We headline this week’s NSSN bulletin with two disputes from the North West involving Unite members. We send our solidarity to fuel tanker drivers employed by Hoyer Petrolog UK who are based at the Stanlow oil refinery and Rolls Royce workers in Barnoldswick in Lancashire. The NSSN believes that any plant threatened with closure should be taken into public ownership to save jobs and communities.
Rolls-Royce workforce give resounding yes vote for strike action in battle to save historic Lancashire factory (16 Oct) – Rolls-Royce workers at Barnoldswick in Lancashire have overwhelmingly voted for industrial action in a battle to preserve the factory, the cradle of the jet engine. In August, Rolls-Royce announced that it was intent on offshoring the production of its Trent Engine blades, which are made at the site, to a plant in Singapore, with the loss of 350 local jobs. The workers who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, recorded a 94 per cent yes vote in favour of industrial action. As a consequence, Unite has set Rolls-Royce a 96 hour deadline to withdraw its plans to off-shore blade production to Singapore or confirm that comparable alternative work requiring a similar number of workers will be transferred to the plant. Both options would require long-term cast iron guarantees to be made about the company’s commitment to the site. If the deadline is not met, Unite will have no alternative other than to provide notice to the company read more
Sign this petition to Rolls Royce and the UK Government: Save Our Site – Battle for Barnoldswick (Rolls Royce)
Northern England braced for fuel disruption as strikes announced in tanker dispute (16 Oct) – Fuel tanker drivers employed by Hoyer Petrolog UK who are based at the Stanlow oil refinery in Cheshire, have overwhelmingly voted for strike action in a dispute over job cuts. The workers who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, recorded an overwhelming 96.2 per cent vote in favour of industrial action. After the yes vote was secured, Unite gave Hoyer a final opportunity to withdraw its redundancy proposals but when it refused to do so the union had no option but to announce strike dates. Unite has announced a total of 14 days of strike action on the following days next month (November): 2, 4, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 23, 25, 27. All of the strikes will begin at 00:01 hrs and end at 23.59 hrs read more
Protest against the Tory mis-handling of COVID: for workplace safety – no redundancies, no attacks on pay, terms & conditions!
Join the West London Solidarity Car Convoy for Jobs – from 10am-1pm TODAY Tuesday 20th October (organised by Ealing Trades Union Council, West London Unite Community and Hillingdon Trades Union Council. Assemble 10am in Norwood Hall Car Park, Norwood Green Road, Southall UB2 4LA
Bristol Rally for jobs (hosted by Unite Bristol Area Community Branch 001500): Saturday, 24 October, assemble at 12pm Broadmead Facebook Event
Unemployment is already soaring and likely to spike further when the government ends the furlough scheme on 31st October. Unite called for the scheme to be extended to avoid the risk of ‘redundancy floodgates’ opening. We can’t let unemployment mar our communities and help bosses drive a race to the bottom on terms and conditions. Unite Community organises those out of work for any reason but we want decent jobs for all who can work. We will be meeting in the centre of Broadmead, between Barclays and Metro banks. There will be short speeches and leafleting to raise awareness of the issue and to build the union. We invite other labour movement bodies, campaigns and anyone worried about unemployment to join us.
***COVID PRECAUTIONS***
Anyone who is experiencing possible Covid-19 symptoms or who has been in contact with anyone experiencing symptoms must not attend. This will be a socially distanced event. Please wear a mask if you can and take all necessary precautions to prevent the transmission of the disease. Masks will be available for those who do not have them.
Southampton Demonstration and rally: Defend Jobs and Services, We Won’t pay for the Coronavirus! (Hosted by Southampton & South West Hampshire Trades Union Council) Saturday, 7 November, assemble at 11.30am Southampton Central Library Facebook Event
Demonstration and rally for workers and students to say loudly and clearly that we will not be forced to pay for the costs of the coronavirus pandemic. After 10 years of austerity caused by a banking crisis that we again had no part in making, our communities have been left defenceless against the pandemic with services hollowed out and unable to react. Job losses are already taking place linked directly to the effects on the pandemic and will continue to rise, employers are also using the cover of Covid19 to attack the pay and conditions of workers lucky enough to remain employed. This must be resisted by trade unions and workers by all means necessary and employing all resources and tactics available to us. Join us and help to organise this resistance locally as part of a nationwide strategy
Sign this TUC petition: To Gavin Williamson, Secretary of State for Education – Reverse the cuts to union learning
Stop union victimisation
FCC dismiss Tony Smith Hull Unison Activist
Trade Unionists and activists will be outraged to hear that Unison activist Tony Smith’s dismissal has been upheld by FCC. As previously reported, Tony’s dismissal on trumped up charges was because of his trade union activities. It took nearly five weeks from the appeal to the outcome for FCC to confirm the sacking. Tony has faced the mental torture of not knowing whether he has a job or not, but the time taken reflected that dismissing him was not a simple issue because of the high profile that Tony has in the local Labour movement. Unison will be seeking compensation and the campaign focuses on Hull City Council to end its contract with FCC.
Mick Whale Chair Hull trades Council
Defend Judith Katera Unite rep on London buses
Judith is a longstanding union rep and activist in Battersea garage in Abellio in South London. On Tuesday October 27th, she is facing a disciplinary meeting and possible dismissal. Judith is adamant that false claims are being alleged against her. Judith and Moe Muhsin Manir, the rep at Walworth garage in the same company feel that they are both being targeted. Stop union victimisation on London buses!
Support the NHS pay protests
On Saturday September 12th there were demonstrations and rallies in many towns and cities. Workers in the NHS and care sector workers demand an immediate 15% pay rise that starts to close the income gap caused by a decade of pay freezes. Please join the protests that are taking place.
Details of some of these events can be found here in the Nurses and Midwives say NO! to Public Sector pay inequality Facebook group and on the Keep Our NHS Public website. Also visit the website of Health Campaigns Together.
We support the call of many health workers for industrial action ballots, co-ordinated across all the health unions and linking up with all other workers in public services. We are confident that this would be supported by workers in the private sector and all those who benefit from health and social care, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic where so many staff put their lives on the line.
Sign the petition to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak – ‘We demand a pay rise for key workers’
The NSSN is continuing to report on how workers are organising during the coronavirus pandemic
The NSSN is opening up our weekly email bulletin, website and social media platforms of Facebook and twitter to provide a public forum for workers during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis. We want to be a place where we can all share queries and experiences that workers are facing in their workplaces. These include reports of action taken by workers to defend themselves from their employers.
You can read about many of these actions in our weekly bulletin and out social media groups, especially our Facebook group: NSSN – defend workers’ rights under Coronavirus.
You can also send the NSSN your reports and queries via our website, twitter – @NSSN_AntiCuts and email – [email protected]
We welcome the information being sent to union members concerning the spread of coronavirus, including the Accord, Advance, AEP, AFA-CWA, ASLEF, BDA, BECTU Sector of Prospect, BFAWU, BOS-TU, College of Podiatry, Community, CSP, EIS, Equity, FBU, FDA, GMB, HCSA, MU, NAHT, NASUWT, National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD), Nautilus International, NEU, NGSU, NUJ, PFA, Prospect, RCM, SoR, TSSA, TUC, UCU, UNISON, Unite, URTU, USDAW, WGGB and the RCN
But it is absolutely vital that unions retain their ability to organise and act independently in defence of their members and workers generally. This includes the right of unions to take industrial action. We are already aware of workers being forced to take unofficial action on health and safety grounds. We also believe that unions should have oversight of any government bans on protests and picketing. This is the same Tory government that tabled more new anti-union laws in December’s Queens Speech last December and cannot be trusted.
We believe that it is essential that workers are protected during this worrying period and are not impacted, whether in terms of their safety as well as their pay and employment rights. The Tory government have announced measures that if implemented would include some workers receive 80% of their wages. However, we believe that no worker should pay the price for any spread of the virus. Any worker who is required not to attend work or is unable to do so because of childcare or transport closures should receive full pay and not be forced to take annual leave. But unions have to remain vigilant that any government payments actually happen and also covers all workers, including those in precarious employment such as zero-hour contracts and in the gig economy.
We have drafted this model motion which we’ve made into a bulletin that can be downloaded and printed off to be distributed. Feel free to use in your union and trades council, in totality or partially to highlight the issues that need to be addressed.
Keep an eye out for other Facebook and social media groups and pages that are being created. The Coronavirus Support Group for Workers has been set up on Facebook and is a useful forum.
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. Feel free to use this affiliation letter
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]
Watch The NSSN pre-TUC Rally and follow us on twitter via @NSSN_AntiCuts and Facebook
Union News
RMT
BREAKING NEWS!! RMT blasts firing and rehiring of workers at Felixstowe as port owners pay failed Transport Secretary Chris Grayling £274 per hour (20 Oct) – MARITIME UNION RMT today called on the Government to put an end to the disgraceful practice of companies firing and rehiring workers on worse terms and conditions. This follows reports that the port owners, Hutchison’s Ports Ltd have hired former Transport Secretary Chris Grayling as a “strategic advisor” on a salary of £100,000 per year for 7 hours work per week working out at an eye-watering £274 per hour, or 31 times the minimum hourly wage. The port owner’s policy of firing and rehiring of workers at Felixstowe has now reportedly led to a dire situation of labour shortages at one of the UK’s most important ports meaning that freight trains cannot be loaded to capacity and are having to leave on schedule with significantly reduced loads read more
Offshore union RMT responds to the Fatal Accident Inquiry into the Sumburgh helicopter tragedy which was published today (19 Oct) – General Secretary Mick Cash said; “RMT is disappointed that the FAI predictably kept the scope of the inquiry very narrow, looking at the events at the precise moment of the tragedy. There was no consideration of the wider aspects of what led to the tragedy and the loss of four lives, including RMT member Sarah Darnley. The fact remains that the tragedy would have been avoided if the safety systems in the helicopter had been enabled. Those systems were inhibited because the pilots hadn’t been trained how to use them…” read more
RMT slams Trump hypocrisy as he receives approval for a second golf course in Aberdeenshire while slashing jobs and conditions at Turnberry (19 Oct) – RMT has slammed the “rank hypocrisy” of Donald Trump and his global operations as it was revealed today that he has received permission to build a second multi-million pound golf course at his Aberdeenshire resort while taking an axe to jobs and conditions at Turnberry. The union says that the move confirms that the claims that the cuts at Turnberry were due to COVID are a con and that the real motive was to slash the head count, hire and fire at will and dump hard-earned improvements to pay and conditions under the cloak of the pandemic read more
RMT launches global on-line petition to halt jobs carnage at Trump’s Turnberry resort
RMT on news that Cross Country have been awarded a franchise extension (16 Oct) – General Secretary Mick Cash said; “The Government, who are financially supporting the train operators, should have seized the opportunity to cut out the middleman and bring the Cross Country operation into direct public ownership. RMT will be studying the details of this award carefully and our priority will remain protecting the jobs, pay and conditions of our members.” Read more
RMT demands Government and local council support for COVID-battered taxi trade (16 Oct) – TAXI UNION RMT today demanded national, regional and local support for the taxi trade as the exclusion of drivers from financial support packages leaves them facing bankruptcy. With the second wave of COVID – 19 now battering the whole of Britain, and with localised lockdowns in place, the taxi trade is currently in crisis with hard working taxi drivers facing financial ruin due to the decimation of regular as well as passing trade read more
RMT meets with LU director to discuss financial crisis (15 Oct) – Dear RMT members, this morning myself and NEC rep Jared Wood attended a summit meeting with the Managing Director of LUL and others to discuss the above. At the time of writing this update no final deal had been done with government and TFL and management told us that it is possible a deal may not be completed by the 17th October deadline. However, it is management’s view that a section 114 notice would not be required if there was a reasonable prospect of securing a deal by next week. We reiterated that we will not tolerate any attack whatsoever on jobs, pensions, terms and conditions or wellbeing. We pressed the management that staff needed assurances that their jobs were secure and urgently needed to be guaranteed.
Fraternally, John leach – Regional Organiser Jared Wood – National Executive member read more
Sign this petition: RMT steps up campaign for TfL funding
RMT condemns attempts to sail the detained Ben Nevis from Aberdeen in flagrant breach of international maritime law (14 Oct) – SEAFARERS’ UNION RMT today condemned efforts by Global Offshore Services to sail the detained Ben Nevis offshore supply ship from Aberdeen, despite Maritime Labour Convention offences against the crew being unresolved read more
Support RMT strike on SERCO Caledonian Sleeper – Email messages of support via [email protected] and send donations to RMT, Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London, NW1 1JD read more
RMT steps up campaign for TfL funding – RMT steps up campaign for TfL funding with petition launch. London Transport Union RMT is stepping up its fight to win full funding for Transport for London with the launch of an online petition. The petition can be found at: https://www.rmtlondoncalling.org.uk/funding-statement read more
Sign petition: to The Mayor of London and the London Assembly – End the privatisation of cleaning at Transport for London
Please Support RMT Members With No Wages! – RMT London Transport Region Zero Hours & Self-Employed members need our Solidarity Now! Many of our regions self-employed members and those on zero hours have not any had wages for 2 months since March. They have been abandoned by London Underground, TfL, the London Mayor and their agency employers. They MUST NOT be abandoned by us too; their RMT sisters and brothers! The RMT London Transport Regional Council and LU Engineering RMT branch are calling out to all branches, members and friends to dig deep and give meaningful solidarity to our hard pressed members facing poverty and possibly eviction from their homes. To help support by donating to the fund or to ask after support for yourself, please email: [email protected] read more
RAIL UNION RMT has suspended strike action on South Western Railway in good faith to allow further talks to take place read more
Donate to the RMT strike fund on South Western Railway – The NSSN is appealing for financial support and solidarity for the RMT and their members on SWR, who have just voted to renew their mandate to take mote strike action. Send messages of support and requests for speakers for your union branch and/or trades council to RMT NEC member and SWR guard Geoff Kite – [email protected]
To make a donation to the hardship funds set up for RMT members striking against Driver Only Operation:-
National Dispute Fund:
Transfers can be made directly into the account using the details below:
Account name: RMT Head Office National Dispute Fund
Account no: 20113524
Sort Code: 60-83-01
Alternatively, you can send cheques to the Finance Department at Head Office – Unity House 39 Chalton Street London NW11JD
TSSA
Network Rail must buy Scottish-made rail crossings – Cortes (19 Oct) – TSSA today called on Network Rail to revise its decision to buy safety-critical rail crossings made abroad and buy ones made in Scotland instead. Network Rail recently awarded a five year contract to overseas suppliers, putting the South Queensferry foundry and three other British plants at risk of closure read more
Missed opportunity to nationalise cross country services says TSSA (16 Oct) – Transport union TSSA has today criticised the Government for the “missed opportunity” to bring key cross country rail services into public ownership after the Department for Transport extended its contract with Arriva read more
Hatfield the “constant reminder of rail privatisation failure” says TSSA (16 Oct) – Ahead of tomorrow’s 20th anniversary of the Hatfield rail crash, in which four people died and over 70 were injured, transport union TSSA says the failures of privatisation must not be forgotten. The Hatfield rail crash took place on 17 October 2000 on the East Coast Main Line when the London Kings Cross to Leeds service derailed when a rail fractured beneath the train travelling over 100 miles per hour. Four passengers were killed and more than 70 people were injured, at least three seriously including two members of Great North Eastern Railway staff read more
TSSA Accuses First Group Of Penny Pinching And Recklessly Jeopardising Jobs (15 Oct) – TSSA has accused First Group of taking a penny pinching approach to the customer relations activities in its subsidiary rail companies, in the process jeopardising large numbers of jobs. This follows the announcements by First Group subsidiaries Avanti and Hull Trains that their customer relations staff would be transferred to a new First Group subsidiary company with a contact centre in Sheffield. With the Avanti staff currently based in Birmingham, and the Hull Trains staff based in Hull, it is unlikely that any of them will want to exercise their rights to transfer under the TUPE Regulations and work in Sheffield. Instead, they face redundancy read more
Avanti Rips Up Union Recognition Agreements (14 Oct) – Avanti has effectively ripped up its recognition agreement with both TSSA and RMT in respect of staff on management personal contacts. The move has come as many staff at Avanti’s Customer Resolution Centre in Birmingham face redundancy as a result of the decision to transfer their work to First Group’s new customer contact centre in Sheffield read more
TSSA Writes To Boris Johnson Backing Inquest Calls Into Belly Mujinga Death (13 Oct) – TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, has written to the Prime Minister calling for an inquest into the death of union member, Belly Mujinga, after the BBC Panorama programme (12th Oct 2020) raised important questions about the death the railway worker. Panorama examined events leading up to the death of the 47-year-old, who died in April this year from Covid-19. Belly – who worked as a sales clerk at Victoria station in London for Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) suffered from a condition known as sarcoidosis, which is linked to breathing difficulties. On 21st March she was on duty on the station concourse when she and a colleague were involved in an incident with a male customer. Belly died less than two weeks later from Covid-19. Now her union is appealing to Boris Johnson to ‘act without delay, and in the national interest, by doing all you can to bring about an inquest into the death of Belly Mujinga’ read more
ASLEF
Government urged not to scrap learning at work (19 Oct) – We are calling on the government to back – not scrap – the Union Learning Fund in March next year. Join thousands of trade unionists in the campaign by signing the petition to the government here. The fund, worth £11 million a year, was established in 1998 and, through the work of trade unions and our union learning representatives, delivers a range of learning and training programmes, including schemes to improve people’s Maths, English, and digital skills, as well as offering growing apprenticeship provision, and seeking solutions to current skills shortages read more
Unite
BREAKING NEWS!! Walsall demonstration to protest at Chamberlain and Hill Castings pay cuts (20 Oct) – Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by Chamberlain and Hill Castings Ltd, will stage a social distanced demonstration this week in protest at huge pay cuts instigated by the company.
When: Thursday 22 October 18:00
Where: Outside of Chamberlain and Hill Castings Ltd, Chuckery Road, Walsall WS1 2DU read more
BREAKING NEWS!! Epidemic of ill health revealed at Heathrow as company presses ahead with huge pay cuts (20 Oct) – A confidential survey of workers at Heathrow Airport has revealed an epidemic of mental and physical ill health, linked to working at the airport. The findings of the survey, which was compiled by Unite, the UK’s principal aviation union representing workers at the airport, have been published to coincide with the news that the employer Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) is gearing up in its attempt to permanently strip workers of up to £8,000 per annum (25 per cent) of their pay, through the use of highly controversial ‘fire and rehire’ rules. The workforce is currently being balloted for industrial action in response to HAL’s pay cuts, with the ballot closing on Thursday 5 November read more
Industrial discontent looming in construction as out of touch employers impose a pay freeze on workers (19 Oct) – Unite, the UK’s construction union, is warning that the prospect of industrial discontent on construction sites across the UK in the coming months has greatly increased, as a result of employers blocking a pay increase. The problem involves the Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC) agreement which affects the wages and conditions of over 500,000 construction workers, primarily those in civil engineering. A pay increase was due in June but the employers’ side delayed making an offer and it was not until last week that they finally confirmed that they were imposing a pay freeze and refusing to make any improvements to the conditions workers receive through the agreement read more
Axing Union Learning Fund is ‘short-sighted and self-defeating’, says Unite (19 Oct) – Plans to axe the Union Learning Fund, which has helped thousands of people to gain new skills for the workplace, has been branded as ‘short-sighted and self-defeating’ by Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union, today (Monday 19 October). Unite is strongly supporting the TUC’s Save Union Learning campaign, following the shock announcement by the Department of Education to axe the £12 million-a-year programme in March next year read more
Premier Periclase: Nine-week strike ends following Labour Court recommendation (Oct 16) – Trade union Unite, which represents workers at Drogheda magnesia plant Premier Periclase, today (Friday) announced that its members will be returning to work on Monday 19 October following nine weeks on the picket line. The decision follows a Labour Court recommendation which addresses the workers’ concerns read more
Urgent support needed for hospitality workers as capital moves into tier two lockdown (15 Oct) – Unite national officer for hospitality Dave Turnbull said: “The imposition of further lockdown measures in London will have a devastating impact on the thousands of workers whose jobs depend on the capital’s already stricken hospitality industry. “While it is essential that the public and the NHS are protected from the worst effects of this terrible virus, these restrictions must be accompanied by immediate support for hospitality jobs read more
Heathrow rejects workers’ offer to payback bonuses to help avert industrial action (15 Oct) – Management at Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) have rejected out of hand proposals made by Unite the union, which could have averted the possibility of industrial action. Using a controversial fire and rehire scheme, HAL is currently in the process of trying to force over 4,000 workers to accept pay cuts of up to £8,000 per annum (25 per cent of their pay), which would plunge them into poverty. Under the proposals put forward by Unite, all workers would have returned their airport profit bonus of £700 each and all directors, including the chief executive John Holland Kaye, would also have returned their bonuses. Mr Holland Kaye was contractually entitled to a £565,965 bonus and a share in success payment of £1.043 million due to be paid in August read more
Threat to 2,000 Marston’s jobs renews Unite’s call for hospitality support package (15 Oct) – The announcement that the pub chain Marston’s is to axe more than 2,000 jobs has led Unite the union to renew its call for the government to give concrete support for the struggling hospitality sector. Unite, which has about 580 members at Marston’s, mainly working in the breweries at Wolverhampton and Burton upon Trent, was today (Thursday 15 October) seeking clarification on the impact on its members read more
Optare workers strike over broken ‘promise’ to increase pay (15 Oct) – Unite members at bus manufacturer Optare, in Sherburn-in-Elmet, on the outskirts of Leeds, took the first strike in a series of discontinous 48 hour strikes starting on 15th October, alongsideside a continuous overtime ban read more
Low paid defence workers in Somerset and Devon being forced into poverty by “heartless” multinational in sign or be sacked scandal (14 Oct) – Workers being paid the minimum wage on outsourced Ministry of Defence contracts across Somerset and Devon face being plunged into poverty by their employer. The workers who undertake cleaning and catering roles are employed by ESS, part of the multi-billion pound Compass Group, on outsourced ministry of defence contracts. They are currently being forced to undergo a false redundancy process. Managers are telling them that they have to agree to have their working weeks reduced from the standard 52 weeks a year to just 48 weeks, or be immediately made redundant read more
With less than 48 hours left until tens of thousands face a cliff-edge on their incomes, hospitality workers demand Stormont Executive introduces a full wage support package for the sector (Oct 14) – Frontline workers in bars, restaurants and hotels likely to be thrown into misery by latest closure, coming after months of reduced hours and being paid only 80 percent of an already low wage read more
Stormont Executive must provide additional wage protections for hospitality workers they have locked out of their workplaces (Oct 14) – Without supports latest shutdown by Stormont Executive will result in a second wave of redundancies and reductions to incomes. Existing UK government’s job support scheme provides hospitality workers with only two thirds of their average hourly wage of £8.84 read more
Sign this petition to Rolls Royce and the UK Government: Save Our Site – Battle for Barnoldswick (Rolls Royce)
Stop the BA Betrayal! – This groundswell has been mobilised by reps and the campaign #BAbetrayal – a ‘crisis leverage campaign, which is part of Unite’s Leverage strategy. ‘Crisis leverage’ applies many of the same principles and takes a similarly robust, muscular approach but in a much more streamlined, nimble way. In a crisis like the current coronavirus pandemic, with a company behaving like British Airways, we have to move fast and to scale. Find out more and support the #BAbetrayal campaign by Joining the #BAbetrayal Facebook campaign and follow the @BAbetrayal campaign on Twitter. Sign the petition today
Sign this petition: Extend furlough scheme for the UK Aviation sector to help stop redundancies
Sign this petition: Reinstatement of Blue Handling employees laid off due to COVID-19 and placed on Furlough
Sign this petition: Please sign and share: Extend the bereaved family payment to UK bus workers now
MTVHA – Stop the Sackings! Sign petition: To: Geeta Nanda, Chief Executive Officer, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Association – Please cease all compulsory redundancies during the recruitment freeze caused by Coronavirus restrictions which would make it impossible for anyone to find alternative employment read more from Unite Housing Workers branch
PCS
Government gives insulting and misleading response to PCS pay petition (19 Oct) – The government has finally been forced to give its response to the PCS pay petition and its reply is both insulting and misleading to our hard-working members who have kept the country running during the coronavirus pandemic. All petitions lodged on the UK parliament and government petition website require a response from government once they reach 10,000 signatures. But after 86 days awaiting a response, it took a letter from MP Catherine McKinnell, chair of the petitions committee, to solicit a reply to the PCS petition from the Cabinet Office which eventually came late on Friday. The reply offers recognition of the great work UK government workers have done in delivering public services in the most difficult circumstances for generations but defends the government’s derisory financial reward. It claims the 2020/21 Treasury pay remit guidance, which allows departments to make pay awards between 1.5 and 2.5%, achieves a balance of fair pay for civil servants and value for money for taxpayers, even though civil service pay has been constrained for over a decade meaning for many thousands of people a real-terms pay cut of around 20%. The reply says: “In order to continue to deliver public services which are vital for the nation, it is important that pay continues to balance rewarding civil servants for their hard work with providing value for money to the taxpayer.” But after years of austerity many of our members have to rely on the top-up of benefits just to pay their bills and put food on their table read more
31 October sign up for pay petition Super Saturday (19 Oct) – To drive up the number of signatures on the PCS pay petition we are urging branch reps and advocates to get involved in stepping up activities including joining a mass phone-banking event on 31 October read more
Gove asked to explain lack of response to PCS petition (15 Oct)
PCS calls for urgent safeguards as Covid cases soar (16 Oct) – With coronavirus infection rates rapidly increasing PCS has called on the Cabinet Office to introduce greater safeguards for staff and the public, including closing jobcentres and suspending driving tests in higher risk (tier 2 and 3) areas. In letters sent this week to Mervyn Thomas, Cabinet Office executive director for employee and trade union relations, and permanent secretaries Peter Schofield (DWP) and Bernadette Kelly (DfT), PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka called for urgent action to protect staff and the public. Mark urged the Cabinet Office to issue an unequivocal statement to delegated areas instructing office workers who can work effectively from home to do so over the winter to help contain the virus. He also insisted that vulnerable workers should not be required to attend a workplace under any circumstance read more
Truth and Justice for Zane Gbangbola (14 Oct) – Join the webinar on 21 October to support the fight for an Independent Panel Inquiry into the 7 year old’s death. In February 2014, 7 year old Zane died in his home on 8 February 2014, a day after his home in Chertsey was hit by severe floods. Hydrogen cyanide was detected at Zane’s home after an unregulated landfill site seems to have released hydrogen cyanide during the floods. Others were injured and the area evacuated, emergency responders were contaminated, and Zane’s dad Kye was paralysed, which was diagnosed as due to hydrogen cyanide poisoning. Conservative Spelthorne Borough Council at an extraordinary meeting confirmed there had been a cover up over Zane’s death and has written to Home Secretary Priti Patel to demand a full investigation by an Independent Panel Inquiry read more
Keep supporting ISS HMRC strikers – PCS members who clean HMRC’s Merseyside offices for multinational company ISS returned to work following a solidly supported four weeks of strike action through August. The strike is part of the members’ long-running fight for the living wage, improved working conditions and job security. Because of the demand for full occupational sick pay from day one, it is also directly linked to PCS’s Dying for Sick Pay campaign, which aims to secure occupational sick pay for all workers across the government estate…The members are meeting this week to discuss their next steps. Under the Tories’ 2016 Trade Union Act, a further postal ballot is required before they can take any more strike action, and members will need to discuss where the campaign goes next. In the meantime, you can continue to support the campaign by signing the e-action to Jim Harra on the TUC’s Megaphone site and donating to the strike fund: account name: PCS Liverpool/Bootle Campaign Account, sort code: 60-83-01, account number: 20415772
Calling all petitioners – The PCS petition calling for fair pay for UK government workers has now reached the 50,000 signatories mark. With 50,000 more signatures to go to guarantee a full debate on the issue in Parliament we are asking members who have already signed the petition to ask their friends and colleagues to also sign it read more
Please sign this PCS petition to Save Ealing Tax Office – we ask that you sign this eaction to the Chancellor calling on him to intervene urgently, to halt the office closures and redundancies, and consult fully with the union and work to retain the experience and vital knowledge contained within Ealing Tax Office. Support our call to SAVE JOBS, SAVE SERVICES and STOP THE CLOSURES
Support Interserve strikers – Interserve workers at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, were on strike for the whole of February. You can support the workers in the following ways:
- Sign and publicise the E-action
- Donate to the PCS fighting fund
- Send messages of support to [email protected]
- Visit the picket line at Whitehall/King Charles Street, London, SW1A 2AH. Read more
GMB
Unions and Bristol Waste strike deal (19 Oct) – Staff at Bristol Waste will now be able to bargain collectively over their terms and conditions at work following the signing of a recognition agreement between their employer and GMB. The agreement formalises the presence of a recognised trade union within the industry and will cover all aspects of the employment contract, including annual pay negotiations, disciplinary and grievance procedures and health and safety at work. Along with sister Unions Unison and Unite, GMB signed the agreement at Bristol Waste’s Albert Rd Ops Canteen. Bristol Councillor Tom Brook and Non-executive director Tom Spaul, were also in attendance read more
GMB slams NHS group offering healthcare heroes ‘snack box or badge’ as pandemic reward – while consulting on redundancy (19 Oct) – A badge, a clap or a snack is no recognition for hard working NHS staff during the Covid-19 pandemic says GMB Union. GMB has slammed an NHS group offering healthcare heroes a ‘snack box or a badge’ to thank them for their work during the covid pandemic – while at the same time consulting the workforce on redundancies. GMB is calling on the group – Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group to think again about the ‘insulting’ offer. The CCG, which was formed earlier this year from eight former smaller bodies, covers the 1.8million people living in both Kent and Medway. Their annual budget was set last year at £2.738 billion in 2020/2 read more
GMB Local Government Pay Survey 2021-22 (19 Oct) – If you work for Local Government, including schools and academies that follow NJC pay rises – we need your input! GMB have launched a survey for all members who work for Local Government, including schools and academies that pay NJC pay rises. So, if this is you, please complete the survey at www.gmb.org.uk/LGPay21 to let us know what you think about pay — what we should be asking for on your behalf, what you think is a reasonable pay rise for you, etc. The more of you who fill the survey in, the stronger our voice when we put your points over to the employer, so please fill this in, and encourage your colleagues to fill this in too! Read more
1 in 4 BAME workers not given necessary PPE, shock GMB survey shows (16 Oct) – Figures come as new ONS estimates find black men are up to 3.8 times more likely to die from coronavirus than white men. More than 1 in 4 BAME workers has not been given the necessary person protective equipment, a GMB survey shows. The shocking figures come as new ONS estimates, published today [16 October 2020], found that black men are up to 3.8 times more likely to die from coronavirus than white men. Of the 516 respondents who were advised by their employer they needed PPE – a massive 141 did not have it fully provided read more
Monstrous ASOS profits come from putting workers at risk (14 Oct) – ASOS’s monstrous profits have come from putting workers at risk during the covid-19 pandemic. The fast fashion giant today announced profits has risen a whopping 329%, in a bumper £141 Million payday for its shareholders. ASOS continued trading throughout lockdown – when many competitors shut warehouses to keep workers – and the public – safe read more
Shocking pictures show Covid chaos at Amazon warehouse (14 Oct) – How many more outbreaks until Amazon takes responsibility for its actions? Shocking images have emerged showing workers crammed onto buses at an Amazon warehouse where two more workers contracted the killer virus. A total of ten workers have now tested positive for Covid-19 at Amazon’s facility in Coventry – with two of those in the past 24 hours. An influx of new temporary workers, thought to be as many as 1,000, to handle Prime Day orders has raised alarm about the spread of coronavirus read more
Government must stand up to Amazon on workers’ rights (14 Oct) – The Government must use its purchasing power to stand up to Amazon on workers’ rights. GMB, the union for Amazon workers, calls for Government and safety regulators to either tell Amazon’s management to put their house in order or send them packing. The call comes as joint TUC and GMB union research reveals that Amazon was awarded national and local government contracts with a lifetime value of up to £630 million between 2015 and 2020 read more
Covid-19 outbreak at Amazon warehouse sparks fears on Prime Day (13 Oct)
Unison
Covid vaccine roll-out must not involve private firms. There must be no repeat of test and trace foul-ups (16 Oct) – The government must ensure the roll-out of any Covid-19 vaccine is managed entirely by the NHS and public bodies, and not allow the involvement of private firms and the use of unqualified staff, says UNISON today (Friday) read more
Thousands will suffer in retirement due to government’s public sector exit-payment cap (15 Oct) – Ministers knew ordinary workers would be affected but they ploughed on regardless. A government cap on public sector exit payments due to take effect next month will blight the retirement of long-serving council staff and needs to be urgently reformed, says UNISON today (Thursday). Ministers claimed the legislation, limiting payments to £95,000, was designed to reduce the level of council payouts to senior managers. But instead thousands of staff with decades of service could be caught up in problems caused by the new law, says UNISON read more
UNISON says probation reunification needs proper funding (14 Oct) – The union was giving evidence to Westminster’s justice select committee’s inquiry into the future of the service. UNISON members in probation support the government’s plans to reunify the service in England and Wales next summer, but it needs to ensure that proper funding is provided to make that process work. This was the central theme of the union’s contribution to the Westminster Parliament’s inquiry into the future of the probation service when it appeared before the justice select committee earlier this week read more
UNISON will continue to oppose ‘outrageous’ exit payment plans (13 Oct) – The union repeats its criticism of government plans to bring in a cap on public sector exit payments. As previously reported – and despite continued opposition from UNISON and others – the government is about to bring in a cap of £95,000 on public sector exit payments. The last vote in Parliament has taken place and the final regulations are awaited read more
University support staff left carrying the can for chaotic start of term (13 Oct) – Workers are angry at being left to manage the fallout, threats and abuse. University support staff are calling for managers and ministers to step in to end the Covid campus chaos that’s left them dealing with weeks of sometimes violent disruption, says UNISON today (Tuesday). Workers are angry at being left to manage the fallout, threats and abuse from frustrated students in isolation, with no extra support or recognition, the union says read more
Raph Parkinson Regional Organiser RIP – UNISON North West deeply regrets to announce the death of Raph Parkinson, Regional Organiser. Over the past 10 days, Raph had been receiving treatment at Royal Liverpool Hospital for pneumonia complications from COVID-19 but sadly his situation worsened and he died overnight on Monday. Raph had been involved in the union throughout his working life. For many years he was a NALGO/UNISON senior activist in Merseytravel and Liverpool City Council, an NEC member, a leading member of the regional black members’ group, an anti-racist and socialist campaigner in his local community. He joined the union’s staff over ten years ago as an area organiser and progressed to regional organiser in the Merseyside and Cheshire team and latterly the Case Unit. Raph was a much liked and respected colleague, a committed staff union representative, a loyal fan of Liverpool, who loved his family and was dedicated to the cause of trade unionism and socialism. He will be missed by all of us who knew him in UNISON and the wider labour movement. Raph is survived by his partner Laura and his two sons. UNISON North West region sends them our deepest sympathy and solidarity. Messages of condolences to Raph’s family can be sent via Val Rothwell at UNISON North West regional office read more
Addiction support workers enter last day of latest strike (2 Oct) – We Are With You continues to refuse to pay promised wage increase, after Central Arbitration Committee rules it has to recognise UNISON. Drug and alcohol support workers in the North West are on the last day of a 10-day strike today (Friday), as they continue their fight to force their employer, national charity We Are With You (formerly Addaction), to give them a promised pay rise. The industrial action involves 30 rehabilitation staff from Wigan and Leigh in Greater Manchester read more
The Wigan Branch and North West Region are asking for donations from branches to the hardship fund. Please donate via bank transfer to:
Unity Bank Sort Code: 60 83 01 Account Number: 20244354
Or send a cheque payable to ‘UNISON Wigan Metropolitan Branch hardship fund’ to – UNISON Branch Office, Wigan Life Centre, The Wiend, Wigan WN1 1NH
Support the Tower Hamlets Unison workers – Read more here and on Tower Hamlets UNISON Facebook page and follow @UNISON_TwrHmlts on twitter
CWU
BREAKING NEWS!! New offshoring outrage as BT moves to sack UK workers and send their work overseas (Oct 20) – Shameless BT bosses have announced new plans that will result in more British jobs being exported at a time of skyrocketing UK unemployment. In a move that exposes a breathtaking lack of corporate social responsibility when the UK economy is on its knees as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, shocked CWU negotiators have been told that five team member grade employees in BT Global are ‘at risk’ of compulsory redundancy as a direct result of their work being offshored to Hungary and India. Yesterday’s (October 19) bombshell – from a still highly profitable blue chip company that likes to portray itself as a national telecommunications and broadband champion – comes less than a month after a separate BT division announced the redundancy of its entire UK User Access Management Team on account of decision to move their work to Bangalore to achieve a cost saving of just £620,000 read more
Despair in BT Group Functions as CWU questioning of ‘needless‘ compulsory redundancies is summarily dismissed (Oct 16) – Members targeted for compulsory redundancy in BT Group Functions have delivered another damning indictment of the way they are being treated by an employer that is refusing to even discuss less brutal ways of addressing a tiny staff surplus. Amid general disbelief that a division that employs well over 11,000 has moved straight to a compulsory redundancy process to achieve just approximately 20 job losses, on September 21 the union lodged a ‘formal disagreement’ over management’s decision to ride roughshod over various collective agreements that have underpinned decades of industrial peace in BT by ensuring voluntarism in numerous far larger job cut situations read more
Unity is strength, CWU tells members across BT Group, as Technology piles insult on injury (Oct 13) – The seriousness of a compulsory redundancy bloodbath that is drawing to a head in BT Technology has today (Tuesday) been impressed on members in the division, with the CWU now convinced that the current jobs cull is about to be superseded by an even bigger one. No fewer than 200 loyal and long-serving employees, who’ve given their all to keep the country connected throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, are now within weeks of being forcibly ejected under what Technology admits is just ‘phase one’ if its ongoing ‘transformation’ read more
Members need honesty about Royal Mail sick pay, CWU warns management (Oct 13) – The CWU is calling on Royal Mail to be “honest” over whether workers sharing vans will receive full sick pay if they are forced to self-isolate. CWU Acting Assistant Secretary Carl Maden has demanded clarity from management after Royal Mail returned to van sharing practices on Monday read more
Watch video on Royal Mail shared van plan from Gary Clark branch secretary of CWU Scotland no.2 branch and a member of the NSSN steering committee
FBU
FBU join fight to save union learning programme (19 Oct) – Scrapping Union Learning Fund would “place partisan politics over sensible policymaking”, firefighters say. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has joined the TUC in calling on the government to reverse its decision to scrap funding for a lifelong learning programme, allowing retiring and injured firefighters to expand their skills and employment prospects read more
FBU puts Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue “on notice” to tackle racism in the service (16 Oct) – Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service has agreed to take a “zero-tolerance” approach to racism and committed to dismantling “structural racism” in the service, in a statement negotiated by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The brigade has recognised that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff have experienced unacceptable discriminatory behaviours and sets out a number of commitments to tackle it, under new Chief Fire Officer, Wayne Bowcock read more
New Tyne and Wear fire crew pilot a “step in the right direction”, Fire Brigades Union says (13 Oct) – The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has welcomed a decision to trial additional crews in Tyne and Wear fire and rescue service, but insisted that they should be made permanent to ensure public safety. The pilot programme will see an additional fire engine and crew introduced at West Denton Community Fire Station and a dedicated crew appointed to staff the aerial ladder platform (ALP) at Marley Park Community Fire Station read more
BFAWU
Justice for Greencore Northampton Workers
Sign petition – To: Guy Dullage, Chief People Officer, Greencore
Greencore: Guarantee full pay for your self-isolating workers!
Campaign created by
BFAWU Greencore Northampton Branch
Read the report published by Doctors in Unite: https://doctorsinunite.com/2020/09/02/the-role-of-airborne-spread-in-factory-outbreaks-of-covid-19/
NEU
BREAKING NEWS!! Latest school attendance figures (20 Oct) – Latest attendance figures show that the Government urgently needs to look at ways of reducing transmission in schools read more
Circuit Breaker for Secondary Schools and Post-16 (16 Oct) – National Education Union is calling for an urgent circuit breaker to suppress Covid cases. In the face of rapidly rising infection levels amongst secondary pupils, the National Education Union is calling for an urgent circuit breaker to suppress Covid cases. Alongside other nationwide measures to suppress coronavirus, schools and colleges should be closed for two weeks at half term for secondary and post-16 students read more
Labour’s call on Free School Meals (16 Oct) – NEU supports Labour ultimatum to Government on free school meals. Responding to Labour’s ultimatum on Government to provide free school meals (FSM) until spring or face a Commons vote, Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Throughout 2020, Boris Johnson, Gavin Williamson and Rishi Sunak have had to be dragged into doing what is right for disadvantaged young people…” read more
Proposals to tackle child poverty (14 Oct) – NEU writes to Prime Minister and Chancellor with proposals to tackle child poverty. In a letter, sent last night, National Education Union joint general secretaries Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney called on the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer to adopt the union’s policy proposals to tackle child poverty read more
NASUWT
NASUWT reaction to Welsh Government announcement (19 Oct) – the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union has reacted to the announcement of new restrictions by the Welsh Government, including the partial closure of secondary schools from 2 to 6 November read more
Call to publish pupil transmission rates in Northern Ireland (14 Oct) – The NASUWT has reacted to the announcement of new restrictions by the Northern Ireland Executive including the extension of the Halloween break in schools to two weeks read more
EIS
“Tier” Plans need to Articulate Triggers for School Closures (19 Oct) – The EIS has called for clarity from the Scottish Government as to the triggers for school closures as part of any tiered approach to tackling the spread of Covid 19 infections. As many schools in the west of Scotland return after the October break whilst other parts of the country begin their holiday, EIS General Secretary, Larry Flanagan has said that transparency around such planning is critical to avoiding the political wrangling now evident elsewhere in the UK read more
UCU
UCU says all colleges must copy Preston College’s two week ‘circuit breaker’ (16 Oct) – UCU said all colleges must follow Preston College’s lead and close down for a two week ‘circuit breaker’ over half term. Preston College emailed staff to say only essential work will continue on campus for two weeks from 19 October to 1 November. All learning will be moved online for the week before half term, and any staff not on leave over half term will work remotely. The college says it will use the two weeks to test plans for a long term switch to remote learning read more
UCU launches petition demanding universities move online as campus Covid cases hit 20k (16 Oct) – UCU has launched a petition demanding the UK government move learning online at universities immediately, as the total number of reported Covid cases on campus since the start of term rose to over 20,000. UCU launched its Covid dashboard a week ago when universities were reporting around 10,000 cases. UCU’s Petition calls on the government to immediately implement the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) recommendations and move to online learning in universities, as well as provide additional funding to protect students and staff from the impacts of the Covid crisis read more
University of Central Lancashire threatens to slash 69 jobs (16 Oct) – The University of Central Lancashire is threatening to sack up to 69 staff. The university wrote to UCU to say staff would face the axe by March 2021. The university claims it needs to make the cuts because of budget deficits and student recruitment, even though student numbers have increased from under 14,000 to over 18,000 in the past two years. Two hundred and forty staff have already accepted voluntary redundancy in the past 16 months, whilst the university plans to spend £44m on building works this year read more
UCU response to pre-Christmas student lockdown (15 Oct) – UCU said that plans to lockdown students in English universities for two weeks before Christmas were unworkable and that the government needed to move all possible activities online now. The Guardian reported yesterday that the government plan to make all students self-isolate from 8 December until 22 December so they can go home for Christmas read more
NUJ
Three years after her assassination, still no justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia (16 Oct) – On 16 October 2017, journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated in Malta. Three years later we, the undersigned 19 international free expression, anti-corruption, civic participation, and journalists’ organisations, once again demand an end to impunity for this heinous attack. As alleged murder mastermind, Yorgen Fenech, is facing criminal proceedings and the three defendants charged with carrying out the contract killing Alfred Degiorgio, George Degiorgio and Vincent Muscat, are awaiting trial, we recall that justice delayed is justice denied. We call for thorough and effective criminal investigations and prosecutions that ensure the whole truth is uncovered and all those responsible for Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder are held to account in court read more
NUJ member denounces police failure to investigate threat to rape her baby (13 Oct) – Amnesty International and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the UK and Ireland are supporting Northern Ireland journalist Patricia Devlin and call for threats against the media to be taken seriously. Patricia has received death threats and other threats of violence, today she will lodge an official complaint with the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland over what she says is a police failure to investigate a threat to rape her baby read more
Prospect
“We did a good thing and members said they were grateful” (15 Oct) – Three new Prospect reps at the Building Research Establishment branch share their experiences of getting involved and actively helping out during a recent redundancy consultation read more
NIPSA
2020-21 NICS Pay – Negotiations to Commence (20 Oct) – NICS Pay 2020/21 Pay Claim: Further to earlier communications on the 2020/21 NICS Pay claim lodged at the beginning of August I can confirm that the Management Side have signalled that they are now ready to commence negotiations with TUS on the 2020/21 claim. As members will recall the claim submitted was for:-
– An above inflation pay increase on pay & allowances from AA to Grade 6
– An element of pay restoration to address the loss of pay since 2010
– Further scale shortening on all grades AA to Grade 6 read more
When your Home is your Workplace: A Remote Worker’s Guide to Employment Rights (14 Oct) – Members available to download from the link below new NIC ICTU publication When your Home is your Workplace: A Remote Worker’s Guide to Employment Rights is designed to be a user friendly and practical document for anyone who works from home, either full time or part time read more
USDAW
Respect shopworkers, support retail and give the workforce a voice says Usdaw as the Stormont Executive announces new Covid restrictions (15 Oct) – Retail trade union Usdaw has called on customers to respect shopworkers after the Northern Ireland First Minister announced the closure of the hospitality sector, with off-licences and supermarkets not allowed to sell alcohol after 8pm, for four weeks from Friday read more
Nearly half of shop workers have been impacted by the 10pm curfew on hospitality and Usdaw survey finds (14 Oct) – Retail trade union Usdaw has surveyed over 1,000 shop workers about the impact of the Government’s blanket 10pm curfew for hospitality and found that nearly have had suffered abuse, anti-social behaviour and other issues read more
Stop union victimisation: Reinstate Richie Venton Glasgow USDAW – IKEA workers need YOUR support. This is a campaign page set up by workers furious at the victimisation and sacking of the elected USDAW shop steward and convener in IKEA Glasgow, RICHIE VENTON, and IKEA’s attacks on workers’ rights and conditions, including removal of wages from workers off sick with COVID-19. Richie has been singled out and sacked for standing up for the health, safety and lives of workers he represents, demanding safety measures and full average pay for all workers sick or self-isolating with the killer virus. He is the first trade unionist in Scotland to be sacked by employers in disputes over workers’ safety from the Coronavirus. Since sacking him, IKEA have imposed even worse cutbacks, including on company sick benefit, putting far more workers on just £95 Statutory Sick Pay, which could force some to continue working because of hardship, spreading the virus, endangering lives. This campaign is to reinstate Richie to his job and his elected union position; to win full average wages for all COVID-sick workers, in IKEA and every other workplace; and to stop employers making £billions in profit but endangering workers’ lives by expecting them to survive on £95-a-week Statutory Sick Pay. Sign the Petition – Add your voice and support to the demand that Ikea reinstate Richie Venton and reinstate sick workers’ wages by signing the secure petition read more on Reinstate Richie Venton website
Watch Reel News this video about London IKEA solidarity protest
Mandate (Ireland)
Debenhams workers “outraged” by actions of liquidator (15 Oct) – Mandate Trade Union has said this morning’s attempts by representatives of the Debenhams liquidators, KPMG, to pack or remove stock has outraged the striking workers across the country. Yesterday KPMG offered a “commitment to notify Mandate at least two hours in advance of the times, and which stores, the Liquidators intend to enter for either the delivery of packing materials or removal of stock.” This morning men in dark clothing with their faces covered arrived at the store and intimidated a grandmother on the picket line read more
Support striking Debenhams Workers: Email messages of support to the strikers via [email protected] and Mandate through [email protected]. Also, follow Stand with Debenhams Workers Facebook page
SIPTU (Ireland)
SIPTU members in Premier Periclase Ltd vote to accept proposals to end strike (16 Oct) – SIPTU members in Premier Periclase Ltd in Drogheda, county Louth, have today (Friday, 16th October) voted to accept proposals contained in a Labour Court recommendation and bring to an end a long running strike at the magnesium production plant. SIPTU Sector Organiser, John Regan, said: “The main issues in this dispute, which resulted in a nine week strike by SIPTU members, was a refusal by management to continue to pay workers who were on sick leave in line with an agreed sick pay scheme and its unilateral decision to shut down the plant for four weeks in June…” read more
IWGB
Deliveroo couriers in Yorkshire to boycott two major restaurant chains in response to plummeting rates – Our members have demonstrated inspiring unity, commitment and determination, hosting consecutive 12-hour boycotts with great success. The dispute comes as Five Guys is making couriers wait on average fifteen to forty minutes for an order. Meaning some couriers will only be making one order in an hour earning less than four pounds. How are you supposed to raise your children or pay your rent on that kind of money? We’ve experienced unprecedented community and wider union support in our action, and we will continue to strategize wider action against Deliveroo, and its perpetrators of exploitative work. Our families shouldn’t have to go hungry so others can eat cheaper read more
Strike fund donation details:-
Donations can be made to the CLB at the bottom for this page – https://iwgb.org.uk/page/clb
If any NSSN members would like to contribute to our cause in a non-monetary manner, we are planning a Halloween Event, an invitation will follow this email, but presence of on the ground supporters will be appreciated, and if willing, volunteers to help out are critical to our success. This is all COVID dependent, but their remit would mainly involve flyering couriers outside of hotspot restaurants close to Five Guys. The rest of the day’s timetable will be released ASAP and with the official invitation
Other news
Unite the campaigns against Waltham Forest council monster development – Save Our Square will be organising a socially distant, open-air, public meeting at 1pm on Saturday 24th October at Walthamstow Town Square (supported by Waltham Forest TUC) read more
Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps
Builders Crack: The Movie
In the current situation, this long lost film from the 1990s about rank and file union organising in the construction industry is intended to lift the spirits, but also to spark a debate in our movement. Hope the youngsters in this film put a smile on your face.
Watch – Share – Discuss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VZ-QMA1FMg
Blacklist Support Group
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
Reinstate Richie Venton Glasgow USDAW – IKEA workers need YOUR support. This is a campaign page set up by workers furious at the victimisation and sacking of the elected USDAW shop steward and convener in IKEA Glasgow, RICHIE VENTON, and IKEA’s attacks on workers’ rights and conditions, including removal of wages from workers off sick with COVID-19. Richie has been singled out and sacked for standing up for the health, safety and lives of workers he represents, demanding safety measures and full average pay for all workers sick or self-isolating with the killer virus. He is the first trade unionist in Scotland to be sacked by employers in disputes over workers’ safety from the Coronavirus. Since sacking him, IKEA have imposed even worse cutbacks, including on company sick benefit, putting far more workers on just £95 Statutory Sick Pay, which could force some to continue working because of hardship, spreading the virus, endangering lives. This campaign is to reinstate Richie to his job and his elected union position; to win full average wages for all COVID-sick workers, in IKEA and every other workplace; and to stop employers making £billions in profit but endangering workers’ lives by expecting them to survive on £95-a-week Statutory Sick Pay. Sign the Petition – Add your voice and support to the demand that Ikea reinstate Richie Venton and reinstate sick workers’ wages by signing the secure petition read more on Reinstate Richie Venton website
From Glasgow Live: IKEA Glasgow workers threaten to strike over cuts to sick pay (28 Aug)
Manchester bus workers to hold consultative ballot on industrial action, as rep suspended for carrying out trade union duties Colin Hayden – About 500 Manchester bus drivers will hold a consultative ballot on whether they want to take industrial action after a senior Unite rep at bus company Go North West Limited was suspended for carrying out legitimate trade union activities. Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest trade union, said that the ballot follows the suspension of the rep, who is also a Unite branch chair, as the union highlighted plans to reduce the wages of 500 Manchester bus drivers by an estimated £2,000-a-year. The company has attempted to railroad changes to the terms and conditions of the bus drivers – while 80 per cent of the drivers, including all of the Unite reps except for the senior rep, were furloughed – via the offer of a one-off payment of £5,000. Unite, however, says that within three years its members would be worse off, if the plan were allowed to go-ahead…Unite said that the working practices at the Queens Road depot which the company wants to buy-out have since been replaced by additional cleaning and cash collection duties which mean the bus drivers are working just as hard. The consultative ballot will be held by the end of August. Whether Unite proceeds to a full-scale industrial action ballot, including the option for strike action, depends on the outcome of the consultative vote read more
Unite launches campaign to stop Go Ahead Group using COVID 19 as cover to slash pay and conditions (9 Sept) – Unite, Britain’s biggest union, has launched an international campaign to stop the owners of the Manchester bus company Go North West from using Covid 19 as cover for making savage cuts to bus drivers’ pay and conditions, while victimising and gagging a Unite union representative. Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey has written to Go Ahead Group’s CEO David Brown to warn him that Unite will be using all available resources to provide “immediate assistance to our members”. “In addition to industrial action this will mean exposing your company’s behaviour to all of your stakeholders, partners and associates. This will include mobilising all of our allies and contacting our significant political network in the Nordic countries, Germany and Australasia” read more
PCS: Trade unionists asked to send solidarity to PCS rep dismissed after blowing the whistle (25 July) – Trade unionists are being urged to send solidarity messages to a PCS rep dismissed after whistleblowing at the Department of Work and Pensions. Enrico La Rocca, who had worked for the DWP for more than 27 years, lost his job in May after highlighting serious concerns with management over a number of years. His complaints resulted in questions being asked about the department’s handling of Carer’s Allowance overpayments by the National Audit Office (NAO) and raised by in a Work and Pensions Select Committee report read more from Union News
RMT: SUSPENSION OF RMT REPRESENTATIVES, FRATTON – SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY – Following my previous Circular (IR/171/20) dated 14th May 2020, as you are aware, two of our representatives, Mark Gamble and Brian Perren, were suspended from duty using unscrupulous charges. South Western Railway’s actions throughout this dispute have been appalling. The company have clearly targeted our members as they are hardworking and effective representatives. The callous action of South Western Railway has been abhorrent from the very start of this dispute. Our members recently had their disciplinary hearings and after successful representation Brother Brian Perren has been reinstated to his substantive role. However, Mark has been left in limbo by the company and still faces these ridiculous charges. This means that the ballot that was due to close today (4th June) has been cancelled. As one of our members has been reinstated, this changes the basis of the original ballot. Unfortunately, because of the anti-trade union laws we would not have been able to use any mandate we received from this ballot. Therefore, we have to run a fresh ballot and this will be to continue to defend our suspended Brother Mark Gamble. The National Executive Committee has considered this matter and has congratulated our members and all those who assisted Brian in proving his innocence and ensuring he is reinstated to his substantive role. The NEC has also instructed me to run a fresh ballot in defence of our Brother Mark Gamble who still remains suspended. It is incredibly disappointing that the company has failed to see sense and instead have chosen to drag on an unnecessary dispute. It is disgraceful that Mark remains suspended and we have no choice but to stand shoulder to shoulder and defy SWR’s callous and distasteful decision. I have written to the company today to advise them of this union’s position and they have been left in no doubt that we will not allow them to pursue outrageous charges against our from democratically elected representatives (from RMT general secretary Mick Cash)
Clara Paillard PCS victory – We are delighted to announce that the threat of dismissal has been lifted and Clara, PCS president in the Culture sector, is ‘back at work’ (although from home during the current pandemic).
Reinstate Percy Yunganina UVW union – Percy is a cleaner at King’s college with 5 years on the job, and a UVW executive committee member, who’s just been sacked after a disciplinary hearing he refused to attend due to observing the government’s social distancing guidelines but which King’s College proceeded with anyway in his absence without even letting him know or inviting him to attend via phone. The hearing would have had 8 people cramped together in a small room in complete disregard of the government’s instructions about social distancing. Percy has explained the reaons for not attending and asked for the decision to be overturned and the hearing to be reconvened via phone or in person after Lockdown. However, King’s have scandalously refused this request and have insisted on upholding his dismissal which now leaves Percy out of work and out of pocket in the middle of a pandemic! He will formally appeal but it could take months to hear and deliver an outcome. We will also take King’s to tribunal but that could take over a year. This is utterly shameless conduct by King’s HR team, led by Nigel Smith, the Head of People Services. They need to be held to account. Everyone deserves the right to a fair hearing and should not have that right denied them for respecting the government’s public health guidelines about social distancing. Please repost this and write to Nigel Smith at the following address telling him to reinstate Percy – [email protected]
Sign the petition: Reinstate Ezra Christian RMT – We, the undersigned, are appalled at the treatment and summary dismissal of our Bakerloo Line colleague Ezra Christian. Ezra has been treated very harshly and does not deserve to be sacked. We call on London Underground to do the right thing in this case and Reinstate Ezra back into London Underground Employment immediately
Reinstate Clive Walder Unite: the campaign continues – Unfortunately, we have to inform you that the appeal by Unite against Clive’s dismissal by National Express in Birmingham was unsuccessful. In the hearing on 5 March, the company downgraded his offence from gross misconduct to misconduct and altered the penalty from summary dismissal to dismissal with four weeks’ notice. We believe dismissal is totally disproportionate and Clive should be reinstated. Clive and his union Unite the union will shortly decide the next steps in his campaign against his sacking. Clive would like to thank all those who have expressed solidarity with him, including supporters of the National Shop Stewards Network who took part in the protest leafleting of his workplace before the appeal hearing. It was successful enough for National Express to report it to the Unite full time official. Please continue to send protest emails to [email protected]. The NSSN has produced a flyer which can be downloaded and printed off to give to National Express employees and customers in support of Clive. We are appealing to our supporters to take photos of any solidarity protests and post on social media
Support Danyal Aziz Unite – Daniel was a Unite rep at London City Airport, who was recently sacked. Labour MP Sam Tarry has tabled a Parliamentary Early Day Motion in support of Danyal. Email your local MP to get them to sign the EDM
Defend Paul Williams PCS – Stop the victimisation of senior PCS rep Paul Williams – Paul Williams has a long and proud history of defending his colleagues at the Department for Transport, and predecessor departments, for nearly 40 years but as a result of his union activities is facing compulsory redundancy even though there are vacancies at his grade read more
Sign the petition: Reinstate UNISON rep Peter Moorhead and stop victimising trade unionists at Alternative Futures Group (AFG)
Support the ASDA workers and reinstate Michael Hunnum – 12,000 workers faced being sacked before Christmas by scrooge bosses ASDA, who are now owned by US superstore giant Walmart. This threat hanging over them was unless they agree to the new ‘Contract 6’ which will see them lose all their paid breaks and forced to work bank holidays. The same employer is sacking North East GMB member Michael Hunnam. Michael’s fight is part of the same struggle to resist the offensive of the ASDA bosses. Michael’s supporters believe that his determined opposition to Contract 6 is what has put him in the ASDA firing line. Support the ASDA workers and reinstate Michael!
Guardian: Ricky Tomlinson’s criminal convictions to be re-examined
Appeal court to look again at case of Royle Family actor after claims he may have been unjustly jailed
The criminal convictions of actor Ricky Tomlinson, who starred in the TV comedy the Royle Family, are to be re-examined by appeal court judges after an official body suggested he may have been unjustly jailed. Tomlinson and other trade unionists have been campaigning for years to clear their names after they were jailed during a strike in the 1970s. On Tuesday, the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the public body that scrutinises alleged miscarriages of justice, announced it had asked the court of appeal to review the cases of Tomlinson and others. Tomlinson, 80, said it was “good news” and an opportunity to prove that he and 23 other men were prosecuted in what amounted to a politically motivated attack on the trade union movement by the government, police and managers read more in Guardian
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
International
#EndSWAT: Outrage in Nigeria at government trick: Send solidarity messages to YRC read more
Diary
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
