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A decade of Unite Community
JAMIE CALDWELL, a community organiser for Unite, looks back at the last 10 years of the labour movement's attempts to organise those out of work or in precarious employment in Scotland
Unite

THIS is a year of anniversaries. A century ago, in 1921, the National Unemployed Workers Movement was established. Half a century ago, in 1971, the shipyard workers of the Clyde laid down their challenge built on unity to the Tory government on the principle of the right to work and took over the Clydeside shipyards for a year long work-in.

Ten years ago Unite Community was set up to provide organisation and power for those out of work or in precarious employment.

The common theme in all was, and is, organisation and courage — that, when united, those out of work, or threatened with loss of work, have the power to change their conditions and advance the interests of all workers.

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