Nurses, cleaners, porters, midwives, occupational therapists, paramedics, scientists, radiographers, admin, catering, security staff and other NHS staff in England took a second four hours of strike action on Monday 24 November, from 7am until 11am.
This has been followed by six days of ‘work to rule’.
Altogether, 11 health service trade unions took part in the action – united against the government’s attack on pay, which means that a majority of staff won’t even receive a miniscule 1% pay rise.
See the following union members: Unison Unite GMB Royal College of Midwives Society of Radiographers POA
For twitter photos of the strike, follow #NHSPay #NHSstrike # #NoRaiseNoRays
NSSN News
The famous pink NSSN £10 minimum wage t-shirts are still available. Email us to order – £8 each. We have the following sizes: women – small, medium, large, XL and men – small, medium, large, XL, XXL
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
Midlands NSSN Conference – Saturday March 14th 2015 Unite Offices, Birmingham download leaflet
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
Parliamentary lobby against Umbrella Companies (Nov 26) – hundreds of construction and transport workers attended the lobby, which was jointly called by Unite and UCATT and supported by the RMT and GMB. There were also protests around the country, including at the Scottish Parliament. Before the London protest, workers protested outside Rhatigans in solidarity with locked-out Irish construction workers who have been fighting poverty pay NSSN photo of lobby Rhatigans protest
GMB
800 walk out at Jacobs biscuit factory in Liverpool (Nov 24) – Around 800 GMB members at Jacobs biscuits in Liverpool took strike action on Sunday over bullying by management at the plant. Betty who is the GMB branch secretary said ‘Over the past two years there has been no meaningful negotiations over changes to work practices and that consultation meetings are no more than management telling the unions what is going to happen.’ The mood of the pickets was buoyant and they received great support from passing motorists honking on horns. Another worker on picket line said ‘Workers here have always been willing to discuss changes and there have been many changes over the last twenty years but we’re not going to carry on being dictated to from NSSN website
Jacobs Strike “Completely Solid” (Nov 26) read more from GMB website
CIPD Must Act On Mike Emmott Over Blacklisting (Nov 24) – GMB call for Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) action on senior employee terming blacklisting of 3,213 workers as a “big fuss about very little” at Manchester conference. GMB is calling in the CIPD to take action over Mike Emmott a CIPD employee, who termed the blacklisting of 3, 213 construction workers “big fuss about very little” and stated that he found “union moral outrage over blacklisting, rather distasteful” read more
GMB Stop ISS Getting High Court Injunction To Halt Woolwich Strike (Nov 21) – ISS fail in High Court to get injunction so two 24 hour strikes go ahead on Nov 24th and 25th at ISS at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Woolwich over two tier workforce in NHS. ISS has blown £50,000 on trying to get a High Court injunction as it emerged in court that the Trust has been paying enough money since 2012 to end the two tier workforce says GMB read more
Unite
Trelleborg workers show management whose boss (Nov 24) – With the workers at the Beaumont Ley’s Trelleborg factory having just undertaken a two-day strike, it appears that their management are determined to ignore their very reasonable demands for fair pay. Mark Potter, the local Unite the Union rep based at the factory finds it strange that the management refuse to make their workers a reasonable offer, especially given that Trelleborg’s “operating profits for 2013 broke all their own record’s, with 2014 looking like it will be very similar.” read more from NSSN website more from Unite website Send messages of support to Mark Potter [email protected] STOP PRESS!! The union has reached a pay claim agreement with management today which was overwhelmingly accepted by a membership
Unilever Port Sunlight workers battle for living wage for all staff across UK sites (20 Nov) – Workers at Unilever’s Port Sunlight plant in the Wirral are fighting to get all their contractor work colleagues, such as cleaners, security guards and canteen workers, a pay rise to the ‘living wage’ – currently £9.15 in London and £7.85 for the rest of the UK. Unite members have launched a ‘living wage’ campaign, with support from all Unilever sites (Purfleet, Burton, Gloucester, Crumlin, Warrington, Manchester, Leeds, Norwich, Port Sunlight and R&D), including hundreds of petition signatures. The campaign calls on Unilever to become a ‘living wage’ accredited company which would mean the current ‘living wage’ would be paid to all cleaners and other low-paid contracted staff in Unilever
Kent staff at army training ranges strike tomorrow (19 Nov) – About 80 workers employed by Landmarc at the Hythe and Lydd ranges in Kent will be taking part in a day’s strike action tomorrow (Thursday 20 November) in the continuing dispute over handing the ranges to the military. Unite believes that such a handover could result in a fatality because of reduced staffing levels. They are taking action from 07.00 to 13.00 tomorrow and also on 25 November when the ranges are fully booked and industrial action will cause maximum disruption read more
UCATT
UCATT members accept improved pay offer to end HTC crane dispute (20 Nov) – UCATT crane drivers employed by HTC Plant Ltd have agreed a new pay offer to end their industrial dispute. Having agreed the pay offer, the one day strike scheduled for tomorrow (Friday 21st November) has been called off. The three year pay deal is worth over 14% on basic rates. The new agreement also means that the bonus rate has been consolidated into the basic rate and a further raft of expenses and allowances, which workers previously enjoyed, have been reinstated read more
RMT
Northern Line drivers to take strike action (24 Nov) – RMT tube drivers, operating out of the Northern Line’s Morden Traincrew Depot, are to take strike action following the dismissal of a colleague in what the union says is a “blatant and clear cut case of victimisation and abuse of procedures.” The decision to move to a strike comes after massive “Yes” vote amongst the members concerned. RMT’s executive has today instructed affected members at Morden Traincrew Depot not to book on for shifts that commence between:- 04:44 hours on Monday 1st December 2014 until 04:43 hours on Tuesday 2nd December 2014 read more
Unison
Care UK workers have voted to accept concessions that they have won from the employer. The NSSN salutes their incredible struggle against vicious attacks on their pay and terms and conditions of employment and shone the spotlight on the scandalous results of privatisation. We hope that many other workers in the health and care sectors will be inspired by their fight.
PCS
Maude told to call off check-off attack (25 Nov) – Political attacks on PCS and Tory ministers’ irresponsible behaviour towards industrial relations have been highlighted in parliament. Shadow Cabinet Office minister, Jonathan Ashworth MP, challenged his coalition counterpart, Cabinet Office minister, Francis Maude, in the House of Commons on Wednesday morning (19 November) on his party’s determination to end the arrangement, known as check-off, which allows PCS to collect members’ subs direct from salaries. Tory ministers are determined to end check-off in as many government departments as possible before the general election in May, despite the fact that civil servants will continue to be able to pay charitable donations through check-off. Mr Ashworth accused Mr Maude of “playing irresponsible party politics with the trade unions” and called on him to abandon his plans to get rid of check-off read more
PCS sees off Westminster security privatisation threat (25 Nov) – A PCS campaign has helped to defeat plans to privatise parliamentary security officers. The privatisation threat had been hanging over the officers, working on the Met Police contract, for most of the year but last week the House of Commons Commission and the Lords House Committee approved the security arrangements renewal programme recommendation for the future provision of security to parliament which secures their jobs and means they will be brought in-house. The PCS Met Police group has been campaigning vigorously since the announcement of the threat of privatisation, early this year read more
NUT
Support Julie Davies: trade union victimisation – Julie Davies is currently suspended pending an investigation which has been triggered, in part, by these two letters from the Haringey Early Years and Primary Heads Association and the Haringey Secondary Heads Association read more on Haringey NUT website see NSSN photo from Nov 24 protest
FBU
Fire-fighters block Minister from attending station opening (Nov 25) – Over 200 fire-fighters and supporters blockaded the entrance to West Norwood fire-station this afternoon to prevent the entry of Fire Service Minister Penny Mordaunt. The protest was organised by the fire-fighters union the FBU to greet Mordaunt for the opening of the new station at West Norwood. The union wanted to highlight the hypocrisy of the Coalition in attempting to set up a feel good publicity stunt of a minster opening a new fire-station while closing 10 fire-stations in London. Despite a heavy police presence the Minister’s car was unable to enter the station as it pulled up to the entrances. The driver was forced to roam the streets while police pushed back the fire fighters, slipping in twenty minutes later to a din of whistles and jeers. The Minster’s misery was further compounded when rank and file staff on duty at the station refused to meet with her report & photos from NSSN website
FBU members in Essex vote for industrial action: Staffing levels, terms and conditions and duty systems (Nov 21) read more
Build the fightback: meeting called by London Region FBU and supported by Greater Manchester & Merseyside FBU – Wednesday 3 December, 1pm, Exmouth Arms, 1 Starcross Street, London NW1 2HR (Near Euston station). Speakers: Paul Embery, London Region FBU secretary, Alan Chinn Shaw, Essex FBU Brigade
Firefighters lost around £600 of pay due to the recent 4-day strike. The National Shop Stewards Network appeals for hardship collections to be taken to local fire stations in support of the dispute. The national FBU hardship fund bank account details are: Sort code 08-60-01 Account number 20034726 FBU solidarity & financial appeal Sign FBU pension petition
Lobby your MP on firefighters’ pensions details here
Lobby your council on firefighters’ pensions details here
UCU
Barnsley College UCU strikes against imposed new contracts (Nov 26) – University and College Union (UCU) members at Barnsley College began a two-day strike today, Wednesday 26 November, against the forcing through of a new contract that means some teachers will end up on worse pay and less holidays than others. The contract was proposed in May and UCU rejected it and requested extended talks, but instead management forced it through in June without agreement, on the back of a restructure that saw job cuts as well as huge downgrading. The college principal making these cuts has seen his pay increase 40% since 2009 to £142,000 a year! In the same period, Further Education pay has fallen nationally by 15%, and some teachers at Barnsley College have seen their pay cut by a further 33% due to restructures and downgrading read more
Open University protests over potential loss of 700 jobs (21 Nov) – UCU members at the Open University will lobby a meeting of the university’s council on Tuesday (25 November) in protest at plans that could see around 700 jobs go from eight regional centres across England read more
BECTU
West End theatre members accept 3 year pay deal (Nov 26) – In the consultative ballot which closed at noon today (Wednesday 26 November) 79.60% of West End theatre members taking part have voted to accept the pay deal hammered out at ACAS earlier this month read more
BFAWU / Fast Food Rights
See video of lobby of Parliament on November 21st in support of Ian Mearns MP’s private member’s bill on zero-hour contracts here
Sheffield Hungry for Justice protest against zero-hour contracts and for £10/hr minimum wage – Saturday Nov 29, assemble 1.30pm Sheffield Cathedral
Reports of Fast Food Rights protests on Youth Fight for Jobs website and Fast Food Rights website
Please send details of any local actions to [email protected] / [email protected] see BFAWU video
Other news
Autumn Statement protest – an austerity has failed, sack George Osborne protest outside Downing Street from 5.30pm on 2 December. Join hundreds of people who will be showing what austerity really is. Help tell the truth about the damage of the budget before Osborne makes his excuses details
Blacklisting & Victimisation
Blacklist Support Group financial appeal: the Blacklist support group is desperately short of funds, to continue the incredible work in 2015 we need more finance, would you please consider making a donation, raise it at your branches and trade councils . Please make cheques payable to Joint sites committee and send to 70 Darnay Rise Chelmsford Essex CM1 4XA. Please forward onto your contacts many thanks Steve Kelly (JSC Treasurer)
Blacklist Support Group update – November 24th
- 17th December 2014 – High Court & Blacklist Support Group meeting
9:30 am – 3pm (approx)
High Court Blacklisting trial continues
Royal Courts of Justice
The Strand
(nearest tube Holborn or Temple)
4:30pm – 6:30pm
Blacklist Support Group national meeting
Central London venue
invited speakers include: John McDonnell MP, John Hendy QC, Guney Clark & Ryan solicitors
- Mike Emmott, CIPD expert tells conference that blacklisting is “a big fuss about very little” and that “union moral outrage is rather distasteful”
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-bbcb-Blacklist-fears-a-huge-fuss-over-nothing-says-HR-chief#.VHL40x8gGrU
- Workers walk out at Carrington Power station over blacklisting
http://www.counterfire.org/news/17524-carrington-power-station-site-shut-down-by-anti-blacklisting-picket
- Police collusion
Video: This is what police collusion in blacklisting is all about (and why those in authority don’t want a public inquiry)
Mark Metcalf on police spying:
http://writemark.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/special-branch-exercise-their-own.html?spref=tw+%E2%80%A6&m=1
Blacklisted activist & journalist Mark Thomas sues the police for spying on him in peaceful & legal campaigns (a few of us might be doing this sometime in the near future)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/comedian-mark-thomas-to-sue-met-police-over-snooping-9873984.html
- Upcoming:
Wed 26th Nov
Umbrella Scam Day of Action – across the UK
Westminster Lobby
10:45 demo
12:45 Lobby – committee room 14
speakers: Steve Murphy (UCATT), Mick Cash (RMT), Gail Cartmail (UNITE), Steve Rotheram MP (flyer attached)
Holyrood Lobby – 10:30am
https://www.facebook.com/events/1487730144841701/
Construction Safety Campaign AGM
Sat 13th December 2014.
11.00am to 3.00pm.
Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester, M2 5NS
Speakers include: Steve Acheson – Blacklist Support Group & Hilda Palmer, Greater Manchester Hazards Campaign
https://www.facebook.com/events/384362181728266/
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70
Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
International (also see Labourstart)
Korea: McDonald’s union member dismissed for fast food activism read more
Diary (see & use false economy)
December
1 Trade Unions Against TTIP – A Campaign for Trade Union Freedom meeting mobilising trade unionists for the campaign against TTIP, CETA, TISA and the new generation of “trade” treaties. 6pm Diskus Suite, Unite House, 128 Theobalds Road, London, WC1X 8TN https://www.facebook.com/events/728967470486256/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming
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
