YS national committee.
SOCIALIST CHALLENCE 6 dori 1078 r ABOUT 300 delegates and 2, 000in all attended the Labour Party Young Socialists conference last weekend. The Conference was entertained to a mixture of distortion and bravado from the It claimed to have led the major anti-fascist mobilisations including Lewisham; It slandered the Womens Liberation Movement by accusing it of wanting lo set up separate trade unions for women; and told lie after ile about
ARBEITER KONTRA
EURORA DER KONZERNE WORKERS UNIT SOCIALIST EL struggle in the North of Ireland. the role the Provisionals are playing in the anti-imperialist He masonal communice oven went so far as to accuse thi Provisionals of strike breaking during the FBU dispute, a total distortion of what look place. A number of successful fringe meetings took place including ones on the WIM and Ireland where the slanders and lies were actively countered. Edinburgh.
But co-workers claim.
action week.
Conciation workers.
1,500 clerical and administrative workers ignored the letter and vored overwhelmingly to strike from 24 March delence of 14 of their who had been sacked for taking strike action in support of a regrading Management of Scottish Gas had carlier decided to bring matters to a conclusion' sacking the 14 wages clerks wha had been on official strike since 5 Dezember, and the solidarity of the NALGO Ga in its second The Government's Advisory, and Arbitration Service was brought into the dispute al the weekend, but in talks held by ACAS have so fai proved unsuccessful in persuadis managemicat to witnoraw Its dismissal of the striking Support for both the sacked the 14 and for the solidarity action taken by NAI.GO gas hranch is urgent given the state of the gas indusiry. Like-other nation alised industries, hundreds of Jehs have been lost in gas in th last Ten rears on the altar o high technology while the drive for increased productivity will jobs by 1980 if Sir Denis while hopelessis compromising with reactionary foroes will no slip by unmarked.
POWER WORKERS THE POWER WULACT national joint shop stewards COMES ONCE & TO YULE the employers" latest pay offer at the weekend. Ballotine on the offer began on Mondas. and George Wake, spokesperson for the shop stewards, criticised the union leaders involved for their attitude to the offer.
Proper leadership, said Wake, would have mobilised the rank and file and forced the employers to meet the original claim for a substantial increase scheduled salaries. heliere -EME Jack Col leadership is again shown as ballot papers go our without a recommendation.
Four unions are involved in negotiations covering WIi workers - electricien EEPTU, engineering ACEW transport TGWU, and general and municipal GWU The offer itsell provides for only a 7 per cent increase in hasic pay. together with a productivity deal. Productivity deals in the past in the powc industry have meant the loss of tens of thousands of jobs.
Caiva Socialist Challenge — EVER SINCE Margaret Thatcher's notorious interiey on World in Action, the whole questo or racism nas become central issue in Brush polities. Following Thatcher's speech, numerous other politirans entered the fray.
The leaders of the Labour Party responded to the Tory playing numbers game. The answer of Callaghan, Rees and Co. was based on one point: "There are hardly any biscks coming in. So what's all the fass about?
ETNIC numbers trap you're finished. Secause vou' ve accepten That there is a rational basis to the Enoch Powell and the National Frons.
Thatcher wasgoite explsci on this point. She said that there *asa cenulne Icar on the nart of people. who felt that they were being 'swamped", HYSTERIA Callaghan replied that this was not the case. The only blacks being allowed in were general election ether highly-skilled or dependents of chose afready living here.
Dependents', responded the I OFSLS "What dependents" Restrict their numbers Establish a register. Hysteria and paranoia mast be encouraged BLUSS. - Frighlen populace so that it rejecis Labour at the polls. Conserve British culture with the Tories.
But Labeur hadn't quite They weren't th ait for outflunked ( rasily miltee repert li wasa'!
coming. HEISE героп every racist in the country. Is recommendasions Tory and Labour racists linked arms 1o defend the white race from the the London.
estacush a nore consistent aRg organised dialogue berw cen the nevspaper and its supporters. The current editorial board will .oe proposins ene adopton ol "Our Common Ground' as the political basis Challenge, and -as part of the discussion around the need for propose full suppor for the jocialist Unity PanCREr Y oome up Totod It was on the basis of Our Common Ground' paper first approached other orpanisations editorial board. Although this offer was rejected then, some recent progress has been made. Richard Kirkwobd now allends preSelect one year on SOCIALIST CHALLENGE will be a year old in June. Ir is a good time to stand back and take stock. What are our strengths and weaknesses" How can we take the paper forward in the present period? How can we help to develop a metwork of local correspondents? What should they be concentrating on?
These are some of the questions which Socialist Challenge supporters will be discussing at a one-day conference on Saturday, 27 May at Conway Hall in The conference is aimed to ediorial board meetings as a EMEL ONCIC steering Glance, set up following the Sistrons conference of Cx-S Just as important, Socialist Challenge supporters groups have spread, and developed a will life of their own. There are now groups in te owas aa cues. campaigns- involving IMG AU-HEALE mehers VELEEISHOS that the Conference will be discessing activities undertaken by the these supporters nOw: 10 co-ordinate initiatives. The editorial board. feels that in addition lo activity Sooialst Challenge around clections.
Come ana, discuss PROPOSED AGENDA I0.15 Challenge 12.30- Lunch COITEE 4.00 5.00 End. priority comrades, Finaliy. mastanis. and of other political TEAE RICCIOr Chullenge groupe and future While ami-racist | uscful educational funcrion at Feeling that elect 9.45am Registraton, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square London WCI (nearest tube, Holhorn) policy The project of Socialist and left Nort eis. •Socialist Challenge -The list 12 monchs west. and the Future Votine and lections REGISTRATION FORM and which activities should be a top teasonTribunsl Britain's Presence in Norther VICUSI sponsored delence the East German dissiden, will Socialist Challenge The promos ac sereg an cancan politica tendencies Blica.
the lenge group CHILE Fi they he ail- beconc increasiagh ineffective.
COMMITTEE I will also be necessacy to national Chullenee committee at confer rights meer regularly touarerlyl and provie lhe overall direction and general of conjunction with the editorial This chould incide representatives froes every area including the Narth-west, Midlands. SoutiSouth can, Wales Yorkshire, Scoland and the :10 Home Connies This is the body schich in our view should be abour 20-strong editorial board. Clearly, memhership of the new board will have to he Landon-based for - shoald he hm ired in omrades elected to the national committee, or else would cot he able to join che heard hetseen conferenocs.
NOMINATIONS editorial board chould in our opinion give all organisations supportiag the panc: proportional representaBotl: these stope wil improve bui equaliy inopere lhe rau atas regular repional meetings ol convenors of Socialist Chul and a! Jocal cortespondents. We also hope H1 EIE to have a series of schools on reentutionars journalism in the monthy following the conferNominations for thie national Voice, Workers Action. SocialIsl V erker. sociaas KevIey and New Lelt Revien, And we cicourage contraces actively support the paper in Worken LarC. BeEsDe tarian Communist Group and Alliance tn attend with votine Mans Socialist Challenge groups hare incred menner from the editorial board lo Cone co thet moctines In 1te ses tebal in preparation lor le conference We hope these debates wil he reflected in the and invite 500-ward contrihilions;
Bet ce give comrades wishinp make CICILIE CALLIS H contributions tat possibilits, we are proposep a Socialist Challenge accial confereno hellha Wors supporters l limit cheir contributionsto 2000 offices by 17 April or stencils.
WHAT TO DO In the nest weeks hefere The Conference me urge all our sapperter to:
Toin your local Socialist Challenge group. or set one up iF none exist.
member af the INTIE editorial heard along lo your KrOOP " HENE BICUOD *1 rite up your views on thi project hehind the puper and our proposals fur thie conterence debale. for the bulletin und for Socialist Challeree *Suleit aminations for the nutiomal commitier.
*select u esavenor of vuur local group THEP SHT correspondent and send us the and adress (emraders).
*Register for the conference.
*Onganise a lund-ruising event to ensure an optimistic finance report.
----- pull-quotes -----
your paper forstad cor hoke 27/h. MAY WCt 6.00pm