Unions to organise against TTIP

Sixty activists met for a briefing on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) at the union Unite’s head office in London on Monday.

Speakers included Green MEP Jean Lambert, new RMT leader Mick Cash, John Hendy QC, Unite deputy leader Steve Turner and War On Want Executive Director John Hilary.

They all agreed that these proposals—secretly formulated between the EU and the US—are a serious attack on democracy and workers in member states. They will benefit transnational corporations through deregulation, reregulation and privatisation. Corporations will gain legal vetoes over national and EU law.

TTIP could lead to the loss of a million jobs across Europe and the US.

An alliance of some Social Democrats, Greens and other progressives with some opportunist help from far-right MEPs may vote it down in Brussels.

Some Labour MEPs are describing TTIP as “good for business”, but the TUC is right to want it scrapped. All unions need to adopt a similar stance in the coming year.