We have lots of discussions and speaking sessions running throughout the weekend. 

Join the conversation by watching LIVE throughout the weekend (Friday 17 -  Sunday 19 July) by: 

• Joining the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival facebook group 

• Subscribing to Tolpuddle Martyrs youtube channel

• Registering via the links below to take part in the Zoom webinars. 

Most lectures and debates will be streamed in part or whole on our social media accounts. Not all will be covered however, so your best bet is to sign up to the ones you don't want to miss below.  

FRIDAY 17 JULY 

4.00 - 5.00pm Supporting human rights through trade deals

With Diogenes Orjuela, President of Colombian trade unions, and Emily Thornberry MP, shadow secretary of state for international trade, and chaired by Rosa Crawford, TUC International Policy Officer.

This session looks at how trade deals can be used to enforce respect for human rights in conspiring trade deals like the U.K - Colombia trade deal, which contains commitments to respect human rights but no effective enforcement of this commitments.
It will highlight what the Labour party is doing to raise the issue in parliament and how UK unions are working with sister centres to lobby for trade deals to enforce workers’ rights and promote good jobs.

REGISTER HERE 

 

7.00 - 8.00pm Protest! Learning from the past, building for the future 

The Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival and the People’s Assembly join forces to talk about the history of radical protest and the need to mobilise for the fight here and now.

REGISTRATION WILL BE OPEN SHORTLY 

 

SATURDAY 18 JULY 

11.30 - 12.30
Valuing public sector workers after the covid crisis

Chair: Mary Robertson TUC Public Services Policy Officer is joined by Rachel Reeves MP Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office, Christina McAnea UNISON, Rehana Azam, GMB, Mark Serwotka, PCS, Gail Cartmail, Unite      

REGISTER HERE 

12.00 - 12.45 Human rights and the fight against the virus

In this session, Shami Chakrabati will deal with so many of the civil liberties and human rights questions that Covid-19 has brought into sharp focus. She will give her answer to the right-wing libertarians who resisted the lockdown in the first place, then the need for adequate medical, physical and economic protection for the many and now seem to want to “get the economy going”, whatever the human cost, to ordinary working people in particular.

There are a plethora of issues from the legacy of austerity on the NHS, to inadequate job, social, housing and food security, the spike in domestic abuse under lockdown and the startling disproportionate impact of the virus on the poorest people and BAME communities. What we have learned about this crisis and what impetus it might provide for a more just global and domestic settlement in the future. 

REGISTER HERE

1.00 - 2.00pm  Building back better

Paul Nowak, TUC Deputy General Secretary;
Sue Ferns , Senior deputy general secreatry, Prospect
Darren Jones MP, Chair of Business Select Committee; 
Wes Streeting MP Shadow Exchequer Secretary (Treasury), 
Zara Nanu, Gapsquare  
Miatta Farnbullen, Chief Executive New Economics Foundation

Together, they will discuss the measures needed to build a better economy for working people. 

 REGISTER HERE

2.00 - 3.00pm Black Lives Matter

Chair: Thangam Debbonaire MP, Roger McKenzie, UNISON Assistant General Secretary, Wanda Wyporska, Chief Executive, Equality Trust, Marvin Rees, Bristol Mayor, Wilf Sullivan, TUC Race Equality Officer and Kimberley Mckintosh, Senior Policy Officer at the Runnymede Trust 

REGISTER HERE

2.30 - 3.30pm  Building solidarity and stopping exploitation of migrant workers in agriculture

This session will highlight exploitation migrant workers in agriculture in the U.K. in Spain are facing both as a result of their pandemic and the business model in food supply chains that have fuelled exploitation. This is part of the move by right wing movements across the world to scapegoat and exploit migrant workers. It will show the strategies of unions to organise migrant workers and build solidarity to win decent conditions for all and combat the far right.

REGISTER HERE

4.00 - 5.00pm  Class of Covid-19: what next for education

The National Education Union will host a major discussion on the future of education and skills. 

REGISTER HERE