The Communist party believes that trade unions are important because it is through these organisations that workers learn to organise and fight against capitalist exploitation. This is why Marx, Engels and Lenin characterised unions as ‘schools’ for the working class.
Communists also understand that unions are limited defensive organisations, whose struggles need to be brought together by a political party that explicitly challenges the power of the capitalist class. Through this work, trade union struggles can be widened and workers brought to see themselves as part of a class struggle.
Work in the trade unions is always a priority for the Communist Party. We bring a distinctive style of principled work to the unions, rooted in the workplace and striving every day to raise the level and effectiveness of class struggle and class consciousness.
The Industrial Committee oversees the Party’s work in the unions, turning Congress and Executive and Political Committee resolutions into a programme of trade union work and informing the Party’s leadership. The Committee draws its strength from active cadres from across the trade union movement.
Our priorities are to build organisational power and class consciousness in the trade unions at all levels, build understanding of Britain’s imperialism and the importance of the fight for peace and win support for policies in the labour movement that can weaken the grip of monopoly capitalism and build confidence in the need for socialism.
For more information about how to contact the Industrial Commission, access the Members Area.
