CWU to fight rights attack 'by all means'

Louise Nousratpour in Bournemouth
Monday May 23, 2011
The Morning Star

Delegates vowed to resist "by all means possible" Con-Dem plans to further erode already inadequate workplace rights by allowing employers to hire and fire workers on a whim.

They called on the TUC, its affiliated unions and the Institute for Employment Rights to mount a united campaign against plans to put time limits on unfair dismissal claims and make it easier and cheaper for employers to sack workers.

Chancellor George Osborne intends to bring forward legislation to "relax" employment, redundancy and workplace discrimination laws and further restrict access to Employment Tribunals in the name of economic recovery.

But East Midlands delegate Linda Woodings today dismissed the economic argument as "stupid, stupid, stupid.

"The idiot Tories don't understand the economics of supply and demand," she told conference delegates in Bournemouth.

"These are failed policies rehashed from the 1980s and will do nothing to fix the economy.

"Thousands are losing their jobs and they can't run to their rich daddy to get his friends to slot them into another job," Ms Woodings added in a slighting reference to the employment history of some millionaire Cabinet ministers.

Conference expressed concern that restrictions proposed on workplace discrimination claims would undermine the fight to eradicate workplace sexism, racism, homophobia and prejudice against vulnerable people.

Delegates also urged the CWU leadership to put pressure on the Labour Party to commit to "restoring and improving" trade union, employment and equality rights when it returns to power.

Deputy general secretary Andy Kerr said the union was involved in a range of political and industrial campaigns to resist the plans.

Supporting the motion on behalf of the executive committee, he said: "We are involved with the employment rights support group and have submitted a response to the government's consultation."

Mr Kerr also highlighted Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins's early day motion 172 on the issue and said the union was putting pressure on the Labour Party executive to campaign against any detrimental changes to the employment laws.

"The whole trade union movement needs to get a grip and campaign against this. The CWU will be at the forefront of that campaign," he said.