George Galloway Salma Yaqoob Jerry Hicks explains the purpose of the argues we need to step putting workers’ interests convoy to Gaza. up the boycott on Israel. at the top of the agenda. TheRespectPaperPeace Justice Equality THE MONTHLY NEWSPAPER OF RESPECT ISSUE 10 FEBRUARY 2009 80p A lifeline from Britain to Gaza Viva Palestina convoy hits the road Image: TheRespectPaper The Viva Palestinia convoy has captured February 14. They will travel The campaign, the imagination of thousands of people through Europe and across involving Respect members and thousands more, who are determined to ght for justice North Africa and will enter Gaza from Egypt. has lifted o , and changed the face of solidarity for the people of Palestine. All their The convoy has two purposes. First to contribute campaigning on Palestine. support, both material and political has to the aid e ort that the BBC among others is trying For more details on the convoy, the marches, been overwhelming. to block. the student occupations and campaigning across Secondly, it is to smash the propaganda blockade the country, see our coverage on pages 6,7,8 & 9. People have donated what they can – money, against Gaza. It is to raise the banner from London materials and time. Warehouses have been lled to Egypt of freedom for the Palestinian people. We Route of the convoy centre pages

B BC B ia s e d B r o a d c a s t in g Instead the BBC obediently allowed route of the convoy The BBC decision in January not the Israelis the last word in almost Gaza Humanitarian disaster with supplies that are given with love to the to broadcast the appeal from the every radio and TV report, using The carnage wreaked by 22 days of Disasters Emergency Committee for only short clips and quotes from the faming land, wells, water sources and the relentless Israeli assault on Gaza is humanitarian aid for Gaza triggered a news footage being produced by greenhouses. massive. I s r a e l huge public revulsion. independent journalists inside Gaza. Of the 1360 dead, Palestinian human What was their 15 per cent of all buildings in the Gaza obje c tive? want to create the permanent political pressure WE S TMINS TER BBC bosses were more concerned They allowed themselves to be drawn rights groups calculate 80 percent of On November 4 Israel broke at incurring the anger of the Israeli Strip were destroyed or collapsed. the fatalities were civilians, half of them the truce in a raid that killed six into interviewing Israeli military officers, Media reports have retailed the propaganda machine than they are Among these were Gaza’s only flour children. Palestinians. and filming frightened Israelis fleeing Israeli propaganda argument that the RA M EGATS OSTEND about antagonising large numbers of mill, its only cement works, and over The massive number of civilians The onslaught on Gaza had been Palestinian rockets to create the devastation of Gaza was in response to their listeners and license fee payers. 200 other factories. killed, maimed, injured and meticulously planned for many months impression of a war of two sides rather the breaking of the ceasefire by Hamas. The blatant bias in favour of Israel than the massacre that was taking place. Among the other targets destroyed traumatised is no accident. Israelis before this. Learning from their by Israeli bombs and shells were The Guardian leader on December previous embarrassment in Lebanon, a people of Gaza as an act of practical solidarity. had been a feature of BBC coverage The horror of the Gaza slaughter used white phosphorous incendiary hospitals, schools, mosques, and 31 for example argued that Israel was GUERNICA throughout the assault on Gaza: while has proved a turning point in public weapons, which cause deep burns: new ‘National Information Directorate’ United Nations buildings, including “targeting Hamas” to ensure “the Passing through San Sebastian, Jon Snow and Channel 4 compiled a consciousness of the Israelis and their their use against civilian populations was set up, to control media coverage schools, designated civilian refuges, ending of rocket fire”. the convoy will enter the Basque whole programme on ‘Hidden Gaza’, brutality towards the Palestinian is a war crime. They used “flachette and keep journalists out of Gaza, out needed in Britain to shake the establishment from no BBC journalist challenged or sought and the main UN headquarters in Gaza. bombs” which spray small metal darts The reality is that Israel has of sight of the slaughter. They only got country, and pass within a few miles population: but it has also helped deliberately targeted civilians to of Guernica which stood firm in to expose Israel’s brazen manipulation open people’s eyes on the bias and Ambulances were attacked, along to penetrate flesh and bone. the Israeli view in systematic briefings with aid volunteers and rescue workers: service its long-term purpose of the 1930s against Franco’s fascist of the media, the exclusion of cowardice of the BBC’s reporting. Far Israeli planes have targeted and press releases. It worked. power plants, sewage works, roads and repressing and dispossessing the army, and in April 1937 became the journalists from Gaza, or the fraudulent from upholding its reputation for entire apartment blocks: tanks have The attack on Gaza was part of an bridges were also pulverised, leaving Palestinians, and steal their houses, first city to be targeted for aerial arguments and assumptions impartiality, the BBC has confirmed systematically fired shells at residential offensive, aggressive policy designed a third of Gaza’s population with no water, and land. bombing – by Germany’s Luftwaffe’s underlying the Israeli case. itself to be part of the problem in the areas. On just one day, January 14, to humiliate Hamas and further water for weeks on end, and huge Israeli soldiers killed 70 unarmed It was claimed there was a “war” subjugate the Palestinian people. Condor Legion. The attack left 1,654 fight for Palestinian rights. in Gaza – two military forces are numbers without power. civilians, including 18 children. There Israel wanted to reinforce the more people dead and 889 wounded – contending with each other. The The Israelis are also aiming to are instances of them bulldozing pliable Palestinian leadership of and was famously depicted in one of statistics show the massive imbalance From members of the Jewish community starve the Gaza population. Between homes with civilians inside, and former President Mahmoud Abbas, Picasso’s most celebrated works between the two “sides”. its pro-Israel bias. BORDEAUX 35-60 per cent of Gaza’s once based in the West Bank. His term of shooting those waving white flags. thriving agricultural industry has Whole villages and areas have been Israeli propaganda, handed out in office ended on January 9, but he press packs to docile reporters from been destroyed through attacks on destroyed by tanks, planes and has unilaterally extended it. Plans for the BBC and elsewhere claim that bulldozers. the reconstruction of Gaza now flow since 2001 when the rockets were through the unelected, corrupt regime first fired, 8,600 of them have hit of Abbas. “Southern Israel,” and 28 Israelis had To do this, Israel has deliberately been killed. They do not point out targeted civilians and inflicted massive EL JAZAIR (ALGIERS) that over the same time frame Israeli damage to the infrastructure. This of Cheetham Hill North Manchester, to young strikes have slaughtered a staggering follows after the systematic 18-month The Algerian capital is in the Israel and America welcome Peace 5,000 Palestinians: that figure has now minds of many linked with Gillo blockade on Gaza imposed by Israel climbed to 6,360. Respect MP George Galloway, who addressed Pontecorvo’s 1966 movie The Battle to the Gaza ceasefire talks. after Hamas took control in June of Algiers. Shot in black and white, it They ignore the fact that the towns 2007. The flow of goods in and out a n d v il a g e s in “ S o u t h e r n Is r a e l" – t h e is based on events during the 1954- of the Strip was reduced to a mere o n ly o n e s in r a n g e o f t h e s e f e e b le , 1962 Algerian War against French trickle. The blockade was maintained h o m e - m a d e r o c k e t s – a r e a l fo r m e r rule. The film appears to show the throughout the so-called “ceasefire”, P a le s t in ia n t o w n s a n d v il a g e s n o w French forces “winning” the battle, bringing soaring food prices and crisis o c c u p ie d b y Z io n is t s e t t le r s .M u c h o f but makes it clear that winning this conditions even before the fresh Israeli MADRID Gaza’s population is made up of refugees battle is very different from winning attacks. women from the Pakistani community in d r iv e n o u t b y w a v e s o f Is r a e li v io le n c e . the war against those demanding In other words the whole Israeli plan independence. Far from triggering the brutal air relies upon attacking the people of demonstrators outside the Israeli Embassy day strikes, in fact the rocket fire from Palestine, in repeated and systematic Gaza had been reduced by 97 per cent war crimes carried out with the TRIPOLI during last year’s truce, while most of connivance and material support of Libya’s largest city, and capital, the rockets that were fired came from the US and British governments, which was founded by the Phoenicians groups opposed to Hamas. have stepped up arms supplies in the around 700 BC and has had a last 12 months. varied history since. In 1969 Colonel Bradford, we have been inundated with people Gaddafi staged a bloodless coup. He followed Egyptian nationalist leader Nasser's pan-Arabism, and ALEXANDRIA TANGIER ALG E R IA after day as the murderous Zionist bombs fell supported the PLO. In 1986 US Gamal Abdel Nasser, who was born Algeria was annexed by France in 1834. Nationalist resistance grew and President Reagan bombed Libya, in Alexandria in 1918 and led Egypt in 1954 the National Liberation Front killing 40 people. to independence in the 1950s. He RAFAH was formed and began a guerrilla In 2003 the US needed allies in is remembered for his ambitious A Border Crossing divides Egyptian war, moving into urban areas and the Arab world and Gaddafi was attempt to modernize Egypt, and Palestinian-controlled Rafah, also striking targets in France. French let in from the cold. Overnight he maintain its independence from the built by the Israeli and Egyptian efforts to repress the resistance became the west’s favourite Arab US and the Soviet union and create Symbols of support governments in 1982. They have wanting to come on board. proved unsuccessful, and the French d acot . i r Peace: "For this to last, shouldn't a secular Arab empire in northern kept it closed since Hamas’ election government itself was destabilised, Africa and the Middle East. He we invite Justice?" victory in order to undermine Hamas. eventually signing the Evian accords challenged British, French and Israeli on the children on Gaza, decided to launch this On January 23, 2008 gunmen for a ceasefire in 1962. In July 1962 forces for control of the Suez Canal, demolished the wall dividing Algerians voted overwhelmingly for nationalizing it in 1956. Despite the city and several hundred independence. suffering defeat by Israel in 1956 thousand Gazans entered Egypt to Rob Marsden has produced a range in the Sinai Peninsula, and being purchasesupplies. The Egyptians of badges as a fundraiser. 5p from humiliated in the 1967 Six Day War subsequently re-sealed the border, each badge sold will go to the aid Nasser nonetheless remained a hero with only a brief respite at the height c o n v o y . in the Arab world. Go to: tinyurl.com/bk4mha or email of the Israeli bombing. Rob at: [email protected] Over a hundred trucks lled with aid and initiative in response to the humanitarian crisis BENGHAZI Respect E q u a l i t y S o c i a l i s m Peace E n v i r o n m e n t GAZA C o m m u n i t y T r a d e U n i o n i s m CAIRO Respect E q u a l i t y S o c i a l i s m supporters will leave London on Valentines Day, left behind in Gaza. Peace E n v i r o n m e n t C o m m u n i t y T r a d e U n i o n i s m Strike action brings victory to construction workers, pages 4 & 5

10_01.indd 1 10/2/09 03:55:04 2 TheRespectPaper February 2009 The movement in pictures Send your images to us at [email protected]

Manchester: Kay Phillips, London: Respect Respect’s national chair (left members on a stall at on banner) on the march. the start of the march. Picture: Richard Searle Picture: Richard Searle

Birmingham: Salma Yaqoob takes to the platform. Picture: Richard Searle

Manchester BBC: Occupied in protest

Bolton: An impressive crowd. Guadelope: Workers out on general strike. Picture: Richard Searle Picture: Rouge/NPA Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community Trade Unionism

2_3.indd 2 10/2/09 04:34:06 [email protected] 3 www.respectrenewal.org

George Galloway MP Respect says Viva Palestina

Not since the Second World War will North Africa have At more than 100 vehicles long, involving around seen a column of British vehicles and people rolling across 250 people, the convoy will stretch right through central the territory of the Arab Maghreb. London, past Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament The convoy will cross Belgium and France, be the cen- and other British landmarks on the way through to the

trepiece of a mighty rally in Madrid as it crosses Spain, Picture: Richard Searle Channel ports. and then arrive to what will be a tumultuous welcome in It will be a message to the world that Gordon Brown Morocco. and David Milliband by no means speak for the whole of The working class of Casablanca will be out in their Britain, and that the anti-war, anti-occupation movement thousands to greet the British column. in Britain is strong and vibrant. The gates from Morocco into Algeria will be opened The cadre which has been formed in just three weeks up for the fi rst time in years, and the likes of Ahmed Ben in support of this convoy, together with the convoy veter- Bella, leader of the Algerian independence struggle against ans themselves, will be the foundation for much stronger French colonialism will await the convoy. Palestinian solidarity work in the UK when they return. In Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, thanks to the likely satu- While the project has received tremendous support from ration level of satellite TV coverage, we expect millions to people of all politics and none, at its heart lies Respect. cheer on the convoy on its way through the Rafah check- Yvonne Ridley and I will go the full distance, sleeping point into besieged Gaza. in our vehicles, and leading the column into Gaza. Salma The Viva Palestina entry into the territory, still in ash Yaqoob has been the centre of the huge Birmingham effort. and ruins after the long 22-day bombardment, will be a Manchester Respect has expanded its work and influ- wonder to behold. ence throughout the North West region and even into The convoy will be led by a red Lancashire fi re engine, Yorkshire. followed by up to a dozen ambulances, ex-British Airways Many are joining Respect, in recognition of these efforts. buses, huge trucks, vans, and even a boat being towed on a If you haven’t already, you should join us too! low-loader, and destined for the stricken Palestinian fi sh- ermen in Gaza. Respect delivering for Gaza. Turn to the back page now and ll out the form to join.

Salma Yaqoob Stand up against Israeli Apartheid

Palestinians have struggled for The Birmingham Boycott Israeli freedom for decades. Theirs is a Apartheid campaign was launched struggle against illegal occupation, last week. We are following the for the right of refugees to return example of the Anti-Apartheid to their homes, and for the right Movement. People of conscience to a state they can call their own. refused to buy South African goods But for too long, the Palestinian until the end of the racist apartheid struggle has been the concern of a regime. We will be asking consum- minority. That is now changing. ers to stop buying Israeli goods. We The war on the people of Gaza will be asking shopkeepers to refuse has opened the eyes of the world to stock Israeli products. We will to the bloody reality of Israeli be demanding that our council and colonialism. More than 1300 government stops doing business lie dead, including hundreds of with Israel and Israeli companies. children. Over 5,000 are injured, while hospitals and medical facil- SUPPORT ities desperately try to cope with Over the months and years to a growing humanitarian crisis. come we will build a movement Two-thirds of Gaza is without that will isolate Israel. Every per- power and one-third is without son can do something to help this running water. campaign, and I am asking you to The Israeli propaganda machine give it your full support. pumped out the message that this The people of South Africa was part of the ‘war on terror’. They Salma Yacoob at the centre of the solidarity movement in Birmingham. remember only too well the reality of claimed they were only fighting apartheid. That’s why South African ‘extremism’. But the hundreds of In January, Birmingham City the cause of Palestine will be heard The convoy will deliver badly dock workers have announced that dead children are not ‘extremists’, Council heard a cross-party call throughout our city. needed aid, but it will also be a they will not offl oad ships from Israel and across the world people are now for a boycott of Israeli goods and travelling demonstration – call- and the Congress of South African seeing through Israeli lies. services. My resolution won support CONVOY ing on the people of Europe and Trades Unions has called on other The cause of Palestine is now a from councillors from all parties on We will also be heard across the North Africa to come to the aid workers and unions to boycott all cause for all those who love justice the council. It shocked the estab- world. On February 14th, George of Palestine. Leading Respect goods to and from Israel. I am uplift- and hate oppression. Throughout lishment and the Zionists. This was Galloway MP will lead a convoy activist Yvoone Ridley has already ed by their solidarity and humanity. Britain, hundreds of thousands a breakthrough, as for the fi rst time of aid to Gaza. My colleagues, proven that the the blockade of Those who suffered so much under of people demonstrated, attend- Palestine became an issue right at Respect councillors Mohammed Gaza can be broken when she and the racist apartheid regime are set- ed meetings and donated money the heart of politics in our city. Ishtiaq and Nahim Ullah Khan 40 others last August sailed the ting an example to the world. to help the victims of this war. We followed this with a mas- will be joining him. In an amazing fi rst boat into Gaza’s port for more It is time for all of us to take I believe this is a turning point sive demonstration through demonstration of humanity and than 40 years – whilst waving the whatever steps we can to send a for solidarity with Palestine. I Birmingham city centre. The solidarity, more than 100 vehicles Respect fl ag! clear message to Israel and its back- am proud of the leading role that council leadership tried to deny are now booked to travel over- F16 jets may have stopped their ers in our government, that until Respect has played in campaigning us the right to march, but again land from the UK through France, raids for the time being. But our there is justice for the Palestinians against Israeli aggression as well as we defeated them. The march was Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, campaign is not over. We have forced they face a growing and ever more showing support for the Palestinian lively and peaceful. We have shown Libya and Egypt. The response has Palestine onto the political agenda powerful movement to boycott their people. that we will not be silenced, and been overwhelming. and we are going to keep it there. goods and services. Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community Trade Unionism

2_3.indd 3 10/2/09 04:34:30 4 TheRespectPaper February 2009

Flying the ag for workers' rights. Strike action brings victory to construction workers

t the end of January a thousand erectors, scaffolders, electricians and their construction workers at the mates (helpers). Around 90% of the work- Lindsey Oil Refi nery, owned The demands of the force are members of either the GMB or by French oil company Total, Unite trade unions. walked out on unoffi cial strike For some time there had been concern Aand stayed out for over a week until their strike committee: from workers within the construction in- demands were met. Backed by further unof- dustry who believe that companies are using fi cial walk-outs by thousands of workers at foreign labour to undercut the rates and con- other sites the dispute ended with victory for No victimisation of workers taking solidarity action. ditions agreed at a national level between the workers. the unions and construction employers. The Contrary to the portrayal of the dis- All workers in UK to be covered by NAECI Agreement. National Agreement for the Engineering pute by the mass media, this dispute was Construction Industry (NAECI or ‘Blue not against foreign workers. It was a strike Book’) covers everything from safety and to prevent established job conditions and Union controlled registering of unemployed and locally working hours to pay rates and allowances pay being undercut by unscrupulous bosses skilled union members, with nominating rights as work for travel and accommodation. It is a com- seeking to exploit poorly organised workers prehensive document, running to 91 pages. from abroad. becomes available. RESOLUTE ACTION NICK WRACK spoke to KEITH GIBSON, a Government and employer investment in proper training / The importance of this agreement cannot be member of the LOR strike committee, who underestimated. It is the outcome of many was central in formulating the workers’ de- apprenticeships for new generation of construction workers - years of determined struggle in the con- mands and cutting across the possibility of fight for a future for young people. struction industry to win national terms and divisions developing along national lines. conditions covering workers on the major Keith is a member of the left-wing construction sites. Workers in the industry Socialist Party. He has worked in the con- All immigrant labour to be unionised. were right to take resolute action to prevent struction industry for over thirty years. Prior it being thrown to one side by companies to the strike he was a health and safety rep Trade union assistance for immigrant workers – including who want to ignore its contents. on site but was elected to the strike commit- “Matters came to a head at LOR just be- tee because workers respected his views and interpreters – and access to trade union advice – to promote fore Christmas last year”, Keith explained. militancy. active integrated trade union members. “One company, Shaws, had already issued Keith works as a plater at the Lindsey 90-day redundancy notices to its workers. site, working on the fabrication of support They would lose their jobs on 17 February. for the pipes which carry chemicals. In all Build links with construction trade unions on the continent. Then shop stewards were informed that a weathers he works outside alongside the new company IREM would be bringing 200 other workers – welders, pipe fi tters, steel of its own workers onto the job from Italy Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community Trade Unionism

04-05.indd 4 10/2/09 04:39:52 [email protected] 5 www.respectrenewal.org Toe-to-toe battle between employers and workers

“This was a classic toe-to-toe battle their profi ts, paying workers rates from can there be! between employers and workers – from the country of origin. This strike was only unoffi cial because the fi st of the bosses was exploitation, I was outraged and sickened at the the laws were changed to make it so. attacks on conditions, union agreements sight of Lord Mandelson, he who twice Brought in by Thatcher and the Tories, and attempts to play worker against resigned in disgrace from the govern- unchanged by Blair and Brown and worker. From the hand of the union ment, telling the unelected members of Labour and effectively left unchallenged members came the defence of jobs, pay the House of Lords that he had been by our union leaders. These laws need to and conditions and a challenge to the told by the employers that they weren’t be repealed. horrors of neo-liberalism. breaking any agreements ! He con- The dispute at LOR is just the tip of When this dispute began, you would demned the workers and told them that the iceberg. What hangs in the balance is have thought it had come out of the blue they should give up their strike. whether this is an isolated victory. Jerry Hicks joins workers on the picket line. but this volcano has been rumbling on for This strike, unoffi cial as it was, driven I support the call for a national strike years and last week it erupted. from the bottom as it was, with work- within construction to bring about a last- JERRY HICKS is the left candidate in The European Union ‘posted workers’ ers electing their own strike committee, ing and decisive victory. the election for General Secretary of the directive was concocted by the bosses and was supported by solidarity action from For more details on Jerry's campaign Unite/Amicus trade union. He is also a connived at by New Labour. Its role is to across the country, negotiated for them- contact Jo on 078 178 279 12 member of the Respect Party National weaken workers rights and the trade un- selves an agreement which was acceptable Email: jo@bene eld.force9.co.uk Committee. He says: ions and to allow employers to maximise to the members. What fi ner democracy or go to www.jerryhicks4gs.com

and Portugal. These workers would be seg- Shaws were laying people off while IREM ger of the workers was vented on the Italian around the country, the bosses were forced regated from the other workers, housed in a were bringing in workers at obviously worse and Portuguese workers. Keith and the other to concede. barge in Immingham docks. They were al- conditions. The response would have been committee members argued that such actions The employers on the site have now con- so to work apart from other workers on the the same if it had been a British company. were unacceptable and that the foreign work- ceded that 102 workers will be taken on site and their working shift patterns were to There would have been the same hostile re- ers were not to blame but were being exploited from the ranks of unemployed construc- be different from the rest of the site. IREM action if they had been bringing in British by IREM. The union wanted access to these tion workers, on the basis of the Blue Book. said that it would not take on any workers workers to undercut them.” workers to explain this, but were denied. They will now work alongside the Italian from Britain.” The decision to strike was fuelled by years The far-right BNP tried at an early stage and Portuguese workers, thus enabling the of job losses in the construction industry and to intervene but were told in no uncertain unions to monitor exactly what those work- the onset of the recession with many thou- terms by the workers that they were not ers are being paid and on what conditions. sands more jobs at risk. “The men looked welcome. Their racist views were not shared Instead of segregation, the strike has won It was the employers, not at the foreign workers living on a fl oating by the workers and they were forcefully told the right to work side by side with fellow the unions that wanted to hulk, segregated from the rest of the work- to leave. worker, no matter the nationality. force and wondered whether this was the The result at Lindsey is a tremendous divide the workers. future for them”, said Keith. victory for the whole of the construction in- At the start of the dispute a lot of the dustry. It should give confi dence to workers resentment was refl ected in some of the Foreign workers are not to across the country and across Europe that strikers carrying placards bearing the de- blame for unemployment and militant action in defence of pay and condi- “One change was that the new shift pat- mand ‘British jobs for British workers’. This tions can beat back the bosses. tern did away with the fi rst tea-break, which was throwing Gordon Brown’s own state- worsening conditions. The victory also puts a huge dent in the bosses have been trying for the last few years ment back in his face. But it was quickly pro-business policies of the European Union to remove. When you’re working out in the recognised by the strike committee that which allow companies to ‘post’ workers to cold for long hours, such breaks are vitally there was a dangerous side to that demand. other countries on worse conditions than important.” Workers could fall into the trap, set by Over the course of the dispute the number already established there through union “Everyone suspected that they would also IREM itself, of allowing national divisions of ‘British jobs for British workers’ placards strength. This dispute was very much against be paid less than the agreed rate but despite to develop in the dispute and diverting at- dwindled. the driving down of living standards across our requests to IREM that they tell us what tention from the real target. With the failure of the bosses to break Europe that is part of the EU bosses’ agenda. they pay, we still don’t know.” Foreign workers are not to blame for un- the resolve of the workers and to pit British Workers across Britain need to join forces Trade union offi cials in Italy have con- employment and worsening conditions; workers against foreign ones together with their fellow workers across Europe to fi rmed that IREM is a non-union employer. those companies (whether British or for- with the solidarity and support of workers defend jobs and conditions. One Italian worker interviewed on televi- eign) seeking to maximise profi t at their sion at the end of the strike said that he had workers’ expense are. been paid £1,000 per month less than his British counterparts, confi rming the work- WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE ers’ suspicions. Keith wanted union offi cials to make sure Shop Stewards tried to negotiate about that union banners with more traditional the conditions applying to these new work- workers’ slogans like ‘workers of the world ers to the site. Clearly, once a company got unite’ and ‘unity is strength’ were brought Workers its foot in the door with lower standards to the protests but union offi cials were reluc- than the rest of the site, it would only be a tant to appear to give offi cial backing to the matter of time before other companies tried unoffi cial dispute. to follow suit. The danger that the strike could develop strike back The shop stewards wanted access to the along nationalist lines was turned around by Public meeting on lessons of the Lindsey oil refinery strike foreign workers and demanded to know from the strike committee. It adopted a set of de- IREM what it was paying its workers. These mands proposed by Keith (see box) and then demands were rejected. The unions were put them to a mass meeting of the strikers Keith Gibson, Lindsey strike committee rightly worried about the foreign workers which endorsed them. They explained the Jerry Hicks, left candidate for Unite (Amicus) general secretary being segregated from the union organised real issues to the mass meetings from the workers. It was the employers, not the un- back of a lorry. They clearly set out that this 7pm Friday 13 February Small Hall, Friends Meeting ions that wanted to divide the workers. was not a strike against foreign workers. The decision by IREM not to employ any The strike was against IREM and any com- House  173 Euston Road, NW1, opposite Euston station worker from Britain only confi rmed that it pany which sought to ignore agreed pay and must be undercutting national and local conditions. The issue was the attack on the agreements and the workers voted to strike. national agreement, not the employment of Keith wanted to make it emphatically foreign workers clear, “This strike was nothing to do with The strike committee also dealt with www.socialistparty.org.uk www.respectrenewal.org race or nationality. The men could see that some isolated incidents in which the an- Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community Trade Unionism

04-05.indd 5 10/2/09 04:40:07 6 TheRespectPaper February 2009

Demonstrations in London, Manchester, Blackburn and Bolton. PICTURES by Richard Searle. Birmingham flocks to Respect

The third weekend of January was a momen- Goods Campaign across the city. Ray ex- tous one in Birmingham. On Saturday 17, plained how he was inspired to join Respect 5000 people marched through the streets in by Salma Yaqoob and had been proud to support of the people of Gaza. On Sunday stand as a candidate for Respect. 18, over 500 people packed into the Bordesley Councillor Mohammed Ishtiaq talked Centre for the ‘Justice for Palestine’ meeting about the way Respect had led the way in organised by Birmingham Respect. the Council Chamber using the clear mor- As the size of the audience grew so did al arguments to force others to support the the excitement. This was a confi rmation Boycott Israel campaign, though many of that Respect was a real force to be reckoned these forces are now backtracking. with in Birmingham politics. Councillor Salma Yaqoob took the mi- First to speak were two young women crophone to prolonged and warm applause. who played a key role in mobilising solidarity She said, “I haven’t come here to inspire.... I with the people of Gaza over the preceding have come here to be inspired by you!” and weeks. Miriam Khan and Aisha Mahmood the applause started again. She talked of the were cheered when they spoke of their suc- energy she gained from the mass mobilisa- cess in using Facebook to connect with and tions of ordinary working class Brummies. organise young people. They talked of how The meeting exploded in spontaneous children and young people across the planet chanting of “Free, free Palestine”, evoking have been affected by the images of slaugh- the spirit of 3 weeks of mass action. Others ter by Israeli weapons. began to chant “Salma is our MP!” Mark Holland, from the chair, intro- George Galloway spoke of the double duced former Guantanamo Bay guard Chris standards and hypocrisy of the media and Arendt. Chris said the size and enthusiasm explained the plans for a Convoy to Gaza. of the Palestinian Solidarity movement in He said … ‘ when we get to Rafah, if the Birmingham impressed him. Egyptian government will not let us through Next up was Anglican cleric Ray Gaston, we will smash our way through!” Our aid to who congratulated the audience for their Gaza will get through! 5000 people marched though Birmingham. INSET: Miriam Khan and Aisha Mahmood hard work building the Boycott Israeli MARK ANTHONY FRANCE Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community Trade Unionism

06-07.indd 6 10/2/09 05:45:53 [email protected] 7 www.respectrenewal.org Gaza sparks student protests

Students have been in the forefront of the in Gaza, provided a perfect storm for stu-

Picture: Claire Solomon movement in solidarity with the Palestinian dents ready to make the leap from anger to people. concrete solidarity. Across Britain, groups have occupied Our occupation was victorious in that after their universities, placing demands on the less than 36 hours the MOD were forced to authorities to break links with Israel or ex- remove the exhibition and the students union tend support to Palestinians. were given the use of the space for the rest of The fi rst sparks of the movement were that week to show solidarity with Gaza. ignited by students at the School of African In the following weeks students in 22 and Oriental Studies (SOAS) in London on colleges and counting took similar action. January 13. Strathclyde was the latest to end, having We took over the Brunei Gallery Suite, forced the University to cancel its contract which together with the entire building it is with Israeli company Eden Springs and in, is subcontracted to the company Sodexo. agree their other demands. As we go to press This company provides catering for the US Manchester University is still occupied after army at Abu Ghraib prison and runs brutal four days. immigration detention centres in Britain. Over twenty members of the Exective of They normally charge £1000 a night to the University and College Union (UCU) use the Suite but had given it for free to have sent an open letter to those students who Ministry of Defence exhibition aimed at have taken action congratulating them. schoolchildren, on the history of ethnic mi- There has been more militant action agais- norities in the British Armed Forces. nt the attack on Gaza than on any other issue That such an exhibition, sponsored by on campuses recently. The cause of Palestinian the blood stained MoD and supported by a freedom has lit a fl ame amongst young people company despised for its role in the “war on – and this fl ame won’t easily be put out now. Evicted from the BBC. terror” was on campus during the massacre IAN DRUMMOND, SOAS Blackburn on the March

through the town centre to a local park as — disgracefully — the local council and po- lice had denied the organisers the right to hold a rally in the town centre. At the fi nal rally in the park one of the speakers, Lauren Booth (sister in law to Tony Blair, the ‘peace’ envoy to the Middle East) pulled off a master stroke on the platform. She rang Blair`s offi ce in Jerusalem on Rallying support. her mobile. When the phone was answered, she informed the member of his staff that They came surging down the steep side the people of Blackburn had a message for streets and hills the good citizens of Tony Blair. She then turned the phone to Blackburn to march for Gaza. Whole fam- the crowd which erupted in a roar for Gaza. ilies joined the demonstration that swelled Nice one Lauren! in size as it made its way to the town centre It was left for the last speaker, Yvonne Mass demonstrations for Gaza. from the starting point on Bangor Street. Ridley, to ask the pertinent question “Where’s The march on January 11 was organised Jack?”. Local MP Jack Straw was noticable by networks. The most striking feature of the by the local Mosques and the Blackburn his absence. Building in Blackburn meetings is that my initial contacts always Stop the War (STW). This has to be the biggest demo in the bring friends who also want to build Respect. A myriad of home made placards and North West so far, the fourth in the region The mass demonstration in Blackburn on Another striking feature is that all the organ- banners jostled alongside placards from in one week. January 11 was extraordinary. Huge num- isers are angry Asian women. STW, Respect, SW and BMI. RICHARD SEARLE, bers massed in narrow streets and marched All are heavily involved in fundraising There was an energy and anger to the Manchester with a mission - to free Gaza. Thousands for Viva Palestina and talk of Respect and demonstration, which has been the hall- Respect swarmed around the mosque and a flood the convoy in one breath. Given the extent mark of this movement, which was just two of people emerged from every side street as of their own ability to organise, my empha- weeks old, and one sensed was still climbing the demonstration gathered pace downhill sis has been to explain the kinds of support and increasing in intensity. towards the centre of town. Local activists that Manchester can offer, whether through The streets were crowded and march- suggest that 15,000 mobilised, the biggest sending a couple of members to meetings ers took over road and pavements. The demonstration in the town’s history. or helping print publicity. We have regu- march surged Respect supporters found our literature, larly discussed self-organisation and its stickers, placards and newspapers taken and importance and also the gravity of issuing passed around the crowd by eager demon- a challenge to Labour. The result is that a strators. The name of our party and the branch is taking shape with a meeting venue fi gure of George Galloway were immediate- and date agreed. Networks that had previ- ly seized upon as a long lost friend returning ously remained disconnected are starting to to town. When a succession of people ap- work together under our banner. proached to argue that we should stand The free Gaza and the Viva Palestina against local New Labour MP Jack Straw. I movement has posed a challenge for those asked if they would help set up a branch and involved. Labour has behaved appallingly, took emails and telephone numbers. and we mobilise against the government, Over three weeks since then, I have visited but how do we express our anger in po- Speaking out: Blackburn regularly, meeting individuals in litical terms? As one new member noted Protesting cafes, making it clear that I wanted to discuss ‘where was Jack Straw? He must be laugh- in London, establishing a Respect branch. Every person ing every time he leaves this town and its January 2009 has large networks of friends, colleagues and got to stop’. family who are interested in the organisation CHRIS CHILVERS, and they have talked about mobilising these Manchester Respect Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community Trade Unionism

06-07.indd 7 10/2/09 05:46:23 BBC Biased Broadcasting Instead the BBC obediently allowed Gaza Humanitarian disaster faming land, wells, water sources and Israel What was their On November 4 Israel broke the Israelis the last word in almost The carnage wreaked by 22 days of greenhouses. objective? the truce in a raid that killed six The BBC decision in January not every radio and TV report, using the relentless Israeli assault on Gaza is Of the 1360 dead, Palestinian human Palestinians. to broadcast the appeal from the only short clips and quotes from the massive. rights groups calculate 80 percent of Media reports have retailed the The onslaught on Gaza had been route of the convoy Disasters Emergency Committee for news footage being produced by 15 per cent of all buildings in the Gaza the fatalities were civilians, half of them Israeli propaganda argument that the meticulously planned for many months humanitarian aid for Gaza triggered a independent journalists inside Gaza. Strip were destroyed or collapsed. children. devastation of Gaza was in response to before this. Learning from their huge public revulsion. They allowed themselves to be drawn Among these were Gaza’s only flour The massive number of civilians the breaking of the ceasefire by Hamas. previous embarrassment in Lebanon, a BBC bosses were more concerned into interviewing Israeli military officers, mill, its only cement works, and over killed, maimed, injured and The Guardian leader on December new ‘National Information Directorate’ WESTMINSTER at incurring the anger of the Israeli and filming frightened Israelis fleeing 200 other factories. traumatised is no accident. Israelis 31 for example argued that Israel was was set up, to control media coverage propaganda machine than they are Palestinian rockets to create the Among the other targets destroyed used white phosphorous incendiary “targeting Hamas” to ensure “the and keep journalists out of Gaza, out about antagonising large numbers of impression of a war of two sides rather by Israeli bombs and shells were weapons, which cause deep burns: ending of rocket fire”. of sight of the slaughter. They only got OSTEND RAMSGATE their listeners and license fee payers. than the massacre that was taking place. hospitals, schools, mosques, and their use against civilian populations The reality is that Israel has the Israeli view in systematic briefings The blatant bias in favour of Israel The horror of the Gaza slaughter United Nations buildings, including is a war crime. They used “flachette deliberately targeted civilians to and press releases. It worked. had been a feature of BBC coverage has proved a turning point in public schools, designated civilian refuges, bombs” which spray small metal darts service its long-term purpose of The attack on Gaza was part of an throughout the assault on Gaza: while consciousness of the Israelis and their and the main UN headquarters in Gaza. to penetrate flesh and bone. repressing and dispossessing the offensive, aggressive policy designed Jon Snow and Channel 4 compiled a brutality towards the Palestinian Ambulances were attacked, along Israeli planes have targeted Palestinians, and steal their houses, to humiliate Hamas and further whole programme on ‘Hidden Gaza’, population: but it has also helped with aid volunteers and rescue workers: entire apartment blocks: tanks have water, and land. subjugate the Palestinian people. GUERNICA no BBC journalist challenged or sought open people’s eyes on the bias and power plants, sewage works, roads and systematically fired shells at residential It was claimed there was a “war” Israel wanted to reinforce the more Passing through San Sebastian, to expose Israel’s brazen manipulation cowardice of the BBC’s reporting. Far bridges were also pulverised, leaving areas. On just one day, January 14, in Gaza – two military forces are pliable Palestinian leadership of the convoy will enter the Basque of the media, the exclusion of from upholding its reputation for a third of Gaza’s population with no Israeli soldiers killed 70 unarmed contending with each other. The former President Mahmoud Abbas, country, and pass within a few miles journalists from Gaza, or the fraudulent impartiality, the BBC has confirmed water for weeks on end, and huge civilians, including 18 children. There statistics show the massive imbalance based in the West Bank. His term of of Guernica which stood firm in arguments and assumptions itself to be part of the problem in the numbers without power. are instances of them bulldozing between the two “sides”. office ended on January 9, but he the 1930s against Franco’s fascist underlying the Israeli case. fight for Palestinian rights. The Israelis are also aiming to homes with civilians inside, and Israeli propaganda, handed out in has unilaterally extended it. Plans for army, and in April 1937 became the starve the Gaza population. Between shooting those waving white flags. press packs to docile reporters from the reconstruction of Gaza now flow first city to be targeted for aerial 35-60 per cent of Gaza’s once Whole villages and areas have been the BBC and elsewhere claim that through the unelected, corrupt regime bombing – by Germany’s Luftwaffe’s thriving agricultural industry has destroyed by tanks, planes and since 2001 when the rockets were of Abbas. Condor Legion. The attack left 1,654 been destroyed through attacks on bulldozers. first fired, 8,600 of them have hit To do this, Israel has deliberately people dead and 889 wounded – “Southern Israel,” and 28 Israelis had targeted civilians and inflicted massive been killed. They do not point out damage to the infrastructure. This and was famously depicted in one of BORDEAUX Picasso’s most celebrated works Donate now that over the same time frame Israeli follows after the systematic 18-month strikes have slaughtered a staggering blockade on Gaza imposed by Israel 5,000 Palestinians: that figure has now after Hamas took control in June climbed to 6,360. 2007. The flow of goods in and out They ignore the fact that the towns of the Strip was reduced to a mere Even though the convoy is Israel and America welcome Peace and villages in “Southern Israel" – the trickle. The blockade was maintained underway we still need your help. to the Gaza ceasefire talks. only ones in range of these feeble, throughout the so-called “ceasefire”, EL JAZAIR (ALGIERS) Please donate as much money as home-made rockets – are all former bringing soaring food prices and crisis The Algerian capital is in the you can. Log on to our website ST SEBASTIAN Palestinian towns and villages now conditions even before the fresh Israeli minds of many linked with Gillo where you can make your donation occupied by Zionist settlers. Much of attacks. Pontecorvo’s 1966 movie The Battle and post a message. Gaza’s population is made up of refugees In other words the whole Israeli plan of Algiers. Shot in black and white, it Go to: www.vivapalestina.org driven out by waves of Israeli violence. relies upon attacking the people of is based on events during the 1954- Far from triggering the brutal air Palestine, in repeated and systematic 1962 Algerian War against French strikes, in fact the rocket fire from war crimes carried out with the rule. The film appears to show the Gaza had been reduced by 97 per cent connivance and material support of French forces “winning” the battle, during last year’s truce, while most of the US and British governments, which but makes it clear that winning this the rockets that were fired came from have stepped up arms supplies in the battle is very different from winning groups opposed to Hamas. last 12 months. MADRID the war against those demanding independence. TRIPOLI Libya’s largest city, and capital, was founded by the Phoenicians around 700 BC and has had a ALEXANDRIA varied history since. In 1969 Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser, who was born Gaddafi staged a bloodless coup. in Alexandria in 1918 and led Egypt RAFAH He followed Egyptian nationalist to independence in the 1950s. He A Border Crossing divides Egyptian leader Nasser's pan-Arabism, and is remembered for his ambitious and Palestinian-controlled Rafah, supported the PLO. In 1986 US attempt to modernize Egypt, built by the Israeli and Egyptian President Reagan bombed Libya, maintain its independence from the governments in 1982. They have killing 40 people. ALGERIA US and the Soviet union and create kept it closed since Hamas’ election In 2003 the US needed allies in TANGIER Algeria was annexed by France in a secular Arab empire in northern victory in order to undermine Hamas. the Arab world and Gaddafi was 1834. Nationalist resistance grew and Africa and the Middle East. He On January 23, 2008 gunmen let in from the cold. Overnight he in 1954 the National Liberation Front Peace: "For this to last, shouldn't challenged British, French and Israeli demolished the wall dividing became the west’s favourite Arab was formed and began a guerrilla forces for control of the Suez Canal, the city and several hundred dictator. we invite Justice?" war, moving into urban areas and nationalizing it in 1956. Despite thousand Gazans entered Egypt to also striking targets in France. French Symbols of support suffering defeat by Israel in 1956 purchasesupplies. The Egyptians efforts to repress the resistance in the Sinai Peninsula, and being subsequently re-sealed the border, proved unsuccessful, and the French humiliated in the 1967 Six Day War with only a brief respite at the height government itself was destabilised, Nasser nonetheless remained a hero of the Israeli bombing. eventually signing the Evian accords in the Arab world. for a ceasefire in 1962. In July 1962 Algerians voted overwhelmingly for Rob Marsden has produced a range independence. of badges as a fundraiser. 5p from each badge sold will go to the aid convoy. BENGHAZI GAZA Go to: tinyurl.com/bk4mha or email Rob at: [email protected] CAIRO

Text: John Lister & Alastair Stephens Graphic: Mark Butcher

Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community Trade Unionism Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community Trade Unionism

08-09.indd 8-9 10/2/09 06:08:28 10 TheRespectPaper February 2009 Picture: Richard Searle

The Convention of the Left made a start at bringing together Left wing groups A People’s Charter Brian Caton is General Secretary of the Prison was well attended, and I was proud and hon- The political parties of the left should no However, I now believe that this is too Officers’ Association, the TUC-affiliated oured to be present to put forward my view longer continue the internal battles with each little too late! union that has stood at the forefront of the and that of many of my members on the vac- other. 90% of our philosophies and beliefs We need to rally together all political par- fi ght to repeal the anti-trade union laws. uum that currently exists within the working are exactly the same. ties as soon as possible, for those parties to Brian was among the speakers at a con- class movement, and the need to take positive So why should we continue to argue about march under the same banner for a social- ference convened on January 10 by the RMT action to put right these problems. the 10%, whilst the capitalist major parties ist revival. union on the crisis in political representa- Delegates at this conference and all speak- remain in power? We might not wish to be in the same tion within the working class movement. ers recognised the difficulties facing the A People’s Charter may well be a good bed, but we do need to be in the same The Respect Paper invited him to share working class, at this time of severe fi nan- start, but it is not the answer. The answer in room to win for working people in this his thoughts after that discussion. cial diffi culties caused by all major political bringing all the left parties together for the big country. parties embedding themselves into the roots fi ght against capitalism and those who use it Please support socialism and let us come I would like to fi rstly thank the RMT union of capitalism, which is destroying the lives against the best interests of working people. together immediately to beat the scourge of for having the foresight to publicly recog- of so many innocent people caught up in the I made clear at the conference that I capitalism for working people as citizens of nise at their Annual Conference, the need to economic crisis impregnated into fi nancial would seek to bring the left political group- the world. begin the necessary debate on working class institutions both at home and abroad. ings together at the POA’s 70th Anniversary BRIAN CATON, politics within our country. Capitalism is the cause, socialism is the Conference to be held at Southport on May General Secretary The Conference on Saturday January 10, answer. 12–15 2009. Prison O cers Association

JERRY HICKS is the Left wing candidate for General Secretary of Unite and a member of Respect’s national

council. He spoke to The Respect Paper about his campain. Picture: Richard Searle

few weeks ago it would more than 25 years ago. But have been a flight of Simpson and co have done nothing fancy to talk about me, We have to allow the to press Blair or Brown to repeal as the left-wing chal- branches, the shop these laws: their acquiescence sug- lenger,A winning this election: but gests they are happy to leave them now it does not seem anywhere stewards committees, in place as an obstacle to workers near as far-fetched. and sector committees fi ghting for their jobs and living One thing that has helped to standards. It is a scandal that one Unite members on the picket line. focus on this contest has been the to shape the policies. of the top-paid positions in our spectacle of our union, the largest in union is the legal advisor who tells But what I do say is we have Labour Party funds. the country, reduced to the role of us what we can’t do because of the to allow the branches, the shop I support the principle of pub- passive spectator in the face of the anti-union laws. stewards committees, and sector lic ownership – but the biggest huge crisis that has engulfed the collapse, threatening the jobs of The democracy of the Lindsey committees to shape the policies: threat to the public sector right economy. our members. Oil Refi nery strike - with voting the job of the union at national now is New Labour’s privatisation, Derek Simpson, the present And when union members at at mass meetings by show of hands level would be to fi nd ways to fi ght and of course the Private Finance general secretary, who was once the Lindsey refinery confronted – was quite lawful and legitimate for these policies, not fi ght against Initiative, which has long been portrayed in the media as one of the employers, our union was again until Thatcher’s laws came in: it them. For the same reason I am in opposed by the TUC. the so-called “awkward squad” reduced to bystander status, deny- should be legitimate again. favour of the election of offi cials A vote for me would give a man- of union leaders, and described ing any involvement and insisting it This is the alternative approach throughout the union, to make date to fight for root and branch himself as a “migraine” for the was unoffi cial. There was just one I am offering Unite members. We them accountable to the members change in the union, to put the mem- government, has emerged as a Unite banner at a demonstration of need to restore an active democ- rather than the general secretary. bers in charge, and their interests at die-hard apologist for Gordon 1,000 workers: the lack of union racy, in which the members are The other main plank of my the top of the union’s agenda.” Brown. banners and placards left the fi eld given control of the union. I am campaign is in defence of politi- Ballot papers for the election As a result our union has con- open for those saying “British Jobs from the aerospace sector of the cal independence of the union. I will be sent out on February 16. tinued pumping funds into New For British Workers”. union, and I don’t claim to have a believe we should only support Voting will close on March 6. Labour, and said little or nothing Of course that strike was unlaw- fi nished blueprint of policies for MPs who support the policies More details of Jerry’s campaign: to challenge ministers, as the econ- ful under the anti-union laws the fi nance sector, health, the car of the union, and we must stop http://jerryhicks.wordpress. omy and manufacturing industry imposed by the Tory government industry or the print. pouring millions uncritically into com/about/ Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community Trade Unionism

10-11.indd 10 10/2/09 04:04:52 [email protected] 11 www.respectrenewal.org Exhibition Title in here The Art of Black Power

The symbols of the Black Panther Party people were in rebellion against the war and have become part of our cultural back- the black inner cites burned in a series of ground. A recent cringe-worthy advert uprisings which had to be put down by the for Virgin TV was a particularly sicken- National Guard. ing example of how the imagery of Black The Panthers were part of this and Power and revolution have been absorbed became more radical. Declaring themselves and abused by the mainstream. for revolution, they soon attracted the sup- Its was with relief then that I found port of half of the county’s black youth. within the Urbis’ exhibition of the art of The establishment were terrifi ed. The Emory Douglas, the onetime ‘Minister of FBI described the Black Panthers as “the Culture’ of the party, that his art retains greatest threat to the internal security of the the power to shock. country” launching a massive programme Stylised fi gures brandishing guns against of repression. Dozens of the Panthers’ lead- depictions of police as ugly pig creatures, ers were assassinated and hundreds were driving those oppressive pigs out of their jailed. neighbourhoods. Stark images with thick black lines and thick black lips, an embrac- ing celebration of the Africanness, the His work was not created for difference, for which black American’s have been oppressed – mirrored in the party’s galleries but for the party’s adoptions of the afro hairstyle as symbol paper as part of the arsenal of their unity. The notion embedded in his work of of weapons in the fight to having “no hang up’s about revolutionary educate people into action. violence” is one that forces the viewer to challenge many notions which depictions of those, like Martin Luther King, now fully lionised by the establishment, do not. Emory rejects the notion of Art for Art’s The exhibition sets out not just to show sake and talks instead of ‘art for peoples’ Emory’s work in isolation but to place it sake’. His work was not created for galler- within the context of the time. ies but rather for the party’s paper as part of the arsenal of weapons in the fi ght to edu- CIVIL RIGHTS cate the people into action. The sixties in the US had started with a As Bobbie Searle (another leading Civil Rights movement fi ghting the rac- member) is quoted as saying “We under- ist segregation laws in the southern states stood that good visuals are part of how we that relegated blacks to second class citi- can successfully command and capture the zens. But the struggle spread to the north imagination of the people”. The exhibition where in theory African Americans had brilliantly highlights this emphasis on edu- equal rights, but in practice were still sec- cation with a space full of school desks and ond class citizens. literature giving the visitor the essen- They lived in the worst housing, were tial background information. There paid the lowest wages and were constantly are also many video installations, harassed by “the pigs”, racist cops. giving you the chance to learn It was to combat such harassment and more. oppression that in 1966 the Black Panther Also impressive was the Party for Self Defence was formed. positive role that women were As the sixties ended the US was in tur- given in the depictions, not moil. It was losing the war in Vietnam, as helpless victims but rather and the army was starting to fall apart as as activists. Equally armed as ABOVE: Emory Douglas’ poster from The Black Panther, 1969, “Afro-American soldiers refused to fi ght, millions of young the men and equally willing to solidarity with the oppressed people of the world”. LEFT: Party badge.

fi ght violence with violence. forgotten that massive social change is the The fact that oppressed peo- ultimate goal. Theatre Seven Jewish Children – a Play for Gaza ple from around the world are depicted as The extreme state sanctioned prejudice that having a common cause, gives lie to any led to the Black Panther movement may have Playwrite Caryl Churchill has written a people there. Everyone knows about notion that this art only concerns one eth- softened and with a black President newly short ten-minute play in response to the Gaza, everyone is upset about it, and nic group. elected it might be thought that this art rep- attacks on Gaza. this play is something they could come I did fi nd it slightly disappointing that resents the past. This would be a mistake. Churchill is perhaps best known for to.” The Royal Court has produced and the audience when I attended was lacking Racism remains, as does class oppression her play Top Girls which features a dinner staged the play and tickets are free. in black faces. I also found myself under (as can be seen in the rest of our paper). party attended by famous and impor- After each performance there will be whelmed by Emory’s more recent work. Emory’s images are still calls to fi ght back. tant women from across history. a collection for the charity Medical Aid He seems to have lost his radical edge - no There is a chance at the end of the exhibi- She describes this new play as for Palestinians. doubt connected to his party’s move away tion to express your views on blackboards. “a political event, not just a theatre She also plans to o er the play text from confrontation of the state towards My partner took this as a chance to call for event.” as a free download and has said: “any- provision of a “survival programme” and us to fi ght racism in the here and now by She was so appalled by what Israel one can perform it without acquiring the break up in the early 1980’s. campaigning against the BNP. The strug- was doing to Gaza she wanted to act rights, as long as they do a collection for The brilliant work they did helping the gle continues. quickly and the play went from page to people in Gaza at the end of it.” most poor in the black neighbourhoods The exhibition is on till until 19 April 09 stage in two weeks. 6th–21st February at The Royal Court was no doubt worthwhile – people did and is free so defi nately catch it if you can. She says: “… it’s a way of helping the go to: tinyurl.com/b8s6o7 indeed need to survive pending the revo- Jospeh Kisolo, lution. However, Emory now seems to have Manchester Respect Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community Trade Unionism

10-11.indd 11 10/2/09 06:41:15 12 TheRespectPaper February 2009 Your Respect Send your stories and pictures to us at [email protected]

World Economic Forum Tamworth Victory for school campaign

Parents, teachers and pupils in Tamworth have been celebrating after months of intensive campaigning paid off. Staffordshire County Council have now backed away from controversial plans to close one of

the town’s five high schools, the Queen Elizabeth’s Picture: Rob Marsden Mercian School. This was one of a series of proposals for re-modelling education in the town in order to secure £100 million of “Building Schools for the Future” funding. Hands Off Tamworth Schools (HOTS) campaign Left to Right: Fernando Lugo, Evo Morales, Lula, Rafael Correa and Hugo Chávez. group has run a very high profile campaign against the proposals, and has gained a huge amount of press cov- Call for 21st Century Socialism erage. This culminated in a 200 strong demonstration through the town. Respect National Council member Evo Morales. “Here in the WSF a Closing QEMS was extremely unpopular and DIANA RABY reports from the different world is gathered togeth- HOTS has made sure that the Council knew that that World Social Forum. er, a world which is not resigned to they would pay a high political price for doing so. its fate, which wants to put an end However, the County Council still intends to turn Even the very youngest joined the campaign. You’ve no doubt heard of the World to the injustice of the foreign debt, Woodhouse School into a privately run Academy and Economic Forum which meets every which wants peace and not impe- remove Sixth Forms from all the other schools and will continue and we will now focus sharply on the year in Davos, a luxury Swiss skiing rialist interventionism…” replace them with a Sixth Form college run by the negative impact on our schools of losing their Sixth resort. It’s where the “great and good” “Socialism is the only way to save Academy. Forms and on the real implications of privately man- of world capitalism get together to the planet”, said Hugo Chávez, as Campaign secretary Julie Morgan added “We are aged Academies- issues the County Council failed to slap each others’ backs and tell the he called on the WSF to “move on disappointed about the decision to keep an Academy and address during the consultation period.” rest of us what to do. to the offensive”. for it to run the Sixth Form provision. Our campaign Rob Marsden But you may not have heard of “In Ecuador”, announced Rafael the World Social Forum (WSF), a Correa, “we have decided to resist very different gathering which has neoliberalism and to break with that Redbridge Unison been meeting every year since 2001 model of development”. Instead he at the same time as the Davos get- too defended “socialism of the 21st together. The WSF brings together century”. Defend Yunus representatives of grass-roots social Yunus Bakhsh is a long-time black movements from many different other world socialist, trade unionist and health countries, to talk about their strug- Fernando Lugo, a Catholic bishop worker in Newcastle upon Tyne. gles for justice and share visions of identified with liberation theology He was suspended in September a better world. and with the indigenous majority in 2006 following anonymous com- This year the World Social Forum Paraguay, insisted that “the struggle plaints about his trade union activity took place in Belém, Brazil. Several of the social movements is the real against him and later sacked. thousand delegates of trade unions, base of support which will guaran- Rather than get support from his peasant and farmers’ associations, tee change in our region”. union, UNISON, he was attacked indigenous peoples, women’s move- And finally, Lula – the former by them. In January 2007 he was ments, anti-war and environmental labour leader who has been President suspended from office in the union groups, students, LGBT activists of Brazil for five years and who is and subsequently expelled. and every type of popular move- viewed by many as a disappoint- Yunus, who had always been ment imaginable, gathered to debate ment – recognised that not only is Abdurahman Jafar on the campaign trail. very visibly involved in anti-fascist the way forward, with the slogan another world possible, “it is neces- activity, had always suspected that “Another World Is Possible”. sary and indispensable to search for racism had been part of the motiva- Traditionally the WSF has been that other world”. Lula has recently A realistic result for the tion for the attacks on him. very distrustful of politicians of gone out of his way to defend his Over recent weeks it has become any stripe, even those of the radi- more radical neighbours, Chávez ‘new party on the block’ clear that the BNP were involved in cal Left. But what is happening now and Evo Morales, in a way which the whole process. Their local web- in Latin America, with progressive suggests that he would have liked We opened the new year with the chairperson), Abdul Khaliq (branch site reveals that they knew many governments in several countries to implement more radical popular formation of the Redbridge branch vice-chair), Nick, Will, Steph, Paul, details of the case against Yunus nationalising key industries, promot- programmes if it were not for the of Respect with a view to contesting Terry, Patrick, Sean, and others too before he did himself. ing worker cooperatives, distributing strength of the Brazilian bourgeois the local by-election in Valentines numerous too mention Kerry Cafferty, who gave evi- land to poor peasants and publicly elite which prevents this. ward on January 29th, 2009. The Valentines ward by-election dence against Yunus, was spotted attacking US policy and the capi- And it was also Lula who pro- Election day went well. We was held on Thursday 29 January on Facebook as a member of sever- talist system, has made the activists claimed, with reference to the gained 112 votest (4.3%). We’ve only 2009. al deeply racist groups. Following a think again. current international economic been together for about 4 weeks and The results were as follows: storm of protest she resigned from This time the WSF invited pro- collapse, “the poor will not pay for conducted one weekend of leaflet- Abdurahman Jafar – Respect the union on January 12. However gressive Latin American presidents this crisis”. Chávez also has recent- ing and a political hustings.We ran Party – Votes cast: 112 her husband Peter Cafferty, who also to attend, and five of them did so. In ly declared that he will not save a paper campaign and being the new Surinder Pahl – Labour Party - gave evidence against Yunus remains a panel discussion before thousands Venezuelan bankers if their busi- party on the block it was a realistic Votes cast: 756 a prominent member of the union. of WSF delegates, they declared nesses fail, rather his priority will result. We can take the positives out Shoaib Patel – Liberal Democrat Twelve members of UNISON’s their commitment to building a be to protect the people. of this and start to build our party in Party – Votes cast: 963 – Elected Executive committee have sent new world. What a contrast to the mealy- the borough for the 2010 elections. Ikram Wahid – Conservative a letter supporting Yunus and “If the peoples of the world are mouthed blatherings of our own A big thank you to everyone Party – Votes cast: 781 demanding “a thoroughly inde- not capable of burying capitalism, politicians! And what an inspiration who turned out: Abdurahman The turnout for the by-election pendent and impartial investigation capitalism will bury the planet for those of us who seek to build a Jafar (candidate), Amjad Ali (elec- was: 29.7% into what has happened”. Earth”, declared Bolivian President real alternative! tion agent), Anne Davies (branch Amjad Ali [email protected] Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community Trade Unionism

12_13.indd 12 10/2/09 05:54:45 [email protected] 13 www.respectrenewal.org

Concillor Abjol Miah Time to act on housing

I want to begin this month’s column with two quotes. refurbish the existing stock. That particular chicken is well “The challenges facing us are enormous. We have over and truly home and roosting. Most RSLs are now in deep 23,000 households on the Common Housing Register. Many trouble as their business plans depended on a buoyant priva- of our existing residents continue to live in temporary or sub- te housing market. standard housing. Unacceptably high levels of overcrowding At our February full council meeting, we have petitioners continue to blight our children’s health, education and well- form no less than four RSLs in Tower Hamlets complaining being. And despite house prices falling, few of the homes about the appalling standard of provision and lack of accoun- available for sale are affordable to people seeking to buy their tability in their RSLs and supporting their return to council fi rst home.” ownership and control. Everyone in New Labour who sold “If local authorities can convince us that they can deli- stock transfer to desperate council tenants should be utterly ver quickly - and cost-effectively - more of the housing that ashamed of themselves. Britain needs, and if local authorities can build social housing in sustainable communities that meets the aspirations of the ADRIAN SWAIN British people in the 21st century, then we will be prepared I am sorry to report that Adrian Swain, the teacher who was to give them our full backing and put aside anything that sacked for refusing an order to change the kind of footwear stands in their way.” he had been wearing to school for at least 17 years, has still The fi rst is from a letter launching a consultation on not been resolved. In fact the problem appears to have got housing from Tower Hamlets Council. It says all you need worse. to know about New Labour’s failure. They have now been The all white body which last September replaced the in control of Tower Hamlets council for 15 years, 12 of them board of governors of the troubled St Paul’s Way Community with a Labour government. And yet the housing situation school at which Adrian taught for so many years has now pro- Cllr Miah and George Galloway MP on the streets of Tower Hamlets. is a disaster. posed a formal dress code. Only one other school in Tower The second is from Gordon Brown towards the end of Hamlets has such a thing. This would give relatively inex- attention they deserve and a decision no longer to brand these January. In a nutshell he has explained why the housing perienced line managers the power to discipline teachers schools as “failing” as this is almost sure to ensure they do fail situation is a disaster. There has been hardly a council house who in their judgement had dressed “immodestly” amongst as parents seek to remove their children to other schools. built in the last 25 years and the stock that existed 25 years other things. Instead Adrian is still sacked and the school is threatened ago has been massively eroded by right to buy and lack of There is a simple philosophy underpinning this nonsense. with redundancies because of an historic budget defi cit built investment. It is that the teachers need some Victorian Values, the better up under a previous headmaster. New Labour did have a cracking idea about addressing to impart them to their wayward pupils. I hope the union, which is to be “consulted” over the dress this problem and that was to hand over billions of pounds What the pupils actually need at St Paul’s are dedicated code, refuses to agree it and takes whatever action is necessary of public assets to various so-called registered social land- teachers like Adrian, an increase in resources so there are the to get Adrian’s job back and save the jobs of others threate- lords (RSLs) and subsidise them to boot to build homes and pupil/teacher ratios that will enable troubled pupils to get the ned at St Paul’s.

Gregor Gall, Professor of Industrial Relations What became of the ‘Awkward Squad’?

At the beginning of the 2000s, a raft of situation: workers must not be forced to pay new, younger union leaders were elected for a recession not of their own making. by members that were decidedly critical of But even though these unions have ‘new’ Labour and hostile to partnership with remained true to being ‘awkward’, the

employers. Picture: Andrew Wiard whole union movement has been held back So it wasn’t just that there were not the by the biggest unions - Unite, Unison and same as the incumbents: it was also that the GMB. they offered something different, some- With over half over half of all union thing more radical. members in these three unions, what these Quite rightly, some members got excit- unions do or do not is very important, either ed about the prospects for a general union individually or collectively. fi ghtback against neo-liberalism and ‘new’ The fi ght on public sector pay over the Labour. last few years has been decided by Unison One of the new leaders, Derek Simpson, more than any other union. And, because of of Amicus even promised to give Tony Blair Unison’s action, it has not been a success- ‘a fucking migraine’. ful outcome. But some fi ve or more years on, where And when Blair stood down, it was the are they now and what happened to the unions like Unite and the GMB that ensured promises? there was no contest. They allowed Brown to Well, after the continuing neo-liberalism Bob Crow and Mark Serwotka have kept the faith of being ‘awkward’. be coronated and have since been his great- attacking public services and now a reces- est supporters. sion which the culprits want workers to pay to get Labour re-elected and nothing else. repaid – its membership has grown by over Union members overall need to do all they for, working people need an awkward squad Others like Bob Crow of the RMT a fi fth since Bob Crow became leader. can to help those union members inside the more than ever. rail union, Matt Wrack of the fi refi ghters’ Until huge recent redundancies, the GMB, Unite and Unison who want a more But a quick balance sheet calculation union and Mark Serwotka of the Public and same could be said of the PCS as a result robust response to government and employ- shows that some of the awkward squad Commercial Services (PCS) union can right- of holding a large number of national and ers from their unions. become members of the obsequious squad, ly say they’ve kept the faith of being awkward. group-wide strikes. Ultimately, this will make the action of that is, sycophants of Brown (and we know So they’ve stood up, criticised and mobilised Its general secretary, Mark Serwotka, unions like RMT, FBU and PCS more effec- Brown is essentially no different to Blair). against employers and government. has come up with the pithy statements that tive in developing a radical response across Amongst these would probably be one The difference is that they’ve been pre- ‘workers are the victims of infl ation, not the whole of the union movement. Never Derek Simpson. At a TUC general coun- pared to lead their members in struggle and its causes’ and ‘’new’ Labour cannot be as has there been a time when we could more cil meeting last summer, when all other support them when they wanted to struggle, good as it gets’. In so doing, he has helped scarcely do without such a response. members were discussing what progressive not just mouth the off criticism on Radio 4. popularise the idea of resistance – not blind demands to put upon the government (in the The RMT has stood up to the privateers loyalty – to Labour. GREGOR GALL is Professor of form of a Warwick 2 agreement), he inter- on our railways by organising countless strike Crow, Serwotka and Wrack have now Industrial Relations at the Univeristy of rupted them and said it was the unions’ duty ballots and strikes. It has been handsomely rightly changed their message to fi t the new Hertfordshire. Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community Trade Unionism

12_13.indd 13 10/2/09 05:55:05 14 TheRespectPaper February 2009  Letters Send yours by email to: [email protected]  or post to: Respect, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU NO2ID We are all The government is trying to remove all limits on the use of our private information by offi cials. This means taking Palestinians your information from anywhere and passing it anywhere they On Saturday 10th of January “free, free Palestine, occupation like - including medical records, I went on a protest in London is a crime” and “we are all fi nancial records, communications to stop the ruthless attacks Palestinians now”. data, ID information. on the people of Gaza. They On Monday I went back to The Database State is now a have bombed schools and school and explained where I was direct threat, not a theory. towns, killing over 800 people, that Saturday to my classmates. Clause 152 of the Coroners approximately 300 of these were When I told them of the plight and Justice Bill, fi rst debated children. Children just like me of the children in Gaza they were in the Commons on Monday and my friends. horrifi ed and appalled. I was 26th January, would convert We went on a protest outside surprised to discover that many the Data Protection Act into its the Israeli embassy in London. of my friends were protected exact opposite. It would allow There were over a hundred from the horrors of Gaza by their ministers to make ‘Information thousand people who had parents. It’s a strange world when Sharing Orders’, that can alter any travelled long distances to get it’s OK to blow some children Act of Parliament and cancel all there. There were people from to bits but wrong to tell other rules of confi dentiality to allow London, Weymouth, Portland children about it. information obtained for one some were from Palestine. My wish is that the Israeli will purpose to be used for another. There were Respect placards, government stop committing this This single clause is as grave a leafl ets and postcards to give to crime against the Palestinians threat to privacy as the entire ID the passers by. and that the children in Gaza Scheme. Politicians made speeches to and Palestine are set free from The Bill will be up for fi nal support the people of Gaza in oppression and war. approval in early March. Let their trouble and to tell everyone They must be accorded the your anyone who might share our of the diffi culties they face. same rights and freedom from concerns know that the battle for There were bands playing fear as me. their privacy is happening NOW. on the march and drummers I am a Palestinian too. The more people we reach, the who made a beat while people We all are. more we hope will act. Kirsty marching for the children of Gaza. shouted out slogans such as KIRSTY PARKES, Aged 11 PHIL BOOTH, NO2ID Construction worker strikes: why a new leadership is needed The recent walk outs and large corporations that have ran scale all in the name of lowering for fi rstly the abolition of the UK's biggest unions UNITE. sympathy strikes of refi nery out of control. When Jon Crudass costs. The people who suffer are laws which allow employers to The struggles across Europe at and energy workers across the (Labour MP for Dagenham) says, workers who see wages fall as pay workers less in different the moment against the 'austerity' country to support the workers 'British and European labour companies can register in countries countries. Second must be to look measures of various governments at Total's Lindsey oil refi nery market policies have centred on where labour laws are lax and so to strengthen the Trade unions illustrate workers will not take illustrate the deep desperation of the drive for fl exibility' then we pay less in wages and little and across Europe but especially here this recession laying down, the many workers across not just the see the result at Lindsey. This sometimes no other benefi ts like in the UK where unions leaders job of Respect must be to support UK but worldwide at the current Labour government has signed pensions, sick and holiday pay. don't refl ect the opinions and anger workers fi ghting back but make recession. The target of British up to European laws which allow The answer to this attack on of their members. A vital step in sure the real criminals are targeted workers frustration should not the employers to use short-term workers wages and terms and that direction is to support the not are fellow workers. be the workers from Portugal or contracts, subcontracting and self- conditions must be to protest, candidacy of Jerry Hicks to become DEREK FRASER Italy but the free markets and employed workers on a increasing organize and if necessary strike the General Secretary of one of the Manchester Respect

Rabsweed the Vampire frog by Cal

Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment Community Trade Unionism

14-15.indd 14 10/2/09 03:58:56 What we stand for Nick Wrack Respect National Secretary It’s workers who are made to pay

The historic connection between yet another trade union and the Labour Party is under threat as a result of New Labour’s plans to forge ahead with the privatisation of Royal Mail. The postal workers’ CWU union leader Billy Hayes has warned that government plans to sell off Royal Mail are “a defining moment in the relationship between the unions and the govern- ment. The relationship will be severely strained towards breaking point.” A large number of the union’s 250,000 members have long ques- tioned why their union pays money to the Labour Party when the government has repeatedly attacked their pay and conditions. The CWU has an agreed policy to ballot members on disaffilia- Jobs and homes for all. tion should privatisation of Royal Mail take place. Good quality services; an end to New Labour is no friend of postal workers. all privatisation and the bringing One of Peter (Lord) Mandelson’s first statements on his appoint- into democratic public ownership ment as government Business Secretary was to stress his commitment of the railways and other public to sell off a chunk of Royal Mail to the private sector. services such as fuel, water and Royal Mail is planning to cut 16,000 jobs, or one in ten of the care for the elderly. workforce, to get it ‘fitter’ for privatisation. Planned cuts don’t ex- tend to Royal Mail chief executive who earns £3 million a year. A free, comprehensive education Around 2,500 post offices are closing, with thousands more to system that gives an equal chance follow. in life to every child, no matter So the CWU might join the RMT, which was expelled from how wealthy or poor their parents, the Labour Party in 2004, and the FBU, which disaffiliated in from nursery to university. the same year following its bitter dispute with the New Labour A publicly owned, fully funded, government. democratically controlled NHS, Respect is committed to working together with others who want free to all users. to build a new left-wing party to challenge the pro-business poli-

A decent life in retirement; cies of New Labour. Graphic: Mark Butcher pensions linked to average I hope that postal workers will ensure that the conference policy Uk economy is “falling o a cli ” – Bank of England. earnings. to ballot is turned into a resounding decision to disaffiliate, so that postal workers can join with others in building a new party to rep- Recent events, including the Convention of the Left and the RMT Raising the minimum wage to resent working-class people. conference on working-class political representation have been useful the European Union Decency in showing that the left can discuss and debate our shared goals. threshold of £8 an hour. POLITICAL VOICE NEEDED The meeting on the Lindsey strike called jointly by the Socialist Taxing the rich and big business to The Bank of England says the UK economy is “falling off a cliff”. Party and Respect (see page 5) is an example of how the left can fund welfare and public services. Every day thousands of job losses are announced. When the econo- work together in a constructive way. The repeal of the anti-union my goes into free-fall, it’s workers who are made to pay – unless they The Peoples’ Charter for Change will play a significant role laws, which prevent workers fight back. in bringing large numbers together in defence of working-class from protecting their jobs and The steps taken by the Lindsey Oil Refinery workers show the living standards and public services. Sponsored by RMT leader conditions effectively. way. Any attempts to cut jobs or pay and conditions should be met Bob Crow, FBU leader Matt Wrack and left-wing Labour MP John with a swift and determined response. McDonnell, it looks set to get huge support. The Respect Party Opposition to all forms of The threats to sell off Royal Mail should be answered in the National Committee has backed it unanimously. It will be launched discrimination based on race, same way. publicly in Parliament on 11 March. gender, ethnicity, religious But, in addition to militant action to protect jobs and pay, workers All of this practical co-operation on jobs and services needs to be beliefs (or lack of them), sexual need a political voice, a party to represent their interests. turned into political collaboration at elections, so that there is an orientation, disabilities, national For far too long, the left in Britain has remained fragmented. In effective left-wing challenge to New Labour. origin or citizenship. the face of the deepening recession it is imperative that the left finds Working-class people need a new party. Respect wants to work The defence of the rights of ways of working together. with everyone else on the left to make it a reality. refugees and asylum seekers. Opposition to the European Union’s ‘Fortress Europe’ policies.

Exhibition Opposition to the European Darwin: the Big Idea e t i n U The Origin of Species and Union’s neo-liberal policies of t h g i f The Convention of the Left brought together left wing and progressive groups for a week of ✁ debates and ideas. Greece: John nicholson, convenor of the organising An eyew it n ess rep o r t group, looks forward to the recall conference “You burn our future, and how we can build on a great start… Welcome to 2009 privatisation and ‘social dumping’ Like what you read? During 2008 the government poured billions into the banks. But what about saving jobs? we burn your present.” As 2009 begins we look at the effect of the credit crunch on public services and industry and bring you an eyewitness report of the first revolt against the global economic crisis. U n i Ty iS S T R E n g Th

2009 starts with the world in the grip of a major economic crisis and thousands of jobs in danger. which aims to drive down pay Respect's national Secretary, nick Wrack, argues it's now vital for the British Left to unite. New Labour gets tough with Help us spread the word: take a bundle each month to T ht o mse vo usn t l e ar be l Hospital service under strain and working conditions across D V D Return to Palestine Life in the West Bank Obituary George Galloway M p Harold Pinter I s t h i s t h e e n d o f t h e r o a d f o r t h e c a r i n d u s t r y ? sell to people at work, friends or neighbours. Or even Gaza is today’s Warsaw Ghetto Europe in the interest of business. George Galloway Government is complicit in Gaza s al u g h te r . Salma Yaqoob Young Muslims are leading the protests. Peace Abjol Miah Justice Fighting for Respect No to xenophobia. to give away free. T h e R e s p e c t P a p e r Equalityin 2009.

The monthly newspaper of Respect Issue 9 januaRy 2009 80p

Respect Equality Socialism Peace Environment CommunityF re eP a el snt i e An end to the wars and George Galloway T rade Unionism Salma Yaqoob to come over two lines like this Nick Wrack and so on. to come over two lines like this and so on. to come and make reference to the article on page 16 Peace Justice Equality

occupations of Iraq and T h e R e s p esalma c tyaqoob Pa p e r A deep anger is growing The monThly newspaper of respecT Issue 10 february 2009 80p

Our governments wring A lifeline from Britain to t h e ir h a n d s , is s u e Gazaw e a k a n d in a d e q u a te Afghanistan. We will not support calls for restraint, and Viva Palestina convoy hits the roads h a m e f u l y e q u a t e t h e v ic t im s w it h t h e Subscribe to c rmi ni a sl . any imperialist wars.

Respect Equality Support for the people of TheRespectPaper Socialism Peace vironmentEn Community Stop Trade Unionism the killing Movement grows against slaughter in Palestine, pages 2–5

Palestine and opposition to The Viva Palestinia convoy has captured the imagination of thousands of people who are determined to fight for justice for the people of Palestine. All their support, both material and political has the apartheid system that Get a bundle of 7 papers delivered to your door for just £4 per month, been overwhelming. oppresses them. or £20 for six months. Single copies £1 per month. to come An end to the destruction of the environment by states and corporations for whom profi t is Please send me 7 copies for £4 6 months x 7 copies for £20 a single copy each month for £12 a year more important than sustaining the natural world on which all Name ...... email ...... life depends. We want a world in which the Address ...... democratic demands of the people are carried out; a world ...... Postcode ...... based on need not profi t; a world Make cheque payable to Respect Renewal Conference. Post to Respect, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU where solidarity rather than self- interest is the spirit of the age.

14-15.indd 15 10/2/09 03:59:27 Viva Palestina A lifeline from Britain to Gaza – the aid convoy rolls out Pages 1, 6 and 7 & map of the route centre pages. TheRespectPaperPeace Justice Equality FIGHTING FOR ALL WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE Strike action brings victory Nick Wrack, Respect national secretary, on the wave of unofficial strike action. Respect calls for the anti-union laws A thousand construction workers construction trade unions on the have taken unoffi cial strike action continent. Their demands were far to be repealed. and won. from xenophobic. Workers at the Lindsey Oil It was a strike to defend nation- Refi nery in Lincolnshire walked off ally agreed terms and conditions of the job towards the end of January employment against attempts by employment terms. In its most and stayed out for over a week until bosses to undermine them. recent Luxembourg judgment, the their demands were met. ECJ has even placed restrictions Thousands of workers from more BOSSES’ EUROPE on the minimum social conditions than twenty other sites across the Across Europe and the rest of the that can be enforced in contracts UK came struck in solidarity with world, bosses seek to fi nd the cheap- through national legislation by a them. est labour to maximise their profi ts. member state’s elected government. The strikes were condemned The European ‘posted’ worker leg- Workers in the UK and other coun- by New Labour Prime Minister islation, which is supported by the tries are increasingly clear that the Gordon Brown and his col- New Labour government, allows solution to such Victorian thinking league Business Secretary Lord companies to employ workers from is a root-and-branch political chal- Mandelson. Respect backed the one country in another country at lenge to the supremacy of the ECJ, dispute from the start. lower rates of pay and on worse con- not tinkering with EU competition The media have wrongly referred ditions than workers in the same laws such as the posting of work- to this dispute as being against for- industry in the country they’ve gone ers directive.” eign workers. It was not. to work in. Worse, industrial action The dispute has tremendous sig- Whilst the press and even sec- to prevent this happening by work- nifi cance for all workers. This was tions of the left concentrated on ers who will see their conditions the fi rst serious industrial action workers holding placards with undermined is illegal. by workers in Britain in a period of the slogan ‘British jobs for British As rail and maritime union developing recession. And it won. workers’ they ignored the real issues RMT leader Bob Crow says in The strike was unofficial, behind the strike. a letter to the Guardian (6 Feb called and organised by the work- As Keith Gibson, a member of the 2009), “European court of Justice ers themselves in defi ance of the LOR strike committee explains (see decisions in the Viking and Laval anti-trade union laws introduced pages 4&5), “This strike was noth- cases determine that workers are by Tory prime minister Margaret Braving the cold workers at Lindsey. ing to do with race or nationality”. forbidden by EU law from tak- Thatcher and retained by New The strikers called for all work- ing collective action to stop social Labour under both Tony Blair and illegal. Despite this, the bosses union legislation, which outlaws ers to be covered by NAECI (the dumping; and in the Rüffert now Gordon Brown. These laws were powerless to stop the strikes effective industrial action, to be industry national agreement); for case, the ECJ explicitly placed make walk-outs such as these ille- and feared that if they took legal repealed. all immigrant labour to be union- restrictions on public authorities gal, even if backed by every single action it would only provoke more We say: jobs for all, repeal the ised and given assistance - including awarding procurement contracts worker. They also make any strike extensive strike action. anti-union legislation, no to the interpreters; and to build links with including enforceable collective in solidarity with other workers Respect calls for the anti- EU’s ‘social dumping’. ✁ Name of Bank ...... Are you ready for ? Address of Bank ...... Join us today for just £10! ...... Post code...... Name ...... Address ...... Account holder’s name ...... Postcode ...... Acc No. Sort code Phone No...... Mobile ...... please pay natwest, temple branch, PO box 10720, 217 strand, london WC2R 1AL Email ...... sort code 60-80-08, for the credit of the respect renewal conference account no. 60601051 the sum of the value indicated above. I want to join: Membership fee £10 I also want to take out a monthly standing

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Published by Respect, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU The views expressed by named authors do not necessarily represent the views of Respect. Every effort has been made to contact the copyright holders of images used in this publication. Printed by Web Press International, London

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