So& Wloirkdersa’ Lirbeirtty y Volume 3 No 202 4 May 2011 30p/80p For a workers’ government

Labour’s “new” Voices from Arab Defending the political colours revolt pages 6-8 Easter Rising page 2 page 9 New battles for students and education workers

See pages UNI CUTS 3 and 5 HUNDREDS OF COURSES NEWS

What is the Alliance The dead end of “dissident republicanism” for Workers’ Liberty? By Liam McNulty another Catholic police of - Today one class, the working class, lives by selling ficer and the scale of its its labour power to another, the capitalist class, The murder of Constable operations indicate a level which owns the means of production. Society Ronan Kerr in Omagh by of expertise probably at - is shaped by the capitalists’ relentless drive to dissident republicans at tributable to the presence increase their wealth. Capitalism causes the beginning of April of former Provisional IRA poverty, unemployment, the blighting of lives by was just the latest members in its ranks. overwork, imperialism, the destruction of the deadly instalment in their The Kerr murder was environment and much else. increasingly dangerous claimed by a “new” IRA Against the accumulated wealth and power of the campaign. also believed to be com - capitalists, the working class has one weapon: solidarity. prised of former Provision - The Continuity IRA, The Alliance for Workers’ Liberty aims to build solidarity als. with roots in a 1986 split in through struggle so that the working class can overthrow These defections and re - the Provisional movement, groupings reflect a grow - capitalism. We want socialist revolution: collective ownership was the first major group ing awareness that the tions to rival groups advo - more important in distin - of industry and services, workers’ control and a democracy to challenge Sinn Féin’s Sinn Féin political strategy cating armed struggle. guishing them. much fuller than the present system, with elected gradual abandonment of is unlikely to lead to a Although Martin They are characterised representatives recallable at any time and an end to armed struggle. The most United Ireland. McGuinness can point to either by ideological eclec - bureaucrats’ and managers’ privileges. “traditional” of the armed In the last decade, Sinn the large ticism or an almost apoliti - We fight for the to break with “social groups, it claims the direct Féin has subtly managed demonstrations against the cal militarism. partnership” and assert working-class interests militantly lineage of the Provisional to shift its emphasis from latest murder as evidence When in the summer of against the bosses. Government of 1916. In the “Brits Out” to the more re - that the dissidents have lit - 2010 the RIRA opportunis - Our priority is to work in the workplaces and trade unions, past it has dabbled with formist demand of equal - tle mass support, he is well tically adopted a radical supporting workers’ struggles, producing workplace bulletins, pan-Celtic nationalism and ity for Catholics within aware that physical force posture on the Irish finan - “third way” distributist helping organise rank-and-file groups. Northern Ireland. republicanism has never cial crisis, their solution — theories derived from We are also active among students and in many campaigns Although the flagrant sought a democratic man - damaging a branch of Ul - Catholic social teachings. and alliances. civil injustices of the old date. It derives its legiti - ster Bank in Derry — was However, by all ac - Stormont state have been macy from elsewhere — indicative of a lack of any counts it is newer groups We stand for: redressed and, as Sinn Féin from a particular reading wider political perspective. spearheading the latest up - G Independent working-class representation in politics. spokespersons are keen to of the 1916 Easter Rising It is probably true to say surge in violence. G A workers’ government, based on and accountable to the point out, the “Orange and a one-sided narrative you can fill the vessel of The Real IRA emerged in labour movement. State” is gone, the pursuit of Irish history. Talk of physical force republican - the months leading up to G A workers’ charter of trade union rights — to organise, to of the civil rights agenda democratic mandates or ism with any social pro - the Good Friday Agree - strike, to picket effectively, and to take . was never really what mo - mass support misses the gramme, and even radical ment, and although it was tivated the Provisional IRA point when we are dealing or “socialist” proposals are G Taxation of the rich to fund decent public services, homes, once debilitated by arrests or its volunteers. A shift in with what amounts to a conceived as instruments education and jobs for all. and informers, it claimed emphasis poses little or no modern-day carbonarism. to build support for the na - G A workers’ movement that fights all forms of oppression. the Massereene Barracks problem for Sinn Féin in Despite some political tional struggle rather than Full equality for women and social provision to free women shootings (March 2009) terms of building electoral nuances, the dissident using elements of the na - from the burden of housework. Free abortion on request. Full and is believed to be be - support. Indeed, in aban - groups all share a tional struggle to build for equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Black and white hind a spate of disruptive doning many republican fetishism of physical force soNciealviesmrt.heless, these workers’ unity against racism. car bombs in Derry. ideological positions (espe - and stale mid-70s Provi - groups are dangerous G Open borders. Since 2009 a group cially regarding the police) sional rhetoric. As such, and they show little sign G Global solidarity against global capital — workers called Óglaigh na hÉire - in pursuit of the equality their similarities outweigh of abandoning their futile everywhere have more in common with each other than with ann, a splinter from the agenda, Sinn Féin has their differences and geo - campaign. RIRA, has been responsi - their capitalist or Stalinist rulers. reaped electoral dividends. graphical rather than ideo - ble for critically injuring G Democracy at every level of society, from the smallest But it has also led to defec - logical factors are probably workplace or community to global social organisation. G Working-class solidarity in international politics: equal rights for all nations, against imperialists and predators big Something old, something borrowed, something Blue... and small. G Maximum left unity in action, and openness in debate. G If you agree with us, please take some copies of Solidarity By Dave Kirk Toryism”, the scheme by which has become “the big working-class tradition, to sell — and join us! writer Philip Blond to monster that we don’t like cohesion and solidarity. 020 7394 8923 [email protected] According to the Ob - reposition the Tories as a to talk about”. Mass immi - He argues unions should server (24 April), Labour party of communities gration under Labour, he pursue coalitions across 20e Tower Workshops, Riley Road, leader Ed Miliband “is rather than just of markets. believes, served to “act as class lines with faith London, SE1 3DG. set to make two Blue Labour’s chief cham - an unofficial wages pol - groups and “community speeches informed by pion, Maurice Glasman, icy”. He said Labour occu - organisations”. The cam - the ideas of Blue Labour describes it as “a com - pied a “weird space where paign against the privati - over the summer, al - pletely agitational idea to we thought that a real as - sation of forests, which though insiders insist he provoke a conversation sault on the wage levels of involved unions with Tory GET SOLIDARITY is also listening to con - about what went wrong English workers was a squires, NGOs, and envi - tributors to a soon-to- with the Blair project”. His positive good”. ronmentalists, would be be-published Purple critique of New Labour is He blames the “real as - his model for political EVERY WEEK! Book”. both very limited and reac - sault” on migrant workers, unionism. tionary. not on rapacious capital - Special offers (19 April) re - Jon Cruddas, who tried He says Labour needs ists and New Labour’s de - to position himself as a ports that the “Purple “to build a party that bro - cision to keep the crippling G Trial sub, 6 issues £5  Book” will be diehard- more pro-union and kers a common good, that Tory anti-union laws. slightly leftish figure Blairite — “Purple was the involves those people who Glasman champions G 22 issues (six months). £18 waged  £9 unwaged  under the Blair and Brown colour of new Labour. It’s support the EDL [the “Family, Faith, and the regimes but backed David G 44 issues (year). £35 waged £17 unwaged what you get if you com - racist, Muslim-hating, Flag”. (Just which “faith”   Miliband for leader, and bine red and blue. It sym - street-fighting English De - he has in mind is not clear. former hard-Blairite minis - G European rate: 28 euros (22 issues)  or 50 euros (44 issues)  bolises the need to stay on fence League] within our Some of his ideas resemble the centre ground” — and party. Not dominant in the old fashioned Catholic so - ter James Purnell, are re - Tick as appropriate above and send your money to: will come out about the party, not setting the tone cial teaching, but he is of ported as key supporters of Glasman. 20e Tower Workshops, Riley Road, London, SE1 3DG time of Labour Party con - of the party, but just a re - Jewish background and ference in September. connection with those peo - still described by the Jewish The Labour Party is in Cheques (£) to “AWL”. So Miliband is “listening ple that we can represent a Chronicle as Jewish). the middle of a period of Or make £ and euro payments at workersliberty.org/sub. to”... two strands of very better life for them, be - To Glasman, New flux when a genuine work - right-wing Labour cause that’s what they Labour’s problem was that ing class socialist voice is thought. The 50,000 new want”. it forgot about the central - needed against cuts and Name ...... members who have joined He would “involve” ity of community, family the assault of the right. the Labour Party to fight those people not by point - and the working-class tra - Unfortunately the left in Address ...... the Tories and Lib Dems, ing a better way — work - ditionalism. He advocates the party is not yet in a and the old Labour loyal - ing-class struggle — for a greater regulation of of state to take the field, let ists who stuck it out them to defend and im - the banks, encouraging co - alone win the battle of ...... through the Blair years, prove living standards operatives, and a corpo - ideWaos. rkers’ Liberty will need to organise fast to damaged in the Blair- ratist capitalism...... continue to fight inside make some “red” Labour Brown years, but by mov - He sees trade unions as the party and without to audible. ing Labour in the direction having a key role, not as I enclose £ ...... organise the left around Blue Labour is an osten - of the EDL. combat organisations of the fight for a workers’ tatiously conservative He says immigration workers in the class strug - government. (small c) counter to “Red and multiculturalism gle but as a expression of 2 SOLIDARITY EDUCATION London Met cuts: attack on working-class students

from other universities re - London Met — vulnerable working-class people are quest to use this support groups being attacked, being cleared out of certain Cut from 577 service because it’s so people only being allowed areas due to cutbacks in good. The Dyslexia and to study subjects that man - benefits, it’s almost class Disability Unit is being agement deems to be of cleansing. courses to 160 axed: they’re going after value – is a representation The campaign is going the most vulnerable of all the bad things hap - to lobby the people who By Ed Maltby groups. People who need pening in wider society. A make decisions at the uni - One member of the support most are having it class division is being cre - versity. This isn’t just Lon - LMU Save Humanities taken away. The Writing ated. don Met, so we’re going to The management of Campaign told Solidarity , By Claire Locke, London Metropolitan Centre, where students They want education for lobby the government. “My feeling about these London Met SU mentor other students and working-class people to be We’re composing a letter University has an - cuts is that it is ideological nounced a massive president (personal get paid for doing so, is commercialised, controlled that’s going to be sent out attack. They haven’t given being cut — management by industries and large to state our position, say - wave of course clo - any justification, they are capacity) sures. are removing support for corporations. So, for exam - ing we will take action and reluctant to release the ac - students studying, and the ple, rather than making the unions will take indus - tual figures that have led The people who will be The proposals will see paid mentors will now services function and sus - trial action. Students will them to these conclusions. affected by these cuts courses cut down to 160 have to find other ways of tain themselves, instead take direct action. We will They have said that they are students from work - from 557. The main targets paying for their studies. they’re selling them off in do whatever is necessary haven’t calculated how ing-class backgrounds, of these cuts will be Phi - It’s students who have to bits and pieces to make to stop this attack on our much money they will parents, people who losophy, History, Modern work extra jobs in order to private providers rich. society. save from the redundan - wouldn’t have had the Languages and Perform - sustain their studies who What’s happening at This isn’t just an attack cies yet. Nothing official opportunity to come to ing Arts. The only degree are being hit by these cuts. London Met is definitely on our education, it’s not has been released, there university if it wasn’t for programme in Caribbean Why is the university of national significance. just about London Met, it’s has been no consultation – London Met. studies in the UK will also making these cuts? Well, Look across the whole sec - about everybody. Every - it seems they have just de - be shut down. London Met manage - let’s start by saying that tor — they’re doing it to A- body needs to stand up be - cided they don’t really The university has been ment is dictating to work - the Vice Chancellor has levels too, reducing the cause together we can need these courses… facing a major deficit after “It seems that senior ing-class people what they created a post, the Execu - range of A-levels that can maHkaevaindgifbfeurresntcse.of action a crisis in 2009 saw it lose management are trying should be allowed to tive Officer for the Vice be provided. People in around the country is £36 million of government to strip the university of study, and that is com - Chancellor, the current working-class areas can good, but united action money (which it had academic subjects and pletely obscene. This uni - holder of which is a former only get a certain service, can help, united action falsely claimed from the humanities, and I versity changes lives. researcher for David Wil - but people who live in all together can make a HEFCE after providing in - think they’re trying to They are cutting support lets. The ideology of the more affluent areas get a difference. I suppose flated figures for student turn LMU into a busi - services too, like the government is being in - first-class service, access to what I’m saying is, we numbers). ness school.” Learner Development flicted on London Met. libraries and so on. Couple need solidarity! Unit. We’ve had students And what’s happening at this with the fact that Universities set maximum fees Newcastle: round one to workers and students By a Newcastle College student By Darren Bedford There is no correlation many institutions will be Students and workers at between established per - making extremely deep Nearly 75% of universi - formance indicators and Newcastle College have cuts. Figures released by won at least a postpone - ties who have declared fee levels, with both the the Higher Education their fees for 2012 have ment of cuts. At the be - University of Cambridge Funding Council for Eng - opted to charge the max - ginning of 2011 the and the University of East land in late March show imum £9,000. London (from opposite college announced plans that some universities face “ends” of the spectrum in to cut 171 frontline jobs, Newcastle College UCU barred from meeting on site The government had terms of government-ap - reductions of up to around 17% of the workforce. previously indicated that proved measures for meas - 15% in their recurrent gov - Students set up SOS On 24 March the lectur - the meeting was simply (Save Our Staff) to sup - £6,000 would be the effec - uring university ernment grants. Some, like ers’ union UCU organised moved to the grass just off port lecturers. tive benchmark, and that performance) charging the University of London a march from the college to the campus site. universities would be al - The meeting took two £9,000 across the board. (the umbrella institution We began with a banner the university, and yet votes of no confidence in lowed to charge £9,000 Some universities, such as administering many of drop at one of the col - again there was a great the senior management only in “exceptional cir - London Metropolitan, will London’s smaller and spe - lege’s open evenings to turnout of students. and the announcement cumstances”. As recently charge varying fees for dif - cialist higher education raise the profile. On 12 April the UCU that all the campaign had as March 2011, Nick Clegg ferent courses, ranging be - colleges), face a cut of over Management tried scare went on official strike. pushed back the cuts stated that universities The management re - tween £4,500 and £9,000. 60%. The cuts in grants tactics to prevent us tak - that were originally “can’t charge £9,000 unless fused to give permission to In a further kick in the disproportionately affect ing other action. But we planned to happen in they’re given permission teeth for students, newly- the UCU to have a meeting poorer universities — still managed to organise a May to the end of July. to do so” However, the Of - elected NUS president successful . on college grounds. But fice for Fair Access (OFFA), Liam Burns — expected by Cambridge faces cuts of tasked with scrutinising some to make a break from just 0.8%, while Oxford universities over their fees the approach of his prede - and LSE will actually see regimes and expected by cessor, Aaron Porter, which an increase of 0.8 and 1.4% Save philosophy at Greenwich! some to intervene to stop was widely viewed as ca - respectively. some institutions from pitulatory and spineless — Funding cuts are already charging the maximum has already declared that translating into plans to do By Ellese Elliot, Save cut single honours philoso - solutely infuriated that this figure, has said it does not “the debate on how to away with courses, mod - Greenwich phy at Greenwich. Argu - decision took place at the expect to exercise its fund education is sadly ules or indeed entire de - Philosophy ments have ranged from end of term, when people power to prevent universi - largely irrelevant.” partments at many the supposed lack of appli - are busy with exams and ties from charging over A big cut in government universities. University of The Save Greenwich Phi - cants to the claim that a haven’t had a chance to £6,000 without a detailed funding for universities Wales Institute, Cardiff losophy Campaign could combined course will draw build support and inform plan to increase intake of means that, as well as mas - in more students. the wider student body. (UWIC) provoked anger reach its peak on Thurs - poorer students. sively increasing fees, So far, the campaign has We see this as a tactic on from students and Welsh day 5 May when the aca - demic planning held two occupations, by the University to un - Assembly members as it gathered over 2000 signa - dermine opposition. Fur - Ian Tomlinson “unlawfully” killed announced plans to abol - committee meeting takes place. tures from the likes of A.C ther action will take place ish its modern history and Grayling and Noam after the bank holiday in a An inquest into the death of newspaper vendor Ian politics programme as its One of the campaign de - Chomsky, and held a last attempt to save philos - Tomlinson, who died after an encounter with police of - Vice Chancellor pocketed a mands is to allow a repre - “speakers’ corner” at the ophy before the academic university. planning meeting puts its ficers at the G20 protests, has found that his killing waTgheeinUcnreivaesresoitfyoovferG7la%s .- sentative to voice our arguments on May 5, but Various local and na - stamp on management’s was “unlawful”. A jury ruled that the baton strike and gow plans to axe several push to Tomlinson by PC Simon Harwood were “un - so far such requests have tional papers, radio sta - deSciuspiopno.rt our campaign modern language tions and others have reasonable” and that Tomlinson “posed no threat” at been denied. by joining the Facebook course, merge its history, At this point the Save followed our campaign the time he was attacked. It remains unclear whether group “Save Greenwich archaeology and classics Greenwich Philosophy and seen it as part of a Harwood will face any punishment, but the verdict Philosophy” and follow - courses, and scrap its Campaign has received no wider movement against ing us on Twitter: will be a huge boost to Ian Tomlinson’s family and Centre of Drugs Misuse consistent line of argument the cuts. @savephilosophy. their quest for justice. Research. concerning the decision to Campaigners are ab - SOLIDARITY 3 REGULARS AWL expands on London Underground

sounding slogans, or cosying up to the union leadership to advance themselves, Workers’ Liberty have been listening to and discussing political ideas with serious rank and file militants. We began our branch with five members. We soon re - AWL news cruited a sixth, a young woman whose energy, commitment and skills were an instant asset. By March we had recruited By Becky Crocker, RMT rep and AWL member an excellent RMT rep, who last week convinced another ex - cellent RMT rep to join us and we hope to recruit more peo - At the start of this year, Workers’ Liberty member Ja - ple in the coming weeks. nine Booth was elected to represent London transport Our branch meets weekly. With the responsibility of hav - workers on RMT’s Executive. Workers’ Liberty mem - ing a Workers’ Liberty member on our union executive, it though we lost the vote, we impressed some people by ar - bers on the Tube decided to set up our own separate is important that we discuss collectively what to argue for ticulating clear, distinctive and thought-out views. AWL branch, become more organised, and prioritise re - within the union. We are now more confident in arguing our On winning the Executive election, Janine Booth summed cruiting new AWL members. position at union meetings. up the reasons for the campaign’s success: hard work, good Our political intervention has also become more effective. organisation and stating clearly what we stand for. These We were already in a good position to recruit. Over years, We have prioritised political discussion in the branch, in - qualities have characterised our work on the Tube for years, we have built up a group of activists around our rank-and- creasing our confidence to sell the paper to more and more which is now bearing fruit. If we continue in this vein, I am Tubeworker file bulletin, , which celebrates its 20th birthday people. Together, we discussed, wrote and moved an confident we will attract more members and intervene more this year. While other left groups had been preaching left- amendment on Libya to last month’s regional meeting. Al - effectively in our important area of class struggle. Anarchism is the direct-action, class-struggle way

able. We didn’t even vote for this despicable Government. states that we must go further in our direct action, whilst not When we are imprisoned, beaten and continuously op - condemning action taken. pressed by a state clearly against us — we must fight back. Secondly, whilst many anarchists openly criticise the roles Direct action is a key way to do this. and structures of the union, socialists are often merely re - Most groups are not focused on smashing windows. The formist. Reformism is inevitably going to fail as Emma Gold - Letters smashing usually occurs after police provocation or as a re - man clearly puts it; “Good men, if such there be, would sult of other methods. For example, Millbank windows were either remain true to their political faith and lose their eco - initially smashed as a part of the occupation. nomic support, or they would cling to their economic mas - “A riot is the language of the unheard” (Martin Luther Occupations are important as they empower individuals ter and be utterly unable to do the slightest good”. This is King)... Currently “direct action” seems to be used me - and groups to reclaim the spaces that belong to us. Money is applicable to overtaking any institutions currently failing to chanically for any action outside the once standard, ig - the only language capitalists understand; so when we oc - support us. nored, tedious and silent marches. There is an cupy their department stores (Fortnum & Masons, Vodafone Further, anarchists recognise the limitations of unions, the important differentiation between vandalism and vio - etc), we shut down their business, and they lose profit. We bureaucracy and in-fighting that is detrimental to the organ - lence — neither of which ought necessarily be con - also bring solidarity between groups and enable communi - isation and action of its membership. Indeed, any dictating demned — but the argument differs slightly. cation and conversation between those to be hit by the cuts. is oppressive, whether well intentioned or not. On the question of direct action — occupations, strikes, When the workers strike, they stop production, and stop The author of the AWL piece even recognises this; “The civil disobedience and yes, sometimes property damage — the work the government continuously exploits. To build a labour movement is frequently a politically dull and conser - I find it difficult to comprehend the arguments against this successful movement we must stand in absolute solidarity vative place to spend your time.” So why not use that time method to stop cuts that will rocket up child poverty, home - with these workers. Some forms of such as to create a labour movement of accessible, transparent and lessness, unemployment and severely threaten many stu - wildcat strikes, go-slows etc workers can engage in without self-organised groupings, to enable us to respond to these dents’ access to education. relying on official union approval. cuts as effectively as possible and in genuine solidarity. “But, Many, and rightly so, are furious about the coalition’s Yet again, the most underrepresented, oppressed commu - conversely, you ‘need’ the labour movement. Your revolu - plans and in actuality, who suffers the greater cost? The nities of our society are hardest hurt by the cuts — black and tionary anti-capitalist instincts cannot become a political re - multi-billionaire capitalist who needs to replace his window, LGBT communities, and women. We would not condemn ality without an agency capable of giving them meaningful or the 15 year old who has lost all their EMA and is expected the direct action of the suffragettes who often ran with the content. That agency is the working class.” What anarcho- to pay £27,000 plus for a degree? motto of “deeds, not words” and were regularly imprisoned syndicalist is dismissive of the working class? This does not and slandered. Fighting the cuts is a question of liberation. make any sense and is highly patronising. VIOLENT Liberation from capitalist exploitation; and for this goal and The working class is not the same as Leninist tactics. If Who is the violent perpetrator? The student who re - emancipation, spraying “Fight Sexism” on Anne Summers anything, it is anarchism that militantly supports a mass fuses to be bullied and stands shoulder to shoulder with is a tiny part of a wider movement, and justified. movement of the working class and reclaims the power. everyone fighting for the same cause; or the armoured However many bureaucrats, who supposedly represent “You should become — or, if you are already, more con - policeman who clubs children and hospitalises people us, concentrate far too much on pen pushing and pointless sistently see yourself as — a labour-movement activist”. This refusing to accept injustice? negotiation rather than allowing us to self organise and too is utterly dismissive of the fact that most anarchists are make decisions amongst ourselves. Strikes for example are labour activists, whose priorities lay differently to the repet - Who is the threat? The masked student, or the police; hard often at the expense of leaders agreeing to it. Whilst many itivDeiraeicmt oafcmtioonviinsgathnreocuegshsealeryctetadcptiocsitthioantse. nables indi - hats, shields, batons, cuffs? socialists call for a , they do not seem to under - Those who retaliate “policemen are just workers in uni - viduals to be at the forefront of their own movement, to stand that this is only possible by overpowering the so-called make mass decisions in a safe space without being dic - form” or “they’re just doing their job”: contemplate this... representative structures, including in their much loved Ian Tomlinson. Smiley Culture. Jean Charles de Menezes. tated to by a political party of any persuasion, and to ul - unions. As Emma Goldman said; “Organisation, as we un - timately, fight back against a cutting coalition Kingsley Brown. derstand it, however, is a different thing. It is based, prima - The police have proven time and time again, they do not government which exploits us, cheats us and lies to us. rily, on freedom. It is a natural and voluntary grouping of Anarchism is a tool to do this, despite the slanderous protect us. They protect the richest, whitest politicians of the energies to secure results beneficial to humanity.” world and breed murderers rarely brought to trial. Do not propaganda of most, on all sides. swallow the lies of the papers declaring the police to be in - UNIONS Bobi Pasquale, east London nocently containing a violent mob. Unions are often based in an HQ distant from the actual If you don’t believe us, join us on a demonstration and workplace. Their leaders are paid a significant wage, Democracy is key when you find yourself nose to nose with a baton; you may and they are often hijacked by careerists or patronising stop condemning us. academics who think they have an authority to speak on The AWL is right to demand “democracy at every level” One need only look closer at those who condemn us. Ca - behalf of their members. of society. It’s important (Solidarity 200), because as reerist, Labour wannabes who slip through the crowds well as opposing cuts, we should be demanding a more whilst we are hit, and drink tea with MPs and negotiate their Actually, they are probably on sabbatical and no longer do greater say in how our workplaces and communities futures. the same work as everybody else, and spend more time in are run. Really though, we can be the threat. Direct actions requires meetings negotiating with managements, than on the mass participation to be truly effective. Ultimately we are the ground empowering the workers. To cite the current unions If there was more genuine democracy in the UK, then majority, and working together, we can become ungovern - as the only way for the movement is simplistic and not vi - maybe the credit crunch might not have happened. The fi - able. nancial system has revealed itself as accountable to nobody. For AWL to publish such incorrect articles such as “Open A deregulated system meant that the banks operated like letter to a direct-action militant” ( Solidarity 3-200), is insult - gambling casinos. Governments have been too timid in A fighter for Celtic fans? ing but also laughable. To talk of anarchists (and let’s be monitoring and controlling the system. And we’re paying In his first electoral outing after being expelled clear, the article is clearly aimed at anarchists), as elite, un - the price in lost jobs. from the Labour Party (Respect, 2004) George Gal - helpful and merely symbolic is concerning. We need a banking system that puts ordinary bank work - loway promoted himself as “a fighter for Muslims”. “Smashing up some ostentatious symbols of capitalist ex - ers and customers in control. We need workers and the or - Trying again in Scotland on 5 May, he now pitches cess certainly makes a more immediate impact than plug - dinary people who use banks being given more power over himself as the champion of... Celtic fans. Shame - ging away within most trade union branches to democratise what banks do. That would quickly end the outrageous fully, some of the Scottish left are backing him. and radicalise them.” bank bonus payments in the City. http://bit.ly/meN0TA Firstly, the author has clearly failed to read SolFed’s open Socialism must mean more democracy. letter to UK Uncut, http://bit.ly/hSp3Jp. This article directly Graeme Kemp, Shropshire 4 SOLIDARITY EDITORIAL

A big new wave of uni cuts

From the Tory-Liberal government’s huge cut in govern - tinuing fight. There has been a lull in activity in recent When students return from the summer, probably to find ment money for university teaching budgets will follow, months after the battles of the winter. Some students have management in the process of making cuts and redundan - for all universities unable to compete in the £9000-fee top end of the market, big cuts in courses; and for all been demoralised by the movement’s failure to stop the abo - cies, our movement needs to hit the ground running. We universities, a re-gearing to market criteria. lition of EMA (the small payment made to 16-19 year old need a national demonstration. The leadership of the Na - students from badly-off families in schools and further ed - tional Union of Students was able to win a vote at NUS con - London Metropolitan University is leading the way by ucation) and the increase in university fees. ference against holding a national demonstration in the first cutting down from 577 courses to 160. Vice Chancellor Mal - But the movement of the winter did win concessions: the term, but that vote did not reflect student opinion. Student colm Gillies says that his cuts package is aimed at making limited student support scheme that will replace EMA has activists in the NCAFC have launched a campaign to force the university “lean”, “competitive” and “tightly organ - been made much more extensive than was originally in - the NUS leadership to organise a first-term demonstration, ised”. The university is being re-invented as a profit-goug - tended. That movement has activated and politically edu - and to organise one ourselves if the NUS won’t. ing business, whose portfolio of courses will lurch around cated many thousands of school, further education, and Direct action from students — occupations, sit-ins, with the market. university students; it has left behind new student anti-cuts demonstrations and more — is needed to win this fight. But Across the board, spending cuts will be applied strategi - groups in many towns. Those students and groups need to students cannot win it alone. The government’s programme cally, not to trim, but to re-shape universities. In the Tory- step their activity up a gear and get ready for the battles to for higher education is an attack on trade unions; and it is a Liberal vision, the university will sell itself as offering “good come. returns” on the “investment” that students make when they component of the overall attack on public services. Trade take on tens of thousands of pounds of debt, much of it com - NETWORK unionists and students must fight hand-in-hand against the mercial, in order to buy a degree. The new “lean” univer - The national network that brought together local anti- government, Vice Chancellors and education sector vulture- sity will operate like any other cutting-edge capitalist cuts groups, the National Campaign Against Fees and capWietamlisutss. t structure our campaigns in ways that mutu - company by busting unions and over-riding “inefficient” Cuts (NCAFC), has suffered from the lull. It needs to be ally support one another, we must act in solidarity to practices like internal democracy. University College Lon - re-invigorated and re-launched as a campaign with firm defend one another. That means communication and don is leading the way here, outsourcing cleaning and secu - democratic structures. unity between activists on the ground, rather than sub - rity jobs in order to smash up the University’s Unison ordinating student campaigns to the timetables of slow- branch. It must become accessible to student activist groups from moving trade union bureaucracies. Students have to re-organise and re-group to win this con - all over the UK. A “loose network” is not good enough. 30 June and after

Teachers, civil servants, and other workers are set to the union has definite plans for action to win even limited strike on 30 June against the coalition government’s in - concessions. creases in pension contributions, cuts in pension provi - Though the 26 March anti-cuts demonstration was big, it sion, and raising of the pension age. didn’t show a large body of workers, yet, confidently and At Easter (22-26 April) the National Union of Teachers insistently pressing the union leaders to organise rapid and conference voted to ballot union members for a series of coordinated action against the cuts. strikes. Other big public service union conferences are com - That is no surprise given the defeats of recent decades, ing up soon. The civil service union PCS meets in Brighton the corrosive impact of the New Labour regime of 1997- on 16-20 May. Its Executive has already decided to ballot 2010, and the training that union leaders (including members on , soon enough for them to join avowedly-left ones) have given to the working class in see - NUT on 30 June. ing industrial action as chiefly a means of occasional protest. The lecturers’ union UCU, which meets in Harrogate on It means that anti-cuts action is more likely, for now, to 28-30 May, is also expect to join in on 30 June. Unison, the take the form of gradually-brewing, and fluctuating, fer - biggest union in local government and health, meets in ment. It weighs against the possibility of a rapid explosion, Manchester on 19-24 June. Its health sector conference was but does not exclude it. Confidence will grow in action. on 4-6 April. The contradiction between, on the one hand, the scale of GMB, a with a lot of members in the pub - the cuts and the threat they pose to the very fabric of the lic sector, meets in Brighton on 5-9 June. Unite, the other big labour movement, and, on the other, the stance of the union general union, has no policy conference this year, only a leaders, sharpens the case for a rank-and-file movement in rules-revision conference. the unions. The cumulative impact of years of union set - Activists will seek to use the union conferences to put backs creates difficulties for building new rank and file net - pressure on the leaders and to rally members who are push - works; but activists will look for openings. ing for a fight. The local anti-cuts committees are for now the main place They will demand support for the 30 June action, which where we can build the necessary cross-union rank-and-file Unison leaders have already shown they don’t want to give. linTkhs.ey must support and promote all the rearguard ac - They will press for 30 June to be followed up quickly by fur - tion that will take place in local government services as ther strikes, including rolling and selective strikes, on a ris - the cuts work through, but also reach out to agitate on ing tempo — rather than being a sporadic protest, to be the welfare benefit cuts and join the gradually-swelling followed only by possible further sporadic protest days protest over the cuts and marketisation in health. We many months later. must resist any drift for the anti-cuts committees, after In PCS, they will argue against the union leaders tucking council budget-setting, to shrivel into caucuses of left- away the huge job cuts in the civil service as a side-issue fig - group activists. uring on the prospectus of the 30 June strike, as an add-on More: www.workersliberty.org/pointers to the protest on pensions, but not as something on which

SOLIDARITY 5 VOICES FROM THE ARAB REVOLT Tunisia: we should push Libyan rebels for a workers’ government

By Ahlem Belhadj, a feminist activist in Tunisia and a leader of the LGO (Ligue de la gauche ouvrière, Left Workers’ League) fight for life

On 24 February there was the movement that we call here “Casbah 2” — more than 300,000 people demand - ing that Ghannouchi go. On 27 February Ghannouchi and the other Rally for Constitutional Democracy (RCD) By Martyn Hudson Tunisia to attack Berber insurgents at the crossing points ministers resigned. have been documented. The Zuwayya tribe of Cyrenaica Qaddafi has been draping himself in the battle flags of Everybody demanded a “technocratic” government to (Senoussi loyalists) have consistently committed themselves the past and appealing to international opinion in order lead the country “administratively”. But in my opinion the to the revolution. to achieve a ceasefire which would provide a cover for far left committed an error in demanding a “technocratic” The tribes will be important in democratic post-Qaddafi the complete elimination of the rebel positions in Mis - government. The January 14th Front [a coalition of left Libya but we must hope, as the rebel authorities do, that rata. groups] made the mistake of not advancing the demand for there is an overriding democratic mandate from the whole a workers’ and popular government. Draped in his Punic Roman toga whilst addressing “his” people of Libya, and a rejection of communalist politics. The new government has come to satisfy the popular de - people, he has also received support from a super-team of Misrata itself is still under blockade under the most terri - mand for a Constituent Assembly which breaks with the old his international pals — a pro-regime “anti-imperialist” in - ble conditions. Although there have been many attempts by regime. It has dissolved the Rassemblement Constitution - ternational including Daniel Ortega, Castro, Chavez and the pro-tyrant left to downplay Qaddafi’s drive for slaugh - nel Démocratique (RCD, the former ruling party). At the Kim Jong-Il. The death of his youngest son in the NATO ter, and to brand the rebel movement reactionary, it is clear same time, it is a government completely in continuity on raids on his Tripoli compound has led to further appeals to that the rebels form a genuine citizens’ army. the economic and social levels, even more than continuity, NATO to back off. Some Tory MPs are receptive. They are not a socialist or working-class force — but if because it is even more linked than its predecessors to US The rebels themselves insist that no settlement can be they stand for limited goals of an open civil society and and French imperialism. based on the perpetuation of Qaddafi’s family clique. multi-party government against Qaddafi, then that should The government has also announced the dissolution of The pro-regime militias have continued to target journal - be enough for the left. the security service, Ben Ali’s political police.They first an - ists, bloggers and paramedics, and more reports are coming Qaddafi himself has tried to buy off sections of the rebels nounced that this service consisted of 200 persons! Then out of wider atrocities in the early period of the uprising by offering them cars and substantial cash payments. As one they understood that this wouldn’t stand, so they came up against civilians including widespread rapes and the mass rebel, reported in , said, the revolution was with other figures. The known figures indicate that the body murder of pro-rebel troops. never about money, it was simply a refusal to submit to ex - of the police comprised 120,000 officers, today they tell us it Libya’s tribal complexity could have a serious impact on ecution when asked to lay down arms against the regime. was 50,000. What is it that has been dissolved? What re - the struggle. Rebel spokespeople have spoken out against The rebels know the fate of those in the past who have of - mains? We don’t know! descent into tribalism and factionalism. The regime has fered any challenge to the Qaddafi family business. At the same time there is the emergence of revolutionary threatened to use tribal militias against the people of Mis - To describe the uprising as about securing the oil lines for councils in the regions and in the different localities. There rata, implying a threat that they would be particularly unre - “imperialism” or being a proxy of sinister bourgeois forces are many things being done at the level of self-organisation strained in their brutality. is nonsense. because the municipalities have been dissolved and the However, only Qaddafi’s own Qadhadfa tribe is totally Of course, this is a bourgeois revolution, in the usual man - councils, self proclaimed by the people, are in the position loyal. The Warfalla tribe of Tripolitania, who provide many ner of bourgeois revolutions — contradictory, confused, and of managing local affairs. of the personnel of the security services, have wavered back - often unaware of its own nature. But the rebels know that if At the central level, to counteract the National Council for ward and forward between the regime and the rebellion. theIny tlhoseesmamilietarwilayy, tahsenththeePyewtriollgbreadphcyosmicamlluyneeli,minin1a9te1d9., the Safeguarding of the Revolution [created on 11 February], Other tribes, including the Tuareg, the Touballa, and the Ma - fought for its existence, knowing that the counter-revo - there has been the creation of the “Higher Committee for garha, who have been particularly persecuted by the regime, lutionaries would kill them all if the city fell, so free Libya the Realisation of the Objectives of the Revolution, for Polit - have entirely supported the rebellion. fights for its very existence. ical Reform and Democratic Transition” [ISPLROR, on 17 Over the last two days Libyan regime incursions into March]. On this “Higher Committee” 71 persons have been nominated, of which 17 represent associations and 12 polit - ical parties, while 42 are individuals. There are very few representatives of these local commit - tees in it. Some people on it are from the left or far left. The parties which make up the January 14th Front did not go Osama bin Laden: collectively — as the Front — to discuss this proposal. Some groups, factions or parties agreed to be there independently of others and three parties are represented there officially. The creation of the “Higher Committee” came as a re - sponse to the request of the National Council which wanted death of an enemy to be recognised by the president and to have the preroga - tives of legislating — by agreement with the central leader - ship of the UGTT, which did not consult the unions on this question. By Martin Thomas countries; For the moment forms of workers’ control are not really • mired Afghanistan in a war which looks likely to end in Osama bin Laden targeted ordinary working people — developing in the factories. In some enterprises belonging to at least a partial revival of Taliban power. nearly 3000 of them on 11 September 2001 — in the con - families linked to Ben Ali, the workers have found them - In 2001 we warned that the US-British attack on fident belief that the imperialist government of the USA selves without any management — they have fled — and Afghanistan, in reprisal for 11 September, might well “end would be more hurt by that than his own followers, on have taken responsibility for the management of these en - with bin Laden, or his similars, still at large and active, and the fascistic far right, would be. terprises. There have also been quite a few farms which new masses of recruits for them and other terrorist-funda - mentalists”. have been taken over by the workers, who have expelled Anyone who cares for working people, and opposes bin We were right. Ahmed Rashid, an expert on the Taliban those to whom Ben Ali’s government had given these state Laden’s programme of terroristic religious fundamentalism, and Al Qaeda, writes: “Before 2001 there were no known al- properties. Around 80 big farms are involved. will be pleased by his death on 1 May at the hands of US In the educational structures also, there has been the Qaeda cells in Europe except for... one in Hamburg... Today forces. election of those who direct them — rather than them every single European country has an al-Qaeda cell”. being named from above. In public transport there has We do not applaud or congratulate the US military. Their The principles are the same as those in our response been a big strike to change the chief executive who was capture of bin Laden came after eight and a half years in to Libya today. We will be glad if NATO intervention gets a member of the RCD. But this is not very generalised. which the US government and its allies have: rid of Qaddafi. We will not mobilise to try to stop NATO • turned Iraq into a hell of sectarian civil war and almost- imposing a no-fly zone or bombing Qaddafi’s command • Translated/abridged from an interview by Jan random reprisals by US troops; centres (both of which are not imperialist invasion). But Malewski on 16 March, published in Inprecor magazine, • trashed civil liberties in the USA, Britain, and other we will not endorse, applaud, or congratulate NATO. www.inprecor.fr/article-inprecor?id=1136 6 SOLIDARITY Hamas-Fatah agreement

By Mark Osborn

The Palestinian secular nationalist party, Fatah, has reached an agreement with the Islamists of Hamas to form an interim Palestinian government and to organise a general election.

The agreement goes alongside an Egyptian promise to open up the Egypt-Gaza border. Speaking on Egyptian state television, Fatah central com - mittee member Azzam al-Ahmad said the election would take place within a year. The formal, detailed agreement is expected to be signed on 4 May. Hamas’ leader Khaled Meshaal arrived in Cairo on 1 May to take part in the formal signing, which has been Iraqi workers’ leader Falah Alwan on the May Day rally in Baghdad brokered by Egypt. As details of the accord were announced, 100 people went to the Square of the Unknown Soldier in Gaza to celebrate. They were beaten by Hamas police thugs. Hamas has built a one-party clerical state in Gaza and tolerates little opposi - Iraqi government cracks tion — even, in this case, an independent manifestation of support for its own policy. One proposed effect of the deal will be that Fatah will be allowed back into Gaza and Hamas allowed to operate openly in the West Bank. How that works in practice re - down on unions mains to be seen, but if the deal results in more political space in Gaza and the West Bank, this might be exploited by democratic opponents of Hamas. The General Federation of Iraqi Workers (GFIW) has Fatah holds power in the occupied West Bank. Hamas, called for support from the international labour move - which won the last parliamentary election in 2006, routed ment against a crackdown by the Maliki government in Abbas’ forces in 2007 to take state power in Gaza. Both sides Iraq. Oppose Iraq have heavily repressed their rivals in the areas under their control, although much more political space exists in the According to the GFIW a ministerial committee has “dis - West Bank. miss[ed] the Executive Bureau of the GFIW [and] authoris[ed] The Hamas-Fatah deal is a product of the recent upheaval the Ministerial Preparatory Committee (MPC)... to renew and deportations! in Egypt and represents an Egyptian policy shift. Egypt’s issue memberships to trade unionists”. military is aiming to gain leverage over Israel, mend fences At least 30 Iraqi refugees are to be deported from These measures “pave the way for rigging [the] elections” with Iran, and gain credibility among a largely pro-Pales - Sweden on Wednesday 4 May. Among those on the for union committees now due to be held by ministerial de - tinian population. They are shifting Egyptian foreign pol - flight to Baghdad are several families. cree. icy away from the US and towards re-establishing Egypt as The GFIW “call[s] upon... Iraqi civil society organisations... Across Europe, governments are forcibly returning a major independent force in the region. the International Confederation of Trade Unions, the ILO... hundreds of people to Iraq. Fatah’s President Mahmoud Abbas has lost his patron in to show solidarity and support”. Although May Day saw a workers’ demonstration in In Iraqi Kurdistan, 10 people have been killed by mili - Egypt, President Mubarak. Hamas may face a similar prob - Baghdad demanding union rights (picture above) we un - tia groups from the ruling parties, since demonstrations lem, as Syria’s president Bashar Assad is facing his own up - derstand that other union organisations, including the began in February. Hundreds more have been injured, ar - rising. Federation of Workers’ Councils and Unions of Iraq rested or disap•pMeaorreedd. etails: www.federationifir.com / The reconciliation is backed by Iran. And the Syrians have (FWCUI), have faced similar government interference. www.csdiraq.com; tel. 07856 032991. followed the Iranian lead. Egypt signed a peace accord with Israel in 1979. Israel • More details: www.iraqitradeunions.org worried that the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak would mean the scrapping of the peace treaty, although one of the first announcements made by the Egyptian military was to con - firm their commitment to peace with Israel. Egyptian trade unionists speak in Britain Israel has denounced the agreement. Israeli President Shi - mon Peres said, “The agreement between Fatah and the ter - ror organisation Hamas is a fatal mistake that will prevent Between 18 and 20 May, Egyptian trade unionists Kamal Abbas and Tamer Fathy will be visiting the establishment of a Palestinian state and will sabotage chances of peace and stability in the region.” Britain, hosted by the Egypt Workers’ Solidarity campaign. Hamas’s description of the killing of Osama bin Laden as the assassination of “an Arab holy warrior” will not ease Is - The Egyptian revolution was prepared by groups of workers struggling to raeli Jewish fears. build independent trade unions — and, since the fall of Mubarak, union However, the current right-wing Israeli government has organisation, workers’ protests and strikes have spread like wildfire. offered little to the Palestinians. Abbas has said he will not return to US-sponsored peace negotiations until settlement- building is halted in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem Kamal and Tamer are organisers for the Centre for Trade Union and As a way of punishing Abbas, and applying pressure, Is - Workers’ Services and the new Egyptian Federation for Independent rael has suspended tax transfers to the Palestinians. Reuters Unions. They will be speaking at the Fire Brigades Union conference in reports that Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz has sus - Southport on 19 May, and at EWS public meetings in Liverpool on 19 May pended a routine handover of 300 million shekels ($88 mil - and London on 20 May. lion) in customs and other levies that Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinians under interim peace deals. Liverpool: 6pm, Thursday 19 May, Britannia Adelphi Hotel, Ranelagh The payments make up 70% of Palestinian Authority rev - enue. Hassan Abu Libdeh, the Palestinian economy minis - Place. For more information ring Elaine on 07733 248 530 ter, said the PA would be unable to pay salaries of its employees if the transfers were blocked. The PA pays the London: 6.30pm, Friday 20 May, Room G3, School of Oriental and African Studies, Thornhaugh waTghees oUfS15s0a,y0s00itpweoilpl lkeeinepthfeunWdeisntgBtahnek PanAd. AGaSztaa. te De - Street, Russell Square. Ring Mark on 07984 163 770 partment spokesperson said, “If a new Palestinian gov - ernment is formed, we will assess it based on its www.egyptworkersolidarity.org / [email protected] policies and [that] will determine the implications” for future aid.

SOLIDARITY 7 SYRIA Syrian revolt at a turning point

By Dan Katz Maher. Activists blame Maher for previous killings in the town. When 25 peaceful protesters were shot down on 8 The confrontation between the Syrian police state and April, the crowds chanted, “Hey Maher, you coward, take the popular movement is now in a decisive phase. Ei - your dogs to the Golan [the close-by area occupied by Is - ther the regime manages to use sufficient violence and rael]!” terror to force the demonstrators off the streets, or the Maher has been a focus for new US sanctions. inability to do so fatally wounds it. Maher is so powerful some reports suggest he actually runs policy, behind the scenes. Other key figures are either There are two preconditions for a step forward for the members of Assad’s family, or are related by marriage. mass movement. Firstly, a continued willingness — despite Rami Makhlouf, Bashar’s cousin, is also part of the inner the obscene, murderous violence of Syria’s rulers — to come circle. Makhlouf is a billionaire capitalist who owns oil, out onto the streets and risk a massacre. Secondly, a serious property and telecoms companies. Makhlouf has also been split in the Syrian state machine. the subject of US sanctions for “public corruption” and is a The protest which began six weeks ago in the southern hated symbol of regime cronyism. His brother Hafez town of Deraa has cost over 500 lives, with hundreds more Makhlouf is head of the secret police, the Mukhabarat. arrested. As Solidarity goes to press the town of 200,000 peo - Behind the ruling clique stands a layer of rich tycoons ple is surrounded by Syrian military, tanks are in the streets known as the “sons of power” — very rich businessmen and snipers on rooftops, bodies lie uncollected and decom - who are mostly from military families who were close to posing, while water, telephones and electricity have been Bashar’s father, Hafez Assad. cut. Regime thugs are rounding up dissidents, and if the The regime began based narrowly on Alawites, but broad - people on their lists can not be found, relatives are seized ened out. It also has the loyalty of Sunni capitalists in Dam - instead. Syria’s people are fighting for democratic rights and freedoms ascus and Syria’s second city, Aleppo. And various This is a disgusting regime. Christian and Druze figures hold high offices. During the first phase of the protests President Bashar regime were not simply manufactured from above. Moreover the Alawite community is not homogeneous. It Assad disappeared from view and seemed locked in inter - As the repression has increased, there have been at least is divided by sect and tribe — and some have done a lot bet - nal debates about how to respond. Belatedly he offered 200 resignations from the Baath party, mainly from the area ter than others. It is significant that the Alawite centre some concessions. Political prisoners were released — around Deraa, and including two MPs. around the costal town of Latakia has taken a leading role in mainly Islamists — and Kurds. Around 160,000 Kurds, The regime’s case against the mass movement has relied the opposition. mainly living in the north east, who had been denied Syrian on two main themes: they say that the rebellion is the cre - citizenship, were promised Syrian documents. Assad seems ation of “outside agitators” and Islamist terrorists; and they THE OPPOSITION to have been in negotiations with moderate Islamists and warn against fitna, an Arabic word meaning sectarian divi - Because the Syrian state has effectively repressed op - he may have promised them a legal political party. sion. ponents there has been little recent open opposition to These moves were designed to prevent the Kurds and Is - In the past few days Syrian television has been screening Assad. After Bashar Assad came to power, succeeding lamists joining the movement. people “confessing” that they belong to terrorist groups, his father, in 2000, there had been hopes that the re - Assad also promised the abolition of the hated Emergency and that they had been given money and weapons from pression would ease. A “Damascus Spring” was Laws, in place since 1963. However the concessions were various sources in Deraa, including the imam of the Omari choked off in 2001, and a second period of relative too little, too late, and the movement continued to swell and mosque, one of the organising centres for the opposition. openness in 2005 was also short-lived. spread across the country. The possibility of sectarian strife is not simply a concoc - In 2005 a group of secular Syrians, Islamists, and Kurds SYRIA, EGYPT, LIBYA tion. The regime’s central figures are from a dissident Shia signed the Damascus Declaration. The text called for Politically — rather than geographically — Syria stands sect, the Alawites, who make up around a tenth of the pop - “peaceful regime change in Syria [aiming to] establish a na - between Libya and Egypt/Tunisia. ulation. Other groups include Kurds, Druze and Christians, tional democratic regime … and peaceful political reform with a majority, at around three quarters of the total, who based on dialogue.” In Egypt, despite its authoritarian rulers, significant oppo - are Sunni Muslims. However, Rime Allaf, from the Chatham Some of the groups involved in the Damascus Declara - sition forces existed and organised. The Islamist Muslim House think-tank claims, “Fears of sectarian strife are mas - tion have set up the new National Initiative for Change. The Brotherhood is a mass movement; workers organised strikes sively overblown. No one is claiming that the sects love each new movement includes a new layer of younger activists, and their own committees, despite persecution. other, but there is no history of sectarian strife in Syria and including young women. Their latest statement declares, Moreover, in Egypt, when the army decided President no appetite for it now.” "Syria is at a crossroads… the best option is for the leader - Mubarak had become a liability they were able to sweep Demonstrators, aware that the regime is attempting to di - ship of the regime to lead a transition to democracy that him aside — easily, and without disruption of the state’s vide and rule, have raised the chant, “One! One! One! Syri - would safeguard the nation from falling into a period of vi - functioning. ans are One!” The Economist considers the biggest division olence, chaos and civil war.” The UGTT union federation existed under Ben Ali in is “between the haves and the have-nots”, commenting that, The various exile organisations, based in Washington, Tunisia, and quickly became an organising focus for the ris - “most Syrians are practising Muslims, but the young people Paris, and the Islamist Movement for Justice and Develop - ing opposition. who have predominated in the crowds are connected more ment in London, are small and seem to have little purchase In contrast, in totalitarian Libya, no opposition was toler - by the internet than by religion.” inside the country. The Muslim Brotherhood, which was de - ated, leaving the rebel movement without experienced po - stroyed by the regime in 1982, has only just released a state - litical leaders (beyond those who defected) or established WILL THE STATE SPLIT? ment saying it supports the opposition movement. Its networks. Moreover the Libyan state is the highly person - Over the last two weeks there have been reports that leader, living in London, Muhammad Riad Shaqfa, says he alised creation of a maverick, Qaddafi. Qaddafi has several dozen army and security personnel have been does not want to see an Islamist state. chopped up the security services and special units of the killed. The probability is that some have been shot dead Almost all the Arab governments have been silent about army, kept key units under the control of his family and de - for refusing to fire on demonstrators. the clampdown in Syria. They fear a similar wave of protest liberately run down the army to prevent the threat of a In particular the Sunday Times (1 May) reports that 300 at home. coup. (probably largely conscript) soldiers from the Fifth Division Turkey, however, has a 500 mile common border with In Syria the state has more ideological coherence than had defected to the protesters. These soldiers have fought Syria, and fears a wave of refugees (especially Kurds). Libya. The Syrian Baathist Party is a solid political entity against the elite Fourth Division in Deraa. The Fourth Divi - Turkey’s Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has called and the regime has some real support. At the start of the sion is commanded by Bashar Assad’s younger brother, on Assad to use “maximum self-restraint.” mass opposition movement marches in support of the The US and EU states are implementing new sanc - tions. International TUC General Secretary Sharan Bur - row has demanded an end to the repression: “It is time that the Syrian authorities respect fundamental rights Oppose deportations to Iran! and freedoms, including the right to form and join gen - uine trade unions to represent their interests. The Assad regime must immediately stop its violent repres - sion.” Such a show of solidarity is a start, but much Six Iranian refugees are now in their fifth week of a more is needed. ment in opposition to the Iranian regime. But despite clear hunger strike to demand asylum in the UK and protest evidence of this, the Home Office has refused to let them against mistreatment by the Home Office. stay in the UK. On Friday 6 May supporters will march to the Home Of - Facing deportation, they took drastic action: four of them Stop ethnic cleansing in Essex fice in Westminster to demand fair treatment for refugees. have sewn their mouths together in protest; by Friday all The six were tortured and imprisoned for their involve - will have gone 32 days without food. They have been camp - ing outside the UK Border Agency (UKBA) headquarters in Resist the evictions at Dale Farm! Croydon, and Amnesty International in Clerkenwell. Dale Farm, the UK’s largest traveller site, home to Their case highlights the rotten state of UK asylum pol - 1,000 people, is under imminent threat icy. Rather than support refugees, the UK Border Agency of eviction, by Tory-run Basildon Ali-Reza Nasab operates a systematic policy of disbelief: ignore, confuse, use every legal loophole to refuse asylum claims and keep the council. The people facing eviction The next issue of Solidarity will contain an numbers down. have not been offered suitable The hunger strikers will be on the march in wheelchairs. alternative space or accommodation. appreciation of Iranian Trotskyist Ali-Reza Bring banners, drums, music, and passion. Nasab, who died on 23 April. This demo is called by the hunger strikers and by sup - Get in touch to help resist this: porters including members of No Border Network, Stop De - http://dalefarm.wordpress.com [email protected] www.workersliberty.org/ali portations Network, SOAS Detainee Support and Cambridge Migrant Solidarity Group. http://bit.ly/lfVF8i 8 SOLIDARITY HISTORY The isolation of Dublin

We continue our series of articles by James Connolly Britain reached its highest point of moral grandeur – at - this talk of increased supplies, and as soon as that last at - about the 1913-14 Labour War in Dublin, and the power tained for a moment to a realisation of that sublime unity tempt at settlement thus fell through, the supplies gradu - of the solidarity strike. On 9 December 1913, a special towards which the best in us must continually aspire. Could ally froze up instead of being increased as we had been TUC conference considered a militant motion in favour that feeling but have been crystallised into organic expres - promised. of solidarity action with Dublin; union leaders opposed sion, could we but have had real statesmen amongst us In addition to this the National Union of Railwaymen, it, and won. As Connolly wrote afterwards, Dublin was who, recognising the wonderful leap forward of our class, whilst in attendance at the Special Conference in London on isolated. would have hastened to burn behind us the boats that might 9 December, had actually in their pockets the arrangements It is not necessary, I presume, to remind our readers of make easy a retreat to the old ground of isolation and divi - for the re-starting of work on the London and North-West - the beginnings of the Dublin struggle. Let us, just for sion, could we have found labour leaders capable enough to ern boat at the North Wall of Dublin, and in the train return - convenience sake, take up the fight at the moment it declare that now that the working class had found its collec - ing to Dublin the day after the Conference, we read of the became a subject of national action on the part of the tive soul it should hasten to express itself as befitted that line being re-opened. No vote was taken of the men on British labour movement. soul and not be fettered by the rules, regulations and codes strike; they were simply ordered back to work by their offi - of organisations conceived in the olden outworn spirit of cials and told that if they did not return, their A public meeting had been proclaimed in Dublin in a sectional jealousies; could these things have but been vouch - would be stopped. The Seamen’s and Firemen’s Union men brazen illegal manner. For declaring that this proclamation safed to us, what a new world could now be opening de - in Dublin were next ordered to man the boats of the Head was illegal, and advising their leaders to disregard it and lightfully upon the vision of labour? Line of steamers, then being discharged by free labourers stand to their rights, a number of leaders of the Irish Trans - Consider what Dublin meant to you all! It meant that the supplied by the Shipping Federation. port and General Workers’ Union had been arrested and im - whole force of organised labour should stand behind each In both Dublin and Belfast the members refused, and prisoned. A wholesale batoning of the people had followed, unit of organisation in each and all of its battles, that no they were then informed that union men would be brought and Dublin was the scene of the most unparalleled police company, battalion or brigade should henceforth be allowed from Great Britain to take their places. Union men to be brutality. to face the enemy alone, and that the capitalist would be brought from Britain to take the place of members of the An appeal was made to the British Trades Union Con - taught that when he fought a union anywhere he must be same union who refused to desert their brothers of the Irish gress, then happily sitting, and that body in the name of the prepared to fight all unions everywhere. Transport and General Workers’ Union. British working class nobly rose to the occasion, and For the first days and weeks of the struggle, all labour We were attempting to hold up Guinness’ porter. A con - pledged the credit of the whole British labour movement to stood behind Dublin, and Dublin rejoiced. Dublin suffered signment was sent to Sligo for shipment there. The local see their Dublin comrades through the fight. As a result, the and agonised, but rejoiced that even in its suffering it was Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union official wired right of free speech was re-asserted in Dublin, a supply of the medium for the apostolate of a rejuvenating idea. How me for instructions. I wired to hold it up; his men obeyed, food was arranged for through the despatch of specially often have I heard the responsive cheers to the question and it was removed from Sligo, railed to Derry, and there chartered steamers, and a huge amount of money was whether they would be prepared to stand by others as these put on board by members of Mr. James Sexton’s National raised to enable the men and women of Dublin to keep the others had stood by them! Union of Dockers on ships manned by members of Mr. fight going. And now? Dublin is isolated. We asked our friends of the Havelock Wilson’s National Union of Seamen and dis - Never was seen such enthusiasm in a labour fight. Trade transport trade unions to isolate the capitalist class of charged in Liverpool by members of Mr. James Sexton’s unionists, socialists of all kinds, anarchists, syndicalists, all Dublin, and we asked the other unions to back them up. But Union. the varying and hitherto discordant elements of the labour no, they said we would rather help you by giving you Whilst the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company was still movement found a common platform. For long years we funds. We argued that a strike is an attempt to stop the cap - insisting upon carrying the goods of our worst enemy, have been preaching to the labour movement the necessity italist from carrying on his business, that the success or fail - Jacob’s (who is still enforcing the agreement denounced by of concerted industrial action, telling it that the time was ure of the strike depends entirely upon the success or Sir Geo. Askwith) the members of the Seamen and Fire - rotten ripe for industrial unity, and declaring that as the in - non-success of the capitalist to do without the strikers. If the men’s Union were ordered to sign on in their boats, al - terests of each were the concern of all, our organisations capitalist is able to carry on his business without the strik - though our men were still on strike. We were informed by should be rearranged with a view to the conserving of their ers, then the strike is lost, even if the strikers receive more in Mr. Joe Houghton of the Scottish Dockers that his union common interests. strike pay than they formerly did in wages. would not hold up any boat for us unless joint action was We found that to a large extent these ideas were taking We said that if scabs are working a ship and union men taken by the National Transport Workers’ Federation. root in the minds of the workers, but that to a still larger ex - discharge in another port the boat so loaded, then those As on a previous occasion, his members at Ayr had tent the tacit acceptance of our ideas failed to evoke con - union men are strike breakers, since they help the capitalist worked coal boats belonging to a Belfast firm that was mak - certed action built upon these lines. The forces of our in question to carry on his business. That if union seamen ing war upon the Irish Transport and General Workers’ enemies were united and wielded with all the precision and man a boat discharged by scabs, these union seamen or fire - Union, we do not blame Joe very much. He had been dis - relentlessness with which the general staff of an army men are by the same reason strike-breakers, as also are the obeyed at Ayr – perhaps he was coerced in Glasgow. would wield the battalions and brigades which formed the railwaymen or carters who assist in transporting the goods But why go on? Sufficient to say that the working class component parts of that army, but the battalions and handled by the scabs for the capitalist who is fighting his unity of the first days of the Dublin fight was sacrificed in brigades of the army of labour when engaged in battle had men or women. In other words, we appealed to the collec - the interests of sectional officialism. The officials failed to no efficient general staff to guide and direct the whole army tive soul of the workers against the collective hatred of the grasp the opportunity offered to them to make a permanent to the salvation of its individual units; and, worse still, had capitalist. reality of the union of working class forces brought into none of that esprit-de-corps which on the military battle- being by the spectacle of rebellion, martyrdom and misery field would make the desertion of any section to its fate an ASKED exhibited by the workers of Dublin. unthinkable course to the officers of the divisions not en - We asked for no more than the logical development of All England and Scotland rose to it; working class official - gaged. that idea of working-class unity, that the working class dom and working class rank-and-file alike responded to the We had seen at London, at Leith and elsewhere that of Britain should help us to prevent the Dublin capital - call of inspiration; it would have raised us all upward and whereas the whole force of the Shipping Federation has ists carrying on their business without us. We asked for onward towards our common emancipation. But sectional - been actively engaged in fighting the dockers of these ports, the isolation of the capitalists of Dublin, and for answer ism, intrigues and old-time jealousies damned us in the the dockers and seamen of the other ports had maintained the leaders of the British labour movement proceeded hour of victory, and officialdom was the first to fall to the calmly to isolate the working class of Dublin. the peace, and left their Leith or London brothers to bear temAnpdtesr. o we Irish workers must go down into Hell, bow alone the full force of the Federation attack, instead of meet - As an answer to those who supported our request for the our backs to the lash of the slave driver, let our hearts ing that attack by a movement against the flanks and rear of isolation of Dublin we were told that a much better plan be seared by the iron of his hatred, and instead of the the Federation in these other ports. would be to increase the subsidies to enable us to increase sacramental wafer of brotherhood and common sacri - We know that although much of this blundering was due strike pay. As soon as this argument had served its purpose, fice, eat the dust of defeat and betrayal. Dublin is iso - to the sectional jealousy of various union leaders, much was the subsidies fell off, and the “Dublin Fund: grew smaller lated. also due to the fact that the conception of common action and smaller as if by a pre-arranged plan. We had rejected on a national scale by the whole working class had not yet the last terms offered by the employers on the strength of • From Forward , 9 February 1914 entered the minds of the rank and file as a whole. Something • Rest of the series: bit.ly/iqrAE1 had been wanting – something that would make the minds of the workers more responsive, more ready to accept the broader idea, and act upon its acceptance. That something Dublin supplied. Man of men IDEAS By Dominic Behan: Irish Workers’ There are times in history when we realise that it is eas - When the bosses tried to sweat the The scabs they did enlist, Voice , Dublin, June 1955 ier to convert a multitude than it ordinarily is to convert men, But all their graft was shattered Tune: Brennan on the Moor an individual; when indeed ideas seem to seize upon Away on Glasgow’s Clyde, By a scarlet, iron fist. the masses as contra-distinguished by ordinary times A voice like rolling thunder when individuals slowly seize ideas. Soon stopped them in their stride. Chorus The propagandist toils on for decades in seeming failure There lies a page in history, and ignominy, when suddenly some great event takes place When workers first fought back, Chorus They say that he was murdered, in accord with the principles he has been advocating, and And the might of exploitation Shot, dying, in a chair, immediately he finds that the seed he has been sowing is At last began to crack. And then in Belfast City, But go, march on to freedom, springing up in plants that are covering the earth. To the The workers lived in hell, Irish workers, don’t despair. idea of working-class unity, to the seed of industrial solidar - Chorus: Until at last they organised, ity, Dublin was the great event that enabled it to seize the For Connolly was there, And all the world can tell. Final chorus: minds of the masses, the germinating force that gave power Connolly was there, For Connolly will be there, to the seed to fructify and cover these islands. Great, brave, undaunted, Chorus Connolly will be there, I say in all solemnity and seriousness that in its attitude James Connolly was there. Great, brave, undaunted, towards Dublin the working-class movement of Great To smash the Dublin unions James Connolly will be there.

SOLIDARITY 9 FEATURE By their heroes shall ye know them

ties to go ahead and shoot the badly wounded “Larkinite”, James Connolly. They had scores to settle from the great Dublin Labour War of 1913-14. It was never really their history: only the myths were Reason in Revolt theirs, and they gloried in them, preening themselves, dress - By Sean Matgamna ing up like baboons who have broken into a theatrical prop room. The disgusted pseudo-aristocrat Yeats, believing in no - blesse oblige, had got their measure during the 1913 lock- This year, again, on the 95th anniversary of the Easter Ris - out and strike, when they starved the workers and their ing of 1916, which triggered a series of events leading to children in an attempt to break their union. Ireland’s war of independence, official celebrations in In his youth he had spent three years in William Morris’s Dublin and elsewhere were low-key. Hammersmith Socialist Society, and he had actively sided The scaling-down dates back to the 1980s. Sean with the workers in 1913, writing in the Irish Worke r and Matgamna commented in Socialist Organiser (a forerun - speaking at at least one public meeting in support of the ner of Solidarity ), no. 482, 11 April 1991. workers. This year’s markedly muted celebrations in Dublin to What need you, being come to sense mark the 75th anniversary of the Easter Rising, and of But fumble in a greasy till the martyrdom before the British firing squads in Dublin And add the halfpence to the pence and on the gallows in Pentonville Jail of the founders of And prayer to shivering prayer until The indomitable the Catholic Irish state, reminded me how starkly peo - You have dried the marrow from the bone? ple, classes and nations may change their heroes. For man was born to pray and save; Romantic Ireland’s dead and gone, From Lenin to Yeltsin is a long way down... The descent It’s with O’Leary in the grave from Wolfe Tone to Ian Paisley is even longer and steeper. In It was a sort of warning to them. And then, when the war Remembering Britain it isn’t “mainstream” any more to think much of the of independence was over, and the bourgeoisie had seized World War Two heroes whose very stiff-upper-lip exploits held the attention of the generation after the war, filling the control over the popular mass movement, divided and sup - movie screens, books of memoirs, novels and boys’ comics. pressed it, and assured their own rule behind the legal and In part this change is the natural result of the distance that ethical walls of the Catholic state they built — then, in safety, Grunwick they could indulge themselves, not noticing the incon - comes with the passing of time and of generations. Of a different order is the changing public attitude in the gruities Yeats pointed to so bitterly. By Marge Dewhurst Twenty Six Counties to “the names that stilled their childish Fifty years or so it lasted. And then the North blew up. play” — the heroes of Catholic Ireland’s struggles for inde - The official Catholic-Irish myth had it that “the North” was Having seen a link on Facebook, and knowing nothing pendence in the first quarter of the 20th century. This is icon- just a matter of British imperialism and “British-occupied” about either the Grunwick dispute or Jayaben Desai, I smashing with a vengeance! The blind, panicky vengeance Ireland, nothing to do with the other Irish bourgeoisie, the went to the Tricycle Cinema in Kilburn last Sunday to of Ireland’s huckster bourgeoisie, to be exact. one enmeshed in the collapsing myths of the British Empire, learn all about them. The Brent TUC produced ‘The For many decades they endorsed and propagated a ver - and the Northern farmers and workers who followed them. Great Grunwick Strike 1976-1978: A History’ and held a sion of the story of Ireland’s unequal contest with England, It had no grip on reality. Neither had the Irish bourgeoisie. special screening of it, in tribute to the late Jayaben burnished into a splendid epic legend. The long half-forgot - Their interest in Northern Ireland collapsed, and so did their Desai, leader of the strike. ten myths of ancient pre-Christian Ireland — such as the myths. The film is really well made and a really good resource story of the young champion Cuchullainn — were rediscov - LYNCH for understanding class struggle. It’s holistic in its represen - ered, refurbished, and woven into the fabric of living his - tory by men like Padraig Pearse. They took heroes like Perhaps the moment of sobering up came in 1970 when tation and uses interviews and original footage to describe Prime Minister Jack Lynch put two of his Cabinet min - the events, personalities, decisions and betrayals that all Cuchulainn , the great warrior who died on his feet, having tied himself to a tree to face his foes, his wounds staunched isters (one of them the present Prime Minister, Charles contributed to the dispute and its outcomes. It’s really worth J Haughey) and an Army officer, Captain Kelly, on trial watching, as it brings you very quickly into the heart of the with moss, and Jesus Christ in Gethsemane and on the cross, as their inspiration for the lives they expended in political for “gun-running” to the beleaguered Northern problem and exposes what the struggle was about. Catholics! (They were acquitted). The film’s strength, like the strike, is its grounding in action. strong and clear class politics, which manage to overcome Pagan myth. and Christian myth were merged and fused According to the Constitution Lynch was pledged to de - every social division that normally separate us. All aspects with ancient and modem history — and with the history of fend, the Six Counties was part of his government’s “na - Christianity, in which the Irish have played and play a big of the strike questioned the traditional workings of the tional territory” part — to create a powerful messianic Catholic Irish nation - Trade Union movement at the time; it was led by a mostly But Lynch didn’t believe it. They bourgeoisie didn’t ei - alism. And, naturally, Irish nationalism also drew into itself female, immigrant, grass-roots workforce who were simply ther. Like the sobered adolescent whose day-dreaming has much from the currents of romantic nationalism with which demanding union recognition. The film shows the impor - brought him close to disaster, they turned tail and extrava - tance of the action and the collective change that can result Europe was saturated for the first half of this century. And whose history was this? What had all this struggle gantly repudiated their former view of themselves. Now from such a struggle. Romantic Ireland really was dead and gone. I has been suc - The Grunwick Strike brought people together, up and led to? To the rule of the miserable Twenty Six Counties’ own pocket bourgeoisie — who lived on after their apothe - ceeded by an age of the cold revision of history. Like pikes down the country, across races and genders, ultimately and guns, in the old song mocking British pretensions in Ire - transforming it from a small dispute in North London into osis as exporters of farm produce, and exporters, too, of gen - eration after generation of Ireland’s young! land, heroes such as Pearse and Connolly had been found to a national struggle for union rights and a wholesale fight be dangerous things. They were cut down to size. against the State and the Tory government who were so de - WORKERS The Irish bourgeoisie has finally adapted to reality! termined to defeat it. As we used to say, arguing for socialism, anything less From Pearse and Connolly to the grasping millionaire C The filmmaker, Chris Thomas, has managed to capture than the Workers’ Republic was a grim mockery of the Haughey — a son of Catholic refugees driven south by the clear understanding of the striking workers — and of long struggle of the common people of Ireland embod - pogromists in the early 20s — and his rival, Fine Gael un - their many supporters from Yorkshire miners to Observer ied in our history, and represented even in the mytho - derstudy blue-shirt John Bruton, that is the history of the journalists — who could all see what battle was being logical version of it. The Ireland of the bourgeoisie was modern Irish bourgeoisie in the nutshell! It is a long, long played out through this dispute; the battle between capital a grim mockery indeed. way down. This Easter’s commemoration service sums it and labour. up nicely. The most impressive aspect of the film, I thought, was the In fact, it was never their history. All that should be said analysis of the State’s role in the dispute. The filmmaker has about the true worth of the bourgeoisie and of their ances - Like the Irish bourgeoisie for so long, many socialists have managed to convey the varied and multiple attacks by all tors in the struggle of the great mass of the disinherited Irish lived for decades in a world of inappropriate myth and mis - the authorities; the police using violence on the picket lines people was said by one of the Jacobin “United Irishmen” understood reality. That too has collapsed. and arresting organisers, the media spinning lies to control leaders, Henry Joy McCracken, 200 years ago: “The rich al - In Ireland, those who know what Pearse and Connolly public opinion, and the judiciary making special laws to get ways betray the poor.” and the Fenians and their predecessors really stood for will the boss off the hook — it’s all in the film, and all explained So they did. So they do. Immediately after the 1916 Rising, disentangle it from the bourgeois collapse, as they disentan - clearly and effectively. This aspect of the film helps to frame which was to become the keystone of the Irish bourgeoisie’s gled it from the grotesque parodies of it the bourgeoisie the dispute in a wider context and illustrates a number of myth of its own origin, the Dublin Chamber of Commerce used to brandish. wider lessons that we should be aware of and be able to deal passed a “loyal” resolution denouncing the Rising and And in the world of international socialism, the serious with when taking action ourselves. branding it as a form of “Larkinism” (the name then of Irish revolutionaries will disentangle the true socialism — work - The Brent Trades Council’s production of ‘The Great working-class militancy, which had fought the bosses to a ing class liberation — from the Stalinist and other myths, Grunwick Strike 1976-1978: A History’ is a moving and im - standstill in an eight month industrial conflict in 1913-14). fantasies and alien ideological encrustations. We will con - portant historical document. I hope to show it at my univer - The Ennis Chamber of Commerce, on the other side the tinue to do now, when so much has collapsed, what we did sity next term because I think there’s a lot to be learnt from country, passed a similar resolution — and many other such in the days when all sorts of freaks and horrors paraded the Grunwick Strike, and people should be able to have ac - bodies across Catholic nationalist Ireland will have re - around the world eagerly proclaiming their own horrible cesCsotnottahcist hitshteoryBarnedntleaTrnUfCro, mbwy haetm’sagiolinnegbetfhoerem. at sponded in the same vein. deIendbsotothbecathse sestsheencceoollfasposceiaolifsmth. e debilitating and im - [email protected], if you’re interested in getting a After most of the 1916 leaders had already been shot, the prisoning myths and fantasies is good because the way copy of the DVD. Irish Independent — today the organ of Fine Gael, one of two is thereby cleared for the truth. main parties, only encouraged the British military authori - 10 SOLIDARITY REPORTS Tindle strike RMT will strike to defend Tube reps By Vicki Morris Writing on the strike blog, Father of the Chapel Tindle Newspapers jour - Jonathan Lovett said: “if By Janine Booth, RMT ceedings have not con - nalists are back at work we still can’t make man - Executive (pc) cluded yet; Eamonn’s con - after six days’ successful agement see sense, then we cluded six weeks ago but strike. They hope the have every right to strike RMT London Under - we are still waiting for the unity and determination again… because what we ground drivers will strike judgment. If his complaint they showed will force are doing is not just for for two days over a pe - is successful, a “remedy their employer to con - ourselves but for every Protesters marched through Colchester, Essex on 30 April riod of a week in the hearing” on 3 June will de - cede an additional mem - journalist in every newspa - against public sector cuts and NHS reform. week beginning Monday cide whether to issue a re - ber of staff. per group which places Around 250 joined the demonstration organised by 16 May, and again in the instatement order. quantity before quality, Colchester Against the Cuts, which ended with a rally week beginning Monday But even if the Tribunal The workforce has churnalism over journal - opposite the Essex County Hospital. 13 June. tells London Underground halved in the past few to reinstate Eamonn, the ismO.n” the eve of the strike March organiser Andy Abbott said: “With the NHS reform years, and the reporters, We demand the rein - company does not have to Tindle wrote to the jour - bill currently going through Parliament we wanted to link subs and photographers statement of Bakerloo line comply! That is why we nalists with a thinly what the Con-Dems are doing generally. are struggling to keep up drivers’ health and safety are striking; we can not veiled threat to make “The reform bill will leave the NHS exposed to the free with their workload. representative Eamonn rely on Tribunals and the them redundant if the market and effectively privatise it.” The nine members of the Lynch and long-standing courts to win justice for us. strike went ahead; this Will Lodge Herts and North London RMT activist and Northern We have had a lot of only strengthened their NUJ chapel decided to Line driver Arwyn support from rank-and-file resolve. The journalists strike after a year of nego - Thomas. members of ASLEF; a lot of were docked bank holi - tiation had produced no We have named both them are saying they will day pay as well as strike shift by their boss. Ray Tin - sets of action at once, let - not cross our picket lines. day pay, so they have PCS: don’t leave dle owns more than 220 ti - ting management know They know that if the com - lost 10 days’ pay instead tles and his company made they won’t be able to just pany gets away with sack - of six. £3 million profit last year. ride out the first strike and ing our reps, that has an The North London and jobs as a To donate to the strike have drivers back at work. impact on them too. It will Herts titles are currently fund, send cheques The strategy was formu - change the nature of the making a loss, but the jour - payable to “North London lated in exhaustive meet - workplace. nalists argue that Tindle makeweight issue & Herts NUJ Funds” to ings by a rank-and-file If the company gets should stick by them until North London & Herts strike committee . away with it, remaining the economy picks up. NUJ, 1st Floor, 43 Park LU sacked Eamonn for reps will feel more anxious The journalists have By a civil servant Instead of the jobs proto - Road, London N8 8TE. following an instruction about standing up to man - made many suggestions cols, we need a binding that turned out to be The national executive of agement and people will for increasing revenue. government/union agree - wrong, and sacked Arwyn the civil service union be more reluctant to come ment concerning jobs. following allegations by a PCS will put an emer - forward to be reps. We should demand that strike-breaker. Strikers’ blog: strikegazadpres.wordpress.com. gency motion to its con - Email: [email protected] 90-day notices given in ad - Following two 24-hour REPS ference on 18-20 May, vance of possible compul - strikes on the Bakerloo and If you have a strong seeking permission to sory redundancies be Northern Lines, I success - union rep in your work - May Day signals a big ballot members over rescinded, where they have fully proposed to the place, someone who you pensions, jobs and pay. been issued, and not is - union’s Executive that we know will fight for you if sued where threatened. there are problems, it Delegates to the PCS escalate the dispute to a On pay we need, mini - makes your day at work conference are used to the strike ballot of all RMT’s job for trades councils mally, cost of living in - that bit more relaxed. Executive using the device Tube driver members. Just creases. under half of those mem - of an emergency motion If that goes, people will On pensions the action is bers voted in the ballot, By Gerry Bates orous rank-and-file-level (on non-emergency mat - spend their working day too limited in its aims. The and nearly two-thirds of coordination between dif - ters) to dominate confer - worrying about what Executive does oppose them voted yes. In context, The Leeds Trade Council ferent unions against the ence proceedings and to might go wrong. (some) increases in contri - the ballot result was good. May Day march this year coalition government cuts bypass and ignore normal London Underground is butions and the change of The union has often felt was much bigger and a has not yet got anywhere branch motions put up in clamping down on atten - the pension age from 60 to unable to escalate an anti- lot livelier than it had near the level it needs to the normal manner. dance and discipline, with 65 for those with reserved victimisation dispute be - been for many years. reach. That said, it is correct drivers receiving much rights. yond the workplace of the London’s turnout of that members should be harsher punishments from But even if PCS were to individuals being vic - Young UK Uncut ac - maybe 4,000 was domi - balloted on pensions, jobs minor infringements than win these demands that timised, so this ballot was tivists, and fresher trade nated by Stalinist political- and pay, particularly when they would have done a would still leave a two-tier a big deal. We were asking unionists, outnumbered exile groups, as it has we can co-ordinate such few years ago. If the com - workforce, with newer people to strike and lose the ageing Stalinist stal - generally been in recent action with other unions. pany takes out our reps, it civil servants having a money to defend people warts. years. The Financial Times However, taking indus - will intensify that clamp - pension age of 65; and they might never have met Glasgow also had an im - was able, without gross fal - trial action over multiple down. those with reserved rights or even heard of until the proved turnout. Even so, sification, to “cover” the issues when the executive This dispute is a chance have a pension age of 60. start of this campaign. the numbers, 400 in Leeds march by printing a pic - is really only interested in to turn the tide. We have In the past, the union Of course we can expect and 3,000 in Glasgow, were ture of a large portrait of one of them is another fa - had some defeats recently agreed a cap on employer attacks from Boris Johnson modest. Stalin being carried by miliar device. This cer - and our campaigns have pension contributions, about the turnout, but it is Generally, across the marchers. tainly is the case with the not always been effective. One conclusion for the therefore members’ contri - both a higher majority and country, turnouts remained With this dispute, we are left in London: next year latest ballot. butions will increase in any a higher turnout than he around the poor levels of not discussing how to reg - we should come with The Executive is really case. got when he was elected recent years, showing that ister a protest, we are dis - large, visible and explicit only interested in pensions We should demand an Mayor of London! the revitalisation of trades cussing how to win. Reps anti-Stalinist banners. as this allows the possibil - end to the two-tier work - A strong ballot result can councils necessary for vig - and activists are having ity (in their minds) to link force, with a common pen - not win a dispute by itself. detailed, thoughtful dis - up with other unions; jobs sion age of 60 and a We have a lot of work to cussions at regular meet - and pay are makeweight re-negotiation of the em - do in building for the ac - ings to work out what issues, included just to “re - ployers’ cap to take ac - tion, organising , action will work best. We assure” activists. count of the effect of talking to people who did are also organising politi - On jobs, the Executive is inflation on wages. not vote yes and building cal and public campaign - seeking to strength the jobs Lastly, there has to be a support for the dispute LONDON ing alongside our protocols — a series of serious industrial action across the Underground. industrial action. TRANSPORT arrangements agreed be - plan. We need as much na - The pressure is on man - There is plenty people tween departments on tional action as the mem - agement here. It is very REGION can do to support the dis - how to handle staff sur - bers can bear coupled with hard for them to explain or pute, including visiting pluses. No serious moves paid selective action. justify to the public what picket lines. We want to on pay are contemplated. We need to raise levies they have done. They can build solidarity throughout The emergency motion and/or the diversion of not really justify sacking the labour movement, and May Day greetings from the calls for “discontinuous members’ subs from fund - two people on spurious are keen to send speakers strike action and for dis - ing routine union functions charges and then refusing to trade union branches continuous action short of to funding such selective to reinstate them after Tri - RMT London Transport Region and trades councils. a strike”. If past practice is action. bunals have granted them A fight over pensions, • To send a message of repeated, this will mean a interim relief, something Secretary: John Kelly jobs, services and pay support or arrange a one- or two-day strike that sends a strong signal can be won; but it re - speaker email taken with other unions, that they should be rein - www.rmtlondoncalling.org.uk quires a better campaign [email protected] coupled with an overtime than that envisaged by stated. ban. This will not be the Executive. Arwyn’s Tribunal pro - enough to win. SOLIDARITY 11 Teachers, lecturers, civil S&oWloirkdersa’ Lirbeirtty y servants to strike together

By Tom Unterrainer If the action does not Police kidnap spread to the other major Unions representing over teachers union (the NA - 800,000 teachers, lectur - SUWT) and to Unison, ers and civil servants are Unite and GMB members set to take national strike in the public sector, then anti-monarchists action on 30 June our class will be struggling against Government with only a portion of its plans to radically attack strength. These unions will their pensions. only take action with con - siderable pressure from The government has al - below — members need to ready switched the meas - to prevent protest see other public sector ure for annual increases for unions fighting and win - public sector pensions ning. By Daniel Randall from the Retail Price Index nothing much. sonably have mistaken for UCU has signalled its in - (RPI) to the generally Incidentally, one BTP of - climbing gear. There seems tention to take action charged with any offence. lower rate, the Consumer On Friday 29 April I was ficer, when explaining the to have been no attempt by against the massive pro - A senior officer, giving Price Index (CPI). A pen - arrested with nine others context of the decision to these media outlets to as - posed cuts in courses and some background to one of sion currently worth outside Charing Cross search us, said that the certain the accuracy of that jobs. Teachers face attacks the desk officers who were £10,000 a year will, by station in London — not Metropolitan Police had police claim. on other issues — from doing the paperwork, ex - 2016, be worth £800 less for protesting, not for been “rounding people We were cuffed and held workload to academies. plained that we were than it would be on RPI. doing anything, but be - up” in advance of the royal until a hired coach arrived. None of these things will The government also cause the police wanted wedding, despite the Met Tourists stopped to pose “anti-royalists” who had be tackled by the pension looks set to increase the to clear the streets for themselves denying that for photos with London been planning to “commit ballot alone. level of contributions and the Royal Wedding. any arrests in previous bobbies while we stood a protest” near the wed - In Nottinghamshire, raising the retirement eligi - days had been “specifi - handcuffed in the back - ding. Tower Hamlets and Cam - bility age. For teachers this We are considering a cally related” to the event. ground. A cameraman for This is language similar den, teachers and public would mean an increase in legal case for wrongful ar - After having been a film crew making a doc - to that used by Metropoli - sector workers have taken contributions from 6.4% to rest. What follows is an ac - searched by the BTP, we umentary about protest tan Police Commander action against local cuts. 9.8% and an increase in re - count of what the police were told we could not took some footage. Jones when she said this That is good, but not tirement age from 60/65 did by one of my fellow ar - leave because an officer “Ah,” said my arresting week: “Any criminals at - enough. National attacks (pre/post 2007) to 68. restees, reproduced with from the Met “wanted to officer. “We’ll be taking should be met by national tempting to disrupt [the Lecturers in further and permission from thegrea - talk to us.” Within a few you to the Tower.” action. royal wedding], be that in higher education belong - tunrest.net. minutes, about twenty Ter - “That’s a good one.” Teacher unions must or - I was intending to go to the guise of protest or oth - ing to the same pension ritorial Support Group “Yeah, not bad for the ganise for more action be - the “Not the Royal Wed - erwise, will be met by a ro - scheme as teachers will be (TSG) officers had arrived TSG, eh?” yond one day of strikes. ding” street party organ - bust, decisive, flexible and similarly affected. and surrounded us in pos - On the coach, we were We need a commitment to ised by campaign group proportionate policing re - Low-paid civil servants sibly the world’s smallest transferred to a non-TSG open the new school year Republic. sponse.” organised by the PCS have, kettle. After another few unit and driven to Sutton At this point I was with further, named strike an average, a much lower A British Transport Po - minutes, I was grabbed by police station, about a banged up in a cell for a days. annual pension of only lice officer spotted some a TSG officer who in - dozen miles out of central little under an hour, be - Unions should work to - £4,200, but will also be ex - republican placards one of formed me that because London. fore being released into wards united national ac - pected to pay higher con - us had in a bag and de - we were in possession of Four of us were led of the wilds of Sutton. tion across all public sector tributions and retire later. cided to search everyone, “climbing gear” we were the coach to be processed unions, but an individual United action on pen - under the Section 60 that • Police also raided squats union should not hold off to be arrested to prevent a in the police station. We sions makes sound indus - had been invoked around in London, in the run-up on action before this hap - breach of the peace. were searched again and trial sense: if ballots are the royal wedding area. to 29 April, and in , pens. The BBC and the had our personals confis - successful across the in an area where local peo - Strike committees with The placards weren’t out, Guardian have both faith - cated and details taken. unions then industrial can - ple have protested against representation from all the we weren’t having a fully repeated the climbing We were not at any point not easily be ignored. the opening of a Tesco unions taking action demonstration. We were gear claim as fact. There charged with any offence, However there are prob - should be formed to en - standing on a concourse was none. There was noth - nor was any indication store. lems. Each union operates sure a constant flow of in - outside a station, doing ing that anyone could rea - given that we would be http://bit.ly/m4KXef at a different tempo and formation, support and coordinated action may accountability. Representa - end up being dictated by tives from other unions the tempo of the slowest should attend, and they and least militant union. IDEAS FOR FREEDOM 2011 should be involved in A serious counter-attack spreading solidarity and on pensions will require support. more than a “one-off” day From Tunis to London: the workers’ agenda Socialists in the trade of united action. unions need to fight on is - Unfortunately, the sues of organisation, “model” of trade union A weekend of socialist discussion and debate hosted by Workers’ Liberty democracy and politics in militancy over the past our movement: greater ac - decade has been the strike countability from the activity of PCS — a one Friday 8-Sunday 10 July union leaderships, greater day strike followed by an - rank-and-file control over other one day strike, many Highgate Newtown Community Centre, Archway, North London disputes and for political months later, and then pe - ideas and action from the tering-out with very little unions to take on both the won. • The rise of the Egyptian working class • The fight against cuts: where does Labour fit in? • Tory/Liberal government As things stand it looks and the Labour Party. Celebrating the Paris Commune • Imperialism and Islamism a decade after 9/11 • Owen Jones likely that only one day of A winning strategy will action will take place be - on his book Chavs: the demonisation of the working class cause enormous disruption tween now and the au - to the government and tumn. Efforts at the NUT • Are socialists “multiculturalists”? • The strengths and they will be politically conference at Easter to win neutered. weaknesses of anarcho- • The 1880s: the first a commitment to sus - Our movement should British Marxists and the rise of the mass tained, selective action in use its size, energy and groups of schools was kept organisation to fight for a labour movement • An alternative history of off conference floor by a workers’ government — the Second World War bungling and sectarian left. one that represents our Cross-union, united ac - interests and which de - tion between the NUT, pends on our class for its Includes a Saturday night social, free creche and accommodation and cheap food. ATL, UCU and PCS is pos - legitimacy — to replace Tickets bought before the end of May are £18 waged, £10 low-waged/students, £6 itive but it is only a start. the cutting, privatising, These unions represent a pro-capitalist and anti- unwaged/school students. Book online at www.workersliberty.org/ideas. Email small minority of trade working class [email protected] or call 07796 690 874. union members in the pub - Tory/Liberal coalition. lic sector.