EC Meeting Papers January 2018

revolutions and the subsequent mid nineteenth century nation build revolutions in Europe. This internationalist spirit strengthened as unions grew. Think of our slogan 100 years ago, Hands Off Russia. Think of the work the unions did to support the national struggles against British colonialism. When the Vietnamese took up the struggle against the world’s most barbaric invaders they requested that British trade unionists supported their war effort by sending them bicycles and blood, and we did, and still our relations with the Vietnamese continue, they are visiting us next week. The anti Apartheid and Free Mandela campaigns were very much based around and resourced by the trade unions. In recent years it is the unions that lead the campaign against the Colombian slaughter of trade unionists and civil rights activists. It is trade unions that support the Palestine, Cuba, Venezuela, and Bolivia Solidarity campaigns. The British trade unions played a very leading role in the successful campaign to release the Miami Five for example and Mandela toured Britain to thank the people and the unions when he was released. Very effective and tenacious work was done by leading trade unionists to help win these campaigns. Our Latin America Conference held last weekend at the Hall of the TUC was huge. I give this background to make the point that if we are to gain significant momentum for international solidarity campaigns we have to get the support of the British Trade union movement in our country at least.

I am delighted to say that this has been done.

The British trade union movement now officially supports our Freedom for Ocalan campaign. Officially means in this sense the Trades Union Congress, the TUC, supports.

3