Don't make ordinary workers pay for Brexit, TUC urges government
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Version 0 of 1. Senior figures in the trade union movement are urging the government to ensure that ordinary working people are not made to pay the price of Brexit. On the first full day of 2016’s TUC conference, the general secretary, Frances O’Grady, will tell delegates she is concerned workers’ rights and jobs could be sacrificed by ministers in negotiations with the European Union. Her words will be delivered as Theresa May’s government struggles to deal with criticisms from business leaders after Liam Fox was secretly recorded calling UK business “fat and lazy”. Union leaders are concerned that in the government’s rush to appease the City and large corporations, the interests of manufacturing and industry will be put at risk. O’Grady will tell delegates in Brighton on Monday: “We’ve had the votes, the vote was close but clear and now our job is to get on with representing working people, whichever way they cast their vote, and make sure that they don’t pay the price of a Brexit. “Government must be ready to step in and work to keep the advantages we get from membership of the single market – for all of our industries, not just the City.” Her intervention follows a scene-setting speech by Len McCluskey, the head of the UK’s biggest union, Unite, who told delegates: “Out of the EU must not mean out of work.” He also claimed that the vote to leave the EU was an attempt to “give the establishment a kicking”. Away from the conference floor, the debate is expected to be dominated by discussions about Jeremy Corbyn’s expected victory in Labour’s leadership battle against Owen Smith and what it will mean for the movement. Affiliated unions hold crucial votes on the party’s NEC, which will be vital in deciding if Corbyn will be able to consolidate his position with party reforms or appease some MPs’ demands by introducing shadow cabinet elections. Dave Prentis, the head of the UK’s second biggest union, Unison, which supports Corbyn, on Sunday criticised the divisions within Labour and called for an “electable” party. “The Labour party must get back to the job of providing a proper opposition and showing it is an alternative government in waiting. We need you. Don’t let our members down,” he said. Corbyn was due to attend the conference on Monday to address a private dinner but is not expected to speak to delegates from the stage. Several of the major unions, including Unite, Unison and the CWU, are backing Corbyn, but the GMB and the shopworkers’ union, Usdaw, are among those supporting Smith. The result of the election will be known on 24 September. |