Some (Constructively) Critical Reflections on STUC Youth Conference
Last weekend I attended the STUC Youth Conference as a delegate from UCU. I'm told there hasn't been a delegate from my union in a while, in a sense that's…
Architecture of the left: our generation must build to win
I was asked to speak in the youth plenary at Compass conference this weekend. This is roughly what I said. From the Russian border to the French Atlantic, the historic…
No to de-recognition at Robert Gordon University
Robert Gordon University, in Aberdeen, recently terminated it's recognition agreements with both the University and Colleges Union (UCU) and Unite. UCU were immediately derecognised, while Unite, owing to a slightly…
An injury to one is an injury to all – support the RMT strikes
Last week the tube union, the RMT, announced a series of strike dates over an ongoing campaign of victimisation against two union activists - Eamonn Lynch and Arwyn Thomas. Phil,…
Help save Colombian academic Dr Miguel Beltrán.
This afternoon I received a letter from Sally Hunt, general secretary of my union - UCU, asking me to help support Colombian academic and political prisoner Dr Miguel Beltrán. Dr…
Unions & NGOs back UK Uncut
This is a letter from a number of NGOs and unions in support of UK Uncut. Protest has been a means for progressive change throughout human history - and it…
Strike! University lecturers to take industrial action over pension changes.
Last week members of the Universities and Colleges Union (UCU) at over 60 universities across the UK voted to take strike action in defence of our pensions. 65% voted to…
Organising Against Austerity: Economic Power, Unions and Communities
In the UK today we no longer have mass industrial trade unions; with the possible exception of the transport unions it is hard to have an effect that can't simply…
On charity, solidarity & NGOs
Part of our ongoing series on 'how the left has lost'. The last 25 years has seen a transformation of the architecture of the left which has been matched only…
The Tensions Between the Green Party and the Trade Union Movement…
The Tensions Between the Green Party and the Trade Union By Jane Watkinson Whilst the right like to claim that Ed Miliband is a union symbol of the ‘ Old…