The Newsletter, vol. 6 no. 243

to Mr. O'Hare BRITAIN'S portworkers are now involved in a wage struggle with the Tory government. More and more firms in dockland are preparing to introduce mechanization and thus rid the industry of thousands of port workers. Over the past few months there has been widespread unemployment in the large ports. This is indeed a critical time for the industry.

One would have thought that at such a time the task of trade union officials would be to develop the maximum unity between all workers employed on the docks in defence 'of wages and conditions. it this is not so. Mr. O'Hare, right-wing full-time Transport and General Workers' Union official on the Merseyside, has set in motion a campaign in which he hopes to get rid of the NASD ('Blue' union) members from the docks. Why does Mr. O'Hare now emerge as an agitator for a strike against fellow trade unionists?

To answer this question is to pose another: in whose interests would such a strike be? Obviously, the people who would most benefit would be the employers who would like nothing better than for the dockers to fritter away their energies fighting amongst themselves at this time.

the past Mr. O'Hare has received many colourful answers from port workers engaged in unofficial action. We have no doubt that he will be given a few more during the coming days. hat is important now is for port workers to restore as speedily as possible their traditional unity around their rank-and-file committee comprising the TGWU as well as the 'Blue' Union. Such a committee can clear nonunionism from the docks and give the non-union port worker a choice of union. hy should he not have such a choice? The two unions exist side by side on the London docks. Why can't they exist side by side on the Mersey and elsewhere?

it is good enough for the Transport and General Workers' Union to consider the 'Blue' Union men trade unionists in London, why isn't it good enough in Liverpool? ext time Mr. O'Hare comes agitating for a strike of docker against docker, he should be told in no uncertain terms where to get off.

By Our Political Correspondent A urging people to vote Tory, the crisis within the Con- Mr. Macmillan staggered around Stockton-on-Tees servative Party grew worse. Tens of thousands of middle-class voters who supported the Tories solidly in 1959 are deserting them.

These people, who vegetate in the dormitory suburbs of the big cities, have been the hardest hit by the fare increases and the effect which the pay pause has had on their salaries. The increase in the Liberal vote is a measure of their discontent and not a vote for Liberalism as such.

Mr. Macmillan is aware that the worst is yet to come. In Stockton he concentrated on justifying Britain's entry into the Common Market, knowing full well that this will hrino with it a demand bv the VING VYALI 1L ce live. big monopolists for a reduction in production costs.

In other words, the Tories will have to take an even stronger line with the working class, which will in turn lead to an even tougher policy with the middle class.

The mistake which middle class people always make is to ignore the simple fact that their salaries are fixed very much by the power of the trade unions' wage bargaining machinery and not by the fact that they live in select surroundings.

Further attacks on the wages of the workers will lead to greater problems for the middle class.

Quandary

Here is Macmillan's quandary. No matter how many times he kisses the babies at Stockton and shakes hands with people in the streets, his government is pledged to an all-out offensive against the trade unions and the Labour movement.

This trend is emphasised by the letter which the Minister of Labour has sent to the chairmen of wages councils throughout the country.

He calls for a continuation of the policy of 2t per cent for wage increases.

In other words, the pay pause is to continue. Wage restraint has now become a basic part of government policy.

Meanwhile, the working class are demonstrating their readiness to hit back at the Tories. The magnificent sit-down strike of the workers at the BMC Austin factory in Birmingham provides a splendid example. The workers are ready to fight and they believe they can win. Contrast this with the tonguein-the-cheek policy of the rightwing trade union and Labour leaders in their attitude towards the struggle against the Tories.

They refuse to give leadership those workers who want to fight and they ignore the lems of the middle class.

The problems of the motor industry do not arise because of the unreasonable attitude of the workers but because of the determination of the monopoly capitalists who control it to make as much profit as possible.

This industry provides a strong case for nationalization, but Mr. Gaitskell and his colleagues turn their backs on such demands.

If the middle class are to achieve the standard of living they require, it can only be done by uniting with the working class in an all-out opposition to the government.

But this requires a socialist policy directed against the big monopolies. Gaitskell and Co. will have none of it. They are as paralyzed as the Tories in the face of the growing opposition.

Determined

The main difference is that the Tories, who control the wealth and property, are determined to hang on to it.

The Conservative crisis is but another example of the wind of change sweeping Great Britain. Right - wing Labour stands at the crossroads in the same way as the French Socialist Party did before it was destroyed.

The Tories will resolve their crisis, as they have always done, by adopting extreme right-wing policies against the workers.

The Labour Party and the trade unions can only measure up to this situation by adopting socialist policies. This is the only answer to Toryism.

By Our Industrial Correspondent THE right -wing executive council of the Electrical Trades Union, meeting on the week-end of March 30 to April 1, decided to expel Frank Haxell, Jack Frazer, Robert McLennan and James Humphrey from the union.

This action was taken under the old rules which were amended by the Rules Revision Conference of December 1961. The fact that a court case is pending on the authority of these rules did not apparently bother Mr. John Byrne and his colleagues.

The voting was eight votes for expulsion with three abstentions. Those who abstained did so because they felt obliged, because of the pending court case, not to commit themselves on rules which were superseded by the 1961 Rules Revision Conference.

BUREAUCRACY

The four men who were expelled claim that they had not been properly charged under rule and made statements that they will continue to fight for their membership of the union.

This action by the right wing is another demonstration of the bureaucratic nature of this new regime in the ETU. When the Communist Party took control of the union, not a single action of this description was taken against a group of right-wingers or for that matter anyone else.

The Trades Union Congress would have been satisfied last July if the men concerned had been suspended from holding union office for five years.

The decision to expel them and deprive them of their possi bilities of livelihood is the action of cowardly, frightened men.

It was the power of Fleet Street, anti-communist propaganda which placed them in office and now they are putting into operation policies which demonstrate that their claim to want to democratize the ETU was a sham.

(Cont.

gera

no Policy OE FITZGERALD, aged 35, Brodsworth miner, member of the National Committee of the Socialist Labour League, and editor of the rank-and-file paper 'The Miner', died in Doncaster Royal Infirmary on Friday, March 30.

He had been knocked down by a bus while on the way to work early that morning and he died from severe head injuries some four hours later. He leaves a widow, Mary, and a 16-year-old daughter, Kitty.

I first met Joe Fitzgerald four years ago at a political meeting in Doncaster. Joe was the first to arrive. Some time later, we asked him if he had been waiting for us long.

Joe replied: 'I've been waiting for you people to come along for ten years. This is the sort of movement for me.' And so Joe joined the Socialist Labour League and became our comrade. The word 'comrade' is bandied about too loosely in the Labour Party and the Communist Party. It should only really be used about a man who is 100 per cent with you, all the way.

That's how it was with Joe Fitzgerald. On the day he died, he was to have spoken to a group of young workers in Leeds about the 1926 General Strike and the struggles in the mines.

He had prepared for that as thoroughly as he did everything else. He chased around getting books and the day before his death he spent several hours, after doing his shift down the pit, in reading and making notes.

That was what struck all of us about Joe. Just as nothing was too big for him to tackle —like editing a national miners' paper—so nothing was too small for him to take seriously and to (Cont. page 3, col. 1)

- T is difficult to determine who is actually ruling Algeria at present. Where the concentration of French troops is still thick enough, and as long as their loyalty can be counted upon, the government of de Gaulle rules.

The French administration had been crumbling for some time under the pressure of the Secret Army; in any case it is now formally standing in for the provisional executive of the new 'independent' Algeria.

Headed by a late rallier to the nationalist cause, this executive does not really rule either. In some areas and in the Muslim quarters of the cities the FLN, which backs the executive, rules. But it cannot rule the country as long as the OAS remains unsubdued and the Europeans non-co-operative.

The latter, however long they may continue to stand out for 'Algerie Francaise' ', have little hope of immediate support from the army or from the metropolis.

Against the background of this three-way pull, it is clear that the FLN and the Gaullist regime stand together. Likewise, in France, the 'left' parties, including the Communist Party, will give support in the coming referendum for

de Gaulle's policy of determination.

All 'good Frenchmen' and Algerians, too, will back this imperialist deal.

It is argued by the friends of the FLN that, although the settlement is admittedly a compromise, it is a victory over imperialism. The failure of the French working class movement to provide effective support for the Algerian people was another great historical betrayal on the part of its leaders.

But the truth is that the FLN and its leaders, being the kind of movement it is, has been seeking such an arrangement all along. The fact that it used guns and bombs and bodies of armed men is not the determining one: they were necessary to win political independence from the French.

If there had really been a movement of solidarity between the French workers and the Algerian people fighting for their human rights and national independence, not only would that have meant pushing Thorez and Mollet from the scene, but Ferhat Abbas and Ben Khedda would have had to go as well.

The latter can settle with de Gaulle, just as the former can vote approval for his policy in the referendum.

It is all very well to argue that although the settlement prevents real agrarian reform or social change in Algeria in the long run these will come about. The question is that the agreement has not facilitated the achievement of a socialist Algeria.

The social and political balance inside the Muslim community itself has, for the present, swung towards ' moderation', which means acting in co-operation with French capital. the Blockade of Cuba The new regime, after independence, is likely to swing towards the type of Bonapartist politics which we are familiar with in Tunisia, Guinea, Ghana and so on.

There is no 'socialism' here.

While no viable national capitalism' can be built either, the historical impossibility of such a development in a backward country should not be taken as a sign of an 'irreversible movement' towards socialism.

Unless & new leadership can develop in Algeria, as well as in France, at least some temporary stabilization is possible for a period that will block the social revolution.

Of course there must be solidarity with the Algerian people. There must be backing for the new Algerian government insofar as it seeks to wage a real struggle with imperialism.

This is quite a different thing, however, from pressurising de Gaulle to honour his own agreements, made to favour French imperialism, in the style of the Communist Party, or making heroes of the FLN leaders.

There should be no illusions about the latter. Their policy in the past has been far from flawless and bears some responsibility for the shameful

sell-out they have now forced to make.

We do not acclaim these leaders, but we do support the Algerian Revolution, which in its course will sweep them aside.

The French army must be withdrawn from Algeria; even now the OAS could not survive without it. The French and international labour movement must demonstrate its solidarity with the Algerian people in its continuing struggle for full independence, which begins with carrying out an effective policy against imperialism in its strongholds.

'EXPROPRIATION of private property is not in the Government programme, said British Guiana Premier Cheddi Jagan last week. He was speaking to the trade mission, led by Lord Rootes, which has been discussing future commercial relations between Britain and British Guiana.

According to 'The Times' correspondent, he told the mission that it was not the intention of his government to nationalize the bauxite or sugar industries.

He was prepared to guarantee that any nationalization carried out of other industries would involve adequate and fair compensation.

In a statement at the end of the discussions, Jagan said: 'The mission welcomed the statement that I wished British Guiana to achieve independence within the Commonwealth and looked forward to the country playing a full part in the Commonwealth?

Thus the leader who was eight years ago accused of being a communist and of plotting to burn down Georgetown, is now able to satisfy Lord Rootes and his fellow-industrialists that their capital would be quite safe in his hands.

Cuban people?

Another resolution called upon the Labour movement to come to the aid of the Cuban people. A donation of f1 was sent to the Cuban Embassy.

LONDON

The General Management Committee of the St. Pancras North Labour Party carried a resolution from its Young Socialists branch calling for the lifting of the ban and for food and aid to be sent to the Cuban people.

Pickets were out again last Saturday at the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square, protesting at the blockade on Cuba. The picket, which was the third one organized by the London Area Committee of the Socialist Labour League, attracted support from many sections of the London Labour movement. Leaflets which denounced the blockade and appealed for help for the Cuban Revolution, were distributed to passers-by and to the many American tourists entering the embassy. • Regular Saturday morning pickets will continue at the US Embassy until the blockade is lifted. Milk THE DECISION the Milk Marketing Board to pour 250,000 gallons of skim milk into disused coal mines has caused a storm of protest amongst MPs of all parties.

As far as Labour MPs are concerned, this can only be described as hypocrisy. What else do they expect in capitalist society which produces for profit and not in the interests of the requirements of human beings?

Such two-faced gentlemen have really nothing to say about taking industry away from the capitalists, which alone can answer this milk scandal. How else can one resolve the crisis except by dispossessing the capitalists through the nationalization of the basic industries and the introduction of workers' control?

Socialist planning can only take place on this basis and socialist planning is the only answer to this furthe r demonstration of the crisis of overproduction in a capitalist society.

READERS who recall the recent ariicles on Guinea may be interested to know that the French 'new left' paper, 'France-Observateur' , generally indulgent to Sekou Toure, now confirms the main points which they made.

The article in the issue of March 29 speaks of the repression of the strikes among dockers and railwaymen, the subordination of the trade unions to the state and the measures against the radical intellectuals.

It speaks of Sekou Toure's 'aristocratic pride'. But it was not pride, but hard necessity which has led him to adopt an attitude of conciliation towards de Gaulle following the Algerian settlement.

The growing economic difficullies account for attacks on the workers, peasants and intellectuals as well as for the readiness to make new concessions to capitalism in return for financial assistance.

Toure is greatly relieved that the Algerian war is over. As long as it lasted there was always the risk that Africans would demand that he put his anti-imperialist words into practice.

The kind of settlement the FLN has made was much more in his line. FIFTY people attended a meeting in Liverpool last Sunday, held to set up a Merseyside 'Food for Cuba' Committee.

Opening : the meeting, exseaman Councillor Bill Hart declared that he was in Cuba some years ago while Batista was still in power. He had seen a glittering facade with a rottenness behind.

There was a large number of young people present, delegates and visitors from Merseyside Young Socialist branches.

A speaker from Gillmoss Young Socialists said he was interested in the fate of Cuba because of the big part youth played in the revolution.

His Young Socialist branch had donated £3 to the committee.

Councillor E. Loyden, member of the Transport and General Workers' Union and one of the signatories to the letter calling the meeting, said that 'Discussion over the nature of Cuba can carry on while people die. We must act and think big. We must think in terms of setting up a national committee and the Liverpool Committee can give a lead in this.' Stan Thorne, secretary of Toxteth Labour Party, declared the campaign could involve a broad section of people, including some religious organizations. He suggested that one activity of the committee should be to organize a showing of the film 'Island Aflame'.

The meeting elected a committee to organize the raising of money and to appeal to the Liverpool Labour Movement. Bill Hart agreed to act as chairman.

The secretary is J. Disley, Redruth Road, Liverpool 11.

YORKSHIRE

The North East Leeds Young Socialists have sent a similar resolution to their divisional party. Students at Leeds University will be canvassing for support to set up a 'Food for Cuba' Committee after the Easter vacation.

MIDLANDS

THE Birmingham No. 4 branch of the AEU passed the fo llowing resolution unanimously at its meeting on March 23:

"This branch protests at the American blockade of Cuba.

This blockade is an attempt to crush the Cuban government by bringing about starvation of the

HE NEWSL ge Thr

He offers no the growing Nazis in the stration.

But sociali Brandt as a right-winger. demonstrated Britain last WOODROW WYATT is reported to have been puzzled by the letter he received last week from the Labour Party National Executive. He has our sympathy.

For Gaitskell, Brown and Co. who have warned him not to talk too loudly about a LiberalLabour alliance are really in complete agreement with him in principle.

Like Wyatt, they want to turn the Labour Party into an organization free from socialism. Only last week, Ray Gunter was explaining how the class struggle was outmoded and how the Labour Party stood for all sections of the community.

Their only complaint is that Wyatt says in public what they think in private, and that he says it at the wrong time.

The letter to Wyatt was only sent in order to justify tightening the disciplinary measures against Gaitskell's left-wing critics. Meanwhile, the rightward drift of Labour policy continues to threaten the whole future existence of the Labour Party.

The only alternative lies in a policy based on the needs of the working class, independent of capitalist politics, whether of the Liberial Ter outright Tory or concealed WILLY BRANDT represents the interests of Western imperialism, especially United States imperialism.

As Mayor of West Berlin, he has a front-line post in the Cold War. His policy in Germany has lost all vestige of socialism.

real opposition to influence of exAdenauer adminiIsts do not oppose German, but as a Those people who at his meetings in week with antiGerman patriotic slogans were undermining the real struggle against this German reaction, for this can only be based upon the international solidarity of the labour movement.

The German workers must get rid of their Gaitskells just as we must get rid of ours.

No Inspiration trom VFS Leaders On balance make it less responsive rice rises-that is 10.3.62) rises in the of living will Gerry Healy poi nted to be hidden. Annual Report for fraudulent of As the 'Economist' issued to members of ' Cost of to admit, 'the new measure Victory for Socialism for disand down into show a smaller movement cussion at the Annual General with many sub-divisions. the old one would have done in a Meeting to be held on April 8, 16 that to The groups consist food, period when the goods of which states that the decline in been made in alcohol, tobacco, fuel and light, consumption is rising most are morale and loss of interest in to put operation. the makes the fraud and footwear, transport and durable household goods, clothing those of which prices least. Generally are rising speaking the Labour Party has adver- sely affected the work of VFS, analyse the reversal on Defence No attempt is made the task vehicles, miscellaneous goods and people buy more tnings in wnien 1 11. ... finally services. prices rise least, so that the most 'in that some of our members policy which took place at the Each of these is given a 'weight' usual effect is to make prices rise have been less active, this has Blackpool Conference last year ing up its own or degree of relative importance rather more slowly'. not been because they have and how this came about. The determined by the findings of the What is the basis of the fraudu- ceased to be inspired by Report merely states, 'It is survey. For example, food is lent nature of the Index, now even socialism but because they useless to disguise the fact that Some details of these judged to be over three times as more clearly seen with the changes have ceased to be inspired by some of the decisions taken will be outlined below, important as clothing and foot- mentioned above? the Labour Party'. Blackpool were a set-back a word or two about the present wear, which in turn is reckoned at Basically, the wide range of the cause of socialism.' Index-what it pretends to show twice the importance of fuel and incomes included in the investiga- Reading through the report and how it is constructed. light. Thus a rise in the price of tions (leaving out the very poor and examining the activities of present Index based food will have about six times the but going up to £30) distorts the VFS over the past year one is upon investigations carried of living than a similar rise in influence upon the general cost Index towards income brackets. those in the higher tempted to ask, 'Hi members ceased ve not VFS be inspired to operate resolution No. 4 of going into act out in 1953-54 and v ith 1956 the cost of fuel and light. How many people get £30 a by VFS itself? ' the 1961 AGM agenda, viz., to taken drawn as base up by year the Cost of It was What are the recently announced in the construction of the cent of week? people earn less than £10 The fact is that 40 per The keynote 1961 "set up socialist groups among Living Advisory Committee a week before tax and in 1960 AGM was to implement the members of trade unions .. to and a naller Technical Com- nearly 1 1 million people (counting Scarborough decisions, repulse organize support in the trade mittee. man anı d wife one) were living the setbacks of the right wing unions for the decisions of the this end the and proscrip- Scarborough Labour Party Contions. ference, the VFS leadership Among resolutions which turned their attention to invest1956 these two bodies these people, expenditure were carried was one calling for igating the bona fides of indiI of 24 members, of whom upon food, rent, and fuel takes a campaign to lift the ban vidual VFS members because represented working ones. up a bigger slice of their income the Socialist Labour League they were disturbed by visions University Professors, organizations. The rest porated the survey, including (1) M new are incor- any into than bill is largely a function of family people. The size of food and rent it does in the case of richer Others called nation- for of Trotskyist infiltrators. serious campaign ployers or Civil Servants. sherry, roasting chickens, motor size and not of income level. alization of the arms industry. 1961 AGM decisions never Yet 2 million workers (in clud- scooters, electric cookers, refrige- Only one-quarter of families Another resolution called upon got under way. That is why ing sections in building, civil rators, potato crisps, jeans and a refrigerator, but this is all MPs who were in support the work has been 'adversely engineering, iron and steel, even more away from the realities gloss paint. This must take it included in the Index. of the 1 960 Scarborough Con- affected' and activity has been printing and furniture manu- of the working class budget. The influence which people in fer decisions 'organize to 'limited'. The leaders have facture) rely body to deter 'mine their cost of directly upon this groups have altered. Food is now (2) The weights of the relative upon spending patterns is out of the higher income groups have all proportion to their numbers. failed to lead. Recently there has been living, ul which their given less importance, durable This is shown in a survey very speculation that the d ays of depend. household goods more; housing, recently concluded by the Thom- VFS are numbered, but there is Briefly, Index drawn including rents, only retains its son Organization and called ' But no indication in the Annual by taking a cross-section position (despite the Tory Rent Consumers are morè Equal Report that VFS is wound households, at present excluding Act!) and the buying and running Others'. • Here few are This clearly shows the those at the level of Old Age of cars is given more emphasis. from their findings. Index, which claims to cover the ter ›lutions on the rest Pensioners and those where the (3) The weighting of the Index 90 per cent of all households is Agenda for this year's AGM, 'head of the household' is to be revised each year. Pre- a fake, so far as working class four repeat the demands put £30 a week. viously the weights were kept budgets are concerned. If any- forward last year for nationalistandard a number of years. thing ti ne Index serves the needs zation of the basic industries. of the better-off sections of the If these resolutions are carried middle class. at the AGM on April 8 and The conclusion clear. As VFS will go into action to really He opposed leaders, Gerry Healy said, the Trades campaign on these decisions and whether right wing or Com- Union Movement itself must draw those taken last year, there may munist Party. He fought to up its own Index and check it build up rank-and-file com- regularly. This will give a proper still be time to stop the rot and what won him mittees, from pit to pit, coalfield fight for real increases in working class basis from which policy defear the Tories. begin fight for a socialist respect, not only of his com- to coalfield, from industry to rades i 1 the Socialist Labour industry. Wherever League and his colleagues in dispute, there wi tirearound The Miner', but of all less and determined. who kn :w him in nis district. 1.-. :- Li- lindaint He got groups of young Many of them may not have people together to talk about agreed with his views, nor socialism. He chased after What are 'invisibles'? Income possessions yielded much material perhaps have understood what members of the Communist items include interests, profits and wealth, exploitation tends to take he was doing, but everybody Party political questions. dividends on investments, shipping a different form today. Capital is knew that here was a man who He up a miners' dis- When and insurance receipts. Out- invested to produce profits which was absolutely incorruptible and cussion group on Marxism. deficit? goings include dividends to are not 'earned' overnight. completely devoted to the in- Nothing was too much for him, A. When balance annual foreign investors, and Tory On the one hand income from terests of the working class. He wo uld not have wanted a of payments figures are published! government military expenditure, 'invisibles' is tending to fall Nothing could turn him from it. big fuss now. But we in the We have just been treated to a including German support costs. on the other, more capital He faced opposition from Socialist Labour League will mass of new Treasury statistics In 1961 there was a small abroad. The inference the management, from right- build a monument to Joe Fitz- figures. used by Selwyn Lloyd as which reveal that their previous movements of some £8 million. balance of long-term capital these investments is not seem to be that income wing trade union leaders, from gerald. That monument will be an excuse to impose the pay pause, These movements reflect the flow brought back to the U.K. right wing Labour Party a powerful branch in Joe's were not correct. of investment capital to and from Some oI It may be re-invested officials, from the Communist area of the movement to which Earlier interim figures had Britain. If the Ford transaction abroad. A good deal, no doubt, Party, from Moral Re-arma- Joe was so devoted. That is shown deficits at the yearly rate (whereby American Ford took is accun lulated abroad and helps ment, and from the Catholic what he would have wanted and of £200 million in excess of the over the English company) the to build up the private overseas Church. He them that is we shall do. actual figures. Now we are told Swiss loan and German and fortunes of wealthy British capitall. We lost Joe Fitzgerald that the statistics indicate that French debt repayments 'alists.

ed by the Brodsworth manage- When Curly Owen was the lost him, for he would that we could for 1960'. 'Britain has had a healthier balance of payments position than ignored as non-recurring there would actually have deficit of over £200 milion •British capital must find its outlet. But this has drastic effects on the 1o maintain its world position, ment and by union leaders, Joe have given up the fight A close examination of the section of the account. balance of payments position. was prominent in his defence. as lon gas he was alive. figures show the pattern trading In other words consi derably The Tories hope to alleviate this When Curly later became sym- He will be sorely missed by has changed drastically over the more British capital is being by continued attacks on wage pathetic to Moral Re-armament, all of us in the Socialist Labour past few years. invested abroad than foreign rates so that British goods are Joe was disappointed but not League, by the many militant Three years ago 'invisibles' were capital here. Nearly £400 million 'competitive' in the export markets disheartened. miners he came to know in all yielding some £220 million yearly yearly is being poured into over- of the world.

During the all-Yorkshire the coalfields, by everyone who —already a huge reduction from seas investment. When the British working man miners' strike last year, Joe knew him Brodsworth. pre-war days, but still a significant The Tory dilemma resolves is exhorted to work harder, to worked tirelessly for victory, He fine comrade. He mere £65 million, and at this rate item. Today this excess is a itself into how it can finance this. It cannot contemplate reducing accept wage restraint and to pro- duce more so that the balance of urging the spreading of the was good, kind and entle of decrease, within the coming these investments for it knows that payments might be improved, he strike and producing special man. He dear period, there will be a deficit on there is plenty of foreign capital should remember that much of his strike bulletins on behalf of friend. this section of the balance of available to step into the breach. effort will be used to bring about payments. Whereas in the past, colonial his impoverishment.

Aptil 7, 1962

Austin Strikers worry BMC Bosses from Our Midlai Correspondent THREE thousand day. kers on unofficial strike at the giant British Motor Corporation's Austin works at Birmingham, voted on to conto split dock workers tinue the strike in of their claim for 36 shillings a week. le Austin works are at still, with 19,000 idle; 2,400 Workers' Union which decided The 'Sunday Times' national press Ludlow, a subsidiary last week that pause has ended a resolution TGWU, spoke to For 50 dock strike lasted minutes Mr. P. J. for exactly O'Hare, docks Five minutes more and the district secretary four one some unions against; to of e which have against, and vote is two another it action which some shop committees have taken fact, the pause has In these circumstances, a general freeze. in ster wards' circu- the le three thousand day have BMC Oxford works. been laid off strike on closed. clear idea position lating leaflets supporting a strike An emergency Solution given in fa decision is absolutely correct. in London lared the TGWU that to work and then dec- lapsed in must by that. is of struggle. on strike last couldn't scab on trade NASD unionism week their men Times' all the It is referring to. the ballot 'Sunday since in CAV and Napiers in shop stewards' committees on been campaigning for such Park Royal engineering belt have In London, the shop Acton From unions involved and of the seven Saturday, April or 'we 14, will mates, even though they were papers are only now being decision. leaders refuse to with them suspicious of the motive of out and are not due to be Perhaps important the strikers, urging them and after Monday, April TGWU officials. Their trade until the end of April. actions have been taken return to work and promisfresh engagement. unionism decisive test. It is clear that this are the setting up of factory ing that negotiations would be This gives the impression that of interfer mittees by the Confederation of by the week-end. 6,000 members of the TGWU have decided that they will trade union affairs in the in- Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions to conduct propaganda for The advice was rejected at no longer work with members of ing terests the ballot. the National Amalgamated Steve- dores and Dockers. the dispute was major 1 reports industrial coming in from centres like the these committees In South .ondon, exist a 1e BMC may try Mr. O'Hare and to say his In the employers. Dockers in both there is Country Clyde, London arour big Id Birmingham, feeling for strike and the Black factories. far organized a few strike as the decis ion 'crippling blow' to continue the however, meeting voted most of fo return to on the docks so that 100 per cent trade action. The stoppages Feb- following instructions These committees set up from serious repercussions through- He said would have very work and attached. conditions face the employers. be more strongly ory ruary showed that an the will to fight the March i clearly federation District Committees, national level to chairmen Con- le strikers include out the whole organization.

Whether It the Blue' But Mr. O'Hare's employers is there. The sit-down following demands from branches transport workers, and prodocks Union depends on is driven off the Merseyside more than the he does strike at the BMC in Longbridge day for some preparations for the one- token strikes February gress clerks. They are angry and the claim submitted by March over the long 30,000 workers at the Ford Motor lese committees, acting an increase.

Company reinforce this feeling.

If there against strike the full authority of the unions, le claim was originally action, then a vote it is entirely the become a powerful weapon in last summer It has Socialist Labour League loudspeaker van will responsibility of unic n leaders like the of strike action. It discussed, negotiated a meeting outside the the Royal Docks for Cooper and Carron, and Byrne of local Confederation committees necessary now to ensure that all shelved until a 'more suitable Stag Brewery at Victoria, time in the campaign. the Electrical Trades Union. time, that as part its campaign of on of Thursday, April 5, for Sainsburys at Blackfriars, Further meetings are planned are concerned, the case for an engineering workers factory leaflets get to work and begin to conduct explaining why gate meetings and issue industry. is rising again in the Negotiations its policies for fighting the industrial meetings to explain Glacier Metal in Harlesden and visits CAV, ENV increase is clear. Since the last must not retreat. day workers' rates have Tory pay freeze. Projectile & award to engineers was made in The response to gate meetings dragging on for On Saturday 1960 cost of risen at factories like ENV at Harles- half years. by 5 per cent. den, Projectile & Engineering in sked if a report Over the last few weeks Battersea, and CAV and British press was true Tories have raised fares by Light Steel Pressings, organized leaders to push resolutions through ability right-wing trade union natural and traditional solidarity meetings without amendment. Above all it depends on the cent membership the dockers. officials and their Union to increase He can only want 100 per of the 'White' to council to 10 per cent and are threaten- ing increases in rents (especially tenants) and the cle: by of the the rly engineering the pay pause indicates Socialist London can be broken by that given a lead Area Committee Labour League, earnings of f17 a week, invented d it was a group the offices. the of militant dockers. Everything shaping At meetings during the battle over dockers' wages £11.

NASD speaker listed over the latest decasualization various controls who Cont. Blue' Union. thinking militant will ALAN This further move to split Some had been agree with Bert Aylward, the ETU occurs at a time when docks for 30 or 40 years. national dockers' : acretary of the THE preliminary agenda The weakness of man the members of the Engineering 'You all know these NASD, who spoke at a Pier Head annual conference unilateralist motions the and Shipbuilding Confederation Honest ilitants. Men who meeting of 3,000 dockers which the Union of Shop, Distribu- agenda is that they tend stood a principle. Are passed a ›lution that the rights tive Allied Workers con- too much emphasis should be forging the maximum going to sling them of both unions should be tains a majority of motions bases and testing. unity to fight the stones?' have said that NASD Transport General members officials respected. UNITY disarmament, against supporting unilateral those in nuclear working week pay increases Twenty-seven 351,371 all shorter tive the wages issue. Whilst the right-wing supported t are non-unionists. This strike has He declared: 'We must Ise the favour of the official Labour members. for strike action with their unity of the rank and file of the Party-TUC policy. no motions tongues in their cheeks, at the 'Blue' and the rank and file of It was the USDAW ing entry into the they took decisions the 'White' Union to ference last year that supported Market. Six motions flatly can only further conditions' per cen action the infamous Crossman-Padley entry. at a critical TGWU genuine strong against But organization in to the NASD. the desires of are trying to right-wing doc] ers 1 to turn the the in l historic defence pendulum back towards Gaitskell 960. defeat which Scarborough sent the swinging after his fence forced give Labour Market. The a definite at right-wing Party may Brighton climb d leaders find and the the cal the but The witc Members of long run. Trades it will h-hunt not Union be in the Electri- union joint campaign of both unions. only be built on Merseyside by a In fact, strong organization for failing to table a unilateral criticize the USDAW executive A number of resolutions strongly themselves But then forced the lea iders may find by the rank- struggle against right-wing poli- most militant record of Militant dockers realize this and resolution at the Blackpool Labour and-file to take number cies. They are not to take going there is every possibility that the Party Conference, when the important i ecisions at Brighton. expulsions lying Registered at the G.P.O. as a newspaper of TGWU officials to union's president, Walter Padley, Anger at the complete lack branch Published by The Newsletter, split the dock :ers' withdre/ his compromise docu- leadership the pay pause Printed by Plough Press Ltd. (TU), r.o. 186A Clapham High Street, London, S.W.4 at tl critical will ment in of the right-wing's may culminate in demands for reinsta 180 Clapham High Street. London. S.W.4 policy. milit ant, cialist policies. pelled