Union leaders stand accused

by Democrat reporter

MEMBERS OF the Manufacturing Science and Finance (MSF) craft sector recently voted to condemn the silence of British-based trade union leaders over the campaign of sectarian hatred and violence aimed at Catholic school children in north Belfast.

A successful motion, tabled by London MSF members at the group's annual conference, held in Scarborough in January, expressed abhorrence at all supremacist activity, called for moves to safeguard the rights of victims of sectarian hatred and reaffirmed the union's support of the Good Friday agreement.

Had a similar situation arisen in Britain involving gypsy, Jewish or Bangladeshi children "indignant rage would have been suffice to end the supremacists obnoxious behaviour", argued London delegates.

A majority of the 100-strong conference delegates supported the motion, despite opposition in some quarters to the resolution's harsh wording and accusations that it was too 'parochial'. There was no opposition from Irish delegates.

The successful resolution will go forward to the union's annual conference in Blackpool this June.

MSF has recently embarked on a three-year merger process with Engineer and Electrical Workers Union to form a new union, Amicus.

February/March 2002