Lok Raj Sangathan - Huge success for Fighting Unions Conference

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International News

Huge success for Fighting Unions Conference

Over 900 trade unionists packed into Shoreditch Town Hall last Saturday for the Organising for Fighting Unions conference. More than half were elected delegates from trade union organisations. A fantastic atmosphere built up throughout the day as delegates listened to strikers from JJB in Wigan, NHS logistics and the Merseyside Firefighters dispute.

Union leaders Mark Serwotka, Matt Wrack, Paul Mackney and Steve Gillian all insisted that stronger unions could only be built if political and industrial issues were tackled together. Jane Loftus of the CWU insisted, and many others agreed that this meant tackling the government on war and
Islamaphobia as well as on privatisation.

MPs John McDonnell and George Galloway, Valerie Wise, former leader of Preston council and John Rees, Respect national secretary, all argued that the left needs to strengthen itself through solidarity with fighting trade unions.

Delegates from working class organisations also spoke. Salvinder Dhillon spoke from the Indian Workers Association (GB). Salvinder pointed out that workers needed to elect genuine representatives who will fight for them.

They needed to establish committees at places of work. These committees would organise discussions amongst the rank and file to establish the needs of the members as well as issues of concern affecting the majority in society. These committees would create mechanisms for workers to be able to select and elect representatives from their own ranks. It was the duty of elected officials to fight for a program created by majority and based on their needs. Elected officials should be accountable to the electors and be subject to recall if failing to uphold the interests of the membership.

The conference passed a Workers Charter and elected an organising committee that will start a campaign to have the charter adopted by unions throughout the country.