instatement of the five editors by the next Labour Party conference, and a broad campaign has also been suggested for the adoption of the Greenwich amendment to the conwas the expulsion from the Labour group of all those councillors defying the group whip by voting fol party policy. Not that removal from the Labou group is a new idea. But the implication - heavily leaked to the press by the NEC right wing - is that counciliors without the group whip cannot stano
tions.
In other words, the pursuit of anti-Tory policies is a disqualification for representing the Tory measures eliminated Labour Party Just Clav Cross councillors : decade ago, so the NEC proposes to remove all op position to itself. For if "these disqualified coun cillors defy the NEC ban and stand in local elec tions, they can be expelled hom une parly, and any local branches supporting them disbanded And we can be sure that these expulsions will processed rather more quickly than John O'Grady's
Panels
It is not just that rightwingers are put back on municipal panels without reterence to the rules. (The NEC put LWU SDP members on Manchester's
THERS!
KIT - THREE JUNIOR ASPIRIN AND AN ELASTOPLAST! INCK VISLY
THE WHOLEL THING
News
By John Bloxam and
Alan Freeman. Press
Officers, Labour
Against the Witch-
stitution of the Labour Party
This would establish the right of all groups to operate in the party who accept its aims and objec. tives and who do not stand candidates analis elections.
movement
bodies and individuals
wishing to add their name:
to the Tribune advertise-
ment when next published
should write, enclosing £3,
to. Tribune advertisement,
I1 Wilderton Road, Lon.
don N16.
LABOUR
BRIEFING
panel in 1981.) And it is not just that "dissident' left-wingers are thrown out of the Labour group (weich orien appears as
politics palace revolution in the press.)
What elected representatives voting for that policy can be effectively . witch-hunted out of political activity.
Change
For the reality of the witch-hunt is that working
be prevented from achiering the one thing necessar
se cha se society in is pre
Shrough the ballor bar er senti
the prevention socialist policies in power, locally and nationally, which common thread between the expulsion of Militant's editorial board, the campaign acicar reler Tatchell in Bermondsey, the restrictions on conference decisions on parliamentary ac contability, and. the tempt debar council candidates in Manchester And it is the pursuit of socialist policies in power, locally and nationally, which the ground for the left's opposition to all these attácks
COR MAG
HAVEN'T YOU HEARD? ALL SHELTERS ARE ¡USELESS!!
SO WHY NO • BUY THE CHEAPEST?
Page 5 scan of this page
News
Photo: GM COOKSON
MALE
ORDER
Assault
damages
A NEW legal precedent
was set in the High Court
last week Maria
Church was awarded
damages of over £8000
after an assault by her
husband.
plained bitterly at the
Lincoln, claiming
that this WaN 'the first
and only time I hit her'.
Shame.... the hearts of
The Sun and the Evening
Standard bled for the
poor man.
The injuries sustain-
ed by Maria were crack.
ed nose and cheek bones, and two black eves which
have caused dizziness.
The damages awarded against any
she no longer do
any which she was akry profi dressmaking
cient.
Money alone can't compensate for the misery and anguish which many women go through inside the marriage institution. SHHT legal cases like this will help to force the issue.
Keith Waterhouse, journaist for the Dally Mir.
plumbed new depths in his column last week. On the hundredth niversary Marx's death, Waterhouse devoted his pen to the sort of article you would expect to find in a boys public school house journal,
Here are a few choice bits:
Marxism was hovhood craze. It came
US Women
vote for
peace
A new set of opinion
polls in the States had revealed major
discrepancies the
voting patterns of men
and women.
Women are con-
sistentiv less approving The Rare also th to 20 per Reagan than men.
cent more likely to be in
favour of outlawing han-
dguns, stopping the elec-
tric chair and concluding an arms agreement with the Soviet Union.
Melvin Konner,
Harvard biologist oclicves that
Writing crap the Waterhouse way.
after cigarette-cards but petore girs. it was part of the process of growing up.
playing conkers and the 'One day YUU were next you were playing communists. It went with
breaking wearing your first stif collar and trying to grow
After apologising for his sexism. Waterhouse drivels on:
THE 53rd. Conference of the Womens TUC held in Scarborough last week gave its full backing to the Greenham Common givers of life' argued Terry Marsland of the Tobacco Workers Union 'It is up to us to protect that life. We must be determined to stand behind the peace movement and actively involve ourselves in it. This motion of support like most of the others at the conterence was bassed overwhelmingly. But was left to Helen John a founder member OI the peace camp, to explain at a fringe meeting before the debate what the Greenham women were calling on trade unionists to do on 24 May, the International Womens Day for Disar-
dar of
luropean-wide protes
volved Greenham who've never been involved in anything in their lives before' she said.
'We're not opposing men, we're positively discriminating in favour of women doing something for a change. An article in Sanity accuses of
eperatism but its not trut
We've always asked me to support us'.
On 24 May Helen urged women trade unionists
CADICA support 'holding factory gate meetings, or calling for
This could be tremendous spur to the men unions to support the peace movement.
For two days the conference debated many other issues of concern to women TO DUSS unions were strongly urged to fight low pay and adopt
peacable nature is not
culturally determined,
but shaped by their
genes ne simple practical
policy reducing
world-wide violence
would be to replace men
with women in positions diplomatic porer, and military
ner argues
Presumably Thatcher
is a genetic deformation
42424
Compiled Send conti HILARY
DRIVER.
tOl. 'Male Order'
Socialist Action, 328 Upper
Street London N1 2XP 10
arrive not later ual laurs
day a week prior to publica-
tion. tral flaw in Marxism - lus was ute cer you could not impress girls. and so Marxism — just like the state was about to do any minute now - withered away, and we transferred our interest trom now transformation of surplus value into capital is effected, to how to get girls' blouses lasts. ioned.'
Hilarious.
Women's TUC support
Greenham Common
but major reforms needed
peace women. 'We are the
positive action programmes Inaustry by industry A report was promised on new year's conference. The sexist portrayal or women in the media was discuss-
By Valerie Coultas
The Tory government condemned for assault or Womens rans through the Rayner report on eligibility for benefits; its proposal to comply with EEC criticisms of British equal pay legislation through an Order in Parliament that would result in the most cosmetic of changes, and the findings of the Tory 'think tank' on the family. were singled out for particularly strong censure.
Barbara Switzer, for AUEW TASS, arguing for the Women's Advisory Committee play stronger campaigning role pointed out that the conference, representing three million trade unionists, was 'the most organised force for change in womens lives'. But her resolution wa. in such a way that instead ot being a clear mandate for giving a lead, it became another list of exhorta-
SOUTH
LONDON
HOSPITAL
'NO
TO
CLOSURE,
PASSERS-BY gave a warm reception to an 800-strong demonstration against the
South London Hospital last Saturday. Up to forty per cent of its patients are Asian women who choose to have their babies there because
Socialist Action tions.
Another important resolution calling for five motions go automatically to Congress was lost, possibly because no one organised to win support lot ll.
A resolution calling for
technology and its effects on women to be given to the next TUC, was deferred for a year
A clause in the low pay resolution condemning al forms of incomes policy was somewhat undermined by the statement from Ada Maddox of NALGO that this would have to be looked at in the light of th
Assessment proposed b the TUC General Council
And when the resolution did demand that the TUC go
oeyona its. ex isting framework of passive opposition to the Tories you could be sure that the Women's Advisory would have reservalous o qualification ready at hand
Framework
A Day of Action for women trade unionists to 'encourage their participa
scheduled for 23 July - a step forward, but there is a crying need to highlight problems tacing the mas of women, in particular unco ovcul
The need for reform of the Women's TUC is ap parent. Like the Women's Labour Party conference
Stop the closure of South London Hospital
In addition
Women's
25 March 1983 it has no minutes recorded and this speaks volume for the importance attach ed to its decisions. Other problems include:
Followers
• The chair rotated. 'reservations'
Women's Advisory are very often the last word on the issue despite the fact that delegates have the right of reply. • There seems to be no procedure for reference back of a section of the Women's Advisory Com mittee report to the con ference. • ine Women's Ad visory is elected by the conference but the pro ceaure acts In such a na that it is accountable to the General Council above al else The six seats reserved for women on the Genera Council are elected at the often include sen TUC congress and have absolutely no recor of fighting on bena. women trade unionists The timetabling 10= motions is such that the full-time staff in the trade unions are the people "-. submit policy.
These are big pro blems. But they do no mean we should favour abolishing the WTUC some on the left dic What we must do is fight for major reforms so the WTUC can really act or women trade unionists.
Womens
Right
to choose
Women
Doctors
Sortals the hospital is staffed by women.
the day-care abortion facilities offered by the hospital are the only ones in the area. The demonstration is the first step in a campaign to stop the closure scheduled for next year.
Page 6 scan of this page
Portuguese socialists fight for SP-CP
6
WORLD
Human
rights
worker killed
MARIANELLA Garcia Villa, chairperson of the
Salvador Human Rights commission was killed last Sunday in La Bermuda.
Reports indicate that she was arrested while investigating reports of the Ise napalm and phosperous bombs against villages by the Salvador air force.
Rights Commission catalogues the right wing death squads and the military.
Marianella was murdered after being arTested government troops, once her fingerprints and true identity were established. The crumbling regime Salvador is prepared to
ounrace maintain itself in power.
Meanwhile
LIC charges against Salvadorean
us nuns in 19i0 have
nuns in 1980 nave been dropped for 'lack of evidence'
Death warrant ON HIS TRIP Salvador, the Pope visited the grave of Oscar Romero, San Salvador murdered Dy lue call squaus.
Immediately after that popped shake hands with Rober-
D'Aubuisson, leader
the National Assembly, who ordered Romero's death.
When Romero appealed to Ine rope in 1980 to intervene in support OT Hite poor, the Pope refused. Lacking papal tion, he was murdered a new ways laler. Manifesto
TO COMMEMORATE Ine centenary senanghai 22-year-old
worker scribed the text of the Communisi MORIPSEO
50.000 Chinese
Socialist Action 25 March 1983 Sectarians
PIERRE Lambert's 'Centre for Reconstruction of the Fourth International' (the French
for have changed line on Nicaragua. NOW it's a workers and farmers RUC Death
Squad
THE RUC death squad murdered another victim on Wednesday - for the first time William Millar was the tenth shot dead by the plain-clothes hi squad. n none of thes incidents have any shots been fired at police. Loony
Ronnie
RONALD Reagan's latest anti-communist crusade getting loonier. In a speech last week approvingly quoted a father he heard saying: would rather my three daughters died In a nuclear war than grew up under ComKorean
exercises
Spirit 1983' is the name of the huge military exercise being carried out by US and South Korean forces.
It involves a total of
personnel, two of the largest US aircraft carriers and o4 nignters and ground attack airCall.
North Korea has been placed on a war alert as the exercises take place a few miles from its territory.
Pinochet blues
THE TENTH anniversary of the Chilean coup
apparently bringing depression and sion to General Pinochet.
As Friedman-style
has ruined
bankrupted business, the COOU Genera himself isolated and con.
According to Richard Gott the Guardian Pinochet going through nard time. All our readers. we're sure. will wish the General a speedy ead 1o
his prob
government
A GENERAL ELECTION is taking place in Portugal on 25 April, in which the workers parties - the communisi Party and the Socialist Party - are likely win a majority of the votes.
But in all probability, rather than join together to form working class govern-
the Socialist ParIcilla ty will form a coalition with the bosses' parties.
Portugal going through suśtained economic cass. urabic lu compete with bigger Coolausl powers in the
of the world economic crisis.
Strikes
At the same time the Portuguese working class
Showa increased restiveness in the face
measures. There were two general strikes in 1982.
As a result, the governing Democratic Alliance suffered a major defeat in the December 1982 local elections at the hands of the SP and CP The Alliance, led by Pinto Balsemao of the Social Democratic Party (toD resigned, opening up the habitants on the Black Sea coast. No different from thousands of other Anatolian towns. Except that since 12 January this year, 759 of its inhabitants are
municipal administration of Fatsa into a Com-
sentence for 261 of the defendants. It is the largest mass trial in Turkey's recent history.
It was in the October 1979 municipal elections LO general surprise and against the dominant right wing parties, that Fikri
was elected mayor, supported only by ICEl WilL or callisallulls such as Devrimci Yol
way to new elections, and a possible CP-SP victory
However the Socialist and communisi are engaged in bitter sec Lantal war are The Soares-Gamma-Santos leadership of the SP want Government with some of 'National Salvation the bourgeois parties based a "social contract' at the expense of the workers. Slate
he Cr on the other hand is giving tactical support to the formation of a new petty-bourgeois party around President Eanes, in the hope that this party will win SuUDUll away from the Socialists, thus expanding the CP's room for manoeuvre.
At the same time it continues ultrasectarian, hysterical atlacks DOCASE The manoeuvres of both parties are thus preventing a joint drive to push the right wing parties out of government.
Two far left organisations, the Trotskyist PSR and the UDP a slate in the elections to defend working class terests and to demand a class-independent committed overe ment socialist policies.
Military takes revenge on Fatsa 'Commune'
Mass trial in Turkey
small town of 25,000 inThe military prosectors are asking for the death
(Revolutionary Sonmez had a 65 per cent majority.
The programme of the
was radical, democratic and successful. Rodu repairs, house building, provision
20-27 Votar
APU
COMICIO ANALDO MATO
COMiciO
ANALDO MATOS APU
POVO UNIDC Poster's for the 1980 election in Lisbon of cheap transport, new provision toi and electricity as well as sewage WCLO Municipal workers' wages were increased by between 150 per cent and 350 per cent and differentials abolished.
By Nick Robin
'People's Committees' rapidly became the sovereign of administration and decision-making. People from all political viewpoints were allowed to participate these bodies except for
a COMICIO COMICIO
ARNALDO MATOS ARNALDO MATO
Vamos Vamos
Votar Votar
API
members of the neo-fascist Nanona. Action Party (better known by the name
military goon squads the 'Grey Wolves')
The Fatsa experience gained widespread support throughout Turkey May 1980, Fatsa hosted
days of popular culture' with the participation of one hundred thousand people
On 13 July, two months before the military coup, the army surround-
"to put the town in order'.
BELED:
International
A statement was issued form O1 a joint declaration by the local representatives of all the establishment parties, including the representatives of the ruling conservative Justice Partv town was well in order.
Nevertheless, the army moved in and occupied the town
In the months following the extreme right pro voked bloody confrontations which led to ninety deaths. Naturally, when the army seized power ratsa was principa ‹target. further twelve deaths and three thousand arrests were the result. Torture
The Fatsa trial is important for its size and as a symbol resistance to military rule. not, however, exceptional More than
UnIC thousand political prisoners. widespread torture, four thousand people
- mostly youths facing the death penalty: thirty already hanged; this is the barbarous reality of the bastion of NATO's southern flank the Turkish military junta
Mayor Fikri and the other defendants have been brutally tured in their two and a half years incarceration Now they face a terrible fate. They are appealing for representatives of local government worldwide to come to their aid through expressing solidarity with the ratsa detendants
Turker For more information:
Solidarity Cumpaign, BM Box 5965, London WCIN 3XX.
Page 7 scan of this page
THE ACTION INTERVIEW The Massacre in Sabra Chatila:
Interview
This interview by Caroline Tisdall is with Jamal, 28-year old Fatah leader who led the resistance in Sabra-Chatila camp to the massacre by Phalangist forces.
It is reprinted with permission from Beirut: Front Line Story, Selim Nassib with Caroline Tisdall. Photographs by Steele-Perkins. Pluto Press. £3.95.
AFTER IHE evacuation people. gradually started to come back to the camps, During the 'war and heaviest bombardments most of them had been sheltering in flats and empty schools outside the camps, in terrible conditions and sometimes 20 to room, while the fighters stayed in the Lallios. So it was relief to 'home', and a relief that the bombardments had stopped. But we were num Deo ov mie devasaon are mre uncertainty of the future.
At a meeting of the camp committee ten days before the massacre, we had decided to lay down our personal weapons. As you know, the "LU handed over its heavy weapons at the time of the evacuation, but we still had the Kalashnikovs with which have defended the camps since 1969. We surrendered them to the Lebanese National Movement.
It was a hard decision but we took it tor several reasons. Anter Ine eection of Bashir Gemayel, the Lebanese analy caric mnio uic canos scarle for arms, and found the underground
We knew that if they store in sabra. found more large caches there could be reprisals. That was why, when we realised a massacre was happening in Chatila and tried to organise resistance, we cond onv find rocket launcher 5 rockets, and 15 Kalashnikovs, all of which had been greased, wrapped in sacking plastic and buried because we didn't expect to use them. We didn't even have time or petrol to clean off the grease so, when it came to it, all we had were about 45 men and boys try. ing to protect Chatila with 15 boilingnol greasy guns anu one rocker launcher
But the main reason for disarming was that although the future looked unci larkl we didn't expect Wal come again. We felt that the PLO had kept the terms of the Habib agree• ment in evacuating, and we had to put our trust in the multinational peacekeeping force to protect us. They should never have left so early. After that we had to depend on Lebanèse National Movement. Tuesday,
14 September
1982
At 5.51pm we heard the news that Bashir Gemavel had been insured. on the Phalangist radio, 'The Voice of LCDallull . At 7.15 the newscaster's voice was deep and sad instead of the usual shouting. At 11pm the death of Gemayel was announced, and proaltilia replaced with classical Huse.
Thursday,
16 September
1982
There was heavy shelling all which lasted till Friday morning. the early morning we held a meeting in the camp office which is where people usually gather when there is Cuc scaly. that there were two things we had to tns wer we feansed
achieve. Firstly we had to protect the people in the camp by trying to find safe places for them to gather. At the same time had organise resistance. WC had to gather fighters left in the camp and try to tind some weapons. nat meant go-
Chris
the
come ing round the houses for guns that the ola peoble naa maden since ley were mostly too frightened to come out.
groups, each to try to defend the spots they came from and the alleys they knew best: the southern, eastern and
road. Some of the groups didn't even
It was horrible and confusing to the point where you just stopped thinking. It happened so fast: suddenly the enemy was there and the
On Thursday the flares over the
although the horizon was still light, I0 une narrow spaces verween tne nousc. were geting dark.
were
woman running with a child on the street told me the Kitaeb (Phalangist
allevs in the south-west opposite the swimming pool. They had reached the shelter and killed everyone in it. She said that an Israeli soldier was accompanying a Kitaeb whom she recognisea as a unristan trom While the Kitaeb was killing thẹ peo. Die h me reter me saei soutee
awav o oul ae accul was clear to her. Maybe he was houting that because the israelis teel thev are more civilised than those they use to
Four of us were trying to hold the
been bombed almost as much as the
my cousin had the rocket launcher op-
We were trying to stop them and at the same time save rockets
and failed: when we shot they replied
afraid because there were civilians all
tell. My father said the rest of the family were in the shelter. I knew they had to get out of there. So 1 asked my grandmother to go to the shelter to tell them to go. I asked her because in spite of all l'd seen I couldn't believe they would shoot my grandmother But I kfew they would shoot me and 1 Tet nato conne as e o
mile dear ana t naa lo lalk louury lo her while we could hear the enemy in our negabour s nouse, sioullig al
The aftermath of the massacre. Those surviving search for relatives.
were so close.
brother of the wrestling champion' -as if that would make any difference. • They killed him. He was a good man.
head was split open with an axe ir
memorv that his mother.
gecase
Friday,
17 September terra rasa ior us. I was in the
TV studio which had
up and come out of our houses.
documents stamped.
Sunday, 19 September
my grandmother is a
A day-by-day account
him: "Come here you son of a bitch.'
'But I'm Mohammed Nabusi. I'm the
Diab who was 15. They tied her hands and legs and did everything that men can to her. Then they drove an iron
an 18-year-old Syrian whose
front of his mother. There was Abu Brahim who survived — he was one o!
sister and brothers were killed and that his pregnant wife had the baby cut out of her
LIC things like that. After the massacre we found the place some of them had stayed in that night, among the breeze blocks we had brought for rebuilding. Piles of lager cans, and two syringes. From 2am to 6am it was calm, just some shooting here and there, and the
and we were sure by now it would be
Hospital with my family. At 6.30 an old man and his wife were sniped at just outside by the vegetable market, she in the leg and he in the stomach so we put up notices written on bits of cardboard box on the corners of the
speakers. They were telling us to give
were saving the Israell Detence Force is a peaceful army come to protect the Palestinians from the Christians. All through Friday, Saturday and Sunday I woke at 5.30 to find my father had
to Chatila to find the bag with our
F.PEPKINS
documents without which one would was crazy to go back then and I really
happened. He got back to our house, and found the bag and filled another outside the wreck of the Palestinian Red Crescent clinic in Chatila Street he'd been told to stop there by a Haddad man who marched him 10 metres before a Phalangist came up with a My fader kepi sa yon g they ha d ss.
out ne nold They marched him with nunarcas or olner peopie down lo uic southern entrance of the camp. There women who all began to recite the Koran, preparing for the worst.
Kuwaiti Embassy Hill and a bomb exploded. The Egyptian in front of my father was killed and the injured were Israeli lorry came and loaded them up and took them to their headquarters
June or lae ocer
clalla , allC . My father was one of the lucky .one who was released. Maybe he was
mass shootings in the camp were go-
We do not know how many died. The Red Cross said 1,500 at the time, and then there were at least 900 who were driven off and never seen again. Some
roads going east and to the moun-
massacre. I believe they were trying to set a terrible example for the other Arab-countries, to prevent the other
accoune Palestinians as an organised force in
wanted us to run to Syria and be simply absorbed, not organised. I think they failed in this. All through the three months of the war the ordinary
Even at the time of the massacre the people of West Beirut
Socialist Action 25 March 1983 FROM EVACUATION TO MASSACRE
1 September:
Reagan presents American peace plan proposing Palestinian self-government in association with Jordan, , rejecung botn a ralesu nian state on the West Bank and Israeli sovereignty of it, calling for a halt to Jewish settlement in that
and stating that future negotiations should decide status of Jerusalem.
2 September:
Israeli cabinet unanimously rejects Reagan peace plan. Eight new settlements immediately announced
Sharon, Begin, Shamir and perhaps 'Major' Haddad hold secret meeting with president-elect Bashir Gemayel who is now reluctant to sign a peace treaty with
9 September:
Fez conference of Arab heads of state produces a peace plan incorporating the spirit of the Fahd peace plan, giving recognition of the PLO, the withdrawal of Israe by bomb explosion at Phalangist
by SKS, the Kitaeb (Phalange)
IS
cabinel consultanon, set ln actiol 'Operation Iron Brain': it involves the occupation of West Beirut 'to
and 'to preserve tranquillity and
sheltering there, some in refugee
were finding shelter for us: by the Sunday they had found a flat for ms lally.
We were trapped like animals in that camp. and that is how they have always trec to show us to the world. They wanter us to believe it ourselves. They wantec us with memories we can never forget Perhaps in that they have succeeded but only as long as we remain unarm
10 humiliate us. They couldn't beat u armed so they beat us unarmed: the hordes came when the fighters left' is what we say to that. The experience oi being unable to defend even my owI family when the whole camp is m! family has left me confused and ver! KLOV DUL ABCHICOOILIaC d sense of failure because I feel that as resistance we were able to do flut! more than we thought we could with
terrorists and that we weic dillas terrorists in our camps. Everyone who knows us knows we were fighters ye: Guild a progressiv enerley ne didn't they write that every day? I: related to philosophy: when you ar:
ana ine enea comes and destroys this thing agai-
neds vol
Page 8 scan of this page
Frightening new powers in Police Bill
8 Socialist Action
Photo: MARK RUSHER (IFL.,
ROY HATTERSLEY, Labour's shadow Home Secretary, has condemned 'The authoritarian state the Tories are creating, with the renewal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, Tebbit's anti-union Bill and the new Police Bill.'
But Hattersley seems content to restrict his displeasure with the Tories to speeches. On action he is a little short.
'A BILL being
through parliament could
bring Britain
becoming a police
No, it wasn't some way out
'lefty' who said that. It was
Lord Salmon, one of our
'esteemed' Law Lords.
So you now have it from
the horse's mouth. This Bill
is aimed at attacking the
rights of young blacks and
also is intended to take a
swipe at the labour move-
ment.
If passed it will be part
of the armoury
black, anti-Irish and anti-
working class measures like
the Immigration laws, Teb-
bit's anti-union laws,
the Prevention of Terrorism
1ct.
MIKE RODNEY goes
25 March 1983
"Leave it to me" - Hattersley
against the attempt to deport an Asian social worker Muhammed
By Bob Smith
get cracking in fighting the 'authoritarian state'.
rushed
posed. closer to
state'. • Stop and search: don't like the look of. which sparked
• Powers of arrest:
of anti-
Wing committed the offence...
powers. and something
In Birmingham there is a campaign
Idrish. Here surely was a chance for the Birmingham Sparkbrook MP to
However, Hattersley told us: 'I cannot do anything about Muhammed Idrish yet, but when a Labour government is returned to power, I would look on his case sympathetically, if I am at the Home Office.
He also explained: "I do not like taking up cases outside my own con-
through what is being pro-
'The constable may on reasonable
suspicion search any person or vehicle
Jound in a public place for stolen or
prohibited articles and may detain a tion
person or vehicle for the purpose of
This means that the police will
have the powers to stop any one they
'Swamp 81" off the Brixton
rebellion will become commonplace.
'Where a constable has reasonable
grounds for suspecting an offence has
been committed or attempted... he
may arrest any person whom he has 'A
reasonable grounds to suspect of hav-
This gives the police alarming new Up to now they have only
been able to arrest people on suspi-
cion if they think they have done
that carries a five year Now you can be 'nicked' for not
ErE a name and address a: ener
stituency. People should visit their own MP.
Hattersley has been less than energetic in relation to the West Midlands police. This force has built up quite a reputation. One of their victims in Coventry is hanging on to his life through a support machine in a Coventry hospital.
They have twice busted into the homes of older people and knocked around their innocent victims. Their racism is renowned in the black com-
dropping your cigarette packet on the
pavement.
• Powers of detention:
"A person shall not be kept in police
detention for more than 24 hours
without being charged' (unless) there
are reasonable grounds that his deten-
without being charged
necessur y to secure or or toer ve
evidence of or relating to the offence
jor waich ne was arrestea or to oolam
such evidence by questioning him...
This now means people can be
held for up to four days without being
charged. The police will be able to
define what 'a serious offence' is. In-
timate body searches will be allowed,
• Access to a lawyer:
person arrested and held
custody in a police station or their
premises shall be entitled if he so re-
quests to consult a solicitor privately
But then comes the rub because
the arrested person must not be a per-
son 'who is in police detention for a
serious arrestable offence.' Nor must
seeing a solicitor 'lead to interference
with or harm. to exidence connected
But for Roy Hattersley: Sir Philip Knight's men are the best run force in the country, self-regulation for them is OK by me. The need for
police is a left-wing exaggeration...'
On immigration Hattersley makes no concessions to humanity or socialism. He says: 'The ethnic groups realise that an open-door
policy would only create more pro-
blems for them ..
But black people don't need to
worry. They have a guardian,
although he is self-appointed. He
modestly explains: "That I and the
local councillors are the only people
who can look after the community's
interests effectively.' wine senors arenane orrence.
So you only get your 'rights' if the police think you should have them. Even these 'rights' people arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
For the labour black people this Bill is very bad news.
Pickets and demonstrations could be searched at any time for 'offensive weapons'. Items like placard poles oi banners would easily category. Coaches
prevented destination and police could search them.
Anyone who has experienced the use of population will know what to expect now that even in powers are to be given to individual ponce.
Mass 'pick-ups', stop and search operations, passport LUIEC raids Unemployed youth hanging around street corners, nothing to do will become prey to the racist coppers.
Once in the police station they will get the treatment and be subjected to
BLACK tion Act.
'amongst priorities
Labour conditions body
legislation. do not apply to
movement and police stations.
get In this going to rallies
getting their opposition.
also
'sus' laws against the black
Party too is greater discretionary pose the Bill.
checks and elected will rise dramatically
black and having
La campaign.
RACIS
LEAD
PEOPLE's
resistance to state racism
has had its impact on the
Labour Party. At last year's
conference, delegates
deplored the past role of the
Labour Government in im-
plementing Immigration
Laws, particularly the 1968
Commonwealth Immigra
They went on to commit
conference to repeal the
1971 Immigration Act and
the 1981 Nationality Act as
the highest for the next
Labour government.
Probably many blacks greeted this
decision with a lot of cynicism. Past
governments have had
shameful record in their dealings and
legislation concerning black people.
After the Second World War, Bri
tain relied heavily on black labour to
staff those jobs which were ill-paid
involved shift work and unpleasant
in an economy
labour was short.
White workers had left these jobs in increasing numbers to ge better paid employment in more congenial conditions By the late 'S0s and early '60s the emphasis had moved towards use of technology and away from the labour intenand services.
The cheap reservoir of Commonwealth labour had served its purpose. The 1962 Com monwealth Act recorded that by the introduction of VOuCsearches and fingerprinting which is not allowed under present
This new Bill is one more weapon in the hands of the ruling class and if passed will mean greater repressior and violence on the streets and in the
WE HAVE TO STOP the Police Bill becoming law. The Greater London Council and a number of police monitoring groups are in
Civil rights organisations are
coming out against it. In Leeds a day of action has been held against the Bill. The Labour
committed to op
But we must make sure thai it does not slip off the hook as il did with other racist acts once it Here red by mention on re This Bill can
movements in alliance with the labour movement.
The 27 March CARL demonstration is the beginnings of such
Page 9 scan of this page
ERS' DIRTY RECORD
her which between unskilled and skilled labour.
Two years later the vouchers were abolished. Britain only wanted those immigrants who hạd been trained by Commonwealth colmanes.
The Labour Party opposed the 1962 Act. But the low turn-out of Labour MPs in the House of Commons when the Act was voted law
By Chris Guthrie
showed that many Labour MPs either secretly sympathised with its aims or did not think the issue was important.
When Labour got into office in 1964 instead of repealing the Act they toughened it up. Wilson brought in a White Paper which slashed
of vouchers; Hulluci stricter tests of eligibility of children and most importantly gave the Home Secretary powers to deport illegal immigrants at his discretion without a Court rule
In 1967/68 Labour through the 1968 Commonwealth Immigration Act. At that time the media was whipping up hysteria → a disease the Labour government was specially prone to - about the Kenyan Asians.
These were people who the British had taken to Kenya in the days of Empire and had been given passports with Kenyan independence.
Many Kenyan Asians wanted to come to Britain. But Labour's Act only allowed entry. to Kingdom citizens who had a parent or grandparent born in Britain.
This Was al cynical move by Labour to keep out the Asians, most of whom could not satisfy this criteria.
M-LABOUR
differentiated
unskilled the
introduced
Anwar rushed reunited
highly objectionable
would withdraw the again.'
British
United he forgot to repeal the Act.
to join their mother in Britain.
Kenyan The •Labour
Act is based.
The Tories' 1971 Immigration Act removed all rights of black Commonwealth citizens to come to Britain and and extended the powers of deportation.
Roy Jenkins, who was destined to be Home Secretary in the next govern-
Ditta won campaign to be win ner chuaren ment spoke for Labour in the debate on the then Bill. He said: "This is a
Bill. If the government had any self respect they
Bill and start
Unfortunately Mr Jenkins never got around to finding his own self-respect because as Home Secretary in the Labour governments of 1974-79
This was the Act that was used to deny Anwar Ditta's children the right now.
government also published the Nationality Paper upon which much of the 1981 Nationality
Even Labour's nev policy repealing the existing Immigration
Nationality Acts has drawbacks because it talks of replacing them with 'non-racist laws.
Immigration laws which are there to deny people the right to work and live where they choose discriminate against people of other countries. their very nature in a country like Britain, they must be racist.
Anwar Ditta's children were not kept from her for six years because of
Claust 'patriality' because the racist Home Office of-
they were not her children.
Nevertheless, Labour's pledge to repeal the Acts is a good step forward
Amnesty
Now Labour Party activists and militants in the black movement must make sure that Conference decisions
Labour's pledge to repeal the Acts must be prominent in its publicity and general election material.
Labour must commit itself to an amnesty for all suspected illegal immigrants and guarantee it will bring together all the divided families.
Local Labour parties must get involved in an active sense with people campaigning against the Acts and against particular deportations.
Neither black people nor labour movement can sit back and wait for the return of a Labour government. The fight has to go on
Not only is this the best way to stop racial harassment and deportations and defeat the Tories. It is the surest way to stop Labour selling out when it gets back in office.
its but
Immigration and System.
1980. Visitor's landing cards are sent off to a computer at Bootle. The computer then informs the Home Office if the visitor has not left in time.
make deportation faster and more efficient.
Evolves installing computer terminals
black By Walid Hadad
at ports and airports and linking them the to a computerised Home Office con-
fidential suspects index.
visitors present their passports to the immigration officer the details will be fed into the computer and checked against the index.
The computer may then send insuch as 'refer to Special Branch when gone' or Phe Home Office buss an Home Office computer
Socialist Action 25 March 1983 Afia Begum with her child — victims of the immigration laws.
Tories play the race card
THE 'NEW TECHNOLOGY' is now being harnessed to step up the harassment of black people. New Scientist and Computing magazines have both blown the gaff on a plan by the Home Office for an
Nationality Department
The first phase started in August
names, numbers
This enables the Home Office to
Phase two of this operation in-
This list already has over 18,000
of whom are political activists. When Since being
cent.
'refuse
ment. has another Harmondsworth policies.
campaigns; the New even more
passed.
called by the
Gardens
Checks
9 Electronic Computer
headquarters of the Illegal Immigra. tion Intelligence Unit. This stores the
addresses and telephone of people suspected of aiding illegal immigrants.
This poses the question of whether being active in an anti-deportation campaign constitutes 'aiding an il legal immigrant'.
These new measures follow on the heels of the Tory government's Na. tionality Act which confers on many black people the title of British Overseas Citzen. This means they are British but have no legal right to come and stay in Britain.
The Tories have also stepped up their use of the Immigration Ac
elected in May 1979 deportations have gone up by 20 per
Race checks have been introduced in the NHS hospitals so that black people may be asked to prove that they are legally allowed to stay in Britain before being given hospital treat-
The Tories economic policies have had a cruel effect on blacks, particularly black youth. A Commission for Racial Equality study shows that six out of ten Afro-Caribbean youth are unemployed and that four out of ten Asian teenagers do not have a job.
The Tories are using racism to en courage a black and white divide and to make the black population scapegoats for their economic and socia
But events such as the rebellion of the black youth in the inner city ghettos in the spring and summer of 1981 scared the hell out of the Tories.
The spate of anti-deportation
the big protest movements built around the massacres of
• Cross 13; the campaigns against the harrassment of the Brad. ford 12 and the Newham 8 as well a: the protests over the death of Colir Roach in a Hackney police show that there is a real will to fight back among black people
The Tories have responded with
repression. CS gas and plastic bullets have been issued to the police and they will enjoy frightening ly wide powers if the new Police Bill is
That is why the demonstration
the Campaign Against Racist Laws on 27 March is so important. Not only can it rally thousands of people but it can show by its size and strength that the Tories are not going to have things their own way.
In the fight against Tory the labour movement must stand with black people. The fight for desor ratic rights affects everybod!.
Waterco Sire Surer! 27 March. " Repeal the Immerzion and Nationality ACis • Stop Race
* Stop Racist Deportation • Unite the Divided Families Now.
Page 10 scan of this page
AcTioN SOCiALiSt
Challenge the
Labour right now!
AS WE go to press the Labour Party's Na tional what is, in essence, its first draft election manifesto.
Some on the left, such as the Labour Coordinating Committee and the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, have already concluded that we should settle for this draft, unite behind it and draw a balance sheet after the result.
This would be wrong. this first draft Healey and the right have no intention. of carrying out policies.
Leaked
This is reflected in the leaked accounts of the document. The National Economic Assessment is revealed as a new 'Social Contract'. Careful clauses have been inserted 'unilateralist' declarations to American bases this alliances'.
The right wing therefore must be challenged now.
But there is another problem which Bermondsey revealed and the pre-Darlington polls have done nothing to allay. sentiment among Labour voters, albeit whipped up by the media and boosted by the NEC's witch hunt, which can be used to siphon votes towards the Alliance and stop Labour winning an overall majority.
This has opened the door to a new and dangerous departure by the right wing: a possible coalition which all of Labour's promises would be scrapped.
This means that the left has to take responsibility for winning the election for Labour.
It is no answer, as some leading figures in the Communist Party are canvassing, Labour's policy in order to win over the middle ground. with the Alliance itself.
The idea of an 'Anti-Tory League', though not put forward with the same intent, runs the same
but for Labour and those policies which meet the immediate and burning needs of the
The foundation of Socialists for a Labour Vicdeclaration lists those policies which can give a decisive labour movement answer to the social ano economic crisis. ranks and win back people drifting to the SDP. hunt whose effects were the main reasone. SeV The declaration calls for an end to the witch by Bermondsey voters for voting Alliance. also declares categorically here and now it will not enter coalitionist deals.
But most importantly the declaration commits itself to support all actions against the Tory government here and now. paigns like CND and fights against unemployment can discredit the Tories and their policies.
Some argue that with defeats such as those suffered by the miners it is now too late to turn
But supporting action now is the best way to prepare for whatever the outcome of the general election, and for our goal of a Labour government committed to socialist policies.
Editor: ALAN FREEMAN Published weekly except two weeks in August and the last week of December.
Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily represent Socialist Action's views. These are expressed in editorials.
Send all correspondence regarding subscriptions. and receipts to Socialist Action Distribution, 328 Upper Street London N1 2XP.
Send all material for publication (including advertising* to socialist Acion cartorial at ine same adaress. We regret that due to the high cost of postage we cannot return or acknowledge unsolicited copy unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope.
•10 Socialist Action 25 March 1983
Executive Committee is finalising
Whatever appears in
Labour's conference In the draft's avoid removing disturbs existing
These polls reveal a with the SDP and the Liberals in
to weaken
This simply paves the way for a deal
LIC
Success for camsales
(Tel: 01-359 8180)
For photographs
Black activist
arrested
ON 12 FEBRUARY I was arrested on a demonstra tion that was calling for an independent public quiry into ine death Colin Roach Stoke Ivewington ponce stallon.
was arrested for anolner reason Wlan Deng
the street protesting the death of Colin. For this I have been falsely charged with threatening behaviour, assault on the police, obstructing the highway, obstructing police.
In the van along with other demonstrators I was insulted, intimidated and assaulted. I was grabbed
was twisted until it bled. I was held until Monday morn ing, then taken to court.
On 24 February under a pretext ot looking tor man who had supposedly entered my house. without a warrant my house was raided by nine police officers accompanied by two
do Two days later
the
Healey and NATO
WHILST condemning
unilateralism of the campaign COCHICOL WC must recognise that this is not unconnected with Dennis Healey's recent conversion against Cruise missiles.
Ine winning of Healey's support is, and will be viewed as, a victory for those who support nuclear disarmament.
The scrapping • 01 Cruise : would be no mere sop for CND. majority of CND activists
may get rid of Cruise
strengthening his
is that virtually nobody on une lete to avoid the label of ultra-
wier
Reference to conference
I ne has to be hammered home
GREETINGS
Malcolm
Saunders
(PPC for mid-Oxon) 'Greetings on the timely launch of a new socialist paper committed to fur-
thering the struggle in the Labour Party and trade union movement'
Spare Rib
'A wary feminist welcome to Socialist Ac-
Spare KuO.
May the Socialist Woman supplement
TISt (and bite the hand that feeds whenever necessary). Women are revolting!
URE police attempted to intimidate me when I went to make a complaint to Deptford police station. This harassment comes as no shock to me as am member tionary orne Black Activists, Kevolu
and am not the only from scrapping Cruise
Failing all y major,t
defeat, imnot call halt to its current military
if the Labour leadership is will-
NATO disarm, will the first steps to disar-
At the moment Labour Party conference has saddied us with the contradiction of supporting NATO
Lay the a pro caria, so
ensure that the party faces this contradic-
least unilateralism membership of
The first step of doing this is, as you say, to fight
inclusion of the
Advertisement A fortnightly journal of world politics
IV is an essential guide to world politics today.
Published under the auspices of the Fourth International it contains news analysis,
important documents and information on the
world workers movement.
Subscription rates: 6 months S9 (95FF); 1 year £16
(175 FF).
Payment in French francs if possible. Personal cheques to PEC and mail to: IV, 2 rue Richard Lenoir, 93108 Montreui.
Postal orders ti› PEC, CCP Account no. 2-322-42T Paris. Bank transfers
to PEC, BNP Robspierre, 153 rue de Paris. 93108 Montreuil, France
The Wild Bunch.
black political activist to have been arrested and harassed during this campaign as in the case of Ace Kelly.
At the Old Street
COUNT March I was accused of being a ring leaael. al unc Overturn of 'Resolution 51'
IF THE EXCERPTS from the Labour Party's 'cam'paign document printed in the Guardian are curate then we face a com-
OcICLO OverLull tober's decisions
These included: 'opposing unconditionally the replacement of Polaris by Trident . and the deployment of Cruise ... closing •WIl all British and American on Baters soil or in British British
An instruction to the NEC to: 'ensure that the next ... manifesto contains an unequivocal biguous unilateral nuclear disarma-
and for the Parliamentary Labour Party ... to acuvely campaign on this policy, in its first session in office.
Draft
But the draft in the Guardian makes on'v two clear commitments: 'We will not permit the siting of Cruise missiles in this country The Labour government will
the Trident pIugramme.
That there are only tactical decisions to be incorporated 1n continued framework of maintaining the 'independent' deter-
disturbances. I have been banned from entering the borough of Hackney.
I intend now to make a formal complaint against both Stoke Newington and Deptford police, and urge you to write to both these police stations con-
rent and American bases is clear: 'We will propose that Britain's Polaris force be included in the nuclear disarmamen necotatons in which Britain must take
'Labour's commitment is to establish a non-nuclear defence policy for Lls Coully This mean: rejection of any fresh Lucical or bases on British soil or in British waters and the removal of all existing bases and weapons ... However all InIs cannot ne done once and the way we do it must be designed to disar securing nuclear maments agreements anc maintaining cooperation with our allies.' (my emphasis).
Paying
If this is • accuralt foretaste of the campaign cocumcil we are daville d heavy price for our failure to take 1982's political vic tory onto the field of organisation and leader-
shipwe are also paying for
our failure to win a post-
ballistic missiles
the solo silo
choose a CRUISE
with Tarzans' biro
dead air deathrow
nagasaki news
on atom, ant show
they're making a bomb
out of all our fears
military march
full speed on gears
when the balloon pops
walen the bomb arops
when the child sucks
no more population
to be seen
Write to us!
comments, criticisms or even congratulations. But please be brief -letters over 300 words will be cut.
328 Upper Street, London N1
demning these actions
I appear at Old Street Magistrates Court on 10 May at 2.00pm.
CIRUS NOOR, Spokesperson (Revolutionary Black Activists)
tion that is central to non-nuclear policy 'Bri tain out of NATO'. Running right through the document is a re-affirmation of commitment to the Alliance. But NATO is a nuclear alliance or it is nothing. Continued membership makes a non nuclear strategy impossible.
If we enter an election with this confused and confusing policy, the Party and the most significant
political movement of this century will pay a still heavier price.
A firmly argued and principle platform of
only way to beat the
If our Party could only mobilise half the energy and enthusiasm that drives
peace movement, would have an unstopDaDic tory! Party activists committed to this view have an urgent need to make that happen!
TONY SOUTHALL, Glasgow Kelvingrove CLP. Secretary, Scottish Up and Atom Antbang bang, you're dead sorry, it was a mistake our magic machine just biew a fuse doesn t maltel it had its use in the interests of security you can deduct no panic this thing can self destruct phallie symbol plutonium blond rude awakening from the mockingbird sky whitewashed windows neads down and In might as well kiss your ass goodbye This is your page. Send us your
Write to: Letters, Socialist Action,
2XP. (Tel: 01-359 8180)
Page 11 scan of this page
'Resurgence or barbarism'
REVIEWS
Black bookfair
barism on Thursday
barism.
The forum, held in South London as an event of the 2nd International Book Fair of Radical Black and Third World DOOKS, cluded some of the best Kaowt international figures of black literature.
Among unese were CLR James, the 82 year old TOLSK VSI historian; Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, the Kenvan playwright and leader of te intenis- novelist
tional campaign for the release of political prisoners in Kenya; Sonia Sanchez, prominent •akmecæ ooe a playwright; and FarTUK Dhondv. a teacher and writer born in India but living in England. Links
Darcus Howe, editor of Race Today, chair of the event, talked in his introduction of the links between black writing and the surges and 'resurgences of black resistance to imperlaisın ana Dar barsil.
He spoke of the waves of black
Ez costallle saves and their descendents in the US, of the upsurge of West Indian radicalism to
Utlu. the Second World War, ana of the independence struggles in Asia and Africa.
Each these movements created new writers and 'sharpened the sensitivities of the old' The speakers DO C BIlS contention out. Ngugi Wa I mong o was shaped
by the Mau Mau "Emergency' in the 50's, and his novels and plays feature the struggles of the peasantry and workers Kenya.
His attempts to involve the working people in
FOR A FEW hours
'Bolshevism' stalked•
the potted plants and
palm trees at TV-am's
new £4/½ million
headquarters at
Camden Lock.
When five people
whose salaries range up
€70,000 a vCal SCC
chief sponsor Peter Jay
gobbled up for
breakfast you can
understand them becom-
ing worried.
Anna Ford, a pro-
testing presenter, earning
around €1,000 of 275
and the OWIiCt 275 -
shares the. ITV-am
described the
for Jay's going
'treachery'
Michael Parkinson
talked about it being a
great sadness' and
hreatened to resign.
David Frost was
'totally opposed to Peter
resigning and being a
FROM PEASANTS' theatres in Kenya to poets on the Calcutta streets. From the vile farce of the Nigerian government's call for "moral revolution' to the rising combativity of Trinidadian oil workers, the discussion at the forum, Resurgence or Bar17 March, ranged across the concerns and involvements of black activists and writers in this period of growing imperialist bar-
theatrical recreation of the Mau-Mau period -antagonised the Kenyatta and Moi regimes, resulting In nis aetenton and exile.
By Tim Rigby
The present regime, in its deepening alliance with American and British capital, is terrified of the history of struggle and wants to silence the people of Kenya. Ngugi represent, asohe says, tipy will but, as he says, they LUL be silenced. generation of activitist writers will emerge, as he himself came out of the Mau Mau period.
The poetry of Sonia Sanchez flows from her experiences oT une Civi Rights and Black Power movements in the late 60s and is now linked with the rising peace movement in the US
It is about the struggle for a new humanity and the OvCrCOnn 'nuclear' mentality of the 'inhuman' leaders of imperialism.
Talked
tributors she talked of the As with many COlway contemporary culture shapes the images the op. JI COSCU have of themselves.
Farrukh Dhondy also spoke of how the impenals anece distorted the truth of Third World eveRls. The ECCe N massacres in Assam were blamed by the ucudul the barbarity of the local peoples rather than being seen the COLSC quence of enforced migration under British colonial barbarism.
From a yelp to a whimper
brave chap actually said SO.
Angela Rippon was very indignant. She denounced Ine incredible
By Bob Pennington
shenanigans we have all witnessed behind the scenes'.
For a minute l actually thought we were going get aisplay ol militancy and soldarity. Wisdom But • wisdom prevailed. You not get around €1,000 week
rish. Atidoes bye of
Crash. After lougnl she decided it was worth putting tịp
with n fitte reache had
Angela, who ocu urovole mus lai she would go if Peter
As all the speakers at the forum showed writers of the Third World have a special part to play in assaulting oppressed of their history of struggle.
It was CLR James who said the parallels of today went, bravely decided to stay the course.
Despite his 42,196 shares in the Collal and his wage of around
TV-am
£70,000 a year David still remains trouper heart. Gratefully, he quoted Peter Jay as say ing the 'show must go on' so he too will be back
work next week. Michael, explaining Peter had resigned, descrioea nimsell as Jus! a hired hack' who could hardly expected STaTE downing tools and upsetting the new gaffer.
Myself, 1 cannot
Black authors discuss role of literature in struggle against imperialism. are with the '30s. We face
huge new barbarism.
The working classes of today, as the German workers then, hold the future in their hands - if only they understood their power. understand why they are
indignant. The man with the axe, Tory MP Jonathan Aitken, is only exercising his proprietal rights.
With 91,373 Siare. and representing a family LilaL over million into the company. According to the rules of the game he has
sack and remove who he wants.
Law
The five presenters all
beli e ae ter tise
the market. Their audience 800,000 in week one to slumped from 300,000 week six. What did they expect -a bonus?
The protest started as a yelp and finished with
They cannot be misled again, and it is the work of writers contate. lo ine struggle which will aid in canliying image themselves as the only hope for the future, the only force which can resist Dadasme
ToMoIcE
Michael Parkinson, claimed to be a 'hack -who are we to disagree? But IT-am does har. obedient whimper. realistic presenters, who know and obey the rules . of the capitalist game.
Socialist Action
Eric Gairy.
PO S ACUSTO GUBRITA PROTON
The US's so-called own backyar
they actually won it
dignity for the people of Grenada.
government was concerned
The women of Greenham Common,
missiles in Britain
by assembling together accounts by
that most important of all campaigns -
for the survival of the human race!
can pacifists
something from them.
25 March 1983 11 GOOD
BOOK
REVIEW/
FORWARD
EVER!
Toc Gremaarar Three years of the Grenadian Revolution 'Forward Ever' (Pathfinder Press £4.95)
In 1979 the peoples of the small Caribbean island of Grenada drove out the corrupt regime of Sir
Like the Cubans and the Nicaraguans the Grenadians did the unmentionable and achieved ne undoss ole mevcae o make a revo
What is more
And Maurice Bishop the Prime Minister made it clear that the New Jewel Movement made that revolution because it wanted independence and
In May 1979 only one month after the revolution in a radio broadcast Bishop said: 'We are not in anybody's back yard and we are definitely not for sale.' It was not a popular message as far as the American
This book by Pathfinder consists of Bishop's speeches. It takes a wide-ranging look at the first successful revolution in an English-speaking coun-
and it is a reai help to anyone wno wants lo understand what is happening in Grenada.
Lynne Jones, editor
Keeping +
PEACE
Women's Peace Handbook 'Keeping the Peace'
Edited by Lynne Jones (Published by the Women's Press Ltd)
by their courage, inel origınalty and their audacıty. have done more than anyone else to make sure that a majority of people are against the siting of cruise
The women at Greenham have turned upside down that tired adage that men fight and die gloriously in wars whilst women stay at home and weep. Now Lynne Jones has done us all a service
women on a world scale to show their diversity and ingenuity in
- the fight
Their struggles have been an inspiration and we
Marxists alike, learn
Both available from The Other Bookshops: 328 Upper Street London NI and 137 Digbeth Birm-
Page 12 scan of this page
Like Socialist Action? Take a bundle!
12
DIARY
(These listings are free for all major labour movement and campaigns Semi-
advertisements Sp per word and must be paid
Send to: Diary, Socialist Action, 328 Upper sireel, Lonaon
later than Thursday one week prior to publication).
Campaign Against Racist
Laws national demon-
stration Sunday 27
March. 'Repeal the
Immigration and
Nationality Acts/Stop
race checks/Stop racist
deportations/Unite the
divided families now'.
Assemble 12 noon,
Peace Gardens (next to
County Hall) near Waterloo station.
CAMPAIGN AGAINST RACIST LAWS
OPEN-AIR FESTIVAL
Orcheastre Jazira Beach unin Zephaniah Surinder Singh Fatehpuri Group
Salvadorean band — will be touring Britain during March at une torowing venues. 23rd: Bristol Trinity theatre, Old Market, 8pm.
Lathe eeds klev smith Hall, Students Union, 8pm. 25th: London ULU, Malet Street, 7pm. 26th: Sheffield City Poly, Pond Street, 7.30pm ath Newcastle si momas Church, Haymarket, 6.30pm. Organised by CARILA Tel: 01-359 2270. • Monstrous Regiment present The Fourth Wall' with material by Dario Fo and Franca Rame. A vocal ama musical biescutalivl attacking the political and exual servitude of women 2 March-9 April at the Dril Hall, 16 Chenies St, London WCI. Box Office 637 8270
apport Committee: Pasca a sacci picocal a voices mugal wits bands. refreshments. Fri 25 March, 7-11.30pm, Downstown Youth Club, Downs Road, London aytsu ort advance. Tel: 01-985 3459.
What did you think of
the first two issues of
Socialist Action?
Enough to become a
regular reader?
But have you
thought about selling
it?
We think that
everyone who reckons
the paper is a good read,
and that it does a good
job in campaigning for
socialist policies, should
sell it.
Start where you
work. Ask the shop
steward to buy one. How
about vour mates? The
wears d
what about her?
The bloke in stores
Socialist Action 25 March 1983
• 'Nicaragua Defending the Revolution'. Hounslow socialist rorum meelng, Sunday 27 March with speaker from Nicaragua
camvalen IV Pub, 185 Chiswick High Road, w4,7pm. • 'Ihe Politics of the Family'. Socialist Society plenaries, grenops, films, plenaries, workshops vices and ernie. Creche must be booked. 21/28 March at Sir William Collins School, Charrington St, London NW1. Details 01-734 8501. • 'Politics Party' organised by Southwark Labour Party with theatre, film, , stalls, workshops. tood and arink. Creche available. Sat 9 April, Camden TA Hall 9.30-11 pm Details: 01-701
"Towards a Police State?' Hounsiow / Socialist Forum meeling, sunday I0 Apnl with Brian Rose-Smith, a leading criminal lawyer, speaking on the new ronce Bill. George IV Pub, 185
High Road, W4 7pm. • Labour Research Department AGM. Saturday 10 April, 4.30-›pm, tudor Room, Caxton Hall, Caxton
treet, SW1. Details: 01-928 3049 • Black Theatre Cooperative benefit for Roach Family Support Committee. Guests include Saka Eati, Benjamin Zephania, Spartacus, Indian
Moon Theatre, Mile End. Details: 01-254 7480.
• vaster ouncas
Commemoration March: Assemole al soeaker:
Corner, Hyde Park at 1.30pm, march to rally at Kilburn.
• nancer berker.
Commemoration Rally, 1
Assemble at Spark Hill at 1.30pm.
*Plantation Workers of Sri Lanka'. An international conterence on 23/24 April organised by the Sri Lanka Research and Information Grous. runner delaus Iron SLRIG, 9 Grays Inn Buildings, Rosebury Ave, London CLI
• El Salvador Labour Movement Conference. 14 May, County Hall, SEI Ivam-opm. Speakers Incluac Judith Hart MP and Dr Salvador Moncada, senior FDR/FMLN London representative. TUs, LP and LPYS branches are invited lo sella two uciceales
Solidarity Campaign 29 Islington Park St London N1. Tel: 01-359 2270.
Day for Disarmament 34 Day for Disarmament -may. ror more intormatior please contact 'May 24th' 16 Arundel Rd, Brighton, E Sussex.
Top the Witch-hu
W/Labour Briefing jo
who is in the Labour Par-
ty would he take a
couple each week? How
many can you sell at
work altogether? How
many can you sell at the
By Martin Collins
pub on a Friday night?
How many others do
you know who will ap
preciate getting all the up to date coverage of
anti-Tory struggle
that Socialist Action can provide!
We can put you in
Louch wild omer
in your area. Working
with others is the best way to make sure the paper gets to all the right places. You can sell at
open meeting at the West Midlands Region LP Conference. 26 March, lom. Saracen's Head, stone Street bugley. Speakers: Les Huckfield MP, Peter
Jack : Turner PPC
• Labour Committee Un Ireland Conference/AGM Sat 23 April, County Hall,
new magazine and trade
Details: Box BM 5355, London WCIN 3XX
Southern Africa: The Time I0 ACL. , Launch of week of action by Anti-Apartheid Movement; details below The AAM has changed its adoress to 1s belous ou London NW1 ODW. Tel: 01-387 7966.
• Local Autoniues dull Apartheid Conference to . oscuss cooperanon n me campaign 25 March in Sheffield. Details from AAIVI.
• 'Scotland and Apartheid South Act!' Conference organised by Scottish Committee of AAM. • Sat 26 March, 10am 5pm, Henry Wood Hall, Claremont St, Registration £1.50. Details: Jonn veison, tel: hamilton 426781.
• Nicaragua, Guatemala and bi salvador brietngs are produced by the Central America intormatior service, 14 Brixton ka London SW9. If you would like to receive them regularly, please write enclosing your name and address.
• Concert for Chile Campaign with Quilapayun and The Boys of the Lough.
on wanion Theatre, Tottenham Ct Rd, London. Tickets £6, £5, £4 unwaged t2 tron CSC, Seven Sisters Rd, London N7. Tel: 01-272 4298.
1983 Jose Marti International Work Brigade to
Cuba: one months working holiday in Cuba
from 1st-30th
September. For details contact the British-Cuba
Resource Centre (Brigade), c/o CARILA 29 İslington Park St London
N1.
OUT NOW: 'The Death
Agony of the Fourth
International and the
Tasks of Trotskyists Today'. A new book from
Workers Power/Irish
Workers Group. 120
pages, £1.85 including
postage. From: Box
7750 BCM WC1N 3XX
For left bookshops.
meetings,
Labour Party ward and
constituency meetings
and to Young Socialists
Remember to make
SuC Unal on ton of
regular order you get extra to cover big events in the area - a demonstra-
tion, conference,
social event.
Action
We want groups of supporters who read
the paper about the
Socialists for a Labour Victory campaign work out the people who can be involved. All the leftists in the local parties, union
Socialist Action Forums
'Socialist Action - A New Labour Movement Paper'
HACKNEY Speakers Carol Turner (SA), Ernie Roberts MP, Alf Lomas
Euro-MP , John Aitken
(POEU Broad Left),
Harry Bristow
(Waterworks shop
steward), Therese
Shanahan (LP
Councillor, Tower
Hamlets)
Fri 25 March, 7.30pm, Dalston Library, Daistor:
Lane, E8.
EALING Thur 24 March
Horseshoes pub (opposite Town Hall), Southall.
EEDS Speaker: Stev otter (SA). Thur 24 March 7.30pm, the Trades Club. Alan Freeman (SA), Dersi: MANCHESTER S Green (Horwich Convenor)
Interantional
theoretical
coral.
Socialist League
Marx centenary
Marx's thought,
Marx's ideas on
prache supplement see.
supplement
class and the oppressed today.
Other articles
economic crisis. militants, supporters of the Greenham Common wollicil
We walll to reach them every week will our arguments. Local supporters can help us by making sure they Socialist Action week in WECK OuL. Liaw up Ists in your area and start a paper round
When you deliver or sell the paper • regularly, vou should ask readers Lo become a Socialist Ac-_ hion supporter. for a regular donation to the paper (we suggest a minimum of per month) will get quarterly bulletin and loads of cut-price ofters, plus full details of
NEWHAM Speakers:
John Aitken (POEU Broad Left), Alan Freeman (SA editor), Newham 8 speaker.
Tue 28 March, 7.45pm, Newham NW Labour Party HQ, 306 High St, Stratford.
and others. Fri 25 March, 7.30pm, Gorton Labour Club. Followed by social CARDIFF Speakers: Pat Hickey (SA), Ray Davies (PPC Cardiff N), Monica WE SINUPe wed 30 March, Ex-servicemen's Club Bristol Mews, Penarth Rd. Followed by social BIRMINGHAM 'Labour after sermone ser Freeman (SA). Thur 24 March, 7.30pm Birmingham's Othel Bookshop, 137 Digbeth.
OXFORD 'For a socialist campaign for a Labour
Freeman (SA). Mon 28 March, 7.30pm, Buxton Hall, Ruskin College.
Mar 383
DEFINITELY worth a read is the latest issue of Interna-
of the
The centrepiece is a 32 page supplement on the
This features articles by Ernest Mandel examining the centrality of the potential of the working class to
and Norman Geras arguing for a
women, the British bourgeois revolution, the Commune and on theory and
argues for relevance of Marxism for the struggle of the working
cover a wide spectrum from Bob Sutcliffe's analysis of the capitalists' response to the
and Valerie Coultas discussing Greenham Common.
At 95p this 56 page double issue is a snip.
Socialist Action schools and events. Use the stan-
Sporting donations. All will acknowledged.
these right wing policies.
London 328 Upper St. London N1 telephone 01-226 0571 Open — Thur, Fri, 11-7
telephone (021) 643-5904 Open - Mon-Sat 10-6 Closed Wed To: (Name of your bank in capitals)
(Address of your bank in capitals)
Street, London N1. Starting on
date until further notice. Debit my A/C No for the amount of f Name Address
• Signature
The Business Manage Street, London N1 2XI
bank. Thank you.
I would like to become a Socialist Action
supporter.
• Please send me my supporters bulletin Please put me in touch with local readers I enclose a standing order/donation of f
Send to: 'Supporters', Socialist Action,
328 Upper Street, London N1 2XP.
Diary
Socialist Action Trade
Union School 16/17 April
After Bermondsey and the miners ballot, the
Labour leaders attack socialists in the
movement and passively watch the lory onslaught against workers' rights. Yet there is a strong minority of working people that rejec!
Socialists will play the central role in organising this minority into
a left wing that can take on the Tories and
fight for a Labour government committed to
socialist policies. • The Socialist Action trade union school will examine the history of our movement in order to arm socialists in the unions with the tactics and strategy needed to face this situation. The school will look at the Second Congress of the
Comintern, the Minority Movement and the
principles underlying the united front. It will finish with an examination of the class struggle
in Britain from 1968 to today.
The school will aim to provide some of the programmatic and theoretical weapons for the next steps towards a class struggle left wing Introductions will be given by speakers from! the British and International labour movement.
The school will be held in London and
accomodation can be arranged. For more
details write to: Socialist Action TU school
328 Upper St, London N1 2XP, or see your
local paper seller.
For Marxist
books, posters,
postcards, badges
Feminist literature
• Mon, Tues, Sat, 10-6 Wed 12-7
Birmingham 137 Digbeth Birmingham B5
Mail Order Service - Add 20% for P&P
Socialist Action Bankers Order Form
Date 19 Please pay to the credit of Socialist Action, Acc. No. 70372315 at Co-Op Bank, 08-90-33, 1 Islington High
(date of first payment) and thereafter monthly on the same When completed and signed please return to:
Socialist Action, 328 Upper
Please do not send the Bankers Order direct to your
Page 13 scan of this page
The scientific discoveries of KARL MARX
Surplus Value
CENTENARY Karl Marx has been a time
and nonsense. In the colour supplements and newspaper articles, the reader will be hard put to it to find what Marx's important theoretic-
last week's press has Bernard Levin of arguing that Marx was the
Statesman in an ignorant
'Labour should junk all this
Marx. The party owes him
His heritage
Even Neal Ascherson in the Observer goes on about where 'Marx went wrong'. So what were the theoretical breakthroughs that made? And how do they aid the struggle of the working class.
* The theory of historical materialism
Historical materialism, systematically expounded in the Ger-
Ideology (1845), the fundamental discovery of Marx. He himself summed it up with remarkable clarity and acuteness in his famous Preface of
"The general result at which I
arrived and which once won served
the guiding thread
studies can be briefly formulated
as follows: in the social production
of their life men enter into definite
relations which are indispensable
and independent of their will, rela-
tions of production which corres-
pond to definite
development of their material pro-
ductive forces. The sum total of
these relations of production con-
stitutes the economic structure of
society, the real foundation,
which rises a legal
sunerstructure and to which cor-
respond definite forms of social
consciousness. The mode of
duction of material life conditions
the social, political and intellectual
life process in general. It is not the
consciousness of men that deter-
mines their being, but their social
being that derermines men con-
sciousness'.
careful reading nassage reveas that. Marxism is tar from being the 'economic' theory that bourgeois ideologues assert. contrary Marxism explains that the
'social relations of production' fundamental, determining social reality.
Marx
first
without scientific
given epoch
duction. Marx's eno en une understand the my modern society,
political representative of ullate cas
stage of
'penetrated', development of
on and political them.
pro- * The theory
value
the
of this market.
On the
are propertyless class forced to level of
workers'
The ideology, law and politics of a
understood outside of the social relations of pro-
'guiding thread' worker movement to development of value. the emergence of capitalism, and its own role as the
La subor— the proletariat.
Historical materialism does away al a stroke with une view or mislor. as the doings of great people, and enables the tangled skein of history to
revealllthe fundamental modern classes — the bourgeoisie and the proletariat - and the ideological and political forces which represent
of surplus
Marx's second great discovery was the real nature of the wage labour-capital relationship. Liberal economic theory
walt labour-capital relationship as a free exchange on the
The workers sold their labour in return for a wage of equal value — an equal transaction freely struck. Marx explained that the proletariat was a
sell its power. In exchange for the labour power the capitalist
By Phil Hearse advanced a portion of his existing capital (which Marx called 'variable capital') as wages. The capitalist then appropriated the result of the workers production, a newly created 'surplus'
of surplus value Inis lneory created scientific basis understanding the mechanism capitalist exploration.
*The Marxist theory capitalist crisis
The derivative of Marx's theory of capitalist production was his insight into capitalist expounded at length in volume 3 of Capital.
Capitalism invariably through Siles. capitalist production, the incentive to gel ll going is me producuol surplus value, and its result for the capitalists — profit.
general decline in the rate of profit (the capitalists' "return'), leads to a period of disinvestment, closure factories and unemployment. Each capitalist crisis
the result of a combination of specific factors.
But there is a general towards crisis in capitalism through the 'tendency of the rate of profit to fall'. As the capitalist production cycle develops, proportion of accumulated • capital factories,
machines ete - in the production process becomes more technologically intensive. It becomes more and more expensive to produce a given amount of surplus value. The for average rate of decline, unless counterveiling tenden-
cies intervene.
In the resulting amounts of capital are destroyed as of capitalists go bankrupt and the condi-
tions for recreated.
* The theory of the state
The state only came into existence with class society. Although the state exists to ensure the continued production of the general conditions of production (in capitalism for example the postal service, a central bank, the fire service, etc) each state represents the interests of a particular class, the ruling class. Part of its function in maintaining the general conditions for the the continued domination of the ruling
class is its repressive tuncion. As Engels put it: 'the state is in the last instance of a body of armed men.' The expencili trend convinced Marx that 'the state cannot
be seized by the working class and wielded for its own ends'. It must be broken up, ding army replaced by the workers in arms.
Socialist Action 25 March 1983 world history.
classes,
hand weapons
The uniquely
But 1980's economic danger
rent crisis.
Dha. DAVIN KING Archive
Marx
timental
class.
from
Production will and more
begins
crisis, huge
profitable production are
• Ine
80p.
Marx. 50p. of the Paris Commune
"smashed', and the stan-
postage.
13 * The revolutionary role of the working class
The proletariat plays a unique role in
All previous revolutionary classes have been propertied
able to use tael growing economic power against the ruling class. The working class on the other
Towns property. Its sole are its collective organisation and its consciousness.
proletarian revolution is a conscious revolution order to accomplish its historical task of overthrowing capitalism the working class needs to understand society to act on it. The world outlook of the proletariat is Marxism itself.
revolutionary class con-sciousness is not created spontaneously, but is the work of a revolutionar! political party which links up with. and explains, the spontaneous strug gles of the class.
It is clear that in the world of the
wracked with capitalis crisis, the ever present of imperialist war, and savage capitalist offensive against the working class world-wide, Marxism is the only theory wnich explails lt inter-action of the economic, political and ideological elements of the cur-
The immense interest in the
centenary in the labour movement stems not from
as Peter Kellner seems to think, but from the fact that Marxism continues to be unrivalled in its explanatory power and its ability to guide the political actions of the working
No amount of pompous drivel
Marx's bourgeois, liberal and social democratic detractors
conceal this fact from increasing numbers in the Labour Party and trade unions.
WHAT MARX
REALLY SAID
On historical materialism:
• The German Ideology. Part 1
Marx and Engels. (Lawrence and
Wishart). £2.50.
Communist Manifesto
Marx and Engels. (Pathfinder).
On surplus value:
Wage Labour and Capital. Introduction Marxist Theory. Mandel.
(Pathfinder). £1.75
On capitalist crisis:
• Capital Vol. 3. Introduction b!
Mandel. (Penguin). £6.95
On the Marxist theory of the state:
• State and Revolution Lenin 50p
On the revolutionary role of the
working class
• What is to be Done. Lenin. 76 Leninist Theory of Organisa-
tion. Mandel. 25p.
The Other
Bookshop. Plus 20 per cent for
Page 14 scan of this page
BL's Maestro - no miracle for workers
track in the south works of the Cowley assembly plant without workers touching it. The car was the new Austin Maestro, miracle'.
The real miracle is that such protests against speed ups didn't happen sooner.
The Maestro has already involved £210 million investment. seen as the car to make or break BL and management have imposed tough regime. Many peo-
Stave been sacked of lateness
A three month probation makes SuIC people keep their heads down and their mouths shut. want a aoche workforce for high and secure productivity.
Cowley workers have been on the defensive with the sacking of Alan Thornett and the introduction for the first time of a LWO year pay agreement.
But BL haven't been able
destroy their plans. This was shown with the victory of LIC SEEKE ot 4.000 at the Pressed Steel body. plant against the demanning of 14 jobs.
Green
BL decided to recruit a completely workforce of 1,100 21CCI
young people in their first job or recruits from the dole queue.
A RECENT strike at the BL Land Rover plant in Cardiff defeated management attacks on the union organisation. venor of the Joint Shop stewards committee spoke in personal capacity to Barry Wilkins.
The BL attitude trade unionism is. the background to this issue Through aggressive Edwardes style
llallaser ment BL are attempting to bypass the trade union organisations. win
lirect control over the minds or tne memoership.
They use the fear of mounLUSC keep trade unionists in line and to dampen protest at the sacking union leaders like Derek Robinson and Alan Thornett.
At Land Rover in Cardiff the membership a few ycals azu had become disillusioned with the union. The plant had been
down through voluntary redun-
bunch of peasants, what? Very nace'.
Grosvenor House Hotel in London's West End.
shit after royalty and other wealthy scroungers.
group, paid labour.
workers, including 7 shop stewards,
employment and full union recognition.
night every day.
14: Socialist Action 25 March 1983 ON MONDAY 14 March a car body travelled the
nicknamed ' the 'Oxford
The stewards' movement has been dismantled in Cowley over the years.
Whole
SCCLIONS on the Maestro don't have stewards to cal on when problems arise.
By a Cowley worker
Management want to take away the three minute washing up time before dinner and at the end of day, gaining minutes week extra WOrK. This was to be posed on 28 February but ucy reucalce due de lak ing this through 'the proDC accaule
This is different from the media image of 'the new BL' back from the ork will be brainenew car to take over the world car markcl The real face of BL was revealed the launch week, when industrial tribunals found management guilty of wrongful dismissal of Cowley worker for giving out leaflets and of racial discrimination wner chief security officer
workers to be stopped and Compensanion was paid to the workers
Rover workers' victory
GEOFF STOCKHAM AUEW con-
dancy without much op. position and there was a
the national union leaderships.
The stewards committee recognised that a new approach was needed - to rebuild closer links with the membership the shop floor to defeat the influence of the company.
We aimed to rebuild solidarity amongst the workforce by taking up the issues that faced the members and ensuring regular reports trom stewards back to the sec-
Gradually we have turned the situation around and earned the confidence of the member-
PICKET LINE
'WHAT DO I think of the picket? Gosh, that colourful
Things aren't so nice for the workers at the plush
Workers get lousy pay and conditions for cleaning the
I neir emplover is the anti-union Trust House Forte which reaps massive profits from exploiting low
A bitter dispute has raged for three weeks since 27
were told they were 'no longer required' — some after 25 years service. The picket line, officially backed by the general workers' union GMBATU, is demanding proper contracts of
• Messages of support and donations should be sent to GMBATU, Thorne House, 154 Brent St. Hendon. NW4 2DP. Assistance for pickets welcome from 6am to mid-
Thatcher's backing BL moves for a docile workforce. involved.
It is fitting that Thatcher was at the centre of the The Edwardes plan is a test
ship
For example the 1981-82 pay deal the plant voted for industrial action which was against the na. tiona trend in BL And last year by a large majori-
the LCDC SILIS supported a half-day strike in solidarity with the health workers. Threats
There have been continual threats to the shop stewards' organisation from management. They wanted to test our real support on the shop floor. Management took their Stammer Tew Weeks ago when they attempted fundamentaliv alle the role of trade unions on site.
This led to a five day suspension myself
case for Thatcher's union profitablity. Recent events DASHES restore show Lilal allo Tories won't have it all their own way.
convenor. If this had succeeded it would have opened tIle way my dismissal. Then any steward or member would have been at risk.
The stewards' commit-
recommended imICC mediate strike action. The members overwhelmingly agreed. They saw clearly that this was a testing time tor tne wnole memoership and union organisation
he plant.
We went on strike for days with ule allu a lidi. 100 per cent solid support from the workforce. A national conference was called involving union and management represen-
national and Lalive. local level.
A general meeting agreed a return to work on the understanding that if the disciplinary action was not unconditionally with-
general
OFFICIAL STRIKE
The miracle car may be full of new gimmicks but the same old managemen techniques remain. There are rumours of guaranteed jobs, a new LMIl model in
meeting would be called to discuss resuming the strike. This shop stewards' proposal gave neither management nor national union officials an opportunity to sow divisions ir our ranks.
At the national ference the disciplinary action was unconditionally withdrawn by management. Although a ioint statement of intent was made in which the unions agreed Won established practices and
this restated the existing position
The workforce could see that the company had backed down and were try. ing to cover this un. was a victory against the
and lessons can be drawn from
Even against the ag gressive onslaught of Thatcher and Edwardes a
00VE
FORTE
OMEp
12 months and the 'XX' project with Honda.
Management intends to introduce its new work practises for production of
firm basis for a fight back can be built.
this is necessary to win the confidence and súpport of the members. Our success an endorsement of the new approach and hard work ot the stewards' committer and a testimony to the Cavalily ship to stand up to the
The WallaccEl. wards' committee must show the members what is happening
We have the advantage MEOW as management see our support on the shop floor. But further attacks on our union organisation are inevitable especially occaust the strong possibility of privatisation of the Land Rover divi sion.
This shows the need for radical political altern-
News
10 these models. The events of the past week nave shown late worl force will be anything bu passive in the face of these attacks.
vatives. We must win the LICHUCIS confidence. for this the need for Labour government which acts in our interests on the basis of socialist policies and not the kind of Labour government we've experienced in the past
But just as we've built firm foundations the
Labour worklorce. so too musEme Party. It's not good enough just to adopt polices without • building real for among the grass roots of the working class
We've shown that with hard steady work you can establish firm foundations which are easily shaken. The highest tower will come crashing down without a solid base.
With our strong relationship with the members further advances can be
DLAAADINCALINCTO CUEDITA (Distin.
Page 15 scan of this page
Birmingham's 'privateers'
Bus transport under attack
MacGregor the "whizz kid" who drives a hard bargain
News
BIRMINGHAM is in the front line for privatisation of local authority services. ROGER KLEIN explains.
The Birmingham Tories came to office last May on a platorm or pulting many of the council's services private tender. This is part of the "lories' national policy of selling off profitable nute serve alu ru ing down the rest.
Birmingham Tories refined this. They use the threat of contractors to get existing council workers to cut their own
speed up and cutbacks.
Under Labour in Birm. ingham, the number. of
collectors in ten years from 900 540. The Sutton Coldfield sports centre was hived off to private contractors.
This did not leave the Tories much scope to cut things further without frontal assault on the city's
city's refuse CULICCIULS have acreed to 200 mor redundancies and massive Cleaners
The school cleaners and dinner ladies are heading towards the same disastrous path of tendering for their own KUWS Social workers and the 9000 strong NALGO oration were Ouroxed Dy the Tory leader Bosworth, despite deterined strike late last cooperation year.
Resistance to privatisation has been a shambles. The Tories have capitalised on real discontent with existing services — waiting lists, post office queues, inadequate education ser-
8K154 8 GAS When you pay out over
€3,300,000
fees for a person who is
you six years you've got
to expect results for your
money.
So how does the new
boss of the Coal Board
come out in the bargain-
ing and productivity
stakes?
Mrs Catherine
Fisher, widow who
cleans MacGregor's
WORM'S
EYE
VIEW
vices. The privatisation process seen eviradie, in une same way as redundancies often are.
meant steady of stream
cut any struggle. Official Lue wol resole 1a0 been half-hearted.
blind sometimes turned to proposals for in-house tenderTake place, in ere is a relocs Where action does СОФІО Є MSI in case it costs too much trom There has also been a dismal failure to involve the users The NAS dispute shoves. services struggles that such support can be organised.
Campaign
A campaien is needed to improve services as part
the anti-privatisation action. Too often workers
encouraged to
cil'. This is used as an alternative to anv struggle or to put the brake on ones that do break out in case they 'alienate' people.
success is possible in the few places where multi-union campaigning has taken place, faking the case to users. • Roger Klein is a staff member of the new Birm-
Union Resources Centre formally openeu or 16 March Fredrick Street Birm-
ЗНЕ. (Tel 021-236 8323). The Centre provides printing, layout advice, research. facilities and plans to offer meeting rooms and a cinema.
Scottish weekend home,
is very impressea Dy is
ability to drive a hard
bargain. Or at least she
ought to be because he
pays her less than 78p an
hour.
By Bob Pennington
With other peoples'
money like the
shareholders of
American company
THE TORIES aim to reduce bus work to lump labour by breaking the standard day, introducing private contractors and selling off the National Bus network.
By Mike Eude (TGWU 3/111 Bristol)
The only criterion for transport will be how cheap it is. County councils and traffic commissioners will have to accept the lowest private tenders.
It will open the harbour to any pirate, sinking bus workers wages, conditions and safety standards.
Amax, MacGregor has
been not quite so good.
wher he conducted
Amax's big expansion,
the company's liabilities
went to $1.3 billion. In
1981 when he was still a
prominent board
member of Amax he
joined the rest of the
board in rejecting Stan-
dard Oil's record US
take-over bid. of $4
billion.
MacGregor rather
coyly describes himself
as being 'remiss' in-not
pushing the merger
through. Well he might,
as Amax liabilities have
SHOW gone $1.3
billion to $2.7 billion,
ped from the $78.50 of
fered by Standard Oil to
$24.
Some US business ex-
perts predict he could
make the Guinness Book
of Records. They say
Two women occupy Nechells School in Birmingham to protest the Tory closure.
HANDS action.
Bus workers were all set for their first national strike for several years on 4 March. The transport UNLOUS passenger trade group suspended the strike, overturning the decision of a delegate con ference for series of strikes for a 13 per cent claim and a recall delegate MacGregor: A costly blunder ...
Amax's rejection of the
Standard Oil offer was
the costlies financial
blunder in US corporate
history.
Nor Is MacGregor
always too good in pick-
ng is pcopic. waen n
stopped being head of
Countrywide busworkers are attacked. Sheffield day of
conference to consider any o el
The offer agreed by the leadership was a five per cent increase reduced hours from 39 to 37½, without loss of pay, and a four day week.
It sounded good but the four day week will not be a standard day, it inAmax his influence made sure that the little known lowe Pierre Gousseland stepped into his shoes.
Now some unkind shareholders wish Mr Gousseland had remained little known. Under
Socialist Action 25 March 1983
THE TORIES' aims are clear:
economic event. For example,
papers.
contractors are either
unionised.
disputes.
that savings are
through privatisation.
the contractors get a toehold.
about public service not public spending.
cuts
ing.
between ministeries, councils, committees,
inquiry and the contractors.
the Hospital Corporation of America:
'The growth
chicken.'
troduces flexible rostering.
This Will
followed by the stick of
depot closures, job loss and worse safety as local
managements seek to push
through rostering 'to the
minute'
Three weeks earlier Bill Morris, national secretary of the passenger a He promised to right the • group, spoke
workers rally Bristol
employers' attacks but the sell out on the pay dea proved how serious he Wan
Morris pinned all on
the return of a Labour government and "tripar
tite' planning agreements
between management, government and unions.
But redundancies cured. under the last Labour government and this workers' participation
his leadership Amax has been having a real tough time. Its losses last year were nearly $400 million.
Now are you getting some idea why MacGregor was prepare to leave the USA for the stimulation of new challenges in BriA little reductionist?
East Leeds Labour Party Young Socialists' motion to the LPYS Easter conference reads: "This conference believes that the increase in glue sniffing is one of the indirect con. sequences of Tory policies.'
It then asks the next Labour move tient take immediate steps to control the abuse of such solvents.
suitable amend-
15
Why privatisation?
To roll back the welfare state and leave individuals to cope as best they can. Until recently this was a minority view even in the Tory Party: But the growth of monetarism is more than an
the end of the NHS has been floated in Cabinet discussion
• To bash the public sector unions. Private
non-union or poorly Threatened use of contractors can lead to big concessions from existing public sector workers. Tebbit's law would prevent uniononly contractors and cut across solidarity in
• To use privatisation to enforce cash limits monetarism. Arguments are brought forward
in the public sector These savings are often completely phoney. At best they only last while
Socialists talk We don't get involved in arguments about savings. These lead workers to accept wages and job
To help their pals in private industry with fat contracts. The money involved is enormous. So are the companies. The typical contractor chasing public sector loot is a giant multinational These companies can afford expensive lobby-
There is constant exchange of personnel
The mentality of the privateers is shown ir this remark from Jack Massey, chairperson of
potential hospitals is unlimited. It's even better than Kentucky Fried
formula merely ties the unions closer to manage ment. makes the independent action we need to defend our jobs and conditions more difficult to achieve.
Our branch meeting after the strike suspension was attended by 80 people It voted unanimously to censure the national secretary and the national committee for 'violating • Lne democracy our union and agreeing flexible rostering'
Branches around Coullel y should fill Mor ris's office with similar resolutions and demand a national delegate conference to coordinate national action against cuts and closures.
Let's disprove his excuse that the ranks are apathetic
Despite these reverses which come in the billons can stil negotiate a deal at local level. It transpires that he has got his golf club to give hım membership al the pensioner's reduced 1alc No wonder Mrs Thatcher is impressed.
ment might read: •Labour should naglue monopolies and the ancillary trades under joint sniffers' and workers' control.'
Compiled by BOB PENN.
INGTON. Send contribu tions Worm's Eye DOC ISLATIO 328 Uppe Street, London N1 2XP arrive not later than Thurs «у a we pror to pasc tion.
Page 16 scan of this page
HAVING suffered unparalleled devastation during the Second World War, the Soviet people understand the horrors of modern war. However, no mass peace movement exists.
Tutso et bure uracy
aCule y aware . the burden of military spending the coluly gives favourable coverage to Western peace movements where these help divide
NATO and prevent the installation of Cruise and Pershing missiles. But its aim is the renewal of T 100121 41149 damental opposition to US imperialism
Within the Soviet Union an official Committee for the Defence of Peace is a haven for ageing academics and notables.
(sane 1982, Group for Establishing Trust between the USSR and the USA proclaimed ILs ornalod aucws conterence Moscow.
They said that the official Peace Committee was too closely tied to the Kremlin and an independent group was needed to complement tivities. Its initial membershin consisted ot eleven intellectuals.
Decisive
The Group's original demands were for Moscow to be a nuclear. tree zone; the stopping ot all nucear tests• and the establishment of mainly cultural-scientific links between the USSR and the USA (eg. • joint space and medical resear-
These demands have since been amplitied in an interview in the New Statesman (11.2.83) with Sergei Batovrin, the 26 year-old and leading spokesperson of Ine uroup.
Further demands include negotiations for a bilateral LCcLc the deployment of nuclear
Subscription
rates:
Inland: 6 months S8;
1 year $15.
Overseas: (1 year only): Surface
and Europe §17/Aır mail §24.
(Please delete as appropriate)
Name:
Address:
For multi-reader institutions double the above rates.
Registered as a newspaper with the Post Office. ndon NI. Publisned bv Cardinal Enternriges PO Ror RO Printed By East End Offset (TU) Ltd, London E2.
SOCiAlist
ACTION
KGB bid to crush
Soviet peace group
weapons and thence to a reduction of nuclear stocks; utilisation of the money saved for a joint programme of world imthe dissolution of NATO and the Warsaw Pact; opposition to the development of MX and new ICBM's East and West.
By Rick Hellman
Last October the Group issued a call for a congress of all independent peace groups to be held in Moscow in Autumn 1983.
Since its formation the Group claim to have collected 900 signatures • SUODUII allu established further Leningrad, Odessa and Novosibirsk.
Despite its avowed
support for bOve t nuclear policy, the fact of the Group's independent activity on an issue which could have a wide response inside the Soviet Union has led to increased COTESUS from the KGB.
Within days of its formation Batovrin had been placed under house arrest: In August he was confined to a psychiatric hospital aiolital.
Sergei Batovrin in psychiatric hospital
subscribe
For readers who take out a year's inland subscription Please send me as special offer .................. Send to Socialist Action, 328 Upper Street, London N1 2XP.
subiected to. treatment with drugs against his will, and on his release made a compulsory outpatient.
Last July, during the officially-sanctioned peace march through the Soviet Union by Scandinavian women, every effort was made to keep the marchers from meeting members of the Group including detaining two of the Group's Icaulle aucocIs Yurı Khronopulo and Yuri Medvedkov, for 15 days charges of 'hooliganism'
TVCGVCUKOV and another Group member, Viktor Blok. have been subjects of the almost fatal allenuon KGB the steering wheel of Medvedkov's car mysteriously came off in his hand and Blok was almost run over by a truck.
At the time of writing Batovrin and Sergei Rosenoer have been on hunger two
tinued harassment of the
that CND and the labour Group. It 1S uncialive movement offers their support to all independent peace groups in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
Messages of about the group's treatmem snoula be sent 1o.
Soviet Ambassador, 18 Kensington rat ce Gardens, London W8. SPECIAL
OFFER
we are offering a free copy of Hard Times, a new book in the 'Arguments for Socialism' series by Bob Sutcliffe. The book normally costs $2.50. Alternatively we are offering Alan Freeman's book, The Benn Heresy. For new readers there is our special introductory offer of 8 issues for S2
All subscriptions are posted Irst class on day of publication.
G
'WOMEN!
Women' were the slogans of porters of Youth CNI miles from weekend.
The dedication of the women peace campers nas provided a focal point for the anti-missile campaign. This was reflected in the large numbers of young women on the march. A contingent of yvull. women led and stewarded the match
A large majority of the marchers were from Oxford and the surrounding area and for many of them coming on the march was their first step towards aLLive Invollcicil in nt fight for unilateral disarfilallicil. march, Oxford YNDers In the run to the
the Easter weekend: • THURSDAY 31 Greenham Common
main support areas.
West and Ireland should groups from London, Anglia, East Midlands North should go to Burghfield • FRIDAY APRIL
VENHA
'NO CRUISE, No Trident, Support the Greenham
two hundred supwhe marched the thirty Oxford to the Greenham base last
distributed thousands of sentrers local schools, colleges and in the shopplng centres ana outsiac lne local Cowley car Meetings , and fim show ings were organised, and collections taken.
By Andy Brooking
YCND members Cowley works to talk ho visited the the young workers there.
Over 30 signatures were won for CND's 'Refuse Cruise' petition. Supporters working in Cowley
Stand together: Easter activities
Here is a reminder of the activities planned for
MARCH Demonstration USAF base and of Burghfield ROF from Gam. For argunised groups onit, undeach group should hare a suppor group. People should aim to arrive on Wednesday evenng for final briefing sessions and report to th
groups trom the Norti West, West, Wales. West Midiands, South West.
• South to Greenham:
East East South Midlands, and A human chain linking Greenham and Burghfield via Aldermaston. On disembarking from coaches, people should walk
seeship ando support from sorship and support their workmates and their union branch.
Further support for the march was built up in the labour movement OxSoci lisso r Pe 5 Youra Young Regionts L PYS the Region and Hulod of other Labour Party and trade ulliul. branches supported the march.
The marchers were sent off by a rally addressed by the mayor, Labour's Pro spective Parlamentary Candidate and
ICOICSCII tatives from the local labour movement.
Similar delegations greeted the march in Ab. ingdon and Newbury, and a member of Didcot Peace towards Aldermaston
signposted. Toilets, medical facilities, etc be available at fourteen route at one-mile intervals. stations at 1pm. Later: Aldermaston Festival -
bring puppets, music, games, decorations etc
Please pick up your litter
• SATURDAY 2 APRIL
carnival in Glasgow. Assemble from 11.15 am ir Cochrane St. (by George Square, city centre) for a mass die-in; proceeding to Kelvingrove Park (two miles) for the carnival th SUNDA 3 APRiL A Seman chain dong the children's events,
perimeter of Faslane nuciear submarine base or
the Clyde. night accomodation will be available
Committee addressed the
marchers as they arrived
for overnight stay lI
Didcot Labour Club.
News of the fighting in
Nicaragua prompted the
marchers message of
Olean the
Nicaraguan people.
HELC welcoming
speech by one of the
campers, Annajoy David
YCŃD's • nationa
vl callseh addressed
march on its arrival
Greenham Common She
explained how the march
Yor CD's Ease elt-up of the build-up
for
chain from Greenham to including the ocals
Burghfield and for
YCND's 'Rock the Bomb'
Carnival in London on 7
May. which will be cleariy
will 'stations' situated en
Link-up from these
A demonstration and
Music, speakers
Transport trom Glasgow and over.
← Socialist Action No. 1, 18 March 1983Socialist Action No. 3, 1 April 1983 →