Socialist Challenge No. 228, 14 January 1982
The scan: sc-no228.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 Support the train drivers Action now
the Tories
No 228 14 January 198?
THE fight of the train drivers should be supported by the novenea workers they are resisting the oftensive of the employers and the Tories by fighting to maintain their 8 hour day. If the workers and others co-ordinated their action with the train drivers, the anti-union offensive of the Tories could be thrown back.
Miners once again are threatened with pit closures if they insist on a decent wage. told that the 'bad weather' means that a new round of plant and job destruction is now necessary.
But the Rail Board must take the biscuit for hypocrisy. trumpetea in tne press ads as a real Ilprovement in working Perhaps they have in mind the fact that drivers will be forced to work as many as 15 days without a break.
the name of 'efficiency' the Rail Board want to: * Destroy drivers' social life * Undermine sarery ....for a wage increase which will not keep pace with inflation.
standing firm provements, the train drivers are fighting for all railworkers.
Ford and BL workers who have had similar 'efficiency' measures stuffed down their throats. They are fighting for all workers because the banner of 'efficiency' is that raised by all the bosses who are utilising mass unemployment to dramatically in. crease their own profits at our expense.
The miners have voted for strike action. Steelworkers have decided on an overtime ban from early February. not be allowed to slice us up like so many pieces of salami. The strength of the Triple Alliance of which all these part is enough to turn out Thatcher. The train drivers cannot be left to fight alone.
250 Unemployed and strikers 10p
Socialist
whole labour
Like other groups of
mineworkers, steel Steelworkers are being
Their barbaric proposal is
conditions'. against such im-
They are fighting for Thatcher must
workers are a
against
SOliDARNOs
Inside: four pages of Solidarity
with Solidarity
Tory cuts kill
from cold
By Toni Gorton DEATH, disaster and destruction _ that's what this winter has brought us. As many as 700 people a day are dying from cold. The official explanation is that this is a 'natural disaster'. But even weather can be political.
In Tory Britain survival of the fittest is the official credo. here's been sno Mooding several weeks,
bitter COlO ano throughout the country. The government has bare ly twitched a muscle
While sioners freeze to death because of fear of heating bills or starve because of fear of going out on the dangerous streir hands Tories keep their tightly gripped on the public expenditure purse.
waroare Thatcher declared only last weekend unal she'd impose evel tougher bubli spending
if she thought sh CULS could get away with it
This week the government finally agreed to contribute to the financing of local authority emergency services. But only with oecace and the expectation that the ocduue. will bear the brunt of the cost.
There clear guidance to the country which Thatcher says she is so 'passionate' about
She hasn't said, 'Set up emergency centres, pro-
700 a day die
vide food and heat io: miuse al risk, sel up iean.: to seek out the sick and the old alic vulnetdne mobilise the entire pro
• and hang the Dulalivll expense.'
No, Tory priorities lie
Hiakille British capitalism stronger — no matter what the cost in private suffering.
So means that emergency services and facilities have been run down — from road gritters to ambulances
It means three million unemployed, with tens of thousands children vulnerable to cold because of lack of money to pa! fuel bills or buy high protein food
It means fewer ambulances to take the ill to hospital, even if they could move along the uncleared roads.
means hospital resources stretched meet the demands of the situation. One X-ray unit
reporting 100 broken limbs a day instead of the usual 30 a week.
And eventually, Tory policies will mean an even greater drop in the standard of living of all working people when higher food prices hit the shops in the next period.
won't hear thi Tories talking of food subsidies.
Natural disasters can't nevoldecpemaos but unnatural disasters like the Tories can. It's time tor : and not phofits fise? society that people
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Ford workers split
Editorial
PO Box 50, London N1 2XP
Phone 01-359-8189/8180 (editorial and distribution)
Ford, the unions
and the Tories
LAST MONTH the overwhelming majori-
ty of Ford's 54,000 shopfloor workers
voted for strike action from Tuesday 5
January. They were incensed at a 7.4 per
cent wage offer and the promise of a 39 hour week from January 1983 tied to a tough set of 'efficiency' demands.
Last week, the same workers divided on
what was essentially the same offer. So what
has really changed in the last four weeks?
One thing: the attitude of the national trade
union leadership towards a strike in Fords,
which would have inevitably led to a clash
with the Tories on pay and picketing.
First, right winger
chief engineering
favour in proposals the company had made at
ACAS - the government conciliation service
- just before Xmas. Yet senior stewards had
already rejected these.
Then, left winger
negotiator for the transport union, told the
press that it was not Ford's package of effi-
ciency measures which had been rejected,
but the price was still not right.
said this. Apparently a single phone call trom
Paul Roots of Ford management was enough
for Todd to summon the full negotiating com-
mittee by telegram and recommend that the
strike be called off.
17 on the deal: full time officials on one side
and most of the elected convenors on the
orner.
has shown itself to be totally unwilling to lead
a fight against the bosses and their Tory pro.
TeCTorS.
union leadership and backing is seen as vital
winning struggles, a united workforce at
Ford has been divided by these bureaucrats to
the benefits of the company.
plants has been weak in the face of attacks
on jobs and conditions since 1979, was unable
to defeat this sabotage.
Struggles over the elimination of demarca-
tion, total mobility of labour, new technology
and work practices and the elimination
local agreements are inevitable as Ford im-
plements the efficiency clauses.
Bringing these struggles together will re-
quire a shop stewards' leadership which plays
a conscious political role; explaining the links
between Ford, the
against jobs and the union busting of the
Tories; explaining the need for
policies to fight their attacks.
shopfloor unity can
sabotage of the union leadership challenged.
This same need cries out from
events in Leyland, Laurence Scott and Staffa
and the continuing struggle over democracy
and socialist policies in the Labour Party. It is
essential if the bosses and the Tories are to be
taken on and defeated.
JOIN THE FIGHT FOR
SOCIALISM If you would like to be put in touch with Socialist Challenge supporters in your area or would like more information fill in the form below Name..
Address.
Age..
Union/CLP (if any)....
Send to:
London N1 2XP.
Socialist Challenge
VACK Whyman, the union negotiator found
Rod Todd, head
His members were on holiday when he
The full negotiating committee split 27 to
As at Leyland, the trade union leadership
Ana in a situation wnere nationa
The stewards' leadership, which in many
That will be the battle throughout 1982.
employers' offensive socialist In this way be rebuilt and the
recent
challenge
.....
Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50,
14 January 1982 page 2
By Mick Drake, Dagenham 'WE GAVE them a 100 per cent mandate for strike action and they faces' That was how shop steward Jimmy Atkinson summed up the sell-out of the f20 down Ford workers' throats by their national union leadership last week.
There was an equally bitter
¿calllul.
Ford Diallls Swansea followed Halewood voting seven to one for immediate strike action and Dassile a vulc ur lu coll fidence in Ron Todd.
Bridgend, Belfast and Dagenham 'knock-down'
plants also re jected the deal cooked up bv lodo and the compant which contained all the efficiency
clauses allu more money than the one relectea three weeks previously. Assault
The efficiency clauses amount to a frontal assault on all the gains in working practices Collutions
from job demarcation to the atternoon tea-break
won by Ford workers over the years They give une compadv arree nana l how new technology is in-
the day when company
acculais will and repair onciale automated lines while both skilled and production workers lose their jobs
They make the individual operator responsible for quality will potential to hundreds of inspectors' jobs. They prepare the day for wnen no worker has his or
job and total mobility is the norm.
But the leaders' sabotage suceeded in suffi-
Ron Todd: secret deals with management
and bitter
flung it back in our Halewood body plant
35 hours claim rammed
ciently splitting Ford workers for the strike to be called off.
Nowhere was this more vividly demonstrated than
the 21,000 strong Dagenham estate where
¡lass mecling soll narrowly anorer. A head count of one way
one mass meeting in the Toundry resulted in a majority of two for acceptance. Demands for similar count in the river plant were rejected as the
WInU supported the deal ¡uniocu 'P We've and down shouting,
WUl. we've won'.
When stewards in the assembly plant announced that the day shift mass meeting had voted to accept, despite their unanimous recommendatull lo recel liere were angry scenes. Refused
Many workers retused to believe the outcome of
vOle and «nel frustration rounded on the
of the piece were sately hidden their headquarters.
The situation on the assembly plant night shift Was CVCHWISC Ihe atmosphere was so electric that senior stewards were unadie even lo start une mass meeting. A straight VULC was Laken alle split down the middle. One
*News
back of the neck with an iron bar and hospitalised, others pelted Wild cans and nuts and bolts
There was less violence the body piano wusch did but greater confusion vote to reject. The nightshift hac already walked out large numbers on Tuesday. But
the dayshift mass meeting the stewards recommendation was to
ON 6 January strong Ford plant in Swansea voted overwhelmingly to company immediate strike action. convenor explains his nion of the national deal to Celia Pugh. 'We are bitterly disappointed with the deal and the way it was handled by national officials. fairly there steps taken through the official channels of the union following what has happened. We will be
branch to national officials. 'The efficiency could cost us 95 jobs in Swansea and we've already lost 500 in the last two years. Iow to fight confined by the national agreement. The deal will cause a lot of aggravation for local officials 'We're left with the bits to pick up over the year. broken us fragments. Each to negotiate on its own without the umbrella of the Joint Negotiating even though this has proved a bit
Ford
reject and strike from Monday' Consequently, many who wanted to strike immediately well those who wanted to accept the deal voted against the recommendation!
The chief architect of this chaos and confusion and misdirected anger was Kor Todd, chief Ford union negotiator. secret dea he cobbled
Ford
Ford workers at Swansea previously occupying their plant
'We're left to pick up -
the bits'
the 1,650 transmission
and they'll
reject the offer and to take
dation sure the ops- have
down in
It will be important as the
the from the
proposals not by
leadership.
forward
They've
into small to defend ourselves. plant will have
in the National then we
Committee, through
union
together with Ford management undermined the unity the Ford workers demonstrated the near unanimous strike votes before Xmas.
Now the fear is that Todd and the union officials will police the new agreement and force ILS conditions on the stewards' leaderships the plants.
leaky s going to be more difficult
to take ford on nant bv olant
hold the national agreement against us If there had been a national recommen.
to reject the offer I feel • national vote would gone the other way 'We feel disappointed and le1 Swansea For once most peoble recoanised the Ford proposals were savage and that Il wasil liusla bavisse. Justo
deal was the way it was concluded.
'Ron Todd should have put
recommendation to the NJC before making a press statement. It'san agreement that was made for
been rammed
loss of confidence in the local
'In fact there's been a ster
in relations between local officials and the plant. This has brought us together and the union is strong inside the plant
'I think if we lose confidence
trade have to change the avenues of the
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Miners - strike to defend living standards!
British Rail regrets to announce ...
By Bill Alder THIS WEEK Britain's 250,000 miners are casting their votes on the National Coal Board's pay offer for 1981-82. The pit-head ballot is the latest in a chain of events which began last July at the conference of the Mineworkers. Not for ference passed resolutions calling for a f100
hours; a salary system to replace the wage; and protection forced to take lower paid jobs due to injury, iliness or age.
The NCB reponded with an offer of £4.25 on basic rates for surface workers and f6 for. face workers. The rest of the alleged 9.13 per cent ofter
made up by the industrv's productivity scheme the miners should pay their own wage rise! Lastly, there is an insulting *loyalty bonus', with a maximum £70 for miners with over 25 years in the industry.
Pledge
The offer has been almost wallOs" jected by the NUM's natonal executive and by a Serenae in Deceaber. The special delegate INONS incoming president, Arthur Sargill, conducted his campaign on a pledge to
carry our conterence decisions on wages and conditions. In the coaltields. feeling most miners is that the ofter is in tact a pay cut when inflation running at around Is per cent.
As Alan Harrison from Markham Colliery, North By Pete Grant ASLEF, Willesden Branch
Edwardes' style blackmail onto union, ASLEF.
in calling strike action.
The drivers are furious that the demand that the 1919 eight-hour guaranteed day agreement should be sold for the 3 per cent increase, the BRB owe to drivers trom the August pay deal (held over short term cash flow pro- facilitate the Bord's blem).
New rosters for the York depots have been circulared and reiected Kings Cross drivers said, outrageous, * Ihev aI c they cannot absolutely be worked.
The rosters show that some drivers, in a three week period, would go 15 days without a rest day. As part of the 39 hour week over an eight week period, they would work anything between 48 hours and 30 nOTS.
During this period drivers would only be paid for 39 hours each week.
These proposals would make drivers' social lives nearly non-existent.
Board's. press releases and full page dovens the tabloids
have further angered drivers with their bare fac-
ed lies. BRB told the press
last week that arivers nad
an hour at the beginning of their shift to book on and read all publications and
National Union of the first time, con-
minimum wage; improvements in holidays and
'day of earnings for men
Derbyshire NUM,
says *Nine Der cent is totally unacceptable, nowhere near the rate of inflation. And just as important, in my opinion, is the rest of une cial — ine our ud' week the salary
ald Sulicilic.
'Why should we lose money when we're sick or on holiday? And rate protection God knows how many older men have killyhat sele face raine slogging away at the than their money drop.
The NCB and the Tory find Lac llselves in a cleft stick. With the memory of February's strikes against pit closures, and remembering the sirikes oi 19!z and 19/4. they do not want a head-on conon anon wu ut NUM. But big concessions could be the green light fol ole secio ol worker: suzey ıaaı v. ing standards.
Neither can the union afford to be complacent. ne bul -ned ae. Board's ofter. reject the Coal
But bils ANGER is growing among train drivers to the way the British Rail Board is trying to impose
the drivers Reports from all over the country tell of unprecedented support for the union
notices (tor example temporary speed restrictions) whereas all they have is ten minutes.
by far the most DUE despicable act has been the actions ot the executive oi the National Union of Railworkers in signing away their own members conditions and then saying they had gained vast improvements in conditions ana repealng ine nes contained in the personal let
Cent to all drivers by th BRB as to the nature of the understanding reached during arbitration last r.ugust.
The NUR executive is, however; coming unstuck as guards up and down the country threaten not to work to the new rosters and even to join the ASLEF strike.
meeting of drivers Stonebridge Park depor has decided along with Euston Watford and Kings Cross to im-
pose a work to rule from
onday 11 January to pu pressure to extend the ac-
on ne ASLEF ecutive meeting the same day.
An all-out stribe now likely Board and its puppet master. the lorv government, give in.
Photo
GM COKSON
Socialist challenge)
Scargill: policies not personality doesn't necessarily mean either a strike or that the full claim will automatically be won.
Many NUM leaders see the threat of strike action
enough Sualt the NCB into giving way. But unless the leadership prepares action now, then bluff alone will win venv tue. The 1972 coal strike started with unofficial
SLODDaes anlu delegations from militant Yorkshire
lalilile ihrough the neighbouring coalfields.
The fight against pit Closures was the same. this time with South Wales and Scotland taking the lead Arthur Scargill and the militant area and branch icauersuips SEOUEO be
LIVILY Socialist workers. 35p plus 10p p&p. part of full page adverts appearing in (hese papers). the inevitable press onslaught against the train drivers.
Trade Unions
ready • to repeat these tacicic hil suresy rampa en The press campaign jection of the ,offer will need to be combatted.
But as Alan Harrison says, the last word will be with the rank and file union members: 'The men will back the union and reject the offer.
Scargill's win was becaus of his policies not just his personality. But a strike could be touch ,and go unless the officials at area fingers out and put it on level really their the line. 'The government's not going to change its mind.
So it's either strike or let them walk all over us.
That's what the men should be thinking abou when they vote.
HOW TO FIGHT
'PRODUCTIVITY'
Socialist Challenge
PAMPHLET FOR RAILWORKERS
What policies are needed to tackle productivity in the rail industry? Order now 'How to fight produc-
Challenge pamphlet for rail-
Cheques/Postal orders to Cardinal Enterprises Ltd. Available from: Rail pamphlet, PO Box 50, Lon
Don't rely on the Daily Mirror or the Star for your facts (left -
Get Socialist Challenge pamphlet 1o arm yourse!f and your co-workers agains!
CARDOWAN
GREG TUCKER NUR guaru on une soutnerr Reaion reports DuCK n Husus we ony cepted the pay on grounds that the productivity CsCusS/OI WUS (olals sevarate rom ine calke
course some of us that in reality had probably beer struck
Nevertheless, the extent of
seni-Oll on productivity
asshaked a long arkers,
National Union Railwavmen guards are say-
The modemisation of the
rail ay is in hand and flexible
rosteung has an imporant part k
play: Stripped of jargon, the
senetis for tain crews are Da
moncy as a 40-hour week; (2) a 79- nor WcLA li di arli.
immediately, and backdated to
August 3rd, 1981
Also, flexible rostering will
Hare Doso carcd HDIOre
ment in working conditions: for
example, morc occasions when
rest days can be grouped together
in give more 3 and t day breaks
And a chance to achicye more
Octa Sal aLICI!
• Rosters will he planned
orer 8-w'eek periods. I hich
SCOTTSH AREA
2 SM
to claim our rig SM™
,GP"
OSPERITY
ino if the train drivers cai fight these deals, why can't
Solidarity between guards and drivers this time round is cune unacas aractonaly ine arvde ana rule racuc no KeDi arvers ona guards each others ihroats but not now.
Guards have been asking drivers into their mess rooms
explain what's going or
and what action ASLEF , the
drivers union, is proposing t lunt. ve anow ertur ariy r out to manoeuvre imiocu orouud
Are you still in the dark about flexible rostering?
means days off can be planned in alsance-and with contdence.
Somo necks will he 35 'hoürs; some 45 hours. Bus the average over S reck: will bo 39 hours
That, in very plain linglish. 3 %o increase on basic pas; effecive is what flexible rostering ir Britsh Rail means.
"So chats che problon:"
Redundancies? None will berequired by desible rostering
Neither will there be split shilts
exc rscc . c . etticient may to use the man-
busel ellar
read "economical.
"„Z:"
Because, as everyone knons;
tains doni run on rigid S'-hour shics, they run trom A to B. If the round bip takes a driver 6 hours
and there are no 2-hour runs
lor hinio pick up, une-
and mone! -are
wasied.
umi Sapa;
Socialist Chaltenge
BRANCH
tivity discussions will be .os:
the drivers lose
Loca negotiations
very difficult when natior:
we rt being stabbed
haCk somle Odu'y
depots such as Streathan: -
have been out on strike :..
week.
Railworkers usually ir:
keep servicesrunning wher. ":
weorner Comd VOlH .!d
As one driver put it,
hope it snows when we re o»
Then we cure really bring :r
country to a standstil!.
Tithenorking diy is varice herscen T and 9 hours product: i time will be increased, tus kerping costs conn
This isthe only way che 3 pay avard aln butunded and the 39-hour weck implemunied. Withou tlesible rostering tere ült be no award, and no chango in working hours and working COKUl E
Part of the train cres team the guards! has arendr actepred the nemr stsiem.
lisa good one Onethat nt genda CICIOnC le iz-uz-, "3E sape :
Page 4 scan of this page
Jim Mortimer, asking for quiet.
to Bishop's
Stortford
•PEACE has broken out in the Labour Party, proclaimed the Daily Mirror on 7 January.
The occasion was the Stortford meeting between leaders of the trade unions and the Labour Party.
practical terms the achieved little. But, behind scenes, Tony Benn is reported to have promised not to contest the leadership of the party before the next general election in financial support for the party is to be forthcoming from the unions. Other reports suggest the anti left witchhunt may be slowed down.
i first sight, Bishop': Stortford appears to ¿ the end of a road that carted with set-backs
infusion in the Bernite camp as to the next
At the same time the new centre-right Nild began to revive one of the vides tradi-
no of the party and launched a witch-hunt.
Not only was the marxis left to come inder thie hammer, but the middle-of-the road Ramnite. Peter Tatchell, despile overwhelming
import from his local Bermondsey Party. had
selection rejected. Over 300 constitueney parties have so far sent resolutions calling for ine reversal of these attacks.
Thus the stage was set for the trade union cosses to make cheir move. inances in a desperate state. they feli they had he whip hand.
Tone frankee their sedan the 0
second aim construct The Bennile left were invited 1o lake
anourable course of participating in their own corder by kindiy committing suicide.
reason for the workers movemeni id
• union leaders are far from an ai rion of how things stand in the parThe terms of the confrontat0D bet ..n the left and the right in the party will cha ze, cut te win not supside. Con the cen Tary. iat confrontation is written into the case realities of present day British pollic
This is illustrated by the other event, which
party Brighton Bishop's Stortford, the Crost The SDP Liberal Alliance comped home Socialist Challenge 14 January 1982
1E HAS been a member of the Young ominenore nees beer never with the Institute for Workers New Left Review and The Week, a one time revolutionary socialist magazine in the Labour Party.
He has been a shipyard worker and å trade union ofticial.
On the other hand, later on in his life he served London Transport as an advisor on industrial relations. From there he ioned the bosses' organisa. tion, the Confederation of British Industry as a member of its employment affairs committee. He is Jim Mortimer. general secretary of the Labour Party, who claims 'deep SOCIalist DUl history has been to arbitrate between management and unions. Mortimer has done so through the government's Arbitration, Conciliation and Advisory Services. He was appointed to the job by Harold Wilson, way back in 1974, he was confirmed in it by Jim Prior.
Jim Mortimer is like that, he tries to be a friend of everyone. Like his former boss at the Department of Employment Jim Mortimer is a wet. Indeed, as head of ACAS for the last seven years he has turned wetness into a profession.
Take the following example. In 1978 the right wing National Federation of the Self-Employed, in
From Brighton
Labour were humiliated by being pushed into third place, and its vote dropped by nearly 16 per cent.
But another, less publicised statistic which Bishop's came out at Crosby
tended with a further 500 turned away meeting To but it another wav. the party's suppor!
the in the workers" movemeni may be being whitt-
co back to a manori. out that minora is more and more committed to some radical change in deputy a socialist direction.
further The same situation is visible in the unions.
The denuly leadership powerful minority of the workers' movement moving in the direction Despite the heavy hand of the bureaucracy, this movement surfaced at the unemploynient marches, the election of Scarpill and the anger of -the BE and hord workers at their beirayal. That case winen prevents ine debate and crushing the Beneites in the party.
the men in ine part and the ares sace massie dilemma manet allergathe to the tories jay d/prete fame any elber ent buildine the SDP/Liberals.
Callaghan. He wrote recently, results in a sulemate. ihe Labour Party must take the immediate decision whether in siay in remove the Thatcher government ine paliy Spelt out, Callaghan
coalition government beiween Labour's right in parliament and the SDP/Liberal. The programme of such a government will be written in was lo The Bank of England
Si.
For the Bennites, the struggle is to ensure that the future lies with the most active, radical and self confident section of the working class piving a lead to the whole of the workers' so dist policies. That is the only way to fight ..it in the party and the unions. That is the only possible policy for a Labour victory.
Therefore, not the slightest possible concersion is possible to the witch-hunt. This would concede the argument responsibility for Labour's dismal election probi-clection. specks. and would prepare lor the bigges
betrayal since 1931. page 4
Labour Party
Portrait of a professional wet
Control,
record of ACAS he explained that
cessful in gaining recognition. In 239 (43 the unions' applications were unsucessful.
siding with the workers half the time,
the newly appointed argument moderates would agree with that recent unions. excessive fervour of socialism.
By Brian Heron was the enormous size of As manv as )x(0 alcampaign revealed a
of radical change.
right from
They wish to beseen as the
centre has the sole effeet of
Fi the election
or io co-operate with others lo
is preparing for a
the Pentagon and Wall
' morethat ! in bears
a rather hysterical report, accused ACAS of being 'politically motivated' and exposed Mortimer's left wing past. ACAS was accused of siding with
Mortimer replied with statistics. Defending the references settled or withdrawn, 291 (52 per cent) were cases where unions were fully or partly suc-
military spending.
There was an almost perfect case of wetness -
, siding with the bosses the other half. 'ACAS should be judged by what it is doing', defended Mortimer, It is not
about politics.' All reasonable - politics should be kept out of disputes between management and monsense way.'
Going one stage further, Jim Mortimer may even have the view that politics should be kept out of politics. Reporting on his press conference after he was appointed, The Times said: 'He clearly see. his job in terms of the overall membership and Labour's appeal to the electorate rather than the
And yet Mortimer was the left candidate for general secretary. One explanation was the man he was opposing - the trade union burcaucrat Alex Ferry who was, if the rumours were correct, a great Tatchell.
Smiles all round after Bishop's Stortford?
FIRST ANNIVERSARY
OF THE NEW
CROSS MASSACRE
Public Meeting on Monday January 18, 1982 at Deptford Town Hall, New Cross Road, London SE14 at 7.30pm
By Geoff Bell
believer in purges and, who as general secretary of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions is currently doing his best to smash the Laurence Scott strike in Manchester.
By contrast Mortimer, despite his recent past, continues to claim left credentials. He says he is a unilateralist, supports withdrawal from the Com-
Market, and advocates a reduction on
But he is also a firm believer in incomes policy, having began his career in arbitration between management and unions on the Prices and Incomes Board in the late 1960s. His politics were summed up this way by the Francial Times: 'He has never disguised his commitment to radica change, but he has always argued for it in a com-
So what will the appointment of this com monsense radical mean for the Labour Party? That will depend on forces outside of his control On how willing the Bennite left is to arbitrate and conciliate with the right wing leadership of the parliamentary party.
But one thing can be predicted. If, with his experience al ACAS behind him, Jim Mortimer is asked to give judgement on the case of the unfair dismissal of the Labour candidate for Bermondsey, he is unlikely to pronounce in favour of Peter
Page 5 scan of this page
Are British politics
Two new journals of the Fourth International
I ADVISE Phil Hearse if he ever goes down London's Oxford Street to keep away from the shady-looking characters who play the Three Card Trick. On the evidence of his article on the Crosby by-election (SC 224) I reckon he would get taken every time.
The Trick relies 01) sleight of hand. The punters' eye is distracted from the real action and be gets conned. So with Phil's articie.
Overly impressed with
among political observers" (ie tory press pundits) in their specula110)133 about the next Ceneral Election, ne seems
have momentarily lost
reality through being dazzled
in power.
the 074gramme of the SOP (in so
AT THE END of January, two new journals of the Fourth International in English will appear - International Viewpoint and International Marxist Review. International Viewpoint will be a fortnightly news service produced in Paris. Its aim is to provide the workers movement with more in depth coverage of world events than is possible in the framework of a weekly paper. It will translate into English major articles from the press of the entire Fourth International.
The introductory issue will be a double issue and arpear on 25 January. It will contain major articles on each sector of the world revolution. tion on 22 February, International
breaking up?
SDP - Three Card Trick
bourgeois one, so far no significant section of the bosses have switched their alegance from the Tory Party The SDP's main base i with those social layers squeezed berween the iwo major classes society and depends upon the blec
key of the
cactical differences with the 'bang of tour The Alliance has coherent alternative strategy to "Thatcher's. this makes extremely unhkeiy the possibility of SDP Alhance Government.
Starting regular publica-
So whar would happen A lhance's wagon rolls on unchecked the labour movement? The moni likely outcome surely would he a government of National Unity' of all the bourgeois parties.
The ruling class would find the option of chopping Thatcher and ceding proportional representation retain thie Tory government in o! a national coalition.
A lar more atractiva cheice to that of relying on an inexperienced Cabinet acoendent on the saare sands of middle-class electoral sumport.
The miedia's support for the Alliance should be seen therefore as part of a Viewpoint will be an indispensable guide to world politics for militants in the revolutionary movement. We appeal to all supporters of the Fourth International in Britain to subscribe to and support this journal. International Marxist Review will be the English language version of Quatrième Internationale the theoretical journal of the Fourth International, which appears three times a year and contains longer theoretical articles from leaders and militants of the Fourth International
The first issue of International Marxist Review contains articles on Poland and the bureaucracy by Ernest Mandel, the French OCI by Daniel Bensaid, Soviet influence and neocolonialism in Africa by Claude
Letters
ruling class pior to give them a second chance in the ever more likely event
being over. whelmingly rejected.
rehearsed 'coalition
the election he hung on to try and get a deal with jereiny Thorpe's Liberals
Our job as Marxists is to expose this Three Card
Trick not to play the game If we can iurn the labour
which mails the lie of the SDP being an alternative 1o the Tories we can ensure the next government is a
socialist policies.
The balance of class torces is on our side. the very fact that the bosses
such game with the SDP instead of rolying solely on the right-wing Labour
available in French
Letter!
cond line of defence' shows this to be the case.
If we understand this then we ought to realise that the left's opportunity is not 'in the next decade as Phil Hearse pur it, bui here and now.
Articles which gaze into crystal bails and tell us that the 'SDP will not sur-
vive iis fist period intoc
fice restrict themselve that the Bennite left 'open itsell up to a debate aboul what precisely constitutes 6211.i capitalist policies' are not what our movement needs al the moment Socialist Challenge aiready has a programme and its policies are the ones that can enable the labour movernent to defeat the
So - don't let yourself distracted fairground illusions Phil; keep your eyes on what the are doing 200 write articles that give us a ane for ine sirweele We can't afford idle seculation Wacan t wai ten vears. We are fighting
TOMMY CUSACK Harrow, London Gabriel, as well as articles on France, the Fourth International and a major editorial on problems of the Central American revolution. International Marxist Review will make available in English many of the theoretical writings from Fourth International leaders which are at present only
To subscribe to International Viewpoint: Make out bank or postal cheque to 'PEC' (E16 for 25 issues surface mail, €18 airmail) and send to International Viewpoint, 2 rue Richard Lenoir, 93108 Montreuil, France. North American readers send $31 (surface mail) or $39 (air mail). To subscribe to International Marxist Review send £4.50 ($11) to IMR, PO Box 50. London N1 2XP
eter etters- ter
The SDP is not a
side show...
Phil Hearse replies
ing with the rise of the represents anything
political crisis in both the labour
the failure of Thatcherism to solve the crisis
worse for those sections of the bourgeoisie based
switch their allegiance to the SDP/Liberal alliance.
the ruing class.
the constituencies.
split in the unions, but with that potential
as much is not to be dazzled' by the media or connei io recognise the reality. These developments are ne: 'ruling ciass plot . They represent profound difter side the bourgecisie about how to deal with the movement and the crisis. That's why the face o politics is being cumpletely transformed, and wi will almost certainiy be three major parties in parla after the next election SDP/Liberals.
i agree with conrade Cusak thar we have io eur SDP an hot representing a working class alternariv Tonei. But to get a Labour government comma socialist policies elected, in is mas enough to campa adoprion of an anti-capiralist programme by De moveme". That': eh? ine Labour Part neer debate.
Our programme is very Fighting here ond now, having a line for this or thar :.? nie, is met coumerposed to conducting the broadert e bia debate about a programme for goverument. O: contrary, the combativity of the working class needs orienated towards an anti-capitalist plan in solve
The Labour Party can. debate about the programmie for the next Labour gove silent in favour ci are doing' is to retreat from the real political debates go. on, and to surrender in advance to left reformism.
Socialist Challenge
Letters
THE QUESTION to come to grips with in deal.
SDP is whether fundamental in •British politics. Is there a split developing in the labour movemant? is bourgeois politics recompos ing? Or is the SDP just a marginal side-show?
The point i was making in the article is that the rise of the SDP is a product of the profound
movement and the ruling class, brought about by both the fallure of successive Labour governments and
Thatcherism, far from solving the crisis, has made :
manufacturing. If the Tories stay wedded to Thatcher sr аепове Rees ao coreinaiarve secions ] the bourgeoisie will be prepared to dump the Tories arc
Of course, this could easily lead to a national govert ment, involving people like Heath and or the Labour rish: wne. lhe nobtical essence of such a move wolid bestaci ly as! builined -- a big switch of the political allegiance» ::
Icl'slock at the problem from the point of vien of he working class. The rise of Bennism has made Labour 'u'. safe as the second line of defence for the ruling class. E er a nehi wing cabour govement would he under ra pressure from the Bennite ranks — both in the unions ::o
why the bourgeoisie engineered a split in the Labour Pariy, noi vet invoiving a
We are faced therefore with a massive recompositis: of British politics, involving both the major classes. Tr :=
L200ur. Tories different from Bei
Regretfully, Socialist Challenge will not form the ::
To abstain c
keeping your eyes on what de wote
MARXIST
EREVIEW
14 January 1982 page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
By Pete Clifford AT THE start of the year strikers have hit back hard in their nine months long fight for jobs.
Last Friday,
200 Jallual y. mounted mass picket
and demonstration at their Manchester factory. They
addressed by local Mr Cnaries Morris, wne told the strikers he had been with them on day one and would stay with them 'til the finish.
The mass picket was Caled i when strikers obtained a copy of a letter being circulated to miners in an effort to stop blacking of the Scotts motors.
Smear
The letter, written by Alex Ferry, CSEU general secretary, and distributed
mines Gormley claims the pickets tre not even ex-employees.
140.142 Walworth Road London SE17 1JW Tel. 01-703 2215/8
Mr J Gormley, National Union of Mineworkers, President, 222 Euston Road, London, NW 1 2BX.
Dear Brother Gormley, concerned.
cil on 3 December, Yours fraternally, Alex Ferry General Secretary
Socialist Challenge
Scotts hit back
at union leaders
Laurence Scott This view was first put about by employer Arthur Snipe, later to be backed
Wing up by Ken Cure, engineer- union executive member, and is now being used as a smear in the miners' union. the convenor Denis Barry But the message from was clear. 'Today's picket has produced 200 and odd strikers, we intend to stay until we get a satisfactory settiement. Phil Penning, TASS steward said, "This aren't going to walk away. OTOVES All we've got to walk awar to is the dole queue.'
Picketing being organised on a round-the- clock basis, and a call will be made for a mass picket, if any efforts are made to break the picket line.
Confederation of Shipbuilding & Engineering Unions
Lawrence Scott and Electromotors, Manchester Earlier this year you were kind enough to meet represen- tatives of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions when we asked for your union's support to bring pressure on the management of the above company arising from their decision to close the Manchester establishment. In actual fact we met you on Thursday, 25 June. Shortly following that meeting, and no doubt arising from your own and other pressures on the company a meeting was arranged with the Chairman of the company on the 12 July, 1981. Local representatives of all the unions concerned a formula At that meeting which was attended by National and was negotiated which was unanimously recommended for aclocal representatives. Unfortunately the terms of the formula ceptance by the trade union negotiating team, including the were rejected by the members in dispute and the CSEU subsequently considered their decision and instructed them to resume work on the basis of the formula which had been negotiated. This decision was supported by all of the unions
Despite this instruction the dispute has continued and we
have now reached a very serious situation where continued
picketing and blacking of work is seriously jeopardising the
jobs of our members employed at the company's other fac-
tories of Mining Supplies Ltd. The matter was again considered by our Executive Coun- 1981, when they decided to reaffirm their
previous decisions that this dispute was terminated. During
the discussion that took place it was reported that the ma- jority of people involved in picketing and who are continuing
this dispute in actual fact were not ex employees of the com-
pany but nevertheless they were receiving support from trade
unionists in Manchester including members of various regions of your own union. We believe that this support is misguided and is also being given contrary to the feelings and
decisions of the unions at national level and we would therefore once again be obliged if you could use your good
offices to inform your members to cease blacking work from
the factories of Mining Supplies Ltd.
Thanking you in anticipation.
14 January 1982 page 6
Charles Morris MP
But the strikers are not leaving it at that. The fight outside une lactory Is to be escalated.
Denis Barry explains, 'We're dealing with an unscrupulous employer, but you expect that, from the Snipes of this world.
'What we accalliol
7 December, 1981
Trade Unions
cept is being treated in a worst state by our nationa
Since dispute benefits were withdrawn in late Ju ly, the engineering union leaders have pulled every trick they could to undermine the strike.
The constitution of the AUEW has been ignored
open collaboration with the employer has gone on. Ballot
Recently, when picketers faced injunctions under the Employment Act, the union went so far
to withdraw legal facilities.
Denis Barry believes, 'Laurence Scott isn't Isolated example we ve seen a pattern of this. I feel
Robinson should DCICK have been defended by the Liaud unovclucil. but the AUEW assass-
By Pamela Holmes 'CALLING
ment policy,
against the Tory policies.
to go on rising.
other sectors as David Blunkerl less work for one privale sector
services.
Ilhan a sprint.
inated him. 'We saw the same problem in relation to the Pansee strike The executive council and fulltime otticials are petrified of people fighting for their IOUS they wali an easy ride.
The strikers have inererore acciaca ley ve had enough of being push ed around by Boyd, Dutty and Cure. campaign has been launched into the engineering union. calling for a ballot on the removal of the executive councii Under rule 14 of the AUEW constitution, if ten 260) 01 cent (approximately the branches calls for this, the general secretary must conduct a
Over the last five months the strikers have won resolutions of SUDOUl from 1,060 branches of the union, so the target realisable.
A new strike bulletin has been produced and copies mailed to all 2,600 branches of the union as the first stage in this campaign.
Duffy, Boyd and Cure may want an easy ride, but the Scotts strikers Cal make it very rough for them.
It is high time these sell-out merchants were challenged in the union for the role they play Workers at Laurence Scoti have given a lead on this to al engineers which musi be followed. workers South Yorkshire! Join forces on 25 January to protest against this Tory
they are crucifying the living standards of our people.
This is the call from the South Yorkshire engineering and steel committee for a 24 hour stoppage of work and day of action to start a campaign
Closures and redundancies in steel and engineering over the last 18 months are affec ting the whole region. Unemployment figures now match the national average and are likely
notust that closures in stect and engineering cause closures and redundancies in
left Labour leader of Sheffield City C'ouncil pointed out an a meeting of shop stewards an I1 January.
Government proposals for cutlue back on local authority spending also have a knock on effect. Public spending cure don't simply mean redundancy at the town hall. they also mean
Il is this interdependence of different ser dorsthat explain why the call for action include. workersin transport boseas and once poon:
The24 hour doppace and march are scen as the start of the comparen which as ond do; deward passage as lobamar!!
Laurence Scott Strike Bulletin No 3
and
committee, 20 Roundcroft.
gratefully accepted. seniously mishantee
Rule 14, paragraph five.'
General Secretary.
Cheshire with donations.
31 WEEK
NU
SELL
OUT
LAURENCE
SCOT
- 24 hours strike against Tories
called in Sheffield
allony Genoca
and political strategy
Officials of
but other areas are more doubtful.
the Communist Party spokespeople
union officials.
Toric
Let us insal!
NEW issue with the case of the Scott strikers
appeal for action by engineers against the AUEW council NOW OUT.
ORDER, 2p each plus postage, from LSE strike
Cheshire.
All donations for the AUEW "ule 14' campaign
Laurence Scott Strike Committee
Protest resolution for AUEW
branches
'THIS branch believes executive council has
Laurence Scott dispute. As this is an issue of concern to all AUEW members the branch demands a ballot for removal of executive council in line with
Rule 14, paragraph five states: 'The executive council, or any member thereof may be removed from office by a ballot of the membership of the union provided such a ballot is demanded by ter per cent or more or ine brancnes ana nol less lnar two thirds of the membership are in favour of such removal. The ballot should be conducted by the
If your branch supports the protest resolution, make sure it is sent to the AUEW general office, 110 Peckham Rd, London SE15 and a copy is sent to the strike committee, 20 Roundcroft, Romiley;
Bill Owen, president of the South Yorkshire
Association of Trades Councils explained that
the aim of the day of action would not simply be a protest against unemployment. In his view. the campaign also has to oppose government cuts in local government spending and the pro.
The alternative policies he put forward are those of the TUC and the alternative cconomic
le meetne on the January hoard s reports of the response to the appeal. In British Steel for example, although the crafts commitlee has received the support of its members it appears that the ISTO has not even informed
the Mineworkers were reported as saying that their contribution will be winning the strike baller
are conne a from see or 100 tradinonally well organsed engmeering plant
A proposal to use pickering to make the 2t hour strike effective was viciously rejected by
their alternative was to have a chat' with different
Hovener morong numbers of peonic u the labour Party and trade unions are realising that simple talking is not the was to bed the
li this can be espersed on 2s lamar then
Page 7 scan of this page
What your union/Labour Party/ students union can do
+ Issue statements of support for Solidarnose
Organise fact-finding delegations 1o go to Poland
Demand of Polish Embassy that the TUC delegation to Poland is allowed in
Twin your workplace, similar unit of Solidarnose
Sponsor local meetings, marches to support Solidarnosc, invite the London Solidarnose group to speak + Continue links with Solidarnosc, boycott links with any phony new 'union'
+ Order Labour Focus on Eastern Europe for all the facts on Poland
Solidarity Solidarnosc Birmingham Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o Roger Murray, Sparkhill Labour Club, Stratford Rd, Birmingham.
Glasgow Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o lan McCalman, 18 Mossgiel Rd, Glasgow, G43. Ring 041-632 1839.
Greater Manchester Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o Jon Silberman, Crete St, Oldham, Eastern Europe Solidarity Campaign, 10 Park Drive, London NW11. Ring 01-458 1501. Labour Focus on Eastern Europe, Box 23, 136 Kingsland High St, London E8.
Polish Solidarity Campaign, 69 Edinburgh Rd, London E13.
Solidarnosc Trade Union Working Group in UK, 64 Philbeach Gardens, Earls Court, London SWS. Ring 01-373 3492.
Solidarity events with Polish workers BIRMINGHAM: Rally February, called by Birmingham Polish Solidarity Committee and the Trades Council.
CARDIFF: March and rally Polish Solidarity Committee on Sai 16 January. Assemble 1.30 at Sophia Gardens for march. Rally at 3pm in Cardiff City Hall with political and labour movement speakers.
GLASGOW: March and rally called by Glasgow Polish Solidarity Committee on Sat 23 January. Assemble 1.30pm, Queen Margaret Drive for march. Rally at 3pm at Patrick Burgh Hall with labour movement speakers.
MANCHESTER: March Greater Manchester Polish Solidarity Committee on Thur 28 January. Assemble 6.30pm All Saints, Oxford Rd for march. Rally at 7.30 at Free Trade Hall with labour movement speakers.
Lancashire association of trades councils back Solidarnosc This County Association condemns the sheer deceit of those who claim to defend Solidarnosc whilst simultaneously, a) conspiring to prop up military dictatorships in el salvador and states, justifying recime. Its and its incursions into Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe, and the Seychelles, b) conspiring to nuclear warheads in Europe pointing at the heads of the Polish and other European and Soviet workers as part of their Cold War
* sobolcone economies neoreoone contingency plans for the military invasion of Cuba, Grenada and Nicaragua, d) arresting and jailing striking and picketing workers, while seeking Graphic: PETER KENNARD in restrictions to undermine the abilitv of unions their own colines democrațic right to a job, a living wage and sexual and racial equality.
Only the labour and trade union movement internationally can legitimately defend its right to an independent existence. In Poland we therefore call for: a) an end to repression and martial law, b) the release of all political prisoners, c) no intervention in Poland by outside nation states. d) food aid for the Polish workers, e) material aid to Solidarnosc by the TUC, f) trade union delegations to visit Poland,
laDoul movercuil speakers under the auspices of the TUC to tour ine Lancasnire area h) resolutions and discussion to be encouraged and future trades councils and branch meetings to continue the discussion on the problems facing the Polish workers,
conference to discuss the situation in Poland and solidarity with Solidarnosc.
association of trades councils to go to North West TUC quarterly on 23 January.
union branch with Committees with
and march Sat
called by Welsh and rally called by
other Latin American the racist South African
Not Namibia
escalate the number of
even further legal
to pursue the and Solidarnosc of Lancashire
HANDS
OFF
Glasgow solidarity with Solidarnosc demo before Xmas By Penny Duggan THE IMPOSITION of martial law in Poland represents a severe setback for the workers' movement in Poland and internationally. internment of many of the leaders of Solidarnosc, the crushing of the factory occupations and the rolling back of the gains made by the independent working class organisations have halted the development bureaucratic leadership. However the workers' movement is not defeated.
The resistance goes on.
Solidarnose bulletins are still being circulated clandestinely and passive resistance in the workplace continues. Through such resistance In C establishment of the class struggle has characterised Solidar-
place. We cannot predict the timescale. But the Polish crisis will be prolonged.
Solidarity with Solidarnose is a maior lask for the whole of the left. and will be so for a pro. tracted period There are big opportunities BAILELI the ranks of the workers
allu young people for a camraign of solidarity with the Polish workers
But the traditional leadership of the workers movement acts as i block
developing
The leaders ioin in Cold War mongering and seck to ally with imperialism Thi silence the lefts deafening.
Their refusal to build solidarity with Solidarnose strengthens imperialism
THE Polish workers are still fighting the junta of General Jaruzelski.
Iviners nave been snot thousands arrested and Internet in Concerta tion camps, and many more nove been socked by the authorities.
The fight against the Polish armed and the bureaucracy which has ruled so corruptly and incompetently is a workers
Ok cRoss o.
HI-Fi APPLIAN (738) 7
Socialist Challenge says
Solidarity with
Solidarnosc
The
of the anti-
and helps the right wing to gain credibility. They weaken themselves by appearing identified with the Stalinist bureaucracy
In this situation many of the traditional alliance: within the workers' movement will be upset by the events in Poland and their impact on the world political situation. Only the revolutionary Marxists
ment oppose the inperialist offensive against the colonial revolution. against Thatcher's austerily policies and are also prepared to organise the anti Stalinist struggle defence the Polish workers.
Socialist Challenge believes that there are iwo
tasks. organise support for the
Poland. This creates the
For labour movement solidarity
fight. li needs the immediate and unconditional support of all workers East
West
The labour movement necas lo organise Is own class solidarity with the Polish workers.
contolelty independently from the Cold War politics and ac tions of Reagan and Thatcher. Build labour movement demonstrations. rallies and meetings. Build understanding and • sup-
Solidarity activist, Marek Garztecki, will be touring Scotland next week.
His visit has Glasgow Polish Solidarity Committee, a body of trade union and Labour Party activists whose aim is to build support in the labour movement for an end to the repression in Poland.
Garzlecki, worker Radio, had just started a course here when the military coup took place. He is a member of the Solidarity trade union working group in Britain.
During his visit it is hoped to arrange a series of meetings with shop stewards committees, trades councils, and other labour movement bodies. Garzlecki will be in Glasgow on 20 Stirling/Falkirk area on 21 January, and Lothian on 22 January. best conditions for the emergence new politically stronger leadership of the rank and file Posa workers
Second, Socialist Challenge, representing the most consistently internationalist current also aims to extend its support.
Socialist Challenge sup. porters up and down the country should be wearing
Dauces selling Socialist Challenge which has had the best record of coverage on the Polish events.
Until now the response of the British labour movement in defence of their Polish sisters and brothers has been disgrace Socialists should argue for the TUC and the Labour Party 1o organise support for the Polish workers. We should demand that tions are organised calling solidarity 'cil
for
an end to martial law * full rights for Solidar*release of all internees * no Soviet intervention
The Eastern European Solidarity Campaign
the beginning of February port in the unions, Labour varner an commore for the Polish workers' fight
End martial law. Free Lech Walesa. Release all political and union prisoners. An end to all restrictions on Solidarnosc. No Warsaw Pact intervention. No to the state unions: build links with the underground workers' resistance. Send money, T00G and literature
Solidarity in Scotland
been prompted by the
main speakers.
at W'arsaw
NALGO, members.
speaker to the rally.
January, the sulate) at 1.30pm,
3рт. for which it is seeking national Labour Party and trade union sponsorship.
Moves are also underway to organise a national
nose conference that will lav the basis tor ongoing solidarity action. particularly in the rank and file of the labour movement.
Socialist Challenge opposes the Cold War calls for boycotts of Polish and Soviet goods, proposed by
trade union leaders and Presi dent Reagan. who openl supports the suppression of democratic rights in El Salvador.
Contrary to other press reports Solidarnose representatives in this
and europe have not called for such boycotts. Nor would they be in the interests of the Polish workers them-
British labour movement should also have nothing to do with
phony "trade union set up to replace
It will be just like the other unions in castern Europe, with no right to strike. and with all appointments in the union totally under the control of the ruling party. any contact with these
ment should insist that they publicise the TUC's support for Solidarnose.
these organisations. Unconditional support for the Polish workers' fight.
Reg Race MP, Jonathan Hammond (vice-presi aent NuJI, viver Mac Donald (Labour Focus on Eastern Europe). Socialist Organiser Alduke. DoNe Challenge, London Labour Briefing
Socialist Challenge
On Saturday 23 January the Glasgon Polish Solidarity Committee is organising a demonstration followed by a mass rally at which Garztecki will be one of the
Others who have agreed to speak are Lee Jeans convenor Helen Monaghan, fomer UCS workers' leader, Jimmy Reid, and Labour MP John Maxton and Denis Canavan.
Support for the demonstration was overwhelmingly voted last Saturday by the branch council of Strathclyde region
represents 20,000 The Scottish TUC will be discussing this week whether to send a
The demonstration will assemble in Queen Margaret Drive (near Polish con-
marching off at 2pm jor the rally in Patrick Burgh Hall, at
Socialist Challenge Poland forums Hounslow: Sun 17 Jar 7pm at George IV pub, 185 Chiswick High Rd, W4.
East London: Wed 3 Feb, 7.30pm at Dalston Dalston June tion, E8 Newport: Thur 21 Jan, 7pm at YMCA, Commer-
Southampton:
Jan, 1pm at University cinos and societies rooms - Laments: ion baiding. camoell. Jan, 7.30pm at Lambeth Town Hall.
Swansea: Thur 21 Jan.
Leicester: Thur 28 Jan.
Socialist
Challenge national school on Poland Two day educationa school on Poland and political revolution for Socialist Challenge sup. on 13/14 February. If you would like to come, see your local SC supporters or write to:
Socialist Challenge school.
PO Box 50, London NI.
SOLDARTY
25р Socialist Challenge PAMPHLETI Solidarity with Solidarity New Socialist Challenge pamphlet now ‚out! Just 25p, or 20p for bulk orders from supporters' groups.
Get your copy now!
LABOUR FOCUS EASTERN EUROPE
POLAND:
IN ACTION 0300L
Labour Focus on Eastern Europe For all the news, facts it Poland, the best journa on the left. New issue out sand High 521, London 8. soon, Во 23, 14 January 1982 page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
ing in the major cities.
Polish workers is also building
Eyewitness report by Bernard
Guetta reprinted
Monde
Over there, some 200 metres
from gate number two of the Lenin shipyard, made famous
by numerous photos, the large
meeting room is completely empty. The national
committee which was formed on Sunday is
somewhere else, carefully hid den in this vast expanse of
quays, recesses, workshops, offices and metal
gates which form the cradle of
Solidarnosc.
Passes, obtained with great difficulty as they distrust everyone, are not enough to tell you where io go. But if people recognise you, they take you, one way then another, until you finally come across the delegates.
National strike committee'
really an overstatement. There are only really delegates from the shipyard workshops, representatives Gdansk enterprises, and about members of Solidarnosc's staff who have escaped, and one member of the national presidium, Waszkiewicz. It's not much, but Ull Sunday shipyard was empty and today, Mondav 14 December. the workers are all here, with their helmets on, red and white armbands, on strike.
The day before, when there were only forty representatives here from factories and twenty other workers at most, it did not seem that anything other than token gestures could be made. It was nice to be in the refectory again, first one another turns up free, laugh, and tell tales of how under the noses of the militia they escaped the net. But with so few, done?
It is clear that these men women have not regrouped only to be picked up again. After a long debate they decide to leave before ten o'clock, the hour of the curiew decreed by the autorites. good job too as the militia invaded the shipyard at 8 minutes past two during the night. The 'forces of order' break the roneos and the typewriters that iney come across moving in columns between the workshops, arrest seven militants, handcuff them, and then leave again.
The guiding theme of the communiques of the Military Council for
Socialist Challenge 14 January 1982
AS POLAND enters its second month of martial law the workers' resistance continues. Latest reports speak of the underground Solidarnosc putting out a twice daily bulletin, a weekly journal, and of clandestine co-ordination grow-
International solidarity with the ир.
Solidarnosc representatives in Europe have called for an international day of
NIE MA EUROPY SPRAWI LIWE
BEZ POLSKI NIEPODLEG
The occupied yards in the days after martial law was imposed
from Le in the country
blunder. Monday morning, workers flock to work. strike
meeting calm the
dozens of to hear it.
«cades.
the same time they do not of 20
the person then they hug and
THE what can be bulletin nounced and in the shipyard Gdansk the bulletin
ZOMO page 8
action on 30 January.
thousands have been
to prison resistance.
symbol of Solidarnosc.
TRY UNAL
PERCOW 1 240NZIE
I may
National Salvation is that everything
calm and that everyone should go to their place of work. To make the militia occupy the yards in these conditions would be a
the first working day since the state of war, the
In the suburbs of Gdansk, the army nas taken up its positions, but in the town all is normal and calm. This
lllasicl card of the authorities: to show that the one proclamation of national salvation has been enough to normalise the situation, as if each Pole was just waiting
The people, on the other hand, think only about building bar-
They are afraid, it's true. But at
believe, The first worker falls dead in the snow
The first death in Gdansk
SOLIDARNOSC number anthat Antoni ed.
Growarczyk aged 23 died Gdansk on 17 December close to the monument 1970 dead. The described the scene as follows: from the morning the motorised militia) had closed off all access to the monument. In the afternoon more and more people
k. tried to reach it but at the
But the repression against Solidarnosc within Poland is severe. Tens of
sacked from their jobs, thousands more are interned and hundreds have been sentenced
terms for organising
We reprint on these pages two accounts of the resistance at the Lenin shipyards in Gdansk, birthplace and
NARODOWN RONt they do not want to believe that their liberty is over. It's a bizarre game of and THOSE which workers to enter the shipyards as if nothing has happened. In less than an hour the Polish flags, a symbol for 15 months of strikes and struggles democracy, fly over the gates. Guard rolas are organisea. rrom ine root tops they scan the horizon.
They listen politely to the factory director who, in a choking voice, calls for a return to work, insisting on the threats which go with the state of war.
They like the director a lot and while listening to him, they whisper: not his fault, they made him And then, after his fruitless appeals for ten minutes or so, a young worker reads out in a loud voice the strike communiques. same time ZOMO reinforcements were despatchThe crowd shouted: 'Gestapo and sang the national anthem. The ZOMO used their guns, and tear gas grenades which the crowd threw back at them. 'In the afternoon, whole crowd of people were arrested and the struggle became increasingly bitter: one side with stones, the orner witn We now know the name of one of those killed: Antoni Growarczyk, aged 23.
allows the
for
the crowd, which has also grown since yesterday, applauds incessantly
'It's lifting of the state of war, the release do it.' of all the prisoners whose names are
read out. have heard that region after region, the whole of Poland, is standing together in opposition, and that a triumphant Lech Walesa making his shipyard. It's far from being the case But this monotony of communiques serves as an antidote to the hammering away of the radio and television since six o'clock on Sunday morning
Tween two pieces of classical music, a voice like an automaton weighs down
The last hou
of the Len
From the other side of the gate, the
repeated demands for the immediate
They would have liked to something else to hear
around
way to the
over cards, draw
Every hour like clockwork in betTanks crash through the famous shipyard gates
on Poland: 'As previously announc
Military Council for Natior Salvation has been constituted und the leadership of General Wojcie Jaruzelski...
And each time the voice drones for twenty minutes: 'It is forbidden
Forbidden meet, to mo authorisation, stick up posters, to circulate leafle to loiter in public places,
L0 20 between 10pm and 6am, for anyo
13 to out without ident forbidden to buy petrol, more unan 10,000 zlotys fro one's bank account, to wear badge to send parcels, to make collection to organise sporting activities, to sto in border areas, to carry knives
Page 9 scan of this page
The activities of Solidarity, and also those of the Journalists Association, the Independent Association, are suspended. The property and monies of Solidarity are impounded. Constitutional are suspended and the inviolability of restaences is lied All citizens between 16 and 65 can be placed in forced labour for renewable periods of
days. suspended. Reservists are liable to immediate call-up.
The terms of reference of the military tribunals have been enlarged and the judicial proceedings speeded up. Post, transport, petrol stations, retineries. ports, firefighters. are all 'militarised'. Their employees no longer have any employment con-
s of freedom
n Shipyard
Students obey orders from now
freedoms holidays till
down. reduced to voice: the voice of the army. leave
strange
though they don't
the tract, nor do they any longer have the chance to resign, and any refusal to
on is considered an act of insubordination.
Schoolkids and students are given
January. Regional radio and television stations are shut sevell
The national networks al c one voice, the official
Sunday evening at 7.30pm is the first televised day of the state of war. Men in uniform read out the news in a cold and expressionless face. It leaves
impression: all these measures amount to a coup d'etat,
want lo use the word which is reminiscent of South American generals. However in the streets life would appear to be normal
be
Workers fraternise with the soliders when the
were it not for the secret whispering
There is an all-embracing shadow which has cut up Poland into towns and villages between which one can-
and which has broken up the whole of society, which is now merely a collec. tion of individuals who ly vulnerable. It is ext remely effective Whilst everyone realises that a refusal to go along with this would reduce it 1o nothing, everyone is also asking if their brother, their cousin, or their workshop manager is going to refuse or not. Fear takes a grip, grows and paralyses. And then, too much, it's too much. Through dulling people's senses with the same communiques,
propaganda gives itself away: there is nothing other than the same constantly repeated threats.
Lenin shipyards, Monday eleven o'clock in the room where the na tional strike committee met. 'We are, says an old worker, 'citizens with full rights Peoples Poland, and we will not give up our rights.' One cannot take his hopes for realities. We know that if the mines are on strike in Silesia, it's not all of them, it's only 27, or some say only
The other shipyards, delegates are there, are militarised from this point on and whilst their workers are only pretending to work nevertheless they are still at their post No, they don't delude themselves but they say: 'We must hold out for 36 hours, then something will happen.'
A young worker begins a long discussion Gandhi and methods of non-violence. 'If the army comes, he says, 'we will given them flowers and perhaps they withdraw their arms.' He has little success, and everyone insists that we
careful of provocations, nothing damaging should be done that we shouldn't leave the shipyard that we should stay here even if they produce all the paralysing gases, tear gas etc.
They discuss for ages to decide whether to give passes to those who want to leave the shipyards. don't really take a decision but the general sentiment is that it would be best to have 5000 convinced people than 15,000 undecided. This hesita-
one feels it in the room, one reads it in people's expressions; it's anguish
brother workers of the shipyard,' says an old peasant 1980 the spark which inflamed the whole of Poland began here because you took the decision. Today again you have decided: not to leave your workplace. agricultural workers, we will bring you everything to make sure that you do not starve We will manage somehow. We will kill our animals to feed you. We will help you, l ask of you just one thing, do not give in! Don't let yourselves be terrorised!
Who is this general who directs hisguns at own people declares war on his own nation? The
Planks must appear
radio bombards us with propaganda, but our unity can achieve everything. Dear workers, fear nothing, for God is with us, the Blessed Virgin will not desert us. Save our honour!'
Anna gentle woman with caloused hands -over whom the whole thing started, when the workers began their strike to prevent her being sacked in August 1980 — entered the room. She weeps on recognising her friends. She is a tiny woman, and looks very tired, but she would not give in for anything in
of
whose
the centre traffic is existent; the under surveillance.
At this time no one can say what is to become of Poland. Eleven years Three days later on in ende 1970, they were drowned in blood and his this blood soon led to the fall of the
first secretary of that time, Gomulka. The radio quotes extensively the long will sermon of the primate: this certainly
isn't a call for a general strike.. that They
'in and
appeared.
their officers the degenerated.
Walentynowicz, this small
fists bludgeons,
more casualties.
Zbigniew, Thursday
youth,
were almost nonlarge crossroads are
The
Gdansk.
to the police, Tanks drive past the Gdansk movement to the 1970 dead
Socialist Challenge
The continuing story of the events at the Lenin shipyards was taken up by the Polish correspondent of Le Matin. TUESDAY morning, , the first tanks
At first the people were able to fraternise with the soldiers but
very quickly forced them to stop. 'The soldiers explained to us that they would never fire at us,' said Jan, a young student.
'We managed to put flowers in their tank barrels. These tanks were replaced by others who kept on the move around the shipyards all day. i he tension increased later in the dav with the workers exasperated by the violence of the militia
The real pacification' of the yards took place on Wednesday. The tanks smashed down the yard gates at six in the morning. They were followed up by the militia and the ZOMO. workers were completely exasperated and ready for trouble, said Julian. 'They had their helmets on, their lead pipes, stones, tools and their fists. more radical ones down and bloody confrontations were avoided 'That did not stop the milita from beating people senseless and from using their grenades, Julian went on
The shipyard fell quickly, but in
afternoon things really The military government of Gdansk refused to allow an open air mass to be held at the monument for the victims of 1970. The site was blocked off by the militia and, at about three o'clock, the crowd, mad with rage, attacked them.
Shahala lasted sortes hours,
paving stones then water cannons and plastic bullets. Officially, there were
than six hundred street
saw a stupid thing,' said young student, 'the police were in the process of beating up a young kid of 15 or so on the
The crowd covered in blood, and took a pistol out of hi pocket, and fired at the police. He hit one of them in the head before getting
been any deaths on Wednesday.
it started up again.
Police cordons against groups of
this time with molotov cocktails. Near to the station a police vehicle was burned out. The police
overwhelmed. Commander Kulikowski ordered one of his units to open fire. A man of about 21 was hit in the head and died in hospital.
authorities admitted his death, But, according to the doctors in Gdansk, there were at least two other deaths: a woman shot in the stomach, a soldier thrown off a high bridge by the demonstrators. And six more seriously wounded. "The people cried, "Gestapo, Gestapo, traitors"
'said Julian, 'It's a térrible thing for Poles to kill other Poles.
14 January 1982 page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
On the one hand.
GELDEREN. From outright
with their own membership.
The French CP argues that the balance sheet of my is tervention of the army overall positive' poponsibility for the prime the events es , WILD 'extremists' side Solidarity. The imposition ot martial law is a process 'normalisation'
Although the French CP admits that major errors occurred during the 1970s, and that
Polish Merek leaders failed to solve the proPICTS disu al zucs that Solidarity was going beyond seing a trade union. It wanted ¿ create a self-management republic' and crime :.mes - - 'contested the leading aie of the Polish Communist Party
But the French CP has by no means carried its supporters with When 50,000 people marined Paris December ai the appeal of the pro-Socialist CFDT union federation, many members of the rival CP =ominated union federation
CGT, marched as well ilhen the CFDT called for a ine hour's strike, many from se CGT also came out. CGT
Since then, dozens of CGT coeraous da brancaes have expressed opposition COT leader-
of the ship, which in effect,
eadership of the CP. Not since May there been so much opposition to the leader-
* Even the editor of the COT
•ournal has attacked the ficial position, while rank and •de members or the union have
up a national CGT Solidarity group.
But the leadership remains unmoved. 'The CGT. it savs. will not appeal for support for every form of trade unionism on ine grounas ll calls itself irade unionism...the enemies
socialsin gathered behind Solidarnosc..it is not possible :o say that those imprisoned are irade unionists.'
Within the French Communist Party itself, although opposition has been less strong, leading. intellectuals such Jean Ellenstein have openly denounced the party leadership. What opposition there is, generaly gainerca round lnose
ympathising with Eurocommunists. Joint
In contrast, both the Italian and Spanish CPs have openly condemned the military :akeover Poland. A joint statement by them called for an end to the use of force Poland, a return to normal civil liberties and the resumption of
dialogue between authorities and Solidarity.
The Communist leader, Enrico Berlinguer, went so far as to say that the Warsaw Socialist Challenge
The reaction of the Western
European CPs to Polish crisis
on the other...
The imposition of martial law in Poland has shown the Western European Communist Parties to be at odds with one another, to say the least, argues TESSA VAN
condemnation praise, the CPs have also found themselves in conflict
Pact countries had 'exhausted their capacity for the renewal of their political life'
The Spauish Pleadership
has been equally forthright. condemned Ene •as 'unacceptable and demanding the strongest con demnation'.
Defence One leader of the Spanish party insisted, way to solve the Dolinca problems Polish society'. Another of 'detence of Solidarity the only institution capable of guaranteeing the rights of trade unionism in Poland'. the for The Soviet Union has been quick "malcontents within its ranks. take
A fiercely worded TASS comsaid the majority of sober-minded observers in the West accepted that tervention of the military has save Poland catastrophe. the • Alas it continued, what is clear to the governments and press of manv western coun tries...somehow turns out to be unclear to representatives some parties which socialist slogans.'
Berlinguer would have liked to see 'a historic compromise in Poland between in ind the party like the 'historic has gone he her illan are He has gone further 1 munist leader. the ending OI the era began with the Russian Revolution. 'Now we have come to the 14 January 1982 page 10
point where that phase is closhe said
dynamic forces of development
faint
to a halt, met its point of ex-
lies with 'the
ties in the Western world and our countrv. in this new phase Western workers will be able to military help those in
towards 'an democratisation political life.
Soviet Union find no place inside the British Party, although Gerry Pocock, 'this is not the head OI Inf kind of department of the CPGB, does
descade beringuel s
called as 'absolutely new and extreme-
Around the world and influence But the British CP, Tanks and riot nolice launch an attack on the Polish Academv of Sciences in Warsaw on 15 Decembe
condemning the
these Poland.
some of the responsibility on the shoulders of Solidarity.
the in- the Morning
was been a ban on strikes from the
from government.
compatible with the rights of
dependent of the state. On the other, Solidarity did not assist the search for compromise by of its call for a national stoppage
carry and demonstrations...
Torch
proach Times leader which spoke of Tories. Two major failures.
important has been the failure He announced the party
which seize the torch of retorm and
come relate a been see
cond tailure. has been
tain What he described as 'the discipline.'
criticisms authorities, working. class they have criticisms
Eastern Europe by ofeletheir their
Such biting criticisms of the Star 17
phasis).
Communist
international Gerry analysis
will echo trade union.
while events wnier has been quick to lay
that had generations society." 'On the one hand,' writes
Star, he willes, uch a ball is ll
which al Ci
reactionary
Silesia
is reminiscent of
ment.
The most
apparatus...lo
been
failure of Solidarity to main-
own coherence and
The CPGB and the Morn. ing Star have made many valid
the Polish but throughout tempered such with attacks on Solidarity. "Certainly some of the statements and calls made
actually been provocative. But this can-
democratic rights of the Polish people as a whole.' (Morning
December, our em-
Demands
Pocock argues those wilo sav 'Solidarity was more than a
• Pollica demands.' As he explains, 'It is hardly likely that a trade union born in the circumstances
Solidarity appeared would be just like a trade union
developed over capitalist
Yet in the same article in the Morning Star (19 December),
'The Polish people have to overcome both the ef forts of those who seek to block change and of those, including sections of Solidarity, who are motivated by anti-socialist and
measures canoriar in ine same same issue takes up the tragedy of the
'It is the result of..the imposition of martial law. with the military power controlling all the organs of civil govern-
Unfortunately, the Morning Star seems to be obsessed plains, with the view that the real problem with the military takeover
the suspension
THE UNITED SECRETARIAT OF THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL has issued a long statement on Poland. Next week we will publish a summary of the Fourth International's position. Here we reproduce some extracts which comment on the positions taken by the Western European Communist Parties. THE powerful rise of the political revolution in Poland and the setting into notion of the bureaucratic counter-revolution have resulted in a new stage in the crisis of the communist parties which had already been fuelled in most countries by internal developments in the class struggle ... At one extreme are the positions of the French, Portuguese, Fundamentally they support the establishment of the state of siege which is supposed to have permitted 'Socialist Poland to escape the mortal danger of the counter-revolution'
It is an apparent paradox a convergence between the difficulties of the Soviet bureaucracy and its own organisational interests when some of these CPs present the 'exceptional measures taken by Jaruzelski as the best solution to avoid a possible Russian intervention! ...
The bureaucracy of these CPs not only firmly defends the status quo but identifies socialism and the struggle against capitalism with the policy of the ruling bureaucracy and their regimes At the other extreme is the position of the Italian CP. It has vigorously condemned martial law in Poland, called for the freeing of political prisoners and the elimination of measures outlawing trade union activity. It is against the 'blow that the coup (use of military force) represents against the very cause of socialism'. When it states that it is time that the phase of socialism opened up with the October revolution has exhausted its own energies" and links the Polish events to the policy of the USSR and its internal developments, the Italian CP is going a long way in its conflict with Moscow.
However, the whole line of this CP is situated in the framework of the 'historic compromise for Poland between all the "fundamental components of Polish society"
In no way is it a question of a declaration in favour of the democratic power of the workers outor ine co-responsorv or workers wilmir the framework of the regime, with the PUWP, the Church and the peasants... position on Poland remains the faithful reflection of its class collaborationist policy.
The Fourth International will commit all its weight inside the international workers' movement to develop the solidarity campaign with the Polish proletarian masses. All those who today, inside the workers' movement, refuses to develop this mobilisation divides the working masses -own country and internationally. Inside a Warsaw detention centre Solidarnosc supporters
editorial everything would have been fine if only the pa, liane supreine a, horate in
the suprem Poland representing the people as a whole.
The Morning Star com-
Fi there were severe problems of food distribution lucicway back marketeen! and breakdowns of law and order beyond the control of the
West German and Danish CPs.
, but in fact there is
"to recognise The Italian CP's in their
a onoto smuccied our ov
police, surely the ar my could have been called upor
the parliament's approval...'
programme, "The Road to Socialism" , stands for the primacy of parliament. The same should apply for Poland Does that mean that if only an elected leader, like Margaret Thatcher was in power Poland then everything would he fine?
Page 11 scan of this page
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By Toni Gorton ON the eve of the first national conference of Revolution some 250 people attended a lively international rally in solidarity Friday 18 December.
A spirit of unity with revolutionary endeavours
America and
Central Caribbean; and the ongoing national liberation war
Irelana; pervaaca meeting, as well as accr anger the military takeover Totand
Amilcar Navarro, first secretary Nicar-
guan Embassy spoke of
since the overthrow of the dictator somoza
He declared that Nicaragua wanted to be friends with the people of the United States and would awavs keep the door open for this friend-
But the US governship ment have made that door so small that they'd have 1o go down on their knees
go through and this they'll never do
Rohima Miah a black woman steelworker and a leading member of the Young Socialist Alliance
the US spoke of resisting aLLacK. Reagan and the movement in solidaritv with the Central American and Caribbean revolutions. ireland
The international understanding of youth was brought out graphical-
by Brian Peelan of People's Democracy in the North of Ireland.
He told the story of two 12 year olds throwing rocks at British troops Belfast. One turned to the other and said "This is just like Nicaragua, you know!'
He explained how during the Brixton uprisings,
lack soldiers serving in
reland were toid l go back to Brixton and fight the cons to end the oppression of black people in Bri-
and not lo stay in Belfast helping to oppress the Irish.
Richard Rozanski, member of Revolution Youth gave an account of the achievements of bondanty, me meaning or the military repression
unicaslicu the Polish workers and the need for youth in Britain
hed buind support for
build SUDOUI I Solidarity and isolate the military rulers REVOLUTION Youth Fight Reagan's War Plans
NATO-S ICI Atomi
NO CRUISE NO TRIDENT
SUBSCRIBE to
don N1 2XP
Revolution Youth conference
Youth since its founding in 1980,
with workers' struggles on
A highlight of the evening was the rousing
from Helen, Soccer busworker and leading supporter of Revolution.
She pointed to the banners decorating the hall
BOre portails on leaders of revolutionary
and manV genelallons from many countries such as Lenin, Marx,
Husky.
Rosa Luxembourg, Malcolm X,
Galle.
Connolly.
'We are trying to build a movement based on their ideas, linking up with the struggles the working class world wide to fight against Ipetash and injustice where ever it exists, sne salu
Over £400 was raised a a result of her appeal. Debate
The next two days were jammed full OI hard debate and discussion as 57 delegates, half of them women representing over Tu members orkevolution Youth across Britain argued out their perspectives for the coming year.
internationalist underpinned their considera-
The main political reviewed the situation in the resolution colonial
semi-colonial countries, capitalist countries and the workers' states.
Pointed out was the
leading role of youth and the strategic role of in-
dustrial workers in
Nicaragua, Grenada and Poland
In Britain, the world
wide polarisation between right and left was shown to be deepening with the battles in the Labour Party as
one of the clearest ex-
amples.
Further, the mass
movement against nuclear
weapons achieved
new dimensions, with
autumn of 1981 shows the
of dissatisfaction
with the Tories.
The growing economic
crisis which hitting
youth, and especially
black anc Temale youth
hard is contributing to the
deep alienation of young
people from society
offers them
nothing. REVOLUTION JOBS NOT BOMBS Revolution the paper for youth. Send £3 for a year's subscription (at least nine issues) or £1.50 for six months (five issues) Send to Revolution (d) PO Box 50, Lon-
Revolution Youth
'ERSARY
Revolution Youth will prioritise building Youth CND, get an even greater mobilisation against the missiles 1982.
And, foliowing Tebbit's new proposals youth WIl prioritise the fight against unemployment especially in solidarity with struggles Nike Laurence Scott's and for the unionisation of the Youth Opportunitv Pro gramme.
RY supporters are continuing their drive to get into industrial jobs so as to take up the task of creating
new leadership in the main industrial unions. LPYS
The potential of the Labour Party Young Socialists organising the struggles of working class youth was under scored.
The YS must be made
missile activists, feminists, black vouth and all voung workers will see as campaigning on their behalf
Supporters in the YS pledged themselves to increase their efforts in the coming period enable the YS to do this job.
Notable throughout the weekend the number of black delegates
Coal ticular attention was raid
Keep the youth smiling - all donations warmly received!
to the role of black youth
the coming British revolution
separate resolution was adopted outlining the Revolution Youth programme for black liberation
Special efforts will be made to help the campaign to defend the Bradford 12,
are black youth threatened with life imprisonment as a result of charges following last Black liberation - one of main discussions Socialist Challenge
UTIO
summer's youth rebellion.
A move to change the
name of the newspaper
was rejected and a lICy
leadership was elected
It wasn't all hard graft
for the youth, many a chat
over a cup of coffee and a
good time was had at the
Saturday night disco.
aboul Reviution Youth coon furthe
Youth cor
London NI 2XP C/C PO Box
DE DETE DANT Calle Challengal
14 January 1982 page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
The Orange R.U.C.
By Tom Marlowe
There may be a few healthy apples in the rot-
they aren't in much evidence of late.
For the recent revelalions concerning Police Federation the
Vorth of Ireland's police force - nave oncc agam thrown public light on the bunch of sectarian Orange thugs known as the Rid
The latest disclosure
who. brandishing minutes 4 | 4 cutive the Police Federation. revealed that it top brass had discussed giving official backing to a third force in the North
Ireland. There. "ere arguments a to whether these proposal involved
Paisley's lorie" whether what was being suggested tar a revival of the anecial
Specials
The Specials, in which " Carholio were allon.
local Orange I was abolished
ise after a government
had exposed members as Loyalist louts.
The -ame report also
in in acceptable •hiiil The lates shou hou incen or a labore inar cr tas has heen. Because,
ireland police force do nor
it ail Catholien with a new band
Panderes in tutorin
have made all vort
One came to SUT-
the of last ilit called to: nuroduction of intern. ment without trial in the Vorth of Ireland Alan
weck resigned as chairperson of the declared
internment was 'an important weapon' demanded: govern.
Shake SOne 'ognisance of what
Every
little
bit
helps!
Socialist Challenge
ten barrel of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, but
When RUC members
have been given of
ficial backing for their sec-
tarianısm thev have been
quite happy to take their
own initative. tew ex-
amples from the last cou-
ple of years give a flavour
or the type or activities of
these guardians of law and
There was Sergeant
Gary Armstrong and Con-
stable William Mc-
Caughey who were found
guilty of kidnapping
Catholic priest Then
there were RUC men lan
Mitchell and Laurence
bombing a Catholic own.
Dal Keady.
Newry. Or what about lan
Henderson who as well as
serving in ine RUC. was
convicted of belonging to
gang, the Red Hand Com-
Even when such
characters are found out.
the RUC and the courts
Bic nable to adopt a vei
forgiving attitude. Priest-
Kidnapper Aristrong was
given suspended
Another RUC
miscreant Sergeant Robert
Dodds, who took part ear-
ly in 198i in a "third force'
type vigilante group, was
bunsned ov pennereduc
ed in the ranks to a con-
stable.
Critical
The present furore was
sparked off last November
when a incering of the vic Chet contace in no confidence in
Hannon. The motion was
defeated by ORiv One vOle
The RUC ranks
cribcal Hernor
because he is seen as 100
lenient towards
kepubhcan busneris
Hermon has
stantly defended the ex
cesses of the RUC
Al the end of last year,
when Tory
Secretary Willie Whitelaw
was outlawing the use of
plastic ballets in Britain.
By Pauline Ryan OUR coverage of the Polish workers struggle has dramatically increased the sale of Socialist Challenge.
Our Xmas issue was a bumper 20 pages. week we are publishing a
Socialist Challenge pamphlet the Polish
These things have only been possible your excellent response to our special Polish fund drive appeal, which we are now extending to £1,000.
Good as the response to such special appeals is, however. Wild Socialist Challenge needs most regular income. This means two things:
Pay for the papers
Take within fourteen days of getting
we still have to find the money for the print bits even it you don't get round to sending it to us.
Take out a standing order to Socialist Challenge.
14 January 1982 page 12
in all but the most excen-
tional circumstances, Her-
defended Lne
wholesale use in the North
of Ireland. At least sevel
peopie - all Catholics
Slave been killed by plastic Hermon's ter-
ritory in the last 18 mon-
2113
Chief Constable wack
Hermon, a character
witness for Paisiey.
Hermon's record also
Includes an anpegramme n
cour three years ago as a
character witness for none
other than lan Paisle!
What RUC HiCLEIOCI
really object to, is the ef-
fort Hermon had to make
to try and moderate some
the techniques SUSOCCE
were exposed by Amnes
International in 197
With the eves of the world
on the RU( it was felt ad-
visable try and tone
down some of more
unsavoury methods
questioning.
Standing orders one of our most valuabie sources of income. because we know that we can rely on the money ic
cach manhe fining or
each month.
expenditure, stead of having to exist from hand to mouth.
All you have to do to take out a standing order is o an out me form on inis page and send it to your bank. i vou can sena us a photocopy, will help. but it's not essential.
Standing orders can be for as little as a tiver a month i - every little helps. On the other hand some of our supporters have bankers orders for much as t40 a month
Far be it for us to indulge *socialist com-
Ireland,
That's why the RUC
ranks are now pleading
for a return to other tradi-
tional methods of Orange
repression internment
could "third force" which
'justice"
suspected of having CyC!
tentative links
HUNT
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RUC dispersing women Republican protesters outside Armagh prison.
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RUC but for the British
weil. The with the last
Labour set
great store ov naving the
RUC gradually replace the
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Page 13 scan of this page
Brazil- Workers Party
1982 looks like being the most decisive year
country's military rulers though eager to present an ordered and 'democratic' face to the world, are in deep trouble. With the recession exacerbating an already foundering economy, the country which was once the showcase of capitalism in the third worid now has an annual inflation rate averaging 110 per cent, a foreign debt of $75,000m and a regime imposing even Creater than before on an angry working class.
in particular the 1980 metalworkers in Sao demonstrated the vulnerability of the dictatorship and the potential of the workers movement. Out of these struggles came the impetus for meeting unionists which decided to set up this year the country's first federation (the CUT). strike led to the setting up of the Workers Party (PT), stalinist workers party in the capitalist world.
the country ment conditions for legal recognition. At their head is the internationally known Luis Ignacio da Silva ('Lula'). With ten other union militants he was put on trial for inciting the 'illegal 1980 strike and condemned to three and a half years in prison although the sentence has not yet been carred out. Despite the contume tan threat ne is dery ing the government by standing as the
election due to take place this year.
the elections in advance in favour of its own Social Democratic Party IDS) rules which electoral pacts. how quickly the PT develops and how it puts flesh on its vision of socialism. evolution with LUIS EDUARDO GREENHALGH, a member or the ri executive and the awver defer. ding Lula, and hears what happened when Lula met Polish Solidarity leader Lech Walesa.
How do you explain the rapid growth of the PT?
PT brings together progressive trade ism and the popular movements here in Brazil
period in. which most of the opposition had been destroyed by oppression. It's a party born out
historical moment: the emergence new populat movements and the need of the regime 1o
impression of return to democracy.
PT leaders describe it as a sucianst party. kind of socialism is it?
Certainly ours is not a prepackaged imported socialism. The PT intends io learn from the many socialist that could be applicable to he Brazilian people.
PUS: the Nicaraguans structing a socialism based
penience, so ward 10 12Kr wani wide movement WhEr all tendencies exaressed
How do you shis Brazilian socialism ng built?
We Waili gather together all sectore of the opposition under the leadership of the working class. In this way we intend
of the people and we are
integrate struegles into this PT project.
Are there divisions in the PT between those who see it as a political party and those who view it as an opposition front!
That problem exists. But the majority think it must be a party and becoming stronger there is lesset atendency to regard it as a front.
yet for the workers movement in Brazil. The
and misery
A series of land occupations and strikes —
strike of 200,000 Bernardo have
August of 5200 trade
independent central
And the metalworkers
the largest non-social democratic non-
Already the PT has won 300,000 members across and has more than met difficult govern
metalworkers leader
PT's can-
The regime meanwhile in an attempt to sew up
has just announced new opposition parties from forming
As political tension mounta much will depend on
Kathy Kirkham discusses
Is the PT prepared make amlances witn ine bourgeois apposition parties?
We will make alliances with all parties and all groups, legal or illegal, that are against the government. But we will always maintain our in. dependence as a party.
The PT calls itself workers' party. Does it only defend workers or other oppressed groups in Brazil as well?
We represent workers in general and all oppressed montes such as women. blacks, Indians and gays.
What percentage of PT
Members are women?
something estimate ike tortv percent. ! he ma prity of the leaders of the reminist Brazil beione to the PT We are trying to facilitate balik patten of men in the party. For e: amnl some of our cert are toiledine responsibility for the care of children of the women members who have to take part in meetings.
What channeis exist i the party for women to discuss and raise their demands?
Traditionally in the
legal and illegal, the problems of women have beer department. the perie discussed have no such department. though do have
the different states) to help prOblems with the problems of the whole recognise that the nomen have specific problems but that doesn'i mean the: should have fight their own. The whole parIy must struggle for their demands. Women hard
importance in the Pi not only because the party has
them something that they have won.
As the lawyer who defended Lula and the ten other union leaders sentenced for inciting the 1980 metalworkers' strike, what do you think are the political implications of the court case?
The government's purpose
persecute the which it the most advanced sector of the opposition. But it won't do the regime any good because condemned people will go all over the country and make a campaign out of it. The
International
fights regime
Striking metalworkers. Inset, Luis Eduardo Greenhalgh (left) with Lula (centre).
only way the government could really succeed would be to physically eliminate the leaders of the PT.
Could Lula still go to jail?
Personally, I believe that it would be very dangerous for the regime to imprison him. The fact that all the men are Still tree shows that the government is not strong enough to put them in prison. And in the eyes the people iney nave been victinuised so that if the government does jail them they will be martyrs.
Will Lula continue stand as governor Sao Paulo?
Of must
demonstrate that the PT intends to break down any law or obstacle it may find in its way.
Does the PT see the government's package of election conditions imposed on the opposition as a big setback?
This pacote is an arbitrary act of a government that intends guarantee own crection victory in adi-
The restrictions afposition so they affect the lect all sectors of the
We call on all other groups and parties struggle against the pacole
popuiat mobilisations. That's the way to fight i
- from the base with the people not through an alliance of party leaders.
We think elections in Brazil are very important but ther damental for putting into Jallle the political project of the PT - that of building party workers.
What was the purpose of Lula's recent visit to Europe?
To tell European parties about the experiences urban and rural workers in Brazil and to inform them COvu our project building the PT Lula believes he was successful on both counts. A lot of Socialist Challenge
met in Europe thought he was looking fo
some democratic parties offered a money. The PT won international respect beCause Llla refused
People realised that the Pi was realiv in. dependent.
Lula also had talks last summe Polish Solidarity leader, Lech Walesa at the Vatican. What happened at that meeting.
The meeting got ott to a tense start Walesa
The thought Lula was making a mistake
unionism with creating a political WalLY Luia replied that in the Brazilian situation the trade union struggle wa: insufficien carr: through a orocess of socia transformation that would benefit the workers
For the Brazilian workine class to reach its obled lives it would need to make
qualitative trade union to political ai-
and inals what ine PT was trying to do.
Lula observed that
tempting to organise both politically and through the irade union movement, it hadn't yet been able underne the millar dictatorship in Braz
Solidarity was 'only' rocked rade Polish
the Polish regime.
Lula then went on io say that it seemed to him that the capitalist COUn tries, through their inter to use events in Poland fo their own ends. Soldarit! should be wary of being used by world imperialism which was out to discredit socialism.
After this tense begınn ing Lula and Walesa had a very good exchange of expeticines 14 January 1982 page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
women's jobs away
being threatened.
HOOVER has made huge redundancies in what used to be the maior source ment in the area. Out of 5,500 workers in the 1970's, only 2,000 remain, including nearly 200 women.
Until recently, redundancies had been voluntary. New mananacal nas asked tor murter fos to o - s0 ll the semi-skilled areas and 100
manasenent. Women workers were told that over 100 of the jobs for the chop would be theirs. Breach
This move clearly breaches an agreement between Hoover workers' union engineering union, AUEW and management, that redundancies should be made on a 'last in, first out' basis.
But the AUEW don't see things this way at all. Judging ev lis treatment of women. appears all too keen to lend management a hand in sending its women members down the TONO-
For example, when the announcement was made, union joined the management in refusing to allow the women to discuss their position. The women were forced instead to call a special meeting in their own time.
Over 60 women attended and decided to
vi tailse temselves to fight the redundancies. They agreed to call upon the Eoual Opportunities Commission to take up their CasC azalis! Hilallazcucil instituting discriminatory lay
By Ralph Blake
We are fighting to win These were
Archie shop stowards al lit aon dutumum smerter, arter une osu strone worktorce sao voreo to oc cupy the plant to stop it from closing on Wednesday 7 January.
„ine workers at nvercoroon the Hignland region, north
first of the British
lose the smelter on New Year's Eve come workers alte notee lo starl d Barne smitched orfte pole to te work-in out ine metal became frozen and thus made t sile adable.
Work in
The company was set on closing the works despite large government suosicies, trom na• beer s•entor subsioisino •ectrciv to the b.an over the last ten years.
Aluminium support paliy.uvci the next three ycals British
Aluminum wanted every year untıl zuul!
Faced with 20 per cent levels of
localiy workrorce decaea overwnelminol • sat a work-n cesete ine com pany offering redundancy pay 50 pel
Socialist Challenge
Hoover sweeps
WOMEN workers at Hoover in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, have been told that their jobs will be the first to go in the latest round of redundancies at the plant.
HELEN SLYMOVICS and VERA McELHONE visited the factory and spoke to the women whose jobs are
Toffs. The EOC has agreed and Icuunualicics dIC frozen. the the
all the
PaI
BILS
for
Scotland - an occupational disease
McCreevy was set up to was overseeing the start of limited oro•uction to ensure mat me olanı could go into full production once again.
Archie wcureevy
vulvanly vele une oldul ooer to ger te tran out about the wort
other British Aluminium com•Coranois mire teneo win cosure with over 1000 jobs at risk.
The Party esponsibilit!
Wilson government in the orouent ie smeter to ocoliana ine potential is rottich working class benine this
ding at over the major issue which will dominate The govern Scottish politics in 1982
But peume cucuca m ne £16m cola tor lou note after the work in at Invergordon was announced, ts inminecupations and a third one
menseves in arane ings Bank office in Glasgow last Friday. The women launched their sit14 January 1982 page 14
All the women feel that the real fight should management over lobs but the local AUEW leadership is proving lo be a real obstacle in organising any fight at all.
The women 110W work mainly in the semi-killed
GINT
CO COLD ST STELL CANOL FOR IR IRON LA LADY
Women workers support every struggle - now the unions have s set ustto run the oc cupatiin. ee artinn committe
our jobs back'
sald Aluminium not going to keep women It was vital ste said LorV. backing them.
In the next few days the action
assurances Tutule ralKirk centd
inspesir! said, wa. bUs that
inere to get tne VUCII rinaly
. Unemployment which is stan. Vest omnan
Only last week in Glasgow over
Treezine Scott KOoS Ana cams Scotland
¡ores corTin o xty women cleaners barricadeo
atona Aluminium
News
jobs. Although be with received equal
shop. No women in the plant last eight years.
COMMITTEE
hat trey wor ed for tad lost ane
worked had lost the contactlo clean we bank. Ano inev vowed we won t give in until we get
The women are being supported by their
support is growing for the wvriu art sacina a sil-ilt the Cumbernauld Lovable Bra Tac
Line 1OCa trao ec council . The sit-in started last Friday after the women failed to win
about factory's
Guarantee
Senior shop steward Sadie Lang
turster retee redundancies and that this factory will remain
' at the Plessev factory The : workforce are prepared to stage a sit-in in a bid these occupations are able to share the lessons of previous
bue: UD Jeans • ano Laurence ano ine massive gotential sympathy is tapped in
fighting to then these jobs can vc savca. ll wi pe anomer nau in uf
Send messages of support to Shop stewards action committee,
Invergordon, Highland Region, ocotland.
the fact that assembly work.
pay, the been
helped
they have pay since 1975 thev are denied the chance to work on the assembly lines, , in the die-cast, foundry or paint-
have been pat Goode. recruited to the plant for the
They feel that the source of
Ine
STRIKE
STOP
THATCHER
SHALL OT BE
IF WERE LAME
DUCKS
THE TORIES ARE
DEAD
DUCKS
THE Action Commitfor Woman's Right to Work holding a meeting to discuss their slogan and what should be raised under this heading. It will be held on 16 January at Birminenlar unlersil from 1pm to 4pm.
their current problems lies in
they nave bee restricted in this way to sub-
Pat Goode a shop steward at Hoover told us, 'After equal
union and the conbeen bulding bridges Bill Bish, SolOnave
for and not barriers.' But Bish has stated that he would prefer to take redundancy himself than let women go on the line.
Tais tp ofanirade snod
encourage good working relations between men and women union members.
Stewards
For instance, the men in the
sub-assembly line did not want
wiln lo years ex perience at Hoover, to represent ihem as shon SLCWal
bagging department. The
GM COOKSON (Socialist challenae)
Women's Right to Work Demonstration
The Labour Party has now been ioined by the public sector workers union NUPE in organising a festival on 5 June and commit tee has been set up.
However Ac tion Committee is still pressing
gravated tais union leadership ag
this division between the men and women by allowing the seven men involved to have their own male represen-
while Pat Goode represents 40 women.
Jackie Trailor, the only woman steward until the recent dispute, has been transferred to the canteen without any protest from the union. Here it is inCcasas difficult for her to represent her members in the sub-assembly section.
Jackie told us. 'We need positive discrimination for equality, the union is trying to tie us up in knots. She is als the only woman on the AUEW district committee where port for the women is note orup-
coming either. The district secretary and the divisional
nave said that the will not support the women il they take their case to an industrial tribunal.
As Jackie says, 'The district committees are nol interestea in women workers. The union should have fought for job sharing with no loss of pay • rather than all this backbiting
Line women at Hoove: agree that, if properly led, the men would have fought for jobs for all the workers. Unfortunately this is not likely in the present circumstances and the women are continuing to fight on their own.
Special
fat Goode is optimistic 'As WEeN. we are so mucł together now , we know we have support and know that we can organise outside Hoover even it
it 'is dikie agrees, We have no
Jackie agrees, alternative. It's not the men bu the union leadership Bish is as powerful at Hoover as Reagan is in America '
The women are now discussing ways of forcing the AUEW to take seriously the fact that all the workers, both men and women, need jobs. They are going to other unions including the miners, and the Labour Party to put their cas‹ They want a special AUEW women's conference to be called to discuss their case and the wider issue of increasing redundancies under the Tories. Messages s sube spor to women should sent "Jackie Trailor, Rhydach, Pentrebach, South Wales.
HPSAA
UCS
demonstration to be
held as well and want:
trade union and
Labour Party bodies to
send resolutions to the
Labour Party's
ecutive and the TUC
For information
tact 181 Richmond Rd
London E8
pilott
Ali 07-691 7865.
Page 15 scan of this page
Soft Machine and socialism
CONSIDERING the number of bright young agit-rockers who have emerged on current affairs programmes recently it is interesting that the coherent radical pop figure GOllICo from a much generation.
In the mid-sixties ROBERT WYATT was drummer vocalist with the quirky and influential Soft Combining light songs with free Jazz straight music they are one of the few 'experimental' groups of that era who do not make excruciating listening today.
In the early seventies he was paralysed from the waist down in a fall but came back with his finest work yet. Rock Bottom written largely from the trauma of his acident is one of his finest records.
Over the years Wyatt became politicised, culminating in his joining the Communist about three years ago. He has recently re-emerged musically producing number recommended) singles the independent label Rough Trade. Here LOCKHART interviews him.
Why the CP?
Havind laiker o people political persuasions on CP admitted had blood hands.
What vis-a-vis Stalin?
Vis-a-vis just about anything in the history of the labour
real anvwnere powel established in the name of socialism.
By joining the CP acknowledging all the mistakes that have been made In the socialism and still savine its worth il
To me an eccentric version of hou it looks Cl am not a scientist after all) is that the rise of the Trotskyist left has a psychological basis in the desire
Psc aldll temselves burden of having to acknowledge the historv of socialism as il has been handed down to us.
Would yOU conider definitely anti-Stalinist?
No. positive embarrassment hoth to the British ( P and the Soviet Union
My view is that there is a primary lause ihat upsets me about the world.
capitalish ire or apeaied ly
capitalism advanced dustrial states. If the left on the whole
guilty anything Il IS estimating the power of capitalism in the west and the ease with workers united can overthrow it.
I won't altack the Soviet Union except WHeD writing letters 10 Radio Moscou. I'm impressed davulc wi cal Nove a os anıla! threat to what would otherwise he the total onership the western monopolies.
What depresses me abour Soviel amon is ine exient lo walcn they imitate western habits to maintain their that I'm in a position to condem the dille/ 112 gone throuch in order to capitalism.
What profil about the CP's reformist
I would not place the amount of taith that the (P estanlishment docsi lhu
most
earlier
and
Machine. surrealistic
and innovations
Robert increasingly
Party
of for
SIMON
all the left the avclichl.
DeCn
am
of
Hallic
from the
yourself
ment oul vears ago.
the roval family.
ton under-
which temselves thrown the establishment is by import political abroad
world bv Mugabe is now in.
the Would you describe revolutionary socialist?
have resist I just san
one of the
edl with the Bolerihs.
sonary.
potential of parlament. It seems clear He 1o me that capitalists sorted parlia-
By the time the left get there it'Il be about as useful as
The CP has a historv of trano to give people experience of administra-
parliamentary road has never been cut
The trouble revolutionaries find
when they've UVCI -simply lack of administrative skill. Withinsii
like months the revolutionary body has to
technicians from situation Robert
new : yourself as a
Well yes.. I comd from a world of
La film about a Finish
onlv members hourg, drop ouls who sempatis.
25! picke na a v evhorting the peasanes and workers of finland to thei dauchier.
Review
was absolutel! right in what he said and the bourgeoisie imported a load of German soldiers and wined (hem out front line yourself. you have an incredible responsibility abour how and who vou exhort. We aren t exactly in the front line in England.
Feminism does not exactly strike me as the CP's strong point?
know lots ot old socialists who don'l
rock and don't understand feminism, but in terms of what ine! were dealing with when they were
battle l think they had priorities and they still do. I think the
left will find itself in the same position in lifty years time.
1 think what 1 am arguing agains! is probably quite simply ageism. you keep on splitting away when older coc eo e or oo voł oo resources?
The International Marxist Group is comprised mostly of people over
Wal. I'm very comforted to hear that and I lose them straight away.
There's no wav CP members will get oft on a Sound just System. I don't think it matters tha
they like Gilbert and Sullivan because terms of priorities what's right and wrong in this area and culturally they may be capable ot amazingly racist assumptions dismiss them because of this would be
Surely it's one thing not to follow cunturai Tasnions ana another to become less in seems to me that there 's very little thei socialist perspective
culture.
Popular culture is and always been politically ambiguous lake a folk song as a piece of music it can be the voice of the underprivileged or a fascist can take that same song and use it as the voice of the heart of his people or it can be tarted up and used on the Eurovision song coniest. I think difficult cultural pursuits to do it on their own.
lists trving to make a contribution to
liked
monar!
aspirations.
Like
would
nevertheless
enemy absorb.
for
CBS really are. by it...
It's
such
throw aristocracy
culture. revolutionary
of old ineye off-beat
Would
terms?
and says,
elderly ballet-loving
wonderful they Know
This finger. and
culturally sharp It
on popular
has It VOU and look
Dolese una tory workers?'
for people
politicised 1 know lots of musicians and ar-
Socialist Challenge
the labour movement. . used to makı an assumption that because the music
alic whole culture that it was inherently revolu-
because celebrated dis possessed people without access ic power. It celebrated their lives anc
Pete Townshend saying believe in rock and roll'. I think he
think that was a culturall! revolunonary Ining to ao In hind. sight we can all have a chuckle at that.
It's wnete came from ten to fifteen years ago and we've simply underestimated the
- the power of capitalism to
I don't go around blaming punks
selling out as reminding people just how powerful organisations like
We're talking about white male European culture?...
Yes we're talking about the strongest peopie in tne worid..
And most of them are oppressed
Yes of course and one of the thing that drew me to the organised lef: from having been a rock musician wa feeling totally betrayed by my ow: ideology just as a rock musician
hard ~ to learn from the established left because ther har:
cynical attitude toward: popular culture that they don't knoi enough about it to talk about it
A big problem the left has is ira al one me mae as assume that capitalism was a revolutionar! torce because it represented the ove:
by ine bourgeoisie ana that during period its culture was revolutiona::
What we call progress has bee brought about by capitalism and prc. ves capitalism is still the most pou e-
tul way ot operating Socialists hars great difficulty with this because !?. can't think of bourgeois culture béir e
after 1917 thereto:: anything that comes trom Ameri.. must be reactionary. Which suits a le:
Europeans very well : snobs and don't like a lou: or flashy clothes. So wha: you get is cultural Luddites.
say that effective socialist pop is a contradition in
If it doesn't represent a strong work ing class movement it has to be. If ar artist points his finger at something
'Look, 1 have noticed this You think ah yes that's useful. And you've had an insight that's useful
But time and again people star looking not at what he's pointed ti but start saying 'This man's got =
finger, let's photograp: this incredible finger. And eventual!: everybody tries to grow a finger like
That's the history of a: religion every good ide manifests itself as an icon.
What about groups like the Beat and the Clash who have a left pro.
file but no affiliation with working class movements
All you can say is their prioritie: aren t vour oriorities.. A positive w'a' of looking at it is to nurture wha there is in common with other people
I would say just cut your losses
elsewhere. In the Morning Star world you'll find a lot of discussion centred on 'Oh dear how can we
local Sun-reading fai.
My attitude to that is instead o: haranguing those people look around the world for where there are totall!
people struggling on the front line and find out what suppor: you can give them.
14 January 1982 page 15
Page 16 scan of this page
Fares farce
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Socialist
Challenge
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465
House of Lords ruling.
aay In County Labour the GLC's fares policy.
Principles
ciples won't stop bus
their the House of Lords.
allowed a free vote,
Lords ruling.
against the Tories.
positions of WUIS voted
councillors. manifesto was
HEATHROW+
UNDERGROUND Fit for a queen? But not for the likes of us once the fares go up
WHAT DOES HE KNOW ABOUT ABORTION?
THE MANIFESTO of the Labour Greater London Council is an empty shell. As we go to press it appears that the GLC will vote to increase fares and make cuts and redundancies of London Transport, in line with the
It will call on the government to change the law, whatever good that may do. And on this sorry and
Hall, certain policies councillors will have kept to their principles and voted
full knowledge that this would have no chance of getting through.
What a farce, what a fiasco! If The left should have voted — and organised - a massive campaign of resistance in favour of
withoul action, pay the increased fares; principles won't save the jobs of lne ous and lude workers, prin
and tube routes being slashed. Not when those principles are paper votes when they are not put into action to openly defy the Tories and puppets in the courts and dards
Nor was the issue whether or not the Labour group should be
once a majority had voted to defy the Law
What is really at stake is how the Labour GLC should be leading the campaign in support of its manifesto and Law
They have failed to do that.
principle and at pledges Labour made in the manifesto. No-one is concerned with making martyrs out of bankrupt or surcharged
But when passed by the of action London Labour Party what did the would-be counciliors think
Abortion rights
- Corrie through
would be the outcome?
That the Tories, Heseltine
so on would allow their to be implemented without opposition? That money would be forthcoming from central government because tne people of London had voted for the
the Labour group, especially the left, thought this was the case, then it's naive to say the least. But the lett knew. anc promised, that what was needed to implement its policies was to lead a massive and continuing campaign to take on the Tories, the press and the courts.
Because what is at stake is not the reputation or political purity
a dozen or so councillors. w.nar ls al stake is tne living stall-
of the working people ot London who are facing r tremendous onslaught from vicious government. The working class of London looked to the Labour GLC elected in May to give it a lead where its own union leaders nationally have failed.
A mass campaign against the
Lords' ruling fares would have, and still can, meet a tremendous response within the labour movement. Whatever the outcome of the council meeting. all those in the GLO London
Partv and the trad unions who oppose the judgement should fight through the organisations of the working class to have a massive campaign
The working class has had enough of fine words.
the back door
By Jude Arkwright Women's abortion rights are under attack again This time from the Department Health and Social Security.
Last March a new form was issued to be filled in by doctors performing abor tions. The new! worded Cormoes not allow for non-medical reasons to be
abortion. The implication Is that all those worker seeking abortions anything other than medical • reasons are not really entitled them under the 1967 Abortion Act. Afford
If this interpretation were to be taken seriously by doctors it would mean refusing abortions to 80 per cent of women seeking them on the NHS.
Any woman seeking an
for Could am afford anoiser example that
child, or as a young girl still at school, or because her marriage was breaking ир, would be turned down
The 1967. Act has never given women the complete right themselves but one liberat choose
interpretation of the Act has always acknowledged that such social reasons must be taken inio account.
The intention behind the changing of this form is now clear. Any doctor who does not fill in the form correctly is liable to prosecution.
Letter
The National Abortion Campaign have just disclosed a confidential letter from SIr Henry Yellowlees, the Chie medical officer, all those doctors who have continued lo enter social reasons regardless.
It states: 'Lest there be any misunderstanding should point out that non medical factors alone do not provide legal justification for termination on the grounds you have entered on the form
It is possible that this action has already affected women seeking abortions. It is vital that the pro abortion lobby acts now to stop
What Benyon, Corrie and White could achieve because of the
demonstrations against them, the civil servants and the government
trying achieve without recourse to parlia ment. They must he stopped.
Socialist Challenge urges all its supporters to. * Write to your MP, asking ner/nim doctors be encouraged to grant abortions social
grounds and that the ang
* Table a motion tor you.
Junior reaffirming support for the 1967 Act
( clause
embodying the spirit of the
*Support the National Abortiol askine vour race union o group to affiliate.
← Socialist Challenge No. 227, 7 January 1982Socialist Challenge No. 229, 21 January 1982 →