Editorial

Unions Ready to Battle for Freedom

There is a new tension in air in the build up to Annual Conference 2005.

This year, the Big Issue on the floor of conference won't be either the implementation of the Warwick Agreement or the War in Iraq -although both matters remain dissatisifactorily unresolved within the Party. I'd hedge my bets on the main issue on the floor, and in the coffee houses, hotel bars and smoking areas of Brighton will be the wider issue of Workers Rights.

The TUC conference began this year with a unanimous call for a Trade Union Freedom Bill. The unions are also planning a march on Parliament for workers rights in Spring 2006. It is high time that a historic third term labour Government acts in the interest of those for whom it is named, working people, and repeals the Thatcherite anti-trade union laws.

The TUC calls for: Restoration of the right to take solidarity action Forbidding employers from dismissing striking workers Removing restrictive industrial action notice procedures

In the 1980s, the Tories under Margaret Thatcher introduced nine sets of anti-trade union laws, which labour in Opposition were vociferous in opposing. Eight years into a labour Government, it is People's Party which is now maintaining these vicious laws which deny collective freedoms to trade unionists. Unless labour removes these ideological-driven restrictions on union practices, the Party will be remembered for upholding the handcuffing of the movement from which is was born.

The sacking of 670 mainly Asian and mainly women workers at Heathrow by a US union-busting catering firm is a case in point. Their employer stands accused of manufacturing a dispute so that it could sack the workforce. The disgraceful sacking of the Gate Gourmet workers sparked an unofficial walk out amongst baggage handlers at Heathrow Airport. Such solidarity action remains outlawed under the outdated and discredited anti-union laws.

And the warning from the unions comes to both Brown and Blair, for a leadership change is not enough. We need a change of direction of the Good Ship labour, away from the cruel unpredictable sea of neo-liberal globalization economics and back to the familiar waters of social justice, tackling poverty and protecting the interest of working people in this country and throughout the World.

We must also bear in mind that the debate over public-sector pensions is far from over. At the II th hour Ministers averted a massive cross-union public sector pension strike immediate before the General Election by agreeing to open negotiations on a clean slate. Since then, we have heard of no concessions from the Government side whatsoever! Whilst Ministers are locked in negotiations with the union-side their spin-machines are churning out the same old story -demographic changes mean that public sector workers will have to work on to a later pension age. There is nothing that can be done. As if! Public sector unions will not take this lying down. The biggest strike since 1926 is possible if three million workers represented by 13 unions are not given concessions.

Not only are pension rights under assault, but public sector jobs are increasingly insecure threatened by Government attacks. In the name of "efficiency" public sector workers are facing job losses and privatization. The privatization mantra is another new labour hangover from Thatcher. The notion that somehow all things in the private sector are smooth and efficient is simply false. labour Ministers would benefit from re-reading Hansard debates from the 1980s and 1990s when as the Opposition they were robustly defending the public sector. Perhaps the leadership have forgotten that the people voted the Tories out because they were sick fed up with this neo-liberal nonsense.

Postal services are under threat from privatization because Royal Mail, a vital pubic service has returned to good health. It is now rich picking for hiving off the profitable services to the greedy private sector. A year ago Gordon Brown announced 100,000 civil service job losses in the name of "efficiency". The spin was that backroom jobs that must be diverted to front-line services. Yet what is happening in the Department of Work and Pensions up and down the country is that job centres and social security offices are being closed and replaced with centralised call-centres. Even the BBC is under real threat of job losses and privatization by our labour government.

Resolutions have been submitted by unions big and small, and by ClPs on the core labour issues of workers rights -for a Trade Union Freedom Bill, condemning privatization in the Health Service, Pensions, and condemning the tendering out of lifeline ferry services in Scotland.

So, calling all constituency delegates to 2005 labour Conference. For too long at conference, the leadership have treated you appallingly. duped ClP delegates by peddling in flattery, false friendship and place behind Tony during the leaders' speech in exchange for your vote on key debates. Take heed how much you put at stake that is fundamental to working people (who loyally remain core labour voters. let 2005 be the turning point. Wake up and smell the coffee -it is not Fair Trade, comrades.