The SWP on the New Union

Something I forgot to mention in my previous post about the "new union", to be formed (if the members agree in a ballot), by the amalgamation of the T&G and Amicus: the only "left" intervention against the amalgamation at the December 19th recall BDC, was from the Socialist Workers Party (SWP): their leaflet (given out at the conference) stated:

"Does the merger of the T&G and Amicus strengthen workers in their battles in the workplace and in their wider struggles in society? Will this merger strengthen the trade union movement and its ability to take on the bosses and win?

"Socialist Worker supporters in the T&G don't think it will".

However: the only SWP member in any prominent position within the T&G is Jimmy Kelly, the Chair of the union. Jimmy is outspoken in his support for the amalgamation. So what does he think of the SWP leaflet? "Bollocks". How does he reconcile his support for the amalgamation with the SWP's opposition: "I'm a member of the Irish group; they are a completely seperate orgainisation from the British SWP".