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by John McInally (Author), Elaine McFarland (Editor), Jim Whiston (Editor)
The main purpose of this account is to demonstrate the potential to build our trade unions into organisations that can genuinely defend their members' interests, and those of the wider working class in this period of capitalist decline.
Building the type of militant trade union movement that aims at 'the emancipation of the downtrodden millions' can no longer be understood as an aspiration for the future but as an imperative and urgent necessity for today.
Trade unions are capable of playing the most positive role in the class struggle. If equipped with a militant perspective, programme and leadership, they are uniquely placed to unify other sections and elements of the working class: the unorganised within our communities together with social movements in the wider struggle for the socialist transformation of society.
But long experience tells us trade union leaders are also capable of playing the most divisive, backward and treacherous role.
So, what has all this to do with this contribution which is an 'activist's history' of a British trade union representing a relatively small and specific sector of the organised working class, mainly, if not exclusively, civil service workers?
If this contribution has one principal, over-arching and inter-connecting theme, it is this - the struggle between militant and collaborationist trade unionism.
And this is an issue of the most pressing concern and relevance to activists of all unions, and especially so for socialists and communists struggling to transform their unions, and society too.
These events and issues have the sharpest contemporary relevance as Keir Starmer's Labour government embarks on yet another programme of attacks on our class which, unless opposed, will result in a qualitative intensification of the 'race to the bottom'.
The price of union inaction or collaboration will be severe. The destruction of the welfare state is at an advanced stage and the assault will continue.Therefore, this contribution is not just concerned with providing an industrial, political and historical analysis of past events but is intended as a guide to action in current and coming struggles.
Also discussed are the influence of socialist ideas and activism, the conflict between left and right - particularly the struggle to defeat the 'Moderate' right-wing bureaucracy, the building of an effective United Front and broad lefts, and the role of socialist organisations and parties. Other themes include the union's relations with the wider labour and trade union movement and its demand for united union campaigning, including coordinated industrial action to defend public services and public sector workers' terms, conditions and rights. The inter-connection between industrial and political campaigning is considered, including the union's interventions on wider class issues like anti-racism, national self-determination, and the form of political representation.The destructive role of left sectarianism which exists, to a greater or lesser extent, in any workers' organisation, is also addressed, not 'theoretically' but by examining actual events and issues.
The book concludes with a brief consideration of potential directions for the British trade union movement and the many challenges, dangers and opportunities it faces in the current period of ever-deepening crises
