Workers are saying “What recovery? We want our share!”
Millions of public sector workers are having their pay again pegged to 1% when RPI inflation is nearly 3% and energy prices are up 9%! Average household income is already 6% below 2003 levels. NHS workers are not even getting this miserly rise and correctly health unions have attacked ‘divide and rule’ tactics. But the best way to avoid this is to seriously prepare for co-ordinated strike action across the public sector. Unison health conference yesterday passed an emergency motion mandating the union to ballot its members in the NHS for industrial action. Immediately, Unite confirmed that it will also consult its members in the health service. The NSSN calls on all public sector unions to immediately meet to plan joint mass strike action.
This could then link up with all those fighting to defend their standard of living like the London tubeworkers and those in the private sector such as the construction workers currently taking wild-cat action for PAYE. The tubeworkers’ strike showed that with millions of people being hammered financially, any strike by the unions will get huge public support.
The NSSN steering committee met on April 12th to discuss the main themes of this year’s conference – our 8th annual event. If you want to break the pay freeze, fight for a real living wage, oppose zero-hour contracts, privatisation and the rest of the ConDem cuts…this conference is for you. We will also be having workshops to discuss a wide variety of the issues faced by activists in the workplace and the community. The conference is open to all those in the trade union and anti-cuts movements that wants to fight back.
It will be on from 11am-5pm on Saturday 5th July in Conway Hall – 25 Red Lion Square, Holborn, London WC1R 4RL – delegate/visitor fee £6. Confirmed speakers include Ronnie Draper BFAWU bakers’ union General Secretary, POA General Secretary Steve Gillan and Janice Godrich PCS President. Email us now if you want to come as well as if you want leaflets – [email protected]
Leaflet http://www.scribd.com/doc/221151679/NSSN-2014-conference-leaflet
If you want to put yourself forward for the NSSN steering committee, email us by 12noon on Thursday July 3rd
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 http://shopstewards.net/2014/02/nssn-affiliation-letter/
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]
