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Union organising


How to organise young workers

Supersize my pay
Author: 
Editorial

One of the most visible impacts of capitalist globalisation has been the massive expansion of low-paid (and often semi-casual) jobs in the service sector.


Conference called by Leicester TUC on unions in the crisis

Trades Councils
16 May 2009 - 10:30am
16 May 2009 - 4:00pm

Location: 

Moat Community College, Maidstone Road, Leicester


Description: 

Leicester and District Trades Union Council: a conference

"A Standpoint on the Crisis: Defence through self-organisation - Rebuild Trades Councils and the Shop Stewards' Movement... We especially invite Midlands Trades Councils and trades unionists, members of National Shop Stewards Network and interested individuals".

Charges: £10 (with organisational support), £5 (waged individuals) others free or donation. Cheques to "L&DTUC" to address below
For enquiries please contact Paul Henderson, 22 West Avenue, Leicester LE2 1TR; Bernard Harper, bhleic@yahoo.co.uk; Alan Sanley, 0116 251 3793 or stanley.alan@btinternet.com.
Download flyer for the conference, including agenda.


How sit-in strikes built the unions in USA

Strikes and lock-outs
Author: 
Walter Linder

Throughout the twentieth century there were periods of class struggle that saw workers occupy factories and workplaces: in the 1920s in Italy; in the 1930s in France, the USA and elsewhere; in France in May 1968. And in Britain in 1973-75 there were over 100 occupations over job cuts.


Lessons from three workers' struggles in the USA

Crisis opening in 2007
Author: 
Adam Fischer

Every now and again, American workers issue a blunt reminder to the bosses, and to themselves, that the steady and moderate tone transmitted by their nation's great public-relations dream-machine can never fully lull them to sleep.


Defend the cleaners, protest against Amey plc!

Immigration & Asylum
Author: 
Vicki Morris

On 2 December, 20 protestors entered the offices of Amey plc in High Holborn to protest at the sacking of five Colombian cleaners and the rejection of their appeal. The protestors attempted to present a petition to an Amey representative, but were prevented.


The Case For Strike Committees

Rail unions

As rank-and-file trade unionists, we think it is important to extend democracy wherever possible.


Improving Union Websites

New communication technology opens massive opportunities for rail workers and our unions to get better organised.


“We are coming out of the shadows”

Immigration & Asylum
Author: 
Ed Maltby

Ed Maltby reports from Paris


"We hit a lot of rock concerts"

Supersize my pay
Author: 
Anthony Main

Anthony Main is the secretary of Unite Australia, a union for young fast-food and retail workers drawing inspiration from Unite New Zealand but operating in different conditions.


"We can cause the bosses some mayhem"

Supersize my pay
Author: 
Mike Treen

Mike Treen is National Director of Unite New Zealand, a union which has successfully organised young workers in fast food. In February 2008 he toured Britain speaking to meetings organised by No Sweat, and we published his speech to the London meeting Solidarity 3/127. After that meeting Mike Treen spoke to Colin Foster.


Organise migrant workers

Immigration & Asylum
Author: 
Gerry Bates

A House of Lords Committee headed by former CBI president, Lord Vallance of Tummel, has attacked the government in a report "The Economic Impact of Migration".


A different type of trade unionism

Education unions
Author: 
Nick Raine, NUT South Notts Joint Secretary (Personal Capacity)

This [NUT 2008 Easter] conference comes at a crucial time for trade unionists both in education and across the Public Sector. Both the NUT and UCU are balloting members over the government’s 3 year pay cut, which will hopefully lead to the first national strike over pay for a very long time.


Organising young workers: it can be done!

Super Size My Pay

New Zealand union organiser Mike Treen and French union activist Axel Persson spoke on organising, unionising and fighting for the rights of — mostly young — workers in the fast food industry.


Organising Migrant Workers

Immigration & Asylum

Private companies’ drive to make profit has attacked our pay and conditions. With more use of agency and temporary staff, our jobs are becoming more casual.


How the first Starbucks strike was made

Super Size My Pay
Author: 
Mark Sandell

Mike Treen, National Director of the New Zealand union Unite, will be touring the country in February as part of a No Sweat national week of action. [Details here]


Super Size My Pay: Young workers get organised

Super Size My Pay

Mike Treen of New Zealand's Supersize My Pay campaign and Axel Persson, a young fast food worker and CGT union activist from Paris, will do a speaking tour as part of No Sweat's 2008 week of action (11-18 February). Details here.


Reception for Mike Treen and Axel Persson, speakers on "Super Size My Pay" tour

15 Feb 2008 - 6:00pm

Location: 

Bread & Roses, 68a Clapham Manor Street, London (Clapham Common tube or Clapham High Street rail)


Description: 

For other events in this tour, click here.


No Sweat London forum: "Super Size My Pay", with Mike Treen and Axel Persson

16 Feb 2008 - 2:00pm

Location: 

University of London Union, Malet St, London WC1


Description: 

For other meetings in this tour, click here.


British, migrant, white, black - workers, unite!

Immigration & Asylum
Author: 
Gerry Bates

"British jobs for British workers”. A UK Independence Party slogan? British National Party? National Front? Right now it comes from Labour prime minister Gordon Brown.


How to rebuild the US unions

Books
Author: 
Paul Hampton

Review of US labor in trouble and transition, Kim Moody, London: Verso

Why is US labor in decline and how can the situation be turned around? Kim Moody, a prominent Marxist participant and commentator in the US labour movement over the past three decades, has produced a coherent answer to these questions, with implications for the revival of trade unionism everywhere.


US labor in trouble and transition - review of new Kim Moody book

Books

US labor in trouble and transition, Kim Moody, London: Verso 2007


Women workers get wage cut

Sweatshops

As of 1 October 2007, the national minimum wage for over 21 year olds will go up 17p, to £5.52 an hour. Working an average of 35 hours a week, this would leave you with £9,063.77 take home pay a year. This 3% rise is less than inflation, meaning the minimum wage change is actually a decrease in real terms.


Organising Tube Cleaners

Sweatshops

London Underground cleaners in the RMT continue to organise. About three weeks ago, cleaning staff at Morden Underground depot succeeded in fighting their management's imposition of a new 7-day a week roster, which would have allowed them no days off!


Organising fast food workers

Sweatshops

Mike Kyriazopolous interviews Jared Phillips, a Unite Fast Food Organiser and Workers Party activist in New Zealand.

MK: How did Unite plan its organising in fast food?


AWL trade union school report

Events for trade unionists
Author: 
Martin Thomas

Fifty activists attended the Workers' Liberty trade union school in London on 15 September. Workshops looked at how to organise strikes and how to operate as a socialist political activist in the workplace, and a plenary discussed the CWU dispute and the public sector pay battle more generally.


Starbucks workers need a union

Union organising

By David Broder

The minority group of opinion in the AWL which thinks we should call for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq has been courted in recent months by the Communist Party of Great Britain, who, while displaying no interest in building working-class politics in the Middle East, have noticed a superficial similarity between their own slogans and those of our minority.


The birth of the new unions

Strikes and trade union history

Cathy Nugent continues a series on the life and times of Tom Mann


IWW Starbucks Workers' Union film showing

Union organising
7 Jun 2007 - 6:30pm

Solidarity 3/111, page 8. Migrant workers fight back

Immigration & Asylum

Polish workers lead Dublin wildcat strike; Live working or die fighting


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