SUPPORT is mounting rapidly for the 15 September demonstration marking the first anniversary of the bloody overtlow of the Allende government in Chile. The Labour Party National Executive Committee has decided to sponsor it; the TGWU, AUEW and NOPE are giving support; and hundreds of local trade union bodies, including several NUM areas, have pledged action.
Such a big response by the British labour movement in solidarity with an international working class struggle has not occurred for years. Delegates at last Saturday's Chile Solidarity Campaign conference recognised this as an important victory for the campaign.
But the struggle is not over by any means The Labour Government contisues to give diplomatic recognition to the Chilean junta, Discussion on sending the Labour acdion has been taken on the barbarous torture trials being camed out by For all these reasons the Confereno voted to step up the activities of the Campaign in the coming months. in parricular it is calling for a sories a local conferences in Septemher and launching blackOctober.
In an amhitious policy, it was also proposed and agreed that the Campaign would campaign for solidarity actions in the factories on September 11th, the actual date of the coup, by calling for workers to down tooks for nerds of time such as an hour or half an hour. This latter action would he a tribute to the strude of the Chilean working class and a serious warning to the Labour Govern ment to rapidly change its policy on Chlie One anforcenate thing about the Conference however was one decision on the speakers platfote for tbe demonstrstion. It was proposed that this he Madame Allende, Alic Kilson, Ron Haywood (Secretary of the Labour Purty), Hugh Scanlon, Jack Jones and speakers from the Communist rarty ana internacional Marxist Group. A proposal that the International Socialists he given a spoker, which was supported by the IMG, was rejected on the grounds that the iS does not perticipate in the Chile Solidarity Campaign, This latter fact is unfortunarely true, hut to get the I5 to change their sectarian practice to united fronts such as the CSCand to help create the strongest possible revolunionary wing within the CSC and on the demonstrution the EMO will continue to light for the right of IS t have a speakur.
PORTSMOUTH ACTS
Important steps forward in Partsmouth. A demonstration bas beco called for July 27th against the use of the cuval dockyard by Chilcan frigates. This is being supported by local trade undonists as well as political organisitions. Although the them the blacking of the frigates by trade enjonst is now complete The Chile campaigo locally bas taken