Printed by Tridant Press, Edenbridge. Published by Idolrare Ltd, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU. Copyright © 1994 THE FIRST STEP towards a new regional liaison committee uniting trade union, labour and campaign activists was taken last month in Manchester.
The Build the Fightback Conference brought together over 60 leading activists from nine trades councils. North West NATHE, the Socialist Campaign Group Supporters' Network and organisations as diverse as Big Issue, NACSA, Lancashire WAPC the NW Travellers Association, Manchester Freedom Network, the M65 campaign, Liberty and the Shut Sellafield campaign.
It called for greater unity and mutual solidarity at all levels in the fight against the Tories and the bosses.
A liaison committee was set up with one representative from each supporting organisation to unite all the various groups into a common front against the Criminal Justice Act. This law will restrict everyone's ability to fight including trade unionists, who have so far done little to oppose this legislation. mittee will also draw in others into action.
A law is only a law if it is enforceable. Organised defiance will make a complete mockery of the Tory offensive.
The conference also proposed:
• An agreement to pursue unity at a local level on the basis of the experience of the North West Miners Support groups.
• Support for those on the left in the Labour Party and the Trades Unions who are fighting to defend Clause Four.
• A campaign around homelessness, open-cast mining and against the privatisation of the Post Office, rail, coal and civil service.
• Support for Trade Union News with unions and Trades Councils • To build for the Right To Strike Conference in Birmingham. To campaign for full employment by amongst other things a shorter working week, an overtime ban, early retirement and decent pensions.
The first meeting of the North West Liaison Committee is at 1.00pm on Sunday 13 November at the Bolton Socialist Club.