THE WORKERS' PARLAMENT? | IMGpapers 1976

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Last week the Dally Mirror described the TUC as the 'workers' parlament'. But a closer look at how some of the individual unions elect tneir delegates teis a ratne different story.

AMALGAMATED UNION OF ENGINEERING WORKERS [AUEW] By far the most democratic procedure, with au ne celecatas electeo ov oranch bano! However, policy is decided not by delegates but by the National Committee of procedure wHehstee slages removed from the branches. Furthermore, delegates nominated a whole year before, I.e. the AUEW rank-and-file have to nominate who will go to the STUTETUU before the 1976 TUC has even been held manifestos are presented •IVON candidates, unlike all other AUEW elections. On average, only 4 per cent of the union votes at the area-based branches CC KCAL ELEC KUNIU TELECOMMUNICATION, PLUMBING UNION [EETPU] Delecates are elected at two different levels. Some are elected from industrial sections which only meet once a year. The rest are elected at conference. communisi Party members are banned from office in NATIONAL SOCIETY OF METAL MECHANICS INSMM Delegates are elected by branch committees, and are invariably officials. Branch commitees are elecieo ov oranen medl TRADES AND TECHNICIANS (UCATT) •The syecu ve Counci.wnica-is electe( only every five years, represent the union as its TUC delegates. At the Special TUC on lo June they -aostalnee on income policy although the bl-annual conference of the union had instructed them to vote SOCIETY OF GRAPHICAL AND ALLIED TRADES (SOGAT] The five General Officers are automatically delegates. Tney are electea tor lire untes.

Council decides otherwise are elected in ballots Wweubiesale conducted by individual divisions UNION OF POST OFFICE WORKERS [UPW] Fourteen delegates are elected annually by the national conference. How they vote at the TUC is determined by the Executive COUnCI wiich is treb to interorel conrol ence policy as it wishes. The Exeucutive Council consists of 19 members elected al conference and 12 full-timers appointed fo life.

Written manifestos or election campaigns are outlawed in the UPW annual conference never knows the view of the candidates. As for the rest of the membership - they are never consulted.

Far from being the 'workers parlament the TUC Congress is heavily dominated by Even in unions where the union omicldls delegates are sav-memoers ano BIGCTOC the actual policy-making machinery is fa removed from the shop floor. So it is nd