Red Miner no. 10

The extent of popular hatred for the Tories was starkly revealed in the local ‘elections. The Tories lost 700 council seats. in the working class inner-city -areas they were decimated. Even the Economist, a strident Tory journal, was ‘compelled to comment:

"Nast of built-up Britain is now Labour or (occasionally) Alliance - a devastating comment on Hrs Thatcher’s social and enviroumental policies." (17/5/86?

There have been two responses in the Tory ranks to this crisis of credibility. Tory elder statesman, John Biffen, has become the latest, in a long line, of distinguished critics of Thatcher. Smarting from the series of policy disasters . that have hit the Tories - Westland, British Leyland, Libya - Biffen critised Thatcher’s style and public spending policy. He talked of the need for a leadership in the party representing a "balanced ticket”. He argued, along with another senior Tory Malcolm Rifkind, for a shift of emphasis away {from tax cuts and towards public spending:

‘We have allowed the impression to be created that we do not care about public services.”

The second respunse is that of the Thatcher/Tebbit camp. They are not so stupid that they don’t think they could lose the next election. So they want to

finish off the job of vicious attacks on .

the working class as soon ag possible. “They want to demoralise us so much there is no fightback that could upset their chances at the next election. These “policies are going full steam ahead with the nurses cheated out of their rise and massive cutbacks in shipbuilding rail and the pits, ta name but twa things.

As for their response to Biffen it was.

as intransigent as it has been to all other “wet” oppositions. Thatcher announced that

a “balanced ticket” bad won the Tories the |

1979 and 1983 elections. That is, she is the "balanced ticket”.

The overall position in the Tory party is that the Thatcherites remain firmly in the saddle, but popular hostility to them is causing divisions within the ranks. In this situation what should be the response of the labour movement ? Conflict in the Tory ranks is to be welcomed. We can and

"Pssst Neil, a least give me something I can sell to the membership'

should exploit their divisions ~ but not by

taking sides in the conflict. Biffen disagrees with Thatcher over the tempo of the attacks on the working class and the *style” of presentation of those attacks. He does not disagree that in the interests of British capitalism, the attacks have to be made. He wants to dress. them up in a more presentable electoral package

Wa, the way to exploit Tory difficulties is to fight their attacks in the here and now eg. link-ups between miners and rail workers can deal a real blow to Thatcher's plans. .

ON COURSE FOR DOWNING STREET?

The majority of miners and miners wives vote Labour and during the strike many became active Labour Party members, impressed by the suppart from rank and file Labour Party members, despite Kinnock’s treachery. Hveryoue from the branch officials to Scargill is now saying we will have to wait for a Labour government. In the aftermath af these election results what is Kinnock up to ?

He was, of course, delighted with the election results -"on course for Downing Street”, he claimed, Yet, bvebind the celebrations, there were fears that Labour was Still not doing weil enough, against the Alliance.

tribune ruefully admitted that the strong showing in the local elections

"may not have been quite enough to ensure a majority in Westminster" (16/5/86.)

Indeed’ a breakdown of the voting patterns showed that the rise in the Labour vote was 2.7% overall (it in fact feliby 1.5% in England) while that of the Alliance was up 4.3%. In terms of council seats this meant a 570 seat gain for Labour and a 380 seat gain for. the Alliance. Clearly Labour has not yet regained the ground lost to the Alliance in the early 1980's. Above all else this is fashioning Kinnock’'s strategy.

Under Kinnock the Labour Party is distancing itself from class struggle, Ve saw the way he carefully avoided any Support for our strike aad condemned every thing that may have upset the middle class voters he was so keen to court. in a calculated bid to woo the Alliance’s middle class. base, Kinnock is now emphasising Labour's “caring” role, its commitment to

keeping the unions in their place, and to purging the Labour Party of "extremists like. Militant. Realism - a euphemism for a thoroughly pro-capitalist strategy ~ has taken over’ from "socialist promises , however vague. This is why Kinnock attacked those peuple (the left):

"who would rather promise the earth than gain real ground.”

This is why Hattersley has refused to promise a serious expansion of the wartorn public sector and instead assures the taxsonscious middle classes and the profit conscious capitalists thst there will be a

"a tough framework for public spends ng” and "a rationally calculated ceiling te public borrowing."

We have fo hope of getting the pit closure programme reversed or victimised miners re-instated by such a government and Kinnock is careful not to make any promises in that direction.

instead of putting themselves at the head of resistance pow, Labour and union leaders, like Bickerstaffe of NUPE, are advising -a "a wait for the election tine’ Scargill ig saying that is all we can do sow! This is disasterous. lt may help Kinnock’s respectable image out it will leave more workers on the dole now, more factories, pits and shipyards decimated now. ii will ensure that Kinnock - if he gets to power ~ will inherit a demoralised working class. Hake no mistake, by signalling his intention to manage capitalism and nurse it back to health, Kinnock is signalling his intention to betray every progressive Labour policy and attack ‘the working class. The deepening | crisis af capitalism - output fell by 0.3%. last month, the first major fall for some years - will propel him, inevitably into. . Such attacks. A working class that cannot fight ‘now, will be in poor shape to fight bim then.

Of course these attacks will come heavier and quicker if a hung Parliament leads Labour into a coalition with the Aliiance. Those sirens of tbe subordination of the working ciass to an all class popular front, the Communist Party, are ajready advocating such a course. From the election results they concluded that Labour

must take the Alliance seriously because on many issues “they have important and persuasive paints to make "(7 Days.17/3/86,)

COALITION GOVERNMENT

While Kinnock, for electoral purpose, is formally rejecting ail talk of a coalition, his policies are preparing the ground for one, Such a coalition would give Kinnock a cunvenient excuse for the attacks that he would lauch.

The watchwords of the day are clear for those who want to fight capitalism. There should be no holding back on the class struggle to serve Kinnock's electoral

ambitions ~ act now to defend jobs and services - oppose all coalitionism and moves towards it. Force the Labour

jeadership to use tbe divisions in the Tories ranks ta encourage aad support active resistance now to their attacks.

RED NINBR will be running a series af articles and’ interviews about the Labour Party and it’s recard. We would be pleased ta publish any comments and. letters on this subject. Send to RM. cro i388 Crookesmoor Rd, Shettield 6,

CONFERENCE

Last month saw the first Area conference in South VYales since the strike. In his first speech to conference as Area

President, Pes Dutfield concentrated on the |

consequences of the Gafeat of the strike, 6,000 jobs and ii collieries havo lest. This be said was too high a price to pay for the ccalfield bresking even, and also destroyed the wpyth of jobs for all pitmen - there have heen many compuleury redundancies. He alsa eroake at length about the controversial "Tatuen ta work” resolution promoted by the South Wales leadership, which was “submitted to our patiopal conference an the clear understanding that whatever the decision there would be pa unilateral return to work." This he said was done "because by Christmas of that yoar, unlike Savth Vales the strike in a number of areas was visibly crumbling.” litfield conveniently doesn't mention the devastating affect on strikers in other areas of the throat of South Wales leading a retreat back to work. This threat helped undermine further the national strike, in the interests of preserving the “unity” of one area ~- and look at the result.

Qne of the main architects of the "return to work”, Terry Thomas, was safely re-elected as Vice President, defeating Gwyn Williams from Taff Merthyr by a 4 to ‘ 1. majority. Thomas himself had been easily defeated for Presidency last Autumn by Dutfield. Williams picked up his support ‘wainly from the more militant central coalfield pits, such as Tower, Merthyr Vale and Haerdy.

Conference backed several motions on pay and conditions, the demand for a basic wage of £120 a week (13% increase) for the lowest paid surface workers and ‘substantial’ across the board increases for all other grades, lowering of the retirement age to 55 and compensation for travelling time (up to 4 hours a day in South Wales). Conference also passed an area executive motion urging the energy unions to work together against the threat of privatisation, which it said would lead to further job losses and increased reliance on nuclear power. The accident at Chernobyl also provoked anh emergency resolution calling for a halt to the

been ~

IONAL ROU

lyst

building of any new pucicar power stations in Britain. Hopefully this won't become a case of mineworkers évainst nuclear power workers, as it is an isoue the whole working clams needs to confront in a non sectional mannur.

Whilst covering many important issues, conference didn't really debate the sacked and jailed men, This reflects the unwillingness of the Area Executive to even support the formation of a South Vales section af the Watiovual Justice for Wineworkers Campaign. We must fight even harder for them to take up the release and reinstatement of victimised miners.

The South Vales VYomens’ Support Groups organised a public meeting with Scargill as the main speaker. The rest of the platform were women with speakers from the longrunning Silent Night dispute,SOGAT 82, the Blaenan Ffestiniog WSG (recently ended a 7% month slate quarry strike), and Sian James the chairperson of South Wales WSG’s. The meeting was in effect a rally for victimised workers, pushing for support for these struggles in the mining communities. The meeting was a gocd morale booster for the WSG's and at the same time a blow against Area Executive wha did not support the meeting and were made to feel conspicuous by their absence. PTO,>

| Le

AS expected, the CB announced ‘that in April the Spouwth Vales coalfield made it’s first profit (£0.85m) since 1972. At the Same time they are now looking for a further 10% reduction in the workforce this year, around 1,400 jobs - mainly surface workers, as part of a push to increase productivity by another 30%, Beyond that the NCB are planning a further 10% increase euch year for the next 5 years. When wili it and? Although the Area Director states that the axe will not fall on any of the rasainlag 17 pite this year, this sees doubtiul to say the least.

Arovad 150 of the job losses will come.

at Haerdy, with the third and final stage of the link up with Tower colliery. This will leave the warkYorce at arounf 300 the smallest iu the cualfield. The lodge agreed to the jobs going over 2 years ago and are not opposing the HCB's plans. On the lodge itself the Stalinist Arfon Evans has been voted out as Chair - he became infamous during the strike for his “back to work - together” plans. It looks like the Communist Party are likely to lose any remaining influence they have on the lodge committess in the Yorthcoming elections, they were seen as leading the strike to defeat. lt remains to be seen whether Bike Richards the sew Lodge chair has any answers.

lan Isaac, former Lodge Secretary at St. John’s colliery is facing an enquiry by his local Labour’ Party (gmore) into his "political allegiances". Isaac is well known in South Wales as a Hilitant supporter, and his possible expulsion is a further move by the rightwing (particularly strong in South Wales) to witch-hunt socialists out of the Labour Party. As with other threatened Hilitant supporters he appears to be fighting the case through the courts rather than campaigning in the labour movement for support. Despite this we should support isaac's right to Labour Party membership, tagether with all other Rilitant sepporters in a similar position.

SCOTLAND

Voting bas bean guing on in Scotland for the past of Area Vice President, where George Bolton, (@ leading right wing critic of Scargill and one of the first to decide after the strike that we should have had a baaaallot) is belag challenged, by victimised miner David Hamilton, who spent 64 days in jail during the strike.

fhe case of the sacked lads is a very big issue here. There are still 125 sacked in Scotland, and many of the men are getting frustrated with the lack of any fight from the Scottish leadership to get their jobs back. Things are so bad that some of the sacked lads are talking about taking the union to court for neglicence after losing their chance of an industrial tribunal.

Stirling Hiners Support Group held a meeting on the sacked lads last Thursday end) with many from Polmaise in attendance where 1 in 15 strikers were sacked. Both Bolton and Hamilton were invited, predictably Bolton didn’t come but Hamilton did and promised to take up the case of the sacked lads. As an immediate issue he is calling for a meeting of all the sacked miners in Scotland, and a march from Edinburgh to London to highlight their case,

Unfortunately it looks as though Bolton will get re-elected especially with the method of election being used which bas nothing to do with real workers democracy.

KUK branch meetings decide how all the votes at a pit are cast. The problem with this being that with so many pits shutting and many miners living 30 or more miles from the pit attendances at Sunday branch meetings are low. In addition very iLittle publicity has been given cut on the candidates, the Scottish Miner is not veing published at present and there bave beep no leaflets giving information on the candidates,

What we need are branch meetings at or nearby the pit during work time, this would guarantee that the majority of a ners would be involved in important decisions and would be a valuable weapon fur Winn oy

action against the board “id any backsliding on the part of tie srea leadership.

SABOTAGE

Aeauwhile an independant inquiry has found aut what we knew all along, that the board (jet Polkenmet flood deliberately during the great, strike. Yet more evidence of the lenghths the bastards wili go to in their attempts to grind us down. The independant inquirer said it would take over 3 years and in excess of £20 miilion to yet, the pit back but someone here suggested we wait for a Jabour Government and dry it out with ai) le hot air which we'll no doubt yet from Kinnock,

‘RED MINER recently spoke to Notts. Area Wim President Wick McGinty about the situation for the union. He told us there were 7,000 men left in the HUN with as many as 320-50 at Ollerton and 370 at Bavercotes and yet the Coal Board still

rafuse ta recognise then. Management know -

this is a sure way of keeping men out af the union as they can't ba represented. The NUE official~ can't take Uterature into the pitt and management spies are told to report any ‘gathering’ of HUM members in canteans etc. As Mick points out the tables are set aut for four people ta sit at so dows this mean NUM members can't sit down to eat and talk together!

Officials have been successfully prevented from carrying out union duties Openly - the alterualtive is the SACK as in Paul Whetton's case. fhe denial of these basic Trade Union rights has been taken to an Industrial Tribunal by the HUH. The panagement are watching individuals like hawks - and people are frightened. Mick McGinty believes the key to the problem is recognition for the NUM which he says would finish the UDN off. Notts. HUM put UDM membership at less than 20,000 yet the scab outfit are still apparently claiming a membership of 900 at Ollerton when "We know the true figure to be about 550”.

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NORD DERBYSHIRE The backpage ut April's edition of ‘The Kiner’ reads "Derbys. digs in as bonus discontent spreads". It went on to say attitudes wera hardening in Borth Derbyshire with a weekday ban operating and the possibility of it extending to wenkends,

The overtime ban referred ‘to was introduced folinwing a 2-1 vote in favour of industrial action a result which sent shack waves through the Coal Board,

Vhat marvellicus reading. Glad’ens the heart don't it.

Then along come those class fighters, the Area Executive, (nomersaulting off the cherished wall they sat their arses on during our year long strike), waving the white flag, which makes more appearances than the North Derbysbire baniier, to accept the new bonus scheme. This scheme requires faces to stand alone with no allowances made, for any reason whatsoever and the acceptance of this ea the first stage towards the Pnards objective of a move to ‘more meaningful aod equitable incentive package",

Shack waves eh !

It must have been a bloody earthquake felt at the HUM headquarters in Chesterfield at the outcome of the ballot. It must be those thousands of copies of The Miner they don't bother to distribute that help prop up the crumbling founcations of that bastion of socialist thinking !

Whitwell colliery have adapted ten families and are providing food parcels for the Silentnight strikers out now for 12 months. See article in this issue for contact humbers.

SCAB URJOWN MAKES A MOVE FOR NW DERBYS,

The latest issue of the Scab Rag makes much of ex NUK member David Thompson swopping allegiances for good to the UDK after attending their conference as % a ‘secret WUM mole’...co secret only Thompson knew about it! He apparently works at Markham pit although few seem ta know much about bim. His avowed intention is to build the UDM in Worth Derbyshire Area. What is known about this man ? Write in and let us know.

Armthorps, miners were out on strike ior a full week in response to a one man picket put on by @ man sacked for coming out early, Two wan were sacked for this aetferce yet ane got his jab back, the other a transfer from the Hickleton pit and active in the strike did not. The tass meeting on Kriday (23/5/86) decided ta returu to wock pending negotiations with the wanagemonl, Men are obviossly still prepared to act against what they sce ag

A valiy heli im May as part of the fight fO save Kinsiey Urift attracted 200 peaple. The branch and the Kineley Drift Action Committes bave dune well to keep the fight Being given the lack of ony dixection from AGA OF Haticaal, The tive speakers ranging from Kictardsan to Deonis Sikipner had hittde to offer the casipaign. Somer from foess, aren used hie sgeech to urge a vote toy Labour in tre iocal elections.

414i credit is due to the the men and vows righting in tbe campaign we must back this fight aad da our best to prevent Ares and Nationa: trom wriggiing out a active support for those fighting ciosures.

SOUTH AFRICA UPDATE

de. Unions Nust impose ' Yorkers ions

The Gouth African government has signailed 1tS intention to continue its repression and terror. by launching attacks on the bases and refugee camps of the African Rational Coagrese (ANC) in Zimbabwe, gambia and Lesotho. Daily it continues its war on black people in the townships

Since ‘the township rebellion began two years aga, at least 1600 bave oeen 1..ed

In the face of this evidence ci terrar and repression, Thatcher refuses to bring in sanctions. itven if the Commonwealth succeeds in winning some minor gestures from the Hritish government, we can be sure thal the Tories will let thelr. banking and business partners wriggle out. Honths after an official ban on the gold coin ‘krugerands'’, custons officials at

Birginghaa Airport whe stopped a shipment coming in, were told that no official Instruction had actually been issued yet !

These people cannot he expected to operate effective measures against Apartheid. This task falls to the working | class. Our Trade Unions should be organising to stop aii South African. goods coming into this country, and aiso taking measures against firms with major trading and financial links.

Une of these is the gold mining company Consolidated Goldfields, which has many

civil engineering subsidiary . businesses here, Counter Information Services is launching a campaign against this

notoriaqus low wage mining boss. fhe aim is to get action to ensure no Locai Authority places contracts with these subsidiary firms. Undoubtedly RUK representatives on Trades Councils, and councillors trom Bining villages, can play an important part

Lodges and branches sbhoutd contact ‘Voun ter information Services on 0} 439 3764 tor iurther aetai i

Organtsed protest against the -tometands system

cg

. remains

WOMEN ORGANISE MEETING WITH SCARGILL

o0o000 0

Arthur Scargill recently spoke at a Public Heeting in Caerphilly, South Vales organised by South Vales Womens’ Support Groups. The platform also included women speakers representing various groups of striking/victimised workers ‘see South Wales report.) The meeting was an opportunity for around 500 NUM militants, miners’ wives and supporters to see "Where Scargill stands” a year on from the Great Strike, The speech, as usual well received, revealed both the strengths and weaknesses of his politics. |

Quite correctly, Scargill gave support to the caspaign for associate membership of the union for the Womens’ Support Groups, He also expressed outrage at Reagan’s attack on Libya and Thatcher's support for it.

However, Arthur still talks of the strike not being a defeat, He pointed out that “only” 27 out of 50 pits on the NCB hitlist have closed. Isn’t that is a very high price to pay for "victory’? There were victories out of the strike, the Womens’ Support Groups for example, but overall it was a defeat and Arthur must learn to accepti that and all that it means.

SCAB .UNION

Scargill talked of the “breakaway preaking up". True, the scab union bas lost its hold in Lancashire, North Wales and Warwickshire. However it's influence strong, Look at Jack Jones’ campaign to keep the Leicestershire area in the WUM - he did all he could to make the HUM seem ‘moderate’ ie like a scab union. Lynk and Prendergast and co. won't just go away as Arthur hopes, they need to be fought against, through ap active campaign in the Wotts, coalfield - involving militants from the scab free areas. This is already happening and must be built on in the coming months.

Referring to the sacked and jailed lads, Scargill said "they must not be forgotten in the ‘way some people seem to have done.” However instead of calling for support for the .Hational Justice for Mineworkers Campaign, the only hope he could offer was "the election of a Labour government on socialist policies.” Wo mention was made of the often successful industrial action taken at several pits to get reinstatement for victimised -men.

While we should campaign for a Labour government, to put demands on it, to ‘put it to the test', we can’t rely on the treacherous Kinnock as Scargill seems to. Kinnock is rapidly junking any hint of socialist policies (even the Red Flag logo !) in the hope of becoming Prime Minister at any cost. Although understandable, it is wrong to place any faith in a future Labour government delivering the goads, It's up to the rank and file militants themselves to lead the way in the fight for the release/reinstatement of all the victimised men.

SOLIDARITY

Scargill talked of internationalism in his speech, applauding the massive solidarity from abroad during the strike eg. the Australian dockers ~ now on strike themselves. However, be later called for coal import controls, which would only mean the export of unemployment to workers in other countries, and in turn would lead to greater exploitation of workers here as a result of eg. higher prices. The real enemies are the bosses in this country, not fellow workers abroad.

On a similar theme Scargill was in favour of shutting dawn nuclear power stations - because they reduce 4HCB praduction targets. Again this plays one group of workers off against another and only serves to divide us. The only acceptable solution to the hazards of nuclear power and mining, is for the workforce (and local community) themselves to decide safety standards through workers inspection of every aspect of the industry.

CONTRADICTIONS

Overall the speech showed the contradictions of Scargill’s politics. While able to win the support of militants with left sounding talk, be can’t provide an effective way for the union to fight the attcks of the BCB and the Tories. The answer lies in building a national rank and file movement in the union, not as a split in the union but to strengthen it, ensuring that the whole membership can take an active part in the decisions and struggies ahead.

The accident at Chernobyl has shown up the very real dangers of’ nuclear power production. In fact’

the consequences of that disaster -

were not as devastating as they” could have been, but showed.” ‘the possibility of much “greater”

accidents. As it is, the radiation”

will have effects for many years,” not only on the workers effécted immediately by radiation sickhess,"’

but alse on the estimated 10, 000"

people who will suffer cancers ‘or birth defects in the Scientists alsa estimate that problems with contaminated, fields and agricultural produce will continue for at least 10 years.

aba!

HY POCRICY

The Chernobyl

reported in the West with” ea smugness which implied that it” couldn't happen in ' eur: *democracies’. The press and’

governments attacked the Soviet

Union for its secrecy and lack Gf” information given to the Russian’

people. The hypocricy of this has since been shown ~ in the last

week news has filtered out ‘about. serious radiation leaks in several’ French nuclear power plants which ‘ were hushed up for weeks. In this"

country the government has deliberately ditched previous’ ” policy on reporting nuclear ""

accidents and adopted a similar’

cover-up attitude in the name of ‘business secrecy’ and ‘national security’. They also systematically deny information, to the United Rations monitoring body, and have failed to provide adequate monitoring for radiation levels.

It is clear that nuclear power.:::

future."

events were:

fh dy

’ é ee A Le Wee

Da a5 eM EWR WS VS ye ates ‘ “se ‘

“What CAN beyidone to prevent similar OF, AYER - wanse ‘accidents ‘iin’ the future .? Many people in the ecology movement, the women’ movement, in the Labour Party and the NUM are arguing for a total shutdown of all «nuclear power plants. We don’t think this really answers. the problems for the working class.

Firstly, the question of the need for efficient energy preduction... must . be answered. Although fossil fuels like coal and... oi1 can. provide . adequate energy for. some countries, these supplies. are finite, and do. not offer a sOlution for the whole’ world. In Britain it is easy for well: of f middleclass “politicians tow argue that ‘energy consérvation’ is the answer: “But when there are millions in’ the less developed countries who have - no electricity, no running’ water and often no food, there is an obvious need to expand industry and energy production. Socialists from Marx onwards have argued that the way to alleviate, suffenin “in the world is not ‘to! ust redistribute resources more equally, but to expand production

eles

all” over the world “can have a decent lite.

world today that ‘argument is

literally a matter of life and death, . oS

For millions in the

production that takes place; under.» capitalist ownership or under thei. %, management of the, Stalinistes | bureaucracies-is unsafe,,;,and thats the working class‘will be kept: in..... ignorance. of the real level; LOEasis

Storage tanks at Sellafleld

-< best technology,. a of mining coal and the minima “exposure of workers, to. dangerous | underground ‘work. ‘But that has to | - be done. under: workers’ contral BO

that jobs. -are: not: “lost. but. are

So we recognise’ the need for more effective, expanded = energy

production. But if we do. heed .. other sources of energy how do. we. make sure they are safe? This. relates to our second dishgreément ’

with those who argue for a closure of all nuclear power stations. We think that the only way to ensure that industry of any kind is made more safe is to have inspection, monitoring and control of safety standards by the peaple who work there. The bosses, governments or the bureaucrats in the USSR simply don't have the same interests in keeping it safe! After all, it’s not generally them who wili die of radiation or pnuemoconiosis or any other work related iliness. And making industry safe requires the spending of money. In capitalist production spending on safety would eat into profits and will be

resisted. in the Stalinist countries they want cheap energy to help overcome slowdown = and stagnation in the economy. The absence of a safety cover at Chernobyl shows that they too cut

corners ta fulfil their bureaucratic plans. WORKERS CONTROL A workers’ enquiry into the

uuciear industry should be immediately fought for. There my be plants which are so obviously unsafe that they must be closed. But there may be others which could be made safe if the money was spent and stringent inspection by the workers was won. We are in na position to say in advence that nuclear power is inevitably

unsafe. All we can be sure about ..

is that under capitalism it is unsafe, so we've got to struggle for workers’ control.

During the Great Strike many miners and miners wives said they ‘thought no-one should have to. work down the pit really,

“closure of pits. What it. means is

but... that ‘didn’t mean we should - support the -

changed, = the. hours shortened and the work shared. We must look at

othe nuclear industry. dn. the same aways | arguing. for... plants © to. Link: workers

workers in the Up with other and women -from: the local communities to, investigate and decide on safety in the plants. If these enquiries decide that they cannot be made safe, we should close them down, under workers’ control since that too is a risky business and re-employ the workers in other jobs.

if we just adopt the call for the government toa close all nuclear power stations, we are excluding workers from actually fighting to take control of those industries and making their own decisions. The anti-nuclear movement rejects this approach because it does’ not believe the working class have the ability or interest to take such control and decisions. It would prefer to rely on pressurising the governmet, just like they try and get ‘public apinion’ to persuade the bosses to give up nuclear weapons. Petitions, peace camps and so on will never persuade the bosses to

disarm themselves, and neither will they stop them pursuing cheap, profitable and unsafe

energy production. The only way to force the government and bosses to Shift on these issues is by direct working class action. By fighting for a workers’ enquiry and controi into nuclear power the labour movement can begin to chailenvge the vosses ‘right to manage’ ani impose the decisions of rhe workers themselves.

of SUBSCRIBE! NONE H Bong | Botte

IKE with NTO BA ca THE

that workers should fight for the =

the | safest ways

adon WOIN IXX

io the last RED MINER we described the explosion of working class anger and militancy that toppled the Tser in February 1917. We aliso described bow despite that militancy which won the soldiers to the workers side and routed the

old police force, a Provisional Government of capitalist politicians was formed. That Lover nent was comm tted to

malntaininys capitalism, carrying on the imperialist war and putting or Ff ail discussion of constitutional and social reform unmtil the war was over.

While authority was officially in the bands of the Provisional Government the workers, soldiers and sailors established their own arganisations in the factories, garrisons and urban centres. In the factories workers committees

mushroomed as an expression of the

workers intention not to allow the bosses of the old regime ta push them around any more. The most hated directors and managers were dealt with swiftly. At the giant Putiloy works, for example, the director and his chief aid were killed and dumped in a canal. A festival of ‘carting outs’ swept the factories as the bosses and their narks were coated in noxious substances and wheelbarrowed out ot the gates ta public humiliation. Lesser offenders were put to useful manual labour for the first time in their lives

see

1442.0 LAS

WORKERS HISTORY |

| The factory comni ttees exercised considerable power in the plants. They insisted on an eight hour day against the wishes of the Government and the bosses. They took action to push up wages. Workers militia policed the workers districts now the old police force had collapsed.

The giant Kronstadt naval base mutinied on the 28th February.

When Governor General Viren threatened the putineers with loyal troops an unknown sailor replied "This is not a. mutiny,

comrade admiral, but a revolution" and put an end to Viren. Most of

the Kronstadt top officers went the same way. Power in the base and on the ships passed to the sailors committees who put a stop to the humiliating and demeaning discipline the sailors had been subject to. Such committees spread throughout the armed forces,

The mobilisations and organisation of the Petrograd workers, soldiers and sailors were

coordinated, above plant and garrison level, by a central workers, soldiers and sailors council the Soviet of Workers and Soldiers deputies. Bach workplace and parrison elected recallable delegates to the Soviet. Soviets alang such lines

spread to all the major industrial centres of Russia. The workers

eg dam nner: dotenatae tn the Conacress of Soviats in Russia in 1917.

looked to the Soviets as their voice. On March ist an influx of soldier delegates to the Petrograd Soviet forced it to issue its order number 1 calling on all military units to elect their own officers, send delegates to the Soviets and only to accept orders on the Soviet'’s say soa.

in reality therefore there were ‘two sources of power in Russia after the February Revolution, “Power had been created with a “bourgeois Provisional government 'on the one hand and the power of ‘the Soviets, workers militia, ‘factory and garrison committees on ‘the other. One way or other that Dual Power situation could not last. Either the bourgeoisie would re-establish stability and order ou their terms against the Soviets, or the workers would hbave to assert the power of their. sOviets against the bourgeoisie. Posed point blank was the question or whether the workers and soldiers would fight for their ‘organisations to become the basis for working class power and the creation of a workers state.

BOLSHEVISM VERSUS MENSHEVISM

The February revolution had taken most of Russia's organised socialists by surprise. Russian socialism had long been divided into two major camps -_ the Hensheviks and the Bolsheviks. The Menshevik's view of February 1917 and the tasks of the Soviets was a Simple one. As far as they were concerned Russia was not ripe for socialist revolution as it had not passed through a sufficient stage of democratic capitalist development. Therefore there could be no question of the soviets usurping the power that rightfully belonged to the bourgeois government. Instead they should use their influence to propel the Provisional Government in a more democratic direction and prevent ‘any backsliding on its part.

Initially it was the members of the Menshevik camp who made up the

leadership of the workers movement. They dominated the Soviets and the committees in virtually every factory in Petrograd. They had three quarters of the Putilov workers backing

their slates in March.

the Bolsheviks, dominant line of the

Party. On Warch 7th in a letter

The position in the other camp

of Russian socialism was more complicated. Various Bolshevik organisations responded to the

events in different ways. Certain elements, including the editors of the Bolshevik paper Pravda, Stalin

and Kamenev, wanted to give conditional support to the Provisional Government for reasons not unlike those of the

Mensheviks. However the Bolsheviks in the thick of the struggle took a more militant stand. In the

Vybarg workers district of Petrograd the Bolsheviks called for the Soviet to immediately

establish itself as a Provisional Revolutionary Government. In March the leadership inside Russia tended mainly to support the line of conditional support for the Provisional Govérnment. Except in two Petrograd plants the Bolsheviks were a minority within the leadership of the working class, -

Lenin the principal leader of opposed the Bolshevik

from exile he insisted that:

“The Soviet of Workers Deputies iz an organisation of the workers the embryo oL a workers government"

On his return to Russia in April he vigorously set out to win the party over to his position that nao support should be given to the Provisional Government and that

the mass Of workers must be won to seeing the Soviet as the embryo at

a workers government apd fighting for it to take power ithe it's hands..... ALL POWER TQ THH SOVIETS!

PTO"

In succesfully winning the Bolsheviks to his position at April's all—Russian Party

conference Lenin had resolved one vital question for the Russian working class. it now had a party committed to leading the working class to insurrection against the

bourgeois government and the seizure of power. the key question now facing the Russian working

class was whether that party could win leadership in the Soviets, the factories and garrisons against the Menshevik compromisers who ‘were still leading the workers.

Relations between the workers and the Provisional Government declined sharply in late April. Qn the 18th Foreign Minister Miliukov announced to Russia’s war allies

that the government intended to bonour all the war obligations that the Tsar had undertaken and solemnly swore not to sign a separate peace. This meant that the Provisional Government was set

on continuing an Imperialist War

which, on its part, aiwed at capturing Constantinople, large parts of Asia and a greater share of Poland.

The news was greeted with great anger in the factories and garrisons. There were Ina j OF strikes demonstrations in Petrograd against ‘Miliukov. The number of Red Guard workers militia increased considerably. In

and

eee a as

Petrograd woman take to the streets

the last wave of

week of April there was a resolutions from factory meetings calling on the Soviet to exercise stronger control over the Goverument. Ia the most militant Vyborg district Some factories openly called on the Soviet to take power from the Government.

The Mensbeviks responded to this crisis of the Government's credibility by proposing that the Soviet should endorse the formation of a coalition government which should include representatives of the socialist parties. Against Bolshevik opposition the Petrograd accepted that position.on 4th May. Six representatives of the Mensbeviks and the peasant based Socialist Revolutionary Party took

their cabinet seats alongside a majority of bourgeois ministers. when delegates reported the

decision back to the factories the majority of workers supported it.

The question of leadership was ail the more sharply posed for the Russian workers. The Mensheviks were dragging the soviets into direct participation in a capitalist government. Only the minority voice of the ‘Bolsheviks stood firm against them. How that ninority became the. leadership of the Russian working class will be discussed in the next article.

ah age aa

Soviet §

SILENTNIGHT : OUT 12 Wi0!

A year ago this month workers at the Stlentnight bed making company came out on strike,

A month later 500 of them were sacked. Today, thay still fight on for reinstatement most recently organising a national demonstration (Hay 17th),

This important strike sturted whea workers wht bad accepted a ‘no riss' deal jn exchange for no redundancies found that management had ne intention of sticking to ibeir side of the deal when 52 jobs were lost just 8 wenks later. Workers from the recently formed, active Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades Union (FTAT) branch failing to get management into any conciliation bodies voted by ballot for vadustrial action, Kansgement suspended 200 as suon as they started a go-slow and the strike bean. ,

RED MINER received the following update from a striker working in Wales to raise support for their fight for their rights.

Dear Red Manner;

Dear Editor,

We have now been on strike for 12 months, the morale of the 250 left, is remarkably _ high considering, that sometimes we feel to be achieving very little, however recently three strikers visited the Docks, at Felixstowe and were assured that showld the essential Coir Fibre used in mattresses be found in the Dacks, it would be blacked.

One problem with Timber supplies, is

* that there are four docks around Hartlepool

area, and they have all said that they would black, if the others do, but some how they are loathe to meet us with their reps., from all the docks concerned. As a result, the Abba Shipping Company, cross our picket lines regularly and pickets risk life and limb, if we try to talk to the drivers. We appeal to people who could help us with this problem to da so, and ask all other Docks, not to handle Silentnight materials, .

Apart from anger and bitterness we feel because of supplies getting through, we are boosted every day as the scabs REHAIN O8 SHORT TIRE due to our Boycott Scab Beds Campaign.

Ve are still lobbying the Co-operative regions to help us by not stocking any

Silentnight heise. Already Liverpool, Leeds, Coventry eed Royal Arsenal are no longer re-orderipe beds for the duration of the strike and we hope that the rest of the Co-eps will help.

If your Co-op. is still selling Scab beds write complaining to the Area Hanager do the same for Queensway and Debentans, please as they are reported to be ardering a substantial number of beds. We area also seeking help in affecting the mail order side of Silentnight, as it is a hard ares to break into. Please write to any wall order catalogue that deals with Silentwight, Sealy, Lay-e-zee oar Perfecta, (they are 21) part of Tom Clarkes Empire), and expr your reluctance to ba part of an organisation that supports Union breakers.

A SILESTHIGHT STRIKER.

For speakers contact Terry Bennett, 22 Garrick Street, Welson, Lancashire. BBQ 8JA.Tel. 0282-603055/8 14556 /843649.

Please seni any donations to : FTAT Cravendale Branch, 92 Branch Strike Fund.c/o Hes fon King, 10 Rainball Cresent, Barnoldswick, Colne, Lancs. Tel.0262--813662.

me — oe

ED AINER

Vhe Red Miner is produced by members and supporters Of Bowles Pugs, Workers Power is 4 revolutionary organisetinn Tigbting ie bulld a nea revolutionary

Party ta overticow oxpiteliam - at hase and abroad.

GEUEDS" STRUGR ES ‘te mart. ALY ueckers'! struggles against the bosses. We fig te turn all struggles inte cons~ chal ents capt seliet- otsumgen.

The bret wilen and Labour leaders believe capital-

iim can by aetvemed, male batter, but they do not.

aim: to ovarthcoe cuplialiaw. They uct og go-betweens for ‘the bosses with the workers. Even militant leaders limit their stvugles to the fight for gains within cepituligs. For this reason we are for building renk land" Pile movanniite. politically independant of. the bureaucracy and committed to transforming the unione iota democratic, class struggle unions.

REVOLUTIONARY PARTY

A revolutionary ‘party will be a workers! party, a party. that, buyiti in struggle, can learn and pass on the “leseos of the 1984-85 strike and other struggles. We stand . for miners taking their place in’ the front ranks ‘of building such a party as they did in the 19205. Orly by building a new revolutions ry. party can. we. create the class army that can fight. and “destrey the stinking capitalist system that. threatens us with elwaye having to fight to protect our Jobe, cani{tiona and organisations.

le ara comitted tp Fighting capitaliem internationallys: Ba strive’ to build en international. organis- “atte of revolutionary “parties. (workers Power works

js In particular we fight nationalist ‘solutions OE: :

4 pak tusrd. by: reformiste like galis ‘fa inport cantrols. Such ‘demands merely divide the

piviszaNs

We fight: all divisiows in the working class. Divisions are. fostered by. the bosses to weaken ‘us. tle yo ae Inplacably opposed to racism inulgration

IERE WE STAND

controls, fascism, ssion of women,

discrimination against and oppregays or black pacple,

JHE OPPRESSED

We support all struggles by people oppressed by the bosses of Britain, America, France, Italy and the other capitalist (imperialist) countries, Tomediiately in Gritain this meams we support the right of the Irish people as a whole (not just those in the marth) to detrmine the fate of their country. We unconditionally support the Tepublicans and socialists in Ireland Fighting for this right and demand the iomediate withdrgwal of all British troops from Traland.

, WORKERS' STATES

bend sh EL) The USSR, Eastern Europe, etc are workers’ states, Capitalism has been abolished. However, in each of these states 2 bureaucracy, based on the Stalinist Communist Parties, holds political power. This situation arose out of the international isolation of the Russian Revolution in the 1920s. The revolution degenerated at the hands of the bureaucracy headed by Stalin, The other workers" states were i degenerate from birth in that they were created in ‘the bureaucratic image of the USSR,

Therefore we call for a political revolution in all of these states to overthrow the bureaucracy and realise the full potential of these non-capitalist economies thruogh democratic Planning. At the same time, {in order to preserve the gain for the working class represented by these economies, we defend the USSR and degenerate workers! states unconditionally against imperialism which, through war, will seek to re-intreduce capitalism in these countries.

OVERTHROW CAPITALISN

The revolutionary party ue seek to build will have as its strategic goal the overthrow of capitalism by workers organised into workers’ councils and armed so as to defeat the police and army that the bosses have used, and will use again, against us, we are for a socialist society in which all property is in the hands of the workers' state and all procu~ ction {s directed towards meeting -human need - not satisfying the profit greed of the capitalists. we

. Stand on the old slogan of Karl Marx:

_ WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE, - YOU HAVE WOTHING TO LOSE BUT YOUR CHAINS, AND A WORLD. TO WIN.