Thursday, July 01, 2004
Does Anyone Dig Digby? posted by Richard Seymour
Here's Digby Jones responding to Tony Woodley and Derek Simpson's Guardian article from yesterday:The irony of seeing Derek Simpson of Amicus and Tony Woodley of the T&G making such an ill-timed call for more union powers will not be lost on millions of Londoners who yesterday faced an indefensible tube strike (We can't back a yes vote, June 30). But their article on the EU constitution was also another example of unions marching valiantly to the redundant ideology of the 1970s as they seek to get through Europe what they cannot achieve through this country's democratic process.
Woodley and Simpson seem oblivious to the idea that the people of Britain, with an eye to succeeding in a globalised economy, banned secondary picketing 20 years ago and no responsible government will want to reverse the situation.
They also seem oblivious to the way the global economy now works. They have spent most of this year worrying about outsourcing to India, which alongside China is creating jobs hand over fist. Yet they only want to compare this county's labour market with France and Germany, where the type of regulation they espouse is keeping millions of people out of work. Gentlemen, come into the 21st century, where your members understand the threats this country faces in the competitive world, even if you do not.
Digby Jones
Director-general, CBI
So, "the people of Britain" banned secondary picketing, not Margaret Thatcher? And Digby knows more about what the members of Amicus want than the leader of that union? Perhaps the red-faced lard-arse of the CBI would care to explain his views to Amicus members who have been buffeting the leadership from the left for a decisive repudiation of the free market and its current political defenders.