Workers at Amazon have successfully shut down a distribution centre in Coventry, as part of their ongoing battle for a living wage and union recognition. In order to beat the bosses, this struggle must be escalated to the wider workforce.
Workers at two Amazon UK warehouses are striking this week, marking a year since the first walkout by staff at the Coventry site, in a long-running struggle over pay and union recognition. The whole labour movement must offer their solidarity.
Support staff at City of Liverpool College are preparing to take action over pay. Across the sector, further education workers are being hammered. We need national coordinated action to save our colleges. Workers and students – unite and fight!
After repeated rounds of walkouts, the struggle in schools has come to a halt, with NEU members voting to accept the government’s pay deal. Rank-and-file teachers were willing to battle on. But once again, there was no fighting leadership.
This month has seen a volley of strike days on the railways, with RMT members walking out in protest over ticket office closures. Visiting picket lines, comrades have found that the mood is hardening. It is clear that this battle is far from over.
Thanks to determined strike action, outsourced hospital staff in London have scored an impressive victory, winning a bumper wage rise. With NHS struggles continuing, this provides an inspiring example for the rest of the trade union movement.
Along with other unions, after months of action, civil servants are taking stock in their struggle over pay. PCS members must absorb the lessons from the strike wave: militancy pays and coordination is key. We must prepare for future battles.
This coming week will see renewed action on Britain’s railways and on London’s Tube network, with the bosses and Tories making further attacks on passengers and workers. To save transport services, we need militant action and nationalisation.
Last week, after months of struggle by teachers, union leaders announced that they would recommend acceptance of the government’s below-inflation pay deal. Members should mobilise to reject this offer, and organise to forge a militant leadership.
Starmer’s Labour recently announced its programme for education. But as with other questions, the party is promising little but Tory-lite policies. To save our schools, staff and students must fight for a clear socialist alternative.
This year’s Unite conference took place this week against a backdrop of sharpening class struggle, with the Tories and bosses waging war on workers. Union activists are getting organised and preparing for battle. Militant leadership is vital.
Unison members in local government will not be joining this summer’s strike wave, after turnout in the recent ballot for action fell short. This highlights the need for activists to transform the union into a fighting weapon for members.