NSSN Bulletin 105

Trade unionists in Britain have been stunned by the scenes of slaughter on our TV sets from the Marikana platinum mine in South Africa. For many veterans of the anti-Apartheid movement it was all too reminiscent of the massacres in Sharpeville and Soweto. But this horror turned very quickly to anger when the reports came through that 34 striking miners were killed by the police and 78 injured for just fighting for a decent living wage. As one miner said on the news “We can’t live on this money.” To add insult to injury, the owners of the mine Lonmin gave mourning miners an ultimatum to return to work or be sacked. 


In a heroic show of solidarity, less than a third went to work on Monday, meaning that the pit couldn’t operate. Since then, the ANC government has been forced by pressure within South Africa and around the world to apply pressure on Lonmin to drop this ultimatum.


The National Shop Stewards Network sends our solidarity and support to the miners and their families. We lobbied the South African High Commission last Friday with a few hours notice and again this Monday demanding that the ANC government stand down the police and stop the killings on behalf of this brutal multi-national corporation. We called for the mine and all of Lonmin’s operations in South Africa to be taken out of their blood soaked hands and nationalised in the interests of the miners and the South African working-class as a whole. Solidarity with the South African miners!


STOP PRESS:- Remploy reps occupied the HQ of Remploy in Leicester!
Messages of protest about closure of Remploy factories to Maria Miller (‘factory killer’) DWP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State [email protected]

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Lobby the TUC on Sunday September 9th in Brighton – march together on October 20th against austerity then strike together!


Assemble 1pm at The Level park – Union Road, Brighton BN2 for march at 1.30pm to Brighton Conference Centre and then rally at Hilton Metropole


Speakers include: Bob Crow RMT, Mark Serwotka PCS, Steve Gillan POA


Over 300 people have already committed to coming to the lobby of the TUC. This is even more important now as rumours circulate of even more cuts to come because the ConDems’ austerity has caused an even bigger deficit. Steve Hedley RMT newly elected Assistant General Secretary explains why he is attending. So book a place and get your members, workplaces, families behind the NSSN lobby of the TUC in Brighton, Sunday September 9 to call for a 24 hour general strike against austerity. Please sign & share the PETITION we will hand to the TUC over this, thanks. More information.


Birmingham and Coventry 8am Priory, Queensway then 8.30 Coventry sports centre, Fairfax st. Clive Walder 07771 931185
Brighton & South East [email protected] 07894716095
Bristol Leaving at 8am from Anchor Road, [email protected]
Eastern (Herts, Cambs, East Anglia) Steve Glennon 07905167703
East Midlands (Leicester, Notts, Derbys, Northants, Lincoln) Dave Gorton 07432120621
Hampshire Contact Dave Boyes 07833 412757
Huddersfield 6:00am – Mike Forster 07887668740
Hull – details tbc contact Mike Whale 07528780098
Leeds 6:30am – Kevin Pattison 0707962867034
London 10.45 London Bridge station, contact us to reserve a ticket £5 & West London coach 07977132391
North West Andy Ford, 07742 417 862, [email protected]
Portsmouth Chris Pickett 07707 039071
Southampton Graham O’Reilly 07578 331537
Totnes & Newton Abbot- Minibus leaving Totnes 8am, pick up in Newton Abbot. Alex Moore [email protected] 01803 868713
Sheffield 7:30am- Alistair Tice 07706710041
Wales Tumble – 5.00am, Llanelli Town Hall – 5.20am
Swansea railway station – 5.45am, Cardiff Museum – 6.30am
Ronnie Job [email protected] 07963 454 041


If your area is not covered but you want to come let us know. [email protected]

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GENERAL UPDATES

a) STRUCK

Unite, GMB and UCATT members strike in Sheffield City Council – And the toilet seat goes to…Sheffield City Council!

Dozens of Camden UNISON members on the NSL parking enforcement contract rounded off their third consecutive day of strike action with a march along the pavement between Holborn tube and Euston mainline stations on Saturday afternoon (11 August). More info


b) STRIKING

RMT members in Carlisle Cleaning & Support Services (Transpennine Express) – 24-hour strike on Friday 24th August and industrial action short of a strike in the form of an overtime and rest day working ban 25th August – 8th September More info


PCS Month of action by tax workers against cuts: Despite the fact that they are only half way through the current programme of action calling for ‘Tax Justice for All’, the PCS have already made gains on their key demands. The Tax Justice message, coupled with campaigning and action by members on the ground, has resulted in the department beginning to listen. The 1,000 temporary jobs announced recently is recognition that the department is under resourced and more investment is needed. Strike action planned for beginning of September if talks failhttp://www.pcs.org.uk/en/revenue_and_customs_group/ 

Unite members at Bombardier vote for industrial action: Hundreds of workers at Bombardier have voted to take industrial action and action short of strike in the coming weeks in a long running dispute over pay. The majority of the workers are based in the Central Rivers depot, Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire. The action will consist of a continuous overtime ban effective from Saturday 25 August and six periods of discontinuous strike action between Sunday 26 August and Saturday 9 September. More info 


Remploy closures & sackings – week of strike action in Chesterfield and Springfield September 3-10 More info plus protest in Stratford at beginning of Paralympics, 1pm August 29th

c) BALLOTING


RMT balloting crew working on the Mitie contract on First Great Western for both strike action and action short of a strike over the blatant victimisation of union representative Sharon Petrie More info

RMT to begin balloting CalMac Scottish ferries staff for strike action in an on-going dispute over pensions and workplace rights. More info

POA REJECT FINAL OFFER ON PENSIONS
POA members have overwhelmingly rejected the final offer from the coalition government on changes to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) following the conclusion of a postal consultative ballot of members in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. More info

FBU achieved a 90% no vote on a consultative ballot for control members in England and Wales who belong to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The union’s executive council believes government proposals are still unacceptable – especially a retirement age of 68 and pensions accrual and inflation revaluation. More
Journalists in York who face a pay freeze – which when inflation is taken into account is equivalent to a pay cut – are balloting for industrial action.More info

NUT urges YES vote on ballot open over workload.


d) OTHER UPDATES 

Staff working at the private hospital Royal Bucks, only got paid 20% of their wages for July. They were given three days notice of this. A week later they were given 30 days notice of redundancy and that the hospital was closing. A hardship fund has been set up; initial donations can be made payable to Bucks Health Unison and sent to the Union Office, Tindal Centre, Bierton Rd, Aylesbury Bucks, HP19. Contact steve bell, bucks unison branch sec and Unison SGE – STOP PRESS: workers have won back their unpaid wages!! Thanks for support!

Unite and Rank & File Sparks target Crown House to stop ‘BESNA 2’ – nationwide protests start against company who’ve withdrawn from JIB after defeat of BESNA earlier this year. Reports that Crown House are issuing notices of change of contracts. Flash protests around the country. London last week, more this week. Keep your ear to the ground. Email us for information.


Brighton Green council is planning to close homes for adults with learning difficulties.

VICTIMISATION…

RMT member at Churchill Cleaning services, Tyne & Wear has succeeded in his claim against unfair dismissal. He was dismissed after providing an honest critique of mismanagement in a comments box, he was dismissed without notice. Staff balloted and took action in his support and over poverty pay. 
Three workers (2 UNITE members) who were sacked by Liverpool Mutual Homes (HMS) , alongside 12 others, are also now facing court action over questionable charges over workers who have been at the head of the campaign. Many trade unionists in Liverpool stood outside the court this week in support; the case is adjourned till 23rd August.


BLACKLISTING: latest events
Protest against Balfour Beatty in Glasgow (see Diary for details)
Chris Clarke v Balfour Beatty – blacklisting case
Tues 28th August 9.30am, Case Management Discussion, Central London Employment Tribunal Kingsway

Scottish Affairs Select Committee
Tues 4th September 2pm, Houses of Parliament, Westminster, GMB give evidence to blacklisting inquiry
SHREWSBURY: 1st Sep Justice for Shrewsbury Pickets 40th anniversary conference. [email protected]

INTERNATIONAL…
Turkey – 5,000 textile workers are striking indefinitely in Gaziantep for a wage rise. With the support of security forces the textile company bosses are planning to divide the workers’ struggle, increasing pressure on the workers and organising wide ranging attacks to force them to return to work at existing conditions. Messages of support [email protected]

Kazakhstan – Fight the threat to imprison Vadim Kuramshin for 14 years…plus MEP sends message of support http://campaignkazakhstan.org/

RUSSIA – Release Pussy Riot immediately! More

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Follow us on Twitter NSSN_Anticuts, share information with us on Facebook main group ‘National Shop Stewards Network’ & the NSSN FB ‘Stop the cuts’ & regularly check our website! But most importantly get active to develop the NSSN and our trade union and community movement against the cuts! There is an alternative.


Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07952 283 558
Post: NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9D
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