Fight against the right’s new threat to our strikes

Huge numbers turn out to support the RMT rail workers in London in their fight for pay (Picture: Guy Smallman)

Ruling classes try to impose their will by a combination of force and fraud—and the Tories are trying both against the ­present wave of strikes. They have ramped up the threats of even more anti-union laws, ­“emergency powers” and the sack for strikers.

And ministers are preparing a scab force. The government has said around 2,000 troops, civil servants and volunteers are training for various roles including as ambulance drivers and firefighters.

The Sun newspaper announced on Saturday, “Rishi Sunak is ­considering new emergency powers to break a winter of strikes. Number 10 has told ministers to provide more options to disrupt unions’ co-ordinated bids to paralyse Britain.”

The article continued, “Measures would add to legislation currently going through parliament to ensure a minimum level of service on strike days in key industries, such as rail. That package may include making it easier for bosses to replace strikers permanently.”

The Times, another newspaper in the Rupert Murdoch media empire, says that if the Tories are to recover electorally, they have to show they can deal with major issues. And it said that “there is no more urgent challenge than to head off the wave of strikes that threaten to cripple large swathes of the public and ­private sector.”

Forcing workers to run rail services on strike days may, The Times says, have to be backed up by “heavy fines for unions that fail to deliver on their requirements”. And there is an “argument for extending minimum service level requirements to sectors such as nursing”. It would be dangerously complacent to think the Tories are just ­pumping out rhetoric about anti-union laws to please their backbenchers. 

A government that has rammed through measures to curb protests and criminalise direct action taken by environmental protesters is perfectly capable of stepping up laws against strikers.

Mobilise against new Tory threats to strikes and more anti-union laws

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But at the same time the ­government tries to look ­“reasonable” and open to deals. It knows that it remains in deep trouble and has only a very thin base of support. In the recent Chester by-election, voters delivered a 14 percent swing against the government, enough for Labour leader Keir Starmer to be prime minister. 

The Tory vote slumped by 16 ­percentage points compared to 2019, in the first verdict on Sunk and prime minister.

Election expert John Curtice wrote, “The outcome in Chester is consistent with the message of the polls that the Conservatives are now in a deep ­electoral hole.” So the Tory cabinet hopes to isolate and intimidate some strikes, and in others to lull union leaders into accepting rotten deals that are still well below inflation. 

The proposed settlement at BT Group is one example. And ministers would probably prefer to avoid taking on NHS workers.

Whether the method is force or fraud, this is no time for workers to retreat. Trade unionists need to pressure their union leaders to escalate and unify action.

Strike to defy Tory rule

There is massive support for strikes, such as the ones scheduled by nurses on next Thursday and 20 December and ambulance workers on 20 and 21 December. They have to become a focus for the whole working class and a launchpad for wider, more sustained action. And they should become an inspiration for more workplaces to start the fight back.

Support the rail workers’ strikes—they can win for us all

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If the Tories unveil new anti‑union laws, it will be another reason to call more united walkouts for the more than 500,000 rail, communications, health, education and other workers who have beaten the strike ballot thresholds.

Rishi Sunak has created a dedicated unit to coordinate the government’s response to strikes. He has put Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden in charge of preparing contingency plans to cope with a wave of walkouts, anticipating future ones and overseeing ministers’ approach.

Their side is centralising and organising. So should ours.

Strikes, who’s out and when 

These are the national strikes that unions have announced or are expected to announce.

Fri 9 Dec

• 115,000 Royal Mail workers. National rally 1pm-3pm, Parliament Square. March to the rally, assemble 10.30am Mount Pleasant sorting office 

Sun 11 Dec

• 115,000 Royal Mail workers

Tue 13 Dec

• 40,000 RMT union rail workers at Network Rail and 14 Companies. Sectional action begins in PCS civil service workers’ union. For full list of PCS strikes go to bit.ly/PCSout2022

Wed 14 Dec

• 40,000 rail workers, 115,000 Royal Mail workers

Thu 15 Dec

• 115,000 Royal Mail workers, RCN nurses’ union at a range of trusts across Britain. See the list of those involved at bit.ly/RCNout2022

Fri 16 Dec

• 40,000 rail workers

Sat 17 Dec

• 40,000 rail workers

Tue 20 Dec

• RCN nurses’ union. See the list of those involved at bit.ly/RCNout2022
• Probable date for ambulance strikes by 10,000 GMB union members. For the nine major trusts affected see bit.ly/GMBout2022

Wed 21 Dec

• Probable date for strike by ambulance workers in Unison union. The trusts affected are North West, Yorkshire, London, South West and North East.  

Thu 22 Dec

• 1,000 rail cleaners in the RMT union

Fri 23 Dec

• 115,000 Royal Mail workers, and 1,000 rail cleaners in the RMT union

Sat 24 Dec

• 115,000 Royal Mail workers

Sat 31 Dec

• 1,000 rail cleaners in RMT union

Strike ballots in the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Royal College of Midwives close on Monday. They could join the action in January if the votes are for action. 

Other unions including the FBU, NEU and NASUWT are balloting for possible strikes next year.