Socialist Action No. 109, 26 July 1985
The scan: 109-jul-26-1985-SA-UK.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
AFF NATIONA
SOUT
AF
KATA RIBUTE DECEMBER 10th / THE TIMS
H AFRICAN, OF ITACK ABERONE
ch JUNE 85
SoCiAList
ACTION
N
CA
MASSACRE 13 KILLED MINOLA POWER MA
FORWARD TO FREED IN NA AND SOUTH APRICA REMEMBE SOWETO
MASSACRE
16th JUNE 1976
AVER 1000 KILI
level.
BREAK
ALL
LINKS
WITH
SOUTH
'AFRICA!
THE DECLARATION of the state of emergency in South Africa means a massive stepping-up of repression against the black population by the apartheid regime.
Murder, mass arrests and indiscriminate brutality, which have already been the order of the day, will be stepped up as the security forces attempt to crush the телено ино back townshins The apartheid regime faces the most widespread black revolt, and deepest crisis, in its history.
Not surprisingly, the friends of apartheid are moving in to protect the Botha government. The Reagan administration has stated that it feels deep sympathy for South Africa'. The British government, one of South Africa's chief international allies, has said that the solution to the problem is a matter for South Africa's citizens, black and white.
But if Thatcher's reply was predictable, many labour movement members will feel deep anger with Neil Kinnock's call merely for the 'withdrawal of the British ambassador for This is something even Reagan has already done!
The fact is that a particular responsibility falls on the labour movement in Britain for the situation in South Africa. Britain is South Africa's largest trading partner and foreign investor. Over 30 percent of South African exports go to Britain, and 19 per cent of British overseas investment goes to South Africa Six of South Africa's 10 largest firms are directly owned or controlled by British companies.
In the USA, the Senate and the House of Representatives have voted in favour of token economic sanctions. American imperialism is attempting to hedge its bets — it has no wish to go down with the Botha government.
More to the point however was the refusal of the International Longshoremen and Warehousemen in California in November to unload a South African ship. It is this kind of action which can give a real focus for campaigns against the apartheid regime. The labour movement in Britain must now tun towards developing such a mass campaign at every
The aim must be to win in every way the demand to "break all links with the apartheid regime.' There will be demands for economic sanctions. These should be supported but no effective steps on this will be taken by the imperialist governments -they would have to be implemented by the labou movement.
The first political step must be to demand that Britain immediately break all diplomatic links with the South African cond should be for
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Who is backing Lynk in Notts?
SOCiALiSt
ACTioN
Stay national!
THE SPECIAL Notts July issue of The Miner put the key questions and answers for miners on the Notts breakaway.
We are printing the article in full.
QUESTION: What do I have to do to stay a member of the NUM?
ANSWER: Nothing at all. It is the splitters who must get you to sign a piece of paper to deprive you of your membership.
But why should anyone want to split the NUM? Who would benefit from it? Ultimately, MacGregor and the Government whose big business pals want to see a divided and weakened mining workforce.
Why?
Such a workforce would not be able to resist the closure of so-called uneconomic pits nor the selling off of large highly profitable sections of the British Coalfield to big business. Government ministers themselves have admitted that's the ultimate aim.
So why have certain Notts miners gone along with the splitting tactics?
Over the years a diet of one-sided information has been fed via Where a workforce is kept ignorant of the facts, confusion and misrepresentation Miner for example has hardly been distributed in the Notts area over the past 18 months.
Is it true that a split from the national union will leave Notts miners in political isolation? Most certainly. ty are clear on this point: the Labour Party will only accept sponsorship for its MPS and councillors from a trade union affiliated to the TUC. A Notts breakaway would not get that recognition. As the TUC General Council said on January 23rd: *The breakaway bodies from their national unions wil not be eligible for affiliation to the TUC."
Wasn't a breakaway caused by adoption of a new rule book which the Notts NUM had no part in? This is one of the greatest myths around. Notts NUM did participate in the vote and when they they lost, walkea out. remember is that by participating in the vote, they helped to give birth to the new rule book — a book incidentally, largely established to defend the union against cleverly worded government legislaTOnA Many unions nave changes with hardly a media whisper.
By sitting tight what would happen to my union contributions?
You will pay 79p a week - considerably less than at present your local branch.
Finally, what would happen to all the other issues I care about — pay, allowances, protection of earnings, early retirement, safety, holidays, etc., if the national union were badly split?
For a time, nothing. Then, when the Coal Board/ Government judged the time to be right, many gains and agreements would be destroyed as is already happening in some areas. Years — decades — of advance would be unilaterally abandoned in the face ot a divided workforce too weak to retaliate. What remains of the ihdustry would then be delivered on a platter to private enterprise and the clock turned back nearly half a century. Arm yourself with this information, raising the various points at your branch meetings. Do not allow yourself to be silenced. You have the right to be heard.
Editor: ALAN FREEMAN Published weekly except two weeks in August and ne as week or becemoer Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily represent Socialist Action's views. These are ex pressed in editorials.
Send all correspondence regarding subscrintions sales and receipts to Socialist Action Distribution, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP Send all material for publication (including advertising) to Socialist Action Editorial at the same address. We regret that due to the high cost of postage we cannot return or acknowledge unsolicited copy photographs unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope.
2 Socialist Action. 26 July 1985
the mass media and Coal News.
follow. The
Already the TUC and Labour Par-
The important part to
introduced similar
of which 8 per cent will be fed back to
4.
JUST OVER a week since the Lynk breakaway was announced, the situation in the Notts coalfield remains unclear. Last week, an opinion poll showed 53 percent of Notts miners in favour of sticking with the national union. But Lynk, the Coal Board, and the press barons are doing their utmost to turn that around.
Since the Notts NUM Berry Hill headquarters have consistently suppressed literature sent from the national union throughout the 12 months of the strike, information is at a premium in the Notts coalfield.
Miners from Pye Hill and Moorgreen pits in the south, which are being closed, are reporting to places like Bevercotes for transfer only to be told by management: 'no strikers, no Scargill supporters, no NUM members.'
The whole weight of the Coal Board and their collaborators in the area is being brought to bear to convince the miners that they have no choice but to o with the 'Nottinghamshire Union of Mineworkers'. Such a move would make it easy for the Tories to consider privatisation of the coalfield, not to mention the damage they would dearly love to inflict on the NUM.
At the moment Roy Lynk and his cohorts are investigating 'merger deals with breakaways in other areas, faced with the High Court ruling for a ballot, these 'super-democrats' are looking for a back-door way to break with the NUM.
CAROL TURNER reports from Notts. WITH THE experience of Spencerism in mind, Notts militants feared from the start of the strike that the right wing area leadership was to form a break away union. The moves in this direction were stepped up at the end of 1984, when those same area leaders organised a Notts rule-change ballot aimed at undermining the power of the national union.
which said that in any conflict between area and national rules, national rules applied. Notts area council, on 20 December 1984, contirmed the change.
changes were the National Coal Board — who issued soothing statements about the coalfield's rosy future — and the Nottingham Evening Post. The latter carried a series of 'exclusives' 'moderate area leaders'.
The changes would, claimed the Post, *put thousands of working miners in Nottinghamshire beyond the disciplinary powers of President Arthur Scargill.' It was consistently
7DV all that such moves represented
to break with the NUM. Notts miners voted by 13 pre In July this cent - with 8000 not voting - to reject the upcoming rule changes. Once the Post and the Coal Board campaigned alongside the area officials for that vote.
When NUM national conference voted to sack the new scab general secretary of Nottinghamshire, Roy Lynk, Notts area ha already appointed him. The Notts Evening Post shed crocodile tears at the treatment of the 13-person delegation in Sheffield. It courage to endure what Roy Lakes special
Prendergas and the rest of the Notts lad are going through.'
No ballot
Two days later Lynk and Co had walked out of conference proclaiming their breakaway. There would be no ballot they said, the men had already voted whelmingly against the rule changes.
That weekend, represen branches voted 228 to 20 for a resolution dissociating the area from the national union with immediate effect. The Monday editorial
The proposed change was simple: delete Rule 30,
Among those campaigning hard for the Notts rule
extensively quoting unnamed
of the Post again welcomed the decision as a return to traditional principles and Value of British unionism'. One in the eye for playgrounc bully' Arthur Scargili Victory demonstration of the Notts miners in 1972
Notts delegation at NUM conference
The same day Ray Chadburn was locked out of the area offices. He hasn't been readmitted since.
Chadburn and Henry Richardson have challenged the area decision in the High Court. Lynk told the Post he'd undertaker change the rules except ir the proper manner. "But, he said,
and will not obey, national union. As far as I'm concerned, we are not in the NUM.
Superscab
Superscab Lynk poses as
super-democrat. He describes the decision to split from the NUM as The beginning of what I believ will be a maior new force 1 moderate trade unionism in inis country.
KEEP
He explains: 'We are determined to maintain our links, both political and financial, with the Labour Party' But in Notts it widely rumoured that he was on the verge of joining the SDP before the split took place.
Despite the efforts of the NUM-sponsored MPs, Con cannon and Haynes, to back Lynk up, Kinnock's state ment to the Durham miners gala rormany canca ror uni ty and distanced the party from the breakaway. NUM loyalists want clearer action from the Labour Party and the TUC.
'Kinnock appealed to the Notts miners to stay national, says Les Dennis, wno was pickel manager al Linby pit throughout the
but that not enough. Him and Willis must go public. They've got to get on the telly and ex-
plain they're not going te access summed.
summed the Notts: 'We changed our Notts rules last December. The Linby men as a whole voted against the changes, but when it got unrougn une area we cepted we'd been out-voted. Out-voted
'In Sheffield a fortnight ago, it was the same system. Lynk and them took part in the vote - - then thev back screaming they didn't like it. Those are the "true democrats" for you.
'On the Notts balance sheet it said we won't accep the rule changes, and if need be we would break away or be expelled. But that's two separale quesuons. Iven nac voted not to accept the rule
voted to break away.
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NATIONAL!
Photo• MARK SALMON
SINCE THE Notts delegation
miners in, the gaffer's or the national?
Breakaway leaders
they controlled it, it was a seab union meeting'
At Linby pit, Les Dennis went along meeting with 80 or so other strikers. They clearly outnumbered Lynk and Lynk supporters. After attempts by the chair to stop questions and evict questioners, a resolution of support for out of order.
At Welbeck, Mark marched out with others when branch officials made clear the meeting was of the Notts breakaway. At Ollerton and Blidworth it happened reverse. Both their loyalty to the NUM
Miners have been told: 'If you don't want to be in dues. Area management have circulated miners asting if they want to 'opt in' to the NUM, a de facto recognition of the breakaway.
If dues are stopped they
they take management's offer to make pay-
NOTTS
Demonstration in support of the strike Mansfield May 1984
walked out of the mineworkers national conference there has been much confusion in the Notts coalfield. What union are the
have organised a series of branch meetings to try and tell the men that they're now in the Nottinghamshire Union of Mineworkers. •We've got our hands tied behind our backs with this legal business', said Mark Hunter from Welbeck colliery. If we controlled the meeting, it was national. If
ment direct to the national union they automatically recognise breakaway. 'It's our union. We're not giving it to Lynk and Co.,' said Billy Seeton from Welbeck.
Thoresby
Paul Galloway described the Thoresby meeting. 'It
tional minute book', he said, 'but the branch officials made clear their allegiance lay with the Nottinghamshire Union of Mineworkers, not the natlonal.' 'We tried to use the meeting as a platform to get our views over to as many miners as we could, explaining the significance of the Spencer Union. Wes will resist any attempt to break up the union. 'It's a bosses union like it was before, said Mary Hallum, whose Edwinstowe sacked support
group helps look after Thoresby's sacked striker, Alexander Denham. 'But it's difficult to get this through to people of this area when they're thinking only of money and not their future. It's hard when you're on your own, but there's a lot more could be done
Distributing the latest issue of The Miner has been,
LENC tirs1 step towards a campaign to keep Notts national.
reinforcement is urgently needed. Regular NICCHINES are held between the national
inion and NUM supporter from the Notts area. Plans are already under way more literature and for public and pithead meetings, as well as a demonstration and rally in Hucknall on 24 August.
Railroaded
Support from the wider labour movement is only Just beginning. Resolutions condemning the breakaway and retusing it recognition are filtering through some of the Notts Labour Parties.
The Nottingham Trades Council met last week ang heard Henry Richardson describe the situation for the NUM. We can win in Notts, he said, by putting our case in deicnice of the national union and explaining the
need for it. He believes that Notts miners being railroaded into support fora breakaway, that there won't be a ballot for Notts because Lynk and co will find a way round that.
The trades council is circulating its affiliates with a resolution condemning the
attempts divide the NUM and calling upon all unions to refuse i recognition. Their decision to support the Kent NUM's Lobby of the TUC on September, was taken with the breakaway in mind. And trades councillors Will bE further discussing what steps can be taken to stand firm with the NUM.
Publicity
One such is Welbeck colliery's plan to write to every
try publicising the Notts position. But, with official literature invariably locked in the Berry Hill Notts area office, getting through to local miners, especially those who worked during the strike, is a big problem We're fighting to regroup the said Mark. not just strikers' association we're after, even though it's those after, even though it's those who were on strike who are taking this lead in the Notts pits.
the pit gates handing it out.
Gwen told us:
response has been quite good. At least 80 Phe cent of the men took Miner. refused it, or threw it in the Only vany few
bin when they realised what it was
I think if we can give it to them their hand then they'll redu If it's delivered properly throughout the coalfield then we'll get good
But it's no good giving them The Miner this : week then forgetting it. We've got to keep up the pressure on the Notts coalfield by having another edition, or Drodasneet within a few weeks.
We need a high profile, and to organise many public meetings as possible with national figures.
Hopetuly we'll get enough information out and enough publicity that we'll actually
This cartueris the
area of the National Union of Mineworkers and
other breakaway unions from the NUM
The breakaway' union represents the efforts of
rional Union of Mineworkers and its continuing struggle against pit closures
We call upon the .. de vora breakaway union from the National Union of Mineworkers as a bona-fide trade union and
both the TUC and Labour Party at national, regional and local levels.
...
shire general secretary,
breakaway from the
stated in the Leicester Mercury that the
than the NUM could ever get.
The Dirty 30 Leicester-
shire striking miners
responded declaring
that they would reform the
•Leicester NUM and ге main in the national union
there was any
breakaway.
Jones and che scab
delegates from Bagworth
and Ellistown, the two ma-
jor pits in Leicestershire,
nalve already planned
along with the South Der-
byshire executive, to join
Notts. The Bagworth
delegate had openly an-
nounced at a meeting on 9
June the minutes of secret
meetings with Lynk and
It is obyious to us that
Jones and the executive
have planned for
breakaway. Members of
the Dirty 30 are taking the
arguments to
miners who are beginning
to listen.
17 July Maicolm
Pinnegar and Mick Rich-
mond issued a statement
the Mercury which
declared that miners were
Notts women get organised
TRUE TO their role throughout the strike, Notts women were among the first to organise support for the NUM in Notts. Notts Women Against Pit Closures, a delegate body of all the women's support groups in the coalfield, is circulating the resolution printed below to help build support for the national union. As soon as the latest issue of The Miner arrived, women were at
Notts WAPC chair, GWEN MeLEOD was among them. She's been to Silverbill, where her husband lan was picket manager during the strike, and to Sutton.
get lot who worked through the strike to attend these meetings. they hear the arguments - the truth ther we'l get decent return on the vote.
If it's left like it was in the strike, if the Notts new uses • Ine paganda, the same type of anti-Scargill literature which was aimed at trightening men by talking about violence - if that same profile's kept up, then I think Lynk will achieve his two-thirds vote.
But if there's cationa tonto hand the national and facts are put forward - the facts of what happened the annual conference and the truth's brought out, then the men will know that if their officials had • stayed in the union they could have
NOTTS WOMEN AGAINST PIT
CLOSURES MODEL RESOLUTION
• An
National tion
• We call upon the to refuse to recognise any other
affiliation to
And in Leicestershire
DURING THE past fortnight big winds of change have been blowing through the Leicestershire mining areas around Coalville. After Notts announced the breakaway scab leader Jack Jones, Leicester-
announced that the area would go to its membership to decide regarding any
NUM. On Tuesday 9 July Jones began to sow the seeds for action when he
Notts breakaway would get a far better deal from the NCB
being misled over the split.
Most the working miners had little understanding of the situation JES was LUI surprisine as the union's official paper had not been distributed in the pits for 16 months.
By Mick Richmond
The demned talk of ballotting on the issue in Leicestershire as a smokescreen.
The executive had already planned split What wollid Souppe Derbyswire now was South would ballot first. There was likely to be a strong majority there, and this would boost the split vote in Notts, where it seems the majority do not want to break away.
The day after the statement appeared in the Mercury, copies the une edition of The Miner ap peared at Leicestershire's four pits. In the afternoon was approached by a
Socialist Action 26 July 1985
changed certain ruk democratically They're always talkin tended to carry it out. If th men realised, then we couk have success and win ballot The women feel they'v got to take a lead It's ou coalfield. We'll whatever's necessary make sure that the Nott doesn't break from the national union And if it does eventuall happen, we want to mak DULC there's enough who stay with the nationa to be able to go on and cam paign to bring people back The Notts Wome Against Pit Closures is try Publicity as possible to peo to out mucl ple who supported during the strike - to ur formi them what's going o in the coalfield, and to mak them aware that whatever' happening this could happen to their union The problem is not onl a breakaway right-win! union. It will' be the non membership whicl would also come out of this That's what this govern mentis hoping will happen In the long run that's wha it's all about: the destruc tion of the trade •movement Other important aspects that could be incor porated into this resolution are: individual's memberson the breakaway union from the NUM is not counted as bona-fide trade union membership qualifica
... to take a clear positior on this issue by reaffirming full support for the National Union of Mineworkers as affiliated to the TUC and Labour Party.
• We call upon the ... to mobilise public support for the NUM and assist in the campaign in both practical and financial ways.
miner, very nervous, who asked to meet me in the car park. He asked: 'What will me my mates do Leicestershire breaks away? We know you were right but we were scared by Jones' words that violence would if pickets carth met violence here. Will you help us who want to stay in the NUM? I told him that he and his mates were not the only ones who wanted to stay in the NUM. Men from Bagworth and the other three pits in Leicestershire also wanted to stay, and we would reform the Leicestershire NUM. He left me thanking. me for lalking to him and helpins him. His last remark wa 'You won't forget us will you Rico?'
I drove home from the pit feeling sense achievement, a feeling o warmth like a lovely glow. A feeling not fel for a very long time.
Jones and the scab officials had listened to and educated the young miners, indeed all miners. they would have joined the strike March 1984 without a ballot. It is these scab leaders that have to go.
The Dirty 30 will en courage young miners to remain loyal to the NUM even if some of them are only looking after themselves.
Page 4 scan of this page
The Orgreave frame-up
4 Socialist Action 26 July 1985
Scargill
launches
amnesty
campaign
Arthur Scargill laun-
amnesty campaign at a packed meeting in London last Thursday. Speaking to over 1,000 people in overflowing Friends Meet-
House, called the imprisoned miners 'political prisoners' and demanded the reinstatement
sacked
was jointly organised by the Kent NUM and the South East Region
Scargill was backed up by Joan Maynard of the Campaign group of MPs whose petition demanding amnesty being supported by the NUM. Maynard pointed out that if the Thatcher government don the murderer lan Smith in Timbabwe. could easily arrange amnesty for HILLES Britain if it wanted.
Collins, secretary of the Kent NUM, said the imprisoned miners are working
Hanna salute them.'
Women
• standini ovation
vgs piven to liz Frenc wife of imprisoned Kent miners' Terry French. Making the col-
she said the release of the im-
was the responsiblity of the en-
movement. 'What we want is our
back and it is up to you lot out there to get our men back.
Over £10,000 was raised in the collection from trade ches and miners' support groups. Amnesty
It was a beginning to the campaign which has to be followed op with similar meetings and platforms around
entire there ones called tor t september and d mass lobby of Parliament called by the NUM for October.
• Copies of the national petition on amnesty can be obtained from the National nion Mineworkers, St James House, Vicar Lane, Sheffield.
For information on the campaign in the South East contact Jack
Collins, general secretary of Kent NUM (phone 0304 206661).
'THE WORST scene of public disorder in Britain this century' stated assistant chief constable Clement at the beginning of the trial in May.
country, this century,' concluded defence barrister Greg Taylor as the prosecution announced the collapse of its case in the Orgeave riot' trial. CLIVE TURNBULL reports on the demolition of the police case.
Fourteen miners walked free from Sheffield crown after 48 days on trial for riot. A 'frame-un' is exact-
what the prosecution case showed itselt to be.
The frame-up had already started be exposed weeks earlier when the charges against a fifteenth defendant, Brian More-
Durham had been dropped.
In this case the defence challenged the authenticity of the signature to the
stalent of atresting officer PC Thomas
When the court reconvened following the challenge original statement had 'mysteriously' disappeared from a locked court room
A photocopy was sent to a handwriting expert, however, who testified that PC Brophy had forg
another officer's signature.
The defence established that some
officers witness statements started
identical WILI first three paragraphs.
Some PCs denied any collusion, but PC Fred Browning testified that a plain clothes officer had dictated a *scene setter'. 'We just wrote down what we were told, Browning admitted, as he agreed that his statement was partly inaccurate.
The defence successfully established from the start of the case that if ANOTHER POLICE frame up collapsed last week when on Monday 15 July, the fifteen miners in the eight week long Coal House trial were found not guilty on TERRY LYNSKEY, Hatfield Main colliery, one of the defendants in the trial explained the events to Socialist Action.
*A small team of COSA • members Char mounted loyal, dedicated picket line outside the Coal Board head-
quarter:
from day one of the strike
But despite two large
pickets seeking support for
the NUM the Coal House staff showed no loyalty to
negotiating strength had
secured such enviable
wages and working conditions the clerical workers.
After the events
Orgreave, the relationship
between police and pickets
had seriously deteriorated.
At the same time Leon
Brittan was publically ad-
vocating more severe
charges and penalties
against miners.
26 June 1984 we
deployed at Coal House.
The plan Was lu seek sup-
show sotharity with the
solidarity with the
loyal few who were out on
strike. This subsequently
led 15 men to appear in
Sheffield crown court.
'The worst example of a mass frame-up in this
any 'riot' had taken place at Orgreave on 18 June it
riot. The police confrontation with the pickets had been deliberately decided upon.
Under cross• examination chief constable Clement aamitea mal lncle were alternative courses of action that could have been taken that day closure of Orgreave, as has already happened once before, or the use of road blocks to divert pickets as Nottinghamshire police did with 12,900 miners on that day alone.
Left
Instead it was decided to deploy riot police toI the first time in Britain to
the Public Order Tactical Ontions manua drawn up
the Association of Chief Police Officers 1981.
This manual includes Police Support vancing to: "disperse the crowd and incapacital missile throwers and ringleaders Dy suiking In a controlled manner with hatons about the arms and legs or torso so as not to
These instructions contradict official guidelines on the use of
- supposedly only to be used in self-
in the view of defence barrister Paddy
Coal House trial
charges of riot and unlawful assembly.
A large gathering of
pickets greeted the clerical
staff from 7.30am on-
wards. Many of these staff
made their way past the
pickets without any in
terference whatsoever
The police and senior NCB
staff decided to marshall
the clerks in the police station access road until
police reinforcements ar-
rived. They were then to
escort them into the
building behind a cordon of police. Crime
This was unnecessary and deliberately
vocative. If they had been
left alone, they could have gone in — as many of their
colleagues had. It is clear
that a very large number of
staff went in without any police escort.
The pickets were mainand good
humoured, urging the staff to "support your
union,' 'stand by
miners, it's your job as
well as ours.'
Arthur Scargill being arrested at Orgreave
O'Connor, "They are quite
incitement tc police officers to commit criminal offences, such as
jured at Orgreave that day
defendants in the trial. Ar-
senous ncad munes wack
to explain how Critchlow supposedly
Paul claimed that Critchlow had run backwards five yards as he was throwlig a stole kerb, and hit his head on a
iddy O'Connor produced photographs of the scene, measurements of the pave. ment and the and asked PC Norris he seriously expected the court to believe that anyone COlO run backwards, throwing
clear six teet of pavement
three feet high.
A small minority were shouting insults and abusive remarks. I saw no physical violence or stones thrown. It was the heavy handed methods of the led to cupies and areas : that None of the 15 men trial were accused of at-
staff
The offences alleged the police bordered the
probably secured
Ilaeistl ales court if the
All 15 of
At a magistrates
was added.
time, defenc
conflicting evidence. the
dictated,
confident
Unless with "are you
sieg, Picket, One familiar
Arthur Critchlow, a pointed out what had really happened after the trial "This was a political trial government and a last the
all the media were against us Leon Brittan in his infamous speech to the House of Commons nac stated that miners involved in serious acts of violence and crowd disorder would face life imprisonment.
Experience
'In this trial the majority of us were arrested for a breach of the peace, and
therinar. shey came to
ove cell in my came to
case and charged me with riot the
ole in were are ted
other were arrested for unlawful assembly and their charges were changed to riot.
"The police didn't do that off their own bat They had to haye word. from somewhere, and it's we would be acquitted of those ridiculous, malicious charges.
It was the fight for jobs which led many miners facing serious charges and dismissal from their jobs The number of pits closed since Police attack demonstrators at Orgreave
obvious where it came
fro mritchlow added, It's
a definite victory for the NUM, without doubt. It's a political victory
«Those leader: of the Labour Party and trade unions who were attacking miners for violence, and for violence at Orgreave should be coming out noy openly for us. It's beel proven now that we were not the type of people por. trayed by the media. All i was was a basic case of self-defence.
Orgreave was a police riot, although they" admit to it. No two ways about it. They were going to take us on and show us who were gaffers
'It proves what Scargil said all along that the violence lay with the police, and it's they who Labour leaders should
nave the carristers who
"The barristers defended us in this case are asking for a public enquiry into the policing Orgreave. Kinnoc and Willis should be saying, "now what really went on here.' the strike, and the thousands of jobs sacrificed, clearly shows LITe urgency to continue the campaign.
Sadly, many miners have learnt no lessons as a result of the longest strike
VUl history. Divisive
News
'If you look at the majority of miners in prison or those who are sacked, their cases were at the neign or une strike, willl e massive media campaign against us. It tney gone on trial like us, a year later, wouldn't happened Without doubt they are innocent men
'There are another cirgre ta, thirty-re charges for Orgreave, for Coal House All those charges should be dropped.
A review of the impending cases against the more than one hundred miners awaiting trial for riot at Orgreave or Coal HOUSE has been ordered by Attorney General, Sir Michael Havers.
However eight miners
riot unlawful assembly arising from a picket of Ross ington colliery near Doncaster opens . on Monday 22 July at Sheffield crown court.
Stop press: Following the
of the Orgreave and Coal House frame-up: the prosecution accepted the ending of the ROss ington trial on the same day it started. The defendants agreed to be bound over for a year for 2100 -with charges dropped
The judge made agreement to be bound that agreement to over meant accepting guilt. The defence totally rejected this - if the pro-
secution could prove guill it should have gone • forward with the trial. reality the prosecution felt it could not win its case.
other 'riot' frame-ups is bonus schemes are being implemented the Yorkshire coalfield turn. ing miner against miner and giving huge coalstocksagain for the bosses to use AHOLISL UN
FIGHT GOES ON!
Page 5 scan of this page
South Wales under the hammer
News
ON 8 JULY the
Financial Times and
the Daily Telegraph
jointly leaked the
NCB's plans on pit
closures. They showed
the Coal Board in-
tends to close fifty pits
under the next phase
of its programme and
Photo: GM COOKSON
demanded
By Nigel Bevan, Penrhiwceiber Lodge Committee (personal capacity)
ON THURSDAY 18 July the NCB announced the closure of Penrhiwceiber colliery. The pit is situated in the Cynon valley, where the loss of 569 jobs plus the jobs related to the pit will send unemployment soaring. The NCB has used the economic argument to close the pit because they have no other excuse.
million which means that we have lost, on average, £67 per ton. The NCB has played a very clever public relations game and has said that it has given us a fl million coal face which is not producing enough coal to make it profitable — and that it would be cheaper to mine the existing reserves from the Deep Navigation, a neighbouring pit.
These statements are true but witnout other information are completely misleading. In fact the pit has had no investment in the key areas, and it is this Inal makes i allncul lo
coal Penrhiwcelber. use are more suited to a mining Husculi than producing coal mine.
We have the conditions to produce our target easily. In the NCB engineer's own words, the coal faces are in very good and cellent COPULON But because of the time spent waiting for clearance efficient working is not made
NO PIT CLOSURES!
axe minimum of
50,000 jobs.
These 'leaks' total-
ly confirm Arthur
Scargill's claim that
the real long term aim
of the Coal Board and
government is to close
70 pits and lose more
THATCHER
MYDECAD
Penrhiwceiber closure
On the Coal Board's estimate the pit has lost £21 possible.
With regard reserves in the pit. board spent £1.5 mile= developing access to a new seam which would give 20 years' life to the colliery
Then it abandoned
wastlig all tae time, effort and money
•he management has robbed us of the right to mine this area.
The coal board also claims that vandalism during the strike has damaged the future of the pit. We ed security for for increased security years and have been told that the police were not available.
than 70,000 jobs. The
NUM's claims had
always previously
been dismissed by the
government and NUM
right, wing as 'alar-
mism'.
The brunt of the
threatened closures Yet when Watson, the scab at the Phurnacite plant, broke the there were over 400 police on hand at once to escort him through the gates.
We calculate that given investment in transportation of coal to the pit top
year even on NCB figures.
pose closure and take the Dit into the review procedure. The tactics we employ will be crucial to the future of Penrhiwceiber.
Campaign
We will be campaigncommunity around a petition and will
Mining Women Closurec Carpag group of MP: and other willing hele necessary there will te further industrial action.
If all these measures
munity lose its lifeline but the NUM will lose one of its most militant lodges in South Wales one which up to now has been a scabfree zone.
are to be in the peripheral coalfields of Scotland, South Wales, and Kent. NIGEL BEVAN, GRAHAM ATWELL, DARRYL
ROGER GODFREY
report. tention to close Penrhiwceiber colliery.
ment in the Valley is in excess of 35 per cent.
GRAHAM ATWELL reports.
Pit closures in South Wales nave become almost week v occurrence since the end of the strike. The NCB no longer needs to make any secret of their
axe many more collieries. So far the board has announced th closure of Bedwas and Si Johns in mid-Glamorgan, Markham and Celynen South Gwenty Treforgan West Glamorgan, as well Penrhiwceiber.
The number of lost job places in these pits will iotal more than 3,500 although only a tew hundred miners have left the industry so far. by the NCB.
ed during the 1984-5 strike.
pits in Kent
miners' strike. nounced that it was closing Tilmanstone.
DARRYL
the threatened closure.
THE NCB has been accus ed of planning the closure of an additional 50 pits with the loss of 50,000 jobs. How was the closure of Tilmanstone revealed?
There was no negotiation about Tilmanstone or any other pit. The closure was announced by the coalboard reconvened review meeting at Dover We were summoned to a meeting by the NCB where they told uS that Tilmansione would
=-2
cłosare
'getting eren' with Kent for its militancy?
The coalboard has for some time wanted io close Kent as they have with ali
other periphera. coalfields in the country. The peripheral
VIES dre often the most militant, for many different reasons. And the miners in those areas have been
LAST THURSDAY the NCB announced their in-
The announcement drew an angry response from Cynon Valley MP Anne Clwyd who pointed out unemploy-
There is a widespread belief that Penrhiwceiber is being closed due to its long tradition of militancy.
Whilst Bedwas, Celynen South and Treforgan
closures, miners at St.
Markham Penrhiwceiber have relected the board's nans despite intense pressure especially directed at older miners.
The closure plans will now go to the new review procedure, although une NCB are adamant that the collieries will detinitely
The South Wales NUM has remained almost completely silent whilst the closures are going through. Last week president Terry
Kent under attack
THE KENT coalfield, like other NUM areas with a militant tradition, has been progressively run down
1956 5,000 miners were employed in Kent. This had dropped to 3,500 in 1972. Now, after the latest spate oi redundancies, there are only 1.500 mining jobs left. Fifty miners from Kent were sack-
In 1969 the Chislet pit closed leaving only three
Betteshanger, Tilmanstone and Snowdown. Snowdown was one of the five 'hit list' pits whose threatened closure sparked off the 1984
On 29 June this year the NCB an-
HILLGROVE talked ROGER GODFREY, secretary of Tilmanstone NUM, about
TiME forefront of fights agalnst social lyusuice.
Kent area, coming in the all cill South, something of an anomaly.
A lot of victimised miners have ended up there, hence its tradition of militancy, There is little sea of militancy in an otherwise Tory area.
What is the future for the Kent coalfield!
The ai achiered
SEcE
The region bett the Neat coalfreid is non-industrial ployment area. What are the possibilities for sacked and redundant miners to get other jobs?
Our area has unemDiotment rate of li per cent. Having said that a large number
Thomas ruled out any further industrial action. Despite its so called 'alternative strategy' for taking the fight into the community the Wales Congress in Support of Mining
Communities has also remained silent.
The response of the Labour Parti in Glamorgan Closures has been a capi
paign by Ray Powell, MP
Ogmore, expell from the Labour Party St Johns lodge secretary Ian Isaacs as a supporter of the Militant. Unity
It has been largely left шо не cv elop their own campaign against closures. St Johns has led a vigorous public
an independent enquiry in Cardiff last week chaired by Lord Fischer - former have already locally, that left the industry. with the redundancies have gone through, and they seem to be getting jobs. Perhaps employers are looking for strike breakers. but on the tact of it, they are not finding it difficult to get other work.
When was the Kent coalfield taken out of the South Midlands area?
We were in the South Midlands area financially and administratively. Three weeks after the re. cent strike ended an an-
without any consultation with the NUM that were now out of the South Midlands area. No reason was given for this. We can only assume that it is the forerunner to the closure of the Kent coalfield. Just after the decision to take uS out of the South Medlands area the ciosure
Tizarcone d2 a7-
How are the workers at Thaaastone fighting
Hie reject the plan for Losure so we are going to
review give Meanwhile
cave plan to that of the NCB.
go
0i coa
All the tests show that this better and thicker than any we are Working at the moment
Deleve this seam would secure a future for Illmanstone ahild Kent.
Socialist Action 26 July 1985 5 secretary of NUPE
The enquiry received reports from Andrew Glyn of Oxford university, as well as a full geological survey from a
NCB geologist The reports all emphasiser that the cost of closing Si Johns is far in excess of the
tained, and that further in. vestment could result the colliery becoming fitable even in then pro
terms.
Clearly if there is to be any chance of stopping the Coal Board through their plans South Wales NUM must launch a general campaign agains all the pit closures. With little prospect of any acLeadership he present are leadership vital that lodges wheel • unreal l together and produce their
back against the NCB'S closure plans.
Our own engineers have approved this plan. In the mean time we are looking to all the labour movement and all the public to apply
the Government and the NCB.
The appeal meeting won't take place TOI number of months. We have leaflets, stickers, petitions and speakers who will speak anywhere about the proposed closur
The Kent area is depen dent coalfield Everyone is going to sufter. The coalfield puts £24 million into the local economy each year. That will end if the pits go. We are trying to broaden our fight out so the local com munity realises what is at
The Aylesham miners and miners' wIVeS are organising 'Mines no wiselles evenl lor thres days over the August Bank holiday. This be • broadened out to take in the defence of Tilmarstone.
The proposed dosure of Timeanstone appears part of a pattera of action ti the NCB that has bets resentd since the ero o the strike?
A number of closure have been announced and about ten or these reached the apper cedure. This is a prove _= that has not beer.
posed it utor us.
NUM Timares one ancie
appeare help in the ligh: agai closure of their su lact the Timarscre lieri Dejerse
Berza.
Page 6 scan of this page
No brea
Socialist Action 26 July 1985
CAROL TURNER: interviewer
TETER HEATHFIELD, general
retary of the NUM,
ad on 19 Inly on the breakawa.
Notts aud the outcome of the
A conference.
THE RULE changes daimed precipitated weakaway went very
ep bad been hampaining for,
had been campaigning for, Edn't they? How do you feel about
e results of your conference?
it sas a useful conference with a large measure of unity. The fact that 75 per Dent of the delegates present voted for coptance of the new rule book was important.
Secondly, concern about some of the new rules was reflected in the two tbirds decision to amend six of those rules. Significantly, had the delegates remained in the conference a further eight could have been amendred.
It was democracy at work. The new rules were not an attempt by the leadership is mer central ok
NUM. rule ecognises we're a federal organisation. So to suggest, as some of the media lave, that it was making Scargill's control WYcl the union • VINCISC The rules are not changed at 40 year
intervals - thev can be changed each year. The rules of the NUM have been modified. If the new rules create some difficulties then I'm sure they'll modified again.
The main changes in the rule book arise from new legislation. We had to respond to the Tory anti-trade union taws in order to protect the interests not only of the national and area leaders, but rank and file delegates who needed protecting. That was done. changes to political funds also had to be recognised and some provision made in the new rule book.
So, troduce new rules designed to discipline people who didn't participate in the strike — lar from 1t: it was necessary to modernise the rule book, to rid it of the
Homens demonstration in South Wales
in Shef-
that Lynk
the That much in
The
The national
as bringing
during the dispute,
tinue.
Notts
union.
groups are still in operation. book Sheffield in dicates they're alive and kicking.
was industry but in
continue to encourage them.
Significantly, months,
be no cashThey've helped considerably.
TUC conferences!
The legal
two to the TUC future Labour
attemot to in-
month,
WOME
language and attitudes of the 1940s.
was approved in 1983. Unfortunately, it's taken us this long to do it.
associate membership for women, wasn't it?
leadership were disappointed. We saw associate membership
LUTCLICH the women's groups because of the role they played that we need that movement to con-
We need the women's groups to prosper. If we are continuing to campaign for the preservation of jobs and mining communities, then they have a very important role to play. We wanted them to be identified closely with the
The vast majority of the women's
They're having an annual conference here in
mid-August, which They are an important group, not just in the
the mining munities. We will do all in our power to
in the last three the women's groups on the coalfields have been helping to sustain this organisation financially. We've got
we're still under the receiver.
Can you say something about the NUM resolutions to the Labour Party and
Hostel.
We sent one to the Labour Party and
We're calling for a government to pletely review the sentences and imprisonment of miners. Although, all things being equal, the overwhelming majority of those imprisoned will be out before the nextgeneral election - 9
and 18 month to try
sentences will have been completed -we still feel that an amnesty or a review is essentiai.
This has been highlighted by the nonsense of the riot cases that have collapsed: Orgreave, Coal House in Don-
Cardiff. It's highlighted the hypocrisy and lies that have been levelled against the miners. The cost to the state and the cost to miners have beer ex rolan.
What was the mood of delegates at the conference? What sort of feeling did you get about the lessons they'd drawn from the strike?
I didn't detect any despondency. I thought there was tremendous spirit to carry on the struggle. Obviously, life's very difficult, for miners and for trade unionists.
To all intents and purposes the industry is now being privately managed. Relationships are being destroyed by . MacGregor, who applying autocratic style of management that's creating a determination and a unifying approach. MacGregor will learn can't produce coal by an autocratic method. He can only produce coal by cooperation. The quicker he does that, the better for the industry.
I've just spent the last few days in Notts, where the situation is very confused. There are letters from the Coal Board trying to get miners to sign away their NUM membership. There ficens are meeting he members
telling members they're now members of the tingham Union of Mineworkers. Can you say, from the national union's point of view, what the situation is?
We are mindful of what's taking place in Nottingham and have endeavoured to get a judgement to clarify the situation. From our point of view, we firmly believe that Lynk is in breach of the last judgement and, in consequence, the actions that are taking place are in con-
Our concern is that the National Coal Board is doing its utmost to persuade miners to associate with sweetheart union being promoted the present leadership in Notts. have now an organisation that is planning a great deal of work in the coalfield,
and arrest the movement that Lynk is developing and, importantly,
persuade people to stay with the NUM. We are pretty confident that we will achieve that objective.
Would you go back a bit, to the point at conference when Lynk and the Notts delegation walked out, and explain what's happened since then?
Well, it was rather a strange action for
'democrats' to participate in a ballot on
an
he
Funeral of Joe Green have the merits and demerits of a rule book
and lo vote against because the ballot went the wrong way, Not- to leave the conference.
But it's not really a question of the new rule book because the Notts leadership have distanced themselves from
nonsense to say it's the new rules that they are unwilling to accept.
It is pretty obvious that they made up their minds to break away many months ago. situation was developing, from our solicitors that the Notts barristers were prefixing their discussions with 'when we break away' was in February and March before the the strike had ended. by We knowledge. The Notts leadership would have
preferred for us to expel them, but we didn't embark on that action because of our knowledge of what they were planning.
Their actions, as far as we were concerned, are illegal: the rule book clearly states tnat tney are members of the NUM. Their attitude to loyalists of the NUM is illegal - the implication being that to remain in the NUM they must sign a form The NUM organisation of the Notts coalfield; if they choose to break away, it is they disassociate
Defend t
INTERVIEW WITH
NUM. it, and then, the NUM
situation.
We knew in April that that precedence we knew
- and that
That was common
I think the recognised
from their way.
All the agreements are with not with SUlk othet organisation. As far as we re concerned, our actions will be to retain that
Sadly, again, we look like being drawn through the courts - using the courts to resolve our problems.
The anticipation of the breakaway was fairly obvious when they voted against rule 30, which gave the national rules
the local rules.
Through the press and to their own
and Co consistently denied that their intention was to break away. What do you think was actually behind the intention of the breakaway? What do you think they're after?
it's modern variety. of Spencerism. It's an attempt, really, to take advantage in the short term of the high levels of productivity in Notts
It's a mercenary attitude, because they see themselves as high earners, and hope that by going it alone they can push that advantage further. What they
fail to appreciate is that MacGregor is hellbent on fragmenting the NUM, and they've fallen for that.
By fragmenting the NUM, you ob viously weaken the unity and solidarity that would normally prevail, and that makes it easier for the employers to get
Page 7 scan of this page
kaway!
My view is that it will hasten privatisation in the Notts coalfield and the problems will really emerge for the breakaway organisation.
Incidentally, the rule about the national rules superseding area rules is not new; that's. been in the rulebook since 1944 in the model rules, so to suggest that that's the reason Lynk's supporters wish to themselves trom the union is absolute nonsense that's been there all the time.
The confusion that I mentioned earlier - you spoke about an organisation being built up in Notts io arrest the breakaway — are you referring to the Notts Forum?
We are looking at the loyalists to the NUM: the Forum is one aspect of it.
We've had meetings with represenStatives from all the pits, every pit in the coalfield, who wish to remain in the NUM. And we've discussed with them our strategy and how the campaign will develop, with rallies, meetings, leaflets
rather than newspapers be related to each pit, rather than a generalised thing for the whole of the coalfield.
We will be working intensely during AueySt and September. ment, holidays in create certain problems, but we will be dealing with that.
he NUM!
PETER HEATHFIELD
into Notts in order to miners to stay in the NUM?
women in the coalfield,
and groups. confusion as _Io They're
they plans... be done. when we've we've got the
come. backed him up
the Post describes him NUM's arguments to be fought out.
distance
union newspaper, happy
from democratic.
elected him
disposing of him.
not 'democratic'.
leadership.
he's far from being democratic.
At the moNottinghamshire
Do you intend to put national resources
persuade the the
We will be having meetings throughout the period; we will be making arrangements to have discussion with the We've
and the cam- nock. paign will be developed around loyal
WONCES support
What should the NUM members in Notts actually do themselves? The ones at pits who have got hold of The Miner I know have been distributing them, but this hasn't got all the way round yet. as far as I've heard. But there is some
how campaign. very concerned to gel word from the national union, so that what
do isn't cutting across national Party,
We've got a very close relationship with the representatives of branches, and it's important that the representatives nave meetings with loyalists at the pit. It's at that level that the work's really got to
We're pretty confident that got the leaflets out and distribution network operating, those problems will be over-
The main thing we've got to kill is the confusion, because there's been that much poison circulated by the present leadership in Notts, and we've got to overcome that first and foremost.
Lynk - and the Nottingham Post has
— has done quite a good job of persuading the Notts miners that he is the true democrat — that is how
there are some quite straightforward
The Nottingham Post is an anti-trade
and they're quite to project the image of koy Lynk. I find their actions in Notts far
Their dismissal of Henry Richardson was not part of a democratic process; the people who
weren't invited to par ticipate in the merits or demerits of
Getting rid of Henry Richardson was a decision by the Area Executive Committee who also had a vote in the Area Council, so those who convicted him also dealt with his appeal. That is
The confusion that was referred to earlier arises because men in Notts are not being kept informed by the present
There is a small caucus of people who are controlling the attairs of the area. So-the Nottingham paper will say that Lynk's a democrat, but
Turning to the broader labour move-
the Nottingham trades council
has passed a resolution that's similar to
one which the women's groups recently passed. And I know that there are resolutions going through various Labour Parties in support of the NUM and the Notts miners remaining loyal.
also had a statement by KinWould you like to comment on what the rest of the Labour leadership should be doing?
Well, obviously we've been concentrating on the Notts situation, and Notungram trade umons. The trades councils have passed resolutions and constituency parties are now getting involved was part of the origina campaign approach within coalfield.
Obviously, we've had discussions with the TUC and also with the Labour
because, constitutionally, Lynk breaks away they will lose the recognition of the TUC, and, in consequence, the recognition of the Labour
periors who are acted prem.
members tatives in Nottingham - whether they be MPs or local councillors — - is that if they remain loyal to the NUM then we will continue to sponsor them as we're entitled to do. They're not sponsored by Notts, it's the national political fund that sponsors Labour Party candidates in that sense.
We will be looking to the TUC to reaffirm its earlier decision that the breakaway can't be recognised, we'll be looking to the Labour Party to exert pressure on ine consequences or disaffiliation.
I take it that you're correct in what you say about the Labour Party, but Concannon and Haynes have actually made!
Miners picket at Port Talbot
statements to the contrary, haven't they?
I was speaking to Haynes in the House ot Commons and i told him that we were eager to retain their presence in the the miners' group. point that the overwhelming majority of miners in his constituency thought that Scargill would throw them out. I was able to reassure him that this was not the case, and events have proven that. recognise that there is a role for them within the NUM, and as sponsored members of parliament, but in the end the decision is theirs
The statement that Kinnock made al the Durham gala was a help in that it was a call for unity. But I don't think that a statement is really enough: it would be a great help if prominent people within the Labour Party actually supported the campaign actively. you say what sort of things you'd like them to do? and We've had discussion with people on the NEC of the Labour Party, and we will be looking lo positive declarations, and indeed, an identification with the campaign to retain Notts as part of the NUM. Similarly with the TUC General Council; we would hope that many trade union
Socialist Action Haynes made the
the NEC
that other ship that
them more
Larry available
new.
Wing to run for, holiday period?
That's also,
with the TUC
26 July 1985 Peter Heathfield
leaders would be identified with our campaign, and many have already committed themselves.
Going back to the campaign in Notts, is that going to be organised from Sheffield? What sort of input is the national union going to have?
The national leaders and members of
will be identified with the rallies and meetings, and the local people will be organising them. We hope
prominent trade union leaders will share plattorms with u across the coalfield, so that we remove the doubt and misunderstandings.
What do you expect Kinnock and the Labour leadership to do?
I would expect them to clearly declare their support for the NUM, a longstanding affiliate of the Labour Party. And I would expect both Kinnock and Hattersley to be closely identified with the campaign that we are conducting
It's important to the Labour leader-
we retain a substantial influence in Nottingham, and hopefully win some of the marginal seats in that coalfield; so it's important that they are closely identified with us in the cam-
So you'll be asking people from the Labour leadership and the TUC to come down to Nottingham to speak al • public meetings and so on?
would hope that they'd make themselves available. I would hope that
Whitty would lake himself for the meeting Il's a wonderful opportunity to create a platform for people like Whitty, who's
But of course, it's early days yet. Hor long do you think this campaign is go-
given that it's still the
would think September will be a crucial month of activity ...
of course, the TUC. Do you know if Lynk and the breakaway have any plans around the TUC? I'm aware that they've communicated
, and the TUC will give them the traditional answer.
Page 8 scan of this page
on abortion rights
8 Socialist Action 26 July 1985
THIS YEAR, 1985, end of the United Nations Decade for Women. Governments will be meeting in Nairobi, mark the end of the decade and to discuss how much they have supposedly done for women in the last ten years, Of course, the reality is that anything women have achieved, they have won through struggle and collective action. This is nowhere more clear than on the issue of the right to abortion and contraception.
In Britain the right of women to control their own bodies has come under renewed attack with the Powell Bill and the Gillick ruiIng. Although Powell's Bill was defeated the government made dear it intends to ahead with its own measures to implement the Warnock report, which defines life as beginning at 14 days, and to reduce the time limit for abortions from 28 to 24 weeks.
JUDITH ARKWRIGHT looks at the mounting worldwide attacks on abortion rights.
Pope John Paul is by now fairly well-known for his extreme views on contraception and abortion. In one talk he declared that sex 'ceases to be an act of love', whenever any kind of birth control is used. Such a view is in direct contradiction with the famous 1968 papal encyclical that in certam cases may not be a 'deadly sin'.
In the context of the renewed anti-abortion offensive, and in the context of an economic crisis. governments around the world are looking toward a strengthening of the family. Control on women's abortion and contraception rights fits in with the need to emphasise women's primary role as that of child-bearer and mother, with the need for women to provide a flexible pool of labour. Racism
In Europe, moreover, there is a growing debate on population control which has taken on racist connota•
In April 1984 a proposal was adopted by the EEC (from the French 'socialist' government) vestigate ways of promoting a baby boom Europe because declining (European) population.
Attacks on abortion rights have not gone unanswered however, as the following examination of the situation demonstrates
In the USA itself in 1984, were an estimated 300 attacks on abortion clinics with at least thirty of those involving fires and bomb attacks. Doctors and nurses working in abortion clinics have been harassed as have the women using them, in a tactic which has become 'sidewalk counselling'.
Women who have had abortions have been telephoned in their own homes Called convictions have been made result of these activities but Catholic priests and Catholic-sponsored organisations are known to have been involved. In Alabama recently one Reverend Markley was finally convicted, after two previous acquittals,
attacking women's clinic with a sledgehammer.
Such extreme activity is the work of a whole network of small pro-life groups such as the Pro-Life Action League, the Pro-Life Non Violent Ac-
tion Committee, Veterans against Abortion, Catholics United for Life, People Expressing Concern for Everyone Feminism for Life and Women Exploited by Abortion (WEBA).
The Right to Life League aims to introduce an amendment to the US
constitution which would say that the
"paramount right to life is vested in
each human being at the moment of
fertilisation, without regard to aid, health or condition of dependency'.
Whilst condemning violent activi-
y. important tures in the Catholic
hierarchy have recently become more
marks the
Kenya to
has push which stated contraception
Photo: G M COOKSON
to In-
of the
York, for example,
born human there holocaust.
the nation.
The campaign against
known dous boost earlier this
telephone to abortion Few as
stitution.
vincing congress
Birmingham
Rights eroded
Vietnam
Hume aboron
(PEACE), being taken on the issue.
per cent
therefore of vital American women.
Moreover, been singled
REQMAN
OVE
involved in the public debate. John O'Connor, the archibishop of New
compared the 'murder of one and a half million un-
lives... " to Hitler's He does not of course mention that the Nazis outlawed abortion and contraception, reducing women to the status of breeders for
women's right to choose was given a tremenpresident Reagan himself spoke by
over 70,000 antidemonstrators Washington (the largest number of anti-abortionists ever assembled the capital), assuring them that ne supported an amendment to the con-
He has also sponsored the film the Silent Scream aimed at con-
members to vote Clinic against women's abortion rights.
The demonstration in fact marked the twelfth anniversary of the legalisa- the tion of abortion in the US. Since that
rights have actually been eroded away without any votes
In 1976 government funding for abortion was stopped and today 80
COULLY and city hospitals do not perform abortions. The clinics currently under attack are
importance for
young have for attack.
Legislatures in 12 states are consider-
ing passing bills that would require
Worldwide attack
women under the age of 18 to notify their parents or get consent before a clinic, hospital or doctor can perform
Parental notification statements are already required eight states. Such measures highlight the hypocrisy and irresponsibility of a society which deems that a young woman can be forced into an unwanted pregnancy but that she is too
make up her own mind about whether or not to have a child
The women's movement in the US has not let such attacks go by without a response. Vigils have been organised at 25 of the clinics most constantly under threat and escort services have been set up to take women to and from the clinics. tivities have also seen organised by Demonstrations other groups such as Abortion Rights Action League and the Coalition to End
Violence well as chapters of the National Organisation of Women
In Canada similar violent attacks on abortion clinics have been launched by right-wing extremists and, as in
US, such attacks form backdrop to potential legal threats to abortion rights in different provinces
Such attacks have been met with the largest mobilisations in the country's history on the issue. The movement has gained a new confidence following the acquittal (for the fourth time) of Dr Henry Morgentaler who recently opened an abortion clinic in Toronto. The opening of such a clinic and Morgantaler s acquital for fences connected with this in fact challenge Canadian law directly since it stipulates that abortions must be performed in hospital with the consent of three doctors.
KEEP YOUR
LAWS
OFF MY
BODY
Demonstration in support of abortion rights in toronto Dr. Henry Morgantaler
In Australia
movement has been facing attacks on
forces of law and order themselves,
the police,
The six Australian state govern-
ments have adopted different abor-
tion laws in the past.
New South Wales allow abortion on
social grounds. Other states (especial-
ly Queensland) are more restrictive
In Queensland on 20 May of this
year police launched a massive raid on
two abortion
medical files were seized and two doc-
LUIS WEIC alICALCU
This coincides
passage through parliament of Brian
Harradine's private members's bill to
outlaw experimentation
embrvos
Powell bill and implies a definition of
'human life local make abortion and some forms of
contraception illegal.
Violence the
being used to prevent women obtain-
ing safe legal
November 1984 there was an arson
attempt at the Auckland Medical Aid
Trust hospital (a
clinic). More recently, on 7 May this
year, a molotov cocktail was thrown
at a building in Christchurch which is
currently being converted into a free
standing abortion clinic.
Christians
previously picketed the local hospital
board when the decision to establish
the clinic was taken.
own womb'
of doctors
non cinc
frauds. accused
upheld
failed by rape. proposal, guarantee I UCLUS thus against
the pro-abortion
Victoria and
failed
clinics Women's
with the current the
on human This bill is similar to the
Rio which could eventually
only worldwide
In New Zealand violence is also
abortions
private indeed.
discussions Nairobi,
group for Life had
the church,
Surplus Value
In Switzerland a recent attempt to introduce a change in the country's constitution to protect the rights of the foetus has been defeated by a two
majority in a referendum. However, the right wing were able to use the opportunitv of the referen dum to launch a massive propaganda offensive on the issue
In its platform address the 'Right to Life' committee which launched the initiative labelled women seeking abortions as 'selfish', saying that any woman who wanted to control her
no more than a "modern day witch'.
In Belgium there have been trials
in Brussels, Brugges Furnes and Ghent. In Ghent, an abor-
recently •raided by police supposedly investigating
Women patients in the clinic were harassed and interrogated in an attempt to get them to admit to having an illegal abortion. The attack abortion is also coming from the top levels of government. Doctor charged
A government minister has ap-
pealed against the acquittal of Docto
Van Haelen from the town of Nivelles
of procuring illegal aborhe doctor was acquittea o this charge on grounds of a situation of moral distress'. If the appeal i
other doctors will find themselves in an increasingly difficult
In Spain the socialist-dominated government was elected on a promise of liberalising abortion. It has still
do because has capitulated to the right-wing offensive despite the highly active campaign by the women's movement. In 1983 the Cortes adopted a bill allowing abortion in cases of damage to the health of the woman or the foetus and in cases of pregnancies brought about
It is calculated that this would help only three per cent of Spanish women, the majority of whom have to either suffer unwanted pregnancies or go abroad to procure abortions.
constitutional tribunal sisting of one woman and Il mer recently challenged even this pathetic
saying did not enough for the The women's movement has had to take up the cudgels both the government's
thoroughly inadequate proposal and
the attempts by the tribunal to prevent anything that would further the
cause of women.
Broken promises
In Greece the PASOK government, recently re-elected, has similar-
introduce promised
legislation despite a massive campaign
by feminists who have signed a peti-
tion stating that they have had an (illegal) abortion
This type of hesitation by social
democratic governments has allowed
extreme right to get the upper
hand on this as on so many other
issues, and has done the most tremen-
dous disservice to women. In Brazil
for example the left-wing governor of
Janello Leonel Brizola,
recently gave in to pressures from the
Catholic church not to make abor-
tions more easily available
Such examples are manifold and serve the offensive on women's
abortion rights and on their right to
control their own bodies
If the women's and labour mov-
ment worldwide lose the battle on this
most basic right that women must
have, then the prospects for any ad-
vance for women, in this decade or
the next, will begin to look very grim
What is required is not polite in luxury hotel but an international cam-
paign to detend abortion and con-
traception rights worldwide and to
make a reality the universal demand
of the women's moyement 'No
not the state, women
must decide their fate'.
Page 9 scan of this page
South Africa in crisis
News
mile radius around Johannesburg.
will involve about 5.3 million people.
The state of emergency
decree is more a symptom
of the crisis of the regime
than any need for increas-
ed powers for the South
African security forces.
As Brigadier Jan Coetzee, ( divisional com-
missioner of the police in
sowero starea Derore une
state of emergency was
declared, "In our opera-
tions the South African
police and the South
African defence force
The last time a state of emergency was Introduced in South Africa was after
1960. Then it lasted for
156 days and effectively suppressed the revolt.
Today the situation Is
very differenț. The depth and spread of the revolt is que crasis of apartheid rat deeper, greater.
Inflation in South Africa is running at 16 per
Photo: THE VOICE
Mrs Kassam and her three sons
POLICE REACTION to the arson attack which killed Mrs Shamira Kassam and her three sons aged five, six and four, in Seven Kings Ilford has caused massive anger in the black community.
dent Bill Peters, who is in charge of the investigation, claimed the 'hallmarks' of a racist attack. He added that there was nothing left behind to indicate a racist motive. This was despite the fact that the wall opposite the house was daubed with the letters BNP (British National Party) and a large Swastika.
The fire was started in the early hours of catar. day morning, by someone who broke into the house.
There have been two BICYIOUS
Three weeks ago trol was poured through the letter box and set on fire. February 1982 when the house was occupied by another Asian
THE DECLARATION of a state of emergency by the apartheid regime in South Africa marks a significant escalation of the crisis of the regime. The decree affects 36 of the 332 magisterial districts in South Africa - in particular the Eastern Cape and a 50
These are the most populous regions in the country. The decree for blacks at 25 percent. and unemployment LaSt years reforms made concessions to the population — thereby ex70 per South Afriea's population
Botha government tried to introduce a 'second tier' of based on black councillors and mayors in the townships.
By these means it hoped to develop layer collaborationist black com-
by Pat Hickey
But the elections for these collaborators positions boycotted.
Last September, when the regime introduced rent rises and 10 the already inadequate serthe black townships, the revolt
Racist massacre
Two days after the attack detective superinten-
fire did not have the family, petrol was poured through the letter box and set ablaze.
The readiness with which the police ruled out racist motive has infuriated community
Four years four members of the Khan family were murdered petrol was poured
TE
450 deaths. Repression, however, has not quelled the movement.
It is no longer simply well-known names such as
Soweto, Sharpeville, and
Langa which figure in the news headlines.
In the last few months, black anger has been directed the regime's collaborators in the LOWSHID More than 360
police, 240 councillors and
evacuated. Most of the through the letter box of their home and set alight. No arrests have been made. The Ivewnam Moder 1200 Project recorded
Case racist attacks in the past four years.
Crime
The police nave responded by arresting Asian youths who organise
munities. defend their wulll
Community leaders believe that the police are
through motions of an investigation. The and the failure of the police to respond, has created cimate or tear in ine com munity making people
VALID
townships are 'no-go areas
- known locally as free zones - for whites.
There more blacks in trade
South than whites - for the first Guic In the history. In Soweto last week workers at the Ikwez bus depot forced the company to provide buses take youth from the township to Protea where 105 young blacks were or charges of attending an illegal meeting
The links between the side the Labour Party.
Eric Heffer's proposition to the NEC - which would have accepted black organisations as affiliated bodies to the Labour Party
was a genuine attempt at compromise would have party leadership withdraw from its head-on confrontation with the black community
The national black sec. tion had indicated that it could not drop its campaign for black sections in the Labour Party under any circumstances. However the black section was prepared to put the Heffer proposal for discussion to ts membership as a possi ble compromise at the present time while further discussion took place in the party. Sham
But Kinnock was determined to smash any self-organisation by black people and would accept 10 Come tse wanever! Eight members of the NEC - benn. Clark, Hef-
Richardson, Skinner, and Wise voted against Kinnock and to support the Hetter proposal.
Particularly notable in the vote was that Michael Meacher and David Blunkett - two out of three members of the realigned left' the NEC — voted solidly with Kinnock against black sections.
Mark Wadsworth, national vice-chair OI the black section, indicated the tactics that would now
WORKERS ONITED FRONT FORWARD
ARTADICO
youth of the townships student organisations, and the trade unions are continuing to deepen. The ex tent of this organisation is unprecedented in South African history.
Power The United Democratic Front (UDF) now em braces 500-600 student and community associations.
Its heterogeneity enables it to throw up new leaders to replace those murdered or arrested by
NEC confront black sections
Last week the Labour Party NEC voted by a majority not only to reject black sections but also to oppose a compromise resolution put forward by Eric Heffer. The result shows the complete contempt of Neil Kinnock for the right of black people to organise in-
be adopted by the black sections.
Firstly the black section would turn to campaigning outside the party as well as continuing th fight within it. • Inis would mean in particular closer linking up with the strugtaking place in the
Secondly the black secton wowd be supportins its national chairperson -
Statement
THE FOLLOWING statement was issued by MARC WADSWORTH, national vice chair of the black section, THE latest setback at the NEC demonstrates that our Labour leaders are lurching towards a fatal crisis of fidence among the party's black support.
They have got themselves in a fix over our legitimate demand for black self-organisation in the Labour Party.
The only way out is for the white leaders to stop wiel mischiel and accep black sections. Only once they've done that AN ane member! of the party come togethe equal levels ou une labour move ment and begin to forg radical policies crabicaung racism.
Socialist Action 26 July 1985 the regime.
In the last few months, black anger been directed at the regime's collaborators townships. More than 360
police, 240 councillors an‹
27 mayors have had to b evacuated. Most of the townships are "no-go areas - known locally as free zones - for whites. The police enter only in armoured cars and in massive force , The young blacks face this force with intransigent courage. At the funeral in Craddock, Marc Wadsworth
It wili take such committed policies, formulated in this way, to attract the substantial black support that Labour needs I will al lie polls.
We make this plesa because 'electoralism seems to be the only thing that appeals to Neil Ki
lock whose declared al. seems o ve name !
any Phie
existing splits on the left on the question of black sections lestimony to the crisis the LADOURN Is racing When we are slate-making for NEC representatives in
consultent section
so-called wingers
meacnel David Blunkett have voted
black SELLIN repeatedly.
It is the experience of all oppressed groups that the confidence and Iretoom Io speak ok oll oppression dereloped
9
of four activists murdered
by the death squads, they
carried placards sayın.
"Tambo, we demand Al
47's'. : (Tambo is the leader
in exile of the African Na
tional Congress
AK47 is an assault rifle).
The radicalisation to
day is far deeper than afte
Sharpeville or the Soweto
rebellior 1976
geographical spread,
higher level of black self
organisation are the begin-
ning of a prolonged crisis
for the regime.
Sharon Atkin for the con-
NEC — and Diane Abbot
for the women's section of
the NEC
Thirdly the national
committee the black
section would be discuss-
ing specifically supporting
black woman candidate
being selected in Hacknes
North.
With five black hall
didates having beer
selected, but all men the black section would be
putting its full weight
tion challenger.
through excluding outsiders wnie inal ex perience is developed into collective political action Therefore if women, black people and workers in parHular LIUS come together to selforganise groups within the Labour party it is grossis patronising for the leader. ship they WONT
"all member so happen
Members these groups themselves make the decision organise in the way they
must recognise the right of autonomy.
The Labour leadership will have at conference : R further opportunity
NUM, Labour women, and large section of the CLPs, lo suppor black sections.
Traditlonalists have the notion that there is an automatle unity of all serlions of ine britist work ing class. But the fact is
suf porters are made up of people from a socie
divided along Ihree main lines - ilars. pender 9o Tale
Page 10 scan of this page
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Page 11 scan of this page
BR impose 'Driver Only Operation'
In the Unions
Crisis in rail
GUARDS depot in South Wales have been on strike for a week. They walked out when train crews were sent home for refusing to start training on 'driver only' freight trains. ingham freight depot and at Kings Cross, and Cambridge Passenger depots. British Rail is imposing these depots without going through the machinery of negotiation and with no national agreement with the unions.
Sir Robert Reid, BR'S chairman, said that guards
being taken freight trains to pay for the £250 million losses during
miners' strike. This kind of lie over the next few weeks BR try to impose DOO.
Cuts
38,000 jobs have been lost in the industry since 1980. Reid's that
railworkers are under the impression that they have a job for life sug
zests that i won't be long
before the 'no compulsory redundancy' agreement goes the same way as the closed shop, putting guards on the dole quene.
The NUR has had an AGM policy ductivity for two years,
consistent cam-
negotiations with the rail unions.
attack from
before national strike action.
took over from the disgraced Sid Weighell.
the basis of the for the
miners strike Jimmy
Knapp has traded on his The reality betivi tre
reality behind
rhetoric became apparent
in stark fashion at this
year's conference - апа
any doubts that Knapp in-
tends dragging the NUR to
CANS
AND DRIVERS at Margam freight
Railworkers were also sent bome at ImmHitchin,
"driver only operation' (DOO) of trains at
paign has been mounted in the union CHILL workers of the need to take
ment. By contrast there has been an effective campaign around the political fund ballot with over thousand activists going to special union schools and resources put into large HOLES of propaganda.
Activists have consistently called for this campaign to de linded with she or a defend jobs, and campaign against productivity built using simlar mellous.
By Rose Knight
The vacuum in leadership has left workers under attack in the workshops, and the depots and vulnerable to management and areas which were directly
Knapp leads retreat
OVER the past few days British Rail bosses have launched a massive attack on railworkers' jobs and conditions of service through the stepped up campaign to impose driver only operation on the industry. This has been carried through outside any
British Rail management got a go-ahead for this
the Annual General Meeting of the NUR held at the beginning of the month in Ayr, Scotland. At the conference NUR General Secretary Jimmy Knapp led a bitter struggle to overturn TUC policy opposing the compulsory holding of ballots
After Knapp's position was narrowly passed, he went on a further offensive to hamstring attempts by the rank and file to get more control over their union and to protect jobs. A delegate to the NUR AGM draws a balance sheet of Knapp's two years since he
the right were dispelled on the very first day during the debates on the Labour Party, Conference opened with Knapp opposing attempts to give the rank and file more involvement and more accountability over, election representatives ex-
Railnews
NO STRIKES
WITHOUT se
I BALLOT
British Rail management hailed Knapp's lead on ballots
involved in refusing move coal, such as Immingham and Margam, workers stood firm against driver only operation. But
Kings Cross, Hitchin and Cambridge NUR shop stewards have • called тог шс uon
negotiate DOO because they are not confident that a fight to defend jobs is really on the agenda.
Without any sign of a serious fight against low pay and productivity workers begin to see DOO
"Inevitable. For the drivers this means repeating the mistakes on conng for DOO on London and
their terms. The Kings Cross ASLEF branch which built a magnificent campaign in defence of miners jobs has asked to change Rail Federation policy include acceptance of DOO with improved terms for drivers and job protection clauses for
redundant guards.
Kings Cross ASLEF are arguing that a cam-
paign for more off
during shifts, and a four
day week, LICE up
footplate jobs for guards
and O CI displaced rail
ecutive posts in the Labour
party. He refused
charges that
Charlie Turnock,
Assistant General
Secretary, 11210 voted
against union policy at the
Labour rally Ie
In a permanent alliance
with the right wing, Knapp
tion opposing witch-hunts
in the party. Despite the
refused to accept that any
place attacked
people like
Socialist Action who say
Graham'. (By the end of
the week some delegates
might have DeCI
rather sorry for Graham!)
Conference
The overriding concern
of the conference was job
loss and unanimous deci-
sions called for a campaign
of industrial action to de-
PRESS decision
workers. This is hardly likely when the industr contracts daily, and it fails to take on the fight against productivity. With deafening silence from the rail union leaderships it is not surprising that guards
demoralised and drivers slipping back into grade sectionalism.
ASLEF leadership is not making clear is that drivers too wil lose jobs.
Drivers
drivers signed
guards
Kings The drivers
instruc-
for the and,
lead, respon-
time Both and
joint action.
What NUR and
fend jobs in British Rail
Engineering Ltd, and op-
posed further productivity
deals including driver only
trains. Conference reclosures in the Strathclyde jected and
rail plan and called for the
renationalisation
rail subsidies hived OLI
under the Tories.
Yet despite the rhetoric Knapp warned the
threatened Brel workers to
prepared lock
yourselves into your fac-
tories - many feared that
the ballot question would
be used by the leadership
undermine any TOdI
fight over cuts and
closures. If there is
failure to link up the fight
• in different sectors
then the ballot issue could
De alvislye
The situation in the rail
industry is similar to that
faced by the NUM in early
1984 with management im-
plementing their pro-
gramme within weeks
rather than months
Unless a coherent
ycals.
national policy
developed urgently by the
leadership workers will be
picked off one by one. Election
Knapp opposed at-
tempts to have the position
of General Secretary made
open for re-election every
five years — at present the
job is for life. This directly
contravenes his promises
during his election cam-
paign in 1983. He also op-
posed attempts to prevent
any General Secretary
from holding bolside the labosi posi-
tions
and trade union move-
ment.
be orders is clear 10 railworkers that you cannot prettify productivity. Driver only operation is not a cosmetic change — a simple redistribution 01
throughout the inZONS dustry.
It is about smashing the grade guard traditionally the most militant grade the NUR, dividing the base of the Rail Hederation. and further setting back the building of one united rail union.
The union leaderships should be explaining that the extra money being offered to drivers, signalmen, and supervisors is a carrot on the end
the stick used by management divide NUR
Instead ASLEF
agreed to DOO in princi ple, and is just waiting for the NUR to concede on DOO before it negotiates a
separate agreement.
Meanwhile, whatever happens at Kings the struggle at Immingham and Margam will affect the
Knapp's role is CUI
rently to line up the NUR
under the of
'unity" 1n uncritical sup
port for the leadership
Willis in the TUC and Kin-
nock/Hattersley the
Labour Party: to cement
the new angelical bet-
ween the right and soft
This block is not op-
posed to using expulsion
to deal with its opponents
and silence critics, as it
simultaneously separates
itself from class struggle
methods and tries
recaptures the 'middle
ground' of politics, Knapp
adept talking left
while moving right - as
his now-famous Gote it in
favour of the ballot
make it a sword to smite
them with' shows.
The crucial lesson is
that the complacency
which has prevailed since
Weighell's departure must
end.
The positive positions
adopted conference
must be built upon: that
Women's Advisory Com
mittees are set up
district levels that pro-
cedures to deal with sexual
harassment are establish-
ed, that the union stanas
behind Nicaragua and is
affiliated to the Nicaragu
Solidarity Campaign and
that militants 1N the in-
dustry urgently set about
building up a national net-
work of left activists. This
can build on the effective
organisation of more than
20 left delegates at con-
ference.
Differences will have
to be sunk and pressure
put on the leadership to
organise a defence of the rail industry based on class struggle and
not class collaboration.
Socialist Action #m i whole industry. They are clearly strategic test case
see how far the rail unions are prepared to go in defending jobs.
The truth is that even the most basic campaign safety customer care is not being organised by the union.
Guards should insist that the EC of their grades
immediately reconvene the guards and shan s figh back metonally conference and from the base
THE FOLLOWING
review of the pam-
phlet Railworkers and
Miners, published by
Socialist Action, ap-
peared in the June
issue of The Miner.
AS ALMOST
everyone must know
by now. down
deepest Leicestershire
something quite ex-
traordinary happened
in the strike.
A tiny handful of the
county's striking miners
"The Thirty'
managed to have an im-
pact which was, pound
for pound, greater than
that of a steam hammer.
They linked up with
the railmen of Coalville
and blocked
sport of millions of ton-
nes of coal giving NCB
and BR managements
ulcers on ulcers.
Considering that the
thirty were little over one
per cent of the Leicester-
shire coalfield man-
power, their actions put
them in the category of
labour movement her-
oes; as for the railmen.
they taught the whole
world thing or two 1n about solidarity action. All of those involved
suffered, of course, the
most extreme harass-
Mas geards strude be in eser. depor init NEC members prescue!. not just those directly af. fected, to explain the tack and put the District солвсі on DOD zad olier z of productivity taking place Links mast be workshop staff whos are also threatesed. call put for nations
ductivity and for of all jobs
BUS HOTTES
VICTORY
THE
MINERS
Railworkers
and miners
ment and pressure, witt management adoptins the profiles of sewer rats in a bid to break the men's spirit. Needless to say the bosses failed, and it is left to a timely little booklet* to draw thi lessons of what can be achieved with just a handful of very courageous and determined people.
No. doubt manage ment will be drawing their lessons, , too. Thai makes this booklet im reading for them; but positively essential reading for us. " Railworkers and Miners (published by
50 London 2XP).
Price 50p plus postage (reduction on bulk orders).
RAILWORKERS
AND MINERS Registered as a newspaper with the Post Office Published by Cardinal Enterprises, PO Box 50, Londo Printed By Laseridge Ltd. (TV), London E2
Page 12 scan of this page
DON'T TIE THE NUM Keep it National INSIDE: Interview with Peter Heathfield p6-7, The campaign in Notts p2-3, The Orgreave frame-up p4,
IN
red as a newspaper with the Post Oi.
by Lanerlare bra. FUr bondon a
ACTION SOCiALiSt
South Wales and Kent closures p5
Special Issue
KEEP NOTTS
NATIONAL
OTTS
With thanks to the NUM
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