7pm, Thursday 9 DecemberLog in via Zoom here The UK’s restrictive anti-strike legislation, which requires unions to ballot members individually, by post, and to give significant notice periods to employers prior to ballots and prior to any action, is consciously designed to render strikes less effective and impactful. Workers in the postal service have retainedContinue reading “Public (Zoom) meeting, 7pm, Thursday 9 December: How postal workers maintained a tradition of unofficial action”
Category Archives: Trade Unions
UCU versus the anti-union laws
By a Cambridge UCU member The University and College Union (UCU) last week announced the results of two national ballots. Higher Education (HE) sector members were balloted on two disputes: the long-running “USS” pensions issue, and on the “Four Fights”: pay, workload, casualisation, and inequality. Pensions in HE have been systematically attacked over the pastContinue reading “UCU versus the anti-union laws”
For a national demo against anti-union laws!
In recent months, three major labour movement bodies – the TUC Congress, Unite’s policy conference, and the RMT AGM – have passed policies calling for a protests, including a national demonstration, against existing and proposed anti-union and anti-strike laws. RMT’s policy resolved: • To call a national demonstration to resist the law.• To approach otherContinue reading “For a national demo against anti-union laws!”
RMT says: we won’t comply with new anti-strike laws
The recent AGM of the National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport workers passed several motions on resisting anti-union laws. These reaffirmed RMT’s strong opposition to all legal restrictions on the right to organise and strike, both existing and proposed, and committed the union to continue working with campaigns including Free Our Unions. Crucially, inContinue reading “RMT says: we won’t comply with new anti-strike laws”
Unite reaffirms opposition to all anti-union laws
Unite’s policy conference passed a comprehensive composite on the anti-union laws, committing the union to organising a demonstration and conference against the laws, and breaking the laws where necessary. We reproduce the motion in full below. Unite has previously taken a similarly strong stance against anti-union laws; earlier this year, Free Our Unions supporters inContinue reading “Unite reaffirms opposition to all anti-union laws”
What Unite’s climate change policy says about the anti-union laws
On 18 October, the national policy conference of the Unite union passed a comprehensive motion on climate change. We reproduce the motion in full below, but highlight in particular its sections on anti-strike laws. The motion commits Unite to producing “guidance on what climate-related demands to include in collective bargaining, including ones which could beContinue reading “What Unite’s climate change policy says about the anti-union laws”
TUC Congress reaffirms policy to “repeal all anti-trade union laws”
TUC Congress, which was held online again this year from 12-14 September, has passed a composite motion which “resolves to campaign for the repeal of all anti-trade union laws and for the positive legal rights for workers to take action”. The motion was proposed by Unite and seconded by the Fire Brigades Union. The text quoted was submittedContinue reading “TUC Congress reaffirms policy to “repeal all anti-trade union laws””
Mobilise Unite against the anti-union laws!
By Free Our Unions supporters in Unite We publish this article in a spirit of a debate and discussion. We welcome responses from other activists. During Unite’s recent general secretary election, Free Our Unions supporters in the union campaigned to raise the issue of the anti-union laws and the right to strike – primarily throughContinue reading “Mobilise Unite against the anti-union laws!”
Empower the Unions workshop at Extinction Rebellion: How Workers Can Fight Climate Change, Friday 27 August, 1pm
Empower the Unions, the new initiative launched by Earth Strike UK and supported by Free Our Unions, is holding a workshop at Extinction Rebellion’s ongoing protests in central London. The workshop, entitled “How Workers Can Fight Climate Change”, will take place on Friday 27 August at 13:00. It is currently scheduled to take place nearContinue reading “Empower the Unions workshop at Extinction Rebellion: How Workers Can Fight Climate Change, Friday 27 August, 1pm”
VIDEO: Discussing anti-strike laws with the Green Party Trade Union Group
On Friday 20 August, Free Our Unions co-organiser Daniel Randall addressed the Green Party Trade Union Group’s monthly meeting. A video of Daniel’s presentation, and the subsequent discussion, is below. Scroll down for an edited transcript of Daniel’s opening speech. My name’s Daniel Randall, I’m a railway worker and a rep for the RMT union.Continue reading “VIDEO: Discussing anti-strike laws with the Green Party Trade Union Group”
Free Our Unions 