NSSN 270: Support the Junior Doctors’ strikes!
The BMA Junior Doctors have voted for strike action in an incredible show of strength that is the perfect answer to the Tories’ (anti) Trade Union Bill. Following a ballot of more than 37,000 junior doctors in England, 98% voted for strikes and 99% for action short of strike action on a 76.2% turnout.
The strikes will 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. Scandalously, Tory Health Minister Jeremy Hunt has called for striking doctors to be ‘struck off’. Email messages of support to [email protected]
Support the Junior Doctors! Defend the NHS!
For latest news and protests follow #JuniorContract and #NotFairNotSafe on twitter. Latest updates on BMA website here
UNISON supports industrial action by junior doctors read more
Unite urges ministers ‘to come to their senses’ in junior doctors’ dispute read more
GMB Support Junior Doctors Action read more
Remaining Autumn Statement protests:-
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/
Cornwall: 25 November, 12:00pm – Protest at St Nicholas St, Truro TR1 2RN
Coventry: 25 November, 5.00pm – Protest at Broadgate
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.
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 the outcome of his appeal that took place earlier this week. 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
Bridgwater action a ‘human response to unacceptable situation’ (Nov 19) – Bridgwater strike action protest Reps at Bridgwater, Somerset secured an assurance from local Royal Mail management that serious negotiations will be held over the return to work of fellow postal member Andrew Mootoo, who hasn’t been allowed to work since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 18 months ago. Andrew was kept on sick leave so long that his pay was stopped. Members at the delivery office staged a walkout read more
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 that night
TUCG statement on the Trade Union Bill here
Rob Williams NSSN chair was interviewed live on BBC’s Daily Politics at TUC Congress watch here at about 30 minutes
NSSN North East day of action and public meeting Saturday December 5th: The Network will be in Newcastle from 11:00 at Sports Direct’s Northumberland Street store, where we will attempt to organise staff in conjunction with Unite the Union. After the protest there will be a #KillTheBill public meeting – 1.30pm Pumphreys Cellar Bar 44 Cloth Market, NE1 1EE Newcastle upon Tyne https://www.facebook.com/events/1663072227303010/
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
RMT
RMT ballot in dispute with Serco Caledonian Sleeper (25 Nov) – RMT ballot for action in dispute with Serco Caledonian Sleeper opens next week. Rail union RMT confirmed today that the process of balloting members on the Caledonian Sleeper in a dispute with new operator Serco will begin next week with the ballot closing on the 15th December. Ballot papers will be sent out to members on Tuesday 1st December with a recommendation from the union to vote YES for both strike action and action short of a strike read more
RMT warns over threatened cuts to Royal Fleet Auxiliary (23 Nov) – Maritime union RMT warns over threatened cuts to Royal Fleet Auxiliary from Government Defence Review. With speculation growing that civilian defence faces the prospect of the loss of up to 12,000 jobs from this afternoon’s Defence Review announcement, alongside a programme of privatisation, maritime union RMT, which represents staff across the Royal Navy supply lifeline, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, has warned of the consequences of any attack on the organisation read more
Unite
Bosses’ ‘bad faith’ sparks energy staff strike in ‘collecting Smart meters from supermarkets’ dispute (25 Nov) – A week-long strike by EDF Energy workers carrying out Smart meter installations is back on due to management’s ‘bad faith’, Unite, the country’s largest union, has said. Staff had suspended the week-long strike last month, after the company was said to have made ‘a major concession’ – but Unite has now accused the bosses of bad faith by not sticking to the wording of the agreement that resulted in the suspension. About 70 staff at EDF headquarters at Bexleyhealth, Kent and Canning Town, east London will now strike from 00.01 on Monday 30 November until 23.59 on Friday 4 December read more
Tesco urged to revise ‘pitiful’ pay offer to avoid industrial action (24 Nov) – Britain’s largest union, Unite urged Tesco to revise a ‘pitiful’ pay offer of 0 per cent for 2015 and 1.5 per cent for 2016 today (Tuesday 24 November) to avoid potential industrial action in the run up to Christmas in its distribution network. Over 700 drivers and warehouse staff at distribution hubs in Belfast and Doncaster will start to be balloted for strike action next week. The strike vote follows an overwhelming 91 per cent rejection of the pay offer across the three sites and comes as Tesco recently posted half yearly profits of £354 million. The industrial action ballots close on Friday 11 December 2015 and a vote in favour could see deliveries to Tesco stores in Yorkshire and Northern Ireland disrupted in the run up to Christmas with knock on effects felt across the UK read more
Unite calls for justice for Betfred workers in Wigan (20 Nov) – Over 100 workers at bookmaking giant Betfred based in Wigan, Merseyside are to mount a campaign for justice, following the company’s decision to impose changes to their redundancy entitlements. Unite, the country’s largest union, representing the low paid and predominantly female workforce says its members face a bleak Christmas and an uncertain future, following the announcement last month (14 October) to close the call centre facility in Wigan read more
PCS
PCS strike to protect road safety closes driving test centres (19 Nov) – Almost no UK driving tests have gone ahead today as PCS strikes at the government’s road safety agency are taking place in protest over its refusal to pull back from imposing worse terms on staff 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
West Midlands firefighters demonstrate outside the fire service HQ read more
FBU wins fairer commutation campaign and continues other legal challenges – donate to our campaign fund here
November’s issue of Firefighter magazine read here
Unison
Lambeth library fight continues – last week we reported on the walkout by library staff over planned closures by the Labour council. See photo of council meeting that night which was lobbied by staff and their supporters here https://www.facebook.com/Lambeth-UNISON-236218601464/
UCATT
Fresh protest in Liverpool over SITA undercutting dispute read more
GMB
26 Nov Leeds Water Protest (Nov 24) – GMB water workers protest at Northern Consumer Council meeting on 26 November in Leeds over profiteering and cuts to jobs and pensions in the industry. What we are dealing with are profitable monopolies benefitting from guaranteed incomes seeking to maintain profit margins by cutting back even more to the detriment of customers says GMB read more
UCU
Open University strike going ahead following approval of regional centre closure plans (24 Nov) – UCU members at the Open University will stage a one-day walk-out tomorrow following the university’s decision to push ahead with controversial plans to close seven regional centres, putting 502 jobs at risk. The proposals were approved at a meeting of the university’s council today, despite widespread opposition from staff, students and the public. UCU members have called the one-day walkout across all Open University sites tomorrow, 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
Monday 30 November: Birmingham
Tuesday 1 December: London
Wednesday 2 December: Oxford
Thursday 3 December: Leeds
Friday 4 December: Gateshead
Monday 7 December: Cambridge
Tuesday 8 December: Bristol
Wednesday 9 December: Nottingham
Thursday 10 December: Manchester
Friday 11 December: Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Milton Keynes national offices read more
Staff at University of Manchester vote to strike over jobs row (23 Nov) – UCU members at the University of Manchester have voted in favour of industrial action in a dispute over job security and proposed redundancies. Over three-quarters (77%) of those who voted in the ballot backed strike action, with 86% backing action short of a strike. Union members will meet on Wednesday (25 November) to consider next steps read more
BFAWU
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
John Roan – putting the record straight (Nov 19) – Today, NUT members at the John Roan school took their second day of strike action as part of the ongoing dispute over workload and new appraisal and teaching and learning policies being introduced by the school. The response to today’s action was even greater than the first action last week. Around 60 NUT members, parents and others gathered at the school gates to show their support for the strike. Alongside other speakers, I thanked NUT members for acting with such determination but also explained that, following talks that an NUT delegation had attended on Tuesday, negotiations were ongoing to see whether the dispute could be resolved read more on blog of Martin Powell-Davies NUT NEC
Further strikes called at Alfreton Grants Art College in Derbyshire – A further 11 days have been set following a public meeting of 200 parents/supporters attending. The days are Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th November after strikes that took place on the 17th, 18th and 19th last week. This will be followed by the 1st, 2nd 3rd, 8th, 9th and 10th December. The picket lines are set in the morning to 9am. The dispute is over alterations to the school day – longer on Monday to Thursday and shorter on a Friday for the children
NUJ
Whovians invade the BBC (Nov 23) – Time Lords, cyborgs and stars from Dr Who joined together under the Love it or Lose it banner to offer their support to the BBC. Peter Davison, former Doctor Who, joined fellow actors Bertie Carvel and Sophie Aldred, Whovians in costume, June Hudson, the woman responsible for Tom Baker’s iconic scarf and members of the NUJ, Bectu, Equity, Musicians’ Union and Writers’ Guild outside the BBC’s headquarters in London read more
FT chapel returns to talks leaving strike option open (20 Nov) – The Financial Times’ management has made a new offer over changes to pensions as its staff prepared to take strike action. The chapel has agreed to talks, but will leave the option of strike action open read more
Other News
Invitation to the “No Human is Illegal” meeting on 9 December 2015 at 18:30 at the Houses of Parliament
As Day-Mer Turkish and Kurdish Community Centre we believe that refugees from around the world should be treated with dignity and respect. We recently visited the refugees at the Calais “jungle” and were saddened by the atrocious conditions we observed. What we saw has strengthened our resolve to work with community groups, trade unions and charities as well as our elected representatives in councils and in Parliament to raise awareness of the plight of the refugees and seek a resolution to the crisis. We understand that the resolution of the refugee crisis requires a collective effort, and we are grateful for the support of Kate Osamor MP, who will be hosting a meeting at the Houses of Parliament to discuss how we can work together better to alleviate the inhumane conditions in Calais and seek a sustainable long term solution to the issue.
The meeting will take place on 9 December 2015 at 18:30 at room Conference Room 6 at the Houses of Parliament, and we would be honoured if you were available to join us. I would be grateful if you could please let us know your availability to attend by either emailing me or by registering on Eventbrite using the link here
If you have any questions or would like to have a chat please contact me
Best wishes
Oktay Sahbaz Day-mer [email protected]
Trade Union rep courses at The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London
We are happy to release the new dates of the rep courses starting in January 2016. Please use the attached documents for yourself or anyone who will be interested in starting a course.
Thank you for your continual support.
Kind regards
Trade Union Education
The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London
020 8442 3075
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)
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)
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)
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
December
3 Fight the Tory Anti-Trade Union Bill Norwich public meeting – Thursday 3 December, 19:00
Where: Top of the terrace venue at Norwich City Football
club, Carrow Road, NR1 1JE.
Speakers: Steve Turner (Unite AGS), Jo Rust (Unison and former PPC for North west Norfolk), Jan McLachlan (Norfolk
People’s Assembly), John McInally (PCS Vice president) and Rob
Williams (Chair of National Shop Stewards Network)
12 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
