MDW revolt at Rubery Owen tractor plant

The Bulgarian vice-Minister of Foreign Trade, Emil Razgolov, visited Madrid in January for discussions with Enrique Fontana Codina, the Spanish Minister of Commerce. A protocol agreement was signed which allowed the establishment of a bilateral Spanish-Bulgarian committee of factory-directors.

Trade between Spain and the Soviet Union and eastern Europe doubled in the first ten months of 1972, compared with the corresponding period in 1971 and is increasing even more this year.

There are also great possibilities for the development of Spanish exports to China following the recent diplomatic recognition of the Franco regime by But Russell says nothing about all this.

Neither does he discuss the programme of the Spanish Communist Party which is for the peacetul development of democracy in Spain by alliance with the democratic bourgeoisie-including sections of the church, the army and the state apparatus itself.

Leaders of the Spanish Communist Party launched a strong attack at their Congress last year on oppositionists who rejected this line and called for a fight for socialism.

The Spanish Stalinist leader, Santiago Carrillo, supported Spanish entry into the Common Market and praised Diaz Alegria, the head of the Spanish armed forces, as a liberal in search of a modern, 'truly national' army.

The International Committee RUBERY OWEN'S bid to switch to a fixed-rate pay system on the Measured-Day Work pattern has led to the lay-off of hundreds of Midlands tractor workers.

London

ALL TRADES PUBLIC MEETING Demand Scanlon vithdraw his remarks ccepting the Industria Relations Act TUESDAY APRIL 7.30 p.m.

Conway Hall Red Lion Square London, WC2 ear Holborn Tube CIRCULATION ( 01-622 7029 NEWS DESK 01-720 2000 Not only are more than 2,400 of Rubery Owen's own 3,000 workers on strike against its proposals, over 600 assembly workers at the Massey-Ferguson tractor factory, Coventry, have been sent home.

SOCIALIST LABOUR

LEAGUE MEETING The lay-offs are caused by a shortage of petrol tanks and other components from Rubery Owen's strike-bound factories. The strike is caused by proposals which would mean a complete standstill on higher-paid Rubery SLL LECTURE SERIES The revolutionary party and the history of the British working class Merthyr Tydfil Caedraw School Merthyr Tydfil Sundays April 8 and Lectures given by Peter Jeffries The Unions and class in Britain.

The Revolutionary Pas t of the British working class- -and its future.

The Transformation of the SLL READING Trotsky, Where is Britain Going? Problems British Revolution.

Perspectives for Transforming the SLL into a Revolutionary Marxist Analysis Owen workers' rates. would mean f4 for proposals, lower-paid The strikers have rejected the company's which workers and lump sum compensation payments for the higher paid.

SLL LECTURE

SERIES Socialist Revolu Middleton ar Manchester gley Community Middleton Sunday April 8 Lectures given by Cliff Slaughter (SLL Central Committee| The Socialist Revolution Britain: 3. The state and revolution. Reformism and revolution in Britain. The fight for democratic rights today means preparing for working-class power. Basic reading:

Perspectives for transforming the SLL into a Marxist Analysis of the Crisis. Problems of the British Revolution (Trotsky).

Death Agony of Capitalism and the Tasks of the Fourth International, Communist Manifesto.