WHEN the six poor Tolpuddle farm workers met to form a trade union in 1834, little did they know how their story of injustice would continue to resonate with modern-day workers around the world.

The tough lives of James Brine, James Hammett, George Loveless, George’s brother James Loveless, George’s brother in-law Thomas Standfield, and Thomas’s son John Standfield were all too common for the average agricultural worker. Rooted in grim poverty and deep inequality, they deserved much better.

So when they organised to prevent further pay cuts, they knew the landowner would resist. 

What they didn’t foresee was the sheer injustice of seven years of transportation for simply forming a trade union.

The story that follows is well known in the trade union movement and is weaved into the fabric of our history.

The farm workers stood strong, together. The working classes and hundreds of small trade unions up and down the country rose up, together, in support of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. 

It was their story and the collective voices of the working classes that led the big march to London and resulted in the martyrs’ release and free pardons.

It took three years but, together, they and the trade union movement won.

We know that it is the collective power of working people through trade unions that makes a huge difference to people’s lives and to our society.

It’s why the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs still resonates with so many of us today.

And why thousands of trade unionists and their families continue to meet up every year at the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival in a mass show of solidarity.

It’s here where we celebrate all our achievements and get together to debate and fight for a fairer, better and more equal and just world for all workers. 

Because our wins don’t just happen with one voice or one story. 

That’s why the festival is more than just a festival. And why, even though we can’t meet together this year, we’re bringing the spirit of the festival into the homes of comrades and friends online. 

We are pleased to say the Virtual Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival this weekend will reflect much of the festival we know and love, and will revive and refresh us for the battles to come. 

We have lots of topical discussions and debates with leading experts from the trade union and labour movement including: building solidarity with agricultural and migrant workers, combating structural racism in our society through Black Lives Matter, the importance of human rights in future trade deals, and the coronavirus, and how we can ensure public-sector workers get a fairer deal at work beyond clapping in the street. 

We’ve also boosted our Radical History School, with lectures running throughout the summer, the Radical Film Festival has plenty to watch, and the Woodcraft Folk have created a wonderful line-up of kids activities for all the family to enjoy. 

We’ve got comedy, messages of solidarity from unions, stories from working people, and films that shine a light on the Tolpuddle Martyrs. 

And we’re extremely pleased to say we’ve got the biggest line-up of music we’ve ever had, with musicians including those who would’ve played at this year’s festival, those who we invited before and friends of Tolpuddle.  

And not one of the performers has been asked to work for free. We’ve never asked musicians to work for free, and we certainly weren’t going to start now.

On Sunday we have invited big names and voices from the union and labour movement such as Angela Rayner, Ged Nichols and Frances O’Grady, plus special guests to prepare us for the big virtual banner parade. 

We cannot meet together but we can be proud of our unions and the values we represent. So join us, comrades and friends of Tolpuddle, live on Sunday from 2pm and post a picture of your banner, or pictures of you at previous processions in solidarity with key workers who have proved so valuable to us in the past few months.

The Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival is a big celebration of and for working people. We will be back next year. 

But until then, we can continue to remember the stories of the martyrs and all the workers whose collectivism, solidarity and values showed us there is power in a union. 

The Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival is being livestreamed throughout the weekend. Watch live on Facebook, YouTube or sign up to debates on Zoom. For more information visit: www.tolpuddlemartyrs/org.uk/festival.