Nearly 900 delegates attended the Liverpool Trades Council Confer ence on the trial of the Shrewsbury 24 last Saturday. The main resolution was a step forward in the fight for the unconditional release of the Shrewsbury workers, but there are many problems still to be solved if the campaign is to grow.
"unity'. No-one can oppose unity but delegate after delegate failed to answer two basic questions. First, what conclusions do we draw from the non-support and sabotage of this campaign by the trade union leadership? Second, how do we org anise now to hammer home the lessons of the Shrewshury conspIracy tral?
Brother Nolan, a shop steward from the Liverpool docks, was right to munist Pa y speakers, who were urge caution on the many Com tripping over themselves to pledpe support. He pointed out that 3 October (the date the trial opens) was too early for massive industrial action to be organised. He also pointed out that despite the hot air, there had not been one pledge of industrial action from any speaker In this vital sense, the campaign has not yef got off the ground.
Bill Hunter, a delegate from the AUEW, raised the role of the frade union leadership, but drew no conc Jusions. It has only been the rank and file - through the building unions, and the defence committees - which hus responded to the call with activity. We cannot rely on the bureaucrats. Despite the militancy", most delegates failed to take up this point. Kevin Halpin pledged that the Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions conference on 30 October, would put Shrewsbury top of the agenda. But the real test will be whether the LCDTU Imits Itself to trying to change the minds of the bureaucrats through SUBSCRIBE!
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OCCUPATION Red Weekly 28 September 1973 Page 8 protest action, or whether it is prepared to organise the campaign on the basis of this independent actwity.
And nobody poified out (excepi a delegate from Firth Brown), the: there will be further police attack is sections of worken move into action against the Government pay policy. One of the main lessons of Shrewsbury Is the need to defend pickets in action, not 7 months after in the Court.
But these lessons were not driven home, perhaps because none of the delegates from the 24 local defence committees were allowed to speak. The building of defence committees can only go forward, if we learn from their experiences so far. Support must now be won from the miners and the engineers. Defence of pickets is a key issue for them. And the defence of the Shre wsbury, 24 must go over to an offensive against the employers, the Tory Government, the state and its special police, These were the issues posed in Liverpool. All the "anity" in the world is useless if it avoids them.
The following is the resolution adopted by the conferênco:
This national conference calls on workers to support with all means at their disposal the campeign of the Shrewsbury 24 Com mitter to have the charges under the 182b Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act withdraw.
1. A campaign througbout the country in support of the policy of the Shrewsbury 24 Committee.
2. Urge conference to set up action com mittees in every ares possible.
3. A miss demonstration in support of the Shrewsbury 24 in Shrewsbury on the dey of the hearing.
4. A mess demorstration and day of industrial action on Octobir 3d.
5. Fighting Fund to be set. up to carry out the campaign The defence fund, for which over E1,000 was collected, received E5 from the intornees of Long Kash. An IMG mamber moved a motion that conferance sand a telegram of thanks and solidarity to Long Kesh. The motion was passed by acclaim. Delegates at Saturday's Conference in Defence of the Shrewshury 24 FOOTPRINT Photo: Chris Davies (Report)
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The speech by Eldie Lloyden at the start, stressed the question of