Keir Starmer Pledges – Challenge Motions – Workers’ rights and trade unions

November 21, 2020

Northern England Labour Left (NELL) intends to hold the Party Leadership to account. Our members have produced a number of motions for use in Branch and Constituency Labour Parties that challenge Keir Starmer to follow the pledges he made during his Leadership campaign. They can be adapted over time as required

Motion: Strengthen workers’ rights and trade unions

[Name] [BLP/CLP] notes Keir Starmer’s leadership campaign pledge to:

“Work shoulder to shoulder with trade unions to stand up for working people, tackle insecure work and low pay. Repeal the Trade Union Act. Oppose Tory attacks on the right to take industrial action and the weakening of workplace rights.”

[Name] [BLP/CLP] also notes:

the joint union statement published by the TUC from GMB, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU, UNISON and Unite on the safe opening of schools. 

https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/unions-set-out-needs-safe-reopening-schools-letter-education-secretary

[Name] [BLP/CLP] supports the position of the former Shadow Secretary of State for Education:

“Labour urges the Government to urgently work collaboratively with trade unions to create clear conditions, based on the tests they have set out, so that every school can implement them to ensure a safe return. Schools should only reopen when those safety conditions have been met.”

[Name] [BLP/CLP] notes that since the removal of the former Shadow Secretary of State for Education, the Labour Party position has changed to one of a return for all students to school, regardless of safety, “no ifs, no buts, no equivocation”, and in contrast with the position of the TUC affiliated unions.

[Name] [BLP/CLP] believes that following this change of policy, the Labour Party has:

  • Failed to work shoulder to shoulder with trade unions to stand up for working people.
  • Capitulated to a right wing anti-union narrative and subsequently weakened workplace rights.

[Name] [BLP/CLP] calls upon the Secretary to write and request that the Labour Leader:

  • Works collaboratively with Unions. 
  • Pledges not to further undermine Unions and their members, the workers of the UK. 
  • Opposes rather than substantiates the demonisation of Unions in the media. 
  • Lives up to his own campaign pledge.