Socialist Outlook talked to Matt Wrack of the Fire Brigades Union
SO: The debate that has developed in many unions in the last few years over the political fund has been gathering more and more steam, as increasing numbers of trade unionists feel that the Labour government they are funding is stabbing them in the back.
But last year’s FBU conference went further than any other union has so far done. What do you think were the factors that specifically affected FBU members that led to that decision?
MW: Our debate goes back to at least 1996 when a motion was carried calling for a review of the uses of the political fund. It has been building ever since. I think there are three main reasons why last year’s decision was carried.
Firstly, virtually all Fire Brigades are run by Labour controlled authorities and FBU members have been campaigning against these authorities for over a decade.
Secondly, there were four Socialist Alliance general election candidates who were FBU members. Obviously under the old policy we were unable even to discuss giving official union support. Finally, we did not allow the leadership to turn the debate into one about disaffiliation. The resolution carried was about democratisation of the fund and involving the members in decision making. That is a very powerful argument.
SO: Were there any particular tactics the left adopted in putting forward the resolution to last year’s conference that you think would be of use to activists in other unions?
MW: I think the fight has to be aimed at democratising the political fund and not seen as an attempt to simply "capture" some money for a particular organisation. If we are seen to be genuinely supporting democratisation we can draw a much wider layer into the debate, including many Labour Party members.
SO: What has happened since conference and how is the left responding?
MW: Our Executive Council were instructed to bring any necessary rule changes to this year’s conference. Instead, but not surprisingly, they have issued a policy statement that seeks to overturn last year’s decision, by centralising power into the hands of the Executive. The left needs to ensure that a serious fight is waged to defend last year’s decision and, most importantly, to begin to implement it.
SO: What role do you think the SA trade union conference can play in taking forward the fight over the political fund, and also the fight over job losses and privatisation?
MW: Any opportunity for trade unionists to get together across the various unions is welcome. I see the conference as a forum for debate for trade unionists, rather than as a conference of Socialist Alliance trade unionists. Obviously to achieve anything the conference has to appeal to a wider layer than simply the Socialist Alliance.