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The Conservative media is constructing its assault on the union, demonising them as ‘communists and Kremlin supporters.’
The fitting-wing newspapers have repeatedly warned readers that “militant commerce unions” are “bringing Britain to its knees.” When industrial motion over the Christmas interval was introduced in November, the identical press mockingly labelled the RMT boss Mick ‘Grinch’, claiming he’s ‘killing your Christmas.’
Efforts to smear the RMT and its management have moved up a gear this week.
‘Communist and Kremlin supporters lead the RMT,’ splashed The Occasions on Wednesday 7. The article claims that the management behind the rail union’s strike agenda features a senior determine within the Communist Social gathering of Britain and others who’ve ‘aped the Kremlin’s place on Ukraine.’ The piece alludes to Broad Left, a socialist group within the union, which, in keeping with the report, claims to assist the RMT’s purpose of “suppressing capitalism by means of nationalisation of the railways and has supplied its assist to the Cuban and Venezuelan governments.”
The article claims that a number of members of the RMT’s nationwide government committee (NEC) have been elected with the assist of Broad Left, together with Mick Lynch and Eddie Dempsey, who, says The Occasions, was supported by the group earlier than the election in 2021.
Seizing the possibility to implicate Jeremy Corbyn within the ‘communist and Kremlin-supporting RMT’ hype, the article informs how different NEC members embody Jared Wooden, a Socialist Social gathering member, ‘who campaigned for Jeremy Corbyn.’
Predictably, the Categorical printed the identical intentionally smearing story, claiming {that a} “main member of the Communist Social gathering sits because the union’s president, and a gaggle referred to as the Broad Left has helped others acquire excessive positions.”
“Communist and Kremlin supporters” are main the Nationwide Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Staff (RMT) within the run as much as Christmas strike motion” reads the inflammatory article.
In response to an article printed in The Telegraph in March, which provocatively requested ‘How shut is the RMT union to Vladimir Putin’s Russia?’, a RMT spokesperson had stated:
“The union doesn’t assist both Vladimir Putin or his actions in Ukraine, and we’re backing international union strain for a peaceable decision to the battle.”
Sunak underneath strain
The fitting-wing media’s efforts to demonise unions come as Rishi Sunak is going through rising strain from Tory MPs to push forward with anti-strike legal guidelines. On Tuesday, ministers accused the RMT union of “holding the nation to ransom,” by scheduling walkouts over Christmas.
Sunak has stated he’s engaged on “new powerful legal guidelines” to guard folks from strike disruption. A invoice has been launched to Parliament, which might guarantee minimal service ranges of transport networks throughout strikes. The invoice has but to be debated by MPs and friends.
Although plainly Tory MPs’ calls for to clamp down on strike motion, and the right-wing media’s continued efforts to demonise the RMT, will not be translating into public opposition in direction of the strike motion.
Not solely is there admiration for each Mick Lynch and Eddie Dempsey for utterly ‘bossing interviews’ and flooring critics within the media, however the public stays typically supportive of the strikes.
An Opinium ballot for the Observer on December 4 discovered that 57 p.c of individuals surveyed assist nurses occurring strike for 2 days this month. Solely 30 p.c opposed it. In the meantime, 42 p.c blame the federal government for the pending practice strikes (23 p.c) and practice corporations (17 p.c), with 37% holding the unions principally accountable.
Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead is a contributing editor to Left Foot Ahead
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