THE CONTROVERSIAL hard right electricians' union is now almost certain to return to the TUC, after the new Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union launched a ballot on attiliation to Britain's union centre last week. A 'yes' result is confidently expected by the end of March.
The AEEU was set up last year after the merger of the TUC-affiliated. ARU engineers and the EETPU electricians, who were expelled in 1988.
While the 'Double E' was officially flung out on a rule-book technicality, its outrageous behaviour in the Thatcher decade included organising a blatant scabbing operation on printworkers during the News International dispute of 1985-86, pioneering sweetheart deals, and attempting to smash up the UCATT construction union in 1990 (check date).
It even mooted the formation of a rightist labour federation, taking in the breakaway Union of Democratic Mineworkers the Institute of Journalists and no-strike outfits like the Royal College of Nursing. The project fortunately came to nought.
In fact, no less than 11 unions - including some of the biggest, such as IGWU, GMB NALGO - have outstanding grievances BETPU.
After last merger, the TUC set up a reconciliation committee chaired by NUPE chief Rodney Bickerstaffe. The move is pure window-dressing so far, what is now the AEU electricians' sec ton has made no binding commitment to mend its ways.
Nor, as officials in several of the unions concerned admit privately, will that be a precondition of readmission. With an annual affiliation cheque of over Elm at stake, any remaining semblance of principled objection is not long for this world.
Even the EPIU, a small union predominantly CURIOSO tormer EETPU members loyal to the TUC, knows it will have to live with the old enemy's re-