Action on pay and conditions, the role of trade unions and setting up community enterprises
John Cotton, a Labour councillor in Birmingham, tells the story of in-work poverty and his campaign to make the local council introduce the Real Living Wage (RLW). All council staff and 17,000 employees are now paid the RLW and Birmingham has set up a Poverty Truth Commission to listen to those with lived experience of poverty.
Professor Nadia Valman tells the story of late nineteenth and early twentieth century strikes for better pay and working conditions in the East End of London. She explores how people from Irish and Jewish communities, in spite of differences, supported each other in solidarity when facing injustice and defending their rights.
Keith Hodgson tells the story of Craigielea Care Home in the North East of England, UK. After blowing the whistle on the poor treatment of residents and going on strike, some care home staff were sacked. Keith helped create a high profile campaign using music and performance to raise awareness and the staff successfully found new jobs in their local area.
Sonya Hundal tells the story of her parents who were members of the Indian Workers Association, known for its campaigns to protect the rights of early immigrant workers in the 1950s and 1960s. Sonya talks about how many migrants overcame tremendous hardships and how strong the trade union movement made them.
Jess Prendergrast, along with others in 2013, set up Onion Collective CIC. She tells the story of creating a Visitor Centre and Boat Museum and, in partnership with Biohm (a London firm), bringing a biomanufacturing project to a closed-down mill in order to create local jobs.
Lola McEvoy tells the story of contacting national press to expose the PPE crisis in care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her action led to a government investigation in order to ensure adequate PPE and full sick pay for everyone working in NHS hospitals not paid directly by the NHS.
