{"id":23833,"date":"2020-09-21T16:28:24","date_gmt":"2020-09-21T15:28:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=23833"},"modified":"2020-09-22T14:44:28","modified_gmt":"2020-09-22T13:44:28","slug":"join-a-union-a-force-for-good","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=23833","title":{"rendered":"\u00e2\u20ac\u0098Join a union – a force for good\u00e2\u20ac\u2122"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

It might not be business as usual for the Labour Party conference this year \u00e2\u20ac\u201c but at lunch-time (September 21) Labour Connected treated online viewers to a full debate about the future of employment in this country, entitled \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Jobs, jobs, jobs.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 The panel comprised trade union leaders and MPs and included Unite general secretary Len McCluskey.<\/p>\n

Many issues job-related were discussed including unstable working conditions, women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s unpaid work, bolder ideas for the future of work. Len McCluskey was asked to respond to, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhat more can be done by the Labour Party to encourage trade union membership?\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

McCluskey replied that there was, \u00e2\u20ac\u015ban urgency to the current crisis facing us with jobs \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and that is the extension of the Jobs Retention Scheme (JRS).\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 He reported, \u00e2\u20ac\u015b4.5m workers are currently on that scheme and they must be having sleepless nights over what will happen to them when the scheme ends.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI can assure you \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and it angers me \u00e2\u20ac\u201c that German workers, French workers, Spanish workers are all sleeping easy \u00e2\u20ac\u201c because their governments are protecting them. German workers will have a retention scheme for two years and I believe it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s an indefinite time in Spain.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0098Wasteland UK?\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe really need a robust UK economy. If the government doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t step up to the plate we face becoming a \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Wasteland UK\u00e2\u20ac\u2122. If the floor is pulled from under workers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 feet when the JRS ends then we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re in serious trouble \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and it is women and young workers who will suffer the most.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bKeir [Starmer] needs to be with us and on the side of ordinary working people,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he added. McCluskey praised Labour\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s policies \u00e2\u20ac\u201c especially on the green new deal and the many good ideas Labour has to protect workers.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bSo to answer the question what can Labour do to help the unions, they already are. It is good to note that recent leaders of the Labour Party \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell and now Keir have embraced trade unions as a key part of the Labour Party.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI know Keir is keen to open communications with unions. Labour needs to promote trade unions as a force for good. I urge viewers of this debate who are not in a union to join. The pandemic has shown how vital trade unions are. We are the largest voluntary sector body, we speak up for our communities, we are a force for good.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

Following a discussion on the green new deal the question was posed, \u00e2\u20ac\u0098what if certain jobs key to the economy are not green?\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m excited about the prospects of a green new deal,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 replied McCluskey. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bFrom tidal to solar, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s vital for jobs that we make those things here. But not every job can be a green job, we have to make sure all workers are protected and don’t pay for this pandemic.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

McCluskey referred to the examples of aviation, aerospace and automotive manufacturing.<\/p>\n

Aviation: support package needed <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not possible for every job to be a green job. Take aviation as an example. We desperately need a support package from the government \u00e2\u20ac\u201c this industry is critical to our economy \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and not just to travel abroad, but for all elements of our economy. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been calling on the government to talk to us about protecting these jobs since March.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not just jobs in aviation \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it is jobs in aerospace and manufacturing, workers in the supply chains \u00e2\u20ac\u201c literally hundreds of thousands of workers are affected. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s our firm belief that all workers should be protected through this crisis.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

McCluskey referred to the state of apprenticeships \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the next generation of workers. He reported that, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bCompared to last year we are 76 per cent down on apprenticeship take ups \u00e2\u20ac\u201c despite there being a \u00c2\u01413bn fund for them.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

Answering the question how do you get the best for trade union members now, he replied, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bAt the end of the last war the American president Franklin D Roosevelt introduced the \u00e2\u20ac\u0098new deal\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 for workers and that is what we need now. I hope Keir will embrace these ideas in his speech tomorrow.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

And on the government, McCluskey poignantly said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThis prime minister seems himself as a latter day Churchill. We’re effectively in a war and I would remind him that yes, Churchill won the war, but Attlee won the election with a vision for a better life for working people.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

‘Be bold’<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bSo I would say to Labour Party leaders, be bold, be brave. Embrace the manifesto policies that were popular last year with the public, that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the way to win the red wall seats back. Be bold, be brave and push the evils of what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s happening to our economy into the dustbin of history.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

Finally, McCluskey was asked what was the most important action a viewer could take for the future of work in the UK?<\/p>\n

McCluskey responded, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bTo Labour members my closing message on jobs is to believe \u00e2\u20ac\u201c believe in your values and if you haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t done so join a trade union. And to those members of the public not in a union, join one. To those not in the Labour Party, join it. Help us to fight for the decent society I know we can deliver.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

By Amanda Campbell @amanda_unite <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

@LenMcCluskey<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0 @Keir_Starmer<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0 #LabourConnected<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It might not be business as usual for the Labour Party conference this year \u00e2\u20ac\u201c but at lunch-time (September 21) Labour Connected treated online viewers to a full debate about the future of employment in this country, entitled \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Jobs, jobs, jobs.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 The panel comprised trade union leaders and MPs and included Unite general secretary Len McCluskey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":23838,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[519,589,1330,122,1348,160,44],"wps_subtitle":"At today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Labour Party discussion on \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Jobs, jobs, jobs\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Unite GS Len McCluskey explains why unions are key to the future of the UK \u00e2\u20ac\u201c for the economy and for a decent society","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23833"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23833"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23833\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23842,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23833\/revisions\/23842"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/23838"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}