He was not calling for disaffiliation but for the democratisation of the political funds with trade union members having the right to deciae now their own money was spent. This theme was emphasised by the slogan benina the platiorm which asked: "Whose money is it anyway?"
Greg Tucker spoke on the disputes on rail and refuted the idea that Railtrack was the subiect of any kind of renationalisation, since the profits were simply being passed on to the operating companies. On the political fund, he stressed that the democratisation and diversification of the fund did not mean that we are in favour of giving money to the lories or the "Lib Dems, as was being reported in some quarters.
The Tories had called for strikes to be banned on rail and the Lib Dems had called tor the ending of all immunities and a return the conditions before the 1906 Taff Vale judgement.
Yunus Bakhsh, trom the UNISON executive pointed to the alliance taking place at CWU workshop, despite a high number of registrations, since CWU members had gone onto the demonstration called against the deregulation ot the post office at short notice and at the same time as the conference Discussions a the workshops centred on how to pursue the conference's themes in the individual unions (and at their own conferences) and. in some cases. how to maintain co-ordination between SA members within the union.
At the start of the second sessiot on privalisation a large delegation postal workers arrived from the They were cemon ranon. given a huge welcome as they entered the hall.
The second session was opened by guest speaker Luciano Muhlbauer from Rifondazione Comunista. Luciano is also a member of the independent union S. in COBAS and of Randien Rossa, the Italian section of the Fourth International.
He talked about opposition in Itals to both neo-liberal This pamphlet, written by Matt Wrack for the Socialist Alliance is a vital tool for all trade unionists as the debate on the political fund opens up in the unions. As CWU General Secretary addresses the Green Party Conference, and GMB's John Edmonds says he will give money to the Tories or the Lib Dems if they back the union's policies, both the SA trade union conterence and this pamphlet could not have been more timely. Wrack charts the miserable record of new Labour, elected to government by thousands of trade unionists desperate for change after the long night of Tory rule, highlighting Byers' recent description of public sector workers defending jobs and services as "wreckers" As he argues "over the past decade, the Labour Party has increasingly stolen the initiative from the Tories in courting and granting privilege to big business". He takes us back to the creation of the Labour Party by the unions at the beginning of the last century, and the history of the political funds themselves - covering aspects of this evolution that are not necessarily familiar to those facing the new debates in today's conditions. His conclusion, with which we completely agree, is that we need to fight today to democratise these funds, to break Labour's monopoly.
Organisations like the SSP and the Socialist Alliance "should have the right to argue their case in front of union members. Similarly Labour should also have the right to argue for support for their candidates and poli- think that cles. Anyone wno opening has any respect up the for the intelli- funds gence of trade would union members mean giving should be able money to to support such the Tories. a process. Lets This is a have the valuable debate and resourceallow democ- every trade racy to nonst ever work" socialist should The final read it and use section of the pamphlet is some frequently asked chal- Get your bulk lenging questions about the copies now from Socialist political fund, with suggested Alliance, Wickham House, answers. 10 Cleveland Way, London These are extremely useful El 4TR by sending a cheque because they pose challenges made payable to Socialist from a variety of different polit- Alliance for £6 for 10 copies ical positions - from those who - or youcan pay by credit don't think political funds card by ringing 020 7791 should exist at all, to those who 3138