Solidarity has to do a lot of different jobs.
It’s a tool for Workers’ Liberty members to communicate our politics to people around us, to discuss and debate ideas, strategies, history and theory. In the age of smartphones and social media, very few people get their news about big current affairs from Trotskyist papers, but Solidarity has an important role in publicising working-class struggles and views that receive not much attention elsewhere.
Solidarity 263 (7 November) carried a front-page feature and centre-page spread about cleaners’ struggles. News about strikes and other actions by cleaning workers is not widely broadcast, even by union sources, and within some unions cleaning workers are looked down upon by better-paid, more “highly-skilled” workers. We highlight disputes that the trade union activists who make up most of our readership might not know about, and in doing so attempt to build the solidarity that can help them win.
For the workers involved, seeing the story of your own struggle written down can help you contextualise it and understand its wider implications. Solidarity attempts to hold a mirror up to working-class political and economic experience, to help working-class people better understand our role and potential power.
Greater financial capacity will help us expand that work. Solidarity has no permanent staff, and relies for reports on content sent in by AWL members and friends, and other labour movement activists. Donating to our fund appeal will not only help spread the ideas of the AWL but will improve the content of Solidarity by allowing our volunteer journalists to expand our coverage.
Help us raise £15,000 by May Day 2013. You can contribute in the following ways:
* Taking out a monthly standing order using the form below or at www.workersliberty.org/resources. Please post completed forms to us at the AWL address below.
* Making a donation by cheque, payable to “AWL”, or donating online at www.workersliberty.org/donate.
* Organising a fundraising event.
* Taking copies of Solidarity to sell.
* Get in touch to discuss joining the AWL. More information: 07796 690874 / awl@workersliberty.org / AWL, 20E Tower Workshops, 58 Riley Road, London SE1 3DG.
Total so far: £5,531
We raised £490 this week from a new standing order and a donation. Thanks to Chris and John.
