{"id":5972,"date":"2015-09-28T16:04:30","date_gmt":"2015-09-28T15:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=5972"},"modified":"2015-09-29T11:24:40","modified_gmt":"2015-09-29T10:24:40","slug":"hope-and-unity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=5972","title":{"rendered":"Hope and unity"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The chances of victory over the limitations of the trade union Bill would be greatly enhanced with a united Labour Party behind us \u00e2\u20ac\u201c said Len McCluskey, speaking to a motion on the trade union Bill.<\/p>\n

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\nHe spoke of the \u00e2\u20ac\u015bregretful decision of the party of organised labour \u00e2\u20ac\u201c this party \u00e2\u20ac\u201c to do nothing about it during 13 years in office.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165
\nHe said \u00e2\u20ac\u015bdelegates will have heard many fiery speeches on trade union laws over the years,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 but \u00e2\u20ac\u015bthis year I hardly need to engage in new flights of rhetoric.<\/p>\n

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\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut there is one thing that does need to be made clear, arising from that list of critics of the trade union Bill.<\/p>\n

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\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt is this \u00e2\u20ac\u201c when a united Labour party opposes this legislation in parliament it will not be fighting alone, as we too often were in the 1980s.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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\nTo applause he said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe need to mobilise that broader opinion behind our campaign to challenge this legislation.<\/p>\n

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\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe need to seize the arguments of democracy and modernisation, the arguments turned against us in the past.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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\nAnd to even louder applause he added, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bSo I say this to ministers today \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 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.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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Modernise voting<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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\nModernising the voting system was key. If this were to happen, there would \u00e2\u20ac\u015bno longer be a turnout problem. If ministers agree then we can reach an agreement on thresholds.<\/p>\n

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\nIf they refuse, then this law will be seen for what it is \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a cynical attempt to deny British workers the right to strike.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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And he was clear on the thorny issue of acting within the law.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhatever the law says, I will be on the picket line when Unite members are on strike.<\/p>\n

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\nAnd I will not be wearing an armband with a red triangle, like the trade union members imprisoned by the Nazis had to at Dachau.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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Len continued, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe trade union Bill also aims to destroy the Labour Party by depriving it of trade union money \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the cleanest in politics \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and unlike the hedge fund millions buying up the Tory Party already subject to democratic approval and public scrutiny.<\/p>\n

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He warned David Cameron, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe will not see the political voice of working people silenced. We will not let the Tories buy their way to perpetual power \u00e2\u20ac\u201c understand that Prime Minister.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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He concluded, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bDefeating this Bill is not just about trade unions, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 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 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c free speech, free association, free assembly.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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And to a standing ovation he said we represented hope. He urged the conference delegates to, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bBelieve in our values of fairness and equality.\u00c2\u00a0 That belief will carry us through the difficult battles that lie ahead and towards a better future for our people.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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Watch Len’s full speech in the video below:<\/p>\n

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