Britain’s new Labour government, since coming to power in early July, has faced allegations of prioritising trade union interests over those of the wider taxpaying public.
Traditionally, the Labour Party has been seen as being somewhat held hostage by the unions, which provide significant funding for the party.
Who pays the piper calls the tune.
Indeed, many trades unions have been “affiliated” to the Labour party, a status which allows them to “elect” a significant number of members to the party’s National Executive Committee – (the term Politburo having gone out of fashion some time ago.)
Critics have pointed to the series of pay deals quickly granted to public sector workers by a Labour government that has barely got its collective feet under the table, including a 22% increase over two years for junior doctors, and who have also participated in recent strikes.
“Out brothers, out!”
Members of the Aslef union working for London North Eastern Railway (LNER) have now announced plans to strike every weekend from August 31st to November 10th.
This will include walkouts on every Saturday and Sunday within this period.
The strike action, totaling 22 days, is a response to unresolved issues, despite the union recently securing a 14% pay rise from the government.
Aslef maintains that the dispute with LNER, which operates services on the East Coast main line between London and Edinburgh, is unrelated to the recent pay agreement. The current conflict focuses on what Aslef describes as a breakdown in industrial relations, including allegations of bullying and the violation of agreements by LNER management.
Already, the Rail & Maritime (RMT) union has downed tools.
Less than a month after Labour took power, the RMT website announced on August 1st, “RMT members within Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) are intensifying their pay dispute today with strike action across British and international waters.
Recent data shows that between 2010 and September 2022, the RMT donated £243,325 to the central Labour Party and constituency Labour parties (CLPs).
Electoral Commission data, as revealed by Full Fact, found donations from the RMT to the Labour Party actually amounted to closer to £320,000 between 2010 and 2022.
This figure does not include donations to individual MPs.
The ongoing situation has drawn criticism from various political figures.
Shadow Transport Minister Kieran Mullan expressed that the strikes were unsurprising, while Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly criticised the Labour government for being influenced by union demands.
Conservative peer Lord Frost also commented, suggesting that the strikes are indicative of the challenges associated with a nationalised railway system under Labour’s governance.
The Aslef union’s ongoing industrial action at LNER has further compounded concerns. The union, despite having donated substantial sums to the Labour Party, argues that LNER management has repeatedly violated agreements, forcing their hand in calling for strikes.
Aslef’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, cited the company’s failure to adhere to negotiated terms and its “boorish behaviour” as reasons for the escalating conflict.
In response, an LNER spokesperson expressed disappointment over the planned strikes, noting that recent discussions with the union had been constructive. The spokesperson reiterated the company’s commitment to minimising disruption to customers during the strike period and to seeking a resolution to the dispute, which has been ongoing for some time.
Air travellers to be hit as UK Border Force go on strike from August 31st.
Families planning summer travel could face significant disruption as hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport are set to participate in industrial action spanning 23 days. This action is scheduled to begin at the end of the month and will affect operations at Britain’s busiest airport.
Approximately 650 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), employed at Heathrow, plan to strike from August 31st to September 3rd.
Following this initial strike, they will engage in a “work to rule” strategy and refuse to work overtime until September 22nd.
This industrial action is part of a long-standing dispute concerning changes to terms and conditions. The union has highlighted that around 160 staff members have left Border Force due to a lack of flexibility, while others have been compelled to alter their working hours and practices.
This industrial action is expected to significantly affect families traveling at the end of the summer school holidays. Meanwhile, a separate issue concerning train travel in the UK has also surfaced, adding to the potential travel chaos.
The combined impact of the planned Border Force strikes at Heathrow and the Aslef strikes on the East Coast rail line is expected to cause widespread travel disruptions.
As families prepare for the end of the summer holidays, the possibility of delays and cancellations looms large, prompting concerns among travelers and raising questions about the future of industrial relations in the UK’s transportation sector.
At the same time, Labour’s decision to reduce winter fuel payments for retirees, aimed at addressing a £22 billion shortfall in public finances, has fuelled further controversy.
Pensioners, however, cannot go on strike, so therefore the current government is highly unlikely to heed their concerns.
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“Starmer recently met with the leaders of the 11 trade unions affiliated to the Labour Party at party headquarters in London.
“During the meeting he offered the unions a number of changes: an Employment Rights Bill which would make it illegal for companies to fire their workers only to rehire them on worse pay and conditions, a ban on zero-hours contracts, and equal legal status for all workers.
“Apparently this was not enough for the Union leaders. It never is, as the British people are likely to find out quite soon.”
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