Socialist Challenge No. 85, 1 March 1979

Socialist Challenge · 1 March 1979 · 16 pages, 24,797 words read by machine

The scan: sc-n85-mar-1-1979.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.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Page 1 scan of this page

Socialist Challenge

REBELLION SITTING in the cosy comfort of No 10 Downing Street on Monday night, Jim Callaghan offered his thoughts to BBC

mention, but then he stressed: 'On the whole it's not the national leaders. The responsibility is much lower down'. In the National Union of Public Employees, the national executive overturned the decision of its negotiators — led by general secretary In the ambulance service, workers voted against the policy of all the union leaders involved and decided on strike action this Friday. Union leaders attempt to limit strike action by their members or stop it Union leaders sign agreements with employers and concordats with the

io 85 March 1979 15p

TV's 'Panorama'.

He attacked altogether.

government.

The causes of the rebellion are not hard to find: Low pay, crumbling public services, a trade eduer snip which disregards conterence sions, a Labour Government which disregards its party's conference sions.

The 'lower down' have, 10- borrow another Callaghan's phrases, 'had a basinful'.

The rebellion they are engaged in has yet to take concrete form or shape.

All-out action

can spread.••

THE

True enough. For instance: And the 'lower down' rebel.

The GOVIOUS from the NUPE executive's rejection of the deal all-out strike action -has not yet been called for by deci- the executive.

In the civil dispute, too, the union deci- leadership is content to offer only selective' strike action. of Even the 'left' TUC and Labour Party tops have neglected to call for recall conferences of respective organisations.

But it is now obvious

Alan Fisher - to accept the miserly government offer.

conclusion

the and determined

service workers.

service

in these

IS prescription.

their

all out

against

low pay

any strikers his interviewers cared to that the government is very determined to crush attitude

public sector strike -LOO to reject the claims of civil

Only an equal show of 'morality strength by those involved hypocrisy

struggles will proportions. persuade the government to change its mind. All-out

the obvious

Such action would no doubt bring further lec- rebellion tures from Callaghan. He spoke on Monday of the supported.

Vr.

low pay

need for a change in moral

For a government which has ordered massive cuts in the NHS to lecture ambulance workers on

taking bizarre

Callaghan and the rest of the Labour government have 'squeezed' the poor 'until their pips squeak'.

That is the root of the

and why should be spread and

all out against

INSIDE: Iran-pages7,8&9

Shankill Butchers-page 12

Clout all 3g China & Vietnam-pages 2& 3

Page 2 scan of this page

CON-cordat Neither

OUR POLICIES 200

EDITORIAL

01-359 8180/9. 91-359 8371.

The

IF ANYONE had any

manuster Gemancing tat tue

concordat is nothing

CORE OF CONCORDAT

Industrial Relations Act, and the social contract.

to impose cooling off procedures.

ATTACKS ON PICKETS

• The attacks on

Warren and other building worker trade unionists. PURE MOONSHINE TUC is accepting policies of mass unemployment. right-wing policies of this government. OPENS WAY FOR TORIES

Britain today.

If you agree with these principles and want to be involved in activities by Socialist Challenge supporters in your area, fill in the form below and send it to us.

* 1 am interested in more information about activities in my area. * I would like additional literature and enclose 50p to cover costs. (Delete if not applicable] NAME

ADDRESS

Send to Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper St, London N1.

Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 2

Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper Street, London NI.

Distabution/ Advertising doubts about the meaning of the TUC-government concordat, they should have been well and truly cleared up last week. With the combined voices of Len Murray, Peter Shore, Joel Barnett and just about every other government

workers reject the NUPE executive decision and go back to work, it is clear that the

but a plan for open strike-breaking government's and Murray's actions are in fact an even more blatant act of scabbing than the TUC General Council decision to isolate and defeat the Fire Brigades Union strike last year.

Such strike-breaking, and attacks on rank-and-file unionists and union democracy, is at the very core of the concordat. Even its details are virtually identical to such previous anti-union measures as Labour's 1969 In Place of Strife, the Tory

* The talk of strikes being 'a last resort' and opposing strikes "during negotiations' is no different to Paragraph 15 of In Place of Strife, which said that 'the typical British strike...is in breach of agreed procedure', or the Tory Industrial Relations Act's attempts

picketing and solidarity, now named "secondary action' by the press, Tories, and government, are no different in essentials from those in the Industrial Relations Act. This outlawed any attempt to interfere with the performance by anote person or a contract • Iris one in a long une or auacks on pickets — notably the infamous Shrewsbury frame-up trial of Des

* The move by the concordat to get secret individual ballots has exactly the same aim as In Place of Strife. This ruled that, 'Where an official strike is threatened, the Secretary of State will discuss with the unions concerned the desirability of holding a strike ballot'. The Industrial Relations Act proposed the same with compulsory ballots where a strike 'has begun or is likely to begin'. The aim is to break up the solidarity of workers and make them

Individual targets for anti-union press and television

• The economic part of the concordat, such as its so-called aim to get inflation down to 5 per cent in three years, is pure moonshine. It is just like the social contract, which in fact reduced real wages by 12 per cent between 1975 and 1977. Real wages are only just beginning to recover from this — and then only by the fact that last year wages bust the government incomes policy limit. The concordat's growth target of only 3 percent means that the

In fact, under the concordat the TUC is offering to give the government the greater part of what the employers were unable to force the working class to accept through In Place of Strife, the Industrial Relations Act, and the social contract. Thatcher will thank the TUC kindly for surrendering the last ten years' struggle to defend trade union rights, and will try to turn all their proposals into law the moment she is returned to office as a result of the

Anyone who supports the concordat is supporting a massive attack on the rights of rank-and-file trade unionists to fight and organise, starting with the public sector struggle, and is helping to open the door for the Tory wolves. Total and complete rejection of the concordat is the touchstone for any class struggle politics in

By Taria Ali NO socialist can dispute that the latest events in Indochina are horrific on all counts.

They line of Stalinist atrocities: the verbal campaign against Tito trade and Yugoslavia in the Forties and Fifties, the suppression of the East Berlin rising in 1953, and the invasions in Budapest in 1956 and Prague in 1968.

But on none OCCaSIOnS on the sidelines and scream: A plague on all your houses. They and demanded the withdrawal of Soviet troops countries in question.

Nigel Harris's article in last week's Socialist Worker refuses to take sides.

Kampuchean-Vietnamese conflict with the Chinese invasion.

concludes following paragraphs:

*The ungovernable urge to "teach lessons knife murder can be perpetrated with impunity. It logic of an imperialist system that encompasses alike both the so-called "People's Democra cies" and so-called "democra cies".

*The smaller powers, each run by its own clique of comparable gangsters, are used

prize respective Godfathers..

Widows weep again tonight as they did last night and will for many more nights.

"The slaughter of their men, sons and nothing: just the blood tribute to the gods of the system, make the world safe for the nen and powerrul.

This makes no attempt to analyse what has happened in Vietnam.

China. The masses are seen as powerless slaves in the grip o Britain can wash our hands with a few phrases of liberal rhetoric.

Let us suppose that Dubcek and his supporters in Czechoslovakia had organise an armed resistance to

class.

revolutonary sociansts are.

THE FIRST WORD

Hanoi

whether

are the latest in a long invasion of Vietnam? True, widows Hanoi.

of these did socialists stand had nothing Kampuchea.

opposed the invasions

Vietnamese from the both the

It equates the Isolated

with the capitalist

_ to flash the is a gamble that but necessity. flows from the ary government

world.

A would have imperialist blockade.

tight by their economic

Page 3 scan of this page

China bids for power

By Richard Carver

PEKING's offer of peace talks

is no offer at all. Vietnam has

replied that talks

possible with Chinese troops

still on its soil.

Instead the Hanoi

ment has warned the Viefnam-

ese people that they may face a

long war. In an unusual move

the New China News Agency

has repeated the Vietnamese

statement as evidence of the

impact its armies are having.

It links this to a comment

from vice-premier Deng Xiao-

ping, hoping for a quick end to

the 'punitive action'. But it is

unlikely that China will be able

to disentangle itself so quickly.

If the war goes on it will not be

Vietnamese weak-

ness but because the invading

armies find it impossible to

withdraw.

There is a simple geographi-

1974

January: China occupies the oil-rich Paracel islands in the South China Sea, Which were

previously controlled by South

Vietnamese forces.

1975

30 April: Fall of Saigon. China ends GILS military aid Vietnam, citing the conclusion of hostilities.

September: The visit to Peking of Le Duan, the secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party, ends without common communiqué, chilliness Chinese-Viet-

But China grants Hanoi an interest-free loan.

1976

December: Fourth congress of the Vietnamese Communist Party. Pro-Chinese figures are removed from central

The press Hong Kong reveals existence of disputes on the China-Vietnam border.

June: Official visit to China by general Giap, who also goes to Moscow.

1978

March: Nationalisation small businesses in Vietnam, a sucasure which affects numerous Chinese residents. Start of exodus by the Hoas (Chinese

in Vietnam).

Almost 200,000 flee to China. Numerous others leave country by sea.

April: Nhan Dhan, the VCP daily, reports sporadic inci-

in Asia

cal problem. The troops have

Deen pushed through

border passes like air through a valve — it is not possible simply to reverse the process

The other Vietnamese military strength. govern- Western intelligence now confirm

In the first week of the war the Chinese had casualties and lost some 100 tanks, about a fifth of those involved. And at this point no regular Vietnamese units were engaged.

Chinese military and political leaders pondering what will happen when divisions are engaged.

Ever since Dien Bien Phu in 1954, when the forces General Giap shattered an apparently superior army, the Vietnamese have put the best soldiers in the world to

China-Vietnam-

a chronology

dents on the border.

May: Peking accuses Hanoi of "persecution and expulsion of Chinese residents in Vietnam'. Start of a polemic between the two countries on the problem of the Hoas.

June: China masses troops on the Vietnamese border. Nearly a thousand Chinese technicians working in Vietnam are sent to home. The Chinese ambassador in Hanoi leaves his post for reasons or neain. 29 June: Vietnam Comecon. 1 July: China closure of the three Vietnamese consulates in South China. 3 July: China stops its aid to Vietnam and recalls CAUCILS.

August: Opening

negotiations in Hanoi on the problem the Hoas, without result. 25 August: The border disputes worsen. At least ten Chinese deaths are announced. The two sides exchange verbal attacks in and increasingly violent prothe ECSLS 26 September: The negotiations

Hanoi are indefinitely. 1 November: Further serious indicents on involving deaths on both sides. Each government accuses the other of violating its territory. 3 November: Signing of SovietVietnamese treaty of friendship and co-operation in Moscow. Delivery of Soviet Mig-23s to Vietnam, to be followed in December by two frigates. 15 December: Peking announces that there have been 1,100 indicents on the China-Vietnam border since the start of 1978. the 22 December: Suspension of railway links between China and Vietnam.

flight.

Speculation is idle, looks increasingly the low level of troop involvement so far may be part of a blan invaders into a Dien Bien Phu style ambush.

Another worry in Peking will the be the possible emergence of internal opposition to the war.

One wall poster criticising th as Dee problem is prompting the

Party

SULTLES issue Hanoi's claims. banning all

posters and demonstrations on sustained 9,000 the war.

The ferment of discussion on Peking's 'Democracy Wall' has deliberately not been allowed to spread to foreign policy issues.

The Chinese bureaucracy must be aware at must sciously, that that is where it

departs most obviously from battle-hardened

communism.

The statements of the foreign of policy makers in the Heavenly City read like the

French Doctrine

since the present leadership learnt international relations at 1979

6 January: Prince Sihanouk a Vanuary: The January: supported by the army, enters Phnom Penh. The Chinese denounce the invasion of Kampuchea by Vietnam. 20 January: The ministry of

embassy against joins tions of Vietnamese territory by Chinese troops. demands the 31 January: During his visit to

the United Xiaoping raises with American journalists the need to give 'a

all its good lesson' to the Vietnamese.

16 February: Pham Van Dong, Vietnamese SOEC goes to Phnom Penh. Peking but describes the situation on the China-Vietnam 'explosive'. 17 February: China unleashes its counter-attack' into Vietnamese territory.

CHIN

adjourned

BOTGET

oil fields Philippines Shell

but it Nixon. likely that Vietnamese is meant by to lure the 1954 Geneva long split - the favoured

tion of the reported, Communist In the Central Committee to *Directive Number 11

"big character

lalism and its

with the reactionary bloe -least subcon- Malaysia, Indonesia publicity. revolutionary

Kissinger Then in not surprisingly FUNSK, Vietnamese

Vietnamese foreign affairs Chinese in Hanoi protesting 'the continual viola-

States, Deng

minister,

border as 200 400

issue.

the school of Richard M.

There could hardly be a more graphic demonstration of what source of oil.

*socialism in one country'. As far back as the also

conference Sino-Soviet Paracels.

Chinese leaders

the partition of justification Vietnam and the transforma-

South into an American sphere of influence.

aftermath of the Cultural Revolution the desire to establish a separate Chinese sphere of influence in the Far East led the bureaucracy to into closer co-operation with imper- people

local clients.

Nixon's visit to Peking is well known. Close Chinese relations

ASEAN Thailand, Philippines, sponded Singapore and LaVe got less was troops

In contrast to its measly aid to Vietnam during the war, in the early 1970s China began to forces supply oil to the ASEAN states.

1974 it seized the

PIR

Vietnamese-held Paracel islands in the South China Sea, depriving Vietnam of a major

For a long time Peking has

had its eyes on Spratlys, to the south of the

Both claims are utterly bizarre, their only legal

being that islands are linked to China by a string of reefs running down through the South China Sea.

All these facts are forgotten by those who equate the entry of Chinese troops into Vietnam with that of the Vietnamese

Kampuchea. The same like to see the Vietnam-Kampuchea dispute as a simple reflection of the Sino-Soviet rift.

Washington immediately re-

the Chinese invasion by linking the two: It

possible Chinese might remain in Vietnam to be used in exchange for a withdrawal of Vietnamese

Cambodia.'

What the spokesperson did not add was that just before the A RECENT opposition demonstration by students and peasants in Peking. After a wall poster has criticised the invasion of Vietnam, the Chinese leaders are worried this too may become a political

invasion Chinese leader Deng had been having top level talks in the United States!

Kampuchea was undoubtedly the immediate cause of the

ProbaDly trying to draw Vietnamese troops out of Kampuches, which maintained counterbalance to Vietnam in

But China's political aspirations in SouthEast Asia as a whole are the real cause of the war. The Chinese leadership's desire for a weak vielam car be traced back to 1954. Now, egged on by imperialism, it is trying to realise that desire and if that brings it up against the Soviet Union, the 'more dangerous super-power, then so be it.

Proletarian internationalism is long since dead in China. The Vietnamese revolution threatened from all sides. But the continuation of this suicidal alliance with imperialism threatens death for the Chinese revolution too.

Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 3

Page 4 scan of this page

HOME NEWS

Hackney

By Jon Duveen Hackney Central CLP THE Greater London Regional Council of the Labour Party will De nolding les sata annuat conference on 3/4 March. Standing outside on opening day will be a lobby called by Battersea Wandsworth Council support committee to back the public SCLEUE workers'

But inside the conference hall the prospects discussion on the strike are not promising. Only a handful of CLPs have submitted emergency resolutions on the public sector claim.

Hackney South & Shoreditch has an emergency resolution backing the full claim, while Hackney North & Stoke Newington calls for all London councils to grant the minimum and 35-hour week.

Even such resolutions are taken they fail to take into account how the full claim would be financed. Last year's conference agreed to mount a campaign against interest payments and central government to шаке

available for local government's capital grammes. Unfortunately much has been heard of this campaign since.

Teesside

By Alan Theasby

SCHOOL caretakers throughout Cleveland in the NorthEast went on indefinite strike

tion on 26 Februar

The NUPE members decide on the action five days earlier - the same day a mass meeting of refuse collectors Middlesbrough linked up with flying pickets from Sunderland to march to the town's main sewage pumping station. There NUPE area officer John Davies called his members out on strike.

The sewage strike, together Win Dad weather and niga tides, presented the prospect of raw sewage seeping onto the streets. "This', said Davies, 'is a risk the council is obviously prepared to take.

The escalation of the action has been largely a result of the council's policy of confrontation and its decision to send home refuse workers who had refused to cross a picket line.

Somerset

By Mike Eaude TGWU

NORTH Somerset ambulance workers in NUPE, TGWU and

COHSE were among those who

defied last-minute union

to postpone

national one-day strike

Wednesday of last week. When

they returned to emergency-only cover Thursday,

however, they found they were

locked out unless they agreed to

work normaly.

Avon ambulance workers

then met and decided to strike

indefinitely until the lock-out

was lifted and the Somerset

drivers paid for the time lost as

a result of it. Three hours later

management caved

ambulance stations around the

country WCIC meeting

without exception, phoning in

Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 4

messages of strike action in support of North Somerset. The determination of North Somerset and other areas not to be split by allowing emergency and clinic ambulance drivers to take different actions, happens when 'on emergencies only , was an important tacoor in forcing the NUPE executive to reject the pay offer that same

the

and Swansea

full By J Barker

TGWU SWANSEA's local authority full

branch of the rejected national offer at a 700-strong meeting on Wednesday of last week.

Missing at the meeting was the union's regional secretary, George Wright. busy hobnobbing WATER Callaghan and Len who were speaking in Swansea £60

HERe SaTe Creng pro-devolution rally.

The rally itself was picketed by 50 public sector workers organised by the Campaign for Action in NUPE.

An especially lively response was offered when the platform for talked about the usefulness of

the devolution measures pro- extending than a few members democracy. not

audience pointed out that the new concordat is totally against Labour Party and concretec censions

Bristol

From Bristol Voice NATIONAL Front thugs set on four hospital workers Thursday nicht as they were leaving a union branch meeting at Transport House, The hospital workers were attacked just a few minutes after an argument between a number of branch members and people flyposting Repatrianon not mungration posters on the walls House had endea with both sides being sent on their way by a policeman However the four who were attacked stood their ground, and the brawl quickly came to an end as about 20 branch members from Brentry laundry poured out of their coach to help.

By John Ross

AFTER some hesitation Communist Party came against the TUC/government concordat on 17 February. the Morning Star editor Tony Chater wrote: "The so-called should be thrown in the dustbin the

alongside the social contract, of which it is no more than a half-resurrected ghost...

For the fact is that right-wing Labour and trade union leaders will try in every possible way movement back straitjacket of wage restraint.' The sentiments expressed in Chater's article were unequivocal enough. The same cannot be said for what Communist Party leaders have done in practice. and, Thus CP member Ken Gill,

who sits on the TUC general

TGWU

the

He was too

JIm Murray,

action in pursuit of

conference rhetoric.

for has come a cropper.

of the

By Patrick Sikorski

TUC unanimous rejection of the The NUPE

offer reflects the disgust of the rank and file at the offer Fisher is still trying to sell.

In that selling he has been joined by Len Murray, the TUC, Minister of Health David Ennais, and Labour government.

But the rush to Fisher's side last is not a strength. In fact it shows how frightened he is.

Bristol. As Socialist Challenge went

to press the South London, North East, Merseyside and Scottish regions of NUPE had all voted to reject the offer.

The two London regions of of Transport the General

Workers Union rejection, and the regions had also called for the reconvening of the national industrial council — a demand quickly turned down

Basnett.

Alan Fisher will still fight to deflate the militancy of his rank

Liason Committee: attack

is best form of defence

council on behalf of AUEW/ TASS, the Morning Star the day after the out concordat was follows: *...because council determination not to allow this concordat... [concordat] to be used as an

excuse to introduce an incomes policy, it was not necessary to oppose the document.

An opportunity to clarify the the contradiction between Chater's and Gill's available when dominated Liaison Committee lead CURE into the for the Defence

Unions holds its conference on 10 March.

As usual the organisers are not circulating prominent their proposed resolution

advance. Any resolution will, at best, be given to the delegates only when they walk in the door.

Rejection

only first

step to

victory

EVERY year NUPE general secretary Alan Fisher mounts his white charger at the union's conference and delivers militant speeches against low pay.

But when the actual claim is lodged, Fisher limits the

recommends a deal which bears no resemblance to his

In the past NUPE's leader has managed to ride these two horses at once quite satisfactorily. But this year he

and file.

executive's in all-out

escalating; without an

the entire eventually drift back.

reflection of

to selectivity.

Wales,

every union in dispute.

District, strike and Municipal ordinate the had moved London

GMWU of selectivity leadership is promoting. general secretary David quoted in the

signed little practical guidance. the general Support expressed its

concordat and

statements the CPsuch policies of Trade

conference

the Morning friends.

the claim and eventually

He has sent out circulars to branches involved

action instructing them either to go back to work or return to selective action.

His aim is to stop the strike

BRIS hope is that alternative selectivity the membership will

Consequently the rejection of the offer is in itself not a guarantee of future success tor the low paid; there is now a pressing need for an alternative

The obvious alternative is all-out, national strike action, involving the membership of Comparisons

diCa and regional committees could co- can be made. fight on a joint union basis. These committees could co-operate with striking civil servants and point out to them the uselessness of the type

CPSA

For its part the government will continue to insist that there companies. is no more money in the kitty to pay the public sector workers.

But if the politics of the Morning Star are what the CP for years. conference organisers come up with, the delegates can expect

denunciation all-out national strike in the public columns. sector; a call for other groups There

throw support the public sector struggle; a recall

Labour conference to repudiate government policies and start cooperation the fight for socialist ones

would signal a unions'. meaningful fight against the

But they have not been put forward in the Morning Star.+

The reason isn't hard to find.

A fight for such policies would mean a head on conflict with

Star's "left'

One such friend is Alan

END

SLOW

PAY

* NATIONAL

PUBLIC

It may even argue that any settlement above the present offer will mean massive cuts in the public services.

That too will need an answer. rumoured 25 percent award about to be given to soldiers -

If the government can afford such rises to strikebreakers and soldiers, why not to nurses?

And the problem of finance at local government level can be referred to the massive interest payments local councils make

insurance and banking

For instance, the projected Camden deal, while it doesn't Fisher, built up as a left' by the

Which is why readers of the Morning Star will be hard pushed to find any

of NUPE's general secretary in its editorial

has been a silence in relation to the CP's other favourites, the Tribune Group. Yet Tribune has rushed

support the concordat, saying that within it 'could lie the seeds for a real and lasting

between the Labour government and the

So unless there Is a real change of heart by CP leaders, the LCDTU conference promises to be heavy in speechmaking but light in practical, they fighting policies.

Fortunately for many trade union militants, the organisations of the revolutionary left will be attempting to put over

UPRISING O

EMPLOYEE!

meet the full claim, will cost just £2 million. Compare that to the £18 million Wandsworth council in London paid out in interest charges last year.

Undoubtedly the government will try make additional cuts once the claim is settled

But for a government which has already closed 130 hospitals to blame people like canteen

for yet more cuts would be carrying the joke too far.

With the government and TUC's continued rejection of Labour and TUC conference decisions, the joke has gone on too long already. fighting policies at the conference.

Whatever their differences on other questions, not only Socialist Challenge but also SOMETISI Worker, Socialist Press, Workers Action, Big Flame, and other far left papers and organisations are totally opposed to the concordat.

All are fighting side by side for policies that can bring victory in the public sector and other struggles - fighting in trade union branches, shop stewards committees, low pay action committees, and inside oppositions in the unions such as the Campaign for Action in NUPE.

It would thus make sense if

also co-ordinated the policies they will be puttin forward at the LCDTI conference, and fought to

the right to democratic hearing.

Page 5 scan of this page

Building opposition in Nottingham

HOME NEWS

offer.

the latter's attitude.

didn't say.

By Tom Marlowe

The circular talked of an

increase of £3.50 per week on

the basic rates of each grade'

and underlined that it was with

effect from the pay week

which 4 November fell'. This

was obviously, intended as an

argument in favour of

offer.

But the circular omitted to

ention that in some instances

also stressed

*proportionate increases

part-time workers'. But it did

not mention how much this

represented in hard cash.

some it could be as little as 50p a

ROCK

Then again, it boasted about NURSING sisters have invited

them into their offices mobilise support. Council workers have gone off to 'wash their hands' and distributed

They have been interviewed by radio. Campaign for Action in NUPE is getting a real foothold in the city of Nottingham.

The Campaign, launched nationally during last year's public sector wage claim, was set Up In Nottingham November. CAN aims to fight for an alternative leadership and policies for the union.

*In Nottingham we're fighting as hard as we can to have the nine per cent offer thrown out, says Graham Attwell, a NUPE shop steward and leading activist in the campaign.

•We've printed 1500 bulletins with the "No Sell Out' message. We'll be taking them all over the city and talking to as many branches groups workers as possible And we'll De back on me local radio pushing our policy. After the NEC vote we'll be saying reject the offer and for all-out strike action. It's all or nothing now.

The local government strike committee, of which Graham is a member, has called for a

of all NUPE shop stewards in Greater Notting-

but tony Morris, assistant divisional officer, has

PUBLIC SECTOR OFFER

Mr Fisher's

tastless bait

NUPE general secretary Alan Fisher was quick to dash off a circular to the union's local authority manual branches last week after agreeing to the government's

The circular stressed that the miserly 9 per cent had

been 'unanimously agreed' by the union negotiators.

And it went on to try to put the best possible gloss on

But Fisher's memo was more interesting for what it

full consolidation existing £5 supplement, thereby making it chancedoe for But this stress on overtime goes against one of the main points of the original claim. As the Day of the edition Public Employees put it, more excessive overtime to get a living wage'

From holding out the carrot overtime circular proceeded to stress the pontance or lnc standing to commission on comparability, per cent TOT recommendations are promised for 1 August, with the other half due seven months later.

The circular did not go into detail about this comparability tried to block it by saying that the meeting would be unofficial and shop stewards should not attend it.

Democracy is the key to organisation in the The People are just desperate for information' says *No one nationally has been telling them what was going on - apart from the mass media.

We're the only people doing it?

This lack of information has also brought small problems for CAN. Graham pointed out that, due to the *For action to win the pay claim, no retreat on conference policy. For a £60 minimum wage and opposition to forms of wage control. For automatic increases in wages to compensate for the effects. of inflation. For a 35 hour week with no loss of pay. Against productivity dealing. *No cuts in staffing at any level, 110 COYCL vacancies. Defend jobs and SCL VICES by action against the cuts. No to the Ine cash limits

of the study. Specifically, it did not

mention that bility" would be overtime'. similar jobs in private industry.

A clue as neglected this fact is found in the following observation on Action Special' this concept of comparability journal - that it meant:

...comparing meals staff with waitresses and kitchen staff restaurants; Fisher's pital

with hotel workers; comparing school cleaners with office cicaners - In

whose comparing

workers with some of the worst paid workers industry. *Any NUPE, must be with national information coming from the union leadership, lena lo assume leaflets are tendency is strengthened bestrike. cause there has never been any

previous organised opposition Graham. in NUPE as such.

As Graham says: 'CAN is getting a reputation. The main reason for this is that right from the start we've called for an all-out strike. *We've won increasing support for that policy as the strike SaCK of has gone on. Back in November

CAN policies

*For full union democracy.

For 100% union membership, for monthly branch meetings in all work time. election of shop stewards for each section/department sectional/departmental ings. For the building of strong joint union committees at work place, district and area level, no participation in joint

unfilled tative annual conference to be the COLLECO

supreme policy making body of

strike the union. Full time officials to

be elected annually by the system. members, on the same average

the 'compara-

made with

why Fisher

average earnings.?

say, school This

in cafes and Fisher eventually comparing hos-

and domestics

Employees.

The last

other words, public SCTVGe offer was

private

comparison, argued

members

that CAN

official. This narrowly defeated.

strikes. Now

call.'

Graham local officials

initiative. pay

authority to For the regular official.

at meetStop all

work permit system. consulFor the controls.

union.

HE PUBLIC

NATIONAL LINION O

EMPLOYEES

day of action IL SPECIAL PAY

ItS says.

going to fight to end low pay!

striking argument "comparability" agreed to again comes from the January issue of NUPE's own Public

point of substance in the employers

also warmly extra promoted by Fisher. He wrote:

"In addition to the foregoing, a supplement of f1 per week to all employees with a normal working of 35 hours or more to I put a motion to my local government branch calling for all-out action nationally. It was

A lot of people had illusions in selective

all the local government branches in Nottingham are behind the all-out

When the dispute started CAN in

maintains that the were "scared stiff of the membership taking any part in running the dispute. *They tried to stamp on any

the members and recallable by them. For branch mands

make strikes

*Unity of the union against all attacks on black people. meetings.

deportations of hospital workers, through the

Opposition to all racist immigration

Campaign against fascists holding positions in the

*For the full development of Leyland House, women in the union. For the

NUPE

NUPE

Paio the Le

insult.

From a march so long that as the front reached Westminster the

end was still leaving Hyde Park the message was clear: we're

be paid from the pay week in which 22 February 1979 falls; into the sum due from in instalment of the comparability study due from 1 August'

The second part of that

immediately clear. What it means is that the advance on the comparability pound 1S simply an payment due on 1 August.

But what if this comparability payment is less than El a week? This may not seem very

So CAN won the idea of a rank and file strike committee elected from the local government branches district committee — a shop stewards body.

One sign of this was the 40-strong meeting organised by

early February.

NUPE official had to go on the radio to say that CAN was unofficial and that although these people wanted all-out action some people think there Is too much action'. Himsel implementation of the de

of the Working Women's Charter, notably on maternity leave and nurseries For creche facilities at Branch, District, Area and National

This platform was adopted by the last CAN Conference

For more information about CAN write c/o Ray Varnes, 47,

Poplar High Street, London E14. group

Out for

• ta living

wage

They never notice w

not there

But un Menday

22 myer 80,000 lov

un public service work

sure Britain they wo likely, but with the type of comparability study Fisher accepted - and argued against

Public Employees anything is possible.

And if by some chance the award does turn out to be less than El, that El extra might even have to be paid back.

Accordingly it is now an interesting argument which is the most discredited in the eyes of the NUPE membership Alan Fisher, or the deal he tried to sell? for one.

The main work for CAN in the future is to step up the call for a rejection of the nine per cent offer and call for national action to gain the full claim. In Nottingham CAN members will be considering a regular bulletin and producing pamphlet on the dispute, which will be a major way of fighting

CAN candidates forthcoming union elections. A central part of the CAN platform will be campaigning around the position of women in the union.

Jim Collins, a caretaker at the local Bentinck school: "There's a lot going for CAN not least in ECSIOS manifesto, watch includes demands against sexism Tacism. We must ry i bang solidarity within the union, against the segmentation, and take up issues concerning

who make up the majority of the membership.

For Graham the prospects for building alternative leadership in the union are bright.

*What we've done here is not exceptional. There are NUPE militants in every city who are completely frustrated at the current leadership of the union. We're likely to be the only offering an alternative. OLL a national level

Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 5

Page 6 scan of this page

CAMDEN SETTLE

HOME NEWS

By Patrick Sikorski and Ray Varnes

THE ALL-OUT strike by Camden's 2,500 manual workers, all members of the Camden General Branch of the National Union of Public Employees, has resulted in a significant pay victory.

All workers are guaranteed a E60 gross minimum earnings payment for a 35-hour week compared the present average of E42 for a 37%-hour week paid to workers not on bonuses.

This that two-thirds of the branches members will get an increase of E17.60 per week made up of the present national offer of £4.50 plus *Special Camden Supplement' of £13.10.

The remaining third of the branch who already get £60 gross, due to variable or fixed bonuses plus London weightung . will get a straight 10 per cent increase made up so that

here is no loss of bonus carnings due to the reduction of the working week.

The decision to accept was taken by a mass meeting of over a thousand workers at Camden Town Hall last Friday.

There were no speakers azainst the strike committee's recommendations to accept the offer and there were six votes against.

A blow has been dealt to low pay in Camden and the winning of the 35-hour week is important breakthrough in the fight for jobs.

If the eventual settlement for

million workersin action on pay.

programme of selective and indefinite strikes. By Pam Shepherd Organiser, CPSA Haringey and Islington DHSS branch

The two largest civil service unions - the Civil and Public Services Association and the Society of Civil and Public Servants held a 24-hour strike last Friday as a warning to Callaghan that they want the full implementation of the Pay Research Unit's recommendatons.

are expected propose rises of between 15 and 22 per cent.

November 1977 government agreeed with the civil service unions to reintroduce the pay research machinery as a basis for pay increases this year.

The promise helped union leaders to persuade their members to accept a 9.5 per cent pay increase in 1978.

The function of the Research Unit is to compare civil servants' wages with those

Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 6

public sector was to match that won in Camden, attempts of the government to restrict further ENTS year would be dead.

The concordat would just be a useless scrap of paper. The cost of the crisis would start to be laid at the door of the ruling class and its Labour governRICHEL.

Camden won its victory by rejecting Fisher's selective action. It was all-out action which forced Camden to negotiate in the first place The message IS national all-out action can win the full claim.

The first meeting of the majority Labour councillors which called negotiations starca unal council would meet the full £60 basic minimum wage 35-hour claim.

This made front page news and put Camden forefront of the struggle for the full claim.

However, the Labour councillors mined this position, the offer to a minimum earning guarantee. With the full-time officers of all the public sector unions recommending the national 11 per cent deal, the right-wing TOUCHE maL they away with this.

an They calculated that

Camden NUPE branch would rush to settle, rather than risk being left out on a limb as the the rest of the strike crumbled.

CPSA demand more pay

CONCORDAT ENTHUSIASTS needed a very stiff upper lip last Friday to hide their displeasure as yet another section of the labour movement moved into

Upwards of 150,000 civil servants went on 24-hour strike in support of their pay claim, which is likely to be for a 25 per cent rise. It is being followed by a

who do similar work and carry similar responsibilities private industry.

Friday's day of action hit all civil service departments, with over three-quarters CPSA's membership taking DATE The turnout from the SCPS was not quite so high. Joint strike committees were set up across London co-ordinate action, resulted in mass picketing in Whitehall. Tony Benn

Michael Foot drove through in their official Rovers, the David Owen

announce he had great pleasure in crossing the picket line.

The day's strike is now to be followed by a programme of selective and indefinite strikes

the by civil servants in key areas.

This will include the Customs and Excise computer Southend, which will halt the Pay CONCCOR of £500m

revenue a week. grants and subsidies to industry

Guaranteed £60 minimum

and 35 hours won

If the branch had stuck out then the for the full claim (by itself) then

the council wage increases withdrawn its offer without too

stopped much fear of retaliation.

Unfortunately the right-wing councillors calculated correctly.

The strike Camden met to discuss their recommendation to the mass before National Executive rejected the tactic of national offer.

Prematurely

the strike would crumble, they voted to clear ance to une mass meetung.

In addition, neither at the strike committee mass meeting did the branch group of leadership (including an IMG

for member) argue the the Camden to continue to play their leading role by staying out and for the full national claim of £60 national minimum wage in the public sector, forcing the Labour council to meet the full

in the claim and campaigning within

national the union for national all-out

strike action. right-wing

under- With Fisher now trying to

changing £60 gross overturn the democratic deci-

sion of his National Executive Committee by every trick in the book to force a return to work, the fight for national strike of action becomes more important than ever. councillors Any setback in the national could get fight will be a defeat not only

for all public sector workers, but also a crucial setback for the Camden. the national struggle Camden's local deal will be increasingly under attack and they will find very difficult in

of the

which

and

while stopped

worth £150m a week will also be stopped.

Statistics on such items as the at balance of payments will go by the board, and Ernie won't be VAT paying out on premium bonds Payments of until after the strike.

selective action is confined to a

sector workers.

could have

every borough committee in finally rely.

the NUPE all-out national action

Even if accepted assuming that way, as it

have, it recommena accept-

Camden at the the national action.

case for national

branch

also shows achieved by

Camden

claim could be won.

The

as a whole,

Without victory in all COUL

nationally and locally.

to rally Bureau.

DEMAND

FAIR PAY!

handful of members.

Although ComBated

But the

solidarity from other public

Only a victory in the national struggle can really guarantee even the settlement in Camden and secure the solidarity of all public sector workers on which

will have to

Camden's return to work now weakens that fight for

the branch had the offer anyprobably was in the best long-term interests not only of the national struggle but also of

workers to continue the fight as part of

driver.

A purely local struggle to defend Camden's gains outside

action has no way forward. This position of the

leadership even if *Pathetic rejected now, would have been shown to be right in the coming month, and it needed to be put.

But the Camden settlement

what can be all-out strike action. It even the present

settlement were achieved nationally it would be a major victory. With national all-out strike action the full With

Camden leadership made an error in recommendung a return to work wach tae did. But the struggle in Camden

which has been the industrial probably the most advanced in the whole country, shows that

WIl! increase.

* The line of this article was endorsed by the IMG Political

militancy.

the dispute A MESSAGE the

TO CALLAGHA

action

STUFF YOUR

government

CONCORDAT

GIVE US BETTE sections.

WAS

Alan

were the right-wing Cleveland, executive of the CPSA supported the 24-hour stoppage, the co-ordination of action was left to the area committees. The Broad Left in

Are

ambulance

drivers

terrorists?

By Geoffrey Sheridan

BOB CARVER, according to electricians' union leader Frank Chapple, is a terrorist. The commentators of the mass media share the same view, in so many scarcely-veiled words.

Bob Carver is an ambulance

He is secretary NUPE's ambulance branch in Solihull. And he has one word for the pay offer that has been made to public sector workers:

Bob Carver has no time for percentage pay rises. "To my mind,' he says, 'percentages are the most evil bloody weapon that's ever been devised against the working class.'

An ambulance driver's basic pay is £44.80. Their officers earn more than twice that, and this is an abiding grievance.

an across-the-board percentage rise, the differen- time tials would widen even further.

Bob explains: "The people on high rates sit back, take no part in the low pay campaign, or in

action which loses us pay. And now they're due to collect double our paltry

A battery of grievances have accumulated since the ambulance service was transferred from local government to the health service in 1974, and it is these as much as the pay claim which have spurred the present

It has led to one of the most important developments during month ago of a national shop stewards ambulance commit-

union wants these committees to be transformed into strike committees.

If these organise support by way of picketing, sympathetic

and boycotts, the and une Civil Service Department will find it harder to use scabs or transfer work outside the computer

Our executive has decided to remove the right to strike from the two most militant sections - workers in the DHSS and Department of Employment; a milk and water approach which will not win the claim.

Members in these departments are seeking ways to take further action. The lessons of the health and local government disputes are clear enough: all-out action is the only way to confront the concordat.

Theasby in Teesside adds: Over 5,000 civil servants

on strike in County Teesside, Friday, closing all job centres, unemployment, and social security offices in the area.

Also affected were the law courts, a Ministry of Defence

DIA VAT TONDO

BOB CARVER

tee, an unofficial body open to every ambulance steward

Bob is one of its founder members, and he says that it has enabled them for the first

to find out what managements and ambulance staff are up to in different parts of the country, and take appropriate action.

The union leaders panicked a fortnight ago when the

called for a 24-hour all-out strike. A meeting was quickly arranged with the Ambulancemen's (sic) Council - the first time that stewards had CVC collectively with this officia union negotiating body.

•We're not a splinter group,' Bob says. 'We want to take up our issues through the official channels. But getting our concerns recognised mav wel mean initiating our own action."

spares depot, and tax offices.

Cleveland CPSA spokesperson Phil Eglington said: •We expected about a 90 per cent turnout, but the response has been almost total. We have even had non-union staff coming out.'

A CPSA picket outside the development land tax office in Middlesbrough, where the stoppage was total, had no doubt about the need for the claim.

*Lots of civil servants receive family incomes supplement, he said. "Low pay is so bad that many of us need spare-time COOKSON jobs, for which permission is often refused.'

Other pickets pointed NUPE's experience to show the inadequacy of selective action.

Andrew Thom, a member of Photo: the SCS executive, is by no means enamoured with the whole business of comparability. "In the latest talks with us the government has said it Units recommendationse he Units recommendations,' told me.

'This exposes their hypocrisy in offering comparability to the public sector."

Page 7 scan of this page

Iran. a left wing emerges

to Ayatollah Khomeini's

attended by nearly 100,000 people.

demands of the Fedayeen.

By Brian Grogan

KHOMEINI is worried at what lies behind the Fedayeen's

protests.

The return to work over the

past week nas not oeen a acical

the chance to press a series of

radical demands — particularly

for nationalisation and wor-

kers' control.

The soldiers, for their part,

have been reluctant to return to

barracks. Demands are

being raised - initiated by the airforce technicians - for rank and file committees and the

election of officers.

The national minorities have begun to raise their

demands. The Kurds especially

are causing Khomeini serious

by demanding determination, with the beginnings of mass support.

The orientation of Fedayeen themselves is quite

confused. They have come out in opposition to the Bazargan

government: We

believe that this government

can meet the needs of the people'.

"But", they added in one statement, "we will never fight

against the followers of Imam

Khomeini even if they try to disarm us."

They couple opposition to Bazargan with the demand to nave a place in Khomeini's shadowy Islamic Revolutionary Council'.

But their calls for People's

Fedayeen?

THE Fedayeen was formed in the early 1970s as a tight knit guerilla organisation. All their early leaders were killed by the regime and have -HOW raised up as martyrs of the struggle.

They see the Iranian revolution in three stages. First, the struggle to bring down the Shah which the isolated guerilla actions were meant to spark off.

The second stage is the present period of struggle for democracy. They see this as of short duration.

They will be forced to go underground once more and prepare for the Third which will be the taking of power by the workers. Hence most or meir organisation remains underground at the present time.

They have issued what they call a 'minimum programme' for the provisional government. Their demands include:

*The immediate abolition of capitalism and imperialism and the establishment of the sovereignty of the people.

* For the of a People's Army.

* For Cine creation OT Revolutionary Council elected through strike committees and

INTERNATIONAL

IRAN last week saw the first major political challenge

Islamic Council'. The Marxist Fedayeen-e-Khalk called a mass protest rally in Tehran University, which was

The Islamic guerilla organisation, the Mujahedeen, have now also declared their support for the main

Councils' to -EUT businesses and ReIC opposition reconstitution of the old officer corps and their calls "People's Army" put them in clear opposition to Khomeini and Bazargan's plan to put the capitalist state back together. This is why they have become a focus for those who distrust Khomeini.

The Fedayeen do not yet pose a serious threat to Khomeini's now authority. His hold over the

masses remains unchallenged. But given the depth of the mobilisations against the Shah and the uprising from below which brought down Bakhtiar, own the masses have a profound

feeling of their own strength. They are not going to hold self- back their demands and be

satisfied with their gains.

the Two days after the return to

work, the Tehran daily Kayhan was already reporting *there were signs

not workers were not responding

effectively to Ayatollah Khomeit's call for an end to their four months of strike.'

What was bothering them was not the few workers that had failed to report but that *workers are demanding the right to elect their own bosses'. Thus, in the major oil city of Ahwaz, the returning workers immediately organised a mass meeting and demanded dismissal of the 11 top officials that had run the oil ted.

Who are the

Anjamans (a form of Soviets). * For the nationalisation of all large companies and banks under workers control. been * Land the

abolition of all debts. *Freedom of language and full minority people's rights. *For full and equal rights for women. *For the convocation of a 'People's Assembly'. *Solidarity with the Palestinian struggle. * Abolition of treaties and all imperialist contracts.

The Fedayeen were no more than 500 or so strong before the stage exit of the Shah. In the recent

past, especially in the aftermath of the insurrection, effective strength has increased very rapidly. Their numbers probably exceed 10,000 but the bulk of these are not organised in the inner clandestine core, which remains fairly small.

They have, as yet, indicated no matencons political organisation, though they have, for instance. principled objection to ding in elections, seeing it as 'a tacuc for organising working class'.

They see a good prospect for what they call Left Unity".

Revolutionary factories, communities,

the

for

DECOCILL

that that the

the

In the other major oil centre at Abadan, workers refused to work until assured LUCU demands would all These included the creation of a 'People's Army patriotic officers and soldiers and members of the Mujahedeen and Fedayeen'

They also wanted corrupt elements expelled from industry and workers on Khomeini's Revolutionary Council'. demands included the setting

tillers, up of an independent union, an

end to discrimination between white collar workers, equal women and anyone sacked industry in the past 10 years!

In Shahriar, in the South of their forming

stan-

the

Bazargan

their be met factories.

comprising

laid off workers participation of

Other they say, control is participating'.

and production Bazargan

rights for the rehiring of

the soviets by saying

Grogan on speaking tour

details.

Tehran, it has been reporte Ayatollah

hat the neighbourhood con mittee has taken over the local power plant and several local

Workers in the town of Ardo would have sent a letter to the daily paper Kayhan explaining their repression. demands, which include management and control of their started factory and the rehiring of any

We wish to be part of the struggle of the Iranian people,'

*and demanding our way of

In a recent TV broadcast,

was reduced appealing to the workers 'to be patient' and attempting unsuc- the cessfully to refute the idea of

how this the would mean the election of the

strong

peaking at a number of meetings | he comino weeks. i the cetails are r here, then phone 01-359 8371 fo

but

radio. expedient

- clearly, he thought, an absurdity.

Political persuasion is the only tool he can use at present. In the present circumstances, it

be unthinkable attempt to use the forces of

While the police have now

cleaning up and rebuilding their police stations and the army has been called back to barracks, they are in no position to be used.

This is not to say that the army has been destroyed. The hated Imperial Guard and its Immortals brigade may have been disbanded. But other elite units are being maintained -

60,000-strong paratroop and green beret regiment and

70,000-strong counterinsurgency gendarmerie.

The more than 250,000

conscript army was simply dispersed to the villages before any engagement during the insurrection and has now been called back.

The main problem with using these forces is the political one. For the masses are extremely sensitive against any whiff of repression or tampering with democratic rights. Not only has there been a big protest at the appointment of officers,

also against attempted censorship of the television and

The regime has found it

to promise full democratic liberties to all political parties.

So Khomeini will be unable to resist the demands of the workers and other sections of the oppressed for very long. All that he can do is buy time.

This heralded constituent assemb is being pusaca morc and mon

background. "Yes" or referendum tion is: "Do Islamic Republac Monarchy?

But the more Kho resists, the more it will be understood that only the struggle of the masses can guaranter the

convocation of a sovereig assembly.

SABER NICKBIN

IRAN

IS UNFOLDE EVOLUTIO

-ING PAMPHLET 40

NEW pamphlet, 40p plus 10p p&p from The Other Bookshop, 328 Upper Street, London N1 2XQ.

Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 7

Page 8 scan of this page

Rank and file demands democracy in army

(THE following resolution, entitled In Protest at the appointment of Air Force commanders, is being distributed at meetings and demonstrations homofars and other soldiers. Signed by *A Group of Homofars in support of

was passed by acclamation at a meeting of homotars at Technical University in Tehran on 16 February.)

Fellow homofars,

The struggle to achieve democracy and social justice, which began in our society one year ago, has found its reflection in the army as well.

Soldiers, homofars, and others who were insulted commanders; individuals who were

as freedom of speech, press assembly, and the right to vote; joined with the great mass of the Iranian people to overthrow this corrupt order.

We the homofars saw that our interests lay in extending our hands to unite with the people to overthrow the corrupt regime and replace it with an order in the interests oppressed, an order that Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 8

overcome the misery and excesses of the past.

we and oner minary

huge demonstration (the 8 Feburary support Bazargan against Bakhtiar). insurrection, uniting with the ranks of the people to fight the Shah's guards and generals.

But unfortunately the events of the past few days have gone in a direction exactly opposite to these aims. This gives us reason to continue struggle.

The same pawns of the old regime those who not only pledged allegiance to me sian out aiso never goined us behind the barricades — have now DECI and And this without the slightest consultation with us.

We must ask ourselves why have there been so many martyrs among the homofars and soldiers? Our fellow soldiers didn't risk their lives to see the same faces back in charge.

No, we voluntarily stood side by side with the people in the face of enemy would bullets to struggle for social justice

and democracy. returning to the same old conditions. personnel Where is the democracy in the army of that we fought for? Where is our right

to free speech and free press? Where is our right to assemble, to belong to a political party?

Where is our participate in elections? Where is our right to elect our commanders? And finally, where is our right to organise in the army, to. establish committees where we can discuss and our make our own decisions?

The Shah's generals always told us not to interfere in politics. But this was a trick. It was used to prevent us from protesting against their crimes against the people and their plundering of the manon s renes We must have the right to participate in polities so we and the soldiers are not used to massacre and repress freedom fighters. We must have the right to elect commanders appointment of individuals over us.

It is now clear that these rights won't be granted to us unless we stubbornly fight for them and organise ourselves. This is why a group of us have

now we're organised around the

demands:

assembly: thi

elections;

vote and

2. Homofars

our own

for office

for these demands. 4. all branches of the armed forces

the armed forces.

CLUSE

This will be PUS.

following 1. Full democratic rights in the armed forces: freedom of speech, press and

right to organise, belong to political parties, to vote in

end to the ban homofars attending the universities.

themselves must elect their own commanders. The elections should be decided by majority vote, with everyone having the right to run 3. The right to form committees of homofars in every garrison to struggle

Extension of all the above rights to

The soldiers of the army constitute the immense armed mass of the revolutionary movement. Achieving freedom for them will achieve freedom for all

We invite all homofars and other military personnel to join us to realise these demands. We also invite civilian militants and freedom fighters to join

another step in strengthening the bonds between us.

INTERVI

"Ever

durin

IN ANY revolution the relati the ranks of the army is cruci

The insurrection which ove by the revolt of the homofarspage we have an interview w rising given to the US Tro statement by a group of hon revolution has gone far enou

Brian Grogan, who has just his recollections of the insur By Cindy Jaquith, Tehran

WHEN a group of air force grot staff at the Doshan Tappeh decided on 9 February to stand up the Shah's tanks and bullets, their c for help were immediately heeded the surrounding population

But few of the thousands of per who marched to the base in solida realised that they were witnessing beginning of the Tehran insurrecti Nor did the courageous young grot staff themselves know that the battl Doshan Tappeh would culminate in

the hated SaIn monarchy.

Three days after the insurrection of these personnel told us the story that battle. Asking that we not use name he explained:

*I want the facts of what happe here to get to Americanted Stapes want American people understand we are not against them; are against the American governme

He began by telling us about radicalisation in the air force over past year. The deepening hatred o Shah and his US military advi began to find open expression am the homofars of the airforce. These young technicians and engine roughly equivalent to a sergeant.

Created by the Shah 13 years ago, homofar branch of the air forces always borne the brunt of the offic scorn and brutal discipline. radicalisation of the homofars developed in part as a struggle democratic rights.

About a year ago the homof began carrying out strikes in protes military discipline and the Shah. example is what happened at airbase in Bousher, in southern Ir

It was from this base that pla flew surrounding countrie display the Shah's support for ot regimes, the homofar told us. day a general slapped one of homofars. The rest of the men went strike for a week in response refused to repair the planes, ground all flights for a week

Then the protests changed to hur strikes: "Homofars, like everyone e could no longer live under the Sha repression. We had to take action.

THE masses reserved their harsh revenge for SAVAK, the hated sec police. Some agents they came acr were even torn limb from limb. the files in SAVAK headquarters w destroyed and the building now hou the Fedayeen.

Beneath the discovered a labyrinth of tunnels, m: of them probably used as dungeo linking SAVAK to other buildings Tehran.

When I left they investigating the miles of undergro communications and discovering

Page 9 scan of this page

one in Tehran was a guerilla g the insurrection'

etween the mass movement and d Iran has proved no exception. w the monarchy was sparked off nior airforce technicians. On this homotar who took part in the ist paper The Militant, and a 's who are not satisfied that the

rned from Tehran, adds some of

buildings linked to SAVAK.

The joke now popular in Iran is that Tehran always needed an underground SISTENTH

we would go on hunger strikes. The word would be spread through leaflets and everyone would refuse to eat.'

The generals tried to hide these strikes from the public. Sometimes they scheduled the workday meals so there could be no strike. They and the population as a whole would : deathly afraid other soldiers -be inspired further by the homofars protests.

As the marches against the Shah grew to millions last autumn, the homotars felt that they too must publicly show their opposition to the Shah. So they began OrLaRISC demonstrations against the monarchy:

*Homofars held marches off the base all over the country. We condemned the Shah - and later supported Ayatollah Khomeini. Then everybody got know

were on people.'

These marches had to be built in an underground fashion on the bases. The homofars also needed support from the civilian population:

'A leaflet would appear on the base giving the time and place of the march.

The homofars would gather in uniform at one spot and civilian backers would meet at another. Then we would join forces for the demonstration.'

The pressure of civilians protected many of the airforce personnel from

THIs was the first insurrection in which television played a major part. As we have reported in past weeks, it was used to direct the masses from one part of the city to another.

Realising the potency of the medium, the new government immediately tried

CETSOE provoked a massive outery, including from journalists.

The following day there complete relaxation of censorship, with ara-based committee. media workers, now in control of the network.

For example, the demands of the homofars were read out on the air and

gramme on the Palestinian struggle.

victimisation. Nevertheless, some of ine nomorars osetnerves.

*Military intelligence caught some

people giving out leaflets. Others who

had marched were identified by the

generals. There were arrests.

before the Shah was forced to leave the

country, he had 157 homofars executed

Tehran's amsaicien

Another 40 were shot later.'

The Jamshidieh massacre was only reported in the bourgeois press after the

W WITH IRANIAN SOLDIER

their

OWE

and

that the the side of the

shootings had ever taken place.

1,000 airforce

Khomeini to appointed prime

demonstration as a group:

mailis (parliament building).

our

house, again, and went home.

WATCH OUT contingent names. So after the march,

VY 215

guard.'

Including

BuTe next day, atmosphere on extremely tense. promilitary brass the armed forces

even greater confidence.

Doshan Tappeh trainees, called watching

Shortly

Tween before.

Airbase. they were not there.

A spontaneous

Young soldiers taking in the sweet smell of the insurrection Shah was gone. Bakhtiar denied the

The event that led up to the battle of Doshan Tappeh was the 8 February demonstration of more than a million in Tehran. A uniformed contingent of

and other military personnel joined the march, called by

support newly with minister, Mehdi Bazargan. The homofars went to the

*In the morning we put our uniforms in paper bags and went down to the

Behind the majlis was a house near Khomeini's headquarters. There we changed into

unitorms and went out on the march. Afterwards, we returned to the

changed into civilian clothes

We knew that there must be agents in our midst, who would try to disrup

report people's Khomeini supporters provided us with a defence

9 February, the the alroases WaS The homofars' started demonstration was intolerable to the

- it threatened to crack wide open. The airforce personnel, however, had been inspired by the march to speak out with

On the evening of 9 February at the

airbase, homofar homarjoos were televised account of Khomeini's victorious arrival in Iran south

homotars themselves do not live on the base, so

pro-Khomeini demonstration broke out in the TV room. Members of the elite Imperial Guards,

who had been policing the airbases for several weeks, rushed into the room. They clubbed the homarjoos with rifle butts and shot several. When didn't work they drove a tank right through the door.

The homarjoos moved outside. They began demonstrating, shouting: 'Down

the Bakhtiar government guards go home!. They also yelled 'Allah-ho-Akbar' 'God is great' -the signal for help.

People began gathering at the gates of the base, especially the relatives of the homarjoos. As the crowd grew outside, the Imperial Guard commanders decided to withdraw their forces from the base for the night.

Early next morning the homofars reported for work:

'We had heard about what happened the night before. When we arrived a the gates there were still thousands of people outside. They gave us food.

We went inside and wreckage the guards had left. We went to the hospitals and saw all the heads they had busted open. We were furious

'So we refused to work and insteac

demonstrating in the yard Alter a while tew officers non-commissioned officers joined us.

'It was then that the Imperial Guard attacked the base.

"Tanks poured towards both the north and south gates of the base.

*At the north gate they were stopped The civilians outside blocked them and the guards at the gate shot at them.

*But the Imperial Guard got in by the

gate They gunning indiscriminately.

"Homofars rushed to the armoury to get guns. A captain was there and he tried to keep them out. He was shot.

ourselves and we gave guns to the civilians outside.

*At this point, everyone on the base realised that the Imperial Guard was going to that Low-ranking officers and even the Green Berets (an elite unit) joined the

repelling Women and children living on the base went after the tanks, setting one on fire.

'Between those of us inside the base and civilians shooting from rooftops outside, we drove the Imperial Guards off the base. We kept further away, block by block. At every corner, as they retreated, we built a new barricade.

Once the base homofars elected new officers. The top officers had disappeared during the battle - except for General Rabil, the national commander of the air force. Rabii was there observing the killing of his soldiers from a helicopter.

But it was the Imperial Guards who took the worst losses the 63 killed in the fighting the

The insurrection Doshan Tappeh. Homofars took over a police station to get more arms for the people. They joined in the around the city, although not in an and organised way.

It was the collapse of the army in the face of the insurrection that sealed the people's victory. An equally important

THIS may revolution to exploit the opportunities of the mass media but the old ways were machine- still decisive.

Communication between different parts of the city was carried out by chanting slogans. religious idiom, religious meanings "God is Great' meant 'Help!'

chants.

spotted

city. They chanting.

through. mistaken their struggle.

Bazargan

the country.

the Mehdioun,

massacre everyone inside.

attack

embassy

pushing them

building

was secured the

everything from

to the redaveen. the whole time, distinguish

sentiments.

- more than half

spread from

the airbases. battles

books we like.

parties and to vote

the first to get married. universities,

ABOLICE

These were in a but had far from

for example, the first place!'

It is difficult to convey the impact of the mass character of the insurrection In the area where I was, the roofs were packed with local inhabitants, who were constantly relaying messages by

In another neighbourhood, residents

attempts move troop: towards sishan, the main industria

set off a warning by Since the slogans moved faster than the troops, people along the way were able to block roads and blow up bridges, stopping the soldiers getting

factor was the unprecedented solidarity or une civian populanon with the homofars when the fighting began.

Some press reports have given the

impression that the main forces fighting on the side of the airforce personnel were the two guerilla groups - the Islamic Mujahedeen and the Marxist-oriented Fedayeen.

These guerillas were active participants but they were not decisive. As the

interviewed put 'Everyone in Tehran was a Mujahedeen during the insurrection.

Since the overthrow of the monarchy the airforce personnel have continued

When Prime Minister appointed General Mehdioun as the new airtorce commande protests broke out on airbases across

Mehdioun, who served under the Shah for 40 years, is regarded as a traitor to the revolution. Bazargan was finally forced to appoint a different commander to the post.

demonstrations against airforce personnel raised the demand that they be allowed to elect

THE world press reported Khomeini's decision to hand the former Israeli

over the Palestine Liberation Organisation. What they did not mention, however, is that this gesture was purely symbolic.

I was among the few journalists to be shown round the embassy [because I was known to be 'anti-Carter']. The

was utterly unusable. The masses had vented their anger at Israeli support for the Shah by smashing

papers, which •Wert shredded, through to the toilet bowls.

Everyone, though, from Khomeini

is very careful to anti-Zionism from any expression of racialist anti-Jewish

their own officers. Other democratic demands are also coming to the fore on

The homofar explained: We deserve the same rights as any other citizen in Iran. That means the right to speak and write what we please, to read whatever

*We ought to be able to join political

'Under the present laws established by the Shah, homofars need permission

We can't attend the although officers can.

These laws should be abolished.

bars us trom talking to foreigners. The idea is that we would give away military secrets.

This is really ridiculous. What secrets could a homofar reveal to the CIA? The CIA set up the Iranian armed forces in

Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 9

Page 10 scan of this page

Life in the Spanish H Block

Basque question looms large

society under siege from the state.

The parallels with

nearer home are striking.

the mark.

By Mikel Etxarren

BUYING a newspaper in

Euskadi (the Basque country)

means having to prepare

By Richard Carver

EVEN without the state of virtual war between ETA and

the Spanish state, the Basque

pestion would loom large over

Thursday's general election.

There is a political apathy in

Spain that would have been

unthinkable in the days of the

DICAL SUTUREIES against

Franco regime. Only 59.4 per cent of voters approved the new constitution in last December's referendum, even though all the major parties called for a

In the Basque country there

31110100221U2n0ara

stitution, partly because it

unity of the Spanish state, but also because the radical Basque workers'

movement could not stomach its defence of the monarchy, of private property, and of the old, hated state machine.

DIVIDED

Only 27.34 per cent voted yes in the province of Guipuzcoa, 31.14 per cent in Vizcaya. The

WETE divided between abstention and outright rejec-

- these were the only provinces where there was a substantial no vote.

This result begins to explain why the Basque situation is so Krave now. on one side une ETA guerillas are increasingly frustrated at what they indifference on the part of the

refusal of the major working population 25 a whole. class parties to campaign for self-determination for Basque country Is seen as a betrayal by the whole Spanish working class.

ETA's military tactics do not morove me situation, being consciously designed to bring down repression on the Basque people, thus stirring them into action.

But the responsibility for this lies with the Spanish state. The referendum result signalled the beginning of a new phase in the war against the Basque population.

POLICE

Police are shipped in by the thousands, people detained without charge, demonstrations banned without notice, and nationalist militants shot down by "fascists, in a regime whose most obvious European parallel is in the North Ireland.

Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 10

INTERNATIONAL

PRESS converage of this Tuesday's general elections in Spain has tended to concentrate on the situation in the Basque country - supposedly under siege from "terrorist' forces. But, as this graphic account from the Basque country shows, the reverse is true — it is a

another "troubled province'

After we received this article we heard news of the arrest of a couple of dozen revolutionaries and radical nationalists under a law exactly like the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

The author of this article describes Soria jail, where Basque political prisoners are held, as the Spanish Alcatraz. Maybe Spanish H Block would be nearer

yourself every morning for an avalanche of shootings.

Euskadi lives with points and vans packed with the the Both the Socialist (PSOE) and Communist (PCE) Parties signed the Moncog Pacts of autumn 1977, which still form the backdrop to the political situation.

ACCORDS These accords provided for wage limits, removed fascist laws against unemployment (!), and established a framework austerity. On the political level they ruled out the possibility of

The readiness of the PSOE and to capitalist economic combined with the lukewarm of the trade leaderships, has serious working class opposition and stabilised the conservative government of Suarez. of Although there has been a

anti-riot equipment with rifles and machine-guns pointing out ine back window. Ine pretext is the war against the ETA'.

The whole suffers the consequences.

Unable to offer

people have been demanding for many years sovereignty and an end to the activity of the armed police the government of the Union o me benocase cente trying to 'pacify Euskadi" filling the streets with police and the barracks and police stations with Basque citizens.

The decision was taken just detentions and at the moment when Peixoto,

an ETA leader living the the check- French Basque gravely wounded; when three

Un Gobierno

firme

para vencer

el paro.

TU VOTO 43 PSOE

ES NUESTRA FUERZA

beat unemployment.

quite dramatic rise in days lost through strikes months, opposition to the Working class

example, estimates of the drop in PSOE membership over the past year range from 75,000 to 250,000.

The PCE generally resolved its for expelling an important opposition current, which opposed the party's rightward drift.

DYNAMIC implement Fortunately for the Spanish policies, ruling class, leadership dynamic. prevented After using the PSOE and PCE to implement the austerity for a year, Prime Adolfo Suarez made towards political tation, and is now taking the

Guipuzcoa;

Basque people

what OUr

- national of them

daily. Just country, was rogate them.

Socialist Party poster proclaims the need for firm government to

SP leader Gonzalez has had his hair retouched with grey by the artist to drive home the message.

in recent elections. there is no unified

LoVemen. political Principally he For

push

leadership has "solution' to problems by question.

the results of the

reflected in its political general election. rather more Suarez's

who was Minister rapid turn COLITEL theme government

civil guard died in an attack in

when the police mentally backward and, moreover, son Castile. of a lieutenant colonel - in a

coma and Maria Luisa Garcia

Cabeza lost an eye through a

shot from a rubber bullet, both

on banned ourselves anti-nuclear demonstration.

completely

The net is cast very wide.

since

Dozens of people are detained

one example: young people were arrested in

Durango on 17 January for

running support groups for the

the

People remain incommuni- night.

cado from their relatives and

lawyers for as long as police

consider it necessary to inter-

not there. calculated gamble of early

conveniently

ISOLATE distant future. wants to isolate the opposition emerging on his right and, he hopes, win an increased majority to help

through major the political measures such as his electoral

the national Spanish Kevolutionars

An election also pre-empts League (LCR).

elections in April, which the left is likely to win. They would have expected that result to be

La subsequent

audacity is Moncloa matched by the lacklustre left.

PSOE leader Felipe Gonzalez, of

once fond of trumpeting the socialist alter- nationalities. native in power, now prefers

La strong with an over-

Recently all Basque prison-

ers accused of belonging to the

Every day more alarming news reaches Euskadi about the situation of the 97

Basque prisoners.

*11S of us prisoners found

There because of

what we might do, which is a

illegal situation, means already

convicting us for things which EDe are still awaiting trial.

They've got us submitted to a continual tension created by

presence of the Armed

Police near our cells day and

Searches, as much of

cens as or marviaudis, are conc

day and night. The ones of the cells are done while we're

from whelming majority - which

postpones responsibilities of power to the

But Suarez can be beaten. The recent strike wave and the that

mintancy the Basques shows this and it is

central theme of the campaign of the legally Trotskyists of the Communist

POLICIES

They are presenting candidates in 34 provinces around the themes of rejection of the

Pacts and the constitution, the centralisation

workers' struggles, and self-determination for the

Suarez must be beaten, they

and these the policies that can do it.

Inn

These armed police carry

their guns, pistols, rifles with

rubber bullets. tear gar and

smoke bombs, the normal trun-

cheons and the ones with the

electric charge, and a spray containing a paralysing liquid that they're constantly flashing at us arrogantly.'

On top of all this the

prisoners Soria denounce

deplorable hygiene the

restrictions on their right to

communicate with relatives

and lawyers, and the absolute

ban on their doing this in the

Basque language, the censor-

ship of their correspondence-

all the letters they send or

receive are read - and so on.

They're beginning to call

Soria the Spanish Alcatraz.

Spanish

women

bring

abortion into

the open

UNDER the impetus of the International Campaign for Abortion Rights (ICAR), Spanish women are making abortion a public political

Last weekend they took advantage of the presence of women from several European countries including five

Britain ICAR planning meeting in Barcelona to hold a press conference and their first public meeting on the subject.

Despite the fact that abortion is illegal, over 500 people came to debate the issues in a cinema on a Sunday morning.

One Spanish woman demanded to know what British feminists were doing to provide resting houses and clinics for Sanish women who came to London for abortions.

A British speaker explained what was being done, but other Spanish back vigorously to argue that the job of British women was to defend the laws which made abortion available

They said that for feminists to use their time to obtain abortions was inadequate anc futile. The need would always

be supplied through extra-legal methods.

They pointed to the 3,000 women who die in Spain from illegal abortions every year, reminist network. They said feminist network. said

Spanish and British feminists should be waging a political struggle so that all women could have abortions

and under proper medical supervision. This position was applauded by the meeting.

A state-wide co-ordinating group has been set up to plan for the international day of action on abortion rights on 31 March. Representatives from most major cities attended the ICAR planning meeting.

*In London on 31 March there will be a demonstration, starting at 1.30 at Hyde Park and ending with a rally in Trafalgar Square. Further details from ICAR, 374 Grays

Road, London WC1.

Page 11 scan of this page

An Open Letter to the SWP

Zimbabwe-land or death

ideas contained in the leaflet we reprint below. DEAR COMRADES:

Revolutionaries have real

build a revolutionary party. current strike wave shows that even under a Labour government, workers no longer accept responsibility for a

The Anti Nazi League has shown

tremendous potential revolutionaries to take the lead in organising genuine mass movements.

anese ooenies Britain. The unfolding revolution in Iran, in particular, provides conditions for building a revoluionary workers party in that country

deep TOOLS movement.

Yet in Britain we have so far failed to provide a credible alternative to the Labour left and Communist Party for working class militants. many reasons for this,

are between the existing organisations.

Many serious militants ask: 'How do you expect to unite our class when

yourselves?"

ye believe tere is a basis for sucn a unification as a step towards building a strong and credible revolutionary party in Britain. It is shown in the ПЕШИС0240 U3033UI40 joint work between our tions.

In the Ford strike, for example, we onialism in Zimbabwe.

By Jim Atkinson *NO IS of greatch dimension, and of deeper emotional appeal, to Africans in Southern Africa, than shortage,' as Nathan Shamuyarira, now one of the leaders OT -ine Zimbabwe Alrican National Union (ZANU), put it in a book, Crisis in Rhodesia, published at the time of UDI in 1965.

'So much envy has created that expropriation or seizure of European land will be resorted to by the future African rulers of the country."

When the British conquered Zimbabwe in. 1890-93, settlers stole tens of thousand of acres of African land. They took much of their cattle too. The Africans were either forced to work for European landlords or driven onto less fertile land not needed by the whites.

SEGREGATED

In 1931, the government formally segregated the under the Land Apportionment Act, 49 million aces granted exclusively to the tiny white minority and 29 million acres left for the Africans.

In 1969, the Rhodesian Front

INTERNATIONAL

THIS WEEK members of the International Marxist Group will be asking comrades of the Socialist Workers Party to discuss the

The IMG wants discussions with the SWP on fundamental issues so that the nature of the differences can be determined with a view to overcoming them. It also calls for practical steps to increase joint activity where it exists, and to initiate collaboration where no prior joint work has been undertaken.

oppor-

The action through the Low Pay Committees

for

election. the There in the Anti Nazi League. but one we GUYS ONS revolutionary Birmingham,

far left organisations.

level has

organisa-

of this year.

LAST WEEK we looked at how Britain and the United States are trying to oversee a transition to neo-col-

In the second of two articles leading up to the important Zimbabwe Action Conference on 3 March, we look at the condition of the black masses and why they are likely to resist the neo-colonial solution.

government introduced a new law, the Land Tenure Act, finalise the division of the land in Rhodesia into land European areas." This down that the Europeans could not hold less than 48 per cent of the total farming land in the country.

HALVED Thus, under this Act, the been land roughly between the 273,000 whites and Ene 0.3 mimon blacks. whites got 18.1 million hectares and the blacks 18.2 hectares. (259 hectares to the square mile.)

The European farming area is divided between about 6,000 large capitalist farms.

Contrast. OVCE

Africans are crowded into the Lands', African 'reserves' where the average land allotment is only 4.4 hectares a head, soil erosion is widespread and poverty is land: Creene.

EXPLOITED were The 356,000 labourers who work on the white capitalist farms are the most exploited workers in the

were able to work jointly with other militants in the Ford Workers Group.

In the current public sector strike our militants are campaigning shoulder to shoulder for all-out national strike

• Action and the Campaign for

In the National Union of Teachers, in which socialists have a powerful influence, there is a united slate and platform between Rank and File and me socianst reacners Allance tor te Inner London Teachers Association

Likewise in the Civil and Public Services Association, despite tactical differences over how best to defeat the opportunist wing of the Broad Left, we are collaborating in a joint campaign over union democracy.

This joint work is repeated in other areas of the class struggle, especially

We have also been engaged in joint propaganda activity. During the Ford strike, joint meetings were held in

North London, Leamington. On the 3 February Iran demonstration, a joint statement was made by the SWP, IMG, and other

Political discussion between our organisations at a local and national

begun. The national leadership of the SWP is engaged in discussions on how the SWP can best

World Congress to be held at the end participate in the debate for our Hith DATE

*to

African and laid naved

The

million

By million country. Their average wage in

the under the "masters and lation, they are prohibited from joining trade unions or going on strike Meanwhile, the ded, impoverished Tribal Trust Lands have served capitalist agricultural industry as reservoirs of cheap labour.

In an attempt to improve its international image, the Smith

Local branches of the SWP and IMG in some areas have already begun this discussion.

There have been some reverses,

We believe that leadership's decision not to stand in the General Election is a serious mistake. It misses an important opportunity to explain to numbers of working class militants that there is a socialist alternative to Callaghan.

We think a second mistake was made at your conference, resolution proposing a joint slate between the SWP and Socialist Unity Was retrice.

However, we consider that possibilities of seriously discussing steps towards a unified revolutionary

have Never been favourable.

It is for this reason that we have

331568 Tribal Trust Lands — reservoirs of cheap labour.

regime

draconian servants' legis-

practice.

overcrowwhite farms; and even minority

conditions

Ford Workers Group showed the possibility of systematic joint work.

proposed to your leadership that we open discussions on the three points decided at your conference, with a view to fusion.

SWP These included: the need to build the revolutionary party now; acceptance of the central importance of the building of rank and file movements large and an orientation to the workplace; and acceptance of the conception of the party as a combat organisation that discusses in order to decide and acts in a disciplined and cohesive fashion.

Revolutionary unity will not be easy to achieve, not least because of the distrust and sectarian attitudes the which long years of division have created. yve will be more. discussions as between revolutionary organisations. We will not attempt to hide the differences that we think still hunger

and

their chance.

and the power conditions.

will be

OWE

amended the Land Tenure Act in February 1977 to allow blacks to buy land in the white areas for the first time.

But this changed nothing in

Almost no Africans have the capital needed to buy large makes

workers illegal. of black capitalist farmers did arise, there would be no change in the appalling

of the mass of peasants in the Tribal Trust Tribal

them.

Particularly We are • RECES 1 treating these World Lands or the agricultural proletariat on the capitalist farms.

The only solution to the land

of the rura masse would be the nationalisation and redistribution of the whiteowned plantations ranches

estates And this is precisely what they are likely to

not fight for as soon as they see

The urban working class is potentially one of the strongest in Africa, with over one million ers,

Zimbabwe's 6.3 million Africans living in the cities. So far, industrial action has been limited, but this will change as the settlers grip begins to slip

workers sense their improve their

DEMANDS

One of their top demands

to wipe out wage inequalities between blacks and whites. The Salisbury regime's

Economic Survey Rhodesia 1977 revealed that the average annual wage for an African in 1976 was £595, less than one tenth of the average white wage of £6,420

The black workers also want to get rid of the present anti-union legislation. The Industrial Relations Act effectively

all strikes by black

The repressive police state and the existence of a large pool of unemployed Africans in the cities and the rural slums of the

Trust Lands BaVe 5311.

exist, but will try to discover which are tactical differences which can be

out common organisation, and those differences which require further discussion in order to try to overcome them.

intend -to publish correspondence from the Stechford

1976 to the Tes exchanges as a pamphlet so that both our organisations can make use of

We have produced a documen

called Our Common Ground. It sums Call.

up what we think are the big questions on which there should be agreement to make a fusion a lasting and genuine

highlighted in this

launch of Socialist Challenge, is the question of internal democracy. We believe that this is indispensable for any revolutionary party which is to correct and learn from its mistakes.

also proposing to your leadership that in order to deepen the joint work between our organisations, it reconsiders its decision not to stand in the General Election, and that it wages a campaign to support the efforts of the Fourth International in Iran to build a revolutionary party.

Our belief is that the SWP shares much more in common with thes comrades than with any other section

We hope that a discussion with a view to fusion can be taken up in all

We also hope that we strengthen our joint work in the ons. nean acs movement! in aiding the Iranian revolution.

We hope, too, that comrades of the SWP will take the opportunity to participate as fully as possible in the

Congress discussion of thi Fourth International.

International Marxist Group.

allowed the large multinational corporations which dominate Zimbabwe's economy to go on paying starvation wages and rake in their super profits. LIBERATION The liberation struggle will be complete unless and until the stranglehold of these western-owned monopolies over Zimbabwe's economy is broken. The imperialist pow intent on a neo-colonia solution, will do everything possible to DICYCHE the Zimbabwean masses from taking control of the wealth of their country by expropriating these multinationals.

David Owen the British Foreig 1 Secretary, has warned that Britain may send troops under the guise of a UN 'peace keeping force, to police transition to neo-colonialism. So a key task facing socialists in Britai is te defend the Zimbabweans right to determine their own future and oppose any attempt by the imperialist powers to intervene to defend their interests.

Saturday, 3 March ZIMBABWE ACTION CONFFRENCE Ham-4pm London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London WC1.

Further information from AAM, 89 Charlotte Street, London WC1. Tel: 01-580

Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 11

Page 12 scan of this page

"Shankill butcher' was member of the UDR

When an official secret is best kept secret

IRELAND

ONE OF the men jailed in the the grisly story of the Loyalist murder gang.

By Geoff Bell

The UDR member CLCL0I WaS 25-year-old Gerald Mellwaine. At week's trial he was given a sentence of eight years kidnapping, assault, and gun

Mellwaine was a member of the UDR from 1974 to 1977. The British Army has neither

onfirmed nor denied Mellwaine was on its payroll at the time of his arrest.

But as the crimes for which

*Shankill butchers' Were icted took place from 1975 to 1977, he was certainly a UDR

mber during this period.

media to report that one af the "Shankill butchers' was

ing paid by the British Army

the time of the killings contrasts with one other aspect of the reporting of the case.

All the British press. including the Guardian, named the victim of the gang who lived to identify his attackers.

The Irish Times, however, preferred not to reasoning that the victim and his family are in enough danger of reprisal from other Lovalists without identifying him in public.

The British media showed no TWELVE members of Provisional Sinn Fein walked free irom a Belfast court Wednesday after Charges of conspiracy, and IRA membership were suddenly dropped by the prosecution.

The Sinn Fein members had been under tnreal or prose cution since December 1977, when security forces in Belfast E Danny Morrison — one of the twelve.

Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 12

In the pay of the British Army

'Shankill butchers' case which ended last week in Belfast was a member of the British Army-controlled Ulster Defence Regiment while involved in the 19 sectarian assassinations. But his membership of the UDR went unreported in the British media, as did a number of other aspects of

Mellwaine, the gang leader Billy Moore, and all the others

in convicted were members of the

paramilitary, Loyalist last mist, Ulster Volunteer Force.

Their Catholic victims were usually picked up at random at night in the black taxi owned by Moore.

They were taken to Protestant areas where they tortured and finally butchered that to death with an axe or by

having their throats cut.

Other victims ten-year-old boy blown up in an CDOS OR CLOSE 02i Official Republican stration, and SUVr Noel Shaw, killed in an internal such concern; they blazoned his name across the front pages. But rather different dards were applied when came to three former leading lights in the Long Kesh prison service who, claimed Provisionals, had resigned out or tear or being assassinated D them.

The only substantial sponse by the Northern Ireland these allegations was a plea to the media not to name these gentlemen. insisted that they targets for Loyalist assassina-

IRA charges dropped

conducted a series of raids on private homes and the offices last of Sinn Fein and Republican

News.

In April last year the twelve, as well as leading Republican Gerry Adams, were eventually charged.

OBLY were immealately

patched to Long Kesh, where they were remanded.

Adams served seven months in prison before the charge against him was dismissed by the North of Ireland's Lord Chief Justice, Robert Lowrv, This acquittal gained the release of the others who were Charged with Adams. wasn't until last week that the prosecution admitted there was "insufficient evidence' to send the five women and seven men But the case should not be regarded as a humiliation for the state forces. At the time of the arrests Sinn Fein maintained that the motivation behind them was to disrupt the work of its organisation by operating the now taminat

feud.

This is by no means the first time that a member of the UDR has been involved in sectarian crimes. The most instance was the massacre of the Miami Showband in 1975, WICT seven convicted of the triple murder were or had been in the UDR.

As an article last year in the Irish Times put it:

UDR members

extre- members

court on serious charges and have been found sectarian killings.

The same article went on to 'In the Catholics made up 18 per cent

were of the UDR. For years now,

however, their involvement has been minimal.

The UDR was first formed in included a 1970 as a replacement for the

discredited B Specials. Like the Specials, has demon- reputation for violent antimember Catholic bigotry because of the

participation of many of its The only British newspaper

stan- which gave any publicity to this

story was the which, of course, didn't name the names. the It is one thing to publicise an ordinary working class Catholie as a target of Loyalist terror, quite anomer re- former prominent members of government's the Long Kesh prison staff. Office One other

Belfast last week shows that at CaSE SOHe authorities willing to resist state would be ference. Consequently

Martin of the Cork Examiner "internment by remand'.

This practice is best shown by the case of Antony McDonagh, who was arrested in August 1977 in connection Belfast shooting.

For nine months McDonagh The maj- was remanded in custody each

dis- week until the case finally came

up for a preliminary hearing. It took a further nine months for the case to be finally heard and then, last week, the judge ruled that the prosecution had failed to make a case against McDonagh, and he was freed. But the point about the case is that for the past 18 months but it McDonagh has been in prison,

although words of the judge, prepared a case against him'

But as with the Sinn Fein 12, the whole charade had, for the police, served a useful purpose — it had put one suspected 'troublemaker'

That there was no evidence against this individual in the first place was, for the system of law in the North of Ireland, system of entirely incidental.

infamous

mostly Enose

*Scores of der and the ex- battalion. have appeared in

Royal

guilty of

with

early days the Shankill butchers.

But superficial judgement.

that the eventua liv caught

gained

the tale and ASSoCIaBon now cution under Guardian Secrets Act.

La leak murder case.

shot last September members of post-mortem UCCUTTCHCC

Winter Peter was leaked

murder.

been cautioned by the that they may

name their sources.

Ron Knowles, with a of the Journalists,

charges police, in the

*had not

bars.

members in sectarian attacks.

But unlike the Specials, the Road UDR is part of, and under the command of, the British Army.

While its 2,000 full-time and 8,000 part-time members are been caught.

recruited locally, its Yet commander is a onigadier in tne clues regular Army. Other members of the regular Army are the regiment's assistant comman- For

chiefs of each murders

In contrast to the UDR, the tain Long'

Constabulary might appear to have emerged

some credit from the 'claim rounding up and conviction of name

commander, would be It was by good luck rather than any Road marked enthusiasm for the case

butchers were

It so happened that one of the victims of the gang, who was left for dead, lived to tell

identified his attackers while being driven ir and Peter Fearon of the Press

face prosethe Official

They refused to assist the RUC in their investigation into

on the John Boyle

Sixteen-year-old Boyle was

two the SAS. The report the police file stated that Boyle had been shot in the back, and that his fingerprints were not found on any guns hidden nearby.

It was only when this stors

that two SAS members were charged with his

The two journalists have now

police face charges under the Official Secrets Act.

Their 'crime': that they are suspected of being in possesssion of police files, and when questioned they refused to

press officer National Union of told SOCRIS Challenge that the NUJ will take 'a very serious view' if any

against Martin anc Fearon are eventually lodged.

Third anniversary of abolition

of political status

TORCHLIGHT

DEMONSTRATION

Oxford Circus, London

Thursday 1 March, 6pm

Called by United Troops Out Movement

a police car in the Shankill

Without that identification it is unlikely that any of those finally convicted would have

there were numerous to tne assassinations which the police either ignored or didn't bother to investigate.

example, was claimed by someone calling himself 'Cap

Loyalist gangs are fond of "claim killings hints they

- the actual another Loyalist "Captain Black', turned out to be White.

The Long bar in the Shankill

favourite hunting ground for Protestant extremists, and the leader of the gang, Billy Moore, was actually a barman there But this clue wasn't followed up.

Again, from November 1975 a number of witnesses testified to spotting a black taxi at the

Gerald Mellwaine time of the crimes.

Billy Moore was an owner of a black taxi but again this was

identified by the gang's victim.

The failure to follow up such obvious evidence may in part have been due to the sender resources allotted by the RUC to investigating the multiple murders.

Only 10 detectives were assigned to investigating the crimes just OVC half detective for each of the 19 VEERIES

When passing sentence on the Shankill butchers, Justice O'Donnell commented: "The facts speak for themselves and will remain forever a lasting monument to blind sectarian bigotry.

The facts of Mellwaine's involvement in the crimes and the minimal resources given te investigating them by the RUC can also be allowed to speak for themselves'.

Page 13 scan of this page

*Like many of those who live on reservations, artists resort to incest, producing more visual images of all kinds allows us to

acknowledged as "art".

PETER FULLER explores VER THE PAST three years renewed popular uproar the press "modern art'. This gained momentum in the notorious Tate bricks affair, swept nappies sanitary towels at the Institute of Contemporary Arts and canvases at the Hayward, and last manifested itself over a prize-winning blue monochrome in Liverpool.

There have been outbursts of this kind before, of course; difference is that they can no longer be dismissed as arter du, is a pastme response to a blank, grey canvas or a pile of bricks? Late modernism has indefensible.

has this situation What is to be done? To answer these questions, we must go back into history.

The word 'art' acquire its present meaning at the end of the 18th century Raymond Williams has explained, it came to stand not just for any human skill, as previously, certain 'imaginative" skills.

It simultaneously came to signify a

and more paintings about paintings about paintings.

insist that their nail clippings or excrement should be

been

about purveyor of that truth.

At this time

and

blank

definite

but the

"philistine'. What,

Britain.

become

arisen? galleries, public, art organisations

only began to

when, as museums began to emerge. It well bourgeoisie but only for 'creative" as if it

'Others have gone insane, and sit about in tubs of bull's blood, gather twigs, or

The Crisis in the

Fine Art Tradition

CONTEMPORARY IMAGES: 'Mightier than man beast' — illustration from Coventry Climax advert (top left); Carl Andre's bricks exhibited at the Tate (top right); and Terence Cuneo's Banquet in Guildhall, oil paint on canvas, for which he was paid over £20,000.

special kind of truth, imaginative truth, and the word 'artist' came to indicate a special kind of person, a

was being transformed by the efflorescence of industrial capitalism and one of the many effects of this was the creation of a new professional category; that of institutiona lv-trained artists whe had acquired the skilful use of certain representational conventions, and who made their livings by producing pictures which were sold "realist' predominantly on an open market This was something entirely new in *It was only with the development of the professional fine art tradition that one found the establishment of art schools, art magazines, commercial exhibitions open to the critics, alla dELISES — the entire apparatus of the new profession. It was also only They at this time that art historians and known that the tends to represent everything which is peculiar to itself was somehow 'natural', universal and timeless. John Berger has shown how this applied to the

technical pictorial conventions of the decadence fine art tradition postomy, hid on. These cretive word pud lic. chiaroscuro, perspective, taught not as the conventions which

the "Truth'.

view of the Victorian ruling classes.

The flat, "planar' quality of th

painting, and the relative Doar any esseligious subject matter

witness the historical persistence of feudal components in those classes, despite the achievement of the ICO ELOI

ideology of art, too. Art historians studied a wide range of objects from civilisations other than their own.

treated Greek mirrors and medieval altar pieces as "art', example, even though such objects had served quite disparate functions within disparate cultures.

From existing bourgeois societies, however, they designated only a very narrow range of images produced by the fine art professionals

• as 'art'.

This distortion of history should

not blind us to the fact that there was

no unbroken

stretching back into the earliest social

formations. All

constant was that in every civilisation

men and women produced images of

one sort and another, which took

ditferent forms

different uses in different cultures.

Indeed, during the 19th century,

many new forms of producing and

reproducing images began to emerge,

including lithography, photography.

and new printing techniques.

Between 1870 and 1914 in Britain

and America, the old competitive

entrepreneurial capitalism which had

given rise to the professional fine art

tradition was itself displaced by the

monopoly capitalist system.

Visual images under

capitalism became more diverse and

before: new mechanical, electrical,

cinematic and

holographic means of reproducing

images proliferated

This unprecedented explosion of

say that monopoly capitalism gave

rise to the first mega-visual tradition

Advertising became the dominant

form of static, visual imagery under

monopoly

standing oil painting had been under

entrepreneurial manuscript illumination had been in certain feudal societies.

Under this situation the old fine art tradition underwent a process kenosis, or self-emptying. This begins as a crisis of subject matter; it ends with the vacuities of late modernism, and the attempts by painters first to take the conventions the sole content of their work, and then to abandon even those while still calling themselves artists.

The question is really not so much, *Why is the fine crisis?' as 'How has it managed to survive at all?"

The old fine art tradition had acquired a relative autonomy through the entrenchment institutions and majority of intellectuals continued to adhere to its ideology of art"

Was something transhistorical. Art historians barely recognised the existence of the new art forms of the mega-visual tradition,

But this, in itselt, probably would TOU have prevented tradition from becoming residual organ culture, like SCIO -ilumination companies of the City of London.

What saved it was politics, pure and simple. At precisely the moment when it seemed about to metamorphose into an appendix, the state began a massive transfusion of money into it

Keynes, a thought that rampant philistinism was one of the unacceptable faces of masked by suitable expenditure.

In fact, what emerged - especially in the visual arts — was a squalid

Character see - conventions of growing dissociation artist and any public, except an art

What went wrong? It is easiest to they were, but as the way of depicting see this through looking at Keynes' own thought. He was understandably In fact, they were a highly specific determined that state patronage of the way of depicting the syncretic world- arts in Britain should be radically unlike the oppressive socialist realist system in the Soviet Union.

In his view, the artist in the West pace in much 19th century British was to be 'absolutely free'. He sai that everyone knew that the artist was *individual and free, undisciplined, unregimented and uncontrolled...he (sic) walks where his spirit leads him. titanic He cannot be told his direction. He industrial does not know it himself.

Keynes, in other words, took the Something similar applied to the 19th centurey, bourgeois view of the artist to its most extreme formulation - conveniently forgetting that the cultural achievements

called 'the great ages of a commun for ivilised life had been realised b artists whose particular freedoms had been severely constrained.

Keynes also totally ignored the dominant, static visual art form under monopoly those The truth was that the artists who worked for the great corporations,

continuum of "art'

that remained

and were pur lo

displaced about

monopoly

Never as "Art'

most recently

the art

nor to anyone else, achievements freedom'.

Just as tree within the themselves. capitalism, and

less

of ZINE

markets.

Andrew interesting

of painting as territory.

Cuneo,

art tradition in bird

of its schools, academies.

universal and volume of sales

the fine art

La mere within contemporary manu-

the livery possibility for the

For senate socialist

bailerina's husband, in favour

which could be decently professionals,

government anachronistic

between the

external world

Nonetheless, by the physics to

in the 19th century.

Berger makes

of what he advertising.! her work, historical future.

designing posters, bill-boards, and so

on were every bit as controlled as their counterparts in the USSR

One can see immediately that the Keynesian experiment was doomed to failure. It helped to create an enclave of socially redundant, over-subsi-

dised fine artists wno nad every freedom except the only one without which the others count as nothing: the freedom to act socially. Artists have become like a protected species

into government reservation; there is nothing for them to do. The government subsidies even prevent them from dying out: they just have to be artists.

Like many of those who live on reservations, they resort to incest, producing more and more paintings

paintings about paintings. Others have gone insane, and sit about in tubs of bull's blood, gather twigs, or insist that their nail clippings or excrement should be acknowledged

The Keynesian 'hands-off' system of state patronage has thus proved an unmitigated failure. Politically, it is threatened because the squalor within

world corral longer demonstrates to those nasty Russians,

, the magnificent of Western artistic

This is now even acknowledged

patronising institutions In recent months there has been a tendency to place less and

emphasis the farcical absurdities within the late modernist enclave, and to stress the residual fine

practices still maintained by specific audiences, through specific

Brighton has done work mapping out this The pictures concerned range through regimental portraits by

Shepherd's charging elephants, landscapes produced in East Anglia, the images of worker artists,

paintings and the continuing tradition of Stalinist socialist realism

Effectively, this sort of work shows what the fine art tradition would have been but for state intervention.

There are those, on both left and The right, who argue that the visual arts should simply be handed back to this free market. They point out that the

in such fine art residuals is very high, and that the work produced is no worse than the decadence of late modernism.

However, I believe Gramsci that the struggle over culture must be for the "high ground". It is only within the subsidised sector of the existing fine art tradition that there is even a

emergence of a truthful, imaginative visual praxis which struggles to take its standards from a possible historical future, that

To argue against the continuance of state support is, in my view, to argue

of handing the visual representation of the world back to the distortions of the mega-visual

and inept. alternatives of the residual "free market' artists.

But can this possibility of a truthful, imaginative visual praxis in fact be realised? The problems are not just social, political and economic. They are also aesthetic

The confusion at the core of fine art practice over the nature of realism' parallels that in say physics about the nature of the

As a materialist, one asserts the primacy of the material world, and its existence outside of consciousness.

one is then confronted inability of contemporary provide a convincing, consensus theoretical representation of that world of a kind which existed

In A Painter of Our Time, John

This hero, an artist, write: "There will be no consistent method of drawing this side of socialism. A method of drawing is the result of an identity of interest in reality. Bourgeois culture now only has a diversity of interest in fantasy.

It is the unenviable task of the fine

seeks a truthful visua praxis to begin within the welter of that diversity of interest in fantasy and to attempt to transcend it by realising, as a moment within his or

La glimpse of a possible

Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 13

Page 14 scan of this page

SOCIALIST CHALLENGE EVENTS

LETTERS

Communicating theory

IAMES Francis's article on Chartists (8 February) oversimplifies some important issues. There was a wonderfully revolutionary impulse to Chartism. But it existed side by side with backwardness and chauvinism.

A feature of the demonstration in 1848, for example, was a fist fight occasioned by some of the English marchers taking exception to a speaker being French. And in Scotland large sections of the Chartist movement were organised on religious lines, with Sunday prayer meetings, Bible quotes, and specially appomcu prcacners

In any case, many backward ideas were inherited by the British working

from its pre-history. colonies, the Navy, marine all contributed. Indeed, there were large-scale anti-Welsh riots in London in the 1480s, and there's a good case for pushing the origins of English/British chauvinism in

masses back to the Scottish and Welsh wars of the 13th and 14th centuries —

hundreds of years before imperialism.

I don't think we will make much progress in tackling the backwardness amongst British workers unless we realise all-embracing and deepseated it is.

Asa subsidiary point, there is a case for saying that the left theoreticians in Britain must take some blame for the persistence and growth of political backwardness, because there have

arely been attempts to communicate

ory. The private language of, say,

Left Review osophy guarantees the continua-

on of backwardness just as much as

centration on 'bread and butter'

As well as a less one-sided approach o labour history, could 1 urge your cries to look at some of the attempts to communicate political theory and nternationalism, particularly rocent times.

MARTIN O'LEARY (Glasgow)

Smear on Rising Free?

YOUR attack on the Rising Free bookshop (8 February) is unfair and

mcwhat hypocritical. OK, so you

agree with their decision not to

pro-Republican newspapers. ica navc you ever bawkea al to handle material not to Your reluctance 1 an article by me on Ireland e it didn't quite fit in with your sis is just one example from my experience. independent hops such as ours and Rising Free have been a great service to the whole

THE DEADLINE for this column

the Saturday before

NORTH WEST WARRINGTON Socialist

Gnanengi Man

ester Socialist Challenge offices for

061-236 2352 GREATER MANCHESTER Socialist

weved in aper and would te to get

ochool students

in anti-fascist activity, please iris (273 5947, day) or Steve tanchester SC Centre, 14 Piccadilly

BOLTON Socialist Challenge public the revolution, with, Seamer Tran - an eyewitness report White Lion, Moor Lane/ Deansgate.

MOSS Socialist

meets fortnightly 11 Price do Ma wileto manchester sC centre cro

mination Acts What happened

equality? oDdaKer Gain Girket

women s group). Inur o

NORTH EAST NEWCASTEE Socialist Challeng ocal supporters are active! If you want

Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 14

BAD

the TASE

monster

The the merchant

straight left. political

and "indistinguishable just how

tactics now?

Liverpool)

strike Radical

LCDOTE

to cross.

meeting

UNC. to

real names from publication book- ICLUCOL

29057n them, phone Pete on (0632) DURHAM Socialist Challenge Sup Dave Brown. 2 Pioneer Cottages, Low ror detais contac Dave brown. ruineton, Dumam

MIDDLESBROUGH Socialist

MISO

MIDDLESBROUGH Socialist

enge and her me in

from local social March, 8pm, AUEW Hall.

STOCKTON-ON-TEES readers can bu Socialist Challenge from Green Book upstairs in the Spencer Hall shopping centre.

SCOTLAND For information about the paper or its activities scotland nieas contact Challenge Books. 64 Glasgow. Open Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat afternoons. Phone for alternative arrangement (221 (481). Wide range of rourn nematonar oue icatons

EDINBUKGH SocIalIST supporters group meets

details.

DUNDEE Information about harienge acuites tomo queen o lots (corner of Reform So eace sales

TALKING IN A BELFAST • OF COURSE) TO A WOMAN WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE of the left. Unfortunately, however, political experience has taught us that should we be attacked by the state or right-wing forces, we could not expect much support or solidarity from the

NUT

Although we have not taken the same decision as Rising Free, we can sympathise with their reluctance to stock material which they disagree with and which could make them vulnerable to attack. But to describe this, as you do, as 'collaboration with the British government's repression'

from the dent, methods of Stalinism' is completely unfair. Who's using Stalinist smear

BOB DENT (News from Nowhere,

Teachers and the NUPE

WE were concerned to read your report (15 February) on unofficial action taken by teachers refusing to cross NUPE picket lines at Quintin Kynaston school on 7 February. Your

inaccurately, that only a small minority of staff refused

In fact, after a majority vote at a school National Union of Teachers

day, teachers agreed not to cross a picket

Labour NUT members in the school. Your report implied it was isolated action by militants within the school. In fact,

THE LENGTH of letters printed will usually be kept down to 400 words in

socialist order to encourage as wide a range of contributions as possible. All letters may be cut at the Editor's discretion.

for Unsigned letters will not normally be published, although we will withhold

on HAMILTON supporters sell Socialist Challenge

YORKSHIRE sales regulary Satural malinge ine riazzi

on Eastern Europe.

DEWObUnY socialist Gnallenge sales regularly on Nestgate the Bank, 12.30-2.00pm RK Socialist Challenge is on sale le vork communiy booksne Walmgate 112301145) shutsudys

throughout LEEDS Socialist Challenge sales eve Socialist pm. And at Enlar Queen when Leeds Utd are playing at home

MIDLANDS MOMENT Socialist Challenge Challenge

the new tech 13 March: Socialists ast

Socialist Meeting with Piers Challen ol neeting with Piers Corbyn on outside liberties' March, 8pm, Highfields Community DIUS video

AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE VOSDIDILITIE OF GREATER UNITY AMONG IME VAKIOUS LEFT GKOUP TIN BRITAIN? J some of the most solid supporters of this policy were members who would not regard themselves as the most militant within the school.

To follow up our action, several

members from the school attended an all-London meeting on 13 February to discuss coordinating further action in support of NUPE and to support the picket of NUT headquarters on 24 February against

Kynaston), HILDA

Westminster NUT) (both in personal capacity

Confusion on Labour?

JOHN Ross writes (8 February) about a move within the National Union of Public Employees to disaffiliate from the Labour Party. He criticises this idea, arguing that it would aid Tory influence and infiltration In union'. But he does not explain how this would happen.

He also claims that it would cut NUPE militants off from many of the people whose solidarity is now needed for the public sector strike. comrade Ross not heard of trades councils? If it is necessary to be a member of the Labour Party in order to have contact with other 'militants', then perhaps we should join the

Party and dissolve organisations of the left.

Ross DIUDUSCS emergency conference of the Labour Party to repudiate Callaghan's policies support the public sector workers, which could also help initiate the fight in the labour movement for

policies and a leadership'. Rich Palser writes in a similar vein (15 February). He argues

recalling the Labour conference to draw up a manifesto which offers a socialist alternative to the capitalist crisis'.

Is this not reformist? The Labour Party cannot reform away capitalism. It is futile to attempt to change the

detalls throughclalis

Comingham 021) bet 920c

the Find i a SOUTH WEST

ISLE OF 44 Union St. Ryde Hand road Regent Strunet FOR INFORMATION the Bristol 6.

SOUTH EAST NORWICH Socialist Challeng

TKIENDS IN THE

ARE SO SECTARIAN!

Labour Party. If the articles quoted above represent the International Marxist Group, why does it not enter the Labour Party?

By standing candidates against the Labour Party, the IMG disqualifies its members from joining. Why stand candidates when the idea is to change the Labour Party? The IMG needs to resolve policies PAUL KEGAN (London N5)

Books for South Africa

SOME months ago you published an appeal from Carl Brecker and myself for 'Books for South Africa'. The response was quite good, and I think it only right that we should let those who contributed know what we have so far done with the money collected and the books donated. the

Has

the

and

new

Party readers

Tuesdays for details

Street.

LONDON

WIGHT readers Socialist Challenge from the Oz Shop

Herne Hill bH

BATH Socialist Challenge sales ever

outside Mactis!

SOUTHAMPTON Socialist Challeng

TOWER at Road Precinc

Rd, London NW6. on activities To DOX c/o Fullmarks, 110 Cheltenham Road

BRENT

every Saturday in Davey Place (op

_IS NOT A SEC line of the ther special appeal

these contradictions in its

London N1.

(London)

WORKERS' INSTITUTE OF

MARXISM-LENINISM-MAO

ZEDONG THOUGHT

P.O. Box 226, Brixton, London SW2 IDW Conference to mark

60th birthday of the Communist International:

"WORLD REVOLUTION AND

WORLD PARTY BUILDING"

First session at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 2nd, a /niversity of London Students Union (Room 3E), Male

Street, London WCI Second and Third Sessions from 3 p.m. - 10 p.m. on Saturday. March 3, in the same union building but in

Room 3A.

Fourth and Fifth Sessions from 3 p.m. - 9 p.m. on Sunday. March 4, at the Lecture Hall, Marx House, 37a

Clerkenwell Green, ECI.

ALL WELCOME

market) and bookstall Thursdays at Road,

University of East Anglia

RIGHTON SC forums fortnightiv

Contact Micky on 605l

COLCHESTER Socialist Challenge

supporters meet regularly. For details phone Steve on Wivenhoe 2949.

tube Also on bookstalls outside Oval tube, TOWER HAMLETS Socialist Chal

(corner of Buxton St).

WALTHAM FOREST paper sales every

saturday, 11am-noon outside the pos

office, Hoe St, Walthamstow, Londo

HAME~S SocIalIsT Chal porters langne 247 2717 for detery meet fortnigh

RENT supporters sell every Saturda

30pm, at Kilburn Sq., Kilburn Hi

Socialist Challenge

orums: first Thursday of every mont

VIREN MENDEN.

Books and pamphlets have been sent to groups in Zambia, Botswana, Ghana and Nigeria. In response to a

we also sent some books, surplus to the requirements of the South African comrades, to revolutionary groups in Turkey

The contacts we have established in this way have proved very productive; groups receiving material through the *Books for South Africa' scheme have put us in touch with other groups. There is therefore a need for a continuous fund to keep this project one Donatons shone be sentio: Books for South Africa, PO Box 50,

CHARLIE VAN GELDEREN

Solom Nor main Thur Manch

HACKNEY Socialist Challenge grou

ay and Pina Kinose

HACKNEY a Daistor Sainsbury's outside Park and Seven sister

available at Musweil. Hill Booksho Muswell

Her See Challenge sure

7.30pm, • Wes: Green

• Socialist

WALTHAMSTOW readers buy

Sheridan's Newsagents, Bartoe St

HARROW Socialist Challenc Box 55. London N1 2Xp, details fror

Page 15 scan of this page

Dave Stevens is

HOME NEWS

item on the TV news. By Chris Roseblade

When the case began, the police slapped a further assault charge on Dave, so that he faced four charges of police assault, one charge of breach of the peace, and one charge of inflicting actual bodily harm on a police inspector.

The police accused Dave of grabbing one constable from above, hitting other officers, kicking Inspector Bedford and spraining ankle, whilst simultaneously fracturing the inspector's wrist

WHAT'S LEFT

word. Display E2 per colu

h. Deadline: 3pm Saturday bef pooncaton. rayment in advance.

is strike pay is only E6. All donation:

• Garners Strike Fund, c/o TGWL Rm 84, 12-13 Henrietta St., London WC2. 01-240 1056.

SOCIALIST CAMPAIGN for a Labou Victor merine an an at London Labou

Fight against the Cuts and the Ren

room.

Hackey clere Grant ad Sweeney Green clini.

WOMEN AGAINST Violence Against women. week orlocal actions leadinc

-Nationd.

remotetraton varnival in Lucas on

aturday 10 March (assemble 1pm, Woodhouse Moor, Leeds 6). Women

SOCIALIST ORGANISER, paper of the ory are issue out on March s for 15p. 10 copies for E1, from SCLV. 5 Stamford Hill, London N16. LONDON: Britain Out of Ireland. PAC-RCG Forum no Legislation and the Irish Struggle CoerCiVE

Speaker Jackie Kaye (PAC) Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, WC1 7.30pm Tuesday 6 March. Adm 20p REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNIST Ten

*Defend the

Speaker •Keith Tompson:

March 2.30pm, Toynbee Commercial

SOUTH HAMPSTEAD Labour Party

and discussion evening. Thursday: 1 March, Showing Word in Action National Front and Steve Kennedy of w Hamostead ANL on 'Should ignore the NF and hope they will away. Labour pany hooms broaonurs gardens. London NW6.

Rock Against Racism, 27 Clerkenwell Close, London EC1

innocent - OK

WOLVERHAMPTON anti-racist Dave Stevens was unanimously acquitted of all charges against him after a five-day trial at Stafford Crown Court last week. That evening 8 million people in the Midlands saw the film which had proved his innocence as the main

with his left shoulder.

They further all remembered Dave shouting: 'Pull me, stop the pigs from arresting me, kick the bastards.

But then the produced a videotape (which the police witnesses hadn't seen pnot to us use in cross-ckaml nation) which clearly showed that the demonstration attacked by a supporter of the National Front, that pulled him out, that as he did so his a lens from his glasses fell

down, and that after he had retrieved the lens he turned to

STRATEGY for Socialism in Mozam bique: Discussion meeting, Friday, 2 March. Information Centre, 34 Percy Stree room d

London W1. Admission 40p inic. light refreshments. Essential Frelimo's Congress Report (E1.50 from above address).

MAY DAY GREETINGS: trades counci or snoo stewards committees. woul rout trace union Dianen out Is Ma Jay arceunds in oocialist onalenge It so. just send us the

'The

N1 2XP.

Goodge St and Warren St tubes ISABEL LETELIER

ner husband Orlando Leteller. 2 march, 6.45pm,

Mach, and amourph

Leeds on 15 March. Further details and Campaign, 129 Seven Sisters Ro Campaig Seven _ondon N7 7QG. 01-272 429 THE NATIONAL

CHARTIST I new birminthly maga

East

Four issues for £1.50 the Middle Sast Conflict a collection o articles exploring the origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict. 30p Available trom Chantisi (SC), 60 Loughborough Road, London SW9. 1390 SOCIALIST organisation

Contact Nick, 01-733 4561.

ETEr

meeting

Fight against Camden Town Hall. Speakers:

the demo and shouted through his megaphone: Keep calm, hold it, cool it'

At this point he was attacked by crowd emerged after a with his arm twisted behind his back by a policeman.

The videotape threw the police witnesses into confusion. Nine of them had made statements wich tamned perfectly with each other defence had nothing at all to do with

what the film showed.

Indeed, only two could even identify themselves on the film! The prosecution's final ploy

was was a vicious cross-examination

Dave

LONY

at the

WOMEN against against Women is the theme of a week of action organised by the Women's Aid Federation which ends Monstration in Leed. March with In Leeds preparations are well under way demonstration.

Bolshevism other activities during the week

of action it will be for women Also: Roots of only.

This is because one of the main objectives - 0D 08D. campaign is to assert the right PuD ications

of women to walk the streets alone without harassment.

The demonstration also aims to show of violence

light districts but in the family. So the demonstration will be visiting housing estates, talking (LU women in

to all the aspects of violence against women.

Women in London will be claiming back Camden women are meeting at the Sols Arms Hampstead Road at 9pm on Friday 2 March to claim back the Northern line with songs and street theatre [more details from Hilary, For details of the theatre

police and scrummage above criticism.

evidence that bobbies could lie so tently and systematically. but out,

sins.

GAY

ACTIvISTS

against women

Violence

For 340 3913.

on Saturday 10 already

national demonstration ove

for the Like all the raped last year.

of the Wales,

issue injunctions that the majority of seeking

against harassment by men.

Cardiff

the shopping and drawing attention

week later Jenkins, 0222 499084].

the Tube.

pub in

Chamberlain Square.

794 2359].

Saturday displays, meetings and

of Dave. One would have thought that Dave was on trial for his political beliefs, and that is was illegal to demonstrate or to tink that tae ponce were no

nel argument was based or the belief that the jury would simply not be able to conceive

nine respectable British compe- would gone down

But as the defence pointed

only in Hollywood policemen break down in the witness box and repent of their

After only two hours the jury returned a unanimous verdic

DEFENCE

ALMOST 200 people marched through Bradford on 10 February calling for the dropping of police charges of 'buggery and indecent assault of a minor' against local gay anti-fascist Frank Kelly.

Women against violence

local reclaim the nights in the rest of London phone 837 9317 from

021-356 8164].

In Scotland activities have

started with in Aberdeen 200 reclaimed the night, starting from a spot where a woman was

In Dundee, Inverness, Edinburgh and Glasgow women are organising mass leafletting and Three stalls in shopping centres.

Cardiff women

will be picketing the court of Justice Wallace Jones, who is notorious for his refusal to TV

to women protection against

women will also Women reclaim the night on Saturday, against starting at the Park Lane Barat 6.30pm. Coaches for the Leeds demonstration leave the Student Union building at 8am a

[details from Carol 689882.

Birmingham will see a huge range of activities starting on Friday 2 March with another reclaim the night demonstration starting off at 8pm from

Leafletting in the Bull Ring follows the next day at 10am.

Coaches for Leeds leave on

10 March at 10am from the Halls of Memory [all

of innocence on all charges.

Without the vital evidence of the videotape, however, Dave

almost certainly have

The central question raised by this case is: how many black, Asian and working class people have not had a videotape to prove that they were innocent and the police were lying? One and can only guess at the answer. leave

END POLICE AR IS get details of events •CAL be got

In Sheffield, International Women's Day will be marked on 3 March by a 'Celebration', which includes & women seal at Victoria Halls starting at 10.30am with women's music, food and creche [information about coaches to Leeds from Maureen Storey 0742 8186].

reclaim night demonstrations will be starting

Manchester 6.30pm, Saturday 3 March. Gathering at the Phoenix pub, Granada

and Oxford Road, marchers will converge on the

Cinema Club and the Daily Smar offices.

against Violence Women demonstra tion. Saturday 10 March. Meet Ipm, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds

No placards or banners more details from Jo Kirk, 0532

ELEMENTS OF MARXISM

3 Saturdays: 3 March, 21 April, 9 June

Fundamental tenets of marxist economics, current trends

and debates

Tutors: Betty Matthews, Martin Jacques, Ron Bellamy,

Irene Brennan

Fees: £1.50 per session, £4 the series

Further information from: Julia Kessell, Short Course Unit,

PCL, 309 Regent Street, W1. Tel: 01-580 2020 ext 220.

BRIEF

It ain't half racist mum

TONIGHT (Thursday) sees the showing on BBC of an 'Open Door' put together by the Campaign Against Racism in the Media - made si largely, though not exclusively, media workers.

The prospect that people who are in some cases its own employees might attack it for racism had a predictable effect on TV's legions of grey-suited controllers - they slapped a ban on the use of extracts from news programmes.

Despite the loss of news

CARM has still assembled a pretty damning collection of examples from other areas such as light entertainment, discussion prolanes. and some current affairs shows.

But with only half an hour to address its tiny (in TV CHEES audience of 650,000, CARM ends the programme by listing some of its campaigns

HIVILE viewers. 'Don't the media the professionals - you can get at them.'

CARM's Open Door' will bi shown at 11.25pm on Thursday 1 March on BBC 2 and repeated on the same channel at 3.25pm on Sunday 4 March.

Militant Entertainment

ROCK Against Racism now

90 group: around the country, organising gigs, breaking down race-hate bringing militant youth gether whatever their colour

thi election the National Front plans to stand over suu candidates. RAR's Militant Entertainment Tour, starting in a fortnight's time, is a part of the campaign to stop the NF's election town visited W NF candidate:

The purpose also to let people ko

their OWE entertainment. KAR's mes

is: Take your or a

- make the, recom

Bands so the tour are

Grimes, Crisis, Exodus, Fam Flying Saucers, Gang of Four, Iganda, Leyton Buzzards Mekons, Misty, 90 Degree Inclusive Pyrahnnas, Rut Stiff Little Fingers.

Tour dates and venues will be published next week's Socialist Challenge

Nottingham picket THE fight to reinstate 28 journalists sacked from the Nottingham Evening Post for supporting their national pay strike looks set tc take Grunwick proportions.

The NUJ, which is making ur the wages ot Its sacked members, is anxious to stop all supplies to the Post, and build

biggest possible pickets outside its gates.

The next. mass picket is on Saturday 3 March, beginning at 1OOE Forman Street, Nottingham. Free coaches from London leave at 8.45am in York Way by the side of King's Cross Station. Confirm

with Paul Todd on 01-340 2424.

Socialist Challenge 1 March 1979 page 15

Page 16 scan of this page

Socialist Challenge VOTE YES! IN SCOTLAND OVER the past ten years everyone in Scottish politics socialists must vote Yes in the has been forced to relate to the demands for an elected thousands of working people The professional politicians have been split on the Assembly will plas, they will be issue; it forced a huge crisis in the Labour Party: the of capitalist Scotland and for

The unions, the women's movement, the socialist desires oneseotish working organisations — all have been forced to discuss their ponside them to a fet ing policies for the Assembly. The most immediate issue: course of their future.

Registered with the Post Office as a newspaper. Published by Relgocrest Ltd. for Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper St, London N1.

Assembly in Edinburgh. By Pat Kane

The demand for an elected Assembly in Edinburgh grew out of years of discontent with the performance of both major political parties.

The economic boom of the 1950s made no impact on the traditional SCLEUTS Scottish economy, which

decline stagnate. Scottish workers still nad to emigrate to get secure employment.

Alongside this grew up a new policy, championed Labour Party, of devolved regional aid to provide the opportunities that the capitalist

reactionary SP grew from obscurity to challenge

Labour's hold over the industrial working class.

which way to vote in the 1 March referendum?

boom could not.

But by the end of the 1960s Scottish people could see that their lives hadn't changed. The bad housing was still there, along with unemployment and poor social services.

They started to change, and the only kind they found was in the SP's policy of more control for Scotland — an idea that the workers and and lower middle classes already understood through experience. the policies.

For the first time tens of BIne thousands of workers deserted their traditional loyalties to the Labour Party. seats became a thing of the

NoTE Ye

-FOR WALES

past.

The SNP

irrelevant obscurity to become

the second largest

scoland with

hundreds of local councillors,

and thousands of members. It to us. look for was the fastest growing party in

Europe.

ancipe to get our or tne crisis of capitalism.

Ordinary people who support

an Assembly have no other regional experience than

political system.

natural for them to express this

desire for change throught the

ballot box, and at first the SP Safe Labour was the

appeared to support them.

By Steve Bell

THE votes of Welsh people have sent James Michael Foot, and George Thomas to Parliament at election after election.

Yet the SHOSE contribution these leaders nave brougnt Dack In return has been a steep rise in the number of jobless. have housing, social services, etc. exactly got better.

Welsh people are looking for an alternative Assembly is what is currently on offer.

The Labour leaders simply gambling that the Wales Act which incorporates Assembly will help to cut down own future. support for Plaid Cymru support which has been fuelled,

that the Assembly is irrelevant will vote Yes. carworkers; publie sector workers; women who see the from chance for a change.

I Pary abstract nor irrelevant whether

MPs, or not there is an Assembly. And it shouldn't be irrelevant

vote should attain 40 per cent of What this reflected was an all those entitled to vote places

an added responsibility on the trade UHOT movement.

the present will make it easier, not harder So it was for us to tackle the illusions of

ordinary people placing before

only party which bankrupt

and the SNP.

among other things, by the involvement of Labour councillors in several local govern.

Callaghan, ment corruption scandals. Speaker But the capitalist forces in

the CBI and Tory Party know that it could mean much more

visible than this

Labour oppose it.

The powers laid down for the Assembly are very limited. But Nor they know that, dominated as it would be by Labour and the left populists of Plaid, increasing pressure could focus on it to act and ine independently on the problems

of unemployment, housing, the language, and so on. are It would question: •Do Welsh have the right to decide their

And to that question we reply emphatically: Yes.

If is for this reason that

organisation

will cast their votes in favour: and no matter how confused they are about what role the

voting against the present mess

remain

o sil on the fence and sar

Leicester,

On Thursday lots of people

Some will queue others striking

Assembly as a OLE

To these workers it is neither

I nat Is certainty

The requirement that the Yes demise.

and labour P Seligman

The existence of an Assembly Martin Avery

Anon

by firmly them the jumble sale GIrwin policies of Labour Preston IMG A Freeman This

through

- which is why they Name

Address highlight the people

OUR FUND DRIVE

THINKING we would make a bit of money for the paper, phoned up the William Hill

week and asked what odds they would give us for the Shah dying within three months

'We aren't offering odds was the reply. 'We don't take bets on certainties.'

So the fund drive's attempts

restricted more conventional ventures. Camden Socialist Challenge group threw us a hefty lifebelt by organising a jumble sale which raisca an impressive Los

But for that donation and another regular benefit from our stamp sales organiser

we would all be facing the prospect of the dole

A big nationwide effort is now required if we are to meet

quarter's target. If our readers don't rush us substantial donations in the next couple NI of weeks this column will get increasingly hysterical.

an even bigger than the Shah's

Send your money to SC Fund Drive, PO Box 50, London NI 2XP. Our thanks this week to:

LP supporters £1.75

1.00 5.00 1.50 A Acheson (stamps) 15.00 Camden SC group

85.00 1.00 help 1.00

week's total: £112.25 Quarter's total: £1,539.33

Get your Socialist Challenge

WHSMITH

placing special

SUBSCRIBE I

Domestic: 6 months, f5; 12 months, €10 Abroad: Airmail, €16.50. Surface, £10 per annum. Multi-reader institutions: double individual rate

1 enclose a donation for the Fighting Fund of :

Cheques, POs and Money Orders should be made payable to *Socialist Challenge'. Complete and return to: Socialist Challenge, 328/9 Upper Street, London N1.

....

customer's order — possible in many regions * By asking YOUT local newsagent if WH Smith is the supplier. If so, inform her/him that WH Smith will take orders for the paper.

Remember,

have difficulties let us know and we will help resolve them.

LOTTERY

SOCIALIST Challenge Spring Lottery. Tickets 10p or E1 per book. Prize is choice of 12 volumes of Trotsky's Writings or a £25 book/record token.

Draw is on 2 May in Socialist Challenge offices. Help yourself while helping the paper! Why not order a few books of tickets on a sale or return basis to sell locally?

Write to: Lottery SC Offices, PO Box 50, Londo

2XP Organised by D Weppler.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

THE paper relies heavily on subscriptions. January alone, £900 came from this

the majority of it through new 6-month Sub scribers.

We want every area to help us increase this figure by getting a new subscription a month. We have new subscription forms printed which you can use to

sell them. These are available on request, free of charge.

A weakness in our domestic subscribers is among multi-reader institutions: libraries, research offices and so on. We'd like you to ask your local library this week to subscribe to Socialist Challenge. Tell us the results!

Printed by Feb Edge Litho Ltd (TU), 3-4 The Oval, London E2.

Something wrong on this page?