Colleagues, I am just preparing a blog item on a long-standing area of interest around machine learning and the distribution of information/knowledge. In preparing for this I reflected on the purpose and value of this blog. I occasionally come across people who have read posts, but I…Read more…
Protect the Right to Strike: Join the TUC Campaign
Colleagues,
I wrote earlier in the year about the attempt by the employer’s group within the ILO to challenge the fundamental right to strike in ILO Convention 87. One of the points I had commented on was that part of the group’s intention was to limi…Read more…
CLS/CSE Event: Work, Politics and Austerity: 14 Nov 2015
The continuing intensification of neoliberal policies across Europe and beyond will bring major challenges to the workers and popular classes, at home and abroad.
The re-composition of radical left politics in the UK and internationally presents b…Read more…
The Real World Meets the Gig Economy
Colleagues,
Apologies for such a long delay between this post and my last – reporting on another great CWU BME Leadership Weekend – but I have been away teaching a tremendous amount, with little time to reflect and write. (Al…Read more…
Race Equality & Organised Labour
Colleagues,
Many thanks to Trish Lavelle (CWU Head of Education) and CWU colleagues at the union’s magnificent education facility Alvescot Lodge in Oxforshire, for organising and hosting another fantastic BME Leadership Weekend.
Yet again we have been…Read more…
Education 4 Action @ Durham Miners’ Gala: 7-10th July 2015
End Austerity Now – National Demonstrations Saturday 20th June 2015
For details:http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/end_austerity_now_national_demonstration_saturday_20th_juneRead more…
Founding Ideals Undiminished
Colleagues,
In what will be the first of at least a couple of posts I feel the need to re-but the entirely inaccurate, biased and poorly researched attempts by the BBC recently to allege that Ruskin College is diminishing its founding principles throu…Read more…
The Spirit of the Levellers’: The Antidote to Austerity
Colleagues,
Just a short piece to report on a truly amazing day on Saturday accompanying the students of the MA ILTUS at Ruskin who have worked tremendously hard to gain a day off to attend the annual Levellers’ Day event in nearby Burford.
I had com…Read more…
What next for organised labour?
Colleagues,
Without doubt the 2015 general election outcomes present organised labour with considerable short and long-term challenges.
Len McCluskey’s statement represents, I feel, an important state of preparedness in what will clearly be a d…Read more…
UK General Election 2015: A Union’s Job is to Fight for Working People’s Rights
Colleagues,
Just a quick post as I am tied up preparing for teaching this weekend, and I want to follow the news of the early outcomes of today’s general election in the UK.
So much hangs in the balance for the British labour movement of the election…Read more…
Solidarity Forever
Colleagues,
In recognition of the last post, and the need to focus on solidarity action for the people of Nepal, I wanted to post this famous Walter Crane May Day painting from 1889. Please do what you can to raise funds to send via your unions.
Wher…Read more…
On May Day we will be mourning: Solidarity with Nepal
Colleagues,
All of us have been following the news following the tragic events in Nepal.
There have been a series of initiatives launched across the global labour movement, working in alliance with other organisations to distribute aid and support th…Read more…
International Workers’ Memorial Day: 28th April
Hold an event next week!
Read more…
What is critical labour studies?
Colleagues,
There is much that feeds into the educational and pedagogical strategy of the international labour and trade union studies programme at Ruskin College.
Some of this is a reflection of our day-to-day work with trade unions when meeting the…Read more…
Power from the people: why trade union decline should concern us all
Colleagues,
This short article of mine has been published today on the Future of Work Hub website: http://www.futureofworkhub.info/allcontent/2015/4/14/power-from-the-people-why-trade-union-decline-should-concern-us-all
Power from the people: why trad…Read more…
Researchers & Activists Forum on Precarious Work (23-24 April Loughborough Univ.)
Colleagues,
A reminder that this event is coming soon and one of significant interest to trade unionists internationally. There is a fantastic line-up of speakers and current/past students of the MA ILTUS at Ruskin speaking about their allied research…Read more…
Workers Rights in a Global Economy
Colleagues,
Ruskin College is an associate member of the Global Labour University (GLU) which is a network of universities, trade unions and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) delivering an MA programme similar to that run at Ruskin: http://w…Read more…
Audacity and the Power of Union Education
Colleagues,
I’ve just finished an exhausting, but hugely rewarding weekend’s teaching on the MA in international labour and trade union studies (ILTUS) at Ruskin.
A huge thanks to all who contributed. On Friday this was:
Sue Ledwith (creator of the …Read more…
Organising the Unorganisable? Voices from the bottom up: Researchers and Activists Forum on Precarious Work 23-24 April
Colleagues,
Maurizio Atzeni has organised a fascinating, international line-up of speakers around the theme of workers’ organisation and precarious work at Loughborough University 23-24 April.
The event reflects key themes of his last book (http…Read more…