Unrest Wednesday is in Full Swing – 37 Agency Electricians walked off a job at AWE Aldermaston today (April 2) over the new self-employed legislation. It is a Shepherds Engineering Services job.
They are demanding to be taken on the cards direct by Shepherds. Shepherds have agreed to a meeting to discuss the possibility. A Unite Construction officer is meeting the workers and Shepherds first thing tomorrow morning.
There was also reported unrest on many other sites across the UK as payroll companies finally get to informing workers of how they are to be paid from Monday onwards. Being told that they will have to pay Employers NI and their own holiday has outraged thousands of Agency workers across the whole UK.
If you are working for a JIB Company through an agency then you should be on the cards with that JIB Company.
There are strong rumours that two other large jobs may walk tomorrow in the South East region over this very issue.
FIRST THING tomorrow morning, have a meeting amongst yourselves on site, demand to be taken on the cards, call the Unite Construction Officer for your region
Last Friday (April 4), 30 agency workers downed tools at a NG Bailey job at Three Bridges, demanding to be employed directly for the duration of the job…..and WON!! They are now on the cards with full JIB terms and conditions.
See article on Unite website: New government measures on bogus self-employment (4 April) here
See article on Siteworker blog: The Fight for PAYE here
NSSN News
Get your trade union branch or trades council to affiliate to the NSSN – it only costs £50. Already affiliated? Please think about renewing it. Also, many of our supporters pay a few pounds a month. You can set up a similar standing order to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’, HSBC – sort code 40-06-41, account number 90143790. Our address is NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE. Affiliation letter here
And if you can, come to one of our regional Conferences. If there is not one in your area, get in touch to either assist in organising or have a speaker at one of your meetings or events. Contact Rob or Linda on [email protected]
The 8th Annual NSSN Conference will be on Saturday 5th July in Conway Hall – 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL – delegate/visitor fee £6. Speakers include Ronnie Draper BFAWU bakers’ union General Secretary, POA General Secretary Steve Gillan and Janice Godrich PCS President here
Union News
NAPO
Napo members walk out in protest at government privatisation plans (March 31) – At 12 noon on Monday 31 March thousands of Probation staff across England and Wales walked out on strike. The action lasted until 12 midnight on 1st April read more
See NAPO strike reports, including ‘Unhappy Birthday Mr Grayling – Napo protest at the MOJ’ here photos from NSSN website
RMT
‘March for Bob’ – National RMT Mobilisation for May Day, London, Thursday 1st May 2014. I can advise you that following discussions with the May Day Organising Committee it has been confirmed that the RMT will lead the May Day March on 1st May. The event will be used to honour Bob’s memory and another giant of the Labour Movement, Tony Benn, who some of you may recall was a honorary member of the RMT. The March will be led by the RMT Brass Band and followed by RMT banners read more
Key Northern Rail staff to strike again (8 April) – RMT Northern Rail maintenance driver members at Heaton (Newcastle) and Neville Hill (Leeds) Traincare Depots are to take a further full week of strike action from this Thursday, alongside a continuing overtime ban, in a bitter dispute over a re-grading exercise which has failed to recognise the complex and demanding role of this key group of staff and which has ignored the skills and hard work that they bring to the company. Despite a rock-solid 48 hour strike in February, management continue to refuse to take serious steps to satisfactorily resolve this matter and as a result all Maintenance Depot Driver members at Heaton and Neville Hill Traincare Depots have been instructed by RMT to take the following full week of strike action read more
Be Prepared to Strike (April 4) – Please see attached some new flyers for distribution to London Underground members. The purpose of these is to ensure that members know that we will probably need to strike again and that they are ready for this; that non-members are encouraged to join and be part of the fight; and to step up pressure on LUL management here
Rail unions seek Judicial Review over InterCity East Coast (7 April) – The Rail Unions ASLEF, RMT and TSSA have launched an application for Judicial Review to challenge the government over InterCity East Coast and the direct award of rail franchises. The unions have agreed a united approach because they believe that their members’ jobs and conditions, as well as the interests of passengers and taxpayers, are threatened by the Government’s failure to adequately consult over the future of East Coast read more
RMT begins balloting for industrial action on FGW (3 April) – Rail Union RMT today announced that it has begun balloting staff across First Great Western for industrial action over three key long-running issues which the company has failed to resolve. The ballot – for both strike action and action short of a strike – will close on 22nd April read more
RMT to ballot for action on Heathrow Express (1 April) – RMT today announced that it is to begin balloting staff this week across Heathrow Express for industrial action in response to a package of multi-million pound cuts which amount to an all-out assault on pay, jobs and safety. Ballot papers will be sent out tomorrow and the ballot – for both strike action and action short of a strike – will close on 15th April read more
RMT to fight massive job cuts on London Midland (1 April) – RMT today pledged an all-out fight, including the use of industrial action if required, to halt savage job cuts at London Midland which would axe 150 key posts and decimate gateline staffing numbers read more
Unite
Ex-Visteon/Ford workers march for pensions justice (April 2) – Former employees of Visteon/Ford marched today from Unite HQ in Holborn to Parliament to demand pensions justice. They have now won a financial offer read more
HCA Strike Fund Appeal – As reported previously, Unite members at the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) have taken 3 days of strike action (25-27 March) over the divisive and unfair way that the Agency has chosen to allocate pay, and because the Agency has consistently failed to negotiate in any meaningful way. We are now appealing to our members, sister branches, other unions, and trade union bodies to donate to our strike fund and help cover the cost of this strike and possible further industrial action at the Agency details
Faslane & Coulport dispute over as workers accept ‘vastly’ improved pay offer (3 April) – Faslane and Coulport workers at Babcock Marine on the Clyde have given the thumbs up to a vastly improved pay offer following three weeks of industrial, Unite announced today
PCS
Oppose defence sell-off (4 April) – Urge your MP to back our campaign against government plans to privatise vital services which support our armed forces. The Ministry of Defence has selected a consortium led by Capita, as the preferred bidder for the role of strategic business partner in Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). We think this decision is totally unacceptable read more
Unison
Doncaster care workers strike again (April 7) – UNISON members at Care UK in Doncaster are taking a further two days of strike action this week – and the branch has launched an appeal for donations to help support them read more & appeal details
GMB
Two Tier Pay Ended At Compass Ealing Hospital (April 4) – GMB Call Off Strike By 150 Members Employed By Compass At Ealing Hospital After Members Accept New Offer To Settle Pay Dispute. Settlement is a massive victory for members and will end the unfair two tier workforce on this contract read more
EDF Strike Ballot over Pay (April 2) – GMB to Ballot Members Employed by EDF in Energy Field Services, Technical and Engineering Departments for Strike Action in Pay Dispute read more
CWU
National Audit Office report finds “Government guilty” on Royal Mail privatisation says CWU (1st April) – The CWU welcomed the National Audit Office’s (NAO) report released today (Tuesday) stating the Government failed to provide value for money on the sale of Royal Mail – saying it proves the sale was a “get rich quick” scheme which offered no value to taxpayers read more
BT’s “insulting” pay offer rejected (1st April) – CWU negotiators have rejected the latest pay offer tabled by BT – only part of which is consolidated – as “insulting”. “The 2% base pay award offered to the team member* population represents a pay cut in real terms – despite the company’s offer of a further, currently unspecified, non-consolidated flat rate payment,” said deputy general secretary, Andy Kerr read more
UCU
Funding cuts: lobby of parliament (April 2) – In response to funding cuts in further, higher and adult education, UCU organised a mass lobby of parliament on 2 April 2014. Our thanks to the hundreds of UCU members who attended the lobby on 2nd April read more
Lambeth College strike ‘solid as a rock’ to defend conditions (April 1) – Members at Lambeth College went on strike on 1 April at the start of a campaign of industrial action against the introduction of two tier terms and conditions which if accepted would be among the worst in the country. Regional official Una O’Brien described the action as ‘solid as a rock’ and called upon the college to withdraw its proposals
Other News
International Workers Memorial Day – April 28th
REMEMBER THE DEAD FIGHT FOR THE LIVING
Fight the attacks by this coalition on Workers Health and Safety
After decades of Blacklisting thousands of workers many for speaking out over Safety not a single apology has been issued !
Just to let people know that the last organising meeting for IWMD took place on the day of torrential rains and the Tube strike and many people couldn’t get there.
So far confirmed speakers Steve Murphy Gen/Sec UCATT . Gail Cartmail Ass/Gen/Sec UNITE. speaker from London Hazards and Tony O’Brian . Construction Safety Campaign. A Piper will play a Lament to those Workers who have lost there lives at work.
The follow up meeting is planned for this Thursday 6pm. Leigh Day offices 76-86 Turnmill Street EC1.
This is 3 minutes from Farringdon road tube stn.
If people are attending could they let Paul know at the London Hazards centre so we know numbers please.
Paul 02075275107 or Email – LHCMail<[email protected]>.
Hope to see you there Pete Farrell Chair CSC / London Hazards.
Blacklisting & Victimisation
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70
Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
International (also see Labourstart)
Turkey: 37 union members sacked for organizing by Georg Fischer – Swiss-based multinational Georg Fischer has vindictively punished Lastik-Is trade union members for organizing workers at its Turkish subsidiary called Georg Fischer Hakan Plastik….Local management sacked 37 key trade unionists simply for exercising their right to freedom of association. Now workers are called in one by one to meet management read more
Diary (see & use false economy)
April
12 London based LGBTQ photographer Manu Valcarce (attached picture) will be showing his new works of LGBTQ life in an austerity hit town sponsored by UNITE at ‘Queer Free Thinking and Self-Expression’ – 12 noon at Ron Todd House, 33-37 Moreland St, London EC1V 8BB
28 Workers’ Memorial Day visit TUC website for info about events Hazards magazine
May
5 MAY DAY MAY DAY Save Sunbury and Staines fire stations benefit – from 12noon The Magpie – 64, Thames Street, Sunbury on Thames TW16 6AF
Chesterfield Trades Council 37th May Day People’s Gala and Demonstration – assemble Town Hall 10.30am leaflet here
June
21 Hurrah for the Luddites: challenging the myths about Luddism – 2-4pm at the Red Shed, Vicarage Street, Wakefield WF1.
The event is about seeing the Luddites in their proper historical context. Contrary to myth, they weren’t a bunch of head bangers. Luddism was a genuine social movement made up of normal working people fighting for justice. They had immense support, were well organised and for a time were immensely successful. Come along and hear more about the true Luddites!
Speakers are:
Ken Rowley: Ken is a former Vice President of the National Union of Mineworkers. He is a member of the Wakefield Socialist History Group. He has spoken widely on the Luddites and their West Yorkshire connections to both the University of the Third Age and to local history groups.
Shaun Cohen: Shaun is a member of the Ford-Maguire Society. The Society is named after two notable Leeds socialist pioneers Isabella Ford and Tom Maguire. Shaun’s particular interest is the radical history of Leeds. He has researched widely into the Luddite revolutionary tradition.
Admission to the event is free and there will be a free buffet.
Fraternally
Alan Stewart
Convenor, Wakefield Socialist History Group
01924 360565
July
5 8th Annual NSSN Conference – Conway Hall – 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL
12 Durham Miners Gala 2014 visit Durham Miners’ Association official website
18-20 Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival – Tolpuddle, near Dorchester, Dorset visit Tolpuddle Martyrs museum
October
18 TUC demonstration in London – ‘Britain Needs a Pay Rise’. It will begin with a march through central London, culminating in a rally in Hyde Park read more
CONTACT US
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ADDRESS NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE
