The Working Class Are Back And They're Mad As Hell

 

The Revival of Resistance

The 2022-23 strikes and the battles still to come.

Mark L Thomas, Jessica Walsh, and Charlie Kimber

(Bookmarks, 2023)

 

The past year has seen British workers take industrial action more often than at any time since 1989 with teachers, nurses, rail workers and even barristers downing tools and taking to the barricades.

For the first time in decades union leaders like Jo Grady of the UCU and Mick Lynch of the RMT are national figures. Lynch even provided a line misquoted by hacks of all stripes when he said the ‘working class are back’.

It is unquestionable that after years of managing decline the trades union movement has regained something like relevance. Thanks in large part to the shock therapy unwillingly inflicted on the body politic by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and a cost-of-living crisis all landing in the space of three years.

As Thomas et al argue this presents an opportunity to bring about economic, social, and political change the like of which only comes around once a century. Unfortunately, if it follows its past form in similar circumstances the union movement will let the chance slip through its collective fingers.

To blame is a mixture of learnt helplessness stemming from four decades of neo-liberalism being the dominant force in economics and politics, and the inherent bureaucracy of the trades union movement. Resulting in timid national leadership reining in grassroots action, something the recent crop of strikes have frequently circumvented.

Thomas et al make a case for bypassing a moribund leadership in favour of grassroots organizing that looks back to the origins of the union movement, whilst making full use of the opportunities provided by social media to bring members together to coordinate local action.

This call for rank-and-file union members to follow the courage of their convictions rather than the compromises of the leadership and paid officials is made more powerful as the Labour Party looks set to form the next government.

Already striking unions are urging members to moderate their demands for fear of spooking floating voters and snatching disappointment from the jaws of victory. Experience suggests that if, as looks all but inevitable, Labour win the next general election union members will then be promised ‘jam tomorrow’ endlessly in return for being quiet and compliant today.

Although marked by compromises and failures of courage the strikes of the past year and a bit show the unions still have a viable role to play in the struggle for workers’ rights. The authors of this pamphlet make a cogent and compelling case for how much more could be achieved were that struggle to be led by grassroots members instead of paid officials with positions and pensions to protect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Art to sound out an environmental crisis.

 

Environmental concerns are centre stage at the British Ceramic Biennial this year, both in the work of the artists being presented and a minor public relations faux pas over the use of clay from HS2 in the public engagement area.

 

The main exhibition is taking place in the chilly, not just in aesthetic terms, surroundings of the former All Saints Church in Stoke-on-Trent. An arts and crafts place of worship built with potter’s money when the city was the world centre of ceramic manufacturing, now reinvented as an arts space.

 

The environment, specifically the harm done to sea life by the overuse of marine sonar is the subject of Sounding Line by Mella Shaw. She combines sculptures representing whales ear bones, the clay used to make which has been infused with material taken from the carcasses of whales washed up on the shore of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides with a video of one of these sculptures being returned to the see and ropes that vibrate at different frequencies. This makes for a powerful representation of the impact human activity has on some of the oldest inhabitants of our planet.

 

Outage by Rebecca Griffiths continues the environmental theme by imagining a future landscape where remnants of the nuclear power industry have been dredged up from the sea. The piece was developed during her residency at The Red House in Aldeburgh near to the site of the Sizewell B power station. Griffiths has created a series of enigmatic shapes that could be pieces of some vast machine that has either decayed or been destroyed in an accident that are being reclaimed and eroded by the sea and the creatures living there. A timely reminder, perhaps, that for all the damage blundering humans do nature will always hold the whip hand by playing the longest game of all.

 

Also of note are Sequenced Ceramics by the Copper Sounds collective, a collection of pots, beaters and scaffolding poles hooked up to some clever technology that looks like it was made by Heath Robinson’s cool great grandkids and produces sounds reminiscent of Brian Eno in his pomp. Boundary by Nichola Tassie (pictured) which examines ideas around physical and social boundaries and Looking North by Dan Kelly informed by his intimate relationship with London and the tall buildings dominating its skyline.

 

The Metal Men Are Coming

 

Menace of the Machine: The Rise of AI in Classic Sci-Fi

Edited by Mike Ashley

(British Library)

 

They’re coming for us, the mechanical men with murder in their metal hearts! As this hugely enjoyable anthology demonstrates, they’ve been on their way for over a century at least.

Drawing on the unparalleled collection held by the British Library Mike Ashley has put together a collection of astounding stories that make their readers think as well as providing entertainment.

The titans of the genre, Clarke, Aldiss, Asimov et al are, naturally, represented alongside lesser-known names. Stand out stories include ‘But Who Can Replace A Man?’ by Brian W Aldiss, ‘Two Handed Engine’ by CL Moore and Henry Kuttner, and ‘The Machine Stops’ by EM Forster.

The latter was, for this reader, the most pleasing of surprises. Who would have thought the author of Howard’s End and A Room With A View could have made such a good fist of writing a sci-fi novella. It’s a real shame he never repeated the experiment.

As should be the case with a science fiction anthology, most of the stories fizz with ideas. Some of which, such as the dangers of humanity becoming dependent on technology and the ability, in ‘A Logic Named Joe’ by Will F Jenkins, of a device resembling Alexa to provide us with too much information for our own good are highly pertinent.

One question that has been nagging this reviewer is that given CHATGPT is out there hoovering up data and there and these stories are all in the public domain. Is this the sort of book you want your smartphone or chatbot to read?

Good Reads, Wednesday 30^th August 2023

 

 

 

Festival to mark the death of Chartist Josiah Heapy

 

Local trades unionists will join musicians and other performers to commemorate the death of Leek born Josiah Heapy in the Burslem Chartist riots of 1842.

The First Stoke Chartist Festival will take place behind the town hall on Market place on Sunday 20^th August and is a co-production organized by New Vic Borderlines and the People’s History Association of North Staffordshire (PHANS).

Support, including the loan of a fire engine converted into a mobile stage previously used when Jeremy Corbyn visited Hanley, has been provided by unions including Unite, the FBU, and Unison.

New Vic Borderlines is an award-winning community arts program that uses theatre to give a voice to those who have been marginalized [1].

Director Sue Moffatt has written a play based on the events surrounding the Chartist riots and the death of Josiah Heapy that will be performed on the day by members of the community supported by three professional actors.

In keeping with the Chartist theme trades unions active in North Staffordshire will be present to provide information about the work they do to support working people today.

There will also be stalls run by local groups including Period Power, NORSCARF, and community support charity Better Together as well as craft activities and a display of work relating to Chartism done by students at local schools.

Josiah Heapy was born in Leek and died on 16^th August 1842 when troops broke up an open-air Chartist meeting taking place on Swan Bank, Burslem, causing a riot that resulted in damage to several prominent local landmarks [2]

In the aftermath of the riot 146 Chartists were imprisoned and 54 were transported to Australia.

The Burslem Chartist riots have been described as the ‘Potteries Peterloo’ after the more famous riots in Manchester [3]. In 2019 a successful campaign saw a commemorative plaque unveiled in Burslem near to the spot where Heapy was killed. A street on a nearby housing development has since also been named after him.

Jason Hill, a member of PHANS who also took part in the campaign to have a street named after Josiah Heapy said the festival will “honour” Josiah Heapy and other trades unionists who “fought for the freedoms that we take for granted today”.

He emphasised the important role played by Heapy and other Chartists in creating the trades union movement in North Staffordshire and nationally.

He believes the festival will “raise awareness of this important episode in the history of Burslem which, sadly, seems to be largely forgotten today."

The festival will feature speakers, including Chrissie Gibson a living relative of Josiah Heapy, music, poetry, and performances of the play at various locations around the town.

The festival will take place on 20^th August at Market Place, Burslem, ST6 4AT between 11:00am and 4:00pm.

For further information contact:

Sue Moffatt: smoffatt@newvictheatre.org.uk

Aida Haughton: ahaughton@newvictheatre.org.uk

 

[1] https://www.newvictheatre.org.uk/education-and-community/borderlines/

[2] https://markwrite.co.uk/2018/08/02/josiah-heapy-burslem-1842/

[3] https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/we-proud-josiah-want-tell-2927408

 

Looking for the good life.

The Midnight Library 

Matt Haig

(Cannongate)

 

Nora Seed has had it with life, literally, physically and in every way, she wants out. Resolved to end it all, she takes an overdose and wakes up in a mysterious library run by the one person she feels has shown her kindness.

 

 Only this is no ordinary imagined library, if such a thing is possible, it is one where all the books tell different versions of the same story. That of her life with all the disappointments and regrets that have brought her to this point. Nora has the unique opportunity to choose the life that will make her happy, but if she makes the wrong choice, she, the library, and everything else will disappear.

 

Although less awkwardly preachy in tone this novel is reminiscent of those Victorian novels where the protagonist goes on a journey to self-improvement. Along the way facing improbable challenges and meeting outlandish characters, all of which has a message to convey to the reader.

 

Appropriately for our individualistic times Nora is faced with endless iterations of herself, each of which has part, but not all, the ingredients of the good life. The message being that there is no ‘good life’ as such, only ways of making the best of the one you’ve got.

 

Matt Haig has delivered a warm, positive and in its best moments inspiring book that addresses honestly one of the biggest questions haunting modern humans. How are we to live in a way that is bearable? Instead of bland reassurances or easy answers instead he suggests that all we can do is the best we can. That isn’t, he admits, easy; but as this modern allegory shows, it is possible.

 Good Reads, Monday 29th May 2023

Ashes to Ashes

 

The Burning Men
Will Shindler
(Hodder)

When an expensive property development in South London catches fire, a team of fire fighters enter the building to save a man reported trapped inside. They come out without a body and soon after they leave the service and go their separate ways.

Five years later, one of them is burnt to death on his wedding day. Then, a second team member is found dead in a burnt-out sports car. Did something happen on that night five years ago that has made them targets now?

Piecing together the truth from the ashes of the past presents DI Alex Finn and new partner DC Mattie Paulsen with a difficult case. One made all the harder by their own private troubles.

This debut for Finn and Paulsen (for Shindler as a writer of fiction too), doesn't break much ground in the way of originality. Old crimes casting long shadows and cops with complicated back stories are recognisable tropes to anyone with an even passing familiarity with the genre.

Despite this, Will Shindler has delivered a satisfying police procedural that has the potential to build into an equally pleasing series. His prose style is appropriately direct, and he has a strong feeling for character. Both of which are useful crossovers from his day job as a journalist.

The Burning Men might not be a book that shimmers with originality, but it delivers everything a reader of crime fiction could want. This reviewer will take that over disappointing pretention every time.
Good Reads, Friday 19^th May 2023

 

The First and Cruellest Colonisation

 

The Inheritors

William Golding

(Faber & Faber)

 

Lok and his tribe think of themselves as 'the people', inheritors of an unchanging world. Then, as they follow their migratory pattern, they encounter a new race. The first in a long and brutal history of colonisations has begun.

 

William Golding is rightly lauded for writing The Lord of the Flies. It's a novel that, thanks to being taught to generations of school kids, has wormed its way into popular culture. Even if most of the people citing it have never read the book itself all the way through.

Success at that level can overshadow the rest of a writer's work. That is what seems to have happened to Golding, in the case of this novel, first published in 1955, and it is rather a shame.

 

In The Inheritors, Golding uses Lok and his clan to show creatures who relate to the world in a way that is totally different to ours. He does so in a way that is both strange and sympathetic. These aren't stereotypical "savages" dragging their knuckles down the road to perdition.

 

He also touches on issues of colonisation that are still pertinent today. The doomed Neanderthals being swept away by Homo Sapiens are the ancestors of all the indigenous peoples usurped by the West.

 

This is a brilliantly conceived novel telling one of the oldest and cruellest human stories. One, we are still, sadly, repeating to this day.

 

Good Reads, Monday 1^st May 2023