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Clegg urges Miliband to 'rein in' McCluskey over Olympics comments Clegg urges Miliband to 'rein in' McCluskey over Olympics comments
(40 minutes later)
Nick Clegg, has called on the Labour leader, Ed Miliband, to "rein in" Len McCluskey after the general secretary of the country's largest trade union called for civil disobedience during the Olympic Games. Nick Clegg has called on the Labour leader, Ed Miliband, to "rein in" Len McCluskey after the Unite union's general secretary called for civil disobedience during the Olympic Games.
The Liberal Democrat deputy prime minister said he believed people would be gobsmacked and appalled by McCluskey's call for the public to engage in civil disobedience to defend public services during the fortnight of sport this summer. The deputy prime minister said he believed people would be appalled by McCluskey's call for the public to engage in civil disobedience to defend public services during this summer's games.
In an interview with the Guardian, McCluskey, the leader of Unite, said attacks on public sector workers were so deep and ideological that targeting the Games would be justified. He said no precise plans had been drawn up for action during the London Games, but added that they "absolutely" could include strikes. In an interview with the Guardian, McCluskey said attacks on public sector workers were so deep and ideological that targeting the games would be justified.
"If the Olympics provide us with an opportunity, then that's exactly one that we should be looking at," said McCluskey. He also said that any attempt by ministers to tighten anti-strike legislation would lead to unions deliberately breaking the law The call came as the RMT union increased the pressure on the capital's mayor, Boris Johnson, over delivering a strike-free event by declaring a formal dispute after rejecting an Olympics pay deal for London Underground staff. The leader of the country's largest trade union said no precise plans for action during the event had been drawn up, but added that action could "absolutely" include strikes.
Clegg seized on Unite's funding link with the Labour party to urge Miliband to act. "If the Olympics provide us with an opportunity, then that's exactly one that we should be looking at," he said.
He told ITV Daybreak: "I just think people will be gobsmacked, appalled, that someone thinks that at a time when we are finally hosting one of the greatest events in the world, he is calling for civil disobedience. I know he is the sort of paymaster of the Labour party but I hope Ed Miliband will rein him in." He also said any attempt by ministers to tighten anti-strike legislation would lead to unions deliberately breaking the law.
Lady Warsi, the Conservative Party co-chairman, accused the union leader of "an appalling display of naked self-interest by Labour's biggest financial backer". McCluskey's comments came as the RMT union increased the pressure on the London mayor, Boris Johnson, to deliver a strike-free event by declaring a formal dispute after rejecting an Olympics pay deal for London Underground staff.
"The London Olympics will be a great occasion for this country," said Warsi. "It is disgraceful for a trade union boss to be calling for mass disruption when the eyes of the world will be on Britain. Clegg seized on Unite's funding link with the Labour party as he urged Miliband to act, telling ITV Daybreak: "I just think people will be gobsmacked, appalled, that someone thinks that, at a time when we are finally hosting one of the greatest events in the world, he is calling for civil disobedience.
"I know he is the sort of paymaster of the Labour party, but I hope Ed Miliband will rein him in."
Lady Warsi, the Conservative party co-chairman, said McCluskey's comments were "an appalling display of naked self-interest by Labour's biggest financial backer".
"The London Olympics will be a great occasion for this country," she said. "It is disgraceful for a trade union boss to be calling for mass disruption when the eyes of the world will be on Britain.
"I am shocked that Unite would sink so low as to spoil this great national event for everyone else. Ed Miliband must urgently order his union cronies to rule out disrupting the Olympics.""I am shocked that Unite would sink so low as to spoil this great national event for everyone else. Ed Miliband must urgently order his union cronies to rule out disrupting the Olympics."
McCluskey said industrial action over government plans to cut the value of public sector pensions would "drag on and on" and that it would involve "all forms of different protest and action".McCluskey said industrial action over government plans to cut the value of public sector pensions would "drag on and on" and that it would involve "all forms of different protest and action".
Though some unions have scaled back their opposition to the proposals since staging the biggest strike for three decades in November last year, Unite is among those planning to fight on. Though some unions have scaled back their opposition to the proposals since staging the biggest strike for three decades in November, Unite is among those planning to fight on.
That included possibly hitting the Olympics, he said: "The attacks that are being launched on public sector workers at the moment are so deep and ideological that the idea the world should arrive in London and have these wonderful Olympic Games as though everything is nice and rosy in the garden is unthinkable. "The attacks that are being launched on public sector workers at the moment are so deep and ideological that the idea the world should arrive in London and have these wonderful Olympic Games as though everything is nice and rosy in the garden is unthinkable," McCluskey said.
"Our very way of life is being attacked. By then this crazy health and social care bill may have been passed, so we are looking at the privatisation of our National Health Service. I believe the unions, and the general community, have got every right to be out protesting.""Our very way of life is being attacked. By then this crazy health and social care bill may have been passed, so we are looking at the privatisation of our National Health Service. I believe the unions, and the general community, have got every right to be out protesting."
McCluskey was speaking in general terms and he admitted Unite did not at this stage have specific plans for action during the Olympics. But he said his union represented London's 28,000 bus drivers and staff, who are involved in their own row about extra payments during the Olympics. The bus workers want £500 in supplementary pay for the Games, in line with deals at Network Rail, Virgin Trains and London Overground. "They will be examining what leverage points we have, and the Olympics will clearly come into play," he said. McCluskey said his union represented London's 28,000 bus drivers and staff, who are involved in their own row about extra payments during the Olympics.
He said that, because of the seriousness of the issues at stake, he was encouraging the public to engage in "all forms of civil disobedience within the law" in the campaign against cuts. The bus workers want £500 in supplementary pay for the games, in line with deals at Network Rail, Virgin Trains and London Overground. "They will be examining what leverage points we have, and the Olympics will clearly come into play," he said.
"Our parents and our grandparents, having defeated fascism in Europe, came back determined to build a land fit for heroes. They gave us the welfare state, the National Health Service, universal education. All of that is being attacked," he said. McCluskey said that, because of the seriousness of the issues at stake, he was encouraging the public to engage in "all forms of civil disobedience within the law" in the campaign against cuts.
"I, for one, am not prepared to stand by and have my children or grandchildren say to me, what did you do when this was being taken away from us?" "Our parents and our grandparents, having defeated fascism in Europe, came back determined to build a land fit for heroes. They gave us the welfare state, the National Health Service, universal education. All of that is being attacked," he added.
The Olympics were a focal point, he said. "If there is a protest, then the purpose of protest is to bring your grievances to the attention of as many people as possible." "I, for one, am not prepared to stand by and have my children or grandchildren say to me: 'What did you do when this was being taken away from us?'"
The next strike over public sector pensions is expected on 28 March, with Unite's health workers, civil servants in the Public and Commercial Services union and the National Union of Teachers contemplating combined action.The next strike over public sector pensions is expected on 28 March, with Unite's health workers, civil servants in the Public and Commercial Services union and the National Union of Teachers contemplating combined action.
More than 1 million public sector workers took part in the national walkout on 30 November but numbers could be lower next month because the largest public sector union, Unison, is focusing on settlement talks. More than 1 million public sector workers took part in the national walkout on 30 November, but numbers could be lower next month because the country's largest public sector union, Unison, is focusing on settlement talks.
The PCS has mooted rolling programmes of action by specific groups of workers, such as call centre staff, or work-to-rule campaigns in which employees carry out no more work than the bare minimum stipulated in their contracts.The PCS has mooted rolling programmes of action by specific groups of workers, such as call centre staff, or work-to-rule campaigns in which employees carry out no more work than the bare minimum stipulated in their contracts.
Last week a meeting of the British Medical Association, the union representing 130,000 doctors and medical students, decided to ballot for industrial action short of a strike over NHS pension reforms after eight out of 10 members rejected the changes. Last week, a meeting of the British Medical Association, which represents 130,000 doctors and medical students, decided to ballot for industrial action short of a strike over NHS pension reforms after eight out of 10 members rejected the changes.
Some Conservatives have already been arguing that the government should tighten the strike laws in response to what they perceive as militant unionism represented by leaders such as McCluskey and his ally, the PCS general secretary, Mark Serwotka. Some Conservatives have argued that the government should tighten the strike laws in response to what they perceive as militant unionism represented by leaders such as McCluskey and the PCS general secretary, Mark Serwotka.
One idea, backed by Johnson and not wholly ruled out by ministers, is for unions to be prohibited from striking unless 50% of their members back strike action – not just 50% of those voting. In his interview McCluskey signalled that unions would refuse to comply with such a law, even if that meant calling strikes illegally. "If [ministers] make these attacks against us, trying to limit the type of strike action … if they push us outside the law, they are going to have to live with the consequences of that," he said. One idea – backed by Johnson and not wholly ruled out by ministers – is for unions to be prohibited from striking unless 50% of their members back strike action, not just 50% of those voting.
In his interview, McCluskey indicated that unions would refuse to comply with such a law, even if that meant calling strikes illegally.
"If [ministers] make these attacks against us, trying to limit the type of strike action … if they push us outside the law, they are going to have to live with the consequences of that," he said.
"Because if we need to break the law in order to defend what are our basic human rights – right of association – then we will do that.""Because if we need to break the law in order to defend what are our basic human rights – right of association – then we will do that."
McCluskey also used the interview to say that Ed Miliband and Ed Balls should worry less about fiscal credibility. McCluskey also used the interview to say Ed Miliband and Ed Balls should worry less about fiscal credibility.
Instead of trying to impress "the chattering classes" by embracing the case for austerity, McCluskey said the Labour leader and his shadow chancellor should concentrate on winning credibility with voters by proposing alternatives to "the fear and the misery and the gloom and the despair" represented by the coalition. He said that instead of trying to impress "the chattering classes" by embracing the case for austerity, the Labour leader and his shadow chancellor should concentrate on winning credibility with voters by proposing alternatives to "the fear and the misery and the gloom and the despair" represented by the coalition.