More than 600 Labor councilors have declared their full support for all rail, postal, port and other workers on picket lines as the party comes under continued pressure over its stance on strikes.
Amid a wave of wage strikes and increasing talk of coordinated union action this fall, councilors signed an open letter saying they offer “full solidarity and support” to the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers’ union (RMT), the Union of Communication Workers. (CWU), Unite and others.
The latest workers to strike are CWU postal workers who rejected a 5.5% pay rise in exchange for changes to their conditions, while the RMT plans another round of rail strikes in the autumn. There are also 1,900 dockworkers who are members of Unite at Felixstowe, the country’s biggest port, with an eight-day stoppage.
However, the issue of strikes is a problem for workers. Party leader Keir Starmer has expressed sympathy for the striking workers’ aims, but party whips have called on leaders not to show up on the pickets. The party is also stressing the need for negotiated solutions, with Starmer saying he “completely understands” why workers are striking, but adding his party would make sure the talks run properly.
Starmer’s equivocal stance on strikes has upset Labour’s union funders. Sharon Graham, United’s general secretary, told the Observer earlier this month: “There’s no point in giving money to a party that basically gives workers two fingers. It’s almost like an abusive relationship.”
Ahead of September’s Trade Union Congress, senior union officials have started talking more about scheduling strikes for the same time for maximum impact or staggering them to take effect.
Earlier this week, Mick Lynch, the RMT general secretary, said: “We need a summer of solidarity and a spring of solidarity if next year is to go through. The CWU, Unite, GMB, RMT and the others, we need to call on the whole movement… to get into this action, to motivate members and call them to the flag and vote yes for a wave of industrial action across the UK and internationally , if that is what is needed, because we have to restore the balance of society.
“And not be dictated to by people from Eton and Harrow, telling us to give up our wages and give up our place. We won’t have it.”
The joint letter was organized by councilors Aneesa Akbar, from Hull, Jumbo Chan, from Brent, and Matt White, from Haringey, who are all active in the trade union movement.
In it, councilors said they were “proud to witness this emerging renaissance of trade unionism, and we offer the RMT, CWU, Unite and many other unions to act with our full solidarity and support, both on the picket line and to other places.” .
They criticized the “obscene” situation where millions of people in Britain were struggling to make ends meet and workers were told a “tsunami of lies” to keep workers in their jobs, while more billionaires than ever, and profits and dividends. payments from the UK’s biggest companies soared.
Councilors said the unions’ actions were an “important and welcome rejection of this absurd nonsense”.
“We urge all ordinary working people to take control of their destinies and join a union today,” they said.
Starmer was told to “get a spine” and send a “strong message” that Graham of Unite supported striking workers.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House program that “you can’t stand up for working people by staying silent” and that neither Labor nor the Tories were aware of “how bad it is for people”.