Make the 'People's Marc

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Carol Hobbs looks at some questions the new People's March for Jobs LD we support the People's March for Jobs? single step of the way. We should pull out all ›ps to build the March and ensure that as many comrades as possible are involved. have to take up our criticisms by participating. nly in the context of active support that they in an audience and be taken seriously. narch like this, with all the publicity it will :, can be a tremendous focus for the anger and ig frustration millions feel against a governwhich openly accepts responsibility for the have to take this march and try to imbue it he spirit of the National Unemployed Workers lent of the 1920s and 1930s which sang from d of the country to the other: ins of workers are starving in revolt. ur flag of red we blaze the trail. ng forward onto London Town.

- and Len Murray and the march organisers have -you will see that reality is in London provided a platform where Arthur Scargill called for industrial action as a reply to redundancy" hort of So they are not going to ported the People's March Trade Unions for a Labour unemployed is in the inter- Labour lead this kind of struggle, against unemployment. Victory drive at present councils, which are answerests of Thatcher and the B Street and they are going to try to getting under way in the class she represents. That's ck Jones make sure that nobody else why she has intensified the full-time officials like inherent movement of British capital towards that re most So the last People's March s scared was way showing far to the right compared NUPE), Pete Carter Colin Barnett (North West with 1981. The General (Midlands UCATT) and ; a real workers that Murray moving Co were doing something not to support this year's Council in November voted Jack Dromey (South East, minds of Thatcher and while diverting attention election and less on the march. Several major Tebbit and the interests from what they were really plight of the unemployed they represent by petitions, up to. And that makes a than it was two years ago. themselves, even the TUC but rather by confronting And he thinks that pictures unemployed centres are of unemployed marchers on not given even a 50% say in dispute, the strike commit- the telly shouting slogans the Finance and General unresponsive to knee- bending as it is to logic or tee declared their disillu- sion with their District and abusing the press helps Thatcher hammer home TU's 'inner cabinet" - Purposes Committee - the time around, and it meant reason. All they understand Secretary, George Caborn. arguments about "extra- that the march was tightly is the equivalent of a George of course was Parliamentary action" and the December General Hughes as I believe it is Kirkby kiss or a Yosser ising the People' March. 23-17. deeply involved in organ- alienates middle class and Council he was outpointed bility and a looming elecright wing voters, and tion, it will be even tighter workers went to the March affects Labour's election year, " Len Murray postal.

But why isn't the TUC Rally in Birmingham who chances. Michael Foot supporting political marches against Thatcher's policies? Surely Murray regional official Brian should they see large as life on the platiorm but their Murray know that a march most effectively used - in use my time how (sic) it is leg you had to sign a form appointed marshalls and stewards. On the Eastern Mathers, who had tried to gives 'extremists' the stating you agreed to love, get them to accept redun- chance to agitate about honour and obey them, unemployment and cause meetings, and had instruc- So who will be actually ted them that their strike organising the March? Are march who visited workwas otticiai only in kegion resources needed to keep places to raise support were 5 and outside picketing was the march in 'good order' reprimanded. The organcould be better used in the hands of the TUC Regional isers then called a general Councils and trades meeting and warned Terry Duffy spent months sabotaging the attempts by the Laurence Scott workers to fight for their jobs. But of course they totally supSHOU Every the sto of our We It is o will gai receive seethin ment devasta We with ti Movem one ent "Millio With or Marchi Marchi We're f With th Unemp Those t wasn't March ( differen aimed n tance to rather plead fe more Marcher demonsi Unfor quite rig as if thi same.

The ri March v ment wa - some quake ‹ cholera.

Somel rich and archbish ployed worker v were of conscien Nothir capitalis The therefor casualtie pathy a Len Mu 1981 L 'another compass quite ap finale shi tation of at 10 politely Thatcher Vatural c or the rotten 1 «The re of' March v unempl was Sor like ai quake or ition of unemployment. ng forward onto victory. i your help boys (and ighting the battle for le NUWM we fight as lloyed,"

are fine words but the 1981 People's organised on a very t basis? Wasn't it lot at rousing resisfight the Tories but as an attempt to or jobs? Wasn't it like the Jarrow • than the NUWM trations? tunately you are ght and it does look s march will be the eal basis of the last was that unemployis a natural disaster thing like an earthor an outbreak of thing that we all, I poor, belted earl, op, and unemschool meals vould oppose, if we good will and keen Ice. ig at all to do with m or the Tories. unemployed were e unfortunate is, objects for symnd soup kitchens. rray described the ondon Rally as compelling call for ion' , and it was propriate that its ould be the presena humble petition Downing Street, requesting Mrs : to change her lisaster, fruit of system? ?al basis the last vas that oyment nething n earthan outbreak of, cholera....

irls).

ou re shock mind and help the victims.

If you think a bit about it completely different.

Four million or more figure.

We won't change the them head on.

This government is as now styled. "The massive rally i wants to get s Thatcher and get back into Downing again, like with Jar and Wilson and Cal Len Murray, li full time officials, I stiff of organising fightback, or even in that direction.

At the time of March there were ous groups of actually fighting th ployment the Mai supposed to be ag Plansee, Ansells, I Scotts, Schreiber: Jeans, to name a fer If Murray had wi stop the Tories i tracks he would ha to link up these st and fuse them u March, calling at one-day national instead of a petitio march's culmination This would hav difficult then. It harder now - but p Murray and Co u prepared to gamb positions and organ on this kind of stru the Tories win, they they will have less! and privilege. But i struggle wins, ther radicalise the woi thousandfold and ate the forging of pletely new leaders the ditching of Mur Co. laghan? does.

the last numerworkers very unsavoury story. .e unem- At the end of the Plansee rch was ainst -saurence s, lee anted to in their ve tried vith the least a strike n as the re been is even at several mast ossible. vere not le their lisations iggle. If barred. •reckon, And John Boyd and prestige f such a î it will rkers a accelera comhip and Tay and A MAY 8I So Murray and Co are supporting this year's march on the same basis as the 1981 affair?

Not quite! Murray's mind is even more on the "violence on the streets"

thinks the same.

Secondly, Foot and trouble generally.

Thirdly they feel that the VERPOOL-LONEN ...000 s able to Congress House.

Power lies in the hands of constituencies.

So foot and Murray are unions, TGWU, NALGO As for the unemployed NUPE and NUM felt they had been railroaded.At the next meeting of decision-making.

This was the same last Murray got beaten 1-4. A controlled from the top.

In terms of respecta"I have a very busy this time out.

cated afterwards. 1 sna In 1981 there were TUChe interests of the trad inion movement.

otherwise, quick divorce.

Plansee strikers on the there any problems here?

The march will be in the More people' to se united against unemployment?

March organiser Jack Dromey argues that we must reach out and persuade the centre ground to join us'

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The march starts from Glasgow on April 23 and finishes with The route is: Carlisie (May I), Lancaster, Preston, Choriey, Bolton, Manchester, Stockport, Altrincham, Northwich, Crewe, Stoke (May 15), Stafford, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Birmingham (May 22), Daventry, Northampton, Bedford, Letchworth, Luton, Watford, Brent, Southall, A TUC national organising committee has been set up, with Ron Todd of the TGWU as chair and Alan Jinkinson of NALGO as secretary. They are planning for 500 'core' marchers, to be selected by the TUC Regional Committees.

Application forms and guidelines are being sent out this week from Congress House to regional TUCs. The regional TUCs are then responsible for circulating the forms to trade union branches in their regions and recruiting marchers. TUC guidelines call for an effort to make sure there are good numbers of women and black people on the demonstration.

The TUC expects that other marchers in addition to the 'core' 500 will join the March as it moves through the Feeder marches will also run from Humberside and from Keighley through Rotherham and down the route of the 1981 People's March Eastern Leg to Northampton; from Land's End to Swindon, from Liverpool to Manchester and *Get marchers nominated and sponsored now through your trade union branch or trades council, and write to you Kegiona TUC requesting the relevant forms.

*Participate in the town march committees, or take the initiative in setting them up. Fight for the maximum influence of these committees by the unemployed themselves.

* Argue for the march itself to be under the democratic *Fully support and participate in the march, but argue a rally in London on June 5.

London.

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

When the Ansells truggles

l'into a workers' march! OG OR SONN