Last week’s Labour party conference has been widely billed by politicians, activists and others as ‘the fight back’ conference.
In the trade union movement, we’re familiar with fighting. Fighting, that is on behalf of our members – for decent jobs, training and opportunity. It is also well documented that at times and on key issues that matter to our members we have challenged this Labour government – on issues such as the part privatisation of the Post Office, protecting and extending pensions, rights for temporary and agency workers and Public Finance Initiatives.
But we also recognise how far we have come since 1997 under a Labour government – the minimum wage, an extension in maternity rights along with the introduction of paternity rights, the right to trade union recognition, a plethora of new employment rights, civil partnerships, winter fuel payments, tax credits and the educational maintenance allowance to name but a few.
We know that these changes for the better, that benefit the many could and will only happen under a Labour government. Yes there are feelings of disappointment amongst the union movement – disappointment that anti trade union laws brought in under Thatcher haven’t been repealed; disappointment that legislation has stopped at a minimum wage rather than a ‘living wage’ and that younger workers can still be paid less. But when all is said and done trade unions are aware that should the Tories get their hands on power again any progress that has been made will be reversed and that will be a disaster.
This season of political party conferences has driven home the stark choices facing the country when the general election is called. Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne said in his conference speech that Tory cuts and pay freezes in the public sector wouldn’t hit the poorest and would start at those earning above £18,000. Has the millionaire heir to a business fortune ever tried to raise a family on this amount of money? This pay freeze will hit those hard working public servants that are the staple of any community – the nurse, the PC and the teacher.
But it seems all is not lost. Yes, if you are one of the lucky few who make up the wealthiest 3,000 estates, you’ll get a tax cut of around £200,000 as the Conservatives put up the inheritance tax threshold up to £2m for couples. Does is sound like the Tories have changed?
The Tories voted against the investment, intervention and legislation made by this Labour government to help on the road out of the recession. Measures that have protected savings, prevented repossessions and saved jobs. If the Labour government hadn’t taken the action it did and continues to do, then the recession would have deepened into a depression with devastating consequences. Cameron’s Conservatives’ answer was not to take action but to actively do nothing.
They want the innocent victims of the recession, many of them union members who are low paid or public sector workers, many of whom are women who work part-time, and those on benefits to pay for the excesses of badly regulated financial markets. Why should the hardworking people of this country pay the price for the excess of a few? The clear red line is that Labour rescues jobs, livelihoods and the economy whilst the Tories’ action, or rather inaction, would cause ruin. In fact, it seems that they would have stood by and done nothing while thousands of skilled workers fell on to the scrap heap. Does this ring a bell?
Then, of course, there is that age old Conservative elephant in the room of Europe. Trade unions have campaigned long and hard for the employment legislation adopted by the EU that we have today. Trade unions will continue this fight to build on the past 12 years of affirmative changes to legislation. The Social Chapter, which amongst other things guarantees a minimum of 26 weeks paid maternity leave and two weeks paternity leave and the Transfer of Undertakings/Protection of Employment (TUPE) Directive, which ensures that workers retain basic employment, pension and seniority rights if their company is taken over. In addition, equal rights for part time workers. All this is at stake if a Conservative party adverse to and isolated in Europe wins the next election.
The trade unions remember all too well what happened to Britain under the Tories in the 1980s and 1990s – long term unemployment, sky high mortgage rates, negative equity and house repossessions. Neighbourhoods and cities across the country were torn apart and neglected and we were isolated in Europe. The last Conservative government stood by and did nothing. Today’s Tories talk about ‘broken Britain’ but it doesn’t take much to realise that they broke Britain when our communities were desolated under eighteen years of their government. It is only a Labour government that has the policies for a better Britain.
In the 1980s trade union members, Labour party members and politicians marched under union banners to fight for jobs. But we marched in vain, because we didn’t win the arguments and we didn’t win power.
Under the Conservatives only business and the rich have access to government. With a Labour government there is equality of access and a fair bite of the cherry. Access that has brought new laws and rights like the Gangmaster Licensing Act, rights for temporary and agency workers, rights to information and consultation and a new law on Corporate Manslaughter.
There is still over six months to go until the expected election. Trade unions should and will be pressing Labour to use the time in the run up to next year’s election to implement policies which protect jobs, save skills and restore public confidence in the finance sector. These are changes Labour must make to show voters that it is on their side, and that the recovery when it comes will not be fragile.
The next general election will be about a future of fairness and growth with Labour, building on the changes already achieved, or a Conservative government that brings in cuts that impact on the hard working majority and tax breaks for the rich minority. That’s why trade unions need to fight back for our members and for the return of a Labour government – a Labour government that it is committed to protecting jobs and investment in the UK and changing our country for the better.
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