THE ARTICLE REPRINTED below is taken from the August/September issue of South Wales Labour Briefing. It was written by RAY DAVIES, a steelworker from Llanwern and a regular contributor to Socialist Action. One of Ray's activities is producing the now-famous original article was written for the union activists' newsletter and a copy duly fell into the hands of ecutive meeting.
whose activities bring the union into disrepute.
Sirs and his executive have been having second evoke a good deal of sympathy for the so-called otfender, they've decided to delay any investigation until after the miners' strike is over.
The rank and file UICKCE unueuucall Mr Sirs promptly raised it at his national exThe executive decided to take acBut last weekend saw a new twist in events. Mr rigal in tue Labour rarly It was not until 1976 that Was UIly Stalls• Region they would have to change CUTICENTE They proposed the establishment of joint trade union booles and lut abandonment of system worker dtret tors. They demanded. that branch meetings regularly that dustrial action should not uselal be called off before branches had been consulted. Delegate conferences should CHOUHO become DOlC making, , and full time officers should be elected.
The response of Bill Sirs, the general secretary, was rapid and decisive. He cancelled the 1980 annual conference on the spurious grounds that it was too expensive. Obstacles Despite these obstacles bv 98l. won support for CND, for opposition to the EEC, anu tu ulace the union behind the left of the Labour Party. Most importantly, annual conference became policy making.
The left now turned its attention to the executive cOncl. LUCIUH was passed calling for the of the undemocractic trade based Durutiulc But left celebrated Lulc. elect its inree EC sections, only UlC ed up with EC SeLLUl traditionally by SCLIUL The majority of steelworkers underune only plans Melting committees, single branch structures in the steel plants. organisation is by section melting shop, one for the coke ovens, for the inlis enor ne anor.
management grades, and so on. Each DTaLCH holds its OWIl negotiations. The only coordination is from outside the plant by full time officers.
All this, of course, plays into the hands of the DOssed. When becomes strong or militant, or just troublesome, the management calls in the tul time officers. Ther then read them the riot act uneaieuue comunuLo al disbandment of branches. These people alt elected not accounWorst Is it any wonder that Bill Sirs has had such an easy time scabbing on the triple alliance and undermining the most important national since the mass meeting during the macrs strike. here has not been one call for action to support the NUM. Worst of all, our obligation under clause 9 of the triple alliance relating to joint industrial action has been ripped up trampled underfoot.
At plant level all over the country a small proportion management and staff unions are handling the scab coa and ore. The bulk of shop floor workers look On — confused while local trade union leaders queue at the media to extol the virtues of scabbing.
Even though the task looks hopeless, there are Miners' still small TVUUN of steelworkers fighting back publishing news sheets, building support for the miners, joining the picket lines. The fight to win justice and democracs goes on.