22.10.2003

Solidarity watchword

Unison's action was called to coincide with the London postal workers' one-day strike in support of their claim for a London weighting allowance of £4,000 per annum. John Keys reports

Unison’s action was called to coincide with the London postal workers’ one-day strike in support of their claim for a London weighting allowance of £4,000 per annum. While the £4,000 claim of the Communication Workers Union and Unison is dismissed as “excessive”, the police are already paid £6,000.

What was astonishing was the fact that there were two separate rallies last Thursday. Why our two unions could not have organised one united event - which would at least have demonstrated the intent of putting up a fight against their intransigent employers - is a question that is as puzzling as it is disappointing.

However, the London weighting issue will not go away. Rather than each union going their own separate way and, more often than not, folding in the face of the bosses, the situation demands unity. Solidarity should be the watchword. But that requires rank and file organisation - forcing the bureaucracy to act in the interests of its membersl