This is a contentious issue among the left do we support the police and are they workers in uniform or simply agents of the state. Strong arguments can be made for both case’s I’m still indifferent to the debate myself I have never really found the police to be an issue but I’m yet to experience how they can act. We all know the police’s record of attacking pickets during the miners strike and their role in the Wapping dispute and the police violence we hear about a lot. But if there is the chance we can win some of them lower ranked layers to the labour movement then I don’t think we should turn our nose up at it.
With the half a million out on strike on Thursday the 10th of May a little less known demonstration was going on too. Up to 35 thousand off duty police officers were marching in central London.
Their issues included 20% cuts to the police service, which is leading to redundancies, opposition to the Windsor Report on the Police Service, which includes cuts to pay levels and conditions on top of a two-year pay freeze and increased pension contributions, and opposition to privatisation of core police functions.
Socialists who went to intervene in the police demo were wondering what the response would be. The answer surprised us.
An estimated 35,000 off-duty officers marched, fuming with the government over the above issues. So much so that they snatched all the leaflets from the handful of Socialist Party members there - we underestimated the response we would get! - And over 50 copies of the Socialist were sold.
Many officers politely declined to take leaflets or buy our paper. Some said they were non-political and were surprised to learn how many of their colleagues had bought a copy.
But there were very few hostile responses. And we made it clear to those who wanted to talk that we have strong criticisms of the policing of demos, picket lines and communities [see articles: Grim toll for hidden police racism and After the Riots from the socialist)
But we welcome any action that brought the Police Federation and ordinary police officers closer to the trade union movement if they are going into conflict with their employers, the government and police authorities.
We supported their call for the right to strike, which they may ballot for soon and will have to fight for if they win the ballot.
But this is truly the sign of a government and capitalist society on the rocks when sections of its state feel the need to demonstrate against it! The police are used by the government to frighten people off from demonstrating, as brutally experienced by students in 2010, but developments like this could help to weaken their use against strikers and demonstrators in the future.
Ordinary police officers are still bound to the wage labour system that keeps capitalism afloat and as such should like other workers have the right to strike. The fact that it is still illegal for the police to strike is a key tactic in protecting their state for the capitalist system to survive if police did strike this could split the state and if not careful could be drawn into the ranks of the labour movement. I think we’re still a long way away from that it may never happen but we cant rule it out or turn our backs when the police yes the police are protesting against this government we must stand with those who do wish to protest and campaign against cuts it could be another feather in our cap in building the movement against all cuts.
subscribe to this blog:
Posts
All Comments
Showing posts with label right to strike. Show all posts
Showing posts with label right to strike. Show all posts
Saturday, 12 May 2012
Monday, 21 March 2011
Rail unions win over anti-strike laws
As i promised before in a previous blogpost i said i'd put as many trade union news stories on here as i could here it the latest one i've found.
On Friday 4 March 2011 the Court of Appeal in London handed down definitive judgements in two important industrial action cases.
Alex Gordon, president of Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union (RMT)
In both ASLEF v London Midland and RMT v Serco Docklands Light Railway, High Court judges had previously granted injunctions banning strike action after finding union strike notices "defective" and union explanations of how they ensured reliable membership data for balloting and engaging in strike action "inadequate".
The superior court has now overturned those injunctions and comprehensively disposed of arguments originally used in the High Court to justify them.
Such an authoritative judgement by the Court of Appeal would be of great significance at any time. However, coming as it does when government policies to destroy up to 750,000 public sector jobs and an estimated 900,000 private sector jobs through cuts and outsourcing, while attacking wages, pensions and public services are fuelling demands for trade unions to lead a fightback, the effect of this Appeal Court judgement is potentially explosive.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow described the judgment as: "not only a victory for staff on Serco Docklands and RMT's 80,000 members but also a massive victory for seven million trade unionists in the UK."
"The injunction would have taken anti-union laws in this country to within a whisker of effectively banning the right to strike and would have tightened the noose to the point of strangulation around the necks of nurses, firefighters, ambulance crew, home helps and others fighting back.
"This victory helps clear the path for those workers to take action".
High Court's use of 'trifles'
In the London Midland case, the union mistakenly sent ballot papers to two members not entitled to vote (out of 604 balloted, 86% voted for strike action) - one had changed employer, the other had become a manager.
This was sufficient for the High Court to grant its injunction.
The Appeal Court ruled that this should have been dealt with as a small accidental failure and found the "de minimis" exception (a Latin tag meaning 'trifling') should apply in employment law as in other areas of law.
Similarly, the High Court found the union's explanations were inaccurate because the word "audit" was used to describe its method of checking membership records.
Legal counsel for the employer even argued that, to conduct a strike ballot, RMT should retain the services of auditors such as KPMG, whose expertise impressed so many corporate clients from Enron to Lehman Brothers.
The Appeal Court said the union's explanation of its membership data was simply for employers "to understand something about the reliability of the data supplied.
"Something, but not necessarily very much".
The court ruled that the use of the word "audit" is not misleading. Neither is there any obligation on the union to use identical job category definitions to the employer.
The law should be given a "likely and workable construction" rather than a restrictive one.
Hair-splitting rejected
The implications of the Appeal Court's ruling are significant and immediate. While employers will continue to apply for injunctions against strike action on spurious and vexatious grounds using legislation memorably lauded by Tony Blair as: "the most restrictive on trade unions in the western world", many of the avenues used in recent years in Metrobus v Unite, EDF v RMT, BA v Unite and Network Rail v RMT, which relied on legal hair-splitting and nit-picking trivia are now closed.
Additionally, Justice Patrick Elias and his colleagues in the Appeal Court made another significant ruling. Common law recognises no right to strike in Britain, however the Appeal Court confirmed that international law does confer a right to strike under International Labour Organisation Conventions 98 and 151.
In addition, the European Convention on Human Rights upholds the right to strike as an element of Article 11(1) on freedom of association.
In a further case, RMT is taking the British government to the European Court of Human Rights for breaching international law through prohibiting the right to take sympathetic (or solidarity) action banned as 'secondary action' by the Tory government in 1980.
Further attacks
Given the profound and prolonged character of the current economic crisis and the history of attacks on trade unions and collective bargaining in Britain by the ruling class, it is likely the Tory/Lib Dem coalition government will propose new primary legislation further restricting the right to strike.
Already far-right voices such as London mayor, Boris Johnson, and the Policy Exchange think tank, have argued for industrial action ballots to achieve a minimum participation threshold and for restrictions on the right to strike for workers in essential public services.
More likely however, will be an attempt to extend the 'proportionality' concept, which has been imported from European law in a number of recent cases by the EU Supreme Court, the European Court of Justice.
This gives judges power to decide what forms of action (if any) are appropriate in lawful industrial disputes, something not even Thatcher's anti-union laws achieved.
For workers facing the onslaught of European Union and UK government austerity policies, the lessons are very clear. The successful legal appeal by ASLEF and RMT has created a window of opportunity allowing trade unions to fight back using strike action to defend jobs and services.
The policy of coordinated strike action to defeat austerity cuts agreed at last year's TUC conference can now be a practical reality.
As cuts start to bite in 2011, trade unions need to bring forward a plan for a strike movement leading to generalised strike action to defend trade un
On Friday 4 March 2011 the Court of Appeal in London handed down definitive judgements in two important industrial action cases.
Alex Gordon, president of Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union (RMT)
In both ASLEF v London Midland and RMT v Serco Docklands Light Railway, High Court judges had previously granted injunctions banning strike action after finding union strike notices "defective" and union explanations of how they ensured reliable membership data for balloting and engaging in strike action "inadequate".
The superior court has now overturned those injunctions and comprehensively disposed of arguments originally used in the High Court to justify them.
Such an authoritative judgement by the Court of Appeal would be of great significance at any time. However, coming as it does when government policies to destroy up to 750,000 public sector jobs and an estimated 900,000 private sector jobs through cuts and outsourcing, while attacking wages, pensions and public services are fuelling demands for trade unions to lead a fightback, the effect of this Appeal Court judgement is potentially explosive.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow described the judgment as: "not only a victory for staff on Serco Docklands and RMT's 80,000 members but also a massive victory for seven million trade unionists in the UK."
"The injunction would have taken anti-union laws in this country to within a whisker of effectively banning the right to strike and would have tightened the noose to the point of strangulation around the necks of nurses, firefighters, ambulance crew, home helps and others fighting back.
"This victory helps clear the path for those workers to take action".
High Court's use of 'trifles'
In the London Midland case, the union mistakenly sent ballot papers to two members not entitled to vote (out of 604 balloted, 86% voted for strike action) - one had changed employer, the other had become a manager.
This was sufficient for the High Court to grant its injunction.
The Appeal Court ruled that this should have been dealt with as a small accidental failure and found the "de minimis" exception (a Latin tag meaning 'trifling') should apply in employment law as in other areas of law.
Similarly, the High Court found the union's explanations were inaccurate because the word "audit" was used to describe its method of checking membership records.
Legal counsel for the employer even argued that, to conduct a strike ballot, RMT should retain the services of auditors such as KPMG, whose expertise impressed so many corporate clients from Enron to Lehman Brothers.
The Appeal Court said the union's explanation of its membership data was simply for employers "to understand something about the reliability of the data supplied.
"Something, but not necessarily very much".
The court ruled that the use of the word "audit" is not misleading. Neither is there any obligation on the union to use identical job category definitions to the employer.
The law should be given a "likely and workable construction" rather than a restrictive one.
Hair-splitting rejected
The implications of the Appeal Court's ruling are significant and immediate. While employers will continue to apply for injunctions against strike action on spurious and vexatious grounds using legislation memorably lauded by Tony Blair as: "the most restrictive on trade unions in the western world", many of the avenues used in recent years in Metrobus v Unite, EDF v RMT, BA v Unite and Network Rail v RMT, which relied on legal hair-splitting and nit-picking trivia are now closed.
Additionally, Justice Patrick Elias and his colleagues in the Appeal Court made another significant ruling. Common law recognises no right to strike in Britain, however the Appeal Court confirmed that international law does confer a right to strike under International Labour Organisation Conventions 98 and 151.
In addition, the European Convention on Human Rights upholds the right to strike as an element of Article 11(1) on freedom of association.
In a further case, RMT is taking the British government to the European Court of Human Rights for breaching international law through prohibiting the right to take sympathetic (or solidarity) action banned as 'secondary action' by the Tory government in 1980.
Further attacks
Given the profound and prolonged character of the current economic crisis and the history of attacks on trade unions and collective bargaining in Britain by the ruling class, it is likely the Tory/Lib Dem coalition government will propose new primary legislation further restricting the right to strike.
Already far-right voices such as London mayor, Boris Johnson, and the Policy Exchange think tank, have argued for industrial action ballots to achieve a minimum participation threshold and for restrictions on the right to strike for workers in essential public services.
More likely however, will be an attempt to extend the 'proportionality' concept, which has been imported from European law in a number of recent cases by the EU Supreme Court, the European Court of Justice.
This gives judges power to decide what forms of action (if any) are appropriate in lawful industrial disputes, something not even Thatcher's anti-union laws achieved.
For workers facing the onslaught of European Union and UK government austerity policies, the lessons are very clear. The successful legal appeal by ASLEF and RMT has created a window of opportunity allowing trade unions to fight back using strike action to defend jobs and services.
The policy of coordinated strike action to defeat austerity cuts agreed at last year's TUC conference can now be a practical reality.
As cuts start to bite in 2011, trade unions need to bring forward a plan for a strike movement leading to generalised strike action to defend trade un
Friday, 4 March 2011
A few union news stories
SO in the news today there has been a couple of interesting union news stories which often dont get the recognition and the news time as perhaps they should. I myself like to keep on top of union matters and feel they dont have a big enough voice in the mainstream media. The mainstream media often the capitalist's own media refuse to publish union news stories in a positive light if they do publish stories on them its usually some good old union bashing. Well i'm a trades union member and will speak up for them and give them a voice if they need to. I wont defend them to the hilt of course but i will when i feel they have been misrepresented and anti union laws have been enforced.
So below are two news stories which have made the BBC today
Unions welcome court strike ruling
The RMT had called a strike on the Docklands Light Railway
Court halts train drivers strike
Two rail unions have welcomed a court ruling that prevents minor mistakes in balloting being used to halt strikes.
Aslef and the RMT challenged injunctions blocking strikes over small faults in procedure, such as polling those not entitled to vote.
The Court of Appeal clarified the law, saying unions cannot be expected to always have up-to-date membership records.
Trade union leaders called the ruling a "major step for industrial freedom".
Two strikes that were planned separately - by the RMT on London's Docklands Light Railway and by Aslef on London Midland - were halted in the courts because of what were seen as technicalities.
In the Aslef dispute, an overwhelming "yes" vote was set aside, because the employer objected to two ballot papers that had been sent to two members who were not entitled to take part.
The court said in future that the information should be "as accurate as was reasonably practicable" and that allowances should be made for "small accidental failures" in administration.
'Massive victory'
Richard Arthur, from the law firm Thompsons, who acted in the case, said the findings were a major victory for the union movement.
"There's been a series of cases over the last 18 months to two years where employers have found it easier to get injunctions and the way the legislation has been interpreted by the courts has been ever more restrictive," he said.
"This case redresses that balance and interprets the legislation in the way its supposed to be interpreted."
Keith Norman, Aslef's general secretary, said it had been almost impossible to take legal strike action in the UK.
"If the employer could find the tiniest discrepancy, the courts would find in the employer's favour," he said.
Bob Crow, leader of the RMT, called the result a "massive victory" and said it paved the way for millions of members to take action over cuts to jobs and services in the coming months.
--------------
The second story from the BBC news today on union matters well done the BBC for getting two in today is on post ofice workers pay and conditions.
Post Office staff vote to strike over pay
The Post Office says the Crown offices are losing £55m a year
Staff who work in Crown post offices have voted to go on strike in a dispute over pay and possible branch closures.
Communication Workers Union members at the 373 branches voted by nine to one for a strike, on a 66% turnout.
Talks are scheduled with the Royal Mail but strikes could start by the end of March if they were unsatisfactory, the CWU warned.
The Post Office said it was "disappointed" by the result, adding that deliveries would be unaffected.
The union said it was worried by the lack of pay rise this year and the future of the Crown offices.
'Job security'
Crown post offices form the network of main branches in the UK's High Streets and employ about 4,000 counter staff.
CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward said: "This ballot is about more than pay - it is the job security of our members and the future of the Crown office network which is also at stake.
"The government and the company appear to be hiding the fact that they are planning a programme of further Post Office closures," he added.
Last month, the Post Office rejected the CWU's claim for a staff pay rise, saying the Crown branches were losing money, amounting to £55m in the past year.
A spokesman for the Post Office, said: "Post Office is disappointed that staff in our 373 directly managed [Crown] branches have voted in favour of strike action. Some 97% of Post Offices are run by subpostmasters and they will be unaffected by any industrial action.
"Postal deliveries across the UK are also unaffected by this ballot result."
Just a few stories thre to get your teeth into. I'll trya nd highlight more union news stories in the coming weeks and months as giving unions a better voice on this blog may not be much but its something that the mainstream media fail to do.
So below are two news stories which have made the BBC today
Unions welcome court strike ruling
The RMT had called a strike on the Docklands Light Railway
Court halts train drivers strike
Two rail unions have welcomed a court ruling that prevents minor mistakes in balloting being used to halt strikes.
Aslef and the RMT challenged injunctions blocking strikes over small faults in procedure, such as polling those not entitled to vote.
The Court of Appeal clarified the law, saying unions cannot be expected to always have up-to-date membership records.
Trade union leaders called the ruling a "major step for industrial freedom".
Two strikes that were planned separately - by the RMT on London's Docklands Light Railway and by Aslef on London Midland - were halted in the courts because of what were seen as technicalities.
In the Aslef dispute, an overwhelming "yes" vote was set aside, because the employer objected to two ballot papers that had been sent to two members who were not entitled to take part.
The court said in future that the information should be "as accurate as was reasonably practicable" and that allowances should be made for "small accidental failures" in administration.
'Massive victory'
Richard Arthur, from the law firm Thompsons, who acted in the case, said the findings were a major victory for the union movement.
"There's been a series of cases over the last 18 months to two years where employers have found it easier to get injunctions and the way the legislation has been interpreted by the courts has been ever more restrictive," he said.
"This case redresses that balance and interprets the legislation in the way its supposed to be interpreted."
Keith Norman, Aslef's general secretary, said it had been almost impossible to take legal strike action in the UK.
"If the employer could find the tiniest discrepancy, the courts would find in the employer's favour," he said.
Bob Crow, leader of the RMT, called the result a "massive victory" and said it paved the way for millions of members to take action over cuts to jobs and services in the coming months.
--------------
The second story from the BBC news today on union matters well done the BBC for getting two in today is on post ofice workers pay and conditions.
Post Office staff vote to strike over pay
The Post Office says the Crown offices are losing £55m a year
Staff who work in Crown post offices have voted to go on strike in a dispute over pay and possible branch closures.
Communication Workers Union members at the 373 branches voted by nine to one for a strike, on a 66% turnout.
Talks are scheduled with the Royal Mail but strikes could start by the end of March if they were unsatisfactory, the CWU warned.
The Post Office said it was "disappointed" by the result, adding that deliveries would be unaffected.
The union said it was worried by the lack of pay rise this year and the future of the Crown offices.
'Job security'
Crown post offices form the network of main branches in the UK's High Streets and employ about 4,000 counter staff.
CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward said: "This ballot is about more than pay - it is the job security of our members and the future of the Crown office network which is also at stake.
"The government and the company appear to be hiding the fact that they are planning a programme of further Post Office closures," he added.
Last month, the Post Office rejected the CWU's claim for a staff pay rise, saying the Crown branches were losing money, amounting to £55m in the past year.
A spokesman for the Post Office, said: "Post Office is disappointed that staff in our 373 directly managed [Crown] branches have voted in favour of strike action. Some 97% of Post Offices are run by subpostmasters and they will be unaffected by any industrial action.
"Postal deliveries across the UK are also unaffected by this ballot result."
Just a few stories thre to get your teeth into. I'll trya nd highlight more union news stories in the coming weeks and months as giving unions a better voice on this blog may not be much but its something that the mainstream media fail to do.
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
Why i'm pro union
I am a recently joined member of Unite the Union in Britain and feel quite strongly in the role of trades unions.
I feel that they are one of the greatest collective groups of people power still left in the world. Many countries are denied rightst o form a union check out these little pieces of infrmation on treatment on workers wanting to form a union.
In the Philippines, Dole -- with the help of the military -- has been doing what it can to crush the independent, democratic union chosen by the workers. This includes making death threats against union leaders and having the army visit workers' homes. In less than a week, an election will take place. Dole (and the government) needs to be told to respect the decision of the workers. This is urgent -- please take a moment and send off your message today:
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=878
Meanwhile, in Turkey workers employed at the Indian-owned company Polyplex are facing dismissals for trying to have their own union. More than 20 have already been sacked. Polyplex must start respecting trade union rights too. Please add your voice to the international outcry here:
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=868
And finally, in Pakistan the Swiss-owned company Syngenta has sacked the leader of the union there, who is also President of the National Federation of Pakistani Chemical, Energy, and Mine (PCEM) Workers' Union. Tell the company that in Pakistan as in Switzerland, it has to respect workers' rights:
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=867
These are all examples of countries cracking down on union involvement within workers.
Back here in the Uk it has been no coincidence that the selling off of factories and manufacturing industries the coal mine closures and other large factory worker plants have been sold off has coincidided with the decline in union membership take-up. The tories are dead scared of trades unions and their influence in a work place. They actively discourage workers from joining one or even allowing one. Their greatest fear is that the workers get together and realise their class struggle and form a militant style revolution in the work place. This frightens the tories to bits as they dont want anyone standing up and having a voice in the shop floor.
I know many union members at my local trades council and therea re fewer and fewer of them now. This is a sad state of affairs but unsurprising in many ways.
The way the right wing media in this country has bombarded the unions with negative press and what can only be described as union bashing from the tories in parliament and beyond does nothing to help their image to teh wider public.
Now this hasnt decimated the movement totally as there is still a estimated 6 million trades union members in the UK as we speak myself included. I feel this figure could rise as we become under increasing pressure about our jobs in the public and private sectors.
As well as union bashing from the usual suspects the tories and right wing press the ones you wouldnt e xpect it of would be Labour MP's and Labour party members.
Countless times now i have read pieces attacking unions and their right to strike and express their democractic right to strike.
Even Ed Miliband has been out saying he doesnt agreeing with strikes that are irresponsible. Shaking off that "red Ed" tag well and truely there ay ed ?
where is Ed's principles once he was elected by a lot of unions to become labour party leader back last september he now feels it is ok to attack the movement which served to get him elected. Very sad to hear.
It will be interesting to see if he does keep his pledge to march along side us on March 26th in London at the big TUC march for the alternative. From the sounds of it he was, then he wasnt, then he was and now he'll maybe just be speaking at it. Talk about flip flopping. But then again what would you expect from someone who seems to want to identify with the Lib Dems and offer them a place in his party and policy forming.
But back to unions i am a firm believer in workers rights. Allowing people to use the last democractic right anyone has which is to withdraw your labour should not be under-estimated. It is a vital role unions can play in the fightback against this right wing tory lead government.
I must say Unions are not perfect like any organisation of course and i can target critisism at them like anyone else can such as the TUC's sluggishness at responding to the cuts and not organising a march on parliament before christmas of 2010 instead putting it way back to March the 26th, for me that is too lat and a lot of the councils will have set their budgets for the coming year by then.
But on the whole unions do a very good job at representing workers.
The leaders at the top do sometimes need reminding who they are there to defend and fight for, their members not just themselves but on the whole i've met some very good union members during my time knowing the movement.
Lastly i do think certain unions should maybe consider their relliance on funding the labour party so religiously. I know this may not go down too well with everyone but labour do not represent working people anymore. Working people have no real voice or anyone who represents them ias a political force despite waht you may think of labour today. They dont but unions who do and can continue to fund labour a capitalist sympathising party to the hilt. Why ? i still havent worked that out either. I dont see what is in it for the unions. I really dont think their membership would be greatly affected if they pulled out of backing labour. I do think eventually a new workers party is needed to give ordinary working people a say in politics again and to represent them nationally and on issues that affect them not a party which focus's on big business and bailing out banks.
I do intend on doing a blog post on the need for a new workers party at somepoint but it needs a lot of thought but i do think in the meantime TUSC, Trades Union Socialist Coalition is doing a good job in being a stepping stone towards that eventual goal.
I feel that they are one of the greatest collective groups of people power still left in the world. Many countries are denied rightst o form a union check out these little pieces of infrmation on treatment on workers wanting to form a union.
In the Philippines, Dole -- with the help of the military -- has been doing what it can to crush the independent, democratic union chosen by the workers. This includes making death threats against union leaders and having the army visit workers' homes. In less than a week, an election will take place. Dole (and the government) needs to be told to respect the decision of the workers. This is urgent -- please take a moment and send off your message today:
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=878
Meanwhile, in Turkey workers employed at the Indian-owned company Polyplex are facing dismissals for trying to have their own union. More than 20 have already been sacked. Polyplex must start respecting trade union rights too. Please add your voice to the international outcry here:
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=868
And finally, in Pakistan the Swiss-owned company Syngenta has sacked the leader of the union there, who is also President of the National Federation of Pakistani Chemical, Energy, and Mine (PCEM) Workers' Union. Tell the company that in Pakistan as in Switzerland, it has to respect workers' rights:
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=867
These are all examples of countries cracking down on union involvement within workers.
Back here in the Uk it has been no coincidence that the selling off of factories and manufacturing industries the coal mine closures and other large factory worker plants have been sold off has coincidided with the decline in union membership take-up. The tories are dead scared of trades unions and their influence in a work place. They actively discourage workers from joining one or even allowing one. Their greatest fear is that the workers get together and realise their class struggle and form a militant style revolution in the work place. This frightens the tories to bits as they dont want anyone standing up and having a voice in the shop floor.
I know many union members at my local trades council and therea re fewer and fewer of them now. This is a sad state of affairs but unsurprising in many ways.
The way the right wing media in this country has bombarded the unions with negative press and what can only be described as union bashing from the tories in parliament and beyond does nothing to help their image to teh wider public.
Now this hasnt decimated the movement totally as there is still a estimated 6 million trades union members in the UK as we speak myself included. I feel this figure could rise as we become under increasing pressure about our jobs in the public and private sectors.
As well as union bashing from the usual suspects the tories and right wing press the ones you wouldnt e xpect it of would be Labour MP's and Labour party members.
Countless times now i have read pieces attacking unions and their right to strike and express their democractic right to strike.
Even Ed Miliband has been out saying he doesnt agreeing with strikes that are irresponsible. Shaking off that "red Ed" tag well and truely there ay ed ?
where is Ed's principles once he was elected by a lot of unions to become labour party leader back last september he now feels it is ok to attack the movement which served to get him elected. Very sad to hear.
It will be interesting to see if he does keep his pledge to march along side us on March 26th in London at the big TUC march for the alternative. From the sounds of it he was, then he wasnt, then he was and now he'll maybe just be speaking at it. Talk about flip flopping. But then again what would you expect from someone who seems to want to identify with the Lib Dems and offer them a place in his party and policy forming.
But back to unions i am a firm believer in workers rights. Allowing people to use the last democractic right anyone has which is to withdraw your labour should not be under-estimated. It is a vital role unions can play in the fightback against this right wing tory lead government.
I must say Unions are not perfect like any organisation of course and i can target critisism at them like anyone else can such as the TUC's sluggishness at responding to the cuts and not organising a march on parliament before christmas of 2010 instead putting it way back to March the 26th, for me that is too lat and a lot of the councils will have set their budgets for the coming year by then.
But on the whole unions do a very good job at representing workers.
The leaders at the top do sometimes need reminding who they are there to defend and fight for, their members not just themselves but on the whole i've met some very good union members during my time knowing the movement.
Lastly i do think certain unions should maybe consider their relliance on funding the labour party so religiously. I know this may not go down too well with everyone but labour do not represent working people anymore. Working people have no real voice or anyone who represents them ias a political force despite waht you may think of labour today. They dont but unions who do and can continue to fund labour a capitalist sympathising party to the hilt. Why ? i still havent worked that out either. I dont see what is in it for the unions. I really dont think their membership would be greatly affected if they pulled out of backing labour. I do think eventually a new workers party is needed to give ordinary working people a say in politics again and to represent them nationally and on issues that affect them not a party which focus's on big business and bailing out banks.
I do intend on doing a blog post on the need for a new workers party at somepoint but it needs a lot of thought but i do think in the meantime TUSC, Trades Union Socialist Coalition is doing a good job in being a stepping stone towards that eventual goal.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)