FOR YEARS the far left in NUPE, the employees' union, has been isolated in calling for a militant response to employers attacks.
But after losing 100,000 menbers in five years, this years conference saw more than a third of delegates challenge the 'don't rock the boat line. Early votes for action against cuts and opposition to anti-union laws were lost, but as steam built up the executive were forced to agree national backing to 'properly conducted disputes' Debate on the merger with NALGO and COHSE was gerrymandered to prevent any real debate, with a vote on the main document taken before any amendments were put. NUPE branches are now launching a campaign for a special conference on the issue.
Despite a predictably new realist speech from General Secretary Tom Sawyer. his defence of Labour-union links through a No Say, No Pay' campaign was backed by delegates. Other positive votes included a refusal to suspend union elections during the premerger period and support for the Prakesh Charurimootoo anti-deportation campaign, ending with an ARA-backed demonstration in September. MSF Conference MSF London Region (personal capacity) After Labour's election defeat and a period of no significant industrial struggies white-collar union MSF held a conference dominated by the sterile machine-politics MSF for Labour and Unity Left'.
Both the uncontroversial agenda and delegates' lack of contidence meant unanimous Ken Gill votes for good' and against 'evil'. Veither leadershit facton felt strong enough to challenge the union's opposition to cal arists of he stains ed crisis of the stalinist-led 'Unity Left' (UL) was revealed when they refused to stand against arch-right winger Bere Saxby for Vice president.
With the retirement of stalinist General Secretary Ken Gill, UL has now lost all control over the union's apparatus unless there's a stitch-up with A small ray of hope was provided by Network '90, ormed by left activists to campaign for union democracy. Its taily bulletin impartially at-