the Socialist The paper of ISSUE NO 31 - MAY/JUNE 2014 price: £1 price: £2 to YES independence to a socialist Scotland

doing so to find an end to low pay, by Philip Stott zero-hour contracts, falling in - YEcomesS and savage welfare cuts. “Austerity is just another word and the SNP won’t for an unremitting car - deliver that. They want to change ried out by the elite and the the flag, but not the economic sys - bankers against the 99% in our so - tem of profiteering capitalism that ciety. Today, five people in the UK is seeking to drive working class have more wealth than the poorest people into the dust. Only fighting thirteen million. Wages are falling socialist policies can turn the tide and the numbers using food banks against austerity. are rocketing. That’s the backdrop Socialist Party Scotland is cam - against which the Scottish inde - paigning for a Yes vote in Septem - pendence referendum on Septem - ber. But we’re also fighting to build ber 18 is taking place.” a mass movement to end the cuts, Speaking at a huge public meet - for public ownership of the banks, ing in Dundee in April (see picture the oil and gas industry, the energy opposite), Socialist Party member companies and the major sectors John McInally – who is also a leader of the economy. of the PCS - summed The powers of independence up the reasons why hundreds of should be used to deliver a living thousands of working class people wage for all, an end to zero hour are planning to vote Yes in the ref - contracts and a decent welfare erendum. state. To do this we need the trade Support for independence has unions to help set-up a new mass been increasing recently as many workers party that can fight to be - of the “victims of austerity” seek an come a majority in the Scottish escape route from the unending parliament. cuts being carried out by the Con- Building a mass movement Dem coalition. against the cuts and for an inde - With Labour leaders like Ed pendent socialist Scotland is the Miliband promising to carry on only escape route from savage aus - where the Tories left off, it’s no terity, which will continue after wonder that support for a Yes vote September whatever the result of is rising. the referendum. Vote Yes on Sep - “Project Fear” - the tember 18 – But join the struggle Labour/Tory/Lib Dem lash-up is for today . conducting an unprecedented campaign of blackmail under - pinned by a future of capitalist sav - End austerity - Make the bosses pay for their crisis agery. G But the majority of the over one million people who currently say G Build a new party for the working class majority they will vote Yes in September are Project Fear failing as support for independence grows Pages 6/7 2 editorial the socialist www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk - May/June 2014

Editorial: Economy Capitalism is in a crisis, not a recovery

There is no recovery for the millions facing attacks on their benefits, wages and living standards while £120 billion goes avoided and evaded by big business and the billionaire elite. Desperate times call for desper - grip of zero-hour contracts, living worked out that "the average, in - get so obscenely richer. Protections against precarious - ate measures. That must have been precarious, stressed-out lives. flation adjusted, earnings of those The anger that is bubbling below ness and poverty are also needed the line of Con-Dem Chancellor Unsurprisingly ONS figures who are self-employed fell from the surface will explode at a certain for workers who wish to remain George Osborne's thinking when show that two million or one in five just under £15,000 a year at the stage and pay and jobs will be a self-employed. he went about claiming new jobs part-time and temporary workers turn of the century to £10,400 in major factor in that explosion. Making affordable credit avail - and wages figures proved that his say they would like full-time work. 2011, a real decline of just over A foretaste of the action we can able from banks would help. Na - austerity measures were yielding a 31%." expect has been provided by the tional Insurance payments should recovery. As the Socialist Party has ex - construction workers who suc - guarantee benefits when workers Far from bringing relief to 'hard- Lack of investment plained many times, capitalism is cessfully demanded to be taken on are unable to work. working families', the Coalition's in a blind alley, unable to further by the profiteering building com - But a programme needs a strat - cuts and pro-capitalist policies are Other figures reveal that Britain develop the productive forces (fac - panies on direct contracts. egy to achieve it. Socialist Party rapidly turning the clock back on is being propelled back to the 19th tories, offices, science and tech - The frustration is also fuelling members at trade union confer - living standards at a terrifying rate. century. As job cuts in the public nique), or to use the surplus the votes for strike action on pay ences have been winning big sup - Real growth can however be seen sector hit hard and big business re - created by workers to invest in by workers in the NHS, among port when they argue for decisive in workers' anger. fuses to invest its hundreds of much needed industrial develop - teachers, on the railways and action to defend workers' rights. Osborne's claim, faithfully re - hoarded billions in new jobs "wor - ment. more. This includes making the case produced across the big business- ried workers price themselves into So the basics- clean water, It is what makes the Bakers' for a 24-hour general strike as well owned media, was that wages are the jobs market", as an ES writer homes, jobs, healthcare, environ - Union and Youth Fight for Jobs' as arguing the case for action on now rising faster than inflation. put it. mental protection- are denied to 'Fast Food Rights' campaign the issues affecting workers in the Statistical contortionists manu - In particular, frustrated and de - billions of people. against junk jobs so appealing to different sectors. factured this figure by including moralised workers, seeking to Instead the capitalist classes ap - the super-exploited workers in that Fundamentally, though, we ex - fat-cat bonuses in the measure of avoid the humiliating benefit pear to be retiring from their his - industry. plain that capitalism is utterly in - wages and excluding sky-rocketing regimes and workfare on the one toric role. In Britain the number of capable of satisfying even the house prices by using the CPI not side and low-paid insecure work employing businesses has fallen in modest aspirations of the 99% for the RPI measure of inflation. In re - on the other, have opted out to most years since 2008. For a real living wage a secure job, for a home that is not ality real wages are still 6% below enter into self-employment. The number of private-sector prey to the whims of greedy land - The Socialist Party fights for the the pre-crisis peak of 2008. Increases among Britain's 4.5 businesses with 250 or more em - lords or banks, for public services immediate implementation of the The million-strong self-employed ployees dropped 8.2% to 6,600 be - that meet their needs. Living Wage (currently set at £7.65 (ES) produced a devastating graph. workforce account for more than tween 2000 and 2013. So linked to the struggles for or £8.80 in London) as a step to - It showed that energy bills have 40% of the 'jobs' growth over the It is also predicted that there jobs and decent pay, must be a wards a minimum wage of £10 an gone up by 57%, food prices by last year, and for almost two-thirds could be more self-employed by struggle to achieve all these basic hour, with regular increases to 40%, and petrol has risen by 49%. in the last quarter. 2018 than the number of employ - needs, as part of a struggle to cover price rises. Housing is in a league of its own This, accompanied by aggressive ees in the public sector. change society along socialist We oppose the pay cuts and pay with prices and rents increasing at privatisation drives, represents an The TUC reports that rapid ex - lines. freezes, parts of the Coalition strat - a speed Usain Bolt would envy. attempt by big business and their pansion of this sector, normally a This would mean, as a start, na - egy to make the working class pay London house prices have risen by servants in government to undo all feature of recession, is growing tionalising the banking system and for the bosses' crisis. 22% in the past year, with other the gains of the working class over fastest among impoverished pen - the big companies that dominate We say that, for example, the es - areas also seeing significant rises. the last century. sioners, part-time workers and the economy and placing them timated £120 billion lost to tax eva - We were also invited to celebrate Self-employed people are often odd-jobbers. under democratic workers' control sion mainly by the super-rich 1%, the latest employment figures. Un - forced into financial and personal and management. would go a long way to rolling out employment is down by 320,000 to uncertainty. While the capitalist Socialism would mean demo - Bubbling anger a mass programme of socially use - 2.2 million. press is awash with tales of wealthy cratic planning to end the chaos of ful job creation. But again the devil is in the whizz kids, for the majority of self- the market and environmental de - But, as the Socialist Party has That would mean more homes truth. Almost half the jobless are employed workers this is hard graft struction. And it would mean the predicted, things will not continue built, more staff in our threadbare young people. Scandalously al - with poor returns. end to the misery of millions in like this forever. The working class public services, and fewer people most a million workers are in the Tax expert Richard Taylor Britain and across the world. Join will not continue trying to make forced onto the dole or pushed us in the fight for a future, a social - ends meet while watching the rich into instability. Join the Socialist Party Scotland ist future.

VISIT www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk click on JOIN or MORE INFO EMAIL [email protected] New website TEXT your name and postcode 07761 818 206

FACEBOOK facebook.com/socialistpartyscotland Socialist Party Scotland launched bought it of course. TWITTER @cwiscot a new website in March 2014. You can join the party as well via As well as the usual news and the website, as well subscribing to analysis from Scotland and inter - receive a regular newsletter and nationally, there is also a special asking for more information on the Have you got some news for us? sections of the website dedicated to policies, meetings and activities of the independence referendum. Socialist Party Scotland. Regular videos will be posted and We hope you enjoy it and find it The paper of Socialist Party Scotland you’ll also be able to read the latest informative, as well as useful. And E-mail: [email protected] issue of the Socialist newspaper on don’t forget to contact us if you Website: the website, if you haven’t already want to contribute to the website. www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk Editor: Philip Stott www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk the socialist news 3 www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk - May/June 2014 Food bank scandal grows by 500%

Nancy Taaffe out. In reality he reported that he this island and the planet to have Socialist Party, London was 'asked a series of questions'. warmth, shelter and food - but we And as @KennyDownSouth don't all have these things. One million people are now being tweeted: "No, no Daily Mail. The The logic of capitalism is that, as fed by food banks in the UK. The scandal isn't that food bank volun - Oxfam revealed, Britain's five richest Trussell Trust who operate 40 food teers didn't check your cretin's ID. families are worth more than the banks in Scotland – up from 1 in The scandal is that food banks exist poorest 20%. This is Con-Dem 'all in 2009 - handed out food to 71,428 at all." it together' Britain. people in Scotland last year, an in - In response to this poor excuse for Labour and the SNP are also im - crease of 500% on the year before. genuine investigative journalism, plementing the cuts agenda, con - A third of the people seeking help £38,000 was donated in a matter of tributing to the extension of the food from food banks did so because of hours - heart-warming evidence of bank queues. The Scottish govern - delays in their benefits. Low in - human solidarity. ment and Labour and SNP-led comes and benefit sanctions were councils are slashing jobs and serv - also common reasons to seek emer - capitalist failure ices just as much as their Tory and gency food. Lib Dems counterparts. And the operation run by the It's not surprising that the Con- The Labour leadership has gone Trussell Trust is only the tip of the Dems and the big business-owned as far as to commit to Tory spending Welfare hatchet man, IDS and promising more of the same iceberg. It's estimated that this par - press attack food banks. They are a cuts if it forms the next government. ticular charity distributed only one physical manifestation of the failure We need an alternative. Council - quarter of all food parcels given out and inability of capitalism to solve lors have a choice not to make cuts - in the last 12 months, with churches the most basic human needs. but all the establishment parties are and other organisations also operat - In the sixth largest economy on making us pay for the bankers' cri - ing similar schemes. the planet people are going hungry sis. In an effort to cut across the hor - because of soaring rent and bills, ror and sympathy this figure gener - austerity measures, wage cuts and new party needed ated, government sources have unemployment. denounced the author, Trussell Trust The economy is supposedly in re - We need a new mass workers' charity, as '"misleading and emo - covery, sales of luxury goods are party, urgently, to build that alterna - tionally manipulative". booming. Whole streets in Chelsea tive. The challenge being made by The Mail on Sunday went further, are bought up by oligarchs and sit in the Trade Unionist and Socialist sending an undercover reporter to a darkness as empty investment hold - Coalition is an important step to - Nottingham food bank to prove that ings. wards the building of a new workers’ he could get three days free food There are more than enough re - party. Get more info at without having his story checked sources to enable all the people of www.tusc.org.uk Deaths of and Tony Benn Benn backed Militant

did, that we were being hounded because we fought successfully Socialist Party England and Wales against capitalism. Under our in - fluence, the working class scored With the deaths in quick succes - big victories: in Liverpool (1983- sion of Bob Crow and Tony Benn, 87), and in the anti- battle, the trade union and labour move - which eliminated the tax and, in ment has lost two principled social - the process, overthrew Thatcher, ists and militant fighters. Their as she recognised in her memoirs. presence at meetings and demos Tony Benn also attacked the Ob - will be sorely missed. While we server and refused to buy it when, mourn their loss, however, the best in complete contrast to its opposi - way to mark their passing is to tion to the Suez invasion in 1956, it renew the struggle against austerity, supported the war criminal Tony poverty and war – and to fight for the Blair’s invasion of Iraq. socialist transformation of society. G A spectre is haunting capitalist Tony Benn supported Militant This article is an extract from a commentators, right-wing new (now known as the Socialist Party) longer feature by Peter Taaffe Labour and their hangers-on, fol - when the right wing attacked and which can be read in the April lowing the deaths of Bob Crow and expelled us because he recognised, 2014 edition of Socialist Today Bob Crow supporting workers at Visteon fighting for their rights Tony Benn. It is Militant (now the as the Labour Party rank and file www.socialismtoday.org Socialist Party) – seemingly dead featism’ – in her case, counter-revo - major utilities and against fat cats and buried decades ago, according lutionary defeatism – preferring the growing fatter”. It pointed out that, to these very same sources – which victory of the enemy, rather than unlike others (including New bered for, is his participation in the believe that Kshama would storm to now seems to haunt them. your own side. Labour MPs, invisible to voters), in a formation of the Trade Unionist and victory – initiating a surge in inter - Then came the poll in 1984 in Chesterfield, Tony Socialist Coalition (TUSC), a fore - est in socialism in the citadel of denizen, Liberal Democrat Shirley Benn was known by an incredible runner of a mass working-class world capitalism as well as a mass Militant Williams. She was also an SDP de - 90% of the electorate! party. No amount of slander – campaign for a $15 an hour mini - serter from the Labour Party. In a In the above comments, and the against leaders and individuals mum wage. First came Polly Toynbee, who at - spat with Labour MP Diane Abbott equally nauseating, unctuous, hyp - prominent in the workers’ move - They will now attempt a counter- tacked Tony Benn for giving succour on Newsnight, Williams attacked ocritical articles praising Bob Crow ment – is capable of preventing the campaign, in vain. Nor was Owen to Militant, who she described as a Tony Benn with the same charge and Tony Benn, is a theme: that ultimate march of history. Jones, the left-wing celebrity, who “virus” and an “evil” influence on the sheet of association with Militant. hopefully these two big figures were At most, together with other un - maintains a deafening silence over Labour Party. Her authority on this Then, to cap it all, Andrew Rawnsley one-offs, ‘the likes of which we are favourable factors for the struggle, it the reasons for Kshama’s victory issue? She was “a member of Brixton complained in : unlikely to see again’. can only slow down the process. while he rubbishes any idea that and Lambeth Labour Party”, and “[Benn] never disowned, and stood Some have even suggested that Bob Crow was described by those something similar is possible in witnessed our alleged “evil” ap - in the way of dealing with, the Mili - the trade unions, already half the who are now praising him as “the Britain. proach. tant Tendency and other far-left en - size in membership – though not in most dangerous man in Britain”. Yet no leading member in the tryists who were poisoning Labour potential power compared to the Tony Benn was described as “clini - Labour Party in that area at the time from within. He does not bear sole heyday of 1980 – will completely dis - cally insane”, and compared to sceptics confounded seems to remember her ‘contribu - responsibility for the split that led to appear in a few decades. Hitler by the Sun. tion’, other than joining the ‘exit ten - the formation of the SDP, but he was Militant, in Liverpool and else - The sceptics will be confounded dency’, the ex-Labour traitors who one of the most crucial triggers for militantcy will return where, was vilified in a ‘great slan - as the British labour movement left in 1981 to form the Social Dem - it”. der’ campaign, including by the rouses itself to confront a diseased ocratic Party (SDP). The SDP split Liberals who threatened that the and rotten system, and all those the Labour vote in the 1983 general As if the class struggle can be con - parties which are associated with it. jured away by a few bourgeois scrib - pope would “excommunicate” its election and opened the door to supported supporters. This did not prevent Liv - It will create not only a mass . blers! The reaction of working movement of struggle but also re - nationalisation people to the relentless offensive erpool Labour Party (when it was If anybody is guilty of facilitating under the influence of Militant), plenish from its ranks new fighters the coming to power of Thatcher, it prosecuted by the capitalists and and leaders to replace those who The Observer, when estimating their governments will see the emer - scoring its highest ever vote, when it is those like Toynbee who preferred Tony Benn’s contribution, is Hydra- was a real workers’ party at bottom. have gone before. Thatcher’s victory to the triumph of gence of a militant and political We salute the memory of these headed. It’s editorial, in marked con - trade union movement that can ex - Nor did it prevent the recent vic - left and socialist ideas within the trast to the spiteful and shallow tory of Socialist Alternative candi - two powerful labour movement fig - Labour Party and society at large. It ceed even the past considerable ef - ures, Bob Crow and Tony Benn, and ‘analysis’ of Rawnsley, was more forts of Tony Benn and Bob Crow. date, Kshama Sawant, in Seattle. In was a peculiar caricature of Lenin’s measured. It said: “[Benn] was in this case, the strategists of US capi - honour their memory in the strug - alleged idea of ‘revolutionary de - One of Bob Crow’s lasting contri - gle for a socialist future. favour of nationalisation of the butions, which he will be remem - talism were unprepared and did not 4 news the socialist www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk - May/June 2014 Fracking, big oil and the environment

Sean Robertson sary to secure energy supplies, de - released since 1751. This roll of Socialist Party Scotland - Inverness spite a massive and growing body of shame contains all the usual sus - evidence to the contrary. pects - Shell, BP, Gazprom and Exxon In Middle America a woman turns In the coming year, the areas in as well as nationalised companies on her kitchen tap. Flames shoot out which companies will be allowed to such as Norway’s Statoil. of the faucet, singeing her eyebrows. explore on shore oil reserves will in - Expanding fracking in the UK by The ground shakes and a massive crease dramatically, taking in the any amount is a move in the wrong hole opens up in the street. vast majority of England and a vast direction. This is because climate No it’s not a natural disaster or the swathe of Scotland, running from change is so critical an issue to our coming of the apocalypse. But an in - the central belt to Aberdeen and future generations. We have to cident of a type which are likely to When Cameron’s government was strive to reduce greenhouse gas become more and more common as ‘elected’, they claimed that they emissions to the lowest level possi - oil companies attempt to keep dwin - would be the ‘greenest government ble. dling supplies of fuel flowing using ever’. The government’s environ - To do this, the main thrust of our the modified techniques of Hy - ment spokesman, Owen Patterson, energy investment should be in al - draulic Fracturing or ‘fracking’ to ex - actually claims that climate con - ternative energy sources harnessing ploit previously extractable deposits cerns are down to people being the natural powers of wind waves, of hydrocarbons, mainly natural gas ‘emotional about the environment’ tidal, solar and geothermal sources. or methane. and that we should just accept that Scotland has an estimated 25% of the climate has been changing for EU’s renewable energy potential. The process involves blasting a There have been widespread protests against fracking in the US and the UK mixture of sand, water and chemi - centuries. These are resources that will never cals into shale deposits deep under - run out and could provide real, sus - creating sustainable economic secu - and energy campaigners. We should ground to release trapped gas. tained economic security. rity long into the future. also argue for the formation of a na - In the US, water sources have big oil Unfortunately a familiar story has While not completely stopping oil tional energy corporation run in the been polluted by both methane re - dogged their development up until production a national energy com - way outlined above with a focus on leased from the ground and by By this wilful ignorance they are now- profiteering and market forces pany would willingly and responsi - reducing energy use and depend - chemicals used in the fracking clearing the road for their mates in have led to a piecemeal and ineffi - bly face up to the fact that our ency on oil, removing all nuclear process, mainly due to inadequate Big Oil to quench their thirst for oil cient situation which is exasperated dependence on oil cannot continue. power and promoting renewables as barriers between the drilling well (and profit) at the expense of possi - by the disregard by developers for A different vision for the environ - well as economic sustainability. and aquifers. bly millions of the poorest people in local communities. Energy prices ment will be required in an inde - In its short 300 year history, capi - These pollution events and envi - the world who will lose land and die rise while the real problem of cli - pendent socialist Scotland if we are talism has presided over environ - ronmental incidents, which include of starvation or disease as a result of mate change is left unchallenged. to build a socially just, sustainable mental destruction on a massive ground tremors, have led to world - climate change. The IPCC claims society. scale, from extinctions to deforesta - that there is a 95% certainty that this Immediate action should be taken tion and ozone depletion to climate wide mass protests against the prac - public ownership tice with demands for safety and is caused by man-made greenhouse to stop the fracking expansion plans change. It has shown that mankind environmental protection. Protes - gases. currently being tabled. Calling for an has the ability to irreversibly alter Respected scientific publication, A democratically run, publicly immediate moratorium on all new the ecology of the planet. tors’ demands have gone completely owned energy company could man - unheeded, with corporations and the Climate Change Journal, has re - onshore drilling operations, a mass A socialist society would ensure ported that just 90 of the world’s age Scotland’s oil so that it is used re - campaign is needed, linking up with that we could make these positive their political mouth pieces claiming sponsibly while at the same time the process is both safe and neces - companies are responsible for 60% similar campaigns in the rUK and changes for the good of all the of global carbon dioxide emissions unlocking the country’s green heart, uniting socialists, environmentalists Earth’s inhabitants. tragedy shows cuts can cost lives It’s time for a fighting ever, the Green Party in Edinburgh are proposing that officials ap - campaign to defeat cuts proach the Scottish Government and make the case for a special Since 2009 there has been a 25% G That the UNISON Scottish Local school repair and improvement real terms cut in Scottish local gov - Government Committee (SLGC) levy, charging the Edinburgh coun - ernment spending. immediately ensure that UNISON cil tax payer pay an extra £1 per Nearly 40,000 council jobs in Scotland’s current policy of calling week on their bill. Scotland have been lost since the on local councils to set defiance, Astonishingly, the SNP Govern - start of the ConDem vicious aus - ment’s Justice Secretary Kenny needs budgets whilst leading a terity programme and at least campaign for more money from MacAskill said the City Council had £2billion stolen from councils done a good job in maintaining the Scottish and UK Government’s across Scotland. is our primary political demand. schools in the face of budget cuts. UNISON members who work Yet Edinburgh anti-cuts activists for community and voluntary or - G We should at least call on all have highlighted the fact that the ganisations have also faced a mas - Labour/SNP Edinburgh Council are councils to set a 2015/16 budget sive assault on their jobs, which is no less than that for going to introduce £36 million of conditions and the services they cuts over the next year as part of a 2014/15 under the slogan “No provide. The impact has been even Cuts”. We should also make the de - £327 million accumulative reduc - greater when the increased de - mand that no further charges are tion in the council’s budget over the mands due to the social fallout of Savage cuts to public services can have a tragic human cost levied for council services. next 4 years. the capitalist economic crisis are close to showing, major defects. This will have a devastating effect Jimmy Haddow factored in. And two of the worst-affected pri - G That the UNISON SLGC now on education, as well as the other There have been a series of Socialist Party Scotland mary schools have been waiting at council services in the City of Edin - strikes by City Unison begin a campaign for Scottish least five years for comprehensive burgh. members against attacks to their wide industrial action in early The death of an Edinburgh repairs and upgrades to their dilap - terms and conditions recently. 2015 if councils move to imple - school student at Liberton High idated campuses. No Cuts These include among education ment further cuts to jobs, workers School at the beginning of April Education Officials on Edinburgh workers and staff in the social conditions and council services as when a “wobbly modesty wall” fell Council have said that they are The local authority trade unions work department. We should con - part of their 2015/16 budget. Any onto her was a tragedy. It also indi - pressing ahead with a £30 million in Edinburgh should be campaign - gratulate those UNISON members action should be co-ordinated cates the dangerous cost of years of emergency investment plan to ing to oppose all the cuts that the and local branches which have where possible with other trade cuts that have been instituted by bring all of Edinburgh schools up to Labour/SNP Council are preparing used industrial action to resist cuts unions. successive council administrations a satisfactory standard by 2019. to carry-out. in pay and attacks on terms and Council officials in Edinburgh However, parents of students We demand that Edinburgh conditions. G That UNISON SLGC have began urgent safety checks in who are at the Edinburgh schools Council set a No Cuts budget and The good work of many UNI - initiate/support the calling of a the city’s schools and have claimed are unhappy about the delay to re - launch a fight for the money that SON branches in developing and Scotland-wide conference involv - that a full survey of all schools, in - pairs to many of the schools and are they has been lost in recent years assisting local community cam - ing local government trade union cluding Liberton High School, was demanding that the money is from the city. paigning against cuts in services, organisations and including cam - carried out in 2012-13, and no con - spend immediately. Edinburgh Council should be care centre closures, school clo - paigns like Defend Glasgow Serv - cerns with this wall were identified. There are many complaints campaigning with other Scottish sures, library closures, increases in ices in early 2015 to assist in However, reports in newspapers about the huge sums being spent Councils to force the Scottish Gov - changing for council services, etc building a coordinated fightback and social media have said that by the council on the debacle of the ernment to fight for the finance should also be acknowledged. against cuts to services, conditions school students did raise concerns trams in Edinburgh, but the educa - they have lost from the austerity However, we need to step – up and jobs. about this particular wall within the tion of the city’s children and the programme of the ConDem gov - our resistance as we enter the school to the relevant school au - accommodation they are taught in ernment. It's clear that very few, if council budget setting process for G That UNISON SLGC asks the thorities. are left to deteriorate. any, councillors are prepared to 2015/16 and beyond. 7000 of Edinburgh’s school stu - A representative of the Scottish Unison Scottish Committee to call make such a stand, which means Left branches and activists in dents are being taught in crumbling Secondary Teachers Association is on the STUC to organise a national the need for a political working local government in Scotland buildings that need urgent repair to also calling for the SNP Scottish demonstration on the theme of class alternative to the mainstream should consider supporting the make them safe and fit for use. 19 government to give direct funding “No Cuts” as early as is practicable austerity political parties is vital. following points of action: schools and nurseries have, or are to clear the repair backlog. How - as part of this campaign. the socialist election strategy 5 www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk - May/June 2014 Building a political voice for workers

workers party. Socialist Party Scot - land activists have gained a real Biggest left challenge in 60 years echo at pro independence meetings and events raising the idea of build - ing a new party for the working class majority to put fighting socialist ac - tivists into a post independence . Independence meetings, espe - cially those with speaking putting the case for an In - dependent Socialist Scotland, have had large turnouts of working class people who are open to discussing a socialist alternative. This shows the massive potential support for a party based on organ - ising struggle against cuts and aus - terity in the workplaces and the communities. A party with repre - The SNP won’t deliver for workers in an independent Scotland sentatives that articulate and fight for the concerns of workers, benefit put forward the idea that Scottish The Trade Unionist and Social - expelled from the Labour Party for Matt Dobson claimants and young people rather Labour would move to the left and ist Coalition's no-cuts challenge in voting against the cuts. Glasgow Socialist Party Scotland than big business. even “return to its socialist roots” in May's local elections in England There are a broad range of Regardless of the outcome of the on May 22nd has reached an out - working class community fighters Policies outlined in the SNP’s an independent Scotland. referendum all the main parties will standing 561 candidates as nomi - in anti- organisa - White Paper for Independence such While this may reflect a genuine continue with a cuts agenda. There nations closed. tions, local save our services as the lowering of corporation tax hope amongst some, this argument will be an increasing mood to fight TUSC candidates will also be groups, disabled people against for big business and the “Team Scot - is not based on reality and danger - for real political representation standing for three of the five di - cuts campaigns, etc who want to land” partnership model, which ously could lead to illusions that a amongst the working class in Scot - rectly-elected mayor contests tak - link their struggle with others by based on the experience of Ireland new workers’ party does not need to land. ing place on the same day. It has standing for election under the would tie trade unions into agree - be built. been a massive achievement to TUSC name. ments unfavourable to workers, The rhetoric of the Scottish build the biggest left of Labour One of the Salford TUSC candi - show that Alex Salmond (pic - Labour leadership who rail against TUSC election challenge in 60 years. dates is an anti-fracking activist at tured)the SNP are not putting for - the “something for nothing culture” And it is a real coalition that has the Barton Moss protest. ward the interests of the working says everything about their real The Trade Unionist and Socialist been assembled to make sure the And there is a political spread. class. agenda. Labour’s have a record of Coalition (TUSC) is playing a pivotal establishment parties don't have Candidates from the TUSC con - Workers and young people read - implementing brutal cuts combined role in pushing forward the idea of a it all their own way - of trade stituent socialist organisations, ing the SNP’s vision of a “Fairer Scot - with an anti-trade union agenda in new workers party. TUSC is a coali - unionists, community campaign - the Socialist Party, the SWP, and land” will wonder why there is no councils such as Glasgow. The vot - tion involving the RMT trade union, ers, and members of different so - the non-affiliated individuals or - commitment to scrap zero-hour ing record of MPs, a the Socialist Party, trade unionists cialist organisations. ganised in the Independent So - contracts, protect workers rights number of whom voted for the re - and community campaigners. TUSC The number of RMT members cialist Network. through ending all anti union laws cent welfare benefits cap confirms. in England is standing over 550 can - standing is 49. This is a fitting And candidates who are mem - and using the wealth and resources didates in the coming elections (see legacy to the late Bob Crow who bers of organisations not currently in society for the benefit of the ma - article opposite) helped pioneer TUSC and fought part of the TUSC coalition - a cou - jority through public ownership. Falkirk and the Collins There will also be a pro-working consistently for working class po - ple of Labour Party members (not As well as organising mass cam - review class alternative in the European litical representation. for much longer!), and some who paigns and industrial action against elections in May with the No2EU Yes And, while the Unite union gen - are members of Left Unity or Re - austerity and inequality, workers, The experience of the Falkirk to Workers Rights coalition (see eral secretary Len McCluskey tells spect, who have taken up TUSC's the poor and young people need a scandal and the acceptance of the below) that Labour will face offer to participate in the cam - new party that fights for their inter - Collins Review has confirmed the The Scottish TUSC will be dis - "a defining moment" at its policy paign with the same rights as ests in councils, parliament and in lengths the Labour leadership will cussing initiating a conference after forum in July, in May 137 Unite other candidates to promote their communities. go to attack the trade unions having the independence referendum, members will be standing under organisations. This idea is gaining support rap - an influence in the Labour party. It whatever the result, to discuss the the TUSC umbrella, including the The full list of the candidates idly and is becoming a key issue in also underlines why it is crucial that crucial task of building political rep - Southampton 'rebel' councillor and the results after May 22nd can the referendum debate. the trade unions break the link with resentation for the working class in and Unite member, Keith Morrell, be found at www.tusc.org.uk. Some in the Yes campaign have Labour and take steps to form a new Scotland. No2EU - Yes to Workers’ Rights Let’s keep it brief...

stand for a workers Europe, rather Salmond on Putin and Farage than the bosses Europe promoted tics and he has played it out. I have by the mainstream political parties. a sneaking regard for anyone who We want to see a Europe based G Alex Salmond says he is op - takes on powerful establish - on democracy, that ends privatisa - posed to some of the actions of the ments." If admiring “aspects” of tion of public services based on so - Putin regime in Russia. Well that’s the brutal Putin regime, Merkel in cialist policies. A Europe that does a start, given Putin’s repressive Germany, or the millionaire and not put the interests of big busi - government and attacks on LGBT pro big business Farage represents ness above that of ordinary people. campaigners and his anti-working taking on powerful establishments The current structures of the EU class policies. But Salmond goes then it’s clear that working class make this impossible. We say: on to say: “He's restored a sub - people have a fight on our hands stantial part of Russian pride and in any independent Scotland G Yes to workers’ rights that must be a good thing.” under Salmond’s leadership. G The so-called restoring of “Russian Exit the EU on the basis of so - CBI: a bad day at the office cialist policies pride” has been the conscious G No to austerity whipping up of Russian national - G G No to privatisation ism to advance the interests both The bosses organisation, the G End the anti-union laws domestically and internationally CBI, has lost its “impartial” repu - of Putin and the oligarchs that tation, a number of members and G Blame the bosses and bankers support him. its Scottish director over the for the crisis, not immigrants And it that wasn’t bad enough on stance on independence . The CBI No2EU - Yes to Workers’ Rights is peoples’ living standards. G Yes to international solidarity of the German Tory leader Angela registered to allow it to spend up standing in the European elections The European Union is the working people Merkel Salmond said: "I think the to £150,000 in campaigning for a to offer a fighting alternative to in driving through savage German Chancellor is pretty effec - "No" vote. Within days they had to savage austerity. cuts on the people of Europe. It’s an No2EU candidates in Scotland are tive. Some chancellors have been reverse that decision as most of No2EU - Yes to Workers’ Rights undemocratic and anti working John Foster - Communist Party unwilling to use German author - Scotland's universities, several was set-up by Bob Crow and the class arrangement that is there to Britain ity. She is not in that mould." quangos, the Law Society of Scot - RMT trade union. protect the big corporations and Brian Smith - Socialist Party Scot - Perhaps worst of all Salmond land and businesses left the or - The European elections on May promote their interests. land and Glasgow Unison commented on Ukip leader Nigel ganisation as a result. They regret 22nd are taking place at a time of No2EU - Yes to Workers’ Rights is Andrew Elliott - RMT trade union Farage, he has a "certain bon - “inadvertently giving the impres - unprecedented austerity. Govern - standing in the Euro elections in Murdo McLean - Communist Party homie"... "He is having influence sion that the CBI is a political en - ments like the Con-Dem coalition Scotland, England and Wales in Britain beyond his significance so you tity." Hmmm. Big business, in the UK and their counterparts May. We’re a trade union-backed Gail Morrow - Anti bedroom tax have to admire that. There is a intervening in politics. That’s what across Europe are taking the axe to campaign with candidates who are campaign constituency for saloon-bar poli - the Tories and Labour are for. jobs, public services and working leading struggles against cuts. We Richie Veitch - RMT trade union 6 special feature the socialist www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk -May/June 2014 Capitalist “Project Fear” failing as support for independence grows

Support for independence in Scotland has increased significantly in the first few months of 2014. The possibility of a majority Yes vote in September is creating a panic in the ranks of the Better Together campaign and among big business who are opposed to the break-up of the UK. “Project Fear” has been unleashed in an effort to blackmail and intimidate those looking towards independence as a possible escape route from savage austerity. In doing so the UK capitalist establishment is helping to drive tens of thousands of working class people to the left which has created a space for socialist ideas to grow as a result. In this feature Philip Stott analyses these processes and underlines the potential to build a socialist case for independence that puts an end to austerity and capitalism centre stage.

The sharpened politicisation which paigns and thousands of activists - has emerged under the hammer blow many of them not members of the of the attacks of the big business dom - SNP. inated 'Project Fear' has entrenched The official Yes Scotland propa - support for a Yes vote even further ganda is largely based on the SNP's among significant sections of the White Paper for independence. It pro - working class. poses limited reforms, a pledge to in - These developments drove former crease the minimum wage by Labour minister and ex-secretary gen - inflation, to double the number of eral of Nato George Robertson to hours parents are entitled to for child - claim: "The loudest cheers for the care for three and four year olds and to break-up of Britain would be from our scrap Trident nuclear weapons. adversaries and enemies... the forces Yet, average wages in Scotland have of darkness would simply love it." fallen by 8% since 2009. Almost All three main pro-union parties are 500,000 workers in Scotland are earn - now promising more powers for Scot - ing less than the living wage of £7.45 land, to bolster support for a No vote an hour. in September. There has been a 400% increase in The stick will still be wielded, but the number of people using food the failure of Project Fear means the banks in Scotland in the last year. to the full democratic nationalisation Sheridan and others. The overwhelm - pendent socialist Scotland. Since then carrot of enhanced devolution is now A recent charities report entitled of the banking system and the major ing majority of people who are at - hundreds of working class people have needed. Scotland's Outlook declared a 'hu - sectors of the economy can lay the tracted to independence are seeking a been turning up to hear Tommy Sheri - The strategists of big business and manitarian crisis' as a 'poverty storm basis for a way forward and a full re - solution to savage austerity and a way dan speak at public meetings, looking their political mouthpieces are now engulfs Scotland'. versal of the cuts. out of the crisis. for a socialist and left-wing case for in - openly discussing the nightmare sce - It revealed that 870,000 people in This has created a unique vacuum dependence that addresses their nario for British capitalism - the break- Scotland were living in poverty, which Socialist alternative for ideas that are far to the left of the needs. up of the UK. the report articulated in language nor - official Yes Scotland campaign. There is huge potential for socialist But they will fight tooth and nail to mally used to describe an interna - needed Scotland’s Future under the SNP would be a continuation of cuts for the majority and a bonanza for big business The space that has opened up for a ideas to grow in the next few months defend their class interests and to try tional disaster zone. socialist case for independence was with such a campaign. and ensure a No majority in Septem - A further £6 billion is due to be cut The desires of millions of working There is growing fear, horror would The 'Dambusters Strategy', the Bank and Scottish Widows. Oil giants reflected in late January when Tommy Whatever the outcome of the refer - ber. from benefits and welfare in Scotland class people for an end to austerity will not be too strong a word, among the name given to it by the Tory leader - Shell and BP insisted that a Yes vote Sheridan was invited to address a endum in September, the struggle As an editorial in the Financial over the next two years by the Con- not be met under the SNP's plans. capitalist establishment in Britain at ship, has thus far utterly failed. would cause them major problems. meeting organised by independence against cuts and austerity will con - Times put it: "what is not in doubt - Dem Coalition. Socialist Party Scotland supports a the possibility of a majority Yes vote on The vast majority of the capitalist supporters in Kirkcaldy. His speech tinue. and has been too little discussed - is Yes vote but we are opposed to the 18 September in the Scottish inde - media, who are staunchly opposed to was filmed and sent out via YouTube As will the need to build a new mass that the rest of the UK would be weak - SNP's pro-business blueprint. Instead, pendence referendum. Project Fear is failing the break-up of the UK, have regularly SNP want to change the and has been watched 120,000 times. workers' party with a socialist pro - ened. we are playing a key role in building a The editorials and commentators of churned out scare stories to assist in flag, not the system Tommy raised many good points on gramme to help end the nightmare of "The international status of the socialist campaign for the independ - the 'august' journals of British capital - The governor of the Bank of England this campaign - "Power bills will rise", the need for public ownership, an end capitalism and build a socialist future. 'rump UK' would be diminished. ence referendum alongside Tommy ism are awash with concern at in - Mark Carney kicked off a coordinated "elderly care will be unsustainable", Under these conditions the SNP's to cuts and low pay and for an inde - Britain's prized reputation for political creasing support for independence in intervention by British capitalism in "supermarkets will increase food timid proposals will be like attempting stability would slip; investor confi - the last few months. January by pointing to the inevitable prices" and the "pensions system will to empty an ocean with a teaspoon. dence would be lost." Typical of these was columnist difficulties of a currency union be - collapse" are typical. The White Paper from the Scottish Or, as Tory Prime Minister David Philip Stephens writing in tween Scotland and the rest of No doubt the calculation was that government confirmed that under in - Cameron put it recently: "indepen - the on the UK, post independ - this propaganda would deliver a dependence the SNP intend to con - dence would rip the rug from under 10 April: "I am be - ence. knockout blow to support for inde - tinue with austerity and tax cuts for big “I am our reputation." ginning to fear that He was quickly pendence. business. he [Cameron] beginning to fear followed north to Instead it has had the opposite ef - They are opposed to even modest will be remem - that he [Cameron] will Edinburgh by fect. But there has also been another United in austerity measures of public ownership, includ - bered instead as be remembered as the George Osborne unintended consequence of this inter - ing of the profiteering gas and elec - the prime min - who delivered vention: a dramatically increased A major stumbling block for the po - tricity companies . ister who prime minister who his 'Sermon on politicisation of the campaign which is litical parties spearheading the No Plans for a currency union with the watched Britain watched Britain amble the Pound' two driving sections of the working class campaign is their diminished levels of rest of the UK underpin the SNP's pro - amble into weeks later: "If and young people to the left. social support in Scotland. posals. It would be the "best option for break-up." into break-up” Scotland walks The Labour/Tory/Lib Dem pro-aus - business". Martin Kettle Philip Stephens, FT away from the UK, terity lash-up has virtually no activist Under Salmond's plan, an inde - warned in the it walks away from working class support base on the ground. pendent Scotland would cede control Guardian on 16 April: the UK pound." for independence Ed Miliband and Ed Balls' declara - over interest rates to the Bank of Eng - "One way or another the UK Within hours Labour's Ed tion that they will stick to Tory auster - land and, in practice, give up a signifi - is shifting beneath our feet right now... Balls had given the same message: ity if elected in 2015 has bolstered cant degree of control over Scottish "Alex Salmond [Scottish National This is not reflected by the policy of support for a Yes vote among Labour "Scotland is significantly more likely the SNP leadership who are desperate budgets as well. to vote Yes to independence in five Party leader] is saying to people that voters. Such a euro-style straitjacket would you can have independence and keep to prove themselves a safe pair of As has the incredible decision by months time than it was five months hands for big business interests. bind an independent capitalist Scot - ago." the pound and the Bank of England. Labour MPs to vote for the Tory cap on land into long-term austerity. That is not going to happen." Support for Yes was already highest welfare at Westminster in March. This wave of concern comes in the among the hardest-hit victims of aus - This would leave a Scottish govern - wake of a series of opinions polls Lib Dem Treasury secretary Danny The Scottish Labour leadership is ment unable to increase public spend - Alexander insisted it was "crystal clear terity who are increasingly looking to - still tarnished after calling for an 'end throughout January, February and wards independence as a possible ing and put an end to cuts under these March that have shown support for in - a currency union would create unac - to the something for nothing culture' rules - or risk expulsion from the cur - ceptable risks both for Scotland and escape route from unending cuts and under the SNP. A reference to free tu - dependence increase to 44% on aver - falling living standards. rency zone. age. the rest of the United Kingdom." ition and prescriptions and bus travel A separate Scottish currency would A deluge of announcements by big An opinion poll in December 2013 for the elderly. Worryingly for the pro-union side found that support for independence not offer an automatic way out either. the rise in support for a Yes vote has business quickly followed this choreo - In contrast to the Better Together Only a wide-ranging programme of graphed assault. RBS claimed they was 47% among the poorest fifth of campaign 'Yes Scotland', although come despite the unleashing of a bar - households in Scotland. In contrast, socialist measures, including a refusal rage of threats about the economic would have to move parts of its busi - dominated at the top by the SNP lead - to pay the debt stacked up by the ness to England, as did Lloyds, Tesco among the wealthiest fifth backing for ership, has hundreds of local cam - consequences of independence. a Yes vote stood at 26%. bailout of the banks in 2008/09, linked the socialist special feature 7 www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk - May/June 2014 Capitalist “Project Fear” failing as The class divide support for independence grows

You can say that again

THE EMPHASIS IS ON £100,000. Mind you, these outside We say use the powers of independence to: THE BUCKS.... earnings are marginally less than the £4.3 million in total earned by G Stop austerity and reverse the cuts Tory MPs last year. Starbucks, notorious in the UK And before Labour starts gloat - G Introduce a living wage of £10 an hour and end zero- for tax dodging, surprisingly an - ing, its MPs' outside jobs and di - nounced it was relocating its Eu - rectorships amounted to £2.4 ropean headquarters from the million last year. hour contracts. Proper jobs and trade union rights for all Netherlands to Britain. Had the multinational seen the ONE RULE FOR THEM... workers light after only paying 0.3% of its The sharpened politicisation which paigns and thousands of activists - £1.78 billion sales in tax between has emerged under the hammer blow many of them not members of the G End the attacks on welfare - for a living income for all 1998 and 2012? of the attacks of the big business dom - SNP. At the risk of sounding cynical - inated 'Project Fear' has entrenched The official Yes Scotland propa - G Build a new mass working class party based on the well, no! Thanks to Chancellor support for a Yes vote even further ganda is largely based on the SNP's George Osborne, Starbucks can re - among significant sections of the White Paper for independence. It pro - trade unions, socialists and anti-cuts campaigners locate knowing that all its royalties working class. poses limited reforms, a pledge to in - from Europe will be tax free. These developments drove former crease the minimum wage by G Bring into public ownership the banks, oil and the big Osborne has changed the levy - Labour minister and ex-secretary gen - inflation, to double the number of ing of corporation tax from com - eral of Nato George Robertson to hours parents are entitled to for child - corporations that dominate the economy under demo - panies' worldwide profits to claim: "The loudest cheers for the care for three and four year olds and to profits generated in the UK. break-up of Britain would be from our scrap Trident nuclear weapons. cratic working class control Tax analyst Richard Murphy adversaries and enemies... the forces Yet, average wages in Scotland have commented: "One of the func - of darkness would simply love it." fallen by 8% since 2009. Almost G For an independent socialist Scotland as a step to a so - tions of its [Starbucks] European All three main pro-union parties are 500,000 workers in Scotland are earn - head office is to route the royalties now promising more powers for Scot - ing less than the living wage of £7.45 cialist confederation with England, Wales and Ireland and earned on the use of Starbucks Alex Salmond, Scotland’s First land, to bolster support for a No vote an hour. name from each operating coun - minster , has promoted two minis - in September. There has been a 400% increase in a socialist Europe try through to Starbucks in the ters to the role of Cabinet Secre - The stick will still be wielded, but the number of people using food USA". tary. Salmond insisted the the failure of Project Fear means the banks in Scotland in the last year. to the full democratic nationalisation Sheridan and others. The overwhelm - pendent socialist Scotland. Since then Murphy also reckons that even promotions, which carry a £16,745 carrot of enhanced devolution is now A recent charities report entitled of the banking system and the major ing majority of people who are at - hundreds of working class people have taxes charged on Starbucks UK pay bump to £102,775, were needed. Scotland's Outlook declared a 'hu - sectors of the economy can lay the tracted to independence are seeking a been turning up to hear Tommy Sheri - profits will probably be less than "based on merit and responsibili - The strategists of big business and manitarian crisis' as a 'poverty storm basis for a way forward and a full re - solution to savage austerity and a way dan speak at public meetings, looking the overall tax paid to date in the ties". Both Angela Constance and their political mouthpieces are now engulfs Scotland'. versal of the cuts. out of the crisis. for a socialist and left-wing case for in - Netherlands. Shona Robison will carry on with openly discussing the nightmare sce - It revealed that 870,000 people in This has created a unique vacuum dependence that addresses their But what about the jobs cre - the same job as before but will re - nario for British capitalism - the break- Scotland were living in poverty, which for ideas that are far to the left of the needs. ated? Apparently, no more than ceive a 20% pay hike. This has up of the UK. the report articulated in language nor - Socialist alternative official Yes Scotland campaign. There is huge potential for socialist ten employees will be relocated! been done to boost the number of But they will fight tooth and nail to mally used to describe an interna - needed The space that has opened up for a ideas to grow in the next few months female members of the Scottish defend their class interests and to try tional disaster zone. socialist case for independence was with such a campaign. TIME UP FOR MILLER cabinet to 40%. and ensure a No majority in Septem - A further £6 billion is due to be cut The desires of millions of working Hypocritical ? When the Scottish There is growing fear, horror would The 'Dambusters Strategy', the Bank and Scottish Widows. Oil giants reflected in late January when Tommy Whatever the outcome of the refer - ber. from benefits and welfare in Scotland class people for an end to austerity will government is imposing a 1% pay not be too strong a word, among the name given to it by the Tory leader - Shell and BP insisted that a Yes vote Sheridan was invited to address a endum in September, the struggle As an editorial in the Financial over the next two years by the Con- not be met under the SNP's plans. cap on Scotland’s overwhelmingly capitalist establishment in Britain at ship, has thus far utterly failed. would cause them major problems. meeting organised by independence against cuts and austerity will con - Times put it: "what is not in doubt - Dem Coalition. Socialist Party Scotland supports a female NHS staff and thousands the possibility of a majority Yes vote on The vast majority of the capitalist supporters in Kirkcaldy. His speech tinue. and has been too little discussed - is Yes vote but we are opposed to the of, again mainly women, PCS 18 September in the Scottish inde - media, who are staunchly opposed to was filmed and sent out via YouTube As will the need to build a new mass that the rest of the UK would be weak - SNP's pro-business blueprint. Instead, members working in the civil serv - pendence referendum. Project Fear is failing the break-up of the UK, have regularly SNP want to change the and has been watched 120,000 times. workers' party with a socialist pro - ened. we are playing a key role in building a ice ? We certainly think so. The editorials and commentators of churned out scare stories to assist in flag, not the system Tommy raised many good points on gramme to help end the nightmare of "The international status of the socialist campaign for the independ - the 'august' journals of British capital - The governor of the Bank of England this campaign - "Power bills will rise", the need for public ownership, an end capitalism and build a socialist future. 'rump UK' would be diminished. ence referendum alongside Tommy RBS: AT IT AGAIN ism are awash with concern at in - Mark Carney kicked off a coordinated "elderly care will be unsustainable", Under these conditions the SNP's to cuts and low pay and for an inde - Britain's prized reputation for political creasing support for independence in intervention by British capitalism in "supermarkets will increase food timid proposals will be like attempting stability would slip; investor confi - the last few months. January by pointing to the inevitable prices" and the "pensions system will to empty an ocean with a teaspoon. dence would be lost." Typical of these was columnist difficulties of a currency union be - collapse" are typical. The White Paper from the Scottish Queuing up to hear socialist ideas Or, as Tory Prime Minister David Philip Stephens writing in tween Scotland and the rest of No doubt the calculation was that government confirmed that under in - the UK, post independ - Cameron put it recently: "indepen - dependence the SNP intend to con - the Financial Times on this propaganda would deliver a flag over Scotland unless you go Queen remaining as head of state, to ence. dence would rip the rug from under tinue with austerity and tax cuts for big 10 April: "I am be - knockout blow to support for inde - about preparing for the building of a the bosses' club of the European He was quickly our reputation." business. ginning to fear that pendence. new society, socialism, from the Union, as well as real anger towards Culture Secretary Maria Miller’s followed north to They are opposed to even modest he [Cameron] Instead it has had the opposite ef - ground up to end cuts and austerity." Labour. There was also strong sup - resignation after fiddling thou - Edinburgh by United in austerity measures of public ownership, includ - will be remem - fect. But there has also been another John McInally gave an excellent port for public ownership and for a sands of pounds in expenses has George Osborne ing of the profiteering gas and elec - bered instead as unintended consequence of this inter - speech explaining the need to build new working class party. reminded the public of the 2009 who delivered A major stumbling block for the po - tricity companies . the prime min - vention: a dramatically increased unified and coordinated strike action Copies of the Socialist Party Scot - MPs' expenses scandal. his 'Sermon on litical parties spearheading the No Plans for a currency union with the ister who politicisation of the campaign which is by trade unions to defeat austerity. land 'Ten questions on socialism and The culprits included Prime the Pound' two campaign is their diminished levels of rest of the UK underpin the SNP's pro - Royal Bank of Scotland is re - watched Britain driving sections of the working class John pointed out the need for pub - the indy referendum' leaflets were Minister claiming weeks later: "If social support in Scotland. posals. It would be the "best option for ported to be planning to pay exec - amble into and young people to the left. lic ownership and the building of a snapped up as people entered the expenses to clear wisteria from his Scotland walks The Labour/Tory/Lib Dem pro-aus - business". utives millions of pounds in break-up." new mass working class party to rep - hall. second property and 'Mr Auster - away from the UK, terity lash-up has virtually no activist Under Salmond's plan, an inde - allowances with no strings at - Martin Kettle resent the majority. We sold out of copies of the Social - ity', Chancellor George Osborne, it walks away from base on the ground. pendent Scotland would cede control tached, which would help it get warned in the working class support That hundreds of thousands were ist newspaper. 135 people put their claiming expenses not only for his the UK pound." Ed Miliband and Ed Balls' declara - over interest rates to the Bank of Eng - round EU curbs on bonus pay - Guardian on 16 April: for independence 350 people attended the 'socialist looking to independence to escape names down for more information farmhouse but also for the neigh - Within hours Labour's Ed tion that they will stick to Tory auster - land and, in practice, give up a signifi - ments. "One way or another the UK case for independence' meeting in poverty and low pay, zero-hour con - about the case for an independent so - bouring paddock! No wonder they Balls had given the same message: ity if elected in 2015 has bolstered cant degree of control over Scottish The taxpayer-owned giant in - is shifting beneath our feet right now... This is not reflected by the policy of Dundee on 15 April to hear Tommy tracts, etc. But to do that socialist cialist Scotland and £480 was col - tried to defend Miller's outrageous "Alex Salmond [Scottish National support for a Yes vote among Labour budgets as well. tends to make awards that will "Scotland is significantly more likely the SNP leadership who are desperate Sheridan(above) and John McInally, policies are needed and a party to de - lected at the end of the meeting. behaviour. Party leader] is saying to people that voters. Such a euro-style straitjacket would allow top bankers to double their to vote Yes to independence in five to prove themselves a safe pair of vice-president of the PCS union, liver them. Hope Over Fear - the Case for an In - you can have independence and keep As has the incredible decision by bind an independent capitalist Scot - basic salaries. Recently RBS were months time than it was five months hands for big business interests. speaking as a Socialist Party member. Tommy Sheridan made a very pow - dependent Socialist Scotland tour will MP s moonlighting the pound and the Bank of England. Labour MPs to vote for the Tory cap on land into long-term austerity. forced to scrap plans pay staff ago." Support for Yes was already highest One hundred people had to stand erful speech railing against poverty, run for the next few months and That is not going to happen." welfare at Westminster in March. This would leave a Scottish govern - bonuses worth double their fixed This wave of concern comes in the among the hardest-hit victims of aus - as all 240 seats were full 15 minutes food banks and cuts. He lacerated the thousands are expected to attend to Life can be hard if you're on a Lib Dem Treasury secretary Danny The Scottish Labour leadership is ment unable to increase public spend - pay after the government said it wake of a series of opinions polls terity who are increasingly looking to - before the meeting started. Labour Party and Project Fear and hear a socialist alternative. basic salary of £66,000 plus ex - Alexander insisted it was "crystal clear still tarnished after calling for an 'end ing and put an end to cuts under these would oppose the move. throughout January, February and wards independence as a possible Chairperson Sinead Daly intro - called for public ownership of gas, penses. That probably explains a currency union would create unac - to the something for nothing culture' rules - or risk expulsion from the cur - ch can be The bank's annual report pub - March that have shown support for in - escape route from unending cuts and duced the meeting, explaining that it electricity, oil and the pharmaceutical John McInally's spee why Tory MPs have to moonlight ceptable risks both for Scotland and under the SNP. A reference to free tu - rency zone. earch for lished in April showed it paid 75 dependence increase to 44% on aver - falling living standards. was organised to offer a vision that industry, for a living wage and an end viewed on You Tube: s to the tune of £4 million a year. the rest of the United Kingdom." ition and prescriptions and bus travel A separate Scottish currency would dee' people £1 million or more in 2013. age. An opinion poll in December 2013 was absent from the official Yes cam - to zero-hour contracts and the re - 'John McInally Yes Dun Recorded in the Register of A deluge of announcements by big for the elderly. not offer an automatic way out either. for: We say enough is enough. Sack Worryingly for the pro-union side found that support for independence paign. "This meeting will discuss how moval of Trident. Tommy Sheridan: Search Members' Financial Interests, 19 business quickly followed this choreo - In contrast to the Better Together Only a wide-ranging programme of dee' the board and fully nationalise the rise in support for a Yes vote has was 47% among the poorest fifth of the powers of independence could be During the question and answer 'Tommy Sheridan Yes Dun Tory MPs made more than their graphed assault. RBS claimed they campaign 'Yes Scotland', although socialist measures, including a refusal RBS under democratic working come despite the unleashing of a bar - households in Scotland. In contrast, used for the working class. ww.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk would have to move parts of its busi - dominated at the top by the SNP lead - session there was clear opposition to w annual salary through second jobs class control. rage of threats about the economic to pay the debt stacked up by the "It doesn't matter if you change the ysis of the referendum ness to England, as did Lloyds, Tesco among the wealthiest fifth backing for ership, has hundreds of local cam - the SNP's currency union plan, to the for anal with another 14 banking over consequences of independence. a Yes vote stood at 26%. bailout of the banks in 2008/09, linked 8 international news the socialist www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk - May/June 2014 40 years of fighting for a socialist world

International solidarity is a vital aspect of the struggle for socialism. Socialist Party Scotland fights for a world free from poverty, war and inequality. But that requires more than just supporting workers in struggle in other countries, vital though that is. What is also needed is to build a powerful international, capable of helping the working class replace the capitalist system with . To assist in this task the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI) was founded on April 21st 1974 at a meeting of 46 Marxists from 12 countries. Today, the CWI organises in 48 countries and on every continent. In this feature Robert Bechert of the International Secretariat of the CWI explains why an international is needed to aid the struggle for socialism in the 21st century .

Top left: Kshama Sawant elected in 2013 in the US. Bottom left - Marching to make capitalism history at Gleneagles in 2005. Bottom right: Joe Higgins elected as an MEP for Dublin in 2009 The post-1989 collapse of these impact of the 2011 Tunisian and ment in the “who runs the country” Alongside the need for global so - ince the beginning of the states into capitalism was utilised by Egyptian revolutions and the recent election showed their potential lutions the experience of the work - 20th century every decade the ruling classes in their counter- international dock workers’ struggle. strength. ers’ movement has again and again has witnessed revolutions offensive after the radicalisation of But if the workers’ movement can - The onset of a generalised capital - shown that protests alone can win as the working and poor the 1960s to 1980s to ideologically not provide a concrete answer to ist crisis deepened a political radi - individual demands but not funda - masses attempt to end the claim that there was no alternative today’s issues then there is the dan - calisation in the workers’ movement mentally change the situation, to capitalism. This helped accelerate ger that reactionary nationalist ‘an - in many countries. The bitter expe - something which can only be Soppression and exploitation they the rightward, pro-capitalist move in swers’ can gain support, laying the rience of the bloody 1973 overthrow achieved by overthrowing capital - suffer under capitalism. much of the labour movement. basis for future chauvinist or ethnic of the Allende government in Chile ism. But to securely achieve that a There have also been mass strug - But since the 2008 onset of the lat - conflicts within and between states. provoked a wide discussion on how movement needs a concrete pro - gles, revolutions, counter-revolu - est crisis in global capitalism we One of the objectives that the CWI socialism could be achieved and gramme of action that provides na - tions and mighty, world changing, have entered a new world period. In set itself 40 years ago is to help arm also how to prevent counter-revolu - tional and international answers developments. The old empires have many countries, especially the main the workers’ movement with a pro - tion blocking the labour movement’s and a clear-sighted leadership, both disappeared, the world’s balance of imperialist ones, capitalism means gramme and strategy to both win path. It was truly a period of inter - of which require a party to formulate forces has repeatedly changed, the living standards have fallen or are our immediate battles and to re - national struggle. and help put into action. world’s population has become still falling. However, an important move capitalism’s poisonous grip In 1974 the Spanish dictatorship urban and younger while environ - feature today is that a combination over the world, starting with ex - of Franco, faced with a developing how to permanently mental and climate threats have be - of globalisation and communication plaining the central role of the work - revolution, was crumbling. But the win struggles? come major international issues. innovations has strengthened an in - ing class. Spanish ruling class sought, and ob - The past 40 years have been no ternational consciousness. tained, the help of the workers’ lead - exception to the story of mass strug - Today the capitalists have little Growing numbers see the ques - ers to contain the revolutionary optimism. They lack confidence, as gle. A mere four days after the CWI’s tions of the economy, war and CWI’s foundation in a movement within capitalism and es - formation, 48 years of military and revealed in their current discussions peace, and the environment as in - revolutionary time tablish a capitalist, not a socialist, on whether they can stop funnelling dictatorial rule in Portugal were ternational and also as tied to capi - democracy. ended with the 25 April revolution. money into many economies via talism, or at least to the domination It was not accidental that the Against this background the Quantitative Easing (QE) and, if they A few months later the Greek mili - of the giant financial, manufactur - foundation of the CWI took place in Marxists who founded the CWI, then tary junta collapsed. But history do, what will be the effects? ing and trading corporations. At the a very turbulent and radical period. around the Militant newspaper, had These conditions are preparing does not develop in a straight line. In same time more people are aware of The long post-World War Two eco - begun to reach a much wider audi - both countries the ruling classes new periods of struggle and revolu - the possibilities inherent in scien - nomic upswing was ending. But al - ence in Britain and soon in other tion. Generally in this period of crisis were able to survive mainly because tific and technological advances if ready, before the 1973 oil crisis that countries. Internationally this was the mass movements that threat - most struggles have been defensive, they are utilised in the interests of came to symbolise the changing initially mainly in Europe but also in against the ruling classes’ onslaught, ened them did not have a concrete the population and the environment economic situation, Europe and Sri Lanka, where the history of a strategy of how to replace capital - but in countries which have seen rather than corporate profit. But then Latin America had been Trotskyist movement with mass economic growth, like Brazil and ism, and a leadership prepared to most importantly, the experience of gripped by revolutionary move - support meant that the ideas of the lead that battle. China, there have been offensive austerity and the struggle against it ments and crises, especially France CWI found an early echo. battles to win improvements. is forging an understanding of the 1968. In Vietnam US imperialism However despite the worldwide In Greece the workers have con - need to change society fundamen - was facing its first ever military de - revolutionary upheavals of the late ducted an incredible 36 general Arguing for socialism tally. Thus events like the 2011 over - 1960s and 1970s the idea of a real after Stalinism feat. The Stalinist regimes had been strikes since 2010, but have not been throw of Egyptian dictator Mubarak shaken by the 1968 ‘Prague Spring’ workers’ international, while attrac - successful in stopping the ruling had a worldwide impact. in the then Czechoslovakia and the tive to many activists, had became class’s onslaught. But this does not The past 25 years have been com - These developments have pro - 1970/71 wave of workers’ strikes in less central to the mass of the work - plicated by the collapse of the Soviet rule out a new radicalisation, per - vided an important potential base Poland, movements which were not ers’ movement. Mainly this flowed haps initially on the political plane. Union and the other Stalinist states. for an international socialist organi - pro-capitalist but in essence looking from the failure of both the Socialist Being ruled by a privileged totalitar - Simultaneously sections of the sation, linking together movements towards establishing a workers’ and Communist Internationals to movement are drawing lessons from ian elite meant that these states around the globe. This century has democracy. remain and develop as organisa - could not be regarded as socialist. their experiences, a process which already seen international move - At that time the trade unions in tions that strove to change the the CWI supporters in Xekinima are However, the fact that they rested on ments and struggles, such as the op - Britain, the CWI’s first base, were at a world. But in the 21st century, with a planned, nationalised non-capi - both part of and influencing. position to the US and British led high point, but not just in terms of the world’s obvious and growing The revolutions and mass strug - talist economy meant that their very invasion of Iraq, the worldwide Oc - numbers. The miners’ victories and inter-dependence, the issue of inter - existence proved that capitalism was gles of recent years have again posed cupy/Indignados protests, the anti- the 1974 defeat of the Tory govern - national action and struggle is once the age old question of how can not the only possible system. austerity protests in Europe, the more being sharply posed. the news 9 www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk - May/June 2014 40 years of fighting for a socialist world Workers of all nations unite Practically from the dawn of the opposed the war, in most combat - workers’ movement there was an ant countries only small minorities understanding that the struggle opposed the war when it broke out against oppression and capitalism in 1914. was international. Already in 1848 This decisive change, combined and ex - with the role of the Second Interna - plained in the Communist Mani - tional leaders in helping to suppress festo that “modern industry has revolutionary movements in their established the world market … The own countries, transformed the bourgeoisie has through its ex - workers’ movement. ploitation of the world market given Against this background the so - a cosmopolitan character to pro - cialists who refused to accommo - duction and consumption in every date themselves with capitalism country … In place of the old wants, argued that it was necessary to fight satisfied by the production of the to free the workers’ movement from country, we find new wants, requir - this poisonous pro-capitalist influ - A history of the CWI “A socialist ing for their satisfaction the prod - ence. The victory of the October world is possible” by Peter Taaffe - ucts of distant lands and climes. In revolution in Russia in 1917 trans - available from us (see page 2) place of the old local and national formed the situation. The German seclusion and self-sufficiency, we revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg the one with the biggest repercus - have intercourse in every direction, summed up the feeling of many ac - sions. universal inter-dependence of na - tivists and workers around the tions.” world that the Bolsheviks, “Lenin the impact of the For socialists and working class and Trotsky and their friends” set activists the conclusion was ex - “an example to the workers of the Nazis’ victory pressed in the Communist Mani - world”. However this defeat was not at all festo’s ending that, in the face of an The example was both political - inevitable. Then the German work - international capitalist system, the programme, strategy and tactics - ers’ movement was the biggest in need was to adopt the call: “Work - and organisational, in the sense of the capitalist world. The Commu - ers of All Countries, Unite!”. building workers’ organisations, es - nist Party in Germany was a signifi - From those early days socialists pecially a political party, that were cant force, winning nearly 17% in saw that an international bringing willing and able to fight to end cap - 1932. However, in practice, it was together of workers’ organisations italism. The subsequent struggle in unable to build a united front of should not be limited to building the workers’ movement was fierce, workers against fascism as it effec - solidarity between workers in dif - sometimes bloody as the pro-capi - tively equated the Social Democ - ferent countries. Above all it was talist elements sought to drive out, rats, whom it called “social-fascists”, seen as first an instrument for help - and sometimes even murder, the with the Nazis. ing to build workers’ movements left. But after Hitler’s victory there was around the world and increasingly Internationally this split was seen no open discussion at all within the as a forum to discuss and decide in the 1919 formation, on the initia - over upon their policies. tive of the victorious Bolsheviks in what had happened to its biggest While there had been earlier in - Russia, of the Communist Interna - party outside the then Soviet Union. ternational socialist organisations it tional, an organisation then dedi - For Trotsky and his followers this was the First International, founded cated to overthrowing capitalism. It meant that the Communist Inter - in 1864, which brought together the had a mass base in many countries national had ceased to be a real liv - different forces in the then newly as the events of 1917 in Russia ing political organisation, instead it arising workers’ movement, helped sparked a mass revolutionary wave had become a bureaucratic ma - give them a firm political basis and that travelled around the world. chine where the leadership im - strengthened the cadre of activists. However the Communist Interna - posed its will without any While the First International col - tional did not fulfil its early prom - questioning from below. Such an lapsed in 1876 in the aftermath of ise. organisation cannot build a move - the crushing of the ment that can overthrow capital - less than 15 years later, in 1889, a Stalinism’s rise ism, something which can only be new International was created. This Top: CWI flag. Bottom: CWI members in Sri Lanka marching on May Day based on democratic debate and body, later called the Second Inter - The defeat of post-World War gains be consolidated and the old South Africa and Nigeria CWI sec - genuine workers’ control and man - national, was formed by a number One revolutions in Europe led to order really removed? Egypt is the tions have been instrumental in agement. This is necessary both to of growing parties. It soon came to isolation of the Soviet Union. In latest example of where, in February steps being taken to form new par - build a living mass workers’ party symbolise a dramatic growth of post-war conditions of poverty, ex - 2011, the working masses potentially ties. In countries like Australia, Ire - and to guard against the threat of its workers’ organisations and a popu - haustion and underdevelopment had power in their hands but did not land, Sri Lanka, the USA and decay. larisation of socialist ideas – with an increasingly privileged strata fully understand that or see what Sweden, CWI comrades currently most of its member parties formally was, under the false banner of ‘pro - needed to be done. fight elections under their own ban - A new, Fourth, accepting as their political tecting the revolution’, able to grad - Mighty revolutions can almost ner. basis. ually consolidate its power and International completely sweep away the old Where left parties exist, like PSoL But political debate continued suppress democratic rights. order but, as in Portugal after 1975, in Brazil and Die LINKE in Germany, and repeatedly centred on the This was the basis for the rise of Thus, once again, the question of it can come back if the working class CWI comrades are active in them question of whether to attempt to the Stalinist dictatorship which in - building a genuine international does not secure power. Obviously while also arguing what steps need reform capitalism or overthrow it. creasingly tried to avoid interna - was posed. However, while Trotsky every revolution and struggle has its to be taken to further build them as While some, especially rank-and- tional upheavals or revolutions that raised the banner and programme own characteristics, but in revolu - socialist organisations. This is essen - file, reformists may have genuinely could disrupt its rule. Thus, desper - of a in the tions the general lesson of how the tial because without a clear socialist believed that reform was an easier ate to avoid war, it suddenly in 1939 1930s, initially it was only in Cey - working class and poor in Russia programme new workers’ parties way to change society and achieve signed a deal with Hitler, which in - lon/Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Bolivia were able to come to, and stay in, can follow the path of the old ones, socialism, for the growing number cluded supplying raw materials and that it attracted large forces, al - power in 1917 is still essential. like the PT has in Brazil, or simply of leaders this policy marked their returning German anti-fascist though in the 1930s and 1940s es - Today’s situation is similar in eventually collapse as the Prc has re - own personal adaptation to capital - refugees to Nazi Germany. pecially its activists played some ways to the late 19th century cently done in Italy. ism. But this did not, as important roles in struggles in other when the mass workers’ movement Arguing for such a programme is They were increasingly reluctant wrote at the time, prevent a Nazi at - countries. developed. Now it is a question of re- part of our CWI tradition. But from to challenge capitalism, something tack on the Soviet Union in 1941. During the more difficult political building or building afresh workers’ our beginning we have not been just which already before 1914 had led Later, allied with the US and Britain, period after the Second World War organisations. A complication is debating policies, we have always to some fierce debates as the left Stalin decided in 1943 to dissolve political, and organisational, dis - that, in many countries, workers been active - participating in and fought against opportunism and the Communist International as a agreements led to divisions within have the bitter experience of the initiating struggles, big and small. adaption to capitalism. way of showing that his regime was the Trotskyist movement. It was out decay or collapse of the old workers’ But in many ways these first four not seeking to overthrow capitalism of these debates and experiences organisations, with especially the decades are really only a pre-history. internationally but rather seeking that the CWI was formed as an or - former social democratic, socialist We are already in a tumultuous pe - 1914 – A turning point an accommodation with the main ganisation aiming to build a work - and communist parties now mostly riod, everything is either being ques - capitalist powers. ers’ international based on the being transformed into pro-capital - tioned or soon will be. The But it was only with the outbreak Trotsky, the co-leader with political traditions defended by ist or totally capitalist organisations. experiences of this period of capital - of World War One that the strength of the Russian Revo - Trotsky and the experience in the ism, the growing environmental cri - of the pro-capitalist elements at the lution, who in the 1920s led the op - decades since his murder. Over the sis, with no future on offer to the vast top of the workers’ movement was position to the rise of the Stalinist last 40 years the CWI has grown rearming the workers’ mass of young people, will produce clearly revealed. The overwhelming system, had already drawn the con - worldwide in the work to build an movement revolutionary storms. The CWI will majority of Second International clusion in 1933 that the Communist international socialist movement play a full part in these events, in - leaders supported their ‘own’ ruling International was no longer capable that can transform the globe. The CWI is, in many countries, cluding the building of a movement classes and empires. This was a fun - of leading the struggle against cap - In striving to achieve this aim we playing a key role in this rebuilding that can finally end this brutal, damental break with the principles italism. do not see past events as dead his - and, where appropriate, arguing that chaotic and unfair capitalist system and previous decisions of the Inter - This was after the Nazis came to tory. On the contrary we aim to a start must be made to create new and make life a pleasure for all. national to oppose a war between learn, and apply, the real lessons of political parties of the working class the competing imperialist powers. power in what was probably the worst defeat that the workers’ these events in the battles of today as a step towards building a mass so - G Read more about the CWI and our While in Russia and a few other movement has ever suffered and and tomorrow. cialist workers’ movement. But it is ideas at www.socialistworld.net countries genuine socialist parties not just propaganda. In Britain, 10 general news the socialist www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk - May/June 2014 Young people and the independence referendum

Euan Kane parties have shown no firm commit - from the young, Despite the asser - Dundee Socialist Party Scotland ment to fighting their implementa - tions of the mainstream press, the tion north of the border. The most purported recovery of the UK's In September of this year, the peo - 'generous' offer from any of them to economy from the depths of reces - ple of Scotland will be asked to de - English students being Labour's so- sion has not improved the bleak out - cide on whether Scotland ought to called radical reduction of tuition look for many young people who remain a part of the United Kingdom fees to a mere £6000, a promise only have decided not to enter higher ed - or to secede from the union. set to come into effect following the ucation. Roughly seventy percent of these election of a Labour government to Zero-hour contracts requiring new sixteen and seventeen year old Westminster in 2015. availability at any time with no as - voters have already registered, and However, it also needs borne in surance of a minimum number of intend on exercising their rights. mind that under the SNP students hours per week have become in - However their vote is cast, they from England, Wales and Northern creasingly commonplace for those have a say in one of the most impor - Ireland are also having to pay mas - entering employment after leaving tant political decisions of the cen - sive tuition fees for studying in Scot - school. tury thus far. land, underlining the fact that This has not been helped by the But what exactly are the factors education is not genuinely free. Westminster government's cam - motivating a group generally treated With this in mind, it is no surprise paign of austerity measures against ers, though the Nordic aspirations of ing the right to a job and a living with condescension by the main - that the unionist parties that make public services, including the cap - Alex Salmond and the SNP-led Yes wage. Whatever the outcome of the stream political parties? up the Better Together campaign ping of housing benefits for under- campaign, the promises made in the vote, young people will need to or - Perhaps it is the prospect of tu - had opposed the enfranchisement of 25s. The Labour party also seems set White Paper proving unconvincing. ganise to fight for that future. Youth ition fees being introduced at Scot - 16 and 17 year-olds. But this is not on carrying out the coalition's cuts Hundreds of thousands of young Fight For Jobs should be built to en - tish universities as they were in the only, or indeed, the main, issue as far as big business deems neces - people will be voting in September, sure that the interests of young peo - England. The big business unionist which has motivated such interest sary. This has alienated young work - looking for a decent future, includ - ple are put centre stage. Socialist Alternative Socialist election campaign in South Africa provinces with Limpopo in first place. Secondary school students make gains in the US are enthusiastic campaigners in Limpopo and Gauteng. Campaigning is taking place in Socialist Alternative the other major cities of Durban CWI in the US and Cape Town too, with an impor - tant base of support at the Numsa- Kshama Sawant's election as organised Toyota factory in Durban city councillor in Seattle has re - and across the small industrial sites ceived repeated national media at - in Cape Town. In the Western Cape, tention. the shack dwellers’ movement Kshama is a member of Socialist Abahlali baseMjondolo has decided Alternative - co-thinkers of the to join COSANCOM and WASP. CWI in the US. This has helped to revive inter - The response was viewed online trade union support est in socialist ideas and establish - by nearly 100,000 people - more ing Socialist Alternative as a pole than either the Republican or Tea of attraction for workers and youth WASP has won important bases Party responses! WASP members are promoting the message of socialism means freedom of support amongst members and looking to get active in the struggle This shows the demand for an against capitalist crisis. shop stewards of the National alternative to the pro-capitalist Workers and Socialist Party road, last week the township of Kshama's victory and the Union of Metalworkers of South policies of the two major parties. South Africa Olievenhoutbosch exploded in a Africa (Numsa). Numsa’s December heightened national profile of So - The political impact of Kshama service delivery protest over lack of cialist Alternative come at a time special congress voted to withdraw Sawant has spread far beyond With the South African elections adequate housing in the area. We support from the ANC in the 2014 when people are searching for a Seattle! are working to link up the three political alternative to the two cor - taking place on 7th May the Work - election. In the Free State, Cape In 2014, people have joined So - ers and Socialist Party’s (WASP) neighbouring communities into a Town, Tembisa, Klerksdorp, porate parties on a scale not seen cialist Alternative from 45 new united service delivery protest of in decades. election campaign is at full throttle. Krugersdorp, Witbank, Rustenburg cities - several of them have al - Hundreds of activists are working the whole of Pretoria West. and elsewhere, WASP is working ready developed new groups in round the clock in communities With the crucial support of the closely with Numsa members to Congress of South African Non- Growing fast their areas. and workplaces across the country turn out the vote for WASP. In the From the Bay Area, California, to to build the party and win votes. Racial Civic Movements (COSAN - Gauteng goldfields, WASP support - Birmingham, Alabama; from Port - COM) in the townships around Across the country, we're grow - Despite our small resources, we are ers are active in the townships and land, Oregon to Portland, Maine; winning over communities and Johannesburg – Alexandra, Tem - hostels around the mines cam - ing at a faster pace than we ever and from Washington, DC, to Hon - bisa, Freedom Park and Soweto – have before. Our membership has workers to our banner with our five paigning at many shafts including olulu, Hawai'i, new members are key election messages: WASP supporters have been out Kusaselethu, KDC East, KDC West, increased by over 200 since our organising in their workplaces, putting up posters and fixing election victory - and more than Anglo Gold Ashanti and Westonaria campuses and communities. G boards to lampposts. In the Vaal, half of that growth has been in Nationalisation under working shafts. In February, Socialist Alternative class control the Working Class Coordinating On the East and West rand – the areas where, previously, Socialist Committee (organised in ten Vaal held our first Southern Regional G United struggle for real service industrial heartland of the country Alternative did not have estab - Conference with activists from townships) called for a WASP vote lished branches. delivery – WASP supporters are campaign - Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana. G and is working hard to campaign ing at the huge factories. WASP’s Sawant is using the momentum Fight for decent jobs for all for us. G presidential candidate – Moses of our election victory to lead the Working class MPs on workers’ The Bekkersdaal community – 15 Now campaign, which is poised wages Mayekiso – is still recognised by New branches famous for its militant struggle for workers here after his many years to win the highest minimum wage G Only socialism means freedom basic services and its call to boycott in the US. as a metalworkers’ trade union or - People across the US are seeking the elections – is reversing that po - ganiser in the area. As a result, people across the The Gauteng Civic Association, out a socialist alternative to the sition and giving its support to WASP is the only workers’ party country have been convinced that which organises in the Pretoria global crisis of capitalism. Carolyn WASP. A mass community meeting standing in the election. Despite an socialist ideas are an effective townships of Atteridgeville and Elerding of Columbus, Ohio, is will take place there on 27 April – increasing silence from the media guide to strategy for winning real Mamelodi, has agreed to affiliate to building a new branch of Socialist the commemoration of 20 years of on WASP and the disappointing de - gains in living standards. WASP. They are organising a service Alternative in her community be - ‘freedom’ – and WASP is to be given cision of the entire left in South In March, 21 cities across the US delivery protest on 29 April and cause "it seems that more and a platform and endorsed by the Africa not to call for a vote for WASP participated in a week of action for have invited WASP to play a full more people want to work to - community leadership. but rather to either spoil ballots or a $15 an hour minimum wage. part. In the same area, the residents gether to address the inequalities In Limpopo, comrades are visit - vote ‘against’ the ANC, we remain Branches of Socialist Alterna - of the desperately poor informal built into our current system." ing rural villages daily, holding pub - confident that we will win enough tive, including brand new settlement ‘The Hills’, just next to Our numbers are still small con - lic meetings and winning support votes to secure representation in branches, led these actions in sup - Atteridgeville, have asked for sidering our massive goals to from WASP. Across the entire the National Assembly. port of a truly historic step forward WASP’s assistance to campaign to transform society, but our recent province community members can This will be a crucial bridgehead for working people. force the municipality to provide growth shows the tremendous tra - be seen wearing their WASP T-shirts in the development of a mass work - Requests to join poured in by running water, sanitation and elec - jectory of Socialist Alternative. with pride. ers’ party in the coming months the hundreds on our website fol - tricity. This year, we will play a key role and years. WASP is playing the role lowing Kshama's election victory Recently we were able to take in Seattle and beyond in the fight of a pioneer assembling the forces and again following her appear - journalists around the settlement to increase the minimum wage. Youth campaign that can achieve this historic task. ance on Democracy Now!. We are also well-positioned to to expose the municipality’s inac - But the largest flood of interest be the left-wing of the coming tion and in doing so gaining WASP The Socialist Youth Movement is G You can follow the outcome of came after Kshama gave a re - move toward independent work - the second news item on the also taking off, with branches now the election after May 7th on sponse to President Obama's State ing class politics. primetime TV news slot. Just an - established in numerous university of the Union address in January. other few kilometres down the www.socialistworld.net and and college campuses in several www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk the socialist workplace www.socialistpartyscotland.org.uk - May/June 2014 11

Care workers strike delivers Doncaster Care UK strike an inspiration to workers Brian Smith Glasgow Unison branch secretary The council blame the govern - Nearly 400 UNISON members in ment. Where does it end? A phrase ’s homes for comes to mind - shit rolls down - older people have secured impor - hill, and doesn't it just! It's not the tant concessions and forced back an MPs at the top having to tighten anti-trade union and anti-collective their belts, it's not the sharehold - bargaining approach from the ers of Care UK or its directors and Labour controlled council. Mem - management. No it's us on the bers took seven days of strike action shop floor. AGAIN, the lowest in January and February in what be - paid. Well I for one am sick of came as increasingly bitter dispute. going to work to struggle and In late February, due to the in - budget ... That's why we're striking creasing pressure on the council back". and the threat of a further nine days of strike action, leading council of - By Alistair Tice Labour refuses ficials and Labour politicians of - Care workers took seven days of strike action in January and February 2014 fered to meet with the UNISON Socialist Party - Yorkshire solidarity Branch. The council tabled a revised (a similar approach was tried and public leafleting and ensured that offer which included additional also failed in October 2013 in a dis - generous strike hardship payments After another four days of action Last week, a few of the strikers funding of just under a £1M, extra pute with over 1,000 pupil support were made when required. over Easter taking us to day 20, the met with two of Doncaster's jobs, enhanced compensation pay - assistants from the same UNISON The branch also received hun - Doncaster Care UK strike is not Labour MPs and a representative ments and other concessions. branch). Under pressure workers dreds of messages of support from just solid but stronger than ever. of Ed Miliband (Doncaster North In early 2014, the council moved signed up to the these changes across the UK and some magnifi - On Friday 18th April, the strik - MP). Nothing came out of the ahead with the implementation of through fear of their jobs. Neverthe - cent donations to the strike hard - ers' rally voted in a secret ballot to meeting apart from a letter from cuts in shift payments, changes to less, members voted by 3 to 1 to take ship fund from other UNISON strike again, next time for two the MPs to Care UK asking them to job roles and a move to twelve and a strike action. branches. weeks in May. "negotiate to end this long run - half hour shifts. Compared to where we were in Such has been the financial sup - ning dispute". The changes included 122 full January, the revised offer had more port flooding in that strike pay is At the resulting meeting with time workers losing £1495 per year huge impact positive than negative aspects. In a being increased to £50 a day. the arbitration service Acas on and 60 part timers losing of £794 per ballot of the members, 69% voted to On Saturday 19th, 300-400 strik - Sunday 20th, Care UK had nothing year. The Council also refused to The strikes had a huge impact on accept the revised offer. ers and supporters marched new to put on the table. One of the maintain the wages of any worker the residential service, secured very The strikers also pushed back the through Doncaster to a great re - stewards attending said: "That's who had been in a temporary higher good media coverage, won wide - anti-trade union, anti-collective ception from local onlookers. two hours on my life i'll never get graded post for less than four years spread support from residents and bargaining approach adopted by the Solidarity speeches came from back!" The May strike goes ahead. and sought to alter the job roles of their families and rattled the senior council at the beginning of the dis - the bakers' union, RMT rail union, So after 20 days of strike action the lowest paid workers to include council managers and politicians. pute. In that respect, the dispute has NUT teachers, expelled Hull against "a cost of living crisis" of the administration of medicines. The council’s initial response was had a positive impact across the Labour councillor Gill Kennett, 35% pay cuts and privatisation of UNISON members viewed the to publicly attack their own work - trade union movement in the city Disabled People Against Cuts, the NHS, still not a single local new staff to resident ratio on the force including a bizarre and un - and beyond. South Yorkshire Freedom Riders, Labour councillor or MP has pub - new twelve and a half hour night founded public rant by the social With Glasgow City Council ex - other Unison branches and health licly supported the strikers. shift as inadequate and a risk to the work director about strikers wearing pected to make further cuts of £100 workers including three activists That's why the Trade Unionist care of the 600 residents. “dark clothes and balaclavas whilst million over the next two years, its from Gwalia Social Care in and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) has During late 2013, the Council had wandering about the gardens of the more than likely that workers pay Swansea who will soon be striking organised a protest lobby of Ed tried to bully workers into agreeing homes” during strike days. and terms and conditions will be over the very same issues. Miliband's surgery on Thursday to the changes on an individual The UNISON branch organised under threat again. Effective and de - Care UK striker and shop stew - 22nd April and on the same day basis through the issuing of five in - members meetings during the termined strike action will need to ard Kirstine Carbutt finished the TUSC supporters will protest out - dividual letters, ignoring the normal strikes, called two protests at the be used again and again, where nec - rally with an impassioned speech: side Care UK offices around the collective bargaining arrangements council chambers, co-ordinated essary, to defeat the cuts agenda. "Care UK blame the council. country. NHS staff to ballot for action on pay Keep PCS a fighting left union By John McInally G Improved conditions for call cen - Alan Manley son to decide unanimously that we PCS vice president tre members. Tayside Healthcare Unison will be building a campaign of in - G Oppose the discredited Perform - Branch Chair (personal capacity) dustrial action to fight pay restraint The ballot for the PCS President and ance Management system. in the NHS. The increase in the National Executive Committee G Challenge discrimination, lack of NHS staff in Scotland have had a cost of living, plus 3 years of pay (NEC) elections opened on 16 April childcare facilities, unfair sickness 1% pay rise imposed on them by freezes means most NHS staff saw and closes on 8 May. At stake is the rules. Equality for all. the Scottish government. This the value of their pay fall by be - leadership of one of Britain's most G Defend the welfare state. miserly attempt to compensate us tween 8% and 12% from 2010 to important unions. G Continue to campaign for our al - for working in a service under se - 2013. The ballot of the PCS' 270,000-strong ternative to austerity, including im - vere financial strain, with reduc - A number of NHS workers spoke membership is significant not just proving jobs and services, tions in staffing numbers, of the reality of poverty pay leading because of the union's size and the investment in public services, cli - accompanying an increase in clin - to pay day loans, debt and despair. importance of the jobs of its mem - mate jobs and tax justice. ical activity, is simply not enough. The weight of anger being felt bers. We have had 2 years of pension across the NHS over all the issues But because the left-led PCS is recog - PCS's stand against the govern - contribution rises, increases in na - we face is being reflected in the nised as one of the most consistent ment's austerity programme re - idea that we simply must fight. tional insurance and the rising cost and outspoken critics of the govern - ceived overwhelming support of the NHS staff do not traditionally of living means that NHS pay does ment's austerity programme and a membership in a recent consultation take industrial action, but when we not make ends meet for hundreds leading organiser of opposition and exercise covering over 80% of PCS do as in 2011 over pensions, the ef - of thousands of staff. More than a action against government attacks. branches. PCS activists and mem - fect is profound. But confidence third of NHS staff who are non Under the leadership of the Democ - bers are absolutely convinced that needs to be built because deter - medical are paid less than £21,000 racy Alliance - an alliance between joint coordinated industrial action is mined action is needed. The lowest 2 pay points-bands 1 Left Unity, in which Socialist Party the best way to win. and 2 are below the living wage. members have played a key role, and The current NEC will be challenged At Unison’s recent national no repeat of 2011 Unison in health across Scotland the PCS Democrats - PCS has been by right-wing candidates of the old Healthcare Conference in will need to consider how we can transformed into a fighting, cam - discredited 'Moderate' grouping re - Brighton, the debate on pay be - paigning and democratic union. In contributing to the pay debate match the events and action ex - branded as '4themembers'. came the central theme of begin - The Democracy Alliance candidates I had to remind our union leader - pected in the rest of the UK. They believe there is no alternative to ning a fightback on all the issues seek re-election based on their ship that the mistakes of that cam - To that end we have been ad - the cuts and that the union should that threaten the service itself. In record in office, on a programme of: paign cannot be repeated. We vised that we establish our own in - do nothing but accept the attacks on England the Con-Dems have not dustrial action strategy taking G Defend jobs, conditions and serv - terms and conditions. even agreed to pay the full 1% to all cannot be led up the hill to retreat back where we came as was the account of the different aspects of ices. In order to meet the many challenges NHS staff! 58% of staff will get G case over pensions, when Unison’s our pay campaign due to the ac - Organise to defeat the attack on faced by PCS members by a govern - nothing. tions of the Scottish Government. check-off and union facilities. ment intent on further cuts and pri - This award has been amended UK leadership decided there was As we go to press branches G End the pay freeze. Oppose pri - vatisations it is vital to re-elect a by the Scottish Government. We no mood for further action. We across the country are making nec - vatisation and off-shoring. strong, dedicated, determined left are getting a consolidated rise, need to show the Tories that the mood in the NHS is for a fightback. essary preparations for a ballot. G Fair pensions for all. leadership. meaning all NHS staff will get the With a concerted campaign that 1%. However, despite this, Unison Key to all this is translating the need for action into slogans, de - co-ordinates the ongoing battles The Socialist is dedicated to reporting the struggles of workers. If members in Scotland joined the across the public sector we could chorus of disapproval that led Uni - mands that can unite the cam - you have a report for us please email it to paign. Crucially, it is clear that smash the pay freeze. [email protected] Phone 07889135533 the Socialist The Paper of Socialist Party Scotland - Committee for a Workers’ International (Scotland) ISSUE N o31 MAY/JUNE 2014 End zero-hour exploitation By Steven Manley but knew that walking out from this Youth Fight For Jobs member job would have an effect on my ben - efit so I was forced to put up with it. I had the misfortune to have a The on-call arrangement of zero- zero-hour contract in the summer of hours contracts means that you last year. The job was advertised as don’t know from one week to the “fruit picking” in my local paper. next what hours you are working. However, I was given a different job Statistics show that 6 in 10 people on husking strawberries, a job I wasn’t zero-hour contracts are low paid. capable of doing due to my low mus - This proves that these jobs fail to cle tone. provide a decent standard of living I had informed my line manager for working class people and addi - of this and that didn’t stop them dis - tionally can have an effect on the missing me for a lack of productivity, wellbeing. In total I made £100 from this job, The trade union Unison’s report only £10 more than I received when on zero-hour contracts highlighted I was on Job Seekers Allowance. the fear faced by employees, no clear Employees were regularly under definition of employment rights, scrutiny from line managers who lack of a weekly income, employees spread in the public sector as well. Britain and that things are improv - hour and proper contracts with a would threaten staff with dismissal being vulnerable to abuse employ - The use of zero-hour contracts is ing for people, but the massive guaranteed weekly hours and trade each day in a bid to increase pro - ees working beyond agreed hours. capitalism’s way of punishing and growth in zero-hour contracts shows union rights for all workers. ductivity. It didn’t, and the high Figures also show that since 2010 exploiting working class people. how far out of touch they are with If the bosses system can’t afford turnover of staff was evident. the numbers of people on zero-hour They exist to bolster a system based the reality for millions. such modest demands we need to Many of the staff said they were contracts have continued to increase on sustaining the wealth of the rich Youth Fight For Jobs and Socialist build a movement to break with cap - unhappy with the conditions of the and are being used by companies and the powerful. Party Scotland is demanding an end italism and build a socialist alterna - job and the way they were treated by like Asda, Tesco, Sports Direct, Mc - The Con-Dem government say to zero hour contracts. We are cam - tive that would genuinely meet the those in charge. I wanted to leave Donalds and Subway and are wide - that a recovery is taking place in paigning for a living wage of £10 an needs of the working class.

employment. End zero-hour public services rights socialism and internationalism what we contracts. G Scrap the anti-union laws. G Fight all cuts. No to G Oppose discrimination on the G No to imperialist wars and stand for Build fighting trade unions, privatisation. Renationalise all grounds of race , sex, occupations. Withdraw the democratically controlled by privatised utilities and disability, sexuality, age and troops now from Afghanistan. their members. Full-time services. all other forms of prejudice . G Tax the super rich. For a work and income officials should be regularly G Free, high quality education G Repeal laws that trample of socialist government that takes elected and receive no more for all from nursery to civil liberties. For the right to the major companies in G For the unions to take than a worker’s wage. university; with a living grant. protest. End police Scotland into public ownership immediate action to increase G An immediate 50% increase in No to the return of tuition harassment. and the top 150 companies the minimum wage to £8 an the state retirement pension, fees in Scotland. Cancel the G Defend abortion rights. For a and banks that dominate the hour without exemptions as as a step towards a living student debt and end the cuts women’s right to choose when British economy. Run them an immediate step towards pension . Reinstate the link in education funding. and whether to have children. under democratic working £10 an hour. For an annual with average earnings now. G A socialist NHS to provide for G For the right of asylum. No to class control and increase in the minimum everyone’s health - free at the racist immigration laws. management. Compensation wage, linked to average environment point of use and under should be paid only on the earnings. A mass working class party G Major research and democratic control. Kick out basis of proven need. G Reject Welfare to Work; for investment into replacing the private contractors from G For a mass workers party that G For a socialist Scotland and a the right to decent benefits, fossil fuels with renewable all parts of the NHS. draws together workers, free and voluntary socialist training or a job without energy. End the problems of G Keep council housing public. young people and activists federation of Scotland with compulsion. early obsolescence and For a massive programme of from other movements to England Wales and Ireland. G A maximum 35-hour week unrecycled waste. publicly owned housing to build a political alternative to G A democratic socialist, without loss of pay. G Public ownership of the provide good quality homes at the big business parties. environmentally secure plan of G All workers, including part- energy generating industry. No low rents. G Trade unions should production based on the timers, temps, casual and G disaffiliate from the Labour interests of the overwhelming migrant workers to have trade to nuclear power. No to Fully fund all services and run Party now and play a central majority of people. union rates of pay, Trident them under accountable, G role in helping to build a new G No to the bosses neo-liberal employment protection, A democratically planned, low democratic committees that sickness and holiday rights fare, publicly owner transport include representatives of workers’ party. European Union. For a from the first day of system, to help end workers and service users. socialist Europe and a socialist environmental pollution. world free from poverty.