Society ballot was riggec

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are a tarce, since election addresses are not allowed, leaving members ignorant of who most of the candidates are or what they represent.

The continued rightward evolution of even the public statements and actions of the TGWU leadership, and the 'consultation' fiasco over the voting in last year's Labour Party Deputy Leadership election, underline the need to press home the fight for democracy in the union.

This means a fight on all fronts: for the regular election of all union officials; for union delegations to conferences to be controlled by elected lay members; for the establishment of tamper-proof democratic ballot procedures in elections; for the regular functioning of branches and the election of branch officers; and in the course of this fight to expose the corruption and manipulation which provide the foundation of bureaucratic control.

Such a fight will only be consistently carried through by a new leadership committed to the fight for a consistent political alternative to the class collaboration of the present leadership and the elimination of its perks and privileges.

However, Rule 7 paragraph states, Every Branch shall adopt byelaws to make provisions as to the manner in which elections are to be held or ballots taken' As there would appear to be a doubt as to whether the NEC had any right to issue instructions as to how the ballot should be conducted, these suspensions should be withdrawn at least until conférence decides the issue.

Two other branches have had their officers suspended on the same basis - the Black Country and Kidderminster branches. Motions should be sent to the NEC demandirg that these suspensions be withdrawn.

REG HOLDCROFT [POEU branch representative, in personal capacity] LAST WEEK, in an oul court settlement of Boilermakers' ballot rig case, general secretary Ja Murray and the union e utive agreed to declare 1980 ballot for general se tary invalid.

A new election will place in April this yea statement is to be issue the Boilermakers jou saying that neither Mu nor the defeated candid Barry Williams, was at of the irregularities at time.

Strange to say that of the issues raised by previous general secrel John Chalmers, was only the general secre could have baliot pa printed. And sure ens over 100 ballot papers ' printed one year atter original election, with N ay's and Williams' namı them. Who was not awar Appealing to the c in such matters is alway: satisfactory because it against the principle tha labour movement sh sort out its own inte affairs without interver by the state. in this c riggea ballot has been 1 turned, but a union in is stil needed to find who rigged it and to r sure they are not in a f ion to do the same again The broader questio electoral reform, ana co of elections by lay con tees rather than full-time icials, also needs to be t up by the left in the unk GOVERNMENT Par » plus postage m Socialist Organises Middle Lane, Londor

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