Revolutionary Socialism in the 21st Century
 
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Socialism in the
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rank and file

GKN Florence: this is what worker led just transition looks like

After more than 3 years in occupation, the Florence GKN workers’ fight to save jobs and develop alternative production continues

1974 – an end and a beginning

Willie Black looks back at 1974. A pivotal year both in Britain and across the world – high points of workers’ struggles, but also the beginning of five decades of neo-liberalism

Resisting the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act

Ian Allinson discusses the ways workers can resist the government’s latest repressive anti-union legislation.

Without organisation, we have nothing: building a rank and file organisation in schools

After a momentous year of workplace struggles, rs21 teachers discuss the need for ongoing rank and file organisation across schools

How can workers stop the genocide?

An rs21 arms worker on how the Palestine solidarity movement could stop the flow of weapons to Israel.

Troublemakers logo

‘Troublemakers at Work’: Why trade unions need a militant rank-and-file

‘Troublemakers’ brought trade unionists and activists together to discuss the importance of a militant rank-and-file.

School strikes: results and prospects

The tragedy of ending the dispute now is squandering the momentum and resolve we have built.

a large crowd of people at May Day rally, with different union banners

What is the potential for rank-and-file organisation today?

There is renewed interest in rank-and-file organisation, but confusion about what this means and what is possible.

UCU dispute: members can win the marking and assessment boycott

As the UCU’s marking and assessment boycott gets underway, rs21 members in UCU underline the need for more rank-and-file initiatives and a commitment to genuine member-led democracy in the union. Even before the marking and assessment boycott (MAB) by UCU members in the higher education sector got underway, the union was racking up some successes. […]

A UCU picket line

UCU dispute at the crossroads

rs21 members in UCU analyse the current UCU dispute and consider the role of the UCU bureaucracy in recent weeks. In January, the future of the UCU dispute over pay, pensions and conditions was in a precarious situation. A vote by the Higher Education Executive committee (HEC) to call indefinite strike action had been publicly […]

image of UCU protest in November 2019, pink banner reads 'Students + Workers'

Support the UCU strikes!

UCU workers are escalating industrial action in their disputes. Jaswinder Blackwell-Pal explains why this is a vital move and how to support.

Yet more anti-strike laws

As Britain’s strike wave continues to grow, Ian Allinson argues for a more serious response to the Tories’ latest repressive legislation.

Photo from UCU strike four fights rally in Manchester, banner in front reads 'End casualisation', behind that is a Manchester Metrolopitan UCU branch banner. Photo by Ian Allinson.

Lowering expectations: misrepresentations of McAlevey

Trade unionists have been inspired by McAlevey’s work. But now sections of the union bureaucracy are co-opting her insights.

Image shows april 1974 issue of rank and file paper 'the Building Worker'. Headline reads 'CRISIS THREATENS NEW LAYOFFS', second headline reads 'MAKE LABOUR FREE THE JAILED PICKETS. Tell Wilson Do not let our brothers rot in prison.'

What is the rank and file strategy?

Transcript of a talk that a Unite rep and rs21 member gave on the rank and file strategy as part of a Notes from Below panel at The World Transformed in Brighton.

Image of Sharon Graham with text 'let's get back to the workplace'

Sharon Graham wins stunning Unite victory

Graham recognises the need to focus on rebuilding workplace power to reverse union decline.

What’s at stake in the Unite election?

We have to develop a strategy that challenges the status quo in Unite, and that means taking a different road to the official left.

Who should be Unite’s next General Secretary?

Campaigning for Unite’s general secretary election is underway. None of the candidates is ideal, but rs21 argues for critical support for Sharon Graham.

Crowd with giant 'strike' lettering

A crucial week for the university strikes

With negotiations reportedly going well, but the current wave of strikes ending alongside the climate strikes on Friday, rs21 members explain why this is a crucial week and explore some of the debates among strikers.

Three days that shook the UCU leadership

Rank-and-file university workers are pushing UCU’s leadership in a bid for democracy, accountability and a fighting union

The death of irony at UCU congress

At the heart of the fight is the question of who controls the union: the officials or the membership?

Video: what is rank-and-file trade unionism?

Ian Allinson looks at rank-and-file worker organisation – the alternative to a reliance on bureaucrats to cut deals with management.

Breaking with the bureaucrats: how to reclaim Unite

Joe Hayns writes about the need to end the bureaucratic stasis at the top of Unite and support dynamic grassroots struggles led by rank-and-file members. On Monday (27 March) Unite members start to vote on who will be their next General Secretary – the centrist incumbent, Len McCluskey; the right-winger, Gerard Coyne; or the socialist, rank-and-file candidate, […]

For a rank-and-file strategy: supporting #ian4unite in the Unite GS election

Unite activist and former executive member Sara Bennett explains the politics behind Ian Allinson’s challenge to the Unite leadership Long-time Unite workplace activist, Ian Allinson, has thrown his hat into the ring in Unite the Union’s General Secretary election. The election was called at short notice and is the second time that current General Secretary, Len […]

revolutionary reflections | Rank and File Organising – Lessons from America Part 2

The International Socialist tradition has always believed in socialism from below – which means that socialism can only come about by the self-activity of the working class. In this interview Anindya Bhattacharyya and a Unite rep spoke to labour organiser Kim Moody about his experience of rank and file organising in the US since the 1960s, […]

Reviving the rank and file

Why aren’t we following the example set by the junior doctors? Rachel Eborall looks at the arguments we need to make to revive the rank and file movement and put militant action back on the agenda The fact that the working class is paying for a crisis they did not cause is clear for all to see. According to […]

Reclaiming the future – new rs21 magazine out on Saturday

The Spring 2016 issue of the rs21 magazine will be out on Saturday. Order your copy or subscribe here*. Below, Rob Owen gives an overview of the new edition. Part of the union? What should socialists argue in the EU referendum? Our hot topic section lays out the different anti-capitalist arguments around how to approach the referendum. […]

Radicalising the rank and file

The following comments are extracted from a very lengthy and detailed discussion which rs21 members Anindya Bhattacharyya and a Unite rep recently conducted with the US Marxist labour historian Kim Moody.  A former member of Students for a Democratic Society and the US International Socialists, Moody served on the editorial board of the journal he […]

Review: Strike for America

Tomorrow over a million public sector workers will go on strike. Amy Gilligan reviews Micah Uetricht’s recent book Strike for America: Chicago Teachers Against Austerity which looks at how teachers in Chicago organised and won.   Originally published in the Summer 2014 edition of the rs21 magazine The story of the victorious Chicago teachers’ strike […]

Notes on the balance of class forces

The decline in workplace organisation is more than falling membership.