MSF members can't afford to keep Lyons!
MSF, one of Britain's largest unions, is in deep crisis on a number of different fronts:
Earlier this summer, General Secretary Roger Lyons had his scandalous expenses claims exposed in the press when the case of a former employee of the union, Marcia Solomon, came before an Employment Tribunal.
The Tribunal heard that union members were paying for various items ranging from daily papers, and a radio in Lyon's home, to multiple tickets to travel to meetings and countless meals in restaurants.
Anger at these revelations has been widespread with more than half the union's the Regional Councils adopting resolutions calling for Lyons' resignation or for a new, independent inquiry into the allegations.
This is not the only issue of concern for the leadership which did not get the blank cheque it wanted in relation to the proposed merger with the AEEU at the Annual Conference in Harrogate. It is trying to wriggle out of the situation by organising a consultative ballot of the membership in advance of the recall conference it was forced to call against its will.
The AEEU have not changed the proposed basis of the merger since the Harrogate conference set conditions for the process continuing. But given the completely undemocratic way the so called `debate' within the union has been conducted - that is with those opposing the merger given no opportunity to put our arguments across - General Secretary Lyons and his cronies hope that a successful ballot will pressurise delegates at the November 11 recall conference into accepting the merger regardless.
There are also strong rumours that the union's finances are in serious difficulties with an overdraft of around £9,000,000. Accountants HW Fisher & Co have been brought in and have been asked to identify cuts in expenditure. The word is that they will propose £3 million per annum savings some time over the next month or two. Cuts of this magnitude can only mean substantial redundancies
The leadership is also conducting a vicious witch-hunt against left wing activists, especially in London. Their intentions were revealed by the cruel treatment of Sarah McDonald, elected as London Region secretary this year after her predecessor Hugh McGrillen was suspended
She has been banned from office for 3 years. Four cases remain outstanding, but it is clear from McDonald's treatment that the leadership has no intention of treading lightly.
The question of the merger remains the central issue for MSF activists - the plan to create a new union that will be completely supine in the face of New Labour's attacks must be our priority. Of course the other issues are important not only in themselves but for what they reveal about the incompetence and reactionary nature of the Lyon's clique.
For more information, see www.lrdc.org.uk and (for a sidelong look at the affair) www.rogerlyons.com