Red Miner no. 15

THE RED MINER NO15 MARCHAPRIL '87

Ps r BOW Bulletin for miners and their families |Op

42. EDITORIAL ;

VOTE ERIC LIPPITT

RED MINER goes to press as the Campaign for the post of National Vice President of the the NUM goes into it’s final week. The two main Candidates, Eric Clarke, General Secretary of the Scottish Area and Sammy Thornpson, Yorkshire General, Secretary offer nothing to those rank and file miners who want to take on the board and stop any further backsliding by our national leadership.

Clarke has the backing of

right wing figures on the executive -

such as George Bolton who siners will remember as the character who came out of his hole, after the strike was over and attacked Arthur Scargill’s leadership of the strike. In addition Clarke has been largely responsible for the collaboration with the Scottish Board which has seen the decimation eof the Scottish coalfield and the weakening of the Scottish Area of the NUN. A vote for Clarke is a vote for Kinnock'’s new realism and will strengthen the hand of the right wing on the executive.

For many miners the man to vote for is Samny Thompson. He has the backing of the militant Yorkshire and Kent areas, he is also seen by many militants’ to be a "Scargill man". Now while it is true that Thompson has never been a leading critic of Scargill it is also true that he has never been a leading advocate of class struggle policies. During the great strike he alopg-with Jack Taylor blocked the effective: picketing of Orgreave for uany.* 9ek8, and his attitude to the Kent .pickets at the end of the strike | Was certainly aot that of a "Scargill man*.

RED MINER readers may want to argue "that is all water under the bridge" so it is worth looking at what he stands on pow, and what he has been arguing during. the election caunpaign.

The only real differences between the manifestos of Thompson and Clarke are, Thompson’s snakes a

favour of re-instatenent,

great deal about the fact he is from Yorkshire, (half of the statement in the latest Yorkshire Miner goes on endlessly about Samay being Yorkshires man, so much for fighting for one NATIONAL union), while Clarke’s sakes a big deal about the fact he is on the National Executive of the Labour Party.

On the major issues which will be facing miners over the next few years, such as privatisation, pay, sorting out the UDM, attacks by British Coal on our working conditions, and the sacked nen, both candidates have given the stock vague answers. They are in unity in unions, preserving conditions, saving jobs, etc, but unfortunately neither candidate Says how any of this will be done. In fact Thompson went as far as to say during an election meeting at Hatfield Main that “the sacked miners’ issue was lost the day the strike finished") If that is the case then we had better all stop campaigning and tell all the sacked lads to get used to signing on for the rest of their lives.

the mining

For both candidates the solution to the problems wsiners face is to elect a Labour

Government. Both are convinced that labour will win the next general election, but neither say anything about how they will force a Labour government to stand up for sainer’s and other worker’s interests. | the Tories get in again, well go knows what they think we ought to do.

What is certain is that neither Clarke or Thoapson are in favour of organising the rank and file of the union, or trying to

lead a militant fightback the Boards attacks.

against

RED HINER is calling for a vote for Eric Lippitt, a sacked miner from the Midlands Area. Eric iS standing openly as a candidate of the rank and file, in

opposition to those in the leadership who zre back-pedalling, and in defence of the traditions of the great strike. He is for the reinstatement of all sacked men and the release of all miners imprisoned as a result of their activities in the strike.

He regarded the Executive’s refusal to give a recommendation on

- how to vote to the delegate conference that ended the strike as an abdication of leadership. Eric is in favour of a campaign to rebuild the union’s strength through a fight for the full wage

claim. He is for demanding of a Labour government the repeal of all the anti-union laws, ' for legislation to reimburse all the NUH funds lost in the strike. Lippitt is also in favour of waging a campaign against the UDM, and argues that they must be kept out

of all concilliation bodies. He is for resistance to the pit closure programnre.

Thus far in the election

Campaign the big regional machines have weighted the votes in favour of Clarke and Thompson. Rank and file miners aust resist the propaganda and look to the policies which the candidates are putting forward. Only Lippitt reflects in any way the militancy and determination which exists amongst rank and file NUM members. A vote for Lippitt is a vote against the Tight wing drift in the leadership of our union. VOTE LIPPITT

MARGAM

Just what exactly do the South Wales Area Executive think they are going to gain by crauling on their belly to British Coal ? And what exactly do they think the result of their actions will be on the Mational Union of Mineworkers, and on miners in other areas.

Conditions which miners won in the first ten years of this century are to be sold for the promise of 900 jobs in the new Mar gar colliery. If the Board manage to introduce a compulsory 9 hour shift

and a compulsory 6 day week at HMargam it will give them a green light to introduce it in other areas.

There is a lot cf talk of future privatisation if the Tories wit another term, Dutfield’s argument is that the Boards terms must be accepted in order to save the Margam devevioprmrent from going into private hands. What absolute rubbish! British Coal are trying to re-introduce 19th century working practices in order to make the industry appealling to the sharks in the City of London. Acceptance of British Coal’s conditions will actually make privatisation sore likely.

Arthur Scargill stated, "We want the Mar gam deve lopment and we want it desperately. But we don*t want to be ' blackmailed into unfair practices". RED MINER also wants to see more jobs but we realise that the South Wales NUM’s acceptance of this deal will weaken the union and probably mean less jobs throughout the nation aS a whole.

WORKERS CONTROL

recently

The way we should be introducing sore jobs iS With a shorter working week, not a longer one. That however involves a fight something cur leaders seem less and

less likely to lead. Without a fight the prospect is 19th century conditions, privatisation, and job cuts.

Elsewhere in this issue there is an article on nationalisation and workers control, the struggle for new jobs is inseperably linked to that fight for workers control of the industry, for without workers control we are forever at the mercy of governments and banks whose Raster is profit.

_ That fight for workers control takes us forward on the road to the removal of their stinking system and it’s replacement with one where production is geared to the needs of working people. That is the goal of RED MINER, we ask you to sake it yours.

REGIONAL ROUND: UP

N DERBYSHIRE

The new bonus scheme still dominates the area. Three pits were chosen, at first, for a trial period on the new scheme, Highmoor, Renishaw Park and Shirebrook: This has now been extended for another month and ail the pits in the area are on a trial basis. The Board and our own Area officials have been falling over backwards to push this through with the least resistance. UM Area President A.Fairest has played a disgusting role in dangling the carrot to the membership, going round the area speaking at pits in favour of this scheme. The introduction of a new range of incentive schemes at pits is “to offer contracts to small teams in anys part of the mine not just at the face%and to replace pay bargaining at Watioan] level. this will help to hasten the changes outlined in the Wheeler report. No doubt some men will be better off on this new scheme, but the purpose of these schemes is to divide our members to get pit against pit, face against face, inbye against outbye and the surface. The unity of the union is at stake - don’t let the carrot fool you. Opposition to this new scheme which is not unlike the Doncaster option has been growing. Warsop and Renishaw Park voting against it at recent branch meetings.

Recently a few NUM students were brought before a kangaroo court in front of our four area officials to the charge of having subversive elements in their group.

In a disgusting show af bullying tactics even to the extent of one official

offering a student outside (probably to hit

him with the new realism stick), the officials would not or could not substantiate their allegations of talk amongst the group that the officials wef selling the membership out, splitting the union and of our Area President going ové to the other side (the CoalBoard) Given their involvement in trying to get the bonus scheme through and of the Area

President’s disgusting role (some would say »

be is already on managements books) the rank and file have the right to oppose them on their stand on this or any other matter concerning then.

The rank and file are the union,officials are the servants of that upion, not the masters!

E.S.V's AND DIESEL FUMES,

The Board's introduction of Free stee vehicles at ap increased rate in this ari and the coalfield as a whole, should shc our members the increasing attacks by thé Board on the Health and Safety regulations at pits. The MINERS UNION OF AMERICA have won a seven year campaign to ban ali diesel. trackiess vehicles in underground union mines because they believe that the fumes can cause cancer.

NORTH EAST

The first in a series of mgetings organised by the Durham SUM, inviting leading trade union and political figures was launched on the 7th February by Arthur Scargill. He spoke on the current state of the NUM and the industry to a lively meeting of over 400 miners from the Durham area.

Scargill didn’t confine his remarks to the state and tasks of the NUM but he did point out that the Coal Board were still on the offensive and that since the strike 51 pits had closed or merged and that 56.300 jobs had been lost.

"By any stretch of the imagination our industry has been savaged by the Tory government's monetarist

policy.”

The whole sentiment of his speech was on the need to fight back and not give in ta the Tories or the Coal Board. His remarks were pointed and especially relevant given that the meeting was beld in the shadow of the sell.out of the printworkers strike by

Dean and Dubbins. He said, —

"It is not my responsibility to make detailed comments about what other upions have done Cie SOGAT Af#D NGA) but if other trade unionists - continue to expouse the view that a sequestration of claims for damages means that the working class cannot continue, then they are raising the flag of surrender to those who oppose us" LTO =

He went on to talk about tue anti union laws, pointing out that he was still io contempt of court - he said; "They can take our money, they can take our cars but for Christ's sake, they cannot take basic trade unionism from us.” They certainly seem to have taken it from some notable TU leaders. It is important that we comment and condemn them when they sell their members out or scab on other workers like the EETPU did.

"not all leaders are prepared = ta compromise, to callaborate 9 oar prostitute principles when it

comes to the position where you have to stand up and fight. The trade unions are going to resist and if that means defying the law then so be it because without that defiance there isn’t any one of you who would be here taday”

After talking about the pature of the Coal Board's attack on the wg claim, pension rights etc. he outlined a strategy for fightback. "Raced with threats of conciliation, the Wheeler plan, 6 day week, what can we do? I'm told to go aad negotiate and if that wmeans putting our case forward logically OK - but it isn't about logic ar fairness”,...“-There comes a time for men and women to say enough is enough. I'm prepared to say either by limited action or overtime bans or whatever it takes - we must force the Coal Board ta negatiate.”...

“! am pleased Durham NUM agreed and imposed the OVERTIME ban and selective strikes and that WAles and Yorkshire agreed the same. After action by miners the Coal

Board are prepared to negotiate.”

Reflecting his isolated position on the NUM executive Scargill outlined his call for what he described as a rank and file conference.

"Ye need mare accountability in this union. I go to lots af conferences and anly see full: time afficials. I want to see wore rank ‘and file members.”

This is certainly to be supported and we must push forward on this one but @aiso push Scargill further than he is golly the moment. Demand that he mobilise who support such extensions of demoor in the NUX into a rank and file sovescay which can hold the union leaders ti

WARWICKSHIRE

At Daw Mill the rumour is that many mare are about to desert the UDM and return to the HUM branch. Meanwhile Dick Emery arch scab and UDM organiser is saying he will definately stand against the Labour candidate in the next General Election as an attempt at blackmail. This follows the refusal of the prospective Labour candidate to meet with the UDK.

COVENTRY COLLIERY

As we reported in the last Red Miner an otherwise promising one-day strike by the power group at Coventry Colliery was marred when WUM lodge president Barry Daynes crossed the picket line. He has refused to resign saying he "played it by the book” and the region is going along with this. The members require a 4/Sths majority to make him stand down and this is not likely. Why not just a simple gajority? If this is playing it by the book isn’t it time rank and file HUM members wrote another one...........

The workforce at the colliery have been individually sent plates to commemorate is tonnes produced in the year up to 11.2.87. On the back is a promise for a i,750 workforce and increased investment in the pit if this is maintained. Over 1500 of these limited edition plates have been bought by the management and posted out to homes at a cost of £1.70 for the postage alone. Is this to hang alongside the plates mugs and badges from the strike? There's even a wire plate hanger enclosed so you can proudly display it in your living room! Too. bad...the sacked lads aren't getting plated: They could always have used it to feed the dog, if that isn't an insult to the dog.

AS predictea in tbe iast issue ai kea Miner, Hritish Cual have tinaiiy given the go-ahead for the £90m Aargan deveiopment in West Giamorgean. dowever the strings attached to the deal are ab atleppt to blackwaii the #UH intc accepting a ionger working week. The history of the on-off; saga of the Margam super-pit, together with tne issues raised by British Coal‘s condit:ons, are coverei lf a Separate article in this culietin.

Foilowiug 4 failed attempt last year, a Conth Weie: oranch of the ational Justice for Miter: wampaign was set up at a meetiag {in Fonutypridd in wid February.

Althougs uct widely advertised by the South Ware SUK the meeting stili attre ted arcund 3G

miners, ,@iners WiVes api Supporvers Tue Iba@ir Gr the meeting Appointed OF the co. ekelutlvée, was Careru. not to 4.19% any oc.itica: lepate, most o: the time was spent iiscussing waye o: raising money for tne sackec and jaile lads and their families. JbViouS.y w4ic was very ifportant, dU. .1 cannot be separated from bow we campaign for their reiease and reinstatement ie. ‘the politicai basis of how we achieve success.

Real debate on the politics of the campaign was stifled on the basis that “we all agreed” with the aims of the National Campaign - however these aims are extremely ambiguous. According to some of the lodge officials the politics will be discussed at some later date ie. never!

In an attempt to base the campaign on

solid foundations Vorkers Power/Red Hiner supporters put a resolutiom.calling on the South Vales branch to “campaign for the following; 2.The reinstatement of all sacked miners. 3.Reimbursement of all NUM funds. 4.Full compensation for all miners and their fanilics. This campaign to be waged vigorously at all levels of the labour sovement, but particularly in the lodges, union branches and Labour wards ie. amongst the rank and file.”

This attempt to give the campaign a political basis and develop it from the marrow focus on money raising and its subordination to the SW executive, was ruled out of order...no reason given.

However, despite the weaknesses of the South Wales Campaign, the forces exist for an__active campaign by the silitant minority who are still willing to fight for their victimised colleagues. Workers Power supporters are committed to building the

victimised

vapa fe iu the coming Bontos, On toe bALis of the adove paiicies, anu urge als tise whos agree to do the same we OWE

the sacwec and jaiiec lado aothing tess

Discipiinary procedings are aux wey le gO abead against lan Isaac, itorme: Og secretary of the ST. John's coicsery gow

Uewore, has

coustituency Labuur Party, vousl 41-4 to forware ieus: a: a teport concerning bis allege support ur tne Militane tendancy, to tos L.F‘s sew wWILcn qupting DOdy, vne Nationa: WOBStitutional Committee. Given it'e built -B right wing majority the WC” is virtualiy CRY fick TE LE, Bkpei iaG

wan was ¢ ieading figure su ise tignt

save ootJdobn'e from ociosurs, Sis sase agains: expulsion MUSt be faked up chroughou: tne South Waies Lavour Buvemen! agmore CLP, and it's ultra right MP av Powe:., must not be allowed ts Zot away WITH expelling socialists iike Jan ‘isaac, if chey ars cuccessiui bis expulsion wil: pe “Be gre:c ..ght tor other right wing CL?”

“er oa

TC 40) 2 LB ewise

YORKSHIRE

oc iar this year we have seen plenty af evicence of a fight back against the Board in the Yorks. area with a major strike fron the Selby area. The week long strike started after a full week's bonus was docked ater miners walked out at Whitmoor when a top Board official was on a visit. Management refused to negotiate and challenged the union to bring all the 5 pits out. £1.5m later.......

Sammy Thompson's campaign to secure the Yorks. vote has been totally uninspiring, with his main plank being the fact he is a Yorkshireman. Few have turned out to hear him speak. For Red Miner’s arguments why to vote for Eric Lippitt see editorial comment.

Scargill Speaking at one of these preelection meetings at Brodsworth Welfare with Sammy Thompson, the day after the South Wales decision to accept 6 day working for the new Margam pit, Scargill made it clear that they had gone against the rules of the union. No area can take a decision on working practices that so obviously affects the rest of the areas without a national decision. There will be a national delegate conference called to try and get them to change their minds. If these shifts are worked more not less jobs will be lost he told the meeting. It is precisely these changes the Board want in exchange for pay this time round ie. the 6 day week, the 9 hour day, increased

productivity. Scargill said he was not prepared to negotiate these things away.

MARGAM: DUTFIELD SELLS OUT!

British Coal have finally decided to procede with the long-promised South Vales ‘superpit' at Margam in Vest Glamorgan. However, the strings attached to the deal, that of a 6-day week, have been rightly

condemned by Scargill as "“wmacceptable.

blackmail’. He added, "What we want to see is a reduction in the working week from five to four days with no increase in the hours worked per day.”

' The history ‘of the Margam development has bean a long and bitter one. South Wales miners leaders have regularly promised a new mine at Margam ever since the resuits of the first test bores in 1954, which discovered top quality coking coal deposits of aver 200 million tons. At that time the ECB gave the ‘economic climate’ as the reason for not going ahead. Twenty years later with the 1974 ‘Plan for Coal’ Nargam was revived again as coal _ exploration

Britain rapidly expended. By 1979 the Coal Board in South Vales decided a new mine should be developed; costing £200m, producing 1.2m tons of coal a year and employing 1,070 miners. The economic recession at that time, including the reduction in capacity of British Steel's Port Talbot and Lianwern works - the main intented warket for Margam, again caused

mt of the project.

In 1984 the NCB produced another plan, this time for a low cost drift mine employing 650-men and producing 700,000 tons a year. This was the investment used by the NCB to try and bribe S.Wales ainers back to work during the strike. Needless to say, at the end of the strike, Margen again disappeared fram view.

Following the drastic closure programme.

in the coalfield, the Area Director prepared a version of the Nargam

oject, thisftime an £90 m. development producing 12m tons per year and employing 780 miners. This is the developmmnet - now on offer to the NUM. It would provide work for an additional 1000 people during it’s 4% year construction period. British Coal is looking for a massive productivity rate of 75 tons/manshift when full production is underway. They claim that only such a rate, achieved through a 6 day working week, could make the coking coal produced ‘econemic’ compared to the costs of current

‘British Coal have cynically tried-to use the understandable desire of the S.Vales

WOK leaders for Kargam, to try and introduce a longer working week of 6 days. At the same time the CB bosses hope to cause a division in the BUM over the issue. South Wales President Des Dutfield complained that Scargill should have kept his mouth shut until after local talks with British Coal. The discussion about Nargam at the Feb. WEC meeting was apparently a stormy affair. It came to no decision although it vetoed local talks with mahagerent.

Since then the S.¥ executive recommended acceptance of the”offer to the special delegate conference. (7/3/87). With Dutfield saying that the Margam project would go ahead even if the national WUM refused to co-operate. He said the 6 day working would not lead to increased hours. The Board have been keen to support him - for them a S.¥. acceptance would be sufficient. The delegate meeting has in fact agreed to accept the deal.

RATIONAL ISSUE Because of the fundamentally new working practices involved, this is clearly an issue for the union at national level. . Already Haslam has said he wants 6-day

‘working at all the new mines and has named

developments in Varwickshire, Yorkshire and Leicestershire that won't be started without it. The S.WVales decision has opened the door to further encroachment of working conditions in all pits and is an important step for then towards future privatisation of the coal industry.

SHORTER WORKING WEEK. The NUM are committed to a campaign for a reduction of the working week to four days, together with a 6 hour day. With the rapid introduction of new technology into. the pits these demands take on a new urgency if we are to defend conditions and jobs. If implemented they would lead to the hiring of new workers as well as benefitting those already in the industry. See page 2 for editorial comment.

CTUSAA began in July 1966 when a dozen trade union branches came together, prompted by a. call from Birmingham Trades Council to lobby the July meeting of the TUC.

The lobby demanded that the TUC fight for a campaign for workers sanctions against Southern Africa: We recognised the fact that the Tory government would oppose to the death any imposition of

sanctions out of naked financial interests —

effective far too much profit is made by British financial interests _

in Southem Africa, through the exploitation of black

workers. : We also recognised. the fact that the most effective organised ‘sections of the British working

Bin 1984 and 1986, the DunGPE health workers in Portimbere ‘of the Civil Service unions. portune by the tact that Ron Todd and ‘ad just returned from a ‘fact finding’ Aker the ilist iobby, a meeting was held in a nearby hail at which it was decided that the campaign should contifue. its pressure with a lobby and fringe

meeting ai the TUC in September. . Despite having to for the activities around the TUC conference during ‘August, when many trade

During the Course of building support for the lobby,

ampaign For Trade Union Sanctions

17 Porden Road, Brixton, London SW25SA Tel. 274-7722 ext.2001/2010 733-7063 (Main Office}

‘RADE UNION SANCTIONS AGAINST APARTHEID?

a meeting of the organisers was held in Birmingham at which it was agreed to convene a recail meeting to assertain the level of support from trade union branches for a national campaign for workers sanctions.

We felt that there was a real need for some kind of organisation which could work to co-ordinate and extend the hundreds of actions aireacy taking place on the individual initiatives of workers, as welf as pressur- ‘ing our tradg union leaders to do the job they were elected for. ¥

The confernce was held on December 13th 1986. 59 different labour movement organisations sent delegates. Catherine O'Reilly from the Cunnes. Store strikers spoke of the necessity not to wait for Thatcher, or the TUC or for somebody else to take action, but for workers to make the decision now to carry out sanctions.

A number of decisions were taken at the conference, one to organise a speaking tour of one of the San Francisco longshoremen who successfully set up picket lines and demonstrations to prevent the unloading of South African cargoes.

it was also decided to issue a regular newsletter to co-ordinate boycotting activites, to inform and encourage workers by telling them of other actions being taken. The aim is to change the picture from that of individual isolated actcns, w auuuns as part of a national campaign, and to give workers the opportunity of getting information of company’s links with South Africa.

We would like to encourage contributions from ait werkers, with news about their activities in relation to Souther Africa. °

We would aiso like to say to ail workers, as Catherine O'Reilly said to us, now is the time to act.

THIS IS THE FRONT PAGE OF THE HEWSLETTER OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR TRADE UNIOH SARCT IONS AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA. WE ARE ASKING ALL RED KIMBER READERS TO SUPPORT THE CANPAIGH AMD SUSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER. FUTURE ACTIVITIES OF THIS IMPORTANT CAMPAIGN WILL BE REPORTED IF SUBSEQUENT ISSUES OF RED MIBER.

AIDS: TORIES MORAL REACTION

Plates

Having Nace AIDS week on the télly ignow know how to put a condonm*oa’& plaster penis. That vas the only Ifght relief fron a week where the overwhelming message was, less sex, and iess homosexuality. AIDS week’ while slightly nore subtle than last sponth’s raid on a gay pub in London by a posse of MET officers weafing rubber gloves was based on the same reactionary morality.

Ever since AIDS emerged on a scale the bosses press in calling it a

the government for

the past four years has been largely indifferent to what they

. Pegarded as a gay-only disease. Now

that it is clear that heterosexual

people can also catch the disease the government has decided to spend sone money on AIDS prevention.

major been vociferous “gay plague",

The Tories have made much of

the fact that they have spent £20 million on AIDS. But of that £20 million most is to go on advertising and preventative health education. BResearch into the causes of the disease and finding a cure is still massively underfunded. An article in February’s New Scientist ’ pointed. out “if the world had not ignored the discovery of the AIDS virus, researchers night now be a year ahead in their fight to cure victims of AIDS’.

The only winners from the Governznent’s campaign are the advertising agencies such as Saatchi and Saatchi, the losers will be anyone who catches AIDS, and the homosexual community. Attacks on honosexuals by both the state and reactionary bigots have increased over the ipast year,fuelled by all the rubbish about AIDS which has been spewing from the television, newspapers and government. ,

have.

- 1 AIDS ise sexi Ta : Pact PRIME EM AUN | Fad

Kinnocks press secretary sent? Greenwic

out a letter agter the chi which i "the gays ands :

defeat issue is dear

lesbian

among the pensigs

this mean exce Labour \. Leadership oy dog over everything the

pressure from the bosses4

We renenber the support, organisations such as “Lesbians and 4. Gays Support the Miners" gave to us during the great strike it Gs up to" us to now stand with them in: . resisting the reactionary - drivel 2 that the government is sponsoring. -

It is up to us to fight a: For a massive expansio# of the NHS... 4 bydget and of AIDS researcki’ = For the nationalisation of the drug # companies under workers control, %:: that we can direct research into - finding a cure and not into saking profit. © For opposition to any moves “6 - introduce compulsory screening. e F For articles in the Miner and +) regional NUM papers explaining via> :

the disease really is and

countering the moral backlash being "Ss

whipped up by the Tories and media. { é

TORIES COOK UP NEW ATTACKS

The Tories are preparing the great charade they intend Election '87 to be. They now - Claim a concern for the health -service alongside the old recipe .of new union bashing laws and sell-offs of state assets. Thatcher needs to broaden her appeal beyond the ‘greed and selfishness’ brigade

who do not form the majority of the -

electorate. ‘ ' However -with the Alliance having robbed Labour of at least 5-10% of its traditional vote and where the Alliance share of 2029% is grosely underrepresented, Thatcher stands a real chance of pulling off the treble.

CAN THIEGS GET WORSE? Some argue that it doesn’t matter believing

that things couldn't get any worse. The truth is they can and with another lease of life from an election victory Thatcher will push on with new attacks.

Kenneth Clarke (linister for Unemployment), has already outlined phase 4 of anti union laws.

1.These will hit the closed shop removing legal immunity from prosecution for any strikes in favour or in defence of a clased

shap. ; 2.It will outlaw strikes in essential

services.

3.They intend to remove a union's right to discipline or expel a member who scabs on a strike.

4.They are even going to set up a special fund to help individuals take (their unions to court.

S.last but not least they intend to extend the principles of bosses ‘democracy’ even further into the unions by outiawing workplace balloting. Bot satisfied with preventing decisions being made at mass meetings { they want no possibility of workers able to experience collective strength or hear the arguments froa their own stewards or reps. Instead they want to impose postal ballots ta give the press apd the media. a monopoly over what we - hear.

All this so Thatcher can continue the shift in favour of the sillionaires and their hangers on. Another way they intend to do

this is to attack progressive taxation,

that is tax that increases in %age terms the bigger your income...eg.income tax. The Taries plan to slash it, perhaps by half. But they intend to double VAT. This tax

makes every one, unemeployed through’: to industrialists pay the same tax on their purchases. This shifts the tax burden more dramatically onto the backs of ordinary

people.

Another wave of privatisations and carveups is inevitable if Thatcher wins again. British Coal is an obvious target with the | prog! table superpits being handed over to prive te owners and a new wave of closures mopping up the rest.. The Post Office is

also widely tipped for sell-off.

again, giving her Py mm seats than the other parties together. will be out to "rid Britain of Socialism’ -her declared life’s ambition

After Labour's election disaster at Greenwich Labour voters may have given up hope that she can be stopped. All this showed, though, is that she won't be stopped by the methods of the Labour. and trade union leaders. For them winning the election is the only way, and to do th they believe they have to woo the yorum middle class (yuppy) voter who voted Tig or Alliance last time. So Kinnock pres a package of second hand Alliance polidije that will neither win the yuppies -§r convince the potential working class Labo voters. 3

If Labour put forward a massive pfogramme of re-employment and reconstruction it could mobilise the millions of unemployed, their friends and relatives from the vast areas of industrial destruction. But Labour ‘dare not do this as it fears the answer to the question, who will pay. It dare not give the only answer - the rich, the capialists whose system caused the misery and destruction in the first place.

Of course this answer won't guarantee election victory but it will sobilise ig@illions of. workers against the Tories and junior Tories in the Alliance.

This said, we have to fight for a Labour victory now for two reasons. Firstly, to bdlock the Tories. will cause, temporarily, some confusion for the bosses. And secondly and more importantly it puts Kinnock in the hot seat in front of the. whole working class.

But the worst thing we could do is to try to get victory in Kinnock's way by holding back struggles and not rocking the boat. We must step up the resistance to the Tory and employer offensive. wee

The election campaign is an opportunity for militants to get across what the Tories have done and what they, intend doing to the working class. We can show their policies are the product of a capitalist system that can’t provide a decent life for the great majority of people. We can warn of the attacks to come and the need to fight them tooth and nail. We can show that Kinnock's answer is no answer and fight to build through struggie, a renewed movement, a new leadership and a new party that can put working class power and socialism on the agenda for millions. Then’ far from Thatcher wiping cut socialism - socialism will wipe her, or ber successor, out for good. .

We apotogise for the absence

of the articie on workers contro/.. Our post keeps going missing so if any reader knows anyone

from speciai branct, can they ask

them to send it on.

WHO ARE THEY TRYING TO KID?

Coal News Miners in the Doncaster area have had a copy of the Coal News posted to them. Wot just any old Coal News but a

‘special’. The headline £10 a ‘week

followed by newe that the UDM are voting on accepting a deal based on the good old scab philosophy of stab your mate in the back! Apparently they can have a bonus every 3 months of all of #25 if they take ‘o industrial action’ and if their unit is can collect another £25. They can get extra holiday cash if they have above a 92% attendance for include gickness and injury! as well as..well yes you've guessed. it in one strike action and

free of such action they

workers and 90% .workers...... absensds

for surface underground

unauthorised leave.

peereongeensnececae oeaaeeenneorecenas jj, AOD ESSesesigseccesosrsconnccennesecaces

F senerensezenes seaeneneesaccorcannencenee out

jas oy

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WHAT IS GORBACHEV UP IO? P

Since Gorbachev took over in the USSR he's hardly had a day out of our newspapers. Abroad, his arms concessions are pulling so much turf from under Reagan and.Thatcher's feet they keep having to shift the goal post. At home he’s moving even faster. One day we hear of political prisoners released; the next of KGB and Party backs on- trial for corruption. And while factory managers dazedly come to gripe with having to make decisions independently of Moscow, glaznost ~ honesty - is the word on everyone’s lips. “What are Gorbachev and his allies up to? And just how far will they go?

We all know the Soviet Union is no workers paradise. For 60 of the past 70 years it has been a byword for totalitarianism and inefficiency, a piace where the working class is deprived of all political power. A band of privileged upstarts holde tight control over every aspect of social and political life, at the same time excluding the wealth creators from any say in running the economy - just as our own capitalists do. It's tempting to point to this grotesque parody of socialism and say that nothing changes; that in Russia they have bosses and workers, and it’s just like everywhere else. ,

Tempting, but inaccurate. For all their privileges and powers, for all they have as mich reason to fear real socialisn, the Russian rulers are a different kind of parasite from our own capitalist rulers. Wot better, not worse; just different. But the difference is important. It contains the key to an understanding of Gorbachev's moves.

RISE OF THE BUREAUCRACY

In 1917 the Ruseian working class siezed state power. Over thé next few years, despite the apalling problems posed by economic backwardness and western capitalism’s military and economic efforts to throttle the project in its infancy, the Soviet state laid one of the two essential economic foundations for socialism. It nationalised all) large industrial and commercial concerns as a step towards an economy no longer blindly driven by the pursuit of private

profit, but subject to planning in accordance with human needs.

At terrible human cost the new state survived blockade, rebellion, and foreign invasion. Capitalism remained overthrown. By the end of the Civil Var socialism was on the agenda - though still a long way off for want of the other essential foundation, material plenty.

But the war-torn economy lay in ruins. In particular, agricultural and industrial production were dangerously unsynchronised, with the towns short of food and the countryside lacking machinery and fertilisers. The overriding need was to create a centralised administrative body equipped with far reaching powers to enable ~ production to be harnessed to consumption. Thus was the bureaucracy born, in a time of great crisis. Led by Stalin it consolidated its grip on both the Bolshevik party and the nation at large. From 1928 to this day it has remained in the driving seat of the. world's first workers state.

CONTRADICTORY.

But though it seems so secure, the bureaucracy occupies a contradictory and therefore instable position. On the one hand its sole reason for existence ilies within the planned economy established after capitalism's demise. On the other hand it has no interest in utilising that economy as the basis for socialism, which would undermine all its privileges and powers. Forced to inhabit a no mans land between capitalism and socialisn, incapable of going either backwards or forwards, the bureaucracy is ultimately doomed since history will’ not forever permit it to "run on the spot”. But in the meantime the usurpers wil] manouvre as best they can. The key to Gorbachev's new broom approach - and to why it will not succeed - lies in the bureaucracy’s equal fear of capitalism and socialism alike.

I'WEFFICIENCY

Terrified of workers democracy, the bureaucracy cannot allow workers any say in economic planning. And terrifed of capitalist revival, neither can it leave

everything to market forces. The only remaining option is tightly centralised

contre] from above. But the results of -

this are all too familiar: gigantic cock upé, shortfalls, absenteeism, sabotage and farcical quality control. And as industry grows necessarily more complex the problems only get worse.

The bureaucrats have two good reasons to fear this poor economic performance. First, if the material quality of life gets worse then the spectre of internal rebellion, Poldnd style, raises its head. Second, if the Soviet Union becomes too poor to keep pace with NATO's spending then there is the real risk of invasion from a western capitalism eager to open up her vast markets to private enterprise.

After decades of complacency under Brezhnev, the Soviet economy desperately needs revitalising. But if etonomic problems pose great dangers for the bureaucrats, so do the solutions available to Gorbachev.

MARKET FORCES

The most important of these solutions is a controlled dose of Thatcherism. Some of the “chill wind of economic reality” is being allowed to blow through .the cobwebbed economy. Managers now “have discretion over the use of incentives in the workplace, and factories which meet — their quota targets are being ailowed to trade the surplus in the private market

- outside as well as inside the USSF Bqually novel, factories which perform » pooriy are to be allowed to go to the wall. Unemployment, traditionally the « one curse spared the Soviet working . class, now has its part to play in fostering a sense of "realism

But Gorbachev walks a tightgope

Methods which have served Thatcher nicely are a double edged sword for the bureaucrats. How long before the fear of a strong capitalist class emerging causes him to turn back, as it has recently caused his Chinese counterparts to do?

ANTI CORRUPTION DRIVES

The Soviet press now regularly carries news of top officials fired, jailed or executed for crimes accepted as normal under Brezhnev. By exercising the surgeon's knife on the most blatant excesses - the fiddled expense accounts, the bribes, the old pal network - Gorbachev hopes to eliminate the stink of corruption that acts as a constant provocation to the masses.

Here again the path holds dangers.

Every section of the bureaucracy is neck-deep in corruption. There have already been muted threats from factions who don't like the look of Gorbachev's crusade. Long before he can satisfy the people’s desire for justice he will have gone too far for his Politbureau colleagues. They will oust him as they once ousted that other Young Turk, Kruschev.

GLAZNOST

The Soviet media is famed for its | ingenuity {n calling black white. But | even here, honesty has become the order 7 of the day. All sorts of previously suppressed news - of poor harvests and 7 high infant mortality; of shoddy goods

and services; of police | "overzealousness” - is now appearing.

But when the sheer novelty of reading bad news wears off the questions will be asked: who is to blame, and why? Since. bese questions cannot be answered it is ly a matter of time before Gorbachev -

‘Or his successor - puts an end to all . this awkward, and quite futile,

glaznost. POLITICAL REVOLUTION

Gorbachev is clearly a wan of courage and intelligence. But he is from, of and for the bureaucracy and so cannot escape its historic bankruptcy. Caught between the rock of socialist workers democracy and the hard place of | capitalist restoration, he can only juggle things to buy more time. For ail its desire to do so, the bureaucracy is ultimately incapable of defending the planned economy against the international forces of counter revolution. Only the working class, having nothing to fear from socialien, can summon the will to strengthen the Soviet economy. Only the working class, unhampered by the bureaucracy's other

“considerations”, can take whatever steps are necessary for its defence.

But if this is to happen the Soviet workers have the preliminary task of recovering the fruits of their 1917 victory. The bureaucracy is doomed, but the cause of its demise is still uncertain. Will it be swept aside by a world capitalism so desperate for the USSR's immense natural wealth and markets ~- as temporary solution to its

‘own contradictory and ultimately

irresolvable problems - as to risk. nuclear holocaust? Or -will it be swept aside by a working clase ‘intent on doing

away with the-cancer which haé for so

long deformed © ‘the world's first and most powerful wo kérs state?

eee

Barbarisnm, or the building of socialism? Both possibilities lie in the balance.

If this wasn't so then the Kremlin rulers, so deeply fearful of change, would never in a million years have given Gorbachev his head.

NATIONAL M

28th CREDENTIAL

INERS BROAD LEFT SECOND NATIONAL CONFERENCE LECTURE HALL +

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Red Miner

The Red Miner is produced by members and supporters of Workers Power. Workers Power is a revolutionary organisation fighting to build’a new revolutionary party to overthrow capitalism - at home and abroad.

Workers’ struggles

We support all workers’ struggles against the bosses. We fight to turn all struggles into conscious anti-capitalist struggles.

Reformism

The trade union and Labour leaders believe capitalism can be reformed, made better, but they do not aim to overthrow capitalism. They act as go-betweens for the bosses with the workers.. Even militant leaders limit their struggle to the fight for gains ‘within

capitalism. For this reason we are for building |

rank and ffile movements. — politically independent of the bureaucracy and committed to transforming the unions into democratic, class struggle unions.

Revolutionary Party

A revolutionary party will be a workers’ party, a party that, built in stuggle, can learn and pass on ‘the lessons of the 1984-5 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 1920's. Only by building a new revolutionary party can we create the class army that can fight and destroy the stinking capitalist system that threatens us with always having to fight to protect our jobs, conditions and organisations. Internationalism

We are committed to fighting capitalism internationally. We strive to build = an international organisation of revolutionary parties. (Workers Power works with Irish, German, French, Austrian and Chilean revolutionaries in the Movement for a Revolutionary Communist International.) In

So

particular we fight nationalist solutions to the crisis put forward reformists like calls for import controls. demands merely divide the working class.

Divisions

We fight all divisions in the. working class. Divisions are fostered by the bosses to weaken us. We. are implacably opposed to racism,

immigration controls, fascism, _ discrimination against and oppresion of women, lesbians, gay men or black people.

The oppressed

We support all struggles by people oppressed by the bosses of Britain, America, France, Italy and.* the other capitalist (imperialist) countries. Immediately in Britain this means we support the right of the Irish péople as a whole (not just those in the North) to determine the fate of their country. We unconditionally support the republicans - and socialists in Ireland fighting for this right and demand the immediate withdrawal of all Bri:tish troops from Ireland.

Workers’ states

The USSR, Eastern Europe, ete are workers’ states. Capitalism has been abolished.

- However, in each of these states a bureaucracy, ‘based on the Stalinist Communist Parties,

holds political power. This situation arose out of the international isolation of the Russian Revolution in the 1920's. The revolution degenerated at the hands of the bureaucracy headed by Stalin. The other workers’ states were degenerate from birth in that they were created in the bureaucratic image of the USSR.

Therefore we cal) for a political revolution in. all of these states to overthrow the bureaucracy and realise the full potential of these non-capitalist economies through 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-introduce capitalism in these countries.

Overthrow capitalism

The revolutionary party we 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 production is directed towards the meeting of human need,

not the profit greed ¢ of the capitalists. We stand on the old slogan of Karl Marx: Workers of the world unite.

You have nothing to lose but your chains, and a world to win!