Now -read the book!

Here is a link to my memoirs which, if you are a glutton for punishment, you can purchase online at https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/an-obscure-footnote-in-trade-union-history.
Men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite of their defeat, and when it comes turns out not to be what they meant, and other men have to fight for what they meant under another name. (William Morris - A Dream of John Ball)

Monday, June 20, 2016

Bonfire of the sycophants

UNISON Local Government Conference ended with the well-deserved smashing of the ridiculous Emergency Motion 7 which peddled the absurd notion that there was some (unstated) alternative to strike action to achieve decent pay.

Your (humble) blogger would like to think that it was his first speech against this risible (if not pitiable) motion that swayed the Conference - but I think the decisive contribution was probably that made (in support of the motion) by the delegate who said that we should support the top table "because they know what they are doing".

The President reprimanded those of us who howled with derision at this surreal contribution - but I have to observe that if speakers do not wish to be howled at with derision they ought not to make contributions which invite such a response.

I have often been heckled, shouted at (and even threatened with obviously unjustifiable disciplinary action by those careless of the legal jeopardy in which they thereby place our trade union). I accept these occupational hazards.

I have no time (and less respect) for those who engage in controversial debates but cannot bear to be criticised in consequence. 

The Regional delegate who later spoke in support of Emergency Motion 7 by attacking the Conference decision on Emergency Composite A showed no respect for the democracy of our trade union and deserved exactly the amount of respect with which the Conference therefore received their contribution.

Local government workers are fed up of being given excuses.

The status quo in our trade union is untenable and those who give their loyalty to it need to realise this fact.

I was delighted to ignite this afternoon's bonfire of the sycophants.

Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the EE network.

No comments: