In preparation for the mobilisations planned for London from April 21-24 and backed by more than 70 organisations, XR trade unionists are circulating the following motion;
This branch/trades council notes:
⁃ the announcement by Extinction Rebellion UK of a protest in London on Friday 21 April.
⁃ the growing resistance to the cost of living rises across the UK with campaign groups and trade unions joining ranks to say Enough is Enough.
⁃ the intransigence of the UK government in the face of increased urgency regarding the climate emergency.
⁃ the recent words of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterrez about the need for immediate action to prevent a climate catastrophe.
This branch/Trades council believes:
⁃ that the climate crisis and the social and economic crises are interconnected
⁃ that the UK government is unwilling to take appropriate and proportionate action to begin to deal with these crises.
⁃ that peaceful protest, strikes and other forms of nonviolent direct action is the best way for people to highlight both the gravity of the situation and the failures of our government.
This branch/trades council resolves:
⁃ to publicise and encourage people to attend the 21 April Extinction Rebellion “Surround Parliament” protest in London.
⁃ to support Extinction Rebellion Trade Unionists by making a donation to their funds
⁃ to contribute towards the costs of coach or other transport organised by local Extinction Rebellion groups to London on 21 April.
⁃ to take this resolution to all trades councils, regional committees, environmental committees and other relevant trade union bodies to which this branch/trades council is affiliated.
Within Unite, where a network has been set up to bring together those of us wishing to see a strengthening of the union’s policy and action around the environment, an adapted version is being circulated.
This Unite branch notes:
- The creation of a Unite Grassroot Climate Justice Caucus by Unite activists calling for radical action on Climate Justice by Unite our Union.
- the announcement by Extinction Rebellion UK of a protest in Parliament from Friday 21 April to Monday 24th April – “the Big One”
- The call by the Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union group to support the mobilisation.
- the growing resistance to the cost of living rises & strikes across the UK with campaign groups (including climate groups) and trade unions joining ranks to say Enough is Enough
- the intransigence of the UK government in the face of increased urgency regarding the climate emergency.
- the recent words of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterrez about the need for immediate action to prevent a climate catastrophe.
This Unite branch believes:
- that the climate crisis and the social and economic crises are interconnected.
- that the UK government is unwilling to take appropriate and proportionate action to begin to deal with these crises.
- that collaborative actions, movement building, peaceful protest, strikes and other forms of nonviolent direct action is the best way for people to highlight both the gravity of the situation and the failures of our government.
This branch resolves:
To make members aware of the Unite Grassroot Climate Justice Caucus and provide information on how to take part
- to publicise and encourage people to attend the April Extinction Rebellion “Big One” protest in London
- to support Extinction Rebellion Trade Unionists by making a donation to their funds.
- to contribute towards the costs of coach or other transport organised by local Extinction Rebellion groups and/or Trades Councils to London for the April mobilisation.
- to take this resolution to all trades councils, regional committees, environmental committees and other relevant trade union bodies to which this branch is affiliated.
My branch, Hackney and Islington Unite Community passed the motion at our monthly meeting on 4 April. With only a few week to go we hope others will follow suit – and quickly. It’s certainly noticeable that only one national union – PCS – currently appears as a supporting organisation. There are a number of union branches also visibly backing the mobilisation plus two networks – the one in unite mentioned earlier, plus the NEU climate network (which appears to be an official part of the union’s structures). And of course there is XR trade unionists themselves.
Never the less this is considerably less official involvement than we saw from trade unions in the run up to COP 27 in Glasgow in December 2021. It’s difficult to assess how much this is due to XR itself as the central organisation calling the action not devoting resources to reaching out to unions, to sectarianism from trade unions towards XR or the latter feeling that with the cost of living crisis and in many cases strikes, the environmental crisis has become less of a priority. Whatever the balance between these strands, we should do what we can to turn it round as rapidly as possible. There are no jobs on a dead planet.
Art Book Review Books Capitalism China Climate Emergency Conservative Government Conservative Party COVID-19 Economics EcoSocialism Elections Event Video Fascism Film Film Review France Global Police State Imperialism Italy Keir Starmer Labour Party Long Read Marxism Marxist Theory Palestine pandemic Protest Russia Solidarity Statement Trade Unionism Ukraine United States of America War
Latest Articles
- Taiwan, militarism and the reactionary campaign against China
Phil Hearse argues for self-determination for Taiwan, but says that the Left must oppose the American military build up in the Indo-Pacific region and preparations for a disastrous war against China. - Chronicle of A Riot Foretold
After the deaths of two young men in a road traffic incident, a riot broke out in Ely, Cardiff, highlighting the deep-seated problems in the community. This article, by Geoff Ryan, goes on to detail the poverty, unemployment, and lack of opportunity that have plagued Ely for decades. It also discusses the role of the police in the community, and the mistrust that many residents feel towards them. Geoff concludes by warning that without significant investment in Ely, future riots are not out of the question. - Reading Mandel
Ian Parker reviews a new book about the work of Ernest Mandel. - Some Thoughts on Solidarity, Morality, Guilt and Atonement…
In this article, Susan Pashkoff discusses the importance of solidarity, morality, guilt, and atonement in the context of social justice. Susan argues that solidarity is essential for building a more just society, and that morality, guilt, and atonement can all play a role in promoting social change. - Breaking Boundaries and Turning Up the Volume: Inside the Revolutionary Sound of KILL, THE ICON!
In the tempestuous landscape of contemporary music, writes Simon Pearson, a new rebellious voice rings out from London’s underground scene: KILL, THE ICON! The protest punk trio, established in the summer of 2020, harnesses their creative dynamism to blur the boundaries between art and activism.