Socialist Alternative

Left wing majority in UNISON NEC elections: now transform the union!

June 16, 2021

Socialist Alternative in UNISON
Tory Free Speech bill the real threat to free speech – defend the right to protest

June 15, 2021

Niamh Marlow
Rights and wages of Pizza Express workers sliced and burned

June 14, 2021

Daisy Bradford
Covid students shut out of university – fight for education for all

June 9, 2021

Greg Briscoe, Brighton Student Socialist Alternative
Priti Patel targets victims of capitalism’s ‘refugee crisis’

June 3, 2021

Rob Tetley Socialist Alternative member and support worker for child refugees
Cummings lifts lid on deadly Tory failures. Now organise the fight back

May 27, 2021

Connor Rosoman

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Left wing majority in UNISON NEC elections: now transform the union!

In a result which has bucked the current trend of elections in the trade unions, the left secured a victory in the UNISON national executive committee (NEC) elections by winning a majority for the first time. Despite UNISON being the largest union in the UK, organising workers in the NHS, local government and other public services, it has been led by the right wing for the last 20 years since its inception. Socialist Alternative supporters Jacqui Berry and Steve North were re-elected and Kevin Corran, NHS worker and standing for the first time in the national male health seat won an impressive 8100 votes but narrowly missed out on winning the seat.

The Covid pandemic and the role played by frontline workers have been features of this election. Enraged by the slap in the face from the government’s 1% pay offer for NHS workers, after Tory ministers joined the ‘clap for our carers’ last year, many health workers were participating in protests. However, UNISON did not support them. Instead, newly elected right-wing general secretary, Christine McAnea, immediately distanced herself from any protests and plans for strike action. Some health workers decided to leave UNISON and join the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) instead, who had set aside £38m in a strike fund and begun training their members in activism to prepare for the upcoming battle over the 1% pay offer.

This was part of the context for the success of the left in the NEC elections. The #TimeForRealChange slate got 37 of its 56 candidates elected. This was achieved by campaigning against the pay freeze, privatisation and cuts to public services. Along with other left wing candidates, it means there is an overall majority for the left on the 68-seat NEC. This victory now needs to be used to fundamentally transform UNISON into the democratic, fighting trade union that its members need.

Immediate tasks: challenge the power of the bureaucracy!

One of the most immediate tasks for the new NEC is to elect the union’s Presidential team (made up of one President and two Vice Presidents). In the past, the left have always put forward candidates for this election but have never been successful. With a majority it is now possible to elect a full left slate. These are obviously important positions for the left to win, not least because they decide who will sit on various committees within the union. These include Finance and Resources, Development & Organisation (which deals with disciplinaries), and Staffing committees. Winning left majorities on these committees will be vital in ensuring the right-wing bureaucracy is challenged and that the new left majority can take meaningful control of the union.

An important step will be discussion amongst the left on its democratic programme for the union. This should involve proposals for election of senior officials, Assistant General Secretaries and regional officials. The left-led NEC will be hamstrung in achieving what it wants to, in terms of policy and campaigning, unless it takes seriously the need to make fundamental changes to how the union is organised. For too long, the right-wing bureaucracy has been able to act as a brake on struggle, and it can’t be allowed to continue now! Full time officers have micromanaged every aspect of union organisation and must be edged aside so the rank and file can lead the union.

For a campaigning, member-led union

As well as needing fundamental internal transformation, UNISON now needs to turn outwards and become an active, campaigning union. The two are, of course, linked. UNISON has not been at the forefront of workers’ struggle, despite its size, primarily because the right-wing bureaucracy have been politically opposed to leading the type of fight-back necessary. Now, there is the opportunity to use the potential power of 1.3 million workers to win on pay, working conditions and kicking out privateers from our public services.

There should be immediate discussions with other public sector unions on the possibility for coordinated strike action on pay, as well as serious mobilisations of members for the People’s Assembly protest on 26 June and the NHS anniversary day of action on 3 July. These could act as a springboard for a well organised and sustained mass movement for a 15% pay rise, an increase in the minimum wage, an end to zero-hours contracts and more.

In relation to the Labour Party, there should be an election to choose a left-wing representative to the Labour NEC. However, it cannot be left here. Unite’s member on the Labour Party NEC, Howard Beckett, is currently suspended from Labour, along with many other left-wing activists. There can be no more blank cheques given to the Starmer’s Labour Party, which is no longer a vehicle of struggle, and there needs to be an urgent discussion on working class political representation in UNISON.

UNISON should also be properly involved in other struggles which are currently taking place, such as the Kill the Bill protests and the movement around climate change, until now led by young people without any meaningful support from the trade union movement. Mass protests around the COP26 in Glasgow in November should be a priority for UNISON to seriously mobilise for.

Mobilise the members, build a strong broad left

These changes should not, and cannot, be implemented by the NEC alone. The entrenched right-wing bureaucracy will not release its stranglehold of the union easily, and it will require the mobilisation of members in support of the new policies and approach of the NEC. UNISON’s bureaucracy has a disgusting historical record of witch-hunts against the left and a culture of bullying and intimidation inside the union. There needs to be a serious and conscious campaign to build a strong rank-and-file broad left organisation which can, on the one hand, support the NEC in pushing back against the bureaucracy and, on the other, hold the NEC to account to ensure the left candidates stand by their election pledges.

The #TimeForRealChange slate was successful, in part, because it represented a united front of left candidates. This lesson must be taken on board for how the left operates going forward, including learning from the general secretary election, where because there were three left candidates, the right wing candidate won. Those involved in this slate must now look to how they build a genuine broad left, based on the rank-and-file members and left-wing workplace representatives throughout the union, including the recruitment and training of new reps. A good step to work towards this could be the holding of a mass meeting of all those members and activists who wish to be involved to discuss what they can do. It will also need to include the NEC repealing the anti-member, restrictive election rules which in effect prevent any campaigning by organisations, including trends within the union.

Impact on the labour movement as a whole

The victory of the left in the UNISON NEC elections can be a turning point for the whole labour movement. The previous leadership has played an extremely negative role in the post-2008 period, leaving members defenseless in the face of an onslaught of austerity. UNISON led the way in 2011 – by selling out the public sector general strike against attacks on pensions, demoralising hundreds of thousands of its members. Now there is an opportunity for UNISON to lead the way in coordinating action and resistance across the trade union movement.

In recent weeks there has been the election of right wing general secretaries in the RMT and the GMB – not to mention the election earlier in the year of Christine McAnea in UNISON – but there are other trade unions with left leaders who the UNISON NEC could make appeals to, as well as the memberships of the other trade unions. Nominations have just closed for the general secretary candidates in Unite, revealing the potential danger once again of a split in the left vote. A victory for Gerard Coyne in Unite would represent a huge step back. But if a left candidate wins, having a left-led Unite and UNISON – representing over 2.3 million workers – would be a huge opportunity for a drastic change in the approach of the trade union movement in Britain.
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Tory Free Speech bill the real threat to free speech – defend the right to protest

Education minister Gavin Williamson’s new ‘Free Speech’ Bill, which is due to be implemented into university policy, is a sinister attack on students, lecturers, and any person who believes in protecting the voice of the oppressed.

Williamson’s bill, under the guise of ‘protecting’ free speech, allows any individual who feels they are being unjustly censored to “bring civil proceedings” against universities. This comes at the same time as Kill the Bill protests and nationwide protests against Israeli state terror – both movements with the goal of resisting governmental policy which violates democratic rights (here and in Palestine).

The Tories claim the bill will ‘distinguish between lawful, if offensive, views on one hand and unacceptable acts of abuse, intimidation, and violence on the other’. But who are the Tories to make this distinction? If, for example, fascist or far right speakers, or representatives of a repressive regime, arrive to speak at universities – like the Israeli ambassador did at universities in Warwick and London to the anger of students there – the bill could outlaw the right to protest against them. Surely this is the real threat to free speech. In fact, a protest against the Israeli ambassador was just one example of a so-called “free speech violation” cited by the Tories to justify this bill.

History of empire

In an atmosphere where the Tories seem to pick and choose what is and isn’t a “violation of free speech”, this bill could actually be used to silence the voice of the progressive left, while the right is given a protected platform to speak, with protests and other actions restricted. While we don’t support blanket ‘no platform’ policies being used in all cases, and believe such policies should be reserved for use against fascists, we defend resolutely the right of students and staff to democratically decide who is invited to speak at, for example, student union debates, and to protest against figures who represent oppressive and exploitative policies. This includes all pro-capitalist politicians!

This bill essentially attempts to provide a shield for individuals with harmful, backward ideas to speak freely without fear of opposition. On the gov.uk website, the Tories also point to a so-called case of ‘censorship’ in the one-hundred plus academics who expressed opposition to one Professor Nigel Biggar’s claim that we should have ‘pride’ in the British empire. This epitomises the danger of the Tories possessing the power to decide whose ‘free speech’ needs protecting: according to Williamson, to feel a degree of ‘pride’ at Britain’s colonial history is an opinion which must be safeguarded, and at the same time, those who oppose this are unjustly censoring them?

The wounds of Britain’s colonial past are still felt today. Black and Asian people still face systemic racism. Large numbers were arrested while attending recent BLM protests – arrests which Boris Johnson has openly supported. The passing of the free speech bill would suggest very ominous times ahead. As well as aiming to create a more comfortable environment for right-wing and far-right voices, the threat of sanctions on universities and student unions if they are deemed to violate the bill is actually an assault on progressive debate.

Real threat to free speech: The Tories

Another such case of “free speech” being “violated” was seen at the University of Edinburgh, where university management renamed a building which had previously been named after David Hume – an 18th-century philosopher with racist views – after months of campaigning from anti-racist students. So called ‘free speech warriors’ have argued that this, as well as the tearing down of colonial statues, is not only a violation of free speech but an attempt to erase history.

In reality, these movements represent quite the opposite. This is an empowering example of people exercising their right to demand action to reckon with the racism of British capitalism’s past. Far from the erasure of history, many students want to shine a light on the parts of history the Tories don’t want us to acknowledge. If anything, it is the Tories who are the real threat to freedom. We must remember that they don’t really care about free speech.

This bill is, at its core, another means of protecting those in power. The targeting of universities is all about intimidating young people. They hope to prevent people from speaking out against oppression, especially when this gives us confidence to take it further. As defenders of capitalism, they want universities to consistently reflect the interests of the ruling class, and are clearly anxious about growing radicalism and anti-capitalist sentiments among youth. The possibility that any person would have the right to sue a university if they feel they are being unfairly censored is problematic. Capitalist courts are not impartial and will not be ‘even handed’ in applying such legislation – not least because it is the wealthy who will be best able to fund these proceedings.

It is no surprise that this bill, along with the latest Police and Crime Bill, should come at the same time as monumental waves of protest against gender-based violence, against Israeli state terror and the UK’s role in supporting it, among other issues. The Tories feel threatened by the power of mass resistance, but will always try to frame it another way. Whether claiming to protect free speech with a Free Speech Bill, or claiming to protect the public from ‘criminal’ protesters with a Police and Crime Bill, the Tories rely on our division to maintain their power. This is why, when the Tories attack our freedom, we need to respond to this by ramping up struggle, and not being afraid.

Resistance and collective struggle have been proven to be effective recently, such as through the student rent strikes which won a number of key concessions across the country. Action from staff at the University of Liverpool has also recently reduced the number of redundancies being made, although the strike continues to say ‘no’ to all job losses. Where staff are fighting back, we campaign to build student strikes in solidarity. We need democratic control over our universities – not an elite few running them like businesses, so that students and staff can democratically decide on the nature of the curriculum, on guest speakers and invitees, but also how to fund education, what to prioritise, and so on. A socialist movement to democratise our education is not violating free speech at all. It’s about fighting to reclaim universities from forces that restrict our rights.

Join Student Socialist Alternative today!
Rights and wages of Pizza Express workers sliced and burned

The head offices of international chain Pizza Express are guilty of decimating the wages and livelihoods of the waiters and chefs who work for them. The attacks come in many forms.

In 2020 Pizza Express fired 2,500 staff members (in the middle of a pandemic!) instead of granting them access to the Job Retention Scheme that has supported millions throughout the crisis. Now the company is attempting, with little success due to sector-wide labour shortages, to hire 1,000 new workers. These new employees will be expected to work more hours (the reduction from 2.5K to 1K workers is massive) on worse contracts (no sick pay, no paid breaks nor extra pay on Sundays/Bank Holidays) than the workers who preceded them.

The percentage of hard-earned tips going to waiting staff have been slashed from 80% to 50%, in order to subsidise kitchen staff wages. Both groups of staff urgently need a decent pay rise. For this to be real and secure it must be funded by the company itself and guaranteed for all workers. The current plan not only deprives the front-of-house staff of a much-needed portion of their already low income, it also keeps back-of-house staff on low wages with an insecure ‘top-up’ from tips.

Contract amendments mean that workers no longer receive paid breaks nor extra pay on Sundays and Bank holidays. Such changes chip away at an already pitiful wage and the stripping away of 50% of waiting staff tips compounds this hardship. One worker told The Guardian “When we signed the contract that was the understanding. We are not arguing that chefs and cleaners don’t contribute to service but we agreed to certain terms.” These sly amendments relate to the “fire and rehire” policies that are currently being resisted by workers in many different sectors, with the success of the #NoGo Bus driver strikes in Manchester an important recent victory.

This cynical move is aimed at breeding animosity between waiting staff and kitchen staff – keeping back and front-of-house staff divided and suspicious of each other. Employers purposefully generate and maintain such resentments to divide workers and therefore make them easier to exploit. Socialist Alternative fights for the cutting across of all divisions amongst the working class. When workers are united in struggle, we can win huge victories.

Workers were barely consulted about the changes to their contracts and tips, informed only 10 days before Pizza Express restaurants reopened. This allowed them little time to question and resist the amendments or to find work elsewhere.

Another shady aspect is that Pizza Express staff who manage the tips, or “tronc”, are not chosen by other workers, nor are there clear mechanisms by which they can be held accountable by other members of staff. Moreover, staff had no access to the minutes of meetings determining new proposals for tip distribution. Why are the head office unable to share this information? Witnessing this unethical opacity can have a big impact. We as workers, in our millions, must not tolerate these policies. Within the failed system of “trickle-down economics”, all that flows down is exploitation.

Where are the unions amidst all of this chaos?

Unite the Union has spent six years calling on the government to “deliver on its 2019 Queen’s Speech commitment and bring in its promised Fair Tips legislation.” Over the last few years we have seen how the Tory government has no intention of delivering on this promise. Unite and all other trade unions must help organise their members and support them to resist and where necessary strike to demand an end to these abuses.

Unite, and all other other unions, must focus on building a campaign at the grassroots, based on the workers who joined them.

After decades of Tory anti-Trade Union laws, union membership in sectors such as hospitality has been on the decrease. Such legislation has given some unions an excuse to be more timid. Trade union leaderships need to work harder at mobilising the power and strength of the workers who chose them as representatives. Through struggle, workers gain confidence and camaraderie with their fellow workers. When the working class is united, real change can begin.

Socialist Alternative organises to help build fighting unions with leaderships who are willing to struggle to the end. We need working-class fighters to lead the unions, willing to openly resist the capitalist class.

If workers did not share potentially huge collective power – the hidden seeds of revolution – then why would the ruling class do everything in their power to keep us divided and depressed? Workers have incredible potential power when we come together in a united cause.

Socialist Alternative fight for:
- £15 an hour minimum wage for all
- 100% of tips to go to hospitality workers themselves
- For decent pay rises to reflect the real cost of living for all staff (back and front of house), funded directly by the company and not based on tips
- Fully paid sick leave, pensions and holiday pay for all
- The scrapping of anti-trade union laws that limit workers rights, to enable all workers to organise and resist
- Fully democratic election of all trade union officials on an average wage
- The election of true working-class fighters as trade union reps, unafraid to go on the offensive against the elites

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