48. Building fighting, democratic unions: PCS and RMT

How can the unions win for members and end austerity and Tory rule? We speak to PCS union general secretary candidate Marion Lloyd (in a personal capacity) and RMT union national executive committee candidate Jared Wood.

The trade unions are always areas of fundamental concern for Marxists. Now they are poised to play a pivotal role in Britain’s winter election - and the convulsions that will follow.

In 1974, a Tory government lost a general election on the question of “who governs Britain,” by posing its programme to attack workers - against a national strike by the miners’ union standing up for workers. In 2019, Tory prime minister Boris Johnson could face national strike action during his election campaign too.

And if Jeremy Corbyn wins, what happens then? He will come under huge pressure to water down his programme and leave the capitalist thieves and cutters in place. Should the unions simply cheerlead for Labour, or should they be ready to campaign and strike to force pro-worker policies through - whoever wins on 12 December?