Socialist Republic: Vol. 6 no. 3, June 1983

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC

WHY SOCIALISTS SHOULD VOTE SINN FEIN

FROM UNITY AT POLLS

TO UNITY IN STRUGGLE

POBLACHT SHOISIALACH

Paper of PEOPLES' DEMOCRACY 20p. IOp, Unemployed and Strikere.

PRICE:

Vol. 6. No. 3. June 1983.

OUTSIDE IRELAND 25p. Where we stand According to the opinion polls and the media pundits the result of the Westminster eneral Election on June 9 is already decided. Thatcher's Tory government will be returned to office: the only unknown factor is the size of the majority it will enjoy in the new parliament. Opinion polis don't always get it right but the failure of the Labour Party to offer a full-blooded socialist altemative makes a Tory majority almost inevitable. That's good news for the capitalist class, for the wealtly, the powerful and the priveleged

NO MORE

The Tory Purty is their party and its job is to ensure that the crisis of the capitalist system is resolved with the least cost and inconvenience to British capitalism. That means solving the crisis by driving down the living standards and crusting the democratic rights of working people.

Another term of Tory Government threatens a bleak future for all the non-privel-

PARTITION

eged sections of British society: The attacks of the last four years will pale in comparison with Thatcher's plans to sell off the welfare state, strengthen police sowers and make workers organisations defenceless, The right-wing parliamentary adership of the Labour Party will do little to oppose these plans.

The wotking people of the 6 Counties have suffered the experience of Tory rule Bela Tary pose han baed ered to represen tade That her 2000 cial

SOLUTIONS

Under Thatcher, 20,000 jobs a year were lost, hoosing and social services programmes ground to a halt. The Tories forced 10 young republican fighters to starve themselves to death rather than grant them basic civil rights. They gave the go-ahead to the RUC shoot-to-kill policy and the financial bribery of the supergrasses", They imposed an unwanted and unworkable Assembly at Stormont in an attempt to give political cover to the naked violence which has characterised their stewardship of British imperialist domination in the North. The Tories are unrelenting enemies of the Irish people's right to self determination.

They are the historic bedfellows of Ulster Unionism, the allies of all reactionary forces in Ireland. Back in office the Tories will feed the dynamic towards a restoration of the Orange ascendency, a dynamic already present in the Stormont Assembly. And, if the Tories were successful with their attacks on the living standards, the rights and organisations of working people in Britain, the drive towards loyalist rule would become almost unstoppable.

Certainly the purasitic politicians of the 'Forum for a New Ireland' could not be relied on to block such a development. Put up against British imperialism, the Haugheys, Humes and Fitzgeralds turn into quivering jellies.

There is one power however that can not only halt Tory plans in Ireland but also open the way for overturning the Tory offensive in Britain itself. That power is the mobilisation of the Irish working class, a power that has not yet been felt in the struggle against British rule.

There is only one party in this election that comes anywhere near addressing this iome SINN FEIN: That's why SOCIALIST REPUBLIC and PEOPLES DEMOCRACY urge all our readers and supporters to fight for votes to be given to

ORGANISE!

Sian Fein. We are confident that in this election Sinn Fein will go a long way in challenging the misrepresentation of nationalist working people by the SDLP and Gerry Fitt. But there are questions that remain unanswered. Will Sinn Fein translate the support it receives at the polls into a real movement against the Stormont Assembly? Will Sinn Fein fight to develop a truly democratic alternative to the "Forum" charade? Will Sinn Fein go beyond the rhetoric about a Socialist Republic and the working class and through active involvement in the trade unions and in workers struggles fight to build a genuine anti-imperialist leadership for the Irish working class? Sinn Fein's abstentionist policy suggests that it has not quite made up its collective mind on these questions. Should there be a hung parliament at Westminster with

IN THIS ISSUE:

Sinu Fein seats holding the balance would Sinn Fein really allow a Tory Govemment into power by default? That would certainly mean the death of the solidaritymovement in Britain. So far Sinn Fein has relied on exposing the record of the SDLP and on cluims that Election Analysis Sian Fein offers principled leadership', In urging a vote for Sinn Fein candidates we challenge them to state clearly their strategy and plans for realising the above Amendment Campaignprinciples. Faced with the retur of the Tory Government and a renewed imperial- Nicky Kelly ist offensive the time has long gone by when rhetoric(or exeuses) about the armed struggle would do. Nor is it sufficient to offer perennial electionering us a filler Wage Fight back for the lowspots of IRA activity. The support given fo Sinn Fein demonstrates Central American Revolution clearly that the basis for renewing the mass struggle to win Irish unity and inde pendence is maturing fast, Does Sinn Fein dare give a lead?

ERE

JEA

_ Pages 4 and 5 Page 8 Page 3 _ Page 2 Page 7

Riots in France Mitterrand under seige THE CRS riot police are fighting students in the Latin Quarter again. There are strikes in the hospitals, Many streets in protest against the government.

The present turmoil in Paris has echoes of 1968, and the student

COURSERI

Bur there is a difference.

By Tony Brown The student demunstrations strater. They are led ch right wing Guallist and scardian stadents, backed up by the fascist commandos - The overwhelming majority of students, who are either apolitical or who sympathice with the left are not on the streets.

The other mainly middie class, and they are protesting against wing government. Why have events reached this stage? Why does the have the inright illative? The answer lies in the rowing unpopularity of Mitterrand's measures, and the response to these of the major left wing parties and unions. The problems of Mit- Jerrand are the problems faced by all left wing reformist governments who take their plans seriously.

There is no doubt that the Mitterrant government cesses in the field of social reform. retirement been lowered age has 60, and the statutory hols day for workers has been five weeks. increased to wage, has been raised in real value. But the stratery of the government has been to beat the world try to capitalist recession by governmen spending. Vithout effective control over the major monopolies, and without eras tive price control, this has led to a massive loss of business confidence and a flight of capital. It has meant destabilisation of the franc on the international The result has been the need to introduce measures like higher taxes and a tourh altitude to strikers along with wage restraint. Unemployment still keeps going up. Support Mitterand is supalbeit grudgingly ported, by the ConDuess! ram and the main trade union federations. Now the right wing has launched a big mobilisation of the enragand students. The passivity of the left plays inte their hands.

ICTU

BARGAINS

RIGHT TO

STRIKE

different groups march in the Among the students, the intelives of the tol WIng are most striking The reform of the university admission system proposed

COLLECT

stems

TITLES

directly from the economic an emphasis on science eins, because of theich ability French capitalism to cmnloy the number of graduates being Protest Hoth right wing and left wing student unions opposed the measures. But the right wing took the initiative to mobilise protest.

The Socialist and Comstudents

SEASIS

organised only small token protest. The situahas echoes of the Santi 1930s when the fascists in Quarter demonstrated against the Ponular Front governalso has nasty parallels with Chile under Allende, when the Carbolic students at the University were able to link up with the copper mobilisation Allende, Inspired by the fascists, May 1983 will not turn into a May '68 in reverse The huge majority of the French wörkers are about to be mobilised by the chie class fascists from the law faculties. But the situation is a dire warning for the left. Important To seize the political initiative from the right it is not enough to 'defend' the existing government. It is only be casuring that the interests of the working class are championed by the left, песеаго apainst the Sp. CP government, can the offensive of the right wing and the bosses be checked.

Since the onset of the recession in 1979 the level of consumption in the South has fallen cach year.

Today, ordinary people especially urban workers are consuming less than they were four years ago.

The busic reason for this is that take-home wages have risen less than aflation. Workers are simp y getting poorer each year This is not enough for the government or the employers. They are afraid that if there is any upturn in the economy, workers will demand major increases in living standards to offsct previous declines. And if there is no economic up swing ... well then, wages will just have to be cut further still. So the keystone of the employers and government's economic strategy is to drive down wage rates as close as possible to subsistence level. One of the most 'original" features of the Fine Gael cloction programme was a strategy for attacking wages.

Fitzgerald set out to do away with 'incomes policies" Le, National Wage Agreements. Although NWAs had helped to keep wages in check during the 30's, they are no longer of any use to the employers.

The centralised nature of the agreoments did not sufficiently undermine the unity and strength of the trades union movement. Moreover the NWA's forced the government to grant public sector workers increases similar to those obtained by private sector workers. Successive govern-

RIS

UNION

Delegates to the Annual Conference of the Northem Committee of the ICTU in April were stunned by the revelation that the Northern Ireland Officer Terry Carlin had been involved in discussions about making the.

North a strike-free zone.

The charge was levied by Inez McCormick, NUPE regional officer who told the conference that in January the Labour Relations Agency had produced a paper which proposed that ments have been dissatisfied with this because they leel that, in the absence of NWA's, they could force public sector workers to take much lower wage inc reases. Private employers have also been annoyed because "unnecessarily" high wage increases in the public sector have pushed up taxes and influenced the private sector workers to demand even greater wage increases. Finally, employers also recognised that there were many branches of industry, trade and commerce, where the recession had undermined the confidence of workers so that very untavourable wage deals could be easily pushed through. For the above reasons. employers and the Coalition ditched the NWA framework and opted for decentralised wage bargaining io. picking the workers off factory by factory. The employers and politicians know that industrial Telations could plunge the economy into chaos as a result of this approach, But they also know that workers have no political alternative and so hey hope that trades union ats will bow mockly to the inevitable - wage cuts!! It is with this kind of confidence that the FUE and the Coalition entered into the present pay round offering a 6 months pay pause and a 5% increase thereafter. The trades union leadership has Tailed to call for any fightback. Unlike previous wage rounds the ICTU has refrained from even recommending a specific percentin return for wage parity with Britain, trade unions in the North should abandon the right to strike. McCormeck quoted from a confidential letter from the Labour Relations Agency to Terry Carlin which said hat Prior had 'responded ery positively and favour ably to the agency's ideas At a private conference in England last June - attended by Garrett Fitzgerald, Lord Gowrie of the NEO, repre-

WAGES -

DEMAND30% - BACKIT UP WITH

STRIKES

age increase. John Carroll of the ITGWU came nearest to making a recommendation when he said that a 105 increase would mean a real cut in wages of 7% - after taxation andinflation, ure taken into account. The implication is that workers should demand an absolute minimum increase of 17%. None of the wage settlements published in April by the ICTU come near 17%. Most of the 31 agreements have been around 10-1256, This discrepaney is only to be expected given the absence of any clear lead from the trade union top brass However, the settlements to date indicate an underlying militancy. Pay pauses have been rejected in the majority of cases and the money terms, though inadequate, have been far in excess of what employers would like. Most important of all, the bulk of wage agrooments to date have been in small workplaces of less than a hundred workers. Major factories and indostrial branches have yet to wade in. The first signs of a move ment among these workers are now beginnine to emerge. The 13,000 LSB workers have lodeed a 22% claim and given notice of rolling Industrial action.

They were quickly followed by Aer Lingus workers who are also considering industrial action. Meanwhile New Ireland und Standard Life insurunice workers have already taken Industrial action. More recently workers in Carolls (Dundalk) and the sentatives of the US government and employers and trade union officials from the North, there was considerable discussion of the possibility of making the 6 Counties 'a strike-free zone which could be presented an a selling point to outside investment. The Ditchley Conference report states: General agreement was the keynote of this session with a high degree of consensus Bank Officials have slapped in hefty demands.

As the 23rd national pay round begins to shape up, the employers and politicians have cause to be concerned. A front page article in the Irish Teres 4.4.83, summed up the Coalition's dilemma: The Goremmenz cleariy fears thar developments in the private sector, where both its own and the FUE's guidelines are being widely disregarded, could encourage pulle sector workers to seek similar increases: In short, the overalleffectiveness of government economnic strategy is at risk. Consequently, the politicians and employers will go all out to defeat the latest round of pay claims.

For this reason, workers need a nationally co-ordinated, centralised response.

Different groups of workers fighting at the same time but without any unity makes no sense. Just as the FUE has set a coramon guideline for employers so the trades unions must set a realistic guideline for workers - at least 30% Equally Important the unions must pive a full commitment to industrial action to achieve this demand. Finally, the unions should ensure that the maxitourn number of workers join the fight at the same time so as to maximise the pressure on government and employers.

between those representing troditionally opposed sections of capital and labour.

Along with NUPE both the ATGWU and NIPSA have declared that the right to strike is non-negotiable.

Trade union uctivists should fight to extend this stance to all ICTU unions. John Magee

NICKY KELLY CAN

FIGHTBACK

Nicky Kelly is on hunger strike at a time when the most right wing government of recent times in power.

It is quite obvious to Nicky Kelly and to all those who support human and democratic rights that a government which day after day tramples on peoples rights, will have scant regard for the plight Nicky of one of its victims. expects no justice from the: Coalition His appeal is addressed only to those who gain no benefit from the repressive policies of the Coalition. Only sustained pressure from the working people of Ireland can force the politicians hand and save his life.

TEST CASE

Nicky's case, now that it is in the public eye, will rapidly become a challenge to the Coalition's attempt to revive their Law and Order ' policies of 1973-77 They are intent on pushing through at the behest of their paymasters, the Irish capitalists and the imperialist backers, those austerity policies which will imporstish the great au Lol the workine people.

SOCIAL SERVICE CUTS

Social workers in North and West Belfast have started a campaign of industrial action in opposition to cutbacks being demanded by the Eastern Health and Social Services Board. The cutbacks amount to £300,000, two-thirds of which is to be found from the home-help budget - an essential lifeline for many elderly and sick people: Between 100,000 and 125, 000 working hours would he lost if the cuts go ahead.

The balance is to be found by not replacing social work ers who leave their posts and chopping transport services to voluntary organisations.

A spokesperson for the social workers' union, the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance said: "They are hammering services in one of the most deprived areas of Europe and putting lives on the line especially those of the elderly and sick'. Executive Committee member, John McGeown told Socialist Republe: There is no way this curback will be implemented withour a fightbock from the unions. NIPS4 are af rendy refusing to cover for pacant posts and hape been threatened with disciplinary action by management If any member is victinied the branch has agreed that all member will wallout

WIN!

coalition's only answer to the deprivation and discontent which it created, are calls for yet more repressive laws, more gardai and more prisons. Nicky's struggle is also a test case for all those who oppose the Coalition.

In the wake of a defeat, collaboration with Thatcher" military solution to the National Question which will be further enhanced.

The arrests and harassment of anti-imperialist militants will be stepped up. The defence of the Embassy Twenty will be greatly hampered. On the other hand. if unity is achieved around Nicky's case, a breach can be made in the Coalition's repressive drive and the chances for his release greatly increased.

This outcome would greatly benefit the Republican movement, in the forefront of this repression. It would also be in the interests of the Labour and Trade Union movement to defend Nicky. Workers are also coming into greater conflict with the repressive arm of the Coalition, the most recent example being the Ranks case. There are, no doubt, oter claibes on the horizon. Similar action is being taken by NIPSA members in East Belfast where the home-help service is also under attack. Delegates from both these branches will be seeking support for their action when NIPSA holds its Annual Conference at the beginning of June.

• John De Lorean Crying poverty

QUOTE

OF

THE

WEEK: From the American judge latening to De

TOLT

SORR

tewvers reduction in his bail bond and his wite becauso he struggling along on 520,000 a The Judge's response that wook meant that someinancial ruin, then "there miami queusing us on the edoe

CAMPAIGN GOALS

The target of the campaig is clear. The politicians of all political parties are responsible for Nicky's continuing imprisonment. They hold the key to his freedom. In order to force their hand, the carpaign must base itself on those.

who are fighting this government. Essentiaily, this is the organise d working class. It is the working class who are starting a fightbuck aguinst policies which attack the old, the sick, the unemployed. It is workers wito will most fully identity with Nicky Kelly's fight or justice. If action all to direet their efforts towards workers who have already organised, they will be taking a short cut which will prove to be the longest route.

POLITICAL PARTIES

Maximum pressure must be exerted on the Labour component of the Coalition. They have already earned contempt from workers under attack. Their exposure has made them somewhat vulnerable. Workers should be mobilis ed to confront these TD'S Believe it or not there are a few people in this country who take Alan Dukes serjously when he talks about the need for wage restraint.

Normal people don't accepi that incomes should fill below prices. This is shown by the fact that average wage increuses negotiated so far this yeur are over 12% - which equals the estimated incresse in the cost of living for 1983. Locally in Limerick, Howmedica has offered 16% (accepted) El. 11% inot accepted) and Essilor 14% (accepted). Yet, as I said, there are some people who take seriously the hairshirt policies of the Coalition. Individuals of this rare specics have been discovered in the Limerick-Clare arca. Collectively, they are jokingly referred to as "The management of S.P.S. Recently, when the time came around for wage negotiations the company just didn't want to know and let them know simply that enough is enough. They should be told that they h have already dragged the cause of Labour through the mud by their collision in shifting the burdens of capitalism's crisis onto the backs of working people. They must not be allowed to demigrate any further the memory of a man they claim as inspiration. They must not be allowed to turn their backs on a working man facing death through hunger strike in the name of James Connolly.

LIMERICK FIGHTBACK

S.P.S. WIN INCREASE !

However, a workers' sitin soon changed their minds and talks hegan. It was then it became clear that the management had cuught a had dose of Duke: disease, Their offer? A 12 months pay pause!!! The workers prescribed a goslow but there has heen no real recovery in the management's condition. A second offer of a 6 months pay pause and a 3% increase was followed by a straight 34% offer!!!! A symptom of Dukes disease is an irrutional belief that a combination of threats, intimidation and soft talk about fellow employees will force workers to accept buttons for wages. Also victims of the disease tend to lise in the mast, in the good old nonunion days' and try to act accordingly. However, all is not lost.

The disease is not incurable Experience has shown that unity and determination among the workers is the NICHr

KELLYO

MCKY HUNGER D4NE

STRIKE

Fianna Fail must not be let off the hook either. Their pseudo republican rhetoric which fools thousands of Irish workers must be challenged. We must call titeir bluff. Nods and Winks such as they gave during the I Block, are not good chough.

WORDS ARE NOT

ENOUGH

The campaign has scored Impressive successes in paining support and sponsorship in all areas of public life - among trades union Joe Harrington hest remedy. A taste of this medicine helped management to up their offer to 7% from last January und another 4% from September. This offer was www film with; Padrigin Ni Murchu (ITWU), Dea Bonass and Mattie Merrigan(ATGU) and Brendan Kelly of the workere movement and the need for political leadership.

We believe that the time is right for an open discussion in the a political alternative to the betrayals of the Labour party and the dead-end reformism of the Jorkers Party. Thie video film is available for hire at a small charge and serves as a useful introduction to discussion. Contact: leaders, political leaders and organisations. But words are not cnough at this crucial stape. All those who have indicaled their support must take their place on the release committee or else mobilise their resources to force Nicky's release. accepted on a vote of 138 for and 77 aquinst - clear evidence that a complete recovery will need stronger medicine from the workers.

NEW VIDEO

Peoples Democracy has made a video (PD) discussing the recent struggles workers movement about the need for

THE BRITISH

Interest in the British General Election in Ireland will focus sharply on the contest between the SDLP and Sian Fein for the votes of nationalist working people in the North, But as John McAmulty explains below this clection is of critical importance for the very survival of Britich capitalism. The central issue of the election is who will pay for the crisis of British imperialiser: the capitalist ches or working people.

CRISIS OF THE CAPITAL-

IST SYSTEM

Britain is the sick man of Europe. The profits of Empire which once made it the most powerful country in the world acted as a cushion that blunted the pressures to mod.

emise and change, The profits of the capitalist class were squandered in an attempt to Royalty and ape the gentry, nobility who still parasitise on the British working class and in the league of world powers. The structural weakness of British capitalism and its backward and outmoded system of production were thrown into glaring relief elopment as a party well to in the recession. In weaker industries the vicious attack: on workers living standards could not compensate for this inherent weakness and muny have collapsed. So the crisis today is not simply one more round in the cucle of recessions. It is a real struggle for survival for British capitalism and one of the first casualties has been the traditional 2-party system.

all control and run our society.

Most workers partition the Through armed struggle. rounded gives more C workers power.

THE PARTIES

The focus of media attention has been the debate in the Labour Party, but the fact is that a fundamental shift has already taken place in the Tory party. The move to the right under Thatcherism has brought to the fore the most extremo elements of Toryism determined to inflict a crushing defeat on the workers. The situation in the Labour party is more complex. The political weakness of the British Labour movement has been reflected by its devthe ripht, even by the corrupt terms of European Social Democracy. It has never strayed from the path of reform, and has frequendy been willing to attack the working class in order to defend capitalism. Above all, it has from its formation been a party dedicated to the defence of imperialism - Roy Mason is by no means an unusual type in British Lubour Why vote in elections? All the vested interests of society: big business, the media, the pro-capitalist parties and the churches, have a ready answer.

They say that it's the mainspring of democracy and that it is through the electoral process that we can that this is know instinctively nonsense and in Ireland its not hard to see why.

to British are able gerrymander the vote. Even then, when the results don't suit them they can change the rules as they did following Bobby Sands victory. It is this sortof analysis that led Republicans to boycott for years and that even now leads them to view elections as mainly propaganda initiatives subordinate to the The sort of class analysis presented by Karl Marx It shows that picture. partition and the British presence and the lack of real national Independence prevent a developed democracy from being established, It also shows that greater levels of democracy do not lead to The fact is that we live in a society ruled by the capitalist class and democracy is the best system of rule for capitalism ust as feudalism was the best sustem for the kinas and nobles who ruled before

ELECTION ...

History. In practice Labour Govern ments have traditionally asition they have shifted to the left. The differenos this time is that the crisis of capitalism is so deep and allows workers government that won an election The thousands of unarmed workers).

anstentionist policy is fundamental that the Labour and trades union leaderships have opposed even rhetorical though they have not defeatmoved to the right and in opp- moves to the left, Unfortunat ed or changed the leadership.

ely for them, it is precisely around the trades unions and concessions on policy.

the Labour party that the

EDUCATION FOR SOCIALISTS

Our View of Elections ensure the obedience of the ruled and armed force as a permanent method of control is too unstable.

In any case the capitalists are too much a minority and modern society too complex for them to rule by naked force alone. They need a system which to be represented and to participate without having power. But as Marx pointed out the state is not neutral. Any workers and then expected the capitalist-controlled police and army to disarm would be in for a surprise! (The last Socialist to try this was Salvador Allende of Chile.

generals assassinated him and tens of So is marxist analysis just a more long-minded way of saying that elections are useless? No! We mustn't forget that workers fought and died for the vote and that the demand for a local Government vote was an important factor in the early Civil Rights struggle. This is because these rights are important defensive weapons for the working class. A big vote for Labour in Britain won't stop the capitalist offensive or a vote for Sinn Fein halt the Northern assembly, but they will give the workers time to prepare a fightback. Parliaments give workers representatives a chance to confront the captilists and use it as a platform to define their own programme - this is why the Republican regard to wrong in class most willing to fight back have organised and, althey have foroed important sections of the British working The rag-tag-und bobtail of the during the send сап workers. who sees elections as left for another issue! Journalist to challenge section 31: react to the candidates. SDP-Liberal alliance can he dismissed. They haven't been able to fudge the remity of the class struggle and their main importance now would be to prevent any of the more radical Labour policies being implemented in a hung parlia

IRELAND

The Tory manifesto reiterates their support for continued repression, for the Assembly (though retaining the formula of cross-community support before power is devolved) and an unconditional guarantee to unionism that partition will be muintained. Now put that in context: A new Tory Government in Britain would move to dismantle the welture state, advance a policy of nuclear aggression, centralise stute power, muzzle the unions, crush democratic rights and arcatly strengthen the powers of the police and army. Its instinct here is to step up repression and re-establish Unionist ascendancy, but it Is held back by fear of de stabilising the 26 counties and apposition in Europe and America. However, if it was to win victorles over its own workers: these considerations would carry less weight. There is no doubt that a Tory sictory would bring the spectre of Stormont one step neurer.- CAer=-AL has yet to fully establish itself and Nationalist absention can yet bring it down). The value of these democratic rights is shown most clearly election itself. The state forces, normally ready to drive you off the streets, are reduced to petty harrasment - they are even required to provide a free postal service so that you revolutionary propaganda to the How then can elections be used for revolutionary changel Marx said firmly that the independent mass organisation of the workers was key. Anyone bringing change themselves is living in a dream-world but ignoring them orusing them simply as propaganda vehicles Is Irresponsible. Elections properly used are a springboard for organisation and independent action by the working class. The problem is that only class-conscious parties of the working class have the programme to do this effectively. The questions posed in bullding such a party are best In the last issue of Socialist Republic' we reported a new campaign for press freedom now, as we go to press, there are reports that ATE journalists will on Sinn Fain Government ban

IN BRITAIN

IT MEAN FOR

LABOUR VICTORY

in detail, It supports a policy goes on to say; we respect to remain within the United Kingdom, although this does can have a veto on political development " It goes on to promise several things that directly counter their record in Government: reform of the Diplock Courts, abolition of the PTA and Payment for Debt Act, the introduction of abortion legistation and comprehensive school. Again this has to be put in context. Labour policy on unemployment, welfare rights defence and nationalisation cut right across the interests of the capitalist class. Many elements in the leadership are ready opposed to imp ementing these pollcies or will back-track at the first sign of opposition. it will require an active movement of the working class on the streets and in - the factories to prevent a sell-out. Ireland would become an issue ORANGE CARD immediately after the election.

A new Labour Goverment would find itself responsible for a partitionist assembly which contradicts its declarations of support for Irish unity and the massive rejection

BY STEVE POTTER

SA Staff member) Socialist Action is a new labour movement weekly. Launched in March, our most immediate objective & the fight to kick out the Tory govemment and replace it with a Labour government committed to socialist policies. We don't underestimate the problems facing the British working class in the battle against the Tories.

Many workers are dissuaded from fightine attacks on the unions, un che welfare services and on living standards because of unemployment and the cowardly role of the right wing labour leaders. But there is a large and militunt minority in the Ishour movement, in CND. in the

A STRAIGHT CLASS BATTLE

BUT WHAT DOES

IRISH WORKERS?

Labour policy is worth quoting Labour would need the whole ive gamble for Maggie, ft of Irish unity by consent, but ion that it has pledged itself and support however, the right by the labour movement of the Norther Ireland people by the Inbour left and a united 1920'%, lead to world wide in Ireland could open the not mean that Umonist leaders way to a new co-operation "Don't vote Sinn Fein" Bishop Daly instructs his Flock. and bring the Irish issue right to the heart of the class strupgie.- There is of course one other way that the Irish question could emerge as the major issue. Unionists have already indicated that the price of their support will be the

SOCIALIST ACTION - A FIGHTER

FOR IRISH FREEDOM IN BRITAIN

Tories atiacks and against the sabotage of the leader hip. Our puper is addres ed to that minority with the objective of organising them as a national current.

That is the importance of campaigns such as Socialints for a Labour Victory, a campaign which seeks to link up with all those fighting the Tories to win a Labour victory. Likewise the paper will fight to build the broad left currents inside the unions to campaign against incomes policy and for the democratisation of the unions. A crucial part of this is support for the struggle of the nationalist population apainst Britain's occupation of the North. Our paper will fully report the anti-Imperialist clection campaign in the North. An important part of this is getting out the views of the anti-imperialist move ment to the British labour movement. We have publiched iene in: intercom by nationalist voters. Further restoration of Stormont mote to preserve the Assembly Such a deal would be a massarmoury of repressive legislat. would make Ireland a central issue of conflict in to scrap: an active campaign British class politics for the first time since the campaign by anti-imperialists protests, and destabilise and leave politically bankrupt the major nationalist partles both North and outh. But Maggie would tumble a lot for a further years of power and would see an advantage in striking such a blow against both the British and Irish working classes before they had time to prepare.

SINN FEIN

The only anti-imperialist PD supporters in the first 5 issues of our paper. We believe this is a fundamental task of our paper. A debate has come to the fore on Labour's bi-partisan policy We want to make sure that this issue is put at the centre centre of attention in the clection campuie. While it is vital to defeat do not have any illusions about the character of the typoof Labour government at would come to office. But it would be a mistake to conclude that the outcome of the alection is. irrelevant either for British or Irish workers. The remov al of Thatcher in itsel would be a body blow for British Imperialismn. Secondy, the sumerous policy mains und democratic reforms within the Labour Party, and the experience of the Wilson-Callaghan governments means that the left will have an ON BOARD the Airey Neave organisation that has nominated candidates in the elections is Sinn Fein.

It is clear that the best hope for i real fightback must rest on a massive vote for their candidates. But how prepared is Sinn Fein politically to lead such a tichtback? *The high level of organ- Isational activity by the Republicans since the Assembly elections masks the fact that they have not moved forward politically and may in fact have gone backwards, Their call Immediately after the last election for a united campaign against the Stormont ssembly has been followed bar tols inaction. Thair only discussions about clectoral unity have centred on the SDIP and lIP and they have ignored the perfectly real possibility of building an anthimperialist electoral front. Even more disturbing has been their back tracking on the question of militarism. In the Assembly elections the cancidates made no secret of their support for the IRA's military struggle but said that it was a conference decisions, as the Foot-Healey team would. But the advances of the left have also created an opp ortunity to take forward the cause of Irish self determination in the labour movement. We support the Labour Committee on Ireland's initiatives to raise the issuc of Ireland in the the Tories and Alliance, we labour movement. That means gerling out the opinions of elected representatives of the nationalist population. We want to build a large labour movement delegation to accompany Ken Livingstone on his next trip to the North and support campaigns which take advantage of existing Labour Party olicy, for example against Mastic Bullets But our medium term strategy is to break Labour from bi-partisanship and in a policy of Troops Out Now, We want to win the separate issue. In this election they have linked the two together. Indeed, An Phoblacht Republican News states flatly in an article "The IRA and the Election that only the IRA campaign can defeat the British. Electoral work is reduced to a role of propagan dist support. The ongoing economic offensive by imperialism has led Sinn Fein to hiphlight social and ecomomnic deprivation, but the heated debate in their own organisation has remained deadlocked and they have been unable to produce a protrumme of working class action to challenge and defeat these attacks. We don't raise these points in any sectarian way. Workers should vote Sins Fein, but they should do so without Ellasions. An unfounded belief that they had a worked out programune for the working class and for mass political action against British cule and collaboration in the 26 countics would lead to

ANNA

SUPER

Will the Election blow up in Maggie's face?

massive demoralisation after the election. Peoples Democracy believes that the motive power for a working class victory against imperialism Hes in the independent activity of the mass of workers. A victury for the anti-imperialists in this election would be a powertul boost to the building of such a move- Of, me dad's just a bir pessimistic. As soon as they announced the election he starled digging out a mueleur shefrer...

2 MILLION

IRISH

Die,

BRITISI

A Woman's Right to Choose Why We Support

A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO

CHOOSE

In countries all over the world, women are beginning to challenge their centuries old oppression, with the growth of the women's liberation movement, and the organisation of campaigns to overcome the discrimination which women face. The struggle for control over their fertility has often been a key isue for in no capitalist country do women hive the right to regulate their reproduction as they wish through free contraception, abortion and sterilisation on demand, The reasons for this are found if we consider the nature of women's oppression under capitalist society. Female oppression originated during the transition from pre-class to class society, with the development of the patriarchal family.

In order to protect private property and its inheritanice from one generation to the next it was necessary to subjugate women as a sex via the family structure. The control of female sexuality and its inevitable concomitant in those days re prowas a feature of duction carly class society which now remains an important prop in the capitalist system This is reflected in the exist-

WOMEN'S CONFERENCE 1983

Experiences Women's conference 1983 at the Cresent Arts centre, Road, Belfast. Sunday 18th/19th June. 62-00 waged Creche facilities. ence today of abortion laws as the visible instrument of this special churacteristic of women's oppression. Twent leth century women in the most advanced countries have the right to vote. choose a husband. work where they wish, travel alone, divorce, control their own finances etc. But they do not have the fundamental right to control their own bodies. The control of female lertility was not taken away from women overicht. It involved a long and bloody struggle with the combined weight of the church and the state as the main protagonists. In the early years after its establishment, the church allowed abortion up to ensoulment" - following, the somewhat whimsical pronouncement of Aristotle that male foetuses received a soul at 40 days and female at 80 days after conception.

Pope Gration declared that: 'He is not a munderer who brings about an abortion before the soul is in the body.

Church doctrine subsequently changed, abortion was outlawed and the church hardened its position to the final sanction in 1917 - excommunication of the woman and all her accomplices.

Many millions of women have died over the centuries as the church und state used Changing of Women in Ireland Ini verai ty Saturday and €1-00 unwaged socialist republic Ireland: Elsewhere: None Address. Country. their representutives to init- Late witch-hunts against women whose 'crimes' included practising abortion.

giving advice on contraception, using drugs to aid delivery and other practices related to female reproduction. It took several hundred years to stamp out the knowledge. the medicines, customs and organisation of women healers, and to put the control of fertility into the hands of the state. Sinc then, the state has exercised this control through a combination of coercion and ideological conditioning.

The issue of control is central because control is the cornerstone of class rule, through the agency of the state. In some circumstances, the state will use this control to discourage pregnancy and childbirth when it is in the interests of the ruling class to do so. In Puerto: Rico for example, the governauent had a plan to expand tourism and develop a petrochemicais industry.

The only obstacle standing in its way in developing this new source of profits for capitalism was that the regions tended to be overpopulated. The answer of course was to open up a contraception, abortion and sterilisation centres and fry

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to persuade men and women to take advantage of them. Such manouevres have nothing in common with the demand for the right of women to control their fertility, even though

RING TE

the facilities may have been made available by the state.

Even when laws governing abortion are introduced or amended on more "hunianitarian grounds, the state RETURN TOl retains control. For example, the 1967 Abortion Act in Britain was one of the most liberal laws of the time, but even then, there was never any doubt over who would control the decision on abortion. Two doctors must give their permission for abortion, based on medical, psychological and social considerations. And even these legal grounds for abortion are governed by the overriding assumption that the nonn for a healthy, well-adjusted woman is motherhood. A woman must plead that she is somehow unfit for this role If she is to get an abortion under the Act. Women's right to control their own bodies was usurped by the state in order to preserve the material and ideologicul props of class rule, The struggle Io win back for women this right to control their own fertil- Jey cannol be won without taking on the state. the church, the medical pro- Cession, and the many other represen latives of a system of class rule. That's the crucial and central lessu Feminist Notes

FRENCH OUTLAW

SEXISM

Articles, pictures, adverts or television programmes that show women in a degrading light became illegal under a new law introduced y the Socialist Party in rance during March Offenders are liable to a fine of between 1200 and €30,000 and up to a year's imprisonment. The law bams any act liable to lead to "discrimination.

batred, violence, civil wrong or lilel on the grounds of the sex of an individual or group.

EQUAL PAYT

According to the International Labour Orgunisation the gap between male and femule carings & widening.

The ILO Year Book of Labour Statistics reports that in Britnin between 1977 and 1981 the average eamings of women fell from 71.9 to 69.5 per out of men's. In South Korea in 1981 women engaged in nonagricultural work eamed only 44.8% of male wages.

Women workers in Sweden and Australia seem to do best getting 90.1 and 86.2 per cent of male average eumings.

WOMEN'S RIGHT TO

WORK UNDER ATTACK

"Hugh Coveney, Fine Gael T.D and Lord Mayor of Cork is very concerned about unemployment, or so he would have us believe: But his solution is emigration and, wait for it - one family, one job. He's concerned about "2 car, 4 jobs families' next door to families of unemployed. Coveney's proposals are a recipe for pushing married women out of the workforce. As women's jobs are declining in mumber, there is no telling where Coverey plans might end. Coveney's annual incorne amounts to around IC38. ООО рет аплат. Our Cork correspondent tells us that down that way the question everyone is asking is: This 2-car, 4 job family - the name wouldn't be Covenev would t?

"A performance', that was how Nicaraguan Foreign Minister, Rev. Miguel D'Escoto described Ronald Reagan's address to the joint session of Congress in Washington, on Wed, April 27th 1983, Reagan attacked the popular resistance to oppression in Central America, aiming in particular at Nicaragua, Grenada and Cuba. In making wild allegations about many foreign troops in Nicaragua he even cinimed that Nicaragua (population 2.9 million) was threatening US secunty- We don't have any foreign troops in Nicaragua", replied D'Escoto, "Mr Reagan was lying and he knew he was bying.*) But 2 weeks after Reagan's speech, Washington further tightened the economic screws against Nicaragua by cutting its sugar quota to the US by 90%. Like the slanders and the military attacks this action was a farther attempt to destabilise the Sandinista Government.

A performance and a lie Reagan's speech may have be been but it gave a green light to the counterrevolutionary forces (contras) engaged in destabliation e torts aramst the workers and peasants por emment of Nicaragua. Within a week reports emerged that i further 1200 contras had invaded Nicaragua, this time under cover of an artillery provided by the o-S Honduran army. Thi sequence of events followed the pattem of the undeclared on the world workers movement.

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NICARAGUA

OPPOSITION GROWS

TO U.S. WAR

US war against Nicaragua.

that has gone on for over 2 years: slander and lies from Washington, dollars from the Peritagon and CIA to the contras and stepped up military and cconomic pressures from both the contras and their US backers. Only by relying oo their mass support Party also fear that the and on mass mobilisation in - Reagan Administration cluding organisation of a dinistas been able to hold back the US pressure. And in spites of thista force Sandinista forces: have scored a number of military successes, routing a number of contra bands in early May. US policy is shown by the fact that Reagan had to give his performance in Congress in the first place. There are open divisions among the US back the Central Ametican revolution. Unlike the situation in the 1960's, the US cannot simply send in the Marines as they did in the Dominican Republic in 1965.

Today there's widespread opposition among US workers and youth to any thought of direct US mil- Itary intervention in Central America, This is the so-called Vietnam syndrome that so worries the Washington strategists.

And this is shown most maphically by the recent call by the AFL-CIO - the US trade union congress for an end to US military and economic aid to the genocidal Salvadorean government. During the ictnam War the right-win cader of the AFLICK International Viewpoint A fortnightly journal of world politics News analysis, important documents and information Recent issues have contained important articles on Ireland, the Socialist Government in France, the anti-war movement and extensive coverage of the Central American Revolution.

Sterling - 6 months E9 (95FF), 1 year E/6 (175 FF) - 6 months EId, Fyear ElS Poyment in french francs if possible, Personal cheques to PEC and mail to: /V, 2 rue Richard Lenoir, 93108, Postal orders to PEC, CCP Account no. 2-322-42T Paris.

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the US war to the hilt. from Reagan. This is why the Democratic can't deteat the Nicaraguan peoples militia, have the San workers and peasants. The response of the Reagan Council on May 9th, US representative Mrs the contras really are ex-members of ousted dietator Somoza's National rulers over the best way to roll Guard, responsible for the slaughter of thousands of Nicgraguans. And those aud Ences have also seen cicarly who the supporters of these contras are - the US Government and their Honduran allies. But the campaign goes on and the stakes are high. The recent successfu efforts by US business interests in Ireland in watering down the De Rossa/ Andrews Dail resolution critical of US Central American policy shows how high the stakes are. Foe Irish socialists, republicans and trades unionists therefore, the task of the day is cicar we must mobilise to defend the Nicaraguan revolution.

CIARAN MacNAMEE In curly April the Salvadorean revolutionary movement suffered a cruel blow with the assassination of Melida Anaya Mantes and the suicide of Salvador Cayetano Carpio, 2 of the central leaders of the Peoples Liberation Forces (FPL) a component org misation of the Faribundo Marti National Liberation Frost (FMLN). Anaya Martes, Commander Ana Maria, was murdered on April 6th in Managua, capital of Nicarugua, while Cayetano Carpio, Commander Marcial, founder and leuder of the FPL, committ ed suicide on hearing that the assassination of Ana Maria had been orgunised by an individual who was

NAME: ....

ADDRESS:

EL SALVADOR

U.S. BACKED GOVERNMENT

CONTINUES TO CRUMBLE

part of the central command of the FPI. The Nicaraguan Ministry of the Interior pointed out on April 20th : Our investig anions indicate that these developments are a result of enemy activity, characteristic of the DiSA, CIA.

Cayetano Carpio and Anaya Martes, were outstanding revolutiona y fishlers who drew the lessons of Salvadorean history, especially the uprising of 1932-33 und its bloody defeat, and of the international class struggle after the Cuban Revolution.

These leaders drew profoundy revolutionary conclusions which led to Cayetano Carpio's rejection of the line of the Salvadorean Corm-

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connelly bookshop, , belfast. JOIN Pd. NOW unist Party (of which he was the General Secretary and to his forming the FPL in 1970 although this was not made public for a further 2 years. Althouch the deaths of the 2 main commanders of *the FMLN is undoubtedly a blow, the Salvadorean revolutionists have responded by affirming their revolutionary determ- We declore, that ination. in spite of the grief that seizes us, we will remain Jirm in struggle, and that nothing and no-one can stop the revolutionary advance of our people. declared the FMIN and the Revolutionary Democratic Front on April 20th. Their struggle goes on. 6, avoca park,

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC

Wages, PRSI, Closures... Unite the Struggles!

Anti-Amendment Campaign A LAST CHANCE TO ...

UNITE AND FIGHT THE ABORTION AMENDMENT

National The massive demonstrations involving almost a quarter of a million workera on April 13th marked a new deterination amonget working people that they will not be forced to pay for the mese of the Irish econcreated by the bosses omy The and their politicians. most popular demand at all the marches and rallies summed up this determination on.

- "MAKE THE RICH PAY!*

The April 13th protests were quite different to the all over the country are big PAYE marches of a few There was no years back. carnival atmosphere, just a mood of #ilitant anger.

Nor was there much patience with those trade union leadera who rhetorically denounced the Coalition but refused to map out a strategy for defeating its attacke on living atandards.is being led by 800 workers The greatest reception was reserved for those like Matt Merrigan who pulled calling for a no punches, stepping up of industrial action rolling on to a general strike. The angry determination to fight back shown on April 13th has been confirmed since. Despite the ‚scandalous lack of leader from the ICTU and most ship major trade unions the tax protest has refused to die The workers at down. division in Irish society and a monumental waste of resources.

The forces behind the amendment, the so-called pro-life brigade are wholly unrepresentative of the Irish people, They are the most reactionary layer of Irish society - religious and moral fantatics who are pro-repression and anti- democratic. - the death pro penalty and anti-welfare.

pro the strikebreaker and anti-trade unions.

As the real nature of the Amendment's backers has been exposed over the past few months, those politicians who pretend to "liberalism' have tried to take their distance. This what the contortions of Fine Gael - the original

POBLACHT SHOISIALACH

Fight Back Needed Waterford Glass, the Aer Lingus workers on May 9th and the CIE trade unioniste on May 16th through their actions have provided a sharp contrast to the inactivity of the ICTU leadership. The Tax campaign ia not the only one that workere have taken up the cudgels Tens of thousande of workers have broken through the Government/employer pay pause and workforces lining up to follow through the breach, But here too, the union leaders have refused to provide real guidelines for battle with the bosses. With unemployment pushing towards the 200,000 mark the fight against Job losses Efforts to organise a con- -mainly ITGW members)who are occupying their workplaces; Ranke flour M1l1s in Dublin and Limer- Kingdom Tubes in Tralee 1ck, Interton in Ennis and Carrigaline Pottery in Cork.

It is these workers who are.

the frontline leaders in the fight to defend jobs and living standards - not the so-called leaders of the

ICTU,

The willingneas of working people to fight back that is developing must not be It now seems inevitable that the referendum on the Constitutional amendment to outtaw abortion will be held later this month. The people of the 26 counties will be compelled to vote on an amendment to the constitution that opinion polls suggest the majority of them don't want, believe to be a major source of has been about. The PLAC, SPUC and the other right wing groups threaten to blow the cover off Garrett's crusade to 'modernise' Ireland by building a truly pluralist society. But the 'good doctor Fitzgerald was committed and despite his already of this abhorrence professed the 'sectarian' amendment when opportunity to sink it presented itself first in the Dail and then in the Seanad Fine Gael abstained and let it pass.

Indeed, those members of Fine Gael Matt Merrigan - Need for effeedive action."

wasted by failing to link erent fronte into a united the coalition's austerity ference to launch such a national fightback are already underway. be successful the workers who are providing the leadership in the tax battle, the fight for decent wages and the defence of Jobe must be brought together to hammer out a national strategy on all thes issues. When Matt Merrigan lambasted that a genuine worker's the role of labour Ministers party 1n Ireland could in the Coalition at the tax march in Dublin on April 13, the applause was enthusiawho had swallowed all the guff about Garrett's crusade and continued to oppose the amendment received no support from the 'doctor when they were subjected to a vile campaign of abuse and intimidation. authors of the Fianna Fail wording - Fitzgerald will lose no sleep over the passing of the Fianna Fail amendment.

in the present crisis of irish capitalism the Coalitilion has no option but to maintain cordial relations with these reactionary forces. Fitzgerald will have no qualms about exploiting the opening presented by the Amendment as a starting point for more attacks on women's right and the rights of working people in general.

In the last few remaining weeks before the referendum the right wing will be going all out to intimidate and cajole the Irish people into voting for the Paper of PEOPLES' DEMOCRACY these struggles on ditt- igan called for a revier of the links between the trade union movement and the Labour party and for the opening up of a discuasion within the worker's movement on how to forge a genuine political representation for working In the next issue of

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC,

Peoples Democracy will be spelling out ite own views on this vital question, w111 examine the origina and history of the Labour Party and set out the eort of political programme defend. Don't mise itl amendment. It would be an enormous task to stop them. But it can still be done though only if the Antiamendment campaign shows a greater degree of urgency and determination.

If the case against the PLAC is got across then they will be defeated.

This is the lesson of the support which has already been won. A big drive into the trade unions and working class communities would mobilise a tremendous response. Time is short. But it is still time enough to turn the apparent success of these fanatics into their rout.

* Build a mass campaign on the streets.

* Make a big push to get active support in the trades unions and working class districts. • Press anti-imperialist organisations Jike Sinn Fein to transform their policy of opposition to the amendment into activity alongside the campaign.