Workers Can Win! A Guide to Organising At Work
The Covid, climate and cost of living crises all hang heavy in the air. It’s more obvious than ever that we need radical social and political change. But in the vacuum left by defeated labour movements, where should we begin? For long-time workplace activist Ian Allinson, the answer is clear: organising at work is essential to rebuild working-class power.
The premise is simple: organising builds confidence, capacity and collective power – and with power we can win change. Workers Can Win is an essential, practical guide for rank-and-file workers and union activists. Drawing on more than 20 years of organising experience, Allinson combines practical techniques with an analysis of the theory and politics of organising and unions.
The book offers insight into tried and tested methods for effective organising. It deals with tactics and strategies, and addresses some of the roots of conflict, common problems with unions and the resistance of management to worker organising. It’s approach is based on organising from the below. It features original cartoons by Colin Revolting throughout. As a 101 guide to workplace organising with politically radical horizons, Workers Can Win is destined to become an essential tool for workplace struggles in the years to come.
Ian Allinson has been a workplace activist since 1991, working for a private sector employer that did not recognise the union for most workers, and where he led a number of strikes including the first national strike in the IT industry. He served ten years on the national Executive committees of Amicus and Unite, and was a candidate for Unite General Secretary in 2017. He is currently industrial action coordinator on the executive committee of Manchester TUC, where he was previously President. Ian has written extensively for rs21.
Workers Can Win is being published by Pluto Books at £14.99.
More information about the book, including the first chapter, is available via workers-can-win.info. You can sign up for updates about the book from the author.
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