20.12.2001

Trade union perspectives

O n December 16 the CPGB organised a meeting with a number of its key trade union activists in order to develop a sound theoretical and practical perspective on revolutionary work in the unions.

We have long recognised our weakness as a group insofar as our size has precluded organising serious trade union work. Our priority has necessarily been a deliberate orientation towards the revolutionary left in order to win unity around a real, as distinct from a sect, party project. This has meant that our union activists have not had their work coordinated, generalised and theorised to the extent we would have liked. Similarly the poor coverage of trade union affairs has been a real weakness of the Weekly Worker.

However, the CPGB does have a history of unparalleled, if problematic, mass influence - particularly amongst some of the most militant and well organised sections of the working class. This history, our highly theoretical and programmatic approach and our persistent and ongoing critique of the whole of the left have enabled us to avoid playing at à¢â‚¬Ëœbuilding a base in the working classà¢â‚¬â„¢. It has also alerted us to the danger of the old mistakes and errors of the Communist Party being repeated by the left today - but in microcosm.

With the developing pro-party forces within the Socialist Alliance it is now possible, and necessary, for us to overcome these problems and develop our trade union activity in a serious way - not as the CPGB, but as an integral part of a Socialist Alliance party project. This meeting was the starting point of that process.

Five comrades gave openings covering the nature of trade unions - their strengths and weaknesses; unions and the role of communists; the trade union bureaucracy;  rank and file movements and broad lefts; and the Socialist Alliance and unions. An extensive debate ensued and all the various contributions are to be collated and worked up into a thesis on revolutionary work in trade unions. A number of areas of further study were identified, particular areas of concern about mistaken approaches are to be tackled and reports and articles of trade union activities and developments are to be encouraged in the Weekly Worker.

Alan Stevens