Socialist Action No. 50, 23 March 1984
The scan: 050-mar-23-1984-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 VICTORY
NO POLICE STATE - DEFEND THE NUM!
Solidarity with the miners must be the order of the day. The government has launched an incredible and vicious police-state type strike-breaking operation through the use of 20,000 police. The police have illegally turned back cars carrying miners, they have threatened action against coach firms who carry pickets, and now they are stopping 'legal' picketing.
The government is determined to break this strike and with it the leadership of the NUM. The miners who have struck and gone on the picket line have matched the government in determination. Their fight in defence of trade union rights and their stand against the King/Tebbit Laws and the police violence that goes with these laws, merits the support of all the labour movement.
Twenty thousand police can stop four or even five thousand flying pickets. But they cannot stop the organised might of the labour movement. The TUC has maintained a cowardly silence but if they did call for ac-
No. 50 23 March 1984 30p
TOTHE
MINERS-
tion the strike would be won in days. Now is the time for the union leaders to act. In conjunction with the miners' pickets at power stations, coke and coal depots, and at the railyards, the other unions could make sure that no coal is moved.
This means that the coal turned out in the scab pits would simply be stockpiled. The left trade union leaders must also make it clear that if the government attempts to use the army to shift coal then they will call an all-out stoppage.
This strike can and must be won. But to win it means that the unions must join alongside the NUM in openly defying the government and its laws. • The Triple Alliance and TUC• must organise the blacking of all movement of coal! • Unconditionally support mass pickets at the pits and power stations! No recognition of Tebbit's laws! • Labour councils must extend practical support for the miners and pickets! • Name a day for solidarity action with the NUM!
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Thatcher against
2 Socialist Action 23 March 1984
ACTioN
Kinnock gives
Tories the go-
ahead
FLEET STREET response to Neil Kinnock's statements on
the miners' strike. After a week of silence Labour's leader police invasion of the coalfields last week by saying: 'The law does not prohibit people trying to influence other workers, but when people become violent in the process of picketing I condemn it'.
The Sun siezed on this saying: 'Peace Plea by Kinnock'.
Brittan had already Labour's parliamentary leadership's attitude to the miners strike, before Kinnock spoke, with the cruel, 'ritual hand wringing. Exactly. Then came Kinnock's disowning of the 'violent' pickets. Yet Neil Kinnock and his advisors are well aware that the miners can't stop pit closures without breaking Tory laws.
They know only too were drafted to make strike action ineffective. Kinnock knows that the police mobilisation was there to physically force the miners to obey the ory legislation.
Kinnock knows what is going doubtless he is concerned about the loss of 20,000 jobs in the coalfields. But unfortunately he cares much more about establishing Labour as Her Majesty's Respectable Opposition. If Neil Kinnock gives his support to the NUM then he jeopardises that policy.
Kinnock's statement last week helped the Tories to pursue the policy of massive police action they used from Monday. pletely gives the political initiative to Thatcher.
If miners picketing is wrong then it has to be stopped. The inevitable conclusion which people must draw from Kinnocks statement is to support actions such with Kinnock's half hearted Thatcher will mobilise the police to ensure the job is done properly? Either there are miners fighting for their jobs — who must be backed, or there are hooligan boot boys unjustly preventing
mine. Neil Knocks
ways. irony. The miners did more than any other union to create the Labour Party. Now the Labour Party's leader turns round and attacks the miners. But that is always the price of placing respectability before class. The (non) revolting Kaufmann WHILE NEIL Kinnock's miners be
Parliamentary Party's Home Affairs spokesper-
son Gerald Kaufmann are beneath contempt Kaufmann went out of his way to condemn violence, people who feel impotent in the face of the destruction of their homes, their jobs, and their communities.
If Kaufmann had had his way, every struggle from the Luddites, through the Chartists up to the hospital workers must be seen as a sinister provocation. working class struggle in history - not to speak of the Suffragettes -get a bloody nose. Nor will we ever see one.
What does he imagine the police are doing -
peacefully
We suggest Kaufmann's best contribution would
be to fall down a mineshaft. Non-violently of course.
Editor: ALAN FREEMAN Published weekly except two weeks in August and the last week or December Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily reprecent Socialist Action's views. editorials.
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enthusiastic
responded to the first summed up
but correct comment, that it was
well that Tebbit's Bills
So why did he respond like he
on and onwards
Thatcher's. Why bother approach when
You can't have it both statement has a bitter statements on the criticised those of the
'even when it occurs among among
There has never been a serious
• in which a policeman didn't
persuading' the Yorkshire pickets!
These are expressed in
THE VOTE in the Nottinghamshire against strike action triggered a plan the Thatcher government had drawn up long ago.
Last week the government hung back as the flying pickets flowed into the coalfields. They wanted a division in the NUM itself, like the area majority vote against strike action, before they moved.
Now, encouraged by the vote the government have moved pickets. From an office on the 13th floor in Scotland Yard - with its 'hot line
Leon Brittan al Home Office - Ine word has gone out to get the flying I wenty thousand police have been mobilised in a militarystyle operation. Roads have been blocked. Cars with miners have been turned back at the Dartford and Blackwall Tunnels which are miles away from Nottingham.
If their drivers insisted on the right to go on, the police threatened them
Coach firms have been told that if they will arresL.
Lalsoult pickets their driver's vehicle keys will be impounded. Whilst have not yet arrived at the police state this 'stop the pickels operanon gives us a nasty insight into what a future lor Britain is going to look like.
The government must have cast a grateful glance
direction Neil Kinnock when nounced violence - which needless to say was an ad monishment of the pickets and not a criticism of the police. They know now that Labour's Front Bench isn't going to give them any trouble.
1 ney confident that they wont get any trouble from the
Police clash with pickets at Agecroft colliery Salford
•the miners
coalfield TUC. are confident that the
debacle Warrington, will hang on
areas of the NUM which voted as a lifeline to
out'. Most of the right wing hate Scargill and the left leaders of the NUM more than they hate the Tories. They reckon a defeat for the NUM militants strengthens their grip the TUC and weakens the left opposition.
By Pat Hickey and Bob Pennington
The miners are fighting for the right of the trade unions to defend their in-
without the threat ICICOLN of police interference, provocation and intimidation. Mass picketing defiance of the Tebbit laws anu ODCI
is the only way the unions can defeat the government's anti-trade legislation Last week's successful picketing showed this and was in glorious
Controvo or the tine
cumoaowi over GCHQ and NGA. sayin he to MacGregor, NUM leaders and their rank and file have given a message of hope to all working people. They have said there is nothing inevitable about
Pickets stopping cars at Agecroft pit unemployment. It can and
fought. The miners have shown by
militancy and LICH courage that they have an alternative to the policies of class collaboration meekly offered by the TUC.
This is why Thatcher and her cabinet are hel bent on eds The labour the NUM leaders. The movement MUSI recognise this. The left-
leaders the
IGWI the NUR, the POEU, and the FBU etc have to
conclusions about what is happening
and what is at stake.
If the miners go down, then these unions will be next in line. And they wil be in a much worse posttion to defend themselves
This is he hiners. eno
support the miners.
fortunately Murray's TUC has no intention of doing that.
A rallying cry should headquarters in Sheffield out from the NUM calling on these unions who support the NUM to attend conference discuss solidarity strike action with the miners. This
News
has also got to be the main message coming out of this weekend's BLOC conference.
The trains must bE stopped, water sup plies should be cut off telecommunications should be cut - especially those from Scotland Yard
ana nol one ounce o! coal should be moved This is a serious situation The face the possibility of a big defea
- or gaining a huge victory.
A victory can still br But it car only br WOn
won by the united actio
of the left trade union:
Page 3 scan of this page
In the Unions
THE CORTONWOOD strike was the spark that fired the national dispute. The statement issued by the Cortonwood strike committee tells the story of the NCB's duplicity in their own words -for all miners of what to expect from MacGregor's pit closures programme. The men of Cortonwood are on strike because they feel rejected, cheated and
Angry at the way the National Coal Board has contemptuously treated them by declaring out of the blue, thạt their collierv is to close in tive week's time, leaving five vears safe workable reserves of some O1 une finest quality coking coal in the ground.
They feel cheated that the Board by their own admissions and actions had them believe that the pit would be worked to exhaustion in 1989-90.
The Board say Cortonwoods lo close because the coal they mine is too good and cannot be sold Markets, they say are gone and nobody wants the product.
The South Yorkshire Area Salu UNal capacity in the area had to be reduced bv 400.00 tons and manpower by approx-
1,000 during the next year. Cortonwood had consistently lost money over the last five years, and the Area Director has decided rather than spread the reductions over ine area, cortonwood wa: to cease production on 6 April 1984 - closed at the stroke of a pen.
The men's case is this. The union agrees that the pit has lost money over the İast five years. Many hundreds of yards of drivages have bees developed
Nottingham: 'An
told Socialist Action:
There's an ostrich syn-
drome The HICH
would rather bury their
heads in the sand. Ollerton
isn't threatened with
closure, but that doesn't
nean to say we're not go
ng to lose jobs. And it's
the sort of jobs you have
the grades, the wages
structure. There's lots of
people who are going to
catch a cold.
Technology is being us-
ed to run
power. We're facing
tremendous diminution of
jobs. Computers won't do
everything, but the work
will be completely deskill-
ed of course.
In years gone by, this
pit was bit of
barometer or nanonal upi-
nion. Our vote was more
oress in alc will c lai
tional trend. Recently, our
pits has voted in signifi-
cant numbers against
recommendations from
the union. I can't simply
put this down to the fact
don't want
support the union - it's
pressure and it's fear
Young marrieds can't
get mortgages, so they fall
into the hands of money
lenders. There's some real
Yorkshire: the pit that
sparked the strike
• a warning
order to open up the remaining reserves auring this time. Drivages are expensive and 101lproductive.
In the last two years, the colliery has been worked on a planned loss due to this work being carried out. In order to now work the coal, further drivages will be minimal and there
every possibility that Cortonwood could finish on a winning note.
ludicrous when the Director says he cannot sell the coal. It Is known that other areas are
to open up workings in the Silkstone April
1983, union officials were told that Cortonwood's future was reasonably safe because of the product.
Plans were produccu
showing that mining
tion in 1989-90.
During the last 18
months:
• A generator plant was
installed to utilise methane
extracted from the mine;
• As late as January this
year, men were transferred
from neighbouring Elsecar
colliery, men who Welc
told thev would be secure
to retirement on closure in
1989;
• In October, expensive
refurbishing of the pithead
cost of €40,000.
• Other work on surtace
improvements still remain half finished.
ostrich syndrome'
JIMMY HOOD is the NUM secretary for Ollerton colliery, Nottinghamshire, where miner David Jones died on the picket line last week. Speaking before the results of the Notts strike ballot were known, Jimmy
heartache in this village for
that reason. And that's
one of the main reasons
for not coming out in
favour of a strike.
The reports I've been
getting about this new
redundancy payment
that the union is having
trouble because workers
want to sell unel Joos.
happened in the steel in-
dustry. I'd like to take the
miners who think the pay-
ment is wonderful to Con-
sett they'd see what
lump sum payments really
are. But people wno ve
never had money before
are saying 'oh well, let's
have it'
€20,000 is two years'
wages. Young men will be
working for the next 30
years. If they've big mor-
tages now, they will still be
big in five years' time.
This union has always
been strong, in
vanguard of the labour
movement. Now we're in
langer of being complete
ly annihilated. We're go
ng through a very trying
period. That's who we'r
seeing the scenes we saw at
this pit last week
People are desperate,
and they're taking
This shows that no pit
SaTe plans, whether has reserves
We feel that by fighting this closure, we can the folly false cause economies and inhuman, and contemptuous attitude of the Coal Board. If any miner considers himself safe he should consider our Cast carefully.
• Extract from the cortonwood strike committee's statement.
COOKSON
Ollerton on Thursday - all quiet on the picket line
desperate measures.
Miners are moderate peo-
ple. They're not raving
lunatics dashing
from picket line to picket
line. They're fighting for
their very existence. It's
sad to see what's happen-
ing, but understandable at
Area Committee (personal capacity)
miners and conditions on a wide scale.
the Yorkshire miners down. several coaches last week.
the union.
colliery Nottinghamshire.
all of the pits I know of, except Ollerton.
miners - standing side by
votes.
Most of Ollerton back at work now We have about half a dozen Yorkshire pickets at gate, and that's why l've not gone in this morning. think there should be a national ballot we'd have won it fortnight ago, now I'm not so sure.
Mal Howarth, delegate to the Nottingham
It will be a terrible day if the strike loses. If the strike fails I am convinced the Coal Board will give every area manager the go-ahead to attack
The big question on Monday will be if the police allow
They stopped We know a lot of Nottinghamshire miners crossed our official picket lines on Friday and that's a sad day for
Denis Brown, branch executive Blidworth
! think the press has blown up the violence here in Nottinghamshire. It has been very peaceful in
We had a good relationship with the Yorkshire
side with them at the nithead to persuade our fellow Nottinghamshir miners not to cross. No-one worked at Blidworth on Friday and we just lost our pit ballot by 22
Ollerton picket on Wednesday morning
Socialist Action
OFICIAL
YORKSHIRE
PICKETS
NUM
On the spot
in Nottingham
OLLERION: Thursday. Miners are collecting their pay and casting their votes in the pithead ballot.
The pit is quiet after the last two days. Only a token picket is maintaining at the gate - the pit has been closed since the death of David Jones.
By Carol Turner
Reactions on ballot are grimly muted. Many miners reruse say how they voted 'It's
ballot luv, don't have to say.
Those who have voted for a strike are clear why. "Definitely. I believe in supporting the
'To stop closures.' "To have a job next year and the year after.
But many haven't. The pits will close jus the same, whether you go
strike or nol. young man doesn't want
23 March 1984 3
to be redundant, he can always find another pit. knowery will be a eno Everyone 'no'
Vole One miner explains it's the behaviour of the Yorkshire pickets which changed his mind 'I'm against the I OrKSAIre pickets, not against th principle. They've forced me into making a totally opposit decision I'd have made in the firs the
place.' pit
Page 4 scan of this page
Miners wives back
A LOT of publicity has been given to number of miners' wives in Nottinghamshire who oppose the miners strike.
women who support the strike.
Miners from Yorkshire Main, Manvers and Kilnhurst have now been
for three to four and Villages like Conisborough, MexNOTOURI and Wath are feeling the financial
already. But contrary to the images in the media that women are anti strike and anti union,
these communities women are solid support of the strike. They know what is at stake.
Quite few miners' wives work in the Sheffield engineering industry and come Illy factory.
Women delegates at this year's TUC
The most important event
Women's Conference in
amendment advocating
rights, by breaking the law if necessary.
of proceedings,
women or young people, and was out of order.
After a verv well al-
tended evening fringe
meeting organised jointly
by the NUJ, SOGAT and
NGA, all of which
have this year engaged in
"illegal' disputes,
Socialist Action 23 March 1984
fight for future
La small
The media has ignored the tens of thousands of
Their's is the only income to the household while the strike lasts.
By Pamela Holmes
'Scargill said there was a hit list two years ago. He has been proved right' one miner's wire explained. 'One thousand pounds a year doesn't last on Talking of the women in Nottinghamshire, 1 was told 'They must be stupid, they should be ashamed of themselves, so should their husbands' at last week's TUC Torquay wasn't on the agenda. The Women's Advisory Committee had ruled out of order an NGA motion and NUJ/NGA
defence of trade union
The NGA and NUJ used guerilla conference tacties to challenge the ruling first thing on the first day
with the clear approval of many delegates. The chair, Marie Patterson, repeated her ruling that the matter wasn't specifically to do with
SOGAT delegate returned, to the attack next morning, speaking to the nonexistent amendment. unanimously passed an emergency motion on the
There are no illusions about the effects of the strike. TVs and videos are already being returned or rentals rescheduled
Miners' coal has been to all except the elderly. Holidays aren't getting booked and the Barnsley Chamber of Commerce is already seriously worried about the effects of the strike on shopkeepers.
Women over Barnsley
nave SCU UD support group. Others
NUM have contacted officials expressing their willingness to go down ana sort out the
'Let get down there and we'll have
Id shine done
the lici woman told me,
Women's TUC gagged
GCHQ union membership
ban, and sent a message of
support to those fighting
Women from saW
emergency motion on
peace passed by acclama-
tion.
By Elizabeth Frost
Conference rejected an
NGA the
Monon
TUC withdraw support
from Youth Training
Schemes, which the pro-
poser argued did noining-
proper training,
undercut established rates
of pay and were intended
care how long my husband has to be out on strike if he has a job at the end of it.
You've got to think of the future' Another said
'WOMEN IN SUPPORT of Miners' was
formed by six wives and miners' mothers at
Woolley and North Gawber pits last week
and membership is reported to be growing
rapidly.
Joan Davison spokesperson for the group told the
local press: "the vast majority
support the present action. The women in Not-
ungual are
up. Aren't the men capable of going to work on
their own?'
"Many women feel isolated. This group was form-
ed to show that wives are backing their husbands.
tion and we want to prove that we are 100 per cent
behind the men.
solely massage
unemployment statistics.
The NUJ'S motion on
women's unemployment
which called for a special
category of TUC member-
ship for the jobless was
lost
The only motions that
were defeated concerned
the structure and status oi
the conference. One called
rotating the chair
Marie Patterson has been
chairing conference for 12
years now. After a heater
debate this was lost by
seven votes.
The call for three mo-
tions from conference to
go on the TUC Congress
"They told Cortonwood that they had another five years, and closed them just like that. Nobody's job is safe'.
of miners families
stupid and showing their husbands
The groups main role is to unite strikers' wives.
'We think this strike is the only course of ac-
agenda fell (again), as did
a proposal for the election
of a separate conference
organising committee to
leave the Advisory
mittee free to deal with the
growing amount of worl
generated by the event.
300 delegates at-
tended the biggest TUC
Women's Conference yet.
It's obvious that mo
tions to democratise it will
be back on the agenda next
year, and that Marie Pat-
teson wno canne willill a
whisker of having to con-
cede TO COLLA chair,
was disconcerted by joint
assaults from the
unions.
MAL
Wife-beater expelled
ALAN SWAIN was expelled ГОЛИ East • Lewisham Labour Party in February, but for once it was a case for the left to applaud. Swain was expelled for wife-battering when it was discovered by activists in the local women's section of the Party that his wife was in
. local refug
The GMC voted fo his expulsion by 34 votes to one, with three abstentions.
Swain was a delegate to the GMC irom the local electrician's union, the bErIU the Labour Party after cranklaobe LEPTU had pealed for members to join up and defeat 'extremist policies.
MORNING STAR
Postcard showing Alexandra Kollontai in Lon-
don in 1913, produced by Socialist Worker
Street, London N1, 20p.
Dhoto.
Who'd be a boy?
'LARA DENTON lived
2100 in sycal
world where women had
complete power over
men. Lara decided la
this was unfair and
the lives of boys. She ar-
ranged a secret meeting
with a boy known
727C and gave him
house... note as he left her
So reads the
troductory blurb
story in the girl's comic Street, London NI.
In the Unions
ORDER
Members the
women's section in East
March issue of London
Labour Briefing:
'Initially some
about raising wonel fell this sub-
lect, out or tear lor ell
individual woman con-
cerned and for ourselves
we actually felt very
threatened. has no
been an easy discussion
to raise. We've been ac
cused of wanting to vet
and
potental mens
putting people off join-
the Labour Party.
Our retort is that unless
sexism and racism are
openly confronted in the
Party those who will be
put off will be women
and black people.'
Available from The Other Bookshop, 328 Upper
Poor 727C. She's maki
Mandy entitled 'Who'd be a boy?' (see illustration for a taste of the action).
The heroine, Lara, is
The olet moron have
other women have distinct possibilities ...
as
Compiled by Hilary Driver. Send contributions (to reach us one week before publica. in- Male
Socialist Action, 328 Upper
Page 5 scan of this page
In the Unions
Kent, Durham and traditionally thumberland had stopped work
In Durham, the one pit
vote for return, Dawdon, could not begin work when winding engineers retused to do so.
With all the 25 Nott-
to work, Tnere were Sill only 44 pits working normally. The remaining six. teen pits across the country could not produce coal as significant numbers of
refused CIOSS picket lines. This included pits in Lancashire and the Midlands.
In North Derbyshire the ballot went against strike action by only 16 Seen odorio pits toled voted strike. for action with the individual ballot result shifted by the count in one large colliery. As a result Ine Nort Deroysnre executive met on Monday 19 March and agreed bi votes to two to call their members out on strike.
Miners in the so-called 'moderate have reacted strongly in tavour of the strike Call. Easington, one of the big-
pits County Durham walked out solidly as soon as the strike was announced.
Militant campaigning
in the North East against unemployment which stands at above 25 per cent - has boosted support for the strike against pit
•..
Welsh miners turn
PAUL O'SULLIVAN
from Trelewis Drift in
South Wales told
Socialist Action about
their plans.
'All the South Wales
pits are shut down now. A
that first
voted not to strike have re-
voted to stav Vul. We've
only got token pickets
now.
'We'll be having South
Wales pickets Not-
tinghamshire and
cashire and we'll try
picket them out.
'We're fighting for our
survival and don't
recognise the Tories' laws.
The only law we recognise
pickel
lines".
'Now the pits are sewn
up in South Wales, we'll
things, like coal stocks and
power stations. I here nave
been pickets at Cwm
Bargoed blending
Valle
tion and NUR
members have refused to
75 per cent of
miners out
ON THE FIRST working day after ballots in Nottinghamshire and other less militant NUM areas, the majority of the British coalfield was at a standstill.
All the pits in Yorkshire, Scotland, South Wales,
moderate Nor- 115 in all.
We're backing
the miners!
tion to coal movement and power stations.
from the labour movement to win.
Kent have pledged not to move any coal
tion not to cross press officer told Socialist Action
fraternally to any requests from the NUM' • Transport Forty
Stem area volca on ine weekend picket lines.
This solidarity
their members should not break the strike.
Wednesday 21 March.
secretarv Jimmy Knavo. and MP. Dennis Skinner
strike round-up ...
sights to coal stocks
Across our picket lines.
We've had enormous help from the NUR.
'We'll have to picket oil as well. power stations use oil and coal, ley are preparing il substitute oil for which will be kept We're going to stop this.
for their lives
EVEN BEFORE the Yorkshire strike began, only eight of Scotland's twelve pits were work-. ing normally. Polmaise and Seafield were on strike against closures and job loss and two Fife pits were laid off as a result.
Within 24 hours of the Scottish executive's Call for alCA strike, all
closures. Only three weeks before the ballot there was mass demonstration through Easington against unemployment organised by the Labour Party and led by Neil Kinnock.
AS PICKETING miners tie down most of the British coalfield they are turning their atten-
Vital here will be solidarity action from rail, transport steel workers and dockers. Miners are also relying on broad solidarity
The solidarity machine is beginning to roll.
• Railworkers in South Wales have refused to
station which has only six weeks supply of coal Four deliveries of coal were stopped on the first day of picketing, despite British Rail Board threats
Other depots, such as Dover and Faversham in Thot to cross miners picket lines. The NuR
picket lines 'We fully support the action of the miners to save their industry. In the terms of the Triple Alliance we will respond
delegates and shop stewards representing TGWU drivers in the Nor-
not to cross
will be followed countrywide after the decision of the TGWU executive that the Tuc and London Trades Councils have taken Solidarity rallies The South East region of the lead with a rally in Congress House at 6pm on
The case for the miners will be put by a Kent miners' leader, who will be joined by rail union
Similar rallies are being planned across the coun-
CM
Scottish miners fight
Scotland's pits were at a standstill.
By Matthew Forde (Pollock Labour Party)
The strike at Polmaise
bitter struggles against closures and provocations over working conditions.
Most Monktonhall fought
Yorkshire miners
defend NUM HQ
Notts.
By Paul Hodgkinson
There was no doubting the miners determination
prevent any bailiffs entering the building.
Police or seig heil and greeted WIlL chants of
'go home you bums' And miners aired their distrust of the media on a camera crew which was chased from the scene.
Scuffles broke out.
"Together we
can win'
redundancies with a lengthy strike.
The Polmaise pit near Pallin, Stirlingshire typical of the decline of Scottish coal mining. Only 25 years ago 10,000 miners were employed near village now only 250 miners remain and they are fighting closure.
Scotland now faces another six pit closures.
For Scottish miners, the strike call isn't a minute ten soon.
Jack Taylor addresses miners outside their Yorkshire HQ A THOUSAND MINERS were massed outside Yorkshire headquarters in Barnsley on Monday waiting to hear the result of the NCB's contempt action order against Yorkshire NUM picketing in
and the jeering of the
crowd increased when one
miner was arrested.
Jack Taylor appeared
to calm the situation by
confirming rumours that
the NCB's Coul action
had been adjourned. This news Worming with hots
'Nottingham, Not-
tingham'.
Finally the arrested
miner was released to the
cheers of the miners who
showed unel determina-
tion to continue picketing
other areas.
OUR PEOPLE were stopped by the police at Dartford tunnel and turned back. They were told that they were not allowed to travel to other parts of the country to carly vul lass picketing.
By Paul Verril (Kent NUM)
At the moment we are engaged in peaceful picketing in Leicester. We're asking miners to come out in support of other miners, trying to persuade them of our case.
We've got support from other trade unionists through the Triple Alliance. They've said they won't take coal from pitheads and they're commilicu lo give us praclica: support.
Our message all miners is stand with us, defend the right to work. Don't allow the media to divide us and don't allow the police to divide us on the picket lines. Together we can win'.
Socialist Action
Council NUM, Tom Watkin, LANDLORD Louis Smith has matched Lawson's class budget by плосків prices Jor striking miners. The special offer lasts as lone as the Di dispute. Similar solidarity has come from a
23 March 1984 5 Defend the NUM
Hazel Grove LPYS public meeting Stockport Tech College Fri 23 March 7.30 Speakers: Andrew Bennett MP, Bernard
Reagan Stockport AUEW District Secretary, Stockport 6 NGA. Miners in-
vited from Lancashire and Yorkshire. Support the Miners
Socialist Action public meeting Speakers: Ken Capstick, Yorkshire Area
convenor Phillips Rubber, and from NGA and NUR
Black Lion, Chapel Street, Salford, Manchester. Thursday 22 March, 7.30pm
The Plough
AS FROM TODAY 7 MAN PRICES WILL.
BE REDUCED BY Sra PiNT 2, a Borrie 4 a MEASURE
OF SPIRIT.
UNTIL THE ENO OF THE STRIKE
Goldthorpe shopkeeper in Yorkshire who has pledged not to increase a while the strike lasts. Doncaster and Glamorgan councils have promised free school meals miners' children.
Page 6 scan of this page
Thatcher's wa on the NUM
12%
4
/EON
READ +VATER
BLOC and
This weekend, in Sheffield, the Broad Left Organising Committee will assemble the gathering of left trade union activists for more than ten years. The conference meets during the most bitter miner's strike for a decade. It is vital this opportunity to hammer out a line of advance for the left in the unions is not lost.
The BLOC conference must not be simply a rally. Nor simply a platform for ULIE other tendency. . It must be an opportunity sheet of the difficult situation confronting trade unionists and to begin
out a plan of action and organisation to meet them.
by Redmond O' Neill
The first and most urgent task is obviously solidarity with the miners. The NUM cannot today simply rely on spontaneous support from other unions. The record of the TUC on the ASLEF strike, the health workers dispute and the NGA is one of open sabotage.
Therefore it is vital for the left to organise a struggle within the unions to win action, and the membership, to support the miners. The contribution BLOC can make to this is begining to establish an organised left wing movement in the unions.
This would be in practice a new departure for BLOC. following its spring 1983 conference, BLOC virtually disappeared from view. It never appeared publically to organise support for the NGA, GCHu. or older workers suffering the brunt of the Tory attack.
It would be criminal to assemble
more than 1500 union acocellier tivists and again fail to build from this a campaigning left wing in the unions.
So the first task from the conference is to OUCH democratic organisation of BLOC, actively campaigning in
Starting with an all out campaign in support of the miners would be the way to launch that. BLOC should encourage broad left organisation in every union.
The second key issue the conference must act on is defending political trade unionism and the links of the trade unions to the Labour Par-
6 Socialist Action
TONION OF MINEW!
BLAENAU GHE
LODGE:
DATED WE
M DrED
THE WATER AREA
Miners supported the Health Workers. Now they need solidarity.
the miners
ty. ple, Duffy, and Graham, are trying to largest impose a new model of non-political
business unionism on the movement. This is the strategy which has brought disastrous situation. organise the forces in the union movement who oppose this line.
political funds. The Tory government is seeking to exploit tne ract that onl 39 per cent of trade unionists voted political
break the links between unions and The funds which are coming in 1986 are going to be sabotaged by people like as Frank Chapple — who quite openproclaim the need for the unions to weaken their links with the Labour Party.
The 'new realism'
General Council is quite incapable of tack. Indeed it plays into the hands of the Thatcher government -because a whole series of General Council members proclaim they are in favour of non-political unionism.
Tuned lent campaign io reverse t direction of the une ponucar levy. Inere Is an acal opportunity to do this during this sumarenas for BLOC to organise and gain support. mittee has already launched a campaign around a 'Labour Party and Unions Charter'.
Unfortunately, dorsed by figures such as Ron Todd,
Arthur scargill, Alan Sapper, Benn, Blunkett.
BLOC, and ference, campaign and approach its organisers to discuss how to build it. If the campaign on political funds is built during next year the trade union conferences
and can really begin to turn round the tide
on political trade unionism.
These three steps to defend the miners, building broad lefts in every union, uniting to pontical trade amonisit, are toe prac tical goals which terence can and should set itselt.
next year's BLOC conference will be even larger and more representative than this one. can be taken for the union left.
23 March 1984
against
defend MP
The TUC, led by Murray, Chap-
ÄFL-CIO such It Is vital
flexible'
DECIOTS Linked to that is the assaull on would
political
Lauc
line
• not least
BLOC is capable of working for a
TUC and to defend
good
The Labour Coordinating Com-
political funds Trade This appeal is Tony
Ken Livingstone, and David
the BLOC should endorse the LCC
through local conthen it
Photos JOHN HARRIS FI
campaigning
defend
the BLOC con-
If it carries but these campaigns
A major step forward
The Tory press this week ranted on
the 'extremism' 'violence' of the miners. The Thatcher government was supposedly ordering in thousands of police to
the right of ordinary workers to go into the pits. government claimed it was simply enforcing 'the same law which applies to everyone.'
These statements are hypocritical lies even by the standard habitually set by Thatcher, Brittan and Lawson. The Conservative Partv manned its frontation with the NUM in detail more than five years ago. The miners are fighting one of the most premeditated attacks ever launched against the trade union movement.
The origins of the present confrontation lie in the Tories period of opposition from 1974 to 1979. At that time the Conservative Party spent amount or te ana resources ramming over the lessons of its defeat at the hands of the unions in 1972 and 1974.
Tory thinking was drawn together in a report authored by Conservative
Nicholas Ridley. Ridley is now Minister of Transport.
Ridley's Conservative Party report was supposedly secret but it was leaked to The Economist magazine. It layed out a step by step blueprint which has since been followed by the Thatcher government.
The Ridley report recommended that each nationalised industry should be instructed to achieve a 'totally in-
Tale of nationalised of return on industries capital.
be instructed to achieve target even if this, 'might mean that men would be laid off, or uneconomic plants would be closed down, or whole businesses sold off or liquidated.'
The report warned there must be no retreat on the strategy, 'there is no point in undertaking it unless prepared to go through with it.'
Nationalised industries were then divided into different groups according
ICE
Tory police organise to smash picket lines
and
The CUL large
Scargill as smeared by the Sun to how easily the Ridley report belived it would be to take on and defeat a strike.
By John Ross
Education, road telecommunications, air transport and steel were singieu Out as arcas wilere a strike could be defeated most easily. Railways, docks, mining, and rub bish disposal were identified as areas of 'intermediate' difficulty.
Sewerage and water workers, electricity, and gas were defined as areas of this maximum
flexibility it was explicitly stated that where industries, 'have the national interest by the jugular vein the only feasible option is to pay up.'
From the general analysis detailed we are recommendations on
Conservative follow were drawn up. series of
The
singled targets. with gas and here the governmen transport, cies dustries.
The
anniculty for the govern. ting To give the government tactical recruitment
Above
breaking. tactics for police, government to communalon. up, structural changes
should be introduced into industry and wage bargaining to split up the working cass. Privatisation was the core of this Telecommunications and the post office should be separated. Any measure of comparability in pay settlements between industries should be ruled out.
To weaken the overall position of the unions the advice was 'to cut off the money supply to the strikers, and make the union finance them.' confrontations early in its term of office goverthele should provoke with groups of workers in sectors where the employers had a particularly strong position. British Leyland, the railways, civil service workers, and steel were
out as particularly suitable
Provoked
Confrontation with stronger groups of workers should be postponed until later in the government's term of office. This should be secured by rigging figures on profitability so that at first, above average wage claims could be paid in 'vulnerable 'industries.
Fights should at all costs be avoided
I electricity workers. But Ridley report believed the could SuL cessfully because no major redundan-
would be needed in those in-
final confrontation which would be provoked would be the mining industry. This struggle should be carefully prepared by building up maximum coal stocks in the power stations, by making emergency plans for impor-
and encouraging the 'of 'good non-union drivers' who would be paid to cros picket lines under police protection.
all the police should be carefully prepared for large scale strike
Large mobile squads of centrally organised and with to back should be organised for smashing picket lines.
Page 7 scan of this page
Coal Board massacre
These plans have been followed to e letter. During its first term in office ie Thatcher government laid down its verall framework of law for confron-
•g the unions. It took on and defeated e steel workers, the civil servants, and SLEF.
At the same time, as recommended
Ridley, the government backed own pit clusures. hilosophically accepted a defeat at the ands of the water workers. Meanwhile ae entire framework of the Tebbit-King aws was being quietly put in place.
Now Thatcher is getting into order ae final part of the plan. The first step as to take on and defeat the NGA at Varrington. This effectively destroyed
chances of smaller yorkers taking on and defying the Tebit laws:
Now the real target has come in the Tory sights: The Yorkshire NUM. The roup of workers that organised the lefeat of Heath in 1972 and 1974.
The. National Union Mineworkers has been the backbone of he British Labour movement for a cenury. These are the real targets of Thather's government.
Those clashes on the have nolnIng do with iolence'. It NUM against the most vicious linated assault on the Beement Since 1926. government defeats the NUM it will urn on any group of workers which lares to fight for its job, its wages or its conditions of work.
It is the Thatcher government which
responsible violence coalfields. Not the NUM.
Thatcher is responsible for every loss of jobs, every injury death. She profits from the death of the Yorkshire David Jones.
111lICI planned this showdown.
The place of every trade unionist, every member of the labour movement, any person who believes in elementary
he picket line with the miners.
groups of
of
picket line
*miners
fighting
trade union the Tory
starved pits in Wales close. and every
She Tory banner for industry
shake up of
private buyers, profits out
cutbacks.
brought down government in
first try when against pit threatened
'U turn'.
By Celia Pugh
The butcher Macuregor, dripping with 100,000 steel jobs. The prospect communities is devastating.
• Jobs and closures
27,000 jobs.
been scrapped.
Secret
One In three
Miners at modernised Ollerton think they're safe while
The great
'LEANER BUT FITTER' was the
at the 1979 election. This meant a major
the nationalised industries — parcelling them up for oul
squeezing more of less workers and destroying union opposition to the
pits and
Thatcher had a particular score to settle with the miners who had
the Heath it a Dit 1974. So her ministers set to work with plans to close pits and break the NUM.
Thatcher got a bloody nose on her pits,
Welsh miners struck ciosures 1981 and national government retreated in a humiliating
Tories have now turned to still axt
TOT the mining
Between 1979 and 1983, 36 pits shut with the loss of
In the last year 23 more pits have closed and 20,000 jobs have
goyernment documents leaked by the NUM in November 1982 show that the Coal Board plans to throw up to 95 pits on the tip in the next eight years and 70,000 jobs with them.
mining jobs would
disappear.
Profit and loss rules OK 1970's, pits were closed when coal ran
when geological conditions made it impossible or too dangerous to work the seams.
Now the NCB insists on profits and productivity alone deciding the fate of
jobs. No matter how much good coal is in the ground or how needed this is in hospitals and homes
economically without subsidy, then it should be shut.
• The age of the super-pit The NCB plans for a smaller number of super-
stuffed with computerised recnnology to replace lne cod produc ed across the country today.
Super-pits Selby in Yorkshire are capable of producing the equilation or Mares and Sonde
Scotland, with only 10 per cent of the workforce.
The Board hopes to close all but a handful of the pits in Wales, Scotland and the North East and to carve away
sections Lancashire, Midlands, Yorkshire and coalfields
Instead of using new technology to shorten the dangerous working hours ot miners it will be used to increase output from a decimated workforce.
fitter has meant slimmers disease for whole coalfields as they are starved of
Without funds,
InvestaCHE seams cannot mined or difficult geological conditions overcome. Areas like South Wales fare badly in the new tables for profit and loss - so the NCB
proposes closure İn 1982 South Wales — employing In the 24,000 miners — received £14.5million
for major capital Yorkshire — gol more. Promised new pits like Margam in South Wales, which could provide hundreds of new jobs are refused fundin hen Welsh miners went on strike in March 1983 it was for investment to viable, create more jobs.
• Divide and rule
with these plans unless the back of the NUM is broken. operation has taken many forms.
After decades of bitter battles, the north miners union has won a certain control
and veto over work practices. now been flagrantly disregarded by the NCB in pit after pit, leading to bitter flare-ups over quotas and conditions In the first five months of 1983 one in five miners took strike action against these provocations.
The incentive bonus scheme, Kent troduced over miners' heads by
Gormlev in 19//. has been used t‹ divide miners. Miners in higher investment and higher bonus pits are conned by the NCB and union officials into believing that harder work and less strikes will secure their future.
• The nukes are here In an attempt to break the strength of the miners as a force for social change the Tories are new prepared replace
dangerous nuclear power and limited supplies of oil — which are 35 per cent more costly. The intention is to increase the nuclear energy used, by between
projects. North coal which
- employing 14,600 miners €452.Smillion, that's 30 times
elderly. bash the The lories cannot get awar
The union bashing
çompensation, This has dustry.
inpenditure Joe
beneficiaries.
«coa with
future
Line lorics.
Socialist Action 23 March 1984
500 and 800 per cent by the year 2000.
The government has turned down NUM proposals for new ways of using
are more efficient vironmentally sound and would allow cheap energy for the poor and the
A 1979 Cabinet paper laid it on the line when it said 'But a nuclear pro gramme would have the advantage of removing a substantial portion of electricity production from the dangers of disruption of industrial action by coal miners or transport workers'.
No matter what the social cost, profits rule supreme.
• Leeches and their friends Aside from previous private owners still paid
many of Thatcher's friends are leeching off the coal in-
Last year f366 million interest found its way to the pockets of the banks and speculators - that's a drain of f2million on every pit.
Between 1981 and 1982 there was a £54million increase in mysterious ex-
like Day licit. private contractors, depreciation and 'expenditure on other items'
Anti-union employers like Arthur Snipe of Mining Supplies and Laurence Scott Electro-Motors — the scene of bitter jobs occupation in 1981 - are the
are the private cowboys who are encouraged to take over open cast mining and workshops.
With their determined strike action the miners are saying enough is enough They are fighting for a safe and secure
for themselves, their communities and all those suffering under
7
Page 8 scan of this page
Behind the South Africa- Angola disengagement
LAST MONTH Angola and South Africa entered into a 'disengagement agreement' in Lusaka which provides for the withdrawal of South African troops from southern Angola, where they have been giving aid to the pro-Western, anti-government UNITA guerrillas.
agreement as a prelude to imminent 'independence' from Namibia - the former province of 'South West Africa' which lies between South Africa proper and Angola.
But a closer look at the Angola/South Africa agreement and the cumstances surrounding it, show that Namibian independence, and indeed ›eace between Angola and south Africa, is still far away. Angola entered into
the discussions with South Africa on the basis of four conditions laid down in August last year. These included a). unconditional withdrawal of South African troops from Angola b) implementation of UN resolution (1978) for Namibian independence c) the cessation of all South African aggression against Angola and d) the end of all military and logistical support for UNITA
While South Africa has agrees to a four week pullout from Angola, it has given no indication that it will break off support for
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arvance sene Diary Socialist Action, 328 Upper Sirees, NI 2XP arrive later Thursday, one week prior 1o publication).
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• Broad Left Organising Conference Octagon Centre, Western Bank, Sheffield, Sat
AĞTiON
Join the
fight for
socialism
Socialist Action 23 March 1984
agreement
The western press has been quick to interpret this
UNITA, and commitment to implement resolution 435 has not been deed the day after the Lusaka agreement South African foreign minister Pik Botha stated that he did not know whether the resolution could or would be implemented.
By Anne M Hudson (Namibia Support Committee)
For the Namibian liberation movement SWAPO, and the United Nations, the only outstanding issue is what electoral system would be utilised in the elections leading to independence. But the South Africans have consistently
on what electoral system should be used, thus showing that they want to avoid LIC
24 March 11-5.30.
Credentials from George Williamson. 11 Sutton Place London E9 6EH.
Defend London democracy. Public meeting, Thur 22 March, 8pm,
Kingsgate Community
Centre, 107 Kingsgate Rd London awo. speakers
include Phil Turner, leader
Camden Council and John
Meonnel. ulc mance chair. Organised by
Hampstead and Highgate
Labour rarty-niour branch.
• Haringey GLC campaign
any z4 March, cvelts al. day. Tottenham Green
Town
Tall Approach Rd, Londor
• Funeral for local
democracy starting at
LOTOSIO Lanc. Peckham,
9.45am, Friday 23 March.
Ending at County Hall.
Name
Address
Age ... Union/CLP (if any) ...... 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. London N1.
dependence, at least until it can impose its Namibian Pulti-Party Conference organisation, the (MPC) as the government.
A second essential facLO I HOL covered by the Lusaka agreement is the armed struggle within Namibia itself. The Angola-South Africa 'disengagement agreement' has no bearing on the activity of 100,000 South African and allied troops who terrorise Namibia's black population. SWAPO presdent Sam Nujoma has expressed fears that troops withdrawn ITOE ACOa
roil be used to bather 11.2
rorise million people, 80 per cent of whom are living under martial law.
Likewise, the People's Liberation Army in Namibia is not bound by any of the conditions the Lusaka agreement. While SWAPO has some refugee settlements and other facilities in Angloa, none of its combatants operate from Angola, but from within Namibia itself.
Pretoria has however attempted to portray recent SWAPO attacks, for example the one at Blomiontein, as a threat to its own transparent 'peace moves, and perhaps all
Anti-cuts campaigns • London Health Service Campaign. 34 Dalston Lane, London E8 3AZ 01-249 8086.
Disarmament • Labour and NATO Labour Briefing discussion conference. Sat 24 March,
10.30-5pm County Hail London.
Youth CND Easter march organised bi Neath and Swansea YCND. April 26-29. Free food and accommodation lor marchers Contact Rachel Burch, 8 Eversley Rd,
Swansea. Tel: 0792
ketty.
Ireland
• Lahour and Ireland day school for budding writers, workshops with trained
journalists. London, Feb or
excuse for another attack on Angola
In Namibia the South African government furiously the MPC. Their brief 1S lC evernment and draw in establish 'interim
new Pretona ha recently declared that the must be a party to negotiations over Namibia's
condition rejected by SWAPO as giv-
fake legitimacy South Africa's stooges.
March, fl. Write to Labour and Ireland, BM Box 5355, London WCIN 3XX.
International • Sri Lankan Research & Information Group will provide speakers on the current situation there for meetings. Write to 9 Grays Inn Buildings, , London EC1.
Anti Apartheid Action. Demonstration 24 March, Assemble Hackney Town Hall, Mare St, London, am march to bout Africa House, , Trafalgar Square. 21 March. anniversarv of Sharpville massacre picket SA House Trafalgar Sq. 1-2pm March, lobby of MP's, 12 noon to 8pm. 4 maren lunchtime picket of Barclays Bank Head Office, Lombard
El Salvador day of action national day of activities against British government observers to Salvador elections. 24 March Hunger strike in London. St Martin in the Fields, 24 hrs i, a584 informatior 8-24 ADI. Information from NSC, 20-21 Compton To Hands off Grenada , London N1. pudic meeung Thur 22
March, 7.30, Irish Centre, 52
Camden Square, London
NW1. Speakers include Jeremy Corbyn MP
Tony Gifford, Carol Davis. Sarah Burton. 25 Years of the Cuban Revolution
• Britain-Cuba Resource Centre Information about activities suus to damie
Britain and the United States although anxious for a Namibian settlement fear the consequences of a SWAPO victory. With massive investeal South Africa, they fear that instability inside apartheid's heartland would be massively increased by such an event.
This explains why Thatcher, although not being as open as the US for fear of alienating the Commonwealth lobby, has passively concurred with
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Thur, Fri, 11-7.
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weekly review and newsletters from 29 Islington Park St, London N1. • Cuban workers trade union commemorallull Organised by UCATT building workers. 19 April, County Hall, London, 7pm.
Sckes rom onlal Cuba Resource Centre, Islington Park Si, London
Civil Rights • Action Groun on Immigration and Nationality Conference on the case for
AlaWi March, 10-4.30, AUEW House, 43 The Crescent,
SWAPO fighters prepare for action
Washington's attempts to secure agreement beyond the bounds of the UN resolution.
With Namibian independence still long way off, British capital continues to exploit the country's malver a and other resources, defiance of rulings by the UN and the International Court of Justice. Despite the government's anthat the British electricity industry will end its contract for
For Marxist
books, posters,
postcards, badges
Feminist literature
• Immigration Widows Kit information and advice on organising against the immigration attacks on women. From Women
Group, c/o 44 Theobalds Rd, , London WC1. 85p (inc
Lesbian & Gay Liberation • London Labour Campaign for Gay Rights new office at 39 Chippenham Rd, W9 ZAH 01-286 9692, , open Tues-Thur 1lam-7pm. (Westbourne Grove tube. Bad access, help available).
International
uranuim from the Rossing
after 1984, evidence me as l the Namibia Support committee SUPEESIS that the importation of Nami bian uranium into Britain will continue processing for foreign customers and perhaps for • military use
On 29 February Alun Roberts, a British citizen and member of the Namibia Support Com mittee who wrote the book
The Rossing File exposin
Britain's plunder of Nam bian uranium, was rested in Namibia. He was held under special South African legislation whict enables people to be held incommunicado for days
For two weeks the Foreign Office refused to take any actions to secure his release: Supporters of Namibian independence are asked to raise the matter of Alun Roberts' arrest in their union, Labour Party or ounci organisation, and to send telegram
the Foreign Office demanding that it calls for his immediate and unconditional release. • For further information contact the Namibia support 53 Leverton St., Londor
Telephone 26% 1941/2.
• Labour Movement Lesbians is a new organisation of lesbians in ine about movement support each other and organise initiatives on issues Inal arleet itsorals Further information from Sarah c/c Feminist Library Hungerford House , Victoria Embk, London WC2. • Glasgow Labour Campaign for Gay Rights meers secono aursaay ever month in AUEW halls at
7.30. Info from LCGR Box 35 488 Great Western Rd. Glasgow.
Miscellaneous • GLC workshops employment and training for the future. 22 March Migrants in the NHS, County Hall. 7-9.30 pm, 5 April Migrants, black
County 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 N1, price
35p, (plus 16p, p/p).
Page 9 scan of this page
News
Why
they
want
Adams
dead
them. strip searches, cell raids and internal lock-ups. They expect nothing less.
Republican woman prisoner A DELEGATION of over 170 women travelled to Ireland to join this women's prison. The picket in support of women political prisoners has now become an annual event, supported by growing numbers of women internationally.
Armagh group and Sinn Fein Women's Department, brought together Wales, England and abroad to demonstrate for International women's liberation in Ireland is part of the struggle for Irish self-determination. It was particularly pleasing to see a group of women from Greenham Common on the delegation.
Women political
in Armagh alc subject to a humiliating and degrading form of sexual harassment by the prison lollie. namely strip searching. One woman prisoner was strip-searched live mes WIL Bull a 48-hour period, although SIC Wa. Constalll surveillance, and came into contact witn no one except the prison officers.
She said of this ordeal: *I saw my nakedness as an indictment against them.
They thought my womanhood would serve to help to defeat me. They didn't understand that the
of ideals cannol stripped from one's The strip searches are most frequently used
remand prisoners some of them are strip searched up to four times
appearance that might last only five SITICS.
The remand prisoners are those held under the infamous paid perjurer
UCUUIC victed on the
'The Armagh women deserve every accolade laid on They suffer and endure resolutely continual
They deserve so much more.
year's picket of Armagh
The delegation, organised jointly by the London
women …trom Scotland,
Women's Day that the struggle for
roborated evidence of one person. The svstem has introduced a new style of internment tor Republican prisoners.
By Steph Green and Ros Young
Information on plastic and rubber bullets was explained to us by a woman who had been blinded by a plastic bullet fired at short range by a British soldier She told of the deaths and horrendous injuries caused by these lethal weapons. one nine month CTIO November 1981 British army fired 26,000 plastic bullets
The pistet at the prison
picket at the prison had a larger turnout than previous years with people north and south, , as well as the delegation. But as Sinn Fein women pointed but, we need to build this thousands, not hundreds, Ical cal.
Solidarity greetings
been an attempt on the life of Gerry Adams.
good reason for wanting him dead.
in the six counties.
Adams was arrested in 1973 and not released until 1976. During the mid-1970s after Ine trauma of Bloody Sunday
1972 the Republican movement went through a period of a loss ot airec tion. The "power-sharing' ment negotiated by Northern Ireland minister Willlam wollelaw gave a lease of life to the middle-
The Provisionals the
ouner CONCCE trated on the economic bombing campaign in the Six Counties, and a bombing In Britain which resulted in the Birmingham bombings in 1974. rrom prison Adanis called for a change in direction. His central theme was tha the military and political struggle had to be united.
EXpression ch we faven
the ching of the relatives' cam-
for the political prisoners, and evenutally most dramatically in the mass mobilisations around the hunger strike.
Increasingl
Poine spear tended Siny
spearheaded Adams and a group of vounger leaders in the six Counties, re-opened the strategic discussion what kind of Ireland the Republican movement was fighting for. was Ine federal Ireland outlined in the Sinn Fein programme of James Connolly? This struggle, concuce de 1982 and '83 Ard Fheis was tought aralils.
in Armagh
were read out from organisations such as Outwrite, Spare Rib, Labour Committee
liciallu Women for Palestine and many more from Irish sondarily groups and sisters struggle
the world. A this point the RUC were beginning to look distinctly uncomfortable.
The London Armagh Fein's Women's Department and local people from West Belfast put a lot of effort into organising the delegation effort was much appreciated. It was
IT COMES as no surprise to anybody that there has
Both the Loyalist paramilitaries and the British state have
During the last decade he has emerged as the most determined and clear-sighted leader of socialist Republicanism
more traditional right wing republican leadership based in Dublin, around Daithi O'Connaill and Ruadhri O'Braudaich.
Adams has shown over the years an ability to learn from the experience of the struggle, the elect relation electoral tactic, ingly made Sinn Fein the dominant political force in the nationalist communi-
he cantone. of Bobby Sands, and ther Owen Carron atter sand's death proved Adams' effective strategic leadership of the Republican movement.
By Andrew Melntyre
The presitge of the Adams team was used to reaffirm the democratic socialist orientation and change the programme of the organisation, for example by delenne reter ences Christian prin-
a much more substantial role in the movement, for example by creating women's department Sinn Fein run by women
a development which found is repercussion the increasing involvement • wonnel me mass car paigns in the Six Counties.
Sinn Fein was given a much more daily political
Bellast, as a means of building mass electoral support through directly addressing the daily pro-
Stop strip searches
not however appreciated by the authorities, • judging by the amount of harassment the delegation received in a pathetic attempt to stop us showing our solidarity.
blems of the local people.
An Phoblacht, the Provisionals' weekly paper, was turned towards mass politics, concenwalng much less on simpic news of the military strug-
but Talle. turning towards working class issues and struggle.
The new mass strategy which led to the election of six Sinn Fein members to the Assembly and the elec. tion of Gerry Adams as the MP for West Belfast were
consolidated by the 1983 Ard Fheis. Adams insisted on something which gave Republican strategy a new dimension turn
southern Irish working class above all in the trade unions.
This is crucial to any socials strategy for Ireland — the understanding that the reunification of Ireland on a socialist basis can only be achieved within 32-county perspective, , and by breaking down the idea that the solution the national
the nationalist communit in Six Counties alone.
Traditionally Sinn Fein has had
scalallal titude towards work in the Southern trade unions. une break mom les Is an essential prerequisite building Sinn Fein as a mass party throughout
Sinn Fein nas come through dramatic ounlica has led it from its former impasse. It has made a rea turn to the nichil. allu credit for this lies in the clear-sighted leadership given by Gerry Adams. Women on the 1980 Armagh delegation New pamphlet
'Strip searches in
Armagh Jail'
Women behind the Wire no 2 By the London Armagh Group 75p from 374 Gray's Inn Rd., London WCI
* Books are urgently needed for our sisters Ar-
Falls Road Womens Centre. Send Falls
10.
Womens Centre, 170a Falls Road, Belfast.
IRELAND
UNFREE
SOCIALIST REPUBLICAN
Seamus Costello and Miriam
her husband,
accidental.
most to gain from my execution -
ment'.
from the City Hall by security forces.
unidentified.
Photo: DEREK SPIERS (IFL
shooting. following Gerry Adams.
The
Loyalist UDA.
the shooting, or
by Republicans against the
Gerry Adams and his comrades
him.
Socialist Action 23 March 1984 9
The Gerry Adams
murder attempt
leaders in Ireland do not have a very high survival rate.
Daly, both leaders of the Irish Republican Socialist Party, were assassinated by persons unknown Bernadette MacAliskey survived the attempt to assassinate her by a virtual miracle.
The attempt to murder Bernadette and
and last week's attack on Adams and his companions, have one striking thing in common — the rapid arrival of the security forces to the scene. In both cases suspicions arose that the proximity of the security forces and their prompt arrest of the would-be assassins was something more than
Gerry Adams said last week: 'I don't think that it was an attack carried out by the British or planned by them, but I think they was aware that it was going to happen. The people who have got the
- the execution of any Irish Republican — is the British govern-
The chain of events which led to the Adams shooting and the arrest of his assailants were extraordinary. As the car in which they were travelling approached Belfast City Hall a car drew up along side and fired dozens of shots. The getaway car was intercepted three hundred yards away
At first the police stated that the gunmen's car had been intercepted by 'an off-duty member of the Ulster Defence Regiment'. Later the regiment of the 'off-duty soldiers' (note the plural) became
Moreover given that the attack took place in a one-way system behind the City Hall, there is no way in which someone pursing the attackers could have any reason to chase them unless they were travelling behind the Adams car and witnessed the
Or to out it another wav. it seems vert obvious that a car with plain clothes soldiers was
attack on Adams was claimed by the 'Ulster Freedom Fighters' the cover name for the
The UDA later claimed that Adams had been under surveillance by a group of SAS soldiers. Either this SAS squad witnessed the attack on Adams and did not intervene until after
even worse they were there because they knew the attack was coming — and were present to arrest the attackers, so that the British government wouldn't take the rap.
After the attack Adams expressed his confidence that there would be no retaliatory attacks
Loyalists for the murder attempt. Democratic Unionist leader Ian Paisley virtually gave his blessing to the attack by saying that Adams had reaped what he has sown and had personally 'glorified murder' in the past. Paisley's comments are in line with the campaign by the British media, and in particular the World in Action TV programme, to portray Adams as a gunman and not the popular mass leader that hi
- in other words a suitable case for assassination.
had a lucky escape. But the British state and the Loyalist thugs are unlikely to give up their attempts to get rid of
Page 10 scan of this page
• Arguments for more
10
Save
London
Transport
THE LONDON Regional Transport Bill is being rushed through Parliament well in advance of the final onslaught on the GL.C. By the end of 1984 London Transport may be controlled by its enemies.
do with London Transport when the Tories get control of it. Certainly they will increase fares, cut staff levels and reduce services, but nobody can be sure how far they will go, or how soon.
Official government advice to London port is that the subsidy for 1984 should £125 million, which •Д. £100 million less than the GLC plans to provide. The difterence is so big that it 1s hard SCe could how the get
away with following their
By Ivor Evans
Even with savage cuts in services and jobs, there would have to be a 40 per cent rise in fares and the abolition of pensioners' passes for the government guidelines on spending to be met. In the short term this would ne pontical madness for the government, especially would still be in the throes of a fight against the campaign to save the GLC
Nevertheless, these are the sort policies the Tories are committed to. These attacks on the public transport service and its workforce will go hand in hand with the introduction of private business and the break up. of London Transport into a series of subsidiaries. London Regional Transport - the
proposed
have the power to make grants of loans to firms taking over parts of LT. It is not enough to hand over public services to protitmaking concerns, the government 1s even going to pay them to make a profi. Privatisation can take various forms, the most obvious being 380troduction of private minibuses on the 'cream' routes. To fight off the
«Socialist Action 23 March 1984
London Birde
As yet the government hasn't decided what it will
competition, London Regional Transport will have to concentrate its
Serve the
opular routes — especia
r as LRT itself will be ru along business lines. The
residents of outlying areas can easily be guessed.
There will be private investment in parts of the system. There are already reports of merchant bankers lining up to pụt
Victoria IlLe and Piccadilly lines. vestors will profit from the most popular parts of the Underground, leaving the ratepayer holding the let-
How far this process will go is open to speculation at the moment. It will depend on how successful the unions and the Labour Partv are in leading a campaign to defend London's • transpoll systch.
Support
But if LT operated on a fully commerical basis, the use of buses would drop to an estimated 38 per cent of present levels and the use of tubes to 23 per cent. Fares, would shoot up Staff would drastically cut. Services would be decimated. Ton Trans Dr the London Regional Bill
would industrial action by bus and tube workers with the ac tive support of much OI London. Although this is unlikely, provided a strong campaign to save London Transport is maintained; the government will find it very nara to carve up tre service as they want to.
Parliamentary Democracy and the Labour Movement, the new pamphlet by the Campaign group of MPs, has been given wide publicity in the press. It was officially launched at a press conference last week.
members of the Campaign group, to introduce the pamphlet's arguments. next week.
The pamphlet looks at the parliamentary system to see how working people can use their voters to meet their needs and draws attention to the fact that Clause IV of the
makes the establishment and maintainance oi a party in parliament one of its primary objectives and affirms our commitment to parliamentary democracy.
Indeed, the labour
movement has led the long struggle to achieve universal franchise precisely because working people were not prepared to be ex-
trom tion in the House of Com-
It was we in the labour movement, whose history is rooted in the Chartists and Suffragettes
campaigned for the wine vole or men are worer And we only achieved votes for evervone. and women at 18 as recently as 1970.
But having said all that, the fact is that the movement has never
that its main strength lies outside parliament. Under capitalism, even when Labour nas the majority, the real levers of colonic and financial power are outside parliament and are not subject to the direct - or indeed for that matter indirect -control of the electors of the MPs they've elected.
This course always been the case. And it seems truer loday wael the power of the multina-
the military, the civil serVICC and the mass media has increased significantly and become more internationalised.
The pamphlet confirms our commitment to the principle of government and social change by free consent.
We've level been afraid that the democratic
from realising our objec tives, but that British
LILstitutions may not be sufficiently democratic in practice to allow the will of the people to be translated into action.
A PIECE O
THE
AMAZING! A LITTLE PIECE OF CARBONISED VEGETABLE MATTER! YET IT HELPED MAKE BRITAIN THE RICHEST AND MOST POWERFUL NATION OF THe 19Hh CENTURY!
democracy
Socialist Action asked Tony Benn, one of the
We review the pamphlet
The deals with a series of obstacles which stand in the way of the full development of or marathi continuin
constitution.
Although we say we have
'Mother Parliaments', the fact is that we are only allowed to elect one-third of the constitutional bodies, namely the House of Commons and not the Crown or the House of Lords.
We look at the state apparatus — how the prime minister is really we go look at the
draw limitations that are placed on members of parliament when they try to do their work
Then we at the difficulties faced by the parliamentary Labour Party, particularly when
PARLIAMENTARY
DEMOCRACY
AND MOVEMENT › THE
Parliamentary Democracy and The Labour
Movement is published by the Campaign
Group of Labour MPs. Price 50p, it is
available from the Campaign Group, c/o
Joan Maynard, House of Commons, Lon-
don SWI. This is a must for every Labour
and trade union activist's bookshelf.
ACTION
AND HOW MANY MEN HAVE BEEN KILLED AND MAIMED BRINGING COAL FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE EARTH?
Dhoto By Tony Benn
Labour is in power. We looks at the mass media,
• LABOUR
FPARLYAMENT LABOUR AT THE GATE.
MINERS DEFEAT FOR
the role that it performs, and then make a number of recommendations and conclusions, for improvements.
There are about 20 recommendations in . all.
They begin with the idea that crown prerogative should be sublect to th House of Commons particularly the power to disco ve carament walc! is of great importanc ve cle from luc ca of the dismissal of Gough Whitlam's Labour govern. ment in Australia The pamphlet argues for the abolition of the Lords, the abolition of the 1972 es ropean Communities that British legislation can't be frustrated in British court by transfers supremacy to the Common Markel We look at the question of American nuclear bases in Britain. We argue for a Freedom of Information Act. We suggest that all major public appointments should be submitted .to the Commons for ap proval. We take un the theme of Fred Jowett who WHOLE World before War that the when First
Labour is in power a committee of Labour MPs should go into civil service departments that ministers are not isolated.
SAND NOW THESE MINERS ARE ONCE MERIT AGAIN UNDER ATTACK.
AND, LET'S FACE IT A DEFEAT FOR THE
WOULD BE A THE
CLASS, SO WHY...
News
We also look at the relation cot the Labour Party to the state. The pamphlet argues election of the shadow cabinet munister. and cabinet ministers by the
We sa! ereciora conced attical paries should be that state funds paid 1o uncl staff seconded to hellabohe parliamentary Party. Finally there are one or two matters that
specifically parliament itself. That the advantage that privy coun ended and that the House cillors should of Commons should televised so that you can actually see what happens.
We call for the drafting of standing orders for the parliamentary Labour party and their submission for the approval of the party conterence. We sug gest that the life of parlia
should be reduced from five years to four. We say that the parliamen-
sulted when Labour is in power and before Labour governments reach deci SON.
We call for more rational hours of sitting and proper facilities for members of Parliament and say e maying about how the pay members of parliament should be settled
that Westminster where we work, should be under the control of the House of Commons so that people can actually make it more accessible to electors. There should be creches for those who work in the building
And finally we say thai any MP wild cave political party for which they elected must recontest their seat at the earliest date.
We argue that these changes really are a call for radical, democratic reform and that they will win a great deal of sur port. Obviously such changes will be resisted by
democracy believe that democracy is a barrier to the maintenance of their power and privileges.
That is a summary of the pamphlet. It is collec tive in character, it was discussed by the Campaigr Group on a number of oc casions, and I think it will arouse a great deal of in-
3/84 RMAC
I'LL ADMIT THAT YOUR ANALYSIS IS NOT WITHOUT L
- BUT I ONLY ASKED YOU TO FILL THE COAL SHUTTLE
Page 11 scan of this page
LIVERPOOL "The fight is just
Campaigning for Jobs & Services LIVERPOOL-A SOCIALIST COUNCIL
News
rate-making day, holds out hope of welcoming back the 'sensible
of bringing to bear the pressure of local opinion.
With a Labour majority of 51 on a total council of 99. the the SCVCL District Labour Party has crucial.
censured sevel their anti-democratic behaviour in uphold the policy of the Liverpool Labour Party.
But Liverpool has gained a breathing space
with Neil Kinnock. While
in support of the city council's stand, he appears have changed his position
auvocallllg that Liverpool stay within the law by fixing a ou per cent rate, to a general expression of sympathy with the city's plight.
This is an inadequate lead from the national party leader, but it goes some way towards culling SIr any media claims that the party is openly divided on
Liverpool strategy. Whilst Kinnock IS ding his back, labour
support for Liverpool is growing.
The recent North West Region Labour Party conference carried
tWO tions in support of Liver-
council's fight DOUl against the Tory govern-
beginning'
AS LIVERPOOL ENTERS its final week before
the District Labour Party still
seven' — Labour councillors so dubbed by the press for refusing to vote for an illegal budget — into Labour's fold. Over the weekend, party members held mass canvasses in the rebels' wards in the hope
ment's refusal to allocate the £30 million needed by the city. And support from the trade union movement is still coming in.
By Carol Turner
It seems less likely than ever that 29 March will see an end to Liverpool's confrontation with Thatcher's It is possible no budget Labour's Liberal/Tory stitch up will get majority on budget day. With the law as it stands, Thatcher will be unable to step in under the new rate capping legislation is made law.
Technically, no budget needs to be made until the tinal day or me lancial year, giving Liverpool 12 potential 'reprieve' of months. Whether the banks and financial stitutions would refrain from calling in their debts such circumstances yel another question.
As Liverpool prepares for battle though, one thing is clear. In the words Liverpool party member: pens on the 29th - Liverpool's fight is only just beginning'.
Council Joint Shop
I think the demonstration on 29 March will be big at least 30,000. We've asked local government unions to send delegations along to Liverpool for that day.
There will be a number of delegations from difterent Darls of the coulltry. Knowsley NALGO nave voted strike on that day. But the core of the demonstration will be from Liverpool.
The trades council has aiscussea ll ana laken a position of fully ing le counch, bul the groups represented, like Fords wind dock workers, won't necessarily
members out on strike.
Liverpool NALGO is now holding a ballot to be conducted workplace
Council workers stand firm
AS LIVERPOOL'S budget deadline moves closer, PETE CRESSWELL, secretary of Liverpool City
Stewards and secretary of NALGO, gave Socialist Action an update on events.
meetings; we'll have the results next Friday. The decision of the mass meeting was overwaemm. ing. I'm confident the result will be the same as the mass meeting It's not yet clear what's Nappene as a result of shop steward's decision not to support a 24-hour strike. But at least one NUPE branch, NUPE markets, has voted tavoll ot strike NUPE have said they'!!
Dut the members mass and that's all
motion beaking pe
majority members to strike anyway: the home helps, the old people's homes, and We're maintaining emergency services on the
29th. And we're allowing members service the council meeting which starts at 1.30pm.
have approached the six councillors to interview them for our newsletter and they've refused. Now we're writing to ask them exactly where they
Every indication have that thev're ir favour of making cuts. Ther al c an illegal budget and they've said they're against big rate increases
That only leaves one option
The seventh councillor, Margaret Delaney is widely quoted as saying she's in favour of putting the city through what the Yover men emanat "letting the wounds bleed'.
As lal Concerned, we're continuing to fight for the council to refuse to make any cuts.
Socialist Action 23 March 1984
from Kinnock
SPEAKING AT House of Commons press conference immediately after Monday's meeting between Labour leader Neil Kinnock and a delegation from Liverpool City Council Labour Group, Tony Mulhearn, chairperson of Liverpool District
Party made the following statement:
We have now had a discussion with Neil Kinnock in connection with the strategy adopted bi Liverpool Labour Group on the citv council. ported the District Labour Partv anc the labour movement. What
received from Neil Kinnock was an indication that he recognises fully, and sympathises with, the situation that Livernool find themselves in.
He recognises that it is a situation not of the
Labour Group's creation, but caused by the
action Liberal/Tory alliance
Photo: TIM RIGRY
GMBATU
supports the
council
we
support to
Labour victory in May.
redundancies.
• From statement
stewards in Liverpool.
Tea and sympathy
who controlled Livernoo for the previous nine years and exacer. bated by the policies of the Tory government.
He sympathises fully with the position that we find ourselves in, and ob viously indicates that if there was Labour government his make the they would aaK! necessary resources available to the crisis that Liverpool is forced to be in at the present time. une case in the clearest aciegatiol the possible way that there was no attempt to strike a compromise which involved cuts or massive and that reculu alicics the Liverpool Labour Group is determined to pursue this strategy anc Call which will protect jobs out its budge
and services and avoid
to the council chamber on 29 March.
The campaign will continue to mobilise th maximum possible support for that budget on which the Labour Part! the was elected at the May elections.
SUPPORT
LIVERPOOL
LABOUR
COUNCIL
THE ONLY WAY forward is for the national party leadership to give an unequivocal
Liverpool. Introducing legal budgets with massive rate increases and consequent job losses will mean a defeat for Labour on Merseyside. But it will also mean defeat for all those other Labour councils who will face the Tory axe next year. If the Labour leadership stands firm behind Liverpool as the rank and file have done, then the Tories can be defeated. Labour has no alternative but to stand firm on this, continue to build mass support, demand the £30 million from the government, and fight for a
The only course of action is to continue to build for the one day strike on 29 March called for by the Liverpon| City Council Joint Shop Steward's Committee, and to prepare workers for industrial action to defend jobs and services. Opposition must continue to all budgets that entail massive rate rises and
by GMBATU senior
Page 12 scan of this page
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IT IS the clear duty of the whole Labour movement to support the Yorkshire, Scottish, Welsh, North Derbyshire, Kent, and other miners on strike.
They are defending the industry and they are bringing out the true nature of the government's policy. The government wants to try to divide the union, to destroy the industry — or at least those pits which they choose to call uneconomic, with a view to the privatisation of profitable pits like Selby and ultimately the Vale of Belvoir. by Tony Benn
They are doing this because they believe the NUM is the strongest trade union in the movement and in the Labour Party. They want to reverse the
whole public ownership campaigr which culminated in the
The crucial questions at stake are whether the miners support MacGregor as chairman of the Coal Board, support the policy of mass closures, and support privatisation — not the other issues raised by the government to confuse the situation.
is to give 100 per cent support to the NUM executive.
to South Wales
tinghamshire and South
heart of the struggle:
spread we have had a reporter in Liverpool.
All out
for
Deme
1946 Act
There is no doubt what our job is. It
SUPPORT THE MINERS
SUPPORT YOUR PAPER
THIS WEEK we've sent our reporters out into the coalfields to cover the events day by day. One went
another has been in NotYorkshire to be at the
For us to carry on producing the best artieles, and point the way forward we need money. Money to pay our journalists' fares. Money to get good photographs to illustrate our stories. And money to guarantee the production of the paper at this very important time. There are other events going on which we've covered over the weeks. Liverpoo Council's fight against rate capping will come 1o a head in the next week. Following our centre page
Wednesday decided to strike on the same day.
, Many of the London borough NALGO branches will be stopping work to bring their members on ing that week NALGO will the march and Tally be holding open days to try and win public support. In Liverpool there will be
support of the city coun cil's Sidne : against governal.
By Patrick Sikorski (London Transport NUR District Council)
Preparing the ground for all-out industrial action to stop abolition
Thousands of jobs will be lost if the pro. posals go through. Lon don Transport alone will lose 10,000 jobs.
The focus must shift from 'fun days' to serious united action by the unions to defend the GLC.
The Greater London want to keep producing quality coverage and put
need regular financial donations from porters. In the week where the miners lake on the
Gerry Adams, and where Liverpool collides head
with Thatcher's policies,
and if you don't already give us any, send some today. your Socialist Action every week. The more solid the miners strike becomes the more the Fleet Street lies will increase. Help us get out the real story -Support your paper!
DEMOCRACY DAY on 29 March will take place amid widespread strike action to defend the GLC and metropolitan councils. London Transport has called a strike of the capital's buses and tubes on
28. And NALGO GLC branch has
Council Labour Group and NAIGO have adopted a policy of non cooperation with transter. ring powers to quangos and But a policy of lobbying LUlluUl boroughs
parliament and creating a cumare sympathetic public opinion in insufficient to take on the lory laws.
Neil Kinnock has already come out against defying the law, in an attempt to pull the rug from under Liverpool The TUC is also against strike action. best sabotage by London Transport unions and claiming it will alienate public opinion.
cover for strender. ly
La cover for surrender. will defeat defence campaign. The to stop Tory plans is to mobilise all the unions and the Labour Party against the Thatcher government. the paper at the centre of the action. To do that we
our sup-
Tories, where Loyalist gun men try to assassinate
make sure Socialist Action is there with the news and with the views that you want to hear. Keep the money coming in
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