Socialist Challenge No. 191, 2 April 1981
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Page 1 scan of this page
Challenge Those who live by
No. 191 2 April 1981 25p tempted murder of President Reagan.
We have no sympathy for them. The society they defend is sick and violent. They constantly use violence against strikers, the poor and the oppressed.
Its forces of 'law and order are among the most vicious in the world - and their violence is above all aimed at blacks, Chicanos and the poor. What the rich rulers of the United States won't admit is that assassination attempts against politicians are a spin-off from the violence they ritually use to maintain their rule.
Assassination has frequently been used by America's rulers themselves to try to crush opposition - as in the cases of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and Black Panther Leader, Fred Hampton.
On the same day that Reagan was shot police found the 21st victim of the crazed Atlanta child-killer who specialises in murdering young blacks. The violence of the Ku Klux Klan murderers in Greensboro last year went unpunished
How ironic that Reagan's would-be assassin was an ex-Nazi expelled by the fascists for being 'too extreme.
The assassination attempt had some macabre spin-offs. The secret service man among those shot was carrying the briefcase with the nuclear button. And for a few scary hours command of America's military forces was in the hands of General Haig - a militaristic, anti-communist fanatic.
Haig's the man behind US support for the barbaric junta in El Salvador.
In those few hours the nature of those in power in the White House was only too obvious - people who wouldn't think twice about pressing the nuclear button.
Ronald Reagan, his family and cronies will get no sympathy from us. The reason that such people are shot at has little to do with 'lunatics' - and everything to do with the lunatic system they run.
When you order society by violence, when you use it worldwide to bolster exploitation and oppression, you shouldn't be surprised if you become a victim of it.
US Hands Off El Salvador!
March and Rally Saturday April-25th
Stan Newens M.P.
Gnal Speakers:
Michael Foot M.P.
Dr Salvador Moncada Representate of the rot Samocra Alan Sapper Gen. Sec. A.C.
Assemble 12.30pm
Speakers Corner march past U.S. Embassy to rally in Trafalgar Square.
Unemployed and strikers 10p
Socialist
1. Sec. A.U.E.W.- I.A.S.s Ted Sullivan Nat. Sec. r. & G. W. U.
Eric Heffer M.P.
N.E.C. Labour Party Fenner Brockway
the
Poland:
sword..
SOLiDARNOSi
government climbs down
By Davy Jones
THE Polish government has once again backed down, in the face of the threatened general strike by Solidarity's ten million supporters.
Following the police attack Solidarity members in Bydgoszcz 19
tional union movement
actions.
Last Friday over 10 million workers stopped work for four hours. Even Communist Party members heeded Solidarity's strike call despite a party instruction to ignore it
Suspend
And to avoid the
general strike called by
Solidarity the government has agreed to suspend
police officers CLOSE responsible for the Bydgoszcz affair. It has also accepted the establishment of special commissions to look into the registration of the peasants' union and the persecution of dissidents.
The decision to climb down was made at a stormy centra committee meeting last weekend. where party hardliners like Olszowski
Grabski WCHI feated. The CC set 20 July as the date for the nex
party congress.
CUTLECTOIC under pressure from the party
rank and file it agreed leadership elections by
secret ballot throughout
the party with more than
candidate permitted.
OuC
These extraordinary con
cessions may yet prove the
downfall of the
WaLL bureaucrats.
But socialists in Britain
should not be lulled into a
false sense of security
There was massive
pressure for a confronta
tion with Solidarity. The
Warsaw Pact manoeuvre
still continuing on
Polish soil. Even the Pope
got into the act, appealing
to the Polish workers no to strike.
An immediate show
down 1. But the Polish have beer
avoided.
ruling bureaucrats
playing for time. They will
not tolerate for long the
growing strength of Soh
darity as a counter-powe
to their own.
More than ever
Solidarity needs the
support of workers in
the West.
Socialist Challenge ap-
peals to our readers to sup Porkers Poland demons the Hands Off
tration called in Lon.
Sunday April.
Assemble at Speakers Cor
ner at 2pm. The demons
tration is sponsored by
Tony Benn Eric Heffer
Bernard Dix and many
other labour movement
organisations
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Editorial
328/9 Upper St, London N1
Editorial and distribution, tel. 01-359 8180/9. Accounts, tel.
01-359 8371 TUC wants to
march the
unemployed up
the hill... and
down again
SOCIALIST Challenge supports the Liverpool to London march for jobs. The march opens up tne against Tory mass unemployment.
But there are signs that the potential of the march is being stifled right from the start.
*Why imposed?
*Since when march been led by a green instead of a red banner?
*Why have the organisers refused an offer from the world-famous rock group 'The Who' to play free for youth on London end of the march?
*More importantly why did the West Midlands organiser of the march vigorously oppose a proposal at last month's Birmingham the march?
*Why, when the vast majority of affiliated trade unions are supporting the march, does the TUC refuse to call a national strike on Fri-
May London?
The TUC, Party leadership, to avoid making the march a mass event:
The TUC and the Labour shadow cabinet have reached agreement on launching a new social contract, with a pay policy policed by the union bureaucracy. Ine so-nour week Is not mentioned in the TUC's material for the Week of Action or for the Liverpool to London march.
The fight worksharing with no loss of pay would be a massive gam tor every ment would be largely eliminated.
But it would mean an all-out fight with the Tories and the CBI. It took a series of one-day general strikes in engineering to get just one hour off the week.
The Communist Party fully supports the TUC's approach. It calls for the same 'allies' on the march for jobs as the TUC is cuddling up to nationally Tysons who are in the CBI, the churches, the Social Democrats and the Liberals.
That is why they March'. That is why they oppose strike action around the march.
The only force able to kick out the Tories is the trade union movement takng united industrial action.
You can fool some of the workers some of the time with talk economic strategy, when you really mean an incomes policy.
You may even be able to march tens of thousands of workers up the hill and down again on protest demonstrations.
But the crunch will come sooner or later, and workers are going to have to rely on their own organisations and policies.
As they mobilise for the and demonstrate Sunday 31 May, the unions, the Labour Party and the CP must ask themselves and their leaders 'which side will the CBi. the vicars. the Liberals and the Social Democrats be on then?
National march and rally against unemployment Sunday 31 May
Assemble noon at Speakers Corner,
Hyde Park for march to Trafalgar
Square Sponsors include West Midlands, SE and NW regional TUCs. Irish TUC (Belfast), Manchester City Labour Party, Labour Party, NUM, TGWU, Engineering section of AUEW, Tobacco Workers, Sheetmetal Workers, USDAW, SLADE, Tailor & Garment Workers, NUPE and the civil servict union SCPS.
Trains and coaches are country-wide.
Socialist Challenge 2 April 1981
chance for united protest action
has a limit of 500 marchers been
has a labour movement
the dole at the the day the march enters
supported by the Communist is leaning over backwards 35-hour week and
worker. Unemploy firms like the builders
call it "The Peoples about an alternative march for jobs workers in Nw kegional council or lne GMWU, FBU,
being laid on
Page 2
CND
Ahsan, Rovel TGWU: "The Tories only
one thing unabustant muscle. Look the miners. make the
couc labour movement action.
Kelly Peckham Labour Party: 'The economic recesston orinos unemployment and the wat threatens the people ot ti salvador. Phil Davies FTAT executive: 'We have to get
missiles, renounce nuclear weapons and if that mean getting of NATO, the better.'
walkinson We need another labour Hovellerie conference nexu demonstration after autumn the
By Davy Jones 'WE WANT to see demonstration on nuclear disarmament on 24 October.' That was the closing appeal from John Cox, chairperson of the CND organising committee to last weekend's highly successful labour movement conference against the missiles.
More than seven hundred delegates from the unions and the Labour Party discussed the central role of the labour movement in combatting the Tories missiles madness.
Frank Allaun opened the conference bringing *100 per cent backing from the Labour Party national executive committee. attacked the massive spenalng on millary naraware.
Every family pays £15 a week already for the arms' race
'Disarmament can only be implemented by a government, COntinued, "that means Labour government. want to see a two-thirds majonly for alsarmament on a card vote at the next Labour Party conference.
Allaun finished his speech Hugo, 'Nothing Lucille can deal Victor
an idea whose time has come.' 'Comrades, our time has come. We are privileged to be part of the most imporLalli cause KILUWIl mankind.' Trident
Ron Todd, national organiser of the transport workers (TGWU), graphically described the meaning missile madness: 'Picture giant SUD marines each with 16 Trident missiles, 34 feet long.
Their million horsepower engines thrust them to a speed of 14,000 miles Deo miles, their course
miles, their course plotted by their own com puters.
'Every Trident has 8 warheads, cack with times the destructive power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Twenty minutes and 4500 later they arrive on target to within too melies
'And all this will cost us £5/6bn, rising as high as £9/10bn with inflation, he added.
Housing
Gordon Will, west Midlands NUPE, took up the same theme, explaining that in 1974/5 for every £l spent on defence, some 96p was spent on housing By 1979 the housing figure was down to 70p and
the Tories was
planned to nosedive to 33p
by 1984.
'What ian he said. in date 1984 is, he said.
George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty Four the minister of war was known as the minister for peace. Similariy today the "Ministry of Defence" is really the
Ministry for War
Speakers from the
Into the labour
d the workplaces
the biggest ever iR
Conference platform right: Ron Todd (TGWU), Olive Gibbs (CND) and Frank Allaun MP. Todd told floor stressed the theme of 'Jobs not bombs'. Raghib Ahsan from the TGWU, Rover Solihull linked the fight against Cruise
mis-
siles withhe strawhich
hour week which 'would decrease unemployment overnight by one and a half million. Action
Ronan Brady of the Post Office engineers took
Ron Todd: 'Great speech, Ron, but what are
do get TUC/Labour Party back ing for the October demo? Industrial could
the missiles, he continued, •We have the power to strike oul ine bomb, and we have to use it.
John Parkinson, secretary Preston Trades Council and the Campaign against you Dial. Uranium Contract, argued for CND anti-imperialist.
"Uranium workers In Namibia are doubly pressed, by the repression and work con-
try but from the threatened use of nuclear weapons their uranium had helped create against their own revoultion. It is Transport and General Workers
movement, into
Who was at the conference
Constituency Labour parties
¡rade union branches
Trades councils
Regional/district union committees
Labour Party Young Socialists
Co-op parties
CND groups
Various political parties & others
Total CAMPAIGN FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
from left to
the whole
Union members in British
Nuclear Fuels who process
Namibian uranium.
Theresa Conway from
Islington NALGO
plained that 12 resolutions
nuclear disarmament
Frank Allaun MP: 'For all
good it brings us we • well throw the
money voted in Parliament
for the army navy and air
force out of the House of
Commons window into
the nares
on the agenda for
NALGO's annual confer-
ence,
has a position of unilateral
asantanell
'The debate on disarand Ull demo-
cracy in the Labour Party
al c inextricably linked,
she added, 'we must bind
300 279 CAMPAIGN FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
the platform: 'Schools, hospitals anc
Stale are vestr oyed in the name of the arms race. every Labour MP and councillor to party policy
unilateral disarmament.' She urged sup port for Islington council and the other 41 councils that had , declared their area a nuclear-free zone.
The afternoon session was opened by • Reg Race who outlined the barriers to be overcome to win the labour movement to
disarmament. • Resolutionary politics not enough, he said 'we nave lo the labour movement ideologically to this policy.
Policy
He attacked the 'independence of the Parliamentary Labour Party from the party as
They had made accountable to party policy. He also protested at the government secrecs surrounding nuclear
Parliament was wcasulls. not told of the Chevaline project to update Polaris nor was most of the Cabinet.
same point was made by Bob Wilkinson from the 'north west General and Municipa Workers Union: 'Wher the Labour Party is in of. fice, It'S really power.
Page 3 scan of this page
Policy appeal unanimously
passed by the conference
We, the undersigned, support a campaign to win
every branch, committee and conference of the
labour movement, particularly the TUC and the
Labour Party, to the following position:
¡seT to copose baus nucical wcabuns, val"
ticularly Cruise and Trident missiles.
affiliating to CND, active support for the cam-
paign against the missiles, and backing the
boycott of all handling, transporting, building
and servicing of US sponsored missile bases.
every effort to build the national CND
demonstration called by National Council of
CND for October.'
What to do after the conference
labour movement body, from local to district,
regional and national level
mass leafleting among their members to explain
the arguments against the missiles to organise
local activities and to mobilise for the October
demo
• Commit the national unions and Labour
Party conference to this policy and to support
for the October demo
• Build CND groups in the unions and workplaces and Labour CND:
Resolutions passed by the included one from Edinburgh Labour Party calling for opposition to Cruise and Trident, for Britain out of NATO and unilateral disarmament, for boycotting all work on missile bases and civil defence, and for the expansion of social serVICCS
motion from the Magazine branch of the journalists' called for support for the north west TUC march for jobs and for the establishment of workplace CND CLOUDS NATO
Another NUJ motion which called for opposi-
to both NATO and the Warsaw. Pact was opposed by Jonathan Silber¡all Manchester. from the AUEW in He explained
that equal responsibility could not be attributed to
'This body (branch, conference, etc) commits
This means
'We therefore give full support and will make
• Get the conference appeal passed by every
• Commit the unions and Labour parties to
Washington and Moscow for the escalation of the arms race. Nevertheless the motion was carried Brian Heron, conference publicity officer and a Socialist Challenge supporter, moved the tinal motion to conference.
Unity
He appealed for an end to the sectarian wrangling of the afternoon session, and TOr maximum unity round the appeal submitted by a minority of the organising committee (see separale box lot a lass campaign against Cruise anu Trident. I he appeal was the only resolution carried unanimously.
Brian also took up the dangerous ambiguity in laDoll movement policies on disarmament. Frank Allaun had told the conference: 'We're all multilateralists. Unilateralists are multilateralists who
moved by Socialist Challenge supporter Britan Heron.
The initiative for the conference came
from Socialist
who also played a major role in the con-
ference organising committee. Of the 20
speakers from the floor at the conference
11 were Socialist Challenge supporters.
The Socialist Challenge
attracted 250 of the 700 delegates.
mean it.' Such a position is hopeless. Multilaterialists don't mean it. They oppose renouncig nuclear weapons until the
one does the same.
As Davies, delegate from the national executive of the furniture
Unanimous conference vote for the resolution for action Challenge supporters,
can
ference fringe meeting
workers' said to socialist Challenge FTAT, after the conference: appalling that the Labour Party conference tried to have a foot in both camps unilatera and multilateral disarmament And it's disgraceful that we have a Michael
Socialist Challenge
On the platform were Mike Picken, secretary of Labour CND; Carol Turner, Labour councillor from Southwark; Dun-
Edwards trom Young Revolution Youth; Brian Heron, the con-
publicity officer and from the Royal Pride and Mosedale factaries in the Manchester area.
Foot in both camps!
Three hundred Labour parties represented at the conference is an important gain for ine ann-missies movement. Labour Party activists must now take the issue into the unions and campaign for the leadership of the labour move-
NATO!
Another liahted at the
CND and conference proper
Conference strikers
Bridie could not speak.
head the campaign. The Con ference should have Foot Evans, Arthur Scargill and Tony Benn on the platform.
The demonstration for 24 October should transtormed into a illass labour movement mobilis-
Disruption at the conference Unfortunately the conference partially disrupted in the afterfew TOOT dozen delegates to walk The main responsibility for lies silualiuli squarely with the CND leadership.
Throughout the build-up the conference Socialist Challenge supporters gued for resolutions to be laken al the conference they were defeated on the organising commitLCCI Even when the Socialist Workers Parhad irresponsibly threatened to disrupt conference to insist
taken, the CND leaders rejected proposal from Socialist Challenge suporters that the matter be put to the vote at the beginning of the conference minimise disruption The result was sim. mering discontent throughout the ference over the lack of democracy. the overturning of the organising committee's posi tion the TOOT conference and necessary disruption of the conference proceedings. important strike was high.
conterence when Caro Turner gave up her speaking time at the
to Bridie Bellingham of the Lee Jeans' factory in Greenock chairperson Olive Gibbs resigned her position after conference overwhelmingly rejected her ruling that
Nation. As John Cox to:s the conference final sion: "When we decided clast October's demo basi in February 1980 we ha just 100 local CND Today wher zrouds. be launch next Octobe::
march we have 700.
Socialist Challenge 2 April 1981 Pag
Page 4 scan of this page
Islington's social democrats
By Geoff Bell THE WEEK before the Social Democratic Party was finally and officially launched, labour councillors in the London borough of Islington announced their intention to join the new party.
The six were members of the right wing or te Lavour Party, but it ther bring to the social democrats the practices Islington's Labour right used in their former political home then the 'democracy' part of the SDP could well take on a whole new meaning.
That meaning could be entitled Contuouul.
Struggle
in the North Ostington parlamentary Labour
Islington parliamentary constituency in particular, been an arena of left-right struggle.
dates back to Michael O'Halloran was chosen as North Islington's Labour candidate.
A subsequent enquiry, conducted by Labour's national found that O'Halloran had packed the selection meeting, but the matter was swept under the carpet by the NEC because of the forthcoming general election.
Ever since then the left has struggled to get O'Halloran out, and it is its ikely success which has led to the present splits in the local party.
Left builds
the party
'FOR the first time, ordinary Labour Party members are being invited to play a part in genuine political activity.
Grass roots mobilising and political skills are being learnt by new members; links already forged ween rank and members in different wards are being cemented.
'Formerly disillusioned Labour voters are made aware that a fighting socialist party, different in character from the Labour Party which has represented them so inadequately in the past, is now created in the constituency.
STEVE BUNDRED
GLC candidate, Islington North
The left has toiled hard to achieve such a victory. It has had its setbacks. Two years ago leading winger, Keith Veness, was expelled by the then right wing leadership of the party. Another enquiry the Labour Party's NEC found that the expulsion was unconstitutional.
When the North Islington party
party was suspended for six months
eness was eventually readmitted and the party was welcomed back to the fold by the NEC.
Success
But this was the signal for an intensification of the inner-party strug-
Most recently this has focussed on the battle for control of the party's general committee. The GC is made up of delegates from seven wards in North Islington, from affiliated trade
A major success was notched up by the left in January when at the an-
ward the left won control for the first time. nat meant that the right nad lost ten delegates to the GC, and the left had won ten.
The AGM of St George's was in itself peculiar. The first gathering of the AGM had failed to materialise because the right wing secretary of the ward had neglected to notices of the meeting. pressure, the meeting did take place, ihe right wing boycotted the affair and the left won the day with over 120
Socialist Challenge 2 April 1981 Page 4
have long
1969 when
executive,
supporters
betfile left
being
MP'S
being conducted by
handful voting for the right.
Cong o The le ao con
long.
North Islington.
who are operative shopping society.
Disarray
an offensive.
of these
June Political
Co-op party,
send out retusal of When, after
This licall
The making of North
last
members on its side and less than a
AG the ba ale eras taken pontes after the St George's
Be rotten borough party has With only 40 members on its books it is still entitled to send five delegates to North Isl.
occausc of large 'trading membership' - that is, those
members of a local Co-
The right wing had always managed to secure those five delegates until, at the end of last year, the left waged
Suddenly the Co-op party had an influx of membership applications. Curiously, a good many
applications turned down, although all of them had come from members of the Labour Party.
OI the Co-op in January broke up in disarray when
nanonal agent or une London foi con martin eng or ne Co-op
party managers to accept membership from 21 individuals.
the North Islington right had lost another five delegates to the general committee.
Labour Party
Estand
'gang
The left in the party worked out that this would give them a majority of around ten on the GC
Michael O'Halloran's head was now on the line. At the February meeting of the outgoing GC row broke out. This centred on accusations by the left that the MP had failed to carry out local party policy on Ireland, by failing to vote against tne prevendon or lerrorism Acr.
O'Halloran denied that charge and he and his main accuser, Mick Sullivan, ended up other bare faced meeting, too, broke up in disarray and the scene was set for the AGM of the GC held on 11 March.
When that meeting took place it began with the announcement of a batch of new delegates. These centred
five delegates from the 1/723 branch and four from TGWU I/725 branch All were supporters of Michael O'Halloran; what Ise they were has since become a mat ter of dispute
Error
Tommy McNamara was recorded Labour Paity in September 1979 from delegate Islington TGWU 1/723 branch. But six months later he was down in the books as a
Mayor Jim leads
6' split
Norte begun witch-hunt
apparently a typographical error.
the same
: a huge calling each
That
TGWU from the the licence.
North
had
constituency
Delegates
since told Despite Leigh,
VULC prevented ant
building th.
branch and
and has
affiliation
therefore delegates call AGM
delegates.
Party
Michael
select its
ly to succeed.
Irish'
Agent
CONSUNCI
The press coverage of the left's takeover of Islington
CLr nas already shape into a
Stormer party agent delegate from TGWU branch 1/725, For the 11 March AGM this year,
building workers branch
Why the right is known as the
'Murphia'
TWO Irish-based institutions in Islington have up to now proven Michael O'Halloran's most fertile ground. One is the Gresham ballroom in the north of the constituency.
The licence holder at the Gresham is Pat Shearan, a stalwart of O'Halloran. He is one of the six Labour councillors who have now gone over to the SDP
All six appear to think highly of the Gresham. Last year they supported at a public enquiry an application
Company accounts show that in 1978 the Gresham made a f2,000 political donation. There is no record of the Labour Party as such receiving this money, but whether it was used to finance the Labour right's own political cam. paigning may be another matter.
The second institution associated with O'Halloran and his supporters is the Islington-based building company of J Murphy and Sons. branch is based at Murphy's. O'Halloran was once an of fice manager at Murphy's.
also delegated Bernadette O'Halloran, a nurse who happened to be the MP's duaghter, and Morgan Lear, the right-wing secretary of the
Dally who Is an chitect for Islington council and a NALGO member
Confusion reigned at the AGM.
from 1/725 informed the meeting that the branch had a new number, 1/1232. Tommy McNamara left the meeting in a hurry, , and has
neighbours he wants nothing more to do with politics.
chaos Maureen the left's candidate for president, was elected by a majority of one
A filibuster by the right voles beln. taken. Before 21 March, the new date set for the AGM, the left contacted
workers' branch never sent delegates to Islington Nor-
• Branch 1/725 is a public service
hiad not changed number. It is based in wickenham
been affiliated only to the local Labour Party and trades coun-
• Branch 1/723 has not paid its
to Islington North Labour Party for two years, and is
not entitled to send
• Through unofficial sources it
TGWU delegates are not recorded as being members of the union at all.
Suspect
It was not surprising that at the re-
. on 21 March apologies from all these Suscel At the meeting Morgan Lear announced nis resignation party secretary and from the Labour
O'Halloran sent his
apologies, and the left romped home
When North Islington Labour Part
candidate for the general election, O'Halloran is not thought to be the candidate most like
Until now, O'Halloran has retained support in his local Labour Party because he has built a base of support among the large community of Irish people in the constituency His sup. porters have attempted to label the left's campaign against him as 'anti-
The irony of this is that it is O'Halloran's alleged refusal to vote consistently against the Prevention of
prove to be his downfall
Me nas announced that ne nas decided 'to stay on and fight these people who are out to hi-jack our parFoot to request the latter's assistance in a Meanwhile Morgan
Meanwhile Lear, the
seciclary, is acting as for SDP local election candidate Pat Shearan, who is standing in Islington North, and for Douglas Eden, who is running against Frances Morrell in Islington South. Gresham for an extension of its drinking The controversial 1/723 TGWU
Page 5 scan of this page
'The most anti-socialist
TORUN is a town of 230,000 people, 200 kilometres to the south of Gdansk. Recently its prestige has made it of interest to all of Poland. Solidarity Poland speak of the Strike Committee (MKZ) with great admiration and respect.
International's journal INPRECOR. The Torun MKZ militants took him to the Towimor industrial region, 'the soul of the movement'. It
What happened in the Communist Party within the factory?
It began with the strike. Most party militants in our factory, were for the strike. Some were on the strike committee. Stanichevsky was our delegate to Gdansk. After une suike we soon reauser that Solidarity was safeguard for the people.
Later we had to split from Solidarity because the constitution Solidarity says that people who noid party posts callnot hold responsibilities in Soloan is nol bossi ble to have two major positions and to do them both well. Despite all that,
e did ever in trades
our comrades members of Solidarity. because stil
We saw, very quickly, that the changes we had instigated in our party in the factorv were insutticient. Thus we sought contacts with likeminded members
fionother pat organkss-
quickest response came from the party at the University.
Now we have 32 orcasanous mo me commission. It has no leader.
Each time somebody else chairs to avoid one person dominating. All documents drawn up by the commission are circularised in the rank and file parthey are disaated to see it organisations where they meet with approval.
We are workers, not diplomats, we do not
words in the Hiccules. When we think someone is a inier or a gangster we say so.
The people who do not want a regeneration of the Dally listen without pleasure because they are not used to it. They think we should always applaud the First Secretary's speeches without questioning if it Is rigni. They would not shout in the hall that he is an idiot or that he tells lies.
It was over these problems of manner and not of substance that they expelled me tron the Dally — it was a bit like the Inquisition. One Sunday, I was told that 1 must attend a meeting on Monday. On the Monday they expelled me, and on the same day Ine factory organisation rejected it.
Hence 1 am the only party secretary who is not in the party! Of course l appealed in writing but it is
supporters throughout Torun Inter-Factory
Pierre Caen went to Torun for the Fourth
Baltic Sea
Gdansk
3 Warsaw Pact troop
manoeuvres Legnica
Wroclaw
ZECHOSLOVAKIA
three months later and still по терту • it is true that the commission must have o so work to exoc ouci militants who are bigger fish than me!
Today the party control commission is coming
discuss my case (laughter). It is a ploy to win time because this comreverse the decisionine is reverse the decision. playing for time. I am doing nothing else. Just continuing my work.
How can VOU impose democratic elections at all levels before the congress?
In the present party rules there che several polts
By Davy Jones
Bydgoszcz
WUS
masterminded by
Olszowski
leader Stanislaw
were both out of the country.
other Solidarity
delegation to France.
manoeuvres were in
guaranteed to provoke a defiant response.
meeting of the Bydgoszcz
the Council voted to
group in Poland is the
party political bureau'
August began.
ticular he spoke to Zbigniew Bydgoszcz
WARSAW
POLAND
• Krakow
which are undemocratic and we want them changeci The number of candidates is limited - that cannot continue. Votes can be manipulated because everybody is not a delegate.
Here, in our discus. sions, we have gone still further. We think that the authorities at evels should be elected by direct suffrage.
For example, in a party meeting to elect a secretary there would be several candidates, each outlines their programme and finally there is a knowledgeable vote. Everybody, by voting for his or her candidate, would feel respon-
What really happened in Bydgoszcz
The police attack on Solidarity members in
Politburo premeditated hard-liner Stefan GOVOCULION Olszowski and implemented by the secret police.
picked his time carefully. Party Kania and premier Jaruzelski Lech Walesa and leaders were about to leave on a Warsaw Pact military progress in Poland.
rurinermore Byagoszcz branch of Solidarity is particularly militant and police violence there was
The police violence occurred on 19 March at a
District Council, which Solidarity delegates had been invited. When
postpone the part of the meeting in which Solidarity had the greatest interest, the Solidarity delegates insisted on staying
International,
was in a factory which makes machinery for the naval dockyards that the strikes last
A strike committee was set up. For once Communist Party militants were in the lead. Then the wind of Solidarity blew through the party. Pierre Caen met CP militants inside the party offices in their Towimor factory. In par-
the best-known opposition militant of the CP.
sible for the candidate of her or his choice.
Also we have Coll sidered the role of the parU ty. Until now our party has played a role that it should not have: it doubles with the functions of the state (administration, police).
This is whv we think tha this duplication of state apparatus in all fields the party apparatus this bureaucracy, l has to disap peaVe must also consider the role of the CP in the factory and what it should be. It must be a force making positive proposals on all the problems and not an instrument of government. I would inke a party like that in our country.
Join this pally
should wait a year or two in order to show what you can do, to get some quality not quantity.
You have spoken about self management in the factories but how do you envisage it in society as a whole so that the workers really decide?
Now, you say that the factories belong to us. Not true They are in the hands government. government is led by a very limited group all the political bureau of the party - but only a few of them It is they who decide.
Society has no influence and it bears the conse •ences or mier accisions That is why we want make this reform as quickly as possible. How achieve this reform? To clean up Poland ....
I think that the factories must have greater put and continuing the meeting with some remaining Council members.
Later in the evening the local prosecutor arrived and insisted on Solidarity members leaving the hall. When they asked for more time the police and secret police were sent in to eject them.
The secret police systematically beat up the Solidarity members, hospitalising Jan Rulewski, Bydgoszcz Solidarity president and a member of Solidarity's national commission. jured were local farmers, old, Barcoszcze, concussion. He is not expected to survive.
Since the attack Solidarity has demanded the dismissal of all those responsible for the violence, including Deputy Prime Minister Stanislaw Mach, who was present at the Bydgoszcz meeting and dia nothing io halt the violence. So far only one per son, Edward Berger, chairperson of the provincial council in Bydgoszcz has offered to resign.
of
autonomy and ultimate aim is to let the workers decide. I see that to as a series of councils of all
the workers trom all parts of the factory. They could not be bought. Otherwise the one with more money would will.
The workers would Most of the inincluding one o/ year who had a heart attack and brain
Lech Walesa addresses supporters from the Solidarity HQ in Bydgoszcz
the decide how to develop the raines, howto recruit, hat how inings, would be a reform of all the factory administration. Marketing would be developed.
At this moment the interview ends as the
Solidarity member after the security police attack
party control share
mission arrives in the party offices in the factory. The party control commission upheld Ivanow's expulsion from the party.
Socialist Challenge 2 April 1981 Page!
Page 6 scan of this page
Take action against the Nationality Bill
Tories aim to drive black people out
By Toni Gorton BOTH Tory and Labour leaders say that curbs on immigration are an attempt to stop the black 'threat to British culture.
It is in the interests of the ruling class to whip up hatred and dissension among the working class.
If the blame for the
crisis ever-accocnne call be laid at the feet of back
it takes the leat off those who govern.
They Illake black people feel that they By Oliver New A NEW and frightening piece of legislation, the Nationality bill, could become law in curte. this bill is so complicated few people understand the issues involved and the threat that it represents to the tights boblet Pee Thin Edgen
A superb booklet Wedge' recently produced by the Manchester Law Centre goes a long way in explaining the current thinking of the Tory government.
A lot of publicity has seen given to the proposal
British citizens three categories British citizens; citizens of he British Dependent Ter-itories, and British Oxerseas Citizens.
This onlv reflects the austing situation under he 1971 Immigration Act
those people who are
Britain CHICL now would still be able to
What the Bill will change, is the immigration status black people already in Britain by making l more 101 : hem become full
Many immigrants now living in Britain nave the right to register as British citizens but the Bill would :ake away that right - instead of registering, people will have to become naturalised.
Naturalisation will be
expensive (f150)
ВОГС than registration and will be subject to cultural and political tests to ensure that people — as the bill puts it 'demonstrate a
Some 250,000 white British citizens who live permanently West Europe are alarmed at the
the Nationality Bill.
are alarmed at the prospect of themselves and their children being made stateless overnight.
The Conservatives have been trying to allay their fears by saying that they'll be alright because they can granted exemotion from the bill on individual application.
Dul this Isn't getting much response по government assure that future governments will be bound by such promises. Now some of the Tories' staunchest supporters know how it feels to be a black British citizen whose rights aren't worth anything.
Socialist Challenge 2 April 1981
have no rights in white Britain and to turn the wrath or wnile workers on thell black workmates and
The Labour Party bears a heavy responsibility for the present state of affairs. It was Labour that introduced the Immigration Act that laid the
because
Thin Edge of the White
real intention to throw in their lot with this country'.
Dubious
Nor will anvone be allowed to become naturalised if they have a
dubious reputation or
loyalty' to this
no sense of COulILI y.
The booklet reveals that "The point is that the wile raper is part or a wider, and already existing, process of reducing many black people in the Uk not merely to second class citizens but to second class citizens within the context of the welfare state
On the one hand there is the deprivation of black people of social benefits. On the other hand there is the internal surveillance by the state over the lives of black people.
Rights
Under the present ImRules dependents who are applying to join person already here are subjected
certain conditions which will rights when they are settled in the UK
The rules lay down that anvone wishing to bring dependents here 'must be able to maintain and commodate his dependents without recourse to public funds, in accommodation of his own or which he occupies himself'. It is a criminal offence to fail to maintain a dependent brought over.
This sort of rule affects in Britain. If hey aping in Britain. they apply tor social Security, coun cil housing, health service treatment or education LICY mav be subiected to checks that they are not dependents who are breaking the terms of their entry into this country.
There are amples int numbers of examples people being refused basic services and of collaboration between the Home
Page 6
basis for subsequent laws. Bil is based on Labours Torie's Nationality Green Paper.
A recent Labour Party report SHOW Labour has less of a relationship WILd Ine communities than • the Tories.
The labour movement in conjunction WILl the black community should be in the forefront of the fight against all racist laws
the Nationality Bill beDeportation picket in September 1980
'Unfortunately many people who can somehow instinctively feel that the Bill is all about racism, actually misunderstand and underestimate the consequences of the proposals.
posing racism seem to think that what is being proposed is just another form of Immigration Act -aimed at keeping yet more black people out... In fact the Bill is pretty: much based on the assumption that the 'battle' against black immigraOffice and other government agencies.
We are moving towards a situation where any black person will have to prove that s/he is legally entitled to basic facilities.
Black people have been
Home News
ing the most immediate
The present economic crisis is international and people around the world are suttering trom it. Ine only solution to the pro blems we all face lies with a change to a new type of society.
Laws which discriminate on the basis of colour
birth one's laliu parents should be abolish-
The repeal of all imcu. migration laws presently
books slatulc Most people concerned with op-
asked for their passports
before being allowed to
apply for supplementary
benefit outers lave
been refused NHS treatment.
In one case a doctor
who referred a patient to
should be part of the prograntic future Labour Government.
Pease the demonstration on 5 April organisea Campaign against Racist Laws which is supported by all the major Asian and black vi callisallulls. the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, the Anti-Nazi League Labour Party, Communist Party, International Marxist Group and the Socialist Workers Party.
DEPORTATION
- ШЕ
tion has already been won.
ing the security, status and rights of
It is about redefining many black people already here as second class citizens.
logical leap from immigration con-
trol to the control of 'immigrants'
once here.'
'The Thin End of the White Wedge' St Bartholomews Hospital in London discovered that the hospital authorities had contacted the DHSS and nau oeen sent une lmigration history of the palent
A DHSS spokesperson
British
Assemble Hyde Park London
Sunday 5 April Ipm
isht
Racis
What it is actually about is attack-
black people already living in the UK.
It is about making the huge, but
stated relation to the case that hospitals had a duty to check whether someone 'an ordinary resident or legal immigrant'
In other words, any black person is subject to
CAMPAIGN AGAINST RACIST LAWS
- its Bill
THE
NATIONALITY
BILL
DEMONSTRATE
Special offer!
20p each + 11½p
post. 10p each on bull Orders, 20 Box Order
50, London N1 2XP.
H
investigation and to welfare authorities being sent information on them from the Home Office computer in which records of immigrants are kept.
The Nationality Bill will increase this process of interna surveillance black people and lay the DaSs more frightening developments It is no exaggeration to say along the road to pin law system in Britain If you want to fight the development of state racism then you should get hold of this pamphlet. 'The Thin Edge of the White Wedge' is produced by Centre, 595 Stockport Road, Longsight Manchester Cost £1 plus 11½p post.
Page 7 scan of this page
THE POST OFFICE
By Kevin Simms, Branch Secretary, London North West POEU THE Tories are out to smash the Post Office. That's the truth behind the so-called British Telecommunications Bill. destroy this nationalised industry and ruin it as a public service.
their friends in big business and the rest of us, ordinary customers and Post Office workers, will be left to pick up the pieces. The message from PO workers and the labour movement must be: Hands off the Post Office!
The lobby of Parliament on 1 April is a great first step in the campaign to turn these words into really We this government. We know that they will not be turned aside by sweet reasonable-
or moved by compassion.
The 2.5 million on the lole are enough testimon! t that. We know we havi a fight on our hands.
Of course, aren't the only ones. Every nationalised industry coming under ine nammel blows of Tory 'free enter-
Some have decided to fight back. The miners 1ook on Maggie and Keith and the governmen: is sull germance manerg in the defence of jobs and their industry. First. thes had an alert membership who recognised the threat and the need to confront it with the only power they have — industrial power.
Second, they had. support from many other workers, especially the railway workers and lorry drivers. It was clear that no coal would move it the strike developed.
Lastly, they had among their leaders some who were prepared to say clearly, 'Enough enough, and to stand up
Thatcher's whatever the consequences.
While the lobby shows here are many rank Office o fight.
Socialist
Challenge
HANDS OFF
They want to
They want to hand over the juicy bits to it also shows the painful lack of leadership from the Tom Jacksons and Bryan Stanleys of this world
We will Many fine, and maybe even some fiery, from VUI leaders at the Tonny Parliament. But it will be So muca not ar
If they really intended to detend the Post Ottice from the Tories' ravages Lner would Have brought out the whole of
almost half-million Post Office workers to tell Thatcher allu big business friends: Hands Off! Vain cureaucras wro run ou irade unions. We have to
on our own strengin. We have to go back to our branches and start organising.
Some people will undoubtedly it's too late, The Bill will shortly become law and there's nothing we can do to stop it. Well maybe we can maybe we can't, but there's world of difference between the Bill becoming an Act and between piece OI becoming reality. Article
It's to the implementation of the Telecoms Act that we have to turn our
Our first task is to step up the campaign of information and discussion among the rank and file. It is not through the odd articie in a trade union Journa that you mobilise our hundreds thousands of members.
The leaderships of the POEU. UCW and CPSA should be organising regional and local rallies, day schools and meetings to carry the messagti to the membership. If they don't do it, then union branches and regional committees should up their responsibilities.
British when we can frustrate the Tories' plans through selective industrial action.
the Tories intend allow private companies to make a killing from the Post Office apparatus through allowing 'Value added services' on private wires, there is a simple targel To1 campaign of boycotts and disruption.
In central London, the management are going all-out to set-up special teams
enomeers.
Provision Divisions, to in-
flood of new private wires. A spanner in Inat marcia WOrkS won't hurt the ordinary customer but it will foul up one aspect of the Tories plans.
Supplement
on the battle
against
the Telecoms Bill
Sir Thief Joseph presents:
8 co.
TORY THIE
TELECOM
slow down the aitempis to nano over las lucrative business to firms GEC, Plessey, and IBM
BOOBB
Such a campaign selective industrial action, linked to one-day strikes of the whole workforce, would soon have results. After all, it was this sort of action that won the 37½ hour week for the DUSI office engineers (POEU) in 1978.
The leaderships of the Post Office should bound hand and foot by resolutions to our respecJune and May. If they choose ference instructions, like the POEU national executive committee ma-
4 ha organise to boot out the fools who
allu think that our union really their union, and that they know better than we do
Thirdly, need stop being so insular. tere are weve amon trade union members in krilald. we should co ul and tell them about the atLack on unc Post Ottice about how Post Office workers are going to sutfer, and about how it will
deteriorating vices for ordinary working
eople like themselves
We need their suppor and solidarity and shouldn't be afraid to get out and campaign for it
Resolutions and of speakers to trades coun cils, Labour parties, trade „no branches nd s stewards' committees big wolo ser to turn enc luc of filthy lies beins ed out by the
• vascis alle about Post Office workers.
The miners have be shown that Thatcher can be stopped. They have shown that the nationalised industries can defended. Now it's up to us to show that
we can do it too.
3
4
INSIDE
6
Broad Left builds opposith POEU leaders'
System X rings up
rosta workers old 7 ront numoe owaresi
socialist policy
8
Your services
under attack
ment to attack the Post introducing
prise.
job for its workers
the unwary.
services?
THERE are problems with Post Offlie !! main cause is ine government ? ."
Unlike private prevented bi the governmer:
Tinance as interimene are vital io update ?:!: customer a better au
The cash-limits are strangling these = preventing the Post Office providing the si would like to
Competition will only make this more resources away from the Posi Or..: further into its modernisation program.::
fair competition
private companies will have free reign
he Post Office from directly
"..r serfers and re-selling to the public
Come pipere shoe conner,
munications network.
tighter.
once the Telecoms Bill becomes law.
Office monopoly
the profitable parts of the Post enterprise.
deteriorating services. wrouen lower wares to work harder to 'compete'.
The only ones who
situation to rip-off ordinary customers
Hands off the Post Office!
tions Workers (UCW), be
tral Area, 70/71 Blackfriars Rd, London SEI
Socialist Challenge Post Office Workers' Supplement
2
opposition THE Tory government is putting a Bill through Paris
Office. Under the guise 'free competition' into the provisio postal and telephone services, they are trying to hie ¡he profitable parts of the Post Office to privale er.e.
What will be left will become a lame-duck. incapa? oj providing a decent service for ine customer or a cert
Giant companies like GEC and IBM are na.?. the wings to feed on the spoils, while the ursoraim.. small-time operators are already selling shoda: ?::
Won't competition mean better
compor:e:
But there's nothing wrong with
WELL, the competition won't be fair. The P:: will have its hands firmly tied behind its back.
The cash-limits policy and other restrictions.?
manufacturing erraratus to pur onto ine ena of tereprone u..e.
middle-man. buying from
"re era private companies will be adie: . Hardly fair competition ardamentalit ¡he Post Office has "" crrerttartc...
Whether vou in.
Pensance or Paddington, the Post Office has to proiia a posts and telecoms network to meet your needs.
The private companies are under no such obliga:: They can just dip into the lucrative parts of posts "". telecoms, make a fast buck, and accept no responsie... for the needs of our society as a whole for a deceni con
Won't it mean lower prices? AS the Post Office loses profitable services to the pri. sector but retains the obligation to provide a mod: national network, the squeeze on its resources 4:..
The last round of telephone tariff increases » i: : direct result of the cash limits. This will get much »
So what can be done about it? THE main Post Office trade unions, the UCW, POEL and CPSA, are united in opposing the attack on the Pos:
We say that the ordinary customer and Post Offic workes we come move o sew merce or rivucor.
Office to private
The customer will pay through higher prices, through getting ripped-off by unscrupulous cowboy firms and b.
Post Office : workers will suffer , worse conditions and being forced
will profit are the giant Telecoms manufacturers, the banks and firms who want greater choice of apparatus and the rogues who exploit the new
You can join with the Post Office trade unions in say. ing to the government and the private manufacturers:
Published by branches of the Union of Communica
Post Office Engineering Union (POEU) and Civil And Public Services Association (CPSA) in London Telephone Region — South Cen-
April 1981 Page i
Page 8 scan of this page
POEU LEADERS FIG TORIES WITH KII
System X
Ringing up
profits for big
business
By Marcella Fitzgerald, London North Central Internal POEU NEW technology is transforming the national telecommunications and the government wants to make sure that these changes benefit big business.
It's the ordinary telephone user who will be footing the bill, with a 22 per cent rise in charges last time round cent more than that for business users.
Around £1,500m will be invested this year by British Telecoms on modernisation of the network, £200m less than it would like to spend. The shortfall caused by the policy, so if this level of investment is to be maintained, prices will continue to rise and the wages of telecoms workers wil de unreaedeo
Last July ine nrsl or ine new telephone exchanges, known as System X, was installed. Almost f40m was spent by the Post Office in 1980 alone on the development of this new svstem. which enables exchanges to transmit intormation digitally, like a computer.
System X will be the lynchpin of the modernised telecoms network, and big business stands to benefit from this programme in several ways:
• The new system will allow the computers of the banks, finance houses, and giant corporations to 'talk' to each other over the public network, which is no use to ordinary subscribers.
•A range of facilities, such as abbreviated dilling, conferences by phone, switching, are great for hardly a must for the 2.5m unemployed.
• The replacement of existing, changes by the new generation is often making 'obsolete' exchanges which still potentially have a long life - a useful boost in orders to the private sector manufacturers during a slump.
• The development costs of System X — so far over £100m — have been mainly paid for by the Post Office. The private manufacturers involved - GEC, Plessey, and STC while they have a guaranteed market for the new system in the Post Office.
At the same time, they have equal shares with the Post Office in British Telecoms Systems Ltd, a zoll connoarv ser oto markel oystem s neua tionally. So, with minimum risk and investment, taey slana lo crcam ont a smal fortune nom saic. of the new system.
While the ordinary customer foots the bill for this modernisation programme in the interests of big business, telecoms workers will suffer, too.
No staffing levels have been agreed between the POEU and the Post Office for System X because the PO refuses to get down to serious discussions.
System X is designed to be, as far as possible, self-maintaining. At present, mechanical exchanges each require the attention of a skilled team of engineers to keep them running. System X will end all that.
It will be able to locate and isolate faults in itself, which in most cases will then simply require someone to replace a plug-in unit. engineers will be able to cover a number of exchanges from a central maintenance centre. job losses will be phenomenal.
While new technology
people's drudgery needed to produce the goods and services we all need to survive, it isn't being used for that Loudy.
System X presently means rich pickings for the Tew nare so owuo coruo uc ссонон together with higher prices, unemployment for the rest of us.
Only a planned economy, run by and for working people, can turn the wonders of new technoloy trom a source or oppression ana misery inlo a whole new world of opportunity and plenty.
OH...HAVEN'T YOU HEARD?TRENSOS HAL HEVELTON IS OVER... WE WON...
Page i Socialist Challenge Post Office Workers' Supplement
Report network, 3 OIO workers'
tion
4 per
Tories' cash-limits
possible range of "follow me' call the busy executive but
allaluzuc cx- stand to lose nothing
sublillci
WCIC
Office POEU the old electro-
respects.
Teams ot
hand. skilled 1 ne
can bring vast im- a year lives, reducing Ine
lower wages, and
mission.
the exd ol
RCOBB
By Pete Cooper, London West POEU THE Daily Mail, now joined by the Thames
TV gramme, has been waging a campaign against Post Office telecoms in general and PO engineers in particular.
On 26 February 1981,
TaruCIe Paedocd phone fixing fiddlers'. The
friend alleged widespread illegal install-
of telephones and (private branch exchanges) by Post Office engineers.
The article was technically inaccurate
described the PABXs being 'illicitly tapped into the national switchboard'. There is no such switchboard, and
to secretly pul By Colin Talbot, POEU Westminster Branch THE way in which the Post Office Engineering Union has responded the government's attack on the Post Office is a text-book case of misleadership and conservative cowardice.
When Sir Keith Joseph launched his assault on the Post Office last
The had already won half the battle. maln rosl Office trade unions, the POEU and the Union of Communication Workers,
already divided among themselves.
The issue was whether the posts and telecoms parts of the Post
should be split, with the strongly in favour and the UCW bitterly opposed.
The two halves of the Post Office are quite different in several
The postal side is labour intensive, employing mainly unskillCU WOlKe. profitable. Telecoms, on the other L s blazlall auu ul
is capital intensive, with a engineering workforce, high growth rate - about 8 per cent
- and it is very profitable.
Vengeance
In true Tory style, the principle of 'divide and rule' is now being appled to the Post Office with vengeance. Sir Keith realises that in the next few years posts is likely to decline, with the impact of information technology taking away much of its bulk commercial traffic.
it wili be much easter to push through the massive redundancies that will follow the decline if posts is separated from the more profitable telecoms network, where posts work will be in the form of data trans-
The carrot dangled before the POEU leadership is that if it ditches
'millstone' of posts, telecoms engineers will receive a decent slice of the growing telecoms cake. Bulke the donkey, oued oper and kee
short-sighted option and. the donkey, they are being fooled by an ever receding dream.
The British Telecoms Bill neatly
June division between ine leaders of the postal and telecoms WOrKE DV Comome SouLe ol the Post Vici ous att ot on both the po sti and Office with
telecoms monopolies.
April 1981
lines into the national
The Mail offered SYSLCI no evidence for its allegaLIuls
A small amount of illegal installation paratus, such as the odd extension, undoubtedly goes on, but on nothing like the scale suggested by the Mail. The main problem - the backlog in installation is caused by lack cash, itself the result of government-imposed cash limits on the nationalised industries.
Also in February, the Daily Mail ran a piéce on 'Computer power take-
£1
Famous Cons:
Sir Keefula A serious fight against the Bill has therefore been hamstrung from the start - because the POEU is in favour of the legislation and simply waldes alter monopoly, while the UCW has raised the more forthright slogan, Kill Ine Bill United action in defence of the monopolies is still possible, but not with our leaders at the helm.
When the Tories came to power Post oppae monop e nadir Post HuloDUry sights, as part of their general campaign against the nationalised industries.
Why the Broad Left has
upset the Daily Mail
over', attacking the Post Office engineers Broad Left.
This detailed the advances made by the left in the POEU. and quoted general secretary Bryan Stanley and right winger John Price of Mainstream about the need to stop the left.
The Mail wants to put the blame for the undeniable backlog in apparatus installation on PO engineers by calling us lazy and corrupt. It is thereby justifying the government's handover juicy part of the business CONSERVATIVE COSTABOMB POST System X (right) threatens Post Office engineers' jobs
Shortly tion,
causer on the UDOUSC including attempt monopoly.'
La ne their
friends in big business, wno are nol sud ject to any cash limits.
Cest slanderous tacks on PO engineers are CasOteea tOso alenus in the event of confrontamon over tae monopoly o. pay.
This is made more likely by the advance of the Broad Lett in the union. s( the Mail gives backing to the desperate attempts of the right wing Mainstream group and the majority on the executive to cling power by alleging a sinister chl-wile consonacy The present leadership Tories' Telecoms Bill paves the way for massive redundancies among postal wor
Matter Thatcher's electhe Pöst VInce Engineering Union's conference in June 1979 passed a crystal clear resolution: "To
lucalis possible, industrial action any to break any Post Office
Message
resolution passed unanimously, with the full backing of general secretary Bryan Stanley. At the 1980 conference an almost laenuical moulon was passcu, Ullly d
of the union has comp ly failed to defend the erests of its membershi from the 35-hour sell-out in 1978, last ye sell-out on pay, and total failure far mount an effective c paign in defence o monopoly.
By contrast, Left supporters fought on all these iss and far from bein secretive and manipula conspiracy, WC compl dways OccH open in campaigning our ideas The Broad Left wa month before Sir_ Keith annonced his plans to a monopoly.
did the POEU respond? Their first messa membership
HI CULCLU 1021, stated that the 'bes protecting the employmer members is for British Tel seize the new opportuni created by a more compe vironment to win new mar
One could be forgi mistaking this 'oppositio possible means' for craven capitulation. But t was yet to come.
Page 9 scan of this page
up in October 1978 after he 35-hour week sell-out.
Since then it has gone from strength to strength.
With nine supporters among the 23 members on ine executive. 3u vears of right-wing stranglehold on the union is nearing overdue end.
The Broad publishes an excellent and widely circulated Spark. It is supported by all the tendencies on the left in lne union, and unlike Broad Left formations in other unions, no single tendency exercises political organisational control. « ne founding statement of the POEU Broad Left calls for free collective bargaining; latiullalisation OI the telecoms manufacturing sector; for COm
while
ph Four months later, in November the 1980, Sir Keith finally published the
British Telecoms Bill. the reaction was a stronger condemna- tion of the proposals and a call for 'a nes mass meeting and of
lobby... sometime in January 1981. bur
In the meantime, local POEU branches were supposed sic)
local MPs to put the union en- case. Many branches did this,
the unsurprising result that the sefor cond reading of the Bill in December
received a 69 As a Christmas good work, Letter to Branches 1223, informing
the opening of the Post Office books for tion by workers; for better working conditions; and for union democracy.
BOCATS Challenge suporters in the POEU enve full support to the Broad Left. We think that it needs to take up active Left campaigning among membership.
One of the most imporIllattant steps towards this is the setting up of Druda Lell groups, lo involve the widest numbers discussing the policies and supporting the camor paigns of the Broad Left. That's the best answer
slanderous attacks. • To contact the POEU Broad Left, write to: Carl Melson, Messaline Avenue, London W3.
Women in British Telecoms Meeting on Tues 5 May, 6pm Friends Meeting House, Euston Rd, London NWI
HTING THE
GLOVES
postponed
The
union's
the cons desig worst aspects. musicau
posed by allull.
Panic
lobby,'
way whatsoever.
nothing.
The
pressed
for a one-day
teeth.
could The union's Hence LtB 1341.
The only Parliamentary
to app-
with
manoeu'
bonus for our make Bryan Stanley sent out
senousiy
inspecJobs not Bombs the Spread the word raise money for your campaign local *Individual badges 'fewer than 20) cos
post *Bulk orders (over 20) cost 15p each, post free Mail's *For orders over 1,000 special rates can be negotiated Cheque/postal order to sent with Make Davaoe co Hackney Book Group, c/o PO Box London N1 2XP Allow 10 days for denvery us that the date for action had been
some Line around April 1981' when the Bill came up for its third reading in Parliament.
Whole of January and February was then wasted as the
national machinery was swung behind the strenuous but futile attempts of the Labour MPs
parliamentary committee une bill to delele its
of relying the strength of the members, and waging a vigorous campaign to get them more involved explaining the threat
the Bill, the leadership tried to fight the Tories on their own terms in their own patch. Of course,
Finally on 6 March in Letter to Branches (LtB) 1341, members were informed of the lobby of Parliament on 1 April, which sounded more like the Last Post than the bugle call to
'This is not intended to be a mass the letter announced. 'Union funds cannot be used to compensate for loss of time... Ap-
group of representatives.'
No call for mass action. No appea for membership involvement in any
No call for token industrial action. In short, a big fat
truth was that Tne national executive council meeting. supporters of the Broad Left had
for implementation of POEU conference policy by calling
strike on April, to give the parliamentary lobby some
This proposition was defeated by the narrow margin of 11 votes to 10. In their fear and panic, the rightwing majority on the executive went all out to prevent
Many action that dent the Tories' resolve
conclusion to draw from the way that the majority on the executive has shifted from its supposed support for industrial action to defend the monopoly in 1979
outright opposition in 19 against the decision of conference
is that they are unscrupulous
rers who deserve only one ate: to be kicked out of office to
way those who take our members' jobs, our future, and our union.
By Derek Davies and Steve Bell, Cardiff UCW 'SIR Keith Joseph rules the Post Office. That's the intention behind the Tories' Telecoms Bill.
The blackmailing Dowers which Ene Bill hands to Sir Keith Josept aim to provide fire-powe
management. And will need it, since the breathing space it gained
smashing the 1971 postal workers' strike has run out.
Many members of the Union of Communication Workers have bitter memories of '71.
They ran up against a union-bashing Tory
before it was taught We were singled lesson by the Illis. out as a bloody example to other workers and the Post Office was a willing accomplice.
Similar problems existed then as now - a need
mechanisation, and redundancy; to keep worked high.
There
over the role of the union's executive council and general secretary Tom
who misled the
until the moment the strike sorted and delivered. Plenty of notice was given to businesses services, which pushed out
• mail and bills early was made to the telephone engineers for solidarity ac-
Ine operators in the telephone
were brought out through mass Cynicism
All in all, it was a crushing defeat. Bitterness anO cynicism spread through the union ranks.
sell-out executive became stronger after the defeat, which was too deep
create ally defiant organised opposition.
The Post Office followed up its victory with mechanisation,
UCW general secretary Tom Jackson
ing old work practices meant low wages and long hours.
But within eight yval the po found that its '71 victory was not enough the postal side sull struggi ed to break even. new snake-out was callea Ior
Subtlety is never an attribute of a management with a victory under its belt. In reply the union's 1979 claim for an 8 per cent pay rise plus an inflation escalator payment, full consolidation, 40-hour week, the PO offered 8 per cent, part consolidation, and the troduction of regular casual labour.
All hell broke loose, and by a large majority branches voted it down.
Recommending ассерtance, the executive was lett out on a limb Duties
After years of giving postal workers wanted a few improvements. Many had joined the Post Office after the '7! strike, bringing with them the stan. dards and confidence of other industrial unions.
The union has agreed on paper to help the service by more flexibility and a 7 per cent cut in duties; a productivity London region; and the trial introduction nationally
voluntary productivity scheme.
Measured against the PO's long-term aims, it's slow going. Management now looks to the Telecoms Bill to get the strength of the Tory government around it in order to push
Postal workers lay the
ghost of the 71 strike
through its cutbacks.
None of this has reduced
posta. workers mounting anger or sapped our contidence.
The Post Office has only got as far has through the assistance of the UW executive, and this has given rise to organised opposition within the
LIC Broad Left, which has emerged from the rank.
CLO the leadership's policies.
I here were revolts over pay 1n 1979 and 1980; democranc reforms were adopted at the rules revision conference; and the executive's attempt to restructure the union in line with the Telecoms Bill was referred back.
The Broad Left's programme rejects the executive's policies. It calls for no productivity, wage restraini, or joo loss, ana
decent iang erage e
decent living wage justed inflation; 35-hour week; a Post Of fice under workers' control, and one union for all collulcallon workers
Democratic overhaul of the union is also among the Broad Left's alms. This mc wee. bringing
in the form below Name.......
Address.
Age
Union/CLP (if any).
London N1 2XP. Socialist Challenge Post Office Workers' Supplement
under members' control the UNIO officers and their abuse of our bloc vote at Labour Party conferences.
The Broad Left's badge sums it up: 'For a fighting union'. It is no mere boast. meetings technology and job loss nave been held Fringe meetings conference have been well attended There was a campaign for policy the 1981 wage claim, and opposition amendments to the April conference on productivity have been co-
Best of all, Broad Left supporters led the recent Manchester strike defeated management unilaterally slide duty punishment for not enter. ing a productivity scheme.
As Pete Dodd. sectelaly Manchester amalgamated, said at a re cell Divau Leil meellg 'For us, the Manchester strike has laid the ghost of 1971.'
The UCW Broad Left can be contacted through its secretary Pete Dodd, 18 Lynoton Rd Chorite!
Manchester 061-861 8390. JOIN THE FIGHT FOR SOCIALISM If you would like to be put in touch with Socialist Challenge supporters in your area or would like more information fill Send to: Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50,
April 1981 Page iii
Page 10 scan of this page
By Andy Hollis, Leeds Internal POEU THE attack on the Post Office monopoly will be implemented over two or three years after the Telecoms Bill becomes law. Many Post Office workers desperately hope that by then Thatcher will have been kicked out. But what alternative is the Labour Party likely to offer? What policies should it follow?
At a recent meeting of the Post Office Engineer-
Union executive council the Labour
Stan Orme, discussed these Issues with the union's leaders. The result wasn't promising.
Union general secretary Bryan Stanley had written to Michael Foot to demand that an incoming LaDoul should hold talks with the coverumen
POEU 'to halt, and ideally
reverse the damaging consequences the liberalisation the monopolies'.
GIVE THEM
ENEM
Socialist Challenge Post Office Workers' Supplement
Labour and the
PO monopoly
Not surprisingly, Stan Orme was quite happy to ssure ine NEc inal suc meetings would take place, because they commit the Labour government to absolutely nothing.
The first thing we need WriLLCul into the Labour manifesto is a clear commitment to the repeal of the British TelecomOnly such a policy can begin to
of the Tories marauding attack on the Post Office.
to go a lot further . It hasto make it clear that those in
PO engineers Broad
Left policies
BUZBY
The Fare leg shorter
CAVENDISH Published by Cardinal Enterprises, PO Box 50, London N1.
POEU general secretary Bryan Stanley
Evolved in ripping-off the assets of the public communications network are gong o pay dearly for their actions.
The only way to keep the grubby hands of the and IbIs of this world off our nationalised industry Sal ailinge they cream off nationalised without compensation.
35HR WEEK HAPPY
April 1981 Page iv
Repeal of the Telecoms Bill and re-nationalisation without compensation are the foundation stones of a genuine socialist policy lowares commauricauous
The advent of technology also opens tremendous sno access of increasing every working class person to a wealth of information and contacts denied to them by our present system.
Such a system can only be built by seizing contro of the whole communications industry and running it in the interests of working people.
That is why the main telecoms manufacturers -GEC, Plessey, STC and the rest should be nationalised under workers' control. Plessey, to take just one example, makes tremendous profits out of its sales of main exchanges
the Post Office -£5m in 1980. This rip-off UVCI real change
as the Broad Left candidates in the forthcoming elections for Council and other posts.
WHAT WE STAND FOR
1. Mobilisation of the membership in defence of the monopoly. No to the split. One industrial union for all PO workers.
2. A level of pay fully commensurate with the needs of the members their skills and knowledge. No Government interference in wage bargaining. No to the Tories' per cent limit. 3. A 35-hour, 4-day week as first step towards 32-hour, 4-day week, achieved on the basis of work-sharing loss of pay. 4. A strengthening of demo
demo cracy within the union with the aim of making any future leadership truly accountable to the rank and file and more
tune with the members' feelings and interests.
5. A sliding scale of
LICO to the introduction new technology with the ob. ect of preserving job: in the telecommunica tions industry.
6. Nationalisation of both sides of our in-
manufacture and service, the workforce
CUS
has to end West Yorkshire political committee of the POEU has begun to forge links with activists in other unions, other nationalised austres unal are unaer al tack such as British Rail, workers no mat private sector. especially of the electricians union EETPU.
Callas lu win broad support for defence of the Post Office monopoly will raise the issues of a socialist policy for communications POEU UCW branch should urge their parties discuss it.
We want the incoming Labour government com mitted to genuine sociallst policies, not to cosy chats with our trade union leaders. The best wav to do that is to rely on our own strength and start the fightback now.
A GROUP of Post Office engineers formed the Broad Left in 1978. It brought together socialists and trade union militants who were sick of the conservative misleadership of the Post Office Engineering Union and wanted a
The statement 'What we stand for was issued by the POEU Broad Left a month ago part of the campaign to win support for
the POEU National Executive
tomers having a major say. 7. Open the books. We aemana to see tne tul facts and figures behind the assertions and forecasts of the PO. The members should be of the statistics awale that will determine their future. 8. No to cash limits, or any oner mechanism designed to make the
helic sector tory
tools Tory policies. We must fight these attacks on wages and condi tions and our ability to provide an efficient service to the public. 9. We oppose all levels cuts in public spending and call for ac tive support for these workers struggling to resist cuts.
10. We call on Government to take into public ownership key sectors of the economy, which must include some of monopoles. multinationals, the insurance anc financial institutions, as envisaged Labour Party policies.
11. Kick out the Tories return Government ted and accountable to truly socialist programme.
Weinstock
By John Parkinson, GEC Preston
Weinstock, managing
him apart from us lesser mortals.
not been deflected
doch's gazumping of his bid for the Times.
Office, communication is a key business, with five factories in Coventry
Treforest, Aycliffe, this multinational giant. Systems
ing strongly.
• also plays developing System X
workers, electronics, 1979.
organisations'.
the past 11 years, the workforce has fallen by 70,000.
Schemes
as weinstock
Post Office Telecommunications.
What is needed is • lO
private sectors to save jobs.
Cross
for a planned telecoms industry.
Socialist
(real value £3. 15!)
FREE COPY of The Andrew Glyn and John Pluto Press (usual price f2.95).
12 months: £14 plus free copy of The British Economic Disaster 6 months - £7 10 issues for f2 only.
Delete as appropriate.
Name.
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Working for
THE Tories' decision to elevate Sir Arnold
director of GEC, to become Lord Weinstock of Bowden wasn't short sighted. As head of GEC, his ability to purchase successful race-horses and talented servants (Kissinger and Angus Olgivy) has set
As an individual of modest means (he owns 2,779,441 shares in GEC on which he made £327,974 in 1980) he has
from his chosen vocation as the messiah of Britain's regeneration, despite Rupert Mur-
For GEC, one of the three main suppliers of the Post
word. telecoms and other sites . Hartlepool, Glenrothes and Kirkaldy, is a highly profitable section ot
A substantial part of Post Office business goes its way, with its business communications' systems featur-
After all, without such systems, the rationalisation of industry to which Lord Arnold is so com-
major part in the project of . The introduction of this system is bound to undermine jobs and conditions for Post Office
, but what about the workers in GEC?
GEC is certainly doing well out of it. Profits in the
automation and telecommunications group alone rose from £76 million in 1978 to £101 million in
This is the transformation into hard cash of Lord Arnold's belief in an 'effort to reverse the steady increase in the share of national wealth disposed of by the state
Despite the myth put about by Lord Arnold and his friends in Thatcher's government, increased profits and increased productivity do not create jobs. Despite GEC's vast profits and productivity increases of over 200% over
With the breaking of the Post Office monopoly, com pennon in the private sector of telecoms Will get herce GEC telecoms jobs will follow those lost in other areas
carries through his ruthless schemes to get his hands on 'the share of national wealth' disposed of by
pipe-dreams and fantasies about 'planning agreements' with the likes of Weinstock, but an offensive by telecoms workers in the public and
organisation between Post Office workers and the supply side can frustrate the ambitions of Keith Joseph and Arnold Weinstock and lay the basis
Challenge
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Page 11 scan of this page
the mass struggle
THE LIBERATION forces in El Salvador are moving towards the opening of a major new offensive against the military dictatorship. That's the almost Salvador, including that of spokespersons of the regime itself.
The rainy season rapidly approaching. which will severely hamper the government's military tactics and create a new sluduon tor the conduct of warfare in the countrysiae.
Since the failure of the 11 January general offensive to achieve all its objec-
Line tell-wing guenllas of the Farabundo Mar-
Natonal Liberation Front (FMLN) have adopted lIC W tactics those of 'prolonged people's wa
Essentially they boil down to a mobile war of manoeuvre, rather than a WHAT'S really going on in Iran? It's now two years since the Shah was overthrown. But all we've heard in the Western press has been the hostages' saga and reports of the Iran-Irag war. We talked to a militant of the Fourth International) about the struggles of the Iranian workers, struggles of the Kurds, and the situation of women in Iran.
WHAT was the effect of the war with Iraq on the Iranian workers?
The war was a gift for the capitalists. Nationalistic feeling increased dramatically. At first the people were enthusiastic to go to the front and fight since they saw the war as an imperialist threat their revolution.
The Islamic Republican Party (IRP), which represents the hard-line religious wing of the
up lls owll reactionary militias — the
guards 'Crusade for Reconthe struction' and so on.
Bani Sadr, who leads the 'liberal' wing of the capitalists, has tried hard to build himself a base in the army - with some suc-
among the more junior officers.
We didn't see the war as a directly organised imperialist intervention, but the imperialists certainly stood to gall from the defeat of Iran.
Some people took an abstentionist position, but we Under the Shah, Iran was dIzucu differently.
the gendarme of the region for imperialism, but now the situation is completely different.
Although previously
thesions of the penome hai,
illusions these are rapidly being dispelled as the economic crisis gets worse. But this stage they see Bani
ElSalvador-towards
a new offensive
universal view in
static war of position.
During the last two monins une ruLN have conducted numerous raids on small government outposts, bombings of government buildings, and temporary occupations of towns.
But the FMLN have avoided large scale standup battles against government forces, recently bolstered by huge supplies of American arms, including artillery, tanks and helicopters.
Spurred on by their American 'advisors'
National Guard and the army have also adopted
Iran: the war and
HKS (Iranian section of the
their response to the war, the
Sadr as the alternative Working class mobilisation and struggle is still continuing. During the anti-Shah revolution the demands of the masses were mainly Now they are fighting for democratic rights.
What position did the
By Phil Hearse
new, Vietnam-style tactics. Small mobile groups are sent out on 'search and
MISSIONS against alleged to be trolled by the FMLN, and azallist the guerilla columns
While the fighting continues, it is clear that debate is taking place the highest councils of US zuluchausu allu western allies about the possiblility COlL promise SO ULOU LOLC conflict.
War
The Reagan-Haig 'hard line' policy is under fire from the American Democrats, especially Senator Edward Kennedy. and some of the United States' international allies, in particular the West Germans, are arguing strongly *HKS take on rossinate on participa-
Our line was to de-
goverment that they arm the people to ighl saddam russeln and the Baathists in Iraq. the icacholary army coulan l defend the revolution.
The government COl-
International
KORE VIETNAN
NATERGATE
against the possibility of a military solution to the Wal.
The 'compromise' would be an attempt to marginalise DOIN the structed ideological 'tests' for those trying to get into the army. But despite this, quite a number of revolutionaries went to the front
especially the Mujahadeen. Many of them were arrested and harassed by the Islamic zealots of the
What is the state of
revolutionary forces of the FMLN, and the extreme right wing elements inside the mitar West
German goverment argue that workers' self organisation? Do the workers' committees still exist in the factories?
Before and during the revolution strike committees were set up in the factories around the fight for 10 RAM01-0 wages and conditions. Often these demands were won.
After the revolution many of these turned into
some factories even locked up management and ran the factories themselves. The Islamic Republican Party began campaign for 'Islamicisation', that under Islamic law workers couldn't run factories.
bll by bit IRP dismantled many of the councils and replaced them with Islamic councils
with management.
But workers are still fighting for their demands, and in many places people are demanding new elections to the factory
replace the 'Islamic' delegates. Our position the regeneration of the counCils, leading to regional
LIKE Y'ALL TO MEET THE NEW SECRETARY OF STATE...A MAN WITH A MOST DISTINGUISHED RECORD 'moderate' goverment could made up civilian members of the present junta, including the president Duarte, together with the less 'excouncils and a united national workers' council.
good example of continuing workers' militancy has been the series of struggles over the new year bonuses. Under the Shah workers were stamic new year. Workers bonuses over realised that these weren't real bonuses - they relied on them as an integral part of their income
This year the government said that they couldn't afford bonuses. i B: Why should
should we pay for the crisis?
The Tehran bus drivers went on strike, the government brought in 5,000 drivers from the army and the front to defeat them. But many workers in the factories won the demand to be paid their bonuses.
What is the state of the Kurdish struggle for self-determination?
The Kurds have had effective autonomy since the umoe revolution despite the government's furious military attacks on
treme' supporters of the FDR, the political wing of the guerilla movement
They have in mind, in particular, Guillermo
Jngo, leader of the social democratic MNR (Nation-
Revolutionary Move. ment). It seems highly like. ly that secret negotiations are going on about the possibility of such a solution.
Junta
Could the moderate compromise solution work? While such a situation is very attractive to imperialism there are treme difficulties in bringing it about. The balance of forces inside the present military junta makes unlikely that the majority will have any truck with a section of the FDR
Moreover, inside the FDR, Ungo and the MNR are a tinv minority. HOwever much the imperialists may maneouvre, both the military junta and the FMLA al C looking for total victory
them.. The Kurds have taken an abstentionist line on the war, which we think is wrong
We advocated that they demand a ceasefire from the central government and propose a joint
The Kurds are far from defeated. They are still ar the heart of the Iranian revolution
What is the situation of women in iran now!
The veil is the least of our problems. The IRP is trying push through very reachonary measure against women One called 'ghassas', islamic punishment.
t a man kills a woman all he has to do is pay the 'price' of her blood to the family. And women can't be called as witnesses for a murder trial.
The second thing is the institution of "temporary marriage After the revolution the 'red light areas were demolishec
against Islam'. But now men I can go • to a 'temporarv mar riage' centre.
There are other important battles women are fighting like the right of inheritance, for equal wages
What about the forces of the left?
The most force on the left is the Mu. jahadeen been in the forefront of fighting for democratic rights and , against reacHON. They have mass sup port in the big cities. . The problem with them is that
Sadr are uncritical of Bani
When Bani Sadr raises the demand for demo cratic rights, then we sup port that. But we shouldn't forget that he The sensate int the capitalist class. IRP is holding a revolver against us, but Bani Sadr is waiting in the wings with a cup of poison
That's why the HKS says that the fight for democratic rights can't be dependent on any section of the capitalists, but must be fought for by the unity and independence of the workers.
Socialist Challenge 2 April 1981 Page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
..Frustration: At least it's free' —The Quads
By Rob James and Jane Watt Back in the matinee with this shooter in
its holster, makes me feel big like a bomb in the
pocket Bowie knife, 'coonskin hat, Davey
Crockett I like the way the echoes carry Chorus Blow off your head like Dirty Harry
Up on the Falls, in an armoured car; in a blue vest, I'm a killer looking for a
suspect, a copper looking for some respect. It's a joke; five shots or six, a joke death killing kids for kicks but on the big screen the hero's not
I like the way the echoes carry
Chorus
Are you seeing me, fixed in your seats in
the back row?
Turning aside with your 'I don't know'? Confusing, yes, it's safer that way to look at six counties in a Hollywood
way, watching me dancing with my '45 swagger, By Steve Coxon THE Quads are band from Birmingham made up OT three unemployed brothers and their unemployed neighbour/best friend.
And they don't like the way they've been treated.
'Unemployment is a curse and a misery,' says Josh Jones, vocalist and oldest of the three brothers, to nods of agreement from his two brothers, Jack (guitar), and Johnny (drums) and bassist Jim Doherty.
*so we wrote a song trying to describe our feelings of being in that situation, the same feelings shared by thousands of unemployed young people right across the country.
That song, Gotta Getta Job, Was written over a year ago when the band Was first formed in the depressed Acocks Green area of Birmingham. It's
no popular request,
Chail and popular request,
they will Te ense single on the Birmingham
label, Big Bear Records, on 10 April
You've probably heard of the Quads before. Their first single, There Must Be Thousands, so impressed John Peel on its release in 1979 that he immediately put it into his all-time top 20 published that year.
They've had a couple more singles released since then but neither of them achieved the of
success Thousands.
That record was releas ed at a time when evervone was trying to find some
attach to every new song that Was being written. when the whole music industry was being turned on its head by punk.
was, you like, about bigotry in general sense. But wasn't sloganeering on a particular aspect of life in this country
'Gotta Getta Job has got a similar feel to it, and Socialist Challenge 2 April 1981
Dirty Harry on the Falls Road
even literate!
tape looDs
And
to Belfast repression liberalism of
Idle
If this all basically is. makes a similar type of general statement altough musically it's totally different, says Josh
'What we're trying to do with the song is say to
unemployed The people: 'Look, we know what it feels like; we know what it's like to have people blame you for not hill ding a job, for treating you like you've got no ri
breathe; for finding you guilty of being young and being victim
Page 12
shooting up the baddies in the IRA, I like the way the echoes carry RUC, SAS, SPG, RUC, I like the way the echoes carry.
These lyrics from Oxy and the Morons' single (Music for the Deaf label) illustrate more crisply than we can the depth and compassion of their political commitment. It's a far cry from the one-dimensional platitudes that nave come to characterise most 'political' pop
But it's more than just the lyrics. The music matches them for hard invention as guitars and
featuring a particularly strong vinyl debut by the Rev. Ian Paisley — provide a backdrop for menacing vocals.
the other See sn Morons work their politics too. They've been
twice play explicitly gigs, unlike the the Specials/Beat syndrome benefits for kids' holidays and CND in the mid-
Belfast! And thev've even Socialist Challenge benefits!
seems like a hard sell, then it The Morons are one of the few groups worthy of socialists' support — they get virtually none from the straight pop world.
Copies of the single are available from Oxy and the Morons, c/o Box 33, 136 Kingsland High St, London E8. Cost 85p, cheques and postal orders to M McMahon.
things beyond your conLIUl.
very important that people in our predicament should realise they not alone with their problems. 'We don't blame anyone unemployment; we don't think that we as a band need to in that song, because what we're writing about and singing about is the fact of being thrown on the scrapheap, not the whys and wherefores.
Under Review
— it's
The
antinormalising
played
Because of its restraint,
the power of the song is in-
creased an incredible
level. Strident vocals burst
out with:
Frustration: At least it's free'
Your future is yours and you're told
No jobs no soul.
reproduced courtesy Bear-
son And there':
more
the same all adding up to
one of the most stunning
indictments of the spectre
youth unemployment yer written
'You could say,' claims Josh, 'that we're not really
Oxy and the Morons - socialists should support them a 'political' band. But the way we see it is that everything anyone does political in some way, because politics is simply an alternative word for if So what we are doing is writing about our own feelings on life and how it calects us, that is politi-
When bands like the Quads, who have not previously been seen performing from any iden tifiable political stand-
point, start making statements like that, it's certain that the general awareness of the political situation in onlain today is on lne in crease.
Peonle are beginning to realise that the fence on which they have sat tor so long is rotting and will no longer support their weight.
They are saving. 'It's time to knock down the fence and build a new one - one that we want, not
what they want.'
And when that hap-
there'll be no room wells, for sitting on the fence -
and no-one will want to.
vuads are Ina rare type of people who laVO total conviction what they are doing combined with а парру ар. proach to their work
'A lot of bands get so tied up in the job of getting across a message that they stop entertaining the audience. We are entertainers first and foremost. but we hope that when people go away trom one of our gig! they've not only enjoyed inescives bul incy have something to think about as well.
'You see, we've been branded as playing 'music for optimists' because although, Ike in Gotta Getta Job, we write abou topics which feel strongly about, it doesn't mean weaverone golen and totally pessimistic about the situation.
'We're trying in that song to manufacture our own antibody the degradation enforced unemployment. It's really a matter of saying that you don't have to be depressing to make your audience aware of what is basically a horrible and soul-destroying mess.
The Quads are a new generaton omusc — la ultimate result of the tur moil and upheaval in the music business which began with punk.
A major record company executive recently told me that 90 per cent of all the tapes it was receiv. ing from hopeful bands were straight old. fashioned, sickly-sweet pop songs
The Quads also play pop songs. But their lyrics are razor sharp and have a stee which through all the 'spoon in June nonsense normally associated with the genre. The Quads can be heard ir April on Peter Powell show playing ave sesson recorder the BBC's Pebble Mill studios in Birmingham.)
Page 13 scan of this page
Lee Jeans 'somebody has to make a stand'
'THE lady says she's not for turning lady has turned. The miners turned the lady!'
Jane McKay, delegate from the transport workers union to the annual Women's TUC last month gave one of the most stirring contributions.
She pointed to the fight to save jobs at Linwoods
'Our jobs and Lee Jeans. are not for sale, she declared. "They're ours to sell'.
Unemployment amongst women was uppermost delegates'
DUl strategy was largely absent from the discussion.
opening remarks, Marie Patterson, Chanelsun of LIC Women's Advisory Com-
Not the uc con demned the attempt by the Tories Gave wonder back into the home, to lay
unemployment at their door.
THE majority of the workers at Lee Jeans in Greenock are young and female. As they head into the third month of a sit-in to save their jobs, Judith Arkwright spoke to some of the women about their experiences.
poration, an American multi-national that is seeking to close its Greenock plant and move production to its Belgian and Irish factories.
Linda: We think it was all planned three years ago
it's nonsense to say they do that if we keep our jobs asses Ireland will have to lose their's. move to reland for proto boss wallls
It's cheaper labour in Ireland and the company wouldn't pay rents and rates there.
We're asking for the books to be opened so that we can see if they're losing money or not.
If they can prove then we'd give up for the sake of the Irish lasses. But they they're hiding something.
Ellen: Yes we believe the boss's shifting it all over to Ireland in order to
the subsidies free rent, rates, chean labour.
The lasses there aren't as well organised.
Agnes: I would never find another job most firms nowadays ask for experience. I've only just left
school.
Why has the union (the
National Union of Tailors
Workers)
taken so long to make the strike official!
Caroline: I don't think
they thought we'd stick it
out. They said they had to
ballot Ireland first which
we don't agree with. We
should decide and then ex-
plain to the Irish lasses.
Why is everyone so deter-
mined?
Women's TUC fails to
provide the answers
- but the
The right to work, she said, belonged woman.
She advised the delegates fight for the TUC'S campaign Economic and Social Advance and to join tivities like the TUC Week of Action, which this year involves a lobby of Parliament 500 wolnCIl employed the school meals service
Debate aroun the conference motions on the Issuc was d Calaluzuc woes delegate after delegate got up to detail the latest statistics for their
One older delemausu y. gate told the conference, Everything we fought for in the thirties has been
Meanwhile, strikers from Lee jeans weren't Lee Jeans is the trade name of the VF Cor-
Ellen: Well you've got to fight for your jobs, otherwise this country is going to be a scrapheap.
Linda: Anyway it's coon runs nere. we re having discos and parties
our mordie woll t gu down.
Caroline: It's difficult for the married OliC with kids, but most of us are single don't have any responsibilities.
The old ones could have got more redundancy money too, incy ve given up more really. I've only given up f29.
Ellen: There was one girl and her husband went mad when she phoned up and said one night that she wouldn't be able to come home.
Theresa: Yes, my mother said when i phon ed her up, that I had to come home. What do you mean you're on a sit-in, she said. But they all support us now.
The first night the only was through one window there were queues of relatives at the window with food.
Linda: I think everyone's got a right to work - I don't see why a girl should be told that she doesn't, especially today.
There's a lot of old people LAZI work who aren't really capable of work. They should be asked to give their jobs up for the young ones.
By Yvonne Taylor
even asked by the WACto address the conference. They were left literally out in the cold, on the doorstep of Southport's Floral Hall, collecting tins hand. Disgust
To the disgust of many delegates, similar ment was not extended to
Southport's Tory Lord Mayor, and local employers federation member, who was to speak to the conference like an old friend.
Call
A motion on positive action, called for the TUC to initiate a campaign for legal measures and for improvements in collective
LEER
NUTS W
Linda McGlaughlin
that old people should be Ellen: don't
asked to give up jobs.
Some old people, when they stop work, that's
when they just collapse.
Everyone should have the
right to work.
I'm older — I brought up my kids before I went
out to work. Now I've got
dent. I feel can go and
I feel I can go and
buy things I want.
Home News
bargaining, to ensure the elimination of job segrega-
Lost
The motion ried without opposition and with some delegates calling for the trade unions to put their own house in order' and take positive steps to include women the decision making bodies of the trade union move ment.
But then the majority of delegates VOLed against a motion proposed
the NUJ which called upon the TUC to give automatic time on its conference agenda to five of
motions disucssed at the the Women's TUC
One could be forgiven for wondering whether delegates really stood what positive action
Caroline: Women have just as much right to work as men.
Theresa: I think the
support we're getting will
be what will help us to win.
Linda: It's not just our jobs - there's the whole
working class. If we win or
if Talbots had fought,
would really boost a lot of
people up
Somebody has to make
was all about!
It was ironic that the only contentious motion and the only motion to be defeated the Con
was one which could transformed the Womens TUC from
force for women.
At the moment, far too many delegations to the Womens rUC are "chosen' and not elected. discussion is dominated by the policies and interests of the union leaderships. Rank and file women the union don't think the conference is important to the furthering of their demands
All of this could be changed if prioritised motions from the conference were guaranteed a hearing at the TUC
Women trade unionists should make sure that this
becomes policy in their union. There was certainly sufficient port for the idea amongst this year's delegates to warrant the optimistic thought that the days of the Womens TUC as the womens talking shop were numbered.
TE
a stand otherwise Britain's just going lo big scrap- heap.
Caroline: I think a lot of people have been shock-
ed by us women doing it but we never dreamed
we'd get the support we have.
Messages and
01 SaDoor
donation. th National
Union of Tailors & Garmeni
workers. yy4 sauchenan si
Glasgow.
pin money'
occupying the Salford are women. their boss Robert VAL: He says women are unreliable
tory. I have arthritis.
won't get one this year.
I certainly don't work for pin
anyway.
choice.
much right as a man.
haven't.
jointly. We do in our house.
everything
Why are women leading the strike?
him
VAL: We've got the least to lose. tions in our job are so hard.
and the Tories?
because of this government.
minister is doing so badly for women.
though she's a woman.
Socialist Challenge
'I don't work for-
THE majority of workers who have been
Royal Pride factory in They are fighting Nowak who has threatened to close the factory rather than give in to their demand for union recognition. Some of the women spoke to Socialist Challenge about the issues.
Why is the boss so prejudiced against women?
— he says we come in late or we have to finish early because of kids. It's not true. If some girls do have time off it's usually because of the conditions in the fac-
Some say women shouldn't go out to work, but I have to go out to work to pay the bills and the mortgage. I mean, last year we managed a holiday — we hadn't had one for two years. We certainly
money. My husband's on a two-day week at the moment
SUSAN: There's no way we can live on my husband's wage. I don't work for pin money. Bui apart from that I need to go out to work. I also think that even if I didn't, I should still have the
I won't have anyone saying to me that I have to stay at home. We've all got a right — I've got as
We've had a couple of men crossing the picket lines and going into work and saying they have to because they've got a family to support — as if we
They say it's alright for us because of our husbands. Well, I don't believe there's a man or a woman running a house. I think they both do it
My husband collects the children, hoovers
SUSAN: I think women put up with more but then come to boiling point. And you think — 'п not going to let myself be ruled anymore, not by him, not by any men who think they rule. I mean it's the women in there who run his factory for
. The condiWe get half an hour lunch and no afternoon break. I think women will stick out for things - they're more resilient.
Do you see similarities in what the boss is doing
VAL: Oh yes, he goes round at election times and tells us to vote Tory. He complains that no one wants luxury furnishings anymore. We tell him it's
This government has changed my views in lots of ways. My life has changed because of prices, unemployment etc — it's like Thatcher's come into my house and changed my whole life around.
It's a real let down that the first woman prime
But it's because she comes from a different class even
South East Regional Council Trades Union Congress public meeting Women's
Employment and the Peoples' March for Jobs
Tuesday 7 April, 7pm House of Commons SocaKel.
Jo Richardson MP
Pat Turner GMWU
2 April 1981 Page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
THE HUNGER STRIKER WHO'S STANDING FOR PARLIAMENT
DON'T LET HIM DIE!
By Celia Pugh
THE ROYAL wedding
robbea or a few headlines in July.
So socculates o recent article in the, Financial Times, predicting closUre of major steel plant and thousands MOe cies when British Steel Corporation boss.
MacGregor reports on his corporate plan in the summer.
Plans for resistance were laid on 21 March at a steel solidarity conference organised by the Scunthorpe Steel Action Group. "Fightback or die" was the message of the conference, attended by 100 steel activists and their supporters from BOBBY SANDS, strikers in the H Blocks at Long Kesh jail, is to stand in the Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election which takes place on 9 April.
McAliskey that she will withdraw from the election and that 'it will be an honour' to sign Sands' election forms.
Bobby Sands' give an opportunity for the nationalist population in the unite around a single campaign.
His hunger strike, refusal of the authorities to give any concessions …on mand for political status, started on 1 March. Below we publish an account of Bobby Sands' work reprinted produced by central London Troops Out Movement. It shows the real Bobby Sands - not a 'rerrorist' or man', but a political militant fighting for justice.
BOBBY SAND'S birthday, 9 March, was the ninth dav of his hunger strike. He was 27 years old. First arrested when he was 18, he has spent only six months in freedom in the last eight years. keen reader and trade unionist. In the Hi Block he became a writer and poet. Above all he is a dedicated Republican socialist
Bobby was born in Rathcoole, a predominantly Protestant district north of Belfast. He was keen on sports, winning a lot of medals, and ran for Protestant clubs. When he was 16 years old, he started work as an apprenuce coacn bunder and tional Union of Vehicle Builders and the ATGWU.
une roubles were to chaneemslic. night a dustbin was hurled through the Sands' front window and shots en moving WOLOOK. estate on the outskirts of West Belfast.
Soon, Bobby was threatened at gunpoint at work, ana told ne would be snot l ne conunued working
He joined the Republican remarkable semi-autobiographical article smuggled out of the H Blocks and published in Republican News he wrote, 'I had seen too many homes wrecked,
and sons arrested. neighbours nurt, murdered. Too much gas, most of it our own people's. At eighteen and a half 1 Joinea ine rrovos...
'My life now centred round sleepless nights and standbys, dodging the Brits and calming nerves to go out on operations. But the people stood by us.
The people not only opened the doors of their homes to us to hearts to us. I learned that without the people we could not survive and I knew that I owed them everything.
In October 1972 he was arrested. Four handguns were found in a house he was staying in and he was charged with possession. Although the guns were in poor condition he was sentenced in early 1973 to five years.
He spent the next three years in the cages of long Kesh with the special category prisoners. Here he taught himself Irish, which he was later to teach 1o other blanket men in the H Blocks.
Socialist Challenge 2 April 1981
South Wales, Sheffield, Corby and Scunthorpe.
Workshops discussed the problems of organising this fightback. ThroughOUR une country steelworkers being frightthreats of liquidation and the refusal of national steel readers organise industrial action. one of the hunger
Bernadette has already announced
candidature will
constituency to
against the
the prisoners' de-
life and political from a broadsheet
gun-
Bobby was a sportsman,
one be a-
Lale uilt
were fired into the house. They
Movement.
friends
shootings, and blood
Twinbrook. lend a hand, but they opened their ment.
Danny
do it.
Page 14
Scunthorpe steel conference
Fightback or die
The conference agreed to commit ourselves to a campaign in the plants and ¡ever or une stee unions for national inaustilal against closures and redundanCes Shop floor bulletins, like those already produced by Llanwern, Port Talbot and Scunthorpe action groups are to be utilis-
•Age 27
Released in 1976, Bobby returned to his family in
Here he became a community activist, while remaining involved with the Republican Move.
Morrison, editor /Republican News and friend of "Twinbrook is realv punished bv Lisburn Borough Council because it's a Catholic estate. They refuse to empty the bins and they won't provide amenities for
Bobby was involved in the Tenants' Association trying to collect money for a youth club for the area. He is a very political, radical person.'
Six brief months later Bobby was arrested again. There had been a bomb attack on the Balmoral Fur-
Ireland/Home News
Led to mobilise this opposition and a follow up conWas agreed coordinate these efforts across ine country Unity and solidarity WCIC workshops were held also on women's action for solida rity and the place of community action. A resoluthe conference stressed the
BOBBY
SANDS!
•Union: National Union of Vehicle
Builders and ATGWU
• 'On the blanket' since 1977
• Began hunger strike on 1st March
wear her for tet men to . The right to refrain fro
men were wounded
Phoblacht young men.
Bobby's, says, revolver in the car.
Legal Justice:
'He was
importance of involving youth and apprentices in the fight for jobs.
Backing resolution calling on the Triple Alliance "to act now', Sam Thompson, Doncaster area agent, brought greetings from the Yorkshire Area of NUM.
Joe Whelan, secretary of the Notting hamshire NUM complainlories are nol there by the strength of weakness of the TUC their policies by TUC have to organise a campaign of at least series of one day general sinikes Tories.' to get rid of the
Unemployment was not the only issue steel-
unite around 'The most
IRISH
HUNGER STRIKER
SUPPORT THE PRISONERS 5 DEMANDS
niture Company at Dunmurry, on the western outskirts of Belfast, followed by gun battle in which two
Bobbv was in a car near the scene with three other
. The RUC captured them and found a
The six arrested men were taken to Castlereagh and given a very brutal interrogation lasting six days.
All later made complaints against the RUC late smuggled a statement lo une associallon 10l
swinging his foot between my legs and kicking me in the privates... I fell twice, only to be hauled to my feet in the same position again. The same person was chopping me on the back of the
crucial issue facing the whole of humanity is the fight against the war mongering Thatcher and Reagan"
Policies needed in the fightback were also discussed as well as solidarity for the workers occupying Plansee Tooling in Rotherham. Support for the defence of a steel union member Peter Johnson, from Scunthorpe ISTC was also raised He has
victimised by his Decl union officials for campaigning in his workplace against inaction union leaders.
ror muriner normation about these attempts mobilise for action in the steel industry, contact Scunthorpe acron erous, renny suckson
Scunthorpe. Soutt Humberside. 4. The right to organise
educational tacilities and receive one visit, letter and parcer der week
tive was punching me in the
'He would see it as
Bobby
will fuel the
must not let this happen.
THE MISSILES!
STOL
BUILD
YOUTH
CNI
REVOLUTION 16 now Just 10p. Contact OUL REVOLUTION PU
Box 50, London N1 2XP. 5. Restoration of tul remission or sentences
neck, the individual blows heavy and continuous. about 20 to 30 times; 1 am not sure as the other detec.
stomach and yelling questions. I don't even remember falling...' And so it
Bobby volunteered to lead the new hunger strike.
La microcosm of the way the Brits are treating Ireland historically and presently, says
'He definitely believes that people will have to die to win political status. But he knows that if he dies through his death what will happen is that there will be so much anger stored up in the Irish people that it
Slugge me tre meat tell ycars
'But it will be really sad if it comes to that. We
Page 15 scan of this page
Railworkers counter Weighell's witch-hunt
Lambeth
teachers appeal
suspensions
By Carol Regan Two dele-
weeks gates lo a special con тетеясе da saanes were told that a seven per cent wage rise had to be accepted because the membership were not prepared to fight.
In a period of massive attacks on education, when the NUT membership should be involved in a national campaign of action, the bureaucrats can only see fit to launch witch hunt against the lett in the union.
The appeals committee, which consists of executive members, will con-
on April the 'justness' of the 'sentences' given to the Lambeth ofticers refusing to obey an 11 -struction from the NUT's general secretary, Fred Jarvis. No one is in anv doubt about the outcome of the appeal.
Support
is essential that the campaign in support of the suspended Lambeth of-
labour movement.
NUT leadership that is out
Battersea
Council and the executive
•CA-
large turnout to the lobby
SOCIORSL sends condolences to his fami-
schools
By Geoff Hensby, Secretary, Paddington No1 Branch, NUR SIDNEY Weighell, general secreTarV OT TaO «atonalunion Railwaymen, has publicly TORAC eNOUIS OR omne iran group from the Labour Party.
'Getting rid ot them must be car. ried out with the greatest urgency in OTocI to make us a credible party with the electorate,' he said have to make sure these cuckoos don't push us out of the nest.'
The decisions of the Wembley conferençe has given a big boost of confidence to our membership and Weighell feels threatened by His opposition to the success of the left is not relected among NUR members.
It's no wonder challenged by the democratise the Labour Party. fenera secatever the merbership
whatever think of him. We have to begin to change ail lilal.
The trade unions have now been given a maior voice in the Labou Party. and that's correct. resut ot manv vears ot hard work inside the party.
But we mustn't be complacent. The right wing is plotting to reverse the Wemblev decisions. witch-hunt shows what they're up
The defence of the gains inside the Labour Party should particularly be taken up in the trade unions. More union branches must affiliate to ine party ana must be delegated to general committees.
We're encouraging this in the Parkhill NUM, Yorkshire in the long run we have saved pits and jobs.
The threat of a battle with the miners
forced Thatcher to abanintervene with the miners
As a morale booster for the working class, we SIOnr our total. The Tories and the
There has heen
called
'We
this.
Weighell feels Sidney Weighell, NUR general Inove. The secretary tor ite
NUR, ward the decisions of Wembley membership My
It's the from attacks Sidney Weighell.
in the forthcoming elections. strange co-incidence Weighell's dressed an NUK
hours before.
icic su fc caldlaluu union members said about
dience agreed with him.
Round one to the miners
ALTHOUGH Margaret Thatcher undoubtedly side-stepped a confrontation with the miners over the issue of pit closures, it is now important that the miners' union should assess the kind of victory that has been achieved, and if
closures or job losses.
It seems that the Coal
time-honoured practice of cosing one oit at a time
lng Inal Wonle close except on grounds of oI lne pIls
in the Beeston seam that would extend the life
ycals.
would
Home News
to maintain and push for-
branch sent a letter oi congratulamons to ls members of our national executive when they issued a statement dissociating themselves
on Tony Benn by
We held a meeting last week with Tony Benn to campaign for Labour
Bv Weighell addistrict COVITCU meeting on the same topic three
John Cogger from the executive said at our meeting that it was a 'shame our beloved secretary is not
ana de ounted on some of the things he'
Benn and the developments in the Labour Party.' The au-
Even seam exhaustion.
the next round in the strugThe Tories are still in
• Tories vs miners -round 2
workers. A miner aged 50 with 30 to the benefit of the country.
fight to keep jobs harder.
questions on the need tor industria
John Cogger said that what was
fend jobs and pay.
What we're seeing in the Labour
become ori
There is no fundamental dif-
tactics of how to push back the gains
Labour government he defended the stee cosures. as natcser does to
callilul ultimately solve the problems of this developments cur-
towaras a socialist society.
Paddington No1 Branch
Defend our Railways:
Build the Triple
KuSKIn Hal.
1 Cogger NUR executive (London i resident egi NoM er Talbol ISTC: LP speaker
loe learates til not sine unity to protect our Dits
movement paper
THE miners are to be offered massive redund-
guven
vice would get a lump sum of £17,900 plus a pension for life. A miner of 55 could qualify
There is no pretence on the part of the
payments would help close uneconomic pits and so reduce the price of coal to industry -
Yorkshire, says: 'It's obvious that Thatcher's objective is to close pits and divide the
'It will certainly make round two of our
especially important to explain to members why the Tories are doing this and to emphasise that no miner has the right to sell a job when there are young people who have
BATH: SC on sale at :1985 Books,
IaCa portery Tell al
maring111pmS ame on sale every Se ENFIED: SC avcable trom Neol
HAMI TON SC sat 8 11 0C)
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terested in going to the LCR Fête Paris on the weekend of 11/12 Apri Wox S0. London Ni 2XP. "(te), Po
NATIONAL LESBIAN/GAY rra
ec tare. (nilacare can be providea 1 here is advance notice, and also a Revolution Youth notices
5. Assembie 10am lichy Park
othe an a cont ac oo e ay Cod ches trom Vakched and
Smaller coane of money in thi
Where you can buy
Socialist Challenge
eolw rans, da. 10.30-12.00 outside
Be Piazza. SC also available at
.AMBET SIS Pavaiable
Too kiar Tat di a30 Por elo marke ore rt
TEESSIDE: SC on sale Sat lunchtime
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4.30-6pm; an Saturday near Beartes town centre trom slam com April National Centre 7.30pm
International Marxist Group notices commodation. Ring Jamie on 01-63* INTERNATIONAI fraction
Republic. Phone Penny 01-359 8371 for details.
Grand Spring foils inot necessary
vse Agnaa Chose, London Es 2 stAgn
Close, Londor
WORKERS' s0, ACTION Mo.1ez
Altel whembley organising for left unity
Workers' Action now out in magazine format 62p including postage from PO Box 135, London N1 ODD. Subscriptions: £3 for five issues, £5 for ten.
2 April 1981 Page 15
Page 16 scan of this page
Police and media cover up right
LAST Friday, the Birmingham bookshop of the Socialist Workers Party was gutted by fire when a man drove his car in front of the doorway, soaked the car in petrol, and threw an ignited five gallon petrol into the shop door.
The body of Heather Bridge was later found in the car boot.
was delivering Socialist Challenge to the bookshop on Friday afternoon. At about 4.15pm seven the shop heard the explosion as the petrol bomb was thrown.
One of the SWP members attempted push the door open, but it was blocked by the car us ed in the attack, which we could see was ablaze.
Security
I tried to ring the fire brigade but couldn't get through. Then front window exploded, setting ire to une books in shop. One of the SWP members tried to use the fire extinguisher, but it was useless the petrol had taken hold.
The shop rapidly filled with smoke. We ran upstairs and managed to get out of a first floor window onto an adjoining root.
shouted to people from the roof to get the police and the fire brigade.
While I managed to scramble down a 20 foot wall, the others were rescued by the fire brigade.
The fire-bombing was a deliberate attempt to kill Pegisterd by animal nearises, Po Box 50. 0 Printed by East End Offset (TU) Ltd, London E2
Socialist
Challenge
Birmingham firebomb attack
set fire to it, drum of The burned-out car
uS. The car was stationed in such a position as BIOCK Lucaus of escaphen I was interviewed by BBC television and radio I made the point which they cut out - 121 this was part of a series of
London N
shop at the time of the Socialist Challenge what happened. attacks and provocalions by fascists in the past few weeks in this area.
First an Asian, Karra-
Hussein. through the neck wih a cross bow. Last i nurday a member of the SWP had a
By Phil Dexter (CPSA Newcastle)
a fifteen per cent pay award. STUART RICHARDSON was in the book-
attack and told brick thrown though his window
I think it's time the
labour and black mOve
ments face up to the need
ror organised self-defence thugs. The violence wong from these right
go away.
Escalation needed!
THE government last Monday began suspending tax officials involved in industrial action in pursuit of the civil service unions' claim for
Collectors in charge were suspended on
wing connection
Bumper
week for
Fund Drive
THE last fortnight has been a great one for our fund drive. brinaina £1070.40p including £372 from our aren supporters alone. But with only two months to go we're a long way from meeting our targets.
Local supporters have only raised £3372 of their €20,000 target leaves £2000 a week to raise until the end TOt now of the fund drive.
Our thanks this week to RA Hurcombe £1.00
supporters 21.00 Tim Greenwood 2.00 A Lockhart 60.00 Anon 100.00 York 5.00 8.80 Manchester Leeds 10.00 372.00 Bristol 14.60 54.00 olineall Lambeth 100.00 25.00 Manchester Outer West London 200.00 Hudderstield 5.00 Bolton 25.00 Total £1070.40 Cumulative total £17839.28
on strike.
National estate
sales day 2 May!
By Nick Robin
according to
ed in the right direction.
Reports from The sales drive o suggest that our sales win at least 500 new readers for the paper by May will be successful.
To reach this target, our SUDDUILCIS have organised a special sales day for 2 May, to coincide with the run-up to the local elections. Our message will be that the local elections are a big opportunity give a strategic boot to the Tories - hit them in the locals!
Our message for the campaign - Vote Labour and fight for socialist policies We want hundreds of our supporters to go out to the estates on 2 May Please send us your local targets alud list colalce and times where the paper will be sold Socialist Challenet the meeting
Morgan isers it was agreed that im-
Monday, together with more senior officials who refused to hand on suspension notices. Unfortunately, the only action so far taken by the Inland Revenue Staff Federation (IRSF) has been to officially place those suspended
The civil service unions' day of action on Wednesday, 1 April, is in pursuit of their continuing struggle for a 15 per cent
award. Wednesday was the day by which the agreement between the government and the civil service unions was due to have been signed.
Action
the Council of Civil Services Unions individual unions to determine what they want to do onal car no clea lead was given.
This lack of a clear lead has been used by the Inland Revenue Staff Federation to back out of any definite action - they are urging their members merely to donate half a day's pay to union funds. This backing down from action has been taken under the threat of mass
of inland suspensions revenue staff taking undustrial action
1 April will undoubtedly be a watershed in the fight for the civil servants claim. If action is allowed LO DCLCI Oul. then we can be sure that the fight will go down to rapid defeat Effect
The best way for the CCSU to escalate action would be to continually hit the airports and ports, which would have an im-
effect on the Hitting these sectors also avoids any ac-
which would harm social security unemployment benefit claimants.
But apart from hitting the ports and airports much greater degree of in volvement ot membership is needer Now is the time tor t struggle to be escalated, if it is not to end in defeat. SOCIALIST Challenge may not yet be the mass circulation daily we'd like it to be. But our local Socialist Challenge organisers who met two weeks ago it's head.
provements have been
made in every department
of the paper.
Pete from Manchester
argued: 'We have made
me p me all alive
to workers fighting back
against hated or
government and especially
lo millants in lae Labou
Party and the anti-missiles
movement.
Another supporter,
Jean from London
pointed out: 'The
way
Socialist Challenge built
labour move-
up to the
ment missiles conference
shows exactly how
socialist newspaper should
be used as an organ-
iser
Our next meeting will
discuss the results . of the
sales day and writing for
the paper - how to make
more of you, the eyes and
ears of the paper. Drop us a line to lel us know nov
the paper can be improv-
ed!
← Socialist Challenge No. 190, 26 March 1981Socialist Challenge No. 192, 9 April 1981 →