Saturday 27 January saw thousands of trade unionists march through the streets of Cheltenham. The TUC had called this march to demonstrate opposition to the Tories’ latest attack on workers’ rights: the new Minimum Service Level law.
These laws are an existential threat to the unions. They demand striking unions in specific sectors such as transport maintain a minimal level of service, essentially gutting the right to strike for millions.
It is clear these MSL laws are retaliatory, especially as they target many of the sectors where unions went on strike over the last year.
The Tories are also heading into a general election with nothing going for them. They desperately need to project strength to appeal to their reactionary voter base.
Many of those at the march understood the need to fight these laws with all means at their disposal – especially through industrial action. As one PCS member put it “striking is the only tool the working class has ever had. The movement can not allow itself to be disarmed.”
Zero faith
Many marchers The Communist spoke to however did not have faith that a Labour government would save the day either, which is what the trade union leaders are putting their faith in.
“You can’t get rid of the Tories. The other Tories will just get in”, one marcher told us, showing how many in the movement have come to view Starmer’s Labour! Another put it more strongly, saying that a Labour victory will simply hand the reins to “neo-Tory bastard” Keir Starmer.
As one Unite member put it, “I have absolutely zero faith in Starmer. I don’t believe him, and why should we? He’s lied every step of the way when he was standing as leader and he’s not really stuck to anything.”
This is correct. The trade union movement cannot afford to bank on Starmer’s word that Labour will repeal the law. It must smash the laws now, through mass action.
Despite the militancy that certainly existed amongst many there on Saturday, unfortunately the march fell a bit flat. The attendance was mostly older layers of the movement.
Although some younger workers attended, the demo was lacking the new generation of class fighters thrown to the fore by last year’s strike wave. This is understandable, given that many of the trade unions barely mobilised their rank and file for the event.
But it also reflects the weakness of the strategy chosen by the union leadership. While choosing to march at Cheltenham has historical significance, one march through a well-to-do neighbourhood is not enough to oppose the MSL laws. Much more is needed.
And while union leaders say they have already committed to defying these laws, this is only once they have been used and a worker or union has been penalised. This is far, far too meek.
Fight back
“The leadership needs to follow through, including illegal strike action”, one demonstrator told The Communist.
There is a mood amongst the rank and file to fight back. The union leadership must match this mood with action if they are to defeat this, and all the anti-union laws that hold our movement back.
This must start with organising more demonstrations in London and across the country. Coordinated strike action and even a one-day general strike should also be built for. There is no shortage of anger in society, against the Tories and the bosses system, that such a movement could begin to crystallise if given direction.
Such a militant campaign would not only give workers a chance to show their strength and beat back the Tories’ anti-union laws – it could provide the opportunity to knock them out of power altogether.
