The Unions Fight Back

[alanjjohnstone]

When Dave Douglass is not promoting coal-mining he can be very effective in defending radical working-class ideas and actions as he is in a letter to Weekly Worker.

https://www.weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1407/letters/

[ALB]

When I first came across him he was a Trot calling for armed militias to be formed to keep the pits in Doncaster from being closed. Since then of course he has moved on and has come to accept a more reasonable position. What is he now? IWW? But “taking and holding” the means of production won’t work without workers also organising to win political control, taking it out of the hands of the capitalists and their representatives. And will/should the administrative structure of future socialist society be based on industrial unions?

[alanjjohnstone]

You forgot to note his Class War period.

[james19]

Sorry to blow my own trumpet.

But very pleased with this from the Times, comments section….NHS nurses set to strike.

Lots of mileage in this? Perhaps?

james19
20H AGO

Conclusive proof, if proof was ever needed l posted elsewhere.
CEOs in the water industry rewarded for failure. Paid 300x median salary of their workers. Then we wonder why NHS staff are voting for strikes!

Recommend (32)

Here:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/surrey-residents-water-cut-off-in-34c-heat-cm8kkc9m9

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by james19.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by james19.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by james19.
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[alanjjohnstone]

To relate to one of the topics of our Summer School talks, “middle class” lawyers discover they are working class.

Barristers have voted to go on an indefinite, uninterrupted strike in England and Wales from next month. The walkout by members of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) will begin on 5 September.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-62629776

Meantime the container port of Felixstowe is at a standstill due to strike
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-62582931

[alanjjohnstone]

Why Postal Workers Are Going on Strike

[alanjjohnstone]

[james19]

Are you struggling? At least the the oligarchs aren’t worrying. £40m mansion gets new trees planted in their back garden! Times are tough…. not for some, not!

Billionaire closes main road in South Kensington for gardening work
Ivy owner Richard Caring wins council permission to close part of Onslow Square, a busy ambulance and bus route, for two weeks

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/aug/27/billionaire-closes-main-road-in-south-kensington-for-gardening-work?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

• This reply was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by james19.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by james19.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by james19.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by james19.

[alanjjohnstone]

The next best thing to a general strike?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/aug/27/uk-unions-waves-strikes-industrial-action-cost-living-crisis-autumn

Backed by the rail union RMT, Unite calls on the TUC to “facilitate and encourage industrial coordination between unions so workers in dispute can most effectively harness their union power to win”.

Another motion from Unison, the country’s biggest union, says the cost of living crisis is a “low pay crisis” and also demands that the TUC coordinate union action to campaign for pay rises “at least in line with inflation” – now 10.1% – as well as for a £15 per hour minimum wage.

[ALB]

Interesting how the unions have found ways round the Thatcher anti-union laws (maintained by the last Labour government). Strike ballots have been turned into a weapon to strengthen the negotiators’ hands and, now, coordinated same day strikes is being proposed to get round the ban on sympathetic strike action.

Not too keen, though, on the CWU demand for a “dignified” wage. That’s even worse than a “fair” wage since having to sell your ability to work for money to live is an indignity in itself.

[alanjjohnstone]

Royal Mail managers in Unite union make their case against redundancies

[alanjjohnstone]

Bernie in the UK

[alanjjohnstone]

Mick Lynch Speech.

[alanjjohnstone]

Rumpole of the Old Bailey on the picket line?

Barristers in England and Wales are starting an indefinite, uninterrupted strike, in an escalation of industrial action over pay which began in April.

The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) walkout is likely to worsen existing court delays, with tens of thousands of cases already waiting to go to trial.

The CBA wants a 25% rise in legal aid fees for representing defendants who could not otherwise afford lawyers.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-62757099

[ALB]

For the record, here is a classic Trotskyist criticism of Enough is Enough with their perennial demand for a “General Strike Now!” and ending :

“The critical issue facing the working class is the resolution of the crisis of revolutionary leadership.”

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/08/30/jsff-a30.html

Mind you, they are right that Enough is Enough is mobilising workers to vote Labour at the next general election.

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