Rob Williams, Socialist Party industrial organiser, talks about the importance of the trade unions, their potential role, and what’s necessary to transform them.

Useful further reading:

• ‘Trade unions and the gig economy’ by Rob Williams, October 2016: http://www.socialismtoday.org/202/gig.html

• On the events of 2011 that Rob refers to: http://www.socialismtoday.org/187/unions.html

• ‘1926 general strike – workers taste power’ book by Peter Taaffe available at leftbooks.co.uk

• ‘Teamster rebellion’ book by Farrell Dobbs available at leftbooks.co.uk

• ‘Marx and Engels on the trade unions’ book available at leftbooks.co.uk

• ‘Unions and Labour – forged in struggle’ book review by Rob Williams: http://www.socialismtoday.org/179/silvertown.html