Join UNISON with the archives in The Women's Library!

DATE MOVED FROM 29 JULY!

The 1984-85 miners’ strike is an important moment in UK industrial history, marking a key point of conflict between workers, their trade unions, and the state. While it was led and organised by the majority male National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the strike, which lasted over a year, was also made possible by the support of a range of other organisations, one of which was the Women Against Pit Closures (WAPC).

This event will engage with LSE’s archives related to the role of women in the miners' strike, exploring how trade union disputes can be enhanced and extended through the engagement of those outside the workplace, and centring questions of social reproduction as well as creative activities that can be just as politically important as hard pickets and battles with the police.

Attendees will have the chance to explore LSE’s archival collections and then create a patch for a quilt commemorating the important role of women in supporting the miners’ struggle. This will also be a chance for participants to reflect on the state of union organising today and share any inspiration they have for protecting and demanding workers’ rights in the future.

This event has been organised in collaboration with the Unison Greater London Young Members’ Forum. The forum brings together rank-and-file Unison members under the age of 31 from across a variety of employers in Greater London and takes a lead in organising, running, and supporting young member campaigns across the region.

Description supplied by the event organiser.