Staff at all 14 of Bromley’s libraries in Unite started an indefinite strike on Wednesday 28 March over a ‘paltry and insulting’ pay offer.
The strike by the 36 workers comes after the breakdown of pay talks between Unite and Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL), which runs the library service on behalf of Bromley council. The strike is the latest to hit the controversial Tory-controlled council which has made outsourcing the lynchpin of its polices.
Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: This is the best response to the Tory anti – trade union laws, a 100% yes vote which smashes the threshold target for turn out but even more importantly, says that we will not just take a couple of days strike action, but that we will stay out until we win. The legislation now attaches a 6 month time limit for the mandate of any ballot – meaning we have to win disputes quicker. In which case, we have to respond with the action needed to win – and in this campaign it is all out indefinite strike action”.
“GLL are the worst kind of employer. Appalling terms and conditions, harsh financial penalties for sickness absence and a history of using zero hour contracts. Yet they brand themselves as being a ”staff – owned leisure trust”. This is because they allow staff representatives on the board. How ironic that the manager leading the negotiations for the company is a staff representative on the board!”
“Unite members are out to win this dispute and will do all that we can to use it to highlight that social enterprise organisations are not a soft option to privatisation”
Please email messages of support to Bromley Unite branch secretary Kathy Smith [email protected]
Make donations out to ‘Bromley Unite’ and post to: Onay Kasab, Unite the Union, 33-37 Moreland St, Clerkenwell, London EC1V 8BB
CWU
CWU votes yes to pay and Four Pillars Royal Mail agreement (Mar 28) – Postal workers have voted overwhelmingly to accept a deal reached in talks with Royal Mail Group covering pay, pensions and working conditions. Members of the CWU voted by a margin of 9 to 1 in favour of the deal. The strong YES vote was secured after a two year campaign by the Union and months of talks with the employer. A deal was eventually struck in the aftermath of a large strike vote by CWU members in October 2017 and following the intervention of an independent Mediator read more
UCU
Support the UCU USS pensions dispute – UCU and their members need the support of the whole labour and trade union movement more than ever. The NSSN calls on all our supporters and affiliates to get in touch with any UCU branch taking action in the USS pension dispute as well as those who took more action on pay at FE colleges last week. Invite them to your union branch and trades council, visit a picket line and join one of the strike rallies and demonstrations taking place today. Victory to the UCU – victory to the lecturers!
UCU members to be consulted over latest USS pension dispute proposals (28 Mar) – UCU members will be consulted next week over proposals aimed at resolving the university pensions dispute. Representatives from UCU branches at the universities in dispute over changes to the USS pension scheme and the union’s higher education committee (HEC) met today. After seeking some clarification, including that the defined benefit element of the scheme would be maintained while a joint-expert panel considers the valuation of the USS fund, HEC voted to put the proposals to members in a ballot. The union said that because of new rules under the trade union act it had also served notice of strike action at 13 universities to begin on 16 April as part of a fresh wave of industrial action aimed at targeting the last weeks of teaching, and the exam and assessment period read more
Sign this petition to stop the anti-union dirty tricks in the Coventry University Group – We the undersigned condemn the management of the CU Group, a subsidiary company of Coventry University, who have sought to block UCU from applying for recognition by setting up a company union and recognising it
Staff to vote on future of beleaguered Open University chief (29 Mar) – Staff at the Open University will vote on a motion calling for the vice-chancellor to resign immediately. UCU members have been asked to attend an emergency meeting on Thursday 5 April to discuss vice-chancellor Peter Horrocks’s future and vote on a motion of no-confidence that calls on him to resign immediately read more
Strike ballot at Hull College Group over job losses – UCU members employed by the Hull College Group are balloting for strike action over plans to axe 231 posts. The college has also threatened to dismiss any staff who refuse to sign up to new contracts. Staff at all three college sites in Hull, Goole and Harrogate are affected. The ballot opened on Friday 23 March and close on Wednesday 18 April read more. Messages of support to Dave Langcaster via email [email protected]
TUC demonstration ‘A new deal for working people’: Saturday May 12th – assemble 11am at Victoria Embankment between Hungerford Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge https://www.tuc.org.uk/events/new-deal-working-people-tuc-march-rally
NSSN news
NSSN Conference moved to July 7th – support the June 30th NHS 70th anniversary events
The NSSN steering committee has decided to put our annual conference back a week to avoid a clash of dates with a national day of action to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the NHS on June 30th. We will do all we can to build these protests against continuing Tory health cuts.
The 2018 National Shop Stewards Network Annual Conference will be from 11am-4.30pm on Saturday July 7th in Conway Hall – 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. The attendance fee is £6 and it is open to all trade union and anti-cuts campaigners. Affiliation letter and conference appeal letter is here
We also want to give advanced notice that once again we will be organising a rally at TUC Congress. This year it will be in Manchester on Sunday September 9th.
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
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]
You can receive this bulletin via email. Click here to subscribe
Follow us on twitter via @NSSN_AntiCuts and Facebook
Union News
RMT
National RMT protest against Driver Only Operation on Wednesday 25TH April – rail union RMT confirmed today that it will be holding a national protest outside Parliament on Weds 25th April at 11.30 at Old Palace Yard, London, SW1P 3JY (Opposite the Palace of Westminster and in front of the George V statue) read more
RMT campaigning over axing of guards on Northern Rail (3 Apr) – Latest phase of RMT campaigning over axing of guards on Northern Rail starts today. RMT members to hold week of protest at stations across the north over threats to safety, service and accessibility. This weekend marked the second anniversary of Arriva taking over the Northern Rail franchise. Instead of the much heralded promises of improvement in services over the past two years the franchise has been beset by problems. At the same time it’s German state rail owners stand to profit while passengers suffer read more RMT Northern Rail strike action strong and united this morning in fight for rail safety (29 Apr)
RMT confirms ACAS talks in Merseyrail Guards’ safety dispute (3 Apr) – RMT General Secretary, Mick Cash, said; “Merseyrail wrote to RMT on the 19th of March stating for the first time in this dispute that “We will enter into talks accepting that the outcome may be a second person on every train”. Merseyrail’s previous refusal of this option even being on the table had been the blocking point for any talks taking place for the last ten months. “The company contacted ACAS that day and later that evening RMT agreed a draft Terms Of Reference with the conciliator, and have stood ready to enter talks since then. Despite two weeks inexplicable delay, talks are now finally set to take place this Thursday chaired by the conciliation service ACAS read more
National dispute fund (DOO disputes) – If you would like to donate to the RMT National Dispute Fund which makes payments to support their striking members taking part in National DOO disputes then you can donate via PayPal using the donate button below or make a cheque payable to RMT National Dispute Fund and send it to the address below. Alternatively, you can ring their Freephone helpline on 0800 376 3706 who will be happy to process a credit card payment for you, or, if you would like to pay via internet banking, please email [email protected] for further details. Vicky Thompson, Finance Manager RMT, 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD. Tel: 020-7529-8843
RMT campaigning secures Government commitment on application of minimum wage in shipping and offshore sectors (29 Apr) – RMT campaigning has secured a concrete Government commitment to help end undercutting in the Maritime and Offshore sectors read more
RMT demands London Mayor take responsibility on DLR (29 Mar) – On second day of DLR action RMT demands that London Labour Mayor take responsibility for workplace abuses on his watch read more
More Unite
Aberdeen workers step up strike action against profiteering First Bus (3 Apr) – The Aberdeen bus workers’ strike is an inspiration to the entire trade union movement in Scotland and beyond. The 11 days of action has sent a clear message to First and managing director Andrew Jarvis that workers will not be kicked around by profiteering bosses and their attempts to slash wages and working conditions in Aberdeen. An indefinite strike is due to begin on April 6th read more on Socialist Party Scotland website
Workers at Gatwick to be balloted on improved pay offer (29 Mar) – Workers at Gatwick airport are to be balloted on an improved pay offer following eleventh hour negotiations. Members of Unite employed as security guards, engineers, firefighters and admin staff are being recommended to accept a revised offer of 6.5 per cent in a proposed two year pay deal. The offer is for a four per cent increase backdated to October 2017 and then 2.5 per cent from October 2018. The increase is on basic pay and allowances. Ballot papers for strike action were due to be sent out next Tuesday (3 April) after talks hosted by the conciliation service Acas, collapsed without agreement last week. However Gatwick Airport Ltd (GAL) management, resurrected negotiations today (29 March) and made the improved pay offer. GAL had initially offered just 2.2 per cent which was on the proviso that workers would lose their shift allowances when they were sick read more
Unite to hold Melrose’s ‘feet to the fire’ amid calls for UK government to call GKN takeover in (29 Mar) – Unite said it would hold Melrose’s ‘feet to fire’ and be pressing the government to intervene on national defence grounds after it emerged GKN shareholders had narrowly accepted a hostile takeover bid from Melrose. With approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for the takeover still outstanding, Unite warned that the takeover was still not a done deal because of continuing concerns surrounding GKN’s role in the defence interests of the UK and its allies. Unite GKN representatives will be meeting in the coming week to discuss the union’s next steps read more
Thurrock waste collection strikes looming due to ‘rubbish management’ (29 Mar) – Workers employed in Thurrock council’s waste collection service are set to begin strike action on Thursday 12 April in a dispute caused by the organisation’s ‘rubbish management’. The 65 workers who are members of Unite have been forced to resort to strike action, after management refused to listen to their concerns. The first of a series of 48 hour strikes will begin at 00:01 on Thursday 12 April and there will be further 48 hour strikes beginning on Thursday 19 April and Thursday 26 April. There will then be a 72 hour strike beginning at 00:01 on Tuesday 1 May. This will be followed be a series of 24 hour strikes on 16, 23 and 30 May read more
Dial-a-ride workers to begin two day strike over attack on conditions (27 Mar) – Unite members employed by Dial-a-ride will begin a 48-hour stoppage from 00:01 hours tomorrow (Wednesday 28 March) in a dispute over the withdrawal of rest days and the imposition of new rosters. The 120 workers, who operate from depots in Woodford in north London and Orpington in Bromley, provide special needs transport to the elderly, the vulnerable and those with disabilities. The service is operated by Transport for London (TfL). The drivers are set to lose 10 rest days a year and the new rosters are creating such high levels of stress and anxiety that members have been forced to contact Tfl’s emergency helpline about their concerns. The strike was confirmed at the end of last week when peace talks brokered by the conciliation service Acas failed to resolve the dispute read more
Support Ian Allinson: Protesters accuse Fujitsu of victimising whistleblowers read more. Keep up to date with Unite: Our union in Fujitsu website. Protest outside Japanese Embassy 12noon Thursday April 5th – 101-104 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 7JT Facebook event
PCS
Campaign for ex-Carillion staff to be brought in-house at the British Museum Sign our online petition
DWP compulsory redundancies: send PCS e-letter to permanent secretary – PCS is calling on all DWP members in the Department for Work and Pensions to send an e-letter to permanent secretary Peter Schofield to support 2 of our members at Plymouth Benefit Centre who are needlessly facing compulsory redundancy. Bizarrely the office that these two members – who are administrative officer grade staff – work in is not actually closing. However, the work that they do is moving to another location that is outside their mobility and the DWP claims that it can find no other AO work in Plymouth for these staff to do. Help support the campaign by registering your protest against this shameful decision by sending an e-letter to the DWP permanent secretary Peter Schofield read more
Support DWP strikes:
- Send messages of support to [email protected]
- Send donations to the strike fund to PCS DWP Group, 3rd Floor, Town Centre House, Merrion Centre, Leeds, LS2 8LY
Unison
Hull recycling workers strike for sick pay (3 Apr) – Branch appeals for donations to hardship fund as workers start two weeks on the picket line for sick pay from international company worth hundreds of millions. Recycling workers working for FCC Environment in Hull have started two weeks of strike action for decent pay sick pay, and are asking for donations to their hardship fund. The 14-day strike, which started on 29 March, is the second round of action, following a week-long strike at the beginning of the month. The UNISON members are mounting a picket from 6am every day at the FCC Wilmington waste transfer station in Hull. Please send messages of solidarity and financial support to the Wilmington Strikers c/o Adrian Kennett Hull City UNISON 39, Alfred Gelder Street, Hull HU1 2AG. Please make cheques payable to UNISON Hull City Branch read more
Sign petition: Support sacked NHS Midwife Jane Greaves
Sign petition: End victimisation of trade unionists at Belle Vue Buses in Manchester
Support the Birmingham Homecare Workers read more on Birmingham Unison website Facebook page
Unison, Unite, GMB & EIS
Trade union rights under attack in West Dunbartonshire – the NSSN gives full support and solidarity to the West Dunbartonshire joint trade union’s (JTU) fight against the SNP council’s Tory-like attack on trade union facility time and budget cuts. Justifying this Tory-like attack on trade union representation, the council claimed it had carried out an on-line survey of employees that showed a majority did not believe they were well served by their trade unions. However, only 500 of the 5,500 council staff took part, and of those a mere 347 – 6% of the workforce – responded negatively to the skewed internet survey. The initial proposal from council officers was to cut the current 3.5 full time union conveners to one! Now it is down to two. The unions involved are Unison, GMB, Unite and the EIS read more
ASLEF
Tube drivers to strike on Friday 13 (29 Mar) – ASLEF members at Acton Town on the District line will strike for 24 hours on Friday 13 April in a dispute over the company’s failure to stick to the agreed policy on dealing with SPADs (signals passed at danger incidents). Drivers voted by 98% in favour of strikes on a turnout of almost 80% read more
POA
Prison officers threaten action over assaults on staff – The POA are determined to protect the Health and Safety of their members, after yet another weekend of chaos and assaults in Prisons. A member of staff at HMP Bedford was so seriously assaulted on Saturday 3rdMarch 2018, that he required lifesaving surgery to relieve pressure on the brain after being attacked by prisoners and having his head stamped on. As assaults on staff continue to rise the obsession with appeasing prisoners instead of regaining control of our Prisons has to stop read more
FBU
Sign petition: Stop West Midlands Firefighters being taken away from the frontline! #FiredUp
NEU
Support the London teachers’ strikes: Organising action, winning for education – Over the last few months, some tremendous campaigns – and some important victories – have been organised across the London Region by the National Education Union. Some campaigns can be won just by organisation and good arguments – but it sometimes needs the threat of collective industrial action to make sure those arguments are heard! Here are a few examples Campaign against Newham academies boosted by victories
Next London strikes – Newham: Avenue out on April 17-19, 24-26 and May 1-3; Cumberland 18-19, 24-26 and May 1-3. Waltham Forest: Connaught April 17-19. Ealing: Acton High April 19
Next Barnsley school strikes against academy management April 10-11 – “Four heads, five deputies and five Sendcos (special needs and disabilities coordinators) have gone over the last two years. It seems like we have a different head sent in nearly every day.” Read more
Teachers’ In East Sussex Ballot for Industrial Action over Pay – Teachers in East Sussex are being balloted for strike action after their pay this year fell below teachers in much of the rest of the country for the first time. The National Education Union, which encompasses the NUT and ATL teaching unions and represents over two thirds of teachers in East Sussex has conducted consultative ballots already in a number of schools. These have shown overwhelming support for industrial action
BECTU
Al Jazeera English faces industrial action (27 Mar) – BECTU members at Al Jazeera English have today voted for industrial action in their ongoing dispute over the company’s failure to deliver a consolidated pay increase in any of the last four years. Members voted 80% in favour of strike action with a vote of 86% in favour of action short of strike. Participation in the ballot was high at 89% of the membership. Members of the NUJ, who are partners in the joint recognition agreement with the company, also delivered a strong mandate for industrial action with 90.3% of members backing the call for action read more
Support the Picturehouse workers and sacked reps – Read the latest on Brixton Ritzy Facebook Page and those of Hackney, Crouch End, Central, Dulwich East and Duke of York Brighton
Donate to the Picturehouse Cinema strike fund: https://www.crowdpac.co.uk/campaigns/250/picturehousestrike
BFAWU
McStrike! Fundraiser Party – from 9pm Friday April 20th at Styx, 5 Ashley Road, N17 9LJ London Facebook event
Keep sending solidarity to the BFAWU, donate to the strike fund and also help the fund by buying a #McStrike t-shirt. More info on the Fast Food Rights/Hungry for Justice website
USDAW
Tesco Dagenham distribution workers in USDAW are currently balloting for strike action after 10 months of protracted negotiations around pay and agency workers
IWGB
University cleaners announce biggest ever outsourced workers strike in UK higher education – University of London workers organised by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) are to hold the biggest-ever strike of outsourced workers in UK higher education history. Over 100 cleaners, porters, security officers, receptionists, gardeners, postroom staff and audiovisual staff are expected to walk out on 25 and 26 April after a near unanimous vote in favour of industrial action. The workers, who are employed by a number of outsourcing companies that have contracts with the University of London central administration, are demanding to be made direct employees of the university, and for equal terms and conditions with those that are directly employed read more Donate to strike fund
Strike solidarity protest 4pm Wednesday April 25th Facebook event
United Voices of the World
Wildcat Strike of Recycling Workers (Mar 28) – United Voices union members at the Orion recycling plant in east London walked off the job this morning in a historic and inspiring wildcat strike to protest against inhuman working conditions. The 10 migrant workers, all of whom are from Peru, took the courageous decision to stand together and fight, despite being told to ‘fuck off’ by their foreman, and threatened with the sack. Within only 19 hours of first coming to United Voices offices in Elephant and Castle to speak out about the conditions they endure, they were on strike and negotiating with their boss in a mass meeting at the gates of their workplace. The workers had never been members of any union before let alone been on strike, and much less a Wildcat strike. This shows what can be achieved in next to no time and at no expense with the right combination of inspiration, determination, unity, and solidarity read more
Other news
April 7th anti-austerity march and rally in Runnymede
Surrey County UNISON branch have organised a march and rally against austerity in the Chancellor’s own constituency of Runnymede. The rally itself will be at the historical Magna Carta Monument.
John McDonnell MP, Shadow Chancellor, has verbally agreed to come and speak if he is available. Many other national and local speakers have been invited.Save Our Services in Surrey are calling on all our supporters to come along and add their voices. Bring your friends, families and colleagues. Raise it in your unions, in your political parties and community groups.
For updates log onto the Facebook event here https://www.facebook.com/events/813239645526585/
Blacklisting & Victimisation
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)
Blacklisted t-shirts available at: https://shop.hopenothate.org.uk/component/hikashop/product/78-blacklisted-t-shirt
Book: http://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNcgrNs6pB8
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
International
French rail workers begin months of strikes against reforms read more
USA: Kentucky teachers join the national fight back read more
Diary
2018
May
12 TUC demonstration ‘A new deal for working people’ https://www.tuc.org.uk/events/new-deal-working-people-tuc-march-rally
June
30 NHS 70th anniversary rally
July
7 National Shop Stewards Network 2018 Annual Conference 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn, London
September
9 NSSN TUC Rally in Manchester
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
