On the 10th of December the Trades Union Councils JCC and Peoples Charter Commission convened a joint planning meeting to discuss priorities for building a movement of opposition to the Government, and for coordinated activity.
Members of the Peoples Charter Commission met with representatives from 18 Trades Councils from across the country, from Newcastle to Cardiff plus the Bombardier Works Committee, the Chesterfield Unemployed Workers Centre and individual members of Unite.
The meeting identified some key priorities for the movement.
Bill Greenshields introduced the meeting from the Charter Commission. Discussion followed on the crucial role of trades councils in the anti cuts movement, and in providing an inclusive structure to build an opposition to the Government from the grass roots. We discussed the role of the Peoples Charter in showing an alternative and uniting opposition around a set of demands. We heard how the Peoples Charter had been used by activists in some areas to rebuild Trades Councils, and how we might build support for the different Charter demands within unions – as Unite nationally has focussed on and adopted the Peoples Charter call on re-nationalisation. And we talked about the importance of continuing the positive collaboration with the Coalition of Resistance at local level, and the agreement in principal established with the COR for joint work on national initiatives.
John Pearson from the Bombardier Works Committee gave an update on the Bombardier campaign, reporting significant gains as a result of the campaign which has been successful in building mass public support for the dispute in Derby and beyond, and the pressure it has placed on politicians nationally.
A report from Phil McGarry from the Peoples Charter in Scotland was read out at the meeting. There are monthly Peoples Charter committee meetings in Scotland attended by representatives from 8 national unions, 6 trade union councils, 14 individual branches and several MSPs from Labour and the SNP. The Peoples Charter (amended to take account of devolved issues) is successfully being used to build political opposition to austerity, now launching an e-petition campaign to get the 10 000 required to force a debate in the Scottish Parliament.
Pat Sikoski (Assistant GS RMT) introduced a general discussion on the political situation and what we should do next. Through a vibrant and wide-ranging discussion a consensus on number of shared priorities for Trade Union Councils and Peoples Charter emerged.
Unemployment was identified as a key campaigning issue, and activities to support the organisation of unemployed people, proposals for trades councils to set up unemployed associations, and campaigns on local issues of unemployment and redundancies were all talked through. Oxford Trades Council are planning to hold a conference on unemployment in the spring, and proposals were discussed building this into a national event, using the fact that it will be held not far from Cameron’s constituency.
A campaign for unionisation, looking at new ways not just to build the union movement, but to bring unemployed workers, young people, those in casual and insecure work into the movement was discussed. How that might be organised through union and trades council structures was looked at. We discussed the role of Trades Union Councils as well as different union branches in embedding unions within communities and in taking initiatives locally to fight redundancies. The central importance of coupling work to organise the unemployed with the clear demand of Work For All, was stressed. The need to expand the Charter’s ideas on the whole benefit system was also a priority.
We discussed the critical importance of solidarity with young people, bearing the brunt of the economic crisis for now and facing bleak prospects for their futures. There were suggestions for how to do this through involving young people in activity and showing support for young people, through local occupations, protests and socials.
As well as local activities around unemployment and youth, and building the community base for the trade union movement, we also discussed the need for national activity as a priority. This would be to provide a new focus for national opposition following the March 26 March for the Alternative, and the 30 November co-ordinated action on pensions. A potential Day of co-ordinated industrial action and another national TUC demonstration against austerity was discussed. With this in mind, we talked about the need to co-ordinate on getting motions to the TUC for 2012.
The meeting also highlighted the leading role played by women through the 30th November action, the need to build on this, and recognise the particular impact of austerity and cuts on women. The Charter for Women, already supported by many unions, is a potential vehicle for doing this through the union movement.
This concluded what participants commented was a highly successful meeting, with many thoughtful contributions from across the country. It was suggested, to general approval, that we should pick up this way of meeting as a regular event.
If you want to get involved in developing any of these activities or if you have other suggestions to make for action, please get in touch.
How it can work - leaflet Txt
