Socialist Action No. 69, 14 September 1984
The scan: 069-sep-14-1984-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
No. 69 14 September 1984 THIS WEEK the labour movement has in its hands the power to win the miners' strike. The decisions of last week's TUC congress, if they were put into practice, would secure victory.
No government can withstand a blockade of the power stations. If the AUEW and the GMBATU carried out the pledges made by David Basnett and Gavin Laird at the TUC the government's whole position would crumble.
All the power workers' have to deliver is the most elementary principle of trade unionsim: no crossing of picket lines; no handling of goods taken across a picket line. They do not even have to encace in the kind of solidarity strike that the are in fact involved in.
It was this simple policy won the strikes in 1972 and 1974. And it would again it 1984.
What is more the union leaderships and the TUC do have the power to deliver that support. The reaction when the TUC called for solidarity over massive. TGWU leadership has held together, and at the beginning of the week even hardened, the dock strike despite the massive press and government offen-
And if the TUC delivered on its policy now, the NUM would have won the strike. For the NUM will never be forced back to work by hardsm once tney know lal victory simply a question of time until the blockade of power bites.
The TUC has the power to cut the hardship of the strike. finance and general purposes commit-
30p
Stop
all
coal!
tee can call on quite enough funds to ensure the NUM cannot be starved back to work. massive financial aid would harden the strike and boost morale still further.
ago, today it is clear that the miners strike can be won.
strike simply by delivering its congress policy. Even MacGregor's attempts blow the TUC's decisions by refusing negotiaunions tions came apart at the first hurdle.
leadership of the TUC do not want a crushing and the NUM leadership. But they BIne a pokers members, and are even aware that if
Thatcher can crush the NUM she will
which come for them next
The TUC promise that worst provocations, but lets through the pit closure programme. And that means defeating a strike that can be won.
The Fortunately already shown that they power to upset Everything is still to be fought for. If in the next weeks militants in every
into reality this strike can win: despite Thatcher, Lairds.
If the TUC back the miners, no pit need close.
today is simple. Carry out the TUC The TUC congress decisions.
power stations. STOP ALL COAL!
SoCiAList
ACTION
The announcement of
If anyone doubted it six months
The TUC can ensure victory in the
credibility
But that is just the problem. The
victory for Arthur Scargill
pressure of their
are seeking a 'comremoves NCB's
the miners have have the every calculation.
despite the Basnetts and
There is no need for compromise.
The task of the whole movement
Blockade the
DON'T CROSS NUM PICKETS
NUM
1 1000 NUM
COAL
No, DOLE
JOBS& COAL
Page 2 scan of this page
Organise the left
2
ACTion SociAlist
Kinnock gets
his way
THE SPEECH which Neil Kinnock made to last week's TUC achieved a remarkable feat. It made Gavin Basnett sound like raving militants.
Even with the framework of Neil Kinnock's overall politics it was a consciously right wing speech. 'miners' violence' was long and harsh. The
demnation of the police was non-existent. There was no mention even formally of a victory miners Basnett and Laird had been forced to give lip service to.
through the National Economic Council, over NATO, over the 'no-strike' pledge at GCHQ -himself with the right.
The sole issue on which Kinnock went out of his way to intervene against the open right were his opening remarks stressing the unity of the Labour Party and the trade union movement -an obvious attack on the EETPU and the other supporters of 'non-political deals with the SDP etc. Kinnock, in short, aligned himself solidly with the right and 'centre' of the TUC.
The leadership of the most powerful unions returned the compliment. The 1 the left of Kinnock on the immediate question of solidarity with the miners, has taken the political lead to support the new, Labour defence document. Ron Todd has made it clear he personally wants the TGWU to sup-
Kinnock's position GMBATU of Trade Unions for a Labour Victory, continues to be one of Kinnock's key links into the trade unions. The fact that Neil Kinnock's secretary is married to Norman Willis shows the long standing personal links between the Labour Party leader and the new TUC General Secretary.
Kinnock's extreme trade union right for seeking to weaken their links to the Labour Party, but above all to seek to isolate Arthur Scargill and the militant left of the unions.
Labour Party to prevent Tony Benn getting into Parliament, now is attempting to break the basis of mandatory reselection, and at the will be attempting to get Robin the NEC to displace one of the left wingers in the constituency section seats. rhetoric Kinnock is seeking to strengthen the 'centre' in the labour movement.
But what is important to note is the direction in which the centre is headed.
Kinnock's entire policy has been to rebuild Labour's base, and Alliance, by taking Labour to the right. were three key policies which British capital found absolutely unacceptable at the last election - • Labour's opposition to membership of the EEC, its unilateralism, and its failure to adopt an explicit incomes policy. systematically to eliminate all three.
Opposition to EEC membership has already
Unilateralism is degutted by the defence document. new explicit incomes policy were clearly visible at the TUC. are the first shot in the campaign to limit or reverse the rank and file of the party.
Kinnock's whole policy is to meet the threat of the Alliance by taking Labour rightward to occupy the political space of the Alliance.
Neil Kinnock took Labour a big step in that direction at the TUC congress. The right wing speech was just an accurate glimpse of where he intends to try to take the whole party.
Editor: ALAN FREEMAN Published weekly except two weeks in August and the last week of December.
Signed articles bv contributors do not necessarily repre sent Socialist Action's views. editorials.
Send all correspondence regarding subscriptions, sales and receipts to Socialist Action Distribution, 328 Upper Sireet London NI 2XP. (Tel: 01-359 8180)
Socialist Action 14 September 1984
Laird and David
The condemnation of
of a supposedly 'even-handed' con-
which even
over talks with the government Development
Kinnock made it clear he aligned
trade unionism',
TGWU. while to
explicitly pro-NATO,
on reselection. The through David Basnett's domination
policy is obvious: to criticise the
It is the same policy as in the
itself - where Kinnock first tried
party KONS HERE Cook elected to
At the level
defeat the threat of the There
Kinnock has worked
new The first murmurings of a
Kinnock's proposals on reselection
constitutional gains made by the
These are expressed in
TUC
DESPITE THE resolution of support for the miners last week's TUC saw the right wing remain in con-
TOr Lne remains the ot two unions. and GMBATU, on every crucial
On all other key the NGA, for the no-strike
Council, the
Ihe reorganisation of
General Council,
is also beginn-
Alan Sapper and Ken
defeated
when APEX will the smaller 11lLU
the small
The 11 General seats elected by
section will become
Finally although the
the General
depends solely
NALGO represen-
at year's conference
on the Council voting
the right the
OVel struggle
The right wing
does not mean
miners'
Because the
for their own pur-
La series of other
Were one
a whip-round to buy Len a goingaway present. would you like to
contribute?
how much it will be used to try impose
promise settlement or the
NUM the TUC decisions
on solidaritv make it easier today to build support action for the miners.
by John Ross
Most fruitfully on certain questions the leff is prepared to go beyond words, which are useless in themselves, to actions. The sendersoo OTI Lne TGWU has fought for the nationa docks strike. ASLEF and the NUR, no matter what their position on the current redundancy dispute in British Rail and London Transport. fought for ettective boycott of the movement of coal by rail. At the base of the TGWU the militants have been able to hold the nine onue cocks sunkel Local support for the filicis the labour movement is overwhelming.
But the problems which are confronted by the left wing in the trade unions today are also ob-
Politically has succeeded in disarming the lett on ar Hutcasine series of issues Membership of the EEC has beer accepted. Support for build up in conventional arms spending has been accepted. Increasingly the old trap of incomes policy
being discussed well as, according to Roy Hattersley, the need to acCeDE mend overl staying at a minimum level of two million
The tactics used by the government 1n almost every struggle today are also the same. They are to attempt heads of the militants, and over the
over the heads of the union leadership, to appeal directly to the rank and file. This is the government's policy in trying to create the "back to work' movement in the pits. It is its aim holding the ballot at Tilbury. The new
Hasn't he already been awarded the Red Badge of Courage?
No, no, it h was the Gol Badge of.
You're being sarcastic, arent «you!
'compulsory' strike ballot legislation aims to make permanent and institutionalise the whole process.
at this level among the rank and file members, that the biggest weakness of the trade union left lies today. Even the positive steps taken to coordinate action show the weakness of campaigns that for years have rested mainly 'the machine'
The NUM has held regular meetings with other union leaderships throughout the strike but no one knows directly
decided. The TGWU left was able to was win the election for Ron Todd but it is not organised for rank and file cam-
COCKS weakness which the zovernmenl attempts constantly utilise.
Scathing
Similarly the left has a base in unions such as the NUM, NUR, and ASLEF,
effectively organised across unions to take the fight into right holds such tallne SETU controlled strong or the ISTC
Neither of the main bodies that
The paucity of the contributions to this collection is a little embarrassing....
My heart
bleeds.
required Liaison Committee for the Defence (LCDTU) always strictly
significant its
GOr the 1970s by
The Left Organising Committee the Par .,,
forces, does
the right
While such as
September,
callul
During
vIous lilal for
dues....
In the Unions
to be built area by area.
The tradition of the early
1970s, where regular conferences the local labour movement were called around key disputes and campaigns, has to be revived.
Secondly, no matter how bovcotts
called for, 'compulsory ballots strike action and other attempts by the government to intervene in ine normal procedures o trade unions at a rank and
Crevel are golng •Deconne permanent
governine. • policy. The fight against : them means the left must HER engage in far more agita tion and work at the rank
and file level than ever ROU before enough just to secure the will not be
union
leadership and hope that
Tevery lans opricai-
on every type campaigning and organisation at the rank and file level from left wing caucuses really campaigning broad lefts the workplace branches of the Labour Partv. he test of any left wing leadership ir a union is how tar it en
suur sand discourages,
such rank and organisation
The left leadership the • trade unions ana une TUC must organise its own base in the unions and Labour Party
Finally the most im
history of the unions will be taking place next year - the vote on maintaining political funds and on affiliation the Labour Party Together with the ballots on the closed shop these are going to shape the entire future ot British trade unionism After winning the miners' strike, winning these votes is the single most important task of the trade union left in the next year.
In short the right wing retains its grip on the TU(
but under greater pressure than before from the left. The vital task of lne next year is lo starl le organise that left at every level of the trade unior movement. The next stag in the tight is to link tha left with the fights which are going 10 take place at next month's Labour Party conference. GORMAC #68 9.84
Certain civil servants at GcHQ did ofter what was once their union
I hate to admit
this but I've forgotten who we're talking
about..
Page 3 scan of this page
Back the miners!
In the Unions
THE 'TOTAL SUPPORT' offered by the TUC to the miners last week has given an immediate boost to the strike. Morale in the mining communities, and among the miners' country, has been given a shot in the arm.
only the support of the left in the labour movement
Line rail, sea and road dockers and the Labour left in support committees throughout the country.
The strike has accurately shown the strength of this left. It has been able wage the biggest industrial struggle since 1926, the
LLOSU important class struggle
Second World Sincere War.
Despite the stakes involved for the Thatcher governell, determined
the NUM, miners have not been
But lney have not been able to win with simply the support so far.
stand-off. The TUC decision opens a new stage in the development of the
SE
TUC: action not words ...
supporters up and down the
For six long months the miners have fought with
transport unions, the
dispute which contains the possibility of moving more rapidly victory, and the threat that the TUC itself will force an unfavourable CULLIO. mise' on the NUM.
By Jude Woodward
From the point of view of the orv covermien. the strike is at a stage. The threat of power cuts increasingly looms as the autumn goes on and the government can be in no doubt that if the first light goes out the miners will have achieved
overwhelne Therefore all the efforts of the government are now going into defeating the strike before any threat to une power stations begins.
This urgency lies government's penine ine provoking of the national docks dispute around Hunterston, and the refusal to settle with the TGWU - despite the fact that the union's demands in the struggle are quite limited. The TGWU's demand is simply for the withdrawal of scab labour, there need be agreement from the BSC on an exact anota of coal and ore to allowed through the docks.
Boycott
Behind all this lies the
move coal from pithead stocks the stations if it is to survive a winter strike. While such a
WOWe require tremendous operation move coal — ouv lorries working round the clock on some estimates could be The ker issue for the miners now is wetter power station employees will work with scab coal. Picket lines
This is why the TUC statement pledging to make the dispute more eftective was It also gives the measure to
Basnett of the GMBATU and Laird of the AUEW. Basnett promised 'we won't see the NUM destroyed', while Laird declared 'we are all at one with the NUM'. With these two unions organising the majority of power sta-
workers actually delivering their promise to ensure scab coal is not used would make all the difference to the strike.
But the lUC did not have the best interests of the miners' strike at heart when it passed its resolution of support. Murray,
BEVAN
Photos:
Basnett et al were thinking about their own backs!
The TUC has exacted a price for its support. It has won the right to intervene into the conclusion of the strike, and will undoubtedly be seeing to impose a compromise settlement on the NUM.
The Economist, in its editorial last week, put the problem and the opportunity facing the goverilment clearly: 'It is noW unlikely that the vehicle of this defeat (of the NUM) will be either Mrs Thatcher or Mr MacGregor: the antagonism of Scargill and his supporters is too implacable, the back-to-work movement is hesitant. Nor will defeat come at the hands of the government's inert trade union laws or from some new judge-enforced ballot, which Mr Scargill will disregard. Instead, Mr Scargill's defeat will come trom within the movement itself....' Immediate
In other words all the fiery words intransigent laws of the Thatcher government cannot inflict a defeat stree the issue is mine i miners' the hands of the : TUC — and that was no so simply the case before Brighton.
If there is to be a defeat for the NUM it is now up to the TUC. What would suit Murray, Willis and Basnett down the ground is for the NCB to offer a little bit more than it has done so far, and then force such a deal on the NUM.
The problem confronting the TUC is firstly the struggle of the NUM and
second that Thatcher still doesn't give anything at all. Anything less than all-out victory over the NUM will underline the fact shown by Liverpool, the GLC 'Paving Bill' and the local and Euro-elections
that Thatcher deliver what the ruling class wants. a substanua and lasting defeat of the labour movement and the whole working class.
Opportunity
To expect the TUC general council, left to itself, to take advantage of the weakness of Thatcher to pull off a victory for the NUM, would be expecting the moon. No trust can be placed in the hands of
who sold out the NGA and GCHQ.
All that has occurred is that the decisions of the TUC, and the statements of Laird and Basnett, give a real opportunity for the support movement around the miners to build links with power station workers to begin building for an effective boycott of scab coal. The task has to be urgently taken on from
to ensure that the TUC's promises do not remain in the realm of empty rhetoric, but are turned into the kind of action that really can force Thatcher's hand.
Following the TUC there are two key tasks confronting the left in the labour movement to win ine miners strike. Firstly steps have to be made now
extend the solidarity across the lahour move ment by organising practical action with power
Socialist Action
Tuphy Files
GB workers. Whatever its in-
the decisions of the TUC, and statements like those of Laird and Basnett, provide real opening for the organisation of the left around the strike including in the GMBATU and AUEW. And hostility towards the EETPU after Eric Ham-
TO COMMEMORATE THE
150th ANNIVERSARY
OF THE TOLPUDDLE
MARTYRS
DORSET
11-15 Sept-
17-18 Sept—
21-22 Sept-
25-29 Sept-
2. 4 Oct-
9-27 Oct-
14 September 1984
TROPHY
mond's attacks on 'picket line violence saould gly the green light to militants in that union to start to around the miners.
Above all the solidarity movement has to use the TUC decisions to take a new step forward, its objective to STOP ALL COAL.
THEATRE COMPANY
ENGLAND
PRESENT
SIX MENDE
BOX OFFICE 0742 79922 TICKETS £3 (Concessions £2)
St Georges Hall, Liverpool St Andrews Hall, Norwich Corn Exchange, Ipswich Peoples Theatre, Newcastle Pavillion Theatre, Weymouth Shaw Theatre, , London (near Euston Stn)
Page 4 scan of this page
history of a scab
Didcot power station closed
Socialist Action THE ARTICLE REPRINTED below is taken from the August/September issue of South Wales Labour Briefing. It was written by RAY DAVIES, a steelworker from Llanwern and a regular contributor to Socialist Action. One of Ray's activities is producing the now-famous original article was written for the union activists' newsletter and a copy duly fell into the hands of
ecutive meeting.
whose activities bring the union into disrepute.
Sirs and his executive have been having second
evoke a good deal of sympathy for the so-called otfender, they've decided to delay any investigation until after the miners' strike is over.
The rank and file UICKCE unueuucall By Dominic Johnson
DIDCOT power station, 15 miles south of Oxford, is set to become an important focus the coal dispute. It is the largest coal-fired power station in the south west England.
NUM members from
Merthyr Vale South
Wales have picketed the
CEGB station trom the
earliest days of the strike
rapidly stopped
coal deliveries thanks
from rail
workers.
Coal stocks were rapid-
ly depleted and in the early
summer, with only two
weeks SLUCK remaining,
the power station was shut
'for maintenance'
GOWI
Since then no electricity
been produced, and
the NUM pickets have
maintained their round-
the-clock vigil.
In addition the miners'
position oeen
strengthened by the
solidarity of the workers
inside the power station.
BaCK Junc, ailcl
strong lead from the
14 September 1984
Bill Sirs -
Mr Sirs promptly raised it at his national ex-
The executive decided to take ac-
But last weekend saw a new twist in events. Mr
rigal in tue Labour rarly It was not until 1976 that
Was UIly Stalls•
Region
they would have to change CUTICENTE AUEW district secretary, Malcolm/ Young, a mass weeters voted 3- power meeting power handle scab coal.
This was then followed by a management offensive against the unions the plant, including withdrawal of overtime and union facitilities.
Today however a new reached. Rumours are rife that
They proposed the establishment of joint trade union booles and lut abandonment of system worker dtret tors. They demanded. that branch meetings regularly and that dustrial action should not uselal be called off before bran-
ches had been consulted. Delegate conferences should CHOUHO become DOlC making, , and full time officers should be elected.
The response of Bill Sirs, the general secretary, was rapid and decisive. He cancelled the 1980 annual conference on the spurious grounds that it was too expensive. Obstacles
Despite these obstacles
tress ai ma dy tedi, had
bv 98l. won conference support for CND, for opposition to the EEC, anu tu ulace the union behind the left of the Labour Party. Most importantly, annual conference became policy making.
The left now turned its attention to the executive cOncl. LUCIUH was passed calling for the
of the undemocractic trade based Durutiulc țeams of fitters are working Lialsicill: the plant from coal to oil bur-
Whether this is true iltie.
not, oil is needed to Ieslali the turnaces: Last week BP oil tankers were turnea away by pickets after TGWU drivers refus-
to cross picket lines 'his was the tirst time tha oil has tried to go in.
now on the cards that CEGB management
But left celebrated
Lulc. elect its inree EC
sections, only UlC
ed up with EC
SeLLUl traditionally
by SCLIUL The
majority of steelworkers are under-
une only
plans
Melting
wards commitiees or
committees, single branch structures in the steel plants. organisation is by section
melting shop, one for the coke ovens, for the inlis enor ne anor.
management will try to bring in oil with
in oi.
Saturday tanker did cross the picket
This situation could easily escalate. The key factor will be the response
workers hsiof Ine plant, who up to now have
handle TeLISCU SCAD fuel. . Alongside this the attitude of the South Wales NUM is crucial. Up to now
grades, and so on. Each DTaLCH holds its OWIl negotiations. The only coordination is from outside the plant by full time officers.
All this, of course, plays into the hands of the DOssed. When becomes strong or militant, or just troublesome, the management calls in the tul time officers. Ther then read them the riot act uneaieuue comunuLo al disbandment of branches. These people alt elected and not accounWorst
Is it any wonder that Bill Sirs has had such an easy time scabbing on the triple alliance and undermining the most important national strike since the
mass meeting during the macrs strike. here has not been one call for action to support the NUM. Worst of all, our obligation under clause 9 of the triple alliance relating to joint industrial action has been ripped up and trampled underfoot.
At plant level all over the country a small proportion management and staff unions are handling the scab coa and ore. The bulk of shop floor the they. avoided
necessary and likely
workforce.
needed •IODOIL from will the alsoj be local labour movement which has already 4 VCL widespread support /to the NUM with over f35,000 so far raised in the /Oxford area.
Colliery
workers look On — and confused while local trade union leaders queue at the Tory media to extol the virtues of scabbing.
Even though the task looks hopeless, there are
from Brazil
THE FIRST congress
of the new Brazilian
TUC, the CUT, pass-
ed the following
resolution of support
for the NUM:
At this its first con-
gress, the Brazilian
CUT expresses its
total solidarity with
the struggle of the
150,000 brothers and
sisters, British miners,
who have already been
on strike for 168 days
against the destruction
of their industry, their
jobs and their com-
munities by Mrs That-
cher's Conservative
government.
Once again, as in its
aggression against the
Argentinian people, as ir
its passivity perore unt
death on hunger strike of
Irish nanonases. this
government has shown
the most brutal methods
in its efforts to defend th
capitalist and imperialist
HELC CSLS which
represents. This strike
has already seen the big-
In the Unions
Miners'
Strike
still small TVUUN of steelworkers fighting back
publishing news sheets, building support for the miners, and joining the picket lines. The fight to win justice and democracs goes on.
Support for NUM
gest police operation ever
scel Drllalli with
more than 1,500 miners
pickets arrested, and two
killed.
We Brazilian workers are familiar with this sort of repression, and worse; many times it has been
exercised against us defence of those same interests, including those of British multinationa
firms operating in Brazil.
We know that for out brother miners, and for those other trade unionists supporting them, this confrontation is decisive, capable of
deciding for many years to come the future of the
workers' movement
bulan. anu even urat o British imperialism itself
this struggle have a common interest
with the British miners.
We give them all our support. and wish them every success.
Long live international solidarity! passed by the Ist Con
gress of the Central
Unica Trabalhad
ores, Sao Paulo, 28
August 1984.
Page 5 scan of this page
sMaN
iq • УЛОМ элам Buries эхви
no all
put Энн в d
вІрош SABMIE SMOUS
• pooj Saul
as,l J0] fueu STRa -ивэр a!!
anne mo at put 947 ing
нэшом
tuatep par pur Ino UNIA
pue 104) Su!
Spur ало
в uMous элву нашом JJO Jou
ЭлЕЧ Suas
**
A41 SAEMIV
нашом pursnoy) pur 000S
в элец эм a dead toddns
a41 изом MON 50 10 09 10
оде м!
pus
PauL
Eve deaf so
roge 00S'E y0e19 semy SI SCI он шол! 1647 Jodans 10J
put
isea sl! papunoans pey •Sn
э4) tuas anne panae
- suraja
a4L,
иaчM SOLEMOI
Sunny
AL IP 1
Cseu pus
ІОНОв
•pasn
THeM
auL,
auns
алам
01 A090
эхеш 10g
• en0
• ХлОм
ay! u!
улом
(1678
hotos: NICE REVAN
paun, jamal puay 10 uo repsant
b bay 01 14811, 97 [0
pur
Lindas
диам umop 01
yuo
48n0147 Sula -u! 10op ЧИМ" 947
э4L, э41 .
01
Эл,1
do pals an
01 1
эт мои эм.
ILAS TaRs
SANTO
ублолодрів
NOI CANNOS
ONIIVT NIHITIS SITEM ZARMIN 0923 5u00913
Page 6 scan of this page
The second Sharpev
For charges, sales THE TURN-OUT elections to the 'Asian' section of South Africa's new legislature confirmed that the vast bulk of the minority of blacks who did have the vote — Asians and coloureds - reject any form of collaboration with white rule.
Simultaneously the taneous African uprisings in the Vaal triangle towns south Johannesburg, showed totally excluded majority of blacks also appreciated the elections were an important attempt government at confirming status.
For the moment the white state is able deal with these isolated outbreaks. Yet a series of factors suggest white rule in South Africa is closer to the precipice than many commentators calculate.
By Tony Southall
South Africa faces a economic crisis. The price of gold has fallen continuously, and gold is the commooty war accounts or almost one half of South African exports. It has fallen from $500 an ounce in 1983 to $350 an ounce today. This has been accompanied by a severe drought for the past three years. Food imports have cost South Africa more than R3 billion in foreign exchange.
Real Gross National Product fell by three percent last year after dropping one per cent in 1982. It is'still falling.
Inflation has been over 10 per cent for the past 11 years. changes for half the amount in dollars it got in 1981.
Of course the most drastic effects of the crisis are felt by poor blacks. More
Socialist Action
SHARPVILLE. On Monday, demonstrators began to gather in townships in different parts of South Africa determined to surrender their hated passes and demanding to be jailed.
In Sharpville, a black township south of Johannesburg, a crowd of several thousand gathered early in the morning, forming a procession three-quarters of a mile long.
They explained to the police that they wanted to be arrested for not carrying their passes. The police responded with tear gas and baton charges.
Shortly after 1.30pm, without any warning, the police began shooting. The crowd started laughing thinking that blanks were being used.
The laughter quickly turned into terror as bodies started falling. When the shooting stopped, the area around the police station was cluttered with bodies.
According to the official count there were 67 killed in Sharpville that day, and more than 180 injured.
The majority of them were shot in the back. cases in prices and rents.
councillors,
responded by shooting at demonstrators through a window.
The marchers stoning and burning councillors houses.
vere increases in
As black
y the apar-
distances casualties at nearer 300.
the inauguration
tion of the liberation struggle.
conflict in the coming period.
Apartheid's crisis
last week in
tricameral
whites.
But the draught
sponthe costs of of that the One third employed by the state. apartheid by the tion....(quadruplication!). their twice the level four years ago.
relatively
incomes -
cent correct: terrific quickly perk up
blems would remain untouched.'
500,000 black miners.
The prevailed until
recruited locally — the 'homelands'
The rand now number from urban areas
21 March, 1960, for the five kand -two: and, the one million the twenty
3 September was a protest when residents away from work and and staged a march to dedan explanation for the steep
The march started peacefully bulwhen they approached the house of one of the stooge town
Caesar • Montjeane, and called on him to come out he
the
retaliated, by
This brought the police onto the seene, complete with not gear, tear gas, sjamboks, dogs, plastic bullets and live ammunition. The official police report puts the death toll at 26 but AZAPO puts the number of
The same week which marked
of President Boths's new "liberal' constitution has witnessed a sharp intensifica-
There can be no doubt that the apartheid state is set for a major than 50 per cent of the Vaal townships' 'available for work' population are out
of a job. Basic food prices and the low income cost of living index consistently go up faster than do prices for well-off
hasn't stopped there. Mortgages now cost up to 19 per claim. cent - and there's no tax relief! Bank loans are 22 per cent. In the long term
maintaining the states repressive apparatus and cushioning its
super privileged whites are prohibitive. what it is.
white workers are Administering costly duplicaAt R4.2
bilion. defence spending this vear is
Meantime attempts to expand the country's manufacturing base come up
against the absolute impoverishment of
neighbouring states, its only viable ex-
port market, and the big decline in local
— especially or Diacks. New In these circumstances the comment
of the Economist, 28 July, was 100 per
•...A
drought or a rise in the gold price could
spirits in Johan-
nesburg. But the country's deeper pro-
A more immediate threat to Botha's
government comes from the two year
old National Union of Miners which their
organises up to 90,000 of the country's
migrant labour system that recently brought
workers from all over the sub-continent Vaal
to une mines. Now a clear majorily are
most of those from but an increasng etc.
This establishment of a more settled
worktorce In une mines was key to une
union's growth. It is encouraged by the
fact that black wages average one fifth
of white wages.
The new union has been campaigning for a 25 per cent rise this year. In June the Chamber of Mines unilaterally imposed a wage settlement. The NUM has deliberately gone through all the negotiating machinery in pursuit of its
If the strike still comes next week it will be very difficult for government to present it as illegal. Whatever repression it uses will be starkly shown up for
There remains a possibility that the strike, which is now limited to eight mines, could spread rapidly, not just on the mines but into other sectors, many of them having stronger and longer established unions, which are feeling the same economic pressure.
Complementary to the growth of the unions has been that of new black united front political organisations like
e United Democratic Front and lI
Forum committer So far the government has chosen not to deciare these illegal, although up to tivists were detained during the recent sham elections.
• Because of the overwhelmingly proletarian class composition of the black population, the democratic demands that they put forward, and the upsurge of opposition to collaborators amongst
ranks, questions are inevitably raised about what sort of political leadership black people need
reflected in a confused way by the main targets of this week's
'rioters': black collaborators, members of the stooge local councils for whom nobody votes, shopkeepers,
The Financial Times, 7 September, put it this way: A black proletarial Is turning on a black establishment in a pattern that poses grave dangers for blacks who have "joined the system"
in order to reform it from within. The broadening of the base of the government by consent and Indian leaders representativeness in the new parliament, and to grant full autonomy to blacks at a local level - creates the danger of polarisation on a class rather than a racial basis.
A Trotskyist couldn't have put it better — only we'd call it permanent revolution. and we wouldn't term it a 'danger', rather a gressive development that alone will enable the thorough completion by the mass of its population of the coming South African revolution.
— to include coloured
of doubtful throughly pro-
Record
rise in
unions
TO: ARTHUR SC UNION OF M FROM: JOE FOS FEDERA]
THE FEDERATIO SUPPORTS THE CLOSURES. WITI FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS BE ABLE TO OFF THE FIGHT FOR PARTICULARLY WORKERS AND S WE BELIEVE TH STEP FORWARD STRUGGLE FOR SOCIETY. AMAN
Page 7 scan of this page
THE THREAT OF a miners' strike in the gold fields of the Rand must be adding to the growing ficulties confronting the apartheid regime, after the rejection of the new constitution by the whelming majority of the 'Indian' and 'coloured' voters.
The growth of the African independent trade unions - the fastest in the world the past decade has phenomenal.
Apartheid is a form of racial oppression directed against all black Deople, but is also designed to be an effec-
RGILL, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL
ER, GENERAL SECRETARY, ION OF SA TRADE UNIONS.
N OF SA TRADE UNIONS FULLY UM IN ITS FIGHT AGAINST PIT THE FORMATION OF A WIDER SOUTH AFRICA'S INDEPENDENT EXT YEAR, WE HOPE IN FUTURE TO ER YOU MORE CONCRETE SUPPORT. THE RIGHT TO WORK IS UNDERSTOOD BY SOUTH AFRICAN UPPORTED BY OUR FEDERATION. T YOUR VICTORY WILL BE A MAJOR N THE WORLDWIDE WORKER OB SECURITY AND FOR A RATIONAL LA!
ille massacre
dif- Nevertheless,
trade umon organisation
over- in the mines, docks and industry.
South
= |I been truly Trade Unions
mass demonstrations
1960.
SACTU wner ground.
Wing decade.
strikes in Durban,
non-racial trade theid as a whole.
Solidarity, Вод.
Wells)
militancy
tive barrier to the development of independent working class organisations.
black WOLKCIS South Africa have a long tradition of the
and militancy. The 1920s and the 1930s saw strikes
In 1946 there was a massive strike of mineworkers organised by the African Mineworkers Union and backed by the growing industrial unions. In the mid- leagues. 1950s, the South African Congress of
(SACTU) mobilised black industrial unions culminating in
and 'stay-athomes' around the time of Sharpville in
But the apartheid state was able to break the back of these unions in 1960
was driven under-
The level of organisation among black workers collapsed for the follow-
from
The revival of the workers movement began in the 1970s with mass
rapidly spreading to the East Rand and East London. They marked the re-birth of the independent
unions. In spite of government hostility, the unions suc ceeded in winning many concessions.
"The black trade union movement, as the embryo of a broader working class movement, has become in the last 10 years the maior organisational form of resistance of black workers. It is the key to the development of a working class movement in South Africa and its future will shape both the character and and file. efficacy of the struggle against apar-
(A Question of from Fine and Laurence
Alarmed at the rapid growth and
Intons. the government tried to bring it under control through the Wiehahn Commission.
YEARS 1973
Total Number of 370 Strikes
No. of Workers 98 378
involved
It recommended that 'African' trade unions should, through a system of formal registration, be incorporated into
officially sanctioned collective bargaining svstem.
Registration would ensure a more structured and oraeriy situation. 'African' members of registered unions would enjoy the same privileges (sic) as their white, Indian and coloured col-
Some restrictions which kept black workers out of skilled jobs would be phased out. Registration of racially 'mixed' unions would be permitted
By Charlie van Gelderen
With this went recommendations for official regulation of union activity through a National Manpower Com
and a ban political activity.
The government, under pressure overseas and from who thought recognised unions would te more pliant than 'unrecognised' independent reluctantly part of Wiehahn proposals.
Strong opposition from the unions forced the government to drop its initial prohibition on migrant workers
This victory gave the new unions a foretaste of their potential power.
From the start the new unions were determined not to fall into the pattern of the established unions which led to the distancing of leaders from the rank
In the period when they were cut off
the official structures, unions had to rely on their strength on the shop floor for effectiveness in dealing with employers. This led to an emphasis on shop floor structures through shop steward committees.
The unions fought for the develop-
1974 1975 1976
384 274 245
59 244 23 323 28 013
A COMPARISON OF STRIKES IN SOUTH AFRICA, 1973-82
ment of plant level bargaining in place of, or in addition to, bargaining at industrial council level The restrictions Wiehahn Commission has not had the effect of curbing militancy of the unions.
Between 1980 and 1982, the Federation of South African Trade Unions (FOSATU) almosi membership. Within Metal and Allied Workers Union trebled its membership during almost doubled it again in 1982.
Within FOSATU
recognised shop steward committees ir 173 tactories as compared with 99 in 1981.
union Strikes
major
Side by side with their numerical growth there was a marked increase in unions, strike action.
the even greater
perhaps, is the rapid raising of consciousness unionists. Complicating matters for the regime is that the escalating levels of strikes is parallelled by the growth of political resistance which reached its culmination in the bovcott of sham elections unions played a key role in this boycott. The death in detention of Neil Aggett, organiser of the Food and Canning Workers Union, wide half-hour these February 1982.
from all major industrial unions downed tools to protest Aggett's death.
It was the first instance of industrial action of a political nature organised on a national scale and centred on the point of
1977 1978 1979
90 106 101
15 304 14 160 22 803 imposed by the
the growth and
doubled 13.6.83).
FOSATU, the
, 1981 and black workers. there are now He capitalist
significance, the . working
the trade
movement altered and The trade workers.
So Solidarity led to a nation• political strike on l Over 100,000 workers
the South
production rather than the
1980 1981' 1982
207 342 281
61 785 92 842 189 022
traditional form of 'stay away' and showed the increased potential and high degree of maturity of the new trade union movement.
The power of the black workers has grown so much that white workers are now joining black trade unions because 'You don't get fired easily if you belong to black unions' (Rand Daily Mail,
In the last 10 years, the black trade union movement has become the major organisational form of resistance
The more politically aware trade union leaders see it as the foundation on which a broader working class movement would be built.
important the FOSATU congress in April, 1982, the general secretary Joe Foster stressed the limitations of the trade union move ment and the need for a broade: political working class movement.
pointed out that: In ThE curiortits these working class movements (trade unions nav power and organisation yet politicall:
class is still subject to policies and practices that are clear! against their interests as the activities of Thatcher and Reagan show.
He then went on to state that whilst in the socialist countries political and economic relations have been greatly
there have been great and benetits tor 'There is still the need for workers to control their own destin!
was not struggling 1o restore capitalism in Poland, its strug gle was to establish more democrati workers control over their society.
The independent trade unions will undoubtedly provide the rock on which
African workers political party will be built. Its future will shape both the character and efficacy of the struggle against apartheid as a whole.
Socialist Action
Page 8 scan of this page
Ten days for Greenham
Labour women will win!
8 Socialist Action Arrests at the Alconbury blockade two weeks ago 'WOMEN WILL WIN' was the slogan under which the Labour Women's Action Committee organised a fringe meeting at the TUC in Brighton last week.
women in the labour movement have been engaged in over the past year, particularly with the presence of Betty Heathfield of Chesterfield Women Against Pit Closures on the platform.
But Diane Abbott, one of WAC's candidates for the Labour Party national executive women's sec-
spelled out some of LOL. the real problems confron-
ing women as seen in the
UG. from he DOSTOL
part of the ACTT delegation she had been looking round the conference hall and came up with some stunning facts.
Women WELC only tiny proportion of the
elegate conference.
NUPE, which has twice a many women members as men, nau a delegalon 30 of whom only 10 were women.
By Jude Woodward
The NUT, with three times as many women as
had a delegation of 40 with only 11 women. wvel worse, GMBATU, with 50 per cent women, had only 6 women in their delegation USDAW, with twice
1lcl. had a delegation of 35 with only 5 women.
This situation is reflected right the way across the ment and is the reason why WAC has been campaigning so vigorously to give women more power in the Labour Party.
situation in the Labour Party is marginally better than in the TUC
- at least the National
14 September 1984
20-30 September
The platform reflected the many struggles that
Women's Committee is elected, and does
unlike CHINAL women. the TUC Women's Advisory Committee, the majority of which appointed by the General Council and is often mainly men.
This is unavoidable as the only women ever elected the TUC General Council are to the Six seats reserved for women. In the Labour Party Jo Richardson and Audrey Wise are on the NEC in the CLP section in addition who are elected to the five reserved seats.
But their position on the NEC all secure, despite their strong left credentials. They always receive the lowest vote of those elected in the CLP seciton; mainly Decause there are around 160 CLPs who vote left,
vote for one never women in this section! This means Audrey and Jo are always vulnerable to any alternative male candidate who can allegiance of a section of
tuencies.
This the
Call didature of Robin Cook, Kinnock's blue-eyed boy, threatens to split the left
knock Audrey Wise or Jo Richardson off the constituency slate.
At party conference WAC will be campaigning for us own state or te women's section, but will
also be campaigning support of Jo and Audrey in the CLP section against the male chauvinism that continues to exist in the
The LCC are supporting Jo and Audrey, but also supporting Robin Cook. It is not completely clear who they will drop from their slate, but looks lIkely Il will De velnis Skinner. However in reality CLP left will vote for Skinner anyway
and quite rightly and so despite their paper support, in organising to cam aign for Cook the LCC will actually be challenging the position of Audrey Wise.
Similarly Tribune has left it very late in the day to make tner allude crea on the NEC elections. Last week we warmen a salc ment from the five women
WAC slate for the women's section, together with Jo Richardson and Audrey Wise.
Tribune's record on women is nothing to write home about, so they cannot De rened on paign for Jo and Audrey.
Moreover Tribune have failed to grasp the importance of the campaign around Diane Abbott in
women's section. The political significance Diane standing, the first black person and certainly the first black woman to
the NEC, was immediately seized on by
Guardian. But to its shame, Tribune, which
Chris Mullen's editorship proclaimed itself the revitalised paper of Labour's left, has totally failed to mention it.
The Campaign Labour Party Democracy, another bastion of the left,
ON SUNDAY, as troops rolled into Dover to take part in NATO's biggest ever exercise, campers were evicted from Greenham's Blue, gates along the camp's north side.
Court for an eviction order. The case comes up on 12 September, ironically the same day as the first national women's conference against nuclear war in the USA. The evictions must have been in preparation for the case.
By Helen John
The press silence on Greenham is an example of the greatest press freedom OI all freedom not to print. The media have exercised this to serve the government Well. 1 ney have thousands of people beneve Lie came ended with the April evictions.
they didn't, and on 20-30 September tens of thousands of women will be going there to protest the stationing cruise missiles, building Trident and against the NATO war exercise.
CND's 27 October nahas not done much better.
Initially Diane was the reserve in their slate, but then one of their own candidates dropped out, so Diane is now included.
But Frances Morrell, another of WAC's candidates, not. their candidate is Pat Olly, supported against Frances on the grounds that CLPD
who had opposed them
and because TCHSICIL she was not sufficiently well-known!
So the odds are siacked against women from the start. And with the union block vote decisive
11 e elections the women's section, it's
will the NEC they want. That can't changed until WAC's constitutional resolutions are passed by conference
But in the meantime the elections HilS year, with a slate of women who have a record of fighting for women as well as left — will mark a big ster
The political campaign around the slate
already exposed the real shilly-shallying on women of much of the left.
Apology:
cle on page nine, concerning
Thorpe.
culated by Peter. nience caused by our mistake.
Violet and Indigo
The Transport Ministry has applied to the High
- the first on a Sunday
tional demonstration Barrow-in-Furness will be directed agains! Trident, which is produced there. Important tough Ens Greenham's ten days wil
be the only national focu for opposin cruise, and with the NATO exercise ir full swing Kinnock launches his latest stab ir the back for the peace Labour's conference, they will be ten vital days.
Planning your visit? Twos days to look out for: 23 sentember. LondonLabour women's commit-"
to bace all men y
back Jo Richardson's visit to the camp • 29 September. Kent Women Against Pit Closures have organised their coach.
That has to be driven home at Labour Party They art all going to learn, even if it is the hard way, that women will win!
The
slates to
support
CLP section Tony Benn MP David Blunkett, leader Sheffield City Counci Michael Meacher MP Jo Richardson MP Dennis Skinner MP Audrey Wise
Women's Section Diane Abbott, Westminster Cllr Margaret Beckett MP Joan Maynard MP Frances Morrell, leader ILEA Clare Short MP In the last issue of Socialist Action (n068) an arti-
Youth Training Schemes was wrongly attributed to Peter Wells The author was Grant Kier, and informa tion on the Young Trade Unionists Charter which appeared alongside it was taken from a leaflet cirWe apologise for any inconve-
National Abortion
Campaign conference
By Leonora Lloyd
THE AMERICAN presidential elections have once again put abortion in the centre of the political stage, not just in the States, but internationally, with threats to withhold aid to family planning agencies who finance or support abortion.
This is despite the fact that abortion remains legal in America and choice is supported by a majority of Americans.
Here, in Britain, we face two immediate threats this year - under-16 contraception and abortion time-limits. We know where Thatcher stands and she is supported by MPs on both sides of the House.
It against this background that NAC is holding its 1984 conference. Its first since. the
the Women's TOIL Reproductive Rights Cam-
paign. We hope that this year the conflicts that arise will be more constructive, centering not so much on what our priorities are, but on how best them.
We will be discussing how to fight around time
how to take our campaign on facilities into
labour and women's movements and how
racism. Since the split, we nave lost solt members, but we have also gained many new ones and we will be looking at how we can build achievements of the past year.
Sexual Politics
One of those achieve. ments Is a understanding Labour Abortion Rights Campaign and NAU which has led to a proposal TOI membership open to all Labour Party
and sections This will be launched from conference and we will be working together Labour Party conference to gain new members and support for both organisations.
Following the American elections, Reagan wins, the right generally will gain enor mous confidence everywhere, not least the anti-abortion movements, incluaing nere l Britain Don't wait until that hap all sections of the labour Now is the time for movement to join NAC and work with us to ensure that our rights are defended and extended. • NAC conference details: Saturday/Sunday 29/30 September at Tindal School, Tindal Street, Basall Heath Birmingham. Creche, gool disabled ooo Open all NAC supporters. Delegates: £5.00 individuals (waged) £3.01
inted e1.00. Agent,
include facilities, fighting anti-abortionists and tackling racism in NAC. Credentials from. NAC, 75 Kingsway, London WC2, phone 01-993 2071/405 4801.
Labour Party Conference
NAC: Thes will be or
NAČ: This be on
Wednesday 3 October a the New Clifton Hotel at Spm. All welcome.
Page 9 scan of this page
Against the Stalinist gang
International
USSR:
EARLIER THIS year we carried an article by Oliver MacDonald, editor of Labour Focus Eastern Europe, on the left and the USSR. In this issue we carry a reply to the article by ZBIGNIEW KOWALEWSKI. was a leader of Solidarnosc in the Lodz region of Poland up to the union's banning by the regime in December 1981.
OLIVER MACDONALD editor of a review that has a good reputation for dealing with problems of Eastern Europe and the USSR from the standpoint of the workers movement -Focus on Eastern Europe.
He has a good knowledge of the nature of the power structure, the state of the working class and the dynamic of the
which periodically shaken up the Soviet bloc over the last 30 years.
For this reason was astonished when I read his "The left and the Soviet Union' which appeared in the 6. April issue Socialist Action.
In this article Macdonald aims at outlining a programme of action for the British and the wcsEctll general on the question of the USSR. There is a real and very urgent need to convince socialists and militants of the workers and peace movements in the West to take up the defence what remains as post-capitalist in the USSR and other similar regimes.
Unfortunately post-capitalist limited to ownership of the main means of production and more or less full employment. The only viable way of carrying out such a detence period is to determine what is blocking the development and destroying the potential inscribed in the postcapitalist nature of these societies and thereby monstrously distorting them to the point that their post-capitalist character is difficult to recognise.
Is it the external forces which use economic and military the restoration of capitalism or the internal forces that exercise totalitarian power? It is an important task of the western left to oppose the pressure of the former forces criticising the 'exterminism' theory. the last stage of civilisation, that Macdonald correctly denounces which leads to the reiection of the theory of the last stage of capitalism.
Priority
But the priority task is to support the disarming and overthrow of the
latter forces by the working class, to
support all resistance by this class to
ferocious oppression ploitation of the totalitarian regime.
My basic disagreement with Macdonald is that he inverts the priorities
what should be presented as a priority task is relegated by him to the
level of the last task -
more is formulated in the vaguest possible way: 'the left (he states) must
maintain its ideological debate and struggle against bureaucratic models of socialism'.
Thus in calling for resistance to the
Allanucists in le western workers
and peace movement
makes concessions to Stalinist tenden-
cies. he counterposes one 'campism'
to another.
on
Kowalewski
Polish Labour
social have
rather al licic
of
left Germany.
remains as
state
pressed ucscul
Aris argumenl gocs
effectively
pressure for
capital' weslerl restoration of capitalism!
Ler seave this implies "models of socialism'.
not one of these
18110 spreading such a lie.
totallaal
and ex-
which further-
authoritarian-
power.
power.
Macdonald
Wing the illusion among the western lett
Solidarnosc distributing leaflets in Gdansk
Any reasonable socialist knows we are today a long way from anything similar to the build-up for an imminent invasion of the USSR by Nazi
Nevertheless Macdonald asks for nothing more or less than that the western left raise the banner of defence of the USSR against the capitalist powers — not the defence of the working class and the other
social groups in the USSR the against the totalitarian regimes.
as tollows: lt the Western left does not manage to
defend Tiner TLNeN 'authoritarian-bureaucratic' model of socialism' will be reinforced in that country, NATO will be able to 'prevent any positive development within fast', the USSR' and this would lead to 'the opening up of the Soviet economy to
that IS,
on one side these the The USSR is - and at least from someone like Macdonald we could expect that he will not contribute to
What is more worrying is the fact that Macdonald gives no explanation of where this repugnant 'model' (the
the USSR)
SYSICIIl historically came from. The context of the article suggests that the responsibility resides in the pressure of the capitalist powers. This is not true
The Stalinist gang created - and its followers reproduced — the theory of a beseiged fortress to justity its counter-revolutionary action. In fact the contributing external factors were verv varied: deteats ot the workers movement in other countries, defeats that later, both in western capitalist centres and in the dependent countries were organised by the Kremlin camarilla as an indispensable factor in the consolidation of its totalitarian
The problem is how to take that
Such a way of presenting Soviet reality can only contribute to preserv- tion.
lallic general unal unc
political regime in the USSR (and similar countries) can be reformed The word 'revolution' is strikingly ab sent from Macdonald's article.
Reject
One knows that broad sectors of
western left reject the idea revolution but is it by chance that the best thing Macdonald can leave the consciousness of these sectors in peace? We know the results: 'a standard formula....has been that Solidarnosc was an excellent thing but it was going too far, or travelling too
as Macdonald notes in his article 'Solidarity and Socialism' (New Left Review no 139). He polemicises in a very particular way to try to demonstrate that 'large sections of
working class....were politically won over to a perspective of anarcho-syndicalist (sic!) revolution' and that in general in Poland there was no revolution.
He remains silent about all of the most advanced and radical aspects of Solidarnosc's struggle and reduces it to a constructive effort by Poland's industrial working class to overcome the crisis generated by the Gierek regime when in fact the dynamic of the Polish social movement tended to be something much more advanced and thoroughgoing - the overthrow o1 le tolallartan regime
The programme on the USSR that Macdonald proposes for the western left is no use at all unless its objective is to invite people to join yet another USSR friendship society. Today the left must above all take up the tasks of political solidarity with the struggles of the working class in the USSR, the Soviet bloc countries, China....and partıcularly with the ulas. resistance being led by Solidarnosc, with the emerging independent peace movements in countries like East Germany, with the democratic opposi-
A solidarity anchored in the forces of the workers and peace movement
of the west. weak solidarity movement up to now, especially in Great Britain.
mean being idealistic. For example it means explaining to the British miners that if Solidarnosc had succeeded in setting up a selt-managed republic, the Polish government would not be able to sabotage the strike being led today by Scargill's NUM through its coal exports.
final comment. alludes to the fact that somebody in the USSR — he does not identify who
that corresponds to a nationalised ecnomy'. Who is he talking about if at the same time in New Left Review Macdonald maintains that a movement like Solidarnosc 'did not em. brace a mittment?' Perhaps it is the so-called not 'marxists' who are in power in the USSR, Poland, etc....?
the only standard bearer of socialism in these countries is what Macdonald describes in his article about Solidarnosc as 'the ideological trend growing witnın une maustrial working class towards an anarcho-syndicalist (sic) vision of a self-managed and at the same time self-governing republic'.
the terrible workers' revolution in Russia. today we must not be very confident about the analysis concerning nosc features of the Soviet state that make it inclined to support revolutions in the Third World can expect from the Kremlin leadership is that they organise yet another defeat!
about this in his article. Neither does he say anything about the revolutions social in the Soviet the tanks of that state, nor of the criminal war of aggression, that has already lasted five years, against a Third World people, the Afghans.
political development USSR or any big advances in the
Socialist Action 14 September 1984 the bureaucratic
system
producers.
Giyen
heavily People's
sent There has been a very Is....aboul wilal concern for presenting To call for this solidarity does not
Macdonald
da. nad an "ideologica. commitmen
socialist ideological com- hours,
It is quite the contrary in fact - ing class
bitious egalitarianism
Those are the external factors of
degeneration of the Also
enable the
the first thing we
does not exist?
Macdonald does not say a word
bloc were crushed by
Who is 'prevent(ing) any positive
within the day.
9 social position of the Soviet working class' and 'hit(s) the bottlenecks in the Soviet economy especialy hard'? According to Macdonald it is the NATO powers and western capital. I nIS l false. It is the social group which has exercised totalitarian power in this country for the last 60 years.
The existence of a nationalised economv should tacintate a tremen dous growth of social resources and a balanced use of them, if there is a democratic political system, if working people exercise power, if the enormous cconomic polental loday unac.
exclusive control of the apparatus passes into the hands of working people through
workers selfmanagement; and if development is democratically planned by the direct
such asystem big reductions could be made in military spending which today weighs down very
the Soviet economy selt-defence could developed in the place of today's par ticipation in the arms race. The USSR comseles m unal arms race Decause o. the reactionary character of the pre
regime and ol ine powerfu military-bureaucratic lobby whick acts outside of any social control. Interminable
Macdonald thinks we have to stop the 'interminable debates on how good or bad life is in the USSR' ' that
is a dail ONURIU Soviet workers! After 'the social and economic that workig DCUDIC the USSR possess' he considers that 'the point is not how fully all these points are at present implemented or how high living standards are'.
That's a fine way of convincing the left of the uselessness of a socialist criticism of the USSR! A big number of the 'rights that working people in the USSR possess' according to Mac donald, in fact exist only as print on the paper of the Kremlin's propagan-
How can Macdonald talk about for example cheap food, when to buy the same weekly 'shopping basket' for an average working class famil! the Moscow worker has to work 37
the equivalent worker in Washington 11 hours and in London 19 hours (1979 figures)? How can he speak of rising wages when real work-
Wanti only reached the equivalent 1913 levels at the beginning of the 1960s and peasant income only recovered to the 1913 levels in the se cond half of the 1970s?
It is no less ridiculous to attribute plentiful cultural facilities, an am-
nusing programme in income distribution to the Soviet pople as Ma
donald does. Even full employment 1
sufficient to guarantee real economic security.
"The point is (he says) that we want to seek political changes that
working peoble of th USSR to strengthen their control over ine arlanrs or stale. As lougi ıl is possible to strengthen something thai
Macdonald asserts that an ABC of politics for socialists is that in the USSR the 'working class can best exert its power in politics when it is in the strongest possible economic and social position' But the real ABC is ine inverse: anv economic and socia strengthening of the working class of this country will depend on its abilit! to take political power, that it does not possess to the slightest degree to
Page 10 scan of this page
Reject NATO to defend
10 LABOUR CND IS PREPARING for this year's Labour Party conference against the backdrop of the new Defence and Security for Britain statement. And what a backdrop that is. Already the policy statement looks set to sail smoothly over the calm waters of the conference debate, not a ripple in sight.
It is Mssrs Hattersley and Shore, hawks, have welcomed it as the most positive statement yet from the party on Britain's continued membershp of the nuclear alliance.
Ron Todd's championing of unilateralism at past conferences has not prevented the Transport and Irene a Workers
nion from submitting an
model resolution (409 the agenda), deploring the Tories' rundown of conventional defence and
defence workers jobs.
Hence, main card anilateralists had to play against the document this
the fact that it
of many past conferences
militar, ler• ding in line with our Euro-
allies, the fardistant future - looks like
trumped by Oul strongest trade union ally.
The document says a coucuon in spencing achieved in rould not be the lifetime single parliament without major culs In conventional forces which we do not SCOTTISH CND confprence in Glasgow last seekend registered further leap forward in
growth of the camaign. There were 320 elegates against last ears 200. National
embership has doubl-
in the past year to
000 that's increased four-fold the member-
of 140 local
roups.
Specialist sections abour, Liberal, Scottish pationalist and Christian
confirmed their trength with well attended ringe meetings.
LaDoul CND's
eting discussed how to
Lic civil defence regula-
Socialist Action 14 September 1984 gathering some impressive supporters.
Labour's NATO
recommend. Our priority
must be non-nuclear
derence NATO. The rate at which for Britain and
this will occur will depend
circumstances which
carnol De preaiciea in aa-
vunce.
By Carol Turner,
Labour CND (personal
capacity)
There, in a nutshell, is
outlined the whole thrust
of the document: that
must 'persuade'
NATO into a non-nuclear
policy without threatening
our member-
ship Non-nudearstratery
designed
minimise disruption to the
alliance.
Frank Chapple sung
his swan-song to the same
tune at this year's Trades
Union Congress. Un ine
last morning, congress
passed a
Scottish CND still growing
tons, with strong support
lor cambaramos cor tola
of them by
Labour local authorities.
But there was also
strongly expressed opinion
that opposition would best
be built through them to their limit and exposing their farcical nature.
By Tony Southall, secretary, Scottish Labour CND
There was general agreement that we should campaign, especially in the reg olal autnorues, to imitate Dumbarton district council 's initiative in appointing a full-time peace worker and launching a
unilateralism
resolution from the electri-
cians confirming the trade
union movement's full
SuDDUrL NAIU
membership.
The general council
called for a vote against
make such support condi-
tional n aer poncies),
justifying this because
reference
was Naut
Labour Party policy. With
many TUC-affiliated
unions remaining outside
the party, this was clearly
no business of congress!
What a delightful par-
1H19 from anti-
Labour, sweetheart-
dealing Mr Chapple on his
last day in power.
Labour CND's
response to the document
is a breath of fresh air. It
past it nor endossui,
port пог endorse
because it runs contrary to
the policy of CND.
critical comments
of Walter Wolfgang in the
newsletter represent broad outline the committee's views on the docu-
And LICHl. culating a suggested disarmament composite which
the amendments from Richmond and Dares. Worthing constituencies, as well a Guildford's 'star
Wald amendment, Lothian East's opposition to civil defence programmes, and
U.S.AIRFORCE
press campaign against the local Trident development.
A central theme of the weekend was preparation TOI demonstration in Barrow
A speaker from Barrow CND laid the Dassor the unanimous adoption of a resolution tor a massive Scottish turnout on that day.
The importance of the NATO ques- u casalle tion was recognised overwhelming support for the Aberdeen resolution calling CND crease its public commit-
non-aligned foreign policy including
membel saip any nuclear alliance.
Unfortunately this wasn't taken to its logical conclusion. A much more
the part of the TGWU amendment that calls for acuon on conversion and
alternative use program-
the detence in. dustry.
As well as activities on
LCND organising eve-or-conrerence march and rally on the theme of "Jobs not Bombs'. It is im. portant that CND groups
consumente mobilise for this, and join with the striking miners and support group contingents expected on the march.
Labour's leadership must be left in no doubt that the publication of the
document signals no downturn in the activities of the broad mass of unilateralists in the party and outside. Conference must demand: • no dilution of our commitment to reduce military spending
commitment to NATO must not water down our unilateralist policies
unilateral nuclear
our commitment to remain in the bosses nuclear club.
• Copies of LCND newsletter (cheap rates for bulk orders) are available from: Kate on 01-388 1628 or Carol on 01-359 8180. extrailed the need for stept explicit resolution ping up the campaign against NATO re-
was jected.
A de union setting up
section SCND for the first time was passed. Again regret tably pleas that local 2OUD Soula be represented at its inaugural conference rejected.
Their involvement will be important if we are to build broad based specialist section, if we're to operate from the base as well as through the overwhelmingly sympathetic Scottish trade
UNON bureaucracy,
All Scottish CND supporters should play an ac uve part in setting new Scottish TUCND
LABOUR
DISARM
NOWT
ENSURE
YOUR
NURE
Party conference
agenda is a guide, after one year as leader Neil Kinnock has done a good job he won't have things all his own way.
The debate on reselection will dominate the conference. Kinnock is trying to overturn one o ene ker Bennite reforms of the last few years The National Executive seeks a constitutional change to let local management committees hold an individual postal Danul to chouse prospec tive MPs, disenfranchising the unions and opening up the party to the kind
campaign that was used against the miners. Twenty nine out of thirty amendments oppose the change.
But on defence Kinnock has made much betmeninocument new defence is unilateralist first time commits Labour to an increase in conven • tional weapons, and stresses Labour's NATO commitments. Kinnock has already reversed _LADOUS stand on EEC. Defence could be the next big political defeat for the left.
On this issue there is much more confusion although Labour CND will be ion nising e demonstration beginning of conference and their latest bulletin links the defence unilateralism and
CONELCHIL radical policies to the need to back the miners.
The miners' strike will be a backdrop to the whole conference. The NUM's resolution reaffirms Labour's commitment to the Plan for Coal. But the debate this will be concen trated around the 28 CLP resolutions dealing with police violence.
TON
APART
YOUNG
SOCIALISTS
What to expect at
IF THE recently published Labour Party conference
• for the right wing. But
On local governmen Kinnock has already beer forced to give ground to the combative stand taker by Liverpool with last month's NEC calling lor defiance. Out of 32 resolutions and 14 arnenument. large number commend LiverDUUl. and OXIOTU Edinburgh East explicitly condemn the leadership's past conduct.
By Valerie Coultas
Women will not only be. campaigning for more power to me women s sec tion standing their own NEC slate. Unfortunately CLPD has not endorsed the view that women should decide the women's slate, but with He veroc oe o womer in the miners ' strike at the forefront of delegates minds this will be an explosive issue — • as will the leadership's opposition to the 18 resolutions and six amendments backing black sections.
Police violence has opened many eyes to the bankruptc of Labour's stand on Ireland. On thi issue, as on women and blacks, the right wing will however, have an ally
LABOUR CND
Eve-of-Conference March and Rally
in Blackpool on Sunday 30 September Assemble: Ipm at the Cenotaph March: to the South Pier for the Rally: at 2pm
News
WE wOr
DI
FC
FREEDTHAT
STOT
TRIDENT R
the Militant tendency,
wiose resolutions call Tor a conterence to establish a
Northern Ireland Labour Party.
Socialist Action calls on delegates to ensure the Colicienci registers the biggest possible backing for the Cano extra-parliamentary action by urging the Labour Party, through emergency resolutions, to call a na-
demonstration support of the miners, and by sponsoring miners and miners' wives attend conference. publish a list of all the fr- Next week will inge meetings that have been kept out of the official diary because they won't register. If you want yours advertised ring us on 01-359 8180 before next Sunday.
Proposed emergency
Conference notes the decisions of the 1984 Trades UnOn Congress to support the National Union of
struggle against pit closures and its call for the widest possible labour movement solidarity with the NUM.
In this spirit conference Labour Party National Executive Committee call, in collaboration with the NUM, national demonstration in solidarity with the miners' strike.
Page 11 scan of this page
News dare to present themselve.
we ve won aready
are basically admitgovernment doesn't have a
CMC!
INTIES!
Monday 17 September Arthur Scargill is invited Wednesday 19 September
community
ANYONE WHO had any illusions about the real role of the SDP-Liberal Alliance in British politics should certainly have lost them with the Alliance's positions on the 20 September by-elections for the
Within an hour of Ken Livingstone and the three other Labour councillors resigning to fight the by-elections, the SDP-Liberal Alliance had formed an official coalition with the Tories to try to take control of the council. This attempt at a 'coup' in the GLC was blocked by the Labour group temporarily
blocked their coalition with the Tories outside the
'human face of That-
presents prefenders of the GLC Une
cuts of two schools, an old
HANDS
OFF
THE GLC!
Paddington's Public Meetings:
speakers include Merle Amery, Diane Abbott and others from the black
For details of times and venues phone the election headquarters: 01-286 9692
homes. leading have called for a coalition'
Alliance.
of workers
lories aoul line up. the
the Alliance
gut the own way.
and
the referendum
union,
claim.
KEN LIVINGSTONE SAYS:
I've fought eight elections, and this is the best
Red content sea of ape es
constant streall
they're voting Labour at this election because
they support the retention of the GLC.
All out
for the
GLC
home and two children's
Tory councillors 'formal with the
It is vital that Labour has the maximum number ton.
Lue Call paign to get over the truth
Tory-Alliance And to show that paign simply GLC in their
The real issue at stake in the bv-elections Is the existence of the GLC
Labour needs the whole party to help turn Jen
by-elections into ex- paign istence of the GLC
Teachers' battle
not over
By Bernard Regan, NUT executive
(personal capacity)
THE ARBITRATION offer of 5.1 per cent
to teachers is likely to be endorsed promptly
by education secretary Sir Keith Joseph.
Despite the militancy of its membership, the
right wing leadership of the largest teachers'
the National
never intended to lead a serious campaign to
win the teachers' claim.
Since 1974 teachers' pay has declined by over
30 per cent in real terms. There is no doubt that
teachers are extremely angry about this offer and,
in the words of the deputy general secretary of the
NUT, 'action will probably continue'.
The decision of the NUT executive to go for ar-
bitration was sold to the members despite the op-
position of the Socialist Teachers'
others on the left. It was clear to militants that any
arbitration would not be 'independent'.
At the outset the employers stepped in even to
oppose the ACAS-nominated chair because they
were considered too pro-employee. The union-
nominated member of the
refused to sign the final report.
These events should leave no one in any doub
bout the need for the union to retain the mas
imum control over its own pay claim.
teachers'
however. On 30 September the NUT is holding a
special salaries
which the STA will be fighting for:
• a flat-rate increase for all teachers of £1200;
• unity with other public sector unions against
cash limits;
• opposition to arbitration;
• a campaign of militant strike action to win the
Helpers for the campaign should contact • Edmonton: Agent, David Wilkinson l'elephone 01-807 1627. Cam. paign HQ, Broad House, 205 Fore Street, Edmon-
• Hayes and Harlington: Agent Chris Rogers, phone 01-573 2778. Cam
HQ, Pump Lane, Middlesex. • Lewisham Agent, Mike Holder. Telephone 01-699 2001. Campaign HQ 43 Sunderland Road, SE23. • Paddington: Agent,
Neuetana Tere phone 01-286 9692. Cam-
penham Road, W9. Union of Teachers,
Alliance and
three-person body
pay not over
conference in Scarborough, at
woule have are bureaucrats have une restoranon do subser une unree ASSES tanspor moister
Socialist Action 14 September 1984 11
10
WANSTEAD STATION
KYV 529X
Transport jobs — breathing
hac
Callul
Certains Contauce
An indication of what 11 about lob securitv and the managements will declara
OUtl taken over
Page 12 scan of this page
CAMO
TAL
months only)
rope 617: Air Mail E 24 Double these rates for multi-reader institurions)
Name Address
Please send me as special offer
as a newspaper with the Post Office.
i by Cardinal Enterprises, PO Box 50, London NI.
ACTiON SOCiAlist
BAD LEFT ORGANISING COL
BLOC 24 H GENERA
MIN
SUBSCRIBE
I enclose cheque/PO payable to Socialist Action for f Send to: Socialist Action Subs, 328 Upper St. London N/ 2)
OR
LIST Special free book offer! Take out a years inland subscription and
we will send you free one of these books:
Thatcher and Friends by John Ross Over our Dead Bodies — Women Against the Bomb
Introductory offer for new readers: Eight issues for just £2!
Andoni
IT IS with profound regret that we announce the death in a climbing accident of Andoni Arrizabalaga. Andoni, as a member of the ETA, was one of those sentenced to death by the Franco dietatorship in Spain in the infamous 1969 Burgos trials. He was saved from execution by a massive campaign of international and national solidarity.
strikes and became a militant of the Basque Trotskyist organisation, finally amnestied in 1977.
Andoni's fierce struggle and his love of life continued to the end. His death is a blow to the entire international labour movement.
Docks strike:
the
pickets
THE GENERA STRIKE Arrizabalga
In prison he survived torture and hunger
the LKI. He was commitment to the
Step up
management organised ballot.
The normal size of this shift is 750.
At Barry dockers have joined the strike, while at Bristol not enough dockers crossed the picket lines to enable work to
With just over half the
LOCKERS strike, it is clear that the militants must now take the struggle for an all-out stoppage to the working ports.
At Swansea, striking dockers are picketing the lug-Dual crews who take the ore ships Port Talbot move which would affect Lianwern as well. This type of action needs to be spread.
By Pat Hickey
The argument that this strike is directly in the interests of dockers has to be takci to the working ports. The breach of the Dock Labour Scheme a Hunterston takes employers in the direction they want to go.
Tories have made no secret of the fact that they want to scrap the Dock Labour
They will carry out the attack on jobs and conditions in the docks as they are currently carrying out on the mines.
The opportunity link up witn the miner. provides the best way to defend jobs on the docks. Every striking docker now recognises that the bosses' key condition for a return
• This Saturday, 15 September
INITIALLY it looked as though the Port of London Authority had had a good weekend. Over 50 per cent of Tilbury dockers voted for a return to work in the
But the real test was Monday morning, when only one hundred scabs crossed the picket lines in the ballot which really counted - clocking on for work.
to work is agreement to scab on the NUM. The dockers cannot + fight that on their own. Ine lones will Dol concede that Ravenscraig CUl stoke biting great deal without
The dock strike, even al present levels, will start to hit industry in the next fortnight. supplies the steel plants can also be stopped the effects will be dramatic.
The obstacle to winning the miners' strike has never been the lack of ability of the working class win. il las scabbing role of the right.
Medlock Bibby, Silver Birch, and their ilk are the offCOMES Bill Sirs, Eric Hammond and the right wing of the TUC. Those who would miners will lend their hand to selling out the dockers.
The answer is to spread the • picketing, up directly with the NUM.
dockers provide more than
all the major ports, Make the effects of the strike felt within a week.
With miners and dockers striking together Tories would be in big
And that is the best those in the labour movement who seek to isolate the miners, and to the scabs they spawn at the base of the movement.
Now we are six!
Revolution supporters party!
By popular request has been moved to:
7.30pm 'til late Food • Bar • Cocktails • Disco Adm: £2, £1 unwaged
For details of London venue phone 01-359 8371
← Socialist Action No. 68, 31 August 1984Socialist Action No. 70, 21 September 1984 →