Trade Unions and the CPI
Part 4
As expected, not a word out of the CPI. Some very serious charges have been made in this series on the relationship between the CPI and the trade union movement but not a single correction, denial, clarification or rebuttal has been lodged with us nor have any been published in Socialist Voice or the Party website.
There is much that would benefit trade unions and trade union members if they engaged with the CPI. Or, at least, if they had engaged with a CPI that existed in previous eras. The blame for that not happening to any significant extent lies mostly with the CPI itself: why would the trade union movement take guidance from such an incompetent outfit? We have dealt with some of these issues previously but lack of organisation, planning and strategy are the main reasons.
Today, the same lack of organisation and strategy remains but the real differences are the shortage of active members at any level in the trade unions and the utter lack of integrity of the Party itself. Without integrity the CPI has nothing to offer – even its self-declared ‘exceptional’ status cannot get it over this hurdle.
How can the CPI work with, much less lecture the trade union movement when it deliberately displays such extreme hostility to some of the basic trade union principles such as fair treatment for workers within society as it exists today?
As we stated previously, the CPI would correctly analyse that the demands of the trade union movement are less than the demands that a communist party would pursue (for all sorts of reasons) yet, when push came to shove, literally, the CPI resorts to bully-boy tactics rather than avail of established trade union guidelines and principles to resolve internal issues. On the issue of principles, it must be clearly stated that the CPI, in relation to the trade union movement, demands higher and higher standards while itself reserving the right to resort to whatever strong-arm tactics within its own outfit to ‘resolve’ internal issues.
Indeed, it is clear that the internal actions of the CPI were conducted either with complete disregard for trade union principles and procedures or with complete disdain – or both.
“…the most politically advanced members of the working-class and other sections of the people…”
All this leads to an easy way out for less than progressive trade unions/trade union leaderships/trade union members. If rejecting progressive ideas on the basis of anti-communism is not an easy way out, now there are plenty of other reasons to reject inputs from the CPI. Indeed, even progressives are wary of interactions with a party that has openly, deliberately and unapologetically engaged is such treasons against its own cause.
The recently amended Constitution of the Party contains a retained article (7) from it previous constitution: “The Communist Party of Ireland is a voluntary organisation of the most politically advanced members of the working-class and other sections of the people exploited by the capitalist system who are prepared to work for the achievement of a united, independent, socialist Ireland.”
Read that again: “…the most politically advanced members of the working-class and other sections of the people…”
Quite apart from openly boasting its sectarianism and exceptionalism, it begs another question: if what the CPI is today is the result of the efforts of these “most politically advanced members” then what hope is there for the working class and the development of socialism in Ireland?
The CPI has failed, and continues to fail, on every front: with organisation, strategy, influence, principle and integrity at the top of the list.
The trade unions and working people certainly do need a strong, principled, revolutionary movement to help pave the way towards socialism. But, when the very basis of socialism is sullied and debased by the deliberately and/or negligent irresponsible actions of the CPI on so many fronts then it is not just legitimate to hold the Party to account – its an imperative.