Unions Back CLPD Ideas

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THE last week in May was a good one for Party democracy. Nearly a million Party conference votes were committed (at the GMWU, UCATT, AUEW/TASS etc) to the struggle against witch-hunts.

Barring dirty work, some kind of unity should therefore be achieved in Blackpool.

This year's ASTMS agenda was stuffed full of Party democracy issues, but the effort was spread too widely so none were prioritised for debate. However, an excellent fringe meeting with Joan Maynard led to practical discussion of future tactics as well as welcome new members and money for CLPD.

The NUPE Conference also failed to reach the Labour Party composite but here again a constructive fringe discussion was held with Deputy General Secretary Tom Sawyer in the chair.

A feature of both these conferences was the increased impact of women, though the position of women within the union is in both cases still regarded as a higher campaigning priority than the position of women within the Party as a whole.

Strong determination to defend the democratic reforms was exhibited by the conferences of TASS, and outstandingly, UCATT. The latter joined the NUPE EC in opposing the divisive shortlist of one manoeuvre and in supporting the right of CLPs to select Parliamentary candidates without political interference.

The builders also called for Labour democracy in local government, a properly democratised PLP with recorded voting on all major issues, and a Manifesto commitment to take into public ownership at least 25 of the hundred largest privately owned manufacturing companies.

On the Bermondsey issue, Bill O'Shaughnessy stressed that what was at stake was not the personal merits of Peter Tatchell but the fundamental right of the CLP.

The union did not fight for mandatory reselection to have it overturned at the whim of a few individuals.

The NEC must endorse Bermondsey's choice without further delay.

"They will not find a scab to replace him no matter how hard they rake through the gutter."

For the union executive, Charlie Kelly warmly endorsed all the democratic proposals and particularly stressed the need for the Party NEC to press for the abolition of the shortlist of one manoeuvre by the 1982 Party conference.

Supporting resolutions to this effect must therefore be a top priority.

It was also successfully moved by Jim Franklin that only comrades holding views in line with UCATT policy should receive the union's support in Labour Party elections.

The logic of this principle is bound to interest comrades elsewhere.

Rank and file activists in a whole number of unions are increasingly determined to make their presence felt in Labour Party affairs. Things are on the move. Draft resolutions for Labour Party conference can be obtained from CLPD, 10, Park Drive, London NW11 7SH, Tel: 01-458 1501.