The following motion has been passed by Stretford ward Labour Party to send to Stretford and Urmston CLP (Manchester). Please adapt for use in your CLP. For more on our campaigning to repeal the anti-union laws, see here.
For free trade unions and strong workers’ rights
We strongly welcome the policy passed unanimously at last year’s party conference to free trade unions and workers from the legal shackles introduced over several decades, by repealing not just the 2016 Trade Union Act but also the “anti-union laws introduced in the 1980s and 1990s” by the Tories. These laws would be replaced by a “strong legal charter of workers’ rights”. As the motion said, “For unions to be effective workers need an effective right to strike”. This builds on the 2015 conference decision, also unanimous, that the next Labour government will “legislate for strong rights to unionise, win recognition and collective bargaining, strike, picket and take solidarity action”.
We note that our CLP, MP and activists have been very active in supporting workers’ rights to organise in fast-food disputes at McDonald’s, TGI Fridays and the work of Trafford Trades Union Council.
We believe the party must ensure that these policies are actively campaigned for and included in our next Manifesto. They are crucial to helping workers organise to tackle the mounting problems of low pay, insecurity and lack of rights and to change society. We will write to the Leader’s Office and the NEC urging them to take this up.
Let us know what you think? Write a reply? Email theclarionmag@gmail.com