22 November, 2023
Author: Mohan Sen
The India Labour Solidarity campaign (ILS), established late 2022, has been active on several fronts.
On 15 November ILS held an event at Parliament, organised with socialist MP Nadia Whittome and NGO Trade Justice Movement, to discuss a potential UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The event briefed MPs, parliamentary staff, trade unionists and others on the issues and made the case for negotiations to be suspended, a position supported by the TUC but not campaigned for in the labour movement.
Another organisation participating in the 15 November event was Unau Welfare, representing members of the Kuki-Zo tribal community, which is experiencing brutal persecution in the eastern Indian state of Manipur. ILS has been working extensively with Unau Welfare to raise awareness of Manipur in the UK.
The campaign recently helped launch a statement in support of Bellsonica workers in Haryana state, auto components workers whose union is being attacked for attempting to organise agency workers.
ILS promoted, participated in and reported on the 1 October demonstration by garment workers in Leicester, predominantly of Indian heritage or origin, fighting against job losses and for improved wages and conditions in the industry.
The campaign tries to make opposition to caste discrimination and caste oppression central to its work. It has been working with the Anti Caste Discrimination Alliance to launch a new initiative seeking to raise caste in the UK labour movement, chairing its first public event on 25 October.
On 27 October ILS co-sponsored a meeting on outsourcing of workers and systemic racism with the IWGB union and Black Lives Matter UK. On 22 November an ILS comrade is speaking about India at a Workers’ Liberty meeting in Sheffield.
The campaign has also attended Gaza demonstrations, and promoted statements from Indian unions opposing the war.
• See the ILS website for model motions, briefings, etc. and here to sign up for updates.
The India Labour Solidarity campaign (ILS), established late 2022, has been active on several fronts.
On 15 November ILS held an event at Parliament, organised with socialist MP Nadia Whittome and NGO Trade Justice Movement, to discuss a potential UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The event briefed MPs, parliamentary staff, trade unionists and others on the issues and made the case for negotiations to be suspended, a position supported by the TUC but not campaigned for in the labour movement.
Another organisation participating in the 15 November event was Unau Welfare, representing members of the Kuki-Zo tribal community, which is experiencing brutal persecution in the eastern Indian state of Manipur. ILS has been working extensively with Unau Welfare to raise awareness of Manipur in the UK.
The campaign recently helped launch a statement in support of Bellsonica workers in Haryana state, auto components workers whose union is being attacked for attempting to organise agency workers.
ILS promoted, participated in and reported on the 1 October demonstration by garment workers in Leicester, predominantly of Indian heritage or origin, fighting against job losses and for improved wages and conditions in the industry.
The campaign tries to make opposition to caste discrimination and caste oppression central to its work. It has been working with the Anti Caste Discrimination Alliance to launch a new initiative seeking to raise caste in the UK labour movement, chairing its first public event on 25 October.
On 27 October ILS co-sponsored a meeting on outsourcing of workers and systemic racism with the IWGB union and Black Lives Matter UK. On 22 November an ILS comrade is speaking about India at a Workers’ Liberty meeting in Sheffield.
The campaign has also attended Gaza demonstrations, and promoted statements from Indian unions opposing the war.
• See the ILS website for model motions, briefings, etc. and here to sign up for updates.
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