THE WORKERS Aid conference in Manchester on October 30 is shaping up to be both an interesting and productive event.
It will receive first hand reports from members of the convoy team and reports from the many countries in Europe where Workers Aid campaigns are now being organised.
There will be important international guests addressing the conference. In particular one of the leaders of the Union Of Autonomous Unions of Croatia and a representative of the Tuzla centre in Zagreb.
The conference will also discuss proposals and resolutions on the future of the campaign in Britain, most importantly when the next convoy should be organised after the big success of the first.
The most important task facing the conference is to transform itself into a democratically structured campaign.
Since its inception the convoy has operated on an ad-hoc basis which has inevitably led to many problems of a lack of democracy and accountability.
It is vital to establish inclusive structures which can integrate local groups and supporters, supporters from the Bosnian community in Britain, as well as trade union and labour movement organisations into the campaign.
On Sunday there will be a meeting of International Workers Aid comprised of delegations from the various initiatives across Europe.
This will discuss the structure of the campaign in Europe and how it should be organised. It will also discuss the political objectives of the campaion as well as the provision of material aid in particular how to develop the links beween the labour movement which have been established in ex-Yugoslavia and organisations in the West. tacting the appropriate authorities;
2. Informing the Croatian public and organising press conferences;
3. Offering the facilities of our local trade union offices (Bjelovar and Zupanja) for their use.
In all these activities, the contacts were made in the name of the UATUC by our trade union affiliate - the Autonomous Trade Union of Workers in the Power Industry, Chemical and Non-Metal Industries of Croatia (EKN).
With brotherly regards Jasna A Petrovic Our Unity is Our Power."
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 51, October 30 1993, Page 3