THE UNITED SOCIALIST PARTY

A Party that always campaigns for a fair and just society for all in Britain

Attacks on our civil liberties started in real earnest with the introduction of the Anti-Trade

Union Laws under Margaret Thatcher. The fundimental right of everyone, including trade

unionists, is to be able to oppose the government of the day or big business, where there

are fundimental issues relating to our common law rights - either as a union member or as

Joe Public.

Throughout the centuries in Britain, men and women have fought single handed or in

groups to defend our common law rights and then have them written into legislation.

Civil rights go hand in hand with working class conditions and our economic standing at any

given time in history. As we in Britain fought and gained our economic rights together with

our civil liberties, the Tory government and to a greater extent New Labour ( with the Liberal

Democrats) saw the trade unions as their biggest threat.

Any worker, whether a labourer, docker, dentist or doctor, if they have no inherited wealth,

have only their hands, or their brains, or both, to create their own economic stability and 

decent living conditions for themselves and their families. But alas, using hands or brains to

work creates more for their employers than themselves. And the balance shifts away from

the individual worker.

The industrial playing field stacked in favour of the bosses by the introduction of the seven-

day cooling-off period in disputes, the 28-day notice of strike action and ballot procedure, in

all helps to gain the upper hand for the bosses. These industrial playing fields need

legislation to make the pitch even for everyone.

The fundimental issue facing the trade unions in Britain in 2009 is the Anti-Trade Union

Laws. Since they were introduced some 28 years ago, democracy and trade unions have

felt the impact by dwindling membership, unfair practices buy the bosses, pay and

conditions eroded to the point where most union members feel totally isolated from their

fellow workers not only within their industry or workplace, but more widely within the

brotherhood of trade unions.

B.A 25/7/09

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