Fred Leplat, Campaign for a Fighting and ATTACKS against the internal union democracy of UNISON are being stepped up. There is clear conference policy on the right of branches to campaign and to get together to influence policy. national officers of the union are determined to "interpret" conference policy so as to totally underThe latest example of this is a circular from the general secretary Rodney Bickerstaffe issued of August instructing branches not to support the lobby of the Labour Party ContercHee the September with branch funds or resources (including branch banThe lobby has been called in the following demands:
• Restore the link - decent pensions • Welfare not warfare • IS an hour - tax the rich • End privatisation and PFI/PPP • Scrap the Asylum & Immigration Act • 35 hour week - no loss of pay • Full union rights.
first five demands are national policy, the sixth is UNISON national local government service group policy, and the last one is Greater London UNISON Region policy.
The circular from Bickerstaffe claims "independent legal advice" has been obtained decalring that the expenditure of funds to back the lobby would be both a breach of the union's rules and of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1992.
No advice Yet no copy of the legal advice has yet been scen. It has been admitted to a member of the NEC that there is no specific advice on this particular event, but that the union has now collected enough legal opinions in other circumstances to Dc judgement on this year's lobby!
The circular goes on to state that to fund people attending the lobby would also be in breach of the Certification Officer's (wo recent rulings against UNISON concerning "payments to politi• cal parties".
Yet when contacted by a branch secretary, the Certification Ofticer confirmed that there had been complaints received about past lobbies of the Labour conterthat no rulings had been issued in relation to such lobbies, and that there is no opinion of the certification Officer which prevents branches from supporting the lobby.
Spurious and non-existent legal motion calling on the Labour goropinion is being quoted in order to undermine a legitimate campaigning activity - only because it has been initiated by the SWP and supported by the left in the labour movement. Indeed, the general secretary's circular admits "wider publicity makes it clear that this lobby has been called by the SWP". It is ironic that after issuing his circular, Bickerstaffe was quoted at the. Blair's offer to put pressure on the government and crammins UNISON would do just that on the wage and pensions!
Unfortunately, the threat of disdelay. In Sheffield, the branch remains suspended despite auditors giving the books a clean bill of health. The right of branches to ger together to protest at such attacks on democracy, or to intluence union policy in other matters, is also being attacked. The 1998 conference clearly allowed branches the right to ConTrees with other branches. Yet this will probably be restricted by the NEC if it agrees in October a recommenda. tion that such conferences could only be held with the approval of the relevant region or service Union democracy is not a luxury. It is essential to ensure that members and branches make officials are accountable and develop union policy as necessary. If the rights on internal democ curtailed, then the agenda of the union will be set by unelected such regional secretaries, and the nar. row circle in the "Presidential Team". The national conference will then really be a "show-case" as the Bickerstalle wishes, and not a democratic forum of debate and decision-making by elected brasch delegates.