It’s official – the pay strike will continue into the autumn. The first serious step has been taken towards building the strike coalition that saw over 1 million public sector workers take action together on July 10th. Council workers from Unison, Unite and the GMB have agreed that October 14th will be the next strike day in the pay dispute. Importantly, Unison will be balloting members in academy schools during September so they can join the strike. September also sees Scottish local government workers being balloted for industrial action over pay likely to commence with a one-day strike, which of course should be October 14th.
The NSSN calls on all the public sector unions to immediately meet together to ensure at least the J10 forces are involved but as NHS workers are also balloting, a strike of N30 2011 proportions is now possible. Moreover, coming just four days before the TUC ‘Britain needs a pay rise’ demonstration, the prospect is raised of a mobilisation on the scale of the mammoth March 26th 2011 demonstration that saw 750,000 workers march through London.
October 14th is an opportunity to increase generalised action that must be seized with both hands. Even during their well-earned summer break, many teachers in the NUT will be trying to put pressure on their union to ensure they again line up with school staff on strike. There should be no need to wait until October to confirm their presence. All public sector unions should be involved in the action. A real momentum can be built to get the maximum turnout.
We also call on private sector unions to co-ordinate discussions on how their members can join the action. Over the last year, we have seen a rash of disputes from workers at London Underground to Doncaster Care UK, Tyneside Safety Glass and Argos. The Ritzy Cinema workers are currently voting on whether to accept a deal that is only on the table because of an incredible struggle. Thousands of private sector workers could be involved if there is a general call for any live disputes to be co-ordinated with the October 14th strike.
Union members have to keep the pressure on. If your union hasn’t confirmed for October 14th, move a motion at your next branch. Come to the lobby of the TUC Congress that the NSSN has called on September 7th. That will be a fantastic opportunity to rally activists and rank and file trade unionists where we can discuss how to broaden the action.
The 2014 NSSN conference agreed that the Network to hold a public rally at the TUC Congress in Liverpool to lobby delegates to keep up the pressure for further co-ordinated strikes – 2pm Sunday September 7th in Jury’s Hotel opposite Echo Arena conference centre in Albert Dock. PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka is one of the confirmed speakers. Download NSSN leaflet
GMB website Unison website Unite website
NSSN News
Over 300 shop stewards, union rep and anti-cuts activists attended the 8th Annual NSSN Conference on Saturday July 5th. The speakers included Ronnie Draper BFAWU bakers’ union General Secretary, POA General Secretary Steve Gillan, Janice Godrich PCS President and Peter Pinkney RMT President…plus Ginger Jentzen from the victorious Seattle $15Now campaign.
Watch a video of the first session here
See photos from the conference here
Watch the video shown at the start of the conference – All strike together & Memorium for Bob Crow
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]
Union News
FBU
Firefighters issue further eight days of strike action (July 31) – Firefighters have today issued a further eight day period of strike action as the Westminster government have not improved their pension proposals…The strikes will take place for eight days from Saturday 9 August – until Saturday 16 August between 12pm – 2pm and 22:59 – 23:59 read more
Unite
Tribunal ruling on ambulance service rest-time a victory for workers’ rights (4 August) – has hailed an Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) judgement concerning the working-time arrangement of on-call technicians and paramedics in the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) as a significant victory for workers’ rights and patient safety read more
New Strike Dates Set at OHG – Members at One Housing Group have announced four further days of strike over the sacking of lead convenor, Bryan Kennedy, and the general treatment of staff at the association. The strike will take place from 8am on Friday 8th August to 8pm on Monday 11th August read more
From Unite Housing Workers LE1111 Branch Secretary Suzanne Muna:-
We would welcome YOUR support on:
1. Picket lines from 8am – 3pm on Friday
@ OHG head office, 100 Chalk Farm Rd and also Monday 11th Aug.
2. Protest emails to OHG and also your local council who may be funding many of the projects.
3. Fundraising for the strike – We have used substantial resources in this campaign and welcome any strike fund support in this process. All donations so far have been incredibly helpful and more are welcome! contact details
Unite rank & file construction national meeting – Saturday August 9th 12noon-3pm Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn, London WC1R 4RL
PCS
Tories sink their own anti-union inquiry (5 Aug) – A barrister hand-picked by the government to report on trade union campaigning has abandoned his review after the Tories jumped the gun. Bruce Carr, leading what was widely seen as an anti-union inquiry, will produce only a scaled down report and make no recommendations read more
HMRC severely disrupted by PCS strikes (1 August) – Services have been severely disrupted by a 3-day rolling strike by PCS members in HMRC read more
Newport strike goes from strength to strength (1 August) – Hundreds of our members at the shared services centre in Newport have stayed away from work for a second day in their dispute over privatisation read more
MOJ Bootle pickets remain buoyant on last day of strike action (31 July) – About 60 pickets were singing and dancing on the picket line this morning outside Bootle MOJ Shared Services offices on the last day of their 6-day strike read more
Defend PCS reps’ right to campaign against austerity (31 July) – PCS has launched a petition against the disciplinary action imposed on one of our reps for publicising jobcentre staff cuts read more & sign petition
RMT
Sodexo strike in support of victimised rep Petrit Mihaj (Aug 4) – RMT members took strike action today after Petrit won his employment tribunal that ruled that he was unfairly dismissed for his Trade Union Activities but despite winning, there is unfortunately no obligation on the company to reinstate him see photo more info
ST Pancras Eurostar cleaners “rock solid and determined” (Aug 1) – Cleaners working on the St Pancras station and Eurostar contracts for high-profile facilities company Interserve are “rock solid and determined” on picket lines at the station this morning in a fight over jobs and workplace justice read more
Unison
UNISON comments on Government letter to the independent NHS PRB (Aug 5) – The Government’s confirmation that the independent NHS Pay Review Body will not be required to make recommendations on pay awards for Agenda for Change staff for 2015/16, is a “slap in the face to NHS staff” said UNISON today. The union is calling the move “provocative” coming as it does just weeks before it is to ballot NHS members in England for industrial action… UNISON will be balloting health members in England for industrial action between 28th August and 18th September 2014. UNISON is working closely with the other health unions to plan and coordinate action read more
Speak out on 18 October (Aug 4) – Mobilise for the “biggest demo this country has ever seen on 18 October” that is the rallying call from general secretary Dave Prentis as the union gears up for the TUC’s Britain Needs a Pay Rise demonstration. The demonstration – plus one in Scotland and possibly one in Northern Ireland – will come just days after local government and school workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland take co-ordinated industrial action over pay. Ballots for industrial action are also taking place among Scottish local government workers, English and Welsh NHS members, academy school staff and meat hygiene worker read more
Cymru/Wales NHS members to vote on industrial action (Aug 1) – UNISON’s Cymru/Wales NHS members are to be balloted over industrial action as part of the union’s long-running pay campaign. The Cymru/Wales health committee yesterday voted unanimously to move towards a ballot, which will ask members to reject the Welsh government’s pay award for NHS staff in Wales and to vote for both strike action and action short of strike read more
Unison members working for the privatised NHS Supply Chain have just rejected a pay offer – of 2% backdated to 1st April 2014 & 1.75% effective from 1st April 2015 because the award included moving all TUPE’d workers to worse DHL employment policies.
Care UK workers in Doncaster from Unison have begun another two weeks of strike action – Messages of support or donations should be sent to: Yvonne Butcher, branch secretary Doncaster District and Bassetlaw Health Branch, 20511 UNISON Office – Jenkinson House, White Rose Way, Doncaster DN4 5GJ
GMB
Dispute Looms at Brighton Housing (Aug 4) – Dispute looms with Mears on contract to maintain 12,500 homes in Brighton over threats to terms and conditions and union rights. Mears bullying their way to changes is not only unacceptable and has left us potentially with one choice in reacting strongly if they don’t remove the threats read more
BECTU
New deal for Ritzy Cinema members (31 July) – “Voyage to higher pay” on offer after 15-week dispute. Late-night talks between BECTU and Picturehouse at conciliation service ACAS have produced a two-year schedule of pay increases at the Ritzy. Over nearly four months the Brixton Cinema, owned by Picturehouse, has been hit by repeated industrial action, and despite management intransigence, members reaffirmed their willingness to continue the pay dispute by a 97 per cent majority in early July. Talks at ACAS, which ran until 3am on 31 July, produced a new offer from Picturehouse which fell short of immediately conceding the London Living Wage of £8.80 per hour, but laid out a calendar to pay this rate to all staff on main grades by September 2015 read more
From Ritzy Living Wage Facebook www.facebook.com/RitzyLivingWage
An important announcement to our supporters: On Wednesday our negotiating team, including union reps from the Ritzy and senior BECTU Officials, met with management representatives from the company at ACAS, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service – an independent non-departmental government agency that tries to resolve disputes such as ours. After nine and a half hours of talks, lasting until 3am, the two sides reached a final offer that represents a significant improvement on any previous offers, though it does not reach the London Living Wage. The negotiating team took the view that this was the best offer that could be achieved by negotiation and decided to recommend acceptance of the offer to the membership on that basis.
It should be made clear that this does not mean that a deal has been ‘agreed’ as some media outlets have reported. As at every stage of this process, the BECTU members at The Ritzy themselves are the only ones empowered to make that decision and they will do so in the coming weeks through a secret ballot. We would like to thank our supporters once again for their continued solidarity, we will update you as soon as we can.
With love and solidarity!
Ritzy Strikers
BBC revised pay offer accepted (5 Aug) – Union members settle dispute over pay for 2014/15. Unions representing staff at the BBC have accepted an improved two-year deal tabled in July, following a dispute over pay for 2014/15 read more
Strike vote at BBC contractor (5 Aug) – Action vote at facilities management provider on jobs and pay. Members of BECTU are being balloted for industrial action at Interserve, the BBC’s main provider of building services like cleaning, catering, and security read more
Strike ballot in BBC News (30 July) – BECTU plans to ballot members in BBC News and the World Service for strike action over proposals to cut 415 posts read more
NUJ
BBC pay deal agreed (Aug 5) – NUJ members at the BBC have voted to accept a revised pay offer by the BBC of £800 for those earning below £50,000 and £650 for those earning above. The BBC originally offered a 1 per cent pay increase read more
Strike ballot at BBC over plans to cut 500 people’s jobs and then create 266 new posts (30 July) – The BBC faces strike action over the corporation’s plans to cut jobs, which will affect 500 people in News and the World Service, and then create 266 new posts read more
NAPO
National Rally at Parliament – Members’ Voices – 3 September
Napo is organising a national rally of Parliament from 2pm to 3.30pm on Wednesday 3 September. Branches have been asked to organise delegations. Contact your Branch now if you are able to be there. Most crucially we are calling on members to write to their MP over the summer (or better still visit them in their constituency) urging them to attend and hear from frontline Probation staff about the chaos that is TR.
Ask your MP to sign EDM 111 calling for the government to assess the risk to public safety of the new probation service and halt the process of privatisation read more
BFAWU
Zero Hours Contracts – Whose Side Are You On? We live in the sixth richest economy in the world. You could be forgiven for thinking that his should mean a fair, decent society that leaves no-one behind and provides opportunities for all. However, what we have in the UK is a society whereby the top 1% hold 24% of the total wealth and the top 10% control 40% of the wealth see BFAWU video
VIDEO: $15 NOW & Fast Food Rights Campaign – Campaign against low pay to sweep across the Atlantic, as union organises UK Fast Food workers see video of press conference with Ronnie Draper BFAWU, John McDonnell MP and Ginger Jentzen Seattle $15Now
Fast Food Rights: upcoming plans and ‘activists’ pack – at the last Fast Food Rights campaign planning meeting on 25 June, the campaign decided on a plan of action for the months to come. This followed the global day of action that saw protests across Britain as well as in over 30 other countries on 15 May in solidarity with US fast food strikes. The next national Fast Food Rights days of action will take place on the day of the next US fast food strike. Dates are still being confirmed, but this will be late August/ early September. As soon as details are confirmed we will announce them read more from Fast Food Rights
Please send details of any local actions to [email protected] / [email protected]
Blacklisting & Victimisation
Unite: Islington housing move will help `clean up construction’, says Unite (1 August) – Moves by a leading local authority, Islington council to bring its housing repairs service back in-house have been welcomed by the country’s biggest union, Unite today (Friday 1 August)… Unite hailed the move as a significant step forward in the campaign to clean up construction and called on other councils to follow suit. Kier is one of several companies accused of being involved in the notorious practice of blacklisting which saw thousands of construction workers frozen out of work by anti-union employers read more
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70
Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
International (also see Labourstart)
National Demonstration for Gaza – Saturday August 9th assemble 12noon Central London, more details to follow
Palestine/Israel: Say No to union-busting of Palestinian workers organizing in Mishor Adumim settlement read more
RMT: support for demonstrations to stop the massacre in GAZA read more
PCS: statement of solidarity with Palestine read more
BFAWU: Condemns Treatment of Palestinians read more
Diary (see & use false economy)
August
6 Leeds Youth Fight for Jobs branch meeting
9 Inaugural John Burns walk – meet 1pm at St Mary’s Cemetery, Battersea Rise. Reception at Bread & Roses pub at 4pm. www.bwtuc.org.uk www.breadandrosespub.com
13 ACT-UP London meeting – 6:30 pm at Ron Todd House, 33-37 Moreland St, London EC1 (hosted by UNITE London & Eastern Region LGBT Committee)
18 Let’s Talk About Gay Sex and Drugs is an open communication forum for anyone to attend and speak about how they perceive sex and drug use amongst the modern gay community – 6 pm at Manbar, 79 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2 – hosted by Patrick Cash – QX magazine in association with David Stuart of 56 Dean Street (56 DS will be on site offering free STI testing upstairs). Supported by QX, Attitude Magazine and UNITE London & Eastern Region LGBT Committee. Attached is a photograph of Theo Gordon speaking at the previous event taken by UNITE London & Eastern Region LGBT Committee member Manu Valcarce.
September
3 Leeds Youth Fight for Jobs branch meeting
6 Anti-Austerity March and Rally in Manchester – assemble 11am Castlefield Arena
Featherstone Massacre Commemoration. We will be meeting at the Bradley Arms, North Featherstone at 2pm. There will then be a graveside commemoration followed by a guided walk led by local socialist historian John Gill.
If you would like to get involved (or if you would like to speak at the commemoration) please get in touch.
We are also looking to organise an event about the First World War later in the year…this is likely to be on a Saturday afternoon in November. Again if you are interested in speaking -or can recommend a speaker- please get in touch.
Fraternally
Alan Stewart
Convenor, Wakefield Socialist History Group
07931927451
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 here
November
5 Leeds Youth Fight for Jobs branch meeting
December
3 Leeds Youth Fight for Jobs branch meeting
CONTACT US
PHONE 07952 283 558
EMAIL mailto:[email protected]
TWITTER – https://twitter.com/NSSN_AntiCuts
FACEBOOK NSSN GROUP or STOP The CUTS Likes page
ADDRESS NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE
