NSSN 269: Come to the TUCG rally this Saturday – ‘After Corbyn’s Victory, build the fight against austerity!’
A week after the Tories’ (anti) Trade Union Bill had its 3rd and final House of Commons reading, an important event has been organised this Saturday.
The Trade Union Coordinating Group which represents 8 national trade unions (BFAWU, FBU, NAPO, NUT, PCS, POA, RMT, URTU) have announced a major rally in the week preceding the Autumn Economic Statement.
The Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell MP and Yanis Varoufakis, ex-Finance Minister of the Syriza Government in Greece, will be participating in a Question and Answer session and joining an array of speakers from the unions and anti-Austerity movement.
This event comes at a critical time for the Labour movement in Britain and will look at the strategies needed for building an alternative to the failed policies of Austerity.
1.30pm-4.30pm in Central Hall Westminster Storey’s Gate SW1H 9NH London more info info from PCS website
TUCG statement on the Trade Union Bill here
Autumn Statement protests:-
London: 24 November, 6:00pm – March & Rally at Trafalgar Square
Bristol: 24 November, 5:15pm – More details to follow
Exeter: Tue 1 PM · Bedford Square, Exeter
Birmingham: 25 November, 5:00pm – Meet outside Waterstone’s on Birmingham High Street
Bradford: demo 25th November 5pm Centenary Square https://www.facebook.com/events/972463582792461/
Cambridge: 21 November, 12:00pm – Protest at Cambridge Guildhall
Cornwall: 25 November, 12:00pm – Protest at St Nicholas St, Truro TR1 2RN
Coventry: 25 November, 5.00pm – Protest at Broadgate
Doncaster: 24 November, 12:00pm – Protest at Mansion House
Eastbourne: 21 November, 11:00am – Protest at Bankers Corner
Manchester: 24 November, 5:00pm – Protest at Market street
Milton Keynes: 21 November, 12:00pm – Meet outside 52 Midsummer Boulevard, MK9 3BB
Newcastle: 24 November, 5:00pm – Protest at City Library, Newcastle Civic Centre
Nottingham: 21 November, 2:00pm – Protest at Old Market Square, NG1 2GR
Swindon: 24 November, 5:00pm – Protest at The Crumpled Waterfall, Canal Walk, SN1 1LD
CWU
Support the #CWU2 – reinstate Clive Walder & John Vasey!
Clive Walder, a longstanding leading rep in the CWU had an appeal against unfair dismissal rejected by British Telecom on 9 November, confirming his sacking after 38 years of service. Clive is chair of the CWU Birmingham, Black Country & Worcester branch and is a leading lay rep of the union.
Clive worked in a BT call centre and was dismissed after an aggressive customer reported him to management just 33 seconds into a phone call. The decision was made without taking stress into account despite the local CWU branch reporting that 7% of staff at the call centre leave their jobs each month, some walking out mid shift. Management took the decision without consulting any medical advice or taking into account any mitigation.
Clive is a NSSN steering committee member and we will be supporting the campaign protesting the sacking and campaigning for his reinstatement.
Contact Clive to send messages of support and invite him to your union branch, shop stewards committee, trades council etc – [email protected] 07771931185
John Vasey, a CWU postal rep in Wakefield, West Yorkshire has also been sacked on what his work colleagues recognise as stitched up charges. John is waiting for his appeal at the end of this month. The NSSN calls on all our supporters and affiliates to support John’s campaign for reinstatement and his union the CWU:-
Messages of protest to Jon Millidge, Royal Mail Group HR Director, c/o Tallents House, South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB.
(Copies to Paul Clays, CWU Regional Secretary, 6 Concept Court, Kettlestring Lane, Clifton Moor, YORK, YO30 4XF – e-mail: [email protected])
Please sign the petition and like Reinstate John Vasey on Facebook
NSSN / Kill the Bill news
As expected, the Tory Trade Union Bill passed its 3rd reading on November 10th. It now goes to the Lords. But we must keep up the pressure and prepare for resisting it if it becomes law.
See videos of John McDonnell, PCS Vice-President John McInally John McInally and NSSN chair Rob Williams speaking at TUCG protest outside Parliament last night
Rob Williams NSSN chair was interviewed live on BBC’s Daily Politics at TUC Congress watch here at about 30 minutes
Early notice – the 10th annual NSSN conference will on Saturday July 2nd 2016 in Conway Hall, London. Please put in your new diaries!!
Yorkshire NSSN Conference: Stop the Union Busters / Organise the Unorganised – Saturday, 27 February 2016 at 10am Cosmopolitan Hotel 2 Lower Briggate, LS1 4AE Leeds https://www.facebook.com/events/514766158692960/
Xmas present!! The last two pink NSSN ‘£10 Now’ t-shirts are available for £8. Both are women’s large sizes. First come first served! Order by emailing [email protected]
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
Download the ‘Join the NSSN’ leaflet 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
Unison
Lambeth libraries closed by staff walkout over library cuts (Nov 18) – On Wednesday 18 November library workers across Lambeth walked out of work to protest the Council’s refusal to listen to concerns over libraries closures, including controversial plans to turn three libraries into pay for gyms run by Greenwich Leisure Limited read more
This evening will see a Lambeth Full Council meeting, debate the library closures and the Council’s stance against the Trade Union Bill. Library workers will be joining community campaigners to lobby the meeting at Elm Green School – come and join the lobby at 6.30pm!!
RMT
RMT calls 24 hour strike on Stagecoach buses in Norfolk in fight over pay and conditions (Nov 17) – Following a massive vote for strike action, and a continuing refusal by the company to make progress on the key issues of pay and working conditions, transport union RMT has confirmed today that it is to take 24 hours of strike action on Stagecoach buses in Norfolk. RMT’S Executive Committee has considered the current position and, following the failure by Stagecoach to address the matters in dispute, it has instructed members to take 24 hours of strike action by NOT booking on for any turns of duty between 00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Tuesday 24th November 2015 read more
RMT to ballot in dispute with Serco Caledonian Sleeper (13 Nov) – Rail union RMT confirmed today that it is to begin the process of balloting members on the Caledonian Sleeper in a dispute with new operator Serco. Despite several meetings between RMT negotiators and senior company management over the last few months the union has now been forced into informing the company it has no choice other than to proceed to ballot members over the company’s failure to address the number of defects contained within the rolling stock. The union says that some of the defects are potentially dangerous to the staff on board and the travelling public who are paying top dollar prices for a service which is unreliable, increasingly uncomfortable and riddled with health, safety and welfare issues read more
Track workers to be balloted for strike (Nov 12) – The following resolution was recently received from our LU Engineering Branch:-
“This Branch notes that LUL have decided to train Cleshar’s staff to undertake track patrolling. This is a clear breach of agreements and a direct attack on the internal staffs’ job security and direct casualisation. We therefore ask the General Grades Committee to ballot all operational permanent way track staff for industrial action and action short of strike” read more
Unite
UK steelworkers in national rally to ‘Save our Steel’ (17 Nov) – Hundreds of steelworkers and their families from steel communities across the UK will be travelling to Sheffield this Saturday (21 November) for a national ‘Save our Steel’ rally. The rally, organised by steel unions, Community, GMB and Unite the union, comes amid a growing crisis in the UK’s steel industry which has seen thousands of job losses announced in recent months read more
Medway bus drivers balloted for industrial action over ‘unsafe’ and ‘unreliable’ timetable changes (12 Nov) – Over 200 Arriva bus drivers in the Medway, Kent have begun being balloted for industrial action over the introduction of unachievable timetables, which their union Unite warns will make it impossible to deliver a safe reliable service. The drivers serving the Medway towns of Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Rochester, Hoo Peninsula and Strood, raised concerns over the introduction of ‘unachievable’ timetables in June this year read more
PCS
Driving examiners to strike for two days in dispute over driving test safety (13 Nov) – The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is attempting to impose longer working hours to accommodate more driving tests per day. The two day strike, taking place on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 November, will involve about 1,600 PCS members including operational staff such as driving examiners, vehicle testers and traffic inspectors. It will result in the cancellation of driving tests across the country. The strike is over an attempt by the DVSA to impose detrimental terms on staff, including lengthening the working day to accommodate more driving tests read more
‘Devastating’ HMRC closure plan must be subject to parliamentary review (12 Nov) – PCS says plans reported this morning to close all but a handful of HM Revenue and Customs’ 160 remaining UK offices would be “devastating” and must be reviewed by MPs read more
FBU
Support London firefighters and the FBU – protesting on December 2nd to save jobs, fire appliances….and lives!! Protest against slashing of 13 engines and 184 firefighter jobs in London – 2nd December, 12.30, City Hall SE1 2AA https://twitter.com/LondonFBU/status/666672048379469828
Leicester NSSN protest against fire service cuts (Nov 17) – Last Saturday, NSSN (National Shop Stewards Network) in Leicester called a lively protest which was attended by leading Fire Brigades Union and BFAWU (Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union) representatives locally read more NSSN/TUSC public meeting: ‘Stop the cuts to Leicester’s fire services’ – Monday 23rd November 7pm Leicester Secular Hall, 75 Humberstone Gate, Leicester LE1 1WB
November’s issue of Firefighter magazine read here
UCATT
UCATT in Umbrella Company tribunal victory (12 Nov) – Construction union UCATT has won a significant victory against an umbrella company for the unlawful deduction of wages. The UCATT member based in the North West took a case against umbrella company Paystream My Max Ltd to an employment tribunal. The employment tribunal judge found in UCATT’s favour as the respondents (Paystream My Max Ltd) “were not open and transparent” read more
GMB
14th Nov Durham Water Rally On Pensions (Nov 12) – GMB and Unite Northumbrian Water Durham protest on Sat 14th Nov as industrial action continues in dispute over cuts in pensions read more
UCU
Union announces strike dates at Open University in row over cuts (13 Nov) – UCU members at the Open University will walk out on Wednesday 25 November if the university does not row back from controversial plans to axe seven regional centres putting 502 jobs at risk. Union members have called the one-day walkout across all Open University sites with further rolling one-day strikes at the different sites to begin on 30 November*. The strikes will be the first time staff have taken action over a local dispute in the university’s history read more
Junior Doctors / BMA
The BMA is balloting Junior Doctors for strike action that would go ahead on December 1, 8 and 16. The NSSN sends solidarity to the Junior Doctors who are fighting the Tories’ imposition of a new contract. We appeal to all our supporters to support their strikes, demonstrations and protests. For latest news and protests follow #JuniorContract and #NotFairNotSafe on twitter. Latest updates on BMA website here
BFAWU
Fast Food Rights/Hungry for Justice protest in Lincoln this Saturday Nov 21 – assemble at 12noon at the Stonebow
Catch up on the November 10th global fast food day of action by following #FastFoodGlobal on twitter
Watch BFAWU videos!! What’s on the menu at the Chancellor’s bakery? Work? Under 25? You need to see this That awkward moment when you’re paid less because you’re 19
Reports of Fast Food Rights protests on Youth Fight for Jobs and Fast Food Rights websites – Please send details of any local actions to [email protected] / [email protected]
NUT
NUT National lobby of Parliament – 18 November more info
NUJ
Save Dr Who and protest against the BBC cuts (16 Nov) – It is Dr Who’s 52nd birthday and the Federation of Entertainment Unions is calling on all Dr Who fans – staff, freelancers, friends, children and general public — to gather outside the BBC’s Broadcasting House in Langham Place, London W1A 1AA between 12.30 to13.30 on Monday 23 November, to oppose the threat of 20 per cent government cuts to a corporation that has brought us such fantastic shows such as Dr Who since 1922 read more
Other News
Waltham Forest HOMES FOR ALL! Rally and demonstration – Saturday November 21. Assemble 12 Noon Saturday 21 November at Abbots Park, E10. March along Hoe Street to Market Square – Housing has reached crisis proportions. Families face endless insecurity, young people a lifetime of sky-high rents. Everyone, whatever their job, pays too big a slice of wages just to keep a roof over their head. The Tory government, banks and rich property developers are to blame. Local trade unionists, housing campaigners and renters have declared enough is enough and set up a campaign network called HOUSING ACTION https://www.facebook.com/events/913779348676538/
National Pensioners Convention (Greater London region) protest to halt deaths of pensioners from cold related illnesses
The figures for the number of additional winter deaths of older people, due to cold related illnesses will be announced on Wednesday 25th November 2015. On that day London Region NPC will be releasing black balloons, with each balloon representing 1000 deaths. Last year it was 18,000 deaths.
This will take place at 12.00 on Wednesday 25 November 2015 by George V’s statue at Old Palace Yard Westminster opposite the House of Lords.
More information: [email protected]
Blacklisting & Victimisation
Buy the book ‘Blacklisted: The Secret War between Big Business and Union Activists’ Author: Dave Smith and Phil Chamberlain. Blacklisted tells the controversial story of the illegal strategies that transnational construction companies used to keep union activists away from work. See the official trailer from ReelNews
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 18 November 2015
- Blacklisting Day of Action – Monday 7th December 2015
Bring your banners & wear your Blacklisted t-shirts
9m – photo opportunity outside Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
10am – 4pm – High Court blacklisting litigation (open to the public)
6pm – Blacklist Support Group parliamentary meeting – speakers: John McDonnell MP, Chris Stephens MP, John Hendy QC & blacklisted workers
8pm – Pre-Xmas celebration drinks (in a pub near Westminster)
- High Court latest
The construction firms who have admitted their guilt in the blacklisting High Court litigation are now sending out a revised set of compensation offers to workers that they have blacklisted. This is a blatant attempt to buy-off workers and make them settle in order to avoid going to court. Blacklist Support Group are not qualified to give legal advice and individuals should therefore take the advice from their legal teams. It is essential that all the claimants and their legal teams stay united, as the employers will attempt to use a divide and rule tactic if they can get away with it.
However, BSG position remains 100% in favour of a full trial in May 2016. A few pounds compensation is not justice – we want to see the directors of the multinational firms who orchestrated the human rights scandal forced to give evidence under oath. BSG want full public disclosure of the documentary evidence that the companies have kept hidden for decades.
- MSP calls for Scottish inquiry into blacklisting and undercover policing.
http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/tag/scotland/
- Outrage over blacklist firm Carillion working at Anfield
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/blacklist-support-group-says-liverpool-10443023
- Blacklist by Lucy Parker
Film & Art exhibition runs til 6th December
Rhubaba Gallery, Edinburgh
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=1451e9af82bc98b746394f078&id=1239386544&e=3267648f45
- Art Against Blacklisting – new facebook page set up to bring together artists and film makers covering blacklisting and workers rights in their work. Created by the Blacklist Support Group Artist in Residence. https://www.facebook.com/AAB3213/?ref=profile
- Blacklisting Special on radio
http://www.stevezacharanda.com/fullposts.php?id=124&category=sport
- Construction Safety
Richard Laco inquest – http://www.camdennewjournal.com/lacoinq
- Public Contracts
BSG has consistently argued that blacklisting firms should not be awarded public contracts. Now that the companies have admitted their guilt in open court, it is entirely possible to remove them from approved tender lists under ethical procurement policies. Islington Council has already removed Kier from a £16m a year contacts because of their involvement in blacklisting. In Southampton, Cllr Andrew Pope has tabled the following question to the full council. These initiatives should be taken up across the UK.
“On 7th October 2015, in the Consulting Association blacklisting cases at the High Court, construction firms admitted that they had infringed workers’ rights to confidentiality, privacy, reputation and data protection, plus admitting defamation. Plus, they… were ordered by the High Court in July 2015 to conduct comprehensive searches for evidence of blacklisting. Several of these firms have operated in Southampton, including on the Sea City Museum, the former Ordnance Survey site, and on Watermark West Quay. What will this Council do to ensure that blacklisting was not and will not be conducted on the City’s construction sites? Will this include planning conditions and conditions in Employment and Skills Plans and S106 Agreements?”
- Teesside #PayTheRate dispute
The High Court has granted an injunction against the rank & file activists committees that have been organising the early morning protests in Teesside against construction companies undercutting the national agreements – the injunction prevents them from holding protests on private land at one of the plants where the protests are taking place. This won’t stop the protests.
Fri 20th Nov (12 noon) – Merseyside Waste & Recycling Authority – 1 Mann Island, Liverpool, L3 1BP
- Dates for the diary
Wed 18 Nov (7pm) – Blacklisted book event with Hazards, PCS office, 16 Waterloo Street, Birmingham, B2 5UG
Blacklisted book http://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70
Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
International (also see Labourstart)
PCS condemns Paris attacks read statement
Libya: Protect female activists now! read more
Uzbekistan: World Bank must speak out as rights activists are beaten and detained for documenting forced labour in cotton read more
Diary (see & use false economy)
2015
November
21 Trade Union Co-ordinating Group (TUCG) rally: ‘After Corbyn’s victory, build the fight against austerity’ – from 1.30pm to 4.30pm in Central Hall Westminster Storey’s Gate SW1H 9NH London
Barking, Dagenham and Havering Trades Council
Housing Crisis in Barking and Dagenham Public Meeting
Midday St Margaret’s Hall (opposite Barking Theatre)
More info: [email protected]
December
Greater London Association of Trade Union Councils
Conference: “London against austerity” 10am
http://www.glatuc.org.uk/news_detail1.php?id=240
2016
February
27 Yorkshire NSSN Conference: Stop the Union Busters / Organise the Unorganised – 10am Cosmopolitan Hotel 2 Lower Briggate, LS1 4AE Leeds https://www.facebook.com/events/514766158692960/
July
2 10th annual NSSN conference in Conway Hall, London
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
