SUPPORT LEVLAND CONFERENCE ON 3 APRIL WHATEVER FLEET STREET tells you, Labour Government spreads, be sure of this: the Leyland toolroom workers have the militant backing of the vast majority of those of us who work at Longbrige.
The management, the discredited union leadership of Scanion and Jones, the Labour Government, have tried to divide the toolroom workers from other car workers and the rest of the working class. But carworkers at Leyland and elsewhere know that at the root of the toolroom workers strike is an anger against the falling living standards, caused by the Social Contract.
And that 'Contrick', the deal which united the Labour Government and the trade union bureaucracy for two years, is beginning to break up.
Even the very limited demands for national negotiating rights around the decline in their wages has thrown the Labour Government and the Leyland management into confusion.
The treatment handed out to Scanlon when he left Birmingham last week, with shouts of 'Go Home You Bum' ringing in his ears, was also handed out to Geoffrey Drain, leader of the National and Local Officers Association, when he as well tried to stop his members in Scotland striking against the cuts.
CONTEMPTUOUS SILENCE Jack Jones, when he came to visit us at Longbridge last month received the same contemptuous reception.
Workers are looking for an alternative to the policies and leadership of these gentlemen and many of the traditional loyalties are breaking up.
(Revolutionary Communist League)
Travailleurs (formerly Révolution)
FRIDAY MARCH 18th 7.30pm CONWAY HALL RED LION SQUARE WC1 (Holborn tube)
For French elections story see p. 12.
whatever lies the 3 APRIL CONFERENCE plant.
Longbridge carworker, Contract.
INTERNATIONAL are MARXIST GROUP Yet the Communist Party still refuses to break from Scanlon and his fellow Con-Trick conspirators.
In the Works Committee at Longbridge, Party members have actively supported the record of the - as a watchdog for the management.
They have banned unofficial strikes. They have supportec notorious penalty clause documents. They have accepted the programme for production of the new Mini without hesitation, without finding out what pitfalls the management have prepared for the workforce.
At the conference called by Leyland stewards on 3 April, many Leyland workers will, the chair permitting express their opposition to the 'protest' politics of the CP Instead the demand will be raised that the strike action proposed for 19 April is turned into a movement which will sweep away Phase 2 as the best way of fighting Phase 3.
This is the type of action that can defeat the Social Contract — not hoping that 'lefts' like Scanlon will finally move, not relying on the likes of Tony Benn who now raises gas prices at will and threatens to use the armed forces to break the strike at Windscale atomic power An alternative to all these betrayers must be fought for. That is the reason why I, as a revolutionary socialist and a am standing in Stechford by-election: as part of the socialist opposition that can be built in the course of the struggle against the Social 'leaders' like Scanlon INKY steward at British Leyland, Longbridge, and MG candidate in Stechford by-election
The National Abortion Campaign will be holding its second national conierence on 19/20 March, almost two years to the day since the campaign was first set up. At first conference in October 1975, 1,000 NAC supporters established the aims of the campaign DUNCE national campaign to defeat all restrictive the basis of woman's right to choose whether to continue or terminate a pregnancy' — and decided upon structures to achieve its aims. THREAT The setting of the conference is the fight against William Benyon's anti-abortion Bill latest threat to women's fight for equality and independence. The first aim of NAC supporters at the Conference will be to map our clear plans to defeat this restrictive measure and to take the fight for free abortion on demand forward.
The action resolution submitted to the conference by the Steering Committee pinpoints the 14 May demonstration as the next national focal point for the campaign. It calls on the conference to issue a public appeal to the labour and student movement. The appeal will make clear if it is carried that each of these movements have a special responsibility to throw their organised weight and collective efforts behind the fight to prevent the Benyon Bill becoming law.
URGENT It is within the framework of this urgent task that all other debates at the Conference will be situated. A Menal Oxford NAC tere p discussed Bill attitude -TO DIODOSCU published by the Abortion Law ASSOCIATION Simmonds, member told Red Weekly:
discussed the proposition two angles. Firstly, does the content Bill adequately NAC's understanding of woman's right to choose? ALRA's Bill accepts the validity arguments about foetal viability. It therefore places a limit of pregnancy on weeks In woman's right of choice.
•We felt that NAC cannot and over the fundamental principle of a woman s TEn! -LO CHOOsC. that any time limit in law would be restricuive It would also give the anti-abortion lobby an ideal starting point for amending such a law, by merely reducing the time limit on viability grounds. We have already seen this happening with Benyon.
Secondly we considered ine iming of ALRA's Bill. The pres ent situation in Parliament makes it extremely unlikely that any positive legislation would passed, but more NAC's main priority is to defeat the Benyon Bill."
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A second area of debate scheduled for the Conference will be centred on how best to structure the campaign. Chris Waton Ol Leeds NAC told Red Weekly why her group wanted to re-affirm the policy of positively discriminating in favour of women in ich revolutionaries should fight Pauline for at every level of working class ine •We organisations and campaigns 'NAC is one of the tew campaigns which actually draws out and involves all women, whetner they be working in industry or at home. These women must be seen and encouraged to take the leading role in the organisation of such a campaign.
especially since women's traditional role (i.e. that of housewife and mother) rarely allows them to take an active part in the trade union and labour and movement or, indeed, in any sort of militant campaign.
Chris Walton also made clear to Red Weekly how she saw the relationship between NAC and the we must remember tnal wome alone will never be able to win this fight. The struggle for free abortion on demand is a class issue which must be - такси Perhaps scheduled for discussion at the importantly, NAC Conference will be how-to democratically express the interests of the campaign in its day-to-day running. Women's Voice has submitted a resolution for a more tightly organised structure.
Although they proposal from last Conference for a delegate steering without explanation, they still try mechanically impose The last two years' experience of campaigning show how incorrect this approach is.
RESPOND Because NAC is an 25p oriented mass campaign it must have the flexibility to rapidly - paying utmost attention to the need for cratic organisation. And it must also be as open as possible to encourage any new supporters who wish to ola time full role in the campaign. Care must also be taken to delegates and representatives from trade unions, women's groups and campaigning organisations The present structure of NAC with an open Steering Committee to carry out the day-to-day worl of the campaign and accountable to regular national meetings of the campaign involving representatives from every NAC group and affiliated body to achieve NAC'sgoals.
The attention of the Conference will be best spent on discussing how to make sure these structures can run smoothly and democratinecessary cally, rather than overthrowing their very basis.
She argued: thorniest area rape is an sexually dropped their disappeared.
Instead committee the case. trade This was For Nicholas Winterton in the light doubt that young men are actioncally mature. barculary British, at a very early age respond MYTHS consistent demoSpecially to an audience - for however limited absorbed centuries of racist - to immediately assume a cliffe's resignation Involve mended that sent home.' Programme. once again.
sation of women, particulany provide the best basis of viewers COMMENTS The kidnap and rape of a young unfortunate but natural aspect existence or that it is the expected consequences of the seductive activity media, good opportunity which could not be wasted, to use this case of rape to reinforce racist borough of London.
instance TOT crucising given to the five rapists said that. there is no ano not which racist greater duty The implications are clear, which has and myths. Another Tory, Michael Brotherton, called for Judge Sutand recom *the Moroccan crea ence tures and their parents should be Two weeks ago the same racist theme aosearee in ys Londo of a serious exposition and attack physical sexual brutaliattack upon the black community nature are rapist.
Line • YOUT wds launched. The message insistently drummed home to the millions or mines minutes as ro minutes Contenton dr Didnyonsu cupy themselves gang raping plays about blacks programme totally It is based on the comments of three woman by five TraDe higher rates but ine youtn.
judiciary and carefully chosen 'experts' on the social problems of the Tottenham failings. wel On the basis of the utterances of these three people a report was presented by a supposedly liberal, oresticious programme fact the result was a programme stirred up ane reintorou consciousness with probthat obvious fascist propaganda.
malo message of tne programme was women It was illustrated sequences of black youths at a disco, black school kids playing football at school and standing on the pavement, playing and talking With this background, was repeatedly told that oung blacks are responsible to attacks on women at bus stops cafes, and in discos.
In other words - the next time you see a number of black youths:
shout callue rane because blacks by their ver was the DANGEROUS This link-up between rape and race is especially dangerous. It some of most backward and deeply seated racist ideas inat are commoniy nerd Britain. clear that the society in which we live is not only economically degenerating, but is alsd socially degenerating. All forms of social violence such as women bashing, street violence as well as are increase. And so are orner inaica tions of the social crisis like the suicides and the increase in alconolsI amongst SCAPEGOAT situation, blacks being used as a scapegoat for the social degeneration of capitalism TOT mugging, now it is rape. What next?
The use of race to explain rape class by stirring up racist union structures on mne campaigl oppression experienced women. It is an consciouslies.
contdaicuons nrecent socia order by setting and those wno would defend them from whatever poin of view - againsi blacks This trend will continue unless there is an alternative explanatior and practical measures are fough for in the working class recoonise Ta physical violence against women needs to confronted. / held rape last year took th first steps ir working out concret labour move ment to adopt, In assuming responsibility wowho are VICTIMS male brutalisation. One such proposa demand for unions to provision free transport home for women work ers from employers As the social crisis deepens in further steps along this road.
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REVOLUTONARY TNAG UNITY IN THE FRENCH ELECTIONS Speakers: Daniel Bensaid Ligue Communiste Revolutionnaire
A leader of Lutte Ouvriere (Workers Struggle) A leader of Organisation Communiste des
looking for an alternative policies
ABORTION RIGHTS- A SOCIALIST PERSPECTIVE WOMANSI
Moroccan teenagers hit the headlines of the national press in November last year. With this particular rape, the usual ideas peddled by this racist and sexist society, that.
bourgeois politicians were quick off the mark in taking up Far from any concern for the oppression of women, the interest came from the fact that the rapist happened to be non-white.