East Anglia Shop Stewards Network

The first meeting to start to organise an East Anglia SSN took place in Cambridge on Saturday the 29th November, 2008. It was well attended, for an organising meeting, with 17 people in attendance. All seven counties in the region were represented included trade unionists from Bedford, Cambridge, Southend, Stevenage, Ipswich and Norwich. There was a good positive spirit at the meeting, members from the CWU, Unison, PCS, Unite, the NUT and others including delegates from at least three Trades Councils.

The discussion was constructive and focused around the best ways to develop a network of active reps and steward who could build on each others confidence and experience and bring others into activity. It was generally recognised that these are unprecedented economic circumstances and that the NSSN could really play a role in resisting.

A temporary communications officer and a volunteer committee were established to begin organising a first conference for February the 28th 2009 –to be held in Cambridge. The format was yet to be decided but workshops on; organising in the workplace, migrant workers, and trade union history were suggested. Bob Crow is being invited. It was agreed that a regional steering committee be elected at the conference.

It was also the wish of the meeting that we would be able to come back to the conference having carried out some activity through the newly formed EASSN.

Tom Woodcock
Secretary, Cambridge & District Trade Union Council
Tel: 07712893552