Nationalists suffer worst unemployment

Full-time organiser for the National Union of Public Employees, Inez McCormack, bas accused the Northern Ireland office of fiddling unenployment statistics in the Six Counties. McCormack blasted the British administration's claim that only 112,224 people were unemployed in October and revealed thal the true figure was over 170,000. JOHN MeGEE reports on reaction to the NO report:

The NUPE organiser challenged Northern Secretary of State, Jim Prior, jo refute her-allezations. “Some £0,000 people are not included im the Croveromeent’s figures, either because they did not pay sufficient contriiations while working to entitle them to unemployment Benefit or because they are young people cogaged on Government training schemes.”

POTKEt, women and youth were being hit hardest by the rising unemaoymment. “Job loss is highest in te Suilding ane) distributive trades betiere nationalist workers are dispromintonstely represented. Tory sihecks in public spending arc Srtatening a further job-los of 6,000 pee in the consinaction industry Beet. mes of which will be jobs of Ethemonisi workers.” “The forgotten 60,000 in the official Sittaeey ment statistics wc made wp eat entails of a women workers we! Lo aeersekoy ment hee lit of Irish politics that has definitely changed has been the political consciousness of many anti-imperialists, The diferent tactics for advancing Ge antHmperiain! movement have been angued, tied and tested in ral gtuation of the H Block! Annagh Senpaign. This can be sean ai its Geares] in the debate on electoral Mrategy which has probably generate, . the most intense dehates within the H Block mavernent, both North and South of the border It hss at thes, Seamed to threaten to aplic some H Block Armagh committees, inclu: ding the National H Bleck |Anmagh Committee There ig no dowht that elections played the major role dering the Guiger strike in bath mobilising and dervonstrating the wit despread mappirt tor the hanger sizikers, The election of Hobby Sands in Westminsier was the mos! damaging blow fo the British. lt served both ter aicl the mass oeabilisalion on the streets and to wrelennine the SOLE and the nationalist establishmetit, Bothy Saris election was the flrat of a serics of clectoral victories that in feet weredhe moat cleay cut yicloriet a the whole H Blocks Armagh mrupgle.

CHANGE OF POSITION Phe participation of Republicana and the Republican mayvement in these elections has marked a change in their political tactics Tron thie posi ton they held only a year ago. Republicans, throupheut the @O-year lidstory of Partition, hive adopted an abclentionist attitude turwards both Stormand and the Dail, based on the idea that both govemmnents have nolesilimate rleht to exist. | This, however, did not preclude | Republicans fram contesting elections Bnd on seve oiiris They Se mpaign Against Losses and young workers being exploited as Cheap labour on so-called Youth Opportunity Propramnes.” Fergus (Hare, Peoples Democracy Councillor for North Belfast, cote demned the recent jobs creation strategy oullined by the new Secre taryof State, Jim Priv, in the document “A Fiecmework for Action’ Councillor O'Hare bebefled the docu: ment “a whitewash of Beiiein's reeporiiity for the chronically high level of anempleryment im the Six Counties”, “The British strategy amounts io opening up the North's eqomeaniy ia further exploitation by the multinationals who have already comtributed so much to the depressing unemployment levels in both parts of partitioned Ireland, Even ao, the British insensitivity to the North's jobless is highlighted by the fact that although the administratian states that at Ieast [0.000 jobs a year should be created il then goee an to blandhy announce that it will selile Tor the promotion of 3,00 jobs a year, With 170,000 on: the dole this rate of job creation would take over S50 years to make a reul impact on the jobless queues,”

The Morthern Ireland Commitiee of the [nish Congress of Trade a the leaping unemployment. NICTU amid it was “frankly horrified” is launching a campaign over the next thner months leaking up toa thajor conference on youth unenployment in January. The campaign Will include a motorcade protest to Stormont, rock concerts and street theatre. Welcome as. this belated activity a, it-still Talla far short of i serious challenge to reine unementi-imperialist sentiment throughout Ireland. One element Marthe and Southern parliaments. The most recenl example, prior to the Hunger slréke, was the election of two prisoners to Westmingter and tour Sian fein TDs to Leinster Howes during the IRA ‘S&—62 military campaign. [o the current phase of the strogele the position changed from abatentionism Loe one of complete boycott of élections and evan indifference to electoral issues. Initially, during the Chil Rights period, Peoples Demos: racy and Ci] Rights activists use clections to some effect, the mist striking example being the election of Bernadette Devlin to Weslouinster in 169. In the coming years, as the strugek deepened, and especially after internment and the fall of Stonnent, both Peoples Democracy and the Republicans took 9 position that 1 participate in elections would be to zie credibility to) Eritain's attempts to restore its institucions inthe Marth and would help undernine the anti-imperialist morsrnent, BOYCOTT Given the innensiry of the atregele al the tine and the still strang popular street restance this seenied correct. However bn the first electiens after the Fallot Stormont, the elections ta the abi T-sharing assembly in Jane 1973, with PD aod dhe Provisionials calling fora bovcetl, the SLE stood, gaining 19 seats ani 154,000 votes. It was clear that the mines of INt-UNOM Ls were rest se alienated trom the state to refuses to participa te in its elections. Ti the next few years the boyeet posilion wus maintained and the SDLP were given a clear roti in all cleetions wainine imnarctant weancana ployment. Over the last few vears the SICTU has wasted effort at latest campaign fils into the aarie onion to simply combarass the Britieh government.

itis NOT the weapon bo put a halt to the redundancies oo force the creation of lasting employment, What 15 needed is a campaign of industrial action which faces wp to the political obstacles which black campaign needs to go beyond the a anti-Thatcher rhetoric which has become so popular amengat the Narth’s trade anion leaders, While Thatcher's policies have comttibutes! heavily to preseni nent has been a feature of life in Ireland arate was cotahlished, Real capitallat crise can only be built by challenging the sectarianisn which divides the workers of the North. That means challenging the sectarian Northern state itself.

ment which started by tackling the legacy of discrimination which fuuraniees the heavies? anermpleryment in nationalist areas wild nal only challenge the illusions vwelich would open Ue coal to wuidting workers Ghrnushoul the whole of lhe 32 Counties, used to attack and subvert the ant nperialist stroggle.

revised it pusition on elecbions. woring the North's Westminster MPs including unionists ike Enoch Powell whe have been staunch defeniers of Thatcher's monetirist policies, This mould of seeking to mobilise public important as public opinion muy be, the way to full employment, Sach a Liner npboya 1eti Lb levels, NEES unemiploy = the fix Counties SINCE the Northern opposition to policies which seek to make workers pay the price for the A Ginipaign by the trade union movreLoyalist workers have in Britain, but Several years ago Peoples Democracy The ending of the hunger strike marks the ending of the prison struggle as the central and immediate issue for the mass movement, Whether it remains an issue al all depends on the British The mass campaign has forced concessions from them. They can either honour their promises to the relatives and the prisoners or they can leave the prison issue to remain as a festering sore in Irish politics. Whichever they decide, the whole strugele has opened up wider issues around the whole question of partition. The H Block Armagh movement should act as a base for a new united front to consolidate the gaing that have been made and organise a defence against further British offensives. the situgele had undergone it was ot primary importance to rebuild the mass movenbentind dake the wadership of the mugs of people away from the SLE. Consequernth: durine the organised a “Vote H net” campaign in Weat Belfast thinking it was betler do something in the election than Teathing at al. Both the Relatives Action Committee and Sinn Fein ignored the election. Gerry Fitt waa again elected unopposed on ihe mm Loralist ade.

In June 1979 FD supported Bernadette MeAliskey who stood az an anti-H Block candidate in the European Parliamentury electors, She was chosen at amass meeting of anteunionisls in Coalishsnd at which the onky opposition to her cane from Sin Fein members present. During the election, Sinn Vein who. claiming to repreacot the Provisional Gowern: ment ‘erdered” Bernideile rat to Hand organised an active anid vociicrous boyoott directed only against Bernadetic, which created arent contusion. Bernadette never= theless obtnined over 34,000) first preference votes and succeested in nising the H Block feue io the election where otherwise it would have been ignored.

REVERSE KOYCOTT DECISION With the beginning of che second hunger strike this year and the approach of the Northern Local Leavernment Elections, PD arged strangely within the H Block cosmittee that the iost effective: way of demonstrating support for the Priaoners atid challenging the SDLP was for ait-H Wlock candidates ta alind in as marry constilaencies as poslile, There wis strike opposlthon to this from the Republican hisvernent and the [RSF in the cormmithess, Tie Republic aris sic) thar “asa principle” they come not participate in Aritlah elsctions. Inte Ue mide of this debate, however, came the news that Bobby Sands was noininaled for Fermanagh} South Turooe. Ul wasal tetalla

The prisoners have strigeled for five years against the British criminalization policy. They have endured horrendous brutality, the blanket protest, the no wash protest, and finally two hunger strikes Lasting for an entire year, bn the process, ten young Republican militants have died a slow and -agomi sing death on hunger strike, They have gained the right to wear their own Clothes, limited concessions on ASOcition and remission ad an ambiguous statement about reform ol preon work BRITISH PUSHED BACK if this falls short of the five demands and total victory italao falls far dhori of defeat. The regime that the British tried to impose five years ago would have meant the total breaking and himiliation of the prisoners, Victory would effectively have anounted toa British decliration that the prisoners were political wisoners, with all that that iesplies, ‘hat the prisoners have succeeded in doing e forcing back an attempt to force prison garh on them — an historic struggle for generations of militants — anal in the prensa forcing a prion regime in which they could ai least murvive without being crushed and broken, GAINS FOR THE STRUGGLE However one result of the struggle has been thal the hunger strike is not anilible a4 a weapon for the prisoners for the forseeable future This, plus lhe fact thai they now have their own clothes, means that even if the British refuge to settle prison proces CAN only continue at a much bower level, Ad the sume: tims. the mass strugele outside the prison has won important victorics which it must now consolidate.

FACE OF POLITICS CHANGED The fact is that the political situation in Ireland has changed utterly during the period of the honor strike. The H Black/Annagh campalen-existed ata defensive movement, defending paign In the event the National H Bock! Armagh Comutitter did not contest the elections and the only opposition to the SOLP and Republican Clubs came from PO ant the RSP fwhe hod changed their position) and independ dent anti-H Block candidates, Ube both the prisoners andl the legitimacy of anthimpetialist politics. The British “held the line” against that movement but inthe process they sated off massive nesentincnt and hatred of their rule and laid the ground for significant victories: The movement moew has the twin tasks of CONSOLIDATING those victories und PREPARING for the inevitable counter offensive by Britain and its dilies in Ireland.

What were the gains of the campaign?

PIRSTLY there was the very existence ofa broad unity of anti-imperialists after a long period of fragmentation and retreat. SECONDLY, the fret that that united movement wis, for the first time ever in the present struggle, able to build itself on a truly all-[reland basis. It was a mone.

ment able io mobilise massive numbers of people, win the broad sympathy of the mast of the Irish people, and build international solidarity ona level never saan before.

KEY VICTORIES There were owe victories in the campaign that state oul above all else, The whole series of electoral victories which began with the @lection of Bobby Sands has seriously etoder! the base.al collaborationisl parties like the SOLP and Fianna Fail, Also the work of the trade union sub-committees has cetablished a layer of peliticisad workers on whose development the foture strength of revoluthonary forces will increasingly IMPEDIMENTS But the moverient has had its weakneed too, Workers” action never became a-central pricrity of the whole campaign, and the campaign's altitude to elections waa marked by contusion and hesitation which weakened the extent of its siecrsses: The carly insistence on prisoner candidates ONLY, meant that chance to cripple the SDLP in the loca! elections io the North was argieed that non-prisonce candidates shail sand in sewers] acats. Other Lenn Lees arg the CeMpntry not oMably Cork, wanted nomprisoner candidates who could actively challenge Fianna Fail's republican credentials. AQ with littl resources stood Vincent Doherty , a member of the NHBAC and PD, and stend Joe Harrington in Limerick East, beth candicdetes did well gecting 1,300 and KIX) votes respectively, ‘The Southern elections provided an Opportunity to advance the campaigo but the election of two abstentionist election AND) the possibilities for mobilization after it, When the candidates was accepted the task Hf Block/Armagh that candidates even attempted by the main antiimperialiet organisations, never developed a real democratic ieadership. For this reason it wos largely dominated by the largest of the campaign mark the potitical leadership.

In faci the Republican right acted oul the whole struggle. Their fear that a broad movement might of the H Block) Armagh movensent for three years, Their insistence on politics at significant points in the Hughes, Belfast militants were then on abatention in elections & links with the bourgeois nationalist forces that can and doact as.@ bul: wark against che Liah revolution — the Blaneya of this world, Soin the canvasers aiked if they could ‘borrow’ Finnna Fail votes instead of trving In break Southern workers able to suggest thal they witb “give” Cavan (Monaghan to 2 Fiano MASS ACTION wis ule marked by the political maturity of a new Republican ket committed to mass united action as gave you the Trealy, the thrown away, This limited both the mterventions in the Southern general principle of putting forward active of building ao walted electoral front anvund the major issues outaide of would have to deal with —waa not But perhaps the central wenkneas of the campaign Ges in ils structure. I united front structure which recognised the role of political parties and built a broad delegate siracture within the grouping — the Republican movement — und was newer able to convincingly demunstrate « political independence. It was no accklent that the weaknesecs limits of the more conservative and traditional elements of the Republican BRAKE ON THE CAMPAIGN as a brake on the campaign through challenge them delayed the formation traditional military forma of stiraggie it across the developement of cae campaign, (i¢ on the death of Francis instructed to clear the streets and let ‘the boys" do thei job — the people were deft with no tole!) The tradition: aliet insiatence first on a boycott and justified with all sorts of revolutionary thetorie, This disguises their historic Southern general election, Republican completely away from that party und more seoenchy Ruairi O° Bredaigh was LEFT FROVOS LEARN FROM However the hunger strike campaign And now, from the party which akey weapon of strugele, MH was they whe argued amd strugelesl insite the Republican mover bo Enailel Lhe i Blocks Armagh campipn, opened it up to all who would support the five demands and who, alter an initial hesitation, recognized the valwe of election campaigns and used them to further the movement, However the hunger atrike also dowel that these elements are in the minority, aml the experience of rags political action has sill to be absorbed by a whole generation of young Republican militants. The out. come of the onguing debate in the Republican movernent will help determine the ability of (he Republican movement to relate bes caja upportunities opening wp, Bombing London may help to conselicdate the heb of the present ssher-ihag ad distract attention fram this discussion, Bui every bombing camyptign in Ragland to date has FAILED to advance the trish revolution and has in fact led to political disaater. It alicnates the southern working class and entrenches reaction in Britain, which gives a free hand to-more British repression in The discussion about fulure united action isn'tan abstract debate, The finuggle agains! imperiulism pores on — on the hase of the accesses and failures of this campaign. There: MUST be an anti-irmperialist cardi. date in Cavan! honaghan, otherwise we Will suffers massive credibility mtback because we refused te Fight against Fianna Fail and the Coalition, Sinn Fein is the largest party and possiiMy the ooly amti-imperialist Otganisation in the constituency, and the temptation must be there to ‘go it alone’. This would be wrong. Cavan{ Monaghan is first and last a LOCAL BATTLE IN A NATIONAL STRUGGLE and any eandidale should be seen to be supported hy the whole antiSnperialat movernent nathonally, Also the greatest support will be opobilised by a broad anci-iniperialiat programe rather than specific support for the Sinn Fein programm, What united demands should we now put forward? They should enable us mot only to fight elections. but to and in the factories, Becwuse we dida't wirian all oul victory for the mrlsoners, Our movement renin on the défedsive sdk that means the Bridish and their allies will choose the Lécrain of batile. 10 we beak at the situation arcane us we should be able to aee the areas in which the British are moving to claw back claim.

SCHIALIST REPUBLID PAGE 3, ground they loa during che H Block! Armagh cumpaign.

BUILD THE STRUGGLE The main bones of such a progr; are imrnediarely apparant: * Crarcrete’s blueshire ‘crusade™ to change the southern constitution. is a atiack on the whole concept of opposition to partitien, We should fight back. and German Brits Choi!

atid a United Ireland Mirw, * The RUC still have the killer plastic bullets in their armoury -- a fight against these is simple self defence. * The Britizh and the Southern merernmoernls are #indictive pursuing H_Block, demonstrators — 34 in Belfast whe ted to demonstrate in the city centre and amore serious cass in Dublin where there i an attempt to jail people who attended the embassy march. We should call and organise for the defence of democratic tights North and South.

* The Trade Union teadership acted as a barrier io organising workers in defence of the prisoners. We should continue our atteinats to organise workers afd oppose the trade union leadership's “Better Lite for AL clapétap aod their economic collabora: tion with imperialisen, LESSONS OF THE PAST TEN YEARS Ol all the united frant organisations of the past, oily ane, the Northern Reaistance Movement, achieved its ecotral demand. Ht brought deren Stormont — but it wis unable io move on tow United Ireland, All the others. however, served an absolutely ementl role in defending and deweloping the struggle and it's worth noting that even now, ten years afterwards, that single all-out victory has still not bean reversed by Britain. Uf ihe HBlock/Anmagh movement had completely won the 5 simple demands of the prisoners it would have hragght the British and Lrish governments to their knees in the process. Even the limited victories that were achieved have badby shaken imperiallant. We should learn the besson. Treland is nots country of limited victories area deadly threat to Britigh rule. If we can conaolidate theas victories wid reproup theo we will troly be in a strong position to chuflenge the quisiings of the Erish capitalist class and them British ma sbens, JOHN Mac ANULTY But the only “threat hanging over Northero Unionian is ihe ‘threat* of

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[Peoples Benpcracy Councillar, ! ohn MeAnuliy, commenting on the pobless figures eald they provided further evidence of how nationalist

ions anc he been said that the Long Kesh hunger strike has changed the face of imsh politics and certainly bourgeois politicians “earth and South are now lamenting the explosive growth of

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