Communists at the TUC 2012

Tuesday 11 September

by Steve Silver

The news that two of the killers ofStephen Lawrence have been refusedleave to appeal against theirconviction was widely welcomed lastmonth. But it should not blind us tothe racist injustices that continue toblight our society.To begin with, the other murderers of a

bright, popular 18-year old youth in Eltham,south-east London, in 1993 are still at large.Their names are well known, but they have sofar escaped justice because of a criminallynegligent investigation carried out by aninstitutionally racist police force.That was the conclusion of the Macpherson

Inquiry 13 years ago. It would be churlish notto recognise that attitudes have sinceimproved in some parts of the Metropolitanand other police services. But there is plentyof evidence that racist views, presumptionsand habits still abound in police forces acrossBritain.For example, it is still the case that young

black men are up to 28 times more likely to bestopped and searched on suspicion of criminalintent than their white counterparts.Black defendants charged with a criminal

offence are still more likely to be found guilty,locked up and be given longer sentences thanwhite criminals found guilty of the sameoffence. It almost goes without saying thatalmost all of the the magistrates and judgeswho send them down are white.

It is our society that is institutionally racist,not just one particular police force or thecriminal injustice system.From school onwards, despite the best efforts

of many dedicated teachers, levels ofexpectation, support and achievement arelower for black children. In the world of work,prejudice and discrimination are still quitewidespread.So it's not surprising that unemployment,

criminal conviction and prison populationrates are significantly higher among blackyouth. In fact, the jobless rate for young blackmen has now reached 56 per cent, twice thatfor whites.Our immigration, asylum and nationality

laws are riddled with racism, based as

manyPare on the distinction between the 'OldCommonwealth' countries (mostly white) andthe 'New Commonwealth' (mostly black orAsian).Britain's treatment of refugees, asylum

seekers, 'overstayers', non-EU immigrants andmigrant workers – disproportionate numbers ofwhom are non-white – is a blot on what issupposed to be a civilised country, the sixthrichest in the world.And all of these inequalities are

compounded by the lack of real democraticaccountability in our society, from the policeand intelligence services, judges and MPs tothe mass media and big business corporations.That enormous democratic deficit will not beresolved by electing a party hack, a wealthybut bored entrepreneur or someone wearing amonkey suit as local mayor or policecommissioner.The most fundamental inequalities in our

society are those that arise from capitalismitself, between the big shareholders who owneconomic and financial assets (and who aremostly white) and those who rely on wages,benefits and pensions (who are black andwhite).That is why, today, one-tenth of Britain's

population own two-thirds of all the personalwealth, while half the population own lessthan 10 per cent of it.We will only do full justice to the memory of

Stephen Lawrence when we create a society inwhich all our children, of every race andculture, can develop to their full potential in It needs to be said more often – that will

only be a socialist society.Steve Silver is convenor of the CommunistParty’s Anti-Racism Anti-Fascism Commissionand former editor of Searchlight magazine

A People’s Britain not a Bankers’ Britain Mobilise for the March Against Austerity

Morning Star Rally Hear Frances O'Grady, Paul Kenny President TUC, Len McCluskey Unite,

Matt Wrack FBU, Bob Crow RMT, Steve Gillan POA, Megan Dobney SERTUC,Richard Bagley Editor Morning Star, John Haylett Political Editor Morning Star,

Tsiaples Anastosis PAME and president regional TU centre of Larissa in GreeceTuesday 11 September 2012 lunchtime UMI Hotel 60-64 Kings Road Brighton

Refreshments available (sponsored by Unite)

At the Labour Party conference? Don’t forget to turn out for the Star rally on Monday 1 October, lunchtime in Manchester Central

THE UGLY FACE OF RACISM

Unity!

H

THE UGLY FACE OF RACISM

women’s mass organisation in history. It evolved as a result of the efforts of

women worldwide, notably those in thenewly created socialist countries, to unite inthe cause for an everlasting peace betweennations and creating the conditions forguaranteeing real equality for women andfor the protection of children. It inspired the creation of women’s

organisations in many countries, includingthe formation of the National Assembly ofWomen (NAW) here in Britain in 1952 onInternational Women’s Day (8 March).As the only British affiliate to the WIDF,

the NAW has links with sisterorganisations all over the worldgiving it a uniquelyinternationalist and anti-imperialist politicalperspective. It is also deeplyrooted in the trade unionand labour movementwhich is why national andregional trade unions areaffiliated and FrancesO’Grady and RitaDonaghy are listedamongst its vice-presidents. The National Assembly of

Women was one of the firstorganisations to sign up to theWomen’s Charter, acknowledgingthe essential elements of thatCharter to promote the fulldevelopment of women in society, in theworkplace and in their trades unions.The National Assembly of Women is a

powerful forum for women in the tradeunion and labour movement because thebreadth and range of experiences within theorganisation helps to deepen ourunderstanding of the economic, politicaland ideological attack we face and equipsus with the knowledge and resolve tocontinue the fight for a more just and equalworld. It deserves the full support of ourtrade union and labour movement.Anita Wright was elected secretary of the

National Assembly of Women at its AGM inMay this year

POWER &POLITICS

SISTERS FIGHT BACKThis conference – organised by the NAW in its 60th year –

and sponsored by Unison will look beneath the surface

of the

ConDem’s policies and examine the underlying capitalist

strategy and its impact on working people, particularly women.

The discussion will be led by Sarah Veale, head of equa

lities

and employment at the TUC and Gloria Mills, Unison’s

national secretary for equalities. Other sessions will co

ver

women in leadership; equal pay; peace, the arms industry

and conversion; women in society, the family, and the

rights of children and young people.

To find out more and to affiliate go to

www.sisters.org.uk

by Anita Wright

Delegates from 49 countries –meeting at the 15th congress of theWomen’s International DemocraticFederation in April in Brazil pledgedto continue the fight for peace, fullemployment and equality. The finalstatement made it clear that thecurrent world crisis is not simply oneof debt or the failure of managementby neo-liberal or social democraticgovernments, but the crisis of thecapitalist system itself.The statement went on to deplore the

destruction of the environment thatexacerbated a food crisis particularly inAfrica and Asia, and condemned continuinginter-imperialist aggression that increasedthe likelihood of war, with women andchildren being the first victims of wars andoccupations.In summing up the Congress, Vinie

Burrows the great US campaigner – andWIDF delegate to the UN – said: ‘Ourearth and all living things may be on theverge of extinction: climate change, globalwarming, and environmental degradationare real threats in a world of nine billionpeople where one percent live lavishly andavariciously, consuming one-quarter of theworld’s total resources while the rest of us,the 99%, struggle along for work, for bread,for shelter, for dignity and for politicalpower to change our lives.’The Women’s International Democratic

Federation (WIDF) which was founded afterthe Second World War, was the first

A POWERFUL FORUM FORWOMEN IN THE LABOUR

MOVEMENT

A POWERFUL FORUM FORWOMEN IN THE LABOUR

MOVEMENT

by Liz Payne

The attack on equality by the Coalitiongovernment and big business interestsit represents is unprecedented. Whatwe are witnessing is clearly just thebeginning of more dangerous anddisturbing things to come.We have seen the start of a drive to provide

the cheapest possible services in the publicsector to the minimum number of people andprivatise everything else. The private sector,including huge monopolies, is being given theopportunity to maximise profit from theprovision of services at ever worseningstandards. Benefits are being slashed to providethe bare minimum or less to as few as possible.All this is being done with cruel disregard forits impact on the majority of people and themost vulnerable in our society in particular –poverty, unemployment, lack of even the mostbasic support and care, isolation, illness anddeath.Women have been disproportionately affected

by the service cuts on which they depend, cutsto benefits and job loss. Several million olderpeople live in poverty and youth unemploymentand life prospects are dire, with young blackpeople worst affected. Discrimination againstblack and ethnic minorities is blighting thelives of thousands. People with disabilities arebeing forced into work.The potential of the Equality Act 2010, to

support a fairer society has been systematicallyundermined. The possibility of challenge andredress is being removed. Privatised servicesare placed beyond the reach of public control.Public sector accountability for addressing and

promoting equalities is being eroded. In theprivate sector, businesses are encouraged tohave less and less regard for ‘red tape’ equalityrequirements. The remit and resources of theEquality and Human Rights Commission areunder attack and its accessibility severelycurtailed, while pre-claim questionnaires andunaffordable charges are set to keepdiscrimination cases out of court. The mediapeddles a culture of animosity to victims ofdiscrimination and the collective impact ofpolicies and measures on groups of people withshared characteristics – women, people withdisabilities, black people – is discounted,sidelined and ignored.All of this constitutes a deliberate and

unprovoked attack on the most vulnerable anddiscriminated against in Britain in the interestsof big business and profit. It is designed tomake not only the rich richer but the poorpoorer and in doing so to drag down theexpectations, wages and conditions of allsections of working people. It also constitutes apolitical onslaught designed to divide usprecisely when it is most crucial that we uniteto challenge the government and big business,the real causes of poverty and exclusion. We must stand together now against every cut,

service removal, job loss and slashed benefitand for each and every democratic, trade unionand human right. We must show the people ofthis country that things don’t have to be thisway. We must get this government out andtogether create a genuinely fairer and more justsociety. The trade union movement is and mustremain at the forefront of this struggle. Liz Payne is the Communist Party’s nationalwomen’s organiser

EQUALITY UNDERINCREASING ATTACK

UrgentinternationalThree issues demand the urgentattention of trade unionists inBritain

Syria The Communist Party condemns thegovernments of Britain and the US for theiractive incitement of civil war in Syria. Theirdemand for regime change represents anattempt to drive forward an aggressiveprogramme of regional control: changing thebalance of power in Lebanon, isolating Iranand freeing Israel for potential militaryaction. The open supply of heavy weaponryby US allies such as Saudi Arabia, Qatarand Turkey - none of whose governmentsrespect the civil liberties of trade unionistsor ethnic minorities - exposes the dangeroushypocrisy of their plans. The urgent need isto create an environment for negotiationsand for the implementation of necessarypolitical reforms.

South Africa The Communist Partycondemns the shooting of trade unionists atthe Marikana mine. It notes that theconstitutionally independent South Africanjudiciary has now bowed to the campaign bythe ANC and dropped charges against theminers. It welcomes the government’sdecision to call for a full public enquiry. Itshares the concern of the South AfricanNUM that mining companies in SouthAfrica, some British owned, have beenpursuing a policy of promoting splinterunions and inciting divisions amongworkers.

Iran The impact of the threat of a new warand economic sanctions on the life ofIranian workers cannot be ignored by tradesunionists. The economy of Iran is collapsingunder the pressure of the imposedsanctions; with factories closing, thousandsof workers sacked and wages paidsporadically - many workers have not paidfor up to 18 months. Workers are protesting but, due to

repression and the fact that the regimedoesn't allow independent and genuine tradeunions to operate, they are isolatedfrom each other and their protests easilycontained. The Iranian regime is using thethreat of foreign intervention as an excuse toincrease the repression of workers. Tradeunionists and workers activists are beingconstantly harassed and a number ofprogressive writers and human rightsactivists have been arrested in recentmonths. Stand in solidarity with all workersof the world.

by Anita Halpin

As the economic capitalist crisisdeepens relentlessly the myth of the‘social’ chapter, the reason so manytrades unionists loyally supported theEU, is well and truly shattered. It is our view that it is now time for workers

to support Britain’s withdrawal from the EUand, as the first step, to campaign for areferendum. Once outside the EU this countrywill recover democratic control over itseconomy and be able to implement measuresto save manufacturing, restore employmentrights and rescue our welfare state. The EU serves the interests of big business

and the banks. No wonder Cameron, Cleggand Cable support the Single Market as itenables the City of London to continue todominate EU finance and banking. For alltheir political posturing on a referendum, atthe end of the day the ConDem’s agenda isclear: to save the City’s access to the SingleMarket. The anti-democratic and pro-big business

character of the EU is now fully exposed as itreplaces elected governments and theEuropean Central Bank - with its partners incrime the International Monetary Fund andthe World Central Bank – impose drasticallydeflationary policies on one country afteranother. In the USA, Obama’s economic stimulus

package created new jobs but suchinvestment programmes are outlawed in theEU. Quite clearly the ECB is not prepared toreplicate this for France or any other member

state as shown by the latest offer to makefunds available to bankers and financialinstitutions while austerity policies are stillforced on the rest of us. The peoples of France and Greece expressed

their clear opposition to the EU’sprivatisation policies in their votes forsocialist, Communist and other leftcandidates. Throughout Europe, we have seen the

electorates’ reaction to the debt crisis with 11out of the 17 members of the Eurozone havecollapsed or been voted out of office. And they still don’t get it. You can’t oppose

austerity budgeting while remainingcommitted to EU membership and the singlecurrency. It is impossible to separate rejectionof the austerity programme from theinstitutions that crafted it or to discardpolicies created solely to sustain those sameinstitutions. The CPB believes that a commitment by left

and progressive forces in this country towithdraw from the EU will strengthen theposition of all those in Europe fighting topreserve and defend their democracies andliving standards. That is why trades unionistshave a duty to say enough is enough: we wantto get out. The message is beginning to get across, but

still too slowly. In March the ETUCunequivocally condemned the Treaty onStability, Coordination and Governance,which imposes even more deflationary budgetcontrols and directly abrogates the democracyof debtor states. In April the STUC annual conference

condemned the anti-democratic anddeflationary character of the EU and called tonegotiate a new relationship with the EUbased on a most favoured nation tradeagreement on the same basis as Norway butoutside the provisions of the Single Market. In particular it stressed the critical threat

the EU now poses to democracy and tradeunion rights. A threat that is week in week out is more

and more evident but one we can combat;there are alternatives to EU-driven austerity.

Anita Halpin is the Communist Party’s trade union coordinator

STOP THE EU(we want to get off)STOP THE EU

(we want to get off)

People’sCharter Fringe

Tuesday 11 September 6pm

Brighthelm Centre, North Road,

Brighton

Len McCluskey UNITE,

Kevin Courtney NUT

Pat Sikorski RMT & People’s Charter

Commission

Chair: John Hendy QC,

People’s CharterCommission