THE RMT transport union confirmed yesterday that it is mobilising grassroots opposition amongst rank and file trade unionists to an invitation to Tory Prime Minister David Cameron to address the annual TUC Congress in Manchester in September.
RMT activists have already won votes calling for the invitation to Cameron to be withdrawn at the North West and South West Regions of the TUC and at local Trade Union Councils in towns and cities up and down Britain.
The campaign is gathering serious momentum as trade unionists react with horror at the idea of being lectured by a millionaire public schoolboy who has set out to destroy jobs, pensions and the standards of living of working people.
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said yesterday: ‘RMT members up and down the country are leading a grassroots campaign to get the invitation to David Cameron to address the TUC pulled and we have already made it clear that if he does pitch up we will lead a walkout of delegates which will leave his words echoing around an empty hall.
‘This ConDem government are launching the biggest attack on the trade union movement since Margaret Thatcher set out to break the National Union of Mineworkers and the idea that we should sit there and take a lecture on fiscal fascism from David Cameron makes no sense.
‘The TUC should be a platform for mobilising the co-ordinated fightback against the attacks on jobs, pensions, public services and living standards that are at the heart of this government’s programme as they try and force working people to pay for the mess created by the bankers.
‘There is no way it should be allowed to degenerate into a publicity opportunity for a man whose party is hell-bent on destroying us.’
The following motion has been agreed by the executive of the North West Region TUC.
‘This North West TUC Executive Committee is outraged at the decision of the General Council of the TUC to invite David Cameron, the Tory Prime Minister, to address the TUC Congress which takes place in Manchester in September 2010.
‘The first condem government budget has decided to put the massive financial debt, caused by the banking system, on the backs of the working people of Britain with massive cuts in expenditure in both the public and private sector and the welfare state.
‘This will directly lead to cuts in jobs and services in the public sector and cause a further increase in unemployment and reduce the standard of living of millions of people including the most vulnerable people in our society.
‘The Executive Committee demands the General Council withdraw the invitation which we believe is the wrong message to our members.’
