Here are some events put on by organisations our branch is affiliated with, or which form part of the trade union calendar.
Why war, peace and Palestine are trade union issues – Stop the War trade union conference
The world is at war – the question this conference will address is how we stop the warmongers. Trade unionists from across the UK will be coming together to discuss these issues and their experiences on how they have built pro-Palestine initiatives in their unions and workplaces. Get your branch to support and send a delegation.
Speakers Include:
- Chris Smalls, Amazon Labour Union
- Suzan Abdul Salaam, New Union of Jerusalem
- Jo Grady, UCU Gen Sec
- Eddie Dempsey, RMT Assistant Gen Sec
- Alex Gordon, RMT President
- Emma Rose, NEU President
- Jim Kelly, London Unite (Personal Capacity)
- Riccardo LaTorre, FBU National Officer
- Andrew Feinstein, Former ANC MP & Author of Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade
- Mohammed Shafiq, Chair of PCS Black Members Committee
- Louise Regan, Chair of NEU International Committee
- Liz Wheatley, Chair of Unison International Committee
- Sean Vernell, UCU Exec
- Lucia Pradella, UCU President of KCL
- Jordan Rivera, Branch Sec UNISON Homerton Hospital and NEC
- Sam Mason, CND Vice Chair (Trade Unions)
- Lindsey German, StWC Convenor
- Andrew Murray, StWC Vice President
Members of Unite London Digital & Tech who attend can claim their attendance fee and travel expenses from the branch. Get in touch in advance to make arrangements.
National Shop Stewards Network conference
The NSSN conference is happening on Saturday 22 June in central London.
This year’s NSSN Conference will be the last before the General Election. Trade unionists are rightly desperate to see the back of the Tories.
Over the last 14 years, we’ve been on the receiving end of vicious austerity, pay cuts, the cost of living squeeze and continued attacks on our right to strike through ever more restrictive and undemocratic Tory anti-union laws. And the unions still have to be prepared to fight together if Sunak looks to implement his Minimum Service Levels (MSL) legislation before the election.
But this has also been a period when workers and their unions are increasingly showing that it’s possible to fight back and win.
In March 2011, over 750,000 workers marched against the brutal cuts of Cameron, Clegg and Osborne, and that November, the N30 pensions strike saw up to 2 million public sector workers strike together.
Over the last two years, we have seen the strike wave – the biggest sustained level of strikes for over 3 decades, with many workers taking action for the first time.
Workers want the Tories out, but they also demand real change.
Members of Unite London Digital & Tech who attend can claim their attendance fee and travel expenses from the branch. Get in touch in advance to make arrangements.
Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival
The Tolpuddle Festival is one of the highlights of the trade union calendar. This annual festival where thousands of people come together to celebrate trade unionism and remember the role of the Tolpuddle Martyrs offers a full programme of traditional and contemporary music and other attractions.
There has been an annual gathering to mark the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs since 1930s. The annual event sees thousands of trade unionists from around the UK and the world descend on the small village in Dorset to celebrate the memory and legacy of the Tolpuddle Martyrs.
Unite London & Eastern is putting on a coach to take members to the Rally on Sunday 21 July. Contact our regional office to reserve a seat.
Burston Strike School Rally
The Burston Strike School was, and remains, a living consequence of what was latterly to become known as ‘the longest strike in history’. During the spring of April 1914, the young pupils at the Burston village Council School walked out of their school building in protest at the sacking of their beloved teachers Tom and Kitty Higdon, who were being punished by the local gentry and church authorities for Tom’s trade union and Socialist views. The strike and boycott lasted for some 25 years.
The annual commemoration of the strike is being held on 1 September. Contact our regional office to reserve a seat.