Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/581/7356
From The Socialist newspaper, 27 May 2009
Wales TUC conference - no good news for New Labour
The Wales TUC annual conference, from 19- 21 May demonstrated, as in previous years, the failure of New Labour in government to win the support of ordinary trade unionists across Wales.
Andrew Price, delegate, Cardiff trades council
New Labour support was restricted to the top layer of full-time officials. A growing number of lay trade unionists oppose New Labour. The Socialist Party is clearly emerging as the leading force to the left of New Labour in the Welsh trade union movement.
Before the conference started the leadership suffered a defeat in their anti democratic move to shift the conference from an annual to a biennial one (see The Socialist 578). A sheepish Wales TUC general secretary had to announce that the rule change was withdrawn in favour of a "root and branch examination of WTUC structure".
Socialist Party member Rob Williams' name was prominent. As convenor at the Linamar car plant in Swansea, he has been subjected to brutal treatment by plant management. Rob was part of the Swansea trades council delegation and his sacking evoked great anger and support for his position from delegates.
He joined Bob Crow and fellow European election list candidate Rob Griffiths at a No2EU-Yes to Democracy meeting, attended by 50 delegates, where he condemned his treatment by management.
Rob's comment that the No2EU list is the only opportunity that trade unionists will have on 4 June to cast a vote against the Tory/New Labour anti-union laws went down well.
In the conference, the emergency motion opposing his sacking was moved by Rob on behalf of Swansea trades council and seconded by Len McCluskey, assistant general secretary of Unite. It was passed unanimously. Every delegate stood up to applaud Rob and a bucket collection for the hardship fund raised over £380.
On the conference floor some of the programme of the Socialist Party on the recession was accepted, as was our position on welfare 'reform' and Royal Mail privatisation.
By the end of conference, 48 copies of The Socialist had been sold and £220 raised for the Socialist Party's fighting fund. We left confident of victories in current and future battles, compared with the sense of foreboding felt by the bureaucracy.
Why not click here to join the Socialist Party, or click here to donate to the Socialist Party.
In The Socialist 27 May 2009:
Protest at MPs' sleaze: Vote No2EU - Yes to Democracy
No2EU - yes to Democracy: Who's standing and why you should vote for them
Hear No2EU - Yes to Democracy speakers
Fiddling Tory MP Mackay resigns
UKIP - yet another establishment party
BNP fail to win Salford election
Youth fight for jobs
Youth Fight for Jobs: Fortnight of action 27 June to 10 July
School students organised strikes
Construction workers feature
Construction workers: battle won but war not over
Strike success at Lindsey Oil Refinery and Conoco
An action plan for all construction sites
Diary of a Lindsey Oil Refinery shop steward
International socialist news and analysis
Southampton protest: Stop the slaughter of Tamils
Latvia: 'A capitalist inferno'
Kashmir health workers' victory
Nanjing college students in clashes with police
PCS conference and workplace news
PCS conference: Preparing for future battles
Delegates' anger at Public and Commercial Services union conference
Young members' voices heard at PCS conference
Wales TUC conference - no good news for New Labour
National Shop Stewards Network conference
Socialist Party campaigning news
Anger at council school closures
Lewisham Bridge primary school
Home | The Socialist 27 May 2009 | Join the Socialist Party
Join us today!
Printable version
email to friend
