> > The London Times September 10, 1997 > > > > JOIN THE REAL WORLD, BLAIR TELLS UNIONS > > > > By Philip Webster and Philip Bassett > > > > The Prime Minister told the trade unions in stark terms yesterday that they > > must cast aside dogma and join the real world if they were to have a role in > > creating a modern enterprise Britain. > > > > He made plain that union leaders had no automatic influence over a Labour > > Government, and he warned them that they risked being left behind unless > > they came to terms with the challenges of a more competitive world. They > > must shed old-fashioned attitudes, modernise their political structures and > > accept new responsibilities. > > > > Tony Blair's uncompromising speech to the TUC conference in Brighton was > > the first by a Prime Minister since 1978 and, as such, the ovations he > > received were to be expected. But much of what he said was heard in > > uncomfortable silence and some union leaders objected strongly to his words. > > One said: "We don't want threats." The Archbishop of Canterbury, who > > backed the principle of workers' rights in his speech earlier, won a more > > enthusiastic reception. > > > > Mr Blair's speech amounted to a general call to all British institutions to > > modernise, but it was plain that the union movement was at the top of his list > > of candidates for reform. > > > > Labour would keep its promise of legislating for union recognition where > > most workers wanted it, he said, but he urged unions to reach voluntary > > agreement with employers. "We will not go back to the days of industrial > > warfare, strikes without ballots, mass and flying pickets, secondary action > > and the rest. You don't want it and I won't let it happen. And I will watch > > very carefully to see how the culture of modern trade unionism develops." > > > > He then directly slapped down John Edmonds of the GMB, who had > > attacked his insistence on employment flexibility. Mr Edmonds had said that > > he "shivered a little" when he heard Mr Blair using "Tory phrases". Mr Blair > > tackled him head-on: "We will keep the flexibility of the present market. And > > it may make some shiver, but I tell you, in the end it is warmer in the real > > world." > > > > The unions should follow the Labour Party in modernising their political > > structures, he said. "Influence with this Government and with me is not > > determined by anything other than the persuasiveness of your arguments. The > > old ways resolutionitis, the committee rooms, the fixing, the small groups > > trying to run the show have no future." > > > > Labour and the unions must not repeat the past mistakes of heavy-handed > > state intervention, nationalisation, industrial conflict, but instead build a true > > enterprise economy "where we face up to the reality that we must be > > adaptable, flexible and open to change". If they did not make Britain a > > country of successful businesses that had the edge over its competitors, they > > would be betraying those they represented. > > > > The unions should be creative, not conservative: "Let us make it impossible > > to dismiss trade unions as old-fashioned, defensive, anti-progress and > > activist-dominated. We have nothing to lose but our dogmas. So let us lose > > them." > > > > Delegates' response to the speech was mixed. John Monks, the TUC General > > Secretary, said that the Prime Minister had been well-received, though he > > accepted that he had a "hard message", while Tony Young, of the > > communication workers, welcomed the call for the unions to join the > > Government in its modernisation programme. > > > > The Unison leader Rodney Bickerstaffe said: "With the Archbishop's speech, > > it was a good day for the unions." But Davie Patton of the Fire Brigades > > Union objected to being told to join the real world, and said: "We don't want > > threats. That's not partnership." > > > >
