TRADE UNION activists in this country have launched a campaign to give practical support to trade unions and trade unionists in Kosova. The aims of the Trade Unions for Kosova campaign, discussed at an inital meenng in May, are to: maintain contact with and respond to requests for assistance from trade unions and trade unionIsts in Kosova assist the Kosovar trade unions and trade unionists in sustaining their work in refugee camps and amongst their people in temporary exile support Kosovar trade unions and trade unionists in rebuilding their organisations and the social infrastructure of their country publicise human rights abuses and war crimes committed in ex-Yugoslavia develop where possible contacts with trade unions and trade unionists in Serbia, Montenegro and throughout ex-Yugoslavia on the basis of opposition to ethnic cleansing and the promotion of working class Solidarity • campaign in the Brisish trade unions and labour movement, and where possible internationally for the recognition of the right of the Kosovan people to self-determination Campaigners organised a successful fringe meeting at UNISON conference. Hamide Latifi, an activist in the Journalists' Union in Kosova, spoke to delegates about her experiences in Kosova as one of a group who tried to continue the near impossible task of producing an Albanian-anguage daily newspaper in constant danger.
The campaign has collected 63,500 in donations to send to the Education Workers Union in Kosova, and is now trying to re-establish contact with other unions such as the Miners Union.
Clearly, after the war and the bombings, Kosovan trade unionists still need help to get up and running again, and to give their members financial and other assistance as refugees return, • Contact the campaign, invite speakers to union meetings and send donations (make cheques payable to Trade Unions for Kosova) and messages of support to Irade Unions for Kosova do Camden UNISON, 59 Brill Place, Phoenix Road, London NWI stop the closure of the union's convalescence homes.
The broad left in UNISON, the tor a Fighting and Democratic UNISON, organised a large meeting of 160 delegates on Single Status.
At the meeting, branches recognised that the warnings of the CFDU that Single Status was being used to attack conditions had come true. The CFDU also helped organise a meeting on Kosova and the large meeting on democracy.
Cooperation
There was a greater degree of cooperation between sections of the left at this conference. Many independent left activists and the CFDU were discussing the need for a wider broad left than the CFDU.
Over the coming months, it will be necessary to work together to defend democracy and oppose the witch-hunts, to develop a fighting strategy against the privatisations through Best Value and PFI, and to co-operate in elections for regional and national bodies.
This co-operation may well build the trust necessary to create a new organization of the left in UNISON, which will have the credibility and weight tọ seriously challenge the NEC's collapse in front of the government's attacks. UNITE POWER I journal for Rank • & File transport • workers, is • available now. Greetings from UNITE!! Send donations • to Triple • Alliance Box at • 46 Denmark • Hill, London • SE5 8RZ.