Workers Press no. 75

workers press

PUBLISHED FROM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY • NUMBER 75

TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1970

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER

Nigeria-Biafra oil-war ends Pawns of imperialism HE REPORTED crumbling • of the Biafran army and the flight of Ojukwu and other members of hi High Command to a Portuguese enclave in Africa has brought in its wake a horde of 'relief' activities by Red Cross, the British Royal Army Medical Corps and the Royal Air Force Meanwhile Nixon By ordered eight planes and N. Makanda four helicopters for im- 1966, mediate humanitarian after the Ironsi s the handies iss and los work in blaira. It is clear that the sym- Bish imperialist pody bie pathies' of international im- in This was a bourgers midle as not which produces othe in 1931 beginning by months ago, with 'Biafra'.

те or Har invasion Which loved. p there was a mass ash peed up in to pho Last their yere federal wane ended "ribalismon aid heir massive humanitarian cause of the war. the teno which development numerous than Dutch, can, British his layed an import though this played ar where othe aropale internally in ojukwu's Empty husk

• PAGE FOUR COL. 2 →›

sult of the The 1953 parent were part / of divide and rule which

STOP WILSON'S VISIT

ROOTES, LINWOOD

in 194e colony up into regions Patternma stal found.

TO WASHINGTON

Regional-tribal political par- strike on sacking Support flows in societies, were SEVENTY patternmakers tinue until the from union and sacked the day before at Rootes, Linwood, yes- which terday continued their te ew tear nonaay unael notorious lateness strike against the sacking Group of C.P. members and absence procedure, 1s of a fellow Patternmakers' reinstated. Association member. Under dis reced at y The strike began on SUPPORT for the campaign continues to roll in ГІ1- the da y and men nave from trade union branches, individual union unanimous agreed to con members and Communist Party members.

GREET

WarE DAl at Mark Shire writ- ra Mineworkers ten warning

WORKERS PRESS

porkers Union he following resolution: Final warning "This branch opposes Tribal schools

• PAGE FOUR COL. 9 →

he's sea that dug thishe eight warrang cluded the tortion sear Briefly then results *tribal in instant dismissal which nehowing Hausa children. movement in Britain bo included for rain poliot which he was ins absence one reasons for cous help of the British cond his reasons Woodworkers to had ch

LONDON'S

Brixton at a public meeting n the 19th discussea a political his timekeen See the film of the first issue being prepared and term: printed and the film Young Socialists, 1969 t the arro tor not mone thin seven day.

ted by umoured that th Sunday January 25, 2-30 p.m.

sohe labou erous i ement in his cantons o Town Hall, High Street in Moscow Speakers: weekend.

SHEILA TORRANCE

exercised tro (National Secretary of the Young Socialists)

MIKE BANDA

(Editor of Workers Press)

G. HEALY

the first to open a fight against marched throughy (National Secretary of Socialist Labour League) through The daily organ of the Central Committee of the Socialist Labour League PRICE 6d.

SUUUN IT QUE

STOP

DEFEAN

WILSON'S

VISIT TO

DERILIS

LITAR WASHINGTO

EFEAT!

'OUR CAMPAIGN

Vietnam, from on now, this meeting, must shift back into the factories, Socialist Labour League national secretary Gerry Healy told a packed meeting of trade unionists and Young Socialists following Sunday's 1,500- strong demonstration through London demand.

ing the stopping of Wilson's visit to Washington at the end of this month. The demonstration in- By a Workers Press cluded contingents from the Vietnam Reporting Team Docaril cam. paign, International Social- influenced by this ism the international

AH U

begir discuss Marxist Group. ucluss. uc pal liliellld. pledged itself one Houd token The meeting half-day sulikes. campaign carr. Ine InTO Loken suIkes. every section The and trade 'We Vietnam mobilize the maximum trom streets into factories ! opinior

YY CEL

and he purpose ot this was no Tutal to prove st enough to Stop acely " laclory ana to take the first tlduc orkallizalOn working oppose acuons yison's class understand their future

YISIL

As Comrade Healy sulunscs inseparaD e ex- ITOl Ine sumugeles TinE olalnea. workers and peasants in Viet- 'Every discussion on Viet- nam. nam in the factories is wortn 'Socialist internationalism is signatures nusan d pentuons. curusly powerrul 'We must talk Vietnam the wages and same as WE prices. 'We Letter to muse explan Wilson, in putting up the cost the Ameri- ot living, is payın! Wilson cans to carry Vietnam following letter, must drum and signed Young Social. get some action. Between now National and his visit, : all those factor anded in at 10 the ae nurduion. This mass demonstra- today trade unionists, youlI all u students declares its com.

orere

ODDOSILION

war genocidal United States imperialism Vietnam; civilian population forces. derenas

TICA

anconaiiona mue. Dendence ana unincaton people ot the vietnamese and stands completely for their US imperialism c ondes as Papes pist t. frand; signizes that is sar bry Labour tilt yerunca interest pay. tnrousn Ine ments on IMF loans ana support tinked directly the to attacks against the trade sapported Surdays ide mon Vation Soldarity Campaign, which Britain. and yigils in Downing Street weapon when used simultane- and in the Curzon Street outside its the De ermenite menuet Mr.

ousIy in nerent colnures. he said. consult shop execulive memoer ıv Harry and George told the meet- "The oleyaras unal une Tecun- Communist Party dancies had been arranged in ing tat il the present tactics wasn't present this afternoon Wal. olc not win tae ts interm Iknow, anla. ds lar . L6 wage claim, 'the pace will be

TONNE

COmmUnISu heaque. hotted up and hotted up very That's no surprise to anyone colside abla indeed here.

AIRPORT

TAKEN: Federal , nd vur hers are Nicellan

ITOODS

yesterad! members "The fact is they've been link ocuDied Biafra's last yesterday smoked out ! Uli with tse curside word. nigsed 345 schoos ih ch hand which have airport, massive air "The Stalinists always sit on atter attacks had reduced the run- class issue and Wales. the way to rubble. and come Tomorrow 500 teachers in down and uc tacs in the back. That's stab ine Association Schoo masters beain a week- elanlasil long strike at 150 schools in speakin solid- Wales.

TARIQ

ALI,

behalf of the Vietnam vul ol lac icerilery. The attack was made with Ilyushin-28 carrying IN The Bost Bo areratu

LONDON:

Botin Britain Janded 747

LUU0

bom bs anc hirst which strafed the airfield with jet people had remained to come cannon fire. Yesterday morning from pow al bonu ns miler *it there is any entott to

TEACHERS TO MARCH :

It took a of an repeat what hape ned quarter hour to get the 361 warned, rally ot 000 London teachers, Dassen off are on strike, yesterday under the pressure gera the aircratt and voted for march through bureaucracy, anather hour to clear them London through customs and immigra-

• PAGE FOUR COL. 7 -›

lobby of MPs on the next day tion.

workers press The daily organ of the Central Committee of the Socialist Labour League INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • PUBLISHED FROM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY • NUMBER 75

TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1970

PRICE Bd Nigeria-Biafra oil-war ends

STOP

DEFEAT

WILSON'S

Pawns of

VISIT TO

DERALIS

imperialism

BASE

1,500 march in 'Stop Wilson' rally! 'OUR CAMPAIGN on Vietnam, THE REPORTED crumbling of the Biafran army now, from this meeting, must shift back into the factories, and the flight of Ojukwu and other members of his Socialist Labour League national secretary Gerry High Command to a Portuguese enclave in Africa Healy told a packed meeting of trade unionists and Young Socialists following Sunday's 1,500- has brought in its wake a horde of 'relief' activities strong demonstration through London demand- British Royal Army Medical ing the stopping of Wilson's visit to Washington by Red Cross, the at the end of this month. Corps and the Royal Air Force.

The demonstranon By a workers Press Meanwhile Nixon By clucca contntents trom the Reporting Team ordered eight planes and vietnam bolldarity cam. N. Makanda internationa socia. helicopters for im- tour egin to discuss swallowing), was a regiona International ism and the "humanitarian mediate Marxist Group. landlessness and lowers the nationas meeungs . work' in Biafra. pledged itself and one-day The meeting carry It is clear that the 'sym- anti-Ibo pogrom token strikes. palmies or internanonal 1n1- Vic nor natonate proad or a facto eat streets into willch these mam and discuss. charitable organizations are and British missionaries agencies. he as hey ways immedi have since the beginning the vil the British ish to store run by arade union org actorio Of to take Biafian breakawa/ the newly-formed oppose months ago, with 'Biafra'.

Theye Bea traing hushed up in the plained Comrade Healy their be stake in orkers and peasants in viet wholen and in Nigeria as a m in the scussio a signatures socialst internationalism 1 petitions. we must talk Vietnam th as we talk wages ana Nigeria, is ment and leadership. Letter to Wilson Vietnam. carry on ene imperialis ne National Secretary Societ: il companies had Empty husk

• PAGE FOUR COL. 2 →

he war as the direct tie.

delegation demonstration:

STOP WILSON'S VISIT

ROOTES, LINWOOD

conquering Patternma

TO WASHINGTON

strike on sacking Support flows in genocidal ps, sored triba Pritish Nannal Cuneil for Nigele

SEVENTY

tias sacked the day to patternmakers from union and at Rootes. Linwood, • Year holidas continued their ateness strike against the sacking the " and absence procedure, C.P. members of a fellow Patternmakers' Union. I cuistaleu. the Paris P Assoclalon member unDal-regiOnal he sponsoring SUPPORT for the campaign continues to roll in on Fri- Work have a by the trad from trade union branches, individual union unanimously agreed to con- the factorichour government members and Communist Party members.

loans an called througholicy Yorkshire

GREET

NHOLDALI

linked tO, many members of the Com against the trad

WORKERS PRESS

has Poke alon carried tribalism. unions in Final warning Ture ted soress de be vetam Solidarity Campaign, wbich branch ried poser Tribal' schools

PAGE FOUR COL. 9 →

merican imperialism cluded he main poise r so men women and Briefly "The he said dierent countie urther absence then result which conat thee nausa chidden. other "The Party objected all diviliary way Woodworkers

TAKEN:

at a public meeting Biatra's 'The fact is they've been ith tend road no the to ba absent per with out smoked out! adequate outside a political ei compen into any other 'group'. way to rud reduced the run See the film of the first issue being prepared and printed and the film 'Young Socialists, 1969' stabiou in the back. That's by Association in 120m note Sunday January 25, 2-30 p.m.

in the talks. demands, featured emost converted Nigerian por for the actions of steam Solid

TAKI

Vietnar behalt ot the 'The ack was made wịth Town Hall, High Street anat despite age forts as zhe empt the need to that boy eas The Bost Being 4 D

ACTON

most which strated the airfield with anteated ple had DeaKers "Ine at London's Heathro

SHEILA TORRANCE

(National Secretary of the Young Socialists) it took a her period Rosan santeers into am 1954 he at d

MIKE BANDA

STRIKE AT EVERSHED'S :

TEACHERS TO MARCH: A

of an the sche 500 workers at 600 London hers toret (Editor of Workers Press) the it or on a fei again.

could mee • lanuary 45,46 and Greek. pressure the

G. HEALY

hour mached dir including which generally expands mass (National Secretary of Socialist Labour League) unrougn customs and Immigra

• PAGE FOUR COL. 7 →

THE VIETNAMESE REVOLUTION AND THE

PAGE TWO

NOW THAT the cam- paign in Britain for working-class solidarity with the Vietnamese people has reached a crucial stage, it is only right that a political balance sheet should be drawn up on the activi- ties of the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign, launched in the Summer of 1966. Deep principled issues are at stake on the question of solidarity with Vietnam. Firstly, there is the im- portance of the war itself and the contribution that the Vietnamese people have been and are making in the world struggle against imperialism.

Solidarity for the Marxist individual question is not an morality, of 'dissociation' of and of protest. The Vietnamese workers peasants are fighting' a and class battle against imperialism and its Saigon puppets. In line with the class basis of that fight, Marxists have the duty to mobilize support for the Vietnamese Revolution within the working class of the advanced capitalist and im- perialist nations. Faced with the same class the enemy that oppresses Vietnamese people, the work- ing class alone has the power inflict decisive defeats on to imperialism: Then there is the history of Malenkov: Gave rise te sevisionist limaions by his post- • 'liberall the British working class itself to consider. Without a deep understand- ing of this force, with all its weaknesses and strengths combined, it is impossible to even begin a campaign inside the British labour movement for solidarity with the Viet- namese people. British imperialism and the reformist-Stalinist domination of the working class are closely interrelated. Out of the super-profits of the empire, the British ruling able class was to create a privileged layer within the working class, which, when deeply influenced and

COI-

rupted by the political theories of. social democracy and Fabianism, became solid foundation for the building of a reformist labour and trade union bureaucracy. After its of early years struggle against this tradition, the British Communist Party.

under the leadership of the Stalinized Soviet Communist thous Party, rapidly capitulated to from this powerful bureaucracy and proceeded to dress up in Marxist phrases all the old re- formist ideas of the Fabians and the labour leaders. This was set out system- atically in the 'British Road to Socialism' of 1951. Reformism is therefore the ideological outpost of imper- working ialism within the class. It is not the ideology of the working class, but of the bureaucracy, which, in turn, is the creature of im- perialism. Action in solidarity with those fighting imperialism can therefore only be effective if it wages war politically on the reformist agencies of imperial- within the working class ism itself: social democracy and Stalinism. We shall see how decisive this is when to we come examine the record of the Viet- nam Solidarity Campaign. Once this point is under- stood, it becomes obvious that all protest movements and demonstrations based purely the middle class are doomed to failure. Stalinism and reformism can only be fought by mobilizing the working class basic on class questions which bring it into conflict with the counter- policies and revolutionary aspirations of the Stalinists and the social democrats. Middle-class protest, be- cause it is based on an un- stable class force that can play no role independent of the two main classes, makes no lasting impact on the bur- the workers' caucracies in movement. That is not to say there is no place for the middle class in the struggle against im- perialism. They have important an contribution to make, but the lesson of VSC is that this con tribution cannot be made without a serious turn towards the working class and its problems. The Vietnam Solidarity Campaign rejected this orien- tation and led its many thousands of supporters away from the working class, to wards political isolation and So despite its imperialist history and tradition of re- formist leadership, the working class remains the only force able to challenge the Wilson government and its support for Nixon's war.

A SERIES OI

Everything is therefore with the political bound up development of this working class, with its education in the treachery of the Labour leaders and the Stalinists and the eventual realization that its problems of wages and union rights demand political solu- tions. We have always insisted against the impatient protes- Gerry Healy. national secretary of the Socialist Labour League. speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign in August 1966. The SLI. was condemned by the revisionists for attacking Stalinism. Seated (left to right) are Lawrence Daly (now NUM secretary), M. Banda (now Workers Press editor), Ralph Schoenman (late of the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation), Tariq Ali

(IMG),

John Palmer (International Socialists). ters and adventurists that this stage of working-class develop- ment cannot be skipped over artificially accelerated by or deeds of heroism in futile con- flicts with police. The development of con- sciousness the working class is above all an objective process determined first of all by the international crisis of

WORKERS' PRESS

capitalism and then its rela- tionship with the special features of British imperialism and the British labour move- ment. So we part company with 'protesters' the firstly on philosophical questions, which at their roots are determined by class forces. The protester, beginning (as he imagines), as an individual, attempts to substitute himself for the working class. When many such protesters are brought together--and the VSC was for a time able to do this a large scale.the on illusion is casily created that a big and powerful movement is being built; that the work- ing class and its movement has been successfully by-passed.

As we shall see, this was the essence of the political think- ing behind the VSC. The question which next has to be asked is: Which political group was main! responsible for the political line and development of the

VSC?

To answer that question. It is necessary to go back to 1953. the year of the great split within the ranks of the Trotskyist Fourth Inter- national. A group headed by Pablo, the then of the secretary Fourth • International, argued that the sharpening of the cold imperialism war was driving towards a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union. In the course of such an claimed, attack, they the

ORKERS' PRESS

LACK

Kremlin would be compelled, against all its inclinations and past history, to unleash revo- lutionary struggles in the im- perialist states. Under pressure from the working classes of these coun- tries, the Stalinist parties would then be forced to actually take power in order to defend the Soviet bureau- cracy from nuclear attack. With the easing of the cold war, the emphasis of this new theory and anti-Trotskyist changed. But its essentials remained: Under pressure from the work- ing class, Stalinism could be forced to take power. The post-Stalin 'liberaliz- Police charge marchers at the Grosvenor Square demonstration organized by the VSC. Adventurist conflicts with the police do not in any way substitute for the building of a revolutionary party for the working class. ation', first under Malenkov, then under Khrushchev, further attacks brought on Trotskyism by Pablo and his faction. The crisis of Stalinism as it came under attack from the first working class, in East Germany, then Poland, Hun- gary and the Soviet Union it- self, was interpreted as part of a long drawn-out process of 'self-reform' in which, again under mass pressure from the working class, the ruling Stalinist bureaucracies would yield power to the masses step by step. The political pioneers of this anti-Trotskyist, pro-Stalinist theory and in programme Britain were the embers of the group which broke from our movement in 1953. They were led by John Lawrence, who took Pablo's theory to the logical con- clusion of joining the British Communist Party, serving it as a full-time functionary of the then Stalinist-dominated shop stewards' committee at Fords.

work of The ideas and Lawrence, who has now moved even further away from Marx- ism by becoming an anarchist, are continued by the 'Inter- Group', national Marxist which publishes the monthly journal 'International'. It is therefore no accident that the British Pabloites ended up with the Young Communist League as the mainstays of the VSC. We always insisted that Pablo's first attacks on Trot- sky's perspective of building independent Marxist parties of the Fourth International in all the major countries would lead to capitulation to either social democracy or Stalinism in the case of the as IMG, to both. The fate of the VSC only confirms this. Shortly after the launching of 'International' (the succes- sor to the Pabloite weekly 'The Week') another journal was founded: 'The Black Dwarf', which, in June 1968, came under the full-time editorship of Tariq Ali, a leading IMG member. Tariq Ali was also a leading sponsor of the Vietnam. Solid- arity Campaign when it was formed in 1966, and Black Dwarf rapidly became a plat- form for the views and activi- ties of the VSC. Though obviously not com- ing under either the control • discipline of the IMG or (several members of the editorial board are members or supporters of other organ- izations), 'Black Dwarf' was certainly influenced by the politics of Pabloism. With Tariq Ali as its editor, it could hardly be otherwise.

Now we must see how the 'Black Dwarf' edited by Tariq Ali (IMC member) rejects the revolutionary role of the working class and turns to student power. political theories of Pabloism, which in their essence boil down to a rejection of the revolutionary role of the work- ing class and its substitution by some other agency (black power, student power, bureau- 'under pressure' etc., cracies ctc.), worked out in the case of the VSC. The capitulation to Stalin- its inaugural ism began at meeting in August 1966. A speaker from the Socialist Labour League (which sup- ported and was represented on the campaign committee) was barred from speaking on the grounds that his opening re- had been critical of marks Stalinism. We withdrew from the cam- paign at once, knowing full well that our accepting political gags would involve us in a betrayal of the Vietnamese people. Tuesday, January 13, 1970 This ban on criticism of the international Stalinist move- ment was all the more striking in that it was being applied by a committee that had only just thrown the YCL out of the campaign because of its refusal to support a victory for the Vietnamese people over imperialism. A 'left' gesture one day, only to be cancelled out a grovelling apology (for that is what the ban was) to Stalinism the next. unprincipled So this on basis, politically prepared by decade of than more a revisionist betrayal of Trotsky- ism, the work of the VSC began. The main theoretical justifi- cation for these unprincipled alliances was worked out by the IMG through its journal 'International'. In the first issue of May 1968, we read : 'We have, however, always stood for the united front.

"The Week" [forerunner of "International"] always sought to collaborate with tendency on the left any with which it had agreement on particular issues. This method is best expressed in the creation of non-exclusive organs of struggle on impor- tant and principled issues.

The Vietnam Solidarity Campaign and the Workers' Control Campaign are cases in point. And in case anyone missed the point, it was made again later in the same article : 'It is vitally necessary to fight factionalism the in interests of building the united front.' So the VSC is, according to 'International', one of the best he Black Dwarfl Logue / Steadman / Connolly | Another Vietnam McCarthy / Poverty / Capitalism Kills / The Queen Paris / Hull / RSSF | Taria Ali expressions of the united front. the IMG revise Here Leninism just as they revise Trotskyism. For the united front cannot, under any circumstances, applied to the type of alliance that has evolved around the

VSC.

For communists, the united historical front has certain traditions, origins and and arises only under very precise tactical and strategic situations.

we shall prove, As the Pabloites not only distort all the lessons of the Leninist period of the Communist Inter- national in developing the tactic of the united front, they its outward forms to use protect the political tendencies that the united front was in- tended to destroy. Part two will appear in to- morrow's Workers Press.

Tuesday, January 13, 1970

NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL FOR THE BUILDING INDUSTRY

TERMS OF SETTLEMENT-DECEMBER. 1969

NATIONAL JOINT COUNCI, FOR THE BUILDING IN

TERMS OF SETTLEMENT-DECEMBE

NOTICI. 1O.2

CONSTITUTIONAL AM! NONENTS T

CONSITIUTIOS AND RULES OF THI

BY DAVID MAUDE

MERSEYSIDE building workers were absolutely right in their predictions about the pay-and-pro- ductivity agreement signed by their union leaders in the middle of December. The interchangeability and flexibility clauses of the deal —which most workers in the industry saw in full for the first time last week-certainly allow for a sweeping attack by the employers on existing job-demarcations. But this is only one aspect.

Others are cuts in manning, elimination of craftsmen's mates, work study, job targets, legalized scabbing, penal clauses and compulsory arbi- tration--all under complete and written-in management control. As Saturday's Workers Press commented, Mrs Barbara Castle will have little to com- plain about when she meets building employers and trade leaders at St James' union Square today to discuss the deal. What is most likely to hap- pen is that she will demand, to use what appears to be her own favourite phrase, 'copper- bottomed guarantees' that the agreement is ruthlessly imple- mented. Framework In return for wage increases which in any case fall far short of their members' de- mands, the union leaders have already provided the employers with framework for doing a this. Craftsmen, at present earn- ing standard rate of a £15 16s 8d for 40 hours, will receive increases bringing this figure up to £20 phased up until June 1971. Labourers' standard rate will rise from £13 10s to £17 over the same period. This is a far cry from the '£20 Now!' demanded by build- ing workers all over the coun- try in demonstrations and even union delegate conferences.

It is even further when you turn to the five photo-copied notices explaining what the union leaders sold in return.

On page one, under the new rates, is the following para- graph: It is the intention of the parties the National to Joint Council for the Building that unofficial pay- Industrv ments in excess of the exist- ing standard rates shall be overtaken and absorbed in the standard new Militant sites, which have won higher pay by dint of the strength of their organization, are in other words immediately to be put in their place.

Site discipline The conditions under which these rates are 'guaranteed' are followed up with tighter site discipline under a revised National Working Rule, in- cluding the following: 'Decisions as to when, weather conditions otherwise and resumed, and as to whether some or'all of the operatives shall work at any particular time shall be made 17th December, 1950

DUNCE. FOR THE BUILDING INDUSTRY

17th December, 1989

OF SETTLEMENT-DECEMBER. 1969

TUTIONAL AM SOMENTS TO THE

UNO% AND RULES OF TIL COL JilL.

15th Decence 10:0

TERMS OF SETTIEMENT-DECEMBER. 1S69

NOTICE NO. 3

CONSTITUTIONAL. ANENDULNIS 10

NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL FO

NANOVAL HORVAG RELL

by the employer and his re- shall presentative and strictly observed.' Then begins the attack on working practices: 'If in the shop or on the job or site, work is not avail- able for an operative in his occupation, he shall own hold himself ready and will- ing to perform work in any other suitable building indus- occupation try or at any other job, site or shop where work is available' The purpose of such an doubt agreement was no accepted by the union leaders on the usual opportunist grounds that it is too vague to be implemented'. This is to miss the point. In that form, mobility and flexibility cannot of course be put into operation--at least on organized sites — without a struggle. Preparation a are of is and are carefully well employers are preparing the ground in these sections of the agreement to cut militants off from any official backing when they do —as they undoubtedly will- act in defence of previously- established gains. 1,000 building workers from Manchester, now!'. So then comes a clause virtually legalizes which scabbing: 'Where on a job or in a shop collective action is taken by any operatives employed under this agreement, the em- at all times use plover shall his best endeavours to pro- of work for vide continuity those operatives who are not involved in the dispute and who available for remain work. In the event that by reason of the industrial action taken the employer cannot provide such continuity work, the provisions of the rule relating to guaranteed time shall be payments deemed to be suspended until is restimed. as normal working This contains all the elements of the kind of 'penal clause' the employers have tried to introduce in the motor and other industries. It is certainly intended to be used. Passion

NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL FOR THE BEIDING : PEST

172 Dicember 1%u

TERMS OF SETTLEME)I-DECEMBER. 19:52

NOT NO 4

PRODUCTI-INE SCHEMIS

AND OR PRODE CR 191:

• 1'

REVISE ME PADDS

Both the employers and the union leaders must know that building workers will not accept the provisions they go on to lay down-on flexibility and mates without a struggle: 'The agreements, arrange- and understandings ments which exist in any localities and are often of long stand- ing, by virtue of which it is that recognised particular operations are the sole pre- rogative of a particular trade or craft, can constitute im- pediments to the eflective use of them.' It is accordingly agreed operation that if for any covered by such agreement, understand- arrangement or ing, operatives of the trade or craft specified are not avail- able, the employer shall not be in breach of that agree- ment, arrangement or under- standing if he arranges to the operation engage on operatives of another trade or skilled craft who are and qualified to carry it out.

'It shall be further accepted that in those districts where there have been understand- ings about the employment of craftsmen's mates, employers shall not in future be re- garded as being in breach of such understandings if mates are not employed on oper- ations which do not require them.'

BUILDING WORKER!

DEMAND.

m Manchester, Merseyside and London march throu All this is merely the general background to local negotiations on further pro- ductivity shackles. Background As reported in Saturday's Workers Press, the deal lays down a stringent set of general principles which such on negotiations are intended to be based. These principles, reproduced in full on Saturday, clearly in- dicate that the building em- ployers' real aim is a full Measured-Day Work system.

One further point must be made. In the preamble to these principles, as in the flexibility agreement printed above, the union leaders agree to place the full burden of the building industry's crisis on the backs

WORKERS' PRE

NATIONAL. JOINT COUNCIL FOR THE BUILDING INDUSTRY

17th Decerter, Is so

TERMS OF SETTLEMENT--DECEMBER. 1969

ДОПСЕ 10.S

NOTICE OF ELS ASIDE

OF WAG"

of those least responsible-the building workers. The objectives of such schemes, it is stated, are : "To efficiency, increase thereby keeping the costs of building at an economic level.

To encourage greater pro- ductivity thereby providing the opportunity for increased earnings by increased effort, while maintaining high a standard of workmanship and avoiding a waste of labour and materials.' The real responsibility for the building industry crisis which resulted in an estimated 40,000 fewer houses being built last year than in 1968- lies not with building workers, but with the system that the Labour and trade union leaders are desperately attempting to prop up ... capitalism. Increased costs The 1969 increase in cement prices alone raised the esti- mated cost of building the average house by some f7.

Taken together with the in- creased cost of bricks and housebuilding, plasterboard,

MENT DEA

AGRILMENT

on march through London to demand '£20 prices went up last year by between £15 to £20. 'Labour's' economic 'freeze and squeeze' meant, of course, a big drop in orders for houses and a consequent contraction of the industry. The employers the and Labour government, however, are determined that it is build- ing workers who are going to foot'the bill. In the final analysis, the re- sistance of Britain's one million building workers to the terms of this treacherous deal-due to be implemented on Feb- ruary 2—is the concern of the whole working-class movement and must have its support.

building The demands of workers themselves, in turn, must link the industrial to the political issues involved and include the nationalization of the building firms, the build- insurance ing societies and companies, the banks and the land

WORKERS' PRESS

BEHAVING like fussed battery hens on their way to market, half aware that something's going on but not at all sure what it is, the television pundits, liberals and tame talkers have come cluck- ing, chattering, strug- gling, but still firmly caged, into the new decade. One of the first appear- ances was on a recent 'Late Night Line-Up', that BBC-2 club for the half-awake. The interviewers themselves represent precisely the trendy but sober, informed but ignor- amiddle class that they like to naïve i interested think of as their peers. It is a show where visiting actresses, old dancers now preaching health food and exercise, and professors with 'a point of view' can mingle with mildly satiric folk singers, or nostalgically watch a better past for the middle class in old movies. They try to give air-time to all that's fascinating, fun or droll and by doing so reduce every issue to the same bland, even tones in which most of the people who take part speak. One night they will invite the producer of a 'concerned' documentary or play to discuss with 'the other side'. Another evening will see a puzzled chat amongst 'experts' with the most assured expres- sions about locking people up in prison. In the latter discussion there would be a Baroness, a psychi- atric social worker and a pro- bation officer. In the former the subject be the 'dilemma' would of apartheid or perhaps the latest 'revelations' all is not that well with our National Health Service. TV's future? A week ago (January 5) we the had spectacle of Robert Mackenzie (instant LSE aca- demic), John Morgan (Welsh boy who's got on so well, but still keeps the improved accent which betrays his origins), Richard Hoggart (radical), sit- ting around with Michael Dean (tactful interlocutor). They were assembled to dis- cuss the future of television in the 1970s. Mackenzie began with pitch about the technological advances which are going to make television the method of information. transmitting This didn't take them too far because they got worried about how that means the TV set will become an 'all-purpose vending machine'. The question of who will own the vending machine or control what it will dispense hardly arose in a direct way: it did come out less directly through John Morgan's sales- talk about how the commercial are being 'ruined' companies by the exchequer levy. Morgan, of is course, shareholder and director of one of the companies and was just adding his mite to the collection of and tycoons who, profiteers 'concerned' with programme budgets, have sounding off in all the been media recently over the same question of declining profit.

The crisis in the industry, both sides of it, be could resolved, thought Mackenzie, if yet another body of trustees was set up 'to stand between the government and broadcast- ing authorities', ITA and BBC.

Financial Hoggart correctly saw that financial, but the crisis was was quite unable to connect it with a more general analysis.

He therefore saw the solu- tion as being a new licensing system fixed as a proportion of the average wage. This would certainly pro- duce greater revenue for broadcasting; it would also come in bulk from the same pockets which always are raided to solve the deepening contradictions of the system, those of the working class.

• 472 Sergei Eisenstein, the great Soviet film-make Tsar's throne during the filming of 'October' of a forthcoming BBC documentary.

The radical Hoggart-Soon to become an assistant director at that pawn shop for capital- ism, UNESCO-also pointed out that television has 'trivial- ized' itself since the middle 1960s. Again he's right, but also in a very limited sense.

The trivialization has clear social, political and economic causes. It reflects the response of the owners and controllers of broadcasting to the mounting threats to the survival of the system which requires their existence and gives them their power. Over the past three or four years the radicals have been slowly winkled out. There is only a handful left in now television, and the ground breaking up beneath them.

Radical home 'World In Action' (Granada) has always been a home for television radicals. Social and political issues are dealt with in ways that often seem very sharp. At times the programme has brought out information and contradictions that don't often appear elsewhere in bourgeois papers or programmes. run by Sidney Granada is Bernstein, a millionaire with a reputation • for reformist social- ist convictions. Its most 'Coro- famous programme is nation Street', that sentimental travesty of the working class that brings great profits to its makers. Genuine virtues of the class are remorsely traded upon and the of the pro- popularity gramme is a reflection of the deep desire amongst the audi- ence to see anything of their own lives and qualities on the screen-however distorted.

So the fact that this com- pany also allows a few lefts' to do the occasional radical- seeming show on political- social issues is no surprise.

And, of course, the people to do the shows are not about to tip the apple cart, even if they think they are! Guerrillas A recent edition brought a report by Gus Macdonald on the guerrillas in African Zambia. Macdonald is the same pro- ducer who took Tariq Ali to Pakistan on a despicable jaunt last year; he's also part of the Free Communications Group'.

In many ways it was very informative. The leading Afri- nationalist organization, can ZAPU, controls the fighters; exiles from Rhodesia, they now live in mobile camps along the Zambesi river which separ- ates them by 100 yards from their homeland, Zimbabwe.

They infiltrate and engage in illegal propaganda and organ- izational work amongst African Rhodesian workers and their is estimated at be- strength tween 500 and 2,000. They are armed, mostly with Chinese weapons, and live in the bush under conditions re- self-sacrifice, quiring great loyalty and commitment. Some have not seen their families for several years; all have taken the step into be- coming militarily trained with care and consideration. armed Preparations for an struggle were begun in 1964, it became clear when that there were no hopes left of even minimal democratic con- cessions from the Rhodesian white ruling class. The guerrillas insisted that they were militants and not soldiers much political work is undertaken by them and with them. But some other crucial facts also emerged. The commissar of the reconnaissance camp where the 'World In Action' team filmed was trained in the Soviet Union. He is responsible for the political work and training of the 'combat infiltrators'.

Soviet film-maker, takes a rest on the ning of 'October. Eisenstein is the subject

PAGE THREE

Three other were and vicious South planes African and Rhodesian soldiers trained in Cuba and it is here that the are still politically unprepared utterly programmie refused to clarify or bring out for the real tasks and threats the implications of such in- facing them and their people.

formation. No Marxist philosophy any- In fact it went along com- where. pletely with the merely nation- Contact is made with guer- alistic ambitions of ZAPU and rillas; a film unit gets to them its spokesman and carefully under dangerous often and extracted from him the state- difficult conditions. ment that they were not com- And out of it all comes mere munists, having merely 'social- ist leanings'. radicalism. The same producer is said Of course, it is precisely here to be attempting to prepare a that revolutionary pro- programme on Lenin for later maker would have this year. A radical view of concentrated attention. some Lenin no doubt. But radical producer But then he won't be alone.

wouldn't and didn't. The BBC is preparing another No attempt to clarify why such documentary, with access fighters the are tragically to the Soviet archives. underarmed and supplied only It's scheduled for May Day.

with what seemed to amount This one is to be made by to free toothpaste and cigar- film-maker whose study ettes from the Russian govern- Eisenstein (in two parts) will ment. be out soon. No effort to explain why We shall know what to ex- these few brave men, fighting pect for Lenin when we see helicopters, Buccaneer what is made of Eisenstein.

jet-

ITV

BBC 1

9.15 a.m.-12.23 p.m. Schools. 1.00 11.00 a.m.-2.55 p.m. Schools. 3.55 Bob Yn Dri. 1.30 Watch With Face of the Earth. 4.17 Paulus. Mother. 1.45-1.53 News and 4.30 Crossroads. Junior 4.55 Weather. 2.05-2.25 Schools. 3.45 Showtime. 5.20 Magpie. Religion In The Sixties. 4.20 Play 5.50 News. School. 4.40 4.55 Jackanory. 6.03 Today. Animal Magic. 5.20 Wacky Races 6.40 Branded. and Space Kidettes. 5.44 Hector's 7.10 Tuesday Film: 'Torpedo 5.50 National News. House Run' 6.00 London-Nationwide. With Glenn Ford, Ernest 6.45 Z Cars. Borgnine and Diane 7.05 Tomorrow's World. Brewster. Second World 7.30 Harry Worth. War submarine drama. This Is. 8.00 Good Old Days: 9.00 Tom Jones. Scandinavian edition. With Johnny Cash, June 8.50 Main News and Weather. Carter, Minnie Pearl, 9.10 Duke and Duchess C. Carl of Jeannie Riley, Windsor : Perkins and The Tennes- Tuesday documentary. see Three. 10.00 He and She. 10.00 News. 10.25 Points of View: 10.30 The Violent Earth. Criticism and comment. Haroun Tazieff, a vol- 10.30 24 Hours. canologist, spends his 11.05 Weather. life trying predict • to 11.07 Posteript. eruptions. 11.12 Sex Education In Primary 11.30 Ballet For All. Schools : 12 midnight The Best Days Of New series for teachers. Your Life.

REGIONAL BBC

BBC-1 except at the Northern Ireland. Scene regions 600-6.45 10.00-10.30 Speak Around Weather, Nationwide followine times: 11.42 Mind. Midlands 0.0-0.4% East News, Weather. Midlande Vationwide Wales: 5.20-5.44 6.00- D.In News. Today 6.45- Weather 445 North ot Look 8.00-8.05 8.05- North. Weather, Nationwide, 10.00 8.25 Z Cars. 10.00-10.30 The 10.25 Bowling. News, Scotland: .45-4.20 Sunday South and West: 6.00-6.45 Reporting S 10.00. Scotland. West, 10.25 Helen Mint 1h.27 Sex zuca 11.07.11.27 Wes 10.30 Scottish Viewpoint followed News Headlines, Points Of View. 1L42 News. 1-20.3 Weather

REGIONAL ITV

Your Living Body followed by Weather.

reetings London. 10 430 Rome Room 458 NeWs. Lon don to 7.0 duck Movie, Cross- Payne and Evelyn Living and • t. 9.50 london. 11.30 5y Scott, Keyes. A Present 8.30 Seven For Dickie. 12.00 a.m. 12 midnight Channel Gazette.

News and Weather in French LORD The T a.m.-2.55 p.m.

SOUTHERN:

11.00 Tingha and Tucker .m.-3.0 p.m London. .15 New 4.25 4.00 lunkin ..30 London. and YOll By 6.45 6.00 Dav Calendar Weather.

LOCON

o.Uu •The Sea Devils' 6.55 "Moonfleet" Haven with "necday kilm. with Rock Yvonne Car Channel Hand sund Sanders and Hudson stewar Granger Greenwood. Smuggling Joan on Present For Dorsetshire coast. 8.30 A Preser during Napoleonic wars. Dickie. 9.00 Kate. 11.30 8.30 A Present For Dickie. 9 9.00 London. The Man Who Never Was. 12.5 night. 11.40 The Privileged? e of The Living and Growing. a.m. Weather followed by Heroine Weather. Congo. i As Channel except : 4.02 midnight Faith

HARLECH

11S Time F 4.23 6. 30 Crossroa High Living. Batman. nooT and Mrs. Paulus® Schools. Mad

CROOIS.

Dickie. 9.00 London. For Present

NEWSTOON

4.55 Movies. Newsroom. weatner Six. 6.25 The Harleen waless as above 4.25 4.29-4.55 Cross- 6.30 6.55 The Interlude Castle Lobs Are Haven. with Leslie 6.51-7.00 Rep DY Tuesdav Film: 'No Kidding' 10.30-11.30 Dan Sylu Pillins and LOckwood Dickie. 9.00 London. ess. 1.47 RiChristian and His Work.

ANGLIA: 11.00 a.m an mondo 4.40 40 caste Haven 1.35 Newsroom S.49.18 P.m. Schools: 4.20 Scotland The Wind In The Willows, assandon. 6 00 About 4830 London. 6.00 Scotland Now Crossroads Early. 7.00 Star Western «Fort Dohhas with Clint Walker and Mayo. High Living. Name 7.05 The Present For Dickie 8.30 A Present 5 Papi • 20 & 00n kate 1130 Parkin's 11.30 Al Our Yesterdays. 12 midnight .00 Londor Reflection. Tate Chi Living and Growing.

MIDLANDS: 11.00

a.m.-l2 noon Sails tor

S300S 173-2-53.P8

oliving. Schools. Pondon. 8. 6.. pian 7.000 Crossroads. 8.365 a% Adventurers' Movie: Present For Dickie. 9.00-11.30 London.

BBC 2

11.00-11.20 a.m. Play School. With Henry Fonda and 7.05 The Public Purse: Maureen O'Hara. p.m. New series about gov- couple struggling to ernment spending. Femote corine min a children in a 7.30 News and Weather. remote 8.00 The Borderers. tain valley. 8.50 While We're On The Sub- 11.05 News Summary and Weather. ject. 9.10 Hollywood In The Sixties: 'Spencer's Mountain' 11.10 Line-Up.

PAGE FOUR

WORKERS PRESS

Tuesday, January 13, 1970 Keep Left' Annual General Meeting Italian crisis Reformists Forward to the revolutionary plan new Seventies—say Young Socialists coalition 1969, editor Aileen Jennings told the 'Keep Left'

THE ITALIAN

press reports that a meeting last Friday of th eading body of the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) voted, with onl Annual General Meeting on Saturday, had been a three against, to give Party secretary De Martino a free hand to negotiate with the Christian Democrats, Social Democrats and remarkable year for the paper.

Your g Socialists Republicans for the formation of a new centre-left coalition government. This puts

BY A. WESTOBY

Its circulation, which had averaged 20,00o copies the a month, had seen an average monthly rise of 1,668 cavitalist class within sion of a temporary end to the and this enabled the Young socialists to look forward Stop • Visit to the 1970s, 'the revolutionary 1970s', with confidence.

tie riot in veil there one •erlod restations tre hand in th Christian - Democratic "Behino this increase. Comrade ennings emohasized "les a tremendous ettort and a great deal ot political covernment an a allows

• FROM PAGE ONE

Italian social democracy to Hore that "De at no ba enthusiasm unrivallea in the labour movement today.

end Domestic Engis. On l basis them celebrat In a untower mati do amroval a program.

principled fight for craven manner over half a Mary. me Christian em prepa was necessasion of this work signed the century of class collabora.

refc the 40 Young Socialists the visietition tion. Lett Annual General Meat- The form of the announce- ° Coventry trade unionither Clubs ment itself, programmes pro ing tell ycals ago janualy which 1960) had aired rererence These Coventry forthcoming horse - trading majorities for their policies clastruggles posts ministemal and all inside me Laoour rarty and other benefits, and 'author- expulsion executive, serously undertaken. Wilson and the right with Council wing on the eve of the 1964 general cle Social taken reflects Dagenham's opposition Italian strength. smal Ford

NO SPLIT

strated bstrength masses lo any Ic• ival or sull a governmen

FREE HAND

into mittee ace 1/667 treasurer size ding tom the pot a an our paperispi serving member of the leader.

the focal areas, prepared You are now, together with Tesser al dry and build this propaganda These troops, he stressed, League of Greece stressed that s or the dimage and on militancy of she as a vene com Alexandra Palace, • working 133 C.P. leaders silent as aned the Workers peace in 96 social-demo- Sermonies player Pail Rovan.

Unions The Northern Ireland Young any in station were he i Greek comrades had plans for

CORRECTION

Kremlin creeps •British troops IN LAST Thursday's required a *sching the history of the ' visit to unions to 'Great struggles are ahead Catholic Greek homes and at heir 18bs, movement, positing error Workerstatinte rationalist the within the trad closer to Franco cies of the le bour leader windor to be victor- voted against th apable of leadership

IMPERIALISTPAWNS

cambis is not in the fact Id five o By a foreign correspondent THE leading Madrid Isposed the borica ical ard for Beatra Catholic evening paper president M provided by Samen works ta fascis 'Ya' featured a report Moscow on January take their played by the the workers effort mows a sinist it. strike heaviest on Sunday of the latest moves by the Franco Interrupted flight Cynical record regime to open up dip- Work in the British labour three-hour meeting alight from lomatic relations with class were on the the Soviet Union. painstakin oung Socialists, she required Franco's end-of-the-year him oft to Moscow explained. speech his emphasized 1,500 march in i The Wigh dear a hire prin.

government's desire to im- ampit to pace i on at Tench cantal and ther prove relations with east- Wilson's y 'Stop Wilson' rally ern Europe and the Soviet Tasik eat yo the Parenes resolution, problem ended: Union. carried posed. raly in and near 1! Already diplomatic links

• FROM PAGE ONE

build the ae working dass to in oration ce resty en Marcos Connections nave been establisnea be- , a mas Young So dalists lead the ing of a tween the lascist regime and Europe can we meet phis challenge lightenati the governments of Poland Alexon dra Palace? DrIlalI understanding Hungary and Rumania. we must be prepared tor it.

rare iam and the witch- wakened resorking suld take caref freeze, wage fionary conference Of rent- which king, national conter news desperately casting about foi Minis ote and be prepare the Labour leaders an Vietam war Lopez Bravo, staring t victory for Fron veryom Ameni- Allies revealed

ALL TRADES

Rents warning for drawal

FRANK WILLSSOPS

soil, soldier minerent as help st

UNIONS ALLIANCE

real who some of them a nationalism inside the workin 1 attempt to break th Yorks. tenants

FROM JACK GALE

PUBLIC MEETING

ROPEN Sianate regime

SO CALLED YO

relations wilse it Numerous Repaint move on this question. discat in tens iot other being asked to pay more rent ing is lone Lessons of the by importing coa need decial insalutions re required. ck put 1969 Ford newesten Committe entr it ised a rent of 35 dea REYNOLDS told the Soviet bureaucracy strike Left the i door open for turan

WEATHER

and the fight Its decision was: for parity in deplorable cose

ENGINEE

dicite. as forces to de Care: i Coat on a redued Interest Dismal Committee

DAGENHAM

wever sheld "These houses ies i vin. are situated me in tha woreing class Wednesday, January 14 per mouse for interest al Chest en land: Mainy Sough told the LAN 8 p.m.. perature TO Maximum tem quality aBine USembargo Marsh Green School veron Nigera New Road have healthy. Shen port peop man pommoniy cared THE Dagenham hut o the Liberals, the take sand needed additionar in Nothing, bat evening Maximum committee's Oncia. emotional question. is not an rising da goes to describe clearly репетанід затр and the Blac Cassive thrours, result in a net union, take internationalism 6y he move Biafra® through of 610 1 in these thers and demanding their house internationalism words, tenants are For purposes guttering defects. tribunals. temperatures. pracuca.