Bob Crow, General Secretary RMT, speaking at Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival, July 2010
"We are going to see a massive onslaught on working people to pay for the bankers’ corruption and greed.
"If the government gets away it, people are going to have their welfare benefits cut, suffer pay freezes, have their pensions taken away from them, be made to work longer. At a time when we should be getting people off the dole queues and into work.
"Over the next 18 months we are going to see a workers’ fightback. People will start to join the trade union movement because they know the only voice that working people have is the trade unions.
"Solidarity and unity [have been] easy words to say. But people are beginning to recognise that all of the gains we have achieved since World War Two — the health service, welfare benefits, decent jobs, decent pay and conditions — are going to be completely eroded, if this government forces its hand.
"Solidarity will now mean [something real]. If one group of workers are taking action against austerity cuts and another union is taking action then they should be co-ordinating that action, fighting back against the government."
