Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat its mistakes. The Tories are planning new anti-union laws and union-bashing rhetoric. They have forgotten their own history.
The Heath government recklessly imprisoned five dockers in 1972. It sparked a strike wave of unprecedented proportions and the government had to produce the "official solicitor" like a rabbit out of a hat to say the five dockers (Con Clancy, Tony Merrick, Bernie Steer, Vic Turner, and Derek Watkins) had apparently purged their contempt so they were released and there was no need for a general strike.
The pressure from rank-and-file trade unionists spurred the TUC into action against the wishes of the right-wingers in the leadership.
The Tories looked ridiculous and the working-class movement was triumphant.
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