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MANCHESTER ”
BULLETIN no1 Aug.87
FIGHT THE TORIES FIGHT THE CUTS! On July 22nd,: anchester City Labour Party voted by a two thirds majority that the Council make substantial cuts in services, jobs and facilities for the pecple of Manchester. why?
The Tory government has reduced its grants to the city by nearly ©5009 million over the next 8 years,Next year's budget has a shortfall of about a quarter of the entire budget.Such drastic cuts are an attack on the living standards of working people in kanchester, se are faced with higher unemployment, fewer and more expensive ——- meiliiais services from the Council,the rents will increase more than our wages etc.
This whole package of cutbacks will concretely mean: * Rent increases of £2 this year and next,and substantial rate rises, Shedding at least 4,000 jobs.
Direct cuts in running costs of services.
E, Imcrease in other charges. ria Re-examination of the capital] ants budget.
The kanchester City Labour rvartv and the Council leadership arg “We have no alternative but to make cuts.’ They argue that it is better that a Labour Council stays in office and makes cuts on behalf of the government, than to fight the government. They scmehow expect people to believe that if Labour makes cuts,it is less damagine than if the government do it.,They do not understand that cuts are cuts,no matter who makes then.he effect will be the same, One thing is certain,if cuts are made then Thatcher will be the winner.This will inevitably pave the way for the new onslaught the Tories have planned -the poll tax,privatisation of council estates, renewed attacks om trade union rights, increases in racist deportations ctc. If we do not prepare a fight back now these new attacks will be all the more audacious, ambitious | and ruthless,
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++ TORIAL 4 | A
‘ecialist iction supporters believe that the Labour \ Ween: Must £taa. in tots! eppesitios to the iF ) sovermment and the interests of the class At reépresents.
In i.aanchester this means that the cuts being imp!emented by the City Council must be opposed, not just because they are an atuack on services and \ the living standards of working-class people, but they hinder a united fight against the Tories.-or this reason,socialists who support cuts as the lesser of two evils, believing that socialist cuts or soft cuts are possible,should think again, The left must unite, but this unity can only be on the basis of the struggles,and in the interests of the working-class, oppressed and disadvantaged:-locally nationally and internationally.
It means that we must stand firm behind the South African masses,and particularly now behind the Struggle of the Black miners. We need to support the Anti-Apartheid movement and all its activities.
Finally it means that socialists should be clear that we have nothing in common with the interests of imperialism in the Middle East,or anywhere else, be it South Africa,Central America,the Far East,or on our own doorstep in Ireland. the The dispatch of Royal Navy minesweepers to region, Gulf is an escalation of the conflict in the for Clearing mines,is in reality,clearing ground direct imperialist intervention and further slaughter, We must be clear -Iran has the right to defend its national sovereignty,whatever we think of its government.
The issue of employment discrimination faced by the Nationalist/Catholic population is to be raised at a conference in London on November 28th.
This event has growing support in the Labour Novement,including Ken Gill of TASS, Peter Heathfield of the NUM, the Britain out of lreland leadership of the NUR and several . members of the NUT leadership;to name but a few. The LCI is building the conference nationally and locally;and all trade union bodies are encouraged to le is time for the British Labour Novement to the use of plastic bullets which have send delegates to discuss this importbreak with its past on Ireland; a past which Killed and maimed many innocent people ant issue,It is a question which partincluding children. It also takes up fecludes Labour governments sending in troops feularly affects British unions with im 1969,and introducing the mis-named Preventhe cases of the people framed for the members in the North of Ireland. tien of Terrorism Act in 1974,not to mention Guidford pub bombing - The Guildford the Labour Opposition refusing to support the Four and the McGuire family.
Socialist Action supports all these demands of the H-Block Hunger Strikers in The LOI is very keen to give Sinn activites,and many of our supporters 1981.
Fein a platform,particularly in the are active in the LCI both locally The Labour Committee on Ireland,campaigning Labour Movement,In Manchester,it was and nationally.We encourage all imside the Labour Party for the withdrawal of central to organising the delegation members of the Labour Movement to Britain from the North of Ireland,also campaito the Council from a group of Sinn support the demands of the LCI,especgms around a series of other demands. Through ially the demand for withdrawal. The Fein councillors,as part of a nationthe autonomous women's section, Labour Women al tour.The local group has also made LCI is promoting a call in the Labour for Ireland,it takes up the question of strip proposals to the Council regarding Party for withdrawal in the lifetime searching of women Republican prisoners - an of a Labour government.We call on all : policy on the PTA,which is a contin- Labour Party delegates to support this | act of gross political intimidation and sexwing threat to the civil liberties demand at Party Conference, At the same ual assault.1t supports the campaign against of Irish people in Britain, time we say:
Labour and Ireland has a network of TROOPS OUT NOW ?! sellers. Supporters take magazines SELF DETERMINATION FOR THE TRISH PEOPLE to sell at Labour Party and Union AS A WHOLE ! meetings, Irish clubs and demos, at work and to friends, For information about the [C1 in Manchester, Write: Labour and Irelana Contact Paul Clarke,-Tel. 061 963 3193. c/o LCI, BM Box 5355, London
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-or the first time since the triumph of the Nicaraguan wevolution in 1979,the governments ‘f the other four Central American countries PoNeG a peace Eveaty with Perarscas en 7% uzust.
This has been achieved directly against the wishes of the American administration. It represents a victory for the Nicaraguan people in their attempt to stop the. USbacked Contra war which has cost them so much,
The Irangate hearings exposed the illegal lengths to which the US was prepared to go For seven years the US has attacked Nicaragua in many ways - militarily through the Contra, by economic blockade, by mining international waterways around the Nicaraguan coast, (the righteous indignation of US imperialism about mines in the international waters of the Gulf springs to mind here),and by attempts at diplomatic isolation.
This policy has become discredited throughout Latin America,The Latin American sponsored "'Contradora"™ peace initiative was rejected by the US.In Honduras the peasants and Indians are increasingly hostile to their | lands being used as a military base. |
Unfortunately the 7 years of war has taken a massive toll - 20,000 dead,half the country's income being spent on defence,cancellation of lf you want to join the campaign to many development projects - all of which add cefend Nicaragua,er just find out more, up to an enormous crisis for Nicaragua. chen contact Central America solidarity in Britain and throughout the world we have Campaign. ( Jane Tel. 061 477 7668 ) to make people aware of what is going on in Cee central ‘merica.Campaigns for political and twin sisters (Vomen's) Greup ( aterial papevat are vital if peace is to be U61 &61 8081 } achieved and Nicaraguan self-determination i & Jefended, anchester-!uerto Cabezas birect Links ( (Chris, Tel 061 226 4405 ) me oe ee ee = a rate an “es
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S.A. MINERS * [oe bigprest eyer strike 17 Gomen “Aitica began 67 honday 10th August when 340,000 miners walked out of the mines,The Strike ealled by South ‘Africa's largest non-racial Trade Union,the NU}, iS aimed at six big lj mining houses owning about two thirds of south iverpool dockers Africa"’s Cold end Coal “inessine Mit = vemanding «4 : living wage,increased annual leave and increased Impose sanctions |] death compensation, Observers predicted it would pose a serious threat if the NUK succeeded in calling out 200,000 Following their recent decision to block imports of miners.iIn the event, even cheithanber of ines, Uranium fro: Namibia and South .\frica, Liverpool : Soa : : seckers have been engaged in a dispute with manage- representing the mining houses had to admit that over ssa a Sake te edie Vain 220,000 miners were on strike.,MNeanwhile,the NUL e dockers atc refusing to nandle Uraniu ‘ = coring into the country even though there is no claimed that 340,000 miners were out,shutting 42 out direct evidence linking it with apartheid.!uch of of 46 targetted Pits,and another ? mines where the the Uranium entering Britain originates from amibia but this is carefully hidden by the South Union isn't recognised, African government via an international laundering The NUL accused management of using force and operation,in ordec co dodge the Sanctions issue. HW ae F i yale ss euecea axe chunelaca Momedtia Cac winnae- all the dirty tricks in the book’ in order to break ment provide conclusive proof that the Uranium is the Strike.Large quantities of false pamphlets were net “oe orzgins, betore they consent to circulated in the name of the Union,t¢lling miners nove * “ rc # The action of the iiverpool Dockers is a that the strike had been called off.In the first week model for us all. of the strike,24C miners were injured and another 200 arrested in clashes with mine Security forces.
There were also reports of miners being forced underground at gunpoint,ana of police raids on JU offices.In an effort to counter this violence the SIT T? national] demo UL has told miners to leav2 the compounds and return to the homelatds.This also reflects their view that there will be no quick solution to the dispute.
The message emblazoned across the front page of the NUM News Strike Special accurately reflects the reality of life for South ‘frican miners, "The bosses get richer,the workers get poorer.Now is the hour? * The mine owners are reaping huge profits which last year totalleac £2,625 mil‘ion from Gold,and £969 mii ion from Coal.! eanwnile,the biack workforce face some of the worst working conditions in South ‘frica, and falling real wage-rates,independent sources estimated that in the first week of the Strike,three of the six mining houses, Gencor, Johannesburg Consolidatec Investment and Anglo-'\merican Corporation had lost about (27 million in potential profitabout 67% of the miners’ wage claim..1s well as appalling weekly wage rates of about £30 - £34 ,the miners suffer horrendous living and working conditions, The miners are employed hundred of miles Last year's “atioval Demonstration attracted over away from their homes and rarely see their families 100,000 people wich a quarter of a million attend- ‘ss . ing the festival. who they are supporting. They are kept in compounds, This year's demo has been cal‘ed for Saturday more like concentration camps,often being housed 74th Cetober and is around the theme SANCTIONS 20 Th 1 — l id dii Mo..This year's event promises to be even bigger -0 to a room, tney work very deep ¥ Beoei ge ete, eh and more successful than the last and it elready very high temperatures in a dirty and dangerous has the full backinz of the TLC. . * 7 Popo i ae Jace GuRaia Ee. BESeR. wadecmma 08 aesivedile occupation, with very Low Sarety standards. J.ast year widest possible mobilisation of Trade Unions, almost 7OO miners died in the Gold i ines alone anc Slack “tganisations,iabour varies etc. f anether 1,000 suffered permancnt disabilities. tomy tel Cie ES 24th,
For details/info. ‘Tontact Greater |.anchester Aly /GSom FL (5. 3} Nanehester :6.
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ON THE MARCH|£ The 2h net only the iarzest Union in south oeabiy the most politically influential. vives, bet It playec an Laportant part in bringing about the federation: It has formation of CuSATU,the main T.U. also lead the Unions into a more overtly political role in chellensing apartheid.To this for end , instance, they recently adopted the Freedom Charter. this combined with increasing moves by the governnent towards war with the unions,and greater repression, promises to make this strike a major political battle between apartheid and the Union movement, The South .frican government has already warned that it is ready to step in with legal moves to “redress the balance between employers and employees.’ Already, during the recent rail strike, legislation in an attempt to block vital interwas introducec 2 solifarity from reaching the strikers.In national] addition,security forces were responsible for bombing the 6: 3iTL headquarters.
THe: OC) SATt nentral Executive Committee,meeting shortly before the strike began,discussed solidarity action fron i ts other affiliates,which it described as being cruciczl,:
Lans were being made to hold Strike ballots amongst workers in other unions relating to the mining companies,and shop stewards vere being uree to bring pressure to bear on the =a that any mining houses. -ignificantly, CoOSATU warned struggles continue wstate intervention,or death of strikers would Strike action from all CCGSATL result in senerelised arti iaates.. despite repression ithin hours of the Strike. starting Arthur Scargill was waking moves to launch an international appeal. in Sritain a special Strike Fund has been set up, its over 14 months since the S.i\ regime imposed its 1 latest State of i:mergency on June i2th 1986. During channelled through the British NUI headquarters in this neriod well over 20,000 peonle have been shetfield,cnd all SU! branches are being urgec to thrown into prison,almost half of these being under 18, and some as youny as 8.hLany have been kept in Collections.In the fanchester area, OFSAanise Itt solitary confinement,tortured and refused legal aid. partheid solidarity is being organised by the Amti-"
Their only crime has been to fight apartheid, The A. in conjunetion with a number of other novement via street collections.In addition,attempts otganisations,has launched a national petition camto establish contact with those who are being mace paign to "Free ..11 .partheid"s .v.ctainees,"' The petwere active in the } iners'
Support Committees. ition,aimed at the ‘il,: argaret Thatcher and the 5.’ authorities,is to be fea nded in on December 10th, cne early focus for Solidarit;, ‘etion will be the U:. iluman .ighes Day, the " Sanctions ‘sainst South African Coal " The intense level of repression brought about by the State of -merzeucy lead to a number of early Conference " on Ueptember 19th,This conference, setbacks for the lineration movement, especially and the AAI organised jointly by the NUI was around the !eople's Tower project,None the less it is a testament to the courage and determination of planned well before the Strike,Its main aim is to the South ifrican people that mone of these set- South African coal launch the campaign against backs have been pcrmanent,On the contrary,over the Uritain and the £EC,Coming at such an last year the strujatle has deepened and intensified, imports to with new leaders coming to the fore and new organisopportune time the conference reflects the importaticns of struggle ‘jeveloping. ance which oenrgill and the NUL place on support :Ost notably hos been the recent formation of > .7C.,an organisation of half a million youth, built for their south (frican counterparts, around slogans such as " Freedom or Death: ";the Ramaphosa of the South It is hoper that Cyril cramatic growth i the Trade Union SARWHU during the rail strike; and the details now emerging of a n-w will stil’ be able to address the ‘ivican EU! organisation of couch African wouen,organised in conference, Uther speakers wil] Heethinclude ‘eter ehe ECP.
Closures,!ike Terry of the field, sich peek Lt on and tae Gamibic SunpoeTt Committee.
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VIRAJ MENDIS MUST STAY !
it is 6 months since Viraj Nendis took sanctuary in the Church of Ascension in Hulme, | in order to escape a deportation order from the Home Office.While the specific case rests on Viraj‘s own demand to be treated as a political refugee,at risk of arcest, torture and murder in Sri Lanka - contrary to the assertions of both the Sri Lanken and British governments - in reality the issue is at the heart of the struggle against the racism of the Tory government and of the British immigration laws.In fact,it is because of Viraj's own commitment to this struggle that the Home Office was so keen to deport him in the first place.
wacist opposition to the campaign has taken Socialist Action calls on the Labour Moves different forms:there have been well publi- nent in Manchester to step up support for cised attacks by fascist gangs,at least two Viraj,and we appeal to all individuals to resulting in serious wounding,and necessit- help in the following ways:ating a round-the-clock guard rota.There has * Get speakers to your meetings from the also been a fairly heavy stream of poisonous campaign. reporting and comment in the bourgeois press. * Write to the Home Office,newspapers, The local Manchester Evening News has tended wps etc, in support of Viraj. to vacillate between vicious hostility and * Cet donations of money to the campaign cautious sympathy,probably reflecting * Offer to go on the rota at the ciaiaacil the extreme polarisation in Manchester on oreferably on a regular basis, and get the issue,It is clear that the attacks are Sthoesen 26" Eke sane: ri not entirely unrelated to hostile press- * Attend the regular marches in support coverage.Manchester City Council,particularly <¢ Viraj. concerned about the local elections,gave in to such racist pressure,by failing to give Viraj the job which they had offered hin, For furbies dnfospatiods Ceneace VHEC” Contrary to popular myth,this was a real job, 6/5 North Hulme Centre, Jackson Crescent, Mot created for his benefit,and for which he Hulme,Manchester.Tel. 061 234 3168, had been interviewed twice. j The recent High Court decision to uphold the Home Office ruling was another setback for the campaign,However,support is extremely strong,and still growing. Trade Unionists,including several national unions support the campaign,as does the NEC of the wabour Party,the leader of the Liberals, and large sections of the Church;along with cany other individuals and organisations, The level of support was demonstrated by the march in Manchester on July 11th,when thousands of people marched in defence of “iraj's right to stay.At the same time, the march was a useful focus for many other immigration Campaigns,such as those of Barbara Ahmed and Syed Rahman. This has always been an important feature of the campaign,
Defend the immigration aid unit George Roucou was the latest in a Long line of Black people who have successfully fought against deportations in Manchester.
The Immigration Aid Unit is to be set up in order that present and future campaigns can benefit from the experience of successful cases,as well as having a place to meet.
The funding promised by the Council is an example of the progressive role it has generall y played in the fight against the racist immigration laws,tiowever,1f the cuts go ahead such funding is threatened.
We have to ensure that the unit is defended against any such threat,as well as fighting for further initiatives from the Labour and Trade Unton movement.
Barbara “Ahmed, callously separated for 2 years from her husband,who has never even seen his daughter, - and hundreds of other cases - should be a constant reminder of how important the struggle is.
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The fight goes on (iu 2ist January 1987, 9/7 men and women were sacked from Senior Colman, a small engineering plant in Sale,for withdrawing their labour in support of four colleagues wio bad beer. dismissed for failing to fill im new detailcd time sheets,which the natagement ha! refused to nepotiate with the union. ; months inte the strike, Graham ehyatt, AEU Convener,spoke to Socialist Action....
.e won the union in 1933, Before that Our firm is a multi-national,with a it was a tion-union shop with different company in South Africa,which is based on rates of pay - and if you weren't a blue cheap labour;but the South African miners eyed hoy thiags were hard. t.anagement aie paving the way,atid if they stana firin never Likec the union as they were used they will win victory.Apartheid is taking to complete power,not to a workforce that on the big guns first - just as Thatcher was Organised and negotiating. Then in took on the British miners,The miners' July 1956 the Engineering Group bought the strike was engineered just as Wapping and factory.The vast majority of the Group's our own dispute was.We have no choice. We ants are non-unionised;and wat was pl will fight for as long as it takes: clared against us: de Management planned and engineered the an dispute and every dirty trick in the book has been thrown against us - from scabs to injunctions and intimidation; but we have not wavered in our legitimate demands - re-instatement with coupensation for all sacked workers.Wwe have learnt the lessons of the Silent Night dispute and other struggles;the importance 0 Se i a a a IE Se To of the picket Line,the importance of going out to campaign for support, the importance of publicity;and that money is the key. Through blacking,we have hit the company where it hurts.,We have exposed Roland Smith;Chair of our Group, Ex-Board member of Silent Night,Deputy Chair of Sritish Rail and Chair-Elect of British ,erospace,..e addressed the National Joint Shop Steward Committee of British Aerospace and they'll now. be meeting with Roland Smith. Their plant donated £1,000 to our strike fund this week. we've already won a great battle. Colman's menaging director and financial director have both been sacked by the Stroup Board - but we're still here.
Under massive pressure,some of us have taken increased money offers, but the 31 of us that are carrying on are the actiyists and nothing management can do will have affect on us.We've learnt a lessonstand up for principles,work hard and fight hard - and when you get a break go for the jugular: Our fight is everyone's fight.se're group in support fighting for trade union rights. someone nas to fight and when we've won,it'll be a beacon for the Labour Movement. action A Senior Colman Support Group,set up on m a Manchester area basis,and under the Links with Silent Night have proved leadership of the Strike Committee, works invaluable for setting up the Adopt - a to co-ordinate city-wide support for the Family scheme,which is a priority for L.P. and Trade union branches to take up. Another strike;and where possible to seek solidarity from elsewhere in the country. scheme under discussion,is a planned Activities have ranged from encouraging Benefit night for which Mike Harding has ¥ SOlidarity visits to the picket line,street already offered his services.The Suppert i collections,helping to arrange factory Group would be glad to hear of any bands yf tours and solidarity exchanges, taking or performers who would be willing to speakers to Labour Movement bodies, and take part in support. arranging welfare assistance for the strikers and their families.
After 8 months, both management and the Financial support is especially import- Labour movement realise that the dispute is m ant nmow,after § months on strike.Tory not going to go away - it is vital,however policy,alongside attacking trade union that the dispute continues to victory. That rights, - is "Starve them back to work",or is our responsibility. This means in every in the case of the Colman strikers "Starve Labour Party Ward,Trade Union branch and them into accepting they'll never get their workplace,every opportunity is taken to {jobs back." raise moral,political and crucially, financial To consolidate and step-up support Support for the strikers. throughout the Labour Novement in Nanchester,the Support Group is currently arranging Te discuss ways of helping the strikers Labour Party Constituencies contacts in all win their struggle / For donations to the with a view to Wards setting up local street Strike Fund ; Contact Tony Lowe,c/o collections,adopting a family and sending AEU, 43 The Crescent, Salford. Tel. 736 5206 delegates to the Support Group meetings,
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FIGHT THE CUTS! FIGHT THE TORIES~ ve need to establish a united campaign Tt ¢6 tiie to take | Stans ts titre for fanchester peon!r ty shew the Porc a:
Sf all peeple willing to fisht against tle <ucs, riidundanciss of penufeate in- What we Entnuk of thei pouiperes, tf we can mobilise trade unionists, creases.Ve have to organise and coordintenants, black communities, women's ate actions that can weld people togethorganer under a single banner against the cuts, isations,youth and other oppressed and We need to support industrial actions, disadvantaged grouns: then it would he rent boycotts,demonstrations any other possible to exert great pressure on the form of mass actions or mobilisations, government.Of course,there is no guaranif and when they occur. tee that in the end the Labour movement would win such an all-out confrontation Ve do not pretend that there is an atmosphere of defiance,or that thousands with the government.However,the chances will take to the streets at the drop of would be vastly improved if leaders of a hat.In the wake of the defeat of the the Labour movement would organise such biners" Striké,as well as Labour's fail= a campaign. But more importantly,we have to win all j.abour movement members as ure at the General Slection,the morale well as all those who will suffer the of working people is low,However,we have effects of cuts,to a perspective of no choice,faced with another five years of Tory rule, action,
action Contact sAncoats Lommittee, Casuaity Dept., osvi tet, anc oaes Street, .anchester., Ore hak]
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