but capitalism.
thousands of Labour supporters.
Tories (and their right-wing allies in the labour movement).
around the following demands:
1½ million already on the dole.
to offset inflation.
profit before people.
expenditure to be tied to rises in the cost of living.
within the labour movement.
Get the troops out of Ireland-now! the present reactionary leadership.
interests of labour and its allies.
Auckland Road, London, S. E. 19. AFTER FIVE YEARS of the Callaghan government, it has become ever more clear that the leaders of the labour movement offer policies not in the interests of working people Socialist Action sees as its central aim the building, within the labour movement, of a class struggle left-wing fighting for socialist policies against those which recently lost Labour the election and disillusioned Such a left-wing should be committed not only to fighting for policies in the interests of working people but also labour's allies among the youth, women, Blacks and oppressed national minorities. It is only by showing that labour champions the rights of all the oppressed and exploited that a really united offensive can be organised against the Socialist Action believes that a viable left-wing should be built * Hands off the Unions! No curbs on the right to strike or picket! * For the 35-hour week. End unemployment by work-sharing with no loss of pay and introduce a massive public works programme for the * Oppose all wage curbs. For wage increases tied to the cost of living * Open the books of all companies claiming "inability' to pay a decent wage or threatening redundancies. Nationalise all those that put * End all cuts in social services. (Tax the rich not the poor!) For social * For women's rights. For the right of all women to free abortion on demand, free nursery facilities, equal pay and opportunities. * Fight racism! Repeal all racist immigration laws. Defend the right of Blacks to defend themselves against racist attacks and to organise * For the right of all oppressed nations to determine their own future.
* For a safe environment. Oppose capitalism's attempts to poison life and the environment, in its pursuit of profit. End nuclear reactors and base an energystrategy on coal! Explore alternative energy sources. Socialist Action does not see the fight for these demands as a 'paper' issue. On the contrary, it is only by labour activists fighting to mobilise thousands on the streets and in the factories around such questions that they can begin to offer a serious opposition to the Tories' reactionary It is also only by labour becoming identified with such struggles that it will begin to regain the support it lost under five years of Callaghan's pro-capitalist policies, in a real attempt to build an alternative to Such a struggle will, undoubtedly, also mean a fight to democratise the Labour Party to ensure conference decisions are binding on future Labour governments and MPs are mandated to carry out policies in the Socialist Action supporters will seek the widest possible unity with all forces in the labour movement in fighting around concrete issues. We would also seek to develop, in the pages of the paper, a serious dialogue on the best way to go about implementing them. If you would like to find out more about Socialist Action-or contribute to it-please write to: Socialist Action, c/o 58 Auckland Road, London SE19.
holds regular discussion forums on the problems facing the Labour, women's and Black movements together with the IMberation strug-' gles taking place internationally. If you are interested in attending these forums, please contact: SOCIALIST ACTION, c/o 58, In order to ram home their anti-labour offensive, the Tories are also planning curbs on the unions and other measures to to whip up racist feelings as Corrie's anti-abortion bill-to be introduced soon-is calculated to create a climate for pushing women out of industry back into the home.
REACTION the budget was not unexpected. They heartily denounced it. But intend doing about this attack on working people and their allies that is bound to lead to explosive struggles in the period ahead? Nothing.
ce any idea that trade unionists to defend jobs and living standards. "The Conservative government was elected through the he declared.
to counter the militant speeches about "bringing down the Tories' from figures such as McGaughy, mean one thing. Working people should meekly accept the wholesale offensive on their rights and Tories and their big business backers.
FIGHT-BACK Callaghan will find it difficult, however, to keep a lid on things. The TUC has already delivered a warning to Thatcher that they might not be able to contain the a 'concerted campaign of action' against the 'cuts'.
culate into the Labour Party, it will lead to a growing conflict with Callaghan's 'do nothing' parliamentary debates.
allies demand that their party to sharp clashes as took place, a of entry into the EEC.
TREND An indication of this trend can to 'distance' himself from the Shadow Cabinet and call for If anyone had any doubts about Thatcher's intentions, they should have been dispelled by the budget last month. Cuts in social services, 400,000 on the dole, lower living standardsthese are the first spicy dish to emerge from the Tory kitchen.
If estimates of a world recession are accurate, then the next dish will be spicier yet. Inflation raging at around 17 per cent and over two million jobless could be served up by the end of the year. Is it any wonder even the City is jittery?
divide and weaken working people as the fight-back begins. Thatcher's anti-immigration stance is designed hope.
The Shadow Cabinet's reaction to what exactly do the labour leaders Worse than that, at a meeting of Labour Women in June, Callaghan used the platform to denounshould use their 'industrial power' ballot box and it must be removed from office by the same method"
side.
Callaghan's statement, designed CONTAIN living standards cooked up by the years. party. Many more-sensing the pressures building up-will doubtless follow suit. But will the Tribunite left, which dominates the NEC, be able to develop a fighting alternative to Callaghan in the eyes of millions of workers? Experience does not encourage Writing on the elections to the Shadow Cabinet-just after the defeat at the polls-Tribune openly opposed opposition to Callaghan in the belief that 'unity' was required in the party to fight against the Tories. And, true to their word, they unanimously reelected as Shadow leader the man whose five years in office and pro-capitalist policies had lost labour the election and got it the smallest share of the poll since 1931.
This talk of 'unity'-even after the election defeat-was a sham. It merely covered Tribune's submission to the right and its unwillingness to campaign within the labour movement against the leaders' pro-capitalist policies. It was precisely this 'unity' that lost Labour the election. Millions of workers, unable to see an alternative to Callaghan in the party, looked outThe readiness of Tribune to 'boost' Callaghan even after the electionand for figures like Orme to sit inside the Shadow Cabinet-does not inspire much confidence in their ability to build a fighting alternative to him in the coming This is not, of course, new. One of the traditional weaknesses of the Tribune left-which explains its tendency to "back down' before the right-is its constant to campaign for 'capitalism with a human face' Isn't this what it demands to increase public spending and give bigger loans to ailing firms, through the NEC, is all about? Ignoring the call for nationalisaiton of such firms, they propose propping up private enterprise at tax-payers' expense. Such a move, it might be added, can only increase unemployment since state loans' for 'modernisation' is only used-as at Chrysler in 1976-to axe the labour force.
Likewise, its call for 'import controls' and leaving the EEC contain no antidote to growing jobless iotals. Not only do such demands callously 'export' unemployment to workers in other countries. By keeping out cheap inports to protect British goods -which are more expensive-they will only create unemployment in other areas of the economy as people are forced to buy less.
These 'seige economy' posit tions-which will probably grow in the years ahead-are not only ineffective but highly dangerous. Boosting the idea of a 'national' solution to the present crisis, they
----- pull-quotes -----
what we stand for
Discussion Forums Socialist Action