SOLIDARITY TEXTILE WORKER'S Marcolino Abrantes, vice-president of the Portuguese Textile Workers Union, was recently in Britain to speak at meetings in solidarity with the struggle in Portugal. He told Red Weekly about the extent of imperialist pressures in the present situation and the desperate need for international working class solidarity.
Could you say something about the way in which international capital is trying to pressurise the Portuguese Government into meeting its wishes?
Various forms of economic pressure and sabotage are currently being used. The most recent example, and one with which I am especially concerned, is the decision of the Common Market authorities, at the request of Britain, to impose a special surcharge on imports of Portuguese textiles.
I think this is clearly a political decision. Because while its economic advantages for the British textile industry are few (most of the reduction in imports from Portugal, for example, will probably be made up by imports from other countries), its economic effect on Portugal will be very harmful.
The textile industry plays a big role in Portuguese exports, and Britain alone, not to mention the rest of the EEC, takes 35 per cent of what Portugal exports in textiles. textile industry, with many firms shutting down and widespread unempl oyment. These problems will now be made much worse, mainly in the area of clothing, and this will also have a serious effect on the Portuguese economy as a whole, which has grave balance of payments problems.
Another reason for considering this a political decision is its timing. This move was made just the day after the Socialist Party left the Government. I don't think it can be seen as anything but a means to put pressure on the Portuguese Government to make political concessions to the right wing.
I would like to appeal to the British working class, in the name of international solidarity, not to allow such actions - which will do little or nothing for their own problems, but will put into jeopardy the Portuguese working class. What is happening in Portugal will have repercussions throughout Europe. And a victory for the Portuguese working class is directly in the interests of the British workers.
Why is international solidarity important?
Even if some immediate problems coma be solved by making some money available, for Portugal to retain a capitalist relationship with the Common Market would always be to its disadvantage -the Common Market would just lead to a greater exploitation of Portugal. And we are already facing serious problems because of the economic pressure that the EEC countries are bringing to bear on us; if we make this relationship closer and more intimate it will just create a bigger problem and make Portugal more vulnerable to this kind of pressure.
So Portugal will have to try to carry on. is that of proletarian internationalism, with the working class of Europe trying to prevent their Governments carrying out their acts of sabotage and pressure.
This is also the only way that we can deal with the problem of the multi-nationals, who are either reducing their activities in Portugal or pulling out altogether. Being in the Common Market wouldn't solve this at all.. The only answer is for different countries who are exploited by the same bosses to come together to work out common strategies that can prevent the bosses moving their capital around to take advantage of cheap labour. It's their crisis, so they should have to pay for it What can be done practically in Britain to support the struggles of the Portuguese working class?
There are two levels on which this can be done.. The first is linked to practical things that are going on. I've already referred to the problem of the textile import surcharge. I think socialists in Britain should do everything in their power to bring this problem to the attention of the textile workers in this country: they should start debates in the workplaces, and raise the question in the working class organisations as a whole, particularly in the textile areas.
Secondly - and I don't know to what extent this is possible - direct expression of political solidarity with the Portuguese working class in these difficult moments would be very, very important. For example, if the British workers' organisations could organise a big demonstration of support for the process that is taking place and the advances of the working class this would be very valuable — not just for raising the internationalist consciousness of British workers and drawing attention to Portugal, but for the morale of the Portuguese working class. WITH THE WEEKLY