(Islington UNISON) A NEW left wing is being organised in UNISON, Britain's largest union formed from the merger of NALGO, NUPE and COHSE. The launch conference of the Campaign for a Democratic and Fighting. UNISON (CFDU) will take place on 3 December in Leeds.
The need for an organised left has never been so great, with so many attacks raining down on public service workers.
Privatisation, pay freeze, cuts in services and attacks on union organisation are just some of the issues on which a fighting leadership is required.
The CFDU was initiated at UNISON's first national conference last May, at a meeting called by several regional left caucuses. The meeting had been organised to fight for national campaigns, including industrial action, against the attacks we face and for real democracy in the union.
The 150 delegates at the meeting unanimously agreed there was a need for a permanent left organisation in the The CFDU is appealing to "Fightback", a group of UNISON branches influenced by the Socialist Workers Party, to join with the CFDU to ensure there is one large, united, left in UNISON.
There is much in common between the CFDU and Fightback, and those members who want to see real action to defend conditions and services will not understand why the left is split.
The launch conference of the CFDU on 3 December is at Swarthmore Centre, 4 Woodhouse Square, Leeds 3 (creche available, accessible venue). It is being organised by the following regional caucuses: London CFDU, UNISON Left (North East), Campaign for Lay Control in UNISON (Yorks and Humberside) and East Midlands CFDU.00 These regional lefts have agreed a draft Statement of Aims which will be submitted for amendment and adoption at the conference.
All UNISON branches are invited to send up to five delegates (£5 per delegate). Any UNISON member can attend as an observer with speaking rights (£3 each). • Write to: CFDU, c/o Glen Kelly, Bromley UNISON, Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, Bromley BR1 3UH. Phone 081-464 3333 ext. 3273 for further details. tempt of court for defying the union laws, is now being persecuted by its own union leadership.
UNISON General Secretary Alan Jinkinson repudiated the action of Sefton branch, which successfully, but illegally, took strike action against council privatisation. Now he is threatening disciplinary action against the whole branch.
Sefton's 'crime' is to have paid the fines levied on two branch officers for defying the laws. A letter from UNISON HO has been sent to all branches forbidding them from contributing to the defence fund.
Defiance
Despite this Sefton branch has twice voted to pay the fines of the victimised officers, Nigel Flanaghan and Martin Murphy. A number of other branches have similarly defied the UNISON ban and sent money.
Attendance at the Fightback conference was a further show of support from 60 branches. There was also a useful discussion about fighting the government's public sector pay limit.
However the weakness of the Fightback campaign was revealed when a motion was taSOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 69, September 24 1994, Page 7