Workers' Liberty

The documents reproduced here are dated, and British, but provide a basis to develop new platforms to guide anticapitalist work in unions around the world. Workers Liberty Australia reproduces them as a source of knowledge of the history of struggle for militant unionism. The documents are A programme for the rank and file, and For a charter of women's rights.

A programme for the rank and file

Rank and File Conference, Birmingham, England, March 1974.

This conference sets as its aim to assist in organising the working class of Britain for the defence and advancement of its interests. To the extent that the official leadership of the labour movement takes a positive lead in that fight, we will support them. Wherever they fail, hold back or betray, then the rank and file must lead.

We struggle to replace reactionary union officials with new militant leaders, where possible on our programme. At the same time we strive to submit these and other leaders to the most direct accountability to their members.

We fight to strengthen the circulation and influence of the sponsoring rank and file papers, and to build a strong movement based on militant policies.

We fight for the unity of the working class

• a) 100% teade unionism
• b) For links across unions for the development of industry wide organisawtions representing the broadest sections of the working class, e.g. trades councils with representation from the unemployed, tenants and students, but most important, direct representation of factory committees and other shop floor organisations.

For unity in the struggle for better wages and conditions

• c) For priority to flat-rate increases giving an adequate basic rate which will make overtime and bonuses unnecessary.
• d) Against all productivity deals, job evaluation, work study, and all techniques aimed at strengthening the employers power. Against any selling of jobs or conditions in return for wage increases. We are certainly not opposed to technological progress: but we demand that it be used to improve workers conditions, not to bring redundancies and speed ups or other intensification of work.

For the unity of the employed and unemployed

• e) work or full pay
• f) Unionisation of the unemployed, and their representation on Trades Councils and in the TUC.
• g) Unemployed members keeping union cards to be given full rights within that union.
• h) Decasualisation - guaranteed minimum earnings for every job for every week of the year at no less than the minimum wage; against lump labour

For the unity of the organised and unorganised

• i) National basic minimum wage of 30 pounds per week.
• j) A 30 hour week four weeks paid holidays, voluntary retirement at 60 with full pension.
• k) A rising scale of wages to be related to the cost of living index as computed by committees of workers and housewives.
• l) for a substantial increase in state benefits (old age pensions, unemployment benefit, family allowances, student grants, etc) and for these additionally to rise with anyrise in the cost of living.
• m) No redundancies: cut the hours, not the jobs, with no loss of pay.
• n) For the rights of all workers to unionise and engage in strike action.
• o) For democratic rights within the armed forces and the police, realising the class nature of these bodies.

For international workers unity

• p) For international links and cooperation between unions, irrespective of political affiliation, but excluding racialist unions such as the TUC of South Africa and fascist unions.
• q) For the establishment of effective Joint Shop Stewards' Committees ona plant, combine and international basis.
• r) For the support of oppresses people fighting imperialism by any means necessary. For self-determination for Ireland and the withdrawal of British troops from Ireland unconditionally.

We fight to drive fascists out of the working class movement altogether, being prepared to engage in physical struggle against fascism.

We fight for the independence of the working class

• a) Against the Industrial Relations Act. Against prices and incomes policies under capitalism. Against any restriction on the right to organise, take industrial action and picket.
• Against any social contract or voluntary wage curbs under capitalism.

We fight for democracy in the unions

• a) All officials should be elected and subject to constant recall.
• b) All full time officials should be paid the average wage in their industry.
• c) Union policy making bodies should be comprised of elected lay officers.
• d) Election addresses to be circulated unaltered for candidates for all elected positions in the unions.
• e) Any educational qualifications for union office should be abolished
• f) No member to be disqualified from holding office on political grounds.
• g) Full minutes and voting records of policy making bodies should be circulated.
• h) No political censorship of the union journal.

National Conference

• i) National Conference should be held annually
• j) Standing Orders Committees should comprise of elected lay members
• k) No branch block voting.

Appeals court

Appeals committees should be composed of elected lay members only.

Negotiations

• l) No secret negotiations
• m) Every stage of negotiation should be subject to rank and file ratification at mass meetings.
• n) Mass meetings should never be presented with package deals unless each part of the deal has been voted on separately by the meeting beforehand.

Strikes

• o) All strikes in support of trade union principle, work conditions or wages to be made official.
• p) Dispute benefit to be raised by levy of the entire memebrship when necessary.

Closed Shop

• q) Support the right of trade unionists to enforce closed shops.
• r) Opposition to the check-off system.
• s) Opposition to employer-policed agency shops.
• t) Support the right for trade unionists to discipline fellow workers who flout democratic decisions.
• u) Access to job waiting lists by shop stewards committees. Waiting lists to be on the basis, first applied first employed.

Shop stewards

• v) Opposition to any 'managerial policing' by shop stewards. No participation in management committees intended to keep shop stewards off the shop floor for long periods.
• w) Shop stewards to hold regular report back meetings, insistence on allocated time for such meetings.

Individual rights

• A) Right of members to criticise union policy
• B) Right of members to meet unofficially and visit other branches
• C) Right of memebrs to communicate with the press
• D) Right of members to write, circualarise and/or sell political literature.
• E) Right of appeal direct to Appeals Court

For a charter of women's rights

A Working Women's Charter was adopted by London Trades Council around 1974. This is a draft document that was circulated by the British socialist group Workers Fight before the more comprehensive Working Women's Charter was developed.

• a) Full trade union equality for women. Equal contributions and equal benefits.
• b) Full equality of pay, conditions, status, grading, training, further education, access to skilled jobs and promotion opportunities.
• c) Equal state benefits.
• d) Abolition of the separate category of women's jobs.
• e) Time allowance for those (usually women) with family responsibilities. Paid leave for women during pregnancy.
• f) Special medical and hygiene facilities where appropriate.
• g) 24 hour free state run nurseries. Free abortion on demand and free contraception.
• h) to offset the insecurity of seasonal, term-time and other casual and semi-casual employment, we demand work or full pay with a guarantee of reemployment.

Opposition to discrimination against homosexuals