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The main hall had videos playing on the big screen as people were milling about and getting sorted before the 11:30 start. The Tower Hamlets story was particularly impressive for its focus on uniting the local community, the local workers and their trade unions with the staff fighting for their jobs at the college itself. There was also a video showing our own ongoing dispute with coverage of, and interviews from, the Manchester pickets and the recent visit to lobby parliament.
Following some minor microphone technical difficulties, an event wouldn't be complete without them after all, the conference kicked off about 11:40 with the opening session, "We Won't Pay For Their Crisis" chaired by our very own Ian Allinson. (I should emphasise that the hall was packed. My photos probably don't show it but an estimated 850 people had turned up for an event anticipating around 500. There were people sat on the floor at the front, people sat on the stage behind the speakers and people standing throughout due to a lack of seats.) Mark Smith spoke about the Vestas occupation, their ongoing campaign and the impact it has had on the Isle of Wight. Clara Osagiede explained the difficulties facing the RMT cleaners in their fight to organise for better pay and conditions in the face of an employer determined to union-bust. Pete Murray of the NUJ highlighted the impact of media manipulation by the government and the bosses through reduced resources and an over-reliance on 'official' press releases and how it affects the flow of accurate information to the wider population. Kevin Courtney, the NUT DGS, spoke of the cheapening of education and why it isn't in the ruling class's interest to have an educated workforce ("They ask questions and challenge"). Tony Kearns, senior DGS for the CWU, expressed his desire to have the anti-trade union laws repealed in no uncertain terms. All the speakers were well received and all had something different to offer.
The volume of attendees meant that the workshops had to be split across the Central Hall rooms and the Mechanics Institute a 10 minute walk away. The short break following the opening session allowed me to get across to the MI for the "After BA, defying the anti-union laws" workshop held in the, very apt, Peterloo room. Paul Brandon, London bus driver and editor of the Busworker, chaired the workshop highlighting this particularly greasy character for his role in getting workers actions overturned in the courts on technicalities. There were also contributions from Linda Bartle, a former Visteon occupier, and Charlie Kimber of the SWP. The workshop was then opened to the floor (approx 80 attendees) and contributions centered on the need for organisation to be built from the bottom up, for workers to have confidence in their ability to defy legal threats from both companies facing action and their own unions in many cases and the need for existing networks of activists to be prepared to support each other's campaigns. Unite in particular took a kicking for its lack of commitment to democratically called action in the face of legal challenges - hence the "After BA..".
It was another short walk back to the central hall, during which I was able to eat my lunch and have a fag, for the closing session. I was pleased to listen to Dot Gibson of the National Pensioners Convention as she emphasised that fights they were having now may save the audience having them in 10/20/30/40 years time. Dave Chapple of the National Shop Stewards Network spoke without the aid of a microphone which was impressive in itself but I was particularly caught by his references to Left parties treading on each other's toes and generally arguing over trivialities. Again, his emphasis was not to get bogged down but to support each other and I can go along with that. Richard McEwan, Tower Hamlets College UCU, outlined how their action (which I have referred to above) couldn't have taken place or been victorious without the support of the community and the local workers and union reps. Dietmar Meister of the University of Vienna explained how attacks on education in Austria are being fought through student occupations and solidarity with other workers under threat. Lydia Besong, an Anti Deportation Campaigner, thanked conference for their support and explained the untenable situation that many immigrants find themselves in - unable to legally work while their status is indeterminate, underpaid and exploited when they work illegally and subsequently scapegoated by some particularly undesirable elements. There were short contributions from the floor followed by a unanimous vote passing the statement.
Given that I am not a member of any Far Left party, and there were probably too many to count, I was encouraged by the the focus on grass roots activism coupled with building the necessary support networks with whoever and the lack of political posturing was very welcome (although one of my work colleagues indicated that the "How can workers get a real political voice?" workshop was just that - posturing). But all in all, a good day.
