Don't boycott black unions Writeback

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IN reply to Isotsi's letter (last week's SO): the nub of the issue on South African trade unions is this: Most of the genuine, independent, non-racial trade unions which : noW represent hundreds of thousands of organised black industrial workers are actively seeking direct links with unions overseas.

For example, the metal worker unions belonging to FOSATU, the largest non-racial union federation in South Africa, wrote:

"We strongly favour fraternal contact between workers in South Africa and workers in other countries at all levels, provided this is John O'Mahony's reply to guided by the interest: requirements of the workers...

"Several visits to and from our unions have already taken place with shop stewards and. union officials from Europe visiting unions and factories in South Africa (and vice versa) •.. This contact has been valuable and it will be encouraged in the future."

Anti-Apartheid, however, until the last AGM, has been vehemently opposed to the establishment of • direct union-to-union links. They have argued on the one hand that they comprise a violation of their boycott policy, and on the other hand that• all links should be mediated through the trade union wing of the ANC, SACTU.

We say that the boycott should be against the apartheid state and the economic forces which support it, not against the black workers who are fighting back. We say that it is not enough for unions here to support SACTU, partly because most independent unions in South Africa have little or no contact with SACTU (which is underground and basically illegal), partly because contacts mediated through SACTU are unnecessarily dangerous, and partly because there is no substitute for direct experience of We can use the strength of our own trade union and labour movement to demand the right to enter South Africa, to meet with black trade unionists and to invite representatives from these unions over here. This is an elementary and most effective way in which the British labour movement can show its solidarity:

Further, sought by workers, s lop ste rds and officials o the st gles of black 'outh African workers.

it is • the way the non-racial unions in South Africa selves.

The opposition of the Anti-Apartheid Movement and SACTU has proved to be an important block to developing solidarity of this kind.

Our campaign is to help establish direct union-tounion links along the lines sought by non-racial unions in South Africa in conjunction with progressive trade unionists here; in part, that includes a campaign to change the • extremely unhelpful policies that have so far been advocated by the Anti-Apartheid Movement and fervently pursued by SACTU.

BOB seas 3.0, Hamads off We invite readers to send us their letters, up to a usual maximum length of 400 words. Send to Socialist Organiser. c/o 28, Middle Lane. London N8.

Alan «Campbell's persona attack on Ted Grant i nothing more than scandalous. Ted has been a member of the Party for over 30 years.

How long has Brothei Campbell been a member! Or is he yet another recent convert from cora-let ects one of the Camobell attacks Militant for not supporting CND, the gay movement and troops out now. But doesn't he realise that most of the people in these groups are middle cláss?

The working class can be found in the trade unions and the Labour Paity. It is only working class people at the end of the day who can change the world This is why Militant are in the Labour Party and trade unions, and not the women's movement. Marx said that the middle classes cannot be relied upon by working people in the battles between capital and labout attack Campbell's Militant in its hour of need confirm this?

What's more: what would most help working class people today, the nationalisation of the lead. ing 250 monopolies controlled one-third by a Labour government, one-third by the TUC and one-third by the workers themselves - or a large gay movement?

The answer is obvious Yours faithfully, EDDIE MOONMAN (NUSMW)

Advertisement WHOSE WARE Workers' Socialist Review no. 2 includes: debate on the Falklands/ Malvinas; Bob Sutcliffe on Argentina in the world economy; articles on Lebanon, Central America, Poland, South Africa, France. 80p with supplement, plus 20p pap, trom wst, PO Box 135, London N1 ODD.

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Tel Grant!