The differences over tifor, the national organiser of LWAC The basic issue at stake is whether the review the party's organisation will carried out in a way that will allow ine maximum ticipation of women, the rank file of the in the process, whether it will be stitched up behind closed doors by union executives NEC. If the latter is the case you can be sure it will take decisions aimed the interests of women.
Unfortunately at its January meeting the National Committee took a series of decisions which will minimise the involvement of woren and the party and trade union rank and file. It decided not to meet the deadline of the meeting OI the NEC for constituCommittee (LWAC) has been campaigning for fundamental changes in the structure of the Labour Women's Organisation — to establish the principle that women should control their own organisations in the party. At last year's party conference it was voted, for the first time, to undertake a thorough review of the Labour Party's womens organisation.
this have now culminated in the resignation from the National Laboar Women's Committee (NLWC) of Ann Pettional amendments to be tabled to this year's party Moreover decided, in order to try to keep the maximum control the NLWC over material circulated to the party, to entirely reject the draft consultation asst secretary LWAC, personal capacity ment prepared by the party officers and to prepare a new document for discusby the NEC. The February NLWC meeting duly approved a new docudiscussed by the NEC in will March.
The apparent reality of the choice that the NLWC made was to attempt to get more control over the itial documentation, at the expense of moving to the file immediately. It is this choice that is so damaging to women in the party. The issues are best dealt witt one by one.
Firstly, and most importantly, the documentation LOW agreed by the NWLC will go before the NEC in March, where it is highly unlikely that it will be agreed. Therefore a further roung or discussion will have to ensue at the level of the national committees. Even if the NEC dECC to the document, the earliest that it will be circulated is the beginning of April. that there will still be no documentation before the women's section by May.
While it is very important that the authority of the Labour Party women's built up, women cannot rely on the NLWC achieve their goals. The NLWC elected regionally and is unrepresentative of women in . the party as a and is a relatively powerless body. In a clash of wills between the NEC and the NLWC, it is an elephant versus a mouse.
However, clash between the NEC and the organised women ranks, linked up Ann Pettifor with women in the ranks of the unions, the contest is not so unequal. This is where the issue has to be fought out, and the more rapidly the more openly the better. The more the issue is kept in committees, confined to a and forth between the betweet the NEC and the NLWC, the less pressure women can bring to bear on the outcome must ensure that the issues are taken out of committees and discussed widely as possible, cluding in the unions and on the basis of resolutions positions put by individuals. It must get into the party ranks as soon as possible. Women must set the agenda for this review and discussion. The more starting it is delayed the more it will be left in the hands of union executives disaster for women and for the party as a whole.
It is also extremely likely that the final documentation that goes out will be more similar original draft circulated by the party officers than that drafted the NLWC. Therefore all that will have been achieved is nearty six months of delay could have been occupied among women in the party.
Even if there are improvements in the document the price that will have been paid for these initial improvements is far too high.
It means that nothing Will be • discussed bi the sections by this conterence and it t is the organisation itself not the NLWC decide its views on this matter. Ever more significant the time table adopted by the NLWC rules out taking the issue of Labour Party women's organisation to the union conferences this The deadlines for resolutions to must conferences are early the year. Therefore as cach deadline passes it hands more control over into the hands of the ecutives and the NEC wh are bound by no suc estrictions on their deci sions.
In a number of unions this will simply mean that the executives decide without any reference to the member ship at all - and they will the grounds that documentation reached them too late for wider In other inOSCUSS UH stances it will mean that alternative proposals, which do not take women's organisation forward will circulated and discussed without any reference to the proposals of the It is juite likely tha APEX vill circulate its proposals for introducin à straight bloc vote inte women's conterence for example Even more potentially dangerous proposals are apparently cir culating within the TGWI for the complete abolitio of the reserved places to vomen on the NEC Area danger exists that the Jul of the NEC will have constitional amendments before that set back the women's organisation, i a situation where no head of steam has been built posals, and where there alternative proposals on the table tha have the authority of th women's conference. Thi would be tne disastrous consequences of delay b the NEWC
Socialist Action 20 Feb 1987