Socialist Challenge No. 230, 28 January 1982
The scan: sc-no230.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 THE REAL LOAFERS
SUPPORT THE RAILWORKERS
No. 230 28 January 1982 The outrageous attacks on railworkers by the Sun newspaper has helped highlight the disgraceful priorities of Tory Britain. The Sun chose slander railworkers in the week it was revealed that:
* 3,070,621 people were officially out work: one in eight of the workforce
* Dick Giordano, managing director of BOC International, had
salary raised by more than £200,000 to nearly f1/2m a year. For this he only works months. The rest of the time he spends in the United States. A company spokesperson tempted to justify this income explaining that poor old Dick had to maintain 2 houses.
The Duke of Westminster, without doing a stroke of work, was allowed by some ancient charter to buy back the f20m former site of the St George's Hospital at Hyde Park Corner for the sum of £23,700. This much-needed hospital had been down by the Tories. The good Lord has announced that he will put up an office block.
The Sun chose to ignore these obscenities, but trumpeted lies about rail workers drinking disco dancing and playing cards in worktime!
25p
Socialist
Support for • the drivers is arowing. So the Sun is attempting to divert attention from the real issues with a technique pionered by
propagandist Josef Goebbels: the bigger the lie the better.
The life of Riley that railworkers are supposed to lead is a far cry from the realities of the job. Most people are in bed sleeping the unearthly hours when drivers are travelling long distances leven in the coldest spells | to get to work, with no public transport available.
The responsibilities are great, but the job is dangerous and accidents are often fatal. Railworkers work an overced of 54½ hours weekly because no one can live on the pathetic amount they get for 40 hours.
the real issues involved in the rail dispute are however coming across despite the Sun and the rest of them.
They are:
* Defence of the eight hour day * Defence of 38,000 jobs * Opposition to making the present unsocial hours intolerable
* For a rail industry with adequate investment to produce a decent service for fed-up commuters.
Unemployed and strikers 10p
Dick Giordano, boss of BOC gets £200,000 salary increase to £477,100
Stin
€50,000 BINGO!
PAPER THEY CAN'T GAG
BLACKED!
-a Railmen ban The Sun in Sun 7 row ovel fiddling
Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, sixth
Duke of Westminster. Never done a days work.
Stin
rs, says fairbaim
ease BEE
TAKEN FOR
A RIDE!
HE ASLEE men paid as they
drink, sleep and disco SUN NEWS EXCLUSIVE
1 €50,000
SOLiDARNOs
This week's coverage on Poland see p4, 5 & 6 RAPE-ROW MINISTER IS SACKED BY MAGGIE
Leyland
workers out on
strike
BL workers at Bathgate and Leyland plants have come out to save their jobs. Up against Michael Edwardes and his plan, they are determined to win. We reprint a letter from the Leyland joint committee.
After years of allowing
to up Leyland Vehicles we must now use industrial muscle and politica. pressure to fight for our future.
The policies closures and redundancies been totally discredited but management have refused talk to the unions asce alternatives and pressed ahead with implementing their cuts.
This is a policy with no hope and no future
there will be public British truck manufacturer if we let Edwardes continue with this disastrous course.
Workers have voted for union policy which will retain jobs at Leyland. Confrontation is inevitable.
We must remain united and not fall for the 'fools gold' of redundancy money. No-one will be able to draw dole until most of this is used up, and very few of those made redundant will ever find new jobs.
We must not be conned into thinking some of us will survive. More large scale redundancies will follow this year, particularly in the foundry section. After that LV's ability to survive at all will be in doubt.
If we all stand together and press case we will find that management and the government policy it is implementing CAN be defeated This will be our last chance.
Interview with Leyland convenor p15
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LABOUR LIAISON '82
Editorial
PO Box 50, London N1 2XP
Phone 01-359-8189/8180 (editorial and distribution) Miners - what
went wrong?
THIRTY 5p pieces arrived on Joe Gormley's desk just before the results of the miners' ballot was announced last week. from the Allerton pit in North Nottingham, sent this gift to the retiring president of the mineworkers union with the cryptic note: 'Like Judas, here is your payment for betrayal.'
throughout the coal industry. against the national executive's recommendation came as a bitter blow.
Presidential NUM were confident of victory. wrona?
through the managements pasted this up at every pit in the coun-
that he only managed by a whisker to avoid censure by a normally loval NEC
Does the result confirm maestro statesman best able to judge the mood of miners? returns to see that such an explanation is nonsense. It cannot account for the big differences between Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire - coalfields only a few miles apart.
best paid miners and the clerical grades on me •visions causee ov une schemes.
is undoubtedly the different roles played by various local leaderships. In Yorkshire and Scotland a two-to-one majority backed the NEC. picture in refusal of the right wing leadership to wage a campaign for the NEC recommendation, but by their successful blocking of the left's attempt to do so.
paign in the left wing areas. arguments of the right.
Gormley and his refrain that a action. offer, didn't really cut any ice.
turn tail without a fight.
mean confrontation with the resoonse to unis political preparation. that if the Tories
sion.
given ne general climate where
cave in won t tererore win une next wage Gialls Preparations have to be through the lessons of this deteat.
volving a fight for united class Tories. one by one Solidarity today
unions in the nationalised industries through building and extension of the Triple Alliance.
SOCIALISM
below Name.
Address
Age....
Union/CLP (if any)...
Send to:
London N1 2XP.
Socialist Challenge
The miners
This gesture summed up the feelings of militants
The 55-45 per cent vote After Scargill's resounding the left in the So what went
Some of the blame must be placed on Gormley's
Daily Express. Colliery
So blatant was Gormley's final act of betrayal
Gormley's claim to be
It is enough to take a casual glance at the voting
Gormley probably influenced the voting of the
building inaustys bonus
But the most important factor in the discrepancy
the
The reverse Nottingham stemmed not only from the
The first lesson from the ballot defeat therefore is the understanding that the right must be challenged on their own around. It is not enouan to simpiy cam-
But more fundamentally, the left needs to provide adequate answers to the
cronies played up the NCB's 'ves vote was a commitment to strike Scargill's reply that the mere threat of strike would be sufficient to make the Board increase its
Few were prepared to take the gamble that the NCB and the Tories would
The right wing rightly charged that a strike would
Tory government. A nUCA greater i of Blind insistence that this was iust another wade claim was a mistake. Mutterinas
got in the way they would be removed as Ted Heath was in 1974 just added confu-
In retrospect concentration on the £100 minimum for face workers was too narrow. The Board's threat of further pit closures had to be openly confronted
trade union and Labour leaders have not only failed to halt the rise in unemployment but have done their best to stop rank and file militants taking action on their own behalf.
Crossed fingers and prayers that the Tories will
made now as militants sift A massive campaign among the members of the NUM is needed in-
action against the Then the Tories will not be able to pick us off with the train drivers void nrovice a tirm bass or late• acron ov un
the
JOIN THE FIGHT FOR
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
Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50,
28 January 1982 Page 2
By Tessa van Gelderen, Socialist Challenge representative
tion.'
He tried to reassure the delegates at the Hiccule who represented a whole range of organisations and Broad Lefts in the party and the trade unions, 'no assurances sought or given on any ac-
Bishon's ford not even on Tatcnell and lne Millant
But despite Tony Renn's reassurances meeting divided whether there was a truce inside the party. mediate issues raised by Foot's article.
MICHAEL FOOT'S
the 'red
steel plants.
But Foot did in fact but ioward a number very simple arguments to justify his faith. First, argued, the notion that the 1974-9 Labour government sold out socialism Is
'monstrous perversion' put around by people Ike Tony Benn
Second, says Foot, the Bennite left will Labour the next election. Third, he argues Labour MPs are dominated by the leader, but are freer now than ever to exercise their own consciences.
Sacked
A to attack Peter Tat-
right to attack Cher because or alches lack of faith in parliament.
crucial one. There is no argument that a Labour government infinitely preterable to a lorv
But the 1974-9 Labour government did abandon crucial aspects of Labour's election manifesto, moreover, chose the traditonal meant me
deal will economic crisis attack ing the working class.
Labour's manifesto adopted in 1973, included as a central plank an attempt to regenerate British industry through planning agreements and state investment via the National Enterprise Board. was abandoned by 1975, when Tony Benn was sacked as industr Minister
Callaghan then on to impose the social
'THE TASK of the Labour left now is to work flat out for a Labour victory at Hillhead, for Labour gains in the local elections in the spring and for a Labour victory in the general elec-
Tony Benn, speaking at Labour Liaison '82, tried to set the tone for the meeting. He was hoping that the meeting was 'not going to waste time on the deputy leadership question.'
Reg Race, who describhimselt 'PLP lunatic fringe' firmly that the first condition for unity in the party that was that the right stops its witch-hunt, Peter Tatchell and doesn't fudge party policy If not, all bets are off as far as the leadership and deputy leadership are conthe cerned. on This theme was to be repeated throughout discussion particularly
The 'monstrous
perversions'
of MichaelFoot
Last week we looked at Michael Foot's two-part article in the Observer about his brand of socialism. Here PHIL HEARSE looks at some of the more im-
articles in the Observer were the precious and pretentious products of a literary poseur. Anyone who has heard Foot speak will know what I mean - all that silly shouting, posture-taking and demagogy about
flame of socialist courage' defending incomes policy or the closure of
contract, which despite the of pretence turned out to be anollel WOrd he restraint. It was because of this that Labour came into conflict with groups like the firefighters, just as the Labour ment had clashed with the seatarers.
Close depressing background of was against
that falling that Labour lost the 1979 living standards not general election. was not one singie measure
involved an attack on the in favour of working class 'monstrous i perversion for Foot was anything else.
Michael Foot in 1966 was the hero of the Labour Conterence wiet nerose tu attack the imposition poncy by Wilson government, ting to big business, the Ci OIC ty and the banks as the real
ICS ple. But ten years and when he was Callaghan's loyal lieutenant, he forgotten all that.
Foot's argument that it is the Bennite left which will lose Labour th next election monstrous piece of double think the Labour right, with its numerous defections In en which refuses to This conference decisions thus precipitates the conmc Inside une party
But more than that. the wen: •robem or Labour winn ing the next election is pre-
from the present who were concerned that the fight should continue.
As Colin representing the Left of the Post Office Engineering plained: 'Those of the unions can't keep our heads down. Our jobs and our wages are on ine line we can't have a truce.' stated
SDP He argued that we had to have a Labour government but pointed out that those workers who voted Tory at the last election would switch votes to the SDP. Why? Because the trade union leaders were
the with the bosses and unless
the campaign continued ic when
ward
govern-
this
here
the
pretend
of
the
poin-
OCU
later
had
another
eminently a political one
for accept wallpalell those of the SP which different
ana
attempt to give an answer to thé economic crisis interests or working people?
It isn'i the Bennite lef: of the party which wants a
Talbot
us in had
their
colluding
COND
Tony Benn keeps a watchful eye on Michael Foot. Benn said victory is impossible without socialist policies and a continu right wing. But delegates from union Broad Lefts insisted on
re-run of Wilson/Callaghan — will Labour forthrightly policies, the kind of thing
policies which has lost Labour iwo general elections. which 'oot's third argume - that Labour now freer Than eve. domination by the leaders Fo: the in-
Tony Benn: 'Labour victory is priority dividual 'conscience
not cru question What matte whether the MPs carry the wishes of the wi
he winhes or the
leader or their own whi wishes of the
The doctrine of sin 'loosening the control the leader means nott
Page 3 scan of this page
- NO TRUCE WITH THE RIGHT!
RENCERIM ANY:
last Saturday's Labour Liaison meeting that a Labour victory was the priority. But a Labour
replace those leaders who refused to implement TUC and LP policy, then workers would not take the left seriously.
Unions
Despite the reluctance of many of those at the meeting to come to firm conclusions as to how, if at all, to organise themselves in the future, there was very userul aiscussion on the importance of winning use trade uous.
Norman Atkinson, deposed Dally ircasulei. who chaired the meeting, had suggested that what was needed was for the block vote to be overhauled in favour of the constiLucicics.
This was firmly continued fight.
are conference decisions. rOOLS dreamer names not a tyrant like Wilson is beside the point here.
Perhaps more surprising in view or tne alleged 'truce' decided Bishop's Stortford, Foot's trenchant defence
squashed by a number of trade union activists. They
figint was to democratise
was to democratise the unions and to fight for policies of the left inside the trade union movement. This was essential if the longer term battles were to be won. There was no avoiding that issue by any manoeuvres.
This DUEl was forcefully brought home to the meeting by the contribution from Laurence Scott deputy Steve Longshawe. After nine months on strike he was in no mood for conciliation.
Unless you get rid of the right wing leadership in unions like the engineering
struggles like Laurence COLI will pulverised and crucified. struggle against the right wing. Many at the meeting wanted to cool the fight against the
of his witch-hunt against
Peter Tatchell.
His argument
specific. People like Tat-
chell have to be attacked
because they refuse toten-
dorse superiority
parliament as the decisive
MeCHansu
change. In other words, it
is not a matter of being in
Reg Race: 'PLP, lunatic fringe'. tavour of parliamentary activity; you nave venerate it as Foot does as the supreme embodiment of socialist activity:
The logic of this argument is clear. Foot is giving due warning of his inLennon pursue witch-hunt with vengeance. Anvone who
Labour Party
says that parliamentary activity is not supreme will be open to attack.
Foot's article in the Observer should be read and re-read by those who think that he 'prisoner' of the right
They reveal that he has gone over, hook, line and sinker.
'You've all stood by and it happen Laurence Scott's. We've lit a torch for you people to keep alight. We've got
DreaK these right
vingers Otherwise won't be Laurence Scot that gets crucified but the lot of you. Our leaders can surrender. We'll never surrender.
was difficult after that intervention for the rest or the meet to g nore the importance of campagning In tae union. and fighting against the
- and for the left to lead that fight by supporting those workers in struggle.
But despite that, the meeting still managed to
bogged down Cal the end with minutiae about the reaction of the press to
workshops?
By Phil Hearse
to form the 'Socialist Society'.
purpose of promoting education.
The founders
the 1930s the Left Book club.
In itself, such a project can only be positive. But l can hardly be suggested ihat left wing publishing is suffering in Britain from a great dearth of input
With Pluto, NLB and a host of others, publishing hundreds of books a year, it seems unlikely thai the Society COILaDULt anything particularly novel on this level.
Hostile
Its one already-decided project — a series of books
questions socialism to be published by Penguin - has alreadi been pre-empted by Pluto
The Society might have more use general educational institution, and the conference decided to set up local groups But there again, who will ine local groups aim 10 educate and discuss with?
Even the educational tasks for socialists pose the problem of political orientation, for surely not even those as determinedly
Zanu 'independent' as the Socialist Society committee want education for education's sake?
The one question of practical political orientation discussed by the conference was the Labour Party. The conterence decided not to allow the steering committee prepare proposals on aftination Labour Party.
This reflected the overwhelming composition of the conference - independent socialist intellectuals
the meeting, the election of the next National Ex ecutive Committe and so
Divided
It didn't take up practical suggestions such as proposea by Joan Twelves, representing the Labour Abortion Rigths Campaign, that the meeting should decide alongside it will organise itself, to declare itselt support woman's right to work and choose, for solidarity with Solidarnosc, Leyland and British Rail workers and to back those forces fighting against the Tebbit and Heseltine proposals.
The meeting broke up still divided on how, if at all, to continue the fight
Socialist Society - is
there life outside
LAST weekend over 1300 people met together
The Society, founded by a galaxy of independent socialists, proposes to draw together socialists for the
socialist theory and
of the society who are generally to be found within the ambit of New Left Review, were obviously inspired by the ex ample of socialist education and publishing in
- for example the Plebs League and
with often a marginal relatonship to ine organised labour movement Most of them were actively nostle to invoive ment in the Labour Party,
the booing and hissing of tric Hetter when he sug Besita that the Labour Partv was the fight.
On this occasion Eric Heffer was right. The only which the frustrated energies and enthusiasm of most of those participating, even in doing educational work, can be realised is by linking up with the Labour left In the wards and conEric Heffer: booed when he urgeo Socialist Society to join Labour Party Socialist Challenge
for left policies with groups like the Campaign
Labour Party Democracy and the leadership of the Labour Coor dinating Committee firmly on the side of declaring a truce, while the majority of trade unionists, London Labour Briefing and Socals Challenge sup. porters arguing for the need to keep up the cam. paign.
The follow up meeting planned for the end of February will have to resolve these differences if the left is going to ge down to the real tasks of how to fight for a Labour Party and ultimately Labour government committed to socialist policies.
Otherwise, Labour Liaison will be consigned to the proverbial dustbin. stituencies there i: understanding of the tee for political theer: education, but linked h:: a practical struggle, an a: tempt at involvement with Hallidi Dolitic
The potentia = ted by the socialis: ::
in danger swamped by the large portion of its firsi re who doubt that there outside workshops. who last attended a ference when they "ti LECuS for Fragments'
Outside of the !
Party the Socialist S could become an obs
telligentsia to the laboi
social mutual appreciation socie
lust a cique even if a big one.
As the crisis deepens. the Tories redouble their attacks, more and more socialist intellectuals will want to beyond
'theoretical practice' The Labour Party is how to get out of the intellectual ghet to. 28 January 1982 Page 3
Page 4 scan of this page
Jaruzelski & Reagan =-enemies of the
HANDS
OFF
Badges: 20p+ 11½ p&p. Bulk so. quest. From PO Box LORCOM anciose money/cheques/postal order made
Socialist Challenge.
Solidarity Solidarnosc Birmingham Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o
Roger Murray, 11. Ring 021-773 5396.
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, Lancs. Ring 061-620 2885. 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.
Labour Poland Solidarity operative Bank, 110 Leman St, London E1.
Revolution/Socialist Challenge
Solidarity with Solidarnosc Leicester: Thur 28 Jan, 7.30pm, Socialist Centre, High St, Leicester.
Acton: Fri 29 Jan, 7.30pm Co-op Hall, Acton High St.
Birmingham: Mon 1 Feb, 7.30pm at Other Bookshop, Digbeth.
Hemel: Tues 2 Feb, 7.30pm Friends Meeting House, Hemel.
East London:
Library, Dalston Junction.
North London: Fri 5 Feb, 7pm at Roebuck pub, Tottenham Court Rd.
Huddersfield: Thur 11 Feb, 8pm at Friendly & Trades Club, Northumberland St.
Solidarity with
Solidarnosc Manchester Thur 28 Jan 6.30pm All Saints Oxford Rd 7.30pm Free Trade Hall HI Demonstrators in Geneva, where Haig and Gromyko met
Socialist Challenge
SOLiDARTY
Socialist Challenge PAMPHLETI 2000 copies sold in first week! Order your copies now oy the secona ealton.
Just 25p or 20p for sup outers orders.
Committees with
28 Blackford Road, Birmingham
51 Montrose House, Fund, c/o CoWed 3 Feb, 7.30pm at Dalston
SOLiDaRiTE
NON DUL PEUPLE SOLIDARITE AV
AILINN
weapons in Europe, and against US involvement in El Salvador and Soviet interference in Poland
28 January 1982 Page 4
By Davy Jones GENERAL Jaruzelski and Ronald Reagan have both this week shown their utter contempt for the Polish workers. Jaruzelski told the Polish parliament that martial law would stay until the workers stopped resisting. And Reagan lined up various reactionaries from the worlds of politics and 'entertainment' to sing the praises of peace and freedom in the 'Let Poland be Poland' TV bonanza:
Jaruzelski's speech to parliament grimly warned that there would be no it. ting of the draconian martial an unt1 the end of next month at the earliest, and then only
'acts of illegality' had ceased the workers resistance has been crushed. He also confirmed that
pullig workers in key industries under directly military rule would not be lifted at all for the foreseeable future.
Martial law was 'necessary evil' to avoid civil war, he claimed, exPlaining thal ine govern
intended to pursue its apocation to the inter national Monetary Fund.
The IMF's will
dustilly now be added to the crackdown on democratic rights as another attack on the Polish workers.
But Jaruzelski did not get things all his own way
men in the puppet sham
with sham Some enve Catholic Mes 'independent'
MPs
Solidarnosc
By Mick Archer SATURDAY 6 Chamberlain Square at 11 am.
That's where Birmingham's first demonstration in support Solidarnosc will be assembling and Socialist Challenge every labour movement activist to support it.
Called by Birmingham's Solidarity Committee, which Challenge supporters helped to initiate, the demonstration will end in a solidarity rally in the AUEW Halls,
12.30pm. speakers will be Eric Heffer MP, and R LECRASEMENT POLON IS this week, protesting against nuclear
Polish workers
resigned in protest over the backing of martial law, and others heckled the General during his speech.
Reagan meanwhile was planning the SICKeSt SnOW on earth' (make sure you miss it for this weekend's TV networks. 'Let Poland be Poland' threatens to bring together Frank Sinatra
aver Homeward in Polish, , Charles Heston KIK Douglas and other well-known friends of democracy and freedom.
Top of the bill will be
world political leaders like Thatcher and Schmidt. Star of the show will be a representative of the Turkish military junta who will explain the merits of free trade unions to the Polish people trom long experience of crushing them.
Even the right wing US labour federation, the AFL-CIO. is reported to have pulled out of organising rallies supporting the Polish workers same day, because of the
Birmingham backs
February,
are Paul Mackney Trades Council, ot speakers.
asks
Polish day 14 December,
Socialist
mittee of Birmingham
the Among ine
sion.
full meeting of the New January, We
position
The BPSC anyone Roger Murray,
is available. TrOm Bookshop,
Election.
sick showbiz hypocrisy of the TV show The treachery Reagan administration's choice of this weekend for their extravaganza is made worse because in Europe appealed for this Saturday to be a solidarity day with the Polish WorKers.
In Poland the repres STOl and workers' resistance continue. Three workers at the Ursus tractor plant were sentenced last week to between three and three and a half years jail for 'organising strike activity against martial law'; five militants in Wroclaw were arrested for allegedly producing the underground paper From Day to Day; in the same cikindergarten Leaner. complained that children Marek Garztecki from the Solidarnosc trade union working group. Also invited
president of the and local Polish
Although this is the first demonstration called by this committee, the BPSC has been quite busy since the introduction of martial law in Poland. On Mon-
hours after the military crackdown, the executive com-
Trades Council discussed the events. With only 12 of its 20 members present, Communist Party members and supporters managed to pass, by seven votes to five, a resolutior that blamed both the hardliners in the Polish Communit Party and the so-called extremists in Solidarnose for the repres-
The BPSC responded with a token picket of the Trades Council offices on the following Saturday. And at the first
Year, on 7 mounted a noisy lobby which helped ensure that the executive
overturned. Birmingham Trades Council now has a clear policy in support of Solidarnose and will be supporting the 6 February demonstration
regularly and interested is asked to contact at 28 Blackford Road, Birmingham Il. Tel: 021-773 5396. Publicity material for the demonstration
Birmingham's Other 137 Digbeth, Birmingham 5 DR. Ring: 021-643 5904 to arrange col-
were being asked to spy on their parents by the security police
Unconfirmed reports speak of almost half the workers at Une Gdansk shipyards having been sacked for refusal to sign the government's loyalty oath; pontica
been purged of all 'unreliable' statt: and the purge of dissidents within the communist Party goe on. Elsewhere workers are not waiting to be purged.
In the factory near • Warsaw some 740 o Lne 780 party members threw away their party cards.
On 13 January, one month after the military crackdown, the first na-
meeting LS e Solidarnosc underground took place in Gdansk. with all the major Solidarnosc South Wales miners
oppose martial law
conference of
Coal Board's pay offer
South Vales
Dutfield, explained to Socialist Challenge
in London.
meeting with the Ambassador.
Claims about the
we have previously had contact.
there should be no reason for the
authorities to deny
ourselves
'The defence of trade
in the minds of the people.
vul
given them fodder to do this.
have made this mistake.
bit's anti-union laws!'
Socialist Challenge Polish school Two day educational school Poland and political revolution for DOCTORS nonenee supporters on 13/14 February If you would like to come see your local SC supporters or write te Socialist Challenge school, PO Box 50, London NI.
leaders still free The succumne resolved unanoere could be no co-operation with the government until all internees were released martial law was lifted and the government had made a commitment to continuing genuine dialogue with Solidarnosc.
Across the country a new batch of anti government graffiti has appeared. 'Wrona skona'
die INRON 'the Crow will • die' are the in itials of the Military Coun cil, WRONA is Polish for a crow). not just the workers who are fighting back against the regime. A petition protesting against methods used to in timidate and enslave society' has been signed by 120 intellectuals and artists, including film director Andrzej Wajda of Man of Iron and Man of Mar ble fame And a leading liberal Stefan Bratkowski, head of the suspended Journalists' Association, has written an open letter from hiding protesting against martial law He claimed that the military rulers had no popular support. 'Not a single honest man who is respected by the nation has backed the military coup, he said.
SOUTH Wales area executive of the National Union of Miners has added its condemnation of martial law in Poland. Its declaration was overwhelmingly endorsed at its 5 January
lodge officials, which also backed the national strike call against the
NUM vice president Des
'We decided to send a condemnation of martial law and the imprisonment of trade unionists in Poland to the Polish Ambassador
We are also seeking a personal We will re quest a visit to Poland itself to investigate the
conditions of trade unionists, particularly the miners, with whom
'Although we don't believe all the news coverage we've seen, there is substance to it. If there is nothing behind these reports then
Polish our request to see Martial law is a crime anywhere especially when the rights of trade unions are
unions is of great concern to us. Reagan and Thatcher are using Poland to assassinate any way of socialist life
We don't want to much that it will Some people
'Reagan is in no position to criticise what is going on in Poland when his government is backing repression in places like El Salvador As for Thatcher defending trade union rights we know what that means for us with Teb
Page 5 scan of this page
Scottish workers back
Glasgow
rally backs
Solidarnosc
By Martin Meteyard THROUGHOUT Scotland Polish independent trade union received an enormous boost after the visit of two Solidar-
activists, Marek Kozlowski, senior steward at the Ursus tractor plant outside Warsaw.
During the six days of their tour they seven bublic rallies Glasgow, Stirling, Falkirk Bathgate, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. They were
by the Labour-controlled local authorities In Glasgow, Stirling and Edinburgh. They had detailed discussions in workplaces. with shop stewards committees ana lney to e numerous trade union officials and
Support
The tour, which was organised by the Glasgow Polish Solidarity Committee, has laid the basis for broad support within the Scottish labour movement ano Ene representatives have received numerous invitations to tour workplaces, Labour and social clubs on their next visit.
The highlight of the tour was undoubtedly the reception given to Marek and Piotr by mass meeting of BL shop stewards at Bathgate. The stewards' meeting, meddley Lael historic decision to occupy their factorv in defence of jobs, gave very thusiastic reception when Piotr, who himself works at a iracior plant, was introduced to the meeting by
EIGHT hundred people marched through the streets of Glasgow last Saturday to demand an end to martial law in Poland, the release of all those jailed or interned, and full recognition of Solidarnosc.
The march, organised by the Glasgow Polish Solidarity Committee, was the climax of a tour by Solidarnosc activists Piotr Kozlowski and Marek Garztecki. Labour movement support was reflected in the Glasgow Trades Council banner at the front followed by that of Stirling Trades Council. Other unions on ine maren included ine tis (Scottish teachers union), NALGO and
Also represented were a number of Labour parties; there were Socialist Challenge, Socialist Workers Party, and Scottish National Party banners; and, most significantly, there was a contingent from the Communist Party.
Solidarnosc
covan Shipbullders Lcd.
support for the
Garztecki and Piotr
Jimmy Swan, convenor of shop stewards, as 'someone who could give us great advice about how to run our occupation'.
Piotr wished the workers at Bathgate all
in their fight and SULLESS assrt of the Polish workers assured them all the when they regained their free trade union. Marek presented with a Solidarnose badge trom the Ursus region as the shop stewards . gave them a standing ovation.
Throughout the tour the two speakers made two central points. First, that the Solidarity trade union working group is calling on British trade unionists to actively consider what forms of economic sanctions they can take against une regime Poland. In speech after
emphasised that the British workers should support such activities despite the hypocritical "boycott' campaign being sought by Reagan.
They stressed that they were seeking the support
Then trade UNION brothers and sisters in this country 1o force an end to the Jaruzelski regime and
identified in any way with the campaigns of Reagan and Thatcher.
The second main point they put over was the
with such people. necessity for a major campaign with the British trade union and labour movement to protect their trade Solidarnosc from the military regime to ensure that it is not supplanted by any state-run take trade unions.
I ney canca lor a campaign British trade unions to break off any remaining links with the state-run trade unions in Poland, for the release of all Solidarnosc activists and the return of all the unions Cunniscalcu premises and equipment.
The
LOUI without some difficulties. In the leadership of the Scottish labour movement especially among Communist Party. trade union officials their visit
A rally at the end chaired by the prospective Labour candidate in the Hillhead by-election David Wiseman, heard former UCS workers' leader Jimmy Reid begin by denouncing the nauseous spectacle 'of Reagan's global TV programme on 31 January. This was the murderer of the people of El Salvador, he pointed out; the man who had jailed the leaders of the Air Traffic Controllers Strike in the USA. Our campaign should have nothing to do
The audience rose to its feet and vigorously applauded when Kozlowski, senior steward from the Ursus tractor plant, took the microphone to explain. how Solidarnose had been a real movement of the working class. That was why it had been suppressed. And that was why he and Garztecki were most anxious to build up contacts with trade unionists in Britain.
After speeches by Labour MPs,
was marked by some hostility. This was also true of the Labour Parses Scottist sections
executive.
Both the STUC and the Labour Party in Scotland declined speak at the major rally in Glasgow.
Jimmy secretary of the STUC and Milne,
La member of the Communist Party, in declining to be at the rally reiteratec that events in Poland were 'a domestic issue. It is up the POlIST people themselves', he declared. Employers This view was also reflected when comrade Marek met with leading shop stewards Rolls Royce, one of the bigges employers in the West of
John Maxton and Dennis Canavan and Labour MEP Janey Buchan, the final contribution came from Garztecki. They wanted a labour movement campaign, he said, because the experience of their tour was that it was oralnary working people who instinclively understood and supported Solidarnose's struggle. He added that the same went for people he had met during the week from El Salvador, Chile, Iran and Turkey. Wearing an 'El Salvador will win' badge, he explained that 'we are comrades in the struggle'.
The final collection taken for the campaign raised over £500. This included £20 from the Lee Jeans workers presented by convenor Ellen Monaghan who said it was misleading to compare their struggle with that of Solidarnosc. 'We had it easy', she explained, 'because of the type of support we got from the labour movement. That's what Solidarnose needs now'
POLISH
SOLIDARITY
LOMITTE
Scotland. The convenor of shop stewards, George McCormick, a member of the Communist rarty, In sulted Solidarnose by accusing it of not being a true representative the WULACES 1n Poland, of making unrealistic demands on the Polish government, repeating slanders against the Soviet Union, and of lining itself up with the Polish community in Britain which he described as 'basically lascist
The Solidarnosc comraces were nor surorised a this reaction. Many times thev have seen the same type of Western trade union leader being whisked around their factories
DALST CHALLENGE REVOLLTIEN
HANDS
OFF
after days of special preparation, when specia overtime payments are made lo make ine lactone. clean and tidy with the canteens specially restock. ed with cheaply goods, and
tatives' invited reception.
At the Govan shipyards the welcome was entirely different. The shop stewards committee expressed interest and solidarity WITH Solidarnoso and assured comrade Piotr that they would take up Poland in mier arous. ovals un of the British shipyards Socialist Challenge
Report by Des Tierney Piotr Kozlowski (third from right in
photo below) at the march and at Govan shipvards (below latti
where redundancies prevented bi order to build accus an Polish
ships. The shop stewards Sammy Gilmore, , a member of the Labour Party, is also well known in Scotland for advocating that the workers of Britain copy Solidarnosc as a way of getting rid of the Tory government.
28 January 1982 Page 5
Page 6 scan of this page
Massey Ferguson workers
LAST WEEK three Massey Ferguson's unanimously to black all supplies of parts shipped from Poland. We asked LES HARTOPP, a Socialist Challenge supporter who works at the factory, to tell us more about this action.
What is the background to the blacking vote?
Before martial law the joint shop stewards committee exchanged letters with the Solidarnosc organisation at the Ursus tractor plant (naer Warsaw. Piotr nOZIOWSKI, Solidarnosc leader from Ursus, is a member of the Solidarnosc trade union
in Britain and spoke to the stewards.
He appealed on behalf of Solidarnosc for Massey workers to black parts supplied from Ursus on a £700,000 contract.
Last week Piotr adaressea mass days and nights where the crewares recommended that we should not handle
COLIOULICHILS that come of a
tremendous 2ull display working Class solidarity the
the recommendation. All Ine workes de nuw wcaling Solidarnoso badges.
Lech Walesa addresses the Ursus workers before the December's military crackdown
INTERNATIONAL
January issue out now!
Oliver MacDonald on Poland, interview
with Joan Ruddock CND, Britain's South
Africa connection,
British Economic Disaster an lots more!
Just 60p plus postage.
available now for supporters groups.
Subscription rates: £4.50 Britain and
Ireland per year.
Socialist Challenge
thousand workers at Coventry plant voted How will this blacking help the Polish workers?
The Solidarnosc represen-
urged Massey Lative workers to take this direct action in support of their brothers and sisters Poland. When work on
the Polish workers Mill
Polish workers KOW they lave suboull despite the bureaucrats'
isolate them from the international workers'
Huycullcil
The first response of the Polish workers to martial law was to occupy and
go strike. They weren't mistakenly worsening the effects the bureauracy's austerity measures on themselves.
They are struggling audios bureaucrats' attempts to reconstruct the
allu their grip on Polish society under martial law. This is a political struggle. When British workers respond to Solidarnosc's appeals to Ernest Mandel on
Bulk orders 28 January 1982 Page 6
black Polish parts
black Polish
goods unes are helping to win this SUrUeLIC.
Don't you think there is a danger that blacking action will play into the hands of Reagan's anticommunist boycott and further strangle the Polish economy, making things worse for the Polish masses?
I'm surprised at the question. General Jaruzelski accuses Solidarnosc damaging Poland by strikIng agalist tre burcauciatic mismanagement of the economy and Polish society. In order to remove the bureaucracy and establish
democratic regime
power, the workers' movement Poland and international-
Will use methods of class struggle including
occubalions. strikes and solidarity blacking.
If workers demonstrate outside the Polish embassy do they hands plate nte Reagan's organise to send material, food and medical aid are
suckco IOLO une manoeuvres of the Vatican? If trade unionists condemn the military repression does this place them on the same side as Thatcher?
JANUARY 82
POLAND & THE LEFT
OLIVER MACDONALD
Comic Disaster
As for Reagan's boycott, Socialist Challege has recently pointed out hypocritical Lial progagand putting little effort into a calliDaikl The boycott. This could be solely because their own domestic economies can't stand a boycott. However Chancellor Schmidt for example clearly doesn't see a boýcott as the best way vival Polish bureaucrats, and with that the long term security of West Germany's repayments.
Finally what ois the significance the Massey's blacking tion?
It is certainly not inspired
propaganda, , quite the reverse. This blacking action is an inspiration for other workers to follow the lead for independent working class action in support o the Polish workers.
There has been some hesitation throughout the labour movement, fearful lila solidarity with Solidarnosc will be seen to endorse Reagan's war-mongering hypocrisy.
Direct workers' action as at Massey's stands in sharp
a Lancashire association of trades
councils back Solidarnosc
nosc whilst simultaneously,
In
states, justifying the racist
regime, its military occupation
Zimbabwe, and the Seychelles.
conspiring to
Soviet workers as
plans,
Cuba, Grenada and Nicaragua,
workers, while seeking
in their own countries
sexual and racial equality.
internationally can
we therefore call for:
a) an end to repression and martial law
b) the release of all political prisoners
states,
d) food aid for the Polish workers,
e) material aid to Solidarnosc by the TUC
f) trade union delegations to visit Poland,
g) labour movement
ed and future trades
problems facing the Polish workers
and solidarity with Solidarnosc
Passed hy
TUC quarterly on 23 January.
Tractors lie idle at the Ursus plant outside Warsaw
contrast to empty reactlonary talk of a boycott.
Actions like this will stimulate the building of a powerful campaign in the movement in solidarity with the Polish WULACIS nuevenderi of the Cold War warriors.
Already following Massey's is planned vote big meeting LICAL week to launch a Polish solidarity campaign in Coventry. The meeting is in room D14, , Lanchester Poly 7.30pm On February.
This County Association condemns the sheer deceit of those who claim to defend Solidar-
a) conspiring to prop up military dictatorships
South African of Namibia and its incursions into Mozambique, Angola,
escalale the number of nuclear warheads in Europe pointing at the heads of the Polish and other European and
part of their Cold War
c) sabotaging the economies and preparing contingency plans for the military invasion of
d) arresting and jailing striking and picketing
even further legal restrictions to undermine the ability of unions
to yoUC the democratic right to a job, a living wage and
Only the labour and trade union movement
legitimately defend its right to an independent existence. In Poland
c) no intervention in Poland by outside nation
and Solidarnosc speakers under the auspices of the TUC to
h) resolutions and discussion to be encourag
councils and branch meetings to continue the discussion on the
movemen conference to discuss the situation in Poland
of Lancashire association of trades councils to go 1o North Wesi
Build labour
for the Polish
workers
SUPPORT is growing
activists
everywhere they go
DUGGAN, Polish Socialist Challenge.
Despite the palnelic hesitant response of the Labour and union leaders rank and file workers are prepared to take action in support of Solidarnosc. Socialist Challenge appeals to all its supporters to help establish solidarit! committees with the Polist workers, and workplace and labour movement tours with Solidarnosc speakers to develop close
between the British ana rolsn workers
There are a number of practical things the labour movement here can lake up. rirst, lo aemano that the TUC should be delegation Poland establish the real situation of the labour movement there Second, to workplaces and labour
bodies with their counterparts Poland And
Laist money and material aid for Solidarnosc. The Solidarnosc trade union working group London will help establisi such contacts.
Third, labour rallies and meetings support Solidarnosc should be held
every town with Solidarnosc and labour movement speakers. These can act as a springboard for local solidarity committees to be established, as well as preparing the ground for a national labour movemen conference which sections the
loCal layo already called for, for
movement support
inside the labour movement for the Polish workers. Solidarnosc received a huge boost when they toured Scotland last week. This week they are in Manchester and the North West. Almost
they find tremendous enthusiasm for their struggle, argues PENNY
Solidarity organiser for
example in the resolution URG Lancashire Association of Trades LOURCIS
In the context of such activities being organised Socialist Challenge supports the actions of the Massey Ferguson workers in endorsing the call of the Solidarnosc speaker for blacking parts for the Ursus tractor plant.
We are totally opposed to all the Cold War campaigns boycott Soviet and Eastern Eurocouline. organised by Reagan and Thatcher.
But rank and tie worker! responding appeals from soldarnose lo lant
broader calilbalei solidarity, 1s ar entirely different matter.
Such blacking action is not the most effective way to help Solidarnosc:
SCHl ding material aid Solidarnosc, developing a political campaign solidarity is more useful in the long term. But there is no doubt that with the campaign of support tol the Polish workers daily
workers' movement rank and file blacking will correspond more to international WUIKCIS solidarity than Cold War propaganda.
Solidarnosc trade union working group can be conPhilbeach Earls Cour London SWS. Ring 01-373 3492.
Page 7 scan of this page
or raise the stakes. withdrawn Sunday working. This is intended to undermine the drivers in the NUR. But those who see the unity of the two unions having gone too far are calling for a total closure of the railways and for the Board to slog it out.
Sid Weighell, leader of the NUR, playlllg despicable role. But he is a desperate man. He knows that the longer the drivers continue to fight the more nkcly il ls tual lne guard: will in. Despite his agreement on the new flex. ible rostering, most guards are in revolt against them.
Stance
Accordingly, he has stood with the Tories and T.ne Kall Boare agallis ASLEF. Writing in NUR News said that 'the Board's decision IUL LU
the 39-hour RIO CHICII week and not to pay the 3 Uci sull increase for Locomotive staff has been brought about entirely by Lne stance aaopica by ASLEF' But the widespread feeling amoncsl the ranks has even prompted UOVe from his national ecutive LO gIve official backing the train drivers. At a meeting held Steve Forey - gagged by courts
A mass meeting of over 500 Kings Cross drivers and guards overwhelmingly decided to stand by their decision to black the newspapers. In accordance with their resolution, blacking would be maintained until such a time as the Sun, on its front page, made a retraction of the against train drivers.
The meeting had been demanded Judge Glidewell who made an order in favour of the Sun requiring the two traindríver officials at Kings Cross, steve Forey and John Caddywould, to recommend meeting the ending of the blacking action.
Both guards and drivers were fantastically militant and united. They were outraged at the use of courts not only leading, militants, but force them to say things
Railworkers: All
out for victory
THIS WEEK things are coming to a crunch on British Rail. The failure to bludgeon ASLEF into submission leaves the Rail Board and their Tory backers with only two options: capitulate
The Rail Board has
growing support for the
Monday 25 January Weigell managed to head off the move, but it was stated that many members VI Lc excculve c uou! assistant genera secretaries feel that LilC ASLEF case is 'right and just'!
Meanwhile, the revolt spreading. Many Southern region depots including Cannon St, Slade Green and Plumpstead will be out Friday. Mean while meeting of 20 depots in the North West met Tuesday to press for an end to the agreement on tlexible rostering.
Despite press reports, the traindrivers acuiull having a big effect on industry, particulary in relation to delivery of coal and steel. An all-out strike would pose the question of invoking the Triple Alliance of rail, steel and mine workers. this regard, SCOLLISA miners General Secretary, Eric Cake seus memaers
Railworkers take on Sun
By a Kings Cross Guard (not named to avoid prosecution).
Sun Group
scurrillous accusations with which they did not af ee And all in the name treedom speech!
Despite his statement, Steve Forey was able communicate his real feelings when he symbollically tore up a copy of the Sun before he and Caddywould had to leave the meeting.
A debate then ensued.
The 'freedom of the press'
Issuc was resoivea wnen ll was pointed out that he vul Was 1USI "reporting'. It has been firmly suggested that the scabs had been given
'wholeheartedly support our colleagues in the triple alliance: We are completely benina tne decision or 'Smash ASLEF'
say bosses
IF Sidney Weighell,
dispute.
about what they're after.
all Harn catroners m America last year
by the larger and more moderate NUR .
be the worst of all possible worlds.'
out fight with ASLEF.
the pocket of a ragbag of communists and othei left wingers)' practices'
break with the eight-hour day'. would be set for the real kıll
pay settlements down to the level of those in the private sector.
sions: if ASLEF is defeated, the real winner will be none other than Margaret Thatcher. £10,000 sign their
The Tabacanons. reporting was political.
Murdoch, the Sun's boss, was using his ability to DTIH papers CLO C TO smash ASLEF. Only DCODIC vOLcu dauSE Con-
nui the abion has.
action has spread other stations and depots, including Waterloo, Victoria and Doncaster.
The unity around this issue has reinforced the fight of
nauworkers against the new rosterings.
Steve rorer Dollted out: 'The drivers are incensed by this legal action.
They see it as an attempt to divert trom the issue which is that we want our 3 per cent, and we will not accept flexible rosterings. The struggle oll.
Trade Unions-
ASLEF to take action to compel BR to carry out the LCIIlS (the) agreement'. general secretary of the railworkers' union, is to be believed then only minor issues are involved in the present rail
Dul tne bosses nave olner cicar goais in mind Last week's Economist magazine, the journal of British capitalists, laid bare the hard, cold facts
outcome of the current dispute would be the destruction of ASLEF, in much the same manner as President Reagan ... destroyed the
'An ASLEF in ruins could then be swept up
To take on ASLEF and lose would
The Economist places good odds on the knock-
After all, it argues, the drivers' union is small, 'bolshie (a weak leader in
with supposedly 'absurd restrictive
While the journal estimates only modest productivity improvements would result from the new rostering, its introduction would mark 'the critical
Then the scene
A BR victory would also bring the public sector
While working people will be deadly opposed to these goals, few can disagree with the conclu-
BIRMINGHAM Fred Orton of ASLEF on the picket lin at Saltlev. Brimingham said: eight hour day was fought for in 1919 and has been 4part from flexible rostering varying teminz-on canes rom auy to auy. vouiu uso vory ine renein orine wor ing day. They 've talked in the press of seven to nine hours, would mean six to ien nour:
It would be impossible exchange turns of duty. , wrich enaore men wno uve alono wav awav io ao turns that coincide with public transport. days of different length, there would be no socia It also brings in the safety question wilw ervers takme ourronns oner work ing long hours. The pay deal had nothing o do with acceptin •We agreed discuss productivity we did not agree to accept management's JuJUsus. t rie ouru nuve reruseu tu honour their agreement.
'The 39 hour week has been agreed for iwo years now. They're using it to force ' us to work to shed jobs In the West Midlands they will expect 1o 'save Is per cent of lobs wiinin cerram erades 'Engine drivers, guards, yard staff and station staff would all be affectea their administrative staff in order to app.
'We're managing to survive on three covs nov arine momene ou we nove to escalate the dispute if they don't back down by both financially and through th blacking of goods.
BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET Walter, a member of New Street No4 branch of ih NUR told Socialist Challenge why he had come out on a 24 h0u1 Doresi sirike 'It's over flexible rostering, which the
NUR leadership have agreed to. Il affects the eight hour day which Sid Weighell and his father fought for. Now
Support ine
train drivers
By Brian Grogan
action
day.
The Cannon St guards received a letter from the Station Master stating that they would not be required for duty nor would they be paid on the Sunday.
When the guards contacted their union, they were told no action would be taken. The spokesperson at Unity House, the union headquarters, even offered the opinion that as Iney Were OlEv depot such disciplinary ac-
Round the regions
They are letting it g
rirsı In and now they turn round and tell us
only get 39 hours pay.
'A meetin
for drivers to auy arter ana sale inor ine sirike
given instructions to other depots to are going wurch branch and he went on Birminghar raaio to tel peopie to go lo work
committed to the NUR and it's more than his job's worth io sappor as
La mere inree per ceni ana inere s so much unemployment. vhy it's mainly young NUR member. wrio ure out Drolesiis
s and
Mr Daniels, the branch chair,
everything's political nowadays!
NOTTINGHAM
meetine
SHEFFIELD
suspended.
LEEDS Leeds City NUR have passed u resolutreiary and the NEC
Cannon St Guards Chris Francies (left) and Pete Oakley (right)
Guards locked out
GUARDS from Cannon St and Streatham Hill rail depots in London who took one day strike last Friday against proposed flexible rostering found themselves locked out on Sun-
tion would 'quieten them down' and 'pull them back into line'
This is a serious omen for suar Sunday withdrawal working needs a response.
In a radio interview last Sunday Sid Weighell commenting on the possibility said: "That will . cause pro. blems but 1 understand the Boards position'.' The one day strike, Friday, by Can non St guards is the sort of response now needed.
Pete Oakley, LDC representative at Cannon
We've always had set turns of dut Greg Tucker, seven or nine hours There will be a lot
of job losses plus the overall wages will
called last Wednesday
voted 85 to 17 in favour of strike action
ine manusemen mer wan ine Loc ine
wouldn't do any good and that they'd
That's why some guards Daniels is the chair of ou
'He's on the LDC 1oo. He's really at the top General Meeting.
'There are going to be job losses, for response now.'
I think it's wrong young people PADDINGTON
socwus cnouenee pomnreo ourint had said
telede co cie s orca alo the
A vote for strike action was lost by thref erowine aneer
votes at the Nottingham NUR branch
workers.
In the first week of the dispute, Sheffield EALING
wulk cecdea io work io rue dan over-
time and Sunday working. At a meeting on
24 January a tied vote led to action being
NUR branches
tion of no confidence in the General Sec-
Socialist Challenge
COOKSON Sarilie chalons
St, explained that ne tnougnl tne arivers acuor was a great thing. They arc ue uuc tor our case a well. Sid Weighell's rol has been disgusting. 'We've prepared a list of questions to which we want an answer.
'We've fought for years for an 8-hour day and Weighell has signed it away just like that.
Brian Whitehead from Streatham Hill LDC add. ed: 'All guards are opposed to these new rosters "They will increase un Soela hours' he said 'create lots of redundancies and keep vacancies unfilled - putting more o a workload on those tha remain. Shouldn't unions be in the business ci creating jobs, not selling them off?'
STREATHAM HILL, LONDON
Southern Region guard reports that London Bridge, Cannor. Street, Coulston and a number of other depots followed the call from Streathar Hill to come out on Friday 22 January:
He said: 'I was part of a delegation o" guards from ten depots who lobbied the NUR national executive. We were met by a muarare of inreuts ana empry promises
'Unfortunately some of the "left" members of the national executive argue that we should hold our fire at the mo ment, dragging out local negotiations for us lome as dosstole umu ine next annua
"This strategy will only serve to disarm us. What is needed is a co-ordinater
Paddington Nol NUR has passed a
of no confidence in the . It calls errm seliciary unu ine IU woor ne ivac io re neronme voruor rostering and to call immediate strike action in support of ASLEF Paddington guards Local Department Committee ha a potien which repall opose : variable
and reports from down the line in Reading and Oxford indicat
Station staff at Paddington collecter €50 for the ASLEF strike fund, includin donations from the staff canteen
Peter Grant, ASLEF spoke to the Ealing area Labour Party on the issues behind the strike and was greeted with appiause by the 200 strong audience
EDINBURGH AND NOTTINGHAM
have called for Weighell and the ryatone! Executn? Committee to resign.
28 January 1982 Page 7
Page 8 scan of this page
ASLEF
STANDS
FIRM
By Pete Grant, ASLEF
OUR DISPUTE took a course on Friday 22 January when drivers picked up their morning papers to Sun - a well-known defender of the working class - carrying an inflammatory headlined 'Taken for a Ride'! ASLEF men paid as they drink, sleep and disco.
The article alleged that drivers, drivers' assistants and guards were engaged in such fiddling that it's a wonder the railways run at all. Drivers were said to report for work, to then go on drinking sessions or to discos, coming back to sleep it all off in the back cab of their engine while young drivers' assistants, some as young as 17, drive the trains unsupervised.
The LWO young scabs Waterloo who 'blew the whistle', are being portrayed as heros. press is silent on the fact that they both have disciplinary records as long as their arms, and were in the process of facing yet more charges under British Rail's disciplinary machinery.
The drivers' anger boiled over at Waterloo and a 24-hour resulted. Press reporters were told to keep away by BR management and police after a Sun reporter, hovering around the outside of the drivers' mess room, nearly ended up on the electrified track aile 'rumbled'
Other London depots also took pra is urs and driers espived to
hours and drivers resolved to black The Sun and newspapers until they won the right of
London NW1, 7pm
speaker.
Socialist Challenge
CENTENARY YEAR 1980
reply.
find The
sibility. A far cry from earlier days. article the Willesden ASLEF,
Into une easy
Weighell. have caved in under the
note!
nothing less backdown by from NUR leadership.
Yet the
fidence in their case
NUR
stoppage
after a seat in the Lords.
tle blowers' being
off their solidarity action.
associated where they belong.
National Broad Left for Railway Workers
London Rally
Solidarity with ASLEF!
Defend conditions and jobs!
Build a real federation of Rail Unions! Friends House, Euston Road,
Wednesday 27 January Speakers: Dennis Skinner MP, Mike Cleverley NUR, plus ASLEF
28 January 1982 Page 8
One interesting side line was the solidarity shown with the drivers by BR management with their statements denying any wide-spread fiddling and praising the drivers for their respon-
branch of a motion was passed unanimously praising the executive committee and Ray Buckton for their handling of the dispute and their determined stand of not falling
options and get-outs
Most unions would pressure.
Duffy, Boyd, Gormley and co take
The insistence of ASLEF to get
than complete management angered both the BR Board and the
When the latest ACAS talks broke down, both put up a united front against ASLEF, accusing the union of not having any con-
all because ASLEF would not go to arbitration!
executive NUTC frightened of their own members than of the Tory government and the BR Board. And Sid is rumoured to be
NUR's disgraceful behaviour, outshining even the 'whis-
was proved once again when they bludgeoned the guards at Kings Cross and other depots to call
It's about time the NUR rank and file began to organise and kick these excuses for trade union leaders into the sidings
O'CALLAGHAN investigate.
THE RIGHT to an eight-hour work day is at the heart of the train drivers' dispute. There is a firm determination that the clock won't be turned back over 60 years. But what happened in the 1919 strike? There are astonishing parallels and lessons to be learned. HAZEL MACPHERSON and . AILEAN JH Thomas, secretary of the NUR in 1919. He was one of the most notorious bureaucratic scabs in the whole history of the Labour movement. There are many similarities between him and Sid Weighell.
1919 - WHEN AS
War. days at least strike!
home.
Labour
19,000
Vale
bosses,
alone
'war
activin strikes
THE 1919 railway strike was the evitable collision of two fundamen ly opposed principles: the capita class was out to get maximum pro and the working class needed to fend a basic standard of living. rise of working class struggles in 1! was interrupted by the First Wo
Then the trade un bureaucrats even signed formal tru with the bosses making that mi easier the drive to get workers i uniform, to kill German workers i die for capitalist profit.
Labour Party entered war-time coalition government, jo ing with capitalist parties to resist demands of the workers. Just th
after the armistice popi pressure forced the Labour Party resign from the coalition.
Soon after, the unions ended th
An astonishing 20 mill working days were lost per year strikes between 1911 and 1913. this peak figure went up further to million in 1919. Every day that yo
100,000 workers were
And there were other trou spots for the capitalists. In janu conscript soldiers mutinied as rum soread mal mey were to be sen Ireland or Russia, rather than go
One year after the victory British imperialism in the war, its tire system was in crisis.
The war years were especially h for railworkers. Thomas,
MP who became gen secretary of the NUR in 1916, was determined to get railworkers into services that 184,000 joined up, le ing fewer workers to deal with massive increase in tonnage. Alm
from the war.
Those that remained behind fa intolerable work conditions. The T
Company, for example, train drivers on 20 hour shifts w only nine hours rest in beiween. A thanks to the truce between the
the government and the union cadets, mere were no use basic rates. Yet the price of eggs v up 60 per cent in the first six mor
During the war, while the railu were under state control a syster
bonuses' was introduced partly compensate for inflation. nothing less than a series of unoffi
and threatened natic : towards the end of the brought the bonuses even closer to rise in the cost of living.
Towards the end of 1917, fee the pressure of its base, the ASI leadership threatened immediate out action unless the governm agreed to the eight hour day and Demented it immediately atte war. The date finally agreed to w February 1919 - 15 years after it first been raised by the rail union
At the beginning of 1919 the N membership pressed for the rea tion of its full National Program and forced the leadership to renew Triple Industrial Alliance WELl miners' federation and the trans workers' federation. This alliance been forged in the wave of symp: strikes surrounding the national s pages in mines, docks railways between 1911 and 1913 was seen by most industrial wor as their chief weapon in the struggle.
The capitalists, fearing the rev tionary mood prevalent among workers, played for time while 1 sought to divide the unions. It t unofficial strike action by Lon tubeworkers and the threat of a tional stoppage by the NUR to cut strings the rail companies wante attach to the eight hour day. months of drawn out negotiat followed
In March 1919 a special gen meeting of the NUR called on the ple Alliance to support them in st action. Anxious to avoid a gen class against class conflict, the Pr
Page 9 scan of this page
EF AND NUR JOINED HANDS
Minister, Lloyd George, and his coali*on cabinet persuaded a delegation of •e Allance s leaders to call ort tne aike by making a few minor concessons mixed with some vague proROBSCS.
At the time the government was already negotiating with the miners, and so was stalling. In fact the ruling class had already decided that they would counter-attack the unions in the rail industry. They believed trade unionism was weaker in rail and that tney could count on tne nostnty oelween the NUR and the leaderships to divide the membership on a sectional basis.
Lloyd George had the miners bogged down with the Sankey Commission - an inquiry into the state of the industry. Then he went for the throats of the railworkers. In August the final manoeuvre was accomplished.
The principle of 'standardisation upward' of grading and gianica to the train September the final offer was made to the other grades: a massive pay-cut.
in ine last minute talks.
George, on public record for describing the railworkers as 'disgracefully paid', told the 'Whatever we lay down in regard 1o railwaymen, you may depend upon it, it is going to be claimed throughout the country and therefore we have to consider not merely your case but the cases of all other trades Kingdom'
Even in the face of this blatant threat the NUR leaders offered to get the strike called off for a 'special case' deal for the lowest grades. this Was forthcoming struck at midnight on 26 September
The train drivers deal failed to buy them off. In response to the mood of their members the ASLEF leadership telegraphed Unity House saying: 'If
want help we are standing by' vOu ASLEF members struck taneously with their NUR brothers and sisters in joint defence of the rail unions and the entire British working class. For the first time ever, the joint executives of ASLEF and NUR met every day during the strike.
As soon as the battle was ioined the class lines were sharply drawn. Although Lloyd George denounced the action as an 'anarchist spiracy', the support was solid. Edinburgh reported: 'All men and women out'. Glasgow and the Scotland claimed: 'All out to a man'.
Exeter declared the 'complete'; Carlisle announced 'unprecedented stoppage' bridge was '100 per cent'; ingham and District were Gravesend reported only three men at work.
A see or to treads Three
Wight read: blacklegs, remainder Southampton were on duty and the railworkers at Bedford telegrammed 'Jimmy. — go to bed for a week. All well here'.
Three of Derby's 130 trains ran on day one. Only two went from Victoria. Nothing at all moved on the South Eastern lines. Industry began to shut down almost immediately in the North West and in South Wales. An express which left Aberdeen at 18.35 on Friday 26 September reached Kings Cross at 18.25 on Monday 29 September.
In face of the 'conspiracy', ruling class rallied to its own. At Paddington the scroll of scabs included Lord Cholmondley as a porter; the Earl of Arlington who milked strandLord Herbert Vane-Tempest and
Herbert Vane-Tempest Lord Drogheda who moved goods and collected tickets.
At Kings Cross, Drury Wake, Lord Grimthorpe and Sir Frederick Banbury found a new vocation in life. Lord Montague of Beaulieu and Lord Louis Mountbatten drove engines elsewhere on the network.
After the
work in
work in une rest or tnel aves
barbed
ASLEF
Royal Fusiliers
tions in Glasgow.
agreed to set
was Day drivers. In as a strike-breaking weapon.
commandered
Lloyd and more WelC
negulators.
them into surrender...like
in the finish'.
gratuitous',
Not even The NUR 'public
meant CHLS
of conspirators
simul- the whole nation'.
But for
ches when played the scores weren't even recorded!
CULLThe government
of west
an Case'.
Cam-
Birm- the governell
solid.
'Three out'. At
At this over the hill Thomas: government
had trade union
capitalism. the NUR was
newsree to
doing so.
Line Fearing L000ON Dus, workers, Transport
and
Admiral Sir
National Workers and unions.
strike the nonconformist British Journal urged that the opportunity be seized. The editor and appealed to the countrv to get hold of these dukes and earls who helped us with the railways and set them to
some other ¡tallic! . But most of them never did another day's
Winston Churchill, the Minister for War, mobilised the armed forces
blacklegs.
Woking station was surrounded by
wire entanglements and Lewis gun was mounted. Units of the
and Cameron Highlanders were sent to Paddington, and naval ratings occupied the sta-
The Cabinet turned down Churchill's request to place machine gun nests at the entrances of tunnels. but
up radio communications. The 1919 railway strike was the first ever in which the radio was used
Twenty-five thousand lorries were
for strike-breaking brought in from France. Units of the feet transported goods along the coast. This was war!
The millionaires' press waded in with their usual 'objective' views. The Times called the strike 'an attack on the community, an attempt to starve
the war with Germany it must be a fight to the
The Morning Post claimed that 'never was a strike more wanton
the News declared that there was 'no shadow or semblance of an excuse for a strike'.
The Daily Mail agreed, saying that
opinion'...(by which was editor) was 'dead against the strike'. The Daily Express carefully explained to the world that Britain was the victim of 'a little band
who forced their duped followers into a strike against
nine days the strikers stood solid. The only apparent divisions between rank and file drivers and the rest were at two football mat-
the Locomotive HICL Permanent Way. The
Hundreds of strike bulletins and local trade union and socialist journals sprang up to explain the issues.
began to lose the propaganda war. On 3 October, when the Exchequer had already lost £10m the Daily Express did a volte-face and headlined: "The Railworkers have a
In desperation on that same day
announced that wages earned by railworkers the week preceding the strike would not be paid. Even in the Tory press there was an uproar. This new move only stiffened the resolve of the rank and file and further isolated the government.
point the cavalry came to save the coalition and the rescuers all cards! Ine trade union bureaucracy saved the day for
Replying to charges that 'attacking the community', JH Thomas went on cinema
that he had 'always held back strikes'. He was still
The NUR leadership never once turned to the Triple Alliance and even turned down offers of sympathy action from other unions. The pressure from the ranks was enormous.
sympathy strikes from tramway ana dock Ernest Bevin of the Workers Federation organised a conterence ot over seven. ty bureaucrats from the Labour Party, TUC Parliamentary Committee
Amalgamated Society of Engineers. National Union of General Workers, the Kailwav Clerks Association.
Federation of Women other trade
What was posed was a general strike in support of the railworkers to
bring down the coalition government. Instead, after speeches by
Bromley, the ASLEF secretary, the conference unanimously adopted a motion declaring it was 'a purely trade union fight for wages and conditions.
They then dispatched eleven top bureaucrals including Henderson, Harry Gosling, Bevin and JR Clynes to wait upon Lloyd George at Downing Street.
As the reply was unsatisfactory, a
called for the following Tuesday 7 October to determine 'what moral and sympathetic could be given to the Talworkers. Three davs betore the conference, the 11 'tops' who had visited the Prime Minister sent him a signed statement, warning that unless
more reasonable attitude' adopted by the Cabinet, it would be impossible to avert a widespread, extension of the strike with all its consequences.
By then the ruling class was convinced that although the trade union bureaucracy was equally eager avert a general strike, the pressure mounting from below was rapidly get-
Scabs maintaining tracks in the 1926 General Strike.
ting out of hand. The Cabinet and the Thomas bureaucrats met and reached a rapid general settlement.
and Lloyd George were cooking up a deal in one room at Number 10, the NUR met another. Believing a favourable settle-
Arthur ment had been reached, left-wingers
Ernest burst into singing the 'Red Flag' and
'The Internationale'. At which point Winston Churchill round the door and remarked: 'Harmony at last, gentlemen form of 'Strike settled, support' Railworkers did so not knowing the embattled terms.
clear that they had fought nine days to stand still. The wage cuts were driven back, but pay was to be 'stabilised for a tull year' was subject to future negotiations
day carrot, probably to later strike. But the rest of the National Programme was shelved although victory had been within reach.
The trade realised that further advance needed a
While the conference delegation along.
separately
poked his head
Thomas telegraphed his branches:
return to work'.
When they found out, it was
. Standardisation was to be
It's true the guaranteed eight hour
• conccucu ongilaly only as a
be withdrawn railway
- was established by the 1919
union bureaucracy leaders.
Socialist Challenge
general strike, inevitably posing the question of state power. Here was the question they had wished to avoid all
March the NUR General Meeting had called for strike action by the Triple Alliance, and got a delegation to Downing St instead In July the conference of the Triple Alliance voted for political strike action against military intervention Russia, only for this to be diffused by a proposal to ballot the memberships. The ballot never occurred. And during the strike itself. the conterence organised by Bevin prevaricated
The bureaucracy knew that they could not hold the line after 7 October when the national trade union conference was due. So they thrust a shabby deal on the railworkers with only two days to go.
In 1926, Thomas, Bevin, Clynes and the others who misled the 1919
strike Were untortunately given a second and greater opportunity to betray. They took it with both hands and the general strike of 1926, unbowed before the ruling class, went down to a defeat inflicted by its own
28 January 1982 Page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
Beyond barbarism
ARGUMENTS for SOCIALISM
THE movement against nuclear weapons owes a very large debt to EP Thompson. It was an indication of how dangerous the ruling class in this country see him that an invitation to him to give last year's withdrawn. He is very powerful with words.
It was his writing, in particular Protest and Survive, which launched the movement against Cruise ana iraent in tnis country, and the BBC, the sponsors of the Dimbleby Rive tim had no wish to
the chance to make similar impact through full colour television screens.
That's why Beyond the Cold War was published last week with the sub-title Not the Dimbleby Lecture, being an extended transcript of the message Thompson would given to TV viewers lau the censors of the BBC not LCOOCu 14
With it, Thompson confirms his reputation as the most effective radical pamphleteer that it has been a pleasure to read for a long, long time. As with Protest and Survive, Beyond the Cold War can shake up the most complacent and drive them onto the streets.
Thompson's success is due to his style and writing technique more inan Il due to the details of his arguincul. DCSDILC the horrific nature of his sub-
what he described ICTI as the 'probable' 'autodestruct' of the world he never gets too emotional, he seems above all, By Jude Arkwright In the current crisis, women are being thrown out of work at twice the rate of men and the old adage of 'a woman's place is in the home' is being wheeled out to curb any opposition.
The problem that women's right to work has never been recognised. part time and largely un-
and those employed the MOSL vulnerable industries, they are a front line target.
Job segregation, which means separating women into these types JODS and denying them the right to enter skilled jobs, key weapon for the bosses who can use women as a reserve army of labour
of the women workers at Hoover
Merthyr Tydfil The union leadership sold them Jown the river by negotiating a redundancy agreement which allows
Unfortunately, some of the male workers in the piant are under the illusion that this is to their advan: age. In fact, the male workers have no guarantee that the redundancies will ::op there.
The women have
-artunities Commission to ane up their case of sex
Socialist Challenge
Dimbleby lecture was
rational. His argument is
Dullaul constructed that it almost becomes in-
E THOMPSON
BEYOND
THER
COLD WAR
DIVIDE AND RULE
discrimination. A similar case was won recently by women workers in bill ingham who claimed that
redundancies among part-lime WOrKCIS discriminated against women who were mainly employed in these
job the way
the law on positive action United States works means that fixed quotas women have to be employed in skilled jobs, in certain industries and so on. The two cases described above raise the question of whether a similar principle should also be applied in relation to job loss. Demand
In other words, should redundancy agreements include a mechanism for retaining a proportionate number of women, even if this meant, as in the case of Hoover, moving those women Into skilea areas to avoid redundancy?
Many socialists would argue that such a demand 1 01 non-discriminator lay-offs is wrong. Surely as 28 January 1982 Page 10
contestable. Despite the sub-title, Thompson does not 'lecture', he talks and persuades.
So, should we all praise EP and walk with him or behind him without ever a foreward or sideward glance? Not socialists we should have nothing to do with discussing any redundancy? We should be arguing that the way overcome discrimination not to send men out in preference to women but to fight all redundancies!
But, as they stated in a recent interview with Socialist Challenge, the hoover women walled their union to make a real night against dancies. When union
sabotaged this reacers policy, they had no option but to fight the discrimination that was being used against them.
have the opportunity
again arguing the need to fight all job losses.
The only wa! prevent this sort of sell our and dividing workforce in the future is to try and tie the hands of management and union eaters. ally policy against redundancies it should be specified that discriminatory layoffs are unacceptable
Some socialists say that In?s means for women's jobs • This is a the pense of men. false argument.
Under Review
quite. Because the grand sweep of Thompson's argument does, at times, tend to simplify and to mystify, and it can lead to places whose vagueness can be dangerous.
For inspiration for who can defeat the drive to nuclear Thompson looks back to
popular movements in the second world and in
wal. val" ticular to the anti-fascist movement in Yugoslavia. There, what Thompson describes as 'the alliance of noelals, agrarians, social-democrats, Conservatives secured a notable victory, and it is such togetherness to which Thompson looks as a way of stopping the bomb today. He called it,
and conscience. lived
informing human multitudes, of the Military
For Thompson such rationalism no more than a return to common
Hie argues thus because he sees the Cold War, the godfather of the bomb, as a mere 'habit, an
'supported by very powertu material terests'. Such interests he defines 'the military-industrial and research establishment of both sides' or 'the military and security establishments'
Is it really that simple?
The real threat at the moment is that women are being made scapegoats by the bosses and union leaderships alike. They are trying to male workers swallow the story that the lack of jobs is the fault of women workers who are taking work which really belongs men.
By arguing for unemployment policies in the unions which include opposition discriminatory lay-offs, wonter Call establish the principle that they have an
Management and will be less eduers able, under such condi-
'divide and rule' tactics against workers.
True, Thompson, the Cold War does not off the origins the Cold fer a simple equation of the Soviet Union and the United States as equally responsible, he tends to more sympathetic to the Soviets. It is also the case that he there are 'historical reasons for the COlO War Still tends to see it as almost an
Cvel deeper level, there is a further ex blallaliul • which I will describe by the ugly word "psychoideological" ?
Missing
With such an analysis it becomes logical to see the nuclear arsenal being
apolitical alliance, by people waving
which ultimately Dallicis will say nothing more than 'we want to live'
missing, and this is where the dangerous over-simplification curs, is a consideration of the question class. Thompson see the baddies — Ine millar y and secunty establishments' as Gossies. those who will destroy them, just as in Yugoslavia, as classless too.
Women
workers: should they be the first to be made redundant?
By Tom Marlowe
But in Yugoslavia the alliance was not classless. All manner of people may have been represented in the resistance but it was firmly led and it was under the direction 01 munists. And those whom they were fighting were
casses fascism is and always will
cabilalsil al its mus ruthless. The resistance in Yugoslavia was class war. Class
And that is also how the contemporary horrors will be stopped. For it is
the Cold War is illogical or
for its own survival, not
surviva. of military establishment, but the SUl VIVal of the whole capitalist system.
Empire
This is so because the only way capitalism can survive on an internationa scale to terrorise, especially those in Africa, Asia and Latin America where revolts threaten the destruction of the US Empire.
Nuclear weapons are
TO] SUCT not least by threatening the Soviet Union that ant material assistance they might give
liberation could end with the destruction of Moscow as well.
Thompson fudges over such issues, and that is the crucial weakness of what is otherwise a brilliant pam-
he is wrong to campaign
nucledi disarmament from Poland to Portugal. it does not mean tnat lt 1s wrong to see defence of Solidarnosc as part of the campaign of the internationa He is correct to insist on both.
But he also overlook: that the best way Solidar nosc can the only way, END can
through working people coming to the aid of working people, against those who internationally, oppress them. 'Beyond the Cold War' is published by Merlin Press in co-operation with END price 60p. Available (plus 10p p&p)& from: The Other Bookshop, 328 Upper St, London N1.
Page 11 scan of this page
One Sunday afternoon
happened.
To understand Bloody Sunday, to explain why it happened, it is necessary
appreciate Lne ponnical cumstances in which it occured.
The previous August the Unionist government led by Brian Faulkner had introduced internment without trial of suspected Republicans and socialists. From the point of view of the Unionists and the Tory government at Westminster who them, the exercise was a disaster.
use naked justified the anti-imperialist ment in Ireland in the eyes of tens of thousands of Catholics. failed to net all but a few of the anti-imperialist activists and produced a massive counter-offensive IRA.
Such failures produced sharp criticism from Faulkner's own right and the growing Democratic Unionist Party led by lan Paisley. By January 1972 Faulkner's premiership was in danger and the British under heavy pressure to 'get results'.
Derry WaS symbol authorities' failures. The Bogside and Creggan districts were 'no go areas' for the British Army in popular mass resistance had kept out the forces of their repression since internment.
The anti-internment march planned for Sunday 30 January was a further act of defiance by the Catholic population of Derrv. had banned all demonstrations.
For these reasons Unionists, the Tories and the Army were in desperate need of a 'victory over the rebellious Catholics.
Just before Bloody series of top level meetings took place between Faulkner, the British government and the Army chiefs.
ine outcome was a Jomt stalement on 29 January issued by the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the British Army: 'Experience this year has already shown that attempted marches OTLeN Clearly, the responsibility for violence and the consequences of it must rest fairly and squarely on the shoulders of those who people to break the law... The security forces have a duty to take action against those who set out to break the law.'
Force
The same day, lan Paisley, announcing the cancellation counter-demonstration to the one in Derry, exolanel 'We assured that the Civil Rights march Will be halted by force if necessary'
Peter McMullan, a member of the Parachute Regiment, recall a conversation he heard in the officers' mess, three Bloody Sunday, the day he deserted:
'There was an O-Group that morning. An O-Group is a brigade conlaD, where all the officers in the brigade come in and have a big powwow. They were saying they wanted a confrontation with the IRA, and the
ten years ago
TEN years ago this weekend, the 1st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment of the British Army opened fire on a demonstration in Derry on what became known as Bloody Sunday. Within a couple of hours 13 people had died and another was to die later from injuries received. GEOFF BELL recalls what
La confrontation was to shoot. cir-
Nonagon wild me A.i
backed
force demonstration. move-
nect illicit
by the Army was
the
which
Cycl
for Faulkner
the
Sunday a vy for this
encourage of
been
was later to
days before
only way they seemed to be able to get
"The conversation went round to the fact that they were going to shoot innocent people down to get a con-
The march began in the Creggan district just before 3pm. By the time it reached the Bogside it was 20,000 strong. A couple of hundred of the marchers had swarmed in front of the lorry which was officially leading the BBC
At the edge of the Bogside there were Army barricades. As the march ended and the meeting began there was the usual interchange or misslie. between the soldiers and a hundred or next:
Ireland
so Derry youth. The Army plastic bullets and CS gas, the youth replied with stones. It was an everyday encounter in Derry that winter.
Then, at 3.55pm, the first shots were fired. They were fired by the Ar-
and hit 15-year-old Damien Donaghy and 57-year-old Johnston.
Few in the crowd realised what had happened, and the two were only worneedl
It was more than 15 minutes before the 'assault' began in earnest. By then, it has since been assumed, the army had hoped that the IRA would appear to 'defend' the people. But the IRA were nowhere to be seen, having dumped their guns in the Creggan to take part, peacefully, in the march.
The first two to be shot in the second round of shooting were 17-yearold Jack Duddy and 37-year-old Peggy Drew. Duddy was killed and a
television camera recorded his body being carried away by a priest waving a handkerchief soaked in the victim's blood
Italian journalist Fulvio Grimaldi
what happened
square and stopped, 20 yards from each other. Perhaps three or four of them. There were loud bangs as their backdoors opened against the metal. Crouching figures leaped out with thin weapons in their hands. They ran, left and right, mostly forward towards the fleeing crowd fired tigures trom the saracens. He lumpec out, ran a few yards to the right, turn. ed, ran towards a courtyard and lifted the carbine to his shoulder. another paratrooper, ten yards to his John left; in an identical position. He fired, his head swinging slightly back. Then he fired again, then another shake of his head then he fired again.'
of the soldiers:
saw the paratroopers. The firing was getting hectic. Some Kneels aiming, standing and aiming, others were darting towards the street in an effort to cut off the escape route.
slowing down and looking over to where an old limping frantically away. The youth leaped over, put his arm under the old man, pulled him on. ther on, a boy with short, dark hair lifted his hands to his face as he raced past the soldiers. One of them let the boy go past, weapon, settled something on it with
calmly 'The saracens careered into the
and clashed
me.
'I followed one of the leaping
shot HIC
'He looked for a split second to
Grimaldi ran back behind the rest
lucky ones. back of the others did.
of the soldiers were others were
total failure. 'I saw a young man running, then
grey-haired man was
Five yards to his right, a little fur- witness,
such explosions glanced down at his
of bullets.
DO O
ville.
Derry 1972, them.
words,
and
have been interned.
Sunday. dle.
Socialist Challenge
calmly litted ha casteise orward
carabine to shoel, pomtea tne black barrel a the back of the boy and calmly sho:
One of those shot was 22-year-o!: Michael Bradley.
He had seen ha friend, Jack Duddy killed and ran ou: towards the body.
"The first thing that came to my mind was just mad anger', he said later. Though I was carrying nothing at the time, I had neither brick, stone or anything in my hand, 1 turnec round and started. using a lot of swearwords at the soldiers.
"They were in the car park facing
The soldiers had come out from inside their saracens and had taken up positions and firing points. Now I don't know which of these soldiers
Just the everything was just a flash to me.
Whitewash
'The bullet came through my lett arm, into my chest, and out through my right arm. I screamed, I saw the blood running down my fingers.
Michael Bradley was one of the
He didn't die. But 14
Afterwards, there was the Irevitable attempt at a whitewash. But compared to the usual standards oi British propaganda in Ireland it was a
The Army and British governmen: minister Lord Balniel claimed that an unspecified number of nail bombs were thrown before soldiers opened fire. Nail bombs make a loud explosion. Other than soldiers, not one
including the hundreds of journalists who were present, ever came forward to testify to hearing
The Army and Balniel claimed that more than 200 shots were fired b! the IRA at the soldiers. None of these 'bullets' were ever produced. Nor are soldier received a bullet wound, nor.:
the saracens marked
The Army also said that fou: the dead were on their wartes When it was later proved tina: a the victims either worked outside he Bogside, or frequently went outsic: it, and thus could be easily picken i? by the Army, the 'wanted' claim i::
Thorough forensic tests were is. ried out on the dead. No conclus::: proof was ever offered that anyone : them had fired a gun or thrown a ne
The truth of Bloody Sunday summed up in the words of the De:=
Hubert O'Neill, a forte major in the British Army: "This "=: murder. The streets of our cuv ran rei with the blood of young men.
Bernadette
That was ten years ago. It ma seem inal unis sort or ling cobnever happen again. Perhaps, in ir.: exact form it took on 30 January ir
it could not. But las: week, two British soldiers were charg
of two Derry youths who had beer. run down by saracens six months ago
Every witness at the trial testified as to how the saracen ran, at high speed, towards the two youths. The soldiers were found not guilty. Loyalist majority on the jury helped
In that context, the following McAliskey just after Bloody Sunda written Bernadette will bear repeating: "The ruling class respects and recognises only is uni power. In defence of "democrac!"
"peace" they will break ever democratic right, every law, concept of peace and justice thei whense ves ever. set uD
'In Northern Ireland we have beer. batoned and beaten on the streets. Ha
intimidated, interrogated We have had our Blood: the Bloody Sunday. It may be the last
'What happened in Derry on: January was done in the name of ite British people, in the interests of he brush rullng class. Londoner fight it. You cannot stand in the mid
28 January 1982 Page 11
Page 12 scan of this page
Where you canbuy
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ION OUTION YOUTH black liberaVenue/details to be arranged. or Socialist Challenge
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CHALLENGE nonal of about Prei on Earine Baron Dal, London 8. 7.30 wed
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28 January 1982 Page 12
WHETHER or not it is and Foot are opposed to
from forming a
We must recognise that
(in International May 81) and Michael Foot (recently
1983-84 followed by
This is to be the spring
ross gives a goul dr
Now that we are all
Murry Weiss
WE deeply regret to imform you of the recent
death of comrade Murry Weiss, veteran Trotskyist
taken to Doctors Hospital in New York City. By
Tuesday, he had suffered a stroke, gone into a
coma and had been placed in the intensive care
unit. He died on Saturday evening, 26 December.
He was 66 years old.
ment. A young communist in his pre-teens,
became a Trotskyist in early youth and was a long
time theoretician, organiser, editor and teacher in
Freedom Socialist Party in June, 1979. During the
past five years, he made a major contribution to
the theory of permanent revolution in his writings
and briliant anavtical sneeches on the crises in
tion, and he undertook several national speaking
LOIS
ternational (IC) conference in Paris as an observer
for the Committee for a Revolutionary Socialist
tionary and leader of world Trotskyism. And his
death represents a great loss to those millions of
workers and oppressed people who didn't know
him but will benefit significantly from his decades
of Marxist study, analysis and political activity.
Statements of condolence should be sent
Ms. Maxine Reigel, 301 West 17th Street, No 2E,
Murry Weiss Memorial Publications Fund should
sent to the same address c/o Dr.
CLARA FRASER
Freedom Socialist Party
PR -are we
prepared?
Tariq Ali was in favour o
party and a Labor wit
real socialist advance and
wants to travel
A more common argument is that far from 50, London N1 2XP On Sunday, 20 December 1981, Murry was
Comrade Weiss' entire life was devoted to the
He left the SWP in the mid-60's and joined the
In December 1980 he attended the Fourth In-
Murry's death is an enormous loss to everyone loved and respected him as a revolu-
New York 10011. Donations to the
Letters
without reference to the
voting preferences,
government. It will not aid workplace based economic democracv and its coali
move ici
we have different reasons? Is it true that
tions and the struggle to
In SC 229 gremlins
chair of McPherIN THE article 'Poland is
that Solidarity
gramme in the face of
But what the article misses our is une mms or lae oro• gramoncerned toil strike an amstes seat ears gramme of Solidarity was admore advanced than the pro ramme or any umon move oureaucrav on a blamel
of Solidarity's leadership to
lallici
Socialist
Challenge
Support
the resistance
SC Polish
coverage
'excellent'
the first New Year issue (7
t provided informatio and analysis not available esewnere
reacton отося about halingers needs the po aeror vides
Lne facts • soeak Tor themse ves ov
analysis of what Socialis
Limits of Solidarity
the absolutely inevitable con trontatiot Will burcaucrals
asylum
faced the real possibility of execution.
ing that I have been granted political asylum.
TSC, BM Box 5965, London WCIN 3XX
INSIDE LaGic cares natiston thar mosessions
to cut of the editorial's reference impor Lance TOr revoluT may have
our newel - with
The was a Can't you br tubig altitics
eco and in dustrial which would be
journals time or not yet found a way round the need to construct d revolu
Dogan Tarkan —
wins
for perical asylum upen ate its ease
asylum by the Home Office on 12 August 1981, my
I was in imminent danger of deportation and
now trade unionists and Kurdish na tionalists facing death sentences in Turkey. The
Thanks to your support, I'm not facing this fate. I have received a letter from the Home Office say-
This is all thanks to your collective efforts. I am
The support | have received has been magnifi-
At the TUC Conference an emeraencv resolu
fire Brig des Uniond passed in my support by the
Labour MPs have supported me, and a number of trade unions. I have spoken at meetings around the country, and have everywhere received ine backing orlabour movement organisations anc
With your help I have won a small victory, but Tor my sisters ane orotners it rurkey tre campaigl
confident of your continued support for
The Turkey Solidarity Campaign can be contacted al
Page 13 scan of this page
By Paul Lawson
three radio stations in the same scale as in El Salvador.
1954, the United States, through the CIA, engineered the overthrow of the reformist president Col. Jacabo Arbenz.
began legal
178,000 acres owned by the United
Alicacar Fruit Company, offering to pay generous compensallor. The United Fruit Company whose president was Alan Dulles •romer the US
of state John Foster Dulles, began a big propaganda operation
the same type as that waged by ITT against Chile's Allende.
The result was a CIA-
50 years of military rule First public showing of new film 'El Salvador will win!'
Speakers include Jon Snow, Fennis Augustine
Friday 5 February 7pm Old Theatre, LSE, Houghton St, WC2 By K. Sen STRIKERS were shot dead last Tuesday, and thousands of trade unionists arrested during strike organised by eight major Indian unions. The strikers against the anti-labour legislation of the Ghandi government.
After Indira Gandhi's Congress (I) party won the general election in January emergency laws Ciliciabilly National Security Act government a tree hand to imprison and detain opponents. The Essential Services Maintenance Ordinance (tVoU) in July 1981 gave the government the power to ban all strikes by workers in the 'essential services sector.
This repressive legislation, tempts to break the organised strength of the WorKINg class, negotiations of the Indian government with the International Monetary Fund for India's hiahest ever loan rupees. The conditions for the loan are stringent, and are thought measures to limit
Wales foreign investment, so that India's foreign debts can be paid ott.
Guatemala:
the next
revolution
LAST WEEKEND left wing guerrillas occupied
Guatemala City and forced them to broadcast propaganda against the dictatorial regime of Lucas Garcia. The success of the operation, which made fools of the security forces was further evidence of the growing strength of the guerrilla movement in that country. Last year more than 3,000 people died, victims of the army and the death squads. A situation of open civil war is approaching, on
led exile invasion which overthrew Arbenz. It was the proto-type of the kind of operation which the US attempted to carry out at the Bay of Pigs in 1962.
Reforms
Arbenz's CIA-picked Carlos Castillo succosul.
Armas stamped out every that Arbenz had attempted to institute. The labour movement was crushed; all land reform measures were reversed; the literacy campaign and the peasant co-operatives were closed down.
Since that time Guatemala has been con-
El Salvador Solidarity Campaign Public Meeting on
Ghandi's police kill strikers
trade one-day general Trades were protesting backs policies strike.
1980, reminiscent the period were introduced. The (NSA) gave the centres.
school
which at-
coincides WEEn
OT billion
to include attract be sent
trolled by extreme right-wing landed oligarchy, backed by the security forces, who are so powerful and corrupt that they now own their own banks and have other extensive business interests. ways, Guatemala is more important than EI • salvador or In response to the repressive legislation and sharply rising prices the eight major
formed a orcaniscuoni committee:
Union Congress (INTUC), Gandhi, refused
Despite attempts by the government to pre-empt the strike by mass arrests on the evening before it was due to take place, and despite the massing of troops and police in the major towns, the strike was successful in nearly all the major industries
in the two states where there are Com. munist governments - Kerala and Bengal
the work stoppage was almost total. In Bombay the second largest industrial city virtually every shop, factory,
was shut. banks government-owned insurance companies and newspapers were shut.
During the strike itself demonstrations occurred in most of the industrial centres. with the police and army took place. It is 4 believed that the death toll was around Twelve. ine indian workers are in uroent need of support. Resolutions and letters condemning the killing of workers should
High Commissioner, India House, Aldwych, London WC2.
International,
Many other Central American nation. With a around seven million lal cest economically developed whole region. US investment is twice that in a salvador Guatemala has assumed even greater since the discovery of oil mortalice on its borders with MexIco.
The very strong ties between Guatemala and the US There 14,000-strong ex-patriate business community Guatemala City. This community las ver strong links with business interests in the south west US. from where most of the investment in Guatemala comes. Among this community are right wing associations which support the Lucas Garcia regime.
Coca-Cola
The Asociacion de los Amigos ael rais irrenas of the Country Association) is led by Roberto Ale Guerrilla struggle in Guatemala challenges regime
strike but the inaiar
which support the office and
Jane
major
jos Arzu, a wealthy landowner whose ranch was used as a training camp for the Bay of Pigs invasion.
Alejos Arzu Is also a member of the Fundacion Guatemalteca Libertad (Guatemalan Freedom Foundation)
ali Wild links with the extreme right Wile Movement National Liberation (MLN)).
Fundacion member is John Trotter, a Texan lawyer who used to run the Coca Cola bottling OlalIL gained notoriety when a number of workers and leaders at the plant were murdered by right-wing
squads finally, Coca-Cola were forced to remove the franchise from his plant. But Trotter
HOTS friendly links with the supporters of Ronald Reagan in the Republican Party.
Guerrilla struggle started in the 1960s, under the leadership of the legendary Yon Sosa, but that struggle was soon defeated by brutal repression. But new group
in the 1970 which decided that no adGandhi and her troops
vance would be possible without gaining support in the Indian population.
The Indians make up something like 53 per cent of the population and a large proportion of them are peasant larmers. rr a long time they have been
land being seized by oil, nickel and forest) terests
In its hunt for 'subversives', the army tortured kidnapped and murdered Indian peasant leaders. Every year half a million Indians alc forced to migrate to the cotton, sugar and coffee plantations along the Pacific Coas Where ie work for about f1 a day.
Both the Guerrilla Army of the Poor and the Organisation of the People in Arms have large following among the Indians, who continue to be the victims of the most brutal army repression.
The Lucas Garcia government, in an attempt to give itself a facade 'democracv holding elections early next year. Just as in El Salvador, the guerrilla organisations will Socialist Challenge
be barred tron ticipating, and there w be large areas in the cour tryside in which the ele. tions will just not happe In any case, electoral frau is the stock in trade of th Guatemalan rightists. Support
As the civil war ap proaches the same propo tons as the struggle in E Salvador, the prospect opened up of a regiona revolutionary war. But th guerrill? movement Guatemala will be ver hard to destroy.
Their firm suppo: among the Indians th main and carro terrain and social base of the oligarch Hall U mean that prolonge struggle is inevitable
For the United State the loss' of Guatemala ti revolutionary forces is un thinkable. Amenea military intervention would almost certainly embarked on to prevent it The fate of whole regior will almost certainly decided in the mountain and valleys of Guatemala
30=3
Page 14 scan of this page
a witch-hunt that
By Pete Clifford MOUNTING evidence Laurence Scott strikers of a witch-hunt being conducted against them by engineering union leaders.
The latest move by Sir John Boyd, AUEW genera secretary. mas Deen to send a threatening letter
the JOCd district secretary whose committee has been consistent in its backing for LSE strikers.
In the letter (see box)
Boyd makes HO bones about it. His word goes.
Scott's senior steward.
Billy Partlan, sees this as a
Laureal engineers.
'He is trving to overrule the decisions of the district and the branches
'He wants to take all the authority away from them
As Boyd would have :.. every decision is going
be made by the executive, what we feel is considered irrelevant
Having talled to brea
determination of strikers, Boyd is adopting the same wich-hunt tactics as the
wing USC the -ateur Party.
He wants to isolate bureaucratically Sereat those who fight
Laurence Scott
workers tour
Huddersfield
Last Thursday workers : rom Laurence Scott
toured Huddersfield speaking at two large factories in the town.
The first meeting took place at the ICI where a mass meeting of the workforce called over shorter working week heard Phil Penning put the Scott's case.
Earlier the delegation rom Scott's visited Brown's tractor factory at vietnan, where bre ALEW convenor bro. i nompson plant
SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCI
princes Worth Saving
Thousands of South Yorkshire workers went on strike on 25 Jan and 3000 people marched to Citt Hall to protest at Tory policies.
made on the TUC to organise a national lobby of parliament on 26 April.
Socialist Challenge
Laurence Scott-
must be defeated
is coming before
Billy Partlin told Socialist Challenge: 'I feel there's a connection bet-
our problem and Wildl gong on in the Labour Party'
The Scott's workers are not going to be easy prev for Bovo. Their cam paign in the engineering union branches to use the union's Rule 14 against the
gathering CACLULLYC steam.
According to the Rule if ten per cent of branches demand a ballot tor re election of the Executive Council, this must take place.
In the last week strikers have visited over 150 tac. tories in the North West to
*Theresponse has aS
fantastic,
says steward, Phil Penning. 'In the coming weeks we will be going out further afield to other parts of the country.
In addition a meeting is being arranged with Labour MPs early February to call for their active support. senior stewards to discuss their dispute. Peter Robin steward from Hopkinsons senior AUEW SOlA
Valves, accompanied the Scott's delegation on the tour.
Huddersfield Socialist Challenge public meeting
Support LSE workers fight day rooruary
Northumberland St (opp. Railway Speakers: LSE workers,
Cuss. Chair. swinbank AUCT CUrr venor Holset Engineering.
The buses stopped and the steelmills came to a standstill. A call was
28 January 1982 Page 14
D Daniels, North AUEW
From John Boyd, General Secretary
cil's decisions, you,
out any further
Laurence Scott Electro
dispute.
dispute is
must not, in any way, continue to be involved
in any
proval of the EC.
and our shop stewards must discontinue any
involvement or support of the picketing of
Mining Supplies, Doncaster.
We trust that
seriousness and importance of this instruc-
tion which must be obeyed
Invergordon -
determined than ever to stop the closures.
At a mass meeting the previous day 900 strong workforce voted unanimously to throw out
redundancy package. The rejected deal would have meant British Aluminium paying out an extra flm in redundancy payments.
The workforce also refused the offer of week's extension for the redundancy deadline because of the strings attached.
HomeNews
District Secretary, Manchester ...Having regard to the resolution passed by
our National Committee and Executive Coun-
under the control of the Executive Council, as a full-time official
are hereby instructed that you must not send
correspondence the Motors Co Ltd As far as our union is concerned, the completely terminated and you residual activities without prior apAdditionally, you, the District Committee
you appreciate the
Laurence Scott House of Commons meeting Wednesday 3 February 6pm Organised by Charles Morris, MP for Openshawe Contact your own MP to be there agreea already to anena. lony denn, Les nuckera Norman Atkinson, Reg Race, Ernie Roberts.
Nurses protesting pay offer in Trafalgar Square Sunday 24 January
workers stand firm
THE invergordon Smelter in North Scotland officially closed on Sunday 24 January. But the workforce turned up as usual for work, more
Working class solidaritv with invergordon needs to be stepped up otherwise the workers will be forced to make compromise deal.
The present talks with the Tories and the Highland Development Board will not guarantee that the plant will be kept open.
A campaign o backing by the whole labour movement sucu out by National Union of Railwaymen HICHUCIs
COMMITTEE By Toni Gorton BETWEEN Iwo and three hundred people marched in Насклеу, London
oung unar vewion kose freed.
This, and a public meeting the night before, launched a nationar camputer will surel La kose as chairperson
o kose is well known a. chairperson of the New Cross which is campaigning e es
the truth abou the black youth who died in a fire a year arom peonora. sout London
Newton Rose is a 20 year old black youth who is serving a lte sentence in wormwooc scruos for a crime ne aran i commit
was convicted at the
Del mile fore murder re
wrue vouin. tony woney. d supporter vauonal Front Constitutional Move
MORE
PAYFOR
WIRSES
By Ralph Blake
Invergordon can help win this fight
The Scottish TUC has so far done practically notning to net with Inis dispute. It will no doubt crv more crocodile tears a: unemployment looks set to reach new record levels in Scotland this week.
The STUC should be organising all its affiliated unions in support of the Invergordon workers. would be a chance to show workers throughout Scotland and the rest of Britain that there is an alternative accepting Technancy
SUPPO NEWTLiS ROSE
Free Newton Rose
ment.
Un rriaay o May Donell) should have been at County Hall acting as a scrutineer the NF Instead hi went to a black club and walked home wiin a young black woman Sandra Alexander.
He was found stabbed 10 death the folle police morning near after initially threatening San- riCI house.
La muraer charge then picked up Newton Rose who is a former friend
coula produce no evidence, Dul three conjes 37OHS from his renas wao are now servers prison sentences for 'conspiring 1o isite pervert ihe course of
These confessions were
wiinarawr court after the youths testified that had been intimidated into them
Indeed another Roxanne Walden said that she nad seen Donelly ajle. he'd left Sandra Alexander.
ORNING CTAR
WALSH, from Cancel union militant he had just been retired before Christmas afte British Oxygen, Hackney convenor.
the Labour government's pay policy Under John's guidance, bine has been
to the top of the wages league
Irish people for freedom,
Socialist Challenge. someone who struggles of those fighting
ly in East London.
He was fighting with three wnie mer mer shouted 'nigger lover' at him She saw , him collapse ana draggea back onto Gly Street where he was found acac If anyone had a motive fo
killing Tony Donelly it was the local fascists who found out that Donelly was leading a 'double life' parents of Newton Kose one ine • other youths made very moving statement. at the meeting Ordinary working people they seemea orunneu ov in enormy or the station But ney are ront in fron of this campaign to get out the and to find the real toilers o Rose
Wing for your support.
Contact the Newton Rose campaign with support donations c/0 Green Road, London N4. Te • 12-212 4009 John Walsh Socialist Challenge readers will be greatly saddened by the death last week of JOHN
• lona time medically
15 of them as
John, along with the other stewards and convenors made the Hackney plant into one of the best organised in the country. In 1977 Hackney BOC played the leading role in the national BOC strike which smashed through
, a national comestablished which has strengthened BOC workers and pushed them
A life long supporter for the struggle of the
John's last wish was to be buried in his native Ireland. John was a committed socialist and supporter of
always took up the against oppres sion and exploitation he will be sadly missed throughout the labour movement, particular-
Messages of condolences can be sent to Mrs B Walsh, 48B Cassland Rd, Hackney, London
Page 15 scan of this page
Edwardes' plan = mass redundancies
MICK COYNE, Works Convenor and Chair of the Leyland Bus, Truck and Parts Strike talked to Patrick Sikorski about the strike at Leyland.
What the strike about?
Redundancies have sparked off this strike with the threatened loss 0I 1,09. jobs during 1982.
It is the Edwardes Plan that has caused the redundancies. we are oldy opposed to the plan. If we
we believe that we can stop recoances.
of the bardes pian
of the Edwardes TOTi Leyland Bus and Truck?
The aim of the plan is to
remove the manufacturing base from the Leyland site.
They want outsource al! engine production companies like Cummins International Harvesters the Auctical
name but two.
Leyland would be reduced to assembly only. with a maximum of 2,000 hourly paid workers remaining.
The present number of
paid workers 7,000 in total over 10,000 work at Leyland. This the penultimate Stand of the no culcula tion of the plan. Having removed the possibility ot viably producing engines
the Leyland site by pushing through these redundancies and transfer work they will then turn round to us and say that
All Photos: PATRICK SIKORSKI (Socialist Challenge)
BRITISH LEYLAND
Committee, Lancashire,
we can't produce the remaining l engine viab v either and that will be the end of ''The company's document 'Leyland in the '80s' made clear that they were not going to continue with the production of cerLau Manulacturing pro cesses
How has the Leyland management explained the need for redundancies?
They're saying the same thing as they have said for the last 3 years under Edwardes. When his plan for Leyland came out he
the company promable ana buone opinion
whole thought that Ills was d gova lillig
He said he'd do it by reducing overallls. reducing fixed costs and getting unit costs down to the level of competitors. But they were never honest wiln us or ine public. Inel intention has been to close
publicly owned vehicle manufacturer and assembler in the country
Do you think they plan to sell off the company? The Leyland Assembly Plant was on v 1978 and cost £32m of public money.
think would be auite possible for them to keep that part of the com-
Leyland Vehicles
Heavy Vehicle Division
pany in public hands while all the manufacturing processes would be hived off and the private sector would
be making profits out of the publicly owned assembly actory whose proacts would sull carry the Leyland badge. What VOUl alternative?
We believe that we can produce engines at a quality and cost that would be comparable with
Rally manufacturer in this country anywhere in the world.
Our intention is to bring about big changes in the running of Leyland
We want centralised organisation of une waole combine so la we will be producing and manufacturing our own units and parts and assembling them own wago 1s.
we told the companv that we weren't seeking a controntation and that we wanted immediate
all deferment the
(ulporate plan and the ensu-
redundancies months in order to give the trade unions the democratic right to present their economic and trading allendauve.
Management refused and last week we therefore began to operate sanctions in line with the Combine
All
comations messages support LVL Joint Strike Commit-
Austin Senior, 240 Leyland Leyland, Länco (Tel/ Leviano
Trade Unions
and mass meeting decisions. The company's response to the continuation of sanctions was take 620 members oft the clock.
The mass meeting was very well attended by over 6,000 hourly paid workers
Works Committee recommended full support tor the trade union alter natives, and total withdrawal as of lunchtime Thursday Was accepted with 95 per cent in favour.
How are continue the fight?
We are now involved in an all out fight together with Bathgate which. OCcupied.
Our union officials at
ed that opposition to the plan would receive official backing from day one. We are expecting formal endorsement of this at the first opportunity
Senior stewards will be in contact across all the plants in the group. We'll be looking support TURI of trade union and labour movement board. blackill be expec ting blacking Leyland Vehicle products.
We're saying that the membership Leyland Vehicles have no confidence in the policies that management has pursued over the last 3 years.
Labour MPs like Stan Thorne, Ton! Benn and Les Hucktield have made
clear commitment
cause as they showed in October last when
vcal they addressed a mass
Bathgate
occupied
British
other Britain and to protect their jobs.
facilities, should be retained.
enthusiastic workforce. They
assured
how the occupation can be supported.
Central Scotland.
class was traditionally strong
fightback.
Central Belt of Scotland.
be a victory for all Scottish workers.
meeting and fully ported the trade union
I Confederatione area
Confederation Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions, the Lancashire Association of At AS mitisin Let shod stant da
Leylana plant Bathgate decided on Friday morning to occupy their plant in support of
workers sacked throughout
The workers want assurances from management of no further redundancies at Bathgate, and that tractor production
which were to be sold off,
The stewards decisions were met
reception by the spontaneously demonstrated outside management office block as a symbolic procession of tractors were driven back into the plant where they will remain until jobs are
A mass meeting of shop stewards in the region is being organised to discuss
Over the past 10 years, some 100,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost in
Mostly, these have been in areas where the Scottish working
— ship• building, mining and heavy engineering.
Last year, the Scottish working class suffered a serious defeat when Linwood plant was allowed to close without a
BL Bathgate remains one of the biggest and best organised factories in the
Its closure would represent a crushing blow. But a victory for the Bathgate workers would
Mick Coyne: 'British Leyland have never been honest with us' Trades Councils and Preston, South Ribble and Chorley trades councils have already declared their full support. We are looking for a groundswell of national support.
We now have a strike
Solidarnosc
solidarity with
Leyland!
workplaces for the Manchester solidarity demonstration this Saturday has been invited to
Thursday.
have been treated by Edwardes and successive governments has parallels with the struggle in Poland for jobs
of Trades Councils writes:
last Saturday's meeting of the North West TUC and after a
the ones
Labour MPs and for the matte Commons us sour us Dossiole
in Leyland on Saturday 27 February.
throughout the area. These are just some or the measures agreed last Sunday.
press legal proceedings for arrears. Workers in these sectors will be approached directly if replies are unsatisfactory meetings in the area plus mass leafleting • levies and through all the unions
weekly adverts in the local press calling for general financial
thes Socialist Challenge
the unites presh will ta
unions which will meeting daily and we a: having another meeting nex Thursda: which I would expect
basis.
A MEMBER of Solidarnosc in Britain who is in the North West area to build support in factories and
address the Leyland Vehicles Strike Committee on
Leyland workers feel strongly that the way they
trade union and democratic rights JOHN PARKINSON, Socialist Challenge sup porter and Secretary of the Lancashire Association
An emergency solidarity resolution was put by the LATC 10
inorough ascussion was passea unanimously. Ine resolutiol called for full support throughout the region for the industria action now being taken and attacks the role of Edwardes and
Fi calls for co-operation with the North West group o to be raised in the House of the North West TUC to circulate the official collection sheets , ine resomon uso commitee throughout the area and backed the demonstration to be held
inrougn a co-orainating commutee basea on ine inree loco Trades Councils, measures are being taken to protect those in dispute from financial hardship and to mobilise mass suppor:
• the Trades Council will be approaching local authorities anc ine sus ane elecincu poores norto cure Levono workers o
• ine trades council will organise a series of mass jactory galt
calls for national support are being organisec
• the strike committee has asked the trades council to take ou!
and other support and a direct appeal for support on the picke!
28 January 1982 Page 15
Page 16 scan of this page
DOCTORS NEEDLES XNITTINC NEEDLES
Socialist Challenge
pamphlets on rail
and Poland
go like hot cakes
OUR two most recent pamphlets - on the fighting against Solidarity with Solidarnosc within days.
put a stretch on our resources to fork out money, which we didn't immediately have, to reprint these pamphlets quickly.
week towards our £68,000 annual fund drive but we need more than this to meet the unexpected demands that are made on us as happened with these two pamphlets.
rail strikes, or to the Poland we need money and lots of it. Won't you help?
Reistered as a newspaper with thi Pudiisned by carotnal enterprisos.
Prınted by tast tna Uttset(TU) Lta, London E2
Socialist
Challenge
Peter Huntingford under attack for defending women's rights
productivity in rail and were sold out
Gratifying though the response has been, it
We were very pleased to get over £900 this
If we're to be able to respond to the national
military takeover in
London Ni
This week's donors are:
Haringey supportarsf 70.00 Hackney supporters 200.00 Various 71.00 cenouron suooo ersor.as Hemel supporters 32.20 Huddersfield supporters 5.00 Glasgow supporters 30.00 Lambeth supporters 200.00 RaSTLonoon supporters 15.50 North London
64.90 suooorter Sheffield supporters 102.00 B. Wilkins/H.
10.00 KOVIC birmıngnam nevo Youth 1.00 D Rich 2.00 Haringey supporters 4.U0 Anon. 25.00
Total £921.10 Previous Total £1868.00
£2789.10 Granu i olal
Defend
doctors
words of Professor
tion form.
Profesor Hun-
tingford and another doc-
are being
the Director of Public Pro-
secuuons have refused to fill in the pecause utey
new form. which does not
allow for vironment aso faatoan do be and
taken into account in giy-
Lu wcl dovrtis
Under the 1967 Abor-
tion Act, they argue, pro-
vision is made for non-
medical factors to be taken
account in granting
aPoLOs new
form only asks for medical
NOT
SAFE, FREE
•LEGAL ABORTE
ABORTIO
OFFER
MALCOLM X
pro-abortion
'PROSECUTE and be damned'. These were the
Peter Huntingford last week in defying the Department of Health and Social Security over the new abortion notifica-
reasons to be entered. implying that other factors are not sufficient in law Professor Huntingford believes that the new forms would deter some doctors from performing abortions and would give anti-abortion doctors Cull excuse for not providing the service. "
This could affect some 80 per cent of women seeking abortions on the NHS who do so on non-medical gronlas The right to choose whemer a we to bave
SETSUBSCRIBEI
With each 12 months inland subscription to Socialist Challenge we are offering a free copy of NICARAGUA: THE SANDANIST REVOLUTION by Henri Weber (normal price £2.95) or AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
women's free and equal DarLC DaLUl suclely The social and personal ¡casus lor a woldr lak. ing the decision to have an
huge avutun HaVe plications for her and must be taken into account
The new forms were introduced last March by
an obscure parliamentary procedure calicu d SaLuLorv lasu u
This means that acil. bes, a surucert aileDe of MPs object to a proposal, no aiscussion lake. place . This particular one just slipped through.
Where Corrie, White and failed
DCIVU] restrict the law by anti-abortion bills, the DHSS have succeeded through the back door. Effectively, they have changed the grounds whereby abortion can be obtained.
Profeso doctan hare
and OLer GOCLOIS
(Delete as appropriate)
Name .
Address .
SPECIAL OFFER:
Please send me.
shown that they are prepared to dety the new form. It is up to the labour movement as a wiloie ll defend them by fighting the statutory and eversing he decision to change the forms.
What you can do: Write to Dr G Vaughan the Minister of Health ••gOSIC the changes and supporting socia ground: for abortion
)eman‹ that charges against the two doctors are dropped. Write to your MP and get your union to write io their sponsored MP aemanaing that s/he raise this issue in parliaanenu Organise local meetings to publicise what is hap pening. Get local health workers, doctors and trade unions involved. The Labour Abortion Rights Campaign has produced the following model resolution which they will be taking to the Greater London Labour Women's Con ference on 29 January. Take it to your Labour Party ward trade union branch
body deplores the threatened prosecution of DOCIOS who don t accen the DHSS's restriction of the ground. whereby woman may get an abortion under the : 1967 Abortion Act by the introduction of a new abortior notification form
It notes that this form was introduced statutory instrument without proper COnuLu tion or parliamentary debate and belleve. this represents an attempt to undemocratically undermine the terms and spirit of existing legislation.
calls the Parliamentary Laboul Party (or General Council of the TUC) urge the minister to dro all charges and to amend the abortion notification form so that doctors may once more be made aware of and take into account the fact that the 1967 Act allows for a woman's actual and reasonably foreseeable environment to be a factor when con sidering termination. Surface & Europe £17.00, Air Mail £24.00
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