resistance to moving right towards coalitionism. Opposition witch hunt will form a central part of the work of every union and party activist over the coming year.
LABOR PARTY
preparing tion.
ing suspended, presenting a entryist organisation da'.
resolved that to SINCE LAST year's annual conference the NEC has probably spent as much time on witch-hunting as it did on the general elecNEC meetings were dominated by who was being expelled, who was being kept out of the party, who was beand whose papers had to be proscribed.
The last conference voted to set up a register for non-affiliated groups of Party members. It did not vote to expel people. Undeterred, in December the NEC - after weeks of agonising over how best to expel Militant supporters while facade of 'natural justice' to avoid legal wrangles — defined Militant thus: 'a Trotskyist group ... a political with its own pro gramme, principles and policy fo distinctive and separate propagan Having established these ground rules the January NEC went further. It the key question deciding whether Militant supporters were liable for expulsion was: 'their in volvement in financial support and/or the organisation of and/ or the activities of the Militant tendency?. Having sent the five editorial board members of the Militant newspaper with carefuly legally worded charges, the February NEC went in for the kill The Militant five were 'interviewed'
gn IS SINCE THE sackings last increasing numbers of trade unionists have realise how serious are the issues raised by the affair.
No one seriously believes that BL management sacked people for their views at Cowley. Nor does anyone think that they were terrified of the threat of Socialist Action supporters being in the plant. But what the sensational media 'mole hunt' whipped management got away with was to legitimise political vetting and victimisations.
Cowley month, have been commonplace for as long a they can remember. and in certain come to for years. to bend the truth when applying for such jobs. received serious public attention.
degree. Now millions of people know that companies sack. people for their political views. And many also learnt about the witch-hunting activities of like up by BL out of a job.
Hundreds of 'The Ali For union activists these practices On building sites against industries company blacklists have been standard practice So has the need for activists But rarely has this issue doubt -that Cowley has changed that to some harassment for their the Economic with industry chiefs to keep activists and socialists prominent trade unionists and Labour Party members have now signed the appeal launched by Alex Lyon, former Labour minister, anionshits supporte should ne harnessed into a national campaign which can permanently highlight an right these practices. There can be n the need for " such campaign will grow under the Tories, given their plans to defeat the militancy of the British labour movement.
What would such a campaign do? First, it could draw up a charter of employees rights to a job free from political views Such a charter could be fought for throughout the labour movement and win endorsement from many unions Second, it could work with other national, regional and local organisa tions to set up inquiries into the ac operating blacklists, and the national groups like the Economic League. Third, it could act as a focus for workers across the country who are victimised to make their case heard and to campaign for their reinstatement.
In West Germany they have a la forbidding socialists and communis employment in certain jobs. Despite an international outery against it that law is about to be reinforced by the Kohl government, which is no more right wing than own Thatcher government.
Bosses We should make sure that Thatcher and the bosses in this country don't try to build on their success over Cowley to go down that road. The best start we can make is to build the broadest support for the Alex Lyon appeal and to turn it into a national campaign supported by the whole labour movement, and civil liberties lobbies.