Signs of Progress
Socialist Organiser1982 1982-04-29Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 5 →
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A SEWER with all sorts of rubbish floating in it" the less than fraternal description of the Labour Party by Sir John Boyd CBE a fortnight before polling day.
Very seriously, the AUEW National Committee then proceeded to call (by a wafer-thin majority of six votes) for the reintroduction of bans and proscriptions.
Fortunately, Sir John's Salvationist simplicities are not universal. At the other major union conference occurring at the time of writing, USDAW President Syd Tierney more accurately reflected the feelings of the rank and file when he declared that •'The bickering must stop. It dissipates our energy"
Calls for Party unity and an end to witch hunts appear on the agendas of several unions other than USDAW. Revulsion from divisive practices is also evident in the calls on at least three major union agendas to abolish the undemocratic 'shortlist of one' manoeuvre.
A number of agendas. including the NGA's, show great interest in the mechanics of how various unions should in future determine their votes in Labour leadership elections. A simple but radical resolution on the UCATT agenda proposes that the union's voting in all Labour Party elections (i.e. including NEC) should depend on each candidate's adherence (or otherwise) to the union's policy. A real threat, this, to any possibility of private horse-trading between General Secretaries!
The quest for unity is also reflected in submiss. ions seeking to integrate the Parliamentary Labow Party (e.g. ASTMS) and local Labour Groups (e.g. NUPE) with the Party as & whole.
Breaking newer ground several union agendas le g NUR) show support for pos itive discrimination in far our of women, though no surprisingly action within e particular union is felt to br even more urgent thar action within the wider con text of the Labour Party a a whole.
Nevertheless CLPD': three basic demands on thi subject appear on mon than one agenda.
Even this scanty surve provides encouraging evid ence that the union ran and file is re-learning thi futility of operating in isol ation from the Labou Party. In addition to thi constitutional demand: referred to above, man! Agendas contain highl: precise policy demand (e.g. public ownership of a least 25 major private man utacturing • companies) to: inclusion in Labour's nex Manifesto.
FRANCIS PRIDEAUI [Secretary, CLPD Trad Union Committee [Any comrade lespeciall delegates) wishing to bel promote Labour democrac proposals at his be union's conference is aske to contact Francis Pridesa (CLPD) at 18, Hornes Rd, London W9, or else i ring Victor Schonfield a 01-969 2511].