Workers Press no. 996

workers press

IN A COLLISION COURSE OVER WORKERS' WAGES

TORIES READY FOR

A SNAP ELECTION

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • TUESDAY FEBRUARY 13, 1973 • No. 996 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

BY ALEX MITCHELL

has been alerted to expect

TORY PARTY

the

THE

machine possibility of a snap General Election. This confidential message has gone out to the top levels of the party apparatus as the government moves on a collision course with the working class over wages.

A key factor in the Tories' planning is the results of the forthcoming by- elections in Lincoln, Chester-le-Street and Dundee on March 1. Then, on March 6, the Tories intend introducing extraordinarily early an This will aim at making some insignificant dispensations on VAT and creating the fraudulent atmosphere that with a 'firm prices and incomes policy" the country can be "saved'. In the past few weeks the Tories have feverishly the been getting into parky snape ror an elecuon. This was the meaning of the secretive campain ov cory ministers to visit senoos sixth formers, many propaganda turn year WHOm WIll De voung

THIS

TOT

first time when they Also in recent less than 13 WeeKS Tory. are

NIPS

nave announced unartnew standing down include who are unwilling face to Icacuonalics Dame Irene Ward, Sir Harry Legge Bourke, Hs, Sir Duncan d'A vigdor Tufton sandys, Bossom beamist and sir Latton brInton. They are being cleared out Heath as and his party In blaces 1OL1 young asset-strippers, financiers and ambitious nilitary "Made Mitche Colin Colonel The Tories know that their They know about it, but they Mutener. All legislation than have decided not to challenge it.

these preparations are nothing more Tories the because Victor uncerway

•COC

provocauon Feather, general sec- know that they are fighting the class.

TUC,

of the •nas Deconne their lives. They dignaton from set rall and Costederation of trac European first president indignation rank and from introduced state pay laws which Unions, amount to savage wage-cutting overwhelming nue to create conditions In waca despite

VOLC

standard of the "reds', 'agitators' and 'subversives' by year's congress to fight of description working class be one another at a and to boycott all will be blamed for the outbreaks stroke

EEC

institutions. This legislation will get through of industrial strife. At the same time Jack Jones In this Tory-inspired climate Darnament occause Tories will try of hysteria the to have recom. Parliamentary the La DouT mended to the

TUC

that Party's decision 'not impede' into stam Dece one participate with the EEC But its implementa- voting Tory in a snap poll its unts passass What is most treacherous about -TO! worker-elector

LIONIS

anolner cuesuon. on the boards of all public com- this Eventually and inevitably this -bonucal conspiracy with than 500 panies more the working the legislation class That must be used against Labour and trade union leaders employees. at least one section of workers. These moves by the trade union are fully aware of it. Certainly there plenty of are candidates: 50,000 Ford in the Socialist Labour League Public Meetings wOrKers Company already Motor have shown what they think of the Unite in action to defend basic rights laws holding Day al malewood and swansea. 270,000 civil servants vester. day began work-to-rule and

MIDDLETON

overtime ban leading to their 1201a SKe February 27. 47,000 workers tonight WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14, 8 p.m.

begin selective strikes s ban on overume and work to rue. Middleton Baths, Middleton, Manchester 250,000 hospital ancilar workers in the National Union of Public Employees and the Speaker at both meetings: G. HEALY (SLL national secretary) General Workers' Iransport and Union have decided to call strike action at a date to be fixed. Y 13, 1973 • No. 996 • 4p

SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

Ford workers from the Dagenham, Essex, plant leave a meeting yesterday at which they decided on strike action the Tory from March 1-and a head-on clash with government - if thei: pay demands are not met. See story page 3. bureaucrats towards Sections of industrial, manual are steps and middle-class be- acceptance of the corporate state.

unions are ing forced into struggles in which The Labour Party 'lefts' and they already deserted by feel the Communist Party are com- leaders. their own pletely behind these proposals. The 'Morning Star' has made not In this situation the Socialist Feather's single criticism of Labour League is working to- role as trade union Eurocrat, wards its biggest campaign ever nor of the Jones-Scanlon pro- The Rt of workings ass wer posals. Pageant working-class tory to be staged before 10,000 The Stalinists won't criticize workers, housewives and youth these moves because they the Empire Pool. Wembley, at support them. on Sunday, March 11 On the eve of the big wages and Inseparable from this struggles the fight to pre- monster serve a decent standard of living anti-Tory rally is the struggle to the face of

SLL

in soaring prices, transform into of revolutionary party in the com- workers are not unaware treachery going on. ing weeks. League Public Meetings SUNDAY FEBRUARY 18, 7 p.m.

Civic Centre, Jarrow- i. HEALY (SLL national secretary)

workers press

IN A COLLISION COURSE OVER WORKERS' WAGES

TORIES READY FOR

A SNAP ELECTION

INCORPORATING THE NEWSLETTER • TUESDAY FEBRUARY 13, 1973 • No. 996 • 4p DAILY ORGAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

BY ALEX MITCHELL

THE TORY PARTY machine has been alerted to expect possibility of a snap General Election. This confidential message has gone out to the top levels of the party apparatus as the government moves on a collision course with the working class over wages.

A key factor in the Tories' planning is the results of the forthcoming by- elections in Lincoln, Chester-le-Street and Dundee on March l. Then, on March 6, the Tories intend introducing extraordinarily an This will aim at making some insignificant dispensations on VAT and creating the fraudulent atmosphere that with a 'firm prices and incomes policy' the country can be 'saved'. In the past few weeks the Tories have the been feverishly getting into palLy elecuon the meaning of the secretive This was campan oy ory ministers to visit schools in marginal propaganda among sixth formers, many WIl vedr …TOr turn 18. first time when they Also less than 13 In Tory are nave announced tnal they standing include down face reactionaries who are unwilling to turoulent c ccuon Calledic Dame Irene Ward, Sir Harry Legge Bourke, Sir Hs, Sir d'Avigdor Goldsmid Duncan Sandys, Clive Bossom, Sir Tufton They are being cleared out as Heath and his hind places Mallarels young asset-strippers, financiers and like " Maden Mitch) Colin Colonel The Tories know that their They know about it, but they Mitchel legislation is nothing. than have decided not to challenge All these preparations are more it. Tories the because working Victor underway

LIC

•rovocalion Feather, sec- know thạt they are fighting the class.

TUC,

of the relay become lives. They have They hope to use the flood of of the first president European indignation the rank and which from introduced state pay laws Confederation of Trade Unions, amount to savage wage-cutting te to create concilons mawace the overwhelming

VULC

the standard of the "reds', 'agitators' and 'subversives' by year's congress will description working class cut at a against entry and to boycott all will be blamed for the outbreaks stroke.

EEC

institutions. This legislation will get through of industrial strife. At the same time Jack Jones In this Tory inspired climate schedule parliament occause will try have of hysteria the to Tories tne rar amentar mended to the

TUC

that Party's decision to impede' stampere participate with the

EEC

voting Tory in a snap poll.

its passage. But its implementa- What is most treacherous about worker-rectors won s anowner cuesuon. on the boards of all public com- this Eventually and inevitably this DOllica cons bilaly panies with than working that the more legislation be used against The Class Labour trade union leaders at least one section of workers. These moves by the trade union are fully aware of it. Certainly there are plenty of candidates: 50,000 workers Ford in the Socialist Labour League Public Meetings Motor Company already have shown what they think of the Unite in action to defend basic rights holding by stoppages pay laws at Halewood and Swansea. yester- 20.000 civil servants day began work-to-rule and

MIDDLETON

overtime ban leading to their February 27. 47,000 workers tonight WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14, 8 p.m.

egin selective strikes, ban on overtue did work to rule Middleton Baths, Middleton, Manchester • 250,000 hospital ancillary workers in the National Union Transport and General Workers Public Employees the Speaker at both meetings: G. HEALY (SLL national se cretary) Union have decided to call strike action at a date to be fixed. Y 13, 1973 • No. 996 • 4p

• SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

Ford workers from the Dagenham, Essex, plant leave a meeting yesterday at which they decided on strike action clash with the Tory from March 1-and a head-on government— If thei: pay demands are not met. See story page 3. bureaucrats towards Sections of industrial, are steps manual and middle-class be- acceptance of the corporate state.

unions are ing forced into struggles in which The Labour Party 'lefts' and they feel already deserted by the Communist Party are com- leaders. their own these pletely behind proposals. The 'Morning Star' has made not In this situation the Socialist single criticism of Feather's Labour League is working to- role as trade union Eurocrat, wards its biggest campaign ever nor of the Jones-Scanlon pro- posals. a Pageant working-class be staged before 10,000 Stalinists tory to The won't criticize workers, housewives and youth because these moves they the Empire Pool, Wembley, at support them. 11. on Sunday, March On the eve of the big wages and Inseparable from this struggles the fight to pre- monster anti-Tory rally is the struggle to serve a decent standard of living the face the

SLL

in of soaring prices, transform into of revolutionary party in the com- workers are not unaware treachery going on. ing weeks. SUNDAY FEBRUARY 18, 7 p.m.

Civic Centre, Jarrow- i. HEALY (SLL national se cretary)

Uruguay take-over: CP co-operates PAGE 2 Workero Proos, Tuneday February 18, 1973 SOME 2,300 Ford workers were on 24-hour strike yesterday as 5,000 other Ford men returned to work at Halewood, Liverpool. Altogether 55,000 'substantial' Ford workers are in a struggle for a wage increase plus a five-hour cut in the working week and other fringe benefits.

The 1,300 British Road Services drivers from 18 Midlands depots are on strike for a £2.50 'skills bonus'. 47,000 gas workers are involved in strikes and overtime bans in support of a f5.50 wage rise.

272,000 civil servants are committed to work to rule as well as to a one-day strike in support of 25,000 hospital their demand for a pay review.

have decided in principle on ancillary workers strike action for a £5 claim..

All of these actions, involving 625,300 workers, are Tories' state control of illegal under the wages legislation. In addition 280,000 miners, 30,000 Vauxhall workers, 180,000 busmen, 22,000 dockers, 380,000 teachers, 300,000 Post Office workers and 70,000 rubber in- dustry workers have substantial claims in excess of the Tory government's pay limit.

In a variety of other industries almost 1.5 million workers have had wage awards or claims hit by the Tory pay laws. So a grand total of some 3.5 branded as 'law breakers' million workers can be for fighting for a decent standard of living.

The real lawbreakers, however, are the Tory govern- ment who created this situation.

Everyone knows the cost of living for working-class families has soared as a result of deliberate govern- ment policies like the rent Act. Food prices are allowed to escalate while wages are held down.

Inflation was consciously encouraged by the float- ing of the pound last June.

The working-class housewife has been robbed of pounds by these rocketing prices. This is one kind of 'mugging' that the Tories approve.

Workers have shown their determination to fight, but they face enormous dangers as their leaders lang back. Heads of unions, like lom Jackson of of Post Office the Union Workers and Walte Anderson of NALGO openly declare their desire to collaborate with the corporatist-style legislation of the Heath government. Trade unionists run the risk of prosecution in the Tory courts as their leaders allow them to go into battle in piecemeal fashion.

If the working class is divided it can be defeated and smashed. Its leaders, leaving it open to this risk, are preparing a worse betrayal than 1926.

This must not be allowed to happen. Councils of Action must be built in each area to unite every aspect of workers' struggles. They must work to create the industrial and political conditions which will force the Tory government to resign.

ABOUT 300

student de- The clashes just came monstrators were dispersed one week after students and returned to the university with tear gas baton charges after they stoned from their mid-term vaca- police Cairo riot near tion which President Sadat had ordered to university. start one The official Middle East week early following anti- News Agency (MENA) said de- government student the students were dispersed monstrations on January 3.

without injuries on Sunday Many students have this week been avoiding classes after they staged a sit- down strike, handed out a protest against the as pamphlets to passers-by and of about 120 detention of police requests to colleagues in ignored their last leave the streets. month's disturbances.

THE

MILITARY

take-over although they disagree by the army and air-force with the methods. Uruguay commands in Whether Bordaberry is marks a new stage in the removed completely or Latin war against the the basis for a mill- not, American working class. Peruvian-style regime tary The coup was carried has now been laid. through on the pretext of In the November 1971 opposition Defence Communist elections, the Minister Antonio Francese Party Joined broad alliance (73). with the Christian Demo- Troops In revolt clashed crats. with naval units still sup- They suffered a severe porting Uruguayan presl- defeat and since then the Marla Borda- dent Juan regime has attacked work- berry last Friday. ers' democratic rights. most of the navy But Under the 'state of in- opposition has vanished. Bordaberry's ternat war, Admirals rounded have given forces up the support to the objectives Tupamaros urban guerrilla movement, of movement. new res so it MP 45 5* 04

CASWORKERS

CARMEN

HOUSTON

KONS ACT

Around the world 'Stalemate' as markets close

THE

ENTIRE

and

BY JOHN SPENCER

This 'stalemate' reflects the enor- currency international trade system of

MOUS

between uie Volcker held five of talks European capitalists and the Ameri- hours world capitalism was paralysed Ministers Britain, It is now man for with of every Finance yesterday by the closure of the self a break rrance, wermany and italy Currenc relations foreign exchange markets.

Earlier, he had made flying visit down and the United States threat- ens impose punitive tariffs the recalcitrant About the only foreign Kome cur- Malagodi persuade rency market left open was the Malagodi had previ- him to attend. Beirut exchange, where trading Even if the Group of Ten-the demanded ously conference was described as 'quiet. Currency Europeans the Common Finance yanker were at a standstill, States- -can get together to agree transactions isters as the only forum in which nothing new currency alignment, but there feverish activity the question could be discussed.

Was be settled. between of the

LOOK

The talks at the private residence Icoresentalves months for the Smithsonian agree. various countries involved.

Valery naisa Giscard D'Estaing, of December to break The Japanese Takashi French Minister, lasted envoy, down The life-span Hosomi. special ao viser to the in. similar deal now would be far ance Minister, flew to Bonn yester- his Rome Asked on return to shorter. day for talks West with whether the Ministers had decided know Group One thing absolutely clear: Waters to nola a meeting or the the Germans will do before it takes Ten, had been widely rumoured, neither Germany nor Japan can as action itself. Malagodi simply replied: 'There was any wue to no our danst me oce Paul President Nixon's envoy influx dollars which has over. whelmed them the in last • three Quebec union chiefs in weeks the central banks of the countries outside the United States have Dee! forced to buy an estimated jail after appeal fails $10,000m than their total intake the US the whole of last year. To

QUEBEC'S

buy the incoming three top Iles, were occupied by

BY A WORKERS PRESS

dollars, the labour leaders angry workers against state Bundeshank are serv- had to pay out about

CORRESPONDENT

has ing jail terms

UNIC COL

reasin milline marks in- But Pepin, Charbonneau atter the Supreme Court vice strike. The creasing and Laberge have since

COULLIS

of Canada refused to which rejected their appeal supply by 50 per done their best dissi to money specifically stated they were cent in just over a week, near cuel appeal on con- pate the unity built up in tempt of court charges. being jailed to smash the struggle. Despite the most strin unions. On December 15 they gent controls, inflation The men, Marcel Pepin Democratic Partyhe Nea Leaders New postponed indefinitely crippling is the the scale start connederanoi meeting of the three unior ovo toe outcome outcome National Yvon bodies have dis- the German government due to Charbonneau of the Quebec Labour the cussed joint action. Continues to mark at its existing Corporation Canadian leachers Labour the Lib. Six Louis Laberge of the Que- troduced its antimie ini nave ver to take day actor Labour against the jailings. Japan, faced hast only When similar problem, has

WEIC

orally sentenced the sentences which abo- erecovery rollowing last years pudic against Pepin and his col lishes the right to strike two courses of action oden service strike: leagues were first pro- for public sector workers.

the US wants, or float the revalue nounced there was a They had refused Under pretext The currency keep protecting public services, relind smike trougsour ouesec Some towns, like Sept- them to end the public ser- Its parity as close as Dos. Luc covermical can lubos sible to the present rate.

arbitration compulsory Both countries vainly hoping that other capitalist powers can brought in sweeping unemployment benefit orewared thousands of them: but it is clear that which leave Ald from the International strikes and factory there is no inclination workers benness Monetary Fund tled against any the part of those countries Student fees are to be firmly pledge not to 10 a military coup. raised across the board. to bail our tne two mair wace The realme's prodramme victims. allow And despite rank-and A 10 per month The cent a exlosed for cannot file opposition the govern- Inflation rate already Marxist-Leninists Incom closed and ment union leaders Into the patible with Uruguayar without Jerode Time have combined to foist He Tup maths have beer precipitating credit 4.7-per-cen derisory pay collapse also a ban ol rise on postal worker domestic meat sales quick to grasp the 'positive On other hand, a the to boost oxports and the The reformists, like their aspects military .... coum pat the Quebec sain.

Britain, agreement is necessary be- Its programme is based fore countries will agree toes, pork, ust and pourty have soared. 'pressur- ernment can de to open their foreign cur Stalinist trade-unlon eradication of financlal rency markets agaln. The NDP is in a trea federation

(CNT)

The dignatories of world by with the cherous alliance capitalism discussing citin series of one-day national Liberals. It must be forced stop an e expedients while strikes for to fight for the downfall of government the suncture the Liberals through a Gen world currency and trade the CP now has crease exports, bring the collapses around their prairme rescinded the old policy of benefits to the poor. government down. ears.

PAGEANT DIARY

The Road to Workers Power Historic episodes take shape IT IS FOUR WEEKS to Pool, Wem- the Empire bley, and the episodes in the Pageant are be- flict in Britain, the General the obedience azallsl ginning to take shape. God, who Strike of vividly which we owe to

JARROW

In a script exact from the scab 'British ority, and against the reading was held on Sun- Gazette' published by Win- charity and brotherly love day night with a group which of local |

SLON

are • ut

OUI

supporters. June 'At High Mass West- brethren. script in this area centres 'All are bound to uphold minster Cathedral His Emi- on the struggle to build nence Bourne Carolnal

ASSIST

the government, the miners' union and made the following declar- which is the only le con- stituted the execution of a union authority the aliulle leader. is that

TODAY

coully. represents, acccosary charge Catholics should have therefore, in its own frame-up sphere, the murder. himself.' the moral principles which Olil Tain character bin tas involved. are character main Langley estate, is no moral justi- _Tre "here Middleton, on Sunday Caused fication for a General Strike indignation. of this character. local vicar has com- "It direct challenge municated with the Pageant For the first time a sec- Construcer outh aityand react, im tion of the Pageant mater.

Comes savin yodl we can't use his church hall ial was performed. adequate reason, because has heard Those. Middleton mense discomfort and in- in the jury of our millions group re-enactea tne sketch of the fellow countrymen. Peterloo massacre The role church with street It thereiore. a sin In tne last greal class coll- GEC return Swansea Ford men for talks on steward set ball rolling

THREE

HUNDRED

GEC-AEI

voted yesterday Rugby strikers morning until 1.30 works ABOUT 2,000 workers at the shop stewards' recommendation allow to work. return Ford plant in

SWANSEA

conterence uansiel

AUEW

same time at DAGEN- militant steward Mr staged one-day stoppage Steve Evans. • workers met HAM In assex. decide what action yesterday in protest against

AUEW

Rugby told cre astrict . support of their £10. to take the company's the slate legu lated pay offer. a-week Calm. workers they choices: hartwo calling drawn-out pre- resolution a long, Within hours of the £2.40 one-day was defeated, as vent the steward's transter or made last Friday, offer being overtime return to work to allow negotia- one calling for an Was two shifts at the HALEWOOD tions to take place. bur tne meeling and agree plant, Liverpool, walked out.

commence strike action from Mr Evans told the meeting the if a better offer is not March 1 restarted at Hale- Production hirm had a long history of trans- lortacoming they lose weir steward's card.

stewards orcer mat WOOd vesteroar arter The focus of the Ford's fight they assembly workers accepted Yorkshire gasmen's leaders to decide action today

BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

STEWARDS representing gas workers from the Yorkshire district will meet in Wakefield today to decide their next course of action. The men-from Leeds, Wakefield, Don- caster and Castleford-returned to work on Monday after leading a three-week unofficial strike. But they immediately introduced an overtime ban and work-to-rule in advance of the official action which the Gen- and Municipal Cla three children to sup- Workers' Union is

DOLL.

at midnight stal tillg Philip Smith, a young tonight. fitter from Methly, near Mr Hart... Basic wage is atrocious Castleford, told Workers The strike action was taken when a complete rICos LIC orcocIll possible mobilized behind us. "e should months. The local meaderared int is being The basic wage is atrocious. local leadership. was inade- Somebody The Smith added: has to stand in the work-to-rule Mr understood that Ludic. government 'After seven vears' train.

Tace oI rising milllancy, cole oroker ae dust looks like it will local branch secretary permit confusion, he ing the wages we get do suddenly said. allow to resigned. with especially espeg up so much prices 'There be One wage slip seen by ineffective and must combined effort by the reporter •ITi shower man had worked for national Wakehend sald. whole trade umoo move- 12 minutes for strike should have layer in the ment. The cost of living hours said: "The *and backing union has gone up per cent take-home dav of t35.19 the Calcu The man has a wife and all has let us down for the since November. onen Workers Press, Tuesday February 13, 1973 PAGE 3

FEBRUARY

FUND NOW

Is IT A slow uphili fight for Fund this our month. Time Is £1,750 raise most target. But, are confident that you, our readers, will do everything possible fo achieve our final total. We urge you therefore do not waste another moment. Step up this fight today. Battle is also raging through- Every out the working class. feel the real day, workers of the Tories' legislation nature which keeps wages down and allows prices and rents to rise. right to a decent Our basic standard of has been living taken by this Tory away government. the Workers Press remains daily paper to speak out only behalf of workers every. on where. We will continue to defend all these basic, hard-won rights. We will do everything possible the unite working class to force this government to resign.

We know back you us all the Therefore let's up way. into action today. An all- go will out effort now can and the position for change our February Fund. See how much can raise. Post all your you donations Immediately to: Workers Press February Appeal Fund 186a Clapham High Street London, SW4 7UG ratlon for the plays has gone hand in campaigns. street will THE 600 workers who at hosiery retain their jobs machine manufacturers Wil- Cotton Ltd, Lough- liam borough, have been told they turns to COVENTRY hearts and put their must Sunday when shop stewards re- souls into their work to re- hourly-paid workers from to profit- store the business will workers ability. announced on Friday It Commenting yesterday's that nearly 700 workers are to Swansea strike and imposition of be sacked bo the empop floor indefinite overtime ban, an Workers shop company spokesman said: have not yet discussed what 'We disappointed that be taken are action can to resist Swansea is the the redundancies. once again in conflict. of another A meeting of the joint shop forefront Action like this and this sort of stewards' negotiating committee discuss the publicity cannot do any good in has been called to the long run.' run-down. Defend trade unionism and basic living standards Unite in action to make this Tory governmont resign The road to power is through the building of the revolutionary party

YOUNG SOCIALISTS AND SOCIALIST LABOUR LEAGUE

APAGEANT OF HISTORY-THE ROAD TO WORKERS POWER

EMPIRE POOL. WEMBLEY,

DUTUAT MARUN T

I would iike to take part in the Pageant/come 1o Empire Pool.

Please send me further details.

NAME....

ADDRESS.

No. of tickets required Amount enclosed (£1 each £...

Complete form and return to: Pageant Office, 34 Hamilton Gardens, London, NW8

PAGE 4 Workers Press, Tuesday Febr The 236,000 agricultural and horticultural workers in England and Wales whose £3.30 wage in- crease was halted by the by their union leadership.

In the year October 1971 to September 1972, the aver- age earnings of all hired men • industry were £22.61 for 47.7 hours. General farm workers earned only an ayer- age of £20.93 for 46.4 hours.

Horticultural workers got £21.28 for 45 hours, tractor drivers £22.78 for 48.8 hours and dairycowmen £27.33 for 53.5 hours. Seasonal workers' hourly rates were 41p for men aged and 34p for 20 and women. Wage structure rates at Grade I were £24.69 a week, at Grade II £23.07 a week and for craftsmen £21.45.

In addition, half the labour force in England and Wales live in tied cottages and their wages and Social Security costs among the lowest in are Europe. Yet an article by general Bottini in the secretary Reg current issue of 'Land Worker' —the journal of the National of Agricultural and Union Allied Workers, says: 'April 1 is end of standstill.' Rate shocks for small business- men are on the increase. We recently reported massive rate rises in Kidderminster of 1,000 per cent. Now a filling-station tenant Road, Sale, in Ashfield Cheshire, has had his rateable value hoisted from £226 to £2,226. The tenant - Mr David Mazdon-says that even if the figure were cut, it could well put him out of business. in London Rates some boroughs may rise by between 20 per cent and 30 per cent this year, Alderman Lou Sher- man, chairman of the London Writings of OF

WRITINGS

Leon Trotsky

LEON TROTSKY

1817-38 (1838-9)

WRITINGS OF

WRITINGS OF

LEON

LEON

TROTSKU

11933-341 154-35 Six volumes of Trotsky's writings during the years 1933-1940 £8.00 including postage Please tick those you requ Name Address Complete form and post to New Park Publications, 1 A New Park Publica sday February 13, 1973 Bottini totally ignores the fact that the Tory government has no intention of returning to the days of free wage bar- gaining and is by no means bound to honour agreements already made. 'If we are realistic, con- tinues Mr Bottini, 'we should recognize that the position as it affects farmworkers could be worse—a good deal worse.?

This bland statement based entirely on 'assurances' from the Tory Ministers, who have already halted the pay they will allow it rise, that to be paid in April. Even if they did, the rise is by no means adequate in the face of soaring inflation and it still leaves farmworkers among the lowest paid in the Yet Bottini urges them land. to take comfort from the fact that other workers will receive less than they! 'If the government is able to impose its proposed ceiling on wage increases, it is un- likely that—at least until the pay increase autumn - any awarded to other large groups of workers will reach the level of that of the farm workers, he writes. Not a hint of a fight against government and its the Tory policies from this trade union leader whose members have borne the brunt of the govern- ment's pay control laws while their employers' profits have soared — particularly in beef production. Boroughs Association, warned.

Inflation had wrought havoc with council finances. Rating revaluation also means a built- in increase for domestic rate- payers in many boroughs, he said in a statement. Association supported The . the Association of Municipal Corporations in its request to meet the Prime Minister. There was a need for more govern- ment money to keep rates down to the 5-per-cent increase suggested by the government, and for selective assistance to those boroughs suffering even more because of revaluation.

The statement went on: "There has been discrimination against council tenants in the revaluation so that, everything else being equal, in some cases they will have to pay as much as 20 per cent more. "This is the second time in six months that council tenants have been clobbered.' History of Russian Revolution —special gift pack of three volumes £1.70 including postage ou require. Amount enclosed £ I post to: tions, 186a Clapham High Street, Lor Publications Booklist is a vailable, fre The Tory Party i itself on war-fo fight a snap Election. In the weeks no ageing Tories hi ped down. have ing at next ele constituency finding new busily and these alliono band of journalists who politicians connecte party's Central Off There are certain Character sics standing down. The the older. Churchill of the party's. his mostly are majority are tit the They have and they grounds nounced advocates Common Market. headquarters of retirements, lieved there are sti the It is deeply they all state pay laws whic trying to march thro ment. They Powellite school which theory 'free marKel regard Heath's was tion as 'creeping soc think the whole blow up in the face. One political cor told Workers large they appear to out while the going Those who down are: • Sir Malcolm Stor MP for « RiDon. lieutenant of the n of @ Sir Charles president of Grosve (Park Lane) Limited the Territorial • Colonel Sir Tufto Lewes division of E a member of the Trotsky-a documentary Francis Wyndham and David King £1.65 including postage eet, London SW4 7UG able, free, on request. war-footing to General In the past few • less than 13 ories have step- all announced o not intena stand- next election. The ituency parties, are ing new candidates coming from machine connected with the tral Office e certain intriguing ics about the wn. They belong to Churchillian period They rty's history. right-wingers and y are titled. back- military are pro- of the The party's reluctant to the sudden number but it is be- e are still more on own, however, that distrust the aws which Heath is arch through parlia- belong to the of economi ich believes in the forces'. They ath's wages legisla eping socialism' and will show n the government's ers Press: and appear to be getting the going's good.' standing are colm Stoddart-Scott, deputy East- Grosvenor House ) Limited, ex-colonel Army. Sir Tufton Beamish, of East Sussex, of the executive of cumentary by Duncan Sandys, one of those who will no the European Movement, chair- man of the Conservative group for Europe, formerly of Sand- hurst. • The Honourable Sir Clive Bossom, Leominster, major and member of the Kent County Constabulary, president of the Union, and Anglo-Belgian director of an aggressive mer- chant banking group run by John Cuckney, former head of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board. • Major Sir Harry d'Avigdor- Goldsmid, Walsall South, who became temporary chairman of the embattled Pergamon Press group when Robert Maxwell, Labour_ MP, had to quit. • Sir Tatton Brinton, Kidder- minster, served with the Royal former Sheriff Lancers, Worcestershire, and chairman managing director and Brintons Limited of Kidder- minster, carpet manufacturers.

• Joseph Hiley, Pudsey, pre- sident of the West Leeds Con- servative Association, director International of Readicut Limited and a member of Lloyds. The Right Honourable Robert Turton, MC, Thirsk and Malton, deputy lieutenant of Yorkshire, North Riding under - Secretary for joint Foreign Affairs from 1954 to 1955, owner of 1,900 acres at Upsall and 500 acres on the western slopes of the Hamble- don Hills. The collapse of the Mitchell Construction group has meant the sacking of 1,000 Scottish building workers. It had earlier been suggested that the brunt of the com- pany's financial problems would fall on its employees overseas, particularly in Zambia. Tom McTurk, Scottish regional organizer of the Union of Construction, Allied Trades

(UCAT!),

and Technicians has announced: 'About 1,000 Scottish building trades wor- kers—800 in our union-have lost their jobs. 'The situation is serious. We are trying to arrange a meet- ing with Mr Paul Shewell, the Receiver, who is working from headquarters at the company Peterborough? sackings are mainly The from Mitchell Camus Limited, rho will not stand in next clection Gilbert Longden, Hertford- shire South-West, served with UK Durham Light Infantry, the Council of delegate to Europe in 1954 to 1956, on the executive committee ol the British Council and the 1922 committee. He is also chair- man of the Great Britain-East and vice- Centre Europe the British president of Atlantic Committee. • The Right Honourable Michael Noble, ex-Secretary of State for Scot- land, and a senior director of the fish monopoly, Associated Fisheries. • Duncan Sandys, Streatham, member of the wartime army council, chairman of the war cabinet committee for defence against the 'V' weapons; founder of the European Move- ment, forerunner of the EEC, president of the European Nostra since 1969, now chair- man of the Lonrho mining and finance group. • John Jennings, Burton, Staffordshire, sponsored by the National Union of Teachers, ex-chairman of the Tory Party's education committee, ex-head- master of a Church of England primary school near Burton.

• Dame Irene _Ward, Tyne- mouth, ex-member of parliamentary public accounts former private trialist and coal owner. which builds houses, and its sub-contractors. Sites at Cum- bernauld, Greenock, East Kil- bride, Irvine, Glasgow, Hamil- ton and Coatbridge are at a standstill. Mitchell Construction, build- ing and civil engineering con- tractors, has completed about 60 per cent of the work on a town centre development at Greenock, worth almost fIm, and is 85 per cent of the way through an open drainage and sewer contract for Renfrew County Council at Erskine, worth more than £500,000.

There are other unfinished jobs: work is nearing com- pletion seawall for on Edinburgh Corporation at Sea- field worth about fim and a sewage purification scheme valued at more than £500,000 for Dunfermline Town Council.

THE OUTCOME OF THE

GAULLIST REFORMS

The disastrous fire which killed 23 victims in a Paris secondary school last week is becoming a serious embarrassment to the Gaullist regime with less than a month before the National Assembly elections. The school, which was built less than three years ago, burned 'like a box of matches', according to eye-witnesses. A fireman who arrived on the scene shortly after the out- break said it had spread 'with stupefying rapidity Situated in a working-class area a few yards from the Buttes-Chaumont in the north of the city, the school was for an evening being used music class when the fire broke out. The blaze began at about 7.45 p.m. and firemen were on the scene within minutes. But they had hardly time to start their pumps before the whole building was in flames. Many of the 60-odd child- ren at the music class fled to the first-floor balcony where passers-by rescued them. But others must have been over- come by fumes and perished inside the school. Distraught parents had to hours before they wait for were told the fate of their children and many sat in the local council offices all night while firemen brought out the charred bodies. The final death toll was 23 -19 children, three teachers and a woman caretaker. On Monday, parents from all over France joined a demonstration outside the local council offices in mourning for the dead and demanding the punishment of those responsible for the dis- aster. Some of the parents have already taken steps to initiate court proceedings and two in- quiries—one judicial, the other set up by the Ministry of Edu- cation-are already underway.

The disaster is dynamite for the Gaullists, whose Education Ministry has built at least 50 schools along almost exactly the same lines in different parts of France. Behind the Paris blaze is a story of official neglect and in- difference which springs from the regime's huge cuts in edu- cation expenditure. Jerry-built without schools, built any noticeable safety standards, have been run up for working- class children all over the country. the day it Almost from opened this particular school was the subject of parents", teachers' and local councillors protests, which were received with bureaucratic complacency.

Nothing was done to remove the basic causes of disaster.

According to Mme Colette of the parent-teacher Jacob, association, the ground under the school began to subside almost as soon as the pupils moved in in September 1970.

By March 1970, part of the school yard outside and an staircase already were un- usable. The subsidence under- mined the pipes linking the oil storage tanks with the school's central-heating system. An examination revealed de- fects in the heating, plumbing and electricity. But nothing was done about them. The situation became so bad that the headmistress grew tired of writing letters to the Ministry and called a special meeting on January 3, 1971. An architect and builders' representative were called in to meet the school board.

The minutes of the meeting reveal that the electrical fit- tings were sub-standard, with short-circuits and badly-insu- lated wires. The fuses blew whenever machines, sewing television sets, vacuum clean- ers and teaching aids put any load on the circuit. Others claimed the subsi- dence was threatening to burst the oil pipeline. They also said that the paving tiles were being blown about and broken by the wind in bad weather.

Attempts to get these de- fects put right were not suc- * Above: the burning school in Paris last v cessful. The work that was done did nothing to change the underlying problems. More than a year after this debacle, local Communist Party coun- cillor, Andre Sibaud, wrote to the Prefect of Paris. Sibaud's letter, dated March 11, 1972, drew attention to the 'particularly worrying difficul- ties' facing the school. It sum- marized the history of the de- fects in the school's construc- tion: 'On March 4, 1970, an in- quiry drew attention to a cer- tain number of defects in the heating, plumbing, electricity and subsidence and slippages of earth around the school.

Despite the seriousness and the urgency of these problems, nothing was done, making it necessary to hold a further meeting on January 3, 1971, with an architect and represen- tatives of the firms which built Workers Press, Tuesda Paris last week which killed 23 chidren the school. 'But the administrative coun- cil (of the school), when it met on March 1, 1972, was only able to record some improve- ment which did nothing to solve the basic problems. It is particularly urgent that action is taken to stop the continual slippages of earth. •Part of the yard is unusable, as well as an exit staircase. The slippages of earth-behind the school and the caretakers' residence-are becoming very worrying because the pipeline linking the oil storage tank to the heating system is in danger of breaking. 'It seems that some of the firms involved do not want to undertake the necessary re- pairs. More than two years after the school opened, the administration has yet to cer- tify that all building work is finished. We ask Monsieur the Prefect of Paris to take imme- diate action to put right this alarming situation.' Sibaud and his colleagues had to wait over three months while the Prefect mulled over his reply to their letter. Finally, on June 20, 1972, he wrote back as follows: 'The state [Ministry of National Education] as over- seer of the construction of the school, has assumed charge of and responsibility for the work.' He assured the coun- cillors that the repairs were in hand. The architect had been told several times about the situa- tion and asked to put it right as soon as possible, the Pre- fect wrote. He was more com- placent than the pupils. In an essay on the topic 'The Conse- quences of Scientific Progress' one 14-year-old at the school recently wrote: 'My school is prefabricated.

It's nice, but it's talling apart.

When there's too much wind the cardboard ceiling lifts off.

The ground in the yard is split in two: you'd think there had been an earthquake. It's really not very reassuring. You risk your skin every day at my school. The school at Buttes-Chau- mont was built in a Ministry.

s, Tuesday February 13, 1973 PAGE 5 approved 'modular' style. This involves the construction of a light steel frame into which factory-built walls and floors are inserted. The wall units in some cases were of plastic, in others of cement and wood.

The metalwork is covered in 'fire-resistant' plaster or cement and there are false ceilings which are supposed to provide protection against the extra spread of fire. The rooms are supposed to be able to retain a fire for one hour without it spreading. According to the Ministry and the builder, this system is standard and conforms to the normal fire regulations. But in fact experts cast considerable doubt on the effectiveness of this system of fire protection.

They say that under certain circumstances the metal frame- work can become a fire con- ductor due to insufficient in- sulation. They add that the dividing walls and the space between the false and real ceilings can act as a fire transmitter, carry- ing flames and hot gases from room to room. Perhaps the biggest danger arises from the allocation and overseeing of the estimated 4,000 similar contracts throughout France. This gives the contractor every incentive to skimp as much as he can on the work and to ignore problems caused by the lie of the land and the situation of the building. The price of a contract under this system is based on the floor area of the building, according to a Ministry formula. Any additional costs have to be met by the local authority.

The system puts a high pre- mium on cheapness and a low premium on safety. This is the outcome of the Gaullist educational 'reforms' which have considerably under- mined the standard of the en- tire education system. Certainly the Ministry of Education and the government have a lot to answer for. They have not heard the last of Buttes-Chaumont. Their elec- toral opponents, and particu- larly the Stalinists, are deter- mined to make the most of the disaster.

FOR BRIANT WORKERS

PAGE 6 Workers Pross. Tueeday February 13. 1973

COURT DEADLINE

'ELIZABETH the SECOND, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.' These words preface the High Court writ which has been served on the five leaders of the seven-month occupation at the Briant Colour Printing plant on the Old Kent Road. The writ goes on: We command that within 14 days after the service of this writ on you, inclusive of the day of service, you do cause an appearance to be entered by you in an action at the suit of Briant Colour Printing Company Limited and take notice that in default of your so doing the Plain- tiff may proceed therein, and judgement may be given in your absence. •Witness, Quintin McGarel Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain?

Today the 14 days are up. Unless court appearances by the five defendants are made, they face contempt of court proceedings. In British 'law' contempt charges can mean unlimited fines and imprisonment.

The decision to defy the writs was taken at a mass meet- ing of more than 100 Briant workers on Wednesday, January 31. A statement from the joint chapels com- mittee said: 'It was decided that we would resist all moves to enforce the writs.

"This is not a legal issue. It is a social and moral

NANTED

OUT

marched January. Below: the five occupation leaders, left to right; issue of men and women's right to defend the right to work. If our actions bring us into contempt of court or into conflict with the law, then it is about time the law was changed. If it is a crime to fight for the right to work, then we, the Briant workers, plead guilty. But let the men and women of this country judge us, not the High Courts.

The writ demands that the plant, the building and the books be handed over to the liquidator, Mr P.

Granville-White. The writ says that the Briant em- ployees 'on the level of manager and below thereupon wrongfully and unlawfully and acting in concert to- gether seized physical control of the said factory premises and the machinery and equipment therein and to this day retain such control and refuse to quit the said premises or to permit the plaintiffs or their agents to enter freely or have possession of such premises or any part thereof? The court writ also includes a claim for costs which could run into thou- sands of pounds. In London this afternoon a march and mass lobby of parliament has been organized by the Briant com- Workers Press has maintained consistent mittee. support for the Briant men's fight for jobs-though we have often been critical of the tactics and politics of the leadership. • In tomorrow's Workers Press we will be publishing an assessment of the Briant struggle and its future.

Workers Press, Tuesday February 13, 1973.

PAGE 7

NANTED

OUT

STOP

00.2l T60: Al MA' Above left: In July last year London dockers marched from Tower Hill 1o Briant Colour to assist pickets being Intimidated by police. Above: BIl Freeman publicly burns the original of the High Court writ served on him at the end o January. Below: the five occupation leaders, left to right; William Freeman NATSOPA FoC; Norman Penningion SOGAT FoC; John Wickham NGA FoC; Christine Brazil SOGAT (Division A) FoC; William Sawyer NATSOPA and RIRMA FoC

Workers Press, Tuesday February 13, 1973 PAGE 7

AAL

STOP

002l II60: Al HA' -ondon dockers marched from

TE SALL

all Statis

THE TORTURE MACHINE

PAGE 8 Workers Press, Tuesday Febr The present Brazilian government has elabor- ated a 'Doctrine of National Security' — the country is declared to be 'a privileged satellite' of the USA within the 'Democratic and Christ- ian' bloc. says it has 'non- It in re- lation to the USA and to be engaged in 'a struggle against communism and all socialist ideologies'. A Council of National Security (CSN) and a National Service Information Electors have a 'choice' be- tween the ruling Alliance for National Renewal (ARENA) the 'opposition' - the and Brazilian Democratic Move- ment (MDB). But all candidates on both lists have to bind themselves in advance to accept the policies of President Medici, boss of Garrastazu

ARENA.

In 1967 Decree 314 was passed. This declared: 'National security guarantees the realiza- tion of national objectives against all opposition, whethe or external.' It de. internal signated 'abuses of the Press' and strikes as political crimes.

On December 13, 1968, the then President, Marechal Costa e Silva, signed Institutional Act No 5. This was a discretionary act which adjourned Congress for an indeterminate period, sus- pended habeas corpus for political crimes, suspended all rights of the individual and gave full powers to the Pre- sident. It was accompanied by a list of thousands of people whose civil and political rights were simply revoked. This Act provided for sen- tences of four to 12 years' imprisonment for 'infiltrating incompatible with the ideas constitution'; two to four years for 'a moral offence to anyone in authority'; six years for 'offending the honour or dignity of the President'; and ten to 20 years for 'subversion of the socio-political order' (15-30 years if this is done via Press, radio or TV). In March 1959, Decree 510 added to the list of political and increased the crimes penalties. In September 1969, Decree Law 898 reintroduced the death for political crimes. penalty (The death sentence had been in Brazil in 1822 abolished after independence.) Decree Law 477, passed on February 26, 1969, gave police powers to heads of university faculties, including the right and suspend teachers to without inquiry. students Student newspapers and unions were banned under this law and 1,000 students were expelled from the universities in the first year of its operation.

Schools were compelled to teach a 'Morals and Civics' course in which one of the main books was written by Plinio Salgado, the secretary of fascists - the the Brazilian 'Brazilian Integralist Action'.

Known Salgado supporters include in the government Raimondo Padilha, the second- ranking leader of ARENA, and Filinto Muller, its chairman.

The most rigid censorship operates in Brazil. Article 16 of the 1967 Press "propaganda Law prohibited for political or social sub- news "tending to version' or promote a lack of confidence in the banking system or the credit of any company or government body'. Breach of this law is a political crime.

Police censors were placed or the news desk of papers. radios and television com- panies. On June 7, 1969, the Ministry of Tustice circularized restric- tions on what could or could not be reported by Press, radio or TV. This included the sday February 13, 1973

BY JACK GALE

Above: Interrogation of a captured gueri following list. DO NOT: DIVULGE news, commentaries, manifestos declarations or against the acts of the Federal government relating to expul- sions from elected positions, suspensions of political rights, the decrees of expulsion, com- pulsory retirement, discharge or transfer to the reserves of public officials, civil or military; only the official decrees should be reproduced. DIVULGE any news that is of a nature that could create tensions among the authorities or could provoke differences of opinion. DIVULGE by any means news relating to events of a political whose truth has not nature been duly proved. DIVULGE tendentious critic- isms of the Institutional Acts and Complementary Acts or resulting legislation. PUBLISH news relating to arrests of a political nature or to censorship unless it is furnished by the competent authority. DIVULGE news or commen- taries capable of provoking ill-feeling within the armed forces or between them and the public authorities or public opinion. PUBLISH news, commentaries, interviews or declarations, even via a third party of a person who has been the object of any sanction established in Institutional Acts nos. 1, 2 and 5 of April 9, 1964, October 27, 1965, and December 13, 1968, relating to political subjects.

PUBLISH news, commentaries, interviews or declarations of • kind relating to student any bodies legally dissolved or whose functioning has been suspended by act of govern- ment (UNE, UME, FUEB), or referring to the political or extra-mural activities of stud- ured guerrilla. Thousands of political prisoners h ents, such as protests, school strikes, demonstrations, con- flicts between themselves, with teachers or with the agents of authority. DIVULGE by any means news, commentaries, interviews or declarations which could pre- judice the economic policy of the government. DISSEMINATE news of wor- kers' strikes or movements, any other kind of act capable of subverting public order, nor use large headlines relating to subversive movements foreign countries, violent plans of action, guerrilla fighting, etc., nor show television films of movements of this nature.

On the visit of Nelson Rockefeller (in 1969): 1. DO NOT publish or divulge, in any form whatsoever, news of acts hostile to our illustrious visitor in any country in Latin America or news which refers to the adjournment or suspen- sion of his visit. 2. DO NOT use any photo- graph of demonstrations hostile to him. 3. COLLABORATE in the creation of a welcoming atmos- phere for the representative of the United States of America during his goodwill mission.

A further censorship measure in January 1970, made com- pulsory the submission of all books, magazines and foreign Federal publications to the police before publication.

And in May 1972, all live television broadcasting was banned - apart from pre- censored news bulletins. All programmes have to be video- taped in advance and sub- mitted to the censors. In September last year a special Press code from the Minister of Justice banned the publication on September 5 of "Allegations Amnesty's of risoners have been In jail for years 'awaiting tria Torture in Brazil', which in- cluded an appendix of 1,081 tortured prisoners and the names of 472 torturers. Institutional Act No 13 established banishment as a penalty and Decree 69.534 authorizes the President of the Republic to promulgate 'secret decrees', . Banishment can be imposed at the suggestion of Ministers of State for the Justice, the navy, the army and the air force. This is not subject to inquiry or appeal.

Article 53 Section 11 of the Constitution says that the death life imprisonment, sentence, banishment or confiscation of be applied in case goods can of war or 'an internal and psychological, revolutionary or subversive struggle'. Political trials — and there are at the moment thousands of political prisoners who have been in jail for years 'awaiting trial'-go through three phases.

THE FIRST is the 'police investigations' during stage, which the prisoner is held in the army or police barracks reserved for "interrogations'. Article 18 of the Code of Military Penal Procedure for for allows • detention period of 50 days during this is kept This detention stage. secret and it is here that most of the torture sessions take place. THE SECOND stage of the 'police proceedings is the inquiry' Inquerito stage, or Policia Militar (IPM). These take place in the interrogation centres of the Department for Political and Social Order (DEOPS), of which there is one in each of Brazil's 22 states. Defence lawyers are not informed of these inquiries, which can • continue incom- municado for several months.

The interrogations carried raiting trial'. out during the 'police investig- ation' are repeated at DEOPS, although the 'investigations' stage goes on until the prisoner has confessed or admitted all the charges brought against him. At the 'inquiry' stage, pro- secution evidence is admitted and the prisoner is required to sign the depositions made by him during his 'investigation'.

If he refuses to do so he is returned for more of the 'investigation' stage. THE THIRD stage takes place only when the prisoner has admitted to all the accusations laid against him and signed a statement of his guilt. He then goes before a military tribunal for his 'judicial hear- ing' • Brazil is divided into 11 'military justice', sections for each section having two mili- tary courts. In addition, Rio de Janeiro has three military courts supervised by the army, two by the navy and two by the air force. Throughout Brazil there are 20 such courts (there are three in Sao Paulo) which, since 1968, have heard on average 70 to a 100 political cases each a year. Above the military tribunal stands the Higher Military Tribunal which consists of five civilian magistrates and ten generals. Prosecution witnesses are frequently police employees, or they may even be the people who have tortured the defen- dant-in which case they are merely there to say that the accused has signed his state- ment of his own free will.

Defence witnesses are rare, for the excellent reason that such witnesses are invariably called to the police station to 'explain' their sympathy with the accused. ied CONTINUED TOMORROW

Poor Jewish families living on plots of land at Givat Amal A' outside Tel Aviv have protes- ted to the municipal council that the land has been sold over their heads. They want the council to re- veal to whom the land has been sold. The irony of the situation is that the land where the families live was originally taken from a Palestinian Arab village whose inhabitants were forced into exile. The expansion of Tel Aviv has caused a rise in land prices and property speculators are now making a fortune out of the expropriated land. The sit- ting tenants who never had title to the land are then asked to leave. Pictured here is union bureau- crat John Edmonds protected by part of a squad of 60 policemen on duty outside the meeting executive committee of the General and Municipal Workers' Union which finally acceded to members' demands to call a national gas strike.

The protection was needed.

The announcement, made over microphone the police course, while calling the first official since stoppage General Strike, also asked for a further delay of seven days L

LES

Now available from New Pa 186a Clapham High Street, before starting the action in order to give the Gas Cor- poration official notice.

The announcement was also with hedged around other unclarities. What is proposed is a 'campaign of stoppages, works-to-rule, and withdrawal of co-operation, details to be worked out locally, instead of the all-out strike the 1,000 lobbyers were demanding. Edmonds, who went straight from Oxford University into Municipal the General and Workers' Union hierarchy at Ruxley Towers, Esher, never been an ordinary worker.

he announced the execu- As tive's foot-dragging decision; howled down with he was shouts of 'Tory bastard' and 'If you haven't got the guts to lead a strike, get out of your job and let someone else take over' He then escorted was through the jeering crowd of gasworkers by a solid phalanx of the guardians of state pro- perty back to the stylish com- fort of the Bonnington Hotel Edmonds's expensive where suit and executive appearance seemed more at home. As he returned from his rough treatment, he was heard to comment: 'Even if I had announced an immediate all-out strike, that lot would still have jeered me?

By LEON TROTSKY Paperback. £1.00 Illustrated Sharp pen-portraits of leading figures of the Second Interna- tional in Russia and Europe, for.

the first time published in an English edition. The translations were first commissioned keep Socialists' Young paper Left' Their enormous success has led to the completion of the translation of the whole book, which is the first part of Volume 8 of Leon Trotsky's 'Works' pub- lished in the Soviet Union in 1926. It provides the most vivid picture available of the historic figures of the Second Inter- national, their strengths and weaknesses, written by an obser- ver who was also a participant in the daily struggle of the Euro- pean and Russian working class.

1 New Park Publications h Street, London, SW4 7UG

REQUIRED

ART BY A GUEST REVIEWER

In the first half of the 17th century, while the English bourgeoisie were* the revolution preparing against Charles I and the social relics of teudalism.

the Dutch United Pro- vinces were already en- joying the fruits of their revolution Some of these are on display this month in a small (enla- tion at the National Gallery of land- and river-scapes attri- buted to the Dordrecht painter Aelbert Cuyp (1620-1691).

The Dutch bourgeois revolu- tion took the form of a long war of national liberation oi Spain Cath Dutch torcy Dutch Spain. The forces were led by the Orange Pro- testant, William the Silent, and his descendants. By 1609 they had virtually expelled the Spanish from the northern Netherlands and with peace came prosperity, a swift growth of sea power and trad- ing and a rich empire in East and West Indies-rivalry with the Dutch was one of the main concerns of British for- eign policy under Cromwell.

With therst prosperity came Europe's flowering of 'democratic' The art.

LCW

middle class were prosperous, but seldom very wealthy. Un- like the great aristocrats and churchmen of Catholic Europe they commissioned small easel rather than palaces, Dallings statues and murals. Even famous and successful such as Rembrandt, painters, painted for the small trades- in Amsterdam. ror the

LICI

first time paintings became commodity, traded in hundreds at the town fairs-the 'Ker- maes. Artists were faced with a critical and appreciative mass clientele- -according an English traveller in 1640: blacksmiths, Coblers etts., will have some picture or other their forge and in their by Such is the stalle. generall Workers Press, Tuesda Notion, enclination and delight that these Countrie Natives of Peter Mundy in Europe and Asia: 1608-1667). These 'delighted' (and patri- otic) Dutchmen above were all interested in themselves and therefore their country-and and landscapes. in portraits Cuyp was a landscape artist who lived a long, tranquil and charitable life in Dordrecht, he married a rich where woman and spent his later years managing her estate. He painted several hundred can- vasses, mainly before 1660, and most of them contain identi- fiable landmarks from the area.

Paradoxically, the landscapes of the I7th century-the great age of landscape-usually con- tain less 'land' than earlier works. Cuyp's small painting, 'Horseman, and peasants cattle', shows some of the best of this. results Imagine with him that you are standing on the plain near Dordrecht, gazing past the cows and across the broads with the sun high on your left.

Most of what you see-that is, what actually meets your eye- will not be land or sea or cow, sky. Realism, that is to but say, brings the horizon down below your eye and 'fills' the with airspace-the canvas source of light. Consequently the land, the animals and plants, the the are lit from all direc- figure tions, each bright surface shap- ing only into relative shade.

Instead of an oversimplified single light source, the rays scatter, as in reality, through- out the painting's space.

But Cuyp is not only a real- ist, but also a patriot. And is too since the northern sun cool and unflattering to illumi- nate his beloved countryside properly, he has borrowed a warm, golden Italian light from the earlier Dutch painters who travelled south and painted the Roman campagna. As if to underline the presence of this sunshine, the lower foreground is planted with a rich, almost 8, Tuesday February 13, 1973 PAGE 9 Cromwell, maker of the Englist.

bourgeols revolution. Above: The painting entitled 'Horsemen, peas- ants and cattle' by Aelbert Cuyp, painted about 1640. tropical, line of leaves.

the It is Cuyp's eye for effects of light that gives such vanishing distance to the hori- zon and sky and it is this light, rather than anatomy, that gives the cows their shapes, pressed close to the earth from which they have grown. It suffuses the scene, coming up from the well as down from water as the sky; it seems to make the whole countryside happy and virtuous. And this is the inner mean- ing of the light, of the paint- ing and of the spiritual youth of this Dutch bourgeoisie.

At that time the court pain- trying to ters of Italy were make convincing pictures of heaven for the princes and car- dinals who paid them by cram- ming their scenes with all the luxury, ornament and spectacle that earth could provide. But Aelbert Cuyp put on canvas the conviction of his class that it was possible to create, here below, by diligence, good works and kindly imagination, an entirely recognisable human paradise. The bourgeoisie could not realize his vision, but his paint- ings are well worth studying.

Peaceful as they are, they re- quired a revolution to produce them.

PAGE 10 Workers Pross, Tuaaday February 13, 1973

TODAY'S TV

BBC 1

9.38 Schools. 12.30 Ar 12.55 News. 1.00 Pebble Mill at one. 1.30 Andy Pandy. 2.05 Schools. A STA Tam. plus. 3.15 Rolf Harris. 3.40 French chef. 4.10 Play school. 4.35 Jack- 4.50 Craven's newsround. 5.15 Vision Viaduct. 5.10 John on. 5.40 Wombles. weetner. 6.00 NATIONWIDE No. 500. FILM: 'WHAT A WHOPPER'. Adam Faith, Sidney James, Carole 7.05 Lesley. British comedy. 8.30 WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE LIKELY LADS? Birthday Boy.

9.25 DOCUMENTARY: "THE GROUP'. Alco- 9.00

NEWS.

Weather. holism.

10.30 FILM 73. 11.00 MIDWEEK. 11.45 NEWS.

11.50 VIEWPOINT. Leonard Pearcey visits the Deptford Festival. 12.10 Weather.

ITV

9.30 Schools. 10.30 This Week (London only). 12.05 Mr Trimble. 12.25 Pinky and Perky. k. in town. 2.30 Good aftern 12.40 First report. Emmerdale 2.00 Harriet's back in town. Good afternoon! 3.00 About Britain. 3.25 Kate. 4.25 Junior 4.50 Magpie. 5.20 showtime. | dream of Jeannie. 5.50 News.

6.00

TODAY. 6.40 CROSSROADS.

7.05 WHICKER'S SOUTH SEAS. Laughing All the Way to the Bank.

7.35 BANACEK. Let's Hear It for & Living Legend. George Peppard.

9.00 LOVE STORY. Forsaking All Others. 10.00 NEWS.

10.30 DOCUMENTARY: 'A LIFE APART'. Anxieties in a trawling community.

WRESTLING. 12.15 THE PIONEERS.

BBC 2

11.00-11.25 Play school. 5.25 Open University.

6.40 OFFICE. Management information.

7.05 OPEN UNIVERSITY. 7.30 NEWS. Weather.

7.35 COLLECTOR'S WORLD. Perambulators, Early Photographs.

8.05

INTERNATIONAL TENNIS. 9.00 POT BLACK.

9.25

PLAY:

"THE MOON

SHINES

BRIGHT ON CHARLIE

CHAPLIN'.

Ray Smith, John Junkin, nugnes. witn vive wilt, Margaret Nolan. 10.15 LEAP IN THE DARK. Telepathy, precognition.

10.40 THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST. 11.15 NEWS. Weather.

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London. 1.15 1.30 London. 2.30 Women 3.00 London. 5.20 Partridge family. 5.50 London. 6.00 News. 6.10 Lookaround. 7.30 Film: "The London. 12.15

WESTWARD.

London. 12.20 12.40 London. 12.57 News. 1.00 6.00 Diary. 12.12 News. 12.15 Faith for life. SOUTHERN: 9.30 London. 12.04 News.

Houseparty. 3.00 London. 5.20 Cartoon. 5.25 Crossroads.

Day by day. 6.35 5.50 London. 6.00 Tunkin. 7.05 Doctor in charge News. 9.00 London. 12.15 12.25 Weather. Guideline.

party. 3000 London. 5200 Chuckleheads.

5.25 Crossroads. 5.50 London. 6.01 Re- ort West. 6.18 Report Wale silent 6.35 Film: "The Tun 8.30 Whicker. 9.00 London. 12.05 Time to remember. 12.45 Weather. HTV West as above except: 6.18-6.35 Report West.

HTV

Cymru/Wales as above except: Fight rising rents and prices Defend basic democratic rights Force the Tories to resign CLAY CROSS: Tuesday February 13, 8 p.m. Social Centre, Derby Road. 'Fight rising rents and prices. Defend basic democratic rights'. COVENTRY: Tuesday February 13, 7.30 p.m. Wood End Com- munity Building. LOUGHBOROUGH: Tuesday Feb- ruary 13, 8 p.m. Cobden Street School. CLAPHAM: Tuesday February 13, 8 p.m. Clapham Manor Baths, Clapham Manor Street, SW4.

'Defend basic rights' PADDINGTON: Tuesday February 'Artesian' _ 8 p.m. 13, , corner Chepstow Road and Westbourne Grove, W2. CAMDEN: Tuesday February 13 8 p.m. 'Prince Albert', Wharfe- dale Road, Kings Cross. 'Lessons of the rents fight'. HARROW: Tuesday February 13, 8 p.m. Labour Hall. 'Defend basic rights'. TOOTING: Tuesday February 13, 'Selkirk Hotel, Selkirk 8 p.m. Road. 'Defend basic rights'.

OLDBURY: Wednesday February 14, 7.30 p.m. 'The Bulls Head'.

WOLVERHAMPTON: Wednesday 'Little CROYDON: Thursday February 15, 8 p.m. Ruskin House, Coombe Road. 'Defend democratic rights' ig fish from the hold of a Fleetwood trawler that came in on the 4 a.m.

Producer Mike Grigsby, Ivan Strasburg and soundman cameraman 'A board a trawler fishing off Iceland.

LIFE

APART-

on .. and life for the town

VG COMMUNITY',

looks at life on board. independent channels at 10.30.

London. 12.15 Scor nd yard 4.25 Miri 4.35-4.50 Cantamil. Ramsey. 9.00 mawr. 6.01-6.18 dydd. 10.30 beirdd. 12.50 Meather. mysteries. 11.20-1145 12.50 12.45' W waser. actional GRANADA: 9.30 London. 2.30 Collect-

ANGLIA:

9.30 12.04 News. London. ing on a shoestring. 2.55 London. 5.15 12.05 2.30 Women. 3on. 5.20 2nd News 6.00 6.35 London. Vess London.

CONE

Film: 5.35 Wind willows. the "Revenge'. 9.00 London. 5.50 London. About 6.00 Anglia. 6.35 7.00 Whicker. 7.30 McMillan wife.

TYNE

TEES:

9.25 Songs from and 9.00 9.30 London 2.30 heart. Herecion. 3.00 London. 5.20 6.00 6.35

ATV

MIDLANDS:

9.30 London. 2.30 5.50 London Whicker. Today. hiyA. Women. 3.00 London. 5.20 60 CroSs. Crossroads. 7.00 7.30 Car- .35 Hpr Ramsey, 9 00 London. Today. London. News. 2.30 Whicker. 7.30 12.15 Cartoon. Lectern. McMillan and wife. 9.00 London. 7.35 9.30 2.30 Date- 12.15 lan Phelps reports. Weather. London line. 3.00 5.25 Crossroads. 6.35 Adam

ULSTER:

11.00 London. 1.32 News. London. Whicker. Columbo. 2.40 Romper Smith. 7.00 Football 10.30 London. 4.22 News. 4.25 London. London. Emmerdale farm 5.50 London. 6.00 11.30 Late call. 11.35 Wrestling. 6.35 Crossroads 7.00 reports. 7.15 Columbo. 8.30 Whicker.

GRAMPIAN:

London Cartoon. 3:500 Schools. 2.35 Cartoon. 2.52 News. 9.00 London. 5.20 Emmerdale farm. London. Country

YORKSHIRE:

9.30 London. 2.30 London. 6.00 News. Huesep 5.y. 3.00 .20 Here's focus. 6.35 Crossroads. Whicker Calendar. Hec Ramsey. London. London.

LUCY.

Meditation. Weather 6.35 Crossroads. 7.00 Whicker.

February BRIXTON: Tuesday February 20.

KINGSTON:

Thursday 'Liverpool Arms', Centre. 15, 8 p.m. Training 8 p.m. Brixton cor- Control Room. 'No ner of Cambridge Road/London state control of wages'. Road. 'Build Councils of Action'.

Hali. SKELMERSDALE: Tuesday Feb- HOLLOWAY: Thursday February ruary 20, 7.30 p.m. Quarry Bank. Co-op p.m. Seven 'Forward to the Pageant'.

Sisters Road. 'Build Councils of Action'. February PRESTON: Wednesday 7.30 'Waterloo Hotel' Phe Road to Workers

WINSFORD:

Thursday February Friargate. 15, 8 p.m. 'Red Lion Hotel', Wins- Power'. Cheshire.

LANGLEY:

Wednesday February LEEDS: Thursday February 15. 'Cardinal's Hat', Wood 21, 8 p.m. 7.30 date p.m. (please note 'Defend Democratic Rights.

Street. change). Peel Hotel, Boar Lane. Forward to the Pageant'. SWANSEA: Thursday LEWISHAM: Thursday 15, 7.30 p.m. Council of Social Deptford Engineers 8 p.m. i station) opposite

ACTON:

LIVERPOOL: Tuesday February 3: moroard Hal 20, 7.30 p.m. AEU House, Mount W3. Pageant the Pleasant. -The Road to Workers' Power'.

Socialist Labour League Lectures Lecture 2 E14. Lecture 3. 1924-1933—The Lett Opposi- NEWCASTLE: Monday February tion's struggle against Stalin

FORD

ARMS,

Lecture 3 1933-1938—From the German founding defeat the p.m. Portobello (near Jessops hos- economic 'The ACTON: Wednesday February 14, 8 p.m. WOODLANDS HALL Crown Street, W3. Lecture 3.

Party in 'The Britain'.

Act?'-Frank O'Rourke, Accrington postman, at Bournemouth on Sunday, February 11.

FRANK O'ROURKE'S 33-word warning, delivered in a shouting-match with the chair, sums up the Union of Post Office Workers' conference just ended far better than any of yesterday's closing speeches.

For the conterence-the tirst big union get-together since the imposition of statutory pay control-gave just a hint of the things to come if the Tories get their way in the unions.

A UPW activist of long standing, Frank O'Rourke

FROM DAVID MAUDE

speaks rarely. But he

OUR LABOUR CORRESPONDENT

has a knack of hitting the truth on the jaw. But the Last May he chided the

UPW

conference also demonstrated the executive its alulude Relations Le CILIC

WOOKIES

muner- industrial lne bureaucracy. Act; within five months it Only by the most blatant the was co-operating with procedural manoeuvring National Industrial Relations the platform prevent able to Court. On Sunday he major revolt by the floor. the UPW rule book spotlighted the increasingly giant steamroller, all policy corporatist attitudes and the pay laws procedures of the leadership.

on was cleared off the agenda. I talked Frank shortly. to But this is a situation which after his Clash with the blat. plainly cannot be natalkinee form, sparked by their attempt long; sooner rather than

TOT

agenda a line with later there must be a reckon- solicitors' anti-union Act. much became cert ing in th the burst into life conference asked. on Sunday morning about "legality" all of a Lous over the LWIlL Issues ol wagei sudden? Industrial Relations Act Stoke-on-Trant Industrial Relations The eruption started over home 1038 being accepted here. two told conference "First we're we can't chairman, the Post Office. He debate wages at the confer- Treble. for Barrier ind enolitie ence, this. If this No discussions on Jackson's now goes statement on pay. we'll sewing all be Huall- wares statenem bers' £5 across-the-board pay delivering rather than allowed, the chairman

DALS

them.' claim. Two hours later an The form of the taken. proposec from

UPW

spoken speech in delegate, Paul Grace, day's Press - is was told to 'Sit естета о csonamol bore out what Frank had said.

acceptance of Phase Two state down and be good boy Jackson's 60-minute address in return when protested he

CULLIVI

Phase of a fairer' conerence was. promises proceaure. essence, a classic apology for the corporate state. the Although pointing out that said he hadn't postman, travelled hundreds didn't co-operate with thousands members of to be told he couldn't debate would were now finding be replaced by Powell. An to make ends meet, Jackson wages, was warned that all-out strike admitted on Sunday that this movement against he pressed his point, Warc ighting executive's policy. He might not be discussed at all

LIC

Will

WAS ARS

the streets, would open the attempted to appease rank- Similar techniques were door to more repressive and-file anger by saying they deployed London against government. 'arguing strongly'

WELC

Post Office Asked by a London oversens possible overtime, which to make as much Alf Slowman, telephonist, why out of the government's fl workers can be forced to work unions couldn't either keep Phase Two plus per cent extremely short notice. trom the lorv highway postmen's dis. away He concor Again this is classic. Sharply go against trict council had wanted to them with the boot, major clash the of move event answered reluctantly with the tween over- claim: 'I can't keep well away, class working nevinine. and I haven't got a big boot.'

the union bureaucracy tries to by October and infect those who wages executive with its own cowardice. Mean- other employers and the not comply with

VISIT

Wite Tre Tories' Sec. extreme right utilize the time rules after date' retary, Maurice Macmillan, to to prepare The chairman had ruled this way offer a deal over their mem- out order allowing no unen own measures,

VEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14

8pm South Island Library Brompton Road South Island Place Gillingham Stockwell, SW9

MIKE BANDA

speaker: speaker: MIKE BANDA (SLL Central Cttee) (SLL Central Cttee)

DAGENHAM

THURSDAY MARCH 1, 8pm Manor Park Library Romford Rd/Rabbitts Road aces Union Ha near Watford Junction stn opp Rabbitts Pub

WANDSWORTH

MIKE

BANDA

G

HEALY

speaker eaker:

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 22,

(SLL Central Cttee) SLL National Sec)

NORTH KENT

Wandsworth Town Hall

FEBRUARY 22

MONDAY

FEBRUARY 19, 8pm Wandsworth Street Speaker: MIKE BANDA ine onakespeare, Powis Street (SLL Central Cttee) Woolwich Speaker:

G HEALY

SLOUGH

SLL National Sec)

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 28

ACTON

8pm UESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 8pm Britwell Community Centre Woodlands Hall, Long Furlong Drive Diabeth. Civic Hall Digbeth, irminghar briwell cstate speaker: G HEALY speaker: G HEALY

IKE BAND

(SLL National Sec) (SLL National Sec) BLL Central Chee Workers Pross, Tues There was no policy debate on wages but delegates were allowed to agrao the executive £8 a week extra. Tom J tactics with treasurer Fred Moss (righ discussion of her decision.

But after Jackson had sought the advice of the union's solicitors, Treble told the conference that the motion would be admissible - if amended in line with the Industrial Relations Act.

Reference was made to the NIRC judgement in April last year on the railwaymen's over- time ban, that it constituted 'irregular industrial action short of a strike' within the terms of the Act. The UPW solicitors pro- posed a revised wording the London motion that in the event of compulsory over- time rules not being rescinded by October 1, 1973, confer- recommends ence executive council that the executive council should then seriously consider advising or instructing members •of the union not to comply with those rules after that date'.

Continually interrupting de- legates who attempted to raise points of order, the conference chairman refused to allow a debate on this proposal. 'A formal proposition is not open to debate, ' she declared. On a show of hands the platform's position was clearly defeated. But then a card vote was called. A narrow majority of 8,607 to 7,480 was obtained for the plattorm.

Sunday's statement on wages came only after continuous from the floor pressure throughout . Saturday - and written demands from more than 40 branches. As delegates debated increase whether to con- tributions by lp from April or July this year, rather than next January as the executive proposed, Alf Flower (Stoke- on-Trent) went to the rostrum to declare: 'If we were going back to the branches to tell the mem- ARMY private Paul Rees Owens (21) was remanded in custody at a special Belfast court on Sun- day accused of murdering Pri- vate James Francis Leadbeater I would like i Fill in the form below ar

SECRETARY,

SOCIALIST

188a CLAPHAM HIGH ST, Name. Addrest @ss, Tuesday Fabruary 13, 1973 PAGE 11 on wages at the UPW conference to agrao financlat measures giving ra. Tom Jackson (centre) discusses 10ss (right). we're getting a f5 rise, bers all right. But we're not. So until that happens I will have no part of it' The proposals to start the increased contributions earlier than January 1, 1974, were defeated. Jim Birnie (Edinburgh) asked whether Jackson intended making a statement on wages, and was told that the decision rested with a Saturday lunch- time meeting of the executive.

But after that meeting had proved abortive, breaking up without a decision, the clamps went down hard. John Pegg, a London over- inter- seas telephonist was rupted by the chairman for even mentioning the wage freeze in a speech on push- button . dialling equipment. And the platform rode out later demands for a statement in silence. The cynicism of this parti- cular intervention showed up later when Jackson let slip that the payment for instal- lation of the push-button equipment, for which the executive had by then obtained the go-ahead from conference, would probably be blocked by the Tories. Bournemouth has brought sharpness out with great the urgency of the struggle for alternative, revolutionary leadership in the unions.

The only answer to Jackson is the diametrical opposite of his position: mobilization of the unions to force the Tories out of office, and replace them with a Labour government pledged to socialist policies.

no half- There can measures in the fight for the independence of the unions from the capitalist state. The only organizations fighting on this perspective are the All Trades Unions Alliance and the Socialist Labour League.

(23) at Holywood barracks.

of Thornaby-on-Tees, Owens, Yorkshire, will appear again on February 23. Both men were in the Ist Battalion, the Prince of Wales' Own Regiment. ike information about elow and send to NATIONAL

CIALIST LABOUR LEAQUE,

GH ST, LONDON SWA 7UG.

intimidate gasmen PAGE 12 Workers Press, Tuaaday Falbru John Sheen

GASWORKERS

in Scotland, the north, the Midlands and the London ready area are to follow a lead for all-out it is, strike action. As des- leadership, the lack of pite men have voted at a good half of the yards to strike rather than work-to-rule. the official re- Even when commendation was to end the unoflicial guerrilla strikes in favour officially- the mixed campaign, approved large votes were still recorded for staying out indefinitely.

Op ohn Sheen and Von Barrett, the Hornsey depot, are typical of the young gas

BY ROYSTON BULL OUR II

A MASSIVE CAMPAIGN

against the gasworkers. The crucify the men who start offi against the Tory pay laws.

BY DAVID MAUDE

POST OFFICE workers will start refusing to work com- pulsory overtime from Octo- ber 1, if the corporation has not itself rescinded its com- by pulsory-overtime rules then. This pledge was given at the Union of Post Office Workers' Bournemouth conference yester- day by general secretary Tom Jackson after a unanimous vote by delegates. Delegates voted on a revised wording - suggested by the union's solicitors — of a motion from the London postmen's dis- trict council. The revision was made in line with the Industrial Relations Act. Earlier in the day, Jackson per- suaded the conference not to demand a three-hour cut in the working week on the grounds that it would be a breach of Phase Two of the Tories' pay- control law. • Conference round-up, page II.

THIS THURSDAY'S

WORKERS PRESS

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day February 13, 1973 half-out workers have provided But this half-in who the impetus for the business has already demora- main militant industrial action SO lized of the

ANTICIN

far. Given lead, all of the yards would have voted for They want an all-out strike and leafleted their London an indefinite strike. That way, we could win in a few stewards' latest meeting.

They weeks, but with these go-slows obstacle the biggest is not say. lack of and overtime bans. their of experience industrial action and the And working several months stewards' naiveté in not put- at the flat rate would cost union ting pressure on the the men more in the end than officials. striking would. The militancy this year If the government uses the > is the result of the de- pay laws against us, our union plorable settlement last year, should defy the government. officials which nearly | branch would every down if criminal proceedings condemned.

LL OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

G&MWI

AIGN of intimidation has been launched Indust s. The capitalist Press yesterday tried to tart official industrial action from tomorrow Tory Other middle-class agencies like 'Age Concern' are letting Task Force and their prejudices against strikes run away with by predicting the possible death of them 500,000 old folk if the gas supplies are dis- rupted. The 'Daily Mail' headline read: This strike could kill'. The 'Sun' splashed with 'Gasmen's roulette, meaning a game of death like Russian roulette. Suddenly the popular papers are full of concern at the plight of old age pensioners. In normal times, they leave them to die from neglect without paying any attention. This stampede has already had its desired effect They are now devoting on the gasworkers' leaders.

all of their time to making sure their campaign does no damage and none of it to ensuring that it bites hard. Yesterday, they trooped in again to see the In- Boardman to assure him dustry Minister Mr Tom that no one would come to any harm and that they were fully co-operating with the Gas Corporation to make sure that gas supplies kept going!

The position on safety is this: If gas pressures are reduced below a certain minimum level, then there is danger of explosions from appliances being used or from permanent pilot lights and the like--due to the gas being likely to go off and then coming on again. But the solution is quite simple: Turn the gas off completely if the gas reaches dangerously low levels.

The authorities are, in fact, obliged by law to do this. If the gas pressure goes below its statutory minimum level, then the Corporation is obliged to Basnett, discontinue the supply completely.

David and Municipal The gasworkers' leaders are refusing even to con- men at the template such a development. They know that only after leading a a total stoppage of gas supplies will have any effect Minister, Mr Tom on the government, but they are resolutely opposed gasmen's pay action. to doing it. Instead, they are proposing to all the doubly effective for the strike reduce gas pressures in big cities of Britain to a level just that all using it premises above the safety level which would have be turned off to and then, when would mean that no-one is individually, off, but that everyone's gas fires, individually supplies re-started, turned on again. This could mean water heaters, and other ovens, appliances will still work with months without reduced efficiency. supplies once the gas was turned off, however quickly the dispute The union leaders' big hope is resolved. was that the ban on all plant main- North Sea gas may be cut off tenance work will mean an even- of too, by turning it off at the east tual interruption of supplies North Sea the coast landfall points. mainly gas to industries like and major cars Leaders of the General and chemicals which use gas for fac- Municipal Workers' Union are tory heating and other purposes. admitting that the slight squeeze But they admit is this long of inconvenience they are going shot which might take months will to put on consumers not to become effective. change the government's mind Cutting off town gas would be pay laws. over its started against them. were We ought to have a ra- tional shop stewards' move- ment, but it would be a big task to set up because we have no previous organization.

We are held back by lack information. don't of know anything about what the lads in the north are doing.

We don't get told about other yard meetings. We don't even know what our union has officially asked for in this dispute. It should be £6. All this talk about £3.05 like the electricity workers got is dangerous. It means men will ask is it MWU chief sees ett, general secretary of the General pal Workers' Union, to Press talks Industry • Department of Trade and g a deputation to see Tory Industry • Tom Boardman yesterday about the They are embarking on a niggling campaign of works-to- non-co-operations, and rule, selective stoppages which will demoralize men without the achieving anything. The real way forward for the gasmen's leaders is not to spend all day reassuring the do- gooding liberals in Age Con- cern' and 'Task Force' but to turn to the rest of the trade union movement for complete solidarity, which they would un- doubtedly get, for creating the industrial and political condi- tions to make the Tory govern- ment resign. • Wakefield gasmen, see P.3.

Van Barrett worth striking for the differ- ence between £2.24 and £3.05?

We need f6 to catch up with the electricians and our leaders should make i this clear. And a delegate confer- ence should be called before any offer is accepted. These protest strikes won't achieve anything and the ban maintenance work will on make no difference. In some areas, maintenance work already SiX months behind schedule anyway. But if we all came out, the would quickly cost un- acceptably high for the government.

BY IAN YEATS

A NUMBER of print chapels and trade union branches have passed resolutions call- ing for a national stoppage in the event of evictions or arrests at Briant Colour Printing, work-in leader Mr Bill Freeman revealed yester- day. Anthony Wedgwood 1. Benn, MP had thrown his weight behind their fight for jobs a promise to call for with government funds to be made available, in effect, to bail out lame ducks. Thousands of workers are ex- pected to mount a mass picket at the Old Kent Road factory in London today where 105 men and women have been working-in for eight months.

A writ summoning the five- strong work-in committee before the Chancery Division of the High Court to surrender con- trol of the plant to its owners expires today. Speakers at a factory gate include Upper meeting will Clyde Shipbuilders joint shop stewards' co-ordinating com- mittee chairman James Airlie, Kent miners' leader Jack Dunn, Labour MP Eric Heffer and print union leaders. Printers from all over Lon- don are expected to be joined by students, engineers, electri- • and dockers at cians, miners the mass picket and in a march to parliament. Many trades councils are claimed to have asked their members to down tools and back the demonstration. CORRECTION: In yesterday's Workers Press we reported a meeting of Rover shop stewards representing 'direct workers' in all the Midlands plants. This should 'indirect have read workers'.