BY GRAHAM MATTHEWS
MELBOURNE — Eighty-five people participated in a trade union seminar sponsored by the Socialist Alliance on May 11. The seminar's highlight was the presentations by union officials and political party representatives on unions and political representation.
The seminar opened with a discussion on politics in the workplace, led of by Victorian secretary of the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA) Michelle O'Neil,
Craig Johnston, the state secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU), former Woomera detention centre nurse Barbara Rogilla and Alison Thorne, a Socialist Alliance activist and Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) delegate.
O'Neil spoke of the problems faced by workers in the textile industry — particularly racism. "The issue for us as a union should not be about Aussie jobs", O'Neil said. "We [must] address the fact that work is being done across the globe by workers who are paid less."
"It's a simple message of course", O'Neil concluded. "Exposing what capital does to divide us."
Johnston argued that "the first step to get the members on side is to win their hearts and minds. You have to win their support by blueing [fighting] and winning wages and conditions."
Johnston described how the union built support among its members for East Timorese independence by organising for a rank-and-file union member to visit different workplaces, to explain that "just across the water, not much further than Tasmania, working people were being murdered, on the basis of their nationality".
"When the call for the [1999] referendum [on independence for East Timor] did come", Johnston explained, "our union members were among the core [activists] at blockades and stoppages because they understood the issue".
"The argument that we've used is this", Johnston continued. "If the Herald Sun bags the union, then the Herald Sun is wrong. So why is it that when [the paper] says something about refugees, or Palestinians, you say that it must be true?"
The second panel began the discussion about unions and political parties, with a range of party representatives: ALP member Chris Clark, who is the acting state secretary of the CPSU, Greens Councillor Frazer Brintley and the Socialist Alliance's Sue Bull.
"Union delegates do not attend ALP conferences as union delegations", Clark explained. "They're factional delegations. They're there supporting their secretary's position, not representing the union."
In an unclear presentation, Clark argued that unions should advocate political party membership and said he was "concerned" about major unions breaking from the ALP.
Brintley told the seminar that the Victorian Greens had not had much discussion on trade union politics. "The Greens come from a conservative conservation milieu", he said. "There are some within the Greens who think that if you save the earth everything else will look after itself."
He argued that the Greens were "not ready to take on trade union affiliation — structurally, organisationally or culturally."
Bull argued that the union members' cynicism and disaffection with politics was a reaction to the anti-worker policies of both major parties. "The Socialist Alliance welcomed [Electrical Trades Union state secretary] Dean Mighell's decision to leave the Labor Party", she said.
"The Socialist Alliance supports [union] militancy", Bull continued. "Whether unions break with the ALP or not, it's imperative that they take political positions that defend the working class."
On the third panel, unionists discussed the same issue. Leigh Hubbard, secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council was the first speaker.
"There is a real dissatisfaction with trade union affiliation to the ALP", he argued, adding that this would not result in any change unless there was a "real discussion" in the unions.
Hubbard went on to express his cynicism of the prospects for reform within the ALP. "What's happening in the ALP reflects the demise of politics within the union movement", Hubbard argued.
"There is an argument that the unions leaving the ALP and joining something else would be a big step forward", Hubbard continued. "Many unions will criticise the ALP privately, but taking the step of leaving will be more difficult."
"Recently the Workers' First leadership of the AMWU voted 50 to one to recommend that the union disaffiliate from the ALP", Chris Spindler, AMWU state council member told the seminar.
"There is a strong understanding [among AMWU members] that the ALP does not represent our aspirations, needs or demands", Spindler continued, commenting on the union's decision at its recent state conference to stop its affiliation with the ALP until the end of the year. "We don't think you have to be affiliated to any party to be political."
"It's important to find a political party or movement that represents our membership", Spindler continued. He argued that without a relationship with such a party the union needed to work with activists campaigning for pro-working class demands.
Gareth Stephenson, Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) construction division state committee of management member commented that the ALP's current conservatism could be symptomatic of the union movement's lack of focus on broad political issues.
"There is a discussion going on in the CFMEU on the union's political direction", Stephenson continued. "Can we continue broader political activity outside the ALP?" Stephenson asked. "If we pulled the plug would it die?"
Stephenson said the CFMEU had not had such discussions, but it had discussed giving "funding to selected progressive candidates in selected seats."
"In the light of the ALP's dismal performance — we should as a trade union movement cut the ALP adrift. It can't make them much worse", Stephenson concluded.
The seminar concluded with a session on practical solidarity with speakers explaining the necessity for a range of solidarity campaigns including the Skilled Six campaign, the Fairwear campaign and Australian Asia Worker Links, and Friends of the Construction Industry campaigns.
Resolutions were passed condemning the royal commission into the building industry and calling on the state Labor government not to cooperate with it, and calling on the state government to guarantee minimum standards in the call-centre industry.
[In coming weeks, Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly will print some of the talks presented at the seminar.]
From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, May 22, 2002.
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