Out of the Frying Pan, a critical look at Works Councils

Works Councils are coming to Britain. But what are Works Councils, and what will they mean for working people and trade unions? Are the TUC unions right to welcome the changes in labour relations which Works Councils will bring? Works Councils, far from empowering people, act as a tool by which management can control and pacify people at work. The truth behind Works Councils is exposed here through the views of workers in France, who have witnessed their failure at first hand. The message is clear; there is nothing to be gained and much to lose from the introduction of a Works Council system in Britain. Out of the Frying Pan is a new, critical analysis of Works Councils and a look ahead at a real future for organising and fighting back in your workplace.

SolFed Constitution

Solidarity Federation Constitution

(last amended, November 2020)

Section 1: Affiliation to the Solidarity Federation

1a) Conditions of Affiliation

Affiliation to the Solidarity Federation is conditional on agreement to abide by the Aims, Principles and Constitution and on the payment of all applicable subscriptions.

Certain workers have roles and interests that are incompatible with the aims and principles of anarcho-syndicalism and are barred from membership. These include:

  • police and prison officers

  • those who have the power to restrain or imprison in detention centres of all varieties

  • bailiffs and landlords

  • full-time trade union officials (see Appendix)

SolFed Industrial Strategy

(as amended by National Conference, April 2012)

Preamble

Solidarity Federation's ultimate aim is a self-managed, stateless society based on the principle of from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs. It is a society where we are no longer just used as a means to an end by bosses wanting to make money from our labour.

As a revolutionary union initiative, the Solidarity Federation seeks to develop into a revolutionary union (anarcho-syndicalist union). We see this as an essential forerunner to such a society. To this end, SF seeks to create a culture of militant opposition to the bosses and the state, controlled by the workers involved. This means picking fights and winning victories, however small, in order to build confidence and a culture of militancy and solidarity which can take on bigger fights.

Intro to SolFed

Solidarity Federation (SolFed) was formed in March 1994. It is a federation of groups across England, Scotland and Wales. Everyone involved is helping to build a non-hierarchical, anti-authoritarian solidarity movement. The basic foundation used for doing this is the Local group.