Anti-strike laws: This means war!

This comes alongside other Tory attacks on democratic rights especially targeting the climate movement, such as the Public Order Bill which would give police the power to shut down protests if they "might" cause "widespread disruption".

Recognising their system is in crisis, the Tories and the ruling class that they represent are afraid of the potential for explosive movements of working class and young people. As all economic forecasts point to a recession, they are gearing up for a protracted period of attacks on workers living standards and hope to score an early victory through this legislation.

gles in Britain. The weakening of democratic rights of workers in Britain to strike therefore is an attack on the effectiveness of strike action here. It is also part of global trends which have seen, for example, the Biden administration attack the rights of railway workers to strike. Trade union leaders in Northern Ireland would make a criminal mistake to say that attacks on the rights of workers in Britain to strike dont have serious implications for us here and therefore not join efforts to oppose them.

By Chris Stewart

HORRIFIED BY an upsurge of working class people taking strike action amidst the cost of living crisis, the Tory government has declared war on the democratic rights of workers and their ability to strike.

The "minimum service levels" bill requires workers in certain sectorshealth, education, transport etc - to provide minimum levels of service during a strike. The "minimum service" would be decided by the Secretary of State - essentially giving the government the ability to make effective strike action illegal for a whole host of public sector workers, allowing bosses to dismiss workers for breaking these regulations.

Sunak is carrying on the attacks on trade unions of his predecessors. In 2016, the Cameron government brought in an undemocratic industrial action ballot threshold, meaning that at least 50% of members have to vote, with a simple majority not sufficient for a mandate for strike action. While in the past this has been a huge blockade to strike action, the raw anger of hundreds of thousands of workers today means that most ballots are smashing this threshold - meaning the Tories feel the need to further attack the right to strike.

While this particular legislation will not apply to Northern Ireland, its passing would represent an important warning to workers here. The DUP's Sammy Wilson was one of two nonTory MPs to vote in favour of the bill. In 2022, MLAs from the DUP, UUP and Alliance voted down a bill from Gerry Carroll which would have removed anti-trade union laws introduced by Thatcher. It cannot be ruled out that similar legislation could be brought in to attack workers here at some stage.

If allowed to be implemented it would also have implications for many striking workers here are involved in. As Royal Mail, NHS workers, PCS members and lecturers will know, strikes here are linked to broader strug-

Royal Mail: Vote Yes and escalate the action to win!

By Neil Moore

“ASTRIKE is not just for Christmas”, read defiant placards across the hundreds of Communication Workers Union (CWU) “Vote Yes” gate meetings in Royal Mail delivery offices, which have been taking place over January. It is clear that the mood amongst the majority of postal workers is defiant to management’s failed gambit that 18 days of strike action would break the back of CWU members. CEO, Simon Thompson’s strategy of waiting out the strikes hoping a media onslaught, building financial pressures and the use of scab and agency workers would result in acceptance of their derisory “best and final offer” from talks in January.

Last year’s two national Royal Mail ballots ‘expire’ under the Tories’ draconian anti-trade union laws on 19th January (Pay) and 17th February (Change) respectively. A new coordinated ballot, encompassing all the issues in dispute will close on the 16th February. This ballot must be won, so that the “YES” vote is maximised. It is a credit to CWU reps and members that they did not allow the usual conservatising process to take place where workers are told to vote in isolation from the argu- ments of their reps and colleagues. Instead, the vibrant campaigns of the pre vious ballot must be built on with discussions opened up in every work place on how a knock-out blow can be delivered to management. The indus trial action of December, pulled an in transigent management to the table and moved them after they stated they would move no further.

The defence of our postal service as we know it, an inflationary pay rise and the scrapping of planned attacks on jobs & conditions can be won. An es calation of the action starting with a strong “YES” vote giving fresh man date, maintaining and building on ef fective pickets and taking up the use of scab & agency labour is the starting point. For this to be most effective, it must be democratised further with local strike/picket committees elected and given full support from the CWU leadership to ensure members are fully informed, involved in deciding and bought in to what fighting strategy is needed to win. The fight is on in Royal Mail, not just amongst CWU members engaged in action to defend their jobs, conditions and fight for better pay –but also for the whole labour move ment as bosses across the public and private sector pay attention to this dis pute to see which tactics prevail.

Some trade union leaders have indicated that they plan to take the government to court over these new laws. However we must be clear that the courts represent the interests of the bosses, and they will be under a massive pressure to keep this legislation.

The trade union movement needs to respond to these attacks with a mass campaign, bringing together the millions of workers voting for strike action and coordinating the action to have the biggest impact possible. The 1st of February will see a strike action of teachers, university staff, civil servants and train drivers - and the TUC have called this a national day of protest against the new laws. This can and should be the springboard towards further general, coordinated strike action across the UK needed to defeat the Tories and their assault on workers democratic rights.