HENRY FOWLER, assistant general secretary of the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU), reports on Day 2 from the GFTU’s residential Summer School at the Workers’ Retreat, Quorn Grange Hotel
WORKERS all over the world will come together to demonstrate and celebrate May Day — the international workers’ holiday.
May Day has always been a red festival and long before that it has been a widely known green countryside celebration marking the rebirth and regrowth of nature — the rekindling of life after winter.
In this article I’ll try to explore these two parallel histories of this important day. I’ll start with the workers’ celebration when red banners fly in the spring sunshine all across the globe and go on to another, more traditional, celebration of the end of winter and the approach of the better weather of summer.
Driven by anti-fascism and anger at Britain’s policy of non-intervention, thousands volunteered to fight in the Spanish civil war. Historian RICHARD BAXELL reflects on their sacrifices and enduring significance
As extremist movements grow on the streets and at the ballot box, the emergence of the Together Alliance points to a vital strategy: unity across trade unions, campaigners and communities, says TONY CONWAY
CJ ATKINS commemorates one of the most dramatic moments in working-class history
SYMON HILL looks at Tommy Robinson’s bid to use Christmas to spread division and hate — and reminds us that’s the opposite of Jesus’s message


