18.09.1997

No debate at TUC

Joe Marino, general secretary of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union and a member of the Socialist Labour Party, spoke to the Weekly Worker about last week’s Trade Union Congress

What were your impressions of the TUC?

It was rubbish. There was nothing there. We could have got more out of going to church.

I take it that is a reference to the archbishop of Canterbury’s address?

Yes. Someone said we got the sermon from the prime minister and the politics from the archbishop. Blair’s speech was an insult. Every day we are fighting ‘flexibility’ in the workplace, yet he told us we had to be more flexible.

I made a point of being absent when ‘Red’ Adair of the CBI spoke. Mind you, with the formation of Union Energy we are all employers now. Perhaps we should join the CBI ourselves.

The TUC is definitely following in the footsteps of what is intended for the Labour Party conference. The idea is to truncate debate. They don’t want the divisions within the unions to show. The line used to be ‘Don’t rock the boat - let’s get the Tories out’. Now it’s ‘Give Labour a chance’ and next year it will be something else. So there was no real debate at all.

What impact do you think the SLP made at the congress?

For a party that’s less than 18 months old we made quite an impact, with one or two comrades making good interventions. I myself spoke on the ‘new deal’ issue, stressing the need for adequate workers’ rights - trade union recognition, a decent minimum wage, proper childcare facilities and so on.

Was there any sign of a move from the unions towards the SLP?

I think it’s a bit early for unions as such to break. If any did, it would be a bureaucratic move that is not going to last. A break from New Labour would have to be deep-rooted, so we must look to recruit individual activists first. That will not necessarily be a long process - there are individuals leaving Labour all the time.

A lot of good militants have stayed in the Labour Party. Many thought that Tony Blair would throw off his New Labour mask once he was elected. There is bound to be disillusionment now. The next 12 to 18 months will be crucial.

Do you play an active role in your own SLP branch?

I spend a lot of time speaking at SLP meetings across the country, but where I can attend my own branch I will do. I hope to be a delegate at the congress in December.

Have you been following the internal debate about SLP democracy?

Yes. I read the Weekly Worker. The whole question will have to be sorted out at conference.

What changes do you think should be made?

We will have to see what comes out of the branches.