Which way forward for the trade unions?

In this session, John McInally – former vice president of the PCS civil servants’ union and veteran trade union activist – will discuss how, in these conditions, we can build a revolutionary trade union movement. The coronavirus crisis has accelerated class consciousness. Workers are getting organised to resist the tsunami of job cuts and austerity that is coming. Already, tens of thousands have joined both the NEU teachers’ union and Unison, Britain’s largest public sector union. Members of the NEU are now at the forefront of the struggle against the government's inept handling of the pandemic, forcing the government into another policy U-turn in the first week of 2021. Council workers in Tower Hamlets and culture sector workers at the Tate and Southbank have shown the way forward with long-running strikes. At the same time, key unions such as Unison, Unite, and the GMB are all set to see a change of leadership in the coming year. This could have a profound impact on the entire labour movement. Paul Holmes coming a close second place in the recent general secretary elections goes to show the potential for left victories across the labour movement. For example, Unison is in the process of electing a new general secretary. Socialist candidate Paul Holmes has the very real prospect of winning. If he does, it will transform industrial relations in Britain. This radicalisation has huge implications for the class struggle in the period ahead. We can expect a wave of industrial militancy. Workers will increasingly be forced into action to defend pay, jobs, and conditions. It is our job as Marxists to partake in these struggles and raise the sights of rank-and-file members. Join us in the fight for socialism: Join - socialist.net/join Donate - socialist.net/donate Subscribe - socialist.net/subscribe Follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and our podcast, Marxist Voice: Facebook - facebook.com/SocialistAppeal YouTube - youtube.com/c/SocialistNet1917 Twitter - twitter.com/socialist_app Podcast - wavve.link/marxistvoice