Next Monday September 14th, just as hundreds of delegates meet in Brighton at this year’s TUC Congress, the Tories will be trying to sneak their anti-union Trade Union Bill through another Parliamentary stage. This vicious legislation that builds on Thatcher’s laws, is designed to shackle the unions just as Osborne unleashes billions more in Tory austerity.
If passed, their plans would make official strikes much more difficult and give far more advantage to employers while cutting away democratic union rights. One of the most sinister measures involve forcing one picket on strike to give their personal details to the police, opening up the way to arrest for criminal charges!
We should remember that in 1972 when the Tories previously attempted to impose anti-union laws, they nearly provoked a general strike by jailing 5 London dockers! The NSSN is lobbying TUC Congress this Sunday September 13th to push for the action that is necessary now to confront the Tories and their Bill.
We will be supporting Congress motions such as those from the RMT, FBU, CWU and PCS that between them call for a mass demonstration outside Parliament in November when the 3rd and final reading of the Bill is planned and co-ordinated strike action if it becomes law as well as against the cuts and the pay cap. The general secretaries of these unions will be on our platform.
But we’re not just waiting until November. Next Monday, the Tories will go for the 2nd reading but we call on all our supporters and affiliates to organise protests on the day, even if they have to be called last minute. If you are in London, go to the protest outside Parliament at 6pm that’s been called. But wherever you are – whether it’s your lunch break or after work – get your union banners and flags out. For local events, follow the hashtags #KillTheBill #RightToStrike #DefendUnions
Then get to Manchester on October 4th to protest outside the Tory party conference and prepare for November.
Let’s build the pressure and prepare the action to Kill the Bill!
NSSN ‘KillTheBill’ rally & lobby of TUC Congress 1pm-3.30pm Sunday September 13th in Brighton – The NSSN are pleased to announce that union General Secretaries Mark Serwotka PCS, Mick Cash RMT, Matt Wrack FBU, Ronnie Draper BFAWU, Dave Ward CWU and Steve Gillan POA will be speaking alongside rank & file union reps such as Suzanne Muna Unite EC at our #KillTheBill rally at this year’s TUC Congress in Brighton. There is a Facebook event www.facebook.com/events/396898687168095/ – please share.
The rally will be part of a lobby called by the NSSN. We will be calling on the TUC and its affiliated unions to organise a demonstration when the Tories debate their trade union bill in Parliament. The lobby will also push for preparations to begin for mass co-ordinated strike action if the laws are passed and against the Tories’ brutal cuts.
It will be in the Grand Hotel from 1pm-3.30pm in the Charlotte Room 97-99 King’s Rd BN1 2FW (next to the Brighton conference Centre).
Email us on [email protected] if you want to attend and need transport.
The NSSN encourages all union branches and trades councils to organise #KillTheBill rallies, public meetings and protests to help build opposition to the Tory Trade Union Bill – email us the details of your events and we’ll publicise them
NSSN public meetings – “After the TUC lobby – how can we fight the Tories’ anti-union laws?”
Tuesday 3 November:-
Manchester, 7pm, at the Britons Protection, 50 Great Bridgewater Street, M1 5LE.
Liverpool, 7.30pm, at the Casa pub, 29 Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BQ.
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. Affiliation letter here
Download the ‘Join the NSSN’ leaflet here
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
CWU
Reinstate sacked Royal Mail rep John Vasey now! – John Vasey, a CWU postal rep in Wakefield, West Yorkshire has been sacked on what his work colleagues recognise as stitched up charges. The NSSN calls on all our supporters and affiliates to support John’s campaign for reinstatement and his union the CWU:-
Messages of protest to Jon Millidge, Royal Mail Group HR Director, c/o Tallents House, South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB.
(Copies to Paul Clays, CWU Regional Secretary, 6 Concept Court, Kettlestring Lane, Clifton Moor, YORK, YO30 4XF – e-mail: [email protected])
Please sign the petition and like Reinstate John Vasey on Facebook
CWU reject ‘unacceptable’ 1% offer from BTMSL (Sept 3) – CWU negotiators have rejected an “unacceptable” 1 per cent pay offer from service provider BTMSL, in a pay negotiation that has been ongoing since April read more
PCS
Universal Credit Dispute – PCS and management issue joint letter (4 Sept) – On 4th September 2015 PCS and Universal Credit (UC) management are issuing a joint letter to all staff in the UC service centres. This letter, and the two attachments to it, detail the offer that the GEC has negotiated with management over recent weeks to address the key concerns that PCS members working in the UC service centres had. Members should read the documents carefully. Any issues or concerns should initially be raised with your local PCS rep. The full offer letter can be found below. Over the coming period, the GEC will be consulting members in all of the service centres on the offer. This will include running a ballot of the members in Glasgow and Bolton who were involved in the industrial dispute. The GEC believes that we have made considerable progress and secured important gains for our members and is therefore recommending acceptance of the offer read more
Pay petition passes 10,000 mark (7 Sept) – A petition calling for the 1% public sector pay cap to be scrapped has been signed by more than 10,000 people. Richard Gibson, a PCS member who works for HMRC, was inspired to start the petition because of anger over years of low pay read more
Drumming up support in Wales (7 Sept) – A march and rally by striking National Museums Wales members gains public support for their dispute. The weekend of 5 and 6 September marked the fourteenth walk-out since the beginning of August over management’s proposals to scrap allowances for weekend working which typically make up 12-15% of the take-home pay of ‘front-of-house’ staff read more
PCS public meeting at TUC Congress – fight for our future, say no to austerity (4 Sept) – Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis has been confirmed as a speaker at a PCS public meeting about building a campaign to fight austerity in Brighton on 13 September. The renowned economist and politician is likely to be a popular draw at our TUC Congress fringe meeting which will debate alternatives to austerity and include contributions from PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka and MP John McDonnell, Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership election campaign manager, and Green MP Caroline Lucas read more
International support for National Gallery dispute (3 Sept) – New e-action launches as 133,000 signature petition is presented to National Gallery management. Today (3 September) is the 80th day of strike action in the ongoing dispute at the National Gallery over privatisation and victimisation. Picket lines are being held at the gallery from 9–11.30am every day, and are being very well supported by members, other unions and the public. An online petition was set up by PCS to demand an end to the privatisation plans. The petition has attracted over 133,000 signatures to date. Today around 300 people were at the National Gallery to see Kevin McHugh, PCS vice president, present the petition to the head of security at the gallery. Kevin addressed the supporters, underlining PCS’s proud record in opposing privatisation, which poses a threat across the public sector read more This Saturday 12 September we will have an all-day picket with a rally between 3 and 5 pm. Please join us if you can.
“Let them eat cake!!” If you like baking we will be doing a fundraising cake stall so please bring contributions.
TELL THE NEW DIRECTOR WHAT YOU THINK!
Talks are ongoing with the gallery but we need to keep up the pressure. You can send an email here to Dr Finaldi the new director at the National Gallery calling for him to intervene over the privatisation and to reinstate dismissed PCS rep Candy Udwin. Please sign and share!
RMT
Strike vote over Northern Rail Leeds re-organisation (9 Sept) – RAIL UNION RMT confirmed today that it has declared a formal dispute and has begun preparations for an industrial action ballot of staff working at Northern Rail’s Leeds Customer Relations Department over an outrageous assault on existing terms and conditions read more
RMT to strike over sacked member at Blackpool North (8 Sept) – RAIL UNION RMT confirmed today that following a massive vote in favour of taking industrial action in defence of an unfairly dismissed member at Blackpool North – Chad Vickers – members will strike for 48 hours this weekend. Chad was dismissed by a management with little regard for due process, evidence or natural justice. Additionally, while the matter was referred to the police, they could find no evidence at all of the charges laid against Chad. This farce of a disciplinary process – now confirmed as a dismissal – has been considered further by RMT’s Executive Committee and, in the absence of justice prevailing in this case, the union has decided to act on the mandate for strike action. Members have therefore instructed not to book on for any shifts which commence between:- 00.01 on Saturday 12th September 2015 and 23.59 on Sunday 13th September 2015 read more
Unite
Protestors target Sports Direct AGM over ‘Victorian’ work practices as shareholders revolt (8 Sept) –
EVENT: ‘Dickensian’ workers to protest at Sports Direct AGM
WHEN: Wednesday 9 September 14:00-15:00
WHERE: Sports Direct headquarters and warehouse, Shirebrook, Derbyshire
Unite members dressed as Dickensian workers will be protesting outside tomorrow’s (Wednesday 9 September) Sports Direct annual general meeting demanding an end to ‘Victorian’ work practices at the retailer’s Shirebrook warehouse and that the company pays a real living wage of £7.85 per hour. The protest organised by Britain’s largest union is part of a national day of action outside over 40 Sports Direct stores across the UK. It comes amid a shareholder revolt over the company’s governance and employment practices resulting in calls for the Sports Direct chairman Keith Hellawell to stand down at tomorrow’s AGM read more
First offshore industrial action in a generation looms as COTA ballot notice served (4 Sept) – Unite has today (Friday 4 September) notified employers in the Catering Offshore Trade Association (COTA) that it will ballot its members across the agreement for industrial action. The dispute centres on the refusal of employers to honour a modest pay agreement for the second year of a two-year pay deal, worth around 1.3 per cent read more
Unite hails ‘fair tips’ victory in Pizza Express campaign (3 Sept) – Champagne corks over Pizza Express’s decision to scrap the eight per cent administration fee on tips were popping tonight (Thursday 3 September), as Unite, the country’s largest union, hailed a victory in its ‘fair tips’ campaign. Unite has been in the forefront of the campaign against the 430-strong Pizza Express restaurant chain for not passing on the tips paid by credit card in full to waiting staff. The union will now be turning its attention to other restaurant companies, such as Ask Italian, Prezzo, Belgo, Strada, Café Rouge, Bella Italia and Zizzi which have not been playing fair on tips to staff read more
Great support for Cardiff bus strike “No more lies – give us a rise” (Sept 2) – Hundreds of Cardiff Bus drivers converged on Cardiff City Centre today in an impressive show of strength as the bus network ground to a virtual halt. The drivers have taken action after weeks (and years) of fruitless negotiations with management at council-owned Cardiff Bus. They have submitted a 4% pay claim after years of below inflation deals and management has responded with a 3% with strings attached, nothing like the 5% reported in the media. A further 2% would be not be paid until the end of 2016. And other benefits like the Christmas bonus are threatened read more
GMB
Bus driver sacked after road accident (Sept 8) – GMB Demand Reinstatement of sacked Metroline bus driver who is off work with broken neck after road accident. The callousness of this sickening decision less than four months after the accident by Metroline has shocked the most experienced negotiators says GMB read more
More GMB strikes at Stansted (Sept 7) – GMB security scanners further strikes at Stansted on 12/13th September In Pay Dispute As Mitie Continues To Refuse Talks At ACAS. Members involved in the dispute remain determined to get a pay rise irrespective of how long it takes Mitie to get to the table and sort this out says GMB. 30 GMB members who operate the security scanners for checked in luggage at London Stansted Airport will take further strike action on Saturday 12th September 03.45 to 23.59 and on Sunday 13th September 03.45 to 13.00 in a dispute over pay read more
Water strike ballot on pension cuts (Sept 4) – GMB official strike ballot begins on 18th Sept for water workers in North East and Eastern England in dispute over pensions cuts. Pension scheme is affordable as Northumbrian Water is highly profitable generating £384.3 million profit for 15 month ending March 2015 says GMB. GMB, Unite and Unison will conduct an official strike ballot for members employed in Northumbrian Water and Essex and Suffolk Water for industrial action on proposed changes to the Defined Benefit pension scheme. The ballot will commence on 18th September after notice is served on 11th September read more
BFAWU
We’re Hungry for Justice: Fast Food Rights National Organising Day: 16 September – On 16 September the Bakers union are holding a National Organising Day hosted by the Trade Union Congress. The organising day is a space for fast food workers, union activists and community campaigners to find out more about the Fast Food Rights campaign. It will be about drawing in activists from across the movement to discuss practical ways to help win better pay, job security and respect at work in fast food sector read more
Fast Food Rights campaigning in Manchester
Dear Comrades
The BFAWU is holding an exciting event at Moston miners club Manchester on the 9th of October. The Fast Food Rights Autumn Party will be an evening of Comedy, Music with the added bonus of a live discussion with the American fight for $15, Reflecting on their astounding success in doubling the minimum wage in cities all across the States.
The aim will be to use this event to draw in fast food workers from across the city for an evening that shows the value of being a member of a union. And to have a great time along the way.
In the build up to this event the BFAWU and the Fast Food Rights campaign are looking for people to help us speak to fast food workers across the Manchester area and beyond. We have arranged days of action in Manchester with the TUC and ask local trade unionists and members of the public to join us.
The Days of action are as follows:-
Saturday 12th September FC United vs Corby Town. 1pm-3.15pm Meet Moston Miners club car park.
Tuesday 22nd September. 4-6pm Meet escalator outside Arndale food court.
Tuesday 29th September. 12-2pm and 5-7pm Meet escalator outside Arndale food court.
Friday 2nd October. FC United vs Worcester city 6pm-8pm Meet Moston Miners club car park.
Thursday 8th October 12-3pm Meet escalator outside Arndale food court.
Friday the 9th October. 12pm-5pm meet escalator outside Arndale food court.
Friday 9th October Live link up with US Fight for 15 6.30pm Bands Start at 7.30pm
Please can you email me at the address below and let me know what time and days you are available. If you cannot make any of these times don’t worry email me or give me a ring and we can talk about how you can support.
Feel free to call me on 07739326006
Gareth Lane – BFAWU community Organiser Northern England
Follow me on Twitter @gar1ane
Email [email protected]
£10 Now – Fast Food Rights Protest in Hull –
12 September at 12:00–14:00
McDonald’s Restaurant
39-41 Jameson Street, HU1 3JA Kingston upon Hull www.facebook.com/events/446511082140839/
Reports of Fast Food Rights protests on Youth Fight for Jobs and Fast Food Rights websites – Please send details of any local actions to [email protected] / [email protected]
FBU
FBU member receives £108,000 in compensation after accident on duty (Sept 4) – A firefighter from Louth, Lincolnshire has received £108,000 in compensation after an accident at work left him with a permanent shoulder injury read more
POA
Ashworth Secure Division to take Strike Action (August 20) – The POA have balloted its membership in the secure hospital in Mersey Care trust and the result was overwhelmingly in favour of strike action. The ballot was enacted after two members were dismissed for restraining a violent patient who had assaulted staff. The facts surrounding the case demonstrates a complete lack of duty of care towards employees in the secure division who keep the public safe from some of the most dangerous patients in the country. Steve Gillan General Secretary stated: “The POA have given Management every opportunity to rectify this decision by not making our ballot public or commenting on this issue until the internal appeals had been heard. They have now been heard and Management upheld the dismissals. I can confirm that we intend to take strike action or action short of strike action so the general public know the surrounding issues pertaining to this case.” read more
NUJ
Newsquest cull of photographers in the North east (3 Sept) – Newsquest has announced a huge cull of staff photographers at its titles in York, Bradford and Darlington. Nine jobs could go, with each centre retaining one “co-ordinator”. The titles affected include the Bradford Telegraph and Argus, The Northern Echo, Darlington, and The Press,in York. Newsquest said it intended to make the cuts by September 30. In Darlington, this means that six out of seven staff photographers will have gone in fewer than 12 months read more
United Voices of the World
Reinstate the Sotheby’s 2! – www.facebook.com/unitedvoicesoftheworld See photos and reports from the protest outside Sotheby’s Battersea Car auction on Monday September 7th www.facebook.com/events/967757346578854/
Other News
London Labour Film Festival Sept 24-26: Cinema Celebrating Working People – The 2015 London Labour Film Festival will take place between Thursday 24th & Saturday 26th September at the Arthouse Cinema in Crouch End. This year’s festival might best be described as intimate and beautiful, which would also be an apt description of our wonderful venue. We are being hosted by the Art House cinema in Crouch end, a gloriously revamped former-Salvation Army hall that provides the perfect backdrop for what promises to be an engaging and stimulating few days of great film and lively discussion. Read more on LLFF website – www.londonlabourfilmfest.com
Blacklisting & Victimisation
Buy the book ‘Blacklisted: The Secret War between Big Business and Union Activists’ Author: Dave Smith and Phil Chamberlain. Blacklisted tells the controversial story of the illegal strategies that transnational construction companies used to keep union activists away from work. See the official trailer from ReelNews
Blacklist Support Group financial appeal: the Blacklist support group is desperately short of funds, to continue the incredible work in 2015 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)
Blacklist Support Group – update 7th September 2015
- Blacklist Support Group direct action against Carillion at Royal Liverpool Hospital.
Why are the blacklisting wretches still being awarded public contracts? Local authorities and governments passing supportive resolutions is very welcome but the fine words need to be put into action. The blacklist firms need to be denied public funds until they start employing those on the blacklist and apologise for their actions.
Reel News video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsTsalDsQDs
BBC TV news report (starts at 11:25): http://www.bbc.co.uk/…/b068…/north-west-tonight-04092015 – Lee Fowler representing
BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-34151853
Liverpool Echo: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/traffic-reduced-standstill-construction-workers-9988799
Roy Bentham – Blacklist Support Group commented after the protest:
“The fight against the companies in blacklisting is one we’ll win in due course. Yesterday’s actions in Liverpool and the subsequent press releases screamed that. The battle between right and wrong is clear. The British legal system needs to take it’s path and the biggest victory for the movement in decades will be ours. My overriding message is one of hope. One that other sectors of the movement can draw strength from both nationally and indeed internationally”
Great work by the Merseyside comrades and tremendous solidarity from other construction workers who traveled from Teeside, Wales & London to support.
- Labour Leadership contenders come out in support of blacklisting campaign
Andy Burnham on BBC Radio Merseyside talking about the Royal Liverpool Hospital action (starts at 1:13): http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02zj3gk#play
Jeremy Corbyn endorses ‘Blacklisted’ book (photo attached)
- Pitchford inquiry into undercover policing
The Blacklist Support Group is applying for ‘core participant’ status in the Pitchford Inquiry, the submission is being presnted by Imran Khan and Partners solicitors, who are also representing Doreen Lawrence. The deadline for applications is Friday 18th September and the decisions as to which individuals or organisations have been successful is expected to be announced at the first public hearing on Wed 7th October in Royal Courts of Justice.
A committee at Holyrood has started the ball rolling in what could end up as a Scottish inquiry into the role of police spying. The Pitchford inquiry into undercover policing set up by Teresa may only covers England and Wales.
http://m.heraldscotland.com/news/13648755.Holyrood_considers_probe_into_illegal_police_spying/
- Last week:
Mickey Guyll, Steve Kelly, Graeme Boxall were representing in Chelmsford where Robert Peston, Nick Robinson and Ceri Thomas were all given the truth about blacklisting and all took a copy of ‘Blacklisted’ book.
Justice conference in Manchester organised by GMB supported the blacklisting campaign and the fight against undercover police surveillance on trade unions and social justice activists. Helen Steel and Dave Smith representing.
- Dates for the diary:
Thursday 10th Sept (7:30pm) – Croydon TUC at Ruskin House – ‘Blacklisted’ book event with Dave Smith
Tues 15th – SPYCOPS TUC fringe event organised by the FBU (flyer attached) – Matt Wrack, John McDonnell, Helen Steel, Shamik Dutta, Dave Smith
Wed 16th – TUC Blacklisted book signing at Bookmarks stall (lunchtime) – Phil Chamberlain & Dave Smith
Wed 16th – Brighton Free University (7pm) http://freeuniversitybrighton.org/events/blacklisted-the-secret-war-between-big-business-and-union-activists/
Thurs 17th – University of Liverpool conference: Policing & Democracy in the 21st Century
- Banksy’s Dismaland
The epic art installation by Banksy has been all over the news and our very own Blacklist Support Group Artist in Residence has been part of the action, as have our iconic hard hats, umbrella & t-shirts. ‘Blacklisted’ book has been on sale when you Exit Through the Gift Shop (couple of pix attached) – get down there is you get the chance.
- Wikipedia
Below is the Wikipedia page for The Consulting Association. If anyone has got some spare time and the know how, it would be nice to pad this out a bit more with additional info. Plus some of the blacklisting firms have deleted any mention of their involvement in the scandal from their own wiki pages – so adding the truth on their pages might also be useful.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consulting_Association
- Families Against Blacklisting
The inspirational Joanne Fowler has set up Families Against Blacklisting as a support network for partners & family members of those caught up in the blacklisting scandal. Show some solidarity by joining the facebook page. Or even inviting Jo to speak at your meetings.
https://www.facebook.com/familiesagainstblacklist
- Blacklist Support Group send messages of solidarity to the numerous union representatives who are currently fighting victimisation in what seems like a wave of management attacks on union organisation, including Sotheby’s Two (UVW), Candy Udwin (PCS), John Vasey (CWU), Max Watson (UNISON), Alan Brown (UNITE). Stay strong sisters & brothers.
Blacklisted book http://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/
video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70
blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/
International (also see Labourstart)
Refugees Welcome Here – UK National Day of Action Saturday September 12 – London demo assemble 12noon Marble Arch www.facebook.com/events/1629390697300657/
Diary (see & use false economy)
September
13 NSSN rally & lobby of TUC Congress in Brighton 1pm-3.30pm Grand Hotel
October
4 No to Austerity, Yes to Workers Rights – National demonstration at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester more info
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
