The Tasks of the Party in Intervening in the Political Life of the Country

In order to build a mass communist party and prepare for the coming revolutionary storms, the Party has to intervene in the political life of the country. This is at present being put on the agenda as it is considered that the run up to the next general election has already begun. How should the communist party view the question of participating in the election?

The National Consultative Conference will involve the participants in the discussion on this issue. How does the bourgeoisie utilise the election, and how does the political process ensure its class rule? Should not the communists utilise the election to oppose the depoliticisation of people, and organise the working class and people for political renewal?

The Conference will address the opportunity that the election presents for the communists to engage in a trial of strength with the bourgeoisie on the political system in Britain and the pro-social programme of the working class.

Postal workers in various parts of Scotland have taken action. A general feeling of discontent is sweeping through the postal workers, leading to an upsurge in problems across Scotland.

An unofficial postal strike in Renfrewshire has continued for four days, causing a backlog of mail. The dispute involves 33 workers at Crossarthurlie Street sorting office in Barrhead, who walked out over an overtime pay dispute.

An unofficial dispute is still going on at the Lincoln Avenue office in Knightswood, Glasgow, over unpaid back pay for meal breaks. The latest 24-hour strike was held on Monday and involved around 70 workers, who set up a picket line. More strikes are planned.

At the Springburn sorting office in Glasgow almost 240 postal workers and drivers had disrupted deliveries. The row centred on the interpretation of a nationally agreed bonus scheme.

Other actions have taken place – in Paisley, the Lothians and Fife.

In Edinburgh, more than 2,000 postal workers are voting on industrial action after a series of unofficial actions, following claims of management bullying. Actions had taken place at the Brunswick Road postal depot, Edinburgh Airport, Prestonpans and Dunfermline.

The postal workers are one of the most oppressed and maligned sections of workers. WDIE gives every backing to the postal workers in their actions in defence of their interests.

Anger at Clydeside Plant

Angry workers are claiming that thousands of pounds worth of orders are being transferred out of a Clydeside plant where 350 workers are to lose their jobs.

Fullarton Computer Industries has been accused of already running down the plant in Gourock just days after announcing that almost half the workforce is to be made redundant in three months’ time. The redundancy notices were issued on the day when senior staff members claimed orders worth £120,000 were switched from the Gourock site to a sister plant in Ayrshire.

The workers had responded to the announcement of the job losses with a four-day sit-in.

Glasgow Plant Take-Over Deal

The Glasgow-based plant and tool hire company Hewden Stuart is to be taken over by equipment dealer Finning International in a £322 million deal. There are 1,000 workers at the plant.

Finning International has a long-established presence in the plant equipment market, serving Scotland, Wales and the midlands and south-west of England.

Thousands Predicted to Die of Cold

A record number of people of Scotland could die this winter if steps are not taken to eradicate fuel poverty.

This is the conclusion of the Scottish Warm Homes campaign, which includes Friends of the Earth, Age Concern, Shelter and the Association for the Conservation of Energy.

Excess winter deaths reached a ten-year high last year, with 4,331 more people in Scotland dying in the winter months than in the summer. The Scottish Warm Homes campaign has warned that the numbers could be even higher this winter. They say that unless steps are taken to ensure that every home is properly insulated, the problem will get worse.

More than 700,000 Scottish households are judged to be suffering fuel poverty, where families spend more than 10 percent of their income on fuel. Of these, almost 180,000 spend more than 20 percent on heating and hot water alone.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Executive said that there will be a commitment to reduce fuel poverty. "We estimate that the number of people in fuel poverty will be reduced by 250,000 by 2007," she said.