Socialist Challenge No. 224, 3 December 1981
The scan: sc-no224.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 LONGBRIDGE STRIKE Stand up
No. Z24 3 December 1981 25p Unemployed and strikers 10p
Socialist
for our
rights
'They're trying to treat us like slaves -now we're going to stand up for our rights.' That was the reaction of one of Leyland's Longbridge workers to the attempts of BL management to chop workers' tea breaks.
The company claims that the cut in tea breaks is needed to pay for the 39-hour week.
But in reality Edwardes and BL management are trying to use the recent defeat of BL workers over the annual wage claim to put the boot in.
They want to force up productivity through increasing the speed of the track to backbreaking proportions, and making tea breaks so short that there's not even time to have a pee!
But Edwardes' attempts to ride rough-shod over the unions and the workforce has come a cropper. The attempt to get the workers back
to work failed miserably last Monday when an extra 2000 workers joined the strike.
The extraordinary solidarity and determination of the Longbridge workers shows that they ve had enough of speed up, cuts in real wages and redundancy.
The hard line of BL management fits in nicely with the 'get tough' union-bashing policies of the Tories. Over the past few years, Edwardes has been in the forefront of the campaign to weaken union organisation. Derisory pay increases, plant closures with huge redun-dancies, and the sacking of militants - including former Longbridge convenor Derek Robinson - have been the order of the day for BL workers.
The battle for union rights means defeating the Employment Act and the new proposals b Employment,Secretary Norman Tebbit. But i also means repelling direct assaults on workers' rights like the one at Longbridge. Tebbit, Ed. wardes - on 'yer bike.
JoBs
NOT BOMBS
Page 2 scan of this page
SDP's
high tide
By Phil Hearse
THE VICTORY of Shirley Williams in the Crosby
by-election is the product of unique cir-
cumstances which will never be repeated. Her
statement that the Labour Party is collapsing
and that we are seeing the emergence of a
new two party (Tory-SP) system is the ex-
cusable product of election-night excitement.
Nonetheless, a whole series of electoral
trends show that the SDP-Liberal alliance is
here to stay. and that we have definitely
entered the era of a 'three party system'.
Why precisely were the Labour Party and the
SDP able to bring off such Tories.
a spectacular coup in Cro- That there is massive
sby. Crosby, including the blue-rinse scaside town of Tories is casy to explain. disaffection the
Formby, has always been The most unpopular
*Some of the figires COVETIETE living
memory is bound to pro.
give an indication why. It duce electoral catastrophe.
s one of the constituencies Sections of ruling class
with the highest rate opinion, particularly those
nome ownership associated with industrial
More than sixty per around 70 per capital, are toying with the idea of at least temporarily cent or the electorate are in shifting their allegience to the *professional and the SDP. managerial' category and But why has the it has an age distribution Labour Parly apparentl TO match, Organised Christianity got into electoral difficul- ty. with only a narrow vic-
is particularly strong, with 30 per cent of the com- the LUNCHE near-collapse of the Warrington, and
Crosby is the kind of con- being Catholics. vote Crosby? Croydon and suluency could never win this side of that Labour doesn't present Labour obviously a united
ine millenium: it is the sort and coherent political hne. of constituency that the extent, there Tories thought they could some truth the right never lose. wing that
"internai bickering" is harSwing ming Labour's electoral
But this so-called The widespread LTL- bickering is the product of popularity of the Tories' the leadership's refusal to
policics in the accept conference decimiddle class found its ex-
sions, and their insistence pression in the swing to the middle class SDP. Labour and socialist ideas. resisting, democratic found itself in third party squeeze, as the minority of working class a classic resisted at a local level by cannot be
voters swung behind the SDP to unseat the Tories. Labour matter how candidates. left wing.
One voter told BBC They are bound to reap the whirlwind of betrayal by television: would VEER the national leaders. Labour, but I don't think they have a chance. there is a striking process Beyond that, however,
The SDP had the fur- of differentiation going on ther advantage of their
lost popular and media eted Icader as their can among porters, Labour and this sup- was
didate: and to clinch it all, demonstrated at Crosby. the one candidate with Truth strong Christian credentiais, a Catholic to boot!
Still, this admittedly It is a process of the unique cumstances were a product SCI cir- hardening out of a com mitted minority SUOUSEL of massive trends at a na- ing the left and Bep firmiy tional level which reveal porting the that the politicisation of the Dism, with British cconomic crisis is disorientation and scep indeed establishing the ticism among the mass of SDP as the third party. Labour voters.
In Crosby, the largest United election meeting was that
of Tony Benn, which 1800 people attended. The se
Since the SDP's crea- cond largest was that of ton eight months ago, the Heffer and Foot which Non 50 percent or all the Democrats 1300 people attended. The
SDP and Tories never COUTCLE by-elections managed more than 1100. which they have stood. But Labour got just.over
The months have over the 5,000 votes! past COLE sistently received around The conclusion which 40 percent of the vote in Labour's right wing will these by-elections. And in that period their rating in draw is that it is necessary
• re-occup the "middle ine opinion polis has con- round' of British politic tinually been over 40 cent, as opposed to 25 30 The truth is the op-
posite. Without uniting per cent each for the around a coherent anti-Socialist Chatlengu 3 December 1981 page 2
capitalisa praject, Labour
always go down to defeat at the SDP. The drive to defeat ICE OR TEE the SDP cannot be carried through with Labour policy in disarray.
The concensus among political observers is that ine next parliament will see three major parliamentary blocs. Whether that is true or not, Labour's fate depends not only on put ting forward a electoral alternative, crucially on the balance of class forcer which created between now and the tall of the Tory government, together with the balance of political forces inside the Labour Party and the trade unions. Aid
The iwa be separated. It the working class is continually defag. ted on the industrial front,
2110 fightback against unemployment takes COLACE the ensuing passivity will massively aid the SDP and Labour's right wing.
This situation poses a number of urgent tasks for the Labour left. The first is to refuse to shut up shop until the election is over.
That would be a gift to the TIEN wing. and moreover virtually suranee : a big SDP suc
second, Socialist Chalente has continually is to
the weight Labour left inside all the partial and embryonic struggles which are emerging unempioyment. These can be crucial levers to fight the trade union bureaucracy, which can itself start transform the relationship Of forces in the Labour Party.
RAVING LOONY PARTN
WELL DONE It's the Conservatives - they'd like to form an alliance'
Home News
For example 800 AUEW branches have now signed the appeal for the union leadership to support Laurenc 7C01 This support is the most significant blow
the Duffy-Boyd leadership for ycars.
The second task for the Labour left is to organise itself more coherently to impose an anti-capitalist
3111 Caldwell
alternative the parliamentary leadership Without the masses feeling that Labour can start to solve their basic problems, the fight against the SDP is lost.
To carry through these tasks, the proposed new Organisation of the Labour left, uniting the lett in the consituencies, unions and parliament can pias a wilal role. But it must base itself on mass SELLELL not manoeuvre; and it must open itself up to a debate about what precisely con stitutes a programme 0. anti-capitalist policies -to solve the crisis in this period Risks
The transformation taking place METHICS politics is a fundamental one. Such a political crisis inevitably opens up both massive opportunities and huge risks for the working class. Socialists must raise their horizons to meet the possibilities inherent in the present situation, and if necessary it means raising their horizons above vic tory or defeat in the next election
The SDP will not survive its first period in of-
fice: its policies are those appropnate to capitalism in boom, not in crisis. In office. cither alone coalition, it cannot but be forced to apply austerity policies.
Resolute
The SDP's attempt to
"new" policie, which 'break the mould by ransacking the last 30 years of British political history is singularly unconvincing.
Shirley Williams in her clection-night speech quoted Dryden "nothing can stop an idea whose time has come*
Dryden was of cours talking about the return o Charles Il to the throne But the Restoration failed to alter the fact that the monarchy was ides whose time had past!
The political polarisation between radical left and right-wing solutions to the crisis will continue
next decade must taken with the king resolute socialist policie: which can initiate the tran. sition to socialism
Page 3 scan of this page
SqO! J0,
sando
poos
-ped
ta tn tan da tn sqor pr sandre
Supung noddns
pue SumIstA
алам palatans IE OS 01 SOOSIP J0
000'S 1080
PInOM алеч
ladue puE
"sato ! ing OSTE 18
KIORA SJOYJOM шол
pue
•UM01
HOOC Ino toddus *11035 pum
Baader 10g Sunyy 01 puatap 04)
ISTOS
inoge моч 01
pue
magel
11005 SANON pue wo!
шОл]
Kepuns
pInoyS
Sunoá ue Jog ardoad
права з по ATEM
им рагузац sем 5101 Калош SEM
SATON uo
3M11
sqo!
u!l ee
•UL DaCU - SABMATeI 0U1
au1 t0 Jo
patosu 1,upip
Be toddas
DA 305
I!Чd
VIROIE BAOAADULMOHS
B 1e
u!
1315310 HOSEN ALI
Kep 1uaм цаполці 341
dois oi sn Buyes 11C3 DUPE
HOO M
Quo sdnous 1421 supete
Isnt чрЕм 350U1 ajdo
Kuuny pey Maj
sip PElUEM 01 • snasp Кродклала au1 uo
XJOM 01
studan pna Клал
Jo Jasue
pue
04151131123 Suno/
e saor
SSadXE
monitod
sn 315
jamn e
челол
VRUT WEE AUTOTEIOE
SEU
SH! 086L 'saba je
0j 4/01
Bunday
Page 4 scan of this page
/ Toni Gorton HE YEARS of disappointent, frustration and use that drove Brixton's suth into battle with ›lice earlier this year will not : answered by the proposals Lord Scarman.
They are too little and too te - "mere tinkering' as Daris Howe, one of the better1own spokespersons of the ack community puts ore than this, some recomendations are threatening to vil rights.
The significance of the GLIS be lost on anyone. ley break itish society by large sections of the ast oppressed of the inner cities. Provoked beyond endurance by e massive police operation Swamp
black youth were joined by lites in street battles unprecedenico the British mainland this century.
Immediately the government callupon Baron Scarman of Quat to vestigate and make recommendauns.
In its eyes the task was fourfold; st to obscure the depth of the social isis; second, to defuse belief that itish society was racist and thereby aw the traditional leaders of the ack community back into colsoration; third, to clean up blic image of the police, anges in their practice and authoriso as to make them more effective; #TIN strengthen the laws zard to public disorder" which they rsee will be needed in the future.
Scarman has done a good job for e Tories, apportioning blame in an en-handed way.
He has met with an almost univerlly positive response from edia, police and parliament.
But this liberal minded Lord has jected some of the fundamental mands thrown up in the course of iblic debate.
He has retused to acknowledge e deep-seated and institutionalised cism of British society; has refused recommend that the Special Patrol roup be disbanded; has refused the reater London Council control over e Metropolitan Police Force; and fused to argue for a massive injecon of public resources to provide yes, schools and jobs in the inner ties. sals threaten democratic rights. For And further, 30I8G of his ablic Order Acte iblic would cessity for organisers of demonstraons to inform police of their plans id would remove from the law any cessity of the police to prove that crious" risk exists to public order om a march,
Ted Knight, leader of Lambeth buncil, most clearly exposed Scaran's "solutions'. He pointed out at unemployment in the borough d increased by per percent in the ist year and teenage unemployment id increased by 40 percent since pril.
"What he fails to spell out is the onomic realities under which the cal 15 attempting serate, Knight said.
'He ignores the pertinent fact that ambeth is one of the inner roughs which has been malised by Mr Heseltine since onservative government came into wer.
Knight summed it up as a 'no hope port'.
cialist Challenge 3 December 1981 page 4
Scarman-
mere tinkering'
Scarman documents many of the factors which led to the racist breakdown in relations between the
He believes that there are two
the
well-known principles of policing a free society, consent and balance; and independence and accountability.
For him, the priority of the police must be to maintain public tranquility" and law shouldn't put this at risk. *Let justice be done, though the it. heavens collapse may be apt for a judge, says Scarman but it can lead a policeman into tactics disruptive of the very fabric of society.
In this context, Scarman seeks to
April ensure that the
with the community.
leave this to chance so he proposes that consultation is
But consultation will only be with acceplable bodies and he calls forinvestigation into the local Community Relations Councils which he sees as too readily influenced by extreme political views.
The police moved in advance of the Scarman report to propose that they would welcome an 'independent" presence on the police complaints board. This is one of the most sore points of public contact with police.
BEne making
in the impose a
to
city savagely
the
Many
enforcement
the police.
police are 'sensitive"
He is not going to community
mandatory by
end of the wedge.
ongoing
discrimination.
ANTI RACIST NEWS
The real issue is of course accountability and who controls the police Scarman is against the GLC having
responsibility for London's police on the amazing grounds that parliament wouldn't like it.
Russeil Profitt, a black London councillor, raised his objection to the whole concept of community policing. He was concerned that when the police started running the youth clubs and recreation centres (as happens in Handsworth Birmingham) that this amounts to police control of the com munity and not community control of
This is what we have to watch out for — the integration of the police into the schools, youth facilities and
organisations. The recommendations of the Scarman report, if acted upon could be the thin
The report raises some other questions which could be the basis of
debate and discussion especially around the idea of positive discrimination to enable black people to overcome their heritage of racial
All in all Lord Scarman has constructed a skillful cosmetic job on the discase-ridden face of British society - but it won't cure the patient.
FION
What Scarman proposes
BRADFORD 12.
• improved vetting of candidates for police to eliminate racial discrimination • extending training period to six months • racist behaviour to be grounds for dismissal • continued use of Special Patrol Group and 'stop and search' powers • statutory requirement of consultation between police and community • London police to continue to be directly under control of Home Office
• supports use of water GAGGED
cannon, CS gas and plastic bullets • compilation of statistics on ethnic minorities by census and local government • press authorities to review coverage of disorders • random checks by lay persons into interrocation and detention of suspects in the police stations • reform police complaint procedure - introduce an independent element • against a new Riot Act • Public Order Act to be amended: - advance notice or a procession -delation of 'serious' from Support the national demonstration eatic oreer test on 12 December in Bradford. selective bans on marches
AssemDie Is Manninonam car For further information phone 01-571 4920
Page 5 scan of this page
Count down with Arthur
By Toni Gorton
next president of the
Mineworkers.
thur Scargill.
This won't be due to
given tiport far from le
given far from it!
Scargill has faced a barrage of hostile publicity
some of it traceable back
the National Coal
boara usell
At his final campaigning meting in Sheffield on
28 November, he told 2000
miners that a NCB public relations officer had plac-
ed the print order for the Lancashire Miner
one-off publication which attacked him supported another candidate.
Despite this sort of op position, the meetings of
Scargill have regularly attracted between 400 and 1000 people.
In Sheffield with Tony Benn on the platform, Scargill declared that in order achieve his policies "miners need leaders responsive members views and committed to democracy and accountabilit
•Above all leaders who are prepared to fight for those they are privileged to
In a reference to retir-
WORKERS at Staffa Products who have been fighting to keep their factory in Leyton decided this week to return to work on the basis of a much improved management offer.
to move from its position to close the Leyton factory. Only the date has changed.
The outline of the deal is as follows. Workers will return to work witha guarantee of a minimum of Six months men our a maxunum or twelve months.
During the first SIX months people will be encouraged to take voluntary redundancy.
After twelve months, production will be transferred to Plymouth
offer COLETI made. Workers will now have the choice taking orioinal deg double basic redundancy pay plus E1000, or basic redundacy plus one half of a year's wages.
In general the second offer will be worth an average of E1300 more
Other aspects of the of fer include: • Full holiday entitle-
BiD
TASTE
CORMACITE
VOTING has begun to decide who will be the
National Union of
Even the bosses and the Tory press are forc ed to concede that the likely victor will be Ar-
president, JOC TOTHECY said: The union needs a leader who does not come out of pay and say on the doorstep he does not
Staffa- workers accept offer
Unfortunately the management has refused
ment will be granted for Christmas. • Full holiday entitlement will be given for next whenever people leave. • Management has fered a seven per cent wage * There is agreement for recriminations on either side* • The unions in their turn Tral an eatene bask asked to imand external black. ing. They must also cooperate with the move.
Having to increase its offer shows the problems that management is running into with the stopping of all work on its and the blacking of its products.
Management's discomfiture was increased WICH right wing Labour MP for Leyton Bryan
believe there is any more cash available.
Arthur Scargill, elected may serve as presi-
years unless his own objec
BETC terms translated into constituTHE CHEES
His election will be seen to be significant in the industrial and POLICE battles to come - and not only the miners think that. Magee did a complete LOULL ECL
He withdrew his unconditional support for management and raised a demand pressed on him by the Staffa workers that thi government grant of f4m Some De blocked
It was on the basis of this thet Staffa decided to move opera tions to Plymouth with net loss jobs and the destruction of one third of all manufacturing jobs in East London.
The problems that management might face were already anticipated in a report drawn up by consultants, Hay Com munications, to prepare all the details of the closure.
were that the workers would get their hands on the report.
Phase 1 report on 24 April revealed 'certain parts are critical to Staffa DUCATIC INCY CARE DE SHO. contracted for production elsewhere. Where possible an excess production these parts should be mad and the stockpile moved off site.
SEEM TO FOR 1 REALL
Trade Unions
Unfortunately for management the over-time
one-day stop pages prior to the closure announcement meant that this stockpiling couldn't be properly fulfilled. The result was potential disaster for the company.
The report continues: 'Cost is not the main consideration where maintaining a market presence dur ing the switch to Plymouth is essential to company survival."
It is this loss of market presence which stared the company in the face.
The about face by Bryan Magee on top of this is a stab in the back for the company.
Until last week, Magee has been putting a promanagement line His advice to the workers run down parliamentary motion to this effect
when a counterposed resolution was tabied by Ernie Roberts which gained over 30 signatories and a big campaign began OBSESSED
in his constituency, Mageo
began to look to his own future. He is soon coming up for re-selection.
Of course, Magee has left himself whole number of escape hatches. He has written to Industry Secretary, Patrick Jenkin, asking him to review very critically his department's decision to subsidise Staf12S move
But letter simultaneously written to Stalla management he revcals the so far as to demand higher criticism which only to find other jobs , and help
to find other
His magical solution is
proach outfit
Job Creation Ltd' to find Staffa workers jobs.
His "St Pauls conversion' was only a face sav-
formula wouldn't solve his reselection problem.
Clearly major psychological ace management was the problems faced over Christmas Unfortunately it is also true that the strike leadership never successfully solved the problem of involving the ma.
No pe shaft Sha: 1. Sater jority of the workforce in
fight.
Moreover, no political Perspoonve was really hammered out which gave
the confidence that the battle could be won. The demand on the
Students occupy
against the cuts
By Chris Bertram and Alison Harris WHILE Polytechnic. of Central staff the London are threatening strike action in solidari ty with students occu-
against cuts in education, the Left Alliance leadership the National - Union 01 Students ing to knife any fight
NUS president Aaronowitch told student who were surrounding his national offices mand support for their ac tion, that they should b thankful for the luxury of student unions and that they were lucky, the cuts are even worse e sewhere"
On 20 November students at PCL went into occupation against plans by the college authorities to implement a 20 per cent cut in spending. This is to make up for a deficit o £658.000.
Polytechnics around the country Jace a 15 per cent cut to be imposed in one year and this is the first serious attempt fight back against the Tory attacks on higher educalion
On the Monday following the occupation, the Rector, Colin Adam-
SAFETY WHEN WORKING IN SHAFTS
- work in the
amus in the government to block th grant and a massive cam paign to support the objec last weede elop din b
weeks. carrying a balance sheet o the dispute in next week'! paper. sOn, called in the polic
This ed to 19 arres during level of the day and police violence the won the students much sympathy among the staf!
By occupying a secon sile in Wells St, student forced Adamson to call off the police.
At a mass meeting th following the students angrily condemn ed the NUS leadership fol its refusal to organise sup port for the struggle NUS" attempt to occup
headquarters wa frustrated but left Dav Aaronovitel doubt of what rank an file students think of hin
A writ has been served on students occupying the Regent St site and bar ricades have been put up
The students at PCI have given a lead in show. ing how to fight Tory attacks
Occupations should be generalised to other col leges up and down the country but the only wa to defeat the Tories is fo students to link up thei campaigns with the battle of worker. against unemployment.
Socialist Challenge 3 December 1981 page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
Dogs of War are readied
By Pat Kane, St Georges, Grenada NOVEMBER is an important month for the people of Grenada, as they continue to defend their revolution and push forward their 090h50 Lone.
Wednesday 11 November Angola " the when 3,000 rallied in northern Sauteaurs to celebrate the sixth anniversery of Angolan independence. Speakers from Angola, Namibie, and the Peoples* Revolutionary ment stressed the close between the liberation struggles of Africa and the Grenadian revolution.
Angola has suffered from perialist intervention, and the same threats now hang over the people of Grenada. Tension throughout the region, and the latest addition to the United States military presence here is the arrival of the aircraft carrier 'USS Barbados.
Cuba's support for the region's revolution, has resulted in the stepping up of Us threats against Cuba.
The latest attack on Cuba is the deci
Central
America
By Phil Hearse GENERAL ALEXANDER HAIG, Korea and Vietnam,
started it. Answering questions from the con-
sideration by the administration.
Socialist Challenge, 3 December 1981, page 5
Grenada - a month of struggle
mass construction
was people town
threats GOTCHE Every contacts have already joined. imSt
mounting Grenadian defence being mass and international solidarity.
Eisenhower' the of tionary youth.
national Decemoer. veteran of five star general, Secretary of State and anti-communist fanatic
gressional Foreign Affairs Committee, he affirmed that military action against the Sandinista government in Nicaragua, and even military action against Cuba, was under con-
sion of the right-wing government of Jamaics to bresk sil dip/omatic lnks with Havana. The presence of Cuban
and medica teams in Grenada is a further cause for alarm for the US at the growing links between the revolutions of this
The Grenadian people are ready and prepared to meet any military
their revolution.
Wednesday is Militia Day: and thousands of youth and workers
The PRG is sponsoring an internatonal Solidarity Conference here in
Georges, and delegates are expected from around the world. The
people see their best mobilisations
Throughout Grenada you can see the island's revoluThe National Youth Organisation is preparing for it's first
congress on 12-13 They aim to have 7,000 NYO members by the congress, and
few days later Reagan stated at his news that the US had no 'active plans for immediate. military intervention anvwhere in the world. "Active" or otherwise the United States has a number of contingency plans a series of projects to thwart the revolution, in
Central America
already they've recruited 5,200
The Nationa/ Women's Organisa. tion has also set itself targets of 5,000 members by December, and thay're well on the way to reaching
All this in an island with a TOWER total population of just 110,000/
The work of the Grenadian people will be displayed on Sunday 22, when they have their third "Bloody Sunday demonstration. This marks the day in 1973 when thugs from the old regime attacked, and nearly killed, members of the present government.
All the mass organisations are mobilising, and the demonstration will once again show the determination of the Grenadian people to defend their revolution.
Every day, Radio Free Grenada announces that November month to remember, a month of struggle. The activity of the Grenadian people will ensure that their struggles are successful.
Given that the United
States presently,
through its zero option
DrODOSalS and other
measures attempting
DECYET itself being
isolated from democratic
public Interna
tionally, actual military in-
tervention on Vietnam or
Santo Domingo lines is a
last resort.
But there are plenty of other options between
now and then
For the United States the stakes Central America are enormous.
the revolution in El
Salvador successful, given the continued deepening of revolution in Nicaragua, then Guatemala and Honduras will come under increasing Imperialist domination of the whole region will be threatened.
The southern and northern neighbours of Cen tral America among the countries which are the biggest and most important in Latin America:
L HONDURAS
this
EL SALVADOR COSTA RICA C San Je
Six Mexico is by far the richer and the less stable. Both of these countries risk being profoundly shaken by revolutionary victory.
Steps towards a Central American socialist TeneRO WOWE TOCK LIE whole of Latin America. For the United States the logic of this is implacable: Nicaragua isolated and the revolution
El Salvador must be defeated.
FOI the US the two things link together; they
Nicaragua as constituting the spiration and practical aid
the revolution Salvador.
The most likely interim step sending troops
the advisors they already have there; nor is it a direct The most likely interin The interim step is an exile-led attempt 10 overthrow the Nicaraguan government from
Isias Bahama
CUBA NICARAGUA PANAMA
Begot COLOMBIA Calamar
É ECUADOR Guayaqui perhaps the participation of elements of the Honduran army
The problem with this particular enterprise is that the Honduran ruling chique is busy attempting to give itself some cratic* credentials by staging elections: a project cer
sing Hondurassins be
Hondura: base to attack El Salvador
Whatever the precise timescale and form ofmiltary intervention. the US through Haig has served notice that it will not accept the . in Er Salvador. revolution in E
In response to this both Cuba and Nicaragua are mobilising for a possible military confrontation. In Cuba. troops have been called up, troops confined to barracks and anti-aircraft guns have been set Havana. Nicaragua is ac- roof tops celcrating the preparations of the militia, and together with the army
2 Republica
GRENADA ' Atures people are under arms
There will be no east victories for exile invasion tack from the United States.
For the United States therefore mintary tervention pose problems. In the US itself military intervention Dopular option. This would abroad is still not
redoubled by the kind of prolonged battle which would be required defeat Nicaragua and Cuba.
Internationally, the Reagan regime would beome more and more unpopular and isolated. But to be world cop or unperialism is not necessarily to take the most popular option. The task now is to make the United States pay the highest price for playing with military fire international protest can start to stay imperialism's hand.
Page 7 scan of this page
Strikes in Romania over food shortages
By Davy Jones 'THERE IS another promise and understanding: namely confrontation', warned hard-line party leader Stefan Olszowski last week. He was addressing the latest emergency meeting of the Communist Party leaders in Warsaw.
The meeting discussed a parlamentary Bill to give the government SWCCOLE new powers to deai with the independent union movement. Solidaritv The Special Powers Bill is expected include: drastic Curbs on SITSKCS prohibition non-religious public gatherings STETa LIOnS internal travel and access telecommunications, and exTenS On jurisdiction over civil TOTTE af.
1al1s.
Fight
In all, these measures threaten to provoke a maJOr controntation Solidarity. This would be reinforced il the government postpones the local clections scheduled for February next year.
The ruling party fears that independent candidates supported by Solidarity could unscat the Communist Party didates. The Warsaw branch of Solidarity has POLAND is not the only Eastern European country undergoing serious popular unrest. In Rumania too the workers wave a struggles against food shortages.
On October the Romanian government issued a decree signed by President Ceausescu which introduced harsh. penalties noarolg food. Persons holding more than OTIC CHILIES supply of food are liable to pason sentences Dr up Lo five ycars. Food
The scope of the food shortazes was turtucr indicated on 17 October by a decree which introduced bread rationing. Local autborities are to ensure that customers receive no more enan an 1÷0z оат от bread daily and 5 lbs. of maize ical per month.
In some localities food is sold only to those whose names appear list ofn
local CEDEWLILLCL residents. All purchases are recorded.
Polish workers
prepare new
crackdown
option to that of com-
drawn up proposals on TCC ALC ORS WHC NaDe put to Solidarity's national leadership this week.
In the past weeks there has been a flowering of new independent political
nationally and locally
The most significant are the fast-growing natonalist Confederation of Independent Poland
KPN), and Jacek Kuron's
for Self-Governing Republic, group with a more anarchosyndicalist character.
activists are increasingly discussing the
for ERCTT own political party to fight for the interests of the workers and small farmers. Prize
Such perspective combined with the development of the
movement is a clear alterLICIELVO favoured by Lech Walesa BIO CL
have launched a
When bread rationing was announced strikes broke out in the Jiu valley. site of Romania's biggest coalfield. The government
sent. Central Committee
Secretar Emil Bobu to deal with the strikers hut THE WOTKEES arrested him in the town of Motrul and demanded that Ceausescu himself should come.
Ceausescu's helicopter was unable to land as it was stoned by local people and had to fly back to Bucharest. The police station in Motrul was set on fire and the party headquarters was occupied
Strikes and demonstrations aiso occurred in other parts of Romania. In the town of Giurgiu, 30 miles south of Bucharest, the local party deputy secretary was killed by angry demonstrators. On 17 October there were also SUBRECS towns of
Jacek Kuron and his supporters in the Solidarity leadership. They have spent the last month discussing the idea of a government of na1101191 accord" with Ene Catholic Church and the Communist Party.
For the authorities and the Church hierarchy such
protect has drawing the independent LEILOEE HHOVCLCHLHEHLU-CUresponsibility for the Levrda, Lupoaia and Horasti
AL the beginning of November Ine party secretary for the town of Orsova was ound stabbed. Reports say that the police are out in large numbers capital Bucharest to prevent the outbreak of unrest while people queue for food.
Debt
The Romanian debt to the West
TaLOVe 510bn. If existing obligations are be fulfilled Romania will have to borrow more and negotiate debt rescheduling
It is estimated that the forcign debt could reach as high as 516bn by the end of
year. Factorics are working at 50 to 60 pcr cent of their capacity and trade with the West has declined.
In order to satisfy the need for hard currency the regime has resorted to the export of meat and other food products. The
International
crisis. It wants Solidarity to discipline its members and force them to pay for the economic crisis.
Divisions within Solidarity have intensified over these talks with the minnes odeseidansk. ZOVCTIICT Some
leadership strike cluding VELCTAE leader Andrjez Gwiazda resigned COTOESI Walesa's *conciliationism' popular view in Romania 1s that it is the state export of food which is responsible for the shortages and not hoarding.
But the official campaign against hoarding continues. Flats are raided and every night television viewers are shown scenes
homes illegal stocks of food uncovered by the police.
A group of shopper queuing for oil in front of Buchares were all atrested Leonida shop and taken to the police statien. After an identity check thei homes were searched and anyone 2033633111 itre of oil was fined more than a
The parallels with Poland are too close for comfort for the Rumanian bureaucrats.
The Romanian media, while taking its diplomatic distance from tne Russians, regularly denounces the anti-socialist activities" of Solidarity in Poland wille failing to provide information
VIRNOKL
Lech Walesa meets Edmund Maire, leader of the French socialist union on his recent trip to France
There is no doubt that the government held out
prospect power sharing as the prize to be gained through moderation, while secretly prepar ing for a new crackdown.
On Monday the SCHOEEL firetighters training school where 380 cadets had beer on strike for a week. The cadets had demanded the sensitive issues like
Sorkerity's appeal to tern
workers Eastern Europe.
The miners of the Jiu valley have a long tradition
struggle against the Ceausescu regime. In 1972 they launched revolt againt NauCEuaE OOO
Ceausescu was Torced to
Ceausescu was forced CUSHCLE the discuss with the workers in the town of Petrosani.
Cut
In August 1977 the miners went on strike against the introduction of a new Pension Law which would have cut their living standards. They demanded adequate food supplies,
6-hour working day abolition of unpaid labour and the re-introduction of rights that the miners had won in 1956 and 1957
At that time the CP Icadership sent two Cen-
OHHHTEEe CHeD DeTE Ilie Verdets and Gheorge
'demilitarisation' of the service, namely guarantees Inal Iney would nol De us cd against striking workers and students as in the past
Meanwhile 100,000 students at 71 of the coun try's 91 colleges are still on strike protesing appointment polytechnic rector Radom and over educa tional reform Bus and tram drivers in Krakow Pana to negotiate with the workers But Ine workers arrested the CC members and demanded that Ceausescu deal with them directly.
Ceausescu gave in after 3 days and come to meet a mass gathering of 35,000 miners. After 5 hours of discussion, reminiscent of Gierek's discussion with the Szczecin
WOTKCIS 10 Poland in 1976, Ceausescu gave in to their demands and promised that there would be no repressive measures taken against the strikers.
The food shortages are occurring against background of increasing economic difficulties for the Romanian regime. Romania is a member of the International Monc. tary Fund (IMF) as well as the World Bank, and has special trade agreements with the USA and the EEC Ho on oil. its
USG SLUCKS coal and uranium to acquire large amounts of hard currency
southern Poland are
threatenn, December in
strike on support of the students
Another confrontation between the authorities and the Polish workers seems likely in the coming weeks. Each confronta
more sharply the need for working class
solution to the Policcrisis. it embarked, like Poland on a programme of rapid and large scale industrialisation Agriculture was neglected CuL SamOsTeEwer sacrificed to nomina growth rates and industrial expansion. Plans
But, like Poland again, these seriously wrong. Oil self sutasency aisappeared u the mid-'70s. Plans to use tuc count s targe romm ing capacity to refine an re-export Middle East oil were demolished by the sharp rise crude oil prices nd the Iran-Iraq war
Many long-term capital intensive programmes
ASULUI SUDSIATILE hard-currency expenditure prai to suiai like the
build OWH power industr through co-operation wit
using Candu nuclear technology
Socialist Challenge 3 Decembér 1981 page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
HE left
behind
U.S. EMPLOYMENT SERVICE
THE DEMONSTRATION is a good idea we've got to show what we feel. We can't just sit ing faster than men's, we've got to fight.
In this day and age, people have to go out to work in the lamily. We don't go out to work for pin money HELO Nobody should be losing their jobs -
In our struggle at Lee Jeans, we were women fighting for jobs for everyone.
At first we weren't taken seriously people were surprised it was women. But in the end they were saying: It was
MY CLICIE showed men how to fight."
ELLEN MONAGHAN, Chief Steward, NUTGWU, Lee Jeans, Greenock
Socialist Challenge 3 December 1981
Do the job
I'm
clocking-in
-at home! and San owe wil never be IrOm
•MILK OF MAGNESIA'
I THINK THE DEMON-
STRATION is really impor-
tant. It's often left up to
women to fight anyway -
not just on women's rights
but against unemployment
as a whole.
IL's bout
Photo: GRAHAM COOKSON Labour arty got its finger
out and started organising.
ELSIE BROAD
FTAT and
Royal Pride Strike Com-
Photo: JUDE WOODWARD
THERE IS A NEED to focus attention we rate at which women are losing
their jobs fulltime. to work if they wish and a very large proportion must work to supplement a family income. ed to give up jobs to take over care of the elderly, the sick and the handicapped because this support is being the Tories.
concentrating would highlight the and bring ions of the labour movement JO RICHARDSON MP
page 8.
time the
Manchester
because
first. on the accelerazing
both part-time and Women have a right
And women are being forc-
It's
cut by the
A national event next year,
on this issuc, PrODICH support from all sec
I PERSONALLY SUPPORT the demonstration and so does the Labour Group on the GL.C
I think women should take action against unemployment
it's hitting women harder. And there is still an attitude that women should go
I went down to the Hoover factory and some people there do think that women should go first. I think this is deplorable - women must organise — we can't allow men to say this.
The march is a way of doing this and of bringing attention to the issue.
VALERIE WISE, GLC Councillor.
1 think women have as much right to a job as a man. should stay at home good sayıng women
LIE I001 after the kids → men have got kids as well — we don't go out and buy them in a super market!
I think the Woman's Right to Work march is important to point this out.
ELAINE CROSS Laurence Scott Strike Ctte
ed to set the ball rolling.
YVONNE
Why do you think the Labour Party stand on the issue of women's unemployment by calling for an event focussing on this issue?
JUDY: I think their decision reflects the impact of women's struggles over the past few years on the labour movement as a whole The against Corrie which was organised by the TUC in 1979 signalled that the labour movement prepared to begin to take a stand on women's issues.
It's really opened up the door now so that we can pressurise the movement as a whole to fight around all rights.
Is the type of national event the Labour Party is planning what you envisaged?
ELLY: The Labour Party is plan-
'WE WANT
DEMO ON
WOMEN'S
RIGHTS EVE
The Labour Party has agreed to organise a national
event on A Woman's Right to Work on June 5, 1982.
The proposal to hold a national demonstration on the
theme of a Woman's Right to Work came out of the
Festival for Women's Rights Against Tory Attacks
held in May this year. Women decided to call upon
the Labour Party and the TUC to organise the
demonstration and an Action Committee was form-
TAYLOR talked to
Challenge supporters JUDY WATSON
GORDON, who are members of the Action Commit-
tee, about the plans for the demonstration.
festival. has agreed to take a The on this. demonstration
was the event?
begin to working class focus
aspects of women's rights.
Hire
tom
THE LIFE AND TI ROSIE THE RIVETEF which could usefully for conferences and on women and ment. It's a new film being shown in En the first time. GEOF RATT went to see it.
THIS is a lively film whic major contribution that American women made to effort by working in mu tories and shipyards.
And it tells how they ed by being eased out, two Socialist and ELLY
ning, at this stage, to hold
They see the event more of an enjoyable occasio
Action Committee h always wanted a demonstratio We want the largest demonstr tion on women's rights ever. O viously this could feed into festival in one of the major par in London and we hope we c change the Labour Party's mi
What do you think is going be the major political focus
JUDY: There's quite a big chan that the Labour Party will want
on the Alternati Economic Strategy (AES) a what there is in that for womer
Within the Action Cor mittee, some of us are not ve happy with this.
We think that any national a tivity on women's rights at t present time should highlight t way women are being attack
Page 9 scan of this page
rroW
home and babies, when the conquer-
ing male heroes returned to civilian
life.
The film consists of extracts from
March Time
alternating with the reminiscences of
black and white women who tell what
it was really like to work as a riveter or
The women say how
enjoyed the companionship and sense
of achievement of working in industry
compared with the low-paid, isolated
and monotonous jobs they had earlier
held ine afteriasion de meste erice.
media is illustrated by
which, at the start of the war, show w by the Tory government's slicies. It should focus on the tys in which women are fighting ck: like in Lee Jeans, Hoover, e women who were on tople's March, Staffa, turence Scott.
Making the AES the central ncern means directing attention paper policies and away from e need for people to fight for
organised by Action
emselves. The only way to enare a future Labour government, uly committed to women's ghts, 1s by relying on mass acon both to win our policies and 3 see that they are carried out.
And you can't isolate just one spect of the AES from the rest. here are other parts of the AES hich I would be unhappy with, ke import controls.
o you think there are any pecific policies which should e highlighted by this event? UDY: I think women should use
today fired
day
tories.
and other newsreels.
woman tells bow
much they racist with
LAC SORGETILy The Life and
the newsreels the Other London WI.
LE LARGEST
FOR A WOMAN'S RIGHT to WORK
-DEMONSTRATE
5JU
FOR A WOMAN'S RIGHT to WORK
this opportunity
tion policies to be adopted. the We are and
to go unchallenged.
Public Meeting to launch A Woman's Right to Work Demonstration
Wednesday December 9 7.30pm South Bank Poly, Rotary St, London SE1
Joyce Richardson Party)
Susan Shell Fran O'Grad Judith Hunt (TASS
for policies the men.
action policies women's against
pictures of happy children taken care
while their
patriotic mothers work in the fac-
At the end of the war they em
phasise 'eight-hour orphans' who are
neglected because their irresponsible
mothers are out working in the fac-
tories. The women have done what
they were required to do and must
now vacate their jobs to make way for
One vivid incident is when a black enraged the
brutal treatment of a Filipino by a
racist naval officer, she threatens the
her burner Name and
escapes disciplinary action because of
of her workmates
10 December and can be hired from
Cinema, 79 Wardour St, to focus on positive action and to fight in the labour movement for positive ac-
facing a situation where women are often the first to be pushed out of jobs. When everybody is facing unemployment, it is extremely divisive for the labour movement to allow this Labour
open this
As socialists, we want to fight
which full employment, like work sharing on. with no loss of pay, a thirty five hour week and so on. Along with Some this we have to oppose any idea that women aren't really workers, that their primary role in society is that of wives and mothers, that women should leave the jobs for
Work.
We need to argue for positive
which assert equal right to a job: discriminatory lay-offs, greater access to retraining for women; positively encouraging
women to take up jobs in traditionally male preserves, opening up apprenticeships to women.
We should be arguing for the next Labour government to commit itself to enforce such policies through legislation.
How would you like to see the
Party organising build support?
ELLY: We hope that the Labour Party will be prepared to set up an
working party where Labour Party, trade union and women's group representatives could work together.
Wide involvement from those organisations fighting for women's rights would ensure that, while the focus was going to be on a Woman's Right to Work, all those issues which underpin
right were not forgotten. Issues such as woman's right to control her fertility, adequate nursery provision, no discrimination against lesbian women and so
women would argue that, at a time when all women's rights are under attack, it is wrong to organise a national demonstration around a Woman's Right to
What do you about this argument?
JUDY: In a situation where women's unemployment is rising at twice the rate of men's and
where women are being forced back into the home and out of the workforce, focus on this question. If women can't be economically dent then there's no way they can gain any of their other rights. It's within this context that we have to look at what's to women within the family.
The Tory attacks on social services which workload at ideological offensive mounting against mothers and wives end up meaning that women will not be allowed to go out to work. They will bo forced into a situation where the all have no choice but to stay at home
It's this attempt to reassert women's role as primarily mother and wife which will have a profound affect on every aspect of women's rights and lives.
What do you think are the next steps we should be taking to build the and how can we ensure that the original proposal for a of demonstration is also taken up?
JUDY: The Labour Party/TUC liaison committee will be meeting think soon to discuss the TUC backing the call for a festival. We want as many resolutions through Labour Party and trade union bodies calling for there to be a national demonstration as
it's crucial that we
indepen- Work. In
happening to regional
increase women's
home, the they are ing a working
Have you
locally now?
women's
Hackney,
organising festival nationally
everywhere. possible and
well, leading to the festival.
Already, regional activity is being organised in support of the slogan of a Woman's Right to
Wales, the women's sub-committee of the Welsh TUC has called a demonstration on International Women's Day. We hope that people will try to get the
TUC's to organise similar events so that we can build up to a massive event next June. The Action Committee is organis-
Public Meeting on December to launch the build up for the demonstration and on 20 February there will be a national organising conference.
Many ideas about what people should be doing
ELLY: There are already number of local conferences be ing organised around the issue.
Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle are all
conferences around women and unemployment. This is one idea that could be taken up
Local mobilising committees and planning groups with their own set of local activities to build up to 5 June will be important. We hope that the idea of focusing
national event around Woman's Right to Work will help to strengthen the existing struc tures and groups in the labour
women's movements ог perhaps will help to get them where they don't exist.
Socialist Challenge 3 December 1981 page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
Revolutionaries and th
Where you can buy
Socialist Challenge
Scotland ABERDEEN: SC available at Boom SUNDERS
let Chast aside Bos
105500
He from
tral Sia
He contact Joni
Youngion. I% Fumest Crescent s Eller Ci ni. Hamilton or Wales
JEWORT: every Sat in town sente PONTYPRIDO: 5C sales every Sa SWANSEA: SC England
par cutside she Koman Bath BIRKENHEAD: SC Labour Club, cleveland sale ar
precinct IRMINGHAM, SC on sale at The
reinto phone se BOLSOVER, Cros Keys, every Fri
*PaTrones 10 Chelentam
sale every sat
12.30pm COVENTRY: SC availisie from
ailable ar Peacework LEEDS: Sat Heading Andite Cd 10. 30.12
TOm NoW on hate from Nawa MANCHESTER a T. a S tom Nowhere
* precine and at Metro Beckon
NEWCASTLE: SC on sile every Sur
between 1-2 an, LDHAM: SC sold every saturd weside Yorkshire Bank, High Stree OXFORD: SC
What's Left
were or to percat inched ine word or f4 pe
La noblestion.
tomator rach plus postag
Youth, PO BOx 50, Li
ADGES MADE Clangow SC up
SC (Glasgow), PO Bor S0, La iocialist Challenge 3 December 1981
SHEFFIELD: 3C STAFFORD: SC on Sale Marker Sa
SWINDON: SC on t London BRENT: SC wold Willesden Junetic at 10.30 2 die Waterin Gabridge tube Mation
ones, Chiphem: Paperback Cen
vian: Oval tube kiosk, Also so
Bookshops BANGOR: Holyhead
Fourth Idea Hock BRIGHTON: The Pablic Hoose, Lit BEST Farmarks, Tid Cheter BIRMINGHAM: Cher bookshop DURHAM, City Coun FORD So Fee Bobshon 139 MILTON KEYNES: Oakieat Books OXFORD: BOA Boaks, 14 Cowley
Charlotte to hin
Owl, Kentin
гр. 328 L
a He Can ben Penta Challenge Events NATIONAL RAIL fruction, Sun 13 LACE CAREE
GLASGOW SC/Revolution Youth
Brush CNF
page 10
Following the wave of media interest in Tariq Ali's application Labour Party, Socialist Challenge asked Steve Potter, national secretary of the International Marxist Group, for his views on the controversy.
There are two major
raised by comrade
that his resignation is not of 19 November implied Morning Star report part of a sophisticated plot
the Labour Party. Tarig resigned from the IMG to join the Labour Party against our advice.
SELe HITSE question
whether Marxists should Labally Pere i Co basis Labour Constituwhatsoever for the threats of the Labour leadership to exclude Tariq from the
Many proscribed organisation.
Nor is there any party rule specifying that former members of revolutionary BEEn NaTE should te cant their views, or stand in the corner repeating "1 must believe in parliamentary democracy (as Neil Kinnock MP sug gested in a letter to the Guardian) before being
a Some Labor Mes
Some Labour
clusion because views on parnamentary democracy But never before have Labour members been obliged to believe that parliamentary activities alone could bring about socialism.
Utopian
In fact one wonders whether Tony Benn would need to be excluded from the Labour Party on this basis, ne has often stressed the need to combine activity inside and outside parliament.
Ironically Tarig and the IMG, almost alone on the far left, have polemicised against the notion that parliamentary activity was in principle 0700TLIIEISI diversionary.
We support the Labour Party being represented in parliament, though its representatives should be fully accountable to the party, unlike at present. But for us
not and terer can be i
not and never can substitute for the struggles of working people without which all talk of socialism is utopian
We believe that through the struggle for socialism working people will increasingly see the in for nighting for their in-
their interests and defending
situation more democratic institutions will mrough waica ene mass or working people will reorganise society on a socialist basis.
Every Labour Party member knows that section of clause four of the constitution which is reprinted their membership card: *To secure for the workers by hand or by brain the ful fruits of their industry and the most equitable
to join the
distribution thereof that
may be possibe upon i
basis common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange, and the best obtainable system popular administration and control of each in dustry or service
The IMG, and LOUSE fight for clause 410 be im Lane will
plemented. This is more Dham: GM COOKSON
than can be said, I suspect for most of the Labour leadership.
Exclude
The Labour leaders are rying to change the rules of the Labour Party in order to exclude Taria All.
succeed, Tarig won't be the only loser. Such restrictions will be used increasingly against all the left, and the Labour Party as a whole will suffer.
Al the moment the IMG, along with other left organisations like the Communist Party and the SWP. 1 (neither whom
Tang's
Party), is proscribed from
rule should be repealed this rule include the standing of candidates against Labour, and the question of international affiliations. The first argument is a classic chicken and egg problem for revolu tionaries.
There are supporters of the newspaper Socialist Challenge in the Labour Party members of the IMG if it were not for the bans and proscriptions.
The IMG would like to be able to oranise as cur-
within the Party and to argue for our
the basis for Labour can-
didates. Such OUCH only sosten phen cin only strengthen Labour Party.
But we are excinded
Labour and are therefore unable To intuence debates over election manifestoes and candidates. So we
International
MITTERRAND'S FRANCE:WHO'S PULLING THE STRINGS?
JACQUES KERCOAT
municipal somet CIlt & Zetkin, Valerie Couleas The Police, Tery Bunyan Labour Youth Mannen
•Labour Party
have пО alter native but to consider standing our own candidates in elections to present our ideas to working people.
This is then used as a basis to justify our continued exclusion from the party, even mouen on th few occasions, where we have stood IMG салdidates have always called for the election of
LOCALIEN council, and will continue to do so as a class vote
while Labour remains the mass party of the working class.
Tony Benn -candidate for expulsion?
I think there is a slightly artificial division between what's called purliamentary politics and grassroots
industrial politics. We must have both. I've never
believed that change is triggered off at the top
Change always begins
permeates inrough to the top.
what is going on, but they don't actually determine
the way issues develop. Insofar as the Labour
Party has become an electoral organisation through revisionist leadership, to that extent
it has failed its historic purpose.
activity and struggle with a process of persuasion
that
historical method by which the labour movemen.
has advanced in the past and the way in which it
has to do so in the future.
Tony Benn,
Challenge, 25 September 1980 €5.50
tional, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP
Tariq Ali at the recent 'debate of the decade in London
The argument on interWHETORE affiliations even more absurd. From ine very outser socialists have organised on an infront the international Capians system This even more essential in the •CTE multinationals, imperialism, NATO
and the EEC The Labour Party itself affiliated to the Second International for the same reason. It is therefore inevitable that other trends ment would have internathe bottom
The votes in the House of Commons indicates
"The combination of industrial and community
majority is the
interview with Socialist
INTERNATIONAL
November issue, 60p Tony Bunyan on the police, Val
Coultas on Tony Cliff & feminism, Jacques Kergoat on
Mitterrand's France, Steve
Marks on the crisis of Labour
councils, Julian Atkinson on
Labour's youth movements. Nicaragua, socialist cabaret and
much more
Subscriptions: 14.50 Britain, E10 Air, Surface mail, Cheques to: Interna-
tional affiliations the
early Communist Party with the Third Interna tional, and the IMG with the Fourth International.
None of these excluSionary argumena are
applied to the right wins
10S100 the who
organise openly
tions like the Labour Committed atlantic Understanding
who, like Frank Field MP call for desclected MPs to SLane - Labour candidates
Other wingers like George Cunningham MP for islington South, are BIYCHI important
parliamentary sibilities by the part leadership, while openly admit their possible
defection the anti-
Social Democratic Party
The Labour Party claims to want to unite all those fighting for the inIf so, why does pipe If so, why welcome the IMG, the CP and the SWP into its ranks to strengthen the united struggle for socialism? Why does it only let the right wing organise inside the party
Michaci Foot and the Labour leadership
epeatedly appeal for pa ty unity. The left shoul reply by demanding an end to witch hunts and exclu-
sion: and insisting tha
he Labour Party shoul be opened up to all ge nuine currents of working class opinion both Mark ist and non-Marxist.
Party
That brings the second major issue raised by Tariq's resignation, the relationship between a mass revolutionar party and the future of the Labour party.
For the broad
LIS character of the Labour Party including both Marxist and non-Marxist Currents will increasing come under strain as the economic and pol that crisis develops. sense the defections to the Social Democratic Party are just the beginning of a battle within the party bet-
Page 11 scan of this page
ween those fighting for the interests of the working class and the bureaucrats who will ally with ( ing class forces and pas-
tes.
The moura! t * Baling
pontes notning com-
pared to the likely convulsions oi society over tha coming years on the road to socialism. The Labour Party will not be immun
to undergo massive splits and recompositions as it is torn by the class struggle. IMG
It could become an instrument for the most
counterrevolution, as occurred
German Social Democratic Party after the wa Luxemmurdered Rosa Durg Crowned the German revolution in
break With it wiesent
posta o cantormid break
transformed beyond recognition into a different lype party fighting consistently for the interests of the workers in this country and internationally.
The road to constructing the mass revolutionary party to lead the masses to socialism may take many paths. What is certain is that the Labour Party figures prominently in all of them. But this whole process will not occur spontaneousis
"he British ruling class has 300 years of experience of parlamentary rule to utilise against the working class to keep Britain an imperialist power. Socialists will need to draw on all the acumulated historical experience of the workers" movement, DOLA TRIS country and internationally, to claborale a strategy for socialism.
That is why the IMG and the Fourth International insist on the need to build a revolutionary party and international now within the current struggle We have no illusions that our small forces will simply grow through individual recruitment into
+ Labour Party
and proscriptions? the future mass revolutionary tional. What we do claim 15 tnat our programme contains the basic historical lessons of the Struggles of the interna-
tional workers' movement to date. In that sense we do believe that we are nucleus for the future mass party.
On this point we have a crucial different with comrade Tarig and with other
left or never joined revolutionary socialist organisations. We believe that all the of the workers' movement clearly shows the need to build a revolutionary organisanom in oroer to DEal IOr d revolutionary programme.
There is no evidence that working people will spontancously be won to revolutionary socialist politics. Nor can "talented" individuals substitute for the building of such a parly. Countless historic opportunities tor socialist ad. vance
class leadership capable of consistentiy fighting for
STR
Will Tony Benn defend the unity of the labour movement and oppose bans interests of working people.
We will fight alongside Labour Party militants in the consistent defence of workIng people In this country and internationally.
In the course of this struggle two things will become clear: first, most of the present leaders of the labour movement will vigorously oppose taking this struggle through to its INTERCONTINENTAL PRESS
analysis of world events
Send me 6 months of IP for £11 Send me one year of IP for 12.
Send me 3 months of IP for £4.65
Name.
Address.
Labour Party
THE
Photo:
end; second, that those who are serious about the battle for socialism need to organise now. This is burning practical necessity.
The IMG believes that it should have the right, as a genuine current of opinion within the labour movement, to be a current within the Labour Party.
We see no contradiction between this and building a revolutionary party and international.
To keep up with a constantly changing world vou need IP's incisive socialist
Start my subscription now!
By Valerie Coultas and Graham
Topley
grouping rank
militants in the Labour Party,
threw out a move by Tribune sup-
porters last Tuesday to exclude
Socialist Challenge
Organiser supporters.
After a sharp debate
kind since BLE was set up a year ago
resolution calling on membership of BLI
to be based on
socialist policies, and the
economic strategy and the constitution
and programme of the Labour Party
was rejected on the grounds that it was
divisive. firm their adherence democracy' would be eligible to join.
ment. will come through
ding the interests of the working class.
The ruling class has never hesitated to use means outsid parliament to detend its terests. Its biggest wernon ha DECI INE direc sabotage by cumployers. Wher mass trade unions
ed the Saos
by the infamous Taff Vale
COISIOT
Under the last Tory government the
the warse or conspuracy to anack Des Warren and the right to picket in the Shrewsbury /case
the Labour
LESTE.
the combination of ultra-right
as
¡terpretation' of t
When the courts have no been sufficient to oppose
armed resistance The army refused, the Currac! mutiny to implement the Act
Parliament. Army
Direct disobedience to elected governments is stil
on the armed forces. When in 1974, fo example, the Protestant bigots went on strike in the North of
ment ordered the army break the strike. The army of ficers the orders
Even before it comes to such the capitalis class has own means of economic sabotag
government nationalised the steel industry blos me ele mal by refusing to hand over pro.
tranca personnei cooperating with the government.
Far Left Ban Defeated -
and
and Socialist
and extra-parlamentary -the first of its
make sure "support for democratic plemented socialist policies alternative He
support,
Parliamentary
activities not enough
MICHAEL FOOT has threatened to introduce a new loyalty clause as a criterion for membership of the Labour Party. Only those who con-
To 'parlamentary
Socialist Challenge has never attacked the Labour Party for standing for Parliament. We have always campaigned for a Labour govern-
But we have no illusions that socialism parliamentary activity alone. JOHN ROSS looks at the primary impor tance of extra-parliamentary activity in defen-
It is absurd to believe that the will obey the law where its fundamental InTerenea No
where means to resist that every single basic right been has been through action and opposition Take for CALDES Parlament seir. How were TENIS these achieved? was through a debat in the Hous of Commons. settled through a Civil War betweer the armies of Parliament and those of the King. of Parliament were gainer through the armed defeat and execution of Charles I.
The reality is totally dif-
Terese Pao grent Vote for
refused to vote opi o alse major Parliamen. was in 1866. Fift
granted. It never would have
Votes for • women wer gainco by the tremendou militant ampaig outsid arliament waged by th • Suftragette Huge
on property, imprisonment, mass breaking of the lav Thes : the means by which right women to vote was achieved The "welfare state" set up a triumph socialism . But once again the Ly o coany de TRECEDOTH 1945 was achieved through TremendOn agitation prepare on already war by the mass like Chamberlain. A strike wav develop. Huge sale: vi sucial:
CICELON DE DOTACA DESAS ! -100k place among the troops, young people and every sec. ton or ine population.
Albert Bore, prospective parliamen tary candidate for Ladywood , summed up the feelings of many in the meeting when he pointed out that the resolution was nothing but a crude altempt to try and exclude anyone from participating ir BLL who had any criticisms of the AES
He added that all comrades in the room would have no difficulty in defen-
dine participariam in tar patines. are
activities. thought a lot of people in the Labour Party at the present time were fighting to
that the Labour Party im
was adamant that once BLI started banning socialists who were ac tive in the Labour Party BLI would become a narrow grouping with little
The ICEI TERSONSTE Weilare state was accepted was expressed Quintil Hogg Tory Lord Chancellor, in 1943:
If you do not people evolutior SITE • correc FICH
trollable social struggles -WEE fear of uncor if was any attempt return to the conditions of th 1930s that class the welfare Parliament ATERICU wia i was no longer in e position to resisi Nor parliament b ироп delend workers"
government or the courts and February 197 is came out on strike
An inimense wave of 'secon dary pickets" closed down the power stations: : 40,000 Birm engineering worker: struck solidarity; 11,000 joined the picket line to close down Saltley coke depot. all this, the Parlamen reignty took place Law
-Inings really are decided was shown even mor clearly later in that summer o gave the goveri ment the right to put a stop to pickets and trade union The National Industria Courts set up unde ine industrial Relations Ac duly decided to put the law inIt ordered the imprison ment in Pentonville jail of five dockers engaged in secondary The result was a gigantic explosion, From the the arrests workers begar dozens of industries. Socks and consiruction site Ficc Street, factories. tho beire over dem. • Scared tide the TUC nordered a 2 hour general strike Amid this opposition the
pricked balloon. Like a rabbit out of a hat a totally unknows flunke the Officia Solicitor was produced by COCEICH Tocase Dete docker!
Open defiance of the law huge mass actions to defend those doing it, achieved what
never could. From then on thi backbone of the Industrial Relations Act had been broken.
Socialist Challenge. 3. Pecember 1981 page, 11
Page 12 scan of this page
NUKES EP Thompson and Dan Smith, Protest and Survive Published in 1980, this book is a series of long articles to counter the government's defence policy. It covers the questions of civil defence, Europe, arms expenditure. (£1.65) Peter Laurie, Beneath the City Streets A fascinating account of what lies in amongst the sewers, electricity cables and tube tunnels. Bunkers for bureaucrats in the event of a nuclear
war. (£1.95) Peter Kennard and Ric Sissons, No Nuclear Weapons An inexpensive set of arguments against nuclear weapons. It explains the effects of dropping a nuclear bomb over London; contrasts the
Kennard. (£1,00) 1945 faced by
Peter Kennard & Ric Sissons No Nuclear Weapons The Case for Nucleat Disarmament Socialist Challenge 3 December 1981 page 12
defence expenditure in the West with the plight of the third world; talks about Cruise missiles and who decid- ed to base them here; the connection between nuclear energy and nuclear weapons; the effect of the nuclear power and defence programmes on our civil liberties. With vivid illustra- tions (photo-montages) by Peter Tatsuichiro Akizuki, Nagasaki
The author was a doctor in a Nagasaki hospital when the bomb was dropped. It is a vivid account of what happened and of the problems the survivers. Very easy to
read. (22.30) Peggy Duff. Left, Left, Left Sub-titled, a personal account of six protest campaigns 1945-65: the author says in the preface that the book is not an autobiography, but an account of political campaigns with which she was involved. She died early this year and was best known as the secretary of CND until 1965. Makes interesting reading. (E1.95) Julian Atkinson and Tony Southall, CND lessons of the First Wave This short pamphlet discusses the debates which went on in CND in the 1960s. The most important lesson it draws is CND's failure to turn to the labour movement in an organised way a lesson which still has to be learnt. A must for all those presently involved in CND.
(50p) Other pamphlets available West Newcastle Nuclear Disarma- ment Group, Myth (30p) Eric Burhop, The Neutron Bomb (35p) Philip Bolsover, Civil Defence: the cruellest confidence trick (40p) Betty England, Nuclear disarma- ment for Britain, why we need ac- - how to fight the missiles
tion not words (30p)
AP Pre
THIRD WORLD PUBLICATIONS
NAGASAKI 1945 Exploding the Nuclear
MARXISM
Trotsky, Writings, 14 volumes, A must for any revolutionary's bookshelf. Brings together many pamphlets, articles and letters, in- cluding several never before translated. A comprehensive survey of Trotsky's struggle from 1929 to 1940, first to bring the international communist movement back to a Leninist position; the fight against the growth of the Stalinist bureaucratic stranglchold on the Soviet Union; and laying the theoretical and organisational foun- dations of the Fourth International.
(13.95) Trotsky Betrayed The classic analysis of Stalinism and the degeneration of the first workers' state. A brilliant appraisal The Revolution
placed on that achievement by
TO TONY TRD (0211 773 G572 RD WORLD' Stalinist degeneration.
(E4.45)
CO BRIEFING
IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN- when the advertising industry uses every lie and trick at its disposal to persuade the helpless public to buy all sorts of useless commodities in celebration of the birth of one J Christ. thoughts in the shape of a book.
festivities.
Trotsky Permanent Revolution Perhaps Trotsky's most important contribution to Marxist theory. Of special relevance today with the emergence of new revolutionary regimes in Latin America and the Carribean, the overthrow of the Shah in Iran and the post-colonial developments in Africa and Asia Essential for an understanding of the nature of these new regimes and the problems which confront them nationally and internationally. (£2.30) James P. Cannon First Ten Years of American Communism (E3.25), History of American
Trial (£2.95)
of the achievements of the working class in power and the limitations
1936 Stalinism was being bolstered by the "Friends of the Soviet Union', who brought back super-idealistic pictures of what was happening in When the book was published in the Soviet Union. Trotsky called this "socialism for radical tourists". Jewish Jew
your friends or those you just feel compelled to buy something for a favour and purchase reading is compiled by the staff at the Other Books are not useless. So do yourself, Bookshop, 328 Upper Street, London N1. Send off orders now so you will have something useful to do during the coming This guide to what is available and worth Buyers by post should add 15 per cent of
cover price for package and postage.
Trotskyism (£2.95), Letters from Prison (£3.25), Notebook for an Agitator (f3.25), Socialism on Any of these books by Cannon, a founder member of the International Left Opposition and the Fourth In- ternational, is a text book of prac- tical application of Marxist theory to international working class politics. Cannon's writings are models of proletatian journalism. Isaac Deutscher The Non- Written in Deutscher's inimitable brilliant style this book is of interest to Jew and non-Jew alike. The new edition is enhanced by a biographical memoir by Tamaro
Deutscher. (£2.70)
Page 13 scan of this page
NOVELS Yuan Tsung Chen, The Dragons Village An autobiography based on Chen's own experiences during the Chinese revolution and her political work with peasants in a remote part of China. (£3.50) Nadine Gordimer, Burger's Daughter The story of a young woman strug- gling to find her own identity in pre- sent day South Africa. It is both a unique portrait of the women and, an excellent social and political account of South Africa. (E1.95) Valerie Miner, Blood Sisters Centred around two generations of women, the novel explores several themes on the divisions between them in their social and political lives between their involvement in the women's movement and the Irish struggle. (83.50)
for Young Men
RELAND Eamonn McCann, War and an Irish Town Written in 1973, the classic account of a nationalist working class youth in the North of Ireland during the current phase of the struggle. Me. Cann was 26 when British troops marched into Derry after the people of the Bogside had driven the RUC
since the meeting outside the high flats in Rossville Street when Ber- nadette Devlin warned the victorious if exhausted Bogsiders not to make Things have come a long way the soldiers welcome because they were agents of British imperialism. Twelve years of war has even the most dubious that no reliance can be placed on the British state, least of all to defend the belcagured nationalist population of
the six counties.
imperialism.
Julia O'Faolain, No Country The effects of the Irish civil war of the 1920's on four generations of O'Malleys and Clancys is graphically explored through the recurring visions and nightmares of Sister Judith Clancy. (E2.95) Jan Claussen, Mother, Sister,
Daughter, Lover An enjoyable collection of short stories about women by American
feminist poet. (E2.50) JA Lane (ed), The Charlotte Perkins Gilman Reader. In Yellow Wallpaper a young woman is slowly driven to madness by her husband. stories in this collection explore uto- pian situations and choices we can make to change our lives. (E2.95) Gilman's other
WAR
AND AN IRISH TOWN Eamonn McCann
convinced
tion to the late Bobby Sands and his comrades, McCann had been involv- ed in what passed for traditional Labour politics in the sectarian Coming from a different genera- statelet for several years before the outbreak of the latest troubles. Like Sands and his generation, bigotry, batons and then bullets in the hands of the RUC and the British Army showed him that no conventional labourist or trade union politics is possible in the see- tarian state; the main problem is the existence of the state itself and the interests it defends -- British across these points in a highly amus- ing way. exclaims his aunt when an IRA rocket lands accidently on the Creg- But the book manages to put gan Community Centre, 'are they going to kill us all before they free *Jesus, , Mary and Joseh
us. (£1.95)
THE DRAGON'S VILLAGE Yuan-tsung Chen An autobiographical novel of Revolutionary China
NEW UPDATED EDITION
Ernie O'Malley ON ANOTHER WOUND MAN'S
Worker Bees WORKER BEES Alexandra Kollontai LOVE OF
Michael Farrell, Northern Ireland, the Orange State Michael Farrell was a student at Queens University Belfast when the "troubles' broke out and was active- ly involved in the civil rights move- ment. Together with Bernadette Devlin, another from the nationalist community who managed to get to Queens, he formed People's Democracy, which organised the famous Belfast to Derry march, described by MeCann as ta horrific trek which dredged to the sur- face all the accumulated political filth of fifty Unionist years'. Burntellet by a Paisleyite mob the marchers managed to reach Derry, where they were faced yet again with rampaging loyalist mobs. Farrell's Despite a murderous ambush at book is by far the best history of the sectarian state from its foundation
in 1921. (E3.95) Ernie O'Malley. Man's Wound, the Singing Flame The 1916 Easter rising in Dublin, and the execution of its leaders was the trigger for a young medical student joining the Republican movement and the fight against the
British later played a leading role in the bit- partitioning of the country, under Rising rapidly in the ranks he mediate and terrible war" (both £2.95)
Alexandra Kollontai, Love of Around the lives and thoughts of the women in Kollontai's three stories is woven vivid descriptions of peoples everyday rebutor and an ebates
and conflicts between sexual rela- tionships and political work. (52.95) Stephanie Markman, The Rime of the Ancient Feminist The Ancient Feminist's tale about her marriage, depression, involve- ment with left-wing politics and the women's movement is a very moving and honest description of one woman's experiences and will be recognisible to many of us. (E1.25)
On Another
ter war against those who agreed the the threat by Lloyd George of im- O'Malley's books are at once per- sonal and highly readable historical accounts of a leading figure in one of the first modern guerrilla armies. Ernic Andrew Boyd, The Rise of the Irish Trade Unions Describes the foundation of unions in Ireland, at the same time or even before similar developments in England, Scotland or Wales -- an interesting antidote to those chauvinists in the British labour movement who claim superiority on the grounds of precedence. book is the account of how the workers in Belfast were, in the carly 1930s, able to overcome sectarian differences in a united fight against the bosses. Unfortunately, like the efforts of Connolly and Larkin in The most interesting part of the 1913, these came to nought, mainly because the Unionists were able to use sectarian fears to divide the working class. (E1.50)
Socialist Challenge 3 December 1981 page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
Peoples Democracy joins Fourth International
By Penny Duggan THE IRISH revolutionary socialist organisation Peoples Democracy has joined the Fourth International. Belfast councillor John McAnulty told PD's Dublin conference on 22 November.
in the best position to strengthen the forces of revolutionary Marxism in Ireland, in the internationalist tradition of James Connolly.
Peoples Democracy became a household name
during the civil rights struggles the vorm or ireland. in later years it evolved towards revolutionary Marxism and fused with the Movement Republic (trish section of Socialist
Fourth International) in 1978.
In the ast two vears Peoples Democracy has played a TCHE
wilding the anti H Block campaign. It raised the H Block issue in last May's local government elections In Bellast and two of is members clected
WEC councillors.
Peoples Democracy's internationalist outlook was evident throughout its conterence. The evening before conference it held a rally on Poland with international speakers. And its political perspectives were clearly drawn from an international context.
Growth
the reporter for the National Committee explained that the situation in Ireland was both an example of imperialism's offensive against working people throughout the world as well as its inability to inflict serious defeats.
Indeed, while the huge growth the anti-imperialist movement in Trom a basically de ense Ireland last struggle, elsewhere the working class had itself taken the offensive: as in the revolutions in Central America, the Polish events, and the election of left governments in France and Greece.
The conference took The Bobby Sands funeral procession the streets of Ireland.
Socialist Challenge 3 December 1981
*Joining the Fourth International will put us
and place us
place In ine context not only ot an international
political instabilit throughout following the H Block protests over the last year.
Unstable
This instability reflected in the precarious
the
Gacl/Labour
in the sout
of Ireland, which survives
on the support of the two THE COUNCI
- the masses return to
page 14
MPs, Kemmy Sherlock. The government could fall from office at
The crisis in the North was highlighted by discussion on lan Paisley's proposed general strike scheduled for the day after PD's conference
The conference charac tised the Anglo-Irish coun
initiative ningdale without reforms' (Sunningdale was the 1974 so-called "power-sharing' agreement). While dressed up as a move towards Irish unity its only real purpose is to co-ordinate sion against the nationalist community.
As the 1974 Unionist general strike week's events SUNCO OTTLISTE still has the power to veer veto British
Britain will confront head-on the Attack on Burntollet marchers in 1969 - the bloody birth of Peoples Democracy.
Ireland
political and military forces of Unionism remains to oe such
The Anglo-Irish talks indicate that Britain looking to the Southern government new ally. As the South becomes increasingly integrated into European imperialism through its membership of
EEC, it seems a more reliable ally for Britain in defeating the anti-imperialist movement. New
Undoubtedly Britain is becoming desperate ina a new solution in Ireland and to share the burden of delending imperialism's interests there
The H Block campaign demonstrated that despi
small siZe Peoples Democracy has a major influence within the anti-imperialist movement.
Irish premier FitzGerald -could be ousted at any time.
From the broad-based Coalisland anti-repression conference in 1977 to the decision contest the local clections last May its example has been rapidly followed the anti-imperialist movement.
This conference show-
By John Inigo
six year long case against the
Convention Rights.
OU P discriminatory.
tain, where
Decisions of PD conference
International.
movement around:
Elaboration *Defence of democratic rights
*For
to win youth to PD
and against austerity. ed that PD is able to res pond to the new political stage in Ireland and that it will continue to lead the Support gay rights in the 6 Counties
campaign ON 22 October the European Court of Human Rights, in a
brought sovernment, British government, found the law which bans all male homosexual activity in the North of Ireland to contravene the European
of Human
The court found that the law is an unjustified interference into private life, but would not go so far
that the of Ireland.
To conform with this ruling, the government will at least have to bring the law into line with that in Bri
there is a (discrimi- the British natory) age of consent of 21 for gay men. However, to do this would antagonise both Paisley, who led a ward
To become the Irish section of the Fourth
To fight for the unity of the anti-imperialist
"Brits out of Ireland, against London-Dublin col-
*Against the 'Better Life for All' campaign and trade union collaboration with imperialism
La fightback against job loss and wage To argue for an anti-imperialist united front to fight the bourgeois parties in the elections.
To make a major orientation towards youth,
To step up activity in the trades unions to draw the links between the fight for national unity
To launch a major campaign to retain the sugar beet plant in Tuam. This was established in the 1950s to bring jobs to a depressed area. It is threatened with closure by the government who claim the plant is not 'economically viable'. The plant workers and local farmers who grow the beet have united to campaign to save their livelihood.
way in the national strug gle. The Fourth International has won a valuable recruit which stopped the Labour government from changing the law in 1978, and the Dublin
The law in the South of Ireland is the same as in the North, and the Republic is also a signatory of the Convention. Imperialism in Ireland has created for gay people, in James Connolly's words, a carnival of reaction, North and South'.
Socialists in Britain should sup port this campaign, particularly in the Labour Party which has an ap palling record on this issue. To do so is not in any way to recognise the right of Britain to rule in the North
It is rather to support the de mand of guys in the 6 Counties that state stops oppressin them with this law. To remove thi law from the arsenal of the British state in Ireland would be a step for
Page 15 scan of this page
For a communications
By Colin Talbot (Westminster Branch delegate - personal capacity)
was the reaction of one
ing Union Blackpool.
The conference had been called to discuss proposal from the Nahonal Executive Council
Post Office engineering union join in a federal with the Society of Post Office Exccutives (SPOB) and the Civil and Public Servants Association Posts and Telecommunications (P&T) Group. Unity
In the end conference rejected both the NEC's proposed federation and a left supported
rank and file union embracing the POEU, CPSA P&T Group and the Union
Communication Workers (UCW). A clear najority delegates were n favour of trade unity, but were divided on the way to achieve it and who it should include.
The first defeat for the
proposal came when vo idea of threw
with SPOE. Delegates rightly stressed that SPOE
POEU special conference
industry union
THIS conference was a bloody shambles. The top table want their heads examining. That
right-wing, proexecutive delegate as the Post Office Engineer-
Special Conference ended in
is not a proper trade union but an association of managers, it wouid be a trojan horse for any united
stands.
Conterence then caramendments to the NEC's proposal that the UCW should be included instead of SPOB and that any federal union. should be seen as the stirs! step to an industrial umon Post Office SUCHEBHE and British Telecom.'
This was undoubtedly the eft. The NEC had argued all along for a union based mainly in British Telecom, one half of the new split POSE UTTICe. Their federation would have had only 10,000 members Post Office. of over 210.000 in total. The left in the POEU has opposed the split in the Post Office and opposes carrying that split into the ranks of the trade unions. We want a communications industry union.
The left then went on
final package. federal structure was far
UNION OF
LOST OFFICE
WORKERS
Will communications unions unite in action against privatisa tion?
too bureaucratic and top heavy.
The final, amended federal proposa was defeated by 57,485 for to 71,526 against
Conference then moved on to discuss the left's proposal, backed by branches, for single amalgamated union with the UCW and CPSA P&T Group. Phil Holt secretary of Liverpool Internal Branch, moving the motion. me ior,pointed out tha
already adopted the same policy earlier this vear
A singie, rank and file industrial union would organise over 400,000 members in Posts and
it would be a tremendous weapon in the fight against the effects of new technology and the Tories' Telecommunications Act. Attack
General treasurer, David Norman launched a red-baiting attack on the proposal, saying it had as much support the policies of the SWP and the IMG. It was revolutionary'. A more sober delegate pointed out that DeW had been that ey aware that the by the IMG.
In the end, general secretary, Bryan Stanley, launched a massive attack
Trade Unions
at critical stage By Maureen Shevlin THE Coventry public employees NUPE, which is in its fourth week of strike action against cuts. reached a critical stage as talks with the local Labour Council
November with ver
agreement reach ed.
The council is determined to continue with its programme of in wages and conditions which claims sanctioned by a referen. dum in August.
The proposal from the transport workers
on the proposal and plead ed with conference to re ject it so that the NEC could go away and think
The resolution was defeated, gaining 41,964 votes for to 87,100 against.
Conference was split down the middle by the NEC'S defence of their OWn bureaucratic scheme and
refusal to countenance any alternative. In the end, they called on the worst elitist prejudices of the delegates to defcat the proposal for
NO BILL
Coventry NUPE strike
union for a Day of Strike Action to held on Thursday 2 December has been supported by the local branch of the National Union Teachers but other teachers' - unions and the local government workers' union, NALGO has rejected this course.
feared that union officials may use this lack of support as an excuse to backtrack on the Day of Action. Support NUPE strikers hardship Jund c/o Jo NUPE Southfields
an industrial union and it
must be said that they suc-
ceeded.
But there is a majority
for change and the threa
of modernisation and the
Tories' attacks urgently
press the need to turn that
majority into action.
The POEU Broad Left
is now planning to contact
the broad lefts in both tho
CPSA P&T Group
UCW to look at ways 1o
fight for real unity and for
the fightback against
niving-off proposals of the
Tories Telecom Act OUT BILL
of
the train
By Hazel Macpherson step.
British Transport freight services all are up for grabs
Ministry ot transport.
stallations controlled and
the
vanced stage
public service, revenue for the state. happening
constantly being withdrawn for cannihalisation
with the programme resulting in shortage of replacement rails
is a radical change of policy.
closure of 54 freight yards by 1982 The still
left.
name of profit
Railworkers at Paddington greet Jobs Express
Not the age of
THE nationalised rail industry has always provided a cheap subsidised service for private industry. The hiving off of profitable sectors to private interest is therefore a logical next
Hotels, Sealink and The 1981 Transport Act enables the British Rail Board to turn its subsidiaries into private companies and to sell shares in them subject to approval of the
It also allows the Ministry to instruct the BRB to transfer any assets to a named subsidiary and then sell it.
Finally it sets up a company called the Harbour Company' consisting of all harbour in-
by Sealink Hovercraft. This is a definite statement of intent that Sealink and Hovercraft will be sold off and that plans to do this are already in an ad-
The Tories have no interest in maintaining a
nor in protecting a source of Long-term investment has been static for the last five years at £330m.
BR has a lower level of investment per train kilometre than in any country in Europe. 98 per cent of diesel and 60 per cent of electrics in BR's fleet of 10,000 are over 15 years old. Just to replace them means an increase in investment of 30 per cent in the next ten years. This is not
The entire fleet of shunting locomotives was built between 1948-56, and nothing has been added since. Replacement programmes
postponed and loco:
In 1978-79 there were too few locos to cope
numbers trains widespread cancellations. The means speed restrictions and 3.000 miles of track will have to be closed by 1990 for safety reasons unless there
Only 16 locos were built in 1979, the vear in which £10-15m of profitable freight traffic had to be turned away because of lack of rolling stock. In August 1980, BRB announced the
electrification programme has been slowed down, and passenger fares raised by 19 per cent since September 1980; 40 passenger lines are threatened with closure to save minute amounts, while investment in rolling stock and increased electrification, which would lead to a greater return on capital, remains at a stand.
in mind: the selling off of all the profit-making sections of the rai industry to their frende private ownership, and the deliberate and cold biooded running down of the 'service' that is
They will pursue this policy regardless of the ettecis it will have on ratiworkers ives andan deed on the lives of the thousands of railway users. It is the destruction of a service in the
Socialist Challenge 3 December 1981 page 15
Page 16 scan of this page
as a Labour MP were:
Harn said ther Cune
ningham Then the Monday declared himself Labour Party, and
independent Labour' MP.
George Cunningham
The departure of George Cunningham is instructive. It came a week after he had selected as MP for South Islington; a couple of days after Neil Kinnock, one of
Socialist
Challenge
Stop the
witch-hunt
THE LAST words George Cunningham wrote
1 want to pay tribute to Michael Foot. whose respect for the force of rational argument and whose toleration of dissent I have particular cause to appreciate, and whose deep personal commitment to true parliamentary democracy should be appreciated by us all.
Foot's closest political allies, had said that Tarig Aom he Labour should excluded Party: and the day after Foot was reported to be backing a witch-hunt of left wingers in the party None of which persuaded Cunningham stay in th: Labour Party.
The lesson of that is that no matter how many concessions are made to the Cunninghams world they will remain determined to wreck Labour Party Even witch-hunts will not satisfy those who have turned their back on the labour movement, that is one, very practical why witch-hunts should be opposed.
There is another practical reason. That was evident in the result of the SDP victory made it abun- Crosby by-election. The dantly obvious that the Labour Party should now direct its fire on the turncoats and careerists who make up the SDP. discussion taking place in Ins cad, the main the leadership the
THIS IS AN
UNOFFICIAL PICKET
LINE
parliamentary party, in the
and among some
people on the national ex-
ecutive of the party, is how
to witch-hunt the left.
But apart from these
practical _objections wite rundamental and
tundamental
political reason to oppose
such operations. This concerns the the
Labour Party to argue for CUTICIS
and organise around their
ideas. This democratic principle should apply
to the right-wing Solidarity Militant. farol, the the left- softleft' Tribune, or those who supported the Benn campaign for deputy-leader
H Michact Foot tends to attack this principle then it is not surprising that he is paid elonuent inbutes from George Cunningham. But for those who preter to stay in the Labour Party and fight for their ideas, Foot's
of dissent becoming a sick joke. toleration of dissent from 11 15 ine right, but not from the left.
Thus 15 a recipe fo disaster. For, successful in his new role
witchfinder hen he will find himsel leading an army which is so reduced in its ranks and so bitterly divided that the only future it would have would be the prospect of defeat.
is
By Tessa van Gelderen
ing Supplies,
Mining Supplies blacked.
workshops in the Yorkshire Some
Derbyshire
tinghamshire areas of the
National
Mineworkers are refusing to
handle Mining Supplies pro-
ducts.
the face of
Committee of the engineerofficiaion's refusal to renew
support reinstate dispute benefit.
The strike answer to that decision is to continue the picket at Doncaster and step up blacking.
Laurence himself has appealed to the miners that 5,000 jobs are in danger of being lost within days' if they black the com Pany, pact of
0C1I SO TA
Obviously th are disappointed with decision the Committee They ticularly concerned because many members of that com mittee could themselves Scott situation - fighting for their JODS
It is the Laurence Scott workers who have the forefront of the fight for jobs for the last eight mon
Laurence Scott
LAURENCE SCOTT strikers have intensified the strug-
gle over the last three weeks. They have picketed Min-
Laurence Scott's parent company in
Doncaster, and have stepped up the campaign to get
and and Not- Snipe the AUEW leadership Union Last
delivering Such success flies in Earlier, the National
picket lines and oSEs They committee's of loss
Scott boss • have to be
line of struggle.
such has been the im Rossington
the blacking camday said strikers the National par- cience come down. More are needed soon find miners in a Laurence mass support
key to this been
ter uptil
Save jobs, black Mining Supplies
ths. They have had to con-
tend with their boss, Arthur
police and the
Monday's mass
picket turned back lorries
vital supplies.
British Oxygen workers had scabbed on the
strike by driving across th
with essential had been per suaded to do so under threat
contract on the part of Mining Supplies
They and other workers and
persuaded that the reverse is the case: the best way of keeping jobs is picket. to support those in the front
shington telle nearby
Colliery joined the picket last Mon Black Challenge: We've come to Socialist picket picket because we're trade
Your own cons- down should tell you to pickets Yorkshire should be giving Mass
It will be the blacking of Mining Supplies that is the
dispute. Arthur 6.30am.
Scargill, unfortunately. has had little to say on the mat
now. Yet, as the
Rossington miners pointed
out 'there should have been
a complete blacking by the
NUM a month ago
At Scargill's last mass
meeting in his presidential
campaign in Sheffield last
Saturday. Tony Benn I called
for the miners to give ful
Ducking to Laurence Scott
and Staffa. Scargil! seemed
to be at at a loss for word: on the subject
Laurence Scott may seem to be a small dispute but its outcome can have important consequences for all trade unionists There it a great tradition in the NUM for supporting struggles like Hadfields in the steel strike Rossington Grunwicks, miner said on one the
That tradition has to con tine. The NUM and all trade unionists have to give full support to Laurence Scott
Mining Supplies products! Come to the mass
Monday December, Arthur Snipe is
This knees Let's finish him off once and for
picket Monday December Carr Hill Industrial Mining Supplies
Estate poncaster. Off A63 Starts
Donatior messages of support to Strike Headquarters. 20 Rounderoft. Romiley, Cheshire
← Socialist Challenge No. 223, 26 November 1981Socialist Challenge No. 225, 10 December 1981 →