The opening session of the Workers Against the Far Right conference (Pic: Guy Smallman)
Trade unionists are calling for a show of force against the far right on 28 March in central London.
On Saturday, Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) held its Workers Against The Far Right conference that was attended by hundreds and featured speakers from across the union movement.
On the same day, anti-racists outnumbered the fascists of Britain First in Manchester (see below).
The conference was addressed by David Stiggers, a bus driver and ATU union leader who has been central to the fight against Donald Trump and Ice in Minneapolis. He said, “In Minneapolis it hasn’t stopped. They are still arresting and still harassing folks. But you know what? We are still out there doing the work of the community.
“We continue to fight. When our communities are hurting, labour is hurting so we fight together non stop.
“When the Ice occupation actually happened we didn’t have much time to coordinate. But we knew we needed a collective show of force from the unions and that’s what we did.”
Sharon Graham, Unite union general secretary, said, “We are at the beginning of planning for the 28 March demonstration. We are at the beginning of what must be a concerted campaign to stop the far right.”
Graham said that Unite union is looking to use its political funds to finance campaigns against the far right.
She got loud cheers from the crowd when she attacked Keir Starmer’s Labour government as “a disgrace” and “shameful”. “Picking the pockets of pensioners, attacking disabled people, giving bankers back their bonuses, stealth taxes.
“And now they are trying to out-Reform Reform UK.”
Unison union general secretary Andrea Egan argued, “We have challenged the far right’s lies and won. But we can’t do it alone.
“That’s why I’m proud my union has joined the Together alliance to build the broadest coalition against division and hate.
“Build on our workplace strengths, protect those on the frontline, take a message of unity into every community we serve.”
NEU union member Chris Denson spoke about how successful strikes over school funding have also built workers’ confidence to fight against racism and oppression. He challenged the union leaders to bring their members out on 28 March.
He said, “The key measure for every single one of us is ‘what do we do next? If you are a rep can you get ten people from your workplace to confirm they will come? If you are a general secretary here today can you have an aim to get five, ten, 15 thousand people in a bloc marching on the 28 March?”
There is a fight against Reform UK in the workplaces and in unions themselves. Bfawu union leader Sarah Woolley reflected this when she said, “We have got to have our own house in order. We know that is going to be a big job of work over the next few months. I don’t think any union is free from the grips of Reform UK getting in there.”
Health worker Agnes spoke in the conference about the threats to migrant workers. Labour is raising the salary thresholds for workers to be sponsored for a visa by their employer.
Agnes told Socialist Worker, “It has been hard for migrants. Our pay is low, we are not complaining because at least we have a job. It’s stability.
“But now they are systematically saying ‘you should go’. Most of us are in debt. We sold our possessions to make a better life. Treat us like humans, that is all we are asking for.
“I hope we have a collective effort. I hope people don’t think this is not my problem because I’m not black or not Asian. It’s all our problem.”
Peter, a Unite union rep at Wood Green bus garage, told Socialist Worker that he was at the conference to get organised.
He explained, “Last summer I was in Cheshunt where we started having the far right turn up outside a hotel” housing asylum seekers. “We decided we need an SUTR group to start countering the far right.
“We developed it from there. So we built an SUTR movement in Cheshunt and now I’m here today because I wanted to come down and help out.”
Sam, a teacher in Kent, told Socialist Worker that he came to hear more about “how to combat the far right”. “I’m just getting involved and wanted to come. I now think I can start something up at my work with my colleagues.
“I’ve seen the far right ideas at comprehensive schools in Kent. I want to start up a campaign to talk to people in my workplace and to see if my colleagues will join the movement against the far right.”
He said he planned to speak to them about joining the Together alliance demonstration on 28 March.
An engineer in the Prospect union said that they are trying to get the union to affiliate to the Together alliance.
“I’m starting a petition and I’m trying to build my union branch in my workplace not just on collective bargaining issues but advocating for anti-fascism,” they said.
Winston, a CWU regional official for London and South East, said that he is part of organising a workshop next month to brief reps on narratives to counter the far right.
“In our region a lot of people are seduced by Reform UK,” he explained to Socialist Worker. “We need to go out to our Royal Mail depots and remind those in the depots that Reform UK is no friend of the working class.”
“I’m here today to get a head start. If I don’t get involved we will never breach the divide the far right is trying to create.”
Anti-racists in Manchester outnumbered Britain First on Saturday, preventing them from marching. The protest came ahead of the key Gorton and Denton by-election in Greater Manchester, where Reform UK is seeking to win another seat in parliament.
Sky told Socialist Worker, there was a “really strong show of solidarity in Manchester today.
“Just over 1,000 people marched against Britain First, joined by leading trade unions in the city. The Manchester Trades Council led a trade union bloc joined by PCS, NEU, NASUWT, Unison and Unite union branches.
“We heard speakers from unions and campaign groups as well as Jeremy Corbyn from Your Party who spoke alongside Green Party deputy leader Mothin Ali as a sign of solidarity against the far right.
“We confronted the far right at Piccadilly as onlookers clapped showing they aren’t welcome in our city, we then marched towards St Peter’s Square, cutting off the fascists from central Manchester.
“People sang and danced in the street rounding off a great day of solidarity against fascism.”
Dominion Society is building links with Restore Britain
Demos will be held across Britain
