In the past, it was often said that we in Germany should go on strike like the workers in France. This year it should be: Let’s strike like in Great Britain!
For months, the country has been gripped by a wave of strikes which has changed social conditions, interrupted only briefly by the death of the Queen. Railroad workers, postal workers, logistics employees and many others are joining forces to fight against the effects of the price increases on the working class. These strikes do not happen randomly.

The strikes were started by the RMT, a left-wing and militant union that had cut its ties with the social democratic Labour Party several years ago due its anti-working-class and neoliberal policies. RMT president Mick Lynch virtually became a popular hero because in one television interview after another he debunked the propaganda of the wage-price spiral and allegedly too high wages of his union members and conveyed a simple and clear message:

RMT members have better wages because they have fought in the past. All workers and their unions should fight!

Left-wing forces are better networked and more strongly represented in the british unions than militant forces in the german trade unions. In the largest union UNITE, Sharon Graham, a militant leftist, was elected general secretary. The National Shop Stewards’ Network (NSSN) is a cross-union grassroots network of shop stewards that organizes solidarity and tries to bring activists together.

Dave Griffiths has been a socialist trade unionist and activist in Coventry, England, for decades. This year, refuse workers went on strike against a Labour-led city council – and won! Dave closely accompanied this labor struggle and has been the only outside activist invited to the strike committee meetings.

He will speak about the strikes and the developing changes towards a militant trade union movement in Great Britain. Together we want to discuss which lessons should be learned by the german trade union movement and what role the political left should take.

Join our meeting, discuss with us and become activ!

Monday, October 31th

7 pm – diffus.space (Adalbertsteinweg 178)

Because of Corona: Please wear an FFP2 mask!

The event will be held in German and English.