Union democracy

Oust Grady, vote for democracy

Ballots slipped through letterboxes for education workers in the University and College Union (UCU) from 25 January. Incumbent Jo Grady is being challenged for general secretary (GS), and there are elections for the National Executive (NEC) members and for the union vice-president (who becomes president after two years). Voting closes 1 March. In online hustings this week Grady admitted her term had not been easy, blaming the difficulties on having to implement an industrial strategy that was not of her design (despite implementation being her actual job). Given how often she undermined...

Unions need more democracy

As the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) and Unison begin their National Executive Committee (NEC) elections, members are reminded that unions are not insurance companies, but democratic collectives. Workers’ Liberty supporters active in those unions are supporting slates proposing more radical tactics in industrial disputes, and democratic reforms of union structures. The current strike wave shows that trade unions remain both the bedrock organisations of the working class, through which revivals of struggle will be expressed, and bodies in great need of transformation. Within PCS...

The lessons about union officialdom

The strike wave is reviving. Why did it sag in early 2023? One big lesson is about the role of union officialdom. After almost 35 years of low strike levels, a strike wave started in June 2022, with workers striving to match wages to prices, especially of food and energy, rising much faster than at any time since the early 1990s. Unemployment was and is low, with bosses hiring anew for post-lockdown expansion, so workers have also sought to reverse the decline since 2008 in real median weekly wages, especially in public services. On the rail, on the Tube, and in Royal Mail, workers have also...

UCU: union democracy needed

As Solidarity goes to press (28 March), higher education members of UCU are being asked whether to move to a formal consultation on employers’ proposals in their two disputes, one over the pre-92 university pension scheme USS, and one on pay and pay-related elements across the sector. Alongside this, a reballot continues (to 31 March), allowing six months’ further action. There has been real progress on USS, with a commitment to restoration of benefits. There are still potential pitfalls as the details are thrashed out, but it seems unlikely that more action in that dispute at present will...

The working-class struggle and union officialdom

A strike wave started in June 2022 as workers strove to match wages to prices, especially of food and energy, rising much faster than at any time since the early 1990s. With unemployment low as bosses hired anew for post-lockdown expansion, workers also sought to reverse the decline in real median weekly wages from economic crash and then austerity since 2008. Public-service wages had declined particularly, being only 1% higher than private-sector wages (for comparable qualifications, age, etc.) in 2022 where they were 7% higher in 2011. On the rail, on the Tube, and in Royal Mail especially...

Mobilise to reject sub-par offers, and fight for escalation!

After the votes (announced 20 March) to accept poor offers on Network Rail and by RCN in Scotland, there is still potential to remobilise and turn the tide. But workers need independent rank-and-file organisation to develop alternative strategies in disputes. RCN (Royal College of Nursing) in Scotland has announced that among its members in Scotland. 53.3% voted to accept the offer, 46.6% voted to reject, on a turnout of just over 50%. The offer is a 6.5% rise in 2023-4 (or for some, fractionally more) for all staff up to and inclusive of Band 8a, plus a one-off pro rata payment of between...

The ups and downs of the labour movement

After describing the rise of trade unions and workers’ wages-and-conditions battles in the Communist Manifesto, Marx wrote: “Now and then the workers are victorious, but only for a time. The real fruit of their battles lies, not in the immediate result, but in the ever expanding union of the workers”. Not literally ever -expanding, without setbacks. Marx followed up: “This organisation of the proletarians... is continually being upset again by the competition between the workers themselves. But it ever rises up again, stronger, firmer, mightier”. He didn’t mean that every setback will...

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.