As an ASLEF member I was disgusted to see that my union had written to its members advising them to cross RMT picket lines and go to work during the recent 48-hour strike. Our traditional stance has always been to remind members to act in accordance with the best traditions of the labour movement - effectively getting as close as we can to telling people to respect picket lines without suffering the full force of the anti-union laws. At the very least it is a principled position. Yes, RMT doesn’t always act the way we would like, but in this case ASLEF has crossed the line.
A trade union’s primary concern has to be beating the bosses. How does the disgraceful spectacle of ASLEF reps organising strike breaking against the RMT help this? In the short term it might make us feel better but in the long term does it help if a sister trade union is defeated by Boris Johnson? If the answer is yes then blind, self-defeating chauvinism stands in the place where solidarity and self preservation should be. In effect you have become an ally of those right wing Tory MPs who have gleefully invited ASLEF to assist with scabbing operations during future RMT strikes? Which side are you on?
Now is always the best time to re-build the bonds of mutual support amongst workers, whatever union they are in. I hope that ASLEF members will fight our rotten leadership on this and forcefully remind them: United We Stand, Divided We Fall.