Chance for NUPE| members to seize control!

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LOBST Martin Barclay [branch secretary, Cardiff Royal Infirmary NUPE] gives his personal assessment of issues at stake at this year's conference.

THIS YEAR'S conference presents NUPE members with a golden opportunity to bring greater democracy and accountability to the Normally the biennial Rules Revision Conference MEMBERS only discusses amendments to the rulebook. But this year we will have the chance to comment on and amend an Executive Council report on NUPE structure.

The Executive issued a discussion document last year as a review of the progress made since the radical reorganisation of the union in 1975. The report before this conference brings together some comments on this document, Executive recommendations, and the amendments put forward by branches.

In the words of the report, "The union's ability to defend our members' jobs, pay and the public SU CO 14! services against the Government's vicious attacks depends on the strength of Our organisation and structure. It is now more essential than ever to ensure that NUPE structure encourages members to be involved in and committed to the union, provides a democratic method of expressing members views, and can be used effectively to mobilise mamhere in sunnort of noli- SupPUL vI t'uucies based on those views"

Since 1975, the union has grown tremendously. The reorganisation in that year was itself a product of the growth in membership in the early '70s. This was especially the case in the NHS.

1972 saw the first ever official strike over NHS pay. By 1975 virtually all grades of hospital staff had taken PPORT MPOSI action in pursuit claims.

The years after 1975 were characterised by vicious 'vage controls and • the their wage cutting policies. Dennis Healey Social Contract. But it was in the 'winter of discontent' ', 1978-9, that the union came of age, with mass national action by NHS and local government us at this conference. workers.

That winter, like this aimmer wae antahle for the totally inadequate leadership of the trade union officials and their willingness to sell out and undermine struggles.

Since 1974 that leadership has overseen a decline in pay in the NHS in real terms from 66 per cent to less than 50 per cent of the average wage.

This leading from behind per cent. has crippled the ability of the rank and file in the mandated last year.

som hundred marshelled level little progress has been Specials and watched passively by our escort of elected as lay officials. more than 100 police, attacked with nailed clubs, stones and bicycle chains. arly under-represented at all union to launch a consistent challenge to successive governments intent on using NHS and local government workers as the backbone of It is against this background that we have to look at the structure of the union and the very cosy advice that the EC has got in store for tions would be a start: But NUPE is one of the few there are no suggested rule unions to make any kind of changes from the Exec. progress towards positive Conference policy is - who make up two thirds usually way ahead of the of its membership. The 1975 Exec's thinking - it should reorganisation created five be carried out, and not put women's seats on the Exec in a drawer and forgotten. of 26. Since then women The rest of the document have been elected onto the is a step-by-step examination general Executive seats for of the union's structure from the first time; the number branch level through district, of female stewards has gone area and divisional commitup from 28 per cent to 42 tees to the national executGive and full-time officers.

Unfortunately this 'has The only point of not changed the sexist contact with the union for attitudes of most of the the majority of members is officials. The Women's the branch organisation. The Working Party set up at last report recognises that, as year's conference has still part-time and women worknot reported, and neither ers make up two thirds of has a national women's org- the union, the problems they aniser been appointed as face are the problems of the union as a whole."

The overwhelming major- Generally, this problem ity of the full-time organisers is defined as "non-involveare male, and above branch ment by the rank and file"

As with the section on made in getting women women, the ball is hit very firmly back to the branches.

School meals staff, nurses The only rule change proand home helps are particul- posed is to officially recognRise the appointment of convenors in the rulebook..

The EC's answer to this I Education district committees to 'conWe are told that we must sit down and review the work of stewards, education for stewards, timing of meetpayments for baby-sitting ings, and participation of expenses, timing of meet- ethnic minorities. ings, and education, will not This is all very important, radically change the ot course. But the real problem is one of leadership.

Putting some of these The Executive is throwsuggestions in the rulebook ing the burden of the probl and making them instruc- em onto the branches, when Media to get his way over the be, «d of ees

TUE

Usa it is the Executive itself that should be issuing guidelines and discussion documents, setting up working parties and ensuring that stewards are provided with proper education. The fact that none of these are being done is a symptom of a wider failure of leadership in NUPE.

The problem is one of full-timers selected by the Executive who have leftwing credentials and who come from the best labour colleges, but who will not give a public political lea on the issues that affect the membership.

This is a part of the history of the union. The Municipal Employees' Association, NUPE's forerunner, was involved in big strikes in 1911 and 1926. General Secretary Jack Wills boasted, "We were more successful than any other union in getting our members back to work"

In 1979 Alan Fisher described the Executive's rejection of the nine per cent pay offer as "a personal cragedy"

This year the leadership has been scandalously inactive on NHS pay, waiting for CoHSE to take action on the pretext of calling a ballot on whether to strike. Fisher admitted being surprised at the overwhelming vote in favour of action; nobody who actually works in the Health Service could possibly be surprised.

On two issues that vitally affect NUPE members, pay and the cuts, the story is one of betrayals and sell-outs. And the Executive wonders why it can't get members along to meetings, and stewards to committees! The answer is not fines for non-attendance, as proposed by some branches in amendments, but to build a fighting union where members feel that their views will be heard and acted on.

Mergers

The problems that affect branches are reflected in poor organisation and lack of coordination at district committee level. The Executive's answer is to merge the workplace branches into massive district branches with thousands of members.

Over 50% of district committees now consist of a sinple branch, compared to 40% in 1977.

This is done in the name of efficiency and unity, but the only thing it has made of SO. ok SCH ob bri bu be the att anr bu anı dis the abr ion ele mi me div of. the SO1 md giv to cia ady div