Socialist Action No. 57, 11 May 1984
The scan: 057-may-11-1984-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
ACTiON
THE MINERS' strike must win. That's why it's vital that the whole labour movement responds to Arthur Scargill and the NUM's call for a massive demonstration in Mansfield next Monday.
The NUM have called for it to be the largest trade union demonstration since the war. This is what it has to be. A really united mobilisation of the labour movement on march can play a huge role in overcoming the disunity being sown around the dispute.
Every day the bosses' press tries to focus on a new area of problems confronting union to present a view of the labour movement as disunited and in disarray.
This week media attention has focussed on the problems at Ravenscraig problems that must be overcome. But no attention has been given to the steps forward the dispute has made, with all the Lancashire pits bar Agecroft now out on strike, and the proportion of miners striking in the Nottingham field still increasing.
The scabbing in the Not-
Besiege
tingham field is being used as a cover by other sections of the labour movement which have failed to come behind the miners. A massive show of solidarity in Monday will step pressure on the other flashpoints of the Ravenscraig.
labour movement is have to be proved false. Up this and down the
unions and the Labour Party are organised strike. Monday will be the best opportunity to publicly. the
SOCiAList
14 May
Notts!
NUM
have Mansfield on up the
strike, like
The press claims that the divided Thatcher their tracks. country the
behind the
show that
NUM Demonstration
Unite for a Miners'
Victory
March 11 am from Mansfield Leisure Centre to NUM headquarters Mansfield All Socialist Action supporters to attend. Bring Labour Party, Young Socialist and trade union banners.
There is no doubt that the
will mobilise for the demonstration, but that is not enough. All the unions that
supported the miners must be out in full force, and bringing their weight to bear on the rest of the TUC
The miners have given the whole labour movement their best opportunity yet to stop
and the Tories in
Monday 14 May is the day to show that all sections of the labour movement are behind the miners in their struggle.
Besiege Nottinghamshire. Stop the scabs.
Page 2 scan of this page
Victory in Liverpool
Tories routed in local elections
2 Socialist Action 4 May 1984
ACTiON SociAlist
Five years is
enough!
LAST THURSDAY'S local government election results put the seal on a real turn in the political situation in Britain.
At the level of mass struggle the fight. began quite soon after the June 1983 election. The NGA, GCHQ, the miners, the fight over the cities and Liverpool, marked its stages.
On the more narrow
Labour's recovery in the polls, and Tony Benn's victory at Chesterfield, marked the same process. From the beginning of the spring on-
massive working class.
But until last Thursday it could be, and was, that Thatcher was just faced with particular problems.
But Thursday was something more. It was the beginning of an openly expressed general re jection of the policies of the ment -participating. On one field, reform' line of the government.
Three features stand out in the national picture shown in last Thursday's election -tion to the struggles that surrounded the polls and the key importance of Liverpool.
Firstly the votes were overwhelmingly an attack on the Conservative Party.
Labour tothe iberas. tothe SD?. but the com mon feature was a massive desertion of the Tory Party.
Secondly the SDP/Liberal Alliance did not disa his point is absolutely fundamental for the lent to grasp. Because there continues to be a widespread sentiment that somehow the SDP, and the SDP/Liberal Alliance is a force that is going to go into a major decline.
The reality is the reverse. The SDP/Liberal Alliance is a long term and structural feature of British policies. Everytime the Alliance is put to the test electorally it confounds any low stan-
Furthermore the Alliance's current political Oriams on en asked by Robin Day what the be orientation well summed would do in the event which statistically last Thursday's result would have produced if there had been the same vote in a general Shirley succinctly 'I think we would Party and say "be sensible"
Thirdly the elections were a triumph for the Labour left. There were large advances in Liverpool, Manchester and polls now show Labour's support in London 10 per cent above its national level. The new social
Iliances the Labour left has been building in the big cities are both standing firm and becoming a real factor and one of the best vehicles to show what socialist politics means in national terms.
For Labour it now has three key priorities.
Firstly to support every struggle which is taking place end of the Thatcher government. 1g8gr could force another election long betore
Secondly to reject any pact or coalition with the SDP/Liberal Alliance
Thirdly to adopt the type of socialist policies which provide the alternative both to Thatcher and the Alliance and which show a way out of Britain's economic and political crisis.
The labour movement must force a general election!
No pact and no coalition with the SDP/Liberal Alliance!
For a Labour government pledged to socialist policies!
Editor. ALAN FREEMAN
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last week or December.
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sent Socialist Action's views.
editorials.
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parliamentary political Thatcher governone with more than five million voters
local government — it was an annihilating rejection of the
in addi-
Votes went to of a hung Parliament
Williams replied ,go to the Labour
Sheffield.
and by doing that begin to pose the
To do this with These are expressed in
sales
A YEAR AGO Labour were elected in Liverpool to run the city council. A rotten 10-year alliance of Tories and Liberals had run down services and housing. Fifty thousand jobs had gone down the drain. The last Liberal budget would have meant even more jobs being lost.
rates would have rocketed. When Labour got In It set about icreas ing the number of council jobs and services and in their 1984 budget they turned down any idea to make people pay by raising the rates.
Illegal!' screamed the Liberal-Tory •Stay within the law!' whined the 'moderates'. When the
THE LOCAL ELECTIONS make it clear that That-
cher and Thatcherism are not popular. Not just the icing, but the candles have been nicked off the fifth anniversary cake.
humiliation, as an "illegal'
bound' Labour Party cruised to power.
In Manchester, where
peopie were unact no mu
sions that they weren't just
but for
vole dal- 1oly.
Labour's left against its
cowardly and timid right
wing the election recorded
emphatic VICIOLY
radical policies In Shef-
field once again the left ad-
ministration of David
Blunkett got the thumos
up from the city elec-
torate.
Wherever Labour
stood up against the Tories
it gained seats and votes.
LIVERPOOL
LABOUR
COUNCILLORS
right-wing Labour councillors scabbed on party and refused to support Labour's budget they were halled as 'De fiant', "Courageous, and Standing up for common sense', by the bosses and right-wing labour movement. But, in Liverpool, Labour group stuck by their guns.
And the people of Liverpool stuck by Labour.
In Liverpool, the Tories' defeat came close to
and an 'unlawfully-
the industrial heartlands it is obvious that left-wing helped Labour's cause.
They not only bloodied the nose of the Tories but they also kept the SDP/Liberal Alliance at bay. Groundswell These elections showed ThaT the groundswell of opposition the Tories build up and gain strength.
The working class and its
At last week's local elennons about increas ed their majority to 17. holding 58 of the 9] seats on the city council. With a turnout 10 per cent up or last year, the Liberals were reduced to 28 seats and the Tories to 13.
By John Nolan
'We proved that we would keep our word', said Labour leader, John Hamilton. 'No jobs or services were cut and there have been no enormous rate rises'. Deputy leader, Derek Hatton, was even allies are not yet in their majority dashing out the streets to make the socialist revolution. But bigger and bigger numbers ot them are prepared to endorse policies which are anti-capitalist and allegedly unlawful.
This is why they supnort me unes anu wil
they rally behind councils
besi Ling po realise it are
keeverDool
don't to the Tories then their future and that of their families is in danger. Labour must in these circumstances a realistic and sensible at-
LUTI back on collaboration with the due process of the law.
because that can only line it up with the Tories in
more explicit. "After the 29 March rally — the biggest local general strike ever seen in this country -we knew we had the con-
peopie or Liverpool. The vast majority of Liverpool people are saying that they want loos and services and are not prepared to accept the dictates of the Tory government.'
Facing
Tory dictatorship just what Liverpool is facing. Thatcher's hit-man,
Secretary, Patrick Jenkin, is praying their offensive against the miners and the people rejecting rate capping. Mandate
Thursday's local elections gave Labour a thumping majority for taking on ine lores. It snowed that there are not thousands but millions of people lining up behind Labour's banner Labour must make sure that these people • not lett nigr and dry simply waiting for the dav in the tuture wher
has Westminster
It must seize the mandate given by these elections and place itself at the
The Tories struggle against the lawful or otherwise.
News
that the courts will do the dirty work for him. Jenkin is hoping that, if the city runs out of money because the Tories will starve them of cash - and that councillors are surcharged setting an 'illegal' budget, there will
elec tion, in which the 'moderates' will take over.
This pious hope con ceals the Tories nightmare, of having send in puppet commis sioners. backed by troops to run a city against the solid backing of Liverpool workers' for the Labour council.
APOLOGIES!!! ogies to readers and to Socialist Action
the victims - the
Yardley witch hunt. Last
week's page 14 article in-
advertently gave lf t
Labour Party • regional
headouarters as the ad.
dress from which facts
the Birmingham-
Yardley 5 could be ob-
tained. This most
assuredly not the case
Instead, readers should
write to the campaign ad
dress: 13 Oxford Road,
Acocks Green,
ingham. Resolutions in
support of the Yardley 5 Copied to the regional of however should
Page 3 scan of this page
Action at Ravenscraig
In the Unions
By lan Gault, Hillhead Labour Party
RAVENSGRAIG.
MONDAY. Miners pickets were joined this morning by NUR and ASLEF as well as other trade unionists and AS THE STRIKE enters its ninth week, the Coal Board, amply aided by the British media, still insist that coal production in the Nottinghamshire field is looking rosy. This is decidedly not the case.
structive. Only two of Notts' 25 pits are anywhere near normal working: where less than five per cent of miners are working.
No coal at all is being produced at five collieries: over 95 per cent are striking at Blidworth; winders have refused cross pickel Ines Gelding; and at Silverhill, Ollerton diu Bevercotes tion has stopped for lack of face workers.
By Carol Turner
More miners are than in at 15 of the 25 pits.
That must make well
Novel per Coll Nottinghamshire miners on strike during the eighth week.
The Coal Board claims
members of the local Labour Party.
The turnout. Sub. was a bit disappointing, and a Colo oi Drivale contine. tors lorries got through. But over 1000 pickets con. fronted even more police
Hunterston terminal in Ayrshire, where coal alves for Ravenscraig.
Battle for Notts
Figures produced just over a week ago are in-
Calverton and Bilsthorpe,
an 80 per cent attendance level and that all 25 pits are working normally. Someone must be wrong.
The British Association of Colliery Management (BACM) renowned for is manancy! — heard delegates to its annual weekend claim that production is at least 100,000 tons below the 250,000 weekly Lal SCEN Notts, and 50,000 below the 160,000 tons figure in the south of the coalfield. It also widely believed mal salts nave been cut from three to two.
The colliery managers' assessment lends credence
After a bit of a punchup there. Twelve pickets were arrested. Nonetheless things are definitely looking up.
ASLEF have promised
to cut off all coal arriving
by train for Ravenscraig.
And they're discussing
cutting off supplies of ore
to the plant. unless the
lorry convoys stop. This to the unofficial list from Notts NUM branches, and puts a large question mark Over NCB figures. But after all,
has been presented as 'the jewel in Maggie's crown'.
It is certainly the weak spot in the NUM dispute. By playing up the reluctance of the Nottingham scabs support their
aids not only the government and the Coal Board, Dul rigni wing leaders in the unions and the Labour Party alike in their holdfire approach.
WAlle smal percentage of Notts miners
still makes industrial solidarity action harder build. That's why next Monday's national demonstration in Manshei in support the miners needs to be the biggest show of solidarity yet.
would make Ravenscraig inoperable.
TGWU dockers have made it clear that they'll
respect the miners pickets and refuse to unload coal.
And they say if anyone is
victimised for this, they'll escalate the action throughout Scotland and nationally if necessary.
TGWU haulage branORGANISATION is advancing
Nottinghamshire coalfield will be housed in Nottingham, courtesy of the At Ew who are providing premises.
ween the north of Notts, where most miners are striking, and the south, where ironically enough pits are most threatened but few miners are out.
There has been a big explosion of Nottingham including a women's support committee which had its
Ravenscraig
Ches the Hunterston area have threatened stop their drivers delivering diesel the scab haulace firms. And one company has already withdrawn.
Finally. miners from England are expected to travel up this week to sup port the Ravenscraig and funterston pickets.
i Miners'
Strike
Notts women support strike
apace in Nottingham since the rank and file forum of striking miners was established a few weeks ago. Starting this Wednesday, the strike centre for the whole of
This will lessen problems of coordination bet-
first get together at the beginning of last week.
The idea came from women in the local Labour Party, but the
Socialist Action 11 May 1984
9 May
a well-deserved attack
in the early '70s.
Hospital (pers cap) Scotland.
The unity of the Scottish miners has meant no
secuon o me race anon
Labour Party leadership has beer able to USt divisions within the NUM
get off the solidarity hook. From the beginning there has been huge pressure for solidarity action, culminating the Scottish TUC's call for a day of action on 9 May.
But the issue of coal supplies to the Ravenscraig steel works has divid. ed an intitially unified
Isoonse 10 mers Right now the Scottish miners leaders are demanding support for the picket
action which will strengthen the strike and help heal the disunity of cabour movement
The Scottish TUC has reluctantly supported the all-union DICke Ravenscraig last Monday. The Scottish Labour Party leadership more VOUS but SUll Dissure to unamoizuous ly defend the miners
Ravenscraig. by Communist party dominated sections of the trade union leadership, has
five-year campaign against closure on a DONCY mobilising 'bishops to brickies' to de fend the Motherwell plant Saving Scotland's steel was posed at the expense
steel production in Wales of England.
Now the chickens have come home to roost: the Kavenscad leadership demanding the right of full SLCC They have collaborated with British Steel management
an enormous scab group is a loose collection of women eager to get on with organising practical support for the strike.
One job they've done so far is setting up a collection point in Nottingham LOWI centre. Last Saturday, they were joined by Cotgrave miners and collected over £201 plus donatons or tood
The Nottingham wo-
group alsd joined pickets at Thorsby pit last week. Carol Keely told Socialist Action:
'We went to picket the
3
All out
'I HAVE A MESSAGE for Jimmy Weed.' Dennis Skinner began his May Day speech in Glasgow with
on Jimmy Reid, former leader of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders occupation
By Brian Heron, TGWU shop steward at Victoria
Now a writer for the Scottish Daily Record, Reid has found a place in the sun writing a weekly page wailing for a ballot and lecturing the miners on democracy. He speaks for the right wing of a severely split Labour Party and trade union leadership in
operation.
The miners' pickel there are designed to stop all coal except that necessary for the safety of the plant. And the miners are calling on the rest of the abou movement 10 back them up This heart of the problem faced the union and Labour Party leadership will reflect • neavily or the prospect of success or 9 May.
Scab
Reaction to the day c: action is mixed. Not surprisingly, the response of health service workers has been good. The Victoria Hospital and the Western Infirmary in Glasgow will be out for 24 hours, along with many others. 80,000 in Scoreand employing 80,000 in more of a mixed bag. Major plants like Weirs Glasgow win half day strike.
However, systematic levies and fund raising have now begun.
In the ship yards, Yar row will work on 9 May, wale Scott Lithgow, despite part time working and threats of major redundancies, are out for a full day. In Strathclyde railways will stop, buses won't. docks strike throughout Scotland is on the cards, regardless of the lill Calcute dismissals they refuse to unload scal
The miners strike is shaking the movement in Scotland from top to bottom. of night shift workers. About a quarter of the picket was women It was well attended but there big and two men were arrested 'The pickets gave us a friendly welcome. We'll b going back again as soon as we're invited.
• The Notts strike committee can be contacted at the AUEW offices, 218 Mansfield Road, Nottingham, phonin Nottingham 609626.
Page 4 scan of this page
Socialist Action 11 May 1984
ESSEX
Wivenhoe
must close
OVER ONE hundred and fifty people were arrested in three days last week at Hivenhoe port attempting lo stop coal being delivered to power staTONS,
Contrary to press reports Tine COLLY through was not simply for domestic use. Scab lorry drivers in the TGWU knew full well they were driving through picket lines taking coal to industry.
By Valerie Coultas
In all four Essex ports Wivenhoe, Bright)-
ingsea, Colchester Docks
and Roehedge ships
from
WCIC d VIl
Holland, Belgium, France and Poland loaded up with
coal for hospitals, TOT
domestic use and for in-
dustry.
On Tuesday Kent and
Welsh miners had decided
take action against
police ruling tnat pickets
could not even talk to the
drivers. They sat down on
the road and refused to
move. Police had to carry
them off, Greenham style.
On Thursday the
police, worried by Ine
arge numbers of miners
desending on tne pickel
lines, started roadblocking
CARDIFF
WITH
LWU weeks' of coal
steel negotiations continuing
British manage-
the Elec-
Photo: PAUL HIGHFIELD
ing that the
but are ad mitting
industrial biting in Wales. wale
travelling inCIs
country, and are the
only pit still operating.
By Graham Atwell
The scale of picketing activities, including arrests and heavy fines, together with mounting hardship, is stretching the resources the South Wales NUM. But support committee activity and food collection is growing to meet these needs. The idea of support committees Nas met resistance from the South Wales trade union and Labour Party leaderships who have argued that the existing trades council structures are sufficient.
In Cardiff, local trade union and Labour Party
activists have set up a sup-
committee in the DULL seventh week of the strike,
with the backing of the
NUM Rhondda Joint Lodges. holds open
working
vee ns
rom the local TUC head
quarters. Its main work so
tactics. The miners were
Pre epoed fr ongreti ey
Sports. HIZIY. organised a road cavalcade and blockaded the roads until police threatened to
their cars if they smash refused to move.
By last Friday temperatures high.
WCIC thousand police had been drafted into the area.
were swelled by DILESLO students from Essey far has been to organise NUM tours to factory gate and union metings.
The money is pouring in. Journallsts are levying their members at the rate of 50p a week, while the doomed Kover olanl workers have collected €500. NGA members have collected £175, and are promising a weekly collection And NUPE NHS workers have been taking weekly collections since the strike began.
Local Labour Parties have appointed collectors for their levy and are also going door to door. The Young Sacinlists ana women's sections are organsale regular food collections outside local SuDCI-
markets.
Cardiff Miners Sup-
port Committee aims
coordinate all these ac-
tivities, but they see work-
ing towards industrial ac-
on ın coloa wl c
niners as their main jot
of action called
last Friday by the Wales
TUC is an obvious focus
for this.
University and massive arrests took place.
'It's really degrading to think that you're a British citizen and that you can't walk aroune une coulr without being harassed, Brian from Kent NUM's A team told us.
the woods when the miners had walkeo ol Wivenhoe Esser there were University
police planted between the
MANUM
• The Cardiff Miners
Support Committee can be
contacted at Room 219,
Yorkshire
and
Humberside
Yorkshire and Humber-
side Region TUC
calling on the region's
trade unionists to stop
work for
Monday 21 May 'for
jobs, trade union rights,
and Britain's economic future'. Many trades councils will be organising rallies and demonstrations on that day.
Further information and copies of the regional TUC leaflet can be obtained from Beryl Rantnev. secretary Humberside and Yorkshire Region TUC, Trades Council Club, Savile Mount, Leeds, or Leeds promilg 620629.
Miners'
Strike
TORNING
Pickets gather at the Essex port of Wivenhoe
trees with walkie talkie sets. definitely police state', was on the Bos ol cvcry llllci You can make your contribution to stopping the movement of coal Conile from the South
Fise phoe satira-
Wivenhoe station ween 6 and 9.30 any day this week or next. For further information contact Colchester 571104 Transport House, Orby phonng 0222 31176 Cathedral Road
COAL ENERGY
SWANSEA
fighting the same
battle'
OVER 100 young people on the three-day march organised by Swansea and Neath Youth CND on 26-28 April were joined by a contingent of striking miners trom Llynfi Joint Lodges. Mike McDonnell, one of the miners, told Socialist
'There are good number of miners in our pit H 10 are C.ND supporters. Like them.
ODDOSCU nuclear weapons because | don t think they defend us. The government wastes amounts of money on these weapons and at the same time refuses to spend This is money On JONs THE NATIONS
FUTURE
COAL
NOT
DOLE
MINER
'The NUM and CND are
particularly of the pits.
'If we lose this strike and the Coal Board has its Way. , the eight pits in the Masteg will be reduced to
despite the fact that IWO the work is still there. This will not only throw thousands annes the dole, it will have a spinoft ettect on many otnel workers.
By Ceri Evans, Swansea YCND
'It is well known tha! there is 300 years of work left in the Margam coal reSe VeS But the government refuses to put money into this project. They prefer to put their mone! into nuclear weapons anc
LANCASHIRE
OVER 700 people march-
ed through Manchester in
support of the miners on
May Day holiday. They
were led by large delega-
tions from Lancashire and
North Yorkshire pits.
By Paul Atkin
The rally in St Peters'
Square was adressed bI
Jack Taylor, president of
the Yorkshire NUM. He
started his speech
strong congratulations
the Lancashire miners for
successfully getting five
pits out on strike.
'This strike
about Jack Taylor or Sid
Vincent, it's about you',
he said, 'If you believe that
then you're going tọ win.'
Other speakers includ
ed Bob Litherland M'
Eddie Newman, Euro elec-
tion candidate, and Colin
News
energy. It is clear to us why the government is doing this. They • want to close the pits in Maesteg and then open them again as private pits. This would mean a drop in pay and contadt. for South Wales miners and would weaken the NUM
'We are on the march because we recognise the
CND fighting the same battleo ocl le government to spend money on jobs and stop spending it on useless nuclear weapons.'
On the last day of the
the Cardila igretings to
CHARLEWC
miners rally was clear jobs not bombs, no nuclear weapons, victory to the miners! LIYNFL MALTEE JONT LODGES
Photo: BRENAN YOUNG
Lenton of Bold colliery
NUM
Colin started his
speech by apologising for
the absence Vin-
cent, leader of the Lancs
NUM. sorty
couldn't make it this mor-
ning, gone
work at Agecroft.'
Agecroft is now the : only
Lanes pit not on strike.
Agecroft will be the
scene of mass picketing
this week with 500 flying
pickels rom une vurlal
field swelling the ranks of
anc ters l alicly
ting to get Agecroft out on
strike.
Val Dunn, chairing the
rally, said that her union
the bakers' union, was
providing £50 of bread a
week to pickets in the area
She other speakers
called for the Labour Par-
ty's 50p a week levy to be
implemented.
Page 5 scan of this page
...Now women are in the forefront"
News
"We took a backseat before...
FROM THE earliest weeks of the miners' strike women have been very centrally involved in building support. In many areas women's groups have worked hard setting up food kitchens and distributing hardship money.
In Kent, the miners' wives have become involved in many other aspects of the strike, building their own marches and speaking at meetings. KAY SUTCLIFFE, chair of the Aylesham miners' wives committee, told us about what they have been doing and how she sees their activities.
seat. Until this time when we reauseo we nao to do I had a holiday something, and it's just from While the snowballed.
I didn't expect to have thought the phonecalls I've had re-
questing me to speak at the see. meetings. People are ring-
Wing up from all over want-
We what we specifically miners'
wite to come and speak. could do, said We've been speaking
at a lot ot meetings. anc they've been really good.
The one at Lambeth WaN the second really big meeting l've done.
The first was at County Hall. I was really worried they I didn't know what to exEver pect. Once 1 got up and started speaking was alright, but Bob Morrison,
My is the
He was me and said a lot of what I the week was zulle to say.
Nevertheless, said hat another what had prepared thing. because there was no point
in me trying to change it, I didn't anyone
could only speak about what I knew. 'Will you
Sparked
had and At Lambeth, which ourselves. organise had was found a bigger meeting. easier, even
though it was nerve wrackgive advice on ing. I stood up and started anything. speaking and got really in-
When back volved in what I was saythough ing. great been no Then Greenham came hostility all. fact in to what I was saying. I
didn't have that down on SUNC of the my paper. I said to my husmen up that area band afterwards: 'I don't
know where that from.' I'd said something and it sparked it off. last strike the women tended to sit back, WYCI to do collec- organise a olt or catering. tions, but an or going on marches with awful lot there their husbands. We didn't and they was KnOW We good. weren't involved with the
Annette the vice- union. chair. Maybe it's not the
union's fault. but going ery back ten years to the last morning big SuKe wonder didn't information from have a voice. It's
tells them stice unal time. Women realise that they know a lot what She's I've never been involvinvited the ed in anything like this
before. We've one of mittee women's section at
LNe cary. But it is purely a anel beginning. secretary:
We've not elected social thing, playing skitcommittee, because we tles, and organising didn't want to have private dances. committee meetings. We We've also organised just elected officials to sort the kitchen and the food out the business side of it. distribution between the But everything else goes to three Kent pits. We feed every woman that comes the children from Monday to the meetings, for them basis. Some or the mentore Saturday, lo accide
I don't think people helping to clear up have ever heard a miners' I think the hardship of wife speak before. We've the strike is being covered always taken the back UD. I think there are a lot
of proud people here, who won't tell you that they are really in need. Everyone up now appears to manage, bul tere are a lot
Now know
Some do op-
of DUPE • Ve always the argument.
think the
for women. Unionwise
the men all-women situation.
a particular
them.
the lead. it's not always the because women let them, but it's got change.
to the
iament women
But don't think
work there.
down But he's
mining
I'm women's rights Bu equality is thịng, can't see
involved
the committee,
this time.
MINING WIVES
SUPPORT
THEIR MEN
els
MOST
the
can and
made unionists.
the
appalled distortion.
challenges
and lies.
Freedom)
the media Tuesday
'ballot miners 'The
screamed.
NUM's They achieved
from chapel
and
went
are biased
media are
They should be The media
of trade many of
of other
media
the neverJanuary the
on the
ban that Arthur
Printworkers
affairs.
on and
disclaimer
local NGA
Free-
NATIONAL CMINEHORKERS
]KENT
Our lying press
dustrial dispute seemed likely until the NUM wa given a page two right of reply of equal space and prominence. And lo and
ehold on Friday the 13th, unluckily for the editor, a page reply appeared from Arthur Scargill.
Sim ilo
, occured
the paper almost half a to lan MacGregor
closures between
chapel
right of
workers successful and the appeared
have established direct links WIll miners. Thursday Street kather
meeting from WIll Kent London Region and the
reply. The FoCs also
for the Subse-
toured Street with SOGAT and
NUM.
workers have
Socialist Action 11 May 1984
D
AREA DI BRANCE the leined strike. bon 26
miners strike. On April, broadcasting union members from the NUJ, ACIT and Abo mel West London with representatives of NUM to discuss bias in the
Campaign Press and
Freedom
redress distortion.
Video
film-
assembling of video about the strike. hims which
media the
of
the miners be
Dedw
dresses:
the • This monitor should with the solidarity committee's
labour sup-
5 Miners'
Support
Committee
Bristol
c/o TGWU, Transport
mouse Room 1, Victoria St
Bristol BS 1
Tel: 0272 293001 ex 55
Manchester
Victoria Park, Manchester
Preston
/o John Parkinso , Trade
Ivorth. rrestol
Huddersfield
c/o Friendly and Trades
Club, Northumberland St,
HuGgersheld
Vauxhall
/o Joan Twelves/Gr
ucker, 1 Alverstone Hs
Kennington Park Estate,
LOnGON DEII
Southall
c/o 14 Featherstone Rd
Southall, London
Birmingham
c/o Trade Union
Rescource Centre, 7
Frederick St, Hockley.
Ealing
c/o West London Trade
Union 1 Club, 33 Acton
High st. London W3
If your local support commit-
• have no address for it. Send it in! port for the miners, don't you?)
local media union officials and bran.
get represented on your solidarity you don't have the
unions (see below). • When media bias happens don't just sit there bemoaning the capitalist media something and do it quickly. Lodge an official complaint with the radio/TV station/ paper about the particular item. Don't be put off, try and get the local radio station to interview someone from the committee about
station or paper. Or write a letter to the paper about it.
Contact the media union chapel/branch of-
your complaint. Ask them if they will also complain to the editor/programme producer.
Useful phone numbers ACTT (film technicians) 01-437 8506 ABS (Broadcasting staff) 01-262 0162 NUJ (journalists union) 01-278 7916 NGA (printworkers) 0234-51521 SOGAT (print/clerical) 0702-553131 Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom 01-437 2795 Miners Campaign Video Project 01-278 8394
Page 6 scan of this page
AS FOR THE last tew years, women's conference will be dominated by the Women's Action Committee demands for constitutional reform to give women more power in the Labour Party. This year the Women's Committee of the party is recommending the resolutions are accepted.
It is becoming increasingly hard for the Labour leadership to resist the growing pressure from organised women in the labour movement for a greater voice in party policy and affairs.
On these pages Woodward ANN PETTIFOR, secretary of WAC, about the prospects for the campaign JANET MAGUIRE looks at some of the Labour Party's past record on women.
Some women have argued that WAC's - demands are a diversion from the reai policy questions confronting women. How would you answer this? Ann Pettifor: I should start by saying inat the reason i resolvea to become ill volved in the political organisation of women within the Labour Party was simply to do with a policy issue. In
Socialist Action
Labour
National
1976,
Jude interviews
benefit. mooted in the
and was that policy
party making decisions Un
base to which they could refer.
bying behind the scenes
The battle is
still to be won
THIS Womens plenty to say NEC that we do today.
In 1923 the workshop opportunities with the NEC'.
By Janet Maguire
Day. The The candidates,
As one
11 May 1984
Interess RRIS the
demands.
InIN
photo.
political Ann Pettifor within
when I was at home with two children and no income, helpless and dependent, Dennis neary and a numoci of leading trade union men decided to ditch Labour's commitment to child
This commitment Labour Party in the have failure which mobilised in me, and other women, the determination to organise politically. Because we saw leading men within the
behalf of women without having to refer to those
terests.
Because there was no forum to refer to, no power base, no organisational
Eve been assured that there was a lot of lob-
by leading women but clearly individual lobbying rowly is not as forceful as the lobbying of an ference. organiseu lorce nke une laac union movement or individual groups within
needed WEEKEND's Labour Conference will have about positive discrimination in the Labour Party. It is however, not exactly a new topic for debate. Way back in the which twenties our sisters were campaigning away on this issue and often meeting the same stubborn indifference from the male-dominated
in the NEC received petition urging that 'fuller ing given for women members of the party becoming parliamentary candidates'. The NEC'S reply was abrupt, and rather unhelpful to say the least. It read 'the selection of
there candidates was a matter that rested in the hands of the local parties and not
But that year the NEC did not exactly ignore women as it produced a circular to all the local parties entitled The Organisation of Women and Women's
circular explained: "The results of the general election (1922) have brought home forcibly before us the primary importance both of securing the votes of women electors and of
getting a large number of women take part in an electoral campaign.' By
1928 when the voting age for women
had been reduced from 30 to 21 thereby
enfranchising around five million new
women voters, Labour was once again
very interested in the women's vote. where
women's sections naturally
enough thought this was a good time to
have more women candidates so back
they went to the NEC with a resolution
from the Labour Women's Conference
held that year. Their suggestion was to
set up a special Women's Section fund
and then to draw up a list of women
the le to beens sections. women's sections. delegate asked, have 'any
Labour candidates ever reached parlia-
ment unless they had financial help
that like the miners' union.
So in order for women to get the policy changes they want it is necessary for them to organise politically. What WAC is trying to do is to create the forums within which women can formulate their demands, formulate their
and then advance those interests. wal aocsit presume lo nave the answers, to know what it is that women want. We simply want to create
structure within which women
can advance those policy
So what are the next steps in trying to win WAC's demands?
I think the very next step is to build a
organisation for women the Labour Party that established and recognised by the party as part of its formal constitution. That is recognised by the annual conference and acknowledged by the trade unions who at conference are the dominant ponucal torce
For that we have to have a rules conference, and for that we have to
women from the affiliated organisations, in other words the trade unions, represented as well as women from the constituencies. These women have to get together to hammer out a COTSLLULOU and organisation which suits and fits their needs and their in-
That is the first step and I think that we are close to it. The resolution calling for a rules conference of trade union and Labour Party women was very nar-
defeated at last year's And certainly trade women feel the need for it, for part of their resentment is that the women's
from some special supporting body or could provide money themselves.' She
on lo say the constitution alter to fulfull ine quirements of the movement and make possible the adoption of working class women candidates.'
The NEC simply told the women's sections that this was not on, as it 'would require very important and far canne cales in the present con stitutional method of promoting and selecting candidates.' the party did have one advantage at least over us in 1924. Then there were 14 women Labour MPs out of a total representation of 191. Now with the election of Ann Clywd we have 11 Labour women out of a total of 242
might call progress reverse!
At least at that time Labour women did have a paper. Launched in 1913 Labour Woman was finally folded up in 1971. In its early years, particularly
'20s, it was a lively campaignnewspaper which not took up women's struggles in Britain but opened its columns to international socialists like Clara Zetkin and Alexandra Zollantai. It was sold by the then thriving women's of which
were 1828 by 1929.
Woman, like the women's sections it spoke for, was very concerned about Ireland and its May 1920 reports a resolution dealing Ireland moved by Mrs Crabb from
Macclesfield at that year's Women's
Conference.
The resolution read: This con-
ference strongly condemns the govern-
ment's policy in Ireland and demands
the immediate withdrawal of troops
from Ireland and the granting of the
right of self determination.' Only two
votes were cast against the resolution.
At the following year's conference the
words of the Manchester delegate, Ms
Wilkinson, have a familiar and uncom-
fortable ring today.
She told conference '... it is difficult
to understand the incredible apathy of
British people with regard to what is go-
ing on only seven hours distance from
they were sitting so
tably'. This weekend delegates
discuss Ireland it will be as
remember those words said 63 years
ago by our sister from Manchester.
Today women in the Labour Party
still have to take on many of the same
battles and fights that women did in the
'20s. But we do this from a stronger
position and we also have the advan-
tage of their experiences, provided we
are willing to learn from those early
women pioneers of the labour move-
ment.
organisation is a shambles, particularly compared to their own ferences Monale s. and in terms of standing orders.
I think trade union women want to see some chaos, and certainly CLP women want to see that. So that is a demand upon con- which we can unite immediately, and is union
June very next siCo Once we have created a structure, we need to ensure that we give those forums some political power. That will then require us to advance the demands for five resolutions to be put to the annual conference by organised And for the women's section of the national executive to be elected by the organised women in the movement.
You said that the union women wanted to see things more organised. Obviously the opposition of the unions is one of the big obstacles to WAC. How do you see dealing with that? Also could you say something about the fact that at previous women's conferences it's been presented that there is a big division, that the union women don't want the changes that WAC proposes. Do you think that's true?
in Well, I think what we're having to
grapple with is one of the party's major ponucal weaknesses the restoration of the strength of the political/industrial wing of the movement is not a small task.
What we are faced with is a party that is deeply divided in terms of its inonly
dustrial and political wings. that division comes up, surfaces, in the women's organisation. Because of that division it really hasn't been possible for women who are active within the Labour political wing to talk
municate with women active within the trade union wing edition the party and have to be members of Both sides have to be members of with
the trade great gulf between those two wings. We are very firmly committed to bridging the gulf.
We think it is a political healing that the party needs. But also it is a strength that women need if they are going to of their interests. women in the constituencies will not win very much unless they have the organised power of trade union women alongside them, terests in terms of childcare, in terms of jobs, in terms of equal pay and so on Equally we think that trade union women need the political support of the constituency women in the party. So our first committment is to bridging a comfor- gulf that is in our view artificial and be-
Wing imposed upon us by long years of well to right-wing domination of the party.
A lot of fighting for similar things. Every year the same kind of demands are put forward at the Women's things as simple as rotating the chair. Do you think there is anyway of linking that up with the demands of WAC? Our problem with the Women's TUC is actually a major political and organisa-
Labour wome
Women,
your st
union con— a snambies in organisa
in constitutional terms
created out of that women, by the women of the movement.
. ror us to take on
Of course
12%
to and com-
But there is still a Because
advancing their in-
tional
the
Line NUl, NALGO,
women in the unions are
TUC. Ever But,
ALON
VECTOR NURSE
ON
Il SYnPATH
ACTION
FOR THE
NURSES
NOTJUST
FOR
JUDGES
12%
problem. Because unions in which women predominate are on the whole unions that are not affiliated to
party. unions are represented at the Women's TUC, like
NUJ, SCPS, CPSA and which are unions in which women form the large proportion of the membership, are unions which are not affiliated to the party. So we have to overcome that gulf as well.
yes, certainly the TUC women's movement and Labour Party women can support each other and advance their demands through cooperation. I would very much like to see that happen. I just think that the logistics of. that are quite difficult given that even
Page 7 scan of this page
16791L t
IMMI
LL HEA THE B
thin our own party we find it difficult ommunicating with women in for eximple the Taylor and
orkers Union.
It is therefore much more difficult
us to communicate at a political vel with women in the white nions like NALGO and the CPSA.
ow do you see the fact that a male
like the NUM has supported whereas a union like
sn't?
at's clearly a political difference bet-
en those two unions. It also proves at it is possible for men to take a pro-
ssive view on women and be suppor-
n's conference
discover
rength!
fatalistic N I/ like the mineworkers.
WORK
from right wing ones. FOR 1
TOR
to support WAC's
make for the future?
I think ine reason arguments have wones
already women's
HER 1 are not elected by national WEAL conterence. decisions
ES NU
UNHER have even on a non-elected body.
National Labour ICe.
titude to WAC's demands?
listening to other uncommon, the party,
bodies within the party.
ple like Kinnock
what other men are thinking.
has not been listening.
Photo:
ficult for him to
doing that.
Garment
collar for example Hobsbawm,
ability to organise themselves. I'm very COHSE opposed to that political analysis women's
as a whole. leadership will soon change its mind.
In your reply to Bea Campbell in Marx-
could
HOW tive of our campaign. I have never been
pessimistic about the possibilities of support from comrades
I know it is possible, what I regret is class. that it is not more widespread. But that is explained by a political difference between those unions and it is clear from this that women are more likely to gain support from left unions than
What is the significance of the fact that lILO Labour Women's Committee is going
TOOLEDIS year? Why do you think that is, and what difference do you think it will right.
Is because the largely been won une Labour Women's Committee. It is also because those women have recognised that it is
support three of WAC's demands and Labour women on the nationa committee who
women's nevertheless realise that they have to defer to that conference's
which shows how much impact a rank and file conference can
I would stress that, in fact, because we are going to have a big fight over
Women's Commit-
What do you think about Kinnock's at-
I think that like many men in the party he has simply not bothered to listen to what we are saying. Instead he has been
men. and that's not that happens throughout section where we don't have any direct channels of communication with the leadership or with any powerful right
Therefore other men talk about our demands and explain our demands and naturally peo- vacuar
- men like Kinnock
interpret our demands in terms of
That's why, for example, in his article in City Limits he could only describe our campaign in terms of the tactical advantages that other men would gain from it. So I think that simply the man
one from
But I think that soon it will be dif-
avoid listening to women. Especially if this women's conference is united in the expression of its support for WAC's demands. Then it will be very difficult for him to avoid
But I suppose on the political level limits. one must admit that the view of the leadership is not very different from the view of some intellectuals on the left,
who believe a move. that women are just a kind of nebulous
cannot be organised. It is a profoundly defeatist view of women's
of within the political forums of both our movement and the
And I hope the
ism Today you objected to the way she posed the question of alliances.
posed it in a very nebulous way, not in terms of alliances of definite organised political forces of women, but very vaguely rejecting the idea that women
be politically organised.
Tony Benn has said that the reason why he supports WAC's demands exactly
from his view of the need for alliances. How do you see this?
In Bea's article she made the correct allalysis when she said that meenaane women, for example together with CND, had put the issue of peace onto the political agenda
was then only for the Labour Party to translate that into political and elec. toral success. And the Labour Party couldn't do that because it didn't have the mechanism for translating an extraparliamentary campaign that would into parliamentary campaign benefit Labour.
What we are saying is not that what is missing is the campaign for peace, because women are already doing that work. What is missing is the mechanism whereby the Greenham women's demands are translated into political action by the Labour Party. And the same applies to blacks, and the same to environmentalists or whatever.
The Labour Party's mechanisms are turned only to a very narrow section of the class. And I want to stress the
The Labour Party's political structures and mechanisms are in tune with the ever narrowing manual working class in employment not even those no longer in employment. And as a result it is not possible for them to translate the political campaign goes on at an extra-parliamentary level
successes lor une Labour itself as a political force.
I think that is why Tony Benn sup ports us and that rationale is absolutely
But what worries me about Campbell and the CP's analysis is that by leaving this talk of alliances
ABORTION has always proved a rather difficult problem for the
Party leadership. have tended to see it as a vote loser and hence try to ignore it.
But at this year's women's conference there are number resolutions for a women's right to choose which seek to commit the party to fight any attacks on abortion rights.
In the light of Victoria's Gillick's attempt to restrict contraceptive advice to under-16s there are also a number of resolutions condemning this move, explaining it can only result in more unwanted pregnancies.
By Ann Potter, NAC
The motion from Ealing women's
criticises the '83 manifesto which watered down the party's conference decision to give women the
to decide whether to end pregnancy or not. It goes on to suggest ways to improve abortion services. In
'self-referral' is suggested as one such improvement.
Medica training for doctors and nurses to give them more understanding of the reasons for abortion and the techiques involved is also included. Morning-after contraception is to be brought to conference's attention.
Like many of the other motions, the
Ealing attempts to commit the Labour Party to fight any reduction in the 28 week time limit. Some resolutions call for no time limit at all.
Anti-abortionists have been using recent reports from the Royal College of Gynaecologists and Obstraticians on late abortions to aruge for shorter time
At the moment it looks unlikely that this will come through government action, but the private members' ballot in the autumn might well produce such
The Labour Women's Conference must arm the party against any
National Abortion Campaign Meeting Lunchtime 12 May
Brocks Bank, St Helens Ave
Swansea
She
STOP
But
the
'conversations' so loose they are actually giving the leadership of the party a blank slate to do nothing about those demands coming groups, extra-parliamentary campaign ing groups that In this context, I think black sec-
tions are a very important developParty ment. They parallel the demand that
women are making organisation. I think for blacks, it is very, very important - although I am concerned about Bea women within black sections.
But what creating a hierarchy
They
•pressions blacks,
YER
the members of
their demands.
branch is
Photo: GM COOKSON
win?
win
such that
from
we win or lose
for selfunionists
the role of black creating translating I am most against is
of oppression
No attacks on
abortion rights
OUR BODIES.OUR LIVES
OUR RIGHT TO DECIDE
Socialist Action
whereby for us the most important oppression is our own oppression. What we have to do, in my view, within the movement is to level out onto the same plane of political importance the op
that people experience as women, as unemployed manual workers, as employed manual workers. As opposed to saying that the most important oppression is the oppression of those engaged in industrial production, and thereby ignoring the oppression of blacks, and others.
As Joan Twelves said in her letter to
Guardian, her excellent letter, black sections are also members of the party so that within their black sections they can argue their case, advance their interests, formulate
But they can also be members of the branch where other issues are addressed as well.
What we're not to say is that the
more important than the black section because by saying that we are saying that one form of oppression is more important than another form of oppression. And I cannot as a white woman say that my oppression woman is more serious than any black man's oppression as a black.
So finally do you think we are going to
Oh, I've no doubt that we are going to
The political necessity and the political logic behind our demands i:
there is no question of noi winning. The question is of timing anc how long it will take this great move. ment of ours to recognise the urgency of adopting women's demands. That's what a stake — the timing, not whether
It seems to me that one of our first tasks is to impress upon leading trade
the party, and leading parliamentarians the absolute urgency
mechanism 10. into political action the demands of the wider women's move-
DIATENNY MAT
11 May 1984
Page 8 scan of this page
A focus needed
8 Socialist Action HELEN JOHN: 'I didn't meet one American who had fully understood just how Trident was escalating the arms face.'
GREENHAM WOMEN have been an inspiration to the movement against nuclear rearmament right around Women's peace camps have even been set up in the United States.
hearing for the Greenham Women Against Cruise case against HELEN JOHN recently went to the States for the campaign. Here she explains what she saw and felt while she was there. The most disturbing thing that I found in the States was the general lack of urgency about the weapons. Many people in the peace movement are totally committed to stopping
Join the Kent miners wives on
to Greenham Common Sunday 20 May
and show your support for the women there facing
eviction. The evictions show that the government is
afraid of what the Greenham women have achiev-
ed by their protest against the deployment of cruise
missiles.
be in the forefront of the fight for nuclear disarma-
ment. The miners, in their present fight for jobs,
understand the connection between their struggle
and the Greenham women's stand. All women
fighting this Tory government must stand shoulder
to shoulder
Cooters
Ladies Section of the NUM, London Labour Par-
ty Women's Committees, Labour CND,
Briefing, and more.
'Labour Women to Greenham', c/o 129a Seven
Sisters Road, London N7 7QG.
11 May 1984
American peace movement
the world.
To further the campaign to get a court
President Reagan,
the nuclear weapolls. but with the vast size of America it's hard to keep up with what's happening in one state, never mind the whole country.
For example there
The Labour Women's Delegation
The Labour Party and the trade unions must
- from Greenham Common to the
The delegation is supported by the Aylesham
Further information from
are people in Grotten. Massachusetts, where Trident launched. Down the in Boston, there's a group concentrating on Draper Laboratories which designs and produces all those unpleasant nuclear things for us. But they don't link up with each other.
One of the things we hoped to do there was to encourage these links. For exams e May, when another 1 raent Is to be launched, we are asking all the groups to go to Grottell anu ucmonsurate
we pointed out that Trident is an update of our so-called independent Polaris, but increases each one from 64 clutches of weapons to 800! Period
didn't OLIC American who had fully understood just how Trident was escalating the arms race. I also tried to stop them using the term 'euro-missiles' which seems mean tor benefit of Europe'. wanted them to use instead 'American Cruise, Pershing and Trident missiles', because they are undoubtedly weapons placed in Europe Cut Col unuct unc control of the US.
for the US caLe
are cerned.
an entirely seperate They are thousands
who
1OW
illegality. There is an attempt to coordinate the Cruise and Pershing campaigns at a national level but there is no national campaign at the moment. Nuclear
The freeze in the States did unite the for a whole period, but now real disillusion is setting It 1S like the nuclear free zones it's
beginning of something but we all KIOW unal becoming nuclear free zone doesn't ¡cany nican mach
In a way we are forLunale wal one focus here for the whole Candal. Seven that nas failed to completely unite the british movement but in America the situation is mind-boggling.
But it is important for us because until the movement has really built up in
the States we won't be able to stop the missiles here. That's why people should take every opportunity to say to Reagan when he comes nere don't want him. It's the
administration you can im-
Reagan very popular but people are too concerned with removing that one man. The bosses Mac Donald, Boeing Lockheed, Douglas
and all the other firms that make weapons, and really run the show, are the ones they should be looking at. Dense
But it is wrong to call Reagan a monster. I saw him on TV and he said: '1 guess you're used to seeing
on a different set' reterring to the plinth he was standing on
You nonestly get the impression he thinks he is
is playing the President of the United States, and tomorrow Roy Rodgers or whoever. He's not a very intelligent individual, but he's got the whole run of
SCL.
The missiles will be an issue in the elections. But the build-down proposal is one of the most callous deceptions I've heard of. The proposal is that for every two weapons taken out of commission they will replace it with just one.
But the sane Dulor" ium is put into a smaller and more accurate
wcas • so in reality it is a build up. Whoever heard of one nuclear weapon being even a smidgeon less Gently Onc replaced
The US will have 480 cruise missiles stationed on the TOWa Staten Island. That will make the
dense v populated part New York military Larsel That has
nothing to do with
HAUNTED BY A HELEN JOHN: It's wrong to call Reagan a monster.
got the whole run of the set.
SS20s and everything to do Control
was disappointed that when Kinnock went to the US he made the promise that although Labour would
rid of the nuclear weapons, , the bases would
I think that is either slay. political naivity "If Labour
isn't prepared to get rid of the weabon. then it's worth reelecting I know
with the Tories, they will grind my bones and use it for fertiliser. But eve again want to see a Labour government that does the same thing and says it's for my own good.
The knowledge of Greenham is growing in the States, but they don't
WOMAN'S SCARLET LIPS!
MATED BY THE BROTHER WHO CALLED NIM "COWARD"!
HUNTED BY THE MAN WITH THE IROM FIST
RONALD REAGAN
he thinks he is on a film set and today he is playing the President of the United States and tomorrow Roy Rogers or whoever. He's not a very intelligent individual, but he's
even know about the peace camps thei we wolle are engaged in There's one at Seneca, where I was very disturbed to see young men well fed, baseball hats, like clones - yelling and screaming at the women in blind rage. 'Nuke them 'til they glow': they said.
Metal workers
vote for strike
By Paul Lawson
day when metalworkers in
(North Baden-North Wurttemburg) region ballot-
were a series of 'warning strikes' in the printing in-
dustry called by the IG-Druck trade union, which
closed down all the country's daily papers last
Thursday.
plougatu rough a printworkers pickelane, ser
iously injuring ten workers.
auto industry,
of ballots will now be in the
regions.
in the stuttart region has been successtul.
followed up in the auto sector.
News
LAW and
ORDER
DOROTHY MALONE PRESTON FOSTER ALEX NICOLE RUTH HAMPTON
You honestly get the impression
But somehow it's still respectable to be alled to that country. It's not the American people who are behaving like this, it's the administration. CNI Should stop worrying about being anti-American and start worrying about stopping Reagan.
THE CAMPAIGN by West German trade unions for a 35-hour week to combat growing unemployment received a massive shot in the arm last Thurs-
Stuttgart voted favour of a union proposal for strikes to back up their demand. The vote is even more remarkable in light of the fact that under West German law a 75 per cent majority is required for such a strike call.
Last week's ballot was one of a series being called as 'test votes' by IG-Metall, Germany's biggest union with 2.8 million members. About one tenth of the union's membership is in the Stuttgart
ed last week. Coinciding with last week's ballot
During the strike in Frankfurt a car
The vote in the Stuttgart region is a major victory for IG-Metall against widespread predictions that they would fail to gain the necessary 75 per cent vote. The area includes much of Germany's
including Daimler-Benz, Porsche and the giant Bosch electrical plant. The next series
Ruhr
What is especially remarkable about the campaign waged by IG-Metall is that their demand is for 35 hours without loss of pay. Now that the vote
the series of rolling strikes in the print industry will be
Page 9 scan of this page
Labour's alliance for socialism
Surplus Value
'LABOUR'S ALLIANCE for Socialism' by Tony Benn in last week's issue was very So was Socialist Action's first
Doubtless we would all quibble over details. But I would endorse the broad thrust of both contributions.
Indeed, their ment is in line with the position the Labour Co-ordinating Committee (LCC) has some time now.
This is encouraging, because new circumstances are opening up for the labour movement, which it is essential for Labour's left achieve the maximum possible unity in action.
Peter Hain
In this new phase, one of the key issues, Tony Benn rightly tifies, will be support for groups and individuals in struggle.
That is why it is so critical that the whole Party gives full support to the miners. The outcome of their battle will affect Hane workers in the mining industry. It will determine terrain upon other industrial struggles will have to ve van a w also anect une confidence of others resisting policies, for example in local government or the peace movement.
Having come through a period in which it was necessary Party through is new leadership to
Labour authoritative Opposition -LCC HONES enough to argue
for that after it is equally necessary that the left does not duck its current responsibilities.
One of them is to make sure that
local organises regulal collections for the miners, donating from existing CLP funds or from GMC members, knocking doors and appealing for That is partly the way we will build the depth of political support needed to enable the miners to win.
That is also the way we will help to achieve a much better stance from the party leader and PLP which so far has been inadequate.
For it is our job as labour movement activists to ensure that the base is built of strong and deep support for
miners, counterposing political pressures on the leadership in the other direction.
This illustrates what the wider role of the Labour's left should now be. It must act independently leader and it is mischievous Socialist Action to suggest that the LCC has ever suggested otherwise.
The left cannot and must not be expected to act as a Neil Kinnock fan club. But neither must we assume the
posture with most previous Labour leaders.
There is, in short, an important distinction between and independence create conditions at rank and file level which are tavourable for socialist advance. To do that Labour's left must
independently establishment. But, equally, it must cure itself of the disease of automatic oppositionalism, the reason that this allows us to duck our OVI TOPICS
Some currents on Labour's left leaders or other left currents than building
SUNDON socialism so obviously absent in Britain. This may serve their own sertarian interests but does nothing to advance the wider interests of the party or the working class.
Moreover, it should be recognised that in a very real sense the left is now dominant in the party. The right has been marginalised, though it still cl-
on in Parliament disproportionate to its party support.
welcome. general argu-
pressed for
in iden-
future
which
Tory
to allow the
as the and the the Brighton
not just
but actually
support.
Santos CMCOOKSON
the
or lue party
of last autumn. right lost at Brighton
deft has about the victor. necessary
oppositionalism fight our
Labour's IS lo
Not the critical, not oppositionalist. party
simple
for and overcoming
fend capital.
community, conflicts of the moment. in numbers
tles like LUSt
STATE C Miners on the march. Inset, Peter Hain
That broad left dominance reflected in the party leader election
The plain fact is that the '83, whatever reservations different sections of the
lives:
All of this places unprecedented responsibility on the left's shoulders. We have to deliver. No longer can we
corner knowing that electoral base is relatively secure. It is up to une lelt to make sure the new leadership serves the interests
party wy weng construcavel
It is also the Labour left's task to ensen every pant eter ducted by councillors in Liverpool or women at Greenham. And we should
regardless of arguments over "illegality': the history of the labour "ven is tie mastory or delying
unjust laws maniuplated for class reasons to de- unity
But below these more 'confrontational' struggles is an important level of work which needs to be given at least equal priority. The left must link into daily: issues and problems in the
not just the high profile
Ultimately, we can only win bat-
coming over local
VICTORY A
NATIONAL UNE MINEWORKI
KENT AREA
EDU government if have a credible record of patient and regular work on issues which may seem mundane to middle class 'revolutionaries', which deeply affect ordinary people's
housing repairs, playgroup facilities, and so on.
We can only win battles like the miners' if we re-build the foundations of the labour movement, arguing for a socialist form of trade unionism, rather than an economist one; winning support at workplace level, rather than simply capturing positions in union structures; establishing Labour Party workplace branches.
Activism
As Tony Benn says, the left's aim must now be to turn the party outwards. Not under some false fog of
which smothers debate argument within the party or shackles the independence of the left. But on
the different swimming around in the pool of the
movement are best against the hard reality of campaignng and activism, of actually battling for socialism, rather than in passing resolutions or directing internal propaganda at each other.
Such extra-parliamentary activity is a key part of creating a new alliance for socialism but replace the 1945 one upon which the
party has depended ever since. have been appealing to a contracting class base, when new class forces have been emerging: whether in the service, white collar and public sectors, or in the demands made by women.
We have to find a way both of rebuilding our traditional class base and integrating the groups which have grown in importance this past decade: women, black people, ecologists, for example.
That will also require a fresh look at policy. strategy, for instance, from conditions in ine early which have altered dramatically as the econome ailu need to update it,
racica, more specmic as to ororiues for public ownership, and also forideas mulating It mn sucn a way as to allow
workers to campaign around it now tested and not simply to await the arrival of
La parliamentary majority.
And, although feminism has made major progress women's rights are still seen as an op-
Socialist Action waged
find ourselves.) Values
have
DUSULLUU
coherent
plained it
first and
market in distribution stand
cold climate
Wing. A something lines. a new historic boc to ultimately
tain. article.
'new polities'
Tony
The alternative economic
originated
deepened. making it more
ElITe party,
11 May 1984 9 tional extra rather than shaping the
whole thrust of policy. This is true of both employment policy and social policy, for example
For it would be complacent to
assume that the crisis into which the
labour movement plunged in the early
1980s was pre-eminently the product of a power battle inside the party.
That battle took place when there had
already been an erosion of support
for socialist ideas and values
Lavour s lent must tnererore give
serious attention to the question of
socialist vision. Har too often we have
defined socialism in terms of being
'against capitalism or againsi Tory
policies'. (The battles currently bein‹
industrially and over loca democracy are themselves indicators
of the defensive position in which we
And we have been found out by
our own supporters. Socialism may
meant something then
around 1945: nationalisation and the
welfare state. But they certainly don't Know wilal It means now - - or to the
suspicions the is the are prete bureaucratic connotations.
We have to re-present socialism as being fundamentally about transferr. ing power to those denied it, building current and future struggles around a
vision of how socialist society might operate. John Ross ex-
week's Socialist Action: 'One based on the radical extension of democracy every sphere of life. - and that means
foremost into capital's domination of society. Such a society require ane frue sehich is socialis
sense both democratically planned and with
many fields to ensure the of its goods and the meeting of its people's many needs. I is a society with a full and universa right of its citizens to vote — an enormous extension of democracy. pr nas is not to plump tor the luxar, argue through
theorising. recognise just now how much we need to get back to talking about socialis sals and ines of cretine mats
chance popular support for Labour in a very
One other point needs underlin new 'alliance for socialisn quite different from the 'anti-T'ratcher alliance' with which some t aro-communists seem to flirt from time to time.
There can be no alliance with the Alliance: no pre-election post-election coalitions. The Alliance seeks to displace Labour, completing a Thatcherite restructuring of British politics in which there would be two
along American Labour has to fight and destroy socialism is to make progress in Bri-
That is not to say we must dismiss the political constituencies to which the Alliance has been appealing: for many of them are previous Labour supporters and could be won back by the kind of strategy suggested in this
kut there be no compromise with the Liberals or SDP.
Meanwhile, it would enormously assist the cause of Labour's left
Benn' helped establish a fresh agenda for joint ac tion and campaigning.
PETER HAIN is Vice-Chair of the Labour Co-ordinating Committee His book on Labour's future, The Democratic Alternative, was
Next week JON BLOOMFIELD, regular contributor to Marxism Today, continues the discussion.
Page 10 scan of this page
Sinn Fein and the Euro-elections
10 Socialist Action
IRELAND
UNFREE
All Ireland forum — lifeline
to the SDLP
By Anne Speed (People's Democracy) THE ALL-IRELAND forum, which has just reported, was founded by the bourgeois nationalist Irish parties (SDLP, Fiana Fail, Fine Gael) in response to the H-Block/Armagh campaign which mobilised 60,000 people on the streets at the time of the hunger strikes.
This campaign affected political life at every level both south and north. It also gave a boost to the Republican movement on the electoral level, winning support SDLP to Sinn Fein.
This development left the bourgeois nationalist parties running scared. itiative of the present coalition government in the south to asess once again the question of Irish unity, to win back some credibility. The Forum report laiks about Iree opulons 'confederal' solution and 'joint sovereignty' between the British and Irish governments over the North.
The three options represent the political debate among the Irish bourgeoisie. On the one hand Fianna Fail as the 'traditional nationalists' hold our lor me shoe untan sere. hand the historically pro-particon party Fine Gael basically capitulating to sovereignty' solution. The 'confederal' solution was thrown in as a sop to the Unionists, and is basically meaningless.
Overall the Forum report is as Danny Morrison called it a 'dolly mixture'. It doesn't come down decisively favour of any Charlie Haughey of Fianne Fail wants to believe that it calls for a united Ireland. Gareth Fitzgerald, as opposed Haughey, possibility of all three options and is just pleading with the British for discussion.
The Forum report does not in any way address the question of the Unionist veto, and that is its fundamental weakness. It talks about a constitutional conference, the possibility of drawing all ponucal forces logelner to discuss lne lulure ol Ireland, but this would be just a conference of the capitalist parties and not the mass of the Irish peopte. It's a long way from the demand which we in Peoples Democracy would Constituent Assembly, which would give the opportunity for the leaders of the working class and the Republican movement lo participale.
Without doubt the main Forum was to rescue the SDLP, 'constitutional nationalism' in the Six Counties, from the rise of Sinn Fein, for example in a number of local government elections recently — and who are being seen on the ground ss ano less as me voice of me nanonaist community, but rather as the people who will sell out =hen the crunch comes.
Without saying that the SDLP are finally dead, which would be an exaggeration, we are likely to set the rise of Sinn Fein being deepened in the coming EEC elections, marginalising collaborationist party. But the SDLP still retains credibility on an all-Ireland basis, and there lies the cracial question for Sinn Fein strategy to build a 32-county working class leadership. and how can they turn their success in the Six Counties onto an all-Ireland level?
At the centre of this is the need to turn to the Forking class and its organisations, particularly trade unions and community organisations. That will put the final nail in the coffin of the SDLP.
11 May 1984 upwards of from the
The Forum was an in-
La unilary stale, a and on the other
Britain with the 'joint
Loyalists and
option, although
is emphasising the put forward, for a democratic assembly
attention of the
which have taken place
the SDLP as a
- what is their
Pot AN HORICUT
Question. Why has Sinn Fein decided to contest the European elections?
Sinn Fein over the last tree years nas adopied an electoral strategy as one of LIC Central planks of une struggle. This came about Dasicauv rom use movement behind the hunger strikes and the need to develop an alter-
tional, collaborationist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP).
Our intervention
ceciolar ponnes nas cor nered the British nationaliv and internationalv and shown that there popular war of iberatior going the British presence. So, would nave been to give up that strategy had we not decided to contest these elections, just as we had contested the June 1983 elechon o ne Brilsn parila ment at Westminster and ine ciccuon Nor thern Ireland Assembly in October 1982. It is part of our ongoing strategy.
How does Sinn Fein view the EEC and Ireland's membership of it?
Membership the
• disastrous for Ireland and South. particularly for agriculture. There were initial benetits but they soon disappeared The EEC is BOH geared Harde farmers. Small farmers are
there are at tempts to drive them off the land, particularly in the South. In the North small farmers to some extent have been protected against the tull elects the South where there is dairy farming they are going to be particularly hit by EEC disastrous for Irish farmers
Danny Morrison interview
Sinn Fein candidate Danny Morrison
the super levy the decision to curb milk output
The EEC also opens up Ireland Vorth and South to multinationals and ex ploitation of the people. Take example even housing, there is talk the money being thrown in here, but when you actually study where it's going to, it's just being gobblec up by the British government. They are supposed
amoull ailu they do not. What is need-
of ed is a huge injection resources to end the scandal of the housing : situation, the North of Ireland has the worst housing in Western Europe.
We consider there to be extreme dangers with membership of the EEC. Hand in hand with membership of the EEC is an orientation to a military alliance. The EEC at this point in lme is almost In terchangeable with NATC
- ne Wester calle
As our policy is for an independent Ireland, anti-nuclear Ireland
dangers of EEC membership the gradual moves towards a general Western security policy which we believe is
dangerous as e
opposed membership and we will be contesting the crecuons of. an anti-imperialist plat-
the military nature of the EEC
What does Sinn Fein see as the central issues in the election?
In the North the EEC elections will be a referendum within the nationalist community on the national question. It will not be fought on the issues that will dominate England, France or to large extent in the 26 Counties. although we wil be the national
there. In the South. where probably
economic and political matters will be the SUllIC issues. we hope to turn it around to the Brits and the national question.
What kind of campaign will Sinn Fein be fighting
North and in the South?
In the South there are many us There is a lack of access to the state radio and television networks which has a 'spillover' effect to the rest of the media. There have been attempts IO make
Prie are are handica
terms underdevelopment. are a very small organisation engaging in a very big election. However, in the North where sinn rein 1s much stronger than it is in
the rest of the country, there will be a campaign where we believe we can win. , so. what we hope to do is produce a political veto to match the Irish Republican Army's (IRA) military veto on the British attempt to stabilise their rule and the Dublin government's collaboration with them.
OncE command majority support within Ou. community North there will be two developments. Firstly the British government is going to have to change its policy Sunningdale "power-sharing
1974 aareemen une British government have continuec although this insistence
been wanted down over the years - that any devorton or powers to a local assembly • must com-
cross-community support
once command majority support within the nationalist communiti we will demand not power sharing a retormeo Six County state, we want
united Ireland with the ants our are an enolo une Loyalist veto.
The Brits are going to have to change their policy and either face un to real. ty or give greater support to Lovalists and their call for devoluLOT which would mean support for sectarian state, which would have its ramifications on relations with the South.
For the Southern government itself once the SDLP could no longer claim to be the majority
of the tionalist people in the Nor-
then would their the North gone. The Southern Dal lics have formulated SDLP, did s ace it is inha their
and once it is in a minority position they are going to have • to deal realistically with us. Sinn Fein's victory will have a dramatic effect on the Overal penal situation with regard the na-
How does Sinn Fein hope to advance in the South
News
through these elections?
We don't expect to win any seats but its the perience we are looking for. We are flying our flag and hoping to get an injeclon or new members. You have to crawl before you can run. Also, we believe that when the total vote is counted third largest nationalist party in Ireland. We will
have more first preference VULC. thar Irish Labour Party.
What is the significance of Sinn Fein's decision take seats in the European parliament if elected?
We realise would have been political suicide io contest the elections on
abstentionist ticket. Also the EEC does not nave ine same reanons o to us as the British occupation or Leinster House (the Southern parliament) which was set the British in 1920. The Éuro. pean parliament is sufficiently from the question of Irish sovereignty for us to go in and take our seats What we woula nope to do is lo use the EEC platform as an international lobbying point. We believe some one in Europe could lobby sympathetic political parties, national labour movement and embarrass the Brits and expose their violence in Ireland.
How will you measure success in the elections?
Success will be measured IWO ways. First of all the vote in the zo counues see • it We
have made many in-road
the INOIL. it will be mess oed bune comparison with our vote 103,000
'alls minimum taking the seat at maximum. It will be a vote on which we hope to build and strengthen our organisation. We remember
BOBBY SANDS
MP (1954-1981)
Murdered three years ago this week in the Long Kesh H Blocks by Thatcher and British imperialism. Socialist Action
Page 11 scan of this page
Len Murray's decade of disaster
News
THE ANNOUNCEMENT of Len Murray's early retirement will hardly provoke great sadness in the rank and file of the labour movement. He will be remembered tne of ASLEF, the health workers and the NGA; and the trade union leader who craved co-operation with government even when it was kicking the unions in the teeth.
Murray, it is said, is not in the best of health. In his own statements he exnained that he wanted to go out on top, and contemplate the meaning of life. But no one is convinced by this story. In reality, Murray's decision to next September, three ycals crisis in early, which renects the TUC Lilt
Tinas Itsell, and the increasing fight inside, the unions about what its role should be.
For Murray's instinct, that cravenly cooperating with government no matter how reac-
has less and less Lollaly. possibility of implementation at a lme when the Tories just 001 I Wall
co-operate with the unions.
Three recent events
demonstrate how
able Murray's position
had become. First, the
uproar even in the TUC
general over his
refusal to back the NGA'S
illegal' picketing at Warr-
Second, Murray's
defeat in the general coun-
participation
NEDC and other govern-
ment consultation bodies
— a dispute in which even
Islington nursery
workers' strike
ONE HUNDRED and
fifty NALGO and
NUPE nursery workers
have been on strike in
the London Borough of
Islington for nearly
four weeks over a claim
for improved pay and
conditions which was
submitted to the council
last October.
By Terry Conway,
nursery worker' strike
committee (pers cap)
Despite Labour's
manifesto commitment to
wages and staff
ratios for this group of
Ah, the FORUM REPORT! An amazing document! An historic event! A load off y twaddle!
man who supported the disastrous 'social contract' in the 1970s, the betrayer
right wingers like Basnett turned against him. And lastly his handling of the GCHQ dispute, when Murrav was apparently ge nuinely shocked by the refusal of the government to seriously discuss a com-
For someone who genuinely geneve that can be sorted out be negotiation and manouevre, rather than struggle, this was a rude awakening indeed.
By Phil Hearse
The background to the crisis of the unions is the
policy OVCI whole ten years of Murray's During the 1974-79 Labour government Murray placed his faith in co-operating with government through the social contract. In
wage restraint, so the theory went, the
would receive benefits, especially low-paid members, througn the social wage
welfare benefits and the K The social
contract's them Hugh Scanlon, Jack Jones and Murray himsell even workers, it has taken three
LU get the council to
negotiate.
The strike is being sup-
ported by parents who oc-
cupied the town hall for 48
hours last week, and by a
large local
Labour Party wards. Ist-
ington NALGO is discuss.
tions series ofs daen aC-
tions taken
negotiations are not suc-
But the council seems
determined to go down the
same road as Lambeth and
Southwark councils - %I
tacking the workforce
rather than uniting
them to fight the Tories.
A PIECE OF THE ACTION
Come now, lad, it's a bargain! A mere £IS!!. Essential reading for anyone interested in finding a solution to —
Murray: position untenable denied that wage restraint
of the social contract at all! In pracuce l turned out very differently. hed cal" nings slumped, unemploythe IM intervention in
IMF intervention 1976 social spending cuts started in earnest. The latter were presided over by the first monetarist Chancellor Denis Healey.
To all this Murray and the TUC leadership had no
Their strategy of collaborating with an anti-working class, right wing Labour government fell in disco denit in 1948-9. The discontent' in 1978-9. bankruptcy and treachery of the TUC leadership was fully exposed in the 1976 firefighters' strike the TUC left them to fight
The real result of the social contract ing living standards - was the backcloth to the defeat of Labour in 1979 and the election of the Tories.
Test
Despite the betrayals of the TUC union membershir had tinued to grow during the 1970s, to a high point of 12 million in 1979. But the
Thatcher government put the trade union movement to a new test by combining mass through deliberately crashing the economy, with anti-trade union laws. Thatcher understood that Heath had failed because he tried to introduce anti-union laws at a time when
unemployment an one
one million and organisational strength of the working Cass severely weakened. Failed
failed the test. As the Tebbit laws
WCIC introduced, social spending slashed and
rocketed,
Wei yachl
they failed to prepare for inevitable controntation and instead pressed for
discussions with the government - the new
realism'. Derisory protest
actions and publicity cam-
paigns, like the 1980 'day
ONCON
ed the trade union rank
and file.
The strategy of lobby-
ing government with
minimial protest actons
necessarily led the
betrayal of ASLEF
drivers, the health workers
and the NGA. But it has - INSOMNIA!
also inevitably led to the growth of a 'hard right, 'new realist' current inside the unions leaderships
with Chappel's this means simply business unionism, offering employers 'no strike' contracts on the American
But with wide coalition of union leaders
Alastair Graham of the CPSA Duffy
AUEW and Murray himself it has led to the de mand for 'non-political' unionism weakening the links between the TUC and the Labour Party, and trying to establish HOK. with other parties, par-
ticularly the SDP
Politically the new
realists on the TUC
general council are coali-
tionists preparing,
pressure the Labour Party
into coalition Will the
Alliance, and an electoral
'arrangement' at the next
general election.
the absence oi a
leadership actually pre-
pared to fight the Tories,
to break the Tebbit laws
and take effective action
to defend the Labour Par-
political
growth right wing
business unionism is one
inevitable product. A sec-
of the right wing
union bureaucracy
evitably seeks a new way
of finding a way of living
with reactionary govern-
ment simply
capitulating Another sec-
tion of the union leader Shit leadership most obviously the
, want
real fight. The room of the
and man-
oeuverers gets squeezed.
The GCHQ affair. was
the final humiliation of
Murray. He went to That-
cher, cap in hand, as the
betrayer of the NGA hav-
ing done huge ser All he
the ruling class
wanted was a little cones.
sion — • be doc to kocu
union in rebers for no
GCHQ in
strikes and no effective
unionism there at all. Mur
ray came out his
meeting with her white and
shaken 'she just kept
saying "I've made up my
mind 'said Murray.
Defeats
Murray knew full well
inal nis leadersmp lacca c
big left wing challenge at
the coming TUC
ference. His policy of ask-
5184
Would you believe it! Here we have an event so mind-numbingly uninspiring and trivial that even a comicstrip on the subject tries to give up in the third panel!!
Socialist Action 27 ing for concessions from government ruins Under his leadership TUC membership has fallen from 12 million and half million, and hundreds of thousands of trade unionists have suffered bitter deteats.
The TUC has been powerless fighting unemployment. Unlike the German unions, no [19n1 for a shorter working week has been made And the TUC's capitulations over
Building
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amount for the fund drive.
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1984 11 the NGA have strengthened laws If a real fight back is
going to be made againsi the Tories, then a very dit ferent kind of leadership is needed. Len Murray cathe the •TUC bureauc racy. He never led a union branch or strike, let alone unfortuntely most of the naulona trade candidates to replace nin come from the sallic
Return of the Red
THE FUND DRIVE is off and running and running is the theme of our column this week. A supporter is running on Sunday 1 July in the Lambeth Half Marathon. Suc cessful sponsorship for a 13 mile run like this can bring in a substantial amount of money.
If we had more than one runner of course that would be even better. We are therefore appealing this week for runners to take part in the Lambeth run. If you want to take part contact us immediately. If you can't run but you are willing to sponsor somebody else sponsorship forms
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With only 100 people sponsoring one runnel
if we could get 4 runners that's f520 — well worth the effort. Support the return of the
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The other scheme we're organising is the raffle of a litre bottle of Jameson's whiskey which we've been donated by a supporter. So if you look out for further information in these pages on that and
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Page 12 scan of this page
AcTion Vote of defiance
Mobilise
THE DECISION of the Thatcher government to invite Peter Botha, Prime Minister of South Africa, on a state visit is rehabilitate South Africa as part of the international community.
After the 'peace'
Africa and Mozambique and Angola, the United States and Britain want to make South Africa a 'respectable' part of the Western alliance.
Thatcher's argument that a state visit does not imply support for the policies of the regime
question is just eyewash
organise a state visit by the
the Soyiet Communist Party? Or Fidel Castro?
The truth of the matter that South Africa has always been
facto member of the
Western gainst: Combulwark against munism' in Africa lucrative source of US and
British imperialist protits.
Neither Tory nor Labour governments have taken
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SociAlist
against Botha!
part of a clear attempt to
agreements between South
eftective measures links South will Africa.
By Paul Lawson
The government's real attitude to South Africa and its white citizens has been starkly revealed by the indecent haste with which Zola Budd has been made a British citizen and defended personally by Thatcher the Commons wnen sne acnounced anti-aparthied demonstraBOIS against Budd 'despicable'.
The government's at-
Mobil
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titude to Zola Budd is in stark contrast to lls in
human and really despicable deportation last
week of Afia Begum, who
having her husband die in a house fire and also, in-
cidentally, of being black.
Botha's visit must be
met bv a huge Wave of demonstrations. The
labour movement must show its outrage the stamp of approval being given to the South African
reich at a time when both its external agression against black neighbours, and its internal policy of deportation oI surplus blacks to the
'homelands' is ROTONOIS
revulsion
throughout the world
Socialist Action will be
giving details OI all
demonstrations against
Botha in future issues.
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Liverpool:
THE WORKING class of Liverpool has let its voice be heard. Last Thursday they went to the polling booths and gave Labour and its "illegal' budget a resounding yes vote.
Now no one, particularly from the ranks
Labour, can justifiably argue that John Hamilton and Derek Hatton along with their colleagues on the council are Just wild-eyed lefties acting without public support.
As Labour's majority on the council, on a poll of over 50 per cent, shot up to 17, the Liverpool Daily Post was forced to admit that it 'is seen as a massive vote confidence Labour's confrontation with the government...
Of that there can be no doubt. The Tories, the Liberals, and the media
Joy Hurcombe
had all made sure that the voters knew just what they were doing if they put a
against Labour's CLUD candidates.
By Bob Pennington
The working people of Liverpool didn't have much choice. Their city is dying on its feet - one in five insured people don't have a job and another 5000 JODs Will go i the Tory target is met. Its already chronic housing situation wil worsen and
streets and buildings will sink into further decay.
Rather than stoically accept the destruction of their city and their future, the voters chose the only practical course, which is to defy the government
their Labour council.
The workers of Liver-
Stop Reagan on 9 June
WHEN REAGAN ar-
rives for the World
Economic Summit, we
have a unique oppor-
tunity to show our
total rejection of
everything he stands
for. We need enor-
mous support for the
demonstration on
June, both at the
American Embassy
and on the march
from Hyde Park to
Trafalgar Square.
The international
media will be focussed
Lancastel House.
Thatcher, Mitterand,
Reagan, Koh, and their
friends will be deciding
Council leader John Hamilton with deputy leader Derek Hatton pool have now joined their council in the front line
the Labour Party must heed their voice. Kinnock's nonsense 'legally' and 'humanely' applying the cuts must be dropped forthwith. Cunningham's disgraceful refusal to answer Day's question on BBC Two's election special about whether he thought the Tory government should give Liverpool more monev. gives no help to the population of Liver-
Tones to hide behind thi LUVCI 0I some of the Labour leaders.
The sooner that Kinnock and Cunningham get in line with people like Benn and Heffer who have made no bones aboul backing the Liverpool council, the better it will be for the cause of Labour. Not to stand with people fighting for their right to a future is to betray both the says Joy Hurcombe, Vice chair of CND and chair of Labour CND
how to increase profit by
furthe exploiting the
world's resources and
workers.
They will be planning
how far they can cut
public spending in order
to fund their space-age
weapons. They will plan
cooperation in selling
arms to the Third World
disguised as overseas aid.
Off the agenda will
be any discussion of the
real issues. They won't
be talking of stopping
the nuclear arms race, or
of world poverty. They
won't be talking about
squads EI
Salvador or the CIA in
Nicaragua, or the abuse
of civil liberties here at
ideals of socialism and the HOST basic humanitarian principles.
Every single Labour leader has to rally behind Liverpool. To defeat the Tories • there would ellcourage all those other boroughs threatened with Jenkin's savage and destructive cuts. It would also make clear to millions of people that Labour is on the side of those opposing the dole queue, poverty and all the other souldestroying blights of Tory Britain.
Labour has a duty to
pool to aid their struggle. It also has a duty to rebuild itself through such actions so that once again it can claim to speak for a majority of working people.
By unconditional defence of the cause of Liverpool it can show to all the working class that it has the right to be the party of Labour.
Greenham Common and on the picket lines.
So it's up to us to force the issues out into the open. CND will be concentrating the
that Reagan should take his cruise missiles back with him.
This should be our focus, but the wider issues of global strategy, the role of NATO, and the effect of Western policies on the Third
World must all be spelled out clearly by the Labour Party, Young Socialists, the trade unions and the women's
- with a massive presence on 9 June.
← Socialist Action No. 56, 4 May 1984Socialist Action No. 58, 18 May 1984 →