Socialist Challenge No. 179, 6 January 1981

Socialist Challenge · 6 January 1981 · 16 pages, 18,086 words read by machine

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Page 1 scan of this page

Challenge JOBS SCANDAL

No. 179 8 January 1981.

1971

By John Parkinson, secretary of Preston Trades Council (in personal capacity)

THE economic predicted that in 800,000 people will join queues.

Ten years ago 800,000 was total number unemployed, and even that figure was described, at the time, as 'Britain's shame'.

If 800,000 het? just was cause for "shame' what the 3,000, 000? For that is how many are expected to De official

the end of the year.

As each new set of statistics is announced

20p

SHAME

800,000

pundits have 1981 a further

the dole

the

Len Murray is wheeled out to plead with the TOrY government change course.

Thatcher has no intention of doing that.

Her Cabinet reshuffle has removed soufices of embarassing criticism of her policies and streng-

Socialist

thened the right- wing monetarists.

Nor will reasoned discussion with

new personal economic aysolo. fessor. Alan Walters, of-

cold comfort to workers in

In a recent radio inTerview walters suggested that Britain might neee a cose or meiene of the sort administered by Dr. Hialmar Schacht in Germany in 1923 or by General Pinochet Chile in 1975. Schacht later became Hitler's economic and financial expert!

It was the Gardner's workers who showed the

1981

way to than

The BPC journalists occupying against reationances nin and the National of

pying the Ulster Queen to protect their jobs are showing the way for 1981

The TUC Week of Action called for 4-11 April must be beefed up. The TUC leaders are more concerned with their puonc image unan the misery and poverty of the iobles They are trying to avoid any industrial action or demonstrations in work time during the Week of Action.

Regional demonstrations called the week should be used to

5.000.000

UNEMPLOYED

build up fighting unity against the Tories like the massive Labour ParLiverpool last. Novem demonstration in Der

ne next Labou Party demo is called for 21 February in Glasgow.

It is expected to be a massive show of working class hostility the Tories. Already support is coming in from outside Scotland The North West TUC are sending up two train loads o supporters.

And the biggest event of all in 1981 will be a giant Liverpool to London march sponsored b! the North West TUC starting on May Day.

Officials sell out BL

workers again

Pat Hickey, TGWU shop steward, Rover Solihull.

AFTER the vote to return to work by 1,500 Longbridge strikers on Sunday it is being suggested that Michael Edwardes give his knighthood jointly to Moss Evans and Terry Duffy.

The deserves an OBE.

TUC'S

SHAME

This will not be a Jarrow March pleading for no chis in penens.ouLa tidal wave of anti-Tory anger descending London and passing through UNIC worst hit areas of the Every town on the route should sel up the broadest possible port/reception commit tees DasCe councils, Labour parties and, most important v. joint shop stewards com. mittees. Industrial action and deme tracions be should UNCTOBELC organised.

The demand of all this action must be for the TUC to stop talking and to organise to bring this government down.

Longbridge works committee management was due entire- The victory for

weak and vacillating , leadership pro. vided by these union caacts The strikers had beer

threatened with sacking and

of BL if they maintained their strike on ine re-opening or te plan last Monday.

Violence

They were told that thei

jobs would be done labour and that the victimis leaders in mob violence. But WELCH as tney demonstrated in ac

the strikers were

All they wanted was firm leadership

What they got was ducking and diving from leadership that has buckled before management's bully

management's threats, the

leaders made to Suncav s mass meete. accommendation The Birmingham Evening Mail

sees one: 'It's a free vote ran the banner headline.

Inquiry

explained: 'Any course would he irresponsible'

alternatives given to the

go back to work while an inquiry takes place or stay our tor dir t aury wim an acoenachi chairperson.

pite to mering find

shop stewards meeting,

immediately belore ine mass meeung,

to get the shop stewards to make a recom mendation was ruled out order. Less than a hundred ot ine snoo stewares au tended the meeting.

Sacked

The attendance at the

me stein The sole at

•2-1 in favour of returning to

The inquiry will now take three to four weeks to examine the evidence. In the meanume me cient workers including TONI shop so and., will remain sack

, and it will be very dif ficult to re-start any action therefore won an important atter the maury Management victory in this fresh round organisation at shop obe organisation at BL alread weakened shọt steward organisation

has suffered another blow. Fraud

Militants in Longbridge must see an alterative leadership as

a crucial task in the coming months. Between the end of the inquiry we nave to rent to remieve unc ground the leadership ha:

the coming 1 Hecks BL plant

rectary Leyland Action Committe leafleted by the

and estraud and he indig aha

demanding tha The committee will do everything possible to prepare for action.

Page 2 scan of this page

*If we lose, a lot of stewards will be frightened people'

Editorial

Socialist Challenge

Revolutionary socialist weekly

PO Box 50, London N1 2XP

Phone 01-369 8189/8180 (editorial and distribution) New polarisation revealed by Tory

shuffle

THE DROPPING

Cabinet ministers by Thatcher is an

essentiai stiffening of the govern-

ment s ranks before the big class bat-

ties of 1981.

become clear at the time of the Confedera-

tion of British Industry conference last year.

CB) leader Terence Backett called for a 'bare:

knuckle' fight against the government. Bri-

tain's bosses began to doubt the capacity of

the Tory administration to inflict a stinging

defeat on the labour movement.

At that point the

bosses had

higher aim of defeating the labour movement -

became more and more painful.

the Tories to inflict a rapid defeat on the

steelworkers during the strike of last year.

Subsequent resistance by the firefighters and the victory

of Gardner's

the Tories are finding the going rough

British Leyland have proved that despite the

appalling leadership which Leyland workers

have laboured under they have been prepared

to trade blow for blow with Fory glamour boy

Michael Edwardes.

Capitalism

ment that has concerned Thatcher's backers

in big business has been the leftward shift in

the Labour Party.

open defence

whatever the human cost,

stakes higher and higher for many thousands et working class neonle

It was this House, ing to in his indirect attacks on Thatcher's type of retoric when he pleaded for a return to 'traditional Tory social concerns'. He was

Labour Party is not because big business expects that a future Labour government will act to abolish capitalism. But 'captains of industry" are aware of the expectations which are constantly being raised in the steel works, the mines and the railways that the Labour Party will support their resistance to the Tory attacks, and will introduce a programme in government to reverse the effects of the Tory ravages.

Desperate

Labour Party are counterposed to the struggle at the point of production: they boost them. This is why the ruling class is frightened of the developments inside the party and desperate lengths to halt them. backing campaigns by the right wing, from the Social Democratic Mason, to split the party:

While these manoeuvres are puny at present they contain a real threat for the future, particularly in the context of changes in the electoral system which some Tory leaders are said to be actively considering.

Those leaders of the labour movement who propose a strategy of pressurising the Tories to change their policies', can draw little encouragement from the Tory reshuffle:

Only the blind are incapable of seing that the government, far policies, is preparing to implement them with renewed force.

That is why the aim of any defensive struggle agamst « me remove the government.

The massive demonstration in Liverpool on 29 November last year revealed the power that can be harnessed by united action of the trade unions and the Labour PartyTories try to mend their o ray, that power should be used in a systematic way to kick the Tories out in 1981.

Socialist Challenge 8 January 1981 Page 2

of three senior

The need for such a purge started to

sacrifices that the been willing to make for the

This realisation dawned with the failure of

'H1 the docks. the

workers have confirmed that Even the events of the last fortnight at But perhaps the most dangerous develop-

Thatcher's constant and of capitalism and profits, has raised the

danger that Leader of the

Norman St John-Stevas, was referr-

The concern over the shift to the left in the That is why these developments inside the

separate from

wny it will This includes

Alliance to Roy from changing its

Tories must be to

As the

By Mick Dale NONE of those dismissed, says Jim

Denham, one Longbridge workers sacked over the

revolt on 21 November, 'has any illu-

sions or enthusiasm about an inquiry

of any sort, even though we are not

afraid of an inquiry

speaking just before the which voted for a return to work last Sunday morning. Riot

He added: We know that an inquiry could bẹ

vay of sabotaging the strike and of making sure thal • L11C CHIS Or ult • 0 V management will be able to get away with whatever it wants on this question:

According BL

ed were the ringleaders of a riot which took

angered at lay-offs

narched through

Dal LA CULC Ly

and causing damage to cars and equipment. Revolt

That there was a sponLaCON outburst of on 21 November in: dispute. The reason for the revolt can be found in wha IS KiW newarcas

La 92-page document considered by the workforce to bea saven ch charter 'There . ocen .CxOlaS: COnsacrame resistance lo the

Longbridge ticularly in CAB 1, the tion where we have been having a runnigg battle over manp ,, them

Sacked Longbridge steward says:

of the eight Denham, who is a shop steward, was

mass meeting

levels, mobility of appalling conditions in that labour, :alu "LIC • genem" are What has under

pinne the 30 per cent rise

All aFi ductivity over the pas «c „e nemos or the Ho wardes plan - the assault cn toong standards

WULK

wolluilns .arla OrLanSaOn. And management still wants more Bv n they na banal Press which fully packs

nas "hinted al lis of the COSOC!

CAD i. Ine wally atar, lor exan of frustree n called it a Tiot

The immediate causes of the revolt were lay-offs and

:disappearing

signing the 6:8 per cent pay WilR management rise which amounts to per cent cut in real wages

Management used Hieressive standaar justice in the inquiry which resulted ackings Evidence was submitted b JO CONIM CRAIÁAD

, managers,

Home News

Jim Denham visors, or foremen.

One of the stewards was dismissed for holding an un-

workers not fo cause

necessary damage and te behave in an orderly ner. hayed the sathe role stewards

ICO OISE •sackings Dy union officiat:

Revert level has been disastrous. Despite a spon taneous walkou nightshift CAB the works cultfile Tauee fe Jut soumao itACJO1 Ier: did not even bother to convene the joint shop stewards

When dismissals welt confirmed occcioer :GAB again Wa kec. out and this probably decisive in winn-

ing official backing for the dispute from the TGWU.

Meanwhile managemen •- D U-E S ke orerkın operation into top gear, the • media disastrous the strike was for the Metro

Jim Denham. says: 'BI management knows that if it

takes

what's called the edge of the precipice alle SnoW Len over ine eoce

what h would mean it the closed Leyland down they know that the of ficials would toc frightened to make a lighi

alty wulfil? WILEIC Weme s ow ave •220 just about enough of that kind of treatment.

Denham we lose this fight it will have avery demoralising chieti on ne igal over all the

Or questions in BI It will also be a blow to. the shop stewards organisa-

A lot of stewards will frightened i brent did soeras

whole areas of the factory where no one is even willing. to take a stewards job

the company dismissed was sas ard: y recan do sese shop

people • suen • Tumsv cvitescr and trumped UD charges, , we can do you on almos

wherevei get avas)

They are throwing down the gauntlet to the whole Shop stewards movement

Page 3 scan of this page

A workers plan for BL

TIME and again Michael Edwardes used the threat of closure

undermine resistance to squeeze on King conditions,

nion organisation. Yet the

plen for BL offered by the

union leaders could

IN ORDER to Save BL for Britain, more than 50,000 (jobs have been chopped in four years; traditional, negotiating rights have been

actificed; wages

Been cut by 2 per cent, and massive speed-ups have been imposed.

In the latest round of atlacks BL

shopfloor organisation and

through under the banner of one of Michael Edwardes attacks has een couple with threats I closure an withdrawal of governmen money. Viable

other hand, we are told it Edwardes' plans

make a breakthrough and, become viable. This is ne

when BL ecame a public cor

one anotner of this BL cars had peddled. In 74 BL cars 50,000 employees. Today there are 90,000. :Ten thou sand more jobs are due to go

iccesse: BL sent inions have been noted b

GKN are adopting a

an Edwardes of its own.

Every success by BL has

at the expense of Nages. Similarly way tops vy oluci car com panies costs workers iobs and 2.25m

in Britain are the victims of this battle.

Collapse

The Tories and

that this is the alter

the complete collapse of BL This arg

Duf gove aise by in the guise the social contracta

Yet is an alter-

and developing popularising it is to he struge workers

have put forward one alter-

in a couple of recent pamphlets. The core of thei

The way to put

Edwardes out

of business

BL boss

has

jobs, pay,

and dustry

wardes exe 100 Em

BL

100-

: Pre-tax profits/ loss Half-yeor figures

200 75 7 7 7 7 00

policy is the call for import

comport controls see a

import controls Pets wil Be sola. But this option: if there

this

In a period of intensify-

ing competition other co

not stand by and let

British companies get away

They would

aed on the swings would

be lost on the roundabouts.

Policy

More

policy of import controls is

cutting

those of other counties, and

it does nothing to save jobs

in the useles

approach of this

stew to pre cap cans

who buy Even if successful, this and Talbo

employees out of work. And unemployed Where, don"t Britain or elsewhere, Dered rate en at cheaper in-

terest ri

ontrol pollase an import

support of employers and

for the TUC to ally with th CBI to e approach

Moss Evans

hope to save fobs.

PAT HICKEY, a TGWU shop steward at Rover)

Solihull, looks at the world.

wide crisis in the car in

workers afternative to Ea and presents

1549

Michael bal hands mat

with

savagely. attacker BL PI an

There is no future for BL workers down this road Any policy for BL has to be nie hole of the car industry it intain, otherwise saving means undermining Talbot, Vauxhall,

Only by breaking with the can in the * 414 nerctore the whole o

part of a which i organises productio

Price

Nationalisation without compenșation kers" control is essentia accomplish this.

COUSE such a step is a long way from present but socialists chis point an

singue with michael ca

naitive w explain that there

with no loss of pay. wula salsa ftne bosses" *a cannot maintan jobs let them pay the price. not

Home

IN THE late 1960s when the profits were rotling in, Henry Ford said that

the car was 'God's gift

to the 20th century. Not many capitalist class, whose

wealth depends on the car industry agree with that today.

Since the early '70s the world car industry has been hit by crisis

after crisis. Even in the best years

profits have not recovered to the

evels of the '60s.

profits throughout the 1970s have fallen far short of the money needed to finance further development. BL unemployment to workers abroad. workers

us. From the union leader we want full backing every fight against redun-

including occupa

Edwardes ahreats, all of Be houre head

Salia soo sought from the test of the working clange also need the leader. ship fight for week give workers all over the couns try. unleash a massive economic

Multiple injuries for

car workers in the

world trade war

cies and is calling for

of the including Britain. the major

spreading a would

workers redundancies, speed-ups.

generated makers making components.

The call for import controls to solve unemployment is a recipe for exporting

So much for international workers solidarity.

machines to lie idio rather allow than produce without proYet plant and machinery are i cly tac surprus Iron labour by the working Moralisation wout m Hence

just necessary

Detail

know detail the comany's forward he links with the banks an *finance houses which cream surplus that BL generates. So linked to these

car as not alone in facing this problem. The mighty Chrysler Corporation now depends on aid from the US government to remain in business.

: ford plans massive redundanaid in the USA and West Europe,

The picture is the same for all

West European car companies, and the problems are

market to Japan. These problems will intensity in 1981 and can mean only one thing for car

throughout the West: wage cuts, and we could

The car industry is at the sharp end of the capitalist crisis because battle the it is the world's largest manufac turing industry. The 4 biggest car

employ over 2in people with at least 3m more employed in

blood. demonstrate against Japanese workers and smash up Japanese cars.

poncies must be the demand to open the books so that w can use this information to help the struggle Bombs Finally when Thatcher and Joseph the workers misbehave should raise the demand fo jobs not bombs. The Tories ropose t rident. That money shoul be part of the programme o public works to provide job and raise living standa such as this could reach out. to workers in other sections Socialist Challenge.

of developing

rosal The erich car indust

wil spend $70bn in the next s years more than twice as mud as the American government sper on the moon-shot programme.

In West Europe and Japan th

will also inves billions. They will all be seeking te cut their workforce, increase pro ductivity, and grab a larger shar of the market which was growin at 12-43 per cent a year

• In th boom years.

The more optimistic estimate put growth in the early 1980s at 2. per cent, yet with the impact of th recession it is more likely that

will shrink. competition between employers will inevitably intensif as they seek to drive each outer ou of business.

It would be pleasant indeed i

watch the •saventer each otner But in thi

armies are the workin class and it is our Jobs, conditions, and living standard which will suffer. The employer. will fight to the last drop of ou In the pictures above American auto

of industy and to those i steel, transport, and t

blems to BL course of the trad is di class. fight they duck stre «LIC employers and employer always back fo more.

The only road the will defend the work. ing class that class struggle, and the crisis deepens thi socialist • altema - will 3 be increasi to a succe struggle.

: 8 January 1981 age 3

Page 4 scan of this page

Roy Mason, a suitable candidate

"Take the decisive say out of MPs' hands'

ROY MASON -Mastermind next?

The special HOr ference on electing

the party leader takes

place on 24 January.

What would be the

most democratic way

of deciding the party

my view the most

practicat democratk method of electing the party

cader would be for the par.

Ofter all, conference is sue. "NCPCR posed to decide

so why can't it els

he leader as well? But this

mctaoa is mol Ding put before conference.

So what's the best op

ion to advance the left's fight for democracy?

The way the conference are numerous possible variants, so it's impossible to say that maie s one best opuon. sfl t if we ignore the 'one person one vote right wing, there are three main sorts of proposals to

CULLCLCICC that out forward example Aull, wour gie the ihs forward a majority ih any electoral college

The second type of op tion: • wouia givewtne trade Alas ene nercon imipn. ics together a larger share of the votes than the Labour MPs, but would not give the

He poteo blasl-LEit Culbutucil y

option gives arouns and so pee cent to the o the constituencies and the MPs

Obviously I'm opposed to the first variant because it would still give the ay to the MPs.

the second Vallellt asou. because it gives equal weight to the constituencies and the

In my view any eleccoral college must reflect the • OSIYC suengun or tne ladour movement - its industrial wing So of the basic options, the Rank and File

Mobilising

Committee Rally

(also sponsored by 'Tribune') Friday 23 January 7.30pm (Doors open 7pm)

Central Hall, Westminster Tickets 50p Speakers: Tony Benn, Eric Heffer, Arthur Scargill, lan Mikardo, Reg Race.

alist Challenge 8 January 1981

By Tom Marlowe

ROY Mason,

Labour's spokesperson

culture, and

stir last weekend,

weren t

next election. out M hime taia Mapok, a

Sa-ETE Strenoeet

threat: that if, as is possible;

Mason is not re-selected he

contest the election as

an independent.

Mason's warning should

be taken seriously. The man

ias suet a mgu poinion

AnSeS probably

believes that not only could

he defeat a Labour canconference on the election leader takes place on 24 January. Since last the method should be changed, party have stiffened their resistance, determined to roll back the left's advance

Party vote Eric Haffer and Tony Benn out of the shadow cabinet, but from Roy Mason, the 'Gang of Three', and other right wingors there have been not very subtle hints at the possibility of a right-wing split from the party if the left's advance continues.

should not be lulled by Michael Foot's elec tion as party leader into letting up in-the fight for democracy. talked to Dulwich Turner about the prospects for the conference. '40-30-30" position is the best.

CERO SOO REG TEASCA forward by the night wing - one person, one vote

vould offer every Labour Party od. Why are the left opposed to this proposal?

You have to look below tae surface to really involved. Demon aet

questior abstract FOrTs. o ren content. I see the following objections to this proposal.

First, who is putting this proposa:

Hal Wi tucovewnt are opposed to any change.

That should suspicious to begin with

Second, there are many practicd WOJel be rooiel very tong-

winded and system. But the importan ble abuses of such a system.

Page 4

for reselection

MP for Barnsley. on agrimegalomaniac, gave Labour's political pot a right-wing

He declared that if some Labour MPs

reselected by their constituency perties they would join together, and fight the official Labour Party candidates at the

didate in the next election/ but he could also go on to bi elected Archbishop carteloury occolRe Mastermind champion and win: the Eurovision Song Contest.

If that sounds like an exaggeration, Mason's career .OtrCI WIsc.

job as Northern : Ireland Secretary of State, during THE Labour Party's special rules revision

of the party

October's Labour conference decided that

of electing the party leader the right wing of the Not onhe did the Parlismentary Labout In this situation it is vital that the left

Socialist Challenge Labour councillor Carol

"American' mary-style People could join thé. abour bour parie чецію егет -Labour members, not to be active

bur lesa to voie on who was

people hostile to the basic aims of the labour movement could get involived in such.

Socratien. VOTCOvCEy . 31e one person, one vote? syster has problems akin to hose of the secret ballot in Instead of the lecision being aculvc; ship, it will be made by a momee meniser

-broader active membershi They will be open to all che pressures of the medi wt ve seet i in some union elections which have

sece tha lores are at prec-

the press moting call didates, The fight for democracy in the Labour Party is fundamentally a fight about accountabilit But the leadership only be made accountable to Call aicipates in the life of pare #cuc ole wilich: palmovement.

Should Tony Benn challenge Michael • FOOI TOT te ecoersns •T TAe party when the electoral Definitely. Michaet Foo Is leader because ot the shiti vo.tne lelt in lne party, bul he doesn't represent the left look how retreating on unilateral nuclear disarHallICH ToE cxasre TOOI eecec t "enter betause some right-wing and 'centre' MPs decided he oiwas the best bet for heading off Benn ai the needs to LIIC :FiiL o1 • Ils a Dulcics.

Labour Party.

the last three years of the

Labour government.

ANOt many ROBusen

thought that Mason par-

distinguished

moderate 10

described him two • OCIOre

grossly misleading and in

The newspaper conclud d, Mr Mason may not b

When He finally

Will Leave behind the somr

bankrupt ap

proach to Trish politics Mild

Such a judgement was, if anything, too mild. 'It was

Roy: Mason who

the rimning of the H Blocks

wno-approved thew porce boracksposed police

barracks exposed fighting for a leader who really represents the gains of last year 'party cauciccc

• Tony Benn.

-ome left oppose e a syet un fo

gives the unions Vhat's youi view of the block vote?

The huge strength of the

is a basic fact of life left will ignore at its peril. I'll give you an exam pie trom my own experience ini Ciche Here ob a right wing couple and

Amnesty Intergational, and

whe generall achieved

Reputation as the most hate

English person- • Ih-caic

since: wavelacromwell.

Office

There was only one une

quivocal dissenter from this •» - r he , Mason himself olarimed that his term of of

aC iNormere eseure

Taae :mm :*internationally

,internationally could

South Africa? , aSA.M

Certainiy Mason has his

international links.

Labour

Committee for

Iransatian-

uc Hac stama tre vas

•OULK whose finances

come directly from NATO.

When Mason Wilsoni. Defen ne under Harold

PsMaVCC

NATO paymasters well by Benn should definitely challenge Foot for the Labour leadership, says Dulwich councillor Carol Turner ne er 42м1e have organised to get local unions

delegates to the soricial management-com mittee of the constituency

par Many of these have turn-

ed out from EEPTU of whict : wingers Bob Eadie is an official. A:

fesult unt voltea: com. Diexion of the GMC is mov. ing to the right. The left has to organise its forces in the unions, the right always their strength

herlts no good trvinz.-to

de frading the defence bude

Badly, Mason's politic declined lately. His

on agricultufe was rather a

monon, so much so tha •looking

Prestigious position tó fithis

Coal

If Labour had won the

last election Mason would

have been

chairpersonship of the Na-

WA Cosore 20e

Tories may still make such

an appointment

that Mason worries

which side of industry he is

on. in Maren last year the

Sun reported he was con

sidargil ta enginp amui

Prion or Mincrs. Nationa

Dreak tae links between the Labour Party and the unions; you've gọt to fight the right wing in the unions 1HCIC: anoster brose the left faces here. Some o our left-wing activists are in

collar : 010RE . Va aren't even affiliated to the Laoour party, so they can t send delegates to the general committees: Creen rie unions links he vacour Party

. UIIO.

tllik ton teen . CHOIHO positively fight in NALGO and in the NUT for affilia.

Mason was reported as

sider the job, with the con that he woyld con

dation that he would

allowed his

parlamenlson sear,

«Mason

untimited vision of his owr

While Northern Ireland

Secretary he approved the

he retete e eo terer 0

later 40

oast in a style reminiscent

ot a prospective dictator

alone with the Queen, and was able to take the de fione Miniser or olec

For to th I decided the visi

: Was sul.

With such a record of self glorification it fs hardly

Using consider himself

HUL IuDo tarl "ogeal •: 831

•rovemene m3! should threaten to quit if he

did nt a houg

ahthough Mason

may droan on that 'there is a tat toas 0 :Corne anc

worry about the future o would be no concern if Ros 3107290301 •Party?

future was outside that party • 01 1 e | Party Democracy and the left can only gain.

What do you thin! will be •VuLCUd "ot the conference?

It odicoml o se the

exact

continue to KCC!

Hic :cosuc10 Wake suk . Lilal úné oe o e nar contereice cecision is cat ried out - and that means taking the decisiv. soul sa -or the leadershi f the hands of the MPs

Page 5 scan of this page

Council unions

fight to

stop Heseltine

the tap

to the

town hall

present to

was another vicious package

of outs in local gavernment

spending: Labour

who avoided making cuts in

1980 face an impossible situa

tiòn in 1981.

The only choices now open

to them are to attack working:

class living standards or to

koow that the working

class have had enough'

ALF SHERWOOD,, convenor,

Lambeth direct labour unions:

January is a broad ference, It's a question of what action people are willing to take, and whether we put up a fight/

The cuts and the con

ference haveshe same effect of briaging people together.

Both sectie sun this department the building erafts now together:

the first time in

ing that the conference will help the same thing to hap

actoss the country. citor from Keat on toant I watched a Tory

and you would have thought, he talking

rather working people He wanted everything torned over 10 privale enterprise

nerviewer asked him: What about the subhe dida care be one workers? he WarEnE save money

Drain

They want to bring in contractors sunnosed y save one "tie cuts place a drain on all services Now there are no pomes

Fories want to

ose down our direct labour

Sake. around million pounds a year, but would pur building workers on th

would end up hav•Day 14018 , money throngh social security and unemployment So the whole thing doesn't make sense

We decidedao organise a

Turning off

MICHAEL Heseltine's XMAS lead a national fightback.

working people

councils

the leading,

"We have to let the Tories

6WHAT we want to see on 17

con-

week of action after the I conference which passed a resolution

should take industrial ac tion if necessary to fight th

Support

Nowadays working class afford to be out indefinitely week of we i start, and finish be able to

1 Thatcher can see that enough people are at the then she'll have to change ter poletes.

With a week of action the tories will not be ahlete there's support for a fightback.

Sis. One of percent behind the reasons is that we went

Task them to take action unless ts serious

Local Government in

Crisis Conference

Central Hall, Westminster Saturday 17 January Open to all 1 Credentials from: Steering Committee, Lambeth. Town Hall, Brixton Hill, Brixion, London SW2

The recall Lambeth conTerence agamst the cuts on 17 January will be the next na tional focus for opposition to the Tory cuts. Below we take a look at the effects of the latest cuts package and speak to militants from Lambeth on

fightback they are Lambeth conference The direet labour has never -been of strike before, apari from days of action.

Welve i bad

mccungs in every section of che department and we've honestly explained the situa There's nothing to be achieved by telling workers you always get caught out in the end. So. we told them alk the facts about the pour movement organisations

Home News

FLOWN HALL

Photo: Joanne © Brien

implications of Tory cut Not on member has against the week of action

everywhere

demonstration always ignore demonstra-

tions or make oul that there

only new tone people on them so they car

say you've not got any port. But if there's vices ealis and the goern week, we've go! veryon the suppor

will be forced to in WICH fervene

Ordinary people blam The union: say, because of the press , that

stewards touch with thew memhers But what they don't tell you is that it's member themselves before there can be have agree Council house sales are.

Solidarity needed

Joe Church,

PG 056.

6 the

Wing in January that can turn the tide

fight. That's what we're doing.

ment they will gradually

in the end we'll win or lose

of the conference,

of notice of the there. They can use platform for themselves, get une unions the cuts.

disgusting. Thousands of people are iving in sub

Tories are giving grants of €11,500 to private contrac tors to reno sell them to house old house.

andlords who will charge

The DLO

: Walente want to close down + could do the same job for the sam amount of mone

accommodation for

axe falls

government

main aspects:

ding.

rural areas.

vestment Programme.

cent inflation

their cutbacks working people. this £12m from i the Southwark Tory-controlled Bournemouth

employees or "more rate and rent rises

to balance their books

tainly mean that

provements being Miralready begun being abandoned

‹sort of loss overspent

of resources who refuse to cut. from the Parliamentary Labour's Labour Party conference on

ference held last November.

Lambeth Direct Labour Organisation and secretary of the largest building workers union branch in England, UCATI

THE main thing that I want to see from

conference. is solidarity action against the cuts. There's so much happen.

I've heard people from all over the country say that they want to fight back, so why not

Over the last couple of months we've seen that if you have a go at the govern

back down.

What we want to do is have a bash at them.

depending on the assistance that we get. That's the aim

Surely this is the time for the TUC to come along to the meeting and take a bit

feelings of the people the conference as a and to start to moving against g

three senarate familie All that the system doe is make more пюпеу, fe those who've already got it All that we're say ing is that we want to fight and that people should support the stand that we're tak ing. We have to let the Tories know that the working class have had enough.

Socialist Challenge

Where Heseltine's

THE latest round of Tory cuts tak

the form of a reduction in centra

support loc authority spending. There are for

* A one per cent cut in the total govern ment contribution to local authority spen

* A huge redistribution of the govern ment rate support grant away from poor inne city areas towards the wealthier cities an

government contribution to the Housine in * A cut averaging 15 cent in

* The imposition of a six percent himi on local authority wages at a time of 15 pe

By redistributing money from the poore areas, the Tories have shown the real aim

to attack and demora Tribune has estimated tha measure will lead to an eventual cut c inner London borough increase of f1.6m for The wage limits will force local authoritic to impose wage cuts in real terms for thei

Levy the extra money from ye This will put extr pressure on councils to look to redundancies

Perhaps the most sinister measure is the cut in government support for the Housing Investment Programme. This will almost cer.

the moratorium on council house building will continue at leas until 1982. It will also lead to repairs and im

delayed and projects

For Lambeth council the HIP allowance has been cut from E53m for 1980 to under £40m for 1981/2 before inflation. Rate rise would need to be 100 percent to cover that

and the council has already this year by 19.5m

Sheffield council face an even worse situa tion. They face a loss of €1 3m in housing sub*sidies and a further f10m in the redistribuțion

It will also lose the rate support grant under Heseltine's penalties for councils

There has been no serious response as yet

Labour executive The official cuts held las autumn produced nothing but hot air.

The only national lead for an organiser fightback of the labour movement against the Tories cuts has come from the Lambeth con

Every trade union and Labour par ly branch should be represented al the recall conference on 17 January. Week of action planned

member Lambeth conference steering committee told us: Support for the conference uilding up. 'The Workers union and General Workers conference, Lambeth IGWU, AUEW NUPE NALGO, UCATT and th OMWU

•Lambeth yorkers calling for suppor or their week of action stai ing on 2 Februar be asked to build suppor The confere will also for a demonstration plann ed for Clapham Co South Londo Wedn day 4 rebruar The week of actio politiest strikes by direc worker sent and adds are ree Tory to the fight agains redundancies and cuts Lambeth council exar ort of every other pub *The conference will als

1iull struggler Leyland and the steel is

8 January 1981 Page !

Page 6 scan of this page

Steel militants attack

ELLI Scotland: Fight for jobs in '81 By Des Tierney A CALL to make 1981 the 'Year of Fightback was made by. Jimmy Milne, general. secretary of the Scottish TUC, in a New Year message to Scottish trade unionists.

The call came as latest

figures Scotland show that there are 261,767 11.6 per unemployed in the region. Comparable figures for

of 1979 were 180,300 or per cent unemployed rise almost 45 per cent in two years.

The Scottish Council of the Labour Party has called for a mass, demonstration

OIL Saturday February to protest the jobs: slaughter. The demonstration will march to the centre of Glasgow to rally in Queens Park where they will be ad dressed by Michael Foot, Tony Benn and trade union leaders. Expectations are that tic acmonstrauon will de une largest in the city since the Se cond World War

But the trade union and Labour done little in the past year te leaders have capine the they e calling main concern has been tô present Scottish workers moderate and reasonable in vain efforts to get the Tories to change their policies.

The culmination of this strategy was the Scottish Convention on Unemployment beld car: The Con December last year. The tatives from unions alongside Scottish Tories, the Scottish

Party and Churches to try and evolve a common strategy pressure on the lory govern-

While this charade was going on Scottish workers were. inspired by the example of the victory of the Gardners

occupation and the massive 29 November: LiverDool demonstration callea Dy the Labour Partv: The Year:

the Fightback' needs sad strate ty. The machions and strategy. march. 21 February could be the first step.

Socialist Challenge

1975 = 100

140

:130

120

110 the

By Paul Highfield SOUTH Wales steel for militants have attack-

Led Steel Corporation boss lan MacGregor's the corporate plan for the

industry.

The 15 bulletin of the and Port Talbot

21

25-1

the

put 1975

8 January 1981 Page 6

economy in 1981

By Brian Grogan MARGARET Thatcher chose New Year's Eve to try to revive flagging confidence in her policies. evidence, she pretended to see signs of economic recovery.

Britain has gone deeper into • ICCESSION than

the bosses anticipated. But

: is likely to until either working class is broken The resistance government out of office.

saw an increase official figures which now stand 2.25 million. nent rate shows no sig!

down.

Organisation of Economic Cooperatosenebevedo ment reported after close consuliation with

groups., Steel Sheet, plained:

The tactics policies now being practised by BSC famillar, Michael Edwardes. accident that was on the British Leyland board before transfer to BSC.!

December The truth of this remark Lianwern is shown by MacGregor's action latest ploy.

MILLION TONNES

27-7

25-4

1976 1977

Home News

Prospects for the British

Contrary to all the

the Treasury that 1981 is likely to see another million By mid 10, remind

poken or popier cen will be

fell by 10 per cent in 1980, unknown since 1930 The my are worse: metal

exams e lamuracturns Dureul fell by 19 per cent 101 in the third quarter comwith the preceding nree months.

This situation has been ene are the Tories. Of course there

MacGregor ballot

extic last and over may appear

they are those of pay

It is no porate plan.

MacGregor 4,500 more his in 1,0%4 at

1,003 at modeller on tinplate

TOTAL UK STEEL OUTPUT BSC & PRIVATE SECTOR

25-2

21-4

1978 1979

is the background of the world recession; but in none the other advanced

from the US has there an actual decline, merely a

shortest on record'

So different is the inter British exports have actually

- despite the high pound which dramatically worsened com

showed a surplus of f455m Drilall S balance

over f2 billions in credit.

The decline in economic majo countries whole should have come to

general the present recession will be much less severe than Edwardes' successful tac more at

of balloting year, the whole BSC workforce

in response the heads the unions on the six month own

freeze and the cor- mends

offers no redundancies South Wales, including action

the : Velindre (Swansea) tinplate works,

the Ebbw Vale works, and Major Private Producers

Rouno

82

first nine months 1980

1974-75 Yet Britain's slum shows no signs of bottomin out. DO Tie Bank of England: the "OECL estimate that things will not

at the earliest. The OECD further projects a decline in

as onch again is in 1980

cent drop in manufacturing output The facts

carol d

slump threatens

working class ts been sure weeny weakenet It is this background which is chorus of Thatcher critics.

Co Deons Commill.

Commons Тогу back bencher Edward Du Can completely undermined the credibility the ment's medium-term financial stategy.

This situation reflected in a serious decline in the bosses confidence. In her New Year message natcher uncare use to n advantage Ene announce ment by the Industrial and Corporation that it had financ the giant Port Talbot plant:

MacGregor's action is

to the ISTC's ballot which recom rejection of the plan and pay freeze,

positive lead o The South Wales groups have already produced a special leaflet against the plan and are vigorously campaigning for outright rejection.

Sheem

Sten

Oak

Steel Works

Dui

Guest Keen

& Nettlefolds

1980 tr new

than in the previou

four years, It had paid out

563011111c

international ..O: compete level: British on

yland alone needs £1.5 Motor lans to invest 30 billion

dollar ove the

period!

In 1980 investment in

manufacturing b

6 per cent as ms under-

•The Department of Industry

capital i spending

will be slashed by a furthe

13:10 2U ser Cei

of the bosses will not be

turned around b / optimistic

from cher: they are not at all con that the condition

for producing a profit are

series cer this, • the

has

ground down

But if 2,5 m unemployed

nasn t acnieved Inis wha

level of unemployment will

do so? And how long will it

se consola

tions that determine govern

nichi: He not new to ge

the economy moving again.

And they will determine

much more punish.

STEEL boss MacGregor -amploying Edwardes methods

In particular they explain why "unity all steelworkers throughout the British plants is vital. The actions of the Velindre works council :In South Wales is example of how not to fight redundan. cies.

They have decided ta fight them by proving their profitability the now closed Corby and Shotton sections did. They've even suggested sharing redundancies with the other tinplate works at Llanelli and Ebbu Vale!

The action thiro ups totally approach. They have seen plant after plant closed before with no regard to how much they were making or losing. They argue instead for national in unions in steel, linking a action with miners and railworkers, to fight for a workers plan for steel, in volving increasing steel production to meet social need. Risk

This time though.the Blastfurnacemen's union (NUB) has accepted the corporate •plan, arguing that their jobs aren't at risk - this time.

But Ra t Davies chairperson the Llanwern action group says: 'This is a totally blinkered approach. MacGregor hasn't finished yet.

'If all the unions in steel don't fight back this plan, he'll make the most of our dismissive attitude and go ahead with further cuts in six months time. That's why a no-vote in the ballot is so vital.'

Page 7 scan of this page

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Page 8 scan of this page

Women workers defend

IMPERIALIST HANDS OF

Reprinted from Kargaran Socialist (newspaper of HKS, sympathising organisation of the Fourth International in iran) TO CONFRONT the military regrese e milita the mera gi aggression Traqi tran who their important and decisive role in defending the Iranian revolution, have succeeded in organising defence committees in many

These giving military and first aid training

Naznakh factory is one of the factories in which the task of military defence and preparedness has. developed considerably. It has 1,300 workers and following the struggles of the workers,

now run by a workers shora which has organised extensive military training in the factory.

Using those workers familiar with military affairs and the arms given to them by the pastoran in their centre, they now

Erct/il: three times a week for about three hours

The military committee has «so om an osuae couoe lc rencn me ort or munan wowore Workers at Naznakh believe that to defend the revolution

Socialist Challenge 8 January 1981

the revolution

every "worker should

militarv training and they

they will do all they can to help

workers in other factories

Women workers in tory have inemserves .for boreonnoni this- military training dependent

been formed to defend the ructoy. ane towe eamnes orae of organising men's commites training they

As a first step nas organised keep-jut cises every momwe or ore nour They have also organised a course of elementary. first aid teaching the women to give injec

bandaging and the care of with sealart hemer raiming regards military training Women in Iran

particularly the

HKS (Socialist Workers Party).

But the

us the following story

daughter. couldn't afford to lose her job.

(ranian workers are increasingly dissatistied with the Khomeini regime's inability

Page 8

receive tee the say kearamg now io work win arme At the moment women also have military the fac Many organised tory now knowhow.to.use roermun macmne rumsr ane mre An in- are going to have military exercises.

Many brothers and sisters in the factory who are receiving this training transfer their experience to peoi the committee in Crcc of . WOrKeN traorvan neighbourhood committees and are military training people The mintant aCori speculation and foodstujfs, and to ensure better

THE WAR with Iraq has involved many women in political and military activities,

neighbourhood. shoras.

Many women have also joined organisations like the Mujahadeen guerillas and the

situation is contradictory.

Repression against women is still severe. In particular the clergy is still trying to enforce the wearing of the veil. Leila Aziz told

'A woman called Fasineh was working at the Melli bank. Since being divorced she was the sole supporter of her 11-year-old

She wore the veil because she

women's: committee

must be

men in the

tees.

G-S'S

culte. trie iaken wune ocrones

tant steps taken.

neighbourhoods

and WITA? building committees,

ml any caning

: to the Dossibe suis women In tne possible. believe that to prevem over-pricing oj members

should lead this task.

'An islamic government official came

to her bank to inspect the women to see if

they were wearing the veil. He said: "I'm

glad to see Islamic sisters properly dress

ed. We know you support the regime."

Fasineh indignantly replied that she only

wore the Shador in order to keep her job.

'Three days later she got a letter from

the government telling her to report to

Qasr prison. She was

without being told the charges and later

transferred to Evin prison where she was

tied and severely beaten.

"Meanwhile posters

bank calling her a bitch and a prostitute.

After one month her family found her and

she was released. This is not an isolated in-

cident. It happens to hundreds of women.!

distribution of oil products they

in neighbourhoods and in particulai a ene merenooumooa commni

The activities of our brothers and sisters at Naznakh show tha the first steps in the task of defen

revolulior .i nese mus be encouraged and more impor-

If these factory defence committees link up with each other

Tho neighbourhood the lasks of general , arming the peo

and controlling distribution

; wono. become existin united shoras have 11C4I luctortes detained there

went up in the THERE is now speculation in the that US Reagan may be planning further military against- Iran using American hostages as the pretext. Certainly the pre sent US administration is stalling on the return to the Iranian people Shah's assets.

In Iran itself President Bani-Sadr has launched a demagogic against the mullahs' handling of the war and of the hostage crisis. suspected of preparing for a link-up with the army hierarchy against the Khomeini regime. All moves are in response to the deepening tionary process in Iran.

As Leila Aziz's eyewitness report the masses are increasingly dissatisfied with the Khomeini regime's inability to defend the revolution. As Leila concludes: more than ever we need to be tighting for imperialist hands off Iran.

Women workers are also participating in military training

open press president-elect

By Leila Aziz action the

of the

to fight.

The

meini

campaign

• LS O war Failure

„fron une weren't needed. these taken Kurdis

revolu- mained

Law.a 1k Ull

TenG: Thelr

munition While the!

explains, tion depot in Ahva:

for the government's

Wnie? defends armed

military aggression

'Now GerceHOIV the Iraqis,

Refugees fleeing

Eyewitness

THE FIRST time we realise broken out was when the Ira bombed Mehrabad airport in mediate reaction of the mass the revolution against the Ira gression, and so they queued to be taken into the army anc

Hesbe •Kargar Socialist (HKS, sympathising othe organisation of the FI) im- the " mediately called on the Kho- pect

government for food cities general armed mobilisation of the masses as the only way to defend the revolution. But LICW from the very beginning of

comp •.ENE government deliberately dragged its feet. in th

•STOE *shov

Workers were turned

Dawa. ae LOt Lne Khor • Many or inos‹ into the army were sent to Kurdestan shoot Others re Ilavc peasa in barrack ain the town El Ci Wall LULIC from niurcstal workers alu ocasarl. Work

cities but the regime claimed it did not have the am-

. gPVe with( were refusing to ave ams o tte beope lie rad planes destroyed a huge ammuni. told t

The reason ting 1 talure to . war arin tie ulasscs is tnal amy reglmt

capitalism fears mobilisation of the HISC than imperialist *Darat cities were lef virtually undefended against the bombardment and shelling from

killing thousands of Will Iranians and making more than a orice (

HONE anees from the. war

Page 9 scan of this page

Letter from an army

volunteer to Kargaran

Socialist

COMRADES of the Socialist Worker, 1 am a

welder recently married, working in a factory in

ex-conscripts re called to the army I went will

to go to the war front.

and put on a soldier's uniform. The majority

the soldiers here are workers and farmers.

to die are now demoralised because of the

be the deliberate designs of the otticers.

state of affairs. Whatever discipline there must

have been here before is now complately lost

with our presence. This is really bothering the

officers,

ficers do not want to fight. Rumours

times there has been a rumour that in the next

few days we are going to the front. These

only lasts for a

rumours don't work.

surely but shyly defend Taghouti (the old

regime). The censorship of the news from the

war front has resulted in a bad situation in the

toreign radios. It seems the conditions at the

war tront are really terrible

Even the announcer of radio Tehran,

although he did his best to cover up the fall of

Khorramshahr, could say no more than the

BBC. Neither said anything about these

Taghouti officers who are not sending us to the

war. 1

IRAN

eport from Iran

mittees that war had attacked and hran.. The imwas to defend imperialist agheir thousands nt to the front

e vio on neone ir s not to give shelter to

How exmed people with, no lies to remain in their ace certain deale?

about and nere

tu rcaci lclcol. Ul y day it was suppressed meini'.

so see. atch up to the reality of

the fall

une. une workers u ute

tola they would

day

was extended twelve wares were waken ane o the war, although in

families going without wages to the Wal « une sacrince

cases workers were

money has not ay to unc uccay Il lac Borore nor Lave all ine proi supplies been sent.

like petrol rationed' vuL. as •ILY HILS MIC DoO!

can bought pons for a price. t has trebled since the sous so le stoneers n the money as part of

ingly to introduce myself to the nearest barracks

It is now 25 days since / went to the barracks

'of Most of the soldiers who had also come here willingly

absence of any real plans, and by what seems to

It is now noon and the barracks is in a sarry

but what we are saving is that these of

In the 25 days that we have been here, three

rumours are only to keep up the morale, but this.

few days. Now even these The officers whenever they get the chance,

Soldiers are simply listening to the une war effort'. In some areas where the neighbourhood comand snoras lave revitalised or IcLorica workers have seen to the fair distribution of essential provisions. of the government's disastrous policies

its inability to defend the revolu- ralBrown loud dissension has and clear. At the of Presilent Bani Sadr, on the 'day Asnura, a millon people came Ic support him in one of the biggest

rection against the Stad that he is demonstrations since the

La dangerous liberal making noises. about democracy, but at the moment he is a toens for this diesen LON. A week ater at a rally of half a million people addressed Majlis deputy, Salamatian, WCIC chants of Death to Deresit, Bilaikial and Kho-

Lynch

When Ayatollah Khalkhali

Khuzestan. which has been almost destroyed by Iraqi shelling, he was forced to leave in a

ning of December the Mujaha-

hundreds

deen and townspeople. there were large demonstrations in Mashad, Qom, Isfahan and Tehran wher Khomeini's Dicture publicly. The mullahs immediate ly called for a massive counter-demonstration last Friday in called il off Khomeini

La en sorga rernaps une) were afraid nobody would come!

The workers and peasants of Iran need solidarity in the defence of their

Never we need to be fighting for imperialist hands off Iran.

A Barbarian By Davy Jones

nians

plight of the prisoners held in Iran.

The response of the • ranian leaders Reagan's jibe was swift and to the point, Tranian Speaker. Rafsanjani told

lehran *Every day somewhere in the world the blood of mittant people runs from the claws and teeth of the United States.

For years you (Americans) have taken

resources and sucked our blood. There

no history more savage than you, especially the Republican leaders.

can call uncivilised and bar

• ad ture

spie who place Islamic republican government oro

for espionage and who were plottin He added that

busy the

Is were anxious to resolve the hostage issue but

FOR EACH AMERICAN

KILLED

10 of you will Die!

Reagan and the

real 'barbarians'

BARBARIANS' was how President elect Ronald Reagan described the Ira-

holding the American hostages.

Throughout Xmas and New Year the Western media was saturated with the

that the US government werc continuaty makig ex cuses.

Reagan charging the Iranians with 'barbarism' is the

the CIA which organised the Shah to power Iran in 1953. At the time the involvement but the centrai role of the CIA in the cour is now a matter of public show his apprecia tion the Shah denationalised the oil industry in 1954 and handed Amichical and British Petroleum (BP).

1957 the infamous SAVAK ..was

searrora York Times in 1979 how the

organised massive repression of the Iranian people.

'Amnesty International

reported in 1975 that *No country in the world has a worse. record in human rights than Iran,

estimated 100,000 political prisoners were held in the Shah's iais. were built at a faster rate

Many rthousands those

Werd tortured Thousands more died at the hands of the Shah's which brutally put down all

Support

Throughout this period American (and British) im- gave full su Huge perialism to the Shah's regime.

supplies despatched to from WEIC

importer o arms in the world. In return

• arms to repress the

Shal policed the Gulf region for imperialism

When this hated dictator was finally driven out of his county Dy tric lasses Il Wa.

charge of his welfare. When the left the country 54

•cent of the people were

per the poc stion were illiterate.

Shạh clique hac alassou LEFE country " nuge • fortunes

Bezink' and investments abroad

The Iranian masses had one simple demand - the stolen billions to the Iranian

people se he could stand trial for his crimes To the Iranians, allowing the Shah

the. Unite rater was like offering asylum to Hitler.

The response of US im-

legal extradition of the Shah

the seizure . of Iranian sending of US war sea: ordering a halt to all im ports from Iran, and depor

Iranian students trom the US

And on 24 April last year came the abortive US

raid Iran. supposediy IICC american nostarcs tne rea alm of the rala was to help undermine the Khomeini

and install regime more conducive

CIA also tried to organise a coup by former offi

Shah reinstall Shah's

pichlich.

Shahpur Bakhtiar.

Suppies

Wịth the, Shạh deposed American imperialism gave massive aid and arms sun eues i:ne Iraqi government whose human riehts record almost

regime in iran •was

: Wilel regime launched an invasion

of Iran last September.

Since the Iranian revolution began the gains of the

been enormonsthe

monarchy was abolished and a republic set

WP: *The SAVAK and secret

police were abolished and the Shah's former torturers tried and punished

contro over Iran's oil assets was eliminated and oil supplies

off to South Africa

Galle in. com anes seventy to eighty per cent of industrages for most in-

*Wages dustria workers were doubled and the working week reduced from 48 to: 4(

neone won. the right to vote demonstrate and ala ist political par

which denied under the Shah.

neighbourhood committees

have been established throughout th country.

The record of American imperialism during the period is one of propp. ing up reactionary and

world Salvador, just as the propped up the Shah

"Iran for 26 years Judge for • yourselt who are the real bar. barians'

Socialist Challenge 8 January 1981 Page 9

Page 10 scan of this page

Socialist Challenge and Socialist Press sellers under attack

SC Sales

for more info ring C BATH: SC on salc át 1985 Books,

and Saturdays

Top rom Bookshop Sat aurie Open Marketa London Sat outside Open

Haymarket ore li

Pvv vi: sac- crcy iei olworths 11- 12.30

Marketplace, Satur- sell •MNY ELD S alabie Fram lon

Available from Nelso

gents, London Rd, Enfie

LACKNE Morppor at Ridey Roe marke Bs!

Hat. outside Scons lat-U mar

County Ba 7 Clyde View or John at 54 Elot St,

sales every Sat, tOam Square caraim: Tetric otrealnam'

Oval tube aperback Centre Thur mo VEWCASTLE overy ssa®

Ink, High St; at BURY in 3ooks; at BOLTON in the al Metro

CHESTER outside p. T: 06.26 library in St

als Bookshop

HA MISCT

Tion, Queen s kd Marky,

tivities. Tel. 061-6825191 c.

Socialist Challenge London Day School

Sat 24 January 10.30-4.30pm East Europe and Poland Speaker: Oliver MacDonald

Open to Socialist Challenge supporters Admit-

Stance f1. Vonue: St. Matthows, Brixton (2 minutes Brixtan Tube station) JOHN LENNON

1940-1980 Exclusive John Lennon poster! Just f1. Bulk orders (over 5) are post

free, otherwise send 30p p&p.

Orders and money to: The Other

Printshop, c/o PO Box 50, London N1 2XP.

Socialist Challenge '8"January 1981 Page iö'

every STOCKPORT-SC deliveredm

SWINDON: SC.opm, sa urdays SIDE SE (Brune Centre) Vers

on sale Sat lunchtime and and outside Woolworths

• sond in detaila to his sales columi

International Marxist Group notices ENGINEERING National fraction MISSILES. National fractfon Sun 23 OSITIVE ACTION: Day school Sa NOMENS LIBERATION: National

conferenee Son le

ucus for cdes gaing t

Interested ring Penny on SO FunA DiVe 0 16 7/18 108 MG, c/o PO Box 50, London N1. Offers to Fed, Camder

SC Events

cap booze, free food, a rar. 1. 96 Beisize

Mil SC suporters: Sat caucus

10 Jan,

8371.

Revolution Youth notices 18 ED Doreion mino

By Pierre Imhof A TROTSKYIST has been elected to local parliament for the first time in Swiss history.

Sylviane Zulauf, member" of the Socialist Workers Party (Swiss section of the Fourth Internaseat on the legislative body of the Bien-.

By Brian Grogan ship of the local party on the grounds

Press, was again

Party.

In an unprecedented sided hise se for a se- move, the NEC 1cLolk-

cond time The

December. night

wing had refused to im-

plement a previous NEC

ruling to :uphold his

membership application

under the guise planation for the NEC*: demanding •a " muil.

decision. Now the NEC

has "reaffirmed

uphold' the appeal of

Heslin. end br nom mater. ol

the end of the matter.

the strength

precedents set in the Heslin

Casc. right wịng has

Inovee against other

Socialist Press rend op aster

Then at the

began to move agains!

Socialist Challenge sup-

BULLs clearly

BiseSaouon political move against the

whole left in Oxford.

Appeal

just a smokescreen

witch-hunt. They claim that

ulcaeti! expul-

sion are meanbers of cither

the International Marxist

Group the Workers

Socialist League. No serious

evidence ltas been produced

1° Thi msi d te

cont victim is

Pto Gligt

be

member of the Labour

the main

The coul not give mucallig IO SOD selli

newspaper Sacialis organisation ligible for affiliation to th

abour Party'

Logic

The convoluted logic of this following: If you Wat .tht Challenge, newspaper you must be soonns SCIE TIG

Or of+an. tion iahin ts ineligible for

the LCDOUI selling the newspaper are receiving money which supports this organisation, as organisation. you could be regarded

supporter/ member ol

This is a blatant attack on the democratic rights of all Laböur Partv members

Socialist Challenge News

rese parlamen he resut came as Da of a general shift to the left in the movement won 44 per cen vote securing the Socialist Party an absolute ma This mote to the ve reflects : LHH increasing tre .en bola sason. between the THE right wing in Oxford Labour Party received another blow against their attempt to witch-hunt the left last month. Ted Heslin, refused memberthat he is a supporter of Socialist

backed by the Labour Party national executive committee in his fight to join the Labour

'This is a blatant attack on the democratic rights of allLabour Party members to read and propagate any views within the labour movement" vi rs windn rope ate aur vicws : within labour movement they wish. more an at стре at political censorship. This approach has a ertain irony since a promi nent member of th right Oxford bidder for bert Maxwell, The Times, s eser •UIC neuspas the vichs or me • HCWSDaDe! which ruling class!

NATO All Labour Party not only those in Oxford, have a vital interes in defeating this witch-hunt. interogating Labour Party applicants on their support other msaton is of course aimed socialist like the IMG I the No enquiry is ucted dlfel the supNational sales drive planned ALL readers should make a note their diaries Saturday 21 That's when Challenge plans to hold its first national sales 1981.

On that day, we want our supporters everywhere out on the streets, selling the paper to new readers, organising sales in all the major shopping centres

An MP for socialist revolution!

working class and bourgeois "naluca. HiC ooeriSe CArTI as the majority will be pui on the spot by working class which have increas "V.V.C. • ICCCHL • HOniEAS! demonstrations of workers " TRE watch factories demanding inflation-linked increases : alu :redundancies. and porters of the Committer Transatlantic Jnderstandir openly anded by NATC

The right wing never dream of submittin the whole membership

reach, in the railway. tube stations: at football mat ches; in the pubs and laundret 36 : people come together to relax or to work at the weekend.

February.

Socialist day a success. Make sure that port to make the national sales

local Socialist Challenge sup day of porters begin . E B

about where it could organise sales throughout the day. want to

to be ive guide to sales pitche

paper SO We are readers can go along and help

We will be increasing can number of papers printed for

movements school students like those organis ed against sexist domestic science courses.

The vote also shows that these workers will continue OIES parties change their current policies and organise action.

The 1.6 per cent of the

UNEMPLOYMENT

LE ONLY GROWTH A

is a pay oo siting ehe nes. such vettings is a way

Tan acore party. fa t-

is an active party bary, the osupation rent strikers in Ban bury, local hospital against .the cuts, and some of the ward

bus and

And in fact anywhere that

event

As ever, we need your sup-

:now can We ublish a compreher

oppression.

that other SC

the your

electorate who voted f Sylviane Zulauf show tha ca limited workers revolutionary solu tions are being adopted as an alternative collaboration social democracy.

Silviane Zufauf will allow those workets to have a voice - the first in a long long time in a Swiss parlia ment:

Photo: G Ma cookson, Socialist charenge

branches have come out in SUDOUHI H Bock n „oIte nes an Armagh women which is at the rool onen witch-hunt and why it mus be fought.

thy numder s0 otra coride!

number oxtra coples be special posters and leaflets available in advance to help promote the

Today a growing number of the Tortes hande are prepared are suttering at to listen to socialist solutions. Challeng has always policies Socialist

Istood for the key for many militants to an explanation unemployment, poverty and

Make sure they have the opportu atedo road abeut them in Challenge National Sales Day! Join Socialist

Page 11 scan of this page

The workers' South Bank Show

Prostitute: a film for 1981

Class Struggle in South London, 1850-1900 by Dave Russell and Mike Tichelar, SouthwarkLambeth History Workshop, £1

THE last half of the nineteenth century saw for the first time the birth of continuous trade union and working class. political organisation in Britain.

"The period began with the decline of the Chartist struggles and the channelling of revolutionary politics into • relatively peaceful political reform. Scenes from Prostitute

So begins this collection of 15 documents chronicle the increased ticipation of the working class in various forms of political acuivity as seen in microcosm in South London.

Conditions

Many of the social conditions described in phlet apply generally to nineteenth century capitalism: the endemic alcoholism the poor; the sweated trades - graphically described in a

document on the shirtmakers which of Southwark; and the poor

par- hygiene at home and at work.

But these with periences the anising pend waste agitated to overcome 'evils. give sociai and political perspective to the specific inand South London working class. the pam-

The growing ation of the skilled workers is among illustrated

descriptions of events of the period:

Under Review

*The on Kennington descriptions,

the

march on Parliament. and these through the skills the shops

creased men to réceive the vote.

sophistic-

through the Southwark the great By. Geoff Bell ONE of the few things worth remem bering from the 1980 film world was the campaign of disruption against 'films depicting violence against women.

Movies such as Dress ed to Kill Monster and

La Stranger Calls attracted angry

which received massive publicity. including generally sympathetic centre. spreads a couple of popular daily papers.

At first glance a film

alled Prostitute BACAR for

same type of treatment

especially film contains scenes rather

counters which leave little to the imagination

But Prostitute no cheap sexploitatior movie. On the contrary it

working this also roll only: and revolutionary.

'monster meeting'

their .Common. which was the last big Chartist march and petition and which defied police warnings not to

*The Deptford bread ripts of 1867 which involved large-

disobedience ransacking of and which led to phlet pressure for working meetings of branches Democratic

*The 1889 dock strike in

when labourers organised for the first time, coming out in their thousands

- orany year

which makes it not only worth going to politically but every other way well • had the London Film Festival limited release Lon ondon and Birmingham shortly v you wave • to traver tu engun or une country to see it, do so.

The film's direttor is Tony Garnett, famous for his partnership with Ker LOACI. they have producer and directed sucl classics as Cathy Come Home, Days and Kes. style similar to these earlier efforts: 'naturalistic' is the film buff's • terminolog tion/documentary

to act but appea real people they

are playing. stitute are, by and large. The people •Pro. from Birming Hass who work in what has been romantically termed 'the oldest profession'

SUT there no - romance Prostitute the film is about exploita • tion: how the women are

of to discuss the promotion of

cause by boycotting hostile newspapers and pubs.

tion

Meetings

The early working class parties and organisations are

asset descented. The first

describes, South South London • of the Social Federation Britain's first Marxist group

which pioneered political character that South London was later to develop

degraded and humiliated by those who use them by their the In words, an everyday story of life under capitalism That rathe not sort of movie to be enter tained by. Certainly some LUTE 'scenes are • STomaCh

and umour in the kin

remarkable tender quali. ty.

This is achieved by the contrasts the film offers

once, lue fonest orta Ine ordinariness * enter t the the and physical perversion clients the pro stitutes, the sillynes. those trying them What comes through message of class, how corrupt class i system is, but also how those at the botton end of the social scale

hay sany within

humanity allows them to at least survive.

Socialist Challenge

as a base for radical clubs and

And early trade unions are

course : recorded: the development of Lambeth Trades Council; the pleas of Bermondsey's Unemployed Committee; and the forma

of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants in Southwark.

interesting and readable collection of

DOOKICL worthy of reading beyond

London. serves to remind us not only of the background to today's labour movement, but also of the lessons and tactics to be employed.

Graham Norwood Marshall McLuhan needs a new medium IF YOU have sat in a meeting and had to strain to hear the speaker, then ac cording to the late Marshall McLuhan - one-time guru on the • media and messages you would have been 'participating'.

Thus television is cool'.

It is supposedly low in inforHallel and the viewer ha • OV Compen sating for the low definition of the image on the screen. Such abstract technical assessment meter Mechan anony followers. •to sorts of

political son bies.

Television shrunk the world to a global village, said tne. gurk implication: • we could not know our h, but our on

Pore so one can do

• the images on the screen was Ircievall. The forn meda whether manuscript, book, - was all important ir determining that is communicated Ine tect tnat in ine wes the 'globa village resembles Peyton Place 01 Dallas, rathei than Nevsk Prospect or Tbilisi, was by

the socialists

consider hat form carries messag ut form is itself shaped t

, Take the novel, for example. emerged form octa their view of th world. The individual was broken from the bonds of feudal and

LIC CENOT and actions of characters in

Yet for McLuhan Painted tensioner , scanning the page in a linear wav This

:analysis: astor con of media apolitical contributed nothing understandin forces that determine forn or con tent; still less to challenging then • who

message to us via a medium

8 January 1981 Page 11

Page 12 scan of this page

H-block and Armagh - not over yet

By Geoff Bell THE struggle of prisoners to win conditions compatible with

coming loud and prisoners themselves and from the National H Ireland.

Although the possibility oi a new hunger

doubt that the prisoners feel that the British

broken the made Wilcil the hunger British Army in 1798 (below)

Socialist Challenge

Irish Republican

political status is far from over. This is the message which is now

clear from the

Block/Armagh Committee in

Blocks of Long Kesh and Armagh ended just before Xmas.

In a statement smuggled

The prisoners accused the prison authorities of failing os carry out the British invaders: Cromwell (above), and the

8 January 1981 Page 12

reiorus odicy: promiser by Tory Secretary of State Hamphrey statement warns that should Dillall sugere use brisoners will ne forced to fall back upon our

This implies that the DESUNCIS stepping up their campaign, but last week's warning by the Derry branchi of the Na

would start within two weeks, has now occ wilnarawil.

Yet there is no doub that many of the prisoners are bitter about the

By Tom Marlowe THE first ITV's The Troubles was shown on evening. series awaited eagerly for two years by those in the know.

The personnel responsible for the series have, in other roles, some of the best and most radical documentares have hit the small screen. These include an excellent historical series on Palestine and some of the more honest "This Ireland.

Omissions

Bearing that in mind the first episode of The Trouble was disappointing.

makers tried to cram in too much one almost 300 years in just over

thạt, there were not even a mention 1867 Fenian Rising to which Robert Kee's rival BBC episode. there are however. com pensations in this whistle-stop Tullie "through three turies of Irish history. time is available for dealing with recent times,

episodes, which have already

riveting.

Factual Back though nich catalogued all sorts of British nastiness towards the Irish. On that the programme difficulty arose when quest began to deal with the Irish themselves.

within series beginning

Ireland is employed picture of the Catholic priest saylil: table mass. shots Other

Orangemen Republicans marching, and a Protestant minister doing his religious bit What all this tends to sug gest, and it is re-inforced

Ireland

Issue at me weekeno ovan National H Block/Armagl Committee tension and frustration

and there are reports that of the 450 'Blanket' prisoners in Long Kesh are • Wilca with their wash' protest

appears that three issues remain unresolved First Britain insists that Tinf Republican prisoners protest

The Republicans . al suc

Its promíses immediatel: second the prisoners

ROL

episode of

Monday Thus began a which has been

5 produced

television ever to

Week' programmes on

Perhaps because the film-

episode

omissions: of the

series whole

. cenMore commentary, divisions in and cersecond and third

screened privately are described at one

indeed. justify his

to episode 'Conquest" political motivation. behind

Class

'ConNevertheless

that right: that the

•CUl cliche about sente the prime predicfollowed marching, It English

cemano mar une Varons verbal promises made by the Britisb government be made

, luc wcar

the statement that 'ended the Humphrey Atkins said that their could "düring wcal

VISITS' but that type clothing' issued by prison authorities would be *during 'tne workne day' meant, said Atkins, that 'denim uniform becomes a thing of ine past tor all prisoners But at the moment ihe Twentieth century invaders: Black and Tans (above) and the British Army in 1969 (below)

that

Ireland. Thus Oliver Cromwell's expedition to Ireland, while rightly con-

exposed,

Protestada Crusa point as a

In fact while Cromwell did

actions mE religious terms, his attempt to settle the Irish question had

much deeper

"Conquest' did get the main-story-line

basis of what Irish people call the troubles'",

English kings, queens, generals and

that they ing should be master in the Irish

should is also excellent that

Ireland is explained, for the

onial exploitation: the word class" pops up time and time

authorities telling they wear susi before permission :clotnes will be given, Even if this problem is sorted out it is possible that some Republicans

ca.to wear the prison-Issut civilan-sive they would continue refuse.

The other issues that led

to have been resolved. definition Work will de so broad asig allow the prisoners to decide what 'work' they undertake the

again in The Troubles.

The second episode, deal-

with partition and on next nissed ay, be missed.

ench the test episode day

which the first episode not. Possibly this is because it covers only 30 years

But what really brings it •and alive. is, the old newsree!

- and this would include The prisoners will also be allowed associate together to such an will be able organise politically. Fult remission of atensene

menda de Brish ganen be freed But all this is dependent promises made at the end of the hunge originall agrees that reforms should be carried

period has now elapsed, and the prisoners and their sup porters are still waiting. footage and the interviews ticipants in the events from wina wae range of 1916 to 1921. One interview in which a veteran of the IRA who fought in the War of In dependence, describes how he threw grenades at passing •British Army vehicles worth staying up until mid*night to see.

Decent

There is no denying that, judging by what has been seen so far, The Troubles is mov ing relentiessly towards the conclusion that if Britain were to leave treland it would be

only decent thing this country's rulers have ever done for the Irish.

So tell your friends to turn

ITV every Monday al 10.30pm. And watch especially episode, dealing with the Nor

and which stars one Michael Farrell revolutionary Marxist, historian

member of Peoples Democracy.

Page 13 scan of this page

EL SALVADOR GUERILLAS ADVANCE

By George Reynolds AN immigrant hostel in the Paris working class suburb of Vitry was the target assault over Xmas.

The attackers came with one purpose in mind - to flatten the hostel to the ground so that the immigrants who lived there would be driven out of the area. To this purpose ENCE bulldozers, wire-cutters and clubs.

But this was no ordinary racist attack. It was led by suburb, raul Mercieca, a member of the French Communist Party. He was joined in his attack on the hostel by members of the Communist Party, and the French CP has officially supported his action.

The scandal of the CP's new militancy towards immigrant workers has been denounced by many on the French left. Jean Le Garre, the Socialist Party, said the attack on the hostel was unworthy of a party which proclaims workers' solidarity and internationalism'.

Last week 6,000 Muslim immigrants, prompted by the attack, decided to call a special: conference By Megan Martin EL Salvadoran freedom fighters of the Revolutionary Democratic Front (FDR) have made striking advances in the last week. Their guerilla campaign against the US-backed junta is expected to reach a climax shortly.

In the meantime, the,

Marti Liberation Front (FMLN) have established a Drovisional Ports Dart the rune agat wing •junta continues receive aid from the Carter

despite killing citizens by junta supporters last weekend. Fronts

The new gueria. offen-

closing days of 1980, It con-

three in the north.

kilala chango and Santa Ana.

cordinne to sources,

Among the towns taken ov tre gueras was Aguilares, which is just 30 miles from San Salvador, the country's capital.

Juveriulica Talves tavecame to save pushed back the offensive

is that towiis vi dicas • are movable fronts' retreat and advance elsewhere. But these guerilla

shortly Culmillalc genera and tina offensive.

Speaking • San guerilla commander, : "Anna Maria' told the New York

cannot give you the exact date or hour, we arc.very closc.to our tina battles.

The military offensive is expected to coincide with belicial Nat salvator New Year's ave. army surrounded the capital

population respond ed by erecting barricades:

Typical

The killing of two US Cruzens Was typical right-wing exercise.

The two, Michael Hammer and Mark Pearlman, drinking coffee in a hotel in all Dalvauvi. which une arca was surrounded by

of a commando-style

munity. •goon: squads used

the lord mayor of the

Vitry, located in 50 other an executive member of

by to with Murdered by rightwing 'Rodolfo Viera (above), Michael: Hammer (below). and. Mark Pearlman (bottom) uniformed members de the junta's National Guard.

Plain clothes men entered the hotel and within minutes the two were shot along with • Salvadoran Jose Rodolfo

'problems of racialism, xenophobia and aggression' against the Muslim com-

But the French CP remains unrepen

it has attemoted to Justify bulldozing by saying that there already too many immigrants

and that immigrants should other, less working areas. One of Mercieca's CP helpers has been quoted as saying: The people Vitry are fed up. Out of every 10 in. habitants, two are immigrants.

Municipal

The same theme was recently echoed

another Communist government in the Paris working class suburb of lvry. 'Ivry is 20 per cent immigrants, complained the Communists. in certain areas they reach 50 per cent • We say frankly 'That's enough"

The excuse offered by the CP - that immigrants should, move to other areas

GUATEMALA

CALVADON

PacificOcean

to our final battles'

Viera. All three were workin oil ande is no t there is no sign tha the governed cal to mee kus astre the murder of four US a month ago, when the US This has now

continues throw its. weight behind the junta. Research : The barbaritv of the inn confirmed by the US human Council on The cele Affairs. council, ¡ cocalci civue composca ol •rate use members or Congress, religious leaders and political

International

French Communist Party

leads racist assault

is

country,

the ford

living in

be class

of

La French national. jobs in question

municipal

Wing them.

into practice.

SANTA ANA Atlantic Ocean "I cannot give you the exact date or hour, but we are very close

tivists, has just issued its an-

nual report which says that

Salvadoran

was the violator

human rights in South anc

Central America in 1980

Squads

. The report that says

more people • died El

Salvador in 1980, largely as

condoned right-wing death

squads , man in all ine otne

of- • Latin America

combined.

sụch repression Sas ador opposition shoe clear that the

weeks with growing

fidence. In the words s of An

'We are now in

our final phase'

pathetically weak. Immigrant workers, being the lowest paid in the

are bound to live in working class areas because that is all they can af-

All statistics recently released give the lie to the view, which is also peddled by the CP, that immigrant workers are taking the jobs of French workers. survey found that only one job in three left vacant by an immigrant was filled by

This is because the in the building dustry, in road construction and even in car assembly plants - are so low paid that French nationals won't consider tak-

Despite such facts, French CP leader Georges Marchais has gone on record as saying he is in favour of stricter immigra tion controls. His party members in Vitry have obviously decided to put this policy

Arcatao, Santa Barbara El Paisnal Chalatenango • Suchitoto Aguilares

SAN

San Vincente

san. van repezontes LaCavecana El Salvadoran guerilla commander

By Frank McBride

bomb on 30 December, bringing the death Basques killed by fascists in 1980 to over 20. Unusually, unis time tne victim was a member of the left. •More often have simply lived in a those killed Luc lastist tant Basque town, In July for en, tale pregnant woman, brother and a road sweepe died when a bomb went off Outside Bilbao nursery run by a left-winger.

The left wing town iso suffered Hernani has severa November two middle-aged

A

infavours stricter immigration controls

HONDURAS

•Tecoluca

• Tres Calles PACIFIC OCEAN

EL SALVADOR

Basque leader assassinated

JOSE SAGARDIA, a leading member of the Bas. que separatist group ETA was blown up by a car

I toll of

French Basques gunned e French played cards in the of Hendaye

best circumstantial evidence or a unk between i the

fascist commandos.

Minute: afte the killing car with Diale smashed through the Valvale and stooped at the Spanish side. Despite repeated guests, the Spanish refused return. the three Socialist Challenge 8 January 1981

GEORGES MARCHAIS, French CP Ieader who SAN MIGUEL cupants and instead released them later that evening. The

because of 'mechanical

claimed Spanish authorities

Spanish Wittiste Silenor Juan Roson, admitted that those in the car had been

secret had beet fleeing from ETA militants

cidence that their flight

minutes after

made by the single detentio Span

athoritiesir connector with any of the fascist kill

Yet in 1980 hundreds were detained for their supposed links with ETA

Page 13

Page 14 scan of this page

Leicester

Women's

Festival

WOMEN in Leicester are organising a two day Women's Festival for the end of this month.

The aims

their lives as tney whore totaller from all walks of life and promote local women's

Part and other skills.

The coll to na nave Women's Aid, • agreed Rape Crisis take part

• Group, National Abortion Campaign; the women's subcontict of leicester

wound ane other concar facilies Food and child-care will provided on both days

DrovIs Oldi . OLO• OT •Tesuval which is being held at Moat Community College, Maynard Rd, is:

Sat 31 Jan Open to all, Workshops, films. Cance groups,

speakers from Child Pover

CAS. Evening socia wit "Wish kest and disco.

Sun 1 Feb Women only.

Frankie in self-asse

Sac ing To risend on serinen

writing 1UT LIC • cular avinastone rcacing net paetry; one hour all women

contact: Leicester Women's resuival planning Group, PO Box 118, Leicester:

Anti-Nazi demo

planned

RACIST violence: CUt-

throuch y

December some 200 racist thugs attacked the

nosque in Luton bom. barding

•Dollies and

Several of those in the mad te wee treated id

treated vospitar later.

In condemning violence in Luton the Anti Nazi League appealed for

TOT cemensuaron orcanteed Wolverhampton local anti-fascists in a march or anised by the

Inal Front. noon at the Civic Contre, Wolverhamoton

Attlee's racism revealed

By Davy Jones

RECENTLY-released 1950 Cabinet papers show that Attlee's Labour was seriously

coloured immigration'. The Cabinet •minutes record that discussion centred on 'the means of preventing further in. crease in the coloured population in this country.".

Campaign Against

Racist Laws National delegate conferénce Saturday 10 January

Discussion on building a mass campaign

against the Tories' new nationality proposals

Send for details to: CARL, c/o Lansbury House, 41

Camberwell Grove, London SES

Socialist Challenge & January 1981 Page 14

By Joan Twelves,

secretary, City Poly

NALGO

ANTI-abortionists

are beginning to

organise within the

unions. The failure

of the Corrie Bill last

year has forced

them to reassess

their tactics.

restric-

tions to the Abortion

simple, - like the

put as a Members Bill Secondly they

over

the Abortion

Cahinet discussion followed complaints

from a deputation led by

• Leary Constantine. There in a nutshell you have the racist argument: the way

of black people * ure kola

Successive ments - Tory and Labou

nave used us argu ment to justify toug

black people.

Watch out-there's an

anti-abortionist about

continually gained labour women STORC have control

proach when the

and NALGO ported

impact They have

Oral. ches But they are clearly

Initially focussed on the Union of

by Irish

SlIce Happy scenes from Oxford University Monday Club's Xmas dinner where Nazi salutes were given during toasts to the Queen.

Special mention should be made of Upper-class Twit of the Year, James Sainsbury (above right, giving Nazi salute), a director of the tamily supermarket firm. The Twit's father is planning an anti-abortion bill in the next parliamentary session. Sainsbury shoppers take note!

NOM the il natchel government want to br ing the nationality law in

with the racist imjawys.

Tones nationality proposals figure prominent ly in their plans for the next parliamentary sos. sion

On Saturday.

the Racist Laws holding a I con-

For further details write

CARL c/o Lansbury fouse, 41 Camberwell Grove, London SE5.

What's Left

Payment in advance LITERATURI Literary Teaching

Oil 3-5. Details Fro Party. Sat 17 Jan. 11. 30am Lavender Hill, Battersea Bell, Biggs (Ex Army Capt), Charter

Home News

was con one in draini

Ical lice 1979 Now

tentions to other unions, ACcular those affiliated to conference a motion calin At last 51 MISaLLIAL 14041 172 led to more delegates want. ing to speak against it even being debated than, ans other This year anti-abortionists being HOrC SubLIC their motion Hon, and not le op simply should says. Luau involve itself take 'political' issues This would lead not just

and Amnesty Iterianona It is likely that similar mo tions will be put in othe , unions. The National Unio also affiliated WOld seem an obvious target The activities of the anti

Socialist

Challenge

public meeting

Revolution in the Caribbean'

Wed 21 Jan, 7.30pm Brixton Town Hall.

(Lower Hall)

Speakers: Pat Kane

Challenge); Representative New Jewel' Movement of Grenada (the government party; Represen

TOT • THE Nicaraguan Solidarity Campaign

aboronists # le umons NAL GO there wilt be a con Terence reattirmins in , effiliation to NAC and call

give Women positive right choose not to children • first stage of such

Bill stating that suricien abortion facilities must made available on the NHS, may introduced

labour movement ferenc organised by and LARC on 14 March t OSCUSS •DOS LIve provides a usclui locus to countering the activities the anti-abortionists. It also tợ win support within the labqu movement for a

Resolutions supporting this conference should be moved branc politics' brigade exposed for every are alli abortionists. 50-bed geriatric hospital.

due this month.

shop : steward hospital,

closure Longworth would the first step closure. The health service has been cut back so much that if people

tand soon, we won't have a service left.'

"All the staff are against closure, says Bernie. 'but to

for the occupation. Nobody quite knew what an occup

and that frightened some of them. But now that •ic cupation nas deen go infg on for a month, the staff

be

into

NAC

'We have to make a stand!'

By Dominic Johnson (NUPE, Oxon NHS)

IT'S been a month since staff members at Longworth Hospital declared an occupation against the proposed closure of their

Now a 24-hour picket has been organised to prevent patients being removed in the first stage of Oxford Area Health Authority's shut-down

can see that the hospital is carrying its service Th occupation

and more support.' , Trying to weaken the oc-

canceled open hospital Whitney, ten which has been lying empt fort years The AHA sa that ney not until Longworth occupation ends

It's"a of pycock.' explains Bernie

'Whitney isn't a geriatric

hostial We ' neer Longwort! and Whitney.

Lut us.

Trade union sup port for the Longworth workers ha: Jour mom tear vice unions and the Oxford Trade Council. In a signifi

movi 105% Elch he are of the rome or ATTA chairperson, Lady

•ne Longworn statt are determined to continue their

Donations and messages

upport.to: Barbara Russ

Veybrea Cottage, Far

Long worth •Oxforshire.

Page 15 scan of this page

By Zadoc Nava, Youth TV YOUTH TV is a group of young people who want to see more youth participation in the

people s interests are mainly ignored

by TV and we're fed up with the crap that goes on.

There are a few programmes which take young people seriously. point, There is Thames TV's White Light, for example, which deals with subjects

like contraception, police, ,but then after discussion they throw in a pop group in case we get bored.

Our experience presenting a series of

Help programmes for Thames the last

one of which was banned -the need for youth participation and the limitations of what the TV companies will allow.

Thames offered Youth TV the chance

to present nine five-minute programmes.

and Sarah Kogan and I - both of us sixthformers at North London sives - were selected as presenters.

The programmes ranged over a variety of subjects: Amnesty International and

the events leading beating up of two black school students

in Soweto; Islington Grapevine, which is ITV goes into the '80s

The

same

Old

crew

By Geoffrey Sheridan

was no dancing in the streets at the announcement of the new ITV franchise holders. These are parts which commercial television transmissions still do not reach, although it is 25 years since the second channel was created.

It is a tribute to "the motive force behindg bot channel: packaging programmes Inat will athalt wc larcest numoer on viewers for the benefit of advertisers. Rural Scotland does not qualify.

: CVC. the orcesi moise over .tranenice decisions was the sound of

corks popping in the boardrooms of the success ui Daders ame tor all bul lwo or te lv com panies proved to: be nepenty deradcasting some marks for building up lac susocuse. nave cone in for re-selection only once DerOTe nack perhaps that was to be

This time round the w.as oc scute rine sve tor tie cs

In the event it was a side-

media. Young

upto a

school, and the

a-minute

20

shows both

group

" wieRen- them.

to the arrest and THERE are parts of Scotland where there

shov • Westward

wracked by pualaroo

power stugge, bows oul Ee

Television South West, with

a similar mix of business

people and assorted dignitaries. • Doumer! Was

une oner sacriliciat lamo

While the big five commake pro-

grammes for the whole net-

WOTK. cot t: more Or lecc

bank on their laurels,

mearanad to gie the ap

something than

ocHcvu ci courane arow

ing the existing companies*

to go on çollecting £50m a

yeasouthern fell roei of ihe aor the 800 theme

forA said gha the main com

wallsta

• b ailt detectee

public consultations around

tle attention is paid to local

dealing mainly with sex problems: Radio counselling service for young people, Lollipop, which is run by and for disabled young people in Carshalton, Surrey.

Two programmes dealt with young people's rights, and an viewers to ring in for a leaflet resulted in

phones being jammed with calls for .1½ hours.

Transmit

The last programme was due to be shown just before Xmas. It was about Schools Against the Bomb,

• of young people nuclear disarmament.

In the three • ATLAS

SAB presented their views. They called on the BBC to transmit the banned War Game film and raised the issue of Cruise missiles being sited in Britain:

We believe it was these points which caused the programme to be banned.

TWO of the unfamiliar faces behind the new Esther Rantzen (above) and Angela Rippon affairs.

Lord Boston, chairper

son of Television South; wilch • Lake- ovel :TOH solern played mised to taek TVs roe mised to make TVS ocar: stallon or ever lOWI navigee trom ne nama and Medwa Crate

roads will now have to vie Witll 1 ne Orsons o fun bridge Wells or It Happened af Stonehenge.

Since the inception of ITV television programmes have INCLI omstren tg

THE General Council of the TUC has decided that there needs to be an examination of the possibility of launching a new newspaper to reflect the interests and concerns of the labour movement.

Proposals for a feasibility study are to be drawn up by the TUC's Media Working whịch is Evans.

Home News

Why they banned a

youth TV programme

invitation

suppose.

which is a fighting for Token

available to

population. 74 More children's programmes, more local contact.

More local coverage, including Isle of Man.

More drama and more religious and children's programmes

GRANADA

More coverage of region, especiolty Merseyside.

More studios and more emphasis on Welsh language TV South Replaces Souther TV. More cai coverage. son South Wer Replaces Westward. More local

Channel TV

:shown distinct signs of be Ae mic anci recent yeats manufactured in mm-Haworta nmancing. rol productions has put a premium on bland and supposedly programming.

The pressure for television to be more m cact Witn . neoDes Intersenerne There is'a simple way to achieve this ii is grann nast hing at ihe TV authorities want is to tet the working class think thạt we coure make ano oresen our own programmes;

there has long

General study would national

paper, circulation,

and organisational structure.

Moss Evans is

Group main enthusiasts for chaired by. Moss.. jest

The controller of features at Thames, Ian Martin, said the programme contravened the Television Act because it was biased. The idea seemed to be that we would need to include school students in favour of the bomb. There might be one or two, I

Thames asked Sarah and I to do a replacement programme on STOP, organisation which is against caning in schools. Together with the researchers on the programme, we refused to do this * as a matter of principle. We then contacted the press about the censorship.

What happened with the gramme summed up the exercise. It was a token gift from Thames: It felt like they were cashing in on anther section of the

There are all sorts of programme: which could be made by youth - play

WHAT THE IBA HAS DECREED. More programmes from netv/ork, more broadcasting hours.

èven that we have a right ro reply to their version of cur' ICIH .CVCHtS ACCeSS gramming presently amounts. . to a tew dozen hours a year, and then Zadoc Nava records on this Dage • we are confronted by their censorship The authoritic are well aware thạt technological UCC oDu ucaren:uei control over television out put and the companies pro The champagne celebrated the new chises. will also have OCCI cte to cai some nerves As the recession begins

1981 launch for a labour daily?

Announcing last month that

been a need for a culation the Council said that the He the financial implications of a new

well as its potential format, content potential advertising revenue

management and one of the the •pra apo, he. considers that plan for what is needed is a serious dai-

tOPCr.

stuff'

last pro-

Turner, 89

Gt James St, London WC1. to take its toll of advertising revenue. there : OOMS the prospect of satellite enabling broadcasters across That could mean a further loss o auvers og . "TO] :the British TV companies. It might also make a dent in television's Anglo-centric presentation wou auu. uca tiend cycat More down-to-earth the development wid band I fibre-optic "cable will allow üp to 1,000 televisior Chanes eo piped every home (or that, workplace) in the

ly tabloid, with an intitial cir.

between 450,000 and 350,000.

estimates the launch cost order of E5m. The "Socialist Challand

HOW the TV companies promote youth programmes. The headline was 'Kids'

written, directed, and acted by Youth TV knows exactly what we want. We had hoped to invite young people to write in and say what they would like to see, but this was part of the last Help pro gramme which was never broadcast.

Youth TV can be contacted c/o Thee

Fitzjohns Avenue, *London

NW3. Schools Against the Bomb, c/o 29

Broader coverage of the region, especially in outlying areas

FT

Separation from Trident parent company, new local structure.

Separemon trom Trident, new local structure Midlands ATV's company structure and name to change, more coverage of East Midlands

More local coverage.

Better regional service, more local news

LVN/TT

Better regional service, more local news in conjunction with Thames

country No doubt the authorities will try to find weird anc wondert reasons why, in spite of such an enormous potential for labour movement and com Divautasiillg, it's • SU IOL O1 Some expansion of TI Dor e arle 19805 schedule for the carly The Fourth Channel comes on air next year, and ihs .cuic excuuve Jerem • Iscal has said that it wil pay attention to tne necos c "minorities", among :* hi women, and

The IBA has given th co-anero television, by way of breakfas

AM What this . siar-studdod station will have to offer i the

Page 16 scan of this page

By Judith Arkwright 'DELIGHTED' police have announced the scaling down of their hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. Their message to women is clear-- you can relax now, good coppering, has saved the day again.

The Yorkshire, Ripper, whoever he is, is a crazed and merciless in dividual. But violence and attacks against women are by no means always the work of such people.

The National Council for ~ Civil Liberties estimates that some 47 per cent of all rapes are committed by people known to the victim, and only 2 percent of rapists are clinically sick

Women cannot rely on the forces of law and order to protect them; We live in asociety which condones and perpetuates violent acts agamst

Pinups

Films such as Dressed to Kill depicting violence against women,page

pinups the popular press, ¡and the ponce turning a blind eye

widespread battering alle encourage sexual violence.

Despite recent

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Violence against women

THECASE

IS NOT

CLOSED

reforms protceting rape victims from having to reveal their sexual history court, the police _often insist: on, knowing such information. In 1978 women reported 1,243 rapes and only 309 men were conRecent - court cases have aso 1 ustratee the nypocrisy of the law: the Maw sisters: victed of murdering their brutal and violent father while a man was found not guilty or murdering his wife because she nagged him!.

The only suggestion Yorkshire police could make to- women last week was to avoid goug out at night. scream loudly if attack ed. And when women take elementary towards self-defence it is the police who move in against them.

Last week, for exam Die. Caroline Farnejad was: sentenced to zone month in jail, suspended for a year for having a pepper and red dye spray this form to: Socialist

in her handbag. That's police defence for you arresting women defending themselves

Now that the police have, finally cha mana wait one

ere de Abuse

Carefully arranging his court appearance for Tate alternoon to allow the largest crowd to hurl abuse, the police and the

convicted suspect and thus saved themselves any more embarassment.

So much for British justice and innocence till proven guilty.

Already the Hang tem' brigade is out in force Hang the man and then it be

The campaign to bring Already the 'hang am' brigade is out in force

WOM

DEMANDI

AN

AND TO

THE noli not protect women.

ings together the police the ories Whitehouse and the Na tonal Front at all those who are most emphatie that a woman's place is in the family, and who attack all moves towards establishing women's equality,

Capital: punishment is no solution to violence against women. It has never deterred murderer or violent criminals. It is always used, by the right hanging br-s wing to strengthen the

END

TO RAPE

SEXPLNTATION

Women should fight for their right to organise and

state and the police, an to intimidate all thos who threaten the status backs yours trade like women, gays, and Violence against women is not just the work of a few madmen It's built into capitalist society where women are still seen as second class citizens and the property of their menfolk Symbolic of this attitude is the fact that it is still Innocent until proved guilty?

the Night demo above

legally possible for a man

to rape his wife, his own

‹property:

laws cannot and will not The police and the protect women. The press hysteria will only make the position for

Worse. Women organising achieved more to have

nspire other women with confidence "and s 10 highlight the causes of sexual violence than these reactionary forces

Photo: Angela Phillips (IFL)

est as on reclaim

Women should

fight for the right to

themselves The

demos by •Women

against 'Violence

against Women in pro

test at sexist films, the

Reclaim ethe Night

demos by women up and down the country, and the resolution on ¿sexual violence pass ed by this year's Scot tish Women's TUC all show the way for-

ward