Anti-union laws deny RMT workers democratic rights

Written by Administrator Saturday, 24 April 2010 08:30

Once again, the High Court in London has ruled in favour of the bosses by placing an injunction against RMT railway workers in Britain taking strike action. This is the second high profile example of the anti-union laws being used by big business to deny workers their democratic right to withdraw their labour.

In December, even though thousands of BA cabin crew workers voted 81% in favour of strike action, the High Court slapped an injunction against the cabin crew workers’ union, Unite. Thousands of RMT members have been forced to resort to strike action as a result of vicious cuts and plans to cut 1,500 jobs by Network Rail, seriously endangering health and safety standards. The trade union movement must not allow the bosses and government to deny workers their fundamental right to strike.

New Labour has gone even further than the Tories in strengthening these laws. The only way these draconian anti-union laws can be defeated is by boldly defying these laws and mobilising the entire trade union movement behind all workers who find themselves in breach of court injunctions.