John Major's government is engaged in a desperate effort to restore an air of calm and normality after the battering of the last two months. They are even spreading fairy stories - that they will now prioritise economic growth, and that they are engaged in serious reconsideration of the pit closure programme.
The reality is that this government is deeply wounded and could be finished off by a massive mobilisation of the labour movement. But it is also true that the Labour and TUC leaders are doing everything possible to let them off the hook.
Despite the magnificent 200,000 turnout on the 25 October TUC demonstration, the push to close the 10 pits earmarked for closure goes on. Now there are just 11 weeks to stop the pits shutting.
Redundancies
While the miners have held centre-stage, redundancy has piled upon redundancy.
Aerospace workers demonstrated days after teh miners against sackings. Outrage has spread over plans for hospital closures in London. Tube workers are also balloting over rationalisation plans involving 5000 redundancies. Eight thousand jobs could go in BR privatisation and thousands more in Royal Mail.
But as we report on page 6, the Tory party and the government are divided and panicked by Maastricht and the scale of the economic crisis. Like cornered animals they are lashing out at the working class. What the labour movement needs to confront this situation is a policy to fight pit closures; a strategy to fight ackagainstallanti-working class attacks; and a political alternative which can galvanise working class opposition.
To stop the closure of the 10 pits, plans must be drawn up to occupy the mines if no reprieve is granted. The message must be driven home that this is a realistic struggle that can win; and The fightback against the Tories is starting in the working class. Now more I than ever an organised force is needed I which is going to fight, inside the unions and inside the Labour Party, against the do-nothing policies of the movement's leaders. I If you agree with the ideas in this paper I get in touch with us, become a Socialist Outlook supporter. Fill in the form below.
RIGHT TO WORK. FOR ALL OUR FUTURES MINEDO that occupations in themselves would spark a huge solidarity mobilisation.
There is now an obvious need to unify the struggles, to work towards industrial action across the public sector. Since the Spring, NALGO workers have been conducting strike action in different boroughs against redundancies and cutbacks. Now RMT is calling for strike action on the Tube.
And on 21 October thousands of workers took (probably illegal) strike action to go on the first miners' demo. The mood is changing; ballots for strike action can be won.
To begin to unify the struggles, to develop class-wide action, the TUC should call a one-day general strike against redundancies and the threat of a wage freeze.
No one should be taken in by Lamont's and An Urgent Appeal for Cash WE WANT every reader to consider sending us a minimum Major's promises that they will now prioritise economic growth (honest). This is not a matter of what they want, it is a matter of what they are able to do. Sustained economic growth and a revitalisation of industry is excluded without an upturn in the world economy and a completely changed political order in Britain.
The talk of an economic revival is therefore just ideological window-dressing; in the real world the perspective is one of continued decline towards slump.
Alternative
To knit together the anti-Tory resistance the working class needs an alternative political perspective. This can only be the fight for a abour government, raising the demand that the leaders of the movement assume their responsibilities and fight to drive out the Tories, by backing workers' struggles and by campaigning and voting against Maastricht.
Immediately socialists must raise the demand for worksharing with no loss of pay to meet threatened redundancies; and strike action and occupations such as that at Lyons Maid in Kirkby to stop redundancies and closures being pushed through.
Trade unionists must raise the demand now for no capitulation to wage freeze in the public sector; and in a period when inflation will rise because of the devaluation of the pound, for cost-of-living indexing of wage settlements.
On the economy, socialists should argue that Lamont and Major have no intention of industrial regeneration, and that what we need is massive programme of state investment and public works financed by taxing the rich.
The mood is changing, but the anti-Tory drive must not be allowed to stall. This means socialists piling into the fight to defend the miners through building miners' support groups in every area; building support for the struggle against hospital closures; and supporting every group of workers resisting redundancies. Now is the time to act; don't let the Tories off the hook!
OvE:200 people came to hear leading Marxist speak at a Socialist Outlook rally on October 23. Pictured (L to R) are Alan Thornett of the Socialist Outlook editorial board; Carolyn Sikorski (chair); and Ann Conway of People's Democracy, Irish section of the Fourth International.
Ignore Lamont's 'U turn' fairy stories PHOTO: Andrew Wiard NOT DOLE