Workers Press no. 897

workers press

FIRST TEST OF TORY STATE PAY PLAN

CRUNCH ON POWER

INCORPORATING THE NEWSI

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CEN

IFTY FILM

→ 5 → SA

KODAK TRI-X PAN FILM

*→7 → 6A

KODAK SAF-ETY FILM

Nervous smiles and grimaces from TUC secretary Victor Feather (I) at Monday's post-talks Press conference with Chancellor Anthony Barber (centre) and the CBl's W. O. Campbell Adamson (r).

BETWEEN May 16 and August fruit and other imported food 22 this year the food price index stuffs reached abnormally high by per cent, it was rose levels because of the dock strike.

announced in parliament yester- But Labour Shadow Agricul- day. Tory Minister of Agriculture ture Minister Fred Peart accused James Prior claimed that fresh

IE NEWSLETTER • WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18,

HE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOI

THE FIRST TEST of the gove come today when leaders of 11 ment for talks over a £5.50 w government's insistence that pa kept down to a fixed ceiling.

The Electricity Concil are likely to hold back any offer until after the October 26 summit between the TUC, the Tories and the big em- ployers, which will attempt to work out a wages and prices plan to cover the next 12 months. But any delays may lead to industrial action in the indus- try-an expression of the growing revolt by workers against any state control of wages. Militants in the industry have already stated that a work-to-rule could be imposed if no satis- factory offer was made today.

Frank Chapple, right-wing leader of the electricians' union, has already reflected this pres- sure by a a public attack on any set figure for wage increases. He has made it clear that the TUC will not be allowed to dictate wage increases to his union.

Today's negotiations, at the Electricity Council's Millbank headquarters, London, will start two sides with the meeting separately to consider the impact of Monday's talks at Chequers between the TUC, the employers and the Tories. The Coineil it for there own impossible part, consider . to come forward with a firm offer fog' surrounding the until the Tory state pay plan lifts.

A Council spokesman said yes- terday: Even in normal circum- stances one would not expect a settlement at this meeting. In circumstances confused these more information is needed.'

This would come he said after Thursday, October 26, when the results of the government-TUC talks were known. This hard line will put Chapple in the hot seat. He has said the €5.50 claim is justified and hinted he will not accept any interfer- ence from other parties like the Tories or the TUC. The rank and file in the indus- try will certainly be pressing for- ward for action on the basis of this view. If they do, they will join the growing number workers who are demonstrating they will not tolerate any state con- trol over their wages. These include oil workers at Llandarcy-who yesterday sent a message to their union leaders talks with the demanding all off-miners, Tories be broken who are angry at the postpone- ment of their own claim, and London busmen, who also learned their own claim would | food the Tories of deliberately raising prices. 'You deliberately went out of your way to raise prices, That was your declared Peart, declared policy. Do not blame the dockers. OBER 18, 1972 • No. 897 • 4p

HE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

he government's drive to impose state control of wages will rs of 110,000 electricity power workers will meet manage- €5.50 wage claim. Dominating the discussions will be the that pay increases in the nationalized industries should be discarded one bargaining counter of the unions-a change in the Industrial Relations Act.

Feather's reactions show that trade union leaders have many swallowed whole the principle of corporate state control over wages. One leading left winger-who was present at Chequers on Monday—is even talking in terms of a level wage GreAses imposed by law. This would be, he argues, the only way to get his membership to accept wage Chapple: Leads talks control. The government is desperately delayed because of next Thurs- playing for time, anticipating day's meeting. entry into Europe, where its at- This growing mass movement on the working class will be tack is in direct conflict with the TUC fortified by the most reactionary They leaders. are now preparing monopolies. the details with the to discuss The TUC is co-operating com- Tories and the employers over a with this pletely and corporate-state machinery to con- strategy attempting to hold back the wage wages over next struggles. months. This treacherous coalition can On Monday evening, after the only be broken by the mass Chequers talks, a visibly nervous Workers Victor Feather said the TUC was movement over wages. everywhere must begin this fight 'very interested' in the employers board now and press forward with their a watchdog proposal for over wages and prices. justified claims. This coming battle will be the This was despite the fact that All Trades major topic at the the unions would be in a minority Unions Alliance conference, this employers and the against the Sunday where the building of a the body and government leader- despite the fact that Tory Chan- revolutionary alternauve ship to Stalinism and reformism Anthony Barber made it cellor will be discussed. clear that the government had The way forward Send for delegates' and observers' cre- dentials from: Conference Secretary. R. Goldstein, 103 Lewis Flats, Dalston Lane, London E8 SPECIAL TRAM FROM EUSTON, LONDON, E1.50. COACHES FROM OTHER AREAS Union Branch. Names, addresses and No of delegates/observers I enclose € as delegates fees Signature of secretary

workers press

FIRST TEST OF TORY STATE PAY PLAN

CRUNCH ON POWER

CAF.FTY FILM

→ 4A 5

KODAK TRI-X PAN FILM

→ 6A

KODAX SAFETY FIL

→ 8A Nervous smiles and grimaces from TUC Monday's post-talks Press conference w (centre) and the CBl's W. O. Campbell BETWEEN May 16 and August 22 this year the food price index cent, it was rose by 3.6 per announced in parliament yester- day. Tory Minister of Agriculture James Prior claimed that fresh

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLET

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTR

→ SA → 6 → 8 → 1A

ETY FILM

→ 9A = 10 from TUC secretary Victor Feather (I) at ference with Chancellor Anthony Barber Campbell Adamson (r). fruit * and other imported food stuffs reached abnormally high levels because of the dock strike.

But Labour Shadow Agricul- ture Minister Fred Peart accused

NEWSLETTER • WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18,

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SO

THE FIRST TEST of the gover come today when leaders of 11 ment for talks over a £5.50 w government's insistence that pa kept down to a fixed ceiling.

The Electricity Concil are likely to hold back any offer until after the October 26 summit between the TUC, the Tories and the big em- ployers, which will attempt to work out a wages and prices plan to cover the next 12 months. But any delays may lead to industrial action in the indus- try-an expression of the growing revolt by workers against any state control of wages. Militants in the industry have already stated that a work-to-rule could be imposed if no satis- factory offer was made today.

Frank Chapple, right-wing leader of the electricians' union, has already reflected this pres- sure by a a public attack on any set figure for wage increases. He has made it clear that the TUC will not be allowed to dictate wage increases to his union.

Today's negotiations, at the Electricity Council's headquarters, London, will start with the two sides meeting separately to consider the impact of Monday's talks at Chequers between the TUC, the employers and the Tories. The Counch it impossible to for there own consider part, come forward with a firm offer until the 'fog' surrounding the Tory state pay plan lifts.

A Council spokesman said yes- terday: 'Even in normal circum- stances one would not expect a In at this meeting. settlement confused these circumstances more information is needed.'

This would come he said after Thursday, October 26, when the results of the government-TUC talks were known. This hard line will put Chapple in the hot seat. He has said the £5.50 claim is justified and hinted he will not accept any interfer- ence from other parties like the Tories or the TUC. The rank and file in the indus- try will certainly be pressing for- ward for action on the basis of this view. If they do, they will join the growing number of workers who are demonstrating they will not tolerate any state con- trol over their wages. These include oil workers at Llandarcy-who yesterday sent a to their union leaders message talks with demanding all the Tories be broken off-miners, who are angry at the postpone- ment of their own claim, and London busmen, who also learned their own claim would the Tories of deliberately raising prices. 'You deliberately went out raise prices, of your way to "That was your declared Peart, declared policy. Do not blame the dockers.' BER 18, 1972 • No. 897 • 4p

HE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

he government's drive to impose state control of wages will rs of 110,000 electricity power workers will meet manage- €5.50 wage claim. Dominating the discussions will be the that pay increases in the nationalized industries should be discarded one bargaining counter of the unions—a change in the Industrial Relations Act.

Feather's reactions show that many trade union leaders have swallowed whole the principle of corporate control State over wages. One leading left winger—who Chequers was present at Monday-is even talking in terms increases of a level of wage imposed by law. This would be, he argues, the only way to get his membership to accept wage Chapple: Leads talks control. The government is desperately delayed because of next Thurs- playing for time, anticipating day's meeting. Europe, entry into where its at- This gröwing movement tack on the working class will be is in direct conflict with the TUC fortified by the most reactionary leaders. They are now preparing monopolies. details with the to discuss the The TUC is co-operating com- Tories and the employers over a pletely with this strategy and corporate-state machinery to con- attempting to hold back wage the next trol wages over struggles. months. This treacherous coalition can On Monday evening, after the broken only be by the Chequers talks, a visibly nervous mass Workers Victor Feather said the TUC was wages. novellent everywhere must begin this fight 'very interested' in the employers now and press forward with their for a watchdog board proposal justified claims. over wages and prices. This coming battle will be the This was despite the fact that the All Trades major topic at the unions would be in a minority Unions Alliance conference, this and the against the employers Sunday where the building of a body and government on the alternative leader- despite the fact that Tory Chan- revolutionary ship Stalinism and reformism Anthony Barber made cellor that the government had will be discussed. clear for all Send for delegates' and observers' cre- from: R. Goldstein, 103 Lewis Flats, Dalston Lane, London E8 @RACIAL TRAM PROM EUSTOM, LONDON, $1.30. COACHES FROM OTHER AREAS Union Branch Names, addresses and No of delegates/observers as dolegates foos Signature of secretary I onclose €

PAGE 2 Workers Preas Wednesday October 18, 1972

BY JOHN SPENCER

EMPLOYERS' fears of the strength of the working class However, the City fears that another fallen Not only have share prices will almost certainly were expressed in the sharp fall devaluation shardly in recent weeks, but the volume the order near future in of sterling on necessary ot share transactions nas virtually naiver the foreign ex- the compete big in the last six months, reflecting great un- with ine monopoles In Common Market countries. •The change markets this week.

and lack of confidence Cellarilly that 'almost any Guardian' said yesterday the ruling class the British exchance nate The otisis within the Common Market biggest ment could reasonable its since colleagues likely has led to a virtual paralysis accept at the top. 'Roated' May and though there in within months and probably The summit meeting takes place at a time was a slight recovery yesterday its political well indelensible within a year • acat price against the dollar is now very turmoil Europe westeri eve British capitalism's partners' are of the West German and Dutch elections close to $2.40. new certain to try and make another • devalu- and with the polls for the French At the Common Market summit which ation as difficult as possible by binding the Assembly only months awdy. the Paris British adhere the premiers assembled in CoveraCil rans government monetary nan. This underlies little authority to commit their govern- COme union pressure, particularly from France, dependence on the union to end the sterling 'float' state control leaders' treachery force by January 1. Yet they come together under con- The weak- The decision to float the was pound ness of the government's position is shown ditions where none of the major stage breach by the lack of confidence in sterl- and political problems facing European growing EEC's plans for monetary The capitalism have been resolved Months of guaranteed hold ing on the foreign exchange markets Tories had previously with the United State acculations bound nalrow Darily The iSto The Exchange provides anothe Nixon stopped selling gold for along with other Common Market Chequer latest of August last year have only intensified the currencies. tale Be he a very mixed reception tom between the Tories, the TUC and atmosphere of trade war. are likely The other EEC countries to And the instability of currency relations the Tories this According insist that duncic LO ic lualkel ycolcilas agreement the when nev Tomay enter anandal convince Market January 'Some sectors were impressed with the way commercial the TOr malor thought pound will in fact tone of the Chancellor's report, but others and mounting unemployment be nxed at a paritv of $2.40.

were depressed by the prominence given the near future DR HENRY KISSINGER flew to Paris for Vietnam more talks with North yesterday and added to the flurry of speculation about a possible deal to end the war.

The White House in Washington said President Nixon's special envoy on his 20th

THE TITO

in bureaucracy private talks with North Vietnamese trip for Yugoslavia has prepared representatives since August 1969 was • con- obsequious wel- and Xuan Thuy, Hanoi's chief dele- ferring with come for the British Queen, gate to the Paris talks. who arrived yesterday for with the official purpose The her first visit 'com- of assessing the progress to new came less than a week of the Vietnamization' munist country. after Kissinger's programme. Belgrade has been festooned of four days secret But there is also with Union Jacks and card- meetings with Le Duc speculation that he may of the board Royal Tho, a member of the coat of arms. The Royal party North Vietnamese structions to President is being accommodated in the Thieu. politburo. Byzantine splendour of Thieu's forces are Palace, The substance of the the former Deainje is being now bearing • The residence of King Peter. of the ground fighting under strict secrecy kept and have suffered heavy The Yugoslav class the working DOLd slees

DUT

gave Peter marching differences the a esul ol he was two sides the continuing libera- are known to forced tion offensive. hee to tascist manner cenue on mie codacter Anne attended of post-ceasefire However is vear rincess his shaky the wedding of his sons gime in South Vietnam. regime so far been who still considers himself a pre- The Americans maintained with the aid trader to the Yugoslav throne.

the ceasefire followed by massive American Tito's welcome for the British period all power. monarch is a calculated insult to preparation for presi- The North Vietnamese those workers and peasants who elections dential under and the National struggled acroically oresent vairon con- eration front. both now fetters stitution. the of cabinet in Saigon having appear convinced that Ing monarchy and reaction in Yugo- This is rejected by the President Thieu. earlier talks with Nixon will win the slavia. North Vietnamese, US ambassador Elis- forthcoming presidential Thieu himself is show- To add insult to injury the worth Bunker. have demanded a three- ing signs of considerable elechion. Duke of Edinburgh is to go shoes coatton take General Chreighton made i uncaoc nave office on the declaration tions continue. On Mon- clear they are prepared A orans. Tormer Queen will lay of a ceasefire. day he spent eight commander in Vietnam to settle for a coalition wreath on the Unknown Soldier's hours closeted with his They are also demand- is due in Saigon today

TOTED.

the queen s interest in norses is being catered for too-she will visit a Yugoslav stud. Since she has displayed no TeresaDason ero sess not being shown round Tito's But she extensive prison system. wil no doubt be heartened election LIKE Noveenbeof re; mediators with the power to im.

GREEK military police are still earn That mone use inmates are November pose settlements. a number of youth sentenced for President Nixon top- Trotskyism. oisoners

MOST

Plalis Edward Heine, of the United priority law to ban strikes States said: 'We must Line, This 1c- stated joint pro- the docks. This was revealed fundamental

ROTTERDAM

council Inter- issued by Les! LOaT by Labour Secretary James D.

management relationship in the planning to prevent foreign national Commission Jurists Hodgeston at shipowners' maritime industry.' than as d And sty 54e Cational witich workers from staying more meeting in Houston, Texas. Greek Holland. political US dockers signed by unree resisting sackings It is the council's second attempt and speed-up have several times Prisoners 'One the problems am restrict immigrants Included in statement the sure we will be tackling is that of Contones eno over an attack on the CILy. the massive and frequent strikes de According to Ald G. struck last Henry. aska years. autumn

VICCCE.

long plagued thatnave Tone Vos there are about congressional sub-com- their told transportation industry, includ- and continued foreign workers in Holland, mittee that the Red Cross has told after imposed 90-day 'cooling-off longshore strikes,' of systematic Rotterdam found no evidence and period by Nixon had given access 15,000 in kotterdam sell.

expired. Torture Greek prisoners in 1970-1971.

The plan has been condemned 'It has become increasingly organ- Now the Nixon Administration His widely by the Dutch trade union remarks apparant the public will longer tolerate them.' is planning the machinery for the the use non no

WICCK

stale" organization said foreign workers destruction the powerful controlled Press. could deprived The meeting suggested the im- unions the first step But today's protest statement position of binding arbitration on all Us says that the Red Cross delegates luwarus Holland. under state control. lne maustry wrougl naa reportea accounts or torture A SPLIT is threatening the Irish and Social Democratic and Labour Parties following disagreements last week on the latter's policy document —'Towards a New Ireland'.

Representatives of both par- ties met in Dublin yesterday in an attempt to close the rift between them. Their differences have arisen as a result of the attitude of the 26-county party's spokesman for Northern Affairs-Dr Conor Cruise O'Brien-to a proposal in the document for a call on the British government to make an immediate declaration in favour of Irish unity. O'Brien thinks that a declar- ation from Britain on unity would not in fact promote "peace' and 'stability'• as outlined in the SDLP's perspective. Speaking at a party seminar at the weekend, he said that the argument between the parties was not one over principles, but over strategy. He said it was a question of whether a given line of policy was, or was not, likely to pro- mote the effective implement- ation of principles which they all shared. however, do not The SDuP, subscribe to this view. They have based their main policy in the document on the question of a united Ireland. They see the six counties controlled jointly by Westminster and Dublin with unity as the ultimate aim.

In a personal letter to the Parliamentary Labour Party Brendan Corish, SDLP leader, member Paddy Devlin attacked party's position and pointed out that their document in line with the policy was agreed by the 26-county party's annual conference at the begin- ning of the year. 'Yet it is Devlin on: by your northern "mis- spokesman being as chievous" and "futile" and last week at Blackpool he said, referring to our dócument, that to talk. continually of unity was to touch a raw nerve of the Protestant people in the north.

'We who have witnessed the death of over 600 of our people are being accused by implication being so insensitive of to the northern agony that we are pro- moting violence and the alien- of both sections of the ation northern community. Such arro- gance!' If the SDLP and the Labour Party fail to reach agreement in the talks, the Eire party itself is faced with a split on the issue.

party's Adminis- Already the trative Council - the national governing body which is elected mainly from the foor of annual conference-has overwhelmingly carried a resolution supporting the SDLP perspective in direct opposition to the parliamentary party's line. of political prisoners and copies were sent to the Greek military government. It was not for the Red Cross to make an assessment whether there was systematic torture.

It was significant, said the statement, that the Greek govern- ment refused the to renew agreement for the Red Cross to visit all places of detention.

The appeal - which was brought out of Korydallos Prison, Athens, on October 3-said dozens of prisoners were still being tortured. The statement cited in particular the treatment of Wing Anastasios Commander Minis, a wartime hero, who had been abducted from prison three and a half months ago to face 'inhuman' torture treatment.

Strike against state control of wages-BP stewards 'Radiolimes Long live the Goons

THE

HE'S

FALLEN

DUSTRI

IN

WATER!

ECCLES

TED

SEAGOON

TGWU

INFLATION

BLOODNOK!

KNOW

TIME

FINE

TURN

COWARD

UNEM-

PLOY-

MENT

TORY

ELECTION PROMISES

PARTY

tion workers at the BP South Wales, seem cer- strike in 50 years to- whatever was of the the law that thev were prenared become tve cipled strutile against state strike prin- continue negotiations but land.' •They are holding could make cash On October 6 the plant not any mass meeting at 4.15 p.m.

visited intervention in management the ofter outside Heath's wages today. proposals. Al seroil supplies sta Mr Thomas had much did not retract their state- but their return The following day statement declared in South valest industry confidence in the section national revised union omcials and told us ments. was management two main power two Four days The now they had sent later now prepared to continue stations, are being. hit by telegrams to Jack Jones at

T&GWU

com- negotiatin without negotiations he decore the BP hea the final stages of the shut- Labour mittee visited

SUCCORS

excert one ofice. ToD BP management COwi Terence about une proviso: giant BP chemical complex and had not even had a representatives were not at Baglan Bay and the steel reply. "That we could not break prepared to deny the sub- The

TUC,'

they said,

WOIKS

also been cut off. 'should break off the talks Let left papers print-sparks The refinery men with Heath and should are fight to bring taking action because organize to the the Tory nanacenent ELECTRICIANS in South- be discussed at the next clared that the present ment.' must October 4 a state- trades council meeting: wage negotiations for the £2 ment from the plant man- support now be contined to the "This branch council es the the for special dispensation for wage ceiling announced of the acement rennerv executive Edward Heath on Transport and General newsparers to printing grant Workers' Union branch inte cing the event September 27 stoppage special diSar on Worke national Press Roy branch Everett. that following said Unt chairman government proposals of the lauwu ers Press in the event of a Llandarcy 4/10 branch, and September newspaper strike. The Southampton EPTU been decided that Thomas,

TONI

Il llan following We feel that both these has passed the delegate for the transport these we refinery building proposals. tremend- union resolution waick newsparers Here's where In the to buy books heart of 28 Charlotte St by London's London W1 West End Leon Trotsky

BOOKS • PERIODICALS • NEWSPAPERS

Workers Press, Wedness

FINE!

FINE

FINE

!

THAT'S

WHY I

CHOSE

! IT stance of the local manage- ment statement. A mass meeting was organized on the following day, October I1, and over 700 refinery men voted unanimously to lodge seven days' strike notice. This was in spite of the warnings from the T&GWU assistant district secretary, Godfrey Reed, about pos- ent sible consequences under Industrial Relations not the sub- Act. next ous support to the trade union movement in their struggle for better wages and conditions. 'It is necessary for full information in the event of a newspaper strike to com- bat false information and slanted views given to trade unionists by other news media in a strike period.'

ODICALS • NEWSPAPERS

, Wednesday October 18, 1972 PAGE 3 THE STRIKE committee leading the Glasgow bakery dispute meets today to seek of strengthening the ways battle for better wages. The committee will almost certainly ask the Transport and General Workers' Union for some form of official support.

Delegates on the committee major Glasgow represent ten bakeries. About 3,000 men and joined the strike have women for a f5-a-week wage increase.

Their unofficial action began last week when the Scottish Union of Bakers and Allied Trades negotiated a £2.50 rise on the basic rate for day work- ers. There is no bread in most Glasgow shops and shoppers are queuing at those places who have imported supplies. The union has registered under the Industrial Relations Act and was subsequently sus- pended by the TUC. T&GWU support could play a decisive part in stepping up the wages struggles of the Glasgow bakers. The strike committee wants the union to instruct its mem- bers not to cross the picket "This would stop lines. flour deliveries to the bakeries and would stop bread being taken away by salesmen, a committee member said. THE 100 Glasgow bus mainten- ance workers returned to work on Monday night after accepting a new £29-a-week basic. They had been demanding £40, including bonus earnings. The two-week strike had cut peak-hour services by a third.

IN, DUNDEE, about 100, bus maintenance workers continued their 13-day-old pay strike. There were long queues of commuters as the city's bus fleet was cut to about 30 per cent of normal.

Dundee transport committee was meeting yesterday to con- sider the situation. The strikers want £3 a • week on their £22 basic pay. HALIFAX, Yorks, without was buses again yesterday as a strike by 80 maintenance men employed by the corporation continued.

The dispute, over a £5-a-week began claim, Sunday pay on night. WORKS SECURITY men yester- day Motors caeted Triumph the factory gates in Coven- try they normally guard. 2,000 workers were laid off during the as pickets turned away lorries carrying vital components to the plant. A convenor at the factory said it might have to close if the strike by 50 men continued.

LYONS

MAID

yesterday increases-ranging announced from $p to 3p-in the recom- mended retail prices of some ice-creams from October 30. The company said they had been compelled to make the increases because of rising costs in ser- packaging vices, labour and materials.

NOW OPEN

Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs 9 aim.-6 p.m. Fri 9 a.m.-7.30 p.m. Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

THE JAY LOVESTONE

Lovestone in 1961. Eleven 'graduates' of Lovestone's Institute for training union officials were In Gulana to play their part in the 1962-1964 events.

PAGE 4 Workers Press, Wednesday Oct From Stalinism ... to the CIA

THE

GUIANA

The background to the Central Intelligence Agency operation British Guiana is de- scribed by the American journalist Drew Pearson in his syndicated column of March 22, 1964, headed "Castro and Jagan'. Pearson says that after let- ting Cuba go by 'default', the USA was determined to be not let more careful, and another government friendly to Cuba arise in the Caribbean —the 'American lake'. "Though it was never pub- lished at the time', says Pear- son, 'this was the secret reason why Kennedy took his trip to England in the sum- mer of 1963. He had promised Premier Fanfani and Chancel- lor Adenauer to go to Rome and Bonn, but London was added to the itinerary only be- cause of Kennedy's haunting worry that British Guiana would get its independence from England in July, 1963, and set up another com- munist government under the guidance of Fidel Castro.

'If this happened just be- fore the presidential election of 1964 and if at that time a Guiana began Communist seizing the Reynolds Metal aluminium operation and other American properties, Kennedy knew the political effect would be disastrous. in the .It wasn't com- muniqué issued by the United States and England after the meeting, Kennedy-Macmillan thing the main they but agreed on was that the British would refuse to grant inde- pendence to Guiana because of the General Strike against pro-communist Prime Mini- ster, Cheddi Jagan. "The strike was secretly in- spired by a combination of US Central Intelligence Agency money and British intelligence.

It gave London the excuse it wanted. British Guiana has not yet received its independence and communist another government at the bottom of the one-time American lake has been temporarily stopped.

• In 1962, a year before Ken- nedy's London visit, Jay Love- stone had set up a centre in Washington called the Ameri- can Institute for Free Labour Development (AIFLD), for the training of trade union officials from overseas. In charge of the AIFLD school was Sera- fimo Ramualdi, who was Love- stone's man in Latin America for a number of years, and also the author of a pamphlet called 'Facts on Cheddi Jagan and his communist-controlled of British Guiana'.

PPP

Ramualdi had already played a part in splitting the old British Guiana TUC and set- pro-western body ting up a opposed to Jagan. Students wishing to enter rigorously the AIFLD are screened for anti-communism.

Once accepted, they have their travel expenses paid, their up- keep in Washington and money for their families at home. Furthermore they are kept on the payroll for at least nine months after graduation, esday October 18, 1972 the CIA. By Charles Parkins. Part E Lovestone in 1961. Eleven 'graduates' o provided they prove worth- while graduates—i.e. can show they are 'fighting communism'.

The nature of this example of inter-union 'solidarity' can be shown by looking at how is financed. In the AIFLD 1965, for instance, more than $3m came from Administration for International Development (AID), a US government body whose projects are closely co- with the CIA's ordinated plans. $200,500 came from the AFL-CIO's treasury. Some big cor- $150,000 came from porations. The trustees of AIFLD in- clude Juan Trippe, president airways; of Pan-American Charles Brinkerhoffe, president of Anaconda Copper; J. Peter Grace, president W. R. & Co, and a director of Grace the National City Bank of New York is chairman of the board of AIFLD. Eleven graduates of this 'trade union' Institute were back in Guiana in time to play their part in the events which brought down • Jagan. in Meanwhile, the 18 months leading up to the General Strike and the race riots, Guiana received more visits from American union , Part Eleven aduates' of Lovestone's Institute for training un officials than in the previous 18 years! They included such William McCabe, figures as Inter-American Representative of the AFL-CIO; Ben Segal, education director of the In- ternational Union of Electri- cal Radio and Machine USA; G. O'Keefe, Workers, labour lawyer and director, Retail Clerks International Assembly of North America; Rene Lioeanjie,

NMU

•co- ordinator for Latin America; Pat Terill, of the United Steel Workers of America; and affairs inter-American repre- sentative. These are only a few of them! Of the AIFLD's trainees, Ramualdi himself made a statement later: •..it appeared to me that young democratic trade union leaders would need intensive training to combat Dr Jagan's efforts. Subsequently,. eight Guianese came to Washington in June, 1962, as participants in the Institute's first course.

In September of that year, six of these men returned to British Guiana, supported by AIFLD internships, enabling them to put into practice, on a full-time basis, what they had learned at our school...

When the British Guiana TUC decided to call a General raining union officials were in Guiana to play the Strike in an attempt to pre- vent passage of Dr Jagan's labour Bill, I was asked to put the Institute's six interns who were working with various local unions, at the disposal of the council's strike com- mittee ... In agreement with Institute's the Secretary Treasurer, Joseph A. Beirne, 1 instructed the interns to de- vote their efforts to supporting the strike, and extended the internships, which were due to end on June 15, to August 15 . . . I would like to say that I am proud of our graduates in British Guiana. In spite of hardships sacrifices and they kept their places in the front lines of a difficult and, un- fortunately, sometimes bloody battle' It has been estimated that the Central Intelligence Agency spent at least £150,000 in British Guiana in buying poli- ticians and union leaders be- tween 1962 and 1964. In addi- tion, the strike was supported financially by • the Inter- Confederation of national Free Trade Unions, by Ameri- can trade unions, and particu- larly by an inter-union body called the Public Services In- ternational. The main influence in the PSI was that of its American affiliate, the Federation of to play their part in the 1962-1964 events.

State, County and Municipal Employees, and particularly of its 'then president, Arnold Zander. This union received at least $60,000 a year from the CIA between 1958 and 1964 to fi- nance its international affairs.

The money was largely chan- nelled into PSI's London office.

In April, 1967, following ad- missions by Zander of the CIA connection, PSI secretary Paul Tofahrn was interviewed by 'The Sunday Times' Insight column. Asked whether PSI members were shocked to learn of the CIA link, he re- plied: ... we did not ask where the money came from because I think we all knew?

The British trade union affiliated to the PSI is the Municipal General and Workers' Union. Its leader Jack (now Lord) Cooper, accompanied Arnold Zander on a trip to Africa in 1959.

They visited 15 countries on 'organizing' work. The trip was financed by the CIA. It is interesting to find that today, Lord Cooper, Arnold Zander, and Jay Lovestone, are all members of a body 'British called the North America Committee.' WHAt IS

TOMORROW:

THE

BRITISH

NORTH

of AMERICA COMMITTEE?

In 1964, the 'Trotskyist' Lanka Sama Samaja Party joined a 'United Left Front' government with Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranaike's bourgeois Sri Lanka Freedom Party. SLu secretary G. Healy, who visited Ceylon during the coalition period, analysed the degeneration of the LSSP in the pamphlet 'Ceylon: The Great Betrayal'-still available from New Park Publications. This four-part series by JACK GALE examines

CEYLON: THE GREAT BETRAYAL CONTINUES

In 1964, the "Trotskyist' Lanka Sri Lanka Freedom Party. SLI in the pamphlet 'Ceylon: The some of the significant politic

PART ONE

Twice in less than ten years the Pabloite Unified Secretariat of the Fourth International' has supported and colla- borated with a Ceylonese 'section' which has be- trayed the working class and marched rapidly to the right. In 1964 the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), then the Unified Secretariat (Pabloite) Ceylonese section, entered coalition government with the bourgeois Sri Lanka Freedom Party of Mrs Sirimavo Banda- with the ranaike, together Communist Party. Three leading LSSP mem- bers-N. M. Perera, Anil Moonesinghe and Cholmond- Goonewardene-accepted ley ministerial posts in this bourgeois government. A group led by Colvin R. de Silva and Leslie Goone- wardene opposed the coalition but remained in the Party.

A third tendency broke away and formed the LSSP (Revolutionary Section) led by Bala Tampoe, who was also secretary of the Ceylon Mer- cantile Union. The Unified Secretariat ex- pelled the three ministers and suspended 504 LSSP members for voting for the coalition at a party conference. Two questions must be answered however. How was this situation allowed to de- velop? And what happened to the LSSP (R), which was sub- sequently incorporated into the Unified Secretariat? The responsibility for the degeneration of Ceylonese Trotskyism rests with the leaders-past and present—of the Unified Secretariat: Michel Pablo, Pierre Frank, Ernest Mandel and Joseph Hansen.

The roots of this lie in the t' Lanka Sama Samaja Party joined a rty. SLL secretary G. Healy, who vi n: The Great Betrayal'-still availab political events since then.

split in the Fourth Inter- national in 1953 caused by Pablo's theory that the counter-revolutionary Soviet bureaucracy could be trans- formed under the pressure of an imminent third world war into a force. revolutionary According to Pablo this would force the Stalinist parties of western Europe to lead revolu- tionary struggles. In effect, such a revisionist perspective eliminated the role of the • Fourth International and reduced it at best to the role of a 'left opposition'—a position which Trotsky had abandoned after Stalinism had brought about defeat of Ger- many's working class in 1933.

Pablo sought to liquidate Trotskyism into Social Demo- and Stalinism - in cracy Britain, for example, the which supported tenaency Pablo, led by John Lawrence, subsequently joined the Com- munist Party almost to a man.

At the same time LSSP secretary Leslie Goonewardene declared that Mrs Bandara- naike's capitalist Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) was in fact a 'centrist' party which could be forced by pressure to in the interests of the act working class. These fundamental revisions of Marxism complemented each other While Pablo, Frank and Mandel undermined the whole role of the Fourth Inter- national, Goonewardene under- mined the Ceylonese LSSP as a revolutionary party. These renegades were later to come to a completely unprincipled agreement in order to prevent the development of Trotsky- ism in Ceylon. Early in 1954 the LSSP National Committee unani- mously Pablo's rejected theories as outlined in his resolution 'Rise and Decline of Stalinism'. Yet at inter- an national conference in June of oined a 'United Left Front' governn who visited Ceylon during the coali available from New Park Publicatio the same year, the Ceylonese delegates, led by Colvin R. de Goone- Silva and Leslie wardene, accepted Pablo's resolution in return for Pablo's acceptance of a number of amendments from them. In other words, each side of this unscrupulous alliance agreed to ignore the oppor- tunist course being charted by the other. Both sides de- nounced as disrupters the genuine Trotskyists of the In- ternational Committee of the Fourth International who sought a serious discussion of the grave problems facing the movement. When the SLFP became the government of Ceylon in 1956, the LSSP leaders announced a policy of responsible co- operation'. The purpose of the theoretical turn in designating the SLFP as a centrist party clear-it was now was to open the door to collaboration with the bourgeoisie. This intensified as the 1960 General Election approached.

Despite the rising tempo of class struggles, the

LSSP

signed a number of 'no-clash' agreements with the SLFP in number of key constitu- encies. The Pabloite International Secretariat supported this line.

In a letter to the LSSP it de- clared that 'a critical support for an eventual government of the SLFP' was permissible. Pablo, Frank and Mandel thus encouraged the LSSP in its approaches to the bourgeoisie.

This failure to separate it- self clearly from the SLFP re- sulted in a disaster at the polls. The LSSP gained only 14 seats. But this defeat only encouraged the leaders to prepare for coalition. In particular, they turned their back on the poverty- stricken Tamil plantation workers (originally immigrants from India) by stating that of their problem was not a Workers Press, Wedn government with Mrs Sirimavo Ban he coalition period, analysed the deg blications. This four-part series by ] matter for united struggle of the oppressed masses, but for negotiations between the capi- talist governments of India and Ceylon. This stab in the back for some of the most oppressed workers in Ceylon was openly supported by the Unified Secretariat, even though it resulted in the collapse of the LSSP's Lanka 80,000-strong Estate Workers' Union. The following years saw a sharp increase in strike struggles, in which the workers consistently denounced were by premier Mrs Bandaranaike.

But the LSSP was allowed to continue unchecked its pro- gress towards her government.

This was made possible not only by the leaders of the Uni- Secretariat, fied but by the American leaders of the Socialist Workers' Party, who were making their way back to Pabloism. In 1953 the SWP had sup- ported those sections of the Fourth International which had broken from Pablo to con- stitute the International Com- mittee. But an organizational break in itself was not enough.

The British Trotskyists sought to continue the discus- sion on Pabloism in order to clarify every section and to combat liquidationism. Workers' The Socialist Party, however, saw the fight in purely organizational terms, and-as early as the summer of 1954 - sought to end all further discussion of the question. This covered • a turn back towards Pabloism by the SWP.

After four years of avoiding a real analysis and discussion about Pabloism, the

SWP

made its first formal approach to the Unified Secretariat—in a letter from James Cannon to Leslie Goonewardene of the LSSP in the spring of 1957.

This was after the LSSP had announced its policy of re- 68, Wednosday October 18, 1972 PAGE 5 vo Bandaranaike's bourgeois the degeneration of the LSSP ies by JACK GALE examines Top: LSSP leaders who jolned Mrs Bandaranaike's government.

Left is N. M. Perera who accepted a ministerial post and right, Vivienne Goonewardene. sponsible co-operation' with the Bandaranaike government.

words, In other the approach by the SWP • to the Pabloites was made via the LSSP when the latter had already turned openly to the right. From that moment on, the Unified Secretariat and

SWP

to conspire to were avoid discussion on all issues of principle-and, above all, the developments in on Ceylon. Throughout the unprincipled unification the manoeuvres British Trotskyists consistently sought principled discussion, but these approaches were persistently evaded or ignored the Pabloites and the

SWP.

The reason was simple. Such discussions would have ham- pered the reunification and exposed the opportunist turn of the Pabloite section in Ceylon. The British Trotskyists warned that reunification with- would out be a Proper discussion fraud and would lead to disaster. The Ceylonese events subsequently proved us right. In 1962 we proposed a dis- cussion on all the disputed questions between the Pabloite Secretariat and the Inter- national Committeee of the Fourth International. These proposals were sabo- taged by the SWP, in particu- by Joseph Hansen who, behind the scenes, had organ- ized a unification with Livio Maitan, Mandel and Frank without discussion. In August 1963, we again wrote to the SWP asking for discussion. It was re- more fused.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Wednesday October

BY STEPHEN JOHNS PHOTOGRAP

Occupation is no longer a unique experience for workers and the 1,100 Lucas employees at CAV Liverpool, Fazakerley, have settled into their own with the practised calm of professionals. Only a week after the shop stewaids waiked out and com- mandeered the main gates a chain of command has been established control. all to aspects of factory life during the sit-in. the The nerve-centre of operation is the administra- tive block, where stewards keep one management repre- sentative liaising between the rebellious shop floor and the Lucas tosses. five sub-com- From here mittees — publicity, hygiene, maintenance, catering and en- tertainment-- all operate.

Wednesday October 18, 1972

IS PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARTIN MAYER"

Last Friday the publicity committee, John under Emmett, was circulating all the engineers' union branches from the Shetlands to Corn- wall asking for backing and support. Over the weekend it was the turn of the Transport and General Workers' Union branches. The backbone of the occu- pation is the link between the shop stewards' committee and 'labour control'-a com- plex of glass offices at the centre of the main plant.

There a committee manned by male and female workers • (women are right in the van- guard of this struggle) allo- cate teams to do tasks re- quested by the stewards. The occupiers maintain a three-shift system and have devised their own clocking-on system. But there is room for initiative. Top marks go to Betty King, who started a dial-a-disc service for the the entertain- shifts. Now ments committee are to run an 'occupation disco' in the main plant. All this organization is keep morale necessary to high. But this is not difficult, since the Fazakerley workers are convinced they are right.

They acted quickly when management put their plan to close the factory by April into operation last week.

This prompt response halted the possibility of any drift downwards in the labour force. The workers say they will occupy until they win.

'We are fighting for the old people who have given their working lives to this mono- poly, we are fighting for our children who must have work when they grow older and we are fighting for ourselves the working class of Britain,' one steward told me.

He pointed to the racks of camshafts now being pro- duced by the Lucas associate company Condiesel of Bar- celona, Spain. The Spanish connection came to light in 1970 when the Fazakerley plant was hit by a nine-week strike. Suddenly a consignment of fuel injection pumps arrived in the plant. They were from Condiesel but were bound for British - Leyland — normally supplied by Fazakerley. An embarrassed manage- ment explained that Con- diesel had gone behind their backs, but the workers kept These have their suspicions. now proved well founded. Management claim there is no more demand for the type of pump being produced at Fazakerley. But the workers say it is in fact being pro- duced in Barcelona. Scenes from the sit-in. Above: discussion shop-floor over right: The factory gates festooned with the now occupation slogans. Right: Women are among the supporters Keenest Here two ladies pre- pare letters appealing for support.

Far right: A moment's relaxation The Fazakerley sit-in is one more example of the deter- mination of the working class to defend the right to work from the monopolies and the Tory government. isolated sit-in can- But an not win this battle. Some of the men recognize this. 'We know that this occu- pation alone cannot stop the offensive against jobs on Mer- seyside,' one of them told me. 'This for iS question workers throughout the Lucas group and the whole working class. It is a question that in- the survival of the Tory government, it is a poli- tical question.'

"NO SURRENDER"

J.LUCAS - CA.V.

OFFICIALSIT IN-

THISTORYIS NOW

"WORKERS

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Wednesday Oc 'Parliamentary reform' and the wo In 1842 renewed econo- mic distress temporarily reunited the Chartist movement around another great petition, for which over 3 million signatures were collected.

Seriously alarmed—especi- ally by the possibility that soldiers might support the Chartists-the House of Com- mons debated the Petition at some length. MPs' reactions to Chartism are of considerable interest.

The pages of 'Hansard' show that • the Radicals who even voted for the petitioners to be heard had no sympathy with the social aims which under- lay the six points, merely humanitarian concern some for the 'sufferings of the poor' The Petition itself reflects the historic turning point which Chartism represented for the British working class.

It begins humbly: 'Your petitioners, desiring to promote the peace of the United Kingdom, security of property and prosperity of and seriously commerce, earnestly press this their peti- tion on the attention of your honourable House .. But before long, naked class hatred of the rule of property' breaks the surface.

Such a parliament is 'unconsti- tutional, tyrannical, and ought to be amended', for it gives 'preponderating interest to the landed and monied interests, to the utter ruin of the small trading and labouring classes'.

The 'cruel and murderous effects' of the Poor Law come high on the list of grievances.

Next, the disparity of wages the producing mil- between lions and those whose com- parative usefulness ought to be questioned' (!) Concrete examples of the 'riches and luxury' of the.

rulers and the 'poverty and starvation' of the ruled are set down, in the none-too-tactful form of comparisons between the income of a labourer and that of the Queen, the Prince Archbishop Consort and the of Canterbury. The army, the police, the taxation system and the estab- lished church all come under fire. The milder political con- clusion claims that the Charter merely represents 'the ancient customs and realm . . . But a piece of sterner ad- vice is added: It is the worst species of legislation which leaves grievances of society to be removed only by violence and revolution, both of which may be apprehended if com plaints are unattended to ...

No wonder the Radical MP Duncombe, who presented the petition felt that he had a lot to explain away! He 'did not subscribe to all the paragraphs' of the petition.

felt that exaggerated language was the result of real distress which would have to be alleviated by some means or another. nesday October 18, 1972 d the working class, by Jane Brown He had been impressed by the 'orderly and peaceful' manner in which the petition was brought to parliament. At the same time he found a chance to slip in a word for the industrialist Radical MPs' own special interest, free trade and the reduction of taxes, by informing Prime Minister Robert Peel that income tax would soon 'reduce the middle class to a level with the lower orders'. Two other Radicals were brave enough to speak up for the petition. Roebuck claimed 'enlightened mechanics that were not against property' and Hume that 'the surest way to prevent revolution to was listen to the complaints of the people' both Whigs From and Tories came a united onslaught against the Chartists. Macaulay stated that universal suffrage was 'utterly incom- patible with the very existence of civilization' , since 'civiliza- tion rests upon the security of property'. Peel called the petition 'al- impeachment of together an the constitution of this country and of the whole frame of society' • While Graham, very consci- ous that even universal suff- rage would not make capital- ism an economic paradise for working class, remarked the that ' •..he could not foresee more likely to be a course disastrous than to excite hopes which were certain to be dis- appointed'. Lord Shattesbury, the most famous 'do- humanitarian gooder' of the 19th century, did not speak in the debate.

But it is worth noting that as early as 1840 he wrote: 'The two great demons in morals and politics, socialism and Chartism, are stalking through the land', and that (with blessed some excep- tions') 'generally speaking the rich and the poor are antago- nistic parties' Only social reform and the spread of religion could pre- vent 'those vast multitudes, ignorant and excitable in them- selves', from being sur- rendered, almost without a struggle, to the experimental philosophy of infidels and democrats' The unity of feeling among the ruling class, including both its 'left wing' of Radical in- dustrialists and its 'right wing' of high-minded landed aristo- crats, is unmistakable. When the vote was taken, the Chart- ist petition was rejected by 287 votes to 49. This set-back drove the di- vergent groups within Chart- ism in opposite directions. Lovett and his 'moral force' followers prepared to abandon the movement, declaring that 'muskets are not what are wanted, but education and schooling of the working people'. Among O'Connor's 'physical n. - force' followers, reaction took the form of widespread strikes, which Engels believed the em- have deliberately : to ployers instigated in some places to help pressurize the govern- Cobden speaks to the Anti-Corn Law L ment into the repeal of the Corn Laws. Moreover, violent incidents gave the police a good excuse to arrest most of the Chartist leaders. O'Connor tried to launch a co-operative land cultivation scheme to relieve the immedi- ate hardships of unemploy- ment, but could give no effer- tive national direction to the deep resentment of the work- ing class. The last great Chartist peti- tion was assembled in 1847- 1848, when enomic circum- stances were again grim and in Ireland mass-starvation had become a reality. The move- ment could not regain its ori- ginal impetus in London, so that the presentation of the petition was somewhat of an anti-climax, after the elabor- ate military precautions super- vised by the Duke of Welling- ton. Yet this was not the 'end of Chartism' , as most histor- ians proclaim. The contemporary writings of Engels show that in many ways the 1848 movement was a theoretical advance on its private predecessors. The ownership of property was in- creasingly being called into question. As John Noakes wrote in the 'Northern Star', October 1847: right to their property prevails; the proceeds of the land should be public and used in the interests of the public. Perhaps I shall be told that these are revolution- ary remarks. Revolutionary or it is of no concern; if not, people cannot obtain that which they need in a law, they must get it without law? This was a big political step from the original six points of the Charter and the spirit in which they had been pro- claimed by the LWMA in 1838.

O'Connor also wrote in the 'Northern Star' of the neces- sity link to revolutionary struggle in England with the plight of the Irish working class. In his new position as an orn Law League, agitating for the repeal of pre MP, he vigorously opposed a Coercion Bill introduced to suppress the famine-stricken Irish (and supported by most of the other Irish MPs.).

O'Connor came from a land- owning Protestant background, yet he took a clear class posi- tion on the issue, speaking ...not only as an Irishman, but also, and primarily, as an English democrat and Chartist'® He stressed: "The oppressed classes in England and Ireland must fight together and con- together or continue to quer languish under the same bur- den and live in the same misery and dependence on the privileged and ruling capitalist class.' (January 1848) Some outstanding new leaders emerged • in the later 1840s, including Ernest Jones, who, after working closely with Marx and Engels, exerted considerable influence in the labour movement for another linking the two decades, Chartist movement to the development of trade union- ism and the 1867 Reform Act.

As a socialist, he drew the essential lessons from the Chartist movement-that only an independent working-class organization could success- fully fight the employers; that economic hardship could not be relieved by trade union methods alone, nor even by extension of democracy, but only by the overthrow of capitalism and the establish- ment of a new social system.

When he stood for election Chartist candidate in as a Halifax, 1852, he explained his Whig, Tory and hostility to radical candidates to a large crowd. I say the representatives of two systems stand before you.

Whig, Tory and money mongers are on my left, it is true, but they are all as one..

They are the same for labour.

After his speech Jones was nominated on a show of hands by some 20,000 people. But unfortunately only 500 electors were entitled to vote. They chose the Whig and the radical as MPs. Jones made another im- portant speech at a mass meeting on Blackstone edge an (1853), warning that the exist- eal of protectionist trade lams.

ing prosperous state of trade would not last for ever and would bring no permanent gains for the working class unless they built a political based initially on movement the Chartist demands. 'Why do you seek a Ten- Hours Bill? If political power is not necessary to labour freedom, why go to parliament at all? ... by that very act you admit tacitly that political power is needed to obtain social emancipation (loud cheers) ...It may be said: "Why do we not wait until the crisis comes, and the millions rally of their own accord?"

Because we want not a move- of excitement and ment danger, but one of calm reason and moral strength. Therefore we bid you now reorganize- that you may rule the storm instead of being tossed by it.'

In 1858 Marx summarized the changes which Chartism had wrought on the parlia- mentary reform movement in Britain by comparing it with the experience of the 1848 French Revolution. "The Charter is a very laconic document... the con- tinentals are prone to under- estimate the importance and meaning of the English Charter.' The highly-industrialized nature of England explains 'the diametrically opposite charac- ter which the demand for universal suffrage has assumed in France and England. In France it was a demand made by political ideologues... In England it forms the broad boundary between aristocracy and bourgeoisie, on the one hand, and the classes of the people on the other. There it is regarded as a poltical ques- tion, and here as a social one.

Universal suffrage, a watch- word of universal fraterniza- tion in the France of 1848, is taken as a war slogan in Eng- land... He who goes over the history of universal suffrage in England will see that it casts off its idealistic character, as modern society with its endless contradictions develops here, contradictions born of indus- trial progress'.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

Stalinist Crisis Part One by Tom Kemp Since innumerable eco- 'experts' nomic i have failed to explain the causes of the inflation ravaging the moneys of the capitalist world, it is not surprising that "The Times' should open its columns to tht effusions of a renegade Stalinist. Professor Ota Sik, whose articles appeared on October 4 under the title 'The Maud- ling Memorandum: a Com- munist Critique' , was a mem- ber of the right-wing Dubcek wing of the Czechoslovakian bureaucracy which came to power in 1967. In the revulsion against Stalinist of over- methods centralization and lop-sided and bureaucratic control of industry, Sik and his group elaborated a programme of economic reforms. Influenced by the Yugoslav model, they resembled proposals which had been put forward by some Soviet economists during dis- cussions in the early 1960s before the economic reform of 1965. Speaking to Czech and foreign newsmen on May 14, height of 'the 1968, at the spring, Sik outlined Prague a policy to reorganize the Czechoslovakian economy and make its industry more com- petitive on the world market.

In brief, the policy of the Dubcek regime envisaged retreat from central planning towards a market economy. It allowed full autonomy for enterprise, each giving the plant manager wide powers to make decisions and to use 'profits' accumulated by the firm. Market forces were to be allowed to operate more freely.

In particular, free enterprise was to be permitted in the field of what was called 'personal services', where privately- owned employ firms could wage labour. Still more signi- ficantly, Sik indicated that the Dubcek regime would welcome capitalist investment in joint ventures to be worked out independently by each Czech plant concerned. These reforms were only at an early stage when Sik spoke about them in May 1968. Three months later Warsaw Pact forces invaded Czechoslo- vakia and threw out Dubcek and his supporters. Sik was visiting Yugoslavia at the time and never returned home. In October he was granted poli- tical asylum in Switzerland, where he later became a Pro- fessor of Economics. Sik's policies, while put as an opposition to forward Stalinism, were cast in the Stalinist mould. Sik identified Stalinism with excessive cen- tralization and arbitrary plan- ning which took no account of real production costs. But he fully accepted the theory of "socialism in one country' His 'socialism' was socialism in one country, all right; but Ota Sik: a retreat from centralized planni that country happened to be a small and highly-industrialized which had suffered one severely from its severance from the world market under Stalin. and its continued gear- ing to the Soviet Union after 1948. Czech economic develop- had been built ment on exports and an international division of labour in which it participated as an exporter of manufactured goods and an importer of raw materials. Stalinism not only broke these links, but it also imposed still more intensive industrialization on the basis of the dogma that each coun- try should build up its own heavy industry. Dubcek: ousted by Warsaw pact Invasion in August 1968. Sik was a leading economic policy, an exponent of this important part of which was developing trade with the capitalist countries and encour- aging foreign investment to expand Czech consumer indus- try. As a bureaucrat, a leading CP member, Sik could only see technical and administra- tive solutions to the problems of the Czech economy. His policy was literally a policy for 'socialism' in one country while co-existing peacefully in the west with capitalism and the bureaucratically deformed or degenerated work- ers' states in the east. Czechoslovakia, like Yugos- lavia, was to seek some middle way, under bureaucratic leader- ship and • without the inde- pendent participation of the working class. It was an attempt at 'self-reform' under zed planning towards a market economy.

conditions which meant a shift to the right, a revision of Marxism and a compro- mise with capitalism. During the 1960s all these contradictions came to a head and the Czech economy was in the grip of a severe crisis which the Novotny regime tried to solve by the same bureaucratic measures which had helped to bring it about. The rise of the Dubcek : wing was an attempt • to resolve the problems of the Stalin period by breaking the excessive dependence on the Soviet Union and enabling the Czech economy to develop by extending its link with the world capitalist market. No intention No wonder that Sik, in exile, found firm friends among bourgeoisie where he played the role of a tame 'Marxist' who could be used against genuine Marxism based on revolutionary struggle for the overthrow of capitalism.

Sik had no intention, exile, of preparing revolution in Czechoslovakia or anywhere else. In fact he became a contri- butor to the internationally- circulated 'Problems of Com- munism' , an intellectual anti- communist journal produced by the US State Department.

When we turn to examine his article in "The Times', therefore, we have to remem- we are not dealing ber that with a Marxist, but with an economist who, while he may Marxist terms conserve some concepts, is no more and Marxist now than when he was a respected member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechos- lovakia. When Keith Richardson in 'The Sunday Times' (October 8) says about the article that 'what he showed was the extra- Marxist ordınary power of economics when used as a tool for analysing how and ', he is giv- why people behave' ing him a quite undeserved plug. And also showing his ignorance if he really own believes it. What the capitalist apolo- gists and Lord Thomson's scribes find attractive about Sik is not his unfounded pre- tensions to Marxism, but the fact that his policy prescrip- tions are anything but Marx- ist. In fact, as we shall see, they are very congenial to the supporter of capitalism; Sik provides them with arguments to beat the working class with.

And they can say, we are only advocating what a Marxist has told us.

CONTINUED TOMORROW

Workers Press, Wednesday October 18, 1972 PAGE 9 'Skinheads' Bromsgrove, Perhaps pathetic Staffordshire, at the same been giving the chaps at the sionary stunt over the Tories local public school a bit of a Housing Finance Act ever con- hard time recently. But any of who think deserving death in the High complaining to the boards of Court last week. governors will find them pre- The Labour-controlled Lam- occupied with a much beth council in south London more round' weighty matter. had tried to 'get the Act by putting all the extra The story behind those fur- property. That rent on one rowed patrician brows 1S the there meant tenant was simple: Bromsgrove's Labour- supposed to pay the ludicrous who hang onto control ites, sum of £18,000 a week. of the urban district council It was supposed to be the by double one vote, want to scheme of the century for the school's rates. Tory defeating Of plans. Cilr Bruce Grocott, chair- it had absolutely course, no man of the council's finance chance of working. committee, said at the week- Said judge: 'It the trial 'I end: public am against seems to me abundantly clear schools in principle. I think that the resolution was passed they commercial are under- with no other object than to takings and should be treated evade the application of their as such, to duty the Act.' He under declared the whole business So Cllr Grocott and invalid. his Lambeth Labourites passed friends, who have already the motion in August in order severed links with the school to avoid any real fight against by refusing to appoint the legislation. For at the same governor from the council to sit on the board, are now try.

meeting they said rents would 55р a week if the ing to find ways of getting the go up £18,000-a-week scheme failed.

money. And everyone bar everyone, If there's anything more including the Labour leaders, worrying knew it just had to. Incident- school types than a gang of skinheads, ally, Lambeth council put in High departing cash. so the appearance at no Court, leaving a tenants' leader chaps have really rallied round.

to fight it out alone. Said sixth-former Keyte, whose parents live ir Paris: 'We contribute to the community visiting The Tories have 'moved people, doing pollution surveys little' since they came to power and other voluntary work.' So in June 1970, according to re- far, so good you might think tiring General and Municipal from Workers' Union a public-relations point chief Lord of view. Cooper. But Keyte then young 'The government', he says, in pushed his luck the with the latest issue of his union's patronizing line that while 'we journal 'is not the kind of gov- might have a better academic ernment we would prefer. But education, I am not sure that should not ignore the we at other schools do not boys point that any government— benefit from a more general of whatever party-has to have education.' a policy on inflation. Nothing would seem more Cooper goes on to claim that likely to stir the local the Tories have in fact accep- up 'skinheads'. ted TUC policy for economic 'cost-of-living protec- It's a good job they didn't growth, let him loose with the argu- and flat-rate in- tion clauses' that the school ment can't 'which help the lower- creases afford to pay the paid'. rate rise. Bromsgrove Ballot for Because School Lord papers Cooper's recently sold off ten acres of replacement as land for a cool £500,000.

G&MWU secretary should be More power to the Grocott returned by the end of next elbow. week.

LEON TROTSKY:

Germany 1931/1932 Paperback £1.25—cloth £1.87} Where Is Britain Going ? Paperback 37tp Revolution Betrayed Paperback 624p- -cloth £1.05 Problems of the Chinese Revolution Paperback £1.121cloth £1.871 Permanent Revolution : Results and Prospects Paperback 75p In Defence of Marxism Paperback 750 Lessons of October Paperback 60p Postage 10p per book, 3p per pamphlet. Order from :

NEW PARK PUBLICATIONS

186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG.

PAGE 10 Workers Press Wednesday October 18, 1972 Soclalist Labour League

PUBLIC MEETING

Behind the Assassination of Trotsky A reply to Joseph Losey's film Tuesday October 24, 8 p.m.

CONWAY HALL

RED LION SQUARE

LONDON WC2

(Nearest tube Holborn) Speaker: G. Healy (SLL national secretary) Bellamy on Botany' Is BBC 1'% late-nig Admission 10p an electric saw, carries out an exper didn't have electric saws in those days Soclalist Labour League

LECTURES

THE THEORY AND

PRACTICE OF MARXISM

Given by Cliff Slaughter (SLL Central Committee member) 11.00-11.25 Play school.

6.05 OPEN UNIVERSITY.

7.05 MAN

AT

WORK.

Historical materlalism today Who's Watching Your Health? Monday October 23

MUSIC

Vaughan Williams Centenary Con- Bullding the revolutlonary party Monday October 30 cert. 9.25 WAUGH ON CRIME. In which Inspector Waugh and Ritiers. plays Cops

PEEL HOTEL

9.55 MAN

ALIVE.

Tug-of-war Boar Lane, 8 p.m. Children. Berger talks painting

NEWS ON 2

SCOTLAND YARD

detectives raided the offices of private in- vestigator Barry Quartermain and PRESTON: Wednesday October took away documents yesterday.

18, 7.30 p.m. Oddfellows Arms, The nine-man yard team led by Det-Chief Supt John Mount Street 'ATUA conference' Hensley, armed with search went, war- rants, to the offices in Brighton KENT: Thursday October 19, Road, Surbiton, Surrey. 8 p.m. "The Legion', Burgess 'Reinstate Road. Aylesham. Wil- The raid was the latest move liam Griffiths fitters. Prepare the in a long investigation into the conference.'

ATUA

Speakers: alleged obtaining of confidential A Griffiths' striker and leading information from government de- Kent miner (both in a personal partments and other establish- capacity). ments. The daily paper that leads the fight against the Tories. {20.28 for 12 months (312 issues) {10.14 for 6 months (156 Issues) £5.07 for 3 months (78 Issues) If you want to take Workers Press twice a week the rates are: £1.56 for 3 months (24 issues) £6.24 for 12 months (96 issues) Fill in the form below NOW and send to: 186a Clapham High St., Circulation Dept., Workers Press, London, SW4 7UG. I would like to take out a subscription to Workers Press.

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Full subscription (six days) for months Name Address Amount enclosed g I's late-night look at nature. Here David Bellamy an experiment on a tree not attempted since hose days.

BBC 1

9.15 Schools. 12.30 Nai zindagi naya jeevan. 12.55 News. 1.00 Pebble Mill at one. 1.30 Mary, Mungo and Midge. 1.45-2.00 Made in Britain. 2.05-2.50 Schools. 2.55 A chance to meet. 3.30 Master- mind. 4.00 The mole. 4.10 Play school. 4.35 Magic roundabout.

4.40 Jackanory. 4.55 The aero- nauts. 5.20 Search. 5.45 News and weather.

6.00 NATIONWIDE.

6.50 DROOPY. Homesteader Droopy: ANIMAL STARS. Deer. 7.00 7.25

MISSION

IMPOSSIBLE.

The Widow. 8.10

SOFTLY,

SOFTLY: TASK

FORCE. On the Third Day. 9.00

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NINE

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TILL DEATH US DO PART.

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Soccer, Northern Ireland v Bul- garia, Scotland v Denmark, Ireland v Russia. 10.45

MIDWEEK.

11.30

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Carry on Cutting. 12.00 Weather.

FROM OUR OWN CORI

WORKERS at the Standard Telford, Shropshire, have been ‹ against management-imposed ditions. Workers claim the new shift system and method of payment means a £2.40 cut in wages for a 42-hour week. New conditions of timekeeping and absenteeism led to four men being sacked. Two of these have been re- instated, but the management now says it will not take back the other two until the strikers return to work on their terms.

About 280 men are out, while one worker and some staff have been escorted in by police.

The men belong to the General and Municipal Workers' Union, have been told by their regional office that the strike cannot be made official without the agreement of the national executive. This body does not meet for another two weeks.

The firm supplies Goodyear Act sold

BRITISH RAIL

has its leasehold interest in Middlesex House, Wembley, for more than £lm. It has been bought by the City of Westminster Assurance Company, part of the multi- First National million pound Finance Corporation. building The 13-storey was taken over by British Rail in d Bellamy, with the ald of friends and ted since 18th century-though they

ITV

dagi 9.30 Schools. 12.05 Rainbow.

12.25 Adventures of Rupert Bear.

12.40 News. 1.00 Scotch corner.

1.30 Crown court. 2.00 Harriet's back in town. 2.30 Good after- noon! 3.00 Looks familiar. 3.30 Danger man. 4.25 Lift off. 4.50 Ace of wands. 5.20 Survival. 5.50 News.

6.00 TODAY.

6.35 CROSSROADS.

THE SMITH FAMILY. The ANd 7.00 Taste of Fear. 7.30

CORONATION STREET.

THE PATHFINDERS. Fly Adventurer. 10.00

NEWS AT TEN.

TONY BENNETT. At the 10.30 Talk of the Town with Matt Monro.

A CLASS BY HIMSELF.

11.00 The Bath Chap.

'THE

EYES

OF 11.30

FILM:

CHARLES

SAND'.

Peter Haskell, Joan Bennett. Supernatural thriller. 12.50

THE NEW MISSIONARIES.

WN CORRESPONDENT

andard Wire Company Ltd, e been on strike for two weeks posed changes in work con- and Dunlop with wire and is now supplying Dunlop from the Kid- Different derminster factory. at Kidder- agreements minster, but the Telford men feel they are a test case for the two Stewards are trying to get black all Goodyear workers to Standard products. Such support 'is vital if the strikers are not to be isolated. Telford is a 'new town'. In fact, it is an old industrial area with patches of new houses, some roads and a few factories.

Unemployment is the highest of any new town in the country, services are poor and public transport practically non-existent.

Telford Trades Council has gone on record for a General Strike to defeat the Industrial Relations Act. 1962 to house administrative staff displaced by the rebuilding project at Euston station. The building is currently being used by the North Thames Gas Board.

The sale of the valuable build- ing is part of Tory policy to hive-off British Rail subsidiaries to private enterprise and sell its land to property speculators.

REGIONAL TV

CHANNEL: 9.30-11.55 London.

1.10 News. 1.30 London. 2.30 Open house. 3.00 London. 3.30 Saint. 4.25 London. 6.00 News.

6.10 F troop. 6.35 London. 7.00 Sounds great. 7.30 London. 8.00 Hawaii Five-O. 9.00 London. 11.30 News, weather. WESTWARD. As Channel except: 12.05 London. 12.25 Wonder boy.

12.37 Gus Honeybun. 12.40 First report. 12.57 News. 1.00 London.

6.00 Diary. 11.28 News. 11.31 Faith for life. SOUTHERN: 9.30 London. 2.30 Houseparty. 3.00 London. 3.30 Danger man. 4.25 London. 5.20 Cartoon. 5.25 Crossroads.

5.50 London. 6.00 Day by day. 6.30 Survival. 7.00 Protectors.

7.30 London. 11.30 What the papers say. 11.45 News. 11.55 Guideline.

Shirley's 12.30 12.00 world. Weather. HARLECH: 9.30 London. 2.30 Houseparty. 3.00 London. 3.25 Saint. 4.25 London. 5.20 Gustavus.

Crossroads. 5.50 London. 5.25 6.01 Report West. -6.30 Jimmy Stewart. 7.00 On the buses. 7.30 London. 10.30 Stanley Baxter et's picture show. 11.00 London. 11.30 Cinema. 12.00 Weather. HTV Cymru/Wales 7 and 41 as above except: 4.25 Miri mawr. 4.35-4.50 Cantamil. 6.01-6.15 Y dydd. HTV West as above except: 6.15- 6.30 Report West. The ANGLIA: 9.30 London. Report. 1.00 London. 2.30 House- 3.00 London. 3.30 party. Fly couple. 3.55 Romper room. 4.20 News. 4.25 London. 6.00 About The Anglia. 6.35 London. 7.00 Pro- tectors. 7.30 London. 8.00 Cade's county. 9.00 London. 11.30 UFO.

ELF. ATV MIDLANDS: 9.30 London.

3.30 Saint. 4.25 London. 6.00 7.30 London. Five-O. 9.00 London. 10.30 Julia.

11.00 London. 11.30 Stories worth telling. 11.35 O'Hara. Weather.

ULSTER: 11.00 London. 1.32 News. 1.40 Schools. 2.40 Romper room. 3.00 London. 3.32 Women today. 3.55 Harriet's back town. 4.23 News. 4.25 London.

6.00 Reports. 6.35 London. 7.00 Dick Van Dyke. 7.30 London. 8.00 Bearcats. 9.00 London. 11.30 World War I. YORKSHIRE: 9.30 London. 3.30 Saint. 4.25 London. 5.20 Nanny and the professor. 5.50 London.

6.00 Calendar, weather. 6.35 London. 7.00 Protectors. 7.30 London. 8.00 Jason King. 9.00 London. 10.00 London. 10.30 Blue light. 11.00 London. 11.30 Spy- force. 12.25 Weather. GRANADA: 9.30 London. 3.25 Ugliest girl in town. 3.50 Cartoon.

4.25 London. 5.15 Primus. 5.50 London. 6.00 News. What's on.

6.30 Survival. 7.00 Smith family.

7.30 London. 8.00 Nichols. 9.00 Chicago bears. 11.00 London. 11.30 What papers say. 11.45 Living architects. TYNE TEES: 9.30 London. 2.30 News. 2.31 London. 3.25 Saint.

4.25 London. 5.20 Ugliest girl in town. 5.50 London. 6.00 Today.

6.35 London. 7.00 Protectors. 7.30 London. 8.00 Jason King. 9.00 Chicago teddy London. 10.30 bears. 11.00 London. 11.30 News.

11.45 Mod squad. 12.40 Epilogue.

SCOTTISH: 9.30 London. 2.30 Dateline. 3.00 London. 3.30 Saint.

Crossroads. 4.25 London. 5.20 6.00 Today. 6.30 5.50 London. Survival. 7.00 - Hogan's heroes. 7.30 London. 8.00 Theatre. 9.00 London. 11.30 What the papers say. 11.45 Late call. 11.50 Love American style. GRAMPIAN: 10.58 London. 1.38 Schools. 2.50 News. 3.00 London.

3.25 Women today. 3.55 Harriet's back in town. 4.25 London. 6.00 News. 6.10 Grampian week. 6.35 London. 7.00 Me and the chimp.

7.30 London. 8.00 Cade's county 8.55 Police news. 9.00 London.

11.30 Hawaii Five-O. 12.25 Meditation.

House of Lords' decision used for first time Dangers in CIR recognition of TASS

BY DAVID MAUDE

UNION LEADERS were wal the National Industrial Relatior yesterday that once it has rule trial action must stop, it is t sponsibility to see that it does.

The clear implication of this w issued during the NIRC's first judg the subject since the key House decision in July-is that the unio increasingly face actions for contem court if they fail to discipline their NIRC president Sir John Donaldsol the Transport and General Worker yesterday to stop the blacking of lor a Merseyside transport firm at Liverpool docks. The court held that on the face of it the T&GWU was accountable for the blacking.

(The Law Lords fixed respons- ibility for stewards' shop actions on their unions.)

Negotiations are continuing be- tween the union and the firm, Howitt Transport Ltd. Donaldson asked to be kept informed of developments. But Donaldson ruled un- equivocally: 'I need hardly em- phasize that the industrial action must cease.' Howitt Transport is a wholly- owned subsidiary of Howitt Bros Ltd, itself wholly owned by Mr and Mrs Howitt. Their lorries were blacked in the docks following the dismissal of two men, one of whom was steward at their Bootle shop The Howitts claim depot. the steward's dismissal had nothing work. The to do with his union court was told in evidence that the man himself, James Jones, says he was dismissed for sup- the dockers in their porting strike. Satisfied Giving judgement on behalf of himself and lay judges John Arkell and Herman Roberts, the NIRC president said that while findings were provisional they were satisfied that Jones 'played a leading part in inducing the blacking'. The court was satisfied that a similar role was played by three stewards of the anonymous T&GWU docks section and by Wally Nugent, chairman of the union's Merseyside road haulage branch. In the case of Harold Verrin- der, full-time Liverpool area official of the T&GWU commer- cial services section, Donaldson said that 'at present we have no

THE COMMISSION

Industrial Relations has re- cognized the right of TASS (the technical and super- visory section of the Amal- gamated Union of Engineer- ing Workers) to remain the sole bargaining agent for 1,430 technical staff employed by C. A. Parsons and four associated companies. The associated companies are: Sir Howard Grubb Parsons and Company Ltd, Reyrolle Parsons Automation, Electronic Materials Ltd and International Research and Development Company Ltd.

Although the CIR report, issued yesterday, appears to restore the position of TASS at Parsons, in it is a step fact towards state control of manage- ment-union relations. It is also an attempt to pressurize unions into registering under the Industrial Relations Act, since TASS is unable to seek enforcement of its recog- nition on Parsons while it remains unregistered. The report did not solve the of bargaining rights problem affecting 264 assistant managers and managers because they were 'not sufficiently union-minded.

TASS is an unregistered union and refused to co-operate with the Commission. In November 1968 Parsons ere warned by Relations Court las ruled indus- it is their re- f this warning- irst judgement on House of Lords the unions could r contempt of the ne their members. Donaldson ordered I Workers' Union ing of lorries from Alfred Blyghton, the T&GWU's legal office doubt at all that Mr Verrinder took a part and probably a lead- ing part in instigating and main- taining the blacking.' T&GWU legal officer Alfred Blyghton had argued 'both force- fully and fairly' that the union not accountable for the was actions of any of these men. He had said that no full-time union any shop official and still less steward had authority to act on own initiative in instituting any sort of industrial action.

(Earlier in his judgement,

FROM OUR OWN CORRE

resisted granting sole negotiating rights to TASS (formerly DATA) on the grounds that it would place the company in breach of national procedure agreements Engineering Em- between the ployers' Federation and other staff unions. Following industrial action by DATA members at the Tyneside however, the plant, company issued a statement. recommend- ing that technical staff should be members of their appropriate trade union and stating that they intended to negotiate only with DATA on behalf of the office technical staff. the Association of When Scientific, Technical and Man- (ASTMS) com- agerial Stafis plained to the EEF, Parsons recognized ASTMS and waived its agreement with DATA. In December, 1970,

DATA

imposed an intensive work-to- sole negotiating rights. This was 'progressive strike' followed by a beginning with 50 members and rising to 192. In May DATA won a closed- shop agreement for all technical staff below the level of assistant manager. Parsons were subsequently forced to give notice to employees who refused to join DATA. In November a Mr J. W.

legal officer entering the NIRC Donaldson had pointed out that Blyghton had made no attempt to persuade the court that it was an unfair industrial practice un- der Section 96 of the Industrial Relations Act for anyone to in- duce dockers to black Howitt Transport because of the dispute with the dismissed men.) In what is likely in the long term to be the most significant section of the court's judgement, Donaldson defined three cate- gories of industrial action in the

T&GWU:

IN CORRESPONDENT

Hill won a legal case against his dismissal in the Court of Appeal. Parsons later issued dismissal notices again to employees who refused to join DATA, but with- drew these when the Industrial Relations Act came into effect and on February 28 this year, placed the whole matter in the • hands of the CIR. In the early days of the Com- mission's inquiries, TASS mem- bers restricted working to four days a week and imposed output restrictions against redundancy proposals. There was also some blacking by TASS members of work done United by members the Kingdom Association of Pro- fessional Engineers (UKAPE)- a registered body. On April 18 and 19, 400 TASS members were dismissed by Par- to take sons for continuing The total industrial action. number sacked later rose to 800.

Subsequently, UKAPE, together with Dr Newell, secretary of the UKAPE committee at Parsons, made application to the Industrial • 54 (4) (b) Court under Section of the Industrial Relations Act for an interim order against

TASS.

An order was issued against TASS for taking irregular in- dustrial action short of a strike in furtherance of a dispute Workers Press, Wedness • Official union action, approved by the national executive or a section delegate conference; • Unofficial union action, taken without authorization but by a group of workers acting as union members; and • Unauthorized non-union ac- tion taken by union members acting as individuals. Both the first two categories were 'union activities, carried on with the authority of the union derived from the bottom and, in the case of official action, con- firmed from the top', Donaldson insisted. Determine In trying to determine whether a particular action was unofficial union action or unofficial non- union action, he said, the court had up to the present looked for promotion or support by officials or shop stewards acting as such.

But in future, evidence of sup- porting action groups union members not directly in- volved might well lead the court conclude that though to un- official, the action was union action rather than non-union action. The NIRC president warned that once an order to stop a particular action had been made, it is for the union to procure that the action ceases or un- itself equivocally to dissociate from the continuing action so that all the union's members know that the action is an un- authorized activity unconnected and unsupported by the with • union' POLICE pay talks must be post- poned until the employers-the Home Office and local the authorities-see the outcome of the talks between the govern- ment, the TUC and the CBI, the Police Federation told was yesterday. relating to a question which had been referred to the Commission.

Normal working was resumed on May 17 after an agreement had been reached between the company and TASS on redun- dancies and the reinstatement of the dismissed TASS members.

CIR

decision, Yesterday's although granting sole rights 1o TASS, cannot be enforced at Parsons since TASS is not a registered union under the Industrial Relations Act.

I would like infori Fill in the form below and

SECRETARY,

SOCIALIST

186A CLAPHAM HIGH ST, L

Name Address , Wednesday October 18, 1972 PAGE 11 THE TORY government is stepping up its corporatist policies by introducing more big businessmen into the corridors of power at Whitehall. Michael Aerospace Minister Heseltine has announced that three senior executives are to join requirement boards which will be in charge of placing contracts and overseeing prices and deliveries. The appoint- ments are: • Mr Nigel Broackes (38), founder of the property and share speculation group, Tra- falgar House Investments Lim- ited. He succeeded the late Lord Crowther, editor of the Tory The Econo- magazine mist', as chairman three years ago. Some of its subsidiaries include Cunard Steamship Company, Offshore Marine, a specialist in servicing_ offshore oil-rigs, New Homes, Ideal Cementation and Trollope and Colls. Broackes will be chairman of the ship and marine technology requirements board. • Mr John Atwell (60), chair- of Weir Engineering man Industries Limited and Weir Pumps Limited and the Weir Group. He is a member of the court of Strathclyde University, Glasgow, and sits on a com- mittee of the National Eco- nomic Development Council.

He will be chairman of the mechanical engineering and machine tools board. • Mr John Crane (49), a direc- tor of. Imperial Metal Indus- chairman (Kynoch) Limited in Birming- ham, and viçe-president of the Non-Ferrous Federation. He will become chairman of the engineering materials requirements board.

As a sop to the civil service, the Tories have given the two remaining posts to under- secretaries at the Department of Trade and Industry. • Mr John Nichols will become chairman of the computers, systems and electronics board.

• Mr Donald Clark becomes chairman of the chemical and mineral processes and plant board. The notion of introducing a requirements board was made by Lord Victor Rothschild in his first report to Edward Heath after he became the Tory leader's scientific adviser.

Rothschild's 'think-tank' sug- gested that six boards be created to ensure closer and efficient co-operation more between private contractors and government departments.

information about low and send to NATIONAL

ALIST LABOUR LEAGUE,

H ST, LONDON, SW4 7UG.

Rents: Stalinists and IS witch-hunt SLL members Double picket for cold store?

PAGE 12 Workers Press Wednesday Octo

BY PHILIP WADE

BRITISH LEYLAND truck and bus division shop stew- ards meet in Preston today to decide whether to call all out strike action in support of the workers at the occu- pied Thornycrott plant, Bas- ingstoke, Hants. This follows their threat last week that strike action would take place if Leyland failed to meet the demand of the men sitting-in at Leyland's gear-box subsidiary. without gear In any case, boxes, the bus and truck division has been grinding to a halt.

At the same time, however, the Thornycroft workers them- selves are now facing a concerted drive by national union officials and Leyland management to have the ten week occupation of the plant lifted. National officials are pressuriz- ing the occupation committee to call a meeting this week to vote Leyland's proposals again on made at York last week. The earliest such a meeting could take place would be Thursday.

Thornycroft workers fighting the sale of the factory to the Eaton Corporation of Ohio have already out-manoeuvred Leyland once this week. On Sunday they brought for- meeting originally ward a scheduled for today when the York proposals were leaked to the Press despite assurances given to them. Ley- Two meetings involving land, Eaton and union officials produced the proposals to delay the £2}m hiving-off deal until January next year and for Leyland to supply Eaton's with enough work for 740 men until 1976. But these plans were decisively thrown out by 312 to eight votes.

Many workers at the factory remain deeply suspicious of the national officials, led by Bill Johns of the AUEW, and fear a deal made with Leyland at their expense. Yesterday there was hostility to even the suggestion that national officials should be allowed into the plant. Said a picket at the gate: 'We've not seen them down here all this time. What do they want now?' Tom Lewis, secretary of the occupation committee told me yesterday the reasons for Sun- day's decision. 'The "guarantees" are still hedged around with commercial considerations and that's why they were thrown out. 'We have no means of moni- proposals. If they toring such say a gearbox is uneconomic how can we prove different? It's possible that they could for ex- ample deliberately price them- selves out of the market.

'And at the back of our minds all the time there's the fact that Eaton's only want this place for three years anyway? He said that union officials seemed to have been 'mollified' by Leyland's statement last week on their future policy. This in- volved only the closure of two small plants. 'But Leyland have put no sort their plans. Their of date on proposals might be good up to next August or September-but what about after that?' The occupation committee was yesterday locked in a long meet- ing working out their next moves.

But there is a feeling that the bus and truck although division is giving support, back- ing from the rest of Leyland's combine work- 190,000-strong force is a matter of urgency if the fight is to be won. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office. Published bv Workers Pres: High Street. London 186a Clapham

SW4 7UG.

Printed by Plough Press Ltd. (TU), Street, London, 180b Clapham High

SW4 7UG.

sday October 18, 1972 MEMBERS and supporters of the International Socialist group and the Communist Party have launched a joint purge in the Manchester tenants' movement against anyone who sympathizes with the Socialist Labour League.

They have formed an open alliance under the banner of 'no-politics' and are witch- hunting people who oppose them. Their most unprincipled attack to date was launched on Mon- day night when they packed a meeting in the University Science Their and Technology. aim was to oust Connie Fahey- one of the leaders of the Man- chester tenants' struggle and secretary of the Tenants' Associ- ation. Mrs Fahey has been singled out because, with other tenants, recommended Workers Press coverage of the rents struggle. attack Tenants! Basil Leading the Higgins, of Partington Association, proposed that the existing officers of the Associ- ation stand down to allow a new election. LORD SAMUEL Vestey, head of the multi-million-pound empire, has Vestey meat offered his golden handshake to 27 workers at his Midland Cold Storage depot-a measly £50 severance pay. The 27 Transport and General Workers' Union members who will be fired on Friday are in- their censed at the terms redundancy. The men point out they have littie chance of getting alternative employment in east London. 'We'll be condemned to the depot dole,' said. The one workers believe that Vestey will sack the remaining men in the workforce within the next three weeks. There is one suggestion that the depot workers may mount a Part of the 'Paras Out' THE UNIVERSAL hatred of revulsion the army-and the "Paras'—has so against the discredited the British ocup- ation regime in Ulster that it very likely that the seems December council election will be cancelled. In Ballymurphy at the week- end the Official IRA organized large demonstration and the subject of meeting on 'Paras Out'. Apart from the Social Demo- cratic and Labour Party and the Alliance Party, every other party will boycott the elections.

BY OUR OWN CORR

This was despite the fact that a similar attempt to get rid of Mrs Fahey had failed at a meet- ing of tenants' delegates a week ago. But chairman of the Associ- ation, John Hargreaves said that Monday's meeting should 'ignore' this earlier decision. The key vote was postponed until the end of the meeting. But uproar broke out when Mrs Fahey—who continually was shouted down-asked for the meeting to send a delegation to the All Trades Unions Alliance annual conference in Birming- ham, this Sunday. One speaker from the floor explained that the ATUA was industrial arm of the the Socialist Labour League, but any further explanation of the con- ference was drowned out by IS and Stalinist supporters.

Another leader of the attack the against Mrs Fahey and policies of the League, Pat Kearney, said he was 'too busy' to attend the conference.

Monday's uproar is the climax of the campaign waged by the IS and the Communist Party to tie the Manchester tenants' move-

BY ALEX MITC

counter picket outside the gates in an attempt to get their jobs back. Yesterday, despite a confusion of unsubstantiated rumours, dockers were still on picket duty at the store. They told Workers that newspaper stories Press about a deal between the London port shop stewards, the T&GWU Vestey and official leadership were 'a load of old rubbish'.

'We have been here for five months and we're not giving up now. We have heard nothing of any decisions which change our present policy, one docker told Workers Press. Dockers believe that Vestey is carefully preparing for further in ' the them action against Paras Out' demonstration in the Ballymurphy are William Craig-leader of the sectarian ultra-right Vanguard movement-claimed to have received reports of troops inviting Protestants to come out on to the streets and fight.

UDA

Mr vice-chairman • Herron told a Press Tommy yesterday: It is conference quite possible we may go on the offensive? Open warfare, he said, was 'one of the possibilities. •We have men trained in every aspect of guerrilla war- fare, "The Herron boasted.

VN CORRESPONDENT

ment to reformist and middle- class perspectives. Their hostility to the SIL Workers Press began when began to publish stories on the rents struggle and sell copies of the paper on the estates.

The paper was greatly appreci- ated by Manchester tenants who in showed interest the an League's policies—particularly its demand to force the Tory govern- ment to resign by uniting the tenants' struggle with the struggle in the unions. bid to stop these At first a sales was made. This failed. Then attempt to Mrs an censure recommending Fahey for the paper to tenants was made. This also failed. The main aim of the IS and the Communist Party was to stop the SLL bringing tenants, any politics into the movement. Instead a representative from the Council of Civil Liberties—a man who had great experience pro- tecting gypsies-and street action group called 'Magic' were posed as alternatives to a political fight. Their main base in the move- ment is centred on an occasional

EX MITCHELL

National Industrial Relations Court. Vic Turner, chairman of the stewards' London shop port said yesterday after- committee, noon that he could not comment on rumours that the stewards were prepared to call a 'truce' in the picketing in return for talks. 'I gave up commenting on rumours in the capitalist Press years ago', he told Workers Press. We asked him to confirm or deny a statement in yesterday's 'Morning Star' that 'London port shop stewards have provisionally agreed to lift the picketing Midland Cold Storage depot in east London for one week if the company agrees to talks with the lurphy area at the weekend British army need never again come near us. We want nothing to do with them? The UDA has claimed res- ponsibility for blowing up a fertilizer factory at Carrigans in the Irish Republic. A UDA spokesman alleged that fertil- izer for the plant was being used to make explosives in Northern Ireland. The only factor which pre- defeat and eviction vents the of the British army in Ulster now is the sectarianism Protestant and Republican leadership and not the strength of the repressive forces.

news-sheet called Rent Struggle' owned and published by IS sup- Chris Duncan and his immediate family. This public- ation desperately attempts to isolate the campaign against the Tory government and its housing policy to 'rents only. The individuals who spread this propaganda mask their own political affiliation and sympath- ies to Stalinism or the middle class revisionist policies of the Socialist International group. They say they are interested in the tenants' struggle only.

Naturally they join together in their hatred of the Workers Press and the League which never dis- guises own political pro- gramme and is not afraid to state that the only way the rents struggle can be won is by forcing the government to resign.

Duncan and his cronies talk in terms of forcing the Tories to 'retreat'. The only way these people can is by underhand operate they At all costs manoeuvre. work to confuse the must political issues within the tenants' struggle and exploit the most reactionary anti-communist • working attitudes the within class. transport workers' union on its manning'. I haven't read the "Star", but I don't know where he got that from', said Turner. '! can't con- firm or deny anything because there's nothing for me to con- firm or deny." Turner said he did not know how any confusion that had been created by the statements in the Press could be cleared up.

The National Ports Council today that container disclosed and roll-on goods traffic jumped by 2.4 million tons last year. It took the total to 19 million tons.

The report said there were 106 • roll-on berths in container and operation in Britain. The leading container port was London with 2.4 million com- a tonnage of pared 1.6 million the with previous year.

DAYS TO GO

ONCE AGAIN, we need a greater effort if we are to reach our target of £1,750 by the end of Now is the time to this month. step up the fight before it is too late. movement is growing The against the TUC talks with Heath and the CBI about state control of wages. As workers everywhere face the hardship of rapidly ris- ing prices and rents, their fight increases becomes for wage more determined than ever.

Our paper must be used to build the political leadership to The Vital take this fight forward. issue remains to mobilize • this great movement to force this Tory government to resign.

We have not a moment to lose. All our efforts must immedi- ately be turned towards the battle for this month's Fund. Workers Press must be kept out in front to lead this fight. Extra amounts must be collected. Rally around in every way you can. Make sure our target is raised in good time. Post all donations to: October Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High Street London SW4 7UG. Milli