Labour’s persistent failure to address its electorate’s salient concerns is behind the protest vote, asserts DIANE ABBOTT
AS 2018 marks the 150th anniversary of the founding of the TUC it’s worth remembering that two print union officials were instrumental in founding the first ever meeting of the Trades Union Congress in Manchester in 1868.
At that time trade unions were based on local trade societies — some who were able to regulate apprenticeships and working practices and a number were able to bargain with local employers.
One such group were the compositors — skilled printing workers who assembled metal type, read and corrected proofs and prepared pages ready for printing.
ANN HENDERSON looks at the trailblazers of the Women’s Trade Union League and their successful fight for female factory inspectors — a battle that echoes in today’s workplace campaigns
TONY BURKE says an International Labour Conference next month will try for a new convention to protect often super-exploited workers providing services such as ride-hailing (taxis) such as Uber as well as fast food and package delivery



