The big sell-out

Subsequently the Geneva provisions for 'free elections' and national unification have been ignored by the South Vietnamese dictatorship which has received the support of U.S. imperialism: the American forces in Vietnam are now 24,000 troops, together with a large naval and air striking force.

Meanwhile, the British Conservative and Labour governments alike have built up imperialist forces in Malaysia.

Even this, however, has failed to prevent the present situation, where Saigon governments fall every few days and the Viet Cong controls 80 per cent of South Vietnam.

The counter-revolutionary reprisals of the Pentagon aim to intimidate the peoples of Southeast Asia and particularly the workers and peasants of Vietnam and of the Chinese Peoples? Republic.

Threatening • 'escalation' into a world nuclear conflict, Johnson and the U.S. ruling class hope to ensure the collaboration of Moscow and even Peking for a sell-out THE executive committee of the National Union of Dyers, Bleachers & Textile Workers has decided to stop picketing at the fimm of William Denby & Sons, Baildon near Bradford.

One hundred and fourteen workers who have been locked out for 16 months have been shamelessly sold out.

In October 1963 a foreman operated a machine during a lunch break. 250 workers walked out and were sent their cards. The management announced an open shop at Denby's.

This struggle could have been won, had it not been for retreats by union leadership.

In December 1963, 800 Denby workers, trade unionists, Young Socialists and Labour Party members attended a demonstration in Shipley. There was a big demand at this time for the spreading of the dispute to other dyeworks in Bradford, but the union leadership prevented this and left the Denby workers fight on their own.

No real effort was made by them to prevent members of other unions, such as the Electrical Trades Union and Transport and General Workers' Union, from keeping the factory going.

The management, however, was not so half-hearted, as they showed in January 1964 when they hired guard dogs to patrol the premises.

Strikers became impatient and angrily attacked the leadership at the union's annual conference in June last year.

"Peacemaker' appeal

Last November the union leaders appealed to the management to agree to a neutral 'peacemaker". This crawling appeal was rejected by managing director, Philip Wright.

There was still a desire to fight among dyeworkers — only three weeks ago workers at Listers' dyeworks demanded an extension of the strike. But union secretary, Leonard Sharp, opposed this on the grounds that it would be unfair to the Listers' management.

Philip Wright, of course, is jubilant. The union leaders are anxious to forget the whole thing. The Denby strikers have not even been consulted!

In a television interview the assistant general secretary, Jack Peel, was asked if the strikers felt let down. He replied: 'We have not yet had the opportunity to report to them.' Peel admitted that this was in one sense' a defeat, but claimed that the management would now experience some problems because 'they would have no trade union machinery through which to settle their difficulties' (1)

The lesson of Denby's is the urgent need for a leadership which will replace the Sharps and Peels and really fight to win.

February