Trade unions

Beyond start and stop strikes

The strategy has won victories, but there are limitations.

Unite and Fight Bulletin  ·  17 January 2022

Labour shortages result of attacks on migrant workers

By Dave Stockton THE CONFEDERATION of British Industries (CBI), representing 190,000 companies, warned on 18 October that ‘acute’ labour shortages will spread across more and more industries, from construction and distribution to retail and healthcare. And this crisis could last as long as two years. Though hospitality trades have enjoyed a strong bounce-back, this sector […]

Dave Stockton  ·  25 October 2021

Workers Expected to Pay for Worst Economic Crisis since 2008

By Tim Nailsea BRITAIN’S ECONOMIC growth has almost stalled because of shortages of labour in parts of industry and of material inputs, due to disruptions in the supply chain, coupled with the effects of Brexit. GDP grew by 0.4% in August but is still 0.8% below where it was in February 2020, before the country […]

Tim Nailsea  ·  25 October 2021

South Africa: steelworkers’ three-week strike sold out

‘NEGOTIATIONS ARE about give and take … We are not cowards because we have taken a compromise,’ said the self-styled ‘socialist revolutionary’ Irvin Jim, general secretary of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa). Immediately after, he ordered 155,000 steelworkers back to work, ending their three-week strike. This wasn’t just ‘compromise’; it was […]

Jeremy Dewar  ·  25 October 2021

A living wage for all

By Jeremy Dewar Workers in Britain are being hit by a triple whammy this month: inflation heading towards 5%; a £20 cut to Universal Credit, hitting the unemployed and worst paid workers; and the ending of furlough for 1 million workers, throwing hundreds of thousands out the door. These are not ‘temporary blips’ that will […]

Jeremy Dewar  ·  10 October 2021

Bosses blame ‘pingdemic’ for market failures

Brexit and pandemic-induced shortages fuel demands for action on pay and conditions

Tim Nailsea  ·  27 August 2021

How radical is Sharon Graham’s organising strategy?

General Secretary candidate Sharon Graham heads up the union's Organising Unit.

Tim Nailsea  ·  14 August 2021

Left win control of Unison’s executive – now the fight begins

Branch activists must now co-ordinate real change from below.

Simon Hannah  ·  11 July 2021

We can defeat fire-and-rehire!

Teachers take strike action.

Joe Crathorne  ·  11 July 2021

Serco Out! Outsourced workers fight back

Civil Enforecement and hospital workers stage walkouts.

Joe Crathorne  ·  11 July 2021

Unite General Secretary Election – for a single left candidate

Four candidates will be on the ballot paper.

Tim Nailsea  ·  09 June 2021

Royal College of Nurses training members to fight for a pay rise

Workplace activists can lead the fight for 15%.

Rebecca Anderson  ·  03 June 2021

General Secretary election: which way forward for Unite?

No candidate is proposing genuine rank and file strategy.

Tim Nailsea  ·  01 June 2021

Interview: Goodlord strike enters its 13th week

Fighting back against "fire & rehire".

Joe Crathorne  ·  28 May 2021

Fire and rehire signals a growing bosses’ offensive

Even more employers will use this tactic to attack terms and conditions.

Andy Yorke  ·  27 April 2021

This week in strikes: a round up of industrial disputes

Manchester buses, school students and British Gas

Joe Crathorne  ·  12 April 2021

Victory for the Shrewsbury 24—but this is only the beginning

State surveillance, political trials and blacklisting

Joe Crathorne  ·  27 March 2021

Bus strikes can lead fight against fire-and-rehire

The rank and file must take control.

Joe Crathorne  ·  25 March 2021

This week in strikes: a round up of industrial disputes

Whats kicking off and where.

Joe Crathorne  ·  11 March 2021

Fighting for the right to strike

Jeremy Dewar recounts how the anti-union laws shackled the unions and calls for defiance

Workers Power  ·  19 October 2012

Theses on Communists and the Trade Unions

The methods and principles of communist work in the trade unions.

Workers Power  ·  01 July 2009

Subscribe to the newsletter

Receive our class struggle bulletin every week