The Global Labour University invites trade unionist to apply for its ENGAGE programme
The six month program is discussing the challenges of labour policies and globalization. It is particular focusing on wage policies, international labour standards, corporate campaigns and strategic corporate research. The course consists of a three month university program and 10 weeks practical implementation phase to develop practical policy initiatives. It offers trade unionists an opportunity to engage with an international group of students and get new insights in trade union strategies to meet the challenges of globalization.
Hard copies of “The Political Agenda of the International Trade Union Movement” report from the Global Labour Institute 2012 International Summer School can be ordered from the web. http://peecho.org/1NJ5PZ. GLI accepts no responsibility for the print quality, delivery time etc. Your feedback would be much appreciated if you order prints from peecho.org. If we get good feedback, we may use issuu and peecho for future GLI publishing. Tell us what you think.
GLI is delighted to publish “The Political Agenda of the International Trade Union Movement” – the report of the International Summer School held in July 2012. The report was compiled by Romain Felli, Lucy Hopley, Josiah Mortimer, Frederick Pitts and Sean Sayer, and edited by Celia Mather.
“Labour movement and left-wing forces against authoritarianism and totalitarianism: our past, present and perspectives for future”
November 3-4, 2012, Moscow
The conference will be organized at the initiative of Confederation of Labour of Russia (KTR), Scientific, Information, and Education Centre “Memorial” and Global Labour Institute (GLI), with the participation of the Research and Education Centre “Praxis”, the permanent workshop “The Left in Russia: Past and Present” and Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.
The aim of the Conference, which marks the 50-th anniversary of the workers’ protest action in the town of Novocherkassk, is to discuss the historic experience, the modern day challenges, and the prospects of the struggle led by free trade unions and other worker associations, as well as the democratic left-wing forces against human rights violations, for political freedom and public self-governance.
For further details, see leaflet (English) (Russian) or contact praxiscenter@gmail.com
Critical Labour Studies is holding its 9th Symposium, at Ruskin College, Oxford – Date: 2-3 March 2013
Call for papers and sessions
In 2013 CLS celebrates its 10-year anniversary. This coincides with the major historic move for Ruskin College from its historical base in central Oxford to a single-site at its Headington campus. So, CLS 2013 will be held at Ruskin to celebrate the achievements of two organisations pivotal to stimulating debate and discussion amongst peers across labour movements in the UK and globally. In further recognition of the location of CLS next year we seek to encourage contributions/participants who can bring a labour education dimension.
GLI is reviving the annual study visit by young British trade unionists to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva. The study visit is scheduled to occur in May 2013. The ILO Study Visit was run by the WEA from the 1930s to the mid-2000s. GLI is responding to the belief of many past participants that the ILO Study Visit was a positive formative experience in their trade union and political education.
The Study Visit will offer an opportunity for a mixed trade union delegation to visit the ILO and explore and understand the work to develop and secure workers’ rights around the world. There will also be opportunities to see at first hand the work of the Global Union Federations and discuss the fight for workers’ rights from their perspective. The programme for Study Visit will be broadly similar to the original but will have a strong ‘Organising Globally’ element as well as sessions based around developing practical strategies for defending and extending workers’ rights. For further details of what is involved and how to participate, please contact Joe Holly at joe.holly@31.172.241.170.
The Only School We Have: Learning from Organizing Experiences Across the Informal Economy
Compiled and edited by Christine Bonner and Dave Spooner.
This handbook is a resource for those organizing informal workers in any sector, though it is based on the organizing experiences in (mainly) four groups: domestic workers, home-based workers, street/market vendors and waste pickers. It draws on the themes, ideas and information generated at a WIEGO Organizing Workshop, together with additional background materials, case studies and analysis.
The GLI International Summer School successfully concluded on Friday 13 July after a week of intense debate and discussion on the politics of the international trade union movement. There were 84 participants from 26 countries, with delegations from four Global Union Federations and numerous national unions.
Summer School in plenary session
A wonderful week … bringing together the right people to envision and start to plan a stronger, transformative global labor movement. Priscilla Gonzalez, Domestic Workers United, USA. Company, comradeship and inspiration. Solidarity for ever! Scot Walker, Unite, UK. An Amazing week! Sarah Woolley, Bakers, Food & Allied Workers, UK. I left the richer for attending. May all your contribution to the rights of workers and the masses of the working class people and peasants across the world bear fruit. Blessing Karumbidza, South Africa. I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to meet so many people and be part of a group that is going to make the difference. Sandy Cijntje, Building & Woodworkers International, Curacao. Rich and inspiring discussions. Krastyo Petkov, CITUB, Bulgaria. One of the best union events I have ever been to. Walton Pantland, Union Solidarity International. An enormous and very successful engagement for our first international Summer School.…”Ce n’est qu’un début, continuons le combat!”. Vasco Pedrina, Unia, Switzerland. A fantastic event … it’s just a pity that we can’t send all our people on courses like this! … Susan George hit the nail on the head when she said that although we know we are on the side of the angels, we don’t defend our ideals and fight the battle of ideas. And yet we have such a depth of knowledge and experience in our movement that we need to more fully exploit. Bert Schouwenburg, GMB.
We’re very sorry that some people couldn’t make it because of airfares and the disgraceful immigration policies and procedures of the British government. Many others had to be disappointed when we ran out of physical space at the venue.
The team of rapporteurs are now busy editing the thousands of words of notes, presentations and written contributions, aiming to produce a comprehensive education and discussion document to capture the event. A big thankyou to all who made it possible, particularly Unite, RMT, Unia and the brilliant staff at Northern College.
There are now many ideas for future activity – international summer schools, research projects, and plans for online learning and debate. Watch this space…
To get involved in discussions before, during and after the summer school (which begins on Monday July 9), you can now connect to the GLI on both Facebook and Twitter.
This handbook is a resource for those organizing informal workers in any sector, though it is based on the organizing experiences in (mainly) four groups: domestic workers, home-based workers, street/market vendors and waste pickers. It draws on the themes, ideas and information generated at a WIEGO Organizing Workshop, together with additional background materials, case studies and analysis.
