We need a united, strong response to new anti-strike laws

Left Unity trade union officer Oliver New writes on the Tory attack.

The Government anti-union proposals could not be clearer. It’s a class war. They want even more laws to tie our arms back while they beat us. As wages are cut and job insecurity grows, they want to prevent workers from defending themselves.

The Tories hate unions, hate working agreements and hate the very idea of collectivity – unless it’s part of a posh fox hunt. Under their proposals, even individual representation by union reps is threatened, with a cap on union release.

Effective strike action is already very hard to organise. There is a constant threat of trade union assets being taken away – and with it much of their ability to support and organise members. Unfortunately many union leaderships treat this as an excuse not to fight. It’s simple – if they won’t do their job, they should be removed.

RMT in particular has shown that it is possible to get on with the job of organising action and empowering members to defend themselves, including cleaners and so-called hard to organise workers.

Obviously the multinationals and their neoliberal friends are determined to remove any democratic rights that stand in the way of profit. They want the isolation of every worker and every citizen. They want zero hours contracts and zero resistance. The Labour leadership takes our union money, but is ashamed of us and never supports strike action, no matter how necessary for workers to fight back.

We need a united and strong response from the trade unions and the left. Our trade unions already have policies to defend union rights and it’s time to do something about it. They should call mass demonstrations and attempt to bring millions out onto the streets.

Of course we should call on the TUC to act, but there isn’t time to wait for them to dither, individual unions need to crack on and organise mass protests .

Kick out the Tories – the 24 per cent Tories!