Black workers must organise
Socialist Organiser1982 1982-04-22Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 6 →
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Aly Mir reports from the black workers' workshop at the April 3 Socialist Organiser/ London Labour Briefing trade union conference THE workshop on black workers began with a look at the historical roots of racism in colonialism, and it was seen that black workers came to Britain to provide cheap immigrant labour for British capitalists.
The capitalists drive for profits during times of boom and their attempts to make the workers pay for times of crisis have been significantly aided by racism within the labour movement.
The failure of the trade union movement to defeat racism within its own ranks left black workers isolated with the worst working conditions, the lowest rates of pay, the least secure employment, and with unions that refused to even bargain with the bosses on behalf of the black workers.
For example, during the Leicester Imperial Typewriters strike of 1974, the refusal of the local IGWU leaders to support the strike of mainly Asian workers against the bosses' non-payment of bonuses. not only left these black workers isolated but created such a racist climate that openly fascist groups such as the NF were able to influence some of the shite workers.
By helping the bosses to divide the workers the union kaders not only maintained the special oppression of the black workers, but cleared Or.-eha dafeat of the whole workforce which happened later in the year when the bosses closed the factory.
• More recently, when the Leyland bosses ordered the searching of all the black workers at Cowley, attempts by stewards to fight this were frustrated by the local union official who argued that such a fight was divisive! What use are the words of the TUC Charter on racism if no action can follow?
To overcome the appalling record of the labour 5 1L. 20 % 14 21 29 15 22 30 8 16 23 9 24 2 17 Ads for Socialist Organiser events and many campaigns are carried free. Paid ads:
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Solidarnosc Trade Union Working Group, 64. Philbeach Gardens, • London SW5. 01-373 3492. movement bureaucrats, black workers must fight alongside white workers, because only the whole working class can defeat racism and the capitalist system responsible for it once and for all.
The workshop discussed how the ruling class is attempting to divide workers through the operation of race checks and "ethnic minority monitoring" using skin colour charts, and that anti-racist arguments within the unions can help oppose such schemes.
Glasgow Polish Solidarity Campaign. lan McCalman, 18 Mossgiel Rd, Glasgow G43. 041-632 1839.
Edinburgh PSC. C/o Edinburgh Trades Council, 12 Picardy Place.
Oxford Labour Committee on Poland, 468 Banbury Rd, Oxford. 0865 58238.
Coventry PSC. John Fisher, c/o ASTMS, 26 Queens Rd, Coventry.
Labour Poland Solidarity Fund, c/o Cooperative Bank, 110 Leman St, London E1.
MEETINGS AND FORUMS Socialist Organiser delegate meeting: Sunday May 9, 11am to 5pm, at County Hall, London SE1. All local groups asked to send delegates.
SHEFFIELD: Every other Nednesday, at the Brown Cow, The Wicker. Business try Trades Council May 8, 1982.
Delegates invited from TU organisations in the Coventry area. Contact: CovenWorkers in Manchester and Battersea have already made a stand on these issues.
Those attending the workshop were unanimous in feeling that more time is needed to further discuss and act against the issues of racism in the unions and the specific oppression of-black workers. It was agreed that the forthcoming Coventry area labour movement conference on racism should be pressed to help initiate a national labour movement conference on these issues.
7.30, discussion 8.30. Next meeting April 28.
Socialist Organiser delegate meeting: Sunday May 9, 11am to 5pm, at County Hall, London SE1. All local groups asked to send delegates.
ISLINGTON. Every other Friday, 7.30 at Caxton House, St John's Way. London N19. Next meeting April 30.
BASINGSTOKE: El Salvador and the Central American Revolution. Thursday April 29, 7.30 at Chute House, Church St.
STOP THE DEPORTATION of Najat Chafee! Public meeting: Friday April 30, 7.30 at Moonshine Community Arts Workshop, Victor Rd, London NW10. Picket of Najat's appeal: Friday May 7, 9am at Thanet House, The Strand. March (if the appeal fails): Saturday May 15, 11am from Roundwood Park. Contact: Friends of Najat Chafee, c/o 138 Minet Ave, London NW10.
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Socialist Organiser no.81 April 22 1982 Page 7
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WHAT'S IUN
try TC, c/o The Tom Mann Club, 34 Stoke Green, Coventry