NSSN at the PCS Annual Delegate Conference in Brighton.
Over the course of the last few months in PCS we have taken a day and a half of national industrial action and many parts of the union have also taken group action in support of the unions national campaign. We will also be looking to take a further day of national industrial action in June.
As a rank and file activist organization the PCS supports the NSSN and hosted an official fringe meeting chaired by DWP President Fran Heathcote; with speakers NSSN Chair Rob Williams and PCS Assistant General Secretary Chris Baugh.
Rob Williams started his contribution by considering the ongoing legacy of the Thatcher government with the ongoing austerity and the end of the post war consensus. April this year is when many of the welfare cuts have kicked in with the introduction of Universal Credit and the bedroom tax. We are already seeing the impact of these changes; Rob spoke movingly of the suicide of a woman in Solihull due to financial pressures of the bedroom tax and also of the tripling in food banks and the increase in the use of payday loan companies.
In his contribution Chris Baugh stated ‘the strength of union derives from the rank and file, from the activists’. Chris also spoke about the shameful actions of the Consulting Association and the organisations that have used their blacklisting services and in doing so also noted that although its been widely reported about their role in the construction industry, there were about 3000 names on the list from a wide range of industries, many of whom still have no idea that they are on the blacklist.
PCS Conference led off with an emergency motion from the unions National Executive Committee re-committing PCS to its national campaign aims, to an extensive consultation with our members on the next phase of industrial action, seeking the widest co-ordinated joint industrial action possible over pay and pensions and stepping up our campaigns on tax justice and for an alternative against austerity. There has been a wide range of debate on many issues of importance to our members with some excellent contributions from the floor.
The conclusion to take from conference is that PCS is a vital union with a strong democratic grass roots tradition, never afraid to debate issues on the conference floor and always willing to take a stand for our members. However, PCS is one union amongst many. We need to hold the TUC to the decisions they have already taken; take forward the POA motion to last years TUC and name the day for a 24 hour general strike. Elenor Haven, PCS National Executive Committee Member (in a personal capacity).
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NSSN News
Join us at the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) 7th national annual conference – Register ONLINE NOW!
11am-5pm, Saturday June 29th, Camden Centre, Judd Street, London, WC1H 9JE – initial speakers confirmed: union general secretaries Mark Serwotka PCS, Billy Hayes CWU and Steve Gillan POA. We will have 4 workshops – Fighting for the NHS, Building the Housing front, Fighting the Blacklisting & ‘Sick of your Boss’.
Register ONLINE NOW. £6. Cheques can be made payable to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’ or BACS a payment through – [email protected] or reply to PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE Leaflet & letter for union branches, shop stewards committees, trades councils, anti-cuts campaigns is on the resources page of the website. This is the conference to organise the urgent fightback in the unions with a clear NO CUTS policy!
New NSSN NHS Bulletin (no.3) now out! Plus new NSSN conference flyer! Please let us know if you need supplies
Wales Shop Stewards Network Conference – “All out together – TUC call a general strike!” – from 10-4 on Saturday June 8 in The Maldron Hotel, 100 yards from Cardiff Central station, St Mary Street, Cardiff, CF10 1GD
PCS
The government faces fresh national strike action in June by civil and public servants as PCS’s annual conference agrees to step up opposition to imposed cuts to pay, pensions, jobs and working conditions.. More
Plans announced today (17) to move a step closer to privatising the Land Registry risk undermining public confidence and the housing market. More
RMT
RMT Protested as key London rail staff were locked out in bullying dispute. More
RMT warns of “biggest tube strike in a generation” as London Assembly launches assault on pensions and passes. More
RMT begins balloting for action on Tyne and Wear Metro in disputes over pay and staff member victimization. More
Northern Rail staff vote for strike action over casualisation in teeth of management campaign of “lies and dirty tricks.” More
Union “unprecedented reward for failure” as National Express is handed gold-plated extension to C2C franchise. More
RMT prepares to ballot for action over “undignified and degrading” Virgin rail staff uniforms. It is preparing to ballot for industrial action on Virgin Trains as staff continue to react with fury to plans to introduce skimpy, revealing and ill-fitting uniforms that union members have branded as degrading. more
In separate ballots conducted over the past two weeks, tube drivers, cleaners and TFL electricians and engineers have voted overwhelmingly for action in a series of disputes over attacks on agreements and working conditions, pay and threatened redundancies.
GMB
Brighton and Hove staff at Hollingdean bin depot continue in campaign against cuts to their allowances. We’ve set up a petition, which instantly emails all the councillors every time someone signs it:PCS solidarity was also shown with a lunchtime protest.
“Sue me if you dare” – GMB activist responds to Carillion legal threats. More
Unite
Unite Housing workers (LE1111) members at Equinox workers have voted with a huge majority of 98% to strike over cuts of up to £8k a year. First strike date Wed 29th May then Wed 12th June. Messages of support to[email protected] MORE One Housing members, also part of Unite LE1111 have been given an updated offer and will be balloting members on that as well as the ongoing ballot for industrial action if members choose to reject the offer.
Carling workers at Burton on Trent facing cuts of up to £9k a year plus other changes. A ballot for action is going on. Vote YES Ballot ends 28th May. Messages of support – Burton.Brewery@unitetheunion.
South London refuse workers offered ‘pathetic’ rise, while employer’s profits soar. The basic annual salary of Croydon council’s chief executive Jon Rouse, before he left in January, was £179,000 and Bromley’s chief executive Doug Patterson is on £177,000. The accounts of Veolia Environmental Services UK plc reported that the group operating profit for year ending December 2011 was £121 million.
Unite call to boycott Cains’ beers in redundancy payout row. Workers are outraged at the way they are being treated by Cains’ bosses and their refusal to pay wages, holiday and redundancy pay following their dismissal – that are legally owed to workers who have given long years of loyal service.
FBU
Union moves to strike footing over pensions, while London chiefs feel the heat over bombshell new response time predictions. More
UNISON
UNISON Higher Education Service Group Exec unanimously voted to recommend rejecting the 1% pay insult in a consultative ballot and campaign to encourage members to vote to reject and get ready for a national dispute and a campaign of industrial action.
Mid Yorks Dispute “Today the Trust published it monthly spends over £25,000 for April. In the same month that they imposed pay cuts on 100’s of their staff the Trust board gave an unbelievable £986,292 to Ernst & Young!
UNISON members working at Barnet Council were wearing black armbands and clothing to signify the death of public services in the borough. More
CWU
Following the CWU’s negotiated settlement with BT on pay for Team Members who are NewGRID grades and Loyalty Advisor agents, the BT committee is recommending the pay offer to members in a consultative ballot which opened on the 17th till 7th June. More
Post Office strikeTuesday as talks bring no progress. More
From Unite – Government urged to re-think ‘family silver’ sell-off as Royal Mail profits surge. With today’s rise in profits showing Royal Mail can flourish under government ownership, the union urged the government to reconsider its plans, warning that privatisation would lead to rising costs for business and an end of a universal postal service.
Profits over the last year rose from £153 million to £403 million with revenues up to £7.63 billion from £7.18 billion
NUT
NORTH-WEST REGIONAL STRIKE and LONDON MARCH & RALLY ON JUNE 27 – Michael Gove’s announcement that he plans to attack our holidays and conditions, on top of his attacks on pay, have angered teachers’ right across the country. In the North-West, those attacks will only encourage an even stronger response to the call for joint NUT / NASUWT regional strike action on June 27th.
LANAC steering committee met last weekend and is developing democratic structures as well as a fighting plan of action. More
UCU
Universities cannot do more for less, says UCU after fees study.
UCU welcomes call for lower tuition fees to bring in more students. More
OTHER
South East Trade Union Education Courses
Homes ‘standing empty’ because of bedroom tax & DWP faces legal challenge over benefit cap
Petition Lord Freud: Make sure night shelters aren’t forced to close their doors to homeless people
Hands off universal pensioner benefits
DPAC & DAN CYMRU from the TUC disability conference occupied central London over benefit cuts and for solidarity. Video
Blacklisting & victimisation
“Frank is in good spirits after court today and thanks all those who came to the protest and have sent messages of support.
The ET has been stayed (put on hold) and will now progress to the High Court in order to decide how the claim against Crossrail and BFK will continue now that EIS (Frank’s employer) has been put into liquidation. Next stop: Frank Morris v Crossrail at the High Court in blacklisting claim.” Dave Smith
Please continue to support George Tapp and all those fighting the blacklist. Remember donations can be made by sending a cheque payable to “Salford TUC George Tapp Appeal” to Salford Unemployed and Community Resource Centre, 84-86 Liverpool Road, Eccles, Salford, M30 0WZ. VIDEO
SHREWSBURY – A FILM RE-EXAMINING THE POLITICAL EVENTS SURROUNDING THE ARREST OF 24 SHREWBURY BUILDING WORKERS AND THE IMPRISONMENT OF THREE OF THEM. Venue Redhills Durham Miners Association office. Saturday 25th May. 12.30pm. It is 5 to 10 minutes from Durham station. Redhills Lane.
International see also Labourstart
Khazakstan – Housing justice activists arrested in Astana. More
Brazil Santos Union Calls Assembly Friday to Vote on Port Strike. More
IRAN workers protest over 9 months of unpaid wages. More
Philipines Workers strike at Coke bottling plant and defy courts. More
Kuwaiti oil service workers on strike over pay. More
South Africa – 6,000 jobs to be slashed by Amplats. More
US/INDIA Indian workers sue US firm for ‘exploitation’ More
Spain Arrests of Photographers Raul Capin & Adolfo Lujan accused of undermining authority! More
Diary
22 Unison Lobby – S Glos Council: Hands Off Our Pay, Terms & 22 Conditions! Bristol
NSSN Fringe meeting at PCS conference
23 Seeing Red – Days of Hope film on the General strike @ BFI
24 Reclaim the Night Northampton Abington Park 7.30pm
25 Glasgow Anti Blacklisting March & Rally 11.30am Holland St.
27 Stop the Eviction of the Counihan-Sanchez campaign!
29 How to stop the welfare cuts Hackney Unison 6.30pm Round Chapel E5
JUNE
8 Wales Shop Stewards Network Conference – “All out together – TUC call a general strike!” – from 10-4 on Saturday June 8 in The Maldron Hotel, 100 yards from Cardiff Central station, St Mary Street, Cardiff, CF10 1GD
Confronting the Climate Crisis – Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union group, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM (PDT) London Metropolitan University, Stapleton House 277 Holloway Road N7 8HN London more
Bournemouth Axe bedroom tax protest 6pm Town Hall
Poole lobby council over the Bedroom Tax.
‘Fighting Cuts’ by Banner Theatre Greenwich & Bexley & Bromley Trades Council. 8pm, [email protected]
22 People’s Assembly – Central Hall Westminster, Storey’s Gate, London, Westminster, London SW1H 9NH more
23 Time for Action Bin the Bedroom Tax 1pm CSHC host conference on further actions. The Albert, Albert Rd, NW6
25 Stand up for Schools London NUT regional Rally 5pm March to DoE. Rally 6.30pm Emmanuel Centre, Marsham St, SW1P 3DW
29 7th annual conference of the NSSN
11am-5pm Camden Centre, Judd Street, London, WC1H 9JE more
JULY
6 Matchgirls strike festival of East London FREE
13 Durham Miners Gala
19 Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival
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CONTACT US [email protected] or look on our Website
TWITTER FACEBOOK STOP THE CUTS or NSSN Group
Secretary: Linda Taaffe
Email: lindataaffe66@
Phone: 07952 283 558
NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE
