Trade unions and students rally in Oxford to mark General Strike centenary

Students and the University and College Union (UCU) have joined an ongoing march and rally in Oxford to mark the 100-year anniversary of the 1926 General Strike. 

The march left Manzil Way, Cowley, at around 12.30pm and arrived at Bonn Square in the city centre at around 1.15pm. Those attending include the Oxford District and Trade Unions Council, the UCU, the Teachers Union, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Pensioner’s Convention and the Renter’s Rights Union. They have been joined by members of Oxford Stand Up to Racism (OUSTR), the Socialist Worker’s Party, the Communist Party, Your Party,  the Green Party and other groups. Several students attended, including a group from the Oxford Labour Club. 

The event commemorated the anniversary of the 1926 General Strike, a sympathy strike which took place across the United Kingdom from 4th to 12th May 1926, in an attempt by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to pressure the UK Government to improve working conditions and prevent reductions to pay for coal miners. In Oxford, railway, print and building workers marched in solidarity with miners in other regions of the country. The march was largely seen as unsuccessful at achieving its aims, but has been widely depicted in literature and film.

Organisers and attendees gathered at Manzil Way from around 12pm. OUSTR and the Socialist Worker put up stalls on Manzil Way and at Bonn Square, and various groups distributed leaflets and campaign materials at both locations. Marching to the City Centre, those gathered chanted “Here to stay, here to fight, workers of the world unite”, “What do we think of landlords? Shit. What do we think of shit? Landlords” and “Whose streets? Our streets”.

Speakers at the rally included Steve Wright of the Fire Brigades Union. Speaking after his address, Wright told Cherwell he aimed to “bring the message that it’s only workers that can fight back and push back employers….I think it’s about looking forward and building a society and country that’s built in the interest of workers.”

A UCU committee member told Cherwell that it was “important to show solidarity with members of other UCU branches who are experiencing significant attacks on their working rights and working conditions.

“Oxford from the outside has a reputation of ivory towers, but there are lots of problems with poor job security… [and] attacks on higher education. Oxford isn’t immune.”

In a comment to Cherwell before the event, Co-Chairs of the Oxford Labour Club (OLC) described the General Strike as “one of the most prominent points in the history of the British trade union movement…two million people joined together in solidarity to show both their employers, and the ruling political class, that working people in the United Kingdom deserve to be heard, seen, and respected”.

A brass band accompanied the marchers and played throughout the journey down to Bonn Square, with one performer describing the event as “part of the history of music within the trade union movement”.

Today’s event will be followed on 16th May by performances including live music at the Museum of Oxford to tell the story of the 1926 General Strike in Oxford.

Reporting Stanley Arlidge, Ned Remington and Hattie Simpson.