Socialist Action No. 49, 16 March 1984
The scan: 049-mar-16-1984-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 BACK THE MINERS!
No. 49 16 March 1984 30p
What
SOCiALiSt
you
support for the miners in every town.
should
lines to show their support -yourself.
do
port is organised.
THE DECISIVE action by the miners in Yorkshire, Scotland and South Wales has turned the tables on the NCB and the government.
Despite efforts by MacGregor and the media to split the miners, the first few days have been a major victory in round one of the fight against pit closures.
With one or two exceptions, miners everywhere have respected the pickets. The presence of Yorkshire miners in Nottingham will be of major importance for the strike ballots there. The pickets carry the message that pit closures can be fought, and overcome the efforts of the NCB to divide the miners.
This is democracy in action. From the areas most threatened, rank and file miners are carrying the demand for a united fight to their colleagues in 'safer' areas. Yorkshire NUM has now officially sanctioned flying pickets.
The determination of the rank and file is the strongest card the NUM has. At Kellingley in Yorkshire 1000 miners have volunteered for picket duty anywhere in the country.
In Doncaster another 1000 have volunteered. In Scotland miners are already heading South to help the Yorkshire pickets.
The militant action which has been so successful in the coalfields must be used to win the support of the rest of the working class, and to spread the struggle. The NCB and the Govern-
The miner's strike is a decisive clash with That cher. Every sinew of the working class movement should be strained in solidarity with their struggle. You can start now by doing the following things. Get emergency resolutions through your Labour Party, trade union branch, Trades Council or shop stewards committee in support of the miners.
The Labour Party should organise a rally of
Send messages of support to the NUM head. quarters in Sheffield and to local pits. Get delega tions from labour movement bodies to visit picket
and go there
Try to organise for miners to speak at local meetings, and to tour round local factories winn. ing support. At every event supperting the miners collect money for their cause. And if flying pickets are in your area make sure accomodation and sup
ment hope to sit out the strike because of high stocks of coal - particularly at the power stations.
The lessons of 1972 and 1974 are clear. Movement of coal must be stopped, and the power stations picketted In 1972 and 1974, it was not simply coal that was stopped at the power stations but all supplies. The rest of the movement has clear duty. FULL SUPPORT FOR THE MINERS This will mean support for the pickets, rallies in all areas, workplaces and colleges, tours, collections, accomodation for the flying pickets must be laid on.
This is a fight the Tories must not win. They can be defeated. This is not like the Stockport Messenger or the GCHQ disputes.
This time there are 180,000 miners in dispute and their solidarity and militancy will make a big difference. The NUM leadership is not going to sell the strike down the river.
The Tories are more unpoplar now than any time since the Falklands War.
With effective solidarity from the rest of the movement a decisive defeat can be inflicted on the Tories.
Building that support and solidarity is the most important task facing activists in the movement.
This is everyone's fight.
The watchwords for all activists in the movement now must be 'All out to support the miners'.
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Miners take on the
Socialist Action 16 March 1984 2
ACTiON SOCiALst
Crawling back to
Thatcher
IF ANYONE HAD any illusion that the day of action on GCHQ represented a turn to the left by Len Murray, Graham and Frank Chapple, learnt otherwise.
Only one week after withdrew from the National Economic DevelopTorit Council they are returning to talks with the
On Monday, the TUC Employment Policy and Organisation continue to participate in the vices Commission, tion Committee, Committee bodies with the government.
ACAS and the MSC are particularly disgraceful as it is John Lambert, ACAS deputy chief conciliation officer, busting 'staff association'
MSC runs the wage cutting Scheme.
The Times understood what was taking place perfectly when it headed its report on the subject on Monday boycott. This was the same issue which carried as its main headline, coal strike to 100 pits.
In reality there was never any chance of the TUC breaking off its talks with the Tories. entire 'new realism' strategy of Murray is based on talking with Thatcher, the SDP or anyone else who wants to listen. The Day of Action on GCHQ was just to try to get the General Council into a better position for the talks. These preoccupations are a hundred times more important tor the General Council today than mobilising support for the NUM.
Yet these talks become disgraceful. Thatcher has not budged one inch. Nor is she going to.
Since the 'new union-buster Eddie Shah defeated the NGA -thanks to TUC sabotage. Unions have been banned at GCHQ despite all TUC grovelling for a 'no strike' agreement. The mines are now about to be butchered. A real balance sheet of 'realism'.
There should be one simple decision taking thirty seconds on the next General Council agenda: No more talks with Thatcher.
Then the TUC can pass on to what is really important for it to discuss. How to win the miners strike.
US
Editor: ALAN FREEMAN
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last week of December.
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Terry Duffy, Alastair they soon
the TUC formally
Committee voted unanimously to
Manpower SerACAS, the Central Arbitra-
the Territorial Army Advisory and a whole range of other joint
The decisions on
the union-
Youth Training
'TUC begins its retreat from
'Militant picketing spreads
The more and more
realism' began the tinpot These are expressed in
sales
Tories
MINERS HAVE had enough of the Coal Board's bullying and are attempting to spread the strikes to save jobs and defend their union.
redundancies and closures. In the first five months of 1983, one in five miners took strike action - accounting for 30 per cent of recorded strikes in that period.
Yorkshire area strike, which sparked the national action also began
struck wiel local against changed work
productior targets and shift times
Despite setbacks BI CYIUUs national strike ballots, militant miners are preparing themselves for a fight-back - this time exploring ways to deal with divisions their ranks sown over decades by the Coal Board and misleaders like Lord Joe Gormlev the past president of the miners' union
The four month overtime ban has exposed the massive discrepancies ween miners pay and the low basic Tate average 18 per CCHL miners earnings are made up by overtime and productivity with high investment pits reaping lal above the avelage
This divisive incentive scheme opposed by
Was the majority national ballots in 1974 and 1977 introduced over their heads by cornicy
Sharp divisions exist in the union with right wing
like Nottingham playing on a false sense of security in more
producure, higher bonus gIls
Thatcher's blatant atbuy off miners with a radically new redundancy deal is also designed to break me back or lie strike by dividing
But striking miners are determined to counter this
with strong pickets
everv collery Their mess-
age as they try to picket
out' miners in a nation-
wide strike is that no pit or
job is safe. Selling jobs for
golden nanashakes nical.
selling the future of
coalfields and
munities.
1982, leaked from the
Monopolies Commission
revealed Tory plans
decimate the industry. The
butchery won't Just affect codirields will go as reduce individual Whole
in a limits mumber of
limited number
'super-pits', where new
computerised systems
squeeze more profits out
A super pit like Selby
in North Yorkshire could
produce the equivalent of
70 per cent of the entire
production of Wales and
Scotland, with only 10 per
cent of the workforce.
almost
total closure for the pits in
South Wales, Scotland,
the North East and Kent
and the picking off
Wally pits as possible
Lancashire, the Midlands
and South Yorkshire. The
miners union estimates a
job loss of at least 70,000
The area strikes are the culmination of local'
practices,
in the next ten years.
To drive this through, the NCB has changed the ground rules for determin-
whether pit stays open. reviously unis was decided on grounds of coal exhaustion or impossible geological conditions. It is
profit and loss that signs the fate of miners.
deliberately starves certain pits of investment which prevents them from producing good coal or overcoming difficult geological condi-
By Celia Pugh
The NCB is also trying new tactics to break the unity of the union. Pit by pit it has changed manning and productivity without consultation and has used provocation to challenge the hard-won miners' con-
over pit conditions and procedures.
In the last to 20 this policy has led 20,000 redundancies, the closure of 23 pits and an explosion
DILECI local disputes over productivity and work practices. Until now, local strikes against closure, like at Kinneil in Scotland, have been left
the road to isolated defeat. Miners can now act with greater strength and
with the national
NUM executive backing the spread of area strikes to a national stoppage.
Harder
The striking miners are rejecting Tory press cries about 'suicide strikes' and the arguments that through harder work, higher productivity social peace they can save their jobs. 1 ney vi stomached this for too many years and they reply
with demands for more investment, shorter working hours, more recruitment and early retirement.
They reject the ploy
that must close
OILs
because there are
markets for the coal they
dig. They
of using coal for
ways social need and not profit,
and to replace the madness
of nuclear power.
Militant miners know
that this means a head-on
clash with the Tory governinent. Their
pickets and solidarity ap-
peals are a direct challenge
to Tebbit's
laws.
Victory for the miners
will be victory for all the
workers fighting closure,
redundancy, productivity
screws and attacks union
rights Solidarity action
with the miners is a chance
for the labour movement
to unite to take on lac
Tories.
The Triple Alliance unions are particularly vital. Rail and transport unions will need to boycott all coal movement. Pickets and solidarity action will
Stop the coal
HARRY BYGATE, branch secretary of the National Union of Seamen in Aberdeen told Socialist Action about their solidarity action.
National leaders of the NUS and the NUM got together could help the miners in what was then an overtime ban.
I went down to Edinburgh meet the executive of the Scottish area NUM. They needed our knowledge of the North East coast OI Scotland where there are many
YORKSHIRE
AREA N.U.M.
CALLS FOR
TOTAL
OPPOSITION
TO THE
CUTS
Miners joined action against health cuts. Now they call for support.
be needed at power stations and docks. 'Solidarity with the miners' should be top of the agenda of every trade union and Labour Party
small ports and we knew foreign coal is being off. loaded.
These ports are very small and non union 'here is aso no railwar line to them, so the coal is being transported by lorry with non union drivers.
This makes it very difficult to deal with these imports.
The NUS has decided to ships foreign coal. That means our members will not crew these ships. Where we find that ships already underway are carrying foreign coal, we will stop that coal being offloaded The coal that comes to the North East of Scotland
In the Unions
mans for with emergéncy plans rallies collec-
demonstrations.
LOS. solidarity Semands for a recall TUC pickets
to plan the action.
is mainly Polish. The actions of the NUS will help but the NUM has also had talks with the Polish
and official
inions to ensure that thi
use foreig coal to fill the gap left b the miners strike
We are waiting for the arrival of a British ship carrying coal I from South Africa to Ravenscraig steelworks. It is expecte either next weekend or the weekend after.
We will stop this coal being offloaded, necessary by taking con trol of the ship.
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Yorkshire miners
In the Unions
POSURES
MINERS STOOD for three hours in the biting cold outside NUM headquarters in Sheffield on Thursday 8 March. They were determined that the executive meeting inside would make the strike action in Yorkshire and Scotland official and open the way for action in other areas.
group of miners from Yorkshire Main colliery explained to Socialist Action how the NCB had been provoking a confrontation by trying to reintroduce practices long gone from the pits - such as chalking on the face the areas to be cleared.
When miners responded with strike action the
ake the chalk marks of
- but when back at work were being asked to ork found that THICS
in unsafe conditions.
Management's threat, that their action would result the closure of Yorkshire Main, was me last straw. With CortonWOod Bullcliffe already on the closure list the miners want national strike action against pit
closun forkshire it's only
the Sun talking about a ballot' they said 'and
'You can't
always choose
when to fight'
DAVE CROWTHER, a member of the Derbyshire Area Committee of the NUM explained their position to Socialist Action.
Ine Yorkshire area
flying pickets until after
committee alca meeting on Monday March® Whether Derbyshire follows tinghamshire at this meeting going
remains to be seen.
I think they might.
Derbyshire has been consistently solid for the overtime ban, which shows commitment for the
prepare tor
bitter strike
they don't work down the pit.
"Ten thousand pounds redundancy money for
vour lob sounds good, but when you retire at 26 it's got to last a hell of a long time. We want MacGregor's head on a plate.
By Rich Palser
The mood was determined and with no illusions. Miners explained • that the NCB was hoping the militant areas would be isolated and that tional strike would be long and bitter.
* he problem is thal we've got the wrong peo ple in the TUC' but we're counting on the
railworkers, SUDOOL. dockers and all workers concerned about unemployment'.
union's fight. It's a good
way to keep us getting our
shifts in, while putting the
NCB in a position where it has to respond to us.
personally would have liked us to have put
off the inevitable strike
until later, when the coal
stocks are lower after the
summer perhaps. But you
can't always choose when to fight.
I think the Yorkshire
miners are great, but a lot
of Derbyshire
sent the fact that they are asher ta supe for them asked them own interests. This would
be seen better if there was a
clear call or all-out nation-
al strike.
Pickets at Cadeby colliery in South Yorkshire
Yorkshire miners applaud national executive backing
Socialist Action 16 March 1984
No to pit
closures!
Interview with Ken
Why
Yorkshire?
out of the blue,
consultation proceedures.
coking coal from three faces,
cannot sell the coal
strike following
ven exhaustion.
trade unions for support.
Will there be a ballot?
Yorkshire Area Council
safe.
How can the strike be won?
In the same way we prepared in 1981 Photo: NEWSLINE the only language
Noneerstan
kind of support which we got il
Talons
pledged support.
it might as well be at the coal face.
What about the stocks at the coal face?
there will be serious trouble in 8-10 weeks
What can other workers do?
demonstrations and
support us with strike action.
'There's no
got to fight'
in personal capacity to Socialist Action.
of the Sour mates area is
for a strike from 6 am on Monday 12 March. At my pit the meeting was solid
But some lodges turned it down meetings Some of the boys said they were bitter that when they were on strike last year other • areas didn't com out for them.
After the strike over Lewis Merthyr last year we lost five pits. We'll lose more if we don't fight and we have no alternative
In nine years we reckon there'll be six pits left in South Wales
years ago there were nearer
We've explained that the new redundancy pay-
payment and that they soon be on the breadline but there are a few who
DIlS lave been down the men are losing
their confidence
But at least at meetings where the vote went against striking they've said they won't cross picket lines. And there's
doubt there will be pickets. This we're not tied down with a ballot
3 Capstick, delegate Yorkshire area council from Stillingsleet colliery
has it been necessary to call a strike in
Two weeks ago the Coal Board announced the closure of Cortonwood colliery in South Yorkshire
without going through normal This pit is producing which gives it a life into the 1990s. The Board claims however that it
A mass meeting at the pit took a decision to
which the NUM Yorkshire are: council has decided to implement their policy of opposing pit closures, except on grounds of pro-
The only way to fight pit closures is by a strike
We are now asking other areas, and other
There will not be a ballot in Yorkshire because the
is implementing results of our ballot in 1981 in which we won an 86 per cent majority. At our pit a majority accepted that they must now fight even though their jobs are
- strike action and support from other trade unions. This is
mich we on and 79. the
for the dockers and the NUS have alread . If we can stop coal being moved
We will have to look to see how much support we parhaps 15-20 percer of the coal there will have power station workers. Already deteriorated beyond the point of use. And I think
At this stage they can give the support asked for by the NUM, send delegations to pickets, attend our
invite speakers from the NUM. Eventually it may be that other workers can
alternative, we've
DAI DAVIES, chair of the Penrhiwceiber lodge and member of the South Wales NUM executive spoke
Around our neck. I'm confident we'll get the boys out I know they're having trouble in Scotland The leadership went over Kinneil and they've never recovered Monktonhall were out nine weeks by themselves It should have been one out all out. They shouldn't have been left out on their own. The same has hap pened over Polmaise We've got to stop the movement of coal. I agree with Arthur Scargill abou the coals stocks. The pres are claiming these are too high but this isn't true. At Penrhiwceiber there two million tons of coa which has been stockpile for between 12 and 20 years It hasn't been, shifte because its useless. There' been talk of grassing over. Now they've started to shift it because the Aberthaw power station i desperate They're down to six weeks supply and langer leve We'l already been contacted local I bran, NUR, and Seamen's Union and I rela
stop the movement coal
Page 4 scan of this page
4 BOURNEMOUTH, MID-MARCH 1982. There I was, with nearly 300 other women, being entertained in the pavillion for the evening, when the all-male band struck up with an ear-splitting Don't ever change - Hove you just the way you are. The occasion? The evening after day Women's conference.
story to some first-time delegates, when another middle-aged, middle-of-the-road male group got up on stage and opened its set with tune. They couldn't have chosen a more apt keynote for the event.
Unless that conference does change, squandering the energy and experience of the biggest annual gathering of women trade unionists in Forget it. Discussions wish county. Debates? other unions? Maybe, corridors and cafeteria queues, u you re шиску.
This isn't an argument to scrap me come. ence • 01 withdraw from
was decide in 1976 that the TUC Women's conference was an 'anachronism' and 'divisive' the state of current legislation fecting equality.
Because quit, NALGO women, leaders
Ine Canoe azalls l sexual harassment, had to
promote one the Women's Advisory Com-
LOSI important
A joke's a
joke
HAVE YOU heard the one Margaret Thatcher...? At the same time as the publication of the official Margaret Thatcher joke book, a columnist in the Daily Torygraph, Mary Kenny, gives us the real i natcher 'Mrs Thatcher's terances would not be out of place in Spare Rib. Her inte lectua credentials as a feminist are impeccable. 'Feminism is much better suited to than to Socialist one. Feminism is concerned
Socialist Action 16 March 1984
TUC Women's conference:
'Debates?
Forget it!'
one of the TUC
A year later, in Scarborough, I was telling that
yes, the same
actions last year the
publication of an ex-
cellent,
phiet on the issue.
Withdrawal's
all
answer, as NALGO's next
conference will hear.
By Eva Kaluzynska
Inequalities in society That-
are widening under
cher, and the sex
and equal
pay legislation have failed
to make a significant im-
pact. We need con-
forum for
women trade umonists lo
exchange experience,
views and tactics. the bet-
ter to influence the entire
We
need a better conference.
ritual and consensus the present version
almost make it a parody of
the CBI's.
ORDER
sibility for their own lives. All this is very Tory ...Feminists need have no heart-searching about recognising their natural leader, who stands before them as a modern Joan of Arc or Mrs Pankhurst: unmistakably Mrs T'
Wow! Quite takes your breath away doesn't it? all throw HODIC CUE your Labour Party cards in the rubbish bin and rush off to join your
ut- remember
women the press 'feminists' are usually just the opposite. Meanwhile, although the MT joke book is proTory bably bursting with sexist
comments (1 haven't seen it yet), the Daily Mirror with gave us this gem from it:
the four
rearet
This. year, every
chair-for-life Marie vcal.
Patterson, CRr has agenda of about 50 motions, or waco less lall a handful are likely to be
The Women's AdLOSL
Committee, Which she chairs, has seen a succession of conference at which the only real controversial (lost) motions and sharp debate concern the format and purpose of
Some justify the process as a 'training ground' for women. DUI GOes WOrK, and what are we supposed to be rehearsing
it's educational workshops role-play TUC wants to that's all right. But why doesn't it say so, and give
separate, well-organised aulludi conference too?
For the best part of two days, delegates endure the painful spectacle of one individual after another facing them trom behind a microphone in le grand conference hall, nervously reauing SCILLA eminently worthy matters
Conceil workers. It's impossible to disagree with most of what's said except
detail, and most votes are overwhelmingly in favour.
Greeting
showing
drawing
by a
political
from
Argentina,
50p.
Available
from
Committee
Tornamen
Rights in
Argentina,
29 Islington
Park St.,
London NI.
Proceeds
go to
Argentinian prisoners and their relatives.
local Women get tennis elbow
THE PRIZE money for
Wimbledon this • year has
«HOLICCO -
massive 49 per cent in-
which takes the
total up to £1½ million
But as usual there is a
big
between the men's and women's championships.
USDAW delegates at Women's TUC
It's very boring, as few seetales confident speakers, and there's
the thought-provoking, contrast debate. Why stick so rigid ly to such an intimidating, inappropriate format? An advisory conference to an advisory committee needn't be so constrained by formality throughout.
Some unions have been trying to get the clamps loosened. The NUJ and others have proposed, for instance, rotating the chair and setting aside time for workshop discussions on key topics. Lost. one sallic goes (so far) for the idea of sending five motions from the conference for inclusion on ine lue annua women's singles champion receives £90,000.
Personally find women's professional ten-
to match than mersing
watch than men's. really is pathetic that the All-England Club, who decide the prizes, have to give women the elbow financially just to prolong the myth that the men's
ter= are im.
congress agenda. At the moment, there's no such
between the two events.
The most daring pro-
an annual ad-hoc commuce to lane respoll sibility for conference arrangements instead of the Women's Advisory Com-
the main millec success of this movement has been to ensure last year that delegates at the 54th allu
in Pakistan
had been raped by her employers.
employer's son. Some
by Maqsood's father.
As a result of the rape,
Safia became pregnant but
she hid the matter from her father. who came to
know of it only a few mon
ths later. He then solicited
the help of village officials
and police register
case of rape (zina bil jabr
but these people refused to
help him. Only after the
child was born and died.
did Safia's father manage
to register a case of rape
The court acquitted the
accused men for 'lack of
eviaence because me cul
rent law in Pakistan re-
quires four adult male
eyewitnesses to prove
rape. However, since
Safia, and unmarried girl,
had borne a child, this was
treated as evidence of her
committed billery. She consent (zina
bil raza). did not gel
the benefit of doubt which
the men had got, because
her having
borne a child was used
against her. . Thus the court
converted the case of rape consent. found Safia gull. to a case adultery
by a number of women's
ferences would benefit bookstall that wasn't monopolised by TUC publications.
Why didn't ine previous 53 benefit from such press freedom? Well, 1982 Women's Advisory Committee, books? where would Who we get the would organise it? What if we didn't like what was in the books? In 1983, they yielded. That's progress!
The women's move-
Women protest
ON 6 AUGUST, women's organisations in Lahore held an emergency meeting to protest against the court award of 15 lashes to a blind girl Safia who
Safia, a young blind girl, worked as a domestic servant for a week. Then she returned home and told her mother she had been raped by Magsood, her
days later when Satia's mother was not at home, Maqsood's mother came and again took her to the house where she was raped
News
Dhoto, SHEI A GRAY (Format)
ment has had a big impact on the range and content
raised at TUC
• ISSUC.
Women's conference, and who The guardians
its present structure plainly fear there are elements out to capture Il They're wrong. . There's no point winning it, want to change it.
• Eva Kaluzynska journalist and former
of the NUJ'S memoer Equality Working Party. organisations, including
Women's Action Forum, Punjab Women Lawvers Association, Tehriki Khwateen, Pakistan Muslim League Women's Wing, All Pakistan Trade Union Federation Women's Wing, Women's Wing, and also by Many Inalvidual woulch (from Karachi Daily News)
Page 5 scan of this page
Women of the
International
MAGDA ENRIQUEZ is a founder member of the National Women's Organisation (AMNLAE) and their representative on the Nicaraguan Council of State. This is an extract of a speech she made while on a recent London visit. She described the birth of , AMNLAE, the participation of women in the armed struggle to overthrow the Somoza dictatorship and the central role of women in the Sandinista revolution.
THE revolutionary and political will Nicaraguan people led to the vietory of 19 July 1979. It was a major victory, and it was also beginning. It opened possibility of real changes; the chance to transform society, to educate, to implement political will which made revolution possible. Integral to this is implementing the of women.
To explain how we are doing this we must understand the background.
brought a complete power vacuum. Who took over on this day? A bunch of young guerrillas — men and women. We had to organise a power structure in a bankrupt country - we had an external debt equal to our GNP of three consecutive years. We depended on raw materials from the United States. Somoza had taken money out of the National Bank and left us with the equivalent of just £3 million.
It was a society which had been severely intured There had 50,000 deaths (1.5 per cent of the •ovulanon. couvaenl lo '4 muon deaths in Britain); we had 40,000 orphans, 100,000 wounded and handicapped. Families had destroyed and were without housing and jobs.
We also had to organise to defend ouse ves detend which we had not even begun build, from the threat of invasion. We faced economic, political and military attacks.
In spite of all this we have institutionalised the government, legislature and judiciary. The basis of the revolution is ponucar bruransı. mixed economy and non-alignment.
Class
What is our view of women within our struggle? Women are not a class in themselves. They are part of the development of society as a whole. We have a wonderful political and ideological forum in the Council of State. The changing rights of women, enshrined in the Bill of Rights, started opening doors for other changes. One of our first decrees was the banning of the sexist use of women in advertising. We carried through laws giving equal rights to children regardless of birth, removing the concept of legitimacy. We made adoption laws so mal couoles. marned or not. and single people could adopt children.
We abolished the patriarchal laws - instead we introduced equal rights for all members of the family. draft of this followed the normal pro-
we discussed it grassroots — it went from the Council down through the delegates, community and back again. uH e people anemse ves legislators.
The law is not an end in itself, it is an instrument of justice. All our laws are being made and learned by our peoble. Ihat is democracy. been much debate on the Law of Nurture. in which we sav that child care Is not just a question of economic support but also of love and caring to be shown by both parents. housework was socially necessary and should be recognised support to the family. people discussed this idea. It has now
experience
of the
the
the
emancipation
been
been
something
couvlily.
The been approved.
with the
everyone over to the before the revolution
This way children were unpaid
•elone
chens in women as cooks.
There has institutions,
from the
We said that
Over 225,000
law, unions and so on.
We now have equal wages for equal jobs. In farming, we now have
14 on tne payroll; and WUlllcil — olily Пcl a. heads of families received a wage on the farms. We now have collective kit-
men and
As well as participating in the state society.
AMNLAE Vi cllse
Eg assi ools ever ywncie Women are organised as an integra
art of whatever sector they are par of, not as a'separate body. As an ex ample, a working committeee (basic unit) of AMNLAE would be set up in a lactory to encourage women to be more militant, learning about labour
Nicaraguan
Revolution
Men and women leaders will represent the interests of all women.
is not for AMNLAE to decide whether to open up a child centre in any patricular factory. Child care is the labour union's problem. But we will get the women in the union to raise this demand. We work with cooperatives, Sandinista Youth, farmers, students, each SCCtOI
Women's questions specific to each sector. The interests of peasant women are not the same as a woman city worker, farm worker or a student. Each sector takes up its own issues.
What we have done is to change the fundamental status of women by the changes in the family laws, the participation of women in formal
education, the integration of women in the workforce. for us is this: how are all these things linked to the interests of revolution, of the nation as a whole? We have found out that there are things as 'womens issues'. reform. This is important for the Sandinista revolution. Economic survival of will come ouloaoreromn. enak are for us is that we have said that there
will be no land titles to men only — we want family land titles.
co-vocrauves. Now become part of the management of these. Incredible progress has been made since 1979, from mass illiteracy, to planning and .runnning co-ops.
Socialist Action
productivity. absentees terest.
with the every
portunity SOCC
airforce.
Torce DIOls
cent front
connection ment's budget, foreign policy. the Nicaragua and
Two presented
solidarity
the CST associalion,
. mixed economy
the AMNLAE
What is important
in 1961. no such
Take land
lo oe set al 10 After
Members We want women to participate in Socialist women nave
forums
making the leap
Compton Socialist The priority for us is defence of London NI.
16 March 1984 5
the revolution - the guarantee for further change. Let's take increasin
We found that mos
women. This was because they had to and late workers WCIC take the children to school, stay at home and look after sick children take them to the doctor etc discussed it with ane unions. Now this became issue, child care has to be shared with men For every time a wife takes the child to the doctor, so must her husband There is a constant linkage between these problems and the national in
AMNLAE also works pressure group. We had to do this
Patriotic Military Service Law. We were at first excluded from active military service, so we called on the councils at all levels and the issue went right to the National Assembly of AMNLAE. We demanded a scientific explanation of the omission. There wasn't one
Then a new article was brought in: women's military service should be on a voluntary basis. We voted against, the only people to do so, although we recognised it was an advance.
It's true that we have made mistakes and that we have not solved
problem. But have the courage and honesty to admit our mistakes openly to the people. The Sandinista revolution is the only op-
we have to build a new where we are all free anc equal. This means constant vigilance against the threat of US invasion.
Women form 48 per cent of the people's militias. We are making a special effort to get into the army and
We have four women airwe had five but one was killed last week. We are 45 per
: of the police. We are in the regular army and the reserves.
During the armed struggle we pro. ved ourselves capable of leading in battle and on the front. The Western front, one of the most important, was led by a woman, Dora Maria Tellez, one of the three women comman dantes. Women's participation at the
changed the image Nicaraguan women and projected a new image of society as a whole
We call on women to work solidarity with us, by drawing the
between your govern. military budget and aid between domestic allu We look forward to the day when international solidarity will no longer be an act of charity, but one of mutual responsibility.
• FORTY BRITISH supporters of the Nicaraguan revolution have just returned from a two week tour of the
Solidarity Campaign included ' many trade unionists and Labour Party members.
AUEW-TASS members technical equipment donated officially by their union. The party saw direct results. of British
when they visited a new housing area, built after floods with solidarity donations from around the
They talked with leading members
union reaeranion and the agricultural workers , the ATC, who exoones the role of unions in the Nicaraguan
A large number of the group were women, who had many meetings with
women's organisation,
Highpoints of the trip were the mass rallies commemorating the 50th
of sanaino s aealn anc the death of Lopez, who fought with Sandino and helped found the FSLN
At the first of these e rallies around 100,000 people heard the plans for elections and that the voting age wa
this rally members of the trin met leaders of the revolution in cluding Borge, Ortega and Wheelock
Not thi trip, including Action supporters, have slides and are prepared to speak at
and labour movement meetings. For speakers contact the
Terrace London Action, .328 Upper Street.
Page 6 scan of this page
BLOC THE
Putting politics back
into trade unionism
By Derek Fatchett (MP for Leeds Central)
THE TRADE UNION Bill deals with three things. First, the internal constitution of the unions. It introduces procedure whereby members of a national executive have to be directly elected — not indirectly as with some unions like the TGWU.
Labour MPs on the standing committee of the Bill have been arguing that union members should decide their own constitution. There's no evidence they are unhappy with their present ones. But the government obviously feels that direct elections would reduce the number of militant trade union leaders, and give greater control to the moderates and the right.
The second part of the Bill deals with strike ballots. If a union doesn't hold a ballot before a strike, it would be abusing the immunities granted in the 1906 legislation. The peculiar is that it could lose a ballot and still call a strike, without breaking the law. The government see this as a means of breaking down solidarity.
The third part of the Bill - which will attract the most public attention is the one which deals with union's political funds. Under the 1913 legislation, a union has to have a ballot of its members before establishing such a fund. Then the question of whether or not to affiliate to the Labour Party is up to the union conference.
The government is proposing to enforce an affirmative ballot every 10
Clearly, this is a device to cut down the amount of money going to the Labour Party.
One point of detail is indicative of the government's thinking. Clause 14 re-defines political activity. What was not previously considered political as lar as ine law is concerned - wil now be deemed so. This is a crucial clause which is not generally publicised.
NALGO's campaign to protect public services last year is an example. NALGO don't have a political fund The campaign was paid for from the general fund, which is used for activity in furtherance of members' jobs and conditions of work.
The minister said in committee that such activity would no longer be possible. In other words. the meaning of political objects is broadened.
The civil service unions, who tend not to have political funds, would not be able to participate in the sort of acivities they have been doing - inanc. ing the campaign against the GCHQ 6 Socialist Action
thing Derek Fatchett
decision.
The Bill isn't just an attack on the union links with the Labour Party, it's
attack on collective bargaining itself. The government are trying to force trade unions into the narrowest possible collective bargaining activity. The two attacks are part and parcel of the same thing: taking the politics out of trade unionism.
This bill says unions have. nothing to do with politics - but more, that employment economics nothing to do with politics either. There is a push to break any links between socialism and trade unionism. The Bill intends to neuter the unions.
The government has double-edged sword for itself. They've taken the opportunity to attack Labour Party funds, but they've also given us the opportunity - crealca ine reca -to argue the case that trade unionism is inevitably, necessarily political.
The Labour Party and the unions must run a vigorous plain the nistorical links between the unions and the party, and the modern application of those links.
In my view trade unionism hasn't been political enough. This chance to explain why socialism and trade unionism are intrinsical. We must go out and explain to union members why they mustavote 'yes' to a political fund. • Derek Fatchet is a member of the Standing Committee on the Union Bill. 16 March 1984
The Broad Left Organising Committee conference in Sheffield on 24 March will be the most important meeting of the left in the trade unions for some time. Fifteen hundred delegates are expected. JOHN ROSS looks at the issues confronting the conference.
going to see the biggest challenge to the British unions in more than half a century. The beyond the struggles in support of the NUM and defence of Liverpool City Council.
so enormous, their nature is still often not grasped by the left. It is worth going beyond the Tories detailed proposals to examine their overall strategy.
laws — mised for 1985/86 two key proposals. Both aim to change the character of the trade union movement.
shop unless 80 per cent of workers vote for lt. political funds for unions unless there is a majority ballot in favour of them. A third proposal, already leaked for next year, is to restrict or eliminate the right to strike in Taken together they conerent strategy.
the last round to the Tebbit laws, was to stop solidarity action by unions.
been used against the SOGAT over the BPCC dispute, and
successful limitation rights since the 1927 Trades Disputes Act.
miners or the Ford against the day of action on GCHQ -
enging these laws.
union organisation.
Tory attacks aims to break up the structure of the labour movement itself. dramatic implications workers were in closed shops. government wants Huluck
WE ALL BROKE THE LAW
WHEN WE FOUGHT FOR nave
THE RIGHTS YOU HAVE TODAY!
created
NOTES
campaign to ex-
is the FLE
Trade
The next eighteen months are
Tory attacks go
But because the shifts involved are
The present round of Tebbit/King
with another installment pro- are centred on
The first step is to outlaw the closed
The second one is to abolish milion -
But a further essential services. add up lo ago.
The first measure, already taken in
This first round of laws has now
NGA, against the second step against the NUJ. It has been the first
of trade union
ty.
While the previous round of Tebbit laws still cannot be used against the Split
workers
Tebbit has stopped smaller or weaker sections of workers successfully chall-
Whilst the first installment of Tebbit laws weakened union solidarity it did not alter the character of existing
The next round of
The attack on the closed shop has unions.
for union membership. In 1978 over five million
The that
TOLPUDDLE
MARS
Murray, Basnett, Duffy and Chapple. The TUC's 'new realists'
By attacks on the closed shop, and other measures, the goal is to take two TUC to three million members out of the trade unions over a five year period.
The fall in trade union membership since 1979 is still limited. The decline is from 12.5 million to slightly under 10
- although this is a twenty per cent fall. It is the first decline in trade union membership since the 1930s.
decline to around seven million would mean a cut back of ty. forty per cent since its peak five years
That would really weaken the unions on an altogether different scale.
The new laws are a direct threat to the effective existence of a number of public sector and white collar unions. NUPE and COHSE have been targetted for particular government attacks.
The proposal on political funds is
For breaks up l labour movement. By 1983 one third of the membership of the TUC was unions not affiliated to the Labour Par-
With 70 per cent of ASTMS contracting out of paying the political levy and over fifty percent contracting out in unions like the NGA and SOGAT, Thatcher is now very confident she will win some of the political fund ballots.
The aim of this is not lust to under mine the finances of the Labour Party. It is to change the character of the
With maybe half the TUC ultimately in non-affiliated unions, and therefore with the permanent threat of a split of the trade union movement on political lines, it would be the right wing, often non-affiliated, unions that
WARRINGTON
would dictate the character of the
The structural changes in the method of election of the Genera Council made at the 1983 Congress, and the policy changes that followed it, snow mae valenn cicarly The authors of the 'new realism' - Murray, Chapple, Graham, Duffy - are prepared to weaken the present scope of relations between the TUC and the Labour Par-
Irony
The AUEW has pulled out of Trade Unions for a Labour Victory Murray won the right to talk to the Thatche
This entire strategy summed up in the TUC sabotage of the NGA and its document Strategy for the Future. Shirley Williams went out her way to praise the decisions of the last TUC Congress and the SDP then proposed formal talks to the unions -talks which incidentally go on informally constantly.
One of the reasons David Owen does not want a fusion with the Liberals is because he wants firmer links between the SDP and sections of the trade union bureaucracy. The SDP boasts it has members on the executives of more than ten major unions in the white collar and public sectors.
The Tories are not able to get stable links with the unions in the way that the SDP can. Nevertheless they can form
tront with Alliance to fight for "non-political' -that is non-Labour - trade unions.
In a real sense, and by a curious irony, trade union militants are going
Civil servants demonstrating against
Page 7 scan of this page
to have to tight once again the same battles were fought Labour Representation Committee was formed in 1900. Then the struggle was to win the trade unions to an understanding that they could only defend themselves by political as well as industrial action.
That fight is going to have to be gone through again ting at a higher level than 1900. Unions such as the NUM or TGWU are not going to be broken from the Labour Par* ban on unions at GCHQ
RIGHT
when the
Labour Party.
movement become political although star- crushing defeat.
De success uk.
Employment Bill 1982
ARRANGEMENT OF CLAUSES Put the Tebbit and King anti-union laws in the dustbin of history
ty. But there is going to have to be an enormous fight to win whole sections of the trade union movement both to a militant fight to defend their own interests and politically to support for the
Both issues will dominate the trade unions in the coming years. The trade
going or it will suffer No strategy for the unions which does not appreciate the full scope of the Tory attack is going to
of its
Heath the
tions
Photo: GM COOKSON
THERE HAVE BEEN two attempts in the past 15 years to organise the left on a cross-union basis. The first, and by far the most important was the Liaison mittee for the Defence of Trade Unions, which was launched by the Communist Party.
The LCDTU reached the peak
influence in the struggle against the Labour government's bill, In Place of Strife, and the
government's Industrial Relations Act both of which aimed to restrict the rights of the
On 1 May 1969, 250,000 workers responded to LCDTU's call for a political strike against In Place of Strife. Street was closed down and strikers staged demonstrations in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Hull, Sheffield, Birmingham and London. On 8 December 1970 in a strike initiated by the LCDTU and given support by national unions 750,000 workers downed tools in protest at the Heath government's Industrial Relations Act.
This stoppage represented the peak of the LCDTU's influence the conference which prepared the 8 December strike was attended by almost 2000 delegates. After 1970 the LCDTU went into decline as
Communist Party behind the left leaders of TGWU and the AUEW, Jack Jones and Hughie Scanlon. tions against the Industrial Rela-
Act continued to multiply. The AUEW called an official strike against the Act on 1 March 1971 and in 1972 the threat of a 24-hour general strike forced the government to release five dockers who had been jailed for defying the Act.
This threat which was made by the TUC came about as a spate of unofficial strikes erupted — mainly in workplaces influenced by supporters of the LCDTU. But the CP kept the LCDTU itself on the back burner. The Morning Star was busy
ROYAL CROUP OF DOCKSI
SHOP STEWARDS
COMMITTEE
ARISE YE WORKERS
Demonstration to free imprisoned dockers in 1972. LCDTU played a crucial role
Organising the left
justifying the line of Jones and Scanlon and the CP did not want to organise any actions lead to a collision with these left Com- umon leauers.
The policy debacle of 1975 when the Labour government introduced an incomes policy which Jones piloted through the TUC. lected his ermine and departed to the House of Lords.
After 1975 as the CP went into steady decline were made to organise the left in the unions. The earlier one around the Institute for Workers Control
the again failed because its organisers
would not challenge Fleet Scanlon. Another called the Rank
and File Organising was led by the Socialist Workers Party.
At the beginning the RFOC had some strong support. ference in March 1974 was attended by 500 delegates representing 270 trade union bodies. A second conference in the November of that year attracted of cluding 49 shop stewards committees. The associated Rank and File papers in the different unions had a print run of 69,000 and were sold in 16 major unions. tagged Even as late as November 1977
the its conference was attended by 522
delegates from 251 unions and the
AC- Defend Our Unions
held in June 1979 and sponsored by Rank and File attracted 1100 trade union delegates. set for the RFOC proved its undoing. The SWP did not try to build a broad-based left inside the unions but set out to construct a 'united front from below' -organisation based on the politics of the SWP and therefore could not include the rest of the left with its organisations and leaders.
Thus Rank and File was little more than a front for the SWP and eventually collapsed
would
culminated in the
in the This why
Scanlon eventually col-
other attempts organisation
Jones and
Committee
Its first con-
slightly larger
March conference
But the direction
which is an because of
Socialist Action 16 March 1984
this. By the beginning of 1980 the RFOC no longer existed. The success of Militant in its approach and strategy for the Broad Lett flows from its base in the Labour Party and its correct emphasis of working
official WHO I structures by 1984 BLOC had emerged as the left organisation on a cross union basis.
Whether it will remain so and realise its potential depends on it being built as a united campaigning
embracing wide forces. If it becomes a front for one organisation then it too will meet the fate of its predecessors and that would deliver a serious blow to the fight against the Tory government.
Broad Left
Organising
Committee National
Delegate
Conference Saturday 24
Octagon Centre,
Western Bank
Sheffield 10
Any bona-fide trade union
organisation is welcome to
send up to five delegates. For
credentials and futher
information contact George
Williamson, Organising
Secretary, 11 Sutton Place,
London, E9 6EH.
7
Page 8 scan of this page
BLOC confusion
I THINK the articles in SA 45 and SA 47 by Pat nickev on oreanisino ne left in the unions and building the Broad Left Organising Committee (BLOC) conference are, to say the least, confusing.
When closely examined they show a total misassessment of the present nature of the labour movement and the relationship between the made umons and une Labour Party
In SA 45 it states 'The BLOC conference offers an opportunity to begin the fight to organise the very large minority which opposes the surrender of the TUC leadership'. Quite right!
But the next paragraph says that the political levy and the GLC-Met Counties should be to the fore and that when discussing what to do in the unions the
DIARY
These listings are free for all au: or labour movement and
miximum of 50 words. Semi-
So per word and must be paid
advance. send Socialist 328 Upper Sireel, London 2XF
farer inan Thursday, one week prior 1o publication).
orat
Join the
fight for
socialism
Socialist Action 16 March 1984 left will not build a base on sectoral issues.
Firstly we should
understand that all these issues can be generalised as attacks on the labour movement, but we should also understand the differences. The main concern of the very large minority that Pat speaks
militants - - is their democratic right to organise, as trade
an opposition to the vicious Tory trade union legislation and the belly-crawling betrayals of the TUC leadership. I here is no way round this.
If trade union rights are taken away, affiliation to any polițical party becomes irrelevant.
Murray and the trade
recall of the Wembley
Labour Movement
• Broad Left Organising
Sheffield, Sat
14 re..
Credentials from George
Williamson, 11 Sutton Place
London E9 0cH
• Defend London
democracy. Public meeting,
Thur 22 March, 8pm.
Kingsgate Community
Centre, 107 Kingsgate Rd.
London wo. speakers
include Phil Turner,
Camden Council and John
McDonnell. GLC finance
chair. Organised by
Hampstead and Highgate
Labour Party-Kilburn branch.
Anti-cuts campaigns
• London Health Service
Name
Address
Age Union/CLP (ifany) .... If you want more information about Socialist Action or to be put in touch with local supporters send this form to Socialist Action, 328 Upper Street,
"Taking on Murray is the key issue
conterence is what BLOC should be discussing.
The issue of the political levy will take second place at the BLOC conference.
The initiative for a campaign on the levy, by its very nature will have to come from the Labour Party. This is already taking place with the LCC campaign. Labour Party members understand that the Labour Party will be Suranzica and cannot sur vive in its present form if starved of political funding from the unions.
We have to examine who will be affected by each specific attack if we are to judge where and
can be built.
T WONGSAM, Manchester
Campaign. 34 Dalston Lane, LONdON C& SAL.l-149 8086.
Disarmament • Labour and NATO Labour Brenng discussion
Sat 24 March, 10.30-5pm County Hall, London.
Ireland • Labour and Ireland day school for budding writers, workshops with trained Tournansis. London.
March, El. Write 1o Labour and Ireland London WCIN 3XX
International or LankaR Research d Information Group wil provide speakers on the Tel
IJKLETTERSTU'
IJKLMNOPORST
Constituency consultation
conference
THANK YOU for reporting our forthcoming consultation conference (SA 45).
one or two mistakes that recute conccuou. Mos importantly, the consultation is to be held or Saturday 24 March, commencing at 10am at the Workers' Education Association, 14-22
Who's under the table?
THE statement in Ireland Unfree (SA 46) that, 'He (i.e. Dick Barry) is said to have hidden behind a table in the departure lounge of Belfast airport to avoid being photographed with Ken
Livingstone and coun
illors Kathy and Stev Bundred ..., is completely untrue.
In fact I spent most of my time waiting to board me mugal to London in conversation with Steve
photographers were pre-
Write to us!
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comments, criticisms or even con-
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letters over 300 words will be cut.
Write to: Letters, Socialist Action,
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current situation there for
Write 1o 9 Gray Inn Buildings. London ECI. • Anti Apartheid Action.
Demonstration 24 March.
Hall. Mare sl. London Ham, march to South Atrica House.
Square. 21 March. anniversary of Sharpville Inasale, picke da mouse Iratalgar sq. I 2pm. 19 March. West London AA group film on Angola and speaker from Mozambique normanon centre March, lobby of MP's. 12 no i Salvador day of action 10 8pm nanna c coccer against British government observers to Salvador
hunger sirike m London. Si Martin in the Fields, 24 hrs
Nicaragua study tour 8-24 April, 1984. Information rom NSC 20-21 Compion
25 Years of the Cuban Revolution • Britain-Cuba Resource Centre Information abour activities, subs to Granma weekly review and newsletters trom 29 Ishington Park St, London NI
Cuban workers trade to commemoraon Organised by UCATT building workers. 19 April.
County Hall. London, 7pm.
Tickets C1 from Britain
KLMNOPQRSTU'
Shakespeare St, Nottingham.
It is not called by Rushclitte constituenci but by the steering committee agreed at the revious called i
Brighton
TONY SIMPSON Treasurer, Steering Committee
sent it was they who were hiding behind the mythical table.
I do, however, admit to rejecting an invitation Irom sieve to meel ael Livingstone seated some twenty feet away.
After all, a mere Labour Party office boy' is surely unworthy to sit in the presence of someone as important as the leader of the GLC.
DICK BARRY, Hampton, Middlesex 328 Upper Street, London N1
London 328 Upper St. London NI
telephone 01-226 0571
Open — Mon, Tues, Sat, 10-6 Wed 12-7
Thur, Fri, 11-7.
Birmingham 137 Digbeth Birmingham B5
telephone (021) 643-5904
Open - Mon-Sat 10-6 Closed Wed.
Mail Order Service - Add 20% for P&P
_ Adver
Cuba Resource ('entre, 29 Islington Park St. London NI.
Civil Rights • Action Group on Immigration and Nationality cence one case 10)
March, 10-4.30. AUEW House. 43 The Crescent.
• Immigration Widows Kit information and advice on
immigration attacks on women. From Women Immigration and Nationality
Reagan's policy bone-
headed
I WOULD like to make
It on Paul Lawson's Middle East article in SA 47
The ignominious
defeat of Reagan's policy
towards Svria and Lebanon is a defeat for inat strategy alone rather than for any possible US imperialist strategy.
It has always been clear that Reagan's policy was bone-neadca and unrealistic. Other sections of Us imperialism wanted a different one. Most particular v the contronta tionist position of Assad ot svria was not choser by Assad who has clearly been dying to do a deal with imperialism for some time but by Reagan
The balance of military and political forces which existed between the Christian right, the Phalange, and the Druze and Muslim groups in Lebanon made Reagan's strategy a non-starter.
It is now probable that imperialism will do a series of deals with Assad
For Marxist
books, posters,
postcards, badges
Feminist literature
Groun. c/o 44 Theobald Rd. London WCl. 85p (inc p&p).
Lesbian & Gay Liberation • London Labour Campaign for Gay Rights new office al 39 Chippenham Rd. W92AH
. open ues• nu Ham 7pm. (Westbourne Cirove tube. Bad access, help avalane; • Labour Movement Lesbians is a ner organisanon or lesbians l the labour movement 1o
Diary
'Another imperialist policy is possible
et al to arrive at an accommodation in the Lebanon • so that the revolutionary sting is drawn from the situation.
Paul's article the previous week, in which he characterises the nature of the various groups in the Lebanon, indicates a basis for this.
HUGH LOWE, London W4
Our mistake
WE HAVE received complaints about the reference in Oliver MacDonald's report or the Andropov's death to 'aged cripples of the Kremlin'
Physical disability and uge ure not in themselves reasons for political incompetence and degeneracy and we recognise that older and disabled revolutionaries have found a place in ou history.
Point taken comrades, we should know better!
support each other and
Further information from Sarah co
Hungerford House. Victoria Embk. London Wr2. • Glasgow Labour Campaion for Gav Richts meets second Thursday every
35 488 Great Western Rd. Glasgon.
Miscellaneous • GLC workshops Employment and training
LL March Migrants in In NHS. County Hall. 7.9.30 pm. 5 April Migrants, black women and trad C'ouniy Hall. 7.9.30pm
New pamphlet: Politics
in the 1980's - - The
British Crisis.
Articles reprinted
from Socialist Action and
International - - John
Ross, British politics in
the 1980's; Alan
Freeman, How Labour
Can Win; Steve Marks. The 1983 Election; John Ross, Facing 1984; Alan Freeman, Rebuilding the
Labour Party Available from PO Box 50 London NI. price
35р. (plus 16p, p/p).
Page 9 scan of this page
Women in India
International
AI, THE 1981 CENSUS there were only 935 women per thousand men in India. In only four countries in the world, namely, Iran, Pakistan, India Australia is the sex ratio adverse to women.
In Australia, the majority of the population has migratory, mainly men, so it is understandable that there are less women than men. But in the other three countries, the adverse sexratio for women is an indicator of the degraded status of women. High mortality, neglect of the female child and discrimination against women are the main reasons for this dismal reality. Nowadays, like amniocentesis makes possible ante-natal determination testing — are used, or rather abused for decisions to abort female toetuses boys are preferred.
In post-independence India, there has been a continuous advance of the female literacy rate.
Inree duarters or mca womer del literate and higher education has remained the privilege of only 2.1 per cent of women.
By Vibhuti Patel
A positive feature however is the growing importance education in urban areas.
MalO TOT women is increasing in the marriage market too!).
Advancement of Literacy in India
(1901-1981)
Year Percent Male
9.81 10.56
34.44 74_4 46.74 Source: Census Report, 1981
United Nations reveals, women do most of the work throughout the world. Right from the birth of the human species have been working. tribution is not socially recognised. Women's work in the home — ing, cleaning, menang: care of the old and the sick treated as 'work. It is unpaid work Everyday there is the slog, rest, time, without
faces within the family is-extended to
life including fields and al arcas ul factories. Women form a cheap, unskilled and auxilliary labour
— last to be hired and first to be fired.
Since 1951, there has been a great increase in ine work parncipanon ol
women in India. Nevertheless
1981 Indian census shows only 14 per
have
Cent
An increasing number
of women are being thrown out of the
DUE at the
more and more women
the labour force' looking tor lobs.
Among the total unemployed, women
constitute more than 60 per cent.
Half of all women workers in In-
dia are employed
labourers. Only 6 per cent of the en-
tire female
organised sector, thereby
relatively secure jobs, better facilities,
wages and work conditions.
of their working sisters are in the 'in-
formal sector' in low paid, low pro-
ductivity and unskilled jobs.
Technological changes have badly
affected women's jobs opportunities
manufacturing, petty
and
been overall
techniques
which sex-
because
But still today
womens
(The de-
Female 0.60 ICOULL
women But their con-
cook-
child-care,
- is not
without
source of
the
'gainful' agricultural sectors.
same time electrical. are entering processing
monotonous and tiring jobs.
agricultulal
the having drastically.
The rest sweepers and scavengers.
Womer popularly know
2000 household and cottage industries and
Non-agricultural concentrated mainly in industries such as garment,
electronics. foodand construction, doing
The number of women employed in the cotton and lute textile industry and the manufacture of dairy ducts, originally known for its job opportunities for women, has declined
Low-caste women are forced to work as domestic servants,
leave, in the service sector, as 'white collar emplovees' are found mainiy in professions like teaching and nursing. In post-independence India, the number
*Women constitute half the world's population, perform nearly two-thirds of its work hours, receive one-tenth of the world's income and own less than one-hundredth of the world's property
of highly educated women - lawyers, doctors, engineers, scientists increased, but it is negligible in comparison with the millions of poor, illiterate, semi-literate and poorly-paic working women.
Brutal
In agriculture, plantations, mines and small scale mausines, women are usually paid lower wages than male
colleagues for doing similar chores.
Unly a microscopic minority of working women get facilities like maternity creches, housing, trade union rights etc.
The fight for legal provisions to improve the status of women in india started around the mid-nineteenth
- United Nations Report, 1980
century. As a result the Female Infan- nas ticide (Dudha Piti) Prohibition Act,
the Sati Prohibition Act, the Widow Remarriage Act and the Age of Consent (Sadra) Act, were all passed. The constitution of free India announcec equality between the nounced discrimination against citizen because of sex.
regaraing marlage, mnichlance, property and divorce is a glaring example of the hollow claim to equality these personal laws consider women as inferior to men, devoid of any individuality. Now women's pressing for the uniform civil code for all citizens.
Socialist Action 16 March 1984 Bill.
because
torcement
peen violated tured, have perpetrators
spread munities
brides. that
husbands.
by the and religious
SCAISI
against cing other sexes and de. any published
Yet the provision of personal laws AS
All allusts academicians, media.
progressive and organisations have started
enactment
Recently a number of progressive
Bills have been put forward and there have been heated debates regarding the judgement of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Restitution of Conjugal Rights, the Rape Bill, the Dowry Bill, and the Marriage Laws Amend
But these proposed legal reforms will have limited impact on improving the status of most women
economic the hold t poverty, illiteracy and the hold traditional values.
these laws, pressure groups are needed.
Throughout 'history' women have
- raped, battered, torinsulted. degraded. Society turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to this reality but now one finds increasing awareness of such problems.
.More and more cases wifemurder are declared as 'suicide', there have been mass rapes during caste and communical riots, gang rapes, sexual harassment of women in the streets and workplaces are reported. In most cases the police and other state forces
come out as notorious of atrocities azalls women. They use brutal and perverse
, to torture women unde trial and women prisoners.
evil of dowry that has among many castes COl and religious groups - has resulted in the cold-blooded murder
In Delhi alone during 1982, on average 500 brides were killed and one woman burnt daily. Dur ing the period of 1975-78, the total number of deaths of women due to burns in our country was 6248. They were recorded in the police registers as 'accidents' or "suicides' Reforms
The primary role of women is con sidered to be that of child-bearer and home-maker. It is not unusual to hear
who fail to produce a willel child - particularly a male chila -are tortured or taunted by relatives ana in many cases aesertea by unet
Traditional norms and taboos perpetuated and strengthened
caste system, the joint family the oppression of women blatant. The
, TV, press, ad mass media - radio. vertisements, cinema and the educattion system - idealise the masochistic tendencies among women, portray a
image and attributes stereotypes roles to women.
Amidst this stark grey realty there are a few bright spots. Altel 1975, more and more women fought
and oppression which has resulted in a blossoming of women's groups and organisatons These organisations and groups of
have certain freshness of ideas, readiness to come
the Dul cels. tremendous militancy and courage.
Initially ine women's organisa tions attracted mainly educated mid die and upper middle class women but slowly and gradually they are influen
strata too. As a result. there was an organisea Hanunwic anti-rape campaign during 1980.
The women's organisations also organised huge protest demonstrations against dowry deaths, the pol
trayal of women in the media, against beauty contests and for legal reforms concerning women.
A number of feminist magazines.
not only in English and Hindi but also
in the regional languages
Many specialist interest different areas
concerning women have been created
result. UlIC finds a gradua
change in the attitude towards women
political parties, planners. makers and thi
The calls of Indian women's groups
and organisations have begun to stil
women and they respond from an in ner consciousness evolved out of thei
experiences, unexpressed over the centuries...
Page 10 scan of this page
10 Socialist Action
NALGO LOCAL government branches meet on 20 March to discuss national strategy against government proposals to ratecap high spending local authorities. At present, 33 councils are under direct threat. This would mean massive
in their 1985 CIL budgets, forcing widespread cuts and redundancies.
NALGO already has a. "cuts strategy' advocated
the NALGO national leadership
publicity campaigns, lobbying parliament and financial support for branches facing reduncancies. It has been a total failure. By Bill Hamilton (Newham NALGO)
The Tories not frightened by groups of WALGO members lobbying parliament. Even though Labour peers in the Lords claim a majority against the rate-capping bill, they will not press for
Why? Because
VOLe.
Thatcher has a mandate from the country!
The union must change course now it the membership is not to be mislead -through futile half-cocked days petition filling and lobbying - into massive defeat. Some sections of the NALGO left have also gone down the road of pressure group politics, at the expense of
building our membership's strength and confidence to take sustained action.
Programme
London branches have unev will be calling
on the national union to
on the national union
take up ane programmie
gives fúll support to Liver-
pool council any
others making stand against cuts.
It reiterates and takes up boycotting work to do
with the transfer of powers
from the GLC
metropolitan counties,
and proposes all-out strike
action in every branch on
Support the
Yardley Five!
THE BIRMINGHAM witch hunt moved into top gear when the Yardley general committee recently voted to exclude four of the five people whose membership has been 'under consideration' for many months LOW•
By Carol Turner
Dealing seperately with each individual, the eneral committee vote
ecutive's recommendathat two new member applications and two transfers be rejected. The the third transfer, Bob Smith, still the balance because the meeting closbefore a vote was taken. Bob faces the prospect of a further iwomonth wait before hears that his transfer is not accepted.
16 March 1984
ANDS
OFF
EMET
MES:
L
to win
the government's initial hit list ally one of the employing authorities
The excluded four have received official confirmation that
NCHOCISID is re jected, and will now be lodging an appeal. During the course of their protracted fight for membership, local sup port for their case has grown.
The five are asking Labour Against the Witch Hunt help mount a national campaign to get the unfair decision overturned. All Labour Parties should
the Yardley SuDDUll Five, and protest to the Birmingham-Yardley party and Labour's na-
ional executive.
Copies of resolutions and letters supporung the five should be sent to 13 Oxford Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham 27. More information on the case can be provided by contacting the above address, or Labour Against
Witch Hunt,
Wilderton Road, London N16.
HANDS
OF
THE GLO!
nulga
NALGO
needs a
strategy
make CUTS DIODUSC 'edundancies. Also the na Hicculls would recalled to discuss escalation.
Delegates 20 March meeting. will no doubt have to sit through enough hot air to fill the *Put People First' balloon But only a clear national strategy of strike actions to services and the Tories' plans to permanently reduce the role of local government and destroy democratically elected local authorities which oppose their views.
I'VE BEEN READING WITH SOME INTEREST THE NEW QUEEN'S REGULATIONS WHICH GOVERN THE POLITICAL OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES...
Afi
Beg
mu
sta
wouldn't be allowed to stay.
Afia's father and uncle are settled here, and her mother None of this has
this was Collic. taken into account by the Home Office. in their haste to reinterpret ules in the harshest possi DIe way.
By Harry Cohen MP
The personal quences for Afia are dire, condemning solitary future. Now Afia ano daughter have been forced into hiding for tected by a group of Asian LWU pro-
ICTION
I'VE NO DOUBT THAT SOME OF YOU LEFTIST CRANKS OUT THERE REGARD THE WHOLE THING AS JUST ONE MORE ENCROACHMENT ON CIVIL LIBERTIES.
IN JANUARY 1982 Afia Begum was granted an entry certificate to join her husband in Britain. In March he was killed in a fire which swept his Brick Lane tenement. Afia and her baby daughter Asma were allowed in to clear up his affairs but told that as her circumstances had changed she and her daughter
women known as the Sari Squad.
Countless representations have OCCI made on her behalf, but the Home Office have shown nothing but a shameful insensitiviAfia's case is not unique. The current immigraTION are substance and in execuGreat obstacles are put in the way of ethnic minority citizens who want to visit Britain, let alone those. wine with their families already • here.
Families are split, and black women in particular
I,
are likely to experience humiliation and suffer long-term disruption their lives. In many cases, the people concerned have no rights under the law.
They have to rely on compassionate treatment which is rarely forthcoming.
Centre
The Entry Clearance (Change stances) Bill aims to tackle just one small injustice by giving back women like Afia their rights by enabl
death spouse parent.
The Bill will act as a campaigning tool.
Sari Squad has just opened a centre in Brick Lane, and plan to tour Britain building support for Afia.
HOWEVER, WOULD PREFER TO REGARD IT AS A GENTLE HINT TO THAT MOST «POLITICALLY CONSCIOUS" SECTION OF THE BRITISH ARMY- THE ULSTER DEFENCE
REGIMENT!
News
If necessary her case will be taken to the European Court of Human Rights. • Harry Cohen is the the Entry
Clearance Charle fic
which was passed for first reading on Wednesday 8 March.
BY
IT IS, I LIKE TO THINK, AN AMIABLE REMINDER THAT THEY SHOULD BE A LITTLE MORE DISCREET WHEN MURDERING INNOCENT
WHO HAPPEN TO BE ROMAN CATHOLICS...
Page 11 scan of this page
Scottish Labour: an unclear conference
News
Photo: courtesy MERSEYSIDE COUNTY COUNCIL
THE PRESSURE is mounting as crunch day approaches. Union support is growing, but rebel councillors are wavering.
Last week, six Labour councillors Pat Johnson, Peter Murphy,
Paul VO ZA0 Eddie Roderick and Bill
declared would not vote for an il-
budget. Over the ICLal weekend, the six were joined by a seventh, Margaret Donaley.
Their hypocritical
claimed they suatenel could support an 'illegal' 'improper'
AS THE SCOTTISH Labour Party
against the Tory government.
The weekend was one of general CS ut0lImaking, rather than specific contuitllculs militant action now. Conference opened with broad resolutions on local government democracy.
Although pledging to campaign against rate capping, cuts in jobs and services, and the undermining of local democracy. a ken resolution from Pollok callng tor no rent ol laie rises, job losses or
was privalısallol neither heard nor voted Ul1. Since Glasgow district
council has such a policy, this resolution had a particular relevance to the debate. Added to this, the failure to hear a resolution specifically oe enune Liverpool council gave the
abstract wiloe ucualt all rather than practical air.
Conference was united on the importance of cam-
paigning now for a Scot-
its relevance to organising zaDOuI moyelicil 1CSs(" ance Tory policies.
Despite statements distancing our position from a nationalist one, unclear how far this cam-
paign will organised
Support grows
Liverpool's
budget, which jeopardised the livelihood of council employees' . In fact, it is the action of these councillors large enough to break Labour's majority walC puts into jeopardy council
jobs and the workers SCI -vices of Liverpool's whole populalun.
Liverpool District Labour Party held a special meeting on Monday open to all party members
conference opened in Perth, opinion polls showed a 14 per cent increase in Labour's popularity since the general election. But conference failed to grasp the opportunity to channel this into an organised fightback
and led by the Labour Party.
A composite resolution disarmament strategy typified the weekend's political compromises.
contained two completely
different analyses of
arms race and correspon
lingly strategies. ne composite
contained continued
COHSLCIl to unilateral
nuclear disarmament,
with calls for
LUSCUICI
negotiation, a freeze and a no-first-use agreement.
By Anne Kane (Pollok Labour Party
delegate)
By agreeing to promote view that leaving
NATO a prere-
quisite for unilateralism,
he policy leads the Scot-
tish Party away
from opposing NATO as a
The posi-
nuc car dualce
tion was won dishonestly
Even sU. 190,000 voted
asainslenates pasa i
Delegatés be
particlarly attentive
catch the few words ut-
lerea on women s appres-
sion. Since the NEC had
hatay accepted the right
of the Scottish party to
— to discuss action against the turncoats, and to organise the next stage of Liverpool's campaign.
By Carol Turner
The of the
•CCISOB seven comes at time when the Communist Party in Liverpool is backing Neil Kinnock's call to 'stay within the law' John Blevin, secretary Merseyside CP, has made a public appeal on behalf
the rebels. attackıng Liverpool's proposal not
reserve five scals for women, four resolutions on this issue were replaced by a statement from the Scottish executive welcoming this decision.
Women activists were quick to stress that this is only the beginning of the substantial reforms needed. Any doubt that women's issues have to be constantly aired was removed when delegates saw SPUC fringe meeting advertised in official Labour Party briefings.
Plight
Despite much refer-
one torth schemes con-
schemes, LUll ference adopted a weak
from I coUlullUll Linlithtow constituency. Pious statements about improving the schemes turned the debate into how Youth Training Schemes
an improvement on
Sunday's international debate was more positive Conference unanimously opposed US intervention in Central America and supported the revolutions în z vev càn cc be seen whether the campaigning experience of the coming year will lend the
the Central Clalily American debate to home policies for next year's conference.
Ferry across the Mersey
to raise the rates.
Despite the cowardice
and treachery of some sections of the labour movement, more council workers are comnng vul Il! Za-hour sirike on 29 hre24-hour strike ch. Several NUPE branches have already voted to overturn their shop stewards' decision not to support the stoppage. And
recent mass meeting of NALGO menDer. Volcd by over 18,000 to less than 150 to back the strike
Over HUHK NALGO members were locked out of the meeting when
NO FOF AOTIANI! SAL NOT FOR SAIE
GOOTL LOT
FOR
SALE
Tory policy for Scotland
Liverpool
retreat
movement support for the council is growing.
Liverpool council workers
he Labour Group.
Liverpool MP and Labour Party chairperson Eric Heffer has called on the labour movement give full support to cour cils in the iront Tory attacks. But the dream ticket leadership not in favour of a real fight to defend local government. It has begun to show us truc cuiouls
The Labour Group defections gave Neil Kinnock and John Cunningham (shadow environment spokesperson) the opportunity io step They have met Liverpool
management insisted that nre regulanons required
more than 2000 be cuowcu inl. Despite this, șupport was overwhelmIng.
NALGO Secretary Pete Cresswell pledged that all excluded members would be given the opportunity to vote on the resoution passed by meeting. He later told a press conference that such à ballot would not affect the outcome of the vote. 'I don't see any reason to belleve, ne sala, unal une people excluded would have voted against.' MOTIANX NO FOT a SA NO1 FOR SALE Protesters in Glasgow demonstrate their opposition to
Socialist Action 16 March 1984
Kinnock's rapid
WITH LESS THAN three weeks before Liverpool's budget day on 29 March, Labour leader Neil Kinnock has moved in to break up the council's stand against the Tories. This comes at a time when labour
have voted overwhelmingly to strike on the 29th. London Labour Party regional conference has voted unanimously to support Liverpool. And Ken Livingstone has stated will move a motion of support in the GLC
councillors and MPs to persuaae inem lo daupl a budget of 60 per cent rate increases and £1.50 rent
Kinnock has made clear he opposed councils defying the law.
Instead, they should star office and administer Tory cuts. Presumably this means Labour should also accept the abolition of the GLC and metropolitan councils, and stay within the law by cooperating to It would uras crowels also mean that when rate capping comes into effect
MOLES
EYE
VIEW
Problem
child
NOW THE Fraud Squad are looking into the afcollapsed unlicensed broking operation run by a Hong Kong company, one of whose directors Is Mrs Thatcher's 'probiem child' Mark. Mind you, it all seems above board.
It's just people are complaining about the way it handled investor's funds and claimed that it was sold to a financier who was being sued for a debt of £115,000. The same man faces charges of defrauding own company and dealing in forg. ed Euro-bonds.
But what's wrong Willi it its true Capitalism has always trollke long and honourable line of peo. have dipped their hand in other people's pockets. Mrs Thatcher is denying that her lad should be put 'in care . one polnts out lila! all this is good business experience for Mark and insists that she and his XINNR AISU mixed lr business circles for years and says 'look where it got me. No new
job for.
Photo• TRIBUNE Mark
OUR TORY government • the prime ministe believes business should nainlall the highest standards. That is why
11 next year Labour councils would make big redundan cies and cuts in services.
The result? Labour would take the blame for the Tory attacks. To avoid this, Labour must fight these attacks - and thai means defying the law The dream-ticket course is indistinguishable from the right wing's. Kinnock's stand on Liverpool shows Ind wea i comes io uc decisive issues, the 'middle ot the road unity offen. sive ends up in the arms of the right
Socialists must defend Liverpool. If the council's stand is defeated, it makes
harder to defend the GLC and metropolitan councils, and harder resist rate van/il If Labour doesn't lead the fight against Tory attacks, the working class will never see it s the main ahemalv governmen it's giving an enthusiastic reception to the US firm National SemiconducLOT. who are setting up shop in Greenock.
a doilop is t douto
get a dollop dough trom the government bul officials of the Scottish Development Agency are just too coy anybody that National Semiconductor has jus done a deal with the US law officials and settled a two-year investigation into its tesung or millal) microcircuits
charged with wa 40 counts of making false stalcilclls government to and the mail US
fraud
The firm are expected to plead guilty and pa! costs and fines of sl. million. There is no truth
as tar as we khow l lac
rumour that Mark has O C CUU do a spot ol PR work for them. An election
winner?
WE CAN now revea that the Sparticist League was the real force
behind the Benn victory
in Chesterfield. Not only
did they write offering
'critical support' itself worth some 20,000
They also put him
VULD.
straight on oo-ranll
telling him in an 'open
'that abolishing the
Tetre
'licensing laws' was one
of the ways to win.
A thirsty and grateful
Chesterfield electorate
endorsed this and
zoomed home. When
you have the Sparticist it
just proves you don't
need politics.
Page 12 scan of this page
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Fleet St:
THE UNFREE PRESS are having a carnival over the miners' strike. Each paper competes with the other in a barrage of lies, spite. Top prize for rank bad journalism goes to the self-proclaimed 'Voice of the Peopie' Express.
As 55,000 miners struck, Lne Express discovered Battling Bob' — no, he is not some collie out of a Lassie film but
He ot ine ncadile al the 5.000 strikers got a slagg ing. The Express affirms that this is in line with their
of the facts. Mind you, the hacks on the Express do tend to select their facts!
On page 9 of last Monday's edition the Sun touched the strings of my heart with the story of this man who earned £35,000 a year but was not wealthy.
No, this was not some miner in a high productivity pit, but poor old Nige!
Lawson, Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Sun funmy enough was less syllpathetic to the miners who gel a nell ot a lot less.
accused them of making the name of the miners stink in lne na-
that would accompany a real cruise launch.
operation was commanded by
attendance'.
lest site at Salisbury Plain.
Despite the limited
number of vehicles which
took part in the operation,
and the fact that it was car-
ried out in the dead
night, it was an undoubted
victory
dealers. The limited
number
Greenham Common were
kept away from the Blue
Gate from which the laun-
The lie machine
misrepresentation and
- the Daily
tion's nostrils.' Obviously should put up with Lucy their lot like Nigel does
Then we had the whimper of Liberalism. The Guar dian editorial like all good non-conformist newspapers - started with a little homily explaining what a 'dirty, dangerous and ultimate, distressful trade... ' mining
By Bob Pennington
But d support ine doesn't SUDDOr miners. Maybe the Express and the rest snarl and bite but the Guardian yelps and snaps and it dutifully told the miners this was a dispute it did 'not believe they could, indeed should win.
Funnily enough the miners never thought the Guardian would think anything otherwise.
Greenham in danger
LAST WEEK the first test run of a Cruise missile launcher on the roads of southern England was carried out. The Ministry of Defence, if they were indeed in charge, were playing it cautiously. Only a few vehicles were involved, not the massive convey
The United States Air Force officers, but there were British personnel in
The convoy was alleged to have gone to 'West London, but in fact probably went to the Molt's
cher convoy left, and were powerless to make any attempt to stop it. This latest government victory means a verv sobie assessical Ul the Greenham situation is needed.
Without doubt, the government decided a long ime ago that the peace camp wa. embarrassment which had
EXPRESS
Half the miners want to work -but
Battling Bob's
one-man stand
Picket line fury
Voice of what Britain? crushed. The women at the camp have been subjected
continual harassment and DOLI from police and local "villantes'. but tor a long time no major effort was
and disperse the camp
Now two attacks have been put into operation simultaneously First, the enormous and escalating legal repression against the
been arrested in the last
Montis 120 different women have gone to jail for up to five months, some many times.
Women are now constantly arrested on col pletely spurious cion charges. The total number arrests now totals more than 1500. Put simply, it is now an
Scargill and Co make the going tough
The only miner in
55,000 at work
in Yorkshire's pits
BREATH BOX: OUR COURT BATTLE BEGINS fence to be present at the
The second part of the
DINICE. movclicH has been the co-ordination ot the legal calivalsi by Newbury Council, the Ministry of Defence and Berkshire County Council to evict the peace camps from the ground which they own. Over the past week inis systematic police campaign to close down the camps.
Chosen
chosen its moment wels The waiting unti aile the missiles had been installed, and on the verge of becoming operational before making their decisive move. They hope that demoralisation among the women themselves, and a
of resignation amonginel SUDDUTLCIS nationally, , will lead to an eventual decision to abandon the camps.
Obviously there is a limit to the endurance of the women put in an Im possible position by constant harassment.
major effort therefore needed to ensure that the camp Slay place. The Greenham
came role l‹ gigantic amount of effort and sacrifice, and it would
be a gigantic propaganda mup for the tones losop
While there are still
some shelters the women are expecting
inese to De
any time. Therefore they
are asking for people to
provide them with Gortex
survival bags, heavy duty
polythene sheets, candles
basic survival.
1 her are also asking
for as women
possible to go down there, hall.
if only for a short time.
perhaps a weekend
couple or tree days. Ine track the launch perice it to be prepared
makes another sortie
• ror further informa-
tion, contact the
Greenham office
01-833 2831.
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