topic, on the question of the war drive, tion - perhaps both because everyone
ers nonetheless. of people. action on 1 June. It also reiterated that the internationwho want and are able to go. A further
toric grip on the Union. The left leadership (dominated by the Socialist Party) has not inspired the union's rank and file. Supporters of Socialist Caucus (a group within Left Unity) were their most vocal critics from the Conference floor. Socialist Caucus has grown considerably in the past year, as activists have become disillusioned with the failure of the Left Unity leadership to respond to a series of attacks on PCS members by DWP management: mishandling the strike over screens in Jobcentreplus offices, breaking Conference policy on pay (recommending an offer to members including discriminatory performance related pay), and failing to fight new sickness rules. This year's annual May Day march in London was a smaller and less diverse affair than last year - but a good turn out of trade unionists and campaignAt the rally in Trafalgar Square there were inspiring speeches from a range For Globalise Resistance, Emilie Ferrera urged everyone who could to get over to Evian at the beginning of June to protest at the G8 summit and highlighted the international day of Joy Moss of the Greater London Pensioners' Association highlighted the scandal of the treatment of pensioners in Britain, with 3 million living on or below the poverty line. She drew attention to Blair's broken promises to pensioners and derided New Labour's minor increases to pensions and their
... They were also criticised for their lethargic response staffing cuts/office closures and the threat of extended opening hours. Conference supported resolutions calling for industrial action on these last two issues. Up until recently the Left Unity leadership was an advocate of partnership with the employer. Such an approach left it ill-prepared for DWP management attacks. Now management wants to marginalise the union through imposing a new facilities agreement worse than any other in the Civil Service. This is a make or break period for the union, and Socialist Caucus is not relying solely on the Left Unity Executive to lead a fightback. A sucmeans-tested handouts
She argued that Tony Blair himself can expect a pension of £1,890 a week, while millions of pensioners live on £102 a week. She asked why the TUC have not promoted the state pension but instead extolled the virtues of private pension schemes.
Francisco Ramirez of the Colombian mineworkers union talked of the international fight against the crime of capitalist globalisation. He said that he was speaking in the name of 3,000 workers assassinated by UK and US international companies and on behalf of those who are still alive thanks only to international solidarity.
TUC placards for the day called for "modern rights for modern workplaces", leaving many to wonder exactly what rights are being called for and how they differ from old-fashioned authentic rights for working people.
cessful Socialist Caucus fringe meeting
united branches willing to coordinate
action against extended opening hours
and staffing cuts
Two Caucus supporters were treated as heroes by Conference for personal victories. Matthew Thompson
won an Employment Tribunal against
the DWP over his right not to wear a
tie. Chris Ford was victimised following his leadership of the screens dispute, but escaped dismissal by management after 800 London members
went on strike in his defence.
Conference revealed there are a
large number of activists willing to
struggle on all fronts against a management offensive. Civil Servants will fight
and we will win!