Unions & politics

Trade Unions and politics

How to make Unison “strike-ready”

The National Delegate Conference (NDC) of the public services union Unison (14-17 June) was, as we reported , dominated by attacks on the new left majority of the National Executive Committee (NEC). Yet both the NDC and Unison’s local government sector conference (12-13 June) also passed some useful — if sometimes vague — policies, which should given work for the left to organise around. There was also a mood or theme which (perhaps superficially) united all wings of Unison: the union must become “strike ready”. We are understandably cautious when a general secretary who has part of the union...

How to stop David Lammy talking like a Tory

Ok, so I've given the game a way in the title but pretend you haven't read it, close your eyes, and listen to this interview, it's a Tory speaking right? Tragically no, it is David Lammy, Labour's Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of United Kingdom.

I saw...

After 18 June protest: we need clear demands, strong action

One of a group of French rail workers who joined the demonstration in London on 18 June On 18 June, for the first time since 2018, a trade union demonstration filled the streets of London. Perhaps 50,000 joined the TUC "Demand Better" march. The return of the labour movement to the streets was a reminder of its size and potential power. We need to make it the start of a great wave of protests and strikes, and a drive for clear policies to redistribute wealth and power to the working class. The 18 June protest was smaller than the huge demonstrations in 2011, before that year’s public sector...

As Labour MPs back rail action, fight to make Labour the party of strikes!

In the period since RMT announced strikes in the dispute with Network Rail and mainline TOCs, a number of Labour MPs have made statements, of varying degrees of strength, in support of those strikes.

MPs on the left of the party, such as John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Nadia Whittome, Rebecca Long...

Support sex workers' rights and safety - support Unison conference motion 55

A motion is going to the national conference of public services union Unison (Brighton, 14-17 June) to change its policy to supporting full decriminalisation of sex work and sex workers' fight to organise and assert their rights. The text is below; all motions to the conference here . (You can read the union's existing policy from 2010, supporting the "Nordic model", here .) As stated in our bulletin for the conference, Workers' Liberty strongly supports motion 55 and urges delegates to pass it. Check out the feminist/labour movement oriented campaign Decrim Now . And for some wider socialist...

Demand a £15 minimum wage by 2024? Yes! What about now?

In the last week some prominent Labour left figures and left economists have called for a £15 per hour minimum wage. Last year’s Labour conference passed a motion calling for this (and for minimum wage-level sick pay). Keir Starmer ordered Shadow Employment Rights Secretary Andy McDonald to oppose it; as a result he resigned. The left buzzed; it seemed like there might be some fuss about the issue in the labour movement and some campaigning. Instead: virtual silence. Labour has continued to argue, not very much or very loudly, for £10ph, implying that this will also be its policy come an...

PCS conference rejects "Stop the War" argument, votes for strong Ukraine solidarity

Yuliya Yurchenko addresses the Ukraine Solidarity fringe meeting at PCS conference. On the platform: John McDonnell, Chris Ford, Fran Heathcote, Mark Serwotka The national conference of civil service trade union PCS (24-26 May, Brighton) voted overwhelmingly for a strong stand in solidarity with Ukraine and its labour movement, and to affiliate to the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign (USC). It rejected a Stop the War Coalition-supporting motion attempting to present the war as a “proxy conflict between Nato and Russia”. Workers’ Liberty supporters in PCS, organising alongside others in PCS...

Stand with Ukraine and its labour movement: a letter to UCU Congress delegates and activists

Bombed out building, National University of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine From Denys Pilash, political scientist at Kyiv National University and activist in Ukrainian socialist organisation Sotsialniy Rukh (Social Movement), and Rhian Keyse, Birkbeck UCU and incoming UCU NEC member Dear comrades, At its Congress this week, UCU has the opportunity to take a strong stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and its labour movement. We urge delegates to pass Motion 23 and amendments strengthening it, and reject Motion 22 . The Russian military’s bombing of universities, colleges and schools in...

Aslef and FBU vote down disaffiliation

The Annual Assembly of Delegates (AAD, annual decision-making conference) of the train drivers’ union Aslef voted overwhelmingly, by 74-9, on 16 May to retain the union’s affiliation to the Labour Party. Activists organising to reject disaffiliation motions had been expecting it to be much closer than that. We welcome this vote, which came less than a week after the Fire Brigades Union conference voted down a disaffiliation motion 75-25. Aslef’s Executive Committee remains split on this issue, and this is unlikely to be the last time disaffiliation comes up at conference. It is important to...

Aslef conference backs Labour affiliation

Aslef's Annual Assembly of Delegates (AAD, its annual decision-making conference) voted overwhelmingly, by 74-9, to retain the union's affiliation to the Labour Party earlier this week. Activists organising to reject disaffiliation motions had been expecting it to be much closer than this but on the...

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