artswith Music Remembering Bob Crow


on London Underground when he felt he had been victimised by his gaffer. In the battles to come, Crow developed the wherewithal to command respect and attention with his no holds barred approach. Before he was elected as RMT


general secretary in 2002, he had been a national executive member then assistant general secretary. He left the RMT a stronger, larger and more financially sound union. So what can the union movement


learn from Crow’s life? First, there is the need to


“He walked the walk” – Gregor Gall’s new biography of Bob Crow looks at the former RMT leader’s legacy Bob Crow died three years ago,


aged just 52. He was one of the few union leaders known in households up and down the land – and for good reason. His personality, his politics and


the power of his members enabled him to punch well above his weight. He didn’t just ‘talk the talk’ but ‘walked the walk’. His larger-than-life personality


allowed him, without fear or favour, to put across his politics – “communist/socialist” as he said – and defend and advance his members’ interests. He learnt politics from his father and his early membership of the Communist Party. He later joined Arthur Scargill’s Socialist Labour Party. The personal ability to promote


these politics started with an epiphany as a young track worker


20 | theJournalist


understand how leaders develop socially and politically. Some skills and traits can be taught; others cannot. Courses and mentoring cannot substitute for being battle-hardened. Second, the job of leadership is to


impart confidence and certainty in members – the confidence to fight and the certainty that the battles can be won. Third, be able to identify the


weak links in your opponents’ chains and target them ruthlessly. So knowing the ‘where’, the ‘when’ and the ‘how’ is critical. Fourth, if you say you are going


to fight, you must do so if your opponent calls your bluff. Fifth, unions that stand up and


collectively win for their members – through their members’ own actions – are attractive. This becomes a good recruiting sergeant. Bob Crow – Socialist, Leader, Fighter is published by Manchester University Press, and is available from http:// tinyurl.com/hctvhyg. Gregor Gall is professor of industrial relations at the University of Bradford


attitude


by Tim Lezard


COMEDY Bridget Christie – Because You Demanded It Touring the UK throughout April and May A funny look at the consequences of Brexit: the people of the UK voted to leave the EU, even though no one had a plan for what would happen if it did. As a result of not having a plan, the UK has gone to the dogs economically, socially and politically. If you didn’t want to


leave the EU, or you did but now don’t because everything’s gone wrong, this is the show for you. If you did want to leave the EU, you


will still find it funny, but for different reasons, as you witness the liberal comedian’s exasperated and despairing meltdown. Catch the Gloucester-born comedian


on tour across the UK. www.bridgetchristie.co.uk/gigs/


Andy Zaltzman – Plan Z Touring the UK throughout May In a world riven by the squawk and counter-squawk of contemporary politics and media, at a time when technology is sprinting into the future while democracy stroppily handbrake turns back to the past, alleged comedian Andy Zaltzman will fix everything. Give or take.


In the spirit of the times, Zaltzman’s Plan Z solution is guaranteed to be fully uncosted and logistically unworkable. Plan Z. Comedy of last resort. When all else has failed, be prepared to fail again. http://andyzaltzman.co.uk/plan-z/


THEATRE My Country; a Work in Progress in the Words of People Across the UK and Carol Ann Duffy On tour throughout UK in April and May


In the days after the EU referendum, the National Theatre began a nationwide listening project. A team of interviewers spoke to people around the country – from Leicester to Derry/Londonderry and Merthyr Tydfil to Glasgow –


to hear their views of the country and town they live in, their lives, their future and the referendum. Using exact words taken from the interviews, My


Country puts those conversations centre stage. Rufus Norris, director of the National


Theatre, collaborates with Carol Ann Duffy, poet laureate, to create this production, which opens in London before playing at venues around the country. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/ my-country


All Ireland Drama Festival Dean Crowe Theatre, Athlone, 4-13 May One of Europe’s largest amateur theatre festivals, this hotly contested battle between drama groups from all over Ireland invariably stages some terrific productions, many of them reaching the standard of any professional company. Nine groups, which have qualified


through 35 regional heats, each perform a three-act play in the final. Hundreds of actors, their supporters


and regular theatre lovers staying in town for the duration of the festival make Athlone a lively


Some of the best things to


see and do with a bit of political bite


For listings email: arts@NUJ.org.uk


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