BY DAVE ROBINSON
Working with the ALP presents the union movement with challenges and some immense difficulties at times. I guess, like me, many are immensely disappointed, if not outraged, at some of the decisions made by the ALP, both in WA and federally and on social and industrial policy.
There are a number of issues that I was extremely upset [with the ALP] about: what it did federally on junior rates of pay, what it has done around asylum seekers and refugees, what we've had to contend with in WA around the continuation of individual contracts, how [the ALP leadership] attempts to diminish the role of unions within the party, and a vast range of environmental issues.
It is a frustrating exercise to deal with, and negotiate on behalf of, workers (who you would have thought the ALP would have recognised as its backbone) when there sometimes doesn't seem to be a willingness from the leadership of the ALP to stand up and lead strongly in support of [workers]. Sometimes, there is almost an apology [from the ALP] for acting on behalf of workers' interests.
As a peak council, Unions WA sits in a somewhat invidious position. It is not affiliated to the Labor Party (and neither are most of its member unions) but its constitution does have a requirement to form close links with the ALP.
Unions WA represents both non-affiliated unions and unions who are affiliated with the Labor Party. It is ultimately through unions we represent all workers in this state.
This does demand that we negotiate with Labor. But we will also take [the ALP] on when we need to, and we have done that. We certainly went close to doing that when we weren't getting anywhere with the industrial relations report that the union movement wanted.
We will take on the ALP, particularly when our affiliates see Labor policy and practice as working against the interests of their members. There may be a public stoush, or it may be through a stoush we have behind the scenes. We are certainly not apologetic for trying to do everything we can in the interests of workers.
It is my view, however, that we are still best served by trying to work within the [Labor] Party. I know there has been a lot of talk about moving away from the party and setting up other groups outside it. But I think we can achieve [pro-worker] outcomes by working within the party.
That is not to say, however, that the Socialist Alliance or any other group that is active and wants to support workers' rights and civil society will not play an important role. Of course it will, because it swings the agenda very much when those groups take their issues into the community.
I believe that there were a number of significant moves at the recent ALP WA state conference. They may be incremental, but there were important outcomes from that conference. For instance, there was a unanimous decision about returning contracted-out school cleaning and, while the conference didn't actually rule out individual contracts much as we would have liked it there was a unanimous agreement about the primacy of collective bargaining.
There was agreement about the restructuring of Western Power, to change [ALP policy on] the Ningaloo Reef and refugees and asylum seekers. It is not all that we would want, but there is change.
I think we need to differentiate between the state parliamentary Labor Party and the ALP generally. I believe that the grass-roots of the Labor Party has not lost sight of core labour values. I think that there is [pro-worker] change that will be brought about from within, and some of that has started to manifest itself. It is there to some extent.
I believe that Unions WA and a number of unions need to be actively involved in driving that change from within, and using whatever means to ensure that the parliamentary wing take notice of the lay party. Never mind the question of whether or not unions have too much power in the Labor Party [the real question] is whether the parliamentary wing will listen to what the lay party says to it.
From all accounts that will take some persistence and effort. But, certainly we won't be shy about it and we will continue to work to achieve that change.
[Dave Robinson is the assistant secretary of Unions WA (the views presented here are his personal opinions). This is an excerpt from a speech given to a July 6 Perth Socialist Alliance seminar.]
From Green Left Weekly, August 7, 2002.
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