TUC goes quietly as Labour leads off servile bureaucrats It takes two to tango. TUC prattle about "Partnership" ignores the vicious anti-union offensive by major "partner" firms like BA THIS YEAR'S Trade Union Congress in Brighton saw few sparks oflife. This is no surprise to anyone. The TUC leadership have for years been arguing that the membership shouldn't rock the boat but put all their energy into the election of a Labour government.
Tony Blair's project of a New Labour party has been made much easier by the 'new realism' of the trade union leaders - which preceded it by many years.
Indeed the last time TUC was an exciting event was during the miners' strike - it is only really when there is one dominating and controversial issue that it seems possible to inject some life into the ritual of debate.
Now of course with Labour in office the union bureaucrats are somewhat unhappy that they are being offered so few crumbs from the master's table.
There will be moves on union recognition in the spring - but not strong enough ones as far as they are concerned. The TUC's own document 'Rights at Work' was however brought out with little discussion at the base of the movement.
While in some regards it is stronger than the proposals from the Labour leadership, it is by no means a full frontal challenge either to the bosses or to Blair's "Millbank Tendency".
The trade union bureaucrats will keep their complaints against Labour's proposals low key and confined to cosy chats at Downing Street - if they are invited back.
On other issues such as the anti-union laws their voices are already muted. Not surprising when the rubric under which Congress was organised was'Partners for Progress'.
The key "partners" they have in mind are not the government but the employers. With such a viewpoint, the lack of fight is only to be expected.
Keeping the lid on Whether - with a public sector pay freeze looming, cuts in the welfare state and the bosses squeezing every last drop out of their workforce - they can keep a lid on the anger of their members remains to be seen.
There is however little point in Baker's Union leader Joe Marino complaining that the left is weak and disorganised at Congress. Is he not part of this left?
With the balance of forces as it is in the trade unions today an intervention based mainly on an orientation to the Congress and the bureaucracy would be even more empty than in the days when the left's electoral machine - mainly dominated by the Stalinists - was stronger.
The task must be to build the Trade Union Left Alliance as well as particular campaigns in defence of workers taking industrial action, against the anti-union laws, and on broader issues such as fighting cuts in the health service. Only on real foundations such as this can an intervention into Congress be seriously built.
Many trade union leaders are preparing to ditch their unions' policy on Labour Party democracy and vote at the forthcoming Labour Conference for 'Partnership into Power', and the associated rule changes.
This is short sighted even in terms of their own interests, as it will make it much harder for them to have any influence on party policy in the future.
Blair has already demonstrated very clearly that they are certainly not at the top of his list of confidantes, but the habits born of a lifetime cooking up deals may lead to a majority giving away the mechanisms for a stronger voice.
Every last nerve needs to be strained to ensure that the rule changes are not carried -and that anyone who votes for them against the policy of their organisation is brought to account. BASS BASSA BAs British Airways staff defied management threats to take strike action L83 CEOASS BACKA