UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Thursday 1 April 2010

RMT national strike blocked by a judicial abuse of the law‏

Few trade unionists will be surprised at the decision of the High Court to block a national rail strike planned for next week following a ballot of RMT maintenance members.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8598456.stm

Bob Crow is correct in saying that the judgment is "an attack on the whole trade union movement" and that "workers fighting for the principle of a safe railway have had the whole weight of the law thrown against them."

As in the case of the court’s frustrating Unite’s overwhelming mandate for strike action at BA in December, this represents a flagrant abuse of power by the judiciary. Inconsequential and unavoidable administrative discrepancies are being manipulated to set aside and trample on the democratic right of trade unionists to withdraw their labour. That a New Labour Transport Minister can greet this anti democratic ruling with “relief” is an indictment of the degenerate and anti-working class outlook of the current Government.
http://unisonactive.blogspot.com/2010/03/britains-anti-union-laws-breach-human.html