IF it hadn't been for the marchers, luminous orange jackets I'd never have found the 1980 Work March pouring rain and Talbot last week. But as we set off through the half derelict Port Talbot steelworks spirits rose and the weather responded.
There were more than 200 of us from all over the country: young, Skinheads, rastas and Jones, a young Maesteg who'd been made redundant only the week before, told me: protest at Thatcher's government which is vandalising Welsh industry and throwing us on the scrapheap'.
Right to as it gathered in mist in Port against forts of old, mods. As Paul engineering worker from port for 'We're here to The The reception for the march almost unbelievable. At Bridgend women workers from Miles Laboratory left their factory to greet the march, while delegations of marchers visited seven local pits collecting money and discussing the fight unemployment. The mayor Khondda joined us to march through the valleys and many bystanders joined in anti-Thatcher chants Despite lack of enthusiasm for the efthe many blisters, the marchers are determined to reach Brighton. 'We'll kick Maggie Thatcher off the end of Brighton Pier', is the most popular chant, and with the supthe demonstration in Brighton growing daily it almost seems possible.
South Wales miners are organising special coaches from local pits, the support from the TGWU and ALSEF executives has boosted the campaign.
T&G members leave the building threatening • woula be taken' if they did not.
Minutes later he was •ACK - with a chiet inspector, an inspector, sergeant and six threw. out the 'trespassing Adwest Two members and the sacked AUEW steward Martin Rautman spent the night,, was lodge of the NUM tant.
of workers.
employed have. that link for ana aesoile to make thạt known commended.
wille in the building union members who tried get in to talk to them the next morning were retus ed admission. and early on Tuesday atternoor Tone remaining workers were thrown out, again by the police Meanwhile; back in Reading on: Wednesday September Danny:
Broderick, the Adwest -convenor arrested on a The lodge secretary of Penrhwceiber explained to a meeting of marchers and miners at the pit head why the 1980 Right to Work march is so impor'We need to link up the employed and The unemploved have not got the strength and muscle, the This march is a symbol of the next fortnight. one's got to demonstrate to Thatcher and the Tories what people feel. The only way is to demonstrate For that the Right to Work march is to be /elsh miners and Welsh people ha intention of being taken back to t '30s. The message from this colliery, from a mass meeting, is we won't let ourselves be taken back to those days. Let Maggie know this message as loudly as possible.
previous mass picket for standing alone in the fac.
TOr gateway and insisting on his right picket, was found guilty of obstruction and fined £50 The lessons week's events are clear: police can now arres any dicker an• otan g conviction. And when they're busy doing that, the Trace union leadership will keep them occupied by getting them to do their dir ty work for them!
But, Danny Broderick stated in the dock: 'Hundreds thousands, of workers may be prosecuted in the future, but magistrates police can't stop workers fighting tor their rights members, from engineering, other sectors.
Formed only 12 years ago, the union rapidly cashed in the WIlt ingness white-collar workers to organise by a sharp recruitment tactics, ag gressive workplace bargaining. and manipulation of the media.
During this period the union machine was solidly the control of the LOTT Collar, organised left current in ASTMS, developed familiar story of a swing to the right in the union coupled with the failure the Broad Left organise and democratic lett-wing op position As the effects of the TUC/ Labour Party Socia Contract began to bite the Broad Left, instead of ship and fighting the failures and betrayals, went on le same de way trying to control the official union by elec manoeuvring and juggling with the constitution, divorced from either political base or programme.
Red Collar has two main tasks campaigning vatious union structure. But at least as important is to give these policies life by Mo•llsine the rank ang is the sixth largest union in the country. It has a varied membership drawn chemicals, banking and insurance, the universities, NHS and many Red Colla UP AGAINST THE TORIES running of the union.
Promoting independent working class organisation and action instead of relying on the union bureaucracy is a Rod Collar has regular quarterly journal paigns, gives reports on struggles and provides background analysis It is an important role ot the down the monopoly of information the report defeats and sell-outs well as successful strug glos learn them for the future.
At ita idol Collar accepted programme which outlines how the interests of the rank and file members can only be defended by refusing accept any responsibility for the capitalist crisis.