Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has warned the working class could \u201cturn their backs\u201d on Labour at the TUC Congress \u2013 and said any fines levied at Birmingham bin strikes would come out of the union\u2019s affiliation fees.<\/p>\n
Speaking to delegates at the conference in Brighton, she attacked the government for not doing more to tax the wealthy while the poorest in society have faced further hardship.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201c14 months ago, we welcomed a Labour government to end the years of Tory chaos, to end the madness of austerity and to end workers being at the back of the queue.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe country has been crying out for change \u2013 and I do not understand how a Labour government have been attacking some of the poorest in our society, pensioners, the disabled \u2013 and they have left the super-rich totally untouched.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell are Labour doing? Yes, Britain is broken. Yes, the Tories are absolutely to blame \u2013 but Labour is in government now and they cannot keep making everyday people pay. Why are they allowing workers to pay the price? Different choices must be made or the working class will turn their backs on Labour.\u201d<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Labour Party Conference 2025: Full LabourList events programme, revealed<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Graham particularly hit out at the government over the ongoing Birmingham bin strike, particularly over legislation that would allow councils issuing a section 114 notice to be able to fire and rehire workers, and accused \u201ca Labour council, backed by a Labour government, [of] using Thatcher\u2019s anti-union laws to try and break our picket lines\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThese workers will not be allowed to be starved back to work,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Amid discussion within Unite about potential disaffiliation from the Labour Party, Graham also issued a message to the party leadership: \u201cI say this loud and clear to Labour \u2013 any fines we get because of supposed injunctions on our picket lines and breaches, every single penny will come out of our Labour affiliation.\u201d<\/p>\n Subscribe here to our daily newsletter<\/a> roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment\u2013 and follow us <\/strong>on <\/strong>Bluesky<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/strong>X<\/a> and <\/strong>Facebook<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Value our free and unique service?<\/p>\n LabourList has more readers than ever before – but we need your support. Our dedicated coverage of Labour’s policies and personalities, internal debates, selections and elections relies on donations from our readers.<\/p>\n\n