Union speakers duck reland conference

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Local TUC speakers invited to address a conference on Ireland arranged by Wirral Trades Council on Saturday 20 : September were all conveniently unable to attend due to "more pressing engagements"

North West Region TUC secretary and NUPE official Colin Barnett left it as late as 12 o'clock on the day to ring and say he could "probably not attend"

Chairman M. Sandbach, in opening the meeting said the meeting would not be able to take any resolutions as they were restricted by TUC rules.

A brief opening statement was given by J. Nolan, Wirral Trades Council, outlining the history of the struggles of the Irish people against British occupation.

As the conference ...T&G MEMBERS CAUSING HAVOC ON THE DOCKS - HOLDING THE COUNTRY TO RANSOME AND— WHAT'S THIS ?

ANK! SOME OF THE LADS AND ME ARE PLANNING LE SIT-IN NEXT WEEK AT TRANSPORT HOUSE... DING YOUR REINSTATEMENT— WHADDYA SAY? dominated by the platform speakers, this allowed open discussion with a wide range of views being presented.

However overall there was a clear division between, on the one side, the need to work within existing trade union and Labour Party organisations and on the other the rejection of this method in favour of work outside these organisations.

A Socialist Press supporter correctly stated that the fight should be taken up within the trade union and labour movement to expose the role of the bureaucracy, who by their support of bi-partisan agreement between Labour and Tory Parties actually support the interests of the British ruling class against the interests of workers in Britain and Ireland.

Meetings of this type, where resolutions cannot be put forward to commit Trades Councils to initiate struggles to expose the role of the bureaucracy will not pose any threat to those who favour repression in Trades Councils which are serious in bringing the Irish question into the labour movement should be moving towards jointly sponsoring a national conference on Ireland.

By involving as many Trades Councils as possible (and a considerable number condemned the TUC's bureaucratic disaffiliation of Tameside Trades Council) the struggle could be broadened nationally.

This would prevent individual Trades Councils being isolated and victimised by the TUC for raising the question of Ireland and challenging the role of the bureaucracy.

In this way the vital fight for British labour movement action to force the immediate withdrawal of troops from Ireland can be carried forward.

LOOK AT THAT! ADWEST STRIKERS EVEN INVADING HIS UNION HEADQUARTERS DEMANDING HIS SUPPORT!

spi SOUNDS O.K. TO ME..

BUT WE'D NEVER BE NOTICEDTHERE'S SO MANY OFFICIALS SITTING IN ALL THE TIME..

I PLAN TO BE IN OCCUPATION FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!

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SOCIALIST SOCIALIST