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Communists and the Labour Party

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Communists and the Labour Party FILE , I cnpv National ~ Left·Wing Movement Islington Poland NUM Middle East ::.;:~:;:;:;:;::::::::::::::::::::::::::~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:;:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~::::::::;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:;:;~~~~~: THE HEALTH Smash,the anti-union laws. Al.-MOST FIVE MONTHS after workers against the Tories. Miners, Bill 't~e designed to destroy. Effective he firSt stoppage during the dockers and, of cour,se, tile Fleet St. working class action is ,to be made totally illegal by the Tories. Suc­ ealth dispute, the TUC has at electricians, hBve. all '$taged solidarity stoppages. But the TUC leaders have cessful action in support of the health last named the date for a Day of been running scared of a showdown workers must bring the organised Action, by all its ~embers, in with the Tories. Even now, when the working class into a collision with the battle could have threatened to spear­ the health workers and on strength­ support of the health workers. TUC is eventually forced into supp­ law. The Tories will not hesitate to head a struggle against the Tories ening their anti-union legal machinery They have asked all workers to orti ng action, because neither the use that law if they think they can throughout the public sector. But with yet another round of anti- get away with it. Victory in this in­ stop work for at least an hour in Tories nor the workers will budge, the prospect of such struggles terrifies union legislation aimed at making they refuse to issue any clear call for stance is sure to embolden them in the TUC leaders. Each time they have secret ballots for union officials and in solidarity on Septemller 22nd. strike action which would break the future. That is why they will only worked like demons to defuse the industrial action compulsory. Already the NUM and the GM Prior's Employment Act. The pathetic be beaten by action that will secure conflict. They stabbed both the steel The course they are set on is one WU have committed themselves Albert Spanswick, of COHSE, is still full victory for the healthworkers and workers and ASLEF in the back, It of inflicting a lasting defeat on the to action. It is down to militants on record as saying he would prefer and consign all of their anti-union is, therefore, vital that the organisation organisations, services and Iivi ng laws to the dustbin. everywhere to make sure that the unions to get their members. out for the 22nd of September is not standards of the working class. To­ with an unofficial, "nod and a wink" This is not the first time that the left in the hands of the TUC leaders day the NHS workers are in the September 22nd. becomes a one so as not to break the Tory laws working class has found itself on the and that the TUC plans to organise firing line. Tomorrow other public day general strike - and it will against "secondary action". verge of a generalised offensive it as only a one-off day of protest sector workers will be faci ng the be the work of the militants, not The entire course of the health against this Tory government. In must be spiked. It must become the same intransigent government. Private the TUC leaders, that ensures the dispute has proved the need for org· 1980, the steelworkers stood poised launching pad for an onslaught on the sector workers have, and will again, anised solidarity stoppages, blacking to be joined by a general strike in that the day is a success. Tories. suffer the blight of low wages and un­ and picketing in orderto beat the South Wales that could have turned Delegate action committees of employment thanks to the Tories' Throughout the dispute there has Tories. It is, however, precisely the tide against the Tories. Early this health workers and representatives of policies. For these reasons Septem­ been ample evidence of mass rank and these working class weapons that the this summer ASLEF action, if it had all workers due to take action must ber 22nd must be the beginning of and file support for the health Prior anti-union law and Tebbitt's been linked to the healthworkers be formed in each locality. They a class-wide offensive against the should organise the sol idarity pickets Tories. Solidarity strike action from f9r the 22nd, recognising that effect­ unions, such as the miners, along- ive solidarity with the health workers side all-out strike action by the means breaking the Tory law. They health workers, are the goals that should remain in operation after the militants fighting for mobilisations Boycott Foot's register 22nd - the law will not be beaten on the 22nd must set for themselves. and the health workers will not win As the fining of Geraghty shows, THIS YEAR'S LABOUR party as recruiting sergeants for Margaret increasingly mindful of an impending in one day. Rank and file organisa­ however, the health dispute has high­ conference promises to register Thatcher's imperialist war against ' election and doubtless aware of Foot's tions of militants in the localities lighted the class-wide implications Argentina, there is not one resolution potential as an electoral albatross, must be held together to carry on ' of the Tories' laws. So, the 22nd the g~ins that the Labour Right that so much as attemjrts to cell the victories for the Right ,at conference the fight that the leaders are, in fact, must become not only the starting has made over the last year. The NEC and the PLP to account. This could, well be followed up by a drive seeking to limit. point for real solidarity action to last twelve months have Ilorne makes a mockery of the claims of the to install a new hard right leader atop Po;;sibly the Tories, or an indi­ win the health strike but also a out all too clearly Workers' Left that their constitutional vic­ a rightist NEC. Murray and the TUC vidual employer, will invoke the GENERAL STRIKE aimed at tories put them in a position to con­ General Cou,ncil manouevred desper­ Employment Act before the 22nd. smashing the Tories' anti-union laws, Power's judgement that the 1981 The TUC, and each individual union the existing ones and the ones being conference represented, "a de­ trol the PLP. ately before the TUC conference to All the evidence suggests that it refer back the AUEW Construction must Qe forced to state now that they pushed through Parliament by Tory cisive victory for the anti-reform, is now the right who are making the Section's bid to tie the TUC to opp­ will declare all strikes in defiance hit-man Norman Tebbitt. anti-Benn forces" (WP 26). The running. Not only have they pushed osing all incomes policies in whatever of court orders to be official and re­ No effort must be spared to guar­ Right, in conjunction with the the register through the N EC. They guise. The TUC tops and the Labour fuse to squander one penny of union antee that the 22nd September is a are well placed this year to act on Right still hold out the hope of funds on paying fines for their mem­ day of ALL OUT STRIKE. Leaflets, main trade union leaders, are out bers. No recognition of the Tory law bulletins and work-time meetings to cap their gains with confer.;. their carefiJlly leaked 'hit list' and to taking a purged Labour Party to shift the N EC further to the rig lit. triumph at the polls on a platform of in any form -that must be the must be organised to put the case ence acceptance of the NEC's Huckfield seems set to be replaced by incomes policy, import controls and battlecry of all organised worker •. across. But militants must have no witch hunt proposal for a'Reg­ Foot's nominee, Evans. At present the national reconciliation. The Econo­ Succ,essful action on September illusions. Only an indefinite general gossip column reports of bureau­ mist is correct when it reports that 22nd, however, will not send the strike will destroy the plans of the ister of non-affiliated groups'. Tories into immeaiate retreat. They government.. It is symptomatic of the weak­ cratic bar-room preparations to oust the Right in the Labour Party and TU have ~ak~ thei~ future on breaking ness of Labour's left that the prin­ Foot seem premature. But Foot has TUC now, "hope they can put the cipal resolutions they have managed always been a 'caretaker' candidate horrors of the last three years behind to place on the conference agenda for the Right during the period in them." are of an entirely defensive character. which they groomed a new candidate The ,determination of the Right and They primarily concentrate on trying and organised to re-assert their grip on and its not so 'soft left' allies of the to stop the NEC's witchunting plans. on the party. , All out Sept 22nd Despite the Labour front bench's role With the trade union bureaucrats CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 • PAGE 3 - "Islington Council should draw up a~.!'tailed assessment of how much extra' money' we 'Will need "from th"e Government to c-rry out the manifesto commitments without pbcing extra uurdenJ; on Is· linyton tenents and ratepayers. We should',then go Oi{t ,and publicise the facts in a mas~ive ca"mpaign , among tenents. council workers,and community ~<J<oups ~xplaining. in si!1lple te~.ms;'What the ,benefits shouldb"eilnd why they should joijlWith us to de­ mand ihe governmllnts pays up:"_ (SO 9,5) ,.
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