Trade union news

Public and Commercial Services Union

Right wing routed

In the ballot for general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) - the largest civil service union - the 7,000-vote victory of Mark Serwotka, a branch official from Sheffield Benefits Agency who stood as a socialist, over his Blairite opponent, assistant general secretary Hugh Lanning, will send shock waves through the trade unions. It presents the left with new opportunities and serious questions which demand answers.

In a 30% turnout, Serwotka received 40,740 votes to Lanning's 33,942. But comrade Serwotka will not be able to take up the post for another year and a half, after joint general secretaries John Sheldon and Barry Reamsbottom have completed their time in January 2001 and May 2002 respectively. Comrade Serwotka pledges to campaign for a democratic union with the annual election of officials, and says he will not accept the full £60,000 annual salary.

The PCS is the product of the merger of unions representing mainly lower grades in the civil service, the biggest being the former Civil and Public Servants Association. The CPSA has a history of successful broad lefts, and in the late 1980s Militant supporter John McReadie was briefly general secretary. But the PCS has been led since its inception by rightwing groupings, chief amongst these being the National Moderate Group and Members First, two competing Blairite factions with little to choose between them in terms of strategy to defend and extend members' interests. Reamsbottom, a supporter of the National Moderate Group, actually failed to secure enough nominations for the contest, which ended up as a run-off between Serwotka and Lanning.

Under current conditions in the world of work - some of the lowest levels of industrial struggle since records began, relatively low trade union membership (there has been a small increase recently, halting almost two decades of uninterrupted decline under the Tories) and lack of any fight from the union leaders - this is a remarkable result and a huge step forward for the fight for better pay and conditions in the civil service. It should be seen as a victory for all trade unionists and a victory for the left, with political significance going far beyond industrial matters.

Comrade Serwotka is a former member of the Alliance for Workers' Liberty and still a committed revolutionary socialist. What role he will be able to play, linking up with some of the few left general secretaries (Arthur Scargill - NUM, Mick Rix - Aslef, Joe Marino - Bakers Union) remains to be seen. Politically the left must try to ensure comrade Serwotka strengthens the fight against the Blairite Labour Party in the forthcoming general election, helping to mobilise support for Socialist Alliance candidates.

We also have the best opportunity for some time to rescue something from the Socialist Labour Party, which, despite its now paltry membership (Mick Rix, once an SLP 'big name', has now rejoined the Labour Party and is standing for the NEC) still contains significant people like Scargill, Marino and other union lefts who could help organise a far bigger general election challenge around a united socialist campaign. As a minimum the issue of no more wasteful head-to-head contests between the SLP and the Socialist Alliance should be given a good hearing, showing up who is responsible for any sectarian splitting of the left vote.

A word must be said about the PCS broad left grouping, Left Unity, and its negative role in Serwotka's victory. Led by its strongest component, the Socialist Party, Left Unity made the incorrect initial decision not to field a candidate so as to ensure the defeat of arch-rightwinger Reamsbottom, who then failed to secure enough nominations to stand. Thankfully a number of other socialists in PCS decided this was wrong both tactically and as a matter of principle. Serwotka's candidacy came about despite, rather than because of, Left Unity.

The comrades need to reflect and discuss this. The opportunity for a left victory could easily have been squandered. And anyway, since when have we given the right wing a free run? Sowing illusions in the likes of Lanning is certainly no way to draw people towards a fighting rank and file movement. Lessons must be learnt.

Hopefully the various competing broad lefts in PCS and indeed the rest of the trade union movement can follow the example of the Socialist Alliance in cohering the maximum united onslaught against our common class enemy, both industrially and politically.

Hackney strikes

Hackney council workers have voted overwhelmingly for a one-day strike on December 20. Eighty-one percent of Unison members, 94% of TGWU members, including 98% of its members in the newly privatised refuse service, and 71% of GMB members voted 'yes' for a series of one-day strikes, reflecting the deep opposition to the bankrupt council's massive programme of cuts and assault on jobs.

There are particular difficulties for refuse workers as, now they are privatised and employed by Serviceteam, their action will be classed as secondary and will therefore be illegal. John Paige, branch secretary of Hackney Unison, is reportedly trying to block attempts by Hackney Fightback, the SWP-led campaign to defend jobs and services, to encourage Serviceteam Unison members to take secondary action. Clearly there are risks, but if the workforce is united and determined, the employers will be unable to touch them. And the only way to defeat the anti-trade union laws is through militant resistance.

Demonstrations are planned throughout the day on the 20^th in Hackney. There will be a march assembling at 12 noon at the town hall, a picket of Itnet - the notorious privatised benefits agency - and a demo at 6pm to coincide with the full council meeting.

Ring Becky Palmer on 07979 823 597 for details of how to get involved.