fightback. One day trade union conference organised by Socialist Challenge supporters in Yorkshire to discuss the problems of organising the * The way forward for socialists in the unions * The lessons of Rank & File and the Broad Left Agenda: 10.30 to 11am Coffee and registration. 1lam to 12.30pm Introduction and short talks on: Broad Left, Minority Movement, Rank & File. Lunch. 1.30 to 3.30pm Workshops on: 35-hour week; Sliding scale; Equal pay and sexism in the unions; Fighting the cuts; Fighting racism in the workplace. 3.30 to 4.30pm, Summing up and discussion. Supper and party later in the evening.
Saturday, 11 November Swarthmore Centre, 4 Woodhouse Square, Leeds 3 Child care and accommodation available-contact Leeds 629631 first who's not in to "The Group tO organise been political group.
The Ford fills This has left Combine prepare ensuing struggle.
of the leaders. left in the unions and in industry.
The Group is particularly | supporting the union leaders as important for me as someone long as Many political organisation. It has been able number of different political don't. organisations and those not in completely DOLE independent and self-financing.
We have always stressed that it's up to Ford workers themselves responsible This contrasts sharply with the recent history of rank and For file organisations which have more the industrial arm of an individual Workers' Group vacuum which carved up. developed through the bureau- weve socialist official union structures. In my union there is little life in the industry. official structures while 'Broad Leftism' did nothingto generate rank and file involvement.
La real gap between the rank and file and the officials. In this dispute, for instance, there was next to no contact between the national - negotiators and the rank and file leading upto the strike.
In my want asicane Was produced by the convenors, but wives we were on strike before we sav Group it! It was left to the Group - girlfriends then called the Ford Workers leaflets and badges necessary to to produce the -ine claim and the We are trying to build a movement which is independent This means they represent the interests of the members, but being prepared to act independently of them if and when they independence is political. This means presenting an anemnauve way fighting and an alternative in what we're fighting for. We've got to show that workers are not instance, things continue as they are there will be next to no jobs in the motor industry. It's not just Ford that's at stake here. British Leyland and Chrysler are being alternative workers' plan — for the motor DIVIDING We must also take up the question of women's oppres sion. In two important disputes in the motor industry -first at Cowley and now in this strike there has been an attempt to weaken the strike by dividing husbands. The WIVE. and of members to participate in its meetings.
Racism's crucial question, especially in a multiracial factory likeat Dagenham.
We've still to build a genuine rank and file movement which can fight around such issues — either in Ford or outside. It's going to be a slow process. Photo: BOB MURPHY (Socialist Challenge I know only of the Ford Workers' Group and a similar organisation in the building industry around a paper called Building Worker. I think we'll see similar developments across encourage these developments, to link up with them and with similar accoonent within the motor industry I don't think the Rank and The Cigario ork Campaion ; Committee or the Right to an play a big role in thi Certainly they nave helped ti Group in getting off the grounc And that's been really usefu But in reality it is little more than the industrial arm of the SWP, and it continually claims to bestronger than it is Inis is not to say inat tne industrial workers around the Committee don't have a very play building such a movement. On COLLary And SWP members at Ford's have played an active role in building the Ford Workers' Group.
We don't exclude unity with the Broad Left in building the movement on principle but it i difficult to win such united action in practice. The effect of Broad Len ponacs in tne earl 70s has been one of decay. We're continually having to fight them over the issue of democrac Rank and file politics has nothing to do with Broad Left politics Socialist Challenge 2 November 1978 page 9