striking Tameside care workers are among the latest to give their support to the March from Birmingham to Blackpool to lobby Labour Party conference, which sets off on September 19. Other supporters include fire-fighters, rail workers, miners and the Professional Footballers. An impressive list of unions have backed the march, and seven union general secretaries have also agreed to speak at meetings along the route of the march, which is organised by the United Campaign for the Repeal of the Anti Union Laws and backed by the Welfare State Network.
Trades Councils along the route are laying on hospitality for marchers and organising meetings to focus on the key issues to be demanded from the Labour government.
Rallies will be held in Birmingham (September 19), Wolverhampton (september 19), Crewe (Sept 20), Chester (Sept 21), Wirral (Sept 22), Liverpool (Sept 23), St Helens (Sept 23), Salford (Sept 24), Preston (Sept 25) and Blackpool, where the march will link up with the lobby called by the UCLH branch of UNISON.
The People's March is a focus for all those angry at the miserable failure of New Labour to repeal the Tory anti-union laws, and their continuation of Tory attacks on the NHS and the wider welfare state.
There is still time for union branches or Labour Parties to sponsor a marcher or make a donation to the People's March.
• Further details/donations to Alec McFadden/John Howard c/o Salford TUC, 84 Liverpool Rd, Salford.
TEl 0161-789-2999.
(mobile) 0831 627531. ernment the green light to back track on pre-election commitments. The end result, with 40 per cent thresholds, opt-outs for small companies and a complex process. for recognition will be almost unworkable. Whilst unions can talk of a change in the climate of industrial relations this is clearly a major lost opportunity. Unfortunately, so scared are they that evepathis will be snatched away from them, that criticism is muted, virtually all resolutions on the subject welcoming the White Paper, and only adding the barest of suggestions for improvement. A lot of work is needed before the carpaign for repeal of all the anti-trade union laws makes any formal headway at Congress.
The national minimum wage fared no better over the year. By refusing to actually organise around its policy the TUC was again wrong footed.
It even managed to interpret its policy of half male median earnings Despite the inevitable back-slapping it is clear however, that the honeymoon period is beginning to come to an end. Apart from ASLEF, who welcome Prescott's privatisation of London Underground, in most areas of direct interest to each union critical points are biginning to be raised. bosses still do UNISON is concerned about the not know whether effect of privatito beg to be treated sation and the nicely, or campaign Private Finance to defend Initiative on its members' members jobs and conditions in interests the NHS and elsewhere, and wants to see the government make good its public sector pay commitments immediately. Teachers' unions are concerned about the effects of Education Action Zones. Other resolutions are in similar vein - still not clear on how to deal with the government. Top union bureaucrats still do not know whether to beg to be treated nicely, or campaign to