Comment on Tony Woodley’s stance on the IFTU and the Stop the War Coalition

The General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU), Tony Woodley has defended the IFTU Foreign Representative, Abdullah Muhsin who has been vehemently denounced by various far left figures.

Writing in the Morning Star on 26th October, Tony Woodley writes that “At the Labour Party conference, we faced a more complicated situation. There was a choice between a blatantly pro-government resolution, a statement from the Party executive outlining a rather vague and conditional timetable for troop withdrawal and a constituency resolution asking for an early date to be set for troop withdrawal.

In the event most unions helped secure the withdrawal of the first, unacceptable, resolution, voted for the executive statement and against the last resolution after the mover decided not to accept its remission, which would have been our preference.

I will not weary readers with the whole story, because for me our voting decisions were influenced by one factor above all others - the representations made to us by the spokesman for the Iraqi trade unions.

I make no apology for listening to the representative of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions in Brighton. Our traditions of solidarity and internationalism could not let us do otherwise.

And let me make it clear that, as far as the T&G was concerned, it was clear advice from Abdullah Muhsin which tipped the balance.

He made a compelling case about the disasters which might follow if troops withdrew before the Iraqi trade union movement felt their country was secure.
So I am happy with how the T&G voted, and I am confident that we deserted neither our proud traditions nor our conference policy in so doing.

The T&G could only take what we were told at face value, and square up to the question Abdullah posed sharply - "foreigners came into Iraq without asking - why should they now decide they are going to leave without asking?"
Of course, this must be set against the chaos and bloodshed in Iraq at present. Two civilian deaths out of three are, according to the Iraqi government's own figures, caused by US and British troops.

Iraqi trade unionists have a right to be heard on how and when this is ended - including the IFTU, alongside others. Which organisation ultimately represents Iraqi workers is not a matter for us to decide here in Britain.”
Tony Woodley also writes that “It is a time for the tolerant discussion of differences. The anti-war movement must accept that trade unions will always, and rightly, want to offer support to our brothers and sisters abroad, particularly when they are struggling to establish trade unionism in such a difficult environment as Iraq.

Equally, those of us in the trade union movement must give some credit to the Stop the War Coalition for its achievements. It mobilised people when we did not, and it has a right to a different view as to what happened at the Party conference.”

He concludes “Let’s stick together.”

Comment from Gary Kent: Tony Woodley spurns the stupid allegations made against the IFTU and Abdullah Muhsin and this is to be welcomed by all those who feel that parts of the left have behaved treacherously and shamefully in putting the IFTU on show trial. His appeal for unity, however, may only be possible if the Stop the War Coalition leadership examines the behaviour of its officers and issues an apology for what has been said in the name of the peace movement.