Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
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Now, for the first time, Ryanair workers have a voice
ANGUS REID explains the significance of Cuba’s egalitarian in letter and spirit Family Code and the pertinent lessons it holds for democracies anywhere in the world
Special report by PEOPLE’S WORLD
NICK WRIGHT considers how the isolation of Israel and a new film on the controversial Italian communist leader are creating new reference points for Italy’s left
CARLOS MARTINEZ says Cuba’s achievements in the face of a criminal blockade are startling, but the island’s future if the United States succeeds in crushing it looks bleak
AMNON BROWNFIELD STEIN reports that far-right MPs who mobbed the event organised by Hadash may have helped raise awareness of the brutality of the Israeli right
MY Twitter timeline has been full of messages of support and praise for Unite’s historic recognition deal with Ryanair this week, from those celebrating that they can finally fly with the low-price airline to a few hoping this marks the end to standards previously synonymous with the brand.
The agreement signals not just a shift to a more respectful customer relations policy — an improvement passengers have been noticing for a while — but to a more respectful industrial relations one too.
And treating cabin crew with respect is a move towards treating everyone in the transport industry with respect.
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