The NSSN salutes members of ASLEF who voted to reject Southern Rail’s offer to end their dispute. We call on the union to join with the RMT, who disgracefully were excluded from talks brokered by the TUC, to plan co-ordinated action to stop management’s Driver Only Operation (DOO) plans.
The starting point for this is a commitment not to have separate talks with the company. It is therefore a concern that there are reports that ASLEF and Southern Rail are meeting for secret talks today. We don’t believe that this is the message of the ASLEF ballot last week.
We will continue to support action called by either union. RMT members are taking their 29th day of strike action tomorrow and the NSSN will be on their picket line – from 7.45am at Victoria station.
Send solidarity and support to the RMT: email – [email protected] twitter – @RMTunion
Tube Fleet maintenance workers back strike action (21 Feb) – London Underground Fleet members have voted for industrial action following numerous unresolved breaches of agreed machineries and agreements by management. In a ballot result announced by RMT 67% of members have voted for strike action with 88% voting to endorse action short of a strike read more
RMT protests over poverty pay at Liverpool’s Adelphi Hotel – protests: Saturday 25, February , from 10:00 to 12:00 outside the Adelphi Hotel, Ranelagh Street, Liverpool L3 5UL
Tuesday 7 March from 11:30 outside Britannia Group Headquarters, Halecroft, 253 Hale Road, Cheshire WA15 8RE
RMT to ballot Night Tube drivers for strike action over block on career progression
Tube drivers to strike again on Central Line East over cuts-led forced displacement of staff – members will strike for 24 hours 21:00 hours on Tuesday 21st February and 20:59 hours on Wednesday 22nd February
Unite
Support BA Mixed Fleet strike!
Low-paid British Airways cabin crew in Unite the Union are due to strike this week from Wednesday to Saturday for another 4 days on top of the 15 days of action they have already taken this year. But instead of negotiating, BA have been trying to intimidate workers on £12,000 a year through removing bonuses and staff travel.
The NSSN will continue to give our full support and solidarity and we appeal to all our supporters and affiliates to do so as well. The workers have been using Bedfont & Feltham Football & Social Club as their HQ – The Orchard, Hatton Rd, Bedfont TW14 9QT and their main picket line has been next to Hatton Cross Underground and bus station.
Watch this video of the recent lobby of Parliament by Mixed Fleet striking workers – it is by Reel News, a London based activist video collective set up to document and publicise inspirational struggles
Send messages of support and donations (make cheques out to Unite the Union and write ‘Mixed Fleet Hardship Fund’ on the back) to: Unite the Union, Ron Todd House, 33-37 Moreland Street, London EC1V 8BB. Tweet support to @MFUnite
British Airways mixed fleet pile on the pressure over poverty pay with more strike days
Gatwick workers to ballot for strike action over poverty pay
BMW pension talks set to continue as threat of industrial action remains, warns Unite
Unite warns of pension theft as government floats final salary pension changes
AWE workers take pensions’ dispute to Ministry of Defence in Whitehall today
Unite agrees first Crossrail productivity payments
Bromley libraries campaign – The campaign to stop the privatisation of Bromley Libraries is now focussing on Carillion who are bidding to run the Library Service. They are asking for assistance with handing out leaflets in what will be the first of a series of regular actions aimed at the company. Carillion Leaflet Session – 27th February,10 am to 12 noon at 25 Maddox St, London, W1S 2QN. For further information – contact [email protected]
Mandate (Ireland)
Support Irish Tesco workers strike: Further four stores agree to join Tesco strike after ballots (Feb 21) – Twenty out of 31 stores – almost two-thirds – have now supported strike action. Last night the workers in a further four Tesco Ireland stores voted to join the strike which is taking place at the company over the attempt to unilaterally impose new contracts on long-serving staff. The stores concerned are located in Ballinasloe (Galway), Bloomfield (Dun Laoghaire, Dublin), Carlow and Newbridge (Kildare). This means that from next Monday, 27 February, 20 out of the 31 stores balloted to date will be taking part in the strike – almost two-thirds of the stores concerned. A further 13 stores will be balloting over the next two nights with even more stores likely to be balloted in the period ahead read more from Tesco Workers Together website
NSSN news
Trade Union Act to come into force on March 1st – TUC call a special conference
The Tories have confirmed that their anti-union laws, incorporated in the Trade Union Act, including new undemocratic industrial action ballot thresholds will come into force on March 1st. The NSSN calls on the TUC to implement the policy passed at last September’s TUC Congress which was moved by the RMT which includes:
“Congress believes the General Council needs to convene an urgent conference of affiliates to provide a practical forum, including workshops, as to how to best coordinate our legal and industrial response to the Act in line with policy already set by Congress.”
and an amendment from the FBU:
“Congress should discuss all options for challenging the new legislation. This should include stepping up the campaign to scrap the Act and other anti-union legislation as well as the practical steps to be taken to support any unions and groups of workers threatened by this anti-worker legislation.”
Read more PCS: Welsh ministers move to quash anti-union law
Watch NSSN chair Rob Williams being interviewed on SKY News on the Christmas strikes and opposing Tory attacks on the unions here
Early notice – the 11th annual NSSN Conference will be on Saturday July 1st 2017 from 11am in Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. It is open to all trade union and anti-cuts campaigners Facebook event
This is a video of the NSSN TUC Congress Rally on 11 September – Tories Out! Keep Corbyn!
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 is below
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
PCS
Disgraceful and humiliating treatment of sacked EHRC workers as they clear their desks read more
The other planned strike dates are: Wednesday 1 March 2017, Monday 20 March 2017, Tuesday 18 April 2017, and Wednesday 17 May 2017
Other ways to help:
Please send messages of support to [email protected]
Tweet to @savetheehrc
Write to the EHRC chief executive officer Rebecca Hilsenrath at EHRC, Fleetbank House, 2 – 6 Salisbury Square, London EC4Y 8JX.
Send donations to our strike fund to: PCS PSG Hardship Fund, Sort code: 608301, account no: 20151243
Sign petition: Stop Union Busting at Tate here
Unison
Unison supports #OurNHS March 4th national demonstration www.unison.org.uk/events/nhs-demo
Derby school support staff step up strikes as city council drags its feet, says UNISON (20 Feb) – School support staff in Derby are to take all out strike action for five days starting next Monday (27 February) as the latest talks with the city council fail to reach an agreement, says UNISON. Next week is on top of the two days of action taking place this week (today and tomorrow), during which school support staff are holding a 24-hour vigil outside the city council’s offices. Following on from a march earlier today, striking staff took up position in Corporation Street at noon. They plan to stay there until the same time tomorrow to draw attention to the plight of colleagues who have been driven into debt and are now defaulting on their mortgage payments because of council cuts to their pay read more
Donate to Derby hardship fund here
Derby Unison branch Facebook page here
Support the Durham Teaching Assistants from Unison and ATL who have also taken strike action to stop wage cuts of 23% – Save the date! Solidarity demo 25th March Facebook event They are holding a week-long vigil this week outside the council offices
Donate to the Durham TAs’ fund here
Durham TAs Facebook page here
Support ongoing Glasgow Unison janitors’ dispute – the janitors begin another two week strike on Wednesday 22 February. They have taken 62 days of strike action since last March. They will be protesting at the City Chambers from 12.45pm on Wednesday. See Unison Glasgow City Branch Facebook group and website
Support the Kinsley School cleaners in Wakefield on indefinite strike since September 6th Facebook Group. Donate to strike fund – send to Wakefield Unison, 18 Gills Yard, Wakefield WF1 3BZ
GMB
‘Fried Egg’ Porter Reinstated (Feb 17) – I am delighted at clearing my name and getting my job back says GMB London member. GMB, the union for hospital workers, welcome the common sense decision to reinstate Aldren Tomlinson to his job as hospital porter at King George Hospital in Ilford read more
Sir Philip Green Faces New Strikes – Spectrum for Arcadia staff in Leeds and Solihull will walk out for two days in February. Shamed peer Sir Philip Green is facing fresh strikes at TWO Topshop sites after he denied hard-working staff a living wage. Workers at Spectrum for Arcadia, a division of the DHL Logistics Supply Chain, in Solihull and Leeds will walk out on Friday February 24 and Sunday February 26. The industrial action will throw Arcadia’s deliveries from Topshop, Miss Selfridge and Burton Menswear into chaos read more
CWU
The NSSN wishes to send our condolences to the family of Bernard Roome, former members of CWU’s NEC and long-time supporter of our Network who sadly recently passed away. Memorial meeting – 3pm Saturday 25th March Grand Hotel opposite Swansea train station. An obituary can be read here
BFAWU
The Fast Food Rights campaign are calling for ‘Fight for £10 – May Day Pay Day’ marches this May Day – contact Gareth Lane [email protected] for info
Reinstate Kumaran Bose – sacked by Samworths! The NSSN is supporting the BFAWU’s campaign in support of Kumaran Bose who was dismissed for speaking out and for organising a union in his workplace read more Facebook group BFAWU Statement On Samworth Brothers’ Sacking Of Kumaran Bose
UCU
Support the reinstatement of London Met union reps: Mark Campbell and David Hardman https://uculondonmet.wordpress.com/
EIS
EIS Opens Indicative Industrial Action Ballot Over FE Pay Deal (17th Feb) – The EIS has today (Friday) opened an indicative industrial action ballot of its Further Education Lecturers’ Association (EIS-FELA) members over the non-delivery of a pay agreement that was reached almost one year ago read more
BECTU
The BECTU Picturehouse cinema strike has been escalated – 4 cinemas were out last Saturday 11 February. In addition to Brixton Ritzy and Hackney, Crouch End and Central were out for the first time. There will also be a joint protest on Saturday 25 February from 12noon outside the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square https://www.facebook.com/events/1370376026370008/
Sign petition: A London Living Wage for Picturehouse Workers here
Brixton Facebook Page Hackney Facebook Page Crouch End Facebook Page Central Facebook Page Support the Picturehouse Strike Fund – donate now
FBU
Video: Union vows to fight on for pension justice (20 Feb) – In a video update Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, has vowed that the union will continue its fight for pension justice after an employment tribunal concluded the transitional arrangements for the 2015 Firefighters’ Pension Scheme did not discriminate on the grounds of age, sex or race. The FBU will now consider the reasons for the decision with their legal team in the near future, and will then make a decision whether or not to appeal. Members are advised to check the national FBU website and Facebook and Twitter pages for updates
POA
£12 million boost to attract new recruits (Feb 19) – The Unions position has for a long time been that pay should be set at a national level for staff. The latest attempt at placing a plaster over a gaping wound has been announced. This decision will not solve the recruitment and retention issue, nor bring about operational stability in a Prison System that is in meltdown.Whilst any additional pay for our members is welcome the latest policy decision direct from the Secretary of State sees another divisive decision on pay, which will enrage many who are left unaffected by this latest announcement.The decision to uplift pay for staff only at 31 sites identified as Amber or Red who are either new Prison Officer recruits or are on F&S pay scales has been poorly thought out and ignores many other grades of staff including closed grade Prison Officers, OSG’s and Junior Managers read more
United Voices of the World union (UVW)
UVW members to be balloted imminently at the London School of Economics (LSE) – Due to the LSE’s continued arrogant and elitist refusal to speak to the cleaners and to bring their terms and conditions in line with the rest of LSE staff, or to review workloads/disciplinary procedures and reinstate unlawfully sacked Alba, UVW has given official notice to ballot the cleaners at the LSE for strike action. This is the first ballot of outsourced staff in the 126 year history of LSE. Ballot period is expected to close by the end of February. This is the first time cleaners have voted on strike action in the history of the LSE. Please consider making a donation to LSE cleaners’ strike fund – http://www.uvwunion.org.uk/justiceforlsecleaners/
Website: www.uvwunion.org.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/uvwunion Twitter: @UVWunion
IWGB
Deliveroo could face mass action in Brighton from riders earning below minimum wage – Deliveroo told it could face mass action including protests and strikes if it doesn’t offer a better deal to riders in Brighton within two weeks read more Brighton Deliveroo Drivers were on strike on February 4th over low pay (£4.00/drop) and have voted to unionise with the IWGB! read more
Other News
‘It’s Our NHS!’ national demonstration: assemble 12noon Saturday March 4th Tavistock Square, London WC1H – As 2017 opens, the crisis in the NHS continues. The Health Campaigns Together grassroots campaign has called a national demonstration. It is now supported by a whole number of national unions https://www.facebook.com/events/1771664639725061/ GPs ‘incensed’ by May threat to funding warns Doctors in Unite
SERTUC Public Services Committee Health Conference – Saturday 25 February 2017 read more
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.
Blacklist Support Group financial appeal: the Blacklist support group is desperately short of funds, to continue the incredible work 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)
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/
Donate to ReelNews – http://reelnews.co.uk/donationssubscriptions/
International
Turkey: Academic For Peace Initiative (BAK) seeks international solidarity – In the last seven months, following the failed coup attempt, nearly 100,000 civil servants have been removed from their posts in Turkey. This includes teachers, police officers, soldiers, academics and lawyers. Among these there have been many academics known for being signatories to the [“We will not be a party to this crime”] peace petition. The government previously accused the signatories of being members of terrorist organizations or groups seen as a threat to national security for merely signing the petition. This time the same academics are being removed from their positions on the basis of so-called special decrees… The government and university administrators have taken away jobs and rights (such as pension rights) without official or judicial justification read more
Australian workers locked out by dairy giant Lactalis/Parmalat read more
Fyffes Sack More Union Workers read more from GMB website
Diary
2017
March
4 ‘It’s Our NHS’ – National Demonstration to defend the NHS in London on March 4th 2017 – called by ‘Health Campaigns Together’ an umbrella organisation of different local campaigns against NHS cuts https://www.facebook.com/events/1771664639725061/ http://www.healthcampaignstogether.com/index.php
With Banners Held High – all day workshops, debates, exhibition gig in Wakefield in support of causes such as Justice for Mineworkers and Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign https://webmail.123-reg.co.uk/appsuite/#!!&app=io.ox/mail&folder=default0//NNIS%5B
13 Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign ‘Make Some Noise for Justice’ demo – 2pm, Home Office Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF http://otjc.org.uk/noise-demo-transport/
18 National Demo: Refugees and Migrants Welcome – Stand Up To Racism, Islamophobia & Anti-Semitism read more
July
1 11th annual NSSN Conference 11am in Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL
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
