Tony Blair's EU Referendum Campaign Suffers Setback Amid Union Leaders' Opposition

Strategic Insights -

Tony Blair's push for a Yes vote in the European Union referendum has hit a stumbling block, as two prominent trade union leaders announced they will not support his campaign. The Transport and General Workers' Union, led by Tony Woodley, and the GMB, led by Kevin Curran, have joined Amicus in their opposition to Blair's stance on workers' rights. This decision comes as Blair faced criticism for insisting that the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights cannot be used to rewrite national laws.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Transport and General Workers' Union and the GMB have refused to support Tony Blair's campaign for a Yes vote in the EU referendum due to his stance on workers' rights.
  • The two unions join Amicus in their opposition, with three out of the four dominant unions now signaling their refusal to campaign for a Yes vote.
  • The main issue is Blair's insistence that the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights cannot be used to rewrite national laws, which trade union leaders see as a restriction on workers' rights.
  • Tony Woodley, General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union, stated that Blair's approach has made it "all but impossible" for trade unionists to support a Yes vote in the referendum.
  • Kevin Curran, General Secretary of the GMB, said that his members will expect their union to campaign for a No vote unless Britain fully introduces the new rights at work enshrined in the charter.
  • Dave Prentis, General Secretary of Unison, is the only union leader not to have expressed a view, but will attack the government for failing to honor a promise to end the two-tier workforce in the NHS and other public services.

Statistics:

  • Three out of four dominant trade unions (Amicus, Transport and General Workers' Union, and GMB) have now signaled refusal to campaign for a Yes vote.
  • 13,000 workers employed by private companies in the NHS and other public services have had their holidays taken away from them.
  • Unison's annual conference in Bournemouth has been scheduled to take place during the time when many politicians' thoughts are turning to the holiday season.

Sources:

  • "Tony Blair's EU Referendum Campaign Suffers Setback Amid Union Leaders' Opposition" (article title)
  • Tony Woodley, General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union
  • Kevin Curran, General Secretary of the GMB
  • Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
  • Dave Prentis, General Secretary of Unison
  • Amicus
  • Transport and General Workers' Union
  • GMB
  • Unison