Hope and unity

The chances of victory over the limitations of the trade union Bill would be greatly enhanced with a united Labour Party behind us – said Len McCluskey, speaking to a motion on the trade union Bill.

 
He spoke of the “regretful decision of the party of organised labour – this party – to do nothing about it during 13 years in office.”
He said “delegates will have heard many fiery speeches on trade union laws over the years,” but “this year I hardly need to engage in new flights of rhetoric.

 
“But there is one thing that does need to be made clear, arising from that list of critics of the trade union Bill.

 
“It is this – when a united Labour party opposes this legislation in parliament it will not be fighting alone, as we too often were in the 1980s.”

 
To applause he said, “We need to mobilise that broader opinion behind our campaign to challenge this legislation.

 
“We need to seize the arguments of democracy and modernisation, the arguments turned against us in the past.”

 
And to even louder applause he added, “So I say this to ministers today – if your concern about turnout in strike ballots is genuine, then scrap the archaic and undemocratic reliance on postal ballots, and give trade unionists the right to secure, secret workplace voting.”

Modernise voting

 
Modernising the voting system was key. If this were to happen, there would “no longer be a turnout problem. If ministers agree then we can reach an agreement on thresholds.

 
If they refuse, then this law will be seen for what it is – a cynical attempt to deny British workers the right to strike.”

And he was clear on the thorny issue of acting within the law.

“Whatever the law says, I will be on the picket line when Unite members are on strike.

 
And I will not be wearing an armband with a red triangle, like the trade union members imprisoned by the Nazis had to at Dachau.”

Len continued, “The trade union Bill also aims to destroy the Labour Party by depriving it of trade union money – the cleanest in politics – and unlike the hedge fund millions buying up the Tory Party already subject to democratic approval and public scrutiny.

He warned David Cameron, “We will not see the political voice of working people silenced. We will not let the Tories buy their way to perpetual power – understand that Prime Minister.”

He concluded, “Defeating this Bill is not just about trade unions, it’s about the rights of the British people and the integrity of our democracy. Ours is a movement to uphold the liberties which our forebears fought and often died for – free speech, free association, free assembly.”

And to a standing ovation he said we represented hope. He urged the conference delegates to, “Believe in our values of fairness and equality.  That belief will carry us through the difficult battles that lie ahead and towards a better future for our people.”

Watch Len’s full speech in the video below: