Italy: setback for strike wal for strike wave

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At midnight on Saturday 22nd, the mass workers' mobilisation that has developed in Italy over the last two weeks was torpedoed when the unions signed an agreement cutting workers' inflation-escalator payments - the 'sliding scale' - by 15%. The pay increase corresponding to a 1% rise in the price index has been cut from 8000 lire to 6800.

This formula was put forward by the Christian Dem accepted y her bosses. Democrat led federations, who had been demanding a 50% cut in the sliding scale. The government threw in tax and social security adjustments to make it easier for the union leaders to accept the package.

Franco Grisolia of the Italian Trotskyist group LOR spoke to us from Milan.

IT'S practically all over. The government put forward a clever formula, so that although the agreement actually represented a capitulation by the union leaders they could present themselves as having gained something.

January 24 19 26 5 20 27 14 29 8 23 30 9 16 SPARTACIST Truth Kit -a 68-page analysis by John Lister, published by the Workers' Socialist League. £l plus 25p postage from WSL, PO Box 135, London N1 ODD.

"The CP was put on the spot"

The Communist Party was put on the spot. It was isolated because all othèr political forces - except the far left, of course - supported the government's formula. The CP had to choose whether to reject the agreement and bank on taking the mass movement forward.

If they had made that choice, it is certain that the movement against the agreement would have been followed by the great majority of workers and the CP would have gained strength. But it would have cut - for a time - its links with the other SOCIALIST Students in NOLS steering committee meeting: Sunday January 30, 2pm, in London: ring Jane at 609 3071 for details All welcome. Don't forget: February 7 is the deadline for NOLS motions and amendments.

POLAND in 1983: from 7.30 on Friday January 28, the Polish Solidarity Campaign invites you to a thorough discussion of the current issues, led by Timothy Garton-Ash, one of the leading writers on Solidarity, at the Hammersmith Polish Centre, 238 King St, London W6. (PSC phone number: 567 4427).

NOTTINGHAM Campaign Against Rayner conference: Saturday February 19, 10.30 to 4.30, at Nottingham Centre for the Unempolitical forces and especially with the other union bureaucracies.

Of course the CP would have led such a movement only to brake it later and turn it into reformist channels. It would have been a daring reformist tactic. But the CP reckoned it could not do that. It was very clear: before the final decision the leaders of the CGIL (the CP-led union federation) went to the national HQ of the Communist Party.

The CP's volte-face created a. reaction in the mass movement of demoralisation ployed, Hounds Gate. Creche and lunch available. Morning includes speakers from CPSA NEC and Child Poverty Action Group, and a Labour MP; afternoon workshops on ESSP, job centres/ethnic monitoring, new supplementary benefit legislation.

Open to all unemployed people and delegates from trade union and labour movement organisations.

LABOUR democracy and local government: day conference for District Labour Parties, Saturday March 26, 10.30 to 4.30, at Manchester Poly Students' Union. Sponsored by Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester DLPs. Contact: Frances Done, Manchester City Labour Party, Hulme Labour Club, 1 Stoneylow Close. Mancbesier M15 and disillusion. We can give out leaflets in the factories attacking the CP, and people - even CP members - respond by saying: 'Yes, that's true. Everybody's the same. Everybody sells us out. You can't do anything'.

The one positive sign at the moment is that in Genoa there has apparently been a decision by some works committees for a protest strike on Thursday. It may not come off, but it shows that there are still some possibilities for struggle.

NHS SHOP Stewards' conference: Saturday February 5, 11am, Memorial Hall, Barker's Pool, Sheffield. Agenda includes Joint Shop Stewards' Committees, privatisation/cuts, and defending the unions. Contact: Peter Taylor, c/o Dept. Immunology, Hallamshire - Hospital, Glossop Rd, Sheffield S10.

LABOUR Briefings national conference: Saturday February 5, 10.30 to 6, County Hall, London SE1.

LABOUR CND national conference: Saturday Fehruar: 19. Hesi Midleads Count! Had LEDEE Cireso. Birmis gtan

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linhtina no.117 January

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