Manchester Trades Union Council
The voice of Manchester workers since 1866
Manchester TUC hosted a public meeting with striker Mike Masters and Unite organiser Pete Randle. Watch this edited recording.
Donate to the strike fund and challenge the politicians responsible for the dispute.
Support the Mega Picket on 25 July organised by Strike Map, which Manchester TUC is also supporting.
Manchester Trades Union Council, the umbrella body for trade unionists living and working in the city, strongly opposes the proposal to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. If enforced, this would make expression of support for the group, or for their actions, a criminal offence under terrorism legislation, attracting a jail sentence.
The definition of terrorism in the Terrorism Act 2000 is dangerously broad. Had this legislation been in place at the time, anyone in Britain who expressed support for the Suffragettes, the French resistance to Nazi occupation, Gandhi, the Greenham Common women, Greenpeace or Nelson Mandela could be classed as a terrorist.
The proposal is just the latest in a series of restrictions to democratic rights to free speech and the right to protest in Britain, but it is a serious escalation. Until now, the list of proscribed organisations mainly relates to armed conflict in Ireland and around the world. An exception is National Action, a Nazi group whose members celebrated the murder of Jo Cox MP and planned the murder of Rosie Cooper MP. To put protesters who take actions such as throwing paint over property to oppose the genocide in Gaza in the same category is outrageous. Whatever people feel about the actions of Palestine Action, they do not cause terror and are not intended to cause terror. Palestine Action are not terrorists.
Proscribing a non-violent group as terrorists sets an extremely dangerous precedent. Around the world we are seeing the growth of far right parties. The Labour government should not be paving the way for even greater abuses by future governments who may target anyone who stands up to the rich and powerful – including trade unionists.
We call on MPs to oppose the proscription, and on every other individual and organisation which supports democracy to speak out and campaign against it. People can sign petitions and letters by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Palestine Action, or the Haldane Society, contribute to the Crowdfunder for a legal challenge, or email politicians.
Manchester Trades Union Council
The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 is the Tories’ latest attack on workers’ rights. The law stipulates that when workers in certain sectors lawfully vote to strike, they could be forced to work and sacked if they don’t comply. This undemocratic new law could curtail the right to strike for 1 in 5 workers.
For more information about the new law and the campaign against it – including the national demonstration on 27 January 2024, see manchestertuc.org.uk/righttostrike.
As part of our July council meeting, Manchester TUC hosted a public discussion on Climate, Direct Action and the Unions.
Our guest speakers were:
Manchester TUC hosted a strike solidarity meeting with:
You can donate to the CHEP strike fund via account 20217873. Sort code 60-83-01. Account name ‘UNITE 6/1 CHEP Manchester Branch’.
Unite members working at the CHEP pallet factory in Trafford Park have been on continuous strike over pay since 17 December. On 12 January Manchester TUC hosted an online solidarity meeting which was addressed by:
Watch clips from the meeting here:
Messages of support can be sent to ian.mccluskey@unitetheunion.org.
Donations to Unity Bank NW/1 Strike Fund. Account 20217873. Sort code 60-83-01.
You can visit their pickets 24 hours a day on weekdays at Village Way, Trafford Park, M17 1HR. The nearest Metrolink stop is Village.
Our December 2021 public meeting discussed pay. As inflation rises, zero hours contracts increase, some sectors see pay rises, and others see pay freezes/cuts, how can the trade union movement press for its members to be fairly paid?
Speakers included:
Our November 2021 public meeting discussed the issue of bullying at work.
Speakers included:
Manchester TUC’s October 2021 meeting discussed Covid health and safety in the context of the return to the workplace for many workers post furlough, and after working from home guidelines had been watered down.
Guest speakers included:
Our June public meeting discussed public transport.
Speakers: