I WANT to challenge your reporting of the TUC's abandonment of the NGA.
Your front page (SA so escapes ne events as the greatest defeat of We trade union movement for fifty years. There should be no illusions on that'. I think you have illusions and what happened in Bristol in the NGA dispute is the reality vour illusion obscures.
In the week after the bloody mass picket, and before the TUC decision, we organised and built in finese usuines are tree tor au major labour movement and campaign activities up to display advertisements cost Sp per word and must be paid cevunce Send to: Diary. Socialist Action, 328 Upper Sireet, London NI 2XP later than Thursday, one week prior to rublication).
• The Politics of Health in Zimbabwe Hour long video : incions. tiv (payable In Send to Books for South a drile. Africa Fund, PO Box •. London NI Sri Lankan Research & provide speakers on the current situation there for an Buildings, London EC1. • No Intervention in Let america (NILA) IS a broad based coalition of vidarity groups, human Many workers supported the NGA on pickets and lobbies five days an NGA support rally through the Labour Parties and trade unions. This drew 400 people On the Wednesday of the TUC decision, the TGWU 3/111 branch, with 30 to 40 people present, passed without opposition a resolution condemning the TUC's 'traitorous role' It layed out a pan to nold a special meeting to discuss any action, when or if the NGA calls for it.
The rally showed that there was massive political parties. More details irom NICA 20/21 Compton Terrace, London N1 01-226 0/4/. • From War in the Third World to the Third World War new pamphlet Solidarity Campaign, 50p. Order from EL SSOC, 29 Islington Park St, London N1 01-359 3976. ELSSOC have also produced a 1984 calendar showing scenes zones, f3 from same address.
• Advertisemen For a Reagan Free Caribbean badges in yellow, black and red. 25p each (plus ostage); bulk orders to PO Box 36, 136 Kingsland High St London E8. Cheques/POs payable to Hackney Book Club.
Name Address combative support for the lead the NGA had given. In this respect your criticism of the NGA leadership was the wrong empiasis al lne wrong Our branch meeting showed that there was no sense of qualitative defeat of the working class, in the working class itself There was anger yes but what was most noticeable was that the branch as a whole, left and right, attacked Murray - we recognised that our closed shop and lving Standards were On the line.
What's more we were not fatalistic about the possibility of winning.
Targreatest defeat for 50.
That would be a qualitative defeat, which broke the combativity of the working classy That's •cen ra A merce anone Caribbean A series of open educationals with videos and socakers al recknam Labou Club, Lansbury House, 41 Camberwell Grove, London Jan El Salvador; 31 Jan Grenada; 7 Feb Evening of central AncI Cullure Admission tubay tree Organised by Sth London Central American rrou ontact Edwin 01-733.770 for details. • Guatemala benefit with new film about Guatemala and an eye-witness report from Nicaragua by Stanley Rio Cinema Dalson. Thur 26 January, 7pm. • Trade Unionists from El Salvador Trade Union leaders from El Salvador will speak at a rally with Arthur Scargill. Tonv Benn. Ken Cameron, Fire Brigades union general secretary and a representalive or ine NGA. Mon 23 January, 1.30, County Hall, London.
25 Years of the Cuban Revolution • Celebration with Cuban AirDassauor. hill. Tood. music. 2.30-11.30pm, Africa Centre, King Street, Covent Garden. London. Sat 14 • Britain-Cuba Resource Centre Information about not the story of the NGA dispute. Not only did the rank and file turn massively behind the NGA, broad sections of the bureaucracy were forced to do so too Hundreds of thousands of workers now understand more clearly the part Murra! the working clasy against and the TUC The fact that Murray had to use his whole authority in the way he did showed that he could not fudge a compromise. His coming out as so open a saboteur shows the increasing polarisation of the classes.
That is the real underlying process at work The NGA dispute
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