Workers Press no. 974
1973 Read the scan at ETOL (PDF) →This text was read from the scan by machine and has not been corrected. Columns and stories run into one another, and words are misread. Use it to find things; for anything you quote, read the scan.
Scan page 1
workers press
LIVING WAGE IS
NOW A CRIME
INCORPORATING THE NEWSLE
DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENT
BY JACK GALE AND IAN YEATS
THE TORY government yesterday published legisla- tion which brings in state control over wages for the next three years. And provision exists for extending the legislation for a further 12 months.
Under the new corporatist legislation, strikes are illegal.
Unions or sections of workers who take 'any industrial action' in support of higher wages will be subjected to unlimited fines and imprisonment. The White Paper provides for complete legal control over wages while there are dozens of loopholes to allow prices to con- tinue to skyrocket. It amounts to an enormous attack on the basic democratic rights of the working class and to its standard of living. At a stroke Heath has outlawed the right to negotiate and he has slashed the standard of living of millions of working class families. He also announced that Phase One of his wages powers will be extended by another 60 days.
A spokesman for the National Union of Public Employees said: *It looks as though Heath has flipped a historical cog and gone back The clocks have been turned back to the times of Queen Elizabeth I.
410 years to the time when justices could impose penalties against those who broke wage levels which had been fixed.'
The White Paper establishes two new agencies: a Pay Board and a Price Commission. These will operate under a code to be issued by the government and their decisions will be binding under law.
Ostensibly the government and its new agencies have the power to dividends and rents for three years, with a pos- regulate prices, pay, sible extension for a further 12 months.
But in reality, while the Pay Board has clearly defined tasks, backed up by punitive legislation, the Prices Commission is affected by so many exemptions that it can clearly be seen to be a fraud. Price increases excluded from control include: (1) All imported goods ('In- creases in import costs', says the Paper, 'are a charge on the living What White standards of all of us which, as a community, we cannot avoid'.)
Paper means (2) All goods produced in Bri- tain, but dependent on import • New to control powers These include costs. manufac- wages will operate for three tured food, meat, grain, wool and years with provision for exten- metals. sion of another 12 months.
(3) Those due to Common Mar- ket entry. • A Price Commission and a Pay Board will be established.
(4) Those due to the replacement of purchase tax and selective em- Maximum flat-rate pay rise ployment tax by VAT on April 1.
will be £1 a week plus 4 per (5) Goods and services. cent of wages bill. whose prices are regulated as a result No one will get more than international agreements or £250 extra a year. exangements. This will apply, for example, steel The government's policies • through Britain's membership of will embodied in new European Coal Steel the and code which will be applied by Communities. the new agencies (6) Fresh food and other pro- • Offences under the new ducts 'subject to fluctuation from legislation include striking or external or seasonal causes.
strike threatening to against (7) All increases which manufac- the order or forcing an em- turers can justify on the grounds ployer to contravene an order of 'unavoidable' cost increases. • Penalties are £400 on sum- (8) Goods and services sold by mary conviction and unlimited auction or brought secondhand.
fines on indictment (9) Increases due to wage rises granted before the existing Act • Manufacturers can put up came into operation on Novem- prices If they can show costs ber 6. This will mean price rises, have risen the White Paper says, 'for some • 'Fair rent' Increases time to come. plan- ned for April to go-ahead (10) Rents will continue to rise.
('The government's policy Prices rises because of rents during the next stage will Common Market ex- entry rely on the Housing Act's provi- empted from control. Includes for phasing increases sions to- coal and steel wards fair rents' says the White Paper.)
E NEWSLETTER • THURSDAY JANUARY 18, 1
E CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SC
Heath electioneering in the stately surr TORY premier Edward Heath told a presidential-style news conference yesterday that he 'thanked the whole nation' for co-operating in Phase One of the Tory wage control laws.
BY A WORKERS PRES
TRADE UNIONS reacted angrily last night to the Phase Two legislation. Clive Jenkins, head of the largest white-collar union, said: The White Paper is noth- ing more than a plan to legalize daylight robbery from the pockets of workers baskets of housewives, and the The ASTMS general secretary went on: It is a licence for manufacturers to charge what they like while the worker pro- duces more, sweats more and is offered the shortest holidays in Europe.' It was disgraceful' that the government would not make an order for equal pay for women, said Jenkins, who added: "We shall urge our women members to go on strike-to make their own orders.' Frank Lynch, general secre- tary of the 120,000-strong Con- federation of Health Service pay limit Employees said the would mean as little as €1.70 extra a week for some of his members. No. 974•
ARY 18, 1973
4p
THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE
lately surroundings of Lancaster House yesterda The government was 'not going to throw away' what it had gained, he said. The Press conference, at- tended by some 300 inter- national pressmen had all the
ERS PRESS REPORTER
The secretary of the Civil and Public Services' Association, William Kendall, described the package as 'diabolical.' It will create hell and fury in the civil service and in the trade union movement generally.
A special congress of the TUC is now imperative. But some union leaders are still talking about co-operation with the Tories. A spokesman for the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers said: "The only way they can make policies like this work is by getting the co- operation of the trade unions.
They will not do it by threaten- ing, fining and sending them to prison.' But that is exactly what the Tories intend to do. The stage is now set for the biggest con- frontation between the working class and a capitalist government in the history of this country.
TURN TO BACK PAGE
30 e yesterday hallmarks of electioneering.
Heath knows that he faces a showdown with the working class who will not put up with this vicious attack on their wages and, through soaring prices, their standard of living.
The possibility still looms that Heath intends to call a snap General Election preceded by a red scare to stampede sections of the middle class into voting Tory. He then hopes to return to power to press ahead with his Phase Two and more openly repressive legislation. Answering questions he said that the code under which the Prices Board would operate *must allow for necessary in- vestment'-in other words in- creased profits must be guaran- teed. He also declared that been pay arrangements had 'observed' by the unions.
be The new boards would manned by both insiders and outsiders and the Tory premier expressed the hope that trade unionists would help to man them. Further legal attacks on the fore- working class were shadowed when Heath said that there would still be "anomalies' in Phase Two and it was the government's intention to seek powers to sort them out in the third stage.
Scan page 2
workers press
LIVING WAGE IS
NOW A CRIME
INCORPORATING THE NEWSLE
DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENT
BY JACK GALE AND IAN YEATS
THE TORY government yesterday published legisla- tion which brings in state control over wages for the next three years. And provision exists for extending the legislation for a further 12 months.
Under the new corporatist legislation, strikes are illegal.
Unions or sections of workers who take 'any industrial action' in support of higher wages will be subjected to unlimited fines and imprisonment. The White Paper provides for complete legal control over wages while there are dozens of loopholes to allow prices to con- tinue to skyrocket. It amounts to an enormous attack on the basic democratic rights of the working class and to its standard of living. At a stroke Heath has outlawed the right to negotiate and he has slashed the standard of living of millions of working class tamilies. He also announced that Phase One of his wages powers will be extended by another 60 days.
A spokesman for the National Union of Public Employees said: It looks as though Heath has flipped a historical cog and gone back to the times of Queen Elizabeth I.
The clocks have been turned back 410 years the time when justices could impose penalties to against those who broke wage levels which had been fixed.'
The White Paper establishes two new agencies: a Pay Board and a Price Commission. will operate under a code to be These issued by the government and their decisions will be binding under law. Ostensibly the government and its new agencies have the power to regulate prices, pay, dividends and rents for three years, with a pos- sible extension for a further 12 months.
But in reality, while the Pay Board has clearly defined tasks, backed up by punitive legislation, the Prices Commission is affected by so many exemptions that it can clearly be seen to be a fraud. Price increases excluded from control include: (1) All imported goods ('In- creases in import costs', says the Paper, 'are a charge on the living What White standards of all of us which, as a community, we cannot avoid'.)
Paper means (2) All goods produced in Bri- tain, but dependent import • New powers to control include costs. These manufac- will wages operate for three tured food, meat, grain, wool and years with provision for exten- metals. sion of another 12 months.
(3) Those due to Common Mar- • A Price Commission and a ket entry. Pay Board will be established.
(4) Those due to the replacement of purchase tax and selective. em- • Maximum flat-rate pay rise ployment tax by VAT on April 1.
will be f1 a week plus 4 per (5) Goods and services. whose cent of wages bill. prices are regulated as a result • No one will get more than of international agreements or £250 extra a year. arrangements. This will apply, for example, coal and steel to • The government's policies through Britain's membership of will be embodied in new Coal the European and Steel code which will be applied by Communities. the new agencies (6) Fresh food and other pro- • Offences under the new ducts 'subject to fluctuation from legislation include striking.
or external or seasonal causes'.
against threatening to strike (7) All increases which manufac- the order or forcing em- turers can justify on the grounds ployer to contravene an order of 'unavoidable' cost increases.
• Penalties are £400 on sum- (8) Goods and services sold by auction or brought secondhand.
mary conviction and unlimited fines on indictment (9) Increases due to wage rises granted before the existing Act • Manufacturers can put up came into operation on Novem- prices if they can show costs ber 6. This will mean price rises, have risen the White Paper says, 'for some • 'Fair rent' increases plan- time to come ned for April to go-ahead (10) Rents will continue to rise.
(The government's policy on • Prices rises because of rents during the next stage will Common Market entry ex- rely on the Housing Act's provi- empted from control. Includes sions for phasing increases to- coal and steel wards fair rents' says the White Paper.)
: NEWSLETTER • THURSDAY JANUARY 18, 1
E CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE S
Heath electioneering in the stately surr TORY premier Edward Heath told a presidential-style news conference yesterday • that he 'thanked the whole nation' for co-operating in Phase One of the Tory wage control laws.
BY A WORKERS PRES
TRADE UNIONS reacted angrily last night to the Phase Two legislation. Clive Jenkins, head of the largest white-collar union, said: 'The White Paper is noth- ing more than a plan to legalize daylight robbery from the pockets of workers baskets of housewives, and the The ASTMS general secretary went on: It is a licence for manufacturers to charge what they like while the worker pro- duces more, sweats more and is offered the shortest holidays in Europe.' It was 'disgraceful' that the government would not make an order for equal pay for women, said Jenkins, who added: 'We shall urge our women members to go on strike-to make their own orders Frank Lynch, general secre- tary of the 120,000-strong Con- federation of Health Service Employees said the pay limit would mean as little as £1.70 extra a week for some of his members.
ARY 18, 1973 •
No. 974 • 4p
THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE
ately surroundings of Lancaster House yesterda The government was 'not going to throw away' what it had gained, he said. The Press conferenceinter- tended by some 300 national pressmen had all the
ERS PRESS REPORTER
The secretary of the Civil and Public Services' Association, William Kendall, described the package as 'diabolical.' It will create hell and fury in the civil service and in the trade union movement generally.
A special congress of the TUC is now imperative' But some union leaders are still talking • about co-operation with the Tories. A spokesman for the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers said: "The only way they can make policies like this work is by getting the co- operation of the trade unions.
They will not do it by threaten- ing, fining and sending them to prison.' But that is exactly what the Tories intend to, do. The stage is now set for the biggest con- frontation between the working class and a capitalist government in the history of this country.
TURN TO BACK PAGE
• yesterday hallmarks of electioneering.
Heath knows that he faces a showdown with the working class who will not put up with this vicious attack on their wages and, through soaring prices, their standard of living.
The possibility still looms that Heath intends to call a snap General Election preceded a red scare to stampede sections of the middle class into voting Tory. He then hopes to return to power to press ahead with his Phase Two and more openly repressive legislation. Answering questions he said that the code under which the Prices Board would operate 'must allow for necessary in- vestment'—in other words in- creased profits must be guaran- teed. He also declared that pay arrangements had been 'observed' by the unions.
The new boards would be manned by both 'insiders and outsiders' and the Tory premier expressed the hope that trade unionists would help to man them. Further legal attacks on the working fore- class were shadowed when Heath said that there would still be 'anomalies' in Phase Two and it was the government's intention to seek powers to sort them out in the third stage.
Scan page 3
Spain: Strike fund-raisers jailed PAGE 2 Workers Press, Thursday January 18, 1973 THE APPEAL Court's ban on the documentary film about pop-artist Andy Warhol is a step towards right-wing censorship over television and all news media. Ross McWhirter, who brought the action, is a former Conservative parliamentary candidate who contested Ea- monton in 1964. In 1967 he won a court action against the governors of Enfield grammar school in an effort to halt a plan for comprehensive edu- cation. In 1970 he called on the Director of Public Prosecutions to find out if subliminal advertising had been used in a Labour Party political broadcast. The same year he took legal action against Labour Minister James Callaghan over the Boundary Commission Report. Last year he sought a court action to consider whether Mr Heath had committed an illegal act by sign- ing the Treaty of Accession to the Common Market. McWhirter's opposition to Common Market entry starts, of course, from a very right-wing standpoint. Neither McWhirter, nor the judges who banned the film, had actually seen it.
But the right wing is now in full cry. Dr David Sturdy, chairman of Mrs Mary Whitehouse's National Viewers' and Listeners' Association called the decision 'a triumph for sense and good taste' and said: 'We hope the IBA will not allow the film to be shown at a later date nor in a modified version, nor allow similar films to be seen. Lord Longford of the Festival of Light—who also has not seen the film—declared: 'I'm delighted. If what I've heard about it is true, I can only hope it will never be shown.'
What is at stake here is more than a film about the work of Andy Warhol. What is significant is that the 'way-out', bohemian wing of the middle class in practice opens the door for the extreme right to impose censorship in the name of 'decency and good taste'.
This has been one of the clarion calls behind which the extreme right has sought to mobi- lize the frightened middle class from the days of Hitler through to the Greek colonels.
McWhirter and his associates are politically very much to the right. They hope that this success will create a precedent for a spate of private prosecutions of this type. These could be directed first against artists and writers, but their real purpose is to create the atmosphere for total censorship and dictatorship.
The working class must fight all such censor- ship. And those sections of the middle class who oppose the McWhirters and Whitehouses cannot effectively do so from the standpoint of 'individualism'. They must place themselves firmly with the working class in the construction of a revolu- tionary party to end capitalism and the threat of dictatorship from the right.
BY JOHN SPENCER
between
DIVISIONS
the United States and the Com- mon Market are widening as bers will be presented with International Monetary the draft of a letter to be si Fund's Committee of 20 be- the Geneva headquarters gins detailed deliberations on General Agreement on international and Trade. monetary re- form. The letter is a formal r for the GATT to work ol The Americans have already extent to which national made it clear they want a new policies—meaning in international monetary system the EEC's common agrici with rules and regulations that policy-interfere with mo force an automatic change in adjustments. forthcoming rou currency parity when a In the coun- balance-of-pay- trade talks with try gets into Japan, the United States n ments difficulties. demanding the abolition of The main purpose of this pro- it considers to be restrictiv posal is to ensure that America's protectionist tariffs and competitors are forced to bear barriers to imports. US the of putting the cost The Nixon administrati balance of payments back into not likely to await passive the black. of outcome such The EEC countries have yet however, and the Presidi to finalize their own negotiation reported to be planning hi position, but when the Finance protectionist measures of the European Ministers favour US industry. Community met in Luxembourg According to the 'Wash this week, they agreed to oppose proposed trade legi Post'. any scheme involving automatic now being studied by the parity adjustments. House was designed on a When the Group of 20 gets term basis of perhaps five together in Paris for its next domestic indi to protect meeting in a week's time mem- facing disaster.
EIGHT
HUNDRED
"red' priests who have other ten strike close contacts with the raisers remain in jail. workers in Eibar, a small Basque nationalists and the Basque town, have been The of Eibar is town Spanish Party. Communist on strike since December under the control of armed patrolling Father Felix Vergara has police 7 for higher wages. They been freed after the streets prevent down all have visit demonstrations or meetings.
personal the 'Aguirre received activity at the Bishop San
REPORTS
have Aranzabal' Sebastian, Aragaya. the Alcala out tions factory and the tex- Vergara was involved in prison, tiles 'El Casco'. factory, a strike earlier this year in Madrid, that The fascist police have small engineering factory prisoners arrested 11 people who are with clubs in Eibar which led to the beaten of accused raising money put in solitary development of scheme ponce for the strikers' families. confinement. for the workers to own the The collections
WOLE
The women are organized through the local their While he free, the punished for churches by the so-called
BY A FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT
LEADERS OF THE French Communist Party are busily assur- ing the country's middle class that they will restrain the workers if they win power in a Popular Front at the March elections.
Writing in the party's newspaper 'L'Humanité', Georges Seguy, success of the minimal reforms which are indispensable to regulating the leader of the CGT, the country's problems social within economic equilibrium.' largest trade union federation, Seguy took issue yesterday with Gaullist also took issue with the idea that a left government would face an would claims that a left victory avalanche Some demands who at the moment were lead to a tidal wave of national- people, accept little nothing ization. would no doubt try and outbid other he said, but they didn't The Gaullists who this. amount much. made • to. Com- accusation either took the Some leaders had recently irresponsibles' munists for 'vulgar made 'menacing" threats about the raising the of spectre left demands they would put 'economic disorder' in order to Seguy government, said. Their re- frighten those electors who of the are marks were grist the mill to moving to the left, Seguy claimed. Gaullists. In any case, what they were asking for was guaranteed in the first section of the Common Programme, he claimed. nave Diate These leaders were pushing against With throwing door and DoCI even on the honesty Seguy and his social-democratic and liberal entrated comrades! In other words, according to this Stalinist worthy, the task of the work- Seguy went to state categorically ing class to keep its mouth shut for none e of without dis- until the Common Front government reasons principle and always elected- erminanom economically absurd and could only endanger the round to handing out the reforms. These are likely be The modest points of the programme are unlikely to share the foundations of French capitalism. The main reforms in the pro- gramme are the national minimum waite at 1,000 institution retirement tronac months 60 (55 for women); 40-hour, five- day family ented with a US «The In crassed The paper said: plan allowances and of extension be sent would enable the President to to Trade Inion TonIg quarters of the raise the tariff on imported Tariffs that would goods to point In return for this modest pro- domestic enable the higher Seguy promised what is anar gramme, to compete, and leave it product forma reavest perhaps the most attractive as- out the at that for one year. pect of such a government from national standpoint French 'In the second, third, fourth ThA ot the particular, the inauguration employers: of and fifth years, the tariff would «onellela be gradually reduced to its WHaT nA TARMAN an era of new relations between the state and monetary original level. That would give union movement'. the threatened industry five years _The „trace ming round of experiment with diversifica- This, he claimed, would give Europe and tion, technology and other the idea of 'participation' a pro- will be cost-saving devices, in an effort gressive social significance.
of what to make its operations economic- restrictive and ally competitive or phase out.'
and other This development towards TrO. tectionism in the United States ministration
IRANIAN
recognition of the inevitable outcome of the 1c TRA it passively the German Democratic Republic has breakdown of negotiations in the proved an embarrassment for the negotiations, monetary field since August 1971.
President the Tudeh Party Stalinists lanning his own Protectionism America whose headquarters are in to means ruin for European capi- East Germany. their which must drive all paganda Rodin Iran 0111 Cration he Washington to rob the workers of their basic Courier they have had to deny the United stater by the White means ruthless intensification controlled Iranian newspapers exploitation ned on a short- recognitior is conditional rhaps five years ment forces employers to make closure the radio station on of end to Tudeh activity in their 'economically and an industries Oneratons competitive. the
GDR.
fund- to obey an order segregat. ing political and common prisoners.
• A SPANISH
govern- ment delegation, headed by Eduardo Pena, deputy at director-general the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, arrived in Sofia, capital of Bulgaria on Monday. near The delegation will dis- been trade protocol and cuss by continue the negotiations begun by Bulgarian Stalin- in Madrid last week rapid increase in for a trade.
BY A FOREIGN
CORRESPONDENT
begins in
THE
TRIAL
Athens today of Stathis Panagoulis and 12 other people accused of conspiring to release political prisoners in Greece. One of the defen- dants is an Italian national, Lorna Caviglia. Stathis Panagoulis (26) is the younger brother of Alexandros Panagoulis, sentenced to death after an attempt on the life of Greek Prime Minister George Papadopoulos in 1968. Alex- andros is held in a special cement cell in the maximum at Boyatis security prison military camp. Friends of Stathis Panagoulis Signora Caviglia and allege that Greek agents lured them to Athens from Italy to help in an alleged escape plan. All 13 defendants are charged with conspiring to release poli- tical prisoners by kidnapping the American ambassador in Greece, Mr Henry J. Tasca, and hi-jacking an Olympic Airways plane. Alexandros Panagoulis' cell at Boyatis is really a cement tomb built specially for him. metres by 1.5 measures 3 metres and has one small window near the ceiling. There is a hole for his physical needs, but no running water.
Water for flushing it out is brought at the whim of the guards and he has been known to be without water for this purpose for several days.
Tortures inflicted on Pana- goulis include beatings with barbed wire, breaking severals ribs and his right heel with metal bar, cutting a tendon in his hands, burning his genitals with cigarettes and the inser- tion of a heated wire into his urethra. For eight months his hands were continually handcuffed behind his back. Despite these repeated tor- Panagoulis refused to tures, betray his friends. In 1970 he managed to smuggle a letter out of his prison denouncing as his chief torturers Major leotyloyan- nakos and police officers Mailios and Babalis. TOMORROW: Workers Press will publish in full a statement by Alexandros Panagoulis smuggled out of Greece.
Scan page 4
Defend democratic rights: Rally at Empire Pool, Wembley Sunday March II Pageant of workers presenting history Defend democratic rights: Rally
BY ALEX MITCHELL
PLANS ARE now well advanced for the production of four episodes of working-class history at a massive anti- Tory rally at the Empire Pool, Wem- bley, on Sunday, March II.
They will be staged in the huge audi- torium which seats more than 10,000 people. This is the second time the Socialist Labour League has mounted a rally at the Empire Pool-on March 12 last year the five national Right-to- Work marches culminated at a pop concert and rally there, attended by 8,500 people. of working-class history is The pageant being presented as part of the SLL's nation- wide campaign in defence of basic democratic rights. The rights of the working class struggleand they were won In can only be defended in struggle.
Yet the Tory government has conspired at every turn to fleece the working class of its rights.
Legislation like the Industrial Relations Act, the Housing Fin- ance Act, the amendments to Criminal Justice and the Act the Phase Two legislation now which ends the right to nego- tiate-all these measures are direct attack on the basic demo- which fore- cratic rights our fathers won in struggle. "The pageant is a further deve- THE FORMAT of a pageant was lopment work. want in this decided for several further break down all the to Roger Smith, one of the princi- old distinctions between players pal organizers, explains why: and spectators. 'The League has considerable •Workers and their families experience staging plays based on the history of the working will be taking the leading part class. and produc- At Alexandra Palace in 1970 in the presentation we "200 Years of Labour tion of the pageant. The profes- presented History". actors and directors will sional be "profes- involved not as presented "The 'Last year we sionals", members but and as English Revolution of 1640". It leaders of a revolutionary move- performed was along the ment. of the Right-to-Work marches during February and March.
pageant be- "The therefore 'Our experience taught us that not a theatrical exercise, but a weapon for education and working-class audiences respond to live drama. struggle in the class war.'
By Workers Press Reporters THE AMALGAMATED Union of Engineering Workers is faced tomorrow with another case which could lead to a further sequestration of its funds. A Glasgow haulier claims he is being 'blacked' by union members.
Sitting in Glasgow for the The action is said to follow the of the seven-week outcome first time, the National In- Scott strike by engineers at dustrial Relations Court will Lithgow shipyards last year. hear an application for Stewart-the owner of a one- a business- man -crossed picket temporary order against the lines and delivered goods to the union demanding an end to factory. For this action, he claims, the engineers who took part in the alleged blacking. the 'blacking' his strike are Court officials travelled down carTired the union's to Peckham head- In line with National Com- London quarters in south mittee policy, the AUEW execu- and handed a letter Tuesday to council not send any tive will
AUEW™
President Hugh Scanlon representative to to- informing him of the case.
morrow's hearing, which will be the Sponsoring case is NIRC's heard by the newest Glasgow Mr John haulier Sir Hugh Griffiths. judge, Stewart. The NIRC has joined two -Scott and Sons In the Goad case the companies- union €55,000 and its parent Scott has already been fined company Lithgow-to the action to assist with £6,000 costs for disobedi- ence of the NIRC's orders.
the court. illy at Empire Pool, FROM NEXT week production teams will be located in the four areas where the episodes were originally enacted. They will work in the labour union movement in and trade campaign to defend rights the won in two centuries of struggle.
Everyone interested in assist- ing the recreation of the histori- cal episodes is free to participate.
And there'll be lots to do.
Workers and their families will be asked to play parts, sets have to be built, costumes made and banners prepared. The rehearsals will be open, public affairs. Discussion will be THE NATIONAL Front in- tends staging a march and rally through Blackburn on Saturday. A similar march in ended in a violent October flare-up with counter-demon- strators. Blackburn council has refused to let the NF use its main hall for the rally. This has drawn angry comment from local Tories, who have received the widest support in the capitalist Press.
Half a page of letters was 'Lancashire published in Evening Telegraph' supporting the NF. correspondent accused One the Labour councillors of being 'dictators'. Martin Webster, the Front's national organizer, said this week his organization would be field- ing a parliamentary candidate in Blackburn at the next General Election. 'We are going to have three candidates in the local elections and it now seems certain we shall have a parliamentary can- didate too. We intend to run against Barbara Castle, and we are bound to have a big influence on the election.' Workers Press, Thursday January 18, 1973 PAGE 3 The March 12, 1972 Empire Pool rally-the culmination of marches. Young the five Right-to-Work The SLL and Socialists return to the giant auditorium for an ambitious pageant of working-class history.
launched on the widest basis 1890 to 1900 which culminated about the revolutionary history in the Taff Vale judgement on of the British working class and the rail unions. the immediate fight which lies in When the unions found they front. could no longer defend them- Four outstanding episodes of selves in a purely industrial way, working class history have been they took the political road and chosen to be presented. formed the Labour Party.
IN THE
based IN London the work of Karl north-east, on Tyneside and Wearside, the his- Marx will be re-asserted. Marx, tory of the struggle to build the founder member of the First will be activated. The International, also led the fight unions of Will Jobling, the for the legal eight hour day and execution miners' leader, will be re-enacted.
his daughter, Eleanor, played a prominent role in the building Jobling was hanged, tarred and of the gasworkers' union.
gibetted on Jarrow Slate. Work- removed his body and ers ater ROGER SMITH says: 'We'll be secretly buried it. lifting the curtain of history. We to cities and towns going where working-class history AT Middleton, in Lancashire, the was fight made and we are going to acti- will tor the be vate that history. created. It will show the Chartist Movement's campaign _from "This tradition of struggle is petitioning parliament, to kept from the working class. The General Strike finally to bourgeois Press, ano the schools and armed insurrection. the reformists the in labour movement want to hide this past from workers. AT Merthyr Tydfil in Wales the local labour movement will be lift the lid and want to of the did it then, re-examining ten years say: you can do it now"' legal attacks on the unions from Socialist Labour League Yorkshire Rally
FORCE THE TORY
GOVERNMENT TO RESIGN!
BUILD THE
REVOLUTIONARY
PARTY!
SUNDAY JANUARY 28, 7.30 p.m.
Great Northern Hotel, Wellington Street (near Leeds station),
LEEDS
OF WORKERS PRESS
Speakers: G. HEALY (SLL National Secretary) PAUL WHETSTONE (Young Socialists) In personal capacity:
GEORGE LUBY (U.P.W.)
ROBBIE ROBERTS (N.U.M.)
Scan page 5
GAITSKELL
By Jack Gale. Part one: The Man the Tories loved PAGE & Workaro Press, Touraday deno Ten years ago today—on January 18, 1963—Hugh Todd - Naylor Gaitskell died in a Middlesex hospital in a room pre- viously occupied by Win- ston Churchill. All over Britain, flags were flown at half-mast—a privilege usually reserved for heads of state or royalty. In parliament, after fulsome tributes from Tory premier Harold Macmillan, George Brown declared from the Labour benches that Gaitskell.
had been responsible for 'a new approach, a new method' on the part of the Labour Party. Who was Hugh Gaitskell and what were his 'achievements'?
The son of a British civil servant in Burma, Gaitskell attended the Dragon School at of the most Oxford--one exclusive and expensive pre- day January 18, 1973 paratory schools in the land.
From there he went on to Winchester, one of the top public schools, where two of his contemporaries were Richard Crossman and Douglas Jay. He graduated at New College, Oxford, and in 1934 he went to Vienna under a Rockefeller grant for economic study. One of his close com- panions there was Kim Philby -who, in 1963, turned out to Russian agent have been a along with Burgess and Maclean. Elected Labour MP for south-east Leeds in 1945, Gaitskell became parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Fuel and Power in 1940, be- came Minister himself in 1947, was placed in charge of the Treasury in 1949, appointed Minister of State for Economic Affairs in 1950, and Chancellor of the Exchequer the same year. He became leader of the nd. Parliamentary Labour Party in: December 1955, receiving 157 votes against 70 for Aneurin Bevan and 40 for Herbert Morrison. A successful personal career.
But what were his achieve- ments for the labour move- ment? His one and only budget, in April 1951, was based on what he called 'the clash between Soviet imperialism and the parliamentary democracies' The previous year he had nd fully supported the American war of aggression in Korea and advocated 50-per-cent increase in military expenditure. In his budget he insisted on a ceiling rise of f50m in the National Health Service- with rising costs, which, amounted to a fundamental the service. In attack on addition, he imposed charges amounting to £13m on spec- tacles and dental treatment in order to finance an arms budget of £4,700m brought about mainly by the Korean war, as well as by continued colonial aggression in Malaya, which Gaitskell fully sup- ported. Within three months the trade gap had widened to €500m, gold and dollar reserves dwindling rapidly--and were Gaitskell's proposal for deal- ing with this was to call for "postponement' of wage claims. This right-wing stance split lad the Labour Party. Bevan, Harold Wilson and John Free- man resigned over the health service cuts. In 1949, when in charge of the Gaitskell had Treasury, visited the United States to appeal for more steel from America to assist the British American news- economy. at the time reported papers that Gaitskell had been told that the American government would help out, but that they were concerned at the 'Welsh- man' in the Labour Cabinet.
Left: Hugh Galtskell In 1947 shortly after he became the new Minister for Fuel and Power in the post-war government of Clement Attlee. There is some ground for supposing, therefore, that Gait.
skell-who throughout career consistently followed laid down by the the line Americans over Marshall Aid, the Berlin airlift, the formation of NATO, Korea, Suez and nuclear weapons-deliberately cut into the health service to provoke Bevan's resignation. Certainly, a £13m cut was bound to bring about a major split. The Bevanite centrists gained substantial support in the ranks of the Labour Party being regarded as the tendency that fought for socialist policies against the right-wing 'mixed- Attlee, economy' trend of Morrison and Gaitskell. This was reflected in the for the constituency votes parties section of the NEC in 1952. The Bevanites gained a victory while total right- wingers Morrison and Dalton were ousted. Gaitskell, though soon to be party leader, could never win election to the NEC through the constituencies section. It was after the 1952 con- ference that Gaitskell said that Labour Party conferences were 'mob rule', that most of the resolutions and speeches were 'communist-inspired' and that one in six constituency delegates were 'communists or fellow-travellers. Tribune', he declared, was *an invitation to dısloyalty and disunity. This was the beginning of a witch-hunt that went as far as removing the Labour whip from 'Tribune'-ite MPs on one occasion and an attempt to expel Bevan himself. It was this which endeared Gaitskell to the right-wing leaders of the trade unions— in particular Will Lawther and Sam Watson of the National Union of Mineworkers, and Arthur Deakin of the Trans- Workers' port and General Union. These leaders had come to the top in the trade union movement after the defeats of 1926 and 1931. They were imbued with a deep respect for capitalism and contempt for their own members. Gaitskell was their man. Overwhelm- ingly, they supported him against Bevan for party treasurer in 1954. The following year the Labour Party again lost a General Election-the Tory majority going up from 17 to 58. At the ensuing party con- ference, Gaitskell launched his open attack on Clause 4—the clause in the party's constitu- tion that calls for nationaliz- ation of the means of produc- tion, distribution and exchange.
The constitution, he de- clared, needed 'bringing up to One month after being date'. • elected party leader he attacked the 'stale slogans' of nationaliz- ation. At the 1957 conference he again attacked nationalization, declaring 'we are evolutionists, not revolutionists. On the eve of the 1959 con- ference--after he had led the Labour Party to its third successive disastrous deteat, giving the Tories a majority of 107—he continued his course to the right. This time he declared pub- licly: "We do not intend, any of us, to implement Clause 4 fully, and I regard it as my duty to say so At the conference he said: 'Clause 4 cannot possibly be regarded as adequate and it lays us open to continual mis- representation' Gaitskell was not able, how- to push through the ever, dropping of Clause 4. Opposi- tion throughout the party ranks was enormous, with a 'Defend Clause 4' campaign being launched.
CONTINUED TOMORROW
Scan page 6
WHY ITALIAN CP
COMMON MARKET
Italian Communist Party support for the Common Market was made clear in a recent discussion on Hungarian TV in which Giorgio Amendola, leading member of the party, took part. Present with Amendola, who sits in the Italian delegation to the Council of Europe, was the Secretary-General of that body, Lujo Toncic-Sorinj. This body was founded in 1947 to achieve greater unity between its members and to safeguard their European heritage and to facilitate their economic and social progress'. One of its members is Tur- key which is carrying out a barbarous repression of all opposition elements under conditions of martial law.
The Hungarian link-man in the said that programme Italian Communists were the first to seat truly leftist dele- in the European Parlia- gates ment' Following Toncic - Sorinj's statement that in present cir- cumstances a European parlia- representatives ment with from East and West was not possible but that conferences on particular questions were, Amendola said: I am a firm believer in European unity. I believe that the European Security Confer- ence will create an atmosphere in which co-operation becomes possible between that part of Europe which is affiliated to the Economic Community and the rest' He went on: 'We must strive for the democratic transform- ation of Europe so that West- ern Europe should turn from a tool of big monopoly capital into a basis for co-operation with that part of Europe which has socialist foundations. That is the goal we are fighting for.
We can count on our side on Writings af
WRITINGS OF
Leon Trotsky
TEON TROTSKY
1877-38 (938-9)
WRITINGS OF
LEON
LEON
TROTSKY
11933-341 (1934- 35) Six volumes of Trotsky's writings during the years 1933-1940 £8.00 Including postage Please tick those you requi Name .... Address Complete form and post to: New Park Publications, 18 A New Park Publicat forces, like the working class of Britain and Denmark which opposed the entry of those countries into the Common Market, to co-operate with us the transformation of on Europe from within so that the way should become free for contacts with the whole of Europe and progress towards future Europe, a united Europe based socialist on principles.' What this means is that the Italian CP is looking to other Communist Parties to adopt its policy of accepting the Com- 'reality' and mon Market as a entering its institutions in order to 'transform' it. Not for nothing did the 'Workers Press' describe Amen- dola after his interview with "The Times' last year as 'an Italian Roy Jenkins'. At that time he described participation in the European Parliament at 'useful'; 'We have Strasburg as learned a lot from it'. He then said that he would if Britain joined the rejoice Common Market, or as he put it; if 'the British working class will come in and bring its contribution to the democratic transformation of the commun- ity. It is significant that he is now being invited to express his views on East European TV stations along with confirmed of the Common supporters Market and a capitalist Europe such as Tonic-Sorinj. Amendola acts as a spokes- man for the Kremlin bureau- cracy. Not only does his party betray the Italian working but he takes part in class, preparing the working class of Hungary workers' and other for deal between states a COMECON and the Common Market. This acceptance of means the existing division of Europe and opening up Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union to West berlinguer, head of ti European finance capital.
• a 'reality' and ent
TROTSK
History of Russian Revolution Trotskya documentary Francis Wyndham —special gift pack and David King of three volumes {1.70 including postage £1.65 including postage u require. Amount enclosed f post to: ions, 186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG Publications Booklist is a vailable, free, on request.
Workers Press, Thurs head of the Italian CP which accepts the Common Market " and enters Its Institutions to 'transform' it.
Spanish shipyards are con- tinuing to attract British con- cumentary by The British and tracts. Commonwealth Shipping Com- pany has placed an order for a further 80,000-ton bulk carrier.
is to be built The carrier with Astilleros Españoles : SA of Madrid in its Sestao Yard. The ship, to be named 'King George', will be delivered in October 1974. A sister ship, 'King William', is now under construction the same yard and is expected to be launched later this year.
The 'King George' will be the fifth bulk carrier in the British and Commonwealth fleet, bringing the total ton- nage for that type of ship to nearly 350,000 tons. 63, Thursday January 18, 1973 PAGE 5 Ruhr steelmakers want to cheaper coal access from other Common Market countries instead of having to use local supplies. This was made clear by Dr Hans-Gunther Sohl, head of the Thyssen concern who was also one of the founders of the Ruhr-Kohle A.G. set up • in 1968 to rationalize production in Germany's main coalfield.
Coking coal is supplied by this combine at prices below cost of production with the help of a government subsidy.
Thyssens, biggest coal con- sumer in West Germany with more than 7 million tons annually, still has to pay more than its European competitors.
Growing costs of production mean that the government sub- sidy will have to rise if prices are to be kept down, which is not likely. Thyssen and other German steel producers want to be able to buy cheaper coal on the world market. They also want to be able to acquire their own mines in foreign countries.
Thyssens have also proposed that they should take back the mines ceded to the Ruhr-Kohle S.A. so that they can carry through a ruthless rationaliz- ation programme. This would mean wholesale sackings and intensified exploit- ation of Ruhr miners. If it does not get its way Thyssens are threatening to move part of their investments to foreign countries. The Ruhr coal industry is suffering from overproduction because its prices are not com- petitive. The Social Democratic government of Willy Brandt is considering a plan to slash coal production still further in the interests of the big monopo- lies both in the steel industry and in the oil and natural gas industry. China is trying to outbid the Soviet Union in offering crude oil to japan. A four-man mission repre- senting Japanese business in- terests is visiting Peking to consider purchasing Chinese oil. The oil will come from China's Taiching oilfield in Heilungkiang province. The Japanese are quite familiar with the area, which lies in what was once their puppet state of Manchukuo recovered by China in 1945.
If the negotiations are successful a joint company will be set up to handle the trade.
The offer is bound to have a bearing on the current move by Japanese capitalists to participate in the development of the Siberian oil industry.
China's oil resources are believed to be considerable but largely untapped. are Machinery and equipment em- bodying advanced technology will be required to expand pro- duction. Peking may be hoping to obtain this from Japan in exchange for oil.
Scan page 7
Trotskyists are behind- PAGE 6 Workers Press. Thursday Januar: 18. 1973
RIGHT
WING
OFFICIAL
LEADS
ANTI-
TROTSKYIST
BY IAN YEATS
Since December 21, 350 electricians employed by a Newcastle contractor at the Site Anchor steel plant have been locked in a bitter fight. On that day Watson Norie Ltd sacked 38 men working to maximum safety as part of a campaign improve
CON-
which had claimed the ditions lives of seven men and injured 300 others throughout the site.
If this issue alone was not for and cause enough anger resentment, there have been plenty of others in the last 2 months The claim Watson nuca Norie has applied 'iron-fist' tactics against them at every available opportunity. They say that last August, than fork Bank rather out Holiday Norie's pay, sacked the entire work force, rehiring them at staggered intervals.
In September, 200 men were dismissed for demanding the extra payments outlawed by the JIB and within 36 hours of calling their Une electricans work-to-rule before Christmas, all overtime was cancelled and a three-day holiday agreement scrapped. In the last two years men working for all but one of the other contractors have at some time been involved in strikes and works-to-rule. In the first six months of last year alone there had been nine strikes and three works- 1,200 to-rule involving over ranging from men on issues frozen lavatories to bonus pay- ments. This explains why today there are 2,700 electricians and construction men on strike in demand for support ot the reinstatement of the 38 men Watson Norie sackea by December 21. Steel Corpor- ation has always insisted that each contractor must be res ponsible for its own industrial relations, but last year the men formed an unofficial joint shop stewards' co-ordinating and which Conce is still pressing for recognition.
Since began in 1970, the electricians have made persistent calls the EPTU to intervene at the stole that nothing could be dere but each time they were sday Januar: 18. 1973 50 unless the employers were in breach of the jIB agreement.
About six months ago the electricians took matters into their own hands and set up their own joint shop stewards' committee. The EPTU refused to recog- nize the stewards or to give them credentials on : the grounds that their actions were aimed at undermining the JIB agreement. The effect of the JIB is notorious throughout the in- dustry. Unrest against the JIB has simmering been among electricians for some time, but at Scunthorpe it has reached boiling point. After last year's strikes against the site's contractors the JIB issued an aggressive, uncompromising statement that it would not condone unconsti- tutional and unauthorized stoppages. The EPTU says the present stoppage fits into these cate- but has pledged to gories fight for the reinstatement of the sacked men once every- one else is back at work.
Area secretary of the EPTU, Mr L. H. Hancock, has done everything possible to get the men back to work. He even went so far as to administer a secret company ballot calculated to prove that the shop stewards were acting on their own. Papers were sent to each striker together with a stamped marked 'Watson envelope Norie Ballot' and addressed to L. H. Hancock. Hancock refused to reveal how many votes were received.
All he would say was that they were four to one in favour of a return to work. On January 6 the company placed an advert on the back of Scunthorpe the page 'Evening Telegraph' inviting all its men to go to work normally on Monday January 8—the day the stewards planned to strike in support of the sacked 38. On the front page, in the Hancock lead story, was quoted as saying his union was even prepared to lead onto the site any men who wished. But he went further than that. In the same article he began, what electricians' strike Stewart Stevenson leader
ET•U
EXHIBITION WORKERS
REJECT 1-1•B
W.N. Bellot Mr. L. H. Hancock, Area Sceritary, B.E.!.P.I.U., 32А Deponster 100d ün
WATSON NORIE LIMI•
ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS
Head Office and Works Scunthorpe Area Offic 151 High Stree incomblee noad, valk ewcastle upon Tyne NE6 3P Scunthorpe . Tel: Wallsend 627411-8 (8 lines) Telephone: Scunthorpe 61041 (STD Code 0724) STD Code 0632 elephone: 01-242-1910 and 1919 Telex: 537412 (Knowatt Ntyne) Please reply to:
YOUR REF
OUR REI
I AM IN FAVOUR OF A RETURN TO NORMAL WORKING
I AM NOT IN FAVOUR OF A RETURN TO NORMAL
WORKING
MARK X AGAINST ONE STATEMENT
the Anchor troubles ALks began in Lon- C 4350 Industry M sce and to
E.T.U. OFFICIAL
bad not been repressed - don on Tuesday over Lhe issue which nut 6.500 received sirike has paralysed BSC's Anchor works. Top to bottom: Electricians in 1967 on march to 'Reject the
JIB'
Norle's ballot form with secret envelope addressed to the union. Local Press headline selzed on EPTU area secretary L. H. Hancock's red-scare allegations.
called, •MacCarthyist-style other sites in the astonished world that the em- witch-hunt' blaming the Anchor This is linked with battled and allegedly Trotsky- country. strike on International Social- the Trotskyites.' ist-led strikers had threatened ists enTra skyis Telegraph: before, Watson The day him over the telephone. told Norie sent letters to all its Under banner headlines the 'There's no doubt in my mind beginning: "The paper emphasized his remarks employees, that the International Socialists company is aware that many in heavy black type: of its employees have recently are the instigators of a lot of "The threats have been made the political of trouble been forced against their will against myself, family and wife type on that site and will seize on join in unofficial strike in particular. One or two have any problem to make capital action by intimidation and mentioned battery acid. of out of it.' threats violence from Significantly Hancock's red The "Telegraph' said: 'He minority group? made before Was also named the Trotskyites as Hancock used the opportun- strike in support of the 38 being 'Tele- behind the formulation ity men began at noon on January given him bi of labour unrest.". Said Han- graph expand the to point. cock: I have no doubt about Coupling his remarks to 'Trot- Throughout the week he it. We also know of the con- skyite influence', he said: 'Men followed up his remarks both tact that people on the site allege there's been quite a lot in the Press and on Humber- got with the people up of intimidation by side have people to radio with allegations and down the country. get them to conform.' that anarchic, anti-trade 'Support has the Aginer given week later, on January union was financially from the 12, was able tell the destroy the union. he told still unte sible selv bein fash A noot Nor resp com Han were othe were A alleg agail and the 2,75 strik
Scan page 8
ind es on Local e em- otsky- tened 's the made wife have s red e the 38 Inuary he both mber- ations -trade ut to opposition furthe: On the eve of the strike he alleged that he • threatening told the 'Telegraph': 'We are still hoping, in the end, that the moderates and the respon- sible will assert them- men selves and stop themselves being dragged around in this fashion.' • . at 12 All to no avail noon precisely all the Watson Norie men downed tools in response to the call from the unofficial joint shop stewards' committee. On Wednr Jay, January 10, Hancock told me over the tele- phone that 'the lads at the site were doing their best' to get other sections out, but they were having 'a thin time'.
As the week ended with his allegations of acid threats against himself and his family and his repeated assertion that isolated, the strikers were 2,750 other men had joined the strike. Last Tuesday, after a mass meeting of the men at Redpath Dorman Long, nearly 3,000 of the 4,000 strong site, including every single electrician, were out on strike. Resolutions to were sent EPTU headquarters demand- ing Hancock's resignation and official backing for the strike against what the men claimed victimization by clear was Watson Norie of men who had stood up for their rights and participated in legitimate tade union activity. Strike leader Stewart Steven- son told me outright: 'Watson Norie sacked the two shop stewards and the others were handpicked as ringleaders.'
'If they get away with it here, they'll get away with . it at every site in the country.'
A top-secret report of an inquiry into labour relations at the Anchor site, drawn up by the JIB, is characterized by its outstanding determination to stamp out basic democratic rights. It was drawn up after a lodgings and travelling allow- campaign waged ance un- officially by the men last year.
The report concluded: signs that There are the militant group on the site, anticipating that the Regional Board [of the JIB] might resolve the travellir; time and fares problem, are attempting to gain support on the pay issue. "This can only be countered by greater education on site.
Industrial relations training should be given to manage- ment and joint shop repre- sentatives IJIB-approved shop stewards] under the auspices of the Regional Board.' Earlier, the report noted in underlined type: "The crucial issue is that of the payment of Workers Pross, Thurs travelling time and fares which, if the Yorkshire RJIB can resolve it, can give the EPTU and the JIB a good chance of achieving control of the site.
If not the men on the site are likely to attempt to achieve their payment by strike action.'
In the summer of 1972 the JIB also suspected trouble, as we have seen, over pay. The men had been given a f2 site allowance in April and no new application could be considered until October. The report was It noted that counter to any attempt to stir up feeling' would be to begin developing the case for a pay rise right away stressing that the JIB would not recieve any claim in response to 'uncon- ces stitutional action'. The role of the JIB agree- ments as a blueprint for corp- oratism could hardly be more clear. b08, Thursday January 18, 1973 PAGE 7 The Joint Industry Board for the Electrical Contract- ing Industry established in 1967 is a virtual blueprint for trade unionism under the corporate state. Brainchild of the most rapacious employers and the most right-wing union lead- ers, it operates a series of no less than 82 rules which circumscribe and hedge round workers' rights to fight for wages. Any breach of these rules renders men liable for cen- suspension, the re- sure, moval of all benefits or fines of up to £100. The true class-collabora- tionist flavour of the Joint Industry Board is contained in this paragraph from the explanatory notes distributed to workers by the board itself: 'All must pull their weight, not in the selfish in- terest of any individual or even the electrical contract- ing industry, but the Nation' (the capital N occurs in the original). Here are just a few fur- ther sample quotations from the notes: • 'These rules . . . will out- law unauthorized stoppages of work and generally mod- ernize methods of work' • 'There must be a new spirit of enthusiasm and efficiency in the industry in order to earn the rewards which the JIB can bring about' • 'Time-wasting must stop, men must start and stop on jobs at the proper time and not abuse meal breaks? • 'The JIB will introduce methods to measure and assess productivity including work-study, new methods of work and the training of management and men? The JIB was greeted by Ray Gunter, arguably the most right wing of Labour's Ministers, in the following terms in August 1967: 'I welcome its establishment and I am confident that it will be a valuable instrument for the improvement of relations and efficiency in the industry. Small wonder that almost every major dispute in the industry in the five-and-a- half years has taken place in bitter combat with the JIB and the union leaders who sit on it. The Leeds City EPTU branch passed the following resolu- tion at a packed meeting on Monday night. 'That this meeting believes that the JIB is an organiza- tion which functions in the interest of the employers and had succeeded in keeping down wages of sparks below those of other trades in the building industry. 'We demand that the ex- ecutive council terminates all agreements and withdraws from the JIB making this organization null and void and that the EC call a na- tional strike of all members employed in the contracting industry in order to secure the increases agreed in June 1971, plus £10 and five hours off the working week. 'We recognize that to win these demands we must take on the Tory government and unite with other workers to bring this government down?
Scan page 9
ORGANO DEL COMITE CENTRAL DE LA LIGA COMUNISTA
PCP hacia el VI Congreso Special correspondent JUAN GARCIA examines Stalinism and Trotskyism in Peru following the attack by Pompeyo Mares of the Communist Party on the Liga Comunista, which works in solidarity with the
WHY THE PERUVIAN STALINISTS
PAGE 8 Workers Pross, Thursday January 18, 1873 en solidaridad política con el Comité In
AÑO 1 NO 14
El último número del sema- Unidad publique tal amenaza Partido Comunista en primera página es, de hecho, nario del Unidad, publica en primera pá- un apoyo a una amenaza dirigi- da contra el propio Partido Co- gina la parte más amenazadora del reciente discurso del dicta- munista. dor Velasco en Iquitos. El que Ningún editorialista de Uni- Special correspondent JUAN GARCIA examines Stalin by Pompeyo Mares of the Communist Party on the Li International Committee of the Fourth International. Part As the Peruvian Trotsky- hostility to the working class and its organizations. ists have tirelessly shown A forum government on in the pages of 'Comu- Industrial Communities at the nismo, Lt-General Juan end of October 1972 was a particular exercise in baiting Velasco's military regime the working class. is not independent from A of quotations selection US imperialism. from the Peruvian capitalist Press gives a clear idea of the It is attempting to establish one-sided participation envis- dictatorship to a corporatist between and to intensify aged workers allow imperialism The Peru. employers. its exploitation in For example General Graham: first targets of this dictatorship Communist Party and "The rank and file of the unions are the CP-dominated
CGTP
cannot be formed by the flock (union federation) themselves.
of lambs willing to be led by four leaders If the state Pompeyo Mares devotes a of his pamphlet to section does not limit wage increases, Party members that the will assuring whole structure this is rubbish and that Velasco collapse. is only opposed to APRA and Barandarian, Minister of 'ultra-left' groups. Commerce: 'The increase in out for praise He singles demands, wage without
SINAMOS,
the corporatist similar increase in productivity, which the military body with will lead to a decrease in re- hopes to destroy the Peruvian investment and can even 'a new juncture trade unions as our firms from the eliminate to allow the masses to parti- Group. Latin Andean (A cipate in various aspects of American version of the Com- social activity'. mon Market.) received a sharp The Sala Orozco, Minister of policy of sup- defeat when its Labour: "Real revolutionaries for
SINAMOS
de- port was work more than eight must Organization feated at the hours a day... of the
CGTP,
Conference Raymundo Duharte, mainly as a result of the inter- pre- sident of the National Society vention of the Liga Comunista.
of Industry, the The Peruvian military junta main em- ployers' organization: 'I am a has made little secret of its
TRAL DE LA LIGA COM
nité Internacional de la IV Inter
SEMANA DEL 16 AL 22 DE OCTI
dad es tan ingenuo como para pensar que tales amenazas del tas" dictador van dirigidas sólo con- tra la llamada "ultraizquierda".
lanto el gobierno como el PCP saben cuál es la verdadera in-
DOORIAN
Stalinism and Trotskyism in Per the Liga Comunista, which work: I. Part Five Gustavo Espinoza (right), Stalintst lead revolutionary conscious of what I want • . • The government must go forward. We cannot allow this government to fail ... if this were to happen] the deluge will come and we would all be ruined.' Juan Velasco was explicit the deluge which so about terrified the junta: 'On the other side [opposed to the 'revolution'] are ... communist organizations whose positions incompatible with the are position and perspectives of the Peruvian revolution. They are all irreconcilable enemies of the task we are accomplish- ing." The CP weekly 'Unidad' in V Internacional
DE OCTUBRE DE 1972
fluençia de los "ultraizquierdis- tas" en los sindicatos. Los pe riodistas de Unidad saben tam- bién, por lo tanto, que el chan- (Pasa a la pág. 2) in Peru following the attack h works in solidarity with the of the COTP with Velasco.
an article headed, 'Firm in the process', described the if it were an academic as seminar: 'Night after night, ministers, industrialists and leaders of the various com- munities have been exchanging ideas and elucidating various problems.' Police and army are con- stantly in use against strikers, and strikers have been killed in at least four towns by state forces. At the end of Septem- ber, General Graham threatened more: 'For four years the men who have been trained to kill have had their arms hidden preaching peace.' Left: the front page of the Octo- ber 16 issue of the weekly paper of the Liga Comunista calling for the defence of the CP against threats from the dictatorship.
(photo of CP meeting) In the years of peace' in Cobriza, students in miners the universities and protesting housewives and their husbands in Arequipa and Puno were shot down in bloody massacres.
What are Generals Graham and Velasco planning in 1973?
The Mares pamphlet gives some suggestions-go out and search for the members and the printing press of the Liga Comunista who endanger the revolutionary' process. What is more, CP members should lead the way for the hunt against the police "Trotsko-CIA'! Although Mares keeps a diplomatic silence on the Moscow trials and the physical elimination of Trotskyists dur- ing the 1930s, Jorge del Prado and the leadership of the Peruvian CP are fully part of the Stalinist tradition. The Kremlin bureaucracy must at all costs prevent the establishment of the Fourth International in Peru and its extension into the rest of Latin America. Kosygin and Brezhnev are prepared to see the sacrifice of the PCP in as much as it is an independent workers' organization. That is the logic of support for corporatism, and has led to massacres of CP in Indonesia, Sudan members and elsewhere. Hence, the vicious slander- ing of the policies of the Liga Comunista. The ridicule only covers up Stalinist fear of a movement based on principle.
This is not a movement like the POR in Bolivia which, under the leadership of Guil- lermo Lora, co-exists with and Stalinists in nationalists a bogus anti-imperialist revolu- tionary front. This is not a movement which champions the bearded heroes in Havana who were the new 'natural' Marxists of the Unified Secretariat Pablo- ites. The Liga Comunista has, from its inception, fought for the development of revolution- ary consciousness in the Latin American It has masses. struggled against idealizing the spontaneous movement, how- heroic. This creates ever genuine fear in the Peruvian Stalinist movement. The Liga has established itself as a serious alternative to Stalinism because it has based itself on all the theo- retical gains of the Marxist movement, in particular, their extension by the International Committee of the Fourth Inter- national (ICFI) in the struggle against Pabloism and the supporters of spontaneity in the French organization Com- muniste Internationaliste.
It has refused to compromise with the Stalinist and centrist concept of pushing the so- called 'revolutionary process' to a "successful conclusion'.
The slanderous lies from the Mares-del Prado clique must be repudiated by the inter- national working class which has entered the decisive year for the struggle for socialist revolution. The Liga Comunista is showing the power of Trotsky- ism to lead this struggle in the traditions of the Bolshevik revolution. The sections of the ICFI will Liga's be inspired by the struggle to redouble efforts to destroy Stalinism. We are confident that Stalinist lies cannot hide from fact that the the masses Stalinism is the main prop of counter-revolution in the pro- letariat. The ability of the young Trotskyist movement in Peru to begin to break the prole- tariat from Stalinism is living proof that the sections of the Fourth International can gain the leadership of the working class and put an end imperialism and its agents.
Scan page 10
ceremony in which he had himself promoted from Colonel to General. Banzer has also General handed gift the out to Phillips Brothers and US Steel in the form of $13.4m com- pensation to the former owners of the Mathilde Zinc Mines.
The final offer in the Banzer package has been a of state emergency aimed at suppress- ing all strike movements.
The citizens sat gripping the edge of their chairs. Their platform. leader rose on the 'Mantua looms large on the President erry financial fiscal horizon a Juan Bordaberry of as President fortress, surrounded by a moat Uruguay allowed wages to in- of cash stubbornly crease by 40 per cent in 1972.
reserves, resisting the missiles of deficit The new year began with spending, burdensome taxation a government declaration of a and the whims and wailing of 35 cent wage increase per special interests.' dating from January 1. The speaker was the Mayor The organization secretary of of Robert Thomas. Mantua, the Uruguayan trade union He was speaking on behalf of Felix Diaz, confederation, the 1,200 residents of Mantua said that the increase was the in Ohio. fruit of the by struggle workers'® Before you get your ticket for Montevideo, it is worth The saga of the Leeds police remembering that the cost of • continued. Roy Caisley living rose by 90 per cent in (42), former Leeds police a 1972 and is going to rise even chief inspector, has just been more steeply in 1973. cleared of shoplifting charges.
Uruguayan workers in fact He denied stealing cigars, had their wages cut by 50 per meat and coffee from a super- cent in 1972. market. When the jury failed after three-hour to agree a retirement, Mr D. I. Clarkson, Leeds Crown Court the registered a verdict recorder, of not guilty. Caisley's wife Hannelore of was found guilty stealing and jailed for cigars was total of nine months. She had admitted stealing coffee and meat. The Labour Party's general Hayward, Ron Mr secretary, has said that plans for nation- alizing the banks and insurance under a future Labour govern- ment are going ahead. The recent discovery of a vast He told Fabian a school conspiratorial plot in Cocha- that a study group was work- bamba in Bolivia by Minister ing 'on how these two sectors of the Interior Adett Zamora should nationalized, be not whether is the 3lst red plot discovered they should be since the Banzer regime came nationalized'. to power 16 months ago. This astonishing statement Thirty suspects have comes from a Labour leader- been arrested the number same ship that won't even give en- released as a special Banzer couragement to its supporters amnesty gift announced at a who defy the Tory rent Act.
LEON TROTSKY:
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REVOLUTION:
•FAILURE OF A
Germany 1918-19. By Sebastian Rapp. Andre Deatsch. 82.50.0000 Haffner. Translated Georg strated. Published today.
The failure of the Ger- man Revolution of 1918- 1919 had fateful con- sequences for the work- ing class in the whole of Europe. When the Bol- sheviks took power in Russia in October 1917 they did so with the con- fidence that the revolu- tion would spread to the especially to Germany, from which help would come. isolation of The the first workers' state was, in the first instance, a result of the failure of the revolution in Germany.
The negative lessons from the failed German revolution complement the study of the reasons for the success of the Bolshevik Revolution. In fact the German events of 1918-1919 have attracted comparatively little attention, certainly much less than they deserve. The Social Democrats have done their best to con- ceal their treacherous role.
Even the reactionaries are scarcely proud to recall their part when the Empire to which they clung was repudiated by the masses and they had to resort to naked terror against the revolution. genuine revolu- Only the Rosa Luxem- tionaries, like burg, Karl Liebknecht and Eugen Levine--all martyrs- emerge from the story with credit. But the fact remains Workers Pross, Thur on the streets of Berlin, November 9, 1918.
place and committed serious errors. At the centre of events in Social 1918-1919 stood the Democratic leaders Friedrich Ebert, Gustav Noske and Philipp Scheidemann. If Ger- man capitalism survived the ordeal which followed in the wake of military defeat it was thanks, above all, to this trio.
Their conscious betrayal stands out plainly from Sebastian Haffner's stark and vivid narrative of events published today by André Deutsch. In Germany, at a time when power was within the grasp of the working class, these leaders, who had already sup- their 'own' bourgeoisie ported in the imperialist war, became the principal defence against revolution. In the name of socialism, even in the name of revolution, they strangled it and earned little more than the contempt of the enemy class whose power and property they saved. Haffner shows how, when Quartermaster-General Erich Ludendorff, the real chief of army, became German certain . of defeat in Septem- ber 1918, he determined that its obloquy should rest on a civilian government, not on the army. This meant a change of government and the emer- gence of the Social Democrats as a government party — one deeply fearful of revolution.
The first tremors of revo- lution came • from the fleet when the sailors of Kiel muti- against nied the officers' scheme to make a last-ditch attack on the British navy.
Within a few days workers and soldiers had set up their organs of power in the main towns of Germany with little violence or bloodshed. Lacking leadership, lacking a revolutionary party, the councils hung back from seizing full power; they did not take over the factories or interfere with bourgeois property. As Haffner puts it: • 'The Russian example may have had an encouraging influ- ence from afar, 'but there were no Russian emissaries to provide the revolution with leadership. In fact, anywhere but in Munich, this revolution had no leaders and no organization, no general staff and no plan of operation; it 0s8, Thuradey January 18, 1973 PAGE 8 was the spontaneous creation of the masses, of the workers and the common soldiers. Therein lay its weakness, all too soon to become evident, but therein also lay its glory! But it was hardly glorious to be defeated-nor was it a question of 'Russian emissaries' (too reminiscent of the slander Lenin was in 1917 that German agent'). The German revolution surely stands above all as a terrible lesson to all those who bow down before spontaneity-or a 'revolution of councils, without a revolu- tionary party. It was the lack of such a party which prevented a situa- tion of dual power opening the way for a successful working- class revolution. Ebert and his colleagues were thus able to play the role which Kerensky would have played in Russia.
As the revolution gathered force, Ebert came to the fore, taking over the government 'to law order, and preserve becoming first Chancellor and then People's Commissar. As Haffner says: *If he was still to prevent the revolution, he would have begin by appearing to lead it. There was no other way, but this way it might still work.'
With the Kaiser in flight and the war at an end, Germany hovered for weeks between revolution and counter-revolu- tion. The state was in the hands of 'People's Commissars' who 'hated revolution like sin' and played a devious double game to prevent its success. The revolutionaries lacked that indispensable instrument revolutionary party. As Hafiner sees it: 'Germany in 1918 was at no point threatened by a Bolshevik dictatorship; for the simple reason that the essential instru- ment of power, a bolshevik party capable dictating, did not exist. Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg had no organization until December 30, whatever 1918, and only a very feeble one thereafter; nothing to compare with Lenin's corps of professional revolutionaries prepared by 14 years of training? The leaders of the councils were reluctant to assume the responsibilities of power. They were, for the most part, loyal Social Democrats, or anxious reconcile all tendencies bhind some kind of parlia- mentary democracy.
CONTINUED-TOMORROW
Scan page 11
PAGE 10 Workers Press, Thuraday January 18, 1973
TODAY'S TV
BBC 1
9.42 Schools. 12.10 Boomph with Becker. 12.25 Disc a dawn.
12.55 Trumpton. 1.00 Pebble Mill 1.30 1.45 High News. at one. street. 2.06-2.29 Schools. 2.50 Workers at risk. 3.20 Children growing up. 3.45 The 4.10 Play school. 4.35 Jackanory.
Blue countryman. 4.50 5.15 Craven's newsround. 5.20 The Brady kids. Peter. John 5.40 Magic roundabout. 5.45 News. Weather.
NATIONWIDE. 6.45 TOP OF THE POPS.
6.00 7.15 Z CARS. Backwater.
COMEDY PLAYHOUSE: 'ELEMENTARY MY DEAR WATSON'.
8.00 John Cleese, William Rushton.
HOLIdAy 73. Plymouth, 8.30 Denmark
9.00 NEWS.
Weather. 9.25 COLDITZ. Gone Away
MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS. 10.45 MIDWEEK.
10.15
NEWS. 11.35 TAKE ANOTHER LOOK.
Home Sweet Home. 11.30 Weather. 11.55
ITV
our yesterdays (London only). 11.00 Schools.
9.30 Schools. 10.30 All 12.05 Inigo Pipkin. 12.25 Witches' brew. 12.40 First report. 1.00 Jokers wild. 1.30 Crown court. 2.00 General hospital. 2.30 Good afternoon. 3.25 Happy 3.00 Generation three. 4.25 Voyage to the ever after. 5.20 Pebbles and Bamm Bamm. 5.50 News.
bottom of the sea. 6.00
TODAY. 6.30 CROSSROADS.
6.55 FILM: 'HOUR OF THE GUN'. James Gardner, Jason Robards Jr, Robert Ryan. After the battle of the OK Corral.
8.45 NEAREST AND DEAREST. Get Out of That.
DOCUMENTARY:
9.15 'AN
INVENTION
CALLED
CHILDHOOD'.
How ideas and feelings about children have changed over the centuries. 10.00 NEWS AT TEN. 10.30 CINEMA. oung Couples.
COOKING WITHOUT TEARS.
11.00 11.30 SCOTLAND YARD MYSTERIES. The Ghost Train Murder.
12.00
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY. 12.15 DEAR LORD...
CHES
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Name.. Address Tonight's Comedy Playhouse has John Cleese (left) as Sherlock Holmes and William Rushton as Dr. Watson in N.F. Simpson's 'Elementary My Dear Watson' on BBC 1.
BBC 2
REGIONAL TV
CHANNEL:
1.15 BEHAVIOUR AND BELIEF. Do You Believe in Rock 'n' Roll?
NEWS
weather. 7.35
THE WEB OF LIFE.
The Living Mountains. 8.05
EUROPA.
Man and Magic. Magic in Brazil.
AND
PEACE.
WAR
Of Life and THE FANATICS. Dirty Weekend. Restoring the Peak Forest and 9.15 Canal in Cheshire. million combat troops have faced each other for 23 years.
FACE THE MUSIC. 10.50 JOHN DENVER. In concert.
NEWS. Weather. 11.50 REAL TIME. TV's own world.
: 1000. 3.0. *Foreign Ex
HARLECH:
2.30 Date- •Carlton- London. 1.31 New 3:55 OBi the Greatest fights 8.45 Lectern. icking. Spyforce 30-3.00 Hamdden. 4.25 Miri except What's it all about 11120 Champions beat th 6.35-6:58 4.50-5.20 Crossroads 6:30 From 1130 Lae Weat Backs? 12.15
BANG
as above except: 6.15-6.30 unknown. Sport A2OS Lor Weather.
GRANADA:
1200 Felix 12.00 Meditation. Sky's the
ALL TRADES UNIONS ALLIANCE MEETINGS
8 p.m. The Lead any Park
SOUTHALL:
MIDDLESBROUGH: Sunday Janu- Fight Rising Prices ary 28, 7.30 p.m. Settlement Com- Force the Tories to Resign Road munity Centre, Newport Road. Support the Engineers 23, в р.m. Thuraday i Rochester Avenue. Square, Crisp Street Mar-
BARKING:
Tuesday January зu Co-op Hall corner January Fanshawe Ave./Lagbridge Road.
Queen's CROYDON: Thursday January 18
HARROW:
Ruskin House, Coombe Road, South Groydon. 8 D.m. 10TS.N.m. Brickers any 6A.m. Caphed Manor nor Bath, High Road, N17 (near Slapham Manor Set Swa Rising Prices. White Hart Lane). cory 3207000 p.m. one Castle
WILLESDEN:
Thursday January Selkirk Hotel, 7.30 p.m. uary p.m. Trades and Labour all, HiD Road, No. 'How workers fight the Tooting Broadway, SW17. Tory offensive? KINGSTON: Thursday
LEEDS:
'Liverpool Peel Hotel, 'The state pay plan. London Road). An appeal on behalf of the Fine Tubes strikers of Plymouth
THE
children. Common Market entry, lose. That is why the Socialist Plymouth Fine Tubes League and just rapidly rising prices. have como cred WILl Lavoul two years and seven months imposed severe minancia workers cress wishes to make burden. The 37 strikers face a special appeal to all trade on strike. collections challenging months ahead unionists to take the These have waged Witne unel TECTONeS •ranches struggle Tubes men this is in a period when meat for the Fine basic right worker can luxury for order that their heroic and -the right to belong to has now possess- highest paid. determined action can be car- difficult January always rea forwara. All money snould month raise money to fur- be sent to: orike committee memoers to travelled 100,000 have ther their tight. miles to sustain their fight.
Fine Tubes Treasurer Yet. This is struggle to determined These latest months have c/o 65 Bretonside been the hardest of all for the fight on. Plymouth, Devon. men, their wives and working class cannot afford to
Scan page 12
Shepperton film-workers hold their ground
BY IAN YEATS
WORKERS' opposition to asset-stripper John Bentley's carve up of the Shepperton film studios is mounting.
raise his offer of a 49-per-cent stake in the new film International, to 50 per cent.
Only the contrad sages would be lalt standing , under Bentley's plan. Southampton students to stage area grants strike
BY A WORKERS PRESS REPORTER
SOUTHAMPTON University and about 30 colleges in the area will stage a one-day strike next week in support of supplemen- Thursday, The decision hold the strike on tary grants. to January 25, was taken by the students' union at Southampton by 230 votes to seven. resolution called for a The campaign supplementary
SLL
grants and the removal of the Tory government. The West Hampshire Area
LECTURES
Students' Federation Nas dorsed the policy. Digby Jacks, president of the National Union of students and Communist
TODMORDEN
mensa none Party, will speak at a rally Fareham Technical College.
Monday January 22 *Stalinism' Monday February 5 "Trotskylsm'
THE
WEAVERS'
INSTI-
TUTE,
Burnley Road, 7.30 p.m.
HULL
Wednesday January 17 Stalinism and Trotskyism Wednesday: January 24 theory and the revolu tionary party
WHITE HART HOTEL
Alfred Gelder Street (near Drypool Bridge) 8 p.m.
DONCASTER
Sunday January 21 What future for the labour movement. ..1o address Sunday February 4
DIGBY
JACKS
students' sally The crisis and the socialist answer. Southampton Trades Council Sunday February 11 has to send a delegation agreed The revolutionary party speaker wille Tune in Britain. electricians' union branch will support the march. given by Slaughter. march wil start at Asy- lum Green to Central Ha and
SPREAD EAGLE HOTEL
proceed Halls in the Westlaithgate Yesterday
CELLIC.
Portsmouth Poly- 7.30 p.m. technic decided to strike and demonstrate on January 29.
Workers Press, Thursday January 18, 1973 PAGE 11 Hyde Park speech case Bentley for the clearly Old Bailey shaken
THE CASE
against three Irishmen accused of making On Tuesday night they heard him seditious speeches at Hyde company, Lion Park last year comes up at the Old Bailey again on The offer first Friday. made week ago bid to break down union The prosecution on Monday and opposition dropped two charges against workers sell all the three men of conspiracy to to his plans but 15 the 60-acre 'depose the Queen'. OI site for housing develop- Under Section of the ment. Felony Act 1848, Treason Bentley was badly shaken three - Louis Marcantonio at Tuesday's Michael Callinan meeting by de- Stanley Quinn (43), all of London manding to -would nave the truncated penalty of life imprisonment International convicted. Lion For the months Dast He rerused to oner the have they been renanced 318 employees guarantees custody in Brixton jail under high employment long-term security. alla three have denied vous, LeTT marked charge of conspiring to bring into pression that hakut nem hatred and and contempt over- nothing about making.
LILE
United Kingdom. The last major film made the Nationon- -'Bequest to Callinan pleaded guilty and unlawfully -occupied uttering words Nation' six stages the rov. ane uney
AOTAO OT ATONORAN
clude that if Bentley's plan ernment of the United Kingdom.
no joe. The Prisoners' Aid Committee there. be made will are now a dotat of t4 trish poli- vices, curung rooms ana • Irish poli-
«IC HOW
a lolal viewing theatres will all tical prisoners British jails under the Bentley JOHN BENTLEY... Ofters 50 come sentences 89₽ years axe. In addition the plan in- night and meanwhile Talks volves complete will between them- selves and the wim unions.
building of the of alternatite Birmingham prospect Unable to overcome his work in perinense Few, if any, workers are reputation wel earned disis oder of a so uper disposed Bent- an asset-stripper , a new pit feet flying opened under yes- with the that they stake ano note Lerday nCWs passing that it only applies chief of his new The l those worked Arnold, has Mr Jeremy who have Arnold, quit. picket a year that there majority tech- were strong. differences be- dismissed each Arnold and Bentley nicians are rehired what proportion willistillas alll fights lump the Sheppertor site should Tine neee anser obvious Bentley's dis- be saved for making. "nim comfort and his desperation for Tuesday's meet- But throughout, Bentley has refused to budge from rapid agreement BIRMINGHAM building workers anything, stiffened their but 15 acres. have formed a flying picket to determination to hold their The hallmark of his pre- vious deals has step up the battle against the use which demand Speed WiLt of 'lump' labour. meeting that Bentley been able to recoup his wants to see them in future capital by asset They demanding the are also rein- His nervousness on Tues musi
DICDOCLLO
Peter statement of Carter, a leading rather invite them to Inan none e London Shepperton workers' stub- shop steward who has been sacked by their born refusal give way clear sign moc Birmingham's leading contractor his will the meet threatening
OCULICY
Bryant's. workers again in fort- bain baance. Over 350 Bryant workers all of Con members or Union struction, Allied Trades Police assault allegation have formed Technicians picket workers on sites if contractors goes to the DPP introduce self-employed building
WULKCIS
Carter dis- Bryant's sav Was missed because the work on his
BY A WORKERS PRESS REPORTER
site was coming to an end. But workers claim was sacked fol A DETECTIVE constable police In Birmingham burglare ser- fight against the organizing and attached to West. Ham police accused lump theft told the Crown court a Carter has himself said that has resigned from the force when he found shop. other his dismissal butcher's officers in a without opposition, then shop following an allegation that he the stewards would be Investigaling dismissec assaulted a woman. of intruders there. week by week. Kenneth Adams pleaded not last made complaint worlan Friday. police spokesman caterie
MORGAN CRUCIBLE,
the car- butchers and stealing a chicken, An bon firm, made sald. lavesucaron nas been component joints of meat, and sausages carried out into the allegation successful takeover for Director of Public Prosecutionhe a report going DaLUll. Carbon Electric noidings, The case continues. directors that sayills Stop talks with Tories Wilco Will nevitory face restructuring as the enlarge- ment of the
EEC
begins to take effect. say Chiswick engineers
CIRCULATION
THE CHISWICK No 5 branch 'the right of the "Workers of the Amalgamated Union Press". "Morning Star' etc.
AUEW
Engineering Workers comment on the 01-622 7029 following (This in answer circular to d want To the TUC leaders calling to give publicity to candi- them upon stop dates.)
NEWS DESK
talks with the Tories cowardly movement in We No Lordor anto ente Committee a General Strike to bring down District -to 'resist the government'. aurent ors Guater 01-720 2000 give their hostility to the To Conway,
AUEW
check-off system [union subs Jim general • defending deduction by management]. scarclary
Scan page 13
Civil servants' chiefs to Hosiery workers hear jobs decision PAGE 12 Workers Press, Thursday Janua
JANUARY
FIGURE AT
-14 DAYS LEFT
WE NOW have just 14 days to raise £1,185.53 to complete our target for January-this gives us approximately £85 to collect each day between now and the end of the month. We know you will do everything possible to help us reach our final total. Everywhere sections of work- ers, foom clvil servants to gas.
men and carworkers, are joining the fight for wages. More and more a head-on clash is Inevit- the government's able against state pay laws. Workers Press Is decisive in preparing this stage of the battle. Our paper will continue to be in the forefront of the struggle against the Tories. Let's therefore make a great effort for our Fund this month.
Try and raise over our target of £1,750. Push ahead and see if we can reach a record amount.
Post your donations Immediately to: Workers Press January Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High Street London, SW4 7UG THOUSANDS of Scottish yesterday gasworkers an- swered Phase II of the Tories' state pay laws with a 24-hour in support of their strike wage claim. Gas pressure was reduced throughout central Scotland as a reported 3,000 men staged a walk-out. Said spokesman at the headquarters: Glasgow 'We have had reports in from all over Scotland and we believe it almost 100-per-cent stoppage' An overtime ban is expected to follow yesterday's strike which took place despite warnings from official union leaders. More than 100 of the Scottish strikers also demonstrated out- side the Glasgow headquarters of the Scottish Gas Board. They were joined by 500 gas workers in Hull, Yorkshire, who also struck for the day, halting conversion work on North Sea Gas as a result. In the London area, 500 gas- workers at East Greenwich and another 250 at Croydon have decided to continue their over- time ban and work-to-rule.
On Tuesday the leadership of General and Municipal the Workers' Union called off a threatened ban on overtime and co-operation on the basis of resumed pay talks yesterday with the Gas Council. The 47,000 gasworkers' basic rates range from just £19.10 for a labourer to £22.87 for a crafts- man. Many men point out that these figures compared with a guaran- teed £4.31 more for an electricity £6.51 for an labourer and electricity craftsman. The official claim is for rises of between £2.65 and £3.
FROM PHILIP WADE
ASIAN WORKERS at the Loughborough mills of the Mansfield Hosiery company will know today if they have jobs as trainee been given knitters. day January 18, 1973 THE CIVIL and Public Services ciation will announce today what f industrial action it will take in suj of its pay claim. The national executive of the association began a two-day meeting in London yesterday. Members have already demanded that the associa- action, tion consider in- cluding stoppages, to force higher wages. On Tuesday night about 4,000 civil servants marched to Downing Street chanting anti-Tory slogans.
They called for selective strike action. At a rally at Central Halls, the association's president, Mr Ken Lever, said: 'We are fed up with members moonlighting at dog tracks and washing up at Lyons. We are fed up snide remarks by with newspaper editors and like of a tea-drinking bureau- cracy. We have had enough now. We want a proper pay rise.' The cheering meeting "con- passed a resolution demning the present gov- ernment freeze on earnings, imposed without restraint being effectively applied to prices, rents, dividends and unearned income'. In particular it took 'the gravest view of any inter- ference with agreed prin- ciples of pay determination within the public sector implicit in the freeze legislation' At Downing Street deputation • allowed was through the barricades to present the resolution to one of Heath's aides. Angry civil servants crowded the barricades calling 'Heath Out' and "More Pay'.
BY DAVID MAUDE
THE GENERAL and Municipal Workers' Union yesterday agreed to recommend that Gerry Caughey, victimized leader of the 1970 Pilk- ington strike, be admitted to its general branch in Liverpool. reached Agreement following a 20-minute hearing National Industrial the Court to which Relations unfair the union. Although working elsewhere, apply for re- Caughey is to Pilkington's employment at Triplex Glass works where' he was once convenor. He described the agreement reached with the G&MWU as 'a step forward' yesterday afternoon.
It's a gain for a number of men sacked by Pilkington's who are still without jobs,' he claimed.
The agreement reached after than two hours' private more discussion out of court is that Walter G&MWU Liver- pool, North regional secretary, will recom- A selection panel set up at the end of a ten-week strike by Asian workers sent its report to management yesterday. During the strike, over 40 non- Asian workers were taken on as trainee knitters, positions which Asian workers had found impos- sible to obtain over a ten-year period. The panel was set up to de- cide on applications for the jobs ervices Asso- y what future ke in support GERRY CAUGHEY . . . Complaint to court mend that his regional committee accept Caughey as a member of the No 100 branch. It is conditional on Caughey being a member of no more than one other union and on that union's acceptance of the dual membership situation. Reference is also made in the agreement to the acceptance by both parties of rule 43 of the
G&MWU
which that states members shall assist their fellow unionists in obtaining suitable employment. Caughey's complaint of unfair industrial practice by the union excluding him been adjourned indefinitely, but David which were placed in a pool.
Some 85 workers asked for the vacant positions, including Asians. A Department of Employment training officer observed selection process, which lasted ten days. Since their return the Asian workers have had to contend organized with a handful of racialists in the mill—part of the
FARIS COURT MO
Turner Samuel, QC, yesterday behalf the right reserved on his to go back to the court at a later date. In welcoming the settlement, Sir John Donaldson, NIRC Pre- sident, took the opportunity to the court's stance as a boost conciliator. It had helped to 'crystallize the parties' minds', in this case, he said. It is believed that the G&MWU has dropped previous insistance that Caughey should never hold any position in the union again if readmitted as a member.
But the union is also under- stood to have backtracked on a tentative offer that it fight directly for Caughey's re-employ- ment at Triplex. Yesterday's proceedings were heard before Sir John Donaldson and lay judges H. Briggs, CBE former and F. J. Fielding, a director of the Engineering Employers' Federation. Caughey made his complaint under Section 65 of the Industrial Relations Act. This lays down guidelines for the conduct of into 'organizations of workers' which category G&MWU falls as an unregistered union. To make out his case, Caughey would have, had to prove 'arbitrary and unreasonable dis- crimination' by the union.
giant Nottingham Manufacturing Group. right-wing groups Extreme the Leicester area have from tried to ensure that no unity was established between Asian and English workers. But strikers' leaders say the racialists have been reduced to a small minority and that the vast proportion of English work- ers are willing to unite with them.
THE
CIVIL & PUBLIC
SERVICES ASSOCIATION
Above: Some of the civil servants who demonstrated on Tuesday night at their Central Halls meeting. Left: the union leaders on the platform.
FROM PAGE 1
The Tories have made even more clear their determination to impose state control of wages —a major corporatist measure.
They have thrown down the gauntlet to the working class.
The urgent need now is for a united fight by the trade unions to destroy these Tory pay laws.
That will create the conditions forcing the Heath govern- for ment to resign. The White Paper declares bluntly: 'There is no prospect of achieving a reduction in the rate of price inflation unless increases brought in pay are well below the levels reached immedi- ately before the standstill.' All wage increases negotiated since that date (November 6) are limited to f1 per week plus 4 per cent of the bill for the the wage group over excluding overtime. previous year, No one will be of more per year-less than £5 a week. All settlements must run for at least 12 months. Increases held back by the existing Act will still be held up. They can be deferred for up to 90 days after February 8 and then they will be sub- ject to the limits (unless they new were agreed before November 6 if it Payment will not be permitted is less than 12 months since the last settlement and no increases will be retrospective. In addition the requirement of the Pay Equal 1970 bring Act to to 90 per cent of the vomen's pay up nale rate in 1973 will not be enforced A draft Bill published simultaneously with the White Paper will be intro- duced in the Commons when Parlia- ment reassembles on Monday. This makes it an offence to strike or threaten to strike or take any industrial action to force an employer contravene an order of the Pay to Board. action is defined as "calling, The organizing, procuring or financing a strike Sinancing any irreguir industrial action organizing, short of a strike or making threats to do either' Offenders will be liable to a fine not exceeding £400 on summary conviction or to an unspecified fine on conviction on indictment. Specific offences under the Bill in- clude action by any organization of workers 'or any other organization or persons' exercising pressure on an employer to contravene sections of the cipates actions against trade unions is shown by a clause in the Bill that states that in any such proceed- ines it will be a defence for a union official to show that he was acting within the scope of his authority on behalf of the union. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Ofice Clapham Published by Workers. Press, 186a High Street, London,
SW4 7UG.
Printed bv Ploush Press Ltd. (TU). Street, London, 180b Clapham High
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