09.02.1995

Royal Mail attacks right to strike

IN RECENT years the continual barrage of anti-union laws has made effective trade union activity illegal. The leaderships’ role has thus increasingly become one of membership policing. By their very nature they are much happier at the negotiating table than on the picket line. Unemployment and the anti-trade union laws have virtually paralysed activity, with members fearing for their jobs and the leaderships fearing for the union funds, their office and their pay packet.

Last month postal workers went against the tide in an incredible show of spontaneous strength and solidarity. Following an official one hour stoppage in Camden, 150 workers were suspended. The whole unit walked out on unofficial strike and two thirds of London postal workers followed them. Management were forced to withdraw all the suspensions and threats of disciplinary action - a tremendous victory at this time.

Victorious unofficial action has not always been so rare. In the 1970s a strong shop stewards’ movement staffed by the influential (though at that time thoroughly opportunist) Communist Party could bring workers out on unofficial action against the pleadings of the union leadership and against the anti-trade union laws.

It is not the laws in themselves which are the problem, but rank and file weakness. Only rank and file organisation can smash these laws. The union bureaucrats certainly have no intention of breaking them, let alone smashing them.

Leaders of the postal workers’ union, the UCW - which on Monday merged with the NCU to become the Communication Workers Union - refused to back the action because they knew it threatened their funds. Nevertheless they did not repudiate the action either. As a result the union was taken to court by Royal Mail and fined a total, including costs, of £100,000, despite its hands-off approach and efforts to keep the peace.

Royal Mail has not used such tactics against past unofficial action. It obviously feels confident enough to do so now and is firing a very heavy warning shot. One of the Badgerline strikers commented: “This is a serious attack on union organisation. But it should not stop action. The union should be about supporting members not protecting its funds.”

As long as the working class is on the defensive, the attacks on our rights will get worse. Workers have never been given anything by making peace with the bosses. It is when we are strong and on the offensive that bosses and governments dare not implement their own laws.

Linda Addison