Eric Segal, Kent Socialist Party
The Labour government’s slashing of entitlement to winter fuel payment shocked millions of pensioners. In response, trade union Unite launched a national campaign to defend the winter fuel payment, including pursuing a judicial review to overturn the government’s decision to cut payments to all but the poorest pensioners. However, we are still waiting to hear when the judicial review is to be heard.
Unite’s research shows that 67% of pensioners have reduced their heating, and 63% felt the cold more often as a result of Labour’s cuts. A third are taking fewer baths or showers and 16% have cut back on hot meals due to the increased costs of trying to stay warm.
Around 100 Unite members from Unite Retired Members branches and various Unite Community branches across the country attended a winter fuel campaign Zoom meeting on the 29 May. We discussed the government’s potential U-turn on the winter fuel cut.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has said: “Whilst this announcement on winter fuel looks like a first step in the right direction, pensioners’ minds need to be put at rest now – rather than dangling a promise to make a move in the autumn. […] The winter fuel decision should be fully reversed, and money should be found instead by implementing a wealth tax on the super-rich.”
However there is a clear change in the mood towards the Labour Party with clear anger against it developing. A number of veteran retired trade unionists spoke, calling for Unite to lead the way by consulting the union’s membership on ending the link with the Labour Party and the formation of a new mass workers’ party. I was pleasantly surprised with the response from others supporting the call, the petition signed by trade unionists calling for discussions on a new party was posted in the chat.
There will be a further campaign event on Monday 9 June in London to put more pressure on the government to step back, but our conclusion is that Labour no longer represents us. This should not be lost on the leadership of Unite.
