04.06.2008
Aslef boards Hopi train
Chris Strafford reports on the latest affiliation
The national conference of Aslef, the rail drivers’ union, has voted unanimously to affiliate to the Hands Off the People of Iran campaign. This is the second major union to do so, following the decision of last month’s PCS conference, where only Socialist Workers Party comrades opposed affiliation.
However, the SWP had no presence at the Aslef conference and nobody spoke against the proposal. Delegates from across the country spoke in favour, including general secretary Keith Norman. The motion to affiliate, originally proposed by John Evans and Peter Grant of the Manchester No1 branch, was debated alongside another successful motion calling for solidarity with Tehran bus workers’ leader Mansour Ossanlou. Comrade Ossanlou’s sight has deteriorated badly since his imprisonment by the Iranian regime last year and he has just undergone surgery on his left eye.
During the first two days of conference Hopi supporters gave out leaflets and spoke with delegates. The majority thought that Hopi’s twofold message - no to imperialist war, no to the theocracy - was common sense. By contrast, pro-Tehran apologists like Abbas Edalat of Campaign Iran say it will confuse people, while Andrew Murray (a former Aslef employee) and the SWP think any criticism of the Iran regime plays into the hands of the imperialists.
With a strike against Iran still looming large, it is essential to win the unions to a firm anti-war stance. Whereas virtually no-one will be won to oppose an attack by pro-regime apologetics, many will be persuaded by principled working class internationalism. The action take by Glasgow train drivers in 2003 when they refused to arms freight is but a glimpse of the power the organised working class can wield against the aggressive plans of our rulers.
Delegates also raised a collection for Hopi. This will help the campaign put more resources into getting its message into the trade unions.
A fuller report of the Aslef conference, which finishes on Friday June 6, will appear in next week’s paper.
