EBULLETIN MAY 30th 2013 NO. 144
STATEMENT FROM GREENWICH UNITE TRADE UNION BRANCH ON WOOLWICH ATTROCITY AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS – ‘UNITY IN THE FIGHT AGAINST RACISM, DIVISION & TERROR’
Unite 2050 trade union branch totally and without any reservation condemn the senseless and barbaric murder of a serving soldier in a busy street in our community.
Our condolences go out to the family of Lee Rigby. This was a barbaric and callous act that has taken a son, husband and father away from his family. We would wish to add our voice to others in saying that there is no place for any form of terrorist act. Such acts seek to divide working class communities under the guise of religion or politics.
We commend the community in general in this area for its response to this atrocity. We urge that the community shows the same solidarity that it has shown in the past, when our community has come under attack from those seeking to divide working people. There are those who would seek to drive a wedge between different religious faiths and communities on the basis of race. But they have not succeeded in the past and they will not succeed now.
This branch offers its full support to the community. We warn however that the forces of racism and fascism in the form of the BNP and EDL will seek to make warped political capital from this terrible event. We, as trade unionists with a history of fighting division and reaction, make clear that if the fascists and racists mobilise on our streets we will mobilise our membership and the wider community to peacefully organise opposition to these forces who seek to drive a wedge between us.
We also recognise that there will be many other groups and organisations who will wish to seek to organise against the forces of racism and division. While welcome, there will be those who may not have roots in the area. Our request as a large, representative trade union that organises working people in this area is that there is a recognition that the trade unions based in the borough will along with others play a lead role. Therefore, let us unite and work together against those who seek to terrorise and divide.
We are appalled that the British National Party, an openly racist organisation based on division has announced that they will be marching in Woolwich this Saturday 1st June. We call on all trade unionists to unite with the community in peacefully demonstrating on Saturday in protest against the BNP and this disgraceful attempt to make political capital and sow division from the tragic events in Woolwich. The BNP have already been quoted in the press as calling for a “civil war”. We as a trade union, call for unity in the fight against division and terror. For further information call UNITE Regional Officer Onay Kasab on 07771818637
Don’t let the racists divide us! Lewisham NUT call anti-BNP protest – Join the protest against the BNP SATURDAY 1 JUNE Rally planned 2pm at the Islamic centre. The horrific murder of a young soldier in Woolwich has rightly been met with overwhelming condemnation. However, now the British National Party (BNP) are trying to use the understandable outrage at this attack to gain support. On Saturday afternoon, they are planning to march on the Islamic Centre in Lewisham. Lewisham has a proud record of standing united against all those who would divide our community. Join the protest to show the BNP that the trade unions, residents and young people of Lewisham are standing united against this provocative march read more There will also be a protest called by UAF in Woolwich at 12 noon.
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NSSN News
Sat 8th JUNE 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
Sat June 29th, 11am-5pm, 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’. Join us at the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) 7th national annual conference – Register ONLINE NOW! COST £6. Cheques can be made payable to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’ or BACS a payment through – [email protected] or post to PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE.
New NSSN NHS Bulletin (no.3) AVAILABLE.
NSSN conference flyer HERE!
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Unite
Unite LE1111 members at Equinox Care – a charity dealing with substance abuse, struck yesterday over pay cuts of up to £9,000-a-year. Many services were closed down, with pickets lines at 4 services were active plus a day loud protest at Head office. read more Branch email [email protected] &
Yorkshire ambulance staff set to strike next month – Unite’s members working for the Yorkshire ambulance service are set to take strike action again next month in the dispute over patient safety read more
Carling Brewery vote 97% for strike action! As Molson Coors CEO of Europe counts his £360,137 a year, brewery workers face £8,000-£9,000 a year pay cuts, cuts in working conditions and a threat to sack everybody if they don’t agree to the proposals by 14 June. More
PCS
Strikes at museums and galleries kick off long weekend of action More
Groups back national campaign with further action – The next stage of national rolling action sees thousands of our members walking out next week. Members from the culture sector, Department for Education, Department for Transport, Land Registry, Business Innovations and Skills, and the Northern Lighthouse board will all be on strike as they take group action – part of our national strategy read more
Delegates at the PCS Land Registry group conference last week debated and unanimously carried a motion proposing that we now start a significant campaign to retain Land Registry as part of the civil service with lobbying of politicians, briefings for members and ballot for a sustained programme of industrial action.
Land Registry – The main focus of the current round of national industrial action is pay. However, privatisation is also one of the main strands of the national campaign and its PCS policy to oppose all privatisation of civil service functions. It’s therefore vital that all PCS members get behind the current industrial action. PCS members across the whole of the wider BIS group which members of Land Registry are part of are asked to take action by staying away from work on 31 May read more
HMRC and DWP announce week of joint regional strike action – PCS members in DWP, HMRC and VOA are to take part in joint regional strike action from 3 -7 June. The first day of strike action will coincide with the launch of a pilot to close 13 HMRC enquiry centres in North East England and Yorkshire & Humberside. The joint regional strike action is designed to cause major disruption and put pressure on the government to negotiate as part of the union’s national campaign read more Send messages of support to PCS members – [email protected]
RMT
London transport Mitie engineers and electricians take industrial action – RMT confirmed today that electricians and engineers working for contractors Mitie on the TFL contract are to take strike action and action short of a strike in a dispute over redundancies and unilateral changes to working conditions read more
RMT to ballot three groups of workers for action on East Midlands Trains over impact of engineering blockade – RMT confirmed today that it is preparing a ballot of a range of different grades from different locations across the East Midlands trains franchise for both strike action and action short of a strike over a failure to make adequate payments and arrangements to reflect the impact of an engineering blockade set to come into force in July read more
FBU
FBU continues to draw large public support at meetings across London over fire cuts.
UCU
Strike action vote in jobs cut row at Kirklees College – Members of UCU at Kirklees College are today being balloted for strike action in a row over job losses and cuts to staff pay and conditions more
UNISON
Mid Yorks Strike vote 76% in favour of more action over huge paycuts. More
CWU
Fifth Post Office strike solidly supported – Strike action remained solid on today’s fifth day of action in the network of 373 Crown Post Offices in a dispute over jobs, closures and pay. More than 100 offices were closed all day with others only able to provide reduced services or hours being staffed by casual staff and managers more
New Vide – CWU Royal Mail ballot VOTE YES – CWU’s consultative ballot of Royal Mail workers opened this week (Wednesday). The union is sending ballot papers to 112,000 postal workers in Royal Mail (not the Post Office or Parcelforce) and is asking members to vote yes to four questions covering privatisation, a mail boycott, pay, and workplace issues. The result will be announced on 19th June more
GMB
Civilian workers at eight bases, one of which is RAF Valley on Anglesey, have voted overwhelmingly to reject an “insulting” pay offer. Their unions say they will take strike action if the contractor, ISS, does not improve pay rates for the 240 Unite and GMB members who provide catering, cleaning, and other services at the RAF stations. More
Blacklisting & victimisation
Unite, GMB and UCATT have lodged a petition with the Scottish Parliament regarding Blacklisting in the construction industry. We need as many signatures as possible to keep up the pressure on the Scottish Government to act and include anti-blacklisting legislation in the upcoming Procurement Reform Bill. This is very important so please sign and forward this onto as many people as possible. Please fill in the survey petition here:
Glasgow March & Rally on May 25 in George Square – great turn out with BSG, UNITE, GMB, UCATT, STUC banners in the sunshine . Well done to the Scottish UNITE rank n file for organising this event with the Blacklist Support Group – especially Jim Harte. Read more video of the speeches: here
Video interview with George Tapp by Salford TUC – from his hospital bed after being deliberately run down by a motorist during a blacklist protest in Manchester – “As soon as my legs are OK, I’ll be back on those picket lines to fight for the youth”.
Donations can be made by sending a cheque payable to “Salford TUC George Tapp Appeal” – c/o Salford Unemployed and Community Resource Centre, 84-86 Liverpool Road, Eccles, Salford, M30 0WZ
From Scottish Rank & File – Nearly £300 raised for George Tapp at Saturday’s Blacklist rally in Glasgow. An injury to one is an injury to us all
Norwich blacklist protest – Thursday 30th May – 1pm -2:30pm – No public contracts for blacklisters – Norfolk County Council, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 2DH – No Publicly funded contracts for blacklisters: May Gurney currently have the Highways & Lighting contracts and going to be taken over by Kier any minute now
OTHER
National Day of Action against Bedroom Tax- everywhere Saturday 1st June (May 28) On Saturday, local protests are being called all over the UK Here are details of protests and events that have been confirmed – all take place on 1st June unless stated:
SCOTLAND: 12 noon George Sq, Glasgow called by Scottish Anti-Bedroom Tax Federation
NORTH-WEST: 1pm Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester. Rally and March around central Manchester : March is fully wheelchair accessible
(Friday 31st May) – 12 noon Picket of Preston Community Gateway Deltic House, West Strand, Preston PR1 8UY
YORKSHIRE: 12 noon Barnsley Precinct – Campaigning Stall from 10am, rally at 12 noon followed by march.
MIDLANDS: 1pm Brian Clough Statue, Nottingham more details tbc
EAST ENGLAND: Demonstration assemble 12 noon, Haymarket, Norwich
& Oxford
LONDON: North London: 11am – 1pm Broadwater Farm, Campaigning Stall called by Haringey Alliance for Benefit Justice and local Unite Community
North-West London : 12noon Wembley Central Square next to Wembley Central Station – Street Meeting and Information stalls called by Brent Housing Action
East London : Tower Hamlets: Meet 2pm corner Mace St / Roman Rd 3pm Protest outside Housing and Homeless Services 62 Roman Rd E2
KENT: (Sunday 26th May) – 12 noon The Clocktower, Margate, Margate CT9 1UN
Black, British, female? More likely to be a trade unionist – More
International – also see Labourstart
Sweden: Riots in Stockholm working-class suburb – Neo-liberalism and police violence have created social time-bomb read more
Tell Debenhams and GAP to back Bangladesh safety plan – read more
Sri Lanka: Working class beginning to move forward – The one day protest general strike held on 21 May was a significant step forward for the working class in Sri Lanka read more Sri Lanka Solidarity Day 8 Jun 2013 – Time: 4pm -8pm – Organised by: Tamil Solidarity and the British Tamils Forum. This important solidarity day provides an opportunity to register your opposition to the genocidal slaughter that took place in Lanka in 2009. Place: SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London), Vernon Square Campus, Vernon Square, Penton Rise, London, WC1X 9EW Contact:[email protected], Keerthika @ 07778327044. register here
Spain: Prisa TV workers to strike More
Diary
May
31 PCS Lobby HMRC CE over planned closures of 13 enquiry centres. Noon @ 100 Parliament st, bring banners/flags and support. Collect £120billion dodged tax instead! [email protected]
JUNE
1 National Day of Action against the Bedroom Tax More
Save Handsworth Library 2pm Handworth Leisure Centre B20 2BY More
Don’t let the racists divide us! Lewisham NUT call anti-BNP protest NUT & Unity protest 2pm Lewisham. Woolwich protest by UAF at noon.
4 Bedroom Tax public meeting PENGE @ Crooked Billet 7pm.
Sri Lanka Solidarity Day 4pm -8pm – Tamil Solidarity and the British Tamils Forum – SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London), Vernon Square Campus, Vernon Square, Penton Rise, London, WC1X 9EW
‘Fighting Cuts’ by Banner Theatre Greenwich & Bexley & Bromley Trades Council. 8pm,[email protected]
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
10 ILF 25 years old! 1.30pm Deans Yard, SW1P More
18 Demo against bedroom tax POOLE & Lobby & Bournemouth More
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
19th – 21st – Hazards Conference in Keele University
The national conference for union safety reps and community campaigners
Hazards run the online blog for the Blacklist Support Group and there will be blacklisting speakers at the Friday plenary session More
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CONTACT US
Secretary: Linda Taaffe
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
TWITTER @NSSN_Anticuts
FACEBOOK STOP THE CUTS or National Shop Stewards Group
Also see our NSSN Website
Phone: 07952 283 558
NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE
