A new dawn for the trade union movement in Britain

[Martha Julings]

Forwarded for Woodcraft discuss:

A new dawn for the Trade Union movement in Britain

The public sector strikes over pensions on the 30 June represent a new
dawn for the trade union movement in Britain.

There are now new images and pictures of mass strike action in the
minds of people and the media. It was a day of colourful flags,
balloons and placards on picket lines and marches. Humour, defiance
and carnival defined this day of resistance.

Teachers from three unions walked out in England and Wales with
11,114 state schools in England hit by the walkouts. 436 academies
and city technology colleges were also shut or partially open. In
Wales more than 1,000 schools were either shut or partially closed.
Somewhere in the region of 300,000 members of the PCS union walked
out. The number of people on marches throughout the country reflect
this unity. 40,000 in London (http://righttowork.org.uk/2011/06/london-
march-and-rally-report/), 10,000 in Birmingham and 6,000 in Manchester
(http://t.ymlp51.net/ewhavaqqbaoauyeafajhu/click.php).

The 30th June has acted as a stepping stone to the Autumn where we
will see two demonstrations outside the Lib Dem party conference on
the 18 September and the Tory party conference on the 2 October
(http://righttowork.org.uk/2011/06/march-against-the-tories-and-the-
lib-dems/). Along with a possible four million workers on strike
before the winter just imagine what days they could be.

Pictures from the pickets and protests

Our slideshow has 130 pictures from around the country –
http://righttowork.org.uk/2011/06/june30pics/

Thank you to everybody who sent them in.

After June 30: March to defend the NHS

Health workers have been inspired by the 30 June strikes with the BMA
the latest to vote by 87% for strike action. But we can’t wait until
the autumn. We all need the NHS and we have the summer to save it.
After June 30: March to defend the NHS -
http://righttowork.org.uk/2011/07/after-june-30-march-to-defend-the-nhs/

March against the Tories and Lib Dems

Right to Work has initiated 2 major demonstrations during the party
conference season in the Autumn:

March against the Tories, 2nd October, Manchester
The North West TUC is supporting the demonstration and at UNISON
conference delegates voted for a motion that called for the TUC to
call a march at the Tory Conference.

Click here for a report on the build up to the march -
http://righttowork.org.uk/2011/06/momentum-grows-over-march-on-the-tory-party-conference/

March against the Lib Dems, 18th September, Birmingham
Right to Work has also initiated a demonstration at the Lib Dem
conference. This march is supported by the Midlands TUC and anti cuts
groups across the Midlands.

Click here for a report on the build up to the march -
http://righttowork.org.uk/2011/06/demo-at-lib-dem-conference-latest-update/

Affiliate to Right to Work

7 national unions now support Right to Work – PCS, UCU, CWU, NUJ, EIS,
TSSA, BFAWU

To affiliate your organisation to Right to Work click here

Please send coming events and reports to rep...@righttowork.org.uk