IT SEEMS certain that the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs, together with left organisations in the Labour Party will be calling a conference of the Labour Left in Leeds on 29 February.
It has come about, primarily from the disagroements within the Labour Left over last year's slate for the NEC elections. Disquiet came after the Campaign Group faied to consult outside of its own ranks in seeking women ano black canosios for wit constâuency section in the elections. It resulted in different slates being supportedby different parts of the left.
For the first year of One Member One Vote, and at a time when the Labour Left is woak, this was a division the lett couk have cone without.
Several meetings between the Campaign Group and left organisa ions, both in the party and the unions. discuss how to prevent this from happening in the future Unfortunately, a section of the loft. around bour Lett Liaison and thn Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, has stood out in favour of mere Corie on leaderships of left organisations in London. Deckions are supposed to emerge by some miraculus process of 'consensus". proposal from Labour Party Labour Briefing and others, that the whole process should Conference call: Bernie Grant MP be moved out of smoke-filed rooms and should invohe the whole of the loft in the party as widely as possible. Not least, because if you want to vote under OMOV poople nood to feel commitied to the candidates they are trying to win support for.
After much tortuous discussion, and ittle agreement, the Campaigr Group has at last docided to break the log jam by calling February's conference. Unionunaey, al prepen the date clashes with Women for occasm s Aom - somonng yor to be resolved.
The conference will not just consist of a discussion of who to stand in the various sections of the NEC eloctions - andon what platform - but it will also have a major session that he General Election' Charly, such a conference is a major step forward in organising the Labour Left. But it neods to be ecroueh buit for in every CuP and union branch ardund the country for it THREATS OF dismissal still hangs over the heads of suferers of repetitive strain injury (RSI), despite an important victory in the courts.
The injury, commonplace among computer operators, has led to numerous threats of sacking, particulariy mong jour alists. But five British Telecon computer operators decided to take a test case to court, insisting that their employer was to blame for the injuries.
In December it was announced that they had won more than £6,500 compensation for pain suffered as well as compensation for loss of potential earnings. A flood of similar claims is now SO OLOWA with i3 cases from Telecom workers in the But action by journalists at the Financial limes nas come tod standstill. After a 70 percent vote action in support c ine RSI sufferers facing the sack anagement used delaying ta claim to be 'consulting medical records' but have not withdrawn the threat.
Journalists need to demand that management backs down, or implement the mandate for acdon that they nave.
The principle won in the telecom case -that management has to take responsibility for injuries that are its fault - must not allowed to slide into the background.
socialist Published fortnightly Solidarity price £1 Strikers and claimants 25p No 14 Jan 18, 1992 Demo January 25th 12 noon Assemble Hyde Park March to Quex Road, Kilburn