MELBOURNE — Workers First is the militant group of union organisers and shop stewards challenging for the leadership of the Victorian branch of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union in the April union elections. On February 4, close to 300 union militants attended its public launch. CRAIG JOHNSTON, a Workers First activist and organiser with the AMWU, is standing for assistant secretary. Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly's JAMES VASSILOPOULOS caught up with him last week.
According to the leaflet advertising the reform group, it stands for union officials who back up members and take the fight up to the boss; for putting workers first rather than the interests of others outside the union; and for a strong and progressive union.
Johnston said that Workers First continues from the proud history of progressive, militant struggles around a range of issues, not just wages, by the old metalworkers union.
He is critical of the union's current direction, which he says is driven by economic rationalists to the extent that the union leadership argues for workers becoming "world competitive".
Wages should be increased in the "interests of the membership". Arguments about the interests of the "nation" or the boss should not come into it, he said.
"Many rank and filers and a number of officials are sick of trade-offs. We want to get to the position where we just get a pay rise or get shorter hours, on the basis that we are entitled to it and we need it."
Over the longer term, Johnston strongly believes unions must move away from enterprise bargaining. Working people have lost a lot from enterprise bargaining, he said, because it has made people "more isolated".
Whilst workers in the strong shops, such as some in Geelong, have won wage increases of 30% over four years with no trade-offs and are working a 35-hour week, only pockets of the membership have benefited.
Johnston does not underestimate how hard this fight is going to be. Workers will face a "raft of legislation that will try to stop us", and they will face attacks by governments from a "number of political persuasions".
Workers First is strongest among metalworkers. It is supported by production workers, tradespeople, construction workers, labour-hire workers and also in a number of big production shops where workers have been in some big struggles.
In April, elections for the state secretary of the AMWU and the assistant secretary, metals division, will take place. In the second part of the year there will be elections for five organisers.
Last year militants now aligned with Workers First ran for positions in the food and confectionery division of the AMWU, but were beaten by about 50 votes.
The incumbents, said Johnston, are a "very formidable machine". They will have the support of the ALP and the AMWU national office, massive amounts of money and maybe even the support of bosses. Workers First are "behind the eight ball, but we have a ground swell of support".
Johnston said the Maritime Union's struggle at Webb Dock "is very important", and Workers First has started to organise for MUA speakers to address work sites.
The industrial strategy of Workers First involves, as a first step, winning "pattern agreements" — the same conditions for workers across a whole industry. This counters the atomising effects of enterprise bargaining and already happens in the metal construction industry, where workers recently won a 15% pay rise with no trade-offs.
"At a certain stage we will say, 'No more enterprise bargaining agreements', and there will be a general claim, including for a 35-hour week for all metalworkers, on employer organisations like the Australian Chamber of Manufactures", said Johnston.
A key part of implementing this strategy involves the education and confidence building of stewards to deal with problems on the job. Shop stewards, Johnston said, need to be given autonomy.
Currently, most unions believe the Australian Industrial Relations Commission is a neutral umpire and that they can use it to limit some of the worse aspects of the Liberals' attacks.
Johnston rejects this view, saying the IRC is a "biased umpire" and a "bosses' court". He remembers the books written by metalworkers who were communists who argued that if you went to the commission, you were "ratting on your class". Workers First believes that workers should fight out disputes on the ground.
The Liberals' secondary boycott legislation has been successful in stopping workers taking solidarity action. How would Workers First combat it?
"Officials are scared that the court will take our money, buildings and cars. I believe we should lease buildings, lease cars and be in a position to move money around." Johnston was critical of the union having a fleet of cars but not having a strike fund.
"If they want to start jailing people, so be it. I don't say that in an ultraleft way because I remember the stories of Clarrie O'Shea [the Victorian tramways official who was jailed for contempt of court]. It took 14 years to get people up to that speed, so that when he was jailed 1 million workers struck."
Johnston believes that Workers First is part of a growing radicalisation among workers against the Howard and Kennett governments. "Workers are saying 'Enough!'. The magnificent demonstrations over Workcover last year were not just about Workcover. Many workers were saying this bastard has gone too far.
"Workers are becoming more conscious that they are being done over. They are looking for leadership from unions to do something about it and to have a go."
Some members of Workers First are in the ALP. "We may not support the ALP, but the majority of our membership does. We should play a role within the ALP, we should stick with the Socialist Left faction<>70>, said Johnston.
<>69>However, the AMWU should determine what they say to the ALP, rather than it determining what the union does. The problem is a whole lot of people in the ALP interfere in our union. If the ALP doesn't support our position, we should still fight it industrially.<>70>
Workers First supports the AMWU being affiliated to the ALP and supports this question being debated at state conference.<>><>41559MS>n<>255D>