RMT HOSTS POLITICAL CONFERENCE!

RMTnews :: february 2006 :: www.rmt.org.uk 6 O ver 300 labour movement activists gathered at an open conference called by RMT last month to discuss the crisis in working-class political representation. The London meeting, called following a decision at the union’s AGM, was opened by general secretary Bob Crow who cited the Labour government's continuing obsession with privatisation and its refusal to scrap draconian anti-union laws as evidence that the party was not acting in the interests of working men and women. Rather than immediately setting up a new party, Bob said that what was needed now was "a new national shop stewards' movement to strengthen popular demands of the labour movement. "We've all got to get together to build these trade union workplace structures to put working-class policies in place. "Then, we can take this process forward for a political party that can represent working men and women," Bob said. Labour MP John McDonnell urged socialists, both inside and outside of the party, to "work together in a united front against capitalism. "There is a new generation coming onto the terrain of struggle," he added, predicting: "In future, new organisational forms may emerge, but they will emerge from struggle." Scottish Socialist Party convener and MSP Colin Fox outlined Bills which his party is proposing at Holyrood to abolish prescription charges and introduce free school meals for all pupils. "But the Scottish Labour Party will oppose us," he pointed out, describing the tactic of trying to change the Labour Party as "questionable." Coventry City councillor Dave Nellist, a former Labour MP but now a member of the Socialist Party in England outlined how working people were faced with three ‘mortgages’, one on their house, one on university for their children and one for their old age as pensions were under attack. Other contributors in the debate backed the call for a new party to be created to avoid electoral clashes. RMT member Greg Tucker introduced himself as a member of the Respect coalition, but said “the time has come to move forward and build a new party,” calling for further discussions and “practical proposals”. Highlighting the dangers posed to workers by the proposed EU services directive, RMT member Alex Gordon pointed out that it would be a key issue for a new national shop stewards movement to begin work on. “There will be a very sharp demand to do something concrete to force political action against EU diktats,” he predicted, adding that it would prove “the need for a broad democratic movement based on workers’ rights.” RMT HOSTS POLITICAL CONFERENCE