180 years ago this week, a process was set in train that saw the Tolpuddle Martyrs tried, convicted and deported to Australia for seven years for the ‘crime’ of forming a union. It’s a story that still speaks to people today, and in the South West TUC, we’re bringing it into the everyday lives of…
As a journalist and activist I’ve spent more years than I care to remember promoting trade unions, so it’s rather nice to have the compliment returned and having trade unions promoting my own latest venture – the on-line news service for trade unionists, UnionNews. In last Sunday’s Observer, three general secretaries very neatly pinpointed why…
For many trade unionists, lying on the famous Tolpuddle slopes swigging from a flagon of scumpy is the perfect reward for a year’s hard work. Suddenly all the meetings with management, all the discussions in committee rooms and all the work representing colleagues are put into perspective by a soundtrack of Tony Benn and Billy…