At a packed Labour Representation Committee fringe meeting, union leaders Jeremy Dear of the NUJ (pictured), Mark Serwotka of the PCS and Tony Woodley of the TGWU all spoke. The theme of the meeting was “rebuilding Labour”.
This will mean rebuilding political trade unionism from the bottom up. Unions have to make the case for the involvement of ordinary working people in politics. Union political structures should represent members’ concerns and be part and parcel of internal union democracy. As Kate Ahrens from Unison, speaking on behalf of the LRC, put it: co-ordination between union leaders is to be supported, but the agenda of the LRC goes beyond the involvement of General Secretaries. This is about the grass roots of the unions.
There will be a joint fringe meeting of the LRC with the Socialist Campaign Group on the Wednesday of Labour Party Conference. The LRC has the potential for linking up trade union delegates and CLP delegates at the conference, building support for the policy of rail re-nationalisation and other progressive resolutions.
LRC: G10 Norman Shaw South, House of Commons, London SW1A 2JF. Phone: 0207 219 1626. Associate membership of individuals and organisations not affiliated to the Labour Party welcome.
