Blowing with the Blackburn trades

Mick Pickup, 93 Lynwood Road, Blackburn, BB2 6HL, 218 pages, paperback, £10.00

This book tells the story of Blackburn Trades Council Club, which came into existence in 1980. The author, who represented his union branch on the Blackburn Trades Council, joined the Club in 1982, and in 1984 was elected onto its management committee.

The club helped in many trade unionist campaigns for good causes. For instance, it provided activists with support during the 1984 miners' strike, the Wapping dispute against the Murdoch press; the opposition to the poll tax, among many other campaigns. Unfortunately the Club was obliged to close down in 1993 because of problems with renting the premises.

This book, which has a foreword by Michael Hindley MEP, is based on the personal recollections of its author. It gives a close-up view of the numerous individuals who participated in the Club's work, the controversies that took place behind the scenes, the individual arguments and disagreements.

It all makes a highly readable story, and illustrates the problems with which local trade union and labour bodes are frequently faced.