Free Our Unions plans renewed campaigning

Submitted by martin on 10 January, 2020 - 7:38 Author: Daniel Randall, Assistant Chair, RMT Bakerloo branch (pc)
Right to strike

The Free Our Unions campaign has made plans to renew its activity in 2020, following an organising meeting in London on 8 January.

It is circulating a new statement, calling for united resistance across the labour movement to the threat of new anti-strike laws. Signatories include Michelle Rodgers, president of rail union RMT, Ian Hodson, president of the Bakers’ union, UCU general secretary Jo Grady, and Labour MP Nadia Whittome.

On the basis of this statement, it plans to approach other campaigns and groups active around similar issues, including the Campaign for Trade Union Freedom, Institute for Employment Rights, the Trade Union Coordinating Group, and the National Shop Stewards Network.

Free Our Unions has also written to all Labour leader and deputy leader candidates, requesting that they commit to supporting the policy passed at successive Labour conferences, for the repeal of all anti-union laws, not just the most recent, and to supporting resistance to the Tories’ new anti-strike law.

The campaign also plans activity around the 14 February climate strike. Free Our Unions has previously issued joint statements with the UK Student Climate Network emphasising the links between the fight against climate change and the need for free trade unions, able to strike over political issues.

Free Our Unions supporters working in the transport industry, targeted by the Tories’ proposed ban on “all-out strikes”, as well as workers in other “essential services” to which such a ban may be extended, will also be writing testimonies about their experiences of striking, and what the effect of the new laws would be on their ability to defend and improve their conditions.

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