Workers Press no. 781

workers press

DOCK STRIKE POSTPONED AS

TORY EMERGENCY

BY ALEX MITCHELL

POSTPONEMENT of the na 14 days until June 16 is a sta railwaymen. By agreeing to more talks with the port employers, the Transport and General Workers' Union has given the Tories a chance to declare an open season on the railway workers. Yesterday morning the Heath Cabinet held another emergency session to consider the result of the rail ballot which recom mended by a huge majority further industrial action.

Employment Secretary Maurice Macmillan gave a hint of the next phase of the government's strategy when he said: There is nothing more to be done under the Industrial Relations Act.'

The Tories are clearly moving to higher ground-to the Emergency Powers Act-to wage the final onslaught. executive THE locomen's voted unanimously yesterday for a renewal of industrial action in support of the rail pay claim. General secretary, Ray Buck- ton, said: "The ballot was an overwhelming vote of confidence which leaves no doubt about what our members want. now be pressing for I shall an early joint meeting with the NUR and TSSA to discuss the situation.' He said that if the government declared a state of emergency and threatened the use of troops he hoped the entire trade union movement would rally round the railwaymen. At Unity House yesterday the 24-man executive of the National Union Railwaymen met of informally. A spokesman said: "There will be no decision today. If the executive met formally they would have no choice in the light of the ballot but to recom- ment industrial action. *We want to give the Rail Board a chance to make the first' move.'

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETT

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTR

the national dock strike for is a stab in the back for the Under this Act the Tories will be empowered through the Privy Council to use troops to maintain essential services'.

The decision taken by the docks delegates at Transport House yesterday (see p.12), follows week of intense a secret diplomacy between Jack -Jones and the government.

A formula was agreed this a meeting week at of the National Joint Council which gives no satisfactory assurances whatsoever of job security on the docks. Nevertheless, the union officials have floated this formula as being some sort of *break- through'. The Tories have pursued a policy of appeasement in the docks dispute. Only yesterday the dockers received some respite from the Tory attack when it was announced in the Appeal Court that further contempt charges in the National Industrial Relations Court will be adjourned today.

On May 12, court president, Sir John Donaldson, the gave union 21 days 'to put itself in order. Today he was to have pro- nounced on further contempt charges when the union and Hull dockers' leader, Walter Cunning- ham, faced heavy penalties.

the Appeal Court the union are challenging two find- in which ings of contempt Donaldson imposed fines amount- ing to £55,000. When the court resumed yesterday the Master of the Rolls, Lord Denning, said he had spoken to Donaldson about today's deadline. Donaldson had said he would be content if the matter was stood over pending the Appeal Court's decision.

Just as the Tories managed to isolate the postmen early in 1971, now they intend to isolate the railway workers. As we pointed out in yester- day's front page lead article, the railwaymen's fight is the fight of the whole trade union movement.

What is at stake, among other things, is the right of a union to bargain for wages without intimidation by Tory fear of courts. This fight is inseparable from the fight of the whole trade union movement to get the govern- ment out of office: EWSLETTER • FRIDAY JUNE 2, 1972 • No.

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SO

After yesterday's emergency Cabinet me unveil a memorial to Sir Edw CONSIDERABLE interest is being shown by trade unionists in different parts of the country in the pro- posal by the Socialist Labour League for building Councils of Action. The decision of the import- ant Coventry and Liverpool Trades Councils to launch a campaign to build action councils is an important step forward. There are two major require- ments if the Councils of Action are to be successful. They must mobilize the 1 trade unions, shop stewards' committees, Labour Parties, Trades Councils, unemployed • 4p 72 • No. 781

THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

abinet meeting Tory leader Edward Heath › Sir Edward Elgar, Master of the King's Mus workers and all political organ- izations of the labour move- This must include the ment. Socialist Labour League, Com- munist Party and International Socialism etç. 2 The aim of the Councils of Action must be to defend the trade unions and demo- cratic rights of the working class by taking the lead in the campaign to make the Tory government resign and elect a Labour government pledged to socialist policies. The Socialist Labour League will fight resolutely for such a policy within the Councils of Action. Without the widest mobil- ization of the working class to make the Tory government resign, the Councils of Action ntre now open, see p. I Heath went to Westminster Abbey to Cing's Music, from 1924 to 1934 would be ineffective. They must be Councils of Action and not councils of protest.

The Socialist Labour League, whilst fighting for this policy, will under no circumstances enter into alliances with revisionist groups and call these Councils of Action- since they would be nothing of the sort. The task before the SLL consists of building the Count cils of Action to mobilize the mass movement to make the Tory government resign. We will continue to expose re- visionism, Stalinism and re- formism within the Councils should they impede this fight.

Socialist Labour League political committee, May 31, 1972.

workers press

DOCK STRIKE POSTPONED AS

TORY EMERGENCY

BY ALEX MITCHELL

POSTPONEMENT of the na 14 days until June 16 is a sta railwaymen. By agreeing to more talks with the port employers, the Transport and General Workers' Union has given the Tories a chance to declare an open season • on the railway workers. Yesterday morning the Heath Cabinet held another emergency session to consider the result of the rail ballot which recom- mended huge majority by a further industrial action.

Employment Secretary Maurice Macmillan gave a hint of the next phase of the government's strategy when he said: "There is nothing more to be done under the Industrial Relations Act.'

The Tories are clearly moving to higher ground-to the Emergency Powers Act-to wage the final onslaught. THE locomen's executive voted unanimously yesterday for a renewal of industrial action in support of the rail pay claim. General secretary, Ray Buck- ton, said: "The ballot was an overwhelming vote of confidence which leaves no doubt about what our members want. I shall now be pressing for early joint meeting with the an NUR and TSSA to discuss the situation' He said that if the government declared a state of emergency and threatened the use of troops he hoped the entire trade union movement would rally round the railwaymen. At Unity House yesterday the 24-man executive of the National Railwaymen Union of met informally. A spokesman said: 'There will be no decision today. If the executive met formally they would have no choice in the light of the ballot but to recom- ment industrial action. We want to give the Rail Board a chance to make the first' move.'

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTI

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTR

the national dock strike for is a stab in the back for the Under this Act the Tories will be empowered through the Privy Council to use troops to maintain 'essential services'.

The decision taken by the docks delegates Transport at House yesterday (see p.l2), follows week of intense secret diplomacy between Jack Jones and the government. A formula was agreed this meeting week at a of the National Joint Council which gives no satisfactory assurances whatsoever of job security on the docks. Nevertheless, the union officials this have floated formula as being some sort of 'break- through'. The Tories have pursued a policy of appeasement in the docks dispute. Only yesterday the dockers some respite from the received Tory attack when it was announced in the Appeal Court that further contempt charges in the National Industrial Relations Court: will be adjourned today.

On May 12, court president, Sir John Donaldson, gave the union 21 days 'to put itself in order'. Today he was to have pro- on further contempt nounced charges when the union and Hull dockers' leader, Walter Cunning- ham, faced heavy penalties.

the Appeal Court the union are challenging two find- ings of contempt in which Donaldson imposed fines amount- ing to £55,000. When the court resumed yesterday the Master of the Rolls, Lord Denning, said he had spoken Donaldson| about to today's deadline. Donaldson had said he would be content if the matter was stood over pending the Appeal Court's decision.

Just as the Tories managed to isolate the postmen early in 1971, now they intend to isolate the railway workers. As we pointed out in yester- day's front page lead article, the railwaymen's fight is the fight of the whole trade union movement.

What is at stake, among other things, is the right of a union to bargain for wages without intimidation by Tory fear of courts. This fight is inseparable from the fight of the whole trade union movement to get the govern- ment out of office: EWSLETTER • FRIDAY JUNE 2, 1972 • No. 781 • 4p

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

After yesterday's emergency Cabinet meeting Tory leader Edward Heath Elgar, unveil a memorial to Sir Edward Master of the King's Mus

CONSIDERABLE

interest workers and all political organ- is being shown izations of the labour by trade move- This must include unionists in different parts the Socialist Labour League, Com- of the country in the pro- munist Party and International the posal by Socialist Socialism etç. Labour League for building 2 The aim of the Councils of Councils of Action. Action must be to defend the trade unions and demo- The decision of the import- cratic rights of the working ant Coventry and Liverpool class by taking the lead in the Trades Councils to launch to make the Tory campaign build action campaign and elect government resign councils is an important step a Labour government pledged forward. socialist policies. to There are two major require- The Socialist Labour League ments if the Councils of Action will fight resolutely for such are to be successful. a policy within the Councils of Action. 1 They must mobilize the Without the widest mobil- trade unions, shop stewards' ization of the working class committees, Labour Parties, to make the Tory Bovelilcal Trades Councils, unemployed resign, the Councils of Action I Heath went to Westminster Abbey to Cing's Music, from 1924 to 1934 would be ineffective. They must be Councils of Action and not councils of protest.

The Socialist Labour League, whilst fighting for this policy, will under no circumstances enter into alliances with revisionist groups and call these Councils of Action— since they would be nothing of the sort. The task before the SLL consists of building the Coun cils of Action to mobilize the mass movement to make the Tory government resign. We will continue to expose re- visionism, Stalinism and re- formism • within the Councils should they impede this fight.

Socialist: Labour League political committee, May 31, 1972. e p. 3

PAGE 2 Workers Press, Friday June 2, 1 Mao Ise-tung

CHINESE

obstruction appears to be hampering the passage of urgently- needed supplies from the Soviet Union to North Vietnam. Soviet and Chinese nego- in dispute tiators are still over provision of port facili- ties on the Chinese coast for supplies diverted from North Vietnam by the US blockade.

East European sources Peking say some Polish and East German vessels being are allowed to dock at Chinese ports, but Soviet vessels are not.

The Chinese are repurted to considering be each ship individually, taking probably into account the suitability of its cargo for transport by road or rail to the North Vietnamese border. Soviet ships are at present returning Vladivostok-a to voyage which could delay the cargo by as much as a month or more. The Chinese apparently told the Soviet envoy in Peking that Moscow should use its mine- sweepers to clear the North Vietnamese harbours rather than use Chinese ports. Supplies by rail from the Soviet Union across China have been following the steppeu up but logistics problems blockade, inside China have delayed their arrival in North Vietnam.

There has been speculation in that the the . American press liberation armies fighting in South Vietnam may be running supplies-particularly short of heavy ammunition. The national disputes of the two major Stalinist powers can only cause additional problems for the Vietnamese struggle.

leader held in Germany FRANKFURT police yesterday arrested Andreas Baader, one of the leaders of the so-called Baader-Mienhof group of urban terrorists. Together with three other alleged terrorists, Baader was arrested at dawn after a gun battle with police in a Frank- furt apartment. The arrests followed a massive witch-hunt against the press group, said to have been respon- bombings, arson sible and bank robberies and an attack on the US headquarters in Heidel- berg earlier this month. 5.

FRICA

'There's a place for us, Somewhere a place for us, June 2, 1972

BY IAN YEATS

THE CZECH and 'Slovak Writers' Unions opened their congresses in Prague on with scathing Wednesday attacks on those who had supported Alexander Dubcek in 1968. The attacks, four years after the Soviet invasion of Czecho- slovakia, are without doubt a measure of continuing unrest at the regime's policies as well as an indication that a new round of purges and repression may be on the way. No hard facts in Angela frame-up trial CHIEF prosecutor Albert Har- ris tried again yesterday to con- vince the all-white jury at San Jose county court that Angela Davis knew about the plot to take hostages from Marin County courthouse two years ago.

Summing up the prosecution case in the murder and conspi- racy frame-up trial, Harris laid on the fact that heavy stress Angela Davis was present when the Marin used the guns County escape attempt were bought. He claimed it was impossible for her not to have known . that the guns were to be used to hostages in an attempt kidnap Brothers free the Soledad to detained in San Quentin. The prosecution evidence entirely circumstantial, and Har- hard facts ris has produced no to show conspiracy. If convicted, however, Angela Davis could be imprisoned for life without pos- sibility of parole.

SMITH

Hold my hand Hold my hand government news- The Czech 'Rude Pravo' said on the paper eve of the conferences that they would 'put a definite end to their recent past'. The paper condemned the 1967 Congress of the old Czechoslovak Writers' Union which it said did not hesitate 'to spit the insults of a period of "new darkness" in our faces.' Although it was never formally disbanded, the union ceased to exist after refusing to support the Soviet invasion of Czecho- slovakia and it was replaced by a new body split into Czech and Slovak parts lasi November.

Slovak Writers' Union chair- Andrej Plavka told its man meeting on Wednesday that the 1967 Congress had not concern- ed itself with literature 'but with a public attack against the party, principles of against the basic Marxist theory and the policy of the party. He added that since 1968 the 'cleansed' union had been to Marxist separate the 'healthy core' 'supporters of anti- from socialist opinions'. Plavka warned: 'It is an illu- in today's sion to think that divided world a writer can be neutral'. His remarks coincided with the disclosure in 'Rude Pravo' that measures were being pre- pared to discourage writers from publishing in the West. Meanwhile vice-chairman of the Czech Writers' Union Jan Kozak accused the 1968 union leaders of breaking off contacts writers' organizations in with countries other socialist and 'organizing mass excursions to the West, mostly to West Germany and Israel'. Kozak said they did this in anti-socialist, the 'middle of the nationalist, anti-Soviet campaign waged by proved means of psy- chological warfare'.

PERICE

SMITH

ny hand and we're halfway there, ny hand and I'll take you there, THE LYNCH government in con- cert with the Tories is moving determinedly against the IRA in Eire. Having set up special military introduced internment courts, at the Curragh and intensified police surveillance of the border, the Eire bourgeoisie have now taken the unprece- dented step of arresting Joe Cahill, ex-commander of the Belfast Provisionals and Rory O'Brady (Ruaire O'Bradaigh), head of the Provisional Sinn Fein. O'Brady was detained at his home in Roscommon Town while Cahill- the man . who first called for direct rule in the North-was arrested by 20 Special Branch men at the Dublin headquarters of the Sinn Fein and taken to Bride- well jail. Both men are held under the notorious Offences Against the State Act. We protest emphatically against these arrests as well as against the extension of the powers of arbitrary executive. We an furthermore demand the immediate of these release leaders and their colleagues in the Curragh. We do so not because of some abstract humanitarian con- • siderations, but because these enable Lynch to measures the framework of create a Bonapartist dictatorship which will be used against Repub- licans and Communists alike.

Thentry Linch's preparatiom on entry the Common Market, the precondition for which is the lowering of living standards and the destruction of democratic rights through sudden attacks against trade unions and political parties and the internment of their leaders. At the same time Lynch hopes to strengthen those groups in the North, _like the Social Demo- cratic Labour Civil Party, Northern Rights Associa- Ireland tion, the Official IRA and the Communist Party who are desperately trying to seek political agreement with Whitelaw. The timing of his attack is the most instructive part of the operation. He only felt safe to against the Provisionals move AFTER the Officials had made Someday, somehow, somewher their truce and split the ranks of Republicanism irrevocably.

In this attack Dublin could to extent rely on some passivity of a considerable sec- tion of Irish workers who view the Provisionals with a measure of scepticism because of the close identity in the view of right-wing politicians the Boland and Blainey with those of the Provisional leaders.

Cahill's call for 'direct rule' in Ulster and the absence of any progressive reforms in the Provisional programme indicate clearly that the Provos want' a united Ireland under right- wing, anti-union dictatorship unlike the Free State not regime of the 1920s. however much Irish workers, they admire the courage and tenacity of the Provisionals are alienated by their right-wing policies. Yet however much we might dis- agree with their policies and unconditionally methods we support their right to exist and function North and South of the border and we shall defend both the gunmen them from of the British army and the the Irish Special raids of Branch. The Official leaders, by, opting out of the struggle and betray- ing their Republican beliefs, have now opened the door for intensified repression isolation of their Provisional.

brothers. They branded are with the mark of Cain. repression will not end But there. It is a cancer which once unleashed will spread and engulf every section of Republican opinion. Today it's the Provisionals, tomorrow it will be your turn, Messrs Officials! There is a deadly parallel here between the attempts of the class to split British ruling railmen from dockers and the Irish bourgeoisie and British imperialism to split the Repub- lican movement. It is more urgent than ever before that both British and Irish labour frustrate these divisive moves and unite to force the Tories to resign and secure a socialist regime in both countries which will spell the end of British domination forever.

AFRICA

SMITH

omewhere . —West Side Story.

BY AN INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

WITH Ferranti workers voting to call off their sit-in for an immediate £2-a-week pay rise, the greater Manchester engineering struggle is now virtually wound up. fighting fund from the Engineer- The settlement has been Employers' Federation and ing accepted by 3,700 workers at concessions on the ques- gave no three Ferranti factories sit- tion of hours. for four The were led into ting in weeks. engineers a purely wages struggle, in iso- Another 2,160 workers are lation from the rest of the engi- likely to follow suit within neers'-union membership, where the next few days. no political questions were raised.

The prime responsibility for That would leave sit-ins in the collapse in Manchester must just five federated firms and one be laid the lock-out. The next to fall could at door of Scanlon and the national executive of the be the

GEC

diesels plant at Newton-le-Willows, Amalgamated Union of Engineer- War- ing Workers. rington. "anuary, In they opened the Eight weeks after their sit-in, door for the futile strategy of workers the 1,200 there were they plant bargaining when balloting this week pay abandoned the fight for the of £1.90 a week and £1.50 offer national claim. on overtime rates. And in Manchester itself, Com- The decision at the return munist Party union officials play- at Hollin- main Ferranti factory their keeping the edi part. in wood was taken at a mass meet- struggle at a low level, by not the advice ing-against of shop raising the political question stewards and union officials.

involved in a fight with the EEF Like all other sit-ins, the nationally, when the federation claim was for £4, an extra week's were openly backed by the Tory and hol week to 35 hours. holiday cut in the work- •government. At Hollinwood the return will be on f2 now plus another 50p January, and day's next two holiday by the end of extra 1973. The only real concession

THE

Paperbacks Centre was £2 increase in basic won was a rates from July. opened in London yesterday by playwright David Mercer. Hollinwood Mike convenor About 40 Workers Smith summed up what must be Press the of feelings many readers attended the informal after their long, drawn-out strug- ceremony. gle. An important new venture for I'm very disappointed, but not New Park Publications Ltd, the 'The really surprised', he said. centre is at 28 Charlotte Street, here has been outcome very few minutes' walk from Tottenham affected by much settlements Court Road or elsewhere. Goodge Street Underground 'Early dispute, stations. in the when David Mercer told those workers in the area engineering attending yesterday: am united, were we were getting delighted that the shop has been good deals, but now employers achieved, above all because every can fight us in isolation.

tangible and concrete expression The isolation and fragmenta- of the work of the movement is of the struggle made it ine- tion which the something gives vitable concessions that no real deepest satisfaction of all.

would be won from the employ- It is like the development of ers. the "The Newsletter" paper to They were backed by a flm Workers Press the and then David Mercer opening the Paperbacks Centre in London's West End Engineers sit in at the GEC works, New THREE HUNDRED produc- tion workers at the Cleveland Twist Drill factory, Peter- head, 30 miles from Aber.

deen, ended a seven-week strike on Wednesday after management had shut down the factory. tabloid. "There is a real hunger for People books today. want to educate themselves politically and socially. This shop will be very well placed satisfy this to demand. Roger Davy, bookshop man- said: ager, "This shop will of course sell all Trotsky's works, and the main works of Marxism, but it is also a general bookshop. orientated to the workers' movement. We hope to encourage workers to read as widely as possible.

'We see the opening of this shop as part of the theoretical development of the movement in preparation for the launching of the party this autumn? Workers Press orks, Newton-Le-Willows: will their action als The closure would have meant 560 workers losing their jobs.

The men struck in support of a £4-a-week pay rise after mana- gement had made them a final days of £1.94, with two offer extra holidays and a condition that in future there should be a secret ballot before a strike was called.

ALL TRADE

ALLIANCE I

Support the dockers and rail- waymen. Build Councils of Action BIRKENHEAD: Sunday June 4, 7 p.m. Royal Castle Hotel (opp. Cammell Laird's). ACTON: Monday June 5, 8 p.m.

Co-op Hall, High Road. 'Fight the Tories' rent Bill'. COVENTRY: Tuesday June 6, 8 p.m. Wood End Community Association Hall, Hillmorton Road. NORTH KENT: Tuesday June 6, 8 p.m. SOGAT House, 25 Essex Rd, Dartford. 'Engineers' pay claim'. DAGENHAM: Tuesday June 6, 8 p.m. Co-op Hall, Fanshawe Ave, Barking. 'Industrial Rela- tions Act'. LONDON: Tuesday

SOUTH

June 6, 8 p.m. Clapham Manor Baths, ' Clapham Manor Street, SW4. WEST LONDON: Tuesday June 8 p.m. 'Prince в, Albert, rors Press, Friday June 2, 1972 PAGE 3 action also be wound up? A return to work on the basis of a £2-a-week pay rise was accepted by a vote of 283 to 17.

Plant convenor Steve Thomson said that if a national settlement gave better terms than the pre- sent offer they would get automatically, and if other fac- tories in the group received bet- ter offers Peterhead would rene- gotiate. Moscow Trials Anthology Paperback, 62}p

MAX SHACHTMAN:

Behind The Moscow Trial Paperback 75p

ROBERT BLACK:

Stalinism In Britain Paperback £1.12½—cloth £2

LEON TROTSKY :

Death Agony of Capitalism (The Transitional Programme) Pamphlet 5p Class Nature of the Soviet State Pamphlet 20p In Defence of the October Revolution Pamphlet 15p The Theory and Practice of Revisionism Pamphlet 15p Postage 10p per book, 3p per pamphlet. Order from :

NEW PARK PUBLICATIONS

186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG.

ADES UNIONS

ICE MEETINGS

Wharfedale Road, Kings Cross.

GLASGOW: Tuesday June 6, 1, Partick 7.30 p.m. Room Burgh Hall. NORTH LONDON: Thursday 8 p.m. 'Bricklayers June Errottenham High Arms' Rd (nr White Hart Lane). CROYDON: Thursday June 8, 8 p.m. Ruskin House, Coombe Road. LUTON: Thursday June .: 8, 8 p.m. St John Ambulance Brigade Hall, Lea Road. SOUTH EAST LONDON: Thurs- 8, 8 day June p.m. Deptford Engineers' Club (opposite New Cross Station). SOUTHALL: Thursday June 8, 8 p.m. Parkway Rooms (Rent Office). Racecourse Estate, Northolt. PRESTON: Thursday June 8, 8 p.m. Railway and Com- mercial 1 Hotel (nr rail stn), Butler St. COALVILLE: Thursday June 8, Miners' 8 p.m. Welfare. 'Organize Councils of Action'.

PAGE 4 Workers Press, Friday June 2, 19 Dear Editor, Workers Press does a great service by its feature articles on episodes from labour and that on the history, strike of 1867 (Friday tailors' May 19) is no exception. But some of the most interesting and significant features of that strike were omitted. The origin of the dispute was the attempt by the tailors throughout the country (not just in London) to obtain a 'uniform time-log', a national agreement on the rates of pay- ment for the various articles they produced, so that workers in one area could not be used to undercut those in another.

The enforcement of such an agreement necessarily involved recognition of the union by the employers, and it was on this principle, as much as the issue of uniformity itself, that the disputa was fought out.

London Operative The Tailors' Protective Association (LOTPA) was formed in 1865 of amalgamation by the numerous small societies, and in the same period the pro- vincial unions banded them- selves together in the Man- Amalgamated chester - based Society of Journeymen Tailors (ASIT), which grew rapidly from its foundation in March 1866. The London, Scottish, and did not at that Irish societies time join the ASIT, but in

LOTPA

January 1867 the an arrangement entered into which made it, in effect, part of the national amalgamation.

agreed that the It was Londoners should be the van- guard of the movement for the uniform time-log, with the full backing of the tailors in the rest of the country, and when the strike broke out the ASJT levied 2s a week from its pro- vincial members to support the London society. Meanwhile, employers the had also been organizing them- end of and at the selves, August 1866 set up the Master Tailors' Association of the United Kingdom, with the object of 'prompt and united resistance to any attempt on the part of the men to enforce unreasonable demands or to the free action of any limit individual master' Negotiations with the at the London masters beginning of 1867 at first seemed to be getting some- where, the employers but repudiated the concessions made by their representatives and in April broke discussions and provoked the strike. Though confined to London, the strike was, there- fore, part of a national struggle between the tailors and their employers. . ASJT, in addition to The financial support, sent Presi- dent John Adamson to London as its representative on the strike committee and main- tained the fullest co-operation with LOTPA throughout the dispute, which lasted six months. The organization of the strike was one of the most impressive ever seen: the response in the West End was practically 100 per cent, and within a short time many of the poorly-paid women and immigrant workers in the East End were brought out and unionized. union constantly The stressed the necessity for unity of all grades of garment workers.

PAGE FROM

More than cantly, an established Paris, be out

SCAL

additon throughout the trades ability. great no up instead relied opinion' for port today: "This kept up by their freedom own ruin as the public] the friends will merit large. piece lished, and only them without between public, assailing the Not all the who wished oute curtly ters. called They did sewing were able this was enabling strike. The to recoulst dozens still they It was were their trade offences. spiracy £20,000 ng provincial tailors lades in support ol very signifi- was tailors Germany country ut of the vent the introduction labour from abroad pickeling. the struggle led their case before and the public with some Even apers were forced the employers put all and suments al the on pre- middle-class 'public or support against a to their authority agencies have the to do today as they naster tailor le and bigoter but favoured concilia- overborne by the smash s to get negotiations r to submit the dis- arbitration, were by the mas the employers to organize a regular blacklegging, or, as labour'. recruit many in place of the masters with manage ler labour force, and factor main resist also had the courts, and pro- intimidation; but could not break the that the execu- TPA and the ASJT 'conspiracy masters and business, and defined common law was First, the offences were not laid down by statute law, but were notions derived from common law, which was suffi- ciently vague for the courts to interpret how they wished.

Secondly, charges of con- be spiracy could brought against - not only the pickets themselves, but also against union officials who had taken no actual part in the picket- ing. This is how Druitt, Lawence, Adamson, and even members Manchester executive of the who had been 180-odd miles away from the picketing, came before the courts. In a sense, the tailors' executive were being : beaten with the same kind of stick that the courts are using today, being held responsible for actions by their members regardless of whether they were sanctioned by the officials. The evidence of the masters and police spies was mostly about alleged violence during the picketing, and very little evidence was presented show that the union execu- tive had authorized and con- spired to commit breaches of the law. The court imposed a sort of cooling-off period by agreeing.

to adjourn the trial, to give the defendants time to prepare their case, on condition that the picketing ceased. Ihe off- cials were forced to give an undertaking to desist from encouraging picketing, but the union arranged to formally depose them from office, thus absolving them of further responsibility, and appointed a new set of officers to con- tinue picketing in defiance of the court. When the cases eventually came up at the Old Bailey in late August 1867 the charges against some of the officers were dismissed for lack of evi- dence, but most of the strike Feaders were found guilty.

The judge, Mr Justice Bram- well, worded his instructions to the jury in such a way that they could hardly fail to con- vict: picketing, he declared, 'is only legal if it is practised in such a way that it will be no greater inconvenience to any- one than if it did not exist'; and he told the prisoners: I am satisfied you cannot perform a system of picketing which would be of any use to you without breaking the law' Bramwell even declared that 'black looks' of silent disappro- bation might be sufficient to intimidation and constitute incur criminal penalities.

This judgement was with enthusiasm by acclaimed the employers and the bour- geois press. It surprised and horrified the trade union lead- worried many fair- ers and minded lawyers, for it meant that, while strikes and picket- ing were not in themselves un- lawful, any effective action in support of a strike might be held to be illegal, and any union leader sanctioning a strike in which a breach of the law occurred was liable to prosecution. The convicted leaders of the strike were bound over and released on condition that the picketing ceased - if it con- tinued they would again be brought before the court and heavily sentenced. was therefore The union obliged to call off the pickets withdrew its demands, and seeking to negotiate a return to work. The masters made no reply to this offer, and by this time (early September) they had little need for labour, the season being over. Of 2,800 strikers, only 190 had left the union and gone back to work, but the mas- ters had acquired in addition a couple of hundred black- and with the sewing legs machine, this number was their sufficient for present needs. Half the strikers had found work in other parts of the country or set up on their own account, and 200 had emigrated to America. The great been tailors a resources, enthusiastically and SLay

OUI

assistance from However, other their own were

TATTOO

fend for themselve trial. In October was unconditionally and who those don

SOMET

broken, but branches were ful rated into the despite the setback to exist and eventu a membership of 16 started with 6,000 But the unity achieved been bespoke craftsmer sweated outworker troyed. The machines for the deve ready-made clothin the position workers. garment until the poorest of them more to organize Despite the disn of the strike, all w The both the injustice through the T (founded after this strike), it until and picketing was The bourgeois London did not qu this example of so the system of picl Times' remarked a pity that not handled tactfully and flict which sions, _and, unions, employers to try tuture. The than any more of the time, issues which simple economic qu the attempt to ach form national agree recognition, ing, 1n1ey grades within assistance from international George Howell: rèpu and the lega he prosecutions had drain buen the they ically resolved to further seek from other trades. problems, and the largely themselves after the the strike ditionally abandoned, could obtain rned to it. The Lon-

LOTPA,

was its surviving were fully incorpo. AST, which, e setback, continued id eventually attained ship of 16,000 (it had ith 6,000). which had unity between and craftsmen utworkers was des- of introduction menti not sewing e clothing weakened of all grades It not 1090S ThaT began once organize against the the dismal outcome ike, all was not lost. cant tailors went on America class remem h its own solidarity of the law Trades Union (founded the year strike), it campaigned ting was legalized. of public id not quickly forget of picketing. marked that was had the dispute more avoided a con- stirred class pas- though it hated recommended the to try negotiation lors' strike of 1867, dispute olner raised important went beyond nomic questions: pt to achieve a uni- nal agreement, union collective bargain- different betweer an industry, from other unions solidarity, the and 'opaganda pub- , on the other hand, well: repudiated fighting spiri the organization of the systematic scab- employers, recruiting, the introduction of machinery, the mobilization of 'public opinion' through the press, the use of the courts the twisting of the law and against the working class.

Why is it that all this has long forgotten when been many strikes of lesser signifi- cance are remembered? Very few historians of unionism mention the strike: the Fabian Webbs made a brief reference to the trial, but gave only a single, inaccurate, sentence to the strike itself. G. D. H. Cole and subsequent historians also ignored it. The only reasonably full account of the dispute is in Margaret Stewart and Leslie 'The Needle is Hunter's Threaded: The History of an Industry',_ published for the National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers in 1964. The century of neglect which this heroic struggle of the tailors has undergone is difficult to, explain. Perhaps the way in which the strike was fought was somewhat of an embarrassment to reformist union leaders and labour his- torians. George Howell, the first secretary of the Trades Union Congress and one of the earli- est historians of the labour movement, wrote of the picket- ing: 'In no single instance was the terrorism then exercised palliated or executed; nor was the inquisitorial nature of their proceedings justified', that is, it received no support or encouragement from the nas- cent labour bureaucracy. Howell's repudiation of the fighting spirit and methods of the tailors is typical of the assumed by his suc- attitude cessors in the leadership of the trade union movement and perhaps accounts for the 1867 strike being forgotten. But neither in 1867 nor in 1972 are rank-and-file union- ists prepared to abandon the valuable weapon of picketing.

Such traditional expressions of working-class struggle will con- tinue to be used, in conjunc- methods with other tion learned in conflict, in defiance of courts and "public opinion' until such time as the class war has been won. Workers Press plays a vital role in recalling such episodes as the tailors' strike of 1867 to the attention of the work- ing class of today. Yours faithfully, a Leicester reader ating spirit and methods of the tailors

The counter-revolution- ary face of the Chilean •Popular Unity' regime is emerging more and more clearly following the dramatic clashes between left and right-wing demonstrators in the streets of Conception. The Left Revolutionary Movement (MIR), which is not in the government, organized to drive right-wing demonstra- tors off the streets on May 12. The right wing, ranging from the conservative Chris- tian Democrats to out-and-out organizations, fascist have been campaigning for months to bring down President Salva- dor Allende's regime. Their efforts are backed by the US Central Intelligence Agency and by big American corporations like International Telephone and Telegraph. Yet the Popular Unity regime — including social-democrats and Communist Party Stalinists- allowed the right-wing march go ahead in Conception to while banning the MIR's coun- ter-demonstration. the Stalinists Allende and i be taking Chile claim to along the 'peaceful road to socialism', yet the right wing • to organize with is allowed impunity while the left is repressed. Communist Party chief Luis Corvalan ascribed the Concep- tion events to "an escalation of suicidal confrontations pro- moted by the ultra-right groups and the ultra-left adventurers'. 'The former are the fascist on the right, those groups involved in the ITT-CIA plot, who perpetrated the assassina- tion of general Rene Schneider and who over a year and a half of popular government, have been organizing their White Guards-those who proclaim that the only good Marxists are dead ones-who propose the overthrow of the govern- ment,' he said. "The others-the adventurer groups of the ultra-left, main- tain that the policy of the Popular Unity government is which they want to open another road through their constant seeking for violent clashes aimed at swamping government's authority the and the Popular Unity pro- gramme.' Having thus equated the left and right opponents of the regime in the usual Stal- inist manner, Corvalan makes it clear that the coalition sup- porters in Conception were divided over whether or not to stop the Christian Demo- crat march. The Communist Party, however, was fully in favour of the march going ahead. "The. danger of a serious clash at Conception, Corvalan went on, 'was accentuated by the fact crucial that at a moment there was no clarity • the part of an important on portion of the Popular Unity.

The disturbing factor was the discrepancy over the attitude of the government and the parties comprising it ought to take with regard to the rights of the opposition. "There emerged a tendency vouring the use of force to prevent a march organized by the Christian Democrats. That tendency was rejected by the Communist Party and the Independent People's Action [a social-democrat coalition member].' Corvalan recalled that the government programme for the guaranteed respect rights of the opposition as exercised within a legal frame- work. This implied no 'weakness in regard to the enemies of the people, much less the toleration of the existence and activities of the fascist bands' Corvalan claimed. Yet extreme right groups were allowed to take part openly in a similar march through the Capital, Santiago, earlier this year.

Despite the clear indica- tions over the last months that the Christian Democrats are preparing to overthrow the Popular Unity regime - by force if necessary — Corvalan went out of his way to stress to avoid the need clashes which might end up in civil war. This would only be fay- oured by holding mass rallies to meet the right-wing threat, he said. In other words, the masses must not mobilize against the Christian Democrats and the extreme right-wing outriders stay quietly at but should home while the government 'impartially' uses the constitu- tion to protect them. This Is a sure prescription for the triumph of reaction in Chile. It was backed even forcefully by another more Stalinist leader Senator Volo- dia Tietelboim (who was guest year's of honour at this 'Morning Star' rally in Lon- don). Tietelboim said in an inter- view with the Christian Demo- cratic paper 'La Prenss': ber Allende: allows the right-wing Christian "There is a huge national majority • interested in having the problem solved without paying the price of blood and civil war. I think we are living in days of decision. I believe the situa- tion has reached a point demanding definitions and I feel that within the ranks of the left the Conception events point to such a definition, he declared. Tietelboim went on to tell the right-wing paper that he looking was - a clear feeler for the possibility of a 'national truce' between the Christian Democrats and the Allende government. He hoped redefinition the would be 'positive in the sense aside the heady of casting vapours of ultra positions'. In other words, he wants a com- promise with the Christian Democrats under which they will moderate their campaign opposition provided the government's policy is toned down still further. The Stalinist senator made it clear that the Communist Party was completely opposed to rural or industrial holdings unless authorized by law. Those who take part in such seizures are not communists, he said. In fact, they are mainly poor peasants dis- gusted by the snail-like pace of Allende's agrarian reforms, and workers struggling for is: better wages and conditions.

Workers Prot : Christian Democrats to march but bans left-wir Tietelboim said the 'demo- cratic opposition' — by which he meant the Christian Demo- crats, had forces on their right who 'at certain times make use of traumatic situa- tions so as to force through conceptions of violence and involve people who want nothing to do with it' He added: 'I can also say the same of the left and the extreme left'! The Senator's pacifistic smokescreen conceals a vio- lent hatred for the prospect revolution. The Christian Democrats meanwhile smirk complacentiy as they push ahead their plans to under- mine Allende-and Tietelboim tells the workers to cool their heels! Yet only a few months ago, as MIR leader Miguel Enriques pointed out, CP secretary. Corvalan had called 'taking the stuffing out of the fascists the streets'. "That was on what we did in Conception,' the MIR leader said. "The ruling class has grown and has taken the strong warned, offensive, Enriquez 'and that offensive is aimed at overthrowing the govern- and repressing ment the people. And if the thing is to overthrow the government, it kars Prosa, Friday June 2, 1872 PAQE 5 ns left-wing demonstrations.

is better to do so with the left weakened by forcing the government into repression.'

The Christian Democrats, he said, were making a lot of 'armed groups' noise about which was aimed at the pro- tests of peasants, urban poor and workers. As an example of the opposition plans "he cited the legislative Bill pro- posed by the opposition to hand over arms regulation to the armed forces. The Bill is proposed by Christian Democrat Senator Juan de Dios Carmona, one- time Defence Minister under former President Frei. On one occasion Carmona called out the troops to shoot strikers at the El Salvador copper mine.

wants more blood, 'Carmona the MIR leader said. The MIR's own perspective to meet the right-wing threat, however, is simply to advise the government not to cuddle up to the Christian Democrats in search of parliamentary votes. Enriquez called for the mobilization of the masses, the dissolution of parliament, the transformation of the state apparatus through the creation of popular bodies. But his party's critical sup- port for the Popular Unity regime, designed solely to push it to the left, is equally as dangerous as the Stalinists' preachings and can only aid to disarm the working them class in the face of the class enemy.

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Friday Juno 2, 1972

BY STEPHEN JOHNS

Three They would always put for- weeks ago two ward first certain formal criti- political allies met before cisms of the Stalinist leader- Haringey trades council involved ship. These 'left'- to revive the discredited of the sounding work-in policy. For example 'Kill the Bill' campaign. toremen tney Halpin, the One was Kevin should be deprived of their Stalinist leader of the Liaison power to give orders, that the Committee for the Defence.

of ships should be held in the work-in Trade Unions and the other yards and that the was Roger Rosewell, be member should turned into a real of the International Socialists occupation'. and industrial At other times they would correspondent of that group's call for a policy of nationaliza- weekly paper, 'Socialist Worker'. workers'

LOO

Of the IS did call course The keynote of the meeting for a "political' approach to the was that the industria Rela. struggle as well. But the kind tions Act could be Killed' of politics they supported was the renoval most revealing. Tory government. In early August at the start The last ot the of the work-in in a 'Socialist Palagtapil resolution read: 'We deplore Worker' editorial they advised: trade union leaders being used 'Every channel, official and un- to discipline militant stewards official, must be used. The and believe rank-and-file action Lories can and will be beaten is the only way to defeat the provided that the siren voices Act.' "respectability" anu This was a swan-song for the "maturity" and "no politics" campaigns of ant-bill 19/0- are drowned out in the uproar 1971 that were such disastrous of working-class protest.

diversions. Then the movement (At the time the working developing among the working class were demonstrating their class was turned from the poli- dedication to 'protest' tical fight to bring down gathering 50,000 strong on the the nadir of government—at streets of Glasgow and yelling its popularity-into a great in- "Heath out'. effectual protest. On October 'Socialist The meeting was significant Worker declared: 'The Tories because it marked one of the be told that the fight must applications first practical will continue until the yards new 'unity' policy worked- nationalized. are Above: the protest of February 21, 1971 agai out at a London conference On October 16 the paper's between the International not been introduced, there was line became even more explicit.

Socialists and the Communist no 'real' workers' control, etc, It said: 'Only

UCS

backed Party some days earlier. (al innovations on financially and physically by

CLE.

work-in strategy.) Rosewell himself had from other mass support nalled this developing political change Tory worKers friendship May 13 in the policy' Socialist Worker: In a decis- This was a faithful echo of ive of the Upper the editorial of the column summing up Clyde Shipbuilders' crisis he daily the •Morning declared the Stalinist policy on Star'—the 'politics' of IS were Clyde had resulted in revealed to be the 'politics' of 'partial victory' for the ship- the Stalinists. This of confusing barrage yard workers. The juxtaposition demands words served protect the •to Both agreements, on the Act Stalinists diverted for nationalization because workers' and on UCS, illustrate one of control with a politi- attention from the of the cal policy of forcing the Tory their treachery. This was their contemptible and treacherous relationships in government to change its line determination not to turn the British politics today. Nowhere UCS struggle outwards among is most revealing. this more apparent than Clearly it is a nonsense the workers in Scotland and to Clydeside. suggest that Tories will switch make the shipyards a focus of It was the singular of direction the a campaign to force the Tory aim and provide working class with a free gift the IS, and writers the government to resign. Ior 'Socialist Worker' like of capitalist property. The Stalinist Rose- refusal to "real' well, to ensure that the Stalin- This inconsistency, however, undertake a occupation leaders was a direct result of this poli- ist of the yards is secondary. succeeded in defeating the By erecting of tical position. But as we have screen political movement against the seen, this was also the position radical-sounding suggestions to 'Socialist Worker' which de- improve the work-in the IS of the and was the shipyard IS. Their veloping among really attempting innovations on were workers. attract the the shipyard workers work-in strategy were So To do this themselves the who were feeling uneasy as the much humbug designed to give to confuse Stalinists used the blunt days of them a left government-Stalinist cover. methods of confusion and de- co-operation went by. workers, while they got U1l But IS de- with the real job of moralization. the kild of worker at seid and would suggest to this buttering ployed a more subtle strategy.

to like Reid and up

LICH

Their Airlie leadership Airlie. political position the Tory government was the because they were not running Of course they did 'criticize' same as that of the Communist campaign properly - the the stalinists Party, but the window-dressing foremen were still Their main cry was that the giving different. a 35-hour orders, week had co-ordinating committee had bruary 21, 1971 against the Industrial Relations ineffectual by Stalinist and IS colla adopted the mistaken Com- see the error of their ways.

munist Party policy of trying This is both politically and 'responsible' factuallv incorrect. ho and keep public opinion on their side.

The Stalinists were at one did the When a retreat occur with union bureaucrats. the IS could They wanted a deal that even not with the ignore, the suggestion was that Tories and James Reid has the Stalinists had been bullied' now gone on record congratu- betrayal by union lating the government for its into the leaders 'social economic' good On January 20 they stated this kind of attitude cance Te for example:

UCS

a mistake? ... the the stewards have made On a point of fact it was- of mistake allowing the the Stalinist who stewards struggle to be drawn out and urged the stewards to accept enthusiasm for it to subside.'

deals that effectively broke up Rosewell, in his Mav 13 the yards. When this kind of article, says the decision not settlement was mooted occupy was an "extremely to in discussions with the Tory serious mistake'. This, he says.

appointee Hugh Stenhouse on flowed from the September 29. Tames Airlie's of the Communist policies comment was that the meeting Party leadership' in the vards.

Stenhouse was with On March 11 Steve The next day he put it to the Jeffries 'Socialist Clydebank explained the shop stewards at Worker' why retreats over but reiected. An nolicy occurred: "It was Donny smiling Airlie 'told the press McGarvey, boilermakers' that the Stenhouse offer was the president, who bullied the UCS 'unacceptable'-it had be to stewards into abandoning the the four yards under one plan fight to save the UCS as one or nothing. in favour of a campaign Still later, in talks led by unit "save Reid, the Stenhouse offer was four the accepted. Again it was is that the The implication Stalinists who put it over to Stalinist-dominated co-ordinat- stewards' Even tha meeting. ing committee were unwilling the 'Morning Star' of October 12 had to admit there had been partners to retreats and that the Stalinists-being of treform- criticism the 'confusion ists'-could be persuaded caused and the blame , being Stalinist and IS collaboration to limit it to 'Kill the Bill.' Right: K was not only laid at the door- step of the employers' Two days later the stewards -again led by Reid and Airlie recognized Sten- -formally Shipbuilders Govan house's Ltd at a meeting with the Tory Davies. Trade chief John the deal Again Reid steered through a hostile mass meet- ing. Now was this being bullied by union leaders? Of course not. real conflict There was no between the Stalinists and the union bureaucracy — just a division of labour. While it was McGarvey's job to do all chatting with intimate the Davies, it was the Stalinists' job to get the deals across the yard workers. Equally it was the job of IS Worker' and 'Socialist make sure the Stalinist policy was passed off before workers reformist some kind of as 'mistake'. One could recount many, many other episodes where the Stalinists set out deliberately to break an established policy that was threatening a con- is the frontation. But this minutiae of the struggle on Clydeside. The most important feature of the relationship between the IS and the Stalinists was their Il the Bill.' Right: Kevin Halpin, leader of Stalinists' Liais joint determination to work against the development of a political struggle. The Stalinists openly espoused a non-political line and made appeals to keep poli- tical banners off big the demonstration. The IS restricted their demand to 'spreading the action' and making 'more the campaign militant'. This was the heart of their treachery. At one time struggle on the Clyde provided a focus for all workers in Scotland who were itching to inflict a political defeat on the govern- ment. The solidarity around the UCS struggle was unprece- dented. On two occasions an estimated 200,000 workers in the West of Scotland struck in sympathy. All felt directly affected by this struggle be- cause they too were threatened each day with unemployment and poverty. The Stalinists conspired to limit this fight to the UCS.

They called for militant soli- darity and a spreading of the action. But they both bitterly resisted an open campaign to confront the workers with political reality and direct the struggle towards forcing the Tories to resign. The failure to do this led to er of Stalinists' Liaison Committee in Defence of Trade U disastrous results on the Clyde.

'partial While Rosewell's victory' was being at won UCS, no less than 17,000 Scot- workers were driven tish onto the dole because they had no understanding political or movement to fight back with.

Now in Scotland workers to the

UCS

tribute pay Many struggle. praise James Reid for his leadership. But they face redundancy with an attitude nearing despondency.

Why? Because after all the massive they still do not protesting know how they can stop the tide of unemployment batter- ing the economy. This is because the Stalin- ists, supported by the IS, deliberately pushed back and back the potential of that struggle around UCS, by bit- terly opposing a political cam- paign to bring the government down. And what of the shipyard workers themselves — what kind of partially victorious future do they face? Approximately 1,800 of Defence of Trade Unions who is now reviving a 'Kill the them are part of the 17,000 the dole. They will extra on be joined by about 500 more the deals with Govan when Shipbuilders and Marathon Manufacturing go through.

For the 6,300 men who re- main the next few years will be ones of bitter exploitation.

Deals designed to outlaw un- official strikes, to break down protective practices, drive up productivity and introduce double day-shift working have already been signed. Over 4,000 of them work for a company - Govan Ship- builders-which is living on the hope of a revival of the depressed shipbuilding market for survival. More redundan- cies will undoubtedly occur at this company. At Clydebank, Marathon Manufacturing has promised to employ 500 out of 2,100 on June 24—the rest will work off with the old UCS contracts or help re-convert the yards with the 'promise' of employment.

Meanwhile the formal break- up of the yards and the labour force has been achieved — it immeasurably will be more difficult to revive the solidarity of nine months ago if one sec- tion does come under attack.

These are not the 'mistakes' of Stalinists but the fruits of Communist Party's the Workara Prosa, Friday duno 2, 1872 PAQE 7 reviving a Kill the Bill campaign.

- "counter-revolutionary' politics of peaceful co-existence. This is not 'reformists' at work, but men who will do all in their power to keep working the class at a level of development where they cannot fight politi- cally to remove the class enemy. Such is Rosewell's partial victory' such friends in the Communist Party. The development of political like IS who groups occupy the middle ground between the Stalinists and reformists will be of crucial importance during the next period of deci- sive class struggle. This kind of political centrism operates to prevent the working class from con- fronting and understanding the political tasks. That means it working the class prevents from learning and developing through political struggle to bring the Tory government down and replace it with a Labour government pledged to socialist policies. There are 17,000 victims of this political treachery on the Clyde. It is the duty of revolu- tionary socialists to cut through this confusion, expose centrism and Stalinism and confront the working class with political reality.

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Friday June 2, 1972

HOW NOT

TO WRITE

THE FORD

STORY

BOOK REVIEW

•FORD

STRIKE-The Workers" Jonn ther Books. Paperbacks 40p.

BY DAVID MAUDE

Keeping the record straight is one of the prime duties of revolu- tionary journalism. With- fulfilling this duty out fearlessly, it becomes in- distinguishable from the scribblings of Fleet Street, Labour's misinfor- mation department or the Communist Party lie machine. So John Mathews founder of the ill-starred weekly' 'Seven 'revolutionary Days'-is on very treacherous indeed with ground recently-published book on the 1971 Ford strike. Strike: workers' 'Ford the story' (Panther, 40p) is based on-the-spot Mathews' observations the ten-week ot parity struggle, interviews with shop stewards and union offi- and cials after the event-plus back-up Ford's material culled from and the unions' various state- ments on the issues, It presents a brief analysis of the economic company's Sacked steward, John Dillon June 2, 1972 strategy internationally and resumé of the history of its with the unions agreements who sit with it on the Ford National Joint Negotiating Committee. Also included is an account of 'The Dillon Affair': the post- strike discipline crack-down at Ford's Halewood, Liverpool, factory which brought the combine to the brink of a second national stoppage over the sacking of paint - shop steward John Dillon. Some of Mathews' material is readable enough. Little of it is new. But the book's fatal Haw is Mathews' failure to keep the record straight on issues vital to the rank-and-file Ford worker; whatever it may be, it is not 'the workers' story'.

anti-Ford The tone is throughout. In his introduc- tion, the author boasts that 'Ford management was not consulted' during the book's preparation. But anti-Fordism is by no means sufficient. It must be remembered that the union leaders responsible settle- for the secret-ballot ments which ended the 1971 strike-Hugh Scanlon of the Amalgamated Union of Engi- Workers and Jack neering Jones of the Transport and General Workers' Union--are still in office and playing key roles in present struggles. So, for the most part, are their back-up men on the shop floor.

Mathews' anxiety to In appear anti-Ford, he covers up for these tendencies furiously.

Here is just one example of how this method works out in pracice. On April 20, 1971, just a week and a half after the last striker had returned to worke at Halewood, Sid Harraway, a Communist Party convenor from Dagenham, was removed from his position as chairman of the unofficial Ford national convenors' committee. One of the main reasons for his replacement - by Hugh Wallace, convenor of the factory-was work- Swansea anger at Harraway's state- ers' ments urging acceptance of the secret-ballot decision to return to work. (The 'Yes' vote in the bal- lot had been less than 36 per cent of the possible total.

Almost half those eligible boy- cotted the poll.) This highly significant event is not mentioned in Mathews' bopk, 'although falling well within the time-span it covers.

Why? Either because Harra- way is one of the interviewees quoted in the book, and Mathews does not want to hFT offend him. Or as act of tacit endorsement of the role played in the strike by Harra- way and the CP. key paragraph in of account the sur- rounding the ballot-pages 153 to 163—compounds this sin of omission. Mathews 153) that (p. April 1, a meeting of the joint stewards' shop committee at Dagenham rejected the com• secret-ballot formula, arrived at in hush-hush talks and Scanlon, Jones between Stanley Gillen, head of Ford Europe. strike bulletin issued by the committee that afternoon, the book records, ended with the words: 'We. recom- Ford workers that mend acceptance they vote against of the present proposals.

Langan Dagenham, Tom a body-plant steward Steed by Mathews saying: 'The ballot company was ballot-they had control over everything. what it means to 'That's ballot, and company have like would that's what it under the Industrial Relations Act.' Then on p. 158 comes the following revealing account by a steward of what happened at Dagenham the following. morn- the morning of the ballot in Leys Baths was already fill- ing up at 7.30 in the morning around 8.30 enough people had got there to call a mass Jock. Macrae (body meeting. plant) and Joe Bedford (engine plant) were the only speakers Top: Dagenham workers vote to strike. Above: Henry Ford I|

-the other convenors didn't turn up. "There were about 3,000 at this meeting. 'A resolution was put that against people should vote accepting the offer. This was carried by a 3-1 majority.

'The organization of the bal- lot was almost non-existent ... the result of the Dagen- ham ballot was meaningless.

Among the convenors who 'didn't turn up' were several CP members and sympa- thizers. Why was this? Mathews does not ask the question.

And neither does he record the fact that by the following morning, Sid Harraway had made clear he was in favour of accepting the 'meaningless' ballot result (10,817 out of 23,000 workers at Dagenham did not vote, and 2,666 voted against). Jack Jones: nailed Instead, 161 carries from Harra. hindsight quote way noting: 'Many feel, as of this bailot could have the effect of that acceptance fight weakening unions against Tory efforts to impose secret ballots as general rule. 162) are Only after this (p. told Saturday we that on of workers morning, meetings Halewood from transmission plant, which had boycotted the and Swansea ballot, rejected settlement formula and DOLd ballot result - voting to con- tinue the strike. Page reports that the other two Halewood plants- body and assembly backed the workers' stand the following day. The first indication of Har- raway's acceptance of the bal- result only comes after that, further down p. 163.

And Mathews claims he made his statement: will be back work on Monday' speaking for the joint shop stewards' com- mittee. Seized on eagerly by press, television radio, and Inis statement helped send Dagen- ham back to work and led Harraway's chair- removal as man of the Ford convenors.

time, Mathews olacures the import- misplacing it in ant point that it could have used influence the ween of all four weekend result meetings. also fails He to point out that it was made on the basis of the secret-ballot result alone. Is this not acceptance of the union leaders capitulaton Ford's Dagenham complex - workers went back after being urged by CP stewards to accept a minority secret ballot vote.

to "Tory efforts to impose secret ballots as a general rule'. The author's cover-up for Harraway on this issue reveals his political method. He is by no means incapable of keeping the record straight.

The book nails Jack Jones, for instance, with a statement made the day before he met Gillen. Mathews reports Jones as telling stewards from Hale- wood: 'I'm not involved. It's up to you lads-you're running s- " the strike.' (p. 143.)

Cover-up for anyone below the level of union boss, and particularly for the Stalinists of the CP, is part of the poli- tical method of 'Seven Days' paper Mathews helped found. In its initial propaganda, this 'revolutionary now - defunct weekly' claimed that it would show 'in factual, precise and above all accessible terms ..• what is wrong with our society. The paper's aim, its brochure said, was to help people to discover the truth of capitalism for themselves, and to realize their own ability to take political power'. Strike' Mathews' 'Ford reveals for the umpteenth time the bankruptcy of this muddle- headed liberalism.

REVIEWED BY

DAVID MAUDE

Workers Pr Most management have designs on the tea break. Basically they want to abolish this brief respite workers get from the daily grind of production by introducing the tea machine.

The transfer can be a delicate operation, as Roger Fisher, marketing manager of Vending Centre (Holdings) Ltd recently warned in the mag- 'Industrial Equipment azine News' He says: 'Workers will have to accept the installation with enthusiasm or at least with a willingness to try it out.'

the tactic of suggests installing a couple of machines and just waiting for the workers to use them. Then the task of abolishing the tea break proper can begin. He points out that the fluid produced from these contrap- tions can cost the employees less than his traditional brew.

In other words Vending Centre (Holdings) Ltd are philanphro- pists encouraging employers to do their worker a favour.

Not quite: Eventually Fisher gets down to the nitty grity. 'A consider- ation of prime importance, 'he says, 'is the possibility of intro- ducing vending machines and linking it to some productivity deal in which both workers and management benefit. There are instances on record where companies. have saved thousands of pounds in in- creased Heard of an outfit called the lawyers' Christian Fellowship?

No, you probably haven't.

Neither had we until an invitation to one of their seminars popped into our post.

On the weekend of June 24 and 25 the fellowship, made of good God-believing up will be holding lawyers, residential conference. The programme reveals that these gentle folk will be praying for better industrial relations.

The conference is being held Vorkers Press, Friday June 2, 1972 PAGE 9 perhaps too late to influence the dockers and the rail dis- pute, but it is worth examining what these people are about The conference is being held at Pendley Manor, Tring. in Hertfordshire. If you're leaving from London you can either catch a train or a Green Line bus to Tring. The manor is said to be 'a large house ...

set in extensive grounds, close to the Chiltern countryside' The cost for this religious beanfeast is £6 'plus a 10 per cent service charge' for the full weekend. However, articled clerks, bar students and univer- sity students can come for a reduced fee of £4.50. The discussion includes such immense Freedom topics as and Trust' and 'Freedom, For- giveness and Privacy. In between singing hymns and praying, they will also hold a session devoted to industrial relations. After the debate prayers will be offered to that Great Shop Steward Up In the Sky. Last week 'Times' reporter Christopher Walker managed to get an interview with top army brass at the services new land forces headquarters at Wilton. And it was a week in which other senior officers chose to speak out on burning issues of the day. It was all very refreshing.

The army was baring breast in public and assuring the voters of its well- intentioned concern - albeit about subversion. And as everyone knows, in a democracy like ours all things are above board and justice is available for all. Army Minister Geoffrey Johnson Smith doesn't see things the same way. The day after 'The Times' report, he leapt out of his seat in the House of Commons inquiry demanded a public into how Christopher Walker got his interview and pressed for a blackout on all future by senior press interviews officers.

LEON TROTSKY:

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Fighting the Tories' Rent Bill PAQE 10 Workers Preas, Friday Juno 2, 1972

BY PHILIP WADE

IN ISLINGTON, North Mr Bayliss was forced to reply to these accusations. London, tenants have hit 'No one in this hall has work- back against the betrayals ed harder on the doorstep on the corners against this Bill', street of the Labour group there he claimed. who have voted 34-20 for 'Now we are faced with the Bill as the law of the country, implementation of the and in England laws are usually 'fair rents' Bill. implemented. The question now is who is going to be responsible On Wednesday night the for implementing it-the council Labour council held a meet- or the Housing Commissioner.

ing to explain the Bill 'When the to get to stage yuu when it is law the hollering and tenants. It never went as the has finish and Shouting to councillors speaking two time for cool, cold, calm wanted it to go. thinking. 1 am convinced that a Labour-controlled Islington coun- From the beginning tenants Bill far could implement the cil made it clear that to for vote better than the Housing Com- the Bill along and then come missioner. all and tell them what it was This attempt to whitewash the about was not on. decision implement the Bill to 'You're implementing Tory did not convince anyone. policies,' shouted one voice from back the deputy leader of Thère were political questions as the councii, Bill Bayliss, was in involved, not just the choice of 'If I the middle of his speech. who was going to implement.

wanted policies like that I'd vote Harry Weston, chairman of Tory? Tenants' Islington Council and Tenants' Group Private Action As councillor Bayliss finished made this clear when he spoke the oldest tenant in the hall, Mr to the meeting. Robert Taylor, his feet 'We've got to fight this Bill finger and pointed an accusing how this -but can you do at the platform. when the council capitulates?

'In the election last year you •The Tories will their want said would fight alrent pound of flesh and I don't believe yOu increases and yet you've councillor he says Bayliss when to the straight government, to he can soften the blow. the moneylenders, he shouted. 'The burning question is: 'You've sold the people down The people of Isling- must fight. down. the river- -right the way ton need leadership to take the Let's get back to the old days of and movement on to the streets the Labour Party when men had the Tories go for "If the councillors refuse to be fought by them, principles and he said to applause. the rent-collectors, the tools of The dally paper that leads the fight against the Tories. £20.28 for 12 months (312 lasues) £10.14 for 6 months (156 issues) £5.07 for 3 months (78 Issues) If you want to take Workers Press twice a week the rates are: £1.56 for 3 months (24 issues) £6.24 for 12 months (96 issues) Fill in the form below NOW and senid to: Circulatlon Dept., Workers Press, 186a Clapham High St., London, SW4 7UG. I would like to take out a subscription to Workers Press.

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Name Address Harry Weston, chairman of the Islingt the Tories, "we might get some-.

where. We need leaders, generals in our town hall not collabora- tors and quislings. 'If you lead us we stand a chance of getting a Labour gov- ernment to remove this Bill, bring down rents and take over all housing and land; but you won't win by political arguments the Tories, Harry Weston. Dave Ware Tenantary Associa King's Square Associa- expressed the feeling betrayal felt by many tenants.

disgusted THE Labour Party right wing continues to hit back at those councillors who have taken a principled stand and voted non implementation of the 'fair rents' Bill. This time Deptford Labour Party in South London has cen- sured its own chairman because he warned other Labour council- lors not to vote with the Tories on the Bill. At one stage the Labour group on Lewisham council, which has overwhelming control against the Tories, was actually in favour of non-implementation. Then as the retreat began stormy Labour group meeting decided to allow a free vote in the council meeting where the issue would be settled. As a result, 32 Labour coun illors crossed over and voted with the Tories-winning the day 41-26 in favour of implementa- tion. The decision provoked an crisis inside the enormous Labour One councillor, group. Cyril Cook, who represents the Marlowe ward, decided to resign the group on principle. choice going to a tenants demonstration He made after a few days later and seeing some of those who actually voted for he Islington tenants: "We need leadership' whole thing. For someone who has always voted • Labour it is disgusting to listen to so-called socialists planning to eat away at our homes, telling us you can do nothing about it. 'When it comes to doing some- thing like that then these people longer socialists. We are no needed leadership hall not excuses from the town As députy leader Bayliss rose again near the end of to speak the meeting his audience began to melt away through the back door. implementation turning up for pared the march. Then the Brockley ward passed a resolution expressing no con- fidence in one of their councillors who voted for the Bill. Brockley's monthly newsletter also accused the pro-Bill coun cillors of being 'traitors to the labour and socialist movement'.

They have since been forced to withdraw this remark. The right-wing backlash was aimed this time at councillor Jim was elected Wheeler, who to represent Brockley ward last year. Deptford Labour Party's general management committee has just passed a censure motion : him by 27 votes to 22 be- cause of a leaflet he issued just before the crucial council meet- ing on the Bill. The leaflet said: I hope that any councillor who finds himself unable to support the majority view of the Labour group will think very carefully before voting with the Tories against the Labour Party. And he added: 'We have shown that in Lewisham there is a difference between the parties.

Let us keep it that way.'

Mr Wheeler was unmoved by the attack on him. 'I was not called on to resign so I feel I still, have the confi- dence of the party. I'm not pre- Councillor Bayliss: "Bill is law' for pared to give up the chair until I am told I'm no longer wanted.

I don't feel I was threaten- ing anybody or trying to influerice by sending the letter anyone round,' he said afterwards.

The move by the right wing to reconsider the 'constitutional validity' of Brockley ward's cen- sure on a councillor who voted for the Bill has appropriately been supported by the local press. The 'South London Press' this week devoted a whole editorial to an attack on the ward party.

"The . often-fine distinction between a delegate and a repre- sentative appears to have eluded members of Brockley ward of Deptford Labour Party,' it says.

In an attempt to undermine the right of the party to deal with its traitors, the editorial seizes on the fact there was a free vote in the council meeting.

'Brockley ward may not like her decision, but their grievance should be directed against the group, and not to single out an individual for their wrath, the editorial declaims. 'South London Press' is The about the only friend the Labour Party right wing can count on.

Tenants' have associations made it clear in letters to coun- cillors who took a stand against the Bill that they can be assured of their support.

REGIONAL TV

CHANNEL: 2.15 Design for to- 2.30 Wild free. 2.55 day. are Zingalong. Edgar Wallace. 4.05 4.18 Puffin. 4.22 Jimmy Stewart. 5.20 4.50 Flintstones. Primus. 5.50 6.00 News London and weather. 6.15 Report. 6.35 Cross- 7.00 London. 10.35 Film: roads. "The Seat'. Man in Back the 11.35 News and weather.

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banks presents.

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6.35 London. today. 2.30 Corwin. 3.25 Yoga. 3.55 7.00 and His hers. Crossroads. Camera 4.05 News. 8.30 Shirley's world. Place. action. 7.30 Saint. Peyton 4.40 Zingalong. 10.30 Film: •Pic- 9.00 London. 4.50 Land 5.50 of giants. cadilly Third Stop'. the 6.00 Newsday. 6.30 Rip- London. 8.30 7.30 Hawaii five-o. tide. Romper 4.30

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room. 10.30 Film: ' A Study London. 4.55 Thunderbirds. 4.50 News. in Terror. 5.50 London.

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BY JOHN SPENCER

ISRAEL is now threatening reprisals against the Lebanon for Wednesday's guerrilla attack on Lydda airport, Tel Aviv, in which 26 died and 80 were injured. The 'heroic' General Dayan, it The Israeli government has should not be forgotten, served said it holds Lebanon res- his apprenticeship under the ponsible for the attack Americans killing communists in claims Beirut the jungles of Vietnam. because it What the attack does reveal, supports the Arab guerrilla political however, is utter the which carry organizations bankruptcy and opportunism of out such attacks. the leadership of the Popular Front the Liberation of for directly The attack was which claimed

DIO

Palestine, has Zionists voked by the under responsibility for the Lydda General Moshe Dayan, who went shootings. out of his way to humiliate the PFLP has said the shoot- The guerrillas suppressing hi- of 1n | ings were an act revenge jack attempt at the same airport show that the designed to earlier this month. guerrillas were still an effective fifth The boundless - arrogance the anniversary of force on of the six-day war. the is Israeli government Israeli It was in reply to by the statement of evidenced massacres of innocent people in Mrs Golda Meir. Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon and She said after the attack: the shootings of two guer- to not face "Those who could us rillas by Israeli troops who battlefield on the are great stormed a hijacked airliner at heroes when it comes to planting Lydda airport earlier this month.

hitting explosives on planes, the The statement refers to blowing planes passengers, up Zionists' 'the of in- massacres in the air. nocent children of Bahr al-Bakar This is a baseless slander workers of Abu on school and the the heroism of the 'three young Zaabal factory, in Egypt, against Salt Tapanese who proved that like and Irbid people of their Arab guerrilla comrades and lordan against they are willing to give their people in South Lebanon'. Zionists lives in the struggle against These crimes of the unpunished, but Zionist oppression. not go rotbers are on again 10.30 Film: "The War Lover'. 9.: 12.35 News. 12.50 Epilogue.

SCOTTISH: 1.30 Out of town.

1.50 Out of the shadow into the sun. 2.45 Lost in space. 3.30 Kiri. 3.45 Crossroads. 4.10 Date- line. 4.55 Skippy. _5.20 Cartoon 6.00 cavalcade. 5.50 London. Dateline. 6.20 Cartoon. 6.30 His and hers. 7.00 London. 7.30 Saint. 8.30 Andy. 9.00 London.

10.30 Liberal Party conference.

Film: 11.05 11.00 Late call. 'Appointment With Crime'.

GRAMPIAN: 1.50 Edgar Wal- 2.50 Dangerman. 3.38 lace. News. 3.45 Women today. 4.10 Smith family. 4.40 London. 4.55 Rainbow country. 5.20 Ivanhoe.

5.50 London. News weather. 6.05 Mr and Mrs. 6.35 Crossroads. 7.00 London. 7.35 It takes a thief. 8.25 Melody inn.

11.00 Film: 'Were- 9.00 London. wolf of Londot. 12.20 Epilogue.

Smears of blood, abandoned luggage; i they cannot be avenged by in- discriminate, individual and isolated terror. The adoption of this policy by the PFLP under George Habash the clearest index the political sterility of the Arab middle class. Far from weakening the Meir regime, serves only to strengthen the hold of the Zion- ists precisely at a time when the workers of Israel have begun to move against the government.

The same airport which saw the terrorist attacks was last month the scene of a mass walk- out as the transport unions con- fronted the government. Individual terror can only drive these workers more firmly into the arms • of the agents of imperialism. Habash adopted precisely the same tactic in 1970, organizing the hijacking of Pam-Am which provoked bloody reprisals from Jordan's King Hussein.

The of Habash's outcome adventure on that occassion was the crushing of the Palestinian by Hussein's US- movement armed Bedouin mercenaries.

The Popular Front's latest ex- ploits are equally dangerous to the struggle of the Palestinian masses for liberation • from the Zionist yoke. Workers Pr

BBC 1

9.45 Andy Pandy. 10.00 Cham- pion. 10.25 Parsley. 10.30 Soper 10.55-11.00 Magic at large. roundabout. 12.55-1.25 Eisteda- fod jiwbili yr urdd y bala. 1.30 Mary, Mungo and Midge. 1.45- 1.53 News and weather. 2.25 Racing from Kempton Park. 4.15 Play school. 4.40 Magic round- about. 4.45 Jackanory. 4.55 Screen test. 5.20 Right Charlie.

5.44 Hector's house. 5.50 News and weather.

6.00 LONDON THIS WEEK.

6.20 BOOTS AND SADDLES.

6.30 THE VIRGINIAN. A Bad Place to Die.

7.45 IT'S A KNOCK-OUT!

Folkestone v Canterbury.

8.30 LOOK — MIKE YAR-

WOOD!

Guest Peter Noone.

9.00 NINE O'CLOCK NEWS

and weather.

9.20 THE MAN OUTSIDE. A

Persistent Coffin.

10.10 24 HOURS.

10.45 FILM: 'AT THE CIRCUS'.

Marx Brothers. 12.10 Weather.

BBC 2

11.00-11.25 Play school.

6.05-6.30 OPEN UNIVERSITY.

6.35-7.00 CRIME AND THE

CRIMINAL.

Treatment Without Tears? 7.30

NEWSROOM

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MONEY

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THE

Hole in GRAMME. The Your Pocket.

9.00 GARDENERS' WORLD.

luggage; the aftermath of the Lydda airport si The eight-page youth paper which leads the fight against the Tory government, for the right to work, in factories, schools and …on i the dole queues. Please send me 'Keep Left' for one ' enclose £2.86 Name Address lorkers Press, Friday June 2, 1972 PAGE 11

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1.15 Outlook. 1.35 Time to re- member. 2.05 Matinee. 2.30 Good afternoon! 3.00 Houseparty. 3.15 This week. 3.45 The two-wheel world. 4.15 Clapperboard. 4.40 Zingalong. 4.55 Land.. of the giants. 5.50 News.

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Anthony Booth, Jacqueline Ellis, Patrick Sargill Thriller.

12.40 IS IT A HANDICAP?

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11.00 LATE NIGHT LINE-UP.

, airport shootings

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PAGE 12 Workers Press, Friday June 2,

BY PHILIP WADE

THE NATIONAL docks strike due to start today has been postponed for 15 days to allow talks to continue with employers. The decision was reached yesterday at a meeting of dock delegates at the Trans- port and General Workers' Union headquarters in Lon- don. The motion to postpone the strike came from the T&GWU full-time docks officials and was put by national docks secretary Mr Tim O'Leary. After a two-and-a-quarter hour meeting the motion was even- tually carried by 57 votes to 25.

The new date for strike action is now Friday, June 16. There will be a recalled delegate meet- ing, probably on the Wednesday before. Many delegates, including those from Liverpooi who voted for action, immediate strike were disappointed with the decision.

Said Jimmy Symes, chairman of the Liverpool docks shop stewards' committee: 'We're not happy with the decision. It didn't go the way we wanted it Liverpool stewards will meet Docks secretary Tim O'Leary

LATE NEWS

NEWS DESK

01-720 2000

CIRCULATION

01-622 7029 T&GWU docks secretary Tim O'Leary saw Department of Em- ployment officials to • report the outcome of yesterday's delegate meeting and latest position in the docks. He was followed half an hour later by port employers' representatives. Clapham High Street,

SWA JUG.

y June 2, 1972 over the weekend to discuss the situation. O'Leary reported to the dele- gates the outcome of Tuesday's talks at the National Joint Council. He said the employers had offered another £3 on fall-back extra two days' Poliday this year with three more to come next year. He said afterwards that dele- gates had not been satisfied with the fall-back offer but were reasonably satisfied with the holiday increase. The other decision taken at the National Joint Council was to set up a special joint commit- tee to review the whole nature of dock employment. It was to allow this to meet that O'Leary recommended a postponement. 'We have to get the commit- tee's ideas and intentions so the delegates can look and see if the worthwhile,' idea said was O'Leary. 'The employers have acknow- ledged publicly for the first time what is happening to dockers.

They have acknowledged they will use their best endeavours to get work for dockers. 'But we want something better an under- --an arrangemenl by employer standing employer if nęcessary.' He hoped the special commit- = the THE HEAD of Britain's leading exporters' organiza- tion has called for a tough line from the government in dealing with the docks crisis.

W. A. Newton Jones, newly- chairman of the British elected Export Houses' Association, said that 'peace must not be bought price the whole industry at a cannot afford'. He on: 'It would be went disastrous if peace were bought by any concessions which mean restriction on the freedom of

WEATHER

EASTERN England and eastern Scotland will be dry at first but cloud and rain will spread from the west later. North-west, central and central southern England will be dry at hirst, but cloudiness ang rain will cross these areas durın, the day. Scotland, Northern Western south-west Ireland, Wales and England will be cloudy with rain spreading fairly, quickly east- wards, followed_by showers and bright periods. It will be rather cool in all areas: Dutlook for Saturday and Sun.

lay: Showers and sunny intervals with fresh or strong winds in many places. Rather cool in all areas. Liverpool delegates discuss yesterday's chairman; Lew Lloyd (T&GWU district tee's work would lead to a restoration to dockers of work that was theirs by right.

'We hope this committee can provide a basis for convincing men that prospects are not so gloomy as they are at present, he added. O'Leary also repeated the call for the 'blacking' of containers to be called off. It is reported that the call did not find much response. At Preston yesterday dockers turned away a container lorry bearing Heatons • Transport markings. The driver's papers showed the consignee as Cable Montague of London. The container was loaded with Foils Ltd, goods from Alcan Wembley, being sent to Carreras, Co. Antrim in Ulster. Although the driver insisted his employers were not Heatons, it- » the dockers decided to black the vehicle "just in case'. shippers to decide where were packed and handled Boods Jones, who is chairman and managing director of shippers W. H. Jones and Co (London) Ltd, said it was essential that it be left to individual operators to decide if and where inland packing services should be located. 'One must have sympathy,' he said, 'with such people, as dockers, who find trade going away from under their feet. But this situation can happen to anybody. 'Nobody can be forced or told certain service, or to use method, and if something comes along that is better a person will naturally shift his custom from one to another.' This was the law of business economics, Tones told the in an Journal of Commerce' interview published exclusive yesterday. The interview clearly reflects the attitude of the big traders and shipowners to the loss of thousands of jobs on the docks.

SHELL Research Ltd, a sub- sidiary of the Shell giant International, has announced that three laboratories in Eng- land and Holland will be shut down. About 600 research jobs will be lost. The company has said that senior grades , will be trans- ferred. In deciding who stays with the company, attention will be paid to researchers' 'loyalty and dedication'.

The laboratories to be esterday's vote: (facing camera) Alan English, U district secretary) TORY Trade and Industry Mini yesterday that Britain would hit b unless Japan restrained its exports market to foreign goods. He told a press conference in Tokyo he was being 'assailed almost daily with demands that I introduce restrictions of one kind another to or restrain the trading practices of other countries'. He added: 'I must say that I believe there is a real risk that acts on BOILERMAKERS' union dele- gates are pressing the TUC to call for a national stoppage on unemployment. On the final day of their conference, they passed "militant a motion calling action to combat unemployment and to press the TUC to call for a national stoppage of work on this question'. The motion, put forward by the Birkenhead branch, was un- opposed by the executive council carried by a large and was majority. It came after the defeat of a call for a national overtime ban in all industries to secure a 35- hour week and regain full employment. Opposing the motion on behalt of the executive, Dan McGarvey, the president, said that the motion looked as if there was a 'Shangri-la of full employment to go back to. Blanket banning of overtime was a weapon in their armoury which should not be used, he said. Other trade unions would not support them in such a call.

It was an impractical motion.

The Society had never enjoyed full employment under either Liberal, Labour or Conservative governments. closed are at Carrington, near Manchester; Egham, Surrey; and Delft in Holland. A total work at of 5,000 researchers the three axed plants. • This week the net profit of British Petroleum crashed from £48.9m to £15m in the March quarter. A company statement said that product prices, particu- of low consumption, adverse freight rates and high stocks.

English, stewards' secretary; Jim Symes, try Minister John Davies warned uld hit back with trade restrictions s exports and opened its domestic the weight of such complaints which extent may grow to an will be politically irresistible?

The Tory minister had just finished two days of talks with officials and Japan government leading businessmen, urging the removal of restrictions on im- ports to Japan. The Tokyo government has tried to meet these demands with a plan for increased consumer expenditure to raise the demand for imports. Davies brushed this aside: "The world will not sit by and wait for a consumer revolution Japan. Rightly in wrongly or nations believe Japan- European ese markets are not as open as their own. If that belief persists they will not be as co-operative in future talks on liberal trade as Britain would like? £10m package of London fare increases MANY of London Trans. port's tube fares will be doubled in two months' time in an all round package of rail and bus fare increases.

The severe increases come on top of rises made in 1971 and early this year. London Transport has sent the projected restructuring of fares to the Greater London Council for approval. Richard Way, London Sir Transport's chairman, said yes- showed there forecasts terday would be a deficit at the end of this year unless income was increased. If the proposals are approved by the GLC ordinary fares will go up by anything from to to 5p.

On the Underground it is pro- the journey posed to shorten for the minimum 5p distance fare. This will mean some 5p fares going up to 10p. The number of 5p fares to go up to 10p would represent 20 per cent of the total of all mini- mum Underground fares. On the graduated-fare routes where the in some 300 cases present minimum is below the approved distance scale it would be increased to 6p. The 5p fare will be increased to 6p with subsequent fares rising in 2p steps up to a maximum of 20p. Way also announced that Underground season tickets will go up by an average of 20 per cent. The overall charges increase revenue by f10m.