UNITED resistance to government anti-strike laws was enthusiastically backed by delegates at the annual conference of the TUC’s Northern region in Newcastle on Saturday.

Delegates condemned the government’s attack on workers’ rights to withdraw their labour as “fascist” and committed affiliated unions to plan now for a battle that would “defy unjust laws” and prepare for solidarity action, including taking the struggle beyond workplaces and into communities.

Train drivers’ union Aslef — which has already defied the government’s Minimum Service Levels (MSL) legislation during strikes — won unanimous support for a five-point plan including mobilisations by other unions and by trades union councils in support of workers who refuse to accept instructions to break strikes.

Delegate John Metcalfe, a member of Aslef’s national executive committee, said that 14,000 train drivers have been striking against 14 private rail operators for two years in the face of attacks by “an unfriendly media who say we are fat, lazy, overpaid button-pushers.”

He said that each time the union held a mandatory six-month ballot on renewing strike action, turnout and numbers voting to strike had increased.

“The government could not beat us and will not beat us, so they decided to change the law,” he said.

“We should not be surprised. Wherever there is strong union organisation — shipbuilders, miners, dockers, ourselves — the Tories will come hunting for us.

“The word fascism has been mentioned, and quite right. Fascism does not come crashing through your front door: it creeps up on you, it puts worker against worker.”

He said the governments of Scotland and Wales and some mayors and local authorities in England had declared they would not use the MSL legislation.

David King of rail union RMT told the conference: “It is almost as if this legislation was designed for militant unions like RMT and Aslef.

“Without the democratic right to withdraw our labour, what are we left with? We are pretty much slaves.”

Members of the Civil Service union PCS are next in the line of fire from the legislation. Members working for the government’s border force have voted for strike action and expect the new laws to be applied.

PCS delegate Karen Olson said: “We must all come together.” 

The conference also unanimously backed a National Education Union motion calling for defiance of the laws.

NEU delegate Vonni Hardman said: “We have got to keep the pressure up. We have got to organise. But it must be wider than the trade union movement. We must involve communities. We must bring the working class together.”