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We need unity to defeat minimum service levels legislation
We must be proactive in organising against this imposition, in the workplace, and in our communities, argues MICK LYNCH
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch
JOHN ELLISON looks back at Labour’s opportunistic tendency, when in office, to veer to the right on policy as well as ideological worldview
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A devastating new 44-page report reveals Labour’s cuts will push 400,000 into poverty and cost disabled people up to £10,000 annually, while the government refuses to make savings by cutting spending on war instead, writes Dr DYLAN MURPHY
Here are the voices of DANIEL KEBEDE, FRAN HEATHCOTE, HOLLY TURNER and LEANNE MOHAMAD explaining why they will be taking part in the People’s Assembly No More Austerity demo next weekend
THIS year’s TUC Congress has witnessed a resurgence in trade union militancy across a wide variety of sectors, and on the railways we have a national dispute that is continuing after 18 months.
Although workers have won pay deals through strike action, including RMT in other parts of the railway, the national rail dispute with the train operators which is orchestrated by the government is far from over.
It has become a political and ideological priority, for this zombie Tory government, to try and keep unions like RMT in a straitjacket.
To further their cause, a new draconian anti-trade union law has been added to the statute books.
The minimum service levels Bill is one of most restrictive laws introduced in modern times that seeks to make effective industrial action illegal.
The International Labour Organisation has criticised the legislation as a threat to the fundamental rights of workers in Britain.
It has been specifically designed with RMT in mind, where our union would be forced to instruct members to cross their own picket lines.
If unions or the members refuse to comply, workers can be sacked. And in such a scenario, RMT would lose its immunity from prosecution and could be compelled to pay damages resulting from the strike.
Despite propaganda from the Tory government, legislation like this doesn’t exist in any other part of western Europe.
Conscripting labour to provide a minimum level of service on the railways is not only dictatorial and wrong, but is also impractical.
The railways are run by private companies that are incapable of running an efficient timetable when unions are not on strike.
But minimum service legislation is not just a threat to the democratic rights of railway workers. It is a threat to the industrial ability and power of the entire trade union movement.
If we are not able to take a group of workers out on strike to use as leverage at the negotiating table for better pay terms and conditions than what is the point of the trade union movement?
We must be able to legally and effectively withdraw our labour. Otherwise, we become little more than a pressure group, shouting from the sidelines.
Labour leader Keir Starmer has pledged to repeal this new anti-strike law which is welcome. But we can’t wait for a general election in order to challenge this draconian legislation.
RMT will be taking the message to the TUC that we need the maximum unity of all affiliates in the face of this existential threat.
Solidarity is key, and that’s why we will be asking every union to mobilise support for any worker who is sanctioned because of these draconian measures.
As well as challenging the legislation in the courts, we must be proactive in organising against this imposition, in the workplace, and in our communities.
That’s why we will be urging TUC delegates to support our calls for a special Congress, explore options for non-compliance and resistance to minimum service legislation.
Political pressure must also be applied to employers, devolved governments and local councils that they must not issue notices compelling unions to send their members to work while a lawful strike is taking place.
In the meantime, we need a huge national demonstration of workers from every industry and every part of the country to march on Parliament declaring that we will resist these laws by every means at our disposal.
Our predecessor unions have similarly faced extraordinary challenges in the past.
In 1900 the Taff Vale judgement against the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants ruled that unions could be sued and compelled to pay for damages for the impact of their strike action.
And the National Union of Railwayman had their picket lines attacked by the Grenadier guards in Llanelli during the great railway strike of 1911.
Like our forebears, RMT will remain undaunted in the face of any adversary that attempts to restrict our members’ ability to defend themselves in the workplace.
But we do need the power and unity of the entire trade union movement to defeat these laws and win for our class.
Mick Lynch is general secretary of RMT.
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