What is a lockout? 0 7

TH£ Sankara addresses Nicaragua rally o o o o o 0 8

Interview with Philippines union leader 0 9

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 50/NO. 45 NOVEMBER 28, 1986 75 CENTS Murder of union leader Antiwar forces back protested in Philippines actions BY FRED FELDMAN The brutal murder in Manila of Rolando in April Olalia, chairman of the Philippines' largest trade union federation, has spurred a wave of demands for action against rightist BY JOHN STUDER forces linked to the military that are be­ Delegates to the national convention of lieved to be responsible for the killing. the Mobilization for Survival, meeting in Olalia was chairman of the May I Move­ Minneapolis on November 11 , voted unan­ ment (KMU) and head of the Party of the imously to join with a broad range of other Nation, a left-wing party formed after Fer­ anti-intervention, labor, religious, and so­ dinand Marcos' tyranny fell in February. cial justice groups to help organize a "mass The bodies of Olalia and his driver were mobilization in Washington, D. C., and the found November 13. They had last been West Coast during the weekend of April seen the night before. 24-25." Olalia appeared to have been tortured. The projected mobilization weekend His mouth was stuffed with newspaper, his would include a civil disobedience action on hands were tied, and his face was so muti­ Friday, April 24, and a mass, peaceful lated that his brother was able to identify march and rally on Saturday, April25. The the corpse only from a scar on the right leg. actions-in Washington, D.C., and a com­ The union leader had been stabbed four panion march on the West Coast- will times and shot four times in the head. focus on opposition to the escalating U.S. Outrage at the assassinations was ex­ war in Nicaragua and the rest of Central pressed across the Philippines. America and to the continued U.S. backing for the South African apartheid regime. March on Aguinaldo Meeting on the same weekend, the Mid­ On November 14, an estimated 5,000 west regional conference of the Committee people marched on Camp Aguinaldo, the in Solidarity with the People ofEI Salvador headquarters of Defense Minister Juan (CISPES) and a Mid-Atlantic regional con­ Ponce Enrile. They demanded his resigna­ ference sponsored by the Nicaragua Net­ tion. work also adopted motions to make mobili­ Olalia had reported receiving death Body of Rolando Olalia, murdered head of the May 1 Movement, largest union fed­ zation for this national action a major prior­ threats, which he said were "designed to eration in Philippines. ity for the spring. oppress and suppress" the activities of These decisions reflect growing agree­ those on the left. cratic Front (NDF), the coalition that polit­ pattern which, they suggested, endangers ment by many organizations that a cen­ According to Newsweek magazine, he ically supports the guerrilla fighters of the their own security." tralized mass demonstration in Washington had been warned before his assassination New People's Army, canceled negotiation A leader of Bayan, a broad alliance of and on the West Coast on April25 is neces­ that he had been marked for death by the sessions aimed at reaching a cease-fire with protest groups, said, "This calls into ques­ sary to respond to the escalation of the "Enrile faction," which includes the de­ the government. The front and the NPA tion the entire human rights policy of this U.S. government's war against Nicaragua. fense minister and high military officers. have been urging a 100-day cease-fire. government." The Mobilization for Survival resolu­ Olalia also reportedly told a foreign dip­ NDF negotiator Saturnino Ocampo, vis­ The Party of the Nation called "on all tion, originally submitted by Judy lomat that his name had been placed on a iting the church where Olalia's body lay in freedom-loving Filipinos to leave their Freiwirth, the organization's national "hit list" by the armed forces. state, declared, "We shall continue to fight homes and pour into the streets to defend field organizer, and strengthened by Enrile has called on the government to and avenge his death and the deaths of our newly gained freedoms." amendments added at the conference, crack down on the unions and on the rural­ other victims of fascism." Aquino said November 14 that she was states, "The escalating war in Central based guerrilla movement. Officers in Top government negotiator Ramon "enraged and horrified" by the slayings. America, the deteriorating situation in his entourage have publicly boasted, with Mitra said the NDF had canceled the talks She announced the formation of a panel to South Africa and the failure of nuclear impunity, of their plans to take military ac­ because the murder of Olalia "points to a Continued on Page 8 Continued on Page 2 tion to purge the Philippine government of alleged leftists and force acceptance of their policies. Criticism of Aquino Subscription, fund drives top goals President Corazon Aquino, who was brought to office in February by the popu­ BY MALIK MIAH key to the drive. This included selling to The Militant won new subscribers in all lar upsurge against Marcos, has been We've done it! More than 10,000 work­ coworkers on the job, staffing literature ta­ states except Montana, and new readers in criticized by many of those voicing anger ing people and students have signed up for bles on street comers, going door to door in 33 states bought subscriptions to PM. at the assassinations. a subscription to the Militant and the working-class communities, and helping to • The majority of subscriptions were A statement by KMU leaders described Spanish-language monthly Perspectiva process subscriptions. sold to working people. the murders as a "logical result of the pres­ Mundial. This includes 2,214 subscrip­ • Processing subscriptions. A highlight of the drive was sales to co­ ident's indecisiveness and compromising tions to PM - 714 over the I ,500 goal. This was a central accomplishment of workers. It was not uncommon to find attitude in dealing with the Marcos hold­ (See area-by-area breakdown on page 4.) the campaign. Convincing working people salespeople in factories of a few hundred overs, a fact that has emboldened Enrile In addition, some 1, 920 copies of the and students to buy subscriptions is only workers selling more than a dozen sub­ and his cohorts to plot and freely engage in new Pathfinder Press pamphlet The 1985- the first step in getting the publications to scriptions. This ranged from plants or­ bloody intrigues." 86 Harmel Meat-Packers Strike in Austin, them. The next steps are sending the sub­ ganized by the United Auto Workers and "We are not against the Aquino govern­ Minnesota," by Fred Halstead, were sold scriptions to the Militant business office in International Union of Electronic workers ment," said KMU leader Crispin Beltran. along with subscriptions. New York and processing them rapidly. to the International Association of "We offer ourselves as a backup force in This victory reflects the desire of grow­ To ensure that new readers received their Machinists and Amalgamated Clothing and supporting the Aquino government against ing numbers of working people to learn the subscriptions as soon as possible after buy­ Textile Workers Union. those minority people bound to sabotage truth about the U.S. government's an­ ing them, supporters of the socialist papers While subscription sales at plant gates social change." tilabor policies at home and abroad. in New York and Newark assigned teams were minimal, the national effort did lead The KMU called for work stoppages on It was the collective sales efforts of Mil­ to come into the business office each Satur­ salespeople in some areas to relaunch or November 17. According to press reports itant and PM readers around the country­ day to help process the subscriptions - step up their sales to workers entering and from Manila, schools were shut down that in factories, on farms and on campuses, in and on many other days during the week leaving factories. day. Sections of the transportation system Black, Latino, and other working-class too. In addition to on-the-job sales, tables and of the garment and textile industries communities - that made this successful That step meant fewer subscriptions were set up in working-class communities. also shut down. Protest demonstrations oc­ campaign possible. were sold by salespeople in the New York­ These sales tables turned out to be the most curred across Manila, including another That same effort is putting us over the Newark area. But it was only by doing this effective way to make sales of the publica­ march to Camp Aguinaldo. Work stop­ top in the $100,000 Fall Publications Fund, that new readers could get their subscrip­ tions a collective effort, as well as sell a lot pages were also reported elsewhere in the which is why low-introductory subscrip­ tions in a timely manner. of Pathfinder Press literature. tions can be offered and numerous sales • Scope of sales effort. country. • Sales to students. teams fielded during the course of the cam­ Salespeople and teams went to dozens of The New People's Army, which is lead­ Thousands of students bought single states, including, for the first time, a sales ing a guerrilla struggle that has won signif­ paign. copies of the Militant and PM, with hun­ Important features in winning this drive team to Hawaii. A total of 16 national sales icant backing in the rural areas, was re­ dreds more buying subscriptions. teams - and many regional teams - hit ported by the New York Times to have that Militant supporters can use and build Many of the students first came across the road. This included a team to the U.S. criticized Aquino as "morally responsible" on in future campaigns are: the Militant and PM at antiwar or anti­ colony of Puerto Rico and several teams to for the murders because of her "com­ • Collective effort. apartheid protests. Sales to demonstrators While many individual salespeople sold the Iowa-Nebraska-Minnesota area where promises with ultra-rightists and fascists in was another feature of the successful cam- her Government." an impressive number of subscriptions, the meat-packers have been involved in impor­ Representatives of the National Demo- broad effort by hundreds of supporters was tant labor battles. Continued on Page 4 Antiwar forces support protests in April

Continued from front page west regional conference meeting in arms negotiations make it imperative that Chicago. the peace and justice movement respond on Lent explained, "Prior to this fall, our a national level." national program emphasized grassroots It explains that the demonstration's pressure on Congress to cut aid to El Sal­ goals would be "to create a large, visible vador." But, Lent noted, the CISPES na­ presence in Washington. D.C., in opposi­ tional leadership decided in August that it tion to the Reagan Administration's for­ needed to refocus its projection~. eign and domestic policies" and "to help "There has been a go-ahead by Congress coalesce, unify, and continue to build the for contra aid," he explained, "and thus a peace and justice movement in this coun- major escalation of the war in Central try." America. And given that there has been a Leslie Cagan, a longtime Mobilization greater awareness of the importance of the for Survival leader and a national coordi­ war in El Salvador within the Central nator of the April 20, 1985, March on America context," he said, "CISPES Washington for Peace, Jobs and Justice, should have as a major focus the develop­ spoke in favor of this proposal in the Inter­ ment of the Central America antiwar/anti­ vention-Central America Focus workshop intervention movement." at the conference. Angela Sembrano, CISPES national co­ Cagan explained that congressional ap­ ordinator, urged adoption of the shift to­ proval of $100 million in military aid to the ward prioritizing the April march. contras significantly increases the U.S. She highlighted the possibility of mak­ role in the war. This requires a united, pub­ ing significant progress in orienting these lic protest in the nation's capital, she said. anti-intervention actions toward involving new forces, especially in the labor move­ The momentum for a national march in ment and from church organizations. the spring has developed out of discussions The conference, attended by 65 repre­ among antiwar and solidarity activists over sentatives from CISPES affiliates, agreed the past few months. It has been propelled and adopted a resolution for CISPES to al­ forward by the bipartisan congressional locate the resources needed to build broad commitment to stepping up U.S. direction participation in the spring mobilization. of the war in Nicaragua. This is reflected in MilitanUJim Levitt the recent contra aid vote, the elimination The same weekend, a Mid-Atlantic re­ gional conference hosted by the Nicaragua November 2 antiwar demonstration in Seattle Network attracted more than 100 solidarity activists and Network members to Balti­ whelmingly at the plenary sessions of the good stepping-off point for future coalition more. Here, too, the April 25 mobilization conference. actions." was adopted as a central campaign for the The meeting also decided on a plan to spring. organize a national tour of representatives Discussions on April 25 Dangers for Nicaragua from Nicaragua and South Africa to tell the In a letter reporting on the success of truth about conditions in their countries and these fall actions sent out on November 11 Francisco Campbell, a representative of to help build for the spring demonstration. to its national endorsers and regional con­ the Nicaragua consulate in Washington, tacts, Judy Freiwirth reports on plans for D.C., explained that the conference was Successful fall actions the April 25 weekend. "especially timely because grave dangers The momentum for the April 25 actions "April 24-25 has been selected as the face the Nicaraguan revolution - the war was advanced by the success of antiwar ac­ date for a series of actions in Washington, is intensifying." tions held in regional centers around the D. C. - including a march and rally, a Campbell described the deadly conse­ country on October 25 and November 1 non-violent civil disobedience action on quences of the deepening U.S. war on the and 2. the 24th," Freiwirth writes, and "possibly a people of his country. He urged those at the religious event and a lobbying day. Discus­ conference to help get out the truth about National Actions for Peace, Jobs and sions are also taking place about a West and organize against U.S. attacks on Nica­ Justice, which coordinated these actions, Coast action on the same weekend. ragua. reported that they attracted more than 'The primary political focus is U.S. pol­ Debra Reuben, coordinator of the Na­ 30,000 participants. More than 8,000 icies in Central America and South Africa, tional Nicaragua Network, explained, marched in the largest demonstration in and to a lesser extent disarmament and "The war in Nicaragua is now going to Los Angeles, with thousands more in domestic issues will be addressed," she move faster than ever before. The U.S. es­ Washington, D.C.; New York; Chicago; continues. calation must be opposed and requires Boston; San Francisco; Austin, Texas; At­ greater unity than ever before." lanta; and other cities. Knowledge about the projected April 25 One of the largest workshops at the con­ In a round-up of the fall actions, the action, even before a formal call has been .. Guardian newspaper- which helped pro­ Militant/Della Rossa ference was organized specifically to dis­ issued, is becoming increasingly wide­ mote them- quoted several local coalition spread around the country, and support is Protester at November I demonstration cuss the spring mobilization. The work­ leaders about future perspectives. growing. Announcements about the march in Los Angeles. shop was chaired by Steven Slade, a na­ tional leader of the Pledge of Resistance. It Dave Hostetter of the Washington Peace and pledges to mobilize for it have been re­ was attended by other leaders of anti-inter­ Center and a leader of the Washington-area ported at anti-intervention forums, meet­ of strictures on the CIA role in the Nicara­ vention groups, including Reuben and coalition, which mobilized more than ings, and solidarity group social events gua war, and in the decision to train contra Beverly Treumann, director of the Nica 1,500 protesters on October 25, com­ from Atlanta to New Orleans to Lawrence, troops in the United States or Puerto Rico. Spanish-language school in Esteli, Nicara­ mented that "a unified action from the Mid­ Kansas. This situation was described in a "Pro­ gua. Atlantic bodes well for a bigger and better At its national conference held over the posal for Modification of Spring Pro­ This workshop decided that the April ac­ action in the spring." . November 15 weekend in Iowa City, 125 gram," written by Michael Lent, CISPES tion should be set as a central priority for Irving Beinin, who is part of a commit­ activists in the Progressive Student Net­ Program Coordinator, for the CISPES Na­ the spring. A similar recommendation also tee delegated by the New York October 25 work adopted a resolution to use their re­ tional Executive Committee. It was circu­ came from almost every other workshop at coalition to discuss the spring action with sources to help build student participation lated to participants in the CISPES Mid- the conference. It was supported over- other groups, stated that October 25 "was a in the march.

The Militant tells the truth - Subscribe today! The Militant Closing news date: November 19, 1986 At the plant gates, mine portals, and Coeditors: MARGARET JA YKO picket lines; at antiwar actions and and DOUG JENNESS demonstrations against apartheid in Circulation Director: MALIK MIAH South Africa; at schools, the Militant is Nicaragua Bureau Director: CINDY JAQUITH Business Manager: JIM WHITE there, reporting the facts and par­ Editorial Staff: Susan Apstein, Fred Feldman, Ernest ticipating in the struggles. Harsch, Arthur Hughes, Harvey McArthur (Nicaragua), Ruth The Militant is written in the inter­ Nebbia (Nicaragua), Harry Ring, Norton Sandler. ests of workers and farmers. Every Published weekly except one week in August and the last week it tells the truth about the war week of December by the Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 14 Washington and the employers are Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Telephone: Editorial waging against working people at Office, (212) 243-6392; Business Office, (212) 929-3486. home and abroad. It provides firsthand Correspondence concerning subscriptions or changes coverage of important struggles in of address should be addressed to The Militant Business Office, 14 Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. other countries, such as Haiti, the Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. POST­ Philippines, and Nicaragua. Regular MASTER: Send address changes to The Militant, 14 Charles Enclosed Is on-the-scene reports come from its Nic­ Lane, New York, N.Y. 10014. Subscriptions: U.S., 0 $3.00 for 12 weeks aragua Bureau. Canada, Latin America: for one-year subscription send 0 $15.00 for six months Subscribe today. $24, drawn on aU .S. bank, to above address. By first-class 0 $24.00 for one year (airmail), send $60. Britain, Ireland, Continental Europe, If you already have a subscription, by Africa: send £25 check or international money order made Name renewing now for six months or a year out to Pathfinder Press and send to Pathfinder, 47 The Cut, Address·------~ you'll receive a free issue of New Inter­ London SEl 8LL, England. Australia, Asia, Pacific: send City------·--- State ___ ZIP---~ national (cover price $5.00), a magazine Australian $60 to Pathfinder Press, P.O. Box 37, Leichhardt, Telephone Union/School/Organization ______of Marxist politics and theory published Sydney, NSW 2040, Australia. New Zealand: Write to Pilot inNew York. The current issue features Books, P.O. Box 8730, Auckland for prices. Send to THE MILITANT, 14 Charles lane, New York, N.Y. 10014 the article, "The Coming Revolution in Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily represent South Africa," by Jack Barnes. the Militant's views. These are expressed in editorials.

2 The Militant November 28, 1986 Secret. U.S. talks with Iran reveal no shift in policy

BY ERNEST HARSCH When the regime of neighboring Iraq The recent revelation of secret, high­ massively invaded Iran in September 1980, level U.S. discussions with the Iranian Washington hoped to use the war to further government and the sale of some arms to its goals. that country has fueled a heated debate Although the U.S. authorities claimed over the implementation of U.S. policy to­ they were "neutral" in the conflict, in real­ ward Iran. ity they favored the Iraqi dictatorship of For several weeks, the big-business Saddam Hussein. The Saudi Arabian news media has been saturated with cover­ monarchy, a close U.S. ally, provided Sad­ age of this question. Every utterance by dam with $35 billion in aid. U.S. diploma­ key administration officials has been tic relations with Iraq, cut in 1967, were re­ seized on in an attempt to discern a shift in stored. Reagan aide Robert McFarlane (inset) made a secret trip to Tehran. But talks with Washington's stance or to detect possible But after six years, the Iraqi attack has Iranian officials mark no letup in U.S. pressures against Iranian revolution, such as divisions within the White House. Various clearly failed in its objectives. The Iranian provocations by U.S. naval battle groups in Persian Gulf. congressmen and ruling-class spokes­ working people have mobilized in their people have sharply criticized the arms millions to fight off this aggression. shipments, accusing the Reagan adminis­ cording to U.S. officials, the arms sales U.S. ties." tration of "bartering with terrorists." Secret probes were intended as a sign of "good faith" in Some U.S. officials, however, criticized But whether or not some politicians and the negotiations. the arms shipments, arguing that such an Alongside their direct pressures and at­ In a November 13 televised speech, approach undercuts the Reagan administra­ pundits view the U.S. moves as a "blun­ tacks on the Iranian revolution, the U.S. der" or have tactical differences with the Reagan maintained that the talks were tion's proclaimed policy of not dealing authorities have also sought to maintain aimed at reestablishing some contacts be­ with "terrorists." Nevertheless, they have way the contacts with Iran were conducted, some contacts with Iranian officials and the debate in governmental circles actually tween the two governments, exploring a generally agreed with the effort to probe army officers. This is not new. During the negotiated settlement to the Iran-Iraq war, for possible shifts in Iranian policies. reveals considerable. unanimity on policy occupation of the U.S. embassy in Tehran, and eliminating "state-sponsored terrorism toward Iran. for example, the Carter administration con­ Like many other U.S. foreign policy in­ and subversion"- Washington's term for ducted secret negotiations with some Ira­ itiatives, these moves were carried out in On the one hand, this policy reflects vir­ Iranian support to groups in other countries nian officials. the utmost secrecy. They only came to ulent opposition to the gains of the Iranian that are in conflict with proimperialist gov­ According to press revelations and the light on October 31 when a Lebanese revolution and hostility to the Iranian gov­ ernments. ernment's refusal to tailor its policies to Reagan administration's own admissions, magazine, AI Shiraa, got wind of McFar­ suit Washington. the most recent round of contacts began in Reagan also said that he hoped to "effect la."le's trip to Tehran and broke the story. On the other, it includes a readiness to mid-1985. In May 1986 former national se­ the safe return of all hostages" in Lebanon. Since then, Iranian officials have reiter­ probe for openings with any forces within curity adviser Robert McFarlane visited Three U.S. citizens held by pro-Iranian ated their readiness to improve relations the capitalist government of Iran that might Tehran for several days. groups in Lebanon were released during with the U.S. government. But they have lean more toward accommodating U.S. Despite a U.S. arms embargo on Iran, the course of the secret talks. also continued to denounce Washington's capitalist interests there and throughout the several shipments of arms and spare parts In a meeting with congressional leaders, aggressive stance toward Iran and other region. were sold to Iran during the course of these Reagan, according to one participant, ar­ countries in the region, its aid to the Israeli discussions. The Israeli regime helped ar­ gued that the contacts in Iran were with regime, and its holding of Iranian assets in A deep-going revolution range the transfer of some of them. Ac- "nonradicals who have a greater interest in the United States. The massive, popular revolution that overthrew the U.S.-backed dictatorship of the shah in 1979 was a big blow to U.S. imperialism. It deprived Washington of one of its most reliable regional allies. The New sponsors back rights suit U.S. bases in Iran were shut down, and some 45,000 U.S. advisers were expelled. BY JOE SWANSON troit; Alfredo Rodriguez, an organizer for the PRDF in the past, reaffirmed his sup­ This victory inspired the oppressed and DETROIT -The ability of the Political Hospital Workers Union Local 1199 in port. exploited throughout the Middle East. Rights Defense Fund (PROF) to gain wide New York; and Bud Schulte, a steward for PROF supporters in nearly 40 cities Within Iran, workers formed factory support among unionists was demonstrated United Food and Commercial Workers around the country are discussing setting committees and won improvements in their at the Labor Notes Conference here. union Local 789 in St. Paul, Minnesota. ambitious goals for signing up dozens of wages and social benefits. Exploited peas­ PRDF spokespeople who are steelwork­ A week earlier several new sponsors new endorsers in each area. They are plac­ ants seized land left vacant by fleeing land­ ers, machinists, coal miners, auto workers, were added at the national conference of ing a special emphasis on signing up new lords. The oppressed nationalities fought to and garment and textile workers were ac­ the Mobilization for Survival held in Min­ endorsers in the labor movement. Union assert their rights. tive throughout the November 14-16 con­ neapolis. Dave McReynolds, a leader of backers of the PRDF are discussing the The deep anti-imperialist sentiments of ference. the Socialist Party, became an endorser as case brought by the SWP and YSA with the Iranian masses were expressed in the They brought unionists by the PRDF lit­ did Mobilization for Survival activist Les­ their coworkers and officers from their huge demonstrations held to support the erature table, participated in workshops, lie Cagan. Dave Dellinger, who has backed local unions. students who occupied the U.S. embassy in and held numerous individual discussions Tehran from late 1979 through the end of about the victory won by the Socialist 1980. Workers Party and the Young Socialist Al­ In face of such popular sentiments, the liance in their lawsuit against the covert ac­ new Iranian government extended support tivities of the FBI and other U.S. govern­ Political Rights to anti-imperialist struggles elsewhere in ment cop agencies. the region. It established friendly ties with The PROF, which was established in revolutionary governments in other parts of 1973', raises funds and helps publicize the Defense Fund the world. ongoing court case. At the same time, the regime, composed Over I 00 copies of a recent PROF fund Help us win more victories for democratic rights of businessmen and figures in the religious letter were distributed to conference partic­ hierarchy, is dedicated to preserving ipants and 17 unionists added their names Now that a federal judge has ruled that the FBI's spying against the capitalist rule. Over the past seven years as PROF sponsors. Socialist Workers Party and Young Socialist Alliance was illegal, the this regime has made headway in restrict­ The new sponsors expressed the opinion case is going back to court to determine what will happen to the mil­ ing the democratic freedoms of the Iranian that the ruling in the case brought by the lions of secret files the government spies accumulated. working people and blocking a land reform SWP and YSA provides added protection and labor rights. for unionists and others fighting against the employers' attacks. Every supporter of democratic rights has a stake in helping bring about But so far it has not felt confident another victory against the FBI in the upcoming hearings. The Politi­ enough for a head-on confrontation with A local leader of the Communications Workers of America explained in a work­ cal Rights Defense Fund needs your endorsement and your financial the masses. Moreover, the governing cir­ help to make the next stage in this battle a success. cles themselves are beset by political and shop that the company and the government are working hand in glove through the factional strife, reflecting the contradictory D I want to be a sponsor of the Political Rights Defense Fund. pressures bearing down on them. courts and cop agencies to step up drug testing, lie-detector tests, and company D Send me a copy of the federal court decision against the FBI. Embargoes and war spying. He said the attacks are designed to Enclosed is $10. One source of considerable pressure has weaken the unions and intimidate workers been Washington. Its goal has been to wear as the employers escalate their drive for D Enclosed is my tax-deductible contribution to keep up the fight. down the Iranian people and spur forward profits. $500 $100 $50 $10 other __ those sectors within Iran that are most fa­ New PRDF sponsors obtained at the Name ______vorable to reaching an accommodation Labor Notes Conference include Dave Address ______with imperialism. Chmielewski, vice-president of United To this end, Washington seized billions Auto Workers (UA W) Local 438 in Union City ______State _____ Zip ______of dollars worth of Iranian assets in the Grove, Wisconsin; Wayne Wallace, field United States and halted Iranian oil im­ representative for the United Rubber Telephone ------Organization ______ports. It staged an unsuccessful military Workers union in Opelika, Alabama; Ruth Signature ______raid on Iran in Aprill980. Diplomatic rela­ Kiernan, executive vice-president of Com­ tions were severed. As a justification for munications Workers of America Local Send to: Political Rights Defense Fund, P.O. Box 649, Cooper Station, such moves, Iran was smeared as a center 1039 in -Trenton, New Jersey; Selwyn Ro­ New York, N.Y. 10003. of "international terrorism." gers, a member of UA W Local 262 in De-

November 28, 1986 The Militant 3 More aerospace workers are reading the 'Militant'

BY BOB CUSTER scription drive here, sales to aero­ subscription, a Nelson Mandela T­ heed, and Weber Aircraft. At been called by the unions at LOS ANGELES - Over the space workers of the Pathfinder shirt, and the book Teamster Re­ McDonnell Douglas the company McDonnell Douglas, Lockheed, past few months there's been a Press pamphlet by Fred Halstead bellion. is demanding takebacks and has and Weber. Sales teams sold be­ heightened receptivity by aero­ - The 1985-86 Hormel Meat­ given notice of contract termina­ tween 20 and 30 Militants and space workers in Southern Califor- Packers Strike in Austin, Min- Coworkers have bought some tion. In response, the United Auto meat-packer pamphlets at each 50 subscriptions at the McDonnell Workers (U AW) has set a strike meeting. Douglas - Long Beach plant over authorization vote for November At Lockheed and McDonnell the past year. 23. SELLING OUR PRESS Douglas-Torrance meetings, sales When anyone tells me that Retirees have been especially teams set up tables that received a AT THE PLANT GATE workers are "apathetic," I point vocal in objections to the company lot of interest. out how many people in our build­ proposal for workers and retirees ing have bought subscriptions; Over I ,000 Socialist Workers nia to the Militant, Perspectiva nesota - have amounted to more to pay certain costs on health in­ have purchased pamphlets and election campaign leaflets were also Mundial, and Pathfinder Press than 250. In addition, 65 have surance. A two-day protest picket books on South Africa, Grenada, given out at the McDonnell Doug­ books. bought subscriptions to the Mili­ line was held outside the Long Malcolm X, and the Hormel las-Torrance Machinists meeting. My coworkers have shown par­ tant and Perspectiva Mundial. Beach plant during shift change. strike; and have participated in Greg Jackson, the SWP candidate ticular interest in coverage on Regular plant-gate sales outside As many as 500 Machinist and anti-apartheid demonstrations. UAW retirees attended. A number for lieutenant governor, works at South Africa and Nicaragua, espe­ McDonnell Douglas-Long Beach the Torrance plant. cially with the latest demonstra­ have helped to familiarize workers In the Los Angeles area, Inter­ of them bought the Pathfinder tions against apartheid and be­ inside the plant with the two publi­ national Association of Machinists pamphlet on the meat-packers' fight. Bob Custer is a member of UA W cause of the U.S. government's cations. One coworker who occa­ and United Auto Workers contract Local 148 and works at the war drive in Central America. sionally purchased the Militant at negotiations have been going on Recently, mass meetings for McDonnell Douglas- Long Beach Since the beginning of the sub- our plant gate has since bought a with McDonnell Douglas, Lock- voting on contract proposals have plant. Subscription and fund drives go over the top

Continued from front page ent colored notices reminding you when paign. your subscription expires. In the last three • New members won to the Young weeks, we've averaged five renewals per Socialist Alliance. day, most for one-year subscriptions. During the drive, at least 10 young Many supporters who participated in the people joined the YSA, and many more are 10,000 campaign are also talking to new considering joining. subscribers in their area about renewing • International sales. their subscriptions. This includes talking to The Militant and PM are internationalist coworkers on the job and students on cam­ publications. Many of the articles in the pus, as well as visiting subscribers at their Militant and PM are firsthand accounts of homes. working-class struggles in other countries. Subscribers are being invited by sales­ An attractive feature of the Militant and people in many cities to attend weekly Mil­ PM is the reporting team based in Mana­ itant Forums and other activities that Mili­ gua, Nicaragua. This bureau has been pro­ tant and PM salespeople are actively par­ viding extensive and up-to-date coverage ticipating in. of the revolutionary developments in that This includes the regional socialist edu­ country since 1979. cational weekends occurring around the A look at the most recent issues of the country - December 5-7, 12-14, and 19- Militant also shows articles from Canada, 21. A feature of the conferences will be a Mexico, Sri Lanka, India, Israel, Zim­ talk on the current U.S. political situation, babwe, Greece, England, the Philippines, followed by a discussion. Classes on such Iceland, and many other countries. topics as: imperialist roots of the U.S. war There are regular Militant subscribers in drive in Central America; the state of the England, Australia, Canada, New Zea­ trade unions; the fight for women's libera­ land, and many other countries. Many tion; the farm crisis; the coming revolution signed up during the fall subscription in South Africa; and democratic rights and drive. the class struggle will also be given. Check Collection of the $100,000 Fall Publica­ with salespeople in your area for more in­ tions Fund means we can continue to offer special subscriptions to the Militant and formation. (See directory on page 12.) PM, as well as other publications such as Thank you again for your support and ef­ fort in making it possible to win 10,000 New International, a magazine of Marxist new readers of the Militant and Perspectiva theory and politics, and Pathfinder Press Mundial and collecting $100,000 for the books and pamphlets. Fall Publications Fund. Like the subscription campaign, the (Next week's issue will run the final sub­ $100,000 Publications Fund success was a scription scoreboard because many sub­ result of a broad effort. Many contributors included longtime readers of the Militant. scriptions sold as of November 15 will not arrive at the business office until after our Some were new subscribers to the publica­ press deadline.) tions; others were first-time purchasers of Socialist literature tal)le at recent Seattle antiwar demonstration. Pathfinder Press books. Renewal campaign Fall Subscription Scoreboard As many of you know, the business of­ fice has been sending out a series of differ- Goals Sold Goals Sold Perspectiva Perspectiva % Perspectiva Perspectiva % Fall Publications Fund Area Militant Mundial Militant Mundial Sold Area Militant Mundial Militant Mundial Sold I wish to New Paltz, N.Y. 5 9 180 New York 500 250 478 303 104 help the fund. $102,000 San Francisco 170 80 199 109 123 Detroit 260 30 266 34 103 Columbus, Ohio 18 2 23 1 120 Miami 125 40 127 43 103 Charleston, W.Va. 100 0 115 3 118 Greensboro, N.C. 140 /0 144 9 102 Enclosed is: Pledged: $111,300 Milwaukee 100 30 121 32 118 Louisville, Ky. 115 /0 118 9 102 SanJose, Calif. 200 100 216 122 113 Philadelphia 175 50 193 34 101 $500 Washington, D.C. 160 40 173 51 112 St. Louis 235 5 228 14 101 Over Boston 235 65 269 60 110 Toledo, Ohio 100 5 99 6 100 $100 the Capital District, N.Y. 125 /0 134 14 110 Des Moines, Iowa 200 0 188 2 95 top! 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Checks should be made out to the Totals 8,500 1,500 8,374 2,214 106 Publications Fund. to be on schedule 8,500 1,500 100

4 The Militant November 28, 1986 Socialist campaign: a voice for working people in struggle

BY FRED FELDMAN nor of Texas. [MPLDYfES Or "The struggles against war, union-bust­ Many of the campaigns opened with a Hti:I3RFW ing, and fann foreclosures will be there massive effort to get thousands of people to Nt\T l O!Vt\1* after the elections, and the Socialist Work­ sign petitions supporting the socialists' ~-, ers Party will be there fighting along with right to be on the ballot. More than 40,000 other working people," declared Tom Jaax signed up in New York, 30,000 in Illinois, at a November 2 preelection rally in St. 9,000 in Ohio, and thousands more in other STRIKE Paul, Minnesota. Jaax, a laid-off gannent states. ·~--~.~.·~- worker, was the Socialist Workers Party As a result of this effort, 25 socialist candidate for governor of Minnesota. candidates were on the ballot. In Ohio, "Our campaign, unlike those of the Re­ West Virginia, and Massachusetts, how­ publican and Democratic politicians, has ever, officials barred the socialists from the centered on issues that are vital to working ballot, even though they had collected people," Jaax stated. "We have defended more than the required number of signa­ Militant/Michael Baumann the Nicaraguan revolution, and have ar­ tures. New York gubernatorial candidate Theresa Delgadillo (right) backing strikers at Hebrew National meat-packing plant. gued for and participated in united actions In some states, such as California, the to oppose Washington's contra war. number of signatures required was so "We have supported and publicized the massive as to compel the candidates to seek Socialist Workers slate from the other can­ similar fighting movement to stop the U.S. fight of meat-packers in Austin, Min­ write-in votes instead of petitioning for a didates: "Every other politician and party war in Central America." nesota, and elsewhere against Harmel's ballot spot. has beat on us, but these guys haven't." Amy Husk, candidate for U.S. Senate union-busting actions," the candidate con­ The socialist candidates actively sup­ The support-group meeting listened from Oregon, was endorsed by the newspa­ tinued. "We pointed to the example these ported strikes, antiwar and anti-apartheid closely as Nimtz, who had just returned per Just Out, which orients to Portland­ workers set by using their union to fight for protests, and actions in defense of working from a two-month stay in Nicaragua, de­ area gays, lesbians, and supporters of their their interests, and to reach out for support fanners. scribed both the impact of the brutal war democratic rights. to the labor movement throughout the In Georgia, senatorial candidate Maceo Washington is waging and the gains Nica­ The October issue declared: "Husk has United States and in other countries. Dixon supported striking Hapeville auto raguan workers and fanners are making de­ been an activist in the women's movement "We have stood on the side of the farm­ workers. Sam Manuel, SWP candidate for spite this. for more than a decade and is a member of ers who are fighting against foreclosures U.S. Senate from California, went to Wat­ Across the country, the SWP candi­ NOW and the Coalition of Labor Union and for a fann price system that guarantees sonville, California, to express solidarity dates' strong support for Nicaragua con­ Women. Husk has visited Nicaragua and them a living income," Jaax explained. with striking cannery workers at a city trasted with the open hostility to its revolu­ calls for an end to U.S. aggression in Cen­ council hearing there. tionary government expressed by Republi­ tral America. Employed as a textile worker Working-class fighters Theresa Delgadillo, SWP candidate for can and Democratic contenders. at Pendleton Woolen Mills, Husk is a These were themes struck not only by governor of New York, urged workers and Jon Hillson, the SWP candidate for Con­ member of the Amalgamated Clothing and the SWP campaign in Minnesota, but by all fanners to back the strike of dairy fanners gress from the 8th C. D. of Massachusetts, Textile Workers Union. A vote for Amy 62 socialist candidates who ran for office in who are demanding decent prices from the appeared on several platforms with his op­ Husk says no to mainstream politics." 23 states and the District of Columbia in big dairies for their milk. ponents. "It's time to say 'enough' to a The socialist campaigns placed all of the past elections. U.S. Congress in which not a single voice today's battles and issues in a broad politi­ Unlike the lawyers and businessmen speaks up to say that the Nicaraguan revo­ Speaking in Austin cal perspective. "We explain the connec­ who crowded the Republican and Demo­ lution has been a great advance for the Nic­ tion among these struggles," Jaax cratic tickets, the SWP candidates were Jaax and August Nimtz, the SWP candi­ araguan people," he declared at one such explained in his speech to the St. Paul working people. They included rail worker date for lieutenant governor of Minnesota, meeting. rally. "We recognize them as not being Deborah Lazar, who ran for mayor of spoke to 60 people October 28 at a meeting Jane Roland represented the campaign conflicts between working people and indi­ Washington, D.C.; auto workers such as of the Austin United Support Group, which of Rich Stuart for U.S. Senator at a meet­ vidual employers, bankers, or individual Alvino Carrillo, the SWP candidate for has played a central role in rallying support ing of 250 students at North Carolina Ag­ warmongers," he said, "but as a struggle U.S. Congress from Kansas City, Mis­ for the fighting Hormel meat-packers. ricultural and Technical State University. against a ruling class that exploits and op­ souri; coal miners such as David Hurst, Previous support-group meetings had A representative of Democratic candidate presses us. who ran for U.S. Congress from Utah's 3rd heard Democratic and Republican candi­ (and now senator-elect) Terry Sanford also "Electing Democrats and Republicans C.D.; and oil refinery workers such as dates. One meat-packer summed up how attended. who say they have good intentions is no an­ Willie Mae Reid, the candidate for gover- he saw the differences separating the "It was students at A&T who helped in­ swer," Jaax pointed out. "The solution is to spire the movement for Black rights in the take political power out of the hands of this 1960s when they sat in at segregated Wool­ ruling class and place it in the hands of the 1 worths lunch counters and demanded to be working class and farmers- just like what Special offer for New International' served," Roland said. "Today we need a has happened in Nicaragua." if you renew your 1Militant' subscription If you renew your Militant sub­ "Land Reform and Cooperatives scription today, you'll receive free in Cuba" Puerto Rico, Hawaii tea111s an issue of New International, a • Vol. 2, No.2- Fall1985 magazine of Marxist politics and "The Coming Revolution in theory, published in New York. South Africa" by Jack Barnes help top subscription goal Or for only $10 you can receive "The Future Belongs to the all of the five issues of New Interna­ Majority," Speech by Oliver Tambo BY MALIK MIAH team has sold 160 subscriptions, most of tional that have appeared - a big "Cuba's Internationalist Volun­ The efforts of 16 national traveling them to PM. Its goal was 150. saving. teers in Angola," Speech by Fidel teams were key to surpassing the national YSA leader Greg Rosenberg, head of the The following is a partial listing Castro subscription goal of 10,000 new readers to Hawaii team, reports especially good sales of the contents of the issues: Fill out the coupon below to re­ the Militant and the Spanish-language to workers. "Of the 42 new Militant sub­ monthly Perspectiva Mundial. scribers," Rosenberg said, "a majority are • Vol. 1, No.1- Fall1983 ceive the special offers. Checks can be made out to the Militant. This includes two teams still on the road trade unionists, with most also buying "Their Trotsky and Ours: Com­ today: in the U.S. colony of Puerto Rico copies of the Pathfinder Press pamphlet munist Continuity Today" by Jack and the state of Hawaii. The 1985-86 Harmel Meat-Packers Strike Barnes Please send me: Young Socialist Alliance national leader in Austin, Minnesota." "Lenin and the Colonial Ques­ The team received an excellent response tion" by Carlos Rafael Rodriguez D One-year Militant renewal Laura Garza heads the team in Puerto Rico. subscription and free New at the sugar miii in the town of Waialua, • Vol. 1, No.2- Winter 1983- She phoned in from Mayagiiez to report International. (Specify NI that the team set up a table at the University Rosenberg noted. This plant, which em­ 84 Vol. __ No.__ de­ ploys nearly 400 workers, is organized by "The Working-Class Road to of Puerto Rico there with the aid and spon­ sired.) $24. sorship of the FUPI (a pro-independence International Longshoremen's and Ware­ Peace" by Brian Grogan housemen's Union Local 142. The ILWU "The Development of the Marxist D Six-month renewal and free student federation). New International. (Specify "The president of the FUPI chapter represents 23,000 workers in Hawaii. Position on the Aristocracy of Rosenberg reported that Militant sup­ Labor" by Steve Clark Vol. __ No. __) $15. stayed with the team all day, calling over his friends and helping to sell subscrip­ porters "attended a union meeting held on "The Social Roots of Oppor­ D All five issues of New Interna­ the front lot of the mill where team member tunism" by Gregory Zinoviev tional (without Militant re­ tions," she said. "In two days at the univer­ sity, almost 70 subscriptions were sold." Mike Downs, an ILWU member from Los • Vol.1,No.3-Spring-Summer newal). $10. Angeles, explained why the team was in 1984 D One issue of New International Rafael Cancel Miranda, a national hero Hawaii." Downs described the current "The Workers' and Farmers' Vol. __ No. __ $3. because of his longtime participation in the stage of the Hormel company's attacks on Government: A Popular Revolu­ D Subscription to New Interna­ fight for independence, showed the team meat-packers and the importance of build­ tionary Dictatorship" by Mary­ tional. $12 for three issues. the industrial "free zone" of Mayagiiez. ing solidarity with these workers. His re­ Alice Waters Current issue sent free. Cancel said this area has been heavily con­ marks were received with applause, "Imperialism and Revolution in Name ______taminated by U.S. tuna companies operat­ Rosenberg noted. Latin America and the Caribbean" ing there. Address ______"Afterward, seven ILWU members by Manuel Pineiro She reported that Estudio Libre, a local bought subscriptions," Rosenberg re­ "The FSLN and the Nicaraguan City ______bookstore where many activists gather, ported, "along with the pamphlet on the Revolution" by Tomas Borge State. Zip ____ "bought two one-year subscriptions to PM Hormel meat-packers' struggle, which • Vol. 2, No. 1-Spring 1985 and several Pathfinder Press titles in many had heard about." "The Workers' and Farmers' Al­ Clip and mail to the Militant, 14 Spanish, and took extra subscription forms The team also sold outside the Dole liance in the U.S.," articles by Jack Charles Lane, New York, N.Y. to place in their bookstore for their custom­ Pineapple Cannery plant gate in Honolulu, Barnes and Doug Jenness 10014. ers." selling 12 Militants, four pamphlets on the After nearly two weeks on the island, the Hormel strike, and one subscription.

November 28, 1986 The Militant 5 Calif. health-care strikers rally support

BY ANiBAL YANEz plains a union leaflet. This way, the strik­ AND GREG NELSON ers have effectively undercut the com­ OAKLAND, Calif.- In an impressive pany's attempts to blame the workers for demonstration of strength and unity, more any "inconvenience" during the "labor dis­ than 5,000 striking health-care workers pute." and community supporters marched on the An issue of the strike bulletin "On the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan headquar­ Line" reported that more than 100 Northern ters here November 13. California unions, representing hundreds The militancy and breadth of the action of thousands of Kaiser enrollees, had sent was important as the strike, which began telegrams to Kaiser Chairman James Vohs on October 27, is now in its fourth week. threatening to pull members out of the Kaiser is insisting that a new two-tier wage Kaiser Health Plan unless the corporation scale form the basis of further negotiations. settles soon. "Unless the union accepts the two-tier con­ Kaiser Registered Nurses for Quality cept as a framework for the negotiations, a Care reports that more than half the nurses settlement is not possible," Kaiser official are refusing to cross the picket lines. The Daniel Danzig told the Oakland Tribune nurses held rallies throughout Northern November 12. California on November 3 in solidarity After more than two and a half months with the strikers. of negotiations, the workers rejected a pro­ Two hundred pickets and supporters posal to cut pay for new employees 30 per­ marched outside the Kaiser Santa Teresa cent and freeze wages of current employ­ Hospital in south San Jose on November 8. ees. They had gathered the night before in an "We know from the experience of union open field across from the hospital in a tent brothers and sisters who have been forced city. These activities were organized by the to work under two-tier wage systems that Strike Support Committee of the Central employees working side by side at different Labor Council of Santa Clara County. wage rates would further endanger patient Buses brought strikers and their support­ care services by sowing seeds of dissen­ ers to the November 13 action from sion," explains Local 250 of the Service throughout the Bay Area and from at least a Employees International Union (SEIU), dozen cities and towns in Northern Califor­ which represents most of the 10,000 strik­ nia. Many other unions joined the protest. ing workers. The march to the Kaiser headquarters stretched over a mile. When it arrived at According to a strike bulletin, Kaiser is Anfbal Yanez the Kaiser offices, the chanting throng eas­ Ten thousand workers have been on strike since the end of October at Kaiser Health the largest and richest health-care corpora­ ily surrounded the steel and glass sky­ Care Plan facilities in Northern California. The workers are fighting Kaiser's at­ tion in the world. Last year its revenues scraper. tempt to impose a two-tier contract and other takebacks. were more than $4 billion, and its net prof­ its were $359 million. Arrayed against this powerful health-for-profit organization in its drive to wrest concessions that· would squeeze the workers and shortchange pa­ Black farmers discuss loss ofland tients is a coalition called United Kaiser Unions. BY STUART CROME cember this year. fered by them. SUMPTER, S.C. -About 150 people A panel of farmers featured Hezekiah Larry Rogers of the FmHA said that the It includes Hospital Workers Union met here on October 24 to discuss the crisis Gibson, who blasted discrimination against only type of farm that has a chance today Local 250 (SEIU), medical laboratory facing working farmers, particularly Black Black farmers and the high rate of land loss are the "part-time" operations that have technologists organized by Engineers and farmers. The majority of the participants in Black farmers face. He pledged to continue nonfarm income as a supplement. He Scientists of California (MEBA), and Opti­ the South Carolina Land Use and Land to farm despite the many obstacles. "I in­ blamed "unfair competition" and the $150 cal Workers Union Local 505 (SEIU), as Loss Conference were Black family farm­ tend to be the last Black farmer in the billion annual trade deficit for the problems well as cafeteria and office workers, ers. United States, even if I have to farm at the facing farmers. nurses, stationary engineers, and others. This was the first time a statewide con­ state penitentiary or the federal peniten­ Reynolds Wilborn, the regional vice­ From the start, Kaiser workers have also ference of this type was held, and a wide tiary," he said. "Blacks were brought here president of the Federal Land Bank, stated looked for broader labor solidarity and range of ideas and perspectives was dis­ from Africa and never received the benefits that $13 billion is owed to federal banks in community support to help in their fight. A cussed. The meeting was sponsored by from their labor." "non-viable" loans, that is, loans to farm­ few weeks before contract negotiations ex­ several state agricultural agencies and Pointing to solutions, he stated, "First of ers who are further in debt than the net pired, members of the health-care workers' cooperatives. all, small farmers need to come together worth of their property. "We will foreclose unions leafleted plant gates throughout the The keynote speaker at the gathering and plan some strategies. For anything that on hopeless cases," he warned. was Booker Whatley, who has been active happens from here on out, it's going to be Bay Area explaining their demands. J .M. Sprott of the National Bank of in assistance programs and lobbying efforts up to us to make it happen." After the strike began, they urged pa­ South Carolina put the blame solely on the on behalf of working farmers. He men­ Gibson and other speakers also pointed tients to go into Kaiser facilities despite the government and said that the banks have no tioned a number of other farmer confer­ to the false promises of the Democratic and picket lines. "Don't take no for an answer control over the situation. "We have to do when it comes to your medical care," ex- ences taking place in November and De- Republican party politicians. Joseph De­ Laine, another panelist, said, "Politicians what Congress tells us to do," he said. come up with a lot of rhetoric, and mostly "The farm problem is not a production what they're saying is lies ... or let's say, problem; selling is the problem;' he con­ Cops herd scabs into Wis. plant untruths." tinued. "Everyone makes a profit after the Manuel Walker, another farmer, said, "I farm commodity is sold by the farmer." can't see how the government and the pres­ The only hope he could offer to small farm­ BY BILL BREIHAN strenuous jobs now have. ident even planned to do us any good. ers was a prediction that in three years, AND PAT GROGAN "We just can't live with it. We just can't Since 1979, I haven't been able to borrow land prices will increase significantly. He WAUKESHA, Wis.- Four and a half live with what they want us to take. That's said, "The free enterprise system simply years ago workers at Quality Aluminum the bottom line," a worker with 22 years in money." Also attending the conference were bank does not work with farming." Casting Co. here agreed to take a 25 per­ the plant said, explaining their decision to representatives and representatives of the There was general agreement among the cent cut in wages and benefits. In exchange strike. Others nodded in agreement. Farmers Home Administration (FmHA). farmers in attendance on the need to con­ they were promised job security, fair treat­ The company's president, Charles ment, and a "spirit of partnership." McMullen, refused to budge an inch on They spoke at a panel on financial re­ tinue these discussions and to provide more Today, the 197 members of United Auto any major issue in negotiations with the sources for small farmers. No solutions to opportunities for farmers to get together and talk over these questions. Workers Local 445, joined by their union. As the strike entered its sixth week, the crisis working farmers face were of- families and supporters, are standing on the he announced the decision to hire scabs to picket line as police in riot gear herd scabs break the strike. On November 3, the into the struck plant. Waukesha city police, the Waukesha Campaign rights victory scored When the contract expired October 1 , County police, and the sheriff's depart­ the foundry owners demanded further cuts ment showed up in force to herd the first 25 BY JEANNETTE TRACY chairperson of the Louisville S WP, was the in wages and benefits ranging from 15 to scabs across the angry picket line. The LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A federal court party's candidate for U.S. Senate in the 35 percent depending on job classification, police formed a wedge with shields to clear has barred the Enro Shirt Co. from interfer­ November 4 election. the complete elimination of cost-of-living a way through the strikers and their sup­ ing with election campaign activity at the increases (COLA), and the gutting of porters. The suit against Enro is part of a broader bus stop in front of its factory here. seniority protection. The company's offer Every morning at 6:30a.m. the strikers fight for the right to distribute political lit­ would scrap dental coverage entirely, cut show up in big numbers on the picket line. Circuit Judge Earl O'Bannon issued the erature in Louisville. On September 6 Mil­ vacations and paid holidays, and force So far, police have arrested two and maced temporary injunction in response to a suit itant salespeople and socialist election workers to pay hefty - and sometimes five others. filed by the Socialist Workers Party. The campaigners were ordered to leave The prohibitive- premiums for medical care. There is only one woman worker at the American Civil Liberties Union provided Belvedere, a public plaza owned by the Treatment of workers in the foundry had plant, but a big percentage of the picket legal counsel for the suit. The SWP is ask­ city, during the Kentucky Fried Chicken been getting steadily worse. Harassment line is women, as wives and other family ing for a permanent injunction. Bluegrass Festival. They were threatened for absenteeism was intense, and virtually members come out to support the strike. with arrest and told they did not have the The company had attempted to bar SWP no excuses were accepted. One worker told The ages range from the 87-year-old father right to distribute literature within a one­ campaign supporters from distributing the of one of the strikers to small children. of the plaza. the Militant he was disciplined because he Militant and other literature at the bus stop block radius left work to rush to the hospital where his Local 445 President Lupe Jimenez told on the pretext that the road is a private one Similar threats have been made against wife had been admitted for a miscarriage. distributors of antiwar literature. the Militant that many unions in the Mil­ and that literature distribution is disruptive Supervisors carried out "vendettas" against "We are not going to be intimidated," waukee area, where Waukesha is located, because it causes workers to gather in the workers who refused voluntary overtime. have already contacted the strikers to offer said Taylor. "We are going to exercise our area. The company's "final offer" would im­ solidarity. Members of the Teamsters', democratic right to get out our ideas to pose mandatory overtime and would even Steelworkers', Machinists', and Allied In­ "This decision helps defend the right of working people. We will work with and eliminate the two 10-minute breaks mol­ dustrial Workers' unions have joined the all working people to express their political support others who face this kind of harass­ ders and others in the hottest and most picket lines. ideas," declared Marilee Taylor. Taylor, ment."

6 The Militant November 28, 1986 Bosses use lockout weapon to push back steelworkers BY FRED FELDMAN ployers have so far refrained from a step It has now been almost four months that would be very risky for them. since the USX corporation shut down its steel-making operations, locking 21,000 Lockout sign of difficulties steelworkers out of their jobs. The USX bosses' use of the lockout tac­ The lockout began July 31 shortly after tic also signifies the company's economic USX negotiators rejected an offer by the difficulties. The big U.S. steel firms face United Steelworkers of America to work intensifying competition for profits with past the contract deadline. The USW A steel firms in other countries and at home. offer was to continue under the terms of the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Malcolm 1983 takeback contract until a new pact Baldridge recently estimated that the cur­ could be negotiated. rent U.S. yearly steel-producing capacity The company demanded instead a $3.50 of 128 million tons would have to be re­ cut in wages and benefits, no restric­ duced by at least 40 million tons to enable tions on replacing union labor with nonun­ U.S. firms to compete successfully for ion contractors, and reduction of job classi­ profits. fications from 33 to 9 - or the plant gates Such a shakeout means more plant clos­ would close. These were even greater cuts ings and more bankruptcies and mergers than had just been negotiated with other among the big steel firms. The request by Locked out steelworkers outside gates of USX mill in Clairton, Pennsylvania. Trans­ steel companies. LTV corporation for protection under forming the lockout into a union fightback against USX is needed. The company negotiators knew, of Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy law is course, that the USW A would have to re­ an example. ject this "offer." USX had already begun to USX remains the strongest of the U.S. The USWA officialdom met USX's sav­ the AFL-CIO to mobilize as many of the shut down a number of mills days before. steelmakers and the only one to report a age use of the lockout weapon with what 21,000 USX workers as possible and their The company is counting on convincing profit from its steel operations since the the officials portray as a high-powered 23,000 laid-off brothers and sisters to get workers that victory is impossible. USX 1983 takeback contract. campaign. The USWA convention last Au­ out the facts and mobilize solidarity in the gust pledged union resources to the fight. labor movement. expects the resulting demoralization, plus But USX's problems and the resulting A committee of top AFL-CIO officials has A top priority should be appealing for mounting debts and mortgage foreclosure discontent among its stockholders was threats, to force the workers to accept com­ been set up to organize labor solidarity support from workers at Marathon Oil, highlighted by the takeover bid of TWA with the USX workers. The committee has Texas Oil and Gas, and other USX opera­ pany demands as the price of being allowed Chairman Carl Icahn. back to work. promised to raise funds, mobilize other tions that have not been shut down. Union negotiators had initially offered to One area of intensifying competition unionists to join picket lines at USX plants, USX workers could fan out to meetings accept a wage freeze and some benefit among the steel barons is over who can hold rallies against the lockout, leaflet of union locals and other union bodies takebacks in the new contract. They pro­ best bolster profits by ripping the most out Marathon Oil outlets about the antilabor at­ across the country, and in Canada and posed putting more restrictions on the use of steelworkers' wages and benefits, and tack by USX, and take other steps. other countries as well. They could explain of nonunion contractors. by imposing the most brutal speedup and But, in fact, there has been no broad the threat that the lockout and contract There were no further negotiations until job combinations. mobilization even of USX workers - takebacks demanded by USX pose to all USX agreed to reopen them on October 21. "Only a few basic steel companies may much less of the ranks of the USW A and unions. Reaching out in this way to the survive," USX negotiator J. Bruce the labor movement as a whole. ranks of labor would lay the basis for truly Spread of lockouts Johnston wrote in a threatening letter to Picket lines at plant gates have been con­ massive labor rallies and demonstrations Many states allow workers who are vic­ workers after the lockout began. "There are tinued, and scores of workers have been ar­ against USX. tims of lockouts to receive unemployment not enough seats in the steel lifeboat for rested for defending their right to picket The accomplishments of the Austin, compensation. USX, in an effort to prevent everybody." and opposing company efforts to ship steel Minnesota, meat-packers in getting out the from the mills. Rallies of several hundred truth and winning solidarity from the labor its employees from receiving their bene­ Preparing for lockout fits, labeled its shutdown a "strike." De­ opponents of the lockout have been held in movement for their fight with Hormel indi­ spite this, state officials in Ohio, Indiana, Lockouts are risky tactics for the em­ Gary, Indiana; Lorain, Ohio; and other cates what the much larger force of 45,000 Texas, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania ap­ ployers. They are aimed at wearing down, areas. USX steelworkers could do. proved USX workers' request for compen­ dividing, and demoralizing workers. But if The militancy of steelworkers on the Taking such steps now could begin to sation. Illinois and Utah officials said no. the unions respond massively to the attack, picket lines during the four months of the transform the company lockout of USW A The big-business media has mostly lined the workers can seize the offensive and lockout shows the anger that has built up members into a union fightback against the up with USX in calling the lockout a strike. lockouts can be transformed into strikes. A against four years of takebacks by USX. employers' offensive. Barring a fightback, The October 28 Wall Street Journal, for in­ big battle can result, and the bosses can be That anger needs to be mobilized for a real the prolonged lockout is likely to produce a stance, labeled it "the first nationwide forced to retreat. fight against the company's blackmail. contract that deals a major blow to the USX strike against the steelmaker since 1959." But that hasn't happened so far in the Turning the situation around would re­ workers, the USWA, and the whole union Nothing could be further from the truth. USX lockout. The company continues to quire using the resources of the USW A and movement. In 1959 there was a strike. It was steel­ hold the initiative. workers, not the employers, who shut The USX bosses have been preparing for down the mills of all the major steel corpo­ a confrontation with the union since they rations. They did it for 116 days. The Oil workers, local residents and other steel employers imposed the $1 .4 unionists countered company demands billion 1983 takeback contract. These with their own calls for wage increases and preparations included violating the contract job rights, and did not return to work until protest refinery danger by bringing in subcontractors to do union a contract that included some important work, while laying off union members. BY CLAIRE MORIARTY ing you aware of the critical situation that gains had been approved. The purchase of Marathon Oil and Texas MARCUS HOOK, Pa. - Local resi­ can make your and our safety virtually non­ But in the current conflict USX shut Oil and Gas also put the company in a bet­ dents joined unionists here November 3 to existent." down the plants, and negotiations have re­ ter position to bear the costs of a lockout in protest a BP/Sohio plan to pull refinery "BP Oil doesn't care about your safety volved around how much steelworkers its steel operations. While USX attempts to operators off their work stations and train and well-being one bit," the leaflet con­ must give up before they are permitted to wait out the steelworkers, it continues to them to perform maintenance tasks. tinued. "All they care about is raking in return to work. reap profits from workers in its other enter­ The plan, which was implemented by enormous profits, at your expense." prises. Unlike strikes, which are weapons of the BP on the day of the rally, would leave the The leaflet provided the phone numbers workers, lockouts are weapons of the em­ USW A officials responded to these steps refinery understaffed and the nearby com­ of BP management personnel and urged ployers against the workers. Moreover, the by attempting to take advantage of the stiff munity vulnerable in case of accident. community residents to call them. employers are using this weapon more competition among the steel companies. Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Several women from the neighborhood often these days. "More and more com­ By agreeing to major takeback contracts in Local 8-234 President Wayne Slivenski attended the November 3 protest, joining panies are adopting the lockout tactic to 1985 and 1986 with Wheeling-Pittsburgh, explained, "They're taking operators off the 100 or so OCAW members massed out­ force further concessions from give-back­ LTV, National, and Bethlehem Steel, their units, offsite, and out of position if an side the refinery. They carried signs read­ weary unions," reported Winston Williams union negotiators hoped to isolate the USX emergency should happen. Some operators ing, "BP puts profits before safety" and in the October 5 New York Times. owners and confront them with the pros­ would have to run a quarter mile to get "Refining minus safety equals disaster." pect of losing customers to competitors back to their units. In the meantime, a One resident, Steelworkers union mem­ Recent victims of lockouts have in­ during a lockout. catastrophic accident could occur." ber Rose Smith, said she had called the cluded workers employed by Deere & Co., When negotiations began with USX, "Some units are only being staffed by mayor to complain. "Residents don't have Oscar Mayer, Brooklyn Union Gas, and USW A officials had already given up an one operator," added union shop steward a union to protect us," Smith said. "This others. arm and a leg. They faced USX in a weak­ John Lamplugh. BP had promised to staff company is making millions, and it wants Sometimes companies attempt to keep er, not a stronger, position. the units with additional qualified to cut workers' jobs at our expense." plants open by hiring scabs, while locking USW A officials have continued their operators, he said, "but BP's idea of a BP first raised its plan during contract out union members. Some 370 workers, course of attempting, wherever possible, to qualified operator is any foreman who can negotiations last February, then withdrew members of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic collaborate with the employers to improve yell 'Fire!'" it after a similar show of strength by Local Workers, have been locked out by BASF the companies' profits. When informed of the plan, Local 8-234 8-234. Now, the union has filed notice that Wyandotte Corp. at its Geismar, The contract signed with Armco, three called the November 3 rally at an it will strike on January 31 unless the com­ Louisiana, plant since June 1984. The months after the USX lockout began, fur­ emergency union meeting, then dispatched pany backs off. company has run the plant with what it ther weakened the union's bargaining po­ leafleting teams to warn area residents of "What BP couldn't get during negotia­ calls temporary contract workers. sition with USX. The contract took back the potential danger. tions they're now attempting to get during So far USX has made no move to reopen $3.25 an hour from workers in the Balti­ "We, the Executive Board of Local 8- the life of the contract," said Slivenski. the struck steel mills with scab labor. Such more mill, $2.25 from workers in the Kan­ 234 and its members, care about your "They don't feel we're unified enough to a move would be a serious escalation of the sas City, Missouri, mill, and froze wages safety and well-being," read the union accomplish anything, to fight them on it. attack on the Steelworkers' union. The em- at the works in Ashland, Kentucky. flyer. "It is for this reason that we are mak- The rally today was to show them we are."

November 28, 1986 The Militant 7 'What unites us?' Burkina Faso president speaks in Nicaragua

Thomas Sankara, president of the West perialism. The fascists and racists that exist the [Contadora] Support Group, parties, African country of Burkina Faso, was a in South Africa created apartheid against organizations, or other international or­ featured speaker at a massive rally in Ma­ the Blacks. ganizations that have decided to support nagua, Nicaragua, on November 8. the just cause of Nicaragua. You have all The demonstration celebrated the 25th 'Fight of all the peoples' my congratulations, because imperialism anniversary of the founding of the San­ The struggle against apartheid is not has many and varied maneuvers to try to dinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) only the struggle of Black people; it is the stop you from supporting the Nicaraguans. and the lOth anniversary of the death of fight of all the peoples who want to live FSLN founder Carlos Fonseca. Fonseca free and united. This struggle belongs to all Salute Carlos Fonseca was killed in combat by troops of Nicara­ the peoples of the entire world, and we Af­ Nicaraguan comrades, today we cele­ guan dictator Anastasio Somoza. ricans demand the participation of every­ brate together the 25th anniversary of the Sankara spoke on behalf of the 180 inter­ one. The people and the leaders who do not Sandinista National Liberation Front. national delegations that came from politi­ participate in the struggle against apartheid Today we also salute the memory of Carlos cal parties and national liberation move­ are traitors. They are traitors because yes­ Fonseca. The only way and the best way ments in 80 countries. terday the Africans shed their blood to fight for each one of you to pay tribute to Carlos Sankara became president of Burkina against Nazism, for the benefit of the Fonseca is for the entire people to see to it Faso (formerly Upper Volta) in 1983 as the peoples of Europe and elsewhere. Today, it that every square centimeter of Nicaragua result of a revolutionary upsurge in that is a question of shedding blood against becomes a square centimeter of dignity and country. apartheid and for the well-being of our freedom. The translation is by the Militant. peoples. The contras must be destroyed. The con­ Comrades, I would like to ask you to ob­ tras are stinking corpses that must be de­ * * * serve a minute of silence in remembrance stroyed. The contras are jackals that do not Comrades, members of the National Di­ of [Mozambique President] Samora deserve any respect. The contras are people rectorate of the Sandinista National Libera­ Machel, that great fighter for African free­ who have sold their hearts to serve im­ Militant/Ernest Harsch tion Front. Comrades, members of the for­ dom. perialism. President Thomas Sankara of African eign delegations. Militant brothers and sis­ I thank you. country of Burkina Faso spoke to mas­ ters: We say that the struggle of the Nicara­ But you, you have the duty of standing up to the bombardments, the mining of sive November 8 rally in Managua, Nic­ First of all, I would like to thank you for guan people must be supported by each one aragua. the warm welcome we have received here of us throughout the world. We must sup­ your ports, and against economic pres­ in Managua. I also want to express the port Nicaragua because if Nicaragua is de­ sures. It is the duty of each Nicaraguan to pride we feel in speaking in the name of all stroyed, it would be a breach in the well­ repulse imperialism's puppets and exploiters of the people! Down with the the foreign delegations. being of the other peoples of the entire marionettes, the contras. enemies of Nicaragua! world. We come from far away, some from We want to take the time to thank you in Long live the Sandinista National Liber­ very far away, thousands of miles away. This is why we must wage a political and the name of revolutionary Burkina Faso. ation Front! But what is important is what unites us diplomatic struggle to support Nicaragua. We want to thank you in the name of all the with the Nicaraguans, who are so different We must support Nicaragua economically. progressive and revolutionary countries Eternal life to Carlos Fonseca! from us, apart from the color of our skin. We must popularize the struggle of the that are represented here. Likewise, we Eternal glory to the revolutionary What unites us with Nicaragua, which is Nicaraguan people throughout the world. want to thank you in the name of all the fra­ friendship between the peoples! so far from us? It is not geographical dis­ And here we must congratulate all the ternal parties that are here. No pasaran! tance. We are united in establishing the peoples throughout the world who support Together with you, we say: Down with No pasaran! freedom and well-being of the people. We Nicaragua, whether they are the countries imperialism! Down with colonialism! No pasaran! are united to establish justice for the of the Contadora Group, the countries of Down with neocolonialism! Down with the Muchas gracias. people. And we are united because we are resolute in the face of the enemies of the people. All the delegations here measure the Assassination protested in Philippines strength of the struggle of the Nicaraguan people. We from around the world join Continued from front page on as a pretext for a military move. He said the KMU was making several your struggle. Throughout the entire investigate the assassinations and man­ demands on the government "because there world, we certainly admire your struggle. In an interview with Militant correspon­ dated it to track down those responsible have been so many killings of our workers Your struggle is just. It is just because it is dent Deb Shnookal in Sydney, Australia, "whatever the costs in political terms." and our union leaders." anti-imperialist. It is just because it is KMU Secretary-General Bob Ortaliz said The president's decision to place top that those responsible for planning the kill­ against the oppressors and the assassins of military men on the panel was criticized as Ouster of Enrile the people. ing of Olalia were "likely to have been the making it less likely that the possible role Enrile group." "First, we want justice for all the victims Your struggle is just because it is against of the armed forces in the killing would be of repression," the union leader said. "Be­ colonialism. And your struggle is just be­ thoroughly investigated. "There have already been other cases of sides this, many groups in the Philippines cause it is the struggle of all the peoples of The armed forces commanders have violence against the officers of the KMU have been calling for the ouster of Enrile, the world. been openly hostile to the KMU. Last July and the house of the late chairman Rolando who is responsible for destabilizing the The Palestinian people fight for freedom Enrile denounced the union federation, Olalia. The former secretary-general, Cris­ country. He is behind the escalation and or­ and happiness. The Namibian people fight blaming its rapid growth on a "systematic pin Beltran, who was released from prison chestration of the anticommunist hysteria." for their independence. Many of our destabilization campaign in the industrial by the new government, has been visited peoples around the world are fighting for sector through party-sponsored labor twice by the military." Ortaliz thanked "the Australian unions, their freedom. strikes and mass actions." Ortaliz pointed out that Olalia had re­ your workers and your people for the sup­ In Africa, we are directly confronting The top military men have also de­ cently explained "that .the KMU would port and solidarity extended to the KMU colonialism, neocolonialism, and im- nounced the KMU as a "front" for the support the Cory Aquino government during our dark days of struggle against Communist Party and have criticized con­ against any attempt of fascist restoration" Marcos. ceding political rights to such organiza­ and that the federation had earlier called for "Now our struggle is at a crucial point, tions as the Party of the Nation. Redbaiting a general strike against any coup attempt. so international solidarity assumes a vital Socialism attacks by the armed forces are frequently "We have been struggling for 18 to 20 importance. So we call on your trade pretexts for terrorist attacks on these years," Ortaliz said when asked whether he unions, your workers, and your govern­ groups. feared he would be the victim of an assassi­ ment to denounce this outrageous, and I on Trial nation attempt. "We have to take the at­ would say dastardly, killingof my chair­ by James P. Cannon Death squads titude of 'live each day.' " man and his driver." The army also retains close links to A clear and simple explana­ scores of private armies linked to the land­ tion of the principles and aims lords, capitalists, and top political figures. of socialism. An excellent in­ Many are officially sponsored by the armed Texas abortion rights defenders troduction for those looking forces under the title of "Civilian Home into socialist ideas for the first Defense Force." picket phony 'pregnancy center' time. The November 13 Washington Post re­ James P. Cannon, as na­ ported that these paramilitary outfits have BY NANCY COLE Texas Baby Rescue, Sep. 20, 1986." "become the lightning rod for protest from HOUSTON - More than 100 support­ tional secretary of the Socialist Longtime reproductive rights spokesper­ human rights activists, church leaders and ers of a woman's right to abortion turned Workers Party, was placed on son Bill Baird was a featured speaker at a members of the radical left, who see the out here November 1 to answer the escalat­ trial in 1941 for "conspiring to brief rally midway through the picket. He citizen militias as legalized death squads ing attacks on area abortion clinics. advocate the overthrow of the denounced the police department for its U.S. govemment." He used terrorizing the population and often acting They picketed the Crisis Pregnancy Cen­ as private security forces for the landed delay, urging the prochoice movement to the platform of the witness ter, one of the growing numbers of fake sue the police for the September 20 action. elite." clinics set up to trick women into antiabor­ stand to present to the Ameri­ Threats of military action against the Baird said he feared if such inaction by the tion counseling. The same building houses police was not stopped in Houston, it can people the ideas of government are now being made more Life Advocates, the major antiabortion would encourage other police departments socialism, which the U.S. gov­ openly. "We will move before the year is group here. to act similar! y across the country. emment sought to suppress by out," naval Capt. Rex Robles proclaimed Sponsored by the Coalition to End Clinic jailing socialist leaders. to theNew York Times. Neither Aquino nor Violence, the picket line was called to re­ Baird exposed the fraud of the so-called 184 pages, $4.95 Armed Forces Chief of Staff Fidel Ramos, spond to an invasion of an abortion clinic right-to-life movement. "These are the A vail able from Pathfinder who claims to support the government, that took place September 20. It took same people who are for the death penalty, bookstores listed on page 12, or have made any move to punish the plotters. Houston police four hours to arrest 18 tres­ the same people who were for the war in by mail from Pathfinder Press, Rumors and threats of a coup are also passers while they disrupted clinic opera­ Vietnam, and the same people who vote 410 West St., New York, N.Y. being used to intimidate the Philippine tions. against funding for food stamps, clothing 10014. Please add 75 cents for workers and farmers. After the murder of Among those in a small countermobili­ and housing," he said. He urged the postage and handling. Olalia, talk was widespread that protests zation on November I were some sporting prochoice forces to continue speaking out against the assassination might be seized T-shirts reading, "Jailed for Life. The First against the attacks on abortion rights.

8 The Militant November 28, 1986 Bosses fight union growth in Philippines Crispin Beltran describes orientation of KMU union federation

Rolando Olalia, who was assassinated all aware of the long period of repression on November 13, was chairman of the during the Marcos time against the work­ three-month-old Party of the Nation (Par­ ers. Now there is a promise by the govern­ tido ng Bayan) and chairman of the May ment to return their democratic rights. And First Movement union federation (KMU). yet, as they are being promised this, the In the following interview Crispin Bel­ economic conditions have not changed at tran, a 30-year veteran of the Philippine all. There is more unemployment now than labor movement, describes the KMU's ori­ before because of the closures of many fac­ gins and its orientation since Philippines tories. President Corazon Aquino's administration These are the basic conditions that have came to power. resulted in the many strikes that we have Beltran was secretary-general of the now. For instance in Cebu 30 strikes were KMU from its founding in 1980 until his under way simultaneously. The political detention by President Ferdinand Marcos' leadership in Cebu charged that the KMU regime in August I982. He is today a was destabilizing the economy there. member of its National Executive Council. But, we should consider the fact that the Felixberto Olalia, referred to in the inter­ minimum wage under our statutes is not view, was the founding chairman of the being respected. The minimum is 57 pesos KMU. He died in December I983, a few a day for eight hours work, but many, months after release from prison. many workers in Cebu receive wages as The interview was obtained by Deb low as 12 pesos a day. In U.S. dollars that Shnookal and Russell Johnson in Manila is only about 60 cents for eight hours. How last August. can you live with this 60 cents in eight hours? * * * Hearing the president's pronouncement Question. Could you explain how the on their rights and then living in the condi­ KMU was formed? tions that they are, it would be impossible Answer. In I980, during the most re­ for KMU to prevent them from striking. pressive years of Marcos, we organized the advanced elements of the workers to cele­ Q. What's behind the closures of fac­ brate May I. We were about 35,000 at that tories? ssell Johnson time. A. We see a combination of three At that May I congress our old man, Crispin Beltran (left) with Rolando Olalia at workers demonstration held in Manila last summer. Olalia was assassinated on November 13. reasons why factories are closing. First, [founding chairman] Mr. [Felixberto] there is really no capital, the government Olalia, suggested we take the name cannot lend additional capital to invest and Kilusang Mayo Uno or May First Move­ character of the union. By relying mainly After that I contacted some people in the support businesses. The credit is so tight. ment. From then on we persevered in or­ on the legal machineries of the government underground who took me away from the Interest rates are so high. So, for the small ganization, expansion, and consolidation. we go nowhere in our struggle for the bet­ Manila area into the provinces where they capitalists, it is very hard for them to con­ Now, after a little more than five years, we terment of the workers. The main thrust of hid me from the military dragnet. While in tinue in business. have some 600,000 members. advancing the workers' struggle is through hiding under an assumed name I helped or­ Second, the backwardness of the econ­ On the other hand, there is the TUCP its organized strength. We call this militant ganize the peasants. omy that is the result of long domination [Trade Union Congress of the Philippines], struggle. After the new government was installed, and control by foreign monopoly which was the principal trade union center The combined force of the elite and the I presented myself to President Aquino and capitalism is stunting business. up to now. The TUCP was organized in government are also supplemented by U.S. she.asked what I would like the new gov­ Third, there is no capitalist now in the November I975, with the assistance of the imperialism, by all imperialist countries ernment to do about me. I told her nothing Philippines that is interested in investing. Asia American Free Labor Institute and the for that matter, that deny the whole more than to be considered like the other They say they are afraid of the instability. Ministry of Labor and Employment of the Filipino people its sovereignty. So we add political prisoners that had been released In fact, Mrs. Aquino, during her dialogue Marcos government. to our orientation the nationalist frame­ since she took office. She said it was okay with businessmen at the Manila Hotel, was According to initial estimates, I.5 mil­ work. and so I regained my legal status. forced to reprimand the investors for not lion members belonged to the federations "Yellow" means unions are used as in­ In the meantime, our lawyers filed ape­ helping her in the economic recovery pro­ that formed the TUCP. They provided a struments by the capitalists to subvert the tition in the courts to dismiss my cases of gram. mass arena for the Marcos dictatorship to interests of the workers. In fact, our yellow rebellion and sedition, which were accord­ All the workers understand is that they propagate its policies to the people. unions now are subsidized by imperialist ingly dismissed. are hungry and that they are oppressed. So Only now are we finding out how much and capitalist money in order to survive. they are demanding justice, both economi­ it has declined. According to the records of This aid is given to these yellow unions in Q. What has the overthrow of Marcos cally and in the recognition of their rights. the Ministry of Labor, the TUCP had only many forms. Even in the simple matter of a meant for the trade union movement? 22I,OOO members as of July I5. Its figure collective bargaining agreement between A. The overthrow means much because for the KMU was more than 480,000. the workers and management, much it must be remembered that the trade union The KMU has definitely taken the upper money often changes hands. A predomi­ movement was very much repressed and hand in the affiliation of unions in strategic Join a nance of this yellow unionism is found in the workers were impoverished economi­ enterprises and industries. Of the largest the TUCP. cally. When the new government took 100 multinationals in the Philippines, 42 Nicaragua over, it promised liberalization in the pol­ are already organized by the KMU. Q. How did you get arrested and how icy on the trade union movement. did you get to be released? When the new presidem was the guest of work bri Q. Has the KMU any relationship to the the May I Labor Day celebration [of new party that is being formed? A. I was arrested on Aug. I8, 1982, five days after Bert Olalia, chairman of the 200,000 in Manila] she promised to repeal A. The KMU has a very integral re­ KMU. About 100 local KMU leaders were the Batasang Pambansa 130 and 227 [Mar­ lationship to the Partido ng Bayan because also arrested. cos' antistrike laws]. This declaration, how­ its program is similar to the KMU's. The At that time the KMU was very militant ever, has not yet been implemented. It re­ KMU should be identified with it, so we in protesting the dictatorship's repression mains only a promise. can project -our political objectives in a against the workers and its antilabor and The new minister of labor, "Bobbit" more organized and comprehensive way. proimperialist policies. Marcos ordered a Sanchez, however, has from the time he In fact, I and other KMU national officers clampdown on the labor movement; that assumed office sort of implemented this are founding members. was how we got arrested. promise. This showed that, although martial law Before, the arbitration system operated Q. The KMU frequently speaks of genu­ was allegedly lifted in I981, all the struc­ against the labor movement. Now, the ine and yellow trade unionism. What does tures remained. The labor code, for exam­ ministry mainly relies on mediation efforts it mean by those terms? ple, was never repealed, especially the an­ to really try and convince both parties to A. Genuine and yellow trade unionism tistrike law. We said the lifting of martial settle their grievances. This is in spite of are exact opposites. Genuine unionism rec­ law in I981 was hocus pocus. the complaints of the employers, who ac­ ognizes the basic contradictory relations After our arrest my co-detainees from cuse him of being anticapitalist and pro­ between the capitalist and the workers. Our the labor movement were gradually re­ communist. experience shows us that the workers are leased on a temporary status or under house The capitalists are using the ordinary always oppressed, repressed, and deceived arrest. After awhile I was the only labor de­ courts to enjoin the strikes. When the ordi­ by management. And not only manage­ tainee left in the stockade. So, I began to nary courts issue injunctions, they im­ ment, but in combination with the govern­ think seriously about releasing myself. mediately ask the assistance of the mili­ ment. The opportunity came on Nov. 21, tary. The government in the Philippines is al­ 1984. It was not really a sensational es­ There have already been several cases of military harassment and dispersal of picket ways represented by people who are either cape. I used to give money to my guards Coffee harvest brigadista big capitalists or big hacenderos [landown­ and then ask them to go with me to my lines resulting in injuries to picketers. ers], so government policy reflects the in­ house during my trips to court. Clandes­ These methods were the mark of the old re­ A number of work brigades to Nica­ gime. ragua are being planned for the next terests of these small groups of people. tinely, of course, because if the higher-ups few months: A Women's Brigade Even the state machinery is operating to heard about this they would not allow it. Q. It seems that you can't walk down a Dec. 6--20; Third World Contingent protect the interests of the capitalists rather So on November 21, while I was drink­ street in Manila without coming across a Dec. 20 to jan. 10; a Student Contin­ than the workers. The bias is always ing with my two guards at the house, I gent jan. 3-17. Other brigades are picket line or pick up a newspaper without against the workers. If we recognize this asked them to permit me to go to the toilet. scheduled for jan. 10--31; Feb. 7-28, reading employer complaints about the antagonism and work for the advancement Coming back from the toilet I jumped out and Feb. 14 to March 7. strikes. What's behind this strike wave of the workers on this basis, we call it gen­ of a window and ran as fast as I could to­ today? Contact the Nicaragua Exchange, uine trade unionism. wards the highway and hailed a passenger 239 Centre St., New York, N.Y. Now, it doesn't end there. We have an jeepney that drove me to Quezon City near A. The basic question is the workers' 10013. Telephone (212) 219-8620. additional principle, which is the militant the city hall, where we found a taxi. poverty and their promised rights. We are

November 28, 1986 The Militant 9 Mexican garment workers demand union rights Press for bosses to grant compensation in aftermath of earthquake

BY MATILDE ZIMMERMANN factories and first formed the Union of workers and forced anyone who admitted MEXICO CITY- A new union of sew­ Seamstresses in Struggle and then the 19th to voting for the new union to go back and ing machine operators here hosted a meet­ of September National Union. vote again. Even under these conditions, ing of 50 garment workers and their support­ The union, made up virtually 100 per­ the women voted 54 to 31 for the 19th of ers last month. The 19th of September Na­ cent of women workers, has received sup­ September. tional Seamstresses Union called the port from other Mexican unions and is well gathering, according to Secretary General known in the labor movement in Mexico Economic squeeze Evangelina Corona, "so that we could ex­ City as a champion both of those dispos­ Garment workers in Mexico, like other change experiences" and deepen "fraternal sessed by the earthquake and of the de­ workers, are caught in a terrible economic links" with other unionists and interna­ mands of women workers. crisis, with the peso worth less every day tional supporters. Participants explained that no other gar­ and prices rising automatically. The mini­ The union headquarters, where the ment union tried to defend workers against mum wage has just been raised to 2,480 meeting was held, is a grim reminder of the the employers' theft of machinery and eva­ pesos a day, about $3 at the current ex­ union's origin in the aftermath of the mas­ sion of legal responsibility to workers dis­ change rate. Most garment workers in fac­ sive earthquake here more than a year ago. placed by the earthquake. tories make exactly the minimum wage and It consists of tents and makeshift corru­ In factories not organized· by the the hundreds of thousands who work at gated tin buildings around a paved-over Seamstresses Union, many sewers went home in what is called "clandestine work" empty lot where a thread factory once back to work under terrible conditions and make much less. stood. without any compensation for time lost. In a visit to Rosy Bras SA, a garment They worked for a "new" company with factory organized by the 19th of September Tomb building the same boss and at their same machine. Union, the 120 workers who make bras Across the street are the ruins of an 11- were eager to talk about their union and story building that once housed 15 garment Fierce resistance to organizing drive what they have won through it. (A measure factories. Now it has Edificio Tumba The union is on a drive to organize more of their enthusiasm is the fact that, al­ (Tomb Building) painted on the side. factories. Several workers explained that it though we arrived at quitting time Friday Thirty-six garment workers were killed was only when they started to organize to afternoon, they stayed around to talk and when the building collapsed. Hundreds affiliate with the 19th of September Union demonstrate each operation.) more, including union leader Corona, es­ that they found out for the first time- usu­ Working conditions at the factory - caped only because their shifts had not yet ally from the boss - that another union light, ventilation, work space, an employ­ begun. had "represented" the plant for years. ee lunchroom and lockers - were better Some 500 garment factories employing Militant/Matilde Zimmermann One sewing machine operator, Octavia than at some U.S. garment factories I have 40,000 workers were damaged in the earth­ Evangelina Corona, secretary-general of Lara, told the story of her workplace where worked in. the 19th of September National quake. (Two million workers are employed they carried out a long struggle to get the Among those attending the meeting in the garment industry in Mexico, accord­ Seamstresses Union. 19th of September Union recognized and from the United States were three represen­ ing to a report at the conference, with about finally had an election only a couple of tatives of the United Farm Workers; a strik­ half of them working illegally at home.) "After the earthquake, we understood that weeks before the meeting. ing Watsonville, California, cannery work­ Participants in the meeting described On the day of the election, a truckload of we had to fight for better conditions. All er; several students from the University of how the union was born out of the struggle the boss was interested in was saving his 40 thugs pulled up and entered the factory California, and community organizers who against bosses who tried to avoid their legal machinery, his production. We understood brandishing pistols and clubs. They tried to work with women workers. responsibility to compensate workers who that we had to organize ourselves as gar­ force the women to vote for the union af­ lost their jobs because of the earthquake. ment workers to take the bosses on." filiated to the Mexican Workers Federation Matilde Zimmermann is a garment worker Romelia, an overlock operator at a T­ instead of the 19th of September. in San Francisco, California, and a mem­ shirt factory, detailed how she and her co­ Initially the workers met in the street. The armed goons were given the run of ber of International Ladies Garment Work­ workers stood guard over the machinery They got together with sewers from other the place by the owners. They beat up ers' Union Local 213. for weeks to prevent the owner from taking it and disappearing. The furious owner, she said, told them to go home and take care of their children and leave him to guard the L.A. garll1ent unionists hold solidarity rally machinery. "A lot of compafieros were afraid of the BY SETH GALINSKY Workers' Union (ILGWU) members were Opinion, and several radio stations. owner's threats at first," said another LOS ANGELES- Workers and super­ visible in the parking lot across the street A leaflet put out by the workers unionist about her own experience. "But visors watched from the windows as laid­ from the factory. A hand-painted banner explained, "We want to win a better con­ we were already out on the street, there off employees from Manny Industries and said, "Los trabajadores de La Manny, no tract, but we also want to be an example for was not much more he could do to us." other garment workers began setting up for se venden, ni se rinden. (Workers at the thousands of workers in the garment in­ a "solidarity mass." Manny don't sell out, and they don't sur­ dustry in Los Angeles who have no union 'Had to organize ourselves' render)." and sometimes don't even earn the mini­ Union executive committee member By late morning on November 12, ban­ Dozens of unionists from 13 unions also mum wage or any benefits at all. It's time Isabel, a sewer for eight years, explained, ners from International Ladies' Garment joined the protesters. to say 'Viva Ia causa.'" When the lunch bell rang at 11 :30, the first groups of workers poured out of the Seth Galinsky is a member of ILGWU Do you know someone who reads Spanish? garment plant as if they were in a parade. Local 482 and is currently laid-off at They wore red and black T -shirts that said Manny Industries. "Contract or fight" in English, Ch!nese, 'PM' on int'l book fair in Cuba and Spanish. The workers were met with loud Benefit to raise funds The Third International Havana applause and chants of "Obreros unidos, jamas seran vencidos (the workers united Book Fair drew publishers from 45 Peis~Npti for cultural center will never be defeated)." All but a handful countries and eight international Mtindial of the 225 currently working in the plant in Nicaragua organizations to the Cuban capital. participated in the rally. One thousand publishing houses Gobierno aprueba ·:. .' . Max Mont from the Jewish Labor Com­ A benefit to raise funds for a Caribbean were represented. ~·: mittee lambasted Manny Industries man­ cultural center in Managua, Nicaragua, is Fifteen nations from Central and nueva ley :.:_ ..' . antinmigrante . · ·. agement for trying to lower wages by 12 scheduled for December 6 in New York. South America and the Caribbean percent when the contract expires De­ .... ~ The program includes: Bev Mickens, a po­ showed exhibits. Australia, all of cember 5. He also denounced the proposed litical satirist and comedienne; Claudia Eastern Europe, China, North 'No a Ia guerra de EU en Nicaragua' elimination of three holidays and cutbacks Hommel, who will perform her Caribbean Korea, and Angola were represen­ on vacations and medical insurance pay­ cabaret, "Canciones a la Vida"; and David ted among others. Namibian and ments. Most workers at Manny currently Schmidlapp, who will show his five-pro­ Palestinian activists had booths earn less than $4.50 an hour. jector Nicaraguan slide collage. about their liberation struggles. For several months, the mostly Mexican Local 1199 of the Hospital & Health The current issue of Perspectiva workers in the plant have been preparing Care Employees Union has donated its au­ Mundial includes coverage on the , , for a possible strike. Delegations of work­ ditorium for the event. It is also opening its ,..,.._.,.,..oc-c-., ... ,..,_,. __...... ____... ,. ..__ - ••...... --"--- .....---..-...... -~.. - ______ers from the shop have visited student, gallery space for a special benefit exhibi­ fair's most celebrated publications -·"""'-----·------~-- ... ,.. -- and displays, as well as the partici­ g~:::.::.~-~=:;::~- ""~- :.:;:~~ union, and religious organizations to begin tion and sale of paintings and photographs pation, for the first time, of a dele­ building strike solidarity. by Central American and North American gation of publishers from the Six bulletins written by the workers dis­ artists. Margaret Randall will be among the cussing the issues in the dispute have been photographers participating. United States. Subscriptions: $7 for one year; This issue also contains an arti­ distributed to everyone who works in the Funds raised will be donated to the June $4 for six months; Introductory two Manny factories. Beer House in Managua. The Nicaraguan cle on the current austerity drive offer, $2.00 for five months. Other speakers included Western States Artists' Union is building this center to dis­ against the people of Columbia. ILGWU officials Steve Nutter and Miguel play art from Nicaragua's Atlantic Coast. iSuscribete ahora! D Begin my sub with current Machuca and Catholic priest Luis Oli­ June Beer, a well-known Atlantic Coast issue. vares. painter, died in March 1986. Olivares attacked unjust employers who The benefit is sponsored by Ventana, a Name Perspectiva M undial is the try to enrich themselves at the expense of North American artists' and cultural work­ Spanish-language socialist maga­ Address ______the poor. ers' organization in solidarity with Nicara­ After the speeches, the chanting workers gua. zine that every month brings you City/State/Zip ______the truth about the struggles of headed back into the plant before the end of The art show opening is at 6:30 p.m. working people and the oppressed Clip and mail to PM, 408 West St., their lunchbreak. The performance at 8:00 p.m. will be fol­ in the U.S. and around the world. New York, NY 10014. The solidarity action was covered by lowed by a dance and party. Local 1199's both Spanish-language television stations, auditorium is located at 310 West 43rd St. the main Spanish-language newspaper La in Manhattan. Admission is $10.

10 The Militant November 28, 1986 Irish republican party ends abstention policy

BY JONATHAN SILBERMAN mass of working people, leaving the polit­ over our revolution to capitalist and estab­ Sinn Fein. DUBLIN, Ireland - The 1986 national ical field more or less free for those parties lishment interests within this state. Our ob­ Led by former Sinn Fein president conference of Sinn Fein, held here at the that in practice prop up British rule in the jective now is to build a credible political Ruairi 0 Bradaigh, the proabstentionist beginning of November, will go down as a north. alternative to those interests." current claimed the issue was one of "fun­ milestone in the history of this Irish repub­ "Such an alternative," MacDonald went damental principle." 0 Bradaigh justified lican party. Abstentionism an obstacle on, "will be complementary to the armed the walkout, saying that abstention was More than I ,000 people - including In his opening address to the ardjheis­ struggle within the six counties. The injus­ "inalienable, immutable, and absolute." nearly 700 delegates -democratically de­ as such a conference is called- Sinn Fein tice and repression down here is just Although much of the mass media bated and decided a wide range of issues. President Gerry Adams reminded the dele­ another dimension of the injustice and re­ played this up as a significant split, it was But the conference will be remembered gates that the leadership of the IRA had al­ pression suffered in the six counties. We not. It involved only a small number of ard most of all for its decision to overturn the ready decided to back a reversal of the pre­ have to fight north and south." fheis delegates. Many delegates who had party's longtime position of abstaining vious abstentionist policy. sided with 0 Bradaigh in the conference from taking seats in the Dail, the lower He stressed, however, that the IRA's de­ Proposal stirs debate debate and vote did not agree that the dif­ house of the parliament of the south of Ire­ cision was not binding on the conference Some of those who1 favored retaining the ference justified leaving the party. land. delegates. "The assembled delegates of an abstentionist position argued that its rever­ The motion, put forward by the party's ard fheis are the authority," Adams said. sal would signify a "sellout" or involve an U.S. aid to 'contras' condemned leadership, was adopted by 429 votes to "You are the leadership." ending of the armed struggle in the north.­ Although the debate on abstentionism 161, thus securing the two-thirds majority Adams stated that the question of enter­ These charges were denied by delegates fa­ overshadowed the rest of the conference needed to change the party constitution. ing the Dail "is wider than one of principle voring the reversal. proceedings, a number of other issues were For 65 years, Sinn Fein, which supports or tactic and it is not unique to Ireland, nor · Sinn Fein Vice-president Martin Mc­ discussed as well, including political pris­ the outlawed Irish Republican Army postpartition Ireland." Guinness countered the suggestion that re­ oners, youth, social and economic policy, (IRA), has refused to enter any British or "It is a question," Adams went on, "of versal of abstentionism would be the party's press, culture, and the party's "partitionist" assembly, either in the oc­ whether a struggle such as ours can be ad­ applauded by the British government. position on abortion. cupied northern part of Ireland or in the vanced by opening up another front in a "They fear this movement," McGuinness A half hour of the conference was de­ formally independent south of the country. parliament of the establishment which op­ said of the British authorities. "They fear voted to discussing foreign policy. The The party has put forward candidates in the presses us and the interests we seek to rep­ this leadership. They have every right to main resolution adopted reaffirmed Sinn elections, but they have refused to take up resent." fear us because in or out of Leinster House Fein's basic "position of neutrality and their seats if victorious. Adams pointed out, "As with all such [seat of the Dail] we head the most danger­ nonalignment." Since most people in the south will not questions, the answer lies in the people's ous and committed revolutionary force in The resolution supported attempts "to vote for candidates on this basis, the policy attitudes to those institutions." Ireland for 65 years." achieve unity in the Palestinian liberation has tended to cut Sinn Fein off from the After reviewing the origins and evolu­ In fact, immediately following the con­ movement" and defended the Palestinian tion of the republican movement's stance ference the Dublin government of Prime people's "right to a homeland and the for­ on abstentionism, Adams concluded that Minister Garret FitzGerald issued a pre­ mation of a democratic Palestine." It con­ the position had become an obstacle to pared statement urging all "democratic po­ demned the South African regime, called Sinn Fein reaching out to broader forces litical parties" to join together in a cam­ for "effective sanctions" against it, and today. paign to ensure that no Sinn Fein represen­ supported the struggle of the South African "The only feasible way to break out of tative was elected. Every major British and Namibian peoples to "overthrow these our isolation," he said, "to make political paper picked up on the statement. repressive systems." gains, to win support for our policies, to Following the conference as well, a few It likewise condemned the U.S. govern­ develop our organization and our struggle of the delegates who opposed the change in ment's policy in Central America, in par­ is by approaching people at the level they policy walked out of the party and set up a ticular its "arming and financing of the understand." new organization, called the Republican contras in Nicaragua." 'Cease being spectators' To reverse the abstentionism policy, Adams said, would mean to "cease being spectators of a struggle in the six counties -WORLD NEWS BRIEfS-----,.-- [the north] and become pioneers of repub­ licanism in the 26 counties [the south], put­ South Korean students the release of Charlot Jacquelin, a young ting our policies before the people, confi­ literacy worker who was arrested and dent of the logic of the alternative which demand U.S. get out has not been heard from since. Irish republicanism offers." Protesters also condemned the {;On­ "We are committed," Adams em­ Following an air and ground assault tinued presence in the government of phasized, "to the reconquest of Ireland by on Seoul's Konkuk University October members of the Tontons Macoutes, the the Irish people. This means the expulsion 31, South Korean police arrested nearly disbanded secret police of former dic­ of imperialism in all its forms- political, I ,300 students who had been occupying tator Jean-Claude Duvalier, who was economic, military, social, and cultural. It campus buildings for several days. overthrown in February. means the establishment of a real Irish re­ The protest action began October 28 "Down with the macoutes !" "Down public and the organization of the economy with a rally by 2,000 students, coming with U.S. military aid!" and "We need a so that all its resources are under Irish con­ from 26 campuses around the country. people's revolutionary government" trol and organized to bring maximum ben­ They condemned the dictatorial policies were among the slogans chanted by efit to the people in a 32-county state in of the military regime headed by Gen. demonstrators. which Irish culture and national identity is Chun Doo Hwan and demanded the In the provincial capital of Jeremie strong and confident." withdrawal of U.S. military forces from some 20,000 demonstrated, and G. M. CO<)kS(m Brian MacDonald, head of Sinn Fein's the country. thousands turned out as well in Petit­ Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams led publicity department, stressed that this As news of the police assault on Kon­ Goave, Jacmel, Cap-Ha"itien, Gona"ives, move to end long-standing policy of need to develop an all-Ireland political al­ kuk University spread, thousands of stu­ and other cities. boycotting parliament of the south of ternative was at the heart of the discussion dents at 19 other schools around the Police, troops, and suspected mem­ Ireland. Sinn Fein, which supports Irish on abstention. country occupied b'l.!ildings and held bers of the Tontons Macoutes opened Republican Army, is active in MacDonald said that as a credible polit­ demonstrations in support of the arrested fire on the demonstrators in Port-au­ nationalist population's struggle to end ical organization "we have to be serious students. Prince and several other cities, leading British rule in north of Ireland. about coming to power. We must not hand to some serious injuries. 200,000 in Haiti CIA gunrunner sentenced in Nicaragua protest junta policies Israel confirms jailing of nuclear technician BY RUTH NEBBIA supplies the contras. Hasenfus, the pro­ In Port-au-Prince and other cities MANAGUA, Nicaragua - Eugene secution said, is a tool of this policy. across Haiti, several hundred thousand An Israeli nuclear technician who Hasenfus was sentenced November 15 to The prosecution showed that without people poured into the streets November publicly exposed the Israeli govern­ 30 years imprisonment for supplying arms arms shipments, the U.S.-backed contras 7 to protest the repressive policies of the ment's secret production and stockpiling to the U.S. -backed mercenaries attacking would not be able to carry out attacks military junta headed by Gen. Henri of nuclear arms is being held in police Nicaragua, known as contras. This is the against the Nicaraguan people and govern­ detention there, officials admitted maximum sentence allowed under Nicara­ ment. Therefore, the supply operation car­ November 9. guan law. ried out by Hasenfus was an indispensable part of the crimes carried out by the con­ The technician, Mordechai Vanunu, Hasenfus was captured October 6 when had disappeared from London in late the C-123 plane he was on was shot down tras. Hasenfus was sentenced to 30 years for September, just before the London Sun­ in southern Nicaragua as it flew arms and day Times published a report based on ammunition to the contras. The other crew violating a public security law. According to Nicaraguan law, this crime involves car­ documents and photographs he had sup­ members, William Cooper and Wallace plied. He was widely believed to have Sawyer, both U.S. citizens, and Freddy rying out "actions aimed at subjecting the nation totally or partially to foreign domi­ been kidnapped by Mossad, the Israeli Vilches, a Nicaraguan, died in the crash. secret police, and taken back to Israel. Hasenfus told Nicaraguan authorities nation or reducing its independence and in­ and the press that he had carried out 10 tegrity." He was also sentenced for form­ Vanunu had been employed at Israel's such flights into Nicaragua. He said the ing "part of an association of three or more Dimona nuclear power plant for 10 plane would fly from the El Salvadoran air persons organized with the permanent ob­ years. After being dismissed in base of Ilopango to the Honduran base of jective of committing crimes." November 1985, he left the country with Aguacate. There it would be loaded with In his confessions, Hasenfus explained the documents, which he later sold to the that he and Cooper had flown similar sup­ arms and ammunition. Namphy. British newspaper. In the accusation presented on October ply flights in Southeast Asia. This, the pro­ secution showed, proved that it was not by In the capital alone, an estimated The documents showed that the Israeli 20, the prosecutor set out to prove that the 200,000 turned out in response to a call government had secretly built nuclear supply operation carried out by Hasenfus is chance that Hasenfus was once again work­ ing with Cooper in Central America. by a coalition of 23 political, labor, warheads at the Dimona facility for 20 part of official U.S. government policy human rights, religious, and other years and had stockpiled 100 to 200 of aimed at overthrowing the Nicaraguan Initially Hasenfus appealed the decision. groups. The action was called to demand them. government. The U.S. government, But on November 19, he withdrew it to through the CIA, finances, trains, and pursue a pardon.

November 28, 1986 The Militant 11 --CALENDAR·------~------cALIFoRNIA Manhattan Cultural performances include AI-Watan Pales­ Electronics Workers Local 715, Young Socialist tinian Dabke and Singing Troupe, Sechaba Sing­ San Francisco Immigration Laws: Attack on Workers' Alliance. Sat., Nov. 22, 7:30p.m. 2521 Market Rights. Speakers: Richard Harvey, British ers of the African National Congress. Fri., Dec. Ave. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Socialist Educational Conference: Why We 5. Dinner, 6:30p.m.; program, 7 p.m. Martin Forum. For more information call (216) 861- Need a Revolution in the United States. human rights lawyer and counsel for Irish POWs; Claudia Slovinsky, National Lawyers Luther King, Jr. High School. 122 Amsterdam 6150. Speaker: AI Budka, Socialist Workers Party Ave. (between 65th and 66th). Admission: $10; Guild; Hector Marroquin, Socialist Workers The Fight Against the Perry Nuclear Power National Committee. Sat., Nov. 22, 7 p.m. Ad­ $5, students, senior citizens; unemployed, free. Party National Committee, threatened with de­ Plant. A panel discussion. Sat., Dec. 6, 7:30 ditional classes Sat. and Sun. to be announced. Ausp: November 29th Committee for Palestine. portation. Translation to Spanish. Fri., Nov. p.m. 2521 Market Ave. Donation: $2. Ausp: 3284 23rd St. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant For more information call (212) 557-5410. 21. Preforum dinner, 6:30 p.m.; forum, 7:30 Militant Labor Forum. For more information Forum. For more information call (415) 282- call (216) 861-6150. 6255. p.m. 79 Leonard St. Donation: dinner, $3; forum, $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For NORTH CAROLINA FLORIDA more information call (212) 219-3679 or 925- Greensboro UTAH Miami 1668. Cosmetics, Fashions, and the Exploitation of Salt Lake City Militant-Perspectiva Mundial Subscription Women. Discussion and showing of film Kill­ USX Workers Locked Out: How to Fight Can Peace Be Achieved? The Socialist View. Campaign Victory Party. Sat., Nov. 22, 8 Sun., Nov. 23, 7 p.m. 137 NE 54 St. Ausp: ing Us Softly. Sun., Nov. 23, 5 p.m. 2219 E Back and Defend Jobs. Speaker: Mary Zins, p.m. until -. 79 Leonard St. Donation: $3. Market St. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor former Socialist Workers Party candidate for Militant Labor Forum. For more information Socialist Workers Party. For more information call (305) 756-1020. Forum. For more information call (919) 272- U.S. Senate. Sat., Nov. 22, 7:30p.m. 767 S call (212) 219-3679. 5996. State St. Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Forum. Benefit Dance for El Salvador's Radio Ven­ For more information call (801) 355-1124. MASSACHUSETTS ceremos and Farabundo Marti Communica­ Cambridge tions System. Sat., Nov. 22, 9 p.m. - 1:30 OHIO Nicaragua's Vice-president Sergio Ramirez a.m. Casa de las Americas, 104 W 14 St. (nr. Cleveland WISCONSIN Speaks at MIT. Sun., Nov. 23, 7:30 p.m. 6th Ave). Donation: $10. For more information The Frontline States: The Struggle Against Milwaukee Kresge Auditorium, Massachusetts Institute of call (212) 533-6515. Imperialism and Apartheid. Speakers: Report Back From El Salvador. Eyewitness Technology. Ausp: MIT COCA and Central International Day of Solidarity with the Pal­ Hamedah Ghaniem, member of African Na­ report and slideshow by Elaine Kinch, or­ America Solidarity Association. For more in­ estinian People. Speakers: Zehdi Terzi, perma­ tional Congress of South Africa; Kathleen ganizer of Racine-Kenosha Central America formation call (617) 492-8699. nent representative of Palestine Liberation Or­ Geathers, member Women Speak Out for Peace Solidarity Coalition. Translation to Spanish. ganization to the United Nations; !sack and Justice, just returned from Zimbabwe; Sat., Nov. 22, 7:30p.m. 4707 W Lisbon Ave. MICHIGAN Mudenge, ambassador of Zimbabwe to the UN, Bobby Maouane, an liE student from South Af­ Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Forum. For more Detroit representing the Nonaligned Movement; others. rica; Ed Velez, member International Union of information call (414) 445-2076. Fall Publications Fund Rally. Speaker: Malik Miah, circulation director of the Militant. Translation to Spanish. Sat., Nov. 22, 8 p.m. 2135 Woodward Ave. Donation: $2. Ausp: WhyS. Africa's workers support sanctions Young Socialist Alliance. For more information call (313) 961-0395. Opponents of international economic make these things worse or not is not our vian workers have come out on strike in Young Socialist Alliance Educational sanctions against the apartheid regime big problem. Our big problem is how to solidarity with our struggle; and workers in Weekend. Fall Publications Fund Rally. Sat., Nov. 22, of South Africa often argue that sanc­ end this system which breeds mass un­ many other countries have fefused to han­ 8 p.m. Translation to Spanish. tions will only hurt the workers of that employment, poverty, and despair. dle South African products. "The Coming Revolution in South Africa and country. But the Congress of South Afri­ Long before sanctions were imposed, In COSATU we know that this is the the Role of the African National Congress." can Trade Unions (COSATU), the we organized ourselves into trade unions to strongest form of solidarity action with our Sun., Nov. 23, 10:30 a.m. largest union federation in South Africa, fight these things. And we will continue to struggle. It strengthens workers in other ·~The Cuban Role in Africa." Sun., Nov. 23, rejects such claims. Responding to these fight to defend jobs and for a living wage countries. We know that we can never rely 1 p.m. arguments, Jay Naidoo, the federation's -sanctions or no sanctions. We will con­ Speaker: Malik Miah, circulation director of on the Thatchers and Reagans and bosses' general secretary, made the following tinue to fight for a society based on the governments in other countries to help our the Militant, Socialist Workers Party National statement, which we have taken from needs of workers and not bosses' profits - Committee. 2135 Woodward Ave. Donation: struggle. These people are opposed to $2 per event. Ausp: YSA. For more information the November issue of COSATU News. sanctions or no sanctions. workers in their own countries, so how can call (313) 961-0395. Sanctions are not new to COSATU they help us? Sanctions are not here because of work­ workers. For years already we have been ers. They are here because of [President ·· asking, and often receiving, worker-im­ Our most consistent and reliable ally is MISSOURI Pieter] Botha and the bosses. They must posed sanctions from our class comrades in the workers of the world. COSATU will Kansas City and will suffer from sanctions - not the other countries. continue to tum to the international work­ Immigration Laws: Attack on Workers' workers. This is in line with COSA TU policy, ing class for help to strengthen our strug­ Rights. Panel Discussion. Speakers: Alvino Carrillo, Socialist Workers Party, member Something like sanctions has been com­ which says that the most important form of gle, and we will continue to support all United Auto Workers Local 31; Francisco Ruiz, ing for a long time. For years and years, the solidarity action with our struggle is inter­ forms of pressure on the Botha govern­ instructor, History Department, Penn Valley ANC [African National Congress], PAC national worker solidarity action. ment. And here we will make sure that it' is Community College; Sister Teresa Cruz, assis­ [Pan Africanist Congress], and our allies in Australian dockworkers have refused to bosses' profits - and not our jobs tant administrator El Centro. Translation to the progressive movement internationally off-load South African products; Scandina- which are affected by sanctions. Spanish. Sun., Nov. 23, 7 p.m. 4725 Troost. have been campaigning for the isolation of Donation: $2. Ausp: Militant Forum. For more the South African government. information call (816) 753-0404. St. Louis In the past two years, our struggle has Jazz event to salute South Africa Winnie Mandela. Film about leader of anti­ grown so much inside the country that the eyes of the whole world have turned on us. apartheid struggle in South Africa. Sat., Nov. "A Salute to South Africa," a jazz con­ Because of our struggle many countries chievousness and strength of the musical 22, 7 p.m. 4907 Martin Luther King Dr. Dona­ cert, will be performed by Brazilian com­ arrangements" characterized the perfor­ have begun to think - what can we do to tion: $2. Ausp: Militant Labor Forum. For more poser Gaudencio Thiago de Mello and his show Botha that we also hate apartheid? mance by Thiago's Nicaragua festival band information call (314) 361-0250. band Amazon at Saint Peter's Church in of Cuban, Soviet, and Nicaraguan musi­ Sanctions is an attempt to pressurize the New York on November 25. The concert NEW YORK government and bring an end to apartheid. cians. Thiago's music "offers a lesson will feature special guest Odetta, a well­ worth rethinking," the review continued. COSA TU supports all forms of pressure Albany known folksinger and actress. "Thiago de Mello gave us a practical For a Workers' and Farmers' Government. on the Botha government. We know only Thiago de Mello recently ·participated in demonstration of the tremendous latent po­ An educational weekend. too well how stubborn this government is. a jazz concert that was part of cultural ac­ tential to create jazz that lies within our re­ "The Crisis in Dairy Farming and How to We know only too well that the only lan­ tivities in Nicaragua cel<:brating the 25th sources and among the talent in our midst. Fight Back." Speakers: John Gaige, Socialist guage the government understands is the anniversary of the founding of the San­ It's possible for jazz to become a tool to Workers Party, and striking New York dairy language of struggle and pressure. farmers. Fri., Nov. 21, 7:30p.m. dinista National Liberation Front. help us regain our cultural heritage and ex­ Two classes (speaker: John Gaige): "The But the bosses are wrong if they think A review in the November 8 issue of press it in a fully contemporary musical Farmers' Movement in the United States." Sat., we intend to carry sanctions on our backs. Ventana, the weekly cultural magazine of language," Ventana explained. Nov. 22, 1 p.m. We are suffering too much already. the Sandinista newspaper Barricada, de­ The November 25 concert is sponsored "The Struggle for a Workers' and Farmers' Starvation wages, mass unemployment, scribes Thiago as "creating an atmosphere by the St. Peter's Jazz Ministry. It will be Government." Sat., Nov. 22, 4 p.m. 114E Quail St. Donation: weekend $5, or $2 suffering, and hunger - these are not of communication between the audience held at 8:00 p.m. The church is at 54th per event. Ausp: Young Socialist Alliance and caused by sanctions. We know these things and the artists - spontaneous and full of Street and Lexington Avenue. Admission Militant Labor Forum. For more information already. They are caused by the policies of enjoyment." is $10. For reservations and information call (518) 434-3247. Botha and the bosses. Whether sanctions "Sweet composition and melodic mis- call (212) 935-2200. --IF YOU LIKE THIS PAPER, LOOK US UP·------Where to find the Socialist Workers Party, GEORGIA: Atlanta: SWP, YSA, 132 Cone NEW JERSEY: Newark: SWP, YSA, 141 Dallas: SWP, YSA, 336 W. Jefferson. Zip: Young Socialist Alliance, and Pathfinder St. NW, 2nd Floor. Zip: 30303. Tel: (404) 577- Halsey. Zip: 07102. Tel: (201) 643-3341. 75208. Tel: (214) 943-5195. Houston: SWP, bookstores. 4065. NEW YORK: Capital District (Albany): YSA, 4806 Almeda. Zip: 77004. Tel: (713) ILLINOIS: Chicago: SWP, YSA, 3455 S. SWP, YSA, 114E Quail St. Zip: 12206. Tel: 522-8054. ALABAMA: Birmingham: SWP, YSA, Michigan Ave. Zip: 60616. Tel: (312) 326- (518) 434-3247. New York: SWP, YSA, 79 UTAH: Price: SWP, YSA, 23 S. Carbon 1306 1st Ave. N. Zip: 35203. Tel: (205) 323- 5853 or 326-5453. Leonard St. Zip: 10013. Tel: (212) 219-3679 or Ave., Suite 19, P.O. Box 758. Zip: 84501. Tel: 3079. KENTUCKY: Louisville: SWP, YSA, 809 925-1668. Socialist Books, 226-8445. (801) 637-6294. Salt Lake City: SWP, YSA, ARIZONA: Phoenix: SWP, YSA, 1809 W. E. Broadway. Zip: 40204. Tel: (502) 587-8418. NORTH CAROLINA: Greensboro: SWP, 767 S. State, 3rd floor. Zip: 84111. Tel: (801) Indian School Rd. Zip: 85015. Tel: (602) 279- LOUISIANA: New Orleans: SWP, YSA, YSA, 2219 E Market. Zip: 27401. Tel: (919) 355-1124. 5850. 3640 Magazine St. Zip: 70115. Tel: (504) 895- 272-5996. VIRGINIA: Tidewater Area (Newport CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: SWP, YSA, 1961. OIDO: Cincinnati: SWP, YSA, 4945 Pad­ News): SWP, YSA, 5412 Jefferson Ave. Zip 2546 W. Pico Blvd. Zip: 90006. Tel: (213) 380- MARYLAND: Baltimore:. SWP, YSA, dock Rd. Zip: 45237. Tel: (513) 242-7161. 23605. Tel: (804) 380-0133. 9460. Oakland: SWP, YSA, 3808 E 14th St. 2913 Greenmount Ave. Zip: 21218. Tel: (301) Cleveland: SWP, YSA, 2521 Market Ave. Zip: WASHINGTON, D.C.: SWP, YSA, 3106 Zip: 94601. Tel: (415) 261-3014. San Diego: 235-0013. 44113. T~l: (216) 861-6150. Columbus: YSA, Mt. Pleasant St. NW. Zip: 20010. Tel: (202) SWP, YSA, 2803 B St. Zip: 92102. Tel: (619) MASSACHUSETTS: Boston: SWP, YSA, P.O. Box 02097. Zip: 43202. Toledo: SWP, 797-7699, 797-7021. 234-4630. San Francisco: SWP, YSA, 3284 107 Brighton Ave., 2nd floor, Allston. Zip: YSA, 1701 W Bancroft St. Zip: 43606. Tel: WASHINGTON: Seattle: SWP, YSA, 23rd St. Zip: 94110. Tel: (415) 282-6255. San 02134. Tel: (617) 787-0275. (419) 536-0383. 5517 Rainier Ave. South. Zip: 98118. Tel: Jose: SWP, YSA, 46 112 Race St. Zip: 95126. MICIDGAN: Detroit: SWP, YSA, 2135 OREGON: Portland: SWP, YSA, 2732 NE (206) 723-5330. Tel: (408) 998-4007. Woodward Ave. Zip:48201. Tel: (313)961-0395. Union. Zip: 97212. Tel: (503) 287-7416. WEST VIRGINIA: Charleston: SWP, COLORADO: Denver: SWP, YSA, 25 W. MINNESOTA: Twin Cities: SWP, YSA, PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia: SWP, YSA, 116 McFarland St. Zip: 25301. Tel: (304) 3rd Ave. Zip: 80223. Tel: (303) 698-2550. 508 N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul. Zip: 55104. Tel: YSA, 2744 Germantown Ave. Zip: 19133. Tel: 345-3040. Morgantown: SWP, YSA, 221 FLORIDA: Miami: SWP, YSA, 137 NE (612) 644-6325. (215) 225-0213. Pittsburgh: SWP, YSA, 402 Pleasant St. Zip: 26505. Tel: (304) 296- 54th St. Mailing address: P.O. Box 370486. MISSOURI: Kansas City: SWP, YSA, N. Highland Ave. Zip: 15206. Tel: (412) 362- 0055. Zip: 33137. Tel: (305) 756-1020. Tallahassee: 4725 Troost. Zip: 64110. Tel: (816) 753- 6767. WISCONSIN: Milwaukee: SWP, YSA, YSA, P.O. Box 20715. Zip: 32316. Tel: (904) 0404. St. Louis: SWP, YSA, 4907 Martin Luther TEXAS: Austin: YSA, c/o Mike Rose, 7409 4707 W. Lisbon Ave. Zip: 53208. Tel: (414) 222-4434. King Dr. Zip: 63113. Tel: (314) 361-0250. Berkman Dr. Zip: 78752. Tel. (512) 452-3923. 445-2076.

12 The Militant November 28, 1986 -THE GREAT SOCIETY------,.------Yule spirit award-winner - Dean were expelled from Amador fee for those entering this Land of cancer-causing vinyl chloride, a grabby, they're just trying to get A classified ad in the Morgan­ Valley High in Pleasanton, the Free. Part of the money will be federal appeals court ruled. The by in a hard world, says Joan town, West Virginia, Dominion California, for declaring on used to defray the cost of detaining judges said the Clean Air Act did Wikstrom, a management prof at emblazoned T-shirts their support the increased numbers of travelers not restrict the government to nar­ Catholic U in D.C. To maximize to striking teachers. Also Dean denied entry because the govern­ row "health-based considera­ their limited time, they need had "strike" neatly lettered into a ment takes a dim view of them. tions," leaving room to weigh microwave ovens, VCRs, tele­ tall Mohawk. such basic American factors as the phone answering machines, and Progress report - NASA an­ cost involved. car phones. "They need all these Probably so-The U.S. repre­ nounced a new management struc­ things to make their lives doable," Harry sentative in the "Miss World" con­ ture designed to deal with prob­ Active-duty cops- A quick­ she said. Ring test in London drew protests from lems uncovered by the Challenger on-the-draw cop from Tacoma, more substantially garbed contes­ disaster. A rear admiral at the Washington, gunned down a re­ tants when she appeared in an ap­ space agency (founded in 1958) ported knife-wielding suspect. He What can you expect for such Post: "Earn $185 by Christmas­ parently minimal, star-spangled said the new system will assure also killed a fellow cop trying to modest fees - "Medical officials Start donating plasma today and bikini, plus beads and shooting that "everybody knows precisely assist him. Meanwhile, m estimate that at any given time at meet your Christmas needs. This stars. She said the outfit was in­ who they work for and who works Spokane, Washington, a cop was least 5 out of every 100 doctors are ad worth $15 for new donors on tended to show "America's ad­ for them." awarded disability retirement after so incompetent, drunk, senile, or first visit." vancement in space." getting hooked on cocaine while otherwise impaired that they Balanced view - The EPA working as an undercover narc. should not be practicing medicine Improper and Un-American And no refunds - Congress acted properly when it balked at without some form of restriction." - Eric Perryman and Reggie voted a $5 immigration-inspection setting strict limits on emissions of Bum rap - Yuppies aren't -News item. Play depicts violence of Pinochet regime in Chile

Interview in Buenos Aires. Written by El Mercurio, a prominent Chilean daily, Borovik - who lived and worked as a cow in 1975. Genrikh Borovik and directed by Joan played a major role in this campaign. It journalist in Chile for several years before The Fourth Wall Repertory Company is Harvey. Performed by Fourth Wall Re­ sought to sow panic and divisions among and during the Allende government- suc­ a group of political, non-professional ac­ pertory Company. Performances every the Chilean people and served as an or­ ceeds in portraying the terror and violence tors who have consistently voiced their op­ Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. ganizing tool for those attempting to re­ following the coup. Borovik is from the position to the Reagan administration's through December 6 at the Fourth Wall verse the social gains working people had Soviet Union and wrote the play in Mos- policies in the United States and abroad. Theater, 79 E. 4th St., Manhattan, N.Y. made under Allende. Interview in Buenos Aires centers on BY SELVA NEBBIA Carlos Blanco, a Social Democrat and This two-act play focuses on the military former journalist for El Mercurio, who is dictatorship established in Chile following confronted with the effects of the inflam­ the 1973 military coup against the demo­ matory articles he wrote as part of the de­ cratically elected government of Salvador stabilization drive. The play is set following the military takeover. The regime is attempting to pres­ sure Blanco, who has been silent after the THEATER REVIEW coup, to rejoin its propaganda apparatus. Blanco claims to abhor the military re­ Allende. The takeover claimed Allende's gime's violence, but he realizes that he was life and the lives of thousands of other Chi­ an accomplice in bringing about the terror. leans. Under Gen. Augusto Pinochet's re­ Throughout the play he witnesses the de­ gime, torture, imprisonment, and disap­ struction of those he loves, including his pearances have become commonplace. son who is transformed into a butcher for the government, The coup culminated a three-year de­ stabilization campaign, backed by the U.S. The play is worth seeing, and though the government, against Allende's Popular acting is uneven at times, it is well staged Unity government. and keeps the audience's interest. Genrikh -10 AND 25 YEARS AGO--- THE MILITANT THE A SOCIAUST NEWSWEEKL Y'PUBUSHED IN TttE INTERESTS OF THE WORKING PEOPLE 25t In scene from Genrikh Borovik's Interview in Buenos Aires, a revolutionary faghter November 26, 1976 MILITANT confronts journalist Carlos Blanco about reactionary articles he wrote prior to Published in the Interests of the Working People overthrow of Allende government in Chile. The Socialist Workers Party has again I November 27,_1961 Price IOc forced an unprecedented retreat on the FBI. The agency has ordered its field offices The United Nations investigation of the to urge their informers to get out of the murder of Congolese Prime Minister Pat­ outf~t SWP and Young Socialist Alliance. rice Lumumba dismisses Belgian puppet Spy snoops on professors This latest retreat was disclosed when [Moise] Tshombe's story that Lumumba Leonard Boudin, the socialists' attorney, escaped his guards and was killed February BY MORRIS STARSKY Reader denies making the statement, but questioned FBI Director Clarence Kelley 12 by savage tribesmen. The report con­ An organization called Accuracy in insists that even if he had, he had a right to for the SWP and YSA lawsuit against gov­ cludes that "the prisoners were killed on Academia, Inc. (AlA, Inc.) has set up its do so. ernment harassment. Jan. 17, 1961, after their arrival in a villa own private snooping operation on the The letter also stated that AlA, Inc. had Syd Stapleton, an SWP leader who was not far from Elizabethville and in all prob­ country's university campuses. reviewed the reading list for Reader's present during Kelley's testimony, ability in the presence of high officials of This outfit, which operates through a course and found that only one side of explained, "The fact is that Kelley was the [secessionist] government of Katanga network of informers at 160 colleges, many issues were presented. AlA, Inc. compelled to issue the order to informers Province, namely, Mr. Tshombe, Mr. sends student spies into classrooms to de­ cited the presence of pronuclear freeze in­ on November 1 because he knew he was Munungo, and Mr. Kibwe, and that the es­ termine whether the professors' presenta­ formation on the reading list, but none on required to testify under oath in our suit on ·cape story was staged." tions are "balanced." "Balance" means fa­ the "peace through strength" approach to November 3." But Tshombe and the Belgian officer in voring capitalism and U.S. foreign policy. avoiding nuclear war. his service, who the evidence indicates If the spies determine that a professor The order told the Special Agents in The letter was signed by Les Csorba, fired the fatal shot, and Congo President has a "leftist ideological bias," he or she is Charge of field offices to "personally in­ AlA, Inc.'s executive director, who earned Kasavubu, named by the investigators as notified and given the opportunity to re­ his stripes as a red-baiter heading up the sure that all SWP/YSA cases in your office responsible for handing Lumumba over to cant. A professor who does not cooperate have been closed." They were also to "per­ right-wing Students for a Better America at his bitterest political enemies, do not with AlA, Inc. is denounced in its newslet­ the Davis campus of the University of sonally insure that the following statement exhaust the list of murderers. Kasavubu ter and targeted fo; a witch-hunt campaign is read as soon as possible to each infor­ California. Csorba organized a witch-hunt was a creature of the UN intervention. He in the campus and local newspapers. campaign there against visiting professor mant who was furnishing information re­ turned Lumumba over to Tshombe shortly So far, only one professor targeted by garding SWP/YSA at the time these inves­ Saul Landau, using information that went after receiving $5 million from the UN. AlA, Inc., its first, has made national back 20 years. tigations were discontinued." A writer in the anti-imperialist, anti­ news. That was Associate Professor Mark Kelley's message was " ... we suggest apartheid paper, Torch, which still man­ Reader, who has taught at Arizona State AlA, Inc., established in 1985 with an that you remove yourself from the SWP ages to publish in Sou•h Africa, reports that University for 18 years. annual budget of $160,000, is a spinoff of and YSA .... upon the news of [UN Secretary-General] Reader was targeted because he "over­ Accuracy in Media. This group was set up "You are not to report to the FBI infor­ HammarskjOld's death "people have been emphasizes fears of nuclear war, power, in 1969 to combat "liberal" bias in the mation concerning the SWP, YSA, their saying Lumumba's murderer has been and weapons." media. It spends $1.7 million a year moni­ chapters, leaders or members, nor are you murdered!" Reader received a registered letter from toring the press and television for "slanted" to obtain any documents, copies o(_docu­ Though oversimplified, this verdict of AlA, Inc. noting complaints against him coverage. ments, any things, or other materials from folk wisdom goes to the heart of the matter. for "dedicating most of your class time to The American Association of University the SWP, YSA, their leaders or members The actual murderers and their immediate antinuclear propaganda and the nuclear Professors has condemned AlA, Inc. as a and furnish these to the FBI." accomplices were but agents. The UN in­ threat." threat to academic freedom. The American The SWP lawsuit has already exposed terventionists connived at and facilitated The professor was also informed that a Civil Liberties Union has issued a call urg­ just how informers "obtain" materials. FBI their crime - in this they were the ser­ student spy had quoted him saying, "The ing university presidents and faculties to informer Timothy Redfearn broke into vitors of imperialism, U.S., no less than Soviet Union is no threat compared to the "discourage and discredit" AlA, Inc.'s YSA members' apartments to steal files. Belgian and British. United States' imperialist aggressions." methods and purposes.

November 28, 1986 The Militant 13 -EDITORIALS------Religion and the April antiwar protest is needed class struggle BY DOUG JENNESS One proof often cited to show that religion and relig­ A broad consensus to support actions on April 24 and has spurred tens of thousands into action in the United ious institutions are or can be progressive is their role in 25 is emerging among opponents of Washington's inter­ States. Many participants in the anti-apartheid protests struggles of working people. vention in Nicaragua. In the past few weeks, activists at are beginning to recognize the link between Washing­ The prominent role of churches and clergymen in the national and regional conferences and at local meetings ton's complicity with the South African regime and U.S. civil rights movement in this country is pointed to. So is of peace organizations and solidarity groups have regis­ policies in Central America. the active participation of Catholic priests in revolution­ tered their support for spring mobilizations in Washing­ A nationally focused mobilization in April will offer a ary struggles in Latin America, the Philippines, and other ton, D.C., and the West Coast. particularly good opportunity to unite in action hundreds There is growing recognition that a centralized, na­ of groups and tens of thousands of activists. It will help tional protest will be the most effective next step in or­ overcome the atomization that currently marks the oppo­ LEARNING ABOUT ganizing broad, massive opposition to U.S. aggression in sition to U.S. intervention in Central America. Central America. And that an urgent need and political This unity will not only focus and give greater visi­ SOCIALISM basis exists for making this action the largest yet held bility to the antiwar forces, but will greatly influence against Washington's dirty war in Nicaragua. other groups and individuals, convincing them to be­ countries. Some of these clergy have even developed a The current scope of activity throughout the country come part of the action. The momentum generated by "liberation theology" that purports to blend socialist and against Washington's mercenary war is considerable. building this action will attract unionists, religious or­ Christian views. The successful regional and local anti-intervention ac­ ganizations, students, anti-apartheid activists, and many These examples don't prove that religion is progres­ tions in October and November showed the mounting others who have not previously been involved in antiwar sive. But they do show that many people with strong re­ concern over the escalation of Washington's war against protests. ligious views join progressive, even revolutionary strug­ Nicaragua. They also advanced the formation oflocal co­ A solid foundation exists for believing this is so. Mil­ gles. alitions opposed to the war. lions of Americans are worried that the Reagan adminis­ The employers' drive to squeeze more profits out of working people is blind to religious views. It hurts all Many activists are organizing or have participated tration may be dragging this country into a Vietnam-type war in Central America. workers, including those who are religious and those who in work brigades to Nicaragua; others are expressing aren't. A picket line at most any plant or mine in this solidarity by getting their cities to adopt a sister city They are also skeptical that Congress, despite the new Democratic majority in the Senate, will do anything to country, for example, will find some combination of in Nicaragua. Some are organizing meetings for Ni­ workers holding Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or atheist caraguan speakers touring the United States; others halt or slow down this process. The bipartisan support for Reagan's contra aid package in the last session of Con­ views. are holding art shows and concerts to fund specific proj­ Working people are driven to strike and organize ects. gress showed that. By issuing a call for the April 24-25 protests and get­ unions, and some day will wage a revolutionary struggle to overturn capitalist rule, in spite of, not because of, The focus for many activists is protesting the war in El ting going early to build them will give more time to win their religious views. Salvador or providing sanctuary for Salvadoran political and organize broader forces for the actions. It will open exiles in the United States. more possibilities to reach the ranks of the labor move­ Socialist workers are among the foremost opponents of Students across the country are organizing antiwar ac­ ment with the call for the actions. any attempt to restrict the participation of workers in the labor movement on the basis of religious views. tivities in their high schools and colleges. More than anything, the tangible preparations for the The Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disar­ actions in both Washington and the West Coast - dis­ Discrimination, harassment, and prejudice based on religious views are the bosses' game. The employers at­ mament that crossed the country from Los Angeles tributing leaflets, arranging buses, building meetings, tempt to utilize the workers' diverse religious views to pit to Washington, D.C., this fall attracted thousands of seeking publicity, and organizing everything else that young people to its rallies along the way. They were goes into mobilizing for a big protest - will persuade them against each other. looking for opportunities to express their opposition to other people to participate. When the employers get away with this, it weakens the labor movement and increases the confusion among the government's war policies, including in Central Thousands of activists around the country have already workers about whom their enemies are and how to fight America. circled April 24-25 on their calendars. Local groups are them. That's why expressions of religious prejudice on Moreover, the revolt in South Africa against apartheid discussing it. Let's get rolling! the job and in the unions are harmful and need to be com­ bated. The most effective antidote is the experience workers go through when they engage their employers in struggle. They discover that they have something in common - their class interests - that outweighs religious differ­ ences. And the problem with workers who scab or fink New smear of expelled journalist for the employers is not their religious views, but their breach of class solidarity. Adding insult to injury, a government official made a for Lara's victimization- after she was out of the coun­ As working people move into action against their scurrilous smear attack on Colombian journalist Patricia try. exploiters, they strengthen their own class understanding Lara. Lara was jailed here last month and then expelled On CBS's "60 Minutes" November 16, Abrams in the process, regardless of their religious beliefs. They from the country for reasons the government refused to shamelessly asserted, "She is a member of the M-19 see more clearly how political life is determined by the state. terrorist organization in Colombia. She is an active li­ class struggle, and what is necessary to advance the fight The mud-slinging attack on the journalist was made by aison between that terrorist organization, which is in the for their interests. Reagan's "human rights" point man, Elliott Abrams. business of murdering people, and the Cuban secret Through this class-struggle experience, workers begin He's secretary of state for inter-American affairs and police." to shake off the various forms of mystification, including spends a good deal of his time bemoaning an alleged lack Needless to say, Abrams didn't offer a shred of evi­ religion, that are rampant in class society. They become of fairness and decency in countries like Cuba and Nica­ dence for that triple smear-of Lara, M-19, and Cuba. more open to the scientific approach to society and poli­ ragua. The Abrams smear came after Lara initiated a $5 mil­ tics that socialism expresses. They see that scientific Abrams charged Lara with being a Cuban "agent" and lion damage claim against immigration officials. socialism is a necessary tool in their march toward polit­ a "terrorist." And the charge of terrorism and murder comes with ical power. Lara had been taken into custody when she arrived particularly poor grace from a man who serves as a But this is a process. Recognition that religious institu­ here October 12. A prominent journalist in Colombia, Reagan liaison with some very real terrorists and murder­ tions are instruments of class oppression and that relig­ she had been issued a U.S. visa to attend a ceremony at ers, the Nicaraguan contras. ious dogmas serve to keep working people subservient the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and ignorant of their own class interests doesn't occur Lara is employed by Colombia's leading daily, El overnight. of which she is a graduate. The affair was to promote Tiempo, and is the author of a best -selling book on the M- "inter-American understanding and freedom of informa­ That's one reason socialists strongly insist that when 19 movement. workers and farmers topple capitalist rule and establish tion." Her editor, who describes the paper as strongly pro­ their own government, freedom of religious expression She was arrested at Kennedy airport when immigration U.S. and "anti-communist," seems undisturbed by what and practice be guaranteed. Working people will not be cops said they found her listed in their "lookout" book. he sees as her leftist outlook. persuaded to give up strongly felt religious views through This contains the names of some 40,000 people to be Lara herself says she's never been a member of any force, but by discovering for themselves that these beliefs barred from the country for holding dissident views or "subversive" group and is, in fact, a member of Colom­ are obstacles. otherwise "endangering" the nation. bia's governing Liberal Party, describing herself as a In Nicaragua, for example, the Sandinista National Lara was held in a maximum security center for five "liberal journalist." Liberation Front has won the backing of the big majority days before being shipped back to Colombia. Officials But even that isn't the point. If someone can be jailed of workers and peasants, who still hold onto elements of stubbornly refused to tell her, or the media, why this was and then thrown out of this country for reasons the gov­ their Catholic beliefs. The Sandinistas have successfully being done, other than to cite the McCarthy-era McCar­ ernment refuses to divulge, under the cloak of a law that integrated many of these working people into positions of ran-Walter immigration statute, which provides for bar­ has been used to keep a host of internationally distin­ responsibility in the mass organizations and the govern­ ring various kinds of "subversives." guished public figures out of the country, then clearly all ment. Some individuals who belong to religious orders Pressed by reporters, an immigration official finally our democratic rights are jeopardized. even hold government posts. At the same time, the Sandinistas are conducting a po­ said that information about Lara is "confidential and clas­ And when such a reactionary business is capped by the litical campaign against efforts by the church hierarchy to sified and vital to national security." gutter attack of a character like Abrams, it simply under­ place its claimed prerogatives above revolutionary law. lines the hypocrisy of the pious claim that this is all being But neither "confidentiality" nor "national security" As a result, class polarization is being deepened. And in done in the name of preserving freedom. prevented Elliott Abrams from giving the alleged reason the process, the Sandinistas are laying the ground to ad­ vance the Nicaraguans toward a scientific understanding of society. The fact that some clergy who are closest to the toilers in their own class origins and day-to-day life join revolu­ tionary struggles testifies to the power of deep-going class conflicts and revolutionary upheavals to change their thinking. It is not proof that religion is progressive. Moreover, "liberation theology" simply reflects the at­ tempt by some clergy to accommodate their religious be­ liefs to the popularity of socialism among the toilers they are trying to influence.

14 The Militant November 28, 1986 Unionists fight against antiabortion measure

BY ELLEN BERMAN A rally in Boston October 18, organized by a broad co­ More than 50 signatures were collected at the Wil­ Recently a flurry of activity on women's rights took alition of groups, was attended by 5,000 people. A smal­ mington plant, which employs mostly women. Several place among members of the International Union of Elec­ ler rally was held in Salem the next week. Salem is closer workers at Wilmington decided to organize a plant-gate tronics Workers (IUE) Local 201 at the General Electric than Boston to where most GE workers live. leafleting to urge a no vote on the referendum. plants in Lynn and Wilmington, Massachusetts. Several of us began wearing prochoice buttons to work In just a few days we collected about 150 signatures for This activity was a response to an antiabortion amend- and talking to coworkers about abortion rights. the letter that was printed in the union newspaper. The One young worker strongly insisted, "It has to be up to letter carried an announcement inviting union members a woman to decide. You've definitely got my vote." This to march as a contingent on October 18. turned out to be majority sentiment on the floor. A similar letter to the edito·r was printed in the Lynn UNION TALK We thought it would be important to get coverage of Daily Evening Item. the prochoice effort both in our union newspaper and in The chairperson of the Local's Women's Committee ment to the state constitution that was on the ballot in the the local media. spoke at the Salem rally and received enthusiastic November 4 elections. The measure, which has now A couple of us drafted a letter to the editor, which sev­ applause when she explained why the right to abortion is been defeated by a 58 percent majority, proposed se­ eral women then took the initiative of passing around such an important issue for working women. verely limiting a woman's ability to obtain an abortion by their work areas asking people to become cosigners. After talking to so many coworkers and seeing the cutting off Medicaid and other funding to clinics and hos­ One of these women had attended the national "March overwhelming prochoice sentiment among our brothers pitals that perform abortions. for Women's Lives" held in Washington, D.C., last and sisters, those of us who attended the rallies felt like Although our union did not take an official stand sup­ March. She told me that in circulating the letter she got we were representing many more than the 150 who porting a woman's right to choose, several union mem­ into lots of interesting discussions including some argu­ signed the letters. bers, including some union officials, joined in organizing ments with coworkers who oppose the right to abortion. Our experience helped convince us of the leading role a shop-floor effort against the ballot measure. One woman collected 30 signatures going from that union women and men can play in the ongoing strug­ We wanted to get out the word to the 8,000 employees machine operator to machine operator in her work area. gle to defend abortion rights. in the two plants about the challenge being posed to a She made a banner for the two demonstrations that read, woman's right to choose and to encourage coworkers to "Members of IUE 201 support a woman's right to Ellen Berman is a machinist at the GE plant in Lynn and participate in two local prochoice demonstrations. choose." is a member of IUE Local 201. -LEII"ERS------Gall friend from work. Some people Hey guys! You have the gall to connected this with the situation of ask for money? Blacks in South Africa. Your paper is one of the most Mayor Coleman Young went so biased, one-sided, one note piece far as to say that a similar curfew of trash that I have ever seen. Any might be made permanent if the paper that prints a full page on its problem of crime in the city does subscriptions in every issue is a not go away. waste of time. The Detroit News went even Thank you very much, further and called for the creation N.W. of decoy units like the STRESS St. Paul, Minnesota units of the early '70s, except without the "terror associated with STRESS." The plain truth Why should we think these Just in time, I've taken out my police will be any better than those pen to renew my subscription to who terrorized us in the past? That our newspaper. is what is at the heart of the cur­ Recently I read a copy of the few: an attempt to control and sup­ People, published by the Socialist press the young people and work­ Labor Party, saying that the Mili­ ers and to gain acceptance for an tant was nothing but a cheerlead­ increased police presence in our ing section for other countries' lives. revolutions. Naomi Craine Reading their paper, I noticed it Detroit, Michigan didn't really have much news. It was mostly a doctrine on a weak type of socialism. Is this what we Women in East Africa the African National Congress, tification checks. dictatorships have been set up as want from a weekly paper? The Association of African Stu­ but on all fronts." Judge Stempien said the city's tools of · U.S. capitalism, and What I need from a newspaper dents at Portland State University Janet Post enforcement procedure inevitably every last one of them has the is what I get from the Militant. sponsored a forum recently called Portland, Oregon meant discrimination and declared same fatal flaw as South Africa. The plain truth about what is cur­ "Feminism - Its Relevance for the city ordinance unconstitu­ A prisoner rently going on in our world. Women of Eastern Africa." The Important newspaper tional. Goodyear, Arizona speaker was Fatma Allo, a jour­ It gives me great pleasure to be Working-class news. Joe Madison~ a national board And it is so damn refreshing! nalist from East Africa who has a reader of the Militant publication worked in Uganda and Tanzania. member of the NAACP, called the Immigration Keep going. whenever I am lucky enough to re­ court ruling a victory for all Allo talked about the living and ceive a copy from one of the fel­ Your editorial in the October 31 In solidarity, Michigan citizens and an obstacle Militant on the immigration "re­ Eric Wells working conditions of women in low prisoners here at the Hun­ Africa. She pointed out that 80 to widespread attempts to "re­ form" bill was right on target. Quincy, California tingdon prison. However, I would segregate" America. percent of Africa's economy is like very much to become a steady I'd only like to add one detail to based on agricultural production subscriber to the Militant and soon Deatbom Mayor Michael show how phony the employer Curfew and that 80 percent of that work is I will be in a position to do so. Guido said the city would appeal sanctions provisions really are. If In recent months there has been done by women. Yet women can The Militant is such an impor­ Stempien's decision. you read the bill, you'll notice much talk in Detroit about "wiping neither own land nor keep their tant newspaper to me because it Kibwe Diarra there are no provisions to require out crime." The latest example of earned wages. tells the naked truth about all is­ Detroit, Michigan an employer to verify any this was the campaign around But Allo said that women in sues on both the national and inter­ documentation. "Devil's Night" arson. In the past rural areas are becoming very con­ national level and helps me under­ few years, there have been a lot of scious of their rights. "Resistance Apartheid This is odd when you consider stand why socialism would be the that an employer is subject to fires around Halloween. They comes from women being tied to system that we need to adopt in I would like to thank you for have usually been blamed on this system for too long," she sending me a free subscription penalties under the bill for "know­ order to save this country and the ingly" hiring an undocumented youths by the police and the stated. world from complete disaster. over the last eight months. Your media. This year, city officials de­ In Tanzania, Allo produced paper is very informative and is worker. It's going to be pretty Long live the Militant! Long hard to prove a boss hired some­ cided to "get tough." radio programs on problems fac­ live the struggle for socialism! the only newspaper I know that ing women in East Africa. One of tells the truth about these one knowingly when there is noth­ For three days, a dusk-to-dawn Forward ever, backward never! ing to show he knew! curfew was in effect for all those these took up the mandatory ex­ A prisoner capitalists. under 18 in the city. If you had to pulsion of pregnant women stu­ Huntingdon, Pennsylvania The Militant is right on track on So all a boss has to do to comply leave your home after 6:00 p.m., dents by the Tanzanian schools. South Africa. I am against apart­ with the law is merely ask for a you were required to have a parent Allo pointed to the media black­ heid. Latino worker's papers and write with you. Many people did not out in the United States of the Park ban down somewhere that he asked. know this and were arrested even "powerful Ugandan people's Wayne County Circuit Judge The history of apartheid is an Clearly, this does nothing more though they had an adult friend or movement." Instead, the media Marvin Stempien ruled in favor of unfolding tale of class struggles in than hand the bosses, free and relative with them. has chosen to print headlines such a suit brought against the City of which the Afrikaans-speaking clear, a weapon for blackmail and Over the three nights, hundreds as "AIDS rampant in Uganda." Dearborn (a suburb of Detroit) by minority initially gained the upper exploitation of Latino workers and of young people were picked up, (The audience was surprised to the National Association for the hand through land seizures in a raises further obstacles to work­ handcuffed to chains, and hauled learn that anyone from Uganda, Advancement of Colored People period when agriculture was still ing-class solidarity. off to a downtown gym. They Tanzania, and Zambia must now and the American Civil Liberties the dominant branch of production J.W. were then forced to sit very quietly go through mandatory AIDS test­ Union. in southern Africa. It subsequently Indianapolis, Indiana with the police officers yelling at ing when traveling to London.) The NAACP-ACLU suit was attempted to maintain this basis of them. One newspaper compared To struggle for women's rights aimed at defeating Dearborn's domination by imposing a special The letters column is an open the police to "military drill instruc­ in Africa, Allo said, women need voter-approved park ban. The ban kind of totalitarianism: one which forum for all viewpoints on sub­ tors." Those who misbehaved by to organize throughout the world. would have closed Dearborn's 20 pitted whites against Blacks and jects of general interest to our talking, laughing, or otherwise not "We think solidarity among Third parks and 14 playgrounds to non­ other racial groups. The economic readers. Please keep your letters being submissive, had to stand World women is emerging," she residents. Dearborn, according to absurdity of apartheid has even be­ brief. Where necessary they will with their faces against the wall. said. the 1980 census, is a city of come apparent in the developed be abridged. Please indicate if Many of these youths had only "One example we can look to is 90,000 citizens, 83 of them Black. world, divestment being one indi­ you prefer that your initials committed the "crime" of going to the women in South Africa who Dearborn officials proposed to cation of this. be used rather than your full the comer store or picking up a are in the forefront not only within enforce the ban with random iden- Throughout the Third World, name.

November 28, 1986 The Militant 15 THE MILITANT Toxic spill devastates Rhine

BY HARRY RING France, Germany, and the Netherlands The catastrophic release of millions of were not notified of the massive poisoning gallons of chemically poisoned water into of the Rhine until 40 hours after it hap­ the Rhine River, one of Europe's most im­ pened. It was only when dead fish began portant waterways, was the direct result of appearing in the river that the silence was corporate greed. broken. The huge spill, November 1, resulted This, a Sandoz official later explained, from a fire that destroyed two warehouses was the result of a "misunderstanding." at the Sandoz chemical company in Basel, An apparently similar "misunderstand­ Switzerland. Fire fighters dumped millions ing" was disclosed November 11 when of gallons of water on the blaze. Combin­ Swiss officials announced that on October ing with tons of lethal chemicals, this water 31, the day before the Sandoz fire, the then poured into the Rhine. The river runs Ciba-Geigy chemical company had spilled through Switzerland, West Germany, 88 gallons of a deadly weedkiller into the France, and the Netherlands, where it Rhine. The chemical, it was explained, flows into the North Sea. was mistakenly dumped into the river be­ fore being detoxified. The destroyed warehouses lacked the As a result of the Sandoz spill cover-up, most elementary fire safeguards. The it wasn't until days later that tens of proenvironmental West German Green thousands of people living along the river Party charged that five years ago a Swiss were warned not to drink the water. company had refused to insure them as too In West Germany, fire trucks were then risky. pressed into service to provide drinking In Basel, an official said that in that area water for river area residents. "the Rhine is now dead. The whole ecosys­ In the Netherlands, floodgates were tem is destroyed." closed to block the contaminated river France's environmental minister termed water from entering tributaries and canals. it an "ecological catastrophe." His West Officials said this meant greater amounts German counterpart added that fishery ex­ of poisoned water would flow into the al­ perts believed that the entire Rhine's ready heavily polluted North Sea. All four ecosystem has been destroyed for at least affected countries have shut down plants two years. He estimated that half a million processing water from the Rhine. fish had died so far. As two globs of poison more than 40 The buildings where the fire erupted miles long floated downstream, the effect were originally built to house machinery. on fish was devastating. A West German In 1979, with government approval, San­ wild life expert said it would be two years Protesters in Basel, Switzerland. Sign reads: 'Today the fish, tomorrow us.' doz converted them into chemical storage before many of the fish could be rein­ sheds. troduced into the river. And it might be a The sheds did not have sprinkler systems decade before eels can survive there. or automatic fire alarms. The company felt Particularly dangerous was the release of the danger of fire was too minimal to jus­ 440 pounds of mercury. Those who eat fish Judge bars sandblasting tify spending money on such elementary contaminated with it face a special risk be­ safeguards. cause mercury continues to accumulate in By the same reasoning, Sandoz assumed the body. Sufficient amounts bring ofmeat-packers' mural there was little chance of a fire occurring at neurological disorders, death, and defects in offspring. night, so the company-employed fire BY MAGGIE PERRIER The rally was sponsored by the Min­ brigade only worked days. The Rhine catastrophe has given new ST. PAUL, Minn. - In a victory for nesota Public Interest Research Group The blaze, which began shortly after force to an already deep concern among meat-packers struggling against the Hor­ (MPIRG), Medium West Gallery, and the midnight, was spotted by a passing cop Europeans about the grave environmental mel Co., Mower County Judge James Twin Cities Hormel Strike Support Group. car. By the time fire fighters arrived, the risks generated by profit-hungry corpora­ Mork issued an injunction November 12 On the leaflet used to build the rally, entire storage area was in flames. tions and governments that refuse to take prohibiting further destruction of the mural Shannon Brady, the art director of MPIRG, (Four days earlier, a leading for-hire fire meaningful action on the problem. on the side of the Austin, Minnesota, said, "By destroying this historical piece of prevention service inspected the sheds and In Basel November 8, some 10,000 Labor Center. ' art, officials of the union of Food and found them "tip-top.") people marched in protest. The following A hundred artists and meat-packers and Commercial Workers are simply trying to With the complicity of the Swiss govern­ day, Sandoz officials abruptly fled a public their supporters had joined together to paint erase a part of history they don't like-the ment, the chemical company's criminal meeting on the issue when enraged citizens the 16-by-80 foot mural during the strike strike they helped break." conduct continued after the huge spill. began hurling dead eels at them. against Hormel by Local P-9 of the United Over 400 artists around the country have Food and Commercial Workers union. signed petitions protesting the destruction. Dedicated to South African anti-apart­ A hundred signatures were obtained at the heid leader Nelson Mandela, the mural has November 7-9 conference of the Artists Benefit set for meat-packers become a symbol of workers struggling Alliance for Democracy held in Boston. against corporate greed. The destruction has also elicited outrage in the press. The St. Paul Pioneer Press ran BY LAURA FLICKER mel's injustice. UFCW trustees, who have occupied the ST. PAUL, Minn.- Holding signs that "And I myself have seen in this country Labor Center since placing the union's an article on October 9 denouncing the sandblasting as "arrogant and inflamma­ read, "We need to eat just like the rich the last few years that moves have been Local P-9 in receivership, began having the tory." kids" and "We need a decent future," 30 made to discredit those working men and mural sandblasted on October 8. Extensive Writing in the November 8 issue of the children of meat-packers joined folksinger women who associated with unions," Guth- damage was done before the meat-packers Nation magazine, Alexander Cockburn Arlo Guthrie at a news conference here rie said. - and their supporters obtained a temporary said, "Determined to extirpate the memory November 6. restraining order. Furthermore, I have gotten the word that and culture of P-9's struggle, the The trustees say the mural should be re­ Held at the International Brotherhood of some big international union has tried to U.F.C.W. ordered sandblasting of the moved because it is a reminder of a "bitter" Electrical Workers Local 110 hall, the threaten me for participating in this benefit mural. No union shop would do the job, so strike. news conference was called to publicize concert," he said referring to the top leader­ the U.F.C.W. had to use its own organiz­ the November 20 benefit conference ship of the United Food and Commercial At the November 12 hearing, Judge ers for the dirty work. A court order has featuring Guthrie, Holly Near, and John Workers union (UFCW). "But I'm proud to Mork said that since the trustees were only temporarily halted the destruction of the McCutcheon. Money raised by the con­ be here with these folks today who need a temporary tenants of the Labor Center they mural, but too late to save the first targets cert, to be held at Orchestra Hall in Min­ decent break." had no right to remove the mural. of the sandblasters' attack: the word 'Sol­ neapolis, will go to the Austin United Sup­ The top officialdom of the UFCW placed In the weeks leading up to the court idarity' and the faces of the hitherto face­ port Group's Food Shelf. Local P-9 in trusteeship in June for refusing hearing, artist and art organizations joined less workers." The Food Shelf has helped to feed the to buckle and end the strike on Hormel's in protests to save the mural. Others who have protested the destruc­ families of the meat-packers in Austin, terms. A rally of 30 artists was held the morn­ tion include poet Meridel LeSueur; singer Minnesota, during their battle against Geo. Austin Support Group member John ing of the hearing in front of the Hennepin Charlie King; the South African perform­ A. Hormel & Company. More than 800 of Heegard explained that 700 of the Austin County Government Center here in the ing group, Perspectives on Southern Af­ the meat-packers who went on strike in Au­ families rely on some food assistance and Twin Cities. Kathy Buck, former financial rica; and Artmakers, an organization of gust 1985 were prevented from getting that the Food Shelf has very low supplies as secretary of Local P-9, explained to the New York muralists. their jobs back when Hormel imposed a the holiday season approaches. rally that the mural represents the long his­ settlement last September. Food, clothing, and financial support can tory of struggle by the Hormel meat-pack­ Maggie Perrier is a retail clerk and a mem­ Guthrie pointed out that the children of be sent to the Hormel Rank & File Hardship ers from which other working people can ber of United Food and Commercial Work­ the meat-packers suffer as a result of Hor- Fund, P.O. Box 903, Austin, Minn. 55912. learn. ers Local 653.

16 The Militant November 28, 1986