As the Tory anti-union offensive hots up in the aftermath of the election, support has been growing for the Unshackle the Unions conference. Patrick Baker spoke to COLIN CHRISTOPHER, General Secretary of the furniture and timber workers' union, FTAT. Christopher has been a leading supporter of the campaign since its inception, participating in the press launch with miners' leader Arthur Scargill. How have the anti-union laws affected FAT's work, organising in the fumiture Industry? Absolutely dramatically. The freedom to strike within the law is now almost nonexistent.
But how long will workers bow to this exploitation? How long will they allow employers to ride roughshod over them?
The most important effect has been ability employers to withdraw trade union recognition, which is vital to any union's ability to organise. What we're facing now isn't sust the withdrawal of existing recognition, but thesetting of 880880808 workplaces.
In many greenfield sites, we are now forced to recruit from the outside. It's not surprisingwhy should employers choose n the latest battle for unlon rights, building worker Micheel Dooley occupled & *rane at a West London site after an Imposed single-union deal betwoon the The rank and fle Joint Sites Committee sunched a campeign against the deal after stewards from bullding workers' unlon UCATT and the TGWU were sacked. One victimised worker explained This dispute is about democracy. I Is about the sacking of elected representatives and the forced imposition of an Trades councils and bullding workers railled to support the workers in a mass picket, but the UCATT leadership disowned the action. to allow unions? Some figures In the labour movement have recently been calling for an end te the links between the Labour Party and the unions. What's your view? This point has to be pursued vigorously. Any break in those links - or even a dishuy tancing between the two -would be disastrous It saddens me that the very being threatened. On whose are these reading politicians floating this idea?
As soon as they did so, it was picked by the gutter tabloids, and they are now calling the tune. All of this without any serious debate or analysis.
the architects of this camThis isn't just on the level of abstract laeas. Speaking to d meeting of pensioners the other day, they were saying Weneed Labourand the unions to represent our interests'. What role wlll the Maastricht treaty play for unions? Would the Social Charter be a step forward? Certain parts of the trade union movement have seen the Social Charter as a soft option, compared to the anti-union laws.
Their attitude has sometimes been If Maastricht comes we'll have what we want. But hey te ignoring the fact that there are big problems with it like rejecting the closed shop.
Some have reacted by accepting the criticisms - but I think the attack on the closed shop has been a crucial part of the weakening of the unions.
I've never accepted that We would like to register We enclose E Name/position/organisation_ Contact address Cheques payable to Socialist Movement (TU)
Send to Carolyn Sikorski 53a Geere Road, London E15 3PN FAT's Colin Christopher - backing Unshackle the Unions there's anything undemocratic about the closed shop. To be honest. most of those that perience weren't acting out of principle, but because they didn't want to contribute. What role de you see for the Unshackle the Unions campaign? It has a particular impor tanceafter the election. FAT and other progressive unions have been in the vanguard of the call for repeal of Ill anti-union laws.
At the TUC in Glasgow last people for the Unshackle the Unions Conference (€10 waged/ £3 unwaged per person)
Phone No. 24 year, we and the NUM put forward just such a resolution, calling for support for the ILO conThe Unshackle the Unions conference can develop the debate we need, and make ople ask 'Do we just accept he imposition of anti-union But it's not just the laws that are already in place, though they're bad enough. The new rounds of laws that are coming aren't as innocent as they seem - particularly those threatening the check-off system. Michae Howard's obviously decided to take us on to the bitter end.
June 27, 1992
With a real possibility of legislation to equalise the age of consent for gay men, it is easy to understand the optimism prevailing in the largely gay men's scene.
But have the upper echelons of the Tory party really undergone a 'road to Damascus' transformation in their atRecently the pages of the Gay R titude? Of course not, as the only partial concession to homosexuality in the armed forces showed.
whiske any progressive reform should se supported that we are in for an easy ride. John Major's government will not be making concessions out of the goodness of their hearts. but only for the purposes diplomatic manoeuvring. any more radical than a gay weading Features If a bill is introduced, there will again be much heated media debate over those of us who persistently refuse to have consenting relationships with the opposite sex.
Marginalised
And it is easy to see how lesbians - who have an equal age of consent will be further marginalised in the ensuing All the demands of Queerpoitics
LESBIAN &
GAY RIGHTS PHOTO: Paul Matisson melee.
The national lesbian and gay weekly, The Pink Paper, is right to argue that we 'need a spectacular campaign from us and our allies' to whip up a 'wind of change throughout society and step up pressure for anti-discrimination legislation too.
They are also right that lesbian and gay teenagers are going to need 'support lines, meeting groups and health advice now more than ever.
But they are wrong to assume that a ate pressure vi Tory ministers - without selfOrsarsation for mass action -will get even these limited Tory ministers have made it patently clear to other campaigners that they will not introduce anti-discrimination laws. Why should they treat us any different?
Many local authorities have used Section 28 to withhold funding and support to lesbian and gay youth groups. gued for its repeal. Why should we believe it will, while the Tories are smashing up local Labour policy So what is the alternative? It may sound boring, but the Labour Party already has good policy, acheived through yean of campaigning, particularly by the Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
If Labour MPs were forced to implement i, while the lore are divided, they could push through a bill.
It could not only equalise the age of consent for gay men, but repeal S28, and bring in anti-discrimination laws too. But Labour is only going to do this under mass pressure from our By allying ourselves with supportive sections of the labour movement, rather than confused tory MP's, the lesbiar and gay movement at least staras some chance or watnins something we can all build on.
18th - 19th July Conway Hall, Red Lion Sq, London WHICH WAY FOR SOCIALISTS IN THE UNIONS? Fighting the
Second Conference 1992