NSSN TUC Congress Rally in Brighton: ‘Fight together to scrap the 1% pay cap and get the Tories out!’ – 1pm Sunday September 10th in the Arundel Suite in the Holiday Inn, 137 King’s Rd BN1 2JF.
Confirmed speakers: Len McCluskey Unite General Secretary, Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary, Steve Gillan POA General Secretary, Ronnie Draper BFAWU General Secretary, Sean Hoyle RMT President, Amy Murphy USDAW Southern Division NEC member and Len Hockey Secretary Unite Barts NHS Trust branch – currently on strike. Chaired by Janice Godrich PCS National President – all welcome! We will also be giving a platform to speakers from other current disputes to build solidarity Facebook event From NSSN website
NSSN 352: Glasgow Unison win #Justice4Jannies
This week, we start our bulletin by sending congratulations to the heroic Glasgow janitors, whose struggle we have continuously featured.
UNISON STATEMENT – Glasgow school janitors win pay rise, maintain one janitor / one school and secure jobs:-
After a dispute lasting twenty months janitors in Glasgow’s primary, nursery and ASL schools have won a 6% pay rise which will see all janitors annual pay increase by £1,184 from today (14 August).
The deal maintains one janitor/one school, which was to go under proposals from the previous Labour Council Administration designed to resolve the dispute. Relief janitors will now be offered a school on a permanent basis. The current twelve job vacancies in the city will be filled and five additional relief posts will be created within an overall staffing level of 213. Within this 213, there will be 35 new Senior Janitors who will be a working charge-hands. This new post will be Grade 4 and will deliver a staged £4,000 annual pay rise over the next two years.
The deal sees all 196 janitors in the city moved from Grade 2 to Grade 3 for taking on a range of handyperson tasks that have always been acceptable to the members. The janitors will also provide emergency sickness cover for school crossing patrol workers but limited to not more than four days per year. They will also provide initial sickness and some holiday cover for other janitors in their neighbourhood but again this will be time specific and closely monitored by the trade union as the change is rolled out. A relief janitor pool of five workers will be retained to support these new arrangements. There will be a reduction in the working week from 41.5 hours to 40 hours and janitors will also now be allowed to take holidays during term-time. Voluntary overtime remains available. The deal includes a £520 working context payment; the initial reason for the dispute.
In January 2016, UNISON members began a boycott of all heavy lifting, outside and dirty duties. In March 2016, strike action began and the janitors took 67 strike days in blocks of 3 days, 5 days and then 10 days. Mass meetings of all members took place on a regular basis with the janitors debating and voting on all key aspects of strategy and tactics. The UNISON Glasgow branch’s strike fund and donations from across the trade union movement supported the action in what became a high profile dispute in the city and beyond.
The janitors engaged in numerous loud and colourful protests outside the city chambers, the Cordia HQ and in Glasgow city centre. They highlighted their case on social media under the title #Justice4Jannies, organised a “mop, brushes and pail” march outside the city chambers, targeted the local wards of key council politicians with American Wild West “Wanted” leaflets and cowboy hats, secured the support of Groundskeeper Willie during some protests (the Scottish jannie from the Simpsons TV show) and were joined by several school “mummies” at a lobby outside the city chambers on Halloween!
They attended and spoke at the STUC conference in April 2016, led the Glasgow May Day march, demonstrated outside the Scottish Parliament on two occasions and organised a two day, 25 mile fundraising raising walk from the Kelpies sculptures to Glasgow. The janitors also won the support of parents councils across the city, particularly after January 2017 when the Labour Council Administration offered a wage rise but wanted to pay for it by cutting jobs though a clustering approach where there would be fewer janitors than school buildings. At this stage parents began to organise protests. This was an important point in the dispute coming during the Scottish local council election campaign. UNISON is grateful for the involvement of the parents’ councils.
In late March 2017, the Labour Council Administration withdrew their clustering proposal and we entered the election campaign with both the SNP and Green Party committed to one janitor / one school and to resolving the pay dispute. The janitors welcomed these commitments and are the basis on which the dispute has now been settled with the new SNP Council Administration.
UNISON has seen a 20% increase in membership since the dispute started. We now have three stewards in the group, up from one in January 2016.
The dispute shows that workers can win if they are determined and organised, supported by their local branch and the wider the trade union, escalate strike action when necessary, involve the wider community and build pressure on elected politicians at key points.
We will draw on the lessons of the dispute for future campaigns, particularly within Cordia where there remain numerous unfair pay arrangements affecting many members.
Well done the Glasgow school janitors. You won #Justice4Jannies
Glasgow Union website www.glasgowcityunison.co.uk Facebook group More from national Unison website
NSSN 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 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
Britain still needs a pay rise – TUC Parliamentary Lobby and Rally
Date: Tuesday 17 October
Time: 4.30pm – 6pm for the rally (which follows a Parliamentary Lobby)
Venue: Parliament Square https://www.tuc.org.uk/events/rally-and-lobby-parliament-fair-pay-public-servants
RMT
RMT on today’s latest rail fare rip off announcement – the RMT has organised protests and leafleting across the country today – see details here
Aslef: Government must intervene on fares TSSA: Union Calls for End to Great Train Robbery
RMT confirms dispute and ballot for action on Greater Anglia over threat to guards (14 Aug) – RAIL UNION RMT today confirmed it has served notice and is pressing ahead with the ballot of guards on Greater Anglia, for both strike action and action short of a strike, over the potential extension of DOO following the company’s continuing refusal to give a guarantee on the role of the guard throughout the length of the franchise. A meeting has been held between Greater Anglia and RMT reps, including the unions General Secretary Mick Cash. At that meeting management failed to provide union reps with the assurances they had been seeking with respect to the role and responsibilities of the guards now and for the length of the franchise. That failure has left RMT with no option but to serve notice on the company and press ahead with the balloting process for Greater Anglia Guards members. Ballot papers will be issued on Monday 21st August 2017 and the ballot will close on Tuesday 12th September 2017 read more
Unite
Support Argos warehouse workers – they have started a 3 week strike today (August 15) in Basildon in Essex, Bridgwater in Somerset, Castleford (West Yorkshire) and Heywood (Greater Manchester) and will be joined by workers at the Barton Business Park, Burton-on-Trent read more
London bus workers to strike over August bank holiday: Notting Hill Carnival could be affected (15 Aug) – Transport for London (TFL) bus workers have voted to strike over the August bank holiday after a derisory pay offer from their employer. TFL offered bus workers non-consolidated payments of £250 for the next two years. Sixty-eight per cent (68%) of workers which include bus station controllers, infrastructure controllers, network traffic controllers and road transport enforcement officers, voted, with 92% of those who voted, opting to strike. There will be a two-day strike on Aug 27 and 28. Notting Hill Carnival could be affected as these TFL workers steward the event. Plus striking CentreComm workers manage the code red alarm system on the buses and without their presence drivers may refuse to go out read more
Capita staff balloted over pension scheme closure (14 Aug) – Staff working at Capita will today (Monday 14 August) start voting in a strike ballot on major changes to the pensions of staff. Unite, the union representing the workforce at Capita, is conducting an industrial action ballot following the proposal to close the current defined benefit scheme. In July Capita informed its employees of significant changes to the pension arrangements. Staff in the scheme will suffer a massive cut in their retirement income as a result of the proposals read here
British Airways urged to enter talks or face mounting costs in cabin crew dispute (11 Aug) – Unite members working as cabin crew for British Airways’ mixed fleet today (Friday 11 August) urged the airline to get around the negotiating table to avoid continued legal action and the cost of ‘wet leasing’ aircraft to cover striking workers. The call follows a members’ meeting involving the workers who are involved in the long running dispute over pay and the sanctioning of striking workers. Today sees the 66th strike day of the dispute with strike action scheduled to stretch through the August bank holiday until Wednesday 30 August. Warning that its members remained as determined as ever, Unite called on the airline to use the money it was spending on ‘wet leasing’ aircraft from airlines such Qatar Airways to solve the dispute. Pointing to its legal action on behalf of mixed fleet cabin crew who have been sanctioned for taking strike action, Unite went on to warn British Airways that it was storing up future legal costs because of its ‘belligerence’. Sanctions have included the removal of bonuses and ‘incentives’ worth hundreds of pounds in addition to travel concessions from striking workers read more. Donate to hardship fund – account name: Mixed Fleet Branch, sort code: 60-83-01 account number: 20376387 ref: MFU or make cheques out to Mixed Fleet Branch and post along with messages of support to: Unite the Union, 99 New Road, Harlington UB3 5BQ. Send messages of protest to BA CEO Alex Cruz [email protected]. Follow @MFUnite on twitter
Support Barts NHS Trust strike: Low paid workers announce 25 more days of strike action at largest health trust in England (9 Aug) – Hundreds of low paid workers determined to secure a fair pay increase from their employer Serco have announced 25 more days of strike action at Barts Health NHS Trust. Talks are scheduled between Unite and Serco this Friday (11 August). Strike action can be avoided if Serco gets serious about resolving this dispute and brings a fair pay offer to the negotiating table. The workers are preparing to take 25 days of strike action spread across five weeks beginning on 18 August. Following talks on the 24 July the workforce rejected a ‘measly’ offer of just £2 extra a week. The workforce most of whom earn just above the London living wage want 30 pence an hour extra following years of low pay and below inflation pay deals. Unite members have already held a 48-hour strike on Tuesday 4 July, a seven day strike from Tuesday 11 July and a 14 day strike from 25 July. The workers are now taking 25 days of strike action spread across five weeks beginning on 18 August. The workers will take strike action on each Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday of the five week period. Serco won the £600 million soft services contract for Barts Health NHS Trust last year. The company made a profit of £82 million in 2016 read more – send messages of support and request strikers to speak at your meeting to the Unite branch secretary Len Hockey – [email protected]. Sign the online petition – www.change.org/p/pay-up-serco. Send messages of protest to Serco – [email protected] Donate to ‘Branch LE/7384L’ sort code 60-83-01 account number 20344885 – make cheques out to ‘Branch LE/7384L’ and post to Barts NHS Strike Fund, Unite the Union, 33-37 Moreland St, Clerkenwell, London EC1V 8BB
Fund-Raiser in Support of UNITE Barts strikers at Whipps Cross hospital – 7pm Thursday September 7th Star of India 875 High Road Leytonstone, E11 1HR London. Facebook event Tickets are £10.00 each for a buffet meal. Guest speakers (to date) include John Cryer, MP and Matt Wrack (FBU General Secretary). There will also be a raffle. (Donations of raffle prizes from union branches gratefully received). It’s important to highlight that reservations need to be made in advance- as the events at the Star are often fully booked. Those want to go should email [email protected] – using “UNITE Dispute” in the subject line. All monies raised will be donated to the UNITE strike fund. For more information email Tom Taylor at: [email protected]
Birmingham bin dispute ‘could continue until Christmas’, warns Unite (11 Aug) – The long-running Birmingham bin dispute could continue until Christmas unless the city council negotiates a fair settlement, Unite warned today (Friday 11 August). The union is balloting its refuse collection members to renew its industrial action mandate which could result in more strikes after the present daily strike action ends on 21 September. Unite assistant general secretary Howard Beckett said: “We continue to hold talks with the council, but progress has been slow and we would call on the council to now step up and conclude this urgently. “In the absence of a settlement, we will be balloting our members from 17 August on whether they wish to take strike action and/or industrial action short of a strike after the current industrial action comes to an end in September. The ballot closes on 31 August. “The current round of industrial action is due to end on 21 September and a renewed industrial action mandate could see this dispute continuing up to Christmas. “This is the last thing that the Birmingham public and our members want, so we again today call on the city council to move up a gear and negotiate constructively” read more. Please send messages of support to [email protected] Donations can be sent to Unite the Union 9-17 Victoria Street West Bromwich West Midlands B70 8HX
Co-op drivers begin balloting for industrial action over ‘appalling treatment’ of disabled colleagues (11 Aug) – HGV drivers employed by the Co-op at its West Thurrock distribution depot have begun balloting for industrial action over the ‘appalling treatment’ of their disabled colleagues. The workers, who are members of Unite who deliver to 600 Co-op stories in London and the south east, are extremely angry that three of their colleagues have been dismissed or are facing dismissal due to their disabilities. The disabled drivers have for many years been provided with work they have been able to undertake. However this work is no longer available because of outsourcing or internal reorganisation. Unite has argued that the workers should have been made redundant. The local Co-op management rejected this approach and instead opted to use a capability process which resulted in two of the workers being sacked and the third expecting the same treatment in the near future read more
All London Bus Driver Demo (Driven to Distraction) – 9.30am Thursday 14th September City Hall The Queen’s Walk, SE1 2 Facebook event The London Assembly report tells us that bus drivers are working under enormous stress, having short breaks, lacking in toilet facilities, suffering enforced overtime causing major fatigue to drivers. Unite says that this is not acceptable and that TfL must implement the recommendations made in the Driven to Distraction report. Unite London Bus Drivers will present the Mayor with our own Bill of Rights to demand that he intervenes to ensure Bus Drivers are treated with respect. TfL have until October 2017 to implement those recommendations and we will be watching very closely to ensure they do
Bridgend Ford workers ballot over sourcing announcement read more
Support Mears Manchester housing workers on all out strike action read more
PCS
Stop DWP office closures:-
Sheffield campaign steps up with two-week walkout (14 Aug) – Our campaign to stop the closure of a Sheffield jobcentre steps up today with the start of a two-week strike. Our 50 members at Eastern Avenue jobcentre are campaigning to protect services for unemployed, sick and disabled people. The walkout follows week-long strikes in June and July…The campaign is building against the government’s plans to axe almost one in 10 jobcentres across the UK. A demonstration was held outside Whitley Bay jobcentre at the weekend ahead of a strike there this Thursday and Friday, and our members at Hoylake jobcentre in Merseyside have voted to strike later this month. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is due to join our national president Janice Godrich and Labour MP Hugh Gaffney at a demonstration in Coatbridge on Friday 25 August
How you can help:-
Support the picket lines, at 19 Eastern Avene, Sheffield S2 2FZ
Send messages of support to [email protected] read more
Save Whitley Bay Job Centre! PCS members at Whitley Bay took strike action last weekend and are out again this week on Thursday and Friday as part of the campaign to save this vital service) Sign the online petition
For all strikes to defend jobcentres and DWP offices: Make a donation to the PCS fighting fund online or by cheque to PCS DWP Group, 3rd Floor, Town Centre House, Merrion Centre, Leeds LS2 8LY
Driving examiners to vote in strike ballot over pay (10 Aug) – PCS members at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, including driving examiners and vehicle testing staff, are due to be balloted from 17 August to 22 September for industrial action in a protracted dispute over travel time arrangements, health and safety and other changes to terms and conditions. The dispute involves all DVSA operational staff, including driving examiners and vehicle testing staff and centres on the DVSA’s plans to impose a ‘flexible working’ regime giving managers the ability to deploy staff anywhere they choose without notice. Staff would be expected to travel on these deployments in their own time. The employers proposals effectively mean workers could be required to work the equivalent of an extra day per week for free read more
Court quashes redundancy scheme cuts read more Employers urged to contact leavers to pay them 2010 redundancy terms
GMB
Sellafield Strike Ballot Opens (Aug 14) – The work carried out by GMB members at Sellafield is vital to the safe and efficient functioning of the UK’s nuclear sector, including the generation of electricity for homes and industry says GMB. GMB, the union for nuclear workers, today (Monday August 14) opened a ballot asking 3,000 members at the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing site in Cumbria if they want to take part in strike action in a dispute over pay. The vote comes after the company ignored repeated requests for further talks and instead said it would impose a below-inflation pay offer of just 1.5%. The strike ballot begins today and will close on Monday, September 4 2017. The Unite union is also balloting its 2,000 members at Sellafield read more
Strike Ballot Over Coventry Children’s Centre Closures (Aug 11) – Our members feel that they not been listened to and they are left felling angry and upset – their only recourse is to now look at taking industrial action. GMB, the union for council workers, is balloting members for strike action over Coventry City Council’s plan to close 14 children’s centres with the loss of up to 100 jobs read more
FBU
Video: Pay offer is ‘inadequate in its current form’ (1 Aug) – After a consultation with members, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has said a pay offer from the national employers is ‘inadequate in its current form.’ The national employers offered a 2% increase if the discussions around the work trials continued. A 3% increase would follow (and increases for 2018, 2019 and 2020) but only on the basis that an agreement was concluded on the work trials. There was no guarantee where the funding for the pay increase would come from – particularly problematic given central funding to the service has been cut hugely. In a new video update Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, says a wide range of views were expressed from members but the unknown aspects of the offer were a big concern watch video here
More Unison
Durham Teaching assistants reject council’s offer to settle dispute –Durham County Council had voted to put a new proposal to Teaching Assistants. They say it was an improved offer and will see 78% of Teaching Assistants not losing money. However, the County Durham Teaching Assistants’ Activist Committee had serious concerns about the proposal for the following reasons: 22% of TAs are still facing a pay loss. They might have their pay protected for 2 years but they have already had 21 months of extreme stress not knowing if they can keep their homes or their jobs read more https://www.facebook.com/TAsDurhamValueUs/
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
CWU
Video update from DGSP Terry Pullinger on the Four Pillars of Security Campaign! Watch here Unite calls on Royal Mail to explain ‘complex’ pension proposals
BFAWU
McDonald’s workers to ballot for industrial action in Cambridge and Crayford read more Donate to the strike fund
Fast Food Rights national day of action for £10 an hour and union rights: 4 September: Get behind fast food workers on global day of action! Read more from the website of the Fast Food Rights/Hungry for Justice campaign that has been launched by the BFAWU, which the NSSN is affiliated to
Follow the websites of BFAWU www.bfawu.org and Fast Food Rights/Hungry for Justice www.fastfoodrights.wordpress.com
NAPO
More big money being thrown at the CRC’s? (11 Aug) – Hard on the heels of last week’s revelations that at least £22 Million has found its way into struggling CRC’s to see them through this financial year (and still we await news of Sodexo’s hand out), comes an eye watering report that £277 million will be found to provide further funding for them over the next 4 years read more
RCN
RCN national #ScrapTheCap Pay Rally – 12.30pm Wednesday 6th September Central London read more Facebook event
Join the ‘Scrap the cap’ pay protests https://www.rcn.org.uk/nursingcounts/scrap-the-cap
BECTU
Support Picturehouse workers: Picturehouse BECTU members from five cinemas were last on strike on August 5th and 6th. Picturehouse management refuse to meet with us to discuss our requests: recognition of our chosen union, BECTU; to pay no less than the London Living Wage; fair pay differentials for other pay grades; full company sick pay, maternity and paternity pay. The company have refused independent conciliation and have sacked four union reps at the Ritzy cinema in an attempt to undermine staff action. Picturehouse owners Cineworld made £93 million profit in 2016, while the CEO’s total pay package was worth over £2.5 million. They can afford to pay their staff properly. Please drop by and show your support for staff!
Support the BECTU Picturehouse reps who have been victimised: Reinstate the Reps! Friday Community Picket – 5.30pm Windrush Square Brixton Facebook event
What is the Living Wage? https://www.livingwage.org.uk/what-is-the-living-wage
Picturehouse cinemas on strike: http://www.picturehouselivingwage.com/
Donate to our strike fund: https://www.crowdpac.co.uk/campaigns/250/picturehousestrike
Watch ReelNews video of previous Brixton strike with speech by John McDonnell MP Labour Shadow Chancellor
Keep supporting the Picturehouse workers: read the latest on Brixton Ritzy Facebook Page and those of Hackney, Crouch End, Central, Duke of York Brighton and Dulwich East.
UCU
Sign petition: reinstate Indro Sen immediately – Indro Sen, a maths lecturer and trade union branch officer at the College of North West London (CNWL) has been dismissed for actions in assisting a former colleague at an employment tribunal case. He was voted by students as the most popular teacher, 2014-15. We demand that the College Governors and Senior Management Team reinstate Sen immediately sign here
Support the reinstatement of London Met union reps: Mark Campbell and David Hardman https://uculondonmet.wordpress.com/
NUT
SHAKE THE MAGIC MONEY TREE and SCRAP THE PAY CAP: Demonstration and rally – THURSDAY OCTOBER 12th. Assemble 5:30pm opposite Downing Street. March past Department for Health – Treasury – Department for Education – Home Office
Rally in Parliament SquareSupport the NUT London school strikes against cuts at Forest Hill in Lewisham read more
NIPSA
Read on page 5 of ‘NIPSA News’ how NIPSA is fighting to defend the facility time of leading elected lay reps, including President Carmel Gates and Maria Morgan
IWGB
Demonstrate: September 27th Precarious Labour Strikes Back – The IWGB is planning a big precarious labour bonanza march through central London in September! On the 27th of September Uber will be appealing last year’s Employment Tribunal decision which awarded ‘worker’ status to Uber drivers. The lead claimants in this case are members of the IWGB. We are going to march through central London to the Employment Appeal Tribunal in support of our members and all Uber drivers, and to show ‘gig economy’ bosses, the courts and the British public that we will not lie down as our employment rights are taken away! Facebook event
United Voices of the World union
UVW members who clean and polish the Ferrari and Maserati showrooms in South Kensington are set to strike for a living wage. They are currently paid the minimum, poverty wage UVW Facebook page
Other News
Community Memorial for the ship Ciudad de Barcelona 1937 – The International Brigadistas came from across the globe in the late 1930s to stand alongside Republican Spain in the civil war, united to stop the rise of the fascist far right. On 30th May 1937, the Ciudad de Barcelona, a ship bringing around 300 brigadistas from France, was sunk by a fascist torpedo just off the coast of Malgrat de Mar, Catalonia. We want to create a memorial to honour both those brigadistas and the local people of Malgrat de Mar and we believe the best way is by bringing the local and international communities together once again. That is what the project Solidarity Park is about! Details on how to donate here
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)
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
Solidarity with Driscolls workers in San Quintin, Mexico – Support the Global Day of Action 16th August read more
Journalists union attacked by Ukrainian government MP read more on NUj website
Diary
2017
September
3 Burston Strike School Rally 2017 – Guest speakers already confirmed include John McDonnell MP, Len McCluskey, Unite General Secretary http://burstonstrikeschool.co.uk/rally2017/
10 NSSN rally at TUC Congress
30 Construction Safety Campaign (CSC) AGM is the 30th September – Ricky Tomlinson invited speaker
October
1 Protest the Tory Conference. Let’s get this party started Facebook event
17 Britain still needs a pay rise: TUC Parliamentary Lobby and Rally, 4.30pm – 6pm for the rally (which follows a Parliamentary Lobby), Parliament Square https://www.tuc.org.uk/events/rally-and-lobby-parliament-fair-pay-public-servants
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
