Labour National Executive Committee Elections

It is perhaps one of the few occasions, as a Labour Party member, when I can vote for socialist candidates in knowledge that there is a more than a fair chance that they will be elected. The continuing success of the leftwing Grassroots alliance, means that the Party machine can never completely expunge the views of the Left of the Party. This year, there is a very strong slate of candidates in the NEC elections for constituency representatives: Ann Black, Ken Livingstone, Kate Osamor, Christine Shawcroft, Darren Williams & Pete Willsman.

Of course to counter this there is a right-wing slate comprised of an uber-Blairite, a right-wing trade unionist and other similar career-minded individuals.

The NEC elections are important in that the rights of members in the constituencies are often steamrollered by the Party machine and it is imperative that we elect representatives who will speak out in defence of internal party democracy.

Without hesitation, I recommend that all Labour Party comrades vote for Black, Livingstone, Osamor, Shawcroft, Williams & Wiilsman,

Is it time to UNITE?

I have been a member of the Public & Commercial Services Unison (PCS) since it was founded in 1998. I did not vote for the merger that formed PCS, due to anti-democratic terms of the merger and the likelihood that the approach and policies of the then very right-wing CPSA leaders would be carried forward into the new union.

The election of Mark Serwotka as PCS General Secretary began the era of the activist led union that we have today. This very nearly did not come to pass, as the outgoing General Secretary mounted a coup to unseat Mark and take the union back to the days of right-wing domination. The coup ultimately failed, and since that time PCS has grown from strength to strength. In recent years, we have taken the high ground in the fightback against the Government’s austerity policies, dragging the TUC and more reluctant unions along behind us.

The PCS has been the most vocal opponent of the Government’s plans to slash public service pensions. The strike on 30^th November 2011 saw the largest number of public sector trade union members out on strike in a generation. Sadly, on 19^th December 2011, the TUC and UNSION leaderships took the decision to accept the Government’s ‘Heads of Agreement’ for public sector pension schemes. Seemingly, the PCS was left alone abandoned by our allies.

Moving forward to 2012, PCS balloted its membership for a national strike on 28^th March, and this was presented on the basis that the action would be taken with other unions. Despite, receiving a commanding majority for the action, PCS’ National Executive called off the action as no other unions were prepared to take national strike action on March 28^th. I, and many other colleagues, felt this was a mistake and to some extent undermined PCS strength as an independent trade union able to pursue its industrial aims on its own should it need to do so. A period of gloom was ended with a successful strike on May 10^th.

Earlier this week, Mark Serwotka addressed the PCS Revenue & Customs Group Conference on the way forward for our pension and other campaigns. I felt that there was a subtext to his comments, which could be interpreted as moving towards a merger with UNITE. He said the pension dispute cannot be won by PCS taking action alone and without the support of other unions. The PCS is now, due to job cuts in the Civil Service, losing both members and subscription income. This means the Union must review its spending and how it undertakes the task of representing members. The threat of privatisation and the introduction of private sector providers to undertake Civil Service, means a further decrease in membership. However, this could be prevented by recruiting the workers in those companies into PCS. We would need the help and experience of unions that organise in the private sector, and guess who that would be – UNITE.

The National PCS Conference has debated a ‘closer working’ agreement with UNITE. In my experience, ‘closer working’ is a preliminary stage before a formal merger. Union mergers have often been driven by financial pressures. In principle, I am not opposed to a merger with UNITE. I would be concerned that PCS’ culture of being an activist or membership led union is at risk from the hierarchical and possibly autocratic set up of UNITE, in which most of the power and decision making is in the hands of National and Regional Full Time Officers.

Martin Terry - Drowning Not Waving?

Firstly, I should say that I have always personally liked Martin Terry. I believe him to be principled, a believer in both democracy and social justice. It is sad therefore, that his letter in today's Echo marks the beginning of the end of the Independent phenomenon in Southend's political scene. He has been abandoned by his erstwhile colleagues, who have thrown their lot in with the Tory administration on Southend Borough Council.

You do not particularly have to be a Marxist, to see that the move to join with the Tories by the 3 Thorpe Bay Independant Councillors is based on a shared class interest. Thorpe Bay has always been one of the wealthiest wards in the Borough. I have never believed that their claim to be "conservative-minded independents" had any credibility whatsoever.

On more a serious level, the Independants have now become the agents of the austerity policies that are devastating this country, Europe and the rest of the World. They have no mandate beyond the parochial concerns of Thorpe Bay, and should not be supporting the Tories in inflicting the Government's cuts in public spending within Southend. But then, their electorate is perhaps less dependant on public services than those of us not fortunate enough to live in the leafy avenues and boulevards of Thorpe Bay.

Martin hits out at the LibDems for not opposing the Tory administration, and claims the mantle of being the main opposition group on the Council. The LibDems, willingly or unwillingly, are joined at the hip with the Tories. The participation of their Party's leadership in the Coalition government, means that are also agents of austerity despite their claims to the contrary. Therefore, the true opposition is now Labour as long as they hold their nerve and oppose the Tories, LibDems and Independents who are committted to cuts and austerity for the majority of people in Southend.