Water workers Form for 'Unity Stakes

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first checking or in the Sers should bear his maxim supporters, "NEVER place your rades on political options. Socialist Socialist Challenge won its shilling on a horse without Socialist Organiser suppor- Action. So what has been first race, the Stechforc first checking it out in the ters should bear this maxim the SL/IMG's 'form" over Backwater Cup by a shor form book'! .. So spoke Bob in mind themselves when the last twelve vears nf form book"! . So spoke Bob in mind themselves when

Pennington, the most evaluating the proposal experienced tipster of the from the SL/IMG for unity IMG/Socialist League with the new paper to be when advising his com- launched by SL/IMG Reading SO121's headline on the water workers' dispute almost made me sick. It was appalling and makes me wonder whether I'd picked up a copy of 'The Worker' instead.

Where in last week's article was there a firm denunciation of the sellout by union leaders? Where? I looked hard enough and I didn't see one. Instead we were treated to such glib observations as 'The union leaders ran the whole dispute with the brakes on, and settled for far less than could have been won"

True enough - they did. They sold out the water workers. But where was it said? Nowhere!

Into its fifth week, the water workers' action was beginning to bite; in addition, the workers were becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the way the dispute was being handled. They were becoming more militant and had begun to organise outside the rhythms of union officialdom; beginning to initiate links with other groups of workers.

This was an obvious threat - if links had been forged with the gas and power workers then we would have really seen 'the Tories on the run' But instead, we saw the bureaucracy split in advance powerful sections of the working class.

It was a dispute that could have been won, but that was sold out by union full-timers who acted effectively as an arm of the state and who were able to once again contain the militancy and anger of workers in dispute. Since the Tories came to power we have seen the same thing over and over again, and we must not desist in our condemnation of union bureaucrats who sell workers' struggles down the river.

But there were positive aspects to the dispute. Again we have seen a relatively inexperienced workforce coming out and challenging Tory pay norms, showing that workers are prepared to fight and make night and make ground — a factor which is bound to inspire confidence in other workers.

Most importantly perhaps, we have seen a group of workers who saw the necessity of linking up with other sections of the class, outside the constraints that the unions impose.

Capital rules by division, and it necessary, will use the unions to maintain that division and prevent the dangerous unity of our class.

So please, no more editorials like last week's which allow the treacherous role of the union bureaucrats in containing and defeating workers' struggles to go unnoticed.

In comradeship, DAVE SCOTT Hull Hull Dear S.0 We invite readers to send us their letters, up toa usual maximum length of 400 words.

Send to Socialist Organiser, c/o 28. Middle Lane. London N8:

supporters, Socialist Action. So what has been the SL/IMG's 'form" over the last twelve years of

so?

In 1970 the United Secretariat of the Fourth International entered a two year-old in that year's "General Election Stakes". Red Mole, sired by Black Dwarf and grandsire of the present Socialist Challenge ran under specific colours. » 'That the Labour Party was a thoroughly pro-capitalist organisation and that revolutionaries should abstain from voting for it and -Let It Bleed"!

Nowadays, IMG leaders blame the horses' ultraleft course on its two inexperienced jockeys T. Ali and R. Blackburn. Nevertheless, this headstrong filly still succeeded in even breaking up Labour Party meetings.

In • 1973/4, 'the USFI stable made a 180 degree turn. They discovered a whole new Championship Classic, 'The Tony Benn Cup" • With a new jockey (J. Ross) and new steed (Red Weekly), trainer (E. Mandel) they decided on a 'Plan to Beat the Unfortunately, they had overestimated the staying power which fell at the third fence, and into which Red Weekly and its overweight jockey fell, bringing the comment from Pennington: 'I knew. that bloody gelding wouldn't last the course"

"Never mind", said the trainer, "there's still the Independent Party Hurdles next year". Consequently,

Socialist Challenge won its first race, the Stechford Backwater Cup by a short

head.

As ever, this led to the USFI stable going totally overboard. They generaiised from this minor event, that the whole Championship season could be theirs, if only they could mate, sorry 'regroup' Socialist Challenge with some young fillies. •Bolton Marxist Worker Group, League for Socialist Action, the International Socialist Alliance, were all brought to the steed's quarters. The result? 12 Socialist Unity runners in the 1979 General Election.

the argument went like this. These thoroughbreds will so pull in workers' support in the election that we will be propelled, straight into the big time, in short, the Labour Movement Leadership Trophy! Every SO supporter now knows what happened. They never left the starting gates.

"What should weren next?' asked Grogan. So the stable carried out a Long March back to the old pastures of Red Weekly, the Labour •What about mating SC with that new up and coming mare, Socialist Organiser?" said J. Ross. "We've got. nothing to lose, seeing as we've not won anything," said Bob. "I'll put a tanner on that."

Would you buy a second hand stallion from the USFI stable?

Yours fraternally, Scobie Petersen Manchester By Barnett