BOTH the London and East Anglian Regional Councils of the Fire Brigades Union will be sending large delegations to the Fight For the Right To Strike Conference being held in Birmingham on 26 November.
John Ryan, a London Regional Council member, reports that Council other members were queuing up to get details when he raised the issue at a recent meeting.
Arthur Scargill writes in the current issue of Trade Union "I welcome the forthcoming Right To Strike conference, and agree wholeheartedly with its organisers on the need to fight to remove all restrictions on strike action, and to give solidarity to those who challenge the current shackles on the right AEO * to strike.
"Such a call is certainly in line with resolutions on anti trade union legislation which year after year the NUM puts forward at the TUC conference.
The NUM's position is very clear. We call for defiance of unjust laws which attack basic rights and trade unionism itself'.
Sponsors
The conference has attracted a whole host of labour movement sponsors including the National Union of Journalists and over thirty National Executive members from the GPMU, NCU, NUM, NUT, RMT and UNISON and many more regional and branch activists.
Moves are afoot for NATFHE, the college lecturers union, to also affiliate nationally. "It has been like pushing on an open door" report the conference organisers.
ABEU Lions led by donkeys: Timex strikers faced the law and a right wing union bureaucracy "We seem to have hit on an issue which seriously concerns many trade unionists, but which most trade unions nationally are doing nothing about."
The organisers hope that the conference will set up a representative committee to campaign to change the anti strike laws, and to support strikers hit by those laws i.e. nearly all of them. • Directions: From Birmingham New Street station take a 45 or 47 bus from Stephenson Square. CONFERENCE Saturday 26 November 10am - 5 pm The Union Club 723 Pershore Rd Birmingham SPEAKERS: KEN CAMERON Gon Soc FBU DOREEN CAMERON Pres NATFHE BOB CROWE AsS Gen SAc RMT BILL WEDDERBURN LSE Jointly organised by the Socialist Movement Trade Union Committee, Socialist Campaign Group Supporters' Network, Public Sector Alliance, Trade Union News and the Birmingham, Oxford and Lambeth Trades Councils. • £20 sponsoring crganisations • £8 delegates • £5 individuals • £3 unwaged • Send cheques payable to 'Right to Strike Conference' to PO Box 6498, London N1 1QW. court restrictions on their