As socialists we believe in the highest form of democracy and that can be no more needed in the trade unions the organisations set up to fight for workers rights, pay, conditions and jobs. So today when we have several unions acting in undemocratic ways of under hand tactics and with hunting their own members as they don’t agree with their stance it is time to over haul the unions and pump so much needed democracy into them
The socialist party stands for all elected officials with no officials senior or not being appointed from above therefore leading to a rankd-and-file being dictated too rather than being represented.
We campaign for all elected officials to only take the average wage of a skilled worker no more or less. Just enough to do their job not inflated salaries that unfortunately some union’s officials even some claiming to be of the left still do take. We are against that we don’t support Bob crow getting 100’s of thousands of pounds that is not what we stand for. As the socialist party we are only members of trade unions we have a number of elected officials on the NC of the likes of PCS, Nut, FBu and Unison but we are not in the position to demand the union officials not of our party to do such a thing. But we would expect those who are members of the socialist party to stand true to their principles and only take an average wage of a skilled worker. That has always been our stance and I hope in future if we get further comrades elected they take up this position.
As a part of re democratisation the trade unions naturally this will come into conflict with the bourgeois parties and their reluctance to repeal any anti trade union laws. We will relentlessly campaign for a repealing of these anti trade union laws for workers to organise without being criminalised for it. It is an outrage to call the UK a democratic nation when it is so strict on trade unions and them organising. Many ordinary people have no idea how tight and restrictive anti union laws are in this country. Some will say well they will find it harder to strike and fight for members but that miss’s the point collective bargaining and striking wins a lot of concessions for workers some of which are some of the lowest paid in the country.
We will always defend facility time for union officials to be able to carry out their union duties without fear of reprisal. The attacks from the Tories and labour on the trade unions are a fight we all need to take up and defend workers rights. As if the trade unions are cohersed for the agents of the ruling class we will have no vehicle to fight back. The trade unions are important models for fighting back and agitating among workers to discuss ideas of a better society and how things could be different.
All trade unions leaders should be accountable to their members many people do not know that when unions have been reported to have accepted a deal on say pensions much if not all the members have not had a say in this and probably oppose such a sell out yet the lack of democracy in such unions as Unison for example mean members are left with a rotten deal. Hopefully a ballot comes but this cannot be grunted.
Another way of democratising the unions will be to ensure all elections to positions are regular every 2 years at most and that they are carried out in a truly democratic fashion with all election material being freely available to all to see with plenty of time to campaign too.
A trade union are often described as the poor mans lawyers and there is some sense in that trade unions should always fight for the poorest in society and the most oppressed workers and having a democratic fighting labour movement is key to them being able to do that. A fighting left force in all unions is key to having this. The left unity conference I attended in January hosted by the PCS was great and a great start to winning our unions back to be in the hands of its members not the bureaucrats.
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Showing posts with label affiliated trade unions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label affiliated trade unions. Show all posts
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Fed up with the labour party selling you out, come to the TUSC conference this weekend
This weekend the 28th of january we will be making the short trip down to london to visit the conference for the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition. With recent mfurther moves to the right by the labour party even more to the right than they already were accepting al the cuts and saying they cannot reverse any of the tories cuts which is absolute nonsense of course they can if they wanted to.
The poll tax was made law and was still defeated and later reversed by mass civil disobedience .
So if you are fed up with the labour party and on the look out for a alternative to this mad system of greed before need please join us this saturday
TUSC Election campaign Conference Saturday 28 January 2012,
11:00am – 4:00pm, University of London Union, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HY
11-00am to 1-30pm: How can local councillors fight the cuts?
Cllr Dave Nellist , Michael Lavalette and Nick Wrack to speak for ten minutes each, followed by a ‘Question Time’ format discussion, to try and answer the many questions that are continually raised around this issue and introduce the draft local elections policy platform (appended below).
2-00pm to 4-00pm: Organising an election campaign
Maxine Bowler, Hannah Sell, and Pete McClaren to speak for ten minutes each, followed by a general discussion from the floor – but also giving people a chance to ask any direct ‘electoral law’ type questions that they may have.
Last week we got a phone call from a woman in east London…She had picked up one of the TUSC ‘where will your vote go?’ postcards from a street stall. She wanted more information about what we were and what we stood for. She was desperate that the Labour Party had ‘let her down so badly’. We sent her the TUSC leaflet setting out our policies and she sent a text the day she received it: ‘I have read the TUSC flyer and it lifted me. If only the policies could come to fruition.’ She hopes to come to the conference on 28 January and has asked us to send material to a friend who was also interested.
Which is excellent news. More and more will be looking for an alternative as events change peoples contiousness. A grand speech can win some over but you will never win over everyone but as events unfold in the coming period and capitalism fails to deal with its inner contradictions people will start to ask the question, is a different society possible ?
and we will say yes it is! a socialist planned economy based on peoples needs.
But firstly we need more than ever a new workers party. It is vital that TUSC starts offering that alternative right away even if very small initially it will provide that pole of attraction for workers desperate as the lady above clearly was.
I saw a statistic that the labour party has lost hundreds of members since Ed Miliband and Ed bals have squared their arguements and agreed fully with the tories. We would say they did anyway they only disagreed with the speed but a lot of people still felt labour was against the cuts to some degree. Now they are found wanting people will come out with anger, confusion, frustration and panic in some cases as people will feel no one is there to fight for them againt the brutal onslaught of the cuts.
We saw last night the labour party voting with the tories to support a cap to benifits and this is just the start of labours route to regaining so called credibility . If by credibility they mean attacking the poor, trade unions and working people well the trade unions and working people and any good socialist in labour would be better off out of that party.
Its time to pose the question what do we do now.
Saturday will hopefully see a good turnout and a few questions being answered by our comrades hopefully growing support for this years coming local and London GLA elections which we may see some interesting results.
The poll tax was made law and was still defeated and later reversed by mass civil disobedience .
So if you are fed up with the labour party and on the look out for a alternative to this mad system of greed before need please join us this saturday
TUSC Election campaign Conference Saturday 28 January 2012,
11:00am – 4:00pm, University of London Union, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HY
11-00am to 1-30pm: How can local councillors fight the cuts?
Cllr Dave Nellist , Michael Lavalette and Nick Wrack to speak for ten minutes each, followed by a ‘Question Time’ format discussion, to try and answer the many questions that are continually raised around this issue and introduce the draft local elections policy platform (appended below).
2-00pm to 4-00pm: Organising an election campaign
Maxine Bowler, Hannah Sell, and Pete McClaren to speak for ten minutes each, followed by a general discussion from the floor – but also giving people a chance to ask any direct ‘electoral law’ type questions that they may have.
Last week we got a phone call from a woman in east London…She had picked up one of the TUSC ‘where will your vote go?’ postcards from a street stall. She wanted more information about what we were and what we stood for. She was desperate that the Labour Party had ‘let her down so badly’. We sent her the TUSC leaflet setting out our policies and she sent a text the day she received it: ‘I have read the TUSC flyer and it lifted me. If only the policies could come to fruition.’ She hopes to come to the conference on 28 January and has asked us to send material to a friend who was also interested.
Which is excellent news. More and more will be looking for an alternative as events change peoples contiousness. A grand speech can win some over but you will never win over everyone but as events unfold in the coming period and capitalism fails to deal with its inner contradictions people will start to ask the question, is a different society possible ?
and we will say yes it is! a socialist planned economy based on peoples needs.
But firstly we need more than ever a new workers party. It is vital that TUSC starts offering that alternative right away even if very small initially it will provide that pole of attraction for workers desperate as the lady above clearly was.
I saw a statistic that the labour party has lost hundreds of members since Ed Miliband and Ed bals have squared their arguements and agreed fully with the tories. We would say they did anyway they only disagreed with the speed but a lot of people still felt labour was against the cuts to some degree. Now they are found wanting people will come out with anger, confusion, frustration and panic in some cases as people will feel no one is there to fight for them againt the brutal onslaught of the cuts.
We saw last night the labour party voting with the tories to support a cap to benifits and this is just the start of labours route to regaining so called credibility . If by credibility they mean attacking the poor, trade unions and working people well the trade unions and working people and any good socialist in labour would be better off out of that party.
Its time to pose the question what do we do now.
Saturday will hopefully see a good turnout and a few questions being answered by our comrades hopefully growing support for this years coming local and London GLA elections which we may see some interesting results.
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Pensions battle, fight must go on
This week is turning out as expected in many ways. As i blogged earlier in the week how big this week could be it looks like going to form at this moment in time. The unison exec seem to be recommending their members accept the governments rotten deal and will eitehr ballot for this or simply accept i ti imagine. Its not all lost on the unison front but it doesnt look promising either.
But what i wanted to stress is that this is not the end and we must remain as united as we possibly can. The government has tried to split us and split us in part it has but there is still a great determination from a lot of trade unionistrs and workers to continue the fight. Especially from more left leaning unions like the PCS etc.
No doubt the governments plans to try and isolate the PCS have backfired with other unions including Unite, NIPSA, POA, UCU and the possibility of the NUT joining the growing group of rejectionist unions. I quite like that term. These are the unions which i do hope who will branch out to unions fighting pension battles in the private sector with news of Unilever set to strike too to link the battles and carry on the fight.
Of course as i have previously stated the tactics will be important to get right and judging the mood properly is key too.
I wouldnt suggest anything at this time of tactics that will be for each union to decide what they do of course but there does need to be some sort of co-ordination and unity built again with the remaining unions willing to fight.
As was said at the PCS left unity conference last weekend if there are further strikes with the remaining unions not to accept this shoddy rotten deal from the government and further industrial action is called this could make things very difficult for Unison as if there are pickets it will put a lot of pressure on unison and their members not to cross those picket lines by other unions. This will be another key to racking up the pressure on the union high bureaucracy to rejoin the battle. Just like with the strikes on June the 30th last year many unison members will be asking themselves why are we not out on strike causing a knock on affect inside the union movement.
What also could be interesting is if Unison do go all the way and sell out their members what affect that has on the contiousness of the members of that union. Will they loose lots of members to say unite ? it is entirely possible that that could happen if Unison is not careful.
Please lets not un do all that great work for N30. It was right to strike then and it is still right to reject this deal on pensions and keep on fighting. Lets unite with public and private sector workers and fight for fair pensions or all and not back down untill we do!
But what i wanted to stress is that this is not the end and we must remain as united as we possibly can. The government has tried to split us and split us in part it has but there is still a great determination from a lot of trade unionistrs and workers to continue the fight. Especially from more left leaning unions like the PCS etc.
No doubt the governments plans to try and isolate the PCS have backfired with other unions including Unite, NIPSA, POA, UCU and the possibility of the NUT joining the growing group of rejectionist unions. I quite like that term. These are the unions which i do hope who will branch out to unions fighting pension battles in the private sector with news of Unilever set to strike too to link the battles and carry on the fight.
Of course as i have previously stated the tactics will be important to get right and judging the mood properly is key too.
I wouldnt suggest anything at this time of tactics that will be for each union to decide what they do of course but there does need to be some sort of co-ordination and unity built again with the remaining unions willing to fight.
As was said at the PCS left unity conference last weekend if there are further strikes with the remaining unions not to accept this shoddy rotten deal from the government and further industrial action is called this could make things very difficult for Unison as if there are pickets it will put a lot of pressure on unison and their members not to cross those picket lines by other unions. This will be another key to racking up the pressure on the union high bureaucracy to rejoin the battle. Just like with the strikes on June the 30th last year many unison members will be asking themselves why are we not out on strike causing a knock on affect inside the union movement.
What also could be interesting is if Unison do go all the way and sell out their members what affect that has on the contiousness of the members of that union. Will they loose lots of members to say unite ? it is entirely possible that that could happen if Unison is not careful.
Please lets not un do all that great work for N30. It was right to strike then and it is still right to reject this deal on pensions and keep on fighting. Lets unite with public and private sector workers and fight for fair pensions or all and not back down untill we do!
Monday, 5 December 2011
Unite the union opens up to the unemployed and marginalised
Less than one week after the biggest strike in generations, the country’s biggest union is launching a new membership scheme to ensure those pushed to the margins of society can benefit from collective power.
Unite’s new community membership will offer the unemployed, students and all those not in employment the opportunity to become part of one of the most powerful forces for equality in the country. For just 50p per week, community members will have access to financial and legal expertise, as well as the support of up to one and a half million fellow members when standing up for their local services.
Community members will be developed as community activists, bringing together people across their locality who have felt left down or excluded by politics to ensure that they too have a voice at a time of economic turmoil and social change for the nation.
Launching the scheme, Unite’s general secretary, Len McCluskey said:
“This scheme could transform trade unionism in the UK. It comes at a time when horrific cuts and ideological social changes are pushing more and more people to the margins.
“Last week we had the mass action by public servants fighting for pensions justice. Only 24 hours before that, the Chancellor told the country that under his government the attacks on the incomes and services of the ordinary people of this country will continue until 2017. This is a government of the few.
“These are terrible times for ordinary people, but we want to send them a message of hope. So we say now to the millions unemployed, including the young people wasted on the dole and worried for their future, in Unite you have a home. Our mission is your mission – fairness, dignity, respect and strong communities.
“It is time now for those on the margins to organise, to come together to challenge the decisions made by the elite in the interests of the few. This is the real Big Society - ordinary people organising for themselves - in action.”
The Unite community membership is available to students, the unemployed and all others not in work for whatever reason costing just 50p a week. The scheme offers members a range of financial benefits and services, including a legal advice helpline, a welfare benefits check-up, debt counselling, assistance with CVs, application forms, and interviews and hardship grants.
For information on the scheme email: community@unitetheunion.org or call the Community Membership information line 0333 240 9798 (calls chargeable at normal landline rates) or visit http://www.unitetheunion.org/community
I think this is excellent newsws and opens the way for students, unemployed and those on low incomes to join a union and get involved in trade unions and the labour movement.
Its about time this kind of scheme is rolled out. In the 80's i understand there were similar ideas during the struggles over the poll tax for people to organise in anti poll tax unions. This is a similar idea but gives ordinary working class people a voice if not in work.
I have heard many critisisms of trade unions from people being hurt by the cuts saying the unions will only defend those in work and dont care about the disabled, students or any of us who dont work. This move by Unite is a step forward and aims to reach those people who claim trade unions are not for everyone.
Trade unions can be for all and united and organised we can win. As N30 showed the collective power of the organised working class can win and together we are stronger for it.
As a comrade informed me at a recent jarrow march meeting if this does take off it would only require trade unionists standing for elections and we have a new workers party by default. This idea is one step from forming that new workers party.
This is why i'm really encouraged by this move by unite gets ordinary peoples voices heard and hopefully can shift this union into action in opposing all cuts not just some cuts which is the current labour line.
The mass of people joining i would also hope in dragging Unite away from labour and their "too far too fast" line on cuts. The more we organise and get involved the greater our voice.
Telling others that we must oppose all cuts and not a single cut is needed and popularising that idea will be a great step forward.
So i welcoem this idea and hope many people take up unites very reasonable offer.
Unite’s new community membership will offer the unemployed, students and all those not in employment the opportunity to become part of one of the most powerful forces for equality in the country. For just 50p per week, community members will have access to financial and legal expertise, as well as the support of up to one and a half million fellow members when standing up for their local services.
Community members will be developed as community activists, bringing together people across their locality who have felt left down or excluded by politics to ensure that they too have a voice at a time of economic turmoil and social change for the nation.
Launching the scheme, Unite’s general secretary, Len McCluskey said:
“This scheme could transform trade unionism in the UK. It comes at a time when horrific cuts and ideological social changes are pushing more and more people to the margins.
“Last week we had the mass action by public servants fighting for pensions justice. Only 24 hours before that, the Chancellor told the country that under his government the attacks on the incomes and services of the ordinary people of this country will continue until 2017. This is a government of the few.
“These are terrible times for ordinary people, but we want to send them a message of hope. So we say now to the millions unemployed, including the young people wasted on the dole and worried for their future, in Unite you have a home. Our mission is your mission – fairness, dignity, respect and strong communities.
“It is time now for those on the margins to organise, to come together to challenge the decisions made by the elite in the interests of the few. This is the real Big Society - ordinary people organising for themselves - in action.”
The Unite community membership is available to students, the unemployed and all others not in work for whatever reason costing just 50p a week. The scheme offers members a range of financial benefits and services, including a legal advice helpline, a welfare benefits check-up, debt counselling, assistance with CVs, application forms, and interviews and hardship grants.
For information on the scheme email: community@unitetheunion.org or call the Community Membership information line 0333 240 9798 (calls chargeable at normal landline rates) or visit http://www.unitetheunion.org/community
I think this is excellent newsws and opens the way for students, unemployed and those on low incomes to join a union and get involved in trade unions and the labour movement.
Its about time this kind of scheme is rolled out. In the 80's i understand there were similar ideas during the struggles over the poll tax for people to organise in anti poll tax unions. This is a similar idea but gives ordinary working class people a voice if not in work.
I have heard many critisisms of trade unions from people being hurt by the cuts saying the unions will only defend those in work and dont care about the disabled, students or any of us who dont work. This move by Unite is a step forward and aims to reach those people who claim trade unions are not for everyone.
Trade unions can be for all and united and organised we can win. As N30 showed the collective power of the organised working class can win and together we are stronger for it.
As a comrade informed me at a recent jarrow march meeting if this does take off it would only require trade unionists standing for elections and we have a new workers party by default. This idea is one step from forming that new workers party.
This is why i'm really encouraged by this move by unite gets ordinary peoples voices heard and hopefully can shift this union into action in opposing all cuts not just some cuts which is the current labour line.
The mass of people joining i would also hope in dragging Unite away from labour and their "too far too fast" line on cuts. The more we organise and get involved the greater our voice.
Telling others that we must oppose all cuts and not a single cut is needed and popularising that idea will be a great step forward.
So i welcoem this idea and hope many people take up unites very reasonable offer.
Thursday, 1 December 2011
A distinct lack of genuine political debate
In todays modern fast moving ever changing society we find ourselves in a state of low class contiousness due to a lack of struggles up till now as we had been part of a boom time. Things are changing but i wanted to touch on something which has become increasingly clear to me.
The lack of genuine political debate is very evident to me. The fact that all political parties the main ones i mean Labour, tory and Lib dems are very similar in their nature and similar in the system they support. The exploititive system of capitalism. Some support it more than others but be under no doubt none want to do away with it or even begin to discuss if there is a better way for all of us.
There is multiple reasons why i think this is. They all wish to manage capitalism the best and each election they battle with eachother on tiny differences in who can manage capitalism better than the other. New labour did do a good job of this from a capitalist point of view they helped the rich get even richer than ever before giving tax cuts to the rich and deregulating the banks.
The lack of a genuine voice for workers and working class people and the poor is very striking i feel. Not that a mass workers party would find it any easier to get their ideas out ther as the mass media is still owned and controlled by the rich capitalist barons.
But having a mass party of workers organised in trade unions too all standing up for workers and popularising other ideas like socialism and socialist ideas such as a shorter working week with no loss of pay, a mass affordable house building scheme to tackle our shortage of affordable homes for all, nationalisation of the commanding heights of the economy and major utilities including energy water etc. All of these ideas could be given a mass hearing if a new workers party was formed.
The fact is we have to try doubley hard to get our ideas out ther to people. People still read papers like the sun and the daily mail sadly it is not about condemning them for daring to read such papers that is their choice but about us engaging with them and steering their ideas in a friendly socialist manner. Asking them questions and engaging in real debate is waht is needed.
Take BBC question time on a thursday night meant to be the highlight of the week and the height of political debate. I frankly do not see any debate on there at all anymore. You have lib dems, tories and labour all argueing who can screw over the poor the most. None of them speak up for ordinary workers and any questions an audience asks they are baffled with science and fobbed off. This is not good enough and a change is needed.
Such ideas of socialism and trade unionism have been down trodden for years and years and it will take a while to get the ideas back into peoples minds. Big struggles like strikes on november the 30th and more like that will do wonders to increasing peoples understanding and contiousness of the unfair world around us that we live under.
Having our own media will be a start i feel. In the socialist party we produce our own weekly paper produced by working class people for working class people not for a profit but to spread the ideas of our party and to popularise ideas that can improve the situation we all live under.
The wealth is there in society we in Britain are one of the worlds richest nations i simply do not accept there is no money left. There is if it is distributed fairly among all in society not concentrated among a elite few.
The lack of genuine political debate is very evident to me. The fact that all political parties the main ones i mean Labour, tory and Lib dems are very similar in their nature and similar in the system they support. The exploititive system of capitalism. Some support it more than others but be under no doubt none want to do away with it or even begin to discuss if there is a better way for all of us.
There is multiple reasons why i think this is. They all wish to manage capitalism the best and each election they battle with eachother on tiny differences in who can manage capitalism better than the other. New labour did do a good job of this from a capitalist point of view they helped the rich get even richer than ever before giving tax cuts to the rich and deregulating the banks.
The lack of a genuine voice for workers and working class people and the poor is very striking i feel. Not that a mass workers party would find it any easier to get their ideas out ther as the mass media is still owned and controlled by the rich capitalist barons.
But having a mass party of workers organised in trade unions too all standing up for workers and popularising other ideas like socialism and socialist ideas such as a shorter working week with no loss of pay, a mass affordable house building scheme to tackle our shortage of affordable homes for all, nationalisation of the commanding heights of the economy and major utilities including energy water etc. All of these ideas could be given a mass hearing if a new workers party was formed.
The fact is we have to try doubley hard to get our ideas out ther to people. People still read papers like the sun and the daily mail sadly it is not about condemning them for daring to read such papers that is their choice but about us engaging with them and steering their ideas in a friendly socialist manner. Asking them questions and engaging in real debate is waht is needed.
Take BBC question time on a thursday night meant to be the highlight of the week and the height of political debate. I frankly do not see any debate on there at all anymore. You have lib dems, tories and labour all argueing who can screw over the poor the most. None of them speak up for ordinary workers and any questions an audience asks they are baffled with science and fobbed off. This is not good enough and a change is needed.
Such ideas of socialism and trade unionism have been down trodden for years and years and it will take a while to get the ideas back into peoples minds. Big struggles like strikes on november the 30th and more like that will do wonders to increasing peoples understanding and contiousness of the unfair world around us that we live under.
Having our own media will be a start i feel. In the socialist party we produce our own weekly paper produced by working class people for working class people not for a profit but to spread the ideas of our party and to popularise ideas that can improve the situation we all live under.
The wealth is there in society we in Britain are one of the worlds richest nations i simply do not accept there is no money left. There is if it is distributed fairly among all in society not concentrated among a elite few.
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Lord Prescot comes out to back Milibands plans to reduce union influence in labour even further
Disgustingly one time union man Lord Prescot has today come out in support of Ed Milibands plans to reduce trade union and ordinary working peoples voice in labour even further. A party that ordinary working people have little democratic voice anyway are set to loose even more power and influence. In a drive to reform the labour party apparently.
The former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott has backed plans by the Labour leader, Ed Miliband, to weaken the power of trade unions in Labour party conference votes.
In an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr show on Sunday, Prescott said it was "time for change" because the current rules – which give the unions 50% of the vote at conference – were seen as "loaded" against the interests of ordinary members in constituency parties.
He cited his defeat in a contest to become the party's treasurer last year as one reason why he was in favour of reform.
Despite winning a clear majority in the constituency section of the contest, he was defeated by the union candidate, Diana Holland, after she won almost 100% of the votes cast by unions.
Prescott is normally perceived as a champion of union interests, and his support will help Miliband in what is likely to be the toughest battle he has faced to reform his party since winning the leadership last year. Even Tony Blair balked at giving the unions less than half the vote at conference.
Prescott said proposing changes to Labour's constitution was "always controversial", but insisted Milband was right to address the issue.
"There is a feeling in the constituencies that perhaps the power of the trade unions has been loaded a bit against the constituencies," he said.
"When I stood for treasurer, I got 63% of the actual votes of the constituencies and hardly anything from the unions because three or four general secretaries decided I wasn't going to be the one and therefore didn't ballot their members. So it's time for change."
Prescott suggested Miliband's move was similar to John Smith's decision to introduce one member, one vote for the selection of parliamentary candidates in 1993.
"There may be resistance to [Miliband's plans] – there was against one member, one vote – and then the conference will make a decision," said Prescott, who helped Smith win one member, one vote with a passionate speech that became famous both for its incoherence and its effectiveness.
He also called Miliband "a man of reform". Dismissing suggestions that the Labour leader was failing to make an impact, he added: "If you're the leader of the Labour party and you want to make change, it'll take you more than a week ... he has only been in the job for 12 months, but he has made some headway."
Miliband has been privately discussing plans with the unions. As the Guardian revealed last week, one plan is for Labour's national policy forum to get a share of the vote at conference, thus diluting the unions' influence.
In a further move that could antagonise the unions, Miliband wants to change the rules for the election of Labour's leader. One idea that has been floated is for registered supporters to get a vote.
All this adds up to further attacks on ordinary working class political support. who have very little say in how the labour party is run and what policies are formed. By reducing the unions influence even furtehr Labour can press ahead with embracing capitalism even further. Just last week they appointed a senior advisor from Goldman Sach's a capitalist organisation in the stock and bonds markets. It just shows which direction the labour party are heading even more. If it is not clear to workers that labour do not represent their interests now i fer some may never see it.
Lord Prescot who speaks so much for working class people who was once a trade union official and found his way into labour that way which is rare these days is looking to backlash at those who helped him get where he is t oday. Attacking the unions will backfire on labour as unions eventually in time with a bit of pressure will pull out of funding a party that will not represent them and their members interests on a political stage.
It looks very much like sour grapes and a act of revenge for Lord Prescot to support this reform to the labour party as he is clearly bitter about not winning the election to become treasurer last year.
All too many ego's inside the labour party sadly today at the top and all want to cling to more power to the top not to the bottom. This is anotehr reason why we need a new workers party. Built in the interests of ordinary working class people with true union and socialist policies put forward.
The time for unions to break with labour is coming to all their minds and it is only a matter of time before ordinary members realise this too that the party does not work in their interests at all.
The former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott has backed plans by the Labour leader, Ed Miliband, to weaken the power of trade unions in Labour party conference votes.
In an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr show on Sunday, Prescott said it was "time for change" because the current rules – which give the unions 50% of the vote at conference – were seen as "loaded" against the interests of ordinary members in constituency parties.
He cited his defeat in a contest to become the party's treasurer last year as one reason why he was in favour of reform.
Despite winning a clear majority in the constituency section of the contest, he was defeated by the union candidate, Diana Holland, after she won almost 100% of the votes cast by unions.
Prescott is normally perceived as a champion of union interests, and his support will help Miliband in what is likely to be the toughest battle he has faced to reform his party since winning the leadership last year. Even Tony Blair balked at giving the unions less than half the vote at conference.
Prescott said proposing changes to Labour's constitution was "always controversial", but insisted Milband was right to address the issue.
"There is a feeling in the constituencies that perhaps the power of the trade unions has been loaded a bit against the constituencies," he said.
"When I stood for treasurer, I got 63% of the actual votes of the constituencies and hardly anything from the unions because three or four general secretaries decided I wasn't going to be the one and therefore didn't ballot their members. So it's time for change."
Prescott suggested Miliband's move was similar to John Smith's decision to introduce one member, one vote for the selection of parliamentary candidates in 1993.
"There may be resistance to [Miliband's plans] – there was against one member, one vote – and then the conference will make a decision," said Prescott, who helped Smith win one member, one vote with a passionate speech that became famous both for its incoherence and its effectiveness.
He also called Miliband "a man of reform". Dismissing suggestions that the Labour leader was failing to make an impact, he added: "If you're the leader of the Labour party and you want to make change, it'll take you more than a week ... he has only been in the job for 12 months, but he has made some headway."
Miliband has been privately discussing plans with the unions. As the Guardian revealed last week, one plan is for Labour's national policy forum to get a share of the vote at conference, thus diluting the unions' influence.
In a further move that could antagonise the unions, Miliband wants to change the rules for the election of Labour's leader. One idea that has been floated is for registered supporters to get a vote.
All this adds up to further attacks on ordinary working class political support. who have very little say in how the labour party is run and what policies are formed. By reducing the unions influence even furtehr Labour can press ahead with embracing capitalism even further. Just last week they appointed a senior advisor from Goldman Sach's a capitalist organisation in the stock and bonds markets. It just shows which direction the labour party are heading even more. If it is not clear to workers that labour do not represent their interests now i fer some may never see it.
Lord Prescot who speaks so much for working class people who was once a trade union official and found his way into labour that way which is rare these days is looking to backlash at those who helped him get where he is t oday. Attacking the unions will backfire on labour as unions eventually in time with a bit of pressure will pull out of funding a party that will not represent them and their members interests on a political stage.
It looks very much like sour grapes and a act of revenge for Lord Prescot to support this reform to the labour party as he is clearly bitter about not winning the election to become treasurer last year.
All too many ego's inside the labour party sadly today at the top and all want to cling to more power to the top not to the bottom. This is anotehr reason why we need a new workers party. Built in the interests of ordinary working class people with true union and socialist policies put forward.
The time for unions to break with labour is coming to all their minds and it is only a matter of time before ordinary members realise this too that the party does not work in their interests at all.
Tuesday, 12 July 2011
The labour party of 2011, Prospects for regaining the party, or not ?
In this two part mini series i will look at the political landscape for working class people today in Britain. We as the working class are coming under increasing attacks from austerity measures from the capitalists across the globe who want to make us pay fora crisis we did not make.
There is much opposition to this already and it will only grow i feel. But as a situation develops it could be dangerous i feel if a political voice and alternative is not found for the workers.
At present in Britain we have 3 capitalist parties. Tories, Lib dems and Labour, who are the main 3.
The question of the Labour party is a debate which will not go away on the left and in socialist circles.
Can it be regained is the question we often ask ourselves. There are some on the left who do still believe so. Includinga small sect within the labour party left known as the LRC fronted by John Mcdonnell. John and Jeremy Corbin are the two main faces of this group and are apparently socialists in parliament. Despite them too taking all the expenses they can get and not taking the average skilled workers wage as Dave Nellist and Terry Fields both of Militant in the 80's did.
But this is not my point.
Here we examine whether the labour party can be regained by the workers to turn it into a major force for the working class. To have a voice to counter the arguements of the capitalists is key. At present there is no one to do this on a mass scale.
We in the socialist party formally Militant used to be in the Labour party of course but were expelled in the late 80's for fighting for working class interests.
Also we as the socialist party are not sectarian as is often leveled at us for various unfair reasons. We are not dogmatic at all and if the Labour party was by some stroke of the imagination was regained for the workers and we only believe this can happen with a mass influx of workers into the party we will clearly welcome this with open arms. We will not refuse to work with them just as they are labour we will be pleased.
But to do this would take a lot as we look at now.
In the second piece of this two part series we will look at the alternatives to Labour and what we could do if for whatever reason and there are many the labour party could not be regained for the workers.
"The Labour Party died on Thursday." This was how one letter to the Guardian on 1 July, the day after the biggest strike action in decades, summed up the feelings of millions about Labour leader Ed Miliband's condemnation of the strikes.
To add insult to injury Miliband, having condemned the strike, was then photographed in parliament laughing over a cup of tea with Cameron and Clegg, while the pickets stood outside.
In reality, the Labour Party, as a vehicle for the interests of the working class, died long ago. Under Blair the party was transformed from a capitalist workers' party - with a capitalist leadership but a working class base that could influence the party via its democratic structures - into a capitalist party.
However, Miliband's statement has brought the pro-capitalist reality of New Labour home to millions. Another letter to the Guardian on 1 July drew the conclusion that many others will also be pondering: "Surely it is time for a new party to represent workers and hold true to the values many of us thought Labour was supposed to represent."
The death of political parties is being widely predicted by capitalist commentators. The real reason for their shrinking membership, however, was mentioned as an aside by Anthony King in the Financial Times (2 July): "differences among the main parties have narrowed, sometimes to vanishing point. Few socialist parties exist any longer, and only the tiniest fringe parties talk the language of political struggle."
King went on to say that the continued decline of party memberships is inevitable. In the past, he states, politics was a matter of "warfare... between classes, nations, races and religious denominations" but in Europe today, he says, this is no longer true.
Class war
It is true that the differences between the establishment political parties has narrowed to vanishing point, but the gap between them and the views of the majority of the population has never been wider.
If King was to ask any public sector worker in Britain, or benefit claimant, or library user, or student if political "warfare" was a thing of the past they would be able to tell him about the vicious class war being conducted by this government against them.
King concludes: "Who in 2011 would dream of christening... a party 'the Labour Party'? The very idea is anachronistic". Given the recent history of the Labour Party in cutting and privatising services and opposing strikes it is very unlikely anyone would give a new workers' party that name, but a mass party that stood for the majority - for the working class, the poor, the young - would, far from being "anachronistic", be enormously popular.
The Socialist Party participates in the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC www.tusc.org.uk) an electoral alliance involving leading militant trade unionists from the RMT, PCS and NUT.
TUSC plays an important role, enabling trade unionists, community campaigners and socialists to stand candidates against the pro-austerity consensus of the capitalist parties.
For the Socialist Party TUSC is also part of a campaign, which we have waged for well over a decade, for the trade unions to stop funding Labour and to begin to build a new party that stands in the interests of working class people. Both the objective need and potential for such a party has never been greater than it is today.
At the 30 June London strike rally Mary Bousted, the general secretary of the ATL, the most 'moderate' union to take part in the strike, attacked the Labour leadership which is "laughingly called an opposition". She called on trade unionists to 'do it for themselves' (see pages 8 and 9), receiving the biggest cheer of the whole rally.
If any platform speaker had argued for trade unionists to do it for themselves - by striking but also by standing in elections on a clear anti-cuts programme, it would have had a huge response.
Break the Link
None of the unions that went on strike on 30 June are affiliated to the Labour Party. This year's PCS conference agreed that, within the next twelve months, a full membership ballot would be held "to decide whether the union could stand or support candidates in national elections".
If that ballot is passed it will be a major step forward for the trade union movement and would open the possibility of a trade union based electoral alternative on a wider scale.
It is true that the leaders of some of the Labour-affiliated trade unions, particularly Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite, have argued for a major campaign to reclaim the Labour Party, rather than founding a new party.
Mistakenly there were hopes that Ed Miliband's leadership would represent a step in this direction. On the contrary, as we warned, Miliband's leadership is a continuation of New Labour.
For the trade unions to reclaim Labour would require a mass influx of trade unionists into the party. We don't think that this can be achieved: the main response of trade unionists to Miliband's condemnation of the strike is not to join the Labour Party to change it but to turn away from the Labour Party in disgust. We argue for Unite to stop funding New Labour and to begin to build a new party.
Serious campaign
Nonetheless, a serious campaign to reclaim New Labour by affiliated trade unions would be a huge step forward on the current policy of the majority of the union leaders of clinging to the coat-tails of the Labour leadership.
Such a campaign would have to demand that Labour adopts a socialist programme. Key demands would include the repeal of all the anti-trade union laws and opposition to all cuts in public services, not just in words but in action.
It would be necessary to demand that Labour councils stop wielding the axe and instead 'take the Liverpool road', that is to follow the example of Liverpool City Council in the 1980s; refusing to implement cuts and mobilising the workforce and population in a mass campaign in their support.
It would also be necessary to demand that the pro-capitalist leaders be expelled from the party. Linked to this would be the rebuilding of democracy within the Labour Party, which is currently non-existent at national level.
The trade unions, the main funders of New Labour, no longer even have the right to move motions at the toothless annual conference. Yet Miliband is threatening to get rid of even the few tiny remnants of workers' democracy that still exist, including the election of the shadow cabinet.
We do not think that a campaign to reclaim New Labour could succeed. However, we are not inflexible; were it to be effective we would turn towards such a development.
Equally, if we are proved correct, the affiliated trade unions would need to draw the conclusion that New Labour could not be reclaimed and join with those workers who are fighting for the formation of a new party.
Such a party, in contrast to the shrinking membership of all the capitalist parties, would grow rapidly.
There is much opposition to this already and it will only grow i feel. But as a situation develops it could be dangerous i feel if a political voice and alternative is not found for the workers.
At present in Britain we have 3 capitalist parties. Tories, Lib dems and Labour, who are the main 3.
The question of the Labour party is a debate which will not go away on the left and in socialist circles.
Can it be regained is the question we often ask ourselves. There are some on the left who do still believe so. Includinga small sect within the labour party left known as the LRC fronted by John Mcdonnell. John and Jeremy Corbin are the two main faces of this group and are apparently socialists in parliament. Despite them too taking all the expenses they can get and not taking the average skilled workers wage as Dave Nellist and Terry Fields both of Militant in the 80's did.
But this is not my point.
Here we examine whether the labour party can be regained by the workers to turn it into a major force for the working class. To have a voice to counter the arguements of the capitalists is key. At present there is no one to do this on a mass scale.
We in the socialist party formally Militant used to be in the Labour party of course but were expelled in the late 80's for fighting for working class interests.
Also we as the socialist party are not sectarian as is often leveled at us for various unfair reasons. We are not dogmatic at all and if the Labour party was by some stroke of the imagination was regained for the workers and we only believe this can happen with a mass influx of workers into the party we will clearly welcome this with open arms. We will not refuse to work with them just as they are labour we will be pleased.
But to do this would take a lot as we look at now.
In the second piece of this two part series we will look at the alternatives to Labour and what we could do if for whatever reason and there are many the labour party could not be regained for the workers.
"The Labour Party died on Thursday." This was how one letter to the Guardian on 1 July, the day after the biggest strike action in decades, summed up the feelings of millions about Labour leader Ed Miliband's condemnation of the strikes.
To add insult to injury Miliband, having condemned the strike, was then photographed in parliament laughing over a cup of tea with Cameron and Clegg, while the pickets stood outside.
In reality, the Labour Party, as a vehicle for the interests of the working class, died long ago. Under Blair the party was transformed from a capitalist workers' party - with a capitalist leadership but a working class base that could influence the party via its democratic structures - into a capitalist party.
However, Miliband's statement has brought the pro-capitalist reality of New Labour home to millions. Another letter to the Guardian on 1 July drew the conclusion that many others will also be pondering: "Surely it is time for a new party to represent workers and hold true to the values many of us thought Labour was supposed to represent."
The death of political parties is being widely predicted by capitalist commentators. The real reason for their shrinking membership, however, was mentioned as an aside by Anthony King in the Financial Times (2 July): "differences among the main parties have narrowed, sometimes to vanishing point. Few socialist parties exist any longer, and only the tiniest fringe parties talk the language of political struggle."
King went on to say that the continued decline of party memberships is inevitable. In the past, he states, politics was a matter of "warfare... between classes, nations, races and religious denominations" but in Europe today, he says, this is no longer true.
Class war
It is true that the differences between the establishment political parties has narrowed to vanishing point, but the gap between them and the views of the majority of the population has never been wider.
If King was to ask any public sector worker in Britain, or benefit claimant, or library user, or student if political "warfare" was a thing of the past they would be able to tell him about the vicious class war being conducted by this government against them.
King concludes: "Who in 2011 would dream of christening... a party 'the Labour Party'? The very idea is anachronistic". Given the recent history of the Labour Party in cutting and privatising services and opposing strikes it is very unlikely anyone would give a new workers' party that name, but a mass party that stood for the majority - for the working class, the poor, the young - would, far from being "anachronistic", be enormously popular.
The Socialist Party participates in the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC www.tusc.org.uk) an electoral alliance involving leading militant trade unionists from the RMT, PCS and NUT.
TUSC plays an important role, enabling trade unionists, community campaigners and socialists to stand candidates against the pro-austerity consensus of the capitalist parties.
For the Socialist Party TUSC is also part of a campaign, which we have waged for well over a decade, for the trade unions to stop funding Labour and to begin to build a new party that stands in the interests of working class people. Both the objective need and potential for such a party has never been greater than it is today.
At the 30 June London strike rally Mary Bousted, the general secretary of the ATL, the most 'moderate' union to take part in the strike, attacked the Labour leadership which is "laughingly called an opposition". She called on trade unionists to 'do it for themselves' (see pages 8 and 9), receiving the biggest cheer of the whole rally.
If any platform speaker had argued for trade unionists to do it for themselves - by striking but also by standing in elections on a clear anti-cuts programme, it would have had a huge response.
Break the Link
None of the unions that went on strike on 30 June are affiliated to the Labour Party. This year's PCS conference agreed that, within the next twelve months, a full membership ballot would be held "to decide whether the union could stand or support candidates in national elections".
If that ballot is passed it will be a major step forward for the trade union movement and would open the possibility of a trade union based electoral alternative on a wider scale.
It is true that the leaders of some of the Labour-affiliated trade unions, particularly Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite, have argued for a major campaign to reclaim the Labour Party, rather than founding a new party.
Mistakenly there were hopes that Ed Miliband's leadership would represent a step in this direction. On the contrary, as we warned, Miliband's leadership is a continuation of New Labour.
For the trade unions to reclaim Labour would require a mass influx of trade unionists into the party. We don't think that this can be achieved: the main response of trade unionists to Miliband's condemnation of the strike is not to join the Labour Party to change it but to turn away from the Labour Party in disgust. We argue for Unite to stop funding New Labour and to begin to build a new party.
Serious campaign
Nonetheless, a serious campaign to reclaim New Labour by affiliated trade unions would be a huge step forward on the current policy of the majority of the union leaders of clinging to the coat-tails of the Labour leadership.
Such a campaign would have to demand that Labour adopts a socialist programme. Key demands would include the repeal of all the anti-trade union laws and opposition to all cuts in public services, not just in words but in action.
It would be necessary to demand that Labour councils stop wielding the axe and instead 'take the Liverpool road', that is to follow the example of Liverpool City Council in the 1980s; refusing to implement cuts and mobilising the workforce and population in a mass campaign in their support.
It would also be necessary to demand that the pro-capitalist leaders be expelled from the party. Linked to this would be the rebuilding of democracy within the Labour Party, which is currently non-existent at national level.
The trade unions, the main funders of New Labour, no longer even have the right to move motions at the toothless annual conference. Yet Miliband is threatening to get rid of even the few tiny remnants of workers' democracy that still exist, including the election of the shadow cabinet.
We do not think that a campaign to reclaim New Labour could succeed. However, we are not inflexible; were it to be effective we would turn towards such a development.
Equally, if we are proved correct, the affiliated trade unions would need to draw the conclusion that New Labour could not be reclaimed and join with those workers who are fighting for the formation of a new party.
Such a party, in contrast to the shrinking membership of all the capitalist parties, would grow rapidly.
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