Who's watching who?: The fight for justice, trade union and democratic rights

Unite members protesting against blacklisting, photo the Socialist (Click to enlarge)

Dave Nellist, Coventry Socialist Party

For almost 100 years a secret ban was operated to deny jobs to thousands of workers involved in trade union activity.

In 1973, 24 workers were charged and six imprisoned for alleged 'conspiracy' during the previous year's building strike - some files from the case are still closed "in the interests of national security".

In the 1980s, Special Branch spied on a number of left-wing Labour MPs, including myself in Coventry. And secret government files recently released show that Margaret Thatcher's government directly meddled in the internal affairs of the predecessor of the PCS civil service union.

In 2014 Theresa May, then home secretary, set up a judicial inquiry after it was revealed that undercover police officers duped a number of women into sexual relationships to infiltrate law-abiding political groups.

What links these stories is the extraordinary lengths to which the 'secret state' will go in trampling over trade union and democratic rights, to defend the establishment.

On 14 October victims and campaigners on these issues will speak at a day-long event organised by Unite Tom Mann branch and Coventry Trade Union Council, including:

Ricky Tomlinson, today best known as an actor and star of BBC's The Royle family - but 45 years ago he was sent to prison for two years for trade union activities.
Dave Smith has documented the history of blacklisting. His work led to a parliamentary debate in September.
Helen Steel, of the McLibel Two, conducted the longest case in British legal history, defending themselves against a libel charge by McDonald's. The police sent an officer from the undercover Special Demonstration Squad to become Helen's partner.
Chris Baugh, assistant general secretary of the PCS, which is calling for a public enquiry into the monitoring of trade union activists.

Saturday 14 October, 11am Methodist Central Hall, Warwick Lane, Coventry CV1 2HA. Facebook event at: http://bit.ly/2fHabYA . There will be live streaming of the morning's main speeches.

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.