'GREEDY Bastards', declared John Edmonds, of overpaid (sic) company directors, opening this year's TUC.
'Just the sort of people we can do business with,' he might have added, as the General Council continues to push its theme of partnership between bosses and workers.
This theme was taken to its logical conclusion later in the week by Peter Mandelson, addressing the TUC for the first time, twenty years after he had left employment at the TUC (pushed out because he wasn't up to the job!). "No union benefits by harming the companies its members works for. In the private sector that means actively working for and welcoming profits," he said. "It means sharing in the company's success but also showing moderation in wage demands and John Nicholson (Convenor flexibility in pay levels in times of economic difficulty." Striking Tameside care workers lobbying the Congress could give some lessons in where that policy gets you. Having taken pay freezes and cuts in the past they were then Mr Greedy? No it's Edmonds! rewarded with a kick in the teeth: Their situation summed up the two key debates of the week - on the minimum wage and on 'Fairness at Work'. Labour ministers came to Blackpool to expound on what a good job they were doing. The government's policies were welcomed by the TUC leadership. But, despite all the guff, they will go only a small way to meet the needs of poorly paid and badly treated workers. Congress delegates were clearly fed up with the way that their own union members were being treated. Union delegations were prepared to vote for critical resolutions in their own field, reflecting the pressure from their membership.
Teachers attacked the privatisation of education through Education Action Zones, communications workers demanded that the Post Office remain in public hands, hospital workers demanded an end to public sector pay freezes. And - in a card vote supported by the GMB and UNISON - the Congress voted to campaign for the ending of the Private Finance Initiative.
But generalising that feeling, recognising that overall government policy was at fault, was a step too far. You will have to wait a long time for the TUC General Council to lead a fight back. Only through independent trade union action will anything change.
Congress overwhelmingly rejected a call for the repeal of all the anti-trade union laws, and the General Council continues to appease the government just in case Manof one tendency to take cynical Had something that disagreed with him? Mandleson delson withdraws even the crumbs of comfort in the existing 'Fairness at Work' proposals.
Therefore it is all the more important that the United Campaign for the Repeal of the Anti Union Laws is built and its plans for to make next May Day 'Workers' Rights Day' with a big demonstration in London supported across the labour movement.