“Sunrise doesn’t last all morning. A cloudburst doesn’t last all day…” The words of a son of bus driver, active trade unionist and shop steward, George Harrison – the…Read more…
CLASS: Labour’s “Business manifesto” – a work in progress?
Published on the Centre for Labour and Social Studies (CLASS) blog, 1st April 2015 Ed Miliband’s speech to launch Labour’s “Business manifesto” is an important step in strengthening…Read more…
Letter in the Guardian: Austerity policies a disaster for majority
On Tuesday 24 March a letter which I was signatory to was published in the Guardian newspaper. You can read the letter below and see the full list of people who signed it. Austerity policies a…Read more…
Speech: Stand Up to Racism and Fascism demonstration
The CWU is proud to be a sponsor of today’s demonstration. We believe that the trade unions must be part of the broader anti-racist and antifascist movement. The CWU was one of the founding…Read more…
Speech: National Shop Stewards Network, Midlands conference
Thank you for this opportunity to address you. The CWU supports the promotion of a new shop stewards movement. The origin of this is a speech by the late Jack Jones, several years ago. He argued that…Read more…
Speech: Mentoring Course for Women in the CWU
It’s fitting that we are holding this course today – the day after we celebrated International Women’s Day. The theme this year for International Women’s day is Make it Happen. We are told by the…Read more…
Speech:Glasgow and District Branch AGM
Thank you for this opportunity to address your AGM. I want to makes some observations on the political situation, the unions work on organising, and our work on proportionality. This year is…Read more…
Speech: Joint meeting of Women’s Advisory Committee/Regional Women’s Committee
Thanks for the opportunity to address you. The old wisdom in the labour movement used to be that women would be expelled from work during recessions. We now know this to be untrue. Women’s…Read more…
Speech: Scotland No 2 Branch AGM
Thank you for this opportunity to address your AGM. I want to makes some observations on the political situation, the unions work on organising, and our work on proportionality. This year is…Read more…
Speech: Campaign for Labour Party Democracy AGM
It is a privilege to address your AGM. CLPD gives coherence to everything the left stands for inside the Party – to be practical, effective and principled. There is no difference amongst us,…Read more…
Speech: CWU South West Region AGM
Thank you for the opportunity to address your AGM. Our regional committees are for the branches, to have a forum to discuss our general position in the wider labour movement. Now, we are in election…Read more…
Speech: CWU Political Event – afternoon session
There’s no doubt over the CWU’s commitment to the return of a majority Labour Government. This is the policy of the union’s Annual Conference. It is the policy that we have been working…Read more…
Speech: UAF Conference
Session “ After Copenhagen, Chapel Hill and Paris attacks: Uniting against Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and fascism in Europe” It is always a pleasure to speak at UAF events. The CWU believes that UAF…Read more…
Morning Star comment: Divide and rule is the oldest trick in the book
Comment in today’s Morning Star. Scapegoating immigrants is a way to distract attention from the economic crisis and who caused it. You have to go back to the 1930s to find anything worse in…Read more…
Speech: Greece Solidarity Campaign demonstration
I bring you greetings from Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the TUC and greetings from the General Council of the TUC. The victory of Syriza is an inspiration for the whole working class…Read more…
February/March Voice column: What turns a trade union member into an activist?
A sense of social justice, a desire to right a wrong certainly. Talking to union activists at all levels, it always strikes me how much we have in common, both in terms of background and experience….Read more…
Morning Star: Work and the Law supplement
Bring back cross-sectoral bargaining Ed Miliband has established a commission on “the future of work and prosperity.” It is a panel made up of Alison Downie, Douglas McCormick and John Monks. Trade…Read more…
Speech: York and District branch
Thank you for the opportunity to address your meeting. Your branch plays an important and progressive role in our union. Long may it do so. Despite the spin from George Osborne and David Cameron,…Read more…
Comment in Metro.co.uk: What does the BT buy-out of EE mean for the mobile phone market?
Published in today’s Metro.co.uk If you’re a mobile, pay-tv or phone customer, the current spate of takeovers, mergers, launches and service-sharing is pretty confusing – but what does it mean…Read more…
Speech: CWU Youth Conference
Hello, good morning and thank you to the Youth Committee for the opportunity to talk to you today on the occasion of the Youth Conference. I very much enjoy the opportunity to get out and about and…Read more…