8/6/2019 Lloyd's Letter

1/1

Woodcraft Folkducation for Social Change since 1925

Woodcraft Folk House9/10, 83 Crampton StreetLONDONSE17 3BQ

(+44) 020 7703 4173

info@woodcraft.org.ukwww.woodcraft.org.uk

Woodcraft Folk is part of IFM SEI, the internationalyouth education network.

Woodcraft Folk is a registered charity in Englandand Wales (1073665) and in Scotland (SC039791)

EDUCATION

1925SOCIAL

CHANGE

SINCE

FOREDUCATION

1925SOCIAL

CHANGE

SINCE

FOR

Dear members and supporters,

We write to you a week before the largest strikes that the UKhas seen for many years, which are planned to take place onThursday 30th June (next week). Thousands of school andcollege students are expected to be either given the day off

school or to refuse to cross picket lines and stage a walk out.

The Woodcraft Folk, as one of the only progressive youthorganisations in the UK, wants to make sure that we aresupporting our young people taking actions of conscience. Noyoung person should have to undermine legal and legitimateindustrial action by crossing any picket line and we will besupporting all our members who take a stand to protect theirfuture. The strike is expected to bring schools, colleges,universities, courts, ports and jobcentres to a standstill, andcomes as millions of staff face pay freezes, job losses and

pension reforms. (Guardian, 20 June 2011)

We want to be able to support our members taking action andmake sure that young people get their voices heard. It is equallyimportant they are given the space to discuss why many publicsector workers feel it necessary to take this action and how,if they choose to do so, our young people can take action tosupport them.

On the day many of our members will be taking actionthemselves and this is a perfect opportunity to talk about

industrial action in your groups. If you are a group leader, yourGeneral Council in the coming days will develop activities for youto use in your group to talk about why the ability to be part ofa Trade Union is an important human right that the WoodcraftFolk upholds and promotes. The packs will touch upon why it isimportant to be able to withdraw labour as a last resort.

If you have time on the day we encourage groups to organiseactivities alongside picket lines for children and young peoplethat may not be in school. You may wish to involve singing,parachute games or even discussions and solidarity actions. We

encourage our members and all our groups to use the 30th Juneto proactively build links with our comrades in the Trade Unionmovement and educate our young people in strengthening thosehistorical links.

Speed the Adventure,

Blue Skies,

Lloyd Russell-Moyle

Chair, on behalf of General Council

Did you know manyof the songs in theWoodcraft Folk songbook come from protestsand trade unions?Even Link Your HandsTogether is the firstverse of a longer protestsong that finishes with:

Let us march together,With firm step andstrong,

As out from the darknesWe all go along