The cost of renting a one-bedroom property in the UK has risen to swallow almost half of the average young worker’s take-home pay, according to new figures from the estate agents Countrywide. Those living in London are typically handing over 57% of their monthly wages. This is a nightmare for low paid workers but it now hits better paid young workers too. No wonder there is overwhelming support for rent control and most people want more genuinely affordable cheap and secure housing. The government has moved and introduced a new housing act – but it makes the housing crisis worse!
Meanwhile many housing associations are cutting jobs and services while piling up record profits. T The second in command at the biggest association, Elaine Bailey says she is concerned that housing associations have contributed to a “dependency culture” – the clear message to tenants is they are going to get less services. The housing act deregulates associations allowing them to sell off social housing or turn it in to market rented homes without seeking ‘consent’. They manage 60% of social housing in England so it is a major threat.
Housing is an issue for any union that puts in a pay claim because of cost and housing instability.
Come to the NSSN conference to plan the fight back.
Activists from the London Unite Housing Branch 1111 will be running a work shop at the NSSN conference on practical steps for activists opposing the Housing Bill.
Survey on the effects of the Housing crisis: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/8HR8D8J
Join the demo on Saturday: http://www.housingworkers.org.uk/readevents.html?event_id=106
See a briefing on the act here: http://www.housingworkers.org.uk/imgs/1465912355.pdf
BFAWU Activist Sacked For Seeking Union Recognition At Samworth Brothers
Kumaran Bose, one of the leading Union organisers at the Samworth Brothers site, who has done much to speak out against the undemocratic nature of the pay restructuring, was sacked on Friday, June 3rd. Kumaran has worked for the company for twelve years with neither a blemish to his name or his work record; but since the dispute began, he has been subjected to a severe campaign of bullying from his managers. Kumaran’s only crime has been his outstanding success in convincing more than 50% of the workers in his factory to join the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union.
We are calling on all fair minded people to support our call for the reinstatement of Kumaran Bose. Please email Samworth Brothers bosses at [email protected] and demand the reinstatement of Kumaran Bose. Read more
Kumaran will be speaking at the NSSN conference alongside BFAWU General Secretary Ronnie Draper
PCS
BIS industrial action to continue throughout the summer (15 June)
Action short of a strike will start on Monday 20 June with the possibility of more complete walk-outs
PCS members in the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) recently voted for action short of strike. More members took part in this ballot than in previous ballots, showing an increased determination amongst members to fight the Sheffield office closure, movement of work to London and job losses. Read more
Back Amgueddfa Cymru/National Museum Wales staff on all-out strike – PCS members at Amgueddfa Cymru/National Museum Wales have escalated their 2-year dispute over removal of extra payments for weekend working to an all-out strike read more Facebook Group
Send message of support to Peter Hill PCS Branch secretary at [email protected] and complain to Director General David Anderson – [email protected]
Make a contribution to the hardship fund:
Bank: Unity Trust Bank
Account name: PCS Amgueddfa Cymru 107006 Branch Hardship Fund
Account number: 20364700
Sort code: 60-83-01
Or via PayPal: http://bit.ly/26eNhvq
Unite
Blue chip firms to be hit as Capita pension workers stage 24-hour strike (14 June)
Blue chip finance companies, serviced by Capita, will be hit when nearly 1,000 life and pension workers stage a 24-hour strike on Thursday (16 June) in a dispute over ‘poverty pay’. Read more
Weymouth’s ‘poor relation’ bus drivers to stage week long strike (15 June)
Weymouth bus drivers in Dorset, fed up with being the ‘poor relations’ in the First Group ‘family’, will be going on strike for a week against ‘poverty’ wages. Read more
BMA Junior Doctors dispute – after initially ruling out talks over the Saturday part of the new contract, the Government backtracked opening up the way for new talks with the BMA. Members are now considering a new offer read more
BMA website: coverage of most last strike
For info on picket lines, strike rallies, protests etc follow #JuniorDoctorsStrike #NotSafeNotFair #JuniorDoctors on twitter. BMA launches judicial review http://oneprofession.bma.org.uk/
UCU
Scottish universities join latest wave of strikes in escalating pay row (10 June)
Members of the UCU Scotland at Glasgow University, Edinburgh University and the University of the West of Scotland will join the latest wave of UK wide strikes when they walk out next week in a row over pay. Read more
University of Sussex strike to disrupt degree awarding process (14 June)
Staff at the University of Sussex will strike on Wednesday, causing disruption to the process of awarding degree marks, in a row over pay. Read more
CWU
Fujitsu dispute settled after strike triggers U-turn (10 June)
Members at Fujitsu’s plant in Antrim have voted to accept a CWU-brokered deal under which management have agreed that all those declining a voluntary redundancy package will be relocated to another Fujitsu site in Belfast. Read more
Reinstate Clive Walder
Clive Walder, a longstanding leading rep in the CWU was sacked last November after 38 years of service with British Telecom. Clive is chair of the CWU Birmingham, Black Country & Worcester branch. Last week, his Employment Tribunal was dismissed on a technicality after a claim by BT, denying Clive the right of a fair hearing. This is outrageous.
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
‘Fantastic success’ at Midlands People’s Post
CWU to Post Office – ‘hands off our pensions’
NSSN / Kill the Bill 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 attached and 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]
More Union News
Nationalise Tata – support the Steelworkers
For latest developments, follow Facebook group
BURSARY OR BUST: Continuing the fight to save NHS bursarieshttps://www.facebook.com/NHSbursarycutsforum/
RMT
DOO/DCO ABELLIO SCOTRAIL (14 June):
Strike action and overtime bans called! Read more
GMB
Norfolk Refuse Workers Take Industrial Action Over Pay (June 14)
Gmb members employed on North Norfolk refuse contract to take industrial action over pay
All our members are asking for is a fair wage for the hard work and endeavour they provide for the residents and businesses of North Norfolk says GMB. Read more
NUJ
North Wales journalists vote to ballot for strike action in support of quality journalism (14 June)
NUJ members at Trinity Mirror North Wales have voted to ballot for industrial action over the company’s plans which include potential redundancies, putting at risk editorial quality and resulting in unreasonable workloads for remaining staff. Read more
Journalists at BBC Parliament to strike for 24 hours over unequal grading (14 June)
The broadcasting of Prime Minister’s Questions and the quizzing of Sir Philip Green over the demise of BHS by MPs could be hit by a strike by NUJ journalists in a dispute over unequal grading. Read more
NUJ wins recognition at the South Wales Argus (13 June)
The NUJ has achieved statutory trade union recognition at the South Wales Argus in Newport. Read more
United Voices of the World
Protest at 100 Wood St: Yes to a Living Wage, No to Job Cuts
Please come and support our protest at 5.30pm on Tuesday, 21st June, in support of the cleaners at 100 Wood Street who are paid poverty wages and are being unlawfully dismissed by the anti-union cleaning contractor Thames Cleaning and Support Services Limited (“Thames”). Read more
Cleaners indefinite strike from June 8 – Please come and support our strike from June 8 in support of the cleaners at 100 Wood Street who are paid poverty wages and are being unlawfully dismissed by the anti-union cleaning contractor Thames Cleaning and Support Services Limited (“Thames”). All the cleaners are asking for are their rights to be respected and to be paid a wage they can live on Please consider donating to our strike fund. Bank details can be found at http://www.uvwunion.org.uk/volunteer/ read more on United Voices of the World Facebook Group Strike Facebook event
Reinstate ‘The Topshop 2’ & demand a Living Wage – read West End Extra report of May 14 Topshop Oxford St protest
Other News
Trade Union Co-ordinating Group (TUCG) annual Tolpuddle seminar in Parliament – Tuesday 12th July at 6.30pm in the Wilson Room, Portcullis
House (more information to follow) www.tucg.org.uk
This years theme is ‘Keeping the Right to Strike’ and it will include contributions from legal experts, politicians and trade union leaders. There is also a Q and A at
the end of the session.
Unison backs 18 June convoy in solidarity with refugees – The news that the Italian navy rescued almost 600 refugees when a trawler capsized in the Mediterranean off the coast of Libya highlights the plight of people fleeing war, poverty and persecution. And that is why UNISON is sponsoring the People’s Assembly Convoy to Calais on Saturday 18 June as a show of solidarity with the refugees read more
Axe the Housing Act national demonstration Saturday June 18 – assemble 12noon Hyde Park Corner London Facebook Group
London Hazards 2016 Mesothelioma Day – 10am-4pm July 1 TUC Congress House read more
Orgreave Anniversary Rally – Saturday 18th June 2016 5pm start at The Old Bridge, Orgreave Lane, Sheffield S13 9NE read more
Exhibition – Refugee Children: A childhood traumatised by war 8th – 11th June at North London Community Centre (22 Moorefield Road, London, N17 6PY). This exhibition will be part of Day-mer’s 27th Culture and Arts Festival read more
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 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)
Defend Dave Smith & the right to protest – Thursday 9 June from 9.15am outside City of London Magistrates Court, Queen Victoria St (next to Bank tube station) “The twice adjourned trial following my arrest for protesting against blacklisting will take place on Thurs 9th – Fri 10th June at City of London Magistrates Court (next to Bank tube station). It’s a public gallery, so anyone who wants to come along is more than welcome. BSG protest outside the court from 9:15am”
BSG Update 8th June 2016
- Corbyn & Burnham pledge a public inquiry for blacklisting
This week both Jeremy Corbyn and Andy Burnham made speeches praising the Blacklist Support Group and calling for a full public inquiry into blacklisting. The Leader of the Labour Party made his speech at the GMB conference in Bournemouth while the Shadow Home Secretary raised the issue during a debate in the House of Commons over the Investigatory Powers Bill.
Corbyn speech to GMB congress http://www.gmb.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/228629
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/victory-millions-workers-tories-drop-8128402
Andy Burnham’s full speech (from 952 in Hansard) https://hansard.parliament.uk/…/160…/InvestigatoryPowersBill
http://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/tories-ditch-law-allowing-police-to-spy-on-unions/07/06/
- Undercover police spying on activists
- Dave Smith trial
The twice adjourned trial following dave Smith’s arrest for protesting against blacklisting will take place on Thurs 9th – Fri 10th June at City of London Magistrates Court (next to Bank tube station).
It’s a public gallery, so anyone who wants to come along is more than welcome. BSG protest outside the court from 9:15am
- After the High Court admission of guilt – stop giving publicly funded contracts to blacklist firms
- More construction workers killed in Qatar
http://www.ituc-csi.org/qatar-11-killed-in-labour-camp#.V1VMtfsxpuk.facebook
- Art Against Blacklisting
Support the Blacklist Support Group campaign song
Blacklist Number 1 by Sean Taylor
Download the song – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blacklist-Number-1/dp/B01G9U6DKA
Share the video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2rZNQ-m_Pg
Art Against Blacklisting at Glastonbury
Any Means Necessary – play by Kefi Chadwick
special read one off exclusive through in London next Wednesday 15th June – contact Kefi for tickets [email protected]
Undercover police officer Carlo Neri spied on the RMT union – Photographic evidence shows that in October 2004 the spy cop was present at the industrial dispute following the sacking of the prominent union militant Steve Hedley (now elected as Senior Assistant General Secretary of the RMT union) during construction of the Kings Cross terminal for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. The presence of the police spy from the Met’s disgraced Special Demonstration Squad was captured on camera by the freelance photographer Andrew Wiard. The photographs show the police spy standing behind an RMT banner with the slogan ‘Reinstate Steve Hedley’ while handing out leaflets to construction workers who had walked out in support of the victimised union activist. Also present at the picket line were RMT activists Alex Gordon and Sarah Friday plus GMB construction organisers Kelly Rogers and Steve Kelly (who was subsequently banned from the project controlled by the blacklist companies Costain, O’Rourke and Emcor) read more
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/
Donate to ReelNews – http://reelnews.co.uk/donationssubscriptions/
International
Greece: Victory for Athens bus cleaners – Strike action wins major concessions from contractors and bus administration read more
Diary (see & use false economy)
2016
June
23 Sadiq Khan: What about the cleaners? http://www.rmtlondoncalling.org.uk/event/sadiq-khanwhat-about-cleaners
July
2 10th annual NSSN Conference in Conway Hall, Londonhttps://www.facebook.com/events/1361018323924300/
9 Durham Miners’ Gala http://www.durhamminers.org/gala
15-17 Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival http://www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk/ – Sunday 17 July Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival 2016, Dorset:-
Barking Dagenham and Havering TUC Coach Day Trip (coach leaves Dagenham Civic Centre 7.45am – returns 5.45pm) Deposit £5
Bookings Contact: Susan Aitouaz [email protected]
Croydon TUC Coach Day Trip (coach leaves Ruskin House, Croydon 8am – returns 9.45pm) Deposit £6
Bookings Contact: [email protected] / 07941 890 756
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
