For a fighting union leadership!
After the shenanigans of the election campaigns of the last few weeks, another election starts on 17 May - the election of Unison's general secretary. This gives 1.4 million workers the chance to vote for a fighting, militant leadership, and thereby the chance to influence events, which is more than most of them got in the general election.
Roger Bannister, candidate for Unison general secretary
After the "dirty deal" to install the ConDem government, which has pledged to make £6 billion cuts in public services this year and emphasised minimal tax increases for their rich friends, workers, especially public sector workers, have to take stock, to assess the mettle of their leaders.
The union leaders are using the understandable shock and fear at the return of the Tories to avoid facing up to the failings of the last Labour government. A circular to branches from current general secretary Dave Prentis pledges to "fight tooth and nail" to protect members and their jobs. But this rhetoric is in stark contrast to what the leadership did to protect members during the last government.
The Unison right wing have already started re-writing history. A Policy Committee right winger plus a senior official criticised me when I pointed out that even if Labour had won the election we would still have had to fight. They claimed that Unison had been successful in getting public sector pensions protected in the Labour manifesto. But the main statement in the manifesto on public sector pensions was the ominous pledge to make: "tough decisions on public sector pensions to cap the taxpayer's liability, saving £1 billion per annum."
The debates in the general election were artificial. All the main parties lied about the extent of the cuts they would make, about avoiding redundancies, despite the fact that they were already happening, and drew the false distinction between "front line" and "back office" services.
The scale of the proposed cuts will massively increase redundancies and accelerate privatisation. But workers are angry and prepared to fight and the example of the Greek workers is not going unnoticed.
The legal rulings against striking workers at BA and elsewhere over the last few months pose major obstacles that will have to be defied at some stage. It is true that the pressure of workers from below could eventually push the trade union leaders beyond their rhetoric. But what most of them won't do is lead now, prepare workers to struggle now and build unity across unions now. This runs the risk of dissipated, disunited action, lacking overall impact, or even no action at all.
National action is needed to defend Unison members' jobs, pay and pensions and we need a general secretary who will lead such a struggle.
Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Mistaken occupation of British Airways talks
The defeat of Willie Walsh and the brutish British Airways (BA) management is the most important aspect to this dispute.
It is therefore unfortunate that the reported decision of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) members at the end of the Right to Work Conference to invade talks between British Airways management and Unite has partially obscured this issue.
This occupation was completely mistaken.
Whatever the nature of the deal being negotiated it is not for a group like the SWP to decide to break up talks.
Cabin crew
A decision to accept or reject a deal is solely the property of cabin crew and their democratically elected representatives.
In an industrial dispute the final decision on tactics to confront the employer must always rest with the strikers themselves.
Socialists can assist by sharing experiences and ideas in past disputes and building support and solidarity for the strike among the general public.
This has always been the method of the Socialist Party. We will offer our opinion on the course of a dispute to workers but we believe that any initiative taken in support of a dispute should be taken in consultation with the workers themselves.
Key task
A key task for socialists and trade union activists is to raise the confidence of workers to fight not to substitute themselves for workers in struggle.
This will mistakenly create the impression that a special minority of activists will do the fighting leaving workers as bystanders.
The Socialist Party stands for the maximum control of workers over their dispute.
It is the view of the Socialist Party that the actions of the SWP on Saturday was not in the best interests of striking cabin crew workers.
Such tactics will prove to be counter-productive. It is the mass action of cabin crew through their union that is the key to defeating Walsh, not the actions of a self appointed minority.
Despite this we are totally opposed to any victimisation of those who mistakenly took part in this protest.
The priority for all workers in the trade union movement now is to support the cabin crew workers against Walsh and BA management.
It is therefore unfortunate that the reported decision of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) members at the end of the Right to Work Conference to invade talks between British Airways management and Unite has partially obscured this issue.
This occupation was completely mistaken.
Whatever the nature of the deal being negotiated it is not for a group like the SWP to decide to break up talks.
Cabin crew
A decision to accept or reject a deal is solely the property of cabin crew and their democratically elected representatives.
In an industrial dispute the final decision on tactics to confront the employer must always rest with the strikers themselves.
Socialists can assist by sharing experiences and ideas in past disputes and building support and solidarity for the strike among the general public.
This has always been the method of the Socialist Party. We will offer our opinion on the course of a dispute to workers but we believe that any initiative taken in support of a dispute should be taken in consultation with the workers themselves.
Key task
A key task for socialists and trade union activists is to raise the confidence of workers to fight not to substitute themselves for workers in struggle.
This will mistakenly create the impression that a special minority of activists will do the fighting leaving workers as bystanders.
The Socialist Party stands for the maximum control of workers over their dispute.
It is the view of the Socialist Party that the actions of the SWP on Saturday was not in the best interests of striking cabin crew workers.
Such tactics will prove to be counter-productive. It is the mass action of cabin crew through their union that is the key to defeating Walsh, not the actions of a self appointed minority.
Despite this we are totally opposed to any victimisation of those who mistakenly took part in this protest.
The priority for all workers in the trade union movement now is to support the cabin crew workers against Walsh and BA management.
Thursday, 13 May 2010
Vote Roger Bannister
Ballot papers will be going out soon in the election for Unison general secretary. Nearly 1.4 million workers in local councils, the health service, police, fire service, voluntary sector, universities, colleges and privatised utilities will be voting for a new leader.
Socialist Party member Roger Bannister is standing against the current general secretary, Dave Prentis and a third candidate, Paul Holmes.
Whichever government takes power the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems have all promised to make massive cuts at the behest of the financial markets and as usual it is ordinary working class people who will be expected to pay the price with job losses, pay freezes and attacks on pensions.
In a recent interview in the Financial Times Dave Prentis has already concluded that: "An attack on pensions would provoke a national strike" but "it is unlikely that we would take national industrial action over jobs". He also reported that "union negotiators are being trained in public procurement negotiations and local government and health finances. The idea is to go through an employer's books and suggest alternative ways to make savings."
In contrast, Roger Bannister argues that national action is needed to defend members' jobs, pay and pensions so that branches are not left to fight these battles on their own. Union leaders should not suggest how and where to make cuts!
If elected Roger will lead a campaign in Unison to stop these attacks and join with other public sector unions to defend jobs and pensions.
Roger is the only candidate who opposes Unison funding the Labour Party and supports the building of a new trade union based party.
Unlike Roger, the other two candidates, Dave Prentis and Paul Holmes, are members of the Labour Party. Unison members have suffered for too long as millions of pounds of their union subs have gone to the Labour Party. In return Labour have attacked their pay, conditions and jobs. As part of this support for Labour, Unison has held back from a real fight against these attacks.
The election period is 17 May-11 June.
Socialist Party member Roger Bannister is standing against the current general secretary, Dave Prentis and a third candidate, Paul Holmes.
Whichever government takes power the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems have all promised to make massive cuts at the behest of the financial markets and as usual it is ordinary working class people who will be expected to pay the price with job losses, pay freezes and attacks on pensions.
In a recent interview in the Financial Times Dave Prentis has already concluded that: "An attack on pensions would provoke a national strike" but "it is unlikely that we would take national industrial action over jobs". He also reported that "union negotiators are being trained in public procurement negotiations and local government and health finances. The idea is to go through an employer's books and suggest alternative ways to make savings."
In contrast, Roger Bannister argues that national action is needed to defend members' jobs, pay and pensions so that branches are not left to fight these battles on their own. Union leaders should not suggest how and where to make cuts!
If elected Roger will lead a campaign in Unison to stop these attacks and join with other public sector unions to defend jobs and pensions.
Roger is the only candidate who opposes Unison funding the Labour Party and supports the building of a new trade union based party.
Unlike Roger, the other two candidates, Dave Prentis and Paul Holmes, are members of the Labour Party. Unison members have suffered for too long as millions of pounds of their union subs have gone to the Labour Party. In return Labour have attacked their pay, conditions and jobs. As part of this support for Labour, Unison has held back from a real fight against these attacks.
The election period is 17 May-11 June.
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Public Meeting - Conway Hall, London, Thursday 13th May
Roger will be speaking at a Socialist Party public meeting on Thursday 13th May at 7:30pm in Conway Hall, Holborn, London.
The meeting will be discussing the results of the general election and what they mean for working people, as well as the UNISON general secretary election which Roger is standing for.
You can view and download a leaflet for the meeting here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/31249670/After-the-election-Prepare-for-battle-www-socialistparty-org-uk
The meeting will be discussing the results of the general election and what they mean for working people, as well as the UNISON general secretary election which Roger is standing for.
You can view and download a leaflet for the meeting here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/31249670/After-the-election-Prepare-for-battle-www-socialistparty-org-uk
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