Remembering Tony Benn

Maybe its because I'm getting older or more probably it is just chance but the last few weeks have been dominated by the deaths of what were to me - important Labour movement figures who helped shape my beliefs and politics.

Today Tony Benn died aged 88, which was not unexpected and who had reached a good age. On Tuesday Union leader Bob Crow who was only 52. The week before Stuart Barber also died unexpectedly. Stuart was a mate and a top UNISON regional officer in London. While last month, West Ham Labour Party lost one of its longest serving and most loyal members Gerry Carlile.

My social media today is dominated by tributes to Tony Benn. I first heard about it by text from a fellow Newham Councillor at 7.22 as I was about to go out and deliver Labour Party leaflets in my ward. "Morning Comrade. A sad day for all socialists with the passing of Tony Benn".

I love this iconic photograph above of Tony Benn. Like many Labour Party supporters I was never a supporter of most of his solutions but I agreed with his analysis of the problems and admired his courage in standing his ground, despite everything thrown at him.

As always in "This Great Movement Of Ours " (aka tigmoo) Labour movement family members will usually agree where we want to go but can't agree on the best way to get there. 

I had the privilege to listen and even speak to Tony Benn on a number of occasions.

He spoke at the AGM of my  branch at the time, Tower Hamlets Local Government UNISON and happily chatted to us all beforehand while drinking a massive mug of tea.

At a SERTUC international meeting in 2007 he reminisced as being on a British troop ship sailing back to “Blighty” after the second world war. He was at the time a RAF pilot and Labour Party parliamentary candidate in the 1945 elections. He remembered the debates on board the troop ship about why was it possible to have full employment when the country was at war killing German’s but not in peacetime when they could be building hospitals and schools?

On a similar theme an UNISON national officer speaking at a branch meeting once recommended  Tony Benn’s simply definition of socialism. “If we have unemployed building workers and homeless people why don’t we get the unemployed to build homes for the homeless”.

I thought his arguments in favour of republicanism were unanswerable. He made it perfectly clear that he had nothing but respect for the present Royal family and especially their service in the second world war and thought it was a complete distraction to attack them personally. He just wanted and demanded as a democrat to have an elected Head of State.

I can remember him talking powerfully about taking a trip on a train in Thatcherite Britain. At the beginning of the journey everyone just sat in their seats, did not have any contact with their neighbours and read their books and newspapers. The train broke down and while the passengers were waiting for it to be fixed they started to talk to each other and share food and drinks. At the beginning the train was a Tory train, selfish and individualistic. When the train broke down it became a socialist train, collective and sharing in adversity.

I suspect that the second world war shaped Tony Benn as much as the first world war had affected Clement Attlee.

One of my favourite recent memories of him is sitting on a panel at a public debate in a hall at Tower Hamlets waiting to speak, happily puffing away on his pipe while sitting directly under a large sign saying "No smoking". No-one dared to ask him to stop.

A good UNISON comrade of mine went to see him speak last year at at a memorial celebration in Bow of the 1888 London Women Matchmakers Strike. Tony convinced him to join the Labour Party in his speech (which I had never been able to do).

My final favourite quote from him is this :-

“We are not just here to manage capitalism but to change society and to define its finer values.”

Remembering Bob Crow

This is an article I wrote for Inside Housing 

"I think like everyone I was shocked yesterday morning to learn of the sudden death of RMT Railway union leader  Bob Crow. I was actually on a train at the time when I heard the news, the same line on which I occasionally use to see Bob while he was on his way home to his East London social house that the media used to hate so much.

Like many trade unionists I was a huge admirer of what he was able to achieve for his members even though I didn’t always agree with everything he said.

Inside Housing has asked me what union housing representatives can learn from his example.

I think a huge amount.  I won’t pretend that unions in the housing sector have the industrial muscle and bargaining power that the rail unions have, since they have the ability to bring their industry very quickly to an absolute halt. There are at least three lasting interrelated legacies I think that Bob leaves to us.

First and foremost Bob believed that you must have a strong collective voice to stand up for your rights at work. The interests of the employer and the employees are not always the same and if you are passive and do nothing, then don’t be surprised if you get walked all over.  There is a massive power imbalance in the workplace and strong, independent and accountable trade unions are needed to tackle this imbalance and restore equilibrium.

The second legacy from Bob is union density. Bob knew what our grandmothers and grandfathers knew and has now been often sadly forgotten. It is very simple but true. The more of us in the union - the better the deal we will get. Bob drove up union density in the RMT and increased his bargaining power so all members benefited. It is indeed the case that workers are ‘Better Together’.

The third legacy to housing unions is what I would call adopting the Bob Crow mind set. That housing workers must be prepared to fight and take industrial action if necessary. Industrial action can take many forms but you must consider the ultimate weapon of strike action. It is no use just complaining about cuts in your salary or pension, reductions in sick pay or unfair redundancies. All of us must be prepared to stand up and do something about it.

Never forget you cannot depend on employment law or your employer to protect you at work. You can only depend on your fellow workers and your union.

Last night I was at a Unison regional meeting representing housing workers and it was proposed that we send the RMT and his family our condolences and we should hold a minutes silence for Bob.  I suggested that a minutes silence would not be apt for Bob and that instead we should all stand up together and make passionate speeches for a minute instead. We decided to send condolences.
John Gray is a housing officer and Unison committee member"

Trade Union Congress 12: Sunday afternoon

Picture of UNISON delegate Gordon McKay seconding the composite motion on "Trade Union and Employment Rights" at the start of Trade Union Congress 2012. Gordon finished his speech by offering some rather rude travel advice to Tories.

"Congress is the policy making body of the TUC, and meets each year during September. Each affiliated union can send delegates to Congress - the larger the union, the more it can send. At Congress 'motions' (resolutions for debate) are proposed and discussed. These form the basis of the TUC's work for the next year".

You can check out the TUC blogs and tweets here.  The hashtag is  #tuc12. You even watch it live online.

The UNISON delegation had a pre-meeting at 3pm where we decided whether to support or not motions up before Congress where we haven't so far made a decision. Conference started at 4pm. There was a lobby outside Congress and delegates were greeted with the traditional welcome chant "TUC get off your knees... General Strike Now".  

The President of Congress, GMB General Secretary Paul Kenny, chairs the meeting. A more relaxed and tolerant chair than others I have seen over the years. He even gently told off Unite GS Len McCluskey, for speaking longer than he should have done.

Composite 4 is on "Illegal Corporate Bullying" and describes the secret "blacklisting" of trade union and safety reps by the construction industry.  Which meant that many activists were refused employment for many years if not decades. Motion 16 on "Hidden Courts" was about concern over Justice and Security Bill.

5pm Paul Kenny addressed Congress and reminded us of the role of his predecessor Will Thorne in the formation of the unions. People should be proud of unions and the social justice they have created. Paul introduced the new TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady and gave thanks to the outgoing GS Brendan Barber.

At UNISON conferences we leave the teasing of the President until the end. Congress starts at the beginning. Paul was praised for being the "best ducker and diver in the trade union movement" by Gail Cartmail.  A point agreed with relish by Bob Crow who also thought Paul despite being a Millwall FC fan was a "decent bloke".

Battery in my laptop now running out.  Will try and post further tomorrow.