'Not one step back'

Unite delegate Donna McClaskey gave a stirring speech in support of a composite on strengthening employment rights at TUC Congress on Tuesday (September 9).

The composite, which was moved by the Prison Officers Association (POA), demanded that the Labour government restore prison officers? right to strike, and that it row back on plans to water down the employment rights bill.

Donna highlighted the high hopes working people had for the employment rights bill under the first Labour government in over a decade.

?It was supposed to be a ?new deal for working people,?? she said. ?Those aren?t just my words or the words of the TUC. That?s the phrase this government included in their first King?s Speech.

?Of course, we recognise the Bill includes some important rights ? repeal of much of the restrictive and undemocratic Trade Union Act 2016, stronger protections from harassment at work and new rights for statutory equality reps,? Donna went on to say.

But Labour was quick to water down many of its promises, such watering down its ban on fire and rehire, which has enabled British Airways to plead poverty and get away with fire and rehiring 36,000 Unite members.

Donna highlighted another loophole in the proposed legislation.

?Local councils which file a Section 114 notice and where commissioners are appointed could use fire and rehire,? she explained. ?Let that sink in.

?That could in the future apply to almost half of councils in England alone,? Donna added. ?It would mean that the debt accumulated through a decade of austerity would be weaponised against workers.  Front line workers could be expected to pay the price for underfunded public services.?

She explained how this is playing out in the Birmingham bin dispute, where workers are facing the threat of fire and rehire if they don?t accept an ?8,000 a year pay cut.

Donna went on to highlight how pledges to ban zero hours contracts and grant unions the right to access workplaces have both been watered down to the point of being essentially toothless.

She warned that this watering down will only continue after the recent cabinet reshuffle.

Under the circumstances, Donna called on all trade unionists to come together.

?It?s time to show that we can do,? she concluded to applause. ?That is going to take all of our unions ? affiliated or not. We must stand together now with one message to Labour – not one step back.?

The composite was carried.

By Hajera Blagg

Photo by Mark Thomas