At the 1969 Delegate Conference of the Transport and General Workers' Union, Jack Jones, speaking of the developing ideas of workers and rank-and-file union democracy, coined the phrase "trade unionism with a human face". With its calculated evocation of the experiments in socialist democracy Which were beginning in Czechoslovakia before the Labour Movement itself, could not be more clearly demonstrated than by this doleful story. That is why it is necessary for the Liverpool men to take over their plant. Nothing less will work. Reason will never be seen on high unless force is applied. The Political leaders have escaped from responsibility to their constituents, with the result that Mr Weinstock has a license to do as he likes on the Mersey, whatever happens to the people who have invested their lives in his undertakings An occupation of the Weinstock Plants will not lead into utopia. It will be a hard and testing struggle. The workers will need massive support from the Labour Movement. Unless their colleagues in other factories and industries collect large sums of money to aid them, they may be starved out. Unless a vast political and trade union solidarity movement arises, they may be forced out. They are making a brave, if desperate stand. In the process, they will learn a great deal about the problems of the new society, just as their fore-runners in the occupation of the French factories have learnt. The innumerable problems they will face must be closely watched by the rest of the movement, in order, first to help while help is needed, and second to profit from the experience for the future battles. Unless we change all the basic policies of Government, the next
Ine biack Uwart Uctober Ist 1969