23.01.1997

Patrick Sikorski’s resignation

To: All organisers
Wednesday January 15 1997

General secretary - duties

Please find enclosed copies of correspondence between myself and Arthur and Frank regarding my intention that after the next NEC I will be submitting my resignation as general secretary.

I understand that some word of this may have already got out and was concerned to ensure that all members were fully aware of the situation.

Best wishes,

Pat Sikorski
general secretary

To Arthur Scargill, President, SLP and Frank Cave, Vice-president, SLP
Friday January 3 1997

General secretary - duties

As you know, I have now returned to my full-time job as a guard on the London Underground. After a brief refresher course this will involve three shifts and weekend working throughout the year. I will also be continuing as secretary of the RMT London Transport Regional Council, which is a lay post.

The post of SLP general secretary involves the following areas of responsibility in the coming period:

1) Those items listed under rule. This includes minutes of the GPC and the NEC, preparation and circulation of material for those meetings and correspondence, etc, relevant to those meetings.

2) Membership matters currently consisting of: processing a steady number of membership applications received at the national office; distribution of membership lists on a regular basis; dealing with some changes of addresses; maintaining the files of membership application forms; maintenance of complaint files in respect of eligibility of membership and related correspondence.

3) Correspondence, telephone and fax communications from NEC members, national sections, regions, branches, constituencies and individual party members (since the November NEC, up to date which includes the holiday period, there have been 173 separate items of written correspondence, not including requests for information about the SLP or membership applications or communication with the commissions, and 119 telephone messages, excluding those dealt with immediately). Maintaining files on all these communications is also necessary.

4) Between NECs the composition and distribution of Socialist Labour information to the membership. Maintaining an up-to-date list of secretaries and organisers for both party and paper distribution purpose, etc.

5) Queries from the press and general media - which involves maintaining cuttings files, etc.

The national demands on the party caused by the coming general election and the opening of our own National Conference discussion period from the January NEC will dramatically increase the workload for the first half of this year. It is worth pointing out that the unevenness of the development of the party (eg, the formation of the constituencies) will mean additional administrative work.

Accordingly, I cannot continue to carry out the functions of the national secretary/treasurer. I therefore intend to give notice of my resignation from this post following the January NEC.

To avoid as much disruption as possible and in the framework of the points made at the NEC against full-time resources for the party before our membership is 4,000 or over, or before the paper makes the necessary profit, there are a series of options which the GPC and NEC may wish to consider.

a) Another member of the NEC may be appointed as acting secretary. This would need to be a comrade with a substantial amount of free time and/or considerable voluntary administrative support. It is plainly impossible for a full-time shift worker committed to serious trade union work to carry all the responsibilities involved in the secretary’s role at this time.

b) The various tasks of the secretary can be distributed to other officers of the party and/or members of the NEC. This would be difficult to operate in terms of accountability, coordination and organisation.

c) A comrade or some comrades might be able to work, voluntarily, perhaps with help with expenses, out of the offices at Leigh on the tasks outlined above (if this could be managed in relation to NUM responsibilities). In this case I would formally maintain the post of secretary until May if this was thought to be less disruptive, although the party would need to be clear that all the secretary/treasurer’s duties and responsibilities were now carried out from the Leigh office.

I remain more committed than ever to Socialist Labour and our struggle to establish a new mass party of the working class movement. But I believe it would be irresponsible not to make the realities plain.

I think this matter should be placed before the next General Purposes Committee and the January NEC. I am, of course, available to discuss these items at any time (subject to work requirements) before the GPC and the NEC.

Yours comradely,

Pat Sikorski
General secretary

To: Patrick Sikorski
January 7 1997

General secretary - duties

I was very sorry to read your letter dated January 3 1997 but not surprised, bearing in mind the obvious commitments you now have involving three shifts and weekends working for London Transport.

It is true that the duties of SLP general secretary are extremely onerous, and it is important that we have in place an organisational framework through which the party can function in a way that uses all the talent we have amongst our members - including your outstanding abilities.

I have taken into consideration the suggestions you have made, all of which are constructive and an attempt to fill the very big void that will be created after you leave the position of general secretary.

I will discuss this with Frank and hopefully yourself prior to the NEC meeting on January 18, and try to work out a possible solution that allows productive use of the talents referred to above, and ensures that Socialist Labour is equipped to meet the electoral and extra-parliamentary activities it will be called upon to face during 1997 and the years ahead.

Best wishes,
Arthur Scargill

To: Mr P Sikorski, general secretary, January 8 1997

Re: general secretary’s duties

Thank you for your letter dated the 3rd instant, re: the above, which you have also sent a copy to the president.

I am also in receipt of the president’s reply dated January 7 1997, which I concur with.

Yours sincerely,

Frank W Cave
Vice-president