Rail Broad Left on right lines

Socialist Organiser no. 88, 10 June 1982 · scan p. 14 · about 428 words

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52 NUR members from 31 branches met in London last Saturday, 5th, for the second conference of the railworkers' Broad Left.

The NUR leadership has been obliged to make some threats of strike action in response to BR's attacks -the closures of Shildon and Horwich, the half-closure of Swindon works, and the 5% pay offer from September instead of April.

Some of the lefts on the NEC had succeeded in proposing united opposition on these issues, rather than let each section be isolated with its own problem.

But now the industrial action has been postponed. No one at the conference was in any doubt about BR tactics in deferring the works closures.

They wanted to avoid united action by all three rail unions, and they didn't want to throw away all the good work that Weighell has been doing for them in stabbing ASLEF and the rest of us in the back.

But Weighell will argue that the deferment is victory and justifies drawing the threat of strike action.

Indeed, it has already been suggested on the NEC that any strike should be held up until the Falklands war is over, so as not to appear unpatriotic!

All the better, then, was a resolution at the Broad Left conference calling for withdrawal of the task force and negotiations, for a posi tive response to be made by the TUC to the Argentine CT's appeal for a meeting to find a labour movement solution to the war, and for this appeal to be printed in the Broad Left's journal Leit Lines and submitted to the NUR's Transport Review.

The resolution Was narrowly passed against the opposition of the biggest single group present -Militant.

Militant supporters also lost an amendment aiming to take away the call for withdrawal and negotiations, and the publication of the CGT's appeal, replacing them with general opposition to Tory policies and a call for a Labour government with socialist policies.

Other successful resolutions committed us to organise a speaking tour for BR Engineering workers from Shildon and Horwich. resolution from Socialist Organiser supporters for the Broad Left journal to appear regularly every two months, and more frequently during disputes, and for the setting up of local groups as the backbone of a campaigning Broad Left, was passed unanimousiy.

This will allow us to be less of a propaganda group, and more able to intervene in disputes.

The NUR AGM later this month was also discussed.

A new steering committee was elected (including Socialist Organiser supporter Dave Lunts), and the conference was overal encouraging.