ACTiON SoCialist CIVIL-AND-PUBLIC it a rival in size to the Liason Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions when the latter was at its height.
It was, however, far from its equal in influence The LCDTU could, and did, launch calls for action which it could be confident of achieving. BLOC was in no such position. This reflects the weakening of the rank and file eadership of the movement past ten years. Despite this, the was outstanding success for the organisers. The last conference JUst ove a ycal drew only plus delegates.
BLOC's ability
build so large a conference she existence of a rage La large minority of activists at the base of the unions whe understand the need organise the left in order to fight the Tories. Secondly, decisive SHOWS weakening of the political influence of the Communist Party in the trade unions, and their replace. ment by forces based on the left in the labour Parti facts gave BLOC hand, organise on a broad that minorit! united front basis to take on the Tories and the right wing in the unions.
And on the other to break with the CP policy subservience the trade union bureaucracy.
Committee in From this point of view BLOC failed The platform, organised by kept careful COLLO the There were eight platform speakers and on İy 24 from the floor. Alternative resolutions were not discussed, or put to conference. There was plenty of anti-Tory rhetoric and innumerable denunciaof the TUC right LIONS wing. But there was little about organising campaigns that could unite the eft and provide a way forward for building a broad based opposition the unlols.
The resolution on the miners, for example, , callmovelucill to solidarity but nothing about this be done vagueness of the resolurivalled the LCDTU in the days of its decline. The second part called for industrial action necessary' he event o1 campaign to force the TUC to name the day tor national action in support of the miners would have given the delegates something practical organise around.
The declaration put to comerenct was equally vague. While denouncing the Tories and the TUČ right it set out its objective as campaigning to.commit the 1984 Dockers support is needed by miners action other unions that weakened the poșition of the civil service unions opened the .to witchunt in way Whitehall.
The TUC has failed on all these matters because 11 sees its role as a mediator between the working class and the government.
members are there to be negotiated for in committee boardroom.
bu rev dre not a loice lu brought into action When policy fails because the government is no longer prepared to pla by the old rules the TU( left high and dry.
It can either change course or it can do little but make ineffectual pro sultation. For Murray and company it has to latter course. This stays on the sidelines in the miners' strike. In fact Murray and his circle are utterly oppos ed to the 'unlawful' picketing but are not keen to come out and say this. to: (1) Co-ordinate the fight back of the unions against antilaws, so that no union cooperates with any section of those laws and that no funds are drained one penny further by fines imposed under these laws. (2) Call a 24-hour general strike as the first step in solidarity action the event of the seizure of union funds or the arrest or fining of any individual : unions.
While unexceptional in itself, gives no campaigning focus, and little basis for organising the left in the next few months. Present aLlacks the political funds and the closed shop. were ignored The opportunity join with forces in the Labour Party to launch a massive campaign on this issue was missed. BLOC should have joined with the LCC to build such a campaign in town ane ever work place it the country This would have put BLOC at the cer tre of a struggle to unite the broadest of forces in the novellicil Similarly, the question of district or regional BLOC was left deliberately The dominant vazuc force in BLOC, the Militant tendency, has learnt little as the LCDEN periences the Rank File Organising Committee.
They are determined to retain BLOC under the contro of tendency, rather than building it as a genuine united front. that Cal 1UU be forward for the movement as whole The reaction therefore of the NUM in telling the TUC they are not "redesting da me vent r assistance from the TUC understandable. A friendly pat on the back from the TUC right-wing akin TOOLORI manager getting a vote of their connuence chairperson.
But the TUC should hook. The Nue has every allowed off the ight to demand its su ort and in fact the NU needs support ASLEF, NUM, TUC. The NUM should physical INSISI financial support from the TUC The NUM should therefore approach the TUC for this. Equally the leaders of the left unions on the TUC must respond to their request. If Murray and company refuse as is likely hense let as is likely then the must act independently and give full support to the miners.
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THE BROAD LEFT Organising. Sheffield attracted almost 2000 delegates from all parts of Britain and every major union. This makes