Unilever Strike
Union executives are deciding whether to accept or reject the Tory-led Government’s assault on public sector pensions. Acceptance of this will have a major effect on weakening resistance to Cameron’s shock doctrine when it comes to defending jobs and services, and any union leadership weakness on this demonstrates only that it is not fit for purpose.
UNITE and the PCS have rejected the Government’s proposals. Very positively UNITE are proving that the crude divide and rule rhetoric, that of public vs private, is a lie, with strike action at Unilever. The NUT is still negotiating, but it seems increasingly unlikely that the teachers’ union will sell its members out.
However there are real concerns that some unions may betray their membership and weaken the possibility of a united fight. UNISON have some hard thinking to do, together with some of the smaller unions.
Shortly before Christmas the Government was claiming that it was close to reaching an agreement with the main unions. Clearly this was a lie. But some union leaders need to choose whose side they are on.
10:53 pm, January 7, 2012Frank Owen /
I agree that it is time for the union leaderships to stand up and be counted.
Up to this point ALL unions have failed to step up to the mark
Let’s hope they finally realise that we are fighting a class war and the Tories and their liberal colaborators have been allowed to make many blows already with very little resistance
Frank Owen