NALGO needs a Broad Lett

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THERE is no tradition of a strong broad left on a national basis in NALGO and the SWP-sponsored NALGO Action Group, which at one time played an important role in involving rank and file activists, has folded.

Unfortunately, not all left activists see the need at present for a nationally organised broad left.

The two main arguments against are that as each District elects its own delegates to the NEC, and there are no national elections, that the focus for the left should be at District level.

Second, that a national left organisation should not be established until there are functioning left groups in all of NALGO's twelve districts.

The need for left activity at District level is clear; but that is simply not enough.

On the issue of Labour Party affiliation a national organisation had to be built up from scratch to campaign for a yes vote.

The campaign failed to make any significant impact amongst the membership because there was no active left organisation on a national basis and valuable effort was spent on trying to build a national network of contacts.

My branch is centrally involved in the campaign to develop shop stewards' systems and it very quickly became clear that we had to take up the campaign on a national basis to have any chance of success.

Our campaign and others would benefit enormously if there was an active national broad left group in NALGO.

Some sections of the left seem to see the establishment of a broad left as no more than an electoral machine. This is a view which must be countered at every opportunity. The way torward, surely, is to campaign around the issues which most affect our membership; low pay, cuts, privatisation of services. . Iwo broad lett groups in the northwest and London are functioning at the moment and there is a measure of left control in the Scottish district.

At the national level a conference was held last October, sponsored by Militant, after canvassing for support at last year's Annual Conference. However, the North West and London broad lefts have rejected the approaches of the Militant-led national initiative.

It is clear that sectarian calls to ignore this or that grouping will only play into the hands of the Left activists in the union should support calls for any joint initiatives between the present groups, especially those that are aimed at action amongst the membership.

The need for joint discussions is clear and a positive step will be a call for a meeting during annual conference in June of al groups and individuals on the left to plan co-ordinated campaigns of action.

Bill Hamilton Newham NALGO

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