Socialist Challenge No. 196, 7 May 1981
The scan: sc-n196.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
Challenge BOBBY SANDS MP
FREEDOM FIGHTER
No. 196 7 May 1981 25p Unemployed and strikers 10p •We the
risen
people
will turn
tragedy
into
triumph'
Socialist
in memory
of Bobby
Sands Demonstrate Sunday 10 May Staines, Middlesex (Atkin's constituency)
Assemble 1pm Staines British Rail Station Train from Waterloo
Page 2 scan of this page
Hunger strike election campaign
Concannon - the architect of the H Blocks
Socialist
Challenge
would like to be put in touch with Socialist
ge supporters in your area or would like
formation fill in the form below /CLP (if any)....
Ito: Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50, London N1
Challange 7 May 1961 Page 2
three
name every
only Bobby under
the oversaw two them,
SHAME
By Tom Marlowe PERHAPS the most appropriate comment on the visit of Don Concannon, Labour spokesperson on Ireland, to the Irish hunger strikers last Friday came from Sinn Fein. His visit was 'small beer', they said.
Certainly, compared to the European Rights commissioners alle Bobby Sands Mirand ted also visited
was other comrades hunger strike, Concannon cuts a pretty feeble figure.
But for members of the Labour Party, in whose
ported to speak, Concannon his DUL- intervention into the hunger strike should in no way be treated as 'small beer'.
For what Concannon had to say when he went to every member on be
member the Labour Party which can
be eradicated by removing Concannon from his role as the party's orth of Ireland spokes
along vith th policy which he represents.
Tory
Concannon said he visited Long Kesh in case
Sands MP was any illusion' that the Parliamentary Labour Party did not fully support
Tory of policy on the H Block and Armagh prisoners.
It is very unlikely that Bobby Sands MP ever had any such illusion, because Concannon and the PLP leadership have made it crystal clear that they will be quite happy to see the
political starve to death.
In one way Concannon is a major reason for the H Block crisis: it was he who
the criminalisation policy in the Irish
part of the campaign in support the hunger strikers the revolutionary socialist organisation Ireland, Peoples Democracy, is contesting two seats in the Belfast city council election in two weeks time.
Their candidates, John McAnulty and Fergus O'Hare, are challeng. ing Gerry Fitt and Paddy Devlin.
renegades from the Democratic and Labour Party, who left the SDLP because it was 'too Republican'.
Fitt and Devlin have taken the side of the British in the hunger strike. Explaining why they are standing PD We believe that those parties which have refused to support the prisoners, and have even attacked
have gone unchallenged far too long.
The elections offer an oppor-
Ireland
HBLOCK-
LABOUR'S
prison camps when it first last Labour government.
Concannon WaN Roy Mason's deputy when he
Northern Ireland of State Concannon's responsibility from 1976 to 1979 was for prisons. Brutal
Indeed, so brutal were the H Block and Armagh policies initiated by Concallul that when Tories came to power prison conditions went a small improve-
The Tories made token attempt to have more 'flexible' approach quested by the Europear prison LuCA Commission Human he Labour movernmen
Labour had completely ignored.
The tendency of ConCotton to se even more vindictive to the political prisoners than even Hum. phrey Atkins reasserted tself once more at the start
second hunger strike.
Liberal
When Atkins made his irst statement on DODD Sands in the Commons on the 4 March, Concannon congratulated Atkins, saying that Long Kesh was 'the most modern prison
the United Kingdom' and that its 'regime was the most liberal'
But Concannon went on to demand that Atkins
tunity for a genuine anti-unionist voice to be heard. canaidates
in an British and to those who have claim- effective rebuff
Led to represent us. "The struggle against British rule must use every effective tactic of which the method of contesting elechols Is only one. 'Each facet of British rule must be challenged and organised against their criminalisapolicy, their repressive their attacks on the living standards of the working class, their partition of Ireland and their maintenance of sectarianism: 'We do not believe that the election of councillors in itself will solve these problems but it will provide a platform and a means of organising for anti-imperialist worker: 'PD candidates will stand on our own platform but we there should be the maximum units ot anti-imperialists in the clection.
should StU! making statements in the Commons on the condition of Bobby Sands as this would
IRA propaganda'.
Atkins gave in to Concannon, and agreca ne saw 'no necessity' to make further statements.
Having successfully pushed the Tories to the right Concannon became more willing to help Atkins face any criticism. In Februar with two other MPs he visited the US to put over the 'true facts about the north of Ireland.
The propaganda exer Norther Predand be he cise was paid for Humphrey Atkins, and the two other MPs were a
The election
WIll be to both the
fightback laws, Fergus O'Hare
believe that
John McAnutty
Bobby Sands in Long Kesh when he had political status
Liberal and a Tory.
There have been some protests , in. Labour ranks against this ruthless pursuit of bipartisanship. Just • before the end of the first hunger strike the Labour national executive called for Atkins to seek a compromise on the issue
Then on 8 April 14 Labour backbenchers, under the auspices of the 'Don't Let Irish Prisoners Die Committee', called for 'a serious move by the
end the crisis once and for all'
гаріс campaign in the Labour Party is now urgent to back up such
adopted by • the Scottish TUC two weeks ago can serve as a model for pro-
"Thus, operate
of the hunger volvement abstention resolution political status.
platform:
*Against British
Defence imperialists, womell. employment workers. *For
building
motion in Labour Party and •ancier throughout the country of the resolution I al reads: "This congress urges immediate government action ensure that the hunger strike in the Maze prison in Northern Ireland is ended and that the life of Bobby Sands MP is saved An immediate solution is possible based on reaching agreement on the issues of prison clothing and prison work.
forward have wide support among sections of the trade unior and labour movement and of wider sections who see them demands.' we are willing to cowith any candidate on the basis of support for the 5 demands
strikers, active inthe campaign and from councils until of the struggle
PD will stand on the following *Defence of the political prisoners and political status.
partition. Immediate withdrawal and disbandment of the RUC and UDR *Support for all democratic rights.
of rights of anti-trade unionists and For affirmative action in for anti-unionist
fight against austerity and cutbacks, fightback the unions, among the unemployed and in the communities.'
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A terrible beauty is born
By Gerry Foley,
Belfast, Monday
coming its
Republican
prisoner's
n great pain.
his skull.
and politically clear-headed to the last.
His confidence in his
principles and in the sup-
Dort of the Irish people
seems to have given him a cluty.
'He is prepared for the end', his mother said last Thursday as she came out of Long Kesh concentration camp after visiting her son.
She said this calmly and with Icelar. although throughout the hunger strike she
Wan visibly overwhelmed with worry and grief. Her wan but calm appearance seems
SADICA LEC resolution of a tragic conflict. Honour
She knew that her son was dying; that he had to die to maintain his honour and the honour of his people.
Like the resolution of a classical tragedy the end of Sands' hunger strike producing a terrible clarity n which the humanity and self-sacrifice of the Irish fighters stands starkly counterposed to the hyDOCTISV and cynicism, cruelty and arrogance the British rulers and their allies.
The Irish side is symbolised by Bobby Sands, a gifted and sensitive young
back against against the system that first drove him
then drove him from his livelihood; by his mother, an ordinary working class
selfless acceptance of her son's sacrifice.
The British side represented by the stony reiteration of Prime Minister Thatcher that
Owen Carron, Babby Sands' eloction agent, after Bobby's election triumph THE DRAMA of Bobby Sands' hunger strike is
conclusion. The Irish life is rapidly ebbing away. Bobby is reported now to be blind and
His eyes are dimmed with the red fog of burst blood vessels and appear sunk deep into But he has remained determined
Sands is a criminal, even after he has been shown to have the sympathy of the electorate •r'erangar and South Tyrone and when the whole world can see that Sands has the support or the masses of oppressed people.
Taunt Over the radio and on TV here we could hear Northern Ireland Atkins and prime minister Thatcher say they will concede political status to a 'criminal' such as Sands, and hear British shouting their approval.
This was an unbearable taunt to even the most conservative and conciliatory sections of. the Irish editorial on ei In an on May the Irish Press, the daily paper most closely associated with the governing party in the South, stated: 'Safely ensconsed in Was morter hear, British MPs may chorus hear' while Mr Atkins doles out the platitudes buttressed
Belfast arrests TEN people were arrested during the May Day demonstration in Belfast on Saturday. They were seized when an H Block banner was unturled during the march.
Those held include John Peoples Democracy candidate in the Northern Ireland local elections. John was detained for the entire weekend.
women's trade union group and arrested Ann Hope trade union member of the Communist Party.
by Mrs Thatcher's reiteration of "not an inch", , but LIC tact Bobby MacAnulty,
Police also confiscated the banner of a
official and
Prisoners' supporters on the streets in Dungañnon at the and of Sands got more votes in being elected to the House
Commons than Mrs Thatcher, 10,000 more and the rest of the world is not shouting "hear, hear", shouting "listen, listen", from New Delhi to Los Angeles.
Something has moved over Northern Ireland. There is no status quo to go back to. The genie of discontent will be returned to the lamp by a few sly rubs at England's legal code.
The editorial denounced the British administration in Northern Ireland.
'Mr Atkins certainly
March has some cheek when he can stand up in the House of Commons and appeal to people not to respond to provocations, while at the same time residing over an army and police operation that is setting in motion a form of internment. Tension
'So far 60 known H Block activists have been picked up under seven-day detention orders, which means they can be released and picked up again in a week's time and so on.
'Could anything be more Catholic population at • LO the
DUNCAN
time when tensior rises like a tangible thing in the North as Bobby Sands' life ebbs away?'
The arrogant taunts of the British Conservatives were followed by a jackallike yap made the Labour Party spokesperson on Northern Ireland Don Concannon He visited Sands on Friday calling on him to give up because he would get no support in the Labour Party.
Sands did not give his
the Concannon just marched into the dying man's cell.
When he emerged he
said that Sands was still
refusing to come off the
hunger strike and that the
prisoner had had argument teta
politica with
him for 'about a minute'
Presumably that was all
the time Sands needed to
political opi-
nion of Concannon.
Christ
The indignation of the
Irish people began to boi
over after Concannon's
visit. This was reflected in
an Irish Press editorial of 2
May, which compared
Concannon to the Roman
centurion who gave Christ
vinegar instead of water as
he hung on the cross.
A polarisation is clear-
y developin The entire
oppressed Iris • nation is
being pushed into con-
frontation with the
British, including even the
bourgeois forces that re-
main insolubly tied to im-
perialism
The British govern-
ment's intention seems to
be to provoke the Catholic
population into futile ex-
plosions of rage that will
break harmlessly against
armoured
power, leaving behind ex-
haustion • CHIC hopelessLICSS.
Blood
What the British
government saying •to
the Irish people in effect is:
'We can do anything to
like and there is
nothing you can do about It. It corresnonds to the verse of well-known Orange SOUR goes:
'We're up to our knees in Fenian blood, surrender or you'll die.
As I write this, British soldiers are standing on a flats balcony 'facing in the block my window OI and underneath a walkway on the ground. They seem to have been moved In deliberately to draw the fire of the population.
They have been kept standing there for hours, and they are being stoned by a crowd of children, some of them with rocks in one hand and lollipops in tue oner. 1 can see one five year old apparently trying to decide whether he would rather bounce his ball or throw a rock.
Groups of kids accompanied by small yapping dogs, are charging armoured vehicles and solders in riot gear, ding volleys stones harmlessly off them. Anger
The National H Block Campaigr and political groups that work in it are trying to build forms of mass protest to channel the anger of the nationalist people, to make clear to the entire Irish people and the world the inhuman and criminal character of British policy in Ireland and to mobilise the indignation of humanity against it
The objective of the H Block Campaign leaders is to turn Britain's policy pir vocanon back on It; 1c point to the arrogance, cruelty and cynicism of the
sO forcibly that all sections of the Irish nation will be welded together in opposition to it, and will be • reinforced by world public opinion
The words the Irish poet WB Yeats wrote when the leaders of the 1916 castel Rising were shot will bear repetition this
week Belfast: 'All changed changed utterly, a terrible beauty born.
Page 3
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Workers threatened with closure should
-Support grows for Peoples March eastern leg-
WOMEN from Royal Pride and Lee Jeans are fighting back against the dole and for a woman's right to work. They should be leading the march, not the mayors and the church people.
union recognition and the national pay agreement. cun see how Thatcher and bosses like ours are using unemployment to attack the unions as well as our right to work.
but now it's impossible in Manchester. My husband's been made redundant recently and 8 out of the 9 women at Royal Pride have husbands on the dole or on short time working.
ELSIE BROAD, marcher sponsored by FTAT and the Royal Pride strike LUSED to work at Perfection Tubing in Birmingham but then they sacked all the younger workers. I was only half way through the second year When I started everyone on my course had a job, now two thirds of them don't.
with 8,500 other people, which shows the way unemployment affects blacks.
really heavy in Handsworth. Three months ago it was all "community policing', but now it's panda cars all day and foot patrols in twos at night.
have done nothing except officially sponsor the march. GUS, sponsored by Birmingham Campaign against Racism and Fascism, is a 19 year old unemployed motor tuner and Revolution supporter from Handsworth.
Peoples mar We're working for an employer that's implementing the full Tory policies. chester factory of work because it has a strong trade union organisation.
just get by but there are rumours of a one day week. All the other Schreibers factories are on full time.
as possible the situation of the unemployed and those on short-time. file at the factory gates.
organise in the workplace against factory closures and we'll advise that the best way is through occupations. PHIL DAVIES, chester and national executive member of FTAT.
Challange 7 May 1981 Pago 4
We've been on strike for 10 weeks now fighting for
You
I used to think that anyone could go out and get a job
of my apprenticeship:
Half my mates in Handsworth are on the dole along
Since the Brixton riots the police have been getting
"he reception for the march in Handsworth could be
but the black organisations like the IWA
for
JODE
He is purposely starving the Man-
We're working a two day week and the workers can
We want to use the march to bring to as many people
We hope to be able to address the rank and
We'll be trying to persuade people that they must
convenor of Schreibers in Mah:
By Celia Pugh
day visit to Wales last week.
At a May Day miners'
Cecilia McGrath and Elaine Patterson were presented DOOK recording the history of the South Wales Miners'
Federation.
Inside the cover was a special dedication from its author Hywel Francis and from Tower Lodge secretary Tyrone O'Sullivan: "YOU struggle shows the way for the whole working class The Joint Lodges of Rhondda and Aberdare support the 'Lee Jeans workers... this is just the beginning, so don't give up
Elaine and Cecilia explained that they 'choked' bv this gesture. as they added the book to
badges and another miners' history presented by the Mardy Lodge committee, and signed by the South Wales NUM secretary Emlyn Williams.
Pithead
Earlier in the week the Lee Jeans women were warmly welcomed at three pithead meetings specially called before the miners went underground
teen Elaine 200 miners: "There is no way we will take redundancy
We will only take
ur jobs, by rights they ar
lot ours to sell. If anyon tries to move us, it will be with great difficulty as we are determined to win.'
titty miners who gathered outside the
By Rab Bird, AUEW shop steward, Sheffield WORKERS from all over Yorkshire will converge on Sheffield on Friday 8 May to against the devastating, effects of the Tories' economic policies. From Huddersfield in the west and Doncaster in the east two spur marches totalling 200 people will meet at the outskirts of the city, in this high point of the eastern leg Jobs.
green colours o he Chartist move.
the green ment. will set off on the 200- mile trek to London. There are 70 Sheffield, each sponsored for £75 raised mainly from the trade union movement. The AUEW's construction section, faced With imminent Humber Bridge and Drax power station sites, of £1,000. shop stewards GKN Shardlow's Sheffield, British Steel Stockbridge, and Rotherham BSC crafts
occupy like us'
THE Lee Jeans occupation for jobs caught the imagination of South Wales miners when two young delegates from the factory made a four
Penrhiwceiber lamp room the next day were moved by this determination, and overwhelmingly agreed to make collection. following day they spoke the Tower colliery near Averdare.
Almost £250 was raised the collections Penrhiwceiber, Tower, the The occupied Lee Jeans factory protest the Peoples March for
Chartist move-
marchers from
redundancies at
set the ball rolling with a donation
committees in
Joint Lodge social and a May Day miners' demonstration on 2 May addressed by Cecilia.
The Mardy Lodge plans to hold a collection next week, and at a halfhour meeting with South Wales NUM executive member Eric Davies, the occupallull was promised *a substantial donation.
Further pledges were
made by Newport Labour Party and delegates to the Wales TUC who took colletion sheets back to their branches.
LIVERPOOL TO LONDON 1-31 MAY
ON THE MARCH
AGAINST
TORIES
committee have matched this amount. And backing has poured in from other sources: the churches; personalities like Jack Charlton, Billy Bremner and Tony Capstick; and small business people ruined by the capitalist recession.
The 8 May Sheffield demonstration will show the shopfloor power needed to
In the busy four day visit Cecilia and Elaine
packed fringe meeting at the Porthcawl Wales TUC and at a rally Maesteg, the nearest town to the first pit
strike for jobs last February On Thursday evening 30 April they were welcome guests Newport Labour Club.
One of the high points of their tour, which caught the attention of the local press, was a meeting with six members of the trade
Cravens, mittee already voted for march rougn une lown
THE
bably come to a standstill. The amount
'While we welcome
given
the way the TGWU has done.
Lee Jeans women tell Welsh workers
union the British Aluminium Rheola Resolven near Neath.
This factory threatened with closure later this year and Cecila and Elaine spent an hou discussing blems in the night to sao- common
jobs.
When Bill Howell, the chairman of the trade «union committee asked what support the Lee Jeans women wanted, Cecila was quick with her reply: 'You can sit in We've come to South Wales to get financial and . moral suoDort. fo our occupation. But we're also here spread the message that workers. threaten ed with closure should occupy like us.
Commenting that 'we could be in the same situa
ths from now the Rheola officials agreed to send a donation to the Lee Jeans workers. Rallies Invitations to speak at May Day rallies with MP Michael Foot and Neil Kinnock Abertillry Ebbw Vale and Bridgend be • cancelled Elaine and Cecilia cut
back for a mass meeting As their train preparec trip back to Scotland Cecilia explained t Socialis Challeng sup porters their visit: 'We've Wild organised had a
great time, everyone nas belpful. is certainly band been friendly and Wales even though it's made us a bit tired!'
solve the problem of unemployment
Mass meetings at Shardlow's, Bone
BSC Rotherham CalLs cont Lockwood and Carlisle's have r a walk-out to join the They will be met by 400 miners led by Arthur Scargill.
With more meetings being organised in other plants there is likely to be a rush ot spontaneous walk-outs as the marci comes through the industrial east end.
March co-ordinator Albert Bedford, a TGWU full-timer seconded to work or the march, claims that a similar respons
is beinor the in all the to conde
south. devastated by the BSC closure, will pro.
of union support is
for the eastern leg and. local AUEW militant, explained that the AUEW executive council could do a lot more to help:
its formal sup
has given no financial support or cive
financial support or culated their branches urging support, in
Page 5 scan of this page
THE People's March for Jobs arrives in Stockport on 7 May. It will be met by hundreds of trade unionists.
IAN TUCKER, Storey's and branch Stockport Boilermakers union, JEFF WEST about the jobs battle and ¿the policies needed to fuel it.
In the early 1970s
andancies at Storey's cre prevented by strike
but now there ome complacency at work
jobs as we haven't threatened yet with redundancies.
This attitude will con-
until union ership against unemploy-
nt and fights for it.
Stewards
Our branch has circulated all shop stewards Stockport about the march and we're sponsoring our branch secretary on the march from Liverpool. All the branch officers are taking Thursday off work to round our members in the smaller factories.
We supported the Liverpool, and Glasgow demonstrations and sponsored some unemployed
One too have since got involv-ed in the branch activities.
We've managed UNEMPLOYMENT:
A 35 HOUR WEEK
NOW!
BY PAT HICKEY
20p UNEMPLOYMENT: a 35 hour week now! New Socialist Challenge pam-
palet by Pat Hickey. Only
20p. Order from Birming
Other Bookshop, 137 Digbeth, Birmingham B5 6DR.
RIG
• Joans women in Downing Street women's rights picket last Monday convenor of Thos
president of told
help one or two of our members to find jobs, thereby showing
help the
prepared to support those fighting for jobs. We have supported the Gardner's and Lightning Mixers occupations.
I think the unions are to blame for letting the
2½m • unemployed. The tues lave that the Tory government
unbeatable. The unions nationally should organised more action to achieve the same.
I don't agree with imDO COON C they can backfire on us. We lost a bridge order in Indonesia because of some restrictions made on their goods. Solution
Action by those in work for a shorter working week would start to solve te problem or unemployment. Overtime should be banned in the next round of national engineering negotiations. Coupled with a 35-hour week this would make an immediate difference to unemployment.
The unions and the next Labour government would have to look at ways
creating and retraining people into viable industries.
What we need is a
trong government prep-
ared to carry out Labour Party policies: a Labour government and party that involves shopfloor work-
and relates to their needs. In fact, a Labour government committed to repared to stand by them socialist policies through thick and thin.
It's better to lose an election by fighting for
We need a Labour government
committed to socialist policies'
these policies than losing
them down, Healey did. Callaghan and
think Tony Benn would capable
eading such a governmen
- at least he thusiasm for carrying out Labour Party policies
I believe the money to pay these policies could be found. For a start all the money wasted on
benefits could be used instead to create jobs.
Resources are wasted on atomic submarines.
we nuclear warhead. That
ARTHUR SNIPE
TH J K
OF DONCASTE the fight for jobs
rOR
STRATAL
ON SEMALE OF
money could be used to invest in our future, through the health service and our children's education.
The unions should challenge the government over youth unemployment. Money is needed for retraining to allow young men and women to choose
trade they want follow. The YOPS schemes are just 12 months off the dole queues
And the unions should pressure firms to employ
portunities, not to use the excuse that there sould be treated picants toilets. Job
• equally Laurence and Scott's: another factory occupied by workers in Manchester in
CLAS
and not put off because they're women.
Little has happened yet
into the unions. government putting them in a position of stary
taking low-paid jobs. We need a national minimum wage, otherwise we're going back to situation where the working class is downtrodden and cap in hand.
That was the reason for the unions in the first place to defend workers' interests. They should start doing that ILUW
Valerie Coultas: one of the marchers
DIARY OF
A JOBS
MARCHER
generation.
mination.
500 people at Bedford. will be
World War.
for a week.
were not so event since the Second World War.
Head by the River Mersey
out of work every
closed down?' he went on
be changed by a Labour Cabinet,
want it
Amid
school in Halewood.
to work.
sashes.
Communist League
sued.
made by the North West TUC!
important difference with Jarrow is that they went cap in hand. This march is of breadth, strength and deter-
This was how Jack Dromey of the South East Region of the TUC sent us on our way in Liverpool at the start of the People's March.
He was speaking at the brieting meating for the 250 marchers who, when it swells to
part of the 'largest ever march to London.' We would be writing a chapter in history, participating in the most important event since the Second
'Dhobies itch' would be the biggest paril facing us on the way, warned a Liverpool doc. tor; nylon underpants and socks would have to be removed; feet should have been soaked
Some marchers began to realise that they
well prepared for the greatest
It was stressed by the organisers that it was a broad march. Everyone had to obey the stewards. The eye of the nation was on us. FRIDAY: Thunderous applause greeted Tony Benn as he gave the departure speech on Pier
'If the press will not tell the people of Britain what this march is about, then the march will have to take the message to them. Why don't the press publish the number of people
day? Why publish the numbers of schools and hospital
"I believe that there must be a fundamental change in the structure of the economy and society. But this country cannot simply
nor by Labour councillors, nor by Labour MPs. It can only happen if the vast majority of the people
the ovation that followed this speech the People's March moved off to Halewood. Workers came out of thair fac tories to greet us. Spirits were high among the marchers when we reached St. Peter's
Both Elsie, a worker from the Royal Pride factory currently on strike for union rights and myself were wearing sashes in the suf fragette colours demanding 'A woman's right
Much discussion was provoked by the
A young woman from the Young asked Another woman from Liverpool told us 'Keep those sashes on.' One of the TUC stewards objected however saying it was divisive. A discussion on a woman's right to work en-
The matter was happily resolved. Now all the women on the march can wear sashes
Socialist Challenge 7 May 1981 Page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
Battle for Benn
Denis Healey-politics without
Shopworkers
keep 40-30-30
formula
By Chris Jones, Bolton USDAW (in a personal capacity)
THE annual conference of the shopworkers' union (USDAW) voted last week to retain the 40-30-30 electoral college as union policy on electing the despite an impassioned speech from Labour leader Michael Foot. out proposals for a 33-33-33 formula and for 'one-member, one vote'.
In a smart move the union executive arqued for keeping the quo position but against switching to the 33-33-33 formula if 40:30-30 fell at the Labour conterence.
That way they hope to leave the dominated conference delegation free to switch to Michael Foot and the right wing's preferred 50-25-25 option.
The new right. wing
rouping in the union, Mainstream', had argue for conference to reject all the formulas so that the
delegation could decide. Rejected
The conference however clearly rejected the proposal to vote for Benn as deputy leader.
The argument went that Foot and Healey were a unifying team to deal with the party's biggest problem, the Tories
Though the left fered setbacks in the elec-
made on union policy.
Conference voted for woman's right to choose and for outpatient abortion facilities on the NHS.
AUEW leader wants open debate on Benn
candidacy
BOB WRIGHT, assistant general secretary of
Engineering Union, Benn's bid for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party. This is what he told Socialist Challenge:
start from the principles affecting the wider move-
I support all aspects democracy, and particularly Tony Benn's strong stand on the question of public disclosure. He and I want an Act of Parliament completely cutting back government secrecy.
The fuss about his democratic
can oppose democracy and elections.
As far concerned, an increasing number of our members think that what Benn stands for represents a much closer reality of the feelings of the rank and file.
believe that the Wembley conference has got to be put into operation. Tony Benn is totally entitled to stand.
position without any ference is to consider this issue this month.
the rank and file to campaign for an open and clear election. open debate and issue a clear mandate.
and dealing at a solely leadership level.
st Challenge 7 May 1981
Labour leadership. This was
The conference threw
The executive was also instructed to inform all wrenches decisions taken by the union delega
conferences and to explain WaTC made.
In his conference address Michael Foot argued for Labour's main priority on returning to office to be leading the capaign for world disarmament.
He TAlled to mention unilateral disarmament however, and the conference went on to pass HOOL ON DOI Cruise and Trident and in of European nuclear free zone, but also " supporting both unilateral and multilateral disarmament.
The union left wrongly supported both positions aisarmament. The result unfortunately leaves the executive witn a tree hand to interpret conference decisions as they please.
Despite the passing of some militant policies the union still lacks a leadership willing to fight in the interests of its The left has a long way to go to transform this situation. is backing Tony
I support Tony Benn, of course - or rather I
of labour movement
I support all the policies Tony Benn stands for.
candidacy wrong. No the workings
as the AUEW and the Labour Party are
process agreed at the
The AUEW leadership has already declared a
mandate. The union con-
In general in the unions my appeal would be for
Every union conference should have an
Otherwise this vital issue will be left to wheeling
Page 6
AS THE round of annual union conferences
begins the campaign for
deputy leader of the
Labour Party is hotting
up. Across the country
Labour constituencies are likely to back Benn
but in the unions only
principle
DENIS HEALEY'S campaign for deputy leader of the Labour Party is currently being touted around the trade union conferences by rightwing union bureaucrats, the media and, occasionally the Rt Hon Mr Healey himself.
He is the negative candidate in the race.
He's against the policies associated with Tony Benn: aaainst disarma PILOTUL against withdrawal from the EEC; against the internal reforms of the Labour Party
Denis Healey is for •.. Denis Healey.
This has always been the way of the man. His over-riding principle has clues selfadvancement.
As a senior civil ser
the Guardian last March, said of the deputy leader: "There certainly isn't a trace of socialism in him." Revolution
Healey first caught the attraction of Labour Party members at the 1945 party conference in a famous speech which reflected rather played. to the then' prevailing left-wing sen-
our foreign policy should be to pro-
and aid that socialist revolution wherever it арреагв. The upper class every
depraved dissolute, and decadent.
The upper class look to the British army and British people to protect them against the just wrath of the people. We must see that this does
moves into
the unions
By Geoff Bell not happen.'
That speech was enough to win Healey the sympathy of the leading lefts in the party who ensured that he was appointed as secretary to the Labour Par. ty's international department.
Once there, Healey
came into constant con tact with Ernest Bevin, foreign secretary in the Labour under whose tutelage Healey's truer, rightwing prejudices began to flower.
By 1951 he was justifying the Labour government's rearmament programme, which he described as 'enordirecte and which was mous',
against Soviet Union.
NUPE seems certain to support him. Below we look at the outcome of the APEX and USDAW conferences and profile the 'other' candidate -
Denis Healey, the
favourite of the rightwing.
Healey argued in a pamphlet produced by the Fabian Society: 'You meet the need for arms first and then distribute what you have left to other things
He was elected as ar MP for a Leeds constitu-
1952 and became time-server for the right-wing leadership of the party. In
one particularly nasty incident - exposed iro. nically by Michael Foot in his biography of Nye Bevan Healey wrote
an article in a US magazine
'Aneurin Bevan was fined last month for two offences
which might serve as his political epitaph dangerous driving and failure to stop after an accident.'
Foot notes that this was 'the only instance where this incident was Bevan for poitical pur. used directly poses'
Healey was one of the leading lieutenants
Page 7 scan of this page
in the campaign against Bevan and his advocacy the isod in the But as
mood the party began to change, so did Healey, and by 1957 he
making left noises again.
He wrote in another Fabian that NATO 'become symbol of vanished stage in the Cold War, increasingly remote from the facts of international life and from the aspirations the people it represents'
He concluded: 'Disarmament and disengagement should be seen, not as an alternative to NATO... but as. an alternative policy for
In 1974, as minister for defence, Healey had the opportunity to put such policies into practice, but they were quietly forgotten.
Before the election or tar year Labour Nad promised to withdraw British army forces from East of Suez, and Healey went along with that in office, although defence spending génerally remained high.
Now in the cabinet, Healey once more tried to prove himself a good loyalist.
He told Cecil King. the newspaper mag-
that learnt from Wilson was that 'having no convicwons is a greatnel.. e can make a purely prag. matic approach to any problem
Indeed pragmatism was a watchword for Hoaley in the succeeding years as he climbed
the Labour hierarchy.
He could tell the 1974 Labour Party conference that he was going to 'squeeze the rich un. til their pips squeak, and then he went on as Chancellor the Exchequer to reduce the standard of living of the working class and raise that of the upper class for the first time for decades.
'He got angry if anyone pointed out that
these actions were inconsistent with a Labour
When 38 Labour lett wingers abstained on a vote on public spending cuts in 1976. Healey stood in front of them in thouse of Commons and chamber repeatedly screamed at them 'You fuckers, you fuckers'.
Such then the ways of Denis Healey. 'As slithery as they come an anonymous former cabinet colleague is quoted as saying of him in the Sunday Times in July last year.
Healey's aim in life has been to USe the Labour Party to slither to the top of the politi cal establishment. For trade unionists to vote
be deputy leader of the
to vote for tional Monetary Fund, and NATO
But more than that it for the old Is to VOtE school of Labour politics which the internal helve began to challenge reforms the - a school in which the first lesson Is to SuCceed, and the second is to have no principlest.
By Socialist Challenge APEX
supporters
ALL THE
dominate every
ference this
reflected at the
union APEX's annual conference
last week.
'The union.
wing, endorsed its usual brand of 'social-
contract policies'. The union president
and shadow minister Dennis Howell also
bemoaned Shirley Williams' defection to
the Social Democrats rather than attack-
ing her politics.
Socialist Challenge industrial workers' conference
industrial
workers
By Brian Grogan and more attacks on the workers.
This change creates new for fighting for the revolu-
proTODAY gramme to
ruling class. ex-
the
working
needed, groups together Ine HEOS conscious clear-
this militant only
the mass nerve of the
the factories, the pits and shops. It is always these core sectors. which determine the outcome of the struggle.
The
organisatiolis the Fourth International like Tine Marxist Group in Britain have alwavs stood on the programme mand in that sense workers'
have always been workers' parties, even when the ma-
of their have . been students and white-collar workers.
The character of an organisation is fundamentally determined by its pro* gramme. But if a revolutionary organisation over a long period of time fails to root itself in the working class, then its social composition comes into contradiction with its programme.
One or the other has to give way.
The Bolshevik party, from which we draw our inspiration, was in 1917 a
APEX votes for Healey
debates, which will union consummer were white collar
dominated by the right
disciplinary
Why we're
fighting for
a party of
WORLD CAPITALISM is in crisis — nowhere more so than in Britain, where the crisis has led to a completely new political situation. To solve its problems, the ruling class, in addition to its war drive, is forced to launch more
A new political attitude is being created inside the decisive sections of the British working class. panaries, It was because ot worker-revolu Bolsheviks' influence centred in the working class that they Were able lead the revolution.
It has not always been the . case. The Bolsheviks. -as is often the case with revolutionary organisations, accumulated their first forces outside of th industrial working class.
But they seized on opportunities provided by the radicalisation of the workclass to implant themselves in the core sectors of the class.
Both the Bolsheviks in the early 1900s. and the Trotskyists the 1930s found it necessary to root their organisations in the ranks of the industrial working class. Today the beginnings of a radicalisa workers in britain, trial workers Britain, particularly deepens ins the CriSIS the Labour make it possible for us to do likewise Between 1902 and 1905 Lenin's party was made up mostly of students and in. tellectuals. But in 1905 the revolution dramatically radicalised the workers they were 'spontaneously _social democratic (i.e. revolutionary), as Lenin put it.
This created the opportunity of rapidly drawing workers into the party which required a sharp change. For example the Bolshevik congress in 1905 not a single delegate was a worker.
Accordingly Lenin demanded that the proportion of workers in the
'You should have stayed and fought with us, Shirley, to help us get the party back on the right lines,' he complained.
Stage-managed debate undemocratic procedures saw off close challenges to the union leaders from CND supporters and those seeking a real fight over hours, overtime and jobs.
But it was over the Benn/Healey elec tion for deputy Labour leader that the union leaders' reactionary politics were fully revealed. Over • 150 delegates visitors to the conference heard Tony Benn address a Campaign for Labour Party Democracy fringe meeting, despite
threats against the APEX delegates who invited. Benn. The con.
Bolshevik committees be raised to 80 per cent.
Six months later he declared that 'now we must wish for the new Parorganisations to have one Social Democratic intellectual to several hundred Social Democratic workers'.
Through this campaign the situation of the BolShevik.
By 1907 a third of the members were industrial workers.
A similar problem faced the Trotskyists in the United States in the early 1930s. Trotsky commented: "The party has only a minority of genuine fac tory workers. This is an inevitable beginning every revolutionary social-
ference against benn
and
increasingly
left in the union.
and Party.
didn't vote for tion for the left to organise. ist party. The non-proletarian elements represent a bellese that we can be pro yeast and ud of the good quality these elements But the danger is in the next period we can receive too much 'yeast' ' for the needs of the party?
He therefore proposed for the whole party 'the task is
naturally not te
DICYCl the influx of intellectual by artificial means.. but to orientate in practice the whole party towards factories. strikes and the unions.
In Britain today we are . living through literal i rebellions epitomised by thr: uprising of black youth Brixton. The economic and social crisis
went on to vote for Healey
Over the next few days Howell and general secretary Roy Grantham became
demagogic and paranoid the growing challenge from the
They were helped by Michael Foot's address to the conference, which was little more than an attack on Benn and the democratic changes inside the Labour
His speech destroyed many left illus ions in his leadership, and was praised by Howell as 'a great speech by a man we
. It was indeed an inspirahas shaken the faith of large numbers of worker. in the old capitalist way. of doing things In the industrial unions there is a ferment of enscussion this crisis and its political right inside the t fight Labour Party. These are the factors which pose the opporinity of making substantial gains in the fight for socialist policies in the industrial workplaces.
But it is not simply a question of the numbers of workers, but of making work the industrial unions central to political work. It is in this spirit that we are building the Socialist Challenge in dustrial workers conference.
Socialist Challenge 7 May 1981 Page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
Women in the
new Grenada
THE National Women's Organisation is affiliated to the New Jewel Movement. PATSY ROMAIN is a member of its national exocutive and she recently spoke to Intercontinental Press about the NWO.
The National Women's Organisation was started around 1972: meetings in the open because of fear of victimisation by the Gairy regime.
At present we have a membership of 1,500. Since the revolution women in Grenada have seen many benefits. You have equal work for equal pay. have women getting their equal rights in this society. You have women getting the maternity leave law.
We are hoping in this year to push forward showing the women the need for birth control, how it will be good for them - the advantages and disadvantages in birth control. As for abortion, Grenada stating whether women have the right to abortion or not: the programmes of the People's Revolutionary Government. There are a number of women playing an active part in the People's Militia and the People's Revolutionary Army. the NWO had the task to get all the women organised into it. of the science work and girls were taught arithmetic, sewing, cooking and so on. This has been changed. Teachers show girls that they should and can do the same amount of subjects as the boys. learn to be a dentist or to go away and study and come back to teach people about agriculture, ing, mechanics, you see women coming forward and saying that they
as being equal to men. that their place was in the home. But a lot of work has to be done and is being done to show women that their place is not only in the home but to be equat: working alongside men.
Socialist Challonge. 7 May 1951
We could not organise women to have
You
there is no law in
We haven't worked this out yet.
The activities of the NWO are to push forward all
From the very first day that the militia was formed,
Before the revolution, boys were taught to do more
Now when a scholarship is offered for a woman to
engineer-
would like to be trained to do this.
We did not have this before. Women were not seen
Women were always thinking Page 8
PEOPLE in Grenada remember the terror imposed by Gairy's "Mongoose Gang and the regime's corruption Gairy obsession with unidentified flying ob. jøcts. The achievements of the People's Revolutionary Government's first years is impressive. underdevelopment. world's main nutmeg supplier
its own nutmegs. Under direc British rule, construction of industry on the island was banned until the late fitties.
Before the revolution, Grenada had an unemployment rate of 50 per cent; one-third of its arable land was not farmed and the country imported approxiaodely three-quarters
food. There was mechanisation of agriculture and few adequate access roads in the countryside.
The People's Revolutionary Government (PRG) has designated 1981 as the 'Year of Agriculture and Agro-Industries. ' stone of Grenada's economy.
Prime Minister Bishop has stressed the importance of more food, laying the basis of industrialisation, building our economy and in so doing building our revolution.
Threats
• T 10 the revolutionary nature of our society that will ensure that all of our will be involved in this drive.
ine tasks facing Grenadans are enormous not least because the country is threatened with hostility from several quarters. Last year 40 banana industry cent o1 urenada s
was destroyed by Hurricane Allen.
British Foreign Minister Nicholas Ridley refused aid to the island at that time on the grounds that 'Grenada is inde or sees of estab hich ine kind of society of which British government onoves mespeckve o wacluct
the people of Grenada want it or not.
The United States is openly discouraging Common Market countries from Grenada build its international airport. Such an airport, with facilities for night-landing and large modern planes, is essential 11(0) development tourism and the agro-industry.
The US tecognises
portance for the survival of the
island but hides its true position
well
of
little Maurice people
the
vital behind a smokescreen of con-
cern about 'Cuban military base'
Office Other countries are coming
to the aid of the Algeria, Syria, have given £9m towards the airport. Machinery have been and Venezuela, disap- Cubans
given 10,000 gallons of cheap diesel 01l.
Airport
Airport bonds have raised a helping further
£14m is still needed to make the airport part-operational by the end of the year.
The PRG's response to the US's attempts at intimidation its im- was to call a mass mobilisation
at the airport site on 12 April Maurice Bishop spoke at work-
TWO YEARS AGO the vicious Eric Gairy dictatorship in Grenada was overthrown by the New Jewel Movement and a People's Revolutionary Government was installed.
Grenada is a tiny island in the Caribbean with a population of 110,000. It is still formally part of the Commonwealth (which makes the Queen the head of a revolutionary government!) and its revolution is the first in an English-speaking country.
For the New Jewel Movement the Grenadan revolution is indivisible from
the setting up of a and the paper published from Libya and Iraq the Mothers and labour the On has
£125,000 but another Grenadans population of the transport system.
judgements
GRENAD
"A big revolutio
a small countr
places in the preceding weeks nationalised weekly Free West Indian letters of support organisations as diverse Union of Catholic the Grenadan Employers Federation. the day 10,000
'The development of the people, the participation of the people, that to me is the greatest achievement.'
Maurice Bishop, Prime Minister
out of a total '110,000 were inere, despite ine allicutes ol
As the revolution unfolds in Grenada, the dire economic circumstances can result in mis and sometimes
those of Cuba, Nic
Prime Minister Ma
ly: "Cowboy Reaga
But imperialism
threatened and it I
economic sabotag
Solidarity with Gre
urgent.
NEIL SIMPSON
Grenada after a m
He gives his impre
island and the pro
serious political mistakes. This was shown in the recent public servants' strike.
Some 2,000 workers grouped in three unions - the Public Workers Union, Grenada Union of Teacher: and the Technical and Allied Workers Union - put in a pay claim for a 62 per cent rise over two years Their wages were certainly low, £10 a week being not uncommon.
But the dispute becam quite divisive. These unions are members of the Caribbean Congress of Labour and the
Page 9 scan of this page
A
in
gua and El Salvador. e Bishop said recenthis not your ranch.' ows its interests are responded with ad lack of aid. la is thus extremely
s just returned trom i of voluntary work. ans of life on the s of the revolution.
American trade union federa- tion AFL/CIO. Slogans of 'No CIA unions' appeared some ported the revolution
of their striking teachers.
The government's response was to offer 22.5 per cent over three years and to issue letters which suspended,
warned various workers. The unions demanded withdrawal of the letters before entering into further negotiations.
Other workers complained about the public servants' excessive' •wage demands claim-
lag that the unions were involv-
d in new year budget prepara-
ions and therefore realised the difficulties in demanding such
in increase.
eAt present it seems that an
GRENADA O
Caribbean Sea
ENEZUEL
agreement has been made with 36 per cent for the lowest paid. but the letters have not been retracted and an uneasy truce reigns.
This episode contradictory position that the PRG seems to hold on the ques-
independent unions: on the one hand regards Solidarnosc in Poland as a 'tool of imperialism'. Yet UlL the other occasions Grenada the PRG has gone out of its way to open the books to the trade unions and to promote free trade unions in its industrial relations.
The situation power company in Grenlec, in and ways Colonist PRG's difficulties. were part 'ot the Commonwealtn Development which 'assists her and wealth's largest and most son- now
cessiui company.
Privileges
There are many things that are wrong with generates electricity from oit; it can adjust prices countabilty: its privileges protected until at least 1991 and working conditions are dangerous to workers' health
Profits are so good in other
places that CDC has run down
its investment in Grenlec which
OVINCENT
" BARBIADOS
TRINIDAD
AND TOBAGO
Miles
has in turn led to the interruption of Grenada's power supply and price rises.
Profit
indicates
trade told they have no responsibility to CDC 'which in the interests of profit to the detriment of Grenadan workers ana consumcis
'massive corruption' that greater workers' participa tion in Grenlec's affairs would ensure a higher level of efficien-
with the cy and better services.
Grenlec is.
Corporation
countries
The company threatened to 'put the country into darkness' for the second anniversary
Grenlec: weeks. But there is
course for the government. without ac-
are buy shares in
all time when it is hoping for EEC outright
Said. It could push ahead with developing sources - particularly hydro
time and money
•IC ConDall table locally.
Tional seen
itself
the
workers. industry
100 manoeuvred.'
The
our ince recent Prime Minister Bishop has atically.
The workers that which
only operates profitable. British
He accused the company of Grenada
asserting cultural
'We are continuing the struggle to end imperialism and imperialist presence in our country.' Maurice Bishop, Prime Minister
manager project has
For his pains he was detained for two
revolution
It could try to find funds to
the company. to help.
Possibly it is reluctant to make
acquisition
alternative energy
the electricity — but this too takes
The PRG did set up an inquiry which recommended that
be made accoun-
that the board of directors be
include *profespersons'. It remains Ped will give to its urgie the what substance workers' participation
government which sees as revolutionary cannot preside over a capitalist economy for any length of time without provoking retaliation from
capitalists or becoming discredited in the eyes of the
Vanguard
Bishop had to finish his talk to the power workers with a call for moderation: As workers in this essential service, in this key
-I lu vali guard of the working class an‹ as such you have a responsibility not to be manipulated and workers stripe and Grentec are airport,
of how imperialism tries to tie the hands of the revolution by starving it of funds. In addition, prices for cocoa and nutmeg, two of the main export earning
have dropped dram-
export of bananas, controlled the firm Geest, is also not Days the equivalent of 3.3p a pound.
Many important initiatives
are held 'back through lack of funds. Agri-
co-operanva. been set up which are intended
produce a variety of much needed crops and to involve
unemployed youth. But such a
to be established
Fidel Castro has described the events in Grenada as a 'Big
'in smai country
he workers movement in:bri
tain has a special responsibility
The year 1981 in Grenada
should perhaps be called a Year
of Perseverance and Vigilance.
In Britain we should make it a year that sees the building of a significant solidarity campaign.
Achievements of the revolution two years on
*Trade union membership has increased to 80 per cent from 30 per cent under the Gairy regime. Workers are protected Recognition Act. More than 2500 new jobs have been created.
*The Land Reform Commission was set up to put all idle lands into production and cooperatives have been formed.
*The reduced the price of sugar, rice and cement. buys and distributes food at controlled prices.
*The army was completely destroyed at the time of Gairy's overthrow. The police were purged and reorganised.
People's Revolutionary Army now exists, which is highly political. The people's militia is open to ali for weapons training.
*Discrimination against outlawed. Mass youth are in the process of formation.
*Free medical care introduced in local health centres with increased facilities.
*Over 200 Grenadans are now studying scholarships (it was 3 in 1978). Secondary school fees have been reduced and will be abolished by
end of the year. receive free milk and cheap meals. The first phase of the literacy campaign has bean completed.
*Parish councils have been established with delegates from villages, workplaces, trade unions, women's and youth organisations.
'We need to remain vigilant, to con-
tinue to build our People's Militia, so
that in any situation our people will
be able to defend our country and
our process.'
Maurice Bishop, Prime Minister Britain-Grenada solidarity
THE Labour manifesto pledges support to progressive regimes like Grenada.
But the
taken into the labour movement urgently. There should also be widespread condemnation of the
Tory government s
destabilisation tactics
The British-Grenada
recently been established. branches throughout the country.
There is a shopping goods ranging from slide-projectors, cameras and
badge-making machines to books, especially the
left-wing variety. import and sell Grenadan goods such as honey and jams. Airport bonds can be bought and, of course,
tourists are more then welcome.
It is an
place to visit. A slide show and films on Grenada
are available.
c/o 105 Grand Building, Trafalgar Sq, London WCL
•Listen to Radio Free
short wave (19m band). Best reception atter
8.30pm.
the Trade Union
National Import and Marketing Board
They are no longer armed. The
women has • bean organisations of women and
medical and dental
on
Primary school children Party national executive's draft
need for direct assistance must be
complicity the US's
Friendship Society has It hopes to set up
list of urgently needed
Immediately helpful would be a campaign to
extremely beautiful and interesting
•Join the British-Grenada Friendship Society
Grenada 15.105 Mhz
Socialist Challenge 7 May 1981
Page 10 scan of this page
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By Davy Jones SOMETHING remarkable is going on in Room 302 of the federal Square, New York. Since 2 April a profound political clash has been taking place in the court-room between tionary socialism and the US government's secur
In July the Socialist :Party (SWP) and Young
American
lawsuit
other agencies.
The seeks
and an inLal asolci
It has
hundreds previousiy
against American Cocais
These FBI
ging, bomb and physical hundreds of spies,
their jobs.
The documents also revealed how the FBI had plotted against the black and anti-Vietnam wal IOvClCIls. well against trade union •activists. SWP • national secretary Jack Barnes explained at courthouse press conference:
n our tria We alie fighting not only for our own rights but for the rights of all working peo. ple - the miners now on strike against the coal operators, the people of El
Labour Party
›CnO r
Sat/Sụn 23/24 May Day 1 Formation of LP & developments to 1945/ Election of 1945 Labour govt and rise & decline of Bevanism Day 2 Rise of new LP left & Bennism/ Tasks for socialists in LP now Workshops History of LP women's sections/ 1931 LP split/ Labour League of Youth in 1930s/ LPYS in 50s & 60s School open to Socialist Challenge supporters. Admission by ticket only. Price f2.50 for both days or £2 single day. Limited 1 must enclose payment, coreques to The Weektions must enclose payment, cheques to 'The
Forum
Socialist Perspectives for Europe
Fri 22 May at 8pm Camden Town Hall, opp St. Pancras station London Speakers: Ernest Mandel, Ken Livingstone,
Hall opens at 6.30pm with displays on women's move-
mcat, anui uuccar sururc misa nocraton sotrae struggle of youth; Polish crisis; El Salvador and Turkey.
Buffet available with rolls, cakes, rea and coffee
US socialists put
court building in Foley
the ideas of revolu-
Salvador fighting for their right to run their country, and the Americans who do not want another Viet-
From outset the aims ot ' the side have been clear. First they have tried to prove that their long campaign of disruption spying against the SWP/YSA legitimate.
A Justice Department document in the case explains: "The issue is whether the government has the right to keep itself inform-
the activities groups thạt openly advo. cate revolutionary change in the structure and leadership of the United States, even advocacy might be within the letter
of the law.'
Ideas
Secondly, as they concede that the SWP/YSA's activities are legal, they have been forced to try the socialists nenceds. The courtroom has therefore echoed to the words
of veteran socialist Farrell Dobbs and Jall Barne. explaining the fundamental ideas of revolutionary socialism and the history of the marxist movement.
On the eighth day of the trial a former FBI street agent, George Bax stand to recall lis 1o y thrs trum, was to the of dirty work against the SWP/YSA. During six of those years he carried out • places available so apply urgently GLC councillor
Socialist Challenge News
witness for the SWP at least 92 burglaries of SWP offices, photograph ed over 8,000 letters, Tetay rifled through the SWP's trash cans and SWPP members addressen. files all known
He was also responsible for organising the recruitment ntormeks on the SWP/YSA and for 'disruption' allc sucal campaigns against the party and individual members almncu al anving caell vul of politics
All these activities were
our fund drive
WHAT a Challenge fund driver ur suporter n t
London raised more than £800 for their May
Day fair. Here is how they both did it.
Mountains of jumble, enough food to feed an army, acres of potted plants, and masses of wholefood
• all in a heap. That was the scene at nine o'clock awo KanA reoreureene ing of West London's May Day fair. Comrades burrowed into piles of jumble
wondering if it would ever
be sorted out
At ler the first customers start to queue outside. More jumble arrives deepening the chaos. On
the refreshment stall comrades start neoli the food. Five minutes before opening everything mira-
Veteran US socialist Farrell Dobbs has been a key
carried out in the name of the various 'thoughtcontrol' laws in the US: the Smith Act of 1940 against the advocacy of socialist ideas, the Voorhis Act which prevents the SWP from affiliation to the Fourth International the 'loyalty programme started by President Truman and maintained sever inceto eseniee 'subversives' jobs, and the Immigration and Naturalisation Act which permits the harass-
May Day jackpot for
weekend for the Socialist
Day banquet while in Outer West London our supporters raised a further £300 from a May
culously falls into place and the doors are thrown open. hundred people flood in, the first of the seven hundred visitors to the fair, with its stalls from Chiswick CND, Socialist Challenge Ealing women s grouf and Revolution Youth At four o'clock the fair closes and everyone flakes out before the clearing up When the counted there are more ten CuCeA than uryure has ever seen before, totalling £300 in all. Time celebrate in the local pub!
ment of non-citizens on the basis of their political lacas
Support for the socialists' lawsuit is growing inside the labour movement and from •black, women and civil rights'
CUVNA As the SWP national committee statement the trial says: "'A victory in this case would be a vic tory for all victims of government spying and
working people in this country.
Cuba Librare wort
coconut cream, pineap ple ano rum: nosc — a vigorous blend
olaltao vodka; these were two of the terrific cocktails at the East London Gala
guests launched them with great enthusiasm. Disco
Fennis Augustin, High Commissioner of Grenada told of the efforts of Grenada to astablish workers' democracy.
Then Jaime Lopez from the El Salvador Solidarity Campaign won big response when he explained the next stage of the strug gle in El Salvador.
The evening was a .tremendous success with guests from Shetfield, Rotherham, Newy-
even Australia, Iran and Germany:
Packed : to the gunnels with delicious food, laughing the outrageous auction, stripped of every con-
asset and ex hausted driving disco people faded into the night.
So after weeks of counting quiches, tur keys, salads cutlen and comrades it finally over. All that had to be done was to wash the dishes, and go to the bank with over £800.
Page 11 scan of this page
labour movement conference and multilateralism
CND
IN LAST week's Socialist
Challenge, Alasdair Beal,
a member of the CND na-
tional council, criticised
both myself and
paper on two points in
relation to the
labour movement
ference.
He wonders what
thought we achieved when
overturned the decision of the
conference organising commit-
tee not to take resolutions, and
he takes us to task for our at-
On the first point,
Challente supporters wrong.
there were more than
delegated to the conference
abided by the organising com-
mittee decision not to consider
resolutions. Indeed,
Colans. one or our supportels
and a member of the organising
Collulled. spoke for the com-
mittee to advise against taking
resolutions.
But we would put Alasdair
100,000 march
against US
ntervention
inElSalvador
By Phil Hearse ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND people marched to the Washington Pentagon, headquarters of he US military, on 3 May to protest against United States' intervention in El Salvador.The march organised by
lobilisation and the 3 May Coalition was the biggest demonstration foreign policy since the anti-Vietnam war movement.
Among the marchers were representatives of a number of labour movement organisations, including public sector workers, hospital and auto workers. Bút prominent among the marchers were also large numbers of
proportion youth, blacks and Latinos.
American observers noted Prich st number high school students new antiwar generation.'
Among the speakers best received by the vast
was Herbert Daughtrey of the National Black United Front, linked the struggle of blacks in America with the fight aginst US aggression
We're fired up e said 'and we won't take no more'.
Mad Daughtreys also deounced threats gainst Grenada and the ro-South Africa stance of
Reagan He said the government
"mad' to support the
Beal's allegation in The last national council of CND was treated to a series of accusations about the Challenge disruption
CND officers. No attempt to Ram with us ta ben lots. these CND
coming. d and led porters initiated and
WC and it was a fight
get CND to support the labour movement conference.
Harm Alasdair Socialist In the course of this fight we
150 being forward
Socialist Workers Party at the the hostility of CND officers to planning meetir Martin the idea of the conference, the
SWP wanted us to 'go it alone'. They wanted Challenge/SWP/Manchester against the Missiles conference. But we said no. we wanted a genuine CND the Peoples Anti-War
against American
apartheid regime.
The biggest cheer of the day was given to Arnoldo Ramos, the representative of the Revolutionary
Front (FDR) of El Salvador.
Paul O'Dwyer, former New York city council president, was given warm reception when he denounced British repression in Ireland and supported the stand of hunger striker Bobby Sands. Huge
The huge turn out for the demonstration browni together the increasing op position to the Reagan administration, policy both on domestic and foreign Issues. Many
carried placards demanding 'money for jobs, not for war'.
Supporters of the US Socialist Workers Party sold 1500 copies of their newspaper The Militant, and distributed thousands of leaflets explaining their case agalst harassment by the FBI and other government agencies. (see page
context. which would involve important
forces in the labour movement. So we perseveted in trying to inSocialist volve CND.
from
committee had been establishcomplaints ed, Socialist
porters argued for a statement of policy and a vote of the con-
- LO by seven votes to six.
be extremely after a long discussion decided that it would only harm and confuse the conference to raise this question at the conference.
Appeal
Faced with Since no
been sent beforehand, resolutions put to the would only lead to confusion. Socialist In the
ference voted for resolutions to be put, came forward conference ference was treated to less than
US troops
set for Middle East bases
By John Marston UP TO 3,000 US troops could be bas. ed in the Middle East by next April. This shock news was recently revealed in the Economist magazine (4 April).
Washington has run into a lot of trouble since it first announced plans for a Rapid Deployment Force
the Gulf.
But now a solution has ap peared. The RDF is to be disguised as "multinational peacekeeping force' with token participation
countries Australia and New Lealand.
The excuse if provided under the terms of the Camp David agreement between Egypt and Israel
Israel is due withdraw from the peninsula. That will be the cue for the Americans to go in to "patrol' the area.
It is proposed that the US would be handed three major bases and three smaller military callies
'he major bases ar
lytam (giving the U its first air base on the southern Mediterranean coast since it was thrown out of Libya); at Etzion, near Eilat (one of the biggest air bases in the world); and at Sharm-el-Sheikh.
The camps along the Gulf of Agaba are described by the Economist primarily storage ties, where equipment and a logistics nucleus
wall pre-positioned for possible crisis action'
one possible snag is that wevot has sanction such a handover.
This is not because President Sadat objects to an
inspiring
discussing
Once the final organising Challenge
Jane:
In this we were sup-
We warned that this would unpopular, resolutions had
conbecame obvious
but the con- weat Appeal, > Port Said
'Suez canal Ismailiya Suez Abu Rudeis
EGYPT
0 Miles 50
American presence. After all, he has already agreed to provide 'facilities for the Americans at Oena in UDOCI Ras Banas near the border with Sudan What Sadat fears Arab reaction to a plan which further threatens
speeches from the RCT saying that we should be
and rom received long the Sparticists, denouncing us
ONE HUNDRED issues again.
SIXTY!
Naturally,
position STOP lateralism.
CRUISE was MISSILES confusion
contradictory all for supporting imperialism!
As the conference went on, fact
that dele- self-proclaimed gates were gesting increasingly
wrangling. moved by
Mediterranean Sea
Gaza
iEytam
Area to be evacuated by April, 1982 -Giddipass
Sin
Present Israeli line
St Catherine's Monastery the aspirations the Palestinian masses and is clearly a dagger pointed at the heart of the 1*11211 revolution Thatcher's present Middle East visit, followin! hard on the heels of Haig's tour earlie this month, is intended to smooth the way.
myself, was the only resolutior inat no one voted against. anc
and loud applause precisely because it got
conference back the
Evasion
tioned in either the CND press missiles, statement on the conference or in the two acounts of the conference published by the SWP
The second point raised b Alasdair Beal is that of the
We argued that it 01 multiimpossible to both, and doing so only causes
- we think that this is a crucial issue facing CND.
Saying that the two aren't
enables endless doubletalk and confusion. The confusion it causes is shown by
that Michae Foot, unilateralist, appointed Brynmoor John, multilateralist and supporter of Cruise missiles, as his defence Tel Aviy WEST
BANK
Jeruşalem
ISRAEL
Nager
JORDAN
Eilat ° Aqaba Etzion + SAUDI ARABIA ' Sharm el Sheikh
Once US troops are established, how long will it be before some British involvement is proposed (perhaps the troops due to be withdrawn from Belize)? Imperialist hands off the Middle East!
Solidarity with the Palestianian revolution!
spokesperson. Both based themselves on Labour con ference decisions since it passed resolutions in favour of both
The necessity to
on the fight for unilateralism is shown by the recent Guardian survey, which showed that while a majority opposed Cruise and Trident
only minority favoured unilateral nuclear disarmament.
Mixing ,up unilateral and multilateral 089mm men creates the basis for evasion -the kind of evasion that was all too evident when Michael Foot refused to give clear answers in
unilateral disarmament in his recent Panorama interview.
This kind of slipping and sliding has to be fought against
we shall have to force a future Labour, government to
disarm as many supporters of CND realise: That fight should start now. BRIAN HERON, London
CND
challenges
marchers'
ban
THE blanket bans im. posed on political
Posedly to counter the
prospect or violence or fascist demonstrations, taking toll labour movement activities.
The 28 April EI Salvador demonstration was substantially disrup. ticularly badly hit is CND. ted by the ban but Its three-day march planned for June would fall victim to a three month bar on marches in Scotland blanket bans on demonstrations continue, it will be virtually impossible for CND to maintain the momentum of its campaign. therefore challenging the bans in the courts. They aim to have the ban on demonstrations imposed Metropolitan Police Com April declared illegal OUT NOW!
Tony Benn for Deputy rastesT selling Laboul Party • get yours from Chesearer Group, , c/o PO Box 50 London N1 2XP 20p each (plus 11½ p postage) bulk rates avaldole.
Socialist Challonge 7 May 1981, PAR? 1!
Page 12 scan of this page
Stop Jaswinder's deportation
violence - has threatened to harm Manjit. LAP Box JK, 29 Blenheim Terrace,
Range 7 Max 1991, P999 12.
JASWINDER Kaur faces a terrible choice. Her son Manjit
is a British citizen and cannot be deported. But Jaswinder, who has lived here since 1975 and married a man already married to someone else, has
Jaswinder cannot face separation from her son, but if she takes him to India his father - who was deported for
The campaign has linked up with that of Nasira Begum in Manchester and Nasreen Akhtar in Rochdale. Like Jaswinder they face deportation after their mar-
One of Jaswinder's supporters says: 'Now we want to work with the Cynthia Gordon Action Group in Manchester. Cynthia, a Jamaican, is facing deportation and
'Thousands of black people are being split up by the immigration laws. Anwar Ditta has shown us how deter-
Further information from: The Friends of Jaswinder Kaur,
Saturday 16 May 2pm, Banstead Tce, Leeds 8
Anwar Ditta Benefit Folk Concert Leon Rosselson, Frankie Armstrong, Flowers and Frolics, Julie Carter & Jim Younger 4.
Imperial College Union
Prince Consort Rd, Kensington 12 May at 7.30
The coroner's County Hall, where the inquest is being held is a strange place.
Dr Arthur Davis, the coroner, sits on a chair, flanked by two shorter chairs — the focus of the sloping semi-circular chamber.
On the leather benches to his left are the jury and the mainly black relatives and friends of the 13
who died. leaders of the New Cross com-
such as John La Rose, follow the proceedings closely.
Directly facing the coroner are the press benches with journalists from national dailies, panies, and a few like myself from socialist, black, and community papers.
Galleries
To the coroner's right sit the police, including the brass, who listen intently and for the most part without expression.
eye rises, slabs of especially streaked marble, moves on to
corinthian then to the public galleries insinuated into the walls
These are filled with black people who shout, jeer according to what is being said and who is saying it.
The day begins badly for the court administrators. First, three witnesses can't be found, then when the next witness 1s called, his lawyer isn't there.
The machinery finally gets into gear; Saunders has taken the oath, and the questioning by the coroner starts. But breaks loose outside in the hall.
woman's through into the 'You fucking racist bastards... let me see them.
The reporter Times tries to get out to see what's happening but the court flunky on the door won't let her. She comes back muttering in disbelief. Locked up
The proceedings come to a halt because other journalists and black leaders are tearing out, and the noise from outside is totally distracting. It emerges that the court had locked two young witnesses in a room and when Mrs Williams, the mother of the 15-year-old, had tried to speak lo ner son sac was not permitted to do so.
From the beginning of the investigation the police have excluded all explanations for the fire other than that it was the
-Anti-racism-
Deptford tire inquest
THE inquest into the Deptford fire that killed 13 young black people earlier this year must be unique in the history of such inquiries.
The political campaign organised by the New Cross Massacre Action Committee has put the police on trial amid scenes of black anger and a refusal to be intimidated.
TONI GORTON went to the inquest last Thursday and gives her impressions.
court at Westminster, died caused it.
high-backed substantiate it.
tomato-coloured
started.
Various
filled the big the TV comlingers on horrible
columns, and
clap, and 19-year-old Leroy
then all hell
voice comes chamber.
from The 24 February
read out by the coroner.
him to lie.
•You're trying to
rubbish my mind'
of story? result of a fight inside the house questioned and that one of the youths who
down.
The police have persevered with their story and they have Truth gone to enormous lengths to force the survivors of the fire to
there
Leroy, the witness, explains taken down, that there hadn't been any fight ed. and that he hadn't gone into the front room where the fire
He had made statements to
MASSACRE
NOT
MIS-
ADVENTURE
this effect to the police on 4 and
But on 25 February he made of him. a detailed statement that was
Yes,
he had seen a fight; a gold chain
had been stolen, furniture had
been ripped, and so on. But in
court he says the police forced told the 'truth'.
What had led to his change
On 24 February Leroy says he had seen one of his friends being taken away in a police car. He phoned the police station and then went down 'to see what was going on'.
After Leroy had been sitting in the police station for 10 minutes a woman police officer took him into the canteen and
him for several hours without writing anything
A statement saying that
wasn't any fight which Leroy sign-
He explains that he was then moved to Lewisham police station where he was put in a freezing cell, with two blankets and a bed that was just like this' he says, banging his hand on the wooden counter in front
Why had this happened? Because he hadn't told the story that the police wanted to hear, Leroy tells the coroner. ed. The cops kept saying he hadn't
What happened in the cell?
'Sgt Cork threatened that if I didn't tell the truth he would charge me with conspiracy subvert the course of justice and that he'd break my neck
'He kept on and on at me."
Was he ever told that he couldn't be arrested for telling lies? No.
Did anyone tell him his legal rights? (No Was a solicitor called? No. Did they tell Leroy how long he would be locked up? No.
Why did he say that there had been a fight when previously he said there wasn't?
'Because thought they were going to let me rot in there and thought might get beaten up if I didn't.'
Two-facing
Michael Corkery QC, who is the council for the Metro. politan Police, then questions Leroy
His line, heavy with
aimed trap the youth into admitting that he conspired with the other people at the party and that the 25 February statement was true.
Unfortunately for Corkery he got himself trapped into an exchange where he asserted that he was just trying to get at the truth. Leroy, exhausted by over three hours on the stand, snapped back: 'You're not -you're trying to rubbish my Yonderwo-facing questions... you!
During the day there were
challenges from the blacks. More than once bereaved mother screamed out in frustration and rage at the coroner and the police. Friends would calm and console her while the coroner looked uncomfortable. Take on
Speaking to some of the women outside the court, they not only suspect the police of a
inveled in a tact are
volver ur teak refer to the policeman's father who went into the house at the time of the fire and left without speaking to anyone.
'Why shouldn't he tell anyone in the house about the fire unless he was involved himself.?
The women are conscious of the political importance of this trial. One of them spoke of things not going very well for Thatcher these days - the Irish fighting in Belfast, the hunge strike, the burning of Brixton, and 'what we're doing here'.
One of the • molnels says that before that night she used to keep out of the way of the police but now she was pre pared to take them on
"They have hurt me as much as it was possible to hurt me and nothing much more can happen to me'
Money to pay for the legalcosts of the families is urgently need-
send donations New Cross Massacre Action Com mine, London SS Okespeare mittee,
Page 13 scan of this page
Margaret Thatcher - we charge you and your government with crimes against women
By Leonora Lloyd ABORTION is completely illegal in Spain, but many people, have learned to do abortions. In some areas a service is provided that the police know about but shut their eyes to.
Prosecutions usually only arise when something
ends up in hospital.
A vear ago in Seville five women and three men formed a group giving sex. ual and contraceptive ad-
They регтогтса abortions up to ten weeks.
By Judith Arkwright, women's organiser of the International Marxist Group THIS weekend at the Festival for Women's Rights, Margaret Thatcher is to be charged with crimes against women. She stands accused of the betrayal of her sex for the sake of her class.
Her crimes are familiar. Female unemployment is up 207 per cent since 1975, compared to 61 per cent for men.
Five per cent fewer abortions have been done on the NHS during the past two years.
Inflation, cuts in social spending housing,
welfare and education which the Tories say is
community care actually that women will bear extra responsibility.
The testival aims to bring together various periences in order to identify the attacks-and what they mean. It is also about how we build a women's movement that can fight these attacks on our rights and unite all Oppressed groups in society to bring down the government. until 1984. We can't stop Tory policies without finishing off the Tories themselves.
Women workers from Lee Jeans and Royal Pride are showing the way. They will be at the festival to assert that 'women's jobs are as important as men's' and that women have the right to work. They don't accept Tory myths that women should go back into the home and give jobs to men and they mand that the labour
whole shouldn't accept them either.
Abortion campaign in Seville
is too big to handle
including medical workers,
Then a woman went to the
because band wanted her to have an abortion.
It was obvious that the police already had an imformant because they immediately arrested the eight workers and questioned 432 women who
Women are beginning to organise right in tha heart of the labour mu s. ment - in the trade unions and the Labour Party. Despite rising unemployment, women continue to
greater rate then me res
union for example, female almost 250 percent in 10 ICHIDCISIID has gone y cals
Snecial women's sub. committees are
the transport municipal workers' unions.
the Labour Party, women's are abandoming unel previous role of organising jumble sales to become real campaigning bodies. Issues
As Marcella Fitzgerald, who is in the Post
Office Engineering Union says: 'In British Teleconis we are trying to get women organised so that we are strong enough to work out
demands and then make sure the union takes them up.
'We wall tu discuss with other women at the festival who are doing the same sort of thing. women fight that is impor- not how tant but also the which we fight arouna Some unions are taking up the discussion on positive
guaranice women a minimum share
had had abortions.
The eight were released on bail after three days' detention. were then summonsed to pear before a civil judge.
Declared
A campaign began early this year for a general amnesty and legalisation of abortion.
All 432 women when
Handing the charge sheet to Thatcher
•of jobs when companies are hiring. This should be raised together with the demand for discriminatory lay-offs.
The future Labour government should
law lo back us bosuver tion in favour of women's right to work. It also has to change the law on abortion, making it mandatory for the NHS to provide a
Worner's Rights
questioned in court admit-ted having had abortions
part of the political campaign another 2,500 women including MPs and others prominent in public life . went to the judge to declare that they, too, had had abortions.
A further 20,000 women throughout the country signed similar statements. The judge has
and sent statements to their local judges.
He has asked for the Seville trials to be transfer-
because they've become too big for him
Signatures continue to be collected and ICASC, service for all regardless of where they live, decriminalising abortion and giving women the absolute right to make the decision on this question.
The importance of the debates in the trade unions and Labour Party on the questions of and accountability which focus on Tony Benn's candidacy for of the LP should not be
the international abortion campaign, has taken it up throughout the world.
Meanwhile in Bilbao a trial suspended since 1979
of international pressure löoks like being
Since the of the coup • in Spain tension has risen in
the chance of mounting a
ICASC is meeting Seville on 27-28 June and is asking women to take inelt nolidays there at that time
Copies of the form for signatures and a special petition for medical workers can be obtained from: NAC/ICASC, 374 Grays Inn Rd, London WCI. Tel 01-278 0153.
RIGHT 10 D
TALS RIGHT TO H
underestimated
The right-wing leadership of the Labour Party has done virtually nothing for women The Equal Pay and the Sex Discrimination Acts, which were instituted by Labour proved 1T8adequate to meet the needs of women.
One blessing of the recent disputes in the party has been that anti-abor-
TOM NOaNOY
MAY
ON WAY
without sterilisation abuse
China, Brazi
Maldanado/Mary Duffy/African Dawr
Tickets: whole day £3 (f2
IS RIGHT TO CHOOSE
tionist Shirley Williams has disappeared.
Women should take up their demands in the trade unions and Labour Party
part of the politica discussion around Benn's candidacy and ask where
all the questions of women's rights
In order to bring down the Tory government we
INTERNATIONAL
DAY OF ACTION
SQUARE
LION
RED
1981
HALL
A day in solidarity with women around the world fighting for safe contraception, legal abortion, and
afternoor , Spain Holland, Namibia Songs and Theatre Film : Blood of the Condo aru vice evening African dinner by the Calabash restaurant/cabaret by Jale niuc/mcmator usc menre ano ‹ance fr roduced by Maggie Steed, includes Mayapi, Carme
Spring Rive Pauline Melville, Steel'n Skir unwaged) I evening £2 (1.50 unwaged) dinner £1.50. FOR WOMENS IGHT AGAINST THE TORY TACKS
MAY
FESTIVAL
London N1 [ecc trap) have to develop a national perspective to take action against the Tories on issues like the nuclear arms race on child care, on abortion and unemployment.
And a vital part of ol job is to give solidarity an support to women struggle against this government like the women from Lee Jeans.
Socialist Challenge 7 May 1981" Pago 13"
Page 14 scan of this page
to win the claim?
By Phil Dexter, CPSA Newcastle THE nine-week old civil service strike is costing the government 15,000m a week in lost revenue -which adds up to pounds for each striker.
But despite the success of the selective strikes, it is now becoming tactic on its own is not sufficient to win the dispute.
Consequently,: members the civil service becoming frustrated by the poor leadership shown by the national council of the civil service unions.
In some cases workers have taken matters into their own hands and have come unofficial action during the past week.
For example, the Livingstone computer centre, cesses giro checks, was out for three days, closing to the public
of the benefit offices in Scotland and. the north of England.
Wales TUC Congress
By Barry Wilkins AT the Wales TUC congress last weekend the largely right wing leadership started lose •la:Con
At the 1980 Congress it had succeeded in stifling almost all debate and opposition. But since then the crisis in Wales has rapidly worsened ma urc piovucul das ulcicascu Lu 13.6 per cent — nearly one in seven of the workforce.
As a result a left oppostion to the leadership has begun to emerge. Two issues In particular brought open opposition.
A motion from Merthyr Tydfil Trade Council demanded a special Coent, and Lliw Valley Trades Couy- conference cil called for the establishment of a youth section of the Wales TUC.
Despite opposition trom General Council both motions attracted substantial although the chair - JM Griffiths from the IUWU declared them defeated.
It was the massive opposition to the Wales TUC's social plan which most rattled the leadership. plan seeks agreement between the unions, the CBI, and the Labour government on
General Council cit obliged to withdraw the resolu. tion endorsing the plan.
lhe document and debate was surel! consultative. Speech after peech slammed the plan Sacialist Challenge 7 May 1981 Pago 14. . ....
scad iii r=r
Air traffic controllers' industrial action is causing disruption, but is it enough
The million pound strikers
La million
enormous
clear that
of
unions are
increasingly
out on
which pro-
unemployment servants.
to win the dispute.
Right wing grip begins to slacken
for the public NUPE led the benaaeuresto orsaner Democratic Party'.
Emlyn Williams, miners' union president, that the social plan was an attempt to get a new version of the social contract and that he had been mandated by the NUM to urge total rejection of it.
began the fight for alternative left policies at there is still a long way to go.
Strike
unemploy-
Des Dutfield, the South Wales NUM, made one of the the most important contributions. He attacked the pathetic leadership support, of many unions ment,
dubiously ready for a fight now, given the right
And in reference to Wales The secretary George Wright, added: 'Don't apologise for using next the strike weapon
economic employers are kicking you in the
guts.'
at another Wales TUC conference, and that can only accelerate the formation of this emerging left current around the NUM and NUPE
4 in6 didoos
Calls for stepping-up the action will be heard over the next couple of weeks when the trade unions involved are holding their
emergency motions calling for an all-out strike from the end of
DHSS branch is demanding complete stoppages at ports and air-
engaged in an all-out strike, and Thev nave never even seenon strike for more than a day for anything less than full strike pay.
realise that they don't have any choice but to go the whole way once the selective strike strategy
When that happens the union members could be most uncivil
The indication is that there is a growing determination Derek Gregory, full-time officer
employees' union attack, calling the Social
South Wales and explained nacemen.
secretary The NUM and NUPE delegates
the congress, though deputy
disarmament.
The adopted : president ot for money
over unemployemphasising that 'people are
Committee, none too veiled TUC general Dutfield
when the
The social plan is to be debated
next election
News
By Anna Reese SHOCK and anger are the black colnmunily s responise in Coventry to the murder of Satnam Singh Gill and the increasing number of ON black people and their property.
After the murder three weeks ago the police warned black people against walking central shopping precinct in the day time, because 'white people get intimidated when they see more than two or three blacks at time and cannot theretore go about their normal shopping Many black people -mainly Asians showed what they thought of this advice last Saturday when thev went to the precinct in response to a call by the Coventry Campaign Against Racism.
Groups of racist youth gathered but were chased of the precinct. The attempted to DONCi clear all black people out the city CCHLIC. That failed but some aILCSLs took place.
Gangs
In the meantime, more of galles gathered on the other side Wilile youll.
precinct. the STANCIS organisations are trying to incite a racial contronta. tion. The massive antiabout Iausl LoCuCe four hundred ensured that the racists did not venture into the precinct.
The steel union leaderships will Phe continrine toss ro seeel sn
continuing loss of steel jobs in Wales there was not a single motiot
neae Traa es Confederatio hr or
Inal Union Confederation or National BANIINTheir delegates maintained a deafening silence on all major issues before the conference
Michael Foot and NUPE general Alan Fisher were guest speakers at the conference. Fisher carefully avoided giving support to Tony Benn for the Labour Party
leadership, and both speakers failed to make any specific commitment on unilateral nuclear
overwhelmingly CUlIC motion supporting unilateral disarmament and called
to be spent instead on rebuilding the economic and social structure of Wales.
Atales le mouti co-ordinating
Wales Co-ordinating there was enthusiastic support for Tony Benn for deputy.
Ben and nor y paie ehout thas fos
parAnd Labour Holland argued that it was a fude- Stuart ing of issues and right wing consensus' which lost Labour the election
in the party and in the trade unions,'
'will make it difficult know which twin is the Tory in the
Coventry anti-
SIU HAZIS
Thursday to prevent the National Front
meeting at a local school. The Front never showed up but six people were arrested later in the evening after a window was smashed in a pub which refuses to serve black people.
The black community is challenging any idea of noBlach areas. Police blame
Deon e for day's incidents.
"Look you have done - this is a very sad dav tor Coventry - gọ home and stay home,' were the words of a police officer addressing crowds of angry Asians protesting at the arrests and police behaviour.
The response to that
Carriage
cleaners
locked out
By Hazel McPherson
Paddington No1 NUR branch
BRITISH Rail carriage cleaners at Old
Oak Common in North-west London
have been locked out by management
since the beginning of April. They are
meant to be cleaning twice as many
coaches for the same money.
Carriage cleaners earn a basic
wage of around £58 a week
the lowest on the railways.
tempt at increased productivity breaks
a 1974 national agreement.
travention by making a separate agree-
ment at sectional council level to work
these 'regional timings'.
on the picket line said: 'We're doing
the job we pay our full-time officials to
do. We're only defending a national
agreement.'
Although the workers at Old Oak
Common have received no support
from the union leadership, all the rail
workers at Paddington station came
out on strike for 24 hours in solidarity
two weeks ago. The cleaners' strike is
unotticial.
Messages and donations to: Ms M
Keating, 18 Bromley Lodge, Lynton Rd
London V
racists organise
A successful picket was held in Southall last
was: 'Here to stay, here to fight'.
Unfortunately, the black community will longer organise people to down Saturdays, which to tacitly acccu tha the precinct is not a safe place for blacks The Tories' policies have done much to boost racist attacks. Thatcher put explicitly the one of This at-
The NUR has been party to this con-
As one cleaner
PETE GRANT (Socialist Challenge)
weekend when she said: 'We have 2.5m unemployed here and rising. I do not think it Is lne time increase the number of people coming in.
The labour movement can no longer afford to ignore racist attacks and the increasing influence of racist ideas among young people. Black people Coventry will no longer accept intimidation, discrimination, or attacks,
demonstration ha been called for 23 May to protest al the increasing number of racist attacks The Asian
curtiiuily organising the fightback and there needs to be å large labour movement
Full the
National
Singh Gill Was a student at fur-
Henderson from the socialsi Students
lege,
The need or phasised to
tacks within the colleges and the As Bob, the of
Coventry .racists
our colleges.
dent issue
For
on 01-387 Ann Henderson 01-359 8301.
Demonstrate
Saturday 23 May Assemble Edgewick Park
Ipm March off 2pm to
Coventry precinct Called by Coventry Com
mittee Against Racism
cOmpi, hr mal Lama
Temple Supported by ANL and NUS CovenlI
nauonall)
Page 15 scan of this page
Superman discovers
hurts!
By Yvonne Taylor FOR a split second, there is complete quiet. The jabbering of voices has ceased. In an instant, all eyes
focused in the same direction. Concentration is needle sharp.
And then all hell breaks bose. cries tear the silence. Shrill
echo around the walls. Cheers and catcalls, clapping hands and stamping feet rock the toundations.
Superman on general release just in time for the school holidays is being given the reception traditionally accorded to superheroes by cinema-
youth down the decades.
At first sight, it seems tnat Ine supermale or lne 1980s, like his audience, has undergone little essential change.
Brawn
He possesses as much brawn and as little brain as he ever did. And while im-
film technology
lends today's superhero
the storyline is the same.
By dint of sheer muscle phe bad man, sate the
bad guys, save the world and get the girl.
But that's only at first. ASCO IOOK Icycas a Superman not quite so
unaltered by time.
For kick off, who
film witu tificate? Has the British
of Censors mad? No self-respecting
turn up Superman
with DarCHLs tow. It's positively embar-
assing to see young people
forced to the expedient of
adults 'front' for
them at the box office and
then sneak in.
Sex
Why has the young
film fan been forced to
such an extremity? Gradu-
ally, the resason emerges.
like Flash
Gordon that other
recently revived matinee
hero-
Where once these in-
trepid - COYCLLUIC would
not have ventured beyond
brotherly arm around
the girlfriend's shoulders,
reality....
..and it
today's supermale is not above the odd sexual encounter.
The increased concentration on the 'human interest' angle in Superman II failed to elicit the same among the vounger viewers. In between the 'action' wandered until audience participation became possible once more.
Neither Superman nor
Flash Gordon Wradional
childrenth traditional
matinée audience. BOLT five neer geared to an. older generation of cinema goers: the nostalgia митке!
Flash Gordon in parsentimental send up, pure and simple. Superman I does try to achieve something more.
Victim
Christopher Reeves as Superman manages to intuse the comic strip hero with a real personality. In one Sciens Superman jars discordantly with the accepted image.
Having renounced his super powers to live an ordinary human life with
Superman experiences what it's like to facin He le mis sand kicked in his face. what it's nke to be on me receiving end of physical violence.
He Is beaten up with shocking realism. It must be tne first time ever that blood has poured down a victim's face in a superhero film. And the victim this time is the superhero himself!
Crackle
Miserable in the lonely Line be a supera reas and unable to cope with an ordinary man, while there Superman was not quite so confident about his mission to fight for truth, liberty and the American way!
Superman III has been.
It remains to be promisca. seen whether the seeds of self-doubt sown by Superman Il will be allowed to 8I0W After all the financial
double-dealing that surrounded use making of Superman II, Christopher Reeves has intimated that it will take more than the crackle of dollars to persuade him to nav Superman III. If he stands by his wora, It could be a film well worth watching.
By Margaret Ford
the entertainment industry.
It plans to put women on the map in May 1982 with its 'Women Live' project
The aim is to put or productions created by and about women, demonstrating women's technical and artistic abilities, as well as presenting women in non-stereo-
Fi roles The project wants to encourage the employment all aspects of production,
Under Review.
HOW CAN I FIGHT A FOE WHO CAN MAKE HIS WILDEST FANTASIES
¡ REAL?
Women live - and laughing!
WOMEN IN ENTERTAINMENT is an amalgamation of working women in various areas of
direction and performance.
Women in Entertainment exists to create more work for women. It fights for adequate child care tion Facilities so it is possi abortion/contracepble for women to work.
Support
And it challenges sex-
Wing of women both in the workplace and in the type
of material women are expected to perform.
The 'Women Live' project hopes to persuade cinemas, radio stations,
and companies to put on pro-
which flave 'female emphasis', The head of BBC Television Plays, Keith Williams, supporting this enterprise.
Pressure can be put on local and radio sta-
theatres and cine mas to schedule programmes relevant to women
THE
RIGHT
REPLY
Wirr Moss Evan . Bill Key Owen O'Brier & joe Wad
Campaign for Press Freedom
How to reply to
press bias
receiving end of press bias or distortion.
newspaper and magazine industries
print unions, together workplace union representatives
Campaign.
ple the right of reply.'
employed in the media to help secure that right, necessary by industrial action.
their labours'
The statement is made by
ror years print union
prietors and editors to peddle whatever lies they
access to the press, tional level
gaining access to broadcast
anu-labour Olas
In a letter secretaries of the broadcasting unions ACTT
be examined and discussed.
free Press. the published bi-monthly
WC1. It starts at 10.30am
during the month of May
1982
The project has the
backing of many womer
the entertainment
world: Anna Ford, Julie
Christie and writers Caryl
Churchill and Pam Gems
are a few of the women to
lend their support.
Alive
Activities like this ven-
ture important for
women both in and out of
the entertainment busi-
ness. As Women in Enter-
explains: 'How
join Jackson, By Geoffrey Sheridan, Editor, Free Press THE Campaign for Press Freedom has just published a pamphlet on the right of reply which is a valuable guide for all those on the
It explains why the right of reply is needed, and how it can be obtained with the help of the uniors in the
Details are given of the policies of the journalists' and
with advice on collactly
The 16-page guide is part of CPF's Right of Reply
"The first aim of this campaign , the pamphlet states, 'is to increase public awareness of the importance of extending access to the media and of giving peo-
It adds that the campto help store rade mint is
The pamphlet is endorsed by five union leaders, who write in an introductory statement that all those involved in the press 'have some responsibility for the product of
Moss Evans, who i
members have been discouraged from 'interfering' in the freedom of newspaper pro-
like. some cases action by print workers to secure the right o reply has resulted in disciplinary measures by their union.
The pamphlet presents a step-by-step guide to gaining
, and further recommends discussions with journalists and print workers at both local and na-
While the campaign has yet to formulate policy on
media, over a hundred Labour MPs, union leaders, and professors have recently written to the broadcasting authorities protesting abour
whose signatories include the hand ners, ABS, they have demanded a television series in which this can
The Right of Reply, price 40p (pre-paid), from tha. Hadleigh. Essex SS7 2Dtdom, 274-288 Londor
campaign's 8-page bulletin, is
The campaign's AGM is being held on Saturday 9 May at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London
women see themselves portrayed in the media is all important in perpetuatin women's negative image of themselves and the role they are expected to play i a male work 'For a month at lea «Womer Live' plans change those images maybe May 1982 will ve to men and more imp tantly to women are indeed well and kicking!'
For further information Margaret Ford (01) 10 SOCI
Sociallat Challenge 7 May 15.
Page 16 scan of this page
Challenge LAYA RED CARPET FOR THE PEOPLE'S MARCH
march
ETS
By Patrick Sikorski
off the People's March for Jobs.
They reserved some of their loudest applause for the president of Liverpool District Labour Party, who called on the TUC to organise a one day general strike in London to greet the march.
The message from the rally was that every one of the 500 official marchers represented at least 5000 unemployed workers ac-
statistics. And the speakers explained that the real level of was much ligher than 2½million. Ovation
Theresa Martin, a shop steward at the recently closed Tater and Lyle fac-
pointed out that many women don't bother
register as unemployed if they are married. Even so there are 20,000 women registered in Liverpool alone.
It was fitting therefore that the banner eading the march snould de Chlanet by a young woman wearing 'woman's right to work' sash.
with the Post Office.
Socialist
Peoples
JObS
TO WORK
OVER 5000 workers swelled Liverpool's Pier Head on May Day to send their hatred of this Tory
Over half the marchers are unemployed people. -one are sardini from school, others have had a variety of low paid unskilled jobs or been used cheap labour Youn widely discredited (YOPS) schemes
March
for
Jobs
London
31 May
The appalling waste of unemployment and the plight young unemployed in particular mac mueter tne tremenou
London N1
LOr
support for the from working people across the country. It seen as a national focus for
government.
The marchers left the Pier Head with supporting banners and delegations from seventeen unions to the chants of Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, out, out, out, and, "Оссиру, organise, kick the Tories out'
Elsie Broad from the Royal Pride strike in Man-
LIVERPOOL TO LONDON 1-31 MAY
N THE MARCH
AGA chester told Socialist Challenge: 'If the
joined together to call actions to support the march as it goes through
their areas the support would be tremendous.
But it took the Labour national executive until two days before the march set off to give its support. Such an endorse.
the call by union militants
for the TUC and Labour Party to jointly call for a one day general strike in London to greet the march.
Call
Some 200,000 workers responded to the Labour Party's call for demonstrations against unemploy, mchl in Liverpool and Glasgow. They understood that kicking out the Tories and replacing them with a Labour government
essential to solving unemployment
The People's March has caught the imagination of yorkin ipeople. lt an play role stimulating the fight back
and their unemployment policics.
To achieve that the march should link up with as many workers as possiWorkers insertike ne Lee Jeans and Laurence Scott's occupations should marconide of place on the
Socialist
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We want to be
Manchester
workers not
Doncaster rovers'
THE SIT-IN at Laurence Scott's is now in its third week. By a clear majority a mass meeting last Sunday. voted to continue the fight against the closure of the Louisa Street works in Openshaw, Manchester
VL
Challenge
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE For new readers we are offering TEN ISSUES of Socialist Challenge for the incredibly low price of £2
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Pete Clifford, •By
The meeting was told of management's threats to sack the whole workforce and therefore withdraw redundancy pay they didn't return to work
But the workers reply came loud and clear: We
..Manchester. rovers, referring not Doncaster
the Doncaster-based firm Mining Supplies Ltd, the new the Laurence Scott group).
'We be browbeaten into submis-;
said, and a sion. ther great cheer went up when the vote was announced.
Some 650 jobs are at stake in the closure battle,
in the long saga of job
in the lons job destruction : 1n the Man-
That's why chester area
Wally people are rushing support the strikers.
The local Labour MPs have given their support.
Movement
Mining Supplies' boss, the appropriately named Arthur Snipe announced at the time of the takeover last October that he was 'quite content
Manchester works because of its regular profit contribution to the group.
His decision to now close the factory is a classic
of capitalist logic which puts profits before people. It was explained in*
Cule from the sales director the other
Laurence Scott's factory
in Norwich as 'a policy of
so that investment... can plemented on one site'
sack the
chester, and transter • Works To Norwich. The
one snag in me imited aschem or was maximising scheme
workforce.
the workers at
Norwich heard that the sit-
had started Man-
chester they decided
work that was
transferred and to pay a
weekly levy to the strike
fund.
Appeal
A united strike com-
mittee involving stewards
from all unions on site
shopfloor and staff, has
been established at the
Manchester plant. Com-
mittees have been set up to
run the occupation and sc
far 590 of the 650 worker:
have been involved in the
Convenor of the joint
shop stewards committee
Bob Pension told Socialst
Challenge: 'If Snipe gets
away
unionist has got the right
to strike. Thousands of lit-
tle Snipes will be watching
for the outcome or tni
fight.
What they need now is
money. Rush donations
of • support
to: Appeal fund, c/0
George Fryer, 20 Round-
croft, Rumley, Stockport
Cheshire
← Socialist Challenge No. 195, 30 April 1981Socialist Challenge No. 197, 14 May 1981 →