PARLIAMENTARY COLUMN

9 September 2005 proved to be a decisive turning point for the trade union movement. Firstly, the TUC unanimously endorsed Composite One which, amongst other things, contained the RMT’s proposals for a Trade Union Freedom Bill. In the same month, the Labour Party Conference backed a resolution calling for the freedom of workers to take solidarity action by more than a two-thirds majority. The true significance of these decisions was highlighted over last summer by the Gate Gourmet dispute which starkly demonstrated the effect of the current laws in rendering unions virtually impotent in supporting their members against the tactics of ruthless employers. The proposed legislation includes guaranteeing freedom for solidarity action and the opportunity must be seized for other vital freedoms and rights to be protected. Such legislation will not reverse all of the anti-union laws passed by the Conservative governments of 1979-97. However, it must address those fundamental incursions into the rights of trade unions which prevent them from effectively protecting their members. The emasculation of trade union rights is one of the most important factors behind the collapse of collective bargaining coverage in the UK. This has contributed to the widening of the gulf between rich and poor over the last 25 years. The timing for such proposals is appropriate. 2006 marks the centenary of the passing of the 1906 Trades Disputes Act which secured for unions the legal freedom to take industrial action, and indeed greater legal freedom of action than they enjoy today. In turn, the 1906 Act led to the progressive extension of collective bargaining to benefit 85 per cent of the UK workforce by 1975, paving the way for the huge improvements in the conditions of work and of life for working people in the 20th century. The 1906 Act was achieved by trade union pressure both inside and outside of Parliament, and the introduction of such an Act was the key demand which had led the unions to establish the Labour Party a few years earlier. The Act was drafted in such a way as to give legal protections against anti- union law introduced by judges, rather than by establishing fundamental trade union rights. This drafting anomaly has ensured that the freedom to organise industrial action in the UK has been characterised as a privilege rather than a right. Furthermore, the gains of this legislation faced repeated judicial and legislative attacks - not least at the hands of the 1927 Trades Dispute Act which banned solidarity action until it was repealed by the reforming 1945 Labour Government. Nonetheless, the formula established in 1906 substantially secured the freedom of trade unions to take action to protect workers for much of the century. That freedom has been dramatically curtailed in the last 25 years. In 1906, British trade unions were free to organise solidarity action and were subject to none of the technicalities and notices which provide the usual peg for anti-union strike injunctions today. It is ironic that unions enjoyed greater freedoms a century ago. During those one hundred years, the UK has ratified international treaties requiring (amongst other union rights) the guarantee of the right to strike: International Labour Organisation Convention 87 of 1949, the Council of Europe’s European Social Charter of 1961, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966 and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of 2000. Unsurprisingly, the supervisory bodies of those treaties have held that restrictions by the UK on the right to strike are incompatible with its treaty obligations. Key issues for the Bill will be the establishment of solidarity action in certain situations, the simplification of industrial action ballots and protection for those workers engaged in industrial action. These proposals enjoy overwhelming support in the trade union movement and the Labour party. Their realisation would move the UK closer to its international legal obligations. Furthermore, they are rooted firmly in the proud traditions of 1906 and the Labour government of Clement Attlee. Almost 100 MPs have already signed parliamentary early day motion 1170 supporting the campaign for a Trade Union Freedom Bill and the TUC have been asked to call a national March, Rally and Lobby of Parliament. Ask your MP to join them. John MacDonnell, MP for Harlington and Hayes Parliamentary column FREEING THE TRADE UNIONS F ollowing a public outcry and vigorous local campaigning, the overnight sleeper train between Penzance and London will continue. The operator of the new Greater Western rail franchise, FirstGroup, has announced the u-turn after RMT, MPs and local groups said the sleeper was economically vital to the region. FirstGroup, which will run the service from April, also said it was increasing the number of through services operating between London and Cornwall and nine trains will go run daily, compared with the current seven. The service had been under threat because it was running at a loss and needed a Department of Transport subsidy of £5 million every year. However, RMT launched a local campaign and MPs put down an early day motion expressing dismay at such cuts to vital services. F ollowing a threat of strike action by RMT clerical staff, the government has instructed South Eastern Trains to shelf proposals to savagely cut ticket office opening hours at many of its stations. Since the company announced the plans nearly a year ago, RMT has been at the forefront of the campaign to oppose the cuts, which would have slashed around 100 staff and had a negative effect on passengers. After months of deliberation, and an overwhelming vote by RMT staff to take strike action on December 5, the government has finally decided to uphold over 3,000 objections and instruct the company to delay its proposals. RMT south eastern regional organiser Jim Stevenson said that the decision showed the ability of the union to represent the interests of clerical staff and the travelling public. “It means that passengers can buy a ticket from a trained member of staff where and when they want and removes the immediate threat of job cuts for our members,” he said. The successful campaign also included the distribution of postcards at London termini and SET stations in Kent. The union received the support of many MPs, councillors, passenger groups, trade unions and trade councils, Labour groups, local mayors, South East Region of the TUC and pressure groups like Transport 2000 and the Capital Transport Campaign. The campaign showed that the public want more staff on stations and a more accessible service. They know that less staff means longer queues at ticket machines, more missed trains and more delays to their journeys. RMT general secretary Bob Crow also gave a note of caution. “We must remain vigilant that when private operator Govia takes over the running of this franchise in the spring, these so-called Schedule 17 proposals do not reappear. “While we can welcome this success now, this union will continue to defend the interests of passengers and our members whoever runs the franchise,” Bob said. Ticket-office jobs victory at SET CORNWALL SLEEPER SERVICE SAVED www.rmt.org.uk :: january 2006 :: RMTnews