Nursery workers refuse to be classed as self-employed: worker’s report
The government made tax changes on Sunday 6 April which many employers are using an an excuse to force self-employment on their workers. Phil T works at a care centre for children in west London that is trying precisely that. Here are details of the situation – and what Phil and fellow workers are trying to do about it. I work for […]
Keep Left in UNISON Higher Education
UNISON Higher Education Service Group Elections: Vote for a leadership that fights for you This week, voting opened in UNISON’s Service Group elections. These elections will decide the national executives for each of the seven industrial areas covered by the union. These committees oversee all bargaining and negotiations for their respective areas, as well as deciding […]
Ritzy strike for the London Living Wage
Workers at The Ritzy cinema in Brixton will be striking tomorrow for the London Living Wage. The strike will be from 9am on Friday to 3am Saturday morning. The picket will be at its largest after 6pm and we are asking campaigners to come and show their support. The workers in Brixton are striking […]
Brazilian workers paralyse refinery construction
Ali S reports from Brazil on the continuing strike by COMPERJ workers in Itaborai, Rio de Janeiro: “Radio Peão” – a set of codified rumours between workers – has been central to the continued paralysis in the construction of Brazil’s second biggest oil refinery. Almost the entire work force of 30,000 workers have walked out. […]
How I learnt about solidarity
An IT worker explains how she learnt about solidarity. In 2007 employees at my site were on strike. The company was attacking us on pay, union recognition, and any other agreements they wanted to bin. I hate public speaking. But fellow strikers twisted my arm and I grudgingly agreed to accompany a colleague to speak […]
Sparks strike at Three Bridges and protect jobs on the cards
report by a Unite rep Electricians in Three Bridges, Sussex, walked out this morning to defend their terms and conditions. Within hours they had forced their employers to back off and hire them on industry standard conditions. The action involved 30 agency workers hired by NG Bailey on a Volker Fitzpatrick construction site for Network Rail. Their Unite union demanded direct […]
rs21 Political Weekend: Racism, old and new
Mitch Mitchell reports on a discussion at rs21’s political weekend on contemporary racism and the dynamics of Islamophobia and anti-migrant politics.
The upturn/downturn debate: an introduction
Ian A summarises a debate on the development of capitalism since 1968, and how this has impacted the working class and its struggles, in a attempt to address the question of what revolutionaries should do.
26 March NUT strike round-up
NUT strikes have a tradition of large political demonstrations on strike days and today was no exception.
“We need to continue to fight for not just our pay and pensions, but for a different vision of education which allows all children to thrive”
“We are striking not because we do not care about our students, but because we do.”
NUT: holding the line or fighting to win?
Rob Owen, Croydon NUT young members officer, argues that, despite the reticence of other unions, if teachers want to defeat Gove’s reforms they need to keep fighting.
What is social reproduction theory?
In the first of a series of articles looking at and debating social reproduction theory, here we republish Tithi Bhattacharrya’s introductory piece on some of the basics.
Staff furious at £5 million cuts in west London college
Lecturers, support staff and students at Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College are opposing senior management’s plans to make £5 million worth of staffing cost cuts on the college in the next few months.
Campaign launched against casualisation at SOAS
One hundred and thirty people attended the launch meeting of the Fractionals for Fair Play Campaign (FFFP).
Bob Crow (1961–2014)
Tributes have poured in for a man who was one of Britain’s best known trade unionist and socialist public figures.
Unite halves affiliation to Labour
The move is a sign of the discontent within the unions caused by Labour’s failure to stand up for workers and a reaction to the attacks on the union links by the Labour leadership.
Solidarity with SOAS cleaners
Cleaners at SOAS will strike tomorrow and Wednesday in an ongoing effort to be brought in-house.
Lambeth College staff vote to ballot for strike action
At a packed branch meeting on Wednesday, members of UCU and Unison voted to ballot for indefinite strike action over proposed new contracts.
The UAW’s defeat in Tennessee
Bill Crane analyses the roots of the UAW’s defe at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga.
Jeremy Deller on the impact of industrialisation
‘All That Is Solid Melts Into Air’ is a multimedia exhibition by artist Jeremy Deller that attempts to demonstrate the impact of industrialisation on the British workers’ culture and psyche.
Defend RMT activist and tube striker Mark Harding
Around a hundred people gathered to support Mark Harding, a longstanding RMT activist, rep and branch secretary who is the victims of an outrageous and politicised anti-union prosecution.
Participation, resistance and betrayal among car workers
A Unite rep reviews Militant Years, Alan Thornett’s political memoir of his life as a radical car plant worker in Oxford – and draws out some political warnings about ‘participation’ then and ‘partnership’ today.
Solidarity on the tube strike picket lines
Members of North London rs21 report from the picket line at Finsbury Park station.
Portugal: Telemedicine workers strike against layoffs
(picture from Apoio S24) Portuguese workers in a health call centre have gone on strike for the second time in a month, reports João Camargo On Friday more than half of the 400 workers of the telephone medical service Saúde 24 (Health 24) went on strike against the layoff of over 100 of their colleagues. They also […]
UCU strike: outrage, resentment and cheeky chants
UCU union members in higher education went on strike across England and Wales today for two hours.
Factories without bosses: occupation wins in Argentina
(photo from www.8300.com.ar) Suzie Wylie writes from Argentina After 12 years of occupation and struggle at the Zanon ceramic tile factory in Neuquén, in southern Argentina, the courts have awarded the title deed for the property to the factory workers. The Ceramics Union declared, “We have fought, and will keep fighting to demonstrate that the […]
The case for a higher education workers inquiry
Jamie Woodcock and Sølvi Goard make the case for a workers’ inquiry in higher education: Higher education is the second most casualised sector in the UK economy after catering. It is undergoing huge and far reaching changes, and it is not clear what the results of these will be. The analysis from the industry itself […]
Fast Food Rights meets to plan 15 February day of action
Fast Food Rights has been launched by left-wing Labour MP John McDonnell, alongside the BFAWU bakers union and Unite the Resistance.
Court victory for 7,000 New Orleans teachers
An appeal court in Louisiana has ruled that the sacking of education workers that took place in the wake of Hurricane Katrina was illegal and that everyone who was fired should get two or three years back pay. Disaster capitalism has been punished, and school workers in New Orleans have won a long fight. Right […]
Working lives: supermarkets and poverty wages
P, a supermarket worker, discusses their experiences at work: For a total of around 9 years I’ve worked in 3 of the of the ‘Big 4’ supermarkets – Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s. The disparity between those at top of these companies, and the majority of the people they employ is huge. CEOs receive seven […]