IT IS with much regret that we note the reemergence of a deeply sectarian trend within December Socialist Challenge is deeply offen- organisation. sive Workers Party and Right to Work Campaign who worked so hard to try and ensure a victory for the workers at Staffa Products.
Brian Grogan's experience and years in the revolutionary movement can write an article for a socialist newspaper so full of lies and distortions. Sour grapes, part to play in our struggle.
Let's look at some of the points raised by comne AUEW District Commilec.... 'failed to lift a finger to help the fight'.
Now as members of that and of the SWP we have been opposition many of the positions adopted by the committee Ior a number of years... nevertheless we would like publicly that, reservallulls WC WRITE TO US! Think of this page as a noticeboard for your. comments, criticisms, gratulations! Be space for others Socialist Challersge: 17 Jantrary 1982 page: 14 article to all those members of the Socialist cannot understand how someone of comrades, have no may have concerning the role of some of our officials, the committee as a whole endorsed im mediately our members' actions.
Far from failing to lift a finger many members of the committee worked hard to ensure financial support e.g. delegates raised a £5 per member levy amounting to collection of almost £4.000, other delegates also held factory collecStaffa workers with Steve Longshawe (second from left), LSE striker words:
Write to: or even to leave - maximum 400 tions.
In addition the DC Westminster with AUEW MPs. NOW SO far as we cop-out but didn't object, since publicity for the was to be welcomed and so long as the strikers had no illusions about the ability of the MPs to produce the goods it could do no real harm.
Unfortunately Socialist Challenge supporters, in particular comrade Grogan, choose spread the illusion that the Labour MPs could fluence the issue, with the resulting disapointment or their failure to do so.
OK, every delegate to the DC moved off his or her backside but you do service revolutionary politics by your ill-informed commentaries.
On the Right to Work Campaign's involvement, Socialist Challenge, 328 Upper St, London N1 2XP (tel 01-359 8180/9). stewonstration to the Tory stewards went Party Conference Present at the factory was the deputy convenor of the District Committee other stewards attending as necessary.
There was never a decision to oppose the police taking over the factory, that canard was put about We here never in a siruy. the Communist Party. tion to oppose them.
Comrade Grogan spent enough time hanging trouve Luc laclory zalcs lu realise that even had we beer able mobilise enough people that the lactory itselt was almost totally indefensible. "criticisms Your On other make she Righi to Work did office available to the stewards while they were getting a strike organised, would have been responsible for us not to Yes the RTWC issued collection sheets strike.
Is comrade Grogan opDosca lo soulast olzallisa tions collecting money for strikes? As to our 'disdaining to fight in the engineering unions' well, both the signatories of this letter are long time SWP members and members of the AUEW, North London District Committee.
have now two other comrades elected to this committee, including conveno COI Staffa Products, this hardly constitutes 'disdaining to fight in the engineering union'.