You can receive this bulletin via email or you can choose to unsubscribe and stop receiving them. Like everyone else, the NSSN has to adhere to new data protection regulations. Therefore you must click here to subscribe/unsubscribe
NSSN 391: PCS votes for national pay strike ballot
The National Shop Stewards Network gives full support and solidarity to the PCS who voted at their annual conference last week to move to a national strike ballot on pay that will open in June.
31 May – join payday protests and get ready for the PCS pay ballot (from PCS website 24 May)
We need all members to join PCS payday protests on 31 May as we gear up for our most important industrial action ballot for years.
Our conference in Brighton voted overwhelmingly this week to support a motion to hold an industrial action on pay and we need all members to play their part to ensure we get a huge turnout in next month’s ballot. A large yes vote will help to increase the pressure on the government to force them to give us the decent, fully-funded pay rise we all deserve.
We are demanding that all staff across the civil service are given a fully-funded pay increase of 5% but the Cabinet Office has told us that the government has only budgeted for a 1% pay rise for the UK civil service and related areas. PCS members have previously been led to believe that the 1% pay cap had been lifted.
A 5% pay increase will go some way to addressing the fact that all civil service staff are worse off since the imposition of the pay cap in 2010. Tens of thousands of our members have taken part in payday protests over the past few months, as well as showing their support for action on pay in our national consultative pay ballot last year.
This payday we want you to talk to colleagues about the need to vote yes in the forthcoming ballot, use the PCS pay calculator to see how much you’ve lost over the past 8 years of pay restraint and organise workplace photoshoots in support of our pay campaign. We want members to share photos on social media and download, sign and share our petition calling on Cabinet Office minister David Lidington to deliver fully-funded, above-inflation pay rises across the civil service. Ask your rep for pay campaign materials or contact your PCS regional centre.
Support the Acas conciliator strike – There has been good support for a strike by PCS members working as conciliators at the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. Talks have been ongoing since July last year and PCS members plan to take two more days on 6-7 June if the dispute remains unresolved read more Email your message of support to [email protected] and [email protected]. Use the hashtag #NoAcasCuts. Donate to the PCS Fighting Fund to support members taking action
Campaign for ex-Carillion staff to be brought in-house at the British Museum Sign our online petition
NSSN news
NSSN Conference moved to Saturday 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 Facebook event
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]
Follow us on twitter via @NSSN_AntiCuts and Facebook
Union News
RMT
RMT strike action rock solid on Northern Rail this morning in fight for rail safety (24 May) – RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said; “RMT members on Northern Rail stand rock solid and united once again this morning in this long running dispute which is about putting public safety and access before private profit on our railways…” 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 confirms two 24 hours strikes on Jubilee line over imposed new timetable and ripping up of roster agreements (21 May) – TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that drivers on the Jubilee Line will be taking two days of strike action in June over the imposition of new timetables that ride roughshod over current rostering agreements. After an overwhelming vote for action driver members will strike for 24 hours on the 6th and 14th June read more
Unite
Carlisle strikes cancelled as workers win improved deal (29 May) – Planned strike action by Unite, the UK’s largest union, for today (Tuesday 29 May) concerning workers operating on Staffline Recruitment contracts, at the Pirelli tyre factory in Carlisle, has been cancelled following a breakthrough in negotiations read more
New protests at Deeside construction site as workforce exploitation continues (25 May) – Hundreds of Unite members and other trade unionists will stage a protest at the troubled Park Adfer site in Deeside on Wednesday 30 May due to the continuing exploitation of the site’s workforce, which is creating a ‘race to the bottom’ on pay and conditions. Campaigners will protest outside the £800 million energy from waste site from 05:30 in order to further pressurise the French contractor CNIM to adhere to recognised construction sector agreements
WHAT: Hundreds of construction workers will protest about worker exploitation at the Park Adfer construction site
WHERE: Park Adfer, Weighbridge Road, Deeside CH5 2LL
WHEN: Wednesday 30 May 2018, 05:30 – 12:00 read more
Baggage handlers at Luton airport suspend strike action (24 May) – Planned strike action over the bank holiday by baggage handlers employed by Menzies Aviation has been suspended following negotiations held today (24 May) between Unite representatives and the company read more
Pressure mounts on TGI Fridays to ‘pay staff fairly’ as low waged workers stage second historic strike (24 May) – Workers at TGI Fridays in Milton Keynes and Covent Garden in London will mark their second historic 24 hour walk out tomorrow (Friday 25 May) with lively pickets and a picnic, as two more restaurants join the strike over tips and alleged breaches of minimum wage legislation. Members of Unite working at TGI Fridays’ restaurants in the Trafford Centre, Greater Manchester and at Haymarket in London’s Piccadilly are joining the strike for the first time as anxiety mounts over a tip policy change which is costing minimum waged workers £250 a month in lost wages read more. Sign the petition to support the TGI workers
Norfolk hospital workers demo on 29 May, as hefty hikes in car parking charges loom (24 May) – NHS workers at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), King’s Lynn will hold a demonstration on Tuesday (29 May), as the trust’s board meets over swingeing hikes to car parking charges that threaten to wipe out the proposed NHS pay rise read more
Liverpool car parts manufacturer starts strike ballot in pay dispute (17 May) – Unite members working on contracts by Magna Exteriors (Liverpool) Limited at the Halewood and Ellesmere Port sites have begun balloting for strike action and an overtime ban this week in a dispute over pay and terms and conditions. About 270 workers, including paint technicians, forklift drivers and process operators at the two sites, are balloting for strike action following proposals by the company to slash pay rates and erode workers’ terms and conditions. The company wants the union to agree to a deal that would freeze pay for two years and involve the axing of shift premiums, which Unite, Britain’s largest union, believes is worth 16 and 23 per cent of workers’ wages at Halewood and Ellesmere Port respectively read more
Support striking Hackney traffic wardens – Nearly 40 wardens, also known as civil enforcement officers (CEOs), have recently been on strike for after voting by 100 per cent for industrial action read more
Messages of support for the strikers can be sent to [email protected]
We also need financial donations. Cheques made payable to Hackney Unite and sent to Onay Kasab at 33 – 37 Moreland St, London EC1V 8BB.
Messages of protest to the Mayor of Hackney ( APCOA run the contract for Hackney Council) and also to the Head of Parking and Markets, 136 – 142 Lower Clapton Road, Hackney, E5 OQJ
Support Ian Allinson: Protesters accuse Fujitsu of victimising whistleblowers read more. Keep up to date with Unite: Our union in Fujitsu website
United We Organise! Unite Housing Campaign – 6pm June 14 Unite HQ, 128 Theobalds Road, London, WC1X 8SP Facebook event
NEU
London teachers discuss action on pay and housing to stop a growing recruitment crisis (18 May) – Research released today by the NFER confirms what teachers in London schools already know – that the recruitment and retention crisis is getting worse read more
BFAWU
Support the McDonalds strikers who took their 2nd day of action on May 1st – Keep sending solidarity to the BFAWU, post cheques to BFAWU, Stanborough House, Great North Road, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL8 7TA and donate to the strike fund. Also help the fund by buying a #McStrike t-shirt. More info on the Fast Food Rights/Hungry for Justice website
UCU
UCU members start new wave of FE strikes over pay and jobs – read here for information about strikes at Hull, Tower Hamlets College, Hackney Community College, Epping Forest College, Lambeth College, Lewisham Southwark College, City and Islington College (CCG), College of Haringey Enfield and North East London (CCG), Westminster Kingsway College (CCG) and Havering College
Strike suspended at Bradford College following positive talks over job cuts (22 May) – Members of UCU at Bradford College have suspended tomorrow’s strike action after positive discussions with the employer over planned job cuts read more
UCU agrees recognition deal with Coventry University Group (18 May) – The University and College Union (UCU) and Coventry University Group have reached an agreement which will allow the union to represent staff employed by the group’s CU campuses. At a meeting yesterday, both sides reached an agreement in principle for UCU to have voluntary recognition. This will allow UCU to formally represent academic staff at the CU group of campuses on key issues including pay and working conditions read more
Unison
Breaking news!! Support Tower Hamlets Community Housing Workers: All Out Strike for Equal Pay not Market Pay. Join the picket line Monday 4 June 2018 – Solidarity Rally from 8am 285 Commercial Road, E1 2PS – Housing workers at Tower Hamlets Community Housing are set to take two weeks of strike action from Monday 4 June 2018. They are opposing the imposition of a “market based” pay system. Instead of NJC Local Government Pay, based on Job Evaluations that seek to secure equal pay for work of equal value, the new system relies on “market intelligence” on the pay rate for each role provided by a private consultancy company, Inbucon. Staff are not allowed to know what roles in what organisations their pay has been compared to, the range of salaries, or even pay rates for other roles as all this is “commercially confidential”. Although the new scheme offered short term increases for some staff they still voted to reject. As one member explained “Our pay will be market tested every two years with no guarantee that it won’t go down. “ Another explained “How can you guarantee equality in pay if you don’t know how it is determined and you can’t challenge it”. Others were mindful that whilst some protection now applied it would be worth less and less as time went on. Strikers intend to take their campaign to local residents. THCH was set up through partial transfer of Tower Hamlets Council’s Housing stock. Staff and residents were given promises about protecting their rights as tenants, residents and workers. Staff believe that introducing market pay breaks promises made to them. They will be alerting tenants to the impact on services and warning them that if promises to staff can be broken what does that mean for promises to residents. The introduction of market pay is yet another example of social housing organisations adopting private business methods. These market methods don’t deliver genuinely affordable housing nor fair conditions for workers – John McLoughlin Branch Secretary Tower Hamlets UNISON
Birmingham Homecare Workers in strike re-ballot (29 May) – Birmingham Homecare Workers are being re-balloted on strike actionin in the ongoing dispute. The long running dispute is over proposed rota and shift changes read more Facebook page
UNISON recommends that HE members reject employers’ pay offer (29 May) – Higher education members will be asked to reject the national pay offer from the University and Colleges Employers’ Association in a branch consultation due to begin in the next few weeks. The employers’ final pay offer was to increase annual salaries by 2% or £425 (full time), whichever is higher. The joint unions’ pay claim was for an increase of £7.5% or £1,500, which is higher, and a minimum wage of £10 an hour read more
Academy workers face jobs threat (18 May) – UNISON is organising meetings and support after Cheshire academy chain announced 43 redundancies at seven schools across the county read more
Support Hull recycling workers striking for sick pay – Branch appeals for donations to hardship fund. Recycling workers working for FCC Environment in Hull have been striking for decent pay sick pay, and are asking for donations to their hardship fund. 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
GMB
GMB scores hard won victory over Uber as company gives drivers sick pay (23 May) – GMB has fought Uber tooth and nail in the courts, the workplace and on the international stage to bring about this change. GMB, the union for Uber drivers, has scored a hard-fought victory after the company agreed to give drivers sick pay and parental leave read more
POA
Prison officers take legal action over pensions – The POA has started the process of initiating Employment Tribunal proceedings which will challenge the introduction of a new pension scheme for Prison Officers in 2015. It is anticipated that more than 3,500 POA members will join in the proceedings read more
FBU
BREAKING NEWS!! West Midlands firefighters vote in favour of strike action over exploitative contracts (May 29)
Firefighters in West Midlands ballot for strike action against ‘free for all’ contracts (16 May) – The Fire Brigades Union has released a video update about the industrial dispute in the West Midlands where members are currently balloting for strike action about the imposition of contracts that would see new recruits take on work outside the agreed role of a firefighter. In this video Andrew Scattergood from the FBU in the West Midlands and Matt Wrack, the union’s general secretary, discuss the dispute and urge members to take part in the ballot before it closes on the 29th May 2018
Sign petition: Stop West Midlands Firefighters being taken away from the frontline! #FiredUp
FBU win legal battle to have 96 hour shift system declared unlawful (25 May) – A High Court has today (25 May) ruled in favour of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) as it declared a duty system requiring firefighters to work 96-hour shifts as unlawful. The case centred on a duty system operated by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service known as close proximity crewing (CPC) but the judgement could affect dozens of fire and rescue services that operate similar shift systems read more
NUJ/BECTU
Joint unions agree 9 per cent pay deal at Al Jazeera English (16 May) – Staff at Al Jazeera English have voted to accept a two-year pay deal worth more than 9 per cent, ending four years without a rise. In consultative ballots, 84 per cent of NUJ members voted to accept the offer, as did 92 per cent of Bectu members read more
BECTU
Support the Picturehouse workers and sacked reps – We’re on strike this #SundanceFestival! Join the picket from 5.30pm-8.30pm on Thursday May 31st at Picturehouse Central, Corner of Great Windmill Street and Shaftesbury Avenue, Piccadilly. This year Sundance is being hosted by Picturehouse, who still refuse to pay us enough to live on. Join us outside Picturehouse Central where we’ll be protesting the opening gala and demanding:
- A real Living Wage
- Proper sick pay and full company maternity/paternity pay
- Union recognition of our chosen union, BECTU.
- Fair pay for our supervisors, managers, chefs and projections
- Decent conditions in the workplace – end the staffing crisis! Facebook event
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
IWGB
University outsourced workers announce further industrial action after historic strike on 6 June – University of London workers organised by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) are to go on strike on 6 June, following 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. This follows two days of strike action last month. The protests in support of the strikes were attended by hundreds of people, including Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell MP, Shadow Minister for Labour Laura Pidcock MP and musician Billy Bragg. Solidarity rally: 5.30pm Senate House, University of London, WC1E 7HU London Facebook event
United Voices of the World
VICTORY, VICTORY, VICTORY (in just 30 hours!) for cleaners at the Bank of New York! (26 May) – Remember our post (copied below) from two days ago that ‘United Voices of the World union members who clean the plush offices of one of the wealthiest financial institutions on the planet, the Bank of New York Mellon at Canary Wharf, have just notified the bosses of their intention to strike in their fight against poverty pay and for a living wage.” Well, the threat worked. Last night the bank’s cleaning manager announced to all the cleaners that as of next month they will all receive £10.20 per hour equating to an extra £4,000 per year per worker! This victory was achieved within just 30 hours. To be precise it was the 23rd May at 5.17pm that we submitted our formal claim for the living wage putting the company on notice that if they did not commit to paying it within 7 days, and implementing it within the month, that we would ballot the cleaners for an all-out strike. The cleaners, who work the night shift at the bank, were told at 11.30pm on 24th May that as of next month they will all receive £10.20 per hour www.facebook.com/uvwunion
Other news
‘When we fight, we can win’ – campaign halts hospital closure
Mike Forster, Hands Off HRI campaign chair
Local campaigners fighting to save hospital services in Huddersfield have won an important victory. We were delighted and surprised by an announcement by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt on 11 May.
He said of the NHS bosses’ proposals for Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (HRI)that there are a variety of failings in their case. The proposals lack consistency, there is widespread scepticism, there is no evidence of adequate out-of-hospital care, the loss of beds is unjustifiable and there is no evidence of capital finance being available.
Hunt correctly concludes that the proposal to downgrade HRI is “not in the best interests of the people” of Kirklees and Calderdale. He has ordered the clinical commissioning group (CCG) to develop new proposals which take into account these misgivings. Their initial plan is dead in the water read more
Tamil Solidarity: ‘Solidarity Day’ – Bringing together various activist organisations, Trade unions and Tamil solidarity. Saturday 16th June. 12.00 – 17.30pm. At Indian YMCA, 41 Fitzroy Square, W1T 2 London. FREE entry: Includes snacks. Please register in advance to book your place
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
Spain: Former Students Union leader faces 3-year jail threat for aiding immigrant under police attack read more
Diary
2018
May
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
