ITGWU

minority, this was a situation where you cut your losses and withdraw in as dignified a fashion as possible. Knowing when to stop is as important as knowing when to fight.

When the Dublin and Limerick workers left the mill last week they were ensuring that the Ranks occupation will be rememb: ered by the Irish working class as a partial success and not as a disaster where worker faced worker while the bosses laughed.

While the jobs at Ranks (Limerick) have been lost (the Dublin occupation continues.at the time of writing) valuable lessons have been learned - lessons which will be put to good use in future struggles. In a future issue of the SR we will take a closer and more detailed look at the Ranks battle. ITGWU - By PD’s Jos Harrington, at the Conference representing his union branch.

Conference witnessed the third attempt by the Workers Party to win a general officer’s post. But the Labour Right blocked and defeated them. Support came for an emergency motion on Nicky Kelly demanding his release. Motions were passed on Section 31, Tax Campaign etc. But theyll remain -paper motions like years before.

There was little evidence of real struggles like Ranks, Clondalkin Paper Mills, Carrigaline Kingdom Tubes. The conference defuses militancy rather than building the strungth of the rank and file.’

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