Hundreds rally with Clarks Shoe strikers fighting wage cuts in UK

Vol. 85/No. 44 - November 29, 2021
“They never thought we’d strike. They never thought we’d stay out. And they never thought we’d win this sort of solidarity,” striker Pete Darbo says as support comes from across U.K.

STREET, England — Hundreds of trade unionists and working people from the local area, and as far away as Wales, London and Manchester, joined a march here Nov. 13 in solidarity with striking Clarks Shoes workers fighting against wage cuts.…


Scaffolders fight contractor for pay raise in UK

Vol. 85/No. 42 - November 15, 2021

SCUNTHORPE, England — Now in their fourth week on strike, 60 steelworks scaffolders are fighting to force contractor Actavo to pay the national rate of 17 pounds an hour ($23.63). Workers get only 15 pounds now, and have the same…


Clark shoe workers in UK enter fifth week of strike

Vol. 85/No. 42 - November 15, 2021

STREET, Somerset, England — “We’re not giving up, we’re keeping on,” said Trevor Stephens at the picket line Oct. 29 at Clarks shoes distribution center here, where workers have been on strike for four weeks. Stephens is the day-shift shop…


Calls to silence UK professor hit free speech, women’s rights

Vol. 85/No. 41 - November 8, 2021
Professor Kathleen Stock has won support against demands by campus protesters University of Sussex in Brighton fire her. In name of fighting transphobia, they target free speech and her defense of women’s rights. Inset, her book, Material Girls — Why Reality Matters for Feminism.

LONDON — Professor Kathleen Stock is winning support in her fight against calls by campus protesters for the University of Sussex in Brighton to fire her. The campaign against Stock targets free speech and her defense of women’s rights. It…


Clarks shoe workers in UK strike against wage cuts

Vol. 85/No. 41 - November 8, 2021

STREET, Somerset, England — “We have to win this,” said Francis Foley one of 130 workers on strike against wage cuts at Clarks Shoe’s Westway distribution center. “If we don’t, it won’t be worth working in this place.” Foley’s comments…


Scaffolders strike giant steel works in United Kingdom

Vol. 85/No. 40 - November 1, 2021

SCUNTHORPE, England —– Scaffolders at the giant British Steel site here, members of the Unite union, have been on strike since Oct. 4. They are demanding their basic wage be raised in line with the National Agreement for the Engineering…


Cereal maintenance workers in UK fight wage cuts

Vol. 85/ No. 39 - October 25, 2021

BURTON LATIMER, England — Maintenance engineers at Weetabix breakfast cereal manufacturing plants are fighting attacks on their schedules and wages. Members of the Unite union just concluded the third of 11 planned weekly two-day work stoppages Oct. 6. “The company…


App taxi drivers’ union grows, organizes protests across UK

Vol. 85/No. 38 - October 18, 2021

MANCHESTER, England — “We need protection from the way Uber treats us. We need to stand together, it’s the only way,” Nasir Khan, one of about 25 Uber taxi drivers enthusiastically protesting outside its Manchester hub Sept. 29, told the…


Rolls-Royce maintenance workers back on strike, win solidarity

Vol. 85/No. 30 - August 16, 2021

BARNOLDSWICK, England — Seventeen maintenance engineers who are members of the Unite union at Rolls-Royce’s jet-engine plant here have restarted strike action. The bosses have been dragging their heels in implementing a deal with the union to secure jobs through…


Tribunal: Forstater’s stand for women’s rights was free speech

Vol. 85/No. 28 - July 19, 2021
Maya Forstater, inset, won victory June 10 at London’s Employment Appeal Tribunal after being dismissed from job for stating that biological sex is “real, important, immutable.” This is a precondition for battle to win women’s emancipation. Above, major women’s rights march in 1979 in London.

Maya Forstater won a victory at London’s Employment Appeal Tribunal June 10 when it upheld her freedom of expression after she was dismissed from her job at the Center for Global Development for her defense of women’s rights. Bosses at…