SOTSPROF appeal: solidarity with USSR independent unions
Labour Briefing1990sTranscribed by hand from the printed page.
With revolution in Rumania and dramatic changes sweeping Eastern Europe, the great need in those countries is the emergence of political currents linked to the working class who can point in the direction of a new genuine democratic socialism, and not radical marketisation or western-style parliamentary "democracy".
It is important that we give all possible support to such currents as they emerge.
When Boris Kargalitsky, one of the founders of the Moscow Committee for a New Socialist Party, was in London to deliver the Isaac Deutscher Memorial Lecture last October, he made an appeal to the British left to raise resources for SOTSPROF, a new independent trade union federation in the USSR based on socialist principles.
Some of us met with him on behalf of the Socialist Movement and he urged us to fully back and help organise such an appeal.
Since then various individuals — Tony Benn and Hilary Wainwright from the Socialist Movement, Paul Foot from the SWP, Oliver MacDonald from Labour Focus on Eastern Europe, along with Tamara Deutscher and the Campaign Group of MPs — have organised an appeal for material help for SOTSPROF with Alice Mahon as its treasurer.
This appeal should be given full support by all socialists. SOTSPROF is a new and growing trade union federation which has legal status in the USSR. In past weeks they have held a conference in Moscow of over a hundred delegates, from 70 regions of the USSR, representing tens of thousands of workers — many of them miners.
Yet SOTSPROF has virtually no material resources at all. They are in the process of setting up offices but have little equipment to go in them. They need computers, photocopiers, and other office equipment and they are appealing to socialists in Britain to help in this.
The appeal is linked to a planned speaking tour of Britain by SOTSPROF representatives which is planned for February — although the final arrangements for this have yet to be completed.
Further information on the Tour can be obtained from Alan Thornett on 01-800 7460.
Financial contributions are urgent and should be sent to Alice Mahon MP, Treasurer, PO Box 2988, London N3. Cheques to Alice Mahon, SOTSPROF.