Unite defends ‘leverage’ tactics

The leader of general union Unite, Len McCluskey, has responded robustly to media and Tory criticism of the union’s “leverage” campaigning used in the recent Grangemouth refinery dispute, saying there would be “no retreating”.

Unite’s leverage campaigns have included targeting its protests against the shareholders and clients of companies who refuse to negotiate during key disputes.

But during the Grangemouth dispute, the Daily Mail whipped up stories of union members acting like thugs and intimidating families and children.McCluskey told the union’s industrial sectors conference last month that these stories were “a lie”. And he said that leverage “is about telling the bad bosses that they have nowhere to hide”.

http://union-news.co.uk/2013/11/retreat-leverage-abusive-employers-works-says-unites-mccluskey/