In August a special issue of the North West LPYS editorial statement 'Why the YS needs a new leadership' which we are printing below.
27 Landos Court, Miles Platting, Manchester.
was convulsed by a political earthquake. 1984/1985 miners' perialist country, it was also a tremendous example of class struggle in every sense. or the NaM ill leadership showed that class struggle is not simply about defending jobs and wages, it's about the working forging all the exploited and oppressed in struggle against ruling The Scargill wing of the NUM began to forge such an atlance This was the key political lesson learnt by thousands of working class militants and youth during the strike. The fight the labour movement now is between those who base themselves on this lesson and those who turn against it. glimpse of that wilbe the ane for socialism.
The militants of the NUM learnt they were part o1 an international class struggle and the value of solidarity.
Imports of cheap South African coal to sustain Thatcher during the strike contrasted with the supSouth African miners and NUM from brought nome the need to overthrow the South African apartheid regime.
Jaruselski's aid of coal for Thatcher contrasted with bulletin Youth Action was produced. It carried an Youth Action can be contacted via Maria Walsh, BETWEEN March 1984 and March 1985 Britain The strike was not only the longest mass industrial strike in the history of any imSolidarnosc's support for the NUM, showing clearly who was the ally of the miners the working class in Poland.
The alliances forged NUM Detween women, black people, and lesbians gay men showed how the struggles of oppressed strengthen the whole working class and are part of the fight for socialism. Throw The strike showed how the working class cannot wage a struggle to overthrow the Cass within the framework of laws created to allow the ruling class to rule. Scargill correctly counterposed workers' to bourgeois his refusal to call a LICt tional ballot. Scargill showed the need to wage struggle building mass picketing in defiance of the law and the right-wing leadership of the labour movement. struggle leadership and layer of DIVIsts now tind themselves under ferocious attack irom quarter from the ruling class, from Kinnock and who fear their potential to transform the movement, those the left who shrink from the choices involved in real class battles. The main task of the left is the defence of this Scargill Icacersmp. Ideas The political ideas of literally thousands young people were shaped during the As Scargill said during the 'How many times have "young people today ane not like their forefathers. They're too busy making repayments muriture But now we are sick and tired of the Jeremiahs of the movement saying young people will never fight as well as the older generation that built the movement. I say without fear of contradiction, that if those who built the movement could look on this scene today they would salute our young miners.
created new opportunity to build a mass campaigning LPYS based on these voutn and su the labour movement labour movement which, like Scargill, began overcome cratic attitude towards The leadership of the LPYS turned its back on this opportunidemonstration in support Not national of the miners was called At no point did the LPYS leadership openly criticise and distance itself Kinnock. found itself consistently to the right of Scargill during the strike, joined in the attack Scargill and the NUM at the end of the strike and as a result found itself with an annual conference with 64 tewer branches represented than last year.
Peter Heathfield spoke for many activists when Terence: 1 used to buy the NALGO conference:
Militant out of politeness until Ted Grant decided to leadership of the NUM after the strike. Now the militant is cross ed off our list.' Instead of basing itself on the internationa struggle the stand for of the LPYS in Nicaragua against the Sandinistas, for Party in against Sinn Fein, for black and white unity in South Africa against the struggle the black working class for Brison and Argentina "socialist federation against recalling the fleet during the Malvinas war Instead of standing on the reality toman allance for socialism stand for take unity' o the working class which means adapting the strug Militan so on basked ard of the oppressed to ideas.
stands for division of the Council's division OI working class against Scargill's support for black sections and organised support of black peopl for the against the self-organisation even in the face of the gains WAPC Scargill's support for associate membership and tor the demands of WAC in the Labour Party. mass action, open debate and opposition to all witch hunts began to be built by the LPYS regional in Scotland the North-West, the West Midlands which emerged during the miners strike. he current around these bulletins firmly identified with the leadership and methods of Youth Action Ene miners is one such journal, based in the North West school at Bold miner: wellar. Liverpool solidarity with blac caucus. ano co-ordinatior with other regional bulletins, particular through the fringe meeting at this year's LPYS con ference.
Action on ding turden meetn Saturday September in Manchester to which we invite all interested LPYS branches bulletins. We hope this meeting will agree to call a national conference 17 UcLobel BE THERE!
Contact: Maria Walsh, Landos Court, Miles Platting, Manchester.