LABOUR Party Black Section held a Monday lunch-time fringe meeting at the TUC in Brighton last week on the theme of black self-organisation in the labour movement.
The meeting was chaired by Black Section chair Marc Wadsworth. Delegates visitors heard Narendra Makanji, secretary of Black Section, Azim Hajee, from the nacommittee Workers the NALGO Black Group, Vinayak Patel representing striking workers from Kenure Plastics.
Both Wadsworth and Makanji drew attention to the common problems faced by black activists in the the Makanji dauc highlighted the fact LudL unionisation among black workers other groups.
Twenty per cent of TGWU members, 28 per ent of NUPE members alla 12-15 per cent MAH members welc black he said. He pointed to the fact that despite a congress policy 1984 on black selforganisanon in tie umons, little action has been taken Colludi Larisis discrimination.
Contrasted to that was the experience NALGO Black Workers Group, which held its first national conference earlier this summer.
When black workers in the Camden NALGO called their first meeting people attended. At that point only one camue.
JALGO shop steward was black.
Now the group recognised by the council and consulted on matters affecting BACK workers. Camden Black Workers Group afforded the same facilities as shop stewards Nationally, the Black Workers Group, said Hajee, has successtully concentrated on campaigns deportaracist as well as demands for better representation for black members.
The Black Section meeting closed with a call for support for 42 sacked black workers from the moulding ut val Lileill of Kenure Plastics Feltham, West London. Patel explained that their contracts had not meen renewed after the workers cae• a ver van lasi following a refusal by management to agree to He called materials to the firm and boycott raw of the products they promass fight against low pay.
Everything was put in the basket of legislation by a possible future Labour government. Meanwhile no clear minimun figure was adopted and the £80 that was mooted is sufficiently low to cause neither the wrath of the employers now mass of struggles by the low-paid in the here and now. Miners But contrary wishful thinking of Kinnock and Willis, the millwing of the miners LaulL and their supporters have not disappeared. They were still able themselves even at this concess CYCL though like all Wab. others. highly bureaucratic affair.
The mood of the thousands of miners at the struggle were able to move out behind some key moCongress's General on …une Delegates NGA scabbing the campaign against Sun, The Sunday LIU"
required Will the dispute, vote was printworkers lobbying firm stand South Forty-two black received massive applause tor nis call lor complete mandatory sanctions. The decision opens up big opportunities for deepening active solidarity with the anti-apartheid struggle in the heart of the labour movement.
Advance On the question of nuclear the TUC only other • the NUM. This year the NUM's resolution was defeated by the narrowest margin of 60,000 votes. This reflects the massive change in awareness on the nuclear power question, especially since Chernobyl, points to a clear anti-nuclear position being adopted by the Labour Party in Blackpool at the end of which Kenure Plastics Kinnock "concensus' line is at its weakest.
The lesson is therefore clear: to fight for struggle.
. And where this occurs to build the broadest possible united action around such struggles. Such an approach is the best contribution to turning back Tories' bosses' 'offensive. It's also which Kinnock's and Willis' whole LUC way collaborationist ap croAt will place will place workers and their allies in the best position to struggle in the future, including advancing socialist measures under any future Labour government. Friends fighters must also know their friends and who our enemies in the movement Fighters in the black comPatel denounced such plan of Tory destruction'.
Wapping dispute, it is the Morning Star supporters who are lending weight to the demands to tone down the picketing, to • preness convening mass meetings where the pressure of the ranks could be brought to bear, wno have set themselves against the formation of a democratically electec committee. Sup porters of both wings in cluding member Mick McGahe ganged up against Scargil in the NUM delegation to the TUC riding Kinnock's 'concensus' call.
In the period ahead their strategy will increas read-end. Breaking out of ingly be shown to electoral straitjacket, nuine allies in the course of political action is the task for class fighters.
----- pull-quotes -----
the que Tongs de ted nion backed