Unity Pensions Special

Unity!

News from Communist trade unionists Incorporating ‘redscare’ January 2012

Public sector pensions Communists —unity is the watchword!!!! call to hold the line Anita Halpin The trades unions in the pensions dispute must fight on,’ Communist Party national trade union co-ordinator Anita Halpin said in a statement.

“After all the government’s `divide and rule’ tactics are just a panic response to the success of the N30 actions.” Making clear that the coalition government’s attack on public This statement is a joint initiative of the Communist Party’s Civil Service Advisory and services has no electoral of the Communist Party’s Industry, Services, Transport Advisory Steering Committee, mandate and only serve the big business agenda to pave representing members working within PCS and Unite. the way for radical If a week is a long time in unity can we hope to win. in June and November – privatisation, Anita Halpin’s politics, twenty-one days This remains the case now. both of which made the statement calls for workers to remain united in the face of feels like a lifetime in the The battle to protect government step back. trade union movement. pensions was always going Despite the diversity of the this class attack. “A defeat now would give the green light to Between 30th November to be difficult, with plenty negotiating schema, the the government and the ruling of excuses possible for September TUC congress and 20th December, activists must have those who wished to back saw the entire movement class it represent to go further experienced a fair number away from a fight; a large declare that we were all in to divide working women and number of schemes, many for the “fight of our lives”. men,” the Communist Party of emotions. At this executive and political juncture though, emotion unions and complex committee member said.

“All needs to be replaced with a negotiations. But having There was no hint of a public sector unions need a single day’s act to come, a mature rationale if we are said that, two broader united strategy, including issues were and remain gesture followed by a rush not to set the movement rolling strikes and targeted clear to deal with scheme back by decades. specific details, buttressed indefinite action by key workers across sectors and The Communist Party has Firstly, unity in militancy by a vow of a sort of noregions and, most importantly, called for the maximum has been the watchword. strike deal. In addition, all the d e v e l o p m en t of amount of unity in the Over 500,000 people speakers to TUC debates coordinated action with talked in terms of battles against the Tories marched in the spring of workers in the private sector, continued action beyond and their Liberal poodles. 2011; whilst significant so building the broadest Only by achieving such numbers took strike action November. defence of public services.”

1

struggle. Yet the speed by which the previouslyagreed Public Sector Liaison Group position, which aimed to bring together the respective positions, shifted showed that a number of union officials blinked first. Perhaps, even, some of them had their blinkers ready and waiting all along. It will be for the lay work longer and for less. leaderships of relevant Whilst the Unite EC in Whatever the so called unions to draw early December improvements in one or appropriate conclusions reinforced all this by more of the scheme about the need to resolving that the union specific talks may bolster mechanisms for would be “working in emerge, this remains the democratic cooperation with other single salient fact. accountability. public sector trade unions … to now work Moreover, it was union Brendan Barber up a strategic plan to negotiators who accepted confirmed the escalate the action to the shift from a broad speculation that had win decent pensions for front to a narrow begun four days earlier. all”. See: sectional focus in face of Though cautious with the government’s formal his words, it was www.iansunitesite.org.uk proposal in the shape of confirmed that most /2011/12/unite-executivea broadly standardised unions in the Health However it appears as letter. They accepted and Local Government though the negotiators this when they gave sectors had reached a for Unite were not assurances required by “Heads of Agreement” acting to this position 19th December that understanding with and blithely went off, morally they should not employers on the standing shoulder to have been able to give question of public sector shoulder with GMB’s without prior pensions and consultation with not and Unison’s retreat consequently no more stance, but leaving PCS only their members but joined-up industrial the entire movement. on their lonesome, action was anticipated. despite their bilateral Unison, GMB and Unite The Communist Party working agreement. issued a joint statement, believes that these two which wobbled when Secondly, the deals on the table remain awful, broader issues should Eric Pickles intervened. and can now prove the as members will still (Presumable the union’s basis for unity in have to pay more, to left leadership had also

2

The struggles must continue In his new year message, CP general secretary Robert Griffiths called for this year to be one of sustained struggle to block job losses, the further destruction of industry and the wholesale privatisation of our public services. ‘It is now more necessary than ever for organised workers to speak out and to act,’ he said.

Griffiths stressed the need ‘to illuminate the many struggles now breaking out with an alternative economic and political strategy based around the People's Charter.

‘Unaccountable bankers, though rumbled and despised, continue to hold economic and political power. The fight continues to establish the sovereignty of the people against big business and build broad opposition to EU-imposed austerity.

‘As cuts bite ever deeper, more and more people are recognising that this government is a reactionary and dangerous regime with no popular mandate; it’s time they went; neither the country nor its people can afford for them to stay the full five years.’

finally exercised control?).

The Tory’s foray gave space for tactical withdrawals by some, in the face of a rising tide of amazed incredulity. Unite had remained largely quiet, apart from an initial reaction which spoke of the union’s position being “ambivalent”, or even “ambiguous”!! It would be six days before this “spokesman’s” comment was corrected.

in Wales and EIS in Scotland - have made clear that they will refuse to sign -up by the imposed deadline. Whilst Len McCluskey of Unite finally issued a statement on 21st December stressing that his union had not accepted the offer.

In light of the above, while the coalition of the 29 willing TUC-affiliated unions was always fragile, it appears that the split has been incited by a package valued at somewhat less than thirty-pieces of silver.

That fact is a travesty to the work put in by It will remain difficult to thousands of left make a rational assessment progressives in union of developments while so branches, Trades Councils, many details remain Regional TUCs and unclear as to what extent National Executives.

It was left to PCS alone to the offers in various sectors maintain a position have actually been The turn-out on 30th consistent with that which improved (or not) since November was hailed by all had appeared strike ballot results were unions and it provided the uncontroversial only a few announced. However, it is clearest mandate short days earlier. The perhaps telling that imaginable for a continued Government recognised this Cabinet Office Secretary campaign – not just from Francis Maude claimed on members of the unions when it chose to attack 20th December that “no that union alone in the involved but also from Commons’ debate, making more money” was on the various polls which it was clear that it also did table and Danny Alexander indicated wider public support of 60% upwards. not care if PCS members assured Parliament the next day that the It also appeared to (or any others) voted to represent a giant leap Government will still be reject any shabby deal as forward in respect of interthe State would merely able to make the planned "tens of billions of pounds" union cooperation. impose one. Thankfully, of savings if the 'deal' goes NUT, NASUWT, and There has been some, UCU, - along with UCAC through. almost apologetic, attempts to claim that the developments of 19th December were nothing more than the unions taking the latest offers back to their members via various democratic structures. Significantly, in the civil service, an absolute condition of being invited back to the table for 3

continued discussions in the New Year was a written undertaking to “recommend these elements of the design to your Executive with a view to agreement”. While not representing a settlement, this condition effectively required an endorsement of the offer – something PCS were not prepared to concede. Other unions remain unclear if they were asked to make the same commitment.

Are union leaderships perhaps too nervous of taking on the government, especially over legal consequences?

As unions stress the need to consult their constituent base within specific pension schemes, it could be perfectly legitimate for them to put the question to members not only as to whether they accept the individual settlement on offer to them but also whether they are prepared to allow the unions of teachers and civil servants to be isolated, contrary to the declarations made at the Trades Union Congress.

Does anyone really believe that members, now mobilised to the hilt, are going to refuse such a chance?

The Institute of Employment Rights has argued forcibly that the Human Rights Act 1998 obliges the courts to give effect to the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (not the EU-body!).

This court has already held that Article 11 of the associated convention, which guarantees freedom of assembly and association, requires states to allow peaceful protests and strikes protesting against government policy. Leading employment lawyers Ewing and Hendy believe that it would be impossible to gain an injunction to ban a national day of action called by the TUC against the government's austerity package. Will any union lead the way on this?

outwards and involve all those potential members of trade unions and the non employed in action. The danger in the meantime is two-fold.

So how has it come to this and where do we go from here?

Conspiracy theorists have attempted to draw a link to the New Labour leadership but it is difficult to see what benefit there could be to Miliband or the General Secretaries of the affiliated unions of such a scenario. But perhaps there are those who still worry that strikes can be unpopular? Not these strikes!

Not now.

Secondly, although the anger of activists with some union leaders is understandable, maximum unity remains essential to win this struggle.

Rank and file members must ultimately have the final say and seeking to interfere with the internal democracy of Morning Star Day Conference other organisations, either by for the whole labour and anti-cuts movement calling for occupations of HQ Saturday March 31st buildings, lobbying Bishopsgate Institute, London representative meetings or hosting events badged as one Major speakers; elect your delegates now; for further info: conference.morningstar@gmail.com thing when in fact they are another are damaging tactics which should be avoided.

Join the fight against cuts,

A more rational explanation might be offered by a truth that dare not speak its name – that of organisation - or to be more precise - the lack of it.

In the euphoria of N30 many of us were guilty of talking up our successes and glossing over our weaknesses. It was becoming clear that the “long, hard and dirty fight” that some leaders promised at Congress would be the minimum required to move the government to any significant extent. If that is the case, we must turn

Firstly, Mark Serwotka is rightly identified as the Chief Architect of N30. He has rallied the naysayers, charmed the unconvinced and acted as a totem for left activists everywhere. In every interview and panel show, he has provided a clear, rational and highly impressive leadership of the campaign which has embarrassed Ministers and exposed some other General Secretaries in equal measure. The narrative of the last few days has clearly been part of campaign to damage him and that must not be allowed to happen.

WHICH WAY FORWARD NEXT?

In the immediate future Communists will work in the United Left in Unite and PCS Left Unity, as well as with all other progressive forces to build as broad based campaign as possible in defence of pensions – public, private and state and against the attacks on our class.

for peace & socialism name address

phone e-mail

#

postcode Age if under 30

Return to Ruskin House, 23 Coombe Road, London CR0 1BD t:02086861659

e:office@communist-party.org.uk

www.communist-party.org.uk 4