Socialist Action No. 176, 11 December 1987
The scan: 176-dec-11-1987-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
DEFEAT ALTON'S BILL
ON 21 JANUARY
No. 176 DAVID Alton's anti-abortion Bill designed to reduce the upper limit for legal abortion to 18 weeks, is now approaching its second reading in parliament. Already his Bill has provoked the most widespread opposition.
Commitment to fighting it, and supporting the "Fight Alton's Bill' (FAB) Campaign, has come from the Trades Union Congress, the national organisation of Labour women, and many individual trade unions and sections of the labour movement. Support has also come, even more broadly, from the NUS, Liberals for Choice, and many medical and proressional organisanons. cven some Tory MPs oppose Alton's legislation.
This must now be - used to demonstrate the breadth and strength
SOCiAlist
BUILDING AN ALLIANCE FOR SOCIALISM
ALL
OUT
of opposition to Alton, and the support for provisions of the 1967 Abortion Act. FAB is organising a Day of Action in London on 21 January, the day before the Bill gets its second reading. This will be preceded by regional actions on 16 January.
The right to decide when or whether to have children fundamentally affects the lives of all women.
Women from sharply different social political views have opposed this attack on their ability to exercise even the most minimal control over their lives. Attacks on abortion are also seen as related to many other attempts to narrowly define the role of women, to deny women's rights to equal-paid work or to legal equality.
The great strength of the FAB Campaign against Alton's attack lies
11 Dee 1987 in drawing together all opponents of the Bill. Every possible means of exerting pressure on MPs in a House of Commons which has a clear Tory majority must be used to defeat the Bill.
Within this, however, Alton's anti-abortion Bill is an issue of fundamental concern to the labour movement. It is essential that the labour movement organisations demonstrate their support for women's abortion rights and for the FAB Campaign and lead the fight against the Bill.
As with all such restrictions abortion rights, Alton's would most severely affect working class women. They have the least alternatives if legal abortion is restricted. On them will fall the worst effects of illegal, backstreet abortion, of caring for unwanted and unplanned children, and of caring for children with severe
Inside INF: what next? p3
Livingstone on why Britain must withdraw from Ireland po
The decline of the dollar p2
Fighting Alton's Bill p5
Scargill's campaign p11
Poland p8
ANC conference p8
HON
disabilities while social and health services become increasingly inadequate.
The whole labour movement must identify itself with support for the most basic of women's rights: safe, legal abortion. This was recognised by mne when u cared a demonsura tion against the Corrie Bill. Such organised support was crucial defeating that Bill, and will be again.
Defence of the 1967 Act and support for the right of women to choose is now more clearly established as the policy of the labour movement - 1: cluding in the TUC and the Labour Party. There is greater involvement both in the leadership and in the ranks of the labour movement of many veterans of previous campaigns
But the battle to defeat Alton should not be underestimated. Two things are essential for success: that
40p the TUC and the organised labour movement leads that fight and directly involves itself in the FAB Campaign; and that FAB draws together every possible strand of opposition to Alton's anti-woman Bill behind the campaign.
Support the 16 January Regional Day of Action!
Support the 21 January National Day of Action! - 1.30pm to 6pm, rally in Westminster Central Hall and mass lobby of MPs, followed by women's torchlight demonstration Support the 19 March National Demonstration against Alton in London!
• See also page 5.
Page 2 scan of this page
The decline of the dollar -
2 Socialist Action 11 Dec 1987
ACTION SOCiAlist
Labour's basic
choices
RARELY HAS the disparity between the objective situation and the Labour Party leadership been more clearly revealed than at present.
In the last six months two developments with great implications for the future of world politics have taken place. The first is the consequences of the stock market crash both for Europe and for Britain. The second is that political developments accompanying the INF treaty pose the whole question of future nuclear and foreign policy. while capital is urgently discussing these matters, the Labour leadership has nothing coherent to say
As far as West European capital is concerned,
already planning for a massively stepped up con-
• spending 'plug the gap' left by the withdrawal of Cruise and Pershing missiles. The rearmament of Europe, in the context of recession and austerity policies,
bourgeoisies in Europe.
Already the contradictions and problems of
bourgeois strategists. A representative of the Institute of Strategic Studies on 8 December was many in support of denuclearisation of that coun-
Not just in the dangerously radical 'left wing
but even opinions expressed in the CDU
The INF treaty means that fewer people than ever believe toray that there is a 'Soviet threat' to ly have existed for the Labour Party to give a radical lead, in advocating a totally economic and political strategy in Europe based. on 'detente' with the USSR, the denuclearisation of Europe, and the use of the resources released in the economy to create jobs and improve living standards. This provides the framework of an entire economic and social policy for Labour.
Instead the Labour Party leadership seems intent upon leading the party further and further to
almost to the right of Margaret Thatcher on disarmament in response to the INF treaty. Rather than taking the opportunity to explain that the Labour Party had been correct on nuclear weapons. ne explained the Labour Party's policy was now out of date and could be abandoned.
Campaign
With equal alacrity John Cunningham managed to place himself even to the right of the Guardian editorial in his rush to endorse Tory back bench attacks on lesbian and gay policies. While he was explaining that the Labour Party had never
At the Beating the Blues conference organised by the Fabian Society on 7 December, attended by virtually the entire Labour front bench, erstwhile ten wilders view that Labour was not seen as being to do with 'ordinary people', but with 'women, ment of support for gay rights later in the same week. We can be sure further Labour retreats on issues such as Central America are in the pipeline.
The failure to respond sharply to the privatisation of British Petroleum following the 19 October crash, the failure to lead a concerted campaign against the poll tax, or the Tories Housing or unilateralism, the urgency with which the leadership is engaged upon distancing itself from the slightest sign of trade union militancy, are all indicators of the failure to respond to the new openings in the political situation. Just at the moment when Labour should be shifting to the left - and would gain popularity from it - the leadership is intent on trying to shift the entire party to the
Overcoming the gap between the new openings in the political situation and the rightwing course being pursued by the party leadership is now the chief task of the left in the Labour movement.
direction of the one of the rights and principles.
proclaimed their conversion to the
- a view pressaging the abandon-
THE LAST three weeks have seen the failure of international attempts to 'co-ordinate' a capitalist response to the stock market crash. In the United States the budget deficit cutting package finally agreed between Reagan and the US 'Congress amounted to only a $7 billion cut this year — with the budget deficit likely to run at $160 billion next year. It is not even clear if these cuts will get through the US Congress unscathed.
The second leg of the
announcement of interest rate cuts in western KuroDe
agreement in the US. Spen-
government amount to only $1 billion over a ten year
against
fective international action led to a renewed tall in share
*The market for US
measured by the Dow Jones
tober (the day of the crash). "here is no panic lhe tal vious The west European
LUTLICi Lilall
based on raw material pro-
ing their conclusion
atter
The growing capitalist
bear the brunt of the crash means of minimising the eftects on its own economy of
Christopher Smallwood in
states to take part in tne al-
pean states, during the first
round two of the
stockmarket crash
was cosmetic.
Dal tion, they did not one a
ment at any rate, currency stability is not an objective
which is undermintheir deficit; while at the same
next year. The sliding dollar will keep growth going for a crushing its West European
that:
the prospect of rising infla-
noTe
capitalism functions -in the stock erchanges pressure on its West European 'allies' until it conbeen met. It is intent on offloading as much as
Jane coman devanado is now reaching acute propound. This year the dolla has tallen by 17 per cent
and by 14
West porters
West Euro pean third world
of the
Even Western Europe,
by tale
exports.
do not
fall on other West European states
Thatcher explained the situation clearly in an interview with Ine Times on 23 November referring to Japan and West Germany: 'no-one is entitl-
ed to have a balance of payments surplus entrenched in the way in which they run thei economy were to be because if that so, then when the US deficit goes down, it means the rest of us would have to carry a can than we shoul of proportion
But Thatcher is no more going to get help trom many and Japan than the! • are going to get help fron the United States.
The mechanism that triggered the crash, the in-
Table 1
Decline in world stockmarkets in 1987
High
Tokyo 26,646
Canada 2,372
New York 2,722
London
Rome 767
Frankfurt 2,061
Madrid 325
The Hague 334
Paris 460
Stockholm 2,103
Sydney 2,306
Analysis
creasing competition between the imperialist states is now simply shifting into a
arena. 11CW States has now turned into
reality what theory alway. made clear it would do. I intends to try to get out of its crisis not in cooperation with its international allie
but at their expense
chief weapon it has chose is dollar devaluation The chief target it will hit will be Western kurope allu the countries of the • "third world'. 7 December 1987 % fall
22,586 -15
3,508 -32
1,812 -33
1,263 34
505
1,293
3,550
1,247
Page 3 scan of this page
What next after the INF treaty?
Politics Today
WITH HUGE media fanfare, the treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union to eliminate intermediate-range nuclear weapons from Enrope was signed at the White House daring Mikhail Gorbachev's visit to Washington which began on Morday 7 December. political significance. But it will remove less than three per cent of the nuclear weapons in the world and its political ramifications are far more important than its military ones. CAROL TURNER looks at some of its implications.
treaty is be
political welcomed. significance far bevond
from which
The
point that
SUre
the lead-up to its signing, discussions about 'regional nave obviously
meant agree ments,
Despite the media hype,
•LEC about not
on ynilateralism
THE ceutral target the Labour right have set far Labour's policy review is to eliminate Labour's oledge of anilateral nuclear disarmament. Ham mond, Jordan, Kaufmann and Shore are expliciton this. But we of giving the arg ist' vocabulary, has joined in the fray. JILL JONES looks at Jon Bloomfield's retreat' in the December issue of Marxism Today.
made in Labour's non-nuclear
to be
Kaufman, Labour's
told a meeting
November. the INF
had the
Since con-
Duolic
ment Dolicy.
ped up.
affray,
Martin wrote in the Sunda Times November 'Labour
multicon-
process. "ends" re-
national more the means" richer and more varied.
Not surprising v then. the December issue of Jac-
when Sues appeared the following week, contained a full ex-
The event is clearly of major ingly committed to 'peace and freedom', but because at this moment in time it matches tne material interests of both. It certainly
Many change of heart by the United States.
Clear
It is clear that the cost of the arms race places an CHOHLOUS the economy the Soviet Union. Gorbachev has ob-
political opening that the IN deal creates togethe with the reduced strain on the Soviet defence budget, is well worth the military disadvantages. The USSR will be removing almost twice as many nuclear weapons as the USA under this deal.
It has equally clear ad-
Marxism Today's attack
Today, in its usual manner its of the Labour right a 'Marx-
Beating a unilateral
Tenue HOE-
as a 'nogo" threatening
changing scene, Bloom-
Bloomfield
because it produce
has rendered the
debate
ture, and
while multilateralism derided and When
this
of and multiateralismn exacerbated.
Legacy
'Given the barren track
and the legacy of the political debate within the Labour Party in the Gaitskell era, this is not surprising. But the effect has been negative.
'For 30 years it had been impossible to distinguish Detween muni
and fake lateralists,' writes Bloom field. But 'Gorbachey's new thinking exposed the charade'.
vantages for the United States economv as well -a fact given little mention in the bourgeois press
The US spends OrCthird of its huge military budget 'defending' Western Europe. Coned,
Concrete-
nuclear
tion (START),
And here that Labour can a non
initiative, he believes,
tion with the
would expose between
onto nuclear
But Bloomfield
treaty has been sealed In
Britain not
whole of Bloomfield's 3000 words.
The fact that US nuclea are from Bloomfield's siderations is more than a mere oversight. Ignoring this *nuclear element' Ine British situation crucial in order to render his arguments superticall coherent. To include it, reveals them for the day dreams they are.
It is undeniable that in
situation where US ground-launched cruise missiles have already been taken out of this country,
places their removal at its
will seem weirdly out of date. Similarly, if
tributions from the NATO allies simply do not compensate America for the amount it spends.
Given the increasing strain on the US budget in recent years, there has been mounting pressure to nuclear
first made.
future. will
will take at
country non-nuclear.
and
weapons?
They will Europe with other weapons
deal. Are to allow
HILO ports? And, most crucial
Bloomfield's logic, nuclear weapons to be eliminated?
means scrapping weapons CYCL
foreign interests. That what. is unpalatable
ship and Eurocommunist like Jon Bloomfield.
LADOUL Party ma-
Britain to change
directed at
ment
is not Unilateralists outmoded.
mament.
cut back the European part of the USA's military spending. This has been
ncreased by the dollar acvaluation in tne wake ol the stock market's crash of 19 October 1987 of cutting the US presence in Europe has been quite openly discussed around the INF treaty.
The dollar devaluation
- the primary mechanism by which the US is attemp.
bring the crash US-West European tensions. The value one lowers the
West Europear
US petitive and, inturn, West exports more
European exports to the US more expensive.
All
sharply trade
and Europe.
devaluation and the INF
sec-
already ex-
mutable'
1987
2 December
The American presCICC
towards
Union: the OI Europe
Explicit
An article in The Times of Thursday 10 December, by Frank Johnson, immediately after the INF treaty had been signed was still more explicit. It , argues that the INF treaty heralds the running down
mitment to West Europe: the withdrawal of protec tion may have begun this week.
But after the signing of
the INF treaty the question now is what is the strategic way forward for •Western Europe? Fundamentally there are only two paths to be taken.
The first is that West European capitalism can aecide to increase its own armaments. Hence the attempts at reviving the West European Defence Union, the recent talks between Britain and France on the possibility of pooling their 'independent' forces, and so on.
Aims
relations United States But means
States
the ex
by the
Europe.
La situation
m
up yet
down wages.
ped up • 11 Europe decides arsenals.
Europe. but on detente with the Soviet Union, radical reduction and utilising the economic resources released bv thi for economic reconstruction. This is the policy being advocated by sections of the European labour movement and demands must be supported. All evidence however, that it is not a viable capitalist strategy at all.
Since World War I, West Eruopean capitalism has to survive independent of to survive independent the United States 1917 to 1923 there was economic chaos through-
Socialist Action . 11 Dec 1987 3 out Europe which led to the Russian and Hungarian revolunons, une aempiec German revolution, and to
the Hapsburg monarchy Austria
Instabilitv in Europe was only halted United the mone tha States ploughed into the continent via the Dawe a0 1926 past European
1926. European capital expanded in the 1920s only on the basis of capital loanea by America
When United States money was pulled oul of Europe following the 1929 Wall Street crash, the capitalist economies Europe collapsed again. In the • cudo: cusued once more, Hitler rose to
Germanv and
World War II was fought
Support
1945, the Mar shall Aid Plan represented the same economic suppor to West Europe by the USA as after World War I — this time on a bigger scale. West Europe's economies panded again in the 1950s
Das. of cheap oil. They collapsed in the mid-70s when the uSA forced the price of oil up
But if the United States calls the shots in a West Europe that has no internal
guilibrief its owne
Certainl something : unpleasant! — to say about any Euro pean policy OI detente towards the Soviet Union.
The argument that the choice for workers in coun tries like Britain is to line up behind the United States
ot erest Europe creates a
West Europe creates a false and dangerous debate. It is one pursued in this country 15. Eurocommunists such as Jon Bloom field, figures SUCH Frances Morrell and by sec tions of the leadership of the soft left in the Labour Party, as well as by the
right wing:
Stability
It is not possible for capital in Western Europe to stabilise itself against the United States or embark on any real policy of agreement with the Soviet Union. The
'European' capitalist :Oly solution is a right wing one
The INF treaty fore sets up clearly the two basic political dynamics in
One is to respond to the INF deal, and the dollar devaluation, by step Piestern Europe itself. The militarism second is towards exactly the 'decoupling of Europe from the United States' and the "denuclearisation Western Europe' which The Times so much feared policy means West European socialists in creasingly linking up with those fighting for freedom in the third world and those supporting socialist democracy in Eastern precisely because it canno LULUUC That latter path be undertaken by capital opens socialist solution in Wester the
Europe
The first of these two paths already is the follow-up of European capital to the INF treaty. The second must be the path of Euro pean labour.
Page 4 scan of this page
Student conference debates Palestine
More issues at NUS conference
Socialist Action 11 Dec 1987 Twenty two Labour MPs call for Britain out of Ireland TWENTY-TWO Labour MPs have signed an early day motion (EDM) in the House of Commons calling for British withdrawal from Ireland and a united independent Ireland.
The signatories are:
Diane Abbott, Tony Banks, J Battie, Tony Benn, Ron Brown, R Cambell, Dennis Can Velt. Bob Clay, Harry Cohen, Jeremy Corbyn, Bob Cryer, George Galloway, Mildred Gordon, John Hughes, Ken Livingstone, Alice Mahon, Alan Meale, Chris Mullin, Dawn Primarolo, Dennis Skinner, Andrew Smith,
Wray.
The EDM 'expresses its horror at the continuing loss of life as at Enniskillen'. It states that: the violence and bloodshed in Northern Ireland stems primarily from the long-standing British occupation of that country and the partition imposed by force in 1921'
It notes that 'neither emergency powers, internment without trial, Diplock courts, Miriam James Memorial Meeting
The liberation of
Ireland and Britain
Speaker: Tony Benn MP
Monday 14 December, 7.30pm The Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London NW1 (opposite Euston Station)
Organised by Labour Committee on Ireland (London)
and Kensington Constituency Labour Party Students must reaffirm NOLS Ireland policy AT NOLS conference in March 1988, the policy of support for unconditional and military British withdrawal from Ireland, removal of the border and self-determination for the Irish people will lapse.
This is particularl
erious in the presen
the question of selfdeterminanon 101 tue
Irish people. Opposition
student movement by
One is the recent
decision of the LCC not
to adopt support for
British withdrawal from
Ireland in the wake of
Enniskillen, even after a
on this issue
overwhelmingly
supported this position.
This will doubtlessly
that presently exists
among their co-thinkers,
the Democratic Left
leadership of NOLS, for
the demand for British
withdrawal and Irish
sell-actermination.
The other factor is
the series of meetings
the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the use of CS gas, plastic bullets, strip searching, the existence of the Stormont parliament, direct rule , power sharing, the despatch of British troops or the Anglo-Irish agreement have ever succeeded in bringing peace and
Ireland', , and that the
Western defence is one of the reasons why Britain remains in Northern Ireland'.
The EDM also calls for 'Britain to announce
its jurisdiction in the
withdraw all its troops within the lifetime of this parliament, to open immediate negotiations
Ireland to secure reunification on terms that would safeguard all civil and political rights so as to make possible the realisation of the ancient and undoubted aspirations of the Irish people lor a unlica allu
ndependent ireland •
The eariv dar motion is based on the policy on Ireland adopted by the
Campaign Group. that have been set up around the country by 'Socialist' Students in NOLS (SSiN), entitled 'Ireland after the bombing'. They are used to Callparall against British withdrawal from Ireland by arguing that a bloodbath would ensue.
Having thus exonerated Britain from responsibility in Ireland,
conclusion from their position of supporting a repartitoned Ireland
mean calling for self-
withdrawal, but neither do SSiN call for the troops to be withdrawn.
All Labour clubs are urged to send in policy for discussion at NOLS conference which is prowithdrawal and for
Committee on Ireland: The deadine is 11 December.
Campaign Student and the LCI will be organising to make sure that present policy is defended don't allow pressure from the media alter Enniskillen and SIN's reaction to sway
rish self-determination!
THE DEBATE that dominated this year's NUS conference — starting on Saturday evening and not finishing until Monday morning — was the debate on Israel/Palestine. The conference was faced with a choice between two opposing positions. One called for extensive solidarity with the Palestinians, to be co-ordinated by NUS with Students for Palestine (a new student organisation building solidarity with the Palestinians — the first of its kind for many years), and supported the right of the Palestinians to self-determination, to return to their homeland, and
to an independent state. It secondle elemine
Liberation Organisation representative of the Palestinian people.
This position was sup
DULLCU Union of the Palestinian General
Students (GUPS), Students for Palestine, the National Organisation Labour Students (NOLS),
Campaig Student, Com-
nunist Students. the Na-
Black Students Alliance (NBSA) and the Socialist Worker Students Society (SWSS). It was brought Coherence after a speaker tour with Palestinian SUUUCIELS organised by Students for Palestine and GUPS.
By Polly Vittorini
The other position, supported 'Socialist
Students in NOLS' and the Union of Jewish Students. (UJS), was put separately in TWO THRONI
identical amendments. stated that the Israeli Law of Return (which allows
Israeli citizenship any
Jewish person but not to a Palestinian who was born tnere) is not racist. It also said that democratic, secular Palestine could on ly be achieved by the PLO
concus Israel' and
incorporating the Israeli JCws Arab state against their will'; called
TOI the half million Palestinian residents of Israel to be expelled and THE NUS conference on 4-7 December discussed
the Alton Bill, the Education Reform Bill and the poll tax. But the conference was dominated by a two day debate on Palestine.
The NUS reflected massive support among
to a
right to choose and a cam-
pala against the Alton
Bill. A very comprehensive
policy was passed giving
support
the Fight Alton's Bill cam-
paign (FAB calling for
NUS to affíliate to FAB
and to support all its in-
itiatives especially the
events planned for the se
cond reading of the Bill.
LABOUR MPs have
supported a savage at-
tack bartlamell ol
lesbian and gay rights
by backing
homophobic amend-
ment to the Tories local
government legislation.
Extreme right wing
Tory Jill Knight amended
the Bill at committee stage
state that local
authorities shall not pro
mote homosexuality
publish material for
legitimate
the establishment of two rach the exclusivist states with words 'Neither Palestinians nor Jewish people should compromise their separate identities and asonanons by micol porating into either Jewish or Palestinian states'; and condemned Students for Palestine for spreading anti-Semitic myths!
This position, if adop ted, would have signified
most reac-
would have meant giving active support for the Law of Return and for the state of Israel, and rejecting the rights of nine million Palestinians.
SSiN, supporting both these amendments, then further exposed the reacLullal yo racist and pro-imperialist positions they are adopting leaflet which Law of Return as 'nationalism'. It stated that •Israeli Jews have a right to
therefore their busines who they make citizens of it.'
After a clear, political attack, put forward Campaign Student, on the Law of Return as the racist basis of the foundation of Israel, SSIN's amendment, against all expectations,
The only dissent was a single amendment supported by only one university, which called for disaffiliation from the National Abortion Campaign which was roundly defeated. A speaker from
speaker Datot, and in est
peaker ballot and
$1500 was collected donated to the campaign.
The debate on the 'Great Education Reform Bill', or GERBILL, man-
Stop the attack on gay rights
the promotion of homosexuality'. It further pro hibits 'the teaching or the acceptance of sexuality' and any tian cial assistance' for anyone promoting such policies.
By Peter Purton, LCLGR
The effect of such an amendment will be to make illegal many existing equal opportunities policies. threatens almost any local government initiative on lesbian
Stop
willing our
Students
OPEN
was defeated.
The almost identical UJS position, however
The UJS claimed that their amend-
merely added Jewish perspective to Palestinian rights motion. The Democratic Left leadership of NOLS refused to argue that Israel's laws racist and substituted instead heart-rending appeals for a mini state for the Palestinians.
The conference then voted support for NUS to co-ordinate vast amounts of solidarity with GUPS and Students for Palestine and finally voted down the whole of the policy by a majority 01 30,000 when reminded that it had iust voted sun-
for the Law Return. So NUS finished by adopting no policy or Palestine
It was thanks to the interventions and the clearly anti-Zionist politics of Campaign Student and the NBSA that NUS was stopdated the NEC to call a demonstration against it in the second term, to coincide with its passage through parliament, and to organise a broad cam-
seeking the involveDalsil ment of trade unions involved in education and the TUC.
The conference strongly condemned the poll ta›
an attack on local democracy and on the living standards of working people. It also voted, by
7 voter co for a broad campaign in-
the trade union movement, local
MPs, youth
and gay rights including the existence of lesbian and gay units and committees.
Labour supported the first amendment and backed the others with reservations.
This disgraceful position Labour such as John Cunningham and Jett Rooker the logical development of the contused and cowardly retreat by the Parliamentary Labour Party on this issue since general election. They are
Stop
OPEN
BETHLEHEN
INIVEDCITO ped in its tracks from taking a disastrous and deeply reactionary decision
It is laudable that NUS rejected the positions put for Urby SSiN and by
UJS. The fact that NUS now has policy whatsoever on the Middle bast means wal we musi prepare to have the whole debate again SOUL possible- — and this time to win a clear mandate of support for the rights and the struggle of the Palestinian people.
What must also be clear is that the future of NUS now hangs balance. Neither SSiN nor
'Democratic Left' will be able to carry out the mandate that is needed: SSiN because of its own in¿creasing adaptation to imperialism and
Democratic Left' because
Kinnock leadership of the Labour Party means that it hasn' got the politics to defend the interests students. SSiN was • the organisations, churches all those opposed to th poll tax, with a studen campaign against the tax based non-cooperation
This is inoperable as 110| possible until the tax is implemented, which will be in 1990 at the earliest.
The grouping responsihie for this sectarian ster backwards was 'Socialist Students NOLS
this point politically. opposition was voiced by the taker of the speech against, Long, national secretary
now vying with the Tories for the support of backwoods bigots.
The direct target of the attack is Labour councils.
existing
Labour Party policy some Have adopted so-called positive images policies in education.
That is in order counter the isolation and
youth. Labour
present homosexuality as a
valid way of life This not, of course, the same as
News
killing our students
BILLA
BETHLEHEM
UNIVERSITY
ON OUTSIOE THE DEMONSTRATI
SDAY 26
largest group at NUS con ference and, aside from
Union of • Liberal Students and the Tories the most right wing on the key international issues.
The longer SSIN and the 'Democratic Left' are left to battle it out between them, will become the lack
activity NUS. in defence of its own students and in defence of the working class and the oppressed worldwide
new leadership of NUS is needed which has the political will to build a mass campaign against
Education Reform Bill, in alliance with al class struggle forces op. posed the Thatcher government, and in particular with the • Campaigr Group left of the Labour
It needs which can defend the in terests of all its members including women and black students, and which can be a truly internationalist leadership. of NUS and member of the 'Democratic Left' leadership of NOLS
The mood and policy already adopted by con ference suggests that had SSiN been honest about the real reason this amendment - to oppose a broad campaign and had it been opposed such, this amendment would have OCCI Over whelmingly defeated, As it is, NUS IS not now dated to work with anyone else
poll stead to organise local stu-
against it, which will be ineffective.
'promoting homo. -sexuality — whatever that means!
The Labour Committee for Lesbian and Gay
Rights is organising a cam-
paign to reverse
shocking retreat by the
Labour Party and to figh
this disastrous legislation.
affiliated
organisations and consti-
should be
lucnicy parties
letting the PLP and
Walworth Road know of
their disgust at this attack
on the rights of lesbians
Page 5 scan of this page
Abortion law: is Britain out of step?
News
*NO OTHER country in western Europe allows abortions seven months into
in France abortion is only available until 10 weeks.?
introducing a legal limit for abortion of 18 weeks. But his arguments are simply
available in Western Europe.
FAR being more
Britain lags
comparison abortion facilities currently
Europe. women
prove, their
many other
on request.
example,
although practice
weeks. In abor-
available beyond weeks for
in Demark and abortion is
Greeks on certain ArOUNOS. ONE of the anti-choice lobby's favourite claims is that liberalising abortion law in Britain has led to a rise in abortion. This is repeated by David Alton.
Writing in one of his local newspapers on 8 OcTober ABILOD S210l that since the 1967 Act: 'nearly LINCE million dool LIOns have been undertaken and
Local round-up
Wolverhampton
WOLVERHAMPTON FAB group has now been established from a meeting of over 60 people and has decided on a programme of action against Alton.
The meeting brought logemne] LOCA labour concillors, students from TIne Polytechnic; Iraoe unionists, and women acLVISE. ACLVLES vance include weekly petitioning in the city centre, genera leafletting, activities and meetings in colleges, and a public mcelng Is planica on 10 December, 7pm at the civic centre.
A Wolverhampton day of action is being organised for January, and support is being mobilised for mne birmingham Kegiondi Demonstration on 16
For more information
Fiza Rashid •Contact. (women's irn Poly SU Wolverhampton (0902) 712901 or Eileen or Francis on (0902) 772645.
pregnancy, wrote Liberal MP David Alton in the Liverpool Daily Post of 6 October this year. 'The norm is 14-16 weeks and
Alton claims that Britain is out of step in providing for legal abortion up to 28 weeks. This is a major justification for his Private Members Bill aimed at
untrue. CAROL TURNER looks at the range of abortion provisions
of varicLy •I CasUIs weeks.
legally
LOI.
The France, Daily
weeks,
on is de facto
limit is Aborabortion is
GIUs. up to 20 weeks. In Germany
Suisde.
More false claims from Alton
with more than: 170,000 abortions last . year, the trend is moving inexorably upwards. The backstreet has moved to the shop window and we have lost sight of the main objecwive sune rencon in the total level of aborLOLIS lega. Ical.
The main purpose of enacting legislation like the 1967 Act cannot be to reduce abortions. InforLewisham LEWISHAM FAB launch holding its public meeting on Friday 11 December at 8pm. Joan MP doctor Barbara Jacobs will speaking Ladywell Play Tower, Ladywell Road, SE13.
For more information about Lewisham contact Amina on 01-463 9400 or Jane on 01-732 1872.
OTHER FAB groups can be contacted as follows:
LULUOl
Barnet, Brent, Rache LUCY on 883 on 6365 or 8872;
Jean on Brockie.
June on 691 3376; Camden, Jill on 387 8557; Deptford, Dandy on .691 2468; Ealing, Jn ona dn kane College, 579 5000; Greekwich, Rona on 856 0296 CXL LO OI wene V 44 70.
Hackney, Anne on 241 5626; Hammersmith and Fulham,
Bri-
to 20
ty, and for reasons with the
abor-
medical In the
areas of
grounds
Italy 12 weeks. Thereafter abortion
abortion is
risk to the
case
Collonll be mation about, and the availability of, safe and effective contraceptive methods the
1culau 'primary mechanism for 'reducing unwanted pregnancies.
Rather the '67 Act enabortions been wildniave a was procured regardless of what the law says • WCIC carried out in safe conditions. Between 1952-54, 110 deaths from abortion
Charlotte 747 3919 or Meryl on 603 1438; Haringey, Jane 881 7714: Harrow, Sue on 863 3 2294; Hillingdon, bëoe dn nika on 01-573 9461 or Helen
0896 55700 Hounslow,
995 1205; Islington, LuCy Ull Liz on 263 9545 or Jude on 254 0128; Kensington Chelsea, Irene on 960
254 Lamoei. carol ol • UZO.
Illiette on Joan on 582 2955; Lewisham, Jane on 29. 2907; Ius well
Lucy Alison on 472 6652 or Sarah on 472 1430 ext 2336; lower Mamiels, Laro on yoo 7513/981 1131 or Hilary 987 3938 Bethnal Green, Dave on 521 5591/739 5088 LSE, Amanda on 607 0178.
Scotland
Kyle on 0292 268 284; A Vr.
Dundee Eileen 0382
Edinburgh, Susan on us-so rulo. ulestow. kon nie on 041-332 4946.
Wales Cardiff, wonen's centre on 0222 383024 or Andrew on 0222 398567 or Coleen Gla ozy wewsori. sey on 0633 51479; South
samorgan, ULLA Swansea, Kay on 0792 460087 or Marge on 0792 290448.
legally Belgium life endangered non-
sug-
Only three West European Ireland, tugal abortion
medical ethical
severely Spain. considered for abortion,
the foetus must be were recorded, compared with only between 1983-85.
However, even in Alton's his
OWl Lerms, claim simply doesn't hold UU. Britan in tact has a relatively low rate of abortion
England and Wales has an abortion rate of 12.6 per 1000 women of child-bearing age. Scotland, where abortion laws alc more liberal (although in
England Birmingham, Jane on 021-443 2184 or Ruth on 021-472 1841 ext Women's Centre on 0204 690 673; Bradford, . Abigail on 0274 814392 University
Or
734135; Brighton, Nomen's Office Josephine ULI4 on 0273 699 593 or Student Union Women's Officer 0273. 678555; arsol. 'Wel Women's Centre on 231 ext 5 Ann on 0272 266 eins 571; Cambridge, 3 Hawkins 313675/61475; Exeter, Mary or Zoe on 0392 210468/263546; Hull, Sue on 0482 219552; Leeds, Universi-
on 0532 439071 or Rachel
Us3 141100 or Helen or 0532 446838; Leicester, Deb-
on 0533 532111; Liverpool, Linda 051-733 5166/709 5566 ext 226 Newcastle, Jackie on 091-26
Norwich, Women's Centre on 0603 628130: Not. inza, oxford, Julie on obd Alison 0602 244983; Plymouth, Helen Kate on 0752 665994/266182; Sheffield, Emma or Sue on 0742 735028; Southampton, Adrienne on 0703 832391 or Julie on 0703 786235; Stockport, Shelagh 061-429 6359; Chris on 0783 5677495; Wigan, Lesley on 0942 57096;
faulty, or her pregnancy must result from rape
In the north of Ireland abortion is virtually illegal. In the south its illegality is now enshrined in the con-
Over suw Irisa women each year are ecma ee •cole r= tain for a safe legal abortion David 'Aton and his of David Alton and anti-abortion friends, Britain is far from being the most liberal of West European countries when Cone: «DoTCOs facilities. One report on West Europe, prepared in 1985, classified this country as tive'
In Britain lags
countries
the cam-
other of abortion practice, anti-choice
obby MP David simply
prejudice.
• The majority of the information quoted above is available from FAB Bulletin no 2 priced 20p from 4 Wild Court, London WC2B SAU (01-405 4801). Bulletin no 3, also of local andis ti sal prion contains a selection
and catiligavailable from the above address. practice doctors tend
follow the guidelines England and Wales), ha: one of the lowest abortion rates in the world: 7.6 per 1000
This compares with a rate of 26.9 in the USA. Other countries Western Europe have the
Zoll Taty a rd Sweden eack
Italy and Sweden each 19, Norway 16, France 15 Finland 13 and West Ger. many 8.
Wirral, Jane on 051-645 9395;
For Sam on 0904 TOCK. Jule 34952/413252
A b!l list is available from
Abortion
NO TO ALTON
YES TO CHOICE
These and other stickers
are now available from
the Fight Alton's Bill cammaion. Black and purple on white, they cost
20p for a sheet of 12 (including postage). Send
your orders to FAB Wesley House, 4 Wild
Court, London, WC2B
Conference against strip-searching
OVER 100 people, mainly women, representing a wide range of organisations, attended the 'Working Together to End Strip-Searching' conference organised by the London Strategic Policy Unit (LSPU) and the Association of London Authorities (ALA) on Saturday 5 December.
NALGO,
and from session.
"security' to for
in protest.
Particularly strong cost 60p for 10.
Socialist Action 11 Dee 1987 5
support was extended to smede Brownee trom the Campaign Against Strip-Searching in the North of Ireland. This techniaue is usea in Armagh, now Maghaberry, prison. It is also used against Irist women in prisons like Brixton and Durham.
opened by
AuCISUl women, searching.
Party. searching.
• Organisations and individuals opposed to strin-searching art invited to attend the meeting. They should contact the LSPU on 01-630 5729 for further information.
Defend abortion rights
NO TO ALTON YES TO CHOICE
21 January 1988
* Rally Central Hall, Westminster. 130pm-6pm * Lobby of Parlament
* Wornen's torchlight procession • 30pm assemble, 7omstart
No reduction in time limits
NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION 19 MARCH 1988 Assemble Hyde Park 12 noon
Posters like the one illustrated above, as well as leaflets - both in yellow and black - advertising the 21 January activities are now available from the national FAB campaign. So too are 'Our Bodies, Our Choice' posters in a variety of colours. Leaflets cost f10 per thousand. Posters
Page 6 scan of this page
Why Britain must withdraw from Ire
6 Socialist Action ... ON 2 DECEMBER Parliamentary Labour Party held a special meeting, clusively devoted to Ireland. The meeting was called following sharp differences expressed after the Enniskillen bombing. Kinnock had moved even more sharply towards the Unionists
- visiting Ireland to attempt to persuade southern Irish prime minister Haughey to
The aim of everyone in the labour movement, must be to bring to an end the long history of violence in the North of Ireland, to secure self-determination for the Irish people, and to strengthen democracy in Britain. These goals are self-reinforcing, not mutually contradictory. But they, and in partichair an end to violence, cannot be achieved by pious hopes nor, as the history of the last half century shows, through repression. Any investigation of the tion shows that violence can only be brought. to end by withdrawal from Ireland.
Present Labour Party policy Ireland is, unfortunately, illogical and tererore does not stand une test or events. There are in fact only two coherent courses.
* The first is that the union of Britain and the North of Ireland must be maintained. In that case Labour must be prepared face the economically, militarily, and politically — not only for itself but in terms of denying the right of the Irish people to self-determination.
* The second is that Britain withdraws — in which case it is in everyone's interest that this withdrawal takes place as rapidly as possible.
Why the second course is the only correct one is clear. The great majority of the Irish people have expressed their desire for independence. Furthermore for more than a century Britain has in fact been in the course of withdrawal from Ireland. The tragedy has British governments have failed to take the decisive step of complete withdrawal when this has been possible. They have taken only partial steps - thereby prolonging the agony and losing lives in order to try to avoid an historic process which is finally inevitable.
Table I: Housing conditions in Belfast 1971
Catholics as % of males of working age
Falls Dock 62 Pottinger Shankill Victoria
11 Dec 1987 the sign the extradition treaty. Ken
Livingstone argued that the ex- source of the
Ireland was the partition of the country and the maintainance of a sectarian state in the north. This led to a sharp clash at the NEC and the PLP -the meeting being preceded by statement signed members of the Group of Labour MPs calling
The job of the Labour Party is not to lag behind events but to bring to an end this episode and get Ireland. Furthermore, in addition to its principled character such a policy would command popular support.
The three successive steps to British withdrawal from Ireland are clear. - from 1885 to 1914. adopted by the British parliament. — in 1921 Britain withdrew from 26 out of the 32 counties of Ireland. At that time situa- a golden opportunity to withdraw from
the whole of Ireland was missed.
British - the Anglo-Irish Treaty, whatever at-
titude one takes towards its provisions — and i oppose it. now makes it clear that Britain cannot rule even the North of on Ireland itself. Furthermore, the British
labour movement cannot continue to
Ireland in which systematic discrimination against the Catholic population in employment and other areas continues
cost Separation
Labour's policy allows unionists to veto withdrawal - although some are now trying to make this ambiguous. The choice on separation must of course be taken by the Irish people. But the problem is which political unit is involved. The Northern Ireland state cannot be considered a democratic unit and as con. fusion on the unionist veto is at the core of many errors in the Labour movement it is worth looking at in detail.
Firstly the border is a purely gerrymandered unit. Its sole purpose was to secure, by hook or by crook, a majority that for unionism. The border was drawn in
such a way as to secure a majority for a particular political current and not vice vc.sa.
In the historic province of Ulster, comprising 9 counties, the population was divided 54 per cent Protestant and 46 per cent Catholic - which would have
No No Outside fixed hot WC
wallet
de.
Ireland. violence in
Wing the case
paper. These
by 22 Action.
Campaign Britain out of
jority.
after prolonged Home Rule was Gerrymandered
State -
per cent Catholic majority
economically unviable.
parliament in Dublin
majority and a subservient
do with democracy.
Independent
majorities.
Irish unity
systematic Catholics.
and colonell
Households
with cars
tionalist control of local authorities even 17 where the nationalist population were in a big majority — as in Derry for example.
of the catholic and nationalist population.
troduced six times between 1920 and
for British withdrawal from
Ken Livingstone circulated a document to the PLP outlin-
for British withdrawal from Ireland and has produced a background
are abridged here. The editing is by Socialist created in the future a vote in favour of Irish unity. To exclude the possibility of a democratic vote for British withdrawal three overwhelmingly Catholic counties were removed from the Ulster in 1921 to secure a safe Protestant/Unionist ma-
In a further move against democracy it was decided to include two counties with Catholic majorities in the Northern
- Fermanagh with a 56 percent Catholic majority and Tyrone with a 55
as otherwise Northern Ireland would have been
The councils elected in both Fermanagh and Tyrone after partition were dissolved because they refused to recognise the legitimacy of the new northern Ireland state and instead offered their allegiance to the Irish
These councils, and most of the others where nationalists predominated, were promptly dissolved.
The drawing of the border, in short, was gerrymandered to secure a unionist
Catholic minority. Such a method has nothing to
This is why a test of opinion in the North of Ireland alone is not democratic. Only the vote of the Irish people as a whole is valid in determining its status. The last such votes on a 32-county basis were the 1918 general election when the supporters of a united and independent Ireland won 75 per cent of the vote, and the local elections in June 1920 when 28 out-of 32 counties returned republican
Subsequent opinion polls show a consistent 32-county majority for
Secondly, and equally importantly the Northern Ireland state is based on
discrimination against
Following the creation of the Northern Ireland state religious and political discrimination against catholics and nationalists was institutionalised in housing
and buttressed by political discrimination. Gerrymandering, a limited franchise, and a loyalty oath were systematised to prevent na-
- the B-specials
Such an unjust and oppressive system could only be maintained by repression
Internment without trial was in-
UNITED
Ian Paisley MP, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party and Jim Molyneaux MP: Unionist Party, in their sectarian regalia in 1985. 1975. An armed sectarian security force
was established, numbering more than 10,000 and ex- thern clusively Protestant in composition.
These were the injustices highlighted by the civil rights movement in 1968 which won the catholic population of Northern Ireland worldwide sympathy an again brought the question of Ireland to the attention of people in Britain.
It is a matter of historical record that the violence of the last 20 years in Nor
Ireland was initiated by the Unionists in response to the peaceful civil rights campaign. It was the scenes of peaceful civil rights marchers being beaten off the streets and B-specials o the rampage in catholic areas of Belfast and Derry which first shocked the workd in 1969. The official Cameron Commis
Page 7 scan of this page
and
E
er of the Official
sion, reporting on the events in the North -ot reland in 1969, clearly stated the existence of this discrimination.
In short the situation in the North of #reland is not 'a religious clash between two communities. It is one where the Protestant/Unionists discriminated against a Catholic population made a permanent minority by a rigging of the border. This was the price of trying to
ALFE
STASY
prevent the Irish people expressing their
No-one but the most bigots today tries discrimination in Northern Ireland prior
• 1972. But the fact is that since direc
ule was enacted in March 1972 religiou and political discrimination has continued and it is clear that anti-Catholic discrimination continues to
CTION CARD.
LABOUR, NORTH
Date..
clanet
37g m0.
day.
been summarised in the report of the Standing Advisory Human Rights (SACHR) — established under the 1973 Northern Ireland Con-
priested eligises ahe politicis
published Religious discrimination and equality of oppor tunity in Northern Ireland -with the Policy Studies Institute report Equality and Inequality in Northern Ireland.
discrimination there had been no improvement in SACHR concluded for example: unemployment rate for male.Catholics is two and a half times that for male Protestants. over the last decade (p41).
the beginning of the north of Ireland is clearly shown in table
Deprivation
high among Catholics as among protestants, less than half as many Catholics were employers, there were only half the number of managers, well under half as many foremen. number of professionals as among Pro-
tion, shown in table 1, 50 per cent more homes in Catholic areas had no fixed bath and no hot water.
Protestant areas had no inside WC. Only a third as many households in Catholic areas as in Protestant had cars,
Neither has the situation substantially since. The SACHR started its investigation in January 1985. It noted
between the characteristics of the Protestant and Catholic sections of the community in Northern Ireland. The statistics illustrated differences in such areas as
and housing. They underlined the fact that Catholics and Protestants continued to exist, notably in terms of employment and unemployment.
Catholic males were 50 per cent less likely than Protestants to be in white collar jobs. Furthermore within social groups. unemployment hits Catholics far more severely than Protestants.
two decades eliminate discrimination, the unemploydiscredited ment rate among Catholic men was 2½ defend the times the unemployment Protestant men.
found that the differences could not be explained by region and that educational differences are not the cause The SACHR report, which is body established by the
Class of elseine
IRELAND.
Classo No....
brathers.
The most recent evidence on this has
Commission Ireland. It concluded:
political
- in tandem
of Ireland concludes:
These found that on all indices of
last ten ycars *The a Protestant...
This has shown no improvement * A higher
The situation existing at the time of * A higher
"troubles' in the
levels than Catholics.
Male unemployment was twice as
and onlv a third the bolsters.
Taking measures of social depriva-
than Protestant
A third more homes in Catholic than in
Irish state.
changed
In July 1985 the government published donderry,
showing marked difference.
• substantial differences between
In 1983-85, according to SACHR
public appointments those of
Even by the mid-1980s, after almost
of supposed action to
rate among The
As to the cause of that the PSI study
Socialist Action
PORTANT.
Retarl of anitable employment to a
the receipt of Unetoploymeit Beco
Rally way you did cot engag
Led ioni
British parliament and not a Republican front, concluded that no other explanation than discrimination could explain deed the factual situation in the North of
'when the inter relationships of the listed factors are the taken into account the difference in unemployment rates for particular group(s) of Protestants and Catholics... (shows) rates for Catholics almost double those for Protestants.' (p35)
The detailed PSI study of the North
'After allowing for... (all other) factors ... the predicted rate of unemployment is nearly twice as high for a Catholic as for
Protestants enjoy a higher standard of living than Catholics for five reasons.
proportion of Protestant than of Catholic men are in work
proportion of Protestant than Catholic women are in work... * The larger number of earners supports Protestant families of smaller size. * Protestants tend to have jobs at higher
* Protestants are more likely to work overtime than Catholics.
These patterns can only be explained by systematic discrimination practiced on the political and social field for over 60 years. This is the system of discrimination which the British presence in Ireland
Sectarian
Over 50 years it is clear the Unionists have refused any steps to overcome the anti-democratic nature of the Northern
The essentially sectarian nature of Unionism was noted by the Cameron Commission in 1969 when it concluded: 'In certain areas, Dungannon, Armagh, and in particular, LOll
the arrangement of ward boundaries for local government purposes has produced in the local authority a permanent Unionist majority which bears little or no resemblance to the these relative numerical strength of Unionists and non-Unionists in the area. As we show later there is very good reason to believe that these arrangements were deliberately made and maintained with the consequence that the Unionists used, and have continued to use the electora majority thus created to favour Protestant and Unionist supporters in making
in particular senior officials and in manipulating housing allocations for political and sectarian ends.'
Discrimination
Unionist politicians are notorious for discrimination and sectarianism. These include open statements of incitement to violence, condoning of expulsion of Catholic workers from jobs and incitement to rebellion. There is no evidence whatever that the Unionists are
11 Dec 19880
as withs the 10.000 0p. 301
prepared accept eliminating discrimination against Catholics — in-
evident that the Hall
rationale for maintaining the existence of
state. All attempts at removing discrimination, and thereby removing the root of the violence, have been rejected by the Unionists. These include their own period of rule through the Northern Ireland parliament, direct rule, power sharing and the Anglo-Irish agreement.
The record of unionist rule is one of sectarian oigoly and aiscrimination -which is why even Mrs Thatcher cannot today return control of the affairs of Northern Ireland to the Unionists.
Reunification
Only a psychopath could welcome what happened at Enniskillen for example. But the history of Ireland shows that violence is rooted in a discriminatory State. In the North of Ireland. unionists reject all measures to bring discrimination to an end. All attempts to 'solve' the situation in Ireland which are not based on British withdrawal will simply fail. All history shows that attempts to deprive nations of their right to decide their own future inevitably fail.
The politics of two nations cannot be held hostage to the activities of a relative.
small of discriminatory unionists in the North of Ireland. results in repeated failed attempts to find an 'internal solution' within the borders of the Northern Ireland state. It prolongs the cycle of violence and will not succeer in eliminating its root causes.
Unemployment
Since 1981 the Labour Party has been committed Irish unity. has adopted policies opposing the most ex treme abuses of civil liberties in Northern Ireland. Acceptance of a Unionist veto on Irish unification is inconsistent with
policies. The reunification of Ireland cannot be hostage to politicians wno nave a record merely of sec tarianism and discrimination
The will of the majority of the Irish people is clear - they want a united Ireland. The majority of the British peo ple, even, want Britain to leave the North of Ireland. Labour must adopt that policy as its own
Table 2: Unemployment rates for
Protestant and Catholic Males
Protestant Catholic Ratio
1971 census 6.6 17.3 2.6
1981 census 12.4 30.2
14.9 35.1 2.4
Page 8 scan of this page
Anti-Apartheid Movement
8 Socialist Action 11 Dec 1987 THE ANTI-APARTHEID Movement held its annual meeting in Sheffield over the weekend of 28-29 November.
Delegates represented the •177 local groups of the AAM, as well as AAM regions and affiliated organisations. The AAM's national membership is 7,200 individuals and 800 affiliated organisations.
The context of meeting was what the AAM's ICOOLl described as the 'most
onslaught ever against their liberation struggle since the epoch of colonial conquest egion'. This has involved GENERAL JARUZELSKI has suffered a major setback in his attempt to get the Polish people to vote for their own pauperization in exchange for vague promises of 'democracy on the Polish model'.
More than 57 per cent of them, in the referendum called on the issue, rejected his proposal for economic market retorms which implied price rises and falls in the standard of living on a scale never before seen even in Poland.
By il Smuga
also voted 'no' the crumbs of democracv of-
fered by a regime whose
one night wiped out 16 months of democracy won in the heat
of struggle.
significant that
Jaruzelski felt immediately
obliged to acknowledge his defeat in the referendum
and began by saying that he
But there are other HENSON of the Polish
referendum. The revolt in Brassovia in Rumania, the
first strikes wage
creases in the USSR in the
HOOLIS. like the
readers' letters which the
Soviet press has begun to
publish, also bear witness
to the Polish workers re-
jection of austerity and the
crisis of bureaucratic
domination
ability to make the planned
economy work.
The Polish regime,
parasitic caste, cannot cope
with the Polish people's
social needs. These resur-
face again and again in
every nook and cranny of
the system.
In holding his referen-
dum, Jaruzelski hoped to
profit from the confusion in
soldarnosc the
economic reform. It is true
that Solidarnosc took ihe
referendum lightly. True, i!
doubted • rightly the
general's democratic com-
mitment. But it was equalh
convinced that the well be-
ing of the Polish people
annual meeting
BOTHA
OUT
THATCHER OUT By Martin Hoare, ASTMS No 3 Divisional Council delegate (personal capacity)
the detention of 750 of-
Congress of South African Trade
Poland after the
referendum
depended on introducing the market, accepting the sacrifice imposed the population, and on sharing out this sacrifice among the common peo ple in return for 'political openings.
Basing itself on this understanding, the leadership of the underground union adopted an economic reform project close, in its general outlines, to the government's project.
Among the rare voices
rascu aralist , this it is useful to note that of the economist Ryszard Bugai, one of the authors of the economic programme adopted by Solidarity at its congress in 1981.
Problem clopment or Solidarity's the
development of economic posinonis,
wrote that the market
proposals
'more a reflection of the
changing views of the elite
than of the social base and
concluded that 'this does
not leave much chance for
the reform'.
question then
under discussion was the
'renewal of the mandate of
Solidarity's structures.
Solidarity's
coasily
organization in the
factories.
It has to be noted that
after the referendum this
question postu 11101C
forcefully. Especially since,
having underestimated the
situation, Solidarnose's
leadership persists in the
same errors.
Learning of the results,
Lai
= Ree mi
6e=z 721
• I = I see Pat
AME AI R
Unions (COSATU) which has been the backbone or resistance lo day he is not facing a mass movement which can force him to tolerate working class self-organization in the factories.
On the contrary, aware that such self-organization would represent midable blow against the economic reform demanded the IMF and Poland's Western and Soviet creditors, the regime is less disposed ic such concessions than
Beaten
Seen I It Titi DUTI
-il
TEENS
irma
the apartheid regime this year. It has also involved
detention, imprison-
For trial of 25 members of the United Democratic Front (UDF), executions,
COSATU's quarters, numerous murders by the security forces and blanket press . censorship.
The regime has responded to the growth of the workers' movement in Namibia with a reign of terror aimed at SWAPO and the National Union of Namibian Workers. The third element of the apartheid regime's counter-attack has been stepping up its war against the
The AAM reaffirmed Its support 1or tue Alical National Congress and SWAPO, and represena project of limited reform.
•Jaruzelski cannot forever postpone the price rises. H
have to turn to his creditors and ask them take the 'objective difficulties' into consideration
- but they will want proof that he can honour his obligations.
Weakness
Whatever the positions of Solidarity's leadership
may be, and whatever confusion reigns in the social
movement, the latter has emerged strengthened from
The result
tatives of both addressed the AGM
The AAM conference gave priority to the 'Hands
COSATU campaig! aunched by COSATU thi: year, campaigns against executions and for the Been of the reléase detainees
front-line states and solidarity with the people of Namibia. These priorities, ding to the stepped-up repression by the regime, are in addition AAM's absolutely central ampaigning for compreher SIve mandator sanctions ant the total isolation of apartheid South Africa, backed up by the mobilisation of 'the people of Bri-
impose "people's sanctions'.
References to campaigning specifically Moses Mayekiso, the
Moreover, the question Solidarnose is posed today, reorientation and those at its heart who have been arguing for a line of action inside the tac tories will have the wind put back muel sails. Confidence A new phase of struggle
is opening today in Poland
Its result will depend great-
ly on the conduct of the wo
great protagonists
Jaruzelski government and
poloniose Those
power have betrayed their
political weakness. Poland's
recent history shows that
= profoundly rotten
Bre to laur such
ITUTE Te Route
second largest affiliate, were deleted from a resolution to the AGM. This was a mistake. The case Moses Mayakiso symmi of the fight to de- become international fend anti-apartheid trade
and has thereby contributed to the campaigns to free all detainees.
Rejection of sectarian campaigns should not • mean the AAM. itsell adopting a sectarian position.
Campaigning within the black community and amongst youth and students will have a higher profile after ENTS year's AGM. It was agreed that
local youth groups will be entitled to delegates to the AGM.
Resolutions on work in
Statement to the
Arusha Conference
all over the world.
British delegation.
NDUGU Salim Ahmed Salim, deputy prime minister and minister defence and national service, Tanzania, chairman of the ANC ference. We, British par-
the Arusha conference, The world united against apartheid
• for a democratic South Africa', representing
anti-
partheid trade union, black, religious, women' youth, professional, local government and campaigning organisations. pledge our solidarity with African and Namibia people South their struggle tor a non. racial and democratic South Africa, and for geJulie independence Namibia.
We have been inspired by the addresses made b the presidents of the ANC and of. SWAPO who, together with the contributors from within South Africa, have given us all a new insight into the situation Southern Africa. We were similarly inspired by the thoughtful and or Malim tulius tion Mwalimu Julius Kamearage Nverere
We were also impressed by ere re rese are character „CON ference which was curately described by the ANC president as a world
day aval theid for democratic South Africa'. Moreover, the participation of many commonwealth governments underlined to us the extent of the British government's
tional isolation
We wish to disassociate ourselves totally from the
policies of Mrs Thatcher
and the Drillsh govern-
International
the Labour Party were not voted on Last year, high priority was campaigns directed to all political parties and there were doubts expressca abour le crick tiveness of mass action in the paper presented by the NC to last year's AGM. In fact the work along that line in the general election now acknowledged hot to have been effective This year's demonstration mobilised 75.000
in Janed 1982. 0005 hus
1986 dicates that a clear orienta tion to the labour move ment and, addition students, the black comvital, and that they should centralised around mass demonstration as the central mobilisation of the whole movement in 198% THE CONFERENCE organised by the ANC in Arusha, Tanzania at the beginning of December was attended by 500 representatives and delegates from The attendance was itself a refütation of the statement by Margaret Thatcher that the ANC is no more than a 'typical terrorist organisation'. The following statement was read to the conference by Bernie Grant MP on behalf of the
ment towards Southern Africa We in particular condemn the statement made by Mrs Thatcher following the •commonwealth conference Vancouver in which she described the African Na tional Congress as 'typical terrorist organisation'
Indeed we fully acknowledge the legitimacy of the struggk belg waged by the ANC including the armed strug gle against • the aparthela system which represents a crime against humanity.
We pledge on our return to Britain to work unrelentingly to secure an end to British compliciti with apartheid; for a fun damental change in British policy; for the recognition of the ANC and SWAPC as the legitimate represen Soires Africa and Nami bia tatives the respectively; and for the total isolation of apartheid South Africa, includin the disinvestment of al foreign companies and the imposition of comprehen. sive and mandatory Salut tions against South Africa and illegally occupied Namibia.
Mike Terry, AAM; Brian Filling, chair, AA Scotland; Simon Fanshawe, chair, War on Want campaigns; Pete Kennedy, NUM; Hors "Нагрет, WAPC; Jeff Revel and Doreen Weppler, NUR; London; John McFadden, NALGO NEC; Al Cook Cheryl Frazer, NCP; Ken Gill, TASS; Clive Jenkins ASTMS; BJ Kelly, STUC; Victoria Brittain, Harare Working Group Bernie Grant, MP; Sharon
Page 9 scan of this page
The 'regional dimension' of the INF treaty
International
countries'
problems?'
the
is
which
right-wing
Soviet
perialism.
in both and the
which be
ported -
illusions Gor-
worse than
revolution.
The regions which
nave igured
US
101|
withdrawal by giving
Pakistan where
the
mujahidin into
La decisive
He also
ciliation' the feudalists.
as far as Shah, the in
1973, 'the different parties together' acceptable 'interim of Duvalierism,
They shot people at random and hacked to death those unfortunates
coma not escape leaving behind horrific
carnage. The number of dead estimated dozens. Attacks Originally it was reported that army units had followed the Tontons Macoute and did not int discreet distance
attacks
unarmed civilians, induding children, were carHowever, li became no out.
the army itself bad retributed with about S0
civilians
during the day in the capital.
hich will remove a small
imately 60,000 existing
tep in the right direction.
Gorbachev in
rom How-
problems in the world:
normous might of our
ntellectual capacities to asked the Soviet leader,
government' within
On the
Americans made
long as the
JSSR to
financially
the their
present of
tion missiles
over. this the
Americans on
Chinese and both
support the
Almost immediately
ed,
of over troops
from Also
prime
minister.
parently would
at: People's
future
'neutral'.
yet clear
between sections Khmer Rouge Pol
Haiti — army crushes elections
What to many may have looked like the desperate action displaced Duvalierists was quickly
Wilde was: a coldly. calculated and synchronised by Duvalierists inside and outed the arm ecar The carnage came as the climax of three days of arson, 4048912tions, bombings, shootings, grenade attacks against radio stations, polling sta-
garages, churches and individuals. It was carned out by gangs of Tontons Macoute clearly with he assistance of the army.
Cancelled
The objective also became clear: at 8.40 am — rouguy two nours alter
proceedings far
The
dis-
Soviet
links with
the US Britain and,
economic
policies.
tion' , tne Issue
UN plan for the
The ele-
pre-
pared to South
of Cuban peace
been Soviet Union legitimate
to US analysts, Soviets are the massacre at the polling stations in Port-au-Prince
- the president of the provisional electoral council (CEP) phoned the press to
the news that the elections had been cancelled by the army. General Henri Namphy, Haiti's military ruler, had ordered the elections stopped, dismissed the cap and called on 'various interest groups
maber one new lee-
toral council. members of the dismissed CEP have now underground to avoid arMacoute. the Tontons Boycott
The anti-Duvalierist opposition is calling for a boycott of the army attemots to hold elections with an army-nominated supervisory council. The Autonomous Central of Haitian Workers said in a statement unal: It declares null any election that is not Chanian Demoacy CEP. Christian
Espair
disobedicati Loaders
radical wing of Catholic church called for a boycott of any election
'remarkable as
December).
- the Soviet
the most reactionar
as the
to
fences Egypt
unification the
It is also
fluence Syria
region,
ting through
imperialism,
wing twist
been at its
now: closer
contrast previous
dividual American Communist
ranaes organised by the army and urged Namphy's resignation.
atrocities
Haiti, American state
Haiti, and adopted hands-off approach Moreover, Namphy's
control, by rigging election which
with the CEP supervising the Ame can imperialism well. elected would
LOLLOU alle weak Haitian bourgeoisie.
ported
Nicaragua.' (Finan
to Nicaragua at a moment
threa
Willingness
Simultaneously, Gor-
Mcall The aim is the same as everywhere else: to show
- stability through the agen-
in the event of any direct Nicaragua, that the Soviet
reports task of ensurat there is no nas the
peasants
dechoukage antibone roy
will try to keep things
Haitians are desperate-
half die before the age of
Justice
and
in the 1930 Moscow trials! rally was attended by American actor
"official' security forces, but it is widely France
mass demonstration led by left wing and independent black groups. Many of the
and the cronies of the National Front. making life difficult for West Indians in
empty Jumbo from Pars i =2sDT
Socialist Action 11 Dec 1987
World
in action
Trotsky in Moscow
Leon Trotsky appeared on stage in Moscow for the first time since 1929. The occasion
of the unusual event was the play Brestsky Mir
The Peace of Brest by Mikhail Shatrov -
which is about the discussions in the leadership of the Bolshevik party on the onerous terms of the Brest-Litovsk treaty with imperial Germany
in 1918. It was performed at the Vakhtangov
where a staged representation of the
Brest-Litovsk drama showed actors playing not
only Trotsky and Lenin, but also Bukharin, the
first and the last unmentionable in Russia until very recently. This is glasnost in operation. More
significantly, for the first time - in almost 60
Bukharin and particularly Trotsky were not referred to as German spies, agents of imperialism, or similar Stalinist fabrications.
This is all good and well, however the question is: will the bureaucracy go so far as rehabilitating them (and the other Bolshevik leaders) to their rightful place in history from the heap of lies, slanders and calumnies which Stalinism put them under. Rehabilitate all the Bolsheviks unjustly prosecuted and assassinated
• A right-wing death squad has issued death
threats to 28 Chileans - all theatre personalities, actors, directors and playwriters Over a month ago the same death squad listed 78 theatre personalities, giving them 30 days to leave the country or 'face the consequences'. Leaders of the actors and theatre professionals have responded with a rally in the nationa. stadium in support of the threat victims.
Christopher Reeve and other foreign delegates.
The death squads have become increasingly active lately in Chile. They target opponents of the regime and not only work closely with the
suspected that the latter actually "staff" the death squads — part-time as it were! Defend the Chilean actors, send your protest to: Sidarte, Lira
The Chilean left wing guerrilla organisation, the Manuel Rodriguez Patriotic Front, has freed the Chilean army colonel they kidnapped three months ago. Colonel Carlos Carreno was freed unharmed in Brazil. The release came after Carreno's family paid US $50,000 worth of food, clothing, medicine and building materials to be distributed in 13 Santiago shanty-towns.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of the French National Front, was humiliated in a trip he undertook to the French Caribbean colonies of Guadeloupe and Martinique. He led a 40-strong National Front delegation which could not even
demonstrators lay down on the runway to had already said they would not serve Le Pen
Le Pen's plane attempted to land five times unsuccessfully and eventually had to land at Point a Pitre — a neighboring island. The passengers, mostly French tourists, protested they were being taken hostage by Le Pen and the Pen to leave the plane, but, scared of the demonstrators, he refused. A sharp exchange broke out between the National Front members and the passengers, the latter accusing Le Pen of
Eventually, a senior government official ordered the plane (carrying the NF delegatin back to trance and refused 10 00*2 1z P=
Page 10 scan of this page
10 Socialist Action - 11 Dec 1987
Behind the Kings
Cross fire
Doubtless,
'accidents'. But
TALK about missing the issue and misinformation. To suggest that the inferno
Kings grouna stamon was caused by a lighted cigarette is like
the soldier fired first World War II. much baloney.
It has already been said that the Kings was a disaster waiting to happen. It only remains to add now waiting for the next one.
Safety
After the government London LOOK
appointed a rag-bag ey
appointed rag-bag capitalist biscuit manutacsuch like, accountants such WILd firm
strise. Ando this is what
And they have done, among other al cas cleaning and the lift and coralalulL progressing the system
The cleaners looked like a collection of bloody tramps,' 1ralll commented to me a couple O Week. ago in a discus. sion about the worked and privatised denners
wander about the stations nowadays. The tacl the speaker also looks like a tramp was irrelevant. We knew what he meant:
ground Limited cuts back
on staff in the operations, cleaning and maintenance
departments, so they
back on safety procedures more and more. Worry We used to have whole
sets OI proccaule.
dealing safely with
ferent Concues.
Many of these have now
been revised.
The publicised cause of
worrv was of course the in-
troduction of one-person
single-line
tunnels. Imagine a fire on
a train packed to the gun-
nels during the rush hour
with 1000 passengers stuck
down a hole in the ground.
But management
been told
and they will.
'We're not
with
anymore,' said
union
"This lot didn't take time
out to run a railway after
making one
They just look
cuts.'
AN INCREASING number of tragedies and disasters are bringing home the reality of government cuts. Attention was focussed on the health service by the death of baby Barber. Little publicised, but very significant, are the statistics showing a sharp increase in industrial accidents. Capitalist speed up is increasing its toll of people killed and crippled. But most dramatic of all is the Kings Cross fire disaster.
as with the cover-up on the Townsend Spirit of Free Enterprise disaster, the inquiry will try to scapegoat members of staff or explain it was due
the reality is OLIVER NEW, a driver on British underground, looks at the background to the Kings Cross disaster.
But
under- Barbara
who
It's So
piecemeal the road Cross fire
are
Two
Transport
underground
and cope with it. 11- London London,
central starting with
department, throughout
dodged the problem. course enormous. overunder-paid wild
that
Women, UnderIsable
cut system. pollution Waste devoted transport system.
how we socialism,
dif-
it this time?
send
not tube workers.
What's
to cut and cut
dealing contidence railwaymen one official. know the CHIS for more come.
that cuts kill.
we have to look beyond the last few years cuts to see what's wrong.
once described the road lobby as the strongest in Britain and she wasn't joking. The whole system of transport in this country is anarchic, having suffered from years
building programme and neglect of the public transport system.
Bottleneck
hundred thou-
and passengers a day pass
King CIUS underground station Like
the system, simply was not designed to
As a transport system especially is one enormous bottleneck. On-
long-term plan to transport along socially productive lines can sort out the mess.
Instead Labour as well as Tory governments over the years have consistently
The $ 1S Ot Simply
in terms of accidents, the
disaster at Kings Cross is
dwarfed by the terrible toll
of deaths on the roads
Unscathed
old and
roung people as well as th
are trapped in
their homes by the lack of
a proper public transe it
there and the huge of social resources to our crazy
If anyone ever asks you could pay for changing the it,
system of transport in Bri
tain would be a pretty big
Will they get away wit The fact tha
the management of Town-
Thoresen seem
have escaped unscathed is
lost on underground
Broken more, the
record of investigation of
fires on the underground
to date gives no cause for
There have
been 17 serious fires on the
underground since 1980.
And that's just the ones we
about. But unless government chancer
course its a safe bet there
be plenty more ic
THE four-to-one ballot vote in favour of merg ing TASS and ASTMS represents a victory for the left. It is an impor tant decision which strengthens the unions in general, and the left in particular, in an area of the economy which is expanding.
The right wing of the labour movement opposed the merger. Nonetheless,
some initial position by Hammond and the EETPU, they failed to campaign openly
reckoning that result was a foregone conclusion.
By Annie Brady
The political enemies of labour, the Tories and the Social Democrats
were equally unsuccessfu
The promised Tory-SDI campaign against merger never got off the ground.
TASS members voted approximately five-to-one
favour of joining with ASTMS, ASTMS
bers voted approximately
three-to-one for the same proposition. lumout in
the ballots was 30 per cent
said to be
largest-ever for a merger VOLe Broken down
union, the figures were as
TASS-ASTMS
merger victory
op
the
follows: Tass members — 51,809 in favour (83.1 pe cent) and 10,569 (16.9 members favour (74.1 per cent) and 20,113 against (25.9 cent). Overall, the 'yes' vote in both unions amounted to mem- 78.1 per cent (109,466) and
21.0 per cent voted "no.
and Finance ME.
the and Finance
Gill and Clive Jenkins will continue as joint general
by secretaries.
The
In the Unions
89mC
asons -f
asons +
astms +
MST
MANUFACTURI
YES
executives
agains beer cent 57,657 ASTMS
in per third
The new union will b
Scienc Ken
national victory.
E a VIVINCE will meet together for the first time
January. This will become the MSF's nev
jointee to come
700,000 • memMSF becomes the biggest trade union Britain, after the transport workers and the engineering workers. Whatever disagreements exist with the leadership of TASS or the ASTMS will be the strongest left union both in the TUC and in the Labour Party
Page 11 scan of this page
Why postal workers must say no to the settlement
Scargill's presidential campaign
In the Union's
THE POSTAL workers dispute reached a critical stage at the beginning of December with the first wave of strike action number of cities. But the Union of Communications Workers (UCW) executive has now reached a settlement which will divide, workers.
Following a successful UCW ballot for industrial
rOSL management resumed Iccullaliun they had abandoned in August. In these talks the executive council have allowed for a
By Steve Bell
whole range of issues to be tabled outside the union's claim for a threehour reduction working week for grades.
Breakdown
After two weeks of continued talks new breakdown occurred Wednesday 2 December.
As a result the executive instructed number of branches to begin 24-homr strikes.
Around the areas
THE CAMPAIGN president of the National Union of Mineworkers is well underway and already going strong. A Mail on Sunday poll, published on 6 December, predicted he would win a two-thirds majority over his right wing opponent John Walsh, also from Yorkshire. Walsh is trailing in virtually every NUM area.
When Walsh ran against dent in 1981 he received only 27 per cent of the vote. bet more of 19.4, the beginning Walsh stood against Peter Heathfield general secretary of the national union and lost by only two per cent.
Report compiled by Dick Withecombe and Carol Turner
Much, of course, can change in the remaimme period of the presidential
Undoubtedly,
ala. the media will step up its "bogeyman' campaign
againt the support he has
But the support
ly 'moderate' areas such as
Lancashire and North Wales reflects the fear that many feel about te prospects superpits and about privatisation of the in-
dustreanwhile,
early in
December, the situation in the areas is as follows:
TO DATE John Walsh has only received nominations from COSA and Leicester NUM. . However sil has been won So
been won from
some surprising places.
being carried through in a
not unite, post office
That afternoon Glasgow and Southend bran-
• 1 his prompted an immediate resumpLION of talks by the Post Office.
further round of
serthese nightshite in
with the nightshift. executive moved to avert his extension of the strike
_oweve
OF branches was too ber
branches advanced by this time.
Official
Consequently the EC
pustica SUDDOrL strikes in Edinburgh, Southwark and Cardiff. Although the general secretary was calling for a resumption of normal working whilst negotiaLOTS continued, behind the scenes the EC was extenang vulcla support lo these actions. to reelect Arthur Scargill as
At the Point of Ayr col-
liery, the only one remainNUM branch has North Wales, the
nominated Arthur Scargill.
It is now fairly sure that the Lancashire area will nominate Scargill at lts
delegate meeting on 12 vecember shire branches which have
nominated him so far
Bickershaw, Parkside,
Golborne, and Sutton
Manor • account for 49
out of the 75 area dele-
gates.
In Scotland the two bran-
shes which have nomina-
The impact of these strikes was substantial. Despite many puone alnouncements by the Post Office plans, these totally failed
materialise. major disruption postal network occurred.
A clear demonstration of the power of strike actions had been given. But the EC has used this power
a bargaining counter
guarantee the victory of the claim.
Productivity
The Post Office has attempted to force through concessions on productivity. based on changes to the existing bonus schemes. If yielded these concessions result in posta workers paying in part for their own reduction in hours
The agreement accepted by the CACCuLIVe council is a classic case of selling the membership short. It divides the grades where the conference claim united them.
The claim was a threehour grades. The settlement is a one-ana-a-nalt-nour reduction for some grades ted to date, Monktonhall and Billston Glen have DOLI backed Scargill against the advice of their arca executive
The campaign reelect Scargill in Scotland
headed up 'by Mick McGahey's son. Eric Clarke, Scottish NUM secretary and Labour NEC member who was defeated electhon earlier this year bay the vice presidential
Thompson, by the" Morning
McGahey's son rumoured that the well
of the South NUM. branches publicly declared position, but
the special Traditionally collieries like
SOT, and even
be Scargill.
executive after anti-
in the letters and parcels division. Catering workers will receive one. hour reduction clerical and counte workers Wil receive no reduction at all despite their involvement in the industrial action.
The changes to bonus schemes are close to those the PO sought in the first place though the price may be higher. These changes could have been
shorter working week claim. Instead the BC now touts them as part of a wonderful settlement. fight, the executive council Rather than lead has accepted a paltry extra half-hour whilst splitting we gracco
Minority
The possibility of such
problem already been by the Broad Left in the union. At a well-attended meeting on agreed seek all-out strike action in pursuit o1 the reduction hours without strings.
At present all-out action has only minority sup port amongst posta. Against Pit Closures have decided to support Arthur Scargill's Canucatule They will be helping organise one of the three January meetings in support Scargill's campaign which will
Lake Diact in Swansea, the Gwent area and Abercynon.
There is a lot of optimism that Arthur Scargill will win a clear majority in the South
Don't leave them out in
the
cold!
workers. Nevertheless, the Broad Left recognised that
was tic uly sure way to unite the membership and restrict the possibility of a sell-out.
Selective
During the special conference of the UCW, the weekend 21-22
further Broad Left. meeting was held. Ken Livingstone ad. dressed over 100 delegates,
or a shorter working wer and taking up the meaning of the crash on the stock markets.
At this same meeting, discussion was taken the need to challenge the executive council's strategv of selective action
the shorter working week. Whilst a position of all-out action might represent only a minority point of view, it has some real influence in the union. The success of the recent actions is an argument in itselt for escalation rather than selection
The major threats used by the government have
een those of breaking the
Ource s gener Wales coalfield for his reelection as NUM president.
Northumberland, which has traditionally supported the • NUM leader-
strong support for Scargill.
Six out seven Durham Mechanics branches that have far nominated, have backed
Socialist Action monopoly and privatisation. The Post Oftice has echoed these threats. Yet they are more apparent than real.
With a network of over 23 million delivery points
statt base : O _ove 160,000, the Post Office
massive organisation. The existing private firms competing
more than scratch the surtace of such an operauon.
Monopoly
Th no guarantees o.
fering guarantees maintaining the monopoly 'should postal workers not take action. Already press lobby has been built up calling for the monopo. ly to be litted anyway. Ine only defense the monopoly lies in the strength of the postal unions and the support they receive from the rest of the labour movement.
Or the picture is the same. The see weekend of 28-29
weekend 28-29 November its intention to privatise National Giro
The verdict of this setScargill. Only one Durham NUM branch, , Hetherington, has failed to nominate him.
Seven out of the eight branches in North Derbyshire's coalfield have backed Scargill.
Laurence Knight, leader of the Kent area, has also
Scargill's paign.
11 Dec 1987 11 tlement? Just two days after the EC meeting, Kenneth Clarke, the trade and industry minister, dicated that Considering the Post Or still
fice monopoly.
A special report is be. ing mailed to branches giving detals of the SCLLEC ment. Branches will then be balloted on whether or not to accept the terms. Resistance Without a fight now or the shorter working week there will be a weakening in the resistance to this or any privatise any three divisions of the Pos Office in the context ol the crash a well-organised postal workforce is not an attractive proposition for serious investors.
SHe cuttice calls a sell-out and against the valous al tacks is the action of postal workers themselves. What required now vigorous campaign to en sure Inal a 'no vote is registered the forth coming membership ballot. All out for three hours with no strings!
The Mail on Sunday poll also predicts five to one backing for • Scargill in his • own Yorkshire coalfield one-third of all the NUNS Yorkshire, which membership will be one of the tWc battlefields in the presidentia campaign. South Wales, al the centre of the politica : fight against new realism and the six-day week, will be the other.
Sacked miners
Christmas appeal
1987
The 326 sacked and victimised miners and ther ta-
are facing their fourth Christmas without a •3er
Our photo shows Christmas during the miners fo se
Ine tamilies and the communtiv banded tocc na. -e-
make sure the meagre resources went a = : a
But this Christmas will be ditterent for nose
are still locked out as a result o* = ****:
ihat is whv the National Justice f-- " ~aarrE
Campaign has lauched its C--5:-3s 1ta The NUM aims to raise enough more?
Page 12 scan of this page
THE FIRST immigration legislation since 1971 is about
to become law. It is even more predecessors. Its main provisions will impose even greater restrictions on black people seeking to come to Britain, including opening the way to a future quota system. In addition, the new law all but abolishes the right of appeal against deportation and introduces a fees system. And, to top it all, it criminalises those who 'overstay, introducing Margaret Thatcher claims that the Act will plug some gaps. Those so-called gaps in fact are the limited rights which presently exist. ANNIE BRADY looks at its effects.
THE Immigration Act abolishes the limitec right of spouse from abroad to join their partner living in this country.
The provision which existed before was subject to
which de facto LOOLS prevented 50 per cent of
husbands from the Indian subcontinent joining their
This law goes even WIYCO. rurtner.
The Tories' justification for repealing the existing 1s lne height of hypocrisy. They argue Was SCX discriminatory (which was). the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) briefing paper on the new immigration legislation comments:
It virtually unknown ment to respond to a decision that its laws breach human rights by removing nignts irom one group of people rather than extending them to the aggrieved group or individual Any chamen's rights, not break should level a promise given to some men'.
According to the JCWI briefing Bangladeshi families will be the hardest hit. If their sponsors here become homeles, they are homeless, their right enter. In some local authorities, there is a catch-22: men whose families are not here cannot qualify for council Tally accommodation; vet they will not be able to
bring their families here
Name
Address
I enclose che е/РО
Action for £
Registered as a newspaper with the
Printed by Fast End Offset Ltd. (TU), London Ez.
SOCiAList
ACTION
BUILDING AN ALLIANCE FOR SOCIALISM
The Tories new racist
immigration law
racist than its direct police interference.
Because a large cochair
for a large council
house'.
The JCWI points out
that in 1986, 74 per cent of
Bangladeshi wives and 95
of Bangladeshi Coll children were protected by
the existing law Tens of
thousands of people
wallie to join their
families already in Britain
will LUW be prevented
from doing so.
The fact that certain
calegories will escape inis
new net will only further
split families up. For ex-
ample, Bangladeshi
children whose fathers
became British before they
were born aren't affected Some this nev legisiation.
children from one
family will be allowed ened. , others will be exclud-
The provision will also
have further, longer-
term effect. British men
who want to marry women
from abroad will be sub-
ject to marriage or other
tests that the government
decides to impose. There
have already been indica-
tions that the Tories are
considering introducing a
quota system.
The second major
restriction contained in the
new legislation is to fur-
ther reduce the right to ap-
peal against deportation.
present those who
'overstay' in this country
appeal against depor-
tation, citing special com-
passionate circumstances
тог екатріс OCCAN
members of their family
are already living here or,
SUBSCRIBE
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Send io: Socialist Action Subs, PO Box 50, London NI 2XP.
PD Boo London NI.
as in cases like Viraj Men-
being . ponucal refugee.
Under the new law those who have been in Britain less seven years can no longer claim compassionate grounds for being allowed to stay. The JCW1 points out that this effectively removes
deportation this calcul
The home office will also be able to institute
proceedings against overstayers; regardless : 0I how long they have resided in Britain. Criminalisation, of course, allows the police to * become directly involved in immigration matters. is a recipe for an inevitable stepping-up racial harassment.
Not surprisingly pauses of this the main this Act. the new law further extends the alreadypervasive powers of immigration . the home office is given the right to charge a fee for processing applications to come to this country
Permission to stay here will not this is paid. This will create
significant barrier to poorer, especially large, families seeking reunion in Britain' according to the JCWI.
The overall effect of this pernicious piece of lory legislation Is cicall racist. Yet Labour, in line
shameful past WILE record of support for the introduction of racist immigration laws, has put up little fight against it.
That situation must be reversed. The labour movement must begin campaigning now to ensane LICl Laily cull mits itself to repealing this
racist immigration legislation when Labour next comes to office.
• Further information
available from the JCWI,
Street, London
ECIV 9JR (01-251 8706).
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five to one support for Scargill in the coalfield membership of the NUM.
and area nominations show that ir Yorkshire 52 out of 54 bran ches have nominated Scargil and So has the Yorkshire Regional Council. Six out of seven bran-
By Redmond O'Neill
ches of the Durham Mechanics have nominated Scargill. branch of the Durham NUM has failed to nominate Scargill. The Lancashire area iș vir-
certail to nominate Scargill with 59 of the 75 VULCO on the area council already committed Scargill. In North Derbyshire, alcd
recommendation that no
should be made, seven out of eight
cent the
membership
nominated Scargill. Scot
tish area general secretary
Eric Clarke has been forced to support Scargill.
The media hype for the
right wing candidate Johr
Walsh has so far produced little results. Only the tiny Leicestershire area, COSA
— Ise we conar seculol.
NUM ELECTION
ROUND ONE
THE CAMPAIGN to re-elect Arthur Scargill has won the first round of the election campaign for the presidency of the NUM. Scargill has secured a massive majority of the branch and area nominations. A poll for the Mail on Sunday predicted that Scargill will win three times the vote of his right wing challenger John Walsh. The same poll showed an even more massive
Yorkshire which includes a third of the total
- and the power have nominated Walsh of course, enormous media will be devoted to turning this situation around between now and polling day.
The stakes are shown bs the fact that Tine Tory government actually in troduced a law whose sole aim was to remove Arthur Scargill, one trade union leader, from office. Within the coal industry what is involved is the government trying to secure an NUM leadership prepared to ac cept the destruction of the gains of miners over the past 40 years. This starts with six day working and massive pit closures and its aim the eventua privatisation of the coal
If the Tories could defeat Scargill it would be taken as the green light to ahead with this programme.
The so-called soft left Community Party leaderships of the South Wales and Scottish areas have played a disgraceful role in this. On the NUM
TO SCARGILL
executive they have blocked with the right-wing agains! Scargill Des Dutfield and the South wale. leadership
tight of the six-day week.
the six-day week.
Neil Kinnock openly working to try to defeat Scargill. Even the soft left Tribune has given favorable coverage to Walsh and none to Scargill editorial choices of that sort always have clear political purpose.
By submitting himself re-election Arthur Scargill has allowed issues to be clearly presented to the NUM's membership.
But the South Wales leadership also considered desperate legal moves prevent a contest - after
months giving spencile press briefing claiming that Scargill is out of line with the majority of the NUM
they are now afraid to pu
that to the test. The soft lef is, in practice, giving sup port to Walsh. But it is dif ficult for them to do so openly because it puts then out of line with the NUN membership in the scottist and South Wales areas
Mick McGahey's son accurately characterised the
leadership's recommendation for no nominations 'Failure to nominate Mr Scargill would amount in practice to support for the right wing can-
didate , John Walsh. Two Scottish brancher have already nominated Scargill
and more may follow.
In South Wales four lodges have nominated Scargill and it is possible that may secure the
of the South Wales area delegate meeting against the area executive's advice wales Women Against Pit Closures have overwhelmingly supported Scargill.
If the stakes in this election are enormous for the mining communities it will also have a major impact on the wider labour movement and British politics Under Arthur Scargill's leadership: the NUM has
vanguard of the seen ute British labour movement. The 1984/85 miners' strike was the longest mass strike in the history of any advanced capitalist country and the single greatest batthe against the Thatcher's government's assault on the trade unions. The NUM has been the champion women and black rights the and Labour Party. A defeat for Arthur Scargill would be a defeat for every single pro gressive cause in Britain
The first round has been won by the campaign to re elect Scargill. But the fight is by no means over and big resources indeed are going to be committed to defeating Scargill.
The tactics in this fight will be decided by those directly involved. But every single activist of the labour
must everything they are asked to help ensure Scargill wins.
← Socialist Action No. 175, 20 November 1987Socialist Action No. 177, 22 January 1988 →