flanks on the question of women's oppression which the ruling class can exploit against both women and the unity of the working class movement as a whole.
In a similar, if not more fundamental way, in Ireland the abortion and contracephon Issue nas been usea lo divide women from the nationalist movement led by Sinn Fein. Sinn Fein's continued adaptation to the 'moral' authority of the Catholic church on these questions has meant that, despite the tremendous LODICECO by leadership Sinn Fein, on these questions it has lagged behind. Sinn Fein played no central role in the campaign in the South of against the constitutional amendment outlawing abortion.
This is the kind of error which if it is not corrected will have an increasingly corrosive effect on the unity of women with the nationalist forces. If a united Ireland means the hegemony moral pronouncements of the Catholic church, not just at the level of individual conscience, but enshrined in law, then undoubtedly many women will be driven away from support for the nationalist cause.
Similarly in Britain. The emerging unity between women and sections of the labour movement under attack will soon be dissipated if the majority of the pallamental y passively or actively, supports attacks on women.
Inose torces in the labour move do see the necessity of building a fighting alliance with women must act urgently to build the campaign against these attacks. Unity The importance of this unity began to be learned in the course of the miners' strike, when the involvement of women sustained and strengthened the struggle. What was true of the miners' strike is true in general, but the next step in forging this unity demands that forces like the NUM now throw their weight behind the struggles of women.
it this occurs, then the present round of attacks on women's tertiatv rights can certainly be reversed. And those women, like Bea Campbell, who argue that women should turn their backs on the 'macho' miners, in favour of the 'reasonableness' of Neil Kinnock, will have to argue why women should turn away from forces that will fight alongside them, and support those who stand idly by.
Building such a campaign started with the demonstration against the Powell demonstration against the Gillick rul- Ine next step ing. Every miner, every activist, who of the miners' strike, sufficiently well to be on that demonstration will be the first links in the chain of a movement that can stop Thatcher in her tracks, not just on abortion, but on everything else.
When NUM branches start to affiliate to the National Abortion Campaing, we'll know our battle on this issue is already half won. progress OT of the either under the rights attack