FROM his prison cell George Loveless, one of the Tolpuddle Martyrs scribbled the words: “We raise the watchword, liberty. We will, we will, we will be free!”

Despite the fact this was nearly 200 years ago, the trade union movement finds itself in a position where it has to reassert its values and the rights of workers to take action to improve their lot.
 
The so-called “minimum service” legislation is being rushed through Parliament with the view to making effective industrial action unlawful.
 
The conscripting of labour and the prospect of unions having to instruct their members to cross their own picket lines represents a very real threat to our existence as effective organisations.
 
I have said repeatedly that our union, RMT, will not be bowed or cowed by the Tory government or any government in the future.
 
We have demonstrated the tenacity and the determination to defend our members on the railway, campaigning to keep ticket offices open and attempting to inspire the rest of our class where we can to take action.
 
At our AGM in Bournemouth, our union unanimously backed calls for a national demonstration against minimum services legislation and we call upon all trade unionists to join that march.
 
I told delegates at the conference: “The trade unions must now, in this time and under a new government, exert themselves as an independent working-class movement.
 
“And we will put every politician whether they are in Scotland, Wales, the councils and the mayors, wherever they are, under extreme pressure.
 
“You can’t cosy up to them and hope they will do you a favour.

“We have used the last year to present a different vision for transport. Bus, road, maritime and rail — run for the benefit of the passengers and the workers.
 
“That is our vision, and we must always fight for it.”
 
We have seen the trade union movement flex its industrial muscle across almost every industry in this country.
 
And that has been inspiring to see.
 
But as some of those disputes end, and others begin, we need a sense of unity of purpose that we are not going to meekly accept new draconian legislation that stops us from being able to win for our members in the workplace.

The Tolpuddle Martyrs were operating at a time when trade unions were illegal in this country.

And we must look to them for inspiration to defeat these anti-democratic laws and this dreadful Tory administration.