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Marchfor the future To contact Socialists For a Labour Victory write to: Mandy Moore and Andy Harris, Joint Secretaries, 18 March 1983 He But the trade union movement which crushed the Industrial Rela tions Act and turfed Heath out of office has failed on virtually every front to nall inarcher s advance. And now with the Labour Party in total disarray, the danger of another term of Tory office looms.
Battle after battle has been surrendered by the TUC leaders:
workers, ASLEF, the steel workers and BL. This is not to say, as some claim on that the working solidly socialist and only held back by its leaders.
On the contrary these leaders are SDP/Liberal general, elected. significant gains from the vote. Previous v a constant third of the working class voted Tory.
These political weaknesses are not But in the past, in tne baltie against Heath and in the trade union struggles of fitties and sixties, were not decisive for the outcome of the day-to-day battle against capitalist class.
This has changed under Thatcher. Thatcherism represents a new era for ment over the last two years.
over of ber population Cruise missiles were evenly divided on the issue.
the WOR DaLLit minds.
arbitration Drawing healthworkers the beginning and struck hard. Hudut they struggles.
opinions, action governes.
Against the entire weight of the media and the Tory propaganda machine the camp and its supporters were instrumental cent of the to oppose the siting of Even Tory voters Of course the missiles have not yet been stopped, but a major victory has been hearts ana The water workers won a victory against the government after years of being tobbed oft with promises anc the lessons of dispute they organised for a national strike from The divisions between the lorer and the employers, and within the government itself were sprung open Through the resulting gap, the water workers won one of the few victories of a period of mounting trade union The lesson of the few victories we have won is this: that action is what companied Action is what changes what defeats The Yet is this enough? Clearly not.
defeats of the last period.
for th balance sheet must pre-date the Tha
WE left who wiet this were bulding support for Grunwick mass unal bult ine Anl-nazı beaguc werc denounced as prophets Callaghan-Healey gover they government Men Win te or Discontent' that started in 1978 had the effect of halting the decline in working class living standard But the failure of Callaghan to meet working class demands was not followed by the return of a govern ment responsive to those but by the advent of Thatcher. movement these type doom Station with them Such policies demands and fight for a But the left was not prepared for consequences. The o1 a icl labour movement that would launch was an urgent and indispensable part of preparing for any serious contron .a left wing would inevitably play a full role in the batle inside the •to render the leadership of the Party accountable to the rank and file, and win it to socialist It would therefore simultaneously prepare for a battle with the Tories government which would take the labour movement for-
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'Thatcher's assault is stunning enough. But even more frightening is the lack of effective response from the labour movement'
simultaneously prepare for a Photo: CARLOS AUGUSTO GUARITA