The National Shop Stewards Network rally last Sunday September 9th before the start of TUC Congress was a tremendous event with over 200 trade union activists attending alongside congress delegates. TUC was held in Manchester to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first congress in 1868 and the NSSN rally took place in the venue of that first conference, the Mechanics Institute.
Leaders from fighting unions spoke alongside rank & file union reps and activists, including those who have been taking action. The clear message from speakers was that we need to fight for a general election to get rid of the Tories, mired in divisions over Brexit. We need to replace it with a government led by Jeremy Corbyn on the pro-worker and anti-austerity policies that were in his manifesto in last year’s general election. This is the best way to fight for a Brexit in the interests of workers and their families.
Watch the full video of the NSSN TUC Rally in the Manchester Mechanics Centre
The rally was opened by NSSN National Secretary Linda Taaffe and was followed by RMT General Secretary Mick Cash, BFAWU General Secretary Ronnie Draper, Unite General Secretary and Assistant General Secretary Len McCluskey and Howard Beckett, USDAW President Amy Murphy (personal capacity), PCS President Janice Godrich, Terry Pullinger CWU Deputy General Secretary Postal and Rob Williams NSSN National Chair. We also received a message of support from POA Deputy General Secretary Joe Simpson who was tied up in congress preparations.
Before Mick Cash spoke, the rally gave a round of applause to salute the memory of Stan Herschel who has just passed away. Stan was the RMT’s regional organiser in the North East and an enthusiastic supporter of the NSSN nationally and in the North East.
The rally was then opened up to speakers from the floor, including from current and recent disputes such as Billy Kimm a guard in the RMT and Mandy Buckley Homecare worker from Unison, both who have been on strike at Northern Rail and Birmingham City Council respectively. The NSSN has decided to donate to both disputes from the financial collection at the rally.
We also heard about the victorious Unite Manchester Mears strike from Billy Sinclair. The rally ended with contributions from Yvonne Pattinson NAPO, Paul Rafferty Manchester Trades Council and Chris Baugh PCS Assistant General Secretary. There was then a short march to the conference centre where speeches continued on our open mic from NEU General Secretary Kevin Courtney, Hugo Pierre Unison NEC (personal capacity), Leicester NHS campaigner Steve Score, Sam Morecroft Sheffield UCU, Darren Ireland RMT North West regional organiser, Rod Finlayson Unite and Sean Hoyle RMT President.
NSSN news
The NSSN thanks the CWU for including in this month’s ‘Frontline’ magazine for its union reps a report of last month’s NSSN Conference,
We have also produced a leaflet for our supporters in Unite after the union agreed to affiliate to the NSSN
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
BREAKING NEWS!! Eurostar staff to take further strike action over service meltdown and shocking working conditions (13 Sept) – Rail union RMT confirmed today that Eurostar station staff based at St Pancras and Eurostar Train Managers will take strike for 48 hours in a dispute over shocking and dangerous working conditions resulting from repeated service failures and breakdowns. RMT members will not book on for any shifts that commence between: 00.01 hours on Sunday 30th September 2018 and 23.59 hours on Monday 1st October 2018 read more
Piccadilly Line tube drivers to strike in long-running dispute over breakdown in industrial relations (11 Sept) – TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that driver members on the Piccadilly Line will strike again later this month in a long-running dispute over the breakdown of industrial relations and a comprehensive failure by management to deliver on promised improvements following previous rounds of industrial action. As a result, members will take action by not booking on for any turns of duty as follows;
- Between 1200 hours on Wednesday 26th September and 1200 hours on Friday 28th September
- Between 2030 hours on Friday 28th September and 0130 hours on Saturday 29th September read more
RMT members rock solid this morning in continuing fight for safety on Northern and South Western Railway (8 Sept) – General Secretary Mick Cash said; ” RMT members are standing rock solid again this morning on both Northern and South Western Railway in the continuing fight for safety, security and access on our trains…” read more.
All Arriva Rail North Conductor, Conductor Instructor and Train Driver members are instructed to take action as follows: Not to book on for on for duty between:
- 00.01 hours and 23.59 hours on Saturday 15th September 2018
- 00.01 hours and 23.59 hours on Saturday 22nd September 2018
- 00.01 hours and 23.59 hours on Saturday 29th September 2018
South Western Railway RMT members are instructed not to book on for any shifts that commence between:-
- 0001 Hours and 2359 Hours on Saturday 15th September 2018
RMT secures renewed mandate for action in ballot on South Western Railway enforced by the Tory anti-union laws (6 Sept) – RAIL UNION RMT confirmed today that it has secured a rock-solid vote to continue with action in the rail safety dispute on South Western Railway after being forced to renew the mandate under the terms of the latest wave of Tory anti-union laws. Members have voted by an overwhelming 88% to continue with the current action in defence of safety, security and access on SWR despite the legal hurdles erected by the Tories 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
Unite
BREAKING NEWS!! York NHS trust staff to strike in row over ‘tax avoiding’ hived-off company (13 Sept) – NHS staff in York will hold a 48-hour strike over a proposal to transfer them to a wholly owned subsidiary designed to avoid paying tax. Unite, with 100,000 members in the health service, balloted its more than 200 estates’ and maintenance members employed by York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for industrial action over plans to transfer them to a wholly owned subsidiary. The 48 hour strike will run from 06.00 on Thursday 27 September to 05.59 on Saturday 29 September, after members voted by 92 per cent for strike action and by 91 per cent for industrial action short of a strike read more
Unite hails Waltham Forest victory in campaign for ‘living wage’ for young people (11 Sept) – Unite has notched up a further victory in its campaign to make London’s largest social enterprise leisure services’ provider Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) pay the London Living Wage (LLW) to those aged 18-to-20. Following pressure from Unite, Waltham Forest council has agreed that staff working for GLL aged 18 to 20 will be paid the London Living Wage of £10.20 – a 25 per cent rise from the current £8.10. It is understood that there are 260 young people working for GLL at seven leisure centres in Waltham Forest who will benefit. Waltham Forest Council along with GLL has agreed that staff aged 18 to 20 will be paid the LLW of £10.20 an hour giving them an increase of £2.10 per hour. This will come into effect from October 2018. This is the second victory achieved by Unite following the decision earlier in the summer when Tower Hamlets council brought forward an agreement with GLL to pay those aged 18-20 the LLW from this month (September), with pay backdated to April this year. Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: “This is fantastic news for young workers in Waltham Forest. Our campaign has directly led to an increase of 25 per cent on the hourly rate…” read more
Kent NHS estates staff to strike in row over ‘tax avoiding’ hived-off company (11 Sept) – Estates staff at three Kent hospitals will strike for five days later this month over plans to transfer them to a wholly owned subsidiary to avoid paying tax. Unite today (Tuesday 11 September) that strike action will run from 00:01 on Monday 24 September until 23:59 on Friday 28 September. The industrial action will affect Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Canterbury; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital, Margate; and William Harvey Hospital in Ashford read more
Crane workers in Sunderland vote to accept improved pay deal (6 Sept) – Crane workers at the Liebherr Sunderland Works have overwhelmingly accepted a new improved pay offer today (Thursday 6 September), Unite has announced. The new offer that was overwhelmingly accepted by members this morning is 3.3 per cent, with Monday 24 December 2018 as an additional paid holiday for this year only. The deal with run from January 2018 to March 2019. Unite regional officer Mark Sanderson said: “Our members voted overwhelmingly this morning to accept the improved offer made yesterday by the management. “As a result, all strike action has been suspended and our members are working normally. “I would like to thank our members for the strong solidarity that they have shown, which helped bring about a successful resolution to this dispute. More generally, I would like to thank the Sunderland public and the union movement for their heartfelt support…” read more
PCS
PCS call for coordinated public sector pay campaign at TUC (12 Sept) – PCS laid down the gauntlet to the government on pay, calling for coordination of union action across the country to push for above-inflation pay rises in the public sector. Moving the motion at the Trades Union Congress in Manchester today, the union highlighted the fact its members were still subject to a pay cap despite the government partially removing it for other public sector workers read more
Unison
BREAKING NEWS!! Glasgow women workers vote 98 per cent in favour of strike action (13 Sept) – A ballot said by the unions to be one of the largest of women workers in the UK returned this afternoon with a majority voting to walk out. If the strike now goes ahead it will affect schools, museums and leisure facilities across the city with thousands of women involved read more in Glasgow Evening Times
UNISON is sending out HE ballot papers and calling for yes to strike action (13 Sept) – UNISON is calling for members to back strike action, as some employers attempt to impose the below-inflation offer. Ballot papers are being sent out to UNISON higher education members from Friday 14 September. The union is calling on members to vote ‘yes’ for strike action, as the employers’ offer of 2% for most staff (up to 2.7% for others) is below inflation and doesn’t meet the needs of our members, who have suffered years of below-inflation pay increases. Some employers have moved to ‘impose’ the offer by putting it into staff pay packets before any agreement with the unions has been reached. This is a provocative action meant to undermine our ballot read more
Support the striking Birmingham home care workers: Strike demonstration this Saturday September 15th 12noon Victoria Square Facebook event – Please send messages of support and donations to Unison Birmingham branch, 46 The Priory Queensway Birmingham B4 7LR. Email [email protected] Facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/birminghamunison/
East Dunbartonshire Unison, Unite and GMB
Unison today (Wed 29th August) served notice on East Dunbartonshire Council and EDLC Trust of all out strike action on Wed 12th September. Unite and GMB have also served notice on East Dunbartonshire Council East Dunbartonshire Unison Facebook page
FBU
Support FBU Merseyside’s campaign to stop the proposed downgrading of Liverpool City Centre fire station – follow @fbumerseyside on twitter Merseyside fire authority forced to postpone night closures
UCU
Strike ballots over pay open in colleges and universities – UCU members in 147 colleges in England and 147 UK universities are being balloted for strike action in a row over pay. The ballots open on Thursday 30 August and close on Friday 19 October. The dispute in universities has arisen after the universities’ representatives, the Universities and Colleges’ Employers Association (UCEA, made a final offer of 2% at the final pay talks in May. UCU said the offer does nothing to address the falling value of higher education pay, which has declined in real terms by 21% since 2009 read more
EIS
A national EIS demonstration in support of our pay claim will take place in Glasgow on Saturday October 27th – As a union, we need a maximum display of our strength on the day. All members are urged to attend this event to send a clear message to Scottish Government and COSLA: Value Education Value Teachers! Read more
TSSA
TSSA warns ScotRail of intent to ballot for strike action in rest day working dispute (11 Sept) – TSSA has notified ScotRail that we will be balloting our members for industrial action in a dispute over payments for rest day working read more
BFAWU
“McStrike” Union to Ballot JD Wetherspoon Workers on Industrial Action – The BFAWU to ballot Wetherspoons workers at two pubs in Brighton. The BFAWU union today notified JD Wetherspoon that it is to ballot its members at two of its pubs in Brighton. BFAWU Members at “The Bright Helm”, and “The Post & Telegraph” will be balloted in a secret postal ballot. The Bakers’ Union members will be balloted on their willingness to strike for £10 an hour and union recognition read more. Keep sending solidarity to the McStrikers in 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
BECTU
BECTU Red Bee members reject pay offer and agree to ballot on industrial action (10 Sept) – BECTU invites Red Bee to take part in further talks over pay. Staff working at Red Bee Media (RBM) have rejected the company’s pay offer and indicated they would be prepared to take part in industrial action. The company’s major clients include the BBC, ITV and many other UK broadcasters read more
Albert Hall members take recognition battle to next level (7 Sept) – BECTU takes the next step to achieve union recognition at iconic venue. The battle to secure union recognition at the Royal Albert Hall is pressing ahead with the submission of a formal recognition claim to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) read more
Read the latest about the Picturehouse dispute 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
NUJ
NUJ wins recognition at Springer Nature Limited (formerly Macmillan Publishers) (12 Sept) – The National Union of Journalists in the UK and Ireland (NUJ) is delighted to have won trade union recognition at the academic publishing company Springer Nature. Recognition covers those working in NUJ eligible jobs on Nature and its associated products read more
Belfast High Court gathering shows support for public interest journalism (7 Sept) – Members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) gathered outside the Courts of Justice in Belfast today in solidarity with the makers of the documentary ‘No Stone Unturned’. Two journalists involved in making the film were arrested on Friday 31 August read more
United Voices of the World
The Topshop two fight in the courts! (Sept 5) – Today is the start of the long awaited 10 day employment tribunal hearing of the Topshop Two! In 2016 UVW members Susana and Carolina, both mothers from Ecuador, were both cruelly sacked by the cleaning company Britannia from the billionaire Philip Green’s Topshop flagship store read more
IWW
Welsh ‘Uber Eats’ Workers Fight Back (Sept 5) – Uber Eats riders staged their second action in Cardiff on Monday against low pay and insecure work. Protestors gathered outside the company’s Cardiff office on the appropriately named Vanguard Way to boycott the latest meeting managers had organised under pressure from their angry workforce. To date no progress has been made on the demands of the riders, who have vowed to step up their campaign. Riders have been pressing the company for months to do something about a long list of grievances including long waits between jobs – grown to up to 45 minutes over the summer – a disregard for couriers’ safety and a lack of “boost” – a multiplier that increases the amount couriers get paid per mile…The company is trying and failing to conceal their nervousness: it denied access to the riders’ union rep from the IWW union for fully half an hour (with riders chanting “Same old Uber – always waiting) until they let him to speak to senior managers, who offered nothing in the way of concessions. The riders’ campaign must continue read more
Glasgow Uber Eats couriers in the IWW union also took action on September 10th
Other news
New book: ‘Tacking the housing crisis – with publicly owned construction Direct Labour Organisations’ by Tony O’Brien. For enquiries phone 07500169151. Book launch 6pm September 27th at Unite head office 128 Theobalds Rd, London WC1X 8TN
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
Egypt: Shawkan’s release five years overdue read more on NUJ website
Israeli army attacks journalists near Ramallah read more on NUJ website
India: That’s terrible, that’s Tetley! – tea workers denied their human right to safe drinking water read more
Diary
2018
September
29 Protest Tory Party Conference in Birmingham – assemble 12pm Victoria Square
November
17 National Unity Demonstration Against Fascism and Racism Central London
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
