From RMT website (20 Apr):
Over 40,000 railway workers on Network Rail and 15 train operating companies (TOCs) will be balloted for strike action in what RMT has called “potentially the biggest rail strike in modern history.” Network Rail intends to cut at least 2,500 safety critical maintenance jobs as part of a £2bn reduction in spending on the network. Staff on the TOCs have been subject to pay freezes, threats to jobs and attacks on their terms and conditions. The ballot opens April 26 and closes May 24. If members vote “yes” in the ballot and breach the anti-trade union legal threshold for turnout, then a national railway strike could begin as early as June.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Railway workers have had to contend with pay freezes, the prospect of losing their jobs and repeated attacks on their terms and conditions. Removing 2,500 safety critical jobs from Network Rail will spell disaster for the public, make accidents more likely and will increase the possibility of trains flying off the tracks. Train Operating Companies have praised our members for being key workers during the pandemic but have refused to keep staff pay in line with inflation and soaring living costs. As a result, thousands of railway workers have seen their living standards plummet and have run out of patience. The way for trade unions to effectively take on the cost-of-living crisis is to stand up for their members at work and take industrial action when employers are not moved by the force of reasoned argument. A national rail strike will bring the country to a standstill, but our members livelihoods and passenger safety are our priorities.”
TSSA moves closer to national rail dispute (21 Apr)
International Workers Memorial Day & May Day
The NSSN sends fraternal greetings to everyone in what is one of the main weeks of the workers movement. This coming Thursday is International Workers Memorial and next Sunday is May Day. Covid has further shown that union organisation and collective action is vital to both protect the health and safety of workers and fight the offensive of the bosses and their Tory Government. For local events, follow #IWMD2022 #IWMD22 #MayDay2022 #MayDay22 on social media
TUC National Demonstration Saturday 18th June Central London
The TUC has called a national demonstration this summer. The NSSN welcomes this so that the biggest possible national demonstration can be built as a platform for the mass co-ordinated industrial action that is needed as workers fight the squeeze on their living standards.
12noon Parliament Square, Westminster, London SW1P 3BD read more
Support sacked P&O workers
NSSN supporters have taken part in demonstrations to support the 800 sacked P&O workers and their unions the RMT and Nautilus International and other seafarer unions. We will advertise solidarity protests in this bulletin and we will update it during the week, and on social media when they are announced. We support the calls for P&O to be nationalised to save jobs and defend communities.
Protest at Cairnryan – 2pm on Friday 29 April at Cairnryan, Stranraer, Wigtownshire, DG9 8RF Scotland
Stop union victimisation: support the Coventry bin strike
The Labour council has disgracefully targeted Pete Randle, one of the senior Unite shop stewards. We call on all our supporters to support Pete and his striking members
Unite lodges employment tribunal claim against the Labour controlled Coventry Council for trade union victimisation – Unite has formally lodged an employment tribunal claim against the Labour controlled Coventry Council on behalf of union rep Pete Randle. The council stands accused of shamefully victimising Pete for his trade union duties. On Tuesday (5 April), supporters of Pete Randle were out in force to show solidarity ahead of his investigatory hearing which appeared to be based on groundless and unsubstantiated charges. Last month, the council took the outrageous decision to escalate tensions with Unite by suspending the union’s shop steward on bogus charges in the middle of the bin lorry drivers’ dispute. Strikes began early this year and the 70 HGV drivers have been on all out strike since 31 January in a dispute over low pay. The workers’ basic rate of pay begins at just £22,183 per annum, which is far below pay rates of neighbouring councils. The dispute has already cost Coventry council millions, with costs rising daily, when it would cost just £300,000 to resolve the dispute. The council has even set up a strike breaking, rogue alternative bin collection service. Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “Why on earth is Pete Randle being dragged through this kangaroo court? Judging from Tuesday’s hearing the council’s charges are groundless and they must be dropped. Unite will not allow Pete to be victimised for carrying out his trade union duties on behalf of members. We have now lodged a claim at the employment tribunal on Pete’s behalf” read more
Join these protests to support the Coventry binworkers:-
Coventry March & Rally – 11am 3rd May, assemble 1, Friargate for march to Coventry Council House
Lobby of Local Government Association in London – 12noon 4th May, Smith Square, Westminster SW1P 3HZ
Sign petition to Councillor George Duggins – Coventry Council: Reinstate Pete Randle, stop union busting, stop strike breaking and pay the rate
Follow @UniteWestMids on twitter. Coventry bin worker’s strike fund – Unity Trust Bank; Name of Account: Unite WM/7116 Branch Coventry Local Government; Account number: 20302665 Sort code: 60-83-01; send messages of solidarity to [email protected]
2022 NSSN Conference – Saturday 2nd July 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL Facebook event
Confirmed speakers include: Sharon Graham Unite General Secretary
Attendance fee £6. Register on the day or email [email protected]
You can download the conference leaflet plus a letter for union branches, trades councils
This will be the 15th national NSSN conference and the first in-person one for three years. As usual will be a vital forum for union reps and members along with anti-cuts campaigners to come together to talk about their struggles and discuss out the strategy, tactics and programme needed for the fight of our lives.
The NSSN will be again holding our rally at TUC Congress in Brighton on Sunday 11th September 1pm-3pm
Conference: UNDERCOVER POLICING, TRADE UNIONS AND SOCIAL ACTIVISM by Blacklist Support Group, TMG, PSOOL, COPS
Sat, 7 May 2022 10:30 – 17:30 at UNITE House, 128 Theobald’s Rd, Holborn,
London WC1X 8TN read more & register. Our conference will increase awareness of the impact of political policing on trade unions and movements for social change since 1968
Stop the war in Ukraine
The NSSN calls for the unity of working-class people across Ukraine, Russia and the whole region against war, militarisation and repression. We support the actions of independent trade unions in Ukraine and Russia in defending workers.
FBU Executive Council Statement – Invasion and War in Ukraine
Unite executive council – statement on Ukraine crisis
NIPSA statement: Russian Invasion of Ukraine
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]
Union News
RMT
Transport Scotland “playing fast and loose with railway safety” (22 Apr) – Rail union RMT, has uncovered new evidence where Transport Scotland has directly requested for track operator Network Rail to cut the funding for vital railway operations, maintenance, and renewals across Scotland. An FOI request passed to RMT shows Transport Scotland requested that Network Rail reduce its baseline budget by £65 million in both 2022/23 and 2023/24 read more
DP World protest against P&O sackings (20 Apr) – Maritime union RMT will be joining protesters outside the Dubai owned company HQ on Thursday 21 April at 5pm. Organised by the International Transport Federation in London outside the offices of DP World, 16 Palace Street London SW1E 5JQ, RMT activists will be keeping up their “Fair Ferries campaign” and calling for the re-instatement of all 800 sacked seafarers. ITF inspectors who were scheduled to investigate welfare issues at the Port of Dover earlier this week following reports of bad practices on P&O vessels. However, they were denied access by the Port Police despite giving advanced warning of their visit read more
Support RMT strike on TransPennine Express – TPE conductors on major railway lines are striking over pay and Sunday. The company has point blank refused TPE conductors’ request to increase pay for staff coming in on their days off and Sundays. Members are instructed not to book on for any shifts that commence between:-
- hours until 23.59 hours on Sunday 13th March 2022
- hours until 23.59 hours on Sunday 20th March 2022
- hours until 23.59 hours on Sunday 27th March 2022
- hours until 23.59 hours on Sunday 3rdApril 2022
- hours on Saturday 16th April 2022 until 23.59 hours on Sunday 17th April 2022
- hours on Saturday 30th April 2022 until 23.59 hours on Sunday 1st May 2022
- hours on Saturday 4th June 2022 until 23.59 hours on Sunday 5th June 2022 read more
Churchill cleaners to take 11 days strike action over pay (14 Apr) – Contracted out cleaning staff will mount picket lines for 11 days from April 27 to May 7 in their fight for a £15 per hour pay rate. Currently cleaners working on Churchill contracts on GTR, Eurostar, SE trains, and HS1 can earn as little £8.91 an hour. RMT is also demanding company sick pay and free travel for cleaning staff across the network, in line every other worker on the railway read more
Congratulations on rock solid London Underground action – All RMT London Underground members are congratulated for the rock-solid strike action across the entire network this week. There has been a brilliant show of solidarity and support from you all and you are commended for your commitment to fight against vicious attacks on your jobs and pensions in order to pay for the TfL funding crisis read more
Support the London Night Tube strike: every Friday and Saturday nights on Central and Victoria lines read more
TSSA
TSSA moves closer to national rail dispute (21 Apr) – TSSA is warning of a nation-wide rail dispute as train operators and Network Rail refuse to give guarantees on job security, pay and protecting terms and conditions for rail staff. The union, which represents a range of station, on-board, operational, control, engineering, managerial and support staff, is demanding assurances over job security, terms and conditions and inflation-matching pay rises. TSSA called for an industry-wide no compulsory redundancy agreement that was in place during the pandemic to be extended until at least the end of 2022, but this was rejected by industry leaders in 2021 causing TSSA to pull out of the Rail Industry Recovery Group (RIRG). Many rail staff have gone two years or more without a pay rise and reports of widespread ticket office closures have not been denied by government and the rail industry read more
Reps meetings to consult on industrial action (21 Apr) – If you are a TSSA rep, look out for dates of meetings to discuss the dispute situation in Network Rail and all train operators which fall under the Department for Transport (DfT). TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes wrote to all DfT TOCs and Network Rail on 8 April 2022 seeking assurances regarding cost of living pay increases and job security. This included a demand to extend the TSSA-negotiated No Compulsory Redundancy agreement for the rail industry that was in place until the end of 2021. Companies have not agreed to provide assurances, so TSSA is now in dispute. Meetings are being held with TSSA reps to discuss next steps, including balloting for industrial action read more
Unite
Unite meets with Irish Tanaiste’s officials to discuss hospitality service charges (24 Apr) – Service charges must go to those providing the service, “Unclear policy is usually unfair” says Unite general secretary. Trade union Unite, which represents hospitality workers throughout Ireland, recently met with officials in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to discuss the union’s outstanding concerns regarding the Payment of Wages (Tips and Gratuities) (Amendment) Bill 2022 read more
Croydon council ground maintenance strikes postponed following new offer (22 Apr) – Strikes by Croydon grounds maintenance workers have been postponed after the council tabled a new offer on pay and terms and conditions. Unite, the UK’s leading union, said strikes scheduled for 25, 26 and 27 April have been postponed to allow negotiations to continue. The dispute is over the 2021 pay offer for local authority workers of just 1.75 per cent. However, the dispute is also complicated by the fact the grounds maintenance services in Croydon were insourced back to the council from a private contractor three years ago. Despite this, the workers’ contracts have not yet been brought into line with council standards. As well as pay related matters, the offer includes the harmonisation of terms and conditions with other council workers. Once negotiations are complete, the finalised offer will be put to the more than 20 grounds workers in a vote read more
Veolia workers to ballot for strike over pay ‘cut’ at Stanlow (22 Apr) – Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by waste company Veolia and working at the Stanlow refinery in Cheshire are to be balloted for industrial action in a dispute over pay. Multinational giant Veolia is proposing a 3.5 per cent pay deal to the workforce. With the real inflation rate (RPI) currently standing at nine per cent, Unite says that this is a substantial pay cut. The workers are responsible for maintaining and operating chemical and vacuum tanks at the refinery. Ballot papers began to be sent out this week and voting will close on Tuesday 3 May. A vote in favour of industrial action would see strikes begin in May read more
Airbus dispute ends as Unite secures significantly improved pay offer (21 Apr) – Over 3,000 workers employed by Airbus at its factories in Broughton in North Wales and Filton in Gloucestershire have accepted an improved pay offer bringing a long-running dispute to a close. The workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, voted for industrial action in February but suspended planned strikes to consider an improved offer by Airbus. The offer accepted by the workforce consists of an 8.6 per cent pay increase over 13 months in addition to a backdated 5.1 per cent lump sum payment. Workers will also have an additional day’s holiday in 2023 and in 2024 read more
Huge vote for strike at First Glasgow as workers reject insulting pay offer (21 Apr) – Unite the union has today (21 April) confirmed that dozens of workers employed by First Glasgow have voted overwhelmingly to strike in a dispute over pay. The 60 First Glasgow workers, including bus cleaners and shunters, voted by 96 per cent in support of strike action in a ballot turnout of 87 per cent. Two periods of 48-hour strike action will now take place on 4 and 5 May, and 18 and 19 May. The dispute centres on a two year pay deal which would take some workers to £9.48 per hour backdated to August 2021 to April 2022 – two pence below the adult minimum wage from April 2022 of £9.50 per hour read more
Rudolph & Hellmann Oxford MINI strikes postponed after new pay offer (21 Apr) – Strikes by warehouse workers based at Oxford’s MINI plant have been postponed after their employer, Rudolph & Hellman, tabled a new pay offer. Unite, the UK’s leading union, said strikes scheduled for 26 and 28 April and 4 and 6 May have been postponed to allow the 180 workers to vote on the improved deal. If the workers reject the pay offer, strikes scheduled for the 10, 12, 17 and 19 May will go ahead. The workers, made up of warehouse staff and shunter drivers, handle components for the carmaker and any strikes would significantly impact production at the plant read more
Strike action by bus drivers at Translink deferred after employers make revised pay offer (21 Apr) – Unions representing bus drivers working for Ulsterbus and Metro services, Unite the union and the GMB, announced the deferral of planned strike action due to commence this coming Monday [April 25] after negotiations led to a revised pay offer from employers. Bus drivers will now be balloted on the new pay offer read more
Unite members at Transport for London and London Underground ballot for strike action over pension attacks (20 Apr) – Over 1,500 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed at Transport for London (TfL) and London Underground (LU) are to be balloted for industrial action in a dispute over attacks on their pensions. Unite’s members have been told that the value of their pensions will be cut and that the final salary scheme will end. The proposal to slash the workers’ pensions follows a central government-demanded review in return for pandemic-recovery funding for TfL. Ballot papers will be sent out from tomorrow Thursday 21 April and the ballot will close on Thursday 26 May. If members vote in favour of industrial action, strikes could begin by mid-June, although action is likely to be co-ordinated with sister unions who also have members in TfL read more
County Durham car factory strikes intensify in fight for fair pay rise (20 Apr) – Pay strikes at car bearing manufacturers NSK Bearings and AKS Precision Ball in Peterlee, County Durham, have intensified as workers step up their fight for a fair pay rise. Around 200 workers, members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, have taken eight days of strike action since 23 March after rejecting an ‘offensive’ 1.6 per cent pay offer. The real cost of living, RPI, currently stands at nine per cent and is set to rise further. They will now stage a further 11 days of strikes, which begin today (20 April) and end on 15 May read more
GSK workers deliver historic vote for strike action in fight for fair pay (20 Apr) – For the first time in the history of pharmaceutical giant GSK, UK workers have voted for industrial action in a dispute over pay. The workers, members of Unite the union, recorded an 86 per cent yes vote in favour of strike action in response to GSK making a derisory pay offer of just 2.75 per cent, a substantial real terms pay cut for the workforce, with the true rate of inflation (RPI) currently standing at nine per cent. Unite says that GSK now has a short 48 hour-window of opportunity to make a much-improved offer or strike action will be announced read more
Activists stage protest outside Chep’s parent company Brambles in London (20 Apr) – Parent company Brambles must end the shambles created by Chep UK. Unite activists will be outside the UK headquarters of the Australian-owned company Brambles Ltd today (Wednesday, April 20). The campaigners are calling on the company to take responsibility for ending the ongoing strike at its subsidiary Chep UK Ltd. Unite’s members at the pallet supplier at Trafford Park in Manchester have been on strike for five months and, having now rejected the company’s latest pay offer, could be on strike into the summer. Unite says it’s time for Brambles to intervene and insist its subsidiary “gets its act together”. Chep UK Ltd has generated significant wealth for its parent company but the union says that management has made a complete mess of its pay negotiations with the workers in Trafford Park. In 2021, Chep UK Ltd made sales revenues of £390.7million in 2021. Between 2010 and 2021 Chep UK Ltd paid out dividends to Brambles Ltd amounting to £664.54 million. Each Chep UK Ltd employee generated sales worth £320.5K in 2021 read more
Sign this petition to Brambles CEO Graham Chipchase & Vice-President for CHEP UK & Ireland Matt Quinn – CHEP UK – Your Pay Offer is unPALLETable!
Unite confirms further dates for strike action for pay increase by council, education and housing workers in Northern Ireland (15 Apr) – Strike action set to continue over a two week period spanning end of April and early May. Following on from strike action taken by Unite members at Councils, the Education Authority, NI Housing Executive, further education colleges, schools and youth service, the union has now confirmed a timetable of further strike action. This will take the form of a discontinuous strike in the last week of April and early May. The strike follows the failure of employers to provide an improved pay offer to workers. The increase offered under the National Joint Council amounts to 1.75 per cent. The current rate of inflation impacting workers’ living standard is nine per cent read more
Manchester facing prolonged bin strikes as Biffa workers back strike action in pay dispute (14 Apr) – Manchester is braced for city-wide bin strikes next month as refuse collection workers employed by Biffa have overwhelmingly voted for strike action over a ‘lousy’ pay offer. Biffa is offering the workers, including members of Unite the union, just 1.75 per cent on pay, a real terms pay cut given that the real cost of living (RPI rate) currently stands at nine per cent and is expected to rise further. Over 200 workers – drivers, loaders and environmental operatives – employed by Biffa on the outsourced Manchester council refuse collection contract will begin strike action on Tuesday 3 May with the strike ending on Friday 13 May. There will then be a further two week strike from Monday 23 May until Friday 3 June read more
Bullying culture at Cardiff City Council Waste Services provokes near 100% vote in favour of protest strike action – Following an industrial action ballot in which Unite members voted by a majority of 98 per cent to strike in a dispute over widespread bullying within the Cardiff City Council Waste Services, waste service workers employed by Cardiff City Council will start six weeks of continuous strike from 22 April. The strike will cause widespread disruption to the city’s refuse and recycling collections. A survey of Unite members working within Waste Services found that over 60 per cent of workers have either witnessed workplace bullying or had been bullied themselves. Unite has raised a number of other issues with the council which stem from the bullying culture. These include health and safety failings, misuse of agency labour and unfair targeting of Unite union reps read more
Unite warns Caterpillar that attempts to break strike threaten health and safety of workers – Strike by Caterpillar workers at Larne and Belfast results in huge impact to production on site. Unite, the union representing Caterpillar workers who commenced strike action yesterday [Monday 11 April], has hit out at management whose failed attempts to undermine the strike have resulted in mounting concerns for workers’ health and safety. Over the weekend reports circulated that untrained employees at sites in Britain were being offered money to take up production roles at the company’s two Northern Ireland sites during the dispute. In a letter to Unite responding to its challenges over the health and safety implications of such a deployment, Caterpillar management claimed that “the health and safety of all our workers is of paramount importance and…safety is our number 1 priority.” However, on the first day of strike action (yesterday) a striking worker was hit by a HGV as it was attempting to speed past the pickets. The worker escaped with minor injuries as he was able to jump out of the way but left Unite questioning how encouraging drivers to cross picket lines tallied with a purported commitment to worker safety read more
Hackney council workers strike over “insulting” 1.75% pay offer – More than 200 Hackney council workers will strike over an “insulting” 1.75 per cent pay offer, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday 6 April). Staff working in refuse, building services and passenger services for those with disabilities and special educational needs, will strike between 25 and 27 April and 3 May and 5 May. While the rate of real inflation (the RPI) is running at 8.2 per cent and rising, the 1.75 per cent offer, rising to 2.75 per cent for those on the bottom pay point, has been set nationally by the Local Government Association (LGA) for 2021/22. Unite is urging Hackney council to reject the LGA recommendation, table a proper pay rise and prevent the possibility of long-running strike action read more
Unite urges Woolwich Ferry – seize opportunity to resolve dispute as strike ballot suspended to kick-start talks – Woolwich Ferry’s workers have suspended their industrial action and also plans to hold another strike ballot in a goodwill gesture to resolve the long-running dispute, Unite the union said today (Tuesday 5 April). Unite has put forward proposals, which remain confidential, to Transport for London (TfL) bosses to kick-start meaningful talks over the poor employment relations that have been the hallmark of successive operators of the troubled ferry. Six workers, including two Unite reps, still remain unfairly suspended when the last bout of industrial action ended on 28 March read more
Strike action continues as GE Aviation accused of ‘dirty tricks’ in Gloucester pay dispute – Workers at Gloucester’s Hurricane Road GE Aviation factory will be striking every Friday until their call for a fair wage is honoured, Unite the union has said today (Tuesday 29 March). Multinational GE Aviation has been accused of `dirty tricks’ in an attempt to undermine the workers. The 90-plus workers are employed by GE’s subsidiary Dowty Propellers. The workers have rejected a two year pay offer worth just 4.5 per cent which, with the actual level of inflation (retail price index) standing at 8.2 per cent, amounts to a real terms pay cut read more
Petrol stations facing disruption as workers fight for a fair wage from ‘filthy rich’ Exxon at Southampton oil refinery – Petrol station and airport fuel supplies are facing disruption as workers at Exxon’s Southampton oil refinery fight for a fair wage from their “filthy rich” employer, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Tuesday 29 March). Around 100 workers, who make up a third of the contractors at the Fawley Refinery, will strike on 8 April, 25 April and 6 May, with more strikes to be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved. Fawley supplies a sixth of petrol stations nationwide and all airports. As some workers provide safety critical services, strike action could lead to shutdowns across the plant read more
Veolia workers across Edinburgh and Lothians set to strike over `insulting’ pay offer – Unite can confirm today (24 March) that more than 50 members working for Veolia Water across Edinburgh and the Lothians are set to take strike action in a dispute over pay. The strike action, involving plant operatives, electrical maintenance, mechanical, and administrative staff, was supported overwhelmingly by 94 per cent of Unite’s members in a ballot turnout of 83 per cent. The Veolia workers are demanding a significantly improved pay offer from the company. With the more realistic cost of living (RPI) currently running at 8.2 per cent per cent, Veolia’s offer of 2.6 per cent for this year is a pay cut. Strike action will take place from 7-13 April, and then continuous strike action from 21 April read more
Industrial action set to have a ‘severe impact’ on Lerwick Port – Unite the union today (15 March) confirmed that its members working at the Lerwick Port Authority have voted in support of industrial action over pay, terms and conditions. For a number of years, despite the prosperity and expansion of the port, skilled and semi-skilled employees have been paid considerably less than nationally agreed rates. Around a dozen key workers voted unanimously in support of strike action and an overtime ban. The industrial action will include engineers, electricians, joiners and general operatives. Unite members will now commence a continuous overtime ban from 28 March at the main port in the Shetland Islands. Due to the significant hours of overtime required to ensure the effective running of operations at the port, Unite has stated that any overtime ban in itself will have a ‘severe impact’ on the cruise liners and oil and gas vessels, as well as the general shipping, which use the harbour read more
Ford facing tipper truck and van shortages as VFS workers in Eastleigh to strike over pay – Workers employed at the south coast firm VFS Southampton Ltd, who assemble tipper trucks and vans for Ford, have announced extensive strike action in a dispute over pay. The workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, voted overwhelmingly for the action after VFS imposed a pay award which the company claims is worth 3.65 per cent but, with the RPI (retail price index) rate of inflation currently standing at 7.8 per cent and set to rise further, is in reality a pay cut. VFS also assembles large vehicles for Mercedes so the strikes will hit both companies with delays to the delivery of vehicles. Unite’s members will hold a 24-hour strike on Tuesday 29 March with a further six strike periods scheduled for a total of 25 days until mid-June. The workers will be striking on the following dates: 29 March, 1 April, 11-14 April, 25-29 April, 3-6 May, 23-27 May and 6-10 June read more
GE Steam Rugby buyer EDF warned it’s ‘inheriting industrial unrest’ as first strike in 45 years continues – EDF’s plans to buy Rugby’s historic turbine factory could result in the French energy giant inheriting industrial unrest unless pay strikes against the current owner GE Steam Power are resolved, Unite has warned. The first strike in 45 years will continue at the 120-year-old factory tomorrow (Friday 4 March) and Monday (7 March) at Newbold Road, Rugby, CV21 2NH. The dispute is over GE Steam Power’s refusal to negotiate over flexible working payments and the expectation that workers will take on new roles without extra pay. More than 75 Unite members, comprising nearly the entirety of the factory’s workforce, are taking a further eight days of strike action between 18 March and 2 May. Since GE Steam Power’s acquisition of the Rugby site 11 years ago, the relationship between the workers and management has been become increasingly strained over pay, redundancies, attacks on pensions and cuts to death in service benefits read more
Envases Liverpool Ltd printers to strike over dismissal of Unite rep – Members of Unite employed as printers by Envases Liverpool Ltd will take 12 days of strike action next month following the dismissal of the union’s rep. Unite believes that its rep John Williams was dismissed on the false charges as a direct consequence of him standing up for the Unite members at the factory. Envases had sought to use misleading information and a false statement to try to drive a wedge between Unite and another union at the factory. After Mr Williams exposed the company’s actions he was dismissed read more
Strike action set to hit Dalkeith based FLB print firm – Unite the union has today (10 January) confirmed that around 110 workers at print and publishing firm FLB Group in Dalkeith, which owns the Filofax and Letts brands, will take strike action this week in a dispute over pay. The strike action will take place on Wednesday (12 January) at 6am and conclude at 05:59am on Thursday. It is the first of a series of 24 hour stoppages commencing every Wednesday into Thursday until 31 March. Some 95.7 per cent of the eligible workforce previously voted in support of strike action in late November on an 84.4 per cent turnout. The pay dispute originates from early 2021 when Unite’s members were informed by FLB that there would be no pay rise. Due to pressure from Unite, the company made several unsatisfactory offers that ended with a below inflation two-year offer of 2.75 per cent. Unite is demanding a six per cent pay increase at a time when the cost of living is at a ten-year high. The Retail Prices Index stood at 7.1 per cent in November 2021 read more
Strike action by Turners of Soham logistic drivers set to impact major aviation companies – Logistic drivers working for Turners of Soham based out of Grangemouth are set to begin strike action tomorrow (6 January) in a dispute over pay. The logistic drivers work on the Q8 Aviation Deliveries contract which provides fuel services for a number of major aviation companies. The strike action follows 100% of Unite members voting to take strike action, on a turnout of 100% at the end of December 2021, following a lack of progress after months of negotiations with the company. The current wave of strike action ends on 14 January at 24:00 hours with further dates to be planned in the coming weeks. Unite’s members based at Grangemouth have been offered an 8.7% increase, despite the same company awarding its drivers in the North West of England 17.5% in October of last year read more
Evonik workers at historic Manchester chemicals site strike over pay – Evonik workers at a 130-year-old Manchester chemicals site are to strike over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday 13 October). Around 25 production and warehouse operatives at Evonik’s Clayton site, which has been a chemical plant since 1892, are taking industrial action after rejecting a 1.5 per cent pay offer read more
PCS
PCS calls on Cabinet Office to make Covid safety pledge (21 Apr) – PCS is calling on the civil service to introduce a Covid-19 safety pledge to promote the creation of safe spaces at work. The pledge, backed by PCS, was written by the Independent SAGE group of scientists and urges employers to sign up to ensure Covid-safe spaces for their employees, customers and any users of these spaces read more
Government minister insults PCS members with back to office drive (19 Apr) – A slap in the face to our members who worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, is how PCS has described a call by Jacob Rees-Mogg for more civil servants to return to offices. The government efficiencies minister has written to all the secretaries of state and is encouraging them to ensure a rapid return of staff to offices. This is despite our members adapting brilliantly to home and hybrid working during the pandemic to deliver vital public services read more
GMB
North Somerset bin strike: final talks are ‘do or die time’ (22 Apr) – GMB union is calling on North Somerset environment company (NSEC) to make an offer that recognises the unprecedented cost of living crisis hitting members right now. The calls come as North Somerset refuse workers reject a revised offer which failed to give members a real pay rise this year, despite rampant inflation hitting 9 per cent. Bosses imposed a 1.75 per cent pay deal against the wishes of union members last year, which has seen members struggle to make ends meet. If talks fail on Monday, more than 100 workers will walk out of recycling centres and refuse collection services run by North Somerset Environment Company. The failure of talks will affect the refuse and waste collection of around 88,000 homes across Somerset read more
Thousands of Securitas workers now protected by domestic abuse charter (21 Apr) – Securitas has signed up to GMB’s Work to Stop Domestic Abuse employer charter, following a campaign by GMB London members in the workplace. The security giant this week signed the deal, giving 9,000 workers the right to 10 days paid leave when facing domestic violence or abusive behaviours, to support them in seeking the appropriate help read more
Wealden bin strike paused after Biffa makes 11th hour pay offer (22 Apr) – The Wealden bin strike has been paused after Biffa made an eleventh hour pay offer to GMB members. Refuse collectors across Wealden District Council were due to walk out for a week of industrial action from Monday [25 April]. The last minute offer from Biffa falls shot of workers’ expectations – but GMB members have paused the strike and consider the offer on Monday read more
Hereford metal firm face industrial action after derisory real terms pay cut (22 Apr) – A Hereford metal firm faces industrial action after offering workers a derisory real terms pay cut. Special Metals Wiggin in Hereford which produces Nickel specialist products for the aerospace, automotive, oil and gas industries, in 2020 agreed with GMB Union that if inflation rose this year they would discuss an improvement to members wages but only to be paid in 2023. With inflation at a massive 9 per cent, the union has put forward a substantial interim pay claim for more than 300 members at the company. Bosses now say they are not prepared to renegotiate but have offered a one off payment of 2 per cent – amounting to a big real terms pay cut. Workers have told GMB they are ready for industrial action and a formal ballot begins today – ending 6th May read more
Wiltshire traffic wardens vote for strike action (21 Apr) – Wiltshire faces gridlock after traffic wardens across the county voted to go on strike, GMB union has warned. The civil enforcement officers voted 100 per cent in favour of industrial action, with a 92 per cent turnout. GMB is now consulting its members about potential future strike dates. The strike vote is in response to a council proposal for a pay cut for all staff working unsocial hours read more
Dickens country demo against term-time only deal for school workers (21 Apr) – GMB has organised a second demonstration outside a Medway Council full council meeting today [Thursday 21 April] in anger at the derisory offer made to compensate low-paid women for historic annual leave underpayment. Despite a meeting last week between the union, council representatives and ACAS, the proposal to offer a compensation package of two weeks’ wages to be paid from the schools’ budgets will be pushed forward read more
Wimbledon traffic wardens win protection for tennis championships (21 Apr) – GMB members working the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament this year have aced their serve and will keep their current working terms and conditions for this year’s Championships. Merton Council have retracted their statement of intention to change the overtime rates this year. The consultation will be rewritten and reissued at a later date to ensure that GMB members who work in parking in Merton can retain the status quo in 2022 read more
Yodel sacks disabled workers after 19 years service (21 Apr) – A disabled Yodel worker has been sacked after 19 years on capability grounds. Tony White, 56, [picture attached] who has several conditions including a spinal issue, was told by Yodel he could have different role upon his return from sickness. Mr White, who worked for almost two decades sorting parcels in Waltham cross, has a contract which gives him rights on sickness and duty of care. But these contractual obligations appear to have been ignored as the promised job never materialised and the driver was relieved of his duties
Adur and Worthing bin strike ends in massive win for workers (21 Apr) – The long-running Adur and Worthing bin strike has ended in a massive win for workers. GMB members in the refuse, recycling and street cleansing department of Adur & Worthing Councils have this morning [21 April] voted to accept the joint councils’ latest pay offer and suspend their strike action. The pay deal will mean an increase of 8.2 per cent for refuse loaders, 10.4 per cent for cleansing drivers and some HGV drivers set to emerge with 20.7 per cent. It brings to end the dispute which began in February and has resulted in almost 30 days of industrial action- but the union retains the right to strike until November if the council breaks its promise read more
Fox’s Glacier Mint workers strike over fire and rehire threat (13 Apr) – Fox’s Glacier Mint workers will take a full day of strike action tomorrow [April 14] in anger at the company’s fire and rehire threat. Staff at Valeo York, who also make Poppets and humbugs, mint assortments butter mints, rhubarb and custards and lemon sherberts for well-known supermarkets including M&S, will be joined by the Yorkshire Polar Bear and local councillors read more
Northampton bin workers vote to strike (13 Apr) – Northampton town’s bin workers have voted for strike action. Industrial action – which could affect 94,000 homes – could take place as early as 27 April. GMB now meet with members to discuss possible strike dates. Northampton’s refuse collectors – employed by Veolia – are angry after turning down a real terms pay cut, with inflation running at a 9 per cent. The council, ultimately responsible for bin collections, has increased Veolia’s funding by 5.5 per cent, but the company are refusing to pass that on to workers read more
Manchester bin strike to go ahead (12 Apr) – Manchester residents face a bin strike after workers voted for industrial action today. GMB Union will now meet with members to discuss dates for the strike, which could affect up to 220,000 homes. More than 90 per cent of the workers, employed by outsourced waste management company Biffa, voted for industrial action – on a turnout of more than 60 per cent read more
Barrow bin strike: Six more days of industrial action – Refuse collectors in Barrow have announced six more days of industrial action in their fight for a living wage. GMB members working FCC Environment will walk out on from 30 March to 1 April and then 6 to 8 April read more
Unison
UNISON slates government over school funding shortages (21 Apr) – Research reveals that many headteachers in primary and secondary schools in England are having to cut staff, IT equipment, trips and more as the funding crisis bites read more
Hospital staff protest against planned closure of nurseries (20 Apr) – Without alternative, affordable childcare provision, health workers in South London could be forced out of the NHS, says UNISON. Health workers and their children protesting outside the hospital. On Tuesday this week, health workers and their children gathered outside Cedar House nursery in South London to protest against trust managers’ plans to close the service, which provides affordable childcare to hospital workers read more
One week, all-out strike under way at University of Dundee (19 Apr) – The strike started as employers are urged to “show some commitment to their loyal, low paid staff”. Members at the University of Dundee took to the picket line on Monday, and started one week of all-out strike action over the employer’s plans to impose changes to the university pension scheme. This is the third round of action taken at the university over the same issue and the initial five-day strike will be followed by selective action in high-impact areas over the coming three weeks. The previous rounds of strike action provoked a u-turn by the employer of the decision to close the defined benefit scheme, but the dispute now centres on the terms with which the scheme remains open – with proposals to increase the retirement age, diminish the accrual rate and close the scheme to new joiners. When consulted, members strongly rejected this package which was imposed rather than negotiated read more
NIPSA
South West Acute Hospital (21 Apr) – NIPSA is very concerned at reports of a review into surgical services in the Western Trust and the potential impact this could have on South West Acute Hospital (SWAH). Reviews in other areas have led to cuts in services from individual sites, despite claims that this was not a downgrading of services, evidenced most recently in the Southern Trust. This has led to patients being required to travel much further afield for emergency surgery read more
NIPSA NJC 2022-23 Update (15 Apr) – NIPSA representatives have carried out a consultation on this years pay claim for NJC workers. NIPSA has given full consideration to the current economic circumstances and the massive squeeze on workers pay. With that in mind NIPSA is seeking a claim as follows:-
- Inflation + 10% cost of living increase + uplift of the mileage rate
- This view will be fed into the discussion with the NJC joint trade unions
Patrick Mulholland Deputy General Secretary read more
CWU
Post Office strike – all out on 3rd May (19 Apr) – Union calls nationwide walkout against pay freeze, bringing out every Crown office in the UK and halting all cash collections and deliveries along with call centres and various admin workers in the fight for a fair deal. “You provoked this strike, now it’s going to happen,” was CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey’s message to Post Office bosses today, after the union’s industrial executive formally authorised strike action to begin at the commencement of all shifts on Tuesday 3rd May. “This is the first national Post Office strike for a number of years and the responsibility for this situation lies 100 per cent with the senior management and their stubborn, arrogant and downright disrespectful attitude towards their workforce,” he told CWU News this afternoon. Every one of the UK’s 114 Crown Post Offices will close for a 24-hour period, and there will be no cash deliveries or collections from the 11,500 sub-post offices around the nation either – action that will severely impact everywhere. The action is fully legal and follows the astonishing 97.3 per cent YES vote returned by the union’s Post Office members in the statutory strike ballot that was held during March – a reflection of the enormous anger felt by workers at the stubborn refusal of the Post Office to pay a wage rise for 2021/22 read more
NEU
Support these strikes:-
| Action | Date | Contact |
| Walthamstow Primary / Waltham Forest
(Terms & Conditions)
|
26-28 April | [email protected] |
| Connaught School for Girls / Waltham Forest
(Transfer of Employer-Cleaners)
|
26-28 April | [email protected] |
| Deptford Park Primary / Lewisham
(Terms & Conditions)
|
26 April | [email protected]
|
| Coulsdon Sixth Form College / Croydon
(Pay)
|
27 April | [email protected]
|
| The John Fisher School / Sutton
(Discriminatory actions of the employer) |
28 April | [email protected]
|
EIS
Scotland’s College lecturers begin strike action on pay (19 Apr) – College lecturers across Scotland will today (Wednesday 20th April) take strike action seeking a fair pay award that recognises their efforts during the COVID 19 Pandemic. Members of the EIS-Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS-FELA) are taking action following protracted negotiations, regarding pay, that began with the submission of their pay claim in June 2021. In a move that evidences a strong sense of feeling amongst college lectures, EIS-FELA members will also commence a resulting boycott on the same day that strike action begins read more
Dundee’s Teachers set to open Statutory Ballot for Industrial Action – The EIS has served Dundee City Council with a notice of a Statutory Ballot for Industrial Action. The ballot will open on 19 April 2022. An earlier consultative ballot organised by the Dundee Local Association of the EIS saw Dundee’s teachers vote strongly in favour of industrial action over Dundee Council’s proposals to move to a faculty structure in its secondary schools read more
UCU
Staff at 24 UK universities back further strike action in ballot over USS pension cuts (12 Apr) –
- Almost eight in ten (79.5%) back strikes
- Dispute over cuts of 35% to guaranteed retirement incomes of staff
- UCU calls for new valuation of USS scheme as value of assets soars
- Union’s members holding meeting later this month to decide next steps in pension dispute
Staff at 24 UK universities have secured a mandate to take further strike action in a dispute over cuts to pensions which could see disruption continue throughout the rest of the academic year. Overall, eight in ten (79.5%) backed strike action with almost nine in ten (88.1%) voting for action short of strike (ASOS). The vote in favour of strike action is higher than it was during the ballots that concluded in November last year, where 76% backed strike action. Today’s results mean that staff at 27 universities have a mandate to take strike action over pensions which will last until October 2022. Staff at Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University did not take part in the ballots but will join any possible action as their mandate remains live. Queen Mary University of London has a live mandate until July read more
Staff at 36 UK universities back further strike action in ballot over pay and working conditions (11 Apr) –
- More than seven in ten (74%) back strikes
- Employers more intransigent than ever, UCU says
- Union’s members holding meeting later this month to decide next steps
Staff at thirty-six UK universities have voted in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay and working conditions which could see higher education hit by further disruption this academic year. Overall, over seven in ten of those who voted (74%) backed strike action with over eight in ten (85.9%) voting for action short of strike. The vote in favour of strike action is higher than it was during the ballots that concluded in November last year, where 70.1% backed strike action read more
Colleges across the North West of England facing industrial action following successful strike ballots (12 Apr) – Six colleges across the North West England could see industrial action in the coming weeks and months following following successful statutory industrial action ballots from UCU members. Staff at Burnley College, Bury College, Hopwood Hall College, City of Liverpool College, Nelson & Colne College and Oldham College have voted to say that they are prepared to take industrial action and members at all six colleges will now prepare for strikes unless employers agree to negotiate a settlement. UCU says college leaders must act now if they want to avoid the disruption of strike action, which will otherwise impact up to 40k students read more
Support the UCU Goldsmiths strikes – University and College Union (UCU) members at Goldmiths University are continuing to take strike action as part of an ongoing dispute over plans to sack 46 members of staff. Goldsmiths wants to make the cuts as part of a ‘recovery plan’ after years of financial mismanagement have left the university with a £12.7m deficit. The union says the ‘recovery plan’ is a deal struck with Lloyds and Natwest banks to use redundancies to improve the university’s finances. Following a failure by the university last week to reduce the number of compulsory redundancies staff have been left with no option but to take industrial action in defence of jobs. The university has already been hit with a global boycott which means UCU is asking its members, other trade unions, labour movement organisations and the international academic community to support its members at Goldsmiths in any way possible. Follow @GoldsmithsUCU on twitter and on Facebook
UCU fighting fund: the link is here and donations to the fund are spent on supporting members involved in important disputes.
NUJ
High Court decision allows Liberty’s “Snoopers’ Charter” challenge to proceed to appeal (22 Apr) – Victory is welcomed by the NUJ following concerns over the protection of journalists and their sources. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has welcomed a decision by the High Court to grant permission to the human rights organisation, Liberty, to appeal parts of a judgment handed down in July 2019 over the lawfulness of “bulk” surveillance powers. Liberty’s application is supported by the NUJ, which took the lead in arguing the issues relating to journalistic protection in the High Court read more
Herald features writers’ jobs saved (19 Apr) – Newsquest reverses its decision to make redundancies following threat of industrial action. The six staff at risk were informed in an email from Graham Morrison, managing director of the Glasgow-based titles. The change of heart was prompted by the NUJ chapel’s decision to ballot for industrial action, after demonstrating overwhelming support for such a move in an indicative ballot. The company will hold discussions with the features writers in regard to current vacancies and realigning content read more
NUJ members remember Lyra McKee on the anniversary of her death (18 Apr) – NUJ’s Belfast and District branch unveiled a new banner to mark the third anniversary of journalist Lyra McKee’s death. On 18 April, friends and colleagues gathered on the steps of St. Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast at 11am, to hold a vigil celebrating the 29-year-old’s life and legacy. Members of Lyra’s branch will unveil a banner in memory of their murdered colleague read more
BBC North West journalists vote for work to rule – NUJ members are making a stand about the damaging impact of job cuts on news outpt in the region. As well as working with a significantly reduced workforce, staff at BBC North West are now expected to take on more and more technical duties previously carried out by skilled technical staff. If allowed to continue, the quality of the regional news programmes will suffer and deteriorate, they say. More than 97 per cent of NUJ members in the chapel voted in favour of industrial action. It follows the BBC’s decision to cut £25m from BBC England’s budget, leading to 450 job cuts cross England. The vast majority of journalists who work for BBC North West are NUJ members read more
Prospect
What’s next for our public sector pay campaign? (21 Apr) – Our public sector pay campaign began in late February, we have been putting pressure on the Cabinet Office to address the broken pay systems and give our public sector members a pay rise. Now that the pay remit guidance has been published with a pitiful headline pay increase of 2-3%, we move to the next phase of the campaign. In the coming weeks and months branch and full time negotiators will be pushing employers to achieve the maximum pay increase for our members. The recommendation from Prospect leadership is that all branches ballot on the pay offer with an additional question around what members are prepared to do if the offer is rejected read more
Equity
4 out of 5 performers don’t understand their rights when working with AI (21 Apr) – Today we’ve launched a new campaign to strengthen performer’s rights in response to the rapid development of artificial intelligence across the entertainment industry read more
Sign the petition to save Stratford Circus! https://www.change.org/p/save-stratford-circus
USDAW
#ReinstateMax: defend sacked Tesco USDAW rep Max McGee – 3 months on from exhausting all appeals, Max McGee is preparing to take Tesco to an Employment Tribunal over his trade union victimisation and sacking. A GoFundMe page has been set up to donate to Max’s reinstatement campaign and trade union comrades are encouraged to raise the campaign at their Trade Union branches and Trades Councils over the coming weeks. Link to the page below:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/reinstate-max-usdaw-rep-socialist
Messages of solidarity and photos can be sent to [email protected]
UVW
Security guards take their fight to Liverpool to rally activists’ SUPPORT (22 Apr) – Activists in Liverpool rally behind the striking Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) security guards at a meeting hosted by Liverpool TUC and Merseyside BLM Alliance. On Sunday 10th April, the courageous guards visited the northern city to address fellow trade unionists as well as other United Voices of the World (UVW) members from across the region who gathered to express their solidarity and outrage. Security guards Peter, Jahirul and Alex told activists about their over 50-day strike against racist outsourcing, which is turning into the longest security guard industrial in NHS history. The predominantly Black, brown and migrant security guards are the only workers at the well-known hospital who do not receive full NHS sick-pay read more
Security guards at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) are on strike every Friday in April as part of their fight against racist outsourcing. The trustees need to do the right thing and give these workers the rights they deserve! Support the six-week GOSH security guards strike read more on UVW Facebook page
IWGB
Glasgow Foster Carers “Betrayed” by Council as Unelected Officers Undemocratically Refuse Council’s Pay Proposals (19 Apr) – Foster carers are calling Glasgow HSCP’s decision to overturn Glasgow City Council’s recommendation of 10% child allowance increase amidst the cost of living crisis a deeply undemocratic betrayal. Unelected officers responsible for the delivery of social care services across the city have also denied foster carers a union recognition deal recommended by the full council voted through in the February budget read more
In-house without fair pay is discrimination: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine pay your workers a dignified salary! – We are cleaners, porters, post-room and security staff at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). We are a majority Black, Asian, Latin American and migrant workforce. Many of us have worked for years at LSHTM and we work hard to keep this university running. We are fighting for an end to discrimination and for fair and dignified pay read more & support campaign
Write to London Bridge Hospital: End poverty pay & poor treatment of cleaners! Use this quick tool to back the workers by writing to the London Bridge Hospital bosses at HCA Healthcare and Compass Group read more
Longest Gig-Economy Strike Hits Day 100 as Stuart Delivery Boss Admits to Pay Cuts in Meeting (1 Apr) – The longest gig-economy strike in history hits day 100 as JustEat subcontractor Stuart Delivery’s UK general manager Brendan Hamill declares pay was previously too high in recent meetings with a union representative. This represents the first admission from the company that the new pay structure equates to a pay cut, despite Stuart previously claiming that the 24% cut to the base rate rolled out in early December 2021 was “fairer” read more
Write to Stuart Delivery, JustEat: END THE STRIKE, PAY RISE NOW!
SIPTU (Ireland)
Unions dismayed at Department of Social Protection handling of employment services (20 Apr) – SIPTU and Fórsa members employed in local employment services (LES) and Job Clubs are losing confidence in the ability of the Department of Social Protection to manage these vital social services following a further change in the contracts for their provision read more
Other News
Ceilidh for Palestine – hosted by South East Kent Palestine Solidarity Campaign. 7pm Saturday 14th May, 2022 at the Westgate Hall, Canterbury. Commemorating al-Nakba and celebrating resilience.
Join us for an Irish and Palestinian cultural celebration with a performance by Hawiyya Dabke Dance Troupe and Ceilidh Tree’s ace fiddles and amazing caller, guaranteed to get you dancing. With speakers, fundraising raffle, food, stalls and more! All funds raised will support South East Kent PSC. Please buy tickets and encourage family and friends to join us. Details about tickets here
Fight blacklisting and victimisation of union reps
Support GARY CARNEY, TRAIN OPERATOR – LONDON UNDERGROUND
Defend Adrian Mitchell RMT driver on London Underground
Donate to solidarity campaign of Moe Muhsin Manir Unite bus rep Email messages of support to Moe: [email protected]
Trade union rep victimisation at Woolwich Ferry reaches ‘obscene levels’, says Unite
Unite: Ealing’s Labour council ‘actively helping’ Serco ‘hound’ union rep from civil enforcement job
St Mungos management escalate dispute by suspending Unite rep – sign petition: End the culture of fear at St Mungo’s – model motion
St Mungo’s: Unite will not tolerate victimisation and bullying
Sign petition: Reinstate Gary Bolister sacked GMB rep at Islington Council
Watch Reel News video: Victimised union reps: Act like it’s you and fight back
Reinstate John Boken Shropshire NEU rep – For more details and send solidarity messages, email [email protected]
Sign petition to support Redbridge NEU Rep Keiran Mahon
Watch Reel News video: Huddersfield teachers strike to defend Louise Lewis
Victimised Tesco warehouse rep Max McGee fighting for reinstatement read more. There is now a GoFundMe to support the campaign (https://www.gofundme.com/f/reinstate-max-usdaw-rep-socialist) and Max can be invited to speak at Usdaw and other union branches plus trades councils ([email protected])
QC appointed to lead the independent Unite inquiry into blacklisting (25 Mar) – Unite is delighted to announce that Nick Randall QC and John Carl Townsend have been appointed to investigate the possible collusion by union officers in blacklisting. Over the past months, evidence gathering by Thompsons solicitors has continued, with many blacklisted construction workers and other witnesses having already been interviewed. The work of the independent investigators is expected to start officially on 11 April read more
#SPYCops Inquiry exposes state surveillance of workers movement
Keep up with developments and read and watch campaigners’ statements on the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS) and Undercover Policing Inquiry websites and spycops info Facebook group
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
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 news
Hong Kong: NUJ and IFJ call for charges against journalist Allan Au to be dropped (14 Apr) read more
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 the Queens Speech in December 2019 and cannot be trusted and is now attacking the right to protest through its Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.
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 include some workers receiving 80% of their wages. This furlough scheme was due to finish but has now been extended because of the 2nd lockdown. But it’s clear that the Tories are looking to end it asap.
However, we believe that no worker should pay the price for any spread of the virus. We say: work or full pay. Any worker who is required not to attend work or is unable to do so because of COVID, 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 and you can catch up on disputes at Strike Map UK
Diary
June
18 TUC National Demonstration – 12noon Parliament Square, Westminster, London SW1P 3BD read more
July
2 NSSN Conference 2022 11am-4.30pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL Facebook event
9 Durham Miners’ Gala 2022 Facebook event
15-17 Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival 2022 read more
September
11 NSSN TUC Rally 1pm Brighton
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
