I was just in London for the NSSN.
I was curious if anyone else from Lib Com was there and what you thought of it ? Please only respond if you were actually at this or other conferences. I know there are plenty of people on this site who disagree with the NSSN and trade unions in general. I'm interested in hearing from people who have actually attended this or past conferences/meetings and/or who are involved with the network.
I don't think you can post
I don't think you can post this in libcommunity and then dictate the nature by which people should respond in fairness.
"Hi I'm posting looking serious discussion so I'm choosing the forum where it's least likely to happen in which to do it"
I certainly would be
I certainly would be interested in hearing a report. I wasn't at the NSSN Conference, but have been an active anarcho-syndicalist since the 1970s. So.... there are some of us who would be interested in a libertarian take on the conference. Thus far I've only read reports in the socialist press.
Thanks.
xConorx wrote: I don't think
xConorx
moved to organise
makes sense
makes sense ;)
xConorx wrote: I don't think
xConorx
Well if you could possibly suggest a better place to ask I will certainly post there instead. I live in the states and was only in the UK for a week for the NSSN conference. I was looking for input from folks, particularly from an anarchist / libertarian-communist perspective, and this is one of the few forums I know of where people discuss these issues.
I know serious discussion very rarely happens here. But I figured this is a good a place as any to ask for input on the shop stewards network.
*shrug*...or maybe nobody has an opinion one way or another :)
conor was referring to you
conor was referring to you posting in the libcommunity forum as opposed to on libcom per se - i've moved the thread to organise. i know there's at least a couple of shop stewards on here, but i don't know if they have any involvement with/knowledge of the NSSN. i thought i heard through the grapevine it's a trot dominated initiative, but happy to be corrected...
Hello, I would be interested
Hello, I would be interested in hearing a serious report from a libertarian perspective. I've real all the socialist website articles on the event. Perhaps Gurley or the Solfed member on the NSSN committee could give a report...or PM me with one.
Thanks for the time.
Yeah, there was a report on
Yeah, there was a report on it in the Solidarity Federation internal bulletin about it a while back.. I think the general jist of it was positive (hence the involvement on the national steering committee) but that there were also clearly some internal Trot power games being played. I think stuff like the Campaign to Build a New Workers' Party (Socialist Party and maybe some other small Trot groups.. Workers' Power?) peddling their wares while wearing their 'Trade Unionist' hat.
But yeah, overall it seemed positive from what I read but there just needs to be a vigilant eye on whether it becomes another party recruitment vehicle or not...
ah ok, i happily stand
ah ok, i happily stand corrected. i remember reading that, had the 'new workers party' thing in mind... the danger of half-remembered information :(
what union are you in jack?
what union are you in jack?
Jack wrote: Against my
Jack
if you think the 2nd outcome would be a positive development (i tend to think it would be), then that's probably worthwhile.
christ there's no need to
christ there's no need to shout :x
Hello.... will there ever be
Hello.... will there ever be a libertarian workers' perspective and report on this meeting?
syndicalist wrote: Hello....
syndicalist
You should ask ed directly for the SolFed internal bulletin with the report ;-)
There should be something in
There should be something in the next DA and there may be a short piece in the next Catalyst, though space prevents going into a lot of detail in the latter.
Basically, the members we have involved in this don't tend to come on here, so all you're getting is second hand.
Regards,
Martin
kc wrote: syndicalist
kc
Ok --- Ed, can you PM me the report? Thanks.
Is anyone involved in the
Is anyone involved in the "NSSN Syndicalists"
http://www.thesyndicalist.org.uk/nssn-syndicalists/ aside from the publisher of "The Syndicalist" website?
Apparently "several L&S
Apparently "several L&S members participate" in NSSN Syndicalists, which means that L&S are now producing everything NSSN Syndicalists are doing.
http://www.libertyandsolidarity.org/node/102
Libertaria wrote: Apparently
Libertaria
One of their members wrote "The Syndicalist is written by a couple of people, however NSSN Syndicalists is a wider grouping, there are people from L&S and Solfed involved, plus a lot of non-aligned syndicalists." My emph.
I would imagine that SolFed
I would imagine that SolFed members of NSSN would be attracted to initiatives like this. And will judge it on their experience, not on 'reputation' of one group involved.
Given L&S history of working
Given L&S history of working to rule anything they are involved with, and taking credit for even the smallest 'victory' the group they are involved in as there own 'victory' and blow it up to insane proportions, I doubt that "NSSN Syndicalists" or SolFed members participation in it will last all that long.
well if a small group like
well if a small group like L&S can dominate and control broader groups despite people being aware of their MO, it doesn't say much about the commitment of the others involved frankly. I am assuming that NSSN Syndicalists have a libertarian structure and therefore it is possible for the other members to hold then to account. Whilst I understand people's concerns, I think the L&S bogeyman is somewhat overplayed, we know their agenda. I can't help thinking that L&S have become a convenvient scapegoat for us to blame. If NSSN Syndicalists does 'fail' the L&S members will have their share of the responsibility but so will other factors. Don't get me wrong, I think we should take L&S seriously, but that means us being serious. That said, I really don't know enough about NSSN Syndicalists to able to assess whether it is really worth the effort.
Assuming the libertarian
Assuming the libertarian inter-organizational stuff can be worked out, this seems (from 3000 miles away) a good starting point for libertarian comrades inside the NSSN. Yes/No? Again, I'm not on the ground and am only basing my comments on written words.
i don't know. the NSSN's
i don't know. the NSSN's stated aims are heavily influenced by the Socialist Party and leftism in general, rebuilding the trade unions, representation etc. It has potential insofar as it puts militant workers in direct contact, and i'm not involved myself so i don't know how well it does this, but from the outside the NSSN seems mostly to be one name amongst many on leftist call-outs and the like. I know there are some SolFed people involved so presumably they see something useful in it. the NSSN syndicalists page reads very L&S, i.e. uncritically pro- (rank-and-file) trade unionism, against 'politics' as sectarian etc. but again, i have no direct experience with it. seems a danger of it being a pressure group within a pressure group within a pressure group tbh.
Well, it'd be interesting to
Well, it'd be interesting to hear how things develop as they go along.
Salud y anarquia!
The NSSN Syndicalists sounds
The NSSN Syndicalists sounds like a waste of time, wrapped inside a time waster, and coated in shilly shally
vanilla.ice.baby wrote: The
vanilla.ice.baby
could be the greatest thing since bread came sliced.
Was just reading this piece
Was just reading this piece by Sheila Cohen on "the commune". Interesting, well, at least from an interested observor from across the pond.
test
test
I see that the National Shop
I see that the National Shop Stewards Network still exists in some format. Any updated news, opinions, comments?
Socialist Party front now
Socialist Party front now days. Seems mostly concerned with jostling for position with the anti-cuts front. All of which are pretty useless baring a few local ones
Jason Cortez wrote: Socialist
Jason Cortez
OK, no change from before. Thanks for the update. Got it.
Just to mention that Sheila
Just to mention that Sheila Cohens' useful article on her earlier experiences with this network referenced earlier in this thread can still be found here:
https://thecommune.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/what-it-says-on-the-tin-memories-of-the-nssn/