The 2014 NSSN conference agreed that the Network will 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.
This year’s TUC Conference meets as public sector unions contemplate mass joint strike action on October 14th against the government’s continuing pay freeze. In reality, workers’ living standards are down by an average of 8% since the economic crisis struck in 2008, with young workers losing 15%! No wonder record numbers are using food banks and pay day loan companies.
Cameron talks about a recovery but it is only for the rich. The stark reality of this class divide is making ordinary people ask “Where’s our share?” This is the pressure that has forced the trade union leaders to call the 1million-strong strike on July 10th and now the action in October. With health unions now balloting, a strike of N30 2011 proportions could be posed. With the national TUC demonstrations taking place in London and Glasgow 4 days later, if built for energetically and linked to a serious struggle to combat low pay, there exists the potential for a mobilisation that could rival the March 26th 2011 TUC demo that saw 750,000 fill the streets of London.
On N30, 2million public sector workers went on strike together to defend their pensions in the biggest single day of strike action since the 1926 general strike. It could and should have been the start of the sustained and escalating action that could have defeated the ConDems but the TUC alongside conservative union leaders signed up to the pensions deal and halted the momentum. It opened up the door to the brutal austerity offensive that has seen hundreds of thousands of public sector workers lose their jobs.
That’s why we believe that all public sector unions must commit to the next day of strike action and a timetable for action must be rolled out.
PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka is one of the confirmed speakers alongside Ronnie Draper BFAWU General Secretary, Steve Gillan POA General Secretary and Ian Lawrence NAPO General Secretary. There will also be rank & file speakers from the Doncaster Care UK dispute and a blacklisted worker. Download NSSN leaflet Transport is being organised around the country, including buses from London and Yorkshire – email us on [email protected] if you want to come
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
South London NSSN public meeting: ‘All Strike Together on October 14’ (supported by Battersea & Wandsworth Trade Union Council) – 7.30pm Thursday October 9th in Bread & Roses pub 68 Clapham Manor St, London SW4 6DZ
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
Unite
Romford Sparks win after blockade (Sept 2) – 15 electricians working for T.Clarke via an agency at the Network Rail Operating Centre construction site have won a fantastic victory. Last week, they set up a Unite shop and elected two reps as they sought direct employment with Clarkes after being the next in a long line of workers to suffer from the ‘Umbrella Scam’. ‘Coincidentally’(!) the two reps were laid off last Friday along with another worker.
In a fantastic show of solidarity, the other workers ‘cabined up’ and refused to start work. Yesterday (Sept 1) the stoppage continued with Unite officers and organisers joining rank & file workers and other activists, including the NSSN and Youth Fight for Jobs. Other workers on the site to their credit wouldn’t cross the picket line. A twitter storm soon spread the word that the stoppage would continue if the dispute wasn’t settled satisfactorily. There would also be a national campaign of protests outside T.Clarke’s offices around the country. Last night the brilliant news came out that the workers have been reinstated and everyone has been taken on directly by Clarke’s. The NSSN sends its congratulations to the Romford workers, Unite and the Rank & File see NSSN video
Parking staff strike could cause ‘havoc’ as Tall Ships Festival sails into Greenwich (1 Sept) – The dispute over low pay in local government is set to run aground at the prestigious Tall Ships Festival in Greenwich this weekend. A total of 17 car parking staff at Greenwich Council will strike for 48 hours from 00.01 on Friday (5 September), which their union, Unite, says will cause havoc with the temporary parking restrictions introduced as thousands of visitors descend on the borough for the five day event read more
London-wide busworkers ‘Driving up Pay’ demo – meet 11am, Thursday 11 September at Bressenden Place, SW1. This campaign aims to win a common contract across all London’s bus companies. If successful this would cut across the companies’ strategy of divide and rule to drive down wages and worsen conditions.
London pathology staff at centre of NHS privatisation row (29 Aug) – The expanding tentacles of NHS privatisation are having an adverse impact on the NHS’ flagship pathology service at Guy’s and St Thomas’ in London, partly owned by controversial outsourcing giant, Serco. The warning has come from Unite which represents most of the 370-strong pathology workforce at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust read more
Unite LE1111 Housing branch newsletter here
NUT
October 14 strike – National Executive to debate NUT participation this week read more on Martin Powell Davies’s blog
RMT
RMT launches new wave of rail protests across the North (Sept 2) – As part of the on-going RMT campaign against cuts to jobs and services, bound up in the Government’s proposals for the future of the Northern and Trans-Pennine Express franchises, the union is launching a new phase of the fightback on Monday 8th September, the day that Northern axes a whole range of off-peak fares read more
Tube cleaners balloted for strike action over fingerprinting (Aug 29) – Tube cleaners to be balloted for strike action over “degrading and bullying” fingerprinting checks. Tube Union RMT today confirmed that underground cleaners working for ISS are to be balloted for strike action and action short of a strike over outrageous attempts to force them to be subjected to finger-printing on a daily basis. The cleaners have been in a long-running dispute over the attempt to enforce the fingerprint sign-in system which has led to staff being intimidated, bullied and locked out of the workplace as they refuse to comply with a move that is threatening, degrading and carries all the overtones of a Police State read more
Unison
Care UK workers’ strike – UNISON members at Care UK in Doncaster are on strike again, this time for three weeks, putting them well over 50 days of strike action. The action comes after a new ballot and is in support of a pay claim that calls for a minimum starting rate of £7.65, which is the national living wage outside London. The current pay for basic grade staff is £7 an hour.
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
Strike ballot in England and N Ireland NHS dispute (Sept) – Ballot for GMB members in NHS in England and Northern Ireland with action in October if members vote for action in pay dispute. Prime Minister is to blame for this dispute in refusing to honour the independent pay review body’s recommendations and living standards for NHS staff are down by over 10% read more
Kings Lynn Refuse Strike Action (Aug 28) – September strikes at Keir Refuse Services in Kings Lynn and West Norfolk as GMB members vote for action in pay dispute read more
Society of Radiographers
SCoR announces intention to ballot members in NHS pay dispute (Aug 29) – Following lengthy consultation during the spring and summer, UK Council has today announced that members working in the NHS will be balloted on industrial action read more
NUJ / BECTU members vote to strike against cuts and redundancies at BBC
Read more on NUJ site Read more on BECTU site
ASLEF
London Underground Central Line drivers to strike again on September 17 read more
PCS
Message to TUC: How to fight cuts and win (1 Sept) – How to fight the cuts and win is the PCS delegation’s message to this year’s TUC Congress which starts on Sunday in Liverpool read more
POA
Read the latest Gatelodge magazine read more
SIPTU Ireland
Locked out Greyhound workers to march to Dublin City Hall (Aug 29) read more Send messages of support and donations via www.facebook.com/greyhoundworkers
FBU
Firefighters union announce “Ring of Fire” UK tour (Sept 2) – The Fire Brigades Union has announced a nationwide “Ring of Fire” tour of the UK to highlight the devastating impact the government’s austerity agenda is having on the fire and rescue service. The 20 date tour, which kicks off in Liverpool on 9 September, will promote the union’s recently published report Sounding the alarm: the future of the fire and rescue service which has found funding for the service has been cut by more than 20% during this parliament, that 5000 frontline firefighter jobs have been cut and 999 emergency response times have increased significantly read more
FBU fights back as Fire Minister launches attack on conditions of service (Aug 29) see video by Matt Wrack
Support locked-out Buckinghamshire fire-fighters – During the recent action by the FBU in England & Wales when fire-fighters took action for periods of two and one hours over 8 days, Buckinghamshire Fire Authority docked wages for the whole shifts. To contribute to Bucks FBU hardship fund:-
HSBC
Account No: 71603124
Sort Code: 40-33-33
Bucks FBU Hardship Fund
Also, email Complaints to Bucks FRS – [email protected]
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 / Fast Food Rights
Reports of Fast Food Rights protests on August 28 on Youth Fight for Jobs website and fast Food Rights website
USA: Fast Food Rights day of strikes & civil disobedience read more on Fast Food Forward
Please send details of any local actions to [email protected] / [email protected] see BFAWU video
Blacklisting & Victimisation
To coincide with TUC Congress in Liverpool, there are a number of events relating to the blacklisting campaign this weekend:-
Friday 5th – Saturday 6th
Campaigns for Justice Conference – organised by GMB
John Moores University.
Dave Smith – secretary BSG is speaking along with Ricky Tomlinson (Shrewsbury Pickets) Margaret Aspinall (Hillsborough family Support Group), Andy Burnham MP, Tom Watson MP and many others
Sunday 7th
2pm – National Shop Stewards Network TUC Rally
Jury’s Inn
Albert Dock
Roy Bentham – BSG national committee is speaking alongside Mark Serwotka, Ronnie Draper, Steve Gillan and many others
7pm – Institute of Employment Rights / Campaign for Trade Union Freedom TUC Fringe
85-89 Duke Street
L1 5AP
Len McCluskey
Professor Keith Ewing
John Hendy QC
Carolyn Jones
IER are massive supporters of the blacklisting campaign
Social after the Fringe meeting at Ricky Tomlinson’s club (tickets only available to people who attend the fringe meeting)
Any blacklisted workers attending on the Sunday – please wear BLACKLISTED T-shirts which makes it more likely to get photos in the press.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70
Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
Other news
The Peoples March is on its way to London – final rally this Saturday September 6th in Trafalgar Square assemble 3.30pm
For daily march details here
International (also see Labourstart)
Dear Friends,
Tamil Solidarity, together with the Day-Mer Turkish and Kurdish community centre, is holding its annual Solidarity Day on 6th of September from 12 pm onwards.
The venue this year is at:
North London Community Centre
22 Moorefield Road
Tottenham
N17 6PY
Registration will begin at 12.
Free entry: please book your attendance to enable us to order food and reserve your seat.
The day will be packed with entertainment, an afternoon of discussion, a trade union rally and ending with delicious traditional Tamil food.
We expect many activists from various backgrounds to take part in the Solidarity Day. The cultural aspects will include literary meetings, music, drama, art display and many more. The famous playwright Rani Moorthy will do a special performance.
This is an important event that requires your solidarity.
See the link below for more details:
https://www.facebook.com/events/874767942542077/
Yours in solidarity
Isai Priya
USA: Fast Food Rights day of strikes & civil disobedience read more on Fast Food Forward
Norway: Strike forces employers to retreat read more
Iran: 5,000 Iranian iron workers strike read more
Thailand: Drop the charges against Andy Hall read more
Diary (see & use false economy)
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
