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| Miliband says union threat to Olympics 'unacceptable and wrong' | Miliband says union threat to Olympics 'unacceptable and wrong' |
| (39 minutes later) | |
| Ed Miliband has condemned the threat of strike action during the Olympic Games made by the Unite union leader, Len McCluskey, as part of the campaign against spending cuts. | Ed Miliband has condemned the threat of strike action during the Olympic Games made by the Unite union leader, Len McCluskey, as part of the campaign against spending cuts. |
| McCluskey faced a cross-party backlash on Wednesday after suggesting that targeting the games for industrial action was justified. | McCluskey faced a cross-party backlash on Wednesday after suggesting that targeting the games for industrial action was justified. |
| Miliband, the Labour leader, tweeted that "any threat to the Olympics is totally unacceptable and wrong. This is a celebration for the whole country and must not be disrupted". | Miliband, the Labour leader, tweeted that "any threat to the Olympics is totally unacceptable and wrong. This is a celebration for the whole country and must not be disrupted". |
| His deputy, Harriet Harman, also went on air to condemn McCluskey's comments. She told the BBC: "I've already actually spoken to Len McCluskey this morning and said that both Ed Miliband and I think he's wrong and we think that he shouldn't even be floating the prospect. | His deputy, Harriet Harman, also went on air to condemn McCluskey's comments. She told the BBC: "I've already actually spoken to Len McCluskey this morning and said that both Ed Miliband and I think he's wrong and we think that he shouldn't even be floating the prospect. |
| "We all need to be rallying behind the Olympics – it's going to be an important opportunity for Britain and it's going to affect our jobs, our economic growth in the future and the prosperity of this country. We want to make a great success of it, and I've already had the opportunity of saying to Len that I think that he was wrong even to raise this." | "We all need to be rallying behind the Olympics – it's going to be an important opportunity for Britain and it's going to affect our jobs, our economic growth in the future and the prosperity of this country. We want to make a great success of it, and I've already had the opportunity of saying to Len that I think that he was wrong even to raise this." |
| Downing Street adding to the condemnation, describing McCluskey's call as "completely unacceptable and unpatriotic". | Downing Street adding to the condemnation, describing McCluskey's call as "completely unacceptable and unpatriotic". |
| David Cameron's spokesman said: "The Olympics are a great opportunity for this country to show everything that is great about the United Kingdom and advertise ourselves to the world. I think what he is proposing is deeply unacceptable and unpatriotic. | David Cameron's spokesman said: "The Olympics are a great opportunity for this country to show everything that is great about the United Kingdom and advertise ourselves to the world. I think what he is proposing is deeply unacceptable and unpatriotic. |
| "Most people in this country, including members of that union, think the Olympics are a great occasion for this country and wouldn't want to see it disrupted in any way." | "Most people in this country, including members of that union, think the Olympics are a great occasion for this country and wouldn't want to see it disrupted in any way." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| "If the Olympics provide us with an opportunity, then that's exactly one that we should be looking at," he said. | "If the Olympics provide us with an opportunity, then that's exactly one that we should be looking at," he said. |
| He also said any attempt by ministers to tighten anti-strike legislation would lead to unions deliberately breaking the law. | He also said any attempt by ministers to tighten anti-strike legislation would lead to unions deliberately breaking the law. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Earlier on Wednesday, Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, said 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. | Earlier on Wednesday, Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, said 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. |
| Before Harman and Miliband's comments, Clegg had seized on Unite's funding link with the Labour party, 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. | Before Harman and Miliband's comments, Clegg had seized on Unite's funding link with the Labour party, 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." | "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". | 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." | "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." |
| McCluskey's comments also received short shrift from the TUC. | |
| Brendan Barber, the TUC general secretary, said Britain's unions wanted a games of which "we can all be proud". | |
| He added: "The TUC and Britain's unions have been strong supporters of the London Olympics. This was reflected in the agreement we reached with London 2012 in 2008, which included proper procedures for the speedy resolution of any disputes should any arise during the games themselves. | |
| "Unions have engaged constructively with the Olympic authorities throughout the whole project to ensure the good working conditions that are helping deliver the games on time and on budget. We also want to see a great games that delivers a proper legacy of jobs and regeneration. | |
| "Of course unions seek fair reward for the extra work and long hours that will be required during what will be the busiest ever time for public transport and other public services, and not all such negotiations have been concluded. But of course unions want a games of which we can all be proud." | |
| McCluskey said industrial action over government plans to cut the value of public sector pensions would "drag on and on" and 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 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, 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. |
| "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. | "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 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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 that, because of the seriousness of the issues, he was encouraging the public to engage in "all forms of civil disobedience within the law" in the campaign against cuts. | McCluskey said that, because of the seriousness of the issues, he was encouraging the public to engage in "all forms of civil disobedience within the law" in the campaign against cuts. |
| "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. | "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. |
| "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?'" | "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 to take place 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 to take place 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 country's 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, 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. | 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 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | "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." |