AROUND THE WORLD
Canada TAIC conference THE TORONTO Anti-Intervention Coalition (TAIC), Canada's most broadly-based local activist alliance against the United States' war in Central America, has announced plans to host an Anti-Intervention Conference on 15-16 November, 1986, in Toronto.
A major emphasis of the conference will be educational presentations, panels and workshops on the current situation in Central America. NDP member of the Ontario Legislature Richard Johnston, a participant in the recent Louis Riel Teachers' Brigade in Nicaragua, will be a guest speaker. (A schoolhouse built by the brigade was destroyed by contra mercenaries, who murdered 6 people in the village where the Canadians stayed a few days after their departure.)
The conference will also adopt plans and perspectives for anti-intervention activities, including a major demonstration for spring 1987. Groups and individuals from across English Canada and Quebec are invited to attend. TAIC's goal is to facilitate better co-ordination of crosscountry work, and bring about the largest possible united spring protests against the escalating US war in Central America, and against Canadian government complicity with US aggression.
At a July 22 public meeting in Vancouver, sponsored by the newly-formed Central America Mobilization Committee, considerable interest in attending the TAIC conferwas expressed. Such interest particularly among affiliates of the Central America Solidarity Network, which endorsed TAIC's June 14 demonstration and fair. [From Socialist Challenge, Fall 1986] South Africa Metal workers congress
The following article is taken from SA Metal Worker, the journal of the Metal and Allied Workers Union (MAWU). It appeared in July 1986. THE METAL and Allied Workers Union has committed itself to building socialism in South Africa in a struggle spearheaded by the working class.
Many unions and federations have expressed doubts about the benefits to workers of this country's present capitalist economic system, but MAWU is the first to unequivocally come out in support of socialism.
commitment was made at union's first congress held in Johannesburg on July 3-5, attended by over 300 factory delegates.
Although clearly stating that the organized working class must lead the liberation struggle, MAWU said it could do so only if it had "a clear programme and aims".
For this reason, the union said it would discuss at all levels of the union, as well as in COSATU, the aims and programme of the working class as a matter of priority; workers were to build "correct alliances" and "true socialism and democracy"
consult their allies, especially the organized youth, in order to build a programme which can bring together as many groups in society as possible."
The congress was marred by the fact that many of MAWU's senior worker leaders could not be there because they were either detained or were in hiding.
In spite of this, every organized factory was represented which facilitated thorough debate on key issues facing MAWU, particularly in the light of the present state of emergency.
National organizer, Bernie Fannoroff, said people had only to look at the congress to see that the workers' movement was progressing.
"The congress has given us what we needed - free and open debate; but we cannot have this debate when we are bing threatened every day by the state.
"Its attack is aimed at preventing MAWU from building a democratic organization controlled by workers", he said.
However, the state of emergency, had not crippled the union, a resolution adopted at the beginning of the congress said.
It said that MAWU would continue to defend and fight for the advancement of the interests of its members and all workers, and would not be intimidated by the harassment of trade unions or unionists.
The resolution added that the union was determned to achieve a living wage in the metal industry and to continue its struggle for economic justice.
In conclusion, it called for the immediate release of "our leaders, ence needs to develop across the country,
WERE TRYING TO GET SOME
ANTH
COUNTRIES To CHANGE. HERE
USING THE OLD CARROT
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26 members and officials and an end to the harassment of MAWU and other unions".
Later, delegates called for the release of Nelson Mandela and all other political prisoners.
In line with COSATU's policy of one union per industry, MAWU undertook to merge with other large, democratic worker-controlled unions in the metal industry as soon as possible.
The metal industry membership of small unions and the general unions should then be handed over to the merged union, it added.
In the key-note speech, National Union of Mineworkers' Marcel Golding, said the congress was meeting at "one of the most crucial times of our history. International Viewpoint 13 October 1986
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International Viewpoint 13 October 1986
"The apartheid government is raging a determined battle against nions and the democratic movement as a whole.
"It has detained union leaders but it has failed to grasp that for every union leader detained there is another to take their place.
"Democratic structures will ensure that we will not be crushed", he said.
Clearly, MAWU's congress, which further developed its democratic structures, has been an important event in the union's attempt to withstand the hammerings of the apartheid state. Free Moses Mayekiso! MOSES MAYEKISO, general secretary of the Metal and Allied Workers Union and leader of the Alexandra Action Committee, was detained under Section 29 of the Internal Security Act on his return from an overseas trip three months ago and is still being held.
He was born in Cala in the Transkei of poor parents who struggled to pay for his education. He was expelled from school after protesting against authoritarianism, but completed his matric after working for a year as a miner in Welkom, earning 80 cents a day. In 1974 he moved to Johannesburg and started working as a building labourer. Two years later he was employed by Toyota and joined MAWU. ted a shop steward and later became MAWU being fired after the He was organizer in the East Rand and later Transvaal organizer. He played a key role in the formation of the Congress of South African Trade Unions. with COSAS and other United Democratic Front affiliates, and was one of the organizers of the November 1984 stayaway, for which he was detained. Charges against him were later dropped. He has also played a central role in Alexandra community politics and heads the Alexandra Action Committee.
To give an idea of the popularity of this workers' leader, it is enough to recall that following a previous arrest in March 1986, a solidarity strike took place in the metal industry, in which 58 percent of MAWU members in the Transvaal participated.
MAWU has launched a solidarity campaign to obtain the release of its general secretary. This has been extended by the stance of the International Metalworkers Federation, which has published a postcard to be sent to the South African government. It reads "I demand the release of
Moses Mayekiso, general secretary ot the Metal and Allied Workers Union, and all the trade unionists and other political prisoners in South Africa." repeated throughout the international various trade-union channels. the way effectively to pressurize the repressive South African government and to offer concrete support to its victims. Messages of solidarity and protest cards should be sent the following address: Republic of South Africa. Spanish state Land occupations THE SPANISH Council of Ministers' to not even consider an amnesty for Diego Canamero, leader of the Agricultural Workers' Union (SOC), got a bitter and angry response who came to Madrid to demonstrate.
Canamero was jailed a short time workers who occuped land in Andalusia. He expected to have the monthlong sentence handed down against him by the Moron de la Frontera court annulled by Premier Felipe Gonzalez.
Having already been sentenced to prison for occupying an estate in 1984, the trade-union leader had refused to appear before the court. When the news was announced, it was decided to hold a 24-hour strike
Diego Canamero's village 300 persons threatened to hunger strike.
This is not the first action by the Andalusian agricultural workers, whose tragic situation has hardly improved under the government of the Andalusian Felipe Gonzalez.
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Some 2 percent of the population owns 50 per cent of the arable land in Andalusia, while a half million agricultural laborers are living in poverty. It is estimated that 320,000 persons are undernourished and living below the poverty threshold. Far from improving, this ancient injustice has deepened over the past decade.
The agrarian reform promised since 1983 has been stalled, and farm laborers still find themselves forced into seasonal migration, especially to France, in order simply to assure the survival of themselves and their families.
While unemployment is chronic among agricultural workers, social benefits are pitiful or nonexistent in most of the country. In fact, with the reform in the system of unemployment insurance, only farm laborers in Andalusia and Estremadura are entitled to receive them. The rest of the unemployed agricultural workers, estimated at 250,000 people, get nothing.
However, even for those who have the right to claim these benefits, the conditions are such that most of them do not draw them. In order to draw about 150 dollars a month in unemployment benefits, you have to have worked ten days in the year. But the employment situation is such that in 1985, out of 280,000 agricultural workers theoretically entitled to draw this miserable sum, 170,000 could not meet that condiof the laborers' tion for work to impose the wages and conditions that suit them.
In solidarity with Diego Canamero, and in response to a call by the SOC, the Workers Commissions and several left parties - including the Liga Comunista Revolutionaria, Spanish state section of the Fourth International - a demonstration was held on August 23 in El Coronil, where El Garrotal, the estate occupied by the jailed agricultural workers, is located. There, the demonstrators, who were joined by the Rio Tinto turn occupied El Garrotal, challenging the authorities to impose the
The repression against the agricultural workers demanding "land, work and freedom" has widened. In mid-August, about 15 persons were arrested in Ayamante because they were demanding electricity for the homes of about 30 workers' families
The demands of the workers been met with silence and police the Spanish Social Democratic Other trials are going to be against agricultural workers, and demonstrations and hunger already planned throughout
International Viewpoint 13 October 1986
"The apartheid government is waging a determined battle against unions and the democratic movement as a whole.
"It has detained union leaders but it has failed to grasp that for every union leader detained there is another to take their place.
"Democratic structures will ensure that we will not be crushed", he said.
Clearly, MAWU's congress, which further developed its democratic structures, has been an important event in the union's attempt to withstand the hammerings of the apartheid state. • Free Moses Mayekiso! MOSES MAYEKISO, 38, national general secretary of the Metal and Allied Workers Union and leader of the Alexandra Action Committee, was detained under Section 29 of the Internal Security Act on his return from an overseas trip three months ago and is still being held.