08.05.2002

Unions take the lead

May Day saw the biggest trade union turnout on May 1 for many years. While it was not the biggest "for half a century" - as claimed by the rally MC in Trafalgar Square - at around 7,000 it was the largest May Day organised by the South East Region Trades Union Congress (Sertuc) for some time. What was most encouraging was that this peaceful, working class and family-friendly demonstration was the largest of the London May Day events, although the media chose to concentrate on the tiny petty bourgeois anarchist damp squib in Mayfair. There had been some typical police and media hype about expected eco-terrorists, wombles, professional anti-capitalist rioters and other such undesirables in the lead-up to May 1. Television, radio and the mainstream press prepared the ground for the authorities to unleash a heavy-handed crackdown on any wayward elements they chose to target: in all 6,000 police were on duty in the capital. For the first time for a couple of years, it was the trade union demonstration that attracted the biggest crowd. This was certainly helped by the SWP decision to mobilise its members for the main demonstration for the first time in recent times. The SWP's anti-capitalist satellite, Globalise Resistance, was a joint sponsor of the Sertuc march and rally. This also had a negative side. I am reliably told that some of the Turkish and Kurdish organisations which have traditionally provided up to 90% of the participants for May Day in London did not attend due to the SWP presence and perceived 'takeover'. While this may point to a truth about the SWP's method, it mainly underlines both the 'anti-Trotskyist' sectarianism of many of the revolutionary Turkish groups based in this country and their failure to view themselves as an integral part of the British working class movement. It was therefore welcome that the MLKP and DHKC did join the now mainly British demonstration. Speakers in Trafalgar Square included Bob Crow, Mick Rix, Tony Benn and Mark Serwotka. They were mostly predictable and it was left to Tony Benn to give the best speech, concentrating on May Day as an "ancient gathering" which today celebrates the independence, initiative and creativity of the working class. There was also a contribution from Jeremy Corbyn MP, some tub-thumping from Chris Nineham of Globalise Resistance/SWP and a call from comrade Serwotka for a national day of action against privatisation. The affair was chaired by Anita Halpin. International Workers' Day celebrations were not confined to the Sertuc-organised official union event, however. The day kicked off with two Critical Mass cycle rides: one from Camberwell, the other from Camden. The two-pronged protest against what they regard as modern society's obsession with the automobile joined at Grosvenor Square. Marcus Ström