Nicaraguan cotton growers . 8 THE Life of Joan Newbigging 11 Australian SWP leaves 4th International 13 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 49/NQ. 38 OCTOBER 4, 1985 75 CENTS N.Y. Black unionists: Earthquake and debt 'Free South devastate Mexico Africa!' Nicaraguans Cuba calls for BY RASI:JAAD ALI NEW YORK - Black trade unionists are taking the lead in bringing the power of mobilize in cancelling the labor movement to bear in the fight to break all U.S. ties with South African apartheid. This was evident at the Free Af­ solidarity debt rica Conference sponsored by the New BY HECTOR MARROQUIN York City chapter of the Coalition of Black BY CINDY JAQUITH Saying that the recent earthquakes that Trade Unionists (CBTU) and the New MANAGUA, Nicaragua - The Nicara­ devastated Mexico should be treated not as York Labor Committee Against Apartheid guan people are giving their blood daily in a national disaster, but an international (LCAA). the struggle to defend their country from one, Cyban President Fidel Castro called Support for the October I I National U.S .-organized aggression. Yet in re­ on the imperialist nations to cancel collec­ Anti-apartheid Protest Day, which will be sponse to an appeal from Nicaraguan Pres­ tion of.Mexico's foreign debt. marked by protests on campuses and in ident Daniel Ortega, the offices of-the Red The Cuban president made his remarks cities across the country, was a prominent Cross here have been filled to overflowing in Havana at the closing session of the part of the conference. by Nicaraguans volunteering to donate Latin American Press Forum on the re­ And the unionists were encouraged to blood to the victims of the recent earth­ gion's economic crisis. join the newly formed New York Anti­ quakes in Mexico. In light of the September 19 earthquake, apartheid Coordinating Council , This um­ [On September 24, the United Nations the demand to cancel collection of brella organization was formed after the General Assembly, on Nicaragua's initia­ Mexico's debt will be the focus of the con­ successful August 13 protest here of tive, passed a resolution calling for "a dem­ tinentwide actions set for October 23 . 30,000 against apartheid led by the unions. onstration o( international solidarity and These actions against Latin America's for­ The ali-day Free Africa Conference was ,humanitarian concern" for Mexico, and urg- eign debt were called by the Latin Ameri­ held on September 21 at the headquarters ing all countries to contribute to relief and can and Caribbean Trade Union Confer­ of District 65 of the United Auto Workers reconstruction efforts.] ence. This conference, held in Havana, (UA W) in Manhattan. Despite the critical need for doctors and Cuba, July 15 to 18, discussed the econom­ Half of the 276 unionists present were medical supplies here, Nicaragua has ic ci-isis in the region. women. The overwhelming majority of rushed a brigade of 12 doctors, two nurses, Mexico has the second largest debt in the participants were Black. They included and four health-care workers to Mexico world- it is currently nearly $100 billion. union officials and rank-and-file members. City. It is headed by Nicaraguan Vice-For­ Although Mexico has paid $52.5 billion to Most were from various locals of the eign Minister Victor Hugo Tinoco. the imperialist banks in the last five years, American Federation of State, County and The brigade is named after Aracely its debt continues to grow. Under its latest Continued on Page 7 Perez Darias, a Mexican woman who fell agreement with the International Monetary in combat fighting with the Sandinistas in Fund (IMF), the organization of imperialist their struggle to overthrow the dictatorship bankers, Mexico will pay at least another of Anastasio Somoza. $50 billion in interest on the debt in the The campaign to pledge blood began next five years. here September 21. Nicaragua's minister Cancelling collection of Mexico's debt of health, Dora Maria Tellez, and the gen­ even for one year would add some $12 bil­ eral secretary of the Sandinista Defense lion to its budget. It would provide funds Committees, Leticia Herrera, led off the that can be used to begin the reconstruction donations. Mexican garment factory destroyed in Continued on Page 7 earthquake. Continued on Page 7 S. Africa wages war on Angola,· Mozantbique BY FRED FELDMAN South African military attacks on Angola On September 20 General Malan admit­ DISTRICT65 The racist South African regime has might be escalated. He demanded that An­ ted that the South African government has . UAW-AFL-C/0 stepped up its aggression against the neigh­ golan forces stop closing in on rightist long provided aid "of a material, humanita­ ;, boring Black-ruled states of Angola and strongholds in southern Angola. rian and moral nature" to UNITA. For Mozambique. These armed bands are backed by both yea:s South Africa has denied aiding However, in the context of the deepen­ the apartheid regime and Washington. UNIT A. ing revolt of South Africa's Black major­ A week earlier the South African gov­ "As far as Angola is concerned, we have ity, the Angolan and Mozambican govern­ ernment announced it had sent troops into reached a watershed," he warned. He ments are making some headway against Angola. It claimed to have withdrawn them called on the U.S. and other imperialist South Africa's military moves. September 22, but there has been no re­ governments to stand with the South Afri­ General Magnus Malan, South Africa's ported confirmation of this from the Ango­ can rulers and UNIT A against Angola. war minister, warned September 23 that lan side. Top South African diplomats went to At the time the troops went in , South Af­ Washington September 23 for talks on An­ rican officials claimed the targets were gola. Clerical workers gain in Bath strike Namibian liberation fighters . Washington has mildly criticized the Namibia, which is occupied and ruled as latest South African attack on Angola. a colony by Pretoria, has a common border But South African President Pieter BY JOHN STUDER eluding a 10 percent cut in wages and ben­ with Angola. The South West Africa Botha and General Malan have reason to BATH, Me. -Clerical workers at the efits and a two-tier wage system. People's Organization (SWAPO) has been hope for a favorable response to appeals for Bath Iron Works (BIW) voted to accept a The company used the phony argument fighting to free Namibia from South Afri­ stepped-up covert support from Washing­ new contract and returned to work Sep­ that it needed these major givebacks from can rule . ton . tember 23. More than 4,500 production both the clerical and production workers in The evidence indicates, however, that Washington has long relied on the apart­ workers at the shipyard remain on strike. order to remain competitive in bidding for the invaders were actually coming to the heid regime as a cop for the interests of big After 22 hard weeks on the picket line­ military contracts, the yard's principal aid of the National Union for the Total In­ business in southern Afric-a. Malan re­ the longest strike in the 151-year history of work. dependence of Angola (UNITA). a ter­ minded Washington of this role: "Through the company- the clerks voted 4-.1 to sign The two-tier system is not included in our connections with UNITA we maintain rorist gang which has been se~king to top­ the contract. Numbering more than 300, the clerks' new contract, and other com­ ple the Angolan government since the the interests of the free world on our sub­ the clerks are members ofLoca17 of the In­ pany demands were dropped as well. country won independence from Portugal continent." dustrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Local 7 members did vote to accept a in 1975 . When the peoples of Angola and Workers of America, AFL-CIO. wage and benefit freeze, but most strikers Between them, South African forces and Mozambique were fighting for indepen­ The production workers, who have been considered the settlement a victory . UNIT A bands have been responsible for dence from Portugal, Washington helped out since May 15 , are members of Local 6 They had forced the company to back off the deaths of more than 10,000 Angolans. bankroll the brutal colonial war waged by of the same union. While settling with the on its main concession demands. In addi­ the Portuguese imperialists. clerks, the company refused to schedule tion the new agreement leaves open the The Angolan government revealed that Portugal was forced to withdraw in further negotiations with the production possibility of wage and benefits gains South African planes carried out air strikes November 1975, leaving the central gov­ workers. based on what Local 6 may win in a settle­ against Angolan troops closing in on ernment in the hands of the People's Move- The company had forced the clerks on ment. UNIT A's headquarters in southern An­ strike by demanding deep concessions, in- Continued on Page 10 gola. Continued on Page 9 Miami socialists win right to sell papers at airport BY HARVEY McARTHUR city. ers at Eastern. if they found them anywhere on Eastern Airlines employee parking MIAMI - Supporters of the Interest in the paper was Since they work staggered the airport grounds for any reason lot and the employee entrance at Militant newspaper here won an boosted by the contract fights at shifts, 24 hours a day, there were again. Eastern's part of the passenger ter- important victory when officials of Eastern and the strike at Pan never more than 25-40 workers minal.