In the UK, worker’s rights are suddenly in danger after Theresa May’s recent resignation and replacement by conservative politician Boris Johnson and his cabinet. Johnson, who promises to ‘Brexit’ by Halloween 2019.
“The UK has a world-leading record in protecting workers’ rights, setting the highest standard, and a labour market we can be proud of, with more people in work than ever before. We are determined to maintain this record of leadership after we leave the EU, with or without a deal.” says a UK Government Spokesperson. But insiders are telling a different story.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady has delivered public remarks, warning of the dire straits that UK workers are now in: “Boris Johnson claims that he intends to enhance rights at work after Brexit. He and his advisers should be focused on delivering that promise.” O’Grady says. “But instead they’re threatening a catastrophic no deal, which would strip away existing legal protections and leave essential rights open to attack. Working people must not be dragged off this cliff edge without getting a Final Say.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/6jfSAWCHRts?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en&autohide=2&wmode=transparent
Johnson, a conservative and seemingly openly racist man, oddly evocative of the US’s own Donald Trump, has the nation worried about the future of social issues in the UK. The freshman PM has already announced plans to increase the size police forces and their powers. With the US already struggling with police brutality and false arrests, the UK’s future appears grim.
“The new Tory government will make life harder for black and Asian people, and migrants. One of Boris Johnson’s first announcements was a plan to hire 20,000 more cops and give them “greater powers to use stop and search”.
“Black people were nine times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people in England and Wales in 2017/18, according to government figures.”
SocialistWorker.co.uk
All is not lost. There are many in the UK who vehemently support the rights of the working-class, and are pushing heavily against these latest attempts to deregulate and strip workers of safeguards.
“And whenever other workers strike, we should raise solidarity with them. It won’t just help strikers—it will get people talking about walkouts in your workplace. The key opportunity for organising workers’ action is the global climate strike on Friday 20 September. Socialists should go into every union and staff meeting arguing for strikes, and try to organise unofficial walkouts on the day. Inaction by Labour and union leaders has relegated working class people to being spectators to the Tory crisis.”
“Action on 20 September could mark a break from this.”
SocialistWorker.co.uk
Cody Elliot Szaro 