Fight or Lose: The Union Movement in the COVID Era
Dan Kelly
29/09/2021
Despite ongoing lockdowns in several parts of our country, the trade union movement continues to campaign around industrial disputes. For the most part, however, these campaigns have been lacking in how they engage with members and fight for their interests. There has been a lack of outreach to rank and file members, with a narrow focus on strong union sites and overemphasis on the role of union officials. The union movement must address these faults if these struggles are to have any long-term success for workers.
Indeed, the main issue is the lack of in-depth consideration of the long-term impacts of weak approaches to disputes upon the futures of worker’s rights and conditions. While it may seem paramount to avoid the bad press of staging a picket or dispute under lockdown conditions, there must nevertheless be a proper fight around bargaining and conditions. Face-saving actions that have no real substance or impact on the companies workers are fighting against not only fail to sway the bosses or employers, but also damage member morale and perception of their unions.
The rank and file membership must be relentless in pushing their delegates, organisers and unions towards proper tactics to protect their rights and force the hand of bosses. Conducting discussions with employers and companies behind closed doors and trading away the rights and conditions of workers for half-assed concessions is severely damaging not just in the present, but in the future too.
Our unions must decide whether they are going to bow to the pressures and interests of the right-wing media and corporate interests to protect their own job security, or whether they are going to uphold their obligation to the membership and fight for their interests. We are seeing this now with current disputes involving workers of the Transport Workers Union and the Rail, Trams and Buses Union. Unfortunately, both unions largely failed to live up to their big promises on industrial action, disappointing members and other workers alike.
“If union officials continue to rely on bureaucratic methods, then the rank and file must take the reins itself.”
The union movement must not allow itself to be held hostage by reactionary media, corrupt politicians and right-wing thugs. What happened to “they don’t like us, we don’t care”? Where is the follow up on the militant talk and posturing that union bureaucrats engage in? If they aren’t going to be down on the sites, reaching out to members, reaching out to non-union workers, holding the bosses accountable and standing alongside the workers in the face of the state’s assaults, then how can they expect workers to have faith in their union?
The Australian Communist Party stands resolutely with rank and file membership and their interests in the COVID era. Unions need to play their role too in fighting for the safety of workers by pushing government and employers to make sure workers are financially supported while workplaces are shutdown. We recognise the work that many organisers, delegates and other unionists have done in these trying times. But by and large, there has been an overwhelming failure to reach out to workers in one of the most difficult times in living memory.
This has pushed workers with legitimate grievances into the hands of right-wing opportunists who have led working class people into harmful ideas that are fundamentally against the interests of workers. By disappointing rank and file workers, the union movement has played into the hands of the enemy. We must stand up against this perversion, and reclaim the proper place of the union movement in resolutely defending the interests of workers at all costs.
Workers are angry, that has become more than apparent in recent days. The assault on the CFMEU in Melbourne has shown what happens when workers have no one else to represent their interests and grievances. However, the staunch workers of Linfox, Toll, FedEx and StarTrack have shown that there is still hope and faith in the union movement. The Transport Workers Union, as with the Rail, Tram and Buses Union have golden opportunities right now to show workers that the union movement will stand by them in times of need. That the fees paid are paid to fund the fight for workers against employers. That being a unionist is being part of a family that defends each other in the face of the enemy’s assaults. That being a union member is about supporting each other not just materially, but socially and emotionally. The working class is crying out in anger and despair. The union movement must help channel that rage to protect the rank and file.
If union officials continue to rely on bureaucratic methods, then the rank and file must take the reins itself. What does the threat of a police crackdown on a picket matter when you are forced to work in back-breaking, deadly conditions just to survive? What good do the empty promises of the union do when you can’t afford to pay rent or feed your family? What good does a 3% pay rise do when your bills, rent and standard inflation have gone up by more than double that in a year?
Unions have a choice right now. Stand with workers and their interests, or let them fall into the hands of right wing opportunists. As communists, we will fight tooth and nail to protect the interests of workers from the poisonous leadership of both right-wing union leaders and wannabe Nazi street fighters. Whether in the workplace, on the picket line, on the street or in the courts, we will be waiting. Solidarity is more than just words. Now is the time to prove it.
Support the members of the TWU in their fight for better conditions by signing the petition below:
Read more about the RTBU campaign to protect workers through this page:
https://www.ourrightsourfight.com.au/
To fight for a stronger union movement and working class in the face of right wing opportunists, find out how you can get involved in the Australian Communist Party: