‘Step Aside, You’re blocking the sun’.
The philosopher Diogenes eschewed normal living, to eke out his existence in a barrel. He claimed that by doing so, he would reach his inner self and therefore discover the meaning of life. There have been many others since who have, for reasons only known to them, quite happily navel gazed, ‘turned the other cheek’, familiarised their heads with the sand.
We are now faced with the most challenging times since the 1930s. One only has to pick up a newspaper to see that this is a fact. One only has to cast a look down our high streets, work within our workplaces, and talk with our colleagues,neighbours and friends to confirm this. At times of trouble, undoubtably people will, through desperation, seek to protect their interests. Where people find their interests threatened, they might well then, seek to apportion blame, to ’scapegoat’ as a means of making sense of the situation.
Never has there been more of a need for trade unionists to collectivise and Organise!
Our fourth block of Academy was extremely productive, and it is wonderful to see how we have all grown. Our collective development is testimony to the calibre of our Director Liz, and of course,to the Academy programme as a whole. Recent debate around the Welfare Reform Bill takes me back to a time where I was a teenage single mother, and the reprehensible Peter Lilley speeches. That was a time where single mothers were scapegoated and it would seem, lamentably, that not much has changed! The proposals set out in this bill hit the poorest sections of society the hardest. Some PCS members working within the civil service ironically, find themselves forced to claim benefits to make ends meet! Migrant workers, always at the brunt of scapegoating and discrimination, find themselves pillioried as a result of media and far right propaganda. At a time of terrible recession and desperation, the working class find themselves pitted against each other and, suffice to say, this climate can and does, sometimes bring out the worst in people.
Our fourth Academy block featured an incredibly relevant discussion therefore, on migrant workers,and tackling the far right, delivered by our two comrades from the FBU and UCU, Paddy and Pete. They took us through a political training programme that they have set up, to raise awareness within the ranks of the FBU, and inspire a more pro-active approach from existing reps. Our colleagues took a delegation of FBU reps to Krakow for this training module, part of which included a visit to the concentration camps. The training programme then went on to challenge pre-conceptions on prejudice, with positive results. Only through active discussion and debate can we really get to the crux of what are emotive, and at times, uncomfortable issues. Paddy and Pete have said that they are happy to share their experiences, and I would urge you to get in touch with them.
We were also joined by three fellow trade unionists from Finland, who gave us an insight into the system there, which was very interesting. Over the rest of the week we discussed and shared Campaign strategies and formulated Action plans; in groups we debated the pros and cons of the media; and, on the final day, Paul Nowak joined us for an exercise on Facility Agreements, around which we set up committees and reported back. A great, thought provoking end to an educational and inspiring week.
It is clear that the Organising model is the most effective way to build unions and develop activists. To anyone who might disagree, I point you to the words of Diogenes himself: ‘Step aside, you’re blocking the sun’.
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