Check this school yard bully out!
3 Comments Published by Tom Woodcock on Sunday, September 10, 2006 at 1:47 PM.
Interesting C4 reports on the PKK, the Kurdish question, Turkey and Iraq
0 Comments Published by Tom Woodcock on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 at 3:47 AM.
Trade Union Leadership - Simpson's Style
0 Comments Published by Tom Woodcock on Sunday, September 03, 2006 at 4:57 PM.
The ‘crisis’ in working class representation and the trade union leadership was exposed In a bizarre episode at a rural Trade Union Rally Sunday last.
Derek Simpson, Amicus General secretary, lapsed into an awkward defence of his unions support for scores of labour party MP’s. Prompted by a quite but visible counter demonstration from his own members (over his sacking of three full time officials) he publicly professed to “breaking his flow”. He then attempted to respond to a growing number of unimpressed heckles of “stop funding the Labour Party” and “break the link”.
5-600 trade unionists had gathered in the Norfolk village of Burston at the annual strike School rally to celebrate and remember the longest strike in history. A 25 year walk out started in 1914 by militant school students in solidarity with their socialist teachers.
The event is a small but important one in the Trade Union calendar. It gives opportunity to reflect on the ongoing struggle of working people. In particular the need for comprehensive and inclusive education - which is so brutally under attack from New Labour.
The presence of Derek Simpson along with Steve Sinnott, general Secretary of the NUT, was of course very welcome.
However, in the context of a usually united and good-natured family day, Simpson display left him exposed, even referring to his now ex-comrades by spelling out the word W-A-N-K-E-R-S.
The performance not only highlighted the systemic divide between the union leaders and the rank and file but a more tactical split between the Gordon Brown camp and those who might form a more independent position.
Simpson promised he “would continue to support Labour because we could not afford the Tories” but went on to concede that New Labour were “worse than the Tories”. Speaking more like a party MP than a representative of organised labour his uncomfortable analysis of the choice agenda slipped into New Labour rhetoric, blaming bad schools and accepting modernisations.
What is uncomfortable in his argument is not so much Simpson’s obvious and understandable confusion over the party he supports. It is the lack of confidence that he and others show in defending and funding New Labour’s parliamentary party as a way of gaining working class representation and influence.
The lesson from the Burston strikers, who he admitted he knew little about, is that working people make gains by withdrawal of their support for poor action and policy and not through cap in hand apologies.
Simpson’s promise that “along with Tony Woodley he would be a force for change within the Labour party” did more to isolate him from other trade union leaders, a growing number who will be speaking at the ‘organising a fighting unions conference’, than to unite him with union members.
The need is now greater than ever for a united Trade Union left that can work independently from the Labour Party and resist its liberalising agenda. Which would make the gains that are needed to provide for working people in housing, health, education and pension.
The ‘organising for a fighting trade union conference’ on the 11th of November is a step toward that unity and Simpson, Sinnott, Woodley, and others who are hedging their bets with Brown, should consider being there for both their members and the pressure it will place on a wayward New Labour.
Cambridge Trades Council, NUT, Amicus, CWU and Unison members attended the day
Derek Simpson, Amicus General secretary, lapsed into an awkward defence of his unions support for scores of labour party MP’s. Prompted by a quite but visible counter demonstration from his own members (over his sacking of three full time officials) he publicly professed to “breaking his flow”. He then attempted to respond to a growing number of unimpressed heckles of “stop funding the Labour Party” and “break the link”.
5-600 trade unionists had gathered in the Norfolk village of Burston at the annual strike School rally to celebrate and remember the longest strike in history. A 25 year walk out started in 1914 by militant school students in solidarity with their socialist teachers.
The event is a small but important one in the Trade Union calendar. It gives opportunity to reflect on the ongoing struggle of working people. In particular the need for comprehensive and inclusive education - which is so brutally under attack from New Labour.
The presence of Derek Simpson along with Steve Sinnott, general Secretary of the NUT, was of course very welcome.
However, in the context of a usually united and good-natured family day, Simpson display left him exposed, even referring to his now ex-comrades by spelling out the word W-A-N-K-E-R-S.
The performance not only highlighted the systemic divide between the union leaders and the rank and file but a more tactical split between the Gordon Brown camp and those who might form a more independent position.
Simpson promised he “would continue to support Labour because we could not afford the Tories” but went on to concede that New Labour were “worse than the Tories”. Speaking more like a party MP than a representative of organised labour his uncomfortable analysis of the choice agenda slipped into New Labour rhetoric, blaming bad schools and accepting modernisations.
What is uncomfortable in his argument is not so much Simpson’s obvious and understandable confusion over the party he supports. It is the lack of confidence that he and others show in defending and funding New Labour’s parliamentary party as a way of gaining working class representation and influence.
The lesson from the Burston strikers, who he admitted he knew little about, is that working people make gains by withdrawal of their support for poor action and policy and not through cap in hand apologies.
Simpson’s promise that “along with Tony Woodley he would be a force for change within the Labour party” did more to isolate him from other trade union leaders, a growing number who will be speaking at the ‘organising a fighting unions conference’, than to unite him with union members.
The need is now greater than ever for a united Trade Union left that can work independently from the Labour Party and resist its liberalising agenda. Which would make the gains that are needed to provide for working people in housing, health, education and pension.
The ‘organising for a fighting trade union conference’ on the 11th of November is a step toward that unity and Simpson, Sinnott, Woodley, and others who are hedging their bets with Brown, should consider being there for both their members and the pressure it will place on a wayward New Labour.
Cambridge Trades Council, NUT, Amicus, CWU and Unison members attended the day
John Stewart is helping give me some hope that the US people hold some power to resist. This show is going someway to unpicking the mine field of US corporate network news.
Check out John Stewart and the Daily Show as Key words on You Tube
Check out John Stewart and the Daily Show as Key words on You Tube
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