We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin with the Unison strike by NHS workers in Bradford. As one of our Yorkshire NSSN supporters says:-
“The escalation of the strike at Bradford Teaching Hospitals Trust to all-out strike action from August 26th marks a significant intensification by Unison union members in estates and facilities at the trust. They are fighting to defeat the proposed transfer of their jobs out of the NHS and into a ‘wholly owned subsidiary’ – a private company owned by the trust.
The NSSN continues to fully support their action after 3 weeks of strikes which has demonstrated their determination. Last year, when such bodies were first mooted in West Yorkshire, it was the successful ballot at Mid Yorkshire, with determination to take strike action that forced those proposals back.
The determination of the strikers must now be matched by drawing the might of the wider labour movement into this battle, including, like last year, linking up with others facing this and other attacks in this era of austerity.
A rally on 2 August was a start in this work, and the donations of food and drink from the public, show there is a wider well of support that must be tapped into to force the trust back. This escalation comes just over a month ahead of the trust’s proposed implementation of this transfer on 1 October.”
Health Campaigns Together Solidarity Rally
Monday 26th August
12 Midday
Bradford District Hospital
Duckworth Ln, Bradford BD9 6RJ
If you have not yet made a donation towards the strike fund please make your payment as follows
Send a bank transfer to:
Name: Unity Trust
Sort Code: 608301, Account Number: 49021215
Send a cheque to:
Bradford Health Services Branch, Unison Office, Field House, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Duckworth Lane, Bradford BD9 6RJ
You can also make a donation via the branch go fund me page by clicking this link. These funds will help support the lowest paid staff in the NHS in their long battle against privatisation and to remain 100% NHS
Unison Bradford Health Branch Facebook page
Support these other indefinite industrial actions:-
Unite and GMB
Support the Harland & Wolff occupation – renationalise to #SaveOurShipyard! The NSSN gives our full solidarity and support to the workers in the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, in Unite and the GMB, who have gone into occupation to fight to secure their future. We support their call to re-nationalise the shipyard to save jobs. 10 years ago, Belfast Visteon workers occupied their plant when the company went into administration. They fought for their jobs alongside their brothers and sisters in Enfield and Basildon but won enhanced redundancy when facing mere statutory terms. In 1971, workers in Upper Clydeside Shipbuilders in Glasgow undertook a working occupation, supported by a demonstration of 80,000 trade unionists and forced a Tory government to intervene to keep the yards open.
Follow #SaveOurShipyard on social media and send messages of support via twitter to @UniteunionNI and @GMBNI
Harland and Wolff deal set to safeguard jobs at historic shipyard (16 Aug) – At last there is some light at the end of the tunnel for these embattled Harland and Wolff workers, says GMB Union. A deal struck by unions will safeguard all jobs at iconic Harland and Wolff shipyard. More than 100 workers have occupied the Belfast site 24-hours a day for almost three weeks as part of GMB’s campaign to save the famous Titanic yard. “This is a testament to the workers’ bravery and tenacity in occupying the yard non-stop for nearly three weeks.” Denise Walker, GMB Senior Organiser. The shipyard went into administration last week after its troubled Norwegian parent company, Dolphin Drilling, failed to find a buyer. Administrators BDO today announced an extension of a temporary unpaid lay-off of the workforce to facilitate ongoing “positive discussions” with would-be buyers. The deal struck by GMB alongside Unite means when a buyer is found, the jobs will be transferred to the new owner under existing terms and conditions. GMB said the unions had done what government failed to do by underwriting the security of employment of this workforce read more
Unite
Five protests planned as Bromley library workers strike enters third month – Five more demonstrations are planned this month by Bromley library workers who are entering the third month of strike action against their controversial employer social enterprise leisure services’ giant Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL). Unite represents the 50 Bromley library staff who have been on strike continuously since 6 June over staffing and other issues specifically relating to GLL’s stewardship of Bromley’s 14 libraries. The demonstrations, outlined below, are all at GLL-run sites, except the one at SportsAid.
14 August – 10.00 to 12.00 – Crystal Palace sports centre, Ledrington Road, SE19 2BB
19 August – 12.00 to 14.00 – SportsAid, 21 Bloomsbury Square, WC1B 3HF
21 August – 10.00 to 11.00 – Islington tennis club, Market Road, N7 9PC, which will be followed by a protest at Sobell leisure centre, Hornsey Road, Islington N7 7NY between 14.00 -15.00
27 August – 10.00 to 12.00 – Sutcliffe Park, Kidbrooke Park Road, Eltham SE9 5LW.
Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: “The determination and fortitude of our members to defend the library service in Bromley should be applauded by everyone…”
Sign the petition to defend Bromley Library Service Call and support the indefinite strike. Please send messages of support and any financial assistance via Unite regional officer Onay Kasab [email protected]
PCS
BEIS contractor strike still strong into 4th week of indefinite action – A lively picket line greeted visitors to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy as caterers and cleaners by contractors entered their fourth week of continuous strike action over pay. The contracted out workers employed by Aramark and ISS at BEIS in London have been locked in a 9-month battle over the London Living Wage and poor working conditions READ MORE BREAKING NEWS!! BEIS receptionists, working for ISS have voted 100% to strike and will be taking action for 5 weeks in September
You can support the workers on social media using the hashtags: #LivingWage #PCSstrike
Please donate to the strike fund and send messages of support to [email protected]
Come to 2019 NSSN TUC Rally Brighton Sunday September 8th – 1pm in the Holiday Inn Kings Rd, BN1 2JF. All welcome
- Boris out! Fight together for a General Election to get all the Tories out
- Support the strikes
- Why unions should support the September 20th climate strike
This year’s TUC Congress in Brighton takes place in the aftermath of the Tory leadership contest. It’s already clear that Boris Johnson will act in the interests of big business not workers and their families. We need to mobilise for a general election that can oust this weak and divided government. Workers are showing on a daily basis in the increasing number of disputes that they are prepared to fight, particularly if a lead is given.
TUC Congress must be a council of war to set out a strategy of collective action across the labour and trade union movement to resist the bosses’ offensive and force out their Tory government.
Also, just 12 days after TUC Congress starts, there will be the September 20th global climate strike. Unions need to relate to this movement on a programme of public ownership to re-tool industry for green jobs without loss of employment, pay and pensions.
The annual public NSSN Rally on Sunday September 8th will as usual be held just before the start of TUC Congress. It is open to TUC delegates but also anyone involved in the trade union, anti-cuts and climate change movements. Come and hear leaders of militant unions alongside union reps and members involved in some of the increasing number of industrial disputes.
Confirmed speakers so far: Amy Murphy USDAW President, Dave Ward CWU General Secretary, Ronnie Draper BFAWU General Secretary, Mick Cash RMT General Secretary, Steve Gillan POA General Secretary plus union reps leading disputes
NSSN news
Get your trade union branch or trades council to affiliate to the NSSN – it only costs £50. Already affiliated? Please think about renewing it. Also, many of our supporters pay a few pounds a month. You can set up a similar standing order to ‘National Shop Stewards Network’, HSBC – sort code 40-06-41, account number 90143790. Our address is NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE
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 PCS
PCS campaign wins pay-out for Home Office apprentices (13 Aug) – Apprentices in the Home Office have received a significant financial pay-out thanks to PCS campaigning. Last December the government’s Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) abruptly terminated an agreement with the Home Office apprentices’ training provider. The ESFA removed Premier Partnership from the register of approved training providers, after Premier received a damning Ofsted report, a decision which affected over 650 apprentices. This included 100-plus Home Office apprentices, who were left in limbo whilst a new training provider was sought read more
Stockport Universal Credit strike after massive vote for action (12 Aug) – Stockport UC workers will be striking on August 27-28. Members at Stockport UC Service centre have voted in huge numbers in favour of taking industrial action – 91.9% voted in favour of Strike Action, 95% voted in favour of action short of strike action. The turnout was 71% which absolutely smashed the 50 % legal requirement, designed to prevent union members form taking strike action. A massive thank you must go to all the members who voted in this ballot read more Send messages of support to [email protected] and donate to the Stockport & Tame Valley Hardship Fund: Sort Code: 60-83-01 Account Number: 20260684
DVSA IT workers to strike for 1 month – PCS members working in IT support across the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, are to strike for 4 weeks from 22 August, along with colleagues who support people wishing to become approved driving instructors. PCS informed management of the intention to strike yesterday in a long-running dispute over working practices and restructures. Our members being called out on strike, are members of IT, including front line user services impacting on IT systems and incident management and members who deliver the processes for those who wish to become driving instructors. They work in Nottingham and Swansea read more
RMT
RMT kicks off justice for Mitie cleaners events in Glasgow tomorrow and urges public to sign petition for living wage (19 Aug) – Rail Union RMT will kick off a series of campaigning events, starting in Glasgow tomorrow, demanding Justice for Mitie cleaners on Network Rail Managed Stations and urging the public to sign the petition supporting a living wage for a group of crucial staff who do some of the dirtiest jobs on our railways. The campaign highlights the fact that passengers using Glasgow Central, Edinburgh Waverley, Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Leeds City or Birmingham New Street stations, are passing through stations that are cleaned, day and night, by people who are surviving on poverty pay read more
RMT members rock solid again this morning on fourth day of action in fight for workplace justice on East Midlands Trains (17 Aug) – RAIL UNION RMT said that members on East Midlands Trains are standing “rock solid and united” again this morning on a fourth day of industrial action as Stagecoach continue to attack pay and working conditions right up to the point that they bail out of the franchise tomorrow read more
RMT announces a further four days of strike action on SWR over guard guarantee (16 Aug) – Rail union RMT has confirmed that a further four days of strike action will take place on South Western Railway as the company continues to drag its heels and delays talks over guaranteeing a guard on the train. RMT has accused the company of deliberately trying to mug off staff, who have stood firm in the fight for rail safety, by making a mockery of the talks process. The company’s unremitting failure to give assurances that their new operational model won’t move to Driver Controlled Operation – with the role of the guard butchered completely – means the union has been left with no alternative but to call further industrial action. The company made it quite clear in talks with the union earlier this year that the protection of their profit margins is a determining factor in their future operational model proving that this is all about putting profits before passenger safety. As a result of SWR’s failure to move forwards on an agreement RMT members will take action as follows:
We instruct our SWR Guard, Commercial Guard and Driver members to not to book on for duty between:-
- 0001 hours Friday 30th August 2019 and 23.59 hours Monday 2nd September 2019 read more
RMT announces strike action by train operators on Central and Victoria Lines over breakdown in industrial relations (15 Aug) [BREAKING NEWS!! Strike days changed – see below] – TUBE UNION RMT has announced strike action by Train Operators working on the Central and Victoria lines arising from a breakdown in industrial relations in two separate ongoing disputes. On the Central Line the issues at the heart of the dispute are: insufficient driver numbers/chronic understaffing; imposed rosters; undue pressure and bullying of Drivers from Service Control management; obstruction of our representatives’ trade union duties; misuse of the attendance at work and disciplinary policies; inadequate welfare facilities and breaches of local agreements. On the Victoria line the dispute arises over matters related to the attendance at work procedure; unlawful deduction of wages; attempts to derecognise the SSTO grade at the lowest level in the machinery; breaches of the framework agreement including enforced and imposed overtime; unacceptable noise levels on the line and undue pressure and bullying of Drivers from Service Control Management. RMT Members working on the Central and Victoria Lines as Train Operators, Night Tube Train Operators and Instructor Operators at Hainault, Leytonstone, Loughton, West Ruislip, White City, Brixton and Seven Sisters Traincrew Depots to take strike action by not booking on for any shifts that commence between 20:00 hours on Thursday 29th August 2019 to 20:00 hours on Friday 30th August 2019 read more
BREAKING NEWS!! RMT shifts strike dates by train operators on Central and Victoria Lines over breakdown in industrial relations – new strike dates: between between:- • 20:00 hours on Tuesday 3rd September 2019 to 20:00 hours on Wednesday 4th September 2019 read more
RMT announces further strike action by rail renewals workers at Clarke Chapman Facilities Management – Rail union RMT has announced further strike action by members employed by rail renewals contractor Clarke Chapman Facilities Management in their fight for pay justice. Clarke Chapman Facilities Management are a contractor carrying out work across the UK for Network Rail. Previous strike action on the weekend of 27th and 28th July resulted in all the contractor’s scheduled work being cancelled. RMT members employed by Clarke Chapman Facilities Management are instructed to take the following strike action:
- 48 hour strike action commencing at 00:01 hours on Saturday 24th August 2019 until 23:59 hours on Sunday 25th August 2019.
- 48 hour strike action commencing at 00:01 hours on Saturday 31st August 2019 until 23:59 hours on Sunday 1st September 2019.
Additionally, the continuous overtime and rest day working ban remains in force until further notice read more
RMT confirms new strike dates in Merseyrail Guards’ dispute as company fail to deliver on key issue of train dispatch – RAIL UNION RMT today (30 July) confirmed a new batch of strike dates in the long-running guards’ and safety dispute on Merseyrail as the company has failed to deliver on the crucial issue of a safe method of train dispatch. As a result, the union’s executive believes that at this stage we have no alternative but to instruct our Merseyrail members not to book on for duty on the following dates:
Saturday 24th August 00.01-23.59 hrs
Tuesday 3rd September 00.01-23.59 hrs
Thursday 5th September 00.01-23.59 hrs
Monday 30th September 00.01-23.59 hrs
Wednesday 2nd October 00.01-23.59 hrs
Friday 4th October 00.01-23.59 hrs read more
More Unite
Unite London Bus Drivers Demonstration: ‘Why do London bus drivers deserve better?’ – 10.30am Thursday 29 August City Hall, London SE1 2AA
BREAKING NEWS!! Stowmarket ‘Dulux’ pay dispute turns bitter as bosses threaten ultimatum, says Unite (20 Aug) – Workers at Dulux paint producer AkzoNobel in Stowmarket, Suffolk are being balloted for strike action over a ‘paltry’ pay offer, as the bosses issue an ultimatum to withdraw an already rejected offer. Unite which represents the vast majority of the workforce, said that its members had already rejected a 2.25 per cent pay offer for the year starting 1 April 2019 in a consultative ballot by a 98 per cent majority. Unite said since the ballot has started the management has written to all its members at the Needham Road site threatening to withdraw the deal and withhold the backdated uplift they would be due on their pay if they don’t agree to the 2.25 per cent offer by 6 September read more
Merseyside police accused of heavy handedness during Ellesmere Port construction protests (19 Aug) – Unite, the UK’s construction union, has accused Merseyside police of heavy handedness following recent protests at the troubled energy from waste construction site at Hooton Park, Ellesmere Port. Activists from Unite have been protesting at the site since March in protest at practices on the site resulting in a race to the bottom for construction workers’ conditions and undermining national construction agreements. The site is on the border between Cheshire and Merseyside police and following a small relocation where the protests occur, the latter police force is now in charge of policing the entirely peaceful protests. Unite members report that the police have already arrested one member and have threatened the other “activists with regular arrests”. The next protest will be on Friday 23 August beginning at 05:30 until 09:00 at the Hooton Park site Wirral North Road, Ellesmere Port CH65 1AN read more
Unite members at Hoyer Petrolog contract to delay industrial action ballot to allow for fresh talks (19 Aug) – Members of Unite employed by Hoyer Petrolog on its Flexi Fleet contract have agreed to delay a ballot for industrial action, to allow further talks to take place in the on-going pay dispute. Negotiations will now resume at a senior level in an attempt to resolve the pay dispute read more
Port operatives at C.RO Ports Killingholme secure union recognition (19 Aug) – Port operatives in North Killingholme, Lincolnshire, employed by C.RO Ports on their side following a Unite organising campaign. After the majority of the port operatives joined the union, positive discussions between management and Unite led to a deal giving over 125 workers at the cargo port the right to be represented by the union. The company has agreed access for Unite’s organisers to help democratically elect a full complement of workplace representatives with organisers on site every Wednesday and Thursday for four weeks starting today (Monday 19 August) read more
Pharmacy support workers to strike amid ‘interference’ by health minister (19 Aug) – Pharmacy support workers at NHS Tayside will take continuous strike action commencing Monday 19 August amid claims of ‘interference’ by the cabinet secretary for health and sport, Jeane Freeman MSP. The dispute relates to a flawed job evaluation process which Unite believes has led to a number of grading issues leaving pharmacy support Workers being paid at a lower grade than they should be. NHS Tayside admitted that the job evaluation process was not followed through to its rightful conclusion and Unite’s members were not given a right of appeal. A previous ballot of pharmacy support workers held in June resulted in a 90 per cent turnout with 100 per cent indicating support for industrial action including strike action read more
Unite members to hold industrial action at Scottish Borders council (14 Aug) – Unite the union has today (14 August) confirmed that its membership in the roads department at Scottish Borders council (SBC) will hold 24 hours of industrial action on the 29 August. In June, 86.4 per cent of Unite’s members voted for strike action, and 95.7 per cent for action short of a strike, in a 78 per cent turnout. The day of industrial action coincides with a full council meeting where a rally and protest will take place outside SBC headquarters at Bowden Road, Newtown St Boswells. The dispute follows a series of detrimental changes being imposed by SBC to the terms and conditions of Unite’s membership in the local authority’s roads department. The changes include a reduction in pension accrual as a result of cuts to pensionable overtime rates, and the removal of paid travel time 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
Support the striking Lincolnshire health visitors: Labour’s shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth to address Lincoln rally in support of striking health visitors tomorrow – (16 Aug) Labour’s shadow health and social care secretary Jon Ashworth will give Lincolnshire’s health visitors ‘maximum support’ when he addresses a well-supported rally in Lincoln tomorrow (Saturday 17 August). The dispute centres on the calculation by Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union, that its 58 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
More GMB
Matalan faces huge disruption as 500 workers vote to strike (13 Aug) – Matalan deliveries are set to grind to a halt after 500 warehouse workers voted for strike action. GMB members working at Matalan’s Northern Distribution Centre based in Knowsley, Merseyside, will walk out for 24 hours at 2pm on August 19, 2019. The Knowsley distribution centre services e-commerce and store supplies across the north of England and Scotland Further strike days will follow. Workers voted to walk out after Matalan management made a pay offer which will see some workers get just 1.5% – equivalent to a real terms pay cut read more
Asda workers march in defiance of company’s attempt to impose contract changes (16 Aug) – Chanting “No ifs, no buts, No Asda cuts”, the best part of 1,000 Asda workers, members of the GMB trade union, marched on Asda House in Leeds on 14 August to protest against their company’s imposition of a new punitive contract called Contract 6 read more
Thousands of Wilko staff vote in strike ballot after company forces weekend working – Our members are angry – this new rota is savage, says GMB Union. Thousands of Wilko staff are taking part in a strike vote after the company tried to force staff to work weekends. Around 2,000 GMB members at two Wilko distribution centres – in Magor, Wales and Worksop, Nottinghamshire – are taking part in the ballot, which closes on September 3. If workers vote to strike – industrial action could cripple Wilko deliveries to stores across the UK from September 17. During a recent consultative ballot, more than 90% of workers said they were willing to strike over the rota changes read more
John Lennon Airport staff vote to strike – Liverpool’s John Lennon airport is set for Bank Holiday gridlock after GMB members voted to strike. Around 200 workers on the Swissport EasyJet and Swissport Mainline contracts voted overwhelmingly for industrial action over health and safety issues, working practices, pay and the company’s breach of the recognition agreement. The strikes will take place as follows:
Thursday 22nd August 2019 between 04.00 and 20.00
Saturday 24th August 2019 between 04.00 and 20.00
Thursday 29th August 2019 between 04.00 and 20.00
Further dates are expected to follow, and workers will be under a continuous overtime ban read more
Support the striking Hull Karro workers – As Karro workers their 8th week of strike action, every Monday, for fair and equal pay. Hull and District Trades Council held a rally yesyerday evening in support of their cause see more on Hull and District Trades Council Facebook group
Please send messages of support to:
[email protected], GMB strike committee
[email protected], GMB official
Cheques to GMB Hull Branch No 7, c/o Shaune Clarkson, Karro Food Strike Committee, GMB Offices, 62 Russell Street, Hull HU2 9AD
USDAW
Usdaw members at Sainsbury’s Waltham Point Distribution Centre to take strike action on Thursday 22 and Sunday 25 August (Aug 21) – Date: 21 August 2019Tomorrow morning from 6am and on Sunday morning also at 6am, Usdaw members at Sainsbury’s Waltham Point will take part in further 24-hour strike action. The dispute has already seen two one day stoppages and relates to changes to the attendance policy which are being unilaterally implemented by the company read more
FBU
Police takeover of fire service will damage public safety (13 Aug) – Fire budgets could be cut in favour of policing, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has warned after fire authorities lost a bid to block a takeover from West Mercia’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC). Firefighters’ vital community engagement work could also be threatened, as their independence from police is eroded. Hereford and Worcester and Shropshire fire and rescue services could face £4M in cuts if the takeover goes ahead. The FBU has dismissed “misleading” claims from the PCC, John Campion, that the cuts could be implemented without affecting emergency cover read more
NEU
Support strikes at Peacehaven Community School in east Sussex against academisation – Send messages of support to: Phil Clarke 07709696561 [email protected] and Jack Tyler 01444 894500 [email protected] Hands Off Peacehaven Community School Facebook group
UCU
Support sacked Sandwell College lecturer Dave Muritu read more
NAPO & POA
Napo and POA in dispute over OMiC as Johnson announces 10,000 more prison places – Today’s big story on sentencing reform, and the return of the Tories favourite old pre-election mantra of ‘lock em up and throw away the key,’ is symptomatic of the failure by successive Governments to properly understand the need for a balanced approach to prisons and rehabilitation…Today, and perhaps very well-timed, your National Chair Katie Lomas and I have served notice on Sonia Crozier that Napo are now in dispute over the Offender Management in Custody strategy for a number of reasons (as articulated our letter – CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD). Our serious doubts about the practicalities of OMiC were raised a long time ago and have been again in light of the Governments U-turn on Probation, but it’s been an awfully long slog trying to get someone to take our concerns seriously. Today’s announcements should at least ring some more bells in this regard read more
Prospect
Recognition deal for new branch at Baglan Bay power station (19 Aug) – Prospect has signed a recognition agreement with the operators of Baglan Bay power station in South Wales to represent members during a crucial period as they face a TUPE transfer read more
Science Museum Group staff announce strike date over pay – Prospect union members in the Science Museum Group (SMG) are to take industrial action this summer over an ongoing pay dispute. The action will be in two stages:
24-29 August 2019 – action short of strike including work-to-rule and the withdrawal of good will.
30 August 2019 – 24 hours strike.
The action is taking place after SMG failed to come up with an improved offer after imposing a below-inflation pay rise of 1.5% for most staff earlier this year – the latest in a series of below-inflation pay rises which have left workers across the sector with a 13% real terms pay cut since 2010. Members voted to reject that deal and subsequently voted overwhelmingly for industrial action read more
NIPSA
Pay Day Lunchtime Protests on 28 August – As part of the ongoing dispute in relation to Pay, Terms and Conditions the Civil Service Executive Committee have agreed to organise lunchtime protests across Northern Ireland to demonstrate to the public and others the meagre pay increases received by civil servants for 2018-19 read more
BALPA
Ryanair has blown the chance of finding a resolution before this week’s strike action, says BALPA (19 Aug) – The British Airline Pilots Association has said that because Ryanair has wasted time with unnecessary court action, their chance to resolve the dispute involving their pilots has been lost. Instead Ryanair is relying on legal technicalities to try to persuade the High Court to block the strike. Ryanair is seeking a High Court injunction on Wednesday to stop strike action by UK Ryanair pilots, due to take place on Thursday and Friday this week, with a second round of dates in September. BALPA invited Ryanair to join them at talks this week but the airline refused. BALPA members in Ryanair will be asked to take strike action as follows:
From 0001 on 22nd August until 2359 on 23rd August
And
From 0001 on 2nd September until 2359 on 4th September read more
IWGB
Migrant workers at Brexiteer millionaire’s club victimised following trade union activity (19 Aug) – At least eight kitchen porters working at a private members’ club owned by millionaire Brexiteer Robin Birley have been suspended on trumped up charges, after the launch of a campaign for a living wage and occupational sick pay. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is today launching a petition calling for the immediate reinstatement of the kitchen porters, all of whom are migrant workers. The petition also asks that the workers be paid at least the London Living Wage, be given occupational sick pay and that the club cease outsourcing these essential services read more
Other news
Undercover Policing and the Trade Unions conference: Saturday 16th November 2019 – jointly organized by the Blacklist Support Group
A major trade union conference ‘Undercover Policing and the Trade Unions: The Political and The Personal’ is taking place at the University of Greenwich on Saturday 16th November 2019. The event is jointly organised by the Blacklist Support Group and our sister campaigns Police Spies Out of Lives and the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS). The conference is officially supported by UNITE the Union.
Amongst other issues, the conference will cover undercover police infiltration of trade unions, police collusion in blacklisting, the human rights violations against female activists by the British state and ongoing corporate surveillance of union activists. The speakers will include spied on activists, blacklisted union members, lawyers, politicians, investigative journalists and artists. See the attached documents for more information.
Attendance is free but registration is essential. Please raise the issue at your union committee and encourage people to apply for a space online via: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/undercover-policing-and-trade-unions-the-political-and-the-personal-tickets-64167284074
Affiliate to the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPs) and to send representatives from your trade union branch/organisation to our Trade Union Conference on Saturday November 16th at University of Greenwich, Stephen Lawrence Building, Old Naval College, 30 Park Row, London, SE10 9LS.
Return Address: Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS), c/o 5 Caledonian Road, London, N1 9DX
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
Indonesia: Tell Chicken of the Sea to take action on human rights violations in its supply chain! Read more
Diary
2019
September
8 NSSN TUC Rally Brighton – 1pm in the Holiday Inn Kings Rd, BN1 2JF Facebook event
29 End Austerity Now! Protest the Tory Party Conference – hosted by Unison North West, The People’s Assembly Against Austerity and Manchester People’s Assembly Facebook event
November
16 Undercover Policing and the Trade Unions conference: Saturday 16th November 2019 Eventbrite
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
