In this day and age, when human rights are at the centre of so much discussion, it seems inconceivable that even a Tory Government would attempt to bring in a Trade Union Bill that its own MPs have likened to something that would be implemented under Franco's fascist regime in Spain. But it has; at least 6.4million trade union members will be affected, and the second reading of the Bill happens this week in Parliament
Under the Bill, employers will be able to break strikes by bringing in agency workers to cover for strikers, there'll be restrictions on how unions collect and spend their money, and huge constraints on peaceful picketing and protests. Striking workers will have to tell their employer all their plans including what they will post on Facebook - two weeks before they strike!
"This level of scrutiny and monitoring is excessive, undermining freedom of speech and threatening the civil liberties of working people who should be free to defend their rights" the TUC states
There are also attacks on the public sector's right to organise. In 'important public services' (fire, health, education, transport, border security and nuclear decommissioning), 50% of members must turn out to vote and 40% of the entire membership must vote in favour of industrial action which amounts to 80% of those voting, on a 50% turnout. Of course, if this was enforced in a General or Local Election, Parliament and most council chambers would be empty.
Meanwhile, under the Bill, public sector employers will have to publish information on the cost of time off for union reps, plus a breakdown of what facility time is used for; staff won't be able to pay for union membership direct through salaries anymore, even though a lot of unions actually pay councils to do this; and the time public sector employers allow union reps to spend representing members will be capped.
"This latest attempt by the Government to try and de-politicise the trades unions, and weaken their ability to campaign in wider society on almost any social or political issue affecting their members as ordinary citizens, combined with the crackdown on the unions' ability to organise any kind of industrial action at work, could not be better timed, and as well as planned, from the point of the Government" says Stephen Hall, President of the Greater Manchester Association of Trades Union Councils (GMATUC)
"They are wanting to legally shackle what many might consider to be the last bastion of working people's power, and of `people's power' more generally, in opposition to the injustices of the present Government, our workplaces and the present world" he adds "Every campaign group, every organisation - from the local anti-fracking group, to Save Our NHS groups, to the Labour Party that has ever received funding or support from a trades union needs to recognise how this Bill threatens the unions' collective ability to not only to be able to effectively stand up for ordinary folk at their own workplace...but also to be able to continue to assist with funding and provide support for any of them in the future.
"The Bill is a massive attack on 6.4 million trade union members' collective right to free speech, collective right to protest, collective right to campaign, to collectively right to bargain, and collective right and ability to take strike action" explains "Every worker, whether they're in a union or not, needs to recognise that the trades unions being further constrained won't help them one bit either, but put increased pressure on everyone to accept the status quo or worse, and to toe the line, wherever they work."
Ian Hodson, of the Bakers' union BFAWU adds: "The Difference between a worker and a slave is the right to withdraw your labour - that's why we must all stand up and fight this Bill, because we are not going to be slaves to this Government or anybody else..."
* This Monday, 2nd November, there's a free coach to London available on a first come first serve basis. It goes at 8am from Chorlton Street Coach Station. For more details or to book email stefan.cholewka@btinternet.com or call 07901 913698.
Defend Our Unions: Defend The Right To Strike Protest Rally
Saturday 7th November 12noon
Piccadilly Gardens Manchester
Supported by GMATUC in conjunction with the Manchester People's Assembly, Unite the Resistance, and National Shop Steward Network
See also the Facebook event page click here
* For the Salford take on the Trade Union Bill see previous Salford Star article - click here
* On 27th November, at Salford Arts Theatre, there's a play about legendary American trade union organiser, Joe Hill who was executed one hundred years ago. The play, The Joe Hill Dream by John Fay, is also being used to publicise the current campaign against anti-trade union laws currently being put through Parliament - for further details click here
Main photo by Steven Speed
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