On Tuesday, Kirklees Enough is Enough supporters held a rally in support of striking CWU members in Royal Mail. Their current strike has seen three Prime Ministers, while more postal workers voted for strike action than Tory party members voted for Liz Truss in the leadership contest against Rishi Sunak.
Significantly more than the number of MPs who nominated Rishi Sunak as the current PM! This anti-democratic move was not lost on the postal workers, who, like many workers looking to take strike action, have to jump through hoops to overcome the anti-trade union laws enacted by the Tories.
Showing solidarity
While only having a short time to build for the rally, after being asked by a CWU regional rep last week if we could arrange one, Enough is Enough supporters in Kirklees still managed to get over 40 people to turn out at 8am on a Tuesday morning – impressive when considering people’s work and childcare commitments.
The rally brought support from various unions, including NEU, Unite, UCU and BFAWU members, as well as Enough is Enough supporters and working class people and youth in support of the postal workers taking action.
With speakers from as young as 17, it was clear that postal workers have widespread support in Huddersfield. The initiative of the rally called by Kirklees Enough is Enough is an example of how the campaign can be used to build support for workers taking action and develop the movement towards a 24-hour general strike.
We brought together different unions, talking to rank-and-file members about the need for taking coordinated action, and why we need a general election. We cannot rely on Rishi Sunak granting one, or the meek pleas from Keir Starmer to hold one.
Link up the action and fight to drive the Tories out!
We need the trade union movement to link up and coordinate all workers currently in dispute, to escalate and broaden the current action, including building for the November 5 People’s Assembly protest in London.
A general election in itself will not resolve the cost-of-living crisis. Keir Starmer has made that clear by talking about the ‘tough decisions’ he would make (aka cuts) and, like Truss and Sunak, will be beholden to the market and corporate profit.
That’s why speaker after speaker at the rally posed the question of political organisation for working class people – including a former Labour MP! We need a new left party of struggle that can give that socialist political expression and organisation to workers, youth, women, refugees and all those fighting back against the oppressive system of capitalism.
Kirklees Enough is Enough has shown how the campaign can be used to help mobilise support for workers in struggle, and this being replicated around the country would be a big step forward for the movement!
Solidarity to the CWU!
