What we can learn from Bob Crow

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Even before his untimely death, the RMT union chief Bob Crow was a legend, a living legend. He showed that if you had the right strategy, neither big business nor big Government could push you around.

It’s worth remembering that in an employment climate in which literally hundreds of thousands of workers have been forced into ‘Zero hour’, contracts, giving no security, no sick pay and perpetually low salaries, his members were amongst the best paid, best protected ‘blue collar’ workers in the UK.

Commenting on the news of his death, someone posted online that Bob Crow came into the student occupations in 2010 at UCL to give us a talk:

The three things I remember him saying were: "If you don’t stick together you're nothing, if you have any chance of winning they'll make it very ugly for you, and ...remember that they are reading your emails. Top bloke, Bob Crow."

Crow’s first and foremost lesson, therefore, was unity: ‘If you don’t stick together you’re nothing’. Sounds shockingly harsh, but in many ways true.

Just last night when Jeremy Paxman was interviewing Sol Campbell, on his claims of racism in football, the first thing he said to destroy completely Sol’s position was:

Even some Black players think you’re talking nonsense"

Paxman could have said many Black players agree with you, but it was the division that was the death knell in Campbell’s argument.

In contrast and over many years, Bob Crow showed that even if every newspaper, and radio station in the country, and MP's from all side of ther house were against you, if you were both strategic and united you could win. His strategic arm was that he could bring London to a standstill, but he knew that a significant proportion of the public must buy into his cause, -usually around safety, or fairness,- but his most important asset was teaching the majority of his members that without unity they were finished. It worked, and worked well.

Interestingly as Crow and his members appear as oddities in business-union relationship, in Germany, strong unions supporting high productivity, and decent wages is commonplace. In fact some argue it is the bedrock of the German powerhouse economy.

Who would have thought that the Bob Crow union model is a German model and that has served its country well.

The irrefutable lesson then, we learn from the union legend that was Bob Crow, particularly when you’re the underdog, is ‘unity, unity, unity’.

Not a bad epitaph, Bob.

Rest in peace.

Simon Woolley

A Book of Condolence for Bob has been set up in the reception at Unity House, in addition or people can leave a message on-line.  Secure facility via the RMT website:  http://www.rmt.org.uk/bob-crow/

Bob’s funeral and the commemoration of his life and work will be held on Monday 24th March. Bob’s funeral service itself will be a private affair.

Funeral procession will commence from a start point on Snakes Lane (IG8 7GF), assembling for 12 noon and will arrive at the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium E12 5DQ at approximately 12.45 hours. Trade unionists with banners and flags have been invited to line the route. The immediate area around the family home will be kept clear and again the media are requested to respect that arrangement.

The procession will end at the cemetery gates and the family have asked that their wish that there be no press or public involvement beyond that point be respected in full.

In addition, a minutes silence for Bob Crow will be held at 13.30 hours on Monday 24th March which the union has requested that all members, staff, colleagues and friends of Bob observe as a mark of respect .

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