Socialist Action No. 26, 23 September 1983
The scan: 026-sep-23-1983-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
Tory medicine: empty wards and empty
NO CUTS!
ing glory last week. announced last week = The Tory plans include: * Drastic cuts in NHS financing, including
Eric Heffer MP
Jo Richardson MP
Tony Benn
Bob Wareing MP
Mandy Moore
Central Hall, Westminster London
SWI Tuesday 27 September 7.30pm
wage packets
THE Tory onslaught against workers in the public sector, and against the health service in particular, was revealed in all its terrify-
another 8000 jobs lost next year. The cuts will involve the closing of dozens of hospitals and hundreds of wards-
TRIBUNE RALLY Put Socialism on
the Agenda
Chair: Chris Mullin
No. 26 23 September 1983: 30p
SOCiA ist
ACTION
all in the next year. * The imposition of a three per cent sector pay increase 'guideline'. * Massive curbs in the vice, including thousands of redundancies over the next few years, and a reduction of pension and other benefits for civil ser-
Clear
While the 3 percent pay guideline 'guideline', it is perfectly clear that its most vigorous application will be in the health service. As the 3 percent guideline was announced, social services minister Norman Fowler announced complete re-structuring of NHS pay negotiating procedures which in ef fect replaces the Whitley Council system
and put Fowler's own appointees charge.
capitalise on last year's defeat of the sevenmonth health workers strike to ensure a pitiful increase for them this year. You can be sure that if 3 percent is the guideline, then Thatcher's favourites - the army and the police — will be well above it with their increase.
The scope of the cuts in the health service will be devastating. Even some of the most modern hospitals will sutter closures and restriction of catering and laundry and
other ancillary services.
The headlong rush towards privatising such services will be redoubled. One of London's most prestigious hose in Hampstead the Royal Free in is facing the possibility of the loss of 500 jobs this in a hospital with 900 beds. The same sort of thing will be repeated in hospitals throughout the country.
The three percent pay guideline is the Tories' attempt to put a brake on pay increaser throughout industry. Its most devastating ef-
Fight the 3%
Imperialism out of
Lebanon!
Picket of El Al airlines, Regent St,
London - then on to US embassy
Saturday 24 September, 11am-2pm
Organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign fects will be on the low paid. Last year health workers in particular suffered from the inability of the TUC to organise an effective fight back. The same thing cannot be allowed to happen this year.
Crucial The most crucial struggles against the Tories in the next couple of years are going to come in the public sector. The TUC has a responsibility to build the widest public sector against the cuts, privatisation and the vindictive attack on the low paid. Only national, all-out, industrial action is going to win these tights in the end.
MODERN
TIMES
HiL Look, it's no defence to say it'll be worse at the Labour Party conference...
RED
Page 2 scan of this page
NEMO GIAVO SEM dee Aal
stapale
v v v v v.
das att o saa j
947 - epuno] das jo suon
STUL dreys шол!
uonou a4 j0 paxu, Suons bIond Sumpta
-102M reuon warane Jo
PROC CONIM 1120010l
SIПа3
Sa)0u aND
BU 241 O BOS 0
Hagn a
Usa]0u
b e y
S.7
BOMÁO d:
MAS XK OI K sa[al
medloes sap sape
801 àq d
duejs
•pood u] Sutop 'OS эч 10] surrea
TAMIO TIT 10 J01995 pue Sure
adoy 10 ]
01 128
-eu pue
NECA
•paro dap
юI DEG - Rap
910
haj]a
10
OLYN
JO das э101 sey o 3 i gazan.
ní He Ae o J HOIS
duale
ITATETTT TA ANE
jo ố ven b aNO cnota pus
stuzad ay! arl pna 10 na
O1 paySo aJD !!
дартан. aND ad yu!l
0/0 911
ADM ШоУРІЮ
952-190
5067
Il god zaa sasie.
v d d.
stada Auado
das
MOTa inoqey Sn nu
NG
y f !.
upeaid fuem aNO
ОТО ПІО ПаТОМІТЬ ПОТОтІ имор риешар
¿sputwap DIsBQ
f se
2101
unoys USTIU pasoddo 07
amos pInoys эAL8 ssal
mnoger SaN Frasap
-u] •
101 SNUS nage aa sed Mau • Sired OlTe
zoz dz vư
STYL sey: pal d'a
dun!
Susoddo
•das en aal boz ™ dv cc
'SpIon OCCITOI
SaJOA
zzye yy
das noge эрел
148L guIM uoun
01
1u8u sunn sun
asuda. 247 mnoqel
в ивит этош-
10J
Cpu!j SAA 2 NOA CIPAA
sey punore
apís-ano pue panasi
sypna
Jo prasa
ивашео pue dn ç uç
Zaa]] oste
•puno18 saunal.
J!
Этом течи
SoJa8 OTTA 17
2O.0-
n fen e y
patoddns asten арр, puno1s ¿supe
эрел TIOTIN
sMaN
papuge
ay7 !
01 BPAI1
das lese paran pae. KIO1IA -МОН HAA |
tan ton to ton ta
элем
sundean
Is fepo1
pr asa
TITT TE
puew
dope
10-7
HAHaa lap Jadas
Use lou ina
maane
duons тело pue StuNI
puv
- soddo
saseQ pue spala
Page 3 scan of this page
News
Campaign
for political
rights at work
PEOPLE all over the country want to know the real
spoken at in the past few weeks, complete strangers have come up to me afterwards and explained how they have been victimised because they were trade unionists or politically active.
¿ Val from Stockport has been victim of blacklisting since 1978, She applied for 50 jobs in 12 months, but couldn't get a reference from her previous employer where surprise, surprise, she'd Deer Snop steward Every veal since then, Sue s sent a resolution on blacklisting from her union to the Labour Party Conference. So far it's never been discussed!
By Steph Grant
At Crouch Construction in South London union members have been viciously attacked by subcontracted labour. One young trade union member had his nead smasnea open will a hod, and even last week,
sent home 'for their own
It's time the labour movement acted and put a stop to these practices.
Ken Livingstone Knows what he's talking about when, speaking at a Stockport meeting, described the press as 'part
* Stop deportations now! * MUHAMMAD IDRISH
movement and anti-racist activists to support a NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION
against racist deportation laws from Booth Street, Handsworth
BIRMINGHAM, 11am,
SATURDAY 8 OCTOBER
story of the Cowley sackings. At the meetings I have
of the front line attack of the ruling class'.
Slanders He's been at the receiving end of two years of Ivirulent attacks and personal slanders from the gutter press. he latest one entertained the 80-strong audience with was how Private Eye managed to make a lurid, suggestive story oll Olad fact that he had been to San Francisco, the say come citi bond and bought some sci-fi
and and then 90 P
And when people heard strikers from Britain's Toys at an East London anti-witch hunt meeting, they were reminded why the press have led such a vile cam•alan about women ack workers at Cowley. At Britain's the women workers are exclusively in the low paid assembly jobs, on piece work, like many women workers and blatantly exploited by the management.
Peter Tatchell has heard a lot of lies in With the support of NALGO, the
Defence Campaign calls on labour * Stop deportations now! * Contact your local NALGO branch for
travel details
Meetings
discuss lessons
of witch hunt
politics, not only about
himself. He reckons Margaret Thatcher should take the prize for "big blue pork pies' over ner record in the Malvinas War last year, when she ordered the sinking of the Belgrano, as it was returning to Argentina, defending her action to the world by saying that the Belgrano was a threat.
Bristol, speaker from Steering Committee against Witch hunt explained that we are facing witch hunts use our own novener. sich the national expulSUll the Militant editorial board, even though most of their local parties have refused to expel them.
Charged
And in Wythenshawe, the whole of the Labour Party has been suspended
because ne party there is too left and kelv to nut un lett l abou candidates in next year's council elections.
Unmesh Desai extended his full support to inc Cowley 13 from the Newham 8 Defence Committee, and as he told 50 people at Brixton last week, those eight youth are being charged with conspiracy, a word we've heard a lot of
Wythenshawe
defies NEC ban
By Graham Attwell
voted last week to re-o constituency party 1120 Labour National Exec for alleged irregulariti
The allegations are part of a long running row in Manchester City Labour Party which has resulted in 29 councillors having the party whip witnorawn. Inis nas lea lo desperate attempts by
windes sevent reselection giying the left a majority on the Council.
The General Mazaement Committe of ibe
furious that the? ste tout по roper орроттиват! !ой legal representation or 1o answer we cago a them the! Totally refute.
Since March this year David Hughes. the tional agent of the Labour Party, has been officially
charge of Wythenshawe.
Alf Home, chair
Wythenshawe, says, 'They have made no rea effort to get the constituency reopened. They're trying to find a way to stop some delegated bodies from par-
recently. But the repeated racist attacks Asian youth and the compliance of the police has been the Ted conspiracy Newham.
The Cowley victimisations have uncovered massive area where trade unionists, socialists, and activists are under attack:
But we should take the message that has come out of every meelng l nave spoken at, which is that we snouran l be acmoranscu. we should fight back!
Further meetings in September
Thurs 22 Sept Wakefield, speakers include Steph Grant Fri 23 Sept Stoke, speakers include Peter Tatchell and Steph Grant
Tues 27 Sept Birmingham, speakers include Clare Short MP, Peter Tatchell and Steph Grant
Wed 28 Sept Deptford, speakers include Richard Balfe MEP. Peter Tatchell and Steph Grant
Further details in Listings page 10.
BY A unanimous vote Wythenshawe Labour Party
been the
move at-
Labour card for
on Workers Revolutionary
be cena Sunbeli
Switch auB
=*::
the party
*The uphold not to
agreed lobby the
at Brighton. asking conference to overturn the NEC decision.
Alf Home says, shawe is vild it the witch "The fight Wythenhunt in the party as a whole is to be stopped.'
Bidwell and Michael Meacher, member Eric Clarke has also signed. Joan Maynard MP Initial signatories (all in personal capacity)
Assistant General Terace afarkers Ur General Secretary
Drain, secretary Alan Sapper, General Secretary ACT
sever secretary varior
a man, Gened Being No.
ack Collins, Kent area NUN
Yorkshire
tric Clarke, NUM Executiv
Midland Region UCAT
"Banks My MP
Denis Can ar MP Demonstrate against racist attacks on September 24.
Socialist Action
More backing
for national
appeal
IN THE PAST week hundreds more signatures have come in to back the national appeal against political vetting and victimisation. New MPs signing the ap-
Eric Deakins, Syd
Warwick and Leamington Constituency Labour Party passed the following resolution at its last GMC meeting:
'This CLP views with alarm the McCarthyite campaign conducted by the media and employers against socialists and trade union activists. It calls upon the NEC to protest strongly against witch hunting of any socialists or trade
The national appeal reads Brish Leland de Concer ot ARE workers who are considered radical or socialist
treatment of the Cowley story was
demi «Deo die assocalon and organisations like ine economic League, I is a tendency
who are victimised at work for their political convictions Ken Livingstone Michael Meacher Mir Ken Livingstone, leader GLC Richard Balfe MEP label Goldwin, Southwark councillor Penny Newel, Chair Peckham CLP Jeremy Hawthorn, Sec Peckham CLP March called by Newham 8 Defence Committee. Assemble 1pm, Plashet Park, Londor
23 September 1983 3 Alex Lyon
concerned that the recent
merely one example of increasing evidence of the victimisation of employer is not entitled to censor ideas or penalise normal trade In our view dr
voices were This is a new McCarthyite tendency to con lakel WIll wACt ought to be reversed. We would welcome your support in forming a committee to counter this tendency and to give support to thos
Lloyd Trott, Treasurer Peckham CLP ommittee Royal Arsenal Cooperative , Rice, Southwark Black Peoples
er Carterarty
Industrial Organiser
, Braarora Universi
Stuart Hall,
i Peace Campet
Helen Jol editor 1 Arblaste Kendall, leader Hackne
Camberwell Green Camberwell Gree Chair NUPE SoutharM Gearat, Chair NUPE Clir Noel Hayes, Waltham Fores Days Haywood, Sec. Ealing-Soucha:
Page 4 scan of this page
4 Socialist Action 23 September 1983
IRELAND
UNFREE
Tories turn to
super-grasses
A CAMPAIGN of resistance to the use of paid informers looks like opening up a new stage in the struggle in the North.
It is now two years since the hunger strike, and although the five demands of the hunger strikers are still to be acheived, the lasting effects of the mass movement built behind those demands still remain.
The republican movement continues to move leftward and lessons have been drawn from 1981. These lessons include the necessity for mass action; for a campaign on a 32-county basis; to campaign internationally; to involve women centrally in the struggle; understanding the value of using the electoral. unions and working with the left in Britain to build a broad-based troops out movement.
In Britain more and more Labour Parties are inviting Sinn Fein representatives so that the 'wall of disinformation' created by the government and ine medla can De broken down.
Unionist veto, and the removal of Labour's sup-
British intelligence might not be very good, but one thing thev do realise is that the problems in the North cannot be solved by military superiority. After all, a couple of Harrier Jump Jets could
resistance in an afternoon if political conditions.
It is for this reason that Thatcher was intran-
what clothes the men of H-block wore, important was to that they were criminals, and that campaign failed. Since the H-block struggle, political initiatives have floundered. The Assembly could not even gain the credibility offered by participation of the SDLP who would normally accept any offer of collaboration.
The British will not consider withdrawal until the nationalist population Call be thoroughly defeated. Criminalisation offers the only possible short term strategy. So now they comb the overfilled jails trying to buy off prisoners who will betray their comrades in exchange for fabulous riches and a place in the sun. It is an ideal breeding ground for every kind of undercover agent and secret sevice operator.
These paid perjurors can only operate in a system where non-jury courts have thrown every sormal notion of justice to the winds. Sinn Fein re now starting to organise resistance to this latest
They go into a new campaign with lessons partially or wholly learnt from the H-block/Armagh struggle.
Already the so-called allies in the church have taken their distance. Civil libertarians from Britain in the form of Lord Gifford and the Cobden trust vil gile me mora Issues, In Drilal, the abour
caistance. The last time round, confusion was rife
he ca sa! issue. time
de the witch hunt and retreat of the left —
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
Here is the news... ...the U.S. State Dept. has amended its clarification of a previous statement which -
Women
get the
blame
The figures tend to indicate growing trend toward later marriages according to the report by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. The accine in une birtn rate should not have affected
1981 umber cs, although the number peopic or Ilathlagcabie age will decline in the future.
By Hilary Astor
In the Queen's Speech this summer the government promised to introduce a new bill in the next session 'reform the current divorce law in the hopes that such a bill would 'improve family life'
It will be based on a private member's bill in-
by Martin Stevens, MP for Hammersmith, been hailed by the press as a 'quickie' divorce bill, a bill to give more help to children and so on.
It is none of these - it is in fact is mpt by the Tories to at- another attack women. to make them responsible for the break-down of the family and to penalise them.
One proposal sell er
vide fixed-term maintenance to end the
of divorced women, and another will allow for conduct to be taken into ac-
when defending financial settlements. Divorce will be permitted after only one year of marriage and the bill says
of the children must be paramount, though it has no proposals on how to ensume las.
The aim of the first proposal for fixed-term maintenance is supposedly to allow the couple Clarifications of lies! Amendments ¡ of lies!
Divorce Tory-style
not
together.
like the
They
relied on
divoice
down to
two
sample
right!
Harman
much
husbands,
whelming
HOES such
paign for Then more tucking LIES!!
• held
has been
that
go
women
these 'clean
man
found
pay, the overmanued nurseries
government deliberately was the per cent,
, Only
without
receiving
the
out
divorce
rich the who children. for organisa-
CamJustice by Lord
For myself I don't mind a little fiction in between the dog food commercials.
A JOB break'
and more
provided
that encouraging family
system of
culc the
whereby
- regard-
succinctly
in
ČORMAC
WHEN I FALL IN LOVE ...IT WILL BE
FOR EVER..
..TWO KIDS A BOY... A GIRL..
AND MAYBE SMALL PART-TIME IN AN OFFICE.. there will now be two households instead of one The husband will have to go out to work all day and mus cer sone woman o Lither a wife hit he remar- look after house ries, or a housekeeper if he does not
provide
TOI The wife will
not, employ
. She will de of 1USL
Tory will merely strengthen ideology tion,
this. In the initial
degis ation try establish to remove the idea blame divorce new
Suffer
This that the whole history of the mar riage will be raked up as a bargaining
Coulte. disputes over who gets the house how much maintenance is paid The woman will suffer most ITOR this. because of Ine double standards in our SOLICLy
In the nineteenth cenLui all could get divorce if his wife had committed adultery. woman had to show adultery and cruelty or any
News
other matrimonial of
fence. It was believed that a woman should forgive a husband's adultery whereas a husband could not be expected to do the same
Until very recently, womer have had LICH
chel in they stept with
them they slept someone other than their husband. In this case the children would go to th husband who probably done the same thing.
Lesbian women still have great difficulty in getting custody. Women's 'misdemeanours' are still seen as worse than men's and women are 'punished' for the breakdown of the Manage. Is cal la the proposals of this bill aim to bolster the family at women's expense.
Concern
The proposal to allow divorce within a year of marriage instead of three years consistent
this. Much better to make
the way a marriage which will not work in order to make Family way fora the 'real
that the husband's second marrage.
The idea that this is motivated by concern for children involved in long marital breakdowns is joke when consider that financial security and comfort to the children of single parents being taken away by the Tories at every turn.
Independence, security and choice of lifestyle for
and children
This bill be comes aw, a d
this bill there is no doubt about the need for the labour movement to fight the bill which will be the next in a long line of attacks on women.
Page 5 scan of this page
What future for NAC?
News
SHOULD THE National Abortion Campaign continue as essentially a single-issue movement for abortion rights or broaden out to take up all
the aspects of 'a woman's right to
choose'?
At the beginning of October, the NAC Conference will be deciding on
the future of the campaign. Below,
we publish views from both sides of
the discussion on the way forward
for NAC.
For a pro-choice
campaign
By the NAC/Labour Abortion Rights Campaign Trade Union Liaison Committee
WE BELIEVE NAC's success comes from its focus on clear demands on the state. The 1967 Abortion Act does not give us choice as a right, but it was a tremendous step forward and must be defended from continued attacks.
We believe it must be extended, that a facilities Act is imperative if all women are to be able to choose whether and when to have children.
Such a bill will not be banning sterilisation as a passed by a Tory condition for abortion ment, but might were essental Darts or ur Labour if sufficient public demand for reedom of
mounted. We choice, the latter occausc nave hardly started to of the genocidal attitudes work to get mass support of the state towards black for a Woman's Right to women.
Choose bill. The law recognises the
The demand remains need for contraception to radical because ne freely available, that challenges the state's con- abortion and sterilisation trol women, must be separated and a makes abortion crime woman must consent that women commit and makes women parliament is concerneconomically dependent. ed, is the need in law for It has still to be achieved freely available abortion. and the need for it has not The Lucil! and practice gone away. regarding the right not to
NAC understood early be sterilised and the right on that contraception and to contraception certainly
Why become a
reproductive rights
campaign?
By Julia South & Jane Marshall (Merseyside NAC); Helen Minett &. Cathy Manthorpe (Leeds NAC); Isabel Ros (Norwich NAC); Marge Berer, Julia Goodwin, Sarah Vickerstaff & Jo Mussen (NAC Steering Cttee); Dianne Grimsditch (Preston Women's Centre).
THE MAIN AIM of NAC has been 'free abortion on demand — a woman's right to choose' since 1975 when the campaign began. All of us remain committed to that aim, but some of us feel we've become complacent about what 'a woman's right to choose' means.
"Choice' suggests being reflect women's actual able to pick from an ideal needs and experiences. set of options. But we are NAC did this on the deluding ourselves if issue of abortion in the believe that women in this '70s, and at that time our
can make choices - demands were radical. But about having children or experiences both in LOL. when there are over NAC and in the women's four million unemployed, movement generally since when the most fren have women earn (if at all) are still abysmally low, when on that HONKON 10 focus rights is no exclusively
being married or not longer enough. makes so much difference, when there is such a lot of isolated event in women's A DOLOR very often unchallenged aves. It means something
on DOLI in- different to woman dividual and institu- whose doctor is discouragtionalised level, and when Ing ner Trom daving a laura we are faced with virulent child by suggesting anti-lesbianism.
campaign that in- whose husband has just tends to speak for women been made redundant, to a needs a political perspec- women involved in tive and demands that relation-
need monitoring and im-
but these rights have not even been established with regard to abortion.
Therefore, we see it as miseranve Loal tional campaign continue
Canvals aimed primarily at Darilalliculal y change.
The demand of 'free abortion demand woman's right to choose'
a demand for working class women, for all those who cannot afford to buy their rights. The fears that. the campaign is racist are based on what we don't take up rather than what we do fight for.
Contributors to the debate have explained how we do not take on the difterent situations that various women are in. We agree that there are many aspects of women's lives that must be changed. We believe that the most successiu way to ao so is in a variety of campaigns, each working out its demands and how to achieve them.
for the women's liberation movement to bring these together.
Labour Pressure
If NAC tries to become
SUEDSCILVILE LS C joining, women's movement,
health campaign (and why stop at take health? it will inevitabl demands. drop the pressure for aborLONE ble for one campaign to unions fight on all fronts at once they It will probably fail on all
other ISSUES. as anils call"
and save-our- and for hospitals campaigns have and done, and as generalised anti-racism havee believe that NAC
for Stole work large labour movement to gain organised ACCODO L
ship and to a woman who
decided never to have these children.
As women, we all share a lack of control over our
when and want children. But we threatened
CA• perience that lack of control in different ways, and it is not only through abor- other, tion that control over our reproduction is felt.
There an entire climate which promotes certain women having
Able those babies and which does not favour others, on the basis of prejudice and oppres- blems. sion to do
with colour, For class, marital status, sexual preference, disability
fit' mother. We come up
tion we go for contraception, if we need an abortion, if we want artificial insemination, if sterilisation is women do option, if we need tests for
tion. infertility, We are pregnant or We come want to get the NHS
against them precisely at the point where we attempt to whatever limited choices are open to us, given circumstances.
youlla Attack such
IUDs. after
In the "70s, abortion
under attack. Abortion CHIOIS rights are still being attacked and eroded now, much more insidiously and cessfully than five years Contr ago. is def a
and trade
women's
because
fight for
pay
the women
remains
become a
else
aust con-
important
issues
we are ex-
who exbecause
and many
has
— ee since 1974. It
Policies fitting an abortion
rubella vac-
childbirth
'NAC's great strength lies in its mass appeal around a clear demand'
labour
Casc 110l1 new type
the
Whether unions belong cidental
traception,
councel
Our generally,
vant again.
posing to specific
CAMPAIGN
campaign
the who
NAC,
campaign.
in
favourable
'70s.
not these continue to
LO C
We • or denied —
abortion
have
and we
be for rights we are • to
campaign
NAC
dissolve
a new struc-
у and
for ex-
have formed
who
aspects of
only
Socialist Action 23 September 1983
NATIONAL ABORTION
campaign.
NAC's great strength lies • 11 appea around clear and straightforward demand, and its support from women and men within and outside. the labour movement and of all sorts of politics.
Oppose
The adoption of any one political viewpoint means sacrificing a mass campaign. We oppose turning NAC into a reproductive STONES campaign because we don't have the forces to run a campaign on contraception and sterilisation as well as re maining the only mass campaign for a woman's
5 right to choose Accepting the need to press on to defend existing abortion rights and extend them, we believe that ac tion should be stepped up to combat what is going to be a huge attack from anti-abortionists supported by hostile to women, and to work toward positive legislation.
We have a long way to go to get a woman's right to choose and it's going to be tough even retainin what : we've won. We wil not be able to maintain that struggle if we branch out into other areas of women's oppression. been edited due to lack of space.)
NOMENS
CHOICE
NOT
DOCTORS
CHOICE
Page 6 scan of this page
THE LEFT MUS
THE LEFT in the unions and the Labour Party faces a very hard battle. The right wing leaders are in full scale retreat before the Tories, as evidenced by the TUC and the statements of Hattersley, Shore and company in the Labour Party.
But the left has still not organised itself in an effective way to defeat the right and has let the ight get away with political larceny'. BOB PENNINGTON ooks at the tasks Facing the left and argues for building › mass-based nitea front inside he unions and the abour Party.
In another article he explains how the left organised in the lays of the National LeftWing Movement, ind ALAN REEMAN shows ow the right have Iways used the nethod of the itch hunt against my threat from he left.
deputy. less a formality.
previous left wing
varying degrees of
smashed
hunts.
The first, powerful organised left
Strike, and was made
Minority unions, which grew out
leaders sold out during the war. Communist Party,
the Labour Party
Labour Party Bodies like the
own structure.
members of the Labour Party at all.
BUIL its influence, Minority Movement,
local Labour Parties.
tion, so that
to conference.
Socialist Action 23 September 1983
TWO YEARS ago Tony Benn and Denis Healey were racing neck and neck in a photo-finish style race for the Deputy Leadership. Things seemed set fair for the left.
It had stored up a number of important victories. At the special Wembley conference it had won the vote on the election of the leader and Mandatory геselection was in the bag. The party was committed to leaving the EEC and the two thirds vote needed for unilateralism was more or
The signs pointed to the return of a Labour government which would be bound to implement a
The witch hunt:
always the first
recourse against
a left wing
THE LABOUR PARTY has had three
influence in the working class. In each case they were
up and defeated. political debate but by organisational measures agalls lem, namely witch gave all
and probably most wing in the Labour Party grew up between 1922 and 1926, in the run up to the General
up of Labour Parties sympathetic to the ideas of the young Communist Party, and to. the
Movement the of the shop stewards movement and the general The disgust at the way the right wing union
The after some argu- proportion ment, decided to apply for affiliation to
— not at that time such an unusual proposal, because the
had a federal structure.
Independent Labour Party were affiliated but retained their
Indeed, until after the 1914-18 war there were no individual
The 1922 Edinburgh conference of the Labour Party rejected the Communist Party's request for affiliation.
and that of the continued to grow because the unions were becoming more and more radical. Indeed two 'Communist Labour' MPs were returned in 1922 having been selected by their
•So the Labour leaders set about changing the constitu-
Communists could not even be sent as delegates by their unions
number of left wing policies. By the
early summer of the next year
events had taken a very different
turn and the expectations and
hopes of the Jett had taken
something of a hammering. The
Falklands factor had hit
politics.
Maggie Thatcher was able to
exploit the war in the Malvinas and
ride to the top of the opinion polls
on a wave of patriotism. Her ex-
ploitation of this issue was helped
by the Labour leaders who endors
ed Britain's war aims and in so do-
ing handed things to her on a plate.
Unfortunately, with
honourable exceptions, the
MPs and union leaders either went
along with Thatcher's imperialist
aims or stayed Silent on
sidelines.
As the recession ravaged Industry
the TUC and the union leaders did
almost nothing to organise resistance to
The growing influence of the left really scared the Labour leaders who looked over their shoulders at the rul ing class whom they were terrified of offending. Philip Snowden, then an important leader in the Labour Party,
interview to the right-wing
Morning Post. which was designed to put the capitalist class at their ease.
By Alan Freeman
Snowden said, 'No Labour governmell would ever be the government merely of the manual labouring classes.
present constitution Parliamentary Party answer to that fear. A considerable
of the party members belong to the middle classes. It contains lawyers, doctors, university professors, teachers, ministers of religion, consulting engineers, manufacturers, journalists, and even landed proprietors. A Labour government would certainly contain many men of this type.
Now the right claims that they want to 'return the Labour Party to its working class roots'. At the same time they are preparing to cut its links from the unions. In the 1920s the organisational attacks were designed to limit working class influence in the party. The common link between all witch hunts was the desire to prevent the organisation of minorities whose views threatened create a mass movement which could unscal mic power or mme one cra leadership of both unions and party. The right wing always responded to political arguments, which it could not defeat, with the suppression of ideas, orkansators dreamervenes
iemployment._ take action they either got no support or were sold out by the bureaucracy. Last year's health dispute enjoyed the support of millions of people outside the NHS, and provided a real chance of defeating the government and turning British the tide against the Tories. But in a
display of almost unbelievable cowardice the TUC managed to make sure the strike was lost. Their actions did not just lose a strike, they also placed in jeopardy the very future of the health service itself. Dispute
few left ment, in the railworker's dispute over
flexible rostering and in the NHS pay claim whilst the left MPs and union leaders were sympathetic, and in some the instances turned out on the picket lines,
the sad fact is that as a group they did nothing to organise a mass alternative to the inaction and betrayals of the right wing.
The departure of the Independent Labour Party after MacDonald, Snowden and company in 1931, left a void inside the Labour ParThis was tilled be the League an left reformists and Marxists
was formed on the eve of the 1932 party conference The collapse of the Labour govern ment and the brought to bear on that government raised tor the tirst time in wide lef reformist circles a discussion about constituționalism and whether or not Labour's aims could through normal methods.
In January 1937 at a special delegate conference the adopted a manifesto by 56 votes to 38 for the launching of a Unity Campaign WILl Te Communist ILP.
The campaign was launched at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester on 24 January and on 27 January the Socialist
League was disaffiliated
Labour Party. The right was determined that no left movement was going to
build a base
movement and so the Socialist League
had to go.
When workers did In the struggles against unemployBevan with Harold Wilson to his left and Mikardo,
the betrayals of
- an organisation made up of
• which
tracted the number
be realised parliamentary Party'. 1 ne Socialist League meetings
Party and the
attacking
from the
wide labour Morecambe
The pay-off came with
clection. From the very be
right wing sabotaged the can
Ing a very grateful media t
clear that they had no time for
Labour's policies and presented
age of a party that was divided and
no idea where it was going. But whe
really lay at the root of Labour's failure
to win mass support for its polices of
unilateralism, getting out of the EEC
combatting unemployment and defen-
ding the welfare state was Labour's
prior failure to build mass campaigns
around these issues.
Even during the general election
when the People's March for Jobs took
place the union bureaucracy did every-
thing in its power to make it *non-
political', and the Labour Party never
put it right at the centre of its election
On such
unilateralism and unemployment H-is
not enough to carry resolutions at con
ference. These policies have to be takes
into the population at large whict
means building CND, putting all t
Driberg and Barbara Castle -
After the return of the Labour government in 1945 the activities of the left were restricter lo a very smallminority in the parliamentary party. It was not until 1951 when Labour made the first cut backs in the NHS that a new and broadly based left emerged.
was led by Nye Bevan and atsupport of a significant of Labour MPs and some leading lights in the unions.
The Bevanites soon began to have an impact in the Labour Party and got some influence in the unions. This led to a witch hunt around the accusation,
Chronicle, that the Bevanites had set up a Party within a
Bevanites hold regular to decide their party hine quite independently of official party meetings... they have a travelling circus
tours the crusading for the Bevanite slogans and
the official leadership Their ready made propaganda organ is Tribune which circulates at special rates inside Constituency Labour Parties.'
The right wing's fears were the same as in the 1920s, that the left was gaining in influence in the party ranks At the
CONC CIC 1952 the Bevanites took six out of seven consti-
Page 7 scan of this page
- ORGANISE Building Labour's left
dispute and working ase workers defending the estricted
course the right wing leaders in
abour Party and the unions had
ntion of doing any such thing. left also failed to do these an organised way. In general it activities to individual cconspicuously failed through the trade unions and i Party against the right. An etween the trade union and Which turned towaros mas
meat now faces a
ça apolll battle for the retara of a
nir government: the onus for tak" on this task lies with the left inside is party and the unions. That means vanite' members of Labour's national executive. tuency seats and Gaitskell declared that one-sixth of the constituency delegates appeared to be Communist or Communist inspired'! Again 1950s, in the 1920s, responded with an organisational, not a
On 23 Doc duak.
Parliamentary party banned Bevanite group in parliament. Yet the ett continued to gain intinence. Bevantives then organised looser ormanons such as ineir brains Trust' panel. At the same time left wing newspapers such as Socialist Outlook began to gain influence.
Always, the attacks centred on 'subversive' and 'undermining' tivities. Thus William Lawther of the Daily Telegraph in 1953 wrote: opinion of the Trades Unions is that the Bevanites activities are a deliberate attempt to undermine the leadership in the same way that Hitler and the Communists did. There is no difference between them'.
The real problem for the right is shown in the NEC minutes for 28 April 1953, which record that 152 CLPs had passed resolutions opposing German rearmament. The political opposition to the leadership was not confined to a parliamentary group roots in the CLPs. The right responded
democratic rights.
just in the Labour Party and the unions, but also in the women's movement, among the unemployed, ticularly the youth, and in the Black and Asian commonities. No single current in British politics can on its own build that movement, firstly because no political grouping either left reformist or Marxist millions of people. If the teft works together to build such a movement then it has the potential to reach out to the millions needed if Toryism is to be defeated The job of building a united left leadership is of overwhelming importance. It means the difference between defeat and victory for the working class and its allies. by using bans
party
In the parties started. the right
October the
the that, and free
The through
movement would be ashamed'
Nevertheless the
bevate el as a wrole.
acthe Labour Party itself. "The opposition.
vival is to stop but had strong
Party.
building i across the labour mover can provide leadership in gainst unemployment, in
clear war and in defence of
Such a movement will find allies not
pool
enjoys the support of ideas. and proscriptions.
Socialist Outlook was banned and the expulsions and disaffiliations of local
The vigorously defended the right of free speech and Michael Foot, in a rather different tone to his 1982 pronouncements, explained
'We cannot allow this to go on, controversy and free newspapers to be stamped out of existence. ... The great men who built this
ban stuck. and then the right turned its attention to the
cil.
Tribune came under attack in 1954, and in 1955 an attempt was made to expel Bevan from
The witch hunt did not destroy the left's influence; but what it did was to reduce the left from a mass movement to a relatively small, and atomised set of individuals and splinter groups. it had succeeded in its real aim; it broke up the possibility of forming a mass left
The lessons are clear. If a mass opposition to the present rightward drift in the labour movement is to be formed, its number one condition for sur-
the witch hunt in industry, in the unions and the Labour and
RIGHT UP TO the Liver-
conference of Labour Party in 1925 Communist Party members could be individual members of the Labour Party. This strengthened the left and helped to spread Marxist ideas inside a Party whose left wing was deeply imbued with reformism.
The right wing had no intention of allowing this to continue and they got a resolution carried al Liverpool cluding Communists from any kind of parts did onin ta bourested ana ins.
not go unes stee Labour Party.
A sizeable minority of local parties simply did not operate the Liverpool decision. Many of the left reformists saw the attack made by the right as part of a general offensive against all left
In December 1925 a National Left-Wing conference held organise a struggle inside the Labour Party whose aim was 'not to supercede the Labour Party 'but to "re-mould it nearer to the heart's desire" of the rank and file.
The conference was impressive. Its main organisers were Tom Mann, Joe Vaughan, a former mayor of Bethra Green and a member of the London Labour Party executive, Alex Gossip of
turniture William Paul, editor of the Worker which then had a circulation of around 100,000. The conference was informed that nearly 100 divisional and borough Labour Parties had suspended carrying out the Liverpool decision.
Some 50 of these associated themselves with the National Wing Movement. Eyen the disaffiliation of a number of parties who had not carried out the ban did not break up the National Left-Wing Movement. Rather it confirmed in many members eyes the need for such. a movement In 1926 came the defeat of the General Strike
right-wing leaders of the TUC and their counterparts in the Labour Party which therefore led to more support for the National Left-Wing Movement.
By 1927 the movement was gaining fairly widespread national influence. When it held its second conference in September 1927-54 local Labour Parties plus quite a number of other groups were represented. There were delegates from the North London Federation of the Independent Labour Party ILP London and Southern Counties Guild of Youth, prominent miners leaders like A.J. Cook and S.O. Davies were there. The chairperson was W Crick who was also chairperson of the Manchester and Salford Trades Coun-
The Sunday Worker by then had become more or less the paper of the National Left-Wing Movement and it carried regular articles reporting its activity and putting forward its pro-
The pamphlet Towards Labour Government produced by the National Left-Wing Movement, which • was the proceedings of the conference, sold over 100,000 copies. For the first time a strong organised left existed in. side the Labour Party. It had the advantage of being organised nationally and it was made up of Marxists. and bet leere becoming more angry
who were becoming more angry
disgusted at the policies of the right-wing leaders.
in the twenties
These were people who supported the the right of the Communists to be individual members of the Labour Party. They wanted a socialist programme and they wanted more militant policies insiac ine Labour rarty and lne trade unions. However they had not accepted a number of the policies of the Communist Party. Most of them were fai from convinced about the need for the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism and were suspicious about democratic centralism,
The National Left-Wing Movement therefore provided a form of organisation which could unite in common action and in common policies the two ex most advanced currents in the labour movement ists of the Communist Party and the left reformists of both the Labour Party and the unions.
Wing Movement continued to grow. In • many cases it worked to replace rightwing parliamentary candidates by those from the left.
As working class militancy revived after the General Strike more people were drawn into the fight against the right. A manifesto calling for a socialist policy inside the Labour Party was put out by A.J. Cook and James Maxton of the ILP.
Clydeside MP John many other lett MPs. It was then officially endorsed by the National LeftWing Movement.
May Day Demonstration in London in 1928 10,000 peoplé turned out. and Sunday The 1928 Conference showed that the movement had much wider than before and around 80 Labour Parties were represented. despite its successes the National LeftWing Movement was the cause of much bitter discussion inside the Communist Left- Party. Opposition
The majority of the Communist Party Central Committee led by Arthur Horner the miners' leader, J.R. Campbell and others were strong supporters of such a policy, bridge to those workers' ward in opposition to capitalism...' A minority of the CC led by Harry Pollitt and R.P. Dutt argued against it. They insisted become like the Liberal Party of the last century and that it must be destroyed not built up.
Left-Wing Movement as an obstacle to building a revolutionary party.
The executive Communist International favour of the minority. Stalin's International was by then heading for the policies of the 'Third Period' whereby the main enemy were to become the social democrats stood in the way of the overthrow of capitalism. The adoption of such a sectarian line spelt disaster for the National Left-Wing Movement.
By December writing that '... the Labour Party is a third capitalist party' and insisting 'our strength will grow in the degree that we can weaken the January 1929 R.P. theoretician of the Communist Party, poured building the National Left-Wing Movement. He wrote: "If it is argued that it is necessary for the Communist Party to organise this tendency as a bridge to itset then this becomes equivalent to arguing that it is the task and of the Communist Party to organise centrism.'
• the revolutionary Marx-
The National LeftThis was backed by the left
Wheatley and
At the Left-Wing 'The that:
Movement ... spread its roots
'But
Party' ty. insisting it was moving tor-
mouths
that the Labour Party had
They saw the National
another
committee of the found in
both the
who they claimed
1928 Pollitt was
Marxists
Labour Party' workers.
Dutt, the chief
the strategy labour
mass movement. , in the end
allies.
Socialist Action 23 September 1983
A.J. Cook miners' leader who sup ported both the National Minority Movement and the National LeftWing Movement
argument of J.R. Campbell 'We must nave a Left-Wing ' in order 'to unite with the honest rank-and-file members of the Labour Party, who are genuinely dissatisfied with some of the Labour Party policy, but who are not prepared to come right over to the Communist
was • destined to go unheeded. Then the 10th Congress of the Communist Party voted that party members should leave the National Left-Wing Movement. Shortly after, the National Committee of the Movement on which the Communist Party had a majority voted it should dissolve and advised its supporters to join the Communist Par-
This caused considerable indignation in the ranks who had never been consulted and left a bitter taste in the
of many left reformist militants. The ruling class and their servants in the right wing of the Labour Party and the trade unions welcomed the National Left-Wing Movement's demise. As far as they were concerned
obstacle to pro-capitalist policies had been removed.
Whilst history simply never repeats itself and conditions are very different than in the late twenties it is important that socialists study what happened to
National Left-Wing Movement and its counterpart in the unions 'the National Minority Movement (see Socialist Action No.25). Both serve as examples of the need to build broad based oppositions to the attacks of the emplovers and to the sell-outs ottht right wing labour leaders. They showed when these movements were at their height how they could unite in action
and reformist-minded
They are the living proof that if the left today is going to revitalise the
movement by organising forces that are in opposition to the Tory government it can only be done by organising an opposition rooted in the
It must offer a way "LO « nose wie genunnel want to fight for policies that serve the interests of the working class and its
Page 8 scan of this page
1,000 British marines
1500 people márcheds last Saturday in London on the anniversary of the Shabra-Chatila massacre. Demonstrations in solidarity with the Tamil women need support
8
WORLD
US plane 'dropped
nuclear bomb'
B52 in flight — Goldsboro just survived
ROBERT MacNamara, former US Defence Secretary, now a leading
World Bank, revealed last week
1961 bomber accidentally dropped 24-megaton muclear bombs. The accident happened bomber was crashing
Goldsboro, North Carolina.
One of the bombs broke barminated and con-
area with plutonium radiation, but the other went through six of the seven arming mechanisms and nearly exploded. If it had done so it would have producDreux election uproar
THERE was uproar last week in France in the wake of the electoral victory of the right wing opposition in a by-election. Dreux is a town with a large immigrant population and the first round of the elections the extreme right Front National — a more or less explicitly fascist organisation 17
YUL per cent of the vote.
On the second round the Gaullist-Giscardian opposition made an electoral pact with the EN to ensure a right wing. vicLOrY SOCRISIS The election is a land mark in rrench politics because it demonstrates the which disillusionment with the
Borge visits France
THOMAS Borge, the Vicaraguan Interior Minister visited France last week for discussions with the French government. Borge asked the French government belp stop agression against Niçaragua. French prime Mauroy pledged
Belgian strike
THE Belgian centre-left
WaN in the grip oI a near-general strike last week as nearly one million public sector workers took action. The WORKONS OHI Wednesday on a one-day strike oralist government cuts wages, benefits, and pensions to
Socialist Action 23 September 1983 ed a nuclear explosion 1800 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb.
McNamara also revealed that in 1967 the Soviet Union and the US came close to war over
misunder: standings
naval manoeuvres the
Mediterranean.
Namara has concluded that nuclear weanons are 'useless'. He says he ex-
ressed this view to bott
Presidents Kennedy anc Johnson, and got an informal assurance from both to use nuclear
only if the USSR did so first.
Socialist-Communist
feeding the right wing. But it also mal as a walcisica In tne history of Gaullism with its war litt 'antifascist'
The alliance with the FN brought bitter denunciations from
some leading right wing politicians. Some cynics
that President Mitterrand was rather en-
whole tung The disaffection of some more right wing politicians would provide him with poten-
ministerial material when he eventually kicks the Communists out of the government.
'economic, cultural and commercial solidarity with Nicaragua. Foreign minister Cheyson, however. stressec Nicaragua's continued commitment to 'political pluralism and a mixed economy' (read capitalism) would greatly help its case.
balance its 1984-5 budget. However, workers, including dockers, transport workers, Tenne civil servants came out.
ordered back to work by Koval Decree last saturday.
Lebanon
THE Lebanese army launched an all-out attack on left-wing Druze militia positions last Friday, in the wake of the joint US-Saudi attempts to arrange a ceasefire. In fact, the ceasefire was a trick. While the Lebanese government stronghold of Souk al-Gharb was in danger of falling, the United States made barely-concealed threats to unleash its aircraft and marines against the Druze militias in the mountains, unless a 'status quo' arranged.
While the fighting subsided the Lebanese army regrouped ior an attack. even setting into motion its six-plane airforce, unused for ten years. Two of the ancient Lebanese planes were shot down.
By Paul Lawson
Even British Foreign Office officials last week were saying that the name 'peace keeping force' was a misnomer for the allied STATE INSTIGATED racial violence in Sri Lanka has destroyed Tamil owned property and industry to the value of 300 million dollars. Seventeen of the largest factories affected were involved in the production of textiles and garments ready made for export. 80 per cent of the workers in these factories were women, often the sole wage earners of large families.
The only options the government is now offering them is re-employment
factories and weaving mills situated between lo and ou mies Irom their homes and employ-
permanent night shifts. They will be paid
prospective employers will not be liable to contribute to Employees Provident Funds Officially, night work for women is illegal in Sri Lanka. The Internanonal Labour urnice convention No.89, pro-
night work for women was signed, but as
on stand-by
Chouf ceasefire was
armies in Lebanon. The
brief of the US, French, British and Italian armies is not at all to 'keep the peace' but to shore up and support the Lebanese government.
Both the Lebanese government and its army are dominated by the right wing Christian Maronite community. For the world's imperialist armies,
especially for the United States, the Maronite Christians are Palestinian resistance took place in many Euro pean capitals on the same day. various eport indicate,
lot ratified in 1982
Our Sri Lankan correspondent
The suggestion that the ban would be lifted in 1982
with widespread opposition from women WULAID the women's movement and the trade union movement 1n Sri
The government, taking advantage of the present crisis, is now forc ing women to accept work on the night shift. For lack of an alternative and through sheer economic
the key to establishing
some sort of pro-Western
state in Lebanon.
The US intervention is
an alarming
its world counter-
police role
If the weak Lebanese army
fails to defeat Druze
militias the US will un-
doubtedly force.
Marines
Already there are 2000
US marines waiting off-
shore on aircraft carriers.
Reagan has given the US
commander in the region the authority to call up air
strikes without asking
Washington's approval first.
Ever since the Vietnam war, the right wing in the necessity many will be forced to auccol Many women felt the ban on night work for them was a right women and should be extended to men as well
Apart from the enhanced exploitation, injury to health and the disruptive of night work on social life, there is no guarantee that women returning to crowded and noisy boarfamilies will be able to ge ding houses large sufficient rest. It will only mean that the burden housework will have to be assumed sooner than later in the day.
Night work will also mean that women travelling long distances using
transport facilities and ill-lit streets will be easy prey to all forms of sexual harassent and intimidation.
United States, together with the military establishNicks accu overcome 'the Vietnam svndrome widespread feeling in the Us that foreign military
entanglement should be
avoided. While the world's
press has highlighted the
US build up Central America, the actual deployment of ' US troops
combat Lebanon marks a potentially more decisive blow in overcoming US isolationism. If Reagan can get away with an expedition in Lebanon.
easier to strike at Central
British military
the Lebanon are in full sw-
caneer jets which have
Women workers in Sri Lanka have fought before under repressive 'emergen-
conditions, llav brutal police attack, have been arrested and remanded, and they are fighting again.
Burdens
The current deep going economic crisis the country will no doubt visit its worst burdens on the women of Sri Lanka. This together with the naked repression unleashed upon the Tamil speaking people, the lami aberation strug gle and the working class
by the 'constitutional' dictatorship of the Jayawardene regime, demands the commencement of an international campaign of protest now!
The womens libera-
International
been moved to Cyprus, and which have already
overflown Beirut, 1000
British marines have beer
moved to the Mediterra
lical Although the
Ministry of Defence
refuses to detail their
precise destination, it's no
secret that they're on their
way to Cyprus, as a staging
post for Lebanon
If British troops do go
into Lebanon, then they
will of course be able to put to good use their ex-
perience of house-to-
house and street fighting
obtained Ireland
Doubtless the 'lessons' of the Falklands adventure will come in useful as well.
The time has come for the
to make the
Middle East, and British involvement there, a major campaigning priority
Oh CARS AUSTO GUARITA (Photon)
tior movement of Sri Lanka calls upon you to
campaign on our government incorporating the following demands: 1. That all workers displaced by the recent violence be adequately reemployed and not be discriminated against with regard to employment or wages or 2. be paid a monthly wage until adequate employment is tound. and 3. that women workers are not forced to work either a temporary or a permanent night shift.
Please address letters of protest to:
The President of Sr
Presidents House, Colombo 1, Sri Lanka.
The Minister of Labour, Labour Ministry Narahenpita, Colombo 5 Sri Lanka.
Page 9 scan of this page
Letters
Angry
at the
witch hunt
I want to tell you how very angry and distressed
the treatment of the workers at Cowley.
I think the exposé, by the alleged former member of the International Socialists, of the 'infiltration' techniques of Marxists was particularly revolting and made me seriously reconsider my position on capital punishment.
Anyway, although I have lots of reservations abour your curren analysis and priorities, I do accozusc unal walc all on the same side and deeply regret your sup porters victimisation and numiliation.
DIANNE GRIMSDITCH, Lancashire.
Lickspittles of Stalinism?
I WAS appalled, though not altogether surprised by your editorial on the Korean jet disaster. Coming the week after SA's uncritical coverage of ArTOUtE •carzu bizarre Stalinist ravings in Moscow. it marks a further lurch towards 'cam-
and cryptoStalinism on the part of the paper.
Of course, we should have no truck with the hypocrisy and cold war posturing of Reagan and the western imperialists. We should lose no opportunity to point out that their hands are dripping with the blood of innocent civilians in Turkey, Central America, IndoChina, the Middle East etc, etc.
It is one thing to point out the hypocricy of the imperialists' outcry - but quite another to slide over into justifying the massacre.
The editorials' convoluted, embarrassing ana uncolvilcnig apology for the shooting was. in places. not unlike the statement of the Russian bureaucrats Temse ves.
'If the Soviet leadership knew or suspected that the plane was indeed a civilan aliner then its destruction was a foolish «nc orulal aeliui • yuu say, demonstrating a remarkable facility for muci scatculcul
Then the editorial continues; 'But there are good reasons to think that this was not the case'!
The rest. of the article is an apologia of the ac. Lul. with reference to US spy planes in the area and the conclusion that Russia was only 'guarding itself from military encirclement and harassment of its borders'.
1984 came early for me
CONGRATULATIONS for calling for the launching of a campaign against blacklisting in industry!
While my heart went out to the cowley with al they suffered in the last month. I have to sav that political victimisation at work is nothing new.
For the last four years I have been without a job, due in my case, 1 am absolutely certain, to my activities as a trade unionist in my previous place of work.
It is well known that
maintain a blacklist of militants in the industry,
KIMNOPORSTU®
IJKLETTERSTU
THiS iS ONLY THE BEGINNiNG.
Who seriously believes that shooting down an unarmed civilian plane
las anythin! to do with
eence ortic rauonau: ea property relations of the USSR? As Trotsky pointed out, the only real means of defending the nationalised property (all we do defend about that police state, by the way)
s to mobilise the working
nationally, and for the overthrow of the bureaucracy in Russia.
Jonathan Hammond
A MEMORIAL meeting
for Jonathan Ham.
mond, former president
fo the National Union
of Journalists, will be
held on Wednesdąy 28
September at Bishop
Creighton House Lillie
Road, London SW6
starting at 8pm.
The following have
been invited: Solidar-
nosc Trade Union Sup-
port Group, Socialist
UHLEOOO Wu
Movement, Fulham
Labour Party, Ham-
mersmith and Fulham
Trades Council, Na-
tional Union of Jour-
malists, Fulham Cam-
the problem is that individuals who are on it Have no way Ul knowlllg for sure.
This is very demoralising, since at factories wiere you kiow unere are ous you are tunicu away time and time again. without knowing why until you suddenly twig.
In increasing uesperation I am now going to
get a job. 1984 came early for me. Best of luck with the campaien. ror obvious reasons I prefer to remain
ANONYMOUS, Birmingham.
A preconamon Ior that must be to tell the LULe aDouL lud murderous indifferénce to human life systematically demonstrated by that bureaucracy.
In our concern to stay out of the camp of the cold warriors we must not allow ourselves to end up as lickspittles of Stalinism.
JIM DENHAM.
Birmingham. paign for Nuclear Disarmament, Turkey Solidarity Campaign Writers' Guild and all organisations and individuals who shared Jonathan's life and political activity.
Messages to be read out to the meeting, from those who cannot attend shouid he sent to me at the adress below.
JAMES RYAN,49 Hawksley Road, London N16. Tel 254 1221 (home) 229 1234 (work).
Write to us!
This is your page. Send us your comments, criticisms or even congratulations. But please be brief -letters over 300 words will be cut. Write to: Letters, Socialist Action, 328 Upper Street, London N1 2XP.
(Tel: 01-359 8180)
Films
Danton gets a 'slice of the action'!
Danton
political interest.
But this time Wajda's chosen subject is revolu-
Tevo luO seen through the prism of the Terror and the guillotine
By Chris Bertram
The film invites us to sympathise will Danton (Gerard Depardieu)
against the icily principled Robespierre (Wojciech Pszoniak). I confess that
emotions did not
develop exactly as prescribed
Danton comes across
as a corrupt and drunker fool who has used the ICvuiullUl. to enrich himself out. It is only by and now , virtue of Wallls
his oratorical skill, and the fact that he has indeed SOME ON the British left support the Irish 'armed struggle' in the belief that a victory for the republican forces in Nörthern Ireland would be a victory for progressive socialism
The presence of the British Army and the repressive nature of legislation in the province aves some valey to toc republican claim that this presence 1s ot an imperialist nature and can only be resisted by axmed confrontation.
However, Britain's presence is not the only obstacle. The loyalist majority hold a veto in the province and would ever Suom le reunification. Indeed, if a
DANTON IS ONE of the major films of 1983. Any film by Andrzej Wajda, the maker of Man of Iron and Man of Marble, is sure to generate critical and
been "fitted up', that we can develop any sympathy for him at all.
By contrast, Robespierre, tor his unfeeling nature, does at least believe in what he ts
reinacion aes ug to sea
revulaluli green incorruptible'. Not all the Dantonistes are a: bad as their leader, when Depardieu desire to return to a tranquil and simple life one of his supporters acidly replies, 'Yes, ours will be simple and yours will be tranquil'.
The Jacobins aI C caught in a trap that is not ot their own making. They realise that to halt the revolutionary process is to condemn the revolution to death, so they are forced
Overcoming the sectarian divide
united Ireland was forced upon them, they in turn would engage in their own armed struggle against the republican forces. Human misery in the North would therefore continue unabated.
The solution to Northern Ireland is the application of the main Soco Daroc ol working class solidarity. Sectarianism divides the working class, and perpetuates the myth that one section of the working class has different interests to that of the other.
The unionist politicians, undoubtedly reactionary, hold their own position of power,
Socialist Action to execute Danton. But the revolution has developed beyond the point at which it is social system ins the 18 a
system in the 18th century. To execute Danton to propel the bourgeoisie into the camp . of the counter-revolution. Either way Robespierre and Saint-Just are doom-
Political
The film is often heavy handed in its politica Moranse Thus Dantor asks whether 'All revolutions, like Saturn, devour their children'. Robespierre portrayed ordering, the removal of the faces of couter-revolutionaries from group portraits.
Perhaps it is invitable that Wajda, an East European critic Satlinism should see in the not because of their commitment to the Irish working class who vote for them, but because the sectarian divide dictates that the Protestant working class must vote 'for their side' nationa ste is cast within tue amework of sectarianism. It is therefore an essential precondition to Irish Walv unal une wokg class of Northern Ireland realise their commor interests.
A united working class, disassociated from the British establishment and fighting for better housing, jobs and social welfare would make a united socialist Ireland
23 September 1983 revolution a conflict of means and ends and the OCONTO A BICOS Oai ale braction enst suard abstracuol such view is deeply pessimisti about the possibility of sangin h sce Any such
will based, on dividual caprice.
I suspect that this film will reinforce rather than challenge the preconceptons o whoever goes to see ll For this reason if cannot be as an unquannca artistic success
It may whet the appetite of its viewers to read more which it covers, and thee about the cyclt 1 they
should read Guèrin's excellent 'Class Struggles in the First French Republic for revolutionary Marxist inLerviclaliull
possible and would
threaten the cosy alliance
between reactionary
governments of Thatcher
and FitzGerald. I
therefore call on all
socialists, not only to
ensure that pressure is
kept on Labour for a full
commitment to British
withdrawal, but also to
support efforts to
organise the working class
of Northern Ireland. The
Sonor v o werne
people would not only
overcome Northern
Ireland's prejudice and
bigotry but would also
enable the working class
to fight back against the
ravages of capitalism.
TIM PORTEUS,
Edinburgh
Page 10 scan of this page
10
DIARY
1 These listings are free for all major labour movement and campaign Semi-
advertisements Cust ep per wora ana musi be para Socidian advance. Send to: Diary,
Action, Upper Street. London NI 2XP to arrive not later than Thursday, one week prior to
• National Abortion Campaign conference is on ct -no. Hor detals mease contact NAC at 374 Grays
London WCI. ull Rudd Tel. 01-278 0153. • Labour Movement onerence on fresne Peace through Democracy.
Sat 26 Nov. Speakers include Tony Benn. Ker Livingstone, and Clive Soley. • No Intervention in Central America (NICA) is a orvau vascu coannion or solidarity groups, human rights orgs, aid agencies and political parties. Ine NICA petition deadline has now been extended to 24 October.
For cutons or more
Compton Terrace, London N1 01-226 6747 • Stop 'The City' protest and carnival against Financial institutions backing for muntary soenaine. oamPaul's CaSedral steps all Hill, Paul's day. Veneral Planning meeting 24 Sept, 10am-6рт, Tonbridge Club, Cromer St, WCI. Details 01-809 1346.
I would like to become a Socialist Action supporter. • Please put de in touch port local readers B • Please send me my supporters bulletin • I enclose a standing order/donation of £
Socialist Action Bankers Order Form
To:
(Name of your bank in capitals)
(Address of your bank in capitals)
Please pay to the credit of Socialist Action, Acc. No.
70372315 at Co-Op Bank, 08-90-33, 1 Islington High
Street, London N1. Starting on
first payment) and thereafter monthly on the same
date until further notice. Debit my A/C No
for the amount of f.
Name
Address.
Signature
When completed and signed please return to:
The Business Manager,
Street, London N1 2XP.
Please do not send the Bankers Order direct to your
ank. Thank you.
A SOCAL
ACTION
Join the
fight for
socialism
Socialist Action 23 September 1983
• Back to the Sink?
Discussion of the effects of
or bordes on women
Thur 22 Sept, 7.30pm, The
Anchor (upstairs room),
Uxbridge Road. Wes
Ealing. Organised by Ealing
Socialist Action supporters.
Campaign for Gay Rights open meeting on Gays & Lampen colnes sent. 8pm, Lambeth Town Hall.
• Hands off Central
A merce souls London
labour movement Rally 28 Oct, Lambeth Town Hall, Speakers include: Alal sapper, salvador Moncada
(FDR/FMLN) and reps from
Nicaragua and Grenada kurtner delaus/leaners rom Vauxhall CLP, 01-582 2955.
• North Staffs Labour Against the Witch Hun public meeting. Fri 23 Sept, 7.30pm, Guildhall, Newcastle-under-Lyme. Speakers include Peter Tatchell & Steph Grant (Cowley 15) • beenne Ked - the Press and the Left public meeting called by West Midlands campaign for Press and Broadcasting rreedom. • Tues 27 Sept, 7.30pm, Digbeth Civic Hall, Birmingham.
Clare Short MP, Peter Tatchell.
• LOV and how to fight it Vauxhall CLP public meeting Mon 26 Sept,
Lillian Baylis School, Lollard St, SE11. speakers: Ivicnael Meacner, Stuart Holland, Reg Race, Emma MacLennan (Low rav unil Racist Attacks! National Against Racism and
Defence Cttee and supported by National Campaign
Sat 24 Sept, 1pm, Plashet Park, East Ham, London E6. Date
(date of Socialist Action, 328 Upper
Name
Address
Age Union/CLP (if any) If you want more information about Socialist Action or to be put in touch with local supporters send this form to Socialist Action, 328 Upper Street, London N1.
• Swansea YCND Festival 24 Sept, St Phillips Community Centre, 1-6pm. Stalls, videos, music, food and workshops. Admission Sub. an wecome. ruriner info from Gareth Harding, 2, Overland Rd, Mumbles, Swansea. tel. 68660 • El Salvador Solidarity mallo al rallie. Ist prize Holiday in Cuba; 2nd prize Video Recorder; Tickets E2.50 Barrel of beer
, 29 Islington Park St, London N1. Draw takes place 21 October • The Labour Party and Black People Westminster North CLP's Black Group and the London Labour Party one day conference. 24 Sept. 10.30-4pm. Herbert Morrison House, 195 Walworth Rd, London SE17. Speakers include: Arthur Latham, Russel Proffit, Ben Bouquet Agenda details from JCI
ext 268.
John Archer invites all who
to commemorate the work of MARY ARCHER to come to
Memorial . VICE Meeting, County Half London SET at in room 152, 7.30pm.
International speakers. Discussion. No charge for admission Gollection memorial publishing fund.
Jonathon Hammond,
1942-83 Ex-President, NUJ Labour Movement Memorial Meeting Wednesday, 28
September, 8pm, Bishop
Creighton House, Lillie
Road, Fulham, London
SW6
LABOUR & SINN FEIN Hornsey LPYS
Roelots (LCI). Mon 26 Sept, 7.30pm, Stroud Green School Woodstock Rd, London N4. RED MOLE T-SHIRTS, red 22.15 each for orders of no $2.75 or more (includes post). State size: SM/L. From Thi other Printshop, 75 Piccaditly, Manchester 1.
• CND National Demonstration London, 22 Oct. Details: 01-272 8896.
NICARAG NICARAGUA: FACT AND FICTION This pamphlet is a must for anyone active in solidarity work. Packed ful
and
or 1,000 Por ch. 20 or ES
1,000 BOSTOLE From Nicaragus Solidarity Campaign, 20-21 Compton London N1. 01-359 8982
Labour Party Conference
• The Labour Party & Haeones october venue & time to be announc
• consulaton or consu tuency Labour Parties including workshops on: rignue une curopean siec tions (convenor: Stuart Holland); Building Workplace Branches to Resist Tebbit (convenor: Ken Coates); Defending Local Democracy (convenor: David Blunkett). At Brighton Tech College, Pelham St, , Sun 2 October, 9.30am-3.30pm. Details: Steering Cttee 143 Haddon Cres, , Chilwell, Nottingham 0602-708318. • Agenda for the Peace Movement with Tony Benn, Fenner Brockway, Ken coates. Tam Dalyell, Stuart Holland MP, Michael Meacher MP. Sat 1 October, Kings Rd, Brighton. queens notel, (Organised by Bertrand nussel reace roueanon 00U2-184304) • Campaign for Labour Party Democracy meeting. Sun 2 Oct, 1.45pm, Corn Exchange (Pavilion complex). Speakers: Margaret
, Eric Clarke, Bill Deal, Eric Heffer, Patricia Hewitt, Joan Maynard Michael Meacher. Chair: Alistair McRae.
IN THE same month
that Maurice Bishop
of Grenada took
possession of a com-
puter that is helping
the New Jewel leaders
sort out the 'scraps of
paper' method for
dealing with the
economy much
favoured by deposed
Prime Minister Gairy,
our own Hi-tech
miracle is having pro-
blems.
It is not that we have
stopped receiving che-
ques and postal orders
sent in, it is just that the
facility we have for prin-
ting our all those
generous donations has
Men uniliaterally
withdrawn by the com-
puter. As they say in the
media, normal
will be resumed as soon
as possible.
Meanwhile, , the norservice offered h
the rest of the paper con-
tinues. Last weekend at
• No interference in
urtlaud, Cella d Southern America Public
meeting organised by
Socialists 27 Sent. 7.30om Tabernacle, Powis Sq
London. Speakers from Grenada, Chile, El Salvador, Nicaragua.
No new Vietnam in
Central America
fringe meetings and events
• No socialism without gay liberation! Labour Campaign for Gay Rights meeting with Jo Richardson MP, Reg Race, Jeremy Cor-
and other speakers.
Pavillion Theatre. • International social solidarity with the struggles for peace and freedom: Africa, Asia, Middle East, Latin America. Sun 2 Oct at ena or conrerence session to a Sussex Rm , Bedford Hotel, Kings Rd. Music, dance, late bar. Special guests fron Nicaragua, PLO, and ANC. Admission f1. (Organised by Co-op Political Cttee Lon. don Region and many other sponsoring solidarity camDalsils • Peace march organised by Labour CND. Sun 2 Oc-
, The assic loil Level, Brighton (nr BR stn). Rally 2.30pm, Sea Front ni Metropole Hotel. Speakers include Tony Benn, Ken Liv-
Helen John Richard Balfe, Ken Cameron and otners • Stop the witch hunt Labour A ganst Te wer Hunt meeting Sat 1 Oct 6рm, Sallus Benney Hall brignion roly, rand Parade Site (opp Pavilion). Speakers: Ken Livingstone, Anne Pettifor, Jane Stockton, Colin Talbot. Chair Jeremy Corbyn
Hi-Tech drop out
the Chile demo a large contingent marched behind the brightly coloured Socialist Action Daniel, depicting American Eagle swooping down to escalate the war in Central America.
Meetings are being held all over the country against the witch hunt in the unions and in the Labour Party.
With our newspaper under attack, and the so-called hard left preparing for a difficult party conference, the fund drive money coming in is as important as ever.
We Wall y make
return to the regular 16 page format and bring back all the features which have had
be left out over the summer.
Put a cheque in the post today. Everyone will get a mention when the machine is fixed.
MOLES
EYE
VIEW
The gang of two
GWYNETH Dunwoody
• naroly overmodest There bold as brass in her list COll no mineer deputy leader is the name G Dunwoodi
But maybe it's not
that's her overmouesty problem. It could loneliness. Perhaps had to swallow modesty and sign her own papers because no other MP would. Her oLne signatories only
Sober as a judge
EVEN A Crown Court vuuge like ex-lory Judge Bruce Campbell is only human and likes the odd fag and a quick whisky.
So when he went to Guernsey with his mate Alan Foreman his eyes nearly popped out when he saw how cheap booze and cies were com pared to here. Being a bit of a big spender he does get well paid for maintaining law order - he splashed out
10 cases of whisky and 10,000 cigs.
Naturally being tied up dispensing justice which keeps him very busy he never had the time to learn about those funny laws abou
By Phil Hearse
shocked by the news
journal International Socialism.
Like his hero Victor Serge,
had a decidedly libertarian
organisation should be Peter sat with his head in his hands, could stand it no more - and left.
Leninism led to Stalinism.
Despite
which makes deadly enemies
as a possible step towards left unity.
down.
Peter was one
we can ill afford to lose
Diary
total 4.78 of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
And a minimum of five for per cent is required.
Putting her own name down was the only way this vigure could gula no mins • 2C001 be ated. Peter Shore poor she lad is even more lonely. her He hasn't got one constituency - including his OWin That's what I call having a real base
paying customs duties So when the Customs of: ficers nicked him he TenCH teet story that many of his clients in court had told him, and said: 'I did not know i was doing anywrong.' ing for both said: shos the • Customs are stupid.
None of us • done any• thing wrong The well custom duty and VAT on the goods totalled £1000 and and no doubt the good Judge is thinking about the number of people he has depatched to jail for nicking far less than that.
But I am sure he will not want preferential Healent trom une beak, all if and when he goes up tor sentence
Peter Sedgwick
MANY comrades on the revolutionary left will be
of the death of Peter Sedgwick, at the age of 49. Peter left the Communist Party in 1956, and from that moment on was a partisan of the revolutionary movement. For many years he was a contributor to the SWP
brilliantly translated and edited, his Marxism
I first met Peter at an IS meeting in York in 1968. Tony Cliff had come to explain why the
'Leninist' from now on.
Of course, he was wrong about Leninism (but not about Cliff) but it seemed to him like a repudiation of the libertarian Marxism he cham pioned. Like many at that time, he thought that
grotesque caricature
political differences, Peter always befriended other comrades on the left. He hated sectarianism and the toy Bolshevik' posturing
Fi oT DeoDe who agree on 99 per cent of politics. In the late 1970s he briefly supported the Socialist Unity project
Towards the end of his life Peter became preoccupied with problems of mental illness; his book Psycho-Politics was published in 1981. He always believed that capitalism was responsible for the agony and turmoil which fills our mental hospitals. His own life was far from happy - the insanity of capitalism seemed to weigh him
of those comrades who reminds us in the heat of bitter faction fights and frenetic campaigns that socialism is about people, about liberation from the tyranny of the rulers and bureaucracies who crush our lives. For that reason and for many others, a comrade
Page 11 scan of this page
"We took on Tebbit's
In the Unions
TWO THOUSAND Highland Fabricator strikers claimed a victory over their employers when they voted overwhelmingly to end their five-week strike last Friday. Stewards after management conceded their reinstatement and full negotiating rights. to Graham Barnetson on the history of the strike and the lessons it holds
What were conditions like at the yard before the strike?
At Hi-Fab we produce oil rigs. The one we were working on is a TLP, tension leg platform, for Conoco. There were many problems on this job because of steel and bad design. quality foreign
This meant that the job had to be re-repaired.
To do this the workforce has had to work in very poor conditions.
For example, the welders have had WORK temperatures of up to 150
We asked for showers, free orange-juice and cooling shelters. These were to help the workforce to cope with the extreme heat. You must remember that if you are working in 150 degrees
can only withstand the heat for a very short time and you need to cool down gradually. The management conceded these.
But when we arrived back at the yard after the holidays the management
withdrawing some of the facilities we had. These inMORE THAN 200 delegates and individual members were at Scottish CND's annual conference Dundee
10/11 September. Wide debates showed the movement in 110 way demoralised by the election.
Enthusiastic endorsement was given to getting the largest possible contingent on the 22 October Guns alon News of Glasgow district council's provision of two free buses
helped build commitment.
By Tony Southall
Conference opened with a speech from Ruddock, national chair-
of CND. • Despite the election we could still win victories to halt the new generation weapons.
Joan dealt with freeze campaign adopted by CND national council. Interestingly she saw it as a
Convenor on Highland Fabricator strike
Law and won"
recommended acceptance
RAB WILSON, the convenor at the yard, spoke
cheer In the
juice,
negotiation. In the same way as washing-up dispute at Cowley
could just ignore the established procedures
We the that unless
tion. At
LOOK
those they had withdrawn.
That is
changing conditions without negotiation.
What did the management do to try to get you back to work?
The management did not seem to be too concerned about the strike. A week later letters were sent out
Scottish CND
debates
punctual affair. 'If cruise was instaled in December we would need to rethink Our Commel
She also touched on the tion into Youth and Labour CND. "hese were 'necessary corrections of course, ICSOULSC pleas within these
organisation. ' She accused
leaders or yunu in particular of introducing new political positions into its practice, such as the pro-
posal the
September demonstration commemoraling the
Chilean coup.
Unfortunately never answered the press
tentious debate at Dundee
wak around LICCAC
callivalrll.
A small majority backed commitment to this. Its movers were all pains stress their commitment to unilateral disarmament. but they didn't explain why they curently backing multilateral
by the management signed by the managing director accusing the workforce of inefficiency and timekeeping.
The management also offered 1630 jobs to the worktorce (ot 2000 +) they went to of the seven local Job Centres to sign a company document Justing 2A and terms of employment'
Many of the workforce have commitments like Families to look mortgage, after so thev had a jot of pressure on them to go back. The said 483 went to the Job Centres but we think it was nearer 100.
We had a picket of six
people and over one
thousand 'observers'
The management sent oul anower leller sayug 11 you want your job
at the vard sign the document SLal - WOLN
We had a picket of six peone and over one thousand others were there as 'observers' When buses arrived they stopped at the beginning of the line which stretched for three miles from the main gate. Only 43 were prepared to run the gauntlet and tried to get into work. Most of them turned back but 19 went in. On the second day only three went in.
freeze
position.
A Scottish freeze conference is already planned for early November. CND branches and affiliates now need to start insisting to go into that conference with clear arguments for unilateralism.
Absurdity
We should also to withdraw support from the existing petition. The freeze advocates never dealt with the question of timing raised by Joan Rud-
1alI would have revealed the tactical absur-
dity or a campagil lital
will have been scarcely
it Comic redundant.
Opponents of the freeze insisted on immediate campaigning and to centre on the new war drive That prioritising
@ building 22 October and
• building the anti-trident convention in Manchester in February
Our action was very successful and showed the strength of the union to
Did you receive the support of your local trades council and of your union • national officials?
The trades council gave us
verwhelmin • support
oth in solidarity and i cash.
Our national officials were dragging their feet in supporting the members,
vere dragging their feet i
naking the strike officia
mite e decided to lobby
mittee lobby our national officials the TUC Congress. We did this to persuade them to make the strike official and to inform them that the membership had jected the conditions laid down by management.
officials wanted the membership to accept and get back to work. Pais management's was not acceptable, membership insisted that we should go back to work and then negotiate the conditions.
The national officials gave us a commitment to go back to Hi-Fab and give them our proposal. At this • building opposition in local authorities and unions to une new civi defence regulations before Parliament on 26 October. • Conference received a message develop
Rolls Royce at Hillington, Glasgow Stewards have had a long
POLIC of blacking work on Trident.
Now management have opened procedural negotiations to change this by the new year. They have backed te disman of inevitable agreement isn't reached.
lost three thousand workers since January 1981 and a thousand already this year. Conference agreed that it was now essential to
possible every form of support to enCorrunt them to stand firm.
Finally conference recognised new tasks pos-
ed by the war drive in Central America. It instructed
to prepare material for cir-
culation on this.
Rab Wilson
meeting the management wanted to stop 90 people getting back, but conceded that the negotiations could take place after the workforce was back on the job.
Our officials fought this reduction of the workforce because would have the
safety reps and SLCwarUs union activists not getting their job back.
THIRTEEN engineers
were suspended in
Aberdeen last week
for refusing to provide
maintain circuits
involved in the
ceremony to in-
augurate BP's
Magnus oil field.
This dispute arose
after BP, British
Telecom and ITN, the
satellite system con-
tractors, decided to
control the ceremony
Socialist Action 23 September 1983 - turning the heat on management
How do you see the outcome of the strike?
The workers were prepared fight management using TebWe had restrictions on our picket, we were subject dismissal. We fought the management and lebbit:
Law allu wOl We may have to make
concessions during the negotiations but the fact
The fight against Project
Mercury continues
•HANDS OFF B.T.
from Aberdeen rather than London.
By Anne Shirley
This was because of continuing action by the POEU London against the private alter native Telecoms network
Aberdeen POEU's action WaN undermined by management connec ting , the important circuits and the broadcast went ahead, though not
11 that all the workers got their jobs
The deliberately tried to get rid of the shoo stewards anc the activists. It is possible that this was the start of a
Conoco job will until March '84 but may not get orders after that. doesn't change the fact that this time we won. up to the usual standard In retaliation the union began immediate overtime ban and non. cooperation with management concerned.
Aberdeen oil capital of Europ means here are clearly going to play a major part in the fight against Mercury.
correct nationa leadership can mean tha Aberdeen POEU's cent action will be just a start to an ongoing figh to affect BP's operation.
Page 12 scan of this page
Rebuilding the Labour Party
_ British politics facing 1984
Socialist foreign policy
The struggle for black rights
Grant
Kingsway Princeton College, Subscription
Inland: 6 months S8; 1 year &15.
Overseas: (1 year only): Surface and Europe S17/Air mail S24. (Please delete as appropriate)
Name:
Address:
For multi-reader institutions double the
flease send me as special orler . . ...
"golelta as a newspaper with the rost Ulrice dated by a Cardid 0 see (T, Lad, London E, Zondon Ne.
SOCiA ist
ACTION
International
A weekend of socialist debate and discussion FACING 1984: THE
SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE
Economic strategy for European labour
Stuart Holland MP debates Ernest Mandel
Ken Livingstone, Valerie Coultas & Vladimir Derer
Andrew Gamble, Doreen Massey & John Ross
Joy Hurcombe & Alan Freeman
Jenny Bourne & Unmesh Desai
Rally: Building socialism in the 1980's
Jeremy Corbyn MP, Ernest Mandel & Stephanie.
Other sessions include: Democratising. the unions;
Women and family policy; Devolution; Ireland's British
problem; EEC; Central America.
Sat 29 & Sun 30 October London WC1 (Kings Cross tube)
Just. £5 for the whole weekend, or f4 if booked in advance. f2.50
for one day only. Send cheques/POs payable to International' c/o
PO Box 50, London N1 2XP.
Creche facilities available by prior request.
subscribe
For readers who take out a year's inland subscription we are offering a free copy of Hard Times, a new book in the 'Arguments for Socialism' series by pove rates. a
Send to Socialist Action, 328 Upper Street, London N1 2XP.
Sidmouth street, off Grays Inn Road, SPECIAL OFFER
Bob Sutcliffe. The book normally costs £2.50.
Alternatively we are offering Alan Freeman's book, The Benn Heresy. ror new readers there is our special introductory offer of 8 issues for §2. All subscriptions are posted first class on day of puducation.
POST OFFICE Engineers voted to continue their campaign of industrial action against Tory plans to privatise their industry at their special conference in London last weekend. DENNY FITZPATRICK from the West London branch of the union was there.
TELEPHONES
RITISH TELECOM
1g yours
Post Office engineers on City of London picket
But Golding
scores a victory
'THE Militant Tendency have done me a good turn in showing me the for moderates support
moderates among the branches.'
These were " John Golding's words after the POEU special conference passed a motion recognis
that 'the NEC had made a serious error of judgement in refusing
Golding MP for the NEC of the Labour Party ... mended to contierence that executive recomthe motion be referred to November conference of the
will discuss Labour Part: affairs under the report of Management Committee.
argued that this would allow the membership access to the information which led the executive to decline to nominate Golding. But *the champions of
POEU special conference
New mandate to
fight privatisation
democracy' who were moving the motion were
Within 15 minutes of
notivated it was put an
Summing against the resolution for the executive, Donald MacDonald said that Golding had played a valuable role in the House of Commons in the fight against privalsalon DIN TO inside the Labour Party
of the POEU membership. Disunity
He argued that the Labour Party's failure to win the election was in part due to the disunity and division caused by the organisational that John Golding led
members of the Labour Party.
But otherwise the facts were not presented in the debate. And nobody asked mandate For witch hunting where Golding
Conference rejected
calling on the union to accept the Tories'
a 2-1 margin. Instead the
endorsed ecutive report to continue
BANDS OFT REPHONES
FOR SALE. POING CHEEPES POEU Picket and the way in which he has used his position on the Nod
In the _press comment which followed Sunday's decision none of the in. dustrial mentioned that this was the first time that the issue
the anti-privatisation cam-
the conference failed to spell out the specific forms of future action. Motions calling for action to hit stock-brokers and other financial institutions as well as those call ing for all-out action with other public sector unions were not reached on the agenda.
The union's chairperson assured conference that they were only oppos ed because they tied the executive s nanas
All such motions were reterred to the union's in dustrial Action Strategy Committee the body responsible for nationally coordinating the action against privatisation. This means that following the conference pressure from the rank and file of the union will have to intensify
the 'package of in dustrial action measures the executive report spoke
should the executive so decide
The broadsheet issued by the union's broad left at the conference argued that selected action can lead to isolation and that
would provide us with an excementi overn from which to breathe life into • our successtul propositior to the TUC on joint action in defence of the public sector.'
An important amend ment carried with NEC support reflected this sentiment instructing the executive to approach other public sector unions fight a coordinated battle
governmenl privatisation plans without necessarily waiting for the TUC to in itiate such a campaign.
The decision of the special conference to continue the fight gives a mandate to the rank and file of
tion 'pirates of the NEC nomination has been placed before the
Despite all their cries of democracy the right wing in the union never put the matter before conterence when they had the majority on the executive.
← Socialist Action No. 25, 16 September 1983Socialist Action No. 27, 30 September 1983 →