“PERSEUS wore a magic cap that the monsters he hunted down might not see him. We draw the magic cap down over eyes and ears as a make-believe that there are no monsters!” These are the words of Karl Marx, in his 1867 preface to Capital.

Our job as socialists, as trade unionists and as educators is to help people remove this cap from over their eyes and ears and see the world clearly. This is why Strike Map, Strike MCR, Organise Now and Ian Allinson, author of recently launched Workers Can Win: A Guide to Organising at Work have teamed up to run an in-person workshop on socialism and trade unionism.

Our society is, as it was in Marx's time, full of monsters. Monsters that seek to exploit the working class in all walks of life.

After a summer of solidarity where the news cycle has, for a change, been filled with strike action, it may seem like we are in a period of renewed trade union militancy — but we must be realistic.

The proportion of people who are in trade unions is less than 30 per cent and the anti-trade union laws, some of the harshest in the world, mean that the unions’ ability to take meaningful action is limited. The latest anti-union, forced-labour laws will only make this worse.

However, workers are fighting back and getting organised, with nearly two million preparing or taking strike action on the cost-of-living crisis. Trade union reps and shop stewards involved in these struggles are independently setting up organisations to build solidarity, strike action and socialist education across the working class.

Strike Map launched in late 2020 with the aim of documenting and creating an archive of industrial action after it was realised that nothing like this existed. In the first year 200 strikes were mapped and this year alone there are over 3,000 picket lines on the map. The map has grown and evolved since then to become a tool for grassroots organising from visiting a picket to political education and a growing reps network.

The latest project that Strike Map is involved with is Organise Now, a peer-to-peer organising network responding to the crises in work, pay and living standards. Skilled and experienced workers from across sectors have volunteered and been trained to help workers organise to defend and improve their working lives and build power through joining or creating a union in their sector.

In Manchester, Strike MCR — a socialist organisation aiming to “develop radical trade unionists across the city through the merger of the socialist and workers’ movements” brings together a socialist understanding of workplace exploitation and rank-and-file organising methods.

Comprising an organising committee containing, among others, hospital staff, care workers, teachers and a supporters list of over 100, they have organised picket line visits, strike fundraisers, study sessions on political questions and a reading group on Joe Burns’ book Class Struggle Unionism.

But why a workshop exploring how socialists can build trade unions? Socialists in workplaces should demonstrate leadership through seeking elected positions and politicising workplace issues such as pay, jobs and working conditions.

Instead of transforming workplace colleagues into comrades, we conceal our political beliefs and consciously separate workplace organising and political activism. This is an organising and political mistake underpinned by a lack of confidence in our ideas and inexperience in politically communicating to workers.

We cannot assume this current upsurge in struggle and developing trade union consciousness will blossom into longer-lasting socialist organisation. For reps and shop stewards this means growing rank-and-file networks in and across trade unions.

Secondly, it’s vital that socialists in trade unions connect workplace exploitation to capitalism and inspire a socialist alternative. This is, as Lars Lih describes in Lenin Rediscovered, bringing the “good news and world historical mission” of socialism to workers.

This workshop explores the current strike wave, the potential and limitations of trade unionism, socialist strategy and devises an “organise your workplace” action plan. This is an exciting opportunity to evaluate the current moment and develop a strategy to win — in workplaces and across society.

Vik Chechi-Ribeiro is an NEU rep and Strike MCR organising committee member.

Robert Poole is an NEU rep and co-founder of Strike Map.