BLOC Conference

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ORGANISED! A RECENT survey conducted by the European Commission on regional, social and economic disparities shows that the UK's most economically hard-pressed regions are among the worst off in terms of income and unemployment in the entire EEC.

According to the index, Merseyside, Dumfries and Galloway, Strathclyde, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Cleveland, Durham, Gwent, most of Glamorgan, Cornwall, Devon, and the West Midlands, are the most depressed areas in the UK - generally confirming that those regions furthest away from the Community's heartland tend to be the most economically hard-hit. Few British regions, in tact, come above the statistical averages on which the basis of the index has been developed.

ON Friday March 9, union leaders representing 60,000 London Transport workers of all categorjes called on all members to strike on the TUC's 'democracy day', in protest against cuts in local government powers. THE Broad Lefts Organising Committee conference in Sheffield is only a few days away now - on March 24 -and clearly it is going to be very big.

BLOC was set up in 1981 as a coordinating committee of trade union Broad Lefts, but so far it has had a very low profile. This conference could change that.

Socialist Organiser supporters are pressing for the conference to launch a campaign on anti-union laws. TGWU 5/833 branch has passed the following resolution:

on conference to initiate a broad labour movement campaign against the Tory anti-union laws.

The major demands of this campaign should be:

1. For the TUC to break collaboration with the Tories and end all talks with the Tories on new anti-union laws, 2. For all unions to commit themselves to defiance of the anti-union laws, 3. Solidarity strike action in the event of any union being penalised under the anti union laws.

The campaign should be organised through democratic delegate committees at national and at local level"

The problem is that BLOC is dominated by the Militant tendency, who seem to want to use the Sheffield conference as a rally rather than as a forum for debate and for organising.

In some areas, like Manchester, they have already set up local BLOCs - ensuring that they have firm Militant majorities, although Militant is not in fact dominant in the local trade union Left.

It is important that others on the Left get to Sheffield and make sure there is some real discussion. Get Name Address , month minimum (20p unwaged). contribution from supporters.

I want to become a Socialist Organiser supporter/ I want more inforation.

Send to Socialist Organiser, 28 Middle Lane, London N8 8PL.