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Steven Collins talking about saving Remploy North Staffs and other Remploy factories

 

News & Reports

 

NSSN Bulletin No. 90

11 May 400,000 public sector workers across the country demonstrated once again on May 10th that the mass campaign against pension cuts is still very much alive...read more

 

May 10 pensions strike report

11 May Prison officers walked out to join hundreds of thousands of other public sector workers taking strike action in defence of their pensions...read more

 

Lincoln train drivers strike to defend pensions

11 May On Wednesday 1st May we had our first strike called by the ASLEF members of East Midlands Trains. I was really pleased with the turnout from our members at Lincoln...read more

 

Message of support to May 10 strikers from NUT activist Martin Powell-Davies

09 May Thursday's national strike in defence of pensions by up to 500,000 public sector workers across PCS, UCU, UNITE Health, NIPSA, plus some RMT members, will send another message to the Government - already reeling from their election defeats - that trade unionists are not going to accept paying more, to work longer, and to get less when we eventually do get to retire...read more

 

NSSN bulletin No. 89

04 May May Day celebrations, building for May 10th strikes, updates on disputes, victimisations and international reports...read more

 

NSSN bulletin No. 88

30 April Updates on London Underground strike of RMT Tubelines workers, Unite library workers in Greenwich and tanker drivers. International reports from Argentina and Sri Lanka. May Day demonstrations and news of upcoming strikes, actions and demonstration...read more

 

Greenwich library staff strike against privatisation

26 April Unite in Greenwich libraries are on strike from Friday 27th April to Tuesday 1st May. A further day is planned for 11th May. The strike is against the planned sell-off of the library service to Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL)...read more

 

Tubelines strike: Fighting for all Tube passengers rights

26 April Since 4pm Tuesday 24 April, 1000 maintenance workers employed by Tube Lines have been on a 72 hour strike. As Tube Lines rep Paul O'Brien explained (see below), "this strike is about getting all workers the same rights as far as pensions and travel passes are concerned...read more

 

Belfast bus workers unofficial action forces management climb-down

23 April On Friday 20th April, Metro bus drivers in Belfast, members of Unite and GMB, staged a walk-out in response to the unjustified suspension of one of their colleagues....read more

 

Remploy workers take the fight to Parliament

20 April “Maria Miller, factory killer!” was the chant heard outside DWP (Department of Work & Pensions) as Remploy workers took their campaign against factory closures to central London...read more

 

NSSN Bulletin No.87

19 April Pensions battle re-emerges, updates, victimisation, international news and upcoming events...read more

 

PCS NEC announces strike action for May 10

18 April The union's national executive this afternoon unanimously agreed a programme of ongoing action, starting with national strikes over pensions co-ordinated with other unions on 10 May and at the end of June...read more

 

The 1972 Building Workers Strike

16 April On the 28th June 1972 there was an official Building Workers Strike called by UCATT over pay and other issues. Pickets were used in building sites in Cheshire, North Wales and the North West. The Building workers strike was used by the capitalist media to denounce and witch hunt 24 Shrewsbury Building workers who were arrested...read more

 

NSSN Bulletin No. 86

 

Save Remploy factories: London public meeting.

Leaflet available to download

02 April Following on from a successful organizing meeting called by Disabled People Against Cuts, the campaign to save the Remploy factories is calling an important public meeting to publicize the campaign among the trade union and disabilities movement as well as the general public...read more

 

NSSN Bulletin No. 84

 

"March 28 must be a springboard to further action"

29 March On what felt like the the hottest day of the year so far, thousands of teachers and lecturers gathered in Malet Street, central London. It was soon clear that Londoners HAD turned out in force to show that, given the call to action to stop this pensions robbery, trade unionists will respond...read more

 

Barow gives it's backing to Remploy workers

29 March Last Friday 23rd March, Remploy employees were once again out in the Town centre to publicise their just cause, handing out leaflets explaining their plight and encouraging the public to sign the petition...read more

 

"We are not human beings to them": Traffic wardens take strike action against NSL

26 March The road outside Ealing Town Hall was being torn up but even the noise of pneumatic drills couldn’t drown out striking traffic enforcement officers. The officers are members of Unite and have begun five days of strike action today over the victimisation of Parveen Bhadwaj...read more

 

Stop the closure of Remploy: Model trade union letter requesting support for London public meeting

23 March The NSSN is asking it's supporters to use the following model letter to build support and sponsorship for a public meeting in London. This is part of a wider campaign that is developing to save the Remploy factories...read more

 

NSSN Bulletin No. 83

23 March Updates on: Pensions dispute - Strikes in CWU & GMB - Swindon victimisation of Mick Dooley by UCATT -  NSSN public meetings...read more

 

Remploy update: "We will  not leave our factories close without one heck of a fight!

20 March There is a lot more clarity as we end this week, than we had at the beginning of the week on the issues that surround the ConDem’s proposal to end Supported Employment in Remploy. There are no surprises but the genie is out of the bottle as far as the motives are concerned, for this brutal act of state vindictiveness against disabled workers...read more

 

PCS National Executive agrees to build for April strike on pensions

19 March The national executive of the Public and Commercial Services union agreed today to continue to pursue a joint union campaign against the government's cuts to pensions, including a co-ordinated national strike in April...read more

 

BESNA beaten. Now organise to bin the blacklist!

19 March Around 70 rank and file construction workers met in the Mechanics Institute, Manchester on Saturday 17th March to discuss the significant victory against the 'Dirty 7' companies and to plan the way forward to end the blacklist, agency working and to stop the bosses war against jobs, pay and conditions...read more

 

Brazilian trade unionist victimised: Solidarity needed

15 March On March 12th, Ambev in Jacareí (São Paulo state) – the Brazilian branch of AB InBev – sacked in “just cause” comrade Joaquim Aristeu Benedito da Silva. The reason alleged by the company was the fact that he published on the web page of CSP-Conlutas (a trade union and popular movement federation) and on social networks an article denouncing the company for an the accident in the factory that led to the death of a young contract worker aged 25 with a pregnant wife...read more

 

Remploy factories are not for sale or closure" GMB rep vows to fight closures

09 March The announcement of the closure of 36 Remploy factories and the privatisation/closure of a further 18 in the near future has left Remploy workers bitter and angry...read more

 

Swansea Trades Council pledges to fight destruction of Remploy

08 March Swansea Trades Council condemns unreservedly the announcement today that the government plans to close 36 out of 54 Remploy factories across the UK and 7 out of 9 in Wales, including the site in Fforestfach. Up to 1,700 disabled workers stand to be sacked; 1,700 skilled, productive jobs lost...read more

 

Locked out MMP workers fight on

08 March Solid support was decisively demonstrated by the locked out MMP workers for continued action in their dispute. Of 139 papers issued in the secret ballot following a meeting of the workforce in a nearby hotel, 138 voted in favour of rejecting the so-called ‘offer’ by the MMP management...read more

 

UCATT expel Mick Dooley

08 March Michael Dooley a favourite for the leadership of UCATT the troubled building workers union has been expelled from the union following a complaint that he swore at a building workers meeting which was later broadcasted on YouTube...read more 

 

Lock out at MMP Bootle

27 January Workers at the Bootle site, which produces packaging for the food industry, are in dispute over the company’s unfair method of selecting redundancies and the redundancy terms being offered...read more

 

All remaining BESNA firms surrender. Total victory for the sparks!

23 January In an historic day for rank and file action the remaining five electrical contractors still signed up to the BESNA threw in the towel this evening...read more

 

Rank and file electrician, Bob Crow and Mark Serwotka to speak at NSSN conference

21 February Confirmed speakers for NSSN 6th Annual Conference on June 9th (Friends Meeting House, Euston Rd, London NW1 2BJ, 11.30am-4pm) Bob Crow RMT General Secretary, Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary, Rank & File construction electrician...read more

 

Unite meat workers take strike action at Vion Foods

20 February Unite members at the food firm Vion in Cambuslang will walkout on today in the first in a series of walkouts planned in a dispute over terms and conditions. The workers voted massively in favour of industrial action in an official ballot where 92% of members voted for strike action with 94% voting in favour of action short of strike on a 72% turnout...read more

 

Sparks defeat Balfours - now for total victory over BESNA  

17 February 2012 "Led by the ‘rank and file’ committee, many of whom are blacklisted, finally after six months of protests, unofficial walkouts and now a threatened strike, Balfour Beatty - the biggest of the 'Dirty 7' electrical contractors, has pulled out of the BESNA contract which will cut electricians' and other skilled construction workers’ wages by up to 35%... read more

 

Eurostar cleaners take a stand against poverty pay

16 February "What do we want-Fair pay! When do we want it?-Now!" and "£8.30 - London Living Wage!" were the chants of the Initial cleaners taking strike action today outside St Pancreas station. The cleaners are members of the European Passenger Services RMT branch...read more

 

Birmingham Trades Council commemorates Battle of Saltley Gate

15 February Laurence Humphries, a member of the Shrewsbury Pickets campaign and a the NSSN steering committee reports from the meeting...read more

 

Battle of Saltley Gates

10 February The battle at Saltley Gates remains one of the most significant industrial battles in recent history. Bill Mullins, a Birmingham shop steward at the Solihul Rover plant and participant recalls the events of that tumultuous day...read more

 

NSSN Bulletin No. 77

 

Stagecoach South Yorkshire strike day 11: Management getting desperate! 

08 February It was -15C overnight. Pickets arrive at Rawmarsh (Rotherham) depot at 4-30am. Water has been poured over the footpath where the strikers assemble making it into a skating ring. How vindictive and dangerous is that? Just shows how desperate Stagecoach bosses are getting...read more

 

Round two of Wincanton tanker drivers dispute

06 February 123 oil tanker drivers, employed by haulage firm Wincanton on the ConocoPhillips contract to deliver fuel to Jet forecourts, began their second week of strike action on Friday 3rd February...read more

 

Privatisation and cuts are destroying our Fire service: A Coventry FBU rep speaks out 

02 February The Fire service both locally and Nationally is in crisis. The government has cut the funding to some Brigades of up to 25% including the West Mids Fire service which is one of the worst hit in the country. And trying to find 25% savings whilst still providing the emergency cover and service that the tax payer has come to expect is proving to be just about impossible. Something has to give - and that something unfortunately looks like its going to be Fire-fighters, fire engines and stations...read more

 

Police interfere with sparks protest at Ratcliffe

01 February Around 40 sparks were protesting outside Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station on Wednesday 1st February to fight the imposition of the BESNA contract...read more

 

Stagecoach drivers escalate pay dispute

31 January Stagecoach South Yorkshire bus drivers, members of the union Unite, have stepped up their action in the fight to improve their wages...read more

 

Strike by Unite oil tanker drivers to defend jobs hits fuel supply

January 24 123 oil tanker drivers employed by road haulage firm Wincanton began a week long strike at 5am Tuesday 24th January. Employed on the ConocoPhillips contract, they deliver fuel to Jet petrol stations...read more

 

Stop the victimisation of NUT rep Pat Markey 

January 23 Pat Markey, Northampton NUT Secretary, and union rep at Duston School, was today (17 January) found guilty of gross misconduct and summarily dismissed...read more

 

POA challenge anti-trade union laws at European Court of Human Rights 

January 23 Press release from the Prison Officers Association ...read more

 

Unilever workers make a stand on pensions 

18 January “Unilever is the 18th richest company in the world. But its us that makes them their money!”
As one private sector pension scheme after another is hacked to pieces, workers at multinational company Unilever are making a stand to defend pensions...
read more

 

NSSN Staffordshire: No retreat on pensions - Fight until we win!

17 January NSSN Staffordshire met on 16th January to discuss the pensions struggle and what our next move should be...read more

 

Unilever picket lines near you 

16 January Unite members will join picket lines at 12 Unilever sites. Unite have circulated the time and location of each picket line. The NSSN urges all readers and supporters to visit picket lines in your area in this crucial dispute...read more

 

South Yorkshire bus drivers take eighth day of strike action  

16 January Stagecoach bus drivers in Barnsley and Rotherham, members of the Unite trade union, took their eighth day of strike action on Monday 16th January in pursuit of their pay claim for £9 per hour...read more

 

NSSN Bulletin No. 73

16 January The NSSN will now be publishing it's weekly bulletin online. The bulletin can be a useful tool for activists and supporters of the Network to keep in touch with events across the country and internationally. Highlights include the latest developments in the pensions dispute, the Unilever strike and workers struggles in Nigeria and Kazakhstan...read more

 

Preston NSSN supporters discuss next move in the pensions dispute 

13 January Local supporters of the National Shop Stewards Network met in Preston on Wednesday 11th January to discuss the national pensions dispute. PCS Group Executive Committee member for DWP, Gavin Hartley, reported back from the 7th January PCS Left Unity meeting in London...read more

 

VIDEO: Sparks protest at Grangemouth refinery

13 January Electricians continue their long running nationwide campaign against the wage slashing and deskilling Building Engineering Services National Agreement (BESNA). This time the action moves to Scotland with sparks protesting at the gates of the INEOS Grangemouth refinery...read more

 

Jobs cull at La Senza

12 January Administrators KPMG announced they were ‘delighted’ to have saved 1,000 jobs with La Senza in the UK on Monday. They didn’t mention the remaining 1,600 workers thrown on the dole with ten minutes’ notice...read more

 

Lobby of TUC urges further action on pensions

12 January Over 100 union members lobbied the TUC Public Services Liaison Group (PSLG) today, to call on the union leaders to reject the government's new offer on public sector pensions and to set a new strike date...read more

 

Merseyside union activists pledge to continue pensions battle

12 January Merseyside Shop Stewards Network held a successful meeting on 11 January, with 18 attending from unions including PCS, Unison, Unite and ASU/GMB. The meeting reviewed the pensions dispute, discussed co-ordinated action and a local way forwards...read more

Sparks protest make New Years return to Blackfriars   

11 January Up to 100 electricians and their supporters protested outside Blackfriars in London this morning in their ongoing campaign to defend the JIB agreement and stop the big construction companies imposing the BESNA terms that will open the door to pay cuts of up to 35%...read more

  

Change of time for lobby of TUC                                               10 January The starting time for the TUC Public Services Liaison Group on Thursday has been brought forward to 10:00 AM...read more

 

PCS Left Unity conference: Organising the fight back against pensions sell out                                                             09 January "PCS Left Unity have called this emergency meeting because this is an emergency." PCS President Janice Godrich welcomed the 600 plus union activists to the open meeting yesterday in Friends Meeting House...read more

 

NSSN Bulletin No. 72                                                                     06 January The NSSN will now be publishing it's weekly bulletin online. The bulletin can be a useful tool for activists and supporters of the Network to keep in touch with events across the country and internationally...read more

 

Open meeting for trade union reps organised by PCS Left Unity

23 December An open meeting for trade union reps has been organised by the Public and Commercial Services Union's Left Unity organisation on Saturday 7th January 2012 at Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London, 11am - 4pm.

Speakers include: Mark Serwotka PCS general secretary, John McDonnell MP, Mark Campbell, UCU, Kevin Courtney, NUT deputy general secretary, Roger Bannister, Unison NEC (personal capacity) read more

 

TUC lobby - No retreat on pensions - name the date for the next strike!
20 December Hundreds of rank and file union members protested outside the TUC last night on the lobby of the TUC's Public Services Liaison Group called by the National Shop Stewards Network...read more

 

Change of time for NSSN lobby of PSLG                                 19 December The starting time of the Public Services Liaison Group meeting today at Congress House has been put back to 5 PM today. The lobby of the PSLG will now start at 3:30 PM...read more

 

NSSN and left union activists calls lobby of TUC Public Services Liaison Group: Demands further action on pensions                                                                               16 December A recall conference of the Public Sector Liaison Group (PSLG), the body that brings together TUC affiliated public sector unions, will be convened on Monday 19th December at 3PM...read more

 

Breaking news: PCS Left Unity announce open meeting of trade unionists to build for further action on pensions

16 December From Janice Godrich, President of PCS, on behalf of PCS Left Unity: “PCS Left Unity is organising an open meeting at Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London on Saturday 7 January to demand further action on pensions...read more

 

No sell out on pensions - Fight until we win!                      16 December Today the TUC's Public Sector Liaison Group (PSLG) met for the first time since the magnificent 30 November public sector strike. Disgracefully, Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, argued that all of the trade unions should sign up to the government's latest 'heads of agreement' on pensions, which would then allow Francis Maude to announce before Christmas that the dispute has been settled. This was met with outrage by many of the public sector trade unions present...read more

 

Action by construction workers escalates on the 17th week of action                                                                                 16 December At the end of the summer construction bosses embarked on a wave of wage cuts. If they thought they would get an easy ride then they certainly don't think so now. As we approach Christmas the fight back by construction workers continues. The following is a round up of reports from electricians and construction engineers action across the country...read more

 

Cuts target trade unionists: Defend Nancy Taaffe              15 December Below is a model letter for anti-cuts and trade union activists to send to Chris Robbins, leader of Labour-led Waltham Forest council. 17 rounds of vicious cuts have been voted through. The latest round has included trade union activist and anti-cuts campaigner Nancy Taaffe...read more

 

Breaking News: Christmas walkout to defend victimised RMT activist Paul Kelly                                                       15 December The following announcement has been made by the RMT to members at Wightlink Ferries...read more

 

RMT members at Wightlink vote for strike action to defend Paul Kelly                                                                            14 December The RMT website have announced a positive result at Wightlink in a ballot over the victimisation of activist Paul Kelly...read more

 

Thousands of Revenue & Customs staff stage lunchtime walk-outs against privatisation                     12 December Thousand of workers in HM Revenue and Customs walked out between 12 and 3 today in a dispute over a planned year-long trial using private staff in two contact centres in Bathgate, in Scotland, and Lillyhall, Cumbria...read more

 

Unilever strike: "This is their answer today"

12 December Reports from picket lines at Port Sunlight, Warrington and Gwent...read more

 

Unilever strike: Reports from Salford and Burton

09 December Approximately 40 workers turned out on the picket line at Unilever Trafford Park this morning. They were supporting the strike against Unilever's plans to force a move from a Final Salary Pensions Scheme to one based on a Career Average Salary...read more

 

RMT demands answers from News International in phone hacking scandal

09 December Transport union RMT today wrote to lawyers for News International demanding to know which journalists were involved in instructing an undercover surveillance operation against General Secretary Bob Crow by former policeman and MI5-trained Derek Webb...read more

 

Sparks defy courts for massive day of strike action across the country                                                                      

07 December What a day! The biggest of the 'Dirty 7' big contractors Balfour Beatty (BBES) may have outlawed the strike by their electricians but today December 7th saw protests, stoppages and walkouts all over the country...read more

 

NSSN statement on November 30th and further action    06 December The day before the strike, with pure arrogance and clear hatred of the working class, Osborne announced the next tranche of attacks on us. On top of the 300,000 public sector workers who have been sacked over the last year, a further 400,000 plus are in their sights...read more

 

Unilever national strike action: Private sector joins the pensions battle

06 December Unilever, a massive food, drink and cleaning products multinational, will see it's first national strike action this week over pensions. In the aftermath of November 30th and the governments rhetoric of "gold plaited" public sector pensions versus private sector, the NSSN believes this will be a significant dispute. The following article is an appeal for solidarity from a union activist at Unilever. The NSSN urges all its readers and supports to visit picket lines in solidarity with this important dispute...read more 

 

N30: Reports from around the country                               01 December The picket lines and strike rallies throughout the UK on 30th November were a magnificent and massive display of workers' opposition to the government's attacks on pensions...read more

 

Clarification: Balfour Beatty threaten injunction against electricians strike                                                                           01 December Earlier today we reported that Balfour Beatty had received an injunction from the courts to stop the electricians strike on December 7th...read more

 

Breaking News: Balfour Beatty electricians vote for strike action                                                                                 

29 November The NSSN has just received word that Balfour Beatty M&E workers have voted 81.6% in favour of strike action. The NSSN congratulates all Unite electricians for this excellent result...read more

 

Pictures: NSSN placards for November 30th strike day    29 November The big day is nearly here. In less than 24 hours 3 million public sector workers will walk out of work. They will be making history as the largest strike since the 1926 General Strike takes place...read more

 

Victory for Unite Honda steward Paddy Brennan                25 November The NSSN has received the news that Paddy Brennan, Unite convenor at the Swindon Honda factory, has had his suspension lifted by management...read more

 

Sparks pay wage cutting Gratte Brothers a surprise visit 23 November Construction electricians brought their campaign of defiance to the home of one of the 'Dirty Seven' contractors in London today. Over 150 sparks marched from their morning protest at Kings Cross to the headquarters of Grattes Brothers and occupied the foyer of the office for over an hour...read more

 

A message of solidarity to November 30th strikers from Pakistani workers                                                                   23 November On behalf of the Workers Alliance Party (WAP- Pakistan) we strongly condemn the anti-working class decisions taken by the Government of UK, in slashing down the salaries, retirement benefits and social security measures of the working people...read more

 

Joint Sites Committee urgent appeal for donations           17 November Dear Comrades in the trade union movement. No doubt you are aware of the Rank and File movement by construction workers mainly led by electricians...read more

 

Sparks protest across the country

17 November A brief round up of protests across the country on the 16 November...read more

 

Victimisation of RMT activist Paul Kelly: Urgent solidarity needed

17 November (Statement from Mick Tosh, RMT Portsmouth & Chair of Portsmouth TUC)...read more

 

Further Sparks protest at Farringdon: Bosses lock themselves in!

16 November Over 100 electricians and supporters gathered at Farringdon station this morning as the struggle to defend the Joint Industry Board (JIB) Agreement continued....read more

 

Victory for RMT cleaners at John Laing!                                16 November Yesterday the NSSN website reported on the disgraceful collusion between John Laing management and the UK Border Force to break union organisation at the company...read more

 

Sparks picket Chorus Steel plant                                         15 November Emboldened by last weeks protest in London, around 200 sparks turned up at Corus Steel (Monday 14 November).  Both Corus gates were obstructed and traffic tailed back for a couple of miles from the entrances...read more

 

John Laing/Border Agency attack on RMT members! Come to protest on 16 November                                       

15 November (Taken from a recent RMT CLEANERS bulletin. Full bulletin can be viewed here) In a scene reminiscent of fascist Europe in the 1930s up to 30 John Laing Workers were rounded up and detained by the UK Border Agency. These included RMT members and one of our union Reps on the London Overground cleaning contract...read more

 

NSSN condemns police kettling of construction electricians                                                                                       11 November The National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) condemns the actions of the police yesterday (November 9th) in kettling over 200 construction electricians for well over an hour. Workers, including many in their 50s and 60s, were left standing within a ring of riot police with no access to food, drink or toilet facilities...read more

 

Justice for Shrewsbury Pickets Campaign: Historic 40 year fight 1972-2012                                                             10 November (From the Justice for Shrewsbury Campaign) The Construction Industry is notorious as the most dangerous industry to work in. More workers are killed & injured in Construction than any other industry...read more

 

Sites shut as construction workers march through City of London

09 November Today's national demonstration of construction workers in London started with a rank and file led protest outside the Pinnacle tower building site on Bishopsgate, near Liverpool Street station.... read more

 

Reject the government's new pension offer - All out together on N30!

03 November 28 days before the pension strike ,its the government that has blinked first. A day before Unison announces that a million of its members will be on strike on November 30th after they voted for strike action, Danny Alexander puts a 'final' offer on the table...read more

 

Unison votes Yes to November 30th strike

03 November Unison members have delivered a decisive answer to ConDem attacks on their pensions with an over whelming vote for strike action on November 30th...read more

 

Electricians protest targets Balfour site on Newcastle University                                                                             03 November Around 40 turned up to leaflet the Balfour site at Newcastle University yesterday. The mood of the sparks on the protest was buoyant...read more

 

Sparks protest forces Balfour Beatty off Carrington Site

02 November Continued protest at the Carrington paper-mill site halted traffic at the site this morning, causing traffic to back up for miles on either side of the site entrance. Showing that protest works, Balfour Beatty have lost the contract for the second part of the Carrington job...read more

 

London Sparks break media blackout                                02 November London electricians took their fight against pay cuts and deskilling to the Gratts-run site at 110 Cannon Street this Wednesday morning. Sparks had vowed to return last week after a site manager boasted he would pay all constriction workers £1 an hour if it were up to him...read more

 

Barnsley UCU to strike against union victimisation          02 November Barnsley College UCU branch begins a five-day strike on Friday 4th November against the compulsory redundancy threat to its Assistant Branch Secretary Graham Mustin this Friday...read more

 

Site manager admits sparks wage cutting scandal          26 October A site manager on the Land Securities owned 110 Cannon Street development has admitted the wage cutting plans of employers...read more

  

Blacklist Support Group AGM                                            24 October "One of the worst cases of organised human rights abuse ever in the UK" So said John McDonnell MP in 2009 following the discovery by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) of the illegal Consulting Association database containing personal sensitive information about 3200 building workers...read more

 

Video: Sparks protest at Blackfriars Balfour Beatty site  20 October Here is a short video from yesterday's protest by electricians at Balfour Beatty's Blackfriars site. Courtesy of the Socialist Party...read more

 

Sparks protest returns to Blackfriars as Unite declare strike ballot                                                                        19 October This week’s protest at Blackfriars Balfour Beatty site began in full darkness at 6:30 this morning. Along with the cold weather it was a sign winter is just around the corner. Despite the chilly weather the struggle between electricians and big seven electrical contractor’s rages on as hot as ever...read more

 

Unison branch secretary Vik Chechi suspended: Urgent solidarity needed!                                                               18 October Vik Chechi, the Unison Branch Secretary of Queen Mary University in east London has this afternoon been suspended by his employer. We suspect that this is with a clear view to sack him because management wants to weaken the union and the anti-cuts campaign in the University which has united staff and students...read more

 

Siteworker calls on construction workers not to sign new agreement

17 October Regular readers of the NSSN website will be aware of the epic struggle being waged by construction workers against the whole sale destruction of their industries terms and conditions. These attacks have been presented to construction workers in the latest Building Engineering Services National Agreement (BESNA). You can read the BESNA in full here...read more

 

Successful West Mids NSSN conference                           17 October More than 30 trade unionists attended the West Midlands conference of the NSSN held in Birmingham on Saturday...read more

 

Lincoln TUC opposes anti-migrant march                         11 October Dean Everitt of Wyberton near Boston, has announced that he will be organising a march against immigration on Saturday 19th November in Boston, Lincolnshire...read more

 

Ratcliffe sparks protest                                                     11 October A protest by around 100 construction electricians at Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station in Notts on Friday, 7 October, had a big impact...read more

 

60 workers sacked as bosses make a million                   11 October Unite members at printers Wyndeham Impact in Basingstoke protested last Friday outside the closed factory to continue their fight for their jobs, unpaid wages, holiday pay, sick pay and against the previous sacking of two printers...read more

                                                           

NSSN statement - No secret talks - No retreat on N30 pensions strike                                                                   06 October The front page of the Independent this Thursday October 6th has an article claiming that TUC leader Brendan Barber has been to Tory Party conference this week for secret talks with ConDem minsters to try to "avert mass strikes". If this is true, union activists will be outraged. The NSSN recognises the need for negotiations but these should be out in the open, involving all those unions preparing to take action on November 30th (N30), which could see up to 3 million public sector workers on strike - more than on the first day of the 1926 general strike... read more

Southampton Unite calls all council workers out on strike

05 October As part of the ongoing dispute with Southampton City Council over imposed cuts to pay and conditions, the Unite stewards committee took a decision on Tuesday 27th September to call ALL members of UNITE out on strike on Thursday 6th October...read more

 

The workers who won’t go away: Electricians block rush hour traffic on Oxford Street. Protests continue in the North West 

05 October Electricians took the fight to defend their wages and conditions into the heart of London’s shopping district this morning, with over 300 blocking traffic for half an hour on Oxford Street...read more

 

Youth March for a future begins in historic Jarrow: A marcher writes about the first day

05 October On October 1st a recreation of the Jarrow march for jobs set off from the North West. The march has been organised by Youth Fight for Jobs and aims to highlight the problem of youth unemployment. The following article is a moving account of the first day of the march from one of the marchers, Ben Robinson, Chair of Youth Fight for Jobs...read more

 

Rank and file meeting in Manchester to escalate electricians action

05 October Up to 100 construction electricians from across the north and north-west met in Manchester on 1st October to organise from below in defence of pay and conditions...read more

A weekend of protest in Manchester and Scotland

05 October 35,000 people travelled to Manchester city centre on Sunday 2nd October to march against the anti-working class policies of the Conservative party...read more

  

Construction electricians invade Kings Cross station

28 September Hundreds of construction workers held an impromptu protest and rally on the main concourse at Kings Cross train station this morning...read more

 

NSSN Midlands Conference

28 September The Conference is open to all trade unionists and anti-cuts campaigners. The event will include sessions on strengthening unions in unionised workplaces and building unions in unorganised workplaces, as well as sessions to discuss building the NSSN across the Midlands...read more

 

Lecturers mark black day for pensions

28 September  October 3rd, UCU members in pre-1992 universities will be marking the imposition of changes to the USS pension system by wearing black...read more

 

Dancing Dragon joins anti-cuts campaigners in Nuneaton

27 September A group of campaigners against the government’s austerity cuts returned to Nuneaton this weekend, promoting the Jarrow2London2011 march which visits Nuneaton in October, and were joined by the Choy Lee Fut Lion and Dragon Dance team from Hinckley who entertained shoppers on the outdoor market. The Lion Dancers and Drummers signed the petition and posed with RMT shop steward Paul Reilly from Nuneaton Against the Cuts...read more

 

STOP PRESS: Wildcat strikes in Saltend and West Burton

26 September construction industry electricians have taken unofficial strike action at Saltend and West Burton today over threats to cut JIB rates. These workers then took part in a 400 strong protest outside Lindsey Oil Refinery and Conoco Phillips on the Humber. More reports to follow.

 

"If they go ahead with these wage cuts, all we'll have is an existence – not a life!": Two reports from protests in Manchester and North Tyneside

22 September About 20 electricians protested from 6.30 a.m. outside the Manchester Town Hall construction site on Wednesday. The site entrances were all barred and guarded by security so it was more like a lockdown than a workplace...read more

 

Construction workers invade Crossrail site

21 September “We are Sparks. We are Sparks. We are, We are, We are Sparks” was the chant heard on the Crossrail Farringdon building site as hundreds of electricians, (“and a carpenter!”) staged a mass invasion of the site this morning...read more

 

Printers in Basingstoke defy bullying management

21 September As reported in last week's Socialist, print workers at Wyndeham Impact in Basingstoke are now in their twentieth week of industrial action...read more

 

Youth Workers' strike and lobby in Witney, Oxfordshire

21 September Even in the heart of his supposedly leafy constituency, "Disco Dave" is unable to escape the outcry caused by his government's policies...read more

 

Rank-and-file Trade Unionists Welcome Call for Public Sector-wide Strikes on 30 November

14 September Rank-and-file trade unionists have welcomed the announcement from the TUC today that a ‘day of action’ will take place on 30 November, including strike action across the public sector, to defend pensions, jobs and services...read more

 

Electricians Protest Targets Olympics Site

14 September Another protest against the attacks on national agreements in the electrical and mechanical construction sector took place on Wednesday 14 September at the Olympic site in East London. About 100 workers and their supporters gathered to protest against the attempts to deskill the industry by eight major construction companies...read more

NSSN calls on TUC to open the floodgates of mass action

11 September The 11th September 2011 was the day the role of the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) in the labour movement gained further recognition. Around 700 trade unionists representing hundreds of thousands of workers from all over the country came to put pressure on the Trades Union Congress (TUC) to take action to defend our living standards.

They heard trade union leaders Bob Crow, Mark Serwotka and other militant union leaders make fighting speeches. Following a marvellous demonstration to the TUC headquarters, the TUC deputy general secretary, Frances O'Grady, accepted the NSSN's letter and petition urging this week's Congress to organise coordinated action, and saluted the role played by the shop stewards present...
read more

 

Moves being made towards public sector strike in November

8 September Unison has called an emergency Local Government Service Group Executive a week Friday. The expectation is that a motion will be put to the meeting requesting an industrial action ballot which could mean them striking with the other unions in the week beginning November 7th to defend public sector pensions...read more

 

Banbury Strike

7 August Youth workers action take strike action again this Friday. All youth centres on David Cameron’s constituency are due to close,. So our members thought that while on strike they should march and lobby Cameron’s constituency office...read more

 

Electricians Protests Spread

6 August For the third week running a London construction site was besieged by hundreds of electricians protesting at the 'Big 8' construction companies' plans to withdraw from the national JIB agreement next March, which will force many of these workers' wages down by 35%...read more

 

Strike Together in November!

6 September The Trade Union Congress is OUR organisation. Its 6 million workers keep the wheels of life turning. Potentially a powerful organised force, it could defeat the ConDems and challenge their right to rule in the interests of their greedy big business friends...read more

 

Siteworker North West Update

5 September If we don’t fight, we will lose ten times more than we might possibly do by going on strike. We have to fight—we have no choice. WE CONDEMN THE eight companies which walked away from the JIB agreement, but we condemn the others still sitting round the table while sticking the boot in...read more

 

31st August - further day of protest by construction workers

31 August As part of their ongoing campaign against the 'Big 8' construction employers' attempts to impose a 35% cut in wages, hundreds of electricians and other construction workers protested this morning outside the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford in East London...read more

 

POA statement: The reality of prison life after the riots

25 August Glyn Travis and Joe Simpson, assistant secretaries of the Prison Officers Association (POA) set out some of the key issues faced by staff working in prisons following the recent riots...read more

 

Hundreds of electricians picket Balfour Beatty site at Blackfriars station

24 August Hundreds of electricians protested outside the Balfour Beatty site at Blackfriars train station today...read more

 

Electricians’ unofficial action kicks off Wednesday morning

23 August The first shots in the electricians pay dispute will be fired in anger tomorrow morning (Wednesday 24th August) with action taking place in London, Manchester and Liverpool against the threat of a 35% pay cut. The centre of the unofficial action is the Balfour Beatty Engineering Services project at Blackfriars Station...read more

 

Wave of wildcat action to hit construction industry

19 August [From Site Worker, a magazine for rank and file activists in the construction industry] The UK construction industry seems set for an autumn of strikes. 500 rank & file construction workers from around the country voted unanimously to organise a series of unofficial wildcat strikes in opposition to the 35% pay cut proposed by the construction employers...read more

 

Unite youth workers take strike action in Cameron's constituency: Messages of solidarity needed

19 August The following message is an appeal for solidarity from Unite CYWU (Community & Youth Workers Union) section in Oxfordshire...read more

 

Connexions strike in Bristol: Report from the picket lines

19 August Staff from Connexions in Bristol took strike action last Thursday, joined by colleagues from across the former Avon area...read more

 

Show your support for Remploy worker fighting redundancy: Sign the petition against the Sayce report

19 August Dear all, would you please sign the following online petition to save Remploy from the greedy hands of the those who have written the Sayce Report (named after the chief executive of the charity RADAR) published on the 9th of June 2011...read more

 

Stop the closure of Caradog House Jobcentre

19 August With rising unemployment and numbers of people claiming benefit it would be a massive mistake to close jobcentres. Caradog House Jobcentre is one of 22 offices currently in a consultation period about closure...read more

 

Massive vote in favour to continue action against cuts
12 August At a packed meeting of over 600 union members, Southampton council workers voted by 4 to 1 to continue their industrial action against pay cuts and imposed new contracts...read more
 

NSSN statement on riots

9 August Back in September 2009 TUC general secretary Brendan Barber predicted that the government’s cuts would lead to riots. His prediction has been borne out as riots have broken out across London and other cities...read more

 

Read more updates on our news page

 

NSSN Conference:

09 June 2012

 

Meetings & Protests
 

15 May

Lincoln ASLEF train drivers strike for 24 hours over pensions

 

17 May

Lincoln ASLEF train drivers strike for 24 hours over pensions

 

19 May

Save Remploy: Manchester march & rally

Assemble 11 AM at Manchester Town Hall

 

23 May

Cut Rents not Benefits -No evictions due to benefit cuts protest from 9.15 AM outside Commonwealth Club London 25 Northumberland Avenue London WC2N 5AP.

 

09 June

NSSN 6th Annual National Conference: Confirmed speakers - Bob Crow RMT General Secretary, Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary, Kevin Courtney NUT Deputy General Secretary, Rank & File Unite construction electrician

Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London.

11:00-4:00
 

See more upcoming meetings and protests here...

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National Shop Stewards Network

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