the Labour Government.
Around the country many of ese worKers wont on strike last Wednesday 10,000 workers in Dundee. 6.000 engineers in Shetfield, 7,000 dockers in Liverpool, workers at Trico and Acton Kails in London. But the full force of the opposition to the Social Contract was far from felt.
A mere 4,000 attended the rain-soaked "national demonstration in London and only a Thousane marched n Where was this 'united movement" promised by ine Leyland comoine and the Liaison Committee for the Derence or trade umons:
Part of the answer can be seen rom ine by the Leyland stewards' leadership. Many Communist Party members at Leyland had argued, at least prior to the toolmakers strike, that 20 April would be a day of strike - it doesn't matter if we accept Phase because we'll be taking action to prevent any Phase 3. But once they WANT the Labou Government in office as much don't want to anyone. office кево Inem expense or ine the expense of the bosses'.
Sheldon. steward for the Leyland LOUITOUTE WOUNDTS a meeting of the Right to Work Cam Daion TOllOWinG April march against the Social STURROCK (Report He went on to explain that the Leyland toolroom nac cone back to WOTT necause inev were mreatened got the struggle of uniting the whole trade movement to stop any Pnase 3 EETPU sonn Dunsworin steward at Port Talbot, took up theme explaining attempts to Photo Phase 2 were part and parcel 01 torcine us into rnase s.
strikers have learnt What stake: i may Watch be of Turing against the Social Contract.
Han Morris auv steware al Heathrow pointed out how the Contract had led leaders overs. "One reason for ine rea Heathrow WOrK ment and the union leaders are terrified of the breath of fresh air ano oemocracy that has had decided to scab on toolmakers strike by attacking it as divisive the whole actor. care fully prepared over months, started to crumble.
When Communist Party mempers like berck noonson Tomcc with the Executive of the AUEW in alackie une too akcrs lwas he who produced demoralisation and splits which prevented a united stand by British Leyland workers against the Social Contract. Once the press got hold of the turnabout and began interviewing like the sheet metal workers at Longbridge, who had voted to stay at work on 20 April, Robinson chose to aid the dampening of the struggle saying inal action was 'unlikely'. He then recommended to stewards that only delegates London demo. Similarly at Rover Solihull, CP convenor Joe Harris HOW recout o oruer a resorunon calling for a discuss strike action on 20 April. not led to union leaders siding with the bosses. our gushed into and tha which from our union fight Into omer unions BiH avor но Which had that day spoke OUT those in labour attacked Port Talbot and Leyland ers or benne o visive fight against the Social Conspend ume on our District Committee of Prominent Communist Party others against Phase 3 as 'splittist' with no clear call or strike action by the initiators of the day ol action it is naraly surprising ina large sections parade around London to be of workers little use — and were not willing to LCDTU protest rally in London.
The Communist Party try to absolve themselves from responsi bility tor April day of action by pointing at "splittist' •UnC were sent to the workers, workers and TOOT workers.
It is because of the absence of meeting any lead for mass action that these workers fall back upon sectional lan Morris, AUEW steward at Heathrow, pointed out to the meeting how attempts to enforce the Social Contract trade union AUEW analysing is strikes aren't ive never was considered perfect by al Acton Rails, those involved to th give acains movement Heathrow SUPPUT Deason, the Riaht to Work Campaiar work- now facing court charges and campaigning work, echoed the same theme:
Ine most civisive action is Heathrow strikers on the 'Day of Action' march in London last Wednesday.
members have denounced their strike and of workers saw dampening the failure of the strikes by other like the Leyland toolHeathrow paign. why these perfect Strike thall Commenting but they are and Said them full Secretary of should instead of for Mrs to neiD the right to these disputes." arguments to defend their living standards. It is the fear that other workers will take their lead, and launch a struggle now to restore real wages, that leads the CP to actions such April. Action must be limited to protests against nase sul ales like AUEW Presidential candidate Bob wright are to be torincoming 20 April shows in practice the achievee arous uns approach. The real way to united action against the Social Contract is by building unity around strug gles that already exist - not bi denouncing them in the name of united camSTACH that or nose in me labour movement who say you should not support these strikes.
march that had just taken place he Sometimes I think we reverse the order us marching Parliament and asking the nose should be marching to Heathrow to say where they stand on MARTIN WEBSTER, Activities Organiser of the fascist Beaten organisation intended to contest 318 seats in the next general election have been seized upon by the Front as a dress rehearsal Tor neceneral cicculon Webster explained to The Observer in February why the NF was out to get a full 228 candidates beyond the 90 that it put up in the October 1974 general election. Time on the air to spread the racist filth factor in this decision. Webster disclosed that he had been told that without at least 300 candidates not be given more than the five minutes they had in the last two elections.
In the forthcoming local elections the NF will be trying to extend the electoral gains made in Stechford to take one step further their hopes in replacing the Liberal Party as the third major party in Britain The Labour Government must take its full responsibility for any gains made by the NF at the expense of the blacks and the working class as a whole. At a time when physica violence against blacks is on the increase, the policy o SeiT defence taken by last Conference has been thrown out of the window.
instead the Labour racist hysteria whipped up by the NF. Just last month the Home Office announced further harsh measures to restrict the rights of immigrants. The new rules against marriages of convenience will involve discrimination through their selective application. Gross breaches of privacy snoopers' arrive on the scene.
Immigration measures taken by Labour have been readily linked to the present capitalist crisis. Every aspect of racism confronted by blacks in Britain today -the persistent racist housing policies of local councils to the discrimination which traps black workers in low paid jobs under the most abject conditions until a fight is launched for policies which do meet the needs of the working class as a whole The challenge to the racists on the streets with the sort of unity that was seen in London last weekend is vital to fight the fascists' drive against basic rights. But it is also necessary elections. United far left slates which can to the policies to meet the tremendous step forward. More limited steps can be taker through agreements to allocate expenses of the workers' parties to united front anti-racist committees' activities.
Today's capitalist crisis demands an overall socialist alternative to the racist policies pursued by the Government and the complicit inactivity of the absence of any alternative mistakeniv look te solutions to the crisis. Nothing is further from the truth Its radical policies provide solutions aimed to destroy the only defence the working class has strength in unity.
month that his The forthcoming local council elections of the NF is an important the NF would year's Labour Party has reinforced the blatant racial and sexual can be expected when the sex will continue their campaign at the level of OUT TOWard capitalist crisis would be part of the electoral 'lefts'. In class people will policies of the NF as radical its collective