Britain: TUC gives Brown a frosty reception

September 14, 2007
Issue 

Delegates at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in Brighton gave Gordon Brown a frosty reception during his first speech to the TUC as Britain's new Labour PM on September 10. Brown used the speech to underline his demand that pay rises in the public sector be limited to no more than 2% over the coming year.

Brown also pledged to continue Britain's role as the chief junior partner to Washington in the "global war on terror". He insisted that his government would introduce mandatory English-language tests for all skilled workers entering Britain from outside the European Union.

The September 11 Morning Star reported that during Brown's speech members of the public service workers union PCS, as well as members of the RMT rail and maritime workers union, held up placards demanding "fair treatment" on pay.

Brown's speech received a muted reception from delegates, with no standing ovation and tepid applause lasting just 30 seconds.

Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB all-industries union, said that his members "are wondering why we sign a cheque [to the Labour Party] every year for £2 million when we cannot get basic rights for agency workers".

On the same day as Brown made his speech, Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the PCS, announced that the union will hold a ballot for national industrial action unless Brown's government begins meaningful negotiations on pay.

Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Unite, Britain's largest public sector union, was quoted in the September 10 Financial Times as saying: "Brown's messages on pay restraint for public sector workers effectively means pay cuts for millions of people. I believe there will be political as well as industrial and economic consequences of imposing staged below-inflation pay settlements."

The TUC also voted to oppose Brown's plan to impose the EU constitution on Britain without a referendum, by signing the EU "reform treaty". The treaty was put forward at a June summit of EU leaders by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to replace the EU draft constitution, which had earlier been rejected by voters in France and the Netherlands.

The Labour 2005 general election manifesto pledged not to sign onto the EU draft constitution without a referendum. The TUC voted by a large majority for a referendum on the reform treaty.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow told the TUC that the unions should campaign for a "no" vote in any referendum on the treaty. Crow said: "We're delusional if we think this treaty will defend workers. The agreement on free trade in services is a race to the bottom for jobs and workers' rights."

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