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Draft Principles For A Broad Open Trade Union Grassroots Network
national |
anti-capitalism |
opinion/analysis
Friday May 06, 2011 22:26 by Diarmuid Breatnach - Personal Capacity
Basic Aims & Objectives; Communication; Decision-Making. Some readers will be aware that for some time I have been advocating the construction of a cross-union grass roots network. A meeting has been convened tomorrow to discuss such a project. Unfortunately for me (and for any other with similar interests) a conference to discuss Republicanism & Socialism has been scheduled for some time now to take place on the same day. I publish these draft principles for discussion not to promote bureaucracy but with the intention that any such network formed remains a broad and militant organisation, the property of its members and not of one political party or another nor as a sectarian battleground. Draft Grass-Roots Union Network Basic Principles |
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Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 4 3 2 1for the comments. The name of the network will be up to the founders -- I just gave it that name for the moment. I would suggest that discussion of the other issues are also premature at this moment. The Network needs to get into action and gain activists, start publicising its existence and orientation, offering solidarity whenever industrial actions occur or the workers are threatened.
When the organisation has gained some weight will be the time for it to discuss its position on some of the other issues. "Critical mass" is a thing that cannot be predicted. For now, to influence thinking of active but not compromised trade unionists and to start to gather mass, even if "uncritical" would be the important objectives. The draft rules and objectives are an attempt to facilitate the Network getting off on the right (left!) foot.
I understand that the meeting went ahead yesterday -- some kind of report on the proceedings would be usefuland I look forward to early notification of the details of the next meeting. At the other event, after a very interesting discussion about Connolly, the issues of building bases including a trade union grassroots network were given a brief airing during a discussion about resistance to the IMF etc.
payments and renumeration for the people in charge of day to day running of the organisation is an important issue. The high salaries paid to union leaders were a factor in neutering them in the past. This issue should be up for discussion. A low ceiling should be imposed so those people are not motivated by profit but by principle. also so they retain the perspective of poorly paid union members instead of that of well paid fatcats!
Hey Diarmuid... You should call it "GRUNT" so people remember it more easily!
Grass Roots Union NeTwork
Diarmuid
The basic principles are sound. The problem is getting enough organisations with a large enough membership to provide a representative critical mass. This is essential to ensure a commercially viable audience, without which any long term project is doomed.
Padraig Yeates