I'm back from the TUC now, and what a fantastic time I had. Yes, it was much smaller. Yes, there were few amenities and some of the debate felt rushed. Yes, there were lots of stairs and I had a poorly ankle, but I still had a fantastic time.
For a start I got to make a seconding speech on supporting Trade Unions in Egypt that had been moved by the Fire Brigade's Union. It would be undiverse of me to make any comment that would objectify our big, burly, yummy comrades in the FBU so I won't.
I also got to watch union after union declare their intent where it comes to a Public Sector General Strike. One after another, some expected and some a surprise, (really, welcome to the Trade Union movement FDA and Prospect, see y'all on the picket line!) it was still a good feeling to be able to tweet them as they all stated that enough was enough and that they would be balloting their members for strike action over pensions. Dave Prentis (Unison) actually got a standing ovation, and it would be uncharitable of me to make any comment that would equate to 'about bloody time, but better late than never I suppose' so I won't.
And of course I got my mug on the telly. A lot. Even in France and Spain so I am told!
See, what obstensibly happened was that Labour leader Ed Milliband came to the TUC on tuesday morning to speak to delegates. What actually happened was that he came to the TUC to wind the fuck out of us while showing everyone else, the press, the Labour MPs, his bestest chums Cameron, Clegg and Osborne that he wasn't in the pocket of the pesky unions who fund him and had got him his position in the first place.
To be fair, I hadn't expected and inspiring speech from him and on that point I wasn't disappointed. There was a lot of 'you guys are really great, please keep giving us money' type stuff, blah, blah, blah... So far so dull. Then he moved onto our strike action on June 30th this year.
(as an aside, I'm glad somebody fucking mentioned it, Brendan Barber certainly didn't in his speech to Congress)
Ed. You might want to sit down for this as I am sure it won't be what you're expecting.
You might think that I shouted at you because you said that while negotiations are ongoing that we shouldn't take strike action. It wasn't that at all. Actually, I agree with you on that and I expect that every trade unionist in history would agree too.
While negotiations are ongoing, we shouldn't take strike action. Strike action is, and always should be the action of last resort. And that, Ed, is the whole fucking point. I know this, you know this, my kids, their Nan and her fucking dog knows this. What the fuck makes you think that a hall filled with trade union Presidents, General Secretaries and Senior Lay Activists wouldn't have a clue?
I can only think that either:-
You think we are all stupid... in which case I was right to shout at you.
You don't actually support the right to strike... in which case you have no business being in the Labour Party and I was right to shout at you.
You actually do believe that negotiations, proper inclusive negotiations, with the government are ongoing... in which case you are an idiot, an ill informed, pointless idiot who has no business being in the Labour Party and I was right to shout at you.
The only thing I regret is that I had my foot strapped up so I couldn't get to the stage to call you out on your bullshit.
I hope it was worth it Ed. I hope you went back to your hole in the ground under your rock and bragged about how they can't call you 'Red Ed' anymore. I hope that you feel good about letting yourself, your members and your party down.
I had a tweet from one of my followers saying that they objected to leaders of non affiliated unions bullying you. How sweet. But it missed the fucking point!
I may not be in a union that is affiliated to the Labour Party. I may not be a member of the Labour Party. But I am a voter Ed. As are millions of us wonderful public sector workers who you refused to support on tuesday morning.
And we object to a leader of the Labour party who refuses to support the right to withdraw our labour while bigging up academy schools.
So there you go. That's why I shouted. Because I was angry at being treated like an idiot. I suppose it would be churlish of me to point out that Ed Milliband is a scab and a disgrace and should go now and let a proper leader win Labour the next election... so I won't.
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