The RMT union, whose general secretary Bob Crow will be speaking, is organising a “Crisis in Working Class Political Representation” conference on Saturday 2nd October in Glasgow.
This meeting has been called to discuss preparing an anti-cuts, pro trade union and socialist challenge for the Scottish parliament elections in May next year.
Socialist Party Scotland welcomes this conference and will be taking part with a view to seeking an agreement for a coalition of trade unionists, socialist parties and anti-cuts campaigns to stand next year.
At a time when the “condemned” coalition government’s agenda for huge cuts in the services, jobs, benefits and pensions of the working class and the poor is being rammed home, an alternative must be built.
Labour’s new leader, Ed Milliband does not represent any shift to the left – he is committed to the same pro-capitalist polices as before. Labour in Scotland have made it clear they won’t oppose the cuts and in fact are implementing attacks on pay, jobs and public services across Scotland. The SNP in the Scottish government and at a local government level are preparing to carry through huge cuts in public spending also.
Under these circumstances a united political alternative to these policies must involve a coming together of trade union, socialist and community activists.
The RMT organised conference comes in the wake off the ten Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (STUSC) candidates who stood in the Westminster elections in May this year, which was an important start. This should be built on and a coalition of the STUSC type, which allows for parties and organisations to maintain their identity and programme while agreeing on a basic set of demands, provides the ideal vehicle for preparing for the Scottish elections in 2011.
It is time to make a united stand. To win a political representation in May 2011 and beyond, we need to unite and build a stronger left and socialist alternative.
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