SOCIALIST UNITY

I recently attended the book launch of Dave Chapple’s new biography of Bristol based socialist, George Massey. The book has been sponsored by the CWU, South West TUC and the Lipman-Miliband Trust

George is a remarkable man who in his long carreer of activism has been a Post Office trades unionist, Anti H-Bomb activist, Pensioners Rights stalwart, and a socialist since he sang campaign songs in the East Bristol streets for Walter Baker, Postman and Labour MP, in 1923!

The event was a great success, with around 50 people there, including many postal workers who had travelled from all over the West Country, some had come from as far as Plymouth; a tribute to the respect that many trade unionists feel for both George Massey and Dave Chapple.

The speakers included Billy Hayes CWU General Secretary; Roger Berry MP; Kate Hudson CND; Dave Wilshire CWU; High Kirkbride for Unite the Union; and Tina Dean from the Pensioners Movement.

Tina Dean in particular gave a cracking speech, and it was inspiring to hear her tell of her own lifetime of commitment to socialism, from the Young Communists League as a girl, to being chair of the South Gloucestershire Pensioners Forum today, during all of which time she has known George Massey!

George himself also spoke, and as a 94 year old he has some authority, he pointed out that pensioners activists like Tina are not just campaigning for their own generation, but for all of us who are catching them up. George also spoke movingly of the ideals of cooperation and solidarity in the trade union movement, and he pointed out that meetings like this, that bring together trade unionists, Labour MPs, peace campaigners and pensioners, are the sort of alliance building that we need to put the ideas of social justice and workers’ rights back at the centre of the political agenda.

CWU-sponsored UPW Working-Class History Book:

“Grasshoppers, Stonkers and Straight Eights: George Massey and Bristol Post Office Workers 1930-1976″ by Dave Chapple, Branch Chair, Bristol and District Amal.

Dave’s book is a large-format A4 sized softback, 242 pages, profusely illustrated with photographs and UPW documents, none of which have ever been published in book format.

If Trades Councils/Trade Union Branches wish to order copies, the costs are £12 for 1, £18 for 2, £25 for 3, or £30 for 4, all post-free, from Dave Chapple, 1 Blake Place, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 5AU, Tel. 01278 450562, e-mail davechapple@btinternet.com  ”