Separate unions for the unemployed?

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BRITAIN's biggest union, the IGWU, has lost 250,000 members in the last 15 months. These and other unemployed workers must not be lost to the labour movement. They must be brought into the unions even if the generals - the union leaders - who left them on the battlefield are not over-anxious to see them fighting for jobs once more.

On this subject, Sean South (SO 44) talks a whole lot of horse sense.

The term 'unemployed workers' union' is misleading and can confuse and alienate unemployed workers. We should urge all unemployed workers to join a TUC-affiliated union and affiliate through their relevant branch both locally and nationally to crossunion Unemployed Workers' Councils. The use of this terminology will avoid the idea that separate unemployed workers' organisations can in any way substitute for a trade union.

In Liverpool, for example, I have talked to many unemployed workers who are suspicious of the idea of a separate union but who would see the logic of the above framework. Many of them are TGWU members who maintained membership on redundancy. They are able to influence the union at district, regional level, and played a role in stimulating and organising the People' 's March.

It may be remarked that this is fine and dandy for those who have maintained initial membership. What about those who have never been in a union and who may have to fork out not inconsiderable contributions before they qualify for concessions under rule?

Well, it's certainly no good trying to short-cut the problem and pretend that they are joining a union with all its potential power and leverage when they are in fact joining an unemployed workers' group which can never be a substitute.

And can it honestly be said that a serious struggle against the conservative rules and bureaucratic attitudes within the unions has even been initiated. let alone exhausted?

JOHN McHEATH.

Manchester

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Socialist Organiser 30 July 1981 Page 12