Workers Press no. 862

workers press

'LEFT' MANOEUVRES LEAD TO DEFEAT

TUC TO CO-OPERATE

WITH TORY ACT

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTEF

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTR

FROM JOHN SPENCER IN BRIGHTON

THE LAST SHREDS of trade union policy on non- co-operation with the National Industrial Relations Court were abandoned yesterday by an arrogant right- wing majority at the TUC in Brighton.

As a result union leaders will now have full Congress sanc- tion to appear before the court and pay its fines and penalties.

Victor Feather, for the General Council, also made it clear unions cannot expect TUC support if they face fines or damages as a result of refusing to collaborate with the court.

Conference rejected by 5,677,000 votes to 3,479,000 resolution which sought to bar the use of 'any facilities of the Act'. The vote in favour of the resolution came from the four engineering union sec- tions, the Transport and General Workers' Union, the cinema technicians and the print union His strongest statement was

NATSOPA.

Their resolution to say: "My union would main- represented a rotten compromise General Council tain that the arrived of the interests departed at in has from Congress so-called left by unity emas- policy advising unions they by the can go before the court. culating resolutions on original order paper. Scanlon warned that collabora- The T&GWU later abandoned with the would turn tion i court its bloc with the engineers to the union leaders into policemen vote in favour of accepting the against their members. General Council report, giving For the T&GWU Harry Urwin of 5,304,000 Feather a majority made clear it would take for his line of going to court.

the action without support of Elec- The extreme right wing the General Council and in Plumbing Trades trical and accordance with Congress policy.

Union voted the also against Issues of this kind cannot be report, but for opposite exactly fought unilaterally by any union,' reasons. he said. 'We shall continue to At no time in the debate was there clear, principled chal- lenge to the right wing. One of the original resolutions, the AUEW and from technical

(TASS),

supervisory section demanded disciplinary sanctions and against court appearances payment of fines. The original demand of the Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians, for cam- paign to bring down the Tory Labour government and elect policies, with socialist was en- from the final tirely missing composite. George Doughty, TASS secre- claimed tary, compromise resolution incorporated 'most of intention' the his original while ACTT's George motion, Elvin said that though "all the George Doughty original points of our resolution' included, not he hoped were 'understood' they would be by act on decisions of the General the Congress. Council whether we like them or not. The compromise efforts of the 'left' ended in miserable failure These speakers scarcely even and defeat. In fact they served hinted at the great historic issues only to strengthen the right involved in the TUC's decision.

wing. Because of their cowardly The mildness of their opposi- basic principles, the retreat from tion to the General Council was 'left' exposed themselves to some Hush epitomized by Scanlon, right-wing of the most vicious proposed the resolution for who attacks heard in Congress for the AUEW. many years. He recognized the General The rightists threatened to split the TUC rather than accept reconciling the AUEW line, and proclaimed between ences an openly corporatist position on praised TUC's conciliation class-collaboration. and arbitration agreement with Norman Stagg of the Post the CBI.

• THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 1972

NSLETTER 1

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOC

Yesterday's vote on the Industrial Relations Act—a victory for the right. Office workers threatened that if the resolution was passed his union would be up for expulsion in 1973. 'Hidden under the counter of the resolution is a demand that we should take industrial action of in support political objec- tives,' he said. "That is the road to right-wing repression. You need to go no further than Greece or France to see that.' Roy Grantham, of APEX, the clerical workers' union, claimed the motion interfered with the unions' 'historic and basic' 100- year-old right to defend their members when they are attacked.

The only floor speaker in sup- port of the resolution was Eddie Marsden, of the secretary AUEW's construction section.

He was heckled from the floor by a vocal clique of right- wingers. Yesterday's conference decision leaves the non-co-operation policy in ruins. It means the Tory government has succeeded in its efforts to force the unions into accepting and recognizing the industrial relations court.

A prime responsibility for this betrayal rests with the fatal policy of 'left' unity on an oppor- tunist basis advocated by the Communist Party. This policy has proved completely bankrupt and reactionary. the Tory court Entry into places the unions at the mercy of the government and the em- ployers. It means the union bureaucracy are committed to police their own members on behalf of the employers. • No 862 4p

HE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

FROM IAN YEATS IN GLASGOW

BOILERMAKERS

were jubilant yesterday after being told their refusal to sign the procedural agreement with Govan Ship- builders Ltd had forced manage- ment to concede an immediate 5p an hour rise. The increase, which brings boilermakers' average pay up to 90p an hour, will be paid on an interim basis while union officials negotiate new pay rates which the men want fixed at El an hour plus bonuses. Boilermakers' steward Sammy Barr told a mass meeting here that the stewards unanimously approved of putting the offer to the men for consideration.

Earlier the company had stressed in a press statement that the ten unions had to sign the procedural agreement to start negotiations on interim payments wages. And until figures were agreed, an interim award would be possible. They were not opposed to retrospective payments but these would have to form part of the talks. Boilermakers' stewards who, as members of the joint co-ordinat- ing committee, approved last weekend's statement by Stalinist James Reid on the boilermakers' and the rat race, were bitterly criticized at the 90-minute meet- ing. meeting, which After the voted 807 to 309 for acceptance, boilermakers' Scottish area executive member James Murray said the deal would be signed that afternoon. Murray stressed that far from being sectional and selfish, the boilermakers' struggle would be felt by other workers at the yards. Not only had Govan been forced to employ the men in- volved in the work-in, but they had also conceded an immediate £2 a week rise. Sources claim Murray told the meeting the committee should have waged the fight the boilermakers had led in rejecting the Govan deal.

Yesterday's concessions were a humiliating blow to the Stalinist leaders on the Clyde, proving the that the strength of the working class has the power to bring the employers to their knees.

In stressing that the cO- ordinating committee should now fade away to allow individual unions to resume their normal role of handling their own affairs, officials created the impression that the last major battle had been fought and won. With market conditions forc- ing world shipbuilding cartels to try to reach agreement drastic- production, limiting the ally long-term prospects of the upper Clyde are dim. SEE CENTRE PAGES. Govan and Marathon deals.

workers press

'LEFT' MANOEUVRES LEAD TO DEFEAT

TUC TO CO-OPERATE

WITH TORY ACT

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTEF

DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTR

FROM JOHN SPENCER IN BRIGHTON

THE LAST SHREDS of trade union policy on non- co-operation with the National Industrial Relations Court were abandoned yesterday by an arrogant right- wing majority at the TUC in Brighton.

As a result union leaders will now have full Congress sanc- tion to appear before the court and pay its fines and penalties.

Victor Feather, for the General Council, also made it clear unions cannot expect TUC support if they face fines or damages as a result of refusing to collaborate with the court.

Conference reiected by 5.677.000 votes to 3.479.000 a resolution which sought to bar the use of 'any facilities of the Act'. The vote in favour™ of the resolution came from the four engineering union sec- tions, the Transport and General Workers' Union, the cinema technicians and the print union His strongest statement was

NATSOPA.

Their resolution 'My to say: union would main- represented a rotten: compromise General Council tain that the arrived at in the interests of Congress has departed from so-called left unity by emas- unions they policy by advising resolutions the culating on can go before the court. original order paper. Scanlon warned that collabora- The T&GWU later abandoned tion with the court would turn its bloc with the engineers to the union leaders into policemen vote in favour of accepting the against their members. General Council giving report, Feather a majority of 5.304.000 For the T&GWU Harry Urwin for his line of going to court.

clear it made would take no action without the support of Elec- The extreme right wing General Council the and in Plumbing Trades trical and accordance with Congress policy.

Union the also voted against 'Issues of this kind cannot be report, but for exactly opposite fought unilaterally by any union reasons. he said. 'We shall continue to At no time in the debate was there a principled chal- clear, lenge to the right wing. One of the original resolutions from the AUEW technical and supervisory section

(TASS).

demanded disciplinary sanctions against court appearances and payment of fines. The original demand of the Association of Television and Cinematograph, Technicians, Allied for cam- Tory paign to bring down the and government elect Labour with socialist policies, he's na. en- missing from the tirely composite. George Doughty, TASS secre- resolution mind porated most claimed compromise of the intention' of his original ACTT's George motion, while Elvin that though 'all the George Doughty original points of our resolution' he included. hoped

TAAYA

noT would be 'understood' they by General act on decisions of the the Congress. Council whether we like them or not.' The compromise efforts of the "left' ended in miserable failure These speakers scarcelv even and defeat. In fact they served hinted at the great historic issues strengthen the right involved in the TUC's decision.

only to wing. Because of their cowardly The mildness of their opposi- basic principles, the retreat from tion to the General Council "left' exposed themselves to some epitomized by Hugh Scanlon, of the most vicious right-wing who proposed the resolution for heard in Congress attacks for the AUEW. many years. He General recognized the The threatened rightists to very difficult task' Council's in split the TUC rather than accept reconciling 'the obvious differ. the AUEW line, and proclaimed between unions'. And he ences an openly corporatist position on TUC's praised the conciliation class-collaboration. and arbitration agreement with the CBI. Norman Stagg of the Post

NSLETTER • THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 7, 1972

:CENTRAL COMMIȚTEE OF THE SOI

Yesterday's vote on the Industrial Relations Acl—a victory for the right. Office workers threatened that if the resolution was passed his union would be up for expulsion in 1973. 'Hidden under the counter of the resolution is a demand that we should take industrial action support political objec- tives,' he said. "That is the road to right-wing repression. You need to go no further than Greece or France to see that.' Roy Grantham, of APEX, the clerical workers' union, claimed the motion interfered with the unions' 'historic and basic' 100- year-old right to defend their members when they are attacked.

The only floor speaker in sup- port of the resolution was Eddie Marsden, of the secretary section. AUEW's construction He was heckled from the floor by a vocal clique of right- wingers. Yesterday's conference decision leaves the non-co-operation policy in ruins. It means the Tory government has succeeded in its efforts to force the unions into accepting and recognizing the industrial relations court.

A prime responsibility for this rests with the fatal betrayal policy of 'left' unity on an oppor- tunist basis advocated by the Communist Party. This policy has proved completely bankrupt and reactionary. Entry into the Tory court places the unions at the mercy of the government and the em- ployers. It means the union bureaucracy are committed to police their own members on behalf of the employers. No 862 • 4p

HE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

FROM IAN YEATS IN GLASGOW

BOILERMAKERS were jubilant yesterday after being told their refusal to sign the procedural agreement with Govan Ship- builders Ltd had forced manage- ment to concede an immediate 5p an hour rise. The increase, which brings boilermakers' average pay up to 90p an hour, will be paid on an interim basis while union officials negotiate new pay rates which the men want fixed at fl an hour plus bonuses. Boilermakers' steward Sammy Barr told a mass meeting here that the stewards unanimously approved of putting the offer to the men for consideration.

Earlier the company had stressed in a press statement that the ten unions had to sign the procedural agreement to start negotiations on interim payments and wages. And until figures were agreed, an interim award would be possible. They were not opposed to retrospective payments but these would have to form part of the talks. Boilermakers' stewards who, as members of the joint co-ordinat- ing committee, approved last weekend's statement by Stalinist James Reid on the boilermakers' and the rat race; were bitterly criticized at the 90-minute meet- ing. After the meeting, which voted 807 to 309 for acceptance, boilermakers' Scottish area executive member James Murray said the deal would be signed that afternoon. Murray stressed that far from being sectional and selfish, the boilermakers' struggle would be felt by other workers at the yards. Not only had Govan been forced to employ the men in- volved in the work-in, but they had also conceded an immediate £2 a week rise. Sources claim Murray • told the meeting the committee should have waged the fight the boilermakers had led in rejecting the Govan deal.

Yesterday's concessions were a humiliating blow to the Stalinist leaders on the Clyde, proving that the strength of the working class has the power to bring the employers to their knees.

In stressing that the co- ordinating committee should now fade away to allow individual unions to resume their normal role of handling their own affairs, officials created the impression that the last major battle had been fought and won. With market conditions forc- ing world shipbuilding cartels to try to reach agreement drastic- production, ally limiting the long-term prospects of the upper Clyde are dim. • SEE CENTRE PAGES. Govan nce, and Marathon deals.

Imperialist murderers join outery against guerrillas German massacre PAGE 2 Workers Press, Thursday Sept 'We think that a majority of boilermakers have been de- ceived by people who want to apply the concept of the rat trade union the race to movement - James Reid, Monday September 4, Brigh- ton. BOILERMAKERS from the Govan, Linthouse and Scots- toun divisions of the former UCS consortium were under- standably up in arms vesterday about this completely unprin- cipled and downright reaction- ary statement from the one- time leading light of the upper Clyde 'work-in'. Their votes to block the Ship- signing of the Govan builders deal (full text, pages 6 and 7) have unquestionably paid off in terms of wages.

They have reasserted the fundamental right of the work- ing to fight for wages class and conditions. that, they have More than demonstrated that despite 15 months under the threat of un- employment 15 months of time-wasting blather from the Party-led shop Communist stewards' co-ordinating com- mittee and 15 months' failure to fight the Tory butchers of

UCS,

the will to fight runs strong on the upper Clyde.

But let us look again at this statement of Reid, a man whose progress from stock- broker's clerk to Rector of Glasgow University to seems have convinced him he can in- his fellow-workers with sult impunity. This thoroughgoing Stalinist, who learnt his political trade Parties while the Communist were helping capitalism tighten its post-war grip on the work- • class, is now apparently embarrassed by the inevitable and tumble of the rough workers' struggle to sell their power at the highest labour price. Having put his own signature to a no-strike deal (also printed pages 6 and 7) at the Clyde- bank yard which virtually he arrogantly freezes wages, seems to assume that every- one else must fall in line.

the wine-and- He accepts cigar-smoke talk about the board- working class of every room lunch. For it is only from these quarters that the implication that workers are "rats' can come. This is the language of the corporate state. Under capitalism wages are of necessity fixed in struggles by sections of workers to im- prove their standard of living.

this necessity, by the struggle better-organized and therefore better-paid groups in a particu- lar industry. the difference be- What is Tory Reid and the tween governrent, which believes in slashing back all wages to those of the very lowest-paid?

The logic of Reid's attack on the boilermakers, therefore, is: state intervention to hold down everyone's pay. On the first occasion Reid developed his rat-race theme —in his inaugural address as Rector-he spoke in Glasgow terms which could have graced any Liberal platform about 'the frustration of ordinary people excluded from the processes of decision-making: the feeling of despair and hopelessness that pervades people who feel ... that they have no say in or determining their shaping own destinies.' the words of These are a frightened man. is frightened of the Reid challenge from Govan-of the forward march of the working is running desper- class- and ately for aid to the capitalist class. sday September 7, 1972

BY JACK GALE

- raise THE responsibility for In addition to the nine their nanos l hostages, five guerrillas and hypocritical horror the deaths of the nine They are joined by His one policeman were killed Israeli hostages held by our And why did a number and and bi revolutionary rorces hencooter

SOTO

no less ne rove Arab guerrillas in are ordered to adopt revo- of police armoured cars seriously Two Stalinists Russia, lutionary and just violence race into the airport as the Israelis been Poland and Czechoslovakia.

Munich rests squarely other had Libera- helicopters landed: on the German authori- give

HOOSE

severe Kated Wien raleslilial. lesson to the warlords raid began early on Tues- tion Moreover, ponce smpers ore nizato Israeli ties and the day morning. the military regime had joined the chorus, together Israeli orders pick with King Hussein government. the reported hille One was the west uerman govern- cucillas have been The guerrillas - mem- village they the Cairo newspaper Al nent the Black members of "rrested chance. Ahram' German authorities reports say three guerrillas September group a flight In an attempt to prevent The guerrillas provide suffering from repeatedly put back tel to Cairo and then treacher- heroic hohters who scorner the trumn emerone, rederai left behind were deadline for the release ously broke the agreement. Interior Minister, Herr money and danger. Offered in the Olympic village. Genscher, ordered unlimited amoun of of 200 Arab commandos and hos a total zucillas In the face of mounting Ger- held in Israel. No tages Olvmoic news blackout. And Dolice the Wes lett Tile

NONS

evidence, Bavarian Interior village to lessienteld threatened let helicopters man government, forth- Hoose uner response Alsatian dogs on reporters replied: means flew coming from Mrs Golda and nothing to us and our lives approach mitted that the police har military airport out- to bruck allelible fired first. Meir's government. the airfield. side Munich. mean notning to us. statement issued Then the police opened But 300 civilian The had bee to fire But these men have sengers were trapped in the the guerrillas- finally said been sacrificed their lives need. fire. Deliberate attempts by given by that chief Man- agreed to fly to Cairo witt terman oncas to give saw Vulca ponce Icooty. callul lying version of what took happened. Eye-witnesses fred Schreiber in consulta.

their nostades ane contate overtiron WOre • Imperial negotiations-declared: place floundered in the face said that with the which Israel two and inflicted suffering helicopters German and and has *The arrogant attitude of lett the the Israeli military They claimed thi unspected dealt ATa! lishment and its rejection that police merely returned Lufthansa jet. Ministry. peoples for scores of years.

But Workers Press will not only be of our demands would not they began hre trom the guerrillas the join the flood of condemna- brought down by the revo hostages make us tortelt our almand WaS marconce tion of these Arab freedom approach and we would Why should six hidden the aircraft, police unle guerrillas—who were about behind it opened fire. One oppressed masses fighting continue to seek a way to then througl the helicopters Capitalist governments an international the our demands fire on hundreds of police- Marxist leadership ourst into names. dreceo LarouenOu WORe leave the German terri- men who ringed the airport from grenade thrown responsible for millions of Individual heroism can. into it by the guerrillas.

not be a substitute for that.

deaths and untold accepted, escape impossible? misery al c 35-year-old TSU TSAI-CHENG, the stateless Taiwanese extradited from Sweden, was being held in London yesterday at HM Prison, Ben Birnberg: Inquiry about health Scrubs. Cheng is in the prison hospital despite not having broken any laws.

day night he was unconscious.

he eventually removed to Bernard, who put Cheng up for But Cheng, who landed with- War

BY OUR OWN REPORTER

prison Dy ine Drusa autonties oweden Wak and out permission If returned to the United States London yesterday at a meeting , O] papers, was still kept incom- When Cheng left Sweden he US governmen the Society municado for almost two days, will hand him over to the Taiwar Dr Bernard thought to was reported to be in a it state was under the eyes of the British despite he time ne hunger completing covernmen alter taken time made sentence He would then face renew pressure on his government state machine. to change mind. accompanied certain execution. Aventu vanve were moves continued ir For which has Yesterday permission by the Home Office to taken a Sweden itself to have the Copenhagen, liberal stance of hostiliti stop in W21 extra person they say is techni- to the US over the Vietnam shaking violently and was dition order rescinded and for And Cheng to political granted many US soldiers granted CaLy unconscious. Swedish decision vestercav themoon. Sondlo De asylum, the series of attempts by asylulla. Birnberg visited Cheng TO head the Embassy the „London Colle of health and what state whisk Cheng out of the country, Academy of Sciences, Dr sharp turn to the right.

VUL

sort of help he wanted. Cheng is alleged to have fled in uly 1971 the united stares while awaiting sentence on con- to kill viction conspiracy Chiang Kai-shek's son. New York police arrested Cheng in March 1970 after shots AMERICA'S massive bombing had been fired at Chiang Ching- raids on Indo-China are staged kuo, Kaiwan, on a visit to the United minister prime from a huge base in Angana, near States. Guam, which houses 16,500 crew- US Marine A4 Skyhawk dive- Da Nang and captured of Cheng-deprived Al none men and families. bombers bombed South Viet- overlooking Tien Phuoc, a town his passport by Taiwan in 1965- only 35 miles away namese civilians while supporting part the Over 100 eight-engined B52s denied any stationed Anderson air an army operator

DITI

assassination attempt. In tact, the are South Vietnamese troops out- province in the Mekong Delta.

person wno nrea the sun 1s now force base and outers side Kontun art living in Canada, is claimed. stationed at U-Tapao, in Thai- entrat Highlands is continuing in the reported under heavy Sweden last land. Bombers are landing North Cheng arrived in Central where pressult was given an their 12-hour September taking-ofi Vietnamese troops have advanced dill round-trip towards Pleiku city this Cambodia government ahen's passport lI seemeu cer week tain he nile dealtes tos ay.

every 15 minutes. relief columns failed to North Vietnamese troons have United States 18-mile the also made a fresh attack south of stretch Meanwhile, on Tuesday, two treaty with Sweden, extraction rOaC between rent but waited unti lune this vear the rice-growing regions.

before his return. Liberation forces have wiped month the positions 65 government JAN SLING, the son of Otto was released on health grounds court held that Cheng's case was already served 18 months' of Phnom penh having mues nortn-wes not Sling, who was executed follow- one for political asylum.

the detention. Another Turtne leoparole And cn September pre-tria of 1952, ing the Slansky trials capital's rice suplies. which are government- Swedish critic or toe regime, Tormer caess left Czechoslovakia depleted by a nationwide for only maintained in power by the has grandmaster Ludek Pachman, He sentenced been allowed Britain. to leave also told was has Communisi two years imprisonment last The retail price of rice has the US Embassy they had three Czechoslovakia and will settle in weeks to get him our. May on subversive charges, but Holland. trebled since June.

Above: The employers' Invitation to scab-under police protection. Below: A report of the Police Federation letter to the TUC.

Building employers out to break strike

BY AN INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

BUILDING WORKERS in the Ilth week of their fight for the £30, 35-hour week claim face an organized campaign of strike now breaking and intimidation by scabs.

Stoke-on-Trent, In accused local movement. But, while I am have employers of trying a series What about bully of desperate moves to get men back to work. "They have been knocking boys, ask police on the employees' doors and even went on a pub crawl to said Tom meet the

POLICE

Federation September Issue Walker, chairman of the North says that much written an open letter

TUC

the federation Staffs action committee. "bully boys In London early yesterday nondered if the building pickets had morning, Dear vid Just leave it at that. jump clear of high-speed vehicles ther suggesta. driving into a 011 cle site then threatened them

MITCHAM INDUSTRIAL ESTATE

with iron an bar. On Tuesday, directors of E. A Prestige Factory & Warehouse Developrnen own meeting of building workers strike to to organize a return sed investment & Property work on the same terms as ther Construction Now Started came out.

NEW UNITS TO LET

Only the intervention of union prevented the manage- officials

BUTCHER

ment-inspired meeting

GRANT

ahead. 'We are not going back to the same terms and conditions, 01405 8411 said a striker afterwards

VEHICLES ONLY

National the rcacuunal y

EDESTRIANS

Federation

OTI

buleine rates Employers- -encouraged Best and the the Industrial Relations -feels confident Mora coreiancil remains the responsibility of the trade leadership. union Smith, George Led by the Union secrear or

LOL-

struction Allied Trades and who is also president echnicians they have Tensen To eno a cena ca out national strike. Their sintes backed ele selective the strikes-which played Party-has ComuniSt right into the hands the long weeks em divers After 11 with single dispute, many building veres pent sociouess. little over building workers are on strike -about one those the ot Catal C At the same time, union leaders proudly innounced they have 200 Have sirica sevalalc pany, deals wil be further Top: A van driver turns on pickets back to sending many men London site. work. Meanwhile the

NFBTE

offering police tor Police scabs and the Federation

TUC

has the in an open letter to 13220 concemned

DOVS

the picket lines and calls for their expulsion from the The the prostration seader Denote me emplos e to dores. then that little wonder George Smith has become Tory of the TUpress nero WILs speech at the on Monday when claimed the Heath been nad recognize the need convenco to for co-operative effort' and that

PAPERBACKS *CENTRE

the trade union movement 'must altern- ai C all alve com oi government. Birmingham engineering have workers 28 Charlotte St for the building nnancial support workers and will Dlack any oulle- ing work in factories which the asked for. The decisior London W1 unions taken by the powerful W as Ta cars por chemial worker: meta.

BOOKS • PERIODICALS • NEWSPAPERS

district committee. @ Coventry building news, p. 10 Workers Press, Thursday September 7, 1972 PAGE 3

BY PHILIP WADE

THERE WERE dangers and threats of violence on the picket line at J. L. Eve industrial estate site in Streatham Lane, south London, yesterday. The vast majority of workers on the site are 'lump' men, without insurance cards, working for innumerable sub- After union contractors. meeting officials on Tuesday they decided to carry on working. As pickets yesterday tried to persuade men in a van not to cross the line, the driver of another vehicle pulled round them and drove through at high speed, the pickets scattering for their lives. Inside the gate the driver got out and brandished an iron bar as he walked towards the pickets.

When the police arrived, eventually they refused to do anything about the incident and spent their time escorting scabs through. 'This is a police state,' said Pat Quinn,

UCATT

Cubitt's convenor at the World's End 'The site. police are escorting illegal workers through while legal men are being run down and threatened.

'What's happened to the right to picket? It seems we cannot talk to anyone without the police bull- dozing them through. 'This strike is still not strong enough with all There are only about this doing it region by region.

750 jobs out in the whole of London.

Quinn said the London action had committee spent lot of a talking but little time in time doing anything about the situa- tion. 'We're a long time out now and we must stop the cement works and everything else. And I don't agree with these separate back agreements, sending men while we're out. 'It's about time someone stood up and spoke up for the building workers and some sup- from other workers if they port can. This "lump" job here IS what this battle's all about.

If this the subcontractors will take everything and overa finish trade unionism, added Mr Quinn.

THE

LAST

site in Basildon selected for picketing by the Southend Action Committee, Globe Construction, was still being worked yesterday morning by 15 about labour- only sub-contractors. About 50 pickets arrived at 'a pole. Above: Pickets outside the south 6.45 find a.m. the gates padlocked 'subbies' and the inside. It was thought that they had slept overnight on the site.

Ron Taylor, a member of the Southend Action Committee, how explained the pickets watched by a Black Maria and six squad cars of police turned away the new arrivals. The foreman spoken was to and agreed to phone the company director to get the go-ahead to close the site down. He returned later to say that the director refused. At this point the pickets leaned heavily on the gates and the gate-post broke down. Accompanied by the Black Maria and three squad cars they the and held an entered

CHIP

hour-long meeting with the subbies.

NOW OPEN

After this half agreed to Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs stop work while the others 9 a.m.-6 p.m. back the buildings. went on Fri 9 a.m.7.30 p.m. Later the UCATT south Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Essex area organizer Brian Cox arrived to discuss closing the with the director. site

PAGE 4 Workers Press, Thursday Septer Part 8 of a series on Picketing b In Britain, the attacks up to the mid-1960s have been mainly in the form of whittling-away rights by the courts. In 1959 a police constable arrested a picket who refused to accept that two pickets were enough on an entrance to a scab print- ing firm. He was charged with 'obstructing a police constable in the execu- tion of his duty. The Appeal Court upheld this judgement. It was said that a police oficer charged with the duty of preserving the Queen's peace must be left to take such steps on the evi- dence before him as he thinks proper. (Piddington v Bates, 1960) A New Disaffection Act The Police Act of 1964 made it a criminal offence to incite disaffection in the police or encourage them to act in breach of discipline under pain of two years' imprisonment.

Presumably, any action to encourage police to stop pro- tecting strikebreakers or to them breaking up stop a strike could come under this law. In 1965, 40 pickets circu- lating in front of a building were said to be a nuisance.

The worker in charge of the picketing, who refused to call a halt to the action was arrested. Again the conviction was for obstructing a constable doing his duty. (Tynan v Balmer.) In the 1967 Roberts Arundel dispute the police invoked the Public Order Act against mass demonstrations in Stockport. were attacked and Pickets injured on the picket line and at the Stockport police station.

Subsequently the police were forced to pay damages for inflicted, including injuries £1,322 for a spinal injury and one victim, broken nose of though no criminal charges against the brought were officers responsible. In spring 1970, bus-loads of poli e were drafted into St Helens to form a mass escort for blacklegs in the Pilkington dispute. Allegations of violence and made brutality were against the police. With a rapidly developing attitude of em- crisis, the granite wall. Every strike and every picket line is potentially scene of a politically- motivated provocation by the state, seeking to generate an excuse for further 'legitimate' repressive measures. The 1971 power workers' work-to-rule action faced a vicious campaign by the capi- radio and tele- talist press, vision provoke action by to 'the public' against the power- men, almost reaching hysterical levels when the print workers 'Evening Standard' the at refused to print the notorious Jak cartoon on the power men.

In the recent miners' strike, coercion, intimidation. cation were directly employed strikers. The against organized from the miners response from and Iner the particular 1n supposeide retreat forced upon the police by thousands of workers at the Saltley coke works, Birming- ham, inflicted a severe setback on the Tory government which, with the mildest concurrence of trade and Labour union leaders could have been a rout, not stopping until the Tories were our or omce. 200,000 Altogether, some miners took part in picketing 500 establishments five over weeks, 24 hours a day. (Labour Research figures.) Now the Industrial Relations Act threatens union method ar every trade and the of trade unions very existence It is not only a jeopardy. back hard. question of taking won rights and conditions, but the undermining of the very forces-the organization and strength of thousands workers combined in struggle and nave Created maintained such rights. Talk of creating good indus.

trial relations is, of course, so much eyewash. One of the Act's major func- tions, the docks and rail show forcibly disputes 1S To stop any opposition by workers to the destruction of jobs.

The government is giving solid backing to any employer who lays down plans to cut back his labour force. Railmen, dockers, steelmen, postmen and others are to be turned out in tens of thous- ands during the next period if the Tories are not stopped.

The majority of trade union leaders take up no fight against this, but on the contrary seek capitalists by placate the offering to discipline the work- ing class themselves—a situa- tion which fits in well enough with the Tories' plans The history of the working class in Britain shows that the 40 VU ability and willingness to fight has never been in question.

those periods when to this has bersed in the history, tradition versed in the working theory of the ana class political movement-as in the age of the Chartists-enor advances towards the mous of revolutionary overthrow capitalism have occurred the Alternatively disaffection When of weakness and the leaders has developed, class, for all its working strength, and ingenuity has been set back and even defeated. The miners' strike, the rail- mens' vote and the determina- of the dockers to defeat the Tories all within the space of a few weeks, shows that the strength and ability is The task is not in question. now the resolving of the crisis leadership, consuruc tion of the alternative socialist leadership, the revolutionary party of the working class.

during the struggle at Pilkington glass Top: mounted police at Helens make an escort for blacklegs

CONTINUED TOMORROW

factory. Above: also in St Helens, a picket is confronted with the law

A FUNERAL THAT BECAME

AGAINST THE FASCISTS

Italian workers' hatred of fascism and their desire to stamp out the resurg. ence of this arch-enemy of the working class were clearly demonstrated in the city of Parma last week. More than 50,000 workers marched through the city's streets behind the coffin of Mariano Lupo, a 19-year-old Sicilian stabbed to death by fascists on August 25. Lupo, a tile-layer and a member of the centrist group Lotta Continua, was stabbed to death outside a local cinema by five members of the Italian Social Movement (MSI). biggest The MSI is the Italian fascist organization; led by Mussolini's former aide Giorgio Almirante it won 56 seats in the last general elec- tion on a platform of 'law and order' The Parma killing is the latest in a wave of violent actions against the extreme left in which the MSI and the para-military fascist organiza- tions under its umbrella have played the leading part. drawn Lotta Continua their hatred because it has their undercover exposed training camps at which fascist youth are given SS-style mili- tary instruction and prepared for counter-revolution. Despite the lukewarm re- action of their official leaders Parma workers turned the Lupo's funeral into a massive display of solidarity against the fascist threat. Two days after the murder they marched to the MSI head- quarters in the city, sacked it and set the building on fire.

The day of the funeral, the town came to a virtual stand- still. In many factories, wor- kers walked out in the morn- ing to pay their last respects to Lupo's corpse. In the afternoon they were joined by the city's transport Тор: Rauti, Freda, Ventura - fascists connected with the bamb- ing of a bank in Milan. Above: laying a wreath for the murdered Mariano Lupo. workers and by contingents from towns and villages all over the province who swelled the funeral procession. In the working-class streets of Parma every window was decked with red flags as the huge march passed through on its way to the cemetery.

As far away as Genoa, the dock workers staged a one- hour strike of 11,000 men and engineers in the port defied their union leaders to come out alongside the dockers.

Parma workers have bitter memories of fascism. In 1922 the town was taken over by fascist bands under the leadership of Italo Balbo, one of Mussolini's most violent lieutenants. Balbo entered the city at the head of a small army of uniformed blackshirts and pro- ceeded to destroy the trade union and labour headquarters, beating up officials and mili- tants. Parma became one of the bases for the march on Rome later that year. Many of those who took part in Lupo's funeral pro- cession were former partisans, some of them members of the Communist Party, which is officially very hostile to Lotta Continua. The CP newspaper 'L'Unita' failed to mention in any of its editions that the dead man a member of the Lotta was Continua organization, pre- senting him simply as a 'militant' victim of the fascists.

The CP's policy is to oppose the breaking up of fascist meetings on the grounds that 'plays into their this only hands' • They advance the re- formist idea that fascism will simply fade away if it is ignored. The local right-wing press seized on the lying statement of Parma police chief Gramel- who claimed the killing lini, was 'over a woman' This outright slander was belied by the police themselves.

They now have the five fascists behind bars, two charged with murder, the other three with causing grievous bodily harm to Lupo's companion outside the cinema. Almirante, anxious to pre- serve his assiduously cultivated 'parliamentarian' image as a now claims the the five killers were expelled from the MSI the week before the murder.

This attempt to evade the fooled blame has nobody familiar with the history of fascism, both under Italian Mussolini and in the recent past. The MSI has repeatedly undertaken terrorist attacks against left-wing and working- organizations and it is class only in the past few months that Almirante has tried to law-abiding adopt a more public face to fit his parlia- mentary image. movement is Almirante's also closely intertwined with the less inhibited fascist com- bat squads such as Avanguardia Nazionale (National Vanguard).

According to Lotta Con- Andrea Ringozzi, one tinua. Workers Press, Thurs five fascists involved of the in Lupo's murder, has been at the centre of almost all the fascist assaults on local mili- tants over the past year.

He is employed as a bully- boy by a group of local in- dustrialists, some of whom also subscribed funds to pay for the recent right-wing training camp in the Appenine moun- tains. Arrested with Ringozzi in Naples, where they had both refuge, was Luigi taken Saporito, an MSI councillor Annunziata, who led at Torre an assault on a CP militant two years ago. Saporito is said to be in close contact with the leaders of another fascist organization, ' Fronte Nazionale' the (National Front). The arrest of these thugs coincided with another em- barrassing series of revelations for Almirante. While Lupo's funeral was in progress, two fascists, Pranco Freda, a 36- Padua lawyer, and year-old Giovanni Ventura, a 28-year- old bookseller, were formally charged in Milan with the 1969 bombing of the Agricul- tural Bank. The attack on the bank, in which 16 people were killed, has become a cause célèbre in Italy: while Freda and Ventura awaiting trial in Milan, are including "anarchists' four Pietro Valpreda, are being held in prison in Rome for the same bombing! Valpreda and his three com- rades have been in prison for the last 33 months. The case has been delayed because the prosecution have no real evidence against the four men.

Despite the lack of evidence against 'anarchists' , the the right-wing press has been able to use the case to whip up a witch hunt against ferocious the left. Valpreda is dying of a rare blood disease and has already use of his partially lost the limbs. Yet he will not be released and if he is ever 385, Thursday September 7, 1972 PAGE 5 brought to trial the state could drag out the case until the end of 1974. By contrast with the lack of evidence against Valpreda, the prosecuting magistrate has 25 volumes of evidence linking Freda and Ventura to the crime. Less than a month after the 1969 bombing, a teacher and boyhood friend of Ven- tura's told the police that his friend had boasted of having been in on the planning of the explosion and regretted that they had not fully suc- ceeded in their aim. This was to blame the left for the killings and bring in a strong right-wing govern- ment on a 'law and order' backlash. The two fascists were questioned at the time by another magistrate, who described them as 'two gallant men'. This attitude is shared by the police force, which pushed of Valpreda's comrades, one Pinelli, death to his out a fourth-floor window in police headquarters during their "investigations' of the case.

The police are now clearly hoping that Valpreda will die in jail before he is ever brought to trial, enabling them to close has what become a now national scandal. Freda and Ventura, on the certain other hand, can be of powerful protection and lenient treatment in the courts.

One of their associates, Pino Rauti, who is thought to have as a link man between acted the terrorists and industrialists the plot, is now financing immune from prosecution des- weight of evidence pite the against him. Rauti, a leading right-wing journalist, and a member of the MSI's national directorate, elected to parliament in was the May General Elections on the MSI ticket and is thus out of reach of the law.

THE AGREEMENTS ON CLYDESIDE

PAGE 6 Workers Press, Thursday September 7, 1972

FIRST

TIME AS A SERVICE TO

MOVEMENT

AS INFORMATION FOR ALL THOSE IN THE LABOUR

EVENTS SINCE THE UPPER CLYDE SHIPBUILDERS

'WORK-IN' BEGAN IN JULY LAST YEAR

but also that every man's hand was against Boilermakers' opposition to the agreement them. negotiated by the Communist Party-led joint In fact, the true and almost exclusive authors shop stewards' committee with Govan Ship- of the savage campaign to malign and denigrate builders Ltd took the rank and file of other the boilermakers in the yards and among thi unions by surprise. public at large were the Stalinists-incensed at Their leaders had told them the deal was a the prospect of their deal with the employers exposed. the agreement was passed good one and had recommended signing.

being AS which in some cases lasted only from hand to hand it became clear to more and meetings, more workers that it contained no job guaran- the few minutes, they gave tner stewards Then on the eve of the final signing tees, no specific wage rates or promise of an go-ahead. immediate rise and no retrospective payment last Friday, a handful of boilermakers' stewai as broke ranks and circulated the 1,200 Society clause. But there was plenty about an earnings ceil- members the former Upper Clyde Ship- builders' yards, Govan, Linthouse and Scotstoun ing, increased productivity and the need to maxi- mize job mobility, which many fear will lead to with copies of the agreement.

even more redundancies. Less than one quarter and the There was immediate rebellion, Govan, including of the men at shop some majority of votes against signing rose at two have studied or even seen the agree.

stewards, while the meetings. But consecutive ment which will determine their working con- boilermakers' stand kindled the interest of men ditions for at least two years.

Stalinist leaders James Reid None of the rank and file at Clydebank-the and James Airlie took it upon themselves and fourth UCS yard—have laid eyes on the four- the negotiating committee to contact the press year, no-strike deal signed with the new owners, issue statements accusing and television the Texas-based Marathon Manufacturing Com the boilermakers of pursuing sectional aims. pany. Today, for the first time in any news- They only that they paper, Workers Press publishes the full text of implied not were holding the jobs of all the men at Govan to ransom, both agreements: The unions, having already declared publicly that they will their guarantee com- plete co-operation to ensure delivery on time of the four ships currently being built Shipping Co for the Irish Ltd, have now extended their guarantee in similar terms to cover the timely completion of the ships which have recently been placed in the Scotstoun yard. The unions affirm their Govan Shipbuilders and recognize, the back- ax dillol depressed world ot a ground market, that both management and men will require to make a joint and determined effort to achieve substantial improve- ment in productivity. now agreed, between Il 1s Govan Shipbuilders Ltd and Society the Amalgamated of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, Blacksmiths and Structural Workers, that: I The current 'work-in' will Govan Ship- cease when builders Ltd start to trade.

2 The

UCS

employment charter will be revised and updated, to ensure no impedi- the efficient utiliza- ment of Confederation of Shipbuilding (c) The company will wish will Engineering and that and Unions to negotiate a new wage equipment, SO any incompatible with apply to all three of and practices this objective would rapidly be hourly paid workers in the these negotiations are in outfitting eliminated. vards-stee workers. progress may trades and general It IS accepted that arrange- necessary to impose a workers and to all staff who are mem- in as ordance work he pro- ceiling on earnings. bers of appropriate unions.

accordance with pro- It expected that visions of the relevant national It is further agreed, in the discussions will 6 interest of time-saving and the dareenels around August- The arrangements for inter- prevention leap-frogging OI 1972 September and flexibility and claims, that pay-and-producti- effort will changeabilly, every be mobility, as agreed in the UCS negotiations will take

VILY

made to conclude will con- employment charter, with all manua lace only early as agreements a tinue and the unions reaffirm worker where unions possible thereafter, but the importance of the Relaxa- une reconauons concesuci not later than January, Working Practices as bonus schemes tion of matters or 1973. Agreements in ensuring effec- allowances relevant to one tive working. union alone. (d) The present salary The agreed intention is that, agreements concluded 3 There shall in each yard be clearly except where inappro- with the Draughtsmen's a joint consultative commit- priate, claims should be jointly Allied Technicians which will meet regularly tee and jointly the formulated and for the interchange of intorma- tiated. Clerical and Adminis. tion. The committee will com- trative Workers' Union 5 (a) Having agreed to work Drise represenlalives and other unions on and the work force within agement various behalf of staff will con- should regarded national agreements, the ana until tinue January, the normal will honour company supplementary 1973. channels of com- day to day any national wage munication. awards. (e) It is hoped that by the 4 The procedure (b) The existing time wages anteemedl reached on a new agreement between the agreements and bonus wage Govan Shipbuilders and Repairers' schemes will continue structure Shipbuilders Ltd will National Association the on an interim basis. and Top: Reid and Harbin sign the have obtained stable argue with Atrile expansion of produc- McGarvey (top) and Alrlie.

tion for least two ahead in which years event the company would wish the new for, agreement to run say, two years. The unions, acting on be- half of their members, of the importance pornonize avoiding any unconstitutional of.any kind while the action is being national procedure invoked, and reaffirm their intent to work within various national agreements, noting in particular clause I (19) of the procedure agreement clause 16 of the demarcation agreement. 7 This agreement, although not legally enforceable, has been entered into freely by the and is intended parties to be binding, and the parties accordingly pledge themselves all such steps as are take reasonably practicable to pre- covered by vent any persons it from acting in breach of its provisions. May, 1972. The Marathon Shipbuilding Co (UK) Ltd... and all trade unions ... with members thereof to be employed by Marathon in accordance with the other provisions hereof, at the facility form- division erly known as the Clydebank of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Ltd, make this agreement covering the wages and other conditions of employment of the labour force of Marathon at said shipyard as follows: 1. Declaration of common intention Representatives of Marathon and unions mereov decare mer common men.

tion to be the continuity and stability of employment at the oI lne labour force former Clydebank division of UCS. It is the mutual intent of and both parties pledge maximum co-operation in realizing this common objective and in establishing a modern and flourishing yard.

Terms of the agreement 2. of this agreement shall be The terms for a period of four years commencing on July 24, 1972, or at such date as Marathon shall take the facilities and over com- mence construction of its new facilities and the production of its product, which- ever is later. 3. Holidays Holidays will be observed as they are in effect in the shipbuilding industry on the upper Clyde river, i.e.

three weeks of summer holidays and Six statutory holi- days plus three days to be observed in commencing with one consecuuve years day in 1972 two days in 1973 and three days in 1974 and thenceafter.

4. Pension Arrangements will be made to maintain the present pension if possible and if not possible such similar pension as may be under the law. 5. Wages Marathon agrees to pay a) wages to the skilled trades a base rate as follows: 90p per hour for straight time pay as base pay The classifica- wages of al other tions thereof whose members are repre sented Wit creased rata the skilled pro as trades were increased as stated in (a) above.

6. Cost-of-living increase of living the cost increases standard decreases based upon cost- the of-living index Britain for Great Mara- thon agrees to increase or decrease the income of the employees covered by this Contre: the agreement as a cost-ol-living increase bro Glasgov August, 1971. portionately to the change in the cost-of- living index as it appears on the etective date of this agreement. At the of each six and Iz-monti term of this agreement period during the be reviewed tne cost-ol-iving inaes for the purpose of revising increase, lane if necessary. 7. Annual wage review At each anniversary date of this agree- ment Marathon and the unions agree to review the wages of the employees work.

on the upper Clyde shipyards ing in the river and to adjust the wages in the vari- of Marathon crafts of the employees based upon a comparison of the The effect to be achieved bv the exam- of the other wages is bring ination about a comparability of the wages of the of Marathon and other employees similar employees trades on working In the upper Clyde river. Upon agreement by the parties hereto of the average wages wages of the employees of Marathon the will be revised accordingly and nothing hereto referred will need to be brought to arbitration. Production bonus Marathon agrees to pay the employees represented by the unions subject to this agreement a production bonus based on the following terms and conditions: a) The bonus shall be 10 per cent of the straight time base rate as stated in article 5 of this agreement as that article fixes the base for each craft and rate classification thereunder.

b) To be eligible to receive the pro- duction bonus an employee must have worked 900 hours in the six-month period proceeding the date of the computation of the bonus. i. If, due to inclement weather or lack of material when employees in any craft or classification are unable to work, that time so lost shall not be counted in determining their eligibility to receive the bonus.

ii. An employee shall not be disquali- fied from receiving the bonus. if he suffers a job connected injury or an illness certified by his physician and if he performs such work as he is certified to do by his physician upon such work being offered to him by Marathon. Time off due to leaves of absence iii. approved in writing by the person- nel manager shall not be counted against the eligibility requirements to receive the production bonus.

The bonus will be computed for C) the six-month period ending at the com- mencement of the summer holidays and the period ending six-month at the commencement of the Christmas holidays.

d). The bonus will be paid to all pro- duction employees as distinguished from any craft, class or department so as to encourage all employees to meet produc- tion schedules. e) In order to be eligible to receive the production bonus the employees of Mara- thon must meet the production schedules at the end of each six-month period as determined by Marathon's obligations to its customers. Production schedules will be posted in prominent places in each department at the time of the commence- ment of each job. 9. Overtime pay For all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a week, employees shall be paid one-and-half times the regular base rate Double the regular base rate will be paid for work on Sunday and holidays.

10. Legal enforceability This agreement is not intended to be legally enforceable in accordance with the 34 of the provisions of part Ill, section Industrial Relations Act of 1971.

11. Arbitration procedure The parties agree that in order to avoid all industrial action by the unions, indi- vidually or collectively, or by their mem- bers or any or all of them that they shall be bound to the resolution thereof by the following method If an employee wishes to raise any a) question in which he is directly and per- sonally concerned, he shall first discuss it with his foreman. If he so wishes he may be accompanied by his shop steward. Fail- ing satisfaction the shop steward shall have the right to pursue the question with the management. b) Where a question to be raised affects a group of employees, the shop stewards, who may be accompanied by a member of the group concerned, shall discuss it with the foreman of the trade Failing satisfaction the concerned. shop stewards shall have the right to pursue the question with the management.

c) In the event of the management wishing to discuss a question affecting a group of employees, the question shall be raised in the first place with the shop stewards of the union whose members are involved. d) Where any question has not been settled in two working days under any of the preceding paragraphs, it shall be the Workers Press, Thursday September 7, 1972 PAGE 7 subject of a conference where the com- or employee involved shall be represented y itself or himself or any other persor or official of the union selected to do so.

The representatives so selected shall meet and endeavour to settle the matter between them. Failing to do so after a of ten days the union may at its period sole election call its national officials or their representatives for a conference with- in 20 working days which persons shall then endeavour to resolve the dispute.

e) After the procedures referred to above have been exhausted and the dis- pute has not been resolved, both the Marathon may request the unions or Department of Employment at Glasgow to furnish a list of suitable arbitrators to resolve the dispute. The parties, after casting lot as to who shall strike first, shall alternatively strike of from the list arbitrators until the last remaining arbitrator shall be selected to determine the issue or dispute.

Thereafter and at the earliest possible convenience the arbitrator shall hear the evidence of all parties concerning the dis- pute and shall make an award and decision in writing resolving said dispute by which award and decision the parties hereto agree to be firmly bound and by which they agree to abide without resort to strike, work stoppage, lockout or other industrial remedy. Both parties agree that their members and employees, officers and managers, officials shall be required by them to abide by such decision as well.

12. Demarcation settlements In case of disputes over the allocation of work there will be no stoppage of work or other industrial interruption or action.

The unions will settle all demarcations among themselves in accordance with the national demarcation procedure agreement 1969 between the Shipbuilders and Repairers' Association and the trade unions affiliated to the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions with which both parties are familiar and which shall be made a part hereof by reference thereto as if the same had been at length herein for all purposes.

copied Marathon shall be advised of the outcome of such settlement and Marathon will abide by the unions' decision thereon.

The unions agree that they and their members and officers will abide by the settlements made as stated above.

13. Intent to abide by the agreement The parties have freely entered into this agreement by negotiation and it is intended to be binding and the parties accordingly commit themselves to take all such steps as reasonably necessary and practicable prevent to any persons covered by it from acting in breach of its provisions. 14. Work rules covering conduct of employees and penalties the pubie, date 1969, which are in effect at the time when Marathon takes over the yard, are adopted as if the same had been copied herein at length for al purposes. 15. Condition allowance Marathon agrees to follow practices on the upper Clyde as regards the payment of condition allowance for certain work such as, but not limited to, 'dirty work'.

The shop stewards have furnished a list of all such allowances which shall con- trol these provisions unless changed in accordance with the terms of article 7 of this agreement. 16. The whole agreement he parties have set out their entir greement herein and will not be require to bargain about wages, hours or other conditions of employment except as other- wise provided herein. May, 1972.

THE PERVERSIONS OF

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Thursday Septer Part 4 of a series on Science Among the hundreds of writers on the envir- onmental crisis in the past few years, Barry Commoner stands out from the rest. Although his conclusions remain on the pathetic level of liberal protest, his an- alysis shows a keen awareness of the relation between the problems he raises and the nature of capitalism. In 'The Closing Circle', he completely destroys the argu- ment that the rise in the level of pollution in the last three decades is the consequence of 'affluence'. On the contrary, he shows that it resulted from the particular types of techno- logy developed in an economy driven by the thirst for profit, without consideration of any other effects. Commoner himself was involved in the development of DDT for use by the US Navy during the war. Later, this powerful insecticide was employed all over the world, production rising in 1970 to 170,000 tons. But this June, the Us gov- ernment banned its use almost completely, amidst a flurry of scientific controversy. The effect of the massive quantities of DDT over several years was not just to eliminate certain kinds of insects. The pesticide works by des- troying the nervous system of the insect. However, in the pro- cess, the predators who feed on the particular pest accumu- late high concentrations of the chemical. Consequently, larger and larger amounts are required to compensate for the disappearance of the insect's natural enemies. Meanwhile, the new strains of the pest developed by mutation tend to be resistant to DDT When the quantities of the stuff pouring into the soil, rivers and atmosphere, and thence into the ocean reach high enough levels, marine life is affected. It has also been found that the shells of birds' eggs are weakened. All of this is reflected in the concentra- tions of DDT found in humans.

story of nitrate ferti- The lizers is more complex but similar. As their use increased, pushed by eager chemical firms, soil in many agricultural the regions in the US began to change. At first, the result of inorganic nitrate ferti- using is to increase the amount liza of "trogen content and so in- crea e the yield of crops.

is 'fixed' Normally, nitrogen in the soil by bacteria. If crops are removed too quickly, the bacteria cannot multiply fast enough to provide enough Inorganic fertilizers nitrate. more than compensate for this, but at the same time stop the activity of the bacteria. So more and more inorganic nitrates are demanded. As Commoner says: 'To the salesman, nitrogen fertilizer is the "perfect' product—it wipes out the competition as it is used.' What has gone wrong with modern these products organic chemistry? Do we have to accept the contention of the environmentalists that each attempt to overcome the limits placed by nature in the path of man's development must inevitably come to grief?

Commoner shows how the

SCIENCE

Part 4 of a series on Science and the Environment by John Crawford

SEAN HUDSON

disastrous 'side effects' of post- are all related war technology to the perversion of science br the drive for profit or war. 'The Closing But, both in Circle' and in his earlier book 'Science Survival', and he raises an even more important He demonstrates how pullet. the method which underlies the training and experience of every scientist leads him to consider technical problems in sided fashion. In every field of science, the scientist is taught to consider relationship: that of one key cause and effect. Each problem is thought about on its own, and the answer sought after is finite chain of and causes effects which ultimately joins All phenomena. changes two in the obect under investiga tion which do not lie on this chain must be disregarded.

But the real world is not like this at all. The effects of any action or transformation are the infinite, reacting back on initial 'cause from many dif- ferent directions. Conceptually breaking up complex totality into separate and then tracing single parts, connection of casual unreads these this between model-buildise mes method Shas built up modern science and technology. But now responsible for the acute crisis every branch of ranging the disasters for and science which attend their application Top: Barry Commoner, one mental problems and the havere of calls hole gonna on a large scale. connection between environmental problems the nature capitalism. Above: industrial pollution

CONTINUED TOMORROW

result of an economy driven by thirst for profit, with out consideration of any other effects

A letter from Portsmouth na Workers in Portsmouth naval dockyard have been operating a work-to-rule and overtime ban for the last eight weeks in support of the government industrial workers pay claim.

Government industrial work- ers are demanding a 17-per- cent pay increase to bring into line with their wages average earnings in outside industry. The government have offered them a 6t-per-cent rise. On August 30, Workers Press carried an article on the development of the dispute in Portsmouth and an interview with UCATT shop • steward Bill Stitwell. He pointed out that many of the men were becoming dis- they felt illusioned because that the work-to-rule was get- ting nowhere and that their representatives on the yard Whitley Committee were hold- ing back from taking all-out industrial action. The present action, he said, started on July 7 when 7,000 workers marched dockyard through Portsmouth in only the second industrial action in the history of the yard. When they returned to work stewards complained at having 'scabs'. The to work with Whitley Committee said they I back any action they would uth naval dockyard workers.

took, but offered no lead. The walked-off many of the men ships. At a stewards' meeting the the Whitley following day, Committee again refused to put forward any policy and asked the stewards for their suggestions. Finally an over- time ban and work-to-rule was agreed. (In the naval dockyards the Whitley Committees are the senior union representatives, the equivalent of factory con- elected They are venors. according to the system of their particular union.) Here is a letter from dock- yard workers: Dear Sir, Following your article on the Portsmouth dockyard dispute, I would like to point out the situation as we the workers see it. It has been painfully obvious to the rank and file that we are being misrepre- sented by the management- made Whitley Committee. How can we begin to win our struggle for a decent basic wage when our leadership is so apathetic and scared of upset- The ting the management. problem, it seems to us, is that apart from four or five trade union representatives out of a committee of 15, the wishes of the members are not being carried out. For example, when advised by the national executive of all unions to escalate the indus- trial action and ban all over- time to add weight to our pay claim, the Whitley Committee allows and condones piece- work to be worked by painters thus under- and scaffolders, . the solidarity of the mining responsible trade unionists in this yard. The vast majority of us feel that what we need now is a responsible trade union leader- ship which will carry out the wishes of its members. A shop stewards' committee should be formed at once, to policies the as carry out directed by the executive coun- cil, instead of the present set- which they call the repre- sentative body of the indus- trial workers. If a shop stewards' com- mittee is not set up within the immediate future the solidarity of the trade unionists in the yard that has taken over 30 years to establish will be lost forever. Yours fraternally, Thirty disillusioned dockies, Portsmouth dockvard centre, Works Amenity Centre. Workers Press, Thursday September 7, 1972 PAGE 9 If you're suffering from intel- and psychiatrists from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, lectual deficit'-watch it. A team of medical brains from the Society of Medical Officers of Health and the British Medi- three ultra-respectable protes- sional bodies has ideas about cal Association. The report, which has been you. Defining its opponents as submitted for consideration by insane, has always been a fav- the Department of Health and ourite occupation of repres- Social Security, outlines the dictatorships. They by members of sive can suggestions then be locked up in mental these august (and highly con- homes, filled up with drugs, servative) bodies on how the forced to submit to electric mental health services can be shock treatment, or even brain integrated into a reorganized surgery, in order to shut them health service. and Many of its suggestions are up, no one can question useful and would be well worth their fate without themselves being accused of being mad.

consideration socialist in a The In the Soviet Union the health service. idea, how- the of a Tory government- bureaucracy has got ever, hell-bent on taking away from method worked out perfectly.

Prominent political opposition- the working class all its hard- ists who attract won rights to a health service might too carrying out such much national or international at all if they reforms is nonsense. sympathy were im- The declared insane dangerous part of the prisoned, are incarcerated in report, however, which could and asylums until they either recant their help create the sort of repres- sive system the ruling class in views, or until the treatment they receive there really drives this country wants, is con- tained in its definition of men- them mad. In the United States prison- tal illness. 'Regardless of the cause, it ers with a history of violence 'mental ill-health shows are in some cases being urged states, undergo psycho-surgery itself as a disturbance of the to patient's which entails removal of part adjustment to his has the of the brain. This social environment. Although the eminent doc- ettect not only of taking away tors do go on to say that per- their aggressive tendencies, but turn them virtually haps our environment is not can also all it should be into vegetables. and certain could be intro- Although the causes of their improvements duced (they don't say what), often be found violence can in American society itself, at the message is clear. If you do not adjust to a least three prisoners have SO environment which far been persuaded to accept social unemployed such drastic measures. creates a million and makes thousands home- Some brain surgeons are that less, you are mentally ill.

now suggesting anyone They also recommend that socially who exhibits any special mental hospitals should undesirable aggression socially undesirable to the rul- be set up for the 'young per- 15-25 -should -usually the that is- be son- in ing Class, years age group-who exhibits compelled similar accept intellectual deficit together operations. with behaviour disorder, in- For example, it has been capacity for work or persisting suggested blacks that who delinquency, and who causes riot against the terrible con- serious social problems. They the ghettos should ditions in "intellectual defi- that be operated on so they will be admit cit' is 'often a consequence of unable to fight back. If those surgeons had had cultural deprivation'. from Young people poor their way, there would have of over- families, been no need to shoot George coming out Tackson. crowded and deprived schools, They could have facing a future on the dole or turned him into a nice, quiet low-paid, would be in monotonous zombie who no would certainly menial jobs, trouble to anyone. fit into this description.

The British medical brains' have it. A report shows a similar sinister So there you blue-print for the Tory Britain tendency at work here, too.

the future-if you don't 'The Mental Health Service of and like it you are insane After Unification' was pro- should be locked up duced by a team of doctors

LEON TROTSKY:

Germany 1931/1932 Paperback £1.25—cloth £1.87} Where Is Britain Going? Paperback 37}p Revolution Betrayed Paperback 62½p—cloth £1.05 Problems of the Chinese Revolution Paperback £1.124cloth {1.87} Permanent Revolution : Results and Prospects Paperback 75p In Defence of Marxism Paperback 75p Lessons of October Paperback 60p Postage 10p per book, 3p per pamphlet. Order from :

NEW PARK PUBLICATIONS

186a Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UG.

Union still not calling national action Pickets strengthened- builders are frustrated PAGE 10 Workers Press, Thursday September 7, 1972

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

COVENTRY and district building pickets have received additional fresh blood from several young workers who struck work at the Blackbank's site near Redworth, and within hours had closed the site down. The Midland region of the union of Construction, Allied Trades •. Technicians and (UCATT) has called on all sites in its jurisdiction to strike, but many pickets feel that picketing alone will be insufficient to win the strike.

They believe that the failure of the national leadership to call a national all-out stoppage has contributed to an outlook of 'every man for himself' among workers, who, rather than some join the picket lines against the have lump, searched for jobs in areas where the strike is less widespread or where the pickets are not operating. Again, while solidarity action taken by council building workers limited scale has even on proved invaluable to the Coven- try pickets, they are annoyed at officials' refusal to some union sanction anything more than fin- strike ancial assistance to the fund. of some 300 A meeting cor- building dis- poration workers cussed some of these problems at a mass meeting last Monday and fixed the level contributions to the strike fund at £1.50.

Coventry builders vote for a levy Peter Carter, Communist Party member and leading spokesman government them and the Tory 'Charter' group for the raises the rent to f10, it is dia- for the regional shop stewards' This Toryism bolical, is at its called for the extension of tee, worse. blast to workers the strike There have been a number of furnaces and in cement works.

complaints from pickets of police Interviewed later, he continued Last Friday a harassment. picket to defend the original limitation Hawthorne was arrested at the of the strike to a selective basis: in Coventry, and Lane site should Some people say we pickets have complained that the have had all-out strike from an police willing to June 26. I don't believe we had make accusations on the flimsiest the forces available to make the of evidence. call realistic.' Picket Rory Sullivan told In addition, employees of the our company of Bryants construction reporter: national leaflet national have received a There should be a everyone which contains strike, with out. provocalve statement: 'Police protection may whether factory maintenance, cor- requested if you want work be poration, men employed by and are prevented by pickets!

firms. know. private As you workers are under a corporation It is becoming apparent to but as you number of men that the consoli- different agreement; can see from last week, they are and of the dation extension all behind us. which is so vital, cannot strike, 'A national strike should have be achieved simply by drawing right from the start. with the been called superficial parallels I know pickets who came down strike. miners' and picketed our job and brought The questions of the ruthless Now they us out. however are Tory govern- opposition of the working in Aylesbury. the alternative Labour A picket from Blackbank's site and policy to government, commented: workers' defend all rights in 'Only a few months ago it was period of acute economic crisis, that any worker not on stated is foremost on the agenda.

the £30 by the time we enter Coventry The formation of a would be in Common Market Council of Action to deal with trouble. and the ending the these questions, don't think rent of the Coventry Trades Council's Council increases are at all just.

such in establishing built solely for the evasiveness houses were will greatly assist the a body, i When there are working classes. struggles of the building workers.

charges of £8 and £9 on already I would like information about I below and send to NATIONAL Fill in the form

SECRETARY,

LABOUR

LEAGUE,

SOCIALIST

186A CLAPHAM HIGH ST, LONDON, SW4 7UG.

Name Address IN MANCHESTER, UCATT regional appealed for local authority workers i have joined the strike to return to m region were prepared to settle separate OVER 1,500 workers who joined a pay strike at the Scottish Polaris submarine base in Dunbartonshire claim the provoked the management walk-out. They returned to work yester- day after a one-day token strike on Tuesday in protest at manages ment's policy of sending men home after a series of 'guerrilla' strikes on Monday. The men have been operating an overtime ban and work-to-rule in support of a wage claim being the negotiated by unions and Admiralty at national level.

Poet Laureate POET LAUREATE Cecil Day- Lewis who died on May 22 aged 68, left £57,868 gross £52,571 net (duty £3,407). Day-Lewis, of Greenwich, London left half of all his copyrights to his former wife, Constance Mary Day-Lewis, and the remainder of all his property to his wife-Jill Balcon, the actress. Soclalist Labour League

LECTURES

THE THEORY AND

PRACTICE OF MARXISM

given by

G. HEALY

(SLL national secretary) Development of Marxism through working-class struggle Tuesday September 12 Nature of the capitalist crisis Tuesday September 19 today Historical materialism Tuesday September 26

AEU HOUSE

Mount Pleasant Liverpool 1. 7.30 p.m.

ALL TRADES

UNIONS

ALLIANCE

MEETINGS

SHEFFIELD: Thursday September 7.30 p.m. New White Lion, "The builders' pay Wicker. claim and fight for the right to work.'

I regional secretary Eric Hughes has

MANCHESTER:

Thursday Sep- workers in Wigan and elsewhere who 7.30 tember 7. Basement turn to work. He said 15 firms in ther Theatre Town Hall. 'Build Coun- cils of Action. Force the Tories e separate agreements. to resign' CLYDEBANK: Thursday, Septem- Town Hall, Clydebank Loons of the Hall. UCS struggle.' RHYMNEY: Thursday September 7, 7.30 | p.m. Rhymney Working Rhymney, Club South men's Wales. 'Crisis of leadership in the trade unions.' EAST LONDON: Thurs- day September 7, 8 p.m. Market Festival Inn, Square, Chrisp Street, Market, E14. 'What is Stalinism?' SOUTHAMPTON: Friday September 8, 7.30 p.m. Corner of and Brintons Northam Road. Speaker: Thornett (deputy Alan steward Morris senior Motors, Oxfora, in a per- sonal capacity). The les- sons of the docks strike and the fight for jobs.' BRACKNELL: Monday September 11, 8 p.m. Priestwood Community Centre. CROYDON: Monday September 11, 8 p.m. Ruskin House, Coombe Road. 'Lessons the dock strike! HULL: Wednesday September 13, 7.30 Church Hall, Wayne p.m. The Road, Bransholme (opp Tories' Swallow'). 'Fighting the Bunce: Said convenor James Rent Act. 'We have been provoked by the taking this management into MEDWAY: Wednesday September On Monday they action. sent Greyhound', 50 men 13, p.m. 'The home and about Weit Rochester. Rochester Avenue, 'Defeat the anti-union laws. Force didn't resume normal the Tories to resign.' working!' y spoke materilla An Admiralty SOUTH EAST LONDON: Thursday guerrilla that because 14, 8 p.m. Deptford September 'number of workers strikes a chub For opposite New Engineers could not carry out their normal Tories Cross Station. the Some were offered alterna- resign." jobs. to tive employment, but where this was refused or where there was SWINDON: Sunday September 17, alternative employment some no 7.30 p.m. "Locomotive Inn', Fleet of the work people were sent 'Join the Street. fight to force home. the Tories to resign.' The dally paper that loads the fight against the Tories. £20.28 for 12 months (312 lagues) £10.14 for 6 months (156 lasues) £5.07 for 3 months (78 issues) If you want to take Workers Press twice a wook the rales are: £1.56 for 3 months (24 issues) £6.24 for 12 months (96 issues) Fill in the form below NOW and send 1o: 186a Clapham High St., Irculation Dept., Workers SoNs 7UG ondon, s I would like to take out a subscription to Workers Press.

MONDAY

THURSDAY

Days required

FRIDAY

TUESDAY

(Please tick)

SATURDAY

WEDNESDAY

Or months. Full subscription (six days) for ..

Name.. Address Amount enclosed £

11.00 Trades Union Congress 12.25 Women today. 12.50 Com Ker zing along. 1.15 mon Market Bellbird. Zingalong. 1.40 Arthur. 2.00 Castle haven. 2.25 from Doncaster. 3.40 Racing TUC. 4.10 Nuts and bones. 4.25 Land of the giants. 5.20 Olympics 9.45 Along the trail. 10.00 Robin- son Crusoe. 10.25 Magic round- WATER'. Richard Widmark. about. 10.30 Olympic grandstand A multi-nation crew takes 1.30 Herbs. 1.45 News a submarine to the Arctic weather. 1.55 Olympic grand- Circle to investigate com- munist stand.

7.30 TOP OF THE POPS.

8.00 THE DICK EMERY SHOW.

8.30 THE WEEK WE CAUGHT

SEA FEVER. The Log of

10.50 CINEMA.

11.20 THE AVENGERS. All Done the Tall Ships' Race 1972 With Mirrors.

9.00 NINE O'CLOCK NEWS.

12.20 ADDICTION.

Weather.

9.25 TODAY AT THE OLYMPIC

GAMES.

12.30 Weather. SOUTHERN: 11.00 London. 12.45 News. 12.50 Afloat. 1.15 Hogan's heroes. 1.40 Common Market

BBC 2

cook book. 2.05 Bellbird. 2.25 London. 3.10

TUC.

3.40 House- 11.00-11.25 Play 4.00 Heckle and school. 4.15 party. Jeckle. 4.10 Send for Dithers. 4.25 Cross- Play school. 4.40 Jackanory. 4.55 roads. 4.50 Primus. 5.20 London. Harlem globetrotters. 5.15 Barrier 6.00 Day day. 6.45 On by the 715 reef. 5.40 Magic roundabout. 5.45 buses. ( Film: 'Apartment For Peggy'. 9.00 London. 11.20 News. Hansel and Gretel. 11.30 Film: 'Shock!' 12.45 7.30 NEWSROOM. Weather. Weather. Guideline.

8.00 HILLABY

WALKS.

The

HARLECH:

Striding Moors and Dales.

11.00-12.30 London. 2.15 Racing from Doncaster. 3.15

8.30 LOVE AND MR LEWISHAM.

Common Market cook book. 3.45

9.15 INDUSTRIAL

GRAND

Dr Simon Locke. 4.15 Tinkertain-

TOUR.

Sheffield. ment. 4.25 Crossroads. 4.50 Little big time. 5.20 London. 6.01 Re- 9.25 SACHA'S IN TOWN. Sacha West. 6.18 port Report Wales. Distol with guests Mike 6.35 Dick Van Dyke. 7.10 Film: Bernie Winters, and Dud- 'Count Your Blessings'. 9.00 ley Moore Trio, Clodagh London. 10.50 Survival. 11.20 Rodgers. Spyforce. 12.20 Weather. 10.10 NEWS ON 2. Weather.

HTV

Wales and HTV Cymru/ Wales as 10.15

FILM: 'LUDWIG II'. O. W.

above except: 4.15-4.25 Ruth Miri Fischer, Leuwerik. mawr. 6.01-6.18 dydd. German film 10.50-11.20 Songs about the of the Celts. monarch who was appalled

HTV

West above as except: 6.18-6.35 Sport West. by Bismarck.

SPECIAL ATUA

MEETINGS

CENTRAL LONDON:

TWO SCOTTISH GEC factories Inaugural meeting of the are to remain closed for a fifth week following a entertainments and press vote by over 2,600 striking workers to stay unions. out. A 2,000-strong mass meeting

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER

on Tuesday voted by a two-to- 17, 7 p.m. one majority continue the 'The crisis of technology strike despite union recommend- work so that and unemployment.' negotiations could begin on their

SHAFTESBURY HOTEL

claim. pay

MONMOUTH STREET,

WC2. Speakers: Roy Battersby

(ACTT.

In a personal capacity). A London docker. A FIVE-POINT plan for large amounts of state support for the

KENT:

British coal industry was outlined yesterday by a Labour shadow

WEDNESDAY

The said Eric minister. aim, SEPTEMBER 13, 8 p.m. Varley, Opposition spokesman on 'Victory to the Creffield fuel and power, was to prevent workers. Defeat the anti-union 'already queues. the Coa

THE GEORGE AND

with a

DRAGON

SHIPBOURNE ROAD

TONBRIDGE, KENT.

LIVERPOOL:

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER

THE 2,000 men at the Jaguar 17, 10.30 a.m. car factory Coventry who Crisis in the car indus were on strike for 11 weeks- ry. Fight for the right t work.' the longest in the company's history-returned to work yes-

STORK HOTEL

QUEEN'S SQUARE

terday. Speakers: Alan Thornett They decided at a mass meet- (deputy senior steward accept the ing Tuesday on to Morris Motors, Oxford. In company's offer of an interim flat a personal capacity). rate of £44 for a 40 hour week, coupled with lump sum payments Mike Banda (SLL Cen- between £20 £105 for of and tral Committee). those earning over £44. ends the piecework This Jane Lapotaire as Miss Haydinger H. G. Wells Love and Mr Lewisham a ATV MIDLANDS: 11.00-1.00 Lon- 7.00 don. 1.45 Racing from Doncaster.

3.10 TUC. 3.35 Horoscope. 3.45 Women today. 4.10 Nuts and bones. 4.25 Land of the giants. 5.20 London. 6.00 Today. 6.35 Crossroads. 7.00 Sale of the 'Gallant 7.30 century. Film: Journey'. 9.00 London. 11.20 Marcus Welby. 12.15 Stories worth telling. Weather.

ULSTER:

11.00-12.45 London. 1.45 Racing from Doncaster. 3.10 TUC. 3.40 Gourmet. 4.00 Romper 4.20 News. 4.25 Cowboy room. in Africa. 5.20 London. 6.00 News.

6.10 Partners. 6.35 Crossroads. 7.00 Their kind of music. 7.30 Film: 'Destination Gobi'. 9.00 London. 11.20 Champions. YORKSHIRE: 11.00-12.45 London.

1.45 Racing from Doncaster. 3.10 TUC. 4.10 Nuts and bones. 4.25 Funky phantom. 4.50 Rainbow country. 5.20 London. 6.00 Calen- Crossroads. dar, weather. 6.35 Campbeltown shipyard workers who have struck work on advice from the boilermakers' union in Glasgow are to hold a mass meet- ing at midday tomorrow. The dispute is over wage parity with the other shipyards. clean balance sheet by writing off its accumulated deficit-estimated at nearly £200m; that a £70m outright regional grant should be made in recognition that coal was providing 70 per cent of its jobs in the country's hardest- pressed unemployment areas and that a further contribution should be made by the government to help meet the Board's costs of providing jobs in difficult areas.

Training facilities in the industry should be extended and improved, he said. system in the factory-the aim of the British-Leyland manage- ment-and will soon give way to Measured-Day Work with its eventual attack on jobs. British-Leyland has formally warned that the Jaguar strike would affect its profits for the current year. The stock market had already been taking a gloomy view of Leyland's profits pros- pects, and the shares were little changed at just under 36p.

Earlier in the year, chairman Lord Stokes said that given reasonable continuity of produc- tion, profits should be close to last year's £32.4m. Workers Press, Thursd dinger (nearest camera) and Gloria Walker wisham' dramatized for BBC 2.

_on- 7.00 Cartoon. 7.25 Film: 'Night People'. 9.00 London. 11.20 3.45 Department S. 12.15 Something to sing about. 12.40 Weather.

GRANADA: 11.00 London. 12.30 Galloping gourmet. 12.55 Joe 90.

1.25 Towards the year 2000. 1.55 Racing from Doncaster. 3.10 TUC.

4.10 News. Nuts and bones. 4.25 Lidsville. 4.55 Funky phantom. 5.15 London. 6.00 News. 6.05 Amazing world of Kreskin. 6.30 UFO. 7.25 Film: 'The Over the Hill Gang Rides Again'. 8.50 Sylvester. London. 9.00 11.20 Police file. 11.25 Felony squad.

TYNE TEES: 11.00-12.45 London.

1.45 Racing from Doncaster. 2.10 Bellbird. 2.25 London. 3.10 TUC.

4.09 News. 4.10 Nuts and bones.

4.25 Woobinda. 4.50 Arthur. 5.20 London. 6.00 Today. 6.35 Cross- 7.00 Funny face. roads. 7.25 Film: 'Night People'. 9.00 London.

10.50 Sportstime. 11.20 Cinema.

A reply to some centrist critics By Cliff Slaughter All aro avallable from 186a Clapham Or The Paperback Centre, 28 Charlo 58, Thursday September 7, 1972 PAGE 11 la Walker as Emily in episode tao of ight 11.50 Police call. 11.55 Calum's ceilidh. 12.40 Revolving chair.

SCOTTISH: 11.00-12.45 London.

1.45 Racing from Doncaster. 3.10 Horoscope.

TUC.

3.35 3.45 Women today. 4.10 Nuts and bones. 4.25 Funky phantom. 4.50 Skippy. 5.20 London. 6.00 News.

6.10 Shirley's world. 6.35 Cross- roads. 7.00 Film: 'A Fine Mad- 9.00 London. 11.20 Late ness. call. 11.25 Festival. GRAMPIAN: 11.00-12.45 London.

1.45 Racing from Doncaster. 3.05 News. 3.10 Job look. 3.20 Yoga.

3.40 Women today. 4.10 Nuts UC. and bones. 4.25 Pippi long- stocking. 4.50 Ivanhoe. 5.20 Top 6.00 News. London. 6.10 team. 6.35 Crossroads. 6.55 Film: 'High Hell'. 8.30 Shut that door.

9.00 London. 11.20 Young view.

ma. 11.50 Northern showtime.

series which appeared in Workers Press in June, 1972 is now available as a pamphlet in the Socialist Labour League Pocket Library.

'WHY A LABOUR GOVERNMENT?

A Reply to some centrist critics?

By Cliff Slaughter Price 5p Other titles in this series include: The Case for a General Election By Alex Mitchell. The Ulster Dossier The Soclal Security Swindle which includes the All Trades Unions Alliance Draft Manifesto and the Charter of Basic Rights.

1 Clapham High St, London SW4. 7UG.

28 Charlotte St, London Wi.

Moscow Trials Anthology Paperback, 62½Р

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.

Left words, but no bite PAGE 12 Workers Press, Thursday sep Jack Jones, T&GWU secretary (right) Industrial Society in Brighton.

motions on the Industrial Relations Act 'left'. CONGRESS carried a resolution calling for the repeal of the Tory European Communities Act, a withdrawal from further negoti- ations and if necessary a with- drawal from the Market itself.

Sir Sidney Greene, for the General Council, asked delegates to reject this policy, but he was 3.l million turned down by a majority. Greene said that the TUC was committed in principle not against the Common Market.

'Such a commitment would be a dangerous thing. We shall have to see what the terms of entry are and can see what we can do with those terms, he said.

For the opposition, cine tech- nicians leader Alan Sapper warned Congress it was no use talking about terms. Once Britain was in the EEC had made it

SEPTEMBER

FUND NOW

AT £59.25 WE KNOW that if we keep up a good pace for our September Fund, it can certainly be a record month. The more the issues become clear in the struggle against the Tori?s, the more the TUC and the Stalinists run away from the fight. The firm stand taken by Workers Press alone is winning support everywhere. growing Opportunities are opening up for new readers in every district.

us therefore with our Help campaign to increase our cir- team, culation. A special with and a vehicle, will be leaflets touring the country to win sup- port for our paper wherever they go. To carry this out we need an extra big effort for our Fund this month. We are sure you will do everything you can. Post all your donations immediately to : Workers Press September Appeal Fund 186a Clapham Hiah Street London, SW4 7UG. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Published by Office. Vorkers Press. Clapham High Street, London. 186a

SW4 7UG.

Printed by Plough Press Ltd. (TU).

180b Clapham High Street, London,

SW4 7UG.

rsday September 7, 1972 (right) with John Garrnett of the • The moves to appease Jones in the tions Act finally led to a defeat of the quite clear that they were not negotiable. The Congress however also passed on a show of hands a which accepted that resolution entry could be agreed if terms consistent with British interests had been negotiated and the British electorate had agreed with them. The two resolutions mean that the TUC's position on the Com- mon Market is still ambiguous.

DELEGATES stood in silence at Brighton yesterday as 'mark of respect' to those whoe died in Munich. Not a single union leader—'left' or right-said a word to place responsibility for the deaths on the murderous tactics of West police German the re- or in Munich. Not a died who ment. THE CONGRESS debate on the Industrial Relations Act unleashed the most vocifer- ously reactionary advocates of with the class-collaboration Tory state machine. Speaker after speaker came to challenged the the rostrum, policy of non-co-operation and blatantly announced their inten- tion to go to the National Indus- trial Relations Court if necessary.

But these attacks came after union leaders on the 'left' had abandoned any hard-line opposi- tion to th: General Council (see above). Seconding yesterday's defeated resolution, George Elvin, retiring president of the Association of Cinematograph, Television • and Allied Technicians, said his union had made a compromise. (What he did not say was that the ACTT union's leaders had ditched a call, decided by the annual conference, for a national down the campaign to bring Tory government and return of a Labour government pledged to socialist policies.) Elvin said: 'I hope that most of the points that are there will be understood in this way, because the Act should be opposed politically and this was the point that we particularly stressed.' He said it was 'farcical' to

STEPHEN

• JOHNS AND JOHN:

UNION CONGRESS BEING HELD

THE MOST important question facing the 1972 Trades Union Congress was decided by a squalid backstage manoeuvre. The Communist Party and the so-called trade union left conspired to water down any motion that posed even the most limited challenge to the TUC right wing and, most of all, the Tory government. In doing so they deprived the working class of the means of expressing its desire to con defend basic rights and see an end to Toryism in Britain.

So, despite the historic events of this year, climaxed by the jailing of five dockers, the trade union movement comes out of its 104th committed to congress further collaboration with the Tory cabinet and the big monopo- co-operation with the lists and Industrial Relations Act.

This means that the battles fought by the working class have been subordinated to the bureau- cratic relationship between the union chiefs and the capitalist class. Two resolutions of the original congress agenda did confront the movement with basic questions: was the TUC to continue its talks with the Tory government? And should it take a united stand against all collaboration with the Industrial Relations Act?

Union The . Amalgamated of Engineering Workers' technical supervisory section (TASS) and had a motion which specifically outlawed appearances before the Industrial Relations Court and payments of any fines levied by this body. key The section called on 'affiliated unions to use means, both political and indust- its [the Act's] implementatios, including oppo to oppose payment of fines sition to the and before the appearances the National Industrial Relations Court' Association of Cine- The matograph, Television and Allied Technicians (ACTT) wanted to instruct 'the General Council to organize a nationwide campaign, including the necessary industrial action, to bring this government and to fight for the return down of a Labour government com- declare total opposition to the Act and then to allow unions to use facilities under it. He talked about a 'change' in policy direction the of General Council since last year's Congress. The miners and the dockers had treated the Act with a con- tempt it deserved. 'All people of conscience have defied evil Acts of parliament throughout cen- turies. "The sure way of getting rid of the Act is to adopt 100 cent non-co-operation with it per George Doughty, leader of TASS, the technical and super- section the

AUEW,

visory why his union had explained abandoned its clear call against any payment of fines. He argued for a complete boycott of the institutions under the Act. 'We have to practice non-co- operation not preach it. The action of going to the court is bound to create the acceptance of one of the most vicious parts high of the Act. This is a price to pay for the dubious advantage But he made it clear that the original decision not to pay fines had been overthrown.

He said that the composite did not call for collective action against payment of fines. Unions

JOHN SPENCER REPORTING FRO

G HELD IN THE DOME, BRIGHTON

mitted to (a) genuine socialist policies; (b) the repeal of the Industrial Relations Act in its entirety; and (C) the restoration of previous trade union rights'.

These resolutions posed two important issues: FIRST they presented the only challenge from the left in the congress to the General Council.

Clearly a • 'national campaign to this government down' bring would have committed Feather and company to break off joint talks with the Tories and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) over strikes and inflation.

SECONDLY,

the resolutions constituted a direct affront to union contemplating the any payment of fines court or appearances in the future.

This line would have been an embarrassment to the Transport and General Workers' Union, led by Jack Jones—a man who is rapidly losing all credibility as a left winger and who has already paid over £55,000 in NIRC fines.

The left abandoned the princi- ple embodied in these resolutions in an ultimately futile attempt to and the General placate Jones Council. They accepted a 'formula of words', , as one leading Stalinist put it, designed to attract Jones' were defeated any- support, but way by the right wing in yester- day's debate and hence were left with no policy at all. The frantic manoeuvres began before the conference opened. A key figure was George Doughty, leader of

TASS.

He negotiated with the unions involved in the 'hard-line' motions the Act, including the on engineering section of the AUEW and the ACTT. composite resolu- A suggested tion supported by the parties was presented to the delegates' meet- of all the AUEW sections last Saturday morning. Though closely following the original resolution, specific de- mands from TASS not to use the to pay fines court or were replaced by a call for the General the Council to discipline any union under rule 13 which failed to de- which used 'any register facilities' of the Act. At the delegates' meeting the 'facilities' was challenged. to word Did it mean that any appearance before the court would be out- lawed or simply that any initiative All lent by unions in the NIRC was for- turn bidden? There was, in fact, a call to To fines coutheir out responsibility in would accept non-payment but could expect financial help penalized by the court for supporting Congress policy.

Then it was the turn of the right wing. The most blatant declaration came from Norman Stagg, a deputy general secretary of the Union of Post Office Workers, who sdid it was time for the trade union movement to use its brain and not its brawn. He said his union was opposing composite five. the centre of this 'Hid at resolution is a demand that we should take industrial action for political objectives. The UPW would commit itself to not industrial action for political objectives. That is not the road to democratic socialism. That is the road to right-wing repression and you only have to look Greece and France to see that. 9t He said his union would not put its funds under the influence 'self-styled militants who would be encouraged in their rashness by the facilities this motion provided'. Stagg then made a threat. If the motion did go through in 12 months' time there would be another procession of unions out this conference, 'and my union will be one of them'.

Dan McGarvey, president of

IG FROM

THE 104th TRADES list reintroduce the original wording the of the AUEW engineering section 'instructed' resolution which unions 'not to co-operate in the institutions set up under the Act.

After further consultations with the other unions, Doughty reported that the word institu- tions not acceptable. was Ambiguity or no ambiguity the 'facilities' formula would have to be accepted, which it was. Finally Congress standing orders com- mittee gave the go-ahead to this emasculated formula and it provided the centre of yesterday's debate. In this way the combined 'left' found its 'unity' and backed a resolution which made no clear stand on the court appearance or on the questions of fines. In fact the final clause proposed 'a special joint fund financed by all unions to meet penalties imposed.'

More important still the ACTT resolution has vanished entirely!

final made The composite no mention whatever of a campaign against this vicious anti-working class government. Communist Party members and supporters in every section of the engineering union and the ACTT vociferous advocates of were unity with Jones. Scanlon and his lobby could avoided this ignominious have of compromise and left course eventual defeat with dishonour.

They did have the chance to condemn the TUC's collapse over the Industrial Relations Act and fight for a clear alternative policy the Tory against government. The fight could have been brought right onto the floor of the Con- gress demonstrating to the work- ing class that there is an altern- ative to capitulation within their own trade union movement.

William Blair of the extreme right electricians' union accused the General Council of using the CP as a bulwark against the Socialist Labour League, and this is indeed the case. The SLL disturbs the General Council and union leaders because it does what all the other political tendencies fail to do—ruthlessly base collaboration expose the between the union bureaucracy and the capitalist class.

The building of the Socialist Labour League and its industrial arm, the All Trades Unions Alliance, must be the job of every for- honest trade unionist who wants to rid society of the scourge of I to Toryism. the boilermakers, said it was General to accuse the wrong Council of breaking faith with Congress policy over its decision to allow unions to go to the court. veiled attack on the In AUEW he said that the T&GWU had borne the main brunt of the offensive, while 'there are other judged unions who have the issue when they could have had a scrap' Miners' leader Joe Gormley, his delegation split 22 to 27 against supporting composite five, said the debate was not one between the moderates and militants. 'The issue is: are executives of unions going to be allowed to defend their members?' A vigorous counter-attack was by Eddie Marsden, launched leader of the constructional Sec- tion of the AUEW. He condemned those unions described the Act who as reactionary designed to and destroy the trade union move- ment and at the same time said they would go before the court.

He pointed out that the TUC General Council had not been responsible for any retreats by the government over the Act.

action 'It of the was mass rank-and-file and the threat of a General Strike that has put the court in difficulties?