Peterloo: 200 years ago today

It is 200 years ago today since the Peterloo Massacre in St Peters Fields in Manchester when cavalry charged into a crowd of 60,000 to 80,000 who were demanding political reform. 18 died, including 4 women, and hundreds were injured. 

As this was only four years after the Battle of Waterloo, the event was sarcastically referred to as Peterloo. John Lees, a cloth worker from Oldham who died from his wounds on 9 September, had been present at the Battle of Waterloo. Shortly before his death he told a friend that he had never been in such danger as at Peterloo: "At Waterloo there was man to man, but there it was downright murder."

How far have we progressed since then? While the Peterloo Massacre has been called one of the defining moments of its age, the Miners' Strike of 1984-1985 showed that official attitudes to ordinary people standing up for themselves haven't changed significantly, demonstrated by the prime minister in the 1980s describing trade unions as "the enemy within".

Hiroshima and Nagasaki Day

Speeches, poems and music to mark the 74th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

• Tuesday 6th August 2019.
• 10.45am.
• St John’s Gardens, Liverpool.

All welcome. The commemoration will last around 30 minutes.

Grenfell Vigil in Liverpool: 14 June

14 June 2019 marks 2 years since the Grenfell tragedy in which 72 people lost their lives and hundreds of others were injured and lost their homes. A vigil is held on 14th of the month every month at the bombed out church in Liverpool at 6.00 pm in solidarity with a vigil held at the site in London.

PCS members and activists are encouraged to support the vigils, particularly on this poignant anniversary. We remember the victims and stand in solidarity with the survivors and families in their fight for justice.

• Date: Friday 14 June.
• Time: 6.00 pm.
• Place: St Luke's Bombed Out Church, Leece Sreet, Liverpool L1 2TR.

Workers’ Memorial Day 2019

Every year more people are killed at work than in wars. Most don't die of mystery ailments, or in tragic "accidents". They die because an employer decided their safety just wasn't that important a priority. Workers’ Memorial Day (WMD) commemorates those workers.

Workers' Memorial Day is held on 28 April every year. All over the world, workers and their representatives conduct events, demonstrations, vigils and a whole host of other activities to mark the day

What is Workers' Memorial Day
Workers' Memorial Day has always been to "remember the dead: fight for the living" and unions are asked to focus on both areas, by considering events or memorial to remember all those killed through work but at the same time ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated. That can best be done by building trade union organisation, and campaigning for stricter enforcement with higher penalties for breaches of health & safety laws. Workers Memorial Day is commemorated throughout the world and is officially recognised by the UK Government.

Commemoration in Liverpool

Unite Memorial, Hunter Street, Liverpool L3 8EN, Sunday 28 April 11:30 – 12:15.
Remember the dead, but FIGHT for the living. Come and join us in Liverpool with speakers Ritchie James, Unite NW regional secretary, and Joe Anderson, Liverpool mayor.

Unite the Union link here. NW TUC link here.