POAL, the Right and Mr Shearer

The Right are busily telling Mr Shearer what he should do about the ports dispute. They obviously feel that that have a line through to the new Labour leader, and that he needs their help in stiffening the sinews in the face of the ports dispute. They want him either to come down on the side of management , or, at least, stay neutral. They are threatening him with public approbrium if he in any way supports the union.

What would I say to Mr Shearer? First, there will never be a polarised situation in which he must act which will not involve such threats. The only way that he can avoid such threats is to do nothing, on anything at all. If he wants to play to a Right-defined middle ground (as the Right commentators are clearly directing him), he will be an empty vessel. Second, we don't have the luxury of timing big events to suit us. This dispute, and its escalation, has been timed deliberately. It coincides with National's election victory, its proposed ER changes and the delight that will be felt in National circles that Mr Shearer has been put on the spot. Third, when will there ever be an issue more important for a Labour Party? This is a concerted managerial attack on a workers' union involving a range of issue which area anathema to Labour supporters - contracting out, privatisation, unfettered management control, creating the conditions for further attacks on other groups of organised workers.

What he can say is clear:

• longer-term issues about port capacity are important, and should not be resolved by means of industrial disputes
• this dispute can be solved without recourse to the nuclear threat of contracting-out
• the facilities of the DoL and other agencies should be brought to bear on the dispute
• the Supercity should caution the Ports management that escalation of the dispute does not meet the owners' requirements
• this is not the way to manage ER problems

There is a host of practical suggestions that might follow, that are at once positive, and also clearly in tune with Labour sentiments. Mr Sheaer can speak, and with confidence, on this issue.