130 years ago, in the second half of 1893, 300,000 miners across Britain’s major coalfields were locked out for four months, with employers demanding a 25% wage cut. Workers resisted, different methods of trade union organisation were put to the test, and the forces of the capitalist state showed their repressive role. Iain Dalton, Socialist…
Following voting down British Gas’ ‘re-offer’ in a ballot, big numbers turned out to picket lines on Friday as workers started days 27-30 of the strike over the weekend. The ‘re-offer” was rejected by 69% overall on a 82% turnout across 5 business units and the crucial domestic gas engineers emphatically rejecting the offer by…
Overworked, underpaid, struggling to afford the basics – this is true of the situation facing many ‘key workers’ that the Covid-19 lockdown has so clearly demonstrated society is dependent on. This was also the situation facing many workers 130 years ago when the first May Day marches took place to celebrate International Workers’ Day. Iain…
