Text from NSSN leaflet that will be given out on Sunday’s TUC demonstration in Manchester:-
As new Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said, the Tories have declared war on trade unions and their members. After being the 200-1 outsider, surely no-one now believes the odds are too great to take on Cameron and co? Their Trade Union Bill is a continuation of Thatcher’s brutal anti-union laws. Despite the propaganda that says unions are finished, this Bill shows that the Tories recognise that with over 6million members, they are still potentially the most powerful barrier to Osborne’s cuts. That’s why it’s no accident that they announced their anti-union proposals at the same time as they seek to unleash another £12billion welfare cuts as well as billions more in public spending.
The Bill is designed to neuter the power of the unions and make striking virtually impossible – especially in so-called essential services. The new voting thresholds if applied to the political parties would mean that hardly a councillor would be elected! Yet this is a government that only 24% of the electorate voted for! But there are other measures in the Tory plans that are designed to intimidate workers. They want to force each group of strikers to have a designated picket who would be liable to criminal prosecution. Even Tory David Davies equates this with ex-Spanish fascist dictator Franco! He is also fearful that the Tories could push workers too far – just as Thatcher did with the poll tax, when 18 million non-payers defeated her. He is also aware that the previous Tory anti-union laws were fatally wounded when the jailing of 5 London dockers in 1972 led to mass unofficial walkouts that were leading to a general strike.
Today’s demonstration outside Tory Party conference is another important step in the campaign to mobilise opposition to the Bill and the Tory cuts. But it won’t be enough on its own. The NSSN calls on all those opposed to the Tories, their anti-union Bill and the cuts to protest outside Parliament when the Bill has its 3rd and final reading on November 2nd. With hundreds of union members we successfully lobbied TUC Congress on September 13th to support motions that called for the TUC’s original plan to just lobby Parliament on that day to be turned into a mass demonstration. But the fight can’t be over if the Bill gets through Parliament. The RMT motion that was also passed called for the TUC to “…consider the possibility of assisting in organising generalised strike action should legal action be taken against any affiliate in connection with these new laws.” But this has to be prepared.
The NSSN wants to work with all unions, trades councils and organisations in building #KillTheBill committees in local areas to build the pressure on the union leaders to organise the action – protests, demonstrations and especially mass co-ordinated strikes – that will be necessary to defeat the Tory attacks.
There will be a NSSN stage on Sunday with an open mic. Come up and speak!
We are advertising local #KillTheBill meetings – email us on [email protected] for us to plug your event on our website, weekly NSSN e-bulletin and twitter. Through these platforms, we reach thousands of union and anti-cuts activists.
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.
Tuesday October 13th – Trade Union Co-ordinating Group ‘Kill the Bill’ protest & rally – 5pm outside Parliament for protest then 6pm Committee Room 10 House of Commons for rally – Chair: Steve Gillan POA. Speakers: Matt Wrack FBU, Michelle Stanistreet NUJ, Mark Serwotka PCS, Mick Cash RMT, John Hendy QC, Professor Keith Ewing, John McDonnell MP Shadow Chancellor, Caroline Lucas MP, Ian Lavery MP, Hannah Bardell MP, Rob Williams NSSN, Unite the Resistance More info from TUCG website
Rob Williams NSSN chair was interviewed live on BBC’s Daily Politics at TUC Congress watch here at about 30 minutes
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
Public Meeting: Defend Trade Union Rights, Kill the Bill – Reinstate John Vasey – victimised CWU rep Thursday 8 October,7.30pm The Black Rock, Cross Square
RMT
RMT on Waterloo and City Line strike action (29 Sept) – General Secretary Mick Cash said; “Our members from service control on the Waterloo and City Line are 100% united and solid in their action today as they fight for pay and grading justice. All they are asking for is to be treated the same as similar staff elsewhere on the Underground. Their claim is for basic fairness read more
Signallers take further action in Swindon and Thames Valley (28 Sept) – Signallers working out of the Swindon A and Thames Valley Centre will be taking further industrial action over the coming weeks over the wholly unwarranted sacking of a colleague read more
RMT ramps up campaign for buffet cars on GWR (25 Sept) – RMT ramps up campaign for buffet cars on Great Western Railway Intercity Express. RAIL UNION RMT today vowed to step up its campaign to save the buffet car on the new Great Western Railway (GWR) Intercity Express Trains read more
PCS
National Gallery talks progress as campaign makes a difference – Speaking at the rally, PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said, “I’m delighted to say to you that we have finally got a set of discussions with the new director that can allow us to be hopeful that we are now moving towards a settlement that all of us will find acceptable. But there can be no settlement without decent wages, without job security for the staff, without people being respected for what they do and without Candy Udwin being allowed to get her job back.” We are therefore appealing to everyone to keep up support for our action at this crucial stage. YOUR SUPPORT HAS BEEN FANTASTIC SO PLEASE HELP US KEEP GOING!
- KEEP OUR SPIRITS UP BY JOINING OUR PICKET LINE
If you are in London visits to our picket line keep our spirits up. We are there every day 9-11am.
This Friday evening 02 October 5-6.30pm we will also be joined by Poets on the Picket line! Poetry on the picket line event
- PLEASE KEEP DONATING AND FUND-RAISING!
Thank you to all those of you who have donated so generously or who have raised money through collections or fund raising events! But we urgently need more donations so that the low paid strikers can afford to keep going. Whatever you can afford can help us stay fighting until we win.
DONATE VIA PAY PAL
Or you can donate to Sort code 086001 Account no 20169002 or cheques to PCS Culture Media and Sport Association, c/o PCS North West Region, Jack Jones House,1 Islington, Liverpool L3 8EG
Land Registry branch nears 100% direct debit sign-up (30 Sept) – 98% of Durham LR branch’s 362 members have now signed up. Durham Land Registry branch started its direct debit campaigning at its annual meeting in February 2014, coinciding with the campaign against plans to change the status of Land Registry to a GovCo and also proposals for a massive reorganisation read more
Unite
Liverpool demo as Teesside energy-from-waste representatives meet union officials to discuss a forensic wage audit (29 Sept) – Crunch talks are due to be held tomorrow (Wednesday 30 September) in Liverpool in a bid to ensure an independent audit of wage rates is carried out at the £200 million energy-from-waste plant being built at the Wilton complex on Teesside read more See photo
Jersey march to protest at public services cuts on Saturday (29 Sept) – Large cuts to public sector services in Jersey are on the cards, because of policies to make the island more attractive as a tax haven for the rich and powerful to salt away their money, Unite, the Channel Islands’ largest union, has warned. Unite is calling for the public to turn out for a massive protest march in St Helier on Saturday (3 October) as the States of Jersey government prepares to debate the proposed cuts on Tuesday (6 October) read more
Bus strikes to go ahead as Cardiff hosts Rugby World Cup games – read more from BBC website
Scandal of war graves’ staff facing £6,000-a-year pensions’ loss (28 Sept) – Unions have described moves to slash the pensions of those who tend the cemeteries of the war dead, run by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), by £6,000-a-year as ‘a scandal’. The CWGC is pressing ahead in breaking the final salary linkage for the calculation of benefits from next March, despite the strong opposition of Unite, the country’s largest union; Public and Commercial Services (PCS); and Prospect read more
‘Northern Powerhouse’ risks being empty rhetoric unless government saves Redcar steel (28 Sept) – The government’s much vaunted ‘Northern Powerhouse’ risks being nothing more than empty rhetoric unless it intervenes to save the SSI steelworks in Redcar on Teesside, Britain’s largest union Unite said today (Monday 28 September). The warning came as the union responded to the news that SSI was mothballing the Redcar facility with the loss of 1,700 jobs read more
Carlsberg workers want ‘probably the best pay deal’ in Northampton this year (28 Sept) – A global pay freeze by brewers Carlsberg has left a sour taste in the mouth for workers at its Northampton plant. As a result, nearly 200 engineers, brewers, processers and packers at the Bridge Street site will be taking part in a continuous ban on overtime and work-to-rule from 00:01 hours on Thursday (1 October) read more
Community
Union response to SSI job loss announcement (28 Sept) – Responding to the announcement today that Redcar steel maker SSI is mothballing its iron and steelmaking facilities and around 1700 workers facing potential redundancy read more
BMA
Juniors doctors’ contract: this is everyone’s fight (28 Sept) – This is a generational moment for the medical profession. The threat to impose a new contract on junior doctors in England goes beyond one country or one branch of practice — it’s an attack on the values we all cherish. Junior doctors have found themselves forced to ballot for industrial action. The action they propose is in defence of us all, and must have our united support. As a profession, we need doctors who are safe, highly motivated, and able to deliver the best possible care to patients. If the Government presses ahead with imposition, it will be clear to everyone that they do not share these fundamental values. Today, in the wake of the vote to ballot on Saturday, NHS Employers has cancelled all its meetings with junior doctors about the new contract read more
Unison
Picket and donate: support the NSL strike! – The strike by our branch’s low-paid members on the NSL parking enforcement contract for a decent pay increase is set to start Wednesday (2 September) running through to Saturday 5 September. Here is how you can support the workers read more
BFAWU
Watch BFAWU videos!! What’s on the menu at the Chancellor’s bakery? Work? Under 25? You need to see this That awkward moment when you’re paid less because you’re 19
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]
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
1/3 fire services earmarked for axe as Leicestershire faces ‘unprecedented’ cuts (Sept 25) – Leicestershire’s fire service is facing ‘unprecedented’ budget cuts that will put the public at risk, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has said. The county’s Combined Fire Authority (CFA) have published proposals to close Central and Kibworth fire stations, remove 11 fire engines, and cut 194 frontline firefighter jobs out of a workforce of 650. These cuts would be the biggest ever in the history of the Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS). Some fire engines would also be replaced by smaller Tactical Response Vehicles (TRVs), which carry minimal equipment and are crewed by two firefighters read more
NUT
You deserve a pay-rise – how to appeal and organise against performance-pay (Sept 25) – Teachers are awaiting the outcome of their ‘performance-reviews’ which, thanks to Gove’s imposition of ‘performance-pay’, can now decide whether or not they progress up the pay-scale or, in the latest divisive twist, even if they will receive their annual pay award. Since the 1920s, teachers’ pay has been structured around annual increments. Teachers could rightly expect to progress up the pay scale as they gained experience. However now Governors are allowed to pick and choose who gets a pay rise – and who doesn’t read more on blog of Martin Powell Davies NUT NEC
NUJ
NUJ Pay Day Saturday 31 October – After years of pay freezes in the industry the NUJ is holding an event to discuss how to negotiate and campaign for better wages and fair working practices for staff and freelances as job titles change and the clickbait culture starts to bite. This UK event is part of our programme of events for non-Delegate Meeting years and all members are welcome read more
BECTU
Royal Albert Hall rejects staff vote for union recognition – BECTU is in dispute with management at the Royal Albert Hall after its chief executive, Chris Cotton, rejected a majority vote by staff for union recognition read more
United Voices of the World
Reinstate the Sotheby’s 2! – www.facebook.com/unitedvoicesoftheworld Protest at Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Auction: 6pm October 15 Sotheby’s Auction House 34-35 New Bond Street W1A 2AA London www.facebook.com/events/741192686026832/
Other News
Dear Comrades, Brothers, Sisters and Friends
Waltham Forest Trades Council invites you to a special discussion on Tuesday 6th October at 8pm at the Quaker House, 1a Jewel road , E174QU, on JEREMY CORBYN’S MARVELLOUS VICTORY
We are setting aside time at our monthly meeting, and are encouraging anyone interested, to come along and participate.
All welcome.
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 – 29th Sept 2015
October dates for the diary:
- Friday 2nd – Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand – Costs Hearing for blacklisting Group Litigation.
- Tuesday 6th – Blacklisted book tour visits Leeds 2 meetings in one day https://www.facebook.com/events/863312907037850/
Lunchtime
University of Leeds Fairbairn House, Suite A Room 1 (G.01) Clarendon Road 12pm-2pm
Sponsored by University of Leeds Unison and Centre for Employment Relations, Innovation and Change.
Evening
Leeds Beckett University, Broadcasting Place, Woodhouse Lane, BPAG10 6pm onwards.
Presented by Leeds Taking Soundings (This is the ‘rusty tower’ building opposite the Fenton Pub. The room is on the groundfloor)
- Wednesday 7th (10:30am) – Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand – Opening hearing for Pitchford public inquiry into undercover policing. Decision on whether Blacklist Support Group and other victims of police surveillance have been given ‘core participant’ status. Photo opportunity outside the court from 9am with Spies Out of Lives, Blacklist Support Group, Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance. (press interviews available in advance if required)
- Thursday 8th – Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand – Case Management Discussion for High Court group litigation trial.
- Throughout October & November: Townsend productions present: Ragged Trousered Philanthropists / United We Stand tour
Leighton Buzzard, Harrogate, Peckham – with lots of celebs – if you’ve never seen these 2 iconic agitprop plays – don’t miss this opportunity
http://www.townsendproductions.org.uk/
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)
Finland: General strike shakes government read more
Campaign Kazakhstan protest today Sept 28 read more
Diary (see & use false economy)
September
October
1 Lincoln & District TUC is joining forces with the Lincoln People’s Assembly to hold the public rally – entitled “no to austerity, yes to workers’ rights” – 7pm at the Lincoln Labour Club on Newland
4 No to Austerity, Yes to Workers Rights – National demonstration at Conservative Party Conference in Manchester more info
5 The People’s Post – a public meeting hosted by the Communication workers Union 7pm Manchester Cathedral, Manchester – As part of The People’s Assembly’s National week of Action at Tory Party conference, the CWU are delighted to host a public meeting that will debate the future of Postal Services in the UK and the challenge that has to be made to the Government’s Austerity Agenda read more
29 Defend Glasgow Services – No Cuts. Joint Trade Union Lobby of Glasgow City Council 12.30pm, City Chambers
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
