NSSN Staffordshire: No
retreat on pensions - Fight until we win!
17 January NSSN
Staffordshire met on 16th January to discuss the pensions struggle and
what our next move should be. Activists present from Unite Health, FBU,
Unison and Unite Construction all agreed that the Unison leadership
should reject the Con-Dems 'Heads of Agreement' deal. This so called
deal would in reality be handing over Unison member's 'heads on a plate'
and offers nothing significant.
The important lead given by the national PCS Left Unity conference of
7th January was also welcomed and like recent NSSN Merseyside and NSSN
Preston meetings the motion passed at that conference was fully
endorsed.
The general mood of our meeting was; that N30 was a marvellous
demonstration of the potential of the organised working class but this
action must be built on. It's regretable that Unison's leadership seem
hell bent on trying to snatch a defeat out of the jaws of what could be
a significant victory against the attacks on pensions. But there is
still time to force their leadership to rethink their position and
rejoin the more than one million trade unionists in those unions that
have already rejected the government's 'offer' to continue paying more
and working longer for less pension.
NSSN Staffordshire activists will be putting a motion to the local
Unison Health branch to call for a Special Conference of Unison members.
It was also agreed to invite Left organisations in the trade union
movement, relevant union bodies and groups of workers in dispute to
discuss co-ordination of and solidarity for industrial action to a
further meeting on Monday 6thFebruary.
An NSSN Staffordshire NUT activist visited the Unilever picket line at
Burton-on-Trent the last time they were on strike and we will be giving
support again when they strike on Wednesday 25th January.
Proposal unanimously agreed by National Shop Stewards Network
Staffordshire
That we adopt the principles of the statement agreed at the 7th
January (PCS) Left Unity open organising conference, with the exception
of the third and final bullet-point which relates to the national
situation [the establishment of a temporary co-ordinating committee
between left organisations in the unions], and resolve as following:
“This meeting agrees to contact Left organisations in the trade union
movement, relevant union bodies and groups of workers in dispute, with a
view to re-convening a further meeting to discuss co-ordination of and
solidarity for industrial action, in early February.”
