The Forward March of Labour Resumed

Abstract

This article, which explores the development of a new wave of industrial struggles, derives from a session at the symposium held in November 2023 to mark the 90th anniversary of the Marx Memorial Library and Workers’ School (MML). As the chair, John McDonnell MP explained that these mobilisations have been on a scale not seen for a generation; trade unions have been campaigning around pay, but also around working conditions and the future of their services, particularly public services. These struggles have been mobilising a new generation of trade unionists, demonstrating what can be achieved through determined trade union mobilisations. The contribution by Lord John Hendy KC focused on trade unions, the law and the importance of the role of trade unions in terms of building a popular front. Fran Heathcote, president of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), explained the contributions of her union in the most recent wave of industrial action, helping to coordinate a strategy that puts maximum pressure on employers and minimises the financial impact on low-paid members. Alex Gordon, president of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), has been at the forefront of some of the most significant industrial disputes in recent history, demonstrating the determination that a particular union can inspire in others. Building on the previous speakers’ contributions, he developed the discussion of the role of trade unions in developing a popular/united front.