The Socialist 14 May 2014

VOTE TUSC - For the millions not the billionaires

For the millions not the billionaires

Fight back at the ballot box on 22 May

Building Labour: when workers first formed own party

Southampton: Showing what's possible

Liverpool City Council 1983-87: "We had a choice"

Why we're standing as TUSC candidates

On the campaign trail with TUSC

Ukip - the establishment's 'anti-establishment' party

Housing evictions - main parties to blame

Gove robs education budget to fund 'Free Schools'

Them & Us

What's socialism got to do with fighting austerity?

South Africa: The ANC victory, WASP and the EFF

Capitalist politicians can't solve Boko Haram crisis

Ireland: Election campaigns "referendum on austerity"

Care UK strike: NHS workers v NHS privatisation

PCS: Re-election of a fighting, socialist leadership

Leadership challenged at Usdaw conference

Brighton: Determined to fight college cuts

Transport workers' international meeting

Workplace news in brief

Fight together for pay rise - Come to NSSN conference

TV review: In the Flesh

Fight back to scrap junk jobs

Freedom Riders- action brings victory

Building TUSC, building socialism

Donate to the election appeal!

Why I joined the Socialist Party

PO Box 1398, Enfield EN1 9GT

020 8988 8777

[email protected]

Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/811/18598

Search the site	Printable version

Home | The Socialist 14 May 2014 | Join the Socialist Party

Subscribe | Donate | PDF | ebook

Leadership challenged at Usdaw conference

Socialist Party members in Usdaw

Usdaw's 2014 Annual Delegate Meeting (ADM) opened to a backdrop of announcements of job losses and cuts in Tesco. Members' anger at finding this out through social media and the union's complacency peppered their speeches.

As ever, many of the propositions challenging the Usdaw leadership's position never made it to ADM floor. This didn't stop criticism of the union's leadership - delegates made points on the union's annual report, usually a more mundane part of ADM.

Iain Dalton criticised the union leadership. They'd attended an international trade union conference in Argentina and the only official mention of the visit so far was a sentence in the report. If we're sending delegates around the world to discuss with our fellow workers, this should be reported so we can learn from their struggles. He highlighted the inspiring struggles in the US to organise Walmart workers as well as fighting for a $15 an hour minimum wage.

This, and other interventions, led to a growing interest in the Socialist Party and its bulletin in the union, the Activist. Over 100 copies of the Socialist were sold, more than one for every eight attendees. Delegates also bought 50 copies of the new Activist pamphlet.

A key debate took place around zero-hour contracts. Unfortunately the composite that was passed mentioned every constraint except abolishing them.

Motions were also passed to campaign to abolish tuition fees and work closer with student unions and the NUS. Renationalising public transport was also supported. A motion congratulating Miliband on his energy price freeze was amended to say that the best means of controlling energy prices was: "to renationalise the energy companies with democratic control including workers in industry and consumers over prices".

In the union's upcoming elections Socialist Party members will be building support for the candidates endorsed by the Broad Left meeting at ADM. These include Socialist Party members Scott Jones, who is standing for the Executive Committee (EC) in the South Wales and Western division and Amy Murphy who is standing for re-election to the EC in the Southern division and for President of the union.

See: usdawactivist.wordpress.com

In this issue

Vote Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

For the millions not the billionaires