Take The Train To Exit Left

Peter Lazenby and Luke James writes:

Transport union RMT will campaign to leave the “pro-austerity, anti-worker” EU in 2016’s referendum.

At its conference in Newcastle yesterday, delegates reaffirmed the union’s long-standing opposition to the Brussels-based political bloc and committed to campaign for an exit left.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash explained that the union backed withdrawal because the EU was pursuing a neoliberal agenda of privatisation of public services and expects member states to follow suit. 

“EU policies are at odds with the aspirations of this union, as the various treaties and directives are demanding the privatisation of our rail and ferry industries,” he said. 

“The Tories will be campaigning to stay in the EU come any referendum as they support this right-wing, neoliberal, anti-worker agenda.” 

The EU is also negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the United States, which could give transnational companies rights to sue governments if they enact legislation believed to adversely affect profits.

A similar trade deal is being negotiated with Canada.

“The EU is also secretly negotiating trade deals with the US and Canada which will decimate our health and education sectors and hand huge powers to transnational corporations over nation states and their governments,” said Mr Cash. 

The decision to support an EU exit came as Tory PM David Cameron pressed for renegotiation of Britain’s EU membership terms at a meeting of the European Council.

Heads of state formally discussed the Tory government’s demands for the first time at the two-day summit, which concludes today.

Mr Cameron has said that he wants a veto on “ever-closer union,” as well as the right to block benefits for EU migrants. 

The PM has also suggested he is seeking to opt out of the EU’s social chapter, which includes workers’ rights and health and safety laws.

In an open letter to the Tory leader before the summit, TUC leader Frances O’Grady demanded that he come clean about his ambitions to cut employment law.

“Our polling evidence shows that if you take rights away, working people are less likely to vote to stay in the EU,” she said.