No UNISON witch-hunt!

AS WE go to press, ridiculous accusations are being made at UNISON conference that could be the start of a major witch hunt against Socialist Party members, particularly those on the UNISON executive.

The chair of UNISON's national black members' group interrupted the conference to make allegations of racism regarding a cartoon in a leaflet produced by four UNISON branches, in which Socialist Party members play a major role.

The union president then intervened to say that the executive was already intending to launch an investigation. The leaflet exposed the lack of democracy at the conference, pointing out that over one-third of the resolutions had been dismissed from the agenda, including on issues like election of officials, branch control over industrial action ballots and the union link with New Labour.

It had been distributed by black members of UNISON's Hackney and Greenwich branches as well as others.

Socialist Party members have a proud record of fighting racism and are holding a meeting at the conference to strongly refute the allegations, with Raph Parkinson, a black members' representative on the UNISON executive as a speaker.