TONY BLAIR is to face a challenge from unions over new Labour’s policies if a leading contender for the leadership of the Transport and General Workers’ Union wins the job.

Tony Woodley, deputy general secretary of the TGWU, said that he will call a meeting of all unions to “put Labour back in the party” if he wins the election to succeed Bill Morris. The move is intended to bolster pressure from the “awkward squad” of left-leaning union leaders.

Mr Woodley, a Liverpudlian closely associated with a left caucus in the union movement, said: “It is our party and it has been hijacked. Labour has never been questioned as it is being now.” He wants to link action between unions to exert influence on union-supported MPs to ensure that more union-friendly policies are pursued. But he would stop short of cutting funds to constituencies or to the party.

Mr Woodley said: “This Government is as unpopular as it can be with traditional Labour supporters. They have lost the support and the confidence of working people.” Moves to “reclaim” the Labour Party by union leaders and left-wing politicians have been growing, but the Government’s most vociferous union critics have so far largely come from smaller unions. However, the election for general secretary of the Transport and General, together with that at the GMB, could mark a major shift to the left that could also tip the balance in the traditionally moderate TUC.

Mr Woodley accused the Government of maintaining Labour laws that were “illegal” under international labour standards. He said that ministers were reneging on their responsibilities by not making company directors face jail if workers died because of health and safety breaches.

Because of the pensions crisis and factory closures, employees had never felt such job insecurity in years. He said that there would be major pay demands from the TGWU, saying that the minimum wage, which is to rise to £4.50 an hour, should be £6 as “a first step”.

Mr Woodley’s main opponent is Jack Dromey, the husband of Harriet Harman. Mr Dromey will also be under pressure to renounce new Labour after last campaigning against Mr Morris, who is retiring, on a ticket of New Labour, New T&G.

Two other candidates are also fighting the election, Barry Camfield and Jimmy Elsby. Both are assistant general secretaries and Mr Elsby is the Labour Party Treasurer.

The former TGWU leader Jack Jones will attack new Labour in an interview with Tribune this week. Mr Jones, 90 on Saturday, says that he wants the party to be more radical.

Left-wing caucus strengthened by war and firefighters dispute

THE “awkward squad” within the trade union movement has been gathering momentum for the past couple of years.

It is informal but promotes strong links between like-minded left-wing union leaders. Occasionally the leaders meet as a group but much of the liaison is done via phone and one-to-one meetings. Big issues such as the war and the firefighters’ strike have strengthened the group and it is mounting attacks on the moderate line of the TUC. The group is also known as the Fed Up With Losing (FUWL) contingent, a name coined by Mick Rix, the nominal leader of the caucus. They are:

Mick Rix, general secretary of Aslef. A former member of Arthur Scargill’s Socialist Labour Party, he has called for Tony Blair’s resignation over the firefighters and Iraq.

Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT. A supporter of the Socialist Alliance group of hard left parties. He and Mr Rix co-ordinated industrial action on the railways.

Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Amicus. A former Communist, Mr Simpson became the first leader of a large union to swell the ranks of the awkward squad.

Andy Gilchrist, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union. A left-wing Labour member, his dispute has been a rallying issue.

Billy Hayes, general secretary of the Communication Workers Union. He has spoken against the war and has urged civil disobedience as a form of protest.

Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the civil service union PCS. A supporter of the Socialist Alliance, Mr Serwotka has presided over the longest-running dispute in the Civil Service with the JobCentre protests.

Paul Kenny, London regional secretary of the GMB and a candidate in the election to succeed John Edmonds.

Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, which has grown under his leadership. He could lead high-profile challenges to the Government.

Andrew Murray, chairman of the Stop the War Coalition. Mr Murray is fast becoming the bête noire of the TUC.
Other “awkward” union leaders include Judy McKnight, general secretary of the National Association of Probation Officers, and Paul Mackney, general secretary of the lecturers’ union, Natfhe.

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