Sunday 16 May 2021

RTUC joins Reading's 'Free Palestine' march and rally


In Reading at 15:00 on 16 May 2021, there was an extraordinarily massive turnout for the pro-Palestine solidarity march and rally - one of dozens of such events throughout the country over the weekend. Organised by the Reading Muslim Council, Reading Trades Union Council members James Denny (RMT), John Gillman (Unite), Keith Jerrome (Unite), John Oversby (UCU), Ray Parkes (Unite), John Partington (TSSA), Chris Reilly (RMT) and Tanya Wills (Unite) joined around a thousand people in the pouring rain to marched from Town Hall Square, down Friar Street. West Street and Broad Street before rallying to listened to speeches from Cllr Nada al-Sanjari (Labour Party), a speaker from Kairos Reading and RTUC's Vice Chair, Tanya Wills.

RTUC Vice President, Tanya Wills, speaks

In attacks by Israeli military forces, at least 174 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, with more than 1,200 injured. Eight Israelis have been killed as the Palestinians fight back to defend themselves from drones, missiles and other sophisticated weapons strikes.


Local media covered the impressive Reading protest, including Berkshire Live and the Reading Chronicle.


On the event Facebook page, entitled 'March for Solidarity with Palestine', the organisers wrote:

Please join us on Sunday, 16th May, at 3pm at Reading Town Hall to mark our solidarity with the Palestinians.

Our message is clear:

*We are deeply shocked, appalled and hurt by the violent desecration of Al Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli police and army.
*We deplore the attacks against worshippers during Ramadhan at Al Aqsa and Sheikh Jarrah.
*We demand an end of the forcible removal of Palestinians from their homes and their lands.
*We condemn Israel’s violation of UN Resolution 194 on the Right Of Return for refugees.
*We condemn the continued brutality towards the Palestinians.
*We call on our government to intervene to protect the rights of Palestinians in line with international law.


The message was signed by:

Reading Muslim Council
Reading Muslim Network
Pakistan Community Centre
Association of Sri Lankan Muslims
Aisha Masjid & Islamic Centre
Jamme Masjid Reading
Reading Islamic Centre
Amity Road Masjid
Reading East African Community
Islamic Community Milli Görüş (Reading)
Reading Turkish Community


Reading Trades Union Council was proud to stand in solidarity with the organisers in their protest against Israeli human rights breaches and breaches of international law. The following photos demonstrate the variety of peaceful anger on display by the citizens of Reading.


RTUC's John Gillman marches for Palestine and the Socialist Party

Anthony Bardos of Slough GMB joins the procession







Cllr Nada al-Sanjari (Labour Party) addresses the assembled crowd


Kairos Reading address the rally

Saturday 1 May 2021

Reading Trades Union Council's International Workers' Day Celebration

Undeterred by the lockdown imposed by the horrific COVID19 pandemic, Reading Trades Union Council organised a May Day spectacular to raise the spirits of comradeship across the local labour movement and beyond. Adhering to the strictures of public health advice - social distancing and limitations to face-to-face events - the event was staged online with a feed direct to YouTube. Given that 2021 is the 130th anniversary of RTUC, there was a real enthusiasm to make this year's International Workers' Day one to remember!

In the spirit of both May Day and Reading's multicultural heritage, the event was beautifully diverse, with speakers and performers from Reading, elsewhere in Britain and from abroad. Through the support of the production team at Banner Theatre, the presentations wove smoothly one into another and were interspersed with topical tunes.

The roster of featured attendees is one to be proud of, from heads of national trade unions and spearheads of justice campaigns to frontline activists and radical performers:
  • Eileen Turnbull & Terry Renshaw from the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign - justice achieved this year, though 49 years in the making;
  • Chris Hockney from the Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign - justice sought but yet to be achieved;
  • Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the Public & Commercial Services Union;
  • Matt Wrack, General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union;
  • Jesika Parmar of Unite the Union - organiser of the Kingdom security staff strike at the Royal Berkshire Hospital;
  • RTUC's Helen Caney, GMB officer - spokesperson for the Marley Tile Factory strikers and the campaign against fire-and-rehire at British Gas and elsewhere;
  • Matthieu Bolie-Reddat, General Secretary of the CGT Versailles Union - bringing international solidarity from French labour;
  • Rob Williams of the National Shop Stewards Network;
  • Terry Pearce of the National Pensioners Convention;
  • Janine Booth of the RMT - reciting radical poetry;
  • Laura Zanetti of Earth Strike
  • Larissa Kennedy, President of the National Union of Students;
  • Banner Theatre, punctuating the event with hard-hitting radical song: 'Rise Up', 'Battle of Orgreave', 'Market Forces', 'WAR', 'Bring Him Down', 'Downhill Schools' and 'The INTERNATIONALE';
  • And of course Chris Reilly, President of RTUC and the event's esteemed compere.
The creative and logistical energy which developed the brainstorming sessions into the finished two-hour tour de force emanated from the RTUC May Day Organising Committee: Neil Adams (Unite), James Denny (RMT), Chris Reilly (RMT) and Tanya Wills (Unite). For the production of the broadcast event, thanks go to Banner Theatre. Details of the recorded version will be published here in due course.

Reading Trades Union Council would like to thank our affiliate trade unions for the support, both financial and by way of providing contributors to the event.  While significant donations from the RMT and Unite gave the making of our May Day event real impetus, many other donations and support in other forms demonstrated broad solidarity. The support received shows the broad comradeship of organised labour - and the recorded version of the event will form part of its legacy.

RTUC say - "Kill the Bill!"

On 1 May 2021, Reading Trades Union Council assembled in numbers to join other local activist groups, including Reading Socialist Club, to say - Kill the Bill! The protest, which commenced at the Forbury Gardens at 13:00, presented a coalition of opposition to the Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill which is being debated in parliament, where the Labour Party lead the opposition.

If passed into law, the Tories' draconian bill will:
  • Expand police stop-and-search powers, a practice which disproportionately targets black and other minority groups;
  • Criminalise trespass, threaten right-to-roam and increase discrimination against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities;
  • Restrict the right to assemble and protest, criminalising demonstrations and limiting trade unions' right to picket.

Following a march of around 100 people, which went from the Forbury, down Friar Street and up Broad Street before returning to the Gardens, a number of speakers raised ire at the implications of the bill, including RTUC's own John Partington (TSSA), who reminded those assembled of historic trade union struggles for the right to picket, from the Shrewsbury 24 and the Orgreave miners to Berkshire's own current Marley Tiles dispute.

John Partington (TSSA) addresses the rally

RTUC's Helen Caney (GMB) also spoke, introducing Robb Johnson's 'Kill the Bill' protest song.
Other RTUC delegates present were Steve Geary (USDAW), John Gillman (Unite), John Oversby (UCU), James Parker (Unite), Chris Reilly (RMT) and Tanya Wills (Unite).

The march commenced at 13:30, occupying the public highway for half its length, the RTUC banner displayed in its magnificent splendour, carried by John Partington and its designer, Nick Hatton (UCU).
The event concluded by 15:00, the case for freedom of assembly strongly presented. As proceedings in parliament advance, the Tories can expect continued opposition to the bill, until its illiberal clauses are relegated to the dustbin of history.



May Day with the Reading International Brigade Memorial Group

On 1 May 2021, from 11:00 to 12:00, Keith Jerrome (Unite) of the Reading International Brigades Memorial Group presented the annual commemoration of Reading's volunteers to Spain, defending democracy and fighting fascism between 1936 and 1939. The event received technical facilitation from Kathy McCubbing (Unite) of the Reading Socialist Club and was promoted by Reading Trades Union Council (of which Keith is an honorary life member) and Reading & District Labour Party.


Whilst the commemorative event was broadcast live via Zoom, a video feed cut to the Forbury Gardens where the RTUC banner, supported by James Parker (Unite) and John Partington (TSSA), was flying in salute. Chris Reilly (RMT) for the RIBMG, Tanya Wills for Unite Community, James Denny for the RMT, Jo Souter for RSC, Chris for RTUC and Helen Caney (GMB) for RDLP laid wreaths and other floral displays at the base of the monument to Reading's heroes of Spain.


Keith introduced the event, followed by a tribute to Eric Stanford, the sculptor of Reading's International Brigades Memorial, by his widow, Helen Stanford. Marlene Sidaway, President of the International Brigades Memorial Trust, then introduced Mike Cooper (on researching the Reading volunteers), Keith Jerrome (on Reg Saxton and medical aid to Spain) and Mike Walker (on Thora Silverthorne). Nada al-Sanjari read a poem by International Brigade veteran, Jimmy Moon; Ray spoke on Reading's two fallen fighters in Spain, Bill Ball and Josh Francis; and Nicky Jerrome followed the speakers with live renditions of 'Jarama Valley' and 'The Internationale'.


Zoom helped keep the tradition of commemoration alive in Reading though it is hoped that comrades can assemble in numbers around the International Brigades Memorial in a year's time for a face-to-face event.