Cuban trade union federation CTC leader OSNAY MIGUEL COLINA speaks to Ben Chacko about life and work under a crippling US siege
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The importance of trades councils
Trades union councils promote working-class solidarity in local communities. STEVE GILLAN explains why all trade unions should be affiliating at local level and playing an active part promoting at national and regional levels throughout Britain and Northern Ireland
POA general secretary Steve Gillan chairs the trades union council joint consultative committee
A part of the British empire’s network of slavery, today the Caribbean island of Nevis faces a new form of exploitation in the form of crypto-colonialism, CLAUDIA WEBBE writes
A new book by Victoria Holmes illuminates the many hidden histories of the oppression experienced by Gypsy/Roma/Traveller community, writes ROGER McKENZIE
Even the oligarchs of the artificial intelligence industries are warning that their creations have the capacity for the ultimate destruction of the planet and its population. ANDREW MURRAY suggests that there might just be other solutions
The Labour government must deliver on its commitment to bring back privatised services into the public sector. This not only saves money but also creates accountability and generates wider social benefits, argues ANDY MCDONALD MP
Public ownership of Great British Railways has enormous potential to improve our railway network, but that can’t happen unless jobs, employee rights and union recognition is at the heart of the transition, argues MARYAM ESLAMDOUST
Challenges from the unscrupulous misuse of AI to steal actors’ voice and physical likenesses is being met with a firm union response, writes LYNDA ROOKE
TRADES councils are the local trade union movement. They can be called upon by any trade union branch to show strike or other dispute solidarity, which could be via a picket line, media publicity or a financial appeal.
National trade unions can promote their priority issues more effectively when local trades councils assist with publicity, leaflet distribution, recruitment and speakers at meetings.
When trades councils respond to strong feeling in working-class communities, they can report this to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) at regional and national levels.
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