ciplinary action against individuand branches is real. The Bolton branch suddenly had its accounts frozen after protesting against the circular, although agreeing to abide by the instruc Suspended Branches such as Birmingham and Sheffield remain suspended only because of allegations, as yet not substantiated, against individual branch officers who are on the left.
In the case of the Birmingham branch, a clear commitment had been made at UNISON's conference in June that the suspension would be rescinded without while the SWP candidate got George Brown IN A WEEK when the TUC deepened its drive to get into bed with the bosses, the launch of a new magazine dedicated to the building of opposition to "social partnership' must be welcomed. Solidarity aims to become an arena for discussion on how to build a movement to challenge the domination of our unions by bureaucrats who care little for "their" members British union news aside, where Solidarity scores is in its coverage of international developments rarely picked up by the bourgeois media. The pilot issue contains in-depth articles looking at developments in Canada and Australia.
In a wave of unlawful strikes across Canada nurses have been fighting for decent pay and conditions and for better quality of patient care. When the government pushed through legislation to order nurses back to work mass meetings decided overwhelmingly to defy court injunctions and continue their action.
A back-to-work oes recol mended by union redoes was thrown out 3-1, but then signed and sealed by the leadership. Rank and file memoers are now organ ising to call their union leaders to In Australia the membership of the maname Union Is organsly to learn the lessons of the Patrick dockers strike and the sell-out there. A new MUA Rank & File group has come forward to challenge the existing leadership of the union.
As one of the Rank & File activists puts it. "Our movement is about giving MUA members back не всси a net sotte control over their union. Our growth reflects the disillusionment and discontent over the loss of conditions that have taken 100 years of struggle to win.".
If Solidarity is to play its part in the parallel process in Britain it needs now to become a forum for debate and discussion for the organised left in our unions. Future issues need to take up in depth the debates under way - on what relation unions should have with the Labour Party, on what sort of rank and file moverent is needed, on how we rebuild a trade union movement that actually fights for the interests of the working class as a whole.
Solidarity needs to become an organiser - which can help build opposition to privatisation, which fights for repeal of all the anti-union laws and which builds genuine solidarity in action at home and internationally.
The pilot edition is a good move in the right direction. Now it is up to us all to make it a success.
•Get your union branch or trades council to sponsor Solidarity and order bulk copies for distribution to shop stewards - contact M Wicks, 333 Welcombe Avenue Park North, Swindon SN3 2PF or More details on Ine sor www.solidarity.zetnet.co.uk