Blacklisting Hasn’t Gone Away
Despite what bosses and politicians say, the blacklist is still a living reality for many trade unionists – and it can only be defeated by ending casual labour and building real collective power among workers.
18 Articles by:
Taj Ali
Taj Ali is a freelance writer. His work has appeared in the Huffington Post, Metro and the Independent.
Lowkey: ‘They Are Trying to Stop Pro-Palestinian Music Being Made’
Rapper and activist Lowkey is facing down a campaign by pro-Israel lobbyists to get his music taken off Spotify. He speaks to Tribune about the censorship of pro-Palestinian voices – and the outpouring of support he’s received in response.
‘Social Landlords Simply Don’t Care’
Many of Britain’s housing association tenants are forced to live in homes that are infested, overrun with mould, and on the brink of collapse. We speak to campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa about the fight for change.
The Battle for Brixton
In Brixton, the local community are fighting a Texan millionaire’s attempt to build a vanity tower block that would tear the soul out of the iconic market and turbo-charge gentrification.
The Staycation Crisis
The pandemic has seen Britain’s domestic tourism boom – but as more and more rental properties are turned into holiday homes, working-class communities are being priced out.
Britain Helped Destroy Afghanistan – Now We Must Help Their Refugees
Even before the Taliban takeover, 20 years of war in Afghanistan killed thousands and created millions of refugees – Britain has a responsibility to those it helped to displace.
How a Luton Council Estate Is Taking Control of Its Future
After years of institutional neglect, residents of Marsh Farm in Luton have come together to build a bottom-up model of regeneration – one which puts the community’s interest before private profit.
How Labour Alienated Muslim Voters
Keir Starmer’s party might have held Batley and Spen, but its approach to both domestic and foreign issues has turned away swathes of supporters in the Muslim community – as well as showing a total lack of moral fibre.
The DVLA Strike Shows What Trade Unionism Looks Like Under Covid-19
Staff at the DVLA’s Swansea centre have been out on strike after weak workplace safety led to an outbreak of more than 600 Covid-19 cases – and with the government taking a hard line, the dispute is set to continue.
The Cladding Scandal Isn’t Over
The government has promised repeatedly to end the cladding scandal, but the new Fire Safety Act and the funding on the table go nowhere near far enough – residents need safe homes now.
How the Thurrock Bin Strike Won
In the midst of a pandemic, Thurrock’s bin workers found themselves facing council cuts that would have left them £4,000 a year worse off – so they organised, went on strike and beat the bosses.
Britain Is Complicit in Israel’s Violence Against Palestinians
From the earliest days, Britain’s government has been complicit in the dispossession of Palestinians – and today, as Israel’s violence deepens, it is also a key supplier of weapons to its brutal military occupation.
The Battle For Brick Lane
In the 20th century, Brick Lane’s migrant communities fought efforts by the far-right to drive them out. Now, amid plans for a shopping mall and rising rents, they face a different enemy: gentrification.
Behind Britain’s Redundancy Crisis
Today’s unemployment numbers are the highest in five years, with almost 700,000 jobs lost during the pandemic and 1.7 million out of work. It is an avoidable crisis – and young workers are bearing the brunt.
Behind the British Gas Strike
As the British Gas strike returns to the picket, we speak to the workers involved – about the threat to their family lives, bullying ‘fire and rehire’ tactics, and how one company’s celebration of key workers rang hollow.
No Country for Young People
New research shows that two in three youth centres are on the verge of closure. With youth unemployment also skyrocketing, Britain’s government is failing young people – and the consequences are likely to be severe.
‘Come What May, We’re Here to Stay’: Remembering the Asian Youth Movements
From the 1960s to the ’80s, the Asian Youth Movements organised against racists and the far-right on Britain’s streets. Speaking to Tribune, the activists behind those efforts call for that flame to be reignited.
Runaway Public Sector Pay Is a Tory Myth
Public sector workers aren’t overpaid. In fact, successive Tory cutbacks mean that they earn less today than they did a decade ago – and the latest pay freeze will push many into hardship.