unity!undod! Wales TUC 2016

unity!undod!

undod!unity!

PO BOX 69, Pontypridd, CF37 9AB www.welshcommunists.org www.facebook.com/ Welsh-Communists-193872893988869

May 2016 Welsh Communist Party Plaid Gomiwnyddol Cymru

Wales, Scotland and the EU BY

ROBERT GRIFFITHS

P

UBLIC OPINION polls show a narrow majority in Wales in favour of remaining in the European Union.

Pro-EU campaigners have made much of their claim that Wales receives around £18m a year (£92m according to Plaid Cymru) more from EU funds than it puts in.

Leaving aside the fact that it is impossible to calculate with any accuracy the amount of tax revenues generated in Wales, these sums are petty cash in terms of public finances. The £18m is less than one-fifth of one per cent of Britain’s net contribution to the EU Budget (£15.2bn in 2016) and of the National Assembly’s annual block grant from central government (£15.5bn in 2016).

Even with only a tiny fraction of the money saved by leaving the EU, Wales would be better off.

Nor is the EU any friend of devolved governments seeking to invest in public services without privatising them.

In July 2015, it was revealed that the SNP government has been compelled to drastically amend its Scottish Futures Trust project for public investment in schools, hospitals and roads to

Greetings to all Wales TUC delegates!

The Communist Party welcomes all delegates and visitors to the 2016 Wales TUC Conference.

This year’s event takes place just a year since the General Election and after the overwhelming election victory in September of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party.

give the private sector a bigger, more profitable role.

Scotland and Wales have suffered heavily from the export of capital and jobs to southern and eastern Europe, where labour is skilled but cheaper and energy and transport costs are lower.

European Union treaties demand that all member states have ‘free market’ economies free from government regulation of capital and trade. Commercial subsidies to strategic industries and services are banned, as are any measures to favour homegrown industries, redirect private sector investment or control imports.

Outside the European Union, the Scottish, Welsh and British governments would be free to decide whether and how to finance public expenditure and support strategic industries and services. Free from the EU Classical Directive on public procurement, local government could award larger contracts to local suppliers.

Democratically elected governments could intervene in the economy to ensure planned, balanced and sustainable development - something outlawed according to the capitalist ‘law of the jungle’ in the big business European Union.

by

T

HE RULING by Judge Elisabeth Laing that it was unlawful for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to stop the use of the check-off system by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) is a rebuff to the government’s anti-union offensive and a satisfying slap in the face for the unsavoury former Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude.

Confronted with a revived Labour Party and firm union opposition the Tories, already forced to carry out U-turns on some of their legislation, have backed down on some aspects of its Trade Union Bill. But the new act still carries great dangers.

Still a useful read is the Communist Party’s pamphlet Trade Union Bill and how to kill it Available from the online shop at www.communist-party.org.uk £2 A5 sized

Ramon CoRRa

Just a few weeks ago, we had the national assembly elections where Welsh Labour lost its slim majority. now we move forward to the June 23 referendum on European Union membership.

The Communst Party is playing a leading role in Lexit - the Left Leave campaign, alongside other socialist parties, trade unionists, the Indian Workers association-Gb and the UK bangladeshi Workers Council. We are putting the progressive, left and internationalist case against the big business, anti-democratic EU. as shown by Cameron’s sham ‘negotiations’, the EU has no mind for real change. as its neo-liberal antiworker agenda, the attacks on Greece and other sovereign countries by the ‘Troika’ (the EU Commission, European Central bank and ImF) and the secretive Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership talks with the US government all demonstrate, the EU protects the banks and multinational corporations at the expense of the working class.

This year’s Wales TUC conference agenda promises lively debate as our unions come to terms with a Tory government in Westminster. In the Cardiff Senedd, the evolving situation indicates that a new approach to government will be needed, as Welsh Labour is forced to work with others to deliver a programme for trade union members and their families.

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#Lexit the Left Leave campaign public meetings Hear the left, trade union and internationalist case against membership of the EU! * LLANDUDNO this Wednesday 25 May, Wales TUC fringe, Cae Mor Hotel 6 Penrhyn Crescent, Llandudno LL30 1BA, end of afternoon session

SAVE OUR STEEL Only public ownership profits the people

CARDIFF Tuesday 7 June, Jolyon’s Hotel, 10 Cathedral Road CF11 9LJ 7pm PONTYPOOL Wednesday 15 June The Unicorn Inn, Albion Road Pontypool NP4 6LE 7pm MERTHYR TYDFIL Thursday 16 June Canolfan Soar, Pontmorlais CF47 8UB 7 pm SPEAKERS PANEL *Carolyn Jones Director, Institute of Employment Rights, *John Hillary Chief Executive, War on Want), *Lindsey German Convenor, Stop the War Coalition, Liz Payne Secretary, National Assembly of Women *all in a personal capacity George Galloway, Robert Griffiths Chair, Lexit - the Left Leave Campaign.

The crisis in the steel industry cannot just be blamed on Chinese imports. britain imports seven times more steel from the EU than from China. Tata’s decision to walk away from its operations here puts thousands of jobs at risk in their plants and supply chains.

The Communist Party’s view is that the steel industry is a vital strategic asset which has to be protected in the working class and national interest. Its fate should not be left to market forces or to any short-term deal that could quickly unravel. a sustainable steel industry which maintains the maximum number of jobs has to be fought for. If that can only be achieved by public ownership, then the unions have to support this position.

Likewise, if commercial subsidies and import controls are necessary to ensure its survival, then EU rules will have to be defied.

It is likely that the Wales TUC General Council will be issuing a statement to Conference on the steel industry. This may not be available to delegates before registration, allowing no time for prior discussion and decision about its contents. Therefore it is all the more important that a full and proper debate debate takes place on the conference floor.

The strongest possible message must War write regularly in the paper. be sent to Tata, business Secretary Sajid The Morning Star is the world’s Its online edition is proving very Javid and both the british and Welsh only English language socialist governments that workers are prepared to popular with busy trade union daily paper. Founded in 1930 as take action to save the steel industry, not the Daily Worker, the organ of the activists who want and need only in Wales but throughout britain. reliable and informed labour central committee of the The Trade Union bill has now passed movement news.

Communist Party, it is today run through its parliamentary stages, receiving A top flight design team from by a co-operative, the People’s Royal assent on Wednesday may 4 — the famed Danish Robotnik Press Printing Society whose ironically, the 90th anniversary of the 1926 management committee includes design agency are working on a General Strike. relaunch. nine national trade unions.

The act appeared in the queen’s speech Its sports coverage, especially It provides day to day coverage last week, with implementation dates set at football (including womens’ of the fight for workplace rights the convenience of the government. football), boxing and racing is and the struggle against the cuts It’s true the act is a shadow of the bill first renowned. and the Tory government. Until The paper is available at all Co- proposed, but dangerous details hide in his election as Labour leader those shadows. Rather than congratulate operative Stores and at RS Jeremy Corbyn was a weekly ourselves on what has been achieved, we McColls and can be ordered at columnist. must shine a light on the dangers ahead, any newsagent.

Leading figures in the Green exposing the intentions behind the act and It is also available on line at Party and Plaid Cymru, in building on the growing opposition to it. To www.morningstaronline.co.uk Momentum and CND, Stop the do otherwise would be a disservice to future generations.

It’s our children and grandchildren who will suffer if the power of trade unions to organise, represent and defend workers, £1 weekdays, £1.20 weekends from your newsagent their families and their quality of life is choked off by this new anti-working class legislation.

This was a nasty bill whch has turned into a nasty act. Parliamentary activity has This new pamphlet from the Communist delivered what it can in the face of a Party, written by John Foster, ends with a government determined to silence political warning. The EU’s imposition of neoopposition, outlaw collective action, liberal policies on all governments, criminalise picket-line solidarity and including those led by the traditional strangle unions with bureaucratic red tape parties of the Left, has resulted in the collapse of support for social democracy. controlled by a state surveillance officer.

If this act is to be defeated, - like the In the coming referendum voters will be 1971 Industrial Relations act - the asked to support an even more neoimmediate battle will be extraliberal and probusiness EU. Such an outcome would pose an additional danger parliamentary, led by workers responding to attacks on their living standards and that Cameron would use it to argue that the electorate has voted in support of the working conditions. Communists urge the EU’s so-called free market policies and therefore against Labour’s programme for public ownership and enhanced public spending. £2 from online at www.communist-party.org.uk/shop/

Buy and read the Morning Star www.morningstaronline.co.uk

Communist Review Theoretical and discussion journal of the Communist Party Number 79 • Spring 2016 The 1916 Rising: A risen people challenges the empire Eugene McCartan State monopoly capitalism Part 2 Gretchen Binus, Beate Landefeld and Andreas Wehr Marxism versus reformism in the 1926 General Strike Jack Cohen The French anomaly Jimmy Jancovich Women workers and trade unions: still much room for improvement Review: Mary Davis plus letter, further review and Soul Food

labour movement to do all it can collectively to educate, agitate and organise against this undemocratic, unnecessary and unfair Trade Union act.

The public sector in Wales is vital, both in terms of employment and the services it provides. While the approach of the Welsh government has been different from that the Tories in Downing Street, workers still face constant attacks on their terms and conditions while enduring mounting pressures to deliver our invaluable public services. Trade union members know that neither outsourcing nor ill thought out, badly organised reforms are the way forward. The incoming Welsh government must work with the unions to ensure that these services are of the highest quality, delivered efficiently and freely available right across Wales.

Services based on centralised locations are not in the best interests of the users and are inevitably to the detriment of workers unable to either travel great distances or move home to follow a job they know can be delivered at the present location.

Unhappily, Wales in the 21st century still faces poverty and homelessness as all too many people rely upon foodbanks. many of the problems are the direct result of the Tory government austerity agenda.

Welfare ‘reform’ and the introduction of Universal Credit affects those both in and out of work.

Wales needs further powers to provide greater protection for all our people. These should include revenue-raising powers that do not trigger a reduction in the already unfair barnett formula block grant.

The labour movement should embrace a fully federal britain, combined with radical measures to redistribute the wealth created by working people from big business and the super-rich to all the nations and regions.

The recent national assembly elections and the rise of UKIP have to be seen as a wake-up call. They highlight the necessity for a political and progressive trade union movement to defeat those who do not share our values of equality, fairness and social justice.

This Conference must aim to deliver for the thousands of trade union members who seek leadership, support and a brighter future. Delegates have a responsibility to build the labour movement - including its Communist Party - and increase trade union density across Wales. Workers, whether they are in large workplaces or in small and medium enterprises, need our organised strength in their workplaces.

Just as the Welsh government requires an industrial strategy to build our economy, trades unions need to reach out across all economic sectors to build a stronger collective voice that can represent all workers across Wales.

Communists wish delegates a successful conference: build unity and move forward to socialism!

RAMON CORRIA IS A MEMBER OF THE WELSH COMMUNIST PARTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Books@ manifesto

Building an economy for the people An alternative economic and political strategy £6.95 (+£1 p&p)

The Empire and Ukraine the Ukraine crisis in its context

by Andrew Murray £11.95 (+£1.50 p&p) 138 pages

Proud journey A Spanish Civil War memoir

by Bob Cooney £5 (+£2 p&p), 124 pages,

manifestopress.org.uk

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return to Welsh Communist Party PO Box 69 Pontypridd CF37 9AB www.welshcommunists.org H Wales TUC 2016

2015: A year of struggle.

Morning Star pamphlet. £2 www.shop.morningstaronline.co.uk