UNISON Northern regional convenor Clare Williams has nailed the key arguments about organising in the latest issue of Red Pepper:
http://www.redpepper.org.uk/community-coalition/ Citing the example of the Northern Public Services Alliance and welcoming the recent statements from UNISON and PCS leaderships about working together, she restates the arguments about unions listening to workers to develop an agenda, organising with them to build sustainable campaigns and listening to workers as service users as well as public sector employees.
Grass roots organising in the community and in workplaces however is not a quick fix, it requires resources, it requires clear leadership and it needs patience. Active trade unionists are in a unique position to offer all three of these. But the element that requires resources is the most difficult to acquire and the most difficult to win the argument for in the first place. Clare underlines the need to win these arguments.
