A union for the unema oyec
Socialist Press1981 1981-06-25Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 3 →
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for Jobs fired the enthusiasm of workers and unemployed, especially those who lined the routes of the March or joined it when it passed through their towns.
But now the TUC and its unemployment centres offer no prospect of a real fight against unemploy. ment.
Before the March many local unemployed action groups and unions were set up. One of these unions, in Leicester, has decided to carry on the initiative set in motion by the unemployed workers' centre in Newcastle in January this year, and to call a national conference of Unemployed Workers' Unions, to take place at Leicester Polytechnic Students' Union on June 27th.
Pam Owalawe, secretary of the Leicester UWU, told us: 66 The Newcastle conference was originally called to discuss the problems of organising the unemployed, but became dominated by a discussion of TUC guidelines for unemployed workers' centres. This effectively split the conference down the middie.
The employed in the trades councils and trade unions were prepared to try and negotiate within the guidelines. The unemployed and the organisers of the conference wanted more independence. They also decided that a recall conference was needed to discuss the original tasks of the conference.
Leicester was chosen because of its geographical location and because the Leicester delegates had won respect at the conference because of their contributions on the need for independent organisations.
The People's March, and the experience of Leicester UWU members on the Eastern Leg of that march especially, have made us realise more than ever that if we're going to get more than cups and tea and sympathy from the TUC centres, then an independent National Unemployed Workers' Union is needed.
The NUWU will aim to unite the employed with the unemployed to actively campaign against unemployment and to support those workers taking direct action to save jobs.
A major aim ot the union will be to campaign for all trade unions to accept the unemployed into their ranks and to have dual membership of the NUWU and the appropriate trade union.
An Unemployed Workers' Union is needed because some sections of the unemployed can't be taken into the present trade union structures,