A LEOPARD doesn't change its spots. The truth of this brought home at the Public Sector Alliance (PSA) conference at Stoke last SatThe conference was dominated by Militant and the mode of operation from the days of 3LOC remained unchanges As in the old days when the Communist Party Stalinists ran the Liaison Committee for Defence of Trade Unions, opponents were made to jump through hoops to get delegated or to have an influence on the Protests at the start, that had been excluded, were voted down by the Militant majority at the conference.
The stress on the delegate basis reflected a grandiose view thousands of workers claimed in the opening speeches What was needed however organise and coordinate the actwists in the individual unions sal for a more open organising committee, with sponsoring organisations having the right to send delegates to it.
Disappointing
The conference was disappointing. 550 people attended, two-thirds of them delegates, and a series of unobjectionable resolutions were adopted, backing the miners and calling for one-day national strikes to start a serious fightback against pit closures and in defence of the public sector more gener ference however, was difficult What effectively hap pened was the setting up of ittle more than a front organisation for Militant.
The narrow basis of the conf was its biggest problem. The platform was narrow (and almost entirely male) and NUPE pulled out following a circular from the TUC. Directives were sent by the NUT and someother unions, to every local area, warning them against attending the conference.
The only national union represented was UCATT. There were no MPs and no representative at a national level from the NUM.
The guest speakers invited included a very good account of the Timex dispute, but importthe pit camps were absent.
A national committee for the PSA was set up which is dominated by Militant and was given unlimited powers of cogion) is a clue to what the Miliant are doing.
United action
The real need was to organise within the individual unions to achieve what everyone wants which is united action across the public sector. There was nothing along these lines set up at the conference and the proposed local bodies will not be in a position to achieve this.
There is no doubt that a real objective basis exists for united and co-ordinated action in the public sector, or that could play a major role in forging this action.
Such a role however, could only be played by an open and inclusive initiative and not one tailored to the requirements of a particular current. No. 39 March 13, 1993
in a much more effective way. Also voted down, was a propo-
option. The regional basis of the committee (2 delegates per re-