Sefton Trade Union Council has organised a meeting to remember the miners and Liverpool dockers dispute on Tuesday 27th October at 7pm
Speaking are Davey Hopper, North East secretary of the NUM and Doreen McNally, chair of Women of the Waterfront during the dockers dispute of 1995-98.
The venue is Bootle Salvation Army Hall 381 Stanley Road, Bootle Merseyside L20 3EF (2 mins from Bootle New Strand station)
See pubicity from the local paper:
http://www.crosbyherald.co.uk/news/crosby-news/2009/10/22/dockers-wife-is-set-to-give-a-talk-about-liverpool-dispute-68459-24987458/
Saturday, 24 October 2009
Sunday, 24 May 2009
Hope Not Hate - Crosby Music Festival
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.
See http://www.crosbymusicfestival.com/ for further details.
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.
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Workers Memorial Day
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
I joined UCATT's Workers Memorial Day in Liverpool today for a moving ceremony to remember all those killed at work.The UCATT monument on Hunter Street is modelled on a worker killed in the streets own development, and can be seen here www.johndavies.org/pic-hod-MEMORIAL.jpg
Alongside a delegation of primary school children was the deputy Lord Mayor of the city, and the Lord Mayor of Flint, both former construction workers themselves. PCS banners were also present, and a large contingent of teenage college students who I guess had some connection to the UCU Liverpool Community College branch, whose banner was also present.
Events like this highlight both how little value capitalism places on peoples lifes, and the real value of unions in defending the rights, and indeed the lives, of working people.Congratulations to the organisers for this.
For some reason both the GMB and Unite organised their own events, the latters press release making it to the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8022451.stm
I joined UCATT's Workers Memorial Day in Liverpool today for a moving ceremony to remember all those killed at work.The UCATT monument on Hunter Street is modelled on a worker killed in the streets own development, and can be seen here www.johndavies.org/pic-hod-MEMORIAL.jpg
Alongside a delegation of primary school children was the deputy Lord Mayor of the city, and the Lord Mayor of Flint, both former construction workers themselves. PCS banners were also present, and a large contingent of teenage college students who I guess had some connection to the UCU Liverpool Community College branch, whose banner was also present.
Events like this highlight both how little value capitalism places on peoples lifes, and the real value of unions in defending the rights, and indeed the lives, of working people.Congratulations to the organisers for this.
For some reason both the GMB and Unite organised their own events, the latters press release making it to the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8022451.stm
Friday, 24 April 2009
Southport: The End of Suburbia
I got the train up the Sefton coast last night to watch this film in Southport's Friends Meeting House http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3uvzcY2Xug
It was shown by the local Transition Town group, a grassroots idea that I support but that, like most environmentalism in this country, tends to be strongest in the leafier parts of cities and in suburban towns.
As a trade unionist facing squarely up both the crisis of capitalism and climate catostrophe, it seems obvious we need to be thinking about transition workplace communities too. The workplace is where most pollution takes place and most energy is consumed, not even counting transport to/from work.
The TUC have put this document out www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-9996-f0.pdf , and anyone in a unionised workplace can take up its suggestions. TUC affiliates though continue to support nuclear power, coal fired stations, the third runway at Heathrow....
However Visteon factory workers in occupation have also raised the possibility of converting parts of the car industry to socially and envioronmentally useful production, see http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=3867 Thats both an idea ,and a struggle, we should give our full support to
It was shown by the local Transition Town group, a grassroots idea that I support but that, like most environmentalism in this country, tends to be strongest in the leafier parts of cities and in suburban towns.
As a trade unionist facing squarely up both the crisis of capitalism and climate catostrophe, it seems obvious we need to be thinking about transition workplace communities too. The workplace is where most pollution takes place and most energy is consumed, not even counting transport to/from work.
The TUC have put this document out www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-9996-f0.pdf , and anyone in a unionised workplace can take up its suggestions. TUC affiliates though continue to support nuclear power, coal fired stations, the third runway at Heathrow....
However Visteon factory workers in occupation have also raised the possibility of converting parts of the car industry to socially and envioronmentally useful production, see http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=3867 Thats both an idea ,and a struggle, we should give our full support to
Monday, 20 April 2009
Sefton Trade Union Council - next meeting
Sefton Trades (ie Trade Union) Council next meets on Tuesday 28th April at 7pm at the South Sefton Unemployed Workers & Welfare Rights Centre, Sally Eccleston Memorial Hall, Moss Lane, Litherland, L21 7NW.
On the agenda is feedback from the North West Palestinian Trade Union Solidarity Conference and the South Sefton Unemployed Workers Centre. With the recession biting now these centres are more important than ever, and need your support.
Let us know if you can attend and/or please circulate to your members
On the agenda is feedback from the North West Palestinian Trade Union Solidarity Conference and the South Sefton Unemployed Workers Centre. With the recession biting now these centres are more important than ever, and need your support.
Let us know if you can attend and/or please circulate to your members
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