Low-paid British Airways cabin crew in Unite the Union are due to strike this week from Friday to Monday for another 4 days on top of the 11 days of action they have already taken this year. But instead of negotiating, BA have been trying to intimidate workers on £12,000 a year through removing bonuses and staff travel.
The NSSN will continue to give our full support and solidarity and we appeal to all our supporters and affiliates to do so as well. The workers have been using Bedfont & Feltham Football & Social Club as their HQ – The Orchard, Hatton Rd, Bedfont TW14 9QT and their main picket line has been next to Hatton Cross Underground and bus station.
Watch this video of last week’s lobby of Parliament by Mixed Fleet striking workers – it is by Reel News, a London based activist video collective set up to document and publicise inspirational struggles
Send messages of support and donations (make cheques out to Unite the Union and write ‘Mixed Fleet Hardship Fund’ on the back) to: Unite the Union, Ron Todd House, 33-37 Moreland Street, London EC1V 8BB. Tweet support to @MFUnite
British Airways mixed fleet pile on the pressure over poverty pay with more strike days
More Unite news
AWE workers take pensions’ dispute to defence secretary’s Kent constituency today
BMW warned of ‘serious industrial action’ over pensions ‘robbery’
Progress in Woolwich Ferry dispute talks
Bromley libraries campaign – The campaign to stop the privatisation of Bromley Libraries is now focussing on Carillion who are bidding to run the Library Service. This follows the victory that stopped the Council handing libraries over to volunteers and replacing professional, paid, public service workers jobs. Carillion is a company found guilty of blacklisting workers, it has been implicated in the appalling treatment of migrant workers in Qatar, was fined over the death of a rail worker and has been criticised for poor hygiene standards where it has NHS contracts. The Bromley campaign has organised a leafletting outside the company’s offices off Regent Street. We are asking for assistance with handing out leaflets in what will be the first of a series of regular actions aimed at the company. Carillion Leaflet Session – 27th February, 10 am to 12 noon at 25 Maddox St, London, W1S 2QN. For further information – contact [email protected]
NSSN news
Trade Union Act to come into force on March 1st – TUC call a special conference
The Tories have confirmed that their anti-union laws, incorporated in the Trade Union Act, including new undemocratic industrial action ballot thresholds will come into force on March 1st. The NSSN calls on the TUC to implement the policy passed at last September’s TUC Congress which was moved by the RMT which includes:
“Congress believes the General Council needs to convene an urgent conference of affiliates to provide a practical forum, including workshops, as to how to best coordinate our legal and industrial response to the Act in line with policy already set by Congress.”
and an amendment from the FBU:
“Congress should discuss all options for challenging the new legislation. This should include stepping up the campaign to scrap the Act and other anti-union legislation as well as the practical steps to be taken to support any unions and groups of workers threatened by this anti-worker legislation.”
Read more PCS: Welsh ministers move to quash anti-union law
Watch NSSN chair Rob Williams being interviewed on SKY News on the Christmas strikes and opposing Tory attacks on the unions here
Early notice – the 11th annual NSSN Conference will be on Saturday July 1st 2017 from 11am in Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. It is open to all trade union and anti-cuts campaigners Facebook event
This is a video of the NSSN TUC Congress Rally on 11 September – Tories Out! Keep Corbyn!
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 is below
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
PCS
Join the campaign to save Scotland’s job centres (14 Feb) – A public meeting, addressed by Janice Godrich and Chris Stephens MP, will be held in Glasgow on 18 February to discuss the proposals to close over 30 offices across Scotland, including half the Jobcentres in Glasgow. In December 2016 the DWP announced that it planned to close half of Glasgow’s job centres.The proposal also includes the closure of 78 of 714 jobcentres in England, Scotland and Wales, with work and staff transferring to the nearest office and the closure of one fifth of the DWP’s 150 non-frontline offices, including benefit processing sites and call centres, with a further 40 only guaranteed to stay open for another three to five years read more
Disgraceful and humiliating treatment of sacked EHRC workers as they clear their desks (10 Feb) – Emotional protests have been held outside offices of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in support of the workers leaving today on compulsory redundancy. Yesterday (9 February) while PCS and Unite members at EHRC were on strike over redundancies and budget cuts, management emailed compulsory redundancy notices to 10 of its staff. The ten individuals were offered six months’ pay in lieu of notice and given 24 hours to clear their desks. PCS organised lunchtime protests at the EHRC offices in Birmingham, Glasgow, London and Manchester. Reps also leafleted outside Cardiff office read more
The other planned strike dates are: Wednesday 1 March 2017, Monday 20 March 2017, Tuesday 18 April 2017, and Wednesday 17 May 2017
Other ways to help:
Please send messages of support to [email protected]
Tweet to @savetheehrc
Write to the EHRC chief executive officer Rebecca Hilsenrath at EHRC, Fleetbank House, 2 – 6 Salisbury Square, London EC4Y 8JX.
Send donations to our strike fund to: PCS PSG Hardship Fund, Sort code: 608301, account no: 20151243
Sign petition: Stop Union Busting at Tate here
RMT
BREAKING NEWS!! RMT confirms new strikes on Southern Rail starting Wednesday February 22 – RAIL UNION RMT confirmed today February 15 that guards and drivers on Southern Rail will strike again on the 22nd February in the on-going disputes over the safety impact of the extension of Driver Only Operation and the removal of guards from services. Members will strike for 24 hours between 0001 hours and 2359 hours on Wednesday 22nd February 2017 read more
Tube drivers to strike again on Central Line East over cuts-led forced displacement of staff (Feb 15) – Following last month’s rock solid strike action against the forced displacement of Central Line Train Operators, and having consulted with local reps , RMT’s National Executive Committee has taken the decision to call on all affected members at Hainault, Leytonstone and Loughton Traincrew Depots NOT TO BOOK ON for any shifts that commence between 21:00 hours on Tuesday 21st February 2017 and 20:59 hours on Wednesday 22nd February 2017 read more
Southern make a mockery of dispute talks by refusing to give any safety guarantees and blocking any chance of serious negotiations (14 Feb) – General Secretary Mick Cash said; “RMT entered today’s talks in good faith but it soon became clear that the only thing Southern were interested in was bulldozing through driver only operation further and faster with safety and access to services not even on their agenda. That pig-headed attitude has today wrecked the talks process read more
Imposition of rosters – catering grades in GWR (10 Feb) – It was brought to my attention yesterday that management at Paddington are intending to impose a roster from next Monday 13th February, which is wholly unacceptable to you and your colleagues and unacceptable to your union in general read more
RMT declares dispute on Arriva Rail North and confirms ballot for action over failed assurances on guards (9 Feb) – RAIL UNION RMT has informed Arriva Rail North that the union is now in formal dispute and will begin immediate preparations for a ballot for industrial action. This comes after the company failed to provide any assurances around the future of the safety critical role of the guard during a recent meeting between the union and the company read more
RMT challenges Southern over guards dispute talks (Feb 8) – RAIL UNION RMT challenged Southern today to confirm – ahead of talks – that it will commit to a second safety critical member of staff on every train as publicly declared in the wake of recent TUC co-chaired talks with Aslef read more
TSSA
TSSA forces Abellio union-busting climbdown (14 Feb) – TSSA have won a battle with Dutch rail company Abellio over the right of it’s call centre workers in Scotland to be able to belong to a union. TSSA organisers will now be granted access to the Fort William-based national call-centre this week where at least 57 employees have, until now, been denied union rights since Abellio took over the ScotRail franchise in April 2015 read more
Unison
Unison supports #OurNHS March 4th national demonstration www.unison.org.uk/events/nhs-demo
Donate to Derby hardship fund here
Derby Unison branch Facebook page here
Support the Durham Teaching Assistants from Unison and ATL who have also taken strike action to stop wage cuts of 23% – Save the date! Solidarity demo 25th March Facebook event
Donate to the Durham TAs’ fund here
Durham TAs Facebook page here
Support ongoing Glasgow Unison janitors’ dispute – see Unison Glasgow City Branch Facebook group and website
Support the Kinsley School cleaners in Wakefield on indefinite strike since September 6th Facebook Group. Donate to strike fund – send to Wakefield Unison, 18 Gills Yard, Wakefield WF1 3BZ
Academics back strike by King’s College cleaners
CWU
Re-launching our campaign in the Post Office (13 Feb) – Branch secretaries and reps in the Post Office gathered at a national briefing today in Central London on a discussion on the future of the Post Office dispute. The day was marked as a relaunch in the CWU’s campaign against job losses, pay and pension changes, Crown closures and the threat to the future and very existence of the Post Office. The briefing was called to outline the next phase of this very complicated and difficult dispute, which has already seen several successful days of industrial action read more
Victory: removed Peterborough Royal Mail workers reinstated
The NSSN wishes to send our condolences to the family of Bernard Roome, former members of CWU’s NEC and long-time supporter of our Network who sadly recently passed away. Memorial meeting – 3pm Saturday 25th March Grand Hotel opposite Swansea train station. An obituary can be read here
GMB
Sir Philip Green Faces New Strikes (Feb 15) – Spectrum for Arcadia staff in Leeds and Solihull will walk out for two days in February. Shamed peer Sir Philip Green is facing fresh strikes at TWO Topshop sites after he denied hard-working staff a living wage. Workers at Spectrum for Arcadia, a division of the DHL Logistics Supply Chain, in Solihull and Leeds will walk out on Friday February 24 and Sunday February 26. The industrial action will throw Arcadia’s deliveries from Topshop, Miss Selfridge and Burton Menswear into chaos read more
BFAWU
‘Migrant workers welcome – £10 an hour for all now!’ – Join the protest at 8am on Monday February 20th outside Kings Cross train station in London. Supported by BFAWU and RMT
The Fast Food Rights campaign are calling for ‘Fight for £10 – May Day Pay Day’ marches this May Day – contact Gareth Lane [email protected] for info
Reinstate Kumaran Bose – sacked by Samworths! The NSSN is supporting the BFAWU’s campaign in support of Kumaran Bose who was dismissed for speaking out and for organising a union in his workplace read more Facebook group BFAWU Statement On Samworth Brothers’ Sacking Of Kumaran Bose
UCU
UCU members to lobby governors over future of Manchester Metropolitan University Crewe campus (9 Feb) – UCU members at Manchester Metropolitan University will lobby university governors tomorrow (Friday) as they arrive for a meeting to decide the future of the institution’s Crewe campus and its staff read more
Support the reinstatement of London Met union reps: Mark Campbell and David Hardman https://uculondonmet.wordpress.com/
EIS
EIS Declares Dispute With Colleges Over Progress Of Pay Agreement (13 Feb) – The EIS has announced that its Further Education Lecturers’ Association (EIS-FELA) has declared a dispute with college management over the lack of progress in implementing the national pay deal which was agreed almost one year ago. The formal dispute was declared following a breakdown in discussions at last week’s National Joint Negotiating Committee (NJNC) meeting, which had been scheduled to agree the implementation of the NJNC pay agreement. This dispute has now been confirmed by a meeting of the EIS-FELA Executive read more
BECTU
The BECTU Picturehouse cinema strike has been escalated – 4 cinemas were out last Saturday 11 February. In addition to Brixton Ritzy and Hackney, Crouch End and Central were out for the first time. There will also be a joint protest on Saturday 25 February from 12noon outside the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square https://www.facebook.com/events/1370376026370008/
Sign petition: A London Living Wage for Picturehouse Workers here
Brixton Facebook Page Hackney Facebook Page Crouch End Facebook Page Central Facebook Page Support the Picturehouse Strike Fund – donate now
FBU
Calls for full disclosure of Police spying amid cover up claims (10 Feb) – The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has demanded that the Metropolitan Police Service hand over all of its files concerning the surveillance of union members and officials, after it was revealed that police have destroyed records relating to spying on politicians and campaigners read more
Please show your support for North Yorkshire Firefighters – from Matt Wrack FBU General Secretary: North Yorkshire FBU members are currently engaged in a lawful trade dispute with their employer over the intention to introduce Tactical Response Vehicles (TRVs) which would be crewed with only two or three firefighters. Send messages of support to the FBU members at Scarborough Fire Station via Brigade Secretary Steve Howley at [email protected]. Hardship fund details:
North Yorkshire: North Yorkshire FBU Hardship Fund
Account number: 25450874 Sort code: 05-09-94 read more
NUJ
NUJ wins recognition on Newsquest’s Stourbridge titles (13 Feb) – Newsquest has agreed to recognise the National Union of Journalists on a range of its titles based in Stourbridge in the West Midlands. The agreement takes in the following titles and associated websites: Stourbridge News, Halesowen News, Dudley News, Kidderminster Shuttle, Bromsgrove Advertiser, Redditch & Alcester Advertiser and Droitwich Spa Advertiser read more
NUJ will robustly defend the latest attempt to curtail press freedom (13 Feb) – The National Union of Journalists will be robustly defending the rights of its members who face being criminalised for doing their jobs under proposals to update the Official Secrets Act. The Law Commission has recommended that journalists could be subject to lengthy jail terms, of up to 14 years, under a new definition of espionage which includes obtaining sensitive information, as well as passing it on. Journalists who receive secret information could find themselves prosecuted for simply doing their job read more
Mandate (Ireland)
Escalation of dispute could be avoided if Tesco agree not to unilaterally impose changed contracts on workers (14 Feb) – The Mandate Trade Union has this evening thanked the public for their strong show of support for striking Tesco workers today and has asked them to continue their support over the coming days. The eight stores where the staff are currently on indefinite strike are located in Dublin, Kerry, Longford, Meath, Offaly and Wicklow. A further eight stores in Dublin, Monaghan and Wicklow will join the strike this coming Friday unless the dispute is resolved with a further 23 balloting for industrial action next week read more
United Voices of the World union (UVW)
UVW members to be balloted imminently at the London School of Economics (LSE) – Due to the LSE’s continued arrogant and elitist refusal to speak to the cleaners and to bring their terms and conditions in line with the rest of LSE staff, or to review workloads/disciplinary procedures and reinstate unlawfully sacked Alba, UVW has given official notice to ballot the cleaners at the LSE for strike action. This is the first ballot of outsourced staff in the 126 year history of LSE. Ballot period is expected to close by the end of February. This is the first time cleaners have voted on strike action in the history of the LSE. Please consider making a donation to LSE cleaners’ strike fund – http://www.uvwunion.org.uk/justiceforlsecleaners/
Website: www.uvwunion.org.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/uvwunion Twitter: @UVWunion
IWGB
Deliveroo could face mass action in Brighton from riders earning below minimum wage – Deliveroo told it could face mass action including protests and strikes if it doesn’t offer a better deal to riders in Brighton within two weeks read more Brighton Deliveroo Drivers were on strike on February 4th over low pay (£4.00/drop) and have voted to unionise with the IWGB! read more
Other News
‘It’s Our NHS!’ national demonstration: assemble 12noon Saturday March 4th Tavistock Square, London WC1H – As 2017 opens, the crisis in the NHS continues. The Health Campaigns Together grassroots campaign has called a national demonstration. It is now supported by a whole number of national unions https://www.facebook.com/events/1771664639725061/ GPs ‘incensed’ by May threat to funding warns Doctors in Unite
SERTUC Public Services Committee Health Conference – Saturday 25 February 2017 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.
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)
Joint union statement on ‘Spycops’:-
We the undersigned are outraged at the news that despite court orders to the contrary, the Metropolitan Police Service has destroyed evidence required for use in the Undercover Policing Public Inquiry. State spying on trade unions and political campaigns is a human rights scandal that affects millions of British citizens.
Despite continued reassurances, the Pitchford Inquiry has failed to secure the documents that will be central to the investigation. Trade union core participants are beginning to question whether the Inquiry team has the ability to stop the police from obstructing the pursuit of justice. Lord Justice Pitchford needs to act now to restore our faith.
We are calling on Lord Justice Pitchford to announce an urgent Inquiry hearing to examine the destruction of evidence by the police. The Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe should be forced to give evidence under oath to explain why, how and under whose authority documents have been destroyed.
Lord Justice Pitchford needs to take immediate measures to secure all documentation held by the police, in order to prevent future destruction and avoid the entire inquiry descending into a hugely expensive cover-up on the part of the Metropolitan Police.
SIGNED:
Len McCluskey (General Secretary) and Gail Cartmail (Acting General Secretary) UNITE the Union, incorporating UCATT
Matt Wrack (General Secretary) Fire Brigades Union
Chris Kitchen (General Secretary) National Union of Mineworkers
Tim Roache (General Secretary) GMB union
Mick Cash (General Secretary) Rail Maritime and Transport union
Michelle Stanistreet (General Secretary) National Union of Journalists
Dave Smith and Roy Bentham (joint secretaries) Blacklist Support Group
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/
Public Meeting: Strikers & Spycops – from Grunwick to now. 7pm Wednesday February 15 Malet Suite, Student Central, 2nd Floor, Malet Street London WC1E 7HY https://www.facebook.com/events/404751936528620/
International
Turkey: for an update on recent developments in Turkey, come to the SPOT press conference on Wednesday, 15 February, 5:30pm at NUT HQ, London Facebook Group
Nigeria: Government must intervene to support sacked dockworkers read more
Yemen: Workers protest at Parliament against TOTAL and G4S read more Solidarity protest this Friday 17 February 4pm outside Total HQ – One Euston Square, 40 Melton St, Kings Cross, London NW1 2FD map Facebook event
Australia: Bob Carnegie case: ITF statement – ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) president Paddy Crumlin today spoke out in defence of trade unionist Bob Carnegie and in strong condemnation of legal actions taken against him by the Lend Lease company of Australia. Bob Carnegie, a long-time union activist, faces 54 charges of contempt arising from his leadership of a community protest during a nine week strike by 600 trade unionists at the Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane. If convicted, he could face a jail sentence and over a million dollars in fines, as well as significant legal bills. His trial begins on 11th February in Brisbane’s Federal Magistrates Court read more
Diary
2017
March
4 ‘It’s Our NHS’ – National Demonstration to defend the NHS in London on March 4th 2017 – called by ‘Health Campaigns Together’ an umbrella organisation of different local campaigns against NHS cuts https://www.facebook.com/events/1771664639725061/ http://www.healthcampaignstogether.com/index.php
With Banners Held High – all day workshops, debates, exhibition gig in Wakefield in support of causes such as Justice for Mineworkers and Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign https://webmail.123-reg.co.uk/appsuite/#!!&app=io.ox/mail&folder=default0//NNIS%5B
13 Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign ‘Make Some Noise for Justice’ demo – 2pm, Home Office Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF http://otjc.org.uk/noise-demo-transport/
18 National Demo: Refugees and Migrants Welcome – Stand Up To Racism, Islamophobia & Anti-Semitism read more
July
1 11th annual NSSN Conference 11am in Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL
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
