Smash the Prevention of Terrorism Act Campaign Lobby the TUC Throw out TUC Irish policy! ee a eSWorkers March for Irish Freedom ‘As the People’s March for Jobs wound its way from Liverpool to London in May four Irish prisoners died on hunger strike in the H-Blocks. Many of the marchers and the thousands who turned out to greet them in towns along the route expressed sympathy with the hunger strikers and their objectives and hostility to the policy of the British Government. The Smash the Prevention of Terrorism Act Campaign appealed to the People’s March and its supporters to back the Irish prisoners’ demands for political status. At the major cities along the route we raised banners in support of the hunger strike at the mass receptions for the People’s March, In London we organised major interventions at the People’s March events in Brockwell Park, Hyde Park and Trafalgar Square. We got an overwhelmingly positive response from the marchers and other demonstrators. But the TUC organisers of the march were bitterly hostile to the Irish cause. Marchers who put on black armbands when Bobby Sands died were told to remove them or eave the march. Pro-hunger strike protestors who joined the march or supported rallies were beaten up, harassed by stewards; had banners tom down and placards confiscated, The TUC’s repressive line followed the same approach that led it to expel Tameside Trades Council in 1980, and to threaten to expel any trades council attending the Coventry Conference of trade unionists in support of the H-Block protest earlier this year. Now more prisoners have taken the places of Bobby Sands, Francis Hughes, Ray MeCreesh and Patsy O'Hara. And in elections north and south of the border Irish men and women have shown their support for the prisoners’ demands. At this critical stage in the Irish War the Smash the Prevention of Terrorism Act Campaign has launched the Workers’ March for Irish Freedom from Manchester to the TUC Congress at Blackpool in September. ‘The Workers’ March has four objects: © To declare support for the Irish hunger strikers and their demands for political status, @ To condemn the backing the official labour movement — TUC and Labour Party — gives to Government policy on the Six Counties. © To condemn the TUC'’s proscription of discussion and debate on Ireland. © To win British workers’ support for the Irish national liberation movement. March to Blackpool for Irish freedom! The British labour movement never be the same!Route and schedule: Saturday § September March begins in St Peters Sq, Manchester. March through city and out on Bolton road. Arrive in Bolton. Sunday 6 September —_ Bolton — Preston Monday 7 September Preston — Blackpool Tuesday 8 September Join the Workers’ March to a National lobby of the TUC, 11am. Followed by major SPTAC rally in Blackpool. a For more information contact Keith Tompson: 01-274 3951 or write to BM RCT, London WCIN 3XX. Sena SoaniEnenel cut We/I want to join the Workers’ March for Irish Freedom We/I support the Workers’ March for Irish Freedom and enclose a donation (make payable to SPTAC) Name(s) Address TelnoSponsors @ IRELAND (Groups) Irish Republican Socialist Party, Derry H-Block/Armagh Trade Union Group @ IRELAND (individuals in a personal capacity) Phil Flynn (Deputy General Secretary Local Government and Public Services Union), Brian Sullivan (NUPE District Secretary Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast), Paddy Logue (TGWU Branch Secretary, Derry), all members of the Trade Union Sub“committee National H-Block/ Armagh Committee, Liam Carlin (exblanketman) © TRADE UNIONISTS (in a personal capacity) Steve Noble (President Tameside Teachers Association), Geoff Robinson (Bradford Trades Council, SWP), Dave Burrows (IGWU 6/27), Dave Hallsworth (Secretary reconvened Tameside Trades Council), Dave Ayre (Wear Valley Trades Council), Alan Hudson (Manchester Trades Council), Stan Meads (Stockport Trades Council, TWGU Region 6, Powor and Engineering section District Committee), Jimmy O'Hara (TGWU Building Workers section National Committee), J Jones (TGWU Coventry/167), A Acheson (Leicester NUT), N Davidson (Leicester TGWU), E Brady (Coyentry USDAW), Tony Pople (Hackney NALGO, Hackney Trades Council), Pat Regan {Hackney NALGO, Hackney Trades Council), Cathy’ Boylan (NUPE shop steward, NUPE hospitals group 6, Hackney Tzades Council), Brian Capell (Warrington Trades Council), Nasser Patel (IGWU buses, Secretary West Ham Trades Council), Rob Killick (NUT, East London Teachers Association), Denise Bear (Salford Trades Council), Chris Surety (Green- wich NALGO), Paddy Faherty (UCATT, Hackney Trades Council), Mark Wilks (Chairperson NE London ASTMS Medical), John Defoe (AUEW West Ham) © TRADE UNION BRANCHES TGWU 6/389 © LABOUR PARTY Alf Home (Labour councillor, Old Moat, Manchester), Chris Robin- son (Labour councillor, Rosendale), § Crooke (Queens Park CLP, Glasgow) ® ORGANISATIONS East London Troops Out Movement, Kurdistan Solidarity Group (Leeds), Tower Hamlets Trades Council Irish sub-committee © INDIVIDUALS Paul Foot Se P&P BCM JPLTD, London WC1N 3XX.