Socialist Challenge No. 219, 29 October 1981
The scan: sc-no219.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 Throughout Euro.
ONE MILLION AGAINSTTHE MISSILES
No. 219 29 October 1981 25p Unemployed and strikers 10p
Socialist
BIRMINGHAM
2 CAMPAIGN C
FOR CORR
HISARMAMENI
LAST WEEKEND nearly a million people marched
throughout Europe against the threat of nuclear ex-
termination - 250,000 in Italy, a similar number in
London, 80,000 in Paris and 200,000 in Brussels. This
vast turnout comes just one week after 300,000 pe-
ple demonstrated in Bonn.
This massive wave of sentiment against nuclear
weapons is in response to the decision of NATO to
site Cruise and Pershing missiles on European soil -in preparation for fighting a European 'theatre' war.
The demonstration in Italy was further spurred by the announcement that the Cruise missiles in Italy will all be stationed in Sicily - aimed at the Middie East and North Africa, rather than the so-called 'Russian threat'.
JOBS
NOT
BOMBS
Doubtless the turnout had something to do with Ronald Reagan's unfortunate gaff - when he admitted that US war plans included the possibility of fighting a 'limited' nuclear war - limited to Europe that is.
But the ordinary people of Europe and in particular the youth are giving their response. They want no Cruise, no Pershing and no Euroshima!
Page 2 scan of this page
Dial Winson Green
Editorial
PO Box 50, London N1 2XP Phone 01-359-8189/8180 (editorial and distribution)
Alliance's
Croydon
victory
AS PREDICTED, the Liberal-SDP colalition has won the election. Huge resources, over 1000 canvassers were thrown in to the campaign Liberals. The media gave the alliance campaign enormous publicity.
Even so huge one and demonstrates some important lessons about the trends in the support for the SDP-Liberals, and the strategies needed to defeat them.
Of course the defeat of the Tories was massive - a 24 per against them. This was a huge vote in
relatively against Thatcher's policies. But the fact remains that the
for the Liberal-SDP came almost equally Tory and Labour voters -vote in fact was reduced by 50 per cent.
In Warrington, the majority of the votes for SDP candidate Roy Jenkins came from previous Tory and Liberal voters. But Croydon shows that the SDP can make real inroads into the Labour vote.
Unfortunately, Croydon was not a good test of how Labour would fare if it challenged the SDP-Liberal alliance with bold socialist Labour candidate, Stan Boden, seemed to think that the best way to fight the appeal OT the SDP sonate David Owen.
Boden deliberately himself from the left policies of the Labour GLC, and left-wing speakers were kept out of the constituency.
Putting forward social democratic policies Social Democratic should have learnt the lesson of Doug Hoyle's near disastrous performance in Warrington -file* policy challenge the SDP-Liberal advance. John Grant
John Grant MP, former junior government minister, has told Islington Central Labour Party that he does not intend to stand for re-selection as the Labour candidate. His move was obviously pre-emptive.
Like the O'Halloran in Islington North, and the not yet departed George Cunningham in Islington South, Grant was under threat from his own constituency activists.
Grant made a sickening speech on Monday night to his GMC what a good representative he had been, and how he had never got any support trom the local party.
Grant will probably not join the SDP. But that doesn't mean that he wasn't an eminently suitable case for reselection. He will be remembered as the Treasury junior authored the consultative document on the four per cent wage norm prior to the 'winter of discontent'.
Socialist Challenge 29 October 1981
Croydon byincluding
by the SDP and
the alliance victory is a
cent swing
UTOUCTUES south deflationary
alliance from former the Labour policies. The
is to imper-
distanced
Labour
naturally led to a (Liberal)
victory. Boden cell.
keeping a 'low proway to now-departed Michael
saying the
day.
who
seen
Page 2
SEVER
FRA BARRY PROSSER, a 32 year old carpenter, was remanded in Winson Green prison in August 1980, after being charged with criminal damage (of a doorknob in his brother-in-law's flat). On the morning of the 19 August he was found dead in his prison
The Prosser family were not fooled by the verdicts of the two Birmingham magistrates who argued that there was insufficient evidence for a jury to convict any of the three prison officers, Messrs. Jackson, Price and Smith. The regime in Winson Green is notorious throughout Birmingham. Here was a case of a cover up. one that the Prosser family was determined to expose
A surprise change of heart by the Director of Public Prosections, Sir Tony Hetherington, has re-opened the case. The unusual procedure, using a voluntary Bill of Indictment, going over the heads of the magistrates and committing the three prison officers for trial by jury at a Crown Court, was announced by the DPP last Thursday. The Prosser family's intransigence seems to have paid off.
MIKE TURNER and VALERIE COULTAS talked to the Prosser family on Wednesday last week in Birmingham - only 24 hours before the surprise announcement of the DPP.
DOROTHY PRO SSER. Barry's wife was
family to see Barry alive, on 18 August 1980. •Barry was not eeling well that
He told me that the officers had told him that if he didn't behave he'd be
thc knackers.
Harrison, of the warders, - Vid. there throughout the interview.
seemed frightened of him THICS Dratouch had
him that day and when my interview finish- that ed Barry fastened his belt.
BARRY PROSSER:
RUPTURED INJURIES
TORNWIND PIPE STOMACH
CRUSHSTINES
BRIS Dorothy Prosser, family and friends have been picketing Winson Green every Saturday
for Murder
could see he had marks on his body at that tim yet three medical examinations after his death showed Barry to have been COCALCIE The reports said that these injuries could have been
interor Beneat brothere
Trevor, repeated evidence given magistrates courts. There were marks all over his body. He had a ruptured stomach, broken toc. He'd been hit hard in his eyes that he'd had a haemorrage.
News
Trevor was also suspicious that the mattress in Barry's cell had
never been brought before
the court and the cell had been cleaned out by the next morning. think
Barry refused to have an
injection and was beaten up.
The police, he felt, were worried that the warders all over the coun-
try would go out if these
three were convicted of murder.
Dr Louch had testified COLITI that violence was confined to objects, never to people. The Prosser tamily were
very insistent abou focal character: *The
police Barry couldn't believe it. They'd always given him a good name.
Barry had been in Winson OCTOIC TOR and he d similar offence been on probation for two years. When he was found dead he was waiting to be translerred to hospital.
His acts of violence were mainly against objects in his own house,' his brother explained He was never once violent in my house. Barry had managed to buy his own house and start up a small business.
The Prosser family believe that Barry's unstable character"
1s be ing used as an excuse to coutairy in winson Greed cover prison: Barry's sister. Jean, is adamant that the courts already have plenty of evidence to convict these officers
MY CHUSEHNU WAS MURDERED
One testimony. however, that has been rulcd out is Calvin's the prisoner who was in the cell next door. The reason given for this is his low 1Q and the fact that he is a prisoner!
Galvin only came forward with his evidence at the second trial at the coroner's court because, un-
prisingly of Winson Green prison he said Calvin cains tat distrusted the police, he heard Barry shout out and that Price had a scratch neck, said both Dorothy and Trevor Prosser.
The Prosser family have been fobbed off throughout their eighteenmonth long campaign to bring the prison officers to trial for Barry's murder They've nicketed outside Winson Green prisor ever we ve wilton to ks.
Queen, William Whitelaw, Margaret Thatcher We wrote to the Sunday People but funnily enough it's JOIN THE FIGHT FOR
SOCIALISM If you would like to be put in touch with
area or would like more information fill in the form below Name......
Address.
Age
Union/CLP (if any).
Send to: Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50 London N1 2XP.
Photo: Sociallet Challenar
one of the few papers now that hasn't replied. said they'd put it on file
interview case hathe Barry Pro the case had Scarly headlines.
I were descending on the Prosser family like swarm Of locusts
About time too for as Dorothy Prosser said speaking to the BBC: My husband was unlawfully killed. No-one can pay for the price of my husband's ille, nobody knows what we've been through, It's been heartbreaking.
*I discuss it openly with my children DECAISE think they ought to know. I was married to Barry for 13 years and myself and the children have not beet able to get on with our own lives with this hanging over our neads.
I've had people phon Taking up the prope , telling me t
petitions the public's behind me. It's made us more determined to carry on until we have justice.
Socialist Challenge supporters in your
Page 3 scan of this page
Polish Workers
By Davy Jones THE CONFRONTATION between the Polish workers and the ruling authorities has reached a new stage. Following last week's Communist Party leadership reshuffle the government is trying a classic carrot and stick approach to Poland's independent Solidarity.
"stick" is a new wave of repression against Ine workers movement ds with the arrest of seven Solidarity activists for allegediy spreading socialist propaganda' solidaritv's respons -WES this Wednesday's one hour general strike.
The 'carrot' is the open discussion in Poland of the formation of a govern-
of national unity centred on the army, the Church and representatives of Solidarity. Arrests
The repression began on 20 October when police were sent in to arrest Solidarity members selling union news sheets
Needless to say Inis provocation, Hace to coincide with the
by the LOWI square, caused a mighty protest from union supporters.
Police used tear gas to disperse a crowd of 2,500 demonstrators, and during the melee that followed
Buranowski, Katowice Soldariti presidium member was beaten up by the police.
In a further provocation on the same day
"hardline' students from the so-called Leninist school attacked the the katowice head-
quarters at the steelworks and demanded the resignation
*wets. he students dressed as steerworkers beat up
some lower-ranking party officials in the building at the time.
Carve-up on the central committee STANISLAW KANIA from his top position as Communist Party leader in hardiners
from the Kremlin and party hardliners for his backtracking in the face Solidarity's political demands.
the centre ground in the party leadership,
the warring wings of the party led to his eventual downfall. In the crucial vote on Wherer accept moderates and hardliners alike deserted him.
CHEESE
man Diszowski balancing act to an end.
And in Wroclaw the
following day police were
called in to deal with a
roway local demonstra-
tion against food shor-
tages.
The local authorities
responded by banning
public meetings and ar-
See seen hour arke n
La seven hour strike tramworkers hifted the Solidarity memlease. and released the
Using -ine pretext "unrest" the Polish
government has ordered
troops to be sent to some
2,000 towns and cities, to
help with
tion, breakdown
transportation and local
disputes.
movement,
This move is the latest cenes ten the authorities accustom
army's Tole in everyday life. First, military personnel were put on occasional duties such as traffic control.
Then last month army and CULINUTS through civilian areas were stepped up. Throughout
the army Zolnierz
'olnosci has taken an u: compromising stand against Solidarity.
Government spokes-
person Jerzy Urban covered up the authoritics provocations by threaten-
'Some
Solidarity activists do not
even hide any longer that
they want a test of strength with the authorities.
Democracy cannot be achieved in a condition of anarchy. The state, which is leaning toward a fall,
all steps necessary its salvation.
Queues
Solidarity TUSHEEE mained silent in the face of these government attacks Some 100,000 workers in Zelenia Gora region have been on strike for almost
weeks to TELES
against the dismissal of a Solidarity union leader.
And Zyrardow 12,000 workers, women, been strike against food shortages that have led to three
day-long queues for meat!
was removed
a well-organised move by Stefan Oiszowski.
Kania had come under increasing fire
Kania previously had the support of
but his precarious balancing act between
TENORAHO
There were 104 votes for and 79
He has been replaced by Wojciek Jaruzeiski from the army hierarchy. And in the wings stands the Kremlin's "hard
brought Kania's
And as we went lo
press a one-hour genera
planned for
Wednesday proves
government harassment of
Solidarity activists.
But behind the scenes
the government 2130
manoeuvre darine fitial
MEMOLUVIC ruling
Communist Party
discredited in the eyes of having to increasingly rely the masses that
institutions to de-
CHE PEEICE
DUTCAUCTGUC
order, such as the army
and the Church.
That's what lies behind
the calls for a new govern-
ment of national unity in-
volving the army, the par-
ty, Church and Solidarity,
as a last-ditch attempt to
prevent the workers' movement from totally undermining the present bureaucratic system.
Party hardliner, Stefan Olszowski, floated such an idea a fortnight ago and 33S1 Weetend The Democratic Party, which is closely aligned to the rulmg Communist Party, echoed this appeal for broader governmental bloc.
The aim of such manoeuvre would be to
joint responsibility for the economic and social crisis and to discioline its radical wing. This would threaten
split the unity Solidarity and compro-
International
mise the independence of the working class from its bureaucratic oppressors.
The reason for all these desperate
BEASTes undermine Solidarity is
the Polish have mounted WOENCES formidable challenge to the whole corrupt and bureauCELE They are not fighting for a
capitalism but for real -worker power and control over society and the cconomy.
Evidence of this challenge is the develop ment workers'
councils across the largest dustrial regions, the begin nings
Support the
Walesa at the recent Solidarity conference: will Solidarity be drawn into a government of national unity
press to the official media, 310 workers for the • right free clections and a multiparty system.
The two powers Poland are moving wards an merraole est or strength: on the one stands the mass of Polisi workers and peasants, and on the other, the ruling burcaucrats and Church and Army hierarchy.
In that confrontation it is essential that the labour movement in this country
gives its unconditional and full support to the Polish
struggle power
What you can do to help Solidarity
inside organisations to- corresponding
Poland, arrange for a Poland from region or district. for printing the Teren Teetes Labour Focus on Eastern Europe
23, Marxist literature into Poland,
London N1 2XP. for
So Adare inside land practior
labour movement your organisation with factory or branch in your union or Labour 7) Raice within the labour movement fund.
equipment for Solidarity's di details can be obtained from 3) Get your labour movement organisation to order Labour rocks on mastern curope, cro dor
136 Kingsland High St, London E8. 9) Help us rare money to get revorumonar
including the production ora Polish imprecor, Send cash to Red Weekly (Polish fund), c/o PO Box 50
Socialist Challenge 29 October 1981 Page 3
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OLEYL-
ALAN THORNETT.
of the Leyland
there. tanr.
They're absolutely determined nothing can
movement in the fifties.
decline of the car industry.
production.
August BL offered us 3.8 per cent. Bonus
rales.
should be treated with the comtempr it deserves.
in the sun. strike coula bring down the government.
treme nature of this Tory
fion berween management and unions.
- draw up pay claims bargaining and pursue them rigorowsly.
defended.
make a strike official in advance?
Prepare
Three quarters of a multion sacked as a result
ship of the trade unions.
Logical
@ SETORe.
сонилиса exstence of me governmem on te nae.
through trades councils to get solidarity.
other unions are responding.
in them sitting
Socialist Challenge 29 October 1981
Carworkers - the
miners of the 80's?
Deputy Senior Steward at Cowley, gave his view of the mood
workforce at a Workers Socialist League meeting in Birmingham on Tuesday of last week. Socialist Challenge was
THE VOTE for strike action was overwhelming At Cowley there was only a handful of votes againsr. There's litle doubr that Edwardes threat increased the vote.
I can't think of any kind of precedent for such a vote. To be threatened with the sack, thrown on the dote and then to vote for strike action, the vote is extremely impor-
The workforce are quite clear where they are going. Dubly 'll find it dificult. The company will find it difficult.
There's a myth been built up about carworkers over the
ignores the role they played in forging the shop stewards
Because of that role and their past militancy they 've been a consistent areer of the empiovers ofensive They've puid the price for the economic recession and the
Bur carworkers are still one of the most well organised
They control the point of Uf they stop work they can paralyse the engineering industry, affecting a quarter of a million jobs.
This year's wage round, we argued for 20 at Cowley; it was fought through and adopted by negotiators.
A change took place in the leadership. The Joint Negotiating Committee met and passed a very hardline resolution, the one that was put to the mass meetings — no further negotiations unless substantial offer made on main
Why did this resolution come forward? Grenville Hawley (National Officer of the Transport Union) was very militant at the convenors' meeting on 9 October. When a secret ballor was discussed he suid the suggestion
Terry Duffy has even pointed out that this
So what has happened? Pressure from the ranks for more cash is great but aiso it's a reaction against the ex-
government. The draconian us back to Taff Vale, have created a situation of disloca
You only have to look at the TG WU's record with the head line "4% NO WAY!' And the executive's resolution
on the basis of free collective The general ex-
private and public sector living standards should be
This represents a substantial shift in the TGWU, a substantial shift in the AUEW. When did the AUEW last
Ir's clear that sections of the trade union leadership are prepared to back some struggle against the 4 per cent.
In Cowley the workforce is getting stronger. Now that the sacking threats come out, wages have become less of an issue. The procedure's been exhausted on the annwal wage rev hat BL is saving is that we've no right to strike, that we'll be in breach of our contract on 1 November. If they can sack us under wese conations what sar sake 1s our right to have a union. 58,000 workers sacked at a stroke!
The way we don't address ourselves to the Edwardes' threat is to say it's a blujf. We have to prepare for it happening. It becomes an issue for the entire trade union movement if these sackings occur, for the whole member-
When the Pentonville Five were pur in prison the TGWU called its trade groups out in the docks. This was enough. If the BL membership face the sack the TGWU should immediately call on its trade group among carworkers to come out and call on the rest of its members to
Hugh Scanlon called his membership out when the AUEW funds were seguestered. Ir's logical that the TUC should call a general strike if 58,000 workers are sacked at
Ir's umprecedented. That sort of action would put the
Ir's a very bad mistake to wait until 1 November. We should be campaigning now in other trade unions, and
When Edwardes decides what to do on 1 November he will look at how the
On the 4 per cent, those that are now waiting for answers, like the local authority workers, there's no point
back and allowing themselves to be
If BL is cracked, the 4 per cent will most certainly go through. This will give the green light to Tebbit's anti-
Page 4
MIKE TURNER (Socialist Challengel
Shop crack it.
In
By Pat Hickey TGWU remaining workers.
tion WNG3 from the The two to CHOICO sin ine cluded plants which have accepted or notice of smaller plants which have been on a two day week.
But at Cowley, Range Brown'e Lane. was handiu amainst trade union laws.
him, of course.)
dates forward
TINE TO
rise. But the labour movement, Ed-
the working class and the Tories.
this confrontation - and what is re-
quired now in order to win.
Why BL workers are fighting back this time
THE BL vote for strike action undoubtedly came as a surprise to many in the labour movement. For the last three years BL workers have accepted wage rises well below the rate of inflation and well below the going rate.
As well as attacks on the shop stewards organisation, the workforce had accepted the loss of more than 66,000 jobs, and the ending of mutuality clauses on staffing levels which had massively increased the work load for
The vote for strike ac and
overwhelming Many major DETE one figures media inprediction. been given closure and creases Longbridge, Rover and Jag. case previously. carried with only a
This contrasted sharply with the previous three
ad been divided on th the
AUEW
We have to be aware of the limits of the trade union leaders. The Miners ' Union has adjourned talks indefinite ly to see what happens at BL. Gormiey says, we always be leading things?' (He meant the miners not
The politics of the situation will be the same in 1981 as it was in 1980 with the steel strike, The trade union leaders will be prepared to have a knock at the 4 per cent, bur they'll pull back at coming out together.
First Gormley, then Fisher will be likely to back down. We've gor to go into all the unions now, bring the review
take on the arguments about the SDP. alright to take on the Tories last year but now we 've got the
We're soon going to be told that we've got to keep the Tories in office to keep the SDP out! I think we've got a good chance of winning the arguments now.
CAl YOUR TE LOWARDES"*
EOL/ARO
This week the BL workforce could be on an all out national strike for a decent pay
wardes and the government all know this action is a test of strength between
On these pages, three militants who have been active in BL for a number of years explain the factors that have led to
both
every even
the
the
productivity deals. expected a repeat
impossible to make a firm doubt that workers were led up with falling living standards and constant inin the work rate and fed up too with never ending threats of closure.
But this had been the So what changed? The most impor tant factor which resulted in the dissatisfaction of the workforce expressing itself to take strike action, was given TOWU and national officials. Both Terry
Why should
MICHAEL
THRÆATEN
RIGHTS
OF WORKERS
Duffy and Grenville Hawley recommended a strike from 1 November if the olfer was not improved.
For the last three year
unions have sought to avore any suwn comon tation. The AUEW has re commended acceptance of
pay offer and has instructed members at best, has
said it would back plants if they took action
Alan Thornett
The result was that the workforce has been divid ed from the beginning and
action YYCL rapidiy isolated and detcated. Only national action could provide an adequate response to Edwardes.
But the untiative this lav with the officials Instead they have presided over massive the gains of the post-war shop stewards movement. without offering a serious fight.
Inside BL the shop stewards organisations have been drastically weakened by com pany's attacks. At plant
mittees at a very low level of activi ty and many sections have had no steward
Many ul the steward. are new and in the prevail-ing conditions have had little chance to gain ex-
Thei combine comanete
combine committec has scarcely functioned and the leading convenors have done little to pull any effective national organisation together
The result has been that the leadership 1s firmly in the nands of the
officials at this stage. And here lies danger: strike at BL will have great political signiticance
It challenges the Torics
al mne snarpest point of
their attacks on the work
ing class. Any significant
concession will represent a
serious weakening of the
government's policy.
If the dispute is to be won, it will require huge resources from the unon and, most parlicularly.
Page 5 scan of this page
38/ SIRMICK
382Fes WoRKERS
) A DOT MAKES
ANDI
support from other sCc-
The leadership recognise this.
So why have they pitched in now? One reason is
20EL5 become increasingly con-----
fy has made it clear that this is a major tactor in his considerations.
replying claim
hour pensions.
sions.
national
CAB Rune
The other is that the Tories proposed closed shop legislation could be a real thrcat to the unions in BL and in
panies if the unions don't for members.
For the leadership, forcing cOme CONCerNORS from BL is extremely important. for BL management, the problem any concession will be seer by the workforce as a sign which they will exploit to speed ups and so The officials have said they want an increase on basic rates. But SOCHU tive hours lalking about not want HENCE stil chance that a deal will be cobbled together.
Other sections of the leadership are carerun avoiding a general con frontation. Joe Gormle has openty starco negotiations with the Na-
been put back to avoid the miners offer inciding with BL's.
The Ford claim is due in mid-November and the sublic sector's is also due The way forward is for al these claims to be brought together in a united stuggle against the government.
BL workers will be in the forefront of this proIt will be essential to develop a counter-weight to the leadership from the begin will be essential for local and national strike committees to take control of the struggle and reach out workers, as a first step in recomposing the
BL. Ford workers
go for £20
more, 35 hours
By Mick Drake, Dagenham assembly plant ON FRIDAY 30 October the Ford Motor Company will be
to the 1981 wage of its 55,000 manual workers. The claim is a good one. The demands of
across the board, week and improved are clear cut and break down pay grade
The claim has been ratified by a
meeting Ford
It's our last
chance'
COUL
their
Celia Pugh
is that
to the tactics of Edwardes. Our plant has always been moderate. contest three groups of workers.
One group want to take on CONSIGL whatever says. Another group is the they
opposite and conceded on every front.
In between are the majority who sand. One of the determinfactors in VOIC WES leadership had been eiven.
Even though call it shows membership will respond.
Edwardes' brutal have galvanised this. company has psychological the minds of the members.
Our task is a difficult
members back. blem with people like Dutfy and Chapple is they take
they represent the views of the average, membership You'll never get sup port for action if you don't the more develop membership's of what life is really about develop other sciousness for
It's a damning indict-
shop ment that Duffy
statements to the press be-
stewards in Coventry time this body has TWO WCI
also been mass distributed in the PLETILS
mains the case that the actual clain
time union officials and convenors and simply rubber stamped by the Coventry conference.
pilus turned the officials recommenda-
tion in order to adopt an identical claim in 1978 a 35 The big question is
workers fight? week strike destroved Healey's five per cent wage limit policy and open divi- ed the way for the lorry drivers and
public sector workers. In 1981 the shop floor is well aware that with 3 shop million unemployed and Thatcher's
125 ERR MEES
120-
115
110
105 80-8979 GEOFF STOCKHAM, Deputy Convenor, Rover Works, Cardiff (personal capacity), spoke to
THE VOTE at the Cardiff Rover plant exceeded our expectations. It was over three to one to come out on 1 November. It was a gut reaction
There are tragedy,
expect such statements.
He's
Shitting
the strike labour movement.
Duffy's Tan MacG the
tactics can succeed is if The union waged smashed to bits. battle fo dispute is not
The
they saving members.
moderate
Edwardes' difficult his brutal tactics the awareness
mass
makes last chance.
CEnE
met since 1978 leaflets from the
This is all to the good. But it re
The shop stewards actually over-
will Ford In 1978 our nine
HOW WAGES COMPARE No amount of fiddling the figures on Edwardes part can alter the fact that SL wages are way down in the pay league
bonuses. schemes
money.
Some benefit others,
on this issue We moaning the strike as a back
The was member of the CBI you'd
been forced to other back strike action because his back is up against the wall. He must be aware of the implications of the Ed-
sive of manage ment for the whole of the
Edwardes has a direct will be link with the government and he's got disciples like ween our
Gregor in the stee industry. he oniy way the monetarism of the Tories
the trade ed there. It other organisations are Midlands
The main point in this and rule
money but industrial relations. Dutty recognises that the trade locally unions are heine backed up into a wall and unless
stand up he'll lose members There are also people waiting in the wings to buy
and liquidate parts will go of it. We should question
motives with
haps he wants a scapegoat out.
We cannot be intimid ated by this. We'd all like
our battle ground, and this may no tion has
be the best one. But it's the only one we've got, it's ou
per cent things are more dirficult.
In addition most have been slaughtered by short time working for the last eighteen months. Due to the lack of direction and fight from the plant union leaderships over WOTAN HOTE voluntary redundancy now than a
However, the biggest and most decisive plants Assembly Plants at both Dagenham and Halewood - have not suffered short time. Halewood has the new Escort which has sold faster across the world than any car in Ford's history And Dagenham is currently being re-equipped for the launch of the car which will replace the Cortina In addition, Ford UK is still making money, which is being used to prop up the near bankrupt Ford USA
UK AVERAGI EARNING (Electrical Engineering 190
The union is right to start with the demand for flat rate increases and not
These bonus are bent and under the control of the company. They work in its Tavour occausc we can De headed off with buy-off"
plants will from them and like ours, won't. ty They will try to split us up
should also get to the resolition of the old, unofficial Combine Committee on refusing to accept work from
planti Bonese they they agree to let it go. November that the rest of before Leyland must support any plant under threat of 1 quidation or closure
Otherwise the wedge
put There's always been hostility bet-
plant and the Midlands because of fear that our work will be mov-
applies the way 100 with the workers grubbing for work. This is divide
Part of our discussion
is about how we would lobby the executive around any offer made to make sure they reflect the
This is what the local strike committee would do. Duffy
for a situation where it appears to be the The membership and not the leadership that have sol
the time of the Dad liaison trough the
liaison through Combine Committee. Thi
of national organisa was
nor a officials because it the na
major
Ford plants Hatewood determined
and national
short time destroyed
taking
despite Dagenham press shop Body and abroad of 20 stamping
We have the cher's four percent.
posed a serious counterpoma It's important we have this type of co-ordinatior and communication. wardes is able to use plants is guinea pigs, trying tac tics in one plant and if the
plants. We've had no communication to deal with these tactics. We've been isolated and fear come from isolation It's official AUEW policy to resist redundancy, but we've seen 40 per
Edwardes" plan. Given the right the leadership should push fo occupations to resist job losses Instead they went for the Edwardes cause their policies have been those of appease ment. These policies of ap peasement have not work ed for us because the managemen just comes back fo First Edwardes said hi intention was to Wildcat strikes Now when our strike decision has been taken through accepted procedures he threatens the sack. The British Leyland workers have been steamrollered by Edwardes and his plan.
Leyland has never had sufficient investment and has snent massive amount. on interest payments on We also 102TS need management team with greater social responsibilion the DECIDED Leyland as a public company to provide a continuity of employment in the British car industry.
Edwardes has no such
ting a dog loose in a but caves shope eh we k We have Id have an harin rom the company's ide We also have to make sure there is accountability.
Of course, the present ANOVE BUCHE wouldn't stomach this. Weld need a Labour government, Even here we need to be mindful that it was Callaghan who imposed Edwardes on uS in the firsi place. We'd need a different type of government with different policies.
The union officials are afraid of the link up bere weak because they ween industria. and political Do in the General Strike action like
The -ITIONS have never really been right since then cannot sce how the TUC can stand back now tactics of Edwarde
tect everyone Welle al
workers are giving the 4 percent th two fingers The strike action should be made general This is a dispute with the unions. camel the cannot let them get away with it.
responsibility stewards and plant leaderships
-LOVICE CLIE floor that the claim can be won has to be pointed out that two weeks
strike action by workers earlier this year the company's disciplinary code; that Dagenham lorry drivers have fought to work
official sabotage that workers are blocking the shippin dies which threaten hundreds of jobs
power to win and we won't be fighting alone. Leyland workers are facing the government head on. Miners, lorry drivers and tanker drivers are all lined up with big claims. The job of our nationa officials is to pull these together into a common onslaught against That-
Socialist Challenge 29 October 1981 Page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
Socialist Challenge supporters in East London helped Staffa workers produce and sell badges saying Staffa Stays ir
Winning
By Toni Gorton embargo on the Staffa hydraulic motors.
According CES person for the shop stewards committee they met with a 'fantastic and 'unbelievable' response from the miners in South Wales in particular.
In addition to these basic forms of winning support for their strike, the Staffa workers also aim to win the Labour Party, London and national Level to make Staffa a focus for the fight to save inner city Job The street fighting that took place in the big cities over the summer exposed the deep rage
the young particular about their no-hope future.
Michael Heseltine, Minister
or the environment who ed a government team investigating the Toxteth riots urged the recent Tory conference to rebuild the inner clues wit govern ment cast to tackie me norrors By Toni Gorton In the POEU Socialist Challenge supporters in the Post Office Engineering Union report that the London City branch gave f400 to the Staffa strike fund.
brotner Binnie, wues Indian steward on the night shift at won the branch by his clear account of the management's acwons in snorting Ine starta factory in Leyton.
Not only did the branch give £400 but it is sponsoring a young Staffa worker to go on the TUC's Jobs Express during November.
Full of enthusiasm, the branch will produce material explaining the dispute and asking workplace collections from its 3,500 members.
It decided to make the union office available to the Staffa workers to produce publicity and strike bulletin and will also campaign for support for Staffa at national regional level of the POEU.
Hackney North Labour Party
chester and Staffa in Leyton, East London.
from the Leyton and Hackney North Labour Parties; trom the Councils Hackney: and from GLC councillors Paul Boateng of Socialist Challenge 29 October 1981
at Staffa
NOW four weeks on strike Staffa workers in East London have mounted a 24-hour picket to save 390 jobs. And they have sent delegations out to the labour movement across the country to raise money for the strike fund and to get the miners and dockers to put an
of unemployment.
But the Tory government connues to orrer une starta management a €4.5m relocation grant to move the plant to Plymouth.
When the original nouncement was made in June about the closure of the Leyton plant, the workers approached the Labour-controll bondon councuwao promptry offered to match the
pany in Leyton,
The company refused to accept the GiL.C offer because, as was revealed in documents discovered during the sit-in, it would be more profitable to locate the company in Plymouth Tabour costs could be reduced and the strength of the two unions, the AUEW and ASTMS could be broken.
Staffa campaign
swings into action
During the meeting. officers members why the Staffa fight against closure was especially important for POEU members.
Staffa was the workforce in London to say no to redundancy and no to the Tories: bosses' stripping their factory of 390 jobs in the move to Plymouth; and no to their Tories, whose grants allow firms to strip inner city making millions of pounds in the process The secretary explained that Staffa could only win if it had the strength of the organised trade
therefore the branch had to for resources disposal.
London City prepared ask unions to support Staffa by putting an embargo on Staffa products but felt that a call from the union involved, the AUEW, was a more effective way to
By Frank Gorton, trade union liaison officer for
TONY Benn MP is one of the many labour movement figures to sponsor a giant fundraising event in East London on 6 November to raise money for the striking workers and their families at Laurence Scott in Man-
The benefit has won a lot of support from the labour movement in London, with official backing
in Walthamstow and
Page 6
ап-
Greate
Leyton. Here Tina, govern-
Roberts, question in parliament about
secret ine sense ol providing millons
of pounds to move Plymouth in view of the inner-city crisis The Staffa stewards committee approachtheir 1UCH Magee, to organise a meeting In the TGWU
said The East
ordinating Committee of the Transport Workers Union meeting on
first October
agreed to circulate filiated branches
their Staffa appeal.
However. discussion on relocation embargo put on Staffa pro-
ducts, the of jobs. the No
Transport and Commercial Section, reported that no official union approach has so far been made concerning the firm and drivers removed the
union
motors from the 1TBRO when police took over on 17
at its
Right to Work rally branch is
sister A lively rally of some 300
people in East London on 21 October donated a useful £500 to dispute, E50 of this engineering
the Laurence dispute in Manchester.
East London Benefit Dance planned for LSE and Staffa
Tilley and Jo Richardson.
Staffa worker and their family to go.
should be
Dunedin Road, Leyton E10.
Solidarity
Hackney North MP, Ernie has already asked a
Magee Staffa to
However, joint shop MP. Bryan of such a London Co-
General
unanimously atwith the
during getting an
chairperson of Region, Road organisation
who hydraulic and AUEW premises
• Sell badges
very the Staffa was to a spokesperson Scott
Walthamstow and Peter Dawe, of Leyton
Other MPs in support include Ernie Roberts. Reg Race, lan Mikardo. Stan Thorne, Stan Newens, John
Tickets are being sent out throughout the labour movement and people are being asked to conate the price of a ticket even if they can't attend and allow a
If you would like to come or sponsor a striker, che-
made payable to:
n 2eуtar
OUR FIGHT FOR
ASTMS member felt particularly pleased at having sold badges to Tony and Caroline Benn.
with Labour MPs to launch a national campaign against the government's relocation plans.
refused on the grounds that it was up to their GLC unions to run their dispute.
various GLC councillors are discussing with the Staffa ISSC the possibilities
campaign and on Tuesday 3 November there will
THE
Stuja
stays
OCCUPATION
Check list
• Arrange a speaker for your
Labour Party, union or community
• Pass resolutions of support
especially directed to the national
executive committees of ASTMS
• Take collections wherever possi
ble using the official collection
sheets with the union stamp
• Plan fundraising events
- Staffa stays -
order from Chris Newson AUEW
strike committee, 39 Somers Road,
Walthamstow, London E17. 20p
each & 15p postage. No reduced
rates for bulk orders. Cash with
order. Quote Socialist Challenge
Walthamstow
an ASTMS member helps bring in part of the 700 + from the CND march on 24 October. Martin, another
be a full meeting of the GLC to debate a policy statement on
Getting the backing of the
and the Parliamentary Labour Party for a vigorous national campaign to block the Tory grant could mean victory for the Staffa strikers.
It could aid the campaign to stop the sale and movement of
Application for credentials Please send us credentials for.. enclose a cheque/postal order for E.
delegates credentials.
priority given to those in dispute Name of organisation.....
Union or Labour Party workplace...
Name of secretary
Address
Telephone.
FICUSE Drovlesden, Manchester
week before the conference
LSE/Staffa BENEFIT DANCE
Leyton Assembly Hall, Municipal Offices
The High Road, Leyton, London E10 Friday 6 November, 7.30-11.30 price £2.50
Staffa hydraulic motors, help the financing of the stike by making the Staffa dispute a national byword.
Send all messages of support donations and telegrams to Chri Newson, AUEW Strike CommitHeathamstow Some Tel Or-st. Road 0886
Laurence Scott
NATIONAL
SOLIDARITY
CONFERENCE
Saturday 14 November 10am - 5pm
.......dciegates. We ...a 12
An agenda and more information will be sent with
There will be as much time a possible allocated to contributions from the floor with
W J Partlan, 15 Lines Road,
Creche facilities will be provided if requested up to one
Page 7 scan of this page
Laurence Scott boss foiled
By Patrick Sikorski
unionists from the
There are still 230 workers supporting the dispute, all of whom must be offered jobs.
The vast majority attended the mass picket from 6am onwards. supported by workers from Chloride; Salford and
depots; SEI:
GEC; Gardners: four Ferranti factories; the direct works department; Francis Shaw's.
Gate
Only one worker who had Snipes cape onened Snipe's presented himself at the gate for work. He didn't get any further.
One of the LSE strikers at the CND march where By Patrick Sikorski IN THE face of the rock-hard determination of the workers, now in the 27th week of their
by mass picket
OVER 400 Laurence Scott workers and other trade
Manchester area successfully prevented Arthur Snipe of Mining Supplies, caster, from re-opening the Openshawe factory on Monday on terms which would have meant none of the strike leadership being among the 150 offered jobs.
Police arrested one picket, Chris Murray,
Moston factory and a Socialist Challenge supporter, charge of obstruction. The arresting officer intendant Rutledge who was in charge the police operation management and scabs to enter the factory.
For a time it looked as if the police going Chris pay the price of their defeat. He was detained for over three hours, told that he wowa not be anowed Dall and would be kept in the cells over night. demonstrators dropped almost E1000 into the buckets.
Union leaders attack strike
and turn heat off the boss
Laurence Scott
A flying picker of three car loads of Scott's workers imstation in Grey Mare Lane DonFurious the pickets with immediate arrest and kept them continually on the move, but within half an hour Chris was make a phone call.
AUEW Scott workers stood £50 bail
Ferranti's and he was released.
-on Disgrace
SliDer- As Joe Hobson said, They always try it on and if you let allow them get away with it you'll get your nose rubbed in it. Their Den31101 this disgraceful.
After make picket line, feelings against the managers who arrived to set up an employment bureau, boiled over. The police still insisted on trying force through the picket lines and the superintendent had even lent
FIGHT
OR 650
JOBS
NO CLOSURE!
fight to keep their factory in Manchester open, the national officials of their union, and the boss. Snipe are being forced into more manoeuvres to break the strike.
Solidarıty -
picketed the police
police threatened
allowed to morning was
months on the
management drive to the factory. their way
been turned
AUEW
Boyd unilaterally
opposition from
normal rules of
strike to win.
in their favour.
censure ecutive While
ding
sideration available union picket line The
Arthur
This own car to as a result.
This scotched any remaining ideas of police impartiality.
Police, management and the
If during the last week the heat has
off Snipe. the must be laid once again at the door of
president, Terry Duffy and general secretary John Boyd.
Earlier in the dispute Duffy and
withdrew backing from the LSE workers despite
Manchester District Committee and despite the
procedure. backing is vital to the ability of the
The LSE workers took their case against Duffy and Boyd to the AUEW Final Appeals Court where it was confidently expected the ruling would go
On the contrary, Duffy and Boyd refused to hand over correspondence and the court has gone as far as it can at the moment in passing a motion of
against the national
the shop stewards were fighting the Boyd/Duffy manoeuvres. Snipe went onto the offensive, sen-
out invitations to all 650 'exemployees' offering them first con-
for the 150-175 from Monday 26 October when the factory would re-open for "reduced production'.
The shop stewards declared that there would only be a return to work when the 230 still on the picket line are offered jobs and immediately called a mass picket from 6.30am on Monday.
Two management teams turned up on Thursday and Friday to
'employment bureau were given short shrift by pickets
The LSE workers are unanimously supported by the Manchester (No 29) Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions District Committee which last Thursday called on all
members not to cross
Confed District Secretary. John Tocher, who is also the AUEW divisional organiser. addressing the strikers last Thursday, made it clear that the offer of 150 jobs was an attempt to split the strikers and was proof positive of collusion between Snipe and national AUEW officials.
It is also clear that neither Boyd,
Folice seize striker Phil Penning but later drop him and arrest Chris Murray
superintendent's car suffered
Finally the local SPG (Tactical Aid Group) was called in
blame
back in
official
North
Official
produced exthey're officially court's decision.
three weeks if he wants to.
thing will be jobs
matter
workers.
campaign who the the union.
Roundcraft.
Barry from the factory entrance and free the personnel manager, lan Lees, who had been trapped in the factory for two hours.
Duffy or Snipe want the factory to reopen with the strike leadership going
Snipe would face a triumphant workforce and the national AUEW officials would face a bastion of opposition to their undemocratic regime.
The arrogance of Boyd and Duffy toward the democratic rights of the AUEW membership was shown when they refused to hand over the relevant correspondence to the Appeal Court.
The court said it was their right to sit indefinitely until the evidence was
Boyd replied that they could sit as long as they wanted.
The court unanimously censured the executive but although the Manchester North District Committee has been allowed to recall the Final Appeal Court if they're not satisfied with the situation, this can't be done until
notified of the
Who's job is it to inform them? Sir John Boyd! and he can take up to
It's safe to assume that the whole
delayed several more weeks and in the meantime any ruling about the national officials will be a
of history and have no favourable outcome for the LSE
Every branch and district in the AUEW is being mailed this week with a letter explaining Duffy and Boyd's latest manoevre and calling for a
of resolutions censuring the executive and recalling the National Committee immediately.
Motions of censure have already gone forward from Manchester Nor th, Manchester South, Sheffield and North London District Committees.
This will be the third time that the Scott's fight against Duffy and Boyd has been carried to every branch of
Scotts workers confidently expect a big response and a new flood of financial help to add to the figure of almost £1,000 collected at last Saturday's giant CND demonstration.
Rush messages of support and donations to 20
Romiley, Cheshire And get delegated to the solidarity conference Socialist Challenge 29 October 1981 Page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
THISTIME N
EVEN THE POLICE said there were 150,000
there. The real figure was more like 250,000
But whatever the precise number, last Satur
day's CND demonstration showed that the second generation of anti-nuclear campaigners has arrived with a bang. The campaign to get rid of nuclear E.P. Thompson weapons and nuclear bases from British soil speaks at rally is larger than it has ever been - and last
Saturday's demonstration was bigger than
any that CND mounted in the late fifties and
early sixties.
Spurred on by Reagan's statement that a 'theatre' nuclear war in Europe was quite
conceivable, and the massive demonstration
in Bonn the weekend before, nearly a thousand coaches and 30 trains poured into London.
It was a massive political victory for CND, and a slap in the face for Thatcher and the Tories.
The vast majority of the marchers were
youth. Overwhelmingly they came with CND
and Youth CND local groups, with students unions, and a small but significant minority with the Labour Party Young Socialists The youthful character of the demonstra
fion was an indication that this second wave of CND will not be easily co-opted or dispersed
There were two things in an overwhelmingly positive day which were not so
good. First, although there was a good turn-
out of Labour Party branches, the response from the unions was not so good. The TUC
has adopted a position in favour of unilateral
disarmament at its last congress. The REA mobilisation of its forces would massively DO add to the weight of the movement. Second, Michael Foot's speech was CONS OL
characteristically ambiguous and once again
hedged on the question of unilateral disarma-
ment. He said that a future Labour government would translate these measures of nuclear disarmament into practical action The fight over the policy of a future Labour government is crucial. This year's
Labour Party congress just failed to pass the
two-thirds majority to ensure that unilaterat disarmament is automatically put into the next election manifesto and it was some of the unions, in particular the AUEW, that provided the decisive votes against Tg take the campaign forward we have to
Try it further into the unions and accept n
compromises, no half-hearted formulas from
Michael Foot and the Labour leadership. We want unilateral nuclear disarmament. Last Satürday's demonstration shows that this time we can win.
Socialist Challenge 29 October 1981. Page 8
Page 9 scan of this page
VE CAN WIN
REAGAN has spelled it
visage a war in Europe in which there change of tactical nuclear VYCHOOLIS
all-out ans contrmation org war scenarios will come as no surprise to anti-missile campaigners.
rprising (a little anywa
that Reagan has bet sublic. He was just confi stupid ming the words of ex-US admiral Gene La Rocque: 'We will fight the next war in Europe mies are stupid cough to Jer us!
Reagan's identical to the notions of theatre! which have been touted by Western
scenario amounts to this A war WiTh the Union will start on the "central Iront words in Germany.
would attempt to defeat the TO HACECUENCEDUREs This
missilin one estere
missiles Europe lat Eastern Europe Soviet not an all-our nuclear change between the Sov Union and. the States would his some military
sities.
Retaliation
Photos by Pete Grant and Larry Herman
WAR Prevention
heagan expects
Euroshima
nuclear
The only thing that's
to admit it in
- if you dum-
scenario
war
strategists over The
Soviet
- in othe
The United States
Soviet forces by using
coma mone the
Western targets and the Umon-atsell, but
United The cruise missiles
not e Soviet
JS1192
nuclear thus be avoided.
What
war? would both sides
Ukraine, away from the Бос
are now stacring Inal war
DELUS
tion of nuclear weapons
"limited'
The •Euronean theatre
not 100
Germany ditto
Soviet Union, and prise, surprise
parts
it.
Soviet Union would be against targets in Western CUTORE DUE MOL HERIS CE United States. An all-out
exchange would
would be the point of such a limited" be the in hich 'theatre' war ENTERIDE!
tie West of torose this
course this would mean 'destabilising Eastern Europe — so that some East European coun tries, and perhaps even the
could be won Eastern
The very fact that such a thing is discussed shows inat ine western powers
seriously con- even can rational method for dividing and Tence: The new genera world
the neutron bomb, cruise and Pershine micstecor all designed to be used in a nuclear war which remains
victims in the
which Reagan expects a:
Difficult to usce Western Germany
would probably be con
pletely devastated, Easter
probabl large slabs of the Westerr
sur- large of the United Kingdom? Euroshima on the way, unless we fight
Socialist Challenge 29 October 1981 Page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
Cancun summit -a
Where you can
buy Socialist
Challenge
Scotland ABEHUCLIS a Dic de boch
DUNDEE
moce inta ennact John
Wales BANGOR: Sa: 10-1Z lown centrg
VEWPORT: every Satin town centre PONTYPHIDD: SC sales every sat SWANSEAR sC saler ou
Itam-Ipm, Saturdays, England
on sale 1 1985 Bo
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Bks. Berry St. sold Fri 12-2pm. ou SVETY
What's Left
to publicatior advance Phone SPARE BOOKS? Any hocks y
raking op
for sour
ns on anti-racist.
Witte for lists of
Com as Bades, PO bos 30, Lenden Ni ZXP BADGES arailable from Revoln
Fon Bill or pn o Youth. PO Box 50, Lan
BADGES MADE: Glasgow SC up
aim to support women Shone: Cati on SS5 029, ELMAP
ne Cale ai Tpm 36 Da
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Socialist Challenge 29 October 1981 Page 10
STAFFORD: SC ve Sate Marker Au
deavera
(ale London
8 30-12 00 uise Worseri ta kibar Se ate ery se 02 LAMBETA Bookshops
Rainbows Broui osa Book BAIGHTON: The Public House. LatBRISTOL: Fullmarks, 110 CheltenBIRMINGHAM: HOIDE BOOKSOI BURHAM Cly Co-op ILFORD Seth Esex Froskahop, 335 MILTON KEYNES Olvert Bis. NORTH WEST Landan Troeps Ou
Our ay Bel, Tim s0o shone Treland sing.
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930pun: dop awaged apl, NWS ROOPS OUT Cellidh: Hemsingfon saged). Camden & ilington froan 20 130 Our Movement.
Socialist Challenge events
NLGO fraction: Sat 21 Nov 12 n
MAIL NaMOn CITE OE SUPporT n rail, Sat 7 Nov, 1,30pm at centro
REVO Loy
YOUTH.
•AGAINST
•TORIES/
By Tom Marlowe Cancun, nest'.
which met there last week.
on the North/South divide.
More realistically, the CancuT ICEUHE designed allow Teaders of Western - merialsin various selected guests on how capitalism and IeaSm WCIC WOnOCT It was like slave owners telling slaves how vitude was good for them
The trappings of the meeting were obscene, lt cost eight million dollars
stage. 1П51E0 natories like Thatcher and Reagan were greeted with 21-gun saluic turniture was lown in. 30 was a personal hairdresser
Margaret Thatcher
Even Times commented Cancun gruous setting for an inter-
thorld s pooms
Is poor nations The meeting had been fixed beforchand. Reagan had how sap t/ c ban lađe said would Fidel Castro, WaS TEWTECG Various European nations which were expecied to De troublesome, such as Italy. were also not allowed in
The Austrian president whose idea the whole thing was •TIEST
ist dren af din hatic ist
ness. so embarrassed was he about the restricied in vitations. The
quite refused to attend, saying that the problems underdeveloped faced were due to 'colonial exploitation and Cancun would not solve ELTET.
Gap
Yet there is no doub.
ti i euroblems son
problems CaUSCS OF WOnd PoVeTE would have been worth-
illustrate the wcalth gap
• exists hetween the rich and poor nations of the world - and how that gap is growing.
ACCOTEIHE
World Bank's 1980 World Development Report average income per
of 18 industrialised tries 10 1950 that of the 38 countries
with the lowest
WaS 5.64 twenty-third. In 1980 the
estimated avcrage income of the former was 59,684;
the income of the
WaS SE43 Or DarCYO
forticth.
These were the
blems the Brandt Repor
attempted to deal with. It
was interpreted as a liberal
report, a plea for the rich
North to give more help to
the South. But the reason such a plea was made was
given away in an article by
Brandt
roughly translated, means "snakes' The Mexican city was therefore an appropriate venue for the North/South summit
The official aim of the gathering was to discuss what could be done about world poverty. It was a follow-up meeting to one held in Ottawa in July which debated the Brandt report
WWE the imICCLUT dig-
Special
Financial
that incon-
the member, Ted Heath, in The Times: *The (least developed place countries may not be o grece to the West. Bur they economic aTe OICI DI VILdE SLEELCLEl importance to it...
Soviet stability is threatened by rightly, radical forces whose the cess is nurtured
countries inequality. CC C CEDEVaLC
that However, the Brandt Commission argued was in the interests of the West to be a little more helpful the developed countrics. But this view was challenged at and Cancun Reagan. by
SVCI before mecting he had put for-
SMESTC ward the view
devcloping would find their salvation in the 'magic of the market
Reagan argued at Cancun the the 'third world should be
Pade to stand on its own
the head Many of these councoun- opportunity to do so, tl tries would welcome was $3,841;
were not for the case that incomc standing beside them, with one guns in their hands, are th Western powers Reagan was telling his Western allies it was time latte they dropped the human face capitalism Proach. Heyiso mine scial pro- any 'assistance cive the south wil 35 1 usual in such transactions, be to the benefit of the West.
For example. on 22 October Reagan told the Cancun delegates Commission *meaningtul
International
nest of snakes
towards "global negotiations on would depend 'respect" for the and functions of existing institutions. the Monetary such institution.
This was an important
Tions of the world had cal ed for a world bank based
impor- on AHO COROLPE OV EE
United Nations such an
their body the poorer nations
would have a majority SUC The IMF, on the other by hand, is dominated, and if taid' to the underdeveloped countries is channelled through such an institution then it it will continue to be of little help to the Southern hall of the hemisphere
under- "Aid" is good business
for the West.
"Third World'
West over
Ronald dollars in debt servicing
the alone Also, the IMF has in that the the past imposed condicountries Lions underdeveloped
183.3 Accordingly. countries open up their
markets to manufactured the same time the Wes the same time themselves erect tarrif barriers against ported goods from poor countries.
To have expected the West tackle th/South inequality Cancun would have beer naive The countries have grown rich hecause of their plunder of ар- the South, and because of the hold of their multinationals in many African, financial the North does Asian and
American countries The West will not give up its economic dominance of these countries by choice. that It will have to be PLURECOD taken from them.
world poverty
powers Reagan nam- By Nigel Johnson International Fund as one
ruling Ecevit.
banned polities!
one year. bloody
The part affiliated to the because international Turkey —
Western
the State . Last year th 5,000 million
campaign
loans to
nations,
that Supporters
the
'cheap im- WC/.
Nor-
imperialist
South
Make Turkey an issue in the labour movement
NOW THE time has come to establish a strong state structure. Once again our countrymen can fell the pride of being able to proclaim from deep within their hearts: / am a Turk:
With this piece of racist nonsense General Kenan Even, Chief of Turkey's
military dictatorship. formally opened the new Turkish Constituent Assembly' lasr week, and so set Turkey back on the 'road to democracy"
Last week too the Generals formally dissolved all political parties (they had been banned anyway since the coup) and started legal proceedings against former social democratic Prime Minister, Bulent
Ecevit who had the temerity to imply publicly that he didn't agrec we ene General's programme for Turkey was immediately guilty of contravening one of the junta's more interesting edicts from June this vear — the one which
Ecevit faces a gaol sentence of up ro
This is an extremely mild SETeREP VE INE CORE DE E e
repression which has claimed over 500 lives officially since the coup
, of which Ecevir was the leader, the Republican Peoples Party, is
'Socialist International"
Action should be taken in the British Labour Party to oblain Ecevit's release along with that of all political prisoners in Turkey.It has long been ciear that the Generals" carefree trampling on democratic rights must be bused on something. That something is speit NATO
It has just been revealed that the US have built three secret airfields in eastern
at Billi, Van and Karswithin striking distance of Tehran
Turkey has always been a strategic country for NATO, but recent events in the region, especially the fall of the Shah and now PASOK's election victory in Greece on a strong anti-N470 platform, have redoubled its importance to the alliance and its war plans.
Military dictatorship, while not an ideal form of rule, is strongly preferred in
Department to the severe political instability and high level of class struggle prior to the coup.
An impact opportunity to develop à
in the lahour movement on Turkey is the forthcoming con/erence called by the Commintee for the Defence of Democratic Rights in Turkey. This conference is open to all delegates from labour movement bodies
of Socialist Challen:
hould apply for credentials from th CDDRT, 28-29 Parkfield Street, London NI. The conference is on Saturday 12 December at NUFTO Hall, London May Day in the Turkish capita/ this year
Page 11 scan of this page
Where do the SUP stand on Ireland?
By Geoff Bell AT LONG last, discussion on Ireland at party political conferences has cold. Both the recent Tory ferences discussed the issue. SDP.
That makes it difficult to establish just what the SDP does nave about Ireland. But there are a number of clues. For example, who gave as a
for joining the SDP: Labour has achieved nothing in Northern Ireland, they were no better than the Tories?*
The quotation is from Michael O Halloran, MP
North Islington. His Irish radicaline will ome
surprise of his former local party.
Quit
Labour critics of O'Halloran in North Islington were angry that he had refused to vote against the Ter-
Act (PTA), refused to advocate the local party's policy of
'troops out now.
But in a statement to
the Trish Times O'Hall-
oran now claims i was
Labour/Tory bipartisan-
ship Ireland which
forced him to quit. Mind
you, that's what he told an
Irish newspaper. In a state-
ment to the British press he
gave as a reason tor ms
defection, 'the new hard
left Labour Party the
party of Tony Benn and
Ken Livingstone
O'Halloran,
Benn and Livingstone
have been to the fore in
speaking out on Ireland.
Statement from the Na-
tional Committee of the
Irish revolutionary
socialist organisation,
Peoples Democracy
PD WELCOMES the
the hunger strike.
Irish people all over this island,
we breathe a sigh of relief that no
longer do the prisoners have
sacrifice their very
basic demands.
We salute the tremendous courage
and the overwhelming
shown by the prisoners who for five long
vears lived with the brutality and torture
in the H Blocks and who resisted the
British criminalisation policy.
The death of ten prisoners and the
building of a mass campaign in Ireland
and at an PReTERONG
prevented the Brits from defeating the
prisoners. But we could not call this a vic-
tory for the prisoners either.
The outcome of a political struggle is
not always judged on the terms on which
it is eventually settled. It is best assessed
on which side emerges from the struggle
stronger. And by that criteria there is no
doubt that the Brits have suffered a set-
back.
A brief summary of our gains over
the last two years clearly indicates this;
Two election victories in the Westminster
come from the
and Labour conNot, however the think it
Some might Michael 'Hallora typical of the party. But the SDP's confusions, on Ireland as on so many other issues, does not end with O'Halloran.
The opinions of Shirley Williams are another ample. Williams has something of history in discussing Ireland. She
resented Labour's
party conference NEG I debates on the subject in 1973 and 1974. On the latter occasion she promised that the Prevention of Terrorism Act, introduced by another SDP convert Ro
would be repeal
ed after six months.
This lie hasn't stopped to
publicise her
reland. le Inline she wrote an with the bold title Let us artic I Times
shake off these policies of
despair in Uister.
Troops
The policies she was referring to were not as
most people would
assume, the existing ones,
but rather an independent
Ulster. repartition or the
withdrawal of troops
Instead, Williams sug
gested, 'economic aid for
the province through the
EEC , and A renewed in-
itiative toward power-
The EEC suggestion made because
The way forward
constituency
government. ending of Like many
to has seen for ten years. lives for five
determination
first step.
level has
must fight back.
bourgeois
Broad.
Williams sees this institution as a cure-all for problems everywhere. But her advocacy of ower sharing was hardly breaking of new political ground promised by the SDP.
Rejected
Indeed -DOWCH sharing' must be the most tramped-under-toot ground in the North of Ireland. It has been proposed and rejected times as Shirley Williams has Deen SEvCH space in The Times.
If one member of the gang of four has little to offer Ireland, what another one David Owen?
In an interview on Irish radio on 1 October he called for a major political initiative Northern Ireland which would Michael O'Halloran of Fermanagh South Tyrone, two prisoners TD's, (MPs) in Dail Eireann, several important election victories in the May Six County local government elections, worldwide protests against the intransigent Thatcher
worldwide sympathy Jor 07 an united Treland, marginalisation of the Social Democratic & Labour Party because of their failure to support the prisoners and the highest level of mass mobilisation that freiand
Our successes have struck a chord of fear among Fianna Fail, the SDIP and the Coalition. These misleaders of the
Trish reaple are la campao strike back
campaign militants following the British embassy riot is the
Fitzgeruld intends to follow this with an attack on irish Unity through Articles Two and Three of the Constitution. His plan is simple: remove the goal from sight and you smother the aspiration. We
The anti-imperialist movement must build on its gains. Disunity will allow the
nationalists to regain lost ground and claim leadership. There are opportunities but they will disappear quickly if we sit still or choose the wrong
The Way Forward essentially means: (i) Opposing the Coalition and Fianna Fail in Cavan-Monaghan and the coming
Ireland
volve London, Dublin and Belfast. He went suggest that "Britain might ase economic leverage
North of Irelan Loyalists to develop close:
This suggestion cconomic threats to bring about Irish unity may have come as a surprise to Shirley Williams. In an in terview in the Irish Times in February she maintained: "It is an illusion to sup pose that the Northern Ireland could be forced into unity with the Republic'. Vote
contradictions
leepen the further the per
onal records of SDP con VETH are explored. There are em and Neville Sandel- the
COT WOLE Labour rebels on Ireland. tunately, they rebelled in
James Dunn election through uniting around an anti-imperialist programme; (ii) The political defence of the campaign militants specifically the Belfast 34 and the Embassy 19 (ill) Unity against partition, organise to fight for an United Ireland.
This is the way we must continue. Relying on military activity will squander
The London bombing was ORLENES. counterproductive. If continued it could harden out reaction and stifle pressure for Irish Unity within the British labour movement.
The energies of would best be channelled into the task of bringing the greatest number of people into active struggle against partition. we transfer everything into a bombing campaign it rules out real participation by the southern working class the necessary ingredient to break down partition and force the British out.
Going into the heart of the Southern working class remains challenge to the anti-imperialist movement. The H Block campaien came close but not close enough.
An all Ireland mass movement of working people is the only real guaranto of trish Unity and British Withdrawal. I is also the best defence against sectarian Loyalist attacks which thrive in times of disunity or confusion. The UDA and the
UFF must be answered with the unity o the mass movement.
of Ireland
different directions
Sandelson was on of 43
Labour MPs who voted
against the Labour
government's deal with the
Unionists in 1978 whereby
the latter were promised
more seats in parliament,
in return for SUDDUELIE anti-imperialist the biggest
Roy Jenkins - as EEC president resisted discussion
the Callaghan government. Sandelson's opposttion to this was one of the few principled decisions he ever made.
Dunn's rebellion was more recent. after Bobby /Sands election victory, the Tories proposed to change the rules
more Irish prisoners would
be allowed to stand fo
this move. declared his support for Thatcher He said he would defv the Labour whip and vote with the Tories. So strongly did he protest that the shadow cabinet decided to allow
MPs a free vote on the issue.
Win
Judging from other votes that SD MPs have taken part in on the Com-
floor will be Dunn's right wing views rather than Sandelson's H Block protest in Dublin July 1981
more progressive proach, which will win out.
In July, the SDP voted 1134 0101510210 111-3021138 from Labour to review the
PTA. On the other hand Sandelson party's official spokesperson confusing, son Ireland. it?
But perhaps Shirley Williams' dream or ind EEC coming to the aid of ine sor and bulan ove
Ireland will be rcalised
There is fust one drawoach
to such a scenario. For the
last four or five years the
Irish government
republican-minded
Irish MPs in the Europcan
Parliament have sought to
raise the Irish issue inside
the EEC
These moves have been
firmly resisted by the BEC
100 0 10 12105005 seid the very top of that siderable
establishment was an EEC
president whose name was
Roy Jenkins Socialist Challenge 29 October 1981 Page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
LABOUR PARTY
Letter!
AN otherwise
Rich Paiser of
tober) about CD campaigning on the it wrong. I think,
issue.
He quotes the CND constituwonal aims correcty cissolving all military blocs) but goes on to talk UnIV CLOU campaigns around its constitutional aims by linking mand British from NATO to the perspective of establishing a European Nuclear Free Zone, including the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact.
I think that Rich gives
treatment of NATO and dissolvmilitary blocs publications. He Allaun's Questions Answers* as saying that Britain could refuse Cruise and remain in NATO. pointed out in the preface, Frank's personal view.
Even so. this doesn't mean that Frank, still less CND, thinks we should not wind military blocs. This tional aim is printed prominently on the back cover.
Meanwhile a number of other pamphlets (for Betty England's mament for Britain* Bolsover's Civil Defence* call for witnarawar Trom NAtO as par of the process of winding up the military blocs.
TESSA van Gelderen's article on women at the Labour Party conference (7 October) gives the impression that the place on women's positive discrimination within the Party and a woman's right to work.
Certainly the debate on positive was important -TY VELICE Organised to successfully challenge the male bureaucrats who run the conference to force it onto the agenda.
But it is unfair both to those women campaigning for Labour Party support lora woman's work march and to those women who fought to enSocialist Challenge 29 October 1981
enter etters oun
CND and NATO
interesting and
heffield
15 Octhe de withdrawal CND's
quotes Frank
and
and Trident words:
This,
ambiguous about that.
uP the
the status though
example politics in Europe! Nuclear Disar-
and Phil CHRIS HORRIE Publications Secretary,
Phil's pamphlet,
Women and the LabourParty
only discussions taking issues were those on
sure that there WCTE debates and fringe MCCENES numerous other aspects of women's fight against their oppres sion, to imply that woman's right to work was CELITE. question Brighton. This was just not the case.
Within the conference
itself it is worth noting that a number or resolutions paid particular attention Page 12
etters
CND
PUBLICATIONS
words. We are a scleat hare
because we are a member of the NATO nuclear alliance. Nothing
To sum up. I think we need to avoid the trap set for us by the right-wingers who claim that we
withdrawal from NATO and otherwise leave
quo intact creating European Nuclear Free Zone wouldn't alter
National CND -Available from CND publications, 1/ Goodwin St, London
to women: abolition of the cohabitation rule and non-discriminatory benefits taxes were in the resolution on social securiwell-women clinics were supported in a resolution on and •SOUILLIOT the National Childcare Campaign which called for the provision of free prehensive childcare racilities was passed overwhelmingly.
By far the largest fringe
tended by about 800 people, debate CUTL WHener women op pressed by sex or by class.
Letters,
STEVEN Archer's letter Chile, Cuba and the
masses, 15 October, revolution wasn't revolution'.
kind revolution was it then that smashed the
BECC forces and police establishing the rebel army and a new
DOC WI TEDIT revolutionary lighters; set
militias (which defeated the US organised Bay Pigs invasion in 1961); implemented agrarian reform, dividing land and
co-operatives; started centralised plann ing of industry and contro of forcign trade as well as
expropriation of US inTC1CSLS
But then he follows that statement by sayung that mass mobilisa-
tions of the working clas
class didn't throw organs workers power. Perhaps this it wasn't a socialst revolution?
But what are the facts? In September one million Cubans rallied to celebrate the 20th an niversary of the Commit-
ees to Detend the Revol
On CDR Over five million (more than 80 per cent of the population between and 65) .participated in these bodies.
They organise block br block their
"social and vigilant activities. They elect for People's Power (PP), set up in the carly 70s to increase decision making and control management and planning
This issue was also raised
Abortion
Rights Campaign meeting
on positive legislation for
abortion, and on the con-
ference floor by a woman
delegate who,
both from the largely-male
union delegations
and from such figures on
the platform as Neil Kin-
nock, declared that being a
woman was no problem:
her oppression was solely
due to her class position.
Whilst this debate can
easily become a diversion,
cannot Fighting for COLCO
discrimination in the Party and for labour movement
Cuba:what are the facts?
stated that the Cuban proletarian, socialist
participation in bodies is extremely
high. At one meeting attended of CDR and PF this summer, between to 95 per cent of people at tended. the
establishment of PP in the
the trade which now encompass
WOTACTS were revitalised.
There IS also the Federation Cuban Womer (FMC) which organises in a similar was
CDKS women's rights. leading the idcological struggle against machismo. The youth organise through the CDRs.
BEDE
and the young com. munists,
The latest of such organisation ol people's
of Territorial Troop Militias (MTT).
In his l May 1980 speech Castro said: We will not rest until every
has a rifle grenade or mine and has OCCI LINCE the necessary training for carrying out his sacred duty of defending his homeland to the death.
This was the Cuban leadership's
ESCUESS Carter's anti-Cuban manocuvres in the Carib bean last ycar. From the beginning the Cuban leadershin bas relied on mass mobilisations and participation of workers to defend the revolution.
This, Logether with the
support for positive action
workplace and positive legislation on abortion all require taking
women within a class
Socialist Challenge should be taking up this question - not sweeping it
Apart trom being one-sided, Tessa's article con-
mIS conception that the
delegates were well-organised. This was
certainly the HICOSE case. CLPD's Women's Action Committee managed to organise some WORLET get positive discrimination on the agenda but that all.
Women involved
massive strides forward In hea, makes Cuba one o and educa Lion, makes
examples workers states we have to
day To say that the Cuban
leadership isn't consistentay revolutionary marxist is
and dongside dismisse
alongside the Nicaraguan and Salvadoran movements as petty bourgeois is to defy
The generations or revolu-
LARC and Women's Fightback thought up the idea of flowers for Kitson "for his services to sexism'
Hardly an organised
given that a lot women opposed it on the
would "trivialise the struggle'
managed make an impact at this year's Labour party conOnce more on
democracy
THE LABOUR left often argues for only limited
mess meata
case, resolutions passed without coming out of a mass campaign are not worth the paper they are written on.
maximises the influence of the media
ducted with ultimate authority going to regular mass meetngs of the strikers.
the Labour leadership and the big issues (for example tion with the membership carried out through plenary branches.
CHRIS ARTHUR Brighton
PS it would be most interesting to hear union by union how the recent consultation/failure to consult has af. fected consciousness among the membership.
bonary and poaants coming ou Nicaragua, Grenada and El Salvador is hardly going to be interested in building a mass Lennist party o the Fourth International if our programme as interprcice by steven Archer leads us to characterise the -cuban revolution revolutionary leaders in such a sectarian way.
DENNY FITZPATRICK London
ference, despite their lack of organisation. What we need to be looking what we could have done il we had been rather than implying we'd already succeeded.
JOAN TWELVES CLP delegate to LP Conference: member of LARC Executive Committee democracy in the movement (for example, all power to General Management Committees/ on the grounds that the rank and file are subject to the mystifications of the
Unfortunately, this attitude sometimes appears in Socialist Challenge. But if we can't convince the labour movement rank und file, who can we convince? In any
Of course the establishment media influences the rank and file; but the answer is not to exclude them but to subject them to contrary influences. The postal ballot
Collective discussion und decisions help us. Socialist Challenge correctly argues that all strikes should be con-
To be consistent with that we should campuign for unilateralism) to be decided on the basis of full consultameetings of the constituency parties and the trade union
Page 13 scan of this page
Our right to healthy children
Tomoko Venure,
The demand for 'a woman's right to choose' which the abortion movement has adopted, includes the demand that women should have complicated pregnancies and healthy babies.
eporting rising attendance, and deformity amongst new-born the increase.
blems is not due to natural causes but to changes in the environment in which we work and live
ing the new risks to health and fertility which our unequal society has created.
Lead is poisonous to children. It causes hyper activity and even mental etardation.
Those who are most af-
THE DOWN'S syndrome baby. said have been murdered by consultant paediatrician, was at birth suffering from brain and Jung damage which could have proved fatal.
Fresh evidence proving this was produced in court last week at the trial of Dr Leonard Arthur who is accused of murder-
outwardly healthy mother. No one knows if she is aware of her surroundings or not.
the right to un-
But today, infertility clinics are
babies is on
The growth in these types of pro
LEONORA LLOYD has been examin-
fected live in inner cities in areas with high levels of traffic, because the most important source is petrol fumes.
Murder trial- fresh evidence produced
Wing baby John Pear201.
The Home Office pathologist, Professor Usher, who had carried out the post-mortem EXamination on the baby had stated previously that the administering of the drug dyhydrocodeine (DF118) was the greatest single factor
in 1956 in Minamata on the Japanese island of Kyushu, was attacked by mercury in the womb of her
Poorer children, with
sectly it at al
severely are of streets most younger the children, the more secrets to ara
effects
nade is use in pain for
and its use paini children's furniture and toys has long been banned.
Now. after lots of
has agreed to rodee the
agreed to reduce lead content of he reduction will not hap
pen until 1983 and anyway be too little
The reluctance of the government due to pressure Trom the petrol eum industry and vehicle HITLUICES
Workers using lead in industry Lead, and other heavy metals (manganese cadmium) cause reduced sex drive, lower
causing death.
However, when slides prepared from the baby's tissues by Professor John Emery, a world pert on cot deaths, were presented to the court. Professor Usher agreed with defence council Mr George Carmen that: the seeds of death, or potential death,
Women.
fertility and genetic mutaHOTS Icading to malformed foetuses, spontancous abortions and still-births
Workers can take leac home on their clothes anc DUCILE one Coolse have higher than aver in lead concentrations their blood.
Lower fertility can also disulphide which is Truna carbon in coke ovens in foundries and paint manufacture.
Everything that causes cancer in adults can affec the foetus The same pro cess that affects the adult cells will alter the composition of the foctal cell.
Whilst cancers
adults may not show up for twenty years, a change in just one cell, if it occurs at a crucial point in foetal development, can affect a complete organ or limb.
These
were already sown before birth...
While admitting that part of the prosecution's case had been 'inaccurate and misleading. Professor Usher still maintained that death had been due to poisoning involving DF118.
The trial continues.
known, but industry and the covernment are reluc tant to take the necessary action.
Every year some 300 to 400 new chemicals are brought into use
The revolution in food processing and ans that children pregnant women are eating foods with emulsifiers, dyes and
favouring whose long-term effects on humans are simply not known.
It takes 20 to 30 years for many cancers to develop. By the time they show up, it takes extensive detective work to trace their cause.
That's why some food dyes have been used for
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policing, Labour's youth
Nicaragua's Sandinist revolution
much more
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still get cancers from then in the years to come
Pregnant women are still being prescribed drug whose long term effects are not known. New food HOOVES CaTe constantiy being introduced
In most cases. these products are not neces sary. They result from the drive for profits.
Convenience foods are certainly convenient for the multi-nationals, but тапу arc of doubtful nutritional value
Labelling with words like 'emulsifi er', permitted vative" ouring hiding high risk artificial col
substances
The recent history of medicine is littered with examples of these additive: health and fertility
Menstrual disorders, leading. difficulty conceiving. can be caused
chemicals drug manufacture, chemi-
plants, plastics and rubber factories and dry cleaning - for example benzene toluene, and zylene.
Chemicals carl casily cross the placenta, affecling foctus. These chemicals, called teratogens, may be present me tac mother's blood because of the type of work she does
do the most damage in the first six to sight weeks usually before the woman is sure
Allowing pregnant women to switch to less dangerous work is therefore not good enough The workplace wher teratogen are must be made safe for al workers.
chemicals Sante can show in the mother's milk dry cleaning solvents breathed in by her can cause liver disease in her baby.
The foetus can be affected because of genetic factors Yet there are less than 30 centres in Britain where potential parents can go for the counselling which is necessary for people with a family history of certain genetic disorders
Some of these orders are sex-linked, such as muscular dystrophy or haemophilia. Tests during he sex of the foetus an regnanc determine
HOUT OT olfered necessary
Other tests are available, and more are being researched here and in the States. But in some area: Tony Cliff's
movement:
and Cheques to:
are tainable, because the consultants are not prepared to offer abortions!
The situation is bad ene Third World, bu in the Third World disastrous.
Drug dumping takes place on a huge scale, as drugs found unfit for us to use are reicasco un arca with less stringent laws. Contraceptives found to be dangerous are forced on underdeveloped coun tries as a condition of food aid
When the Dalkon Shield (a type of IUD) was banned in America, it was dumped Paraguay Isract, , India and 39 othe countries. It was not only INSATE even causing deaths — it was not par ticularly effective as a con traceptive!
Tetracycline, an antibiotic, is contra-indicated
pregnant women and children, bur is released in many parts of the poor wond wou any warn ings.
American companies who made a dangerous design of baby dummies continue to supply them to other countries after their USE was banned in the States
Not only baby milk products are promoted in dangerous WEVE
world Advertising products like Coca Cola gives the impression that these are good foods
Tainer TART being positively damaging to their health.
Cigarette smoking is also heavily promoted,
warning: mandatory
any restrictions on nicotine content.
Insecticides banned in the West are still manufac tured here and exported to the Third World
For example, a pesticide known as DBCP
•EDE States 1977, is still being exported for use in banana prana
causes cancer and sterility humans Ironically, most of the bananas are imported into the US
Industry and our environment can be dge is safe The knowledge there but it is not very proItable to put it into use.
Until industry is run i the interesis or all. th health of workers - now and in the future - will always be secondary to the great god of profit.
International
MITTERRAND'S
FRANCE:WHOS
PULLING THE STRINGST JACQUES KERGOAT
Citt& Zetkin, Valerie Coulta The Police, Tony Buryar
Socialist Challenge 29 October 1981 Page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
Folk music and protest
Jenny Flintoft interviews Leon Rosselson THE language of the oppressed has long been one of the elements of folksong. songs have chronicled women on husband and father under patriarchy, the exploitation of landless labourer and factory worker under miseries of poverty and war.
For the Irish, folk songs especially Republican songs - have been a vital consciousnessraising force in tneir tight against British perialism.
Brittany, Alan Stivell's singing has drawn SECTION the French suppression Breton culture.
In Euskadi, (the Bas-
and despite being prettified and made into a tourist attraction, are still a powerful affirmation of national identity.
Those str desirate build a Chile in the carly 70's drew strength and inspiration Trom the work of singers like Victor Jara:
I don't sing for love of
ingin
Or to show off my voice
My guilar is a worker...
..for the people who
labour
Pinochet's thugs acknowledged the power of Victor Jara's guitar by
they killed him.
In Poland, the people traditional largely rejected
music devitalised by the bureaucracy and left bland and innocuous
Modern political folk music has seen mainly
BOW emerging. In Gdansk in August a free song festival was held, called Zakazane Piosenki *forbidden
one thre has Woody Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan and many others.
no SCLICE however, that the British folk scene is ailing ine audiences. sexist comSocialist Challenge 29 October 1981 Page 14
For centuries
the dependence of
capitalism, and the
pères, undiscriminating use of material.
Political songs have thus tended develop outside the folk circuit for example, CND songs and WOWTCHS songs especially, those used on THE CEO ECOS
The left has tended to concentrate on slogans. 12
the propagandist potential of songs.
One singer/songwriter whose songs are
political
Rosse son sings own political satirical songs in folk clubs, con CCTES and -TOT political benefits.
He has written three songbooks and made more records than he can remember.
JF: How would describe your politics? LR: My politics are libertarian socialist. My songs don't demand political commitment
Jon't se politics as separate other
thing:
express at sent by singing political songs.
to make people think,
JF: How do you see the TOLE of politics in the folk scene?
LF: Individual club
but there's little SHECK AUTOCOTTLE folk scene.
political tradition British folksong quite different from America.
There are the industrial ballads - some of which date from the last century
Leon Rosselson
songs which came out of the pits — but this is a small tradition
Kural songs are more popular. Many of
around InE clubs aren't really worth singing they're merely nostalgic, or perhaps easy chorus songs.
Some songs are sexist 100. Some compéres and
portones make sexist comments.
Women normally go to folk clubs but come along because Frankie Armstrong is singing, won't put up with it — they challenge it.
Under Review
The folk scene doesn't
reflect the way things have
changed over the past ten
women's moe ment the rise of the
I think this is because
there are few HICH
singers, so few new songs.
JF: Do you mainly sing
in folk clubs?
LR:At least half of my
work is ourside folk clubs
politica things
CND concert
sang at the Labour
Party Conference - while
the voting for deputy
leader was taking place!
Also foik festivals
Frankie Armstrong, Roy
For the good of
the nation
or the Good of the Nation by Leon Rosselso and Jeff Perks contains songs and poems writ ten over the past five years.
The songs are capitalism and all it stands for in Britain -patriotism and the monarchy. religion, racism, sexism, the press, the police, advertising and consumerism, war and nuclear weapons.
poverty of working people in this country:
I can't afford meat on the money 1 earn And I'm growing steadily thinnes But it's all for the good of the nation
y black workers in South Africa and Namibia, are describ ed in 'Who Reaps the Profit?'
We drown in the dust We choke in the heat Our skin grows sore: our tunes rot You take the uranium out of the earth You throw the corpses in ....
"Barney's Epic Homer' perience work in our society as alienating and grinding. Press, ture very day the sales rot ane
Turning little piggies into plastic-packaged sausages
To sell in the helport canteen i a different mood, so doe
'ork Harder
So that the turners of wheels may die of boredom every day. every day.
His description of the monarchy is apt:
The solemn, sacred emptiness, the monumental yawn
And the stime exuding daily
Bailey and 1 went to the Vancouver Festival in July. It was very political -not like an English
JF: Your next record is about opposing nuclea: power? with Frankie Armstrong Roy and a number o I other singers. overlap with nuclear weapons. But we're planning a that will be specifically anti-nuclear weapons SOOn The release date of Nuclear Power No Thanks is 1 November it might be out earlier. blistering attack on
In the title song, Rosselson denounces the increasing
The conditions of workers in other countries, especial
describes how people ex-
lift, early shift and late shift
•Why Workers Must
฿....
1. The state of the nation is all my concern SUT HE TOT 19030 PUMPED THOSE I can't afford meat on the money i ear And I'm growing steadily thinner, But it's all for the good of the nation
The nation, the nation The nation is in such a terrible state, Stagnation, inflation,
2. The balance of payments worries me sick When I'm freezing to death in the bus queu Ill be ice if the bus doesn't come double quick But 1 know there are things a man must do, When it's all for the good of the nation
The nation, the nation The nation is in such a terribie state Stagnation, inflation,
3. The lack of investment keeps me awake I can hear the rain drip through the ceiling My bedroom's an igloo, the floor a lake Put Em warmed oy tais wondertu teenng anat is an tor we good or the nanon
The nation, the nation The nation is in such a terrible state
4. The stock market's jumpy, the outlook is grim And my body with sorrow is smitten
He died for the good of the nation.
The nation, the nation The nation is in such a terrible state Stagnation, inflation, cov This is a great songbook for singers -of the words being set off by simple catchy tunes
down and read.
plus six other songs by Rosselson
includes old favourites such as 'Stand Firm
- 'A Question of Numbers, as well as newer songs.
tunity for witty introductions and asides dead.
Rov Bailey include That's Not the
knew Who the Enemy was.
Fuse Records', 28 Park Chase, Wembley, Middx.
THE GOOD OF THE NATION
If we all pull together, we li once again make Britain Great. If we all pull together, we 11 once again make Britain Great. If we all pull together, well once again make Britain Great
I won't last the winter, I've hummed my last hymn,
If we all die together, we 1l once again make Britain Great
from the sycophantic slugs And the Coronation ash-[r01s and the Coronation mugs...
Nothing is spared, nothing is sacrosanct. Few of those of us with a Christian upbringing, however firmsly we nave rejected it, will fail to be shocked by "Stand up for Judas':
Judas sought a world where no one starved or begged for bread The poor are always with us Jesus sald
The songs are complemented by artist Jeff Perks' striking graphics. Particularly memorable is the book's front
- the complexity
But it's also a songbook which you can buy just to sit
"For the Good of the Nation" is also the name of Leon Rosselson's latest LP. It was recorded before a Yorkshire folk club audience and at the 'Beyond the Fragments' con ference. It has five songs and a poem from the songbook
Covering much the same themes as the songbook, i bomb song written in 1964 and still frighteningly relevant
The live-recording format gives him plenty of oppor
ROY BAILEY's fine voice joins with Rosselson's on the first track Let's Give Thanks and FRANKIE ARM STRONG, a feminist singer well-known for her work in
sings in some of the choruses.
All three have been doing concerts and gigs together all this year. The next one is at the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn described as tan anti-nuclear show to raise the spirits of the
Other satirical political records by Leon Rosselson and
Way it's Got to Love, Loneliness and Laundry, Palaces of Gold, and if /
If you have problems obtaining any of these, write t
Page 15 scan of this page
Free the
By Chris Guthrie THE CAMPAIGN to free the Bradford 12 received a big boost on Thursday 22 October when five more defendants were finally given bail, after languishing in jail for almost three monpicketted by 100 people from Bradford 12 sup- ths. The committal proceedings port groups from around the country.
The Bradford 12 are young black militants, facing charges of conspiracy
cause lamage and grevous bogny nan ana
Bma. Ther charges exDIOS VES. These carry maximum sentences of life imprisonment.
The twelve were arrested al the end of July following the alleged discovery by the ponice ol a box of petrol-filled milk TALLIC ground in Bradford, SOLUC waste Squatters offered homes by GLC
By Piers Corbyn
SQUATTERS in the contentious Elgin Avenue
estate in Paddington, West London have been of-
fered rehousing by the Labour-controlled Greater
London Council.
plans to sell off the council houses on the estate, in
defiance of election pledges. The GLC maintained
they had no option but to sell the houses after tak-
ing "advice" from Tory lawyers.
Dimson GLC
effected houses in Elgin Avenue were
intending to carry through the sale of these houses. Winston Rose -
Winston Rose's mother at her son's funeral
said to be texamining papers relating to
the unlawful killing of the 27-year-old
black, Wirston Rose.
Winsion died in a police van on 13
July. Last week a corner's jury declared
he had been unlawfully killed.
Although a jury is nor allowed to
name anyone when it delivers such a ver-
dict, there is no doubt who it had in mind
when it announced its judgement - the
11 police officers who chased Winston,
grabbed him and finally threw him in the
back of their van.
What made the
committed no crime. He was said to be
mentally ill, and the police had been call-
Bradford 12
had been
After their arrest the twelve were subjected to racial abuse by the police and wels not allowed to see relatives or solicitors tor two davs. The police claim that they extracted two 'statements" from the defendants dur ing this period.
Yet from the start all the defendents have pleaded not guilty. No petrol bombs were used in the minor incidents in Bradford on Il July. None of The squatters had protested against the GLC's
After a meeting on 19 October beiween the
squatters, GIC leader Ken Livingstone, Gladys
housing chairperson, and wo council officers, the squatters in occupation of the
promised alternative accommodation. But the GL.C are still
will there be a prosecution?
THE Director of Public Prosecution is ed to take him, by force, to a mentol
hospital.
choking on his own vomit.
meat".
case all the more scandalous was that Winsion Rose had take place now will mean demanding PC
are indicted for the killing.
the defendents have any previous convictions for petrol bomo or explosive offensives.
Thẻ prosecution has explicity drawn out the political aspects HEC trial. First. conspirac) charges which were mad infamous by the case the Shrewsbury pickets can bi used for political ends. Under these NOL have committed crime if you merely discuss breaking the law.
Worse, you can then receive a longer SE TenCE than if you had actually committed TENE DICHN Evidence which is not normally admissable, such as from one defendant about anomer and mne politica! beliefs of the defendants,
No Comment
HTT HEe SOLER DESCE ed as showing leadership DOCHAE UCH H PCIEO bomb into the nath of a car, Calder Juvenile Court hearing today.
The 16 year old boy from Halifax CETE LEE having a petrol bomb ana using COREUCI likely breach the peace He was fired E50 and ound over in the sum o SUZUE BITE EEEGTEE ne nau nor peen given a custodial sentence, chairthe SEPTES GEE oI Mrs Mildred Berry T00510 told him, as they felt he PF 14. and did not wish to impede suited 10
This career.
Halifax Evening Courier, 14 October.
This force included PC John Young locking his arms round Winston's neck for two minutes. Winston died through
This was caused, the court was told. by a lack of oxygen because no air could ger inromen io ms moun or nosewitress told the court that Winston was thrown into the police van 'like a piece oy
Thora Rose, Winston's widow, said after the inguest, "Thank God this hasn'r all been swept under the carpet.
To make sure such a cover-up doesn 't
John Young and others in his police gang
News
can be used in evidence.
MCCOne the sucens lirevi sl used
by prosecution to deny DALEG one of the defendants was
volved in political demonstrations around the Brad ford 12 campaign. Even now one of the conditions defendants is non-attend ance any public
meetings or involvement i
ny political activit
The Bradford 12 case involves by, TaRCHOs. serious of all those charges arsing trom the summer upsiring. It is an attempt to stamp on all black peo
fighting for their rights, and to criminalise black activists leading that struggle.
The granting of bail is one important victory.
Campan wi go oI and be strengthened unti the trial is stopped and the charged are dropped.
For further information contact: London Support Group, c/o 54 High St, Southall, Middx.
Cheques payable to:
Bradford Support Group (London)
By Dominic Costa, Westminster Hospital, ASTMS group secretary THE Tories' biggest ever hospital closure plan was forced into temporary retreat, last week.
The occupation work-in by the workers at Si Mary's Hospital, Paddington, West LOCUT forced the management to NASTAWIL LECA LO CIOSO over half the 300 acute medical and surgical beds and the ssembl depart-
nent by 19 Octobe
The rank and file ocCHOCE. CH..C which has the official
NUPE DALNILI GWU. COHSE and By Al Walker, Vice Chairperson, Liverpool NALGO AT A meeting on 21 October. Liverpool's City Council agreed to hold talks with the local government workers unions, NALGO, on the typists and machine operators dispute.
This was a real step forward for the 400 women employed by the City Council who have been on strike OVCT three months over regrading claim.
Despite the fact that ine strike has caused massive disruption to local administration in the City,
By Paul Highfield
WORKERS at
Talbor plant notched up a small, but
signuficant victory last week.
The entire 350 strong workforce on
the plant's "pickle line' had been on
strike for a week in support of four co
SATE HAO NOO TECE MCKEL BE BOU
production performance'
day, the four were reinstated. pending
talks
Precisely what was meant by
production' unclear.
works. the pickle line
doubled its productivity over the
vear, Even Norman Tebbu, the Tory
government's new union hit-man, used
the example of Port Talbor workers as a
striking example which
follow during the Tories TV broadcast
Tast week
For the workers, the increase in pro-
ductivity has been achieved at enormous
cost. In just over a year the number
employed ar the plant has fallen from
12,000 to 5,000. Safety standards have
declined dramatically, and workers are ASTMS - first heard of management's climbdown from lance drivers' convenors.
The ambulance workers had played an important role in the dispute by continuing to bring paGents to the hospita in de fiance of management's assistance that wards were closing.
Nurses, sisters and ancillaries had also •continued to accept admis-
A step forward for Liverpool typists
Liverpoo Council's
Liberal leader, Trevor Jones. had always been opnosed resuming negotiations or gOmE TU arbitration
BUl a the Council meeting, Liberal
drew back from supporting Tory proposal to sack all the typists if
Steel victory
aren't even trained British Steel's Port
throughout British Steel
stay open.
But last Fri-
apanst such concHions
poor Local union officials Port Talbot InCaed has return to work
past
others should
go back as a branch,
leagues'
This
St Mary's will stay!
March for St Mary's - day of action on 3 October
sions Stoine waro. and
treat the patients. A suc-
hospital workers and their
supporters COS C.OOCE
which included a protest
maren was a turther en-
couragement to resist
closure.
The effect of such
brescire was seet0
middle of last weck with
TC HEWS EASI
had indefinitely postponed
the closure plans. Bút this
doesn't mean the dispute is
over
Last Friday, manage-
ment SCIO CUEL
sultants persuaded junior
doctors at the hospital to
implement a "treat and
they didn't return to work
in the next month
Labour Party
Group called for the re-
opening of negotations
with NALGO and, if thesc
failed, an agreement to go
to arbitration.
At a further meeting
berween the Council and
NALGO on Monday
October, the City Council
leaders rejected the
union's proposal for fur-
ther negotiations but were
preparea to agres so 30i
Form of arbitration.
The form of arbitra
tion will be determined by
doing angerous jobs for which they
The workers are also operating under a constant threat of closure, strip plants
are forced to compete with each other to try and ensure that it will be their plant which will
Now there are signs of a fighrback
Last month c section at Llanwern walked out in protest against the harsh management regime
hastily cobbled together a deal to get their members to
Then came the strike at Port Talbo over the four pickle line workers. David Jeffs, union branch secretary of this section vowed, 'If we go back to work, we
and that means everyone, including our four sacked col
determination has paid dividends. The outcome of the strike shows that despite all they have gone through in the last 18 months Welsh steelworkers are by no means defeated.
transfer policy → to treat patients, but transfer them to nearby hospitals.
Other management manoeuvres could follow.
Accordingly, the occupation committee remains in existence, a 24 hour picket is being maintained and a solidarity conference on 21 NOvEmDCE IS gontE ahead For the moment St Mary' will stay open, but the fight is not finished yet.
Me
contra, aro satani
from the Occupation Con mittee, St Mary's Hospital Harrow Rd, London WS
the NJC. But the terms of reference are to be worked Liverpool T ALSLTU and the City Council.
This could prove to be a sticking point since the union will reject a simple comparison with DELCI local authority workers.
They will argue for comparability with othe public and private secto workers and tor a whol range of considerations such as low pay and equal opportunities, to be taken into account Socialist Challenge 29 October 1981 Page 15
Page 16 scan of this page
Challenge
FOR
BL workers have had enough of falling wages peed ups and job losse
hey have had enough o
deals bet ween their union leaders and management. They've had enough of this government.
When the BL workers voted to come out on 1 November, they knew they would be heading for a massive confronta tion with the government. They knew they had been let down by the leadership of their unions time and time again.
But such was the anger and frustration at the derision and COMI tempt thrown at them by Edwardes with his paltry 3.8 per cent increase on the basic rate, the workforce knew that national strike action was the way
istured as a newspaper with the Post Office
BL: ALL
OUT -
VICTORY
WHATEVER the outcome of behind the scene manoeuvrings on the part of Duffy and Edwardes in the BL dispute, one thing is certain. The overwhelming vote in favour of strike action for f20 across the board increase was a vote to take on Edwardes once and for all
to win.
Terry Duffy, president of the engineering union and Grenville National Officer of the Transport Union, only too aware of this growing mood resistance in the ranks of BL workers. they were forced to announce official support for the strike even before the vote was taken But the union leaderships don't want strike. They will be looking for a deal.
As Duffy said in an interview Mirror (25 October): the first time wardes) hasn't when there's been a pro blem. After all this time and the trouble we've sorted out together...
London N1
Socialist
Able for both and Duffy certainly be trouble for the Tories. stakes in this dispute.
A win for workers will massive victory for the whole working
lawley. will be a green light for all
the other
were the pipeline
miners, and of authority workers in particular.
That is why It will be a massive limit that 4 per center limit that ment is trying to impose on the public sector Buta defeat for the BL workers will be a green this light for the Tories to continue anti-working policies. the Sunday Full support
'It's workers at BL from the he (Ed. entire labour movement.
rung Ass or Kicking the
process Dufty. kicking wardes and kicking out the Tories.
For use in case of pay demands
A strike now is trou-
Edwardes
and it will
There are big
the BL be
class. It
pay claims in X.
the £1.95) local
govern8 issues: EI
six months: £7
their vicious There has to be class Delete as approprate
for the Name ...
Address kicking out
out Ed-
officer,
BL workers case.
Socialist
Challenge
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Organising to win
By TGWU Jaguar Steward, Leyland Action Committee. BL'S SENIOR stewards meeting on 22 October, formally endorsed the massive vote for national strike action from the shop floor. They decided to exempt five plants under formal notice of closure. These plants will not take part in any future votes on the pay claim.*
Transport union national
Grenville Hawley, reported plans to set up a national strike committee and to issue a pamphlet outlining the
urged -ATTEST
An Autobiography
He also spoke of the need to make the preparations to occupy any plant threatened with liquidation and called on the senior stewards to go back and organise effective picketing
Picketing is obviously the first priority and steps are being taken this week to ensure the complete shutdown from 1 November. District strike centres should be set up in cach arca, district strike committees should be elected to link up the plants and to keep in touch with London.
As well as pickets, further steps are important to actively involve the membership in winning the dispute. Regular strike bulletins should be issued in every area to provide accurate information. Weekly report back meetings for all strikers should be organised as when stewards normally meet their members at work.
means
BREAD
LINE!
Steps should also be taken to include strikers dependants in such meetings to make sure that they understand the issues at stake and are united in supnort of the claim
The clash at BL is correctly against Edwardes but aiso against union bashing supporters in the Tory government. It will be vital for BL strikers to campaign for and organise massive support from other workers and from the Labour Party
Delegations should be sent to other factories to seck support. Workers with their own claims outstanding, Fords,
CUTECES local authority and so on, must be
press for action alongside BL
ROAST
Edwardes
Demands must also be raised for national trade union ac-
oppose Edwardes threats of mass sackings and closures
If the BL workers are beaten everyone will suffer. If we win, only Edwardes and the Tories will suffer. * Rover SDI. Morris Engines Coventry, Alder, Hemel Hempstead, Speke Noi and Cardiff Parts are the exempted
← Socialist Challenge No. 218, 22 October 1981Socialist Challenge No. 220, 5 November 1981 →