our communist discussion forum uncaptive minds began in autumn 2008 with a series of discussions on class struggle in the 1970s, a decade which saw a wave of working-class militancy in britain and the rest of europe.
click here for a leaflet about the series.
the series went as follows (click on links for reports):
1st september: the upsurge 1968-74, with sheila cohen, author of ramparts of resistance and george shaw, a former vauxhall car worker and former member of solidarity. film: arise ye workers.
15th september: women in struggle. discussion of the 20,000-strong leeds clothing workers’ strike of 1970, reinventing the flying picket before miners and building workers picked up the idea. with liz leicester, and a film on the strike, leeds united.
29th september: the debates on workers’ control. with andrew fisher from the left economics advisory panel and david broder.
13th october: new methods of organising. a critical comparison of the unions with anton moctonian.
27th october: no meeting. The Justice for the Shrewsbury Six campaign are holding a London meeting on the 1972 building workers’ strike at the Welsh Club, 157-163 Grays Inn Road, from 7:30pm.
10th november: the upper clydeside work-in. film showing and discussion.
24th november: the great grunwick strike. film and discussion with pete firmin from brent trades council
8th december: where did it all go? with christine hulme, pcs; steve hedley, lul regional secretary of the rmt; john mcdonnell mp; and jeremy corbyn mp.
the commune 