Your editorial (20 December) identifies Unite‘s new general secretary Len McCluskey as a Bourbon who has “learnt nothing and forgotten nothing” for proposing a “broad strike movement” to oppose the cuts. Surely, though, the more obvious candidates for such a rebuke are the leaders of the coalition government. For it is increasingly obvious that this government is intent on repeating the cuts, privatisation and job slashing of the Thatcher years. Since the defeat of the miners, some unions have adopted precisely the course of action you urged. The result? Unions are not stronger and more influential than they were in the “bad old days”.
No wonder many trade unionists admire the determination and energy of the students in their resistance to government policy. Many trade unionists now want to unite with the students in defence of public services. And many will be applauding the election of a general secretary who wants to defend both his members’ jobs and the welfare state, on which most of us depend for education, health, benefits and much more.
Tony Benn
John McDonnell MP
Sally Hunt General secretary, University and College Union
Mark Serwotka General secretary, Public and Commercial Services Union
Jeremy Dear General secretary, National Union of Journalists
Clare Solomon President, University of London Union
Bob Crow General secretary, Natiional Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
Michael Chessum Co-founder, National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts
Paul Gilroy Professor in social theory, LSE
Andrew Burgin Coalition of Resistance
John Rees Coalition of Resistance
Paul Mackney Former general secretary, Natfhe
Zita Holbourne Black Activists Rising Against Cuts
Rachel Newton People’s Charter
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The unions have the crucial role in leading us, the people, in overthrowing this evil, deceitful, elitist regime which does not have democratic legitimacy. (I speak as someone who does not belong to a trade union). The Conservative government has regressed to the 1980s. If we do the same we will be doing exactly as they hope, and they will be throwing a party. Yes, we have to make our voices head relentlessly in vast numbers, and not back down until this regime is gone. Only the unions can lead us in this. But we have to be clever. Always peaceful like Ghandi. Always on the side of Jo Public and never making ourselves look like the public enemy as the minors did in the 1980s. Otherwise we are in for another very long stint of Conservative government.