Friday, 19 July

16:00-17:00 – Connect for Palestine

This is an informal session that aims to bring together activists from across the region to share experiences, discuss activities (workplace actions in particular) and facilitate future collaborations across the Palestine Solidarity and Anti-War movements across the South West. Facilitated by Nathan Street, Bristol Stop the War Coalition.

Saturday 20 July 2024

10:30-11:30 – Trades Councils Connect!

Trades councils are the connecting link between union branches and community activism; every union branch should be affiliated to its trades council. Come along to this workshop on effective trades council activism, how to build a strong trades council in your area, and what to do with it once you’ve got one.

12:00-13:00 – How to Win a Strike Ballot with Charlie Pullinger (TUC Solidarity Hub)

TUC Solidarity Hub officer, Charlie Pullinger, details the essential tools, methods and tactics used by union reps to secure a strong mandate for action, how and where unions have been smashing through wave after wave of strike balloting, and how you can do it too.

13:15-14:30 – Organising at Work: Tools and Strategies to Win Control Over Your Life with Ian Allinson (Author, Workers can Win) and Nick Henderson (GMB Activist)

We spend so much of our lives at work; and for many this is a disempowering, draining experience. Effective union organising allows us to claim back agency over our working lives, Join us in reviewing strategies for power and negotiation so that you go back to work ready to take on the struggle and reclaim your right to dignity at work.

14:45-16:00 – How to Resist the New Far Right? (led by Stand Up to Racism Dorset)

The last government repurposed a prison barge for the purpose of housing refugees; to add insult to injury the only adjustment they made was to force even more people into smaller spaces. That barge, the Bibby Stockholm, was docked in Portland, just a few miles from Tolpuddle. The first community response was organised by the far-right calling for those refugees to be deported. Stand Up to Racism were disgusted. They led community members, trade union activists, local government leaders and more in an outcry saying – no to inhumane conditions, and refugees are welcome in Dorset.

Come to this groundbreaking session to hear the lessons from that campaign and where we go from here in fighting the far right.

An in-depth discussion and workshop on what activists can do to:

• Oppose Farage and Robinson
• Scrap the Bibby Stockholm
• Organise to welcome refugees

Chaired by: Grafton Straker, Unite Convenor Bovington Camp, Joint Chair SUTR Dorset
Speakers include:  Fran Heathcote, General Secretary PCS; LGBTQ+ resident of the Bibby Stockholm
Candy Udwin, Joint secretary SUTR Dorset,  Portland Global Friendship Group speaker; and National SUTR speake