Confronted by brutal repression

India ra

In a wave of brutal repression that included the government of India ordering the arrest of 40,000 railway workers and the immediate dismissal of another 11,000, the two million railway workers in India called off their nation-wide walkout last week.

But before the strikers return- ed to work a new chapter had been added to labor history in India. Never before had there been such a wide strike and for such a long period. The strike ex- posed the government of India’s pep talk of improving industrial relations as never before. And coupled with the all-India gen- eral strike of solidarity, the ac- tion of the railway men has led to the loss of the largest number of work days in post-indepen- dent India.

“War of Attrition”

From the outset the strike be- came for the Prime Minister down to the most petty bureau- crat, a “political” question and therefore a “war of attrition” had been declared to force it to fizzle“ out. Short of outright shooting, the government brought into play all its repres- sive machinery and utilized the most anti-working class actions.

The Communist Party of India, which on some issues has co- operated with elements in the government in the hopes of achieving a broader unity of the left and other democratic parties and forces, including progressive sections of the congress, called on the government to negotiate with the railmen’s leaders. In a statement of support of the

_ striking workers the central exe-

cutive committee of the Com- munist Party of India warned the government “that the prob- lems which it has itself created will. not be solved but further’ aggravated by its mad reliance on sheer repression to break the SUEKG we

“The government’s action,” the Party statement said, “is only sowing a trail of deep anger and bitterness which may break out again and again in the days to come after the strike is over, thereby frustrating the Prime Minister’s hopes of a prolonged ‘respite’ from labor unrest on the railways.”

Deserves Condemnation

The statement, issued while

the strike continued, offers an

. insight into the character of the

struggle. It continued:

MILAN, Italy (LNS) — Hun- dreds of thousands of people throughout Italy participated in a four hour general strike May 29 in the wake of a bombing at an anti-fascist rally in the north- ern city of Brescia the day be- fore. Six people were killed and 94 injured in the bombing, the

work of extreme rightists, a

small but active political minor- ity in Italy. ;

The general strike, called by Italy’s three major labor unions

_to demonstrate “indignation and

grief” over the-attack, involved every sector of the work force except for a few emergency ser- vices. The state radio and tele- vision network shut down for four hours, along with stores, civil and government offices and all public transportation.

Schools and universities, court- rooms, all entertainment places and the Milian Stock Exchange were closed all day.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, JUNE 7 1974—PAGE 8

il strike

is over

" Grimy and undernourished — these are the faces of India’s rail.

way workers whom Prime Minister Indira Gandhi calls the “privileged

section.”

’ “The central executive com- mittee of the CPI demands of the government that it spell out in clear and unambiguous terms its ‘acceptance’, as claimed by the railway minister in Parlia- ment, of six out of the workers’ eight demands.

“On all the above issues, the government’s attitude so far has been either negative or evasive thereby closing the door to any fruitful dialogue for ending the deadlock. Thereby it deserves to be severely -condemned for pro- longing the crisis in an utterly irresponsible manner. —

“The central executive com- mittee appeals to all democratic forces in the country to rally more actively and determinedly behind the railwaymen who are defending the interests and rights and basic principles of the trade. union movement as a whole. They are heroically resist- ing the blatantly reactionary

anti-working-class policy which -

the Government of India has embarked upon in order to brow- beat the trade union movement.” “The appeals. for reason from the Communist Party to the gov- ernment were, however, ignored with impudence and the govern- ment continued its repression of the workers. 5 Reason Behind the Strike The primary cause of the na-

_tion’s largest industrial strike was the declining money earn- ©

ings of the railway workers. Despite the government’s brag- ging about giving the workers

“much more than they ever got

before,” the truth, confirmed by the government’s own statistics,

Simultaneous with the strike, Italians also held anti-fascist ral- lies throughout the country. Two hundred thousand people marched in Milan and more than 100,000 in Turin and Rome. Smaller cities reported figures ranging from 10,000 to over 50,000. :

Bomb in Doorway

The bomb, hidden in a plastic garbage bag, had been placed in a doorway where dozens of de- monstrators had taken shelter from rain during the rally. Some 3,000 workers and students at- tended the rally as part of a half-day strike called by a local anti-fascist committee to pro- test recent fascist violence in the city. Giorgio Motto, a facto- ry worker, was standing near the doorway when the bomb exploded.

“I weigh 264 pounds, but the blast knocked me to the ground like a twig. I heard screams all

is that industrial workers of In- dia are now poorer than in 1961. Another significant cause of

the strike. was the increased -

workload for the railway work- ers. The current volume of Cent- ral Facts and Major Problems, a publication of the railway min-

istry, says that the productivity .

of railway workers has gone up by 64% between 1950-51 and 1972-73. During the last 20 years freight traffic and passenger traffic have increased by 108% and 77.6% respectively.

But the number of employees on the Indian railways has in- creased by less than 50% during the same period, meaning an in- crease in the workload and a re- duction in staff costs in relation to total working expenses. The result of the increased workload was a marked increase in the number of accidents. The acci- dent rate was so high, in fact, that even the Labor Ministry was forced to concede that the “workers showed commendable restraint: although there was enough provocation.”

Shortly before’ the strike was broken, New Age, the central

organ of the Communist Party of -

India warned “. . . the bitterness the government has created in the minds of working people will continue to rankle them. and vitiate the atmosphere for a long time to come. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her advisers must even now, realize that theirs cannot be the last word and neither will the railway strike be the last action of the working class in defense of their legitimate tights,”

around me. It was an awful sight. People ran and screamed. There was blood, a lot of blood, all around — even on the de- monstrators red fiags.”’ Right-wing Activities

For the past several months Italian officials have’ been in- vestigating extreme right-wing activity in the country, particu- larly in the north. In January, several high army officers were mentioned in an investigation of a. secret neo-fascist network conspiring to overthrow the gov- ernment. The conspirators wére said to have been backed by wealthy industrialists and busi- nessmen, and there were reports

. that huge secret funds were at

the groups’ disposal, mostly in Swiss banks.

In April of 1972 evidence came to light that the Greek military Junta had helped‘ finance and train an underground fascist net- work operating inside Italy.

out a new course in’ Northern Northern Ireland, thus Ireland, the political committee the necessary conditi¢ fi of the Communist Party of Great democratic life for @ : . Britain said in a statement last (The Price sisters a week. hunger strike in an

perialist ‘bi-partisan policy there, _

bound to fail and result in dis- Should be held with

LONDON — It is urgent to set the Price sisters be rem

0 t

It recalled that the party had prison, following oe consistenly warned that the im- tion in a bomb in me Wide-ranging an na backed by military force, was ‘the immediate pol

aster. tive political parties, e “Recent grave events may Unions, the ee ies prove to be the last warning Ment and a ie in NO on the need for a democratic, bodies of pre democratiCr non - imperialist, non - sectarian !veland, on the 1 hanges " solution. nomic and social cha the in the North ee he roblem as a whole. : These bodies must et decisive say on the fue

Fullest Solidarity

“Direct rule imposed and maintained by force can only make things worse. as

“Any return to Stormont sec- tarian rule by the Unionist ultras a on would not oat meanacomplete The British Trades Um denial of the rights. of the gress should cary other i] Catholic minority; it would also discussions with ists with be a form of fascism that could and trade unionis idati well end in civil war. view to the un uni?

“The recent lockout with mass Ssistance to t vonitiel intimidation of workers was an Which are ae class: ugly danger signal. There can be 2 United working condition’ no negotiations with the so- “These new e would called Ulster Workers’ Council. democratic ie Jrelam

“Only in conditions of democ- hose in Nea all in racy can the working class in te Tightly 4 violence: Northern Ireland. develop ,its Power to en ess

* * * 4)? “Steps on these he unity, which is essential. create conditions for t Bill of Rights

withdrawal — of Bars _As an indication of its inten- from Northern sel tion to find a new way out of end of British impe? the crisis, Parliament should im- trol, aap ghee mediately pass a Bill of Rights “In the meantime. ft for the people of Northern Ire- ment of working-©@ tes! land: whether Catholic OF Emergency powers should be should be ended- morning ended, all internees released, and sad

4

" ELECTION 74

By BRUCE MAGNUSON, COMMUNIST PARTY FEDERAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER

Commencing his cross-Canada tour in Mon met with 30, William Kashtan, Communist Party aes h networ press, radio and T.V., both French and Englls running ie Twelve of the fourteen Communist candidates conf ne Quebec in this election took part in the pier hod ses After the meeting with the mass media, pete , at a was held with campaign workers and mem i oe $1,400 was collected in cash and pledges to “an the J | paign rolling. The Quebec party organization P nist platfo bution of some 250,000 copies of the Commu in French and English.

: e e fi

In Metropolitan Toronto 14 candidates are ("© 2 the Metro party organization plans to ples: wy copies of the Communist Party’s Election Ee ar

One Metro candidate, Angelo Giannakopou!? - Broadview, in two evenings of house-to-house d pled collected over three thousand dollars in cas

Outside Metro Toronto, the Ontario Party ° ras putting 17 candidates into the field for July % total of 31 candidates in Ontario. : id: Moy 30

At an enthusiastic nomination meeting he 3m Welland, Ontario party leader Wm. Stewart wee tity as the Communist candidate in St. Catharines in € sh Nine hundred and sixty dollars was collect pledges to get the campaign under way.

e oe: * @

In British Columbia a-plan for campaig" financing and publicity was worked out at workshop and seminar held on May 25. Party L Kashtan spoke at a meeting in Vancouver ms. ; Nanaimo on june 1, and in Port Alberni on Jun a B.C. for Alberta on June 3. ‘Z ti

e r) free.

An application has been made to the CBC eR political broadcasting on behalf of the Comm cent Canada, which is running more than the sue P' of candidates to qualify under CBC program P° \ by the CBC Board of Directors in July of 1979:

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