Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition: Good, But Where is the Policy on Migrant Workers?

Keep the Red Flag Flying!

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition has been launched. Analysis of its prospects via Phil here, and the general political background in the Weekly Worker here. Wikipedia here. Clearly its aim is to mobilise support for left candidates in the coming election. From a wide spectrum of parties, including Labour. No doubt there is much to say about the left and union bodies involved, or the refusal of some groups (CPB for example) who do not back it. This is its provisional programme. On this basis it looks encouraging but, as noted below, there is a serious gap and underdeveloped themes.

“The core policies include, amongst others, opposition to public spending cuts and privatisation, calls for investment in publicly owned and controlled renewable energy, the repeal of the anti-trade union laws, and the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

The statement makes a clear socialist commitment to “bringing into democratic public ownership the major companies and banks that dominate the economy, so that production and services can be planned to meet the needs of all and to protect the environment”.

Here.

PUBLIC OWNERSHIP, NOT PRIVATISED PROFIT
Stop all privatisation, including “PFI” & “PPP” – privatisation just rakes off our money into their pockets, for worse services.
Bring public services and utilities back into public ownership under democratic control.

NO CUTS – QUALITY PUBLIC SERVICES
Take rail back into public ownership and build integrated, low-pollution public transport.
Quality, free National Health Service under democratic public ownership and control.
Stop council house sell-offs and build eco-friendly, affordable public housing.
Good, free education for all under democratic local control, plus student grants not fees.
Keep Royal Mail as a publicly owned service, not a privatised cash cow.

STOP GLOBAL WARMING
Deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions – otherwise climate change, caused by capitalism, will destroy us.
Invest in publicly owned and controlled renewable energy – not nuclear or dirty fossil fuel.

JOBS, NOT HANDOUTS TO BANKERS & BILLIONAIRES
Bring banks and finance into true public ownership and democratic control, instead of huge handouts to the very capitalists who caused the crisis.
Tax the rich. Progressive tax on rich corporations and individuals, with a crackdown on tax avoidance.
Massive investment in environmental projects, for jobs and survival.

EMPLOYMENT & TRADE UNION RIGHTS
Repeal the anti-trade union laws.
A minimum wage set at half average adult male earnings, with no exemptions.
Invest to create and protect jobs, especially for young people.
Solidarity with workers taking action to defend jobs, conditions, pensions, public services and trade unions.

PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT
Recognise that we depend on our environment for survival.
Move to sustainable, low-pollution industry & farming – stop the pollution that is destroying our environment.
Recognise that many of our planet’s resources are limited and that capitalism fritters them away for profit.
Produce for need, not profit, and design goods for reuse and recycling.

DECENT PENSIONS & BENEFITS
Restore the pre-Thatcher real value of pensions and link them to the higher of wages & earnings.
Protect entitlement to benefits and their value; end child poverty. This needs a clear stand against Welfare Reform and Workfare to be added.

DEMOCRACY, DIVERSITY & JUSTICE
Welcome diversity and oppose racism, fascism and discrimination.
Ensure women have genuinely equal rights and pay.
Defend our liberties and make police and security democratically accountable.
For a democratic socialist society run in the interests of people not millionaires. For bringing into democratic public ownership the major companies and banks that dominate the economy, so that production and services can be planned to meet the needs of all and to protect the environment.

SOLIDARITY NOT WAR
Bring home all British troops from Afghanistan immediately – no more wars for resources.
No more spending on a new generation of nuclear weapons, huge aircraft carriers or irrelevant eurofighters – convert arms spending to socially useful products and services.
An independent foreign policy, based on international solidarity – no more US poodle, no moves to a capitalist, militarist United States of Europe, no Lisbon Treaty.

It has been pointed out by the comrades on Facebook that this lacks any policy on migrant workers. Or on immigration.

These are core issues for trade unionists and socialists. Xenophobic  ‘anti-foreigner’ sentiment is widespread in the UK. It shades into open racism. It drives politics to the right. It divides. We need to above all to defend the rights of migrant workers. That is, to  build working class unity, and make class politics, not the communalism of fading groups like Respect, or the nationalism of the mainstream parties, our principle. Not to mention the need to fight the BNP.