Change in NUR attitude

Scan page 15

Articles on the stewards' movement, the publi sector and the fight against cuts and privatisation, lessons from the NHS strike, and unions and the Labour Party. Polemics on the Socialist Workers' Party and the Communist Party. Features on the left and the Stalinist state 'un ions, and on workers' politics and national lib eration. From the arsenal of Marxism: Leon Trotsky on boom, crisis, and workers' TIMEX workers at the Milton factory in Dundee are still occupying to stop compulsory redundancies.

For speakers contact G.Sampson, 32 Elgin Terrace, Dundee (0382 818452). Donations to J. Kydd, 81 Brownhill Rd, Dundee. qc MY article last week on a strike by guards at Lincoln and the NUR NEC's response was factually correct. but gave the impression that with the election of Jimmy Knapp as NUR General Secretary, nothing had changed.

The information I ve had since suggests that while the settlement of the dispute wasn't an enormous step forward for railworkers. it wasn't a complete sell-out, either.

Indeed. the reaction and behaviour of the NUR NEC was a welcome contrast to previous behaviour.

As lan Williams. an NEC member said. "In the past management would call us up to go out and settle disputes. We were like firefighters going out-with two buckets of water to pour on it.

"We still go out with buckets. but now they've got paratin in them."

The dispute started on Wednesday 20th. as a guard, obeying NUR orders not to lift the March to Spalding track near Lincoln was sent home.

On Thursday. two NEC members were present to find out what help was necessary. On Friday the NEC made the strike official on the basis of their report and put out orders to all depots not toi run trains through Lincoln.

Previously they would not have got that support, even after two days, under Weighell.

On the Monday, BR climbed down, offering a national meeting (Wednesday 4 May) to discuss line closures before going ahead with the line lifting. Previously the NUR has had no negotiating rights on line closures, rather they were the subject only of local consultation.

BR has only postponed the lifting of the track till May 9. but they have made concessions. that could not have been expeeted before. This could be the beginnings of a change within the NUR and therefore in BR's ability to rely on the NUR to push through its redundancy and restructuring programme.

Not least significant is the fact that the guards" strike was 100%i solid in Lincoln, while only last June 40% of them scabbed on the two-day pay strike.

As lan Williams told me: • There's been a considerable change in the attitude of the NUk. Our difficuliy is that many of our members are still demoralised and almost shell-shocked as a result of last year's sell-out.

"When a dispute like Lincoln occurs we are giving the people involved all the suppory we can. though we have to be extremely cautious until we have rebuilt the morale of our members.

"We can't call for indefinite extensions of strike action until we have guaranteed the support of our membership. That support is something we have to earn, and not something we can take for granted." said. He was presented with a Tshirt with those immortal words on it at the end of conference.

Now, while they shed crocodile tears for Spanswick at head office, his successor, David Williams, a vicious right-winger, will be planning the real persecutions - a witch-hunt of the left in the trade union and in the Labour Party. Meanwhile the other officials will be jockeying for Williams' vacant post.

Albert may be gone, but his Aavernsement STAY OUT NUPE WORKERS SociAlisT REviEw 3

Scan page 16

JOHN HARRIS STOP DEM Peoples march for jobs RONALD REAGAN is losing his propaganda war on Central America even amid the hardened reactionary circles of the US Congress. On Tuesday the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives voted to cut off funds to the CIA*s mercenary forces in Honduras and Nicaragua, and give the CIA 45 days to extricate itself from its clandestine operations against the Nicaraguan government.

This decision came as a heavy blow to Reagan who last week resorted to the unusual and desperate tactic of a direct, tub-thumping, witch-hunting appeal to the assembled capitalist politicians of both Houses of Congress for support to his strategy in Central America.

His speech was aimed at securing funds and approval for the present combination of open military and economic assistance to the right wing dictatorships of the region, coupled with the sponsoring of counter-revolutionary squads of mercenaries, launching attacks on the Sandinista regime from Honduras on one side, and from Costa Rica on the other.

But despite Reagan's warnings of the "threat to the national security of the USA" , and the need to "stand up for democracy" on their own doorstep, the assembled gathering of millionaires, lawyers and landowners from the USA's twin capitalist among the countries of the region and within each country" , and he announced the appointment of a special envoy, who will go through the motions of touting a ritualistic plastic "olive branch around the capitals of Central and South America.

A flavour of Reagan's approach is given by his choice of envoy: Richard Stone, a wealthy former Democratic Party Senator who led early moves to end US aid to the Sandinista government and was previously a paid lobbyist for the right-wing government of Guatemala in its efforts to restore relations when its record of repression became so blatant that even the US government cut off aid.

Envisages

It is obvious that Reagan envisages, any talks only in the context of asserting military superiority over the left wing guerrillas in El Salvador, and after a prolonged process of "softening up" the Sandinistas in Nicaragua.

To achieve this he has a long, bloody, way to go. The May Day weekend saw the Salvador liberation forces take the war into the outskirts of the capital. San Salvador, and call over Radio. Venceremos for the active support of the working class in the military struggle which until now has been based largely in the rural areas.

A grim reminder of the imperReagan's hired gunmen were back in action on May Day, murdering I1 people, including a West Ger-

----- pull-quotes -----

Workers Socialist Review Which way forward ¡OUT NOW! 75%

sitting tight

70p (plus 16p p&p) from WSL, PO 135, London N1 ODD

iálistic fightback came however, in the north of Nicaragua, where