Socialist Worker

Monthly#4 • February 2003 • $2 Review WE CAN STOP THIS WAR

— PROTEST ON FEBRUARYSocialist Worker Monthly Review15 February — 2003 1 What’s on

LONDON NEW YORK ROME ATHENS BRISBANE February 15 – International day of action against the war on Iraq

Up to 10 million people around the world [email protected] Maunder tel 732 4010 e-mail are expected to protest against war on Iraq [email protected] or Rev Alan PALMERSTON NORTH Cummins tel (03) 768 7667. on February 15. (Note change of date – 13 February) Some of the cities organising protests are Peace March in solidarity with the inter- CHRISTCHURCH shown above. national protest against the greatly esca- Celebrate the International Day of Anti- It will be by far the biggest and most lating the 12 year war on Iraq. Assemble War Action at the Peace Picnic – with en- widespread demonstration of opposition yet at 11-45am on the Railway land, Pitt St for tertainment including The Cooltones, a march to the Square and Te Marae o Oakley Grenell, Anne Low, DJs, stalls and seen. Join the actions in your area! Hine. All welcome to contribute / speak. speakers. Please bring a white flower with For more info contact Manawatu Peace you. From 1pm, at Victoria Square, for AUCKLAND Collective, tel (06) 357 7882, email more info contact Peace Action Network March up Queen Street from QEII Square [email protected] tel (03) 981 2825. at 12 noon. Organised by Global Peace & Justice Auckland. For more info contact WELLINGTON DUNEDIN John Minto, email [email protected], or March and Rally for Peace in the Middle March and Rally to Oppose War in Iraq, Mike Treen email [email protected]. East – No new war on the people of Iraq, unite with the international day of action, Justice for Palestine. Gather 12 noon at and remember the victims of the 1991 HAMILTON Glover Park (Ghuznee Street, between bombing of the Ameriyah shelter by the Gathering For Peace, 12 noon in Garden Cuba Street and Cumberland Place), US. Meet at 11-45am at the Museum for Place. For more information and to help march to Midland Park and rally with the march, or from 12-30pm in the Octa- with organising, contact Hamilton for speakers. For more info contact Peace gon, with picnics and families. For more Peace, phone Dan 856 9139 email Action Wellington tel (04) 382 8129 or info contact Fiona Bowker email [email protected] email [email protected] [email protected]

WHANGANUI GREYMOUTH Thanks to Peace Movement Aotearoa for Vigil in support of the International Day Inaugural meeting of West Coast Peace compiling local list. of Action. Gather in Majestic Square, time Group. Everyone is welcome. Meet at Contact PMA: Box 9314, Wellington. to be confirmed. For more info contact 2pm, DP:One Cafe, 108 Mawhera Quay. Phone 382 8129, email [email protected], Peter tel (06) 345 0634 or email For more info please contact Paul website www.converge.org.nz/pma/

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2 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 Editorial Socialist Worker Monthly Review We can stop http://au.geocities.com/swo_nz this war What’s on 2 George Bush is now threatening war on Iraq “in weeks, not months”. The opening bombardment of Bagdhad will be, in the words of military Editorial 3 planner Harlan Ullman, “like the nuclear weapons at Hiroshima”. But as war looms, opposition mounts. Here in New Zealand, Helen Clark says the government does not support News Review 4 a war waged without UN backing. If the UN gives a mandate, she says, then Maori New Zealand would try to make a contribution to the forces in Iraq, but only Genetic engineering for “logistical” or “humanitarian” purposes. Venezuela Few people are fooled. The frigate Te Mana is already sailing to the Arabian Sea. It replaces Te Kaha, and will be under the command of the aircraft carrier FEATURES Abraham Lincoln. This carrier is launching daily bombing raids on Iraq. The role of Te Mana will be to escort US warships heading for the combat zone. World against war 8 The possibility of further “humanitarian” or “logistical” support is designed New Zealand to sound harmless. US, Europe, Middle East But the Hercules aircraft that went to Afghanistan as “humanitarian” and “logistical” assistance were used to ferry US troops to the front. World Social Forum Clark’s “opposition” to war is phony. But cracks over Iraq are starting to appear at top levels of her government. Vietnam 13 In January, trade minister Jim Sutton told the Sunday Star Times that New Zealand shouldn’t support war even if the UN does give a mandate. Any UN backing, he said, would only show succesful “arm-twisting” by the United States. ‘What’s Left?’ debate 14 These cracks are due to pressure from below from the anti-war movement. Sutton pointed out that war will increase tension between the US and Europe and undermine progress in world trade talks. Opposition to war by European COLUMNS leaders is due in part to the huge anti-war protests on the streets. While Labour may be split over Iraq, they’re united in their dedication to New Zealand capitalism. Comment 15 The division of opinion is simply over whether that’s best served by East Timor peackeepers pursuing a free trade deal with America and supporting Bush’s war, or whether it’s better to oppose war and look for multi-lateral deals involving Europe. No-one in Clark’s government can be trusted. If the wind shifts in Europe, Socialist Worker news 18 Sutton will be banging the war drum to beat the band. Real opposition to war in New Zealand will have to come from below. And increasingly, it is. The next major demonstration of opposition will be Industrial Action 20 on February 15. Union democracy & war Polls in America now show a majority of people opposed to war on Iraq Minimum wage without international support. Comparisons are being made with Vietnam. When America went into Southeast Asia, dissent at home – added to heroic resistance by the North REVIEWS Vietnamese – ended the war and humbled a superpower. Like Vietnam, this new war can be stopped. We can play a part by forcing Helen Clark to withdraw all support for war – withdraw Te Mana, the air Bowling for Columbine 15 force Orion and the offers of further logistical support. On February 15, everyone should join add their weight to the protests and show the world that George Bush has one less international ally. Letters 18

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Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 3 News Review ‘Last year it was Asians, this year it’s Maori’ By DAVID COLYER “Sometimes it looks as though this is a good idea. Some marae have trouble find- Act Party MP Donna Awatere Huata ing volunteers. stands accused of misusing funds from the “But if people are no longer coming Pipi Foundation, a trust than runs a remedi- down to the marae to work, they are in al reading programme she helped develop. danger of losing their traditional commu- Act and National are using the allega- nalism. tions of corruption to attack the whole The upsurge of Maori protest in the idea of government funding for Maori-run 1990s was sparked by the Sealords deal schemes which provide health, education and the “Fiscal Envelope” restrictions on and other services to Maori. Treaty compensation. The anger of ordi- Support for these “parallel structures” nary Maori was directed at the “brown ta- is common among many Maori politicians ble” elite of “corporate warriors” as well and activists. as the National government. To find out more about these schemes, Peters and English, both playing Today, while the “brown table” re- Socialist Worker Monthly Review talked to the race card. mains, the mass protests have gone. Bernie Hornfeck, Rotorua socialist and a With the mass movement for tino ran- trustee of the Apumoana marae: gatiratanga gone, there is no longer any “For ten years my wife has been in- need for the Pakeha elite to tolerate Trea- volved in a Maori Women’s Welfare ty settlements, or any other concession to League course for young solo mums. You Maori which might hinder profit making. can see the changes taking place; they gain The parties of that elite – National self-respect and confidence. and Act – have attacked Treaty settle- “The course gets a grant from social ments, Maori seats in parliament, Maori welfare. It’s not easy to get the money; television, funding for Maori-run services, there’s a lot of paperwork. the consultation of iwi on scientific and “The League wanted to expand the resource management applications and course around the country, but they many other examples of what they c1aim couldn’t get funding. is a “policy of segregation”. “There are hundreds of these sorts of National leader Bill English says he schemes. Sometimes someone in control wants to defend New Zealand’s “egali- will rip them off. These cases get reported, are being forced to compete with one an- tarian democracy”. But there has always but the media never gives credit to majority other,” Bernie says. been inequalities in this country. And the that are running well and helping people. Encouraging Maori organisations to National Party has always been dedicated “These schemes are a step in the right adopt the competitive ethos of big busi- to keeping it that way. direction. There should be more funding ness is a core part of Labour’s policy. One way of doing that is to stir up rac- for them.” “Maori need to regain confidence in ism. When the majority at the bottom Labour’s Maori development policy of our natural sense of entrepreneurship,” of society are divided, they are less of a “capacity building” claims to be support- says Horomia. threat to the elite at the top. ing these schemes. Bernie reports “a drive in Maoridom to National and Act will also be hoping “Capacity building is Maori develop- push Maori into business.” to undermine Labour’s popularity and re- ment by themselves for themselves,” says “Socialists have always seen this as an takeground lost to New Zealand First. minister of Maori affairs Parekura Horo- attempt to build the Maori middle class to Like NZ First’s campaign against mia. create a buffer between the government Asian and African immigrants, National But Bernie says that after three years and working class Maori. and Act’s attacks on Maori are designed of a Labour government there have been “Some believe the hype; they see it as a to stir up racism. As Labour MP John no dramatic improvements for Maori in way of getting out of poverty. Tamihere has commented: “Last year it Rotorua. “But almost all of these businesses will was Asians, this year it is Maori.” “I haven’t come across any examples fail. How can they be successful in the There are signs of resistance to the rac- of capacity building resulting in anything... climate we have today? Dairy farms and ist rhetoric of the Right-wing parties. If good things were happening, I expect I forestry, for example, are at the mercy of In Christchurch, the Peace Foundation would have heard of it.” fluctuating commodity prices.” and Massive Productions are making op- In areas like health, education and Bernie described how the push for position to Winston Peter’s attacks on im- employment, there has been little overall business orientation is causing friction migrants a focus of the One Love concert change, he says. Some things have got bet- and undermining traditional collective on Waitangi Day. ter, some worse. values: Auckland District Council of Social One case that stands out in Bernie’s “There is an ideological struggle be- Services is hosting a conference on Mul- mind is how the Rotorua polytech is suf- tween collectivism and individualism,” he ticultural Auckland. The conference, on fering because of competition from a wa- says. March 4, will run from 9.30 am to 6 pm, nanga (Maori university). “In the past, work on marae was done at the Fickling Centre in Three Kings, and Stamping out harmful competition be- by teams of volunteers. Now there is a will cost $10. tween tertiary institutions was another of push to have the cooking taken over by These initiatives suggest the possibility Labour’s policies. a business. Some marae are looking to set of building a broad anti-racist movement, “There is a great deal of dissatisfaction up catering businesses, others at hiring uniting people from all ethnic backgrounds about the fact that Maori organisations contractors. in the fight for equality and justice.

6 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 News Review Support the occupation at Ngawha by GRANT BROOKES three hour car journey to visit relatives in officer Richard Morris has admitted that Whangarei Hospital. resistance has already pushed back the Resistance to a proposed new prison in The Corrections Department claim proposed opening date from 2003 to 2004. Northland stepped up in early December they are committed to “partnership” with The occupiers have received support when dozens of occupiers took over land local Maori. Yet the site they’ve chosen for from Nga Puhi elders, indigenous people adjoining the site. the prison, Ngawha, is wahi tapu (a sacred around the world, the Anglican church, The occupation follows a series of protests place) for the local iwi, Nga Puhi. socialists and the Green Party. across the Far North last year and a three-day Louana Chapman, spokesperson for “Nandor’s been a great supporter”, said occupation in June, which ended when police the occupation group, told Socialist Worker Louana. Now she wants him to “give Helen stormed the site arresting 37 people, including Monthly Review that their goals were to Clark the word – no more prisons!” local kuia and kaumatua (elders). “stop the desecration of our whenua tapu, Construction is due to get under way The government say they’re building protect and save Takauere our taniwha, this month. Stopping the diggers will re- the prison in the interests of people in maintain the mana of Nga Puhi”. quire mobilising this widespread support Northland, especially local Maori who will “It’s all about money and power. They into mass action. make up 80% of inmates. They say a jail in took our land, now they’re coming back “We want to gather the people”, said Northland will make it easier for families to take our rights.” Louana. “We believe our peaceful stand is and whanau to visit their relatives. “This is an environmental issue”, she added. going to win.” Money is being thrown at the project. “It’s mass environmental destruction.” The price tag, originally $40 million, has The occupation is set up beside the ★ Send messages of support to: now ballooned to $120 million. main access road. No earthmoving machin- [email protected]. Donate to the Meanwhile, health minister Annette ery has entered the site since December. campaign at any Kiwibank (The Dove King has refused to find another $800,000 The strength of earlier protests forced Account, account no. 38-9000-0220397-00) for after-hours surgery and maternity serv- police to withdraw the charges against the or post cheques to “The Dove Account”, PO ices at Kaitaia Hospital. From the end of 37 arrested in June. Box 601, Kaikohe. Include your name and February, family and whanau will face a Corrections Department chief financial address if you want a receipt.

Jobs, not prisons Crime in New Zealand is falling, but La- at large, rewarded with government posts. Zealand’s sworn force, are allocated to fraud bour plans to spend $400 million on a to- When the court of appeal finally ruled squads investigating white collar crime. tal of four new prisons. in 1999 that there was evidence of tax fraud Capitalism is a system of legalised theft Prisons don’t reduce crime. And the most in the Winebox inquiry, the Serious Fraud and violence. Every week workers are un- dangerous people in society aren’t locked up. Office decided not to prosecute. Inland derpaid by their bosses. There could be no The number of offences reported to the Revenue admitted the Winebox was “the company profits if everyone was paid for police has fallen by 17% since 1996. De- tip of the iceberg”. the full value of their work. spite this, the Corrections Department The US billionaire caught smuggling The proceeds of crime arising from sto- plans to jail another 2,000 people by 2010. drugs during the last Americas Cup had len Maori land are not confiscated. War for New Zealand already has the highest rate his charges dropped by police and his name oil is a normal part of world affairs. of imprisonment outside the United States. suppressed by the judge. Reducing crime – at the top as well as in Prisons are “universities of crime”. Cor- Jails aren’t built to lock up the real the neighbourhoods – means challenging rections admit that 86% of prisoners will crooks. They’re built to punish the people the profit-driven priorities of capitalism offend again within five years of release. who are targeted by the police and sen- The fall in reported crime in New Zea- Meanwhile the most dangerous man on tenced by judges drawn from white, mid- land since the mid 1990s mirrors the fall in the planet, George Bush, won’t be jailed dle class backgrounds. unemployment, just as the rise in crime by the International Criminal Court for his So over half the prison population are from the 1970s closely followed the rise of crimes against humanity. Maori. Three quarters of prisoners left mass unemployment. Killers like Keith Abbott, the police of- school with no qualifications. Half were Northland has the poorest housing in the ficer who shot dead Steven Wallace, and unemployed when they were arrested. country. If they want to tackle crime, La- Derek Powell, who ran over Christine In America, the Chamber of Commerce bour should put the $400 million earmarked Clarke on a Lyttelton picket line, walk free. has estimated that corporate crooks steal for prisons into training and job schemes – New Zealand’s corporate thieves who 40 times as much as everyday criminals. like building more state houses for Far “avoided” paying billions in taxes remain Yet only 15 police officers, 0.2% of New North families – instead.

Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 5 News Review Lies over GE cows expose corporate science by GRANT BROOKES Chief executive Keith Steel said “Agre- Labour claim that a key government search is excited at the prospect of under- strategy for science is to align research to Revelations that state-owned research taking research which may one day help “needs in the community”. institute Agresearch misled the public over alleviate human suffering”. But public funding for science was the purpose of a genetic experiment show But when the results were published slashed by the last National government. why the moratorium on the release of GE in a British scientific journal last month, Crown Research Institutes were pushed organisms should stay. it was “substantial economic gains” for into partnerships with business. Coming after last year’s “Corngate” dairy companies – not medicines – that Research was geared towards boosting cover-up, they prove that corporations were promised. profits for business backers, not serving and government cannot be trusted to tell If the moratorium on commercial GE ordinary people. the truth. release is lifted, milk from genetically Labour has not reversed these cuts. To- Last May, Agresearch applied for per- engineered cows like these could end up day, Agresearch gets nearly half its money mission to genetically engineer cows by in your fridge. from biotechnology corporations. adding human genes. ERMA, the government’s GE safety The GE cow experiments were fund- An opinion poll found 80% of people watchdog, approved the human-cow ed by Scottish biotech company PPL opposed the use of human genes in cattle. experiment. They admitted there were Therapeutics. Agresearch’s application to But Agresearch claimed the experiment risks – including risks of new diseases – in ERMA was supported by New Zealand’s was designed to produce new drugs and putting human genes in cattle. dairy multinational, Fonterra. save lives. But they echoed Agresearch’s claim Agresearch opposed the current mora- Communications manager Frank Fern- that the benefits, “primarily in the form torium on the release of genetically engi- andez announced that “Agresearch plans of increased scientific knowledge”, out- neered organisms because they needed to to produce cows which express milk con- weighed the risks. stay “attractive to investors”. taining an array of therapeutic proteins, Government appointments have stuffed As long as GE is driven by the needs of potentially of use in medical treatments ERMA with corporate leaders. To date, investors, rather than concern for people which may counter a range of genetic and they’ve given the go-ahead to every genetic and the environment, we should keep it rare disorders.” experiment put before them. in the lab. How do we keep NZ GE free? GE free activists from around Their average income last year Aotearoa gathered in Levin was $370,000. over the long weekend of Janu- The social group that with ary 18-20 at a strategy hui. the power and the motivation The current moratorium to stop GE is not farmers, but banning commercial release ordinary working class people. of genetically engineered crops The hui also considered a and animals is due to expire on strategy of direct action against October 29. GE crops. Activists have col- Despite this, mass opposi- lected names of people willing tion to GE remains – seen in to join a “Green Gloves” cam- the march of 10,000 people paign under the motto, “You in Auckland less than three plant it, we pull it”. months ago. Steve Abel of the Auckland Although the GE Free GE Free Coalition told last No- movement involves a wide vember’s march that if GE plants range of groups, the Green were sown, thousands would Party is the most influential. converge to pull them up. In the past, some leading Mass civil disobedience Greens have steered activists It was the 15,000-strong protest in Auckland in October 2001 that by the “Green Gloves” could away from organising mass pushed Helen Clark into announcing the moratorium. Mobilising the stop GE. But large numbers protests and into legal channels GE free majority will be key to keeping it past October this year. of ordinary people will only like writing submissions. feel confident to defy the law Green MP Ian Ewen-Street if they see mass support on represented the party at the movement to educate farmers. issued a veiled threat to release the streets. hui. He explained why Labour “My belief”, he said, “is that if GE organisms illegally if they The strategy hui discussed plans to end the moratorium. every farmer in New Zealand didn’t get regulations “afford- plans for a large mobilisation “The government has gone knew four simple facts, there able to farmers and attractive in Wellington later in the year out of its way to appease cor- would be no GE species ever to overseas investors”. and agreed to get involved in porate business interests”, he released.” Farmer support for GE Mayday protests as a way of said. “And the corporate sector Leading activists have is- – and for free trade with the US connecting with trade unions. is where the push for embrac- sued a barrage of media state- – isn’t due to a lack of informa- GE free activists should ing GE emanates.” ments explaining the financial tion about “corporate business demand that the Green Party Labour is committed to a risks of GE agriculture to interests”. throw itself behind escalating free trade deal with America, farmers and warning of lost Farmers are stakeholders in protests in the build-up to a he added. Any deal would export markets. corporate business. mass mobilisation, and then allow GE imports and GE But Federated Farmers New Zealand’s 13,000 dairy back large scale civil disobedi- releases here. is the staunchest backer of farmers are the shareholders of ence by the “Green Gloves” if Ewen-Street said the way genetic engineering in New this country’s biggest multina- Labour goes ahead and lifts the to stop GE now is for the Zealand. In November, they tional corporation, Fonterra. moratorium.

Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 6 News Review Venezuela: workers fight bosses’ strike

Efforts to oust Venezuela’s popular Left- wing president, Hugo Chavez, were falter- ing as Socialist Worker Monthly Review went to press. At the beginning of December leaders of Fedecámaras, the country’s main bosses’ association, and corrupt union leader Car- los Ortega, head of the Confederation of Venezuelan Workers (CTV), had called a “general strike” to try to engineer a Right wing coup. Mostly this involved employers simply locking up their businesses and declaring the workers on strike. In Caracas buses, the metro and taxis continued to operate as usual. In the poor areas life went on as normal. In mid December, with the “strike” crumbling, bosses of the state oil company PVDSA shut down the oil industry. Venezuela is the world’s fifth biggest oil producer. Oil accounts for 80% of its export earnings and half the nation’s budget. Chavez supporters on the streets last year PVDSA managers were caught weld- closure of the refinery and kept the petrol move hundreds of thousands of people onto ing shut the gates of refineries to prevent flowing. Many workers remained, keeping the streets if the opposition tries to carry out production workers from entering. Fewer guard on the place for four or five days.” its threat to seize control of the presidential than 40% of the oil giant’s workers heeded In the city of Guayana thousands of palace. the strike call, largely technicians and ad- workers in steel and aluminium plants organ- Fear of provoking mass revolt led Vene- ministrative personnel. ised themselves to make a four-hour journey zuela’s elite to partially call off their “general PDVSA managers enjoy great privi- to the town of Anaco to enforce the delivery strike” at the start of February. lege since the oil industry was nationalised of gas to keep production going. More anti-government demonstra- in 1970. They hope for rich pickings from Anger at the torrent of lies from the me- tions are threatened, but the slogan of the privatisation if Chávez is deposed. dia led to huge protests outside the private neighbourhood assemblies is, “If they carry But ordinary workers were far less TV stations, with demands for them to come through another 11 April” (the day the last enthusiastic about the strike. As Orlando under the control of the masses. coup occurred), “we will have another 13 Chirino told US socialist paper the Mili- Across the poor areas of Caracas, neigh- April” (the day the workers and the poor tant, “The workers are not behind this. The bourhood assemblies have been preparing to smashed the coup). owners are the big capitalists, and like many bankers they have shut down. We are against them, and they are against us. “Fedepetrol [the oil workers union], the electrical workers, Sidor that organ- Who is Chávez? ises employees in steel and aluminum, the metro workers union in Caracas, and Hugo Chávez, who has won two Yet all past experience shows that many others came out against the strike. democratic elections on a radical pro- army officers can easily switch sides. The textile and auto plants run full shifts gramme, is hugely popular among Chávez also continues to preach in Valencia, for example.” Venezuela’s poor. He and his support- “constitutional” methods. But the But PVDSA’s managerial elite had the ers speak of a “Bolivarian revolution” Right wing dominated Supreme Court support of many white collar workers and (after the 19th century nationalist hero ruled that the organisers of April’s coup of the captains of the tankers that load oil Simon Bolivar). could walk free (declaring, incredibly, for export at the country’s ports. In April 2002, sections of the army that “there was not a coup”). This enabled them to cripple supplies to mounted a coup and arrested Chávez. It says the government has no right other industries, despite the opposition of the The US government immediately to prevent private owners shutting manual workers’ union to the stoppage. recognised the opposition leader put down industry. It has also declared un- A leader of an opposition party, Teo- up by the generals to replace him. constitutional provisions in doro Petkoff, admitted, “This is, in reality, a But hundreds of thousands of poor Chávez’s Law of Land which allows stoppage of the middle and upper classes.” people poured into the centre of the expropriation of large idle estates and While the Right wing has organised capital, Caracas, and caused key mili- distribution of those lands to poor large protests of their middle class support- tary commanders to switch sides, rein- farmers. ers in the well-off eastern areas of Caracas, stating Chávez after three days. Chávez’s government has done lit- huge numbers of Venezuela’s workers and In the aftermath Chavez made con- tle to challenge the obscene concen- poor people demonstrated against the at- cessions to placate the opposition, and trations of wealth in the hands of the tempt to overthrow Chávez. called for “national accord”. rich. An eye witness explained how workers Chávez, puts his faith in the com- As fisherman Tomás Blanca com- began taking action themselves to smash mand structure of the army to keep mented, “The big companies still hold the lockout. “Concentrations of people took him in power. He sees the mobilisation economic power and have their peo- place at the El Palito oil refinery in the state of of the workers and the poor as pro- ple everywhere in the government. Carabobo. One group of people were trying viding a helping hand, not as a way We support Chávez because he took to enforce the stoppage, the other to end it. of people taking the future into their our side, but we need action.” “These succeeded in preventing the own hands. (adapted from Irish Socialist Worker, www.swp.ie)

Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 7 World against war World against war TAURANGA ‘No war for oil, justice for Palestine’ by TONY SNELLING-BERG & GEORGE JONES “The march was in opposition to the Rising NZ opposition to war United States’ position on Iraq. The group 600 people marched through Tauranga marched along Devonport Road from First on January 31 in the city’s first anti-war Avenue to Mid City Mall carrying banners New anti-war groups are springing up and protests are spreading beyond the main centres. The protest. The size of the march and the and flowers.” marches are getting bigger. The anti-war mood in New Zealand is growing. radicalism of the protesters surprised the What was written on the many banners Opinion polls now reveal a whopping 92% of people opposed to New Zealand involvement in organisers. and placards, and the response to speakers a unilateral US attack. And the growing numbers taking to the streets are rejecting the right of the One protester commented, “I turned at the Mall shows that many people have United Nations to sanction war. up expecting to see a smallish crowd but seen through the smokescreen of “terror- January saw big protests in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Blenheim, Tauranga and elsewhere. surprisingly at the meeting point was a ism” and “weapons of mass destruction” This movement can make Helen Clark withdraw support for America’s wars. crowd of four to five hundred”. to the real motivation for war. Peace activists, quakers, Amnesty Inter- Placards carried on the march said “No CHRISTCHURCH national along with Socialist Worker and war for oil!” other groups had called for a the march. The Labour Party speaker read a pre- Leaflets advertising the protest were pared statement from Margaret Wilson. He Biggest peace protest yet widely distributed – to schools, libraries, was better received when he abandoned workplaces and on the streets. The will- the script. Another speaker advocated by DAVID COLYER up to the people of individual countries. ingness of people to help distribute and following the UN, but got a luke warm “If America was really into good deeds display these leaflets indicates growing response. Christchurch’s Peace Action Network it would spend its arms budget on eliminat- opposition to war. The Socialist Worker speaker was well (PAN) responded to the call from Ameri- ing poverty.” The media largely ignored the march. received when he said how the march was can activists to make January 18 an inter- Green foreign affairs spokesperson Keith The only reference in the local Bay of part of world-wide opposition to war, and national day of anti-war action. Locke flew down to speak at the rally. Plenty Times, stated, “Tauranga’s peace linked to the anti-capitalist movement. Organisers expected a few hundred. But The Greens have traditionally advo- march on Friday night attracted about 600 A statement was read out highlighting 1,200 people turned up, making this the cated the United Nations as a solution to people – more than twice the number for the need for the anti-war protesters to also biggest protest in this country so far . conflict. But the protest encouraged Keith a march in Wellington. support justice for Palestinians. Extensive media coverage before the to firmly reject Labour’s claim that the UN protest played a part in the big turnout. could legitimise an attack on Iraq. WELLINGTON The Press, whose editor is pro-war, ran a He said afterwards, “The message that page three story a few days before. is emerging from the public is that a war Another factor was the broad range of would be no more justified if it was en- Vigil at US Embassy speakers. PAN used the march to broaden dorsed by the UN Security Council after the movement by inviting Left-wing politi- ‘arm-twisting’ – to use Jim Sutton’s phrase Over 200 people marched to the US like hawks. cians and religious leaders. – from the Bush administration.” Embassy in Wellington on January 16, the Brass Razoo Solidarity band played Local Labour MP Tim Barnett toed the The only downside was provocation twelfth anniversary of the first Gulf War. “The Internationale”, “Nga Iwi e” and government’s line on supporting a UN- by the police. Pushing and pulling, they The march met up with a small group “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”. backed invasion of Iraq. He was booed. demanded that the march split itself rather who’d maintained an all-day vigil, holding The protest filled the space outside the But Labour mayor Garry Moore spoke than cross roads against the traffic lights. huge banners up for passing commuters. main gates. Red streamers were tied all against the war. So did Peter Beck, dean of Protesters responded with a mix of There were a lot more new faces on over the fence, there were speeches, featur- the Anglican Cathedral. anger and astonishment. Many kept on the march – many young people and a fair ing Green MP Sue Bradford and polytech One of the best speakers was Ola walking and one person was arrested. few Iraqi nationals. And, for the first time, lecturers’ union president Jill Ovens. Kamel of the Muslim Association. At the final rally in Cathedral Square, serious media interest. Protesters chanted “Hands off Iraq!” “Israel is in violation of UN resolutions, a woman from Britain’s Stop the War Heaps of cops were in attendance. and “No Blood for Oil”. but is protected by the US. Israel should Coalition asked if we would protest again At this stage their sole concern was to be disarmed,” she said. on February 15, in solidarity with the next negotiate us through the traffic and then (A report on other actions in Wellington “The US has no right to play policeman. international day of action. watch the grounds of the US Embassy appears in the Letters pages). Whether there is a ‘regime change’ or not is The resounding answer was “yes!”. Christchurch January 18 AUCKLAND BLENHEIM ‘A sight rarely seen since 1981’ ‘No Mana in this war’ The local Marlborough Express said “it was a sight rarely seen in Blenheim by KANE FORBES since the days of the 1981 Springbok tour”. More than 200 people took to the streets of Blenheim on January 25 to protest. Over 70 anti-war activists protested at The anti-war march was organised by the Anti-Bases Campaign in conjunc- the Devonport naval base on January tion with a weekend protest camp outside the nearby Waihopai spy base. 28. The protesters marched through the centre of town with banners and The event, hastily organised by Global placards saying “Capitalism causes war”, “No blood for oil!”, “war won’t Peace & Justice Auckland and Students stop terrorism” and “peace is possible”. for Justice in Palestine, was against the Drivers tooted support as the march proceeded and wound down their departure of the frigate Te Mana for a six windows to take leaflets. month deployment in the Arabian Sea and The march ended in Seymour Square. Mike Treen from the Alliance told Gulf of Oman. the rally that it makes no difference if the UN sanctions an attack, it’s still Speakers voiced their opposition to US war plans and demanded real democracy an immoral war. At Devonport as the Te Mana frigate leaves for the Gulf The Anti-Bases Campaign has organised protests against Waihopai since at home. 1989. This year, as sign of the growing opposition to war, they were supported Defence minster Mark Burton said Mike Treen from the Alliance argued Protesters chanted “No Mana in this by two local Regional Councillors for the first time. that the vessel was not heading to war that at the very least it was freeing up a war!” and “No blood for oil!”. A giant ban- Protester Jim Parker told Socialist Worker Monthly Review, “I think the pro- with Iraq. US ship for the Iraq war. Another speaker ner reading “No war on Iraq” was unfurled, test had an effect. Afterwards there was an editorial in the local paper against Protesters highlighted the blatant dis- asked where the war against terror ended easily readable from the ship as it pulled honesty of this statement. 200 protesters march through the centre of Blenheim the war. Increasing anti-war sentiments are being voiced in Blenheim.” and the Iraq war began. away from the docks.

8 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 9 World against war Anti-war movement on the march around the world

UNITED STATES

The anti-war movement in the United States took a giant leap forward last weekend. On Saturday 18 January, as many as 500,000 marched in Washington and upwards of 150,000 took part in San Francisco. Rami El-amine, of Socialist Worker Monthly Review’s sister publication, Left Turn, reports from the Washington dem- onstration. “Today has been pretty amazing. We’re still trying to get estimates on the numbers – the demonstrations were so big. “The demonstration in Washington was a giant step forward on the last major demonstration in October – qualitatively and quantitatively. We have managed to involve much wider sections of the popula- tion in the movement. “On the platform today we had Jesse Jackson, numerous actors, former attorney- general Ramsey Clark. Washington January 18 “John Conyers, a black Democratic con- gressman from Michigan, also spoke. at home”. stage and execute this war are being taken “There was a labour contingent num- It also said that “Bush’s drive for war away from our schools, hospitals, housing bering in the hundreds. It consisted of serves as a cover and distraction for the and social security.” a delegation of SEIU hospitality union sinking economy, corporate corruption This is a big break from the days of members from New York, as well as and layoffs... Vietnam, when most unions supported Teamsters. “Thr billions of dollars being spent to the war effort. “Left Turn was involved in co-or- dinating a feeder march in defence of immigrant rights, in response to the government’s racist attacks on Muslims and Arabs.” EUROPE Opinion polls indicate support for war has dropped dramatically in the United The European Social Forum, which took breadth of the anti-war movement has States. Only 28% support Bush taking place in Italy in November last year, con- given confidence to others to take action. action without the sanction of the United cluded with a one million-strong demon- Early in January this year 15 railwork- Nations. stration against capitalism and war. ers in Scotland refused to move a freight Significantly, trade unions are beginning The Florence demonstration marks the train carrying ammunition for use by the to become involved in anti-war activity. high point of the global movement against British military in Iraq. The impetus for this is occurring mostly war. It represented a coming together of It was a political protest over the threat at a local level. an incredibly diverse array of organisations to attack Iraq, said one of the workers Four hundred members of the Chicago and individuals. involved. It was a sign that as individuals Teamsters Local 705 met and discussed the Participants put out the call for Febru- and workers we were not prepared to be war. They voted overwhelmingly in support ary 15 day of action against. part of a murderous war, a conscientious of anti-war resolution. The driving force of the European anti- objection to helping kill Iraqi civilians. This local action has pressured union war movement is Britain. The railworkers action was backed by leaderships into taking a position on the George Bush’s key ally in Europe, Tony their official union leadership. war. More than 100 organisers and officials Blair, is under intense pressure to drop his Dock workers in Genoa, Italy, inspired met in Chicago on 11 January, and voted to hardline support for war on Iraq. by the action in Scotland, are considering set up US Labor Against the War. He faces revolt from within his ruling bans on loading ships transporting supplies The declaration from the conference Labour Party, and also in the form of mass to the Persian Gulf for the war. pointed out that: civil unrest. Protests took place across the continent “The war is a pretext for attacks on In September last year 400,000 marched last weekendthe largest were in Ireland labour, civil, immigrant and human rights through central London. The size and and Sweden.

10 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 11 World against war MIDDLE EAST

An important conference took place in globalisation. “The Cairo conference against war on the Egyptian capital, Cairo, just before “The Cairo meeting is not an isolated Iraq and in solidarity with Palestine rep- Christmas. event, but an extension of a protracted resents the launching of an international Four hundred delegates from across international struggle against imperialism, popular movement that creates effective the Arab world and beyond met to launch from Seattle and Genoa to Lisbon and mechanisms for confronting policies of the International Campaign Against US Florence, to Cordoba and Cairo. aggression.” Aggression on Iraq. “Capitalist globalisation and US he- The significance of the Cairo Declara- The Egyptian government tried to ban gemony prioritise the interest of mo- tion is twofold. the conference and the 1000-strong protest nopolistic capitalist circles above those Firstly, it represents a co-ordinated march that followed it. One activist who of the people, including Europeans and attempt to build a movement against war handed out leaflets to publicise the protest US citizens. in the Middle East – a movement that is was arrested and tortured. “They also integrate the economies of linked to the movement in the West. Both events went ahead, and gained different countries into a single global capi- This approach has already paid off. extensive media coverage throughout talist economic system under conditions Last weekend tens of thousands took the region. which undermine social development and part in simultaneous demonstrations took The conference issued the Cairo Dec- adversely affect the situation of women, place in Egypt, Syria and Beirut. There laration against globalisation and war. child health, education and social services were also protests in Pakistan, a key ally Below is an extract: for the elderly. In addition poverty and of the US. “We reaffirm our resolve to stand in unemployment increase. Secondly, the declaration links opposi- solidarity with the people of Iraq and Pal- “We declare our total opposition to tion to war with opposition to capitalist estine, recognising that war and aggression war on Iraq and our resolve to continue globalisation. against them is but part of a US project of the struggle against US policies of glo- A recurring theme of the Cairo con- global domination and subjugation. bal domination. We strongly believe in ference was drawing links between the “That solidarity is integral to the in- the urgency of mobilising against these economic dominance of the major corpo- ternationalist struggle against neo-liberal policies.” rations and the drive to war.

‘The world system must be changed’

The significance of the Cairo Declaration was embodied in a recent speech to an anti-war conference in London by AHMED BEN BELLA. Ben Bella is the president of the International Campaign Against US Aggression. He was a leader of the Algerian liberation struggle and the first president of independent Algeria in the 1960s.

I am 86 years old. I spent 24 years in a French prison. But I liberated my country. I was appointed president of the international move- ment launched at the Cairo conference in December. Organisations from the South and the North met together to organise common actions to fight against the global system of capital. The world system must be changed. It has had its time. There are 400 multinational corporations who control the majority of the world’s wealth. Bush’s policies reflect the interests of these corpora- tions. He is attacking Iraq because of these interests – they include oil. General Motors has four times as much wealth as a country like Egypt with 70 million inhabitants. The 84 richest people in the world have an income greater than that of China. There is terror in the world. It is that of Mr Bush. There are 35 million people who die of hunger every year. That is terrorism. The South – Africa – is totally devastated. We in the South are not responsible for this. The global system is responsible. Poverty is endemic in the South and it is spreading to the North. Here, and in France, there is too much poverty. In the North the movement which is fighting back gives you hope. This movement is very important. I was in Florence – there is hope today, especially among the young. AHMED BEN BELLA

10 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 11 World against war World Social Forum Anti-war action

Anti-war activists at Porto Alegre launched a global coalition. More than 1,000 people from more than 60 countries came to a day-long assembly to discuss organising a network. Everyone who spoke agreed that the campaign against war on Iraq was of cru- cial importance. Activists from the US, Brazil, Pales- tine, India, Portugal and almost every other corner of the world committed themselves to organising anti-war activity on 15 February. Speakers from the US all agreed that their movement was already bigger than the anti Vietnam War campaign in the CHRIS HARMAN and CHRIS NINEHAM people’s lives: late 1960s. report from Porto Alegre “We have been talking about life One said, “This is the most important after capitalism. It would be better to and powerful social movement in the US Two things formed the background to last say life, because there is not going to for decades-and it is growing in strength weekend’s World Social Forum in Porto be any unless we do something about daily.” Alegre, Brazil. capitalism.” Hundreds of Latin American del- One was the threat of a devastating war He exposed the hypocrisy of Bush and egates applauded speakers who said a against Iraq within weeks. Blair and called on people to oppose their global campaign against war on Iraq was The other was the swing to the left in war against Iraq. crucial to weakening imperialism in their Latin America, expressed in the victory of Arundhati Roy roused the whole stadi- continent. left wing candidates in presidential elec- um to applause as she denounced the way There was tremendous excitement in tions in Brazil and Ecuador, and in the the world’s rulers were destroying people’s the hall. We all recognised we were build- failure of the coup attempt against Hugo lives, their cultures and their environment ing something unprecedented, something Chavez’s government in Venezuela. in the search for profits. with huge potential. Both themes were present in the big She said, “Resistance to empire – or, One delegate summed up the feeling demonstration of 140,000 that marked to call it by its proper name, imperialism when she said a successful global move- the opening of the forum, and many of the – is growing.” ment against the war would be a blow discussions over the next four days. The whole audience rose to their feet to the dictatorship of the IMF and the The culmination of the forum came as she ended, “We are many. They are few. World Bank. when 18,000 people crowded into the They need us much more than we need Hundreds of delegates from scores of Gigantinho Stadium to listen to Noam them.” organisations signed up to an international Chomsky and Arundhati Roy speak about Everyone felt all the issues debated e-mail list, and a group of video activists “resistance to empire”. over the previous four days had been started organising a global video link for Chomsky talked about how those brought together, and they left the stadium the demonstrations on 15 February. who liked to think of themselves as “the inspired to fight against the horrors George Slogans about global resistance were masters of the universe” were damaging Bush has in store for us. becoming real in front of our eyes. Resistance in Ramallah By a conference delegate lation, Palestinians know that conference showed both the lost cause. they are at the eye of a global hunger for new ideas and the “International laws are Some 400 delegates gathered storm. The colours of the Pal- frustration of political life un- tools of the great powers,” in Ramallah on 27 December estinian flag can be seen on der occupation and curfew. argued one Palestinian del- for the World Social Forum on anti-war and anti-capitalist Randa Sinioria from the egate. “They are applied to Palestine. protests the world over. human rights organisation Al Iraq, but not to Israel.” Encircled by Israeli road- The Ramallah forum was Haq gave a detailed presenta- “No one ever talks about blocks and checkpoints, Ram- proposed by Palestinian or- tion on Israel’s violations of UN Israel’s weapons of mass de- allah feels distant from Bethle- ganisations and held in part- resolutions. struction,” said another. hem and Jerusalem, let alone nership with the World So- But for some in the au- Palestinian and interna- the world beyond the West cial Forum in Porto Alegre, dience, trying to enforce tional speakers called for a Bank. Brazil. respect for international massive mobilisation to stop Yet for all their physical iso- Debates throughout the conventions seemed like a war on Iraq.

12 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 13 Vietnam US humiliated by its own GIs

The movement against the Vietnam War a quarter of combat deaths. By 1972 this holds important lessons for anti-war activ- figure was down to just 7.6%. ists today. The war was a stark reminder It didn’t stop anti-war sentiment in- that powerful nations will use massive fecting the working class as a whole, violence to further their interests. however. But it is not often realised that there The GIs in Vietnam were working class was more to the resistance than the heroic men ordered to crush a revolt of poor peas- struggle of the Vietnamese people or mass ants, and they knew this. student demonstrations in the West. Young soldiers came back saying that Wars can open up class divisions inside the only people worth respecting were the imperialist power, paving the way for the enemy. mass action from below. The strength of Vietnamese resistance Three weeks before marines arrived pushed the US Army to force soldiers to in Vietnam, the US student movement take part in increasingly brutal or danger- against the war began. ous acts. In March 1965, 3000 students turned up Soldiers would refuse to comply with to a teach-in at the University of Michigan, insane orders from officers who didn’t have starting a wave of teach-ins at over 100 to risk combat or kill civilians. Some even universities. “fragged” gung-ho officers, killing them Then 25,000 marched on Washington by throwing fragmentation grenades into on 17 April. This was the first of a series their bunkers. of demonstrations that peaked at 500,000 The anti-war movement within the in number. armed forces began with a few radicals. A From the start opposition to the war small group of Trotskyists produced Viet- was strongest among poorer and less edu- nam GI, a paper with a print run of 15,000 cated Americans – those who would have and a mailing list of 3000 in Vietnam. to fight and die. Most of the opposition in the army was In 1966, 27% of those with college edu- from people not aligned to any party. cation favoured withdrawal, as opposed Throughout the course of the war no to 41% of those with only an eighth grade fewer than 245 anti-war papers were cir- education. the war. culated within the armed forces. To these people the class basis of the In 1968 King said he couldn’t ever raise In the end it was a tidal wave of opposi- war was much more obvious. his voice “against the violence of the op- tion by ordinary soldiers that forced the The US went into Vietnam to make the pressed without having first spoken clearly US ruling class to concede defeat. world safe for American business. It also to the greatest purveyor of violence in the While George Bush is yet to commit had the effect of strengthening anti-com- world today – my own government.” troops on the same scale as Vietnam, munist sentiment, which had been used This statement terrified the generals, everyone opposed to his “war on terror” to victimise union militants and socialists who feared conscripting blacks because can draw inspiration from the revolt from at home. their refusal to fight might spread to white within that humiliated the world’s most Anti-communism was one of the rea- soldiers. powerful nation. sons there was so little opposition to the In 1965 blacks accounted for almost (From Socialist Worker Australia) Korean War. But in the intervening years the civil rights movement had legitimised dissent. Many people, black and white, had joined the movement expecting their government to deliver equality. Local lessons Instead they learned that American By DAVID COLYER society was systematically racist, that politicians in both major parties lied, and The movement against the Vietnam War in Aotearoa also has important lessons about that the only way to change society was to the power of mass protest. demonstrate. Per head of population, more people joined the anti-war protests in this country When the Vietnam War came along than in anywhere else in the West. many civil rights activists made the con- In the United States and Australia young men were conscripted and sent to fight nection between the war and racism at in Vietnam. But there was no conscription here. The National government was forced home. to refuse US demands for more troops. Leading black activist Stokely Car- Labour Party MPs had supported National’s decision to send troops, but when michael said that the draft (conscription) they became the government, late in 1972 they withdrew the last New Zealand was “white people sending black people soldiers. to make war on yellow people in order The largest protests were the nationwide “mobes” (mobilisations) of 1970, ’71 and to defend the land they stole from red ’72. These saw up to 35,000 march in cities around the country. people”. Today activists are discussing the best way to build an effective mass movement, Blacks began to move beyond the non- many think it is time for anti-groups around Aotearoa to coordinate a national mo- violence preached by Martin Luther King bilisation. and civil rights advocates in the Demo- It is worth considering how the mobes were organised 30 years ago. cratic Party. The mobes were planned months in advance. Many smaller activities: teach-ins, They pushed King to speak out against stunts, leaflet stalls and meetings, were coordinated to build up to the big event.

12 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 13 ‘What’s Left’ debate Marxism and the oppressed

Chris Trotter’s Bruce Jesson Memorial Lecture, entitled ‘What’s Left?’ sparked a welcome debate on socialism in the pages of the Listener, which eventually printed the talk as an article. Chris defended the idea of a Left based on the working class, blaming the decline of the worker’s movement and the Left on Leninists (such as Socialist Worker) and Maori and feminist separatists. This led one Listener correspondent to ask “can’t I be a socialist and a feminist?” This article by Canadian socialist ABBIE BAKAN outlines the Marxist view on the links between class exploitation and the oppression of women and minorities.

The anti-globalization movement has inspired a new sense class produced “for itself.” of unity in the struggle against all forms of injustice. Oppression serves to divide and weaken the work- But there have been many debates about how pro- ing class, offsetting the tendency for class unity, for the gressive movements can stay united when racism, sexism development of a class for itself. and homophobia are rampant. Oppression includes both ideological and material How can the left ensure that there is a consistent elements, and it crosses class lines. challenge to oppression? It is also very historically specific. It was often assumed that Marx and Engels were only Oppression intensifies the ability of certain sections concerned about economic exploitation, and theories of of the ruling class to rule effectively, and therefore oppression were often reduced to this. sometimes is used against other sections of the ruling But in fact the lessons of the Marxist tradition in fight- class with whom it is in competition. ing oppression are extremely useful for anti-capitalist But more importantly, oppression serves to weaken activists today. and divide the working class. Marx and Engels distinguished three different forms Marx and Engels studied how specific forms of op- of human relationships that are unequal: alienation, ex- pression weakened and divided the working class and ploitation, and oppression. worked in the interests of the ruling class. All of these processes interact, but they are not the Over and over again, they stressed that oppression same. held back the ability of the working class, both the op- And they don’t operate in the same way. pressed and oppressor sections, to resist capitalist rule. Alienation refers to the general distance of humanity Oppression is part of how the ruling class rules, a part from the real potential of the humankind. of the “superstructure” of society. All who live in class society, the period Marx referred Though exploitation draws workers together, workers to as the pre-history of humanity, suffer from alienation. were also placed in a relationship of competition to Marx challenged the notion that human suffering was one another – pitted against each other to natural, the inevitable will of God, or something outside hold back a sense of unity against their the realm of human action. common exploiter. Alienation is not counterposed to other forms of Forms of oppression that predated human suffering, but is expressed within them. capitalism – such as women’s op- As long as humanity has not achieved its full pression and anti-Semitism – were potential – in a post-class society motivated by important tools in the strategies of the satisfaction of human need – alienation early capitalist ruling classes. will continue. New forms of oppression were also Exploitation, as distinct from alienation, developed as capitalism expanded, is a strictly material relationship. including modern racism with the slave It is measurable by the extraction of trade, immigration controls as national surplus. borders were erected, and gay and lesbian Surplus product is generated from oppression to prop up the private nuclear human labour as it transforms nature into family. objects for human use. By presenting a false, ideological mecha- Capitalist exploitation depends on the divi- nism of identifying with the ruling class, sion of the productive system into two great through oppression one section of the ex- classes: a capitalist class that owns and controls ploited is wooed into believing that they the means of production, the means to produce are privileged over another. all the goods of the society; and a working class That sense of privilege can be and that owns nothing but its ability to labour. often is propped up by a limited mate- Marx saw the working class as the most rial advantages. collective labouring class in human history, But these material advantages are and the “gravedigger of capitalism.” only relative to the intensified oppres- The mass assertion of the collective sion of other groups of workers. humanity of the working class had the And the advantages themselves are potential, through revolution from be- always partial and temporary. low, to take control of the products of They are not drawn from the exploi- human labour and build a world based tation of a surplus, but from a division on the satisfaction of human need. cultivated by the exploiter to encourage Marx’s understanding of socialism competition among workers within the was that it was the self-emancipation same class. of the working class. From a Marxist perspective, ideas But the objective potential of the A South American woman like racism, sexism, anti-gay bigotry, working class, and its subjective unity as a class, were at this year’s World Social national chauvinism, religious chauvinism, etc., are seen by Marx and Engels as two different things. Forum in Porto Alegre. all features, of how the capitalist class articulates Capitalism can produce a working class “in itself”; The hat and t-shirt read, its ideological hegemony, its dominance, over the but only through conscious struggle is the working “kill capitalism”. society as a whole.

14 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 15 Review Comment Gun-loving criminals ‘Job well done’ Bowling for Columbine to make such a show an attractive propo- Dir: Michael Moore sition for the networks. Moore’s rebuttal – Reviewed by ANDREW STONE mocked-up credits for the Corporate Cops – is worth the entry price alone. for the West A spokesman for Lockheed Martin is lost The film is energetic and full of memo- Troops returning from East Timor will for words. The biggest employer in rable twists. One highlight is a South Park march through cities around New Zea- Littleton, Colorado cannot explain why style history of the US (a recurring motif land in February in a series of “welcome two students at the local Columbine high is white Americans shooting people). home parades”. school massacred their own classmates. Moore’s gift is managing to move from The government and military top But his condemnation of violence rings commenting on tragedies such as brass say the parades are to honour a hollow – for Lockheed Martin is an arms Columbine to using humour to illustrate the “job well done”. manufacturer, and behind the spokesman absurdity of, for example, the hysteria that In reality, the sight of soldiers march- sits a deadly US missile. gripped US schools after the shooting. ing up the street in starched dress uni- Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine In this climate a child is expelled for play- form as brass bands play is intended to is full of sharp, witty attacks on the absurdi- ing cops and robbers with a paper gun, and bolster pro-military sentiment and ties and hypocrisies of the status quo, con- another for waving a biscuit at a teacher. weaken opposition to war. verging around the singular obsession of When six year old Kayla Rolland was And while many New Zealand the US Right – gun ownership shot by a (black) boy in her first grade class troops identified with Timorese strug- Bowling for Columbine is not essen- there was a venomous reaction whipped up. gle for freedom, the job they were sent tially an argument for gun control. Rather than throw his hands up at an to do is far from honourable. Sure, the Michigan militia, which pro- inexplicable horror, the best that many lib- Sadly, some in the anti-war move- claims gun ownership a civic duty, is effec- eral commentators can offer against a con- ment have been caught up in the patri- tively ridiculed. They don’t exactly make the servative witch-hunt, Moore traces a story otic fever. job difficult – a real estate agent crawls of grinding, destructive poverty. The Manawatu Peace Group called around in fatigues while another boasts The boy’s single parent mother, coerced off their march on the international day about the sexist calendar he’s produced. by a welfare-to-work scheme to travel 80 of action, because February 15 coin- But Moore argues there is a far deeper miles by bus to do two jobs for a pittance, cided with the military parade in problem – a culture of fear and barely-con- was still unable to pay her rent. Forced to Palmerston North. cealed racism nurtured by the media. leave her son with his uncle in a crack house, “New Zealand soldiers are brilliant In one particularly engaging scene a it was there that he found the pistol. peacekeepers”, said peace activist barrage of news reports on black “sus- The leading corporate fans of welfare- Aileen Davies. “It’s the New Zealand pects” is pasted over the quickening thump to-work? Step forward, Lockheed Martin. Army that trains them so well.” of a heartbeat. Which brings us to US foreign policy. In the wake of the decision, the Even a report on invading bees takes The day of the Columbine shooting was group’s opposition to war also weakened. on a racialised tone, as we are told that also notable for being the heaviest day of Aileen said a march would still take place “Africanised” bees are naturally more ag- bombardment of the former Yugoslavia. another day, but “none of the placards gressive than friendly, European bees. Clinton came on screen to proclaim his and banners will mention war”. In a period when violent crime fell by a regret at the deaths of the former but not, In November, defence minister fifth, coverage of it rose by 600% – and of course, of the latter. Mark Burton told personnel returning the subtext of the fearmongering is that In homage to such breathtaking dou- early that the job of the military had black people pose the danger. ble standards, Moore provides a montage been “protecting democratic rights”. As the National Rifle Association’s of 50 years of US imperialism, accompa- The frigate Te Kaha was first into Dili Charlton Heston lets slip while trying to nied by Louis Armstrong’s breezy “What in 1999. It was in the region already, on explain gun crime, it’s a question of “eth- a Wonderful World”. its way to enforce the sanctions on Iraq nicity”. If you haven’t seen Bowling for which had killed over 500,000 children. Moore challenges the director of the TV Columbine yet, it’s not too late. Although The departure of regular soldiers to programme Cops to produce a show that sadly limited to Rialto and art-house cin- East Timor was delayed because they tackles white-collar criminals rather than emas, it’s having a long run – testimony to were needed to suppress protests reinforcing stereotypes about poor people. the the film itself and to the growing audi- against the APEC summit in Auckland. He admits that he wouldn’t know how ence questioning “evildoing” in America. New Zealand doesn’t have two sets of armed forces – one dedicated to up- holding peace and democracy, and an- other that tramples them for Western corporate interests. We have just one military with a single agenda. As acclaimed journalist John Pilger warned in 1999, “the real agenda for the UN ‘peacekeeping force’ is to ensure that East Timor, while nominally independ- ent, remains under the sway of Jakarta and Western business interests.” Today, there’s no independence for the impoverished majority in East Timor. On the back of military control of the island, New Zealand and Australian com- panies have taken control of the huge offshore oil fields in the Timor Sea. Don’t believe the hype. Troops were sent to Timor for the same reason they’re going to Iraq – to do a job for the West. GRANT BROOKES

Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 15 Letters CALL ME LOYAL? In recent months we have been bom- barded by an advertising campaign. There have been pictures of promi- nent New Zealanders, including a number of mayors, politicians and sporting icons, lining the coastline from Bluff to the Viaduct Harbour all with their hand on their hearts. Giant fern leaves have been appear- ing everywhere from billboards to our phone bills. There is only one word to the cam- paign. Loyal. But loyal to who or what, and more importantly why? Team New Zealand and the Ameri- ca’s Cup, complete with its “Village” and super yachts, represent things that are out of the reach of the average working class New Zealander. The entire enterprise is about busi- ness and profit. How can we be loyal to the elite who profit from the racing of multi-million dollar boats? It is easy to feel an affinity to sports like rugby, soccer and cricket as most of the population is capable of picking up a ball and kicking, passing or hit- ting it around their backyard or local “Adbusting” or “culture jamming” of billboards shows the anti-capitalist flavour of park. opposition to the America’s Cup in Auckland. This one has been modified to read: But working class family, that strug- “DIS-LOYAL. Only Big Business Benefits from the America’s Cup”. The modified gles from payday to payday, is never billboards are being un-modified very quickly. going to be able to go sailing. There is a giant barrier between their world and that of the yachties. with the long hours. seas syndicates as well as the greed of The America’s Cup Village Ltd was He spoke of one waiter who on his being on a winning team, no matter set up with $85 million of Auckland payday didn’t receive a pay-cheque but what flag it sails under. ratepayers’ money from Infrastructure an invoice for the booze he had con- This has been quickly picked up by Auckland. sumed that week. group of advertising and real estate fat This was then topped up by a fur- As well as the money poured into the cats who formed the Black Hearts cam- ther $2 million from the same source America’s Cup there have been huge paign. when the budgets proved to be wrong. amounts spent on Team NZ itself. However, there is an underside to This money was used to build the Vil- Although it is a team funded by big their short-lived media barrage. The lage complex which when completed business, we are told that it is our team leaders of the Black Hearts are the peo- had a valuation of just less than $52 and put on the same pedestal as the ple who would benefit the most from million. All Blacks and the Silver Ferns. the America’s Cup staying in Auckland. In July 2002, Auckland City Council The public is also asked to assist to- So how can the endless TV commer- approved a one-off grant of $650,000 wards the running costs of Team NZ by cials, the flags on buildings everywhere, “to help the organisation manage the making donations or through the pur- stickers posted with our phone bills and America’s Cup Village”. chase of over-priced, overseas merchan- media brainwashing help us be loyal? This was justified by Mayor John dise. The everyday working class New Banks as “what’s good for Team NZ is Team NZ has been set up as charita- Zealander will never sail a yacht, they good for Auckland City”. ble trust. The purpose of most charita- cannot afford to buy the overpriced Some Auckland business have ben- ble trusts is to provide community serv- imported merchandise nor feel any efited from the increased trade. Retail- ices or funding for other organisations. loyalty towards a sport that has taken ers in the lower Queen St area have Since it was established in 1991 it has public money and spent it on flashy seen an estimated increase in turnover been shrouded in financial secrecy that monoliths that have benefit for only of $90 million. more than equals the mystery that hid a few. But very little (if any) has benefited the keel design of the yachts. We are capable of loyalty. But this the lowly-paid retail staff who work in Team NZ Trust will not reveal how loyalty should be directed towards the area. much money has been allowed back things that count – loyalty towards the The hospitality trade in the Viaduct into the community or where it has workers of New Zealand, the people area has flourished. Unfortunately this gone. who make New Zealand what it is to- industry is renowned for its poor treat- The main reason for setting up Team day rather than loyalty towards minori- ment of its workers. NZ as a charitable trust is to avoid pay- ties that have the money. A waiter I talked to complained of ing any tax back to the people of the We do not need a million dollar ad- long hours, often finishing at 1.30 am country that they claim to represent. vertising campaign to tell us what only to start again at 7.30 am, and of If loyalty is such a major part of yacht should think and feel as we are capa- having to work 70 to 80 hours per week racing then why are so many of our top ble of doing this for ourselves. during the busier seasons. yachtsmen jumping ship and working (Abridged) He also mentioned that workers for opposition teams? were encouraged to drink alcohol on The answer is simply greed. Greed ANGUS STUTTER the job as it was the only way to deal for the big dollars offered by the over- Auckland

16 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 Letters

No-one who wants to stand up against problems, that their consciousness was a the system can expect fair treatment from “trade-union consciousness” – of reforms, COPS PROTECT THE them. to be sought and negotiated. Secondly, the protest also showed how Now Chris agrees with the argument individual action is not enough when the but condemns the conclusion, slating WARMONGERS state uses force against us. Lenin for wanting to brow-beat the re- A peaceful protest against America’s plans The demonstrators who were arrested luctant masses, for showing “the con- for war on Iraq was attacked by police at or shoved around could have defended tempt of the middle-class intellectual for the American Embassy today. themselves better by working together. the preferences and insights of the At least 15 demonstrators were ar- A linked chain of ten or twenty is far less unenlightened majority”. rested as a huge police presence defended easy to shove around, or shove into a po- Well, maybe, in latter part, that’s fair. the warmongers against a crowd of ordi- lice wagon, than any individual. But three years later Lenin had completely nary unarmed people. If the protesters had worked together changed his mind. The protest, conceived as a “citizens’ more, perhaps less people might have Economic unrest had led to the sud- weapons inspection”, began at Parlia- been injured or arrested. (Abridged) den mass rising of 1905. It wasn’t What Is ment at 11 am on Sunday morning. To Be Done that Lenin was now writing, About 150 demonstrators, many in cos- DAPHNE LAWLESS but The Reorganisation of the Party tume or carrying “weapons inspector” Wellington where he was stating, bluntly, “the work- badges, then set off for the American ing class is instinctively, spontaneously Embassy in Molesworth Street. Social Democratic [revolutionary Bolshe- When they arrived at the Embassy, it vik]”. was surrounded by at least 40 uniformed He said he felt nine-tenths of current police and some plain-clothes officers. “elitist” Bolshevik Party members were Nonetheless, the mood of the demon- bereft of ideas. stration continued to be light-hearted. He called for “young forces” to be Protesters described the United States as swept into the Party, he wanted “to co- “the greatest threat to world peace” and opt [into the Party] any and every honest demanded its disarmament. and energetic person”, he wanted doz- At one point, the demonstrators sang ens of subcommittees of “young people” “if you cannot find Osama, bomb Iraq”. allowed “to write and publish leaflets At about 12 noon, some demonstra- without any red tape (there is no harm if tors attempted to breach police lines and they male a mistake)”. scale the Embassy fence. The police reac- He wanted “to unite all people with tion can only be described as “heavy- revolutionary initiative and set them to handed”. work. Do not fear their lack of training, Not only were those protesters at- do not tremble at their lack of inexperi- tempting to scale the fence arrested, but ence and lack of development.” those who were even nearby were man- WHAT IS TO BE These words weren’t simply the result handled out of the way and threatened of Russia being in a revolutionary situa- with arrest themselves. tion. They came from the fact that Lenin One witness describes seeing a peace- DONE ABOUT CHRIS had seen the reality and potential of the ful protester physically tackled by a po- working class in a mass strike. lice officer and handcuffed for no more A few years later in an article com- than being too close to a police van. TROTTER’S LENIN? memorating the 1905 general strike, he It became increasingly clear that the I’d like to put in a word for Lenin follow- argued his new position through: “The purpose of the police was not just to save ing Chris Trotter’s attack (SW Monthly Re- very conditions of their lives make the the Embassy from “trespass”, but to teach view, December), the second those of us workers capable of struggle and impels the protesters a lesson. in Auckland have had to suffer in less than them to struggle. One protest organiser who had sug- a month. “Capital collects the workers in great gested that some might want to climb the Lenin was bad-tempered, sure. He was masses in big cities, uniting them, teach- fence was arrested and charged with “in- testy, choleric, made alarming remarks ing them to act in unison. At every step citing a crowd”. about Beethoven’s Appassionata and, like they come face to face with their enemy So much for freedom of speech – as so many male political leaders of the Left, – the capitalist class. one demonstrator suggested, any rock had a penchant for actresses. “In combat with this enemy the worker band might be arrested under such a law! But he was also searingly honest and becomes a socialist, comes to realise the Worse still, when the demonstration practical. He tested his ideas and admit- necessity of a complete abolition of all was nearing its end and protesters were ted his mistakes. He was aware that to- poverty and all oppression.” beginning to drift away, the police began day’s circumstances might make nonsense It is a neat idea of Chris’ to couple Lenin apparently arresting demonstrators of yesterday’s ideas. with elitist, middle class purveyors of sepa- purely at random. In 1902, when the Russian Left was tiny, ratist ideology “burdening working peo- At the police station later, we were told fragmented, and squabbling, Lenin, in ple with the dreams of others”. that none of the demonstrators would be one of his fits of bad temper, produced But it’s not true. released until all protesters had left the his pamphlet, What Is To Be Done. Embassy. It was about trying to get comrades to DEAN PARKER This clearly indicates the priorities of do things. We all know the problem. Some Auckland the police; to protect the American Em- of us are the problem. bassy at all costs, at the expense of the In the course of this pamphlet, with its rights of their “own” population. finger-jabbing over-emphasis on organi- Two important lessons can be drawn sation, Lenin said, “class consciousness can Socialist Worker Monthly Review from the events of today. Firstly, it’s en- be brought to workers only from with- tirely clear now that the police are not out, that is, only from outside the eco- welcomes letters. our friends. nomic struggle”. Post: Box 13-685 Auckland They are there to protect the interests This conclusion sprang from Lenin’s ar- Fax: (09) 634 3936 of their real bosses - the capitalist state gument that workers would inevitably shy and its allies in Washington. away from revolutionary solutions to their E-mail: [email protected]

Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 17 Socialist Worker news AUCKLAND terested in our organisation. CHRISTCHURCH We have been selling Socialist Worker magazines at the polytech for over a year. All out against We are noticing that more and more stu- Active summer dents are interested in our ideas. Things the war are changing rapidly in Tauranga. in the south By KANE FORBES WELLINGTON By DAVID COLYER Members and supporters of Socialist Summer is usually a quiet time for so- Worker in Auckland are gearing up for a Help us spread cialists; having a holiday is most people’s huge year. number one concern. Global Peace & Justice Auckland, This year’s been a bit different Christ- which we’re part of, have already organ- socialist ideas church’s Socialist Worker branch has been ised a couple of successful events – the kept busy through our involvement with picket of frigate Te Mana, and a packed- By GORDON FARRIS anti-war coalition Peace Action Network. out public meeting discussing events in- PAN has continued organising and has Argentina and planning a weekend of Helping to build and strengthen the Wel- continued to get a good response. In De· anti-war activities. lington anti-war group, Peace Action cember there was a “die-in” - a street the- The midday march from QE II Square Wellington, remains a major focus for So- atre event involving around 50 people. on Saturday, February 15 will coincide cialist Worker in the Capital City. Onlookers were given a leaflet about with the international day of action December saw a very successful the anti-war march on January 18. This against the war. At the “Peace in the antiwar march and rally through the march was a great success, the largest Park” concert (Potters Park from 1 pm city. 51 copies of the December issue peace protest yet. the next day), Socialist Worker will join of SWMR being sold along with the The next event is a Peace Picnic on other anti-war speakers between acts. few hundred leaflets distributed by the February 15. I will be speaking from the As well as going hard alongside oth- largest contingent of members and sup- stage on behalf of Socialist Worker. er GPJA activists to build the anti-war porters to date. All this anti-war activism has inspired weekend, we will also be holding a Social- Talking about socialist ideas to work- our small branch to re-establish regular ist Worker public forum at Trades Hall at ers, anti-capitalists and anti-war activists stalls at noon on Saturdays in Cashel Mall. 7.30pm the following Tuesday on “Viet- is at the top of the list, as the number I have recently returned to Christ- nam – How America’s war was stopped”. of people interested in alternative ideas church from Auckland and two things The first of our weekly campaign stalls continues to grow. have struck me about the anti-war move- for the year (Saturdays from noon at Our SW stalls are proving to be good ment down here. Aotea Square) also went really well. training grounds for developing the skills The first is that there is little mention We had people queueing up to sign the to interact with the public and benefits of Palestine. “Justice for Palestine” is a key peace petition – a great chance to talk to can be seen when we move out to take demand of Global Peace and Justice Auck- a wide range of people about getting ac- part in larger united front stalls. land. PAN should also make this call. tive against the war. Our branch is looking forward to the The second is that the anti-war mood Socialist Worker has had one planning first issue of SWMR of 2003 as well as the among people on the street seems to be meeting and one Marxist forum on the two new anti-war leaflets. One will be di- more anti-violence than anti-capitalist. role of NZ in America’s grand strategy. rected at the anti-war movement in gen- Over the next month we plan to A supporter who’s been working with us eral. The second to workers in all walks re-establish a club for students at the since late last year joined at the meeting. of life, which will help us develop those univer·sity, and start holding regular pub- essential links with the working class. lic meet·ings again. We aim to build a so- Readers of SWMR in the Wellington cialist current within PAN to help bring region who would like to become active anti-capitalism and Palestine solidarity TAURANGA in our work are invited to contact us. into the anti-war movement. ‘Amazing’ protest Socialist books stirs interest in socialist ideas ALL THE By TONY SNELLING·BERG ARGUMENTS The anti-war protest in Tauranga on Jan- uary 31 was absolutely amazing. We had 600 people. AGAINST Socialist Worker helped organise it, along with peace activists and Amnesty International. We had a speaker on the platform. BUSH’S WAR The protest activated a few young peo- ple who were interested in our socialist ideas before. One of them brought 20 of his friends and family on the march. ON IRAQ We took 500 Socialist Worker leaflets that said, “It’s still an oil war”. After the Send $4 to PO Box 13-685 Auckland march they were almost all gone. The next day, I got two phone calls from people in-

18 Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 Socialist Worker info Contact the socialists near you Socialist Worker ★ NORTHLAND WHERE WE STAND Phone: Vaughan (09) 433 8897 Email: [email protected] SOCIALISM We are internationalists because ★ AUCKLAND Capitalism is a system of exploita- socialism depends on spreading tion which generates inequality, crisis working class revolutions around the Meets 7.30pm every Tuesday at the and war. Although workers create world. Trade Union Centre, 147 Great North society’s wealth, it is controlled by the Rd, Grey Lynn. Transport available. ruling class for its own selfish ends. LIBERATION FROM Socialism can only be built when Phone: Len 634 3984 OPPRESSION the working class takes control of Email: [email protected] We fight for democratic rights. We social wealth and democratically plans oppose the oppression of women, its production and distribution to meet Maori, Pacific Islanders, lesbians and ★ TAURANGA human needs, not private profits. This gays. will eliminate all class divisions in All forms of oppression are used to Phone: Tony 544 1859 society. divide the working class. Email: [email protected] Stalinist countries such as China We support the right of all op- and Cuba, just like the former Soviet pressed groups to organise for their ★ ROTORUA Union and the Eastern bloc, have own defence. Their liberation is nothing to do with socialism. They are essential to socialist revolution and Phone: Bernie 345 9853 state capitalist. We support the impossible without it. Email: [email protected] struggles of workers against every dictatorial stalinist ruling class. TINO RANGATIRATANGA ★ NEW PLYMOUTH We support the struggle for Maori REVOLUTION NOT self determination. Email: [email protected] REFORMISM The government’s approach to The present system cannot be Treaty claims has benefited a Maori ★ WELLINGTON reformed to end exploitation and elite while doing little for working class oppression, contrary to what Alliance, Maori. Meets 7.30pm every Monday at Room Labour and union leaders claim. It Tino rangatiratanga cannot be 2, Crossways (back entrance), must be overthrown by the working achieved within capitalism. It will only Elizabeth St, Mt Victoria. class. become a reality with the establish- Capitalism’s parliament, army, police ment of a workers’ state. Phone: Grant 566 8538 and judiciary protect the ruling class. Email: [email protected] These institutions cannot be taken over REVOLUTIONARY PARTY and used by the working class. To achieve socialism the most ★ GREYMOUTH To pave the way to socialism the militant sections of the working class working class needs a new kind of have to be organised into a mass Phone: Kyle (021) 237 9567 state—a democratic workers state revolutionary socialist party. based on workers councils and We are in the early stages of ★ CHRISTCHURCH workers militia. building such a party through involve- ment in the day-to-day struggles of Phone: Don 385 5268 INTERNATIONALISM workers and the oppressed. Email: [email protected] Workers in every country are The Socialist Workers Organisation exploited by capitalism, so the struggle must grow in size and influence to ★ TIMARU for socialism is global. provide leadership in the struggle for We campaign for solidarity with working class self-emancipation. Phone: Vaughan 686 6498 workers in other countries. We fight We need to revitalise the unions racism and imperialism. We oppose all with a rank-and-file movement. ★ NATIONAL OFFICE immigration controls. We support all If you like our ideas and want to genuine national liberation struggles. fight for socialism, then join us. Socialist Worker members elsewhere in Aotearoa and our sister organisations overseas can be contacted through Socialist Worker’s national office. Want to fight for a better world? Join Socialist Worker

Phone: (09) 634 3984 ￿ I want to attend a socialist meeting Fax: (09) 634 3936 Write: PO Box 13-685 Auckland ￿ I want to join Socialist Worker Email: [email protected] NAME…………………………………………… PHONE………………… Socialist Worker Monthly Review ADDRESS……………………………………………………………………… is on the internet EMAIL…………………………………………………………………………… http://au.geocities.com/swo_nz/ Post to Socialist Worker, PO Box 13-685 Auckland

Socialist Worker Monthly Review February 2003 19 Industrial Action by DON FRANKS Union democracy and war Where are the unions in the anti-war movement? Auckland’s anti-war Global Peace and Justice Action Committee complained: “The absence of the CTU [Council of Trade Unions] voice has been evident and even commented on by some speakers.” In fact the CTU leaders voice has been raised on the matter of the war, but it’s been saying the wrong things to the wrong people. The most recent (November 2002) CTU resolution on the war gives uncritical sup- port to UN Security Council resolutions against Iraq, demanding “pressure on the Iraqi regime to destroy weapons of mass destruction.” No such concern is expressed about the Christchurch January 18: we need more union banners on anti-war protests huge number of US weapons currently mobilised for mass destruction. Why does CTU policy tail after the November resolution, when some anti- Like the NZ government, the NZCTU government instead of siding with public war unionists were absent. opposes “unilateral declaration of war opinion – which is increasingly anti Ameri- The remedy is more input from below, with Iraq.” ca’s war? like passing anti-war motions on our jobs. That formulation not only ignores the The answer lies in the CTU strategy The latest resolution of the Alliance continuous US bombing inflicted on Iraq. of partnership with employers and gov- Party offers a good lead: The word “unilateral” is a deliberate ernment. As can be seen in almost any “That this conference completely out for the CTU if the US invasion is con- of their press releases, our leading union rejects any New Zealand participation in trived under the banner of the UN. body has long gambled all its chips on the planned war against Iraq, whether UN The CTU do say affiliates should “Sup- cooperating with the government in the sanctioned or not. The Alliance commits port and participate in any rallies and com- hope that it will retain legislation allowing itself to organising mass opposition to munity activities against the war.” unions to exist. this war and opposing all forms of racism But they’re not taking that message out If you can’t stand up to the bosses on and xenophobia. We further call for the to the membership in any serious way. everyday issues, you’ll fall over on the big immediate withdrawal of military forces Instead of organising workers against issues too. from Afghanistan and the Gulf.” the war, CTU leaders main action to date Part of this problem is too few union Unionists can also write, or personally has been to send a little delegation to the leaders making too many decisions on visit the offices of the CTU demanding US embassy, delivering a letter echoing NZ their own. A meeting of the tiny CTU political, organisational and financial sup- government policy. National Affiliates Council created the port for the anti-war movement. $8.50 an hour is ‘good news’? From March 24, the minimum wage for had just been altered to $8.50 – or $6.80 arrogant pigs and a big world of diseased, workers over 18 will rise from $8 to $8.50 – an hour? hungry, futureless children. an hour. Workers 16 to 17 will go from One year ago Paul Goulter put out an Unionists today need to recognise that $6.40 to $6.80 an hour. almost identical media release welcoming Labour is part of the problem, that lower Over 30,000 workers will be affected by news that the minimum wage was going rates for young workers are not acceptable, these changes. up to $8 an hour. Since then, no combined and that isolated individual union efforts Some of them will be parents of the one union campaign against low pay has been don’t cut it anymore. Today there is a cry- third of New Zealand children presently organised by the CTU. ing need for combined militant action of growing up in poverty. How much longer will the CTU keep low paid workers. After their rise next month they will playing the same stuck record instead of Socialists have a particular responsi- remain in a wretched situation. organising some serious action? bility to help build that struggle on the What are unions doing about this? Only 3% of workers earning under ground. “Today’s announcement that the mini- $30,000 a year are unionised. That leaves That vital political task has been ne- mum wage will rise to $8.50 is good news”, nearly a quarter of a million employees glected in recent years. said Council of Trade Unions (CTU) sec- outside the union movement. Socialists today need to become much retary Paul Goulter. He also praised the Why should these low paid work- more active inside the union movement government for increasing the youth rate. ers want to join a union movement that – not in the union office. Although he observed that New Zea- congratulates the government for flicking Socialist action in unions means activ- land wages are still too low, Goulter of- them a few stale crumbs? ists committing themselves long term to fered no ideas about getting them up. The present Labour government is working and agitating on a large job site, Would Paul Goulter have described it presiding over the division of New Zealand where the real power is, at the point of as “good news” if his own salary package into two worlds. A little world of spoilt production.