October 6
"Day of
Justice"
THE Swedish trade union movement had designated October 6 as a national day of protests against rightwing government policies. Well over 100,000 people participated in 150 towns and cities in actions opposing the two latest austerity packages. KJELL PETTERSSON -October 15, 1992
T HE famous Swedish "model" is
being torn down. Unemployment is close to 10%, up from less than 2% not long ago. Youth unemployment is over 15%. Mass sackings are expected in the public service sector. Trade union rights are under attack. New, record high rent increases are on the way.
It was at the start of June that the leadership of LO, a trade union organization with 2.2 million members called for a day of protest on October 6, the day that parliament opened it autumn session.
At that time they did not know that their comrades in the Social Democratic Party (SAP) would negotiate and sign two austerity packages together with the bourgeois coalition government. These packages include cuts totalling 60 billion Swedish kronor (about $12bn).
But preparations for The Day of Justice had gone too far when the cuts package came down. It would have been impossible to call it off. And it became a protest directed not only against the government of Carl Bildt, but also against the rightwing policy of the SAP.
### Anger at betrayal
Many in the demonstrations expressed their disappointment with the "betrayal" by social democracy, and spoke of the need for a new workers' party.
But hard criticism was also directed against the trade union leadership. The anger arises from their feeling that LO is more loyal to the SAP leadership than to 25 the immediate interests of its members.
International Viewpoint # 237 • October 26, 1992
SWEDEN / OBITUARY
Thus, in Sweden's main working class town, Göteborg, the local daily paper quoted someone saying, "I think it is time for [LO Chairperson] Stig Malm to start repre-
"He has been sitting in the SAP leadership and has approved proposals going against his members' interests. There is a great need for an independent trade union. More fighting wouldn't harm one bit!"
Other lower-level union leaders are asking for a new political leadership in the SAP which would stand for working class policies. Many have started to question the present course and the LO leadership. But at the same time the SAP's grip over the unions remains firm, and it still gets around 45% in opinion polls.
It was clear that trade union leaders faced a dilemma on the Day of Justice. Most of the speakers avoided any mention of the SAP in their speeches. Instead, they criticized the so-called "market",
In Stockholm, for example, the chairperJIM PERCY, president of the Democratic Socialist Party (formerly the Socialist Workers Party) died quietly as a result of cancer at his home in Sydney, Australia on Monday
In 1965, as a 17-year old high school student, Jim became active in the anti-Vietnam War movement. He initiated the High School Students Against the War in Vietnam, joined the Vietnam Action Campaign and in 1970-71 was one of the coordinators of the Vietnam
In 1967 he founded the radical youth organization Resistance in Sydney. In August 1970 he became the first National Secretary of Resistance. In September 1970 the socialist newspaper Direct Action was established; Jim edited Direct Action in its first years.
At the founding conference of the Socialist Workers Party in January 1972, Jim was elected the party's first National Secretary, in which capacity he served for the next 20 years. At this time the party became a sympathising organization of the Fourth International. [Two years later it was recognized as the Australian section of the FIJ
Jim participated in the 1974, 1979 and 1985 World Congresses of the International and served on its Executive Committee from 1979 to August 1985, when the SWP ended its affiliation to the Fourth International.
During 1978-79, Jim worked in Paris for the Fl's United Secretariat Bureau, travelling extensively in Europe, Asia and North Ameri-
In 1990 Jim, along with others, initiated a new broad publishing venture - Green Left Weekly — which could synthesize environ26 mental and socialist politics.
son of the Seafarer's Union was the main speaker. He vigorously denounced capitalism, market dictatorship employers. But then he went on to sneak in his opinion that the cuts packages may have been necessary.
Leif Blomberg, chairperson of 450,000 engineering workers in Goteborg, stated that "to deal with the market is like plying chess with the devil. You can never get checkmate". But he refrained from telling the audience of more than 10,000 his opinion of the crisis packages.
October 6 was, whatever its weaknesses, a success for the Sweden's workers and low-income earners. Discontent is growing over rightwing policies, the SAP and the present course of the trade union move-