Trade Union Solidarity Conference: in solidarity with workers in struggle
Labour Briefing1980sTranscribed by hand from the printed page.
The simple matter of solidarity with other workers in struggle has become a major problem for the trade union movement in Britain.
The first blow came when trade union leaders refused to challenge the illegalisation of solidarity action brought about by the anti-union laws.
Many struggles have been left alone for long periods of time — with a serious need for basic support.
It is these problems which the Conference of the Solidarity Network, on November 5th, is seeking to address.
A major feature of the year long Miners' Strike was the emergence of a mass non-sectarian support movement based on the general Support Committees and the Womens Suppport Committees.
That was the form rank and file support took at that time. Since then Support Committees, and Womens Support Committees, have been a feature of every major strike which has taken place — Wapping, P&O, and, to a lesser extent, the Vickers strike in Barrow.
One of the aims of the Conference, as with the founding Conference of the Solidarity Network last year, is to maintain that tradition and ensure that it remains in place to support future disputes.
The Network offers not just material support, but political support by being in place to take forward the experiences of one struggle into future ones.
The Conference also aims to generate more support for the strikes which are currently taking place. A particular priority is the P&O dispute, where the strikers are now in their eight month on strike.
The Solidarity Network has developed over the past year, carrying out consistant support work and working closely with the Chesterfield conference.
The Network sees this Conference as a means of strengthening its vital work and improving its own organisational structure.