Sefton Unison are sponsoring a music festival in Crosby Village this (bank holiday) weekend, 22-25 May, in support of the Hope Not Hate Campaign.
See http://www.crosbymusicfestival.com/ for further details.
Sunday 24 May 2009
Saturday 16 May 2009
Saturday 2 May 2009
May Day May Day
It's probably no coincidence that both the workers flag and international workers day are used to symbolise danger. The spectre of workers protest still haunts much of the world, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8028237.stm and http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/8028861.stm
Closer to home Sefton Trade Union Council supported the Merseyside County Association of Trade Union Councils May Day March, held this year at Wallasey Central Park in the Wirral. While many local people enjoyed the music, the fair and the football competition, the march itself was probably the smallest may day march many of us have ever took part in, with the banner of the North West PCS the only union banner visible to me.
Given the crisis of British capitalism and growing unemployment, why was a chance like this missed to put the case for workers organisation and collective solutions ? Is it just the case, as thatcherites and anarchists alike pronounce, that unions are a thing of the past?
6.9 million workers remain union members though, still earning more than those who are not unionised http://stats.berr.gov.uk/uksa/tu/TUM2008.pdf
What its important to understand is that unions are organised both vertically (ie top down, often from regional/national offices) and horizontally (through lay organisation, branches, stewards commitees and the trades union councils of local branch delegates). Union activists generally rely on both for support, and when we are on the defensive we rely more on the help of paid officials, for interpretations of complex legislation, campaigning publicity, press contacts etc.
Most union activists appreciate any help they get, and there is loyalty to the union structures on that basis. However these official structures are also more tied into the state, through the higher salaries officials receive, the time they spend developing working relationships with managers and HR, and the belief that the connections between them and Labour Party politicians means we have 'friends in high places'. Friends who take our money and then kick us in the teeth, that is..
While the membership contacts and subscriptions are held by the official structures, horizontal organisation is strongest when workers are acting independently, either through confidence or sometimes frustration, and organising (and believing in) themselves. Otherwise the branch structures, commitees and trades union councils tend to decline, as members lack the confidence to become activists, and those activists left lack the time and energy to organise themselves.
The officials themselves have at best an ambigious relationship with horizontal organisation. As its the trade union councils who organise the may day marches, they can't rely on the regional or national offices to mobilise for them, and its a fair best that most union members arent even told about such events.
However we may be seeing evidence of a revival of independent workplace action, with the symbolic victory of the Visteon workers factory occupations on May 1st a reminder of the power of organisation http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/britain/stunning_win_for_visteon_workers
Every worker can, and should be in a union, and every activist can go to their branch or stewards meeting, get themselves delegated to their local trade union council, and start organising with other union activists across the movement. We still have a world to win, and we can start by taking back our day in the sun.
Closer to home Sefton Trade Union Council supported the Merseyside County Association of Trade Union Councils May Day March, held this year at Wallasey Central Park in the Wirral. While many local people enjoyed the music, the fair and the football competition, the march itself was probably the smallest may day march many of us have ever took part in, with the banner of the North West PCS the only union banner visible to me.
Given the crisis of British capitalism and growing unemployment, why was a chance like this missed to put the case for workers organisation and collective solutions ? Is it just the case, as thatcherites and anarchists alike pronounce, that unions are a thing of the past?
6.9 million workers remain union members though, still earning more than those who are not unionised http://stats.berr.gov.uk/uksa/tu/TUM2008.pdf
What its important to understand is that unions are organised both vertically (ie top down, often from regional/national offices) and horizontally (through lay organisation, branches, stewards commitees and the trades union councils of local branch delegates). Union activists generally rely on both for support, and when we are on the defensive we rely more on the help of paid officials, for interpretations of complex legislation, campaigning publicity, press contacts etc.
Most union activists appreciate any help they get, and there is loyalty to the union structures on that basis. However these official structures are also more tied into the state, through the higher salaries officials receive, the time they spend developing working relationships with managers and HR, and the belief that the connections between them and Labour Party politicians means we have 'friends in high places'. Friends who take our money and then kick us in the teeth, that is..
While the membership contacts and subscriptions are held by the official structures, horizontal organisation is strongest when workers are acting independently, either through confidence or sometimes frustration, and organising (and believing in) themselves. Otherwise the branch structures, commitees and trades union councils tend to decline, as members lack the confidence to become activists, and those activists left lack the time and energy to organise themselves.
The officials themselves have at best an ambigious relationship with horizontal organisation. As its the trade union councils who organise the may day marches, they can't rely on the regional or national offices to mobilise for them, and its a fair best that most union members arent even told about such events.
However we may be seeing evidence of a revival of independent workplace action, with the symbolic victory of the Visteon workers factory occupations on May 1st a reminder of the power of organisation http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/britain/stunning_win_for_visteon_workers
Every worker can, and should be in a union, and every activist can go to their branch or stewards meeting, get themselves delegated to their local trade union council, and start organising with other union activists across the movement. We still have a world to win, and we can start by taking back our day in the sun.
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