ConDems Declare War On Trade Union Movement

REPORTS THIS morning that the ConDem Government are planning to rig the anti-union laws even further in favour of the employers have been slammed as a "declaration of war" on the Trade Union Movement as the administration seeks to prevent workers from fighting back against attacks on jobs and working conditions and against public spending cuts.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

"The ConDems know that the main opposition to their austerity and cuts plans will come from the Trade Unions. They are running scared and are now looking to tighten the noose of the anti-union laws around the workers necks to choke off resistance.

"Under these proposals to raise the bar hardly a single MP in the UK would have been allowed to take up their seats. It's one law for the political class and one law for the working class in a move that has echoes of a right-wing South American dictatorship.

"The idea that Boris Johnson has been called in to advise after dealing with RMT on the tube is incredible. Our members on Tube Lines will be out on strike again next week as they stand up for jobs and safety.

"This is a declaration of war on the Trade Union Movement and our response will be robust as we lay down plans for co-ordinated and generalised industrial and community action against the cuts."

Here are some of the reports on Condem plans to alter union laws:

"Government accused of declaring war on unions over strike law and redundancy plans" - The Guardian

"Unions fear 'war' with government over strikes" - The Independent

> RMT National News

Sunday, 23rd August
RAIL union RMT called for a root and branch review of railway operational control centres following another outage forcing most CrossCountry train services to be cancelled.
Saturday, 22nd August
RMT members working at East Midlands Railway (EMR) will take further 48-hour strike action starting from Sunday August 30 over ongoing safety concerns and major train faults.
Friday, 21st August
Seafarers’ union RMT has secured another pay win for seafarers at Stena Line which represent uplifts of up to nearly 25 per cent in addition to the annual pay increase for 2026.
Thursday, 20th August
RAIL union RMT has called on the government to instruct Northern Trains to cease trials that reduce gate line operations.
Thursday, 20th August
Seafarers union RMT today marked a significant victory for seafarers' pensions after P&O Ferries paid over £90 million it owed to the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund (MNRPF).