7th Annual NSSN Conference: Building the rank and file, planning the way forward

From http://shopstewards.net/2013/06/7th-annual-nssn-conference-building-the-rank-and-file-planning-the-way-forward/?fb_source=pubv1 There may well have been a pause in struggle on the part of some trade union leaders, but there has been no pause in the struggle for ordinary trade unionists and campaigners. This was the key point made by Linda Taaffe, Secretary of the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) in her opening address to the NSSN’s seventh annual conference this Saturday. The NSSN conference successfully brought together the key activists from these struggles in a packed hall at the Camden Centre. Among the many topics for discussion and debate was the task of ending the ‘pause’ in struggle at the top of the trade union movement and making the demand of a 24 hour general strike a reality. This discussion was given practical form by the action plan introduced by NSSN Chair Rob Williams and passed unanimously by the delegates present. The key points of the action plan were an NSSN rally at the TUC Congress at Bournemouth on September 8th followed by a lobby of Congress. In the run up to the Congress NSSN supporters were encouraged to pass motions in support of a 24 hour general strike in their shop stewards committees, union branches, anti-cuts group and trades councils. Each region of the NSSN was encouraged to hold regional meetings to build for the lobby of the TUC and popularize the call for a general strike. Finally the action plan pledged to energetically build the TUC demonstration outside the Tory Party Conference in Manchester on September 29th and organise an NSSN contingent on it which will march behind a banner calling for a 24 hour general strike. In moving the action plan, Rob Williams said it was a scandal that almost 12 months on from the TUC congress voting for the Prison Officers Association (POA) motion calling on the TUC to consider the practicalities of a General Strike, precious little action in that direction had occurred. In his speech Rob made clear that the NSSN supports all tactics in the struggle but the NSSN was unapologetic in its view that mass strike action led by the trade unions must be central in defeating the austerity drive of the government and the employers. In this way the mass organisations of the workers movement could draw behind them all of those whose lives have been ripped apart by cuts. In Brazil and Turkey the entry of ordinary people into struggle had shifted society to the left in those countries. This was a glimpse, he said, of the effect a 24 hour General strike could have in this country. Working people would feel their collective power and have their sights risen to what is possible when a mass movement confronts an intransigent government. The theme of the general strike was addressed by many of the platform speakers and by activists making contributions from the floor. John Reid, London Regional Secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) brought fraternal greeting from his union. He told the audience that the RMT conference reaffirmed its support for the NSSN and for the idea of a General Strike. Steve Gillan, General Secretary of the POA and mover of the general strike motion at the TUC Congress pointed out that his union had taken more industrial action in the 19 years since their trade union rights were stripped from them by the then Tory government than in the previous 70 years. The willingness of the POA to defy anti-trade union laws in defence of their members is an example to other trade union leaders hesitating to throw their full support behind the general strike call. Donald McDougall, secretary of the Unite Honda branch in Swindon added his support to the campaign for a general strike in a short but powerful speech from the floor. Martin Powell-Davies, from the National Union of Teachers (NUT) national executive reported on the success of the joint strike action by teachers in the north-west on 27th June. Teachers from the NUT and NASUWT took strike action in 22 Local Authorities. This was an excellent start, Martin said, but he insisted it must be the beginning of wider action. The strike in the north-west suffered a complete media black out. A national strike by teachers would not be so easy for the media to ignore, he said. Martin ended his contribution with a point that applies to teachers and the general strike equally; “We need to be out together to win” The need for national action was made clear by Communication Workers Union General Secretary Billy Hayes. To big applause he informed conference 96% of his members had voted to oppose privatisation of Royal Mail. A vote to pursue a pay offer got 99% in favour. Billy remarked on the ‘coincidence’ that three days after the vote Royal Mail management approached the CWU to open up talks on a pay offer! The CWU now has a number of live industrial disputes around issue of privatisation. Chris Baugh, Assistant General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) reviewed the course of industrial struggle since November 30th 2011. Commenting on the decision of the GMB and Unison to settle the pensions dispute he said it was, at best, a terrible tactical decision or at worst a deliberate attempt to knock the stuffing out of the November 30th action. PCS has been forced to soldier on alone in the interim. Chris pointed out that a variety of trade unions are preparing action in the autumn. To big applause he declared that all unions taking action should get in a room together and begin planning a coordinated response to austerity. The conference did not solely discuss the general strike though. There was also a wide range of speakers fresh from local industrial disputes or community campaigns. Michael Ologun, Unite shop steward from the Equinox Housing group related his workmates struggle against 25% cuts, including strike action. In a sober but positive balance sheet of the strike Michael made the point that their action had won a deferral of the cuts. Michael pointed out this action was in the context of a workplace that had been largely unorganised not too long ago. Using their success in organising in the workplace and standing up to management, Michael urged the conference to get active in their workplace, telling them; “You can make a difference”. Paddy Brennan, convenor at the Honda factory in Swindon brought greetings from his workplace. In his speech he thanked the NSSN for their support during his successful campaign against victimisation at the plant. Steve North, branch secretary of Salford Unison (like all members of that union, speaking in a personal capacity) asked conference to support upcoming industrial action by Future Directions staff in Rochdale over cuts to pay and terms and conditions. He also read out a message of support from Gearge Tapp. George is a longstanding supporter of the NSSN who was a steward at last year’s conference. For many years George has campaigned tirelessly against blacklisting in the building industry. During this campaigning George was hit by a car in a hit and run incident on a picket line and seriously injured. George’s long term recovery prevented him from attending this year’s conference but he was keen to ensure he had a presence in spirit at the conference. Supporters of the NSSN wish George a speedy recovery and a return to his vital role in the struggle against blacklisting. In a moving personal account Hannah Roche related the harsh conditions facing young workers in call centres Helen Pattison from the Youth Fight for Jobs initiative ‘Sick of Your Boss’ reported on the campaigns work in organising young people in the retail sector in cooperation with Unite. The conference had a distinctly international feel to it. The closing plenary had a speaker from the radical French trade union federation SUD. However it was events in Turkey that were at the centre of discussion at the conference. NSSN supporters Steve Hedley, Assistant General Secretary of the RMT and Martin Powell-Davies visited Taksim Square as solidarity delegates from their respective unions. In a commission chaired by Martin Powell-Davies, Steve Hedley gave an eye witness account of the brutal crackdown on protestors in Taksim and Gezi Park on 12th June. He was joined by Oktay Sahbaz from the Turkish and Kurdish group Day-Mer. Oktay also spoke at the conference closing plenary. Day-Mer has been one of the key organisers of the almost daily solidarity protests in London with the movement in Turkey. Oktay thanked the NSSN for their support and participation in those protests. Oktay gave a brief history of developments in Turkey that led up to the explosion in popular protest. In a wide ranging speech Oktay emphasised that the movement has helped to break down divisions between Turks, Kurds, Alevi’s and other minorities. Of particular importance has been a new sense of solidarity between ordinary Turkish workers and Kurdish people through their shared experience of state brutality. The recent shooting of Kurdish demonstrators has triggered an unprecedented wave of solidarity and protests in Turkish cities. The Bedroom Tax has provoked one of the biggest grass roots campaigns since the coming to power of the coalition. NSSN supporters have thrown themselves into organising anti-bedroom tax campaigns across the country. A special session on fighting the tax was well attended. Tommy Sheridan from the Scottish Anti-Bedroom Tax campaign gave a powerful speech on the inspiring work of the campaign north of the border. In his opening remarks Tommy articulated the feelings of many working class people on the bedroom tax, which explains opposition to the tax goes far beyond those affected. “I am not personally affected by the bedroom tax but I am offended by the bedroom tax”. Tommy condemned the hypocrisy of politicians who make the very poorest in society homeless while they live in tax payer funded mansions! To a standing ovation Tommy pledged that the campaign in Scotland would meet any threat to evict people with “a wall of human solidarity”. State harassment has been a feature of life for labour movement activists as long as the movement has existed. This has been underlined this year with revelations of state collusion with blacklisting and police infiltration of labour movement organisations. Chris Baugh reminded conference that the state is very well aware of the importance of shop stewards and activists in defending the working class. It is the reason, he said why the state spends so much time harassing and spying on them. This point was underlined by Lois Austin in her speech at the closing plenary. Lois is the former chair of Youth Against Racism in Europe, an organisation that played a key role in driving the BNP out of Tower Hamlets and fighting for justice for Steven Lawrence in the early 90’s. So effective was YRE that it attracted the attention of the security forces and was targeted by police spy Peter Francis. In her speech Lois rejected the idea that this was the work of ‘a few bad apples’. Spying on peaceful political organisations was state policy. She called for a wide ranging inquiry that included those who had been spied upon. If that was not forthcoming from the state, Lois said, those effected should look to set up their own inquiry. In contrast to other gatherings of activists the discussion at the NSSN conference was not just about organising the opposition to austerity, important as that is. There was also a number of important contributions on the alternative. Padraig Mulholland, President of the Northern Ireland Public Services Alliance (NIPSA) brought fraternal greetings from the NIPSA General Council. In his speech he said NIPSA was producing educational material for its members exploring the causes of the economic crisis. A central part of this material will explain that crisis is an organic part of the capitalist system. Steve Gillan responded to the governments plans to build a super prison by declaring; “Rather than spend £200 million on building a new super prison in Wales I’d rather see £200 million spent on helping to keep people out of prison” A perfect illustration of the different approach of the labour movement to that of the government and employers. A number of speakers explained that attacks on the conditions of working people were inevitable under capitalism. The struggle in the workplaces and the communities against day to day attacks are important but it must also include a political expression and a socialist alternative. This was a theme of the conference from the outset as John Reid reported that the RMT conference affirmed that it would use all its resources to campaign for the replacement of the capitalist system with a democratic socialist system. By the end of the conference delegates went away armed with the ideas and tactics to change our movement in order to change our society.

Youth in revolt Socialist party national youth meeting discuss perspectives

This weekend I attended the socialist party’s national youth meeting in London. It was a whole weekend of debate, discussion and the way forward. Around 80 members of the party attended in a cold wet February weekend and a great level of political understanding was felt by all. The Saturday afternoon was kicked off by Hannah Sell the deputy general secretary of the socialist party who lead off quite rightly on the international global struggle against the global economic crisis and the catastrophic social disasters which have followed from that. Namely the huge levels of unemployment with over 50 million now unemployed in the OECD nations the most prosperous apparently is surely a huge indictment of this rotten capitalist system we live under. Hannah brilliantly outlined the global situation of course she couldn’t go into every country issues but gave a really good broad overview on the global economic crisis and the horrific facts and figures behind that. It has been said that this is the new norm now whilst many workers and even capitalists have been hoping that things will go back to “normal” sometime soon if we just tighten our belts is looking even more unlikely than ever and many are starting to think this is it unless we organise and change society. So this was the basis of these weekends’ meetings getting young people who are deeply angry at the government and the system too wanting direction, a hope and a strategy to fight back. Youth fight for jobs and the socialist party a long with Socialist students can play a vital role in the coming period with our ideas showing the working class which route to take. A really good wide ranging discussion then followed with many comrades coming in e with personal questions on the world situation on certain countries the question of the EU and our views towards it, Cameron’s Tories in a mess how long will the government last, role of new labour and a lot more personal experiences of workplace and student experiences. The later session of commissions was a choice of different sessions I attended a session on answering anarchists criticisms and the need for a revolutionary party I found this really interesting a lot of it I already knew but was a good defence of why we need a party by Sarah Sachs-Eldridge of who is a editor of the socialist our weekly paper. Not much was talked of in terms of anarchism sadly it would appear we don’t have a huge grasp of what they stand for it’d be fair to say but as I expected we know all too well about a revolutionary party which was fair enough I guess. The social was excellent a lot more discussion and drinks On Sunday we had a session on more youth matters focusing on our work with youth fight for jobs introducing our new campaign “sick of your boss” encouraging young workers to get in touch write articles and take on stunts and the like against the worst bits of your boss be them heavy handed or tight on breaks or whatever it could bring in a layer of angry young people we feel linking up with trade unions such as Unite on their community based membership could be useful. The trade unions need to get active with young people organise the youth show them they can fight back and the union will support them. So many still dont know what a union is and others are put off by them so much much more is needed to be done by us and the trade union movement to give young people a future. The socialist party is a revolutionary socialist party fighting for socialism linking the day to day struggles to the need to change society so in the afternoon we had sessions on how we can recruit members, write a leaflet, organise a picket line/protest, public speaking and writing an article for the paper. I attended recruiting and organising in a protest all very interesting discussions and great points. I was glad to see comrades getting fully involved and contributing to the debates and I personally found them very useful for the struggle ahead. Its now time for us to take our ideas out there and fight for the socialist society we all so badly want but more importantly need!

Come to socialism 2012 this weekend 3rd 4th November

This weekend sees the socialist party’s annual showcase event a weekend of debate and discussion from some great top speakers. This year will be very good with so much going on in this country and around the globe. Join the fightback. Fight the 1%. Fight for socialism. Socialism 2012 is a crucial event for all those fighting back. We are living in a time of mass movements. Millions have taken part in strikes and demonstrations against the Con Dem government and their cuts. Across Europe, mass resistance is meeting capitalist austerity. The Middle East remains in turmoil. The millions of workers and youth who overthrew dictators refuse to allow their achievement to be snatched back. Across the world the 99% are rising up against the 1%. To win, we need to arm ourselves with the best ideas, the clearest alternatives, and the correct strategy. Socialism 2012 Rallies ________________________________________ Saturday Rally Kick out the Con-Dems Build a 24-hour general strike 6.30pm Saturday 3 November Friends Meeting House, Euston Road Speakers include: Bob Crow, RMT transport union general secretary; Peter Taaffe, Socialist Party general secretary; Hoshoko Letshoba, a South African miners' leader; Keith Morrell, Southampton 'rebel' councillor; and more... Tickets from www.socialism2012.org.uk ________________________________________ Closing rally Rally for Socialism 3pm Sunday 4 November Friends Meeting House, Euston Road Speakers include: Hannah Sell, Socialist party deputy general secretary; Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary ________________________________________ ________________________________________ Register for the Socialism 2012 workshops and debates from Saturday at 2pm at University of London Union, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY Aswell as our excellent rally’s on both nights we have a wide range of workshops and smaller debates focusing on more indepth issues. I will be speaking at the disability one if your interested in hearing about how we can fight the attacks on the disabled. 3pm Saturday Theme Saturday 3pm Speakers Introducing Socialism Is human nature too greedy for socialism? Sean Figg, Socialism 2012 organiser Introducing Marxism Marxist Philosophy: using dialectical materialism Robin Clapp, South West Socialist Party region secretary World Economic Crisis Can capitalism escape economic crisis? Is socialism viable? Peter Taaffe, Socialist Party general secretary Politics Murdochgate scandal & Leveson: a socialist programme for the media Judy Beishon, Socialist Party executive committee Society Are the police just a tool of the government? Nick Chaffey, Southern Socialist Party region secretary Programme 5 years since Northern Rock: a socialist programme for the banks Jane James Welfare vs Workfare How can we stop the ConDems attacks on the disabled? tbc Fight austerity Where next for the fight against austerity? Can we bring the government down? Rob Williams, National Shop Stewards Network & John Mcinally, PCS vice-president Internationalism Sri Lanka: a new epoch of struggle Senan, Tamil Solidarity & Frint Line Socialist Party of Sri Lanka Internationalism Spain in revolt Spanish socialists Science Can we have green growth & do we need it? Pete Dickinson, author Planing for the Planet & Clive Lord, founder member of the Green Party (personal capacity) Other The role of popular culture in normalising sexism Sarah Wrack, Rape is No Joke organiser 10am Sunday Theme Sunday AM Speakers Introducing Socialism How could a planned economy work? Alistair Tice, Yorkshire Socialist Party region secretary Introducing Marxism Historical materialism: how Marxists understand progress Ken Douglas, Socialist Party executive committee Politics Should Scotland be independent? Philip Stott, Socialist Party Scotland Society The Royal delusion Becci Heagney, Socialist Party national committee What we stand for Does the Occupy movement offer a new way to change the world? Sarah Sachs, editor The Socialist Welfare vs Workfare How can we defeat workfare? Paul Callanan, Youth Fight for Jobs & Boycott Workfare Fight austerity How to stop the sell off of the NHS Dr Jackie Grunsell & Roger Davey, Unison Wiltshire & Avon Health Service chair (personal capacity) Internationalism Syria, imperialism and the Arab revolutions Niall Mulholland, CWI & eyewitness to Tahrir Square Internationalism After the Venezuelan elections: what prospect for socialism in Latin America? Tony Saunois, CWI secretary Science The God particle, science and Marxism Pete Mason, author Science, Marxism and the Big Bang Other 1972: the general strike that never was. The lessons for today Other LGBT: 40 years of pride. 1pm Sunday Theme Sunday PM Speakers Introducing Socialism Is the Russian Revolution relevant today? Ben Robinson, Socialist Party national committee Introducing Marxism An introduction to Marxist economics Lenny Shail, Socialist Party national committee World economic crisis What future for the European Uniion? Lynn Walsh, editor Socialism Today Politics Is the Labour Party a vehicle for socialism? Owen Jones, journalist & author of 'Chavs' & Clive Heemskerk, Socialist Party executive committee Society The Hillsborough cover up: what does it say about the role of the police, media and government? Tony Mulhearn, Liverpool mayoral candidate What we stand for Immigration: a socialist programme Hannah Sell, Socialist Party deputy general secretary Welfare vs Workfare Scroungers? The role of unemployment in capitalist economy & the ideology of the 'benefit culture' Dave Griffiths, West Midlands Socialist Party region secretary Fight austerity How can councillors fight the cuts? Harry Smith, Liverpool 47 & Dave Nellist, TUSC chair Internationalism Campaign Kazakhstan Clare Doyle, CWI Internationalism South Africa erupts: what does the miners struggle represent? South African miner & eyewitness to Rustenburg Other How do we combat the growth of the far right? United or popular fronts? Paula Mitchell, London Socialist Party region secretary

Come to “organising a lost generation” Youth fight for jobs national meeting 10 June

Organising the lost Generation

As you may or may not have seen on the news today further embarrassment for the government and their flagship workfare scheme of slave labour as news of around 30 unemployed people were forced into a terrible ordeal all in the name of the jubilee celebrations.

Some of those hired as stewards had to spend the night before the pageant sleeping under London Bridge.
A group of long-term unemployed jobseekers were bussed into London to work as unpaid stewards during the diamond jubilee celebrations and told to sleep under London Bridge before working on the river pageant.
Up to 30 jobseekers and another 50 people on apprentice wages were taken to London by coach from Bristol, Bath and Plymouth as part of the government's Work Programme.
Two jobseekers, who did not want to be identified in case they lost their benefits, said they had to camp under London Bridge the night before the pageant. They told the Guardian they had to change into security gear in public, had no access to toilets for 24 hours, and were taken to a swampy campsite outside London after working a 14-hour shift in the pouring rain on the banks of the Thames on Sunday.
One young worker said she was on duty between London Bridge and Tower Bridge during the £12m river spectacle of a 1,000-boat flotilla and members of the Royal family sail by . She said that the security firm Close Protection UK, which won a stewarding contract for the jubilee events, gave her a plastic see-through poncho and a high-visibility jacket for protection against the rain.
Close Protection UK confirmed that it was using up to 30 unpaid staff and 50 apprentices, who were paid £2.80 an hour, for the three-day event in London. A spokesman said the unpaid work was a trial for paid roles at the Olympics, which it had also won a contract to staff. Unpaid staff were expected to work two days out of the three-day holiday.
The firm said it had spent considerable resources on training and equipment that stewards could keep and that the experience was voluntary and did not affect jobseekers keeping their benefits.
The woman said that people were picked up at Bristol at 11pm on Saturday and arrived in London at 3am on Sunday. "We all got off the coach and we were stranded on the side of the road for 20 minutes until they came back and told us all to follow them," she said. "We followed them under London Bridge and that's where they told us to camp out for the night … It was raining and freezing."
A 30-year-old steward told the Guardian that the conditions under the bridge were "cold and wet and we were told to get our head down [to sleep]". He said that it was impossible to pitch a tent because of the concrete floor.
The woman said they were woken at 5.30am and supplied with boots, combat trousers and polo shirts. She said: "They had told the ladies we were getting ready in a minibus around the corner and I went to the minibus and they had failed to open it so it was locked. I waited around to find someone to unlock it, and all of the other girls were coming down trying to get ready and no one was bothering to come down to unlock [it], so some of us, including me, were getting undressed in public in the freezing cold and rain." The men are understood to have changed under the bridge.
The female steward said that after the royal pageant, the group travelled by tube to a campsite in Theydon Bois, Essex, where some had to pitch their tents in the dark.
She said: "London was supposed to be a nice experience, but they left us in the rain. They couldn't give a crap … No one is supposed to be treated like that, [working] for free. I don't want to be treated where I have to sleep under a bridge and wait for food." The male steward said: "It was the worst experience I've ever had. I've had many a job, and many a bad job, but this one was the worst."
Both stewards said they were originally told they would be paid. But when they got to the coach on Saturday night, they said, they were told that the work would be unpaid and that if they did not accept it they would not be considered for well-paid work at the Olympics.


This is just the most recent incident of unemployed people being exploitive for their benefits. This is not on and Youth fight for jobs along with others will be stepping up our opposition to these schemes and the battle against workfare is far from over. I for one feel the government is going to push ahead even more with this scheme as they frankly have no other idea of how to provide decent jobs for young people. YFFJ calls on all that oppose workfare to help to organize a national demonstration against workfare not as a substitute to weekly protests in regional areas but as a way of bringing it to the fore again. Its time workfare was smashed once and for all.
We demand decent jobs with decent pay as a demand towards decent future for young people.

Also come to this meeting to hear what YFFJ will be planning to do in the next year building for a national demonstration in the autumn against fees and cuts and also how young people can get involved in the TUC’s October demonstration planed. That and much much more this coming Sunday.

Speakers include:
Occupy Home Minnesota campaigner
Helen Flanagan, Public and Commercial Services union, National Executive Committee member
Suzanne Beishon, Organizer Young Londoners Forced out campaign
Sunday 10th June 10:30 AM – 16:00 PM
Venue:
University of London Union,
Malet Street,
London,
WC1E 7HY