This trick is the oldest in the NO OTTON TO TAS MEN! into a bureaucrat. But the of the new mood rising in the RECTOR TOTALL class. Turning on their last phrase he said, "you don't understand. I already am somebody walked back to the shop floor. For years the radicalisation in America spread through inde pendent ITASS mavements which organised outside of, and especially in their early years in open hostility to, the organised labour movement.
POLITICS The black movement was the period of calm which METERRI enjoyed World War Civil rights carly were only the beginning. By the carly '70s. Chicanos, women, and students had organised movements which were Having a social impact far beyond their own ranks. Organised protest came also from prisoners, gays and oppressed nationalities.
The most important independent movement, however, the anti-war movement, from which many of movements leaders and inspiration.
Much to the alarm of a poll financed hy America's richest rights demanded by college students In Dy Dors. Contr considered as rights by Voune workers as well. was called into the office of the plant manager. Besides this boss and his boss from the steei company the union's local (branch) and district heads were in the office. Their offer was simple: stop your militancy on the shop floor and we'll give you a new car, a wage increase and a union post. Yes, they said: "We'll really make you somebody. STUART PAUL reports.
Blacks make up 20 per cent of union membership Industry (United Auto Workthe largest government employees Federation of State, County and AFSCME Letter Carriers.
Postal Clerks).
SCAPEGOAT As of 1977, the American worker is no longer an adult white male.
Barnes, leader American Socialist Prazy pile white milet have pointed out last slipped to 49 per cent of the workforce. *So it's hard to say what the MILLE average worker is darker than white. more remale than cych, and younger than Women, oppressed nationalitake up so per cent or 2e and workers under 21 American working class to. day." the national coal strike began, the miners in Stearns, was went on strike recognition. (A nearby mine other owned by the same company underground explosion caused trade unionists in San Antonio, being away) organised a support SECUEILOC the miners and contributed $500.
miners.
And follow Metal averand District Committee.
Jack Workers growing radicalisation in the! SOONE TONE CUTS DEMOT strated in the the DEL February United Americu (USWA) elected a new president. In the campaien a strong challenger called Back current RIGHT WING Kentucky for union Their candidate for dent. constantly red-baited bourgeois media and attempts were made to discredit him recalling his opposition to the Vietnam war. He replied that it movement to have supported the war. It should have stopped it and should stop a similar war The political origins of the | in the future.
Picket the US embassy in support of the Grosvenor Square, Wednesday 22 March, 12 noon to 2pm.
by Socialist Challenge the example of Socialist Challenge supporters in Wilmot Breeden, a Birmingham car components factory, who collected signatures for a petition of support for the US miners. It was signed by members of the AUEW and the National Society of Mechanics. Among signatories were 15 shop stewards and member of the Birmingham AUEW West The Stirchley AUEW No 2 branch has also sent a resolution to the UMWA.
demands put Experimental BITTEN (1977) the steel strikes, Workers of to the slate emerged Fight Presi- steel' (steel SAD OWSKI in the by le 9000E London, went on strike and range, the many the NOTEMCH isolated to Steelworkers Fight Back was buils sround opposition to the set Negotiating bureaucracy Agreement (ENA) which bans although the members were never allowed to vote on it. Nor can they vote on 1971. their contracts. However, in its the campaign it took a number militant positions which in this country the Cosmunist Party would not even contemplate.
Pretod Sadlowski won a quarler of a and in basic production) an DE UMWA who bocause of industrial unionism of the Steel Warkers Union, the TREACHERY Organised in the Mesabi tbe strike took advantage of a loophole in the ENA no-strike pledge, allowing "local issue' strikes, to fight for parity other steelworkers. The Mesabi range had been solid for Sadlowski but the burcaucracy had support their strike more they won. The Joophole has been amended" our since.
showed a militant alternative to ENA and its fruits. This mood American labour been Inst campaign Following Fight Back in seel, a similar group has been set up in think Miners For Democracy wat when candidate for UMW president was murdered Wer Josg the ChE When theelection was declared invalid the and and of several union denied by bureaucracy Most important of these was the right to vote on their contract. They also regained delegate control conference and t00. membership control of the EMWA Journal. The union began an organising drive, its First in 20 years And altbought many of the original MFD activists have been sacked or resigned since, gains democracy are proving valuable today.
Sad owski, for all the progressive points of his platform. renta nod loyal to the capitalis Democratic Party. But there are signs, especially in this strike, that this long-held American lahour movement is suffering the same crisis as the blinders of the fifties and carly sixties SUPPORT Harry Patrick, who war until ALLITEC UMW Secretary-Treasurer, said in the 23 December MilitanKUSt: 1 we've had enough. We've tried and tried and tried to work within one of the two major parties, and is is simply just not going to work. think a Tabour party put together with LETE ELECHU SIC programme could be a damn The racist politicians are also losing supporters. A white coal miner in Alabama responded to an attack on a picker line by State Troopers : You learned telling black supporter: about Wallace before we did. but now we've learnt the lesson
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Supported Workers Action.