My trade union UNITE announced yesterday that it will be implementing a mandatory 2% levy on our members subscriptions to help finance the BA strikers in their battle against the brutal Willy Walsh and the rest of BA's bully boy management team.
Fair enough. Let's maximise support for these strikers because a victory for them will be a boost for all workers facing the increasing number of intimidating managers.
This levy will raise a much needed £700,000 for the strike fund and be a big boost in sustaining the strike.
However, I can't be the only one thinking why have we given over £11 million to the Labour Party since Gordon Brown became Prime Minister and why are we bankrolling Labour's general election campaign to the tune of another £3 million!
BA strikers are being shackled by Thatchers' anti union laws which a Labour government has done nothing to repeal in 13 years of being in power. I would say to Gordon Brown - sorry Prime Minister but we do not agree with your comments that this strike is 'deplorable' and we need that £3 million to support our members at BA. I would then add, unless you immediately promise to get rid of the anti union laws you will not be getting another penny from UNITE. That may have a bigger impact than throwing our members money into a Party whose government is openly supporting big business and attacking our members.
I also think that to show the support from the rest of the trade union movement a national demonstration and rally should take place near Heathrow in the next few weeks.
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