The Enemy Is at Home!rail

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Paper of the Socialist Organiser Alliance No. 87 June 3, 1982 (Claimants and strikers 10p) 25р AS WE go to press British troops are surrounding Port Stanley, and the Tory government seems confi: dent of victory against the Argentine forces.

But their victory - if at the cost of killing and maiming , hundreds, they achieve it - will not be ours. For our main enemy is at home.

It is the warmongering, profit-greedy British ruling class, and the Tory government that repres ents it. Our main fight is against their policies of attacking the working class in the 'national interest' shredding public services while boosting the arms drive, threatening lives across the world with their nuclear arsenal, exploit ing millions in many countries through their international industrial and banking operations and bolstering Reagan's efforts to keep the US grip on Central America.

Whatever the outcome of the war for the islanders and they can scarcely rejoice at the prospect of henceforth being a small annex to a big military base, or being at the centre of a long-running war between British occupying forces and the Argentine air force and navy - the main effect of a victory for the British forces will be to strengthen this main enemy of ours, in all its most reactionary policies.

It was to boost her government's prestige and power, and not out of concern for the islanders' rights, that Thatcher went to war.

Against the wars of the ruling classes, we should be seeking solidarity with the workers of Argentina and Latin 'Lula' Inacio da Silva is a leader of the metal. workers' union in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and of the Brazilian Workers' Party, one of the few non-Stalinist independent workers' parties in Latin Last week (speaking to Socialist Worker) he made this appeal to the British working class.

*I don't believe in any war -least of all in a war about the Malvinas.

I don't think you English comrades - the English working class - have anything to gain from the war. The English government is in fact trying to cover up for the complete economic and political disaster it has created.

And the Argentinian government also has its own internal problems. The Malvinas war is a way of covering up what's happening there as well.

I don't think the English have any right to land in Latin America. Just as l BRITISH Rail has declared war on the unions. After the Railway Staffs National Tribunal decision in their favour on flexible rostering, they stated that there would not even be any discussion on the 1982 wage claim of 15% until ASLEF abandoned the eight-hour day.

That position has now hardened further, with the British Rail Board offering a mere 5% - and that not until September, five months late. 5% over seven months is the equivalent of an annual pay rise of only In addition, the rail bosses have given notice that they will send out new rosters and impose them whatever the union says.

The NUR has talked of industrial action from June 7 over pay and the rundown and closure of locomotive works - though the NUR executive has not yet decided on strike action from that day.

It is possible that BR will postpone the closures in order to avoid the NUR Join the CND protest against Reagan on Sunday June 6 with placards and banners against Thatcher's war.

Assemble Hampstead Rd, Ladbroke Grove, or Belvedere Rd, 11am: rally in Hyde Park 3.30pm.

Other demonstrations against the warmongers: Monday June 7, 5.30, Grosvenor Square; Tuesday June 8, 1pm, lobby of Parliament,

By Stev Kings C ASLEF

action. But this will only be a manoeuvre. Clearly BR and the Tories are out for confrontation.

The unions must respond. Militants should demand that action goes ahead from June 7 - with the demand for an unconditional pay rise.

Whatever issue sparks the actual confrontation, the outcome will be decisive for all rail workers. Not only should ASLEF be supporting action called by NUR, but ASLEF members should be demanding that the date for strike action to defeat flexible rostering and enforce the joint union demand for 15%, be brought forward immediately to coincide with the NUR action.

It would be disastrous for ASLEF to stand aside from action called by the NUR.

If the NUR are defeated over the works closures, ASLEF will not be able to fight the BRB alone on its own sectional interests. If management suspend the guaranteed week for drivers and drivers assistants, then ASLEF members will be in no condition to face up to the BRB on flexi-rosters after weeks of dole money.

The hardening of BR's stance was clear from Railway Staff National Tribunal decision number 77, which read more like a British Railways Board press release than 'neutral" decision on flexible rostering.

It proved once again that trade unionists can have no faith in 'independent' arbitration. And it virtually dismissed ASLEF's case.

Even more significant was the way in which McCarthy went beyond the issue of flexible rostering to insist that new rostering arrangements can only be cost-effective if they are linked with more widespread single-manning.

The very length of time which it took to produce the decision indicates that McCarthy and the rest of the Railway Staff National Tribunal were put under massive behind-the-scenes pressure to come up with a verdict favourable to management.

The official ASIEF response has, on the face of it, been quite strong. The Annual Conference, as expected, rejected the McCarthy award. However, there has been no official position put forward by the executive to deal with the probability that management will impose flexifosters. Indeed, recent statements by Don Pullen, ASLEF Assistant General Secretary, strongly suggest that it will be left up to the depots themselves.

But BR bosses are reac for a show down. So mus we be.