FBU leader calls on all unions to join mass resistance campaign

The general secretary of the FBU firefighters’ union has written to fellow union leaders calling on them to join a campaign of mass resistance to the government’s proposed anti-strikes bill.

He wrote: “Our movement must prepare for the realities of the bill becoming law.

“This is one of the worst assaults on the rights of working people in postwar Britain, enacted by a government of the rich, for the rich. We have no choice but to build mass opposition to it, including developing a strategy of non-compliance and non-cooperation to make it unworkable.

“This campaign cannot be won by any union acting alone. We must act together to build a movement to defy and defeat this law.

“The RMT has now called for a national demonstration no later than the end of October, and we are pleased to support this initiative. I am writing to you to ask for your support to build a conference of trade unionists to organise resistance to this legislation.

“We want to work with your union and others to build such a conference in the autumn, bringing together trade union activists and branches with a view to building a campaign of resistance.

“With a national demonstration and a mass movement of non-compliance, we can build an alliance that can defeat this law in the streets and in the workplace.”