It appears that the local government employers have made a set of new proposals in the pay dispute to the unions – Unison, Unite and the GMB. It should be noted that any improvement is a result of the threatened strike on 14th October which is part of a three-day rolling action that also covers the NHS and the civil service; coming after the million-strong public sector strike that took place on 10th July.
However, the detail of the proposal reveals that it is nowhere near enough to settle this dispute. Council workers who have suffered four years of pay freezes, in reality huge cuts to living standards, would receive a pay rise only marginally over the original 1% limit imposed by this Tory-led government.
Shop stewards from public sector unions on the NSSN steering committee that met last Saturday were clear that this proposal should be rejected by all the unions and even more effort should be made in building for massive strikes on 13, 14 and 15 October as well as the TUC ‘Britain Needs a Pay Rise’ demo on 18 October.
We welcome the fact that at the meeting between representatives of the local government employers and unions a majority of union representatives voted to reject the proposal.
With Unison members in Academies voting for strike action there is a clear momentum building towards 14th October. This mood is reflected in the health strike the day before with the Royal College of Midwives voting by over 80% to take action for the first time in its 133 year history.
This proposal should be rejected but it shows that it is the government and the employers who have blinked first. It should give council workers and all those in the public sector confidence that far more concessions can be won if the unions build for mass strike action in two weeks’ time.
NSSN News
The famous pink NSSN £10 minimum wage t-shirts are still available. Email us to order – £8 each. We have the following sizes: women – small, medium, large, XL and men – small, medium, large, XL, XXL
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. Affiliation letter here
South London NSSN public meeting: ‘All Strike Together on October 14’ (supported by Battersea & Wandsworth Trade Union Council). Speakers include PCS Vice–President John McInally, BFAWU bakers’ union and Youth Fight for Jobs – 7.30pm Thursday October 9th in Bread & Roses pub 68 Clapham Manor St, London SW4 6DZ
Yorkshire NSSN Conference – Saturday November 22nd Cosmopolitan Hotel Lower Briggate, Leeds, Yorkshire LS1 4AE
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
Unite
Ferrybridge builders end toilet row strike (Sept 30) – Builders at a £300m multi-fuel facility near a West Yorkshire power station have ended a strike sparked by a row over toilets. Union members staged an unofficial walk out at Ferrybridge, near Castleford, amid claims facilities were dirty, blocked and without toilet paper read more from BBC website
Talks call as Bedford bus rush hour strikes loom (30 Sept) – Bedford bus commuters face rush hour chaos next Monday (6 October) and Wednesday (8 October), as discussions over pay between Unite and Stagecoach East broke down. Unite has called on its members to strike between 03.00-09.00 on Monday and the same time on Wednesday over the company’s ‘derisory’ offer that was overwhelmingly rejected by the union’s members. The strike will be by 250 drivers and engineers angered by the company’s offer of less than three per cent for June 2014 -June 2015 read more
East Midlands Trains staff suspend strike action to consider new offer (27 Sept) – Unite has called off next week’s strike action, which was due to start tomorrow (Sunday 28 September), by nearly 200 engineering and maintenance staff at East Midland Trains to allow members to vote on a revised deal. Talks between Unite and East Midlands Trains, which took place yesterday (26 September), ended with the company taking a step in the right direction by offering an improved package on pay, holidays, sick pay and apprentices’ pay. An overtime ban, which has been in place since July, will also be suspended while members consider the offer. Members will be balloted on the revised offer from Monday 29 September with the results expected to be announced after 13:00 on Friday 3 October read more
Unite health members to strike over Cameron’s ‘destructive’ NHS pay policy (26 Sept) – David Cameron’s broken promises on the NHS were further highlighted today (Friday 26 September), when NHS staff, members of Unite voted to take strike action on Monday 13 October on NHS pay. Besides the four-hour strike between 07.00 and 11.00 on 13 October, Unite members in England will be working to rule and adhering to the 37.5 hour week between 13 October and 9 November. Its ambulance staff will also impose an overtime ban in their respective trusts between 13-19 October read more
RMT
Major march and rally in Southampton (Sept 30) – As part of transport union RMT’s national McNulty campaign, opposing cuts to jobs, services and the further break up and privatisation of Network Rail, RMT Wessex Regional Council are hosting a major march and rally in Southampton City Centre this Saturday, October 4th read more
RMT Activists to Discuss Possible Strike Action in October (Sept 25) read more
RMT News September 2014 edition now available read here
Unison
UNISON wins Ipswich car parking victory (29 Sept) – UNISON in Ipswich has won a victory at Ipswich Hospital, where the combined board has now announced that it will “defer any changes to current [car parking] rates for the next 12 months” read more
Academy members vote for industrial action (26 Sept) – UNISON members in academy schools who were balloted and are subject to national joint council (NJC) pay awards, have voted yes to strike action in a dispute over pay…UNISON’s NJC committee will now be seeking authorisation from the industrial action committee to include academy members in the current planned local government industrial action on 14 October read more
NHS strike date set for Monday 13 October 2014 (Sept 24) – UNISON today confirms that its members working in the NHS in England will stage a four-hour stoppage between 7am and 11am on Monday 13 October. This will be followed by four days of action short of strike action between Tuesday 14 and Friday 17 October when members will stop working through their breaks and instead take their breaks. A strong 68% voted yes for industrial action and 88% to action short of strike action in a ballot which closed on 18 September read more
Care UK workers’ strike – UNISON members at Care UK in Doncaster are still in dispute after a new ballot which is in support of a pay claim that calls for a minimum starting rate of £7.65, which is the national living wage outside London. The current pay for basic grade staff is £7 an hour. Their next 3-week action started on September 29 and will make it the longest ever UK health strike.
Messages of support or donations should be sent to: Yvonne Butcher, branch secretary Doncaster District and Bassetlaw Health Branch, 20511 UNISON Office – Jenkinson House, White Rose Way, Doncaster DN4 5GJ
Care UK and Your Choice Barnet strikers invite you to a House of Commons debate on ‘Social care Crisis’ – 6.30pm Tuesday 21st October committee room 10, House of Commons
Royal College of Midwives
Midwives vote ‘yes’ for strike action (Sept 29) – Members of the RCM in England have voted ‘yes’ to industrial action in a dispute over pay in England, it has been announced. A total of 82.2% of those who took part in the ballot said they are prepared to take part in a strike, while 94.6% said they were in favour of action short of a strike. Industrial action is set to start on the morning of 13 October with a four-hour stoppage read more
PCS
Boycott the 2014 People Survey (24 Sept) – We are calling on all PCS members not to participate in the 2014 civil service People Survey read more
GMB
Mid Sussex Serco Strike Oct 14th (Sept 30) – Members in Serco, Refuse, Recycling and Street Cleansing in Mid Sussex vote for strike action in pay dispute. Members are not taking strike action on October 14th action lightly but 80% in favour of strike action shows the strength of feeling and anger brought about by poor pay rises year after year read more
Last Ditch Talks To Avert Wandsworth Parking Strikes (Sept 30) – last ditch talks on Wednesday 1st October to avert strike action by parking attendants in Wandsworth in dispute over pay and union rights. Wandsworth’s yellow lines and restricted parking bays could be left free for all during a two day strike on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th October read more
Halt East Sussex NHS Witch Hunt (Sept 29) – GMB call on East Sussex NHS Trust managers to halt search for names of staff who spoke to CQC during recent visit to the Trust. Managers should tackle the culture of bullying within the Trust brought about by poor management, lack of communication and respect and need to cut finances from the Trust. GMB is raising concerns that managers at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (ESHT)) are attempting to find out the names of members of staff who spoke to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) during their recent visit to the Trust read more
Brighton Strike Suspended (Sept 24) – GMB to suspend two days of strike action to allow time for talks. GMB have agreed to suspend strike action on 25th and 30th September to allow Brighton & Hove Council time to table proposals and information covering the on-going dispute over Drivers supervisory and responsibility allowances. GMB and Council officers met today in a last attempt to avert 3 days of further strike action around the on-going dispute over driver allowances and responsibilities read more
UCU
Union threatens exam and coursework boycott as staff warned they will lose tens of thousands of pounds from their pensions (29 Sept) – Staff would see tens of thousands of pounds a year wiped off their pensions if proposals made by Universities UK (UUK) were introduced, warns a report released today. The report by First Actuarial for UCU warns that some staff would lose over £200,000 from their pensions if the radical proposals were implemented. UCU is balloting members in 67 universities for industrial action to oppose the changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). USS is the pension scheme for staff at the UK’s ‘old’ universities and covers the most selective institutions including the Russell Group of universities. The ballot opens on Wednesday (1 October) and closes on Monday 20 October read more
Lambeth College: Ballot re-opens and 7th October demo (Sept 24) – UCU members at Lambeth College voted 2 weeks ago to ballot for further strike action in their dispute over new contracts. Despite repeated attempts by the branch to get management to talk to the unions since the strike was stood down in July, there have been no further talks yet and no improvement on the last offer. Instead management are delaying talks which the branch sees as an attempt to block any further action being taken this term. The ballot opens on Monday 29th September and closes on 13th October… London Region UCU has called a demonstration in support of our dispute on Tuesday 7th October from 5pm onwards, outside Lambeth College, Clapham Centre (Clapham Common tube, Northern Line) read more
UCU members at Lambeth College voted 2 weeks ago to ballot for further strike action in their dispute over new contracts. Despite repeated attempts by the branch to get management to talk to the unions since the strike was stood down in July, there have been no further talks yet and no improvement on the last offer. Instead management are delaying talks which the branch sees as an attempt to block any further action being taken this term. The ballot opens on Monday 29th September and closes on 13th October.
POA
Read the latest Gatelodge magazine read more
FBU
Hertfordshire County Council settle Ashley Brown case (Sept 26) – The Fire Brigades Union understands a settlement has been reached between former Cheshunt firefighter Ashley Brown and Hertfordshire County Council concerning his dismissal after giving 25 years exemplary, life-saving service to the people of Hertfordshire. The terms of settlement are to remain confidential between Hertfordshire County Council and Mr. Brown but it is understood Mr Brown will not be returning to Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Whatever the agreed terms are, the FBU hope it brings some relief to the harrowing experience Ashley and his family have endured since his dismissal in December last year read more
FBU ‘Ring of Fire’ nationwide tour against cuts see remaining dates
Support locked-out Buckinghamshire fire-fighters – During the recent action by the FBU in England & Wales when fire-fighters took action for periods of two and one hours over 8 days, Buckinghamshire Fire Authority docked wages for the whole shifts. To contribute to Bucks FBU hardship fund:-
HSBC
Account No: 71603124
Sort Code: 40-33-33
Bucks FBU Hardship Fund
Also, email Complaints to Bucks FRS – [email protected]
ASLEF
Arriva Trains Wales strike (Sept 17) – ASLEF drivers at Arriva Trains Wales have voted overwhelmingly for strike action over the company’s continued failure to resolve matters relating to application of disciplinary procedure. Electoral Reform Services, the independent scrutineers, reported today that 86.2% of members voted ‘yes’ for industrial action, with only 13.8% saying ‘no’. Turnout was 72%. Drivers will withdraw their labour for turns booking on between 00.01 and 23.59 on Friday 26 September read more
CWU
CWU lodge formal claim with Royal Mail over Working Time Directive (Sept 25) – Royal Mail The CWU announced this week (Tuesday) that it has lodged a formal claim for future entitlements and back pay with Royal Mail following three landmark Employment Tribunal cases regarding the EU’s 1998 Working Time Directive read more
BFAWU / Fast Food Rights
BFAWU’s Foodworker magazine read here
Reports of Fast Food Rights protests on Youth Fight for Jobs website and fast Food Rights website
Please send details of any local actions to [email protected] / [email protected] see BFAWU video
Other news
The ‘Still the Enemy Within’ documentary film about the 1984-85 Miners’ Strike is showing this autumn – for details – http://the-enemy-within.org.uk/events/
Blacklisting & Victimisation
All blacklisted workers with a Consulting Association blacklist file should ensure that they receive legal advice before even considering the offers being made by the compensation scheme. Anyone having difficulty getting legal representation for the High Court is also encouraged to try one of the contacts below:
UNITE: http://www.unitetheunion.org/how-we-help/list-of-sectors/construction/constructionblacklisting/ 0800 587 7539
GMB: www.gmb.org.uk/campaigns/blacklisting [email protected]
UCATT: http://www.ucatt.org.uk/have-you-been-victim-blacklisting – Jim Kennedy or Kate Purcell on 0207 622 2442
Guney Clark & Ryan: www.guneyclarkryan.com/construction-industry-blacklisting/ Keith Doherty – 020 7275 7788 [email protected]
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70
Blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
International (also see Labourstart)
Hong Kong: Stop the suppression of democratic movement in Hong Kong read more
Hong Kong: Massive anti-government protests after attempted police crackdown read more
Diary (see & use false economy)
October
18 TUC demonstration in London – ‘Britain Needs a Pay Rise’. It will begin with a march through central London, culminating in a rally in Hyde Park read more here
November
5 Leeds Youth Fight for Jobs branch meeting
December
3 Leeds Youth Fight for Jobs branch meeting
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
