NSSN 441: Stop the closure of Ford Bridgend - National Shop Stewards Network

This week, we headline our bulletin with the horrendous news that Ford intend to close the Bridgend engine Plant. This would mean that over 1700 workers in the plant and many others in the supply chain and related industries are directly affected. But in addition, working-class communities in South Wales will be affected.

The NSSN gives our full support and solidarity to the Ford workers and their unions. NSSN chair Rob Williams, a former convenor at the now closed Swansea plant said, “This is a catastrophe for these workers, their families and communities and the whole Welsh economy. It comes after recent similarly terrible news at Swindon Honda and British Steel. I stand in total solidarity with the Bridgend Fordworkers – many of who are my friends and fellow workmates. I support any action that they deem necessary locally and nationally to fight to save the plant.

“The Labour-run Welsh Assembly Government should tell Ford that the plant will be nationalised to save jobs and communities and Jeremy Corbyn must give the commitment that a Labour government led by him will take it into public ownership. This is the way to put a weak and divided Tory government under pressure to intervene.”

Sign the petition: Nationalise Ford Bridgend if the company closes the plant – an appeal to Mark Drakeford

Unite: Ford accused of ‘sledgehammer’ blow over Bridgend closure plans (6 June) – Unite, the UK’s largest union representing car workers, accused Ford of taking an economic sledgehammer to the Welsh economy and wider car industry after the carmaker announced plans today (Thursday 6 June) to close its Bridgend engine factory with the loss of 1,500 jobs. Vowing to leave ‘no stone unturned’ in its fight against the proposed closure, Unite called on Ford to rethink, saying it would be a gross betrayal of workers who had worked hard to deliver massive budget savings and make the Bridgend plant one of the most efficient in the world. Unite warned that the closure of Bridgend would send shockwaves through the Welsh economy and wider supply chain, imperilling the livelihoods of thousands of people. Bridgend makes the Dragon petrol engine which is used in a range of Ford models across the globe. Commenting Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner said: “Ford will be taking an economic sledgehammer to the Welsh economy in an act of gross industrial sabotage if it doesn’t urgently reverse these closure plans…” read more

Unite: Ford Bridgend closure a ‘grotesque act of economic betrayal’, says McCluskey (6 June) – The leader of Unite branded Ford’s decision to close its Bridgend engine plant a ‘grotesque act of economic betrayal’. Commenting on news that Ford plans to shut Bridgend by September 2020 Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: “Ford’s decision to shut its Bridgend engine plant in 2020 is a grotesque act of economic betrayal. “These workers and this community have stayed faithful to Ford, as have UK customers – this is still Ford’s largest European market – through thick and thin, but have been treated disgracefully in return by this company. Ford broke promise after promise to the UK. First, it was that it would build 500,000 engines at Bridgend. That fell to a quarter of a million, then fell again and again to now just 80,000. The company has deliberately run down its UK operations so that now not a single Ford vehicle – car or van – is made in the UK. Ford has treated its UK workers abysmally, and the company can do so because the fact remains that it is cheaper, easier and quicker to sack our workers than those in our competitor countries. But Ford can forget about it if it thinks we will make it easy for Ford to walk away from this workforce. We will resist this closure with all our might, and call upon the governments at the Welsh Assembly and Westminster to join us to save this plant, and to prevent yet another grave injury to UK manufacturing.” Read more

GMB ‘shocked’ by ‘hammer blow’ Ford Bridgend closure (6 June) – GMB, the union for Ford workers in Bridgend, has reacted with shock to today’s announcement. Ford’s plant in Bridgend – which has been operational since 1977 – is set to close in September next year. Jeff Beck, Regional Organiser, said: “We’re hugely shocked by today’s announcement, it’s a real hammer blow for the Welsh economy and the community in Bridgend. Regardless of today’s announcement GMB will continue to work with Ford, our sister unions and the Welsh Government to find a solution to the issue and mitigate the effects of this devastating news. What makes it worse is Donald Trump is in this country talking about a possible trade deal between the UK and the US – yet when the plant closes the new line is likely to be produced in Mexico by an American company. So much for the special relationship Mr Trump.” Read more

NSSN news

May’s gone – now get rid of ALL the Tories! Come to 2019 NSSN Conference in London on Saturday July 6^th

This year’s National Shop Stewards Network Conference takes place as the Tory crisis reaches a new stage with the resignation of Theresa May. But no Tory prime minister will act in the interests of workers – we need a general election to get rid of them all and their vicious austerity and anti-union laws. And if necessary, the labour and trade union movement must mobilise to fight for it.

Themes for discussion in the main sessions and workshops will include: Brexit – what’s the way forward for workers?; Housing; Climate Change and the unions, Winning ballots for action; Brexit and Migrant workers; Organising young Workers and Unionising in Private Contractors

Book your place today!

2019 NSSN Conference – 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL – Saturday July 6th. Attendance fee £6. Pay on the day or you can send us a cheque: make out to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’ and post to NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE. You can register in advance by emailing [email protected]

Please use this letter in your union and trades council to help us finance the conference and affiliate to the NSSN Facebook event

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

More Unite

Glasgow Airport ‘severely disrupted’ as more strikes scheduled (7 June) – Unite the union has today (7 June) stated that the industrial action taking place between 04:00-16:00. has ‘severely disrupted’ operations at Glasgow Airport as further strike dates were announced. The action undertaken involves airport security officers, airport fire safety, airfield operations officers, and engineering technicians. Unite confirmed another six hour stoppage on 21 June from 08.30 to 14.30. This is in addition to the following stoppages:

10 June between 04.00-16.00

14 June between 04.00 and 08.00 read more

Lincolnshire health visitors balloted for strike action over ‘no pay rises’ and erosion of professional standards (7 June) – A total of 57 health visitors employed by Lincolnshire county council are being balloted on strike action over not getting paid the rate for the job and the erosion of their professional responsibilities which could adversely impact vulnerable families. It is believed to be the first time that the county’s health visitors have been balloted on strike action in defence of their pay and professional standards. The ballot closes on Thursday 27 June. Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union, said it calculates that its Lincolnshire health visitor members have lost more than £2,000 a year since they were transferred from the NHS to the county council in October 2017 read more

Hackney council blamed for new wave of planned strikes which will affect bussing disabled children to school (6 June) – Hackney council is being blamed for six days of planned strikes by drivers and passenger escorts on school buses for disabled children in a new dispute over payments for working split shifts. Unite said its 38 members, who drive and assist the children to and from school on a daily basis, will stage six 24 hour strikes on 18, 20, 25 and 27 June as well as 4 and 9 July, all starting at 00.01. The staff voted unanimously for the new strike days. The dispute centres on a £50 a week claim for compensation for the split shifts, backdated to July last year when the issue was first raised. Unite said this claim is based on the next grade in the Green Book national agreement which the union believes is the correct one for this group of workers. Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: “This new dispute is a result of council bosses adamantly refusing to negotiate for nearly a year…” read more

Southampton hospital security staff vote to accept new pay offer (6 June) – Security staff at Southampton General Hospital, who have been attacked in the A&E department, have voted to accept a new offer covering pay, sick pay and new protective equipment. Unite which represents the 21 security staff, today (Thursday 6 June) hailed the settlement with the employer Mitie Security Ltd as ‘an important victory and a strong demonstration of worker solidarity’. The plight of the security staff, who have been attacked on a regular basis by members of the public either under the influence of drink or drugs, or with mental health problems, attracted national media attention. There had been a lack of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as stab vests and safety restraints. Unite lead officer for health in the south east Scott Kemp said: “Unite is pleased to announce that our security staff at Southampton General Hospital have accepted a package that includes increased pay rates, improved sick pay arrangements, and new PPE equipment. “We regard this as an important victory which demonstrates the strong solidarity shown by our members during this long-running dispute and, also, more widely, the support they received from the local community…” read more

Support the Swindon Honda workers – watch video of the March 30^th demonstration against the planned closure of the plant

Bring British Steel into public ownership to avoid an industrial catastrophe, demands Unite – The government must bring British Steel into public ownership to avoid an economic and industrial catastrophe the UK and Ireland’s largest union, Unite said today (Wednesday 22 May) after it emerged the steelmaker is going into official receivership read more

Keep supporting Unite members on at Colloids Limited on Merseyside who are on indefinite strike to defend their union rep – The action comes after the dismissal of Unite union representative George Gore who was unfairly dismissed on Friday 8 February for an alleged breach of health and safety. For more information and to send messages of support and donations, please contact Patrick Coyne on 07568 106 243 and/or Unite communications officer Karen Viquerat on 0151 559 2004 or 07768 931 316. Unite press office is on 020 3371 2065. Email: [email protected] read more

Workers at Luton Airport step up action with 49 day strike – Security guards employed by London Luton Airport will take strike action through most of June and July in a dispute over ‘heavy-handed’ changes to working time. The workers will begin their fourth period of strike action today (Wednesday 5 June) from 04:30 through to Tuesday 23 July at 20:59. Unite is meeting the airport with Acas next Wednesday (12 June) to try to resolve the dispute. London Luton Airport is imposing a new shift pattern affecting around 120 security guards which means the workforce will have to work an extra 15 days a year. Workers say the new shift pattern is taking a heavy toll on their well-being read more

Woolwich Ferry staff strike for 10 days in Groundhog Day safety dispute, says Unite – Workers, who operate the Woolwich Ferry used by an estimated 2.6 million passengers a year, are to strike for 10 days in a dispute over pay, health & safety, and lack of staffing. The 31 workers, members of Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union, who are employed by Briggs Marine Contractors Ltd, voted unanimously for strike action The 24 hour strike dates are: 17, 20, 24, 28, and 31 May. This will be followed by five days in June on 3, 7, 10, 14 and 17 June. All stoppages will start at 00:01. The key issues in the dispute are the refusal to grant a six per cent pay increase for the year starting January 2019; the imposition of new duties; failure to deal with safety concerns; and lack of an adequate number of staff to operate the service. Two years ago, there was an acrimonious and long-running dispute at the ferry with the same employer, which runs the service on behalf of Transport for London (TfL), over a bullying culture and health & safety issues read more

Bromley library workers to strike on 6 June in staffing and pay dispute – Bromley library workers will strike continuously from Thursday 6 June to demand full staffing of Bromley’s libraries. The strike is also part of a campaign by Unite to give a big pay boost to workers employed by social enterprise leisure services’ giant Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL). The 50 library staff, who are employed by GLL, voted by 98 per cent to strike on pay and also on issues specifically relating over the running of Bromley’s 14 libraries. The Bromley dispute relates to GLL bosses not filling vacant posts; asking staff to be managers without paying the proper rate for the job; and failing to pay wages owed. Unite is seeking a six per cent increase in basic pay from April 2019 for its hundreds of members working for GLL in more than 140 leisure centres and libraries in 16 London boroughs, as well as in Belfast. Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: “The near unanimous vote for strike action by our Bromley library members sends a strong message to GLL bosses that: ‘Enough is enough’. Our members will walk out on 6 June and strike until a settlement is reached – this action will lead to the closure of the borough’s 14 libraries…” read more During the first week, starting 6th June, Unite are asking for support from 8 am to 11 am on the picket line at Bromley Central Library, High St, Bromley, BR1 1EX – please note that there will be no picket on Saturday

Please give your solidarity and send messages of support to the Woolwich and Bromley disputes and any financial assistance via Unite regional officer Onay Kasab [email protected]

Support the strike at Angus council – the strike action includes a ban on overtime and work to rule, will take place from April until late June 2019. The first days of industrial action will take place from 00:01 hours on 8 April 2019 concluding at 23:59 hours on 12th April 2019. A series of 48 hour stoppages will commence at 00:01 hours on:

3, 10, 17, 24 June 2019 read more

Support the Mitie workers at Sellafield (report from local NSSN supporters) – The Mitie worker’s strike action at Sellafield, against poverty pay, resumed on Tuesday 28.05.19. Following a meeting in Carlisle in support of the Unite Union’s members, on Thursday 23.05.19, which was addressed by workers representatives and union organisers, it was agreed that we would visit the site in support of their action. We travelled down on Tuesday morning to join the march to the site at 4.30am. This march from the Yottonfews car park to the main gate signals the start of the action to the day, and was well attended by a large contingent of those on strike. This has the effect of closing the road to the Sellafield site entrances, causing a long tail back of traffic waiting to enter the site. At one point this tail back had been as far as Distington, a distance of 15 miles. One worker, travelling from Frizington, stated, “I’ve been in traffic for an hour and a half, for a journey that would normally take 15 minutes”.

Once at the main gate, the pickets took position, two per entrance, two entrances for direct workers, and one for contractors. All strikers present took their turn on rota to man the picket. The pickets were well supported, with many cars stopping to discuss the issues, and taking literature. The action had the result of extending the time taken to enter the site by three hours, reducing the site working time, with the costs estimated at £4M, per day. This shows the effectiveness of the strike. The mood among the stikers was buoyant, and the support from most of the workers, and outside contractors, clearly evident. The stories of harassment and bullying tactics by Mitie were rife, but with this level of cost involved, at some point management will weigh up the balance between cost and pay rise, and obviously come to a positive conclusion for the strikers.

The picket line finished at 10am, at which point the strikers all returned to the Yottenfews car park for a very important de-briefing with Union officials. A short note which was mentioned by one of the strikers was that cleaning staff at Manchester Airport were on £12 per hour, because they worked in a “high risk environment”. For Mitie workers on minimum wage at a nuclear processing site, this seems a bit hard to swallow Unite: Sellafield Mitie workers contending with stress, mental health and bullying ‘epidemic’ as strike action resumes

RMT

RMT calls for Southern to be stripped of franchise as it finishes bottom of the train operator league (6 June) – RAIL UNION RMT has repeated the call this morning for GTR to be stripped of their franchise with the services taken into public ownership after it emerged that train operator Southern scored the worst levels of public trust out of all rail companies over the past two years. The GTR Great Northern and Thameslink operations were also rated way down in the relegation zone. Analysis by Transport Focus showed the firm was given “notably low scores for trust” across the last four passenger surveys, ranging from 17% in spring and autumn 2017 to 22% in the most recent survey in autumn last year. These were the lowest scores out of all the train operators read more

RMT announces 24-hour strike action on Bluestar Buses over pay on 18 June – BUS UNION RMT today (3 June) announced a 24-Hour strike on Bluestar Buses (also known as Go South Buses) in Eastleigh, Totton and Poole, after drivers, cleaners and ticket office staff voted with an overwhelming 87% in favour of taking action over pay. As a result of Bluestar’s failure to make a decent pay offer RMT members will strike for 24 hours on Tuesday 18th June read more

RMT announces five days of strike action on SWR – RAIL UNION RMT today announced five days of strike action on South Western Railway – accusing the company of dragging their heels in protracted talks over the guard guarantee after the union suspended action back in February in good faith based on written assurances over the rolling out of driver only operation. We instruct our SWR Guard, Commercial Guard and Driver members to take industrial action by not booking on for duty between 00:01 to 23:59 hours from Tuesday 18th June-Saturday 22nd June 2019 read more

TSSA

Clock Ticking On London Underground Industrial Action Ballot (6 June) – TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes has warned the “clock is ticking at speed” towards an industrial action ballot after the collapse of London Underground pay talks. TSSA officials met Tube bosses yesterday (Weds 5th June) who refused to move on a two-year pay deal which had previously been rejected. Cortes has now called for the matter to go to arbitration at ACAS read more

Aslef

Pay talks break down with London Underground (6 June) – ASLEF formally rejected London Underground’s offer of a 2.6% pay rise for this year, and RPI plus 0.2% for 2020, at pay talks on Wednesday 5 June. We think that, while LU plans to double its operating surplus, staff deserve to be properly rewarded for their work and to see progress on increasing quality time off and the other parts of our claim read more

Unison

UNISON members at the University of Birmingham to take strike action for fair pay, equality, and improved working conditions (June 7) – UNISON members at the University of Birmingham vote to take strike action over 2018-19 negotiations on pay, equality and working conditions. 51.3% of support staff members took part in the ballot, with 78.6% voting in favour of strike action. The result means that University of Birmingham UNISON will become the only branch in UK higher education to take strike action over the real terms pay cut imposed by university management. UNISON members at the University of Birmingham have voted to take strike action over 2018-2019 negotiations around fair pay, equality, and working conditions. The vote, based on a turnout of 51.3% of support staff members, resulted in over 78.6% voting in favour of strike action. No other UK Higher Education branch has taken strike action as a result of the pay and working conditions dispute for 2018-2019, and many unions have highlighted that the Trade Union Act’s 50% threshold has been imposed specifically to prevent the likelihood of industrial action read more

Social work members in West Dunbartonshire agree to suspend strike action (5 June) – UNISON met with West Dunbartonshire Council last week (May 29) following on from our tremendous industrial action ballot result announced on May 28. These further discussions led to a firm offer of concrete proposals to begin to address the substantive issues contained in the collective grievances which are the basis for the dispute. Critically, there was a firm timescale set. At a mass meeting later that day (May 29), UNISON members voted to accept the offer in order to allow further work to be undertaken. UNISON members will review progress on or before August 31 read more

Cleaners at Essex hospital call off strike as Trust agrees to their demands (5 June) – Domestic cleaners at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow have today (Wednesday) called off six days of planned strikes after their employer dropped plans to outsource their jobs. The Trust had been market testing its cleaning and catering services with the aim of putting them out to tender, claiming just last week that it would wait until August to make a decision. But UNISON repeatedly warned senior managers that outsourcing would lead to lower standards of cleanliness and create a two-tier workforce. Following a determined campaign by the 200 domestics, supported by the union UNISON, hospital bosses have now backed down, pledging to keep the service in-house read more

PCS

Outsourced workers in 2 government departments striking in next fortnight (6 June) – Outsourced workers at two government departments are to hold strikes in consecutive weeks starting on Monday (10) in ongoing disputes over pay and conditions. Interserve members at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) are striking for 5 days on Monday, because the multinational has refused to recognise the union and have made repeated blunders on pay, leaving many low-paid workers struggling to make ends meet. Our Interserve FCO members held 4 days of action last month and are struggling financially due to an imposed change of pay date, resulting in members not being paid since the 28 April. Picket lines outside the FCO will be from 7.30-10.30am next week, except for Friday (14) when there won’t be a picket line. The following week it is the turn of Amarak and ISS members at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy who are striking from 17 June. ISS and Aramark, which operate at BEIS, have refused to pay the London Living Wage (LLW) and cleaners at ISS have also struggled to survive due to non-payment of wages. The situation has become so dire that the PCS BEIS branch set up a foodbank last month in a bid to help struggling ISS workers read more

Support Universal Credit strikes in Walsall and Wolverhampton (29 May) – There was another great turnout on the picket lines on the latest 2-day strike at Walsall and Wolverhampton Universal Credit service centres where members are fighting for more staff and better working conditions. The strikes follow two previous days of strike action in March. Since then DWP has refused to meet the demands of the members, forcing members into taking further strike action. The strike action will have a serious impact on other DWP Universal Credit sites and DWP should now come to the negotiating table prepared to seriously address the concerns of the members. PCS has five key demands:

5,000 new staff, permanency for fixed term staff
Limit the number of phone calls per case manager
Limit the size of the national telephony hub
Improve consultation
A quality-focused approach – no more management by statistics read more and see details of how to give solidarity

NEU

NEU strikes next week:-

Newham Sixth Form College/Newham

(Term time only contracts) Tuesday 11 June, Wednesday 12 June and Thursday 13 June [email protected]

The Grove Academy / Harrogate

(Redundancies) Thursday 13 June [email protected]

NEU members say Jersey pay deal could be reached this week (6 June) – Union representatives say a new framework could be in writing by Friday. This would then be put to NEU members on Monday. Members of the National Education Union say a resolution to the ongoing row over pay could be reached this week. It comes after eight days of strike action last month over the pay dispute with Jersey’s States Employment board, which the union says is committed to a pay offer that would ‘see teachers being forced to take a real terms pay cut of 3.5%’. A new framework could be in writing by Friday and that this will then be put to union members on Monday to agree on. Further strike action has been delayed read more on ITV News website

Boycott High Stakes Summative Testing in Primary Schools read more about this campaign

UCU

Autumn strike warning for universities in USS pensions dispute (7 June) – Universities risk prompting a wave of industrial action across UK campuses later this year if they do not rule out benefit cuts or contribution increases for members of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). UCU has written to 69 institutions* warning that if they fail to confirm by Wednesday 19 June that they will limit members’ contributions to 8%, or meet the cost of any additional contributions, then the union will prepare for an industrial action ballot in September read more

NUJ

NUJ wins important tribunal decision over a freelance’s right to holiday pay (6 June) – The NUJ has won an important tribunal victory on behalf of a freelance member, who was awarded £8,360, over his right to holiday pay. David Walsh had worked on a casual basis for Scotsman Publications Ltd for a number of years. Although he had asked for holiday pay on several occasions, it was refused on the grounds that he was self-employed read more

USDAW

‘Time for Better Pay’ petition closes 10 June – Usdaw pushes for more signatures (28 May) – Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw launched the ‘Time for Better Pay’ petition on the .gov website, which currently has 38,000 signatures, to express the deep concerns we share about the pay and rights of a growing number of workers who find themselves in increasingly insecure employment. The petition, which closes on Monday 10 June 2019, can be accessed at: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/T4BP Usdaw is asking members and all who agree that workers deserve better pay and rights to sign the petition and share it with friends, family and colleagues read more

IWGB

TDL 24hr Strike on June 10^th: Save Lives Not Pennies – IWGB Couriers & Logistics branch members at the prestigious pathology company The Doctors Laboratory (TDL) have voted for a third 24-hour walkout. TDL has continually exploited its couriers by cutting their pay and failed them by abandoning year long negotiations. Couriers have, understandably, lost total faith in TDL management. who repeatedly show no respect for the dangerous work they carry out every day. They are now taking strike action for the third time and standing to defend their livelihoods. Stand with them, and fight to SAVE LIVES NOT PENNIES! Facebook event

Other news

35th Anniversary Annual Orgreave RALLY – Hosted by Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign

Saturday, 15 June 2019 from 13:00-16:00 – Orgreave Lane, Sheffield, S13 9 Facebook event

Wapping film appeal

Dear friends,

We are appealing for donations towards the completion of: ‘Wapping – the workers’ story’ a film about the momentous year-long industrial dispute which began in 1986 when Rupert Murdoch plotted to move production of his papers overnight from central London’s Fleet Street to a secretly equipped and heavily guarded plant at Wapping, a docklands district in east London.

5,500 men and women lost their jobs and centuries of tradition in one of London’s last manufacturing industries came to an end.

Military-style police tactics, the use of new laws which shackled the unions’ hard won freedoms and strike-breaking organised by the electricians union led to a Murdoch victory.

The dispute had international ramifications for Murdoch’s expanding press and broadcasting empire in the United States and around the world.

It took place as the Thatcher government broke with the post-war consensus and embraced monetarism – deregulating finance, privatising key industries and undermining local democracy.

You can watch the film’s TRAILER here: https://vimeo.com/311110278

Ken Loach has written this about the film: ‘We need to know the story of the print workers’ battle against Murdoch. We can understand our enemies and see our strengths. Chris Reeves is a fine film maker and a true friend of the workers movement. I know this film will be good and necessary. Please help get it made.’

Ann Field (retired Unite print sector national officer and a founder member of the News International Dispute‎ Archive) said: ‘From the 1980s conspiracy to get rid of an entire workforce of 5,500 workers to the notorious phone hacking and corruption scandals 30 years later – this film exposes the deep-seated and enduring immorality at the heart of the Murdoch-led News International empire. Please help to finance the completion of this film to ensure a wider audience learns of the impact on the workers, their unions and the media.’

Tony Burke (Unite Assistant General Secretary ) said: ‘During the dispute between the print unions and Rupert Murdoch’s News International in 1986 the media provided only fragments of the ‎real issues at stake and virtually nothing of the effects on the sacked workers, their families and our unions. Only a small number newspapers supported our members.

Unite are proud to be associated with this film to tell the real story of the workers’ struggle with Murdoch, the police, the Tory Government and the right wing media.

Your donation and support will help to ensure the film is completed and the voices of working people and those directly involved is available to set the record straight.’

The documentary is being made with the News International Dispute Archive group whose publications, website and travelling exhibition have given a voice to the sacked workers and their families.

We have filmed 20 interviews with sacked printworkers and the ‘refusenik’ journalists who joined them, and have made a rough cut of the film. But we need £ 20,500 (£4,000 for editing, £2,500 for on-line editing, and £14,000 for archive material transfers and copyright clearance).

We would appreciate any support you can provide. All donors will receive a DVD and be credited in the final film.

Yours fraternally,

Chris Reeves – Platform Films

You can donate on our website: http://www.platformfilms.co.uk

Or cheques, made out to Platform Films, can be sent to:

Platform Films, Marx Memorial Library, 37a Clerkenwell Green, London EC1R 0DU

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

Nigeria: Stop police attacks on worker-activists – Defend workers’ rights! Read more

Philippines: Holcim workers demand justice read more

Diary

2019

July

6 NSSN Conference Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL Facebook event