International workers movement
SOUTH AFRICA steps up solidarity
IN BRITAIN .. the National Union of Seamen (NUS hosted an important international conference on October 30-31 organised by Maritime Unions against Apartheid which involves British, Danish and Australian trade unions. Over thirty countries were represented at the conference which was addressed by, among others, Neil Kinnock, leader of the Labour Party. He expressed support for workers action to implement sanctions. The aim of the conference was to organise to stop all oil imports. A resolution was passed to commit participants to direct action against the vessels of any companies involved in supplying oil to South Africa'. The United Nations is for an oil embargo but, unlike the arms embargo, it is voluntary. Although all oil producing states officially observe the ban, oil companies continue to supply crude oil to South Africa.
Meanwhile British maritime workers have already begun to take action at the base against South African goods. In August of this year, dockworkers in Southampton refused to handle a load containing a computer-controlled Berox 800 KV milling machine aboard the ship Sedburg, bound for Durban. In doing this the dockworkers were enforcing what even the British government was pledged to do, since the machines were probably destined for resparring of Mirage fighter planes and thus should have been stopped under the terms of the military embargo. This action was the result of concerted Apartheid Movement, the NUS and the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) to trace the cargo.
the conference was going on in London, in Swansea, South Wales dockers were refusing to unload of South African coal from owned vessel Angelica Schulte. The Welsh dockers agreed to stop handling the coal after appeals from the TGWU
Wales NUM. Liverpool dockers were also planning similar action. French police protect the South African embassy in a protest in Paris(DR)
HOTHA
RACISTE NAZI 22
For information on the highly successful November 2 national demonstration against apartheid, see International Viewpoint No 86, November 11, 1985. IN SCANDINAVIA ... workers are showing the way in terms of action against apartheid. Finnish and Norwegian transport workers began a boycott of trade with South Africa in mid-October and this soon spread to Sweden. In Sweden the action will stop 245 million dollars-worth of trade per year. Danish workers are due to join the blockade soon. IN IRELAND ... the fight of the Dunnes' Stores workers against the handling of South African goods is still continuing due to the refusal of the management to reach an agreement (see International Viewpoint No 83, September 10, 1985). The Irish Distributive and Allied Trades Union (IDATU) is still appealing for support and donations can be sent to IDATU, O'Lehane House, 9, Cavendish Road
Dunnes' workers are not the only ones to have taken action under the union's policy and there have been some successes elsewhere. Clery and Company withdrew South African shoes from its store following representations from IDATU and Best Ltd has returned all South African clothing to suppliers. Roches' stores has withdrawn some South African produce from supermarkets and members at Quinnsworth now have the right not to handle apartheid goods. [Much of the above information was obtained from International Labour Reports, November-December, 1985 and Labour Research September 1985]. IN USA ... trade union action and support is also spreading in particular in the autoworkers and mineworkers unions. The president of the United Mineworkers America (UMWA) was recently arrested whilst picketing outside the South African embassy in Washington DC.
anti-apartheid movement is pledged picketing of the embassy until apartheid is ended. It is illegal to go within 500 feet of the embassy and many personalities have been arrested including singer, Stevie Wonder.
The UMWA have also set up a fund, South African Miners' Aid Fund, which will send money to the South African National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
Two companies the UMWA is helping to expose are Royal Dutch Shell and Fluor Corporation. Both have extensive holdings in South Africa. They are co-owners of A.T. Massey Corporation which forced 2,000 UMWA members out on strike recently.
Responding to the United Nations designation October 11 as a day of solidarity with South African political prisoners, campus protests, marches and rallies against apartheid were held in many cities across Canada and the USA. IN THE SPANISH STATE ... The Commission for Solidarity with South Africa in Barcelona recently organised a tour with Solly Smith, a representative of the ANC in Europe, who visited several towns in the region during a week of action from 7 to 12 October. The week culminated in a demonstration attracting 5,000 people. Similar actions were also organised in Madrid. C
International Viewpoint 25 November 1985
IRAN be able to see the possibilities that the present situation for in exist