The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain
Week commencing 27th January 2023
The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain
Week commencing 27th January 2023
The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain
NEXT WEDNESDAY promises to see at least half a million workers, from train drivers, civil servants and university staff, taking strike action. Amongst them will be 300,000 teachers belonging to the National Education Union (NEU), who will be laying down the chalk at 23,400 schools in England and Wales and in sixth form colleges. They will be joined by their colleagues in the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) in two council areas and 70,000 members of the University and College Union (UCU), in the education sector alone.
On the railways, 15,000 train drivers belonging to the main drivers’ union ASLEF employed by 15 train operating companies will be joined by RMT members. To top it off, 100,000 civil servants belonging to PCS will be downing pens.
It is hoped readers will turn out to show their support to any local picket lines or rallies organised by trades union councils.
Needless to say, there has been plenty of industrial action in recent days, with the likelihood of more due to government and employer intransigence.
In addition to the major actions discussed below, we should not forget smaller actions such as the struggles by library workers at Hackney in east London where staff have been striking in defence of jobs, or the brave workers at the Amazon warehouse in Coventry whose one-day strike on Wednesday takes particular courage given the type of management they face. The latter is especially important as there is an urgent need for trade unions to organise against the Jeff Bezos types.
Union density in the private sector is far too low, but a few successes in both organising and winning a few victories will undoubtedly have positive knock on affect amongst low-paid workers. It is telling that most of strikes are taking place in the public sector or in privatised companies with a long tradition of unionisation. Trade unions must take up the Star Trek motto and boldly organise where no-one has organised before.