I believe the Socialist Alliance conference was a great success. There was healthy debate around working class policies, which gave an avenue for Socialist Alliance to move forward.
It was very clear to see that some major trade union leaders have now started to get involved in SA around industrial and political issues. As a proud member of SA I believe this conference can enhance more participation from the trade union movement's rank and file.
The main challenges for SA are to bring on board grassroots rank-and-file unionists and also to continue to take up the hard political issues around refugee rights, war and also hard issues around the Labor Party and what they've been doing — or haven't been doing — in respect to working-class policies.
I welcome and urge any trade unionist to come on board this progressive party, the Socialist Alliance, as a real alternative to tweedledee and tweedledum (the Labor and Liberal parties).
Chris Cain, state secretary, WA Maritime Union of Australia
From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, May 19, 2004.
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