Workers Press no. 750 (748)

workers press

JONES AGREES

TO PAY FINES

BY ALEX MITCHELL

APRIL 26, 1972, will stand ou in trade union history. At its General Council completely Industrial Relations Act decided at Blackpool last Se

BY JOHN SPENCER

LIBERATION forces ad- vancing on Kontum in Viet- nam's central highlands have crossed the river which forms the last natural obstacle between them and the provincial capital. They have nearly completed cutting the country in half.

Their tanks were sighted south of the river by helicopter pilots Government yesterday. troops are dug in five miles from the river, but their chances of hold- ing the city are almost nil.

The New York Times' yester- day quoted one Saigon officer saying: I don't think we've seen even the beginning of the number of tanks the N Vietnamese have in that area, and I think the enemy is going to Kontum. *They've disrupted the 22nd Division's activities [the division fled in confusion on Monday]. I don't think the government is going to send reinforcements up and the next thing to do is take the provincial capital. If they can take Kontum they will have a cordon that cuts the country in half. Just as ominous for the Saigon is government the fact that liberation forces are now within 20 miles of the S Vietnamese capital-and still advancing. And yesterday there was a threat of a new front opening up in the Mekong Delta area. US airmen reported seeing ten tanks belonging to the liberation forces on their way through the jungles from Cambodia towards the Delta S of Saigon. Most of the puppet govern- ment's troops in the area have withdrawn to bolster the been defences of Saigon and Kontum.

• See p. 2. Nixon men split over Vietnam.

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • THURSDAY APRIL 27, 1

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SO

tand out as a day of major treachery • At its meeting yesterday the TUC npletely violated policies on the Act which were overwhelmingly last September. In one fell swoop the TUC leaders decided to: • Co-operate with the Tory-appointed National Industrial Relations Court.

• Recommend to the Transport and General Workers' Union that it pays the £55,000 fines imposed by the court.

Tory Prime Minister, Visit the Edward Heath, at No 10 Downing St the state of the to resume talks on economy. Victor Feather said after an emergency and Finance of the TUC's meeting Purposes Committee the General that recommend the payment of decision to reached fines had been unanimously which means Jack Jones agreed to it.

TUC has no whatsover to The right take this decision to go before the NIRC.

defies totally overwhelming decision at the Blackpool conference last September. What is the NIRC? It is a legal instru- ment of the Tory Industrial Relations Act.

Tory established by the It was govern- and staffed by it. ment the trade Its task reorganize IS to unions in line with the crisis requirements of British capitalism. wholesale interference into trade This unionism and bargaining leads the way, if the Tories get away with it, towards com- corporate statism. Its pany unionism and findings mean, in effect, rule by decree.

With the successful ending of the rail- way work-to-rule and the swingeing fines the

T&GWU,

Tories inviting on the are the start every employer in country kicking the trade and unions shop stewards in the teeth. understood It should be clearly that British applauded by the Tory press for the past which piously An hour and a half after is in no sense neutral. climbdown on the Industria It is class law, of the privileged and propertied It is wielded over class. Victor Feather goes into t the oppressed class, the working class, in residence. order that wealth and privilege can be preserved. The T&GWU is Britain's big- Today policy- gest union. its making committee meets to con- facing the sider three actions

APRIL FUND NEED:

the union in the NIRC. the union agrees to co-

WITH ONLY FOUR

operate with the NIRC it will be a historic not only setback for WE KNEW that this month would the 1.6 million members of Jack struggle for be tough our Jones' union but for the whole Fund. We have raised our target trade union movement. £1,750 to help us over- up to The case, we repeat, is now come the difficulties that we had for recall of overwhelming the to meet during the rail work-to- to the the delegates September rule. Congress. However the Tory government's use of the Industrial Relations PRODUCTION of fork-lift trucks Act to intimidate the unions, makes us more determined than and mining equipment at a fac- ever to step up the fight to make Kirkby Liverpool tory at near this government resign. has been halted by a sit-in of 100 workers demanding rise pay from Wingrove and Rogers.

RIL 27, 1972

No 748 • 4p

THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGL

alf after announcing the TUC's Industrial Relations Act, a smiling s into the Tory Prime Minister's

EEDS £925.86

OUR DAYS LEFT

Workers Press Is right at the centre of this struggle. We urge you all therefore to campaign as never before for our April Fund.

There are only four days left.

With a great all out effort we are sure you will raise the final £925.86 before Sunday. Do your best. Rush all donations immedi- ately to: Workers Press April Appeal Fund, 186a Clapham High St, London, SW4 7UG.

A GUE

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

THE TUC yesterday aband- oned any pretence of opposi- tion to the Industrial Rela- tions Act and then took off from Congress House to visit Edward Heath at No 10 Downing St. Following the General Council meeting, an emergency session of the Finance and General Pur- poses Committee recommended that the Transport and General Workers' Union pay £55,000 in fines imposed by the National Industrial Relations Court.

At a press conference after Victor the historic climbdown, Feather said the payment of the fines voluntarily was considered the lesser of two evils. took the The TUC leaders view that if the T&GWU sub- mitted to sequestration - the court seizure of all its assets and property —it would not solve the problem they faced.

T&GWU

general secretary Jack Jones was present at the and was in favour of meeting the decision. When he left the meeting yesterday Jones would not com- ment on his union's future action.

But presumably he will press the TUC line when top union officials meet today to decide on the issue. At yesterday's TUC meeting a move to cancel the Heath meeting lost by 21 votes to nine. Only Richard Briginshaw, the print union leader, said he was withdrawing from the delegation.

The council also defeated a stop the TUC from move to changing its policy over non-co- operation with the court by 19 votes to nine. Now a special meeting will be called on May Day to draw up guidelines for unions who want to appear before the court.

A call for a special fund to pay fines levied, made by Len Edmonson of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, was also rejected. • Serious concern at the £55,000 fine imposed on the Transport and General Workers' Union by the Industrial Relations Court was expressed in an emergency left. resolution passed by the Labour Party National Executive Com- mittee yesterday. for the TUC's Party's support party's support for the TUC's this vicious and fight against useless Act which aggravates disputes rather than resolving them more rapidly. It says the Industrial Relations Act must be repealed by the next Labour government

workers press

JONES AGREES

TO PAY FINES

BY ALEX MITCHELL

APRIL 26, 1972, will stand ou in trade union history. At its General Council completely Industrial Relations Act decided at Blackpool last

BY JOHN SPENCER

LIBERATION forces ad- vancing on Kontum in Viet- nam's central highlands have crossed the river which forms the last natural obstacle between them and the provincial capital. They have nearly completed cutting the country in halt.

Their tanks were sighted south of the river by helicopter pilots yesterday. Government troops are dug in five miles from the river, but their chances of hold- ing the city are almost nil.

The 'New York Times' yester- day quoted one Saigon officer saying: 'I don't think we've seen even the beginning of the number of tanks the N Vietnamese have in that area, and I think the enemy is going to Kontum. 'They've disrupted the 22nd Division's activities [the division in confusion on Monday]. I fled don't think the government is going to send reinforcements up and the next thing to do is take the provincial capital. 'If they can take Kontum they will have a cordon that cuts the country in half? Just as ominous for the Saigon that government is the fact liberation forces are now within 20 miles of the S Vietnamese capital-and still advancing. And yesterday there was a threat of front opening up in the a new Mekong Delta area. US airmen reported seeing ten tanks belonging to the liberation forces on their way through the jungles from Cambodia towards the Delta S of Saigon. Most of the puppet govern- ment's troops in the area have withdrawn to bolster thę been defences of Saigon and Kontum.

• See p. 2. Nixon men split over Vietnam.

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL CC

tand out as a day of major treachery: • At its meeting yesterday the TUC npletely violated policies on the Act which were overwhelmingly last September. In one fell swoop the TUC leaders decided to: Co-operate with the Tory-appointed National Industrial Relations Court.

• Recommend to the Transport and General Workers' Union that it pays the £55,000 fines imposed by the court.

Prime Minister, • Visit the Tory Edward Heath, at No 10 Downing St to resume talks on the state of the economy. Victor Feather said after an emergency and TUC's Finance meeting of the General Purposes Committee that the the payment of decision to recommend fines had been reached unanimously which means Jack Jones agreed to it.

The TUC has no right whatsover to take this decision to go before the NIRC.

overwhelming It totally defies the decision at the Blackpool conference last September. What is the NIRC? It is a legal instru- ment of the Tory Industrial Relations Act.

It was established by the Tory govern-. ment and staffed by it. Its task is to reorganize the trade unions in line with the crisis requirements of British capitalism. This wholesale interference into trade unionism and bargaining leads the way, if the Tories get away with it, towards com- and corporate statism. Its pany unionism findings mean, in effect, rule by decree. With the successful ending of the rail- way work-to-rule and the swingeing fines on the T&GWU, the Tories are inviting every employer in the country to start kicking the trade unions and shop stewards in the teeth. should It be clearly understood that law, which has been British so piously applauded by the Tory press for the past couple of weeks, is in no sense neutral.

It is class law, the law of the privileged and propertied It is wielded over class. the oppressed class, the working class, in order that wealth and privilege can be preserved. The T&GWU is Britain's big- gest union. Today its policy- making committee meets to con- sider the three actions facing

APRI

the union in the NIRC. If the union • agrees to co-

WITH

operate with the NIRC it will be not only a historic setback for

WE KNEW

the 1.6 million members of Jack be Jones' union but for the whole a Fund. We trade union movement. up to £1, The case, we repeat, is now come the i overwhelming for the recall of to meet d the delegates to the September rule. Congress. use of th PRODUCTION of fork-lift trucks Act to Ir and mining equipment at a fac- makes us Kirkby near Liverpool ever to ste tory at this goverr has been halted by a sit-in of 100 workers demanding a pay rise from Wingrove and Rogers.

SLETTER • THURSDAY APRIL 27, 1

TRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SO

An hour and a half after climbdown on the Industria Victor Feather goes into t/ residence.

APRIL FUND NEEDS

NITH ONLY FOUR |

VE KNEW that this month would e a tough struggle for our und. We have raised our target ip to £1,750 to help us over- ome the difficulties that we had • meet during the rail work-to- However the Tory government's use of the Industrial Relations Act to Intimidate the unions, makes us more determined than ever to step up the fight to make this government resign. @ No 748 • 4p.

RIL 21, 1972.

THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

alf after announcing the TUC's Industrial Relations Act, a smiling s into the Tory Prime Minister's

EEDS £925.86

OUR DAYS LEFT

Workers Press Is right at the centre of this struggle. We urge you all therefore to campaign as never before for our April Fund.

There are only four days left.

With a great all out effort we are will raise the final sure • you £925.86 before Sunday. Do your best. Rush all donations immedi- ately to: Workers Press April Appeal Fund, 186a Clapham High St, London, SWA 7UG. WIll

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

THE TUC yesterday aband- oned any pretence of opposi- tion to the Industrial Rela- tions Act and then took off from Congress House to visit Edward Heath at No 10 Downing St. Following the General Council meeting, an emergency session of the Finance and General Pur- poses Committee recommended that the Transport and General Workers' Union pay £55,000 in fines imposed by the National Industrial Relations Court.

At a press conference after historic climbdown, the Victor Feather said the payment of the fines voluntarily was considered the lesser of two evils. The TUC leaders took the view that if the T&GWU sub- mitted sequestration - the to court seizure of all its assets property it would and not general secretary Jack Jones was present at the meeting and was in favour of the decision. When he left the meeting yesterday Jones would not com- ment on his union's future action.

But presumably he will press the TUC line when top union officials meet today to decide on the issue. At yesterday's TUC meeting move to cancel the Heath a meeting lost by 21 votes to nine. Only Richard Briginshaw, the said he was print union leader, withdrawing from the delegation.

The council also defeated a stop the TUC from move to changing its policy over non-co- operation with the court by 19 votes to nine. Now a special meeting will be called on May Day to draw up guidelines for unions who want to appear before the court.

A call for a special fund to pay fines levied, made by Len Edmonson of the Amalgamated of Engineering Workers, Union was also rejected. • Serious concern at the £55,000 fine imposed on the Transport and General Workers' Union by the Industrial Relations Court was expressed in an emergency resolution passed by the Labour Party National Executive Com- mittee yesterday. for the TUC's Party's support party's support for the TUC's fight against 'this vicious and which aggravates useless Act rather than resolving disputes them more rapidly. It says the Industrial Relations Act must be repealed by the next Labour government

PAGE 2 Workers Prose, Thursday April 27,

AROUND THE WORLD

BY JOHN SPENCER

THE UNITED STATES and today after a five-week boycott their current offensive. The decision is a big climb-down for the Nixon administration, which had accused N Vietnam and the National Liberation Front of being unwilling to negotiate seriously. It followed the disclosure that presidential adviser Henry Kissinger had secretly visited Moscow to pave the way for Nixon's own visit in the near future. With his S Vietnamese allies to contain the patently unable liberation forces' offensive, even massive US air support, with Nixon now attaches great im- portance to the Moscow trip.

•He hopes to persuade the Soviet Stalinist leaders to use their influence with Hanoi and take some of the pressure off the Saigon government. Nixon was due to speak on TV last night with an important with- announcement on troop from Vietnam. drawals There was speculation in Washington scheduled withdrawal that the might be halted to strengthen the depleted South Vietnamese army.

The Administration is deeply divided over the Vietnam war, one section advocating the min- ing of Haiphong harbour and devastating bomb even more strikes against the N, while the other is pessimistic about the regime's chances even Saigon with maximum US aid. The success of Democratic presidential hopeful George McGovern in two key primary elections vesterday is a clear indi- cation of popular hostility to military adventures in further Vietnam. In the last ten days Nixon's planes have dronned more bombs on N Vietnam than were dropped on Germany by the whole allied air forces during 1944. These attacks are bein! carried the recommendation of out on the Joint Chiefs of Staff and 'hawkish' elements. other who have long advocated taking bloody revenge for the NLF's victories in the S. The Washington Post this week published details of a secret. in January 1969. It shows the federal bureau- cracy split into two camps-the 'optimists including the chiefs!

of staff and the American em - bassy in "pessi- Saigon: and the mists including the Office of the Secretary of Defence. the State Department and the CIA. They differed over practically every issue in the war. The 'opti- mists favoured blocking all im- ports of war material through N and Cambodia. Vietnam, Laos while the 'pessimists' concluded that even with unlimited an bombing campaign, the

NLF

enough supplies would obtain overland via China. Joint Chiefs of Staff The successfully lobbied for the 1970 invasion of Cambodia on the basis of their conclusions.

They also favoured heavy bombing of the N, claiming that this was effective in killing thousands of / Vietnamese soldiers. The study also shows the utter and collapse of the prostration Saigon armies, even as long ago as 1969, when US troops were in still bolstering the regime strength. At the time the 'Vietnamiza- tion' idea was first mooted, the S Vietnamese forces were desert- ing at the rate of 34 per cent a year — equivalent to one com- going 'over the plete division hill' every month. • The US militarists have not said their last word over Indo- China, and the crisis of US policy in Vietnam could well produce even more devastating military adventures as the Joint Chiefs face up to the ruin of their war policy. y April 27, 1972 S and S Vietnam are to return to boycott which began when the libe 1 One of the most militant sections of the I'AILURE of last-minute con- ciliation talks left Japan facing almost total paralysis from a 48- hour transport wörkers strike for higher pay starting today.

Japan's 50 million travellers are confronted with the pros- pect of no services on the gor- ernment-owned national railways as well as most regional privace lines. Dockers and seamen are already on strike at major ports, taxi-drivers in cities like and Tokyo and Osaka are engaged in a partial stoppage. There are also disputes on the country's airlines, though the airline warkers do not apparently intend to strike. A conciliation effort to avert the rail stoppage by the central commission labour relations failed to narrow the gap between management and unions yester- day. the railway strike is climax of a wages offensive that has been going on for the past two weeks through a work-to- rule campaign. It is the first time for several years that national and private railwaymen have struck at the sanfe time during the annual spring offensive for higher wages.

Some drivers in Tokyo yester- day anticipated the strike by from work. 161 staying away suburban trains were cancelled a further 900 delayed, and causing chaos at jam-packed stations. Professional pushers were carriages employed to cram beyond their normal capacity.

windows On one train were broken to allow stifled passengers to breathe. urn to the Paris peace talks the liberation forces launched ons of the Japanese working class Mussolini memorial THE Madrid section of th fascist Italian Social Movemen will hold a memorial service to day for •Benito Mussolini an all Italians who died for same ideal. Partisans in Mila executed thè fascist dictator 2 years ago today. THREE members of Chancellor Willy Brandt's ruling W Ger- man coalition were re- ported to be wavering yesterday on the eve of decisive 'no-con- "fidence' vote. All are members of the Free Democrats, the minority party in the PRELIMINARY results day of the criminal investi- gation into nationalist activity in the Yugoslav Republic of Croatia have been published follow- (Mc ing a meeting on Mon-tur 'Stalinists behin‹ FOLLOWING his warm Ger birthday telegrams to the leaders of Greek reaction, Cyprus presi- Par dent Archbishop Maka- rios has been assured of the continued support of the powerful Stalinist party, AKEL. On Sunday (St George's Day), Makarios sent congratulatory a General telegram to NO AMOUNT of one-day strikes and marches will make the Industrial Relations Act go away. Sir. John Chancery Lane Donaldson sits in his court at on - the carcasses of a long line of similar 'body blows' 12, December 8, 1970, and January delivered on March 1 and March 18, 1971. He is still there.

The ce talks National Industrial Relations Court is still there. The aunched Act is still there. but are they all still there, since Not only March 30, when the Transport and General Workers' Union was fined £5,000 for contempt of court, any naive doubts that non-co-operation meant immunity court's decisions have been completely from the destroyed. collapse of historic There has been a double The history of reformism this century, significance. whenever the two classes have been poised for a of shameful, decisive showdown, has been a history craven retreats. It happened in 1911, it happened in 1926 and it could happen again today.

Macmillan no less than Carr has shown he means business and anyone who goes on thinking that the no teeth will have his hand bitten off.

NIRC

has This Tory government no less than the govern- ment of Baldwin must smash the fighting organizations of the working class if they are to ride out the slump, on their backs... and the NIRC is the centrepiece of this attack. and Yet the first minute the most reactionary General Strike repressive Tory government since the bared its teeth, the reformists leapt in the air like scalded cats. On Friday the leaders of the three rail with the tradition of J. H. Thomas behind unions, them, led an unforgettable and ignominious retreat before the court's cooling-off order.

And on Monday the TUC's Finance and General Purposes Committee resolved that trade unionists could appear at the NIRC, thus hammering the final nail in the Tory plan to use them as Trojan horses within the unions, policing their own members in the interests of the bourgeois state.

The TUC is now faced with the stark choice either of reaffirming its decision not to co-operate with the Act, or of accepting it hook, line and sinker.

While reformism is running about naked at Con- gress House, the Stalinists are busy stripping them- selves of the last vestiges of political credibility. Just the NIRC's decisions provide damning as initial testimony of Tory determination to crush the unions, they call for yet another day of protest on May 1.

Yesterday's editorial in the 'Morning Star' called on the labour movement to 'make it a day which Heath and the Tories will never forget'. We say to the 'Morning Star': The Tories will forget next Monday's day of protest just as they have forgotten all the rest.

We have said over and over again: This govern- of the ment must be brought down. The decision on May 1 engineers at Eastbourne to back a strike reflects the explosive feeling of the rank and file against the Act and against the Tories.

the will not get rid of the Act But a one-day strike Movement or the Tories. May 1 must be the start of a General servIce lo- Strike to force this government to that a resign so and the Labour government be returned and made to can Milan carry. out socialist policies.

dictator 27 with Brandt's If all three waverers The wavering Free coalition Social-Democrats. with the Democrats Saxony vote opposi- dirt Brandt will be farmer Wilhelm Helms, The forced out of office. opposition who resigned from the Democrats FDP on Sunday, Christian Baron have tabled a motion of If the Christian Knut von Kuehlmann- bid no confidence in Democrats succeed they Stumm millionaire bring down the two- will wreck Brandt's breeder from efforts to obtain ratifi- and Hesse, Gerhard - a - half - year - and old Brandt government. cation of the treaties advibam from a business It will be voted on to- signed with Warsaw and adviser North- Moscow in 1970. Rhine Westphalia. day. and operational and ideolo- day of district student leaders and with municipal public prose- others were arrested gical links the during the disturbances political emigration." cutors. Leading. members of in the Republic earlier number of notorious Matica Hrvatska Ustachi the this year. émigrés (Mother Croatia) Zagreb involved in the forma- cul- prosecutor Bogumil Cikon told tural association, the tion 36 overseas branches of the Friends meeting that the Matica Hrvatska headquarters Matica Hrvatska, he of ehind Makarios in his city had 'close said. George Grivas, Indian steel men shot He similar sent telegram to George Papadopoulos, who com-

EIGHT

About 600 workers bines the offices and de were killed 16 injured were protesting against Regent, premier. and when police opened fire delay in payment of Defence Minister and block- their Foreign Minister of on workers demonstrat- wages Tuesday ing night aded the management Greece. Vil However, the AKEL outside a steel foundry inside the foundry. staged a leadership has reiterated Ambarnath, tour Ambarnath al miles north of Bombay, General Strike yester- for its support Maka- police announced. day in protest. rios' policies

Workers Press, '

GOODS

CLERKS in the sixth week their OT official pay strike at English Electric's Liverpool plant meet this morning Sir: 1970 review the situation.

A EEAY ARN

GEC"

The 450 clerks are asking for a £6-a-

GET MORTS INCREASE 3

GENERATES

BEFAIR!

week rise. There has been no increase

SALARY INCREASE-NIL

ECONOMIC

the in company's offer between of

CHAOS

£1.50 and £1.75. Two weeks ago they received dis- missal notices, but they returned them to the personnel manager.

On Monday they held a joint meeting of the laid-off with some 3,500 pro- duction workers. The meeting called for a public inquiry the into affairs of Arnold Weinstock's

GEC

empire and for meeting of combine shop stewards. Said AUEW convenor Peter Martin: 'Many of us feel that Weinstock might never re-open this plant again.

English Electric clerks picket the E Lancs Rd plant.

•There PILKINGTON'S has

FROM PHILIP WADE

has definitely employed the first of the been pressure Pilk- put April. The firm sacked 500 floor militants sacked by the ington trom the

G&MWU

glass firm in August 1970 men during the August truggles branches. lot of men when they struck to began realize there of the 500 wert to demand the right to the AN OFFICIAL Royal Ulster Con- wasn't any real leadership back new starters, but union representatives of the militants were kept the their choosing. stabulary dossier on the murder of wanted the men back who out. But another 70 • and the petore Official IRA man Joseph McCann has to defend continual ganized around the gan a campaign which fight rank-and-file their rights took get back and us. been sent to the Director of Public them through the now spreading to sacked length lentall Pilkington and breadth of Britain and more factories. this day and blacklisted Prosecutions in London. throughout the NW. the trade union movement.

On Saturday, April 15, McCann was They exposed the role employment is a victory. Jim Boylan On Monday

TUC

He a lad publicly played was en- by shot dead a roving of returned to the fibre glass by platoon gaged the and Lord campaign

VICION

HON

The paratroopers as he walked through the Cooper, head the speaking up and down the last 20 months he has had General Municipal country. Markets area of Belfast. to keep his child- wife and Workers' allow- 'Although it's a break- It is understood Special Ten: Seculy. an undercover through there's a long way 1970 strike The August proceed. to yet however. The Branch man brought the paratroopers to the followed the bitter seven- Said rank-and-file will com- campaign until area where he had been keeping McCann week Pilkington dispute member Brian Gavin we ve all got our Jobs Dack, under observation. which Helens yesterday: said Brian. But of overpowerine McCann and arresting him, the paratroops fire with сторам anetoNd mcwann was unarmed wnen ne was killed. The RUC decision to send the the

DPP

papers indicates that some sections of police are doll closely linked with the being -so murderous policies openly ot the sections allly. the remembered that it. will be Tory™ Cabinet especially drafted the to Londonderry paratroopers

FROM STEPHEN JOHNS

TALKS between shop stewards at Upper Clyde Marathon's Wayne Harbin (I) with new Minister for In dustrial Development, ( Shipbuilders and an McCann: unarmed American businessman ernment's financial aid in Scotstoun and Linthouse divi- sions. detail. who wants to buy the on January 30-Bloody Sunday- Marathon and Govan If Ship- open fire on civilians. If enough offered, money Clydebank yard are ex- builders killing also said he would like The McCann Harbin Come Onlo there is likely labour his sureneuens Lue pected at the end of the make force 6,300, with republic circles nouncement on Friday. that 8,500 have formed 'death the troopers

WICI

week. of soldiers talks he has already company went into liquidation group hac suudu and shop stewards last_ June. unions are trained to cany out assabol They depend on whether ations. he has been pressing for a four- Meanwhile the outlook, This technique of year no strike contract. was Wayne Harbin, chairman general for shipbuilding continues the British army in developed by Manufacturing, Marathon Unions have indicated that this Tenste commer succuly Call parti gets government cash to help would not problem annual . report said yesterday that in Kenya, Cyprus ana Malaya. cost-of- for the first time five wage àgreement with The we paides the ser him develop Clydebank to there is a downturn in orders for be negotiated. ations 1lving clause Can build oil rigs. Brig Frank new salps. Kitson. If there is a deal with Mara- Kitson gave the Yesterday Harbin had This is reflected in Britain by thon, the other company which paratroops to be used on Bloody officials second meeting with wants to take over parts of UCS decline in orders marine „TOr after receiving a message 70 which accounts for of the Department of Industry Shipbuilders- -can be- equipment -Govar Cabinet security

HOM LIG

and Trade to discuss the gọv- gin production Govan, oi a vessels value. committee. ra Press, Thuriday April 27, 1972 PAGÉ 3' LAMBETH, S London, coun- cil's Tory opposition is demanding that a scheduled meeting on the 'fair rents' Bill should be cancelled or paid for out of Labour Party funds. Tory leader on the council Peter Carey has made the demand following a refusal by thé Labour majority to have a speaker at the meeting on May 11 to explain the government's views on the Bill. Carey has asked Lambeth's chief executive officer to send the bill for renting the town hall and the cost of advertising the meeting to the Labour Party.

Labour leader Charles Dryland told Carey: "The whole reason for arranging this meeting is to put the council's position to the tenants in Lambeth. 'As the council's stand is quite different to that of the govern- ment's, I fail to see why we should sponsor a government speaker on this issue.' Carey argues that the only decision taken so far by Lambeth council is not to implement the provision in the Bill for raising council rents by fl on October 1.

Since, he says, there is no other matter affecting the tenants on the council has a view, which there is no need for a meeting to be sponsured by the council.

He said that the meeting was only being held for propaganda and the purposes rate-payers should not pay for it. Councillor Dryland points aut that the meeting . would explain council policy and the reason for total opposition to the govern- ment. And, he added: 'I could not guarantee the safety at the meeting of any Conservative councillors.' • See Redditch tenants' fight P. 11. £7.75 rise across-the- A

SUBSTANTIAL

board £7.75 pay rise for 900,000 by manual workers was urged local authority members of the General and Municipal Work- ers' Union yesterday. They want the rise protected by a cost-of- living clause; and a shorter work- ing week and longer holidays to -solve the unemployment help problem. lopment, Christopher Chataway The British Marine Equipment Council has expressed its in- dignance that assistance given to help shipbuilding took no account of this situation. Johns' review of Alisdair Buchan's book

oot comes trom-Manchester's black industrial sprawl where the slum homes jostle for space with the Victorian mills. Inset: th louse and Bentley of a Manchester boss in Presbury, Cheshire, the area where most of the city's employers liv

WHERE THE BOSSES LIVE

IGE & Workers Pross, Thuraday Aprll 27 Where the loot comes from-Manches house and Bentley of a Manchester bo One thousand employers are in battle with locked engineering workers in greater Manchester. The men live in the slums and barren estates. of this massive conurbation. But where do the bosses go at night? STEPHEN JOHNS investi- gates. They live in places like Alderly Edge, Chelford and Wilmslow - nice rolling names that match the green Cheshire countryside. Their houses are called Grey Squirrels, The Maples, The Ems and they still advertise on the village notice-board for 'handy- men'. Each morning they head their Rolls or Bentley 20 miles north big dirty place called to a Manchester. It's the Manchester workers whose labour provides the profits that pay for the upkeep of the ranch house, the small lunches in farm and expensive obsequious waiters. pubs with About 150,000 of these workers are in industrial dispute now-15,000 are occupying just ay Aprll 27, 1972 -Manchester's black Industrial sprawl where th hester boss in Presbury, Cheshire, the area w factories that provided the cash to build, rather renovate, or places like Prestbury. At some stage of its existence I suppose it was a real country village. now it's neat and dull— shaved lawns, daffodils blooming in patterns, no chickens, cows or pigs. The only animals there are broad-bottomed stallions those who have the time and canter down the money to country lanes. Prestbury is the home of Mr Dick Metcalfe, joint boss of a small engineering shop near Stockport that bears his name.

Metcalfe has his home ('Yew Tree'), his Bentley, new Vauxhall and Ford escort, his farm and his childrens' education.

The 110 workers who were . sitting-in at his factory want some of the 'cake'. They were demanding a little extra cash and a 35-hour week. Eric Welridge is one of them.

He took his appreticeship at "ow I where the slum homes jostle for space with le area where most of the city's employers liv Metcalfe's ten years ago now he is the convenor. He sees things in simple economic comparisons. As he puts it, Dick Metcalfe's brother in his travels Rolls from Oswestry on the Welsh borders four times a week. He probably spends shen Eric takes one to his rite more money on and two kids each week-that's £24 clear of tax. Similar comparisons be can repeated about 1,000 times. This is the number of engineering plants in the greater Manchester area. The . workers live in the jostle for sid slums that crowded space with the dilapidated mills and factories of areas like Open- Miles Platting. shaw, Ancoats, The bosses for the most part live 'new' round and about the villages. If you ride from the workers' modest semis to 'the masters' luxury farm houses, the Capitalist words of system needs explanation. like this since the It's • beer industrial ' revolution struck the NW like a gale, uprooting com- • munities and driving them into industrial the great wen Manchester. As time went by the at towners moves out truwhere the ace with the Victorian mills. Inset: the loyers live rural ancestors of their 'hands' were born. And there they nestle in smoke, Cheshire where strikes, unpleasant death and slums, industrial disease are a rumour brought home by the man of the house. Ever safe in their country- side-or are they? Recently outside an occupied opened the door and Jaguar zoomed off. Two men witnessed the departure. One was a managing director, who lives out there with the rest. He turned to the second observer, a steel worker, sitting-in. 'You're not still picketing?' he asked. said the worker. I'm 'No', occupying. This time it's for money. Next time it might be for something else,'i.. A strike at the diesel firm of Kelvin Marine, Glasgow, has entered its just 'second week. In this report a Scottish correspondent gives the background to the dispute. The Kelvin Marine men want the engineers' național claim — £6-a-week increase and a 35-hour week. At present a tradesman gets £19 a week minimum time rate time raté. and £26.29 added Semi-skilled workers and labourers come long way a behind and the girls, of course, come a lot further behind that again. You have to work two nights and Sunday to make up a living wage. When overtime was stopped selectively, it was clear that the only thing to do was to fight on it. being fobbed off for After weeks, shop stewards called for a work-to-rule. Management said that it serious situation was a and they might have to close down. A lock-out was threatened, so with the work-to-rule only three and a half hours old, the men declared they on strike were from April 14. They're all out and they say they'll stay out until they get full satisfaction, because it isn't just their strike-they're leading the district on the engineers' pay claim: This dispute started to come to a head in December when the accepted an agreement men establishing rates of pay and bonus levels for a minimum of 12 months a voluntary ('morally binding') basis.

Management was told that the agreement was made, in anticip- ation of a national claim and the men accepted it in this context.

everyone knows what happened to the national claim. claim In Tanuary, • was a presented for £6 a week on the 'added rate', a 35-hour working an extra week's week, and holiday. The management reminded the of the 'substantial stewards increases' in wages had that resulted from the introduction work study incentive of scheme: Management insisted that they could only consider the men's claim on national level and refused to negotiate at plant level. In March, AUEW men imposed a ban on work study, stamping production cards and overtime. Management refused to negoti- seven-day notice of ate, al SO work-to-rule was given. Manage- said this could 'seriously ment prejudice employment prospects in the factory'. Another attempt to negotiate made, but management was contribution to the dialogue was simply to express disappointment that the bans were still in effect.

seven-day strike notice was made, management contribution to the dialogue was simply to express disappointment that the bans were still in effect.

A seven-day strike notice was given and the strike began.

Tohn Barrie, convener, says: "There are no immediate pros- pects of a settlement. The man- agement want negotiations to be done through the GEC executive at a national level. They wanted a three-week extension of strike notice (this was to fulfill present obligations and get new orders).

thing "The only other they came up with was the idea of having a priest or minister or the Labour MP as IP or arbitrator. 'We'd like to see more firms take the same action. It should been done national have at a issue's too big for level. the plant-bargaining. •We're staying out.'

BY IAN YEATS

With Tory funds firmly in their grasp, the Maltese have nevertheless learned their lesson-Britain is not to be relied on. Recently they have been giving the Tories a dose of their own showing medicine and what 'standing on their own feet' means. A succession of gentlemen with long-no doubt distin- guished-military backgrounds who had settled in Malta have been shown the island's door.

No reasons have been given, but deportations can only be ordered where the Prime Minister can show that these are condu- cive to the public good. These tactics have, however, now received a setback. Ordered to leave Malta and with his resi- dence permit revoked, a Briton living on the island has won what is generally regarded as a test case against the Maltese govern- ment. A Maltese judge ruled a letter sent to Commander Edmund Haines from the Maltese admin- ordering his istrative secretary departure 'forthwith did not amount to a deportation order.

The court also decided that President Bhutto of Pakistan is trying desperately to offer India a carrot big enough to induce her to release Pakistani prisoners of war.

This is the one move which might quieten opposition to him trom the people of the central Punjab where most of the PoWs come from. quashing their And opposition, it is the one move which could pave the way to an early recognition of Bangla Desh —vital if the ruined Pakistan economy is to stand any chance of revival. Speaking at his inauguration ceremony shortly after being in as President officially sworn under Pakistan's new interim constitution, Bhutto told a cheer- ing crowd of about 250,000: 1 will release all prisoners of war' Apparently, addressing himself to Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Bhutto said: 'You may not respect the law and release prisoners, but we will respect the law. 'I will not bargain. I will not sacrifice our principles.' he said.

holds about 600 Pakistan Indian prisoners. India has some 93,000 Pakistani soldiers terned. Referring to his newly-won endorsement from the country's first directly-elected parliament a Bhutto said he had come with National Assembly and also wanted the confidence of the crowd. demanded the people's the release of the. consent to Indians and apparently got it.

the revocation of the permanent residence permit, which the Com- mander has been granted in 1969, January, was null and void and without effect at law.

Commander Haines is the first British resident to contest, such directive government in the courts. Several Britons permanently settled in Malta have been told government to leave the by the few island in the past months without reasons being given. They included Lt Commander Alistair Mars, novelist and a less naval hero who was given than 24 hours to leave the country. Commander Haines submitted that the administrative secretary's letter ordering him and his wife leave the island ultra- was vires. He also submitted that even if Prime Minister, Dom Mintoff: his autl the Prime Minister defendants, submitted the letter sent by the Dom Mintoff and administrative Wirth, had been administrative secretary on April secretary Alfred deportation order with such authority, was vested the of 22 of section exercise of such authority had to terms 1970 Immigration Act of be based on legitimate reasons. that He claimed the reasons should as consequence order deportation logically have been communicated to him, tailed the revocation of him to giving an opportunity permanent residence his explanations. state Counsel for commander Counsel for, the government were objections from But there a corner of the crowd. overruled them The president to say he had won an approval from the majority. Prime Minister If the Indian asks for her prisoners of war then the will send them over we border at Wagah,' he said.

border crossing Wagah is a La Hore and the point between of Ferozpur. Indian town Bhutto's offer came à few days before special envoys of the two meet to pencil in countries an agenda for his talks with Gandhi.

D. P. Dhar, of the Her envoy, is due for talks with Foreign Secretary-General Aziz Ahmed.

said the negotiations Bhutto outstanding would try solve to problems, following the war last third Indo- December-the Pakistani clash in 25 years. 'Now we want to live in peace Indian with neighbours. our leaders have also said Pakistan and India must live in peace, he declared. But he regretted that still holding war India was prisoners. Earlier he spoke of "The dawn democracy' Pakistan and of in said 'martial law is now buried'.

Chief Justice Pakistani administered Hamoodur Rehman oath of office. The air him the Zafar Air Marshal force chief, Choudry swooped over the crowd local in the racecourse at followed by fighter mirage jet and flights of US, Chinese French-built planes. contingents which Armed paraded included Chinese tanks.

Top: Bhutto. Right: Gándhi: Workers F ff: his authority to deport Britons Is being cha that the Haines submitted Immigration Act nowhere pro- vided for the revocation of the permanent residence permit.

the The judge said that the sole reason for which the a deportation order could be issued was that the Prime Minister thought it the conducive to the public good.

He idded that the person horo Pross, Thuraday April 27, 1972 PAGE & g challenged against whom such an order was the issued should be informed of such an order not only that he be able to comply with and obey it, but also in order that he can verify whether such an order was according to law. He said that the letter of April 3 did not contain the minimum requisites called for by the law.

A total of 61,000 workers in W Germany lost their jobs in January alone and since autumn 321,000 workers been 1970, made redundant, according to a report in the newspaper 'Frank- furter Neue Presse'. The car industry made 11,000 in redundant january; men 63,500 workers in the electrical industry, 27,800 textile workers and 21,900 steel and iron workers all lost their jobs. of hours! over- The number time has shrunk. Redundancies and reduction in overtime have employers' reduced the wages bill. The January wages bill for German industry only. rose by 4.4 per cent over the previous year. Czechoslovakia is ready to • sell goods, including arms, anywhere in Latin America, announced Foreign Trade Minister Andrej Barcak during an Argentine visit.

Many Latin American coun- tries are ruled by military juntas which sactionary suppress all Sovernments democratic therefore Czech rights bureaucracy's willingness to sell arms is a political act. 'There are no limitations for Czechoslovak armament exports.

We are willing to supply them to willing to buy them, said Barcak.

American country It is obvious that the main purpose of such arms purchases will be strengthening security what is forces to deal with called "internal subversion'.

In Czech arms ' sales other words, will assist directly , counter-. revolution in Latin America.

Workers Press, Thursday April 27, 1972 PAGE 7

THE TRADE

BETWEEN

CASTRO

AND GUESS

WHOP

stab-in-the-back to the One aspect of the Stalinist revolutionary struggles of the working goes support given to the virtually unreported: it is the fascist regime in Spain by the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. In this article a Workers Press Latin American correspondent looks at the relations be- tween these two countries.

same de which speech Castro • the mble that th rebuked terms: e Colombial wid charose Communist Party, hap- vent a successful to nego- end tiations in the shape of a four- pened their domiciles, were arrested 6.00 a.m. Colombian uthoritiesl did not pay facilitated by least attention to the presence the time of a delegation high tinet of cials friendly collaboration in which who had commercial both sides reached agreements greemen Lleras which allow the will trade.' volutionaruld thiVietnamese the coussat of these during car- the strike barcelona and police armed with machine patrolled oceans soko or fading ma to avoid competition guards trade-marks. This tions dic- WIll tator Batista with apply ‚different and Spain. 135 Batista's ort 70,00 inn pas for an American doliars.

modus A joint committee was estab- meet once year, alternately in Madrid and supervise over the import quotas, among natories agreed develop hings so trade continued wit scintic a renewal of protocol. between took started Madrid. The taeks starte over- shadowed Blas fascist including Spanish between the two countries establish these the flags of he cree unaer replacing system commercial payment be payment throught 1959, the Protocol of Sarch October it also the cuba selecus, the delega well as compensation owed to expro- By autumn, the clouds ha priated Spaniards. lisappeared and Havana cigar Cuban efforts the peasants on disolav once more Castro opened this for a a new agreement maintaining vaner December: Politically we ar and But our relations are norma moral incent and they are good are normal Castro's famous moral tives! Spanish-Cuban 18 the ney fin the ent commercial as follows, anvernment and the Revoln. ionary government of the Ri Cuba' fascist government

Thuradary April 27, 1872

APOLOGIA

ON THE

CLYDE

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

BOOK REVIEW

'THE RIGHT

TO WORK-The Story of the Upper Clyde Con. frontation, by Alasdale Buchan, Calder and 65p paper- Boyars. back, £2.10 hard cover. 'The Right to Work' is 147 pages of plain journalese. It of contains not one flash insight or serious analysis of the battle over Upper Clyde Shipbuilders. Its aim is to offend no-one.

Archibald Gilchrist, the new Tory boss of the Clyde, has desk, Harold on his

UNIC

Wilson could afford to write an introduction to it. It will be welcomed at the, Clydebank headquarters of the shop stewards' co-ordinating ot the committee since much book is an uncritical descrip- Stalinist yard tion the leadership. 1 Арті 27,1872 The tedium is only broken by the occasional cringing reference to the 'spirit' of Clyde, Mr the example Buchan's mawkish celebration of wage-labour with which he closes the work: heavy-built ex-boilermaker expected to look at the 396th perfect micro-circuit he has turned out ... and still feel the same emotions when sees a ship hit the water .

when he smelt the rusty dust of the drag chains? 'Can he be expected to look at that micro-circuit and feel •pride that it's "Clyde built"?

'As long as ships have to be built, it's vital to the Clyde- psyche that we build side When they stop ship- them. building here, we will loose something within ourselves- forever.' Now only the middle class- who do not have to get up at 6 a.m. a cold winter on morning and face the grind of a shipyard, mine or factory- this way about trill can capitalist production. This is, however, a minor criticism. most serious! The flaw of the book is its failure to analyse the 'work-in' Buchan says the work-in was the brainchild of the Stalinist convenor of the Scotstoun yard, Sammy Barr, and one that the yard workers adopted. with agrees. piece of 'theatre' and not real workers' control. This is an extremely super- ficial appreciation of the UCS campaign. Buchan exposes him- self when he comes to explain why the Stalinist-led stewards did not take any action that would precipitate a confront- ation. We are told, for example, that they did not take over the Us boardroom on a ber- manent basis because they wanted to avoid symbolic acts which gave the impression that the strength of feeling behind the 'work-in' was being gener- ated deliberately. A bizarre conclusion that explain why the does not liquidator was allowed at all stages to carry on the normal winding-up of the company.

Buchan's only observation of the decision to allow the liquidator in the yards is: 'It was felt at this stage of the conflict it was a wiser policy to ignore rather than obstruct eel his work.' ; On just why it was wiser why the stewards and on delivered all the ships com- pleted, the author says not a 'word The root of the confusion (if it is confusion) lies with a complete failure to appreciate role of the Communist the Party faction in the yard and its relationshipo with the government through the liquid- ator and the union leadership through men like Danny McGarvey of the boilermakers.

The work-in idea is, in retrospect, an ideal tatic for who want peaceful men co-existence with capitalism- that includes Reid, Airlie and Barr. It appearance of gave an militancy, but in fact was the avoiding ideal scheme i for trouble with the liquidator. It also provided a smokescreen endless negotiation for the with the various capitalists who wanted to buy a piece of UCS. More important it took the political heart out of the union leaders on the Clyde.

On the relationship between stewards and the union the officials, Buchan says: 'It is the nature of things for officials to compromise and shop-floor representatives cry sell-out, it is in a sense what they were both elected to do.' In fact the • connection between the two forces was more subtle . . . and more deadly. To characterize the Stalinist as antagonistic towards the bureaucracy is wrong-as describing them to wrong as the left of the union leaders.

the Stalinists-and Rather, he men like McGarvey at some point-unite behind the mutual aim of attempting to avoid a political show-down at all costs. This happened on the Clyde after the stewards had pledged no co-operation with the ex- head of Govan Shipbuilders, Hugh Stenhouse. Previous to the Stenhouse interlude, the policy had been to negotiate only with a buyer who wanted all the divisions.

But after a government warning that a refusal to co- operate with Stenhouse's bid and Linthouse for Govan would lead to closure of all the yards, the stewards changed policy. their This was a crucial stage of the UCS struggle-the retreat really cleared the way for all the subsequent concessions by the shop stewards. But it goes un-noticed, or at least unrecorded, by Buchan.

He describes the mass meeting where the change of policy • occurred as one of the most militant ever held in the yards.

But 'The Scotsman' reached a different conclusion. This paper reported: 'Mr James Reid had told the morning's mass meeting that while there should be no co- operation-on employment— new company, the with the "dialogue" with the govern- ment would continue. He said the men would be seeking James Reid: 'man with a wild, handsome Scottish face' "cumulative proposals cover- ing the four , but explained labour not mean they that this did were insisting on the retention of the UCS group in tact.'

It was this policy switch—as amidst a always introduced torrent of 'militant' demagogy —that provided the basis for recognition of Govan Ship- builders. One can only speculate on of Buchan's the causes i omissions, but they cover-up . for the role of men like Reid Airlie. and • He dismisses the whole betrayal in one episode of breezy paragraph: "The interest of Stenhouse marked the end of the political struggle. No what show the co- matter ordinating committee put on, the time for intransigenece was over.' He says the fight now based on became one "industrial negotiations' Buchan In the final chapter asks if the work-in was.a success. The most basic test, he says, was whether or not it saves jobs. At the time he wrote the book, 400 men had joined the work-in and about the same This, says number had left. Buchan, was an achievement.

I wonder what his verdict would be now. In February, 182 workers remained the protest-1,418 had left. I am sure better and more detailed books will be written on the Clyde-Buchan does discuss the most not even important factor in the Clyde- side crisis: the great slump in shipbuilding caused by the depressed level on commodity trade. To describe the work •as a attempt to evaluate serious the battle on the Clyde is to • give it more credit than its it is worth. At most ., policy apologia for Stalinist and the union leaders.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Tim Horrock's otherwise good 'The in review of Cowboys' (March 31) left Workers Press contentious issue in his.

one implication that modern westerns are more of a caricature of the real thing than westerns of the John Ford-Howard Hawkes era, 'Red River', 'Fort such as Apache' , etc. In particular he says that the latter sees violence 'as part of a historical process and inseparable from spread of bourgeois. civilization'. I would say that on the con- trary they tend to romanticize violence out of existence, in that ' only the 'tough guys' exchange blows, and that those struck down by bullets were usually considerate enough not to spill any blood in front of the camera while managing to utter their cryptic farewell messages.

These films, made particularly in the immediate post-war period, expressed the dynamic of real post-war US imperialist expan- charged sion. Moreover it was with the sanctimonious sermon- izing of the US ruling class which able to avoid the had been growth of fascism at home, and instead had used the ensuing World War II to enormously enhance its economic strength.

Hollywood became transfixed: nif spurious liberal values— with massive cattle drives, bringing law and order to chaotic frontier- towns, and of course holding the ever-bloodthirsty 'red- back skins'. They began to change mind though on the last their aspect and discovered that it was troublemakers like corrupt officials and government gun- who poisoned social runners relationships. John Wayne, in particular, into his own, with his came hard-headed perform- bigoted ances with its low-key Christian- ity and his crude patriotism.

of the the beginning With 1950s began to take changes Other directors thought- place. • full reinterpreted the image and brought the dilemma of out individualism-to be bourgeois 'good and probably be destroyed physically or by being (either successful) or to be 'bad" (i.e.

• untrue to oneself and to per- at least—although they severe usually plumped for the final happy ending. This dilemma was in a sense thrust on them by the McCarthy...

ite witch-hunts. But they pro- duced powerful films like 'High 1952 and 'Shane' 1953. Noon' They dealt the romanticism of the Ford genre, with its Wild- West full of overgrown school- boys, a shattering blow. The frontier image of the West hạd - lost innocence-there were some 'mighty mean critters' even on the good side. As Horrocks points out, the problems Hollywood ran into, in trying sustain the original 'Western' image, resulted from the real problems US imperialism into with the resurgence of ran the international working class in 1953-1954, in France Berlin, Vietnam and elsewhere. US im- perialism wasn't the 'fastest-gun' in the world after all! Some years "The Mag- later Seven' nificent embodied the different trends in the Western which emerged from these. changes. It reworked the hack liberal only this time values, drawing on the contemporary protest movements for Negro civil-rights. The rise of racialism was seen as a part of society becoming settled, thus more making the situation of the redundant gun-slingers all the more tragic. However they, in contrast to their counterparts" in previous films, while realizing their ulti- regard mate doom, nevertheless themselves as 'professionals' and set about defending the innocent villagers from bandits with con- siderable enthusiasm. In passing, these even enabled them Ford- to extol the Hawkes themes of farming, ranching and settling down and making the country fit to bring 'kids up in' etc. Violence becomes an end in itself Flowever the psychopathic as Tim Horrocks points killer probably bears a closer resemblance to at least some of the well known folk heroes like 'Billy the Kid' and Wyatt Earp than John Wayne's untarnished _personification of 'fair play. It is difficult to schematize meaningfully, the rate of as change in the subject matter is far quicker than the life span of individual directors and movie stars. Hollywood invests in films, not according to artistic worth but strictly according to expected box-office returns, and thus there is the operation of the blind- laws of the markets as old and Top: High Noon, 1952. Above: John Wayne In Rio Bravo directed by Howard Hawks 1959. Below left: photograph of the real Wyatt Earp in 1885. new directors battle it out.

Hawkes 'Rio Bravo' is just try and such an attempt to master the new themes; but fail- ing miserably. Hitchcock once remarked that the real Western has yet to be made, and if he was attempting it he would fill the screen with bowler hats and wearing men sporting waxed moustaches as they originally looked. probably The real West has suffered no worse at Hollywood's : any other facet of hands than Society. All have been distorted almost beyond recognition with only momentary relapses for something like the real contra- dictory nature of reality to be perceived. The real West has an in- credibly complex history.

Upon an unspoilt land and the most primitive of stone-aged civiliza- fully developed capitalist tions, society was unleashed after 1865 (having been previously contained by the conflict with the slave states of the South) in its most grasping and ruthless form.

Yet, as Tim Horrocks points this was objectively pro- out, The unravelling of the gressive. necessary from the unnecessary, the right from the wrong, will only be done by artists free, from the dictates of the profit motive and the ideological requirements of US imperialism. Similarly the real restitution of the rights and dignities of all the living remnants—Indian, Negro, whites - of US Mexican and capitalism's march remorseless westward in search of new profit- able will only be done pasures and " on a new socialist basis.

Union killer Remember the murder of Yablonski, a candidate in the fight for the presidency of the American workers' union? He was killed at the height the election of campaign in 1969 and union militants said the incumbent President W.

A. (Tony) Boyle was behind the crime. Boyle, however, managed to stay out of trouble while three of his underlings were arrested and charged with being hired killers. But now a confession of one Annette Gilly has pointed the finger at Boyle, more firmly who was recently sentenced for misuse of union funds. Mrs Gilly state Turned evidence and made her con- fession after she too had been charged and sentenced to death her part in the

…TOT

assassination plot. Pollce Commlasioner, Robert Mark (right) announcing the plans The Yard Unfortunate ht London week+ Last Saturday night London ene . Television began new called 'New Scotland series Yard'. The series sets out to describe the brilliance and integrity of the hard-faced men

BOOKS

ar8 Press, Thuraday April 27, 1972 PAGE 9 She states that the murder originated at the top level of the union. Mrs Gilly admitted the crime 'had the approval of the "big man" that meant Tony Boyle'. Also named in the confes- sion was J. Prater, field repre- sentative of district 19, and the union's vice-president George Titler. - Mrs Gilly claims she was told: • ...the union would take care of me... with the union the sky was the limit, unless I talked. Then the grave was the limit. 'My father went to Bill Prater's house for the specific asking Prater purpose of whether or not in the event of someone additional to Yablon- ski were killed the union would still pay... Prater replied that he didn't care it the whole town Lof Clarksville, Pennsylvania] was killed, so long as the job was done.'

Prater said they could run Yablonski down with an aero- plane if necessary. Mark (right) announcing the plans at the Yard in their 24-hour-a- day fight against crime. Next day the papers were headlined with the announce- ment that Robert Mark, the new police commissioner, was reorganizing completely the administration. Why? To break up corruption within the police force.

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PAGE 10 Wontors Prors, Thuraday April 27, 19724

NEW EDITOR ANTHONY HOWARD WILL SAFEGU

BBC 2's Late Night Line- Up'-sleepwalkers' guide, to the real world of per- sonality politics - came

REVIEW OF MONDAY'S 'LATE

up with yet another of its electrifying non-probes sented as a declaration of 'war' on Monday: -was that the paper would gird Allegedly an inquiry into the its loins, gather its courage in its shakily hands and gathering and treatment of progressive poke 'fun at various goings-on news both by television and in the City. the national newspapers, the The merchant bankers must be entire exercise proved im- quaking at the thought of the mensely revealing in terms of well-turned witticisms which will a conspiracy of innocence.

be pitched them from the Emphatic relevance was placed Great Turnstile gradualists.

and the bound- One cannot over-emphasize the on individuals, less limits of freedom within which such extent to men as which such individuals can oper- Howard seem bent on reducing ate, both in the Corporation and politics to personalities and class- Fleet St. And just to on prove conflict to prep-school tuck-shop their point they had invited Paul tantrums. Foot to the studio sort If that seems somewhat severe of support-your-local-revolution- as a judgement, let us just take ary- -to bring bit of colour what he had about. the say into the proceedings. years of Fleet St 15 last Unfortunately, and predictably, Having begun his journalistic to the detriment of 'Rey- intelligent career on the now-defunct Marxists, he managed to put his nolds News', he described their foot into it everytime he opened editorial policy as based on the his mouth. people and 'the talking point in The programme began the -foretelling. with a pubs this week'- 'scoop' of the future by gazing into a pint in the shape Joan Bakewell the of bitter. interviewing con- quering hero of the day, the new His move to the 'Manchester Guardian' brought him up short, editor of the 'New Statesman', Anthony Howard. and into the arms of the 'puritan what Howard had taskmaster: Anthony Heathering- Judging by to say, those of us who had not with ton. concluded it before, /of politics. can noW 1961 'New definitively be assured that the saw Statesman', 'New Statesman' will remain as then the domain of John Freeman. esoterically removed from reality But in 1964, Labour came to as it ever was, totally uncon- scious of the movement of social power and it seemed that one forces and events which have led could hardly continue decline in its circulation, Labour weekly in the circum- stances—a measure of the power blatantly blundering the In camp of mildly of his political-critical faculties reformist Fabian moved the 'Sunday politics. to Times' The wildly innovative as their Whitehall corres- only Howard approach-which pondent. pre- Moscow Trials Anthology Paperback, 62}p

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SAFEGUARD THE

'LATE NIGHT LINE-UP' BY ANNA T

This was apparently a personal failure for him, but then the lucky lad was asked by David "Astor to go to Washington for "The, Observer'. And so it went, on, with end- anecdotes less about austere "John' , dashing 'Dick', pugilistic 'Paul'-and I lie not-Howard actually described Paul Johnson pugilistiç journalist: marvellous This kind of symbiotic story- telling is symptom of the extreme sickness of fashionable Fleet St. In order to avoid, at all costs, the rather painful, objec- • fact that they, like other tive "servants of this system are caught truth when surface the phenomena provides oniy distor- tion, liberal journalists prefer to erect a pristine barrier ot per- sonal references, a for passion which professionalism reduces itself to a play on words.

'discussion' then A followed between Charles Wintour fion- don 'Evening Standard'), Larry "Sun'), Lamb: (the Derrick Amoore (head of BBC television news) and Paul Foot ('Socialist Worker' and 'Private Eye').

Again the sheer deftness with Pickets outside the Wickham tool pl

: BY OUR OWN

CORRESPONDENT

PRODUCTION has halted at Wickham Tool Company, Banner Lane, Coventry, follow- ing the lock-out of 28 heavy machine-shop men. The dispute arose over a management plan to pay 80 per cent average earnings during waiting selected" time to individuals. The payment was • originally worker's between made to all December 18 last year and March 18 due to excessive overtime and needed during sub-contracting the annual 'salvage operation'.

The workers began striking for two hours every Friday against selective the payments after March 18. But last Friday the management told them not to report for work until today.

When they turned up for work Monday, they found the on power switched off and their clock cards removed. Uninyolved workers were also affected.

A factory meeting decíded on all the men stopping work. A lárge picket has been mounted each day since., Stewards are also waiting for an answer to the full engineers' claim submitted recently.

DITION

ANNA TATE

which any political analysis was avoided was to be admired if only in terms of extraordinary powers of evasion. Amoore languished with dis- dain and self-satisfaction, center- ing his entire argument around the petulant challenge that he (i.e. BBC) had pictures while 'the scribblers' around him had only words._ Sharp was the retort from the doughty Larry Lamb— You've only got moving pictures, he cried, whereas the nationals have stills! Just that things didn't So generate into a bun-fight, Paul Foot raised his revolutionary voice and spoke of 'sameness in selection', combines' 'industrial and shareholder "values. 'Absurd! absurd', shouted the august gentlemen of the estab- lishment media. At this point, just when he should have had the insight, in- cisiveness and political commit- ment to mow them down with facts, figures and political analysis, rather than mere slogans, Foot seemed to go into a mutter- ing collapse, punctuated by much regretful shaking of the head.

It's all right to go out on a 1 tool plant, Coventry. THIRTY. TWO men at Alcan Wire Limited Wimbledon, yesterday decided to delay action over the sacking of two shop stewards until tomorrow.

By then local officials of the Amalgamated Union of Engin- eering Workers will. have met management to discuss the men's proposals over threatened re- dundancies. The men returned to work on Tuesday after a week-long strike six redundancies, in- against cluding the two shop stewards.

steward Bert Bartlett Shop We have told Workers Press: proposed the offer of a shorter sookiled wexcessive labour the Four other men have now volunteered to be made redund- ant if the original six are not taken back. . The redundancies were officially announced last Friday after management claimed a 35- per-cent drop in sales. Sackings had been rumoured since the miners' strike, when di an did: ile in moo i v. ta in sia stew toi Editar Howard limb, as long as you yourself know where you're going. But Foot was unprepared, striding forth only to find, due to his ideological and factual backward- ness, that he was on a wild-goose chasę. 'I wish you would choose your more carefully,' Larry examples Lamb protested to him. The entire event was pointless, puerile, and uninformative, which is revealing in itself. At a time when the threat of censorship, redundancies and closures looms over the media, it was difficult not to see the very inanity of this programme as being a safety- valve for the ruling class.

A lot of hot air was emitted, while things will continue to deteriorate under the objective impact of recession. Paul Foot must learn that he is instrumental in this exercise over people's of pulling wool eyes, but he will have to begin the ideological by removing blindfold from his own. At the moment he fits only too well in this élite club of the elder statesmen of the media—the men who bring you the news they want you to see or hear. the men worked a 33-hour week at a 22p-an-hour flat rate.

_On March 17, after the sacking of deputy foreman Fred the • Russon-until then only union member in the factory— the decided to join the men Amalgamated Union of Engineer- ing Workers and elect shop stewards. Management has at no time recognized the union. / April 13 Trouble flared on when the night-shift were for not returning to criticized their machines at the correct time. They say they took their break ten minutes later. The six night-shift workers, including steward Bert Barlett.

were suspended and police used to clear the building. Police were again used when the stewards, some of the sacked and' AUEW district secre- men tary J. B. Schooling visited the factory to try to negotiate with management.

CORRECTION

The number of toolmakers on Industries, Smiths strike at Cricklewood, is 70 not 17, as Tuesday's Workers reported in Press. 14*1****+ "7:ix:

AN OXFORD branch of the Transport and General Worl a resolution condemning the TUC's plan allowing union: National Industrial Relations Court.

The 5/55 branch of the union covers car workers in the assembly plant and service division British Leyland's at Cowley plantr The resolution says: TOWER HAMLETS electricians "That this branch deplores the action have condemned the TUC's of the Finance and General Purposes Finance and General Purposes Committee of the TUC in its decision to co- Committee for allowing unions with the National operate 'the National to participete in Industrial Relations Court.

Industrial Relations Court.

"The branch considers this to be equal to acceptance of the A meeting of 60 Electrical and Industrial Relations and a Act Plumbing Trades Unión mem- front of the major retreat in bers unanimously endorsed Tory government. motion denouncing the decision "The branch is of the opinion betrayal of the as complete that the General Council has no trade union movement'. right to decision change the of

TUC,

the They demanded

TUC

reached at its the Blackpool conference last Sep- institute its policy of non-co- tember, not to co-operate operation with the Industrial with Relations the Act. Act-decided its at September Congress last 'This decisive is turning ycal a and in start campaign the point for the trade unlon. move trade union movement to remove

TUC

General ment. Once the the Tory government. Council participates in the court, it will be legally bound to apply The motion will be sent to the rulings and decisions of the

NIRC

within the trade union movement, trade leaders union Will become the policemen of the floor. shop 'With these dangers in mind the branch calls for the recon- of the Blackpool

TUC

PROFESSOR Maurice Zinkin venile conference, where the decision has been appointed chairman and to deregister not to co- of the Conservative Common- operate was taken, as the only body able to change its wealth and Overseas Coun- decision and the to consider situation Tory body cil, a senior facing the trade union movement.

which advises the govern- 'The branch would call upon ment on foreign policy. such a conference reaffirm to The appointment was made by its policy of non-co-operation and expel those members of the Defence Secretary. who has recently taken over General Council have ton, who Tory Party violated its decisions and should as chairman. call a General Strike to force the Zinkin the Earl of replaces Tory and Selkirk and his first task will be government to resign Labour preparing a foreign policy re-elect a government mani- the and festo for the General pledged to repeal Act next implement socialist policies.'

Election.

ITV

12.10 Story in the Rocks.

12.25 The Warm Coat. 12.40 Woo- binda. 1.05 House and Garden. 1.30 Newmarket. Racing from 2.30 Afternoon. ' 3.00 Good

BBC 1

Houseparty. 3.15 Newmarket Racing. 3.45 Marcus Welby. 4.40 9.20 On the Farm. 9.38 Schools. 4.55 Secret Nuts and Bones. 12.55 Arall Fyd. 1.30 Joe. 1.45 Squirrel. 5.20 Magpie. 5.50 News.

Schools. •News, weather. 2.05 Working 3.45 with 4.10 youth.

6.00 TODAY.

Parsley. 4.15 Play school. 4.40

6.30 CROSSROADS.

4.55 Blue Peter. Jackanory. 5.20 cat. 5.44 Hector's house. 6.55

FILM:

"THE

DEVIL

AT Bacc FOUR O'CLOCK'. Spencer 5.50 News, weather. Frank Sinatra. Tiny

6.00 NATIONWIDE.

Tracy, island Pacific threat- 6.50

TOM AND JERRY.

in SPY TRAP. Time to Kill ened by volcano. 7.00 episode 2.

9.00 LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR.

TOP OF THE POPS.

7.25

THIS WEEK.

9.30

IT'S

MURDER. BUT IS IT

8.00

NEWS.

ART? Part 6. 10.00

THE FRENCH WAY.

8.30

10.30 CINEMA.

Spencer Tracy 9.00 NEWS, Weather. and Katharine Hepburn.

ORKNEY.

9.20 Three stories by

11.00 SOMETHING

TO

SAY.

George Mackay Brown. Issues which affect our 10.50

24 HOURS.

lives.

HARD-

11.35

MISTRESS

OF

THE BISHOPS.

WICK. Part 3. 12.00 I would like information about Fill in the form below and send to NATIONAL

SECRETARY,

SOCIALIST

LABOUR

LEAGUE,

186A CLAPHAM HIGH ST, LONDON, SW4 7UG.

Name Address al Workers' Union has passed ; unions to appear before the the union's executive and to West Ham Trades Council. • It is believed that the EPTU executive has been in session over the last two days, prob- ably discussing the union's offi- the NIRC, reported. in yesterday's Workers Press. This followed the appli- cation by the 1,000-strong Elec- tricity Supply Union to the Court for bargaining rights at the Ferrybridge, Yorkshire, power station. Ironically, the Tower Hamlets sparks knew nothing of their executive's moves as they passed their condemnation of the TUC's participation policy. The council is a strictly private body and its influence in Tory affairs should not be under- estimated. ***It comprises important bank- bench MPs like Sir Frederick Bennett, Rear Admiral Morgan Giles, John Biggs Davidson, + Ian Lloyd and Victor Goodhew. There are a number of jour- nalists: lan Colvin and Brigadier

REGIONAL TV B

CHANNEL: 1.30 Racing. 4.05 Yak. 4.18 Puffin. 4.22 Funny face. 4.50 Skippy. 5.20 London.

6.00 News, weather. What's On Where. 6.15 Farming news.

6.20 7.00 6.35 Crossroads. This is your life. 9.00 London. 10.30 Maverick. 11.30 News, weather.

WESTWARD. As Channel except: 3.55 Gus Honeybun. 4.18 News.

6.00 Diary. Westward 10.59 News, weather. 11.03 Theatre of stars. 11.55 Faith for life.

SOUTHERN: 2.00

Racing. 2.30 afternoon. 3.00 Racing: 4.10 Houseparty. 4.25 Cartoon 4.55 Lion- Crossroads. heart. 5.20 London. 6.00 Day by 6.45 Simon Film: 'Beyond Mombasa'. 9.00 London. 11.00 News. 11.10 Drive- 11.40 Stuart • Gillies. 12.10 Weather. Epilogue. HTV: 1.05 Captain Scarlet. 1.30 Racing. 3.50 Dr Simon Locke. 4.15 4.30 Crossroads. 4.55 ment. Huckleberry Finn. 5.20 London.

Report. 6.35 6.01 Report. 6.18 Sky's the limit. 7.10 Film: 'Jall- house Rock'. 9.00 London. 10.30 Gallery. 11:00 Saint. 12.00 Weather. HTV West as above except: 6.18 Sport. HTV Wales above except: as 4.15 Miri Mawr. 6.01 Y Dydd.

HTV Cymru/Wales as HTV Wales. ANGLIA: 1.30 Racing. 2.30 Lon- don. 4.05 Newsroom. 4.10 Jimmy Stewart. 4.40 Rupert. 4.55 Cap- Scarlet. 5.20 London. 6.00 tain About Anglia. 6.20 Arena. : 6.35 Crossroads. 7.00 Film: 'Hell and High Water'. 9.00 London. 10.30 Lifeline from the fens. 11.05 Cinema. 11.35 Avengers. Workers Press,' TENANTS who besieged the Development Corporation ea Workers Press and gave the rent Bill. Mrs Ivy Jones, demon- N stration organizer said: 'We are fighting exhorbitant rents. They are taking a man's what he wage • and deciding should spend it on? Mrs Jones said it was the first demonstration she hadever organized and she had never been to a political meeting before. The offices ment Corporation ate sitatedom sumptuous parkland on the out- skirts of town. climbed the long As driveway, baving already marched four miles, one young housewife said: The rents are "way above what \men's wages can-afford. We paying , £7.78 for | three- are bedroomed house with a garage.'

Among of ladies a group shouting: 'Rent down, Heath out, were Mrs Nicholas and Mrs Dabreu from Matchborough.

'I voted Heath in', • said Mrs W. F. K. Thompson of the 'Daily Telegraph' and Charles Douglas- Home of 'The Times'. Just before the 1970 election the council produced a 'kighly- confidential' document which formed the basis our the reactionary policies pursued so ory vigorously by the Tory Cabinet.

It called for arms sales to S settlement with Rhodesia, Atriça, milary assistance for the porta.

guese colonialists in Africa and furtive military commitments in Malaysia and the Gulf. The other key suggestion was the inclusion, of S Africa in lier NATO.

BBC 2

11.00 Play School. 5.35 Open university. 6.35 Working with Ion. youth. 7.05 Open university.

7.30- NEWSROOM, Weather.

8.00 EUROPA.

8.30 W.

SOMERS ET

MAUGHAM.

The Alien Corn. ATV MIDLANDS: 1.30 Racing.

3.35 Horoscope. 3.45 Women. 8.50 4.10 Family affair. 4.40 Rupert ing. Bear. 4.55 Secret service.

5.20 Magpie. 5.50 News. 6.00 Today.

7.00 Sky's the ion- 6.35 London. limit. 7.30 Film: 'Moss Rose'. 9.00 London. 11.00 Marcus Wel- by. ULSTER: 1.30 Racing. 4.30 Rom- per room. 4.50 News. 4.55 For- 5.20 London. 6.00 est rangers. Report. 6.15 Tommy. 6.35 Cross- roads. 7.00 Dr Simon Locke. 7.30 Film: 'Call Me Bwana'. 9.00 Lon- don. 11.00 What's it all about? 11.20 Avengers. YORKSHIRE: 1.00 Survival. 1.25 Pied Piper. 1.30 London. 3.00 The Sound of ... 3.15 Racing.

3.40 Ugliest girl in town. 4.10 News. 4.15 Crossroads. 4.40 4.55 Bugs Nuts and bones. Bunny. 5.20 -London. 6.00 Cal- Shirley's weather. 6.30 endar, world. 7.00 Cartoon time. 7.10 Film: "The Way to the Gold'. 9.00 Lóndon. 10.30 Sport. 11.05 12.00 Drive-in. Cinema. 11.35 | Weather. GRANADA: 1.30 Racing. 3.55 Camera in action. 4.10 News.

Peyton Place: 4.40 Nuts and bones. 4.50 Make a wish. 5.10 London. 6.00 News. Police file.

6.25 | Dream of Jeannie. 6.55 Sky's limit. 7.25 Film: the ra Prodo, Thureday April 27; 1972 PAGE 11: ged the offices of the Redditch tion earlier this week spoke to ave their feelings on the. Tory Nicholas, "but I shall vote him out next time. My family • is worse off financially now than we were ten years ago. My hus- band £8 down on wages because there is no overtime. I'm working solely in order to live, not for any luxuries.'

One official who did venture out from the Corporation offices argued that the 'fair rents' Bill would give them the opportunity for rent rebates. This was greeted with derision. Mrs Jones answered demands from the marchers for a total rent strike by saying this would give the Corporation a chance to victimize some of the tenants, including herself. God and Mrs Whitehouse MRS MARY WHITEHOUSE is asking the BBC to reconsider invitations given to Tariq Ali and Bernadette Devlin to appear : religious programme. on a Ali is due to speak on Súnday evening on BBC I's 'How Can You Be So Sure?'. Miss Devlin is the guest the following week.

Mrs Whitehouse, secretary of the National Viewers' and Lis- teners' Association, said yester- day: 'We feel it is not the part of a public broadcasting service to accommodate people who are gıyen to revolution by volence if necessary! She is sending telegrams to Charles Curran, Director-General MinisteB C, Passs rod Tele.

Minister* Posts and Tele- communications. A BBC spokesman said that received, telegram when the would be considered and replied

SHOW OF THE WEEK.

9.20 Harry Secombe. 10.05 NEWS, Weather.

WORLD CINEMA: 'NINE

10.10

' BACHELORS'.

Comedy about petty criminal who becomee a marriage- broker. "Columbo: Death Lends a Hand'.

8.50 Sylvester. 9.00 London. 11.00 On the line. 11.30 Whip- lash.

TYNE TEES: 12.55

:Pied_ Piper. 1.00 Forest rangers. 1.30 Racing.

2.30 Good afternoon. 3.00 The sound of . .. 3.15 Racing. 3.40 Ugliest girl in town. 4.10 News.

4.15 Crossroads. 4.40 Nuts and bones. 4.55 Captain Scarlet. 5.20 Magpie. 5.50 News. 6.00 Today.

6.30 Shirley's world. 7.00 Film: "The Wacklest Ship In the Army".

8.50 Popeye. 9.00 London. 10.30 Sport. 11.00 Police call. 11.05 Cinema. 11.35 Drive-in. 12.00 News. 12.15 Revolving chair.

SCOTTISH: 1.30 Racing. 3.30 Cross- Once upon a time. 3.45 roads. 4.10 Dateline. 4.55 Fire- 5.20 London.: 6.00 Date- ball. line. 6.15 Cartoon. 6.25 Stuart Gillies. 6.55 Film: 'A Fine Mad- ness'. 9.00 Short story. 9.30 Lon- don. 10.30 Love thy nelghbour.

11.00 Late call. 11.05 Cinema.

11.35 Beagan's Gaidhlig. .

GRAMPIAN: 1.30 Racing. 3:35 News. 3.35 Job look. 3.45 Women. 4.10 Julia. 4.40 Nuts and bones. 4.55 Rumblie Jumb- 5.20 London. 6.00 News, weather. 6.05 Lesley Blair. 6.35 Crosaroads, 7.00 Plus Tam. 7.30 Film: ithe Doghouse'. 9.00 London. 11.00 Viewfinder. 11.30 Survival. 12.00 Epilogue.

PAGE 12 Workers Proas, Thursday April 21 GEC maintenance workers Coventry factories are to con- tinue on strike in support of their 30 to 40 mates' fight for a substantial wage rise. The mates, who are classed as semi-skilled workers and have been earning $24-f30 week turned down a £2 offer. The maintenance men are now extremely bitter over the com- pany's unprecedented decision management person- Men employ to nel on maintenance work. Shop stewards told Workers in that supervisory :stafi, Press ranking from foremen right up to to a divisional manager, were on the shop floor dressed in boiler-GE suits greasing and oiling machinery and maintaining bat- tery trucks. Stewards had been told by man- agement representatives that they

FROM DAVID MAUDE IN EASTBOURNE

ENGINEERS' union leaders meeting in East- bourne yesterday de- feated a right-wing move to reopen pay negotia- tions at national level with the Engineering Employers' Federation. They did so after Hugh Scanlon, president of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, told them the move would be a 'disaster'. heated After four-hour engineers debate, the AUEW National section Committee threw out the motion from the Coventry district by 28 votes to 23 with one delegate abstaining.

The Coventry motion expressed deep concern at the National Committee's January 10 decision big pay and hours to refer the claim to district and plant level; shop stewards and convenors in an intolerable were • put position. emotional speech, Scah- In an lon told committee that the whatever it decided on pay, they would not avoid the fight that was coming, however much they sought to do so. He went on to describe how union negotiators had tried to 'hold in abeyance' some points of the national claim in order to reach only to an agreement, receive 'one of the most impu- dent replies that could ever have been foretold'. They had attempted to avoid a confrontation, even though it would have been far easier just to reject the employers' offer and go along the lines of a national stoppage. I'm convinced that there are LUTON: Thursday April 27, 8 p.m. St John Ambulance Bri- gade Hall, Lea Rd. YS May Day rally. N LONDON: Thursday April 21, 8 p.m. 'Bricklayers Arms', Hart Lane). wage claim. SE LONDON: Thursday April 27,8 p.m. Deptford Engineers Club, New Cross Rd (opp New Cross sin). Tory 'fair rents': ay April 27. 1872 Men carry placard with pertinent questior 'intended to use any means with- wo in their power to keep the fac- 'up tory going. Last Thursday about 2,000 GEC production workers struck against the company's use of management maintenance on work. On Tuesday morning how- poorly-attended ever a mass meeting agreed to a return to Scanlon: Emotional speech those within the EEF who are deliberately provoke trying to he said. such a situation, But the committee had to pur- sue the claim in such a way as fabric of the to preserve the union so that it could go on fighting. If someone was" to pro- out voke a confrontation to see who would call a stop to it first, he warned, it would not be the

AUEW

executive. Moving the resolution, Coven- try delegate Jim Griffin said that the union would be committing 'industrial hari-kari' if it refused to go back to national negotia- tions. He claimed that the executive had had no power to break off the negotiations in the way it did December. Members had last the right to expect that negotia- tions would be fully exhausted first. While congratulating the Man- chester district on the action it had taken, he claimed that 35 to 40, per cent of the rest of the ' union's 100 or so districts had reported to the not even national office what action they proposed to take in sup- port of the claim. Lancashire delegate Len Brindle hit back vehemently. The only people who were anxious to re-open talks at national level were the employers, he said.

What was wrong with the pay battle was a lack of leadership in the areas. million unemployed With 1 daily, the most important issues and redundancies taking were not money but more holi- days and shorter hours. Our members are now being prepared and alerted to fight on other issues than just £1.50 in the wage packet,' he said.

on the In a scornful attack Coventry motion, executive con- cilman Reg Birch queried whether AUEW members were placed in an intolerable position by being asked to fight their employers. Workers were involved in la perpetual war', he said. 'And for the first time we have said to , "You are tree our members to fight, and. the whole union will stand by and support you" it question vith- work. The maintenance workers now intend to keep a picket on the main gates of the GEC factories to persuade production workers to black all machinery maintained by management. As stewards told Workers ' Press: 'We are now fighting for 1 to trade unionism at GEC.'

'It's the first time they've been asked to fight like that; of course they won't all move at the same time' Bill Anten, delegate from Manchester, said that the man- director factory, aging of his Hawker Siddeley, which is sit- ting-in, could have moved the Coventry motion. happen to the What would if it men now taking action wefromised London ede *SE London Len Misel- dine said that this 'one was issue on • which we will not bend the knee'. The membership would fight at plant level, while always leaving the door open for national nego- tiations. But there would have to be some guarantee that such negoti- ations would be meaningful and not expose union • leaders to just i series of insults. Liverpool delegate Derek - ' . Gough said that he had gone •I was looking for a national strike, he said. But he had been convinced by what Scanlon and had. said at that meet- Birch ing. He added: 'We're not hoping to solve this in three months, we're in a continual struggle.'

Shortly after delegates arrived for the morning session, a fierce procedural battle developed over whether the Coventry motion should be debated at all.

The executive had been con- stitutionally wrong to approve it discussion, Scanlon explained, because it came not from a branch but from a divi- sional committee. not debated it But if it was • would appear that delegates were afraid of what it represented.

A move to strike it from the agenda was narrowly defeated by 28 votes to 24. The conference went on to re- affirm its January decision to pursue the claim at district and plant level and to 'vigorously strengthen' this campaign.

THE EXTREME N and NW of Scotland will have scattered showers at first, otherwise it will be dry. All other areas will be dry with sunny intervals. Tempera- tures will be normal in all areas.

Outlook for Friday and Saturday: Cloudy weather, with rain at times,' will spread from the W, but S and E areas will start dry with some sunny intervals at first.

Temperatures near normal.

NEWS DESK

01-720 2000

CIRCULATION

01-622 7029 Registered as a newspaper at the Post Press. Office. Published by Workers 186a Clapham High Street, London,

SW4 7UG.

Printed by Plough Press Ltd. (TU).

i80b Clapham, High, Streat, (London.

SW4 7UG.

NINETY electricians have been London's strike on at Thomas's Hospital building strike since Friday. They say they will until the return to work Phoenix Electrical Company sacked reinstates an electrician last Thursday for alleged 'absence from without permis- the site sion' and 'lack of production'.

Management has offered to transfer the man to another site or to suspend him on basic pay and put the matter in the hands of the Joint Industries Board.

SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

MAY 1 PUBLIC MEETINGS

Hands off the trade unions Defend the right to work Bow Do, 7.30 Poplar Civil Hall, Hall, Minster St, 7.30 p.m.

Tony Dany Sylveire

(SLL);

p.m. (T&GWU in per- G. Healy (SLL National Secre- Richardson (YS, Sarah Hannigan sonal capacity). tary); London regional secretary).

SOUTHAMPTON: Langley Hall, Church, next to St Peter'&

_IVERPOOL :

Royal Institute, Commercial Rd, 7.30 p.m. Colquitt St. 7.30 p.m Frank

(AUEW

Mike Banda (SLL Central Com- Willis in per- P. O'Regan Christine Smith (YS). sonal capacity); mittee );

(SLL).

LEEDS: Art Gallery, Headrow, GLASGOW: Partick Burgh Hall, Leeds 1, 7.30 p.m. Glasgow, 7.30 p.m. Jack Gale (SLL): Ken Pearce Stephen Johns (Workers

(OTO

in personal capacity); Press); John Barrie (YSNC).

Burrows (YS National Joan EDINBURGH: Trades Council Committee). Club, Albany St, 7.30 p.m.

SHEFFIELD: Montgomery Hall, Jim Dormer (EPTU in personal Hall, Survey St, Town. opp. (YS). capacity); Dave Barclay 7.30 p.m.

MANCHESTER:

Wheatsheat, Slaughter

(SLL

Central Cliff High St, 7.30 p.m. Frank McCabe Committee); Stanley (Vauxhall shop

(NUM

Alan in personal capacity; steward in personal capacity); Ray Jason (YSNC). Simmance (YS John national BIRMINGHAM: Lecture Room secretary). 1, Digbeth Hall, 7.30 p.m.

AYLESHAM: The Legion, Bur- Mair Davies (SLL Contral Com- gess Rd. Avlesham. 7 p.m.

mittee): Alex Mitchell (Workers (NUM In Brian Lavery per- Press); William Aitken (YSNC).

Roger Smith sonal capacity); NOTTINGHAM: Co-op Educa- in personal capacity. (АСТТ St. 7.30 tion Hall, Heathcote Hotspur

NEWCASTLE:

Hotel, p.m. Haymarket, 7.30 p.m. John Spencer (Workers Press); Dave Temple

(SLL):

Hugh

(SLL);

Steve Harry Finch personal Nicol

(AUEW

in Martin (YSNC). capacity); lan Yeats (Workers SWINDON: Locomotive Hotel, Press); Keith Radford (YSNC).

Fleet Si, 7.30 p.m. Central Hall, 7.30

BRISTOL:

(AUEW personal Ray Howells p.m. capacity); Clive Norris (YSNC).

Alan Wilkins (AUEW in a per- READING: Trades and Labour sonal capacity). Socialist Labour League and Young Socialists

MAY DAY DEMONSTRATION

Sunday May 7 We demand the Right to Work!

No retreat from the fight against the Industrial Rela- tions Act ! Hands off the trade unions ! Defend democratic rights!

Withdraw troops from Ulster! Release all internees!

Victory to the Vietnamese workers and peasants For the military defeat of US imperialism!

MAKE THE TORY GOVERNMENT RESIGN!

ASSEMBLE 1.30 p.m. The Embankment, Charing Cross MARCH: via Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly, Regent Street, Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, Euston Road MEETING: 4 p.m. St Pancras Town Hall.

G. Healy (Socialist Labour League National Secretarv) J. Simmance (Young Socialists National Secretary) M. Banda: (Socialist Labour League Central Committee) In a personal capacity: Frank McCabe (NUM) Roy Battersby (ACTT) A. Thornett (Deputy Senior Steward Morris Motors)

CHAIRMAN

C. Slaughter (Socialist Labour League Central Committee) I would like to come to the May Day Demonstration

NAME.

ADDRESS

Piease send me details of transport arrangements.

send to J. Simmance, 186a Clapham High Complete form. and Street. Landon. SW4 7.UG.