Organise against new anti-strike threats


Prospective Prime Minister Liz Truss has announced a raft of new anti-strike laws she plans to introduce if elected. These include:

• Action within thirty days of taking office to introduce the “minimum service requirement” outlawing all-out strikes in certain sectors that the Tories pledged in their 2019 manifesto for transport – but extended to other sectors too.
• Doubling the minimum notice period for strikes from two to four weeks;
• Raising the threshold for strikes in certain “essential” sectors from 40% of the whole eligible membership voting to 50% and extending this to the whole economy;
• Some sort of “cooling off period” meaning unions cannot strike at will after a ballot mandate;
• Outlawing or restricting strike pay.

Effective workplace organisation and effective strikes are already heavily restricted in the UK, which has what Tony Blair once proudly called “the most restrictive union laws in the western world”.

Truss’s proposals would substantially reduce strikes from a leveraging of workers’ power to token protests, with limited impact. 

In the face of such a threat, it feels trite to repeat the truism that “the labour movement must resist”. But we cannot afford to repeat the experience of the campaign against what became the 2017 Trade Union Act, a largely desultory affair culminating in a single national rally and parliamentary lobby. Union general secretaries such as Mick Lynch and Sharon Graham have spoken strongly about campaigns of resistance: those words must be turned into action.

Join us on Wednesday 3 August at 7pm for an organising meeting to discuss building the fightback. Click here for details, including Zoom link.

Truss is proposing new laws in response to a rising tide of class struggle. But the reason she and other Tories feel able to go so far is that our movement has failed to adequately oppose and resist existing laws. That makes it easier to extend them.

But real resistance now can force the Tories back. As well as continuing campaigns of strikes, unions should enact their policies to organise action, including rallies and protests, locally and nationally, against anti-strike laws. Labour Party activists must organise to extract commitments from the party leadership to repeal anti-strike laws in government, in accordance with Labour Party policy. 

The RMT’s Mick Lynch has rightly emphasised the extent to which Truss’s plans are an attack on democracy. A society in which workers do not have freedom to organise and take action at work risks is, in effect, a dictatorship of the boss. 

As Free Our Unions, we’ll be reaching out to unions that support us, and to campaigns like the Institute for Employment Rights and the Campaign for Trade Union Freedom, which are also active on this issue, to discuss joint activity and national campaigning. 

Some argue that, with no immediate prospect of electing a government likely to repeal the laws, we should focus on organising to defy them rather than campaigning for their repeal. But the two things are not counterposed; in fact, they are linked. It is only via a concerted national campaign of resistance, demanding the abolition of the laws and their replacement with a full, legally-enshrined right to strike, that the courage and confidence to defy the laws can be developed.

Honour the Pentonville Five? Then fight to scrap all anti-union laws!

This is a discussion article, written by a supporter of Free Our Unions

150 people packed into the eve-of-Durham Miners’ Gala rally held by the Institute of Employment Rights (IER) think tank on 8 July. It was hung on the hook of the mass action that freed the “Pentonville Five” fifty years ago this month, and called for a “New Deal for Workers” to rebuild workers’ rights and power.

The IER is influential at the top of the labour movement, and was influential on the Corbyn leadership of the Labour Party. It was a major influence on the New Deal for Workers policy at least in theory still promoted by the Labour Party.

The speakers in Durham included Mick Lynch of RMT; Karen Reay of Unite; Jo Grady of UCU; John Hendy QC; Barry Gardiner MP; and Laura Pidcock, former Durham MP and now national secretary of the People’s Assembly.

Some of the speeches were very good, making important points about current struggles and how we mobilise and rebuild the labour movement to halt the stream of defeats that began not long after the great victories of the 70s and is continuing today.

Rank-and-file, class-struggle activists in the unions whose leaders were speaking might have various criticism of their records and how they measure up to the ideas expressed. But in terms of the IER’s focus and the focus of the meeting, on legally defined workers’ rights, the main weakness was one long typical of the organisation.

The IER has long evaded and downplayed the demand to repeal Thatcherite restrictions on the right to strike (see here and here).

Laura Pidcock presented the policy she developed, working with the IER, when she was shadow secretary for employment rights (the blueprint for the New Deal for Workers policy linked above) as pretty ideal. But this policy too evaded repealing the anti-union laws – an issue which, for all its merits, Pidcock’s speech did not mention.

John Hendy referred to the existence of a ban on solidarity action – but made no call for the labour movement to fight for its repeal or repeal of the other Thatcherite anti-strike laws (given what the IER does and doesn’t argue and campaign for, it doesn’t go without saying).

Mick Lynch said something like: “Of course we want repeal of the anti-union laws – we want all those restrictions cleared away – but must also fight for positive rights.” That’s absolutely right – but Lynch spoke if there is a functioning consensus in the labour movement on demanding repealing of the Thatcherite laws, when quite the opposite is the case.

All the speakers pretty much ignored the point that the strikes and protests to free the Pentonville Five were also to defeat and overturn the 1971 Industrial Relations Act under which the Five were jailed – an anti-union law far less severe than those that exist today.

Demanding changes to trade union law is no immediate answer to the challenges the labour movement faces. We need a massive spreading and stepping up of political campaigning, protests and above all strikes, within and where possible in defiance of the laws as they exist. But demanding legal changes to facilitate those struggles must be one of our goals. And repealing restrictions introduced over decades on the right to strike – all of them – should be the central axis of those changes.

The last real-world TUC Congress, in 2019, resolved that the TUC should ensure this demand is “central to all campaigning around emploment and workers’ rights [including] the New Deal”. The IER rally was another reminder of how much work we have to do to make that the case.

Green Party deputy leader candidates: speak out for free trade unions!

Following our candidates’ pledge for the recent Momentum NCG elections, Free Our Unions supporters in the Green Party have issued a pledge for candidates in the party’s deputy leadership election.

The pledge, below, asks candidates to commit to using their positions to promoting and building solidarity for workers’ action, and supporting a fight to repeal all anti-strike laws.

Candidates can sign the pledge online here, and we’ll contact them individually.

As Tories threaten new anti-union laws, build solidarity for a summer of strikes!

With the RMT’s strikes on the national rail and London Underground leading the way for what will hopefully become a summer of strikes, the labour movement must build solidarity for all workers’ struggles – and mobilise to resist the threat of new anti-union laws.

The Tories have already responded to the RMT strikes by rushing through legislation to allow employers to use agency workers to break strikes, and by saying they’ll accelerate the implementation of the “minimum service” laws they promised in their 2019 manifesto.

Multiple unions have passed policy to campaign actively against anti-strike laws, with several having committed to organising demonstrations. Those demonstrations should take place locally wherever they can be organised, in solidarity with unions in dispute, and opposing the threat of new laws.

A campaign of local and national protests can help build up the confidence and courage we’ll need to defy the laws if they’re imposed.

Momentum NCG candidates pledge

Momentum, the left-wing network in the Labour Party, is about to hold elections for its National Coordinating Group (NCG).

Free Our Unions has worked with Momentum before, collaborating with the Fire Brigades Union in 2021 to submit a motion to Momentum’s Policy Primary.

This year, we’re asking NCG candidates to commit to promoting strikes, and actively campaigning against anti-strike laws, and mobilising Momentum to do likewise. The pledge card is below; we’ll be contacting individual candidates electronically in the coming days.

Update:

The NCG elections concluded on 6 July. Thanks for the following candidates for backing our pledge:

Rochelle Charlton-Lainé (ELECTED)
Lorcan Whitehead (ELECTED)
Sonali Bhattacharyya (ELECTED)
Maisie Sanders
Abel Harvie-Clarke
Andy Warren
Si Oldham

GMB to renew campaigning against anti-union laws

The congress of the GMB union, Britain’s third largest, has resolved to renew the union’s campaigning against legal restrictions on workers’ right to organise and strike, after congress passed a composite motion from branches in Glasgow and Southampton.

The motion noted the policy passed in 2021 on the same issue, and called for further action to enact it.

This Congress notes and re-affirms:

• Policy adopted at the 2021 Congress to “campaign against the introduction of new anti-union laws and to campaign for the scrapping of all anti-union laws” and to “campaign for a comprehensive charter of workers’ rights to be put on the statute book”.

• The specific proposals for such campaigning contained in the motion passed at the 2021 Congress (production of GMB campaigning material, coverage of campaign in GMB publications, lobbying MPs, calling on MPs to support strikes in their constituencies, joint campaigning with other unions.)

Congress further notes that a number of unions have recently adopted policy advocating a national trade union demonstrations against the anti-union laws, and that the last TUC congress adopted policy in favour of a national rally against the anti-union laws.

In order to progress existing policy, Congress therefore instructs the Central Executive Council to:

• Support a national demonstration against the anti-union laws and approach other unions with the same policy, with a view to holding such a demonstration.

• Promote closer working with other unions and campaigns which share the policy of scrapping all anti-union laws.

• Pursue implementation of the proposals contained in the motion passed by the 2021 Congress.

• Present a report to the 2023 Congress on campaigning undertaken by the GMB against anti-union laws.

UCU Congress takes strong stance against anti-union laws

The recent congress of the University and College Union, held online from 1-3 June, passed a resolution committing the union to a strong stance, and campaigning, against anti-union laws.

The motion was proposed by the UCU branch at Birkbeck, which recently voted to support Free Our Unions, as well as UCU University of Brighton (Moulsecoomb), with friendly amendments from UCU University of Brighton (Grand Parade) and UCU Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Committee.

The text of the motion is below.

Campaign to repeal ALL anti-trade union laws 

Congress notes:

1. the impact of anti-union laws inhibiting our and other workers’ recent struggles

2. the threat of new ‘minimum service’ legislation during transport strikes (which could be extended to other sectors)

3. 2019 Congress policy reiterating opposition to ALL anti-trade union laws

4. that TUC Congress and Labour conference voted to campaign to repeal all anti-union laws and their replacement with positive workers’ rights, including strong rights to strike and picket. However, this has remained on paper.

Congress believes:

a. the Tories anti-trade union laws are designed to prevent workers taking effective industrial action

b. despite the ballot thresholds UCU have been able to launch UK-wide action

c. the development of GTVO strategies and the use of disaggregated ballots have enabled branches to take on our employers.

d. P&O’s blatant disregard of employment law raises the question of why workers should obey anti-union laws.

Congress resolves:

i. to start campaigning, actively and vocally, for the repeal of and resistance to ALL anti-union laws and for a strong right to strike, including by: producing a leaflet; organising a week of action; organising an activists’ day school; and a joint union conference

ii. that UCU initiate an inter-union forum on strategies to combat the anti-union laws

iii. to stand in solidarity with RMT, which has pledged to defy any ‘minimum service requirement’, and to support their campaigns against this legislation

iv. to act in solidarity with P&O workers and other workers subject to unfair labour processes, supporting boycotts and demonstrations. UCU calls on its members and on universities and colleges to boycott P&O Ferries.

v. to call on the Labour Party to commit to abolishing all anti-trade union legislation when elected, and to enacting legislation to outlaw zero hours contracts, ‘fire and rehire’ and other unfair labour practices.

vi. to support all workers who defy anti-union legislation.

Defend the right to picket: protest at Hastings Magistrates Court, 9:30, 29 June

Hastings and District TUC has called a protest at Hastings Magistrates Court (Bohemia Road, Hastings TN34 1ND) for 9:30 on 29 June, when three GMB officials arrested on a Wealden council refuse workers’ picket line will appear in court.

The organisers write:

“Three GMB officials were arrested on the picket line at Amberstone Depot in Hailsham. They were taken away in handcuffs.

“These were clearly stage managed arrests after a political decision by East Sussex police to back the outsourced employer, Biffa, who are paying poverty wages to refuse collectors.

“The GMB officials will appear at Hastings Magistrates Court to face charges. Join the protest at Hastings Magistrates Court on 29 June 29 at 9.30am. Bring your banners and support the GMB 3.”

For more info, see the Facebook event here.

As Tories reassert anti-strike law threat, unions must resist

In response to the RMT’s national ballot of workers in Network Rail and 15 mainline Train Operating Companies, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said the government will accelerate plans for new laws to restrict transport workers’ strikes.

The plan is not new: the Tories’ 2019 manifesto included a commitment to implement the laws, which would impose a legally-mandated “minimum service” during transport strikes. The law was in the first Queen’s Speech in February 2020, and although the pandemic re-callibrated government priorities, when Business Secretary Alok Sharma was asked in July 2020 if the government still planned to introduce the laws, he confirmed they did. In September 2020, a statement launched by Free Our Unions saw seven Labour MPs and dozens of trade union officials and activists commit to a renewed campaign against both the existing anti-union laws, and proposed new ones.

At its October 2021 AGM, rail and transport union RMT passed a motion committing the union to a policy of non-compliance should “minimum service” laws be imposed. That would be a radical step, and would require the rest of the labour movement to rally round the RMT.

In the same month, Unite’s conference passed a motion reaffirming its opposition to all anti-strike laws, both existing and proposed. This motion also resolved to call on the TUC to organise a national demonstration against the laws, and to organise one directly via a “coalition of the willing” if the TUC did not.

The June 2021 congress of the GMB, Britain’s third biggest union, also passed comprehensive policy opposing anti-strike laws, and resolving to pursue joint-union campaigning against them. Labour Party and TUC conferences also have existing policy supporting the abolition of existing anti-strike laws, and opposing the imposition of new ones.

The Telegraph article which included Shapps’ remarks also included the announcement of plans to encourage teachers to bring lawyers or arbitrators with them to disciplinary hand grievance hearings, rather than union reps: we also need to be ready to resist new laws restricting unions’ role in workplace procedures.

The general secretaries of Unite, RMT, and TSSA have all made strong press statements in response to Shapps’ comments. We need grassroots resistance too.

Free Our Unions can send speakers to meetings and protests. We will be producing additional materials and resources in the coming weeks to help rank-and-file trade union activists organise against new restrictions on our rights.