In Lewisham in south London, triumphant health campaigners’ posters announce: “We’ve won! Justice for Lewisham Hospital.” Local people are celebrating a famous victory.
This January health secretary Hunt tried to downgrade Lewisham hospital’s accident and emergency departments and its high risk obstetric department. On 31 July a high court judge ruled that Hunt did not have such legal powers.
This was a victory for organised opposition to NHS cutbacks. Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign organised huge marches of 10,000+ last November and of 25,000 in January against this attack on a successful and popular hospital.
NHS campaigners know that this isn’t the end of the fight. The government attacked Lewisham as part of a plan to savage spending at the South London Healthcare Trust (SLHT) even though Lewisham is not part of SLHT.
That’s one reason why the judge ruled Hunt had acted illegally.
But hospitals within SLHT are still in danger from massive cuts. And as around Britain, the main culprits are government-imposed ‘reforms’. SLHT is awash with Private Finance Initiative (PFI) debts. In 2011/2012 interest payments on the £65 million deficit amounted to 6.5% of total spending. PFI spending is growing – predicted to be up to £356 million in SLHT by the end of the year.
Who will pay for this? Vital services and workers’ wages, if the government and top management have their way. We will need to build a community and trade union led campaign to stop their planned carnage. The NSSN supports the TUC demonstration outside the Tory party conference on September 29th to defend the NHS and oppose this government’s austerity offensive. Get on the transport that’s being organised by the unions in your area. But the demo has to be the start not the end of the campaign. March behind the NSSN banner calling for the union leaders to call a 24 hour general strike. And come on the NSSN lobby of the TUC Congress on Sunday September 8th in Bournemouth…”All out together in November!” (By a South London campaigner against NHS cuts)
Lobby the TUC Congress on Sunday September 8th
All out Together in November!
Join us and Lobby the TUC conference in Bournemouth on 8 September! Name the date for a 24 hour general strike! ‘All out together in November!’ NSSN rally at the TUC Congress at Bournemouth on September 8th followed by a lobby of Congress. TUC AGENDA & RESOLUTIONS online now!
Confirmed speakers: Bob Crow, Mark Serwotka, Steve Gillan, Ronnie Draper and Ian Lawrence (RMT, PCS, POA, BFAWU and NAPO general secretaries respectively) Alec McFadden (North West representative on TUCJCC for trades councils and also President Merseyside County TUC), Teresa MacKay TUCJCC & Ipswich Trades Council and Linda Taaffe (NSSN).
A rally will take place between 12.30pm-2.30pm Hardy Suite, Hermitage Hotel, Exeter Rd, Bournemouth (opposite Bournemouth International Centre, TUC Congress venue). There will be a coach to the lobby from Hampshire. To book a seat on transport from your area, email [email protected] or if you are able to arrange some and have space, let us know.
This lobby is now supported by five TUC Joint Consultative Committee (TUCJCC) Regional Representatives and the TUC National Unemployed Centres Combine.
Feel free to use our Model Motion: Lobby TUC 8 September! The FULL affiliation letter and motion can be downloaded from our website. Consider adding ‘That their general secretaries should meet with other willing unions prior to the TUC to liaise on co-ordination (&) we fully support the 29th September NHS March in Manchester.
Just out! Video from the 7th Annual NSSN Conference that was held on June 29th, see here
Union News
RMT
RMT announces London Overground strike action (Aug 16)
Rail union RMT confirmed today that London Overground guards, who have voted overwhelmingly for strike action and action short of a strike in a ballot following the announcement by Transport for London (TfL) of their plans to introduce Driver Only Operation (DOO) on the whole of the London Overground network, will take action for 48 hours over the coming Bank Holiday weekend read more
RMT provide transport to NSSN lobby of TUC Congress and NHS demo in Manchester (21 Aug)
Demonstrate against austerity and to defend the NHS. For a one day general strike to defend our social wage, jobs and public services read more
Unite
Serco defence workers to strike at Lincolnshire RAF bases (19 Aug)
Serco workers on Ministry of Defence (MoD) contracts at three Lincolnshire RAF bases are set to stage two 24 hour strikes in their stepped-up campaign against a paltry one per cent pay offer read more
Royal Mail and Post Office managers vote against cuts to pensions (19 Aug)
About 7,000 Royal Mail and Post Office managers have voted overwhelmingly against large cuts to their pensions in consultative ballots, Unite, the country’s largest union read more
‘Red card’ for football clubs not paying minimum wage for match staff, (21 Aug)
The ‘red card’ needs to be shown to the glaring pay inequality at Britain’s top football clubs where millionaire players rub shoulders with match staff who may not get the national minimum wage read more
Please support Unite members at Yorks Ambulance. In dispute against cuts to patient safety and derecognition of Unit. Please sign the petition
FBU
Success for West Midlands fire officers as Fire Brigades Union secures better terms (Aug 19)
The Fire Brigades Union has secured better terms for West Midlands fire officers as part of reforms to working practices read more
Support the FBU – end scab recruitment (19 Aug)
Fire authorities have been trying to recruit a scab labour force to undermine potential strike action by the Fire Brigades Union read more
PCS
Coastguard stations understaffed this summer (20 Aug)
All the UK’s coastguard stations have staff vacancies this summer as call-outs rise read more
CWU
Two more Post Office strike days (16th Aug)
Staff in the country’s network of 372 Crown post offices will take a further two days of strike action either side of the August Bank Holiday weekend. The five month-long dispute is over closures, job cuts and pay, and these latest two full days of strike action will be the tenth and eleventh rounds that staff will takeread more
Wildcat walk out in Skegness over harassment and staffing levels read more
GMB
Stansted Members Vote To Accept Offer (Monday, Aug 19)
GMB Baggage Scanners strike at Stansted Airport called off after GMB members vote to accept improved offer read more
Fight East Sussex Centre Cuts (Aug 20)
GMB meet to step up fight against proposed closures of specialist centres caring for older people in East Sussex read more
Gurkhas 4 Days Strikes (Aug 21)
Ex-Gurkha Soldiers employed by Serco training Army recruits to strike for four days over job losses in September in breach of agreement read more
NUT & NASUWT
Next phase of Rallies of Education:
London Saturday 14th Sep Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre, Broad Sanctuary, London, Greater London SW1P 3EE 11am to 12.30pm Speakers: Christine Blower, General Secretary, NUT; Patrick Roach, Deputy General Secretary, NASUWT. Directions to venue:
Nottingham Saturday 14th SepCrowne Plaza Hotel, Wollaton Street, Nottingham, NG1 5RH 11am to 12.30pm Speakers: Chris Keates, General Secretary, NASUWT and Kevin Courtney, Deputy General Secretary, NUT. Directions to venue
Cambridge Saturday 21st Sep The University Arms Hotel, Regent Street, Cambridge, CB2 1AD 11am to 12.30pm Speakers: Chris Keates, General Secretary, NASUWT and Kevin Courtney, Deputy General Secretary, NUT. Directions to venue
Exeter Saturday 21st Sep The Methodist Church Sidwell Street (nr Odeon Cinema), 60-64 Sidwell Street, Exeter, EX4 6PH 11am to 12.30pm Speakers: Christine Blower, General Secretary, NUT and Patrick Roach, Deputy General Secretary, NASUWT. Directions to venue:
UNISON
University staff fight for fair pay after vice chancellor receives massive bonus (21 Aug)
Support staff at the University of Bolton are fighting for fair pay, after the university’s vice chancellor was awarded a one-off “retention bonus” of £42,700 during a period of unprecedented redundancies and cuts at the campus read more
NUJ
“Shocking detention” of Miranda part of abuse of anti-terrorism law
The detention of David Miranda, the partner of Glenn Greenwald, the Guardian journalist reporting on the mass surveillance programmes by the United States National Security Agency (NSA), is yet another chilling incident in a series of attacks on civil liberties and freedom of the press read more
Blacklisting & Victimisation (mostly from BSG)
Defend the Four: Tribunal compensation award to Unison activists. Read More
1. Press coverage about police collusion with the blacklist: Guardian, Mirror, Hazards, union news,Morning Star, Darknet,
2. Councils: Dundee Council passed a motion against using blacklisting firms on Monday night plus….Read More
3. Crossrail protests about ongoing blacklisting of Frank Morris – including protests in Chicago. Read More
4. Shrewsbury
5. Australia . Ark Tribe – threatened with jail for organising a safety meeting on a building site. Bob Carnegie – threatened with jail for organising community support for a building site picket, Read More
6. Solidarity with blacklisted environmental activists fighting fracking at Balcombe – Around 400 environmental activists are on the blacklist – almost certainly with information supplied by undercover police. Many construction workers have info on their files about where they supported environmental campaigns too. This week many of these eco-activists were camped at Balcombe to support the local community campaign against fracking by US energy giant Cuadrilla. You probably saw Caroline Lucas MP get arrested on the TV news. Blacklisted workers and supporters were in attendance to show solidarity
7. This Saturday night – don’t forget this benefit social this Saturday 24th August – George Tapp & Anti-Blacklisting Campaign support event 19:00 Ruskin House in Croydon
Other News
The Mass Sleep Out (TMSO) is a national day of action being held on August 24th, 2013. On this day people will gather in towns and cities across the UK and sleep on the streets, to raise awareness of the impending mass homelessness brought on by the bedroom tax and other government cuts read more
Fighting mood at packed meetng to defend Whipps Cross Hospital. read more
Money wasted in council privatisation fiascos – and how those companies are eyeing up the NHS…read more
Do you want to know what’s funny about this government? Book…..Anti-Duhring Battalion Cutting edge Stand-up comedy at it’s best. Available for all anti-cuts, trade union and TUSC events: “Anti Duhring is hilarious. The audience totally loved it. Go and see him! You can only really appreciate him live!” – Comedian Del Rebel To book call 07986 268 763 or email [email protected]
International (see also labourstart)
LIBYA The closure of Libya’s key oil ports by striking guards and workers, halves the country’s oil production read more
MONGOLIA A Rio Tinto Classic: Trade Union Rights violation and Dismissal of thousands in Mongolia Mass dismissals have taken place at Rio Tinto operations in Mongolia at OT LLC and in Madagascar at QMM read more
RUSSIA Sugar workers fight for their factory, wages and homes, read more
SOUTH AFRICA One year after Marikana Massacre, read more & Textile union Sactwu endorses clothing strike, read more
TURKEY Police intervene with water cannons and tear gas in union march in Ankara, read more
Diary (also see & use False Economy)
AUGUST
22 Organising meeting for demonstration outside Labour conference in Brighton
7:30pm King and Queen
24 Mass Sleep-out New Steine Gardens starting from 2pm Drawing attention to homelessness which will be caused by the Bedroom Tax & the assault on housing rights
Unite Scottish Rank & File meeting 10am John Smith House
Dublin Lock out Conference 9-7pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Sq, London, Austin Harney and Gerry Downing, CRAIC Fighting the Cuts, PO Box No. 59188, London, NW2 9LJ; Email: [email protected] ; Mobile: 07980255642
Sex Workers Open University with X-Talk has a summer film show this Saturday – please see below for details. The SERTUC LGBT Network and GLATUC support SWOU.
THE COMMON HOUSE AT 19.00 6 Pundersons Gardens 5E E2 9RU
Camarthshire Unison & Youth Fight for Jobs family day at Camarthen Park
28 Ghost Train at Marylebone. The TSSA Ghost Train is visiting Marylebone to highlight the horror of high fares and visit stations at risk of becoming a ‘ghost’ stations with no staff. 17:30PM – 19:00PM,
London Marylebone Railway Station, Great Central House Melcombe Place Greater NW1 6JJ
29 August to 4 September DPAC Week of Action Local events/actions to be confirmed
Aug to end of Nov ‘Call me Mr. Robeson’ play
SEPTEMBER
4 Ghost Train at Seer Green & Jordans
The TSSA Ghost Train is visiting Seer Green & Jordans Station to highlight the horror of high fares and visit stations at risk of becoming a ‘ghost’ stations with no staff. 17:30PM – 19:00PM Seer Green & Jordans, Farm Lane Seer Green HP9 2UT
More information – Angela Khodeir: [email protected]
7 Anti-EDL protest ‘EDL not welcome in Tower Hamlets’ – Don’t let the racists divide us Assemble 11am Altab Ali Park, Whitechapel Road, London E1
8 NSSN Rally at the TUC Congress at Bournemouth followed by a lobby of TUC Congress.
12 noon-3pm Hardy Suite, Hermitage Hotel, Exeter Rd, Bournemouth (opposite Bournemouth International Centre – TUC conference venue).
14 NUT Rallies for Education London and Nottingham
22 September Demo at the Labour Party Conference, Brighton Centre/Seafront – Details to TBC ‘Lest They Forget’ organising meeting to be arranged shortly
28 NUT Rallies for Education Cambridge and Exeter
29 National TUC Demonstration to save our NHS at Tory party Conference
30 Manchester Unite local government branch is hosting a showing of the exhibition about Liverpool’s socialist council 1983-87. Speakers include: Len McCluskey, Tony Mulhearn, Felicity Dowling, Ted Knight & Kevin Bennett. Methodist Central Hall, Oldham St. Manchester. Tel: 0161-234-1896 emailjames.thornton@unitetheunion.
October
12 National anti-fascist demonstration in Liverpool – Assemble 12 noon, Myrtle Street (top of Hardman Street) Liverpool 7. March sets off a 1pm and ends with a rally: The Pier Head Liverpool 3
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CONTACT US
[email protected] or look on our Website for further info
Follow us on TWITTER @NSSN_AntiCuts
Facebook STOP THE CUTS or ‘ National Shop Stewards Network’
Secretary: Linda Taaffe Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07952 283 558
Post – NSSN, PO Box 54498, London E10 9DE
